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SPORTS Freshman guides Wolves to 1-0 win over Olympia 8A
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business.
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
Port Orchard
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By JUSTINE FREDERIKSEN
Staff Writer
Independent
Tensions between two Port Orchard neighbors that erupted after one attempted to open a home business last year led both women to head down to the Kitsap County Courthouse Monday and file restraining orders against each other. Shelia Cronan, 49, said she filed a restraining order against Amber Keehn after returning home from a camping trip Aug. 17 and discovering pellets had been
FRIDAY, March 22, 2013 n Vol. 122, No. 11 n www.portorchardindependent.com n 50¢
shot in three of her home’s windows. Cronan, who lives on the 200 block of Flower Meadows Street in Port Orchard, said she believed the attack was part of an ongoing dispute with Keehn, whom she alleges has been running a hair salon out of her home without a business license and in defiance of a city “stop-work” order. Keehn, 30, said she filed for permission from the city of Port Orchard to operate a hair salon out of her home on the 2300 block of Flower Avenue soon after pur-
Jesse Beals/Staff Photo
Stokes sounds off against Kitsap Transit Port commissioner says port, cities doing Kitsap Transit’s job
1995. Ways to promote the foot ferries and its schedules also was a topic of discussion among the crowd. Cedar Cove Inn owner Gil Michaels suggested putting flyers in the gas bills, but another business owner suggested using social media. “Facebook and your websites are simple and free,” said See MEETINg, A5
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
District Court charges father in assault of 2-year-old son %&$*4*0/
TIM MATTHES
BRUCE DANIELSON
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▼ Matthes, Garrido advance in SK commissioner race; Dalton, Danielson in judicial contest.
By CHARLIE BERMANT
Staff Writer
Expectations were turned on their head in two Kitsap County political contests during Tuesday night’s primary election, as the perceived front-runners came in third and were disqualified in their respective races. Republican Tim Matthes drew the most votes in the South Kitsap commissioner’s race, followed by Democrat Charlotte Garrido. Monty Mahan, who was the first to declare for the seat and earned the endorsement of local mayors, came in third (See related story, page A3).
they would have to pay to go back,” said Stokes. “It makes good sense.” Stokes said there needs to be pressure on Kitsap Transit. “The pressure being — do your job,” Stokes said. In 2008, Kitsap Transit bought the foot ferries for $1.5 million from Hilton Smith, who purchased the service from privately owned Horluck Transportation in
JEANETTE DALTON
ON THE MOUND
SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
See trail, A5
used to run frequently between the two cities. Stokes said on March 5, the Port board voted to support funding the foot ferries this summer. He said he discussed with Matthes about the idea of free transportation from Bremerton to Port Orchard. “If we could put out free transportation from Bremerton to Port Orchard, we would still win because
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The Blackjack Creek Trail project has been delayed and the City must pay back part of a federal grant issused for the project. At the March 19 City Council work session, Acting Director of Community Development Tom Bonsell said the City must pay back $10,090 by April 30 to the Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO), which funded the project in August 2010. The City, which received a letter from RCO dated March 13, can appeal the decision. RCO Director Kaleen Cottingham stated concernes about insufficient progress on the project, along with ground disturbing activities that occurred at the site prior to RCO staff authorization. In November 2010, the City signed an agreement with the RCO funding board for the trail. The total amount of the
trail design was $144,622, while the City committed $84,622 in forced accounts, volunteers and cash. Bonsell gave an explanation to Council and Mayor Tim Matthes. Bonsell said he became aware of the uncompleted project in early January and reviewed documents and status. The project was set for completion by June 30. “During the discovery process, we discovered easements had not been secured that would allow trail construction on private property,” said Bonsell. Bonsell said after notifying property owners along the trail, one owner said he would not grant permission for an easement. He said Alison O’Sullivan, biologist for the Suquamish Tribe, and Gina Piazza, habitat biologist of the Washington Department of Fish and
Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
Editor
and pension rates along with inflation as issues. In addition to the money saved on custodians, Patton said the district will dip into its reserve fund for $1.72 million. She said that’s not all bad because the district saved more than it anticipated in its last fiscal year, which ends Aug. 31. Patton said they also will save through not filling other vacant positions in the district, and through cutting expenses on supplies. The board unanimously adopted the budget. Patton warned in previous meetings that the “hard decisions” likely won’t end
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
SEE SCHOOL, PAGE A2
activities she reported as stemming from Keehn’s attempts to operate a business out of her home. Weaver said following an April 11 hearing with the city’s Hearing Examiner, certain conditions were placed on Keehn’s permit to mitigate Cronan’s concerns before she would be allowed to operate her business. “(Keehn) has addressed all but one of those conditions, with the last being the letter from the (Kitsap County) Health Department,” Weaver said, explaining that Keehn’s current sewer facilities are
SEE NEIGHBORS, PAGE A2
Blackjack Creek Trail delayed, City paying back grant
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A Town Hall meeting became a sounding board for one Port of Bremerton commissioner. Commissioner Larry Stokes said the cities of Port Orchard and Bremerton,
along with the Port of Bremerton, are “doing Kitsap Transit’s job” concerning the Bremerton-Port Orchard foot ferries. Stokes made his remarks during a Port Orchard Town Hall meeting on March 14 hosted by Mayor Tim Matthes at City Hall. About
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Editor
Staff Writer
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
30 people attended the first of four meetings set this year. “The City of Port Orchard, Port of Bremerton and City of Bremerton stepped up and started paying for the foot ferries to come back-andforth,” Stokes said. “As far as I’m concerned, it’s an obligation to Kitsap Transit. As far as I’m concerned, we’re doing their job.” Stokes said Kitsap Transit took over the ferries, which
The South Kitsap School District is a little closer to closing its $2.9 million deficit for the upcoming school year. Terri Patton, assistant superintendent for business and support services, said at Wednesday’s school board meeting that the district won’t replace five full-time custodians who left the district after the last school year. She said that will save the district $250,000. Patton said the deficit stems from unforeseen circumstances when the district presented its last levy to voters in 2004. She cited escalating teacher salaries
chasing it last spring. City Development Director James Weaver confirmed that Keehn received a conditional-use permit to operate a onechair hair salon out of her home, which he described as “pretty innocuous” and something that doesn’t typically reach “the level of intensive use,” as far as impacts on the neighborhood are concerned. However, since November of 2007, Cronan has filed multiple complaints with the city regarding traffic, noise and other
SOUTH KITSAP’S SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION SINCE 1890
Cody Wright from Milford, Utah, got a mouth full of mud and a zero score after falling off Strawberry Delight in the Saddle Bronc Riding competition Wednesday night at the Kitsap County Stampede. The fair runs through Sunday.
Inside
A Section Editorial Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Legal Notices Mary Colborn Obituaries
Inserts: Fred Meyer, RiteAid, Office Depot, Best Buy, Staples, Wal-Mart, Valassis
Printed with recycled paper and environmentally friendly soybean oil-based ink.
LIFE 102 Seniors starting another stage of life 6A
INSIDE Road rage incident leads to arrests, charges 4A
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX Editor
Dannie Oliveaux/Staff Photo
South Kitsap senior Ashley Chamberlin started the season opener Monday during the Wolves’ 5-3 nonleague loss Monday against Peninsula. See more on the game on A26.
South Kitsap’s Source for News & Information Since 1890
The father of a 2-year-old child was charged with one count of thirddegree assault of a child after a local physician discovered a lesion on the face and bruises on the neck. Sean Skyler Surratt, 25, was charged in Kitsap County District Court on March 19 after he was arrested one day earlier by Port Orchard police. According to charging documents, Child Protective Services was notified by a local doctor who examined the boy on March 13. The boy’s mother took the child to a local clinic after she found bruising on the neck and spots on the left cheek. The mother reported the child was in Surratt’s care from March 12 to March 13. When she picked him up, Surratt said the boy had been sick and vomiting, and that was why he was bruised and had marks on his face. The doctor found petechia on the left side of the boy’s face and bruises on the left side of the neck. Petechia See court, A5