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▼ Matthes, Garrido advance in SK commissioner race; Dalton, Danielson in judicial contest. By CHARLIE BERMANT
BRUCE DANIELSON
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
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TIM MATTHES
JEANETTE DALTON
South Kitsap’s Source for News & Information Since 1890
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). SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
4DIPPM EJTUSJDU MPPLT UP CBMBODF JUT CPPLT Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
thanks to GTECH grant
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
See GTECH, A5
See CONCIERGES, A24
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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
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
The Westin Seattle for 23 years, said he now sees Port Orchard in a different light.
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
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
– Andea Fahlard
room that featured one of South Kitsap School District’s last chalkboards last spring now is one of its technology hubs. Room 7 at South Colby Elementary School is lined with 15 computers thanks to a $25,000 grant it received from GTECH’s After School Advantage Program. GTECH’s Washington Account Development Manager Bobby Hatam, who celebrated the lab’s opening Monday morning, said the program
launched in April 1999 to help children at schools “in need” gain access to computers. South Colby marked the 201st launch of the After School Advantage Program. Hatam said most are within the United States, but there also are labs in Colombia, Canada, Jamaica and Trinidad. The Providence, R.I., company serves as an information technology provider to government authorized lotteries. Hatam said that enables
Senior Reporter
A
Staff Writer
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
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business. 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-
Two Port Orchard residents face drug charges after West Sound Narcotics Enforcement Team (WestNET) uncovered its fifth clandestine methamphetamine lab in the past three months. According to Deputy Scott Wilson, spokesman for the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Department, Sheila
“The tour was incredible. The whole experience was amazing with the hospitality and graciousness of the Port Orchard team.”
Concierge and Seattle native Richard Powell said he’d visited Port Orchard several times while living in the Seattle area. But he has never experienced Port Orchard like he did during a recent tour of the city. Powell was one of a dozen concierges from Seattle who toured Port Orchard and Bremerton on March 20. The group were members of the Seattle Hotel Concierge Association. Powell, a concierge for
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
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By JUSTINE FREDERIKSEN
Staff Writer
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
Editor
South Colby Elementary School students (left to right) Abigail Vazquez-Johnson, Paich Harness, Eliana Painter and Kayleigh Dameral try out the new computers during an unveiling by GTECH on March 25.
Tour is ‘eye opening’ for Seattle concierges School receives computers,
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
Editor
Port Orchard
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.
FRIDAY, March 29, 2013 n Vol. 122, No. 12 n www.portorchardindependent.com n 50¢ SOUTH KITSAP’S SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION SINCE 1890
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
Dannie Oliveaux/Staff Photo
Saturday will be filled with Easter egg hunts throughout Port Orchard and South Kitsap in celebration of the annual holiday. South Kitsap Fire and Rescue will hold its annual Easter Egg Hunt from 10-11 a.m. on Saturday, March 30, at two locations in Olalla. Children 8 and younger will hunt eggs at Olalla Elementary School, while those older than age 8 will search for eggs at Triangle Park. Mile High Gymnastics, 4242 Mile Hill Dr., will host an indoor egg hunt that will begin at 10:30 a.m. with staggered starts for toddlers to children age 10. Registration is at 10:15 a.m. and the cost is $3 per child. Toddlers to 4 years old begin at 10:30 a.m. and ages 5-10 begin at 10:40 a.m. Fathoms o’Fun will host the 21st Annual Children’s Easter Egg Hunt beginning at noon in the Jackson Street entrance of the South Kitsap Regional Park. Admission is free. The egg hunt is open for children ages 10 and under with adult. Signup for the event begins at 11 a.m. Children must be signed up (family name and zip code only) to receive a prize. In Manchester, the annual Bunny Hop is 1-3 p.m. at the Manchester Library. Children will hunt for Easter eggs, play games and do crafts. There will be candy for all children and the Easter Bunny will appear. In addition to these activities, some local churches will host egg hunts and breakfasts as part of their Easter weekend celebration.
McClain Hewitt, 41, and David Raymond Tarver, 55, and were arrested March 15 and later charged in District County. Hewitt was charged with delivery of methamphetamineamphetamine and her bail was set at $50,000, while Tarver was charged with manufacturing meth. His bail was set at $10,000. A third person — Dawn Nadine Hagen, age 41, a resident of South Kitsap — was arrested at the scene and booked into jail on a misdemeanor warrant for
Task force finds fifth meth lab in three months
See WESTNET, A24
Eggs hunts, activities fill Easter weekend
WestNET nabs pair on drug charges, finds meth lab
SPORTS Wolves help Cabato upend her alma mater A26 BUSINESS Local car INSIDE Skate park dream finally dealership receives becoming a reality A4 award A25