Patriot Bremerton
Play ball! Bremerton limps into postseason with a pair of losses Page 8
FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2013 | Vol. 16, No. 14 www.bremertonpatriot.com | 50¢
Stennis’ return provides hugs, kisses and a proposal By KEVAN MOORE and WES MORROW kmoore@soundpublishing.com and wmorrow@soundpublishing.com
Kevan Moore/staff photo
E-2 Justin Baty got to meet his son Maximus for the first time this past Friday at Naval Base Kitsap - Bremerton following an eight-month deployment aboard the USS John C. Stennis.
Cassandra Jorgensen stood at the front of the massive crowd of families ready to meet their loved ones as they came off the USS John C. Stennis this past Friday at Naval Base Kitsap - Bremerton. Jorgensen was there to meet her fiance, Petty Officer 2nd Class Timothy Allen. Jorgensen had won the special honor of “first kiss” among those waiting for loved ones to return from the carrier’s eight-month deployment. Jorgensen met Allen in the Navy. Not only that, they met on the Stennis during its last deployment while working in the same field. She left the Navy after that deployment, but Allen stayed in. Having been on both sides of a deployment, Jorgensen said staying at
home can be much harder. “It’s bad being on board — but the women who do this, it’s ten times harder,” Jorgensen said. “But this moment right here makes it all worth it.” For several young and growing families, the Stennis’ return marked the first chance for children to meet their fathers and vice versa. Justin Baty, a nuclear engineer on the John C. Stennis, got to hold his son, Maximus, for the first time. “I’m very overwhelmed and very excited,” Baty said shortly after seeing his wife, Victoria, and their son. “It was pretty tough because he was born right at the beginning of the deployment so I didn’t get a chance to see him. This is my first chance. I’m really happy.” Baty was not alone. Amanda Spaulding and her children Kaytie,
City plans to improve school-zone crosswalk markings By KEVAN MOORE kmoore@soundpublishing.com
Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent announced this week that the city expects to implement a contract to refresh the crosswalk markings in the city’s school zones. “Student safety is of paramount importance to the city and this contract will enable the city to apply new crosswalk markings at every Bremerton school,” Lent said. “Refreshing the markings will make it easier for drivers to see the crosswalk locations, especially during the winter months.” The contract’s initial focus is to refresh the crosswalks in the city’s school zones. After that, the contractor will provide additional street markings as directed by the city’s Public Works Department. The contract takes advan-
tage of newer technology using a “hot applied” product rather than the more traditional (and expensive) thermoplastic “melt-down” material. This is a pilot project for the Public Works Department and promises to save taxpayer money. For comparison, the city’s cost for the thermoplastic melt-down material alone, not including the labor expense to apply it, is more than double the square footage price provided by this contract. The City contacted 69 potential bidders. The low bid, $73,405, was from Stripe Rite, Inc. of Bremerton. “We look forward to our partnership with Stripe Rite on this important work,” said Public Works Director Chal Martin. “Stripe Rite has already done great work for See CROSSWALK, A13
Kevan Moore/Staff Photo
If a new $73,000 contract is approved by the city council, school-zone crosswalks all across Bremerton, like this one in front of Naval Avenue Elementary School, will see improvements.