Patriot Bremerton
FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 2013 | Vol. 16, No. 18 www.bremertonpatriot.com | 50¢
Bremerton takes on talk about Fourth Street trees By KEVAN MOORE kmoore@soundpublishing.com
About 40 people packed Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent’s sixth-f loor conference room last week to talk about the possibility of removing trees on Fourth Street between Pacific and Washington avenues. The notion of removing the trees and replacing them with smaller trees was prompted by complaints to the city’s Public Works Department. Concerns about root damage to the sidewalks, which can create tripping hazards, the towering height of the trees and the year-round shedding of foliage littering the street were all cited as concerns. The meeting in the mayor’s office, in which there was plenty of opposition to removing the trees as well as support for replacing them, was a far cry from a year ago when Public Works last cut down trees on Fourth Street. Just about a year ago to the day, City of
Kevan Moore/ staff photo
Officials are debating whether to remove trees on Fourth. Bremerton street crews cut down 30 globe locust trees along Fourth Street between Naval and
Foster parents dedicated to helping children By Michelle Beahm mbeahm@centralkitsapreporter.com
Phil and Kathleen Nenninger have always loved kids and have spent their lives being involved in everything their three children, ages 17,
21, and 23, have done from coaching sports to volunteering their time. But even with their children almost grown, their house is still full of young children. Phil and Kathleen are foster parents.
Warren. The crews left the bases of the trees in place, but eventually cut down the trunks to street “It’s by far the most rewarding thing you’ll ever do,” Phil, 48, said. “I’ve been active in our kids’ lives. (I’ve) been a Pee-Wee president. Kathleen’s run concessions. We’ve volunteered and been involved in just about anything our kids do. But by far, the most rewarding thing … every night we go to bed and they are clothed, in a clean environment, fed well.” The couple has fostered more than 20 children and currently have four in their household, three are under 5 years old, and one is 19 years old and signed herself into the “Foster Care to 21”
level several weeks later. Timothy Finch, who lives in the 1400 block of Fourth Street, was disappointed by the tree removal at the time. “It’s a shame to see them taking away the trees,” Finch said. “It would have been nice to see them keep them.” Lent said then that she and outgoing Public Works Director Katy Allen were not briefed about the tree removal prior to them being cut down. “I can’t give you a reasonable excuse for the removal of all those trees,” Lent said at the time. This time, though, the mayor and Public Works Director Chal Martin wanted to reach out to residents and business owners before moving forward. Beyond that outreach, though, Martin said it’s only a matter of time before the trees will have to be removed. After missing the first half of last week’s meeting, Martin f loated the See TREES, A13
program at 18 to continue to get support from the state while she goes to college in Spokane. The Nenningers decided to become foster parents more than five years ago when their church pastor’s wife held an informational class. Kathleen, 46, recalled that the woman said that if you’ve ever considered doing it “someday,” then there is no “someday” and to do it now. Since the Nenningers had considered doing it “someday,” they took her advice. They included their own See FOSTER, A11
ALLEZ PUMAS!!! Soccer squad debuts new stadium, ends game in draw Page 8
Kitsap County still has some health failings By Leslie Kelly
lkelly@soundpublishing.com
Kitsap County residents are a bit too chunky and aren’t exercising like they should be. And they’re drinking alcohol and eating fast food more often than they once did. At least that’s what Kitsap County health officials found when they looked at data for their annual “health indicators” analysis. The report is prepared each year by the Kitsap Public Health District and was presented to the Kitsap Public Health Board on Tuesday. According to Siri Kushner, an epidemiologist with the health district, the review is designed to be a “report card of the health of the county.” “It shows who we are and how healthy we are,” Kushner said. “We use it as a way to measure trends over time.” The report is based on a number of sources, including data from
the Washington State Department of Health, the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Census, the Washington State Association of Sheriff and Police Chiefs and the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Among the findings, Kushner said, is that statistically, adults in Kitsap County have not been maintaining a healthy weight. That finding is based on the body mass index numbers for Kitsap County residents. In 2010, the most recent data that has been gathered and analyzed by the health district, only 37 percent of adults in Kitsap County had a healthy BMI (which is considered between 18.5 to 24.9). That is 10 percent lower than the 47 percent who had a healthy BMI in 1998, the first year this data was recorded. A survey of Kitsap County eighth-graders See REPORT CARD, A13
Michelle Beahm/ Staff Photo
Phil Nenninger bottle-feeds a foster child in his care.