Inside
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Read about Skate Park’s grand opening in Kitsap Week
SPORTS Logue named POI Coach of the Year A29
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business.
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
Port Orchard ▼
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, June 21, 2013 n Vol. 122, No. 24 n www.portorchardindependent.com n 50¢
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▼ Matthes, Garrido advance in SK commissioner race; Dalton, Danielson in judicial contest.
By CHARLIE BERMANT
See CHENEY, A7
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See fire, A4
SKEA no confidence vote for CFO Last week, SKEA sent out a press release announcing a vote of no confidence in SKSD chief financial officer Sandy Rotella. In the letter, Arbogast stated the teachers union is
Police investigating vandalism at Marina Waterfront Park CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
South Kitsap Fire Rescue was dispatched to a residential structure fire during the early morning of June 14 in the 7000 block of Ebbert Drive in Port Orchard. Four engines, one medic unit, an air support unit and the command officer responded, according to Battalion Chief Ron Powers. The first unit, from the Banner station arrived within minutes of the call, which allowed crews to start attacking the fire while waiting for assistance. Powers reported the occupants stated they were doing laundry, and the fire appears to have started and stayed isolated to the laundry room. No one was injured in the blaze. When assistance arrived, crews entered the home and battled the fire that was isolated to the laundry room, Powers stated. Crews spent three hours on scene performing overhaul operations to ensure the fire had not spread to any other areas of the house, including
TIM MATTHES
BRUCE DANIELSON
Staff report
Reid is capable of leading the district. “She (Reid) can lead you there, but you have to give her a chance,” Cheney said. Cheney said better communication and interaction is needed within the district and that it will take time to rebuild trust. “I know that, the board knows that and the people in here know that,” she added. “This district is too special to let this keep going on. We got to focus on the future.” 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).
JEANETTE DALTON
finishing up skate park
SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
intendent,” Cheney said. She admitted she didn’t fully understand the district’s reserve spending and the board’s policy of avoiding cuts from the classroom. “If anyone needs to take responsibility for communication, it is me, solely me,” said Cheney, holding back tears. “I can’t fix what I didn’t do right the first time. My focus is — before I leave here — what can I do to bring this group together. We need to come together and move forward.” Cheney said the only reason she came back to SKSD was the community and its people. “Somehow we have to mend the rift, forget about what’s happen because we can’t change the past,” she said. “We can definitely move forward,” she said. She assured the group that Dr. Michelle
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Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
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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
SKFR crews battle early morning fire
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
After several members of the South Kitsap Education Association expressed their displeasure with the South Kitsap School Distict board and officials, Interim Superintendent Bev Cheney told the group that “the buck stops here.” Emotions from several SKEA members, including President Judy Arbogast, were felt through remarks made during public comments. The teachers union is upset with unex-
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Editor
Staff Writer
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
pected teacher layoffs and classroom sizes. About 50 people attended the June 13 special meeting. But Cheney took responsibility for the lack of communication between the district and Cheney teachers. “Have I made errors this year, yes I have,” she said. “Should I have communicated earlier. Yes, I should.” Since taking over as interim superintendent, Cheney said she didn’t have an understanding of the things that transpired in the previous four years. “I came in with three charges — levy, trimesters or semesters and hiring a new super-
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
Interim superintendent makes emotional plea for district to move forward
Jesse Beals/Staff Photo
Cheney to SKEA: ‘The buck stops here!’ 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-
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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.
A Section Editorial Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Legal Notices Mary Colborn Obituaries
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Printed with recycled paper and environmentally friendly soybean oil-based ink.
INSIDE Corvette INSIDE Senator discusses issues with Summer Car Show city officials A2 set for Saturday A8
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX Editor
Port Orchard police are investigating the recent graffiti attack at the Marina Waterfront Park playground, parking lot and memorial wall. Police Chief Geoffrey Marti said Monday that investigators have no suspects in the case. According to a police report, a Port Orchard police officer discovered the graffiti while en route to headquarters about 7:30 a.m. on June 14. The officer discovered graffiti sprayed on the Veterans Memorial Wall, concrete wall and trash cans. Light fixtures See vandals, A3
Dannie Oliveaux/Staff Photo
Construction crews remove the wooden frame on the addition eight-foot concrete section of a 16-foot full pipe at the South Kitsap Skate Park. A grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, June 22, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the South Kitsap Regional Park. The even will include live music, vendors, skateboard demonstrations and a 1 p.m. ribbon cutting to dedicate the 14,799-square-foot facility.
Photo by Port Orchard Police Department
The Veterans Memorial Wall at Marina Waterfront Park was vandalized last Friday night.
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