Kingston • Eglon • Hansville • Indianola • Little Boston • Port Gamble
COMMUNITY NEWS KingstonCommunityNews.com
Vol. 30 No. 7 • July
2013
Persons of the Year
Before and after: Steve Smaaladen and Dave Muller put the finishing touches on a footbridge over Kingston Creek at Kingston Village Green, July 21. The bridge, pavilion and several trees were spray painted over the ensuing weekend. Richard Walker / Staff photo
Vandalism at Village Green Park may warrant felony charge Pavilion, bridge, trees marred with spray paint By RICHARD WALKER
Editor
KINGSTON — The person or persons that spray painted obscene words and images at Village Green Park June 22 or 23 did more than create cleanup work for other people. They may have committed a hate crime. State law says anyone who “Writes, paints, or draws any inscription, figure, or mark of any type on any public or private
building or other structure or any real or personal property owned by any other person” is guilty of third-degree malicious mischief, a gross misdemeanor; if the cost of cleanup is $750 or more, the crime is seconddegree and a felony. But among the words painted at the park were the N-word and a derogatory term for a gay man. That may warrant a charge of malicious harassment, a class C felony, according to a sheriff’s officer investigating the case. According to state law, a Class C felony is punishable by a sentence of up to five years and/or
a fine of up to $10,000. Village Green Park District chairwoman Bobbie Moore said the district will seek restitution. The malicious mischief was discovered around 9 a.m. June 23 by a Windermere Real Estate employee who took her daughter to see the cleanup work she and other Windermere employees did two days earlier for the company’s Community Service Day. She was shocked by what she saw: The poles, tables and floor of the pavilion were marred by spray painted words and images, many of them obscene. The fire extinguisher had been dis-
charged. On Kingston Creek, in the forest above the pavilion and playground, a new bridge built on June 21 was marred by spray paint. Several trees on the trail had also been tagged. On June 24, Moore was visibly upset as her husband, Walt Elliott, scrubbed graffiti off the poles and tables at the pavilion. Moore said she didn’t understand why someone would damage something that had been created for their benefit. The Village Green, at one time the site of dilapidated former Navy housing, was acquired by the See vandalism, Page 2
4-member Kingston Historical Society struggles to survive By RICHARD WALKER
Editor
KINGSTON — The Kingston Historical Society’s founding has ties to horse racing.
Bill Reynolds lived on a portion of what was once Newellhurst Farm, a 100-acre racehorse farm in Kingston whose owner raced the last horse to sweep the
Longacres Mile and Longacres Derby in the same year. Reynolds wanted to find a safe place for a sign from the farm, as well as a ledger from the Newells’ shingle mill. The Kitsap County Historical Society was a willing taker. But wait, Reynolds thought, those items will go to Bremerton and we’ll never see them again. And so, he founded the Kingston Historical Society in 2003. In the ensuing 10 years, the society would collect enough photos and artifacts to fill a five-drawer filing
inside n Kingston’s Fourth of July fun begins July 3. — Pullout section, pages 15-18
cabinet, a closet and two glass display cases in the Kingston Community Center’s Indianola Room. The collection has provided enough content for current president Harriet Muhrlein’s monthly history column in the See HISTORICAL, Page 3
Nancy Langwith and Jerry Kirschner
Nancy Langwith
Jerry Kirschner
By KIPP ROBERTSON
Staff Writer
KINGSTON — Though individuals are honored with the Person of the Year award, Jerry Kirschner said earning the awards was a team effort for him and his wife, Nancy Langwith. “It was pretty much out of the blue,” Kirschner said. “What Nancy and I have looked to do is help Kingston continue to be a vital community. It’s really a team effort.” Kirschner and Langwith are Persons of the Year for 2013, selected by the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce. “We were thrilled,” Langwith said. “It’s quite an honor.” The two moved to Kingston almost four years ago. During that time, they have become involved in many aspects of volunteerism. Langwith was one of the founders of the North Kitsap Tourism Consortium and chairs the group. The consortium is a coalition of Port Madison Enterprises/ Suquamish Museum, The Point Casino/Heronswood, Olympic Property Group/Port Gamble, the Greater Kingston Chamber of Commerce, the Bainbridge Island Chamber of Commerce, and the Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce. The coalition’s mission is to promote tourism through joint marketing and advocacy. Langwith also serves on the Kingston Citizens Advisory Committee and the events comSee HONORs, Page 2
ECRWSS POSTAL CUSTOMER Kingston Community News 19351 8th Ave. NE, Ste. 106 Poulsbo, WA 98370
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID KINGSTON WA PERMIT No. 22