Reporter Central Kitsap
KNOCK, KNOCK
Realtors see a rise in break-ins Page 7
FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2013 | Vol. 28, No. 45 | www.CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.com | 50¢
Harrison affiliation to move forward By Leslie Kelly lkelly@soundpublishing.com
Seraine Page/ Staff Photo
Kids wait their turn in line at the National Night Out event on Tuesday. In addition to bouncy houses, kids also had the chance to learn about a variety of safety measures to take when out in the community.
National Night Out offers fun, yet valuable information By Seraine Page spage@soundpublishing.com
If there was anything parents or kids wanted to know about being safe, it was taught at National Night Out on Tuesday evening. Haselwood Family YMCA in Silverdale was the host site of the 30th anniversary event dedicated to promoting crime prevention programs in the community. It was the first time the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office branched out to do the event without another police agency. In prior years, the office partnered with the Port Orchard Police Department. However, the event was successful and crowded, much to the delight of the Sheriff’s Office and Y staff. “I’m gonna say we were close to about 400 families (who visited),” said Kitsap County Sheriff ’s Office Community Resource Officer Schon Montague. “I
think it went really well … all things indicated it was a good event.” According to the official National Night Out website, the nationwide event started in 1984 and “began an effort to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, neighborhood camaraderie and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. NATW’s National Night Out program culminates annually, on the first Tuesday of August.” In the first years, 2.5 million Americans in 400 communities in 23 states participated in the event, states the website, www.natw.org. Many families came straight from workouts to the field in front of the gym to see what was going on, including Shannon Luebke and her two children. Luebke said she was impressed with the amount
of knowledge her children already had about being safe when out and about in the community. “They know more than I know,” she joked. The family found out about the event through the Y where the children take swimming lessons. Luebke loved watching her children get involved with vendors by asking questions and poking around the information available. “They all came out to work with the kids,” she said of the vendors. “They’re learning about something fun.” Luebke’s youngest, Jennifer, 6, wore her helmet around the event, a proud statement of being safe. She looked around as she pondered her favorite part of National Night Out. “The bouncy houses, the food,” she said. Luebke’s daughter also offered up information she learned, including looking
both ways before crossing the street. “So you don’t get hurt or run over in the road,” she stated. Her mother chuckled and agreed with her, praising her daughter for being right. Most kids lined up at the two brightly colored bouncy houses to burn off extra energy while parents stood off to the side monitoring. Children also had the opportunity to sit on a police motorcycle, stand in a makeshift jail cell or pet a K-9 dog. A touch-a-truck section allowed children to see fire trucks, police motorcycles and ambulances up close and personal. A variety of public officials answered questions from inquiring children about how things like bomb helmets and K-9 dogs operate on the job. Elizabeth Brock, 9, decided to try on a bomb patrol See NIGHT OUT, A5
The proposed affiliation between Harrison Medical Center in Kitsap County and the Franciscan Health Care System of Tacoma will go forward without further study by the state or additional comments from the public. The Washington State Department of Health issued a decision on Tuesday that the affiliation will not require a certificate of need process. A certificate of need is a lengthy process that potentially would have cost millions of dollars and would have required more public comment. “We’re pleased and excited,” said Harrison CEO Scott Bosch. “This is the culmination of nearly 10 months of discussion and hard work
and will improve the quality of health care in Kitsap County, and will reduce the cost and give more access to care for residents in the county.” Officials with Franciscan echoed Bosch’s comments. “We are extremely pleased,” said Joe Wilczek, Franciscan Health System CEO. “It’s a real opportunity to expand health care for those who live in the area. They’ll be able to get their health care needs met close to home and won’t have to travel anywhere for services.” The hospitals had requested a “determination of nonreviewability” from the Department of Health which in essence says the certificate of need process was not required because the affiliation is not a merger or a See AFFILIATION, A5
Voting begins for Best of CK readers’ choice awards Who has the best hamburger in Central Kitsap? Where is the best nail salon or fitness club? Who is the best real estate agent, massage therapist and so on? You decide by voting in this year’s Best of CK contest. Voting for the 2013 Best of Central Kitsap readers’ choice awards begins today. The annual contest has become a favorite of locals and businesses alike in Central Kitsap as an opportunity to celebrate a variety of Central Kitsap’s best services, food, entertainment and people as voted on by readers of the Central Kitsap Reporter and centralkitsapreporter.com. Best of CK is sponsored the Central Kitsap Reporter, Silverdale Chamber of Commerce and Costco in Silverdale. This year, there are more than 50 different
categories in which readers can vote. Fill out the ballot that appears in today’s Reporter (see page 17), or vote online by visiting www.centralkitsapreporter.com and click on the Best of CK link. Ballots must be 50 percent complete to be counted. Voting will continue through Sept. 4. Voters will be entered into a grand prize drawing to win a $500 shopping spree and one year membership to the Silverdale Costco as well. Results of this year’s readers’ choice awards will published in a special section that will appear in the Oct. 25 edition of the Central Kitsap Reporter. Join the fun and tell us who your favorites are by voting in the 2013 Best of Central Kitsap reader choice awards.