A4 A4 A5 A6 A7 A7 A8
BUSINESS There’s a new cat at the framing shop A9
SPORTS SK girls follow familiar path to tie Olympia A30
C E L E B R A T I N G
100 YEARS O F
Port Orchard
Jesse Beals/Staff Photo
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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C O M M U N I T Y
Port of Bremerton turns 100 years old
▼ Matthes, Garrido advance in SK commissioner race; Dalton, Danielson in judicial contest.
By CHARLIE BERMANT
For the Independent
Kitsap County commissioners voted unanimously Monday evening to institute a .01 percent sales tax for mental health and substance abuse programs. The ordinance goes into effect Jan. 1 and is expected to raise about $3 million per year. The commissioners’
approval of the tax increase followed a pair of public hearings and many months of legwork by supporters. Commissioner Rob Gelder, prior to casting his vote, talked about a public hearing last week in Poulsbo that left him more emotional than he thought he would be. He noted that nearly every speaker shared a personal connection to mental health and mental illness. “They were willing to sort of put themselves on the line to really truly bare their souls for all the public inspection and that takes a lot of guts,” he said. Gelder said that he did a
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Some citizens have complained about fireworks being setoff in their neighborhoods, so Councilman Rob Putaansuu had the issue placed on the agenda for the Sept. 17 city council work session. Putaansuu said some citizens have concerns about fireworks and illegal fireworks. “We have a big Fourth of July festival downtown and it’s a wonderful event,” Putaansuu said. “I just want to make sure that we don’t have a public safety concern. I don’t know if there is a problem.”
By KEVAN MOORE
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
BRUCE DANIELSON
Editor
Ordinance goes into effect Jan. 1, expected to raise about $3 million per year TIM MATTHES
JEANETTE DALTON
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
the responsibility for a police response relies on the citizen. They have to articulate what the issue is.” During his five years in the police department, Marti said he personally feels the severity of the problem has decreased. “I don’t see the fireworks issue an overburden to my manpower, at this point, which is extremely limited,” he said. Marti said during the Fourth of July event, he had three officers working the swing shift, three officers who came in a 9 p.m. and the four uniformed police reserve officers — who are in unpaid — for road closures, traffic and responses. Putaansuu said there were more fireworks stands than last year. Greg Rogers, South Kitsap Fire and Rescue fire prevention manager, said
Staff Writer
SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
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).
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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
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
Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
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By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Staff Writer
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
Dannie Oliveaux/Staff Photo
Council discusses concerns about fireworks Resident Ellisa Whittleton, who attended last week’s work session, addressed the council July 9 about the unsafe environment she felt around her home July 4 because of illegal firework discharges. She said fireworks discharged in public right-of-way is not allowed and is not enforced. Police Chief Geoffrey Marti told the council from July 1-5 his department received a “surprising” low number of calls concerning fireworks. “There were about 25 calls to the police department.” he said Marti reported there were 13 calls on July 4 and 10 on July 5. “Based on the numbers, I don’t see it as crippling for the police department,” he said. Marti said CENCOM receives the calls and classifies them on severity. “Some are nuisance, others are fire or personal safety calls,” he said. “A lot of
A I R
Commissioners approve mental health sales tax
Several South Kitsap Nightmare players wrap up a Kington running back during Sept. 21 Pee Wee football action at Givens Field. The Nightmares, part of the South Kitsap Pee Wees Association, are comprised of 6 and 7 year olds.
Police chief says complaints down during past 5 years
EARLY DAYS BREMERTON WATERFRONT
The Port of Brem erton had hum ble beginnings .
As the story has been passed tently built portions down through generations, of its wharf, tidelands. The it property owner’s an important commercia is said that the city of Bremerton l and transporta put the formation threatened lawsuit had of a port district prompted a signature- tion hub, over privately-oinadverresolving the within the city wned dispute. gathering campaign of Bremerton ’s boundarie by citizens to Many changes s on the ballot in the hopes recounting and within the Port District have of celebrating its transpired these history with 100 years and the public. the Port is looking forward to
FRIDAY, September 27, 2013 n Vol. 122, No. 38 n www.portorchardindependent.com n 50¢
pee wee football
A C H I E V E M E N T
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Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business.
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
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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
SOUTH KITSAP’S SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION SINCE 1890
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.
Inside
A Section Editorial Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Legal Notices Mary Colborn Obituaries
Inserts: Fred Meyer, RiteAid, Office Depot, Best Buy, Staples, Wal-Mart, Valassis
Printed with recycled paper and environmentally friendly soybean oil-based ink.
INSIDE Council could add regulations to recreational drug A4
See TAX, A28
Coppola posting claims ‘misinformation’ in mayor’s report on Bethel Corridor By DANNIE OLIVEAUX Editor
Timeline April 2011: Council approves
Former mayor Lary hiring additional police officer. Coppola’s posting on a social August 2011: Bethel Corridor media site is creating some annexation approved by city. stir after he claimed there November 2011: Matthes are several inaccuracies in a defeats Coppola in mayor’s race. report on the Bethel Corridor December 2011: Council sent out by Mayor Tim approves $24 million budget. January 2012: Matthes takes Matthes last week. In his posting on the South over as mayor. Kitsap Politics Facebook site, April 2012: Bethel Corridor annexed. Coppola said he could “no 2012: City purchased longer quietly sit by as the June new utility vehicle. citizens of our city are deluged with what appears on the surface to be intentional misinformation.” Matthes stated in his report that during discussions regard-
See council, A28
South Kitsap’s Source for News & Information Since 1890
See coppola, A28