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INSIDE Kitsap SPORTS Wolves County home sales drop overtime and prices spike A7 contest at Yelm A8
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
Port Orchard
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Angel supports job creators and employees Staff report
A Port Orchard man was charged Jan. 31 with possessing child pornography in Kitsap County District Court. Eric Jason Juhl, 32, will face two courts on possession of depictions of minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. On Jan. 29, a female reported seeing child
pornography on Juhl’s computer, according to charging documents. The woman told investigators that she saw about 20 images of girls, approximately 8-9 years old, engaged in sexual activity with an adult male. Court records stated that Juhl told investigators that he thought the images were of females age 18 and older. Detectives issued a search warrant to
examine the man’s computer. During the search, detectives found a lock box that contained more pornographic materials — including two DVDs marked “Good Stuff.” He was arrested and booked into the Kitsap County Jail. Bail was set at $250,000. The following charges were filed in Kitsap County District Court recently:
Jan 31: Jacob Randall Blodgett, 21, Port Orchard, first-degree theft, seconddegree possession of stolen property and obstructing a law enforcement officer; Brian A. Michelson, 25, transient, failure to register as a sex offender; Natalie Victoria Bishop, 33, second-degree burglary. Jan. 30: Paul Matthew Prendergast, 32, Gig Harbor, second-degree
unlawful possession of a firearm, attempting to elude police and possession of meth; Adrain Bernard Fejeran, 39, Port Orchard, second-degree assault; Thomas Richard Dunn, 20, Port Orchard, first-degree trafficking of stolen propety. Jan. 29: Robert Samuel Hickerson II, 27, Port Orchard, first-degree trafficking stolen property.
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By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
City councilmembers approved committee assignments for 2014 during the Jan. 28 meeting. Councilmembers John Clauson, Rob Putaansuu and Jerry Childs will make up the Finance Committee, while Fred Chang is on the Hotel/ Motel Tax Committee. Councilwoman Cindy Lucarelli, Clauson and Putaansuu will comprise the Utilities and Sewer Advisory committees. New councilwoman Bek Ashby was assigned to the Public Property and Economic Development/ Tourism committees with Councilmember Jeff Cartwright and Chang. The council also approved the purchase of a man-lift for its “super single” multi-purpose truck. The city accepted a $66,120 bid from The Fab Shop for the fabricated extension. Public Works Director Mark Dorsey said $70,000 was budgeted for the item within the approved 2014 Street Capital Outlay Fund. “The multi-purpose truck hook-lift loader system allows for additional functions and added components consistent with the truck’s original body fabrication,” Dorsey reported. The truck was purchased in 2012. In other action, the council approved: • Approved agreement
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Man faces child pornography charges By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
Council approved committee assignments
▼ Matthes, Garrido advance in SK commissioner race; Dalton, Danielson in judicial contest.
By CHARLIE BERMANT
Staff Writer
fewer workers back to the job than any other state,” said Angel. “In fact, we have the highest number
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
BRUCE DANIELSON
that option is only available to injured workers 55 and older. “Washington returns
TIM MATTHES
JEANETTE DALTON
Courtesy Photo
Sen. Jan Angel expresses her commitment to Washington’s businesses, employers and workers at the “Jobs Now!” press conference. his pension and did not have the option of pursuing a structured settlement of his injury claim because
of ‘time-loss’ days in the nation at 278 days, while our neighboring state of Oregon has on average only 65 ‘time-loss’ days. It’s about giving people options. And while it might be too late for ‘Don,’ it’s not too late for the people who are still in a situation just like his.” Following the vote, Angel joined fellow members of the Senate Majority Coalition, Republicans from the House of Representatives, and employers and workers from the community to announce their “Jobs Now!” plan. Angel said the plan represents a commitment to pursue legislation in support of the state’s businesses, employers and workers. Angel mentioned two of her bills that have a “Jobs Now!” focus: her prevailing wage bill to improve accuracy and increase response rate, and a bill that would expand online learning to students in the cosmetology industry, helping them complete their training and secure a job more quickly.
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).
SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
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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
OLYMPIA — Sen. Jan Angel (R-Port Orchard) stood in support of hundreds of injured workers by voting Jan. 29 for the Worker Recovery Act, which would increase options and protections for injured workers and reduce costs to the staterun workers’ compensation system. “This was an easy ‘yes’ vote for me because injured workers deserve a fair system that offers structuredsettlement agreements to all, regardless of age,” said Angel. “The bottom line is that these changes make sense for taxpayers and help get people back to work in a sensible manner.” Before the WRA won the Senate’s bipartisan approval Angel shared the true story of a cement mason injured on the job at age 53. Angel explained how the man she called “Don” would have been forced to retrain for a new career because he was still two years out from being able to draw from
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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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.
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