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CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
South Kitsap’s Source for News & Information Since 1890
SEE SUSPECT, A14
SEE MURDER, A14
▼ Matthes, Garrido advance in SK commissioner race; Dalton, Danielson in judicial contest.
TIM MATTHES
BRUCE DANIELSON
to her sisters saying she found a new job in Bremerton. She worked as a paralegal for the Kitsap County Prosecutor’s Office and other area law firms.
By CHARLIE BERMANT
JEANETTE DALTON
Courtesy Photo
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). SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
4DIPPM EJTUSJDU MPPLT UP CBMBODF JUT CPPLT Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
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By CHRIS CHANCELLOR Staff Writer
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
Police are still searching for the killer in the murder of Linda Malcom.
BREMERTON — A second suspect in the burglary of a Gorst gun store was arrested April 28. Patrick Weldon Nelson, Jr., 40, along with a female companion were taken into custody about 5 p.m. by U.S. Marshals in Forest Ridge Park. During the arrest, police stated preliminary information indicates that one of the vehicles being driven by the U.S. Marshals was rammed by the suspects, and shots were subsequently fired at the vehicle in which Nelson was a passenger. Preliminary information from police indicates that U.S. Marshals were attempting to arrest Nelson, who was wanted by the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office in relation to a April 9 gun store burglary in Gorst.
A woman’s body was found inside a burnt rental home seven years ago in Port Orchard. No suspects have been arrested and the investigation continues. Port Orchard police still are seeking information on the case. During the early morn-
Dannie OIiveaux/Staff Photo
Modernizing the bus fleet in the South Kitsap School District has been a challenge for a multiple of its transportation directors. Jay Rosapepe is no different. But that has not prevented the district’s transportation director, who was hired in July 2011 after Scott Logan left for a similar position in
By KEVAN MOORE
For the Independent
An autopsy showed that the woman died of multiple sharp force injuries. Malcom worked as a legal assistant and planned to move to a new job in Bremerton. She lived in the home for nearly a decade. The rental home she was living in was scheduled for demolition, but police reported that it was not connected to the homicide. Malcom served in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged after nine years. According to media reports, a day before she died, Malcom sent an email
Editor
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
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business. 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-
Senior Reporter
ing hours of April 30, 2007, local firefighters responded to a blaze in the 1100 block of Sidney Avenue. The body of 47-year-old Linda Malcom was found in her bed. Police reported that Malcom had been stabbed and the fire apparently was set. Investigators have no motive for the homicide. “We’re still working on the case,” said Comm. Dale Schuster. “It’s just one of those cases you don’t forget. A lot of people, including myself, knew Linda when she worked in the county prosecutor’s office.”
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
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By JUSTINE FREDERIKSEN
Staff Writer
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
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Marshals nab suspect in gun store burglary
Seven years later, police seeking information in woman’s death
Linda Malcom was found dead in burnt home
Port Orchard
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.
FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2014 N VOL. 123, NO. 14 N WWW.PORTORCHARDINDEPENDENT.COM N 50¢ SOUTH KITSAP’S SOURCE FOR LOCAL NEWS AND INFORMATION SINCE 1890
District officials purchase more used vehicles as temporary fix
SEE FLEET, A14
An unidentified woman sets up a display table with various types jewelry for the Annapolis Sunday Market, which started on April 27. More than a dozen vendors selling a variety of items were on hand for the opening weekend. The market will be open each Sunday through October. Highline Public Schools, from attempting to address it. SKSD might not face a budget deficit in 2013-14 after suffering through several shortfalls in recent years, but that does not mean the district has enough money to modernize its entire bus fleet. Instead, Rosapepe is looking for ways to update it. “What we’re really looking at is trying to find buses from other school districts that are in better shape than what we have now,” he said. That began in January when SKSD purchased a pair of 15-year-old larger buses for $2,500 from the Bremerton School District.
ANNAPOLIS SUNDAY MARKET OPENS
SKSD takes step to address aging bus fleet
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SPORTS Wolves on verge of league perfection A30 INSIDE Family, INSIDE Former friends say farewall teacher win award to Darryl Baldwin A8 for short story A11