PATRIOT BREMERTON
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2014 | Vol. 17, No. 35 | WWW.BREMERTONPATRIOT.COM | 50¢
IN THE PATRIOT
Chief wants to limit panhandling Ordinance would outlaw entering a roadway to solicit money from drivers BY KEVAN MOORE
A HAND UP Salvation Army has broken ground — Page 7
FLOWER POWER Woman has peddled flowers for 25 years — Page 8
RECOGNITION Trio feted for Tracyton work — Page 3
POLITICS Forum focuses on senior issues — Page 10
OPINION The tragedy of panhandling is that folks end up in such dire straights — Page 4
KMOORE@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
Bremerton Police Chief Steve Strachan is spearheading an effort to turn certain types of panhandling into a misdemeanor within city limits. Under a proposed ordinance, panhandling within 25 feet of bus stops and ATMs would be illegal. In addition, accepting money over the curb line of certain busy streets and intersections would also be against the law. The ordinance was introduced at a recent meeting of the city’s Public Safety and Parks Committee and is now headed for the full city council’s consideration. “If individuals in our city need help, there are places for them to go for help,” Strachan said. “If they need food, if they need to get back on their feet, if they need housing, there’s places to
go. We have those social services in much to do with safety on busy roadour city. As I have said publicly before, ways as it does with speech. I think the majority, from my experi“The way I really tried to strike a ence, of people involved in balance in this ordinance is panhandling are using the we can’t regulate their speech money for something other per se, but we can keep them than what the individuals givfrom entering into the roading them money think they way and receiving anything are using it for.” from a vehicle that’s in a roadStrachan said the draft way, so that’s what we’ve tried ordinance is written in a way to do,” she said. to stand up to a potential Chief Steve Strachan Strachan said it’s also about court challenge. sending a message. “This needs to stand scru“This is part of sending that tiny from appellate courts and the message, we’re not going to let you Supreme Court,” he said. “They’re float around and commit crimes,” he going to look at it very closely in terms said. of freedom of speech and freedom of Strachan said if the ordinance people to conduct themselves as they is adopted, panhandlers will be see fit Constitutionally.” approached by officers and given a The draft ordinance was put togeth- warning. He said it’s likely the police er by Assistant City Attorney Amanda department will also come up with Harvey. a map showing which streets are off “As the chief mentioned, it’s kind of a limits. If the activity persists, though, sticky subject because you have to bal- a panhandler could be cited and/or ance between peoples’ Constitutional jailed if an officer sees money being rights, freedom of speech and the exchanged. right to stand on the corner asking for “I guess the way I’d look at it is, if a money or whatever they want, versus person wants to push it and do it anysafety issues and things like that,” said way, with a warning, I would expect Harvey. Harvey said the ordinance has as SEE PANHANDLING, A9
‘My Manette’ shows slice of life Little Stories, 1941-1951,” Kieffer seems more interested in asking questions and DeAnna Kieffer seems learning about other people perfectly at home sipping and things. a lemonade atop the sun“I’m not used to pedsoaked deck of the Boat dling my own book,” Kieffer Shed Restaurant while over- joked. looking Dyes Inlet. “My Manette” chronicles Perhaps that’s because some of the changes expethe restaurant’s rienced by Manette deck, at 101 Shore residents from a Drive, is the forkid’s perspective. mer “front yard” of Kieffer’s childhood her aunt and uncle. diary prompted Before it was an al her to write about fresco dining area the people and with umbrellaplaces she knew in covered tables, it the Manette of her DeAnna Kieffer was known as the youth, her reaction Monson dock. In to the start of war, 1941, Kieffer and her family the Blimp base across the lived just a few hundred feet street from her house, and down the road. as she describes it, “a peekDespite the fact that she’s a-boo look at the Manette of being interviewed about her the 1940’s and a bit beyond self-published book “My SEE MY MANETTE, A9 Manette: Photographs and BY KEVAN MOORE
KMOORE@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
Courtesy photo
DeAnna Kieffer and her parents at 101 Shore Drive in 1942.
Kevan Moore/Staff Photo
City parks crews trimmed trees along Fourth Street Oct. 14.
Fourth Street trees get haircut
BY KEVAN MOORE KMOORE@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
Bremerton parks crews pruned the trees along Fourth Street between Washington and Pacific avenues Tuesday, Oct. 14. In June 2013, the trees took center stage as dozens of Bremerton residents packed into Mayor Patty Lent’s office to debate removing the trees entirely. Two months after that meeting, a city tree committee decided to postpone any removal for at least one year. Milenka Hawkins-Bates, an administrative division manager for the public works department who oversees the city’s tree committee, noted at the time that many area business owners are in favor of removal and replacement with more appropriate trees, while many residents are opposed to any kind of removal. Pruning was suggested as an alternative and Hawkins-Bates said any tree removal would likely take place in one to five years. Jocelyn Bright, a volunteer at the Valentinetti Puppet Museum at 257 Fourth St., happened to be on site this week as crews were trimming the trees and was thrilled. SEE TREE TRIMMING, A9
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