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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A Section Editorial Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Legal Notices Mary Colborn Obituaries
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INDEPENDENT PORT ORCHARD
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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-
Thousands of people are expected to flood into downtown Port Orchard for a pair of annual events on Dec. 6. It is the 16th year for the Festival
of Chimes and Lights and the fourth year for Jingle Bell Run, along with the lighting of the Christmas tree, playing of the chimes and the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus. Activities at Marina Park will include choirs singing and churches selling food and refreshments. Festival Chair Cindy Lucarelli said more than 7,000 people are expected to attend Saturday’s events, especially if the weather is good. More
than 5,000 people attended last year’s events. Saturday’s forecast calls for a high of 52 degrees and a low of 43 with partly cloudy skies, according to the National Weather Service. “The weather looks promising and all the volunteers have been working hard to prepare for another beautiful fun event,” said Lucarelli. The highlight of the festival is the chimes playing and tree lighting
Amber Coplin’s smile, love for sons resonates during ceremony
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). TIM MATTHES
CHARLOTTE GARRIDO
Dannie Oliveaux / Staff Photo
Santa Claus, aka Dennis Simpson, talks with a youngster during the Breakfast with Santa event Nov. 29 at the Port Orchard Eagles Hall. Children, along with some parents, took photograph with Santa. Proceeds from the event go toward the Fathoms o’ Fun scholarship program.
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The Sinclair Inlet Yacht Club and the Port of Bremerton will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Christmas Lane Decorated Boat Contest Dec. 5-7 at the Port Orchard Marina. As a part of Port Orchard’s annual Festival of Chimes and Lights, there is three free moorage for all decorated boats during the threeday event. On Dec. 5, a gathering is planned on the party dock with a light snack and hot buttered rum. On Dec. 6, the boats will be decorated and at 3 p.m. sandwiches, chips and soda will be available at the party dock before the voting begins. Public voting will start at 6 p.m. and the docks will be flooded with people looking at all the decorated boats. Voting ends at 8 p.m. A soup buffet and awards ceremony is slated for 8:30 p.m. on the party dock. Trophies will be presented along with gift certificates and gift baskets in categories such as “People’s Choice” and “Who came the Greatest Distance?” For more information, go online to www.sinclairinletyachtclub.com or on Facebook.
BRUCE DANIELSON
SEE PORT, A23
JEANETTE DALTON
BREMERTON — A day after suggesting his fellow commissioners had violated the Open Public Meetings Act, Bremerton Port Commission President Roger Zabinski apologized at a port meeting Nov. 25. “What I did was not appropriate on my part,” Zabinski said after opening the regular meeting Nov. 25. “I want to apologize to my fellow commissioners. How we treat people is important. How we treat people is paramount.”
Zabinski said he has another year on his term as a port commissioner and wants to finish it out, hinting that he hopes to improve his relationship with commissioners Axel Strakeljahn and Larry Stokes. Neither commissioner responded to Zabinski’s words and the meeting continued without incident. On Nov. 24, Zabinski accused Strakeljahn and Stokes of violations of the Open Public Meetings Act, citing that
SEE UPSETS, PAGE A2
By LESLIE KELLY
Bremerton Patriot Editor
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Port of Bremerton board president apologizes to fellow commissioners
▼ Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
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
SEE COPLIN, A23
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
Editor
About 80 people packed into the American Legion Hall No. 149 in Bremerton for a memorial service remembering a South Kitsap mother of five who was murdered Nov. 4. Amber Lynn Coplin, 30, was found dead in an apartment she shared with live-in boyfriend David Michael Kalac, who was arrested a day later in Oregon and charged with first-degree murder. Many of those attending the service wore purple clothing or a purple ribbon in remembrance of Coplin. Upon entering the hall, there was a collage of photographs of Coplin. The audience — which included family and friends — watched a 15-minute video presentation that featured photo-
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
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
graphs of Coplin, her sons and family. “The slideshow gives us a glimpse into Amber’s life,” said Doug Van Wittenberg, a member of the Amercian Legion, who officiated the event. During the presentation, tears flowed from the eyes of family members and friends who are dealing with the loss of Coplin. Coplin’s sons, along with her husband, Paul Coplin; mother and stepfather, Daylene and Roger Wey of Oakdale, Calif., and her father and stepmother, James and Teresa Schawn of Bremerton, attended the memorial. “Can there be any doubt that Amber loved her family,” Wittenberg said. He said Coplin was taken away in a tragic way. “Amber was a very loving mother and made sure her boys came first,” Wittenberg read from her obituary. “She was a bright young lady who always had a smile for all, along with a helping hand
The Port Orchard Independent is in its new office located in Suite 102 of the Bethel Corridor Place Building, 2465 Bethel Ave. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The phone number is 360-876-4414. A dropbox is located in the rear of the building for persons who need to drop off press releases or other items after business hours. ••••••••••
Christmas Lane hits 40th anniversary
SEE EVENTS, A13
Jesse Beals/Staff Photo
Family, friends honor murder victim at memorial service
at 5:30 p.m., in front of City Hall, followed by the North Pole’s most famous couple. Lucarelli said this year’s tree lighting was moved up 30 minutes earlier from prior years for several reasons. “One being, the timing of the Jingle Bell Walk/Run ending at 4 p.m., which allows people to stay and enjoy the festival rather than have to leave
TALKING TO SANTA
Staff Writer
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business.
Thousands expected for Chimes & Lights, Jingle Bell Run
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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
Festival, run highlight Saturday events
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WRESTLING: Foster leads young South Kitsap squad A11