REPORTER CENTRAL KITSAP
KITSAP WEEK: Jazz band brings a ‘20s-’40s musical vibe
FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015 | Vol. 30, No. 15 | WWW.CENTRALKITSAPREPORTER.COM | 50¢
Community mourns teens lost in fatal car crash Prosecutor says marijuana use, excessive speed were factors in crash BY PETER O’CAIN & CHRIS TUCKER POCAIN@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
Volunteers at Olympic High School prepared 600 candles for a Monday evening vigil for three students killed in a car accident early Sunday morning, Jan. 11. They began passing out candles at 6 p.m. By 6:35 p.m. there were none left. Students and community members gathered to remember OHS students Luther Stoudermire, an 18-yearold senior, Kassidy Clark, a 16-year-old junior, and Jenna Farley, a 14-year-old freshman. Friends and family recounted stories until about 8 p.m. Reuben Farley, Jenna’s father, spoke and thanked the community for its support. “I’ll miss my girl,” Farley said. “I just want to say thank you for everybody coming out.” “I don’t even know how to describe the support that happens from the community from this. From my friends, my family,” Farley said. “There’s no words to describe the support that happens—for all three kids, not just mine.” Farley said he was handling
Peter O’Cain / staff photo (lower left)
Clockwise from top left: Luther Stoudermire, Kassidy Clark and Jenna Farley were three teenagers who died in Sunday’s early-morning crash. Bottom left: Candles left to remember the teens.
the loss of his daughter “As well as can be expected for a family that just lost a daughter.” He described his family as “very strong.” Elbert Stoudermire, Luther’s brother, described the outpouring of love for his brother as “wonderful.” Stoudermire told the crowd, many of whom were distraught, to “Love your family. Love your friends. Pick your battles. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Life will go on.” Keith Moore, a junior at OHS, delivered a series of
Peter O’Cain / staff photo
Balloons, candles, a poster and flowers mark the site on Seabeck-Holly Road NW where three teenagers died in an single-vehicle rollover crash on Jan. 11. funny and emotional stories of Stoudermire, Clark and Farley. “Every party that (Clark) went to I was there and I made sure she was alright. And sadly I missed Saturday,” Moore said. Moore paused to cry and hug a friend before continuing. “I wasn’t there. She wasn’t alright. Jenna on the other
hand. Jenna was my bus buddy with Malibu 12. She was a fun person. Energetic person. I miss Malibu, man, it was so fun. Kassidy, she always had a positive attitude to everyone even though she was silent the whole time. ‘Hey Kassidy, how you doin? Kassidy, how you doin’?’ ‘I’m fine.’ ‘I’m glad
you doin’ OK.’ “But I certainly miss all of them. I wish I was there last night, I mean I wish I was there Saturday night because if… every party I went to Luther was there and I made sure he was cool. I feel so guilty.” See the online edition for a video of Moore.
Teen driver may be charged as an adult A hearing will be held to determine whether the driver in Sunday’s fatal car crash will be charged as an adult. Todd Dowell, senior deputy prosecutor with the Kitsap SEE CRASH, A9
Massive USS Nimitz arrives in Bremerton, finally, for repair BY PETER O’CAIN POCAIN@SOUNDPUBLISHING.COM
Peter O’Cain / staff photo
A tugboat helps dock the USS Nimitz at Pier Delta at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard on Jan. 13.
After a weeklong delay, the USS Nimitz finally docked at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton. The Nimitz temporarily changed its home port from Naval Base Everett to Naval Base Kitsap (NBK) to undergo routine maintenance. It is expected to be docked at the shipyard for 16 months. The Nimitz has a crew of 2,931 and of that about 2,000 will transfer to Bremerton, according to Capt. John Ring,
commanding officer of the Nimitz. Barracks at NBK are overcrowded because two carriers are in port so about 180 sailors will live on a barge, Ring said. “Our goal is to get those folks off the barge as quickly as possible,” Ring said. Throughout the Nimitz’s time in Bremerton, its sailors will continue training for operations at sea. Sailors will spend time on other aircraft carriers on the West Coast to maintain their skill. “There’s two things the sailors need: they need to be
qualified to do a job; they need to proficient at doing that job,” Ring said. “They’re not going to be proficient after 16 months in the yard.” During the stay the ship will be brought up to date. “We’re a 40-year-old ship. Salt water and metal don’t like each other so we have a lot of repairs to do,” Ring said. “Repair and modernization are what we’re about here.” Civilian workers with the shipyard are expected to make the bulk of the significant repairs, while sailors will be improve the ship’s “habitabil-
ity.” “The reality is we can’t afford all the work that has to get done to the ship. To save taxpayer money we have sailors do quite a bit of it,” Ring said. Ring said there are teams set to redo tile, paint and pipe insulation, among others. After the yard period, the ship will be inspected for combat readiness, Ring said. Ring told his sailors to enjoy their stay in the area in their personal lives and to focus on SEE NIMITZ, A9
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