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.
Inside
A Section Editorial Robert Meadows Scene & Heard Sports Legal Notices Mary Colborn Obituaries
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Under the BRC’s proposal, which would go into effect for the 201617 school year, ninth-graders would attend South Kitsap High School. The change also would transform the district’s three junior highs — Cedar Heights, John Sedgwick and Marcus Whitman — into middle schools with sixth-graders moving up from elementary schools. SKSD officials have mulled the transformation dating back to 1992. When it was discussed in 2009, district director of facilities and operations Tom O’Brien said it would make sense because it followed a national
SEE FRESHMEN, A27
SKSD planning boundary adjustments A3
working with him for several years with helping him out. He’s really struggling right now.” Blair said Washek’s needs new flooring throughout his house, preferably laminate. “The cat makes carpet less desirable,” said Blair, who is hoping to get a carpet or flooring company to donate to the project. SEE MURALIST, A27
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local pastor and his church is seeking help in getting new flooring and carpet for a muralist who is battling cancer. According to Tim Blair, pastor of Ekklesia Church, Rich Washek has been battling throat cancer. He took his first chemotherapy in June 2013.
“He was recovering from the cancer and got a clean bill of health several months ago, but it came back again,” Blair said. “He’s taking chemotherapy right now and he’s really weak.” Blair said his church’s congregation has worked on Washbek’s home on Mitchell Road on several occasions inside and out. “Rich is such a neat guy,” Blair said. “We have been
SK tennis legend returns to program A17
TIM MATTHES
JEANETTE DALTON
Pastor, church working to help local muralist battling cancer Editor
Firefighters participate in multiagency drill A4
Courtesy Photo
Port Orchard resident Rich Washek paints a mural on a wall. The local muralist is suffering from cancer and a local church is assisting him during his treatment.
By DANNIE OLIVEAUX
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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SEE JOYCE, A28
ninth-graders were eligible to compete in athletics at the high school for the first time when the junior-high league that SKHS participated in disbanded because there no longer were enough schools. In addition, many students participate in other extracurricular activities, such as band, that require they be bused to the high school. Along with added transportation expenses, Maggie Geisler, who is among about 30 parents on the BRC, said that creates a scenario where
▼ Custodians won’t be replaced, $1.72 million will be taken from reserve fund.
Sound Publishing
BREMERTON — She was known as someone who never gave up on anyone or anything. Linda Joyce fought to help survivors of domestic violence. She fought to honor women and their achievements and she fought cancer to the very end, working through chemotherapy and several stays in the hospital. But Joyce succumbed to her battle with cancer March 22. “She was a fighter for what she believed in to the end of her life,” said her good friend Vivi-Ann Parnell. “We will forever keep Linda’s smile and laugh in our hearts and she will forever be missed.” Parnell, who worked with Joyce on the board of the Kathleen Sutton Foundation, said Joyce had taught her compassion.
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
By LESLIE KELLY
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
Former YWCA director remembered for her laugh, love of life
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
Linda Joyce ‘found the best in everyone’
Staff Writer
– Richmond Johnson, pastor of the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Bremerton
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
“She was a phenomenal woman. She brought out the best in people because she appreciated everybody. She’d find the one gift they had and she’d find a use for it. She encouraged them to lead with their gift. She loved everybody even when they didn’t love her back.”
trend. There are four main models for educating the cluster of middle grades: fifth through eighth; sixth through eighth; seventh and eighth; and seventh through ninth. According to the Middle Level Leadership Center research, 45 percent of schools featured the seventh through ninth option in 1970. That fell to just percent to just 5 percent in 2000. During the same span, sixth through eighth schools rose from 16 to 59 percent. That trend only has increased in recent years. In 2013-14, all SKSD
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-
Neighbor denies pellet gun shooting
Senior Reporter
It was billed as a public forum for South Kitsap School District’s Boundary Review Committee. But it was a proposed grade reconfiguration that appeared to garner most of the public’s attention during a March 19 meeting at John Sedgwick Junior High.
Both sides report feeling harassed in rift over home business.
By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
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SKSD junior highs also would become middle schools
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
Plan would move freshmen to high school