INDEPENDENT PORT ORCHARD
FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2015 ✮ VOL. 124, NO. 16 ✮ WWW.PORTORCHARDINDEPENDENT.COM ✮ 50¢
South Kitsap teachers approve one-day walkout Educators plan to be out of the classroom May 20 to protest state education funding, or lack of By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
cchancellor@portorchardindependent.com
South Kitsap School District teachers will become the latest in Western Washington to stage a one-day walkout May 20 against the Legislature to protest education funding. South Kitsap Education Association members voted May 7 for the work stoppage.
SKSD joins a growing list of Western Washington school-district teachers supporting one-day walkouts to voice their disapproval over the Legislature’s education funding. Those issues include full funding for schools, and smaller class sizes and pay increases. Other school districts in Kitsap County, including Bainbridge Island, Central Kitsap
and North Kitsap, already have done — or are planning — one-day walkouts. When reached for comment May 8, South Kitsap Education Association president John Richardson said he was in meetings and “too busy” to talk about specifics of the walkout outside of stating that the issues have “nothing to do with our school district.” Richardson later issued a news release. “South Kitsap Education Association members packed the John Sedgwick Junior High gymnasium and voted overwhelmingly to walk out on May 20 to send a message to the
Seahawks’ Sherman: ‘Be courageous’
NFL Pro Bowler surprises Cedar Heights students with visit — and stories of football and the value of education
Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman shares advice about standing up to bullies, at a special visit May 7 at Cedar Heights Junior High School.
By CHRIS TUCKER
Bremerton Patriot PORT ORCHARD — Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman advised students to be courageous during a special visit to Cedar Heights Junior High May 7. The 6-foot-3-inch 27-year-old star player spoke with several hundred children at the school gym and encouraged them to show their character and strength by not bullying fellow students. Sherman was welcomed to raucous applause as he ran down the front row of students seated on the gym floor and let loose a series of high-fives. “I’m here to talk to you guys about courage,“ Sherman said. Everyone encounters situations where they make a decision to be courageous or act fearfully, he said. “And how you react to those situations kind of shows your character and shows who you are.“ In his football career, Sherman said some players might be afraid of “real big” competitors on the field. “I’m not scared of nothing. But in those situations, you know, they’re running full speed; you’re running full speed … they’ve got a ball; you’ve got to tackle them. And the decision to be courageous is one that some people make and some people don’t. “Some people say, ‘Well, that’s Marshawn Lynch. I’m just going to get out of the way and let him score a touchdown,‘ and some people try to tackle him. I mean, they may not succeed in tackling him but they try, so it’s courageous. “But there are other ways you can be courageous. In school a lot of people get bullied. A lot of people think … because they’re bigger
SEE SCHOOLS, A19
An unwelcome donation: a hand grenade By CHRIS CHANCELLOR
cchancellor@portorchardindependent.com
“You guys don’t seem like you’re scared of those things. You guys have iPhones and stuff so I’ve got to keep up with the times (and) figure out what you guys are afraid of. I guess losing your (phone) charger,“ Sherman joked. “Always remember that courage isn’t the absence of fear, it’s you triumphing over fear. You standing up to fear and not being afraid. You standing up to the things you’re afraid of. You acting while being afraid … you’re still doing what you’re supposed to be doing.”
A World War II Japanese-style hand grenade found at a Port Orchard Goodwill store by an employee May 7 forced the business — and several that surrounded it — to close for about two hours. Port Orchard police chief Geoffrey Marti said his department received an emergency call at 1:15 p.m. from Goodwill. “They were requesting law enforcement because one of their employees was sorting through donated goods and found what they believed to be a hand grenade,” Marti said. “It appeared to be an older-style hand grenade and had a pin that was still intact.” Marti said Goodwill, located at 1720 SE Mile Hill Drive, and surrounding businesses were evacuated and assistance was requested from the U.S. Navy Region Northwest’s bomb squad. Marti said two agents from the bomb squad were able to respond quickly because they were in Bremerton. “Operating under the assumption that this is a live grenade, they transported it to a secure residence [for evaluation],” he said. A Goodwill employee posted a sign that the store would be “temporarily closed” at 2:20 p.m. The Goodwill and surrounding businesses reopened later in the afternoon. Marti said the investigation will be ongoing. Port Orchard Police did not know when it would reach a resolution. “We are investigating to see if we can find out how this grenade ended up in their donation box and if we can find the person,” he said. “We don’t think this was nefarious, but we won’t know until we complete our investigation.” Marti believes there are multiple ways the
SEE SHERMAN, A7
SEE GOODWILL, A19
Chris Tucker / Bremerton Patriot
and badder that they can bully people. And it takes courage to stand up to bullies. It takes courage to be a person who doesn’t bully. It takes courage to stand up to people that you’re afraid of. “You know it’s always unique what time in your life you realize you’re courageous, because everybody has courage within them and sometimes you realize that at a young age, and sometimes you’re 55 and you realize, ‘Oh, I’ve got some courage in me.‘“ Sherman said when he was little he used to be afraid of the bogeyman in the dark.
Legislature that it is past time to fully fund education,” Richardson said. “Imagine the possibilities for South Kitsap School District if it were to receive full funding,” he said. “South Kitsap educators are deeply committed to student success and this is not a decision that was made lightly. Students need access to resources in order to reach their full potential and we don’t have enough funding to meet the needs of our students.”
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