Port Orchard Independent, January 22, 2016

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INDEPENDENT PORT ORCHARD

125 YEA

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 2016 ✮ VOL. 124, NO. 50 ✮ WWW.PORTORCHARDINDEPENDENT.COM ✮ 50¢

School bond vote is underway Dragonfly

Cinema has new owner

Port Orchard’s Dragonfly Cinema has a new owner who plans to continue the historic silver-screen tradition at 822 Bay Street. Nick Taylor, a local resident and film-school graduate, will take over the business from owner Gryphon Shafer and his family. Taylor’s selection came after the Shafer family reviewed small-business proposals from several prospective owners. They asked those interested in operating the theater late last year to submit creative and innovative plans on how they would run the business. “We have confidence in his ability to adopt the cinema and take it to even greater heights,” Shafer wrote on the theater’s Facebook page. “Nick will be advancing the theater in several ways, but he’ll be keeping a lot the same. “We’re excited to see what he’ll bring to the Dragonfly.” Current staff will stay on with the new owner, the Shafers said.

Submitted photo

South Kitsap school supporters march along Mile Hill Road Jan. 16 to encourage voters to cast their ballots for a $126.99-million bond measure to build a second high school and provide technology-improvement funding for South Kitsap High.

South Kitsap school leaders campaign for $126.99-million bond, hoping to top 60-percent ‘yes’ threshold on Feb. 9 ccording to South Kitsap School District leaders, construction of a second high school in the district has been a long time coming. And, as Greg Wall, board of directors vice president, reminded, community feedback seconds that notion. After attending numerous community meetings centered on the bond issue, Wall said the feedback from citizens has been persuasive: “I’ve heard

very few negative comments (about the bond measure). The most-heard comment was ‘It’s about time.’” But it’s not because the school district hasn’t tried in the past. The most-recent attempt was in 2007 when it placed before voters a $163.2-million capital-facilities bond measure to fund construction of a second high school, rebuild South Colby Elementary and improve technology infrastructure. It failed to reach the 60-percent approval threshold needed for

KITSAP WEEKLY

OPINION

By BOB SMITH

South Kitsap School District Superintendent Michelle Reid, and Chris Lemke, Greg Wall and Rebecca Diehl, all members of the board of directors, as well as Tiffany Wilhem (vice president of the schools supporters group), met with Port Orchard Independent editor Bob Smith and education reporter Sara Miller Jan. 15 to outline the district’s $126.99-million capital bond measure before voters Feb. 9. The measure, if passed, will fund construction of a second high school in the South Kitsap district and a $2 million technology upgrade at South Kitsap High School.

IN THE INDEPENDENT

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rsmith@portorchardindependent.com

Living the dream.

passage. Board President Chris Lemke said the need for a second high school isn’t just a want, it’s a need. “This bond effort is not something we want to do, it’s something we have to do,” Lemke said. “If this bond doesn’t pass, we are going to run it again. There’s no doubt the growth is here and no doubt our kids need pathways toward opportunities like STEM education. We’re

Church lists sex abusers

77 clergy members accused, including some from Kitsap By BOB SMITH

rsmith@portorchardindependent.com

A list of 77 priests, brothers, deacons and sisters accused of sexually assaulting children since the early part of the last century was released last week by the Archdiocese of Seattle. The list includes clergy who served at churches and parishes in some areas of Kitsap Peninsula and San Juan Island. One of the priests accused was James Pommier, who had been assigned to the periodic ministry for the Olympic Peninsula area and served from 1979-1985 with St. Gabriel in Port Orchard. Pommier, who is deceased, was affiliated

SCHOOLS, SEE A11

Vote Yes on school bond. A4

PRIESTS, SEE A2

SPORTS

Hall of Fame inductees A10

The Independent: 2015 General Excellence award winner, Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Better Newspapers Contest


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