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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2018 ✮ VOL. 126, NO. 44 ✮ KITSAPDAILYNEWS.COM ✮ 50¢
‘Take cover!’ Tornado generates significant damage No injuries reported, but twister frightens residents, damages homes and businesses BY BOB SMITH
Kitsap News Group
PORT ORCHARD — Curran Cain, who works at Farmer George Meats on Bethel Avenue, was cleaning the grease traps in the store just before 2 p.m. when he noticed the winds had picked up and were roaring outside. Trying to open the back door, Cain said he felt as if the wind was trying to suck him up into its grasp. ”It was strong,” the still-shellshocked employee said about 30 minutes after a swiftly moving tornado dangled above his little shop, sweeping eastward across the busy Bethel arterial. “I looked up and saw branches flying. I then saw it go through the field after crossing the street. It sounded like an earthquake hit. Someone in the shop yelled, ‘Take cover! It’s hitting.’” He said the tornado was unmistakable. “It was really wide at the top and looked like a waterspout,” Norman said. The damaging tornado on Tuesday, Dec. 18 — described by eyewitnesses as being several blocks wide — also swirled onto the vast Walmart Superstore parking lot as it bore down on the department store, sending anything loose in its path skyward before moving eastward. Especially hard-hit was a residential cul de sac behind Walmart — Tiburon Court — where one home’s roof was lifted up by the tornado, sending splintered pieces into the sky. Other homes received severe damage and some had their natural gas pipelines severed by the onslaught. Kitsap County’s Department of Emergency Management evacuated residents in the Tibu-
The tornado’s aftermath BY NICK TWIETMEYER Kitsap News Group
ron Court tract due to possible gas leaks. Commercial buildings lining Bethel were damaged by the freak funnel, which was described by Chad Norman, who also works at Farmer George Meats, as being at least 600 yards wide with a defined tornado outline that veered across the busy roadway in the eastern part
Just after the tornado had passed through Port Orchard Dec. 18, John Wagner went door-to-door along Harris Road Southeast checking on residents and advising them that, due to a gas leak, law enforcement was advising residents evacuate. Wagner said he was the owner of Wagner Roofing and Construction and that he was willing to offer the services of a five-man crew to place tarps at houses damaged by the tornado in an attempt to fight back further damage from the torrential rain that followed. Wagner was not alone in his desire to help out. While walking between law enforcement vehicles along Bethel Road, Wagner was joined by David Mullins. Mullins explained that having moved to the area from Illinois, he was no stranger to tornadoes. Approaching a group of emergency responders near the Bethel Saloon, the pair were told to turn back and directed to a command post at a nearby Walmart parking lot. At the make-shift command post, emergency responders were huddled together discussing a plan of action. Among those responders was Sgt. Dan Twomey with the Kitsap County Sheriff ’s Office. Twomey was prepping one of the sheriff ’s office’s recently-acquired drones to go out and survey the damage. “It’s already been up a little bit, but we’re going to put it back up here in a little bit. We want to make sure that we’ve covered all the areas we need to cover and assess the damage in the
TORNADO, SEE 2
AFTERMATH, SEE 2
Photos by Robert Zollna | Kitsap Daily News
Above, Skip Olmsted, who lives on Southeast Serenade Way, navigates his way around downed branches on his property after a tornado struck a portion of Port Orchard. Below, homes behind the Walmart Superstore on Bethel Avenue suffered severe damage after a tornado struck the area Dec. 18.
It sounded like an earthquake hit.” — Curran Cain
Page 2
KitsapDailyNews.com
TORNADO
tornado spun around the car and placed it on its side. The vehicle suffered extensive damage. The woman, Norman said, was able to get out of her car and was assisted by onlookers, who wiped blood from her face. Additional reports of injuries were not immediately available, although emergency crews later reported they had not encountered any significant injury cases. Washington State Patrol troopers cordoned off the area with caution tape and warned onlookers of reports of natural gas leaks in the area. The roof of a home near
CONTINUED FROM 1
of the East Port Orchard section of the city. Next door to the meat shop is the venerable Bethel Saloon. Shortly after the tornado struck the location, a Washington State Patrol trooper placed caution tape in front of the business to keep people from entering the area. An unidentified woman driving a Toyota sedan was slightly injured when her car was lifted by the tornado as she drove on Bethel in front of the meat market. The
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Rhapsody Drive was lifted by the twister, as shown by helicopter video on KOMO-TV. A citywide response from units of the Port Orchard Police, South Kitsap Fire and Rescue and Washington State Patrol arrived at the scene to cordon off the roadway to traffic — an area ranging from the intersection of Bethel and Lund avenues to Southeast Blueberry Road. Kirby Cook, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told the Seattle Times that while thunderstorms are in the weather forecast for the area,
the tornadic activity caught them by surprise. Tornado events are fairly rare in the Pacific Northwest, and if they do occur, they are fairly weak and shortlived. “We were not expecting any to be severe. Certainly this one was,” Cook said. Resident Skip Olmsted, who lives at 2095 SE Serenade Way, said he was taking a shower when he noticed something odd happening to the water supply. “I thought that the water tank was going out,” Olmsted said. “Then I saw shadows from things going by from
the small window and figured something was going on.” The resident, whose home incurred severe damage, said he called his wife and told her about the tornado strike. “I thought she was going to have a heart attack when I called her. It was bad enough then. I don’t know what she’s going to think when she sees this.” In a region of the country where tornadoes are rare occurrences, to say the least, residents were clearly caught off guard. Adding to what was a potentially catastrophic situation, the tornadic storm
AFTERMATH
was Matt Freet. Freet is the general manager and part owner of Herban Market Cannabis Company in Port Orchard. The building housing Freet’s business was damaged by the tornado, leaving him wondering what happens next. “My business partner, his car’s totaled,” Freet said. “The warehouse behind us, it got hit first as the tornado came through and the whole building just melted and wrecked everything below. It looks really bad.” — Nick Twietmeyer is a reporter with Kitsap News Group. Nick can be reached at ntwietmeyer@soundpublishing.com.
A Washington State Patrol trooper cordons off an area in front of the Bethel Saloon, damaged by a freak tornado that swept through the eastern part of Port Orchard.
CONTINUED FROM 1
area,” Twomey said. “We’re still in the very early stages of this. The fire department and the power company and the gas companies are working hard to secure power lines and make sure that we don’t have any gas leaks to deem the area safe.” “We have gone door-todoor in the neighborhoods off of Harris, where we believe most of the damage has occurred,” Twomey added. Huddled in an alcove behind a Safeway, seeking some respite from the rain,
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was not only swiftly moving, but it generated a funnel in just seconds — allowing no time for a tornado warning to be issued. The tornado reportedly dissipated after causing destruction among the homes behind the large department store. Kitsap County work crews closed Harris Road Southeast between Southeast Lund Avenue and Southeast Salmonberry Road due to the tornado’s damage. Salmonberry, between Branson Drive Southeast and Harris, has restricted access to the area.
Bob Smith | Kitsap Daily News
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INSIDE: PORT ORCHARD SHINES, Page 4
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2018 ✮ VOL. 126, NO. 45 ✮ KITSAPDAILYNEWS.COM ✮ 50¢
Recovery from tornado continues But damage, tragedy could have been worse
BY BOB SMITH
Kitsap News Group
BY BOB SMITH
Kitsap News Group
PORT ORCHARD — The Dec. 18 EF-2 tornado that dropped into East Port Orchard from a stray squall line of storms buffeting the Kitsap Peninsula shocked residents with a surprise cameo appearance of about two minutes. It was as rare as it was destructive. While the surprise twister downed power lines, lifted roof sections of commercial buildings and totaled a vehicle driving on Southeast Bethel Road just before 2 p.m., the swirling cloud of wind packing winds up to 130 miles per hour, saved its peak fury for a neighborhood of residential homes on Southeast Serenade Way, Harris Court and Tiburon Court. Those homes, tucked behind the Walmart on Bethel and surrounded by tall fir trees, were severely damaged by the damaging winds. One of the homes on another street, Serenity Court, also had its entire roof lifted from its ceiling joists. A bystander told the Independent that sections of that red-colored home were found six blocks away. Inexplicably, no one was killed in the path of the 300-yard-wide tornado, nor were there any significant injuries. Some people caught in the middle of the storm reportedly had to deal with cuts, bumps and bruises from the falling debris — a woman was bloodied inside her spinning Toyota sedan as the tornado crossed Bethel — but South Kitsap Fire and Rescue assistant chief Jeff Faucett said Dec. 19 that, fortunately, no one needed to be taken by stretcher to a hospital for treatment. As the broken parts of homes,
Emergency response team ‘stands down’ PORT ORCHARD — A command center staffed by a unified group of law enforcement and emergency response organizations, brought together to deal with the aftermath of a tornado that struck Port Orchard Dec. 18, is now in “stand down” mode, said Jeff Faucett, South Kitsap Fire and Rescue assistant fire chief, on Thursday, Dec. 20. RESPONSE, SEE 5
Stetson Heights stormwater ponds near limits
Photos by Robert Zollna | Independent
Above: Broken tree sections sent flying by the tornado Dec. 18 inflicted damage on a resident’s truck at the site of the worst devastation, a cluster of homes near Harris Court in Port Orchard. Right: A home on Southeast Serenity Way is littered with broken tree branches and debris following the tornado that dropped from the skies Dec. 18. fences and businesses were cleaned up and some semblance of normality returned to the East Port Orchard area visited by the tornado, residents are just beginning to comprehend how lucky they are that the tragedy wasn’t greater. “I think we all know that we were fortunate that the tornado happened when it did,” Port Orchard Mayor Rob Putaansuu said. “A little later in the day and we would have had increased traffic on Bethel or children walking home from school.
BY BOB SMITH
Kitsap News Group
PORT ORCHARD — As if South Kitsap residents haven’t had enough of Mother Nature’s weather tantrums this month, some area homeowners have a new weather-related issue to attend to — possible retaining pond overflows just off Glenwood Road Southwest. STETSON, SEE 5
Putaansuu said that if the tornado had touched down farther to the north or south — even just a block or two — it would have hit busy shopping areas. As it was, according to Kitsap County Sheriff ’s Office spokesman Deputy Scott Wilson, approximately 50
buildings were damaged in the commercial section of Bethel. About 250 residential structures were judged to have been damaged by a team of officials who evaluated the site later in the week. RECOVERY, SEE 12
OUT OF THE BLUE:
Port Orchard tornado coverage continues on pages 2, 3 and 4. Photo montage, see pages 10-12.
Page 10
KitsapDailyNews.com
Friday, December 28, 2018 - Port Orchard Independent
OUT OF THE BLUE | Surprising EF-2 tornado
Port Orchard twister’s brief trail of destruction Residents, businesses left to clean up mess BY BOB SMITH
Kitsap News Group
PORT ORCHARD — Photos of the destructive remnants left by the EF-2 surprise winter tornado were captured by Independent photographers, from its touchdown just west of Bethel Road near Sedgwick to Harris Court. The twister’s visit was as brief as it was unexpected. Rotating winds from the unstable coldfront rain squall dropped
down at just before 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 18. The powerful tornado, exceedingly rare for these parts, sped on a path less than a mile and a half in length. After a minute and a half, it was over. Unfortunately for the residents and business people left having to clean up the tornado’s catastrophic mess, the recovery has just begun. — Bob Smith is regional editor of the Port Orchard Independent. Robert Zollna is a contributing photographer for the Kitsap News Group. Robert Zollna | Independent
Above: A recreational vehicle is totaled after being pummeled by downed trees from the tornado that hit the city Dec. 18. Right: A home is irretrievably destroyed by the tornado.”
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Page 11
Bob Smith | Independent
A silver Toyota sedan was picked up and spun around by the tornado. It was dropped on its rear end on Bethel Avenue.
Bob Smith | Independent
The rear window of a sedan was blown out by debris sent flying from a tornado Dec. 18.
Bob Smith | Independent
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Friday, December 28, 2018 - Port Orchard Independent
RECOVERY
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CONTINUED FROM 1
Nick Bond, the city’s community development director, said construction regulations for Port Orchard call for a wind load limit of 85 miles per hour, well below the top winds of the tornado. In any event, tornadic events are a challenge for most wooden structures anywhere. “While the devastation is dramatic and is affecting many families this holiday season,” Putaansuu said, “it could have been far worse.” The chilling aspect of Port Orchard’s catastrophic nearmiss from a direct hit is that the tornado appeared practically from nowhere. Unlike other areas of the nation, particularly in “Tornado Alley” sections of the Midwest and South that are more familiar territory for severe thunderstorm and tornadic activity, the Puget Sound region doesn’t have a network of sirens that alert communities of incoming tornadoes. But even if the area had been equipped with sirens, there wouldn’t have been time to flip the switch. Unlike the mega-twisters that frequent
Robert Zollna | Kitsap Daily News
A home on Southeast Serenity Way is littered with broken tree branches and debris following the tornado that dropped from the skies Dec. 18. other parts of the country, system wasn’t expected to be this tornado was only on the severe. Cook said the squall ground for a couple of minutes that rolled through was part of at the most, during its 1.4-mile a rain-soaked cold front common to the Pacific Northwest journey on the ground. So, combined with the in the winter. suddenness of the tornado According to the National and the unfamiliarity of this Oceanic and Atmospheric kind of weather pattern, a Administration, just 120 “tornado events” were recorded later appearance could have in this state from 1950 to meant many dozens of people outside walking about the area 2016. Almost all of those and at the mercy of punishing events were registered in the EF-0 to EF-1 range — with winds. winds 3-second wind gusts of Kirby Cook, a meteorologist with the National Weather between 65 and 110 miles per Service, told the Seattle Times hour. that the tornado was unexThe Port Orchard twister, pected — and was certainly believed to have produced not in the forecast for Dec. winds of 115-130 miles per 18. While thunderstorms hour, was rated as a “strong” were forecasted, the weather EF-2 tornado.
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Friday, December 28, 2018 - Port Orchard Independent
Mother Nature is not the only one causing damage Due diligence is critical before hiring a contractor to clean up tornado damage BY BOB SMITH
Kitsap News Group
Bob Smith | Independent
The entrance to the enclave of Melody Village, just off Harris Court, is being cleared of fallen tree debris.
Team Rubicon clears downed trees BY BOB SMITH
Kitsap News Group
PORT ORCHARD — Twenty volunteers from Team Rubicon are slowly making progress in helping residents who live in places such as Melody Village, off Harris Court, back to some semblance of normalcy. While many are dealing with the red tape and intricacies of insurance adjusters, contractors and the logistics of finding a temporary place to stay while their homes are being made habitable again, the team is doing what it can to clear the visible scars of the tornado that now litter the surroundings. The group of mostly vet-
erans and first responders are volunteers who comprise a small part of about 85,000 members in 10 countries that jump into action after a natural or man-made disaster strikes anywhere in the world, said John Byars, a volunteer who helped direct vehicle traffic pass safely around the busy workforce as it chainsawed fallen trees. “This is the most organized group I’ve ever been part of,” Byars said while guiding Rebecca Chitwood of Federal Way, armed with a chainsaw while cutting hundreds of board feet of tall firs that the Dec. 18 tornado brought to the ground. Chitwood, a Marine Corps
veteran herself, said she felt exhilarated while progressing through her volunteer checklist. “I haven’t felt like this since I was in boot camp,” she said with a smile while taking a break from the high-pitched chatter of her chainsaw. Byars, the team captain, said the group has been working at the site since noon on Friday, Dec. 21. Group leaders started planning the effort the night of the tornado. Team Rubicon has been working in coordination with the Kitsap Department of Emergency Management, charged with the overall response effort in Port Orchard. “This is a great activity for veterans. And many of them need our help.”
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PORT ORCHARD — When Ryan Kurts and his landlord contracted with a Pierce County tree clearing contractor to lop off and cut fallen trees on their Serenade Drive property after the Tuesday tornado made it a disaster zone of sorts, they were dismayed with the contractor’s final product. After shelling out $2,180 to the contractor, he reportedly left the scene with the job only partially completed. A huge tree trunk sat next to Kurts’ dented trailer (he said it was damaged when one of the tree branches struck it as the contractor was maneuvering the tree). An attempt had been made by the hired hand to chainsaw the massive tree section, but it remained there — still in one piece — after the contractor apparently left because he didn’t have the necessary tools to carry out the work. But Kurts’s next-door neighbor Katie Schroedle, shared some good news, courtesy of another tree service contractor. Schroedle, who was without power after the tornado, had borrowed a power generator from a Tacoma-based contractor, Maple Wood Tree Service, to get her by until power was restored. But in a kind gesture befitting the holidays, the contractor
Robert Zollna | Independent
Ryan Kurts, who rents a home on Southeast Serenade Way damaged by the Port Orchard tornado Dec. 18, says a tree contractor failed to finish a job cutting massive tree trunks and limbs into manageable pieces. Kurts said the man was paid $2,180 to do the work. presented her with a gift on Christmas Eve: a new gas power generator. The contractor proved that the bad actors in the business — a minority — spoil the reputation of the majority of reputable business people. Still, it’s nonetheless in a homeowner’s best interests to conduct due diligence anytime when looking to hire someone to do work you can’t do, especially in an emergency situation. Rob Putaansuu, Port Orchard’s mayor, reminded area residents that even though time is of the essence in getting their homes repaired and buttoned down to protect it from the weather, it’s crucial that they feel comfortable with who they’re entrusting repairs to, which can cost thousands of dollars. “My advice to anyone in any situation would be to make sure you’re dealing with licensed and bonded contractors and reputable people,” Putaansuu said. “These are challenging times
and you need to get the work done as quickly as possible, of course, but you still need to take the proper steps.” Tim Church, public affairs manager with the Washington State Labor and Industries Department, said general contractors in this state are required to be licensed, bonded and registered with the state. “Homeowners should verify the contractor they’re considering has the proper credentials,” Church said. He said Labor & Industries, or L&I, has a page on its website (www.lni.wa.gov) where citizens can verify details about any contractor in question. The web page confirms whether a contractor or tradesperson has an active license, is certified or has a record of safety citations or lawsuits. “If someone walks up with just a business card and says they’re a contractor, I’d be really skeptical of that,” Church said. “We do not want people to be taken advantage of in a time of desperation.”
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Cedar Heights firearm-carrying student arrested The 14-year-old juvenile also reportedly was carrying a ‘significant amount’ of ammo BY BOB SMITH
Kitsap News Group
PORT ORCHARD — A 14-year-old student at Cedar Heights Middle School has been booked into juvenile detention after being caught carrying a semi-automatic weapon and “a significant amount of ammunition” at the school Dec. 19. Port Orchard Police Department Commander Dale Schuster said the male student was charged with first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. He said the department’s detectives are conducting an open investigation and attempting to determine if other students might have been aware that the young man had been carrying a weapon and ammunition at the school. The student, he said, was arrested at about 11 a.m. Dec. 19, and taken to Kitsap County Juvenile Detention Center, where he was charged with felony possession of a firearm. Schuster said the incident was “kind of disturbing” and said the police department would be working with the South Kitsap School District and would “get to the bottom of it.” The middle school’s principal, Andrew Cain, earlier sent home a letter to parents later that day informing them of the incident and follow-up actions. His communication implored parents to urge their students to report any sign that someone is carrying a weapon on school grounds. Amy Miller, South Kitsap School District spokeswom-
CONTACT US: If you have a news story, let us know. Send your leads to editor@ portorchardindependent.com
an, shared the letter that Cain sent to parents. She said because the police investigation is ongoing, the district would not provide additional comment. Here is the letter: Dear Cedar Heights families, Earlier today, school administrators received a report of a student in possession of a firearm on campus. Law enforcement was immediately contacted and took the student into custody. The investigation is ongoing but early reports show that this was an isolated incident. We are concerned to find that other students knew about the firearm and failed to report it to school administrators. Per District policy, those students will also face consequences. Please encourage your student to always say something to an adult and a school official if they see or hear something. Ask them to come forward if they have information about this or any other school safety issue. We all have the responsibility to keep our schools safe. Please contact me with any questions or concerns. Sincerely, Andrew Cain, Ed.D., Principal Cedar Heights Middle School
KitsapDailyNews.com
Page 3
Tornado assessment team red-tags 20 structures BY BOB SMITH
Kitsap News Group
PORT ORCHARD — With a winter windstorm on its way in the days following the EF-2 Port Orchard tornado Dec. 18, teams of emergency first responders worked to inspect approximately 250 damaged homes and commercial buildings for structural damage, electrical issues and natural gas leaks that could prevent residents from returning home or to their business. The estimated number of structures damaged by the tornado was downsized from 450, Dave Rasmussen of the Kitsap County Emergency Management office said at a news media briefing Dec. 19, the morning after the tornado shocked residents in the East Port Orchard area. A team of law enforcement and emergency response officials staged the briefing at Walmart’s Bethel Avenue location to provide a news media update on the progress made to inspect damaged buildings. Later that Wednesday, a team from the National Weather Service surveyed the damage and rated the tornado as a “strong EF2” with peak winds of between 120 and 130 miles per hour. While acknowledging that residential and commercial building owners were impatient to resume some sense of normalcy in their lives, South Kitsap Fire and Rescue assistant fire chief Jeff Faucett said mutual-aid teams,
Bob Smith | Kitsap Daily News
South Kitsap Fire and Rescue assistant fire chief Jeff Faucett speaks to a packed news media briefing Dec. 19 at Walmart’s Bethel Avenue store, which is doubling as a command center for disaster-response teams. including firefighters from around Kitsap County, were to carefully check for hazardous conditions that might lead to injuries. Faucett said emergency teams made an initial sweep of locations impacted by the tornado in the hours after it struck with lightning speed just before 2 p.m. Hardest hit were homes just east of the Walmart store on Bethel Avenue. Several of the homes in the area of Harris Road and Tiburon Court were severely damaged by the twister. A two-story home on Tiburon had its entire roof lifted as the storm raked the location. According to the team of storm evaluators, the tornado dropped down at Geiger Road, near Sedgwick, and quickly moved northeast. It then crossed the busy Bethel Avenue arterial near Salmonberry, roughly at the
area in which the Bethel Saloon and Bethel Square shopping area are located. A multi-functional team from SKFR, Puget Sound Energy, Cascade Natural Gas, Kitsap County Department of Community Development and the Port Orchard Department of Community Development reported Dec. 19 that it inspected 104 of approximately 250 structures damaged by the tornado. As of Dec. 23, inspectors labeled 20 homes with red tags (unsafe and dangerous to occupy). Twenty-eight were assessed with yellow tags, or having significant damage to their structures, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen urged displaced families seeking immediate assistance, including emergency lodging, to contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-295-3717. Impacted homeowners can also receive assistance with home and property damage from Team Rubicon free of charge by calling 360-525-4978 or emailing joseph.crossgraves@ Teamrubiconusa.org. Rob Putaansuu, Port Orchard’s mayor, told news media Dec. 19 that the level of cooperation and professionalism of the multi-purpose emergency teams “over the past 24 hours has been phenomenal.” He said considering the amount of devastation wrought by the tornado and finding that there are no known injuries “is difficult to believe.” The mayor said his office and various departments within City Hall were overwhelmed with phone calls from residents wanting to help victims. “When it comes to the holiday season, of course, we’re going to want to help our friends and neighbors put their lives back together,” Putaansuu said. “That leads to the next stage, but right now we’re still in the assessment stage.”
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Guns, cycle helmets, soju proposals for 2019 session OLYMPIA — Know this, motorcycle owners, soju drinkers and gun buyers: There are lawmakers trying to make your life a little easier. With the 2019 session rapidly approaching, lawmakers are queuing up By JERRY CORNFIELD legislation to change the rules for who has to wear a helmet, where one can buy a bottle of the popular beverage, and what records of handgun sales must be destroyed. These and other subjects are among the dozens of bills pre-filed for introduction on opening day, Jan. 14. Here are snapshots of a few. Freedom to ride: If you are of legal age to drink, the state may let you drive a motorcycle without a helmet. Senate Bill 5007 would allow those 21 years of age and older to go helmet free if they have legally required liability insurance. The bill, drafted by Sen. Christine Rolfes, D-Bainbridge Island, also applies to moped drivers. Executive protection: One of the Washington State Patrol’s duties is to provide security for Gov. Jay Inslee even when he is on a political junket in another state. Inslee traveled so much this year he busted the patrol’s budget for this chore. Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, wrote House Bill 1021 to solve the problem. It creates an account into which private contributions can be made to offset the extra protection and security costs. If there’s still a shortfall, it would be covered out of the budget of the governor’s office rather than state patrol. Shredding by the thousands: If you buy a handgun in this state, a record of the transaction is sent to the state Department of Licensing. House Bill 2024 seeks to end that practice and get rid of what is already there. The bill is all of two paragraphs long and concludes, “The department of licensing shall eliminate from any of its databases any copies or records of pistol purchase applications or pistol transfers maintained by the department of licensing.” Money matter: County leaders are eternally frustrated that state lawmakers pass new mandates but don’t provide enough money to cover the cost of carrying them out. Just how much is unfunded? House Bill 1008 from Rep. Sherry Appleton, D-Poulsbo, might get the answer. It seeks to study what counties spend doing state-ordered tasks and what the state provides to do them. Spreading the cost: A 2017 report identified more than 20,000 parcels of land around the state that are not paying an assessment for fire protection services yet in the event of a blaze will have firefighters from the Department of Natural Resources or a local district trying to save their property. Senate Bill 5010 seeks to make those property owners chip in a little. It sets up a process for a local fire district to annex adjacent parcels after which they could levy a fee. Enlarging the liquor cabinet: Soju, a distilled alcoholic beverage which originated in Korea, isn’t a product Washington wants to be sold in eateries whose owners only have a beer and wine license. House Bill 1034 directs the state Liquor and Cannabis Board to make it possible for them to start serving soju by the bottle for consumption on-premises. Rep. Cindy Ryu, D-Shoreline, a Korean native, is the prime sponsor. The 2019 session is slated to run 105 days and end April 29. Jerry Cornfield is a political reporter for the Daily Herald in Everett. He can be reached at 360-352-8623 or jcornfield@herald net. com.
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Port Orchard shines in a moment of anguish When the Kitsap 911 call went out over the radio at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 18 — initially about power lines down on Bethel Avenue near the Bethel Saloon from high winds — I hopped in my car and headed down the road to the incident. It was just a few blocks from the Independent’s office, but traffic had come to a halt just south of the Bethel-Lund avenue intersection, slowing my arrival. As I inched closer to the scene of the downed lines, something seemed amiss beyond the usual isolated downed tree and power line radio call. Pieces of building siding, insulation and splintered tree parts — lots of pieces — haphazardly littered the road and a forested section of land next to the Bethel Square shopping area. The peaks of the fir trees had been lopped off in succession and branches were left dangling or stripped from tree trunks. Fencing had been pushed forward or uprooted altogether. As someone who was born and partially raised in Tornado Alley — Kansas — I sensed this was caused by a different kind of natural event, with the familiar markings of a tornado. But that couldn’t be so. This was the Puget Sound region of the Pacific Northwest, after all, where tornadoes are as rare here as a great barbecue joint. I parked next to the saloon and jumped out to speak with onlookers
EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK By BOB SMITH who appeared somewhat dazed at what just had unfolded. A late-model Toyota sedan sat in front of Farmer George Meats, its rear end mashed as if a semi truck had hit it from behind. It had been pelted with bits of aerial flotsam and jetsam embedded on its body, with windows busted out. The first word out of my mouth was “Tornado?” Two employees from the meat shop confirmed my suspicion and pointed to the battered car, then gestured to a woman who was on her cell phone. Caught at the wrong place at the wrong time, the woman had been driving the white car when the tornado took shape on Bethel, picked up the vehicle, and spun it like a top on its rear end. Thankfully, the driver survived the traumatic ordeal. Indeed, she escaped serious injury, climbing out of the wreckage with a bloody face that was quickly washed clean by meat shop’s employees.
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The fast-moving tornado didn’t tarry. It dropped on the Bethel Square collection of stores, flattening most of a storage unit facility in the rear, then cut over to the nearby Walmart parking lot, edging to the building’s south side. It saved its fury for a neighborhood of homes behind Walmart, sitting on Harris Court, Serenity, Tiburon and a few other streets. Images that were taken just after the tornado ravaged the neighborhood confirmed that this tornado, in itself a rarity in the Northwest, was even a rarer commodity: it later was gauged to be a strong EF-2 tornado — just a notch below the 135 mileper-hour threshold for EF-3 twisters. Unlike weak EF-0 or EF-1 tornadoes, this one inflicted substantial damage.
Out of disaster, a miracle But out of this trick wrought by Mother Nature came something of a miracle. No one died and nobody was taken by stretcher to the hospital with serious injuries. Thankfully, things — not people — were destroyed by the tornado. This is the stage where the residents of Port Orchard and South Kitsap can share pride in their community. Our little town showed its true colors in a most spectacular way. Minutes after victims of the twister crawled out SMITH, SEE 5 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $25/year carrier or motor route delivery; $60/year in-state mail delivery (not available within carrier or motor route delivery area); $90/year out-of-state mail delivery. Periodicals postage paid at Seattle, WA. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Port Orchard Independent, 19351 8th Ave NE, Poulsbo, WA 98370. Copyright 2018 Sound Publishing Inc.
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from their battered homes, neighbors helped neighbors find lost pets. They went door to door, knocking to see if everyone inside were OK. Facebook’s Port Orchard page was flooded with offers of a place to stay for a night or two for those who lost the use of their home. Strangers helped shellshocked residents remove Christmas presents and precious items from their damaged homes just in time before more rain squalls rolled in. Members of local service organizations — the Port Orchard Eagles, South Kitsap Helpline, South Kitsap High’s boys’ lacrosse team, FFA, and others too many to mention — put aside their pre-holiday plans to feed, clothe and house victims, or help to clean up and secure their shattered properties. South Kitsap Fire and Rescue and Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Port Orchard Police Department, jumped into action — first in rescue mode, then assessing the damage, while securing the homes that otherwise were open to the elements — from potential looters. Alongside the efforts of the Kitsap Department of Emergency Management, this inter-agency team performed with professionalism and thoroughness as they worked to bring the community back after the unexpected disaster. Citizens can also be proud of the work done by staff members from the city’s government. It’s a welcome reminder of how lucky we are to have these folks, who continually have our backs, day in and out, mostly unnoticed and often unappreciated. To all who helped out — or are continuing to offer their assistance to our community on this holiday week — we are full of gratitude. Thank you.
Faucett said the command center has ended operations and coordination activity is now under the responsibility of Kitsap County Department of Emergency Management. “With the stand down of Incident Command, all emergencies, whether involving property damage issues, criminal activity or medical response, will be handled through Kitsap 911,” Faucett stated in a news release. The county department noted that Puget Sound Energy
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The Kitsap Department of Emergency Management has sent notices to homeowners below the Stetson Heights residential development warning them to be aware of the possibility that retention ponds that are part of the project are reaching their capacity. Should the area receive more rainfall, the agency wrote, “the ponds might overflow and potentially impact your property.”
Bob Smith | Independent
Rebecca Chitwood of Federal Way, a Starbucks employee who is part of the Team Rubicon effort to clear tornado tree debris, cuts up sections of fallen trees. crews will continue to work to restore electrical power to the affected area as soon as possible. Staff from the county’s Department of Community Development “will return to the
affected area Thursday morning to finish surveying damaged homes, property and other buildings.” The Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office reported it will assign
The growing danger isn’t a new one, according to city, county and state agencies providing oversight on the project. The City of Port Orchard, in fact, issued a stop-work order Oct. 26 on the project, effectively stopping work on the 304 single-family residential home project. The Department of Ecology also highlighted stormwater permit violations in a notice to Stetson Heights last month, said Larry Altose of the state agency. Mayor Rob Putaansuu said DR Horton, a residential compa-
ny, was given notice to address the situation but has yet to do so. In a public record document issued by the state Department of Ecology Dec. 18, construction stormwater inspector Evan Dobrowski wrote that he encountered “several BPCI workers pumping stormwater from one pond to another pond and digging out mud from the wetlands adjacent to the site … there were several areas near the entrance to the site and in the back below the pond which appeared to have discharges over the silt fence of
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additional patrol deputies to the impacted areas in Port Orchard at night. Residents in the area have been asked to call 911 if they observe suspicious activity taking place nearby. “This was a total joint civil agency and community response to a natural disaster event that occurred in the blink of an eye and lasted only seconds yet caused so much damage and disrupted the lives of many,” Faucett said. “Our very great fortune as a community is that any injuries sustained were minor. There were no serious injury or deaths caused by this storm.” Faucett said he wanted to
offer “our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to our colleagues who assisted SKFR in providing emergency response assistance and support. It truly was a community effort.” Fire and law enforcement agencies from Kitsap, Pierce and King counties responded to the call for assistance after the tornado, particularly in combing the affected properties for survivors and assessing the extent of the damage. Government, service and volunteer agencies from Kitsap and Pierce counties, including the Red Cross, the City of Port Orchard and Kitsap United Way, also assisted in the effort, Faucett said.
stormwater and sediment. “All the ponds on the site appear to have saturated and degrading side walls … The project does not appear to be buttoned up in any phased manner.” The project office was closed for the holiday and couldn’t be reached for comment. Jim Shinn, Stetson Heights proj-
ect manager, however, told the Kitsap Sun that there has not been any discharge since October. Shinn also took issue with the county department’s contention that the retaining ponds were in danger of overflowing, alleging that some of the neighbors in the area were trying to create problems for the builder.
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