All Stories - Port Orchard Independent

Firm chosen to review SEED ‘green’prints

A South Kitsap man who allegedly crashed his car into the side of a house in South Colby was arrested Tuesday while walking to a shopping center on Mile Hill Drive, the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Judge candidate Danielson declines attorney donations

Toll rates on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge increased to $4.00 for cash toll payers and $2.75 for electronic toll payers starting yesterday.

South Kitsap man who launched car into house arrested

A little thing called the sun and a new event downtown joined forces last weekend to attract particularly healthy crowds to Port Orchard’s Fathoms o’Fun festival this year, organizers said.

Crossing the Bridge? Bring another dollar

Members of the South Kitsap Soccer Club were cleaning up and repairing damage to their equipment shed this week after what has become a twice-yearly ritual — vandalism. “It happens once in summer and once in winter — right around the school breaks,” said Terry Riders, director of the club’s fields, as he boarded up the shed with plywood Tuesday at Veteran’s Memorial Park.

Fire District merger talks bogged down?

Regime change continues in Port Orchard government

A little sun, a little scramble

South Kitsap Soccer Club endures 'vandalism season' again

No lid lift for libraries in ’08

Kitsap Transit signs off on POF concept

Hot-and-cold ’Jackets keep it going

“Streaky” probably would be the best word to describe the Kitsap BlueJackets play in the West Coast Collegiate Baseball League season.

For Benji, trip home a chance to help others

He will maintain residence in his adopted hometown, but it isn’t difficult to convince Benji Olson to come back to the Olympic Peninsula. The 1994 South Kitsap graduate returned to the area last week to participate in the 15th annual Detlef Schrempf Celebrity Golf Classic at McCormick Woods.

Runners reach finish line at South Kitsap's HotFoot 5K run

The HotFoot 5-kilometer run is billed as an event for runners of all ages and that was the case Saturday at South Kitsap Community Park. Seth Kimball, who competed in the 19 to 29-year-old classification, was first overall at 19 minutes, 2 seconds. Port Orchard’s Dolores Montgomery, who runs in the 40 to 49 bracket, was the female champion and fifth overall at 21:50.

It’s all about cowboying up for the weekend

Thunderbird volunteers make event happen. Joe Weaver isn’t a cowboy. But for a weekend, the longtime Wrangler gets to be. Weaver is one of dozens of volunteers who make the Thunderbird Pro Benefit Rodeo happen.

Detlef Schrempf weighs in on Sonics case: 'It's just sad'

Detlef Schrempf never envisioned a scenario where this discussion would occur. When the University of Washington alumnus returned to the area in a 1993 trade with the Indiana Pacers, the Seattle Sonics had just reached the Western Conference Finals. Two seasons later, Schrempf, along with guard Gary Payton and forward Shawn Kemp, helped their team to the NBA Finals, where they lost in six games to the Chicago Bulls. Now, Schrempf watches closely as the floor has shifted from KeyArena to Judge Marsha Pechman’s courtroom to decide whether the Sonics must fulfill the two remaining years of their KeyArena lease.

Saints flash defense in opening loss

The West Sound Saints featured a new offense in Saturday’s NAFL opener against the Southern Oregon Renegades, but it was the defense that stood out in a 14-6 loss at Silverdale Stadium.

Thunderbird Rodeo returns to Kitsap County

Winning the Rodeo of the Year award has left the producers of the Thunderbird Pro Benefit Rodeo with a lot to live up to. But that’s one challenge they eagerly await. “You got that right,” co-producer Don Frazier said. “It’s gonna be bigger and better than it ever was.” After taking the top honor from the Northwest Professional Rodeo Association for last year’s Thunderbird — in only its third year of existence — Frazier said the all-volunteer rodeo is ready to raise the curtain on this year’s event, from an added barrel race to musical performances.

Kitsap's Village Green golf course struggling to stay open

Research by the National Golf Federation indicates that the total number of people who golf has declined or remained flat since 2000. Couple that with soaring gas prices and a trio of highly regarded golf courses within a 10-mile radius, and Doug Hathaway isn’t sure how much longer Village Greens can survive. Hathaway, the club’s PGA professional who has leased the 43-acre facility from Kitsap County since 1991, said the course has lost money every year since 2005.

SK soccer coach Bergeson resigns

Eric Bergeson guided both the boys and girls soccer programs at South Kitsap High School as recently as three years ago. He resigned as girls coach immediately after the Wolves’ 2-1 loss Nov. 8, 2005 in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs against Jackson of Mill Creek.

Struggling S. Kitsap fastpitch lands just one on all-county team

It’s been a struggle for the South Kitsap High School fastpitch team since it won the Narrows League Bridge Division championship in 2005. The Wolves had a 7-7 league mark this year, but were 8-10 overall — their second losing record in the last three seasons. The team’s struggles were reflected in the all-Kitsap team as sophomore Trish Tremper was South’s only first-team selection.

WEEKEND WROCK | Lick Like a Lion to headline Kingston SK8 Rollick

Just up the street from the Little City by the Sea’s downtown core and Fourth of July events, the Independence Day celebration will be extended with a Saturday full of skate competition and concerts. From the group that basically brought you the Kingston Skate Park itself comes The Kingston Sk8 Rollick.

What’s Up Weekend Wrock

Independence Day extended.

Lynwood plays host to the Show People of yesteryear

Bainbridge theater celebrates its anniversary with two screenings of

Developers ask Bremerton out to the movies

Ron Sher and Co. plan to host movie nights atop the old J.C. Penney building each weekend this month, starting with

Port Orchard library screens second annual series of film noir

Free admission for old-time movie.

What’s Up for First Friday

Visions of the apocalypse and paintings of liberty in Bremerton July 4, Bainbridge holds off its events until after Independence Day.

What goes up...

A look at Independence Day Events across the county, lighting the proverbial fuse for Fourth of July.

Jr. Cadillac kicks off Concerts on the Boardwalk

Another little something is happening in Bremerton, and around the county — free outdoor summer concert series.

The screening room

Fate takes aim

Bremerton's Skateland to host roller derby event

Bremerton’s Skateland is about to host an elbow-throwin’, fast-speed rollin’, rollickin’ roller derby event.

Port Orchard framing store thrives in niche

Mallory Jackson believes in keeping the customer satisfied, and she’s convinced it’s this commitment that’s helped to keep her in business while others in downtown Port Orchard have folded their tent and moved to some other town in order to succeed. As owner of Custom Picture Framing on Bay Street, Jackson, 47, has spent the past 13 years providing her customers a way to preserve their memories in a unique way.

West Sound Workforce head addresses Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce

Prevailing economic conditions have presented small businesses with a significant challenge with regard to acquiring and maintaining a capable staff, according to an address to the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce last week.

Picture It Designed puts the best face on homes

A little sun, a little scramble

A little thing called the sun and a new event downtown joined forces last weekend to attract particularly healthy crowds to Port Orchard’s Fathoms o’Fun festival this year, organizers said.

Tall ships arrive in Port Orchard

The HMS Bounty pulled into the Port Orchard Marina Tuesday afternoon, one of the first of more than a dozen Tall Ships scheduled to spend the night here before spending the weekend in Tacoma.

Real estate office spruces up Port Orchard family's yard

Sometimes, a little good grows after cancer. Like the curly hair Port Orchard resident Theresa Lyons now sports after losing her “long, stick straight hair” to the harsh chemotherapy and radiation treatments she endured over the past year to rid her body of breast cancer.

South Kitsap man turns bulls into 'pro athletes'

The lot only is five acres and sits just a few miles off State Route 16, but its openness and quiet serenity create a country feel. It’s not exactly destitute, though. Wander through the yard — if the dogs don’t make their presence known first — to the electric fence where Joe Swinney stores his family of bulls. Behind the wires are the 1,920-pound Smilin-Sugartooth Shorty, Captain ’n Krunch (1,700 pounds), Tornado Blanco (1,000), Cinnamon (1,600), the mother, and the first heifer she and Shorty produced, Thunder Cloud (800), who was born last month.

SK girl a ballerina on wheels

What does a girl need to become a ballerina? A pretty pink leotard? Check. A pretty pink tutu? Check. Ballet slippers and a pair of long, graceful arms? Check and check.

Legislature will have its work cut out for it in 2009

Sound Off is a public forum. Articles are selected from letters to the editor or may be written specifically for this feature. Today, 23rd District Washington State Rep. Sherry Appleton (D-Poulsbo) anticipates what could be the major issues the state will be grappling with during next year’s legislative session.

Gas prices quell hope of economic growth in South Kitsap

For years now, “growth management” has seemed to involve efforts to control land use to restrict real estate development in some areas and hope for economic development in others. What happens when there is little growth to be managed by government? Many people had supposed that completion of the Tacoma Narrows bridge project would spur population and economic growth in South Kitsap. Rush-hour traffic congestion on the old bridge was an obvious impediment to growth.

D’oh! We all need to understand our rights

Quick — can you list the five rights named in the First Amendment?

For better or worse, the readers respond

“In your article about the person in Port Angeles who had received medals and benefits not awarded, it seemed the fellow did receive a proper sentence,” writes Dennis Wojciak of Marysville.

Did judge give Bainbridge vandals preferential treatment?

In the case of the recent vandalism of Bainbridge Island’s police cars, the crime itself may have been confined to Bainbridge but the troubling response to it resonates throughout Kitsap County, prompting discussions from the specific (when a prank is no longer a prank) to the general (how a permissive, affluent society can ruin our children).

Supreme Court ends union effort to silence employers

On June 19, the U.S. Supreme Court (by a 7-2 decision) struck down a California law imposing so-called “union neutrality” requirements on employers in the state. The law limited what employers could say about union organizing campaigns in the workplace. The high court’s ruling should be the final stake in the heart of a similar union-backed proposal here in Washington.

Top-two primary actually limits people’s choices

I have to take issue with state Rep. Judy Warnick’s June 21 Guest Opinion (“Top-two primary best reflects people’s choice”) lauding the so-called “top-two” election process Washington state will adopt starting with the primary in August.

Can’t drive 55? Maybe we all should

With gasoline now over $4 a gallon, ethanol losing its appeal as a substitute fuel which would cost more to produce than gas, and the ANWR still locked up for the caribou, how about doing what we did when we were crying the blues over gasoline in the 1970s?

Cribbage clubbers addicted to fun, competition

They gather together in the Olalla community center, some coming from as far away as Wenatchee and Tacoma.

WEA Supreme Court decision: 1 year later

June 14, 2007. Our day started early that Thursday morning. We were expecting a ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court in our case against the Washington Education Association (WEA), and we knew the decision would come down this week or the next. As I waited tensely at my desk, the alert flashed on the computer screen. I grabbed the phone and buzzed (Evergreen Freedom Foundation Executive Director) Bob Williams. “Bob, we won. Unanimous.” “Good,” he said, and hung up. The rest of the day was a blur. We spent the first hour scouring the Supreme Court’s opinion. We sent out hundreds of e-mails, several press releases, and did radio interviews all day long. We rushed to Seattle for a press conference and talked to numerous national newspapers. The question on everyone’s mind: “What does it mean?”