POULSBO — City councilman Ed Stern probably shouldn’t quit his job at US Bancorp/Piper Jaffray in Poulsbo and become a high-stakes poker player.
He hasn’t got the face for it.
After months of toiling with representatives from First Western over the proposed construction of an Olympic College campus at Olhava and unrealized hopes that the project would finally move ahead, it was Stern’s smile at the beginning of Wednesday night’s session which revealed that the much-anticipated campus had finally been dealt the hand supporters had been waiting for.

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If convicted, DuWayne Bender, 24, could face the death penalty or life in prison without possibility of parole.

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KINGSTON — The North Kitsap School District has made an offer to buy a plot of land intended for a new north end high school.
Final details are still being worked out on the purchase of between 28 and 29 acres of property currently owned by My Girl Drive-In owner Bob Thompson. It is located east of Kingston Junior High and southwest of Gordon Elementary. It is also near Spectrum Community School and the district’s transportation center. The district offered $370,000 for the land.

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Poulsbo Police and Fire fly ceramic flag at Dancing Brush. In a uniquely American ceremony, local fire and police officials gathered at the Dancing Brush studio in Poulsbo Friday to introduce the city’s newest and most unique flag.

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City of Poulsbo hopes meetings with First Western over Olympic College campus will lead to a ‘celebration’ at Wednesday evening’s city council meeting.

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Tonight the City of Poulsbo, Poulsbo City Council, First Western developers and Olhava project officials will meet to discuss the progress…or lack of progress on Poulsbo’s promised Olympic College campus. The hopes of a community hinge on whether promises made will be promises kept by First Western.

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POULSBO — “We’ve just grown with the needs of the community,” Susan Simons explained almost matter of factly.
What isn’t so matter of fact though is the brand new 13,000 square-foot facility the staff at Poulsbo’s Pacific Surgery Center, Pacific EyeCare and Peninsula Pain Clinic will be moving into during the next few weeks.

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SUQUAMISH — The Miller Bay Citizens Action Group members voted Monday to focus on three areas of concern and join forces with the newly formed West Sound Conservation Alliance.
The annual meeting of the citizen’s group was held at the Suquamish Congregational United Church of Christ where president Lane Holdcroft delivered his “State of the Bay” address.
Although weather and a national holiday observance made his audience the smallest in the 12 years the group has been meeting, he said it was the quality of the group’s members not the quantity.
“There is so much to be done and such limited resources. We must fight the good fight,” he said.

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SUQUAMISH — Whodunit?
Later this afternoon, several students at West Sound Academy will try to answer that question, which has been riddling theatergoers for more than 40 years in Agatha Christie’s play, “The Mousetrap.”
Students at the Suquamish-based school will perform the play at 2:30 p.m. at the Bainbridge Island Performing Arts Center.

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SUQUAMISH — For Joan Bittinger of Poulsbo, the pilgrimage to Chief Sealth’s grave site was part art lesson and history lesson. With four children and husband in tow, she was among hundreds who gathered for the wreath laying ceremony at the cemetery held Friday.
“I just wanted to find out more about the chief,” she said as she waited in downtown Suquamish for the arrival of tribal, Seattle, state and county officials. She was doing research for her latest painting depicting the white, black and Native American cultures. Bittinger used the occasion as a history lesson for her 11-year old son, who is home-schooled.

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POULSBO — The word was uttered just moments after city council voted unanimously to refuse the final offer from the Poulsbo Police Department bargaining unit, sending over a year of contract negotiations into arbitration.
“Censure” was first discussed earlier this year after councilman Mike Regis violated city protocol by discussing executive session material pertaining to the proposed contract with a law enforcement official.

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POULSBO — Incumbent Mayor Donna Jean Bruce topped challenger city councilman Mike Regis in the unofficial general election counts and will continue her position in Poulsbo’s top seat for the next four years.
Bruce, who served the last three years as appointed mayor, was re-elected on the platform that she would ensure the Poulsbo’s small town character remains intact and that the enhanced quality of life here continues to improve. She also promised to continue her “lead, don’t meddle” governing style which has proven effective for the city during her tenure.

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POULSBO — The scoreboard didn’t get a lot of use in a recent girls’ basketball game hosted by Poulsbo Parks and Recreation — but the players did.
The game, which was played at Fairview, was led by Central Kitsap 5-2 after eight minutes had passed. North Kitsap, Central’s opponent, managed three more points at the half, but the score when the two teams huddled was 16-5.

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POULSBO — Karla Hawes, a former player and assistant coach at Central Washington University, has been named as the new girls’ basketball coach at Poulsbo Junior High.
Hawes will take over for NKHS teacher Tony Bressan, who is on a leave of absence.

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SUQUAMISH — Kitsap County Sheriff’s deputies have arrested DuWayne Bender, a 24-year-old Suquamish man, on suspicion of the July murder of Barbara Sneed at her home in Suquamish.
Police arrested Bender at about 7 p.m. Thursday at another Suquamish residence. An arrest warrant was issued after a match was made between DNA evidence at the murder scene and samples given by Bender, said Chief of Detectives Mike Davis.

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KINGSTON — In 1944, a wounded American sergeant named John Hawk found himself in a furious battle against German tanks near Chambois, France.
Despite a wound that opened his right thigh Hawk, who had enlisted in Bremerton, manned a bazooka, then offered himself as a human aiming stake for the American tank destroyers.

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PORT ORCHARD — The 1999 DUI and cocaine charges previously dismissed against Suquamish Tribal Attorney Scott Wheat were reinstated by a Pierce County judge on Monday following a daylong hearing. Judge Frederick Hayes decision was based on strong circumstantial evidence that false drug test results were given to the Drug Court on five different occasions.

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PORT GAMBLE — It’s late fall but John Hurd and David Jensen don’t seem to notice. They’d wear their tell-tale short sleeves to work whether there was snow on the ground or sleet flying from the sky.
“You can’t work here and not like heat,” Ahmis Loving said with a laugh. “Look at Dave. It’s November and he’s wearing sandals.”

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POULSBO — Dark clouds rolled over the dirt, scrub brush and mud at Olhava Monday afternoon, but blue skies were pushing through from the west. A sign of better things to come?
Perhaps.
Supporters of Olympic College Poulsbo this week received their first good news since the project received the approval of the Poulsbo City Council over a year and a half ago. The $13 million in state funds, which represents the fiscal backbone for the branch campus, are safe and sound, according to the Office of Financial Management.

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POULSBO — As many families throughout North Kitsap are enjoying the prospect of an enormous Thanksgiving turkey and a Christmas tree ringed deep with presents, others are hoping that they will have enough food to get them through the fall and winter months.
Despite all the celebrations, holidays are tough times for some here — something that local food banks like Fishline are trying to rectify.

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