Week of March 14, 2024

  • Journal News Submissions

    The Journal encourages Announcements and News Releases of local, timely interest to our readers. Local photo submissions are also welcome. Include information on the who, what, when, where, why and how of your news lead. Deadline is each Monday by 5 PM. All submissions should include the sender's name, address and daytime phone number which will be used for verification purposes only. Submissions are subject to editing for length, grammar and clarity. To submit your Announcement or News Release:• Email [email protected] (preferred)... Full story

  • Shelton School District sued

    June Williams

    Two Shelton High School female students claim the school allowed a guidance counselor to “systematically groom and sexually prey” on them, according to a complaint originally filed March 6 in Mason County Superior Court and withdrawn March 8 due to a captioning error. Lesley O’Neill, one of the attorneys representing the defendants, told the Journal on Monday her firm, Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala in Seattle, plans to refile the complaint as soon as possible. The girls and their parents are identified by their initials in the complaint....

  • Seattle attorney sues after Mason County appointment

    June Williams

    A Seattle attorney who says he was unlawfully “conscripted” into being a Mason County public defender has sued Mason County District Court and Judge George Steele to reverse the appointment. Jonathan Lewis, who has a legal practice in Seattle, filed a writ of mandamus in Mason County Superior Court on Feb. 27. The writ is used when government officials have allegedly taken a legally prohibited action. Steele assigned Lewis to defend a man charged in district court with DUI whose primary language is Kanjobal. Lewis immediately...

  • Crime & Courts

    Compiled by reporter June Williams

    Alleged drunken driver causes 3-car collision A woman who allegedly caused a three-car collision March 3 on state Route 3 has been arrested for vehicular assault. Charges are pending for Shelton resident Suzan Rolland, 57, after a trooper at the scene found Rolland “smelled heavily of alcohol,” according to a probable cause document. Rolland was traveling north in a Ford Explorer of milepost 5 just north of Shelton when she crossed over the center line and sideswiped a Toyota Tacoma driven by Mario Lucas, 57, of Shelton. She then hit a...

  • Shelton's beginning

    Jan Parker

    David Shelton and his family took up residence in Sawamish - now Mason - County in 1853. They built their first home at the edge of Big Skookum (Oakland) Bay, approximately where the Shelton Yacht Club is today, and the area became known as Shelton's Point. Most new arrivals were settling at Oakland, approximately halfway between Shelton's Point and what is now Bayshore, which had been officially designated as the county seat; however, a small community began to form at the Point. By 1879,...

  • Union property owners fined $250K

    June Williams

    Two Union family members and their business must pay $250,000 in fines and $33,492 for mitigation after their illegal bulkhead caused the death of Chinook salmon. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced in January that Joan and Phillip Bayley, mother and son, and their business Big D’s Beach Cabin LLC would pay penalties for killing the endangered fish. The EPA sued the Bayleys and the LLC, which is on the Hood Canal in Union, in 2020 for Clean Water Act violations. Philip Bayley planned to build a bulkhead and a house 10 feet... Full story

  • Downtown court building renamed for Gary Burleson

    Gordon Weeks

    The building that houses Mason County District Court in downtown Shelton was dedicated Monday in the name of Gary Paul Burleson, the county's prosecuting attorney for 28 years. About 50 people attended the dedication ceremony at the building that formerly housed Olsen Furniture at 414 W. Franklin St. Burleson died in July 2017. "Gary would be so honored," said his wife, Kathy. She added, "He spent his whole career in Mason County." Burleson was Mason County's deputy prosecuting attorney before...

  • Forest Festival Court crowned

    Gordon Weeks

    A quintet of teens Saturday evening were crowned the new members of the Mason County Forest Festival Royalty Court at the Shelton High School Performing Arts Center. Shelton High School senior Lindsey Ozuna Uriostegui is the new Queen of the Forest, and Shelton High School senior Ben Watkins is Paul Bunyan. Cedar High School junior Jasmine Mejia is Princess of Hemlock, Shelton High School junior Kodee Galloway is Princess of Douglas Fir and Shelton High School senior Orre Leggett is Timber the...

  • Commission Briefs

    Compiled by reporter June Williams

    Owners can opt out of spraying Herbicide spraying will start in April, the Mason County Department of Public Works announced. Property owners who want to opt out can enroll in Public Work’s Owner Will Maintain program by calling 360-427-9670 Ext. 450. Property owners who have already enrolled and designated their land “no spray” do not need to contact Public Works. A detailed list of roads being sprayed is available on the Public Works Herbicide Spray Program webpage at www.masoncountywa.gov. Harstine timber sale postponed The state...

  • County voters choose rematch

    Gordon Weeks

    On Tuesday, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump clinched their party’s nomination for a 2024 election rematch, and their dominance was reflected in Mason County’s presidential primary tallies that evening. In the first ballot count released at 8 p.m. by the Mason County Auditor’s Office, Biden had 4,003 votes for 89.21% among the Democratic candidates. He was followed by Dean Phillips with 183 votes for 4.08% and Marianne Williamson with 126 votes for 2.81%. Uncommitted delegates received 135 votes for 3.01% and...

  • Community Briefs

    Compiled by reporter Gordon Weeks

    Local homelessness topic of League meeting The League of Women Voters of Mason County host “Housing Hurdles: Challenges in Housing the Poor and Homeless of Mason County” with guest speaker Colleen Carmichael, executive director of Quixote Communities, from noon to 1:30 p.m. March 19 in the Olympic College Shelton library meeting room, 937 Alpine Way, Shelton. Everyone is welcome. Information: email [email protected]. Ride historic train to visit Easter bunny Simpson Railroad hosts its Easter Bunny Special from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m....

  • Reading is fundamental

  • Education Briefs

    Compiled by reporter Gordon Weeks

    Deadline Friday to submit names for memorial The names of 23 local students who died between the sixth and 12th grade will be added to a student memorial at the head of the Huff’n’Puff Trail across the street from Shelton High School, and tomorrow is the deadline to submit names for the update. The Shelton Rotary Club — in cooperation with the City of Shelton, the Shelton School District and project founder Abe Gardner — are planning to complete an initial update to the memorial. No names of local students who died before high school...

  • Scholarships

    Compiled by reporter Gordon Weeks

    Grapeview Community Tomorrow is the deadline for high school seniors to apply for scholarships offered by the Grapeview Community Association. All seniors can apply, but special consideration will be given to students who attended Grapeview School or performed community service in the Grapeview community. For more information, go to grapeviewwa.com. Harstine Women’s Club The Harstine Island Women’s Club, through its Charles and Judy Chase Scholarship Fund, is offering scholarships to full-time residents of Harstine Island entering or...

  • Journal Letter Policy

    The Shelton-Mason County Journal encourages original letters to the editor of local interest. Diverse and varied opinions are welcome. We will not publish letters that are deemed libelous or scurrilous in nature. We reserve the right to reject any letter for any reason. When submitting a letter, please observe the following guidelines: Writers are limited to one original letter plus one rebuttal or counter-rebuttal per calendar month; Letters should be no more than 300 words; Letters will be edited for grammar, spelling, style, clarity and... Full story

  • Letters to the Editor

  • These Times

    Kirk Ericson

    I didn’t vote in the March 12 presidential primary. It’s the first time in years I’ve intentionally not voted. I’ve voted in 56 elections since the general election of 1992, according to my voting record at votewa.gov. The site doesn’t show you how you voted, just that you voted. For comparison, Mrs. Ericson has voted 68 times since 1992. In matters of citizenship, and civility, she is better than I am. The way Washington’s presidential primary ballot is arranged, if you voted for a...

  • Barbara Pearson 1952-2024

    BarbaraAnn Pearson passed away peacefully on March 5, 2024, at the age of 71. Born on May 8, 1952, to Golden Masteller and Celia Moyer of Park Rapids, Minnesota, Barbara was the youngest of three children. In 1954, her family moved to Shelton, Washington where Barbara would find her forever home. Barbara was a loving mother and grandmother who cherished her family and friends. She enjoyed playing cards, camping in her motor-home, and showing her love for others through her cooking. Barbara was... Full story

  • Marie Kathryn Cormier

    Marie Kathryn Cormier, 99 years young, passed away peacefully on March 10, 2024, at Alpine Way Assisted Living Facility. She was born on December 22, 1924, in Centralia, Washington, to Albert Otto and Alma (Teitzel) Schuffenhauer. She was a proud resident of Shelton and was a 1942 graduate of Irene S. Reed High School. Marie was the second of six siblings. She was predeceased by her parents and brothers, Louis, Verne and Lee. She is survived by her best friend and youngest sister, Arlene...

  • Tana Mae (Nelson) Schmidt

    Tana Mae (Nelson) Schmidt, 84, passed away on March 3, 2024, at Shelton Health and Rehab from cancer. She was born August 1, 1939. Tana was preceded in death by her husband Ken Schmidt, her father and mother, Leo and Coila Nelson, and her two brother, Wes Nelson and Jan Nelson. She is survived by her four sons' and one daughter Shawn of California, Rocky of Utah, Aaron of Idaho, Wes of Shelton and Tani of Shelton. Also, one sister-in-law Bonnie Nelson and her longtime childhood friend, Carol...

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