THE CHARRED REMAINS of what once was an apartment unit on North 12th Street attest to the seriousness of a fire that broke out early Tuesday morning, critically injuring a Shelton woman, Carrie Allen, 55.

Fatal crash blocks
Highway 101

A Shelton-area man, George Koch, 51, was killed Wednesday afternoon in a three-vehicle accident on Highway 101 just north of the Shelton-Matlock Interchange. The crash involved a southbound pickup that crossed the centerline, striking the rear of a northbound log truck, then continuing on to strike Koch's northbound car, Mason County Coroner Wes Stockwell said. The driver of the pickup went to Mason General Hospital. Both lanes of the freeway were closed as Washington State Patrol troopers investigated the accident, reported at 3:30 p.m. Traffic was rerouted through Shelton. The WSP said the driver of the pickup, a 19-year-old McCleary youth, fell asleep. A second crash around the same time at Highway 101 and State Route 3 was a noninjury accident involving a car and semi.

Re-cycled?

You betcha, and just as they have the past couple years the hundreds who put their mettle to the pedals in the Bicycle Alliance for Washington's annual "Rhapsody Ride" last weekend used Shelton High School as a giant crash pad for their two-day, 150-mile trek. Dinner wasn't all that was served by the girls of the Shelton Dance Team, by the way. The cyclists' repeat hosts also sent them off Sunday morning with a pancake breakfast. The excursion went to and from Tacoma through Olympia, Shelton, Hood Canal, Belfair, Port Orchard and Vashon Island and included an elevation gain of reportedly 9,450 feet.

FIREFIGHTERS TRY to contain a fire that destroyed a mobile home at Shorecrest. They saved a nearby vehicle and shed and extinguished a small brush fire that broke out behind the home.

BRYCE SLOAN, guitarist in the Shelton High School Jazz Band, has received a scholarship to take further guitar lessons when he starts at Central Washington University this fall.

Carter's on a roll with art

Showing off a copy of his award-winning poster is Carter Hovind, a fifth-grade student at Southside School. Last year, while he was a fourth-grader in Kim Tiller's class, he entered the Washington Association for Pupil Transportation School Bus Safety Poster Contest. His art teacher, Mike White, assigned all of the students in his class to enter this contest. Carter's poster ended up winning statewide for his division. Now his poster is heading to the national competition to be judged in November. He won $50 for this contest. He has also won money locally in the annual Forest Festival poster contest and was named grand marshal for the festival's kiddie parade. His mom, Mary, said his older brother, Paxton, is also very artistic and has won art awards, too. In fact, they always have art and craft projects going on at home. Carter, age 10, said art is his favorite subject in school.

CLIMBER FOOTBALL'S RETURNING varsity starters pose during turnout Tuesday at the high school. In front from left are Dwain Friedlander, Kyle Ferrier, Chad Chapman and Kyle Burbridge. Back: Tyler Pacholke, Gabe Shoemaker, Matt Tuttle and Jacob Hanes.

PRACTICING A TRIBUTE to American woman composers, members of the Annas Bay Piano Quintet perform an open rehearsal earlier this week at the Shelton High School Auditorium. Proceeds from donations accepted at the open rehearsal benefited Turning Pointe Domestic Violence Services. A full-scale performance of this complete concert will take place this weekend and again next Friday.

HUNDREDS OF supporters of North Mason School District Superintendent Tom Kelly lined the drive leading to the district offices last week prior to the school board's regular monthly business meeting.