Yes, they did
take the plunge

And on the coldest day of the season, no less! So reminded Oakland Bay Junior High teacher/coach Bryan Gregg Monday afternoon after he and 16 students he talked into it completed his blustery challenge, a run-and-plunge affair from the campus of Shelton High School to (and into) frigid Island Lake and back known as the inaugural Polar Bear Turkey Trot. From the right in the top photo are Tatiana Western, Crystal Webster, Jeff Ennor, Rick Rutledge, Steven Guijosa and Kevin Roberts. That's Coach Gregg giving the ol' five-knuckle salute to Steven in the near-left photo. Sharing body heat seconds later, in the near-mid shot, are (clockwise from near right) Kevin, Crystal, Arturo Martinez, Jeff, Steven and Ashley Tinnerstet. And that's our intrepid teacher/coach taking up the rear on the mile-plus return run, near right. Also completing the challenge were students Brittany Chamberlin, Paxton Hovind, Brett Skipworth, Jesse Evans, Erik Ramirez, Juanita Guijosa, Jessica Fey and Trenton McGlothlin.

'Snow foolin'!

THE FIRST FLAKES of the season find Shelton High School students Jordan McGuire (left) and Stephanie Scrudder suitably impressed Monday afternoon outside the Minidome as a storm comes through the area amidst a cold snap.

THE CECILIA String Quartet will open this year's Soup and Sound at noon on Friday, December 7, at Shelton United Methodist Church.

LONG IN THE TOOTH and even longer in top-of-the-morning shadows, Shelton's venerated Evergreen Turkey Trot brings out its usual high spirits upon the occasion of its 30th annual go-around last week at Loop Field. Sunny at the starting line, top, are Lauren Dagle (left) and Hannah Mikesell. That's Hector Zacarias in the nearmost inset, about to claim the finish line. And with a parent and her briefly distracted bambino in the nearmost finish-line photo is fifth-grade teacher Judy Serrano.

They are poles apart

Pilings are all that remain of Latimer's Landing off Pickering Road by the Harstine Island Bridge after a storm destroyed the facility in 2005. The Mason County Commission has awarded an $891,038 contract for work on Latimer's Landing to Quigg Brothers, Incorporated. In other action taken on November 20, commissioners amended a contract with Robert W. Droll by adding $40,400 in spending authority. He is the construction manager and has a contract not to exceed $96,222.

AS THE WATERWHEEL turns, so do the wheels of state and local government. The state has added the Dalby Waterwheel in Union to its register of historic places and the county has been asked to do the same.