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  • News Briefs

    Journal Staff|Jun 13, 2024

    Mason County Republicans host Lincoln Day Dinner June 22 in Union The Mason County Republican Party hosts its 2024 Lincoln Day Dinner on June 22 with comedian Brad Stine as the scheduled guest. The evening will include dinner, a dessert dash and auction items. The Lincoln Day Dinner will take place at the Alderbrook Golf & Yacht Club in Union. For more information and tickets visit www.MasonCountyRepublicans.com. Civil Service Commission now accepting applications The City of Shelton is accepting applications to fill a volunteer vacancy on the...

  • MMK girls basketball coach, school board president dies

    Journal Staff|Jun 13, 2024

    You would probably be hard-pressed to find someone in Matlock that didn't have a story about Mike Bateman. Bateman, 59, a life-long community member and graduate of Mary M. Knight High School who served as the president of the Mary M. Knight school board and the Owls' head girls basketball coach, died on May 29. "It is with a heavy heart that I report the passing of one of our school board members, Mr. Mike Bateman," MMK Superintendant Matt Mallery wrote in a district statement. "As some of you...

  • News Briefs

    Journal Staff|Jun 6, 2024

    Civil Service Commission now accepting applications The City of Shelton is accepting applications to fill a volunteer vacancy on the Civil Service Commission. Applicants must be citizens of the United States and reside within Shelton city limits. The Civil Service Commission, a three-member volunteer board, is responsible for the administration of rules and examinations for the Shelton Police Department. The commission also establishes and administers civil service rules and regulations in compliance with state law. Commissioners serve...

  • Fatal crash on U.S. 101

    Journal Staff|Feb 29, 2024

    A 52-year-old woman from Oroville is dead after a two-car collision on U.S. Highway 101 near the Cloquallum Road overpass in Shelton. According to a news release from the Washington State Patrol, Brandy E. Johnson died at Mason General Hospital from injuries sustained in the crash. According to the release, while driving a 2002 Kia Spectra, Johnson was traveling south in the northbound lane near milepost 347 when she struck a 2003 Subaru Forester driven by Ismael C. Castano, 22, of Tepoztlan, Mexico, head-on just after 10 p.m. Friday. The...

  • 'A chance to give back'

    Journal Staff|Feb 29, 2024

    For Centralia College women's basketball coach Tiffany Twiddy, it was a chance to come full circle. "For people that know me, Skok is my tribe and my people," Twiddy wrote in a text message. "It means something to me to be able to come back home and put on an event that's positive for young hoopers." Twiddy wrote that as a college coach, she strives to see her players grow as leaders and that it's exciting to see them give back and work with Skok youth athletes. "I think all of us, coaches and p...

  • SOCCER

    Journal Staff|Jan 18, 2024

    The Shelton High School girls soccer team had eight players earn All-Conference honors. Achaya McMullin and Tatum Dickey were named first team All-EvCo at midfielder and defender, respectively. Lydia Hanson (goalkeeper), Ashley Hermenegildo (midfielder) and Kodee Galloway (defender) earned second team honors. Amaya Carrion, Blayke Germeau and Hailey Schuffenhauer received honorable mentions....

  • Couture files bill to protect kids from drugs

    Journal Staff|Jan 11, 2024

    State Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, has filed a bill to protect kids from parents abusing illicit drugs. In a news release Monday, Couture noted that an increasing number of children in Washington are dying from exposure to fentanyl and other drugs in the home. “Our children are our future and must be protected at all costs,” Couture stated in the news release. “The fact that children already under the care of the state with parents referred to the Department of Children Youth and Families are dying from fentanyl exposure is abhorrent and I...

  • Small quake Christmas Eve

    Journal Staff|Dec 28, 2023

    Northwestern Mason County received a small jolt early Christmas Eve. A light earthquake registering 4.1 on the Richter scale struck at 7:15 a.m. Dec. 24. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake’s epicenter was 3.8 miles west of Quilcene at a depth of 31 miles. It was the second 4.0 or greater quake to hit the Olympic Peninsula this year after a 4.3 quake was felt in Port Townsend on Oct. 9. No damage was reported....

  • 2023 IN REVIEW - BELFAIR HERALD

    Journal Staff|Dec 28, 2023

    JANUARY The state Department of Transportation in early January used a blog post to update North Mason on the state Route 3 freight corridor project, pushing back the expected construction year to 2026 instead of 2024 as it had been projected. According to the blog post, the Move Ahead Washington funding package included two more roundabouts for the project, which are located at the intersection or state Route 3 and state Route 302 near North Mason High School. The connections of the roundabouts will allow new local roads to be built by Mason...

  • MacEwen formally enters 6th District race

    Journal Staff|Dec 14, 2023

    State Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, formally announced Monday that he is running for Washington’s 6th Congressional District seat. The seat is held by Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, who announced last month that he would not seek reelection in 2024. “After spending the past month listening to voters, prayer, and discussing with my family, I am excited to announce I am running to represent the 6th Congressional District in the 2024 election,” MacEwen wrote in a statement. “I have a proven track record of winning elections, working on biparti...

  • ELECTION UPDATE

    Journal Staff|Nov 9, 2023

    A second ballot count by the Mason County elections office on Wednesday afternoon saw no significant changes from Tuesday’s initial count. Aside from a few minor percentage point shifts, no candidate leads changed from the initial count. The closest race involves the Shelton City Council Position 5 race between Tom Gilmore and Mark Frazier. Gilmore leads 592 (51.08%) to 557 (48.06). There were 10 write-in votes. Gilmore led by 28 votes in the initial count. Other close races include: Shelton School Board Director District No. 2 where i...

  • Owls' Strain earns Coastal League Offensive MVP

    Journal Staff|Nov 9, 2023

    Mary M. Knight High School senior football player Robbie Strain was named the 1B Coastal League's Offensive Most Valuable Player in a vote of the league's coaches last week. "Robbie is well deserving of the offensive MVP of the league. He was the Owls' main threat out of the backfield this year and last year," MMK coach Tom Kerr said. "Robbie led the team in touchdowns and rushing yards. He was also a two-year captain and a young man of upstanding character." Additionally, the Owls' Logan...

  • Legislators plan town hall to discuss Route 3 bypass

    Journal Staff|Nov 2, 2023

    State lawmakers from the 35th District will have a town hall meeting at 6 p.m. Nov. 9 at The Hub, 111 Northeast Old Belfair Highway in Belfair to discuss the Belfair bypass project. Sen. Drew MacEwen, R-Shelton, Reps. Dan Griffey and Travis Couture, both R-Allyn, and state Department of Transportation officials will discuss the project route and timeline and answer questions. The Highway 3 Freight Corridor project will skirt Belfair, creating an alternative route for traffic. "We know how vital...

  • Belfair - YEAR IN REVIEW 2022

    Journal Staff|Dec 29, 2022

    January More than 50 people fired up their computers, tablets or phones to join a Zoom room for a public hearing about the Belfair sewer project Monday evening. The hearing lasted more than four hours, with staff presenting information to the public, followed by community questions, public testimony and commissioners voting to continue the public hearing at 9:15 a.m. on March 1 before making a decision on what to do next. February Mason County commissioners took several actions involving the Bel...

  • Shelton

    Journal Staff|Dec 29, 2022

    JANUARY On Jan. 4, four members of the Shelton City Council were sworn in for new terms. Eric Onisko and Joe Schmit are beginning their second four-year terms. Onisko ran unopposed as council member No. 4 in the Nov. 2 general election, while Schmit defeated Tyler "Mad Dog" Elliott to return as member No. 6. Onisko owns two local gas stations and is on the emergency food and shelter committee, the emergency planning committee, and the Mason County Housing and Behavioral Health Advisory Board. He is also chairman of the city's Shelton...

  • Commission Briefs

    Journal Staff|May 5, 2022

    Commissioners sign deal with PUD 3 on internet program An interlocal agreement with Mason County PUD 3’s Internet Redundancy Program was approved by Mason County commissioners. According to the information packet, PUD 3 presented Mason County with the option of providing a backup internet connection to the downtown and public works locations. Implementing these redundant connections, the county would have a secondary way to access the internet in the event of a failure and it would allow IT to optimize some network traffic flow and reduce l...

  • Updated election results

    Journal Staff|Nov 4, 2021

    In updated election results released by Mason County at 1:18 p.m. Thursday, Miguel Gutierrez took a three-vote lead over George W. Blush in the Shelton City Council Position No. 7 race. Blush led Gutierrez in Tuesday’s first vote count by 23 votes. The lead shrank to a single vote in Wednesday’s second count. After Thursday’s count, which is the last scheduled until 4 p.m. Wednesday, Gutierrez led 714-711. In North Mason, the North Mason School District levy is now passing by 43 votes. In Mason County, the levy has 2,516 “yes” votes and 2,479... Full story