Articles written by justin johnson
Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 60
Feeling it
Madison Gill was feeling it. Was she ever. Gill, a senior forward for the Shelton High School girls soccer team, scored two goals in each half as the Highclimbers topped Mason County Cup rival North...
A return to normalcy for high school football
After two seasons filled with disruptions due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year's version of Friday Night Lights feels like a return to normalcy. Perhaps that's tempting fate, but, for now,...
Bulldogs ready to grind for wins
The snap ended in a fumble. As did the next one. The one after that was flagged as a penalty. Under a scorching late-summer sun at Belfair's Phil Pugh Stadium, the Bulldogs kept grinding. "Our first...
Shelton Floor Covering claims Fuddpucker title
Dusty slides, plenty of laughs and a whole lot of trash talking. That was the 24th annual Fuddpuckers Draft softball tournament in a nutshell. The two-day, six-team event Saturday and Sunday at Callan...
Primary certified
The 2022 primary election reached its official conclusion Tuesday when Mason County’s election canvassing board voted to certify the results. A total of 20,413 ballots were cast out of 43,369 registered voters in the county — a turnout of 47.07%...
Four EMS levies passing safely
NOTE: This story was updated to include Wednesday's 4:30 p.m. second ballot count. Four levies supporting emergency medical services in Mason County are passing after the initial ballot count of...
Heat Wave Coming
After a mild and wet spring, temperatures are expected to rise dramatically this weekend. On Wednesday morning, the National Weather Service issued a special weather statement that temerperatures around Western Washington will reach into the upper...
Journal columnist dies
Longtime Mason County resident and Shelton-Mason County Journal outdoors columnist Mark Woytowich died Friday after suffering a heart attack. He was 65. Woytowich wrote the Journal's popular column...
Community Briefs
Fundraiser aims to honor victims of large 1907 fire Shelton Memorial Park is planning a May 28 fundraiser to raise money to go toward a memorial wall at the cemetary in tribute to the unmarked graves...
Knowing when to own up to a mistake
As the editor of the Shelton-Mason County Journal, with the knowledge that 2022 was a major local election year - nearly all countywide offices will be on the ballot - I made a decision at the start of the year to keep the newspaper neutral to the... Full story
Canvassing draws attention
People associated with a group called the Mason County Election Integrity Committee have been canvassing door-to-door in the county and aren’t associated with the Mason County Auditor’s Office or any other official government office, the state...
Opening day
The calendar said it was Saturday, but at Highclimber Field, it was undoubtedly Tuesday. Senior right-hander Tuesday Palmer had a first-inning home run and five RBI, and threw a complete game...
Shining during winter's cold
The 2021-22 winter high school sports season looked much closer to normal after nearly two years of pandemic restrictions. Many teams qualified for postseason play, as did several Mason County...
County track legend Dittmer inducted into Hall of Fame
In 1960, three teachers at Central Grade School in Snohomish created an elementary play day that include 50- and 75-yard dash races. Dan Dittmer finished third in both events. "Little did I realize...
Bound for state
Shelton High School senior Ryan Mackiewicz's commanding 2A regional victory at 170 pounds led the way as six Mason County wrestlers advanced to this week's Mat Classic XXXIII at the Tacoma Dome. In...
Shelton's Mackiewicz wins at 170 pounds; 9 Climber boys regionals-bound
Led by senior Ryan Mackiewicz's commanding win in the 170-pound final, the Shelton High School boys wrestling team finished third overall at the Evergreen League subregional wrestling tournament on...
'Dogs get back on the court
The North Mason High School girls basketball team returned from an 11-day layoff to face rival Bermerton on Jan. 18 in Belfair. It was just the second game since Dec. 20 for the Bulldogs after the...
Don't call 911 for COVID tests
A surge of COVID-19 cases primarily related to the omicron variant is putting additional pressure on hospitals, emergency rooms, urgent care centers and 911 emergency medical services systems, North Mason Regional Fire Authority Chief Beau Bakken tol...
County digs out
Torrential rain on top of significant snowfall a week earlier led to flooding and collapsed structures in northern portions of Mason County last week. Rain gauges at Sanderson Field in Shelton...
Prep Roundup
Shelton Girls basketball The Shelton girls were finally back in action and fell 45-31 at home to Rochester on Monday at Terry Gregg Court. Climbers’ junior Gabi Munro led Shelton with 11 points. Ana Pinon and Jasmine Rivera each added five for the...
Storm snarls county
Extreme weather wreaked havoc throughout Mason County this week. Freezing temperatures, snow, ice and rain contributed to power outages, road and school closures, delayed garbage pickups and other...
Clear goal for senior 'Dog
Entering her senior year on the hardwood for North Mason High School, Rachel Youngman had a clear goal. "This year, I was hoping for a better year than last year," the 5-foot-9 guard/forward said. "I...
Check the weather before heading out this weekend
Beginning today, a series of storms could affect much of the Northwest through the weekend and into next week. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for much of the Olympic Peninula and the Cascade Range until 4 p.m. today. A sec...
Gingerbread Town
Intricately detailed creations in the third annual Christmastown Gingerbread Challenge are on display in businesses along West Railroad Avenue between South Second and South Third streets through...