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  • County Briefs

    Compiled by reporter Matt Baide|Aug 31, 2023

    Shellfish timeline pushed back Mason County Hearing Examiner Phil Olbrechts issued an order to extend the post-hearing comment period on Taylor Shellfish’s proposed project in Oakland Bay. According to an email from Mason County Community Services planner Luke Viscusi, Taylor Shellfish had until Wednesday at 3 p.m. to submit responses to public comment and information requests. Today, the county will post the new materials submitted by Taylor Shellfish on the project website. Public comment will reopen in regards to the Aug. 16 presentation...

  • Commission Briefs

    Compiled by reporter Matt Baide|Aug 31, 2023

    Beeville Loop Road closure Sept. 21 Mason County commissioners approved the county road closure of Beeville Loop Road at milepost 5.19, Dry Bed Creek, on Sept. 21 until further notice. According to the information packet, the Dry Bed Creek corrugated metal culvert has lost its “structural integrity.” County crews will remove the culvert and close the road until a replacement analysis is complete and money is secured for the preferred alternative. Alternatives range from not replacing the culvert to an anticipated bridge at a cost of more...

  • 2023 Prep Football Preview - Shelton

    Matt Baide|Aug 31, 2023

    After the 2022 Shelton Highclimbers made it to the crossover round, which was a step beyond where they were in 2021, Shelton is looking to take that next step and make the field of 16 for the 2A state tournament. It will be tough, as head coach Mark Smith recognizes they are replacing a lot of important seniors from last year's team. "We also understand where we're starting from isn't where we're going to be at the end, so we're going to have a huge opportunity to get better," Smith told the Jou...

  • 2023 Prep Football Preview - North Mason

    Matt Baide|Aug 31, 2023

    The North Mason football team has high aspirations in the second year with Rob Thomas at the helm. Reasons for optimism abound. The program almost doubled its numbers from last year and many skill position players gained experience last year. "The kids are bought in, we're ready to rock 'n' roll and they just want more, they want it," Thomas told the Journal. "You can see the difference. In the weight room, they want more. On the field, they want more, conditioning themselves after practices....

  • 2023 Prep Football Preview - Mary M. Knight

    Matt Baide|Aug 31, 2023

    Mary M. Knight started the first day of practice with double the numbers of players from last year and twice the amount of optimism heading into the 2023 football season. Head coach Tom Kerr said he likes the number of players who turned out this year in comparison to the past two years with seven and nine players. "We're also going to have our middle school flag program that we're starting out here that starts on Sept. 5 so we'll even have those bodies that we can use from as well," Kerr told...

  • Fire district leases old station, partners with college

    Matt Baide|Aug 31, 2023

    The North Mason Regional Fire Authority is having a busy summer, and it doesn't include just fighting fires. Old Station 21 has a new tenant as Mason County agreed to a lease agreement that went into effect Aug. 1. "They're having a discussion as to ultimately what will be in that building from a county perspective," NMRFA chief Beau Bakken told the Herald. "About a year ago, I said this date was going to come upon us quickly and here we are. It sounds like the county is to vacate the building...

  • Permit ruling anticipated

    Matt Baide|Aug 24, 2023

    Mason County Hearing Examiner Phil Olbrechts once again heard public comment and asked his own questions about the permit for Taylor Shellfish's proposed floating oyster bag farm in Oakland Bay. The public hearing continued Aug. 16 after a previous public hearing Aug. 9 in the Mason County commissioner chambers that drew a standing-room-only crowd. It began with Taylor Shellfish representative Erin Ewald asking Olbrechts for two weeks to provide written responses to the public comment received...

  • Commission Briefs

    Compiled by reporter Matt Baide|Aug 24, 2023

    Justice Center design study Mason County commissioners approved a request for qualifications for a community justice center design and development at its Aug. 15 meeting. According to the information packet, the county received $1,030,000 in grant money through the state Department of Commerce to study and design a Community Justice Center composed of a jail, mental health facility, and a substance use disorder facility. The Mason County Sheriff’s Office worked with experts in the county Public Health and Community Services Department to esta...

  • County Briefs

    Compiled by reporter Matt Baide|Aug 24, 2023

    Central Mason crews douse fire sparked by burning vehicle Central Mason Fire & EMS extinguished a brush fire caused by a burning vehicle Friday on East Royce Road just north of Shelton. According to a news release, the fire was reported at 3:43 p.m. and crews arrived to find two vehicles on fire behind a residence. The fire spread to the surrounding brush and trees. CMFE crews deployed hand lines to attack the vehicle fires to protect nearby structures and upgraded the alarm. Multiple...

  • Shellfish hearing overflows chambers

    Matt Baide|Aug 17, 2023

    If you didn't show up early, it was hard to find a seat for the public hearing Aug. 9 as people showed up to tell Taylor Shellfish how they feel about a proposed floating oyster bag farm in Oakland Bay. About 100 people were either in the Mason County Commissioner Chambers or just outside the room watching the hearing on a TV broadcast by MasonWebTV. The hearing lasted four hours until the county had to close its doors at 5 p.m., and the hearing continued virtually Aug. 16 to allow anyone else...

  • County Briefs

    Matt Baide|Aug 17, 2023

    Structure fire Saturday in Shelton Central Mason Fire & EMS responded to a structure fire Saturday night on Olympic Highway North in Shelton. According to a news release, the fire was reported at 8:22 p.m., and crews arrived on scene in four minutes to find a single-wide mobile home on fire. Crews entered to search for occupants and extinguish the fire. All occupants made it out of the home and three occupants were transported by medic units to Mason General Hospital for evaluation and then...

  • Amick honored at North Mason with wrestling room

    Matt Baide|Aug 17, 2023

    North Mason High School is renaming the wrestling room to honor former coach Ed Amick with a ceremony 3 p.m. Saturday in Belfair. Amick was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2013 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, for a lifetime of service to wrestling in Washington. He coached North Mason wrestling for 42 years from 1964 to 2006, compiling a record of 409-179-4. North Mason was a state participant for 36 years in a row during that span, with more than 100 wrestlers competing in the sta...

  • Kilmer visits Shelton

    Matt Baide|Aug 10, 2023

    U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, came to Veterans Memorial Hall in Shelton on Friday for a pinning ceremony for Vietnam veterans, hosted by VFW Post 1694. The ceremony started with posting the colors and singing the national anthem, followed by speeches from Shelton Mayor Eric Onisko and county commissioners Sharon Trask and Kevin Shutty. Kilmer gave the final guest speech before the pinning ceremony, with Vietnam War veterans or family members of Vietnam veterans coming to the front to...

  • COUNTY BRIEFS

    Compiled by reporter Matt Baide|Aug 10, 2023

    Brinnon man hurt in U.S. 101 crash A 41-year-old Brinnon man was injured in a two-vehicle crash Saturday evening on U.S. Highway 101 just south of Lilliwaup. According to a Washington State Patrol news release, the Brinnon man was driving a 2001 Isuzu northbound and a 49-year-old Hoquiam man in a semitruck was driving south. The Isuzu crossed the centerline and struck the Hoquiam man’s vehicle, blocking the highway. The Brinnon man was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for his injuries. He was also charged with driving...

  • COMMISSION BRIEFS

    Compiled by reporter Matt Baide|Aug 10, 2023

    Solid-waste public hearing Aug. 29 Mason County commissioners decided to table action until after a public hearing Aug. 29 on selecting and signing a contract for solid-waste long haul transportation and disposal services at a July 31 special meeting. According to the information packet, Public Works advertised a request for proposals for hauling and disposing of the county’s solid waste. Two proposals were received and deemed responsive from Republic Services and Mason County Garbage on July 12. Republic Services provides hauling and...

  • County considering providing health services

    Matt Baide|Aug 10, 2023

    Mason County is considering providing direct health care services to the community through the county Community Services and Public Health departments. The idea was discussed during the July 25 Board of Health meeting. County Health Officer Dr. Keri Gardner talked to the board about the idea, stating she and Director of Community Services Dave Windom have talked about the idea. Gardner said it would fill some gaps in the community’s public health needs. Gardner said the idea is still in the...

  • Climate group's preliminary injunction denied Monday

    Matt Baide|Aug 10, 2023

    Mason County Climate Justice and the Legacy Forest Defense Coalition had its preliminary injunction denied Monday by Mason County Superior Court Judge Cadine Ferguson-Brown. According to the judge’s findings, the court concluded for each sale, the state Department of Natural Resources used reasonably sufficient information and that the determination was issued in compliance with the procedural requirements of the State Environmental Policy Act. “Therefore, the appellants failed to meet the...

  • SPORTS & OUTDOORS

    Matt Baide|Aug 10, 2023

    High school football season officially begins Wednesday, with North Mason potentially kicking off the season as early as possible by practicing at midnight as they did last year. Shelton and Mary M. Knight will also begin practice Wednesday, with the season kicking off Sept. 2 with the Mason County Cup in Belfair. Shelton won last year's contest 39-18 at Jack Stark Field. The Highclimbers face another Olympic League opponent in Week 2, hosting Bremerton in Shelton's home opener. Shelton's other...

  • Landslide in Fire 12 recall

    Matt Baide|Aug 3, 2023

    Former Mason County Fire District 12 commissioners John Pais, Albert Wilder and Brian Jutson were all recalled with more than 93% of the vote Tuesday. Wilder received the most votes against, 349-21, for 94.32% of people voting to recall. Jutson was recalled 348-21, for 94.57% of the vote, and Pais was recalled 344-25 for 93.22% of the vote. “I am pleased to see that the community was able to stick together to see this process through,” Kristin Masteller, who led the recall efforts, wrote to...

  • Oakland Bay hearing Wednesday

    Matt Baide|Aug 3, 2023
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    Residents can make their voices heard at 1 p.m. Wednesday at 411 N. 5th Street in Shelton on a permit application for a proposed Taylor Shellfish floating oyster bag farm in Oakland Bay.  According to the hearing examiner webpage, the permit will allow Taylor Shellfish to grow Pacific oysters and install a floating oyster bag system in Oakland Bay, which will take up an estimated 9.1 acres of surface water within a 50-acre area that will be used for floating oyster gear.  According to Mason...

  • Climate group, DNR meet in superior court

    Matt Baide|Aug 3, 2023

    Mason County Climate Justice and the Legacy Forest Defense Coalition will find out the results of their request for a preliminary injunction by Monday for the court to enjoin any operations and halt to operations on either of the sites of the Sure Wood and Plumb Bob Timber Sale forests while the court decides the merits of the case against the state Department of Natural Resources and Tacoma-based Stella Jones Corp. Superior Court Judge Cadine Ferguson-Brown presided over the hearing Monday...

  • COUNTY BRIEFS

    Compiled by reporter Matt Baide|Aug 3, 2023

    Two injured in SR3 crash A two-car crash resulted in two people injured Monday on state Route 3 in Belfair. According to a Washington State Patrol news release, a 2019 Chevy Cruze driven by an 85-year-old Neah Bay woman was southbound on Route 3 and a 2021 Winnebago driven by a 65-year-old Missoula man was northbound on Route 3. Southbound traffic was stopped for a car trying to make a left turn, and the Chevy failed to yield for traffic and swerved into the northbound lane, striking the Winnebago. The 85-year-old Neah Bay woman and a...

  • COMMISSION BRIEFS

    Compiled by reporter Matt Baide|Aug 3, 2023

    Coroner gets toxicology tools Mason County commissioners approved the purchase of rapid toxicology screening tools for the Mason County coroner. According to the information packet, it can take 10 weeks to receive a toxicology report from the state lab, which can interfere with death certificates, analysis of drug use in the community, assessment, surveillance and delays law enforcement. Public health departments in the state are looking to shorten the delay. Mason County Public Health recommended the purchase of toxicology screening tools....

  • MATT'S MUSINGS

    Matt Baide|Aug 3, 2023

    The Seattle Mariners are back, and no, not in the playoff hunt. It appears after last season of breaking the two-decade playoff drought, the Mariners are back to the team they were before last season: mediocre. Mariners’ fans came into the season with a lot of optimism, and for good reason. With breaking the playoff drought, they actually won a playoff series, defeating the Blue Jays in the opening round series in Toronto to earn a place in the MLB Divisional Series against the Houston...

  • Fire in monitoring stage

    Matt Baide|Jul 27, 2023

    The McEwan Fire that ignited July 4 near East McEwan Prairie Road is still burning, but has been moved to "patrol status" by the state Department of Natural Resources as of Monday, according to Central Mason Fire & EMS. According to the CMFE Facebook page, DNR will continue to monitor the fire to ensure the fire remains inactive and within its footprint. People might continue to see fire crews coming and going from the fire area during that time. It will remain in patrol status until a...

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