Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
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Port of Allyn Commissioner Ted Jackson has resigned, the remaining port commissioners said at a special meeting Jan. 23. Commissioner Judy Scott read Jackson’s terse resignation letter at the meeting. “Please accept this as my resignation letter as Port of Allyn Commissioner District. I have returned the Port of Allyn computer, cellphone, office key, and credit card to Travis Merrill. I have also provided Travis Merrill with the computer and cell phone passwords. Sincerely, Ted Jackson,” the letter said. The port has seen recent upheaval with t...
The City of Shelton is considering creating a 2.5-mile paved path that connects the Shelton Marina to Kneeland Park to the city's western boundary on Railroad Avenue. Jae Hill, the city's community and economic development director, gave a presentation on the proposal to members of the Shelton City Council on Tuesday evening at a study session at the Shelton Civic Center. In his report, Hill said "desired amenities" in preliminary concept plans envision a 12-foot-wide paved path separated from...
Meet the new leagues, same as the old leagues. As Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s quadrennial process of reclassification of its member schools came to a close over the weekend, not much changed on the surface for Mason County’s three sports-playing high schools. After four years in 2A as a member of the Evergreen Conference, Shelton High School was returned to 3A despite an appeal to remain at the lower level, but the change will only affect the Highclimbers when pos...
On the Feb. 13 ballot, voters in the Grapeview School District are being asked to replace an expiring educational programs levy that would tax property owners 63 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value, the same as the levy that is expiring. If passed, the levy would collect $946,724 in 2025, $990,095 in 2026, $1.024.570 in 2027 and $1.042,216 in 2028. The Grapeview levy is one of five education funding measures on the Feb. 13 ballot. Voters in the Mary M. Knight School District are also...
This is a story about how to improve your body’s existence. All you need is a floor and a rug. And a wall. I received an email last week from Nils Marcks von Wurtemberg, a friend a few years older than me. He lives in Sweden. His email reported his latest adventure … and its aftermath: “We have minus 13.5 degrees Celsius today in Stockholm. Tomorrow it will be colder. … Last Sunday I skated 40 km on the Baltic Sea with my long ice skates on quite soft ice, which was awful. I have never been so...
The power of ‘yes’ Editor, the Journal, ■ 60+1: an age for contemplating retirement. ■ 60+1: exceeding the speed limit on U.S. Highway 101 (a bit.) ■ 60+1: a supermajority — the percentage of “yes” votes needed to pass a bond measure for school construction. We are retired, live in Union, and have no children or grandkids who attend Hood Canal School, where passage of the current bond measure will do much to bolster “Orca Pride.” In fact, the improvements the bond addresses, if passed, will do much to enrich our entire community. Recently...
The last quarter of 2023 was busy and productive. Your Financial Services Department finalized and published the Mason County 2022 Annual Report. The Auditor’s Office is responsible for reporting the complete activity for prior-year finances, per RCW 36.22.10(4). You can find this report at www.tinyurl.com/ye22b2ne. To better support veterans, your Recording Department team provided the ability for veterans to record, process or obtain certified copies of their Form DD214 Certificate of R...
The Port of Hoodsport dock adjacent to Ingvald J. Gronvold Park on U.S. 101 in Hoodsport could be open by May if approved repairs are promptly completed, Commissioner Lori Kincannon told the Journal in an email. Port commissioners signed off on the work at the Jan. 17 meeting after receiving a favorable bid from Marine Floats in Tacoma. "We are hoping that permits can be received and that repairs can be made quickly so that the dock can be re-opened before the upcoming shrimping season in May,"...
Coroner needs space in Belfair Commissioners approved Mason County Coroner Jaime Taylor’s request for $45,875.02 for additional equipment, including a cooler, storage racks and a lift, at the Jan. 22 meeting with department heads. Taylor also asked for an additional cooler space in Belfair. “We have a lot of calls up there,” she said. Belfair is about 40 minutes from the Shelton office and Taylor said it would be “fantastic” to have a permanent storage space in the north end of the county. Commissioners discussed whether the additiona...
Flagging, computer courses at OC Shelton Olympic College Shelton is offering a course on understanding your personal technology from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays Feb. 6-29, and a course on flagging from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 8. For information, call 360-432-5400 or go to www.olympic.edu/academics/continuing-education. Dental exams offered at Shelton schools The Shelton School District has joined with Big Smiles to offer dental care at schools. Dental exams can be scheduled by filling out and returning paper forms sent home by...
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A citizen initiative aimed at Washington cities could soon be required to block off zones near public transit for multifamily housing, if new regulations are approved by the Legislature. Some regulation is necessary, backers say, if cities want to provide affordable housing and make it easy for people to get to work. "I ran for office because of the enormous challenges that people of my generation, people in their 30s and 40s, face in finding a home in this state," Rep. Julia Reed, D-Seattle,...
Some fear artificial intelligence might open a chapter to a dystopian future. Others say the progress it promises is unlimited. To find a balance among those concerns, Washington state is considering launching a task force to determine how it can best promote the most beneficial uses while mitigating potential problems. Sen. Joe Nguyen, D-White Center, has introduced SB 5838 that would establish the task force. The bill has 17 Democratic and two Republican co-sponsors and the support of Attorney General Bob Ferguson. “The Legislature is set u...
Woody Guthrie subject of Northwest lecture Sunday on Harstine Island Olympia actor/teacher/musician/historian Joel Underwood brings the singer and the times to life with "That Ribbon of Highway: Woody Guthrie in the Pacific Northwest" at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Harstine Island Community Hall, 3371 E. Harstine Island Road North. The Harstine Island Community Club, in association with Humanities Washington, hosts the Inquiring Minds series. Admission is free. To get to the hall, turn left off the...
Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, a former Los Angeles Raiders cheerleader, was a fledging standup comic when her YouTube clip "Nail Salon" attracted a reported 100 million views. Her character of a Vietnamese-American nail salon employee named My Linh/Tammy changed her life, Johnson-Reyes said in a telephone interview with the Journal from Los Angeles. "I had nothing to my name and then I'm on a hit TV show and touring the country," she said. Johnson-Reyes performs shows at 6 and 9 p.m. Feb. 3 at the Litt...
It's a measure of how far pop culture has progressed that "The Iron Claw" is neither Zac Efron's first critically praised performance, nor is it the first film about professional wrestling to earn critical acclaim. "The Wrestler" revitalized Mickey Rourke's career 16 years ago, and Efron's performance was the best thing about "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile" five years ago, but what still makes "The Iron Claw" stand out is how successfully it simulates a specific era of professional...
The Bulldogs cast a wide net in their search for a new football coach, but it turns out the answer was just across the parking lot. North Mason High School officially made John Fullington its head football coach after the school board approved the move at its Monday meeting. Fullington has been a physical education teacher and football coach at Hawkins Middle School since 2018. "I'm very excited about this hire," North Mason athletic director Ray Bonnell wrote in an email. "We spread the net...
Mary M. Knight girls basketball Mary M. Knight won 60-17 against Wishkah Valley on Jan. 16 in Matlock but lost 47-38 against Darrington in a nonleague game Jan. 17 in Darrington. The Owls won 44-17 against Clallam Bay on Jan. 20 in Matlock and won 54-10 against Lake Quinault on Monday in Amanda Park in a 1B Coastal League game. MMK (8-7, 4-2) hosted Oakville on Tuesday in Matlock in a league game. The Owls play against Lake Quinault at 7 p.m. on Friday in a league game in Matlock. Mary M....
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In 2022, fire killed 81 civilians in Washington, according to the most recent figures from the state Fire Marshal’s Office. More than 30,733 fire incidents resulting in $330 million in property damage happened that year. Most of these events are preventable, state officials say, by taking steps such as installing multiple smoke detectors, having fire extinguishers handy and having an escape route. Rural Mason County residents may face additional challenges with fires, including increased response times, limited driveway access and lack of a...
North Mason School Board members met the Sasquatch on Jan. 22. James A. Taylor High School's new mascot made its debut at the monthly board meeting. "I think it looks strong right before it gets scary," District 2 Director Leanna Krotzer said. The logo features a stern bigfoot face popping out of evergreen trees and holding "JTHS" with its claws. Superintendent Dana Rosenbach said staff used artificial intelligence to design the logo so that it's "totally original" and students approved it. "I...
Wet, cold and snowy. Mary and Sam had to drive with chains. Sam has too much alcohol while hanging out in Belfair. Mary hates that! Sunday, Jan. 15, 1950 Today it warmed up some so the water runs in the cabin bath and on our back porch. Last night we hung up the clothes so today I ironed all the handkerchiefs, made applesauce and dusted the house. The snow is still coming down. Sam went to Belfair, so our road is clear. Nichols poison oak is bad again so I called Newkirk for him saying he could...
Christina Lee (Billington) Abel passed away January 6, 2024, in Tumwater, Washington. She was born November 16, 1950, to Gerald Billington and Betty (Williams) Leahy in Yakima, Washington. She also resided in Shelton, Washington, and Hillsboro, Oregon. Christina graduated from Sunset High School in 1969. She worked for Career Quest for 17 years; her co-workers were part of her extended family. Also, she loved her clients and they loved her in return. She was known as Nana and Aunt Chris to her f... Full story
