Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
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The Shelton City Council on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to new and amended noise ordinances that would outlaw repetitive squealing tires, revving car engines, continuous noise from pets and off-hours construction. The council can make the new noise laws and amendments official by granting final approval at its March 1 meeting. The city's current noise ordinances were adopted in 2006. The council discussed the proposed additions and changes Nov. 23 at a study session. The laws are aimed at...
U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, visited Mason County PUD 3 on Monday with U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small and USDA state director Helen Price Johnson to talk with local leaders and officials about broadband infrastructure and other needs. Kilmer said rural broadband allows people to access the internet for virtual classes or for senior citizens to have telehealth visits. "Sometimes it's the door of opportunity for a local business...
With data showing a decline in cases and COVID-related hospitalizations, the state is entering a period when restrictions can be lifted, Gov. Jay Inslee said last week. A date to end the indoor mask requirement hasn’t been set, but Inslee said the pause on elective surgeries and procedures at hospitals will end today. Additionally, requiring people to wear masks at outdoor events with 500 people or more will expire Friday. “I think it would be helpful for Washingtonians to have a goal and helpful for them to do whatever planning is nec...
The Shelton City Council on Tuesday awarded two design contracts to a Tacoma company to design the repaving of Brockdale Road, and Safe Routes to School to help students walking near Oakland Bay Junior High, Evergreen Elementary School, and Shelton, CHOICE and Cedar high schools. RH2 Engineering will receive a maximum of $161,238 to design both projects. The council gave preliminary approval at its Feb. 1 meeting. The city advertised the need for design services for both projects in August, and...
The Pioneer School District is parting ways with Superintendent Jill Diehl. In a special meeting Feb. 11, the Pioneer School Board voted 5-0 to let Diehl remain on leave with pay for the remainder of the contract year in June. On Feb. 4, the board voted 4-1 to place Diehl on paid administrative leave, and named former Southside Schools Superintendent Doris Bolender as the acting superintendent. The moves came two months after the Pioneer Education Association presented a vote of “no confidence” on Diehl to the board. School Board President Sus...
A $16 billion plan to fund hybrid ferries, high-speed rail and highway maintenance is gaining speed in the Legislature. “‘Move Ahead Washington’ is a promise to put Washingtonians first,” said Rep. Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, chairman of the House Transportation Committee. “It’s future-oriented while still dealing with the realities people face today. It reflects what people told us they wanted to see in this package.” Transit programs get $3.1 billion, including $150 million for high-speed rail. Another $3 billion would go toward highway preservation...
When you’re cleaning the fridge and you can’t identify a substance, toss it. If anyone complains, say you ate it. Never comment on a woman’s pregnancy unless you have indisputable confirmation that the woman is genuinely and thoroughly pregnant. Be sincere when you say “please” and “thank you,” even if you don’t mean it. Take your shoes off and put them near the door when you enter your home. You won’t have to vacuum as much. Read novels occasionally. Until you turn off your computer, assume any...
Sewer thoughts Editor, the Journal, Dear Randy Neatherlin, I read your comments about the sewers in Belfair. Yes, the contractor has a responsibility to do all the work toward his project. My daddy said years ago, “If you can’t pay for it, you don’t need it.” I know that’s unrealistic on a project of this size, but to borrow on the last project to pay off the next? That’s not good math. I’m not very smart, just an ordinary homemaker, but please use some common sense, people. Thank you for coming to St. Nichols to speak on our flooding problems....
The real estate saw that a property's value is in three things: "location, location, location" applies even more to woodland perennials. Perennials won't perennialize if they aren't in the right conditions. Sometimes these circumstances involve intangibles that prevent establishment. Intangible blockades are fewer if you're planting native perennials, which take advantage of existing relationships with regional insects, fungi and pollinators. A settled native perennial can signpost the...
Sewer hearing moved to 6 p.m. Mason County commissioners approved moving the time of a Belfair sewer public hearing to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1. During the meeting, county resident Ken Vanbuskirk asked commissioners why the meeting was moved from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m., and commissioner Kevin Shutty responded that it was changed so more people could attend an evening public hearing. The first public hearing was Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. through Zoom, and the hearing lasted more than four hours. After hearing from county staff and the public,...
Sewer hearing moved to 6 p.m. Mason County commissioners approved moving the time of a Belfair sewer public hearing to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1. During the meeting, county resident Ken Vanbuskirk asked commissioners why the meeting was moved from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m., and commissioner Kevin Shutty responded that it was changed so more people could attend an evening public hearing. The first public hearing was Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. through Zoom, and the hearing lasted more than four hours. After hearing from county staff and the public,...
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Activities at Shelton senior center Activities at the Mason County Senior Activities Center at the Pavilion, 190 W. Sentry Drive in Shelton include tai chi, yoga, line dancing, quilting, machine knitting, crafters, Monday art workshops, pool, bridge, pinochle, hand and foot care, cribbage, Mexican train dominoes, mahjong, bingo and movies on Tuesdays. Proof of vaccination is required to enter the building. Master Gardeners host winter workshop Mason County Master Gardeners host the last of its annual winter workshops on Zoom from 9 to 10:30...
Grant for woman to continue schooling The Shelton Chapter GQ of P.E.O. is offering a $1,500 grant to a local woman to continue her education. To qualify, the woman must be a Mason County resident; a high school graduate or equivalent education; and be enrolled in the 2022-23 academic year at an accredited academic or technical college. The money can be used for tuition, books, transportation, child care or other expenses while attending. The award will be sent directly to the recipient. Applications are available at Shelton and CHOICE high...
Mason County COVID-19 cases continue to decrease The county saw a decline in COVID-19 cases, recording 284 cases from Feb. 7 to Sunday. According to Mason County Division of Emergency Management, the seven-day case rate per 100,000 is 1,075.4 and the 14-day case rate is 2,146.2. Only one person was hospitalized as of Sunday and the county is 57.4% vaccinated. Several places in Mason County have COVID test kits and N95 masks. According to Mason County Director of Community Services Dave Windom, N95 masks are in Shelton at the Shelton Catholic...
Pinky Neuharth turned 100 years old on Valentine's Day, with his thoughts on his late wife, Gladys, who died four years ago. Her ashes are in a box on a shelf, next to a rose, in his room at Maple Glen Senior Living in Shelton. Neuharth - who was born in Seattle on Feb. 14, 1922 - said he plans to be cremated upon his death and have his ashes mixed with Gladys'. They will be released into the north fork of the Skokomish River and drift together into Lake Cushman, where they lived full time...
Rep. Dan Griffey’s bill to reopen safety rest areas throughout the state as soon as possible passed the House unanimously. According to a news release, House Bill 1655 passed Feb. 9. The bill would keep roads safe by allowing all drivers to use safety rest areas immediately, which is a growing safety concern throughout the country. The problem was exacerbated in the state due to the state government closing of many state-owned and operated safety rest areas in fall 2021 due to the pandemic. “We...
Vegetables are usually planted in rows. That’s tried-and-true, but we have other ways to plant a garden. Gardeners are experimenters, so maybe you’d like to try one or more of the following vegetable planting methods. Square-foot garden: First, enrich your garden box soil with compost, fertilizer or composted manure. Then divide the box into square-foot sections with a grid of wood or any other marker that will survive gardening season. Each square is planted thickly with one type of veg...
The first settler of record in the Tahuya area was Enoch Willey, who acquired a claim in 1865. Willey sold his claim in 1875 and eventually settled at Oakland. Among the homesteaders who followed him was Rodney White, a Black man who filed a claim on 160 acres in March 1890. White had a reputation for being a "good worker with a heart of gold," and had soon built a log house, a barn and a root cellar. He fashioned a hauling sled out of maple and used a team of oxen named Duke and Diamond, led...
Amazon Prime and Netflix recently released two eight-part direct-to-streaming miniseries whose respective target audiences are far apart, but whose commitment to their genre formulas of storytelling are equally impeccable. 'Reacher' on Amazon If you've ever read one of Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels, you're old enough to remember when airplane trips didn't include the luxury of entertaining yourself with portable electronic devices during flight. For you youngsters out there, a subspecies of...
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 the 2A Region 3 meet Saturday at Washougal High School, Mackiewicz pinned W.F. West's Waylen Land late in the second period to become the first Shelton wrestler to win a regional since 2009. "Over the last month [Mackiewicz] has become very disciplined with his positioning and technique," Shelton...
Shelton senior Chuckie Thompson was named a first team all-Evergreen Conference boys basketball player. Senior Tyler Ireland was named to the all-EvCo second team. Matai Lei Sam and Bo Blacketer were named EvCo honorable mentions. Tumwater's Luke Brewer was named the EvCo MVP and Thunderbird's coach Josh Wilson was named the coaching staff of the year. W.F. West's Dirk Plakinger and Soren Dalan, Centralia's Landon Kaut and Tumwater's Andrew Collins were all named to the EvCo first...
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The Shelton boys basketball team battled W.F. West in Rochester in a loser-out game in the district tournament and came up short in a 45-42 loss to end the Highclimbers' season. Mason Goos led Shelton with 11 points and Chuckie Thompson contributed eight points. Dirk Plakinger recorded 12 points to lead the Bearcats. Shelton took a 19-18, lead into halftime, but struggled in the fourth quarter, scoring just seven points to allow W.F. West to hang on for the win. The Highclimbers started the...
