Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
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Rain pelted sideways inside Simpson Lumber Company's former Stillwater yard as Corry Wheeler activated the windshield wipers on a 900-horse-power diesel electric locomotive that has traveled Simpson tracks since 1954. Wheeler smiled. "Hey, it even works!" he exclaimed. "OK, let's go back and grab the caboose," said Dale Campbell with the Peninsular Railway and Lumbermen's Museum. Along with a handful of fellow volunteers, their task that day was to find out whether Locomotive 900 is in suitable...
Two Shelton High School students, both 15, suffered injuries and were taken to Mason General after a SHS bus crashed into a vehicle on state Route 3 on March 13, according to the Washington State Patrol. The bus, carrying 29 teenagers, was northbound on Route 3, just north of Johns Prairie Road around 3 p.m. when it “failed to yield,” striking a Nissan Leaf turning left, according to a WSP news release. The car then struck an oncoming GMC Sierra truck. The bus and car blocked both lanes and the truck went into the northbound ditch. “The schoo...
Oakland Bay Junior High students act tentatively before they set foot on the crossing that leads them across Wallace Kneeland Boulevard. That apprehension is understandable. The students press a button to trigger lights at the midblock crossing of the four-lane road, intended to stop traffic. But many drivers ignore both the light and the requirement to slow their speeds to 20 mph. Even if the vehicle in one lane stops at the crossing, another vehicle in the other lane blows right on through with students in the crosswalk. Shelton Mayor Eric On...
The main courtroom in Mason County's historical courthouse just had a makeover, courtesy of Judge Monty Cobb and Thomas Jefferson. The new design puts the jury box in the center, in front of the judge's bench, so jurors look face-to-face with witnesses. Jefferson championed the design, now known as Virginia revival. The United States' third president didn't like jurors off to the side. "He was of the mindset that the jury is the centerpiece of the justice system," Cobb, who's a superior court ju...
Submissions sought for traffic box art The City of Shelton is accepting submissions of artwork for consideration of the next round of Shelton Arts Commission's traffic boxes. All Mason County residents are invited to submit artwork. Applications are due by 5 p.m. April 4. Applicants can email one image of their artwork to Parks and Recreation Supervisor Jordanne Krumpols at jordanne.krumpols@sheltonwa.gov, with the subject line "Traffic Box Project." The submitted artwork must be 1,000 pixels wi...
“Spry — able to move quickly, easily, and lightly, used especially to describe an older person.” — Merriam-Webster The woman down the aisle from me was returning from getting more alcohol, so when she reached my seat on the end of our aisle, I hopped up so she’d have space to pass. The woman looked to be in her mid-30s. “Wow,” she said to me, smiling. “You got up quick. You’re spry.” Ahh … the comment I’ve feared and anticipated for more than 15 years had finally came to pass. I had a planned re...
Kudos, hospital staff Editor, the Journal, For someone who rarely gets sick, I fell in with the local flu that has hit many this year. It required a trip to Mason General Hospital via ambulance, and a night in the emergency room because there were no regular room available at that time. A room became available where I stayed for three days. The gist of it all, was the manner I was treated: The ambulance crew were professional, treated me with the utmost care and respect. The ER was short staffed by three staff that night, so some were doing...
Journal reader and Union resident Cathy Warner captured this photo of a total lunar eclipse just after midnight on Friday, March 14, from Union. A blood moon lunar eclipse happens when Earth lines up between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow that tints the moon red. The first full moon of March is known as the Worm Moon, marking the thawing of the ground at the end of winter. To submit a photo for consideration for publication, email it along with details to editor@mason...
Many of you may have seen me walking around Shelton using a long white cane. I use this cane to navigate my world due to my very low vision. About a month ago, I came to town with several objectives in mind. First, I was dropped off at CJ’s Corner Restaurant to have lunch with my Lions Club friend. After a great lunch, my next stop was the new Metro by T-Mobile shop nearby to purchase a new phone for my sweetie of 63 years. Part of my plan for the day was to use my new Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses. Next, I needed to go to the post office to mail...
Harstine Island troupe stages Neil Simon play The Harstine Island Theatre Club stages the Neil Simon play “Rose & Walsh” at 7:30 p.m. tonight and Friday, and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Harstine Island Community Club, 3371 E. Harstine Island Road N. To get to the club, take a left off the Harstine Island bridge and drive about 3 miles. Admission is $15. Tickets are available at the door or in advance at the Olympic Bakery on Pickering Road and Williams Flowers in downtown Shelton. The play follows two great literary figures and portrays the d...
Open enrollment underway in Shelton schools The Shelton School District is conducting open enrollment for students who live within the district’s boundaries, including students entering kindergarten. The enrollment also includes intra-district transfers. Students who live in the district who want to transfer from one elementary school to another must complete an intra-district request each year. Choice transfer requests must be completed by district students who want to attend school in another district, or students who live outside of the S...
Shelton Kiwanis Foundation The Shelton Kiwanis Foundation offers scholarships to graduating seniors from Shelton, CHOICE and Cedar high schools; homeschooled students in Shelton; and/or the Running Start program. Scholarships are available in education, general academics, science, nursing, and career and technical education. Application forms and details are at www.sheltonkiwanis.weebly.com/scholarships.html. April 15 is the deadline to apply. For more information, email sheltonkiwanis.scholarships@gmail.com. Hood Canal Lions Club The Hood...
Five teens Saturday were crowned the new members of the Mason County Forest Festival Royalty Court at the Shelton School District Performing Arts Center at Shelton High School. Shelton High School senior Kodee Galloway was named Queen of the Forest and North Mason High School senior Grant Galbraith is Paul Bunyan. Cedar High School senior Jasmine Mejia is Princess of Douglas Fir, Shelton High School junior Ashley Hermenegildo is Princess of Hemlock and Shelton High School junior Lane Stoney is...
An Elma woman was airlifted to St. Jospeh Medical Center in Tacoma after a single-vehicle rollover on state Route 108 Saturday. Sheri Richards, 52, was driving too fast for conditions when she lost control of her Ford F150 truck on a westbound curve on Route 108 at milepost 5, according to the Washington State Patrol. She struck a dirt embankment and rolled the truck, coming to rest in the eastbound lane, a WSP news release states. Richards has been charged with first-degree negligent driving and third-degree driving while license is suspended/...
Every day until 2030, 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65 years old. In Washington, the percentage of residents who are 75 and older is projected to grow from 7% today to 13% by 2050. In our state, 820,000 people are family caregivers. Those are among the figures the League of Women Voters of Mason County mulled Tuesday afternoon at its meeting in the Olympic College Shelton library meeting room. The members heard some of the results of a two-year study conducted by the LWV of Washington that explores gaps in long-term care support for seniors,...
The Wilde Irish Pub in downtown Shelton got a jump on St. Patrick's Day by celebrating a couple of days early on Saturday with a block party in front of the business on West Railroad Avenue....
Minneapolis cellist and composer Sophia Deutsch invites everyone to experience "a communal meditation through waves of sound" at 4 p.m. Friday at the Shelton Timberland Library. Admission to the 30-minute "sound bath" is free. According to a news release, "Bring a pillow or mat, find a place to rest and let the music guide you ... The experience is designed to foster relaxation, awareness and creative inspiration, whether you're seeking stillness, introspection, or a sense of sonic adventure." D...
Netflix's most-watched recent release leaves a lot to be desired for the fans of its source material, while the Skyline Drive-In Theater in Shelton is starting its next season with some distinctive new films. "The Electric State" started streaming on Netflix on March 14, and is based on the 2018 illustrated novel of the same name by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag. The book and the movie are set in an alternate version of the 1990s in which advanced robotic and virtual reality technology have...
Shelton soccer The Shelton High School boys soccer team kicked off its 2025 season with an impressive road win over rival North Mason on March 11 at Phil Pugh Stadium in Belfair. Senior forward Kaleb Carmichael spearheaded the Highclimber attack with a hat trick. Sophomore forward Kike Mendiola Bonfil and junior midfielder Dwayne Nunez-Lopez each added a goal, while David Mendiola Lopez had an assist. Jose Morales Sanchez earned the clean sheet in goal for Shelton. "I was really pleased with...
Works by Hood Canal artist Heela Patel are featured during March at the Belfair Self Storage Gallery, 23270 NE state Route 3, in Belfair. "My paintings capture the colors of the beautiful Hood Canal using canvas and heavy body acrylics. I settled here to distance my family from the crowd and corporate noise across The Narrows. In the natural richness of the Pacific Northwest, I have found great beauty and calm. I believe the outdoors is a gift to cherish, paint, and share," Patel wrote in an...
The Mason County Regional SWAT team arrested a Belfair man who refused to come out of his trailer after the man allegedly shot a crossbow at his neighbor, according to the sheriff's office. Officers used a flash-bang device and "gas type items" to compel Robert Bird, 60, to surrender, according to a Mason County Sheriff's Office probable cause document. Bird said he "didn't want to come out because he didn't do anything wrong," the document states. Bird's neighbor contacted police March 9 about...
Trustees to speak at chamber lunch The North Mason Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon will feature chamber trustees talking about their priorities, according to a news release. The lunch, at the HUB Center for Seniors in Belfair, 111 Northeast Old Belfair Highway in Belfair, is from 11:30 p.m. to 1 p.m. on March 26 and is $25 for members, $30 for nonmembers. Register at www.northmasonchamber.com. Trustees Mendy Harlow, board chair, Darren Eisele, vice chair, Rebecca Bonneville, past chair and A.J. Genarro will speak. President and CEO...
Lois Jean Gibler LaBissoniere Kussman, a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on November 7, 2024, in Edmonds, WA, at the age of 97. Born on March 18, 1927, in Pasadena, CA, Lois spent her early years in California before moving with her family to Shelton, WA, during high school. It was there that she was crowned the very first Forest Festival Queen in 1945, a testament to her grace and warmth that would define her throughout her life. In 1947, Lois married Les... Full story
Robert "Bob" Elmer Sunder 88, of Copper Center, AK and vacation home at Kamilche Point in Shelton, WA, passed away February 23, 2025, surrounded by family after battling cancer. Bob will be remembered for the love of his family and friends, hard work ethic, strength, his generosity and his willingness to always help others. He lived his life to the fullest. Bob was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on July 4, 1936 to Joseph and Veronica Sunder, where he and his siblings, Ralph, Myrtle and... Full story
Shirley Louise Luoma, 87, passed away on March 8, 2025, in Raymond, Washington. Born on August 24, 1937, in Dryad, Washington, Shirley was raised in the Doty/Pe Ell area before moving to Raymond as a young girl. Shirley married Karl F. Coates in 1955, and though he passed away in 1966, she later found the love of her life in Donald E. Luoma, Sr. They married on February 10, 1967, and spent many happy years together. Shirley and Don were devoted foster parents for 44 years, opening their home... Full story
