Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
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In a 6-1 vote, the Shelton City Council on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to changing city laws on public camping, again making it a misdemeanor crime without regard to whether shelter space is available. A public hearing on the measure will be hosted at the council's meeting at 6 p.m. June 3 at the Shelton Civic Center. The council then can take a second vote that evening to make the change official. The proposed penalty for public camping would be up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine....
The new local group No More wants the City of Shelton and Mason County to enforce ordinances banning illegal camps, the removal of the Evergreen Treatment Services truck in downtown Shelton that helps people struggling with opioid dependencies, and the use of legal action against landowners who allow illegal camps on their properties. Two group members introduced themselves and their mission during public comments May 6 at the Shelton City Council meeting. Dave Mortensen, a 1978 graduate of...
Click on the PDF link at the top right of this page and scroll to page 40 to see the Journal's 2025 Mason County Visitor Guide!...
County Administrator Mark Neary will be leaving his position at the end of May, he told Mason County Commissioners at Monday’s briefing. Commissioners will offer an interim administrator position to current Mason County Undersheriff Travis Adams. “He’s already managing 105 people. He already knows all the players,” Commissioner Randy Neatherlin said. Neatherlin said initially he was opposed to an administrator position. “We got blessed,” he said, referring to Neary. “Our money is in a lot better position right now than it would have been if...
Editor’s note: The Journal does not identify minor victims of sexual crimes or their families. A five-year-old North Mason School District kindergartener was allegedly “sexually assaulted while riding to school on the bus” by another student, according to a complaint filed on May 12 by the child’s mother in Mason County Superior Court. The child, who’s seven now, had only been enrolled at Belfair Elementary for two days when the alleged assault happened on Jan. 5, 2024, the complaint states. The child’s mother said she was told to come to the...
"We're taxing the fun out of Washington State," Rep. Dan Griffey, R-Allyn, said at the legislative wrap-up breakfast with the 35th District delegation May 14. The Economic Development Council of Mason County, the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce and the North Mason Chamber of Commerce sponsored the event and KMAS radio's Jeff Slakey moderated. Griffey and his colleagues, Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn and Sen. Drew MacEwen, had a lot to say about tax increases in the 2025 – 2027 budget. G...
The Skokomish Tribe received more than $1 million, and the Squaxin Island Tribe more than $1.5 million in federal grants to improve housing. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on May 16 announced $271.5 million in Indian Housing Block Grant funding for eligible Native American Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska to carry out affordable housing activities. Nationally, HUD awarded $1.1 billion in IHBG funding. The Squaxin Island Tribe received $1,506,915 and the Skokomish...
Mason County Sheriff’s deputies talked for 30 minutes with an escaped felon, who was on the structural beams beneath the High Steel Bridge after leaving a suicide note, before the man climbed back on the bridge with the help of an officer, according to the Mason County Sheriffs Office. “David, it’s just us right here. None of us want to harm you and I really don’t want you to harm yourself,” a deputy says on video released by MCSO. David Williford cut off his ankle monitor May 5 while on supervised release at his mother’s house in Seattle, ac...
I’m taking three weeks off — we’ll run reruns while I’m gone. This one was published in the Shelton-Mason County Journal on Feb. 8, 2024. Fresh, unfocused content returns May 29. “But if Christ hadn’t delivered his Sermon on the Mount, with its message of mercy and pity, I wouldn’t want to be a human being. I’d just as soon be a rattlesnake.” — Kurt Vonnegut, “A Man Without a Country” Imagine, if you will … It’s circa 30 A.D. and Jesus Christ is making a name for himself. He’s atop a hill n...
Editor’s note: The following letter is substantially longer than the Journal’s typical 300-word letter policy. It is being allowed at the editor’s discretion to encourage an important, continued local dialogue. Belfair Sewer Connection to Bremerton Editor, the Journal, The City of Bremerton has requested a connection to the Belfair sewer system. At first glance, this might seem far-fetched—but it’s not. The City of Bremerton has annexed land all the way to the Mason-Kitsap County line. Not long ago, Mason County used county funds and grants to...
For those who have served in the armed forces, the end of active duty doesn’t mark the end of brotherhood, or purpose. All veterans come home with leadership skills, resilience, and a sense of duty that doesn’t just disappear when the uniform comes off. They also face challenges that most civilians can’t fully understand. That’s why joining a local veteran group isn’t just a good idea, it’s an important step in continuing the mission of service, support and solidarity. Plus, it helps your community where your family lives. Whether you hung up...
The Shelton School District on May 13 unanimously passed a new district policy on student use of smartphones, smartwatches, non-medical listening devices and headphones/ear buds. The board gave preliminary approval at its April 22 meeting. The new policy bans the use of electronic communication devises during the school day for younger kids, while high school students are allowed to use them between classes and during lunch. In changing the policy, the district cited student depression, loss of...
Pioneer Kiwanis The Pioneer Community Kiwanis Club offers scholarships to students who attended Pioneer Schools or live in the Pioneer School District and will graduate or earn a GED by July 1. The scholarships are for college, technical schools or trade schools. Applications are available in the counseling offices at all three high schools in the Shelton School District — Cedar, CHOICE and Shelton — and at North Mason High School. For more information, contact Lee Strohm at leeswoods51@gmail.com. Yesteryear Car Club The Yesteryear Car Clu...
Hoodsport Fire & EMS, also known as Mason County Fire District 18, has a new rescue boat courtesy of the Hood Canal Kiwanis Club and an anonymous donor. The 17-foot aluminum Silver Heel model purchased from Lee Shore Boats in Port Angeles will be used to rescue boaters, tow boats and transport residents on the isolated west side of Lake Cushman who need medical attention. It's the only fire service boat in Mason County. "We are terribly excited," said Fire District 18 Chief Michael Sexton. He ad...
Mason County Prosecutor Michael Dorcy has petitioned to disqualify a district court judge from ruling on a temporary order of protection against a Belfair man who allegedly shot a crossbow at a neighbor. Dorcy filed a writ of mandamus, used when government officials have allegedly taken a legally prohibited action, May 8 to remove Mason County District Court Judge George Steele from the case. Steele refused to set a trial date and other future hearings for Robert Bird, who was arrested by a SWAT team March 11. Bird’s neighbor contacted p...
Public Works sponsors Fill the Truck event In celebration of Public Works Week, Mason County Public Works is partnering with the City of Shelton Public Works for “Fill A Public Works Truck” charity event from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. today. The truck will be at OCCU Uptown, 2948 Olympic Highway North, the northwest corner of 7th Street and Railroad Avenue in Shelton and the Belfair QFC at 201 Northeast state Route 300 in Belfair. New, unopened toiletries, non-perishable food and cash and check donations will be accepted. All items collected in She...
Local students excelling Seven students from Mason County earned spots on the President's List for the spring term at Southern New Hampshire University. To be eligible, full-time undergraduate students must earn a GPA of 3.7 or better while taking 12 credits or more. The students from Shelton are Omero Garcia, Reiley Christensen, Garrett Robinson, Mariyah Derby and Austin Brower. The students from Belfair are Jon Babiak and Claire Hackett. PEO awards scholarships Achaya McMullin, a senior at...
Musical 'Mean Girls" staged at North Mason High The North Mason High School theater department stages the musical "Mean Girls" for the second and final weekend at 6:30 p.m. tonight and Friday at the school at 1560 N. North Mason Road, Belfair. Admission is $12, or $10 with ASB card. Corrected date of dog shelter open house The Adopt-A-Pet Dog Shelter in Shelton hosts an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 19 at 940 E. Jensen Road, Shelton. The Journal had the incorrect date in the May 15...
On Jan. 22, 1955, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer carried a story from Shelton claiming that "high school officials have put a damper on the teenage pink shirt and trouser fad here." It went on to say that teachers felt the popular loud-colored garb that students were wearing was attracting more attention than 'reading, writing, and arithmetic.' Therefore, students at Irene S. Reed High School had been forbidden to wear any clothing that detracted from school work. "School Principal George...
The Shelton High School advanced automotive students last week donated a car to Turning Pointe Survivor Advocacy Center that they overhauled, including rebuilding the engine and resolving critical issues with the braking, steering and suspension systems. Bruce Titus Ford donated the 2005 Subaru Outback "that required repairs beyond what made sense for resale," Mike Beyer, the high school's automotive technologies teacher, told the people at the handoff ceremony May 14 in front of the high...
Schafer State Park will be hosting a camas prairie tour featuring presentations about the history of native prairie ecosystems, an introduction to its flora and fauna and a 1/2-mile trail hike up to the prairie. Experts from Washington State Parks and the Mason County Conservation District will be speaking at the event. The prairie is adjacent to the park and owned by Trina Young, who's the Chehalis Basin Collaborative for Salmon Habitat's spring "Watershed Hero," according to the group's news...
For a film franchise that's spanned a quarter-century and six installments, the "Final Destination" series has earned more respect than it's received, including from some of the folks responsible for the films themselves. The original "Final Destination" that premiered in 2000 was delivered by a trio of screenwriters from "The X-Files," after initially being conceived of as a potential episode for that TV show. What made the concept a winner was that it weaponized what too many splatter horror...
The Disc Golf Pro Tour made a stop at Shelton Springs disc golf course from Friday to Sunday as part of a Cascade Challenge event. The event featured more than 150 of the world's best disc golfers, with participants coming from throughout North America and Europe....
The Mason Health Foundation’s Centennial Guild will be hosting its annual Goldsborough Creek Run/Walk/Jog on May 31. The family event is part of Mason County Forest Festival. There is a 7-mile walk, a 2-mile and a 7-mile run/walk/jog, a 1/4-mile jog for children 3 – 8 years old, and a 1/4-mile Senior Stretch for 65+ year olds. Proceeds benefit both Mason County Forest Festival and Centennial Guild’s scholarship fund. Registration forms can be picked up at Anytime Fitness, YMCA, Mason Health Gift Shop, Mason Health Foundation office, Shelt...
North Mason Softball The North Mason High School softball team won its West Central District 3 tournament opener, routing Washington 16-0 in five innings on Friday at the Regional Athletic Conference in Lacey. The Bulldogs fell 6-0 to Olympic League champion Port Angeles later Friday and then saw their season end late Saturday with a 13-7 setback to Fife. North Mason finished its season at 13-10 overall. North Mason Track & Field The West Central District 3 track and field championships began...
