Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886

Articles from the October 26, 2023 edition


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  • County approves Oakland Bay oyster bags

    June Williams|Oct 26, 2023

    The Mason County hearing examiner will reconsider the approval of a controversial Taylor Shellfish floating oyster bag farm in Oakland Bay after the seafood company objected to requirements that the black color of the oyster bags be replaced with blue or green and that it pay for a monitoring plan prepared by a third-party expert to check for environmental impacts. These were the only two significant conditions added by the examiner before approving Taylor’s permit in its entirety and filing it on Oct. 9, according to a report by Hearing E...

  • June Rose Burrell

    Oct 26, 2023

    June Rose Burrell, 97, passed away October 7, 2023, in Belfair, Washington, her home of 61 years. She was born June 6, 1926, to Chauncey and Katherine White in Everett, Washington. She also resided in the Washington cities of VanZandt, Bellingham, Wishkah, Rochester, and Little Rock. June graduated from Mt. Baker High School (1944) and Western Washington College (1948). She married Richard "Dick" Burrell on November 22, 1947, in VanZandt. Professionally, she worked for the Ferndale, Wishkah and... Full story

  • Wesley E. Ostertag

    Oct 26, 2023

    Wesley E. Ostertag passed away August 31, 2023, in Tacoma, Washington. He was born October 3, 1939, to Evelyn Francis (Jones) Ostertag and Thomas Ostertag in Stevenson, Washington. A Matlock, Washington, resident for 25 years, he also resided in the Washington cities of Shelton, Eatonville, Federal Way, Lynnwood, and Vancouver. Wes attended Eatonville Elementary School and graduated from Battleground High School in 1946. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard at Coos Bay Lifeboat Station in Charlesto... Full story

  • Curtis Warren Boothe

    Oct 26, 2023

    Curtis Warren Boothe was born on March 31, 1957 in Seattle, WA. On August 23, 2023, Curtis passed away at St. Peter's Hospital in Olympia, WA. Curtis was dedicated to his wife and he loved his family and friends. He was a kindhearted person with an amazing sense of humor. Some of Curt's favorite past times included fishing, hunting, and watching the Seahawks games. Curtis moved to the Lake Nahwatzel area at the age of 10. He was well known in the community and enjoyed spending time with friends... Full story

  • Charles "Chuck" Marvin Manke

    Oct 26, 2023

    Charles Marvin Manke "Chuck", a resident of Olympia, WA, died Saturday October 14, 2023, at home. He was 90 years old. He was born June 3, 1933 in Selby, South Dakota. He moved to Shelton, Washington with his parents Elmer and Dorothy and sister Bunny Orr, née Manke, in 1934 at eighteen months old. He spent the rest of his life in Shelton and Olympia. Chuck was raised in a very lively household of four brothers and three sisters. All five boys shared a bedroom. There was rarely a family event wh... Full story

  • John Frederick Hinck

    Oct 26, 2023

    John Frederick Hinck, a long-time resident of Shelton, Washington and an ardent admirer of the natural world, died July 12, 2023, in Umhlanga, South Africa. Survived by Marion Spence, his spouse of 35 years, his four children – John (Betsy), Stephen (Mona), Andrew (Cynthia), and Matthew (Jill), and nine grandchildren. John Frederick Hinck, the middle of three sons of Helen and Frederick Hinck, was born in Jamaica, NY, on May 17, 1940. John attended Corpus Christi grammar school in Mineola, NY a... Full story

  • Beverly Jean (Miklethun) Kokett

    Oct 26, 2023

    Born July 6, 1931, on a small farm in Blair, Wisconsin to Jennings and Mabel Miklethun. She passed away October 12, 2023, she was 92. For the first 10 years of her life, they all lived together with her grandparents Anton and Bertha Miklethun. Brother Dean was born in 1935. They moved to Harmony, Minnesota in 1941. Brother Darrell was born in 1943. She graduated High School in 1949. After graduation she moved to Winona, Minnesota where she met her soon to be husband Frank. In 1950, her entire... Full story

  • Ricky Clay Lanning

    Oct 26, 2023

    Ricky Clay Lanning of Shelton, WA, lost his long courageous battle with Cancer on October 16, 2023, he was 75. Rick was born on November 3, 1947, to Richard Charles Lanning and Della Virginia Hughes in Gooding, Idaho. The family relocated to Hoodsport, WA, where he made wonderful memories. Rick graduated from Irene S. Reed High School in 1967, he then joined the United States Air Force, he was based at Forbes Air Force base in Topeka, Kansas. Rick married Nora Lee Hasch-Hockman on September 14,... Full story

  • Recently Passed

    Oct 26, 2023

    Robert French, 84, a resident of Shelton, passed away October 13, 2023, at home. Arrangements are by McComb & Wagner Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Marty Kaufman, 63, a resident of Allyn, passed away October 17, 2023, at home. Arrangements are by McComb & Wagner Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Michael John Smith, 67, a resident of Shelton, passed away October 18, 2023, at Alpine Way Assisted Living. Arrangements are by Forest Funeral Home and Crematory. Omar Daniel Chavez-Leyva, 21, a resident of Olympia, passed away October 23, 2023,... Full story

  • Chief Beason says farewell to Shelton

    Gordon Weeks|Oct 26, 2023

    Set to retire in five days, Carole Beason calls her three years as Shelton's police chief "the highlight of my law enforcement career." Beason became Shelton's first female police chief when she replaced the retiring Darrin Moody. On Nov. 1, she'll be replaced by Chris Kostad, who has worked for the department for 21 years. Beason said she'll miss the people of Shelton and attending local events. "This is such a great community," she said. "Chief Beason is the consummate professional," City...

  • Abandoned puppies rescued

    Oct 26, 2023

    The Humane Society of Mason County is providing around-the-clock care for seven puppies found abandoned in a Walmart bag at the Matlock logging gate Oct. 17. The puppies were less than two days old and still had their umbilical cords attached, according to HSMC. The finder called police to report the incident and HSMC Executive Director Katherine Johnson said she hopes the sheriff will pursue criminal charges for abandonment and abuse. “At HSMC, we believe in not just rescuing animals but also in education. We are actively working toward r...

  • CITY BRIEFS

    Compiled by reporter Gordon Weeks|Oct 26, 2023

    Tourism grants get preliminary approval The Shelton City Council on Oct. 17 gave preliminary approval to granting $97,247 in tourism fund grants to seven organizations that draw visitors to the area. The council can make the grants official with a final vote at its Nov. 7 meeting. The money comes from the collection of lodging taxes from the hotels and motels in the City of Shelton. The grants were recommended by the city's Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. If approved, Kristmas Town Kiwanis will...

  • THESE TIMES

    Kirk Ericson|Oct 26, 2023

    Oliver Svenningson is 8 years old. He’s the son of friends of ours, friends who used to be neighbor-friends, but they lost neighbor status when mother, father and Oliver moved to Germany in summer 2021 for a job. I told the father, Brad, a couple of years ago that he should be saving Oliver’s observations because Oliver makes comments worth remembering. Here are some Brad has sent me: October 2020: Oliver saw a woman and man working on their roof, and dad explained what was going on. Oli...

  • LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

    Oct 26, 2023

    Judges and laws Editor, the Journal, Equity is a biblical principle – fear-mongering is not. "Woe to unjust judges and to those who issue unfair laws, says the Lord, so that there is no justice for the poor ..." – Isaiah 10 I consider it an honor to have witnessed Judge Cadine Ferguson-Brown preside in the courtroom, to have listened to her share with children what it means to be a good citizen as they begin the school year, and to have seen her engage with the community. I have attended sev...

  • HISTORY AT A GLANCE

    Oct 26, 2023

    The following items are from October, November and December issues of the 1949 Irene S. Reed High School weekly newspaper called The Saghalie. The newspaper was a biweekly publication written and edited by the high school journalism classes, typewritten by the typing III class and financed by ads sold to local businesses by the office practices class. A story on Oct. 21, headlined "Initiation Pranks 'Torture' Pledges," described a day of initiation rites for 19 girls who had qualified for Scarle...

  • Shelton grad sets book in 1920s New York

    Tom Mullen|Oct 26, 2023

    Laura Bradshaw and Isaac Campbell come from affluent families. Their fathers, once business partners, are now rivals, enemies. A feud between their families sets the tone of Rachel Fordham's book, "The Letter Tree," a historical-fiction romance her publicist describes as a cross between "You've Got Mail" and "Romeo and Juliet." "She's been sheltered, sort of locked in her tower, per se," Fordham told The Port Townsend Leader of her heroine, Laura Bradshaw. "He's the opposite. He's had a lot of f...

  • Shelton Police calls increased last year

    Gordon Weeks|Oct 26, 2023

    Compared with 2021, the number of reported burglaries and vehicle thefts in Shelton were up last year, vandalism and intimidation were down, and unlawful imprisonments remained the same at five both years. Those are among the statistics presented to the Shelton City Council on Oct. 17 by Captain Chris Kostad, who on Nov. 1 will replace the retiring Carole Beason as Shelton's police chief. The department's annual report found that in 2022, the department responded to 12,070 calls and 246 911...

  • COMMUNITY BRIEFS

    Compiled by reporter Gordon Weeks|Oct 26, 2023

    Sound Learning’s annual community meeting tonight Sound Learning hosts its annual community meeting from 6 to 8 tonight at a meeting room at Mason PUD 3’s headquarters on Johns Prairie Road. Everyone is invited. Light refreshments will be served. The event includes information about the group’s programs, student stories, meeting volunteers and the presentation of awards. Poets read works about salmon at library Poets whose works are included in the anthology “I Sing the Salmon Home,” edited by Washington Poet Laureate Rena Priest, will read...