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  • Port of Allyn, housing developer negotiate contract

    June Williams|Nov 21, 2024

    Port of Allyn commissioners are taking a “time out” on signing a water connection agreement with MTT Construction, Commissioner John Sheridan said at Monday’s special meeting to discuss the contract. “We are not going to make any decisions today” Commissioner Judy Scott said. MTT plans on buying lots in the Allyn plat from Batjack Holdings, J & J Development and Cedarland Homes, all governed by Joseph Cedarland, according to state corporate filings. Cedarland called the contract “burdensome” at the meeting. “There’s no way as a builder I would...

  • Grapeview School boil water advisory in effect

    June Williams|Nov 21, 2024

    A boil water advisory for the Grapeview School District, issued Nov. 8 due to E. coli, is still in effect, according to the state Department of Health. Pumps recently installed in a well that supplies water for the school may have allowed the contamination, Superintendent Gerald Grubbs told the Herald in an email. Students are receiving sack lunches from the kitchen until the advisory is lifted, he said. The school’s kitchen has been closed by Mason County Public Health due to the advisory, Environmental Health Manager Ian Tracy told the H...

  • NMRFA at North Mason career day

    Oct 31, 2024

  • Olympic College changes dual credit course requirements

    June Williams|Oct 31, 2024

    Olympic College has lowered student competency grade requirements from a “B” to a “C” to qualify for college credit in the Career and Technical Education Courses, according to a presentation at the North Mason School Board meeting Monday. North Mason students can now receive college credit “upon successful completion of the dual credit course with a grade of ‘C’ (2.0) or better,” according to a letter from the Olympic College CTE Dual Credit Office. CTE is expanding and focusing on developing the Health Science program into multiple pathwa...

  • Port of Allyn to consider leasing meeting space

    June Williams|Oct 31, 2024

    Port of Allyn commissioners agreed to explore leasing the port’s meeting room several days a week to Grassroots Learning, a family-based education co-op, at the port’s special meeting Monday. “This is the ideal location with the Port’s waterfront park just outside, where the children already come each day to play,” Executive Director Travis Merrill wrote in a report. The co-op would lease the space from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday – Friday or Tuesday – Thursday, according to Merrill. Grassroots offers “a hybrid of homeschooling and group learn...

  • Port of Allyn approves its 2025 budget

    June Williams|Oct 17, 2024

    Port of Allyn commissioners approved the 2025 budget at their Oct. 7 meeting, laying the groundwork for a better year. “2024 was just a year of surviving,” Erin Civilla, the port’s accountant, said, adding 2025 “is going to be good.” Executive Director Lary Coppola died Sept. 30, 2023, a few weeks after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. LeAnn Dennis replaced Coppola and died suddenly on Christmas Day in 2023. Travis Merrill, now the port’s executive director, quickly took over administrative duties. Over the next months, Merrill att...

  • North Mason interviews firms in new superintendent search

    Oct 10, 2024

    When North Mason School District Superintendent Dana Rosenbach announced her retirement in August, the board began preparing for her replacement. Rosenbach will work throughout the school year and retire June 30. At a special meeting Monday, the board interviewed four search firms and will choose one at the regular Oct. 28 meeting to lead the hunt for Rosenbach’s successor. Ray & Associates, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, McPherson & Jacobson LLC and Northwest Leadership Associates submitted proposals for the board to review. “We have bee...

  • Port of Allyn discusses problem vessel, dock repair, pay

    June Williams|Oct 3, 2024

    A derelict vessel has been at the Port of Allyn and the owner owes $816 in moorage fees as of Sept. 20, according to Executive Director Travis Merrill's report presented at a special meeting Sept. 25. Since then, the owner has made "small payments," but has not paid off the debt, Merrill told the Herald. Vessel WN 1504 SA has phone numbers and email addresses "clearly listed on the vessel," Merrill wrote in his report, so the port was able to make contact. Merrill said he left messages throughou...

  • North Mason focuses on freshman success

    June Williams|Oct 3, 2024

    If freshmen start the school year with good grades and regular attendance, success will follow, North Mason High School Assistant Principal Steve Hackett said at the Sept. 23 monthly board meeting. “We all know the data for freshmen. It’s the biggest year. If that year can be successful, the rest of their high school — everything is set up really well,” Hackett said. North Mason wants to “get kids on the right track early,” he said. Last September, 24% of freshmen were failing one class. By June, the number dropped to 14%, according t...

  • Camp Blaze

    June Williams|Aug 29, 2024

    While some Mason County residents spent their summer vacation chasing the sun, North Mason Firefighter/EMT Elli Lechner took leave to volunteer as an instructor at Camp Blaze, a weeklong camp where young women can try out a firefighting career. Teenagers ages 16 to 19 participate in live fire training, vehicle extraction, aerial ladder climbing, hose handling and rappelling, among other activities, according to the camp's website. "Think summer camp meets fire academy," Lechner told the Herald....

  • North Mason Briefs

    Compiled by reporter June Williams|Aug 29, 2024

    North Mason Timberland Library seeks user input The North Mason Timberland Library in Belfair is asking users to take a survey to “better understand your needs, preferences and experiences with our library system,” according to its website. Staff want feedback to help decide priorities for the library. The survey takes about five minutes, according to the library and responses are anonymous. The survey is at www.trl.org. North Mason Chamber hosts cocktail party The North Mason Chamber of Commerce hosts a free end-of-summer cocktail party fro...

  • Port of Allyn votes to refund care center deposit

    June Williams|Aug 22, 2024

    Port of Allyn commissioners unanimously approved a $25,000 refund of a deposit paid by a memory care center for an application of determination of water quality. “It’s a formality at this point,” Commissioner John Sheridan said. Ronald and Debra Jamerson were developing the assisted living facility in Allyn. “We are unable to proceed with the project,” Ronald Jamerson wrote in a letter to the port requesting the refund. The port discussed returning the money at July’s meeting when Executive Director Travis Merrill said the port doesn’t have a r...

  • Grapeview Water & Art Festival

    Gordon Weeks|Aug 1, 2024

    Sunny skies greeted hundreds of visitors at the Grapeview Community Association's 29th annual Grapeview Water & Art Festival Saturday at the Fair Harbor Marina. Seafood lovers dined on 300 pounds of clams and other offerings. Kids enjoyed building boats, tree houses and other items, while golfers swung for a hole in one on a barge parked in the water. An event record 51 Northwest artists and crafters sold their wares....

  • Two state park beaches issue swim advisory

    June Williams|Jul 25, 2024

    Twanoh State Park and Belfair State Park beaches have posted swimming warnings after Mason County Public Health and Human Services found high levels of enterococci bacteria. J.J. Stepan, with Mason County Environmental Health, told the Journal he is optimistic the warnings will be lifted before the weekend. "Most likely" the bacteria level will come down, Stepan said. A second sample of the water was tested yesterday or will be tested today, he said. The bacteria indicate the presence of fecal...

  • Allyn Days set to kick off Friday at Waterfront Park

    June Williams|Jul 18, 2024

    The three-day Allyn Days Salmon Bake and Geoduck Festival begins Friday with Music in the Park, a free event on the main stage at Port of Allyn Waterfront Park, where all the events take place. The Allyn Community Association will have a hamburger and hot dog stand and Bent Bine Brewery will be serving “new, fresh summer beers,” according to the association. The lineup: 4 to 4:30 p.m.: Samuel and the Band Who Knows, a local country-rock band. 5 to 6 p.m.: Jason Rogers, a Grapeview guitar player/singer performing classic rock. 7 to 8 p.m.: King...

  • Tahuya Day

    Jul 11, 2024

  • Port of Allyn names Merrill executive director

    June Williams|Jul 4, 2024

    Port of Allyn commissioners agreed to drop “interim” from Executive Director Travis Merrill’s title at the July 1 regular meeting. Merrill has been the interim director since January, after former Interim Executive Director LeAnn Dennis died in December 2023. Dennis was serving in the position after Executive Director Lary Coppola died in October. “You’ve earned your title.” Commissioner Judy Scott said. Port discusses $25K refund Port of Allyn Commissioners tabled discussion on a $25,000 refund for connection hookup fees paid last year by Rona...

  • North Mason looks at changes to program

    June Williams|Jul 4, 2024

    Changes coming to the North Mason School District’s Highly Capable Program should see more students qualify for the program, Savannah Elliott, district assessment coordinator highly capable services coordinator, told the North Mason School Board on June 24. Starting in the fall, a new ability test for students in kindergarten through 12th grade will use nonverbal methods that are good for use with a diverse student population, Elliott said. She told the board how the hiCap program has evolved. In previous years, a single data point could d...

  • Sunset on Hood Canal

    Jun 20, 2024

  • Port of Allyn commission approves water system plan

    June Williams|Jun 20, 2024

    Port of Allyn commissioners approved a contract with WestSound Engineering to redesign a plan to incorporate the Allyn Carey Water System into the port’s system at a special meeting June 10. Commissioner Judy Scott said she’d worked with WestSound Engineering before. “I’ve been pleased with their work,” Scott said. Scott and Commissioner Michael Curtain approved the $14,922 contract. Commissioner John Sheridan did not attend the meeting. Interim Executive Director Travis Merrill said that he and Jeff Carey met with WestSound engineer Michael J...

  • Belfair loses primary care clinic

    June Williams|Jun 13, 2024

    Belfair Clinic’s primary care clients knew when Dr. Raul Dominguiano unexpectedly left his practice there in January something was amiss. Former patients told the Herald their beloved “Dr. D” would never walk out on them without notice unless Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, who operates the clinic in collaboration with Mason County Public Hospital District No. 2, was involved. Belfair resident Monna Haugen told the Herald in March that her partner had an appointment with Dominguiano on Jan. 6, but received a call the morning of the visit...

  • Port of Allyn approves water management change

    June Williams|Jun 6, 2024

    he port’s water system satellite management company at the June 3 meeting. Northwest Water Systems in Port Orchard will be dropped for the smaller H2O Water Management Services in Mason County. Interim Executive Director Travis Merrill recommended the change due to dubious Northwest Water charges, he said. “Northwest Water has been billing us for tests that aren’t required for the last two years,” Merrill said. He also found several “errors in billing,” he told commissioners. Some tests done in 2023 and 2024 include gross alpha and radium test...

  • County engineer weighs in on Stretch Island Bridge

    June Williams|May 30, 2024

    County officials say the Stretch Island Bridge is in better shape than a group of island property owners claim. Mason County Public Works deputy director and county engineer Michael Collins told the Herald Stretch Island Bridge is not "structurally deficient" and that term is no longer used in describing structures. "Bridges are rated as Good, Fair, or Poor. Stretch Island Bridge is rated Good," Collins said in an email. The Stretch Island Property Owners wrote a letter lamenting the state of...

  • Owners hope priority for 'structurally deficient' bridge

    June Williams|May 23, 2024

    A group of Stretch Island property owners is hoping Mason County Public Works makes replacement of the Stretch Island bridge a priority. The bridge has been declared "structurally deficient" according to the department's 2024 Annual Bridge Report. The bridge is the only way on and off the island and now has a posted load limit. "The Stretch Island Property Owners (SIPO) is in receipt of Mason County's Public Works Department's 2024 Annual Bridge Report. Accordingly, we have formed the SIPO, an...

  • North Mason Fire levy on August ballot

    June Williams|May 16, 2024

    North Mason Regional Fire Authority will have a levy restoration proposal on the Aug. 6 ballot that will allow the district to add two firefighters, according to the department’s statement about the levy. NMRFA saw a 53% increase in call volume in 2023 compared with 2009, when voters approved the last levy. In 2009, the levy rate passed was $1.49 per $1,000 of assessed property value. State law now limits an increase of 1% per year for the fire levy collection, meaning NMRFA currently collects $0.81 per $1,000 of assessed property value. T...

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