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-Mason County Journal encourages original letters to the editor of local interest. Diverse and varied opinions are welcome. We will not publish letters that are deemed libelous or scurrilous in nature. We reserve the right to reject any letter for any reason. When submitting a letter, please observe the following guidelines: Writers are limited to one original letter plus one rebuttal or counter-rebuttal per calendar month; Letters should be no more than 300 words; Letters will be edited for grammar, spelling, style, clarity and...
I enjoy driving up to crowded four-way stops. It illustrates how Americans can still cooperate with one another. ■■■ You know that feeling you get when a cop car is trailing your car and then turns off in another direction? I really, really enjoy that feeling. ■■■ “The best apology is changed behavior.” — Abe Gardner, a volunteer for Overdose Awareness Day, quoted in the Aug. 22 edition of the Journal. ■■■ I miss that time in my life when I’d walk around in public with my babies in my arms. Whe...
Loneliness and isolation are silent epidemics in our society, exacerbated by modern lifestyles and the pervasive influence of technology. This growing crisis calls for immediate action to foster individual well-being, social connection and stronger community. As leaders of key community organizations— Senior Services for South Sound, United Way of Thurston County, Timberland Regional Library and the South Sound YMCA — we are committed to addressing these issues head-on. The evidence is clear: we are better together! The epidemic of lon...
“Three wars back we called sauerkraut ‘liberty cabbage’ and we called liberty cabbage ‘super slaw’ and back then a suitcase was known as a ‘Swedish lunchbox.’ Of course, nobody knew that but me. Anyway, long story short ... is a phrase whose origins are complicated and rambling …” — Grandpa Simpson, “The Simpsons” When I’m talking to someone and I hear, “Anyway, long story short …” I try to kill my impulse to interrupt. “It’s too late to make this story shorter,” I think, but try not to s...
The greater good Editor, the Journal, I would like to compliment R. Lee Olsen for his homeless suggestion in the Aug. 22 issue of the Journal. An excellent idea. I have driven past the Shelton School District building next to Tozier Bros. frequently over the years. During the week, there is generally one car parked in the building lot, rarely two cars are parked there. For such a large building, it appears to be mostly unused. There must be many offices that could be converted to homeless housing, in addition to many available bathrooms. Kudos...
By the time you read this, the manual recount for the Commissioner of Public Lands race will be well under way. The last time there was a statewide manual recount in a primary election race was 1960. This recount was triggered by a 51-vote margin between the second-place candidate in the primary, Dave Upthegrove, and the third-place candidate, Sue Kuehl Pederson. This is a 0.0064% difference in vote totals, less than the 0.25% threshold required in RCW 29A.64.021. The winner will face the top...
"We are here to help each other get through this thing, whatever it is." - Mark Vonnegut Brad Lyman of Shelton recently received a letter from LifeNet Health, a nonprofit organization based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. "Dear Mr. Lyman," starts the letter, dated June 24. "Thank you for reaching out to us regarding your wife's donation(s). I researched Rita's gifts and learned that as of this date, she has helped 429 people here and abroad. Below, I have listed the type of gift Rita provided and t...
A thank you Editor, the Journal, On behalf of the Pioneer School District, I want to thank all of those who contributed to our Stuff the Bus campaign at Walmart. Through your generous donations, our students will have the school supplies they need to be successful in their classrooms. A special thank you goes out to the Pioneer Kiwanis Club for donating its time at the site, providing financial donations, and for their ongoing support of the Pioneer School District. Thank you to Pam Harrell for organizing this event. Jeff Davis,...
Mrs. Ericson started using a tincture two weeks ago recommended by an ethnobotanist we know. I don't mean to brag, but it's nice knowing an ethnobotanist, especially one who spent time in the Amazon rainforest. It's like knowing a Buddhist who spent time in Tibet. This tincture in a vial, designed to improve one's energy and mental functions, contains prickly ash, ginko, gotu kola, rosemary and devil's club. It's a vile-tasting brew - I've tried it for the past few days - and it seems to have...
Civil dialogue Editor, the Journal, I don’t recall ever agreeing with letter writer Mr. Anvik ... until now. I understand the Journal’s editorial decision to “simmer down” the vitriolic rhetoric from some letter writers and favor comment on less divisive local issues. But as the saying goes, all politics are local. How more local can you get than government control of a woman’s womb? Or children in our grade schools learning reading, writing, arithmetic and how to shelter from a madman with a legal assault weapon? The Journal can be a valuable...
The sweetest words a parent can hear from a child: “I’m glad I was born and I’m glad I was born to you.” ■ ■ ■ At the tavern where I play pingpong, there’s a regular there who works as a waiter and bartender at a restaurant in Olympia. A few months ago, I introduced myself to him. He replied, a little startled, “We’ve met many times. I served you drinks last night.” That wasn’t true in all the ways something can’t be true, but he insisted it was true. After some back and forth, I asked whethe...
Election systems are critical Editor, the Journal, This is a reply to Scott Peterson’s letter of Aug. 1: Dear Mr. Peterson, In my view, election systems are more critical than the systems supporting the financial sector. I often say, “ballots are more valuable than cash” because the outcome of an election can shape the distribution of resources and power, and affect the future of our county, state and country. There is much at stake. Financial security experts don’t wait until something is compromised before addressing threats; they are pro...
Marmo Caffe & Gallery, one of the newest businesses in Shelton, is a few doors down Cota Street from the Journal, the oldest business in Mason County. When I entered Marmo for the first time several months ago, I saw tables of Italian marble, I saw framed paintings and photos artfully spaced and displayed against white walls, I saw a bathroom that’s one of the most attractive bathrooms I’ve ever done business in, I saw food products for sale from Europe and I saw the elegance of its caf...
Editor's note: In response to several letters to the editor regarding Mason County's primary election voters pamphlet that was sent to all voters in the county, including only in-county races, but not state or federal races, the Journal reached out to Auditor Steve Duenkel. His response is below: "I have been hearing complaints and requests as well. As required by state law, Mason County began publishing and mailing primary voters pamphlets in 2021. At that time, the decision made was to only cover county and local races in those pamphlets to m...
3:30 a.m., July 21, 2024, Gile Blueberry Farm, Thurston County: “Shhh,” said our youngest son, Ryan, using his chin to motion over his shoulder. “There’s one right there.” Ahh. The thing we came to see. An animal emerged from tall brush to our right, maybe 30 yards from where the two of us were sitting in the northwest corner of Ken Gile’s 18-acre blueberry farm. The animal was under the light of a full moon on a cloudless night, and I tested a cliche. I shined the flashlight on the thing,...
Apology accepted Editor, the Journal and Mr. Gordon Weeks, I accept your multiple apologies via email, voicemail and personal phone call. Not only did I read the tone of your words, but also I discerned your sincerity with the tone of your voice. Additionally, I forgive you for any anguish your misquote has caused me. Finally, I expect the Shelton-Mason County Journal to keep its promise: a front-page correction and a “most sincere” apology along with admitting, “It is 100% our mistake.” When your paper has used my words or quoted me in the...
I spent three hours the other day scouring the internet for some jokes and quotes. My only criteria for judging the jokes’ worth, aside from being suitable for the newspaper, was whether they made me laugh loud enough to make the cat raise his head from his indentation on the couch. I couldn’t find any attribution for the following jokes, which shows the value we put on masterpiece jokes. I mean, Vincent Van Gogh gets credit for his paintings … ■■■ “An 8-year-old boy who had never spoken a word...
Fireworks, opinions Editor, the Journal, I have two unrelated issues I’d like to address. First, 4th of July celebrations. We fought a war to win our independence. We have a national anthem that celebrates “The red glare of bombs bursting in air.” Every year, I see the looks of fear, no terror, in the eyes of my horses as they run around unable to get away from the terrible sounds coming from behind us and then from across the road. I’ve seen the trembling of a small dog as he cowers in a ball in the bathroom. When I had cats they too had fea...
Our five-day heat siege made me worry about Ron, a friend who’s in his mid-60s and lives without several 21st-century conveniences, like electricity. He has a residence, but barely. Maybe you, too, had someone you worried about during our sweat dome. It was that kind of hot. Ron lives alone in the sticks in Thurston County, and he makes money by manual labor, and by selling the art he makes and the treasures he finds. He fishes most of his food from dumpsters and his winter heat comes from w...
Independence Day 2024 in Shelton Editor, the Journal, Pyrotechnics have become quite prevalent in my home town. The day’s first explosion was heard at 0535 hours. Then occasional detonations until evening when the frequency increased, then nightfall and the explosions were unceasing. Yes, few lulls, they served as a suggestion and a hopeful but unrewarded tease. There was nolet up until midnight when the detonations became less frequent and then toward dawn, then ceased for the day just after sunrise. Do I need to repeat the “why not to do thi...
I was in the grocery store last weekend when I stepped and slipped on a strawberry on the floor next to the checkout counter. I went down in an instant, landing on my right knee. As I took a moment to gather myself before rising, I came eye to eye with a youngster, maybe 2 years old, standing a couple of feet in front of me. Her shirt, face and hands were smeared with strawberry goo, and she had a full strawberry in her hand. I looked into her eyes, she into mine, and I suspected the following...
Bad headline Editor, the Journal, Your sensational banner headline in the June 27 Journal did great disrespect to the facts. A more accurate headline would have read "Incalculable Grief and Sorrow on the Skokomish Reservation" and would have better served. Andrea Love, Union Good policy Editor, the Journal, Congratulations on the success of your new policy concerning what you will print in connection with letters to the editor. I have been riveted by the many positive responses concerning local...
I've been filling this space in the Shelton-Mason County Journal for almost seven years, and one of the difficult parts of this enterprise is convincing people to talk to me, especially for column ideas that could be considered odd. A good approach has been to enlist someone close to me, someone who knows the person I want to interview, and have that person make the pitch for me. It's worked several times, including for a column about an anonymous kidney donor and one about a Swedish fellow who...
Article I, Section 1 of the Washington state Constitution affirms that all political power is inherent in the people, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. It's been uplifting to see the citizens of Fire Protection District 12 exercise their political power and turn things around in their community. Frustrations around alleged fraud and gross mismanagement reached a point where the people no longer gave their consent to the previous commissioners or their...
Note: I’m taking three weeks off of paid labor, so this space will be filled with reruns of some favorite columns. The following ran in the Jan. 14, 2021, edition. Fresh, unfocused-group content returns June 27. “It’s coming to America first, The cradle of the best and of the worst.” — “Democracy,” Leonard Cohen OLYMPIA — In the midafternoon of Jan. 6, a day that will live in infamy — and reverence — across our schizoid nation, I was in the parking lot on the south side of the state Capitol h...
