Week of October 10, 2024

  • Journal News Submissions

    The Journal encourages Announcements and News Releases of local, timely interest to our readers. Local photo submissions are also welcome. Include information on the who, what, when, where, why and how of your news lead. Deadline is each Monday by 5 PM. All submissions should include the sender's name, address and daytime phone number which will be used for verification purposes only. Submissions are subject to editing for length, grammar and clarity. To submit your Announcement or News Release: • Email [email protected] (preferred)... Full story

  • Murder trial verdict

    June Williams

    William Williams, who testified in his own defense Oct. 2, said he didn’t go to 710 Cedar in downtown Shelton to shoot Janus Afo. “I had no reason to shoot Janus,” Williams said. “He believed I owed him money because of my girlfriend.” Williams told the jury Afo was a “collector” and an “enforcer” and was trying to collect a debt Kennedy Karpf allegedly owed to Afo’s friend. Williams described what happened in the early hours of Sept. 28, 2023, before he shot and killed Afo. Santana Krise, Afo’s girlfriend who was also...

  • OysterFest 2024

    June Williams

    OysterFest 2024 wrapped up Sunday after a weekend of food, music and shucking contests. 460 RV campers stayed onsite, a record for the 42nd festival, and almost 10,000 people paid admission. An additional 1,000 volunteers and vendors attended, Volunteer Chair/Public Image Chair Laurie Brown told the Journal. Ticket sales showed many visitors were from out of state and throughout Washington, Brown said. Jerry Obendorf, who served as the Grand Old Oyster, said the event was a great success and...

  • One more stop

    June Williams

    Washington State Patrol Trooper Shaeffer Subcleff started his evening shift Sept. 27 by explaining to the civilian passenger how to use a patrol radio. "In case a suspect tries to fight me or I need help," he said. "Just press down the button and tell dispatch." Subcleff opened the trunk of his WSP vehicle and pointed out the first aid kit, road flares, latex gloves, blood sample vials, fire extinguisher, traffic cones and other equipment inside the multidrawer toolbox. After checking his... Full story

  • Indigenous event combines dance, stories, food

    Gordon Weeks

    Members of more than 30 indigenous tribes reside in the Shelton School District, including the Squaxin Island and Skokomish tribes. Attendees can get a taste of some of their culture and cuisine while enjoying indigenous dancing, storytelling and a traditional meal at the Shelton School District's Indian Education Parent Advisory Committee's Fall Indigenous Vividness Showcase Benefit Dinner and Auction starting at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Shelton Civic Center, 525 W. Cota St. Tickets are $50. All...

  • Test scores rise at Hood Canal Schools

    Gordon Weeks

    For perhaps the first time in district history, the middle school students at Hood Canal topped the state average in four of five learning subjects. In the state Smarter Balanced Assessment results released recently, the district's seventh and eighth grade students from last school year scored above the state average (in competency) in seventh grade English/language arts with 53.6%, eighth-grade English/language arts at 48%, seventh grade math at 39.3% and eighth grade science at 41.4%. Eighth...

  • Donation upgrades mammography treatment

    Gordon Weeks

    The Karen Hilburn Cancer Fund donated $59,545 to purchase a new server for the mammography unit at Mason General Hospital in Shelton. Members of the group presented a ceremonial check Thursday at the hospital. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Established in 2004, the mission of the Karen Hilburn Cancer Fund is to help Mason County residents with medical expenses for breast and cervical cancer who are uninsured or underinsured. In an addition to breast and cervical cancer, the...

  • Assessor Update

    Patti McLean, Mason County assessor

    In accordance with WAC 458-12-360 & RCW 84.40.045, the Mason County assessor announces the countywide mailing of our annual Notice of Value on or before Oct. 14. These notices represent value as of Jan. 1, 2024, for taxes payable in 2025, which was based upon 2023 and prior sales data. In accordance with state law, properties must be assessed at 100% of market value; this is based upon sales data of similar homes within your area. Mason County is divided into six geographic areas for...

  • Hoodsport celebrates dock repair funding

    June Williams

    Port of Hoodsport commissioners sponsored an appreciation event for state legislators, friends of the pier and community members Friday to celebrate receiving funding for the Hoodsport's dock and pier emergency repairs. The port could not have made repairs without the state funds, Commissioner Cody Morris said at the event. "The award of $40,000 covered most of the immediate repairs," he said. The dock and pier were closed to the public at the end of October due to "significant safety...

  • North Mason interviews firms in new superintendent search

    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...

  • History at a Glance

    Jan Parker

    On the occasion of his 80th birthday in April 1938, William "Billy" Sargison was interviewed for a front-page article in the Journal. "Hale, hearty, and active," Bill referred to the diary he had kept for half a century to refresh his memory. Bill was born in LaGrande, Maine, on April 6, 1858. Twenty-six years later, he set out with his friends Frank Hathen and George Weymouth to cross the country in "poky, smoky rattletrap trains" that took a full two weeks to transport them to the West Coast,...

  • Journal Letter Policy

    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... Full story

  • Letters to the Editor

    Voters’ pamphlet Editor, the Journal, Reply to Dianna Timm Dryden’s letter from Oct. 3 Dear Ms. Dryden, In addition to the Mason County Voters’ Pamphlet, you should have received a second pamphlet from the Secretary of State for the federal races, statewide races and measures, and judicial races. If you don’t receive a copy, please let me know. We have plenty of extras available at the Vote Center in Shelton. Copies will also be available at the temporary Vote Center in Belfair located at the Sheriff’s Office on Old Belfair Highway....

  • These Times

    Kirk Ericson

    “Rain drops on roses and whiskers on kittens, Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, Brown paper packages tied up with strings. These are a few of my favorite things. — “My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music” Somebody last week asked whether I have favorite things. “You mean, single things I like above other similar things?” I asked. “Yes.” Long pause. “I guess my favorite author is Kurt Vonnegut,” I said. The Kinks have been my favorite band, and Ray...

  • In the Dark Reviews

    Kirk Boxleitner

    Writer-director Chris Sanders' big-screen adaptation of Peter Brown's "The Wild Robot" series of illustrated books for children gains an appeal for parents as much as for their kids by empathizing with the role of mothers. Our "Wild Robot" protagonist is a ROZZUM-model multi-purpose helper robot that eventually adopts the nickname "Roz." Roz was manufactured in the future by the Universal Dynamics company to assist human families, but wound up lost in midtransit on an island inhabited only by...

  • Recently Passed

    Earl Kenneth Le Hew, 86, a resident of Rochester, passed away September 26, 2024, at Olympia Transitional Care and Rehab in Olympia, WA. Arrangements are by Funeral Alternatives Lacey, WA office. Stanley Wayne Badger, 79, a resident of Olympia, passed away September 27, 2024, at home. Arrangements are by Funeral Alternatives Lacey, WA office. Michiyo Schroeder, 81, a resident of Bremerton, passed away October 1, 2024, at home. Arrangements are by McComb & Wagner Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Ruth Giorgianni, 78, a resident of Olympia,... Full story

  • Miranda Douglas

    Miranda Douglas passed away in a car accident September 20th, 2024. She was 22 years old. We will be holding a memorial Saturday, October 12th, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at Peninsula Bible Fellowship, 9590 Radcliff Ave. NE, Bremerton, WA,... Full story

  • Alida J. Mak

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  • Charles Smith

    Charles Smith, 87, of Shelton passed away at home alongside family on September 28, 2024. "Chuck" was born on May 2, 1937 in Chehalis, WA. In 1952, Chuck and Joanne Haehn married in Chehalis. He retired in 1993 from US West. Chuck was preceded in death by his son Jeff; and survived by his wife Jo; daughter Debbie; granddaughter Kristi and husband Justin; great-grandsons Judah, Cohen, and Jax; daughter-in-law Kris; grandson Nate and wife Maria. Chuck enjoyed going to his grandson and... Full story

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