Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Sorted by date Results 26 - 47 of 47
Commissioners lower gambling tax Commissioners approved 2-1 lowering the county gambling tax rate from 5% to 3% at the Feb. 26 meeting, with Commissioners Sharon Trask and Randy Neatherlin voting “yes” and Commissioner Kevin Shutty voting “no.” The change will mean about $35,000 less annually for the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, according to Mason County Treasurer Lisa Frazier. The sheriff’s office gets the revenue collected from the tax, Frazier said. Mason County’s gambling tax rate will now match Kitsap’s at 3%. Three businesses in B...
Police: Drunken driver rips up Shorecrest farmers’ hayfield James and Nancy Hancharik, who raise cattle in the Shorecrest area of Shelton, called police after seeing a pickup truck drive into their pasture, “ripping it up” and “doing donuts,” on Feb. 9, according to a Mason County Sheriff’s probable cause document. Deputies found John Gardenhire, 33, standing beside a Chevrolet pickup truck stuck in a muddy pasture waving his cellphone, the document says. “Initially I bypassed the truck and went straight to the residence where I was able to c...
Public defense attorneys get raise Mason County commissioners approved a pay raise for public defense attorneys at their Jan. 30 meeting. Attorneys providing indigent defense for misdemeanors, heard in district court, will get a pay raise from $75 an hour to $100 an hour. Attorneys providing indigent defense for felonies, heard in superior court, will see their pay increase from $100 an hour to $125 an hour. Hourly indigent defense investigators will now make $75 an hour. Chief Public Defender Peter Jones thanked the commissioners at a...
Adams Street car fire Central Mason Fire & EMS crews fought a car fire on Adams Street in Shelton Monday morning. The call was reported about 10:15 a.m. and fire crews arrived in minutes to find a passenger vehicle in the alley between Adams Street and Olympic Highway North on fire. Crews quickly extinguished the blaze. The driver of the vehicle was evaluated at the scene for minor burns and transported to Mason General Hospital for further evaluation and care. The cause of the fire is under...
Alleged shoplifter returns to confront store employee A convenience store clerk obtained a temporary protection order against an alleged shoplifter after he was released from jail and returned to harass her, according to court documents. Police arrested James Elmlund, 19, at the Airport Grocery in Shelton on Oct. 15, for allegedly stealing candy and soda and assaulting employee Kimberly Espinoza, who tried to stop him. “Kimberly told me that she had witnessed the suspect in the store place items into his sweatshirt pocket. Kimberly, who was d...
Karpf sentenced to time served Kennedy Karpf, 25, pleaded guilty Jan. 5 to first-degree rendering criminal assistance in connection to helping William Williams, 41, who fled after allegedly shooting and killing Janus Afo on Sept. 28 in Shelton. Judge Daniel Goodell followed state’s recommendations and sentenced Karpf to time served in Mason County, 79 days, with no restitution or probation. Karpf’s attorney Rose Boughton said Karpf had “no criminal history whatsoever,” and that Karpf was “quite afraid” of Williams. “She knows this is a ser...
ICU nurse named Mason Health employee of month Intensive Care Unit nurse Tina Lohmeyer, RN, has been selected by her Mason Health coworkers as January's employee of the month. Lohmeyer is known for her "excellent patient care" while working in the ICU, according to a news release by Mason Health. "When I was a kid, my sister was at Harborview Medical Center, and I was really impressed and intrigued by the nurses I saw," Lohmeyer said. "I started at Mason General Hospital in 2006, after I...
WIC contract extended At the regular Jan. 2 meeting, commissioners extended the performance period of a Women, Infants and Children contract through Feb. 29. The additional time is for continued staff training. The WIC program provides supplemental food, health care referrals and nutrition education for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age 5 who are found to be at nutritional risk, according to the federal website. WIC will be a three-way partnership with Mason County...
Driver hits pole to avoid deer A driver suffered injuries when his car rolled over and struck a pole on state Route 3 near mile post 18 in the early morning of New Year’s Day as he swerved to avoid a deer, according to the Washington State Patrol. Grapeview resident Caleb Tobin, 22, was taken to Mason General Hospital for treatment. Tobin’s Kia Forte was totaled, police said. Arson suspect pleads not guilty Mason County Judge Daniel Goodell entered a not guilty plea on behalf of Jacob Rivera,44, at Rivera’s initial appearance Jan. 2. River...
Health department closes shellfish areas Several areas in Mason County have been closed for shellfish harvesting due to high levels of biotoxins that cause diarrhetic shellfish poisoning, according to the state Health Department. Pickering Passage, Peale Passage and Squaxin Passage are closed for all harvesting. Beaches closed for all harvesting are West Dougall Point, Jarrell Cove State Park and Jarrell Cove State Park East, Hope Island State Park and DNR areas 33 and 34 on Harstine Island. Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning causes nausea, vomitin...
Driver charged in Grapeview Loop collision A driver who caused a collision while attempting to pass a turning car at state Route 3 and Grapeview Loop Road Dec. 7 has been charged with vehicular assault, according to the Washington State Patrol. Joseph V. Campbell, 67, of Shelton, was driving on Route 3 behind Terry Petersen, 53, of Belfair, when Peterson slowed to turn onto Grapeview Loop Road. Campbell tried to pass on the left and struck Peterson's truck, causing both cars to block the road...
PUD 3 rate increase coming Mason PUD 3 is increasing rates starting March 1, 2024. Residential customers will see a 6% energy rate hike. This will mean about $14 more per month, using 2,000 kWh as the average, according to PUD. Small commercial rates will go up 3%, large commercial 1.5%, industrial 3% and cannabis will see a 3% rise in demand rates. All customers will pay an additional 10 cents for daily system charges. PUD said the increase was needed to replace aging infrastructure, and costs for all equipment “have dramatically i...
Grapeview woman dies in Kitsap crash Karen Britz, 62, of Grapeview died Nov. 23 in a collision on state Route 3 just north of Sunnyslope in Kitsap County, according to the Washington State Patrol. Britz was northbound when she crossed the center line and struck a vehicle driven by John Mors, 26, of Bremerton. Britz’s car then left the road, crashed into a tree and landed in a ditch, according to a WSP news release. Britz died at the scene. Unemployment rises slightly in county Mason County’s October unemployment rate rose to 4.9%, up sli...
Still no sign of missing man There is still no sign of Brandon Adams after authorities found his Jeep and some personal belongings off a logging road Nov. 12. The Shelton man was last seen Oct. 20. Several rescue groups combed the steep terrain Saturday, including Mason County Search and Rescue and Washington Explorer Search and Rescue – Kitsap Unit. Police blocked off the area around Camp Govey, close to where Adams’ vehicle was recovered, to use as a staging area and only admitted certified search and rescue personnel, according to a Fri...
Missing man’s Jeep found off forest road Authorities found Brandon Adams’ Jeep, including some of his personal items inside the vehicle, but have not located Adams after an extensive search, according to a Tuesday statement by the Mason County Sheriff’s Office. Someone found the Jeep “deep within the Olympic National Forest” Sunday, and called police, officials said. Deputies couldn’t reach the car that night because of difficult road and weather conditions. Law enforcement teams were able to retrieve the vehicle Tuesday. “This morning, a sp...
Suspects in Afo homicide case back in Washington Homicide suspects William Williams, 40, and Kennedy Karpf, 24, are back in Shelton in sheriff’s custody. The pair were sought in connection with the shooting death of Janus Afo on Sept. 28 and apprehended in Oregon Oct. 11. Williams’ arraignment on second-degree murder and felony possession of a firearm Monday was at Mason County Superior Court before Judge Monty Cobb. Williams is being held on $1 million bail. Karpf pleaded not guilty to first-degree rendering criminal assistance at her ini...
Speed limits lowered on three county roads Lower speed limits were approved for three county roads. Sunnyslope Road from milepost 0.0000-0.5510 will change to 25 mph, Kelly Hall Road from milepost 0.0000-1.9460 will change to 25 mph and Brockdale Road from milepost 1.9730-2.0800 will change to 30 mph. Community Lifeline funding reduced Mason County commissioners reduced funding by $40,860 for Community Lifeline, an organization that provides emergency shelter and homeless services, for noncompliance with its contract. “Community Lifeline is n...
Belfair Sheriff’s Office moving this month The Belfair office of the Mason County Sheriff’s Office is make its long-planned move to the former North Mason Regional Fire Authority headquarter sbuilding, 460 NE Old Belfair Highway, Nov. 22. The move should be completed by Dec. 5, officials said. During this time, the Belfair office will be closed for walk-ins and people needing assistance should call the main office at 360-427-9670, ext. 313, according to the sheriff’s department. Recovery court gets grant The Mason County Family Recovery Court r...
Unemployment rate in county drops The Mason County unemployment rate dropped in September to 4.6%, according to the Washington Employment Security Department. That’s lower than the 5.1% rate in August, but higher than June’s 3.9% and July’s 4.3%. The county’s highest unemployment this year was 8.1% in February. The county numbers are not seasonally adjusted because the sample size is too small, according to the state website. One dead in U.S. 101 collision Shelton resident Elliott Madea, 32, died in a car accident Oct. 26 after attempt...
Cannabis license granted Amazinggardens LLC doing business as The Dab Lab, applied with the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board for a cannabis license to operate at 160 W. Westfield Court Unit F, Shelton. Deep Well Farms had a cannabis license approved for operation at 340 E. Millwright Road Bldg A, Shelton, according to Mason County commissioners. Green light for veterans Residents and businesses are encouraged by Mason County commissioners to display a green light for veterans Nov. 6-12. At the regular meeting Oct. 24, commissioners...
Board OKs money for Coroner’s Office Mason County commissioners approved $10,640.64 for the purchase of a new body lift, storage rack and walk-in cooler storage boards for the Mason County Coroner. County inmates to be housed at Nisqually center Mason County commissioners approved a jail services agreement at Tuesday’s meeting that will pay $130 per inmate per day to house inmates of Mason County in the Nisqually Detention and Corrections Center operated by the Nisqually tribe. Chief Deputy of Corrections Kevin Hanson said jail staffing “ha...
League schedules speed dating event for candidates The League of Women Voters of Mason County hosts “Speed Dating with the Candidates” at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the PUD3 meeting room at 2621 E. Johns Prairie Road, Shelton. Candidates for Mason County Superior Court judge, Shelton School Board and Shelton City Council have been invited to participate. At this event, the public sits at tables around the room and the candidates rotate from table to table to answer questions directly from the voters. Contact [email protected] for more inf...
