Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Sorted by date Results 151 - 175 of 210
North Mason School Board members met the Sasquatch on Jan. 22. James A. Taylor High School's new mascot made its debut at the monthly board meeting. "I think it looks strong right before it gets scary," District 2 Director Leanna Krotzer said. The logo features a stern bigfoot face popping out of evergreen trees and holding "JTHS" with its claws. Superintendent Dana Rosenbach said staff used artificial intelligence to design the logo so that it's "totally original" and students approved it. "I...
The Evergreen State College hopes to offer free tuition through a new program for Shelton High School graduates starting with the Class of 2025, according to a presentation Evergreen President John Carmichael and Director of Government Relations Sandy Kaiser gave Mason County commissioners Jan. 8. Carmichael said the college is seeking legislative funding. Evergreen is asking for $285,000 to fund the program’s first year and estimates the total for four years will be $3.5 million. “If we get that legislative funding we would first make tha...
An initiative that will amend Washington’s police pursuit law and allow officers to “engage in a pursuit when there is a reasonable suspicion a person has violated the law” has been certified and presented to the Legislature, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said Jan. 12. Currently, a police officer can pursue a vehicle if there is reasonable suspicion that the person in the vehicle is committing or has committed a violent offense, a sex offense, a vehicular assault, domestic violence, has escaped or is driving under the influence. The pursu...
County Line Fire has been warming up the old State Bank of Shelton building on Railroad Avenue since it opened in October, when the restaurant specializing in wood-fired pizza moved into the airy space. Owner Tobi Robinson told the Journal he was overjoyed with the location. "To renovate an old bank building!" Robinson said he loves restaurants like the McMenamins brewpubs that rehabilitate historic properties. "This is my dream restaurant," he said. There's plenty of room for the most...
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...
A hardy group of community and AmeriCorps members performed restoration work in subfreezing temperatures at the Belfair Salmon Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 15., a federal holiday that encourages Americans to volunteer in honor of King. Local AmeriCorps members with the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Association organized the “Day of Service” event. AmeriCorps is a national service program that provides stipends for volunteers, who typically work full time for one year. AmeriCorps Environmental Educator Brett Larson originally pla...
Mason County cannabis retailers don't have the near-daily stolen vehicle smash-and-grab burglaries that the Seattle area does, but local pot shop owners struggle with security concerns that a proposed state bill aims to address. State Sen. Karen Kaiser's, D-Des Moines, substitute Senate bill 5259 will provide a tax break for retail cannabis store owners who install security upgrades. The bill requires stores to spend at least $3,000 on "physical security improvements" such as bollards, security...
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...
Residents in the Tahuya and Dewatto area who rely on land lines to call 911 had their service restored Jan. 3, almost two weeks after the initial disruption, according to Inland Telephone Company. Thieves who vandalized phone equipment, causing the outage, were likely attempting to sell copper wire stripped from equipment, Inland representative Amy Wait told the Journal. “Over the last two years we have experienced several damaged cables and vaults from vandalism, and we are working on a plan to help eliminate this by installing underground vau...
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...
Port of Allyn commissioners were expected to vote on a proposed change to the gazebo rental policy at the Jan. 10 meeting that happened after the Herald went to press. Patty Noel, who was appointed interim executive assistant at the Jan. 1 meeting, proposed changing the current rental schedule that's set at 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., to a minimum four-hour rental with an additional hourly charge after four hours. "Right now, the gazebo is only able to be rented twice in one day," Noe...
Master Beekeeper Debra Langley-Boyer, a North Mason resident, has filed a claim with the county for reimbursement for the loss of her bees due to herbicide spraying. Langley-Boyer is asking for $4,035.48 and provided the county with an itemized list for the deaths of her bees in 2020 and 2023, including $800 for the loss of queens, $483 for honey lost and “unrecoverable” for native bee loss. “This is the second time (May 2023) Mason County has killed my honeybees and native bees due to spraying herbicides along the Tee Lake county road. The h...
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...
Port of Allyn commissioners observed a moment of silence at the regular meeting Jan. 1 for interim Executive Director LeAnn Dennis, age 55, who died Christmas Day. “LeAnn will be greatly missed. She left a big hole,” Commissioner Judy Scott said. Scott read a statement from Dennis’ daughter, Alena Dennis, at the meeting. “Anyone who ever met LeAnn would tell you that their lives changed forever after knowing her. She made everything brighter and gave her whole heart to anyone who showed her kindness and love. Her commitment to caring for her...
Jacob Rivera, 44, will be arraigned Jan. 2 in Mason County Superior Court on charges of first-degree arson in connection with an explosion and house fire in Hoodsport on Dec. 13 and attempting to elude police Dec. 11. Witnesses identified Rivera leaving the scene of the fire, which started at 6:23 a.m., according to the Mason County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies were called to the home in the 200 block of North Mount Washington Drive in Hoodsport by the fire marshal. Deputy J. Cozad said he viewed a neighbor’s video surveillance of the exp...
All seven puppies found abandoned in a Walmart bag at the Matlock logging gate Oct. 17 have been adopted. "All of them found great homes," The Humane Society of Mason County Executive Director Katherine Johnson told the Journal. The puppies were less than 2 days old when they were found and taken to HSMC for around-the-clock care. The puppies were spayed and neutered before going to new homes Dec. 13, Johnson said. One of the puppies, Pickles, was the 3000th spay and neuter surgery the group's...
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...
Police have arrested an arson suspect wanted in connection with an explosion in Hoodsport. Jacob Rivera, 44, was arrested by Grays Harbor County deputies Dec. 16, after he allegedly fled the scene of a Dec. 13 explosion and suspicious house fire in the 200 block of North Mount Washington Drive in Hoodsport. Rivera had previously been accused by his girlfriend of making bombs when he was arrested over the summer on domestic violence charges. Witnesses identified Rivera fleeing the scene, “while a female victim sought refuge with a nearby neighbo...
Two soldiers have been arrested for first-degree malicious mischief after a man captured them on a trail camera shooting his new excavator in the Sherwood Forest area of Allyn. Judge Monty Cobb found probable cause to arrest Zacharia Miller-Young, 20, and Hanby W. Sykes, 23, but neither one has been charged. Miller-Young and Sykes are soldiers attached to the Marine Corps Security Force Battalion Bangor, according to the probable cause document. Jason Wistrand, who owns the excavator, called police Nov. 3 to report vandalism, saying his...
The North Mason School Board unanimously voted for Nicholas Thomas to replace retiring District 4 Director John Campbell at a special meeting Dec. 14. During his interview for the position, Thomas said “being a dad” is one of his reasons for applying for the position. He said he really wanted to get involved. “I can only do so much as a Pee Wee football coach,” he said. Thomas has lived in the area for 20 years and works in instructional design for the Navy as a civilian. He told the board he can help improve communication with communi...
North Mason residents have a new resource for mental health needs. Psychiatric ARNP Kristi Eilers, working through North Mason Regional Fire Authority, offers personalized health plans that address anxiety, depression, addiction and other challenges, and can make home visits. Eilers and NMRFA began offering the services in October under the Mobile Integrated Health Program the fire department already operates. It was started to prevent people from having to go to the emergency room and is run...
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...
If you're thinking about owning honeybees, Belfair & Beyond Beekeepers group says answer this question: Why? Do you want honey? Do you want beeswax? "What do you actually want to do?" Debra Langley-Boyer, president of the group, asked workshop participants at the North Mason Timberland Library Dec. 9. Secretary Brian Stefanko jumped in with his answer. "I keep bees because they're awesome!" Most people keep bees for honey, Langley-Boyer said, but before you decide, get to know the bees....
An atmospheric river of torrential rain over several days caused the Skokomish River to crest at its second-highest recorded point Tuesday and flooded and closed roads throughout Mason County. The National Weather Service on Tuesday issued flood warnings in parts of Western Washington, including much of the Olympic Peninsula. Flooding and hazardous conditions prompted the state Department of Transportation to close state Route 106 from U.S. Highway 101 to Alderbrook at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. Other...
