Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
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Andrew Wesley Bertrand was sentenced to 83 months April 6 after being found guilty of two counts of first-degree child molestation in Mason County Superior Court. According to court documents, Shelton Police took a report March 7, 2021, of two girls who had been touched under their clothes by Bertrand. Both girls had a forensic interview March 11. One girl said Bertrand was dating her mom in 2020. The girl and Bertrand would stay up to watch the television show “Umbrella Academy” after her mom went to sleep, and Bertrand would slide his han...
Rep. Kilmer tests positive for COVID-19 U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, tested positive for COVID-19 on April 6. “Late this afternoon I tested positive for COVID-19 after testing negative as recently as yesterday,” Kilmer said in a news release. “I am currently asymptomatic — and I am grateful to be fully vaccinated and boosted. I will follow CDC guidance and isolate for the next several days. My office will remain fully operational and I will continue working virtually on behalf of the folks I represent.” Belfair marijuana store rob...
DNR plans public hearing on proposed boundary expansion The state Department of Natural Resources is having a public hearing April 20 at Mason County Fire Hall District No. 4 about a proposed expansion of the boundary of the Skookum Inlet Natural Area Preserve. According to a DNR letter addressed to county commissioners, the proposed expansion area is adjacent to the 165 acres Skookum Inlet NAP (Natural Area Preserve) boundary. The preserve was appointed to the Natural Heritage Advisory Council in 1985 to protect three salt-marsh ecosystems,...
Mason County commissioners made a potential Belfair sewer extension possible Tuesday night by allowing the project to be advertised for bidding on the next phase. Commissioners Kevin Shutty and Sharon Trask voted in favor of the project’s next phase going out to bid while commissioner Randy Neatherlin voted against. Shutty, the commission chair, said he appreciated all the comments he received from the public about the project and that everyone is better off when people are participating in t...
A Shelton woman died in a single-car crash on U.S. Highway 101 early Tuesday morning just south of the Jefferson County border. According to a news release from Washington State Patrol, Cindy M. Edwards, 53, was driving north on U.S. 101 and lost control. The car crossed the center line and left the road, striking an embankment and rolled, coming to rest upside down. Edwards was pronounced dead at the scene. The report states drugs or alcohol might have been involved in the crash. WSP...
Special election set for April 26 A special election for Mason County Fire Protection District No. 18 and Southside School District is set for April 26. According to a news release, the emergency medical services property tax levy for Fire Protection District No. 18 and a replacement educational programs and operations levy for Southside School District will be on the ballot. Ballots and voters’ pamphlets will be mailed out this week. Voter registration and applications must be received by April 18 to be effective for the special election. A...
Sheriff’s Office contract with Monarch Children’s Advocacy Center approved Mason County commissioners approved a contract extension between the Sheriff’s Office Detectives Division with Monarch Children’s Advocacy Center. According to the information packet, the advocacy center conducts forensic interviews when the Mason County Sheriff’s Office is investigating abuse. The contract for services expired in August 2021 and the Sheriff’s Office wants to continue services currently conducted and extend the contract through Dec. 31, 2025. The S...
Shelton Baseball The Highclimber boys split a pair of games against Tumwater last week in EvCo action. Shelton defeated Tumwater 5-1 on March 29 at home. The Highclimbers traveled to Tumwater March 30 and fell 4-0. Shelton (5-3, 1-3) faced Olympic on Tuesday in a nonleague game. The Highclimbers hit the road to take on Rochester today before returning home Friday to play the Warriors again. Track The Shelton girls had several winners in an Evergreen Conference track meet with Tumwater, Rochester and Centralia on March 29 in Shelton. Shelton’s K...
Mason County commissioners and staff will partake in a third Belfair Sewer public hearing at 6 p.m. April 5. This is the third Belfair sewer public hearing in three months. The first hearing was Jan. 31 and lasted more than four hours, with staff presenting, the public asking questions before providing comment and commissioners ultimately deciding to host another hearing in 30 days. The second hearing was March 1 and lasted about two hours with the same format of presentation and public comments, and commissioners once again decided to host a...
References to “normal” times before the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 are common these days, but with restrictions easing, Mason County begins “normal” life with the coronavirus. Mason County Director of Community Services Dave Windom said he thinks the county handled COVID-19 “really well.” “One of the things we did different is we set up area command right off the bat and got that integration, we realized this is bigger than public health,” Windom told the Journal. “We set up area command,...
The Mason Transit Authority Board monthly meeting provided an update on the Belfair Park and Ride’s potential opening date. At the meeting, MTA General Manager Amy Asher provided an update, with unanticipated delays to finalize the details of the Belfair Park and Ride building necessitating another location of the April board meeting, which was scheduled to be hosted at the Belfair building. “I just spoke with our project manager, Patrick Holmes, earlier today. We’re waiting to hear for final...
Cascade Natural Gas replacing Shelton natural gas pipelines Cascade Natural Gas is going to replace natural gas main pipelines and service lines in a portion of Shelton. According to a news release, the work will occur over the next five to six months beginning Monday and is an ongoing integrity management process to ensure safety and reliability of the natural gas system. Cascade identified sections of pipe for replacement based on physical, operation and maintenance components. The work requires a short interruption of natural gas service...
County invites comments about county road project Mason County invites the public to comment on alternative plans for the Uncle John Creek lower culvert fish barrier correction project on Agate Loop Road. According to a news release, an open house is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. April 7 at the Agate Grange No. 275, 1631 Agate Loop Road, Shelton. The open house is for people to come talk with Public Works team members about the design alternatives, ask questions and provide comment. Comments must be received by Public Works by 4:30 p.m. on April...
The Shelton dance team placed second in the 1A/2A military dance category at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association state dance meet in Yakima on Saturday. "It feels so rewarding, the team has worked so hard to make it to state, and for us to bring home some hardware was the cherry on top and made all those early mornings so worth it," senior captain Zoe Salas wrote in an email to the Journal. "The team's reaction was priceless. Everyone was running to each other crying,...
The 35th Legislative District trio of Rep. Drew MacEwen, Rep. Dan Griffey and Sen. Tim Sheldon spoke at a legislative wrap-up event hosted by the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce, the Economic Development Council of Mason County and the North Mason Chamber of Commerce on March 17 at the Mason County Public Works building just outside Shelton on U.S. Highway 101. Shelton Mayor Eric Onisko started the proceedings by thanking all three legislators for their support of the city and county....
President signs Kilmer’s legislation President Joe Biden signed a 12-bill spending package into law that provides money for Derek Kilmer-supported priorities. According to a news release, Kilmer, D-Gig Harvor, the legislation included the Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, which approved $13.6 billion in emergency funding to support Ukraine. The package included $22.9 million in community project funding for 10 projects in Kilmer’s district. The list of projects and money includes $1 million to support Duckabush Estuary Restoration, $3....
County seeking planning applicants The Mason County Planning Advisory Commission is taking applications for the Commissioner District 2 open seat. According to a news release, District 2 represents the areas of Kamilche, Matlock, Hoodsport and Lilliwaup. The commission is a seven-member board appointed to advise county commissioners on policies related to the comprehensive plan, shoreline master program, resource ordinance and other development regulations. The commission usually meets on the third Monday of the month with special meetings as...
Mason County Fire District 12 commissioners received a lesson about the state Public Records Act at their March 15 meeting. State Assistant Attorney General Morgan Damerow was on the agenda to talk about the Public Records Act. Damerow spoke for about 30 minutes of the meeting, addressing why people should care about transparency laws, what agencies must do under the PRA and what a PRA request looks like. The commissioners answered more community questions during the meeting. Commissioner John P...
The Highclimbers have started off hot, earning wins against North Thurston and Port Angeles last week. Shelton defeated North Thurston 9-0 on March 18 at home. The Highclimbers hosted and beat Port Angeles 6-2 on March 19 and opened the season with an 8-2 win against Capital on March 11. Head coach Trevor Cahoon said the strength of the team is pitching, which has only given up four runs in the first three games. He mentioned Cannon Hutson, Kyle Gerchak and Tobyn Dudley being at their best so...
The Shelton High School dance team will be competing in the state competition Saturday at the Yakima SunDome. Competition begins at 12:30 p.m., and Shelton is scheduled to dance 16th in set five with their military routine and will dance its pom routine 65th in set 22, shortly after a 40-minute dinner break. The Highclimber dance team has had an excellent season so far, finishing first or second in most of the competitions. The team has competed against all levels of classification, so the high...
Shelton Softball Shelton softball earned its first win of the season against Lakes 18-16 on March 15 in Shelton. The Highclimbers fell to Rochester in its first Evergreen Conference game 9-7 on March 18 at home. Shelton took on Tumwater on Monday and lost 19-5 in Shelton. Shelton hit the road to play Centralia on Wednesday before returning home to face Olympic in a nonleague game Friday. The Highclimbers travel to Chehalis on Monday for an EvCo game against W.F. West. Girls tennis The Shelton girls tennis team kicked off its season with a 5-0...
Tim Sheldon joined the state Legislature during the year Bryan Adams' "I Do It for You" was the No. 1 song, the New York Giants defeated the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXV and "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" was the top grossing movie. That year was 1991, and now 31 years later, Sheldon has decided it's time to retire. "It came along during this term. It's been 32 years in Olympia and before that I had six years as a port commissioner, so it overlapped two years so 32 and four, that's 36 years...
Mason County covers slightly more than 1,000 square miles and medical services aren't a short drive away for most people. That's where the Behavioral Health Transportation program is stepping in to provide a ride to those who need it. After being approved at the Feb. 1 Mason County commissioners meeting, the program is new, having started officially about two weeks ago. According to the information packet, the program is set up to transport people to services such as inpatient, detox, medical...
Electronic home monitoring contract approved Mason County commissioners approved a contract for electronic home monitoring services for Mason County Juvenile Court Services at its March 15 meeting. According to the information packet, Juvenile Court Services receives grants to provide staff support and create alternate programming instead of detention. The court received additional money and decided to add electronic home monitoring as another option that can be used instead of detention. The contract is between Mason County Juvenile Probation...
State Route 302 near Victor reopens The state Department of Transportation has reopened state Route 302 east of Victor after it was closed March 1. According to a news release, heavy rainfall triggered roadway settlement and sloughing. An 80-foot section of highway settled more than 6 inches. WSDOT crews ground off and replaced damaged asphalt, according to WSDOT spokesman Doug Adamson and shown in the picture above. “SR 302 passes over a slow-moving landslide that is occasionally retriggered by rain,” Adamson said in an email to the Jou...
