Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
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Some Mason County elected officials will be getting raises, a commission studying the issue said in a news release April 23. The Mason County assessor, auditor, clerk, coroner, county commissioners and treasurer will make $104,501 per year and the sheriff will make $164,232 per year, starting Jan. 1, 2025. The salaries will increase in steps starting May 1 for all the officials except the sheriff, so salaries will rise from the current $87,565 to $95,979 this year. Sheriff Ryan Spurling’s current salary of $160,226 is 5% above Undersheriff T...
Bill Scholl was a minister in the Dalles, Oregon when surgery on his eyes cost him his sight at the turn of the century. "It was horrible," recalled the 81-year Scholl, now a resident of Shelton. "The absolute worst thing about being visually impaired is not being able to drive." The loss of his sight led him to retire from leading a United Methodist congregation in Oakville, where he preached using a tablet. "It became too difficult," he said. He and his wife moved in with their daughter at Tim...
The High Steel Bridge is known for its breathtaking views, but it also has a history of misfortune. The area surrounding the 375-foot-tall bridge, including the deep canyon that plunges into the south fork of the Skokomish River, is restricted to hikers but that doesn't stop them, Mason County Fire District 6 Assistant Chief Cody Daggett told the Journal. Daggett ran a search and rescue training at the bridge April 24 and 25 for attendees to get certified in rope rescue. District 6 is the only o...
With the results of the final ballot count set for 5 p.m. today, two fire and medical service measures on the April 23 special election ballot were passing overwhelmingly. Grapeview Fire District 3's proposed merger with Central Mason Fire District 5 to provide fire and emergency medical services to areas served by the two districts had 573 approval votes for 77.64%, and 165 rejection votes for 22.36%. West Mason Fire District 16's proposed property tax levy of 50 cents or less per $1,000 of ass...
Happiness is merely a momentary suspension of dread. -------------------------------- Here’s an extreme manifestation of liberalism in America in 2024: Pet owners get angry at you for using the wrong pronoun for their pets. -------------------------------- The key to a long marriage is making sure your spouse marries the right person. -------------------------------- You don’t need to lift weights to build muscle mass. The weight of gravity is available to all of us, everywhere, pretty much all...
Sales impact value Editor, the Journal, An informational response to Davis Zanot’s letter to the editor in the April 25 Journal. The Assessor’s Office is responsible for valuing all taxable property at 100% of its true and fair market value according to the highest and best use of the property, as mandated by state law. It’s important to note, however, that the Assessor’s Office does not set the market but interprets these market transactions, often set by Realtors in which both sellers and buyers agree. Values are adjusted annually based u...
The goals of the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ NAMIWalks Thurston-Mason fundraiser June 1 in Shelton are to promote awareness of mental health and reduce the stigma, raise money for NAMI’s free mental health programs and to build community and let people know they are not alone. NAMI Thurston-Mason is seeking volunteers to collect donations and participate in the walk that begins and ends at Shelton High School at 3737 N. Shelton Springs Road. Registration and check-in is at 8 a.m., the opening ceremony at 9:30 a.m., and the walk beg...
Come celebrate four decades of CHOICE CHOICE High School celebrates graduates and employees from the past 40 years from 5 to 7 p.m. May 10 in the school’s auditorium at 807 West Pine St. in downtown Shelton. Everyone is welcome to attend. Matlock fair hosts Southside’s Primary Choir Southside School’s Primary Choir, under the direction of Andrea Maplica, will honor local heroes at a concert at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Matlock Old Timers Historical Fair at Mary M. Knight Schools, 2987 W. Matlock-Brady Road in Matlock. Shelton native excel...
Taylor Shellfish break-in A man discovered inside Taylor Shellfish’s fenced property by Taylor Town Restaurant was arrested April 23 for allegedly stealing fuel cans. Mason County Sheriff’s Office Deputy J. Ogden said he received a dispatch call after Taylor employee Carl Goldsby saw a man walking inside the restricted area. “I approached the alleged suspect vehicle and noted a male, later identified as Edgar Mendoza Castillo, 29, lying down at the front of the vehicle, and appearing to be looking up under the vehicle. I also noted two gas c...
Six people will be inducted into the Shelton School District & Community Hall of Fame at a ceremony from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Shelton High School Performing Arts Center. The inductees are Sheryal Balding, Brian Fairbrother, Mike Fox, Dann Gagnon, Leslie Orme and Dick Wentz. Everyone is invited to attend. Translation services are available. The hall recognizes students, alumni, faculty, staff, friends, benefactors and residents who have contributed to the success, tradition, integrity,...
Increased fecal bacteria may cause harvest changes in Annas Bay and the Hood Canal 6 area near Hoodsport, according to the state Department of Health. The state analyzed water sample data and found increased levels, the DOH said in a news release April 25. High fecal bacteria levels can prompt the state to change “harvest classification which could lead to a seasonal, environmental, or year-round closure,” the release says. Fecal bacteria come from “many different sources throughout the watershed,” Kara Kostanich, with the DOH, told the Jou...
The Olympic National Forest opened seasonal forest service road vehicle access gates in the southern part of the forest on Wednesday. The seasonal openings provide vehicle access to the following forest road systems and areas: ■ FSR-2451 access to North Fork Skokomish River Watershed. ■ FSR-2354, FSR-2353 and FSR-2361 access to South Fork Skokomish River Watershed. ■ FSR-2294 and FSR-2270 access to Wynoochee River Watershed. The access gates will remain open to vehicle traffic until Sept. 30. The closing of vehicle access between Oct. 1 and Apr...
Harstine Island Women’s Club The Harstine Island Women’s Club, through its Charles and Judy Chase Scholarship Fund, is offering scholarships to full-time residents of Harstine Island who are entering or continuing a post-high school education, including adult continuing education or technical training. Applicants must have obtained a diploma from an accredited high school program or earned a GED. Applications will be accepted through May 15, and the winners will be announced by May 31. The number and amount of the scholarships will be det...
Shelton High stages musical 'Mean Girls' The Shelton High School Drama Club stages "Mean Girls: The Musical, High School Version" at 6:30 p.m. Friday, 2 and 6:30 p.m. Saturday at the school's Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $10 at the door, or $8 online at www.Our.Show/SHSMeanGirls. Donations to the drama club can also be made at that site. Empty Bowls fundraiser continues Wednesday The Shelton Arts Commission hosts the three-part annual Empty Bowls fundraiser that started Wednesday at the...
Did you know that harmful metals such as lead and arsenic could be in your garden, yard or play- area soils? As we transition from spring to summer, the increase in hot, dry and windy weather can increase your risk of exposure to those contaminants. The Mason County WSU Master Gardener Program is excited to join with staff from the state Department of Health to offer free soil and toy screening for lead and arsenic at our upcoming Master Gardener Foundation of Mason County Plant Sale from 9...
The annual Matlock Old Timers Historical Fair is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Mary M. Knight School in Matlock. Engine enthusiasts can check out a steam donkey and antique tractors. Inside the gym, patrons can find bargains at the swap meet tables, listen to live music, and create crafts. Fun-seekers can plummet down a pink slide. The selection of food offerings includes homemade pies. Take a ride in a horse-drawn wagon and watch a chainsaw artist create...
It's a rare treat for me to be able to review the work of a hyper-local filmmaker, at the very least because they tend to be savvy enough to take advantage of the natural landscapes we share here in the Northwest. When Bainbridge Island-based Rachel Noll James wrote, directed, co-produced and starred in "Ingress," she made it practically in her backyard, but the meditative sci-fi film has more than pleasant settings to recommend it. That being said, cinematographer Dan Clarke deserves...
The Shelton boys finished 15th and the girls finished 16th as a team at the 64th Shelton Invitational track and field meet April 27 at Highclimber Stadium in Shelton. Shelton senior Anthony Sanchelli finished fifth in the discus with a throw of 146 feet, 7 inches, and finished sixth in the shot put. Junior Benjamin Morford placed fifth in the high jump with a height of 5 feet, 10 inches. Freshman Justice Bloomfield placed eighth in the 100-meter hurdles. Sophomore Bennett Henry finished 10th in...
Shelton baseball Shelton won 8-0 against Black Hills on April 23 in Tumwater and won 15-0 on April 24 against Black Hills in Shelton in Evergreen Conference baseball games. The Highclimbers (11-7, 7-5) scheduled game against Rochester on April 27 was rescheduled to Wednesday in Rochester. Shelton wraps up the regular season at 4:30 p.m. today against Tenino in a nonleague game on senior night. Shelton girls golf Shelton lost to Rochester 38-22 in an Evergreen Conference girls golf match on April 24 at Lake Limerick Golf Course in Shelton....
A Financial Reality Fair for North Mason High students is today in two sessions from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Before the event, students will download an app on their phone or borrow a device that has the program. "Teens are given a fictional occupation, salary, credit score, spouse and a child, student loan debt, credit card debt and medical insurance payments. The teens then walk around to various table-top stations to 'purchase' housing, transportation, food, clothing and other needs. Fortunately,...
Police arrested an alleged shoplifter outside of McLendon’s Hardware in Belfair after the store manager called to report the theft and said the thief punched him. The incident happened the morning of April 25 when employees opened the store and a woman walked in acting “weird,” according to the Mason County Sheriff’s Office probable cause document. Store manager Roy Arbogast said the woman, later identified as Anne Belson, 29, began walking down store aisles removing products from their packaging. “Roy kept an eye on Anne while she was in th...
A water main break April 24 at North Mason High School caused classes there and at James A. Taylor High School and Hawkins Middle School to be dismissed early. The schools were closed all day April 25 while repairs were made and students moved to remote learning. Buses operated on normal hours Thursday morning so students could come to school and collect computers and grab-and-go food. Buses then took students back home, according to the North Mason School District. Schools returned to normal schedules April 26 following repairs of the water...
