Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 28
Bonnie Sue Petty, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on Monday, October 10th, 2022, at the age of 82. Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Olive Briem, sister, Patricia Briem, husband, William Petty, son, Randall and his wife, Heidi Petty. Bonnie is survived by her brother Walt, his wife MaryEllen, and her children; Matt and Kim Petty, Andi and Mike Bloomfield, Ward and Summer Petty, Preston Petty, Amanda Meyer, Billy and Teresa Stuart. She was blessed with... Full story
Cheryl K. Macy, 79, of Moses Lake, WA, passed away surrounded by family in the days preceding her passing, went to be with the Lord on October 11, 2022. Cheryl was born to Florabelle Dorothy Smith in Ottumwa, Iowa on June 26, 1943. She lived in several towns in the Midwest before moving with her family to Bremerton, Washington in 1951. Her mother married Edward Smith in 1962, blending their family of eight children, with Cheryl being the oldest. They bought a home in Ballard, where Cheryl gradua... Full story
Recall petitions have been filed for Mason County Fire Protection District 12 commissioners Brian Jutson, John Pais and Albert Wilder. According to the documents, Wilder, Pais and Jutson “committed several acts of misfeasance and malfeasance and has violated his oath of office through neglect and a knowing failure to faithfully perform the duties imposed on him by law.” Wilder and Jutson had 17 listed allegations in the petition and Pais had 16 listed allegations. The allegations cited are att...
Clarence Oswalt, 95, passed peacefully at home September 19, 2022. He was born in 1927, in Russellville, Arkansas, the eldest son of Clarence W. and Hazel L. (Dollar) Oswalt. He grew up in Russellville and Paris, Arkansas. Clarence graduated from Paris High School in 1945. The day after graduation the family moved to Bellingham, Washington. He attended Western WA State College in Bellingham. He also worked on Attu and Adak Islands, in Alaska, on military bases as a civilian, between WWII and... Full story
If Southside School District's replacement levy on the Nov. 8 general election ballot fails, the 120-year-old school district might be absorbed into the Shelton School District. The district, which has about 200 students in kindergarten through seventh grade, is asking for the replacement of an expiring Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levy that would collect $1.97 per $1,000 assessed property value in 2023 through 2026. That levy would collect $641,803 in 2023, $673,894 in 2024,...
Ronald Walter Sargent was born on February 5th, 1951 in Unga, Alaska. Sadly and unexpectedly, Ron passed away on October 3rd, 2022. He was a native Alaskan - Aluet. He lived in Unga until he was eight and lived the rest of his life in Washington, except when he was in Okinawa, Japan with the Marines. He spent seven years serving his country for the Marines. He loved his cats, fishing and watching science-fiction movies. Ronald had a son, Christopher Andrew, who sadly passed away from Leukemia... Full story
James Leahy, 81, a resident of Shelton, passed away October 15, 2022, at home. Arrangements are by McComb & Wagner Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Joann Hermann, 70, a resident of Shelton, passed away October 12, 2022, at home. Arrangements are by McComb & Wagner Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Bernie Everson, 93, a resident of Shelton, passed away October 15, 2022, at home. Arrangements are by Funeral Alternatives of Washington. Richard Ballew, 70, a resident of Shelton, passed away October 16, 2022, at home. Arrangements are by McComb... Full story
Mason County has begun the process of establishing the 2023 county budget with commissioner workshops earlier this week. The commissioner’s 2023 preliminary budget is due to the public by Nov. 21. A public hearing to certify levies must occur before Nov. 30 and the budget hearing is scheduled Dec. 5. The Mason County Sheriff’s Office 2022 maintenance level budget includes $1,143,172. MCSO’s salaries and benefits are $11,933,157, operating maintenance level budget is $3,404,382 and expen...
James Leahy, 81, a resident of Shelton, passed away October 15, 2022, at home. Arrangements are by McComb & Wagner Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Joann Hermann, 70, a resident of Shelton, passed away October 12, 2022, at home. Arrangements are by McComb & Wagner Family Funeral Home and Crematory. Bernie Everson, 93, a resident of Shelton, passed away October 15, 2022, at home. Arrangements are by Funeral Alternatives of Washington. Richard Ballew, 70, a resident of Shelton, passed away October 16, 2022, at home. Arrangements are by McComb... Full story
Meeting Oct. 20 on Dual Language Program The Shelton School District hosts a public meeting on the Dual Language Program at 6:30 Oct. 20 at Evergreen Elementary School, 900 W. Franklin St., downtown Shelton. The Shelton School District slightly changed the boundaries of its three school board director districts to better balance the population. The Shelton School Board unanimously voted Oct. 11 to make the proposed changes official. Every 10 years, after each U.S. Census is completed, school districts are required to ensure equitable geographic...
The idea of using pumpkins for jack-o’-lanterns is such a tradition that it’s hard to imagine anything else would ever have been used, but rutabagas were. In Germany, rutabagas, turnips and potatoes were hollowed out and used as lanterns to celebrate fall harvest festivals. This custom spread to the British Isles and was then brought to America by immigrants. Here Native Americans introduced the immigrants to pumpkins. Pumpkins became used for many things, including jack-o’-lanterns. Thus a tra...
Let’s take a moment for me. This column started on the Journal’s Opinion Page on Oct. 19, 2017 — the column you’re reading is episode No. 261. I’ve gone five years and one week without missing an issue, which isn’t easy during those weeks when you have nothing to say. That comment about having nothing to say is an example of self-deprecation, and I’ve learned over these five years that self-deprecation is a surefire way to win readers. In fact, my self-deprecation skills are superior to j...
Editor's note: Julianne Gale is a candidate for state senator in the 35th District. This letter is being published as a rebuttal to a previous letter. Letters by candidates for public office in Mason County will generally not be published except in response to previous letters. Let's talk Editor, the Journal, I'm writing in response to Mr. Dick's letter to the editor published on Oct. 13. Mr. Dick, thanks for caring so much about our community. I'm glad we share a commitment to truth and our com...
1. Why are you running for office? I have been honored to serve the people of Mason County as their District Court Judge since 2018. I seek re-election because it is an honor to serve our community. Also, I believe it is necessary to uphold the constitution and rules of law in a process which can ensure an orderly and just society. As I promised, I have worked hard to uphold those laws. I have focused on being fair and impartialto provide justice to all people who came before the court. 2. What are your qualifications? I started practicing law...
Juli Tuson 1. What qualifications would you bring to the job of Mason PUD 3 commissioner? The PUD 3 Commissioners are the policy makers for the utility. In addition, they set rates and charges for service, approve the budget, and hire the manager. The commissioners do not manage the utility. I think this is an important distinction, the commissioners govern, they do not manage. My qualifications for PUD 3 commissioner are an accumulation of my employment, volunteer work and ongoing educational opportunities. My career is in procurement, and I...
1. Why are you running for office? I am honored to say that I am currently celebrating 42 years of public service to Mason County, the last 22 years serving Mason County as Treasurer. I am running for office again, because I want to continue to share the knowledge I have learned over the years, and continue to learn and to provide a difference at the local level of government. 2. What are the biggest challenges facing the Treasurer’s Office in the next term? The Treasurer’s Office provides essential services in connection with the fin...
Sandy Kaiser 1. Why are you running for office? I believe in hard work, love of family, community and country, and that everyone in our community deserves the same chance for success. For four generations, my family of loggers and farmers has called our region home. I’m running for office because I believe our rural folks deserve the same opportunities for a good quality of life as people in urban parts of our state. To meet that challenge, we need more opportunities for family-wage jobs; schools that offer high-quality education and a safe e...
Miguel Gutierrez 1. What qualifications would you bring to the job of Mason County Commissioner? My whole life has prepared me for this position. I excelled in school, especially in history and government. I earned a B.A. in Political Science from UCLA concentrating in American and Comparative Government. I studied Political Philosophy in graduate school. I earned a Special Education credential and began my career as a teacher for youth with Severe Emotional Disturbances. After teaching I became a nonprofit professional. I wrote grant...
Route 106 closure begins on Monday Drivers who use state Route 106 are asked to plan for extra travel time for trips from Monday to Wednesday for tree removal. According to a state Department of Transportation news release, DOT crews will close a portion of the highway during the three-day period to remove trees above the highway. The closure is planned for 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will close state Route 106 to all travelers between mileposts 5.5 and 5.6. A detour will be set up through East McReavy Road and East Dalby Road. Oversized loads are...
Two Halloween-appropriate horror films, and two first-season finales of streaming shows: Halloween Ends Watching "Halloween Ends" made me feel like the 2005 viral meme of Tyra Banks (herself a victim of Michael Myers, in 2002's "Halloween: Resurrection") when she screamed, "I was rooting for you! We were all rooting for you!" I will still defend 2018's "Halloween" as the best film in the franchise since the 1978 original, and its direct sequel, 2021's "Halloween Kills," started out with all the...
Trailing by a point in the final minutes of the first half, the Bulldogs had a choice: put their heads down or go to work. It was an easy decision. After an underthrown pass resulted in a drive-killing interception on Sequim's 5-yard line, the North Mason High School football team's defense backed the Wolves up and a shanked punt gave the Bulldogs the ball on the 13-yard line with 30 seconds left. Given a second chance to end the first half on a high note, North Mason took advantage as junior...
It's Oct. 8, and I'm running errands to help my brother and sister in-law prepare for my nephew's third birthday party in Richland. The Mariners second playoff game against the Toronto Blue Jays had begun. The Mariners had already won the first game of the three-game wild-card series 4-0 behind a brilliant performance by pitcher Luis Castillo. I get to Costco to pick up five pizzas for the party. As I walk past the electronics area, the game is on the TVs. It's 8-1 in the top of the sixth. I am...
Shelton football The Highclimbers fell to Tumwater 49-7 in Shelton’s homecoming game Oct. 14 at Highclimber Stadium. Shelton (4-3, 2-2) travels to Tumwater to take on Black Hills on Friday in an EvCo game. Shelton girls soccer Shelton lost two matches to Elma and Centralia last week. The Highclimbers fell to Elma 1-0 on Oct. 11 at Highclimber Stadium in a nonleague game. Shelton hosted Centralia on Oct. 13 and lost 2-0 in an Evergreen Conference match. Shelton (2-10, 1-7) traveled to Tumwater on Tuesday and hosts Rochester today in EvCo contest...
