Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
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Twanoh State Park and Belfair State Park beaches have posted swimming warnings after Mason County Public Health and Human Services found high levels of enterococci bacteria. J.J. Stepan, with Mason County Environmental Health, told the Journal he is optimistic the warnings will be lifted before the weekend. "Most likely" the bacteria level will come down, Stepan said. A second sample of the water was tested yesterday or will be tested today, he said. The bacteria indicate the presence of fecal...
It was pretty hot, and Mary and Sam concentrated on getting the pump house done. They made a trip to Long Beach and spent the night and attended a meeting. They took the dogs. Mary's mother has an incredible garden. Was a nice week. Monday, July 17, 1950 Today I went up to Ruth Small's a little after 9 a.m. and made a lot of phone calls. Ordered the fern for McCallum. Then I drove to town and delivered the fern but only the housekeeper was at home. To town and did some shopping. It was terribly...
The Shelton School District is revising its policies on how the public uses school facilities, emphasizing that student use takes priority. The Shelton School Board discussed the proposed revisions at its regular meeting July 9. The board can make the revisions official with a vote at its next meeting Aug. 27. “It has not been touched, if the dates are correct, in 20 years,” Robert Herron, the district’s director of facilities management and construction, told the board. “And so the policy is probably outdated, as well as the procedu...
Shelton City Council member Miguel Gutierrez on Tuesday evening moved to remove himself from the council meeting, and then walked out after four other council members voted for him to go following a testy exchange with two downtown business owners. His departure came 13 minutes into the meeting, following public comments by Jackie and Dean Jewett, who own Radio Fryer in downtown Shelton. Both said the city is failing to address problems caused by street people downtown, including urinating and defecating on their garbage cans. Dean suggested...
Green Diamond Resource Co. forest lands in Mason and Grays Harbor counties see 20 to 30 tons of garbage dumped illegally each year, and that amount keeps rising, Policy and Communications Manager Jason Callahan told the Journal. Cleanup costs for the company have also increased fivefold in the past few years, he said. Disposing of just one RV can cost $1,300, “and we get a number of those every year,” Callahan said. Green Diamond has cleaned up all types of garbage dumped on their property, including household garbage, old boats, cars, app...
In about 1905, a school was built in the Pickering area of Mason County. Because there was only one student at the time, the building may have been intended as a temporary structure. In June 1912, a new, more permanent Grant School was built on logged-off land overlooking Pickering Passage. By November 1917, 12 students attended the new school and by 1928, 28 students attended in grades one through eight. According to the Journal, on Nov. 26, 1915, "The greatest social event of the season was...
Hot, dry weather has descended on Western Washington, causing a variety of burn bans for Mason County. The Department of Natural Resources has issued a statewide burn ban through Sept. 30. The DNR can extend or shorten the date depending on fire conditions, according to a news release. The Mason County Fire Marshal also implemented restrictions through that date, subject to changing conditions. All outdoor burning, including campfires in firepits, charcoal briquettes and any other equipment that creates ash is prohibited on all lands in the cou...
State Route 106 blocked after crash A suspected drunken driver allegedly caused a head-on collision on state Route 106 north of Twanoh State Park Sunday, injuring three people. Bremerton woman Katharine Cuyle, 40, was driving westbound near Twanoh Tides Drive at 7:25 p.m. when she crossed the center line and struck a vehicle driven by Sergey Bezzabara, 44, of Federal Way, according to the Washington State Patrol. The accident blocked both lanes. Cuyle was taken to St. Michael Medical Center in Silverdale and Bezzabara and two of his three...
Patio & Bake sale hosted in Allyn St. Hugh Episcopal Church hosts its 33rd annual Patio & Bake Sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at 280 E. Wheelwright St., Allyn, off Lakeland Boulevard. Proceeds benefit Mason County agencies. The offerings will include collectibles, linens, household items, jewelry, plants, books, games, tools, sports equipment, pies, breads and fresh baked cinnamon rolls. Book sale benefits Shelton library programs The Friends of the Shelton Timberland Library host a small book sale from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at 710...
A $14-million state Department of Ecology loan will help Harstene Point Water and Sewer District, on Harstine Island, update 50-year-old lines and reduce operating costs, according to General Manager Jeff Palmer. “We are very excited to receive this loan, which is $14 million, but $5 million of it is forgivable principle, bringing it down to $9 million in repayable,” Palmer told the Journal. DOE provided the money from its clean water fund at 1.2% interest. “Washington’s clean water funding is a mix of state and federal funds dedicated toward...
Fire District 12 commissioners agreed to change regular business meeting days to 6 p.m. the second and fourth Wednesdays of every month at a meeting July 3. Meetings are currently at the Matlock Grange, 61 West Beeville Road in Matlock. The district is also getting a new website at mason12.org, which should be up and running soon, acting Chief Mike Brown said. Brown gave an update on maintenance happening on apparatus and emergency equipment at Station 1 during the meeting. “We’re making headway,” he said. Oil filters on the vehicles haven’t be...
The Kristmas Town Kiwanis' 19th annual Bluegrass from the Forest music festival was Friday to Sunday at the South Mason Youth Soccer Park on Johns Prairie Road in Shelton. This year's festival featured eight bluegrass bands, camping and kids activities....
Donn Knox splits wood, smokes salmon, kayaks and makes apple cider from the trees on his Agate property. He reads avidly, books about history and geography, but never fiction. He's built three houses, including the house he shares with his wife, Nancy, with a view of the Harstine Island bridge. "He is probably the most active person I've ever known," said his daughter, Stephanie Nichols. On Saturday, the World War II veteran turns 100 years old. A Mason County resident since 1989, he'll be...
Next week is “Paddle Safe Week,” as proclaimed by Gov. Jay Inslee July 22 – 28, with support from Washington State Parks. “Paddle Safe Week is a great opportunity to help reduce paddle sports-related fatalities by sharing resources and educating the community on how to recreate safely,” Boating Program Manager Rob Sendak said in a news release. The best way to stay safe while paddling is to wear a life jacket, according to WSP, and having at least one Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each person on board all vessels, including canoes, k...
The three-day Allyn Days Salmon Bake and Geoduck Festival begins Friday with Music in the Park, a free event on the main stage at Port of Allyn Waterfront Park, where all the events take place. The Allyn Community Association will have a hamburger and hot dog stand and Bent Bine Brewery will be serving “new, fresh summer beers,” according to the association. The lineup: 4 to 4:30 p.m.: Samuel and the Band Who Knows, a local country-rock band. 5 to 6 p.m.: Jason Rogers, a Grapeview guitar player/singer performing classic rock. 7 to 8 p.m.: King...
Must be hot because the water supply from the well ran low. Two more deaths this week. Girl Scouts came out for the day and enjoyed the canal. Mary went swimming several times. End of the raspberry season and the beginning of the wild blackberry season. Baking was done. Monday, July 10, 1950 This was a cold windy day and I got up early and ironed. Then at 9 a.m. ran up to Mae Housen's where I called on the phone for about 45 minutes. To Belfair, got my money orders and home. They had breakfast...
Ballots for the Aug. 6 primary election were mailed Monday to Mason County voters. In the two Mason County Commission contests, the two candidates who receive the most votes will square off in the November general election. Mason County Commissioner Randy Neatherlin, an independent, is seeking a fourth four-year term representing District 1 on the commission. He faces two Republican challengers, Ted Jackson and William Harris, both of Allyn. Republicans Richard Beckman and Pat Tarzwell, and Tom Beben, who states no party preference, are seeking...
The Shelton School District is proposing a $81.8 million budget for the 2024-25 school year that includes $2.9 million in reductions, mostly to staff cuts. Brenda Trogstad, the district's assistant superintendent of finances and operations, and Superintendent Wyeth Jessee gave a presentation on the proposed budget Tuesday evening to the Shelton School Board. Following a closed executive session, the board also voted unanimously to approve the superintendent's contract through 2027. Trogstad comp...
Fire crews are monitoring the area underneath the High Steel Bridge after a wildfire started there July 4, according to the U.S. Forest Service. No active suppression is happening now because the terrain is too dangerous for firefighters, but the Vincent Creek fire appears to be out, Keith Alholm, public affairs specialist with Olympic National Forest, told the Journal. “There are no active flames or smoke,” Alholm said. A helicopter dumped water on the fire and engines sprayed water down at the flames from the bridge, according to the For...
City receives zero library project bids No contractors offered bids to repair the Shelton Timberland Library deck. The Shelton City Council was scheduled to give preliminary approval at its July 2 meeting to awarding a contract to install a new waterproof membrane and steel safety railing to meet building and safety codes and "provide a more aesthetically pleasing public space." But City Manager Mark Ziegler announced that the city hadn't received any bids yet for the project. The invitation to...
Bluegrass from the Forest this weekend Eight bands, the Chick Rose School of Bluegrass and campground jams are among the musical offerings at the Kristmas Town Kiwanis' 19th annual Bluegrass from the Forest music festival Friday through Sunday at the South Mason Youth Soccer Park in Shelton. A weekend pass is $45 and includes admission to all events Friday through Sunday. A family weekend pass, which includes two adults and as many as four children, is $90. Passes for specific afternoons or...
Central Mason Fire & EMS Chief Jeff Snyder joined state Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz on July 2 at the site of last year's McEwan Fire to talk about fire safety on forest lands. Snyder gave a brief history of the McEwan Fire that started on the Fourth of July last year around 2 p.m. Central Mason was dispatched to a possible brush fire behind Rainbow Lake and units arrived within minutes, he said. The fire was about one-fourth of an acre but there was "rapid fire growth," Snyder...
