Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
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The Port of Allyn commissioners appointed a four-member water systems subcommittee at Monday’s regular meeting. The subcommittee will “focus on matters related to the port’s water system operations, planning, and policy recommendations,” according to port documents. “Basically, it’s going to be a subcommittee that’s going to work with commissioners. Commissioners have the full authority to approve or disapprove any decision,” Commissioner John Sheridan said. Subcommittee members will review the port’s current water system operations and re...
North Mason High School's band performed at Phil Pugh Stadium for the televised Fox Local Halftime Show during the Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals game Nov. 24. The game was a win for the Seahawks and a win for NMHS Band Director Chris Drewry and student drum majors Athena Bautista and Carl Lewis, who all spoke with "Good Day Seattle" about the experience Nov. 27. "Today, our students got the chance to pull back the curtain and see the wizards behind a major television station, all while...
The North Mason School Board unanimously approved a superintendent recruitment flyer after a study session Nov. 25. The position is now open for applicants through Jan. 5. Search firm Ray & Associates presented results from stakeholders’ meetings and surveys at the workshop to identify qualities wanted by the community in a uperintendent to replace Dana Rosenbach, who will retire in June. “Stakeholders really emphasized the need for consistent, transparent communication and a leader who not only sets clear expectations but ensures fol...
Port of Allyn commissioners are taking a “time out” on signing a water connection agreement with MTT Construction, Commissioner John Sheridan said at Monday’s special meeting to discuss the contract. “We are not going to make any decisions today” Commissioner Judy Scott said. MTT plans on buying lots in the Allyn plat from Batjack Holdings, J & J Development and Cedarland Homes, all governed by Joseph Cedarland, according to state corporate filings. Cedarland called the contract “burdensome” at the meeting. “There’s no way as a builder I would...
A boil water advisory for the Grapeview School District, issued Nov. 8 due to E. coli, is still in effect, according to the state Department of Health. Pumps recently installed in a well that supplies water for the school may have allowed the contamination, Superintendent Gerald Grubbs told the Herald in an email. Students are receiving sack lunches from the kitchen until the advisory is lifted, he said. The school’s kitchen has been closed by Mason County Public Health due to the advisory, Environmental Health Manager Ian Tracy told the H...
Olympic College has lowered student competency grade requirements from a “B” to a “C” to qualify for college credit in the Career and Technical Education Courses, according to a presentation at the North Mason School Board meeting Monday. North Mason students can now receive college credit “upon successful completion of the dual credit course with a grade of ‘C’ (2.0) or better,” according to a letter from the Olympic College CTE Dual Credit Office. CTE is expanding and focusing on developing the Health Science program into multiple pathwa...
Port of Allyn commissioners agreed to explore leasing the port’s meeting room several days a week to Grassroots Learning, a family-based education co-op, at the port’s special meeting Monday. “This is the ideal location with the Port’s waterfront park just outside, where the children already come each day to play,” Executive Director Travis Merrill wrote in a report. The co-op would lease the space from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday – Friday or Tuesday – Thursday, according to Merrill. Grassroots offers “a hybrid of homeschooling and group learn...
Port of Allyn commissioners approved the 2025 budget at their Oct. 7 meeting, laying the groundwork for a better year. “2024 was just a year of surviving,” Erin Civilla, the port’s accountant, said, adding 2025 “is going to be good.” Executive Director Lary Coppola died Sept. 30, 2023, a few weeks after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. LeAnn Dennis replaced Coppola and died suddenly on Christmas Day in 2023. Travis Merrill, now the port’s executive director, quickly took over administrative duties. Over the next months, Merrill att...
When North Mason School District Superintendent Dana Rosenbach announced her retirement in August, the board began preparing for her replacement. Rosenbach will work throughout the school year and retire June 30. At a special meeting Monday, the board interviewed four search firms and will choose one at the regular Oct. 28 meeting to lead the hunt for Rosenbach’s successor. Ray & Associates, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates, McPherson & Jacobson LLC and Northwest Leadership Associates submitted proposals for the board to review. “We have bee...
A derelict vessel has been at the Port of Allyn and the owner owes $816 in moorage fees as of Sept. 20, according to Executive Director Travis Merrill's report presented at a special meeting Sept. 25. Since then, the owner has made "small payments," but has not paid off the debt, Merrill told the Herald. Vessel WN 1504 SA has phone numbers and email addresses "clearly listed on the vessel," Merrill wrote in his report, so the port was able to make contact. Merrill said he left messages throughou...
If freshmen start the school year with good grades and regular attendance, success will follow, North Mason High School Assistant Principal Steve Hackett said at the Sept. 23 monthly board meeting. “We all know the data for freshmen. It’s the biggest year. If that year can be successful, the rest of their high school — everything is set up really well,” Hackett said. North Mason wants to “get kids on the right track early,” he said. Last September, 24% of freshmen were failing one class. By June, the number dropped to 14%, according t...
While some Mason County residents spent their summer vacation chasing the sun, North Mason Firefighter/EMT Elli Lechner took leave to volunteer as an instructor at Camp Blaze, a weeklong camp where young women can try out a firefighting career. Teenagers ages 16 to 19 participate in live fire training, vehicle extraction, aerial ladder climbing, hose handling and rappelling, among other activities, according to the camp's website. "Think summer camp meets fire academy," Lechner told the Herald....
North Mason Timberland Library seeks user input The North Mason Timberland Library in Belfair is asking users to take a survey to “better understand your needs, preferences and experiences with our library system,” according to its website. Staff want feedback to help decide priorities for the library. The survey takes about five minutes, according to the library and responses are anonymous. The survey is at www.trl.org. North Mason Chamber hosts cocktail party The North Mason Chamber of Commerce hosts a free end-of-summer cocktail party fro...
Port of Allyn commissioners unanimously approved a $25,000 refund of a deposit paid by a memory care center for an application of determination of water quality. “It’s a formality at this point,” Commissioner John Sheridan said. Ronald and Debra Jamerson were developing the assisted living facility in Allyn. “We are unable to proceed with the project,” Ronald Jamerson wrote in a letter to the port requesting the refund. The port discussed returning the money at July’s meeting when Executive Director Travis Merrill said the port doesn’t have a r...
Sunny skies greeted hundreds of visitors at the Grapeview Community Association's 29th annual Grapeview Water & Art Festival Saturday at the Fair Harbor Marina. Seafood lovers dined on 300 pounds of clams and other offerings. Kids enjoyed building boats, tree houses and other items, while golfers swung for a hole in one on a barge parked in the water. An event record 51 Northwest artists and crafters sold their wares....
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...
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...
Port of Allyn commissioners agreed to drop “interim” from Executive Director Travis Merrill’s title at the July 1 regular meeting. Merrill has been the interim director since January, after former Interim Executive Director LeAnn Dennis died in December 2023. Dennis was serving in the position after Executive Director Lary Coppola died in October. “You’ve earned your title.” Commissioner Judy Scott said. Port discusses $25K refund Port of Allyn Commissioners tabled discussion on a $25,000 refund for connection hookup fees paid last year by Rona...
Changes coming to the North Mason School District’s Highly Capable Program should see more students qualify for the program, Savannah Elliott, district assessment coordinator highly capable services coordinator, told the North Mason School Board on June 24. Starting in the fall, a new ability test for students in kindergarten through 12th grade will use nonverbal methods that are good for use with a diverse student population, Elliott said. She told the board how the hiCap program has evolved. In previous years, a single data point could d...
Port of Allyn commissioners approved a contract with WestSound Engineering to redesign a plan to incorporate the Allyn Carey Water System into the port’s system at a special meeting June 10. Commissioner Judy Scott said she’d worked with WestSound Engineering before. “I’ve been pleased with their work,” Scott said. Scott and Commissioner Michael Curtain approved the $14,922 contract. Commissioner John Sheridan did not attend the meeting. Interim Executive Director Travis Merrill said that he and Jeff Carey met with WestSound engineer Michael J...
Belfair Clinic’s primary care clients knew when Dr. Raul Dominguiano unexpectedly left his practice there in January something was amiss. Former patients told the Herald their beloved “Dr. D” would never walk out on them without notice unless Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, who operates the clinic in collaboration with Mason County Public Hospital District No. 2, was involved. Belfair resident Monna Haugen told the Herald in March that her partner had an appointment with Dominguiano on Jan. 6, but received a call the morning of the visit...
he port’s water system satellite management company at the June 3 meeting. Northwest Water Systems in Port Orchard will be dropped for the smaller H2O Water Management Services in Mason County. Interim Executive Director Travis Merrill recommended the change due to dubious Northwest Water charges, he said. “Northwest Water has been billing us for tests that aren’t required for the last two years,” Merrill said. He also found several “errors in billing,” he told commissioners. Some tests done in 2023 and 2024 include gross alpha and radium test...
