Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
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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...
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...
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...
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...
Four receive parks advisory board terms The Shelton City Council on March 1 appointed four people to its Parks and Recreation Committee, two of them continuing their service and two new to the group. Debra Dozier and Sue Patterson will continue with new four-year terms. Melissa Stearns and Mel Schneider applied for the remaining openings. Stearns will serve a four-year term, and Schneider will fulfill the term vacated by Chris Wright through the end of this year. The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee makes recommendations to the city...
Commissioners sign SR3 Freight Corridor funding letter County commissioners signed a letter to the legislative transportation committees regarding the state Route 3 Freight Corridor. According to the information packet, the letter is addressed to Sen. Marko Lias, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. Curtis King, ranking member of the Senate Transportation Committee, Rep. Jake Fey, chair of the House Transportation Committee and Rep. Andrew Barkis, ranking member of the House Transportation Committee. The letter supports an...
State Route 302 near Victor closed until further notice Heavy rainfall triggered roadway settlement and sloughing, causing state Route 302 to close east of Victor in Mason County. According to a state Department of Transportation news release, An 80-foot section of highway settled more than 6 inches and WSDOT is in the process of identifying what work is needed to reopen the highway. Only local traffic is allowed from milepost 1 in Mason County to milepost 7.5 in Pierce County. People who usually use state Route 302 will need to use a 22-mile d...
MacEwen introduces bill to divest public funds from Russia Rep. Drew MacEwen, R-Union, has introduced a bill that would require state agencies in the state to cancel outstanding contracts with Russian companies. Because the legislative session is slated to end March 10, the bill is unlikely to be heard this session. According to a news release from House Republicans, MacEwen co-introduced the bill with Rep. Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn. It would require the state investment board to divest from its pension and other investments Russian companies....
The Shelton City Council on Tuesday postponed a decision on proposed animal ordinances that would limit the number of chickens to five hens, and require dogs to be walked on leashes that can’t extend beyond 20 feet. The council gave preliminary approval to new animal ordinances at its Feb. 15 meeting. At Tuesday’s meeting, council member Joe Schmit made a motion to postpone the decision until the council discusses the wording at a study session April 12. That motion passed unanimously. Under the proposed ordinance, residents in neighborhoods in...
Contract amended for fire investigation services Mason County commissioners amended an agreement between the city and the Mason County Fire Chiefs’ Association at its March 1 meeting. According to the information packet, the scope of work includes “investigations into origin, cause, circumstances and extent of loss from fire whether of civil or criminal nature” and “to ensure cooperation among local fire districts, the state fire marshal and all state and county law enforcement and regulatory personnel.” One of five criteria is needed fo...
The Shelton Yacht Club announced Jim Ross is the 2022 commodore. According to a news release, Ross and his wife, Joanne, retired and moved to Washington in 2013. Ross joined the yacht club in 2017 and was elected rear commodore in 2020 and was vice commodore in 2021. Ross owned a 36-foot Grand Banks Trawler while living in Southern California. In 2016, the couple bought a Ranger Tug 27. In Dec. 2020, they traded for a 39-foot main ship 390. Ross's theme for the club's cruise schedule is...
Olympic National Forest gets money to repair damage Olympic National Forest received $1.7 million in disaster relief money to help access along Forest Service Road 29. According to a news release, the road has been closed since November due to debris flow and washouts caused by extreme weather. As a vital emergency route, the money will allow for installation of temporary structures that will allow access through the northwest portion of the Olympic Peninsula. Preliminary work, including design and planning, is underway by staff to prepare...
New display coming to Civic Center gallery Photographs by Deborah Chava Singer and pencil-on-paper pieces by Sara Dobbs will on display during March at the Shelton Civic Center’s Rotating Arts Gallery. The Shelton City Council on Feb. 15 voted unanimously to accept the displays. The Shelton Arts Commission recommended the pieces after soliciting submissions from local artists. City seeking civil service commissioner The City of Shelton is accepting applications to fill a voluntary vacancy on the Civil Service Commission. The applicants must b...
Sewer hearing moved to 6 p.m. Mason County commissioners approved moving the time of a Belfair sewer public hearing to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1. During the meeting, county resident Ken Vanbuskirk asked commissioners why the meeting was moved from 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m., and commissioner Kevin Shutty responded that it was changed so more people could attend an evening public hearing. The first public hearing was Jan. 31 at 6 p.m. through Zoom, and the hearing lasted more than four hours. After hearing from county staff and the public,...
Mason County COVID-19 cases continue to decrease The county saw a decline in COVID-19 cases, recording 284 cases from Feb. 7 to Sunday. According to Mason County Division of Emergency Management, the seven-day case rate per 100,000 is 1,075.4 and the 14-day case rate is 2,146.2. Only one person was hospitalized as of Sunday and the county is 57.4% vaccinated. Several places in Mason County have COVID test kits and N95 masks. According to Mason County Director of Community Services Dave Windom, N95 masks are in Shelton at the Shelton Catholic...
Annas Bay Closure Response Plan amended An amendment to the closure plan for Annas Bay Shellfish Protection District was approved at the Mason County commissioners Feb. 1 meeting. According to the information packet, the original plan was completed in August 2018 and was amended in November 2018 before this amendment. The money for this plan is provided by the Hood Canal Coordinating Council. In September 2017, the state Department of Health changed the classification of approximately 1,220 acres of Annas Bay Commercial Shellfish Growing Area t...
Hood Canal Communications receives $5.3 million in grant money Hood Canal Communications announced the award of a $5.3 million broadband grant received from the Washington State Broadband Office in partnership with the Washington Independent Telecommunications Association. According to a news release, the grant is to extend broadband to residents and businesses in several unserved, low-density pockets of Mason County. HCC will contribute about $600,000 in matching money to bring the total...
Four appointed to MTA board Mason County commissioners appointed four new Mason Transit Authority Board members at the Feb. 1 commissioners meeting. According to the information packet, John Sheridan, Sandy Tarzwell, Wes Martin and John Campbell were appointed to the MTA board. Sheridan lives in Belfair and is on the Port of Allyn commission. Tarzwell lives in Shelton and is on the Shelton School Board. Martin lives in Grapeview and is on the Grapeview School Board. John Campbell is on the North Mason School Board. The commissioners received...
Belfair sewer hearing Monday The Belfair Sewer Project public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday through Zoom. The link to join the Zoom call for public comment can be found at masoncountywa.gov. Questions and comments can be emailed ahead of time to [email protected], mailed to the commissioner’s office at 411 North 5th Street, Shelton, or call 360-427-9670, ext. 230. During the public comment portion of the Jan. 18 commissioners meeting, two people commented on the Belfair Sewer Project. Greg Sypnicki said he watched the March 2...
Little Creek Casino hosting vaccine clinic Friday Little Creek Casino is hosting a vaccine clinic from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday. According to a Mason Health Facebook post, Moderna and Pfizer boosters and Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccine doses will be available. The clinic will be at the Skookum Creek Event Center, 91 W. state Route 108, Shelton. Anyone interested can register for the clinic by scanning a QR code on the flier. Work on North 13th Street Monday Shelton has hired a private contractor to work on North 13th Street...
Of the 16 fatal and serious vehicle accidents that occurred in Shelton from 2016 to 2020, 10 involved pedestrians and bicyclists. “This was a startling percentage of the crashes,” consultant Ryan Shea of SCJ Alliance of Lacey on Tuesday told the Shelton City Council. The council voted unanimously to give final approval to a Road Safety Plan developed by the city and SCJ Alliance. The council gave preliminary approval at its Jan. 4 meeting. The city will use the plan to apply for a share of $35 million of federal Highway Safety Improvement Pro...
