Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
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Since the first edition of the Shelton-Mason County Journal rolled off the press in 1886, three years before the state of Washington joined the union, the Journal has been dedicated to covering the news and events that affect the City of Shelton and Mason County at large. From cover to cover, the newspaper our readers pick up is written by people who live in the area about things that happen here. Whether it's the Shelton City Council, the Board of Mason County Commissioners, one of our...
Ours is to question. Ink-stained wretches at weekly newspapers like this one were at one time content to put out the best newspaper they could muster, once a week. If something really big happened, like downtown burning to the ground, they’d put out a special edition, usually called an “Extra.” Our big-city cousins, often faced with a cross-town rival, would do the same but for the most part, people who wanted to know the latest news turned to their favorite radio station at the top of the hour....
When I took over as editor of the Shelton-Mason County Journal in the second half of 2020, it wasn't a role I'd ever had before. Nearly all of my journalism career had been spent as a sports reporter and page designer, and I'm not sure I ever saw myself taking over the top job in a newsroom. When the position opened that year, I decided that if I was ever going to take a shot at it, it was the time and place to do it. I was fortunate to have a supportive owner in Tom Mullen and publisher in...
How much government is too much? How much is too little? The answer to that probably depends on whom you ask. I’m of the mind that efficiency is much more important than size. A few weeks ago, Island Lake Fire — formally known as Mason County Fire Protection District 11 — submitted a ballot measure that, if approved by the district’s voters, would see Island Lake merge with and be absorbed by Central Mason Fire & EMS. Personally, I really hope it passes. Why? Well for one, there are too many mi...
In a few days time, the calendar will again flip forward to usher in a new year. Ready or not, 2023 is here. To our faithful readers, those of us here at the Shelton-Mason County Journal would like to say thank you for your support during the past year. While layoffs and closures have wreaked havoc on journalism across the state and country, the Journal has continued to thrive because of you. And that's why our staff is committed to bringing you the best possible newspaper every week. Whether...
After a fall that included several months of lead-up to the midterm elections and a busy high school sports season, last week afforded me a chance to get away from the Journal's office for a few days to recharge. It felt good and allowed me an opportunity I haven't yet had during my four years here in the Evergreen State. My parents and much of my family are a 14-hour drive away in Idaho and Utah and with the general unpredictability of wintertime weather on Interstate 84 through eastern Oregon...
Does the truth matter? Here at the Journal it does. During much of the campaign season, the newspaper has strived to stay above the fray of acrimony that has surrounded our political discourse. We have a long history of not endorsing candidates for office, something I am proud that we continued this year. What we do stand up for, however, is the truth. Why? Because the truth DOES matter. The race for Mason County auditor between incumbent Democrat Paddy McGuire and his Republican challenger...
The Washington Newspaper Publisher’s Association had its annual convention and awards gala this past weekend in Bellingham. The Journal captured 20 awards, including a second-place finish in General Excellence, which judges newspapers on their overall quality. Additionally, Journal staff won awards for advertising, youth-oriented content, writing and photography. One particular award stood out for me. In Topical Columns, Mark Woytowich’s “On The Trail” outdoors column captured third place....
Around 8 p.m. Sunday night, Washington State Patrol and Mason County Sheriff’s Office responded to a fatal accident between a car and man sitting in the road on state Route 3 near Deer Creek north of Shelton. A news memo from State Patrol says the driver was not impaired and that the man in the road is the cause of the crash. About 10 miles south and 30 minutes earlier, State Patrol and MSCO went to a motorcycle accident on U.S. Highway 101 near its intersection with Old Olympic Highway South b...
Welcome to the circus. This week marks the beginning of the 2022 general election season here at the Shelton-Mason County Journal. Starting with this week’s edition of the paper, the Journal will begin running a series of question-and-answer pages with the candidates in the Nov. 8 election. This week, we look at the races for Mason County assessor, Mason County sheriff and the 6th Congressional District. You can see the planned schedule in the breakout box. Both candidates in each race are asked...
“I hope my hand is guided right.” Those were the final words of Mark Woytowich’s “On The Go” column in last week’s Shelton-Mason County Journal. They were the final printed words of his life. On Friday, Woytowich suffered a heart attack and died at Mason General Hospital in Shelton. The loss for our community is immeasurable, most of all for his wife, Linda. When he sent in his column last week, he told me it was “a bit of a love letter to my wife, as you will see. And some of the hardest-culle...
As the editor of the Shelton-Mason County Journal, with the knowledge that 2022 was a major local election year - nearly all countywide offices will be on the ballot - I made a decision at the start of the year to keep the newspaper neutral to the best of my ability. I asked my reporters to use secondary sources whenever possible instead of those who were up for re-election, unless that person was speaking directly in their official capacity instead of a candidate. That's an important... Full story
In a short email conversation with Mason County Auditor Paddy McGuire, I learned that as of Monday afternoon the turnout of the 2021 General Election is just 13.5 percent. McGuire wrote that was “pretty typical” and puts the county on track for a turnout of about 45 percent. We can do better than that. Last year’s General Election, which included a presidential and gubernatorial ballot, Mason County’s turnout was 84.94% I get it. Everyone gets excited by the major leagues, but let’s face it,...
