County Briefs

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. After April 18, voter registration applications and updates must be presented in-person at the voter center at 411 N 5th St., Shelton, and be processed by 8 p.m. on election day. Replacement ballots can be accessed online through voteWA.gov or at the voting center by calling 360-427-9670, ext. 470.

Shelton woman injured in two-car crash

A 44-year-old Shelton woman was injured in a two-car crash on state Route 102 just north of Shelton just after midnight April 1.

According to a news release, the Shelton woman was driving west on Route 102 and lost control near the corrections facility due to excessive speed. The car went off the road and struck trees before coming to rest upside down. A 27-year-old Inchelium man was driving behind the Shelton woman and swerved to avoid colliding with the Shelton vehicle and lost control, striking a tree.

Both drivers were injured and the Shelton woman was transported to Mason General Hospital and later to St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma. The road was fully closed for six hours following the crash.

High Steel Bridge to close for training today

The High Steel Bridge will close periodically to all traffic today to allow Mason County Fire District 6 to perform search and rescue training.

According to a news release, Mason County Sheriff’s Office and regional partners respond to search and rescue operations in the South Fork Skokomish Canyon under and adjacent to the bridge. Forest officials remind the public that areas surrounding the bridge are closed to the public due to the high-risk environment.

The training allows MCFD6 to mimic rescue scenarios most commonly seen at the bridge and perform operations safely.

“By only using the High Steel Bridge as a roadway visitors can keep both themselves and our partners at Mason County safe,” Deputy Forest Supervisor Susan Beall said in a news release. “This training helps prepare a response to incidents, but we expect that forest users respect the closure order and don’t trespass into the area.”

For more information about the bridge closure, contact the Quilcene office at 360-765-2200.

Kilmer legislation improves government output

Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, introduced the Improving Government for America’s Taxpayers Act to implement recommendations from the U.S. Government Accountability Office to help improve government efficiency and save taxpayers money.

According to a news release, Kilmer introduced the legislation with William Timmons, R-South Carolina. The act directs GAO to consolidate open priority recommendations in one report to be addressed to congressional leadership and relevant committees, amount of time a priority recommendation has been open for, estimated costs concerning unimplemented priority recommendations and anticipated cost-savings, identify any additional congressional oversight actions that can help agencies implement open priority recommendations and address underlying issues as part of annual reporting to agency heads and relevant congressional committees and publish the above items publicly.

“This bill is about making government work better and saving taxpayers’ money. The Government Accountability Office works tirelessly to identify areas to improve efficiency and save money. In fact, just this past year they found 112 additional actions that could make a difference for taxpayers. But that will only happen if Congress acts on those recommendations,” Kilmer said in a news release. “That’s why we’ve introduced this bipartisan legislation to streamline the process and get government working better for folks. I’m grateful for the support of Modernization Committee Vice Chair Timmons, Oversight Committee Chairwoman Maloney and Ranking Member Comer, Subcommittee on Government Operations Chairman Connolly, and others.”

Kilmer votes to lower cost of insulin

Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, voted to support legislation to lower the cost of insulin.

According to a news release, the Affordable Insulin Now Act passed the House with bipartisan support and will cap out-of-pocket expenses to ensure families pay no more than $35 for a monthly supply of insulin.

“In the greatest country on the planet, you shouldn’t go broke if you or a loved one needs medication,” Kilmer said in a news release. “Capping the cost of insulin in the United States is a common-sense move – and will save money for thousands of Washingtonians. I’ll keep working to ensure Congress passes more comprehensive legislation to bring down the costs of prescription drugs across the board.”

Free dump vouchers no longer available

The United Way of Mason County is out of free dump vouchers.

In an email to the Journal, United Way of Mason County Executive Director Ted Jackson said all 200 vouchers have been distributed to Mason County residents. If there are any questions, contact the United Way of Mason County at 360-426-4999.

Griffey bill to reopen rest areas approved with veto

Rep. Dan Griffey’s bill to reopen safety rest areas in the state was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee on March 31.

According to a news release, Griffey’s House Bill 1655 will open some safety rest areas in June.

“This bill is going to help correct this ongoing problem, which will save lives,” Griffey, R-Allyn, said in a news release. “Our truck drivers need all the help they can get. We need to make sure they can deliver the important goods we need, but we need them to be able to do it safely. Helping our truck drivers should be one of our top priorities. And anything we can do to help prevent serious and fatal injuries is a no-brainer. This action will make our roads safer and keep our economy moving.”

Inslee signed the bill into law, but according to Inslee’s website, vetoed Section 1 entitled “An ACT relating to having safety rest areas open to the public as soon as possible.”

“Section 1 describes the important role that rest stops provide to help truck drivers rest and operate safely,” a news release by Inslee’s office states. “However, it overlooks that the rest stop closures were due to a variety of reasons, including the lack of security and safety for truckers, the public and the employees at those rest stops. A similar budget proviso in Engrossed Substitute Senate Bill 5689 properly reflects the need to address security at certain rest stops in order for them to ensure the safety of these facilities. In addition, Section 1 is not necessary to implement the policies set forth in the bill.”

The bill directs the state Department of Transportation to adjust its maintenance operations to assure state-owned and operated safety rest areas are open for use except for seasonal closures or cleaning, maintenance or repairs. Some rest areas were closed in the fall of 2021 due to the pandemic.