County Briefs

State Parks urge Fourth of July responsibility

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission encourages safe gatherings in state parks during the Fourth of July weekend.

According to a news release, the commission urges visitors to check for closures and alerts before heading out and leave no trace by packing out trash and anything they have brought with them, and all fireworks must be extinguished.

Parks asks people to practice fire safety by keeping them small and contained and respect beach closures to protect wildlife and marine habitats. People must leave the beaches by 11 p.m. and avoid getting their car stuck in high tide.

Fireworks are legal on ocean beaches, but are illegal on state park lands, including beaches in front of state parks.

Beaches with no restrictions are allowed fireworks from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. today through July 3, 9 a.m. to midnight July 4 and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 5.

For more information, go to parks.wa.gov.

Mason Transit sees increase in riders

June was Ride Transit Month and it was a good month for Mason Transit Authority, seeing an increase in riders on buses and the Dial-A-Ride service.

According to a news release, fixed route bus ridership has almost doubled to 13,131 riders in May from January. Dial-A-Ride served 2,114 riders and has grown 62%. The largest growth in bus riders is the routes from Shelton to Olympia and Bremerton.

“We have worked to make transit easier to use and more convenient,” Mason Transit General Manager Amy Asher said in a news release. “We also know that climbing gas prices have given people greater incentive to ride. Within Mason County, transit is free. That’s helping a lot of families manage their budgets.”

For more information about Mason Transit services, visit masontransit.org.

Shutty completes leadership program in Washington, D.C.

Mason County Board of Commissioners Chair Kevin Shutty joined a group of leaders in county government from across the country to participate in the County Leadership Institute, a program developed by the National Association of Counties and the Beacon Leadership Collaborative.

“The County Leadership Institute provides an immersive, hands-on professional development experience that will help us set and accomplish goals in Mason County,” said Shutty. “This was a unique opportunity to learn from experts and work with other county leaders as we strengthened our skills to tackle some of our greatest challenges. I am excited to bring the new skills and partnerships developed at the Institute to help our community lead our region and compete for opportunities statewide.”

The institute has graduated 377 leaders from over 172 counties across 45 states. This year’s program focused on the demands of personal leadership.

Mason Health unveils new X-ray imaging system

Mason Health has unveiled a new universal multifunctional X-ray imaging system, the Shimadzu SONIALVISION G4 LX, made possible by a donation from a patient.

According to a news release, the imaging system’s bed makes it easier for patients with limited physical abilities. The system is safer for providers with a protective shield that can be raised and lowered for providers who are in the room.

With the purchase, Shimadzu agreed to fully digitize one of Mason General Hospital’s other X-ray rooms, saving Mason Health $80,000.

“The biggest benefits are the dose reduction, the safety, and the diversity of the studies and patient types we can now see,” Mason Health’s Diagnostic Imaging Manager Shane Faford said in a news release. “Any bariatric patient we had, we used to have to send them somewhere else. The technology has now changed, and I feel relieved. We not only have state-of-the-art technology, we can use it for multiple purposes, for all the other stuff we need. We’re busier now than we have ever been.”

Jaimie Hans joins Mason General Hospital board

Mason General Hospital Foundation elected Jaimie Hans to the MGHF Board of Directors.

According to a news release, Hans has worked in health care for more than 15 years, working at nursing facilities. She moved to Mason County in 2020 to be near her parents and works as the executive director of Maple Glen Senior Community.

“As a Foundation Board member, my primary goal is to support fundraising efforts that maintain the quality of health care and access for services here in Mason County,” Hans said in a news release. “Maintaining strong community relationships and health care access is a key quality goal not only for Maple Glen and my residents, but for me and my family.”

Hans will serve a three-year term.