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Mason County
Thursda3 April 10, 2014 - Week 15 - The Voice of Mason County since 1886 m $1
Petition: VAN J U M P S C U R B
Remove
planters
in city
By GORDON WEEKS
gordon@masoncoun corn
At a Shelton City Com-
mission retreat in January,
Public Works Director Greg
Clark told the commissioners
that overgrown city trees are
cracking sidewalks and block-
ing the vision of drivers at
stop signs and lights.
Clark proposed that the city
remove the overgrown trees,
and replace them with young
trees placed in large containers.
see PLANTERS, page A-13
1 i-
Opinion Page A-4
Journal of Record Page A-16
Living Page A-19
Business News Page A-21
Obituaries Page AL22
Belfair Herald Page A-25
Sports Page B-1
Classifieds Page B-8
Legals Page B-10
Crossword Page B-11
Sudoku Page B-11
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Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
No one was injured when this van jumped a curb at the cornof Seventh and Alder streets in Shelton on Tuesday. The
driver turned right from Alder Street to Seventh Street and to the turn too wide, clipping another car, said Sgt. Virgil
Pentz of the Shelton Police Department. The driver then overCorrected, driving over a sidewalk and through a fence,
landing on a tree in this front yard.
Drug court graduate overcomes odds
Sheton man, 34, one ofjust 53
to complete county program
natalie@masoncoun com
Benjamin Betsch has been c]ean and
sober for more than 400 days, or about 13
months. This is the first time he can say
that in 20 years.
On March 31, Betsch, 34, graduated
from Mason County Drug Court.
"I was really desperate for change,"
the Shelton resident said. "I value the
quality of life you can live sober."
Betsch was joined by family, friends,
his fianc6e and members of the drug
court team,' including attorneys, judges
and counselors, at his graduation last
week.
"We have watched you grow in this
program, watched you struggle, watched
you overcome," Mason County Court
Commissioner Robert Sauerlender said.
"I've seen you grow in this program to be
an encouragement to these participants
and to this team ... it's been a pleasure to
have you in our program."
Since 2003, 53 people have successful-
ly completed Mason County's drug court
and graduated from the program..
Drug court is .an alternative sentenc-
ing program. People recently convicted
of drug-related crimes can apply for drug
court.
"The program is built on accountabil-
ity, discipline and respect," program ad-
ministrator Harris Haertel said.
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
Benjamin Betsch graduated from Mason County's drug court March 31. He
said the program taught him to be accountable and take responsibility for his
actions.
If accepted, a participant must take
part in regular addiction counseling, join
a 12-step program with a sponsor, com-
plete Moral Recognition Therapy (MRT),
get a driver's license and either get a
job or take college or GED classes. Par-
ticipants must attend weekly or twice-
monthly court hearings to check on their
progress.
"This is a multi-faceted program de-
signed to change an addict's thinking,"
said drug court volunteer Dean Byrd,
a retired chief deputy with the Mason
County Sheriffs Office.
Betsch entered drug court on Feb. 15,
2013, after being convicted for possession
of methamphetamine.
He had been in and out of the court
system and jail in Mason County since he
was 13 years old.
"I feel like I'm kind of growing up," he
said, the day after his graduation. "I just
grew up never having goals, never having
a direction in my life."
see GRADUATE, page A-28
