Notice: Undefined index: HTTP_REFERER in /home/stparch/public_html/headmid_temp_main.php on line 4394
Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
January 28, 1999     Shelton Mason County Journal
PAGE 4     (4 of 36 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
 
PAGE 4     (4 of 36 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
January 28, 1999
 
Newspaper Archive of Shelton Mason County Journal produced by SmallTownPapers, Inc.
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information
Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader




00ournal of Opinion: School levytation Four local school districts are looking for some help at the polls next Tuesday, and all four proposals on the ballot deserve a long look by anyone who would reject them out of hand. Pioneer has the most intriguing proposition - to build a high school at Highway 3 and Pickering Road. Hood Canal is proposing a miniscule levy to keep its head above water, Mary M, Knight wants to build a better school in Matlock, and North Mason seeks to take ad- vantage of a new law allowing four-year maintenance- and-operations levies. Pioneer bond boosters offer a slew of reasons for building a high school. The district now sends about 400 students to Shel- ton and North Mason high schools, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars in nonhigh payments. Transportation is- sues come into play; the state doesn't pay full busing costs, some kids have to board a bus shortly after 6 a.m. to get to Shelton, and driving students to and from extracurricular ac- tivities can be a parental nightmare. The bond probably won't find many opponents in parents from the Pickering-Harstine area looking at driving their kids to practice every day. It's 8.9 miles from the proposed high-school site to SHS. Using a stan- dard mileage rate, it would cost such a parent $100 more to drive a child to SHS each month than to a new school. The school is expected to cost the owner of a $100,000 home be- tween $12 and $18 per month over the life of the 20-year bond. Proponents also say the school would become a com- munity center, Pioneer would have control of its own curriculum, student behavior is generally better at a small school than a big one, the area's growth makes a high school inevitable, and now's the time to build when interest rates are at historic lows. Vocal opponents say the information on tax rates for the bond was misleading, that a high school could act as a magnet creating growth and urban sprawl, that Pioneer should let Shelton handle high-school students and pay a share of Shel- ton's costs if the bigger district has to build another high school, that paying Shelton would cost less than building a Pioneer high school, that the bigger district can offer superior programs and that Pioneer hasn't explored a cooperative effort to build a high school with other districts. We found in talking to people about tax rates that one can look at the glass as half empty or half full. While one opponent worries that assessed valuation could slip and drive tax rates up, bond tax rates have decreased in the most recent Pioneer and Shelton cases. Pioneer ap- proved a bond for a new primary school in 1992 based on an estimated rate of $1.51 per $1,000. It's at 90 cents now. In 1988, Shelton voters approved a bond for a mid- dle school and other building improvements estimated to cost $1.13 per $1,000. It's now about 45 cents. Hood Canal faced a double whammy last year when falling enrollment cut revenue and its M&O levy failed twice. It laid off one-fourth of its teachers, It's trying to get back on its feet Tuesday with a levy that would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $6.58 a m6nth. We fail to ice the controversy in that. The school would like to buy textbooks to replace those 10-14 years old, repair equipment, do maintenance, avoid extracurricular cuts and restore reasonable class sizes in two grades. It would like to make its nonhigh payments of $170,000-plus to Shelton without ripping the funds out of its basic programs. Mary M. Knight hopes to build a new elementary school to replace its early-'60s model, a library, addi- tions to the high school and an auxiliary gym. The superintendent says simply that backers want to give MMK kids a first-class education. It would cost $275 a year for the owner of a $100,000 home. Boosters want the school to have room for its award.winning culinary arts program, a library the community can use and an additional gym to accommodate expanded programs for both sexes. And they'd like an elementary school that doesn't leak and meets modern electrical codes. North Mason seeks to maintain programs with its M&O levy that would replace a current levy and raise about $2.3 million in each of four years. It would cost an estimated $2.40 per $1,000, or a little less than the 1998 levy rate. School officials say personnel cuts are inevitable if it fails. In all four cases Tuesday, if local residents want im- provements at their schools, they're going to have to pay the freight themselves. School officials have often com- plained the state is getting stingier, forcing them to sup- port basic programs with levies. They say basic educa- tion and transportation costs aren't fully covered, and help with school construction has plummeted since the days when the state paid 75 percent of the costs. Forest revenues the state historically used have decreased, and that means the state would cover 4 percent of MMK's proposed building project and 28 percent of Pioneer's. The legislature has set up programs so that senior citizens and the disabled don't have to choose between supporting their local schools and eating. One allows them to get an exemption from special levies. The other lets them enroll in a tax-deferral program in which their property taxes are paid by the state and the money is recaptured from their estate when they die or from them when they sell their house. A few years ago while touring the newly remodeled Mason General Hospital, we met a number of acquaint- ances who said, in so many words, "This is wonderful. I can't believe little Shelton has this." We didn't want to argue with them, but our thoughts were, 'q?c'hy can't you believe it? Little Shelton can do anything it wants to do." Perhaps their comments reflected locals' rejection of many projects. The city didn't want to save the Reed Building or improve streets. The county didn't want a new criminal-justice center or park improvements. But the area has pealed up for a middle school, college and civic center, all of which got some outside help. We believe that next Tuesday, except for a minority who are destitute, the decision will be not whether they can help their local school district but whether they want to. The dozens of school staffers and citizens who have been working on tough educational issues for months, sometimes years, and have ex- planations deserve at least patrons' attention if not their votes. Vote your convictions, but don't vote "no" because you don't feel a responsibility to support your community anymore. We're all in this education business together. - CG Page 4 Shelton-Mas0n County Journal - Thursday, January 28, 1999 These are trying times By DAVE BARRY In case you've been too busy to follow the Trial Of The Century in the US Senate, here's the com- plete official transcript so far: SERGEANT AT ARMS: Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! All persons shut up and pay attention for the trial of the impeachment of the president of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton, on charges of messing around! No chewing of gum! SENATOR LOTT: At this time, in accordance with the United States Senate Big Book O'Rules, Senator Thurmond shall swear in the Chief Justice of the United States. SENATOR THURMOND: Raise your right hand. (The Chief Justice raises his hand.) SENATOR THURMOND (whispering to Senator Lott): Why is he raising his hand? SENATOR LOTT: You told him to. SENATOR THURMOND: I told WHO to? SENATOR LOTT: The Chief Justice. SENATOR THURMOND: Well, that's different. (To the Chief Justice:) Do you solemnly swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, until death do you part? THE CHIEF JUSTICE: I do. SENATOR THURMOND: You do WHAT? SENATOR LOTT: At this time, the Chief Justice shall administer the Oath Of Solemn Swearing to all senators hereintofore present. THE CHIEF JUSTICE: Do you solemnly swear that in all things appertaining to and in pursuance of the trial of the impeachment of William James Madison Clinton, cross your heart and hope to die, including engine and transmis- sion for three years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first? SENATORS: I do. THE CHIEF JUSTICE: At this time, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee shall pres- ent the Articles of Impeachment of President Abraham Lincoln Clinton. REPRESENTATIVE HYDE (presenting the articles): Check out these babies. SENATORS: Whoa. SENATOR KENNEDY: Does anybody want that cigar? THE CHfEF JUSTICE: The ar- ticles of impeachment of Presi- dent William Woodrow Wilson having been presented, the Ma- jority I,eader and the Minority Leader shall now proceed with the Choosing Of Who Goes First. SENATOR LOTT and SENA- TOR DASCHLE: Once, twice, three ... shoot! THE CHIEF JUSTICE: The Chair observes that the Minority Leader made a rock and the Ma- jority Leader made paper. The Chair rules that paper beats rock. SENATOR DASCHLE: I didn't make a rock! I made a crab! SENATOR LOTT: Objection! This is Rock, Paper, Scissors! You can't make a crab! SENATOR DASCttLE: Yes I canl Look! He's waving his claws! CHIEF JUSTICE: The Chair rules that paper beats crab. The prosecution shall proceed. REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: For its first witness, the prosecu- tion calls to the stand White House aide Sidney Blumenthal. Mr. Blumenthal, please state your name. MR. BLUMENTHAL: I don't recall. SENATOR THURMOND: Me either. REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: Mr. Blumenthal, would it be fair to state that you remind a lot of people of some kind of burrowing carnivore? PERRY MASON: Objection, your honor! He's badgering the witness! REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: I'll withdraw the question. The prosecution calls as its next wit- ness Monica S. Lewinsky. Miss Lewinsky, on the evening of No- vember 15, 1995, did you go to the White House wearing "thong" style underwear? MISS LEWINSKY: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: And are these the underwear in question? PERRY MASON: Objection! He's wearing them backward! THE CHIEF JUSTICE: The Chair will allow it. REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: And while you were thus bethonged, Miss Lewinsky, did the president, William Baines Johnson, to your knowledge, com- mit a high crime or misdemeanor or take some form of gander? SENATOR THURMOND: Arc we voting on Barbecue Safety Awareness Week? REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: Not right now. SENATOR THURMOND: Good, because I'm against it. MISS LEWINSKY: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: Yes WHAT? MISS LEWINSKY: I don't re- call. SENATOR THURMOND: Or maybe I'm for it. THE CHIEF JUSTICE: You know, The Chair has been think- ing, and The Chair is starting to wonder if maybe crab beats pa- per, after all. Because the crab could EAT the paper, right? Is The Chair right? SENATOR LOTT: How come you always refer to yourself as "The Chair?" THE CHIEF JUSTICE: The Chair doesn't know; The Chair just always has. Even as a child, The Chair would tell its mother, "Wah! The Chair wants a bottle!" Speaking of which, The Chair could eat a horse. All in favor of lunch say "Aye." SENATORS: Aye! SENATOR THURMOND: You may now kiss the bride. SENATOR KENNEDY: This thing tastes TERRIBLE. Childcare obstacle for needy Editor, The Journal: On April 17, 1998, when Gov- ernor Gary Locke signed into law the Engrossed House Bill 3901 (Washington Work First Tempo- rary Assistance to Needy Fami- lies or TANF), he surely could not have known what the long- term repercussions would be. The Washington State Legislature has imposed the maximum length of time to receive TANF at 60 months. On August 1, 1997, the clock began ticking for all open cases. Through 1998, single parents with a child under 12 months of age did not have to participate in Work First. In 1999, single par- ents with a child over 3 months of What is the TV show featuring scary stories about former spouses? "The Ex-Files." I age must participate in Work First. In order for the majority of welfare clients to be successful in their transition to work, they must find childcare for one or more children. In Mason County, and most especially in the rural areas, this presents an insur- mountable obstacle to successful employment. The problem is threefold. First, there are a very limited number of childcare facilities and licensed family daycare homes. Secondly, the number of those serving chil- dren under 3 years of age as well as children with special needs is very small. Lastly, almost all the homes and facilities operate their programs during traditional work hours, which doesn't meet the need for those workers in service jobs or those who must commute outside of the county for work. However, there are now in- centives for providers to offer birth-to-3 services and nontradi- tional hours. This is an issue that crosses all economic barriers. A two-parent family, both professional working people, expecting their first child is faced with the same dilemma. A joyous time for parents and grandparents alike has turned into a stressful, frustrating event trying to fred quality childcare for an infant. While childcare is not a well- rewarded financial endeavor, the rewards of working with children, much like the rewards of being a parent, last a lifetime. Of equal importance is the fact that we as a community all prosper when our children are well cared for and safe. The Mason County Child Care Task Force, a group of concerned professionals working with the Washington State De- partment of Social and Health Services/Workfirst Program are encouraging the community to come together to solve this crisis in our county. If you are interest- ed in serving on the task force, please contact Judy Mehan at 432-2001. If you are interested in becoming a childcare provider, please contact the Office of Child- care Policy at (360) 664-0234. We all need to come together to solve this situation to provide quality care for our county's chil- dren from birth to school age while their parents are working or in training. If these children do not have a quality program to go to, think of the long-term ramifi- cations to our community. It's our choice... Be a part of the solution now or pay later. Meg Spain Jerri Hawthorne Shelton Head Start Center i00eaders' 00ournal: Right on, Editor, The Journal: , Reference Don Brighton s com- ments in the letter to the editor January 21, 1999 issue. Don J 1' Brighton I couldn't have "hit-the-nail-on-tl 1 head" more squarely! ,J Win. F. Ka Shel00 Write off Bri Editor, The Journal: Expressions of opinion, espe- cially those offered in public for- ums, seem to me to fall into three styles. The great middle category holds those expressions which are a mixture of enlightenment and prejudices, but are well-meaning, in that they convey more or less sincere hopes of a better way. Then there is the occasional letter or utterance which seems to be born of nobility and great compas- sion, along with a clear under- standing of the facts. The third category might be called the hit- and-run approach. The writer or speaker in this wretched tier seems to be devoid of knowledge or understanding, and filled with negative passions. I prefer to think of this unfortunate soul so much as an offerer of but as one advertising his dices. All of which brings me to [ venomous offering of t Brighton of Belfair last wee[ ( Closer Scrutiny of Dr. Kin.g.[ His letter was devoid of meani ful knowledge, wisdom or und,! standing. It certainly belongs category three, in my view, $ will be offered as example to who should ever ask me what mean by "advertising one's projl dices." As such, I trust that ya advertising manager will be seS  ing Mr. Brighton a bill for 15 umn inches at the prevailing rat! Drew I'I Harstine Isl Let others chide Editor, The Journal: Wow, you really came down on all fours on the writer about Dr King. Your editorial seemed right on to me but as a result the writer must have felt quite un- comfortable to say the least. I have been thinking that perhaps you could have printed the letter without the person's name, or re- fused to print it. Now, that person may never again submit a letter. Trouble is, others of us ama- teur writers may think twice about sending a letter to the edi- tor for fear of having it analY in such a manner. It's more ft have another writer do the job. The recent edition of The Jo nal shows around 328 people having letters to the editor pr ed in 1998. Will the number less in 1999? Feedback has t me that your editorial page read first because of the hu 0 information, local interest, polil cal opinions, etc. I hope tl doesn't change. Vern Morg  Shelt Support Habitat Editor, The Journah! , : Congratulations to our Shelton Arts Commission who are plan- ning a 25-foot-tall, four-sided clock tower that will have carillon bells and bronze relief panels. In downtown Shelton this will be a wonderful addition for our com- munity. I fully support this pro- ject. Shelton is already a "real people place" but we should make it more so in the future. To help make it this way I would challenge the people and businesses making donations to the tower to make an equal dona- tion to Habitat for Humanity. This amount would enable Habi- tat to build six houses for six fa- milies now living in less desirable housing. Donations of money and labor enable Habitat for Humanity to put up well-built houses at a cost of $35,000 to $40,000. When the ?, house is .finished the keys"i turned over to a family who ._P. ties. It is not a gift. The recei family is required to put  hours of labor into building house. Then they are under | tract to purchase the house ov¢ 20-year period. Their repaym, will be about $300 per month, cluding insurance and taxes. 'i houses will be assessed at a $70,000, which means that ta come for the next 50 to 100 y as they are built will be at le $900 per finished house. Rate: $13.44 per $1,000 valuation. Mail donations to: Habitat | Humanity of Mason County, F't[ Box 1549, Shelton, 98584. .o For additional information 426-8134 Tuesday through Tht| day from 1 to 4 p.m. Horace Mot shelt@ I Sad over death Editor, The Journal: It is with sadness that I heard of Henry Gay's recent passing. For nearly six years - as type- setter for The Journal from 1987 to 1993 - it was my good fortune to be the first to learn the latest antics of Harold and Mildred when Henry brought his latest editorial to the newspaper's com- posing room. Every week Henry deflated the pompous, skewered the venal and exposed the h crisy of the high and mighty and always with the wit $ aplomb which was his signat trademark. | My sympathy and condole| 9€ for the loss of Henry Gay  ..[ only to the Gays and the Jor' family, but to the residents | Shelton and Mason County. : Margaret D eraO ?   IIII11 q'he f' 1 USPS 492-800 . POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason County Journal, P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584. Published weekly by Shelton Publishing Inc. at 227 West Cota Street, Shelton, Washi ngl Mailing address: P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584 Telephone (360) 426-4412 Second-class postage paid at Shelton, Washington Member of Washington Newspaper Publishers' Association SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $25.00 per year in-county address, $35.00 per year in state of Washington $45.00 Charles Gay, editor and publisher. Newsroom: Carolyn Maddux, managing editor; Patch, sports editor; Jeff Green, general assignment, city government, schools; society editor, county government; Sean Hanlon, police, courts, Port of Shelton. Stephen Gay, advertising manager; Janet Daugherty and Dave Pierik, ad Julia Orme, business manager; Vicki Kamin, circulation; Donna Dooms, bookkeeper; Mahony, office assistant. Composing room: Diane Riordan, supervisor; Margot Jan Kallinen, paste-up; Koleen Wood, typesetter and computer system manager; computer ad layout and computer system manager; Cynthia Meyer, proofreader. Robert Rodriguez, production foreman; Roger Lawson, darkroom; Kelly Riordan, ifill 00ournal of Opinion: School levytation Four local school districts are looking for some help at the polls next Tuesday, and all four proposals on the ballot deserve a long look by anyone who would reject them out of hand. Pioneer has the most intriguing proposition - to build a high school at Highway 3 and Pickering Road. Hood Canal is proposing a miniscule levy to keep its head above water, Mary M, Knight wants to build a better school in Matlock, and North Mason seeks to take ad- vantage of a new law allowing four-year maintenance- and-operations levies. Pioneer bond boosters offer a slew of reasons for building a high school. The district now sends about 400 students to Shel- ton and North Mason high schools, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars in nonhigh payments. Transportation is- sues come into play; the state doesn't pay full busing costs, some kids have to board a bus shortly after 6 a.m. to get to Shelton, and driving students to and from extracurricular ac- tivities can be a parental nightmare. The bond probably won't find many opponents in parents from the Pickering-Harstine area looking at driving their kids to practice every day. It's 8.9 miles from the proposed high-school site to SHS. Using a stan- dard mileage rate, it would cost such a parent $100 more to drive a child to SHS each month than to a new school. The school is expected to cost the owner of a $100,000 home be- tween $12 and $18 per month over the life of the 20-year bond. Proponents also say the school would become a com- munity center, Pioneer would have control of its own curriculum, student behavior is generally better at a small school than a big one, the area's growth makes a high school inevitable, and now's the time to build when interest rates are at historic lows. Vocal opponents say the information on tax rates for the bond was misleading, that a high school could act as a magnet creating growth and urban sprawl, that Pioneer should let Shelton handle high-school students and pay a share of Shel- ton's costs if the bigger district has to build another high school, that paying Shelton would cost less than building a Pioneer high school, that the bigger district can offer superior programs and that Pioneer hasn't explored a cooperative effort to build a high school with other districts. We found in talking to people about tax rates that one can look at the glass as half empty or half full. While one opponent worries that assessed valuation could slip and drive tax rates up, bond tax rates have decreased in the most recent Pioneer and Shelton cases. Pioneer ap- proved a bond for a new primary school in 1992 based on an estimated rate of $1.51 per $1,000. It's at 90 cents now. In 1988, Shelton voters approved a bond for a mid- dle school and other building improvements estimated to cost $1.13 per $1,000. It's now about 45 cents. Hood Canal faced a double whammy last year when falling enrollment cut revenue and its M&O levy failed twice. It laid off one-fourth of its teachers, It's trying to get back on its feet Tuesday with a levy that would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $6.58 a m6nth. We fail to ice the controversy in that. The school would like to buy textbooks to replace those 10-14 years old, repair equipment, do maintenance, avoid extracurricular cuts and restore reasonable class sizes in two grades. It would like to make its nonhigh payments of $170,000-plus to Shelton without ripping the funds out of its basic programs. Mary M. Knight hopes to build a new elementary school to replace its early-'60s model, a library, addi- tions to the high school and an auxiliary gym. The superintendent says simply that backers want to give MMK kids a first-class education. It would cost $275 a year for the owner of a $100,000 home. Boosters want the school to have room for its award.winning culinary arts program, a library the community can use and an additional gym to accommodate expanded programs for both sexes. And they'd like an elementary school that doesn't leak and meets modern electrical codes. North Mason seeks to maintain programs with its M&O levy that would replace a current levy and raise about $2.3 million in each of four years. It would cost an estimated $2.40 per $1,000, or a little less than the 1998 levy rate. School officials say personnel cuts are inevitable if it fails. In all four cases Tuesday, if local residents want im- provements at their schools, they're going to have to pay the freight themselves. School officials have often com- plained the state is getting stingier, forcing them to sup- port basic programs with levies. They say basic educa- tion and transportation costs aren't fully covered, and help with school construction has plummeted since the days when the state paid 75 percent of the costs. Forest revenues the state historically used have decreased, and that means the state would cover 4 percent of MMK's proposed building project and 28 percent of Pioneer's. The legislature has set up programs so that senior citizens and the disabled don't have to choose between supporting their local schools and eating. One allows them to get an exemption from special levies. The other lets them enroll in a tax-deferral program in which their property taxes are paid by the state and the money is recaptured from their estate when they die or from them when they sell their house. A few years ago while touring the newly remodeled Mason General Hospital, we met a number of acquaint- ances who said, in so many words, "This is wonderful. I can't believe little Shelton has this." We didn't want to argue with them, but our thoughts were, 'q?c'hy can't you believe it? Little Shelton can do anything it wants to do." Perhaps their comments reflected locals' rejection of many projects. The city didn't want to save the Reed Building or improve streets. The county didn't want a new criminal-justice center or park improvements. But the area has pealed up for a middle school, college and civic center, all of which got some outside help. We believe that next Tuesday, except for a minority who are destitute, the decision will be not whether they can help their local school district but whether they want to. The dozens of school staffers and citizens who have been working on tough educational issues for months, sometimes years, and have ex- planations deserve at least patrons' attention if not their votes. Vote your convictions, but don't vote "no" because you don't feel a responsibility to support your community anymore. We're all in this education business together. - CG Page 4 Shelton-Mas0n County Journal - Thursday, January 28, 1999 These are trying times By DAVE BARRY In case you've been too busy to follow the Trial Of The Century in the US Senate, here's the com- plete official transcript so far: SERGEANT AT ARMS: Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! All persons shut up and pay attention for the trial of the impeachment of the president of the United States, William Jefferson Clinton, on charges of messing around! No chewing of gum! SENATOR LOTT: At this time, in accordance with the United States Senate Big Book O'Rules, Senator Thurmond shall swear in the Chief Justice of the United States. SENATOR THURMOND: Raise your right hand. (The Chief Justice raises his hand.) SENATOR THURMOND (whispering to Senator Lott): Why is he raising his hand? SENATOR LOTT: You told him to. SENATOR THURMOND: I told WHO to? SENATOR LOTT: The Chief Justice. SENATOR THURMOND: Well, that's different. (To the Chief Justice:) Do you solemnly swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, until death do you part? THE CHIEF JUSTICE: I do. SENATOR THURMOND: You do WHAT? SENATOR LOTT: At this time, the Chief Justice shall administer the Oath Of Solemn Swearing to all senators hereintofore present. THE CHIEF JUSTICE: Do you solemnly swear that in all things appertaining to and in pursuance of the trial of the impeachment of William James Madison Clinton, cross your heart and hope to die, including engine and transmis- sion for three years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first? SENATORS: I do. THE CHIEF JUSTICE: At this time, the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee shall pres- ent the Articles of Impeachment of President Abraham Lincoln Clinton. REPRESENTATIVE HYDE (presenting the articles): Check out these babies. SENATORS: Whoa. SENATOR KENNEDY: Does anybody want that cigar? THE CHfEF JUSTICE: The ar- ticles of impeachment of Presi- dent William Woodrow Wilson having been presented, the Ma- jority I,eader and the Minority Leader shall now proceed with the Choosing Of Who Goes First. SENATOR LOTT and SENA- TOR DASCHLE: Once, twice, three ... shoot! THE CHIEF JUSTICE: The Chair observes that the Minority Leader made a rock and the Ma- jority Leader made paper. The Chair rules that paper beats rock. SENATOR DASCHLE: I didn't make a rock! I made a crab! SENATOR LOTT: Objection! This is Rock, Paper, Scissors! You can't make a crab! SENATOR DASCttLE: Yes I canl Look! He's waving his claws! CHIEF JUSTICE: The Chair rules that paper beats crab. The prosecution shall proceed. REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: For its first witness, the prosecu- tion calls to the stand White House aide Sidney Blumenthal. Mr. Blumenthal, please state your name. MR. BLUMENTHAL: I don't recall. SENATOR THURMOND: Me either. REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: Mr. Blumenthal, would it be fair to state that you remind a lot of people of some kind of burrowing carnivore? PERRY MASON: Objection, your honor! He's badgering the witness! REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: I'll withdraw the question. The prosecution calls as its next wit- ness Monica S. Lewinsky. Miss Lewinsky, on the evening of No- vember 15, 1995, did you go to the White House wearing "thong" style underwear? MISS LEWINSKY: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: And are these the underwear in question? PERRY MASON: Objection! He's wearing them backward! THE CHIEF JUSTICE: The Chair will allow it. REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: And while you were thus bethonged, Miss Lewinsky, did the president, William Baines Johnson, to your knowledge, com- mit a high crime or misdemeanor or take some form of gander? SENATOR THURMOND: Arc we voting on Barbecue Safety Awareness Week? REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: Not right now. SENATOR THURMOND: Good, because I'm against it. MISS LEWINSKY: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE HYDE: Yes WHAT? MISS LEWINSKY: I don't re- call. SENATOR THURMOND: Or maybe I'm for it. THE CHIEF JUSTICE: You know, The Chair has been think- ing, and The Chair is starting to wonder if maybe crab beats pa- per, after all. Because the crab could EAT the paper, right? Is The Chair right? SENATOR LOTT: How come you always refer to yourself as "The Chair?" THE CHIEF JUSTICE: The Chair doesn't know; The Chair just always has. Even as a child, The Chair would tell its mother, "Wah! The Chair wants a bottle!" Speaking of which, The Chair could eat a horse. All in favor of lunch say "Aye." SENATORS: Aye! SENATOR THURMOND: You may now kiss the bride. SENATOR KENNEDY: This thing tastes TERRIBLE. Childcare obstacle for needy Editor, The Journal: On April 17, 1998, when Gov- ernor Gary Locke signed into law the Engrossed House Bill 3901 (Washington Work First Tempo- rary Assistance to Needy Fami- lies or TANF), he surely could not have known what the long- term repercussions would be. The Washington State Legislature has imposed the maximum length of time to receive TANF at 60 months. On August 1, 1997, the clock began ticking for all open cases. Through 1998, single parents with a child under 12 months of age did not have to participate in Work First. In 1999, single par- ents with a child over 3 months of What is the TV show featuring scary stories about former spouses? "The Ex-Files." I age must participate in Work First. In order for the majority of welfare clients to be successful in their transition to work, they must find childcare for one or more children. In Mason County, and most especially in the rural areas, this presents an insur- mountable obstacle to successful employment. The problem is threefold. First, there are a very limited number of childcare facilities and licensed family daycare homes. Secondly, the number of those serving chil- dren under 3 years of age as well as children with special needs is very small. Lastly, almost all the homes and facilities operate their programs during traditional work hours, which doesn't meet the need for those workers in service jobs or those who must commute outside of the county for work. However, there are now in- centives for providers to offer birth-to-3 services and nontradi- tional hours. This is an issue that crosses all economic barriers. A two-parent family, both professional working people, expecting their first child is faced with the same dilemma. A joyous time for parents and grandparents alike has turned into a stressful, frustrating event trying to fred quality childcare for an infant. While childcare is not a well- rewarded financial endeavor, the rewards of working with children, much like the rewards of being a parent, last a lifetime. Of equal importance is the fact that we as a community all prosper when our children are well cared for and safe. The Mason County Child Care Task Force, a group of concerned professionals working with the Washington State De- partment of Social and Health Services/Workfirst Program are encouraging the community to come together to solve this crisis in our county. If you are interest- ed in serving on the task force, please contact Judy Mehan at 432-2001. If you are interested in becoming a childcare provider, please contact the Office of Child- care Policy at (360) 664-0234. We all need to come together to solve this situation to provide quality care for our county's chil- dren from birth to school age while their parents are working or in training. If these children do not have a quality program to go to, think of the long-term ramifi- cations to our community. It's our choice... Be a part of the solution now or pay later. Meg Spain Jerri Hawthorne Shelton Head Start Center i00eaders' 00ournal: Right on, Editor, The Journal: , Reference Don Brighton s com- ments in the letter to the editor January 21, 1999 issue. Don J 1' Brighton I couldn't have "hit-the-nail-on-tl 1 head" more squarely! ,J Win. F. Ka Shel00 Write off Bri Editor, The Journal: Expressions of opinion, espe- cially those offered in public for- ums, seem to me to fall into three styles. The great middle category holds those expressions which are a mixture of enlightenment and prejudices, but are well-meaning, in that they convey more or less sincere hopes of a better way. Then there is the occasional letter or utterance which seems to be born of nobility and great compas- sion, along with a clear under- standing of the facts. The third category might be called the hit- and-run approach. The writer or speaker in this wretched tier seems to be devoid of knowledge or understanding, and filled with negative passions. I prefer to think of this unfortunate soul so much as an offerer of but as one advertising his dices. All of which brings me to [ venomous offering of t Brighton of Belfair last wee[ ( Closer Scrutiny of Dr. Kin.g.[ His letter was devoid of meani ful knowledge, wisdom or und,! standing. It certainly belongs category three, in my view, $ will be offered as example to who should ever ask me what mean by "advertising one's projl dices." As such, I trust that ya advertising manager will be seS  ing Mr. Brighton a bill for 15 umn inches at the prevailing rat! Drew I'I Harstine Isl Let others chide Editor, The Journal: Wow, you really came down on all fours on the writer about Dr King. Your editorial seemed right on to me but as a result the writer must have felt quite un- comfortable to say the least. I have been thinking that perhaps you could have printed the letter without the person's name, or re- fused to print it. Now, that person may never again submit a letter. Trouble is, others of us ama- teur writers may think twice about sending a letter to the edi- tor for fear of having it analY in such a manner. It's more ft have another writer do the job. The recent edition of The Jo nal shows around 328 people having letters to the editor pr ed in 1998. Will the number less in 1999? Feedback has t me that your editorial page read first because of the hu 0 information, local interest, polil cal opinions, etc. I hope tl doesn't change. Vern Morg  Shelt Support Habitat Editor, The Journah! , : Congratulations to our Shelton Arts Commission who are plan- ning a 25-foot-tall, four-sided clock tower that will have carillon bells and bronze relief panels. In downtown Shelton this will be a wonderful addition for our com- munity. I fully support this pro- ject. Shelton is already a "real people place" but we should make it more so in the future. To help make it this way I would challenge the people and businesses making donations to the tower to make an equal dona- tion to Habitat for Humanity. This amount would enable Habi- tat to build six houses for six fa- milies now living in less desirable housing. Donations of money and labor enable Habitat for Humanity to put up well-built houses at a cost of $35,000 to $40,000. When the ?, house is .finished the keys"i turned over to a family who ._P. ties. It is not a gift. The recei family is required to put  hours of labor into building house. Then they are under | tract to purchase the house ov¢ 20-year period. Their repaym, will be about $300 per month, cluding insurance and taxes. 'i houses will be assessed at a $70,000, which means that ta come for the next 50 to 100 y as they are built will be at le $900 per finished house. Rate: $13.44 per $1,000 valuation. Mail donations to: Habitat | Humanity of Mason County, F't[ Box 1549, Shelton, 98584. .o For additional information 426-8134 Tuesday through Tht| day from 1 to 4 p.m. Horace Mot shelt@ I Sad over death Editor, The Journal: It is with sadness that I heard of Henry Gay's recent passing. For nearly six years - as type- setter for The Journal from 1987 to 1993 - it was my good fortune to be the first to learn the latest antics of Harold and Mildred when Henry brought his latest editorial to the newspaper's com- posing room. Every week Henry deflated the pompous, skewered the venal and exposed the h crisy of the high and mighty and always with the wit $ aplomb which was his signat trademark. | My sympathy and condole| 9€ for the loss of Henry Gay  ..[ only to the Gays and the Jor' family, but to the residents | Shelton and Mason County. : Margaret D eraO ?   IIII11 q'he f' 1 USPS 492-800 . POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason County Journal, P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584. Published weekly by Shelton Publishing Inc. at 227 West Cota Street, Shelton, Washi ngl Mailing address: P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584 Telephone (360) 426-4412 Second-class postage paid at Shelton, Washington Member of Washington Newspaper Publishers' Association SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $25.00 per year in-county address, $35.00 per year in state of Washington $45.00 Charles Gay, editor and publisher. Newsroom: Carolyn Maddux, managing editor; Patch, sports editor; Jeff Green, general assignment, city government, schools; society editor, county government; Sean Hanlon, police, courts, Port of Shelton. Stephen Gay, advertising manager; Janet Daugherty and Dave Pierik, ad Julia Orme, business manager; Vicki Kamin, circulation; Donna Dooms, bookkeeper; Mahony, office assistant. Composing room: Diane Riordan, supervisor; Margot Jan Kallinen, paste-up; Koleen Wood, typesetter and computer system manager; computer ad layout and computer system manager; Cynthia Meyer, proofreader. Robert Rodriguez, production foreman; Roger Lawson, darkroom; Kelly Riordan, ifill