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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