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SHELTON-
MASON COUNTY
J00:)URNAL
Thursday, April 5, 2007 121st Year m Number 14 5 Sections m 50 Pages Published in Shelton, Washington 75 cents
Chief leaves
in District 4
SANDI KVARNSTROM and husband Carl frame the Purdy Canyon
Drive-In, which closed its doors one last time Saturday evening to make
way for a new Purdy Creek Bridge to be built next year.
Closure not a Purdy picture
for lovers ,of Skok Burgers
By JEFF GREEN
They've flipped their last
hamburger at the Purdy Canyon
Drive-In.
After a run spanning at least
50 Years, the unpretentious little
eatery by the side of Highway
101 about 10 miles north of Shel-
ton closed its doors for the final
time Saturday evening.
"We made a lot of friends here,"
said Carl Kvarnstrom, who with
his Wife, Sandi, were the last of
four Owners of the drive-in. "It's
been fun, but it's been hard work,
too."
The drive-in was open from 11
a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days during
spring, summer and fall, then
scaled back to five days a week
in the winter. In the 17 years the
Kvarnstroms owned the restau-
rant, they took just one extended
vacation, a three-week trip back
to the East Coast.
'YOU'RE REALLY obli-
gated. You're really tied down,"
Sandi said. She used to cook and
work up front at the drive-in, but
stopped after getting a full-time
job with Mason County in 2003.
The state of Washington is
slated to begin negotiations to
buy the restaurant, the Kvarn-
strom's house, a rental mobile
home and the three-and-a-half-
acre parcel those sit on to make
way for a new Purdy Canyon
Bridge. The proposed replace-
ment bridge will be a 350-foot-
long precast girder structure
that will raise the grade of the
highway by approximately 11
feet to prevent flooding.
The length of the roadway re-
construction to accommodate the
grade change will be about half
a mile. Construction will start in
the spring of 2008 and the new
roadway will be built alongside
(Please turn to page 8.)
Hupp to seek port seat
Jay Hupp this week announced
he is a candidate for a seat on the
Port of Shelton Commission.
Hupp, a 25-year resident and
business development practitio-
ner in Mason County, is running
for the District 3 commissioner's
position currently held by Mar-
leae Taylor, who is not expected
to seek reelection this fall. With
job creation through business de-
velopment as the primary goal of
the port, Hupp said he sees him-
self as uniquely qualified to help
make policy decisions toward that
end.
After 14 years on the staff of
the Economic Development Coun-
cil of Mason County, 23 years as
a small-business owner and 18
years of involvement with busi-
nesses at the port, Hupp said he
has the background and motiva-
tion to do the job.
He said his qualifications are
further broadened by seven years
as the EDC's representative to
the Washington State Rural De-
velopment Council and his role as
(Please turn to page 8.)
By JEFF GREEN
The atmosphere of controversy
continues to bubble at Fire Dis-
trict 4 as Joel Menter is out as
chief and his assistant, Bob Bur-
bridge, has been elevated to acting
chief for now.
In a public statement issued
following a closed-door session at
a special meeting of the Fire Dis-
trict 4 commissioners on Thurs-
day, March 29, it was announced
that Menter is changing positions
in preparation for his coming re-
tirement.
Between now and December 31,
Menter will serve as a consultant
to the district and fire commission-
ers by "providing administrative
guidance and support as needed
while withdrawing from the day-
to-day operations of the district. In
his new position, Mr• Menter will
be available to the board (of fire
commissioners) in order to provide
any support they need," the state-
ment said.
The statement does not elabo-
rate on what compensation Menter
will be paid and how much time he
will put in as a consultant. Accord-
ing to Gary Plews, chairman of the
Fire District 4 Commission, de-
tails in a new working agreement
between the fire district and Men-
ter are still being negotiated.
"After sustaining the stress
from the trials and tribulations
with the board of fire commission-
ers this year, I have come to the
difficult conclusion that I would
like to pursue other ventures be-
yond District 4," Menter said in
the statement.
Menter has served in various
capacities in the Mason County
(Please turn to page 6.)
MMK superintendent
contract not renewed
By JEFF GREEN 20. Goldy said she and MMK Busi-
After a three-year tenure as su- ness Manager Tiki Willey will then
perintendent at Mary M. Knight screen the applications, and for-
School District, Carol Ersland is ward some on to the school board
on the way out• for review at the board's April 23
Ersland's contract was not re- meeting•
newed by the MMK School Board Goldy said the board is looking
at its meeting in late February. for a candidate who is more of a
The vote was 4-0, with Diana business person who can help the
Goldy, board chairwoman, opting district do strategic planning• "She
not to vote because there was no didn't have time to do it," Goldy
tie vote for her to break, said of Ersland.
Goldy said the board is trying THREE YEARS AGO, veteran
to reorganize the school district's MMK Superintendent Fred Yanc-
administration and that Ersland ey was let go after 12 years by the
currently is the lone administra- school board. That decision rocked
tor. "She's been the only adminis- the small community of Matlock.
trator and has been putting in all According to then school board
these extra hours," Goldy said. member Judy Curry, Yancey was
THE DISTRICT currently is ambushed by two school unions
advertising for a superintendent/ who presented votes of no-confi-
principal, then, depending on dence in him to the board.
the new person's preference, will Yancey ultimately was replaced
seek a second administrator to be by Ersland, who had been serv-
principal of either the elementary ing as principal of the elementary
school or high school, school at MMK. Goldy said there
Goldy said the school board of- were no votes of no-confidence in
fered Ersland that second position, Ersland.
as a principal, but she declined. Board members who voted for
Woman LI: to prison for theft Applications for the superinten- not renewing her contract were
see dent/principal's position for the Rick Johnson, Chris Willey, Joe
coming school year close on April Rothrock and Jim Frost.
of 837,000 from auto dealership
By CAROLYN MADDUX Gillis Auto Center and the com- tion that provides in-home health Oien, Whitener die
Etbezzling $37,000 from a munity before Sheldon imposed care, indicating that Strickland accident
Shelton car dealership amounted the sentence, had applied for a position with in Oregon
to a Prison sentence for Dawndi "How can you sleep at night?" that group. Heilman said she wor-
Michelle Strickland of Montesano, her angry supervisor, Gillis office ried that Strickland could violate
who Was sentenced to 43 months manager Sandy Heilman, asked a position of trust in that capac- Two Shelton residents died The rural highway leads to the
incarceration when she appeared as she described the impact of ity. early Monday in a single-car crash coast and police said it would be
Monday before Judge Toni Shel- Strickland's altering of balance DEPUTY PROSECUTOR near the Oregon Coast. difficult for persons to have seen
uon in Mason County Superior sheets over a period of 14 months. Mike Dorcy said there was a plea According to news reports, driv- the car as they drove past. A local
Court. She told the court she was also bargain involved in resolving the er Andrew James Oien, 23, and resident was returning home from
A tearful Strickland apologized troubled by a call from the Korean case that included an agreed rec- passenger Darla J. Whitener, 25, lunch Monday afternoon with his
to her CO-workers, the owners of Women's Association, an organiza- (Please turn to page 6.) died in the crash. Oregon State wife and daughter when they spot-
Police officers found the wrecked ted the wrecked car.
Pontiac Grand Am about 5:30 p.m. Oien and Whitener had been
00nytatt-Or says Monday off the side of Highway on theirwayfromtheWilsonville,
38 east of Scottsburg, Oregon. The Oregon, area to meet family in
highway was closed some three the Winchester Bay area, police
• A tlt'e'" run mrs-- hours while police investigated believe. Oien was driving with a
the crash, suspended license, a police spokes-
Whitener's 7-year-old niece, man said.
reelection 00m,ly Whitener of Olympia, was
found injured il the back seat of IIIIIIIlUllllllllllllllllUlllllllnllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
the car. She was reported in stable
IncumbentSheltonMayorJohn conditionatSacredHeartMedical On the insMe
Tarrant has announced he plans Center in Eugene, where she was
to run for reelection this fall. taken by helicopter. Births .................................. 33
Tarrant was elected to the Shel- According to a report in The Classifieds ........................... 37
ton City Commission in 1995 as News-Review newspaper in Rose- Community Calendar ....... 20
commissioner of finance. He ran burg, the girl seemed to have been Crossword ........................... 41
SUccessfully for mayor in 1999 and pinned inside the car, surrounded
2003. by clothing and pillows, which Entertainment, Dining ..... 36
"As mayor I preside over city probably saved her life. She was Health Journal ................. 18
commission meetings," he said in reported to have been calm and Journal of Record ............. 23
a press release announcing his bid able to remember phone numbers, Obituaries ........................... 10
for a third term. "Together with names and addresses she had Opinions, Letters ................. 4
ray two fellow commissioners we probably memorized in case of an Sports ................................... 25
represent the citizens of Shelton Fiddle Fest this weekend emergency. Tides ..................................... 23
and directly represent their in- THE EDUCATS (left to right, Paul Barber, Vern Morgus Oien apparently lost control
terests in the carrying out of city around 1 a.m. Monday while go- Weather ................................ 11
Policy.', and Ron Grinnell) will be one of 12 acts on stage Satur- ing around a curve, police said. [II[lUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII|IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIU[
Tarrant said his visions for the day night in the Shelton High School Auditorium at the The car hit a tree and came to rest
lty include, first and foremost, 22nd annual Shelton Fiddle Fest. The benefit for Save at the bottom of an embankment. IIIi!1! I H]III II II !!1!11111
, etPlng to continue to make Shel- Our County's Kids features shows at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 The young girl remained in the car
oa a livable community, or as the and 7 p.m. Saturday. For more details, see page 36. with the two bodies until police lo-
riease turn to page 8.) cated her some 15 hours later. 8 3 2 6 3 0 0 2
SHELTON-
MASON COUNTY
J00:)URNAL
Thursday, April 5, 2007 121st Year m Number 14 5 Sections m 50 Pages Published in Shelton, Washington 75 cents
Chief leaves
in District 4
SANDI KVARNSTROM and husband Carl frame the Purdy Canyon
Drive-In, which closed its doors one last time Saturday evening to make
way for a new Purdy Creek Bridge to be built next year.
Closure not a Purdy picture
for lovers ,of Skok Burgers
By JEFF GREEN
They've flipped their last
hamburger at the Purdy Canyon
Drive-In.
After a run spanning at least
50 Years, the unpretentious little
eatery by the side of Highway
101 about 10 miles north of Shel-
ton closed its doors for the final
time Saturday evening.
"We made a lot of friends here,"
said Carl Kvarnstrom, who with
his Wife, Sandi, were the last of
four Owners of the drive-in. "It's
been fun, but it's been hard work,
too."
The drive-in was open from 11
a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days during
spring, summer and fall, then
scaled back to five days a week
in the winter. In the 17 years the
Kvarnstroms owned the restau-
rant, they took just one extended
vacation, a three-week trip back
to the East Coast.
'YOU'RE REALLY obli-
gated. You're really tied down,"
Sandi said. She used to cook and
work up front at the drive-in, but
stopped after getting a full-time
job with Mason County in 2003.
The state of Washington is
slated to begin negotiations to
buy the restaurant, the Kvarn-
strom's house, a rental mobile
home and the three-and-a-half-
acre parcel those sit on to make
way for a new Purdy Canyon
Bridge. The proposed replace-
ment bridge will be a 350-foot-
long precast girder structure
that will raise the grade of the
highway by approximately 11
feet to prevent flooding.
The length of the roadway re-
construction to accommodate the
grade change will be about half
a mile. Construction will start in
the spring of 2008 and the new
roadway will be built alongside
(Please turn to page 8.)
Hupp to seek port seat
Jay Hupp this week announced
he is a candidate for a seat on the
Port of Shelton Commission.
Hupp, a 25-year resident and
business development practitio-
ner in Mason County, is running
for the District 3 commissioner's
position currently held by Mar-
leae Taylor, who is not expected
to seek reelection this fall. With
job creation through business de-
velopment as the primary goal of
the port, Hupp said he sees him-
self as uniquely qualified to help
make policy decisions toward that
end.
After 14 years on the staff of
the Economic Development Coun-
cil of Mason County, 23 years as
a small-business owner and 18
years of involvement with busi-
nesses at the port, Hupp said he
has the background and motiva-
tion to do the job.
He said his qualifications are
further broadened by seven years
as the EDC's representative to
the Washington State Rural De-
velopment Council and his role as
(Please turn to page 8.)
By JEFF GREEN
The atmosphere of controversy
continues to bubble at Fire Dis-
trict 4 as Joel Menter is out as
chief and his assistant, Bob Bur-
bridge, has been elevated to acting
chief for now.
In a public statement issued
following a closed-door session at
a special meeting of the Fire Dis-
trict 4 commissioners on Thurs-
day, March 29, it was announced
that Menter is changing positions
in preparation for his coming re-
tirement.
Between now and December 31,
Menter will serve as a consultant
to the district and fire commission-
ers by "providing administrative
guidance and support as needed
while withdrawing from the day-
to-day operations of the district. In
his new position, Mr• Menter will
be available to the board (of fire
commissioners) in order to provide
any support they need," the state-
ment said.
The statement does not elabo-
rate on what compensation Menter
will be paid and how much time he
will put in as a consultant. Accord-
ing to Gary Plews, chairman of the
Fire District 4 Commission, de-
tails in a new working agreement
between the fire district and Men-
ter are still being negotiated.
"After sustaining the stress
from the trials and tribulations
with the board of fire commission-
ers this year, I have come to the
difficult conclusion that I would
like to pursue other ventures be-
yond District 4," Menter said in
the statement.
Menter has served in various
capacities in the Mason County
(Please turn to page 6.)
MMK superintendent
contract not renewed
By JEFF GREEN 20. Goldy said she and MMK Busi-
After a three-year tenure as su- ness Manager Tiki Willey will then
perintendent at Mary M. Knight screen the applications, and for-
School District, Carol Ersland is ward some on to the school board
on the way out• for review at the board's April 23
Ersland's contract was not re- meeting•
newed by the MMK School Board Goldy said the board is looking
at its meeting in late February. for a candidate who is more of a
The vote was 4-0, with Diana business person who can help the
Goldy, board chairwoman, opting district do strategic planning• "She
not to vote because there was no didn't have time to do it," Goldy
tie vote for her to break, said of Ersland.
Goldy said the board is trying THREE YEARS AGO, veteran
to reorganize the school district's MMK Superintendent Fred Yanc-
administration and that Ersland ey was let go after 12 years by the
currently is the lone administra- school board. That decision rocked
tor. "She's been the only adminis- the small community of Matlock.
trator and has been putting in all According to then school board
these extra hours," Goldy said. member Judy Curry, Yancey was
THE DISTRICT currently is ambushed by two school unions
advertising for a superintendent/ who presented votes of no-confi-
principal, then, depending on dence in him to the board.
the new person's preference, will Yancey ultimately was replaced
seek a second administrator to be by Ersland, who had been serv-
principal of either the elementary ing as principal of the elementary
school or high school, school at MMK. Goldy said there
Goldy said the school board of- were no votes of no-confidence in
fered Ersland that second position, Ersland.
as a principal, but she declined. Board members who voted for
Woman LI: to prison for theft Applications for the superinten- not renewing her contract were
see dent/principal's position for the Rick Johnson, Chris Willey, Joe
coming school year close on April Rothrock and Jim Frost.
of 837,000 from auto dealership
By CAROLYN MADDUX Gillis Auto Center and the com- tion that provides in-home health Oien, Whitener die
Etbezzling $37,000 from a munity before Sheldon imposed care, indicating that Strickland accident
Shelton car dealership amounted the sentence, had applied for a position with in Oregon
to a Prison sentence for Dawndi "How can you sleep at night?" that group. Heilman said she wor-
Michelle Strickland of Montesano, her angry supervisor, Gillis office ried that Strickland could violate
who Was sentenced to 43 months manager Sandy Heilman, asked a position of trust in that capac- Two Shelton residents died The rural highway leads to the
incarceration when she appeared as she described the impact of ity. early Monday in a single-car crash coast and police said it would be
Monday before Judge Toni Shel- Strickland's altering of balance DEPUTY PROSECUTOR near the Oregon Coast. difficult for persons to have seen
uon in Mason County Superior sheets over a period of 14 months. Mike Dorcy said there was a plea According to news reports, driv- the car as they drove past. A local
Court. She told the court she was also bargain involved in resolving the er Andrew James Oien, 23, and resident was returning home from
A tearful Strickland apologized troubled by a call from the Korean case that included an agreed rec- passenger Darla J. Whitener, 25, lunch Monday afternoon with his
to her CO-workers, the owners of Women's Association, an organiza- (Please turn to page 6.) died in the crash. Oregon State wife and daughter when they spot-
Police officers found the wrecked ted the wrecked car.
Pontiac Grand Am about 5:30 p.m. Oien and Whitener had been
00nytatt-Or says Monday off the side of Highway on theirwayfromtheWilsonville,
38 east of Scottsburg, Oregon. The Oregon, area to meet family in
highway was closed some three the Winchester Bay area, police
• A tlt'e'" run mrs-- hours while police investigated believe. Oien was driving with a
the crash, suspended license, a police spokes-
Whitener's 7-year-old niece, man said.
reelection 00m,ly Whitener of Olympia, was
found injured il the back seat of IIIIIIIlUllllllllllllllllUlllllllnllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
the car. She was reported in stable
IncumbentSheltonMayorJohn conditionatSacredHeartMedical On the insMe
Tarrant has announced he plans Center in Eugene, where she was
to run for reelection this fall. taken by helicopter. Births .................................. 33
Tarrant was elected to the Shel- According to a report in The Classifieds ........................... 37
ton City Commission in 1995 as News-Review newspaper in Rose- Community Calendar ....... 20
commissioner of finance. He ran burg, the girl seemed to have been Crossword ........................... 41
SUccessfully for mayor in 1999 and pinned inside the car, surrounded
2003. by clothing and pillows, which Entertainment, Dining ..... 36
"As mayor I preside over city probably saved her life. She was Health Journal ................. 18
commission meetings," he said in reported to have been calm and Journal of Record ............. 23
a press release announcing his bid able to remember phone numbers, Obituaries ........................... 10
for a third term. "Together with names and addresses she had Opinions, Letters ................. 4
ray two fellow commissioners we probably memorized in case of an Sports ................................... 25
represent the citizens of Shelton Fiddle Fest this weekend emergency. Tides ..................................... 23
and directly represent their in- THE EDUCATS (left to right, Paul Barber, Vern Morgus Oien apparently lost control
terests in the carrying out of city around 1 a.m. Monday while go- Weather ................................ 11
Policy.', and Ron Grinnell) will be one of 12 acts on stage Satur- ing around a curve, police said. [II[lUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII|IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIU[
Tarrant said his visions for the day night in the Shelton High School Auditorium at the The car hit a tree and came to rest
lty include, first and foremost, 22nd annual Shelton Fiddle Fest. The benefit for Save at the bottom of an embankment. IIIi!1! I H]III II II !!1!11111
, etPlng to continue to make Shel- Our County's Kids features shows at 7 p.m. Friday and 2 The young girl remained in the car
oa a livable community, or as the and 7 p.m. Saturday. For more details, see page 36. with the two bodies until police lo-
riease turn to page 8.) cated her some 15 hours later. 8 3 2 6 3 0 0 2