May 10, 2012 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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Journa pno[o Dy Natahe Johnson
' Mason County will soon embark on the
second phase of a project to refurbish
the county courthouse and preserve it as
a historic site.
County continues
courthouse remodel
By NATALIE JOHNSON
Mason County announced Tuesday that it had
awarded a bid for Phase 2 of a project to refurbish
the Mason County Courthouse to the Holmberg
Company from Kirkland.
The bid has a base level of $282,000, with an
additive alternate of $148,000 to add a chiller
and mechanical and electrical improvements
with a total cost of $430,000, said John Keates,
Mason County director of parks, trails and facili-
ties.
"The main component of this project is replac-
ing the boiler which is original to the building,"
he said.
The courthouse was built in the late 1920s, he
added.
The project is funded through a Save Ameri-
ca's Treasures grant and REET i funds, or money
from the county's real estate excise tax.
The county originally planned to have the boil-
er replacement completed by now, but delayed it
to avoid working on the boiler during the winter.
"We were supposed to have it done by April
or May. To do the boiler project in the dead of
winter would have required that we bring m a
portable heating system ... which would have
been time consuming and expensive," Keates
said. "I asked for a project extension for the
summer."
In addition to the work on the boiler and ad-
ditional mechanical work in the building, the
county plans to do projects to upgrade the district
and domestic violence courtrooms in the base-
ment with new walls, doors, floors and ceilings,
and also a fire alarm system, seismic structural
upgrades among other changes.
Keates said that work should be funded by an
appropriation in the Washington State Capital
Budget.
"We did get some state money to start work
on the two courtrooms in the basement," he said.
"We'll probably be bringing that to the commis-
sion in the near future."
The county completed Phase 1 of the refurbish-
ing project last summer, spending $782,000 to
preserve the building as a historical site in Wash-
ington.
Phase 1 of the project included removing haz-
ardous materials, an elevator upgrade, new car-
pet, blinds on windows and new audio/visual
systems for the superior courtroom. Phase 1 also
included new signs in public areas and upgrades
to the building's IT system.
Journal DI]O[O Dy Kevln SDraalln
Vern Morgus, 86, of Shelton, demonstrates how to play the harmonica. Morgus is heading the
24th annual Pacific Northwest Harmonic Jamboree this weekend in Shelton.
Harmonica sings a tale of time
Weekend jamboree a senior center fundraiser
By KEVIN SPRADLIN
The harmonica was first intro-
duced to the United States in 1862
during the Civil War. Music from it
became a staple of marching troops
from both the North and the South.
Today, 86-year-old Vern Morgus
carries on the enthusiastic hum of
the only instrument in which the
player blows and draws breath to
make music.
Morgus and other harmonic aficio-
nados plan to celebrate the instru-
ment and share their knowledge dur-
ing the 24th annual Pacific North-
west Harmonica Jamboree.
The event begins Friday at the
Mason County Senior Activities Cen-
ter on Railroad Avenue in Shelton.
For those who pre-registered,
there will be a special open mic har-
monica event from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
On Saturday, the first workshop
begins at 9 a.m. There will be tuto-
rials on harmonica repair and tun-
ing as well as demonstrations on the
wide range of music the harmonica
can do -- from the blues to country
to rock 'n' roll.
Classes and workshops, along
with the main harmonica show from
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, are for
ages 7 and older. Event organizers
are asking those under the age of 7 to
refrain from attending as musicians
will be recording throughout the day.
Morgus, of Shelton, said the event
moved to Shelton from the Light-
house Activity CentSr after 23 years
in Tacoma due to budget cuts and
changes in staff.
More than two decades ago, Mor-
gus said he was approached about
organizing an event to pay tribute to
the harmonica.
Morgus figured the event would be
a success especially if fellow har-
monica enthusiasts shared his pas-
sion to the same degree he does.
"Harmonica lovers ... we're nuts,"
Morgus said. "There's a lot of'em out
there, you know."
The harmonica has become a way
of life for Morgus. He's been play-
ing since he was 8. Today, he's also
a teacher and repairer of the mouth
organ.
"I'll teach beginners," Morgus said.
"I also teach harmonica repair and
tuning. That's my main living now."
Harmonica players from around
the area will help with the workshop
and stage performances, including:
Jack Voice, Vernon Selstad, Gant
Eichrodt and Jeff Rygwelski, all of
Olympia; Mary and Don Haskell, of
Tacoma: and Bill Aquino, of Hay-
ward, Calif.
Morgus said he expects up to 200
An ER physician's
Antarctic adventure
wil oe showcased in a photograpny oresentation on
Thursday, May 10 and on Monday, May 14 at6 p.m. in the
Ellinor Room at Mason General Hospital. Dean Gushee,
M.D., emergency services medical director at MGH, will
oresen his wildlife photograpny ana e of his adventure
as a doctor on an exoedition to Antarctica with a Nationa
Geographic team. His inspiring account of'nature in
the raw' describes life n an icy, remote uar
of the world where Dr. Gushee was part
of an exoedition team on assignment to
photograph Emperor penguins.
This special presentation is free and open to me public.
Please RSVP by May 7 by calling (360) 427-3623.
as seating is limited to 100.
iii!iii!!i!!iiiil!i
WA:98584, Shel:ton (360)426t]611, from Altyn (360) 275:85t4
• Se habla espafiol
For :more: information:
Contact: the Pacific:NorthWest
Harmonica JambOree: at:426-
734 o infosanet
people to participate in the jamboree.
"A lot of people like it because they
come to see their mothers in Seattle
or something," Morgus said of the
timing of the event, which coincides
with Mother's Day. "We get 'em from
half around the world."
Proceeds from the event will help
fund the purchase of a larger Mason
County Senior Activities Center. The
existing facility has 5,000 square
feet. Terri Shaw. the senior associa-
tion's executive director, said she's
looking forward to having additional
space in the near future. Her orga-
nization aims to purchase the now-
vacant PUD 3 building located at the
intersection of Third and West Cota
streets.
Shaw said she is excited to host
the event in Shelton.
"I'm thrilled that we are able to
do it here," Shaw said. "I think that
our area is rich with the tradition of
homespun music. We've got Fiddlef-
est (and) Bluegrass from the Forest
tFestival) and now we have the Har-
monica Jamboree.
"It's a great thing if anyone's been
trying to learn how to play."
Breast will be $1.49 Let's mark the i
'y! calendar Ethyl .....
HOOD CANAL
24151 Hwy. 101 N. • Hoodsport, WA
360-877-2066
Shelton-Mason County Journal-Thursday, May 10, 2012 - Page A-3