May 24, 2012 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
©
Shelton Mason County Journal. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 1 (1 of 18 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
May 24, 2012 |
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader ![]() |
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Week 21 -- The Voice of Mason County since 1886 -- Published for Mason County and Charles Hiatt of Shelton -- $1
Dylan J. Burke
Police say Burke was driving under the influence
By KEVIN SPRADLIN hicle homicide and two Class B felo-
kevin@rnasoncounty.com ny counts of vehicular assault.
Burke turned himself in to the
Mason County Sheriffs Office two
A Shelton man accused of beingdays after the incident. He appeared
behind the wheel of a car involved in before Judge Tony A, Sheldon and
a fatal crash on May 15 is scheduled conditional bail was set at $100,000.
to be arraigned at 9 a.m. Tuesday in As of Wednesday morning, Burke
Mason CountySuperiorCourt. remained confined at the Mason
Dylan J. Burke, 24, is charged
with one Class A felony county ofve- See Homicide on page AL6
ur
Chamber's business expo
draws record crowds
By NATALIE JOHNSON
nata~ie@masOnco~/nty.com
Hungry and enthusiastic
community members packed
the Pavillion at Sentry Park
on May 17 to take a bite out of
the 12th Annum Shelton Ma-
son County Chamber of Com-
merce Business Expo and Bite
of Shelton.
The event was one of the big-
gest and busiest in the expo's
history, said chamber Execu-
tive Director Heidi McCutch-
con.
"Last year it was the first
sunny day of the year," she
said. "This year we've had a
week and a half of good weath-
er and we've had a great turn-
out."
McCutcheon said 67 local
businesses, including 12 res-
taurants, packed the Pavillion.
Those restaurants, repre-
senting some of the best local
fare available, competed for the
Golden Fork award, won last
year by Steven's on Railroad.
"This is the busiest one I've
ever seen and this is the most
people I've seen," said Monica
Beben of Smokin' Mo's. which
is located at the Alderbrook
Golf Club in Union."There's a
lot of new businesses here," she
said.
While all of the restaurants
competing, including the Alder-
Journa ~nolo Dy
Ron Bock takes a bite out of a prime rib slider at the Smokin' Mo's booth
May 17 at the 12th annual Shelton Mason County Chamber of Commerce
Business Expo and Bite of Shelton.
Natalie Johnson
on
brook. Robin Hood Restaurant food," she said.
and Pub, Little Creek Casino Lucas Sautter, executive
and more, want to win the top chef at the Alderbrook restau-
honor, Beben said the competi- rant, said it was his first expo.
tion ~s good-natured. He brought clam chowder and
"I think we all vote for each bacon and Boursin cheese
other -- we all eat each other's stuffed Peppadews, or tiny red
peppers.
"We've had a great response
today. Everybody seems really
excited," said Alderbrook rep-
resentative Amber Williamson.
See Expo on page A-6
3 using tech to cut consumer
By KEVIN SPRADLIN
kevin@masoncounty.com
For many people, the subject of energy
conservation might be too difficult to un-
derstand.
The idea might no~ hit close enough to
home, said Justin Holzgrove, to make it
matter to the average person.
It's by that approach, said Holzgrove,
who works as the conservation manager
for Public Utility District 3. that the aver-
age person loses out -- and loses money.
"Energy conservation as a whole ... is
such an ambiguous topic," Holzgrove said.
"You can't see electricity. You can't see
it being consumed unless you go out and
watch your meter spin."
One way Holzgrove and his colleagues
at PUD 3 are trying to get the word out is
through new media.
So far, his staff have posted three vid-
eos -- about the district's budget billing
program, how to readjust the temperature
on a hot water heater and an information
81111!!!l!!Jl!!lJl!l!llll2
" You can't see
e[ectricityo You
can't see it being
consumed unless
you go out and
watch your
meter spin."
video on PUD 3's photovoltaic system.
"For whatever reason, video is a much
more accessible tool," said Ryan Smith.
systems analyst.
And in each case, the video messages
last less than two and one-half minutes.
The goal is to convey clear and concise in-
formation in a friendly, functional format.
The online link to the video, hosted by
YouTube.com, can be shared at no cost to
as many people as possible.
The messages in the videos focus on
conservation - and. in a manner likely to
catch a viewer's attention, the goal is to il-
lustrate how energy conservation can save
customers money.
"Did you know an electric water heat-
er can account for up to 25 percent of a
home's energy bill," Holzgrove asks in one
video. "The United States Department of
Energy recommends setting a residential
water heater to 120 degrees to reduce en-
ergy usage and to help prevent scalding."
Holzgrove told the Journal that for ev-
ery 10-degree reduction in ~emperamre,
customers can expect saving between 3
percent and 5 percent on their monthly
electric bill.
Another program offered by PUD 3 is
the "weatherization" of a home. Free for
low-income homeowners, a conservation
technician visits the home to determine
ways in which heat is escaping the struc-
ture.
PUD 3 brochures state that up to 40
percent of a home's heat is lost through
the ceiling. Walls and floors account for
another 16 percent - each.
"Increasing home insulation is the most
cost-effective way to decrease home energy
usage," Holzgrove said.
Simply adding insulation and sealing
leaky ducts help improve a home's energy
efficiency.
See PUD on page A-7
Public weighs
in,on future
Of city parks
Spots slated to become
Shelton's newest parks
By KEVIN SPRADLIN
kevin@masoncou~ty,corn
It doesn't matter what Mark Ziegler
wants. Shelton's director of Parks and
Recreation simply wanted to Start the
conversation.
Ziegler did just that and more than two
dozen people showed up at two public fo-
rums earlier this month to help decide the
future of Northcliff and Johnson neigh-
borhood parks.
"It's a blank slate," Ziegler said of the
two neighborhood lots. "I don't have any
preconceivednotions."
Ziegler acknowledged he does, howev-
er, have "'some experience in what works
and what may not work in a neighborhood
park."
The first lot is a 1.75-acre lot located on
NorthcliffRoad and Holly Court. The land
was donated by the Terrance Heights de-
velopers in the late 1970s.
"It's been vacant since that time,"
Ziegler said.
The second is a half-acre parcel by Cap-
ital Hill situated off San Joaquin Avenue.
Ziegler said that area once was a park,
but the playground equipment there
wasn't up to code and was removed. The
lot is now covered mostly by large fir trees.
Right now, the property has an 8-foot
chainlink fence around it -- making it
"a little industrial-10oking," Ziegler said,
and a bit uninviting.
The public forum on Monday was the
second of two such opportunities for resi-
dents of both neighborhoods to weigh in
on what they see for the lots' future.
Ziegler said he was pleasantly sur-
prised that some 15 residents showed up,
despite the weather.
"I was anticipating standing out there
in the rain by myself," he said.
There, residents made sure Ziegler
heard their No. i priority.
"Playground equipment was at the top
of their list," Ziegler said.
The desire for a few picnic tables took
the No: 2 spot and security lighting, land-
scaping and a picnic shelter rounded out
the top five priorities for residents.
"We're not talking about large-scale
playground (equipment) like at Kneeland
Park," Ziegler said, only "basic ameni-
ties."
Ziegler said others expressed the desire
to have trails or walkways where young
children could learn to ride their bicycles
without having to be in the street.
"That came up at both park meetings,"
Ziegler said.
During the May 14 public meeting at
the Northcliff site, residents discussed is-
sues such as access, security lighting and
a timeline for design.
The meetings were only the latest ef-
forts ~o engage the public. Surveys were
mailed out to area residents and a form is
still available on the city's website.
Respondents were asked to rank, in or-
der of personal priority, elements such as
playground equipment, bike racks, horse-
shoe pits, picnic tables and other amem-
ties.
They also were asked whether they'd
like to volunteer at a neighborhood park.
Any timeline on park development will
be "driven by their participation," Ziegler
said.
"If the neighbors are engaged and can
help out, it certainly can help" things
See Parks on page A-7