July 2, 2020 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
©
Shelton Mason County Journal. All rights reserved. Upgrade to access Premium Tools
PAGE 4 (4 of 40 available) PREVIOUS NEXT Jumbo Image Save To Scrapbook Set Notifiers PDF JPG
July 2, 2020 |
|
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader ![]() |
Page A-4 Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, July 2, 2020
The sheep in
he scene: A moun-
tain pasture at night.
A flock of sheep
form a circle, some stand-
ing, some lying. The light
of the moon has turned the
eyes of the sheep into eerie
white beads. The animals,
amazingly, speak English.
David: Baa! Get up!
Harriet: Baa? What?
David: I smelled a wolf.
He’s over there at the tree
line. See? Eleven
o’clock. Next to that
rock that looks like
Dolly.
Harriet: That’s
the wolf that got
Rahm the ram last
month. Get the
Sheepdog. I’ll move
the flock. Hurry!
Harriet stirs the
running in the op-
posite direction of
the now-sprinting wolf. Da-
vid dashes to alert Jay the
Sheepdog, who is yards
beyond the edge of the flock.
Jay is idly pawing at some-
thing in the dirt. The full
moon hangs high over the
horizon.
David: We have a wolf,
male, a quarter-mile over
there (gestures with his
nose). The floék’s on the
move. You can intercept
him from here by running
parallel to the tree line.
Jay: Really? I 'thought
I heard something. (Looks
back down at the ground)
But I don’t see a wolf. Don’t
smell one either.
David: Then look up!
He’s not hiding in the dirt
in front of you. Do what we ’
pay you to do _— take care of
that wolf. Now!
Jay: Listen. We’ve had
tremendous success with
our wolf program. Attacks
are way down. Way, way
down. Way. Down. Down
more than they ever were
before. And that’s just the
start. What you saw was
probably
. David: It’s a wolf. I saw
it. I smelled it. I heard it.
It’s there and it’s about to
attack the flock. This is as
real as a wolf’s toothin a
sheep’s neck. You need ...
thnniitaammnt
USPS
POSTMAST ER: Send address changes toSheIton—Mason
County Journal, PO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 93584.
Published weekly by the Shelton—Mason County Journal
at W. Cota St, Shelton, Washington.
Mailing address: PO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584
Telephone: 360-426—441 2
Website: www.masoncounty.com
Periodicals postage paid in Shelton, Washington.
By KIRK
flock and leads them ERICSON
the pasture
Jay: (getting testy) Look.
I don’t smell it and I don’t
see it. And now I definitely
did not hear anything from
you about any kind of ani-
mal — wolf, sheep or other-
wise. Get away from me.
David: That’s it. We’re
done with you. Done! Harri—
et will talk to the shepherd
tomorrow. (Turning toward
the flock) Harriet! Keep the
flock tight and head toward
those rocks. Jay
won’t help.
Jay: Fine. Fine.
You go. You prob-
ably won’t survive
the night anyway.
And that shepherd
guy? Dick? He’s ac-
tually a goatherd.
He’s pathetic, that
Dick. I know his sto-
ry. Everyone does.
David dashes
toward the herd,
angling away from the wolf
so hecatches up to Harriet
just as the flock reaches an
outcropping. The flock turns
and all the sheep face the
wolf, knowing one of them
is about to die. The wolf at-
tacks an older ewe named
Bella. It’s over quickly.
The scene: The next
day in the pasture. Harriet
meets Dick, the shepherd.
Harriet: Dick, 'Dick,
Dick (shaking her head).
You’ve got to get rid of Jay,
Dick. He won’t do his job.
Last night it was Bella, and
it was the same wolf that
killed Rahm. How many
more? We’re dying while
he’s busy pawing at the dirt,
like he’s looking for some-
thing that’s never there.
Don’t treat us like humans!
You hired him, Dick. You’ve
supported him. Do some-
thing, Dick! V
Dick: I agree, totally.
But here’s the thing, and
this is just between you and
me. I’m not going to be that
guy who cries wolf. People
hate those people who cry
wolf. ,
‘ Harriet: But, Dick, it is
a wolfl
Dick: We done?
I. Contact Kirk at kirk@
masoncounty.com.
' it be nice to take off
EDITOR'S DESK
Bowling center idea knocked me oVer
uring a particularly
’ bleak and stormy
Saturday earlier this
winter, my wife and I had a
simultaneous observation ——
Shelton needs more inside
activities for children.
We came upon this revela-
tion with our hands on hips,
out of breath, chasing
our 15-month-old son
around our home.
Sure, we had done
extensive outdoor
exploring during the,
wintery weather, but
on this February day,
we thought, “Wouldn’t
our coats and have
away from the pound-
ing rain and howling
wind?”
Apparently Dawn Myers
and her husband had a simi—
lar epiphany. But instead of
just complaining, they decid-
ed to do something about it.
Fast-forward about six
months, and we learned that
the couple, with help from
the Economic Development
Council of Mason County
and ether community mem-
bers, hopes to build a 16—lane
bowling alley in Shelton. The
EDC announced last week
the couple’s plan for Skeeter’s
Bowling Center: For a full
story on the announcement,
see page A-7. '
There are still a lot of pins
to knock down in order to
get this project completed.
The couple needs to update a
feasibility study, which was
Mom-ml
The Shelton-Mason County Jour-
Publisher: Tom Mullen
nal is a member of the Wash-
Association.
ington Newspaper Publishers
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
$62 per year ($43 for six months)
for Mason County addresses and
$75 per year ($55 for six months)
outside of Mason County.
Owned and published by
Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc.
Advertising:
By ADAM
some fun as a family RUDNICK
originally conducted in
But if all goes according to
plan, the bowling center could
be completed in September
, 2021.
I’m glad to see some posi-
tive economic news in Shel- .
ton. The past three months
have been devastating to local
businesses and their
employees, who have
made drastic cutbacks
amid the coronavirus
pandemic.
A new bowling
alley, in addition to
, giving Mason County
residents an enter-
taining’place to spend
time, could supply ad-
ditional tax revenue
to the 'City of Shelton,
and bring in residents
from surrounding areas.
Shelton’s former bowling
alley, Timber Bowl, burned
to the ground in leav-
ing county residents without
many options for a family-
friendly, indoor entertainment
venue. Should this project
move forward, Shelton would
not only have another local
business, but it would also
have an activity that young
and older residents can enjoy.
I have distinct memories of
my parents and friends tak-
ing me to Westside Lanes in .
Olympia for birthday parties.
We would run around, drink
soda and play arcade video
games. Our greasy hands
would fill the bowling balls’.
finger holes with pizza sauce.
But most importantly; we
would have a blast no matter
Front office:
Dave Pierik, circulation and
classifieds manager
John Lester, general manager
Newsroom:
. Theresa Murray, ad representative
Adam Rudnlck, editor in chief
Gordon Weeks, reporter
' Justin Johnson, sports/outdoors editor
Kirk Ericson, columnist/ proofreader
Lloyd Mullen, creative director
Isabella Breda, reporter
Delivery:
Jon Garza
David Olson ,
Niel Challstrom
Composing room:
technical support
William Adams, advertising and
which of our friends knocked
down the most pins.
Fast forward more than
years, and a bowling al-
ley could give my wife and I
a place to take our son. We
could create those memories
for him, and there’s no doubt
he would be a better bowler
than his dad,
Co-workers could meet at
the bowling alley after work
for an adult beverage and a
couple of games. Community
members could join leagues
and compete against one an-
other. Strangers could become
friends.
The’bowling alley could
also provide a place for the
Shelton High School bowling
team to play in its own back-
yard, providing it with a real
home-team advantage. The
team has to travel to West-
side Lanes in Olympia for its
home matches. ,
I don’t Want to get too far
ahead of myself, nor do I want
to get anybody’s hopes up.
And sure, some residents will
scoff at the idea of a bowling
alley.
But it’s nice to see a bur—
geoning plan that could bring
so many residents joy. I hope
the couple behind this en—
deavor can knock down all
the pins on the project and
give residents a chance to do
the same some day soon.
I Adam Rudnick is editor .
in chief of the Shelton-
Mason County Journal. He
can be reached at adam@
masoncounty.com.
All regular editorial, advertising
and legal deadlines are 5 pm. the
Monday prior to publication.
To submit a letter to the editor,
email adam@masoncounty.com.