Notice: Undefined index: HTTP_REFERER in /home/stparch/public_html/headmid_temp_main.php on line 4394
Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
July 9, 2020     Shelton Mason County Journal
PAGE 14     (14 of 40 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
 
PAGE 14     (14 of 40 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
July 9, 2020
 
Newspaper Archive of Shelton Mason County Journal produced by SmallTownPapers, Inc.
Website © 2025. All content copyrighted. Copyright Information
Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Request Content Removal | About / FAQ | Get Acrobat Reader




Page A-14 Shelton-Mason Journal Thursday, July 9, 2020 By Justin Johnson justin@masoncounly. com A cool and dry start to the sum— mer has kept fire danger in Mason County low, but local fire officials want people to continue to be cau- tions. “We have experienced several small wildfire incidents over the last few weeks in Mason County,” K.C. Whitehouse, battalion chief with Central Mason Fire & EMS, wrote in an email Monday. “All of them have been in grass and other light vegeta— tion. That is our primary concern go- ing into this summer. “The light vegetation, such as grass and light brush, grew heavily over the course of our wet spring and now creates a dense, uniform conti— nuity of fuel across the landscape, which can easily carry fire into heavier fuels and moves much faster than fires in timber.” ’The National Weather Service and Northwest Predictive Services Center recently put out an updated fire season outlook, and predicts that Western Washington will likely see below normal temperatures for the remainder of July before transition- ing to above normal temperatures from August to October. “With that, our concern is that we may have a late fire season,” White- house wrote. “This is a similar set of conditions that we ran into in back in 2012 when we had the Powerline 2 fire north of Shelton, which burned 229 acres during the first week of October.” . Central Mason Fire & EMS Fire Chief Mike Patti wrote in a July 6 email that the Mason County fire chiefs are scheduled to meet Mon- day, and that a season burn ban would likely come up at that meet- mg. Patti wrote that burn bans in the county, which are formally enacted by Mason County’s acting Fire Mar- shal Dave Windom, would normally go in effect around July 15 and ex— tend through Oct. 15. Due to extremely dry spring con- ditions in 2019, Mason County en- acted a longer burn ban that began in May and lasted until October. “I have prepared some fire restric- tions in case it’s needed,” Windom wrote in a Monday email. “Right now, we’re at 11-15% fuel moisture content and the forecast is pretty much the same for next week. We’ll keep an’ eye on the fuel moisture and coordinate with (Department of Natural Resources).” ‘ As conditions dry out, the county can implement a phased approach as it has done over recent years, Windom wrote. A burn ban would initially restrict outdoor burning for brush and yard debris. West Mason Fire Chief Matt We- lander wrote in an email that his concerns are the same as every year. “I am worried that people will V become complacent and not be as vigilant as needed with their fires,” Welander wrote. “This year will be a little different for everyone due to COVID-19 concerns.” Welander added that predictions Mason County fire chiefs keeping an eye on conditions for the eastern side of Washington are for a drier-than-normal summer and likely means that crews from Mason County will be over to help fight those fires. “All fire chiefs in the county are very aware of the potential for fires here and there,” Welander wrote. “We have all worked to set up rota- tions and mutual aid plans to make . sure that everyone here, and there, is taken care of. Our crews will also be taking extra precautions when traveling to fires. We will be more self—contained than in the past. Each crew will have the ability to work 72 to 96 (hours) basically unsupported. Most units will have more food than normal and many have been set up with camp stoves to heat meals.” Whitehouse wrote that Central Mason Fire & EMS has taken sev- eral proactive steps to meet the wild- fire threat, including the purchase of an additional wildland firefighting engine, staffing a cooperative engine with DNR and certifying additional staff as wildland firefighters. LuckyDog Casino reopens With virus precautions By Gordon Weeks gordon@masoncounty.com Faceemasked patrons are again seeking fortunes play- ing slot machines such as the Temple of Fire and Invad- ers from the Planet Moolah with the reopening July 1 of the Lucky Dog Casino on the Skokomish Tribal reserva— tion. . The reopening of the casino on US. Highway 101 after three months of closure to help limit the spread of the coro- navirus comes with changes, such as the hand sanitizer on top of the ATM machine. It also comes with new rules. Patrons are required to wear protective masks or face coverings. Smoking-is not per- mitted inside the casino. The casino has added hand sanitization stations and has increased cleaning and sani- tization routines. Plexiglass A customer adjusts his face mask Tuesday before entering the Lucky ‘Dog Casino on the Skokomish Tribe reservation. The threat of the coronavirus 1. closedth‘e’nfiam March 16, and the ' doors reopened July 1. Journal photoby Gordon Weeks barriers have been installed. , Social distancing of 6 feet be- tween patrons is encouraged. Temperatures are being taken of all patrons and em- ployees as they enter. Anyone with a temperature of more than 100 degrees will not be allowed inside. The employees have been We deliver . ’ or U-hqul . 1‘7 .l—lr‘ LLgLLLLL K. L _1_L.L_ ,‘.. . ,. 1‘ \7' , can: Clclls‘cuLt _. twang Lil;’.:0.l' um :‘ Luv. 951 W. KAMILBHE LANE IN trained on the coronavirus and on personal protective equipment. The maximum oc- cupancy for the casino and its restaurant have been reduced. In a press release, the Skokomish Tribe states the safety and sanitization plan aligns with recommendations made by the Centers for Dis- NORTHWEST ROEK,‘ ms... LL...L_ ‘_..._._‘_.‘_ sum . . , ., . , . Kant. .-:V. .1 keenn" IN NWBUBKJHIM ease Control and Prevention and local health officials. .“After three months of clo- sure, we are prepared and excited to be back. welcoming guests to Lucky Dog Casino,” Site, Inc. CEO, David Owens stated in the press release. He added, “We look forward to seeing everyone back, and Sift? PA NE? BOTTEESll Small OIL 'W.‘ 1 50 Sanderson Way‘ Shelton, WA 98584 1-800-826-8959 0 (360) 427-8084 we feel we are providing the safest environment possible. Although we may be wearing _a mask, we are smiling wide.” For updates on the casino, go to myluckydogcasino.com. Mason County’s other casi- no, the Squaxin Island Tribe’s Little Creek Casino Resort, reopened May 18. Patrons are Sons DIST. co, UNOCAL 76 PRODUCTS n 0 Motor Oils Hydraulic Oils 0 Industrial Lubricants . Automotivepils 0 Metal Working Fluids ' Greases Gear Oils 0 Solvents Antifreeze 0 Cutting Oils 0 Job Site High-Volume Commercial Diesel Fueling - Pump Repair, Tanks, Nozzles, Grease Guns Heating Oil Delivered 0 Furnace Stove Oil Kerosene required to wear a face mask that covers their mouth and nose, have their temperature taken to ensure it doesn’t top 100.4 degrees and show valid ID. Inside, half of the slot ma- chines have been removed to create social distancing. Lim- ited seating is available for table games. "5 L. l ‘>—— 1 Li 'L. r L.l ; L‘bvir‘ V ‘1“: [IPEN MONDAY-FRIDAY, 7AM-4PM Stale Conn. Peg. llo. uormmomo It is not length of life, but depth of life. I , r — Ralph Waldo Emerson