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VOTE IN OUR
READER'S ELECTIONS
The Best in
Mason County 2012
1[i SheltoiiMason County 11
227 W. Cota St • Shelton 98584
Straw Ballot
The Best of Mason County 2012
l_00und the best
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Look for more categories next week!
To Encourage & Acknowledge
Excellence in Mason County
The Journal presents this straw ballot of our readers to determine
who or what you, our readers consider to be the
Best In Mason County 2012
This ballot will run in the Journal for the rest of September. Simply
read the Journal and write in your choices for the Best of Mason
County in the categories listed on this page. It is that simple, that
easy, and that fun. Then, in October, see who wins our elections
in an upcoming special section entitled
Best in MasOn County 2012
Page A-2 - Shelton-Mason County Journal -Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012
Suspect charged v ith murder to
represent himse If in unrelated case
By NATALIE JOHNSON
natalie@masoncouny,eom
Charles Sydney Long-
shore, 22, who is awaiting
trial on charges of first-de-
gree murder in the deaths
of two Shelton residents on
Memorial Day, appeared
in Mason County Superior
Court Monday to request
that he be allowed to repre-
sent himself in the sentenc-
ing portion of an unrelated
case.
Lonshore was convicted
on July 23 of felony harass-
ment and eluding a police
officer stemming from an in-
cident in March.
On March 25, Longshore
was arrested on the 300
Block of Taylor Road by a
Shelton police officer and
booked on charges of felony
harassment, attempting to
elude a police officer and
driving with a suspended li-
cense.
O n
Monday,
Longshore
requested
the right to
act as his
own attor-
ney in the
sentencing
Charles phase of
Longshore that trial.
"He in-
dicated
that he wishes to represent
himself and that's his right,"
said Longshore's attorney,
James Gazori.
Longshore told Mason
County Superior Court
Judge Amber Finlay that he
had represented himself be-
fore in a similar proceeding
in 2010.
Longshore's request will
be considered again on Mon-
day.
While out on $10,000 bail
for the March 25 incident,
Longshore was arrested and
charged with two counts of
aggravated murder in the
first degree in the deaths
of Tyler Drake and Anitrea
Taber, 37, in their home on
Harvard Avenue in Shelton.
Longshore was arrested
on June 1. Judge Toni Shel-
don denied him bail.
Lonshore has signed a
waiver of speedy trial and is
not scheduled to go to trial
on the murder case until
early 2013.
Rafael trial to start in
November
Robert Rafael was also
charged with first-degree
murder in the deaths of
Drake and Taber. He pled
not guilty and later waived
his right to a speedy trial on
Aug. 6.
Rafael's pretrial hear-
ing is scheduled for Oct. 29,
and his trial is scheduled to
start on Nov. 13.
BWD approves 38 percent rate increase
By NATALIE JOHNSON
natali@nasoncounty.corn
The Belfair Water District Board of Com-
missioners voted unanimously Tuesday to ap-
prove a 38 percent rate increase starting in
the October billing cycle.
Under the new rate structure, a residential
customer paying $44.80 per month now would
pay $63.07 in their August bill; nearly $20
more per month. Commercial rates are about
10 percent higher than residential rates.
"It's a huge rate increase," said commission
Chair Mike Pope. "It's something that we've
put offand put offand put off.If we want this
water system to survive, it's something we've
got to do."
The increase was proposed in a water rate
study performed by the FCS Group, a consult-
ing firm specializing in utility rates. The firm
recommended an additional 15 percent rate
increase in 2014, and inflation increases in
following years.
The increased rates take into account a
need to create a 45-to-60-day operating re-
serve fund over the next six years, of $1,300
per day, which amounts to between $56,000
and $86,000.
Commissioner Linnie Griffin said the in-
creased rates will help the district recover
financially.
The rate increases would also help the
district create a $100,000 to $200,000 Capi-
tal Contingency fund, which would provide a
source of funding for emergency repairs.
The rate study included a future goal of
creating a system replacement fund, but that
is not planned for the next six years.
The increase rates also include new debt
of up to $184,000 per year. The water district
plans to move its main water line witha $1.9
million (PWTF) loan in conjunction with a
Washington State Department of Transpor-
tation project to widen State Route 3 through
Belfair over the next few years.
Special operations group raids 3 locations in Mason County
By NATALIE JOHNSON
natalie(@na,9orounty.com,
A new multi-agency Spe-
cial Operations Group Pro-
Act Team made its first raid
on Sept. 5 on Johns Prairie
Road, seizing approximately
200 pieces of evidence.
Family
Owned
The team served a search
warrant in the 1100 block of
Johns Prairie Road.
The Mason County Sher-
iffs Office led detectives from
the Squaxin Island Police
Department and the Wash-
ington Department of Correc-
tions in arresting two people
on drug charges.
Family
Run
catmt
ST/HL o ... "
SKIPWORTH'S
1603 Olympic Hwy, N., Shelton 426-0875
Open Tues-Fri 8:30-5:30 & Sat 8:30-4; Closed Sun & M0n
The evidence included five
motorcycles, three boats, two
welders, two electric trolling
motors and numerous elec-
tronic devices.
Some victims have already
claimed their property. Detec-
tives will continue to work to
identify victims and help them
find their stolen property.
According to the team, ad-
ditional arrests are planned.
Any victims of theft or bur-
glary who may not have re-
ported their loss can contact
the Mason County Sheriffs
Office at 427-9670, ext. 313.
Two days later, on Friday,
the special operations group
responded to reports of two
outdoor marijuana grow op-
erations near Lilliwaup.
Detectives from the sher-
iffs office, the Squaxin Island
Police Department and the
Washington State Department
of Corrections confiscated mar-
ijuana plants from two differ-
ent locations with an estimat-
ed street value of $135,000.
No arrests have been made.
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