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
October 4, 2012     Shelton Mason County Journal
PAGE 4     (4 of 20 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
 
PAGE 4     (4 of 20 available)        PREVIOUS     NEXT      Jumbo Image    Save To Scrapbook    Set Notifiers    PDF    JPG
October 4, 2012
 
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




JOURNALEDITORIAL KOMENCOMMENT The 'Hag' and Johnny Paycheck "fyou're a country music fan (arid if you aren't, you should be), then two huge .figures always come to mind -- Merle Haggard and Johnny Paycheck. Here are two Country-music giants whose lives and work seem to intersect in several, often tragib, ways. Haggard -- the "Hag" to his followers -- is no stranger to this part of the world. He appeared two years ago on the stage at the Little Creek Casino. It was a sellout, of course. The Hag's follow- ers, most of whom are his age contemporaries, were everywhere. White hair was much in evidence. He's 75, but he is still on tour. Haggard has been quoted as saying he has to keep working because so many people By JOHN -- his musicians and his KOMEN family -- are depending on him. Still, you can't watch the Hag and not believe he's enjoying every moment of ev- ery piece he plays and sings. Ttie show he performed at the Squaxin casino venue was classic Haggard. He was in good voice and his musicianship was outstanding. He plays with a nonchalance that seemingly verges on laziness. But he's fooling no one. His respect for the words and music is very evident, and his public responds with adulation. The genius that is Haggard is astonish- ing when you consider his life experience. SimlJly put, Haggard in his youth was a rowdy lout. Stealing cars was a youthful habit. Armed robbery was on his list; so was burglary. In 1957, he wound up in San Quentin Prison, where a Johnny Cash con- cert turned him on to music. His post-prison life wasn't too much of an improvement. He went through money as if it were water. His propensity for drugs and women was boundless. But his music and his marvelous songwriting kept him in the vanguard of true country-west- ern star performers. Paycheck, like Haggard, was another of the hell-raising outlaw country-western singers. Like the Hag, Paycheck served time, two years in a military prison for hitting an offlcqr and two years in an Ohio prison for shooting a man in a barroom brawl. Ttieir paths crossed in prison. Haggard was influenced by Cash in San Quentin; the Hag played the Chillieothe Correction- al Institute in Ohio where Paycheck was residing at the time. It's doubtful Paycheck was l~uch influenced by Haggard's appear- anteI though in some of his songs he refers to their similar prison histories. LETTERSTOTHEEDITORTM E.~ch of these country-western ren- egades has had scores of hits and near- hits. But each struck stardom with one song-- Haggard burst into view in 1969 with ["Okie from Muskogee," seen then as the pro-America, anti-protest theme song; Paycheck roared to the top in 1978 with the blue-collar anthem "Take This Job and Shov9 It". Tt~ere's so much more to the stories of these two country-western stars: Haggard's hundreds of standout recordings; Pay- check's '70 albums and more than two doz- en hi~ singles. Both men made truckloads of money, and both wound up bankrupt. Haggard overcame both drugs and bankruptcy. Not so much for Paycheck. His penchant for alcohol put him on Skid Rows where from time to time a record producer would retrieve him and dry him Out long enough to record another album. PAycheck tried to escape his demons, finding Christianity and reportedly quit- ting alcohol, drugs and cigarettes. But it was too late. He died of emphysema and asthma in 2003. Haggard lives with his fifth wife on a ranch near Redding, Calif. Some of his child~'en live there, too, and members of his band, The Strangers, have homes nearby. He has written about his extraordinary life in two very readable autobiographies. If ~euntry-western is America's con- tribt~tion to the world of music, much of the ckedit has to go to Merle Haggard and Johnhy Paycheck. • ~ohn Komen, who lives on Mason Lake~ was for 40 years a reporter and edi- tor, TV anchorman, national TV network correspondent, producer, columnist, edito- rial $riter and commentator. His column, Komen Comment, appears each week in the Shelton-Mason County Journal. Journal staff takes home 9 s newspaper reporters and editors, we try our best to remove our- ~elves from the story we're cover- ing. Once a year, we get to put ourselves into it. On Sept. 28, the Washington News- paper Publishers Association (WNPA) held its 2012 Better Newspaper Contest banquet and convention in Yakima. The Shelton-Mason County Journal won nine awards -- six in our newsroom and three in our advertising room -- in its circula- tion group. Journal photo by Emily Hanson awards award for Best Ad Campaign for a Sin- gle Advertiser (black and White or color). In the newsroom, report Johnson won four awards. second-place awards for Bq Feature for her story "Hall siege on Hood Canal" and: ity Profile - Short for "The nine dozen oysters." She a: third-place awards -- one Best Personality Profile - i er Natalie She took ~st General oween lays 3est Personal- man who ate so won two br another ~hort for "Ma- son County woman is bloo~l bank's best friend" and Best Government Reporting Each year, the WNPA, which cel- This photo, showing Shelton for "Candidates campaign ebrated its 125th anniversary this year, High School's Skylar Core Sports reporter Emily takes submissions from its newspaper attempting to pin teammate Erik brought home a second-pl~ members. Those submissions are then Smith at the North Mason Best Black and White Spol judged by other state newspaper pub- Classic tournament on Dec. 29, Action or Feature for her lisher organizations. This year, New 2011, won a second-place award Shelton wrestlers." She aL, York and Washington state traded and third-place award for Best judged each other's submissions, at the 2012 Washington Story for "Seniors optimist Winners are notified each fall during Newspaper Publishers Associa- build after arson." an annual conference, tion's Better Newspaper Contest. While we're happy with Nobody at the Journal got into news- we're always striving for i] paper work for the awards. But it's nice Dave Pierik and advertising designer Our primary goal is to pub to be honored by our peers, especially Will Adams combined to win the Bestpaper that's chock full ofs when they're on the other side of the Use of Humor in Advertising and Best relevant and interesting t( country. Youth-Oriented Content awards, nity. Two of the Journal's awards were Former editor and sales representa-If we get a few awards e first-place honors --sales representative tive Jesse Mullen added a third-place that's fine, too. For the Editor, the Journal I want to thank Mr. John- son for his interest in solid waste management. While I appreciate his commitment, I do need to clarify one point. In his letter dated Sept. 27, Mr. Johnson stated that "David Baker was fired from Mason County." I was, in fact, not fired, and in actuality left the county on good terms. I appreciate the opportuni- ties provided to me in Mason County and look forward to further service this commu- nity. David Baker Olympia Belfair art a distraction Editor, the Journal When looking at the sup- posed art display at the four- way stop in Belfair, I see a huge lawsuit waiting to hap- pen when someone trips on one of the black bowling balls. Who in Mason County de- cides what artwork should go where? Whoever designed the intersection at Highway 3 and 106 did a beautiful job. I would love to see what they would have suggested for Hunter Park. Linda Bruns Belfair program a success The block party sponsored location was locked in place for programs to by St. David's Church brought when the property was do'national debt, v in about $1,300 after expens- nated for that purpose byabove $16 trilli~ es, and another 550 pounds of Mrs. Winlock W. Miller in• to "Citizens Ag~ food. Once again, the commu- 1926. Use of the property for ment Waste," tl nity has responded with their fairgrounds events was inter- vote ratings rat hearts and their pocketbooks, rupted during World War II tile" to "Unfrier We are so appreciative and we and for some time thereafter, comes to using Editor, the Journal As a follow-up to the letter I wrote recently, I am pleased to report that much has hap- pened with the Backpack Program between the Shelton School District and the Saint's Pantry Food Bank. As a direct response, we have received donations in the amount of $4,000 from the community and beyond. This money will be used to help homeless and food-deprived students in the schools. Each backpack costs around $5.19 each and we put together 150 of them a week. It is a task worth doing. 1[~ Shetton-Mason C;unty ......... ......................... .... She/ton-Mason County Journal is a member of USPS 492-800 Washington Newspaper Publishers' Association. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $37 per year for Mason County addresses, $51 per year in state of Washington but outside Mason County, $61 per year out of state. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason Count) Journal, P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584. Published weekly by Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc. at 227iWest Cota Street, Shelton, Washington Mailing address: RO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584 Telephone (360) 426-4412" www.masoncounty.com Perioc~icals postage paid at Shelton, Washington Owned and published by She~ton-Mason County Journal, Inc Page A-4- Shelton-Mason County Journal- Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 ~n city time." anson ce award for 'ts Photo -- hoto "Three o nabbed a Sports News ic about re- our success, aprovement. lish a news- :ories that are our commu- long the way, offer thanks for their contin- ued support. And, a good time was had by all! It was great to have the participation of some of the other churches, namely Shelton Methodist and Mt. Moriah Four Square churches. The Varmints band played their hearts out, adding to the atmosphere, and they are raffling offa $1,500 guitar as well. The winning ticket will be drawn at OysterFest this weekend with the proceeds to benefit The Saint's Pantry: Thank you guys for your ef- forts to feed the hungry. The pantry has had to be a little more creative in the way we are purchasing food and in the distribution process to our clients. But, with the help of everyone involved, we are cop- ing with the times and mov- ing forward. We are alive and well. The food bank continues to help 150-plus families each week. We have been in the "business" for 31 years and it looks like we are herq to stay! Thank you, Journal, for our support also. Billie L. Howard Shelton Several points omitted Editor, the Journal I am not writing on behalf of the Port of Shelton Com- mission, but rather present- ing my opinion as an individ- ual port commissioner. While my friend Norm Eveleth and I agree on most subjects, we differ significant- ly on the fairgrounds location issue. I think his Sep. 20 let- ter omits several pertinent points. The decision-making authority over fairgrounds removal or retention on port property rests not with the Federal Aviation Administra- tion (FAA) or with the county. That decision rests with the Port of Shelton Commission acting on behalf of the port district electorate. The present fairgrounds Karl Sleight, publisher Newsroom: Adam Rudnick, editor Natalie Johnson, reporter Gordon Weeks, reporter Emily Hanson, sports reporter but resumed operations in 1963 with no objection from the FAA, or its predecessor will raise the ce the Civil Aeronautics Board. care, while decr The first signs of FAA ob- freedom, she an jections began in the early in the senate h~ 1990s. The fairgrounds have town without p~ resided in that location for 66 get for the thirc out of the last 86 years with It is time to giv, the property being used for the chance. nothing else except a Blimp Michael Bau: Recovery Pad during the war the right man fl years. The facility poses less Born in Pullma: increase the 'hich is now ,n. According inst Govern- Le senator's ge from "Hos- dly" when it ~he taxpayers money wisely. Along with supporting Obamacare, which aviation safety concern than ........ college professo either the Walmart store or : school te~cher,: high school 10cations because • ~: exposedat an e~ aircraft do not fly over the the importance fairgrounds. He has traveled At its Sept. 4 meeting, the 70 countries in( port commission made no de- Middle East. Hq cision on fairgrounds removal, elor's degree in The decision was rather to and a master's 1 form a committee to look into in public admin the feasibility of moving the volunteered to fairgrounds. It is yet to be with the state d seen what the results of that As a husband a: committee work will be. he understands The FAA's desires are challenges ofm well known, as are the incli- ily. There is mu nations of each of the port story, which yol commissioners. Community votebaumgartn, input seems to strongly favor Unlike our p continuing with the present tor, Michael B~ location, will use his ece For those who would like to help prepare to read a more in-depth budget for our analysis of the subject, I have will use his ski made a research paper titled ate with others "The Fairgrounds Relocation ate to get thin~ Question" publicly available, will also use hi It can be found on Mason and economic s County Daily News Citizens regulations am Editorial. I will provide cop- job opportuniti ies via email at jayhupp@this country. T comcast.net, or it can beabout a cut in t downloaded from my Face- ment rate and book page. It is also available a better econo~ at http://www.scribd.com/Washington stt doc/106741690, rest of the nati, Michael belie Jay Hupp U.S. Constituti~ Shelton do all he can to knows what is Cantwell Iraq and Afghm first-hand expeJ a great admirat armed forces. We need to s~ placi g the same mista: re n over again. We Baumgartner ir Editor, the Journal improve the life It is time we replaced U.S. son in Washing Sen. Maria Cantwell. In theUnited States a 12 years she has served in the U.S. Senate, she has done little to improve life for those of us in Washington. She has, however, managed to vote See Lette Advertising" Composing roo~ Dave Pierik, Sr. Acct. Executive William Adams, g Maggie Burdick, ad representative Pressroom" Front office: Kelly Riordan, pro Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper Travis Miller, pres,. Margot Brand, circulation Mary Northover, Cricket Carter, mailroom supervisor st of health- easing patient d her cronies ve just left rasing a bud- year in a row. someone else ~gartner is ,r the job. 1, the son a ., and public VIichael was ~rly age to ':: ~f education. to more than luding the has a bach- economics, ~om Harvard [stration. He ~ork in Iraq epartment. ]d father, the joys and [sing a fam- ch more to his can find at r.com. resent sena- umgartner aomic skills and pass a ~ountry. He I1 to negoti- in the sen- s done. He business kills to cut increase s for all in fis will bring he unemploy- ,~ive hope for tic outlook in ~te and the )n. ves in the ,n and will aphold it. He oing on in fistan from ience and has ion for our ~op voting for ~es over and ]eed Michael office to help of every per- ;on and the s a whole. ~athy Johnson Hoodsport rs on page A-5 I: 'aphics ~uction manager operator ress assistant