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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
October 20, 2011     Shelton Mason County Journal
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October 20, 2011
 
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JOURNALE DITORIAL And the award • • • This Natalie Johnson photo earned a first-place award in the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association 2011 Better Newspaper Contest. With your indulgence, we'd like tive committee in Olympia. "Turning tide." to pat ourselves on the back and cel- Mullen also earned a third-placeManaging Editor Kevan Moore ebrate the great work that the Jour- award for his editorial entitledearned an award for a breaking news nal news staff produces each and "Bogged down in biomass." In addi- story entitled "Bridge over troubled every week. tion, he earned awards for a color water." As part of the Washington News- photo essay, front-page design, fen- In addition, former Journal staff- paper Publishers Association's 2011 ture-page design and special cover ers Dean Siemon and Gaylene Wise- Better Newspaper Contest, Journal design, man earned awards for sports re- staffers recently earned 12 presti- Reporter Natalie Johnson earned porting and an editorial cartoon. gious awards, a first-place award for her black and Lastly, current sports reporter General Manager Jesse Mullen, white feature photo "Playing with Emily Hanson earned an award for who previously worked as the man- fire." comprehensive coverage of a single aging editor of the newsroom, earned Belfair Herald reporter Arla issue for a series of stories she wrote a first-place award for an editorial Shephard earned two awards, one about a murder trial while working taking Mason County Commissioner for her short personality profle "Life for the Okanogan Valley Gazette- Lynda Ring Erickson to task for pro- behind the lens" and another for en- Tribune. viding false information to a legisla- vironmental reporting in her story Kudos to them all! LETTERSTOTHEEDITOR Support by building homes than marketing industrial sites. Well, too bad. Let him corn- Hood Canal ply with the zoning ordi- nance or hit the road. School Mr. Carney brings up Adage, which has noth- ing to do with the airport. District Ports in the state exist for the purpose of providing industrial and transporta- Editor, the Journal tion facilities, and nothing Hood Can/d students more. Funding to provide currently use technology road, water and airport equipment that was pur- improvements comes from chased used through the the state and federal gov- state surplus system, was ernment. In accepting such donated, or was purchased funding the port agrees to used from more affluent permit any applicant that school districts. The state can demonstrate a need for of Washington does not available land or buildings, provide funding to pub- full access to the process of tic schools for technology negotiating a lease, without equipment so we are asking prejudice, obligations and the voters of our communi- the law did not have the ~ies to support a technology choice to arbitrarily deny levy that would be assessed Adage the process of negoti- only in 2012. ating for a lease. Had they Please help our students done so, or pulled the rug to be technologically liter- out in the middle of nego- ate. It is vital to their suc- tiations, Adage could have cess. appealed the decision to the state or federal government Tom Churchill and the decision would Union have been reversed. This has happened here before. Get your NormanJ. Evelethshelton straight Vote for Jack Miles Editor, the Journal Editor, the Journal Mr. Carney needs to be We first met Jack Miles more careful with his facts after a Port of Shelton Com- before he writes more let- mission meeting last year, ters. His contention that where Commissioner Miles the port opposes home was opposing an effort by building south of the run- Commissioner Jay Hupp to way is false. The commis- try to restrict the ability of sion supports the project citizens to counter his pet provided it occurs on that project at the time, the now portion of the developer's defunct Adage incinerator land zoned for such use. facility. The site in question is We were quite impressed zoned for light industrial, that at least one of the port Zoning land adjacent to commissioners was actu- airfields is required by law ally trying to do something for the explicit reason of to protect our rights as :preventing just what the citizens. And Jack hasn't developer and the city want stopped. to do. Further to say the Jack has clearly shown project will bring 1,000 jobs that he will not be backed is pure hokum. The con- down and bullied. He has nection between jobs and clearly come down on the housing is a well-debunked side of the citizens' right to myth that developers have be a part of the process of used for years to fool the government, over and over public. The only thing new again. housing will bring is com- Because of these efforts muters and retirees. Jobs on his part, he has come come with business and under attack, over and over industry and the land in again, by those who seek question, zoned light indus- to maintain power and do trial is far more beneficial whatever they want, citi- for promoting job growth, zens be damned. The objective of the de- The other port officials veloper is to fill his pockets and their friends work very with money. No one who hard at slamming the door thinks he has the interest of port power in the face of of us local folks in mind is we, the citizens. Jack has a fool. He can profit more always been on our side of the door, helping to keep the door open by any means pos- sible, so we, the citizens can see what's really going on. This opening has allowed us to have a say in the type of economic development we want in this area. Let's thank Jack Miles for all his efforts on the citizens' behalf by giving him our support in the up- coming general election on Nov. 8. John Cox Christine Armondmunity and, as volunteers, In early spring of 1960,regulations of a beaura- Shelton they provide their service a fulllength article andcratic maze is not neces- with no financial reward, photo appeared on the sarily the best way to What about these lettersfYont page of the Seattle Pl, handle a difficult situation. f of support for Mr. Whit- describing how the City of Somehow, I suspect that in Vote or man? In direct contrast to Seattle had issued a stop another 50 years the people letters of support for the work order for a construc- with the fancy clothes and Ti m other candidate, each and tion project that did not loaded briefcases won't every letter of support for meet the provisions of the have that figured out. Whitma ~r Whitman has come building code. The obvious- n fl.om citizens either work- ly unscrupulous contractor Bob Herr ing or living within thewho had run afoul of the Shelton borders of fire district 6. building department was I, Editor, the Journal Members of the Fire Dis-age nine. The race for Fire Corn- trict have generated many Admittedly, there may Doric ]dsor~ missioner of Mason County of those letters. It seems have been a few minor Fire District6 has taken tellingto me that thevery problems with the shank and Rich some interesting turns of individuals providing emer- project. The building site was not located on our ....... ....... late. ...... gency services t° 0ur h°mes H__ and businesses, stand unit- property, but since no one, ::, :have my .... I would like to share ed and firm in their :supp0rt ~ else was using the place, some observations that I : have made regarding these of Mr. Whitman. Thesethat seemed to be an un- letters. Mr. Johnston has firefighters and EMT's are usually nit-picky point. received many letters of in tune with the needs of The quality of construction support. It troubles me this fire department. These may not have been up to Editor, the Journal however, that two-thirds firefighters and EMTs are the standards of the build- also past fire chiefs and fire ing department, but it was I would like you to join of those letters have come fi'om individuals living and commissioners~ They are every bit as good as theme in voting for Sharon working outside of the fire business owners and fam- pictures I had seen of the Donaldson and Caroline district boundaries. What, ily counselors and builders. Hooverville shantytowns of Rich for Shelton School if any, are these individuals They are rescue divers and the 1930s. In fact the au- Board. Having been mar- knowledge of, or experience mill workers and emergen- thor of the article even used ried to Sharon for over 10 with, current or past opera- cy management specialists, the word "rickety" in one of years I have seen first- tions of Fire District 6? I They are not the simpletons his descriptions, but I think hand her commitment to submit that they possess that Mr. Johnston's sup- he was probably that nice our children's education as very little, but somehow porters would imply or have to mos£ everyone she's volunteered uncount- feel qualified to make up you believe. They deserve Apparently the building able hours in classrooms, the minds of those of us to be heard and respected department did not agreetreating all of the children who actually live here. for their contribution to this that "Mom said it was al- she encounters as if they One letter of support for community, right" sufficed as the per- were our own. Her ability Mr. Johnston leveled ac- Why not reach out to one mit process. Construction to fully consider all sides cusations of wrongdoing or more of those fire district plans were not submittedof a situation, incorporat- in the campaign for Mr. volunteers and allow them for review, as what plans ing the viewpoints and Whitman's election by past to share their story and there were existed only on expertise of others, has commissioners and employ- perspective on this commis- the wings of a nine-yearserved her well on vari- ees of the fire district. This sioners race with you. You old imagination and wereous boards and groups she allegation is preposterous might find it enlightening, subject to change without has volunteered her time and couldn't be further My personal feelings and notice or reason. Adult in- on over the years. Sharon from the truth. This race opinion have not wavered, tervention was not required considered and eventu- is about now, not the past. I will cast my vote for Mr. or welcome, ally made the decision to This race is about who is Tim Whitman for Commis- "Someone might get run for school board after most qualified amongst the sioner Pos. 1, Mason Coun- hurt" was a reason for Stop- speaking with Caroline two candidates to serve ty Fire District 6. ping the project. Interest- Rich, school district staff as the next Fire Commis- ingly, that is one of the rea- members and other com- sioner of Fire District 6. Rich Heinrich sons given now by the city munity leaders who want Certain letters of support Fire Chief, Retired of Shelton for the problem to help initiate positive for Mr. Johnston have also Union with Jay's Farmstand. change throughout the been highly critical of the Obviously, the City of Se- Shelton School District volunteer firefighters who Rules that attle was the victor against system by working with provide the critical service a dumb 9-year old kid. Yet, our existing district staff. we all enjoy in this corn- O k the damage to the image Sharon Donaldson and munity. In the interest of r L~ r~ a m and reputation of city hall Caroline Rich are running space here, I will not go into brought by that front-page with the intent on building article was immeasur- effective partnerships with detail regarding the level of Editor, the Journal able. Similarly, the City of our talented school district training, time in service, or amount of experience and The city of Shelton'sShelton will rise victorious educators and employees by dedication they bring to the handling of the permit for in their battle against the working directly with the job. Suffice it to say, they the Jay's Farmstand tent is treacheries of Jay's Turnip superintendent, to provide are true professionals with nothing new in the annals Tent, but at what price? a passion to serve the com- of' beauracratic bumbling. Rigid adherence to the See Letter on page A-5 ~ Shelton-Mason C;unty ]1~ She~ton-Mason County Joumal is a member of usPs 492-800 Washington Newspaper Publishers' Association. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Shelton-Mason SUBSCRIPTION RATES: County Journal, P.O. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584. $37 per year for Mason County addresses, Published weekly by Shelton-Mason County Journal, Inc. $51 per year in state of Washington but outside at 227 West Cota Street, Shelton, Washington Mason County, $61 per year out of state. Mailing address: RO. Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584 Jesse Mullen, general mgr. Advertising: Composing room: Dave Pierik, advertising manager William Adams, graphics Newsroom: Harvey Morris, ad representative Koleen Wood, classifieds/legals Kevan Moore, managing editor Becky Corr, typing Aria Shephard, North Mason, Front office: environment, reporter Donna Kinnaird, bookkeeper Pressroom: Natalie Johnson, reporter Margot Brand, circulation Emily Hanson, sports reporter Cricket Carter, mailroom Adam Rudnick copy editor supervisor Telephone (360) 42,6-4412 .www:rnasoncoun)Y.COm :Owned and published by Periodicals postage paid at Shelton, WashingtOn She~ton-Mason County Jouma/, Inc Kelly Riordan, production manager Travis Miller press operator Page A-4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, October 20, 2011