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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
November 22, 2007     Shelton Mason County Journal
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November 22, 2007
 
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SHELTON- MASON COUNTY Jq[)URNAL November 22, 2007 121st Year -- Number 47 5 Sections -- 42 Pages Published in Shelton, Washington 75 cents 00ounty eyes skyscraper in city FF GREEN missioners are now considering presented three proposed changes lic service uses, and would allow downtown. "This approach may county office building ned with bureaucrats loom- Pwards of 60 feet over the wn Shelton skyline? That II may be enough to give a possible changes to the city's de- velopment regulations and Mason County is considering plans to consolidate the lecation of some of its scattered offices. .. an edifice complex. During a public hearing at e there are not yet any Monday evening's city commission on the books currently for. meeting, Steve Goins, director of a structure, it is a future Shelton's Community and Eco- ility as Shelton city corn- nomic Development Department, iil to the regulations that guide de- velopment within.the city. One of them would establish a Public Ser- vices Zoning District downtown that includes the city, county, PUD 3 and the Shelton library. "These regulations would es- tablish a zoning overlay district in the downtown that better accom- modates the many existing pub- nore compact development by Ma- son County in the county 'campus' area including the site of the Ma- son County Courthouse building," Goins wrote in a briefing memo to the commissioners. THE COUNTY is asking for approval of a master plan for its so-called "campus" of buildings allow for additional flexibility in the height of structures, up to a maximum of 60 feet," Goins' memo notes. Fire Chief Jim Ghiglione said the fire department would have to look at performance standards for buildings more than three stories high. "We still need roof access," (Please turn to page 10.) Turkey Smash at Oakland Bay ior High was especially timely this . Proceeds benefit Saints' Pantry, Rid stewards of the food bank were told F won't be getting any turkeys thin Timberwolves talk turkey year. Among those who came through in a pinch are Kaitlin Kimball and Zac Van Cleave, pictured. Behind them is Christina Voss, an educational assistant. For more, see page 9. 00obbins turns one-vote deficit ato two-vote lead at Southside e race for a seat on the South- hool Board flip-flopped after onal votes were tallied last Y morning and incumbent Robbins now leads Nicole er by two votes, 272 to 270. Oing into the vote count, er clung to a precarious one- . lead over Robbins. But three ttonal ballots in the race were d Friday and the veteran )ias claimed all three to pull ln behind. bbins currently has a razor- i' thin lead over Cougher, 49.9 per- cent to 49.5 percent. If that per- centage difference between the two candidates holds up, it will mean an automatic recount by machine, not a hand recount, said Mason County Elections Superintendent Amber Cervantes. The next vote count will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Novem- ber 26, the day before the general election is due to be certified. Cer- vantes said on Monday, November 19, there were a handful of ballots to be counted. In other close races, Steve Le- vetto stretched his lead to 20 votes over incumbent Fire District 6 Commissioner Bob Close. Levette has 339 votes, or 51.1 percent, to Close's 319 votes, or 48.1 percent. And in another close fire dis- trict race, Jake Frey has taken a 45-vote lead over incumbent Fire District 16 Commissioner Dick Andrews. Frey has 213 votes, or 55 percent, to Andrews' 168 votes, or 43.4 percent. food basket fund goal $25,000 e 40 8-Journal Christ- collaborate on the Christmas mas may et Fund food baskets be lund to provide holiday food Fund with the vets putting to- mailed to The Journal at P.O. Box ts for the needy has kicked te 61st year, and registration have been set for both the Jrogram and the local Toys lids project. is year's goal is $25,000 for d basket program. te Shelton 40 et 8 veterans' Dtization and The Journal gether the food baskets and dis- tributing them while the news- paper collects money to buy the food. The firefighters run a toy program that shares registra- tion dates with the food basket project. Donations to support the Christ- 430, Shelton, 98584 or dropped off at the newspaper office, located at 227 West Cota Street in downtown Shelton. Those who donate will be recognized in the newspaper, un- less they choose to remain anony- mous. Donations also can be made (Please turn to page 8.) SUV goes over edge: Plunge down cliff kills man By MARY DUNCAN A 47-year-old Lacey man died Friday night when he jumped into his vehicle just before it plunged off a dirt road in the Olympic Na- tional Forest and 500 feet down an embankment as his fiancde watched in horror. Patrick J. O'Connell, 47, was thrown from his vehicle and died at the scene, an embankment in very steep terrain off U.S. Forest Service Road 2469 about 10 miles west of Highway 101 near Lilli- waup, according to a press release from Chief Deputy Dean Byrd of the Mason County Sheriffs Office. The crash was reported by Kath- erine M. Milleson, 48, of Lacey. She called 911 about 4:40 p.m. on November 16 and said the vehicle, a 2007 Toyota Land Cruiser, had gone off the cliff with O'Connell inside. "MILLESON DID not have knowledge of the area and could not provide good directions to the scene," Byrd noted. "Investigators were assisted in finding Milleson when a news helicopter in the area assisted by locating Milleson from the air and guiding investigators into the scene. This was accom- plished by Shelton Communica- tions Center dispatchers providing the helicopter crew with Milleson's phone number so they could talk directly. Milleson was then able to guide the helicopter to her loca- tion." Byrd said officers arrived at the scene just after dark and immediately started rescue operations. Personnel from Fire Districts 6, 1, 4 and 17 assisted in the operation along with a helicop- ter from Naval Air Station Whid- bey Island and members of Olym- pic Mountain Rescue. Rescuers were able to rappel at least 500 feet over the embank- ment to the vehicle but did not immediately find the driver, Byrd said. The Navy helicopter provid- ed assistance by lighting the area with searchlights to aid ground res- cuers. O'Connell was found a short time later some distance from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. MILLESON TOLD depu- ties that the couple had gone to this location on a sightseeing trip and were trying out a new four- wheel-drive vehicle. The couple had stopped and parked near the edge of the cliff. Milleson said she got out of the vehicle so O'Connell could move the vehicle away from the edge of the roadway. When the vehicle was being moved by O'Connell it left the roadway, fall- ing more than 500 feet before com- ing to rest. "Based on information obtained during the investigation there are indications alcohol may have been involved in this trag- edy," Byrd said. No alcohol was ibund at the scene but Milleson told officers she and O'Connell had consumed alco- hol prior to going up into the moun- tains. The Mason County Sheriffs Office is continuing its investiga- tion to determine just how this in- cident unfolded. "We would like to remind the public these mountain roads are very unforgiving. When going into the mountains people should be prepared with maps and should not be consuming alcohol," Byrd emphasized. Christmas parade to kick off season This year's edition of the Christ- mas parade, scheduled for Satur- day, December 1, in Shelton, will kick off a long list of local holiday events. The parade will begin at 5 p.m. and follow its traditional route by starting eastward on Railroad Avenue and continuing around Second Street and up Franklin before wrapping up on Seventh Street. Dick Taylor, executive direc- tor of the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce, expects around 50 entries, including floats, marching bands, equestrian groups, color guards, scout troops and Santa Claus. Folks in Union got a jump start on the season last Thursday when a helicopter delivered a sizeable Yuletide tree to a spot of dry land on the shores of Hood Canal. The airborne delivery was part of the (Please turn to page 10.) illqllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll )n the inside ifleds ........................... 31 unity Calendar ....... 15 'Sword ........................... 37 ttrtainment, Dining ..... 30 tilth Journal ................. 18 !taal of Record ............. 25 ituaries. .............. 10 lions, Letters ................. 4 t ................................... 21 s ..................................... 37 tlther .................................. 7 lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll l!jijijl!ijlliJIJi!i!i!llll00 One stabbed, one shot at Timberlakes By MARY DUNCAN The investigation continues into an incident last week at Timberlakes in which one man was shot and another man was stabbed. Richard William Mahaney, 28, and Robert D. Lawry, 60, were involved in an altercation reported around 11:30 p.m. on November 14 at 511 East Tim- berlake Drive East, according to a press release from the Mason County Sheriffs Office. Mah- aney sustained gunshot wounds and Lawry was stabbed. Medics with Mason County Fire District 5 were the first to arrive at the scene, Chief Deputy Dean Byrd reported. They found Mahaney and when deputies ar- rived they discovered Lawry suf- fering from stab wounds. Both men were transported to Mason General then airlifted to Harbor- view Hospital in Seattle. Mahaney and Lawry were in satisfactory condition on Novem- ber 20, according to a Harborview spokesperson. Deputies continue their investigation. "It is not yet clear to officers what took place. Investigators have been able to learn the two victims know each other and that there was some sort of al- tercation between them," Byrd noted. Anyone having information about the incident can call the Mason County Sheriffs Office at 427-9670, Extension 313. DETECTIVES INVESTIGATE the Timberlakes residence where one man was shot and another man was stabbed. SHELTON- MASON COUNTY Jq[)URNAL November 22, 2007 121st Year -- Number 47 5 Sections -- 42 Pages Published in Shelton, Washington 75 cents 00ounty eyes skyscraper in city FF GREEN missioners are now considering presented three proposed changes lic service uses, and would allow downtown. "This approach may county office building ned with bureaucrats loom- Pwards of 60 feet over the wn Shelton skyline? That II may be enough to give a possible changes to the city's de- velopment regulations and Mason County is considering plans to consolidate the lecation of some of its scattered offices. .. an edifice complex. During a public hearing at e there are not yet any Monday evening's city commission on the books currently for. meeting, Steve Goins, director of a structure, it is a future Shelton's Community and Eco- ility as Shelton city corn- nomic Development Department, i il to the regulations that guide de- velopment within.the city. One of them would establish a Public Ser- vices Zoning District downtown that includes the city, county, PUD 3 and the Shelton library. "These regulations would es- tablish a zoning overlay district in the downtown that better accom- modates the many existing pub- nore compact development by Ma- son County in the county 'campus' area including the site of the Ma- son County Courthouse building," Goins wrote in a briefing memo to the commissioners. THE COUNTY is asking for approval of a master plan for its so-called "campus" of buildings allow for additional flexibility in the height of structures, up to a maximum of 60 feet," Goins' memo notes. Fire Chief Jim Ghiglione said the fire department would have to look at performance standards for buildings more than three stories high. "We still need roof access," (Please turn to page 10.) Turkey Smash at Oakland Bay ior High was especially timely this . Proceeds benefit Saints' Pantry, Rid stewards of the food bank were told F won't be getting any turkeys thin Timberwolves talk turkey year. Among those who came through in a pinch are Kaitlin Kimball and Zac Van Cleave, pictured. Behind them is Christina Voss, an educational assistant. For more, see page 9. 00obbins turns one-vote deficit ato two-vote lead at Southside e race for a seat on the South- hool Board flip-flopped after onal votes were tallied last Y morning and incumbent Robbins now leads Nicole er by two votes, 272 to 270. Oing into the vote count, er clung to a precarious one- . lead over Robbins. But three ttonal ballots in the race were d Friday and the veteran )ias claimed all three to pull ln behind. bbins currently has a razor- i' thin lead over Cougher, 49.9 per- cent to 49.5 percent. If that per- centage difference between the two candidates holds up, it will mean an automatic recount by machine, not a hand recount, said Mason County Elections Superintendent Amber Cervantes. The next vote count will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Novem- ber 26, the day before the general election is due to be certified. Cer- vantes said on Monday, November 19, there were a handful of ballots to be counted. In other close races, Steve Le- vetto stretched his lead to 20 votes over incumbent Fire District 6 Commissioner Bob Close. Levette has 339 votes, or 51.1 percent, to Close's 319 votes, or 48.1 percent. And in another close fire dis- trict race, Jake Frey has taken a 45-vote lead over incumbent Fire District 16 Commissioner Dick Andrews. Frey has 213 votes, or 55 percent, to Andrews' 168 votes, or 43.4 percent. food basket fund goal $25,000 e 40 8-Journal Christ- collaborate on the Christmas mas may et Fund food baskets be lund to provide holiday food Fund with the vets putting to- mailed to The Journal at P.O. Box ts for the needy has kicked te 61st year, and registration have been set for both the Jrogram and the local Toys lids project. is year's goal is $25,000 for d basket program. te Shelton 40 et 8 veterans' Dtization and The Journal gether the food baskets and dis- tributing them while the news- paper collects money to buy the food. The firefighters run a toy program that shares registra- tion dates with the food basket project. Donations to support the Christ- 430, Shelton, 98584 or dropped off at the newspaper office, located at 227 West Cota Street in downtown Shelton. Those who donate will be recognized in the newspaper, un- less they choose to remain anony- mous. Donations also can be made (Please turn to page 8.) SUV goes over edge: Plunge down cliff kills man By MARY DUNCAN A 47-year-old Lacey man died Friday night when he jumped into his vehicle just before it plunged off a dirt road in the Olympic Na- tional Forest and 500 feet down an embankment as his fiancde watched in horror. Patrick J. O'Connell, 47, was thrown from his vehicle and died at the scene, an embankment in very steep terrain off U.S. Forest Service Road 2469 about 10 miles west of Highway 101 near Lilli- waup, according to a press release from Chief Deputy Dean Byrd of the Mason County Sheriffs Office. The crash was reported by Kath- erine M. Milleson, 48, of Lacey. She called 911 about 4:40 p.m. on November 16 and said the vehicle, a 2007 Toyota Land Cruiser, had gone off the cliff with O'Connell inside. "MILLESON DID not have knowledge of the area and could not provide good directions to the scene," Byrd noted. "Investigators were assisted in finding Milleson when a news helicopter in the area assisted by locating Milleson from the air and guiding investigators into the scene. This was accom- plished by Shelton Communica- tions Center dispatchers providing the helicopter crew with Milleson's phone number so they could talk directly. Milleson was then able to guide the helicopter to her loca- tion." Byrd said officers arrived at the scene just after dark and immediately started rescue operations. Personnel from Fire Districts 6, 1, 4 and 17 assisted in the operation along with a helicop- ter from Naval Air Station Whid- bey Island and members of Olym- pic Mountain Rescue. Rescuers were able to rappel at least 500 feet over the embank- ment to the vehicle but did not immediately find the driver, Byrd said. The Navy helicopter provid- ed assistance by lighting the area with searchlights to aid ground res- cuers. O'Connell was found a short time later some distance from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. MILLESON TOLD depu- ties that the couple had gone to this location on a sightseeing trip and were trying out a new four- wheel-drive vehicle. The couple had stopped and parked near the edge of the cliff. Milleson said she got out of the vehicle so O'Connell could move the vehicle away from the edge of the roadway. When the vehicle was being moved by O'Connell it left the roadway, fall- ing more than 500 feet before com- ing to rest. "Based on information obtained during the investigation there are indications alcohol may have been involved in this trag- edy," Byrd said. No alcohol was ibund at the scene but Milleson told officers she and O'Connell had consumed alco- hol prior to going up into the moun- tains. The Mason County Sheriffs Office is continuing its investiga- tion to determine just how this in- cident unfolded. "We would like to remind the public these mountain roads are very unforgiving. When going into the mountains people should be prepared with maps and should not be consuming alcohol," Byrd emphasized. Christmas parade to kick off season This year's edition of the Christ- mas parade, scheduled for Satur- day, December 1, in Shelton, will kick off a long list of local holiday events. The parade will begin at 5 p.m. and follow its traditional route by starting eastward on Railroad Avenue and continuing around Second Street and up Franklin before wrapping up on Seventh Street. Dick Taylor, executive direc- tor of the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce, expects around 50 entries, including floats, marching bands, equestrian groups, color guards, scout troops and Santa Claus. Folks in Union got a jump start on the season last Thursday when a helicopter delivered a sizeable Yuletide tree to a spot of dry land on the shores of Hood Canal. The airborne delivery was part of the (Please turn to page 10.) illqllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll )n the inside ifleds ........................... 31 unity Calendar ....... 15 'Sword ........................... 37 ttrtainment, Dining ..... 30 tilth Journal ................. 18 !taal of Record ............. 25 ituaries. .............. 10 lions, Letters ................. 4 t ................................... 21 s ..................................... 37 tlther .................................. 7 lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll l!jijijl!ijlliJIJi!i!i!llll00 One stabbed, one shot at Timberlakes By MARY DUNCAN The investigation continues into an incident last week at Timberlakes in which one man was shot and another man was stabbed. Richard William Mahaney, 28, and Robert D. Lawry, 60, were involved in an altercation reported around 11:30 p.m. on November 14 at 511 East Tim- berlake Drive East, according to a press release from the Mason County Sheriffs Office. Mah- aney sustained gunshot wounds and Lawry was stabbed. Medics with Mason County Fire District 5 were the first to arrive at the scene, Chief Deputy Dean Byrd reported. They found Mahaney and when deputies ar- rived they discovered Lawry suf- fering from stab wounds. Both men were transported to Mason General then airlifted to Harbor- view Hospital in Seattle. Mahaney and Lawry were in satisfactory condition on Novem- ber 20, according to a Harborview spokesperson. Deputies continue their investigation. "It is not yet clear to officers what took place. Investigators have been able to learn the two victims know each other and that there was some sort of al- tercation between them," Byrd noted. Anyone having information about the incident can call the Mason County Sheriffs Office at 427-9670, Extension 313. DETECTIVES INVESTIGATE the Timberlakes residence where one man was shot and another man was stabbed.