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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.