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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
December 10, 2020     Shelton Mason County Journal
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December 10, 2020
 
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-_ thmamaa humanity ilmmal t l x l'l"'l‘l‘h‘ll'r'i”i'l'lllzl‘llulll'm“wr“l”'nmli‘i 8-83 8-14 SINCE 1886 - VOL. 134, N0. 50 MASON COUNTY, THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020 $1.50 ‘(0 COVID-l9 cases explode at Shelton prison By Kirk Boxleilnier’ kbox/eitner@masoncounty. com The COVID-19 outbreak at the Washington Corrections Center in Shelton shows no signs of slowing as the facility has gone from zero active cases among incarcerated people prior to Nov. 27 to 87 reported cases by Nov. 30, 258 cases by Dec. 4 and 339 by Dec. 7. In one week, the number of con— firmed COVID cases among staff at the WCC increased from 18 on Nov. 30 to 38 by Dec. 8. When the Shelton-Mason County Journal asked about the cause of the outbreak, Department of Corrections spokesperson Susan Biller said, “The start of the outbreak is speculative,” adding that the DOC is focused on “mitigating, containing and ceasing” any spread of COVID. Biller noted the DOC has had pro- tocols in place to respond to COVID since March, including: I Screening, testing and infection control guidelines, the latest version of which was published Nov. 3 and posted at doc.wa.gov/corrections/cov« id-19/docs/screening-testing-infection- control~guideline.pdf. I An outbreak checklist, the lat- est version of which was published in September and posted at doc.wa.gov/ corrections/covid-19/docs/0utbreak- checklist.pdf. I And serial testing for all staff working in state prison facilities as of Oct. 31, as mandated in a DOC memo. When asked what procedures the DOC has put into place to prevent the further spread in the Shelton prison, Biller reported the WCC restricted movement within its main facility starting Dec. 3. One point Biller said that she wished the WCC could make progress on was in the speed of its COVID test- ing, although she pointed out it’s not see PRISON, page A—1S Streets of Christmastown West Railroad Avenue through downtown Shelton is brightly illumimated with strands of'Christmas lights on Saturday morning. ln'the distance is the tree lit up at Post Office Park on North Second Street. More photos on Page A—14 and 15. Journal photo by Shawna Whelan Brothers arraigned Mine appeal headed to federal court on; murder charges i3y Kirk Bone-Kittie: kbox/eitnei@masoncounty com Bail and trial dates have been scheduled for Shelton residents Jareau Ueni Afo, 26, and Jordan Tema Afo, 29, both’of whom were charged with first-degree murder in Mason County Superior Court on Dec. 7 in connection with the slaying of Shelton resi- dent Derrick Wily, .27, on or between Nov. 14 and Nov. 23. Jareau’s bail was set at $1 million, while Jordan’s bail was set at $250,000. Both sus- pects pled not guilty during their Dec. 7 arraignment and an omnibus hearing has been scheduled for both suspects for Jan. 11, with a pretrial hear- ing to follow Feb. 8. Their tri- als are tentatively set to run from Feb. 23 to, March 12. Mason County Prosecut- ing Attorney Michael Dorcy said that when the Afo broth- ers were arrested and booked into jail Nov. 23, Jareau was charged with murder in the first degree, while Jordan was initially charged with ren- dering criminal assistance in see BROTHERS, page A-10 éyTséBéua Bredaw ’ isabe/Ia@masoncounty. com In late August, Russell ' Scott, owner of Grump Ven— tures told the Shelton—Mason County Journal that he will appeal Mason County Hear- ing Examiner Phil Olbrechts’ decision to affirm the coun- ty’s rescission of his com- pany’s nonconforming use rights to a 66.5—acre gravel mine in a residential zone. On Nov. 18, the appeal was consolidated with the class-action lawsuit filed against the county, Commis- sioner Randy Neatherlin and Director of Community Ser- vices David Windom' in late June. “There are three different claims out there,” said Da- vid Bricklin, attorney repre— senting Hood Canal Gravel Mine Opposition Association (HCGMOA), in a phone in- terview. “One is a claim by Grump (Ventures) that the permit should have been is- sued. Number two is a claim by Grump that they’re enti- tled to damages because the county had to issue the per-. mit. And third that there’s a class-action (suit) that’s been filed by my client, alleging that, the county’s bungling of the permitting process has caused them damage.” The class-action suit filed June 29, Brown et al v. Ma- son County, alleges the coun4 ty violated community mem- bers’ “rights, privileges or im- munities secured by the Con- stitution and federal laws,” when it approved a SM-6 a form permitting noncon- forming rights use necessary to apply for a Department of Natural Resources surface mining permit. This SM-6, approved in 2017, was rescinded Jan. 28, 2020, citing the expiration of the nonconforming use after two years of inactivity. Scott first appealed this recission to the county hear- ing examiner, who affirmed the county’s decision. That decision has been See APPEAL, page A-29 8 Illllllllll llllllllllll 00111 INSIDE TODAY Commissioners A deadly week on agree on 2021 budget Mason County roads Page A-2 Page A43 Author turns Belfair into a fairy tale Page Aw28 xxxx*************mfi.RT Lopez“: 005 SMALL TOWN PAPERS 927 W RAILROAD AVE SHELTON WA, 98584-3847 . Marnie.” . .9“. v .