December 10, 2020 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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MASON COUNTY, THURSDAY, DEC. 10, 2020
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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
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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
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