December 27, 2012 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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Thursday, Dec. 27, 2012 Week 52 -- The Voice of Mason County since 1886 -- Published for Mason County and Cecil Lister of Shelton -- $1
Courtesy photos
Squaxin Tribal Council Chairman David Lopeman, left, and Washington State Department of
Corrections Secretary Bernard Warner sign a memorandum of understanding that will allow
incarcerated offenders to make deathbed visits and attend funerals.
Agreement acknowledges tribal customs, safety concerns
By GORDON WEEKS
gordon@masoncounty.com
A new pact between the state and
the Squaxin Island tribe allows incar-
cerated tribal members to participate
in deathbed visits and attend funer-
als for up to 48 hours, if they meet re-
quirements.
The state Department of Correc-
tions (DOC) and the Squaxin Island
tribe signed the memorandum of un-
derstanding Dec. 19 at the tribe's mu-
seum library and research center.
With the agreement, the DOC will
release qualifying offenders to the
Squaxin Tribal Police -- which is
cross-commissioned with Mason Coun-
ty -- for the duration of the funeral or
deathbed visit.
The incarcerated tribal member
must be infraction-free, and attending
programs such as substance abuse and
chemical dependency, "to change the
way that they think and better adjust
when they are released," said Norah
West, communications specialist with
the DOC.
The agreement emerged in the
wake of incidents where inmates were
removed midway through funeral cer-
emonies, West said.
"That caused a lot of stress for the
offenders, and the families, and the
officers who were assigned to be with
them," she said.
Ray Peters, a tribal councilman
and intergovernmental liaison for the
Squaxin Island tribe, said the agree-
ment "clearly outlines the process."
"Funeral ceremonies will last, with
the traditional dinner afterwards, six
or seven hours at a time," he said.
The agreement with the state "al-
Corrections Family Services Program Manager Joenne McGerr
presents a gift made by a prisoner to Squaxin Tribal Council
Chairman David Lopeman.
lows two nations to come together in
realizing respect, understanding our
officers are very well-trained," Peters
said. "So there's an understanding of
trust and the traditions of our culture
to heal and rehabilitate those who are
incarcerated."
Peters added, "This is a good ex-
ample of government-to-government
relationship and coming to a better
understanding ... to fit our traditions
and culture."
The inmate has time to absorb some
cultural support, said Joenne McGerr,
the family services program manager
for the DOC.
"People do so much better when
they are connected to their community
... This brings healing to the commu-
nity, and to the individual," she said.
" there's an
mww
understanding
of trust and the
traditions of our
culture to heal
and rehabilitate
those who are
incarcerated."
as
Snowfall plays role in local
commuters' travel plans
By NATALIE JOHNSON
natalie@m~oncounty.com
Many Shelton residents woke up to a white Christ-
mas on Tuesday morning.
In Shelton, snowfall started at about 6 a.m. and
lasted until about noon.
Mason County saw varied snowfall, with less than
1 inch in Belfair, about I 1/2 inches in Shelton and up
to 4 inches in rural areas.
While the snow caused problems for drivers
countywide, Chief Deputy Dean Byrd of the Mason
County Sheriffs Office said several low-speed traffic
accidents occurred, most of which involved a single
car sliding off the road.
"None of them were of any significance," he said.
Byrd said "a lot of chaos" was on the roads, but no
noteworthy injuries were reported.
Washington State Patrol spokesman Russ Winger
said the agency responded to 19 calls in Mason Coun-
ty that involved snow.
There were some "scattered, isolated (power) out-
ages" related to the weather on Christmas Day, ac-
cording to Joel Myer, public information and govern-
ment relations manager for Mason County PUD 3.
'Tee had some minor issues, but overall Christmas
for us was pretty quiet," he said.
Some small clusters of houses around Matlock lost
power Tuesday, but PUD 3 crews fixed them quickly,
Myer said.
"Our guys were able to take care of them," he said.
Courtesy photo by John Donovan
A Mason County PUD 3 crew works to
restore power in a small outage on
Satsop Maple Glen Drive west of Schaefer
State Park on the western Mason County
line on Christmas Day. About I inch of
wet snow caused some small outages and
made roads slick on the holiday.
County announces plans to open Oakland Bay park in spring
By NATALIE JOHNSON
natalie@mas°nc°unty'c°m
After more than eight
years of work, Mason
County plans to open its
newest public park, Oak-
land Bay County Park, in
spring 2013.
Current and former
members of the'Mason
County Board of Commis-
sioners, along with county
staff and project partners,
attended a dedication Dec.
19 at the park.
"Parks are the jewel of
any community," Commis-
sioner Terri Jeffreys said.
The county has been
working since 2005 to turn
the land, which includes
three-quarters of a mile of
Conservation Office's Land
and Water Conservation
Fund.
"This is one of the first
documents I signed when I
got into office," said outgo-
ing county Commissioner
Lynda Ring Erickson, who
was first elected in 2005.
The land includes ample
Melaney Creek and a half parking, 2 miles of trails
mile of shoreline on Oak- with scenic overlooks,
land Bay into a public park. beach access and picnic ar-
The more than 80-acre eas.
park was acquired through Many of the people who
nn!!!l!!ll!![!l!lllll " wit
Capital Land Trust withOakland Bay County Park
funding from the Washing- ~.~ ,~,.,,
8 2 ton state Recreation and See Park on page A-6
Mason County
Commissioner
Lynda Ring
Erickson and
Mason County
Parks and
Facilities
Director John
Keates spoke
at a dedication
for Oakland
Bay County
Park Dec. 19.
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
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