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Newspaper Archive of
Shelton Mason County Journal
Shelton, Washington
December 27, 2012     Shelton Mason County Journal
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December 27, 2012
 
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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 , ,..,lljj. r i [i