KMAS Radio

Mason County Public Health Director Dave Windom sits down with Jeff Slakey from KMAS for an update after weeks of budget discussions in front of the county commissioners, and the picture is a difficult one. Windom lays out where his department's money actually comes from, and why state-level constraints on foundational public health funding are leaving Mason County short somewhere between $800,000 and a million dollars. Most of it has been absorbed through retirements and unfilled positions, the county now has one food inspector where it had two, but Windom says the department has reached the point where any further reduction means cutting programs outright.The conversation widens from there. Windom explains what public health actually does day to day, from communicable disease investigations and bat protocols to septic inspections, code enforcement and the county's new mobile health unit, which is now running in partnership with North Mason Fire after the state clawed back funding for a nurse practitioner position. He discusses why health funding has grown steadily more urban-centric over the past decade, what HR1 could mean for rural hospitals where two-thirds of patients are on Medicaid or Medicare, and the fast-moving $181 million Rural Health Transformation award that small counties may not have the staff to chase, applications are due August 21 with the money spent by October 31.Looking ahead, Windom describes a possible return to a model Mason County last used in the early 2000s, with public health itself providing low- and no-cost care, women's health, family planning, immunizations, out of two clinic rooms that are built and sitting empty. Paying for it may fall to local voters: the legislature's House Bill 2442 gives counties new sales and property tax options tied to public health clinics, and Windom plans to bring those models to the county commission. The interview closes with a practical roundup: why salmonella outbreaks come from big commercial packagers rather than the farmers market, the measles outbreak in Clark County, and a multi-year uptick in tuberculosis cases that has staff watching patients take their medication in person.#MasonCounty #MasonCountyWA #PublicHealth #KMAS #SheltonWA #HoodCanal #RuralHealth #WashingtonState #DaveWindom #MasonCountyPublicHealth #HB2442 #RuralHealthcare #PNWNews #Matlock #NorthMasonFire #MeaslesOutbreak #FarmersMarket #LocalGovernment #ThingsToKnowWA

Author and playwright Joe Fuller joins Jeff Slakey at Lions Park in Olympia for two conversations in one. First: his book "8th Street," a collection of short stories and poetry about growing up in a big Catholic family in Olympia, Knights of Columbus, St. Michael’s School, and the kind of free-range childhood a lot of South Sound listeners will recognize. Joe talks about how a chance visit with fellow local author Dick Pust during the pandemic pushed him to finally publish stories he’d been writing since his early 30s, and shares one of the book’s best moments: the true story of sneaking out his bedroom window with his brother, only to get locked out by his own dad. Then the conversation shifts: Joe opens up about getting sober at 33, working at Olympia’s recovery clubhouse for $4.35 an hour, and a 1991 intervention for a high school friend that didn’t work that day, but did six months later, and the friend has been sober ever since. That night became the seed for a musical stage play Joe wrote about drug and alcohol intervention, with every song written from a family member’s point of view, what addiction looks like from the outside, not the inside. Joe closes with a simple message: it’s never too late to ask for help, and support is closer than you think.https://www.amazon.com/8th-Street-Joe-Fuller/dp/B0BXMTJT3N#OlympiaWA #KMAS #SouthSound #ThurstonCounty #LocalAuthor #8thStreetBook #PNWAuthors #Playwright #RecoveryStory #Sobriety #InterventionSupport #AddictionRecovery #WashingtonState #CommunitySpotlight #NeverTooLateForHelp

Kevin Shutty is leaving the Mason County Economic Development Council at the end of the month, and before he goes he sits down with Jeff Slakey from KMAS for a wide-ranging look back at two and a half years, and a pointed look forward at what the county has to get right next. Shutty, who came to the EDC from the Mason County Commission, says the arrow keeps pointing up for Mason County: the community landed in the top 10 nationally for growth among communities its size, and he describes an organization that has deliberately widened what "economic development" means, from supporting existing small businesses to career pathways with the Shelton School District to a transportation partnership with North Mason Regional Fire Authority that gets people into recovery and health care appointments. His argument: a healthy, stable community is economic development.The heart of the conversation is infrastructure, and Shutty doesn't soften it. With a new face joining the county commission in January, he lays out the collaboration problem in the Shelton urban growth area, the city, unincorporated Mason County, PUD 3 and the Port of Shelton all holding different pieces, and points to the Shelton Springs Road sewer extension as the kind of project that would unlock housing and development quickly if the jurisdictions could align. "The real question for the new commission," he says, "is how do they get out of their own way." He rejects the build-it-and-they-will-come framing in favor of something blunter: trunk-line infrastructure serves the public good, and if you don't build it, they aren't coming anyway. He also details a concrete win, Mason County and the Port of Shelton splitting the cost of site readiness at Johns Prairie Industrial Park, tied to an international recruitment: a shellfish and agriculture manufacturer looking to relocate from British Columbia to Mason County.Shutty also makes the case for what Mason County could be. Living wage jobs come first, he says, but the county can hold onto its timber and shellfish heritage while courting remote workers, startups, manufacturers like TruFab, health care employers, and an emerging defense sector positioned to capture spillover from a multibillion-dollar investment at the naval shipyard in Bremerton, five miles up the road from Belfair. On growth itself he's unequivocal: "good enough isn't good enough for Mason County," and with roughly 1,500 housing units moving through Shelton's permitting process, growth is going to happen whether the county plans for it or not. The conversation closes on a lighter note, the EDC's own limited-edition blend with Olympic Mountain Ice Cream, debuting at the August 20 event, and on Shutty's confidence in Karin Leaf, who steps in as interim executive director, and the board that will hire his replacement.#MasonCounty #MasonCountyWA #SheltonWA #KMAS #HoodCanal #Belfair #EconomicDevelopment #MasonEDC #ChooseMason #KevinShutty #PortOfShelton #PUD3 #WashingtonState #PNW #RuralEconomy #SmallBusiness #Housing #Infrastructure #LocalGovernment #OlympicMountainIceCream #Allyn #Matlock #ShipyardJobs #LivingWageJobsKMAS is the local radio station in Mason County Washington.

This month's Sheriff Sit-Down, brought to you by Our Community Credit Union, finds Mason County Sheriff Ryan Spurling walking through the biggest changes the department has faced in generations. With the county's population reportedly tripling each summer, Sperling starts with how deputies are handling the seasonal traffic surge before diving into a major internal restructuring: two new lieutenant positions, four open sergeant slots, and a shift of detectives, neighborhood watch, DARE, school resource officers and the PIO into a reorganized civil division. He calls it the largest leadership turnover the 172-year-old agency has ever faced, driven by retirements and by growth anticipated from the naval shipyard's new dry dock. Sperling also details the department's SET team, the first proactive crime unit since 2018, bridging the gap between an overworked patrol division and detectives tied up on major cases. He closes with a direct answer to a question a lot of residents ask: with Washington ranking near the bottom nationally in officers per capita, how does Mason County avoid being either under-policed or an over-policed "police state"? His answer includes a real-world example, a 50% drop in crime after two neighborhoods funded a dedicated deputy — and a philosophy rooted in Sir Robert Peel's 1829 principles of community policing.#MasonCountySheriff #SheriffSitDown #KMAS #MasonCountyWA #HoodCanal #WashingtonState #CommunityPolicing #PublicSafety #LawEnforcement #LocalGovernment #RyanSpurling #PNWNews #ThingsToKnowWA #SETTeam

Hoodstock 2026's Saturday night turns ticketed and 21+ at Robin Hood Village in Union, WA — and the James Berkley Band is one of two acts closing out the weekend on land, alongside the Stephanie Anne Johnson Band (6–10pm; James Berkley Band on around 8). Singer-songwriter James Berkley, born in San Diego, raised near Seattle, now based in the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene area, joins KMAS by phone for one of the most personal previews of the festival. He talks about the sound (for fans of Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz and John Mayer), how storytelling and genuine connection drive his shows, the Jason Mraz song that first put a guitar in his hands, and growing up in music through his father's churches. For Hoodstock he plays as a trio with his nephew Anthony Berkley on drums and Frank Sinclair on bass and vocals — his bandmate in The Red Books. It's the ticketed evening cap on a full Hoodstock weekend that also includes the free daytime Land Concert and Saturday's Water Concert out on Hood Canal. Get evening-show tickets and the full lineup at hoodstock.org.James BerkleySaturday Night Tickets#Hoodstock #Hoodstock2026 #JamesBerkley #JamesBerkleyBand #TheRedBooks #KMAS #HoodCanal #MasonCounty #UnionWA #RobinHoodVillage #SingerSongwriter #AmericanaSoul #LiveMusicPNW #SpokaneMusic #PNWEvents #WashingtonEvents #ThingsToDoWA

Hoodstock 2026's Saturday Water Concert gets a full-horn dance party in the middle of the day when Seattle ska and reggae mainstays The Georgetown Orbits take the Water Stage at the Union Marina on Hood Canal. Guitarist and founder Orion and bassist Cale join KMAS by phone to talk about the band's two decades playing traditional Jamaican music — ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub — the Bob Marley gateway that started it all, and their 2025 album Constellations. A seven-plus-piece band with a full horn section (sax, trombone, trumpet, keys), the Orbits build the kind of danceable, deep-catalog set that gets a crowd moving — even a crowd floating on kayaks and paddleboards. They land midday on a water bill that runs from Santa Poco's country in the morning through DJ Mixtress to a Tom Petty tribute from Petty Thief at night — all part of a full Hoodstock weekend that also includes the free daytime Land Concert at Robin Hood Village. On the water, your ticket is a flag: grab one at the Union Country Store, Union City Market, Summertide Resort or May Mobile Marine, and see the full lineup at hoodstock.org.https://thegeorgetownorbits.bandcamp.com/#Hoodstock #Hoodstock2026 #GeorgetownOrbits #KMAS #HoodCanal #MasonCounty #UnionWA #WaterStage #WaterConcert #Ska #Reggae #Rocksteady #SeattleMusic #LiveMusicPNW #WashingtonEvents #ThingsToDoWA #ExploreHoodCanal

Hoodstock 2026 opens up a free, all-ages afternoon on land — and Seattle–Tacoma band Queen of Hearts is one of the standouts. On Saturday, August 15 from noon to 5pm, the Robin Hood Village in Union hosts a free Land Concert with vendors and food trucks, a newer addition to a festival that has traditionally lived out on the water (where a flag on a boat or paddleboard is your ticket). Queen of Hearts — a collective of singer-songwriters known for three-part female vocal harmonies over cello, guitar, keys and flugelhorn, with a sound they call "cinematic and sultry" — joins KMAS by phone to preview a return to the Robin Hood, where they'd played the venue's Revival series. Bandmates Carrie and Thomas talk about what makes a multi-genre festival special ("the beauty of a festival is you get to hear all different things"), the new land side that lets everybody in without a boat, and the new songs they're most excited to play. They share the free afternoon bill with Kaitie Wade, Norman Baker, Dakota Poorman and the Stacy Jones Band, all part of a full Hoodstock weekend that also features the Saturday Water Concert and a ticketed 21+ evening show. See the full lineup at hoodstock.org.Queen Of Hearts#Hoodstock2026 #QueenOfHearts #KMAS #ExploreHoodCanal #MasonCounty 

Hoodstock 2026's Saturday Water Concert kicks off at noon with Pacific-Northwest honky-tonk band Santa Poco opening the day on Hood Canal — the first act on the Water Stage at the Union Marina boat launch. Founder and songwriter Pat McHenry joins KMAS by phone to preview the set and tell the band's story: a San Antonio transplant who found a shared love of George Strait and classic western swing with co-founder Andy Shofner, and who watched a "small but mighty" country-music scene take root across Washington as fans arrived from Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia. Expect twangy Telecasters, pedal steel, and songs off their album Cowboy Songs including "The Way It Goes" and "Full House Queen." Santa Poco starts a stacked day on the water that rolls through DJ Mixtress between sets, Georgetown Orbits, and Seattle Tom Petty tribute Petty Thief to close — all part of a full Hoodstock weekend that also features the Robin Hood Village land concerts and vendors in Union. On the water, your ticket is a flag, not a wristband: grab one at the Union Country Store, Union City Market, Summertide Resort or May Mobile Marine, and see the full lineup at hoodstock.org.Santa Poco#Hoodstock #Hoodstock2026 #SantaPoco #KMAS #HoodCanal #MasonCounty #UnionWA #WaterStage #WaterConcert #HonkyTonk #CountryMusic #PNWCountry #LiveMusicPNW #WashingtonEvents #ThingsToDoWA #HoodCanalEvents #GeorgeStrait

Hoodstock 2026 closes out its Saturday on the water with Seattle's premier Tom Petty tribute, Petty Thief, headlining the Water Concert / Water Stage at the Union Marina boat launch on Hood Canal. Founder and frontman Andy Volmer joins KMAS by phone to preview a set built for a one-of-a-kind venue — where the sound carries clear across the canal and the crowd pulls up by boat, kayak and paddleboard as the day's final act takes the stage. A no-gimmicks, no-costumes five-piece that plays the songs "like Petty would have played them himself," Petty Thief digs well past the radio hits: expect Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers staples alongside Traveling Wilburys, a couple of Mud Crutch deep cuts, and the odd Byrds cover. The Water Stage is part of a full Hoodstock weekend that also includes the Robin Hood Village land concerts in Union — and on the water your ticket is a flag, not a wristband. Get your Hoodstock flags at the Union Country Store, Union City Market, Summertide Resort and May Mobile Marine, and see the full lineup at hoodstock.org.Petty ThiefWater Show Ticket Information#Hoodstock2026 #PettyThief #TomPetty #KMAS #ExploreHoodCanal #WashingtonEvents 

Hoodstock 2026 kicks off Friday, August 14 with a 21+ night at Robin Hood Village Resort in Union, WA on Hood Canal — and glam-folk duo Champagne Sunday is one of three bands opening the weekend, alongside Moon Music and 5 Guys 1 Flute (6–10pm, tickets $30). Married multi-instrumentalists Jessi and Jared Fredeen join KMAS by phone — a return visit for a duo who first came through the KMAS green room back in 2018 on the edge of a big Robin Hood weekend. In this preview they unpack what "glam folk" means (all-original, high-energy, story-driven, "everything to 11"), the surprising arsenal of instruments two people bring to the stage — ukulele, keyboards, harmonica, percussion, even trombone — and the running joke that they sound like a full band (including the time a fan brought four shots to the stage looking for the rest of the group). With 20-plus years together, a deep catalog, national touring and a Patreon following, Champagne Sunday sets the tone for a weekend that also spans the free daytime Land Festival and Saturday's Water Concert out on Hood Canal — where your flag, not a ticket, gets you in. Get Friday kickoff tickets and the full Hoodstock lineup at hoodstock.org.Champagne Sunday Tickets to Friday Night #Hoodstock2026 #ChampagneSunday #KMAS #ExploreHoodCanal #WashingtonEvents

The Shelton Art Walk returns to downtown Shelton on Saturday, July 25, 2026, from noon to 6 p.m., and KMAS gets the full preview from one of the participating artists. Presented by the Downtown Shelton Creative District, this year's walk centers on Cota Street with 40+ artists and makers at the Art Market and 13 downtown businesses hosting artist showcases — House Flowers, Marmo, Cota Street Antiques, the Mason County Historical Society Museum, Town Pub, Powers Music and more. There's live music, live art demonstrations (paper beads, acrylic, oil, mosaic and felting), a sculpture garden at 2nd and Cota, a beer garden, food, kids' activities, a community mural project, and a digital passport with QR codes for prizes. It's a free, all-day celebration of the growing arts scene in Shelton and Mason County — with artists coming in from as far as Olympia to take part. Follow the Downtown Shelton Creative District for the full map and lineup.#SheltonArtWalk #KMAS #Shelton #MasonCounty #HoodCanal #DowntownShelton #CotaStreet #ArtWalk #ArtMarket #PNWArt #LiveMusicPNW #BeerGarden #SculptureGarden #SupportLocalArtists #SheltonCreativeDistrict #WashingtonEvents #ThingsToDoWA #PNWEvents #SummerInShelton #FamilyFriendly

Allyn Days is back at Allyn Waterfront Park for a full weekend on the bay, and new Allyn Community Association president Alyssa joins KMAS with everything you need to plan your visit. Friday kicks off with Music in the Park and a BBQ as Jerry Hutchins plays at 6pm. Saturday brings the famous salmon bake (starts at 11am and sells out fast), all-day burgers and hot dogs, a free Kids Zone with a bounce house, petting zoo and tractor train ride, a beer garden, a full vendor garden, and a stacked music lineup, Backwoods Windjammers, Swing Fever, a Pat Benatar tribute called All Fired Up, and R&B act Laroca Boom. Sunday is the Geoduck Festival: a 9am church service, live music from Captain Tugboat, geoduck sliders, steamed mussels, clam chowder, an oyster-shucking contest, belly dancers, and a closing set from Hippie and the Squids. Entry is free all weekend. Saturday parking includes free Mason Transit shuttles from the overflow lot. Get the latest lineup and Music in the Park dates on the Allyn Community Association Facebook page.https://www.facebook.com/AllynCommunityAssociation#AllynDays #KMAS #HoodCanal #MasonCounty #GeoduckFestival #SalmonBake #AllynWaterfrontPark #LiveMusicPNW #PNWEvents #WashingtonEvents #CommunityEvents #ThingsToDoWA #FamilyFun #WaterfrontFestival #ShellfishFestival

National Night Out is back in Mason County and this year, more agencies than ever are coming together. Jeff Slakey sits down with leaders from South Mason Fire, North Mason Fire, Central Mason Fire & EMS, the Mason County Sheriff's Office, and Shelton Police to talk about what's planned for August 4th, 5–8 PM, all across the county.From block parties and bucket brigades to a fire-vs.-police spicy wing trivia challenge and an egg drop from the top of a 58-foot fire ladder, this year's National Night Out has something for every age. But beyond the festivities, the conversation gets to the heart of why this event matters: building relationships with law enforcement and first responders before an emergency happens, so that when help is needed, neighbors and responders are already partners.Shelton's new Chief of Police, Dan Patton, shares a story about why community trust is the foundation of effective public safety. You'll also hear from Abe Gardner (North Mason Fire), Amber Anderson (South Mason Fire), Keith Reitz (Central Mason Fire), and Deputy Matt Colbenson from the Sheriff's office.West Mason Fire and the Skokomish Tribe are also part of the night, Chief Welander stopped by before getting called out.#NationalNightOut #NNO2025 #Shelton #MasonCounty #FocusOnShelton #KMAS #SheltonWA #HoodCanal #FirstResponders #SheltonPolice #MasonCountySheriff #SouthMasonFire #NorthMasonFire #CentralMasonFire #WestMasonFire #CommunityPolicing #PublicSafety #WashingtonState

Every summer, Shelton Presbyterian Church opens its doors to the whole community for Kids Camp, a free, week-long vacation Bible study program that's been running for nearly two decades. In this conversation, Jeff Slakey sits down with Eileen Bailey to talk about what makes Kids Camp special: free admission, daily activities including crafts, games, cooking and woodworking, lunch, snacks, and a t-shirt for every camper.This year's theme is "Follow God with Your Whole Heart", the story of David. Kids from pre-K through sixth grade are welcome, and you don't have to be a member of the church or even from Shelton. If grandkids are visiting for the week, this is a great option. Sixth graders can also participate in a drama program that culminates in a Sunday performance for families.Camp runs July 7–10, 9 AM to 1 PM at Shelton Presbyterian Church on Shelton Springs Road. Registration is still open, call 360-432-8696. Kids Camp Sunday is July 12, with a 10 AM service and a barbecue and games to follow.

Jeff Slakey sits down with Fae from Shelton Pride to talk about Party in the Park, a free, family-friendly event at Kneeland Park on Friday, June 26 from 5 to 8 p.m. Expect collaborative art booths, face painting, balloon animals, a short pride parade (ADA accessible), and a costume contest with the theme Rainbow Extravaganza. Every entrant gets a prize. Top three in each age category get special awards.  Fae also reflects on the community compassion mural at the Shelton Civic Center, the significance of the proclamation vote, and what it means for the Shelton Pride Group.

Shelton is growing, and the city wants to make sure the community has a voice in what that looks like. City Manager Mark Ziegler joins Jeff Slakey on Focus on Shelton to break down the strategic planning work underway at City Hall, what the City Council identified as Shelton's strengths and challenges, and how residents can weigh in at a public open house on June 23rd at Shelton's Civic Center.They cover what the council worked on like, new housing developments near Olympic College, water infrastructure and storage capacity, walkability standards being built into new subdivisions, the former Simpson Railroad corridor as a potential crosstown trail, and the tension between preserving Shelton's small-town character while meeting the demands of a growing population.Ziegler also addresses the question that comes up with these types of studies: how does the city make sure this plan doesn't just sit on a shelf? 📅 PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE: Monday, June 23rd | 5–7 PM | Shelton Civic CenterNo registration required. Drop in and talk directly with city staff about the five draft strategic initiatives.Focus on Shelton is produced by KMAS Radio and sponsored by Peninsula Credit Union.Chapter Markers0:00 — Introduction: City Manager Mark Ziegler at Shelton City Hall0:23 — Strategic planning retreats and the focus question1:27 — Growth is at Shelton's doorstep: what the council agreed on2:33 — SWOT analysis: strengths, infrastructure, water storage challenge4:51 — Revenue diversification and transportation investments6:19 — Will this plan just sit on a shelf? KPIs and accountability8:12 — PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE: June 23rd, 5–7 PM — how to participate9:18 — How the strategic plan flows to city departments10:37 — Shelton on the rise: growth trends from both sides of Seattle11:33 — Preserving small-town character while welcoming new residents13:07 — City limits, the 98584 zip code, and who counts as a constituent14:21 — Development standards: park requirements, walkability, and livable neighborhoods15:33 — Simpson Railroad trail, Neyland Park, water supply, and police staffing16:22 — Event reminder and closing#SheltonWA #FocusOnShelton #MasonCountyWA #SheltonStrategicPlan #CityOfShelton #SheltonGrowth #KMASRadio #MasonCounty #HoodCanalWA #SheltonCommunity #WashingtonState #SmallTownWA #PacificNorthwest #LocalGovernment #CivicEngagement #PublicInput

Shelton School District Superintendent Wyeth Jessee joins Jeff Slakey for an end-of-year conversation covering what families in Mason County and need to know about local education heading into summer.This week: the Class of 2025 earned nearly half a million dollars in scholarships. Third-grade reading scores have doubled in four years. And the district just completed 100 work-experience placements through its Career & Technical Education program.But Superintendent Jessee also shares what keeps him up at night: seniors who shrug when you ask them about their plan. He talks about what the district, and parents, can do differently, the "warm demander" approach to parenting teenagers, and a simple technique (borrowed from preschool) for getting your kid to actually talk to you in the car.Also covered: the Shelton Promise scholarship, community college affordability, the new School Links career-planning program (starting in 7th grade), the district's next strategic plan, enrollment trends, and what the Peacock Ridge development could mean for Shelton schools.RESOURCES MENTIONED:• Shelton School District: sheltonschools.org• Shelton Promise Scholarship — ask your school counselor• School Links Program — career planning starting in 7th grade• Evergreen State College• CTE / Work Experience Program — contact Ty Ramos, Shelton School DistrictFocus on Shelton airs on KMAS Radio 1030 AM / 103.3 FM, serving Mason County and the South Sound. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.#SheltonWA #MasonCounty #SheltonSchools #FocusOnShelton #KMASRadio #Education #PublicSchools #SchoolDistrict #Scholarships #CollegeAccess #CareerReadiness #CTE #HoodCanal #WashingtonState #SheltonWashington #LocalNews #Community #HighSchool #StudentSuccess #TeacherAppreciation

Mason County Sheriff Ryan Spurling joins Jeff Slakey for their monthly conversation, recorded at the Fjord Oyster Bank ahead of the Sheriff's Luncheon. This episode covers the full range of what's on the Sheriff's radar heading into summer 2026.Topics include: the leadership transition at the Shelton Police Department as a new chief takes over following Chief Kostad's departure; wildfire preparedness and the Forest Service's determination that the Bear Gulch Fire near Lake Cushman was likely caused by fireworks; how the Sheriff's Office handles the 4th of July surge with limited resources (up to 250 calls, six deputies, a thousand square miles); the new MACECOM AVA non-emergency AI dispatch line and how it's designed to improve coverage during high-volume events; and a full update on the legal fight over the state legislature's sheriff oversight bill, including two injunction wins that have frozen the law pending court review.Sheriff Spurling also shares encouraging news on law enforcement staffing levels across Washington State, and WASPIC research data showing public trust in law enforcement ranks among the highest of any profession.The Sheriff Sit-Down is produced by KMAS Radio and serves Mason County and the south Hood Canal area. Sponsored by Our Community Credit Union.0:00 — Introduction / Location / New Shelton Police Chief Patton1:36 — Wildfire Season & Bear Gulch Fire Investigation3:01 — Firewise, Fireworks & 4th of July Call Volumes4:00 — World Cup 2026 & Summer Visitor Influx to Mason County4:32 — MACECOM AVA: The New AI-Powered Non-Emergency 9-1-1 Line6:23 — Sheriff Oversight Bill: Two Injunctions & the Constitutional Challenge9:34 — Law Enforcement Staffing & WASPIC Conference Takeaways12:15 — Non-Emergency Line Reminder (421-4441) & Sponsor Close#MasonCounty #SheltonWA #HoodCanal #FocusOnShelton #KMASRadio #MasonCountySheriff #SheriffSpurling #WildfirePreparedness #BearGulchFire #4thOfJuly #WorldCup2026 #MACECOM #LawEnforcement #WashingtonState #PublicSafety #CommunityRadio

One of the top 100 disc golf courses in the entire United States is tucked into the forest on Shelton Springs Road in Shelton, Washington, and unlike almost every other top-ranked course in the country, you can play it for free, any day of the year, on the same pads the pros throw.This weekend (May 29–31, 2026), the world's best disc golfers come to Mason County for the Discraft Cascade Challenge — the West Coast debut of the brand-new JomezPro Series on the Disc Golf Pro Tour. The number one men's and number one women's competitors in the world will both be in Shelton. And on Saturday night, in a Forest Festival weekend first, players and fans get to throw glow discs under stadium lights and the city fireworks, with the last tee time going off at 11:20 PM.Jeff Slakey sits down with three people who can tell you exactly why this is happening here: Ryan Smith and Justin Holzgrove from the Mason County Disc Golf Club, and Cascade Challenge Tournament Director Jeff Korns. They cover the course's UDisc Top 100 ranking, why the City of Shelton's partnership made it possible, what the pros actually say about the layout, and how a casual visitor can walk up, watch a 500-foot tee shot, and get an autograph from a world champion — all in the same afternoon.🎟️ Tickets: https://tickets.dgpt.com/event/cascade-challenge-h4yzzy🥏 Event info: https://www.dgpt.com/event/2026-cascade-challenge/#CascadeChallenge  #DiscGolf  #SheltonWA  #MasonCounty  #JomezPro  #DGPT#PNW  #PacificNorthwest  #OlympicPeninsula  #HoodCanal  #Hoodsport  #ExploreShelton  #WashingtonState #Discraft  #UDisc  #UDiscTop100  #DiscGolfProTour  #SheltonSprings  #GlowGolf  #ForestFestival  #KMAS 

Mason County is sitting in the lowest quartile in Washington state for community health — and Mason Matters, the local 501(c)(3) that quieted down during COVID, has come back online with a plan to move that number twenty percent.In this conversation, host Jeff Slakey sits down at the Economic Development Council building in downtown Shelton with Julie Knott, the director of Mason Matters. They cover where the organization came from (the steering committee behind Blue Zones Activate Mason County), where it’s going (a refreshed health-equity agenda built around food, the built environment, and child care), and the partnerships making it work — Mason County Public Health, Mason Health, the EDC, the YMCA of Shelton, and both hospital districts.You’ll hear how Mason Matters became the matching partner that helped the EDC land a major USDA grant — the largest awarded in Washington state and one of 43 nationally. You’ll hear about the Charlie Cart, a mobile teaching kitchen that just landed Mason County the distinction of being the first rural community in Washington to use one. And you’ll hear from a six-week pilot underway at South Side Elementary, where one student tasted homemade herb butter and asked, unprompted, if it had marjoram in it.Also in this conversation: Maria Parra and the work happening at Hope Plaza, the Catalyst Garden re-imagining at the Master Gardeners’ space on Harvard, the Salmon Center master plan, the new Mountain View Café at Mason Health, the Shelton and Belfair Farmers Markets, a county-wide child-care assessment landing in June, and what the multi-billion-dollar Bremerton shipyard project means for the workforce — and the kids — of Mason County.Plus: why Julie is biking from Shelton to Ketchikan, Alaska, this summer, and what Blue Zones founders bicycling across Asia have to do with Mason County life expectancy.📍 Mentioned in this episode:•       Mason Matters — masonmatters.org (verify URL before publishing)•       Economic Development Council of Mason County — choosemason.com (verify)•       Mason County Public Health•       Mason Health & Mountain View Café•       YMCA of Shelton•       Shelton Farmers Market & Belfair Farmers Market•       Hope Plaza at Faith Lutheran (1212 Connection Street)•       Master Gardeners’ Catalyst Garden•       Salmon Center🎧 Subscribe to KMAS Radio & KMAS Morning News with Jeff Slakey wherever you get your podcasts.📻 Listen live on KMAS Radio.▶️ Watch the full conversation on the KMAS YouTube channel.

Amber Anderson from South Mason Fire & Rescue joins Jeff Slakey to preview a Mother's Day weekend full of community events on Arcadia Road in Shelton, Washington.First up: a FREE car seat checkup event Friday, May 8, from 11 AM to 2 PM at the South Mason Fire station on Arcadia. Certified car seat installers — being trained across multiple counties — will check your car seat is installed correctly, walk you through which seats fit your vehicle, and answer the question every parent eventually asks: when does my kid graduate to a booster, and when can they age out? No appointment needed.Then Saturday, May 9, from 9:30 AM to noon — the third-annual Mother's Day Pancake Breakfast. Pancakes, sausage and bacon courtesy of Taylor Station, served by your South Mason firefighters. Every mom gets a rose and a walk to her seat from a firefighter. Donations welcome (cash or check).Both events at South Mason Fire & Rescue, 2970 SE Arcadia Road, Shelton, WA 98584.#FocusOnShelton #KMASRadio #SheltonWA #MasonCountyWA #SouthMasonFire #MothersDay #PancakeBreakfast #CarSeatSafety #PNW #HoodCanal #ArcadiaRoad #FireDepartment #CommunityFirst #FirstResponders #SheltonNews #MothersDayWeekend

In this conversation, host Jeff Slakey sits down with Katie Arnold, treasurer of the Karen Hilburn Cancer Fund, to talk about the second annual Mother's Day Dash — a 4-mile run/walk that supports cancer screenings and treatment for uninsured and underinsured women right here in Mason County.For more than two decades, the Karen Hilburn Cancer Fund has helped over 600 Mason County residents access the screenings and care they need through partnerships with Mason Health. The Mother's Day Dash, alongside the fund's Denim and Diamonds auction, is one of the ways the all-volunteer board keeps that work going.Katie shares the race details — start time, route, parking, day-of registration — plus what brought her into the fund a decade ago, and why this work matters for women across our community. https://runsignup.com/Race/WA/Shelton/TheMothersDayDashEvent details:•       Sunday morning · 8:00 AM start•       Huff & Puff Park (across from Shelton High School)•       4-mile run or walk · medals at the finish•       Registration open now; day-of registration available at the check-in tableConversations air on KMAS Radio and is available as a podcast and on YouTube. Follow KMAS for more conversations with the people, businesses, and organizations that make Mason County what it is.#MothersDayDash · #KarenHilburnCancerFund · #SheltonWA · #MasonCountyWA · #KMAS · #FocusOnShelton · #PNW · #CancerScreening · #CommunityRun · #4MileRun · #MasonHealth · #ShopLocalShelton · #PacificNorthwest · #WashingtonState · #MothersDay

Mason County Sheriff Ryan Spurling joined Jeff Slakey at The Fjord Oyster Bank in Hoodsport for the monthly sit-down just before he met with the community for the monthly luncheon.Spurling walks through the Sheriff's Office's Neighborhood Watch revival under Deputy Matt Colbenson, why Mason County is again Washington's lowest-staffed sheriff's office per 1,000 residents (a point he traces back through department records to 1980), and what that means for rural communities like Hoodsport, Lake Cushman, Spencer Lake, and Allyn.He discusses the internal audit his office conducted in the wake of last month's double homicide, what they found, what they're changing, and the conversations he had with family members of the victims at the new evening community meeting at PUD 3. He addresses the 25 cases the district court had to dismiss without prejudice for lack of a public defender, and what concerned residents can actually do about it.And he gives his clearest public response yet to this week's Thurston County preliminary injunction blocking parts of SB 5974, the new state law that would have allowed an appointed panel to revoke a sheriff's certification and effectively remove them from office. "The sheriff is the only elected law enforcement official in the world," Spurling says. "It's controlled by voters, not by an appointment."Conversations with Sheriff Spurling are brought to you by OURCU.🎙 Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.📺 Watch on YouTube: KMAS Radio channel.📻 KMAS — Mason County's radio station, since 1962.#FocusOnShelton #KMAS #KMASRadio #MasonCounty #SheltonWA #HoodCanal #Hoodsport #SheriffSpurling #MasonCountySheriff #NeighborhoodWatch #PublicDefender #SB5974 #WashingtonState #LocalNews #PNW #PugetSound #OlympicPeninsula #CommunityRadio

Shelton School District Superintendent Wyeth Jesse joins Jeff Slakey for a wide-ranging conversation about what's happening in Mason County classrooms — and what's coming next.On this episode: a look back at the latest school board meeting and the marimba performance from Mountain View Elementary; the federal funding cuts threatening multilingual education programs; the departures of two longtime Shelton High School administrators, Ed Stewart and Bruce Kipper; how today's seniors — who started high school during COVID — are finishing strong; and the district's bold goal of having more than 50% of third graders meeting state reading standards.Plus, Wyeth announces a brand-new K–5 homeschool resource center launching for the 2026–27 school year, talks honestly about why district enrollment is shrinking, and explains why staff members — including the head of HR — are choosing to send their own kids to Shelton schools.And in the most candid stretch of the conversation: the superintendent's case for putting books — not devices — in students' hands, what national assessment data really shows about screens and learning, and why writing might be the single most powerful tool in education.Got a question for the superintendent? Email [email protected] for the next visit.#FocusOnShelton #SheltonSchools #SheltonWA #MasonCounty #KMAS #KMASRadio #PNWPodcast #WashingtonEducation #PublicEducation #Superintendent #SchoolBoard #ScreensAndKids #SmartphonesInSchools #Homeschool #EarlyLiteracy #ThirdGradeReading #COVIDRecovery #MultilingualEducation #SheltonHighSchool #MountainViewElementary