The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Warning for the Skokomish River near Potlatch. The flood warning is in effect from this afternoon to Wednesday evening.
Forecasters say the river will rise above the 16.5-foot flood stage around 2 PM and crest near 17.3 feet around 4 PM. The Skokomish will fall below flood stage early Wednesday afternoon.
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The following is a summary of road construction and maintenance scheduled on state highways around Mason County and adjacent areas from December 9, 2018 to December 15, 2018.
Maintenance
Highway: SR 108 Region: Olympic County: Mason Location: Milepost(s) 9.7 to 11.8
Description: Utility crews for Mason County PUD #3 will raise existing power lines along SR 108 between Hurley Waldrop Road and the US 101 interchange. Weather permitting, drivers may encounter one-way alternating traffic with flaggers and should expect minor delays.
Work Schedule: 8 a.m.to 4:30 p.m. each weekday through Thursday, Feb. 28. No work will occur:
Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2018 Dedrick Allan The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will hold a public workshop Dec.19 to kick off an updated planning process for the South Puget Sound Wildlife Area in western Washington.
The workshop is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m., Dec. 19, at North Mason High School, 150 E. North Mason School Road, Belfair.
Copyright protected by Digiprove © 2018 Dedrick Allan 
Seattle District received $13.6 million in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Fiscal 2019 Work Plan to complete the Skokomish River Basin Ecosystem Restoration Project design and construction phases.
This project plan provides restoration on a total of 277 acres including habitat critical for Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed chinook and chum salmon, key food sources for southern resident orca whales.
Tacoma Power will release water from Cushman Dam #2 into the North Fork Skokomish. The discharge will increase from 300 cfs (cubic feet per second) to 800 cfs beginning at 6:00 p.m. tonight (Thursday, December 6th) and begin downramping at 4:00 a.m. Saturday reaching base flow of 300 cfs at 1:00 p.m.
The Washington State Patrol (WSP) is reminding drivers to make sure they buckle up before hitting the road after a 7-year-old was killed and a 29-year-old woman was seriously injured in two separate collisions. Both victims were unbelted and ejected.
In both collisions, the other occupants of the vehicle who were seat belted suffered either minor or no injuries. According to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, wearing a seatbelt can reduce chances of serious injury or death in a collision by approximately 70 percent.
The Mason County Auditor’s Office is accepting applications for a Vehicle Licensing Subagency. This Subagency will be a replacement for the Mountain View Licensing in Shelton and must be located in the greater Shelton area. Application packets are available online (click here) or at the Auditor’s Office at 411 No. 5th St. between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday – Friday. Completed applications must be returned to the Auditor’s Office by 4 PM January 7, 2019. Your submitted proposal will be part of an open competitive appointment process.
The City of Shelton is scheduled to install a bus pullout on Olympic Highway North near the new McDonald’s restaurant on Olympic Highway North.
City crews are taking advantage of the dry weather this week to make a few traffic improvements in the 2500 and 2600 blocks of Olympic Highway North leading up to the West K Street intersection. Thursday, December 6th, the following traffic revisions will be implemented in the right (west) southbound lane:
The Washington State Patrol (WSP) and Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) are asking drivers to be prepared and take caution while driving this winter season.
WSDOT crews patrol the roadways day and night to assess highway conditions. When needed, roadways are treated based on a priority scale with the more traveled highways and state routes receiving attention first before moving onto secondary roadways. Crews plowing snow or applying de-icer to the roadway often must slow down to apply good coverage.
Washington State Department of Health reports that illicit fentanyl is being detected in new forms and is causing an increasing number of overdose deaths in the state. Opioid users are being urged to take steps to protect themselves.
In the first half of 2018, there were 81 deaths linked to fentanyl, versus 48 deaths recorded during the same time period last year. This represents an almost 70 percent increase in deaths.*
