Shelton School District Superintendent Wyeth Jessee joins Jeff Slakey on Focus on Shelton for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about the state of public education in Mason County — and across Washington State.

Shelton voters delivered a resounding 62% approval on the district's levy — one of the strongest showings for any comparable school district in the February election cycle. But that win has been complicated by enrollment decline, rising costs, and a state legislature that just cut the levy equalization dollars that high-needs districts like Shelton depend on.

Jessee breaks down how every student lost equals $18,000 in revenue — and how a drop of roughly 170 students translates to a $350,000 gap and the equivalent of three to four teaching positions. He explains the compounding pressure of lower birth rates, reduced immigration, rising fuel costs, and now a state legislature trimming the very funds designed to support lower-income districts.

Despite the financial headwinds, Jessee is emphatic that Shelton continues to outperform comparable districts on literacy, discipline, attendance, and graduation rates. He spotlights NJROTC, student athletes placing at state championships, students reading obsessively, and a local effort to rename the high school softball field in honor of a beloved community figure.

This is an essential listen for any Mason County resident who wants to understand the real pressures facing Shelton's schools — and the remarkable things still being accomplished inside them.

#SheltonWA #SheltonSchools #MasonCounty #FocusOnShelton #KMAS #PublicEducation #WashingtonState #SheltonCommunity #WyethJesse #SchoolFunding #LevyElection #SheltonAthletics #WashingtonSchools #EducationFunding #SheltonHighclimbers

Jeff Slakey sits down with Molly Wheat Baker inside her studio at Graffiti Community Art Space in downtown Shelton, Washington—and what starts as a conversation about her library exhibit quickly turns into a window on everything that’s growing in the Shelton arts scene right now.

Molly’s work is everywhere in Shelton—murals on Cota Street, stickers and shirts, commission paintings, and now a solo show at the Shelton Timberland Library through the end of March 2025. She talks about what it’s been like to find her community here, how organizations like Mason County Blue Zones and spaces like Marmo have knit Shelton’s creatives together, and what it means to go from “living in the woods” to being part of a movement working toward official state Creative District designation.

Oh—and she’s painting a bus.

📍 Graffiti Community Art Space | Railroad Ave, Shelton WA (across from Tolley’s)

🎨 Library Show: Shelton Timberland Library | Through end of March 2025

🗓️ Tue March 24 | 2:45–4:45pm — Live painting session

🗓️ Thu March 26 | 2:00–3:30pm — Artist talk (Tea Talk & Time Out)

🌐 mollywheatbaker.com | 📧 mollywheatbaker@gmail.com

#SheltonWA #MasonCounty #FocusOnShelton #KMAS
#SheltonArt #CommunityArt #LocalArtist #MuralArt #PNWArt #WashingtonArt
#SheltonArtsWalk #CreativeDistrict #DowntownShelton #SheltonLibrary
#PNWCommunity #SmallTownArt #PublicArt #WashingtonState #CommunityRadio

Focus on Shelton is produced by KMAS Radio, your community radio station for the Shelton and Mason County area. New episodes drop regularly—subscribe so you never miss a conversation.

In this episode of Focus on Shelton on KMAS, host Jeff Slakey sits down with Jordanne Krumpols from the City of Shelton Parks & Recreation Department to talk about two exciting community initiatives. First: the PROST Plan — Shelton's Parks, Recreation, Open Space, and Trails six-year master plan is in the community input phase RIGHT NOW. The survey is live online and via QR code on posters throughout the city. Jordanne shares what the city is hoping to learn, what trends are emerging (spoiler: pickleball courts and a splash pad are leading the wishlist), and how you can get involved — including an in-person open house at the Civic Center in May. Second: Empty Bowls is returning to Shelton for three consecutive Wednesdays starting March 11. Come in and create your handmade clay bowl (free!), come back to glaze it on the 18th, and join your neighbors on March 25th for soup and bread donated by local Shelton restaurants — with all donations benefiting the Saints Pantry food bank.

🔗 PROST Survey: https://sheltonwa.gov/government/departments/parks_and_recreation/parks,_recreation,_open_space_and_trails_plan.php
🍲 Empty Bowls Info: https://sheltonwa.gov/government/departments/parks_and_recreation/shelton_arts_commission.php
📧 Contact Jordan: jordanne.krumpols@sheltonwa.gov

#SheltonWA #FocusOnShelton #KMAS #SheltonParks #SheltonPROST #SheltonRecreation

KMAS is the local radio station in Mason County Washington.

The Mountain View Café at Mason Health is officially reopened — and it’s better than ever.

Culinary Manager Ashlee Johnson joins Jeff Slakey on location to talk about:

• The 9-month remodel
• Prime Rib Fridays ($12 plates, 4:30–7pm)
• Healthy, locally sourced ingredients
• Partnerships with Colvin Ranch and Skokomish Valley Farms
• Blue Zones and Mason Matters collaboration
• Community art and gathering space
• Ashlee’s inspiring journey from GED to culinary manager

The café is open to the public and serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

📍 Located inside Mason Health in Shelton, Washington
🔗 Weekly menu available at https://www.masonhealth.com/visit-us/bistro-menu

If you love supporting local food, community spaces, and Shelton businesses — this one’s for you.

#SheltonWA
#MasonHealth
#SupportLocal
#PrimeRibFriday
#MasonMatters
#HoodCanalLife
#LocalFood
#MasonCounty

Shelton City Manager Mark Ziegler sits down to talk about being named “Boss of the Year” by the Shelton Mason County Chamber of Commerce, what leadership really looks like inside city hall, and where the City of Shelton is headed next.

In this conversation, we cover:

• Why Mark sees himself as a collaborator, not a “boss”
• Managing nearly 100 city employees
• Working with the Shelton City Council
• Advocating in Olympia with 35th District legislators
• Housing growth and Olympic Heights development
• Infrastructure investments and long-term planning
• Community outreach challenges
• Strategic planning and performance tracking
• A potential partnership with the Humane Society of Mason County
• Parks, trails, and the future Simpson Railway multi-modal trail

We also talk about city culture, employee recognition (the “Shelte Awards”), communication styles, and what it takes to build trust in a growing community like Shelton.

If you live in Shelton or Mason County and want to understand how local decisions are made — this is a good one.

#SheltonWA
#MasonCounty
#LocalGovernment
#CityManager
#CommunityLeadership
#SheltonWashington
#EconomicDevelopment
#PublicService

Peninsula Credit Union has been named the 2025 Business of the Year by the Shelton Mason County Chamber of Commerce, marking the second time the organization has received the honor.

In this conversation, CEO Jim Morrell and Shelton Branch Assistant Manager Charlie Allmendinger talk about what the award means to their team, their mission of listening, serving, educating, and caring, and how that mission shows up every day for members across Mason, Kitsap, and Jefferson counties.

The discussion covers Peninsula’s focus on community development, financial education, bilingual services and outreach to the Hispanic community, leadership development from within, and real-world examples of how credit unions help members during difficult financial moments. It’s a look at how a locally rooted financial institution balances growth, inclusion, and hands-on community support.

#PeninsulaCreditUnion
#BusinessOfTheYear
#MasonCounty
#SheltonWA
#CommunityBanking

Local historian and author Don Trosper joins KMAS Radio to talk about his newest book, This Can’t Be History… Or Is It?, a collection of 100 short stories from across Southwest Washington. The conversation covers Tumwater, Thurston, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Pacific, and Mason counties, touching on early settlers, logging towns, railroads, Native trails, and the small, often overlooked moments that shaped the region. Trosper shares how he researches these stories, why short-form history works, and how places like Tumwater, the Deschutes River, and Old Highway 99 connect generations through lived experience and memory.

#Tumwater #SouthwestWashington #LocalHistory #WashingtonHistory #KMASRadio

Shelton School District Superintendent Wyeth Jessee joins Jeff Slakey to discuss the early results of the district’s three-year levy, currently passing with 61% of the vote.

The conversation covers what that level of community support means during challenging economic times, including how gas prices and financial pressure can impact levy outcomes across Washington State.

Jessee outlines measurable progress within the district, including being ranked number one in the state for early literacy growth, a 77% reduction in discipline incidents, and 53 students attending Evergreen State College tuition-free compared to just four the year prior.

The discussion also explores what would have happened if the levy had failed, including potential cuts to more than 100 employees and programs such as mental health supports, arts, athletics, and student leadership opportunities.

The episode closes with leadership news at Shelton High School, as Assistant Principal Jordan Stray is announced as the incoming principal, and what that transition means for the future of SHS.

#SheltonWA
#MasonCounty
#SheltonSchools
#LocalEducation
#kmasradio

KMAS is the local radio station in Mason County Washington.