Soul Snatcher, Productions ™ Democracy Wall

The following clips, snaps, and political analysis are offered to aid voters in selecting who should fill the important office of Mason County Commissioner–as upload speeds and time allows:

Remarkably, all 3 positions for Mason County Commissioner are up for election. The level of earnest interest on the part of the candidates was uniformly high, but judging the voters’ reciprocal feelings by the level of attendance–not so much. It’s possible voter ennui was inspired by the dearth of competent well informed candidates in this field of 12 who arrived ready to have their depths plumbed.

Applicants in attendance vying for votes to secure these well paid political offices were:

MASON COUNTY COMMISSIONER
District 1:
Randy Neatherlin, Denny Hamilton, Travis Couture

District 2:
Frank Benevente, Randy Churchill, Mark Core, Roslynne Reed, Tim Sheldon

District 3:
Darrel Andrews, Curt Bennett, Ross Gallagher, Terri Jeffreys

Incumbent & Defendant Tim Sheldon gripes about Mark Core’s lawsuit (341)

@ 7:41 in this particular clip, incumbent Tim Sheldon can be heard losing it over being named as a defendant in a lawsuit brought against him (et ux) by plaintiff Mark Core, a candidate for Tim’s position as County Commissioner. Heidi (chairing the forum) didn’t literally have to wrestle the microphone out of Tim’s hands, but he yielded it grudgingly after a couple of requests, relying on his position and long political experience to do so. Tim clearly hoped to embarrass Mr. Core in front of the residents for having the temerity to sue him and other elected officials. It was a rare performance revealing Sheldon being less than at the top of his game.

Still, after obtaining the documents (complaint against the County and claim with its Risk Managment dept.) this looks to be a personnel/employment dispute. Mr. Mark Core asserts in his complaint his termination was retaliatory but offers no proof to this end in the court documents. For his part, Commissioner Sheldon claims Core’s termination was part of a general cutback in staff to meet budget considerations. If Mr. Lingle actually expressed an intent to ‘punish’ Mr. Core, he’s no longer around to defend himself as County residents are well aware. They’re also informed Commissioner Bloomfield named as a defendant, was nowhere in the picture despite assertions to the contrary in the complaint.

Mike Hanbey, esq. could easily have researched the actual names of the ‘doe’ spouses named as defendants. The lawsuit has the look and feel of having been generated by a paper mill.

CLICK to see:

Mark Core lawsuit against Mason County

Mark Core claim to Mason County Risk Management dept.

It’s not clear, despite Mr. Core’s disavowal he’d harbor any ill will, how he’d treat certain existing County employees (e.g. Barbara Adkins) if he were elected. Ms. Adkins was the county official who found the Adage proposal would not be in compliance with laws prohibiting the burning of “solid waste”.  Mike Dorcy, the County Prosecutor, subsequently rendered a legal opinion concurring with her conclusion. Adkins was instrumental in courageously protecting the quality of life in Mason County…in the face of Adage’s supporters, including her own boss, Tim Sheldon. If retaliatory firings were the order of the day at the County level, it would seem Adkins would have been among the 1st to go! Mr. Core’s allegations to the contrary have not been substantiated. It’s unlikely this lawsuit will survive a motion for  summary judgment.

7-18-12 Mason County Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton (334)

Jeffreys’ Take On The Environment:
Possibly the most dangerous candidate (besides Sheldon) running for County Commissioner was Terri Jeffreys, previously an intern of Tim’s and reportedly his protege (though she denies this). Politically, telling them apart turns out to be a distinction without a difference. Were both to be elected, the downward spiral of Mason County’s environment would become a fait accompli.

When candidates were asked if they believed the County was adequately protecting our environmental resources, all but Roslynne Reed gave effusively glowing opinions of its performance. Reed knew better and said so.

Jeffreys is transparently in the camp of special interests. A cursory glance at the Washington Public Disclosure Commission’s data base of campaign contributors makes this fact, with respect to Ms. Jeffreys, obvious. i.e. FOLLOW THE MONEY! (CLICK on the following link to find Jeffreys’ list of contributors.)

Terri Jeffreys’ List of Campaign Donors

Note the names John Dobson, Jay Hupp, and Tom Wallitner–all Pork of Shelton and EDC supporters who rallied behind Adage and elected officials intent on raping Mason County for a buck. Jeffreys may be obtusely and stubbornly ill informed about the local environment, but she knows where her bread is buttered. She also wants a bigger slice of the loaf.

Jeffreys demonstrated a disturbing tendency to react in a hostile manner to citizen efforts to enlighten her. When informed Simpson had polluted our bays and estuary with Dioxin, making them among the most toxic in the Puget Sound, by flushing its poisons down Shelton’s sewers (thus into Oakland Bay) in the 80’s, she retorted, “Well, are they doing that NOW?” She argued the State’s regulations are tracking this threat today, but seemed nonplussed when informed not only was the State NOT tracking the Dioxin emissions, it had no equipment nor schedule to do so. She also ignorantly opined the Dioxin in Oakland Bay was being cleaned up. At one point, she argued that shell fish (in the bay) were good for water quality, but the need for the flip side of that coin (water quality for shellfish) seemed lost on her or incidental. This is a woman on a ‘mission’, but the quality of life/health for County residents doesn’t seem to be included.

Her biggest donor ($900) is yet another non-local special interest (Olympia), the WASHINGTON ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE. Having saturated the Lacey/Olympia/Tumwater area with development, such groups are looking for greener pastures and lax regulations. Mason County comes to mind and lies in the path of that planned development–it’s currently the path of least resistance. Jeffreys hopes to ride that money train sharing a seat in the same boxcar as Tim Sheldon. Together, they can ensure Shelton remains the gateway to industrial blight and suitors like Adage continue to call.

Jeffreys guffawed at the notion Washington’s air quality might be suffering. Her argument in favor of allowing the continued permitting of the privatization of the air we breathe fell into the 2nd camp of the following ‘rationale’ for it:

Adage and its robber baron partners argued they should set up shop in our neighborhood because Washington’s environment was so much more pristine than California’s (where they intended to market their ill gotten gains extracted from our own community/region). Essentially they were arguing they should be allowed to sleep with our underage daughter because she’s a ‘virgin’. As obnoxious as that argument was, Jeffreys’ is worse.

Jeffreys responded to concern about air quality dismissively, asking how much automobiles contributed to the problem. (over half, in general) Her thinking can be characterized as industrial polluters should be allowed to sleep with our underage daughter because she is NOT a ‘virgin’! Clearly, Jeffreys does not have the best interest of our ‘daughter’ at heart.

7-18-12 Mason County Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton (335)

7-18-12 Mason County Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton (336)

7-18-12 Mason County Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton (337)

7-18-12 Mason County Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton (339)

7-18-12 Mason County Commissioner Candidates Forum @ Shelton (340)

If you’ve never attended a race event and think they’re for rednecks and aging teens, you need to emerge from under the rock where you’ve been living and visit Shelton’s new world class motor sports park, aka The Ridge. It will knock your socks off.

Hang On!

Preliminary Instructions

The Ridge is located at 060 W Eells Hill Rd, Shelton, WA, 98584; (360)427-RACE.

Directions: From I-5 On I-5 in Olympia take Exit 104 and merge onto US 101 N towards Shelton/Port Angeles. After approximately 5.9 miles take exit to stay on US 101 N towards Shelton/Port Angeles After 17.3 miles take Left onto Dayton Airport Rd WA 102 towards the Washington State Corrections Facility. After 1.5 miles turn right on W Eells Hill Rd, Track will come up on the right hand side, can’t miss it.

Last Minute Instructions

Lean into the Curve.

The facility itself is a pleasant surprise, though a work still in progress. In the finest European tradition, it has left most of the trees and topography while cast in a beautiful setting of surrounding forests and territorial mountain views. This is no southern California moonscape strip. It is currently hosting race events as it works toward building amenities such as flush toilets, rental garages, bleachers, observation towers, and a drag strip. Three inches of new specially designed racing tarmac is soon to be added on top of the existing asphalt base. The course itself has 16 breathtaking turns and changes of elevation totaling 400 feet over its 2.5 mile length.

Suiting Up

This is a family oriented venue. Rowdiness, inappropriate behavior or safety violations are not tolerated. Association with organized racing groups who hold events at the track is encouraged. The track takes its environmental responsibilities seriously. Anyone found to have disposed of oil/vehicle fluids anywhere other than the designated recycling disposal units will be asked to leave.

Despite the no nonsense rules, the free spending crowds and participants who show up clearly are having the time of their life. The atmosphere is friendly, the camaraderie apparent. The colors, sounds, speed, and intense competition set against a background of God’s own paradise is not just exciting–it’s stunning. Reportedly without the assistance of the outrageously funded publicly endowed EDC (Economic Development Council), the track established itself in Mason County, becoming a destination and world class raceway in the bargain.

The July 14-15, 2012 weekend of racing including all classes of motorcycles, sidecars, and assorted 2-wheelers was sponsored by the Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association (www.wmrra.com), Tim O’Mahony, president, PO Box 94323, Seattle, WA 98124, (253)3322-9364; president@wmrra.com

Mr. Tim O’Mahony, his club members, and track officials were affable, generous with their time, and provided a tour of the track after the awards ceremony (complete with a narrative of the technical aspects of each turn in the course and how track management worked with motorcycle racing interests to allow for bike safety as well as automotive competition). They represented members as young as 12 years old to 74 who’d raced competitively at their track events. All competitors are, of course, required to don racing leathers and helmets. One young man was left with his skin intact, as a result, after losing his bike during a Sunday Morning race, though the machine was much the worse for wear.

An interest sight at the track were the plethora of colorful tire cozies on the various bikes. It turns out that racing tires (typically $400/ea.) are designed to maximize grip on the racing surface at high speeds involving a lot of heat generated from the rigors of the race. This differs dramatically from normal street tires which have their best grip at cool temperatures, but rapidly lose this with elevated temperatures–becoming quite slippery. The racing tires are not only expensive and specially engineered, they’re soft to the point of often only lasting one or two races. These disciples of Mercury aren’t shy about dropping loads of cash in pursuit of their love of speed–Thus the tire cozies and their electric heating coils before each race.

The Awards Ceremonies:

After the drama and intense activity of a full race day, awards are presented to the winners while appreciative supporters clap and exhibit approval. These folk like each other and their hobby. They don’t mind having a good time. It would appear that age, gender, and economic status are no barrier to any of this as many co-drivers were women (sidecars), teams like Kawasaki, Ducatti, Yamaha, etc. had fully equipped racing bikes for rent @ $250/day. Bikes of every displacement and size were entered, matching virtually any pocketbook.

The WMRRA club president was quick to respond that owning a motorcycle wasn’t a prerequisite to club membership. If you’ve grown tired of life in the slow lane, this group may well be your spot of tea. To find out, come to some of their events and check them out. Talk to the racers, their spouses, children, and event officials.

WMRRA member, Russ, introduces & describes his club to listeners

The Washington Motorcycle Road Racing Association presented awards to the winners at the end of a Saturday complete with a full day of competitive racing.

WMRRA Awards Ceremony video clips:  (CLICK to view)

A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N

A Tour of The Ridge (track) w/WMRRA 7-14-12 (1/2)

The WMRRA club officials generously provided a narrated tour of Shelton’s world class Motor Sports Park track. The facility is still under construction, but it has begun hosting events such as motorcycle racing. At 30mph, the ride negotiating the many curves and blind corners was a thrill. Speeds well over 130mph on the track seemed fantastically surrealistic. Development of the facility has been imaginative while remaining sensitive to the environment and community. It is destined to become a tradition as well as a destination in the Mason County community.

A Tour of The Ridge (track) w/WMRRA 7-14-12 (2/2)

Summertime, when the living’s no longer easy, retains its tradition of book lists and reading. The following come highly recommended:

Reviving the Strike: How Working People Can Regain Power and transform America by Joe Burns (2011).

Picket Line

Workers’ only real bargaining power is their ability to stop production and, to do this, workers must fight as a class. By abandoning these tactics, unions have lost their ability to defend the working class. Explains what it will take to revive the strike and regain lost ground.

Professional Poison: How Professionals Sabotage Social Movements,
and Why Workers Should Lead Our Fight by Susan Rosenthal (2009).

Middle-class professionals dominate most unions and social movements. How can working people organize to challenge them?

Autoworkers Under the Gun: A Shop-Floor View of the End of the American Dream by Gregg Shotwell (2011).

Autoworker Gregg Shotwell shows how General Motors and its junior partner, the United Auto Workers (UAW) bureaucracy, stole workers’ pensions, slashed wages and shed jobs to help expand GM’s global empire.

The Civil Wars in US Labor by Steve Early (2011).

Chronicles the corruption, back-stabbing, power-grabbing, and opportunistic alliances that have characterized recent turf wars among American unions. Why did a generation of activists fail to democratize the unions, and what must we do differently to avoid repeating that failure?

Solidarity Divided: The Crisis in Organized Labor and a New Path Toward Social Justice by Bill Fletcher, Jr. and Fernando Gapasin (2008)

Argues that unions must undergo a fundamental transformation to champion the interests of the entire working class. Is this possible?

The Lessons of Chile: 1970-1973 by Susan Rosenthal (2010).

Chile showed that a challenge to class inequality in the medical system is a challenge to the capitalist system as a whole. Consequently, any serious movement for reform must prepare to fight a class war.

For some great volunteer entertainment, you can’t go wrong planning on attending (it’s FREE) the Medfest (Belly dancing) 11-7 Sat & 11-5 Sun @ Hiawatha Community Center, 2700 California Ave SW, West Seattle, WA (Saroya: 206-824-4751)

Here’s just a glimpse of the kind of performances  (2 stages) you may see:

This Dance performance by Candice Frankland, a South African / New Zealand belly dancer, is a double veil solo choreography using silk and chiffon veils.

w/The kind permission of its director, these video clips highlight the vibrant talented group (160 total) of volunteer singers in Anna’s Bay Chorale who call Mason County home. If you’ve ever wanted a piece of Norman Rockwell’s America, here it is, in the flesh, now! Listening to this marvelous choir is almost too real…you can hear every breath and sense every heartbeat.

The organization gets fantastic community support from residents, community groups (like the Skookum Rotary Club), major donors, and musicians alike. It has helped create a rural community proud of its cultural heritage. The choir emphasizes classical music, but obviously is multi-dimensional. Not only does their hard work show in their genuinely heartfelt solos and harmonies, they’re a breath of fresh air because, frankly, they’re a lot of fun–both for the performers and their audience. Listen for yourself, and don’t miss the opportunities to hear them live if you’re fortunate enough to live/visit near their home base in Union, WA.

7-12-12 Anna’s Bay Chorale – Music In The Park (Shelton) 06/17

7-12-12 Anna’s Bay Chorale – Music In The Park (Shelton) 07/17

7-12-12 Anna’s Bay Chorale – Music In The Park (Shelton) 08/17

7-12-12 Anna’s Bay Chorale – Music In The Park (Shelton) 09/17

7-12-12 Anna’s Bay Chorale – Music In The Park (Shelton) 10/17

7-12-12 Anna’s Bay Chorale – Music In The Park (Shelton) 11/17

7-12-12 Anna’s Bay Chorale – Music In The Park (Shelton) 12/17

7-12-12 Anna’s Bay Chorale – Music In The Park (Shelton) 13/17

7-12-12 Anna’s Bay Chorale – Music In The Park (Shelton) 14/17

7-12-12 Anna’s Bay Chorale – Music In The Park (Shelton) 15/17

7-12-12 Anna’s Bay Chorale – Music In The Park (Shelton) 16/17

7-12-12 Anna’s Bay Chorale – Music In The Park (Shelton) 17/17

“One must be honest to live outside the law.” -B. Dylan-

Pets have become a lucrative source of income and a growth industry in an otherwise failing economy. Veterinarian dentists net far more than their counterparts w/human patients. End of life care may well be even more lucrative given the emotional state of the bereaved. A mortally injured hopelessly sweet soul died after having her neck and ribs broken, thoracic cavity punctured, and deep gashes to her abdomen inflicted by a marijuana farmer’s idea of cheap security (2 pit bulls) as a sop against getting ripped off or raided by drug enforcement agents.

Cost: $625+ for emergency room care consisting of stabilization to counteract shock, morphine, x-rays, IV fluids, then euthenasia and cremation.

Purchase price for miniature female dachshund: $300

Copper Kettle

Spot of Sunshine

Surviving Sibling

The illegal barn grow may find pit bulls to be inadequate protection against Westnet and common knowledge. Those who loved Gabby may not always remember what she said, but they’ll always remember how she made them feel.

2012 Candidates Filing Info

2012 Mason Candidates interviews by MasonWebTV.com (Dedrick Allan)

KMAS Radio (AM1030 FM104.1) 2012 Mason Voters Guide

Also, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Public Lands, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Insurance Commissioner, and State Supreme Court Justice positions 2, 8 and 9. State Treasurer Jim McIntire, who is running unopposed this year, chose not to tape a statement.

Terri Jeffreys’ Election Blog website

The Evergreen State College (TESC) biology department has discovered how to clone politicians. Meet Terri Jeffreys, a TESC graduate who interned w/Tim Sheldon and became his protege before heading the local Chamber of Commerce down the primrose path in support of the Adage proposal in the face of heated community opposition.

Endorsed Adage w/o Chamber members’/community approval

Jeffreys condones/endorses the EDC in her interviews and blog for this important public office. Though she fails to say so, the EDC (Economic Development Council) is a private corporation which engages in taking public taxpayer dollars from government agencies such as Mason County, City of Shelton, Port of Shelton, Port of Allen, etc. No bidding or accountability for the graft is necessary as under State law, ‘services’ (unlike bridges, roads, schools, etc.) aren’t required to undergo this process…hence the crony capitalism that has a stranglehold on Mason County through the auspices of Tim Sheldon, Jay Hupp, and their oligarchs. Jeffreys’ track record gives every appearance of having signed onto this Faustian platform.

The ‘close’ working relationship she envisions working with these plutocrats can be seen on the board of directors for the EDC (many are/were the same politicians receiving campaign donations from EDC agents/employees after having funneled public moneys to it) and Island Enterprises, a Squaxin Island Tribal corporation involved in its casino, alcohol, and tobacco operations. Although Tim Sheldon is not a native American, he is on that corporation’s board. He receives over 90% of his campaign contributions from corporations (or their officers) according to Washington’s Public Disclosure Commission.

When asked what her priorities for Mason County would be, Jeffreys intoned, “Jobs, jobs, jobs!” This is the same mantra citizens heard during the Adage debacle when the County Commissioners refused to even consider allowing citizens to lodge their vote in an advisory ballot entirely paid for by one local activist. While ‘jobs’ are important in any community, Mason County does not sell its children–at least not yet. Any parent would rather struggle for their child’s next meal than watch that child struggle for its next breath. Shelton has become the gateway to industrial blight at the behest of robber barons and their political lackeys.

Jeffreys has a thousand watt smile and sounds alarmingly affable. But follow the money! Judge this candidate by what she does, not what she says. It belies her words. Her support does not come from those concerned about the quality of life and health of families in our community. It comes from special interests–the ones with the money.

If you like the corruption, crony capitalism, and oligarchy in Mason County, if you want to cast a vote for business as usual instead of change, then elect Tim Sheldon and his hand maiden, Terri Jeffreys. But don’t expect your kids to thank you.

UPDATE:

Ms. Jeffreys responded to a number of the above assertions during a follow up fact checking interview as follows:

1) She did not ‘select’ Tim Sheldon for her TESC internship, nor did he ‘select’ her. That process, according to Jeffreys, was due to a random selection process in the State Senate.

2) Her work with Sheldon as an intern was insufficiently challenging and he did not actually need her services…leading to an early termination of her internship with him.

3) Jeffreys denies she has ever been Tim’s ‘protoge’, claiming he has been civil/cordial, but has not gone out of his way to offer her special/exceptional opportunities/protection.

4) Jeffreys was not aware Simpson is responsible for the extremely high level of Dioxin contamination in Oakland Bay.

5) Ms. Jeffreys explained a Chamber of Commerce committee decided to endorse the Adage proposal after hearing from Professor Helms and his wife’s opposition to it followed by the company’s paid PR agents testifying for it. But she went on to argue that having met the industry friendly laws and regulations regarding destruction of the environment or our quality of life/vital resources, citizens had no legitimate right/grievance to protest against the permitting of the same.

Terri Jeffreys seemed bright, educated, capable of critical thinking, alert, imminently affable/cordial, but poorly informed as well as too heavily influenced/in league with special interest groups at odds with the interests/sentiments of local residents. Her theory of government seemed to lack a core of equity based on consent of the governed for ordinary citizens attempting to bring their dissolute tin-eared ill informed elected officials to heel.

The downside to this critique after plumbing her depths is she may be deserving of faint praise due to the relatively dim light shed by the alternative candidates. The jury is still out on that one.

Where: Oakland Bay middle school commons/dining hall, Shelton

When: 7-18-12 & 7-26-12 @ 6:00pm – 8:00pm (Wednesday & Thursday)

What: 7-18-12 County Commissioner Candidates/offices

7-26-12 State Office/Representative Candidates

Who: Sponsors are Green Diamond, Chamber, League of Women Voters

Where: Shelton Post Office Park gazebo

When: Thursday evenings (7:00pm) from 7-12-12 through August.

Click on Bring your own chairs for calendar/itinerary