RAYMOND, Wash. - Alexandra Webster, a student at Raymond High School, was among 247 talented juniors from across the state who have been accepted into the first phase of Washington Aerospace Scholars (WAS). These 247 students are currently participating in Phase One of WAS: distance learning with a NASA-designed curriculum covering the history of space exploration, the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station, the Moon, and Mars. From January through May, the Scholars will complete ten lessons – submitting quizzes, math solutions, essays, and graphics concerning these topics every other week. These students will independently select a topic of interest for a final project combining an essay with a graphic. They are also competing for a space in one of our four summer residency sessions.

SHELTON, Wash. - Mason County Sheriff’s Deputies are investigating a bank robbery that occurred at about 11:10 AM this morning at the Allyn Branch of Kitsap Bank located at 18343 E. State Route #3 in Allyn.

Investigators say a lone white male walked into the bank armed with a black automatic handgun and demanded money.  The bank teller told investigators the suspect said “Don’t follow me or I’ll put a bullet in you.”  The suspect got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.  No one in the bank was injured.

A Witness outside of the bank saw the suspect leave the bank on foot and was last seen in the direction of Wheelwright Road.   One witness reported seeing the dye pack explode and pink smoke emanate from the front of the suspect as he fled.

The suspect is described as a white male in his 40s, about 5-10 inches tall wearing a two tone baseball cap, a khaki jacket, blue jeans and white tennis shoes.  Investigators noted the suspect will probably have pink dye on his person or clothing.

SHELTON, Wash. - The Mason County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Team will be stepping up enforcement at railroad crossing grades in the County.  This announcement is in conjunction with Simpson Lumber’s announcement that railroad operations will resume in mid February after a year long hiatus.  

Simpson Lumber suspended railroad operations west of the Park Street Interchange because of a bridge wash out over Goldsbourgh Creek near South 8th Street in December of 2007.  Since that time efforts by Simpson Lumber Company to reopen the rail line have been ongoing.  The railroad will reopen after the new bridge is set into place on the newly installed abutments.  Railroad Superintendent, Jerry Gregerson says “the bridge is scheduled to be set in place on February 2.”

Simpson officials and Sheriff’s Office traffic team members along Shelton Police and Washington State Patrol are going to be paying particular attention to grade crossing safety.  Participating law enforcement agencies will be citing motorists for violations during the next few weeks.

ABERDEEN, Wash. - The Port of Grays Harbor yesterday celebrated the first shipment of Chrysler vehicles setting sail from Grays Harbor to Asia on the MV Positive Passion. Executive Director at the Port of Grays Harbor Gary Nelson said "It's a great day for the Port, and the Community here in Grays Harbor to have this new line of business"

With a couple hundred cars on the lot, the Port held a ribbon cutting ceremony at the dock of Terminal 4 "They just started between Christmas and News Years started arriving, but there's more and more cars coming in every day, I think in February we're expecting to ship about two thousand cars".

The Port plans to place bids for GM imports, next quarter. Nelson said the port expects about two vessel calls per month from Chrysler when the exports hit full speed.