Shelton, WA - The Mason County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Enforcement Team is investigating a one vehicle traffic collision at the 700 block of East Lake Shore Drive in Lakeland Village.  The collision occurred at about 1015 PM last night.

The 2007 Ford Focus driven by Garrett T. Bell, 19, Allyn, was apparently west bound at a high rate of speed as it left the roadway.  The resulting collision injured two of the four passengers in the vehicle.  A male passenger, still not identified was seriously injured and immediately airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.  As of 5:30 AM this morning his condition was listed as serious to life threatening.  A second female passenger identified as Nicole Cher’ee Walter, 17, Allyn, was transported to Mason General Hospital and was subsequently airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.  Her condition was listed as serious but stable.  The two other passengers in the vehicle were not injured.

Bell was uninjured and booked into the Mason County Jail for DUI and two counts of vehicular assault.  Speed and Alcohol are considered by investigators to be contributing factors to the collision.  The case remains under investigation.

Mason /Jefferson County - Troopers recovered 70 marijuana plants in various stages of growth early Thursday morning after they received information of a grow operation at a residence in Brinnon.

Trooper Matt Wood was on patrol in the Lake Cushman area around 8:00 pm on Thursday night when he was flagged down by a 66 year-old Brinnon man who said he had been threatened with a shotgun by his wife. Troopers, along with Mason County Sheriff’s Deputies contacted a motor home in the Lake Cushman Recreational Park, where they located the man’s wife, a 38 year-old from Brinnon. While contacting the motor home troopers discovered six mature marijuana plants. The woman was arrested possession of marijuana and taken to the Mason County Jail by deputies.

Olympia, WA - New federal rules for credit card companies take effect starting this week, and for cardholders, it's likely to mean a letter from the company, politely informing them that they'll be receiving fewer perks or paying higher interest rates. The rules are meant to protect consumers by requiring 45 days notice before any changes to the agreement, and mailing out the credit card statement at least 21 days before the bill is due.



Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna says it will give some breathing room to people who struggle to pay, but he predicts credit card companies will be tougher on everyone.



"It's a wake-up call to all of us that the free lunch may be over fairly soon. The days of no-annual-fee credit cards with generous rewards for people who pay their balance off every month, and therefore don't actually make any money for the lenders, may be coming to a close or, at least, be significantly reduced."