[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6275167,"mediaKeyId","2776797-a9c01a9519819719a580140665f9a3c0","parentId",2776797,"title","Board upholds Happy Garden permit revocation but allows conditional path to reopening","audioSeconds",3264,"startMs",5132000,"endMs",8396000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2776797-a9c01a9519819719a580140665f9a3c0&start=5132&end=8396","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2776797-a9c01a9519819719a580140665f9a3c0/thumbnail_5132000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6275167/Mason-County/Washington/Board-upholds-Happy-Garden-permit-revocation-but-allows-conditional-path-to-reopening","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275167-2051b810ab2cb9870261ab5198a30840/orig.mp4?Expires=1771132577&Signature=BGdNhoVMTu5Z6tJirrZvO2DXshrHo0XiJGDM8N1-UUryIRkj-sIpExItJD3FicN1Oq5O9TFAHMk-TDzfRg4X4QiwrfZSPm9IeVmbYF4-2WqhYUrEWWWrfm-obDlnaVQObcM6RzkBSsXBNoPr~KDvi6-VCQZc-plu2jaNpOnloT50Sjw7jd~A79HivkiZ-~xWXK4afIUjXIkvWysHfi3exftLfm-7eIg9D~mE7jMFM8iZrUCfFRmvpBQv0DRdsJn0vRPRjFcTt9p0wEktykM16I0ZJMHKhDb1VEei9ly4qUJjOxeJzXPcfpgNuO7jINcWijt3Pf7TZGae2TApJqMKcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Mason County, WA","date","2025-03-26T09:57:41Z","article","The Mason County Board of Health reviewed an appeal by Happy Garden restaurant after county environmental-health inspectors revoked the restaurant’s food-service permit in February following multiple inspections and closures for repeated critical violations.

County environmental-health staff presented inspection findings and said the facility had been closed three times in six months for critical violations commonly associated with foodborne illness. Staff said the operator had not completed the required certified food-protection-manager course and that some food preparation occurred in a detached rear shed without handwashing facilities, a condition inspectors said posed a public-health risk.

Happy Garden’s owner (interpreted) said the business has operated similarly for years and that limited space made some inspector requests difficult to meet; the owner said they recently purchased the restaurant and did not have resources for a full renovation (an estimated $12,120,000 in the owner’s presentation). The owner said they have scheduled the certified food-protection-manager exam and planned to move some preparation to the front of the facility and to close the dine-in area to allow more space for compliant prep.

Board members discussed options. Environmental-health staff noted that some corrective steps would require city building and planning review and could lengthen the timeline. Staff offered to work directly with the owners on a written checklist of required corrections and to coordinate inspections.

The board voted to uphold the revocation but established an alternative path to reopening: the owners must (1) complete and pass the certified food protection manager course, (2) prepare the facility so on-site operations meet code (including moving food-preparation activities to an inspected front area or otherwise meet requirements), and (3) receive a positive reinspection and written recommendation from county environmental-health staff before the board will consider reopening. The board’s action leaves the formal six-month revocation period in place but permits reopening earlier if staff confirm compliance and recommend reopening to the board.

The board directed staff to provide the owner with a written outline of required corrections and to coordinate with city building officials where work would trigger permits.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Mason County Board of Health March 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","After multiple inspections that found repeated critical violations, the Mason County Board of Health upheld a February revocation of Happy Garden's food-service permit but set conditions under which the restaurant may reopen earlier than the six-month revocation period.","taxTitle","Mason County, Washington","taxId",56702,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6275172,"Residents press county for stronger code enforcement and sharps disposal amid rising encampment concerns",312,4377000,4689000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2776797-a9c01a9519819719a580140665f9a3c0&start=4377&end=4689","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2776797-a9c01a9519819719a580140665f9a3c0/thumbnail_4377000.jpg","/articles/6275172/Mason-County/Washington/Residents-press-county-for-stronger-code-enforcement-and-sharps-disposal-amid-rising-encampment-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275172-72f186378f1e88b34c3bde9df04b8f0a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771132577&Signature=b~GQCn4bAuQYof8abEzvSELAqyRpFvcPR~0eaA82XYvzxvL8E0H0iaH5xALrhRfvbA174qYvSJ1GIvReyw08iaGIyIxqdIjj5ClGya0W5wrIRMrfP2ywQnUv2bVTWRBMYJ-ocGU73bcuOUqqduXGgLWEzF8gG38~kz8T1rixWlom-JXF-UpsYrIpQ1E2uQS8tfeDIKhoHarmxg~SrKcVPvV0mH1TwbyFcxaouzsPPYL7ixj9zn1UrCGfV34CLu4csMZjhZanxwCJmtAxpoRajTr6KXOu2MzArB2tmtUKOS7z8G-LOxxdRnWPgU8ESyG~5b30sW1ywRnJ6RS9DIFwbg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A resident group from the Golden Pheasant neighborhood told the Board of Health that unpermitted living situations, abandoned vehicles, frequent drug activity and discarded syringes at a key intersection have created a public-safety and sanitation problem.

The commenter said neighbors have picked up needles and other hazardous litter while trying to clean roadsides and parks and asked whether the county could strengthen code enforcement. She said recent research of county minutes suggested a prior lack of will to enforce laws on unpermitted living situations and asked whether enforcement practices had changed.

Public-health staff responded that sharps containers had been provided to cleanup crews and that the county’s disposal pathway (through Department of Health arrangements) can accept full containers; staff said they had already supplied large-capacity sharps boxes to local cleanup teams. The board noted that syringe-exchange programs can reduce syringe litter in public spaces but that local jurisdictions must balance public-health and housing policy frameworks. A commissioner observed that the area is a major transit corridor, which increases transient impacts.

Residents and staff discussed logistical options, including placing portable toilets at RV sites and improving coordination among code enforcement, law enforcement and public-health teams. Board members and staff agreed to follow up with targeted outreach and said they would continue to examine options for coordinated enforcement and disposal resources.

One resident said she had purchased and installed high-definition cameras to document incidents and that sheriff’s deputies had expressed willingness to act if code enforcement officials were available to support enforcement actions. Another speaker noted recent legal guidance (Martin v. Boise) affecting how jurisdictions approach unsheltered people and said the ruling complicates enforcement decisions.

Staff asked residents to continue submitting specific complaints and offered to provide sharps supplies and disposal guidance for community cleanup events.","Members of a neighborhood group described persistent encampment-related sanitation, needles and public-safety problems and asked the board for information and help; staff said sharps containers and disposal options exist and acknowledged enforcement is complex.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6275177,"Local coalition urges action on kratom and emerging ‘‘nootropics’’; Board signals support for county discussion",3048,1287000,4335000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2776797-a9c01a9519819719a580140665f9a3c0&start=1287&end=4335","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2776797-a9c01a9519819719a580140665f9a3c0/thumbnail_1287000.jpg","/articles/6275177/Mason-County/Washington/Local-coalition-urges-action-on-kratom-and-emerging-nootropics-Board-signals-support-for-county-discussion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275177-a35c6587c766ecdc23a71c18416cfa70/orig.mp4?Expires=1771132577&Signature=FGqvzRYFapwtqQ3xhsDf~wEw79ycHvgmObJVNARFXnadJwI5y-lzIGF20I4cYuLPTAse5TNDsAcHFI1mIpK1lCL8epRQrzNPGnnviG~qfZO6Fpg7GSj2KiF9m~JVGJ1m5AK33ndUFQkhf-o6Qp9yYrY64VUl1q7T12FFhIY9kVYo9T3y8k2TDL9NK3WHwBr-6xQzdLjXtBHKEXM7MHNS7j5F5PFdNjCW24Oy8x8p-FN2HuDSXKHoiZZWR9etNGFB0B4wsTTvqsog6G~SY7QNvWSo3MIMhSJC3iysA0Ca-VaFxjXfDyzCauQlGQpioOa0LI2v0z4oFaN6s7JzRiF5CQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ben Johnson, coordinator for the Mason County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, introduced a presentation and asked the Board of Health to consider policy responses to new, largely unregulated substances he said are increasingly available to youth.

Johnson said kratom is widely sold in convenience stores and marketed as a mood or energy supplement, often without age limits; some products contain synthetic alkaloids that act on opioid receptors. He described evidence of dependence, consumer confusion over dosing and product contents, and at least two Washington deaths linked to kratom. He said the Kratom Consumer Protection Act has been proposed federally and that about two dozen states have taken regulatory steps; Washington state had not regulated kratom as of the briefing.

John Holbrook, a local safety-and-security manager who has presented to school and police audiences, told the board he has seen kratom and a range of other products — HHC (hemp-derived cannabinoids), kava, nitrous-oxide “whippets,” concentrated THC drinks, HHC syrups, and illicit vapes — marketed in flavors and packaging that appeal to adolescents. Holbrook said dealers use Telegram and social apps to advertise and coordinate drop-offs and that ready-made products (gummies, drinks, powders) can have very high doses.

Board members and attendees discussed policy options. One commissioner proposed asking gas stations to voluntarily impose a 21-and-over purchasing age for kratom and similar supplements; others encouraged broader action. The board voted to support a countywide discussion and recommended that the Mason County Commission and city council consider regulatory options and enforcement pathways.

Johnson invited board members and commissioners to the coalition’s seventh annual substance-abuse-prevention summit on May 2 (Skokomish Community Center) and said tribal leaders and, tentatively, the governor were expected to attend. Coalition staff said the event is free and open to community partners.

The presenters urged education for parents and school staff, noted enforcement and retailer-resistance challenges, and urged state-level action to raise purchase age or restrict sales to protect youth.","The Mason County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and local educators described kratom and a range of unregulated supplements (Zaza, HHC, kava, flavored nitrous) that they say are marketed to youth; the Board of Health agreed to support a countywide discussion of regulatory options.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6275182,"Board hears possible cuts to foundational public health services and a behavioral-health pilot rollout",339,823000,1162000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2776797-a9c01a9519819719a580140665f9a3c0&start=823&end=1162","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2776797-a9c01a9519819719a580140665f9a3c0/thumbnail_823000.jpg","/articles/6275182/Mason-County/Washington/Board-hears-possible-cuts-to-foundational-public-health-services-and-a-behavioral-health-pilot-rollout","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275182-f0047c4c6b31a431df2c19bf4441bf46/orig.mp4?Expires=1771132577&Signature=IxhPka1TppZNQm85BKJiPKemSSD6CkOnI0Hc8zNnD0T8QLa0jH9-L9EPP5fpV-wJELYvktJkAnv~Tz4vh3DliPYPMHeLJ8zqptj31Jsm-cNUDfo4aCgARLRMGvdv6mKd4RrUaUDzk8fa6-i9qin-irG1Ty82z-fk9HGKO2ZNMX3KM~ByAVc6jG5w4q40p6-PoVxzzumUxFR2y53byOf2X42VQkmqdUqNoABEV-BLNFpdlZNBvXK2toKL-3cJJwNUcq3fziFPXbiDdVOHsNzrQ0Nhf2wpph4H14XZqH1mzTKlHv-1J8p3g4ipalj5m30X-BYwCaB~rqUho6R0ewkgFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dave Windham, an administration official with Mason County Public Health, briefed the board on preliminary state budget proposals and on a behavioral-health pilot the department is launching with Mason Health.

Windham said the House budget proposal would reduce statewide foundational public health services (FPHS) funding by roughly 4 percent (about $10 million per year across the state over two years), while the Senate proposal showed a roughly $44 million reduction across the same biennium (about $22 million per year). He said reconciliation talks could change those totals, and that Mason County staff expect the final figure to be closer to the House proposal but remain uncertain until the Legislature finishes action. Any contract changes based on final FPHS funding would take effect July 1, the start of the fiscal period.

Windham also described a behavioral-health pilot that uses a referral code tied to local providers. He said Mason Health will get a referral code so the county can track who refers clients into the pilot; the app couples automated digital triage with the ability to schedule appointments with counselors or peer listeners. Windham said the county is testing the technology in rural settings and plans outreach to North Mason and tribal partners.

Board members asked whether the pilot had been field-tested; Windham described testing it on his phone and receiving follow-up prompts. A commissioner noted a user who reported slower response in one instance; Windham said partner clinics will manage referrals and follow-up.

Windham concluded by inviting questions on the FPHS budget, noting that federal funding lines were currently stable and the department will continue monitoring state action through reconciliation.","County staff reported competing House and Senate budget proposals for foundational public health services and described a behavioral-health pilot (referral app) being rolled out with Mason Health and tribal partners.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6275186,"Mason County health officer briefs board on national measles rise and school vaccine rules",723,162000,885000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2776797-a9c01a9519819719a580140665f9a3c0&start=162&end=885","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2776797-a9c01a9519819719a580140665f9a3c0/thumbnail_162000.jpg","/articles/6275186/Mason-County/Washington/Mason-County-health-officer-briefs-board-on-national-measles-rise-and-school-vaccine-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6275186-3b22063a4b8b9102ee3c08a0e9086bf0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771132577&Signature=fXYv3O8PkbEVw-HtukBmzIYjBdaB5XVJNDwL0MRenFG-ph9WvmTjrHM8IO5o0M592B6dtJMy63wChy8GwlNIbwX6YcsPp7liqL~BdQngQ3uuh2SfhAbwWaa7gK6rfXW2zfKjAQyCJVnKbkErG6lEC2Ii0eOonT9E7QHEtmciZygq3DMeDgSwUV8L00kYWttvRIo7yaMsyypPSpZteG1XLTupolltViX6RZFl0K023AFnZAN53aNyXltJo539CROxrPKFgy0jbARVK5r1dOy999AoRnSrzIATq4j4YKiGnpM-PIJkxbhlnq-eV7D2h0CUzHTkCacRVECb28Q89hbjKg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Steve Greager, Mason County health officer, told the Board of Health on a county health briefing that measles cases in the United States are higher this year than in most of the past 15 years and that local public health is monitoring outbreaks elsewhere in the country.

“Measles is extremely contagious,” Greager said, explaining that one infected person in a susceptible population can infect 12 to 18 others and that the virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infectious person leaves a room. He said complications include hospitalization for pneumonia in about 20 percent of cases among children, and rare but serious outcomes such as encephalitis and death (about one to three per 1,000 infections).

Greager told the board that most U.S. cases are associated with international travel and noted a recent January case in King County linked to travel. He pointed to a large ongoing cluster in Texas that had spread to neighboring states, saying he hoped to see that outbreak slow.

Greager reviewed vaccine effectiveness: the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is roughly 97 percent effective after the two-dose series, given historically at about 12 months and again at 4–6 years, and that nearly all confirmed cases nationally have been in people who were not vaccinated. He urged the board to continue public outreach about vaccination.

Board members asked about school vaccine rules; Greager said MMR is included among vaccines required for public school attendance, and that medical and religious exemptions exist. Mason County Public Health staff later posted that the county will host immunization events in April, May and June and that residents can contact immunization nurse Elizabeth Festus for appointments.

Greager and staff stressed that reported case counts understate total infections because not every symptomatic person seeks care and receives laboratory confirmation. He recommended that residents check local clinic schedules and school requirements and that health providers remain vigilant for suspected cases.

Public-health staff said they will continue outreach and provide materials for schools and clinics if the board requests further community education.","Health Officer Steve Greager told the Mason County Board of Health that measles cases are up nationally and emphasized MMR vaccination for school-age children; public-health immunization events were announced.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board upholds Happy Garden permit revocation but allows conditional path to reopening

Residents press county for stronger code enforcement and sharps disposal amid rising encampment concerns

Local coalition urges action on kratom and emerging ‘‘nootropics’’; Board signals support for county discussion

Board hears possible cuts to foundational public health services and a behavioral-health pilot rollout

Mason County health officer briefs board on national measles rise and school vaccine rules