Local briefing - Jan. 11

• Published January 11, 2009

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Mason County

Washington's first all-female bench is sworn in

Mason County made Washington court history Friday afternoon when Amber Finlay took her oath of office as the newest judge in the local Superior Court.

Finlay's addition creates the state's first all-female bench in a county court district. She replaces longtime Judge James Sawyer, who retired, and joins Superior Court Judge Toni Sheldon and District Court Judge Victoria Meadows.

Finlay was recognized during a ceremony at 4 p.m. Friday at Superior Court, in the County Courthouse at 419 N. Fourth St., Shelton.

"Though we are not a large county, this is noteworthy … Judge Finlay brings a wealth of experience as a judge, private attorney and former deputy prosecutor to the bench," Meadows said in a statement issued by the courts.

The first woman to hold a judicial position in Mason County was Carol Fuller, who was set to attend Friday's ceremony, according to the court statement. Fuller served as a district court judge from 1974-79, then was appointed in 1979 to superior court.

Also set to attend Friday's ceremony was U.S. District Judge Benjamin Settle, who practiced law in Shelton for years until joining the federal bench in July 2007.

Olympia

Most of Capital High still on schedule to reopen

Capital High School remains on track to start two hours late Monday to give teachers and staff members extra time to prepare for classes, district officials said.

Other area students returned to school last Monday, but Capital High has been closed so contractors can repair the building after the roof collapsed on Christmas Day.

Olympia School District officials hope to get a certificate of partial occupancy from the city in time to open Monday morning, district spokesman Peter Rex said. He said he didn't think the certificate had been filed as of Saturday night.

The library and the classrooms that house the school yearbook and newspaper workers will remain under construction when school resumes, but most of the rest of the building will be available.

On Dec. 25, a 2,500-square-foot section of the roof over the library collapsed into the building after an unusually heavy snowfall. The collapse broke a sprinkler main and gas line and spilled water throughout much of the building.

Tom Hill, the city of Olympia's engineering supervisor, said the city and district were working through the weekend to make sure the building is safe.

Washington

Retirement chief says she's ready to move on

Department of Retirement Systems Director Sandy Matheson plans to leave her post, in which she oversaw administration of 15 retirement plans serving 617,000 active, inactive and retired public employees.

Matheson said she will stay on the job until Gov. Chris Gregoire can find a permanent replacement.

The Olympian