Communities make pitch for new Washington prison

OLYMPIA — About a dozen communities in Western Washington are offering sites for a new Washington state prison intake center. It would process inmates entering the system, freeing up space at the Shelton Corrections Center.

The new prison would cost more than $246 million and employ hundreds of people. The Department of Corrections hopes to open it by 2016.

The Daily World of Aberdeen reported three of the sites submitted last week are in Grays Harbor County — Satsop, McCleary and Raymond. Others include Bremerton, Castle Rock, Morton, Winlock, and sites in Lewis, Mason and Thurston counties and suggestions from the state Department of Natural Resources.

Prison officials hope to narrow the list to three finalists by March.