The Star - News, views and advertising of the Grand Coulee Dam Area

While on the newspaper staff at the Idaho Free Press, they always gave me the assignment to cover the local rodeos. The two big ones were the Caldwell Night Rodeo and the Snake River Stampede. They both lasted the better part of a... — Updated 1/25/2023

While at the Statesman in Boise, I often covered Idaho Vandal football games. My boss, Jim Brown, was a large contributor to Idaho’s football program. Vandal coach Skip Stahley came by the newspaper on a number of occasions,... — Updated 1/18/2023

It was 1962, and the baseball season was over. During the off season, Larry Jackson, a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, joined our sports staff at the Idaho Statesman in Boise. As a baseball player, Larry was not yet a househol... — Updated 1/11/2023

When I was a kid, I sold the Saturday Evening Post. Post officials would come to town and round up a bunch of us kids, and we would go door to door to sell the post. It sold for a nickel. I think it was a national effort to raise... — Updated 1/4/2023

On a family vacation several years ago, I learned what claustrophobia was all about. We arrived at Lewis and Clark Cavern State Park in Montana and all of the family made it into the opening for the then self-guided... — Updated 12/28/2022

When I was in grade school, my best friend was Jon Skovlin. His father ran the local Penny’s store, and sometimes I worked with Jon and put together trikes, bikes, and wagons. The store sold a lot of these. Jon’s dad would... — Updated 12/21/2022

We were on one of our vacation trips to Montana, Wyoming and Yellowstone Park and stopped for a time in Cody, Wyoming. We were looking for a place to stay because we wanted to take in the museum there and go to the night rodeo. We... — Updated 12/14/2022

I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. Ruby Mountain isn’t some rugged granite peak. Rather, it is a round-topped mountain in Nevada with a beautiful trail to the top. While it is over 10,000 feet in elevation, you can drive... — Updated 12/7/2022

We shouldn’t need a date on the calendar to remind us to be thankful. I am thankful all year long for my family. While they are scattered from Louisiana to north of Everett, it is like they are with me all year long. On... — Updated 11/30/2022

While I was at the Citizen Newspaper in Bothell we were purchased by the Persis Corporation. They owned a number of newspapers and we were placed under the daily paper they owned in Bellevue. It was 1987. It created a lot of proble... — Updated 11/23/2022

A recent column on my motorcycle days put me in touch with one of the sons of my old friend Joe Emerson. Someone had sent him a copy of my comments about his dad and of our friendship while we were both living in Palouse. He said... — Updated 11/16/2022

Lloyd Meeds represented Washington’s 2nd District in Congress for a number of years and was a frequent visitor to our newspaper in Bothell. He spent a lot of time in the district and would come by the paper for interviews and to... — Updated 11/9/2022

Remember when our elected officials represented their constituents? That was before they found it better to represent themselves. Senators Warren Magnuson and Henry Jackson come to mind. Let me explain. When living in Bothell, I... — Updated 11/2/2022

I had a few years as a motorcycle nut, riding a BSA. The BSA was built by the Birmingham Small Arms Company, which stopped building motorcycles and built war materials instead during World War II. I and my friend, Joe Emerson, a... — Updated 10/26/2022

My daughter Kim lives in Louisiana. She likes it there, just a ew miles from Denham Springs and on the banks of the Amite River. Two main reasons she likes it there are that most of the storms you hear about go around where she... — Updated 10/19/2022

The Thai student we sponsored at the University of Washington while living in Bothell keeps coming back to me. His name is Khien, and I have mentioned him in previous columns. He was a college professor in Bangkok and already had... — Updated 10/12/2022

My boss at the Idaho Statesman in Boise told me when he hired me that when his reporters traveled, they went first class. True to his word, he would always ask me where I was going to stay when assignments took me out of Boise. If... — Updated 10/5/2022

We all know the role music plays in our lives. Want to raise your spirits? Turn on some music. I have started to hold nightly concerts for my own benefit that can start by 9 p.m. and last until the early hours. I will come back to... — Updated 9/28/2022

My wife and I lived the first time in the coulee back in 1953-55. I was a lumber grader down at the mill located above the dam. A fellow by the name of Kirkpatick owned 90% of the operation, and a fellow who ran the logging part... — Updated 9/21/2022

This is a continuation of earlier comments that education in America is not properly funded. I had pointed out that we need to rethink the value of teachers and the way we fund education, teachers included. I read a distressing... — Updated 9/7/2022

With covid numbers down, people have resumed long delayed travel interest. My family is no exception. It’s a test to balance caution and adventure. It started with my grandson, William, from Portland, closing out last year with... — Updated 8/31/2022

There is a national shortage of teachers, leaving some districts short of covering all their classrooms. While current events are creating problems in education, not the least of these problems are politics and financial... — Updated 8/24/2022

I got my desire to take drives from my dad who used to take us for rides all the time. He had an old car from the mid 30’s. I remember when my dad got his first new car, it was in the early 40’s before all effort turned to... — Updated 8/17/2022

I have always been taught to give something back to society. For years I tried to do so by volunteering or running for public office. I have held office in park boards, library boards and school boards.  Most recently I served 17... — Updated 8/10/2022

I recently wrote a column on my Aunt Voe. I am writing this column on my Aunt Lorena, just to show how important family is to help younger members grow up. I was born in a farmhouse on Four Mile Creek, just out of Palouse. My paren... — Updated 8/3/2022