On ‘Wicked’ in print
Why Gregory Maguire’s Oz isn’t for kids — but is for grown‑up wonder
MOSES LAKE — “Wicked” and the sequel “Wicked: For Good” have taken over my household. After the first watch at Fairchild Cinemas, I was hooked on the extension of the Oz universe. But, when I went back to the source — Gregory Maguire’s novel — I discovered a world far darker, stranger and more adult than the glittering emerald we see on stage and screen.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: On vetting causes ...
Recently, I received an email from a reader suggesting I write a column regarding how to vet nonprofits to donate to, candidates to vote for and similar things that involve a weighty decision.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Using First Amendment rights responsibly...
I’m generally a fan of the First Amendment. I like people speaking out whether I agree with them or not. I especially like when someone has a solid enough argument for their viewpoint that it shifts my own a bit. I’m a fan of free speech and using it responsibly to contribute to the conversations about issues the community, state, nation and world are having about respective issues.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Get out the vote...
Whether you’re planning on voting yes, no or choosing a candidate that works for you, your vote matters. Despite the important matters on the various ballots last year, Grant and Adams counties both suffered from horrendous voter turnout in last year’s primary and general elections. Only 24.85% (3,580 of 14,405 voters) in Grant County and 994 of 2,602 (38.2%) in Adams County’s registered voters filled in and submitted their ballots in the last primary elections we had. In the general election in November 2025, that number wasn’t much better. Grant increased to 30.54% and Adams to 39.24%.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Be brave enough to speak openly and thoughtfully...
Recently, the Columbia Basin Herald covered a protest organized and held by Moses Lake High School and Vanguard Academy students, as well as a protest by Ephrata High School students.
COLUMN: It’s amazing what you can learn ...
Four years ago, almost to the day, my wife and I closed on the first home either of us have owned, a stunningly Pepto-pink house in Ephrata with what we thought of at the time as “character.” It turns out, that character is really, in many ways, a lot of work. Work I hadn’t done much of since helping my dad out when I was a kid a few decades ago. Still though, all of the work I had to relearn or learn – thank goodness for the folks at Ace, Lowe’s and experts on YouTube – has been incredibly rewarding.
Opinion: Proposed tax on advertising would have widespread consequences
In the Senate’s tax bill, SSB 6113, a small paragraph poses devastating consequences to our communities: it would create a new tax on advertising that has until now been intentionally excepted.
COLUMN: Reporting on the Frontier tragedy
MOSES LAKE — I wasn’t born, yet, at the time of the 1996 Frontier Middle School tragedy, but I grew up in the long shadow of school violence. I remember the blue glow of the TV during Sandy Hook coverage, the volume lowered when I walked in, the hush in classrooms after every new headline. I remember lockdown drills – the click of the door, scuffed linoleum under my knees – and the crisp Montana wind when my middle school was evacuated for a bomb threat.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: On affordability, both sides are failing us...
Last year, we started running a weekly news piece on the cost of fuel in our area. We examined average costs for fuel in Grant and Adams counties and compared it to the rest of the country.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Live life in-person ...
Suicide and depression have decided to develop an undercurrent in my life lately with several people I care about, and whose privacy I’ll respect here, discussing their struggles with depression and suicidal ideation.
