Herald names new managing editor

Stevenson finds many connections in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE — He's been working at several magazines on the national level for the last few months, but the next editor of the Columbia Basin Herald is returning home to his true passion.

The newspaper announced Friday that Allen William "Bill" Stevenson will assume the title of managing editor Aug. 15. He previously held the position of assistant editor at the newspaper for six months, before leaving in January.

"My passion is newspapers," Stevenson said via telephone, "and I truly enjoyed working with the staff of the Herald, and really enjoyed Moses Lake."

The Sea-Tac native, 39, began his career at the Valley Gazette-Tribune in Oroville, and also worked at the Okanogan County-Omak Chronicle in Omak. He has been managing editor of two national industrial magazines in Gardnerville, Nev., Motorcycle Industry magazine and ATV-Industry magazine, since January.

His wife of three years, Chandra, will move with him. He noted that they lived in Toyooka, Japan for two years while she worked as an assistant English teacher for the Toyooka Junior High School.

"Moses Lake has a lot of connections for us," he said, noting that the sight of Japan Airlines airplanes and the Japanese gardens reminds the couple of their time in Toyooka. The couple also has family in other parts of the region. "Moses Lake is almost equal distance from all of those places. It makes it easy for us to visit everyone."

Stevenson replaces Erin Stuber, who left the Herald in June to join her future husband in Seattle. In the eight-week interim, Herald sports editor Pam Robel has been working as acting editor. Robel predicted there would be a transition period as Stevenson settles into his position; she will then return to her regular sports editor duties.

"It's been good, but it's kind of a grueling process," Robel said. "There's a lot going on and I have my own desk to worry about, so I'm happy to have someone else on board to share that load."

Robel said she thinks Stevenson will fill the spot very well.

"He knows the community, he knows the newspaper and he seems very interested in maintaining the focus on local news that we have begun here."

Herald publisher Harlan Beagley said the newspaper was looking for an editor to continue the work Stuber began, with qualifications including a strong sense of "old school" journalism and experience with the paper's systems. He also pointed to Stevenson's familiarity with the state, his creativity and desire for the newspaper's future to be pro-growth.

"Bill's mindset is similar to that of the mindset you find here in Grant and Adams County," Beagley said.

Stevenson said he hopes to see continued great quality with local coverage as an emphasis at the newspaper in his new position. He will continue the paper's focus on local news, he said, adding that he looks forward to interacting with readers.

"I believe that the Herald is the community's newspaper," he said. "It belongs to them and we should be doing a service by keeping them informed of what goes on in their community."