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When the Process Is Preposteous

By Gabriel Cruden / January 2, 2026 /

We thought putting up a couple manufactured homes — one for the lovely Michelle and me, the other for our grown daughter — on a pretty good-sized chunk of land…

How Murals Contribute to Community and Business Presence

By Gabriel Cruden / January 2, 2026 /

          A mural can be more than decoration. For many businesses, it serves as a visual landmark that shapes how customers experience a storefront and remember…

The Pioneer Picnic Grounds

By Gabriel Cruden / October 3, 2025 /

By Ray Bilderback When I was a boy, in the late ‘30s and early ‘40s, we looked to the radio for information and entertainment. I remember sitting with my grandfather…

Hit The Trail With Soph

By Gabriel Cruden / October 3, 2025 /

By Sophia Mattice-Aldous Being outside provides plenty of opportunity for comic relief. A sense of humor can go a long way toward alleviating a hard situation (although, if you’re at…

Chocolate Ice Cream and the Art of Choosing Your Focus

By Gabriel Cruden / October 3, 2025 /

By Kerry Schafer Whatever you do, do not think about chocolate ice cream cones. Do not think about that cool creamy sweetness on a hot summer day. Do not think…

He Ain‘t Heavy, He’s My Brother

By Gabriel Cruden / October 3, 2025 /

By Amy McGarry When I was a child in the early ‘70s, my family had a vast collection of vinyl record albums and 45s. I was taught from a young…

80 Questions… and Not Even One Answer

By Gabriel Cruden / August 29, 2025 /

    I have lots of questions, but do you have any answers? HUCKLEBERRIES   Did you go huckleberry hunting this season?   Did you find some? Enough to bake…

The Art of Asking Helpful Questions

By Gabriel Cruden / August 29, 2025 /

  Have you ever wondered why knock-knock jokes work so well? Let’s be honest, most of them are not all that funny, and yet, we can’t resist them. When your…

The Big Hair

By Gabriel Cruden / August 29, 2025 /

  Washington state has become one of the world’s richest agricultural areas, producing vast acreages of wheat, lentils, soybeans, chickpeas, apples, potatoes, dry beans, onions, award-winning wines and frozen foods…

How Dollar General is Reshaping Local Communities

By Gabriel Cruden / July 3, 2025 /

By Robin Milligan If you’ve driven Highway 2 north of Spokane lately, you’ve probably noticed something changing. There’s a new presence cropping up along the roadsides: modest yellow-and-black signs, and…