Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
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You haven't truly lived in a small town until you've run into a church basement in the middle of a queen's coronation, slightly out of breath and dressed in what was supposed to be a classic black cotton blouse. But we'll get to that. Let's rewind a bit. Saturday was a day for the books. My little sister ended her reign as Queen of Tekoa, and on the same day, I got to witness the crowning of Alyx Scheller as the new Miss Odessa. It was a full-circle moment - one queen stepping...
This past weekend, I did something wild. I swapped my reporter's notebook for combat boots and spent 72 exhilarating, exhausting hours playing soldier with the Idaho Army National Guard. If you thought journalism was chaotic, let me introduce you to my weekend. As part of our prep for Advanced Training-coming up next month in southern Idaho-I found myself not analyzing intelligence, as my job title might suggest, but instead learning how to operate military vehicles that are...
It was a day for walking, running, hiking, and, most importantly, dirt-flying fun. I arrived at the Odessa Grand Prix just in time to catch the tail end of the riders’ meeting on Saturday. The moment I stepped onto the course, I was immediately greeted by the roar of engines, racers from across the state, and the warm Eastern Washington sun. Enter Randy Niles—the man, the myth, the legend—who organizes the weekend’s chaos. Without hesitation, we hopped into what can only be...
There are many ways to start a day, but locking myself out of my house with my car keys inside, before work, was not the ideal choice. Yet, I stood outside in the brisk morning air, watching my life choices flash before my eyes as I realized my door was locked, and so was my fate for the foreseeable future. It all started so innocently. I had taken Winnie outside, as responsible pet owners do. I locked the door behind me, because, you know, safety first. And then, just a few m...
This week was like living in two parallel universes, one that involved ambient purple lighting and infrared heat therapy, and the other, dust, exhaust fumes, and a whole lot of "HELL YEAH." If you ever wondered what it's like to feel like you're in a science fiction movie one day and the next, an action-packed car chase, buckle up. Here's how my Friday and Saturday went from serene space pod relaxation to rally racing madness. Let's start with Friday. I was invited by Barb, th...
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Odessa, it’s that every single resident is not only incredibly friendly but also a walking encyclopedia on just about everything. Seriously, I could probably walk into the post office, ask about the best way to build a chicken coop out of recycled materials, and leave with a step-by-step guide, a handshake, and possibly a hand-drawn blueprint. This past week, I wandered into the Odessa hardware store under the illusion that I am now q...
As I sit in my home, serenaded by the relentless, off-key meows of Harrington’s band of “aristocats”, I can’t help but wonder if the cats have officially claimed the town. My neighbor and I have spent countless text exchanges brainstorming ways to curb our new, uninvited guests. Should we plant a catnip (cat-cannabis) field out in the sticks to lure them into a blissful utopia? Perhaps. Do not take me seriously. But it did send me down a rabbit hole—or, more accurately, a cat...
I have always considered myself many things—an investigative journalist, a semi-decent cook, and a dog mom extraordinaire—but coordinated? Absolutely not. So, naturally, when I decided to try a tanning bed for the first time, I knew it was going to be an experience. For background, I have had my fair share of sunburns over the years, from spending summers on the lake with little to no sunscreen to testing out self-tanners that left me more orange and greasy than bronzed and...
Before we get into anything else, I must formally apologize to the county. Two weeks ago, I foolishly wrote about how we hadn’t really seen much snow. The universe responded swiftly and mercilessly, dumping a fresh layer on us and dropping the temperature to a level best described as “why do I live like this?” I have learned my lesson. I will never again tempt fate by commenting on the weather. Now, while I was being humbled by the snow, I was also humbled in another way—b...
Valentine’s Day is a magical holiday full of romance, sweet gestures, and grand declarations of love. At least, that’s what the greeting card industry tells us. For me? It’s an annual exercise in cautious optimism—hopeful that this year will be the one that finally breaks my streak of lukewarm Valentine’s Days. Then again, given my track record, that’s not saying much. Let’s start with a simple fact: I have always been a flower girl. I adore fresh bouquets, the sweet scent o...
Growing up in Northern Michigan, winter wasn’t just a season but a survival challenge. The snow didn’t gently fall; it descended like a vengeful force determined to bury everything in sight. And did we get snow days? No. We dug ourselves out and trudged like Hobbits marching toward Mount Doom. My late maternal grandmother, who grew up during the Great Depression, used to tell me about walking to school “uphill both ways.” As a kid, I rolled my eyes, figuring she was exagger...
I’ve been on a bit of a health kick lately, and honestly, it’s been refreshing. Between smarter food choices and staying active, I’ve been feeling more energized and confident. So, when the chance came up to spend the weekend at my National Guard Armory for Military Combative training, I thought, “Why not?” Little did I know, I was about to spend hours grappling, sweating, and proving just how much “fighting like a girl” can mean holding your own—and then some. The train...
There are surprises in life you expect-like an offhand compliment or a change in the weather-and then there are surprises you don't. The night Dalton came running out of my house, boots half on and a look of worry on his face, fell squarely into the latter category. It all started with some playful teasing. Dalton had been hinting for days about a "surprise" he had for me at the ranch. Earlier that evening, over dinner, he'd mentioned part of the surprise was already in his...
There's a certain hilarity in being a 22-year-old managing editor for a small-town paper. It's not just the job title that makes me chuckle -it's the moments that remind me I'm somehow both "too young" and "too old" all at once. This week, I attended the Davenport City Council meeting, a staple in my routine now. I'm making it a point to show up to every local meeting, not just because it's my job, but because, oddly enough, I enjoy them. Where else can you witness democracy i...
This week, I decided to take a break from chronicling my humbling experiences with ranch life to highlight a charming slice of small-town living. As I wandered through my new home in Harrington, something felt… missing. Sure, I have the essentials—a dog who acts like she owns the place and a sweet rancher who occasionally joins me for dinner. But my dark wood décor was practically begging for a splash of green. What’s a woman in her early twenties to do? Hit up the local...
New Year's resolutions are tricky business. Most people vow to lose weight, save money, or finally keep a houseplant alive past February. All noble goals, sure, but this year, my resolution is a bit different: I'm resolving to stay humble. And there's no better place to get a crash course in humility than Seven Springs Ranch. It all started when I returned to feed the cows, a chore I've shockingly come to enjoy-bluegrass baling adventures included. If you've never handled...
Every Who down in Whoville had tablets galore, and smartphones and headphones and gadgets and more. But the Christmas I knew, in my growing-up days, Was a season of magic in far simpler ways. No dinging devices, no faces aglow from the light of a screen, stealing the show. Instead, there were voices, warm and sincere, Sharing stories and laughter at this time of year. We gathered together—a family, one whole — To watch stop-motion classics that captured the soul. “Ru...
