Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
ODESSA - A Puyallup native who moved here in 2020 is joining The Record-Times as a reporter covering the Odessa and Harrington communities.
Ashley Parkinson, 31, began Tuesday, March 15, under the guidance of Terrie Schmidt-Crosby, the longtime owner and editor of The Odessa Record.
"I love to write. It's a relaxing thing for me to sit down and work on," Parkinson said. "I walked by the Odessa office last summer and thought about applying then, and I really should've... but now I'm here and I'm excited."
"I'm looking forward to having her onboard," Schmidt-Crosby said. "I think she's going to be a real asset in Odessa. I'm optimistic about our future."
This is Parkinson's first journalism job.
Parkinson's decision is good for the newspaper and the community, Schmidt-Crosby said, noting the new reporter has a close connection to the Odessa community.
"Her significant other is the grandson of the late Bud Haase," she said.
Parkinson lives with her significant other, Jared Pukitis, in a house inherited from his grandfather.
Prior to moving here, Parkinson worked in retail before deciding to return to quiet, small-town life (she grew up in rural Wyoming). She attended Casper College, majoring in psychology. Although she lives here now, she is attending University of Wyoming remotely, majoring in criminal justice.
Parkinson said she looks forward to getting engrained in the community and is looking forward to covering community meetings and local baseball games.
"Ashley will be a key and welcome member of The Record-Times," Editor Drew Lawson said. "Odessa and Harrington locals will be thrilled to have a reporter giving their areas the coverage they deserve and crave from a community newspaper."
Parkinson expects to keep regular Odessa office hours, but spend much of her time chasing stories for south-central Lincoln County.
She hopes readers will stop by the Odessa office, 1 W. First Ave., during business hours to introduce themselves and suggest Odessa and Harrington stories.
Parkinson's addition will shore up coverage of rural Lincoln County, Publisher Roger Harnack said.
"Her enthusiasm and love of Odessa will make her a great addition," he said.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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