We’re coming up on one year since the original iteration of the Orchard Hills planned development proposal landed at Twisp Town Hall, where it is, with typical deliberation, making its way through the town’s planning process. It may well take at least as much time to resolve the application’s outcome, one way or another. It […]
Editorials
Writers on the Range – Let’s tell the truth about big, bad wolves
By Story Warren The return of wolves to the West has always been contentious, and the deaths last fall of more than 40 cattle in western Colorado alarmed ranchers. But here’s the true story: Wolves did not kill those cattle found dead near Meeker. After months of investigation, the state agency, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, […]
My Turn – Jamie’s Place needs community support to grow
By Ray Johnston and Mary Johnston As residents of the Twisp area, we have been thinking about the support we and many of our neighbors may need in coming years. Hopefully that support can happen for most at home, but for some additional care may be needed. This has been a rough winter in some […]
Writers on the Range – Backcountry adventurers practice safety, and know they’re taking chances
By Molly AbsolonWriters on the Range Six people have died in avalanches in the United States since the snow started to fly this fall. Every year, an average of 27 people — skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers, snowshoers — die this way. For people who don’t venture into the backcountry in winter, the thought of potentially dying […]
Writers on the Range: The housing crisis is harming my Alaska town
By Tim LydonHigh Country News In Girdwood, Alaska, we’ll long remember the snowstorm of Dec. 6. But it won’t be for the school cancelations. We’ll remember it as the night dozens of residents traveled a snow-packed highway to testify at a public meeting — about housing. Residents across the West will recognize why so many […]
Seeking shelter
There are few public issues people find common ground on these days, but one of them, especially in the Methow Valley, is the need for affordable housing. Less settled is what that ubiquitous term actually means in practical application. Is it possible to define it more precisely — or even approximately — in a way […]
Use your imagination
It must be said of the Methow Valley that there are no small dreams or lack of imagination when it comes to envisioning the community’s future. Big aspirations backed by community engagement have enhanced the Methow as a place to live, work and play for decades. The evidence is all around us in the form […]
Writers on the Range – Living with grizzlies as neighbors
By Molly AbsolonWriters on the Range When I was working with a Kenyan outdoor instructor in Wyoming’s Wind River Range a couple of decades ago, he surprised me one day by saying, “Hiking here feels like a walk in the park.” With armed guards, he was used to moving through wild places in Africa full […]
Guest Column – Late wildfires point to need for better forest management
By Don C. Brunell Last summer, our state’s wildfire season was below normal — a welcome relief for firefighters and smoke-choked Washingtonians, especially city dwellers. However, that all changed this fall. First, the 15,000-acre Bolt Creek fire erupted in early September near Skykomish along Highway 2. Heavy smoke blanked the densely populated Puget Sound area […]
Writers on the Range – Thankful for public land — a true blessing
By Dave Marston Writers on the Range At every Thanksgiving dinner, my family asks everyone around the table to say what they’re grateful for. It puts new guests on the spot, so sometimes they just thank the hosts — an easy out that makes it harder for anyone else struggling for a good answer. I’ve […]
