Buddy the Cat, and Other Columns

Those of us who help make newspapers spend a lot of our time observing what the rest of you are doing. We're like spies, or voyeurs. And, best of all, we get paid for it.

As a newspaper editor, I try to make sure that, when we report those observations as "news", we are as objec- tive and unbiased as we can be. When you read a news story, you should expect a clear and concise description of what happened, without the writer's opinions and biases seeping in.

But all of this objectiv- ity and unbiasedness doesn't mean that we writers don't have opinions and biases. After all, spies are people too.

So this week, we begin a new series of columns in The Times by our regular writ- ers, in which we talk about people and issues we think will be of interest to readers in the Touchet Valley. In these columns we'll speak in our own voices - not "re- porterspeak" - and we will make personal observations, and sometimes state our opinions. Always respect- fully of course.

Here's the new lineup of The Times' columnists:

When reporter Morgan Smith worked at The Ever- green newspaper at WSU, she wrote a column called "The Eternal Search for Prince Charming", in which she gave dating and re- lationship advice. Since the need for dating advice among Times readers is (we hope) far smaller than among WSU students - and Morgan is now in a relation- ship - her subject matter will expand greatly. She will give us a unique insight into the mind of a twenty-something woman starting her career at a small-town newspaper. Dan Groom is a sports fan and has been an ace sports reporter for The Times since the beginning of last football season. Dan will tell sto- ries of players and coaches at Dayton, Waitsburg and Prescott High Schools, and describe some of the important issues facing their teams.

Publisher Imbert Mathee has a passion for the Touchet Valley and will provide his unique thoughts and analysis of people and issues impor- tant to all of us.

Emma Philbrook has been a regular Times con- tributor for a few months now. Her lively descriptions of life as a high school student in Waitsburg will con- tinue to grace our pages.

Gary Hofer brings a lifetime of farming experi- ence to his analysis of crop prices and conditions in the Touchet Valley.

Judith Henderson brings her inimitable style to her column describing good food and great local wine.

As for me, who knows. I may just write about my cat each week. His name is Little Buddy and he does many amazingly cute things. I could write pages and pages, and I'm sure all of our readers would hang on every detail.

(As I'm writing this, I'm sitting in my recliner with Buddy stretched out on my legs fast asleep. His butt is wedged up against the screen of my laptop. It's sooooo cute! I'd include a photo, but I can't reach my camera.)

I hope our regular col- umnists (at least the rest of them) will give you a broader, deeper and more in- teresting view of the people and issues that make our valley a great place to live. And I invite you to join the conversation and let us know if you agree or disagree with what we've written, or have new ideas to add.