The High Ground: Voices from Eastern Washington

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Staff Writer

Vital Wines and the Vineyards Rewriting the Ethics of Washington Winemaking

Vital Wines and the Vineyards Rewriting the Ethics of Washington Winemaking

In Washington’s wine country, a nonprofit winery is redefining what it means to care for the people behind the harvest. Vital Wines doesn’t just bottle vintages, it funds healthcare, restores dignity, and transforms vineyards into communities of care.

The Plot They Almost Pulled Off

The Plot They Almost Pulled Off

When Congress tried to slip a “judicial gag rule” into H.R. 1, it nearly succeeded. Section 70302 would have blocked courts from enforcing rulings against the President — and Rep. Baumgartner helped it get there.

The Day the Airwaves Were Cut: Public Media Just Lost Its Lifeline in Rural Washington

The Day the Airwaves Were Cut: Public Media Just Lost Its Lifeline in Rural Washington

UPDATE – July 17: Today, the U.S. Senate followed the House in voting to slash funding for NPR, PBS, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The final blow came despite months of warnings from journalists, educators, and rural broadcasters who know exactly what’s at stake. With this vote, Congress

Far-Right Policy. Local Waters. One Line of Defense.

Far-Right Policy. Local Waters. One Line of Defense.

PFAS levels 5,000% above normal. EPA partners vanishing. And a river still carrying the burden. As federal enforcement fades, Spokane’s defenders are left fighting upstream — against policy rollbacks, toxic runoff, and a system designed to look away.

He Said It Was About Energy Security. Then He Cut the Power to the Future.

He Said It Was About Energy Security. Then He Cut the Power to the Future.

Farmers in Lincoln and Columbia Counties were building a clean energy future — until H.R. 1 cut the legs out from under them. What Rep. Baumgartner voted for is already stalling projects and driving up rural energy costs.

This Is Our Country Too

This Is Our Country Too

A Fourth of July Reflection from WA‑5 On this day, across hills and valleys, city blocks and gravel roads, the sky above Eastern Washington fills with the sound of memory. Flags wave in Republic and Rosalia, in Pullman and Pomeroy. In Spokane’s Riverfront Park, families gather by the

This Land Is Us: A Rural County Fought Back Against Washington, D.C. and Won

This Land Is Us: A Rural County Fought Back Against Washington, D.C. and Won

Where Neighbors Still Show Up At the Republic Library on a weekday morning, someone is always stopping by. A teacher drops off flyers for the summer reading program. A teenager scrolls through job listings on the public Wi-Fi. Children gather around bins of Legos and puzzles while quiet conversation drifts