The High Ground: Voices from Eastern Washington

Sign in Subscribe

Community

The people, protests, joys, and griefs that bind us.

The Next Fire Is Already Smoldering: What Washington, D.C. Is Willfully Ignoring in Ferry County

The Next Fire Is Already Smoldering: What Washington, D.C. Is Willfully Ignoring in Ferry County

“It was moving pretty fast. I could see the flames and was like, ‘I think we’re going down.’” —Gina Lawrence, Colville tribal member, recalling her evacuation during the 2020 Cold Springs Fire (High Country News, May 2025) Gina Lawrence didn’t wait for the official warning. As flames from

Rooted in Service: Spokane’s Scale House Market Redefines Local Food and Community

Rooted in Service: Spokane’s Scale House Market Redefines Local Food and Community

At 17, Brittany Tyler enlisted in the U.S. Navy, seeking structure and purpose. She served for six years as a linguist, decoding signals and supporting intelligence operations as a Petty Officer Second Class. Her work took her overseas, offering a global perspective and instilling the discipline that would later

The Disappearing Ladder: Trump’s DBE Rollback Abandons Small Businesses

The Disappearing Ladder: Trump’s DBE Rollback Abandons Small Businesses

A Calculated Dismantling President Trump’s January executive order dismantling key Biden-era diversity and equity mandates didn’t just make headlines. It sent shockwaves through communities that rely on fair access to public contracting. Critics argue that the rollback threatens the “infrastructure of opportunity” for small, historically excluded businesses. Now,

A Seat at Spokane’s Table: The Cultural Grace of Feast World Kitchen

A Seat at Spokane’s Table: The Cultural Grace of Feast World Kitchen

Introduction At a modest brick building on West Third Avenue, the scent of simmering spices drifts onto the Spokane street. Inside Feast World Kitchen, chefs from Syria, Uganda, South Korea, and many other foreign lands take turns behind the counter, each day serving food from a different homeland. But what

“Roots and Hope: Spokane’s Thrive Project Takes Hold”

“Roots and Hope: Spokane’s Thrive Project Takes Hold”

Cradled by Kindness: How Spokane Built a Home for Hope Nafisa Zafari fled Afghanistan with a single backpack after months in hiding from the Taliban. In her home country, she had partnered with the U.S. Army to open schools for girls, a commitment that put her in grave danger

The Cost of Silence: Baumgartner’s Budget Vote Sellout

The Cost of Silence: Baumgartner’s Budget Vote Sellout

When your member of Congress votes to give away your future, and says nothing about it. The federal budget recently passed by the U.S. House, the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” proposes sweeping changes to how the federal government supports states. But in Washington State, and especially in

Disconnected: How Federal Rollbacks Betrayed Eastern Washington’s Broadband Future

Disconnected: How Federal Rollbacks Betrayed Eastern Washington’s Broadband Future

In an era where digital connectivity is essential for education, healthcare, and economic opportunity, the Trump administration's abrupt announcement of the termination of the Digital Equity Act represents a profound setback for rural and underserved communities. Enacted in 2021 as part of a broader $65 billion broadband investment,