The Worst and the Best By Chuck Trunks From the middle of an oversized fabric couch in his dimly lit living room in Boise, with each sneaker firmly wedged on the side of a heavy coffee table, Keith
A Recycling Goddess By Amy McClellan Photos by Jodi Gebarowski I was born into a frugal farming family. Waste was neither allowed nor a normal response to everyday life. Plates were cleaned at the table with a final
Ernie Bohn and His Biographer By Lorie Palmer Russell I first met John Crawford early this year, when he bounced into the Idaho County Free Press office in Grangeville where I work. I use the word “bounced” because
The Best Way to Make Scientists By Mike Turnlund I recently retired after teaching for many years at Clark Fork Jr/Sr High School in Clark Fork, which has a population of 536. During my time as a teacher,
An Influential Experience By Connie Loveridge He came into class that day in 1984 dressed in a brown corduroy sports coat, blue jeans, and cowboy boots that showed some wear. Almost the first thing he said to us
In Memory of a Prisoner By Lalove Foster Dovey Smalls looked much the way I had imagined her from her name—small and slender, alert and watchful, like a brown dove. Her hands shook periodically during our interview, a
The Sorry Saga of Great-Uncle Darrell By Carmen Magart By the time you’ve achieved a ripe old sixty, there’s usually a long list of characters who’ve played special parts in your life. Some of the actors along the
To a Music Man Story and Photos by Dean Worbois The last gift from Rod Simpson’s place was a half-gallon of Kentucky bourbon whiskey. To be precise, it was one-and-three-quarters liters. Rod always topped off his busy day
John Rember Confronts Increasing Disorder By Les Tanner Several years ago, I attended Fishtrap, a week-long gathering of writers that was held at Oregon’s Wallowa Lake State Park. During a break between sessions, I struck up a conversation
Boondocks Royalty Story and Photos by J. David Erickson ____________________________________ Nelson Blewett Tenmile Creek, Nez Perce National Forest. Nearing midnight, six of us hovered around our smoky base camp fire. Our ten-day elk hunt was essentially over. Tomorrow
