I have a soft spot in my heart for stories of redemption, particularly those in which individuals have found a way to overcome challenges and transformed their pain and suffering into a commitment to help others.

It is quite a thrill when someone from our area achieves something significant and does so with a sense of grace, humility and humanity.

The three Wenatchee middle schools choirs have released a combined virtual performance of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” thanks to the technical prowess and perseverance of Orchard Middle School teacher Jeff Sandberg.

I’ve been part of a small group studying racism and its impact in our society for the past eight months. It has been a journey of discovery and self reflection as we have endeavored to better understand the experience of people of color in our culture.

For the inaugural Earth Day in 1970, Wenatchee High School teachers Bill Asplund and Dave DeJong decided that the occasion would be a great opportunity for a hands-on learning project.

The value of hard work, integrity and plain speaking was drilled into Helen Rayfield from her earliest days growing up in Cleveland and carried on when her family moved to the Leavenworth area.

Listening to Dr. Francis Collins speak about his life, from growing up in an army camp in rural Ireland, to ultimately practicing medicine in the Wenatchee Valley, you get the sense that he has made the most out of every opportunity he encountered and lived with a sense of purpose and gratitude.

Earth Day is coming up on Thursday, April 22 and Wenatchee Valley College has developed some powerful programs to encourage and inspire students and the rest of us to do what we can to live in ways that have a lighter impact on our shared environment.

At 90 years young, Dr. Jerry Gibbons hasn’t slowed down much. He still rides his bicycle, although he now sports an e-bike to help him keep up with his friends on road rides around the valley.

The Icicle Fund has quietly made a profound impact on conservation, the arts as well as the cultural and natural history of North Central Washington over the last two decades by investing more than $45 million to support more than 100 nonprofits.

Douglas County PUD is making a mistake with its proposed new rates for data centers that, if implemented, would likely make the development of those projects unaffordable for most tech companies.

For several months, a group of us have been studying and talking about race and racism in our communities and our country. We are finding opportunities to probe our own thoughts and feelings about an issue that is at once important to understand and at the same that can be polarizing.

We know that many students have struggled during coronavirus pandemic from loneliness, depression, anxiety and the like. In a recent column, I highlighted surveys taken by Wenatchee High School senior Kamryn Fowler and Kayla Helleson of Chelan Valley Thrive and the numbers they shared were d…

Student mental health is suffering during the pandemic; and as community members, we have an opportunity and a moral obligation to step up and make a difference by becoming mentors or supporting nonprofits that are trying to bridge the gap.

Richard “Bush” Buscher of the U.S. Forest Service had an enormous impact on the development of multiple wilderness areas, including the renowned Alpine Lakes Wilderness and the William O. Douglas Wilderness, and left a legacy of leadership and constructive engagement.

I’ve been part of a group of nine individuals exploring issues around race and racism in our society. To help us lean into the subject, we are using the “Racial Healing Handbook” by Anneliese Singh.

If we are going to strengthen our communities, it is imperative that we learn to have courageous political conversations about difficult issues without resorting to destructive name calling and other uncivil tactics.

In my previous column on how we can put the teacher-student relationship at the forefront of our public education system, Manson Elementary teacher Marcy Lindert made a compelling case for creating a culture that fosters trust and helps kids find their unique gifts and talents.

I am a believer that tapping into the insights and wisdom of people actually doing the work on the ground is essential to charting a thoughtful path forward, particularly when in the midst of tumultuous change.

It’s been remarkable to watch from a great distance the impact that former Cashmere standout Hailey Van Lith has made as a freshman starter on the top-ranked Louisville women’s basketball team.

The launching of Pinnacles Prep charter school in Wenatchee creates an opportunity for our communities to see the impact of a different learning environment than a traditional K-12 approach — one that is focused on individualized learning, fostering strong relationships between students, tea…

It is an interesting paradox that when we are selflessly helping people in need, our own joy and happiness increases. Giving for a greater cause benefits everyone.

I feel fortunate to be part of a small group that is in the midst of a year-long effort to study issues of race in our society and our own lives. We call this group, which includes seven pastors, Living Into Inclusivity.

In a recent column, I wrote about my frustrations with the factory mindset that persists with regards to how our children are educated in this country.

Recently, The World ran an opinion piece by its business manager, Jeff Jones, asking whether we can trust health experts about getting vaccinated for COVID-19. While I can appreciate a sense of caution when making personal health decisions, I found his analysis to be unpersuasive and risky f…

We have been hearing a lot lately by politicians and pundits about the damage our children are experiencing because of the COVID pandemic and how our educational system should be ramped up so that kids might catch up.

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged this country in many ways and greatly exacerbated the already huge divide between people of wealth and masses of people who are just scraping by.

A group of nine local individuals led by seven pastors has engaged in monthly conversations exploring the racial history of this country and the impacts on our society. We call our group Living Into Inclusivity and recently we convened our fourth dialogue.

The passing of internationally acclaimed violin virtuoso Camilla Wicks recently was felt deeply by many of us in North Central Washington. She passed away at the home of her daughter, Lise-Marie Wertanzl, in Florida.

One of the most important and ignored challenges in our communities is the toxic stress from untreated trauma that wreaks havoc on the lives of so many people — impacting their health and well-being in profound ways.

The Washington Apple Education Foundation is in my view doing an extraordinary job of creating educational growth opportunities for the children of workers who otherwise would find it daunting to pursue higher education.

Our Living Into Inclusivity group recently held our third conversation about race and inclusion. The focus was on discussing the signs we see that our community and country has not yet overcome our racialized past and ways that we can overcome that socialization and create a more compassiona…