By way of introduction...

Hello readers, I’m Lee Hughes, the newest addition to your Cheney Free Press editorial staff. Like most journalists, I’m somewhat averse to being the subject of a story. My job is to report on others, not myself. But when you’re the new guy and your managing editor assigns you a story — even your own story — you get it done.

So here we are. I’ll be brief.

First, I’m a native Washingtonian. And although I’ve lived all over Washington state and North Idaho during my life — including the greater Spokane area — my journey began on the mossy slopes of the Olympic Peninsula when old growth timber ha...