Craig Brown

Editor at The Columbian

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Articles

Brown: The odd history of Grace Lodge

3 weeks ago | columbian.com | Craig Brown

At the head of a dead-end road west of Daybreak Park sits Grace Lodge. Since 2010, the lodge has provided lodging and services for women in recovery, in a safe, quiet, beautiful place along the East Fork Lewis River. This month, the county renewed the lease on the property with XChange Recovery, which has served hundreds of women at the lodge. “Today, they are beautiful, amazing community members,” XChange Recovery’s co-founder, Vicky Smith, told Clark County councilors.
Brown: Foreign trade may pay better

4 weeks ago | columbian.com | Craig Brown

One of President Donald Trump’s main talking points has been increasing American manufacturing by increasing tariffs and reducing regulations. On Tuesday, he signed an executive order the White House contends will result in increased U.S. manufacturing of prescription drugs. “As we invest in the future, we will permanently bring our medical supply chains back home,” Trump said. What might that mean for us? Clark County hasn’t been a hotbed of pharmaceutical manufacturing.
Brown: Burkman’s done with civic life

1 month ago | columbian.com | Craig Brown

The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
Brown: Will Trump decide B.G. school levy?

1 month ago | columbian.com | Craig Brown

The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
Brown: You can rent Joe Kent’s house

1 month ago | columbian.com | Craig Brown

Twice-failed Southwest Washington congressional candidate Joe Kent appears set to join the Trump administration as director of the National Counterterrorism Center. Based in McLean, Va., it’s a 2,800-mile drive from Clark County. So does that mean Kent is done with Clark County? Apparently not. Multiple real estate listing sites, such as Zillow, are showing his home east of Fargher Lake is for rent, but not for sale.
Brown: Building goes, but history remains

2 months ago | columbian.com | Craig Brown

The following is presented as part of The Columbian’s Opinion content, which offers a point of view in order to provoke thought and debate of civic issues. Opinions represent the viewpoint of the author. Unsigned editorials represent the consensus opinion of The Columbian’s editorial board, which operates independently of the news department.
Final From the Newsroom: Thanks, and best wishes

Feb 1, 2025 | columbian.com | Craig Brown

After almost seven years of writing this column, this is my last one. I’m retiring as editor of The Columbian and Columbian.com as of Monday. Will Campbell, whose family has owned The Columbian for four generations spanning more than a century, will take over running the newsroom. I couldn’t be more delighted for him. It’s the final step in a transition that has been in the works since I was hired for this job.
From the Newsroom: This bill would help local media

Jan 25, 2025 | columbian.com | Craig Brown

With the 2025 legislative session underway, already almost 1,000 bills have been filed, and if the trend holds, another 1,000 will be filed before the 105-day session ends. One measure that leaders of news organizations will be watching carefully is Senate Bill 5400. Co-sponsored by Sen. Adrian Cortes, D-Battle Ground, it would support local journalism by creating a tax surcharge to be paid by large international technology companies.
From the Newsroom: Will we get a Trump bump?

Jan 18, 2025 | columbian.com | Craig Brown

It’s well documented that Donald Trump is no friend to the news media, but could his second term boost U.S. journalism? It very well might, according to a new report, “Journalism and Technology Trends and Predictions 2025,” published this month by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. It’s an international report, focused mostly on large news outlets, but I found some interesting things that seem applicable to local journalism, too. Take Trump, for example.
From the Newsroom: We moved the furniture

Jan 11, 2025 | columbian.com | Craig Brown

Anytime we move the furniture it gets me nostalgic for my early days at The Columbian back in the late 1980s. I had just turned 27, was new to town, newly married and looking for a full-time newspaper job. Unfortunately, The Columbian was doing layoffs. But they offered me work as a stringer. Most of my assignments were routine coverage of small-town public meetings, like the Ridgefield City Council or the La Center school board. As I recall my standard payment was $35 per story.