Since writing my column on obituaries last month, I’ve gotten a lot of comments — via email, in person and Facebook.
Most of those comments have been about my busy schedule. And I mean, yes, I am busy, but obituaries are only one small part of what I do every day. I’m also our events department and one third of our history page team. I plan out the entirety of our B section each week and format items as necessary. I proof pages and put stories on our website and schedule social media posts.
Trisha Walker
Oh yeah, and my favorite: I get to write!
But I’m not alone — everyone on our small staff does a lot. We are all departments of one on some level. And most of the work we do is behind the scenes.
I say this because periodically we’ll get a complaint about staff not being available the second someone calls or stops by unexpectedly. People take this very personally. Really, it’s just about our schedules and a few COVID changes. One of those changes: We are no longer in the office everyday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with multiple front desk staff available to answer phones and greet visiting customers.
We simply do not have the people for that. And as I’ve mentioned a time or two, there is a limit to human capacity. Yes, even at newspapers.
We do want to answer your question / hear your story pitch / get you that paper you missed / place that ad into the classifieds section / etc. And I get it, the phone tree is kind of terrible, and sometimes you just want to do your business face to face. Here’s how to best reach us:
No matter which office you want — and we have three, one each in White Salmon, Hood River and The Dalles — the best way is via email. Our names, departments and email addresses can be found on page 4. Being able to email the person most likely to help you — say, Tanya Lindsey for a subscription question or a certain member of our advertising or news staff — means less time waiting for someone to get back to you. (We don’t mind forwarding messages on, but adding a person to the mix increases wait times.)
I know not everyone has email access, and some prefer a phone call to sending an email. This is where knowing extension numbers to get you through that phone tree is important: You can find them online at columbiagorgenews.com — click that little icon on the left-hand side that looks like a house, and scroll to “Contact us.” You will notice that not all of us have phone extensions. This is because (COVID change alert!) not all of us work from the office.
In case you don’t have access to a device that will get you to our website, here are a few extensions to remember: Chelsea Marr, publisher/owner, ext. 100; LisaAnn Kawachi, classifieds, ext. 103; Noah Noteboom, Hood River reporter, ext. 104; Jacob Bertram, Washington editor, ext. 106; Mark Gibson, news editor, ext. 107; me, TW, lifestyle editor, ext. 109; Tanya Lindsey, circulation, ext. 112; and Alana Lackner, The Dalles reporter, ext. 115. (Call 541-386-1234 or 541-296-2141 — both the old Hood River and The Dalles office numbers, respectively, and punch in any extension.)
Here’s the important part of calling us directly: If we do not answer, leave a message. We need your name and phone number, and a brief description of the reason for your call. I feel like this is obvious, but many of these complaints come from people who do not leave messages.
Now, on to office hours for those who like to conduct business in person, which seems to be the case more and more now that we’re on this side of the pandemic (COVID change alert!):
• Our White Salmon office is by appointment only. Use the numbers above to call Chelsea or Jacob to schedule a time to stop by.
• Our Hood River office, 600 E. Port Marina Way (the DMV building; look for our sign) is closed Mondays, though we are reachable by phone and email. You should find someone in on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings, from 9:30 a.m. to at least noon. Outside of those hours, it’s best to call ahead to confirm someone is there, or to make an appointment. If you miss us, there is a blue drop box outside the front door, or you are welcome to just slide whatever it is, assuming it’s flat, under the door for us to find. Be sure to include your contact information.
• The Dalles office, 1800 W. 10th, is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to at least 3 p.m.; hours may vary depending on reporter assignments and schedules. As a staff, we are often out in the community or working from home, which means our time in the office may be limited. Speaking for myself (COVID change alert!), I am generally only in the office a couple of times a week. Add to that the fact that many of us cover afternoon or evening meetings and/or sporting events and adjust our schedules accordingly. This is why email is the best way to establish contact, with a call as a close second.
We are a small staff and we’re doing our best. And we appreciate you working with us through this whole crazy time in history. It’s been a steep learning curve for all of us. Keep reaching out. We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
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