Some people seem to think that the staff of their local newspaper knows everything that’s going on in the community and that we’re aware of any and all upcoming events long before they happen. That’s flattering, but sadly, it’s not the case. While we do our best to keep up with everything that’s gong on in Grant County, there are some things we’re simply not aware of unless somebody tips us off.

Case in point: The lead story in last week’s paper, Justin Davis’ beautifully written account of Kendall Haff’s memorial service. The service was attended by none other than Gen. James Mattis, a former U.S. secretary of defense who eulogized Haff as a hero of the Gulf War and “the best Marine I ever served with.”  

We knew of Haff’s passing because the funeral home sent us a brief death notice to publish in the paper (we got the full obituary the following week). But we didn’t know anything about his exemplary military service until a reader messaged us on Facebook in response to the death notice, saying, “This man was a hero” and including a link to a video showing Mattis pinning the Bronze Star on Haff’s chest. 

From there, Davis contacted Haff’s widow, who graciously gave him an interview and even more graciously invited him to attend the funeral. And by the way, she added, Jim Mattis will be there. 

Mattis gave Davis an interview as well, as did some of Haff’s fellow Marines who attended the memorial service. 

As a result, Davis was able to write a moving story about an unsung local hero, a man too humble to brag about his accomplishments but who nevertheless made an indelible impression on those who served with him in wartime.

We might well have missed that story without that tip from one of our readers, Haley Olson. So thank you, Haley, for not assuming our newsroom knows everything and reaching out to make sure we were aware of this significant local happening.

We always appreciate story ideas from our readers. Anytime you think of a story you’d like to see us cover, please send me an email at editor@bmeagle.com or call the office at 541-575-0710. You might think the story is obvious, but it might not be to us — and if it’s important to you, there are probably others who feel the same way. 

Coming up in this week’s Eagle, look for stories about the May 21 election, including profiles of the candidates to fill Lynn Findley’s seat in the Oregon Senate and important local races for Grant County judge, treasurer, commissioner and justice of the peace. 

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— Bennett Hall, Editor