Looking ahead to county coverage post-Madore

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In the hours since Clark County Councilor David Madore lost the Primary Election, I’ve been peppered with a predictable question over and over again.

“What are you going to write about now?”

It’s true. My past year and a half at The Columbian has been dominated by writing about the antics of one Republican councilor. And lest you cry foul or bias, let me tell you why we’ve spent so much time focusing on Madore.

It’s because he’s newsworthy.

I know it’s difficult for some readers to grasp. I know there will be some that speculate about the “downtown mafia,” whatever that even means, and draft grand conspiracy theories about The Columbian’s alleged special interests.

Don’t bore me.

The reality is Madore, with his controversial policies and his scorched-earth style of communicating with his peers, makes headlines. Call it the “Trump effect.” Sure, there’s a lot of other news out there. But Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump keeps opening his mouth. And Madore has spent a great deal of time in the last three-and-a-half years with his mouth open.

When people have asked me when I plan to stop writing about Madore, the answer each time has been simple: When he stops making news.

And it seems Madore, at least in his capacity as an elected official, is slated to stop making news by the end of this year. Which means my job will change.

I’ve got ideas about what that means. But what about you? What stories about the county – be it land use, rural issues, what’s going in Hazel Dell, or whatever affects the unincorporated areas – do you want to read? What topics do you want me to start digging into? Throw me your ideas. I’m listening.