Lawson joins Free Press Publishing

CHENEY – A former Easterner newspaper managing editor has joined the staff of the Cheney Free Press and Free Press Publishing,

Drew Lawson, 22, now of Cheney, will be covering news and sports in the Cheney, Medical Lake, Airway Heights and Reardan areas for both the Cheney Free Press and its sister newspaper, The Davenport Times.

“Drew’s college newspaper experience makes him an idea candidate to join our news team,” Publisher Roger Harnack said. “His digital media skills will be a nice addition to our traditional newspaper operation.”

“I’ve lived in Cheney for nearly three years, and am thrilled that this town was not only my college stop, but also the start of my professional career,” Lawson said. “I’m also excited to broaden my horizons across the West Plains and Highway 2 corridor. “I look forward to learning, growing and sharing what’s happening locally with you.”

Lawson will be working under the direction of Free Press Managing Editor John McCallum, in cooperation with Times Editor Jamie Henneman.

Drew is a graduate of Eastern Washington University, where he was a student-journalist.

“Drew comes with some high praise from several of my contacts at Eastern and his work in the short time he’s been on board here has been exemplary,” McCallum said.

Lawson grew up in Vancouver, Wash., surrounded by his parents and three younger siblings. He graduated from high school in 2016 and Eastern Washington University just last month with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

At Eastern, he spent two years on the staff of The Easterner as a sports reporter and editor, then as co-managing editor.

“Through my collegiate experiences at The Easterner, I realized that I’m passionate about journalism,” Lawson said. “I value the sharing of truthful information without bias or twisting the facts. I believe that the public needs to be informed of what is happening in the community, which will hopefully in turn inspire the public to be more involved in the community.

Outside of work, Lawson is a sports fan and avid hiker.

“I’m a huge sports fan, particularly the NFL, NBA and NCAA football and basketball,” he said. “My favorite teams are the Seattle Seahawks, Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle Mariners. I enjoy hiking and road trips, while exploring places I’ve never been before.”

Lawson will be looking for a variety of West Plains news and feature stories to write.

“I love discovering information and then sharing it,” he said. “I also love telling stories and learning what’s happening in whatever community I happen to be involved with — in this case, it’s your community.

To contact Lawson, email him at drew@cheneyfreepress.com or call 509-235-6184.