My favorite recipe - Oct. 29, 2009

Jana Mathia | Oct 29, 20090

Meet Becky Dickerson

By the time Becky Dickerson was 10, she knew she wanted to be a journalist. When Becky was six years old, she put out her first newspaper with her brother. They lived in a little German town on a dirt road with no television.

“They herded the cows in front of our house two times a day,” Becky recalled.

That first foray into publishing was only a premonition of what was to come. Becky now owns and publishes the Community Current, the local newspaper for St. John.

Becky’s father was a fire chief in the Air Force. By the age of 10 she had lived in four countries: England, where she was born; Germany; Italy, and the United States. She spent a lot of time as a youngster in the back of the family station wagon, listening to country music on an eight-track and sight-seeing at national landmarks and parks.

Her family eventually settled in Spokane where she was the editor of the Shadle Park High School newspaper. She continued to pursue journalism at Eastern Washington University where she earned two degrees.

Becky married Todd Dickerson and moved to St. John in 1992. For two years she worked for the county parks and recreation department, but decided she didn’t want to commute from St. John and started the newspaper.

“I was too young to realize how ridiculous the idea of starting a newspaper was,” she said. The venture started with nothing more than a letter to the local businesses to inquire if they would support the paper.

Becky put a lot of thought into the paper’s name. She thought about how she loved the community and the word “community” stuck in her head. She knew she wanted the paper to reflect the ebb and flow or current of the community and its people. The words “community and current” came together and stuck.

November marks the 15th anniversary of the paper in St. John. Becky noted that when she first started publishing, people called it “Becky’s little paper,” but over time the community has come to call it “the paper.”

“I’m the paper; that’s pretty cool,” she said.

Becky handles all aspects of the paper, reporting, advertising, editing and publishing. She has many volunteers who write for the monthly publication and help her out. The paper is easy to fill because St. John is such an incredible community, she said.

“It’s been a great career,” she said.

With as much time as it consumes, the paper isn’t the only thing in her life. She and Todd have three daughters, Gracie, 11; Glory, 8, and Roxy, 6. She keeps close and active with her daughters, going on walks with them, reading to them every night and making pancakes on Saturday morning.

“All those opportunities you only get with your kids one time,” she said. When her daughters were younger, the back room of the newspaper office was their play area. Now her daughters contribute to the paper taking pictures and running jokes.

Becky is also on the library board and coordinates the Sunday school for the St. John Methodist church. She noted that eight years ago she had a lot more on her plate, but at this point staying healthy with multiple sclerosis and raising her kids while running the paper are enough. She admitted she may not always get the paper out by the first week of every month, which is her goal. Each year, the subscription base grows and now includes 200 out-of-area subscriptions.

She said her aim is “to tell the extraordinary stories of the people in my path.” Those people include the grocery store bagger, teachers, babysitters and more, the same people her readers meet every day.

“There’s always a story behind the story,” she said. Finding and sharing that is what she thinks makes her paper do so well and why so many are involved.

“And that’s why I’m tired. Tired and honored.”

Becky said that if she had one wish, it would be to let the community know if she doesn’t have something right, to come and talk to her about it—which would probably lead to another story.

Family Favorite Clam Chowder

Lots of diced fried ham or diced bacon

1 medium onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

3 dozen shucked clams with liquid, (about 2 quarts)

water

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 large potatoes, diced

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 cups milk

1 tablespoon butter

In a big, sturdy pot melt butter and fry ham or add diced bacon. Add onions and cook until tender. Stir flour into the onion mixture until blended. Gradually stir in the clam-liquid plus two cups water until mixture is slightly thickened.

Add potatoes, salt, celery and pepper; cover. Cook until potatoes are tender. Add clams and milk, cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

Red Lobster Wannabe Biscuits

2 c. Bisquick

2/3 c. milk

1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese

1/2 c. melted butter

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

Mix Bisquick, milk and cheddar until a soft ball forms. Beat vigorously for 30 seconds. Drop by balls onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Mix butter and garlic and brush on rolls while still on the pan and hot.

Baked Oysters So Easy So Good

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup fresh white bread crumbs

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 dozen freshly shucked oysters, drained

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt butter in cast iron skillet. Add bread crumbs and garlic. Toss 2-3 minutes or until crisp and golden. Take out about 1/3 of the bread crumbs and set aside. Arrange oysters over crumbs in the skillet, top with remaining crumbs. Dot with butter. Bake in top third of oven for 12-15 minutes or until bubbly.