By Ron VandenBoom
Michael Heins, a former freelance writer for the Walla Walla Times in Walla Walla, Wash., has joined the staff of The Havre Daily News as a reporter.
Heins, a 1999 graduate of The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., will be covering city/county government for the Daily News. He will also cover the Great Northern Fair, the Heritage Center/H. Earl Clack Museum, and other stories as assigned.
Heins, who focused on Greek and Roman history while in college, is currently working on a novel about Celtic history and is expanding his research to include Minoan history as well. He says that sometime he hopes to also write a novel about that Mediterranean civilization. He has made four trips to Europe and has studied in Greece and in Switzerland.
Before coming to Havre, Heins worked as a customer service representative for Sykes Telecommunications in Milton-Freewater, Ore. He said moving to Montana was something he had wanted to do for a long time. He has a sister who lives in Bozeman and a brother who lives in Arizona.
"I'm still in shock that I'm here," he said.
Heins said his goal is to be honest and clear and to encourage people through his writing. He said he hopes that his writing reflects integrity and represents the Daily News in a good way.
He said his future plans include writing travel articles for magazines.
Heins said he is an avid outdoorsman who has hiked and backpacked in 10 states and that he enjoys hunting.
