Grieving on the Palouse.

Some new information's been released about the victims of the weekend sniper ambush in my beloved town of Moscow, and I'm piecing together how their paths might have crossed mine.

After I saw a picture of Presbyterian Church sexton Paul Bauer on TV, I kept racking my brains trying to remember where I'd met him - and when someone told me he used to work at Tri-State, I immediately remembered him, patiently advising me on the right gauge of wire to get, or the right grade of sandpaper to use. Such a nice man.

Crystal Hamilton, wife of the gunman, had just started working at Washington State University, in the building where I work - the Murrow Communications Center. As I go to work before dawn and leave at lunchtime, I never met her - at work, or in the neighborhood where she lived, across the highway from me. Even though I didn't know her personally, it makes me think how closely our paths ran, yet didn't quite intersect.

Rebecca Newbill, wife of slain Sergeant Lee Newbill, also worked at Washington State University as an early childhood specialist in our Children's Center for almost ten years. Even though I didn't know Officer Newbill, I've heard from some people who did - and he sounded like the nicest, most giving soul.

I don't even know how to convey my deep sadness for the families of those lost. Can't imagine the emotions going through the family of shooter Jason Hamilton.