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Posts published in “Reading”

How schools are led

June 13, 2024

A guest opinion from Michael Strickland of Boise.

In the silent corridors of community governance, school board members stand as unsung architects, shaping the dreams and destinies of public education. Their dedication echoes through the unseen pages of our nation's progress. They craft the vision and objectives for public schools in their area, and establish performance standards for schools and superintendents. Elected by local constituents, these members represent the community's values and aspirations for schools. As community leaders, they maintain open communication to keep everyone informed about challenges, ideas, and progress. With the monumental task of educating nearly 50 million children who make up the students in public schools, board members go beyond policymaking and administration, serving as advocates for students and parents, entrusted with shaping a brighter future.
These dynamics are especially powerful in Idaho where a significant percentage of students learn in small communities. Education is key for the health of rural America. School consolidation, school closures, and a declining economic base for some of these areas have created hardships for families and schools. Rural schools also have serious challenges in staffing a full range of qualified teachers and providing the resources to support their efforts. Further difficulties arise in the fact that research studies about rural education and its particular context, nuances, and complications have always been sparse. In addition, educators are often constrained by certain reform models as well as approaches fueled by high-stakes, one-size-fits-all assessments. Expectations are at an all-time high while funding remains at historic lows.
The pressure for all students to achieve underscores the value of analyzing the school-level factors associated with student success. We need to supplement the portfolio of evidence-based instructional practices for high-needs student populations. Rural school districts are the lifeblood of their communities, serving myriad functions beyond education. They are essential hubs for various community activities, offering access to vital services such as nutrition and mental health counseling. Rural school facilities serve multifaceted roles, doubling as polling stations, disaster evacuation centers, and venues for events such as funerals, family reunions, and weddings. Given that many rural districts serve as the primary employers in their regions, they additionally face distinct economic considerations not encountered in more densely populated regions.
The unique challenges of rural areas, including smaller staff sizes and overlapping roles among decision-makers, can complicate governance and leadership. In rural districts, superintendents and school board trustees often wear multiple hats, from overseeing operations to teaching classes. While this closeness fosters strong community connections, it can blur lines of responsibility and lead to micromanagement or individual agendas. To ensure success, these leaders must strike a balance between their various roles and focus on overarching governance principles. Research involving a rural Idaho district indicates how effective governance practices can drive significant improvements. By working collaboratively and adopting a structured approach, scholars observed that a district could achieve a more robust budget, reduced staff turnover, and increased student achievement. Key to their success was a commitment to "getting on the balcony"—gaining perspective and distance from day-to-day operations in order to focus on long-term goals.
At a recent gathering of the Idaho School Boards Association, I had the opportunity to hear Elizabeth Wargo from the University of Idaho present on this topic. In her article, "Rural School District Leadership and Governance: Eating Your Veggies to Stay on the Balcony," Wargo and her colleagues say, "getting in the weeds'' or micromanagement is "an egregious error in governance that has been associated with low district performance.
Micromanagement on behalf of trustees distracts the team from the work necessary to support district-wide success for all students long term, especially when trustees disagree and cannot come to a consensus and lead as a team."
In small rural communities, handling differences of opinion and fostering relationships with individuals who hold varying perspectives is a highly visible task. School board and superintendent partnerships that adhere to defined governance principles greatly contribute to student achievement. Trustees and superintendents committed to advancing student success share a unified vision. They employ data-driven approaches to establish objectives and track advancements for all students. Transparency and communication are essential. The Idaho district in the study implemented monthly updates on progress towards goals, fostering community trust, and reducing rumors. Bite-sized training sessions during board meetings ensured that trustees stayed informed about governance best practices and policy changes.
Despite the challenges, the success of that Idaho district demonstrates that focused collective action, trust, and ongoing learning can drive positive change in rural school governance. By staying committed to the "right work" and maintaining clear boundaries, governance teams can support districts and enable communities to thrive. Pressures are rising on rural schools and their leaders. Everywhere, there are signs that they would benefit from greater collaboration, citizen participation, and regional analysis. More than ever, part time elected officials are burdened with heavy administrative and financial responsibilities and minimal or nonexistent professional support. Rural school districts need to balance community engagement and strategic planning. By staying focused on the community's long-term goals and fostering open communication, leaders can overcome obstacles and drive meaningful improvements.
Talking books

Talking books

March 9, 2024
A guest opinion from Michael Strickland.

"Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light." - J.K. Rowling

From Special Olympians to great scientists to achievers of all types who don't fit the traditional mold, I have always had an interest in promoting access for those who are differently abled. Step into the world of words without the constraints of traditional print. For those facing the challenge of reading large fonts or grappling with the physical act of holding a book, a literary escape awaits in the heart of Idaho. The Idaho Talking Book Service (TBS) serves as a source of light, offering the joy of literature to those facing obstacles in traditional reading.

The TBS emerges as a beacon of accessibility, offering a treasury of audiobooks that transcends barriers. This invaluable service, administered by the Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL), extends its embrace to residents struggling with visual or physical limitations, opening the door to a vast collection of tales that traverse genres and themes. I have always been excited about this gateway to stories, where the pages turn with the gentle hum of narration, echoing the promise of a literary journey free for every Idahoan in need.

The TBS is an audiobook library service that is convenient and available at no cost to any Idaho resident who is blind, has a perceptual or reading disability, or is unable to read standard print due to a visual impairment or physical disability. To utilize the service, a person must have a qualifying condition, which can be certified by a medical professional, social worker, librarian, activities director in a care facility, or others.

The TBS loans audiobooks and magazines, and provides an easy-to-use player for the audio cartridges. Materials are mailed to and from the user's residence at no charge. There are more than 100,000 fiction and nonfiction titles in the collection -- everything from westerns and romance to mysteries and biographies. Also available are titles with an Idaho theme or connection, which are recorded locally.

Each participant's service can be as automated or personalized as the user and/or their caregiver would like. Whether it means having materials mailed to an alternate address when the family heads south for the winter or increasing the frequency of books, the TBS customer service representatives (CSRs) help ensure the users' needs are met. And if those needs change, the service can easily be altered to meet them. In addition, there is no complicated phone tree to navigate before reaching an actual person to speak with. The TBS CSRs are based in Boise and eager to help patrons by phone or via email every weekday. Patrons simply call or click, and the TBS staff responds. Plus, they love talking about books and giving reading recommendations.

Another feature of the service is the Braille and Audio Recording Download, known as BARD, through which books and magazines can be downloaded directly to the user's device. A TBS CSR can help a caregiver access BARD for the patron, and there's no wait time for the next great read.

Maybe you know someone who might benefit from the TBS, but you aren't sure. Visit your local public library and ask a staff member to show you a TBS player. You'll experience the player's large and user-friendly buttons and see how simple it is to use. The player has a power cord and a battery, so it can go everywhere a TBS user does -- on a road trip or just outside to the garden. The library will also have TBS marketing materials.

A patron receives their audiobooks on a cartridge. When they are ready to return the cartridge, the patron or their caregiver simply turns the mailing card over, slides it into a slot, and puts the cartridge in their outgoing mail. No trip to the post office or postage required. The materials are mailed "free matter for the blind."

As the spoken words weave tales of adventure, romance, mystery, and more, the Idaho TBS not only transcends the limitations imposed by print but also fosters a community where stories become bridges between hearts. In this auditory realm, where the written word transforms into whispered narratives, the power of imagination knows no bounds. The Idaho Commission for Libraries continues to champion accessibility, ensuring that every resident with a qualifying condition finds solace in the symphony of audiobooks. So, let the stories echo in the minds of Idahoans, transcending barriers and fostering a shared love for literature that reverberates far beyond the realms of the tangible pages. The Idaho Talking Book Service stands as a testament to the belief that everyone deserves the magic of storytelling, no matter the obstacles they face.

The Idaho Talking Book Service is very straightforward for patrons and/or their caregivers to use and there is no cost associated with the program. TBS can provide a lifeline for Idahoans who have become isolated. Staff receive countless cards, letters, and emails from family members of TBS patrons who praise the service for giving something valuable back to their loved one. Through its commitment to accessibility, the TBS breaks down barriers. In a world where isolation can often loom large, the Idaho Talking Book Service serves as an oasis, offering not just literature but also a sense of belonging and connection.

If you think the TBS can help you or someone you know, visit https://libraries.idaho.gov/tbs for more information. Or call the Idaho Talking Book Service at 800-458-3271.

An open letter

February 25, 2024

An open letter to Idaho's U.S. senators, from Charles Graham of Moscow, Idaho.

Dear Senators Risch and Crapo,

You are respected lawyers and leaders in the U.S. Senate. As a former lawyer, I ask you to break your silence and speak out publicly against the ever-intensifying attacks on the integrity of our courts, judges, Department of Justice, and judicial system as a whole.

As lawyers, you know better than anyone else the vital role courts play in preserving the rule of law under the Constitution. You are in the best position to condemn the increasingly vitriolic attacks by former president Trump and others. Your silence is dangerous. It tacitly condones and legitimizes indefensible conduct, leads to unacceptable normalization of the more and more frequent physical threats to judges and prosecutors, and makes even more likely the “bedlam” Trump warns of if the courts rule against him. These attacks and threats are a danger to the nation. You should call them what they are, and call out those, including Trump, who propagate them.

You are also among those most able to speak with authority about the vital necessity of keeping the Department of Justice independent, and about the essential role of its attorneys general and special prosecutors in determining whether to seek indictments, and then of grand juries, comprised of ordinary citizens, to decide based on the evidence whether the facts justify an indictment.

There is no longer any doubt that a vindictive Mr. Trump would do his best to subvert an historically independent Justice Department and convert it to an instrument of retribution against those he thinks have wronged him and might stand in his way, including his perceived political enemies, judges, prosecutors, civil servants, and the media. These are the tools of authoritarianism. Trump openly says he will use them if he regains the presidency. You know the dangers for our democracy and the rule of law.

You may say that under our electoral process it is for the voters to repudiate Trump, to reject his efforts to appropriate for himself powers the founders would never have entrusted to the office of President. But it is you, as lawyers and lawmakers, who best understand the dangers. It is time for you to speak out with moral clarity, to denounce these attacks on the institutions of our democracy, and to place the future of this country above whatever political expediency you may think justifies your silence.

 

 

Who’s the boss?

December 10, 2023

This is a guest opinion from Mary Souza, who served in the Idaho Senate for 8 years, retiring last year. If you are concerned about outside influences controlling your legislators, please share this column with friends. Email: MarySouzaUnfiltered@gmail.com Free Newsletter sign up go to Facebook @ MarySouza-Uncanceled and Unfiltered

During my 8 years serving in the Idaho Senate, I was incredibly impressed with the respectful nature of the Senate’s legislative process. Decades of tradition insured thoughtful decorum so ideas could be debated, often vigorously, but without personal attacks. After coming from the “blood sport” politics of North Idaho back then, I was relieved to find such rational behavior among my peers in the Senate and appreciated it throughout my time representing CdA.

But now with the new batch of legislators, the whole atmosphere in our state’s capitol has degraded. Some seasoned legislators call it “the death of decorum”, and others tell me they are suffering from PTSD after just one session with some of the new crew.

Many of the problematic newbies are close associates of Idaho Freedom Foundation, Citizen’s Alliance of Idaho, and some of the rogue central committees like ours here in Kootenai County. Are they purposefully trying to break our system of governance?

I’m very aware that Brent Regan, chair of the KCRCC, and others in his power group, are students of Saul Alinsky, the 1940s community organizer idolized by both Obama and Hillary. One of Alinsky’s most potent lessons is “disrupt the system." To demonstrate this lesson, he famously considered giving a group of low income volunteers big bowls of beans to eat before paying their way into an elite symphony concert. You can imagine what would have happened. Yes, they would have disrupted the system.

Is that what the IFF/KCRCC new legislators are trying to do? I hope not because our system was very good. Everyone could feel safe expressing the views of their district on any bill. We have 35 districts in Idaho and each has its own priorities. It is essential to maintain a level of respect and decorum so ideas and information from all parts of our state can be shared openly.

Last month, the ProTem of the Senate, who is “The Boss”, finally ran out of patience. He sent letters to three of the new Senators: Scott Herndon from Bonner County, Brian Lenny from Nampa, and Glenneda Zulderveld from Twin Falls. They were warned about their behavior and Lenney and Zulderveld were removed as Vice Chairs of committees, although they were all allowed to stay as members of the committees. (Herndon was not a Vice Chair)

I have a copy of all the letters. The Pro Tem wrote to Sen. Lenney: “It has been brought to my attention that on countless occasions you have aggressively attacked, disparaged, and degraded fellow members of the Senate, members of Senate leadership, and members of the general public. Further, you have continually disrespected and harmed the legislative process by violating the rules governing decorum. Although we expect Senators to advocate zealously on behalf of their constituents, Senators must do so in a manner that protects the integrity of the process and ensures the people’s business may be done in an efficient and effective manner.”

Senator Zulderveld’s letter was very similar, also stating “…you recently posted an article written by you that openly attacked the integrity of your fellow members of the Idaho Senate…degrading and disrespectful of our colleagues.”

And Senator Herndon’s letter said, “…you posted an article degrading and disparaging every Senate member serving on JFAC…Members of JFAC are tasked with setting the budget for the entire state, which requires countless hours…Your statements are unnecessary and inexcusable.”The Pro Tem also questioned Herndon’s work ethic and the very few budgets he had worked in committee. On the FreedomBros podcast (below), Herndon was outraged by this. He brags that he “carried” 5 budgets on the Senate floor, which does not mean he actually worked on them. Don’t be fooled. I served on JFAC, there are a huge number of budgets to review line by line, with working lunches and early mornings. It’s exhausting. Herndon didn’t do much, and presenting 5 budgets on the floor of the Senate is embarrassingly low.

So, upon receiving these letters, what did the Senators in question do? They went on social media and attacked the Pro Tem. I forced myself to watch a podcast called “Freedom Bros”hosted by Dustin Hurst, former IFF staff. All three of the Senators were there, and after a great deal of personal chit chat, they finally got to the issue of the letters. Herndon and Lenney were the most outraged. They claimed the Pro Tem of the Senate does NOT have the right to discipline them or remove them from their Vice Chair positions.

They are wrong.

It is true that every Senator is elected by the voters of their districts. But during the organizational session before the legislature starts, all of the members of the Senate, including the Democrats, vote to elect a Pro Tem, and also vote to adopt the Rules of the Senate (that’s Rule 5), I’m looking at my copy of those rules right now. In Rule 19 it says the committee assignments shall be made under the direction of the Pro Tem. Further, Mason’s Manual of Legislative Procedure, which rules most legislatures in our country including ours, states on page 394, “A legislative body has the right to regulate the conduct of its members and may discipline a member as it deems appropriate, including reprimand, censure or expulsion.”

So, good readers, there’s a wise saying about behavior that perhaps our rogue Senators should keep in mind: “Disrespect will close doors that apologies cannot open.”

I know that you, as voters, expect our Idaho government to operate in an organized, effective manner to make sure YOUR priorities are respectfully, thoughtfully, debated and passed into law if approved. You deserve it, so don’t be fooled by bluster of those demeaning others then posing for the spotlight. Please vote carefully.

 

Living with war in Ukraine

Living with war in Ukraine

October 14, 2023

A guest essay from Nelia Omelchenko, a 16-year-old exchange student from Sumy, Ukraine, just across the border from Russia. She arrived in Oregon in August to spend a year at Polk County’s Kings Valley Charter School. In her native land, her life has been disrupted the last two years by a full-scale Russian invasion, marked by missile and drone attacks. A budding journalist, she drew on a wartime diary she’s been keeping for this article. This article (and some of the above paragraph) first appeared in the McMinnville (Oregon) News-Register on October 6.

Nights with air raids, days with power cuts. Classes in basements, soldiers in the street.

Those were just some of the changes we felt in Ukraine, amid the sorrow and destruction of a full-scale Russian invasion that engulfed us in war.

I’m Nelia, a 16-year-old FLEX exchange student from Ukraine, who came here in August for a year-long stay arranged through ASSE International. And I’d like to describe for you how our typical day was running back home.

Mornings usually start with checking to see whether you have electricity.

Last winter, we suffered massive power cuts in Ukraine. For a certain period of time, we only had about two hours of electricity per day in my home Sumy region.

Our last power cut came in the spring, as everything has now been repaired. But the habit of making sure to turn off the light on time still persists for the majority of us.

Upon waking up, we were having to count how many hours we needed to cook, clean and study, versus things that are possible, at least theoretically, without electricity.

That kind of time management is tough. Hopefully, we won’t need to do that from now on.

Just as people all around the world learned to keep masks in every pocket during the pandemic, Ukrainians have learned to carry flashlights with them, and sometimes have extra generators at home.

Then it’s time to go to school. There’s a high possibility of meeting many defenders.

The city that I describe is Sumy. It lies in the northeastern part of the country, which shares 350 miles of border with Russia.

Sumy is not a battlefield itself, though proximity to Russia makes its outskirts prone to frequent attacks.

Badly injured soldiers and destroyed civilian buildings never fail to remind us of what is going on. But their reconstruction, through prosthetics in the one case and bricks and mortar in the other, imbue us with a strong belief that we will overcome this dark period of our history.

Classes at school are still productive. Teachers do their best to continue to instruct at a high level. But classes are punctuated by sporadic air raids.

Maks Pasko, a 16-year-old classmate of mine, has learned to predict local air raid sirens five minutes in advance.

A student of politics, statistics and analysis, he follows the pattern of air raid alerts on an online map. That way, he can see when our turn is coming.

That way, everyone has five more minutes to get down to the basement. Without any sense of fear, everyone in the school heads to the shelter.

Kids aren’t afraid of the danger posed by the missiles anymore. They just go downstairs to study, socialize or play together until it passes.

Some classes pay attention to managing stress, coping with mental issues and giving first aid to injured people.

NATO’s acronym MARCH is known now by the majority of students. It directs students to check for life-threatening conditions in an injured person in a specific order.

M stands for massive bleeding, A for airways, R for respiration, C for circulation, H for head injuries and hypothermia

Moreover, students have developed one more after-school activity. Some of them are staying after class to make camouflage net for the army under the direction of teachers.

Then it’s time to come back home, the streets are still crowded with busy people, as if it were peacetime. However, the billboards they pass now show them how to contribute to charities or help the army, and restored cafes play a warfare genre of music.

There’s no need to imagine these melodies as tragic or full of sorrow, though.

The majority of the wartime music is dynamic and positive. Its main aim is to emphasize Ukrainian military milestones and maintain the spirit of future victory throughout the society.

One of the most popular songs is “Pes Patron.” It tells of a little Jack Russell terrier named Patron, which means “cartridge” in Ukrainian.

With his light weight and keen sense of smell, this dog can detect explosives safely. One of his first assignments was locating Russian mines in the city of Chernihiv, lying in the north, which was liberated on April 2, 2022.

Owing to the hard work of this tiny dog, more than 250 mines were neutralized. Now Patron has his own bullet-proof vest, national recognition and a song commemorating his role in the war.

As you might expect, even very young kids know the lyrics. They are keen on repeating: “Who’s in charge of this region? Patron the Dog, Patron the Dog!” The song was written in Ukrainian, of course, but that’s a word-for-word translation.

Human civilians are also doing their bit.

Karina Bereznets, a 14-year-old, spends her free time selling hand-made patriotic accessories. She has been doing that for more than a year, and her contribution to the Ukrainian Army recently passed the $3,000 mark.

“I’m not supporting certain people,” she said. “We try to help everyone. I do it because I want to do my bit; I want Ukraine to live.

“We attempt to supply soldiers with whatever they need. Mostly it’s special equipment or medicine.”

Evenings still see families gather together, as in the past.

Some of the chairs may be empty, though, as some relatives may have already given their lives for the peaceful life of future generations. That helps us not to give up, to fight and to defend what we believe in.

Warm evening conversations have changed to news updates on military progress of the day.

Skill at making “trench candles” has marked my personal contribution.

A trench candle is a metal box or can filled with rolled paper and a mixture of wax and paraffin. Soldiers use them to warm up, heat their food or serve as a source of light.

They are popular with our defenders, as they can be re-lit repeatedly for a long period of time. Civilians are highly encouraged to create them, which serves as just one more thing shifting our reality.

It’s necessary for us to talk about the war, as it’s been dominating our lives for two years now. We appreciate it when nothing and nobody is forgotten.

Despite escalating sound of air raids sirens, time to sleep eventually comes.

Will the night bring drone or missile attacks? We are getting used to differentiating.

If the news channel warns about drone attacks, the biggest concern is the quantity. If the warning is about missiles, that’s not the case, as just one can wipe out your whole house.

Either way, the chain of actions is the same. You either head to the basement or go downstairs and follow the “two-walls rule.”

You need to make sure there are two reliable walls between you and outside locations. You also want to avoid windows or other sources of glass.

We spend so many nights sleeping in cold shelters and narrow corridors. Tomorrow may be a new day, but it will feature the same wartime routine.

We Ukrainians recognize and highly appreciate all the support we get around the world.

Peaceful protests, warm words of support, little blue-and-yellow accessories and stickers, donations and army supplies. It’s all noticed. It all makes a difference.

I want to convey our infinite gratitude to everyone who believes in and works for Ukrainian victory!

(image/Wikimedia Commons, Ministry of Defense Ukraine)

Sellout

July 12, 2023

This is an essay from Fuji Kreider, secretary/treasurer of the Stop B2H Coalition, which is opposed to the development of the Beardman to Hemingway transmission line.

The Oregon Public Utility Commission (OPUC) has ruled in favor of the Boardman to Hemingway (B2H) transmission line, declaring it a public necessity and granting Idaho Power a “certificate of public convenience and necessity” (CPCN). This decision allows them to invoke eminent domain over hundreds of miles of land belonging to the peoples of Eastern Oregon.

Eminent domain should only be used as a last resort, when there are no other viable alternatives to achieve a public good. However, our OPUC and the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) have failed us in this regard. The OPUC will allow condemnation of land before the ODOE has completed the required environmental and cultural survey work. These surveys are essential for finalizing the numerous mitigation plans and determining their value and ultimate costs.

Neither of our state agencies accept responsibility. The OPUC claims that mitigation and land condemnation costs are beyond their jurisdiction to regulate; stating it is ODOE’s job. Yet, ODOE states that the budget falls outside their purview; it’s the OPUC’s jurisdiction. Meanwhile, the well-financed utilities with their army of attorneys have weakened and manipulated Oregon’s administrative rules for decades, a regulatory capture that hamstrings and fragments big-picture decision making by our regulating agencies. This leaves us, the people, caught in a revolving churn of "it’s not in our jurisdiction;" and the only ones connecting-the-regulatory-dots are the utilities, with enormous profits to be made on ratepayers’ backs!

The B2H project is exorbitantly expensive, and ratepayers will bear the burden for 50+ years. Astonishingly, the actual price tag remains unknown, currently estimated at $1.4 billion. Here are some of the costs that are still looming:

  • Implementation of mitigation measures and purchase of mitigation sites. (These will be determined by completion of survey work and finalized plans.)
  • Amendments to the project. (The first one, which is pending, adds 1,000 acres and over 40 miles of additional access roads. And bigger amendments coming.)
  • Private land condemnation and easement purchases, which this CPCN will legally allow. (There are hundreds of parcels with no contract or agreement with the company. The amount of compensation will be set by the courts, and the utilities legal fees will be charged to ratepayers.)

Moreover, the company continues to fiddle with reducing contingency funds and a lack of realistic inflationary increases. It is disheartening to witness such disregard for accountability. It is worth noting that Idaho Power and PacifiCorp (same partners as B2H) are also constructing Gateway West, a massive transmission infrastructure project to Wyoming, further burdening ratepayers. Our electric cooperatives (such as OTEC and Umatilla) purchase electricity from the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), which will also experience rate increases due to transmission wheeling charges (aka tariffs).

The decision to proceed with B2H is primarily based on the utilities' own self-serving data and their claims that the "least-cost/least-risk” option is a high-voltage, long-distance transmission line over other feasible energy alternatives, and other routing alternatives. The OPUC and ODOE have issued permits and certificates without complete information and without full knowledge of the project's true costs.

Our investments should prioritize the upgrade, digitization, and fire-hardening of our existing regional transmission system. Federal infrastructure funds are flowing for such upgrades, but the B2H project does not qualify for these funds because it was considered “shovel ready” in 2011. By neglecting these necessary upgrades, we are missing out on opportunities to enhance capacity on the existing transmission lines connecting our regions, wildfire protection, and cost savings. Additionally, we should not overlook the potential of having to bear the cost of PacifiCorp's liability in the 2020 wildfires.

It’s the OPUC's responsibility to safeguard the interests of ratepayers by carefully evaluating project costs and considering alternative options for maintaining reliable power. In this case, the costs associated with B2H are imprudent, especially when there are federal funds available to invest in distributed energy resources in the Pacific Northwest, which would create more jobs and propel us towards energy independence.

I urge our state regulators and public officials to reevaluate their decisions and act in the best interests of the Eastern Oregon communities. It is high time they prioritize transparency, accountability, and their stated mission of protecting ratepayers. Let us not be the victims of shortsightedness, greenwashing, and overwhelming corporate influence. Together, we must demand a responsible and sustainable energy future for our state; one where people control more of their energy future, and are less dependent on these centralized, monopoly utilities that prioritize their shareholders over the ratepayers and our environment.

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