Ruralite
February 2025 • Volume 72, No. 2
CEO Michael Shepard
SENIOR VP OF CONTENT Leon Espinoza
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Chasity Anderson, CCC
DEPUTY EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Noble Sprayberry
SENIOR EDITOR Jennifer Paton, CCC
ASSISTANT EDITORS Victoria Hampton, CCC; David Herder, CCC; Sable Riley, CCC
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Valeri Saldanha Rosa, Nina Todea
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCTION SR. MANAGER
Elizabeth Beatty
SENIOR PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR
Alyssa McDougle
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FROM THE PIONEER TEAM
Celebrating Community
February always has a chill to the air, but it’s also a month brimming with warmth and connection.
As we lean into the spirit of Valentine’s Day, our stories reflect the love and care that bind our communities together— from the joy of making music to the dedication of those nurturing the land and each other.
In a small, historic schoolhouse near Junction City, Oregon, the lively strains of fiddle music fill the air. Thanks to music teacher Amy Burrow, young musicians are discovering the joy of traditional jam sessions.
Amy’s quarterly gatherings, supported by grants, are more than just lessons. They are opportunities to build confidence, creativity and camaraderie. For 14-year-old Sapphire Rain, fiddle music is all about freedom and expression.
“You can do what you want with it,” she says.
What better way to share the love of music than by passing it on to the next generation? You can read more on Page 10.
The idea of sharing knowledge and building connections extends to our feature on University Extension programs. Across the country, these programs empower individuals and strengthen communities.
From helping women in farming gain confidence through Annie’s Project in Idaho to saving lives through the Diabetes Prevention Program in Arizona, Extension offices focus on uplifting people in practical, meaningful ways. Read more on Page 12.
February is a time to embrace moments of connection. Whether it’s a warm meal shared with loved ones, planning a spring garden with a friend or learning something new and sharing that new skill, this month invites us to celebrate the ties that bind us.
Have an idea for a story we should share about your community? Reach me at editor@pioneer.coop.
Chasity Anderson Editorial Director
Old School Fiddle Tunes
Up Close, Page 10
Extension Programs Empower Communities
From hands-on farming skills to diabetes prevention, initiatives help America innovate Spotlight, Page 12
Eat More Greens
In The Kitchen, Page 16
Beacon Broadband: Building Connections, Strengthening Communities
As Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative’s broadband subsidiary, Beacon Broadband, continues its mission to bring high-speed fiber experience where no one else will go, several significant milestones demonstrate its growing impact on Oregon’s South Coast communities.
In a major development for the region, Beacon Broadband recently secured a $19 million grant from the Oregon Broadband Deployment Program to expand high-speed internet access to more than 1,200 addresses in rural Coos County. This substantial funding enables the deployment of 434 miles of fiberoptic cable within two years, bringing fast, reliable and affordable internet to previously unserved and underserved areas.
The project’s commitment to community development
recently earned recognition from the Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association, which awarded Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative the Concern for Community Award for the Beacon Broadband initiative. Combined with the recent BDP grant, these achievements mark significant milestones in the company’s mission.
“Receiving the ORECA Concern for Community Award while securing the BDP grant validates our strategic approach to bridging the digital divide,” says Pete Radabaugh, Beacon Broadband’s board president. “These recognitions demonstrate that our commitment to serving every member, regardless of their location, resonates with both our industry peers and government partners. It’s particularly meaningful because it acknowledges our innovative approach to addressing a critical community need through
Beacon Broadband Splicer Justin Redding works to build out the fiber network. PHOTOS COURTESY OF COOS-CURRY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
urging D emand, hrinking Supply S
Increasing need for power affects electric utilities and their consumers
By Scott Flood
When rural electric utilities first strung power lines from farm to farm, across waterways and through remote forests less than a century ago, most consumers had but a handful of light bulbs to power. With time, they added appliances like refrigerators, but they surely couldn’t imagine the number and variety of electrical devices in today’s homes and garages.
Across the United States, consumers use a growing amount of electricity at work, at home and, with the growth of electric vehicles, on the road.
The demand for electricity increased by 2.5% in 2024 and is expected to grow by 3.2% this year. This comes after many utilities saw a 4.8% increase in 2022. Through 2029, the nation’s peak demand is projected to grow by 38 gigawatts. That would be like adding another Californiasized state to our nation’s power grid.
Driving this surge are advancements in technology, including artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency and cloud computing, which rely on energy-intensive data centers. These facilities, often located in rural areas due to affordable land and fewer neighbors, require massive amounts of electricity.
According to the U.S. Department of
Energy, data centers consume up to 50 times more energy per square foot than traditional commercial buildings. By 2030, these centers are expected to account for 9% of the nation’s electricity use, up from nearly 2% today. A single large data center may demand more than 100 megawatts of power, enough to supply 80,000 homes.
At the same time, baseload power—the always-available energy typically generated by coal and nuclear plants—is being retired at a rapid pace. More than 110 gigawatts of this reliable power are slated to disappear by 2033. As renewable energy sources like solar and wind grow, they cannot fully replace baseload generation due to their intermittent nature. Without sufficient baseload power, the risk of rolling brownouts and blackouts increases, a scenario experts warn could affect 19 states by 2028.
This growth in demand is unprecedented. A decade ago, a huge commercial project might boost a utility’s total load by 20 or 30 megawatts.
“Now, they’re getting requests for projects in the hundreds of megawatts,” says Stephanie Crawford, regulatory affairs director for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
This growth places immense pressure to expand capacity and upgrade infrastructure.
To address these challenges, the efforts fall into two categories: increasing knowledge and building relationships. A generation ago, power supply discussions were fairly straightforward for utility directors, given the widespread availability of baseload generation. Today’s directors increasingly find themselves learning about
sophisticated and challenging issues as they weigh decisions affecting operations and financial viability for years to come.
They must grapple with complex energy issues, from ensuring sufficient transmission capacity to understanding regulatory hurdles. Supply chain constraints also pose significant barriers, with delays for critical components like transformers stretching up to two years.
Relationship-building is equally crucial. Utilities must engage early and often with companies planning large energy projects to ensure alignment on costs, timelines and infrastructure needs. For instance, phased development of a data center can give them more time to prepare for peak loads. Partnerships to develop on-site generation assets may also alleviate transmission challenges.
While these tech companies are often willing to invest in infrastructure upgrades, their focus is on reliability rather than cost. Utilities must balance these demands with their obligation to maintain affordability and reliability for all consumers.
In addition to preparing for new projects, Stephanie notes the importance of leaders keeping their fingers on the pulse of their existing commercial accounts.
“Being proactive and reaching out to understand how a commercial account’s energy needs may be changing in the coming years will inform conversations and decisions about timing, rate design and other factors, even if they’re not making specific requests yet,” she says.
Stephanie says this improved communication helps utilities serve emerging needs while protecting reliability for all consumers. n
4 Major Reasons for Increasing Demand
After decades of flat or declining electricity demand, the United States is in the midst of a boom in power use. Recent government data shows power consumption nationwide is set to increase by at least 38 gigawatts between now and 2029. This trend would ordinarily be great news for the power industry. But government policies aimed at shutting down fossil fuel-based generation and yearslong delays in permitting and siting for new transmission lines are turning this power boon into a capacity crisis. Here are the primary demand drivers:
Electrification
Electric vehicle adoption, electrification of home heating and industrial electrification are expected to increase overall U.S. energy consumption by 1% per year through 2026.
Economic Growth
Data Centers
Driven by explosions in artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency and cloud computing, total U.S. data center load is projected to increase by 65% by 2050.
Residential power consumption is expected to increase by 14% to 22% through 2050 due to increases in population and steady economic growth.
Manufacturing Growth/Onshoring
New, expanding and “onshored/reshored” manufacturing capacity driven by federal incentives is expected to increase industrial demand by 13,000 GWh per year. Key products: EVs, batteries, semiconductors, solar power components
Total Demand
Analysts predicted in 2023 that U.S. peak demand will increase by at least 38 GW over the next five years, nearly double the growth rate predicted in 2022.
COOS-CURRY ELECTRIC
Why Oregon’s Energy Future Matters to You
Picture this: It’s a cold winter evening in Oregon. You’re sorting through the day’s mail when you spot your electricity bill. Opening it, something catches your eye—the numbers look different. As you process what you’re seeing, a troubling thought emerges: Vital decisions about your home’s energy—decisions that affect your family’s comfort, your monthly budget and your access to reliable power—are being made without your input.
For Oregon communities, these issues are especially pressing.
From liability for wildfires to the critical role of the lower Snake River dams in providing affordable renewable energy, state and federal energy policies have far-reaching consequences. Policymakers hear from special interest groups, so it’s crucial they hear from electric cooperatives, too.
When our representatives don’t hear from us, we run the risk of one-size-fits-all legislation that fails to address the unique challenges rural Oregonians face. Ensuring your voice is heard is essential to protecting your community and shaping smart energy solutions.
Policymakers must understand the challenges of delivering electricity in Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative’s service territory. Wildfire risks demand proactive safety measures and thoughtful planning to keep communities safe, while balancing unmitigated liabilities that could bankrupt your electric cooperative. Meanwhile, debates about the future of the lower Snake River dams threaten a key source of renewable, carbon-free energy that powers our homes during extreme weather events and keeps rates affordable.
When policymakers hear from the people affected by these decisions, they are more likely to develop thoughtful, practical solutions. Your voice is powerful, and it can make a difference in shaping a stronger, more sustainable energy future.
What can Oregonians do to protect reliable energy?
ORECA-Action powered by Voices for Cooperative Power is a grassroots network of more than 1.1 million advocates working to shape energy policy for the better. This collective effort brings the voices of cooperative members directly to decision-makers in Salem,
Washington, D.C., and beyond.
By joining VCP, you help ensure rural and cooperative communities across Oregon continue to have access to the safe, reliable and affordable electricity they depend on every day.
There are several benefits of joining VCP:
• Shape policy decisions. Engaging in the policymaking process is crucial for shaping policy decisions. Current issues include addressing the costs related to wildfire liability, which could drive up rates or bankrupt electric cooperatives like Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative. Additionally, support for the lower Snake River dams as a vital renewable energy source ensures Oregon’s energy policies address local needs.
• Protect co-op interests. Share your perspective and personal stories with policymakers to highlight how energy decisions affect your family and community. This ensures cooperative priorities, including affordability, reliability and sustainability, remain a focus in energy policy discussions.
• Empower communities: Oregon’s electric co-ops are critical to powering and strengthening rural communities. Joining VCP amplifies your voice, giving you a say in shaping decisions that directly affect your quality of life and access to essential services.
Rural electric co-ops are committed to tackling the challenges facing Oregon’s energy landscape. With growing wildfire risks, climate concerns and debates over renewable energy resources like the lower Snake River dams, it’s more important than ever to get involved. By joining VCP, you’ll help ensure your co-op can continue to innovate, adapt to new challenges and build a more resilient energy future for our state.
Your participation in VCP helps policymakers better understand the real-world effects of their decisions. With your help, Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative can continue to deliver the reliable, affordable power that our community depends on—now and for future generations.
Together, we can build a brighter, more sustainable energy future for Oregon. n
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
Old-School Fiddle Tunes
Story and photos by Mike Teegarden
The distinctive ring of fiddle music fills the small, one-room 1888 schoolhouse near Junction City, Oregon, as musicians tune up and prepare to jam.
But before an outburst of jigs and reels gets toes tapping, a few preliminary instructions from organizer Amy Burrow are in order because this is a jam session lesson.
Amy, a music teacher and fiddler from nearby Eugene, used grants to fund a quarterly jam session for students ages 8 to 18. Her goal is to teach the next generation of fiddlers how to participate successfully in a traditional jam session.
“What I want is that kind of language of knowing 50 to 100 tunes that they can go sit in on a jam almost anywhere in Oregon and call a tune with confidence,” Amy says. “Start it at a tempo that they can manage. Get everybody to play along and know how to finish it.”
The 21/2-hour lesson and jam includes learning new tunes and practicing the etiquette surrounding playing with a group.
Students learn “Dry and Dusty” and “The Snake River Reel.”
The tunes are taught by ear. Amy plays a phrase, and the fiddlers do their best to play it back to her. Once they have a section
down, Amy moves on to the next until the music reaches their fingers.
The real fun begins once notes are memorized. Now, the musicians are free to add their own flair to the tune. They may slide certain notes or add staccatos—quickly played notes—or use other fiddle techniques that add character to the music.
Sapphire Rain, 14, from Monmouth, Oregon, has played fiddle for about two years. She loves fiddle music because the structure allows her to experiment.
“It’s the freedom,” she says. “You can do what you want with it. I have always wanted to play fiddle since I was 4 or 5.”
Tristan Lulay, 15, from Scio, Oregon, loves the feeling of a large group playing together.
“When everyone is playing, it all comes together,” he says. “Even if everyone isn’t a great player.”
Old-time fiddle music is perfect for dancing, so students set down their instruments and pair up for a circle dance as the adult musicians play. The simple circle dance uses moves common to square dancing to mix and move the dancers around the room. It ends with the dancers raising their hands in the center together with a loud whoop and big smiles. n
Jam session instructor Amy Burrow leads students through an old-time fiddle tune in a historic schoolhouse.
FROM
Sapphire Rain keeps a close eye on her instructor as she learns a new fiddle tune.
take a break from playing to dance. From left,
Leo
play along with the group. Anna Vane concentrates during class. Amy brings a lot of energy to the class as she teaches the students how to play in a jam session. The 1888 schoolhouse is a fitting setting for old-time fiddle music.
CLOCKWISE
ABOVE:
Musicians
Nina Kuhl,
Kuhl and Tristan Lulay
Extension Programs Empower Communities
From hands-on farming skills to diabetes prevention, initiatives help America innovate
By Ginger Meurer
When Emily Black and her husband, Luke, started farming, they needed help.
“I went to the library and got every single farming book I could find, but that only takes you so far,” Emily says. “Then, there’s YouTube channels that you’re following, but they’re so generic. What about my area? What about my soil?”
To find those close-to-home answers, Emily turned to Annie’s Project at the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension.
Extensions services spread the mission of land-grant universities beyond campuses, reaching out to residents of all ages across America. Educational opportunities provided by extension services cover a wide range of topics, such as helping farmers grow crops and livestock, educating adults about gardening and health, and teaching youth hands-on skills.
University of Idaho Extension educator Colette DePhelps says Annie’s Project courses help women farm operators gain skills, manage risks and build professional networks. While participants have met in person in the past, recent sessions have been virtual—three hours weekly over 12 weeks.
Classes are structured to accommodate the realities of life.
“We know you are multitasking, and it’s fine,” Colette says. “It’s fine if your kids are on Zoom. It’s fine if you have to step away and come back. We totally understand. We’re a very welcoming class.”
Participants come from all scales of operations.
“Newer farmers are learning from farmers who have been farming for a long time,” Colette says. “But also, newer farmers have a different perspective, and they may be more comfortable with technology or direct marketing, so they have fresh ideas to share with more experienced farmers about reaching modern clientele.”
That was the case for Emily, who now teaches marketing strategy through the extension and offers one-on-one coaching through cultivatingyourmarket.com.
Annie’s Project is only one of a wide variety of courses offered through extensions. While 4-H youth development programs and
Emily Black feeds chickens at her Athol, Idaho, farm. The former student now teaches through the University of Idaho Extension.
PHOTO BY ANNIE ZASADNY
Communities
Master Gardeners community gardening experts are well known, extensions across the country lead a host of other projects they’re excited about.
Inviting Kids Into the Kitchen
In Twin Falls County, Idaho, extension educator Siew Guan Lee leads Kids in the Kitchen, a live online cooking program co-launched with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension in 2020.
“One of the goals is that kids are the chef, and they’re making the meal for the family that night,” Siew says. She started out offering kid-trusted basics with healthy twists, such as baked chicken nuggets and mac and cheese with broccoli. Participants encouraged Siew to embrace diverse dishes, including offerings from Mexico, Japan, Hawaii, Thailand, Ireland and more. Inspired by a colleague in Georgia, Siew also offers Southern dishes.
“And, of course, we’re Idahoans,” she says. “So, potatoes. We have to have that featured.”
Though the program is intended for Idaho residents, Siew says children log in from Wyoming, Washington, Utah, Oregon, Colorado, California and even Canada. And they aren’t just learning nutrition and food prep skills. They’re bonding with their sous-chef parent assistants.
“Parents said in their feedback that it actually improved their family dynamics,” she says.
Sharing Nutrition Stories
Getting families involved in nutrition education was also one of the goals behind Washington State University-Chelan and Douglas Counties Extension’s Story Walk.
Extension director Margaret Viebrock says they teamed with Friends of the Library to select and dissect oversized nutritional picture books. They mounted pages on foamcore with English on one side and Spanish on the other, then took them on the road.
The first book was, “I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato,” which was set up at the Master Gardeners’ Tomato Gala, an annual sample fest where the community votes on which tomato varieties the Master Gardeners grow for the spring plant sale.
The story walk was a hit with families strolling through, reading and collecting prizes after a quiz at the end. The project won a regional award and has been duplicated in half a dozen other extension offices in the state.
The extension also teaches nutrition basics in schools so children “understand that food doesn’t come from the back of a grocery store,” Margaret says. “There’s actually a farmer out there who grows it.”
The mission continues in community gardens, where aspiring green thumbs of all ages can rent small plots for the summer with water, seeds and a few starter plants included.
Lessons get serious when it comes to food preservation. It’s not like baking cookies, Margaret explains. If you’re out of chocolate chips and you substitute raisins, it’s still a cookie.
“With canning and preserving food, you just can’t make a substitution and put it in a sealed jar and expect it to be safe,” she says. “Just because it’s on the internet doesn’t mean it’s right. It’s important to know the source of a recipe to make sure it’s safe to use.”
A family takes in nutrition education on the go during a cooperative extension story walk in Washington. PHOTO COURTESY OF WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION
Preventing Diabetes
Saving lives is at the core of the Diabetes Prevention Program that University of Arizona Extension specialist Vanessa da Silva directs. The 12-month intensive course is targeted not at the 1 in 10 Americans who have diabetes but at the 1 in 3 who are prediabetic.
“We use the image of an iceberg,” Vanessa says. “What you can see above water are the people with diabetes. Underwater is this huge number of people that, if nothing changes, are very likely to progress to Type 2 diabetes. We’re trying to have an impact on that through extension.”
Participants in groups of 10 to 20 meet for 26 one-hour sessions over 12 months, starting weekly and easing toward monthly at the end. Lifestyle coach facilitators lead the sessions, but participants are encouraged to get involved.
“We really try to get people to work together and figure out for themselves,” Vanessa says. “What are the changes that they can make?”
Alfred McDonald of Tucson, Arizona, says he had “zero knowledge about diabetes” when he signed up for the program.
“I immediately started learning things out of the gate, like how to read a food label, carbohydrates, proteins, things like that,” he says.
Alfred lost 60 pounds, brought down his blood sugar and learned to manage his stress.
Exploring Through 4-H
Southern Nye County Extension educator Hayley Maio says her extension operates in an area short on youth programs.
“We focus a lot on 4-H and positive youth development programs to help fill that gap,” she says. “It’s really fun to work with the kids and see them learning and blossoming.”
Tapping volunteers with expertise in a variety of backgrounds, the Southern Nevada extension gives youngsters a taste of robotics, creative writing, art, sewing, baking, gardening and more.
“Whatever kids are looking for or their parents think might be of interest to them, we try to make it happen,” Hayley says. "I’m a firm believer in if somebody wants it, we can figure out how to make it happen. If you can dream it, we can do it.”
Southern Nye County’s Master Gardeners and other adult programs have found success with online education, but when it comes to 4-H, in-person is vital “because it’s a learn-by-doing, experiential learning, hands-on type of program,” Hayley says.
In Washington, Whitman County Extension Office Acting Director Michael Gaffney says if he had to pick just one program he’s excited about, it would be 4-H robotics. He says the program is a science, technology, engineering and mathematics—or STEM—recruitment tool for student engagement in the sciences.
Regional and national competitions are great, but Michael says the real proof of the program’s success is watching kids head off to college to study things like engineering.
“For us, that checks all the boxes for 4-H,” he says.
Pinal County Extension agent Dr. Cathy Martinez demonstrates the use of a resistance band to participants in her Diabetes Prevention Program. PHOTO BY CHRIS CROCKETT, MULTIMEDIA SPECIALIST, PINAL COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE
Life on the Tundra
Hands-on education is so important to the Bering Strait Region Cooperative Extension that students are flown in three to four times a year for the High Latitude Range Management Program—an offering assistant professor Jackie Hrabok says is among the extension’s coolest.
The Western Alaska extension serves residents of Nome and 15 Alaska Native villages in the surrounding 36,000 square miles. Most of the area’s population is Inuit, living in villages off the road system across the Seward Peninsula.
Students learn to manage free-range reindeer that live alongside musk ox, caribou, arctic and red foxes and grizzly bears. They learn how many animals can survive on the rangeland, their preferred diets and how to prevent illness in the animals.
“Interactions between people and animals and the land is all part of the hands-on experience in the classroom and in the field doing field work and learning what type of techniques are used currently to monitor animals and the health of the land,” Jackie says.
The extension also taps the talents of community elders who take students out in the summer and prepare them to learn about plants by having them close their eyes.
“We will taste all the leaves of a variety of species of plants on the tundra,” Jackie says.
Food preservation lessons are also vital as communities deal with seasonal shortages. Jackie explains what changes in weather or delays in supply flights can mean.
“Your little village grocery store, quite often, might not be stocked with the nutrition that you seek,” she says. “So, you go on the land and in the waters, and you bring it home.”
Agricultural Technology
Unlike other extensions tied to a single land-grant college, the University of California’s system taps talent and resources across all 10 University of California campuses while operating as its own entity. Brent Hales, associate vice president for research and cooperative extension, says extension advisers are on the ground throughout the state engaging with local governments, businesses, nonprofits and communities.
The extension operates nine research farms stretching from its borders with Oregon to Mexico. Newer agriculture projects step into the future with drones and robotics.
“We’re investing a lot of time, effort and resources into technology transfer and working with growers and companies to develop cutting-edge technologies,” Brent says. “We’re working with different community colleges and universities to engage both college and high school students in robotics competitions specifically designed to do workforce development to help kids see that they have a great future in agriculture, and they may not touch the dirt at all other than walking on it.”
The extension is also part of a disaster preparedness and resilience team launched in October to face “fire, flood, drought, you name it, climate, heat, human pandemic, animal pandemic, a whole litany,” Brent says.
Cooperative extensions provide practical resources and education, helping communities solve real-world challenges. Whether teaching kids to cook, supporting farmers or preserving local traditions, these programs build stronger, more resilient communities for the future. n
Visit extension.org/find-cooperative-extension-in-your-state to find the cooperative extension in your state.
Origins of Extensions
Latin, Greek, rhetoric, history and mountains of memorization were all elements of the classical university education available to only an elite few Americans before the Civil War. Then, the nation’s education mission expanded on a path that resulted in the cooperative extension network.
X The Land-Grant College Act of 1862, called the Morrill Act for its sponsor, U.S. Rep. Justin Smith Morrill of Vermont, granted each state 30,000 acres of western land for each of its congressional seats to expand access to college education.
X In 1890, the second Morrill Act expanded the land-grant university funding system to the southern states. Native American tribal colleges were added with the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994.
X In 1914, Congress passed the Smith-Lever Act, which established the Cooperative Extension Service. At the time the act was signed, more than 50% of the U.S. population lived in rural areas, and 30% of the workforce was engaged in farming, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
X Today, roughly 17% of Americans live in rural areas. University extensions have offices in or near most of the country’s approximately 3,000 counties.
University of Alaska Cooperative Extension Ecology Explorer program students unbox dissecting and compound microscopes, awarded from the UAF undergraduate research grant. PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
Cheese Tortellini and Kale Soup
3 Italian mild or hot sausage links, sliced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
11/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
64 ounces chicken broth
1 cup water
4 cups chopped fresh kale
15-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
9 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini
Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish
In a large saucepan, cook the sausage, onion, garlic, thyme and pepper flakes in oil until sausage is no longer pink. Drain. Add broth and water, then bring to a boil.
Stir in kale and beans. Return to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, until kale is tender. Add tortellini. Simmer, uncovered, for 7 to 9 minutes or until tender. Serve drizzled with olive oil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Broccoli and Kale Salad
2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, at room temperature
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
10 anchovy fillets
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
11/2 cups good-quality mild olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon salt
8 cups broccoli florets, stems removed
1 bunch baby kale
5-ounce bag croutons
Place the egg yolks, mustard, garlic, anchovies, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon pepper and 2 teaspoons salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until smooth. With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube, and process until thick. Add the cheese, and pulse three times to combine. Bring a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Add the broccoli to the boiling water, and cook for 4 minutes. Remove the broccoli with a slotted spoon, and transfer to the bowl of ice water. When it is cool, drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Remove and discard any hard ribs from the kale. Stack the leaves on top of each other, and thinly julienne them crosswise. Add to the bowl with the broccoli. Add enough dressing to moisten the broccoli and kale. Toss well. Add the croutons, and garnish with extra Parmesan.
Chicken Thighs With Shallots and Spinach
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 11/2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
11/2 teaspoons olive oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
1/3 cup white wine or chicken broth
10 ounces fresh spinach
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sour cream
Sprinkle chicken with seasoned salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook until a thermometer reads 170 F, about 6 minutes on each side. Remove from pan, and keep warm.
In the same pan, cook and stir shallots until tender. Add wine, and bring to a boil. Cook until wine is reduced by half. Add spinach and salt. Cook and stir just until spinach is wilted. Stir in sour cream. Serve mixture with chicken.
White Bean Arugula Salad
4 slices pancetta, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
2 cups torn fresh arugula
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
In a small skillet, cook pancetta over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.
In the same pan, heat oil and pancetta drippings over medium heat. Add onion. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes, rosemary, salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until tomatoes are softened. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine beans, tomato mixture, pancetta, vinegar and basil. Add arugula and cheese. Toss to coat.
See bluffs, beaches and history in
Washington at
Ebey’s Landing
National Historic Reserve
What Is It?
Walk into history at Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve in the far reaches of Northwest Washington. The reserve, on Whidbey Island near the Canadian border, features unique plants and habitats, tall bluffs that lower into the sea and centuries of historic structures.
First National Historic Reserve
Whidbey Island has been home to many over thousands of years, and, for a long time, was part of the territory of the Lower Skagit tribe. In the mid-1800s, settlers came to the area for the great soil and maritime benefits. In 1978, the area became the United States’ first National Historic Reserve to preserve the natural landmarks and farms that tell the story of rural life.
Spectacular Views
Ebey’s Landing has more than 30 miles of hiking and biking trails through forests and prairies and along coastline. The Bluff Loop trail and Ebey’s Prairie Ridge trail are popular. Ebey’s Landing is also home to a beach with miles of shoreline, and nearby Crockett Lake is a popular spot for birders during migration seasons.
Three State Parks
Inside the reserve are three state parks. Fort Casey State Park is home to a fort built in the late 1800s that was used during World War II and Admiralty Head Lighthouse. Fort Ebey State Park is home to another fort used during WWII and many popular trails.
Ebey’s Landing State Park includes the Bluff Loop Trail and many other sweeping viewpoints.
More Information
Weather on the reserve is known to change quickly, and quick rainstorms can cause trails to become slick or even cause landslides. The reserve is not all public land—85% of the reserve’s area is privately owned. Please avoid private property. Entering the reserve is free, but entering any of the state parks requires a discovery pass—$10 for a day or $30 for an annual pass. To start planning your trip, visit nps.gov/ebla or call 360-678-6084.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN CHAO/NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
(Continued from previous page)
vice is available whether you’re out watering the garden, driving in a car, at church or even hundreds of miles away on a tour or at a casino. You are never alone. With just a single push of the One-Touch E Button you instantly get connected to free unlimited help nationwide with no monthly bills ever,” said Jack Lawrence, Executive Director of Product Development for U.S. based Universal Physicians.
“We’ve never seen anything like it. Consumers absolutely love the sleek new modern design and most of all, the instant rebate that practically pays for it and no monthly bills ever,” Lawrence said.
FastHelp is the sleek new medical alert device with the best of combinations: a quality, high-tech engineered device that’s also an extremely great value because there are no monthly bills ever.
Better still, it comes with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever – which makes FastHelp a great choice for seniors, students and professionals because it connects to one of the largest nationwide networks everywhere cell service is available for free.
And here’s the best part. All those who already have an old style monitored medical alert button can immediately eliminate those monthly bills, which is why Universal Physicians is widely advertising this announcement nationwide.
“So if you’ve ever felt a medical alert device was too complicated or expensive, you’ll want to get FastHelp, the sleek new medical alert device with no monthly bills,” said Lawrence.
The medical alert device slugfest was dominated by two main combatants who both offer old style monitored help buttons that come with a hefty bill every month. But now Universal Physicians, the U.S. based heavyweight, just delivered a knockout blow sending the top rated contenders to the mat with the unveiling of FastHelp. It’s the sleek new cellular
embedded medical alert device that cuts out the middleman by instantly connecting you directly to highly trained 911 operators all across the U.S. There’s absolutely nothing to hook-up or install. You don’t need a land line and you don’t need a cell phone. Everything is done for you.
“FastHelp is a state of the art medical alert device designed to make you look important, not
old. Old style monitored help buttons you wear around your neck, or require expensive base station equipment or a landline are the equivalent of a horse and buggy,” Lawrence says. “It’s just outdated.”
Millions of seniors fall every year and spend hours lying on the floor helpless and all alone with no help. But seniors who fall and get immediate help
HOW TO GET IT:
IF BORN BEFORE 1961:
IF
are much more likely to avoid getting sent to a nursing home and get to STAY living in their own home independently.
Yet millions of seniors are still risking their safety by not having a medical alert device. That’s because seniors just can’t afford to pay the monthly bills that come with old style medical alert devices.
That’s why seniors born before 1961 are rush-
ing to cash in the whopping $150 instant rebate before the 21 day deadline ends.
So there’s no need to wait for FastHelp to hit store shelves later this year because seniors born before 1961 can get it now just by using the $150 instant rebate coupon printed in today’s newspaper before the 21 day deadline ends. If lines are busy keep trying, all calls will be answered. ■
Use the rebate coupon below and call this Toll-Free Hotline: 1-800-330-4294 DEPT. HELP8438
BORN AFTER 1961: You cannot use the rebate coupon below and must pay $299 Call: 1-800-330-9423 DEPT. HELP8438
THE BOTTOM LINE: You don’t need to shop around. We’ve done all the leg work, this deal is too good to pass up. FastHelp with the instant rebate is a real steal at just $149 and shipping and there are no monthly bills ever.
PROS: It’s the sleek new medical alert device that comes with the exclusive FastHelp One-Touch E 911 Button that instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts or deposits. It connects you to the vast available network of cellular towers for free and saves seniors a ton of money because there are no monthly bills ever making this deal irresistible. Plus it’s the only medical alert device that makes seniors look important, not old.
CONS: Consumers can’t get FastHelp in stores until later this year. That’s why it’s so important for seniors born before 1961 to call the National Rebate Center Hotline within the next 21 days. For those who miss that deadline, the sleek little medical alert device will set you back over $300 bucks.
THE GREAT PICTURE HUNT
The Power of Contrast
By Dave LaBelle
Without darkness, I would never know light. I have heard variations of this truth since my youth.
Though we often speak about contrast—the degree of difference between the darkest and lightest parts of an image—there is another form of contrast that emphasizes the variances between subjects in a composition. And while, generally, we want a photograph to have good tonal range, compositionally, contrasting subjects can also be important for storytelling impact.
For instance, positioning someone tall next to someone short in the same frame helps show the height differential. The same goes for the contrast of a man dressed in an expensive, tailored suit passing by a man partially clothed in soiled rags, communicating the different place in life each occupies.
Henry Cartier-Bresson’s photographs of children playing in war-torn ruins or children pushing a steel hoop down the street as a hearse passes behind them and Margaret BourkeWhite’s 1937 Great Depression image of hungry people in a breadline as a billboard behind
them shows a smiling family in a nice car are examples of iconic photographs employing the concept of contrast.
Of the tools in a writer’s and photographer’s toolbox, the use of contrast can be a powerful and effective device to quickly communicate ideas and concepts. n
Renowned author, photographer and lecturer Dave LaBelle has captured special moments for more than half a century. For more of his writings, visit davidlabelle.com and bridgesandangels.wordpress.com.
Reader Challenge
See if you can capture or make a photograph that tells a story by using a contrast of subjects. Consider a still-life composition of objects, such as your child’s baby shoes arranged next to their grown-up shoes. It’s a way of revealing time passed. Or illustrate aging with a photograph of a frisky new puppy crawling over a tired, old dog.
Email your best image (just one, please) with caption information, including an explanation of how it affects you, to gph@pioneer.coop. We may share submissions on our website and social media channels.
While working on a story about a vaquero who rode bulls, horses and roped until he was 91, I shot this picture of Bob Yanez, 98, with his 4-month-old great-grandson, John, who was visiting from another country. It is a way of showing and connecting the cowboy’s legacy.
PHOTO BY DAVE LABELLE
NIKON
Tears From a Volcano
Uniquely American stone ignites romance
OnMay 18, 1980, the once-slumbering Mount St. Helens erupted in the Paci c Northwest. It was the most impressive display of nature’s power in North America’s recorded history. But even more impressive is what emerged from the chaos... a spectacular new creation born of ancient minerals named Helenite. Its lush, vivid color and amazing story instantly captured the attention of jewelry connoisseurs worldwide. You can now have four carats of the world’s newest stone for an absolutely unbelievable price. Known as America’s emerald, Helenite makes it possible to give her a stone that’s brighter and has more re than any emerald without paying the exorbitant price. In fact, this many carats of an emerald that looks this perfect and glows this green would cost you upwards of $80,000. Your more beautiful and much more a ordable option features a perfect teardrop of Helenite set in gold-covered sterling silver suspended from a chain accented with even more verdant Helenite.
Helenite Earrings -a $129 valuewith purchase of Helenite Necklace
Limited Reserves. As one of the largest gemstone dealers in the world, we buy more carats of Helenite than anyone, which lets us give you a great price. However, this much gorgeous green for this price won’t last long. Don’t miss out. Helenite is only found in one section of Washington State, so call today! Romance guaranteed or your money back. Experience the scintillating beauty of the Helenite Teardrop Necklace for 30 days and if she isn’t completely in love with it send it back for a full refund of the item price. You can even keep the stud earrings as our thank you for giving us a try.
Stud Earrings (1 ctw)
Helenite Set (5 ¼ ctw) $428* ...... Call-in price only $129 +S&P (Set includes necklace and stud earrings) Call now and mention the offer code
Necklace enlarged to show luxurious color
MARKETPLACE
Agriculture
4x5 round bales, Meadow Foxtail Orchard Grass. 4x4 Timothy, small square. 208-4354637 or 208-435-4002; nas@cpcinternet.com. 1225
Reinforced custom-sized pond liners (39 cents/sqft). Hay covers, greenhouse covers, any width and length. Truck tarps and more. High puncture and tear strength. Best price guaranteed. Celebrating 43 years in business. www.btlliners.com. 541-447-0712. 0425
Antiques and Collectibles
Buying antiques and collectibles: advertising signs, porcelain signs, gas pumps, beer signs, antique toys, cast-iron coin banks, neon signs and more. Jason, 503-310-3321 or tjabaughman@yahoo.com. 0325
Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo blankets and rugs, baskets, beadwork, etc. Also, quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117 or send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. 0225
Books, Magazines and Videos
Book restoration. Bibles, cookbooks, cherished family heirlooms. Beautiful work. We give renewed life, more durable than original, to last for generations. 775-537-7066; salacanstudio@gmail.com. 0225AR Business Opportunities
For sale: successful Northeast Oregon drive-in diner. Union, OR. Owner wishes to retire after 28 years. RMLS #24493530. Walt BrookshireBroker, Oregon Trail Realty, 541-805-8689. $185K. 0325
Tremendous opportunity to own restaurant, bar, liquor store with pull tabs and lotto sales near Fairbanks, AK. Located near university, airport and musk ox farm. Ivory Jacks since 1975. $1.4M; 5.9 acres. Dick: home, 907-455-6666; cell, 907-888-6668; dickells74@gmail.com. ivoryjacksrestaurant.com. 0225
Community Events
Celestial Resonance by Darcy Dolge. Feb. 7March 29, 2025. Art Center East, La Grande, OR. A multisensory exhibit combining art and sound. artcentereast.org. 0225
Equipment and Tools
Fireproof combination lock safe, $300. DR multi trimmer, $300. Kubota tow rototiller, $1.75K. Land pride 4-ft. mower, $800. Ted, 458-910-3727. 0225
Quick, Affordable: How to Place an Ad
Ads 25 words or fewer are $35 a month. An extended ad of up to 35 words is $50 a month. Contact information is included in the word count. Phone numbers and emails count as one word.
Longer ads may be placed. Contact 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop for pricing information.
Ads are for customers of member co-ops, public utility districts and municipals only. Subscribers and nonmembers may inquire about pricing at 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop.
Ads must be direct and in first person, and are subject to approval and editing.
Closing deadlines (in our office): April issue—Feb. 28, 2025.
If submitting ad by mail, send appropriate payment with your name, address, email, phone number and the name of the electric utility that provides your magazine to: Marketplace, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133. Make check or money order payable to Ruralite.
We accept credit card payments for ads submitted by email. Send ad to info@pioneer.coop. Call 503-357-2105 to pay by credit card.
Advertisements are accepted in good faith. Pioneer Utility Resources is not liable for interactions between buyers and sellers.
For Rent, Lease
NE, OR. 1 bd, 1 ba, bonus room. Nice smaller home. Water/sewer/garbage paid. $650 month/plus deposit. 55-plus preferred. Phone calls only. 541-519-3400. 0225
Free Items
Free materials—church, government uniting, suppressing “religious liberty,” enforcing National Sunday Law. Be informed. Need mailing address only. TBS, P.O. Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540. tbsmads@yahoo.com; 888-211-1715. 0325AR
Livestock, Supplies
28th annual Oft Angus Bull Sale. March 20. Producers sale yard, Vale. Selling 90 fall and 2-year-old bulls. Terry, 208-741-0824, or Colleen, 208-202-8352. 0325
Miscellaneous
Foster parents needed to care for teen youth in Wasco and Hood River counties. Agency provides on-call support, training, $2.1K/youth monthly reimbursement, 2 days off/month. Fosterinfo@nextdoorinc.org; 541-308-2207. 0625
Looking for that special knife? I hand make custom hunting and fishing knives. I also make other metal and woodcrafts. 559-212-0693; Buckeyeknives.com. 0225
Local commercial fisherman sells summer catch of preserved freshness by blast freezing at sea, gourmet canned tuna on internet. Sept.June. 100% guaranteed the best canned tuna you ever tasted. Original, jalapeno and garlic flavors available. To order: twofisherstuna.com or 206-799-1082. 0225
Granite cemetery markers at affordable prices. Will ship to most places. For more info: Joe, highdesertmemorials@gmail.com or 541-815-8906; www.highdesertmemorials.com. Pets and Supplies
Border collie/McNab puppies. The best dog you will ever have. Males and females, $450 each. Colton, OR. 503-314-0145. 0225
Real Estate
$180K. 160 acres, proven gold claims. 131 miles north of Fairbanks, AK. 50-yard-per-hour shaker plan. Complete water system. Text, 907-223-3036. 0225
Let me help you buy or sell ranch, farm and recreation property in OR. Fourthgeneration Oregonian, prior ranch owner. For sale: Klamath Marsh, OR. 173.65 acres. $2.5M. Guest Ranch Overlay. John Gill, 541-480-9161; johngill@landandwildlife.com. Land And Wildlife brokerage. 0225
Dale store. Live/work in a recreational enthusiast’s location, store, fuel, post office, home, game cooler. $325K. Duke Warner Realty, 541-987-2363, ddwr@ortelco.net. 0225
3 beautiful 1.01-acre lots in Pahrump, NV. Awesome mountain view in nice area. No HOA. $30K each or two for $55K. Easy access to off-roading. Horses OK. Also 10-acre lot with water rights and underground utilities. pkcfitness@hotmail.com. 775-209-2830. 0225
320 acres east of Adel, OR. Borders Hart Mountain views, Steens Mountain and Beaty Butte. Landowner tags, very rural. $263K. For maps, contact: 541-659-1573; thejugglingman3@gmail.com. 0225
Recreational Rentals
Bed and Birds; a guesthouse. Wet meadows, range, forest, dark sky. Beds for 9. Lakeview, OR. Explore or ride? Near ski hill. Reasonable. 541-219-2044. 0425
Bend country cabin. Very clean and fully furnished cabin on private ranch. Close to recreation areas. Very nice. $95/night. 541-382-3050; bendcountrycabins@gmail.com. 0325
Wavecatcher: oceanfront cottage. Central Oregon Coast. $175/night (plus cleaning/tax). Open April through Oct. Holds up to 6-plus kids and pets. Wavecatcherbeachrentals.com. Reservations: 541-740-2846. 0325
Dry cabin and bunkhouse rental near Freeman Creek on Dworshak. Fully furnished. Outhouse and outdoor shower. Sleeps 6. No animals. April through Oct. Reservations: DebbieL1213@gmail.com. 0225
Cabin rental in Eagle Lake, CA. 3 bd, $175; summer rate. Memorial weekend-Oct. Winter months: Nov.-Feb.; $225. 3 miles to marina. Reservations, 530-310-5320. 0225 Recreational Vehicles
Thor A.C.E model 27.2, 2017 motor home. Excellent condition. 14K miles, 2 slides. Sleeps 6, 2 TVs, always covered. $60K. debutler1947@icloud.com; 541-953-0295. 0225
24-ft. Sunseeker RV Mercedes. Diesel, 8-ft. slide out with 4-person dinette, sleeps 6. 60K miles, 2016. $48.5K. Ted, 458-910-3727. 0225
2008 Lance truck camper with slide, model number 1181. Fully loaded; excellent condition. Onan generator, solar panel, wooden interior. $15K. Pahrump, NV. 775-990-0028. 0225
Services
Dawn Till Dusk Masonry. Brick, block, stone and pavers. Small jobs and repairs welcome. dawntillduskconstructionmasonry.com. 541-388-7605; 541-410-6945. License #245760 bonded and insured. La Pine, OR. 0225
Writing and grammar coach with 35 years experience teaches students 12 and older. Local hybrid in Manzanita, OR, or all online. $100/class. writingtutor22@gmail.com; Louisapeck.com. 0225
All types of roofing and repairs, family business since 1956 where integrity prevails. Dave, 541-852-2816. Josh, 541-255-6031. 0425
Sporting/Exercise
Grandsons want Damon Howatt bow’s and arrows for target and or hunting. Bill Howat, text pictures of equipment: 509-837-8695. Swaps and Trades
Private horse ranch in Sisters, OR, offers an RV spot for your RV living in trade for light horse feeding and cleaning. TK, 541-504-1234. 0225
Want to Buy
Old carpenter tools, planes (wood/metal), levels, chisels, slicks, adzes, axes, hatchets, handsaws, old rulers, spoke shaves, wrenches, shipwright tools, old tool chests. 503-659-0009; 971-666-0659. 0225
Gold, silver, coins/currency, buy, sell. Collections wanted. Fair prices paid. 44 years in retail store. Baker City, OR. 800-556-2133; garrymclin@aol.com. 1025
Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo blankets and rugs, baskets, beadwork, etc. Also, quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117 or send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. 0225
Cash paid for old gas station and oil company signs, pumps, globes, metal oil cans. Good condition. Discreet cash settlement. Clifton Jones, collector. 512-413-4459. 0225
Everybody’s Favorites Cookbook
Nothing brings family together like food, but what are our readers’ favorite dishes? Check out nearly 300 recipes for appetizers, drinks, main dishes and desserts from our 2013 contest. The book is $10 (includes postage).
TO ORDER BY MAIL: Submit payment with cookbook title, your name, address and number of cookbooks wanted to: Ruralite Cookbooks P.O. Box 1306 North Plains, OR 97133
TO PAY BY PHONE: Call 503-357-2105 for credit card payments with Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.
TO ORDER ONLINE: Visit www.ruralite.com.
Please allow two to three weeks for delivery.
Eatonville United Methodist Church A Spiritual Base Camp On The Way To Paradise. Mashell Avenue North P.O. Box 205 Eatonville, WA 98328 360-832-4021 Home: 360-832-4562 Pastor Bernard Preston Ritchea Cell: 361-330-9666
Facebook: Eatonville United Methodist Church of Washington OPEN HEARTS OPEN MINDS OPEN DOORS OPEN TABLE WORSHIP SERVICE BEGINS AT 10:30 a.m.
PHOTO BY MIKE TEEGARDEN
Powering a Brighter Future, in This Decade and Beyond
The Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the most transformative technological advancements of the digital age, enabling the interconnection of everyday devices and objects through the Internet. This concept goes beyond mere data exchange between devices; it also involves automating and optimizing processes, providing greater efficiency, comfort, and security. By allowing objects such as refrigerators, lights, thermostats, and even medical devices to communicate and make autonomous decisions, loT is redefining how we interact with the world around us. This connectivity facilitates monitoring and remote control and enables smarter resource management, contributing to sustainability and cost reduction across various sectors.
loT has a profound impact on numerous industries, including healthcare, transportation, logistics, and even smart homes, creating a more integrated and adaptive environment that responds to human needs. The advancement of loT holds the promise of continuous innovation, with the potential to revolutionize not only how businesses operate but also how consumers experience daily life in an increasingly connected world. For the Coos-Curry Coop, implementing and using IoT technology can allow for better use of electricity through more efficient energy systems that reduce consumption, optimize energy use, and contribute to sustainability goals. These technologies not only benefit the power companies but consumers as well through lower energy bills and intelligent rate adjustments. Smart grid technology provides real-time data about energy usage, grid health, and power quality.
This allows utilities to identify inefficiencies or outages instantly, improving grid reliability and minimizing energy waste.
A few examples of IoT in action:
1. Smart Lighting: With smart lights, you can turn them on or off from your phone, or even set them to turn on automatically when you enter a room, through the clap of hands or other defined motions, the lights can dim, get brighter, or even shut off. Some can adjust their brightness depending on the time of day, creating the perfect lighting without you having to think about it. Police and Sherrif offices can incorporate shot detection technology to automatically turn on or make street lights brighter to aid police in identifying and tracking down shooters. Lighting on major corridors can automatically adjust to aid with larger pedestrian activity around parks and festivals.
2. Wearable Devices: Fitness trackers and smartwatches can monitor your heart rate, steps, sleep patterns, glycemia and more. The watch can feel if you felt or have your heartbeat is at an alert rate and, give you a timer for cancel or they call for your emergency contact. Any of those problems can alert you or a caregiver, nurse or someone in our family to help to keep you healthy and safe. Some devices are connected to doctors offices, when tracked levels exceed set parameters will notify the doctor for early intervention when needed.
Powered by Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative
3. Smart Appliances: A smart refrigerator can notify you when you’re running low on food and even help create shopping lists. It can also alert you when food is about to expire, helping you keep track of your groceries without effort.
4. Smart Traffic controls: Traffic signals control the flow of traffic and can turn lights green to allow emergency vehicles to traverse traffic with less delays. Smart traffic controls can also track pedestrians, bicycles, and crosswalks. The Oregon Coast experiences an influx of tourist traffic, both vehicle and pedestrian. If there are pedestrians impeding the flow of traffic or are in danger of close vehicular traffic, tourists crowding intersections waiting for crossing signals, smart traffic controls can turn lights red and allow for pedestrians to cross and mitigate potential danger, injury and possible loss of life. If a vehicle is travelling too fast to stop at an intersection, the traffic lights can be automatically managed to minimize potential impacts.
While the Internet of Things (IoT) offers significant benefits such as automation, convenience, and efficiency, it also presents a range of challenges and risks that need to be considered. Some of those include privacy, security, and ability for devices to communicate with each other, but the most paramount issue is connectivity.
IoT relies on robust, high-quality network infrastructure to operate. In areas with limited or unstable connectivity, devices may not function efficiently, compromising the system’s performance and reliability. Not all broadband is created equal and does not provide equal access and connectivity.
Cable, Coax or hybrid (HFC) do not offer symmetrical upload and download. Smart traffic, medical, and autonomous vehicles require fast reaction times to real life situations requiring very low latency. Latency is the time it takes for data to travel to its destination equipment. Fiber optic networks provide the lowest latency, the highest speeds, and the most reliable connections.
The Internet of Things (loT) is not just a technological trend, but a silent revolution that is shaping the way we interact with the world around us. The smart connectivity of everyday devices and objects not only enhances efficiency and convenience, but also opens up new possibilities for automation, sustainability, and innovations across various sectors. The loT promises to transform areas such as healthcare, transportation, industry, and even our homes, creating more integrated, secure, adaptable environments to meet human needs.
As technology advances and becomes more accessible, loT will continue to play a crucial role in redefining the human experience, both on a personal and corporate level. Therefore, it is essential for organizations and individuals to prepare for this connected future, seizing the opportunities offered by loT while mitigating its risks and challenges.
Beacon Broadband’s fiber optic network delivers toptier connectivity standards of connectivity, reliability, speed, and latency. The company is strategically focused on the future, with the goal of providing fiber optic connectivity to all members of Coos-Curry Electric Coop, ensuring that future opportunities are fully leveraged. This allows users to live wherever they wish while providing access to IoT and all the benefits provided by internet connectivity.
BEFORE YOU GO
Unexpected Friends
After seeing the photo we published in September of a fawn and cat, Ron Kopp decided to photograph similar events in his own backyard between a cat and a young buck.
“On our family ranch, south of Pilot Rock, Oregon, it is not unusual for deer to be in the yard—or cats, for that matter,” Ron says. “It is unusual for them to interact, however, especially on the sidewalk that leads to the ranch house’s front door.”
To submit your photo, email a JPEG file to photos@pioneer.coop. Include “Before You Go” in the subject line. Please share a bit about what inspired you to make your photo. n
A cat named Cat lies on a sidewalk as a curious buck leans down to lick it. As Cat placed his paw on the buck’s nose, neither seemed to mind the interaction. PHOTO COURTESY OF RON KOPP
Soup, Stews and Chowders
Cooking for Two
Get more than 220 recipes in a perfect-bound 8½-by-11-inch indexed book for $10, postage included. of cookbooks wanted, along with your name and address, to Ruralite Cookbooks, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133. BY PHONE: with Visa, MasterCard, Discover card or American Express. The contains recipes—most and the heartfelt stories recipes. indexed postage). Cooking for
The 2008 contest cookbook contains more than 180 recipes—most with a side dish and dessert, too. Included are the heartfelt and entertaining stories that accompany the recipes. The 8½-by-11-inch indexed book is $8 (includes postage).
TO ORDER BY MAIL:
Submit payment with cookbook title, your name, address and number of cookbooks wanted to: Ruralite Cookbooks P.O. Box 1306 North Plains, OR 97133
TO PAY BY PHONE: Call 503-357-2105 for credit card payments with Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.
TO ORDER ONLINE: Visit www.ruralite.com.
Please allow two to three weeks for delivery.
Submit your cookbooks
Board of Directors
President
Jim Kolen, Gold Beach
Vice President
Cheryl L. McMahan, Southern At-Large
Secretary/Treasurer
John G. Herzog, Brookings/Harbor
Georgia A. Cockerham, Brookings/Harbor
Daniel Loshbaugh, Northern At-Large
Peter C. Radabaugh, Bandon/Coquille
Daryl C. Robison, Port Orford/Langlois
Attorney—Tyler Pepple
Staff
General Manager/CEO
Brent Bischoff
Corporate Services/CFO
Paul Keeler
Engineering Manager
Matt Mjelde
Chief Technology Officer
Dan Springer
Marketing and Member
Services Manager
Keith Buchhalter
Operations Manager
Scott Adams
Human Resources Director
Breanne Valliere
Office hours 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Closed Fridays.
541-332-3931
After-Hours Outage Number
866-352-9044
Call Before You Dig
811
www.ccec.coop
OR-13
Beacon Broadband Progress Update
In November 2020, the Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative Board of Directors accepted a $14.1 million grant from the Federal Communications Commission’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and authorized staff to construct the fiber broadband network. The board gave staff two key objectives: First, provide fiber broadband service to every CCEC member who wants to subscribe, and second, electric revenue would not be used to subsidize Beacon Broadband operations. I’m proud to report Beacon Broadband is honoring these directives set by the board.
As of December 2024, Beacon Broadband provides service from the California border to Port Orford. That means more than 70% of CCEC members now have access to Beacon’s fiber broadband. Subscriber count grew 125% in 2024, ending the year with more than 4,500 active customers. In the first half of 2025, we expect to finish construction to our most rural locations in Curry County. Construction is also progressing north into Coos County.
Many of you who live in Curry County may not realize CCEC serves only the rural areas south and east of Coos Bay in Coos County. That means as we finish building the fiber network over the next two years, we will reach many of our most rural CCEC members who don’t have access to adequate broadband. For those of you still waiting, we are coming.
Beacon Broadband’s commitment to building a world-class fiber broadband network to serve the rural South Oregon Coast was recently recognized by the Oregon Broadband Office. This wasn’t an honorary recognition but a $19 million grant through the Oregon Broadband Deployment Program. In December, Beacon Broadband also received a notice of award from the United States Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect program of an additional $7 million grant. These two grant programs will fund most of the fiber network Beacon has left to build.
With the fiber network spanning Curry County, CCEC will connect electric substations to the fiber network in 2025. The network was designed and built with some fibers designated specifically for CCEC use. This will immediately improve CCEC’s ability to detect and respond to power outages. Storm response and restoration will be more efficient because outage locations can be identified faster and crews dispatched more effectively. This is just one example of the many ways the Beacon Broadband’s fiber communication network benefits CCEC operations.
Beacon Broadband made fantastic progress in 2024. We are on track to reach new milestones in 2025, bringing Beacon Broadband’s fiber experience where no one else will go.
Brent Bischoff General Manager and CEO brent.bischoff@cooscurryelectric.com
Brent Bischoff