Ruralite
OREGON TRAIL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE AUGUST 2024
INSIDE >> Trade School and Lineworker Scholarships Health Care in Healthy Communities
Downtown La Grande.
PHOTO BY COVER CONTEST
WINNER TRUDY WESTFIELD
FEELING REJUVENATED WITH CBD
Everyone feels the hurt as we age, but CBD can help you deal with it
By: Beth Giles
Life really does fly by. Before I knew it, my 60s had arrived, and with them came some new gifts from dear ol’ Mother Nature—frequent knee pain, stress, low energy and sleeplessness. Now, I’m a realist about these things, I knew I wasn’t going to be young and springy forever. But still, with “golden years” nearly on my doorstep, I couldn’t help but feel a little cheated. That is until I found my own secret weapon. Another gift from Mother Nature.
It began a few months back when I was complaining about my aches and pains to my marathon-running granddaughter, Jen. She casually mentioned how she uses CBD rub to help with her joint pain. She said that CBD gave her more focus and clarity throughout the day and that her lingering muscle and joint discomfort no longer bothered her. She even felt comfortable signing up for back-toback marathons two weekends in a row this year. That made even this self-proclaimed skeptic take notice.
But I still had some concerns. According to one study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 70% of CBD products didn’t contain the amount of CBD stated on their labels. And, as a consumer, that’s terrifying! If I was going to try CBD, I needed to trust the source through and through. My two-fold research process naturally led me to Zebra CBD. First, I started calling my family and friends. Call me old fashioned but I wanted to know if
there were people whom I trusted (more than anonymous testimonials) who’ve had success using CBD besides my granddaughter.
Secondly, I wanted cold hard facts. Diving deep into the world of CBD research and clinical studies, I came across Emily Gray M.D., a physician at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) Medical School and medical advisor to Zebra CBD who is researching the effects of CBD. Dr. Gray wrote “early results with CBD have been promising and we have a lot of research underway now. I’ve had several patients using CBD with good success. It’s important that you know your source of CBD and how to use it properly.”
After hearing it from the doctor’s mouth, I returned to my research, asking more people and was amazed by the number of close friends and family who were already on the CBD train. Apparently, I was the only one without a clue! And funny enough, a couple of friends who commented were using the same brand as my granddaughter—Zebra CBD. There was no consensus as to why they were using CBD, but the top reasons given were for muscle & joint discomfort, mood support, sleep support, stress and headaches, as well as supporting overall health & wellness.
Eventually, even the most skeptical of the bunch can be won over. With a trusted CBD source in mind, I decided to give it a go.
When I viewed Zebra CBD’s selection
online, I was impressed by its array of products, including CBD oils called tinctures, topicals, chewable tablets, mints and gummies. After reading on their website that all their products are made with organically-grown hemp, I ordered... and it arrived within 2 days!
The first product I tried was the Rub. Now this stuff was strong. Immediately after rubbing it on my knee, the soothing effects kicked in. It had that familiar menthol cooling effect, which I personally find very relieving. And the best part is, after two weeks of using it, my knee pain no longer affected my daily mobility.
The Zebra Sleep Gummies, on the other hand, had a different but equally positive effect on my body. To take it, the instructions suggest chewing thoroughly. This was simple enough, and the taste was, well, lemony. After about 15 minutes, a sense of calm came over my body. It's hard to describe exactly; it's definitely not a "high" feeling. It's more like an overall sense of relaxation—and then I was out. Needless to say, I slept great and woke up refreshed. I haven’t slept like that in a long time.
While it hasn’t been a catch-all fix to every one of my health issues, it has eased the level and frequency of my aches. And it sure doesn’t seem like a coincidence how rejuvenated I feel.
All-in-all, CBD is one of those things that you have to try for yourself. Although I was skeptical at first, I can safely say that I’m now a Zebra CBD fan and that I highly recommend their products. Also, I managed to speak with a Zebra CBD spokesperson willing to provide an exclusive. If you order this month, you’ll receive $10 off your first order by using promo code “RL10” at checkout. Plus, the company offers a 100% No-Hassle, Money-Back Guarantee. You can try it yourself and order Zebra CBD at ZebraCBD.com/CM or at 1-888-762-2699.
Ruralite
August 2024 • Volume 72, No. 8
CEO Michael Shepard
SENIOR VP OF CONTENT Leon Espinoza
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Mike Teegarden, CCC
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PUBLICATIONS PRODUCTION SR. MANAGER
Elizabeth Beatty
PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR
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Strong Flavor, Strong Muscles
This month, we feature two stories that are nothing alike and yet so similar.
Our Spotlight feature highlights the Guerra family and how it grew a business quite literally from the ground up.
Starting small in the 1970s, family members began growing peppers on 5 acres. They later expanded to 30 acres and produced thousands of pounds of peppers. They eventually developed seasonings from their crops and found even more success. The key to their success, says Lino Guerra, is caring for the roots of the plants and the roots of their family.
Now Lucas is giving back as a gym owner, passing on his knowledge to the next crop of strongmen.
Both stories are inspirational and demonstrate we can overcome the challenges life throws at us if we keep working hard.
Are you beating the summer heat?
Our Up Close feature profiles Lucas Hatton and his path from high school and small-college football to winning America’s Strongest Man competition. He also started small and worked his way up the ladder, overcoming challenges before finding success.
As I write this, we are enduring our first stretch of triple-digit temperatures. I have no doubt this is just the start of our summer sizzle. Western forest fires are breaking out as well. While summer is a great time to spend time outdoors, please be careful. The U.S. Forest Service says 85% of forest fires are caused by humans. Careless use of power tools, campfires, cigarettes and fireworks can start fires that are devastating for affected families. Please, use common sense and help prevent forest fires.
Sincerely,
Mike Teegarden Editorial Director
America’s Strongest Man
Lucas Hatton found a new hobby during the pandemic—strongman competitions—at which he quickly became one of the world’s best Up Close, Page 10
The Spice of Life
The Legacy of Guerra’s Gourmet Seasonings
Page 12
tuition and shorter training time means many students are able to graduate with little or no debt); and a high earning potential.
The OTEC Member Foundation offers $5,000 scholarships for those seeking to become lineworkers and $2,500 scholarships for those enrolling at a trade school.
The OTEC Member Foundation and Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative congratulate the following recipients of trade and lineworker scholarships.
$5,000 Line School Scholarships: Cash Moore, Kyle Pfeifer and Till Winegar.
$2,500 Trade School Scholarships: Jacob Cannon, Caleb Huston, Joe Morton, Avalon Perkins and Spencer Wheeler.
Applications for trade and lineworker school scholarships are open year-round. Visit otec. coop/scholarships to apply. n
Greg Hoover Memorial $2,500 Trade Scholarship
Tanner Lucas is the recipient of the Greg Hoover Memorial scholarship. This scholarship honors Greg’s life of hard work in the trades. He was a talented mechanic, licensed contractor and owner/ operator of an excavation company and an RV Park. Greg was a jack-of-all-trades.
“Greg Hoover sounds like a man that we should all strive to be,” Tanner says. “I know that I am not him, but he is the kind of man I would love to be one day. I know that this scholarship will help me toward a brighter future in which I am forever grateful for. Right now, I am going to Baker Technical Institute to get certified in welding and heavy equipment operations.”
Interested in starting a memorial fund or scholarship? Contact the OTEC Member Foundation at memberfoundation@otec.coop.
Jacob Cannon
Avalon Perkins
Caleb Huston
Joe Morton
Kyle Pfeifer Spencer Wheeler
Cash Moore
Till Winegar
What could AI, VR and AR mean for electric utilities? &Learning Adapting
By Scott Flood
Unless you’ve just awakened from an especially long nap, you’ve probably been hearing plenty about artificial intelligence. It’s likely that much of what you’ve heard is exciting or terrifying. Movies and TV offer paradises in which technology frees us from daily drudgery—and frightening scenarios in which machines become our overlords.
Venkat Banunarayanan smiles when asked if popular media’s takes on AI are accurate.
“We’re at the stage of discovery with AI,” Venkat says.
“There’s a lot more buzz than reality at this point, and we have a long way to go.”
As the vice president for Integrated Grid Business & Technology Strategies for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Venkat spends some of his time exploring possible use cases with AI, augmented/virtual reality and other technologies, while considering how they might improve the way electric utilities serve their consumer-members.
“Can AI do things better? Can it handle some of the tasks we have to do today? Can it make decisions for us? The answer to those and most other questions is the same: maybe,” he says.
Industry experts agree it’s impossible to guess where AI will be in another decade or two, but it’s currently not as powerful as the entertainment industry and media seem to think.
AI is being incorporated for specific tasks and activities, including automated solutions such as chatbots that are capable of answering common questions. AI has the potential to be paired with data analysis, such as retailers using data to better predict needs.
Despite what you may have heard, AI is incapable of thinking independently. The functionality greatly depends on programming, how the tool is trained to handle specific tasks and the level of data being fed into the system. AI revolves around learning and adapting to decision-making.
Because these new technologies interface with internal and external systems, Venkat stresses the importance of strong cybersecurity.
“We need to make sure hackers can’t influence systems,” he says. “When we consider advancements like AI, we need to ensure protection of personal,
critical infrastructure, proprietary and confidential data, too.”
Maintaining robust cyber hygiene is necessary to deploy any technology reliably and safely—AI is no different.
As electric utilities explore the possibilities of AI, they focus on underlying needs rather than the technology. Examining better ways to accomplish tasks and obtain desired results guide electric utilities as they consider AI tools for more efficient processes and approaches.
Despite all the hype, today’s AI is mostly used to make incremental improvements to existing products and services. That’s how electric utilities are likely to experience the growth of AI in the foreseeable future.
For example, the next generation of smart meters might incorporate AI tools that help homeowners better manage energy use. AI-based systems may also be used to improve management of the nation’s power grid, spotting potential problems before human operators can.
Weather forecasts are likely to become more accurate, pinpointing the areas most likely to experience damage so crews can be stationed there.
Another promising technology being explored is augmented reality, and some electric utilities are already testing it, particularly in educational and training opportunities.
For example, apprentice lineworkers can become comfortable with the equipment by working with the AR and VR versions before working with the real thing. Instead of watching a video or webinar, lineworkers can interact with what they’re doing. Safety training can simulate a hazardous situation, providing lineworkers the opportunity to prepare for the real thing.
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative began conducting VR training in September 2021. Training is offered to volunteer rural firefighters and the community as a way to raise public awareness on what to do if they encounter a downed power line.
“A main advantage is the ability to retain the information,” says Maaike Schotborgh, OTEC’s manager of safety and loss control.
“Traditional presentation methods have a retention rate of about 10% after four weeks, but VR training boasts a retention rate of 70% even after a year.”
In the future, OTEC wants to incorporate VR into its internal
AI Put Into Action
Electric utilities already use artificial intelligence and augmented reality for key tasks and activities.
Looking ahead, there is potential for AI and AR as helpful tools for improving grid reliability and the services they provide to consumer-members.
Services for Consumers
AI tools such as chatbots can enhance consumer interactions and provide a tailored experience based on energy use data.
Weather Forecasting
With the help of AI, weather forecasts will become more accurate, pinpointing areas to station utility crews.
Educational Opportunities
Through augmented reality, lineworkers can experience interactive, lifelike trainings, rather than watching a video or webinar.
trainings to help boost employee understanding and retention.
One day soon, a lineworker may look up at a failed transformer atop a power pole. Their safety glasses will recognize the type of transformer, its exact location and when it was installed before displaying a checklist of the equipment the lineworker needs, a guide to diagnosing common problems and 24-hour access to experts.
“The ability to use VR to learn in a ‘hands on’ environment, which is still controlled and safe, opens up a world of training possibilities,” Maaike says. “We think we are just starting to scratch the surface.”
Ultimately, the adoption of AI, VR, AR and other technologies share one goal for electric co-ops and public power utilities. From solving outages more quickly to allowing consumer-members greater control over their energy use to lowering the cost of service, tomorrow’s innovative technologies will continue to help electric utilities enhance the services they provide to communities. n
Where Do You Turn in an Emergency?
Sign up for alerts to stay on top of emergencies
Emergencies are unexpected. None of us schedules a wildfire, pandemic or blizzard.
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative communicates with you if we have a planned power outage or need to implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff. You will receive a call from OTEC to let you know what to expect.
When unexpected outages occur, we update our Facebook page with relevant information, including cause (if known) and estimated time until power recovery, when known.
But how do you know when other emergencies are happening or are on their way? How do you know what to do or where to go?
In Oregon, you can get lifesaving alerts and instructions to help you and others
stay safe. Sign up for alerts by visiting oralert.gov. After you sign up, you receive critical alerts of any situations that affect your home, even if you are away at the time.
The default cellular-based warning system delivers an alert to cellphones based on their location. If your cellphone is outside of your home area, you are not notified of any emergencies that affect your home address unless you have registered your address at oralert.gov.
Emergency managers in Baker, Grant, Harney and Union counties encourage residents to sign up for the alerts and follow the Oregon Department of Emergency Management and other agency social media pages. Residents should check the official pages for updates during an incident.
“I strongly encourage everyone to always keep emergency notifications enabled on their cellphones, as that is the most likely way that they will receive a
critical alert for an incident,” says Union County Emergency Manager Nick Vora. “If someone has emergency notifications disabled on their phone and is also not registered in our system, there is a very high chance that they may not receive a notification of an evacuation or other emergency.”
The Genasys Protect App is an evacuation management tool designed to enhance safety during emergencies. Harney County recently started using it.
“This is where all official information for Harney County will be published during a wildfire,” says Harney County Emergency Manager Melinda Todd. “The app will alert folks when the zone they live in—or any they add to their list—has any updates or incidents going on. We can even add road closures, water main breaks and other issues to it to keep the community up-to-date on incidents that may impact them in Harney County.”
Remember, safety comes first. n
AMERICA’S STRONGEST
Lucas Hatton found a new hobby during the pandemic—strongman competitions, where he quickly became one of the world’s best
By David Herder
With one event left at the 2023 America’s separated Lucas Hatton from a first-place finish was a set of 400-pound weights and
A native of Eatonville, Washington, competition before the final event: the stair climb. Competitors in the stair climb lift weights of 440, 485 and 530 pounds up a flight of four steps. A fourth-place finish in the same event cost him a victory at the prestigious Arnold Amateur Strongman Competition a few months earlier.
never considered being a strongman. He grew up playing football and track and field for Eatonville High School, in a small town a little more than an hour south of Seattle. He continued with both sports at Pacific Lutheran University in Parkland, Washington. Lucas says teachers and coaches in high school and college noticed his passion for lifting weights and working hard and helped set him up for success.
“Those coaches that took that extra time—I don’t think they realize how impactful that was long term,” he says.
Lucas Hatton began competing in strongman competitions in 2020 and won the 2023 America’s Strongest competition. PHOTOS COURTESY OF LUCAS HATTON
STRONGEST MAN
After college, Lucas continued working out, focusing on powerlifting—a sport where the goal is to lift the heaviest weights possible. For work, he managed a company that provided security for local events, a job he’d started while in college.
When the pandemic hit, powerlifting competitions in his area were canceled. However, a local gym ran an outdoor strongman competition, and Lucas entered.
He won, and the victory qualified him for a national competition.
Once there, Lucas, who is 6 feet tall, was surprised at how much larger competitors were at nationals.
“The first guy I saw in the lobby was 6’5”, 400 pounds, and I thought I was in the wrong place,” Lucas says. “It was a big eye-opener for what the next level was like.”
He finished 35th that first year. After a year of training, he returned and finished fifth in 2021. The top three finishers at nationals earn pro cards and are eligible to compete in professional strongman competitions. Going pro became Lucas’ goal, but it would require a life change.
As Lucas transitioned into strongman, some of his friends bought a gym, Dungeon Strength RX in Auburn, Washington, between Eatonville and Seattle. After the fifth-place finish, Lucas quit his security job and began working
at the gym full time, helping to run the facility and coach young athletes. He has since become part-owner of Dungeon Strength RX and loves working with youngsters who have found powerlifting routines online and want to try it.
“It’s a blast, man,” Lucas says. “I would do that regardless of if I ever lifted in strongman again.”
Soon, Lucas began finishing on podiums. He came in second at the 2022 nationals, allowing him to turn pro.
As strongman turned from a hobby to a job, his progression came quicker. He finished second at the Arnold Amateur and North America’s Strongest Man. Those finishes helped bolster his reputation and earned him invitations to bigger and better events.
At the 2023 America’s Strongest Man, Lucas had just four steps and three weights on his way to his first strongman victory. His overall lead was large enough that he didn’t need a spectacular result to win the competition. But halfway through the stair climb, he realized he could win the event. With a push, he had the best stair climb time of any competitor.
“It was kind of just a cool redemption moment,” Lucas says. “I got a lot of seconds and thirds on the way up, and I think I learned a lot from those. It forced me to get a lot better at things. I didn’t win until I earned it.” n
What is Strongman?
Stongman competitions test competitors through various feats of strength. Competitions typically have five to eight events, each requiring competitors to lift something as heavy as possible, do something as quickly as possible or do something for as long as possible. Every competition has a different event mix. At the 2023 America’s Strongest Man competition, won by Lucas Hatton, the events were:
X MAX AXLE PRESS: Similar to the clean and jerk you might see at the Olympics; competitors must lift the heaviest barbell possible above their heads.
X YOKE AND FARMER’S CARRY MEDLEY: In this medley, competitors must walk while carrying heavy weights two different ways. The yoke is a metal frame with a crossbar and weight added to the bottom, and is carried on the shoulders. In the farmer’s carry, competitors walk after picking up weights or dumbbells from the ground.
X UKRANIAN DEADLIFT: Competitors stand on a platform, and lift a handle connected to weights on the ground below. Competitors squat, grab the handle and lift the weight by standing up straight.
X DUMBBELL LADDER: As quickly as possible, competitors pick up a series of dumbbells one at a time, using both hands to get the weight to their shoulder, and then using one arm to hold it above their head.
X NATURAL STONES: As quickly as possible, competitors pick up rocks weighing between 280 and 366 pounds and place them on a chest-height platform.
X POWER STAIRS: As quickly as possible, competitors lift weights of 440, 485 and 530 pounds up a flight of four steps.
Lucas brought his family when competing in the Arnold Strongman Classic in the UK.
The Spice of Life: The Spice of Life: The Legacy of Guerra’s Gourmet Seasonings
By Chiara Profenna
On the outskirts of Sunnyside, Washington, it’s pepper harvest time.
From August to September, tens of thousands of peppers will be handpicked, sorted, dried and ground into powder for spice production. Running a farm is hard work, but help makes it possible.
Overlooking the beautiful Yakima Valley, the sprawling farm is run by Lino Guerra and his family. The farm has been passed down through generations and supports a flourishing seasoning business. However, Guerra’s Gourmet Seasonings, a natural spice line made with farm-grown peppers, is only one part of their story.
A Seed in the Ground
The Guerra family farm dates back to the 1970s, started by the father-son duo, Antonio and Lionel Guerra. At the same time, Lionel’s brother, Lino, was studying engineering at the University of Washington.
“My dad was a manager for a farmer here in the Yakima Valley,” Lino says. “And on his side business, he started doing a little bit of farm produce.”
With a 5-acre plot and the motivation to succeed, Antonio and Lionel began growing produce—tomatoes and peppers at first, then gradually expanding their offerings. They established Guerra’s Produce in 1978.
“We started mainly growing quite a bit of jalapenos, serranos, New Mexico chiles,” Lino says. “We had close to over 20 different varieties of chiles here, grown here in the Yakima Valley.”
Working as an engineer in lab research and development, Lino married his wife, Hilda, in 1982. He eventually joined his family on the farm to help with production. By 1986, he had taken over the family business, inspired by the love of cooking with seasoning. With Hilda and
two sons, Aaron and Chris, Lino began his life on the farm, slowly expanding the property into a 30-acre operation.
“I knew I had something here that nobody had in the Yakima Valley,” he says.
A Budding Family and Farm
By the 1990s, anyone in the vicinity could see that production was booming on the Guerra farm. Each acre produced between 7,000 and 10,000 pounds of peppers. After directing their focus on growing a wide variety of peppers, the Guerras began to strike deals with companies in Tacoma, selling the peppers picked and canned.
“And we had an abundance of peppers,” Lino says. “It was like, ‘What am I going to do with all this?’”
With a surplus of produce, Lino created a testing area on his farm to experiment with new recipes and uses for peppers.
“I started drying New Mexico chiles and a variety of different chiles— everything from Anaheim to Sandia peppers,” Lino says. “From there, we did a lot of dehydrating with the peppers, and I grinded the chiles up and blended the chiles with other spices and herbs to develop a nice seasoning. And that’s how everything started, right there.”
Their first recipe was Guerra’s Signature Seasoning. With a new product to share with the community, Lino decided to host a chile pepper festival on the farm. The event was an enormous success, featuring cooking and salsa demonstrations, children’s activities, tours of the farm and a celebration of Mexican culture, music and dancing.
“I noticed that everybody had an urge for seasoning,” Lino says. “There was no sugar, no MSG, gluten-free ... it just exploded.”
The Guerras ran the festival for another 13 years, eventually slowing down to prioritize family.
“We had to stop because my wife was involved in an accident, and at that same time, my dad got sick,” Lino says. “I had to slow down and sit back and start rethinking everything. My biggest thing is taking care of the family, and that’s what we did.”
With two more sons, Geraldo and Fabian, the Guerras had more than a full heart and home on the farm. They continued to broaden their business opportunities, trying their hand at running a cafe and a catering business while selling their seasoning at farmers markets throughout Washington.
A Flowering Business
By the time 2020 came around, the Guerras’ catering and seasoning businesses were flourishing.
“That’s when everything changed on us,” Lino says. “We just got into doing more producing for the seasonings and came out
The Guerra family gathers in spring to meticulously place each pepper plant on their 30 acres. PHOTOS COURTESY OF GUERRA’S GOURMET
The Fruits of Labor
Today, Chris and Geraldo spend most of their time running the family business, while Aaron and Fabian help from Seattle when they can.
“We don’t do what my parents or my grandpa used to do anymore,” Chris says. “But we try to better what they started. We’re just trying to continue that tradition, work with people locally and continue to produce a more localized product.”
The work doesn’t come without its fair share of challenges. Ecological factors cause setbacks every season.
“This last year, we tried to plant 30,000 plants, but the grasshoppers ate all of our seed. We lost a lot,” Chris says. “There’s always something that comes up that makes it really hard.”
There’s also a fine balance between running the farm and attending farmers markets.
“It is a lot, but somehow we make it work,” Chris says. “At the same time, we’re visiting all these farmers markets, we’re also in the field pulling weeds, or we’re picking peppers and then we go into cooking for people sometimes. So, it’s a lot of stuff. It’s really hard, but I think that’s also the fun of it.”
Scaling back their pepper production and catering businesses has given them more breathing room. The brothers have focused on creating seasonings and recipes to accompany their products sold at farmers markets and regional retailers.
“Now that we’re not catering as much, we do get to spend more time together, which is definitely more enjoyable,” Chris says. “In the end, this is all better for us because we get to spend more time focusing on our product, and that is sustainable for all of us.”
Being able to spend more quality time together as a family has eased the changes and hardships over the years.
“As my dad would say, ‘You got to protect the root system and the base of the plant,’ just like us as a family,” Lino says. “You protect the people that are around you and help them out.” n
You can find Guerra’s Gourmet products year-round at the Ballard Farmers Market, Pybus Public Market and Hood River Farmers Market. A full list of retailers can be found online at guerras-gourmet.square.site.
Guerra’s Fresh Harvest Salsa Recipe
Medium Hot
1 small onion, diced 1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
2 large limes
1 tablespoon Guerra’s Natural Seasoning
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 jalapeno*
1 serrano pepper*
1 Portugal pepper (remove seeds)
1 ancho pepper (remove seeds)
1 Anaheim pepper (remove seeds)
4 ripe tomatoes
In a medium-sized bowl, add the onion and cilantro. Squeeze the juice from both limes into the bowl and discard the fruit.
Add the seasoning and salt. Finely chop the remaining ingredients and add to the bowl. Stir all ingredients until well-mixed. Wait 10 minutes before serving. Serve with your favorite corn chips.
*Harvest Tip: Use all green peppers. As they ripen on the plant, you can also use the red ones.
Geraldo, Chris, Hilda and Lino Guerra all work full time on the family farm, managing the land, markets and seasoning production.
Throw a Party WITH COLD SUMMER DIPS
Caramelized Onion Dip
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 yellow onions, sliced
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Chives for garnish
Place oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add onions. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are soft and translucent, about seven minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the translucent onions become brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Onions should be soft, semi-translucent and brown. They should not be crispy or have dark brown spots from contact with the pan.
With a mixer, beat together cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise on medium-high until smooth. Add Worcestershire sauce and salt. Stir to combine.
Add caramelized onion and incorporate with a spatula until evenly distributed. Chill for at least an hour. Garnish with chives.
Recipes by Gertrude Treadaway
ADOBE STOCK
PHOTO BY ALEX
BAYEV
Million-Dollar Dip
4 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped
71/2-ounce package chiveand-onion cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ cup thinly sliced scallions
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, about eight minutes. Remove from heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Stir together cream cheese and mayonnaise in a medium bowl until fully combined. Fold in bacon, cheddar cheese and scallions. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to three days.
Creamy Crab Dip
12 ounces fresh lump crabmeat, drained and picked clean of shells
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/3 cup chopped scallions
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Chives, for garnish
Stir together first seven ingredients. Top with fresh chives. Chill for at least an hour before serving.
Cowboy Caviar Dip
2 cans black-eyed peas
1 can black beans
1 can corn
1 bell pepper red or green, finely diced
¼ cup red onion, finely diced
Vinaigrette
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons honey
2 to 4 jalapenos, seeded and finely diced
¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
Ranch Corn Dip
1 ounce ranch seasoning
16 ounces sour cream
141/2-ounce can petite diced tomatoes, drained
15.25-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper, to taste
Rinse and thoroughly drain the black-eyed peas and black beans. In a large bowl, mix together the black-eyed peas, black beans, corn, bell pepper, red onion and jalapenos. Add the vinaigrette ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend for five to 10 seconds or until emulsified. Pour the vinaigrette over the bean salad. Toss until well coated. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Just before serving, add chopped cilantro. Toss to combine.
4.25-ounce can diced green chilies, drained
10-ounce can original Rotel
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Mix all ingredients together. Chill for one hour before serving.
Creamy Cilantro Cucumber Dip
6 ounces plain Greek yogurt
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup chopped cucumber
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 to 3 stalks green onion
1 clove garlic
¼ teaspoon salt
Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Blend.
Garden Veggie Dip
11/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon dried dill
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons fresh chopped green onion, plus extra to taste
¼ cup finely grated carrot
¼ cup chopped broccoli florets, no stems
Combine all ingredients. Mix. Adjust seasoning to taste as needed.
Refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to blend.
Spicy Dill Dip
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup sour cream
1 large jalapeno
¼ of an English cucumber
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or 1 to 2 teaspoons dried dill
1 tablespoon chopped green onion
1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
Combine Greek yogurt and sour cream in a medium bowl. Remove the jalapeno’s stem, then mince the jalapeno. Add to the bowl. Include all of the seeds for a spicy dip, half for a lightly zesty dip and no seeds for a mild dip.
Coarsely grate the English cucumber using a cheese grater. Wring out excess moisture in a paper towel, then mince with a knife. Add to the bowl.
Stir in dill, green onion, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder and salt.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
READER EXCHANGE
Books/Magazines
Want to buy this book for my grandson: “Dalles Mountain Ranch Museum of Natural & Cultural Heritage of the East Columbia Gorge” by Darlene Highsmith Bleakney. Thank you for your help in finding this book.
Daryln Hansen
706 E. 14th St. The Dalles, OR. 97058 Pawhans@gmail.com
I have two paperbacks I would like to pass on to interested parties: “Genealogy of The Calvert Family (Cortland, New York branch)” by John B. Calvert, 1914, and C. Crossman Calvert, 1960; and “Pioneers of Molalla 1843-1900.”
Patt Moss P.O. Box 61155 Fairbanks, AK 99706
I am looking for one of my daughter’s favorite childhood books. It is “This Room is Mine” by Betty Ren Wright. I thank you in advance.
Jeanne Christie 4134 Filbert Meadows Way Springfield, OR 97478
I have a collection of Northwest Edition and Northwest Living Magazines from January 1984 through November/December 1990. I would like to pass them on to someone for cost of postage. Contact me, and we’ll make it work.
Pat Shira 111 Parson Lane Troy, MT 59935
Crafts/Hobbies
I’m looking for a Raggedy Ann doll pattern. Thank you.
Rosalyn Murphy
6557 Lucky Lane #802 Brookings OR 97415
Submitting Requests Is Free
Thanks to readers who have sent me jewelry before. If anyone has old jewelry or broken jewelry they do not want, I sure could use more. I am working on remaking and selling jewelry to benefit the Alturas Humane Society.
Carol S. Semenko 145 Chukar Lane Alturas, CA 96101 bunnyperson_8@yahoo.com
Looking for Hug Snug rayon seam binding, any color, for craft projects to make with my children. Any amount will be appreciated. Thank you very much.
Liz Burford 6111 Highway 57 Priest River, ID 83856
I am in search of any kind of Disney fabrics—any length or scraps. Also looking for birthday theme fabric, balloons, candles, cake, etc.—any length or scraps.
Anisa Troyer 35711 SE Kennel Road Albany, OR 97322
I am looking for green snuff can lids for a regalia outfit, jingle dress. Any donations would be appreciated.
Jessica Orr P.O. Box 939 Nespelem, WA 99155
My sister and I are making jewelry. We would appreciate unused beads or stones or any unwanted items. Thank you.
Marsha Holeik 16637 William Foss Road La Pine, OR 97739
My mom needs greeting cards—new or used. She makes card bowls with them and gives them away locally. Thank you from Peggy S.
Millie Shelton 85460 Christmas Valley Hwy Silver Lake, OR 97638
Send your request—no attachments, please—to readerexchange@ruralite.org or mail to Reader Exchange, 5625 NE Elam Young Parkway, Suite 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124. Fill in the subject line with Reader Exchange. Acceptance, scheduling and editing are at the editor’s discretion. Single requests only, please. No duplicates. Submissions are handled on a first-come, first-served basis and as space allows. We cannot honor every request. Please affirm you have authorization from all appropriate parties before submitting. By submitting, you indemnify Reader Exchange, Pioneer Utility Resources Inc., its officers, directors, employees, utility clients and insurers from all legal liability incurred by the publication of information.
We no longer accept pen pal requests. You may submit a pen pal request as a Marketplace ad. Marketplace pricing applies. When submitting a milestone request, please send it at least two months before the milestone. Phone numbers will not be published. Email addresses will be published if part of the ad, but you must include a postal address. Requests also must include the name and address of the electric utility that provides your magazine.
I am looking for buttons for a game to teach children. Each child needs 50 to 100 buttons. They need five different types: leather, wooden, ceramic, shell and so on. Each child learns to sew on a button and then shares with a friend. I also need one or two large buttons to create button buzzers. Thanks in advance for your help.
Donita Culberson
P.O. Box 108 Baker City, OR 97814
I’m looking for any used or new greeting cards and unwanted scrapbooking supplies to put together scrapbooking albums to decorate for my grandchildren with our family photos and to track family genealogy. I use buttons, iron emblems and cutouts to decorate the pages. If local to Burns, Oregon, I’m willing to pick it up. Your help is greatly appreciated as I make these treasures for my grandchildren.
Peggy Lee Mazziotti
315 W. Johnson St. Burns, OR 97720
Milestones
My dad turns 90 this month. A retired U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War era, he was a flight engineer and is one of the few remaining veterans of Underage Military Service (having enlisted at the age of 15). With the passing of his friends, my mom in 2016 and my bonus mom in 2023, he’s very lonely and spends many hours reading nonfiction. Since one of my dad’s daily highlights is “checking the mail,” I thought it would be wonderful if our community would help celebrate this milestone birthday and brighten his days with thoughtful cards throughout August. Once a trainer for Lockheed Martin Aircraft Service, he loves explaining details of old military aircraft and is volunteering at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. Send cards to Jim Padden, 714 E. McKinley St., Carlton, OR 97111. Thank you.
Liz Kennedy Banks, Oregon
My mom turns 88 this month. Your wishes would make her day. Our house was neighborhood central—kick the can, sharing our big garden, cookies on the back porch—and she was director of Summer “Girls Camp.” Send your wishes with your own stories to Celia Davidson, 900 N. Western Ave. #103, Wenatchee, WA 98801.
Colleen Ward Washington Thanks
I have received 400 cards from you wonderful readers. Such nice words. Thanks to each of you. It has been such fun to read them.
Margaret McLaughlin Pendelton, Oregon
The family of Peter Cladouhous offers sincere thanks to the nearly 300 Ruralite readers who thoughtfully sent cards and letters to Peter when he celebrated his 100th birthday last year. Opening stacks of mail every day for almost two weeks and deeply touched by your kindness, he enjoyed all those beautiful cards and creative letters more than you can imagine. Always one to organize, he put them in a special box marked “save.” After he passed away, family had the pleasure of reading each one and feeling the warmth of your birthday wishes. Peter spent his final weeks in hospice and passed peacefully from this world on March 19. You can learn more by reading his obituary at www.schniderfuneralhome.com/obituary/peter-cladouhos.
Cladouhous Family Grangeville, Idaho
You don’t often get email from oohletmysee1@gmail.com. Learn why this is important. I wish to thank everyone who responded to my request for old jewelry. It was an incredible amount of gifts from our community. I tried to send as many thank you notes as I could, but for those who may have been missed, thank you.
Holly Hill Port Orford, Oregon
We want to thank Ruralite readers for sending my mother, Betty, birthday cards in December. She received more than 350 beautiful cards, many handmade. What a gift.
Gail Harrower & Family Bend, Oregon
We would like to thank you all for the shipments of yarn we have received to help us with our knitting project. It is so wonderful to receive the yarn that is being used to make hats, scarves and baby blankets for young mothers in need. We could not have made this possible without your donations. God bless you all.
Deb Darr Falls City, Oregon
Heartfelt thanks to every person who was so kind to send a birthday card to my mom (who has Alzheimer’s). She received over 500 cards. Each day was amazing as the postal carrier brought handfuls of cards every single day. We put all of the cards in scrapbooks for her. She delights in turning each of the pages many times a day to see the hundreds of beautiful cards. Thank you so very much.
Kathleen Ahern St. Maries, Idaho
e best walk-in tub just got better with breakthrough technology! Presenting the all new Safe Step Walk-In Tub featuring MicroSoothe. ® An air system so revolutionary, it oxygenates, softens and exfoliates skin, turning your bath into a spa-like experience. Constructed and built right here in America for safety and durability from the ground up, and with more standard features than any other tub.
✓ Heated seat providing warmth from beginning to end
✓ Carefully engineered hydro-massage jets strategically placed to target sore muscles and joints
✓ High-quality tub complete with a comprehensive lifetime warranty on the entire tub
✓ Top-of-the-line installation and service, all included at one low, affordable price You’ll agree – there just isn’t a better, more affordable walk-in tub on the market.
Seeing Light at Home
By Dave LaBelle
Recently, I challenged myself to see and photograph light as I found it entering our home, without any help or interference.
Determining not to move anything for better composition, I watched as morning and afternoon light crawled across tables, chairs, curtains and floors, illuminating things hidden in shadow: dusty furniture, hanging towels, baskets of fruit, our dog, even discarded toilet paper rolls on a window sill in the bathroom.
The temptation to move a towel, a napkin or a banana to create a better composition or add artificial fill light was great, but I resisted in the name of capturing only what I saw naturally.
Photographing the light and those things it touched was an exercise I faithfully maintained for 10 days, posting a picture every day on Facebook.
In the end, this modest exercise accomplished more than anticipated.
To begin, it slowed me down. I noticed a world I had ignored and saw details I had seldom paid attention to before, such as the carvings on a wooden sculpture, a nook for a phone, the glass doorknobs on my bedroom doors.
It helped me truly see light in a new light, as I watched color and intensity quickly change, and deep shadows
open and close again. Though I have always adored light from the time I opened my eyes, a new heightened awareness of its magical healing power and beauty washed over me.
More than once I breathed deeply and brushed away grateful tears. I was reminded that where there are shadows, there is light.
Lastly, the exercise offered me something to look forward to each morning, photography not assigned or driven by a deadline, something visually stimulating and soothing, like soft classical music.
What pleased me most was the response to the uncomplicated images after posting them online. Many friends and photographers whose work I greatly admire were encouraged to capture their own found images of light. n
Reader Challenge
Slow down and capture the beauty of natural light as it enters your home. Follow and study the light as it moves, illuminating and exposing. Watch how the morning light crawls through your house as you open your drapes and find things you often don’t notice. See if you can capture an image that celebrates the beautiful light.
Email your best image (just one, please) with caption information, including an explanation of how it affects you, to GPH@pur.coop. We may share submissions on our website and social media channels.
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.
A shaft of morning light through a kitchen curtain temporarily reaches a wire basket of fruit my wife put there the night before. BY DAVE LABELLE
NIKON D810, 38mm lens ISO 100, f/4.5 at 1/200
Now, THIS is a Knife!
EXCLUSIVE FREE
Inthe blockbuster film, when a strapping Australian crocodile hunter and a lovely American journalist were getting robbed at knife point by a couple of young thugs in New York, the tough Aussie pulls out his dagger and says “That’s not a knife, THIS is a knife!” Of course, the thugs scattered and he continued on to win the reporter’s heart.
Our Aussie friend would approve of our rendition of his “knife.”
Forged of high grade 420 surgical stainless steel, this knife is an impressive 16" from pommel to point. And, the blade is full tang, meaning it runs the entirety of the knife, even though part of it is under wraps in the natural bone and wood handle.
Secured in a tooled leather sheath, this is one impressive knife, with an equally impressive price.
This fusion of substance and style can garner a high price tag out in the marketplace. In fact, we found full tang, stainless steel blades with bone handles in excess of $2,000. Well, that won’t cut it around here. We have mastered the hunt for the best deal, and in turn pass the spoils on to our customers.
But we don’t stop there. While supplies last, we’ll include a pair of $99, 8x21 power compact binoculars, and a genuine leather sheath when you purchase the Down Under Bowie Knife
Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. knife in your hands, wear it on your hip, inspect the impeccable craftsmanship. If you don’t feel like we cut you a fair deal, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price.
Limited Reserves. A deal like this won’t last long. We have only 1120 Down Under Bowie Knives for this ad only. Don’t let this beauty slip through your fingers at a price that won’t drag you under.
Stauer® 8x21
Compact Binoculars -a $99 valuewith purchase of Down Under Knife
BONUS! Call today and you’ll also receive this genuine leather sheath!
Your Insider Offer Code: DUK404-01 You must use the insider offer code to get our special price. Down Under Bowie Knife $249* Offer Code Price Only $99 + S&P Save $150
What Stauer Clients Are Saying About Our Knives
“This knife is beautiful!”
— J., La Crescent, MN
“The feel of this knife is unbelievable...this is an incredibly fine instrument.”
— H., Arvada, CO
*Discount is only for customers who use the offer code versus the listed original Stauer.com price.
California residents please call 1-800-333-2045 regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product.
• Etched stainless steel full tang blade ; 16” overall • Painted natural bone and wood handle • Brass hand guards, spacers & end cap • Includes genuine tooled leather sheath 14091 Southcross Drive W., Dept. DUK404-01 Burnsville, Minnesota 55337 www.stauer.com
Summer Summer Safety Tips Safety Tips
Activity safety
Never swim near a boat, marina or boat launching ramp.
Keep the pool and deck clear of floats, balls and toys after you get out of the pool.
Always use U.S. Coast Guardapproved life safety jackets. Note: there are important differences between adult and children’s life jackets.
Adults need to stay with children when they are around water.
Always swim with a buddy.
Adults - Stay safe around power lines and electrical equipment. Call 811 before you dig to locate buried utility lines. When working outside, know where overhead lines are and keep yourself, as well as your equipment, at least 10 feet away from them.
Always wear a bike helmet and bright clothes when cycling so people can see you. Put reflectors on your bike.
Kids - Do not climb trees near power lines. Do not play on electrical equipment. For more information and free resources, visit www.usfa.fema.gov
Miscellaneous
Granite cemetery markers at affordable prices. Will ship to most places. For more info: www.highdesertmemorials.com; Joe, highdesertmemorials@gmail.com or 541-815-8906. 0824
Alaskan Yellow Cedar. Great for planter boxes, herb and flower beds, fencing or decks. Various sizes available. Pete, 541-206-0727. Lisa, 541-747-5025, ext. 21. 1224
Pets, Supplies
Border collies are the world’s smartest dog breed. Purebred puppies for therapy or service dogs, sports, herding or family companions. Excellent dispositions. Longhaired, various colors. Vet check, first vaccine and deworming. Raised in our home. $800. 541-979-5759; danita@centurylink.net. 0824
AKC-registered Airedales. Fort Sage Kennels, Patricia Sharp, P.O. Box 246, Doyle, CA 96109. 530-827-2271. 0924
Idaho shag (Border collie x Airedale). The best dog you will ever have. Farm/ranch dog. Males and females. $450 each. Colton, OR. 971-804-1706.
Wanted: a pure-bred female German shepherd puppy in Oregon. Ready after August 20. Call Shannon, 503-313-8029.
Maine Coon kittens for adoption. Grey and black colors male and females. kittensfind.net. 808222-1828; barloweemily852@gmail.com. 0824
Plants, Garden Supplies
Cactus for sale. Cold/winter hardy. Good for landscaping. Sunnyside/Mabton, WA, area. Local pickup only. 509-391-5546; marybarthlow@gmail.com. 0924
Real Estate
9.87 acres in Willard, WA. All harvestable timber. 100 ft. from Little White Salmon River. 17 miles north of Hood River, OR. $650K. 509-538-2187. 0824
15 off-grid acres. At 8,400ft. near Fort Garland, CO. Great view of CO’s fourth highest peak. On Person’s Road in Sangre de Cristo Ranches. Piñon trees, year-round access. $52.9K. 541-729-0374. 0924
Buying or selling in Brookings, OR? Call Pat Piper at Century 21 Agate Realty first. Experience. Empathy. Education. Exceptional. 541-251-2152; patpiperbroker@gmail.com. 1024
5-acre lots, $30K down and 5% interest. Recreational, beautiful view outside Cherry Creek, NV. Owner finance. Ray Bick, 775-5910420. 0824
$179.9K. Fully loaded, remote, AK property for sale. Log cabin, fully equipped with all living amenities, SeaArk river boat (less than 200 hrs), 5 acres, chain saw sawmill, tractor, DR mower, tool shed full of everything you will need and much more. River and trail access. Half hour boat ride up river from Nenana, AK, boat dock. Outside borough so no property taxes. Only serious buyers. 907-388-7080. 0824
Christmas Valley, OR. 40 acres with perimeter fence. 36x36 metal building, two carports, 370-ft. deep water well, storage container on chase. Taking only serious offers. 541-5365776. 0924
Let me help you buy or sell ranch, farm and recreation property in OR. Fourth-generation Oregonian, prior ranch owner. For sale: central OR, 2-acre parcel. $624K. John Gill, 541-4809161; johngill@landandwildlife.com. Land And Wildlife brokerage. 0824
Private 80-acre scenic setting in the timber, borders national forest, home, garage, barn, pond. $775K. Duke Warner Realty, 541-9872363; ddwr@ortelco.net. 0824
Off-grid homestead. Ideal for wind/solar power. NE Elko County, NV. Has equipment, quarters, shop. Year-round access. Water and power nearby. $35K. geopup58@gmail.com.
Recreational Rentals
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.
Fun in OR. Eagle Crest timeshare. $1, that’s right. Biannual; Nov.-Dec. and Jan.-Feb. 541-480-7219. 0824
Recreational Vehicles
1999 Dutch Star 38’ RV. Diesel pusher. 3126B Catepillar engine. Freightliner chasis. One slide. Excellent condition. 95,000 miles. Many upgrades. Asking $25K. 530-616-0388. 0824
2016 Thor 4 Winds RV. 28ft; 39,000 miles. Ford E450 generator, large kitchen slide, great condition. $59K. Jerryrudloff@yahoo.com. 541-788-0231. 0824
Services
Dawn Till Dusk Masonry. Brick, block, stone and pavers. Small jobs and repairs welcome. Check out our website at dawntillduskconstructionmasonry.com. 541-388-7605; 541-410-6945. License #245760 bonded and insured. La Pine, OR. 0824
Timeshare victims? Call TimeShareBeGone, 800-214-4460. We will get your timeshare legally canceled. A-plus BBB, 5-star reviews, 16 years experience. 100% money back guarantee. 1024
We all want delicious, fresh, nourishing food to feed our families. We’ve got pastured pork corn/soy/GMO free. Delivery to your door or drop sites. Order at www.rural-roots-ranch.com or text Christy at 541-589-4674. 1224
Want to Buy
Wanted: 1967-’72 Buick Skylark, GS, Stage 1, GSX. Cars, parts or leads. Or any ’60s or ’70s vehicles. billybibbett@hotmail.com. 0824
Wanted: Early Corvette ’58-’62, any condition. Call or text Randy, 503-544-3807. 0824
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 or 971-666-0659. 0824
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. 1024
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. 1024
Wanted: Old 501 Levi’s jeans and jackets with capital “E” on the red tag. Also Carhartts with red heart. Good prices. Text photos to 208-255-8030. 0824
These volunteers, including Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative board member Gary Miller, use vans purchased in 2014 by the Oregon State Elks Association to transport veterans to appointments at VA centers in Burns and Boise.
“I’ve been doing this for 13 years now,” Gary says. “I’ve really enjoyed the conversations I’ve been able to have and the stories these brave veterans have shared with me.”
Losing Vital Services
Rural health care facilities are finding it increasingly difficult to provide specialized services too, even services that have long been viewed as essential have been significantly impacted.
According to a national report published by The Chartis Group, between 2011 and 2021, more than 260—about 25%—of the nation’s rural hospitals stopped providing obstetrics services.
The anticipated supply of OB/GYNs is now expected to meet only about 50% of the demand in rural areas. The loss of hospital-based obstetric care is associated with increases in preterm births and distance traveled for obstetric care, which may contribute to poor maternal and infant health outcomes.
In Oregon, only one-quarter of rural hospitals offer obstetrics care. This is an alarming statistic, and one getting the attention of lawmakers as evidenced by the recently introduced Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act and the Keep Obstetrics Local Act introduced by Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden.
“Too many rural communities have become maternity deserts,” Ron says. “It’s time to turn the tide and offer some stability to rural hospitals that want to help families give birth in their own communities. This legislation will give rural and underserved hospitals the means to keep their labor and delivery units open.”
A Team Effort
Providing quality health care for rural communities is truly a team effort. The dedicated professionals in hospitals and doctors’ offices, public health departments,
Public Health Services
When people think of health care, they often envision services focused on individual physical health. But health care encompasses more than just doctor’s offices and hospitals, and includes vital roles such as the county public health department. Public health’s focus extends beyond individuals to entire communities or specific groups within them. It prioritizes policies and environmental changes that foster communitywide health.
Public health collaborates with community partners to assess and address local health needs, providing essential services and resources. In some cases, it directly serves and protects the community or specific groups, acting as a safety net for those with limited access to other health care services.
The Center for Human Development in Union County offers a range of public health services. These include immunizations, testing and treatment for communicable diseases, family planning, in-home health visits for families who are pregnant or parenting children and youth with special health needs, and nutritional assistance through the WIC program.
Union County’s Director of Public Health Carrie Brogoitti emphasizes these services not only aid individuals but also contribute to community health by reducing disease rates and ensuring families can meet basic nutritional needs.
Public health initiatives also reach into the community. In many Oregon communities, schoolbased health centers provide a full range of primary care services for students on their school campus. This approach not only supports students’ physical and mental well-being but also promotes consistent school attendance and reduces parental work absences.
Another critical aspect of public health is prevention. Many of the leading causes of death in rural areas are preventable. Educating people on the health risks associated with certain behaviors can help them make better decisions before engaging in these behaviors and help them seek treatment when they are ready to stop.
Additionally, public health safeguards community health through activities such as restaurant inspections and ensuring safe drinking water.
Public health goes beyond treating illness. It proactively promotes community health through education, access to essential services and preventive measures.
health clinics and first response units all serve critical roles in providing for the health of individuals, families and communities. When one piece is missing, it places additional burdens upon the others and can destabilize the entire system.
Use It or Lose It
There was once a time when we took for granted that our community would have adequate doctors, hospitals and other needed health care services, but that time has passed.
Many U.S. communities have already felt the impact of losing some of these services and have seen the effects ripple throughout their communities. There are severe economic impacts as communities find it increasingly difficult to attract new businesses and families.
Rural American health care facilities operate much like any other local business—they rely on the support of community members to thrive. Just like any business, they must deliver highquality services at competitive prices to maintain customer loyalty. This mutual relationship requires continuous nurturing to endure.
We must all do our part to safeguard the health care services we have to ensure we do not lose additional services. Just as a restaurant or construction company relies on local customers to stay in business, our local doctors and health care facilities rely on patients using their services.
We hope you join us in thanking the dedicated professionals who serve the health needs of our communities. We encourage you to use and support local health care options when possible. n
BEFORE YOU GO
Share the Beauty in Your Backyard
For Jeri Rector, a late-night bout of acid reflux turned out to be a blessing.
“I peered out my kitchen window and saw a gray bow crossing the sky,” she says. “As colors began to appear, I ran out into our backyard in my bare feet and asked God if he was giving me a sign to get ready, then quickly ran back in for my phone and took this picture.”
Jeri says the rare moonbow—or lunar rainbow—lasted only a few minutes.
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
Moonbows are rare, occurring less than 10% as often as rainbows. Jeri captured this one in Parkdale, Oregon. PHOTO BY JERI
RECTOR
Paula Zanter-Stout shared this photo of a windmill on a particularly hazy morning at sunrise from her back porch, south of Moses Lake, Washington. The windmill has become a favorite subject of her photos. PHOTO BY PAULA ZANTER-STOUT
District Offices
4005 23rd St. P.O. Box 226
Baker City, OR 97814 541-523-3616
567 W. Pierce St. Burns, OR 97720 541-573-2666
400 Patterson Bridge Road P.O. Box 575
John Day, OR 97845 541-575-0161
2408 Cove Ave. La Grande, OR 97850 541-963-3155
www.otec.coop communications@otec.coop Report Outages at 866-430-4265
Facebook.com/OTECoop
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Board Members
President Aletha Bonebrake, Baker County
Vice President Gary Miller, Grant County
Secretary-Treasurer
Cory Miller, Union County
George “Austin” Bingaman, Union County
David Baum, Union County
Robert Cargill, Harney County
Charlene Chase, Baker County
Jeff D. Clark, Union County
Wayne Overton, Baker County
Les Penning, CEO
Ron Williams, Attorney OR-48
Local Health Care, an Essential Component of Healthy Communities
For the past few months, we have looked at several pillars of healthy communities. In this month’s Ruralite, we take a peek at the importance of health care services in rural America. See pages 28-29.
The American health care system has seen more than its fair share of challenges in recent years. Many hospitals were already facing staffing and funding challenges before the pandemic and have seen those issues compounded in its wake. Health care facilities in rural America have been hit especially hard.
With more than 60 million Americans living in rural areas, access to vital health services can be difficult for many. Between 2005 and June 2023, 195 rural hospitals shut down, including 100 hospitals that permanently closed their doors and 95 facilities that no longer provide inpatient services, according to the University of North Carolina’s Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. Furthermore, according to 2023 data from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform, more than 600 rural hospitals—nearly 30% of all rural hospitals in the country—were at recent risk of closing due to financial pressures.
When health facilities close, there can be devastating effects for individuals, families and entire communities. For many small communities, not only is the hospital the health care center, it often is the economic center as well. In addition to the direct job losses, communities that have lost health care facilities find it difficult to attract new businesses, and existing businesses struggle to attract new talent. This cycle can quickly spiral, resulting in further deterioration of communities.
There are 37 rural and frontier hospitals in Oregon, including the four in Baker, Grant, Harney and Union counties. In addition to health care services, these hospitals provide excellent jobs in our communities, helping support the local economy and spur economic development.
The current heavy wildfire activity in our area underscores how much we rely on our dedicated, local medical services and providers. Our medical facilities and experts are involved in many ways, including treating those who are directly involved in fighting the fires and protecting our forests, homes and communities. They are also involved in treating people who experience medical issues brought on—or complicated by—exposure to smoke and other airborne pollutants.
Health care facilities and providers face many challenges, some of which are complicated by our rural setting. One strength of any healthy community is the ability of its citizens to work together to support one another while seeking ways to collaboratively solve challenges in ways that strengthen the entire community. As our communities navigate the complexities of health care access and sustainability, fostering collaborative efforts remains essential to safeguarding the well-being and resilience of us all.
CEO Les Penning