Basin Business — July 2018

KLAMATH BASIN

July 2018

Basin Business

Business

Thursday, July 26, 2018, Herald and News

New eats and gifts in Lakeview — Page 4

OIT success story Rural Business Innovation Summit set for Sept. 13 — Page 3

Little change in jobless reports — Page 4

FINANCIAL FOCUS:

How to help your child with college costs

— Page 5

Submitted photo Mike Starr manages some 1,500 people at the Boeing plant in Portland, which makes airplane parts. A Klamath Falls native, Starr earned a degree in mechanical engineering at Oregon Institute of Technology. See story Page 2.

A publication of the Herald & News

Chamber: www.klamath.org

1

2

Thursday, July 26, 2018, Herald and News

Basin Business

n Businessman profile

Mike Starr flying high at Boeing

BY DI SAUNDERS

Oregon Tech Public Affairs

A

s someone who has run Boeing’s entire Portland plant of 1,500 people, Mike Starr has come a long way from summer jobs weeding onion fields and working on fishing boats.

A small-town guy from Klamath Falls, Starr was raised in a family with a pioneering history of raising sheep in the vast grasslands of rural Oregon.

His father, a conductor with Burlington Northern, and his mother, who worked out of the home to raise their four kids, brought up a curious son who made the most of life’s opportunities to point the way to a successful engineering career.

Mike Starr manages some 1,500 people at the Boeing plant in Portland, which makes airplane parts.

A mind for math

Starr’s history with Oregon Tech began when he was spotted by the university’s football coach and recruited as a deep snapper for the Owls, and offered an academic scholarship to cover the $1,500 annual tuition costs.

While he had always had a talent for science and math, a career in engineering had not yet solidified for him.

But after being intrigued by a mechanical engineering course, Starr was hooked. “My brain just kind of worked that way.”

He thrived in the small class environment and the connections that he built with faculty along the way, with Oregon Tech being a “big” university to him, having gone to a Catholic school in Klamath Falls with 22 students in his class.

Then, after an injury on the football field in his freshman year ended his sports career, he focused exclusively on his studies, graduating summa cum laude in 1989 with a degree in mechanical engineering.

After graduation, Starr’s path led straight to a job with Boeing at its Renton plant in Washington after attending an Oregon Tech career day event. With two offers from Boeing, he started out as a liaison engineer at $27k a year, working on the last military version of the 707 planes.

But six months later when a job opened in Portland, he jumped at it as a way to be closer to home and his large family.

Oregon Tech grads for hire

Now, 29 years later, Starr is vice president of actuation at Boeing and senior leader at the plant in Gresham, working with “amazing products and 1,500 amazing people.”

Actuation deals with anything that moves in a plane, such as flaps, doors, tail sections, landing gear, shafts, housings and the like. After 30 years of others designing and building these parts, now they create them at the Gresham plant.

“It enables us to control sourcing better,” Starr said.

“Portland is the only plant that does actuation — the rest

Submitted photos

of fabrication is divided by domains. Our plant is known for its large titanium structures which form the skeleton of the plane.”

These days Mike hires all of the Oregon Tech grads that he can get, “but there’s just not enough of them,” he said. He has seen a high quality skill set and work ethic among all the Oregon Tech-educated employees, but especially those who were in the MECOP paid-internship program, formerly known as the Multiple Engineering Cooperative Program.

“I’m glad I went to school in the 1980s, as today the graduates are so good and the competition is very high.

Students are eloquent, team players, able to work together well. Boeing treats them like they’ve been there for a long time because they are so talented and mature.”

Internships the key to jobs

Boeing hires Oregon Tech students from both campuses, Klamath Falls and Portland-Metro (Wilsonville), but rarely takes on engineers who haven’t had internships.

“At Boeing we call internships ‘the long interview.’ It shows us how students solve problems, interact with the team, and their work ethic.”

When asked how Oregon Tech prepared him for his career, and what he had that his colleagues from other

See STARR, Page 5

Mike Starr, left, and Oregon Tech President Nagi Naganathan, share a moment at an open house at the Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center in Scappoose. Starr, a 1989 Tech graduate, is the vice president of actuation for Boeing in Portland.

Basin Business

Thursday, July 26, 2018, Herald and News

3

Chamber’s summit focus: Growing locally Rural Business Summit coming to Klamath Sept. 13 From a press release At this year’s Rural Business and Innovation Summit, Don Macke with the National Center for Rural Entrepreneurship will address how rural communities can grow a stronger economy and community — and keep or attract young people — through entrepreneurship.

The summit will be Sept. 13 at Klamath Community College in Klamath Falls and is the premiere conference for rural business owners, entrepreneurs, and community leaders.

“Rural communities spend a lot of time looking at ways to keep young people in the community,” said Heather Tramp, the Chamber’s executive director.

“Macke has researched this issue and we’re excited to bring him in to share what he knows.”

Macke has spent the last 40-plus years working throughout North America learning from and helping communities and regions grow through entrepreneur-led development. The key to resilient and prosperous communities in the post Great Recession period is diversity — generational, social and economic. Macke will share his experience through research and stories how entrepreneurial communities are able to attract and retain both younger adults and retiring boomers.

Other speakers and topics at the Rural Business and Innovation Summit will include: ■ How to Build a Multi-MillionDollar Business No Matter Where You Live — Aaron Orendorff.

Editor-in-chief of Shopify Plus: From a freezing attic to talking Mark Cuban out of $100,000 on Shark Tank, Lisa Bradley and Cameron Cruse built R. Rivet into a multi-million-dollar

Bros brand. The Dutch Bros blood flows deeply in Brant. From franchisee coach to director of culture to his current role as chief culture officer, he continues carrying on the tradition of sharing the wisdom that his dad gave so freely.

Orendorff

Macke

Boersma

company by answering a single question: Could they create a business that provides military spouses with portable employment opportunities and allows them to earn an income regardless of where they live or how often they move? Follow their journey and learn three lessons to success.

■ Retail Businesses — How to Grow and Thrive — Leslie Hildula, Portland Community College SBDC:

This interactive session will focus on these three areas: attracting new customers, competing with online and big box companies, and key strategies for profitability.

■ Klamath IDEA Talks featuring Brant Boersma, chief culture officer at Dutch Bros. Coffee

Brant Boersma is the chief culture officer for Dutch Bros Coffee. His role entails traveling with colleagues through the Dutch Nation — encompassing seven states in the western U.S. — not only spreading the Dutch Luv, but strengthening the roots and foundation upon which the coffee company was built. The eldest son of the late Dutch Bros co-founder Dane Boersma, Brant began working the window and making shaved ice as a youth. Since then, he has been involved in nearly every aspect of the company, from waste and water disposal to roasting coffee beans to coaching the future faces of the Dutch

■ Social Media: Keeping Up with the Changes — Misty Lambrecht, Webfoot Marketing:

There are many platforms, and each one works differently. Each can provide different results for different types of businesses. They also have different tools, strategies, clients and markets. How can a small business keep up, and find the time to manage their social media effectively — while also having enough time to, you know, run their business? This class will cover the many changes, updates and functionality of each platform, and how to determine which may work best for your particular business. Even in a world of mass marketing and noise, proper use of social media can help you talk directly to clients when they are in the market for your product.

Registration for the Rural Business and Innovation Summit is open now.

Registration is available online at www.ruralbizsummit.com or by calling 541-884-5193.

Mark Fay, M.D. Scott Stevens, M.D. Physician/ Surgeon of the Eye Physician/ Surgeon of the Eye

Business summit seeking exhibitors Business exhibitors are being sought for the Rural Business and Innovation Summit on Sept. 13. The event is a one-day conference for rural business owners, entrepreneurs and community leaders around the Pacific Northwest.

The summit is hosted by the Klamath County Chamber of Commerce and will be held at Klamath Community College.

The event will start at 8:30 a.m. with speakers beginning at 9 a.m.

“This is our third year hosting the event and based on previous successes, we expect attendance to near 150,” said Heather Tramp, executive director of the Klamath County Chamber of Commerce. Tramp said she believes it will be a great way for businesses to make connections with other businesses.

The cost to businesses that want a table top display is $150 for chamber members, and $250 for nonmembers.

The cost includes admission to the summit and a table for display.

To register as an exhibitor or learn more about the event, visit www.ruralbizsummit.com or call 541-884-5193.

Downloadable file: exhibitor application at https://bit.ly/2tGBglc.

Edwin Tuhy, O.D. Optometrist

Jennifer Sparks, O.D. Optometrist

New Patients Welcome

2640 Biehn St. • 541.884.3148 • www.klamatheyecenter.com

4

Basin Business

Thursday, July 26, 2018, Herald and News

Klamath and Lake counties

New restaurant business in downtown Lakeview

BY MICHAEL ACOSTA

Lake County Examiner

June jobless report The employment situation was little changed in June with hiring largely consistent with seasonal patterns in Klamath and Lake Counties. Employment levels are up from last June, but the rate of job growth in both counties remains quite modest.

Klamath County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined modestly to 5.8 percent in June from 6.1 percent in May. The unemployment rate is largely unchanged from this time last year when it was 5.7 percent.

Klamath County added 230 jobs in June, which was less than typically expected this time of year. Nearly all the monthly jobs added were in leisure and hospitality and construction as we enter the middle of summer.

Total nonfarm employment is up by a modest 1.4 percent (+410 jobs) over the past year. The rate of job growth has been slowing the past several months. The most

KLAMATH BASIN

Business

notable job gains over the past year were in leisure and hospitality (+140 jobs). Surprisingly construction is largely unchanged from last June. Job losses were largely concentrated in manufacturing and retail trade, in particular, general merchandise stores.

Lake County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dipped to 5.2 percent in June from 5.4 percent in May. The rate remains largely unchanged from June 2017 when it was 5.8 percent.

The county added 110 jobs in June, fairly typical hiring for this time of year.

Total nonfarm employment is up by 40 jobs compared to this time last year (+1.7%). Much of the growth over the last year can be attributed to relatively large gains in construction and manufacturing.

There were no significant job losses with the exception of a loss of 20 jobs in “other services.”

Klamath County Chamber of Commerce 205 Riverside Drive, Ste. A Klamath Falls, OR 97603 Office: 541-884-5193 Fax: 541-884-5195

Coyote Creek Café and Gifts located in downtown Lakeview, next door to the Golden Gem is now open for business.

Owned by Derek and Patricia Schuman, they officially opened their doors for business on Sunday, July 1. The pair had previously owned The Homestead in Paisley from 2006-2011.

“Patricia’s parents live here in Lakeview and after we sold our house in Baker City we decided to come to Lakeview,” Derek said adding that he had been working as a produce manager at Safeway, while Patricia worked in the deli. Both of them wanted to return to owning a business.

Derek and Patricia officially got to Lakeview on June 6 and immediately got to work getting the supplies they needed for the building that used to be Unity Consultations.

“When we got the keys to the building, all that was in here was a sink and a refrigerator,” Derek said.

The “Gifts” part of the name refers to consignments that the Schuman’s are going to offer.

“We have a professional photographer going to bring in some of their work, we’ve talked to Bob White and he’s going to bring in some of his reclaimed furniture,” Derek said.

“We have one lady that’s going to bring in some antique things such as dishes,” Patricia said. “My sister and possibly my mom are going to be bringing in some handmade pot holders and some jewelry to sell.”

Executive director:

Heather Tramp

Email: heathert@klamath.org www.klamath.org www.facebook.com/Klamath Chamber twitter.com/AccessKlamath

Executive Board

President: Rachael Spoon

Lake County Examiner photo

Patricia and Derek Shuman are open for business at the Coyote Creek Cafe and Gifts in Lakeview.

When coming up with the name, Derek and Patricia wanted a name that they could build a logo around and looked at names that were part of the theme of the Oregon Outback.

“Word of mouth is really helping us out a lot and we’ve had a few rushes of people come through,” Derek said. “We really want our customers to know that we’ll have free Wi-Fi and we want this to be a cozy little place to come hang out.”

Coyote Creek serves a variety of sandwiches including a rueben, egg salad sandwich, triple decker sandwich, wraps with a choice of plain, tomato or spinach tortilla and more. The menu also features homemade soups and salads.

First Vice President: George Ormsbee Second Vice President: Janet Buckalew Treasurer/Secretary: Jennifer Scanlan Members: Jenine Stuedli, Rich Schuster, Pam Greene Immediate Past President: Wes French

Basin Business — FINANCIAL FOCUS —

How can you help your kids pay for college?

I

t’s still summer, but we’re getting close to a new school year. One day, though, “back-to-school” will mean “off to college” for your children.

Will you be financially prepared to help your kids cope with the costs of higher education?

Your first step, of course, is to know what you’re up against, so here are some numbers: For the 2017-18 academic year, college costs (tuition, fees, room and board) were, on average, nearly $21,000 for in-state students at fouryear, public schools and nearly $47,000 for students attending private colleges or universities, according to the College Board. And you can probably expect even bigger price tags in the years to come.

To help prepare for these costs, you might want to consider putting your money in a vehicle specifically designed to help build assets for college, such as a 529 education savings plan. All withdrawals from 529 plans are free from federal income taxes as long as the beneficiary you’ve named uses the money for qualified college, trade school or graduate school expenses. Withdrawals for expenses other than qualified education expenditures may be subject to federal, state and penalty taxes on the earnings portion of your plan. (However, tax issues for 529 savings plans can be complex, so please consult your tax advisor before investing.)

You can generally invest in the 529 savings plan offered by any state, but if you invest in your own state’s plan, you may be able to claim a tax deduction or receive a tax credit.

By starting your 529 plan early, when your children are just a few years old, the investments within the plan have more time for potential growth. Plus, you can make smaller contributions each year, rather than come up with big lump sums later on.

A 529 plan is not the only educationsavings tool you can use, but it has proven effective for many people. Yet you may also want to consider ways to keep college costs down in the first place.

For one thing, your children may be eligible for various forms of financial aid. Some types of aid depend on your family’s income, but others, such as merit-based scholarships, are open to everyone.

But you don’t have to wait until you get an offer from a school’s financial aid office — you can explore some opportunities on your own. For example, many local and national civic and religious groups offer scholarships to promising young people, and your own employer may even provide some types of grants or assistance. Plus, your state also may offer other benefits, such as financial aid or scholarship funds. It can certainly take some digging to find these funding sources, but the effort can be worthwhile.

Here’s another option for reducing college costs: Consider sending your child to a local community college for two years to get many of the “general” requirements out of the way before transferring to a four-year school for a bachelor’s degree.

Community colleges are typically quite affordable, and many of them offer high-quality programs.

A college degree is costly, but many people feel it’s still a great investment in their children’s future. And by taking the appropriate steps, you can help launch that investment.

Submitted by: Meredith Hoffman Financial Advisor-Edward Jones 1307 S Alameda Ave, Suite B Klamath Falls, OR 97603 541-273-2483

Starr

Thursday, July 26, 2018, Herald and News

from Page 2

other schools didn’t, Starr said, “Shop experience. When I was at Oregon Tech I took welding and learned foundry skills. We didn’t just design, we actually made things.

So I had an awareness, understanding, and respect for the work that welders did, and how the engineers’ work impacts the welder, and others who work at that type of fabrication.

“Managers at Boeing absolutely appreciate the difference that Oregon Tech MET grads bring, and their ability to apply knowledge.”

Starr stays engaged with Oregon Tech through alumni giving and also by helping to promote the university.

5

“I always say to students, that if they want a successful engineering job, they need to go to Oregon Tech.”

He describes the polytechnic as “handsdown the best MET school around,” with great professors who are interested in teaching, don’t use TAs, and offer small hands-on classes that allow for more professor-student engagement. “OIT is just like MIT, but in Oregon,” Starr said.

These days when not engaged with his demanding work at Boeing, Starr relaxes by digging deep into his small garden, planting and nurturing roses and being a beekeeper.

Married now for 23 years, he and his wife, Eren, have a daughter and son pursuing higher education themselves at Loyola Marymount and Willamette University.

6

Thursday, July 26, 2018, Herald and News

Basin Business

Chamber leadership class kicks off Sept. 13 From a press release

The Klamath County Chamber of Commerce is accepting applications for Leadership Klamath 20182019.

Leadership Klamath was developed by the Chamber in response to the ongoing need for leadership in all areas of public service.

For participants, the program creates a comprehensive and objective awareness of the Klamath community in action.

The program consists of 10, one-day sessions over the course of a 10-month period. Each meeting encompasses a specific topic or industry such as: tourism, emergency services, education, legal systems and economic development.

Since its inception, more than 425 people have gradu-

ated from this distinguished and popular program.

Jennifer Smith, Leadership Klamath alum, said, “Leadership Klamath is one of the best programs the Chamber has to offer our community. It not only showcases the Klamath Basin and all its offerings, but also provides a great networking opportunity with professionals in the community. I’ve made some great life-long friendships.”

People’s Bank year-to-date earnings increase 55 percent FROM A PRESS RELEASE MEDFORD — People’s Bank of Commerce (OTCBB: PBCO) announced today its financial results for the second quarter and year-to-date 2018.

The bank reported net income of $845,000 or $0.29 per basic and diluted share for the second quarter of 2018, compared to net income of $483,000 or $0.20 per share in the same quarter of 2017. Earnings for the first six months of 2018 totaled $1,569,000 or $0.56 per share compared to $1,011,000 or $0.43 per share during the first half of 2017. Diluted earnings per share for the trailing 12 months ending 6/30/2018 were $0.97 per share compared to $0.92 one year earlier.

Balance Sheet June 30, 2018 vs. June 30, 2017:

n Total Loans increased 15% n Total Deposits increased 14% n Total Assets increased 16% n Total Equity increased 22%

Income Statement year-to date June 30, 2018 vs. June 30, 2017: n Net-interest Income increased 9% n Pre-tax income increased 34% n Non-interest Income increased 257% n Non-interest Expense increased 46%

“Total loans and deposits showed strong increases in the first half of 2018 as noted above,” stated Ken Trautman, bank President and CEO. “Our pipeline of approved but not yet funded loans is at the highest level in the bank’s history, which positions us well for the last half of this year. The recent increases in interest rates has been expected for some time and will steadily increase our cost of funds.

The bank has been fortunate to have large non-interest demand deposit balances, about 46% of total deposits, which have lessened the impact of rising interest rates.

Increasing local and national competition for deposits could impact the bank’s net interest margin.”

Provision for Credit Losses Trautman continued, “With total loans increasing over 12% during first 6 months of this year, our provision for loan and lease losses has increased to $224 thousand compared to a decrease of $6 thousand during the same period last year. Credit quality remains strong with no loans past due over 90 days or on non-accrual at the end of June 2018 compared to $71 thousand of non-accrual in 2017. At the end of the second quarter 2018, the loan loss reserve was 1.126% of loans held for investment compared to 1.15% at the end of the second quarter 2017.

Leadership Klamath identifies and motivates emerging leaders and develops their potential for community leadership by exposing them to the realities, opportunities and challenges facing of our area.

The program challenges class participants to become more involved in the decision-making process of Klamath County in political, social and business arenas.

Anyone interested in learning more about the program can contact the Chamber at 541-884-5193.

Registrants who sign up before Aug. 15, will receive a $50 discount. Deadline for registration is Aug. 29. The first session will begin Sept. 13 and continues every third Thursday through June 2019.

For more information on how you or your company can become involved, or to register for the program call the Chamber office or visit www.klamath.org.

Basin Business

Thursday, July 26, 2018, Herald and News

Digital Marketing Customer Reviews Management

We have the tools: • To leverage Big Data to analyzes and review businesses on current online tools, identify potential gaps, with a comprehensive comparison report against other businesses in the same industry and region to help businesses optimize their online presences.

Digital Audits

• To compile reviews online across every platform and serve them to you in one easy convenient dashboard with assistance in responses. All this to help you get control of your customer experience.

Competitor Comparison Reports

• To help you build the strongest digital footprint for your business with full service digital products from high end professional websites, simple online landing pages, and even social media setup.

Social Media Impact Reviews

Contact Our Advertising & Sales Team Today 541.885.4410 | www.heraldandnews.com | sales@heraldandnews.com

7

8

Thursday, July 26, 2018, Herald and News

Basin Business July 2018 Newsletter

Ore gon State Senator Dennis Linthicum – District 28 I represent the citizens of Senate District 28, which includes all, or part of Þve rural, mostly-eastern Oregon counties: Jackson, Klamath, Lake, Deschutes and Crook.

Senator Dennis Linthicum OR Senate District 28

As Senator of one of the largest Senate districts in our state, it Capitol Phone: is extremely important that my constituents remain in contact Capitol Address: with me about the issues and concerns that affect their lives.

I encourage you to use the information here as a resource and to contact my ofÞce by either phone or e-mail so that I can know how to best serve you. I am honored to be here in Salem Þghting for your freedom and liberty.

The overall nutrient loads, including naturally occurring phosphorous rich material, settles behind the dam and never reaches the slower moving and shallower gradient portions of the river system. In turn, Copco 1, Copco 2 and Iron Gate Dam reservoirs also serve to keep sedimentary debris from ßowing further downstream.

Although, all four reservoirs are known to have elevated organic loads, they still serve as excellent sedimentary traps. Originally the J. C. Boyle dam had a 1.5 million cubic yard sediment

503-986-1728 900 Court St. NE, S-305 Salem, Oregon 97301

E-Mail: sen.DennisLinthicum@OregonLegislature.gov Website ebsite:

My Reasons for Opposing the Removal of the J.C. Boyle Dam I stand alongside the majority of tax-payers and citizens in opposition to ODEQÕs approval of a water quality certiÞcation request for the J. C. Boyle Dam removal project.

Current and future Oregonians are the beneÞciaries of monumental achievements in water infrastructure that has created OregonÕs agricultural economy. The proposed removal of the four PaciÞCorp dams, including the J. C. Boyle dam will destroy that very infrastructure.

Current river dynamics and existing sedimentary buildup behind the dams creates too many uncertainties which bear negatively on long-term water quality, river habitat and Þsh spawning grounds.

The dams serve several environmentally beneÞcial functions by Þrst, creating a series of reservoirs which diminish turbidity and improve water quality as water moves through the system. These reservoirs are essentially giant settling ponds for particulate matter that originates from Upper Klamath Lake, basin agricultural return ßows, municipal and industrial sources in the Klamath Falls area.

Paid Advertisement

estimate. Today, the estimate has been wheedled down to a range that is deemed politically acceptable, at 600,000 cubic yards. Estimates for sediment behind all four dams exceeds 20 million cubic yards.

Additionally, the toxicity of these sedimentary composites has not been sufÞciently studied.

Mining operations have long surrounded the river system throughout So. Oregon and No. California. A U.S. Geological Survey review of mine data (2005), highlights that these past operations released elevated amounts of toxic substances into the watershed, including arsenic, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, tungsten, uranium, and zinc.

Oregon has been tightening rules, initiating moratoriums and legislating outright bans on various small-volume run-of-river dredge mining operations for years. Therefore, ODEQ should have serious reservations about the complexities involved in this potential stockpile and be hesitant to approve this certiÞcation.

Otherwise, the citizens will recognize this current certiÞcation process is a politically motivated, agenda-driven water quality charade reeking with double-standards. The existing dams allow the massive fresh-ßow tributaries, and downstream volumes of low phosphoric, clean water from the western-slope to actually improve water quality as it travels the 250 miles to the PaciÞc Ocean.

The downstream gradient is too shallow, and the river ßows will never be sufÞcient to mobilize the released debris Þeld. From River Mile 160 to the PaciÞc Ocean the gradient approaches a mere two percent (.1893) grade. The drop to sea

http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/linthicum level is only a 1600-foot change in elevation, which is only 10 feet per mile. ODEQ certainly knows the typical waste-water or home septic system would require a slope of 110 feet per mile to drain efÞciently.

In fact, the debris ßow today, with the dams in place, is too heavy for the current channelized ßows to successfully push into the PaciÞc. Even with the beneÞt of increase ßows used for dissolution and ßushing programs, which are regulated by the dam structures, there is insufÞcient ßow to clear the mouth of the river.

Original cost estimates ranged from $1.4 billion and upwards. After 2010, when the US Congress Þrst balked at funding the destruction of the Klamath Dams, there was an enormous effort to ÒÞnd cost reductions.Ó The results offered nothing more than cost shifting and slight-ofhand congressional Gerry-rigging of payments from various agency-level accounts. Never-theless, the public was told of a new cost estimate of $800 million. The Klamath River Renewal Corp. estimates total cost at $400 - $450 million dollars, an estimated reduction of nearly $1 billion. It appears that if we wait a couple of more years the cost would be halved again!

No doubt, tax-payers will end up paying the full-price. They may face millions of dollars of cost-overruns, future water quality issues, higher rates for base-load electricity, devastated habitat and riparian areas, and the destruction of private property, all because of an over-whelming, unfathomable mindset intent on destroying western civilizationÕs technological advances.

OregonÕs status as a modern agricultural and technological engine has been made possible by inexpensive base-load electricity and abundant, natural resources. LetÕs keep it that way!

If we don’t stand for rural Oregon values and common-sense – no one will!