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About The Blue Mountain eagle. (John Day, Or.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 2019)
A4 OPINION Blue Mountain Eagle SPRING FORWARD Wednesday, March 6, 2019 Daylight saving time starts on Sunday at 2 a.m. when clocks are turned to 3 a.m. Sunrise and sunset will be about one hour later than the day before, which means there will be more light in the evening. Richardson’s courage still needed in politics D ennis Richardson was a courageous man. It may seem an easy eulogy for a former U.S. Army helicopter pilot who fl ew missions during the Vietnam War, hauling caches of ammunition into the bat- tlefi eld and injured soldiers out. But Richardson’s courage, while surely forged during wartime, didn’t solely man- ifest itself in battle. The late secretary of state, who died last week of brain cancer, showed a resolve in his life of elected public service not often seen in politics. Richardson was a man willing to stand on personal principles while serving the greater good of his state. And he showed that those objectives aren’t mutually exclusive, even in a state that didn’t often align with his own values. He has been remembered as a budget hawk, demand- ing that government be held to account for spending tax- payer dollars. It was that credibility, based in his polit- ical philosophy, that sealed his win as a Republican sec- retary of state, Oregon’s sec- ond-highest ranking pub- lic offi ce. And he lived up to the promise, leading audits that shined a bright light on problems and malfunctions in government programs. That work will carry on after his death. He was particularly effec- tive, even while undergoing cancer treatments, because the job wasn’t a stepping stone to a higher offi ce. His unsuccessful bid for gov- ernor in 2014 nearly ended his political career, and he showed no intention of try- ing again. As a state representative, Richardson was an advocate for his southern Oregon dis- trict’s values. He spoke in strong terms against abor- tion and same-sex marriage, counting them as affronts to God and his faith. But as a secretary of state, Richardson used his posi- tion to benefi t the state as a whole, not just his conserva- tive constituents. He even changed course on his approach to voter reg- istration, supporting as sec- retary of state the growing number of registered voters where he once advocated in the House for stricter rules. But in matters of personal faith and values, he was clear-eyed while remaining contemplative. In an interview with Ore- gon Public Broadcast- ing’s “All Things Consid- ered” in September 2017, he was asked directly whether he believed homosexual- ity was immoral. He said he did, and the act of voters didn’t change the perspec- tive of God. But he also said the matter was legally set- tled and that he was willing to accept both the human- ity and personal choices of others. Voters didn’t change his beliefs, either, though he knew the responsibil- ity of being elected to state- wide offi ce meant represent- ing a much wider and more diverse electorate. We need more of these kinds of people in govern- ment leadership, willing to state their beliefs clearly while understanding that their job is not to enforce them on others. In Dennis Richardson we had a true and decent pub- lic servant, and that takes all kinds of courage. GUEST COMMENT You’re more than a customer By Andrew Cutler To the Blue Mountain Eagle Author Anthony J. D’Angelo noted that, “Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.” To a large degree, this refl ects Oregon Trail Electric Coopera- tive’s philosophy toward our mem- ber-owners and the broader service territory that we serve. As a coop- erative, we have a different “bot- tom line.” While our priority is always to provide reliable and safe energy, there is another equally important part of this equation. Your well-being and that of the larger community that we serve are of paramount concern. To us, you are not just a cus- tomer; you are a member of our co-op, and without you, we would not exist. In 1989, Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative was founded to ful- fi ll a vital need in our community that would not have otherwise been met. Concerned local lead- ers came together to build this co-op and bring electricity where there was none. At that time, members of the community understood we were different because they likely knew someone who helped to create OTEC. For most peo- ple, our founding and its circum- stances have been long forgotten. Over time, folks in the commu- nity may have come to think of When you support these efforts, you are supporting the commu- nity and making it a better place for everyone. Another role for OTEC is engaging the membership. One of the ways the cooperative strives to accomplish this goal is through the OTEC website, which is undergoing a major overhaul, both in look and in name. For- merly otecc.com, the new website will be found at otec.coop. While changing names, its mission remains the same: provide use- ful information and tools to help our member-owners. More than ever before we want to differen- tiate the work and achievements of your electric cooperative from others in the social media world. The relationship you have with your cooperative is special and one no other electric utility can offer. As a member of an electric coop- erative, you are far more than just a customer. You are a member and an owner. You belong. You are part of making a difference. While the times may have changed, our mission and outlook have not. We view our role as a catalyst for sustaining and grow- ing our communities. Working together, we can accomplish great things for our community now and in the future. Andrew Cutler is the manager of communications and public relations for Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative. us as simply another energy pro- vider. However, OTEC strives to be more than that. We are a co-op that is constantly evolving to meet the needs of our members and the communities we serve. We are able to do this because of mem- bers like you. Since our inception, we have sought feedback and engagement from you and that of the larger community to guide our long-term decisions. This is why we hold annual meetings and other events, such as town meetings, and attend local chamber and other business meetings in each of our communi- ties throughout the year. We host events like this to engage with you and obtain your feedback. We are always looking to fi nd new ways to help you use energy more effi ciently, whether that’s home or business energy audits, or offering you rebates to pur- chase energy effi cient appliances and do so locally or fl exible pay- ment options like levelized bill- ing. In short, we are always seek- ing to keep pace with the changing energy environment, evolving technology and shifting consumer expectations. As a local business, we have a stake in the community. That’s why we support local charita- ble organizations such as United Way of Eastern Oregon, Sorop- timists, Lions Club and Rotary, and through our donation pro- grams like Member to Member. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR I truly believe the bill is about where smog is prevalent, then we Cap and trade bad a tax and is not directed at a prob- have a problem. But to tax Amer- for industry lem, which there is none. Back icans because other countries pol- To the Editor: Baker County and the sur- rounding rural areas will be greatly impacted by HB 2020, the cap and trade bill. This is not just a one time tax. It is a forever tax that will impact and devastate indus- try, ranch and farm jobs in Eastern Oregon and Baker County. I wish to thank the state Legisla- ture for the outreach hearings held here in Baker City. There were a great many people that wanted to speak against the cap and trade HB 2020 bill, but with the time limit and over-crowding by over 300 people, only a few got to vent their frustrations. when Oregon was part of the inland sea, volcanoes vented into the sea, spewing tons upon tons of carbon dioxide into the air and sea, saturating the landlocked retreating seas with the carbon dioxide com- bined with calcium-rich sea beds, creating thousands of feet of lime- stone here in Baker County and surrounding areas. The three major volcanic eruptions in recent history put more CO2 into the atmosphere than man has since the industrial revolution. All of the carbon restrictions on motor vehicles taxing the fuel is just about tax and control. If we had pollution problems like in the Far East, like China and India lute is ridiculous and is all abut the tax money and control. Oregon’s counties have been engulfed in forest fi res ravag- ing the national forests burn- ing thousands of acres. Each tree that burns gives up all of the car- bon dioxide gasses that it has absorbed in its lifetime, pouring millions of tons of CO2 into the air. If you want to tax someone, tax the Forest Service for mas- sive CO2 and carbon ash pollu- tion and mismanagement of our national forest. All of these are facts and can be verifi ed. Chuck Chase Baker City L ETTERS POLICY: Letters to the Editor is a forum for Blue Mountain Eagle readers to express themselves on local, state, national or world issues. Brevity is good, but longer letters will be asked to be contained to 350 words. No personal attacks; challenge the opinion, not the person. No thank- you letters. Submissions to this page become property of the Eagle. The Eagle reserves the right to edit letters for length and for content. Letters must be original and signed by the writer. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Writers should include a telephone number so they can be reached for questions. We must limit all contributors to one letter per person per month. Deadline is 5 p.m. Friday. Send letters to editor@bmeagle.com, or Blue Mountain Eagle, 195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845; or fax to 541-575-1244. 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