MIDSTATE ELECTRIC
MAY 2026
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A Turning Point for Safety—Decades-long effort leads to breakthrough fire mitigation
Page 4
Beyond City Limits—Hunting camp brings women and youth to the high desert
Page 28
May 2026 • Volume 73, No. 5
CEO Michael Shepard
SENIOR VP OF CONTENT Leon Espinoza
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Chasity Anderson, CCC
DEPUTY EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Noble Sprayberry
SENIOR EDITOR Jennifer Paton, CCC
LEAD CONTENT EDITOR Victoria Hampton, CCC
ASSISTANT EDITORS David Herder, CCC; Sable Riley, CCC; Nina Todea, CCC
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Valeri Saldanha Rosa
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCTION SR. MANAGER
Elizabeth Beatty
SENIOR PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR
Alyssa McDougle
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Some roads were built to move people from place to place. Route 66 was built to move the American soul.
One hundred years ago, a telegram sent from Springfield, Missouri, changed the way this nation moved, dreamed and understood itself. What began as a practical push to connect the Midwest to the West Coast evolved into something far more profound: a 2,448-mile ribbon of pavement, nostalgia and identity stretching from the shores of Lake Michigan to a pier at the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, California.
memory. It was decommissioned in 1985, yet it refuses to disappear. Writer John Steinbeck called it the Mother Road, and that name still fits—it carries everyone who comes to it, generation after generation. Through song and film, from Bobby Troup’s classic ode to Pixar’s “Cars,” the highway has been reborn for every new audience that discovers it. This centennial is simply the latest chapter.
This month’s feature takes you along for the full ride, from Illinois to California, with the stories, the landmarks and the characters keeping the flame alive. There’s even a road quiz to test your Route 66 knowledge and a playlist built for the open highway.
This year, the world is paying attention. Springfield earned the honor of hosting the national kickoff of America’s Route 66 Centennial Celebration this spring. Communities from Illinois to California have been relighting neon signs, polishing roadside landmarks and readying themselves for visitors arriving from across the country and around the globe. Case in point: A group of Swedish motorcyclists turned up at a barbecue restaurant in Cuba, Missouri, filling the room with the thump of Harley-Davidsons and the happy sound of people experiencing something they’d long dreamed about. Route 66 has that effect on people. It always has.
What is interesting about this highway is how naturally it holds contradictions. It is both a monument to movement and an anchor for
Dave LaBelle’s Great Picture Hunt column has its own centennial connection this month. Photographer Amy Gaskin has spent four years documenting the world surrounding Marilyn Monroe—a project that has taken her as far as Australia and into the pages of National Geographic. Monroe would have turned 100 on June 1. It seems May is a month for marking a century of remarkable years.
And after all that road-tripping and reminiscing? Our kitchen feature delivers a collection of sheet pan dinners built for gathering, because the best journeys always end at the table.
Until next time, Chasity Anderson Editorial Director
Celebrations rev up America’s iconic Route 66 Spotlight, Page 10
Sheet pan dinners are made for sharing In The Kitchen, Page 16
The Great Picture Hunt, Page 22
By Craig Reed
Electric utilities have spent more than 30 years waiting for the U.S. Forest Service to act on fire mitigation. That wait is ending.
The Bureau of Land Management is beginning to respond to utility-submitted permits needed to work on federal lands to decrease the potential of starting wildfires. These permits allow mowing, cutting and removal of vegetation, especially branches and trees that could fall on power lines and spark a fire.
Midstate Electric Cooperative CEO Jim Anderson and other utility professionals testified in front of the Congressional House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries on Feb. 23. Jim and others told lawmakers the Forest Service and BLM have not responded to permit requests that would allow utilities to clear rights of way of vegetation and nearby danger trees that could fall on power lines.
Their message was simple: The approval process needs to be a priority, and it needs to speed up, because wildfire conditions— drought, higher temperatures, an increase of woody fuel on the ground and expanding development of structures near wildlands—have intensified across the West.
Thirty years ago, Bill Kopacz, Midstate’s
general manager at the time, made the same plea to a Congressional committee, but not much changed.
Ted Case, then a new employee of the Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association, was there when Bill gave his testimony. Ted is now ORECA’s executive director.
“The wheels often turn slowly in Washington, D.C., but Midstate’s leaders have been persistent before the U.S. Congress, and it’s showing results,” Ted says. “Their communities will be safer as a result of their efforts to expedite vegetation management on federal lands.”
About 70% of Midstate’s 5,600 square miles of service territory run through
federal lands, either the Deschutes National Forest or the Fremont Winema National Forest. The co-op has 2,600 miles of line, providing electricity to 22,561 meters. Jim says the miles of line and the number of meters are steadily increasing.
Regarding his testimony, Bill says, “It was like blowing in the wind. In my time, common sense didn’t exist with the Forest Service and BLM. Nothing happened.”
Jim calls it a communication problem.
“Between Bill’s and my testimonies, through six (presidential) administrations, it wasn’t a Democratic problem or a Republican problem,” Jim says. “It was that the message from the top wasn’t getting to the bottom.”
Through the years, Midstate has documented falling branches and trees on its power lines—and subsequent fires. The co-op has also documented its rights of way over federal lands that have been largely choked by the growth of ground vegetation.
In his recent testimony, Jim included written records and photos.
The utility professionals recommended:
• Passage of the Fix Our Forests Act. This bill strengthens wildfire mitigation by expanding a co-op’s authority to remove hazardous trees within 150 feet of power lines and cuts red tape that delays the removal of fallen timber.
• Expediting federal permitting. Forest Service and BLM should use all their options to speed up the process.
• Liability reformation. Co-ops should not be held liable for damages by fires if their equipment did not cause the fire.
• Improving consistencies. Federal land management agencies should be consistent and reasonable in their permitting policies.
This time, results quickly followed.
“I got home Wednesday night, and Friday morning I got a call from Congressman Hageman, who chairs the Congressional House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Wildlife and Fisheries,” Jim says. “He said the secretary of agriculture had become aware of the
testimony, and the undersecretary of the interior would be reaching out to me. On Saturday, I got a call from the undersecretary. He apologized for all the problems and said, ‘You shouldn’t be dealing with this.’ He said, ‘This is common sense.’ He said, ‘We’ll take care of this.’”
By March 30, Midstate received Forest Service approval on work permits to begin rights-of-way clearing and removing danger trees.
Midstate’s right-of-way standard is 30 feet on either side of a power line, but approval was given to remove dead or leaning trees within 150 feet on either side of the line. Drones and satellite technology are used to identify danger trees.
Another benefit to having rights of way cleared is that they can serve as fire breaks and provide easier access for firefighters and equipment in emergencies.
“As this process rolls out, officials will use this co-op as an example,” Jim says. “What we’re accomplishing now, what is working for Midstate—other utilities will be able to follow what we have learned.”
“It’ll become a standard in the U.S.,” Bill says.
Jim says it is gratifying to finally see positive results from his annual trips to Washington, D.C., to talk to senators and representatives of Congress.
“I’ve been building on the issue that Bill started talking about 30 years ago,”
Jim says. “We’ve been telling our stories for years, and finally this story is being realized. There are almost 900 electric cooperatives across the U.S., and wildfires are becoming more and more common. We’re one spark away from a major catastrophe, so we need to address the issues. We’ve always been good stewards of the land, of our good natural resources, and we want to protect them. We’re kind of leading that charge.”
Jim says Midstate will increase its treetrimming budget, adding two more private contract tree crews for a total of four. Midstate has its own mowing crew.
He says the top priority is 14 miles of line through the Newberry National Monument. The wooden power poles along that stretch were installed in 1958 and need replacing, but with the right of way choked by vegetation, equipment couldn’t get there.
A second priority is the line from Cascade Lake Highway to Elk Lake, and a third priority is the Walker Butte line.
The federal work permits allow Midstate to use private contractors to study the feasibility of going underground with its power lines. However, there is a major increase in cost—about three times more— for underground versus overhead lines.
Jim and Bill say the increased workload as Forest Service and BLM permits are approved will be a cost to the Midstate membership. On average, two months of a member’s power bill for the year goes to fire mitigation, Jim says.
“It’s either pay now for this work, or pay later when there is a fire,” he says. “As long as the system is better than what it was, it’s worth it.”
It was a long wait, but Bill and Jim are thrilled there are finally positive results from their testimonies that will benefit not only Midstate Electric but other utilities, as well. n
As wildfire risks grow across the West, electric utilities build grid resilience
By Greg Mason
In his 50 years as a forester, Paul Hessburg has studied wildfires much like he studies forest pathogens and insects.
Wildfires are “agents of pattern formation,” says Paul, a research ecologist who spent more than four decades with the U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station.
Similar to how bark beetle infestations indicate a dying forest, Paul says wildfire prevalence provides insight into landscape conditions.
Dry conditions and increased tree density, compounded by warmer temperatures and milder winters, have led to large-scale fires at unprecedented levels in recent years, especially across the Western United States.
According to Paul, the consequences of destructive wildfires include increased scrutiny of electric grid operators and power providers as they take steps to ensure electric infrastructure is better equipped to withstand wildfire. These strategies are aimed at not only avoiding financially devastating legal repercussions if utility equipment sparks fires, but also strengthening grid resiliency to keep the lights on in the face of disaster.
“To me, resilience is learning to live with fire actively on the landscape,” Paul says. “It’s coming back with a vengeance, and there will not be an opportunity to live without fire.”
Observing how North American landscapes were once managed prior to European colonization paints a picture of how wildfire risk conditions
reached this point, Paul says. He notes how Indigenous people used fire deliberately and frequently to better their environments while limiting the fuel that feeds today’s larger, more destructive wildfires.
“The answer is in creating conditions where you can live actively with fire so that fire again is doing good work,” he says. “That means acting strategically around urban areas and exurban areas so that people and structures are not destroyed and infrastructure is not destroyed.”
Wildfires were once so common in North America they were considered “medicine for the landscape,” Paul says.
Some scholars estimate 75 million to 100 million Indigenous people lived on the continent at the time of European colonization, Paul says. Tribes used fire to sustainably manage the landscape in myriad ways, he adds, from using controlled burns to improve the forage for deer and elk to burning beargrass to change its physical and chemical structure to make it more suitable for making baskets.
In the Northwest, Paul says Klamath River tribes used burnings to create smoke as cloud cover, cooling the river for king salmon populations to lengthen harvesting periods.
“Somewhere between 40 million and 85 million acres were intentionally burned annually through culturallyand lightning-ignited fires,” Paul says. “Over 25 or 30 years, that means an area equivalent to the Lower 48 was burning. It created fuel limitation, and hundreds of tribes
could live safely on the landscape.”
Then came European colonization, bringing with it the diseases that killed an estimated 80% to 95% of North America’s Indigenous population, Paul says. By the 1850s, most Indigenous people were either dead or marshaled onto reservations, Paul says, resulting in the loss of widespread cultural ignitions and burnings.
As such, forests grew denser while nonforest elements, such as wetlands and meadows, were also lost. Paul describes such elements as “governors on fire behavior,” saying they can change the rate of spread as well as flame length and intensity.
“Imagine that the vast intentional burning that allows you to live safely is no longer on that landscape,” he says. “Forests. Colonized meadows. Dewatered wetlands. Wet and dry meadows are now forested instead of these nonforest elements that are critical, and so you get a lot more forests on the landscape and a lot more dense forests, which sets the dining room table for large and more severe fire.”
Fast forward to the present. Forest Service firefighters successfully contain 98% of new fires within 24 hours, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The remaining 2% of fires—the ones that burn for days, weeks or months on end—are the ones most often in the spotlight, including those sparked by utility infrastructure in extreme weather.
Increasingly dry conditions throughout the West have forced utilities to adapt not only to keep their communities safe, but also to limit potential damage to power infrastructure.
Adaptive measures, Paul says, should include working with landowners to reduce the canopy bulk density surrounding transmission rights of way, forcing what would normally be crown fires—wildfires that spread through the top canopy layer of the trees—to drop to the forest floor, where they can be suppressed. Paul also says grasses and shrubs, not trees, should grow around utility rights of way.
Energy regulators in Western states, including Washington, Oregon and California, require electric utilities to regularly file wildfire mitigation plans outlining their efforts to prevent utilitycaused wildfires and ensure the proper procedures are in place to keep situations from worsening.
Actions prescribed by these plans include Public Safety Power Shutoffs, vegetation management programs, annual inspections, transmission upgrades and undergrounding power lines. Several utilities in the West also have weather station networks in place to monitor climate conditions.
Technology deployed by energy companies since 2020 includes camera networks powered by artificial intelligence to detect burns as they ignite. Utilities are also exploring drone surveillance
programs, as well as multispectral satellite imaging that detects the health of trees surrounding utility infrastructure, allowing for more proactive trimming practices.
With tree management, transmission lines often cross multiple jurisdictions to send energy from Point A to Point B, including federal lands and forests. Utilities have struggled to obtain the administrative clearance needed to access rights of way to manage vegetation around their facilities.
Western utilities are collaborating with federal legislators to pass the Fix Our Forests Act, a law that aims to accelerate and improve forest management activities on public, federal and tribal lands to reduce wildfire risk.
Jim Anderson, CEO of La Pine, Oregonbased Midstate Electric Cooperative, was among those who testified before Congress on Feb. 24 in support of the bill. In written testimony prepared for the House Committee on Natural Resources, Jim said Midstate’s approximately 14-mile transmission line through the Newberry National Volcanic Monument is so obscured in some sections “that it is impossible to see our infrastructure.”
“It is deeply concerning that we have not made any progress with Forest Service when it comes to managing the vegetation, including a failure to begin the permitting process,” Jim wrote. “This type of
Paul Hessburg uses his decades of experience as a forester to explore rising wildfire risks and encourage residents and utilities to take action to protect communities across the West. PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL HESSBURG
delay is exactly why we need to enact the Fix Our Forests Act. The provisions in this legislation expanding electric utility authority to remove hazard trees—along with expedited timelines for review and approval of vegetation management plans— provide essential tools to protect our natural resources and keep our communities safe.”
Preventing and limiting the spread of wildfire is everyone’s responsibility, Paul says. Because houses and landscaping can be fuel for wildfires, Paul encourages residents to consult the National Fire Protection Association’s FireWise USA program for safety tips to keep their communities safe. He also recommends counties and cities adopt all standards by the International Code Council’s Wildland-Urban Interface Code, which provides minimum regulations for land use and building construction in wildfire-prone areas.
“In a lot of ways, people are trying to catch up with the new reality, including power providers,” Paul says. “There’s not going to be a new normal. It’s not settling out for generations of people. It’s going to keep changing.” n
Learn more about protecting homes, neighborhoods and towns from wildfire at National Fire Protection Association’s FireWise USA, tinyurl.com/bdz4e8e8, and International Code Council’s Wildland-Urban Interface Code, tinyurl.com/9ndze9c8.
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By Jim McCarty
It’s midday at Missouri Hick Bar-B-Que along Route 66 near Cuba, Missouri. The lunch rush is almost over when the staff springs into action, moving tables together, preparing for a big gathering.
Soon, the restaurant walls vibrate with the two-cylinder thump of a dozen or so Harley-Davidson motorcycles. The door opens, and the happy sounds of a group that’s experiencing the time of their lives reverberate—in Swedish.
Scenes like this play out every day along what remains of the most famous highway in the world. It’s called the Mother Road, Main Street of America and the Highway That’s the Best. It once traversed eight states
along 2,448 miles, stretching from the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago to a pier at the Pacific Ocean in Santa Monica, California.
Its official name is Route 66, and it’s about to get busier than it’s been since it was decommissioned in 1985.
This year, Route 66 fans from around the world will look for new kicks as the celebrated road turns 100. Springfield, Missouri, was in the spotlight in April as the site of the national kickoff of America’s Route 66 Centennial Celebration.
The Queen City of the Ozarks earned that honor through a competitive process, but also due to its status as the birthplace of Route 66. On April 30, 1926, John Woodruff, a Springfield businessman, sent a telegram to Washington, D.C., requesting the new road be named U.S. Route 66. The
idea for the road didn’t originate here, but its iconic name did.
“This recognition is a testament to Missouri’s deep roots in the history of America’s most iconic highway and the vibrant spirits of the communities that keep that legacy alive today,” Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe says.
The governor’s farm sits along Route 66 in Jerome.
“We have some of the original roadway in Pulaski County that you can still drive on,” he says. “People come from all over the world to drive on that. This roadway is so historic, and it has made millions of memories for not just Americans but for people all over the world.”
Kickoff festivities included five satellite cities: Joliet, Illinois;
I think Route 66 is on a lot of visitors’ bucket lists. And I think whenever there’s a big milestone to be celebrated, people want to be a part of that and come experience Route 66 as it’s turning 100.
NIKKI TERLESKY, HISTORIC
DIRECTOR
St. Louis, Missouri; Amarillo, Texas; Albuquerque, New Mexico; and Santa Monica, California.
In preparation for the yearlong celebration, communities all along the historic route are sprucing up their landmarks, planning events, relighting neon signs and prepping for a major influx of visitors who plan to motor west.
“I struggle to make a specific prediction, and part of that is because it’s really hard to track specific routes,” Oklahoma Route 66 Association President Rhys Martin says. “But I would be surprised if traffic didn’t double just because of the attention and the people planning their trips.”
Nikki Terlesky, Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona director of operations, agrees travelers are coming in a big way.
“I think Route 66 is on a lot of visitors’
bucket lists,” she says. “And I think whenever there’s a big milestone to be celebrated, people want to be a part of that and come experience Route 66 as it’s turning 100. I know a lot of Facebook groups I follow are just buzzing with people voicing their travel plans.”
While Missouri can claim the creation of the name, an Oklahoma man is known as the Father of Route 66. Cyrus Avery, a Tulsa real estate developer and owner of a coal company, saw the need for a roadway from the Midwest to the West Coast, connecting small towns and cities along the way.
Here’s the top attraction for each of the eight states. ILLINOIS—GEMINI GIANT (WILMINGTON)
If you only stop once before leaving Illinois, make it here. The 30-foot-tall Muffler Man is one of Route 66’s most iconic photo ops and a perfect start to the journey.
A road-trip classic since the 1930s, billboards and barn roof signs for this cavern once lined the entire Mother Road, and the attraction still feels like pure Americana.
KANSAS—CARS ON THE ROUTE (GALENA)
Kansas has only 13 miles of Route 66, but this restored Kan-O-Tex gas station—home to the truck that inspired Mater in “Cars”—is its standout.
An absolutely essential stop is the giant, smiling blue whale beside a pond. It is one of Route 66’s most beloved and quirky landmarks.
Ten Cadillacs sit nose-down in the desert. They’re covered in spray paint, and you’re encouraged to add your own. It’s irreplaceable Route 66 kitsch.
See the best neon on the entire route. It is a family-run motel with beautifully preserved rooms, and a true 1940s motor court experience. Even if you don’t stay, stop for photos.
This is the only national park the Mother Road drives straight through where classic roadside nostalgia meets staggering natural beauty.
A surreal desert time capsule features a legendary retro-futurist neon sign. Nothing captures the lonely, romantic end stretch of Route 66 like Roy’s.
Appointed in 1925 to the Joint Board of Interstate Highways, Cyrus managed to steer the route south from Illinois through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California instead of a more northern route through Nevada.
Along with Missouri’s John Woodruff, Cyrus helped launch the U.S. Highway 66 Association in 1927 to encourage its use.
“One hundred and thirty-seven delegates from 32 cities of the Southwest, meeting here today, organized the National Highway No. 66 Association and elected
John T. Woodruff of Springfield, Mo., its first president,” read a Springfield Daily News story. “From Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, the delegates gathered in Tulsa today determined that Highway 66, which runs from Chicago via St. Louis to Los Angeles, shall in fact become the ‘Main Street of America.’”
At the beginning, the route joined various existing state roads, many of which were still gravel. Besides paving the highway, the association’s
leaders also marketed Route 66 over other transcontinental routes.
One of the first efforts to popularize the road was an epic foot race that followed Route 66 from its start in California to St. Louis, then on to New York City. The distance was 3,400 miles over just three months. It started with 275 runners, but 77 dropped out on the first day. Only 55 finished. The winner was 20-year-old Andy Payne of Claremore, Oklahoma.
Through publicity like this, the nation learned of the new route, and traffic grew exponentially. Truckers favored its flat terrain, with elevations measured in hundreds of feet compared to thousands crossing the Rocky Mountains.
In the 1930s, Route 66 became a pathway for migrants fleeing the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression, heading west in search of opportunity.
When World War II gripped the nation, the route became strategic for moving troops and materials to support the war effort. This led to a major effort to rebuild the roadway for Fort Leonard Wood, an Army base in St. Robert, Missouri.
The highway was no match for the heavy trucks supplying the base. So, in 1941, construction began on a four-lane divided highway between it and Rolla. A deep cut bypassed a steep grade near Devil’s Elbow. Hooker Cut became the deepest highway excavation in the nation to date, and the four-lane, divided highway was the first of its kind. The improved roadway was fully open to traffic by September 1945—ironically, the same month the war ended.
Other improvements included rerouting to avoid a series of dangerous hairpin curves in Arizona, dubbed the Sidewinder. This 8-mile roadway has 191 curves with no guardrails and 12% grades. Today, it is often visited by adventurous travelers.
DEPARTURE: CHICAGO (WINDOWS DOWN)
• Route 66 – Chuck Berry
• Sweet Home Chicago – The Blues Brothers
• Start Me Up – The Rolling Stones
• Good Times Roll – The Cars
• Real Gone – Sheryl Crow
• Life Is a Highway – Rascal Flatts
• Born to Be Wild – Steppenwolf
• Runnin’ Down a Dream – Tom Petty
• Drivin’ My Life Away – Eddie Rabbitt
• On the Road Again – Willie Nelson
HEARTLAND MILES: MISSOURI → OKLAHOMA → KANSAS
• Missouri River Run – Chloe Hoecker
• If You Wanna Get to Heaven – Ozark Mountain Daredevils
• King of the Road – Roger Miller
• Boys From Oklahoma – Cross Canadian Ragweed
• Oklahoma Smokeshow – Zach Bryan
• Carry On Wayward Son – Kansas
• Dust in the Wind – Kansas
• Ain’t Going Down (‘Til the Sun Comes Up) –Garth Brooks
• Ain’t No Love in Oklahoma – Luke Combs
• Cadillac Ranch – Chris LeDoux
OPEN COUNTRY AND FREEDOM
• Wide Open Spaces – Dixie Chicks
• Follow Your Arrow – Kacey Musgraves
• Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show
• Copperhead Road – Steve Earle
• Midnight Rider – The Allman Brothers Band
• Ramblin’ Man – The Allman Brothers Band
• Blue Sky – The Allman Brothers Band
• Born to Run – Bruce Springsteen
DESERT STRETCH:
TEXAS → NEW MEXICO → ARIZONA
• Amarillo by Morning – George Strait
• I’ve Been Everywhere – Johnny Cash
• A Horse With No Name – America
• Ventura Highway – America
• Take Me to the River – Talking Heads
• Running on Empty – Jackson Browne
• Take the Long Way Home – Supertramp
• Drive – The Cars
DUSK, MOTELS AND LONG THOUGHTS
• Fast Car – Tracy Chapman
• Angel From Montgomery – John Prine
• Into the Mystic – Van Morrison
• Gypsy – Fleetwood Mac
• Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
• The Mother Road – Alan Rhody
• Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
• Peaceful Easy Feeling – Eagles
• Take It to the Limit – Eagles
CALIFORNIA ARRIVAL
• Bad Moon Rising – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• California Dreamin’ – The Mamas & the Papas
• Hotel California – Eagles
• Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac
• California Girls – The Beach Boys
• Everyday Is a Winding Road – Sheryl Crow
• Beverly Hills – Weezer
SUNSHINE, CELEBRATION AND LETTING LOOSE
• Party in the USA – Miley Cyrus
• Hot to Go – Chappell Roan
• Paradise City – Guns N’ Roses
• Getaway Car – Taylor Swift
• Good Time - Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen
• Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen
THE MEANING OF THE JOURNEY (CLOSING STRETCH)
• This Land Is Your Land – Woody Guthrie
• Take Me Home, Country Roads –John Denver
• Kyrie – Mr. Mister
• The Long and Winding Road – The Beatles
• Travelin’ Thru – Dolly Parton
• Running on Empty – Jackson Browne
• What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
• End of the Line – Traveling Wilburys
By the 1950s, Route 66 was the byway of a nation in love with the automobile. Cabins, motels, roadhouses and all manner of highway kitsch sprang up to lure motorists off the pavement. Among them was the first fast-food restaurant, believed to be Red’s Giant Hamburg in Springfield, Missouri.
Route 66 came to represent everything Americans hold near and dear: freedom,
adventure, nostalgia and small-town values. Those themes were shared in the1960s TV series “Route 66,” which helped fuel today’s nostalgia for the road.
Championed in songs such as Bobby Troup’s “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66” and the Eagles’ “Take it Easy,” immortalized by John Steinbeck’s “Grapes of Wrath” and introduced to a new
generation through Pixar’s “Cars” movie, the Mother Road continues to fascinate those who prefer life in the slow lane.
The demise of Route 66 came with the rise of the new Interstate Highway System— including interstates 55, 44, 40, 15 and 10. Small towns where Route 66 was the main road were bypassed, and many businesses couldn’t survive as traffic moved away.
Route 66 was decommissioned in 1985. But the road never truly disappeared.
Mother Nature and the wrecking ball have taken their toll, but if you know where to look, you can still find remnants of the old route. New businesses have sprung from the ashes of those longgone oases on the road.
So, as the song says, “get hip to this timely tip, when you make that California trip,” and make this the year to get your kicks—on Route 66. n
Q: WHO ORIGINALLY SANG “ROUTE 66”?
A: Nat King Cole, with the King Cole Trio, first recorded the song in 1946 at Radio Recorders in Los Angeles. Capitol Records released it as a single, which reached No. 11 on Billboard’s pop chart.
Q: WHO IS CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF ROUTE 66?
A: In the early 1900s, Cyrus Avery of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a real estate developer and owner of a coal company, began acquiring oil leases. With the need to reach the barren lands around him and the need for a roadway from the Midwest to the western lands connecting cities along the way, the road became a reality. With John Woodruff of Springfield, Missouri, Cyrus promoted the idea of a highway connecting the Midwest to the West Coast.
Q: WHAT TOWN IS CONSIDERED THE BIRTHPLACE OF ROUTE 66?
A: Springfield, Missouri, is widely recognized as the birthplace of Route 66. A passionate advocate for the “Good Roads” movement, Springfield businessman John Woodruff promoted highway development across Missouri. While the road itself did not begin in Springfield, the idea of the route was born here, making Springfield the home for the Main Street of America. John was elected the first president of the Route 66 Association.
Q: WHAT WRITER MADE ROUTE 66 FAMOUS?
A: John Steinbeck proclaimed Route 66 the Mother Road in his 1939 book, “The Grapes of Wrath.”
Q: WHERE DID THE ORIGINAL ROUTE BEGIN AND END?
A: Route 66 began in downtown Chicago, Illinois, and ended in Santa Monica, California, near the Pacific Ocean. The official start is at Adams Street and Michigan Avenue, with classic spots like Lou Mitchell’s diner nearby.
Q: HOW LONG WAS HISTORIC ROUTE 66?
A: It is generally accepted that, from beginning to end in 1926, Route 66 traversed 2,448 miles. However, as the route evolved over its 60 years of existence with new, improved alignments, the mileage varied over time.
Q: WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL NAME FOR ROUTE 66?
A: John and Cyrus also played a key role in the naming the road. It had first been named Route 60, as all main east-to-west highways at the time ended in zero. However, the pair felt Route 66 would be easier to promote, especially with the flow of having two of the same number. Thus, on April 30, 1926, a telegram was sent to the Bureau of Public Roads asking for the name to be changed to Route 66.
Q: WHAT DISTINCTION DOES RED’S GIANT HAMBURG, A SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI, ROUTE 66 RESTAURANT, HOLD?
A: It is considered the first drive-in fast-food restaurant. Red’s opened in 1947 and operated until 1984. In early 2019, Red’s Giant Hamburg made a comeback, 35 years after the original restaurant’s closure. The new restaurant, on Route 413, was a re-creation of the original Route 66 location. It opened in August 2019 and operated for almost six years, closing its doors in May 2025. In 2013, a fundraising campaign was established to re-create the Red’s Giant Hamburg sign. The sign, shaped like a cross, was installed in 2015.
Q: WAS U.S. ROUTE 66 PAVED?
A: When Route 66 officially opened in 1926, only 800 miles were paved, the rest being graded dirt, gravel, bricks or wood planks. It took 11 more years before the road would become the first national highway to be completely paved.
Q: WHAT STATES DOES ROUTE 66 TRAVEL THROUGH?
A: Route 66 traverses eight states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
Q: WHEN WAS ROUTE 66 DECOMMISSIONED?
A: With the advent of the Federal Interstate Highway System, U.S. Route 66 was gradually decommissioned, with the last segment, in Arizona, removed from the federal system June 27, 1985.
Q: WHAT STATE HAS THE MOST MILES OF ROUTE 66?
A: New Mexico has the most miles, and Kansas has the fewest—Illinois, 301; Missouri, 317; Kansas, 13; Oklahoma, 432; Texas, 186; New Mexico, 487; Arizona, 401; and California, 314, for a total of 2,448 miles.
Q: WHAT ANIMATED MOVIE IS BASED ON ROUTE 66?
A: The 2006 animated movie “Cars” tells the story of Route 66 through characters Lightning McQueen and Sally and their escapades at Radiator Springs, a fictionalized representation of all Route 66 towns. Sally liked to say, “Those were the days we traveled to have a great time, not to make great time.” In the movie, Ramone’s House of Body Art looks similar to the U-Drop Inn in Shamrock, Texas. Other real-life locations that inspired parts of the movie include Cadillac Ranch, Wigwam Motels and Wagon Wheel Motel.
16 ounces gnocchi
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
11/2 teaspoons dried oregano
Heat oven to 425 F.
11/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 handfuls baby spinach
Shaved Parmesan cheese, for topping
On a large sheet pan, add gnocchi, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, red onion, cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, basil, salt, thyme, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Combine everything, making sure it is well coated in the spices and oil. Bake for 35 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Remove sheet pan from oven. Add spinach, and stir to combine. Return to oven for 5 minutes, just until spinach is wilted.
Serve with shaved Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
Cooking spray
2 medium sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 cups broccoli florets
4 5-ounce salmon fillets
2 tablespoons everything bagel seasoning
2 teaspoons soy sauce
Heat oven to 425 F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil, and coat lightly with cooking spray.
Toss sweet potatoes with 2 teaspoons oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Place on half of the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine Dijon, honey and cayenne in a small bowl. Toss broccoli with remaining oil, salt and pepper in a separate bowl.
Remove potatoes from oven. Add salmon to the other half of the baking sheet. Place 2 teaspoons of the mustard mixture on each filet. Brush to coat, then sprinkle with bagel seasoning. Add broccoli to sweet potatoes. Bake until salmon flakes easily with a fork and vegetables are golden, about 12 minutes. Stir soy sauce into remaining mustard mixture, and drizzle over vegetables.
1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley
1 large bunch cilantro
1 tablespoon oregano
2 medium garlic cloves
11/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, plus more as needed
11/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 cup whole cherry tomatoes
1 small red bell pepper
1/2 medium red onion
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Rice, flatbreads or potatoes
Using a food processor, pulse parsley, cilantro, oregano, garlic, salt and red pepper flakes until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add olive oil and vinegar, and pulse until just combined. Season to taste with additional salt and vinegar.
In a large bowl, toss chicken thighs with honey and 1/3 cup of chimichurri. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Refrigerate remaining chimichurri until ready to use.
When ready to proceed, adjust oven rack about 6 inches below the heating element. Heat broiler to high.
Remove chicken from marinade. On a 13-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet, arrange thighs out so there is plenty of space between them. Discard marinade. Arrange zucchini, cherry tomatoes, red pepper and onions around chicken. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil, and season with salt.
Broil until chicken is golden brown and vegetables are just beginning to char, about 10 minutes. Flip chicken and vegetables. Broil until vegetables are tender, and chicken is lightly charred. The chicken should read 185 F on an instantread thermometer, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Serve with reserved chimichurri, rice, flatbread or potatoes.
Cooking spray
8 corn tortillas
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
11/4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
For serving:
1 batch easy taco slaw (see below)
1 medium avocado, sliced
Sour cream
Lime wedges
Heat oven to 400 F. Lightly coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
Place a large sheet of aluminum foil on a work surface. Stack the tortillas on top, and wrap in foil. Place the packet of tortillas on one corner of the baking sheet.
Pat shrimp dry, and place on baking sheet. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Toss to combine, and spread into an even layer.
Roast until shrimp are opaque and pink, stirring halfway through, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drizzle shrimp with lime juice, and toss to combine. Fill tortillas with shrimp, and top with slaw, avocado and sour cream. Serve with lime.
Shredded red cabbage
Salt
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Grated or shredded carrot
Thinly sliced scallions
Cilantro, finely chopped Jalapeño pepper, deseeded and cut into slices
Salt the cabbage in a colander. Massage it to help release its liquid, then set aside to drain for 15 minutes.
Place mayonnaise, lime juice and garlic powder in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Using your hands, squeeze cabbage of its excess liquid one handful at a time. Add cabbage and remaining ingredients to the bowl, and toss to combine.
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup freshly grated
Parmesan cheese
4 5-ounce bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
11/2 pounds baby potatoes
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt, to taste
Freshly cracked pepper
Heat the oven to 425 F. Line a large sheet pan with aluminum foil, and coat with cooking spray.
Mix breadcrumbs and cheese in a small bowl. Set aside. Place chicken on prepared pan. Combine butter and Dijon in a large bowl. Brush chicken with mixture.
Add potatoes and beans to bowl. Toss in remaining mixture. Evenly spread vegetables on the pan around chicken Season everything with thyme, salt and pepper. Press breadcrumb mixture onto chicken thighs.
Bake until chicken is no longer pink at the bone, the juices run clear, and the potatoes can be pierced easily with a fork, about 25 to 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the chicken bone should read 165 F.
Does anyone have old jewelry you don’t want anymore? I would love pre-1970s jewelry. I wear my older jewelry every day, but it’s wearing down and I would love a new batch. I’d wear them with pride. Thank you.
Sandy Corliss
2948 Happy Valley Road Roseburg, OR 97471 scorliss@mydFN.net
I would love to have material to make quilts and at least 3 yards to make aprons. Also, some yarn for knitting. I volunteer at the school nearby and would like to use it with the children. Thank you.
Hilma Tonuchuk
P.O. Box 20013 Kotlik, AK 99620
I make cross-stitch Christmas ornaments each year for my grandchildren. I prefer smaller patterns, and I’m unable to find “Leisure Arts 101 Christmas Mini Book 1.” Also, I can’t find any 18- or 22-count Aida cloth in any color except white. If anyone has the book or cloth, I’ll gladly pay for it. Thank you.
Elaine Beers
P.O. Box 96 Swisshome, OR 97480
Marty and I would like to thank everyone for the supplies. It’s time to request more denim—used would be great to give it more life. We can turn any scraps into useable things. We also need batting to put inside our quilts. Thank you all.
Shirley and Marty Egbert
190 S. Crystal Drive Rupert, ID 83350
I’m looking for parts to old hurricane lanterns. I rewire them and make them useful again.
R. Anderson
82164 Red Bluff Road Seaside, OR 97138
My amazing stepfather celebrates his 97th birthday this month. He has always been a traveler, beginning with two cross-country moves as a young child. In adulthood, he has visited nearly all of the United States and 34 different countries. He is a proud U.S. Navy veteran who raised three sons with his first wife. He was a widower for many years before marrying again at age 90. He remains mentally sharp and active with family, friends and church. He is a master woodworker and an avid Scrabble player. He still hosts Bible study groups. He would be thrilled to receive birthday greetings, especially with stories about interesting places. Send cards to Gary Miller, 150 Calle Del Sol St., Richland, WA 99352. Linda Freepons Prosser, Washington
Our mother is fast approaching her 100th birthday this month. She was born in White Sulphur Springs, Montana, and spent summers at the family’s Watson Ranch near Benton Gulch, which was also a Post Office in the earlier 1920s and ’30s. With seven aunts and uncles, she had a great early life. In the 1940s, she moved with her parents and sister to Portland, Oregon, where she married and had four children in the first five years of marriage. Another came along six years later. She moved to Sisters, Oregon, in 1998, near her daughter. She loves reading large print books— one to two a week. In her younger years, she did a lot of volunteer work around town, wherever she could help. She is a longtime Christian, loves jokes and always has a wonderful positive attitude. She gets mostly junk mail now, and I know she would love some real cards and letters. Thank you. Send cards to Marylinn Watson, 369 E. St. Helen’s Ave., Sisters, OR 97759.
Gaynelle Savage Redmond, Oregon
My mom, Hazel Hays, is turning 84 at the end of this month. She worked her entire life to help my dad and give her children a great home life. My dad and my middle siblings have passed on, but she still has me, my brother and her dog, Dew. Please shower my mom with your kind words. She would be so happy. Hazel Hays, P.O. Box 255, Scio, OR 97374.
Karen Miller Scio, Oregon
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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 (pricing applies).
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Requests must include the name and address of the electric utility that provides your magazine.
No coin embodies the spirit of America more than the Morgan Silver Dollar. From the Comstock Lode discovery that provided millions of ounces of silver to make them, to outlaws robbing stage coaches in the Wild West to pay for their bar tabs and brothel visits, the hefty Morgan Silver Dollar holds a special place in American history.
It’s no wonder collectors and history buffs alike clamor to get their hands on them. That is, if they can get their hands on them.
Collectors love “lasts” as no collection is complete without the last coin struck. Last year coins are often hard to find and always in demand. Little did master engraver George T. Morgan know the legacy he was creating when he designed what has become known as “The King of Silver Dollars” but it came to an end 104 years ago with the last-year 1921 Morgan Silver Dollar, the most beloved coin in American history.
Rarcoa®, America’s Oldest Coin Company, is announcing the public release of 832 of the very last year 1921 Morgan Silver Dollars, struck at the iconic Philadelphia Mint. Each coin today comes in Brilliant Uncirculated condition, pristine as the day they were struck!
Struck in 1921, each coin is one hundred and four years old. Could Charles Lindbergh have carried your coin in his pocket during his flight across the Atlantic? Or maybe your greatgrandfather carried it while storming the beaches of Normandy during World War II before ending up in a small coin shop in Tuscaloosa, Oklahoma. Each coin has its own unique history and you can hold 104 years of American history when you buy yours today!
Coin experts estimate that only 15%-20% of Morgans are still surviving today due to multiple mass-meltings over the years. The Pittman Act of 1918 melted over 270,000,000 coins, that’s almost 50% of all coins produced at the time. Untold quantities were melted in the 1980s and 2000s when silver prices rose up to $50 per ounce.
This same 1921 Morgan Silver Dollar sells elsewhere for as much as $239. But thanks to Rarcoa’s buying power and numismatic expertise, you can own one for as little as $89.95, in quantity while supplies last. That’s a difference of up to $149!
Because the precious metals market is always active and dynamic, prices may adjust to reflect the latest market opportunities.
BUY MORE AND SAVE!
1921 Morgan Silver Dollar Brilliant Uncirculated
1-4 $99.95 each
5-9 $94.95 each, save $5 each, save up to $45
It is time to share your favorite photos for a chance to appear in our 2027 Ruralite calendar. Up to 13 winners are selected, and each receives $100. Photos must be submitted by June 30, 2026. The contest is open to recipients of Ruralite and Currents magazines. Each person may submit up to two photos. Each submission must include:
• Photographer’s name, address and electric utility.
• A short description—otherwise known as a caption—of what is shown.
• Photographer’s email address and phone number.
• JPEG file photos only. Photos must be horizontal (landscape) format and at least 300 dpi at 11 inches wide by 9 inches tall. Vertical photos and any photos created or altered by AI are not accepted. Enter today by visiting tinyurl.com/ruralitecalendar or use the QR code on this page.
Winning Tips
• Use the highest resolution setting on your camera.
• Photograph beautiful places and wildlife.
• Capture scenes full of vivid color.
• Reflect the seasons.
• Make us feel something—awe, joy, etc.
By Dave LaBelle
During the pandemic, I taught an eightweek online photo class. One of my students, Amy Gaskin, struggled to find a project she felt comfortable photographing since so many people were masked and afraid of interacting with others. I suggested Amy consider shooting a “dead person” story, the kind magazines like National Geographic do on famous people who are deceased—such as Van Gogh, Mark Twain, Ernest Hemingway or Abraham Lincoln. I asked her if there was
You can find Amy Gaskin’s story at amygaskin.com/marilyn/nationalgeographic.
anybody famous buried close by her home. She immediately thought of Marilyn Monroe.
That was more than four years ago. Amy is still tirelessly working on the Marilyn project, which has taken her as far away as Australia. Portions have been published in newspapers and magazines in the United States and abroad, including National Geographic online. She hopes to publish her book, “Marilyn Forever: A Symbol of Hope,” soon. June 1 would have been Marilyn’s 100th birthday.
While recently in Palm Springs,
California, I photographed the controversial 26-foot-tall, 34,300-pound statue of Marilyn Monroe created by the late American artist Seward Johnson.
As always, I considered various angles and times of day. Things look different in different light, and colors change rapidly— often within a few minutes or even seconds—as do shadows in the mornings and evenings.
I settled on a morning shot as the rising sunlight moved across the figure with a man walking past to offer scale, rather than midday with crowds doing selfies. n
What project would interest you enough to study, explore, photograph and/or write about? Who or what are you curious about? I’ve often said, as long as you have any camera you should never get bored. I would need a dozen lifetimes to explore all of the people and places I am curious about. This is your chance, your license, your challenge to start today. Who knows where your curiosity might lead you? Maybe a gallery showing, a newspaper or magazine article? Maybe even a book?
Email your best image—just one—with caption information, including an explanation of how it affects you, to gph@pioneer.coop. We may share submissions on our website and social media channels.
“I never expected it to be so beautiful that it takes your breath away.”
— Kaya C., on Stauer Opals
In a quaint village, nestled between rolling hills, lived a young woman with a deep appreciation for gemstones. Her grandmother gifted her a delicate cross pendant adorned with opals. The opals shimmered with a mesmerizing play of colors, reflecting hues of blues, greens, and fiery oranges. Her grandmother shared the legend of the opals, believed to bring hope, purity, and luck to those who wore them.
Using this story as inspiration, Stauer brings you the Opal Spirit Cross Pendant. With over 2 total carats of Kyocera lab-created opals set in .925 sterling silver encased in yellow gold, this pendant is a radiant celebration of beauty and craftsmanship. Each opal captivates with a kaleidoscopic dance of fiery oranges blending into oceanic blues, streaked with flashes of vibrant green that seem to come alive with every movement. The shimmering opals are skillfully arranged to create an enchanting, otherworldly glow, embodying the spirit of hope and harmony.
This breathtaking combination of color and craftsmanship is available as a limited availability of only
930 pieces, making it a rare and treasured addition to your jewelry collection. Plus, when you order today, you’ll receive the gold-finished sterling silver chain—a $69 value—absolutely free! Don’t miss your chance to own this exclusive tribute to timeless elegance and meaningful symbolism.
Necklace Specifications:
• 2 1/2 ctw. Kyocera lab opals and DiamondAura® accents
• Yellow gold-finished .925 sterling silver setting
• 18" gold-clad .925 sterling silver chain
1 million Oregonians served by consumer-owned utilities deserve an answer
March 9, 2026
Office of the Governor
900 Court Street NE, Suite 254
Salem, OR 97301-4047
Dear Governor Kotek:
In October 2025, we wrote to you expressing our deep concern about the State of Oregon’s decision to restart litigation challenging the Columbia River System Operations (CRSO) Environmental Impact Statement. We did so respectfully and with urgency, asking for a conversation and reiterating your 2022 commitment that consumer-owned utilities (COUs) would have a “seat at the table” in discussions about the future of the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS).
We never received a response.
Following Judge Simon’s recent preliminary injunction requiring additional spill at the Columbia and Snake River dams, we are even more concerned about the path ahead. This ruling underscores exactly why it is so important for the State to work directly with the utilities that power more than one million Oregonians. Decisions of this magnitude, which directly impact energy reliability and costs, should not be made without meaningful input from the families, communities, and businesses who will bear the consequences.
As you have said, “Too many Oregonians are struggling with high energy bills,” and “every Oregonian deserves reliable, affordable energy.” This is why the State’s current direction feels so contradictory. Despite your statement that Judge Simon’s decision will have only a “modest impact,” on the region’s “overall ability to maintain a reliable, affordable power system,” preliminary analysis paints a much different picture – BPA estimates a 6% rate increase almost overnight. When adding this to other, ordinary operational rate increases from BPA, it amounts to an increase totaling 16%.
We do not believe that represents a “modest” rate increase.
While your administration works to address affordability and the growing demand for clean energy, the State is simultaneously supporting litigation that threatens our most essential source of steady, carbon-free electricity. This is especially concerning now,
Ashland Electric
City of Bandon
Blachly-Lane Electric Cooperative
Canby Utility
City of Cascade Locks
Central Electric Cooperative
Central Lincoln PUD
Clatskanie PUD
Columbia Basin Electric Cooperative
Columbia Power Cooperative
Columbia River PUD
Consumers Power, Inc.
Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative
City of Drain
Douglas Electric Cooperative
Emerald PUD
Eugene Water & Electric Board
Forest Grove Light & Power
as Oregon already faces serious resource adequacy challenges and a growing demand for electricity.
At a time of record forecasted load growth, the region has no clear plan to replace the firm, dispatchable, carbon-free capacity provided by the FCRPS. The system is not simply a legacy resource, it is Oregon’s cleanest and most reliable backbone, and it is becoming more valuable, not less, as the grid grows more constrained.
Our region has already come precariously close to rolling blackouts during extreme weather. This unprecedented reduction in operational flexibility via court order— without a replacement plan—creates real reliability risk and very real rate consequences for Oregonians.
At the same time, COUs remain the primary funders of the world’s largest fish and wildlife mitigation program. Through decades of investment in fish passage, habitat restoration, and predation management, we have demonstrated that salmon recovery and hydropower can and must coexist. We have never walked away from that responsibility.
But litigation without collaboration, and now court-driven operational mandates, move us further from a durable, sciencebased, regionally supported solution.
Governor, we are disappointed that our earlier outreach did not result in dialogue. The stakes are too high to continue down this path without direct engagement. Oregon’s utility customers deserve transparency about the rate impacts, reliability implications, and long-term replacement strategy, if one exists.
We respectfully renew our request for a meeting with you at the earliest opportunity.
Sincerely,
The undersigned community-owned utilities, on behalf of one million Oregonians.
Harney Electric Cooperative
Hermiston Energy Services
Hood River Electric & Internet Co-op
Lane Electric Cooperative
McMinnville Water & Light
Midstate Electric Cooperative
City of Milton-Freewater
Monmouth Power & Light
Northern Wasco PUD
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative
Salem Electric
Springfield Utility Board
Surprise Valley Electrification Corp.
Tillamook PUD
Wasco Electric Cooperative
West Oregon Electric Cooperative
Umatilla Electric Cooperative
Reinforced custom-sized pond liners (39 cents/sqft.). Hay covers, greenhouse covers, any width and length. Truck tarps and more. High puncture and tear strength. Best price guaranteed. Celebrating 45 years in business. btlliners.com. 541-447-0712. 0427
Strong and dependable 20-year-old female ag. graduate (May 2026) of Feather River College seeking ranch hand employment, preferably with cattle. Lilly, 916-717-9981. 0526
Antiques and Collectibles
Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo jewelry, blankets, rugs. CA/AZ baskets and beadwork. Quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117 or send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. 0526
WC Collectibles. We buy comic books! Local to Inland Northwest. Willing to travel. WCCollectiblesCheney@gmail.com; 509-496-1835.
Buying antiques and collectibles: advertising signs, porcelain signs, gas pumps, beer signs, antique toys, cast-iron coin banks, neon signs and more. Jason, 503-310-3321, or tjabaughman@yahoo.com. 0926
For sale: two silk area rugs, medallion motif, fringed: 8x5’, $950; 5x3’, $450. Photos available. fisherdj_2000@yahoo.com. 0526
Two large wood tool chests on rollers, includes many old, vintage hand tools, photos available, no shipping, Baker City, OR. seabee69jim@gmail.com. 0526
Model train magazines. More than 900, from ’40s, ’50s and early 2000s. Selling one lot, no single sales. $100 or offer, no shipping, Baker City, OR. seabee69jim@gmail.com. 0526
For Sale: 1982 and 1985 vintage Tri Hawk 304s and a 2002 Grinnell Scorpion. Roseburg, OR. 541-784-8233 or 541-784-8232; dsiasbuckle@gmail.com. 0526
Rare ’65 Buick Gran Sport, all original, frame up restoration. Numbers matching. Power brakes, steering, seat, windows, A/C. Engine 401, HP 325. North ID. 760-638-6574. 0526
Classic 1999 Chevy Suburban LT 2WD, immaculate condition, always garaged, maintenance records, original owner, photos available, $12K. tedsbaseball@gmail.com; 503-354-2051. 0526
Ads 25 words or fewer are $35 a month. An ad of up to 35 words is $50 a month. Contact information is included in the word count. Phone numbers and emails count as one word.
Longer ads may be placed. Contact 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop for pricing.
Ads are for customers of member co-ops, public utility districts and municipals only. Subscribers and nonmembers may inquire about pricing at 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop.
Ads must be direct and in first person, and are subject to approval and editing.
Closing deadlines (in our office): July issue—May 29
If submitting ad by mail, send appropriate payment with your name, address, email, phone number and the name of the electric utility that provides your magazine to: Marketplace, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133. Make check or money order payable to Ruralite.
We accept credit card payments for ads submitted to info@pioneer.coop. Call 503-357-2105 to pay by credit card. Advertisements are accepted in good faith. Pioneer Utility Resources is not liable for interactions between buyers and sellers.
1977 Toyota Landcruiser FJ40; runs well. Original engine/running gear. In Plumas Co., CA. $8K, OBO. js9445@hotmail.com; 530-927-7679 for details. 0626
Boats
Beautiful Don Hill design wood drift boat with high-impact fiberglass bottom and Shorelander trailer. Includes 10-foot oars, lead anchor, plus HW. $4.3K, OBO. Rodger: sandyd@cbbmail.com or 971-227-1753. 0626
Mirrocraft 12’ aluminum fishing, recreation boat. Year 2000. Two seats. Electric motor and 15 horse Honda gas motor. Asking $1,995. 541-444-1394. OR Coast. 0526
Books, Magazines, Videos
Book restoration. Bibles, cookbooks, cherished family heirlooms. Beautiful work. We give renewed life, more durable than original, to last for generations. 775-537-7066; salacanstudio@gmail.com. 0426
I have 12 Etude magazines, 1926-27; some covers are missing. Free. I will mail to you. 541-475-6656. Leave your contact information.
Community Events
La Pine Rhubarb Festival, June 20-21! Free community event featuring more than 140 vendors/food trucks, live music, adult beverages, kids zone and granny rhubarb pies! La Pine Senior Activity Center. More information: 541-536-6237. 0626
“The Warmth Within My Shadow,” by Jason Hogge: May 1-June 27 at Art Center East in La Grande, OR. Also, free art classes for youth. artcentereast.org. 0526
Education
Long Creek Virtual Learning Acellus Academy. Free in OR, online, accredited, K-12 education. Contact Long Creek School for information and to sign up. longcreekschool.com; 541-508-9164. Furniture, Appliances
For sale, matching green couch and chair. Good condition, $135. 541-720-0865. 0526
Miscellaneous
Attention, landowners. Grants available now. Wildland fire fuel reduction service. Steep ground, remote, rocky, small lot, big acreage … no problem. Blue Mountain Defensible Space LLC. Bluemountainbrush@gmail.com; bluemountainbrush.com; 509-399-3473. 1126
Granite cemetery markers at affordable prices. Will ship to most places. More information: Joe, highdesertmemorials@gmail.com or 541-815-8906, highdesertmemorials.com.
Local commercial fisherman sells summer catch of preserved freshness by blast freezing at sea, gourmet canned tuna on internet. Sept.June. 100% guaranteed the best canned tuna you ever tasted. Original, jalapeno and garlic flavors available. To order: twofisherstuna.com or 206-799-1082. 0526
Pets, Supplies
3 Australian/Husky purebred puppies in John Day, OR. Born Jan. 19, ready for new homes. 3 males. Please call if interested, can send pictures. Sherry Dress, 541-620-1372. 0526
Real Estate
Let me help you buy or sell ranch, farm and recreation property in OR. Fourth-generation Oregonian, prior ranch owner. For sale: Deschutes Canyon Mountain views, 118 acres, Riverfront. $11.9M. John Gill, 541-480-9161; johngill@landandwildlife.com. Land And Wildlife brokerage. 0526
John Day River Trading Post on more than 1 fenced acre, previous store, existing USPS lease, home. $375K. Duke Warner Realty, 541-987-2363; ddwr@ortelco.net. 0526
320 acres east of Adel, OR. Borders Hart Mountain views, Steens Mountain and Beaty Butte. Landowner tags, very rural. Reduced price: $145K. For maps: 541-659-1573; thejugglingman3@gmail.com. 0526
Private 10-acre wild tree farm near Sandpoint, ID, with older 3-bd. mobile home, countymaintained road, good building sites. $395K. Steve, 208-290-6505. 0526
Mobiles to mansions. Cabins to castles. Brookings, OR, area Principal Broker Pat Piper, Century 21 Agate Realty. Helpful. Educated. Caring. 28 years area experience. 541-251-2152; patpiperbroker@gmail.com.
For sale/rent: 20-acre developed land, 3,600sqft. shop with “barndominium” potential. Weddings/events, horse property, RV hookups, creek, views. $575K. Seller financing. Goldendale, WA. 509-378-5886. 0526
For sale in Rosarito Beach, Baja, Mexico. 2 lots. 2,153 sqft. each. Valles del Mar. Security, paved streets, lights, utilities ready. $33K, negotiable. 323-386-3613. 0626
Recreational Rentals
Ocean view Maui vacation rental. For the months of May-Oct. $210/now $185. One-time cleaning $150, 2 TVs, king-size bed, queen-size sofa bed. Beach chairs and umbrellas. Great view. 503-812-6689. 0626
Vacation rentals in Sisters, including Black Butte Ranch, or for local help managing your home in Central OR, call 541-778-7939 or visit avacationexperience.com. 0526
Sunshine and sand—Book your summer dreams at WaveCatcher for 2026. Oceanfront cottage with direct beach access, on the spectacular Central Oregon Coast. Sleeps 6. Pet friendly. All house amenities. Winter closure November-March. Reservations, information text 541-740-2846 or email relax@wavecatcherbeachrentals.com. 0526
Enjoy your ideal Maui getaway. This updated 2-bd., 2-ba. condo sleeps 4 and features a charming surf shack design. Just half a block from a beautiful beach, it’s perfect for morning strolls and sunsets. Plus, you’re steps away from shops and restaurants at Azeka Plaza. tinyurl.com/MauiGetaway. 0526
Recreational Vehicles
2004 Fleetwood Flair, 34’, 45.2K miles, like new, 2 slide-outs, Triton V-10, 5500 Onan, 2 AC. Garaged except when traveling since March 2009. $22.95K. 541-508-6866. 0526
1996 Pleasure Way motorhome. 83K miles, fully contained, 8 cylinders, gas, clean. $20K, OBO. For pictures and information, call or text 503-706-5846. Clatskanie, OR. 0526
Selling my 2022 Heartland Sundance UltraLite travel trailer. 24 ft., loaded. Single slider, awning, power leveling jacks and tongue jack. Large TV with Dish receiver. AM/FM/CD player, queen bed, microwave, 3-burner stove/oven, shower, gas/electric refrigerator, TireMinder system, gas furnace, A/C. Complete with anti-sway hitch. $19.5K, OBO. 541-403-2028. Baker City, OR. 0526
2014 Solo Rider Electric golf cart. Swivel and stand-up seat for disabilities. Gently used, well-maintained. New batteries and charger. $7K. 509-948-5759. Prosser, WA area. 0526 Services
Dawn Till Dusk Masonry. Brick, block, stone and pavers. Small jobs and repairs welcome. dawntillduskconstructionmasonry.com; 541-388-7605; 541-410-6945. License No. 245760 bonded and insured. La Pine, OR. 0526
Sheidler Bookkeeping. Wrangling those books so you don’t have to. QuickBooks and Xero certified. Contact Valia at 541-519-9005 or sheidlerbookkeeping@gmail.com for a free consultation. 0726
Blue Mountain Defensible Space LLC Wildfire Fuel Reduction: clearing brush, thinning trees, animal habitat enhancement. Expert service. Grant money available OR, WA, ID. Bluemountainbrush@gmail.com; 509-399-3473; bluemountainbrush.com. 1126
Situations Wanted
Attractive, active 60-year-old Christian gentleman in Umpqua, OR. Business owner. Loves hot rods, smooth jazz, beach. Seeks financially stable, adventurous woman, 40–60. grailgolf@hotmail.com. 0626
Want to Buy
Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo jewelry, blankets, rugs. CA/AZ baskets and beadwork. Quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117 or send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. 0526
Gold, silver, coins/currency, buy, sell. Collections wanted. Fair prices paid. 45 years in retail store. Baker City, OR. 800-556-2133; garrymclin@aol.com. 0526
Old carpenter tools, planes (wood/metal), levels, chisels, slicks, adzes, axes, hatchets, handsaws, old rulers, spoke shaves, wrenches, shipwright tools, old tool chests. 503-659-0009; 971-666-0659. 0526
Women practice long-range shooting at a recent Yow’s Hunting Camp class. PHOTOS
For 14 years, hunting camp has brought women and youth to Oregon’s high desert to learn, grow and find their place in the outdoors
By Craig Reed
For the past 14 years, Yow’s Hunting Camp has inspired, motivated and empowered women and youth to venture outdoors and enjoy its many recreational opportunities. Candy and Randy Yow host campers at their Dry Creek Ranch, located 28 miles east of La Pine on the south side of Highway 31.
“To me, it’s helping someone to be in God’s country,” Candy says. “It’s the most rewarding thing you can ever do. You can put it on TV, but it’s just not the same as being there.”
Randy says the camps are a time to encourage people to see beyond their city limits.
“It’s hard to harness what you see out there and to share it with people,” he says. “Pictures don’t do it justice. People need to see it for themselves.”
Four camps are scheduled for this summer: Co-ed Long Range Shooting School, May 30-31; Co-ed All Things Archery Elk, June 12-14; Youth Hunting Camp, July 17-19; and Ladies Hunting Camp, July 23-26. The longrange shooting camp is already full, but the other camps are still accepting registrations online at yowhunting.com.
The cost for each ranges from $250 for the youth camp to $575 for the archery elk camp. Fees include space for tent, RV or trailer camping and all meals. Firearms, bows, arrows and other equipment are provided if participants need them.
At each camp, experts provide instruction in a variety of classes, including rifle, muzzleloader and pistol shooting; firearm familiarization and safety; archery; shotgun; concealed carry; knife skills and sharpening; orienteering; wild game processing; wildlife photography; Dutch oven cooking; trailer backing; elk and predator calling; trapping; backcountry hunting; backpack packing; tracking; scouting; and first aid. Classes average about 1½ hours.
Safety is stressed throughout each
camp. A mandatory safety class is held at the beginning of each camp, and more time is spent on safety prior to shooting classes. Those running shooting classes are certified range safety officers.
Brooke Smith, of Prineville, has been a camp instructor for several years. She leads archery classes and teaches a class on towing and backing up trailers.
“Everybody is there to work on something, from ladies who come with zero experience to those who want to learn more to broaden their horizon,” Brooke says. “It’s a controlled, safe, friendly environment where you can learn at your pace and build confidence.
“There’s always things we find out about ourselves at camp,” she says. “It’s more than learning how to shoot a gun or a bow, or how to read maps. It can be opening up about being scared of them and overcoming that.”
Candy says most volunteer instructors have been sharing their expertise at the camps for more than 10 years.
“The instructors are amazing,” she says.
“They come from all over. It’s important they come for the women and the youth, not for themselves. We want them to inspire, motivate and empower the attendees.”
Candy and Randy are from families that got them outdoors and hunting during their younger years. Now 62 and 64, respectively, the two have been advocates of the outdoors and its recreational opportunities through the years.
Yow’s Hunting Camp is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit governed by a seven-member board. Candy serves as board chair, and Randy is a board member. Candy is also the regional director for Oregon’s Mule Deer Foundation and Blacktail Foundation.
“If we don’t teach women and kids about the outdoors, we’ll not have hunting and other activities,” Candy says. “We want them to be successful. We want people leaving the camps safe and feeling they can be successful in the outdoors.” n
For more information, visit yowhunting.com.
This is the view from Jane Phillips’ cabin deck on Craig Mountain. Only 45 minutes from her main home, the drive takes her family through wheat fields, farms and forest. After running a generator at the cabin for so many years, the Phillips family is now enjoying having power, thanks to Clearwater Power. PHOTO BY
JANE PHILLIPS
To submit your photo, email a JPEG to photos@pioneer.coop.
Include “Before You Go” in the subject line and share a bit about what inspired you to make your photo.
One in four Veterans lives in rural areas. Every day, we strive to extend our reach, to make sure they have access to the compassionate care and attention they need—from advanced telehealth services to community-based outpatient clinics. Because all our Veterans deserve it, no matter where they are. We believe it’s up to us to ensure they lead healthier, happier lives. Visit vacareers.va.gov to lend a hand.
When it’s you against nature, there’s only one tool you need: the tempered steel Stag Hunter from Stauer—now ONLY $59!
That first crack of thunder sounded like a bomb just fell on Ramshorn Peak. Black clouds rolled in and the wind shook the trees. I had ventured off the trail on my own, gambled with the weather and now I was trapped in the forest. Miles from camp. Surrounded by wilderness and watching eyes. I knew that if I was going to make it through the night I needed to find shelter and build a fire... fast. As the first raindrops fell, I reached for my Stag Hunter Knife
Stauer Pocket Binoculars -a $99 valuewith your purchase of the Stag Hunter Knife
Forget about smartphones and GPS, because when it comes to taking on Mother Nature, there’s only one tool you really need. Our stunning Stag Hunter is the ultimate sidekick for surviving and thriving in the great outdoors. Priced at $149, the Stag Hunter can be yours today for an unbelievable $59! Call now and we’ll include a bonus leather sheath!
A legend in steel. The talented knifemakers of Trophy Stag Cutlery have done it again by crafting a fixedblade beauty that’s sharp in every sense of the word. The Stag Hunter sports an impressive 5⅓" tempered German stainless steel blade with a genuine deer stag horn and stained Pakkawood™ handle, brass hand guard and polished pommel. You get the best in 21st-century construction with a classic look inspired by legendary American pioneers.
But we don’t stop there. While supplies last, we’ll include a pair of $99 Stauer pocket binoculars and a genuine leather sheath FREE when you purchase the Stag Hunter Knife.
Your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Feel the knife in your hands, wear it on your hip, inspect the craftsmanship. If you’re not completely impressed, send it back within 30 days for a complete refund of the item price. But we believe that once you wrap your fingers around the Stag Hunter’s handle, you’ll be ready to carve your own niche into the wild frontier.
BONUS! Call today and you’ll also receive this genuine leather sheath!
knife is beautiful!”
J., La Crescent,
feel of this knife is unbelievable... this an incredibly
16755 Finley Butte Road
P.O. Box 127
La Pine, OR 97739
midstateelectric.coop
541-536-2126 • 800-722-7219
Departments
Member Service ....... Option 3
Engineering ........... Option 4
Energy Efficiency Option 5
Operations Option 6
After-Hours Outages and Emergencies: 541-536-2165 or 800-752-5935
OFFICE HOURS
7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Monday through Thursday
Closed Fridays and holidays
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President
Ron Cass, La Pine
Vice President
Daniel Jansen, Christmas Valley Secretary/Treasurer
Steven R. Miles, Fall River
Tanna King, Chemult
Garry Journey, Crescent
Dick Luebke, Sunriver
Alan Parks, Fort Rock
Louis (Brad) Crement, Gilchrist
Steve S. Hess, La Pine
The board meets the fourth Monday of each month at the co-op office.
STAFF
General Manager
James “Jim” Anderson
OR-23
We are already seeing something we don’t typically experience until much later in the year: Fire season conditions have arrived across Midstate Electric Cooperative’s service territory.
In March, Midstate implemented fire-related system settings we normally would not activate until June. Our service territory has already experienced multiple fires this season, including one that led to evacuations and required a significant response from local resources. These early events are a clear reminder of how quickly conditions can change and how important it is for all of us to remain vigilant.
Experts indicate this summer could be among the driest we’ve seen in years, with fire danger expected to reach extreme levels earlier and remain elevated longer. That means preparation and awareness are more important than ever.
This year, Midstate is proactively using wildfire mitigation tools and system settings designed to reduce risk to our communities and infrastructure. These settings help protect power lines during high-risk conditions, but they can also increase the likelihood of outages.
In extreme conditions, MEC may need to implement a Public Safety Power Shutoff. While the decision to do so is never made lightly, a PSPS is a critical tool to help prevent our system from starting a fire during dangerous weather.
Communication is critical during wildfire season. We strongly encourage all members to sign up for SmartHub. Verify and update your contact information, including phone numbers and email addresses, and sign up for notifications
so you can receive timely updates directly from Midstate, including:
• Notifications when we enter special system settings during high fire risk
• Advance notice of potential PSPS
• Real-time outage information and restoration updates
With SmartHub, we can send text messages and alerts directly to your phone, ensuring you have immediate information when conditions change.
During fire season, restoring power safely takes more time. When an outage occurs, our crews must identify and repair the issue, then patrol the entire line before reenergizing.
This additional step is critical. Even something as simple as a branch, wildlife contact or debris can cause damage in multiple locations along a line. We must ensure the entire system is safe before restoring power. As a result, you may experience longer restoration times than you are accustomed to.
This year is shaping up to be more active and more challenging than what we typically experience. Our focus remains clear: delivering safe, reliable power while protecting the communities we serve.
We appreciate your patience, preparedness and partnership as we navigate this season together. If you have not already done so, ensure your contact information is up to date. It’s one of the simplest—and most important—steps you can take to stay informed.
The best way to fight a fire is to prevent it before it starts.
Jim Anderson, CEO/General Manager