Ruralite, Northern Wasco County PUD, March 2026

NORTHERN WASCO

COUNTY PUD

MARCH 2026

Preserving Traditional

WesternArts

Organizations and artisans strive to keep traditional Western craftsmanship alive Page 12

Ruralite

March 2026 • Volume 73, No. 3

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

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Valeri Saldanha Rosa

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCTION SR. MANAGER

Elizabeth Beatty

SENIOR PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR

Alyssa McDougle

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Shaped By Other Hands

There’s a moment in every apprenticeship when a student realizes the lesson isn’t just about technique—it’s also about trust.

Rick Pass experienced this when he traveled to North Carolina at 62, newly retired, to study duck decoy carving with master carver Vic Kirkman. Eleven days of intensive work led to Rick’s first world carving championship event in Ocean City, Maryland, and from there to five summers studying in Canada with 14-time world champion Pat Godin.

Rick hadn’t carved before retirement. He simply recognized that mastering something meaningful meant finding the right teachers and being willing to learn.

That same spirit of generous mentorship runs through our Spotlight feature on traditional Western arts.

Blacksmith Darryl Nelson, who forged his career from farrier to resident blacksmith at Oregon’s Timberline Lodge, speaks of feeling an obligation to the master smiths who taught him decades ago. Silversmith Beau Compton learned his trade from a mentor who never charged him a dime and now opens his own home and

workshop to the next generation. Saddlemaker Mario Hanel mastered his art through fellowship training. Rawhide braider Steve Harris learned from his brother at 15 and now teaches his 13-year-old daughter.

In each case, knowledge traveled from one set of hands to another—not through textbooks or online tutorials but through the patient, in-person act of showing someone how it’s done.

Dave LaBelle’s photography column carries this message forward in a different way. His reflection on Eva Schloss, Holocaust survivor and Anne Frank’s stepsister, reminds us that some of the most important lessons are passed through personal testimony. Eva spent decades sharing her story so others might learn from it—a form of mentorship that transcends any single craft.

As we celebrate National Women’s History Month, I’m thinking about the mentors who shaped me and the knowledge I have a responsibility to pass along.

Who taught you something that changed your path? Who might be waiting for you to do the same?

Until next time,

Chasity Anderson Editorial Director

Page

The Sc p on Shannon’s

An iconic ice cream parlor celebrates five years in May

Story and photos by Rodger Nichols

Shannon’s Ice Cream Shop is full of surprises, starting with a vintage penny farthing—an old-fashioned, high-wheel bicycle—on the sidewalk at 318 East Fourth St. in The Dalles. The two-wheeler outside belongs to the folks inside, Jon and Shannon Zilka.

Built in 1901, the small Victorian-style house in the historic commercial district is a perfect fit. On sunny days, tables are available on a patio next to the sidewalk and on the front porch. Inside is an inviting ice cream parlor in an actual parlor.

There are small tables scattered around and a counter displaying 3-gallon tubs of ice cream, with more in the back. A lot more, because Shannon’s offers nearly 40 flavors. One-third is under the Tillamook brand. The Zilkas make the remaining twothirds in house.

The original intent was to sell all ice cream from a premium brand.

“We didn’t intend to make ice cream,” Jon says. “But then we wanted to showcase local fruits and walnuts and anything we could get locally, and we couldn’t find anything like that. We also wanted to have something for everybody. So, we started experimenting.”

It’s a point of pride with the Zilkas that they source as many ingredients as possible locally—everything from walnuts, plums and apricots to rhubarb and pawpaws.

In addition to classic vanilla, chocolate and strawberry, Shannon’s surprises icecream lovers with such nontraditional flavors as cinnamon snickerdoodle, chai and rhubarb crumble. The tart, astringent vegetable changes character when transformed into ice cream. It has become one of the shop’s bestsellers.

From the beginning, the Zilkas’ focus

on service has included those with dietary restrictions. Customers can find vegetarian, vegan, sugar-free and dairy-free choices, as well as gluten-free waffle cones.

“We make everything from scratch,” Jon says. “There’s almost nothing that we buy from premade or mixes.”

Jon and Shannon cite online research and a fair amount of trial and error to

develop their recipes, but they say the result was worth it.

The Zilkas are from Portland. Jon’s parents had a summer place in Underwood, and the couple loved visiting the Columbia Gorge. Jon’s brother Tony spent so much time with his boat and RV in the area that he found the house on Fourth Street and urged Jon to buy it so he could park his toys in the backyard.

Once Jon laid eyes on it, he immediately thought of it as a perfect place for an ice cream parlor. Though he has a background in architecture, his parents ran a restaurant, and he worked at Rimsky-Korsakoffee House in Portland for several years. He admired the atmosphere there, which often featured live classical music.

Shannon previously worked at a yogurt shop and brought that experience with her.

Almost as important to the Zilkas as the quality of the ice cream is the comfortable vibe the place exudes. On Thursday afternoons, visitors are likely to find a group of musicians in the parlor, playing bluegrass and Americana tunes.

“Anyone is welcome to join,” Shannon says. “You don’t have to be an expert. We accept all levels, and people are very supportive.”

That’s not the only musical surprise Shannon’s has in store. In the room immediately behind the parlor is a working player piano. A realtor friend had several potential sales of a local house fall through and was concerned it was because of its player piano. Jon told the realtor Shannon’s would be happy to take it off their hands. It took five husky guys to transport it. Jon

had to rebuild the piano completely.

“It’s turned out to be a good fit for this place,” he says. “It just has the right feel, and people don’t oftentimes get to see a working player piano and get to work it themselves. We let anybody (responsible) use it. We have some kids who come in who know how to use it. They’ll just start up a roll, and they’ll be singing around it. They did a lot of Christmas carols in December.”

There is a final surprise for visitors. In addition to the classic paintings on the wall of the parlor that Shannon has subtly altered to add ice cream—Mona Lisa looks particularly pleased with hers—there is a doorway next to the player piano that seems to be covered with the spines of classic novels. A closer look shows all the titles are slightly off, revealing such volumes as “The Crepes of Wrath,” “Lord of the Pies” and “Pride & Peppermints.”

It’s one more way the Zilkas make a visit to their shop unique. n

Shannon’s Ice Cream is at 318 E. Fourth St., The Dalles. The shop is open daily from noon to 9 p.m. in spring and summer. For more information, call 541-769-0087.

Beyond

The blue star is the standard, but how else can consumers make efficient choices?

By Drew Woolley

If you’re in the market for major appliances, you’ve probably noticed the Energy Star logo. It may appear on the bright yellow EnergyGuide labels that make it easy to compare one

federal rebates, looking for the Energy Star label is still the best way to be sure you’re investing in an efficient appliance that will lower your energy bill without sacrificing performance. But it isn’t the only way to keep track of how much energy your new purchase uses.

Following are ways you can ensure you’re choosing the best new appliances and equipment for your home.

By the Numbers

Many appliances in your home or on the market have efficiency benchmarks you

cooling accounts for nearly half of the energy used in most homes, making it an area where greater efficiency can have the most noticeable impact. Much like cars have a miles-per-gallon rating, air conditioners and heat pumps have a seasonal energy-efficiency ratio. A higher SEER rating means a unit is more efficient and uses less energy over the course of a typical season.

You may also run into energy-efficiency ratios. While similar, SEER ratings measure average efficiency over an entire season, whereas EER ratings judge cooling capacity performance during peak periods of extreme hot temperatures.

Clothes washers. Similarly, the modified energy factor accounts for energy and hot water consumed during each wash cycle.

It also accounts for how much moisture the washer leaves on clothes for a dryer to remove. The higher the MEF, the more efficient it is.

If you’re concerned about water use, the water factor is also worth keeping an eye on. Windows. As one of the largest sources of heat gain and loss in a home, the efficiency of windows can’t be overlooked.

If you’re in the market to upgrade, keep an eye on the U-factor, which measures how well a window insulates, and the solar heat gain coefficient, which tells you how much heat the window lets through. Whether you prioritize U-factor or SHGC largely depends on your area’s climate and which direction the windows are facing.

In the market for something specific? Most major household products and appliances have efficiency ratings just like these. Visit the Department of Energy or Environmental Protection Agency’s websites for more information on which ones to look to as a guide for making your own energy-efficient purchase.

Ways to Save

Rebates through Energy Star may be a thing of the past, but there are still ways to get help with energy-efficient investments. Rebates established under the Inflation Reduction Act on the state level are still options, but availability depends on where you live. Some states have started offering their own point-of-sale or mail-in rebates, so be sure to check what is available in your area.

In addition, your local electric utility may offer rebates of its own. Many have rebate pages on their websites where you can find forms to save on smart thermostats, efficient HVAC units, heat pumps and more.

Even if direct rebates aren’t available, you may still be able to save by including efficient appliance purchases as part of a qualifying home improvement deductionwhen filing taxes.

The Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit and Residential Clean Energy Credit expired Dec. 31, 2025, but there is still time to apply the credit to purchases made before that deadline. Some states continue to offer their own tax credits for energy-efficient investments, so be sure to check what is available where you live.

While buying an Energy Star-certified appliance may still be the easiest way to make efficient purchases for your home, it isn’t the only option. By paying extra attention to efficiency ratings for specific appliances and staying on top of rebates and tax incentives in your area, you can cut back on your upfront costs and energy bills over time. n

What’s Behind the Star?

Whether it’s a label on your new appliance or a logo on the EnergyGuide label, Energy Star certification gives buyers confidence they’re investing in long-term savings. But what does that blue star actually mean?

Energy Star is a program established by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency to help consumers find energyefficient products and reduce their impact on the environment.

To earn the certification, products must perform more efficiently than the average model while providing the same level of performance. But that isn’t where the process ends.

Each product is tested in EPA-recognized labs using standardized procedures to make sure it meets Energy Star requirements. Once testing is complete, a third-party certification group reviews and verifies it before a product gets the Energy Star label.

Earning that certification still isn’t the end. The EPA conducts random, off-the-shelf testing of Energy Star products to make sure they still meet those high standards. If a product fails one of these verification tests, it may ultimately be disqualified and lose Energy Star certification.

PLANT STRAWBERRIES IN EARLY SPRING

Plan well to pick ripe fruit most of the growing

Strawberries fall into three categories, each with several varieties. June-bearers produce one crop per year, usually during June. Everbearers produce two crops per year, one in June and one in August. Dayneutrals produce an almost continuous crop from May through early fall.

After selecting a category you would like to grow, choose a variety. For Junebearing, Hood gives a good flush of berries in June and July and is the standard-bearer for flavor. Day-neutral Albion has large fruit and stores well for fresh eating, while Seascape bears smaller fruit throughout the season. Quinault is readily available in the everbearing category.

Plant strawberries in full sun for best production. Build a raised bed 12 inches high by tilling in organic material, preferably compost, but anything is better than nothing.

There are two ways to plant strawberries: the matted-row and hill systems. Matted row is the preferred method for June-bearers, and hill method is preferredfor day-neutral and everbearers.

To make a matted-row system, place plants 12 to 15 inches apart in 2-foot-wide rows with beds 3 to 4 feet apart. The runners, which root and form new plants, will fill in the remaining space—resulting in a

dense planting. As the runners grow outside the bed, push them back inside.

In the hill system, keep plants 12 to 15 inches apart, alternating in double- or triple-wide rows. Aisles should be 1½ to 2 feet wide. Cut off all runners every two to three weeks. It’s best to wait until runners have formed “daughter” plants but have not rooted. This will give you one large plant in each spot.

Use a balanced fertilizer with the three numbers—percent nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium—on the front label equal or close to equal: 16-16-16, for example. Check the label and divide the overall amount recommended by the number of applications needed throughout the season.

Strawberries are self-pollinating. They have better yield and larger fruit with increased pollination from bees, so keeping a bee-friendly garden is a good idea.

Don’t be dismayed if strawberries don’t bear much the first year. Plants produce a full crop the next year and two to four seasons after that before production dwindles. Then, new plants need to go in.

Start a new patch the year your existing one is in its last season, so you don’t skip a year of fruit. Day-neutral strawberries should only be kept for two years and will produce a nice crop the first year.

season

Remove the first two flushes of flowers to encourage a well-developed root system.

To achieve maximum yield, do not let plants become stressed by lack of water. Keep newly set strawberries well irrigated with about 1 to 1½ inches of water a week. Don’t saturate the soil. Let the soil dry out to the touch—up to the first knuckle— before watering down to 6 to 8 inches.

June-bearers need to be cut back substantially every year. After they have finished producing berries, use a string trimmer or rotary mower to cut plants to about 2 inches above the crown. Remove the debris, but don’t rake vigorously.

Strawberries are susceptible to verticillium wilt, so rotate beds periodically. Spotted wing drosophila can be a pest. The best control is to keep your beds clean. Pick berries regularly, try to avoid a wet environment, and keep runners pruned. The natural pesticide spinosad, sold under various brands, is one of the best treatments, if needed. n

Look for more information in Oregon State University Extension publications “Growing Strawberries in Your Home Garden” and “Strawberry Cultivars for Oregon.” Visit https://tinyurl.com/4krydzze and https://tinyurl.com/3av6vfyx, respectively. Information courtesy of OSU Extension Service.

Ship

With its innovative design, modern comforts, and guest-focused philosophy, American Encore is not just a riverboat, it’s the finest expression of American river cruising ever built. Designed to host just 180 guests, American Encore features more square feet per guest than any other small cruise ship with the largest staterooms globally.

Ast ia Artist Masters

By Ginger Meurer

Duck Decoys

Living along the banks of the Columbia River, inspiration is always nearby for Rick Pass. The Astoria, Oregon, artist handcrafts lifelike waterfowl. While much of his work is destined for a place of pride on the mantel, plenty of his creations have a practical purpose as decoys for duck hunters. He tests them from his dock.

“You have to make sure that they’re floating correctly,” Rick says. “If you throw them in the water upside down, they have to flip upright. Plus, you want to make them light, because you don’t want to be packing around a bunch of heavy stuff.”

Astoria has long been known for waterfowl art.

shipbuilder. He carved birds from salvaged scraps of the western red cedar used for watercraft. When he retired in his 70s, Charles began producing about a dozen decoys a week and selling them for just over $1 each. According to the Ward Foundation, administrator of the waterfowl decoy world championship, Charles made roughly 4,000 decoys from the late 1920s to early 1930s.

Now those vintage creations fetch thousands at auction. A rare Charles Bergman swan sold for $36,650 at Sotheby’s. Legend has it there were once a dozen swans, and Charles’ grandson used to play with them. But Charles’ wife got tired of tripping over them on the porch and chopped up all but three for firewood.

A Hobby Hatches

From age 15, Rick could be found fishing, hunting and bird-watching along the Columbia. His other passion was sports. He played basketball in high school, football in college and aspired to be a coach. Back then, coaches also had to be teachers. So, he taught history and served as head coach of the high school basketball team for 14 years. From there, he became a principal and finally superintendent.

“I loved my career,” Rick says. “It didn’t matter whether I was coaching, teaching or an administrator. It was a lot of fun, and I met a lot of people. Hopefully impacted positively a few lives along the way.”

“In fact, if you look at the history of Astoria, there’s a couple of duck decoy carvers whose names come up,” Rick says. “Charles Bergman is the most famous one.”

Born in Finland, Charles sailed the world before settling in Oregon as a

While teaching, Rick noticed the superintendent’s passion for duck carving. But it wasn’t until Rick retired that he jumped into the art.

“I knew as I was getting closer to retirement that I needed something,” he

says. “And whatever it is, if it’s church or your family or carving or a mixture of those, you have to have something to get up every day.”

To learn, Rick sought out the best.

“I was already 62 when I retired,” he says. “I figured, if I’m going to be any good at this, I’ve got to find my people and learn quickly.”

Rick traveled to North Carolina to study with Vic Kirkman.

“I carved with him for 11 days,” Rick says. “While we were there, he took me to my first world carving championship in Ocean City, Maryland. That was the final spark to see, oh my goodness, the quality of work. Everything from a working decoy to these masterful pieces that sold for a lot of money to sit on shelves.”

While in Ocean City, Rick met more masters, including Pat Godin, who won the world championship more than 14 times. Later, Rick flew to Ontario, Canada, to work with Pat. He spent five summers studying with him in Edmonton.

Quality Craftsmanship

Rick saves his stock of old-growth red cedar for special occasions and mostly works with tupelo wood. Tupelo trees grow in Carolina and Louisiana swamps. Rick says

the water-submerged tree bottoms are soft wood that’s light and carves easily.

“That’s the preferred wood of 90% of carvers,” Rick says. “Balsa would work, too, but tupelo and bass wood are the two most popular woods. Of course, in the old days you’d carve what you had available.”

Rick’s shop is packed with wood, carving tools and birds—not just the carved ones.

“When I get to the painting, I always get out a real bird and lay it here and try to match the colors as best as I can,” he says.

Rick’s collection includes taxidermy birds and a freezer packed with frozen fowl. While he bought a few of the specimens, many were acquired as trades for carvings.

Carving Out Community

Rick sells and trades his decoys and takes his best to competitions. He travels to compete, making sure to attend the Canadian nationals and the Ward World Championships.

“The competition is really about showing our artwork,” Rick says. “Yeah, we do compete against each other, and yes, there are some prizes, but really, it’s the camaraderie and getting to know each other. And finding out, ‘How did you do that?’ And, ‘This is how I do it.’”

Rick doesn’t have to travel far to find camaraderie. There’s plenty at home. Regulars drop by his shop to work, watch him work or just chat.

“People stop by, we create problems, we solve world problems,” he says. “It’s just as much about those kinds of things as it is about carving. A lot of problems are solved in this shop. Once we walk out, the problems are still there in the world. But we do hash them over a little bit.”

Rick worries that decoy carving is a dying art. His sons—a riverboat pilot and a pharmacist—haven’t gotten into it yet. His grandchildren have tested the waters a bit and even gone to competitions. But every year Rick sees fewer carvers.

“People just don’t do it anymore,” he says. “If you’re going to go hunting, you buy your decoys. It used to be if you wanted to go hunting, you made your decoys because you didn’t have the money to buy them.”

Rick plans to stick with the art and with Astoria.

“We’ve had a great life,” Rick says. “I love it here. This is where we grew up, and it’s quite a special place. Our boys went sturgeon fishing, salmon fishing right out there. It’s pretty hard not to love this place.” 

Preserving Traditional

WesternArts

By Ginger Meurer

In today’s throwaway culture, traditional Western craftsmanship endures. Area organizations and artisans strive to keep these centuries-old techniques alive.

Forging Ahead

Eatonville, Washington, blacksmith Darryl Nelson started at 19 as a farrier.

“I had wanted to be a vet but didn’t want to do another eight years of school,” he says. “So, I decided I’d shoe horses.”

In farrier class, Darryl met a young man fresh from blacksmithing school in New Mexico who told Darryl about the trade.

“I was quite inspired by what you could do with a little piece of steel,” he says.

Darryl shod horses while building skills in architectural ironwork.

“I found that I enjoyed my time at the anvil more than under the horse,” he says. After 13 years as a farrier, he moved into full-time blacksmithing.

In 1979, Darryl and a group of other artists formed the Northwest Blacksmith Association.

As a cooperative nonprofit, they pool funds and bring in blacksmiths from around the country to teach master classes.

Through the association, Darryl met Russell Maugans, second in a line of resident blacksmiths at the iconic Timberline Lodge on Oregon’s Mount Hood. They began working on projects together. Eventually, Darryl became the lodge’s third resident blacksmith. He continues to perform repairs and craft a line of artistic ironwork sold in the gift shop.

Darryl is also involved with the Cascadia Center for the Arts & Crafts in nearby Government Camp. Every summer at CCAC, former U.S. Forest

Service buildings are packed with artists taking classes in a variety of disciplines, including blacksmithing, glass, jewelry arts, textile and fiber arts, visual arts, printmaking, and even writing.

The big draw for Darryl is Blacksmith Week, which features classes for all levels. There are demonstrations from skilled smiths and hands-on experiences, too.

He says the event has grown considerably since its creation 20 years ago. The national Western States Blacksmithing Conference has been held at the camp twice.

“Usually at Blacksmith Week, we have between 50 and 75 people in attendance,” Darryl says. “For the western states conferences, we literally filled the whole town of Government Camp with 400 smiths from around the country and even had some from South Africa and Australia.”

“We also have group projects where everybody from all levels is encouraged to try their hand,” Darryl says.

Blacksmith Week is mostly about passing on the craft.

“I almost feel an obligation to the master smiths who taught me 50 years ago,” Darryl says. “For centuries, blacksmithing was pretty common. At the same time, there were a lot of closely guarded secrets because it was so common that it was highly competitive. So, for a long time, it was hard unless you were an actual apprentice or in most places, it stayed within a family.”

Darryl’s great-grandfather was a blacksmith who came to America in the late 1800s to forge his own path in business. Because he was not the eldest son, he wasn’t expected to inherit the family shop in Denmark, so he began working in North Dakota.

Shops like his adapted as equine-driven economies turned to tractors and cars. Many

blacksmith shops transitioned into auto shops. When Darryl’s father was growing up, there was still a forging station in the corner.

Darryl’s father left the family trade and moved to Washington to work for Boeing. But Darryl had the support of his family when he chose to take up blacksmithing. He even had a chance to do some forging with his grandfather, and he holds precious the few tools he inherited from him.

Darryl loves everything about blacksmithing—the fire and the hot steel and “just being able to shape and manipulate something that is as resistant as steel,” he says. He’s known for crafting expressive animal heads, but his favorite thing to make is tools.

“Really, the key thing with blacksmithing is tool making,” he says. “Most of the tools I have that I use daily, I made myself. I love making a tool and then being able to use it to make other things.”

When asked what advice he has for people considering the trade, Darryl laughs.

“We used to tell people, which is probably still fairly accurate, to make sure your wife has a good job. And there’s a lot of female blacksmiths now, too. But one of you had better have a steady job.”

Darryl’s wife, Suzan, has been extremely understanding, he says, and tolerant of the mess he makes.

“They don’t call us blacksmiths for nothing,” he says.

Smithing in Silver

Silversmith Beau Compton is in his second term as president of the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association. He has been a member of the organization for 10 years, but getting in wasn’t easy. It took the Tombstone, Arizona, artist five years of hard work to finally join the ranks.

The small, elite group of master-level artisans formed more than 25 years ago to preserve and honor cowboy arts.

Divided into four traditional disciplines— silversmithing, bit and spur making, saddlemaking and rawhide braiding— members offer an education program with mentorship training to aspiring artists from around the world. The association awards two scholarships annually to help craftspeople participate in the program.

Beau says the old masters were afraid to teach anyone aside from family or apprentices.

“They were scared of anybody taking their glory away, I guess, or their money,” he says.

The Traditional Cowboy Arts Association thinks differently.

“We’re open to discussing and showing new makers anything,” Beau says. “That’s what’s really cool. We don’t have anything to hide. We all just love teaching and just really support it.”

Beau studied with silversmith Mark Drain in Seattle. Then, he headed to Canada to work with Scott Hardy. In both

fellowships, the master artisans were kind enough to put Beau up in a spare bedroom and teach him the finer points of the trade.

Beau’s family was active in ranching and professional rodeo, so cowboy arts came naturally.

After graduating in 1997 from high school in Colorado, he contemplated bit and spur making. Marlo, his thengirlfriend and now-wife, had a family connection to Vic Vasquez, an Arizona saddlemaker, silversmith, and bit and spur maker.

“He was very kind to me,” Beau says. “He never charged me anything, and I got to learn from him for about four years before he passed away.”

Vic’s widow gave Beau the first shot at buying the shop.

“I got to buy all his equipment and everything right off the bat,” he says. “I was pretty set up.”

Now, Beau passes on that kindness through the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association. He also opens his home and workshop to several fellowship recipients.

“We have some wonderful donors and supporters who give us that money every year to help further that education,” Beau

says. “It’s only through our generous supporters that we can do that.”

Silversmithing isn’t without its challenges. Lately, the stress has been the skyrocketing price of metals. Beau says the cost has increased significantly since last summer.

“Silver was at $25 an ounce,” Beau says. “It’s up over $80 right now. And gold was around $2,200, and yesterday it was at $4,600. It’s getting very costly. We’re treading water that we’ve never been in. We’ve seen silver hit $50 before, and it’s always come back down. But this just feels different. I’m not so sure that it’s ever going to come back down.

“We’ll do what we have to and flow with whatever change we need to and adapt,” he says. “We’ll be all right. Silver has always been a fun metal to play in, and now it’s like, ‘Wait, this is getting serious.’ We can’t waste any of this stuff anymore.”

Lining Up for Saddles

Chiloquin, Oregon, saddlemaker Mario Hanel doesn’t advertise his business because he doesn’t need to. He has a threeyear waiting list. Part of the reason that line forms is because Mario is slow but steady.

“This isn’t a factory,” he says. “It’s a one-man shop, and I’m very meticulous. It takes longer than an average saddlemaker for me to build a saddle. The more I learn about making a saddle more functional and aesthetically pleasing to look at, the longer it takes.

“I’ve never focused on production. I was raised around craftsmen, and I was taught that it doesn’t matter how long it takes. The end product is the important thing.”

Mario’s work begins at the core as he hand-carves the tree, which is the wood scaffolding beneath the saddle’s leather. Mario mastered tree-making through a fellowship with the Traditional Cowboy Arts Association and training with master craftsman Troy West in Texas.

“Some people will walk up to a saddle and say, ‘Man, that’s a really pretty saddle,’” Mario says. “It’s not just the curving—it’s the lines and shapes and the flow and things like that. There’s a lot more to it. Building a tree to me is a lot like sculpting. You’re actually carving wood into a shape. If your horn isn’t shaped right, it doesn’t work as well. There’s a whole art to it. And that’s what really interests me.”

LEFT: Blacksmith

Darryl Nelson demonstrates during Blacksmith Week. While Darryl is best known for creating animal heads, he frequently stretches the limits of the medium with creative sculptures in metal. PHOTOS

And comfort is key for customers who sit in a saddle every day.

“I have customers that go ride on the weekend every chance they get, but most of my customers are making a living at it,” Mario says. “They use it in the rain, the snow, the sun, all those things that are hard on stuff, especially leather.”

Having a pretty saddle is important, but it’s not enough.

“A guy who sits in a saddle all day if the seat’s not right, they’re not going to keep that saddle very long,” Mario says. “You can carve the prettiest flowers in the world, but if it doesn’t work, a cowboy is just not going to hang onto it, and a lot of cowboys are going to hear about it.”

Mastering the Braid

Roseburg, Oregon, artist Steve Harris is a master of the hackamore, a bitless bridle that uses pressure on a horse’s nose, chin and poll, rather than inside the mouth, to guide and control. He and his family raise cattle to produce the rawhide that he braids into elaborate, artistic and functional pieces.

Steve grew up on horseback, riding bareback as long as he can remember.

“I actually am the fourth born in my family, but the third born was a horse,” he says. “He was born to a mare that belonged to my mother out of a stallion that was owned by my grandfather. I always had to

take a backseat to him. He grew up before I did, so he raised me.”

Steve learned to braid from his brother when he was 15.

“He and I got to braiding together, and it was just a treat,” Steve says. “I really loved it.”

He loved it so much he kept at it.

Steve makes and repairs saddles and more, but it’s hackamores he loves.

“I really love making hackamore best because when you’re riding hackamore, it really cleans up all your signals,” he says. “Because you’re just riding the horse. Your signal can be really nuanced or really simple, but it’s the horse you’re riding, not the gear.

“When I was a kid and riding bareback, there was that. I was just riding the horse. I think philosophically that’s influenced me as a saddlemaker and as a teacher and as a horseman. It influences me as a parent and in everything I do.”

The whole Harris family is involved in the craft, from Steve’s wife, Rebekah, to his 13-year-old daughter and apprentice Caitriona, and his younger children, who make everything from earrings to braided keychains.

Although seemingly simple to the eye, hackamores are intricately designed and crafted for communication between the rider and horse.

“A strand of rawhide is a strand of rawhide, but if you and I put 16 strands of rawhide together, braid them around a core and get the nose button in the right shape, suddenly we’ve got something that talks to a horse in a real nuanced way,” Steve says. “That same volume of rawhide in just one single strip is pretty useless as anything but a dog chew. But if you put the effort it takes into refining all those strands and putting them together just right, you get results that look like magic.” n

Meals From the Heart

INSPIRE LOVE WITH PROPOSAL-WORTHY DISHES

Marry Me Slow-Cooker Chicken

4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, about 2 pounds

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon salted butter

1 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon cornstarch

4 cloves garlic, minced

¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional

½ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

½ cup sundried tomatoes packed in oil, chopped

1 cup heavy cream, warmed slightly

¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tablespoon fresh basil leaves, chopped

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat, then sear chicken for 2-3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Transfer to slow cooker along with any leftover butter and juices from the skillet.

In a bowl, whisk chicken stock with cornstarch, garlic, crushed red pepper, oregano and thyme. Pour the mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker.

Top each chicken breast with chopped sundried tomatoes. Cover. Cook on low for 3-4 hours or on high for 1½-2 hours, until chicken reaches 165 degrees. Remove chicken to a plate, and keep warm. Stir heavy cream and Parmesan into the hot liquid in the slow cooker until smooth. Return chicken to sauce. Spoon sauce over the top, and let rest for 5-10 minutes on warm. Garnish with basil before serving.

Marry Me Chocolate Cake

18.25-ounce package devil’s

food cake mix

3.9-ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix

2 cups sour cream

1 cup melted butter, cooled

5 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Strawberries, optional

Powdered sugar, optional

Heat oven to 350 F. Coat a 10-inch tube pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cake and pudding mixes. Make a well in the center, and add sour cream, butter, eggs and vanilla extract.

Beat on low speed until blended. Scrape bowl, then beat for 4 minutes on medium speed. Mix in chocolate chips by hand.

Pour batter into greased pan, and bake for 50-55 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn onto a plate and cool completely. Garnish with strawberries and sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Marry Me Shrimp Pasta

1 cup drained sundried tomatoes packed in oil, sliced, plus 4 tablespoons tomato oil, divided

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

16 ounces rigatoni or penne pasta

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

5 ounces baby spinach

1 ounce Parmesan, finely grated, plus more for serving

Torn fresh basil leaves, for serving

In a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons tomato oil. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook in oil, stirring occasionally, until pink and opaque, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water. Stir occasionally, until al dente, according to package directions. Drain.

In the same skillet over medium heat, cook garlic, tomato paste, red pepper flakes and remaining tomato oil. Stir until tomato paste deepens in color, about 1 minute. Add sundried tomatoes, broth, cream and Italian seasoning. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce slightly reduces, about 5 minutes. Add spinach. Cook until wilted, 1-2 minutes.

Add pasta, shrimp and Parmesan. Cook, stirring, until pasta is coated and sauce is glossy. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove skillet from heat. Cover, and let sit 2 to 3 minutes. Stir pasta again to coat.

Divide the mixture among bowls. Top with basil and more Parmesan.

Marry Me Chicken Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup yellow onion, diced

2¼ teaspoons salt, divided Pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

3 tablespoons tomato paste

6 cups chicken stock

1⁄ 3 cup sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped

3 cups shredded cooked chicken

2 cups small-shape pasta, such as orecchiette

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups baby spinach

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil, onion, ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften.

Sprinkle in garlic powder and thyme. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Pour in chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and sundried tomatoes. Add chicken, and stir to combine. Cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add pasta. Stir. Cover, and reduce heat to a strong simmer. Cook for 8-15 minutes depending on the pasta type. Stir occasionally, until pasta is just cooked through.

Turn off heat. Add cream, Parmesan cheese, spinach and vinegar. Stir to combine and melt the cheese.

Marry Me Meatballs

18 ounces ground chicken

2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided

2 teaspoons paprika, divided

½ cup grated Parmesan, divided

Pinch of sea salt

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

5 ounces sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped

¾ cup heavy cream

1 cup chicken stock

½ lemon

Basil leaves, for garnish

Place the ground chicken, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon paprika and ¼ cup Parmesan in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Use clean hands to mix everything together, then roll mixture into 16 meatballs.

In a large, deep frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Fry meatballs, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until golden all over. Remove them to a plate.

Add garlic, sundried tomatoes and remaining dried oregano and paprika. Cook for a few minutes until garlic has softened. Add cream, stock, remaining Parmesan, and additional salt and pepper, to taste. Stir well. Add meatballs, and cook for 5 minutes. Make sure meatballs are cooked through, then remove the pan from the heat.

Squeeze lemon juice and sprinkle basil over the top.

READER EXCHANGE

Crafts/Hobbies

I am in need of yarn to make hats for homeless people and people who are receiving cancer treatments. Leftover yarn is used to make hats for newborn babies. The person who makes these hats is a homebound person on oxygen. This not only gives him an activity, but it also helps those in need. From 2019 to the present, he has made over 2,000 hats. I distribute these hats to the people who need them.

Deb Darr

3550 Sample Road Falls City, OR 97344

I am looking for unwanted stamped post cards, stamp albums, world stamps, old stamped envelopes or any stamps you don’t know what to do with. I’m filling in unfinished stamp albums I inherited from my dad. I would love any you can send. Thank you.

Lori Arola

82162 Red Bluff Road Seaside, OR 97138-5037

Milestones

Our incredible mother, Elizabeth Gwiazdon (aka Betty), celebrates her 100th birthday in March. She was born in Hawaii and traveled the world with her Army dad and mom. She married a Lt. Colonel in the Air Force and raised 6 amazing children. She has 13 grands, 19 great-grands, and 2 great-great-grands. She started as a secretary for a property management company in the mid ’70s and rose to the ranks of executive director of the Sacramento Apartment Association. She then worked for another tenant/landlord group, taught classes at our local college and then started a consulting business to continue to help educate and mediate tenant/landlord issues. She just retired at 98. She’s been an incredible role model and positively influenced countless people her entire life and career. She is full of life, love and laughter. She’s a fashionista. She dresses every day as if she was greeting the president or the queen of England. We would love to share cards and wishes with her and the family. Please send to: C/O Michele Skupic, P.O. Box 207, Graeagle, CA 96103-0207. My sincerest gratitude.

Michele Skupic Graeagle, California

Odds

Looking for screws for long genealogy books. I need 6 or 8 metal extension screws to hold more pages for each book. Thank you.

Lucile Stecklein

P.O. Box 116 Blackfoot, ID 83221

Camp Elkanah is celebrating its 70th anniversary, and we would love to hear from you. If you were a camper, staff member, dream team member or volunteer, we would appreciate your memories or photos. What were your favorite activities, food or games? You can write a sentence or a book. All will be appreciated. Contact us at the address or email below.

Camp Elkanah

P.O. Box 150

La Grande, Oregon 97850

Email: elkanah@campelkanah.com

Website: campelkanah.com (click on “Share your story”)

Thanks

I want to thank everyone for all the cards, letters, gifts and flowers. Everything was amazing. Mom received over 320 handmade cards, and kindness and prayers. I cannot express how much it meant. It also was good for residents seeing her get mail.

Susan Mascall

North Powder, Oregon

Thanks to everyone who sent recipes. Reading comments was fun. I started looking forward to getting mail again. I received lots of good-looking cornbread recipes; even the one I had asked for.

Elena Nightingale

LaGrande, Oregon

Submitting Requests Is Free

Send your request (no attachments) to readerexchange@ruralite.org or mail to Reader Exchange, 5625 NE Elam Young Parkway, Suite 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124. Fill in the subject line with Reader Exchange.

Acceptance, scheduling and editing are at the editor’s discretion. Single requests only, please. No duplicates. If replying to a reader submission, please only send what is requested.

Submissions are handled first-come, first-served as space allows. We cannot honor every request.

Please affirm you have authorization from all appropriate parties before submitting. By submitting, you indemnify Reader Exchange, Pioneer Utility Resources Inc., its officers, directors, employees, utility clients and insurers from all legal liability incurred by the publication of information.

We no longer accept pen pal requests. You may submit a pen pal request as a Marketplace ad (pricing applies).

When submitting a milestone request, please send it at least two months before the milestone.

Phone numbers are not published. Email addresses are if they are part of the ad, but you must include a postal address. Requests must include the name and address of the electric utility that provides your magazine.

Seniors get new medical alert device

Instantly connects to free unlimited nationwide help with just the push of a button with no contracts, no deposits, and no monthly bills

■ NO MONTHLY BILLS: “My wife had an old style help button that came with hefty bills every month and she was embarrassed to wear it because it made her look old,” said Frank McDonald, Canton, Ohio. “Now, we both have FastHelp™, the sleek new medical alert device that our grandkids say makes us look ‘cool’ not old,” he said. With FastHelp, seniors never have to worry about being alone and the best part is there are no monthly bills ever.

Seniors born before 1964 get new medical alert device

Nationwide: Demand for new Medical Alert Device soars

The phone lines are ringing off the hook.

That’s because for seniors born before 1964, it’s a deal too good to pass up.

Starting at precisely 8:30am today the PreStore Release begins for the sleek new medical alert device that comes with the exclusive FastHelp™ One-Touch 911 Button that instantly connects you to unlimited nationwide help everywhere with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever.

“It’s not like old style help buttons that make you talk to a call center, only work when you’re at home and come with hefty bills every month. FastHelp comes with state-ofthe-art cellular embedded technology. That means it works at home or anywhere and everywhere cell service is available whether you’re out watering the garden, driving in a car, at church or even hundreds of miles away on a tour or at a casino. You are never alone. With just a single push of the One-Touch E Button you instantly get connected to free unlimited help nationwide with no monthly bills ever,” said Jack Lawrence, Executive Director of Product Development for U.S. based Universal Physicians.

“We’ve never seen anything like it. Consumers absolutely love the sleek new modern design and most of all, today’s instant rebate practically pays for it and no monthly bills ever,” Lawrence said.

FastHelp is the sleek new medical alert device with the best of combinations: a quality, high-tech engineered device that’s also an extremely great value because there are no monthly bills ever. ■

■ FLYING OUT THE DOOR: Trucks are being loaded with the new medical alert devices called FastHelp. They are now being delivered to lucky seniors who call the National Rebate Center Hotline at 1-800-209-4926 DEPT. FSTH138 today. Everyone is calling to get FastHelp, the sleek new medical alert device because it instantly connects you to unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available.

HOW TO GET IT

BORN BEFORE 1964:

Use the rebate coupon below and call this Toll-Free Hotline: 1-800-209-4926

EXT. FSTH138

BORN AFTER 1964:

You cannot use the rebate coupon below and must pay $299 Call: 1-800-209-6405

EXT. FSTH138

■ SENIORS SNAP UP NEW MEDICAL ALERT DEVICE : Instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever. Nothing to hook up. You don’t need a land line or cell phone. It’s ready to use right out of the box. Comes with new cellular embedded technology that works at home or anywhere you go so you are never alone.

BOTTOM LINE: You don’t need to shop around. We’ve done all the leg work, this deal is too good to pass up. With the instant FastHelp rebate, it is a real steal at just $149 and shipping. There are no monthly bills ever.

PROS: It’s the sleek new medical alert device that comes with the exclusive FastHelp One-Touch 911 Button that instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help with no contracts or deposits. It connects you to the vast available network of cellular towers for free and saves seniors a ton of money because there are no monthly bills ever making this deal a must have. Plus it’s the only medical alert device that makes seniors look important, not old.

CONS: Consumers can’t get FastHelp in stores until later this year. That’s why it’s so important for seniors born before 1964 to call the National Rebate Center Hotline within the next 21 days. For those who miss that deadline, the sleek little medical alert device will set you back over $300 bucks.

Hurricane Help

“We had two hurricanes recently. I had no electricity for 6 days. I fell, so I pushed the button, and they came right out and picked me up off the floor. I tell many of my friends they need to get FastHelp!” - Virginia, FL

LIFESAVER

“When I got my FastHelp I never thought I’d have to use it, but when I fell and broke my hip it saved my life.” - Harold, OH

Very appreciative of having FastHelp

“I did have an emergency. Help RESPONDED quickly and came in a few minutes.” - Irving, PA

WE LOVE THE PRODUCT

“We bought it outright with no bills ever.” - Rosemary, NY

Safe anywhere

“This little FastHelp device is my guardian angel. I’m so glad my daughter-in-law got it for me.” - Pete, FL

A+ Rating: These are unsolicited consumer feedback from satisfied customers as reported to Universal Physicians.

Watch Wildlife Wander Through Pristine Nature in Northern Nevada at ADVENTURE AWAITS

Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge

What Is It?

Thousands of pronghorn, deer, bighorn sheep and more roam on hundreds of thousands of acres of wilderness in Northern Nevada at Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge—which also has beautiful mountains, dark skies and geological features—was originally established to benefit pronghorn populations.

History

Pronghorn populations in Nevada rapidly shrunk in the early 1900s. Nonnative animals, such as horses, sheep and cattle, were overtaking the habitat. The Audubon Society and Boone and Crockett Club bought the more than 30,000-acre Last Chance Ranch to create an antelope refuge. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt enlarged the refuge to nearly 540,000 acres.

Wildlife

Thousands of pronghorn live in the greater Hart-Sheldon area, straddling the Oregon-Nevada border. Pronghorn can run sustained sprints of about 50 mph, making it the fastest North American land mammal. The refuge is also home to bighorn sheep, mule deer and sage grouse. Visitors may even see an American pika, a small herbivorous mammal that looks like a mix of a mouse and rabbit.

A Gorge Trip

The refuge has a rugged landscape ready for those willing to explore it. One popular site is Thousand Creek Gorge, a slot canyon with 500-foot-tall walls. Visitors will likely need to take a moderate hike or have a higher clearance vehicle to get there. Many make their way to Virgin Valley Warm Spring to camp, while others head out to watch the wildlife at Catnip Reservoir.

More Information

Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge is very remote. While that can be great for getting away from it all and diving into nature, be sure to have a full tank of gas and carry extra fuel—visitors will be more than 100 miles from a gas station. To learn more, call 775-941-0199 or visitfws.gov/refuge/ sheldon.

Shining a Light

By Dave LaBelle

Every calendar month is dedicated to bringing awareness to its own cause or observance, some lighthearted and others profoundly meaningful. October, for instance, is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, yet it also shares space with National Pizza Month. In the United Kingdom, 30 days across May and June are recognized as National Smile Month. And while we might celebrate whimsical Mustache March, the month is also designated as National Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate women’s contributions to history, culture and society.

Throughout my career, I have photographed many famous women—movie stars, civil rights figures and humanitarians from all walks of life. In 2011, I photographed Eva Schloss, a survivor of Hitler’s death camps and Anne Frank’s stepsister. Eva died Jan. 3 in London at the age of 96.

Approachable and generous with her time, Eva told her story to audiences for two days. Like Anne, Eva and her family went into hiding from the Nazis, and after two years, they were tracked down, arrested and deported to concentration camps. Eva barely survived Auschwitz, and her brother and father died in captivity.

“The horrors that she endured as a young woman are impossible to comprehend and yet she devoted the rest of her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice, promoting kindness, courage, understanding and resilience through her tireless work for the Anne Frank Trust UK and for Holocaust education across the world,”

Reader Challenge

While I advocate photographing famous people whenever and wherever you can, don’t limit documenting only those society or fate has shined a light on. Ask yourself, “Is there is a person I admire in my world, a giving soul in my community I can honor?” Try to make a portrait that celebrates their character.

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.

King Charles says in a piece written by Thomas Mackintosh and published by the BBC on Jan. 4, 2026.

Beneath Eva’s positive public face, she shared with me after a lecture that waves of pain linger. I watched for images that might reveal that pain and often shot as tight as possible, usually with a telephoto lens to compress the face, hoping to capture subtle expressions that reveal the pain in her heart. n

To learn more of Eva’s story, check out bit.ly/4qYVuC4 or pick up one of her books, “Eva’s Story: A Survivor’s Tale by the Stepsister of Anne Frank” and “The Promise: The Moving Story of a Family in the Holocaust.”

Photographer, author and lecturer Dave LaBelle has captured special moments for more than half a century, sharing photo tips and life perspectives with readers. For more of his writings, visit davidlabelle.com and his blog at bridgesandangels.wordpress.com.

How Energy-Efficiency Rebates and Incentives Work

By Miranda Boutelle

A common question I get about energyefficiency rebate programs is, “Why would the company that sells me energy want me to use less of their product?”

It’s a good question.

Rebates provide financial incentives for people to use less energy in their homes by reducing the costs of energy-efficient upgrades, such as insulation, new HVAC systems, water heaters or other appliances. This helps your electric utility save money by eliminating or delaying the need to buy additional power or build new power generation facilities.

Using less energy also helps lighten the load on existing generation and transmission infrastructure that delivers power to your home through your electric utility.

Helping consumers save energy is a powerful tool for electric utilities. Instead of building or paying for more power generation to meet rising needs in the local community, electric utilities create programs that help people save energy in their homes and businesses.

Some utilities and local organizations have energy-efficiency programs with special incentives for home upgrades, such as rebates paid after a project is completed. State and federal tax credits may allow you to reduce the amount of taxes you owe for completing eligible home purchases or upgrades. Federal energy-efficiency tax credits ended Dec. 31, 2025. If you completed any upgrades before that date,

apply for credits on your 2025 federal filings.

Some utilities also offer low-interest or on-bill financing that lets you pay for upgrades over time—through a financial institution or on your monthly electric bill.

Energy-efficiency programs are funded through a variety of sources, including surcharges on customer utility bills, grants, and state and federal funding. Some states and regions are required by law to provide energy-efficiency programs.

If you plan to buy new appliances or equipment, or complete an efficiency upgrade, do your research first. I recommend starting with your electric utility to see if it offers energy-efficiency programs. Also check with your state energy office, which might have additional programs to help.

The Inflation Reduction Act allocated federal funds to state-administered programs, including home-efficiency, electrification and appliance rebates, to help residents with retrofits, such as windows, insulation, air sealing, HVAC equipment and appliance upgrades.

There are also income-eligible programs for energy assistance and weatherization, such as the U.S. Department of Energy Weatherization Assistance Program, which is typically administered by a local community action agency.

Once you identify a rebate, tax credit or financing option you’re interested in, check the criteria carefully. Criteria can vary by program, so make sure you know the eligibility requirements before buying

to avoid missing out on energy-saving opportunities.

Some programs require preapproval before you begin a project. Proof of existing equipment or conditions may be required, such as insulation levels or window types. You may need an audit by a program representative or photo documentation.

Once you know your project meets the requirements of any available programs, you can proceed with installation. You will likely need to complete an application and submit a final invoice to confirm the project is complete. You may also need to submit pictures or have an inspection from a program representative.

Once approved, your rebate will typically be issued as a bill credit or check.

Participating in a rebate program can help you lower your energy use, save money and improve comfort in your home. It can also help your energy provider and the electric grid. n

MARKETPLACE

Agriculture

Reinforced custom-sized pond liners (39 cents/sqft). Hay covers, greenhouse covers, any width and length. Truck tarps and more. High puncture and tear strength. Best price guaranteed. Celebrating 43 years in business. btlliners.com. 541-447-0712. 0426

Seeking summer pasture for 20-80 cow-calf pairs. Call 541-519-7068 or 208-880-2518. IDEastern, OR. 0326

Antiques and Collectibles

Buying antiques and collectibles: advertising signs, porcelain signs, gas pumps, beer signs, antique toys, cast-iron coin banks, neon signs and more. Jason, 503-310-3321 or tjabaughman@yahoo.com. 0326

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.

Automotive

1978 Jeep CJ5. 6 cyl. 4 sp. Good condition. New seats and top. $10K. 208-435-4798. 0326

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.

Community Events

Beekeeping Class by Dick Turanski from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 28, at the Eugene Mission, 1470 W. 1st Ave., Eugene, OR. Advance registration and payment required. Class limit is 70 people. $50 cash or check only. Checks payable to RPT & Associates, P.O. Box 41294, Eugene, OR 97404. Two teachers will answers your questions: Richard T. Turanski, 55 years of beekeeping, first taught at Lane Community College in 1975; and Mike France, former president of Lane County Beekeepers Association, teacher at Lane County Beekeepers Association. Includes coffee, banana bread and lunch served noon-1 p.m. Park in lot or on the street. Contact for registration by email only, Dick.Turanski@GloryBee.com. 0326

Long Creek, Oregon, Emergency Services Appreciation Dinner. April 25. Live auction items are fire engine, flat utility trailer, Hamley saddle, firewood and more. For dinner reservations, call 541-421-3601. For more information, visit cityoflongcreek.org. 0426

Quick, Affordable: How to Place an Ad

„ Ads 25 words or fewer are $35 a month. An extended ad of up to 35 words is $50 a month. Contact information is included in the word count. Phone numbers and emails count as one word.

„ Longer ads may be placed. Contact 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop for pricing information.

„ Ads are for customers of member co-ops, public utility districts and municipals only. Subscribers and nonmembers may inquire about pricing at 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop.

„ Ads must be direct and in first person, and are subject to approval and editing.

„ Closing deadlines (in our office): May issue—March 31

„ If submitting ad by mail, send appropriate payment with your name, address, email, phone number and the name of the electric utility that provides your magazine to: Marketplace, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133. Make check or money order payable to Ruralite.

„ We accept credit card payments for ads submitted by email. Send ad to info@pioneer.coop. Call 503-357-2105 to pay by credit card.

Advertisements are accepted in good faith. Pioneer Utility Resources is not liable for interactions between buyers and sellers.

Art Center East’s 49th birthday March Membership Drive. Spring Makers Week, March 23-27: art classes for all ages in La Grande, OR. artcentereast.org. 0326

Farm Equipment

1940s Caterpillar D2, hydraulic blade up/ down, full canopy, many photos. Belonged to my late father. Diesel engine stuck so asking only $3.5K, OBO. Near Dayton, WA. 208-284-5073.

Water trailer. About 400 gallons, Homelite pump, on heavy-duty ex-military trailer. Photos, no title. Pump not started since before COVID-19. Near Dayton, WA. 208-284-5073.

Free Items

Free materials—church/government unite. National Sunday Law. TBSM, P.O. Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540. tbsmads@yahoo.com; 1-888-211-1715. 0426AR

Help Wanted

Camp hosts/caretakers wanted for the Tucannon River RV Park, a small (33 sites), modern RV park in rural SE WA on the Lower Tucannon River. Prefer active retired couple able to meet and greet, take reservations, pull hoses, mow, general maintenance. RV required, FHU provided, plus stipend. Call 509-382-2759.

Livestock, Supplies

Live bees by Dick Turanski. New large supplier of 5 frame nucs in nuc box. Available 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9. Nucs with your choice of queens as follows: Italians, Carniolans or Buckfast (Buckfast is NEW, starting with a limit of 2 nucs per customer). Introductory low price of $200 per nuc or more than 10 at $195 per nuc. Order via email, dick.turanski@glorybee.com. Mail checks to RPT & Associates, P.O. Box 41294, Eugene, OR 97404. Deadline for checks must be postdated April 30, 2026. Pick up location in the gravel yard next to GloryBee’s Distribution Center 29548 B Airport Road, Eugene (directly off Highway 99). Stop by the pop-up tent to check in. 0426

Miscellaneous

Granite cemetery markers at affordable prices. Will ship to most places. For more info: highdesertmemorials.com; Joe, 541-815-8906 or highdesertmemorials@gmail.com. 0326

Attention landowners. Grants available now. Wildland fire fuel reduction service. Steep ground, remote, rocky, small lot, big acreage are no problem. Blue Mountain Defensible Space LLC. Bluemountainbrush@gmail.com; bluemountainbrush.com; 509-399-3473. 1126

Animal and human wilderness tracking school materials. Writings, slides, physical displays, teaching materials and books. Enormous collection for anyone interested in tracking. Dave, fairbanksaircraft@comcast.net. 0326

Tulsa 3-stage planetary gear reduction, bought surplus from Link Belt Crane, used as final drive for P&H and LB 100-ton crawler cranes. Best use, 4-ft. tunnel drill using ROTEK turntable bearing, $5K. 6 truck tires, 50% tread, Patagonia mud and snow. LT215/R8516, 60% tread. $600. Ted, 458-910-3727. 0326

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

Havanese puppies in Rainier, OR. Hypoallergenic, great for all ages. Raised by our family as quality pets for you. Visit www.happeninhavanese.com or call Rebecca at 503-728-6241. 0426

Pools/Spas

2010 Artesian Swim Spa for sale. 7x14’ Been inside all the time; excellent condition. $5K. 541-954-3884. 0326

Real Estate

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. 0326

Let me help you buy or sell ranch, farm and recreation property in OR. Fourthgeneration Oregonian, prior ranch owner. For sale; Deschutes Canyon Mountain views 118 acres riverfront. $14.9M. John Gill, johngill@landandwildlife.com; 541-480-916. Land And Wildlife brokerage. 0326

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. 0326

Mobiles to mansions. Cabins to castles. Brookings, OR area Principal Broker Pat Piper, Century 21 Agate Realty. Helpful. Educated. Caring. 28 years of area experience. patpiperbroker@gmail.com; 541-251-2152. 0526

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. 0326

Boyers Cash Store & Keylock. Monument, OR. Thriving turn-key business. $500K. Duke Warner Realty, ddwr@ortelco.net; 541-987-2363.

10 undeveloped rural acres situated on the Rio Grande River, 28 miles south of Taos, NM. Ideal location for off-the-grid homestead, vacation retreat or permanent residence. Asking $75K. Serious inquiries only: rima.sanders@frontier.com. 0326

For sale by owner in Baker City, OR. 2- to 3-bd. home, move-in ready with many new upgrades. Well on the property. Fruit trees. Mountain view of Elkhorns. Call 307-321-1232 for appointment. 0426

Recreational Rentals

Sunshine and sand—Book your summer dreams at WaveCatcher for 2026. Oceanfront cottage with direct beach access, on the spectacular Central OR Coast. Sleeps 6. All house amenities. Winter closure NovemberMarch. Reservations, information email: relax@wavecatcherbeachrentals.com, or text 541-740-2846 or 541-740-9953. 0326

Oceanview Maui vacation rental. Spring break for the month of March. Was $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.

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

2010 Northern Lite 8-11QSE Classic Series Slide-In-Truck Camper for short-bed trucks. Queen bed, skylight, wet bath, full kitchen, premium wood paneling. Original owner. Needs new Happijacs. $10.5K. Text, 208-301-3732 for photos. 0326

Coleman 17-R trailer. 1 axel, 8 months old, used once, 2K miles. Aljo Starlink post-hitch 27 ft. long, hitch to rear. Old. Good condition and tires. 35-ft. Wildcat Maxx. 8-ft. slide out, 25 years old. Lived in, one owner. 500 miles on tires. Make offers. Ted, 458-910-3727. 0426

2015 Artic Fox 29L Travel Trailer. Stored under awning from 2015-24. Double slide, loads of storage and in very good condition. Clean and ready to go. Can send photos. $28.5K. jeff.bartunek@gmail.com. 0326

Services

Dawn Till Dusk Masonry. Brick, block, stone and pavers. Small jobs and repairs welcome. dawntillduskconstructionmasonry.com; 541-388-7605; 541-410-6945. License #245760 bonded and insured. La Pine, OR.

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; bluemountainbrush.com; 509-399-3473. 1126

Situations Wanted

Looking for woman 25-50 years old. Honest, likes cats, average looking, pleasant. Widow in ID or MT preferred. Would like to meet and see if we are compatible. I’m a retired widower. Christian, firefighter. Bob, P.O. Box 69, Noxon, MT 59853. 0326

Want to Buy

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. 1026

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; send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.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. 0326

Wanted: older Corvette 1953-63 any condition, cash. Call or text 702-296-2289 or email a62vette@yahoo.com. Even if you’re thinking about selling. 0326

NORTHERN WASCO COUNTY PUD BOARD OF DIRECTORS SCHOLARSHIP

Are your parents or guardians NWCPUD customerowners?

Graduating high school, finishing homeschool, or completing your GED this spring?

Planning to study in a field that could benefit the utility industry?

Planning to attend college, trade school, or vocational training?

If you answered YES, the NWCPUD Board of Directors Scholarship could be for YOU!

$10,000 over two years!

Learn more & apply: Deadline: April 1, 2026

Why go digital?

Access

All Wildlife Welcome

While living in Alsea, Oregon, Michelle Flamez frequently had elk visitors in her yard. On this rare occasion, a few turkeys joined the party. PHOTO BY MICHELLE

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.

Seafood Cookbook

Barbecue Halibut Oriental, Crab Enchiladas, Easy Salmon Quiche, Dilled Salmon Fettuccine, Clam Chowder and Salmon Oyster Dip are among the recipes featured in this book from our 1993 contest. The 8½-by-11-inch indexed book is $8 (includes postage).

TO ORDER BY MAIL: Submit payment with cookbook title, your name, address and number of cookbooks wanted to: Ruralite Cookbooks

P.O. Box 1306

North Plains, OR 97133

TO PAY BY PHONE: Call 503-357-2105 for credit card payments with Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.

TO ORDER ONLINE: Visit www.ruralite.com.

Please allow two to three weeks for delivery.

Our Bone-ified Best Blade

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As beautiful as it is functional, this knife is 10" overall and features a high-quality 420 surgical stainless steel blade with a serrated spine. The handle is constructed of genuine natural bone with redwood spacers. On the handle you’ll find design work that’s carved by hand, a testament to its craftsmanship.

This knife is stick tang, meaning it won’t wimp out when you need it. This knife also features brass hand guards and brass spacers with file work, so you won’t lose your grip. For easy carrying, it comes with a genuine tooled leather sheath. CALL NOW! If you’re one of the rst 700 587 callers for this ad, we’ll throw in a pair of Stauer HD Pocket Binoculars — a $99 value — ABSOLUTELY FREE!

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• 10" overall length

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Blue Bone Bowie Knife

Stauer Pocket Binoculars a $99 value with your purchase of the Blue Bone Bowie Knife

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Your Insider Offer Code: BBK162-02 California

2345 River Road

The Dalles, OR 97058

541-296-2226 Fax 541-298-3320 nwascopud.org

Board of Directors

Daniel Hammel

Roger Howe

Wayne Jacobson

Greg Johnson

Scott Taylor

General Manager and CEO

Roger Kline

Board Meetings

Meetings are usually at 4 p.m. the first Tuesday of the month at the PUD office, 2345 River Road, The Dalles.

The public is always welcome.

Our Mission

Be the leader in delivering reliable, affordable utility services guided by and accountable to the communities we serve.

Our Core Values

Our core values are the foundation of our organization. They represent our commitments to each other, direct our actions and provide the framework that shapes our culture as we navigate future challenges and seize emerging opportunities.

• Culture and Community

• Customer Service Excellence and Equity

• Innovation and Leadership

• Resilience

• Safety

• Transparent Operations

Our Pockets Are Your Pockets

I get asked sometimes what it means to be a public power utility. It’s a fair question—and the answer goes back to the very founding of Northern Wasco County PUD.

For decades, a private power company was the only option for electricity in The Dalles and Wasco County. Residents paid what they were told and had little say in how their utility was run.

In the late 1930s, local Grange members and businessmen decided that wasn’t good enough. They believed this community deserved a utility that belonged to the people it served—one where the community’s money stayed in the community.

Voters agreed, and on Aug. 15, 1939, Northern Wasco County People’s Utility District was born. It took 10 more years of legal battles before we served our first customers in 1949. The people who built this PUD fought for a simple idea: Your power company should work for you, not the other way around.

Nearly 90 years later, the simplest way I can describe what they built is this: Our pockets are your pockets. We’re not-for-profit and owned by the community. There are no distant shareholders expecting a return. When we find ways to operate more efficiently or negotiate better power contracts, those savings go directly into keeping your rates low—not into someone’s dividend check. When costs rise, we feel it, too. Our employees live here, pay the same rates and shop at the same stores. We’re not making decisions from a distance. We live with them.

Every dollar you pay on your electric bill stays right here. They maintain the system that keeps your power on, fund the crews who respond when storms hit and rebuild aging infrastructure so future generations have the same reliable service you’ve come to expect.

Just like our first board members—Byers, Foster, Johnson, Ott and Seufert—our current board members are elected locally. They’re your neighbors who pay the same rates you do. When our upcoming May rate adjustment was on the table, they genuinely discussed and deliberated on how it will affect each of our customer-owners differently, always balancing what’s best for the utility with the real impacts on the people we serve. That’s what shared stakes look like.

Our pockets are your pockets. That was true when this PUD was founded, it’s true today, and it will be true tomorrow.

Roger Kline General Manager and CEO