Category: Press

By Emily Storm, KOBI-TV 5 Medford

AmeriCorps members across Southern Oregon won’t have jobs at the end of the month due to federal cuts.

The Trump administration is terminating nearly $400 million of grants to the organization nationwide.

AmeriCorps sends young members across the country to community projects and disaster recovery who receive benefits during and after their service.

There will be over 15 positions eliminated in Southern Oregon including at Rogue Retreat, the Salvation Army, Rogue Food Unites and more just in the Rogue Valley.

“Without Emily and this resource of RARE [AmeriCorps program], we will have less preparedness for our community members, we will have less staff to be able to respond to a disaster– say a fire or flooding. And especially as fire season is approaching, that is a resource that is definitely needed,” says Anne-Marie Rodriguez, Director of Programs at Rogue Food Unites.

Emily Embleton is the Outreach Specialist for Rogue Food Unites, a statewide emergency feeding organization.

Embleton works through the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments, or RARE, an AmeriCorps program that is exclusive to Oregon.

“Another part of Rogue Food Unites is doing disaster relief feeding and disaster preparedness, which has been a big part of Emily’s role here since they’ve joined Rogue Food Unites,” says Rodriguez.

Embleton says RARE has four members in Southern Oregon working in roles from disaster preparedness to rural energy support that are being cut.

“This is not just Ashland. We have folks in the Talent Business Alliance is losing an employee, the Greater Applegate is losing their Fire Resiliency Coordinator– which is such a crucial position for a small community. And there’s not going to be corner of Oregon that doesn’t feel the loss of these people and these services,” said Embleton.

Oregon has joined a multi-state lawsuit seeking to roll back the trump administration’s cuts.

RARE is a part of the lawsuit.

The Community Volunteer Network tells NBC5 that AmeriCorps Seniors is still funded, but that could change at any given moment.

They say the president’s proposed budget cuts would eliminate their funding beginning in fiscal year 2026.

For a link to monitor the program’s status, click here.

This article appeared on KOBI-TV 5 Medford and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

By David Hayes, Polk County Itemizer-Observer

What a difference a year makes for the Dallas Farmers Market. Last year, it debuted during a downpour of rain and blustery winds. This year, the sun was out with only a hint of cool breeze to greet a wider selection of vendors stretched down the courthouse square.

“It’s so exciting. There’s sunshine. You can actually see shadows. I’m very much looking forward to having to wash our produce in the sink rather than before we get it back in the car,” said Mikayla Slawosky, Dallas community development coordinator. She was decked out in a sugar pea costume, because “Pretty Peas, we want people to come to the market.”

For the kickoff on May 3, there were 17 vendors, six new, which Slawosky plans to keep consistent throughout the season. She said they’re keeping the application process open throughout the season as there’s plenty of space to expand for more vendors.

Overall, the Dallas Farmers Market will have 12 new vendors joining as the season progresses, including some local farms.

“Last year, people were really excited, they were just hoping to see some more veggies,” Slawosky said. “We heard that, and today we have about five vendors selling produce.

Eden Olsen of Lucky Grow Farm, out of Monmouth, was one of the local farmers to answer to call for more veggie options.

“I had heard there was a need for vegetables. So, I joined to provide that to our county,” Olsen said. Her specialty? “You name one, I’ve got it.”

She expects her salad mix, heirloom tomatoes and carrots to go the fastest.

Other vendors were back, including Oregon Cream Honey, Norris Bread Company, which features sourdough bread and cookies, Double E Ranch with edible plant starts and Frankie Farm Goat Milk Soap, to name a few.

“Most of our vendors are local to Polk County. We have Tapestry Hills Nursery based out of Canby. But for the most part, it is Rickreall, Independence, Monmouth and Dallas here filing up,” she said.

Tiffany Unverdruss wanted to open a stall last season, but being “very pregnant” upset the timing of the hope baking venture going public at the market. But that didn’t stop her from attending.

“It was great. I loved being able to get the honey, get the bread, flowers. It was a lot of fun,” Unverdruss said.

For her business, Simply Joyful Cookies, she specializes in custom sugar cookies. But for the market’s debut, she featured drop cookies, including larger snickerdoodles, peanut butter and butter cream sugar and lemon drop.

Returning for his second year is Rick Ogle’s Oregon Cream Honey who’s home churned, unique blend of honey is processed just 10 miles outside Dallas. He said Dallas quickly became one of their favorite markets.

“This is one of our favorite markets, to be honest. It’s one of the smallest markets we do, but we really enjoy it. I mean the town is so, I mean, you’re right outside the historic courthouse. It’s beautiful,” Ogle said, adding they also attend farmers markets in McMinnville, Independence during the summer and the casino’s Health and Wellness fair once a year. “And people in Dallas, if you’re from around here, you know they’re all good folks.”

The farmers market runs through Oct. 18 every first and third Saturday of the month.

For those shoppers looking for alternative shopping methods, Slawosky said there are vendors who accept SNAP and Double Up Food Buck and accept Farm Direct Nutrition Food Vouchers.

“We’re open for ideas. We really hope that people see their requests reflected in the market. We are hoping it’s a good community event that continues to grow,” Slawosky said.

The city of Dallas runs the farmers market for now with the aid of the Dallas Downtown Association and Chamber of Commerce. Slawosky said the DDA and the CoC have reached an agreement to team up to take over running it next year.

To keep track of the market, go to the Dallas Oregon Farmers Market Facebook or go to www.dallasdowntownassociation.org/dallasfarmersmarket.

This article appeared in the  Polk County Itemizer-Observer and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

This work is being led by RARE AmeriCorps member Mikayla Slawosky.

By James Sloan, Rogue Valley Times

Returning for the second time ever to Talent, the quarterly Fourth Friday Art Walk will celebrate the creative works of the local community while offering visitors the chance to see that art up close while participating in free, family-friendly fun across the town.

Twelve different businesses, organizations and the city of Talent are participating and hosting locations with activities and art to admire.

“When I see a lot of people in Talent, that’s exciting, so I think to make that come together for the community and seeing people out and about is super great; you couldn’t ask for more than that,” said Donna Ruiz, chair of the Talent Public Art Committee, an artist and a key organizer of the art walk.

The Fourth Friday Art Walk is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, April 25, with some of the participating locations staying open until 8 p.m.

The 12 different businesses and organizations hosting space for the art walk are Art Bop Beer Co., Gather Cafe Bistro Bar, Goldback and Iruai Wine Room, Om Sweet Om, Project Space, Sweet Beet Station, Talent Beauty Spot, Talent City Hall, Talent Historical Society, Talent Maker City, The Talent Gallery and Trium Wines.

Many of the participating locations will showcase art from local creatives such as Talent Elementary School students and professional artists.

The Talent Gallery will showcase the work of its 20 artists as well as newcomer Jolene Monheim at its historic Malmgren Garage location on Talent Avenue.

“Jolene is going to be presenting some beautifully done photos of flower arrangements, still lifes as well as underwater photography,” said Bruce Bayard, one of the gallery’s founders and a local multimedia artist. “She’s an amazing photographer, and for the still lifes of flowers, she grew and cut and arranged the flowers in her studio.”

New member and multi-talented artist Karla Holland Scholer will also have some of her works on display.

“She does wonderful, magical realism scenes on 3-D vessels,” Bayard said.

Many of the other locations will have activities or showcases as well.

“Talent Maker City is going to have a class for kids — I think there might be a $5 charge — and they’ve also hung children’s masks going up the stairs,” Ruiz said.

Talent City Hall will display some of the Talent Elementary School kids’ works as well as some other local artists’ pieces.

“I love to see that and love to give people that opportunity and they’re so grateful; I’m an artist myself and l know that when people compliment me, well everything you create for yourself, but when people love it, it’s heartwarming,” Ruiz said.

The Talent Gallery initially started the art walk event, and in December 2024, community organizers with the city of Talent, Talent Business Alliance, the gallery and others got together with a grand idea of expanding the art walk to include many different parts of the town.

The first Fourth Friday Art Walk was held Jan. 24, and the current format for organizers is to have quarterly art walks throughout the year.

“The first one went really well; I don’t know the exact numbers but there were quite a few people in Talent and it was really cold, but people still came out and it was just amazing,” Ruiz said.

There will be two additional art walks after the one in April, with one on June 25 and the last of the year on Oct. 24.

Organizers of the art walk have big ideas for its future.

“One of the things we want to do is get the rest of the (Talent area) businesses involved,” Ruiz said. “We’re thinking about putting more of a bicycle aspect to this; people come off the Greenway or the bike store and bike or walk up to the city … and ultimately it would be awesome if we had a trolley.”

To learn more about the Fourth Friday Art Walk, visit talentbusinessalliance.org/events/art-walk. 

The Talent Gallery hosts weekly artist talks at noon on Sundays, and mixed media artist Denise Kester will present a talk on art and avoidance Sunday, April 27.

This article appeared in Rogue Valley Times and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

This work is being supported by RARE AmeriCorps member Cecelia Bagnoli.

By Rachael McDonald, KLCC

Blue River is still rebuilding from the Holiday Farm Fire of 2020. On April 5, the community held a block party to celebrate the progress.

The Fire Station and health clinic have been rebuilt. The General Store is under construction with an opening date of Sept. 7, to coincide with the five year anniversary of the fire.

A new, larger, O’Brien Memorial Library has its grand opening on Nov. 16, 2024. The previous one was completely destroyed by the fire.

“I think it’s just such a huge addition to our community,” said Connie Richardson, president of the Friends of the Library. “And we’re going above and beyond just borrowing books.”

The library is named for Frances O’Brien, who started checking out books on her front porch in 1928.

“She started so long ago on her porch in the orange crate with books,” said Richardson. “I’m so honored to still be a part of the fact that we’re carrying on her legacy and just keeping the library alive for the community.”

On the day of the Block Party, a local returned a book that was checked out before the Holiday Farm Fire: a Janet Evanovich novel.

“She handed me this book and said, ‘My mom had checked this book out from the O’Brien Memorial Library before the fire and I’m finally giving it back to you’. I said, ‘Do you want to keep it?’ And she said, ‘Oh no. It belongs in the library.’”

Richardson said the spine has a handwritten sticker on the spine. That’s how it was done back before the fire. They had a card catalog.

“I’m trying to decide what to do with it,” she said.

An events space

The new O’Brien Memorial Library is an improvement on the one that burned down. This one is larger and has bathrooms, which the old one didn’t have. There’s also a gathering space.

Friends of the Library member John Witte has organized a monthly speaker series at the library.

“We have a series of events all organized around the theme of the river and the meaning of the river in our lives,” he said.

Their speaker on April 12 is Kathleen Dean Moore, ecologist, philosopher, and essayist. Her talk is entitled, “The Healing Power of a River.”

The speaker series continues through the summer.

This article appeared in KLCC and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

This work is being supported by RARE AmeriCorps member Braden Ravenscraft.

University of Oregon & Northeast Oregon Economic Development District Case Study

By National Association of Development Organizations

This case study examines the long-standing collaboration between the University of Oregon’s Institute for Policy Research and Engagement (IPRE) and the Northeast Oregon Economic Development District (NEOEDD). As a designated U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) University Center, IPRE leverages university resources to assist rural and frontier communities through technical expertise, student engagement, and research. The study explores three key initiatives—Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) updates, the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program, and the Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience (OPDR) Program—which demonstrate how universities and EDDs can collaborate to promote economic capacity, disaster preparedness, and workforce development.

By Isabel Funk, Salem Statesman Journal

The City of Detroit, Oregon announced a new project to revitalize its downtown park with a new playground, accessible pathways and sustainable landscaping.

The city said the project “promises to bring stunning natural design, increased accessibility and new family-friendly amenities” to the newly named Dam Park located at 110 S Patton Road.

“This project is about more than just upgrades — it’s about creating a space that reflects the spirit and resilience of Detroit,” City Councilor and park liaison Michele Tesdal said in a news release. “We want ‘The Dam Park’ to be a place where families, neighbors, and tourists come together to relax, celebrate, and enjoy the outdoors.”

Tesdal said many of the trees in the park that got overheated during the 2020 Labor Day wildfires were removed. The remaining unhealthy trees with split bark also will be removed and new trees will be planted to replace them.

The project will include a heavy timber pavilion, improved walking paths, an accessible playground and shaded areas and concert area.

The city hopes to secure a matching grant through the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, said Tesdal, but needs to raise 20% of the $1.05 million estimated project cost through donations.

This article appeared in Yahoo! News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

This project is being spearheaded by RARE AmeriCorps member Justin Montrie.

By Wallowa County Chieftain

JOSEPH — National Volunteer Week is April 20- 26, and the Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center is shining a light on its volunteers.

The center is holding a volunteer appreciation dinner April 24, 6-8 p.m. at the M.Crow in Lostine to celebrate their contributions.

There is a maximum capacity of 20, so RSVP by April 18 at tinyurl.com/rsvpmaxville.

Also, Maxville is getting a new bus, and the interpretive center is seeking a shelter for the bus and a driver.

A former school bus has been obtained as part of the site transportation project. Considered a huge step forward in expanding access to the Maxville townsite 13 miles north of Wallowa, the center needs community participation to get the bus rolling.

The center needs drivers with commercial driver’s licenses for special events in Wallowa County. And the search is on for a suitable home for the bus — a shelter, garage or depot with electricity access.

If you have a large space available or know someone who does, email the center at info@maxvilleheritage.org.

Maxville, a one-time logging town, was active from its founding in 1923 to when it shut down in 1933. At one time, it was one of the largest towns in Wallowa County, with 400 people, some 40-60 of whom were Black.

The only building that remains from the original townsite is the former company headquarters building, which has been restored and reinstalled, according to Gwen Trice, executive director of the Maxville Heritage Interpretive Center in Joseph.

This article first appeared in the Wallowa County Chieftain and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

These efforts are being spearheaded by RARE AmeriCorps member Ruby Barrera.

By Melanie Moyer, Willamette University

Community leaders in rural areas of Oregon are often stretched thin, juggling multiple roles and responsibilities due to staffing shortages or other economic pressures. To support these communities, the Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program places college graduates in small communities for 11 months of service. Willamette University alumni have become key participants in the RARE AmeriCorps program, using their skills and knowledge to drive meaningful change in high-need areas across Oregon.

AmeriCorps members from Willamette have taken on a range of roles to help towns more effectively deploy resources and implement sustainable practices, drawing on training from the RARE program and lessons from their time as students at Willamette to make a difference. In turn, AmeriCorps volunteers gain valuable leadership, service and professional experience by helping to solve community and regional development issues.

We spoke to two recent Willamette graduates to learn how their AmeriCorps experiences are helping them turn knowledge into action across the state.

Emily Embleton BA’23 helps two rural communities with disaster preparedness and food security

Emily Embleton BA’23 has undertaken two projects through RARE after receiving encouragement from Professor David Gutterman and Professor Wendy Petersen-Boring to apply to the program. A Politics, Policy, Law & Ethics (PPLE) major and recipient of a Theatre scholarship, Embleton fell in love with the rural coastal town of Coos Bay, Ore., during the pandemic, inspiring her to gear her studies at Willamette towards supporting rural communities. “The service mindset of Willamette lends itself well to the mission of the RARE program in supporting rural communities,” Embleton says.

Emily’s professors recognized her commitment to service and helped inspire her to pursue the program. “I loved having Emily in class because she brought such positive energy and creative ideas for how to make our world more just and sustainable,” says Petersen-Boring. “Her intellectual gifts, desire to change the world for the better, and experience working in small towns in Oregon make her a terrific match for Americorps.”

In the RARE program, Embleton first traveled to Florence, Ore., where she worked as their Emergency Management Communications Analyst in City Hall. There, she helped inform the local population about disaster preparedness through town expositions, a weekly talk show on the local community radio station, assessment surveys, and a website about disaster preparedness.

“In a small town like Florence, people are completely at capacity, and so I was able to come in and take some of the things off their plates,” Embleton says.

Inspired by the work she accomplished in Florence, Embleton again applied to the RARE program and was matched with the non-profit Rogue Food Unites in Ashland, Ore., where she currently works.

“We’re revolutionizing the food systems in Ashland by working closely with producers to provide people with free local produce,” Embleton says. “We buy produce from local farmers, so all the money goes back into the local food economy. In times of disasters, we’ll provide hot meals and provision boxes to people around the state.” Finding her dream placement, Embleton will continue working at Rogue Food Unites after her RARE assignment concludes in August.

“At Willamette, I had the chance to study everything that would prepare me for this work, from sustainability to Indigenous rights and land management,” Embleton continues. “The conversations I had with Professors Gutterman and Peterson-Boring in and outside of class set me up to live in rural communities and stand by my values.”

She also attributes her opportunity to study theatre at Willamette to helping her become more well-rounded. “Theater is my greatest love, and I got to balance it with my passion for sustainability and rural communities. In Florence, I even got to teach dance and theater classes to local children,” she adds.

As a passionate advocate of the RARE program, Embleton also helped Milo Greenberg BA’24 apply.

Milo Greenberg BA’24 creates change and navigates big challenges in a small county

Milo Greenberg BA’24 has transitioned from his urban Seattle upbringing to one of Oregon’s most rural regions through his work with the RARE program. A PPLE major and Data Science minor at Willamette, Greenberg is now in Wallowa County, where he’s working with the Northeast Oregon Economic Development District to increase access to grant writing, provide information on accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and address specific issues associated with being in a remote area of the state.

“I’m working in frontier counties, which means they have fewer than six people per square mile. It can be difficult for these counties to find people to apply for grant funding, which I’m helping to address,” he says. “The eastern half of the state often feels left out of political and government processes. I want to ensure that I’m in a position to make their needs heard.”

Greenberg is working to help the county address its housing crisis by taking a specialized approach to their difficulties. “Housing problems in these places look a little different than they do in, say, Salem or Portland or Eugene,” he says. “It’s really hard to get developers so far out of the way, and many are focusing their efforts on short-term rentals for tourism. We want to make sure people who work and live there can afford the rent or buy a house or apartment.” To address this issue, Greenberg has started an educational program to inform residents about ADU laws and accessibility.

Distinctive Willamette programs like The Conversation Project have helped Greenberg find success in the RARE program. The course trains students to lead conversations despite differences and aims to give them the conversational foundations to promote equality, inclusivity, and pluralism.

“Topics like climate change and climate resilience are controversial issues, and the county has struggled to adjust their energy planning because people are concerned about change,” Greenberg says. “I’ve taken lessons from the class to ensure people that their concerns are heard and they feel that members of their own community are leading these changes.”

“Milo is remarkably thoughtful, deeply committed to building bridges between people, and has a great gift for being able to lighten challenging circumstances with humor,” says Gutterman, who co-founded The Conversation Project with Petersen-Boring.

With guidance from professors and fellow Willamette alumni, Greenberg is looking forward to helping communities in Eastern Oregon thrive.

This article first appeared in Willamette University Communications and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

By The New Era

The Willamette Valley Visitors Association (WVVA) has launched its seventh annual Ornament Hunt throughout the region and on non-wilderness trails of the Willamette National Forest and the Umpqua National Forest.

As many as 200 locally crafted wooden ornaments were hidden along non-wilderness trails for lucky hikers to find in the following ranger districts: Detroit, Sweet Home, McKenzie River, and Middle Fork on the Willamette National Forest, and Cottage Grove on the Umpqua National Forest.

Each year, WVVA chooses a unique theme for the Ornament Hunt that celebrates a special aspect of the Willamette Valley. This year it is on the theme of mountain biking.

WVVA plans to highlight accessible trails throughout the season, including six mountain biking destinations that underwent adaptive rider assessments in June, conducted by The UNPavement and C2 Recreation with support from WVVA, Visit Corvallis, and Travel Lane County. By making these opportunities available, WVVA hopes to empower everyone to experience the joy and adventure the Willamette Valley has to offer.

“This year, we’re proud to include other trail users, like mountain bikers, throughout the Willamette and Umpqua National forests,” said Tori Middelstadt, WVVA’s new executive director. “We also want to highlight our ongoing efforts to make the region’s hiking and mountain biking trails more accessible so that all visitors, regardless of their ability, have the opportunity to enjoy them.”

The tradition was born in 2018 when the Willamette National Forest provided the Capitol Christmas Tree in Washington D.C. from the Sweet Home district. With all eyes on the Willamette Valley, the hike-and-seek hunt was created to encourage locals and travelers to connect with public lands and increase outdoor recreation activities. Each ornament found includes instructions on how to register to win a grand prize, which is a two-day getaway to the Willamette Valley.

WVVA is also offering a limited number of additional ornaments that will be available for purchase at local tourism offices throughout the Willamette Valley. All proceeds will benefit Cascade Volunteers, a nonprofit organization that supports trail keepers and trail maintenance, and their work within the Willamette National Forest. Funds raised will support the organization’s mission of public land stewardship and help Cascade Volunteers supply tools and helmets to assist with maintenance efforts over the coming seasons. Learn more at https://cascadevols.org/.

The Ornament Hunt not only provides a hiking opportunity, but participants are also encouraged to go Christmas tree hunting. Register for a permit before taking home the perfect tree, straight from the Willamette National Forest. Learn more at https://bit.ly/wvhunt.

Additional volunteer efforts this year have allowed for the identification of trails and trailheads throughout the forests for those with varied abilities. Specific trail information and helpful guides to finding the best trail different abilities can be found at: https://www.willamettevalley.org/ornament.

“Our goal has always been to create an inclusive outdoor experience, and this year’s Ornament Hunt reflects that commitment,” said Augusta Stockman, WVVA’s destination development coordinator. “With the introduction of select trails and trailheads with accessibility information and detailed guides, we’re ensuring that all adventurers, whether using wheelchairs, strollers, or other equipment, can confidently explore our region. This year, we’re especially excited to feature mountain biking-themed ornaments, celebrating our region’s ongoing efforts to make these trails more accessible.”

Participants venturing into the forest are asked to abide by “Take Care Out There and Leave No Trace” principles. WVVA and the forest service encourage hikers to plan ahead and take a look at winter safety tips, which can be found at https://bit.ly/wntr.

The WVVA website, https://willamettevalley.org/ornament, will serve as the hub for ornament hunt details and where to register an ornament to win the grand prize.

This article first appeared in The New Era Newspaper Co and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

By Isabella Warren

Southern Deschutes County community members, nonprofits and government agencies met Thursday in Sunriver for the Newberry Regional Partnership’s Action Summit to discuss strategies and solutions to issues in an area they say is much different than most of the county.

“It is a turning point, because no one can do this on their own,” said Kathy DeBone, community coordinator with the partnership. “No one agency, no one government jurisdiction, no one nonprofit. We’ve all got to work together to make this happen.”

Stretching from Sunriver and the Three Rivers neighborhood down through La Pine to northern Klamath County, organizers say the Newberry Region is one of the most diverse yet forgotten areas of the county.

Consultant Steven Ames helped organize the summit: “You have three very different kinds of communities sort of coexisting within this larger geographical area, and it’s different from the rest of Deschutes County in that regard and presents unique challenges.”

Over the course of nearly two years, the Newberry Regional Partnership and DeBone surveyed the community on top issues.

“The amazing thing to me is that the same top issues kept coming up over and over and over again,” DeBone said.

Those top issues include wildfire risk, which Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies discussed with summit participants, They broke into small groups to discuss that and other challenges.

One summit attendee said, “We found a chunk of land and used it as an experiment and found geographically that it had a wildfire risk, but it was manageable because of the size of camps.”

The recent troubles of the La Pine Parks and Recreation District after also on the table after the board resigned and workers were laid off. County commissioners recently appointed new board members.

A summit participant said, “I know the money is tight, so let’s go to the volunteers, which the client has tons of people who want to be involved in volunteering. But everyone’s a little hesitant right now to be like, ‘Do we want our names on what’s going on with all that?'”

Health services were another major topic. As one summit attendee stated, “People do not understand addiction, and they do not understand that when that person is out there living in those woods and just wrecking everything. They are not who they are.”

One strategy already has been implemented by the sheriff’s office, regional partnership and BLM. Inmate work crews have cleaned up abandoned homeless encampments in rural La Pine to reduce wildfire risk, following the Darlene 3 Fire.

Ames says that despite the issues and challenges being discussed this day, the future is bright for the region: “It’s just great to see people from different backgrounds and different perspectives working together to come up with common solutions.”

This article first appeared on KTVZ News Channel 21 and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.