There is no denying Southern Oregon is amidst a significant water crisis. Drought, illegal use of water, regulatory mismanagement, an unnatural (and misguided) interpretation of the federal endangered species act, and large tribal water rights claims challenge the agricultural community’s ability to be viable. I have concerns about the state’s management of water resources in general, including not advocating for state water rights and/or not holding persons accountable for appropriate water use needs re-evaluation. Water is being used for illegal marijuana, and hemp grows, and it is being prioritized, unjustifiably and unsustainably, for perceived environmental needs instead of for people and communities. Farmers are losing millions of dollars in revenue (and, in some cases, their family farms), and ‘we the people’ are emptying our wallets on increased prices in the grocery store. The fear of empty shelves is real, and withholding water only exacerbates this.

We have the natural resources, the people, and the know-how to allow our farmers and ranchers the water they need without putting any species at risk. We should protect our water infrastructure, including dams that store water for irrigation, for both times of need and times of excess. We have the ability to be self-sufficient, and we must work toward that goal! We need to advocate for common-sense policies that raise the value of agriculture to equality with fish and environmental needs. In my travels around the region, I have never met more environmentally conscious individuals than those engaged in farming and ranching- they are the epitome of giving and cultivating the land for the land to give back to them. I believe solutions can be found that respect the needs of all parties. The goal should be for each group to have their needs met without the obliteration of the other. This will require compromise- no one gets everything they want - but each party is respected.

I have been on the school board for the past 5 years. I have seen a steady decline in education from academic standards, emphasizing equity and equality over reading and writing. We have gone from helping our kids become good citizens to affirming their sexual preferences. We are teaching them to be victims instead of overcomers. How did we get here?

We must stop advancing kids through grade levels when they are not ready. We need to stop focusing on misguided policies surrounding equity- which lowers the standards so all kids can pass a class – and focus more on recognizing each student’s unique talents and academic needs. Math is not racist; 2+2 will only ever equal 4, which is okay. We need to teach kids that ALL are created equal but different, which should be celebrated- not used for division. Kindness is not a sexual education lesson.

There is no room for Critical Race Theory or Comprehensive Sex Education in the classroom. There is no room for political agendas- these must be put aside for the sake of future generations. We must put our focus back on reading, writing, and math and off of the sexualization of our children. Kids need to learn that hard work is the pathway to success, and anyone - regardless of their race, color, economic status, or sex - is capable of reaching their goals and dreams. We need to empower and encourage common sense parents to run for school boards and to have a stake in their child's education at a deeper level. If you care- then you are qualified- become a school board member!

The 2nd Amendment, one of our unalienable rights, was set forth by our founders, who understood that these rights come from the Creator. Unalienable means “impossible to take away.” In Oregon, Salem continues to pass legislation that chips away at our right to keep and bear arms. For too long we have let the out-of-touch Portland democrats govern this state, imposing laws that hinder or prevent us from freely exercising our 2nd Amendment right. With recent legislation making gun owners in the state criminals for not keeping guns locked up, we are facing a loss of freedom like we never have before. We all know that guns don’t kill people, people kill people. If “we the people” have our 2nd Amendment right taken from us, only the “bad guys” will have guns. This is part of why we are seeing a “Red Wave” building for the November elections. It is time for us to take a stand!

Law Enforcement is here to serve, protect, and be our guardians. It is shameful when governments villainize those who risk their lives daily to serve and protect. We must pass legislation that fully funds our police. We must stop passing legislation that takes away their ability to keep us safe. We need to repeal Ballot Measure 110, decriminalizing small amounts of hard drugs. Taking away the consequences of drugs on your person is not compassion; it is apathy and leads to bigger and more severe problems.

We enable people to come to our state and live on the streets, making it unsafe, destroying property, defecating on sidewalks, hurting themselves and others, and devaluing our cities and homes. This is not compassion; this is not helping. It enables people to continue to run from their issues and prevents them from getting real help- and having real hope. We must give law enforcement the ability to help these people get treatment, find a purpose and a passion, and get them off our streets. Many of these people -effectively ignored by Ballot Measure 110 - have some serious mental health issues. Instead of spending millions of dollars to make it easy and legal to sleep on the streets or in our parks, funding should go to mental health and drug treatment services to help people get to work and get off the streets.