Here’s what we talked about today:

Better and faster broadband is coming to our county!
Local Democrats are signing up for GOTV work!
So many good Democrats have chosen to run for local offices this time, and more young people all around the country are getting politically involved.
What a wonderful, beautiful place Tillamook County is. What a great place to live.
The atmosphere at the South County Candidate Forum.
The contrasting and overwhelmingly positive atmosphere for our candidates at the Tillamook Home & Garden Show.
The importance of being more vocal about our wins and our accomplishments.
The Queer Prom. Lots of experience reported with support for it in the community, and outrage everywhere (in restaurants and coffee shops, on the streets, in the grocery store checkout lines) that there is so much opposition to it among extremists in our county. Discussion of how our people might support the prom (donations to its organizers?) and reports that the Swiss Society is losing members because of its decision to deny the Swiss Hall venue to organizers of the Queer Prom. Clear indications that the Queer Prom organizers have no plans to sue over that denial, just because the organizers want to build community, not damage it. Discussion of safety at the event. The organizers do feel very supported. Lots of security will be on hand; reason to believe it will be safer, in fact, than the Tillamook Prom. General agreement that it is heartbreaking to see that there is so much opposition to this event in 2023. DOJ has opened an investigation related to attacks on the organizers.
Watershed protection. One of our members strongly urged us to write Governor Kotek in support of a strong habitat conservation plan (HCP) and the long term need to find alternative funding sources for rural coastal counties so that water resources can be better protected and we can help mitigate the climate crisis by sequestering and storing more carbon by growing more trees longer, and so that our state forests can truly meet the "greatest permanent value." When you write, please cc Geoff Huntington, her natural resources advisor, and Karin Power, her climate policy advisor.
Very encouraging evidence in some candidate forums that even some of the conservative candidates for school board have shown concern for water quality in our schools.
Concern about Oregon House Bill 2772 – something to do with Domestic Terrorism, but sponsored by Democrats. Its reliance on a broad standard of “intent” could grant too much power to prosecutors and negatively affect our rights to peaceful protest.
Evidence that the other side’s negative messaging is helping us in general.
Interesting news that the Tillamook Transportation District will be responsible in some way for administering funds that have been allocated for emergency medical transport in Clatsop County. We have such an impressive transportation district board. Great campaign for a position on it being run by Jim Heffernan, who has already become a member of their budget committee.
Good question from someone new to the county: what is the Tillamook County Pioneer? Consensus answer: the best source of local news in the county.
Good news that the Headlight Herald has refused to publish slanderous letters from a couple of the county’s main right-wing organizers. Thank you Will Chappel!
Evidence that the success of the Queer Prom will help to reduce bullying and intolerance, and will help to create an environment in the high schools that will encourage marginalized kids, including those now in middle school, to stay in public schools.
Wouldn’t it be great if a lot of straight kids showed up in support of the Queer Prom?
Importance of showing up in general. The book Love Your Enemies ends with five rules, the last of which is “Go where you are not expected.”
MooVoter candidate forums will be an additional resource for voters. Thanks to TCP for publicizing them.