Keep perspective in election outcomes

For nearly two decades, the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) has helped agricultural producers and rural small businesses, lower energy costs and strengthen their operations. A new rule from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), however, could make REAP increasingly difficult to access, for those it intended to serve. Through grants and guaranteed loans, the program supports project...

For weeks, candidate ads have dominated television viewing. Text messages and phone calls are non-stop. Yard signs are popping up like my late-season tomatoes. Much of this messaging is for candidates, who will serve in Washington, D.C., or in the State House. While that part of the ballot is important, the most direct and immediate impact on your daily life, comes from elections on the local l...