OCA

May 17 2026POLITICS

Retirement doesn’t slow this finance expert down

Carlos Zamora packed up his decades in global banking last week, but retirement won’t last long. Instead of relaxing, he’s diving into a new challenge: running for Kootenai County Treasurer. The election is just days away, and Zamora will face Teresa Mallery in the Republican primary. Whoever wins t

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May 17 2026POLITICS

Why a local election in Sonoma County is getting big money attention

A billboard along Highway 101 keeps reminding drivers about Todd Lands, one of three candidates running to fill an open seat on Sonoma County’s Board of Supervisors. The ad pushes his slogan "Less Talk. More Action, " but the real story behind Lands might be who’s paying for it. Campaign records sho

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May 17 2026BUSINESS

New shops and food spots shaping up in Williamsburg and nearby areas

A long-running Williamsburg restaurant has shut its doors after four decades, but new businesses are stepping in to fill the space. The Whaling Co. , a fixture in the area since the 1980s, closed for good in August, leaving a vacant building on McLaws Circle. Now, two big-name chains are vying for t

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May 17 2026POLITICS

A local parent steps up for Bloomfield schools

Bloomfield voters have a quick decision to make this May. On the 19th, they’ll pick one new person for the school board to fill a five-year spot that pays nothing. One name appears on the ballot—Steele—but that doesn’t mean the vote is pointless. The polling place, a large classroom at the middle-h

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May 17 2026OPINION

Why solar and wind farms are facing resistance in rural America

The idea of cleaner energy sounds great on paper, but many rural communities are pushing back hard against massive solar and wind projects popping up in their backyards. What started as a wave of excitement about renewable energy has turned into a heated debate between landowners, developers, and ne

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May 17 2026OPINION

Portland’s Creative Pulse is Fading Fast

Portland still brags about being a city where art and small businesses thrive. But the places that once made it special are disappearing—not all at once, but one by one, like ice melting in spring. Rents are skyrocketing, forcing artists, writers, and shop owners to work extra jobs just to scrape by

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May 16 2026HEALTH

Local women’s health care gets a boost in Siloam Springs

For years, women in Siloam Springs and nearby towns had to travel to get basic women’s health care. The closest options vanished in December when the local women’s center shut down after nearly three decades. That gap is now filled by a newly expanded clinic on Progress Avenue. The building used to

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May 15 2026SCIENCE

When the Brain Fixes a Sentence Mistake in Seconds

In German sentences, people sometimes read a part that looks like a normal subject‑verb‑object phrase even when the earlier words make it impossible. For example, after hearing “The coach smiled at the player, ” the reader might momentarily think that “the player tossed a frisbee” is a complete clau

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May 15 2026CRIME

A Rough Arrest Raises Questions About Mental‑Health Care

The incident began when officers arrived at a Southeast Monterey address to help someone in distress. The man, 30‑year‑old Dakota John Hadley, was not violent but was in a severe mental health crisis, according to his relatives. He has bipolar disorder and had been experiencing psychosis after using

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May 15 2026OPINION

Old Iowans Left in the Cold

Paragraph 1: The Iowa Legislature has again failed to act on the needs of its older citizens. This is not a new problem; it has happened before and continues to repeat itself. Paragraph 2: Last year, the state lost Senator Claire Celsi, a strong advocate for seniors. She pushed bills th

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