Advice from a small-town girl

I thought maybe I should dispense some free advice to those of you who are new (or some of you who are not so new) to our community. For those of you who might question my qualifications, here’s my resume: I grew up on a farm outside a town much smaller than Odessa, spending my first 18 years in Bickleton (population about 100). I was at Washington State University for four years, then lived in Yakima for four years. In 1981 I moved to Portland, where I worked and lived for over 20 years. Finally (I hope), I married and moved to Odessa, back to small town life.

Adjustments haven’t always been...