Meeting slated to discuss rural issues

CHENEY — A town hall-style meeting with state attorney general candidate Pasco Mayor Pete Serrano and Let’s Go Washington spokesman Brian Heywood will take place Sept. 7.

The free event will take place in the Wren Pierson Community Center, 615 Fourth St. It opens with a coffee meet-and-greet at 10 a.m., with a 90-minute program exploring rural environmental policies beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Serrano is the leading candidate for state attorney general and Heywood organized the effort behind seven initiatives, three which have been approved by the Legislature and four appearing on the Nov. 5 ballot. Others invited to attend include Spokane County Commissioner Al French, Airway Heights Mayor Larry Bowman and Medical Lake Mayor Terri Cooper.

The discussion will focus on environmental policy making, governmental agency authority, executive orders, wildfire mitigation and disaster response.

The program is being organized by Washington Rural Environmental Network founder and president Sue Lani Madsen of Edwall.

“Much more than other western states, Washington’s rural population grew by over 9% during the last census, 2010 to 2020,” Madsen said. “Many factors contribute to rural growth, and policies are about tradeoffs between factors. The WREN is interested in how preserving quality of life, drawing in new residents and growing economic opportunities are helped or hurt by state policies.”

“I’m excited to join the West Plains town hall with the Washington Rural Environmental Network,” Serrano said. “As Mayor of Pasco, I’ve seen firsthand the challenges our rural communities face and the impact that decisions made in Olympia have on rural Washington’s farms, businesses, tribes and families.