6/29/2021

JRB,

            Enjoy La Crosse! Hopefully, the rain will hold off & you can take a walk around the city before your speech at the Grand River Station. What a cool place with loft style apartments sitting atop a bus station. The city just finished hosting the WI state track & field championship so you might see some remnants of that.

            Do you have some encouraging words for the dairy farmers? Many are suffering from mental health challenges due to the stress of extreme weather events. While that’s always been a hazard of the business, these days labor shortages & financial woes add to the burden. Some also worry about changes to the inheritance tax. While others fear environmental regulation. When you talk to them, remember that less is more. Sec. of Ag, Tom Vilsack, has been representing dairy farmers in their efforts to export their products so best to let him talk with the farmers.

            Back to the weather, the NYT says the heat in the NW is off the charts WEIRD! The WP reports that it is melting power cables & asphalt. Reporters are cooking eggs on the sidewalk to illustrate. The 14,000 unhoused folks in Portland are suffering. Please keep working to find them long term shelter. We could use that here in Sacramento, too. La Crosse has about 100 unsheltered people. Some were able to live in an Econo Lodge last fall, but ended up back on the street when that service ended.

            BYBS,

            RCA

PS – Get the bipartisan infrastructure bill passed ASAP. The other one can season a bit.