Umatilla County Commissioner John Shafer joins the KUMA Coffee Hour to unpack the county’s upcoming legislative priorities following the latest Association of Oregon Counties meeting. With a focus on keeping the standard 50-30-20 state highway fund split intact, Shafer highlighted critical local concerns regarding transportation funding, rising energy demands, and looming Medicaid cuts. The conversation also dove into the county’s emergency readiness, spotlighting a new rapid-deployable communications unit designed to aid first responders in fire-prone rural areas like Juniper Canyon. As the Fourth of July weekend approaches, Shafer urged the community to stay safe amid high-wind fire watches and shared alternative ways to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary locally.