A tip of the hat to anyone trying to help everyone stay healthy through the intense heat wave that started this weekend.

Temperatures in Umatilla County could reach as high as 115 degrees next week, depending on what forecast you’re reading. That level of heat can be deadly, particularly for the elderly, children, animals and those with underlying medical conditions.

Now would be a good time to familiarize yourself with the available information on hot weather preparation, including signs of heat stroke and ways to prevent your air conditioner from working harder than it needs to. Check on your neighbors, homeless residents, people without air-conditioned transportation and those who work outdoors. See if they need a bottle of water or a cool place to sit down.

Kudos to air conditioning repair employees, utility workers, emergency medical personnel and others working to keep everyone at a safe temperature this week.

A kick in the pants to Umatilla County for being one of the last counties in the state still considered high risk for contracting COVID-19.

We know, thanks to scientists all over the world who have studied this virus intensely over the past year and a half, how to stop the spread of COVID-19. Too many people in this county are refusing to do those things. The result is continued restrictions on local businesses and additional danger for local residents, who don’t always have the choice to stay home.

A tip of the hat to Blue Mountain Community College for its energy-saving efforts.

The college was one of the earliest participants to join Energy Trust of Oregon’s Strategic Energy Management program, which provides free help to businesses and other organizations in keeping their energy consumption down.

BMCC has reported saving tens of thousands of dollars since joining the program, through innovations that include scheduling heating, air conditioning and lighting down to the room, making sure the college isn’t paying to make empty spaces comfortable for people who aren’t actually there.

As businesses bring more people back to the office, we encourage them to consider similar measures, or at least simple steps like turning off the light when a room is not in use.

A tip of the hat to blood donors. The Red Cross is stating the country is in a “severe” blood shortage at the moment, and is encouraging everyone to donate if they can.

Donating blood saves lives. If you’re able, make plans to do so soon.