Ten years ago this town was different. Back when you could walk down Main Street and wave at everyone without fear of being judged or challenged.

That’s not the case anymore. Last night, the news hit us like a storm: Sam Forstag, our hometown smokejumper hero, is running for office with an agenda that might as well be a red flag in a bull ring around here.

The man who used to lead our local firefighting efforts now leads a union pushing for policies that have never sat right with the folks around these parts. It’s like he woke up one morning and decided his badge didn’t fit anymore.

He says it’s about workers, but we all know better than that. He was always good to us back when people still understood what 'duty' meant. Now he wants to change the way things are done. Folks around here have seen this before—just not from someone who used to be one of us.

Back in the day, we didn’t need politicians telling us how to think or act. We knew right from wrong, and our values were clear. That’s what made this place special, that’s why people moved here: a refuge from all the nonsense elsewhere.

The problem is, it seems like every year brings new challenges. Every year there's someone looking to shake things up for their own gain. And now Sam Forstag joins them.

He used to be one of us. He knew better than anyone what we stood for and believed in. Now he’s trying to turn that on its head, and it feels like a betrayal—a kind you can’t easily forgive or forget.

It isn't just him though. There's a pattern here—people who used to be solidly with us now seem hesitant, uncertain. It’s as if they’ve been convinced there’s something better out there for them, and that scares the hell out of me.

Sure, you can say he’s doing it for the workers. But I’ve lived around here 40 years, and I know when someone's true colors start showing. And now we're seeing them in full force.

What used to be a place where everyone knew their role and respected each other has slowly become something else. And Sam Forstag’s candidacy is the latest nail in that coffin.