Cedar Valley News – September 24, 2025

Evan Swensen
September 24, 2025

The Price of Power, Paid by the People
By: Lars Olson

From the fictional town of Cedar Valley, where characters from Quiet Echo continue to respond to real-world events.

When energy companies announce record profits while families brace for higher winter heating bills, something feels upside down. The news this week of utility rate hikes may sound like another distant headline—but it lands right at our kitchen tables. Every small business in Cedar Valley knows the pinch: higher electric costs mean higher prices on the shelves, fewer dollars in workers’ paychecks, and harder choices for families already stretched thin.

At the hardware store, I see it every day. Folks looking for weather stripping, insulation, or even old-fashioned wood stoves—anything to keep costs down. They’re not asking for handouts; they’re asking for a fair shake. They work hard, save where they can, and want the assurance that their honest labor won’t be swallowed up by bills they can’t control.

Rising energy costs ripple outward. The café pays more to keep the ovens running, the grocer spends more to keep milk cold, and the mechanic faces higher shop lighting costs. It’s the unseen tax on everyday life—one we can’t vote on but have to shoulder all the same.

So what do we do? Complaining won’t keep the lights on. As a community, we lean on resourcefulness. A neighbor helps another lay insulation in the attic. Farmers swap tips on efficient irrigation pumps. Businesses band together, buying in bulk or adjusting hours to reduce costs. Cedar Valley doesn’t sit idle—we adapt.

But adaptation has limits. Responsibility must rest where it belongs. Utilities and regulators should remember they serve the public, not just the shareholders. Families shouldn’t be asked to choose between heating their homes and feeding their children. Economic resilience is built on fairness, and fairness means costs and benefits must be shared.

Our town has seen hard winters before. We’ll get through this one, too. But let’s not lose sight of the truth: prosperity isn’t measured by quarterly reports. It’s measured by whether the family down the street can keep the furnace running without fear of the bill that follows.

This editorial is part of the fictional Cedar Valley News series. While the people and town are fictional, the national events they reflect on are real.

It’s free, it’s fresh, and it’s waiting for you on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major platforms starting October 6. We’re launching Quiet Echo—A Cedar Valley News Podcast! Every day, you’ll hear a short editorial straight from the fictional newsroom of the Cedar Valley News. Join us in Cedar Valley—you’ll feel right at home.