Published 7:29 am Wednesday, October 21, 2026

After the horrific tragedy at Silver Rail Elementary School, our community and state are reeling. We need time and space to process the immensity of the loss. Many of us have gone back and forth between numbness, grief, and anger. We are trying to reassure our children that adults can protect them, while knowing we cannot guarantee their safety.

There is no timetable for this kind of loss and grief. Our community will need to support these families long after the immediate attention has faded.

At this same time, we are in the midst of an important election. Ballots are arriving now. We wish we did not have to weigh these decisions while our community is grieving.…