Prineville, Ore. — Applications remain open for the 2026–27 Crook County College, a free educational program designed to give residents and others connected to the county a closer look at how local government operates.
The program offers participants an inside look at Crook County government through facility tours, presentations, and conversations with county staff and elected officials.
Breyanna Cupp, Crook County’s executive administrator, said the success of the program’s inaugural year has made county officials excited to see it continue.
“This is the second year of Crook County College, and after seeing how successful the first year was, I’m really excited to see the program continue,” Cupp said. “Commissioner Seth Crawford and County Manager Will Van Vactor have put a lot of heart into creating an opportunity for people to learn more about their local government and the people behind it.”
Cupp said a major part of the program is giving participants an opportunity to hear directly from county department heads and staff about their work and how their departments serve the community.
“It’s been really rewarding to see the connections this program creates and to give community members a chance to ask questions, get involved, and better understand their local government,” Cupp said.
The 2026–27 program consists of six sessions scheduled between September and February. Sessions will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 2nd, Oct. 15th, Nov. 12th, Dec. 17th, Jan. 21st and Feb. 11th.
Applicants must live in Crook County, own a business in the county, or work full-time in the county.
Participation is limited to 25 people, with applications accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1st, one day before the first session is scheduled to begin.
Applications can be submitted by clicking here.
Mr. Alderman is an investigative journalist specializing in government transparency, non-profit accountability, consumer protection, and is a subject matter expert on Oregon’s public records and meetings laws. As a former U.S. Army Military Police Officer, he brings a disciplined investigative approach to his reporting that has frequently exposed ethics violations, financial mismanagement, and transparency failures by public officials and agencies.
