Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Sorted by date Results 101 - 125 of 576
Sunshine Week, per the Society of Professional Journalists, “is an enduring initiative to promote open government. Join us in the annual nationwide celebration of access to public information and what it means for you and your community. It’s your right to know.” Over the years there have been plenty of opportunity to educate and remind boards and councils about open records and open meetings and the reasons for which they can and cannot recess into a closed executive session. There were several opportunities when I first arrived in Worla...
At the end of each legislative session I would ask the late Senator Gerry Geis if there were any bills that didn’t make it through that he wished had and 99.9% of the time he would say no. He would add, if they are good bills, they will be back, if not then having them not pass was a good thing. The more I cover the Legislature (even after 30-plus years) the more I realize he was correct. Case in point, Rep. John Winter has tried a few times to bring back the wolf depredation compensation and was successful this session. This session, of the 49...
Honesty is crucial when living a life of recovery. The process of actually admitting with heart, mind and soul that you are an addict and need help puts you on the right road toward recovery. It may seem like a no-brainer, but in reality it can be very difficult to achieve. One reason it can be difficult to “keep it real” in recovery, is the simple fact that you do not know yourself. When active in your addiction, you created a persona that was the result of your addiction. Maybe you started using drugs to improve your self-esteem, to bec...
It is official, it is no longer illegal to let you vehicle idle unattended. What? That’s right, until recent legislation passed by both state houses and signed by Governor Mark Gordon last week Wyoming drivers were not allowed to leave vehicles idling unattended. Now has that law been enforced? Probably not much at all in many years. As people can attest over this winter many people leave their vehicles idling unattended, whether warming it up in the morning before work, after work, leaving it idle on errands to keep it warm in subzero t...
Adjustment disorder is a common mental health diagnosis that is not very often brought to light or discussed. Adjustment disorders are stress-related conditions. An individual experiences more stress than would normally be expected in response to a stressful or unexpected event, and the stress causes significant problems in relationships, at work or at school. Adjustment disorder can affect anyone at any age, even children. Problems at work, going away to college and leaving home, a chronic illness, death of a close family member, having a...
Fifteen years ago a committee began working on ideas for funding a new pool in Worland to replace the 33-year-old Worland Dome. Now, 15 years later, and 12 years since the pool actually opened, there are discussions and plans to dissolve the Worland Aquatic Center Joint Powers Board. The board has members appointed by the Washakie County School District No. 1 (who owns the land and the building), the City of Worland and the Washakie County Commissioners. Late last fall, School District Board Chairman and Joint Powers Board Chairman David...
I was still at college in New York when my friend Sara sent me a survey question for her psychology class, "What is your love language?" I stared at my phone screen for a while and thought. My brain wasn't coming up with any conclusions for me, so I went to my next-best (better) option: Google. As it turns out, the five love languages were first written about by Gary Chapman in 1992. The ways people express and receive love, according to old Chapman, are through receiving gifts, quality time,...
Fans at all levels can get ugly, rude, unsportsmanlike and just plain mean. For the most part, most athletes are able to ignore and play on. Occasionally, you hear reports of professional athletes who have had enough and either verbally or physically go after the fans. Last weekend, Colorado State University fans exhibited unsportsmanlike behavior when a small group chanted “Russia” at Utah State men’s basketball player Max Shulga, who is from Kyiv, Ukraine. It was insensitive, asinine and rude. Yes, University of Wyoming Cowboys have chant...
It’s no secret that addiction ruins lives. When parents become addicted to drugs and alcohol, it impacts their physical and emotional health, behaviors, and their ability to effectively parent their children. For the children, they can experience minor neglect up to full-blown physical, mental and even sexual abuse. For parents who are struggling with substance abuse, it can cause immense trauma and a child’s emotional and psychological development can be impacted to a degree that can be beyond repair. Here are some concerning facts pro...
Just after I wrote about House Bill 141 and kudos that it had not been assigned to a committee, in fact probably about the time that the newspaper was getting off the press in Cody, it was sent to a committee. House Bill 141, which tries to limit or prevent voters from switching party affiliation, has been assigned to the Corporations Committee and a sister bill, Senate File 163, has also been assigned to the Senate Corporations Committee. Testimony was heard Tuesday in the Senate committee with sponsor Sen. Bo Biteman and Secretary of State Ch...
There are some odd bills and some frustrating bills that have been filed during the current Wyoming Legislative Session, which should tell all residents to pay attention to what is happening in Cheyenne. Once again there is a bill to try and limit the ability for voters in the state to change party affiliation. I have argued many times in this space that voting is a constitutional right that should not be infringed by party affiliation. Some parties are concerned that elections are being manipulated by people switching parties for the primary e...
So Mom told me that many of you readers enjoyed my letter to Santa. So I told her that I should be allowed to write more and she agreed. She did not tell me in the beginning that she would be allowed to edit the stories I told and that I could not embellish. That took some fun out of writing this; but, I think it is important because if anyone is going to write about my life, who better than yours truly. I will start by giving you all an update on my relationship with Tigger. Well, first to...
Ready or not here comes 2023 This week we say goodbye to 2022 and on Sunday we welcome in 2023. A new year brings hope for the future and apprehension of the unknown. Think about when we celebrated 2020, no one could have foreseen a global pandemic, hoarding of toilet paper, lockdown of businesses. And then came 2021 and we all thought, OK it’s going to be better, but just six short days in there was an attack on the U.S. Capitol as rioters hoped to stop the certification of the 2020 election. So when 2022 rolled around everyone was cautious a...
I heard through the grapevine that I am on the naughty list and I am writing to protest. I feel you need to hear my side of things before making a final determination before Christmas. Before we get started with my defense I just want to say thank you for giving me the best Christmas present ever last year with my furever home at the Pomeroys. The last year has been the best year of my life. (OK so I'm not even 2 yet, but still I love my family and my home so thank you.) On with the defense. I... Full story
A comment made at Monday night’s Washakie County Fair Board meeting got me thinking. The audience member at the meeting told the board that most people in the community do not realize all the work the board does to get ready for the fair, during the fair and after the fair. “Without you, there would not be a fair, and that people would notice.” This person was exactly right and oddly enough volunteers a lot of her time to various organizations and events around the community. There are many events in this area that without volunteers would...
Let me start off by saying I love Hallmark Christmas movies and It's A Wonderful Lifetime Christmas movies, and now we have Great American Family Christmas movies. But let's be real, there's a lot of fantasy in these movies and I am not talking just the romantic plotlines. First off I realize the majority of these movies are made in the summer but can the actors at least pretend it is cold. You never see their breath when they speak and trust me at last Saturday's Parade of Lights, it was cold...
It is Thanksgiving weekend this weekend and that means the start of a busy Christmas and holiday season with many events, concerts and shopping. This week we have two entire pages (B1 and B2) full of area businesses with deals this weekend and on through Christmas. I encourage you to check out these businesses. See what they have to offer. You might find a hidden treasure for the person who is hard to buy for or you might find a hidden treasure for yourself. I realize with inflation as high as it is money will be tight for many people in our... Full story
The holidays are just around the corner and with that it usually brings cheer, family time, laughter, sharing with others, and making special memories with those you love. However, grief can change all of that. I so wish you could press pause on grief during the holiday season, but unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Grief is complicated and unique for everyone. While accepting loss becomes easier over time, it is often something we carry with us forever. Author Vicki Harrison quotes, “Grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and...
Trying to pick a topic this week has proven difficult with many thoughts bouncing around in my mind so here are a few thoughts. I learned of Sen. Gerald Geis’ passing last week and just as I did when he retired, I reminisced about the many visits we have had over the years. I first began interviewing the state senator when I was the editor of the Basin Republican Rustler. He was always a pleasure to interview, helped me identify bills that were important to this area and was always good for a great quote or two. He always greeted everyone w... Full story
Congratulations to Tuesday’s winners and to the others who were on ballots around the Big Horn Basin. Those who also ran are not losers. They cared enough about their communities, their counties, their state to put their name on the ballot. Filing for office and having your name on the ballot is not an easy thing to do. If you are elected people expect you to serve and to hold true to the things you said you would do while running for office. If you are not elected, do not be discouraged and do not give up on the desire to serve. You still h... Full story
On Tuesday, Nov. 8, voters in Washakie County will be asked whether they would like to continue the one-cent general purpose tax aka the fifth-cent. Voting in favor of this tax will not raise taxes in Washakie County but will keep them at the 5% sales tax it is currently at, while also benefiting eight agencies — City of Worland, Worland Community Center, Town of Ten Sleep, Worland Senior Center, Worland Youth Learning Center, Ten Sleep Senior Center, Washakie Development Association and Crisis Prevention and Response Center. All eight of t... Full story
Seasonal depression, also called seasonal affective disorder (SAD), is a type of depression. It’s triggered by the change of seasons and most commonly begins in the fall. This seasonal depression gets worse toward the later part of fall or early winter before ending when the sunnier days of spring begin. You can also get a mild version of SAD, often times just labeled the “winter blues.” Let’s face it, it’s normal to feel a little down during colder months when you’re stuck inside more and it gets darker earlier. But full SAD goes beyond this...
National Newspaper Week was Oct. 2-8 this year and while I usually try to recognize this important week on the actual week, this year that week, just like the month of October, has quickly slipped by so I am taking a moment now to recognize National Newspaper Week and say thank you to our readers. Thank you for taking the time to read this and other newspapers. Thank you for supporting us, through your subscriptions or your purchase on newsstands, for your kind words about stories, columns and editorials for myself and our staff. Thank you for... Full story
So I love fall. I love fall temperatures. I love fall sports. I love fall colors. The one thing I hate about fall is spiders. OK, so I hate spiders in any season, but fall it seems like the spiders, which for the most part were fine being outside in the spring and summer and are now like “Oh, no, it’s getting cold, let us in.” As I’ve written before I don’t like spiders and my husband is not a big help as he sees them as beneficial. He prefers the catch and release. Releasing them only gives them the chance to come back in the house. I don’t gi...
Partisan or non-partisan that is the question on the minds of many states the past few years and the topic has been school board elections. In Wyoming municipal races and school board races are by statute nonpartisan, meaning candidates do not need to declare a party and for school board races no primary election is necessary. I believe that is how it should be. The only politics in school should be in lessons in government, history or civic classes. But, as I have noted before in this space, I would be in favor of the majority of races being... Full story