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  • 'Hereditary' changed horror

    Oct 12, 2023

    In my opinion, “Hereditary” set the bar for modern horror when it came out in 2018. Stylistically it’s very similar to “Midsommar,” which was put out the following year by the same director Ari Aster. “Midsommar” is arguably the more popular of the two, but the elements present in both blew me away the first time I saw them in “Hereditary.” It’s a very unique movie; at its core, it’s just a paranormal horror movie set in suburban Utah; the kind where you would expect jump scares are the bread and butter. “Hereditary” does not have a single jump...

  • Americans depend on newspapers to stay informed about their communities

    Benjy Hamm, Director, Institute for Rural Journalism, University of Kentucky|Oct 5, 2023

    Nearly 220 million American adults turn to their local newspapers regularly for news and information they need to stay informed, feel more connected to their neighbors and improve their lives and communities. That readership number is based on a recent national study by independent research firm Coda Ventures for the America’s Newspapers organization. Most likely, the number of readers is higher. Many people who say they receive news on their phone or from social media instead of newspapers fail to understand that the sources for those s...

  • Join me in observing Spooktober

    Sean Mortimer|Oct 5, 2023

    October holds a special significance for me, more so than any other month of the year. There comes a noticeable shift in weather over a short period time; the cold brought on by night begins to linger into the day. Brisk winds and sporadic rainstorms become reason to spend less time outside. Ambient noises of the summer fade away, with the insects falling silently to the ground after completing their life cycles. At the exact right time to maximize food production and minimize water loss, trees let their leaves die in a dramatic synchronized di...

  • Definition of insanity seen in federal budget process

    Karla Pomeroy|Sep 28, 2023

    On Wednesday, Sept. 20, I, along with other media, received in their inbox a press release from U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) asking the Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to keep the national parks and other public lands open “in the event of a government shutdown.” My comment to my co-workers was something to the effect that it appears the Republicans were already planning for a shutdown 10 days before the current appropriations bill runs out and the government shuts down … again. The last shutdown lasted more than 30 days...

  • New events, new people, old favorites

    Karla Pomeroy|Sep 21, 2023

    Saturday is the first official day of fall and this fall is proving to be just as busy and interesting as the summer was in Washakie County. In case you have missed it the past several weeks, school is in full swing in Washakie County and the Big Horn Basin and it is a busy two weeks in Washakie County with homecoming this week for the Ten Sleep students and homecoming next week for Worland students. Both schools have worked in events that can involve the public. Full stories on the activities can be found on A7 in this week’s issue. Some commu...

  • Checks and balances necessary for good government

    Karla Pomeroy|Sep 14, 2023

    Last Tuesday, those attending the Worland City Council saw a balanced government at work. In dealing with a citizen request to close one block of a street off for a neighborhood block party, Mayor Jim Gill expressed concern about citizens making requests for street closures. Organizations and businesses have for years made requests regarding events, some open to the public and some strictly for that organization. There was concern about setting a precedent and about liability for a citizen requesting a street closure. After hearing from the cit...

  • Suicide Prevention Month: Help is available

    WENDY WIECKI, Cloud Peak Counseling Center|Sep 14, 2023

    September is National Suicide Prevention Month. It is dedicated as a month to remember the lives lost to suicide, to those who have struggled with suicidal ideation, and to acknowledge the individuals, families and communities that have been impacted by suicide. The World Health Organization came out with an article in August 2023 stating that, “Every year 703,000 people take their own life and there are many more people who attempt suicide.” Suicide was the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29-year-olds globally in 2019. Statistics conti...

  • Carbon capture technologies necessary for future

    JOHN MALMBERG, Cody Enterprise|Sep 7, 2023

    Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon isn’t often on the same page as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but they recently found common ground on the need for advancing carbon capture technologies. Advanced carbon capture technologies could mitigate climate change rules placed by the current administration, while providing sustainable and reliable energy for the nation. Wyoming has enough reliable energy reserves to keep the lights on in the U.S. for several hundred years. States such as California have mandated electric vehicles. But where are C...

  • Karla's Kolumn

    Karla Pomeroy|Aug 31, 2023

    How many dogs does it take to catch a one little mouse? The answer? More than three apparently. People who have read this column over the years know we used to have a dog, Sarah, who we dubbed the rat killer. She could sniff them out, catch and kill them. She passed the Rainbow Bridge a few years ago and we have not had a dog with those skills since. Apparently, Shadow has developed the skill to find the mice but not to catch them. I got home Monday night and let the dogs outside. I followed so I could take them for a walk and set the water in...

  • Washakie County knows how to end the summer

    Aug 24, 2023

    For the last two weekends in Washakie County residents and travelers have enjoyed two longtime festivals, one in Ten Sleep and one in Worland. This year, for the first time, I got to experience Nowoodstock. Traditionally for the Northern Wyoming News I cover the Pepsi Wyoming State BBQ Championship & Bluegrass Festival. This year I let Sean cover that festival and I trekked up to Ten Sleep on Saturday, Aug. 12 to check out Nowoodstock. Pat O’Brien, and now his director-in-waiting Kurt Steinke know how to put on a great festival. Vista Park i...

  • What is kratom?

    WENDY WIECKI, Cloud Peak Counseling Center|Aug 24, 2023

    Kratom is a popular herbal supplement derived from the dried leaves of a tropical evergreen tree in the coffee family. People use kratom to treat chronic pain, depression and anxiety. And some use it to lessen the symptoms of opioid withdrawal. Anyone can buy kratom online, and it can be found at convenience stores, gas stations and vape shops. About 1.7 million people 12 and older used kratom in the United States in 2021, according to the National Survey on Drug Use. But kratom is not without risks. I recently read an article that talked about...

  • Why a raid of a Kansas newspaper matters in Worland, Wyo.

    Karla Pomeroy|Aug 17, 2023

    Did you see the news over the weekend? Did you pay attention to the attack on the First Amendment? It did not come from politicians or the government but rather from law enforcement. According to a story from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and more than 30 news media organizations are condemning last week’s police raid of Kansas’s Marion County Record during which law enforcement officers seized the newspaper’s electronic newsgathering equipment and reporting materials. The Rep...

  • Let us have a safe and fun school year

    Karla Pomeroy|Aug 10, 2023

    You are right. It seems that summer just started last week but here we are with school classes starting on Aug. 16 for both Worland and Ten Sleep and some neighboring communities. It is hard to believe that summer is basically over, although as I write this we still have two major summer celebrations left — this weekend’s Nowoodstock in Ten Sleep and next weekend’s Wyoming State BBQ Championship and Bluegrass Festival. Worland kindergarteners get a head start on the school year before everyone else, as Washakie County School District No. 1 has...

  • Kudos to Sheriff and Search and Rescue; Fair Board

    Karla Pomeroy|Aug 3, 2023

    Many kudos this week go to Washakie County. One LARGE KUDO goes to the Washakie County Sheriff’s Office and Washakie County Search and Rescue who have worked tirelessly in the search for Breanna Mitchell. Mitchell, 28, of Worland, went missing 12 days ago (as of this writing Tuesday, Aug. 1). She had texted and called friends she was stuck on a side road off of the Nowater Road. Search and Rescue members, as many as 15 at a time, have been out searching since she was reported missing and now they are currently working on draining a pond, where...

  • Sound of Freedom speaks volumes

    Karla Pomeroy|Jul 27, 2023

    In Ecclesiastes chapter 3 it says “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens,” including a time to speak. The time is apparently now to speak about child sex trafficking, which is a global problem and billion-dollar industry. There is no longer a time to be silent and for Alejandro Monteverde, who wrote and directed the film, “Sound of Freedom,” the time to speak out on the topic is now. According to a Department of Homeland Security report, “Countering Human Trafficking: Year In Review (October...

  • It's time to check out the fair

    Karla Pomeroy|Jul 20, 2023

    This Saturday kicks off Washakie County Fair Week with the theme, “Remembering the past, Embracing our present, engineering our future. The fair is an opportunity for everyone to come socialize, enjoy some good food and have a little family fun. The five-member fair board has worked hard over the past year to put together an entertaining schedule. A few things didn’t come to fruition for various reasons including stock dog trials and tractor pull but there is still plenty to do and see. The week of five concerts, four of them free, begins Mon...

  • What bugs are safe to eat?

    Roscoe the Rascal|Jul 13, 2023

    Once again Mom is fresh out of ideas so she calls on me, Roscoe the Rascal to fill in for her. You would think I would get an extra treat for this, but nope. Something about it's not fair to my sisters. I do not get it. A while back we discussed a typical day in my life and that was in early spring. Well summer days are a bit different. Shadow, for one sleeps in but I get up when Dad gets ready for work and depending on how far he has to travel for the day that could be between 2:30 to 3:30...

  • Take care of mental health during summer months

    WENDY WIECKI, Cloud Peak Counseling Center|Jul 13, 2023

    Summer months. A time most of us in Wyoming anxiously wait for as winter can seem cold, bleak, and feel like it can drag on forever. People often report the best mental health in the summer. This can be due to various factors including longer days, warmer temperatures, and an increase in Vitamin D. So how can you take advantage of the summer months and improve your mental health at the same time? Let’s take a closer look at Vitamin D and the impact it can have on mental health. It is estimated that more than 40% of Americans have a Vitamin D d...

  • Scammers take new tactics

    Karla Pomeroy, Editor|Jul 6, 2023

    Just when you think you have a handle on all the way scammers will reach out to try and separate you from your money they up their game. Recently, there are reports of scammers using local business names. Rocky Mountain Power has reported scammers are calling and contacting customers seeking immediate payment to avoid disconnection. RMP will not ask you to make payments with a pre-paid credit card but most of all they do not contact their customers in that way. RMP suggests rather than giving your account number to the caller, ask them to give...

  • Verizon needs to learn to communicate

    Karla Pomeory, Editor|Jun 29, 2023

    Years ago a Verizon Wireless marketing campaign used the phrase “Can you hear me now?” On Saturday and Sunday the answer for Verizon customers in the Big Horn Basin was a resounding “No.” There was an outage of service that appeared to begin shortly after 7 a.m., according to accounts from customers (myself included). We at first thought it was just my husband’s phone. I had WiFi calling enabled on my phone so did not realize I did not have any cell service. Attempts to call Verizon proved fruitless as they do not have 24-hour support....

  • Fireworks and veterans don't always mix

    Wendy Wiecki, Cloud Peak Counseling Center|Jun 29, 2023

    Every year on the Fourth of July we celebrate our independence with grand fireworks displays all over the country. From small town America to the big cities, spectacular displays of lights and noises take place. The intent behind it and the celebration of it is quite honoring. However, this “celebration” can seriously impact our veterans. The sounds, smells and shockwaves of fireworks can be very triggering for veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Individuals with PTSD, as well as any combat veteran regardless of their PTSD sta...

  • Customer service: A cornerstone for business success

    Karla Pomeroy, Editor|Jun 22, 2023

    Sometimes when thinking what to write in this space, readers provide the inspiration as is the case this week regarding customer service. A recent columnist for the Northern Wyoming News discussed the importance of customer service and an astute reader brought by an old Wyoming Business Tips column from the University of Wyoming. This got me thinking that perhaps more needs to be said regarding customer service. The University of Wyoming Business Tips column provided some good tips for businesses in helping them and their employees offer great...

  • Romantic destinations and simulated lives

    Jun 15, 2023

    My latest obsession is a podcast called Strange and Unexplained with Daisy Eagan. She covers a lot of strange and mysterious, sometimes true, sometimes not-so-true stories. One podcast episode she discussed a simulation theory that she found on Reddit. She points out that to truly give any credence to this theory she would have preferred to have found a scientifically reviewed article, but the only discussion on simulation theory that could be found was on Reddit. The podcast poses the question are we truly living our own lives or are we...

  • Do you honor the flag when you display it?

    Karla Pomeroy, Editor|Jun 8, 2023

    The other day when I was putting out our flag at the Northern Wyoming News, a gust of wind knocked the flag out of my hand. I know etiquette says that the flag should not touch the ground, but it was not intentional. I gently picked it up and put the flag in the stand attached to our exterior wall. I mentioned to one of the employees that it hit the ground and how I thought flag etiquette meant it should be properly disposed of, but considering how many people treat the flag in the name of patriotism, I was not going to do that. (I was wrong,...

  • Baseball memories with my dad

    Karla Pomeroy, Editor|Jun 1, 2023

    It’s funny how certain things at certain times can bring memories flooding back. The other night after I got dishes done I went and sat down on the couch and my husband had on a baseball game. It was the Los Angeles Dodgers. Every time I see a Dodgers game I think of my dad. He was a huge Dodgers fan, but this game memories came flooding back for me. Perhaps because his birthday was just over a week ago and he has been on my mind a lot. Growing up I never played baseball, never really watched baseball until my senior year in high school. OK t...

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