Your source for news in Hot Springs County
Your source for news in Hot Springs County
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by Jill Pertler I went to many birthday parties when I was a kid. I don’t remember most of them. One I do remember, vividly, however, is the party to which I didn’t receive an invitation. It was in celebration of one of my good friend’s tenth birthdays. I was unaware of the occurrence of such a mega event, which happened on a Sunday afternoon, until Monday morning, when it was the talk of the entire fifth grade. My friend Elizabeth had been to my house many times, and I to hers. I thought we were very close. Turns out there were at least a doz...
by Joanie Holm, CNP Writing about grief is like writing about life—huge! Where does one start? It is like describing love: basically impossible. The comedian and late-night host Stephen Colbert lost his father and two older brothers in a tragic accident when he was young, and said, about grief, “It is a gift to exist, and with that gift comes suffering. If I am grateful for life, I must be grateful for all of it. I hope that grief stays with me because it is all the unexpressed love I didn’t get to tell you.” So even though grief may be difficu...
by Stephen Dow Talk is cheap, as the saying goes. But when talk is not followed up by actions, it becomes quite costly. Such is the case of Wyoming’s property tax system. The good news is Wyoming’s state legislators have known for years that the current system is broken. The bad news is their efforts to fix the system haven’t gotten very far. Just this past session, legislators considered a bill that would have studied how the state could switch from the current market-value-system of determining property taxes to an acquisition-based syste...
by Dave Bonner, Powell Tribune Passage of Constitutional Amendment A by Wyoming voters in the Nov. 8 general election doesn’t put cities, towns and counties — and other political subdivisions of the state — on an overnight route to money in the bank. It does provide investment possibilities to local governments that haven’t existed before. That, in itself, is a big step forward. In fact, the heretofore limited earnings opportunities have been a vexing problem to local governments. The City of Powell’s experience with an endowment to provide f...
by Jill Pertler Lately I’ve been interested in happiness - scientifically speaking, of course. That sounds counterintuitive, oxymoronic even. How can the cut and dried factual-based world of science have anything to do with something as instinctive and emotional as happiness? Turns out they have more in common than I originally thought. Happiness causes physiological changes within us that science is able to use to identify, quantify and even predict happy. I’ve always thought of happiness as external – something that happens to me. Happi...
by Tom Emery Americans have endured some tough years of late, which is nothing new in our history. One example is 1918, when people found plenty of reason to celebrate Thanksgiving. Seventeen days before the holiday, the Armistice had been signed, ending World War I. But the nation was still in the throes of the influenza epidemic, which still lingered as Americans sat down to give thanks. The flu epidemic had shut down many American cities throughout the fall, with death tolls in alarming numbers. An estimated 195,000 fatalities from the...
by John Malmberg The old adage “Don’t put the cart before the horse” may certainly be applied to the push to get electric vehicles on our nation’s roads. Don’t get us wrong. We are not against electric vehicles. We just hope Wyoming keeps ahead of the curve so that electrical generation and distribution infrastructure can keep pace with the increased demand for electricity. Wyoming could take a lesson from California on how not to handle this situation. Just weeks ago, the California Air Resources Board set a policy requiring all new cars sold...
by Barbara Anne Greene A few weeks ago, Cynthia Johnson called to “plant a seed” in my thoughts. Her granddaughter was making plans for the upcoming livestock judging and livestock showing season and if she misses more than 12 days of school she will be in violation of the school policy. Chloie doesn’t play sports. Instead, she shows livestock and competes in livestock and meats judging in Wyoming and surrounding states. In the eyes of that school district, these are unexcused absences. Chloie’s mom, Emily, pointed out that students that pl...
by Tom Lealos, Vice President Wyoming Council of the Blind The use of long sticks and staffs by blind and visually impaired pedestrians has evolved over the years. They are simply an extension of the arm and allow the user to identify upcoming hazards by utilizing their senses of touch and sound. These sticks, referred to as white canes in modern times, are used both as tools and symbols in the blindness community. White canes allow blind and visually impaired individuals to travel safely over all types of terrain and around unseen obstacles....
by Jill Pertler, part 2 of 2 Last week, I touched on the importance of choosing the best and most functional grocery cart. I attempted to use wise words to not only define refined grocery cart features, but to outline their importance as well. Now we address part two of this worthwhile and much needed endeavor. (As judged from some of my fellow shoppers who seem to be completely oblivious to the basics of cart civility and decorum.) Let’s say you’ve chosen the perfect cart. No rust, no squeaks, no dents or abnormalities. You might think you...
by Tom Silvestri, The Relevance Project It’s been more than two years since I received my last paycheck from a newspaper company. In that time, I’ve had the opportunity to advocate for local newspapers that remain relevant to their communities. That advocacy keeps running into tiresome arguments that are as yellow as old faded newsprint. No matter what facts you use to extinguish them, they find a way to flare up later. During National Newspaper Week, consider the following collection of statements that numb the mind, along with a sug...
by Jill Pertler I’ve addressed grocery store conduct in the past, but today I address a topic so immense and life-changing that it spans two weeks worth of columns. It’s a specific facet of grocery store protocol which is (or should be) of paramount importance to us all. Shopping carts. Shopping carts are a necessity because toilet paper, bread, milk and bananas take up real space and it’s paramount for the user to choose the very best one. (Yes, that’s actually a thing.) When arriving at the super store (or any store with aisles, check o...
Secure elections are the cornerstone of a thriving republic. The right to vote in a free and fair election is the most basic civil right, one on which many of the other rights of the American people depend. Election integrity means the will of the voters prevails. Unfortunately, some in the Wyoming State Legislature are again questioning the wisdom of Wyoming voters. In the August Republican primary, voters chose Rep. Chuck Gray as their nominee for secretary of state. Gray beat Sen. Tara Nethercott by 8 points in the primary. He does not have...
by Bill Sniffin, Cowboy State Daily Wyoming has an almost over-abundance of “natural” wonders ranging from Yellowstone National Park to the vast Red Desert. Plus, the towering Devils Tower and the even more towering Teton and Wind River Mountain Ranges. My first coffee table book, published in 2012, was an attempt to document these 7 Greatest Natural Wonders + 33 Other Fascinating Places. But soon after it was published folks would come up to me and me: What about Wyoming’s Seven Greatest Man-Made Wonders? That got me thinking about doing...
by Jill Kruse, D.O. People often talk about having a “gut feeling” when they know something is wrong. What feelings come when there is something wrong with the digestive system itself and how do you differentiate between “butterflies” acting up and a serious gastrointestinal problem? There are many different organs that can cause GI problems and may include the esophagus, stomach, the small intestine, and the large intestine. The esophagus is the tube that connects the mouth to the stomach. The most common issue people have with the esophagus i...
by John Malmberg With the death of Jim Angell a few weeks ago, a powerful voice for openness and transparency in government fell silent. Angell, who served for many years as the executive director of the Wyoming Press Association, kept a vigilant eye on any bills to come before the Wyoming Legislature that might have restricted the public’s access to information. He made trips across the state for years conducting many workshops educating elected officials at all levels of government, reporters and anyone who would listen about Wyoming’s ope...
by Amber Steinmetz Did you see the video earlier this month of the Little League batter consoling the opposing team’s pitcher? During the Little League Southwest Regional final Aug. 9 in Waco, Texas, right-hander Kaiden Shelton of Pearland, Texas, was facing batter Isaiah Jarvis of Tulsa, Okla., when an 0-2 pitch got away from him and slammed into Jarvis’ helmet. Jarvis fell to the ground and was surrounded by concerned coaches and other staff, but was able to walk unaided to first base a short time later. He noticed Shelton on the mound sta...
by Jill Pertler This weekend I spent time at a class reunion with friends I don’t see every day (but wish I still did.) They were the friends who knew me when. And I knew them in the same way. We were innocent and young. Not yet adults, but on the budding cusp. Growing up together creates an enduring bond that can only come from experiencing pivotal years together. This bond we created has only grown stronger through the years, and I think it is now like a snowball rolling downhill: only getting bigger and stronger. It’s pretty amazing whe...
by Tracy Renee Lee Most people do not expect anxiety to be a consequence of loss. After 20 years in the funeral profession, I have come to realize that anxiety is a natural response to loss. Whenever a person undergoes change, anxiety rears itself. A few examples of experiences that cause anxiety would be moving, changing jobs, starting school, taking tests, divorce, loss, and other things that cause a change in your life. Loss is the ultimate life changer and therefore, naturally causes anxiety. I have a dear friend who lost her husband a few...
by Kelly Evans-Hullinger, M.D. As a clinical professor at my state’s medical school, I frequently have medical students seeing patients with me in clinic. While the majority of patients are happy to allow student involvement, some decline. This makes me wonder what misconceptions lead patients to be averse to trainees participating at their clinic visits or hospital bedsides. In my experience, the presence of learners has a positive influence on our work in the clinic and hospital. Medical education is a complex, highly intensive program t...
by Bill Sniffin, Cowboy State Daily Here is a way to get “looped” this summer by enjoying Wyoming’s highways and byways. My definition of a “loop drive” is where you set out for a destination and after you get there, you return home by a different route, forming a loop. The state of Wyoming tourism division along with all the various county lodging boards have set up interesting loop drives. They are everywhere. A favorite loop drive that includes Lander is going to Dubois and Moran Junction, down to Jackson and on to Pinedale. Then you go so...
by Ryan McConnaughey The Petroleum Association of Wyoming (PAW) issued the following statement in response to both the Q2 2022 BLM Lease Auction and the Supreme Court’s ruling in West Virginia v. EPA: While the oil and natural gas industry is continually improving operations and reducing emissions, we believe any federal regulatory framework must be based in legal authority granted by an Act of Congress. The Legislative Branch has long abdicated its duty in passing coherent, meaningful legislation that addresses the most pressing issues of t...
by John Malmberg We are not at all surprised the U.S. Fish and Wildlife is conducting a status review on the Yellowstone bison to determine if they should be given Endangered Species Act status after the USFW received pressure from environmental groups. The Yellowstone bison population with 6,000 head is now larger than at any point since the park’s founding. So apparently to the those environmental groups’ way of reasoning, since the bison population is greater than ever and increasing despite depredation by wolves, grizzly bears, bru...
by U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, M.D. Wyoming is the energy capital of America. Americans count on Wyoming energy for gasoline and diesel fuel for our cars and trucks. Natural gas powers and heats our homes in the winter. We rely on coal to generate our electricity. Tens of thousands of Americans have jobs that rely on production of Wyoming oil, natural gas, coal and uranium. The Biden administration is trying to change that. Once again, the president has sided with the radical left to choke off American energy production. This latest move is...
Wyoming’s property tax system is deeply flawed. The recent burden that rapidly rising home values placed on residents illustrated those flaws. Rising home values mean steep property tax increases for everyone who owns real estate, including elderly homeowners on fixed incomes. Certainly a 20% or more hike in property taxes is a tough pill to swallow for anyone. But for those residents living solely on social security, it is devastating. Because property assessments are governed by state statute, there is nothing that county-level a...
