Sorted by date Results 1226 - 1250 of 1683
What is Arbor Day and what exactly is it all about, you ask? Well, let’s take the last 150 plus years and compact it into a few short paragraphs. We’ll start in 1854 when a journalist turned pioneer named J. Sterling Morton, and his wife moved to Nebraska, as individuals who valued nature they planted greenery; shrubs, flowers and different varieties of trees. It was through Morton’s writings that he was able to reach out to fellow pioneers, encouraging them to plant trees. The trees were good for soil conservation, shade, fruits, firew...
I teach classes at the college. In one class we talked about doing things out of the ordinary, or out of their comfort zone. I challenged my students to do something they wouldn’t normally do, like sitting on the other side of the cafeteria for lunch, or sitting in a different seat in class. I didn’t ask them to do anything earth-shattering, just something out of their normal routine and then report back as to how they felt. We are all creatures of habit. Routine is comfortable and dependable. Many of us order the same thing most every time we...
Mother’s Day. The one day of the year set aside so children can show their mothers just how much they love their mothers. For me, no matter how bad of a day I am having or how terrible things seem to be, if I can’t get a hold of my husband, the next person I call is my mother. I know she will always be there to listen, be supportive, but most of all she tells me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear. She may be two states away, but I can always count on her. Growing up was no dif...
The warm sun permeates the air, trees sprout the beginning of green buds and light pink blossoms. Like hibernating bears waking from our winter slumber, we emerge from our homes and look out onto our porch. Feeling the inviting sun on our skin, we take a step further. We take a cup of coffee in our hands and decide to spend some time enjoying the fresh air. I love springtime. The warming temperature melts away not only the winter’s chill in the air, but the chill in our hearts and souls as w...
Admittedly, my first experiences with sake weren’t terribly positive. The first time I tried it, I was a poor college student in Laramie and still getting used to the fact that I could legally get into a liquor store and actually buy something. Having had an interest in Japanese things since I was a small child, I was immediately surprised I could find a bottle of rice wine in Laramie. It was in a dark green bottle and the price was right too, so I bought it and quickly took it back to my d...
Judy Norblade, a retired marketing director, and her husband, Paul, a retired teacher, thought they had all their financial bases covered. They had Medicare, good supplemental coverage from a Medigap policy, a drug plan that paid for most of their prescriptions and long-term-care insurance for a nursing home they hoped they would never need. “I thought we were pretty well set for healthcare in our retirement years,” she said. Then the Norblades bumped head on into a notorious Medicare rule that has caught thousands of families off guard ove...
We have to take a stand against statements designed to make us a fearful and paranoid electorate. Such are the statements made by Republican congressional hopeful Darin Smith, who claims 10 percent of all Muslims are “radicalized.” Smith works for the Christian Broadcasting Network and helps plan and conduct humanitarian projects throughout the world. Humanitarian work should always be commended, though Smith readily admits that his work helps combat Saudi Arabia and “big mosque” money he believes are aimed at spreading Islamic beliefs and Sha...
0Dear Editor, Each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers across the county collect non-perishable food donations from our customers. These donations go directly to the local food pantries to provide assistance to people in need of services. The need for food donations is great. Currently, 49 million Americans -- one out of six-- are unsure of where their next meal is coming from. Sixteen million are children who feel hunger’s impact on their overall health and ability to perform in school. Over 5 million seniors over the age of 6...
When is the last time you visited the great little museum we have right in the heart of our downtown? Well, if it’s been a while, I suggest that you check it out because they’ve recently expanded their gift shop and have some terrific new items like charming children’s books, toys, unique gift cards, jewelry and much more. The Sweetwater County Historical Museum was established in 1967 and was housed in the basement of the Sweetwater County Courthouse until 2001, when it moved into the historic post office downtown. The Post office build...
One of the most difficult things we must do in life is saying goodbye to someone we love. As challenging as it is for adults to do, it’s an entirely different experience for a child. There is already so much about life that children do not yet understand; death is a concept that many children cannot comprehend. Add in emotions that can be confusing to the child, and the situation becomes even harder to deal with. What can we do as adults to help children navigate this terrain that is so hard for us to handle? Should we wait until the child e...
Nothing says love like homemade ice cream. Growing up, I can remember the big family get-togethers we had on our small, Minnesota dairy farm. They were always a blast, even though I often had to be pulled away from the fun to take care of my chores. I can still recall how much fun they were. Usually, at these family get-togethers we would make homemade ice cream. It is something my late grandpa Otto Rahn, or Gramps, as we called him, loved to do. It's not like making homemade ice cream the way...
Those of us who grew up in small rural communities in the 1950s and 60s, expected to have longer life spans than our parents. The trends were in our favor. White women born in 1900 could expect to live, on average, just shy of 49 years; white men 46.6 years. Those were our grandparents and our neighbors. By 1950, life expectancy had climbed to 72 years for white women born that year and 66.5 for white men. By 2000, life expectancy was still increasing, with female babies expected to live to nearly 80 and males to almost 75. America was on the r...
The importance of Wyoming’s public meetings laws cannot be understated. Those laws allow every Wyoming resident the right to attend and learn about how their government works. They allow residents the opportunity to learn about what’s happening in their towns, school districts, public hospitals – even their local water and sewer systems. When we say we think a board is acting against the spirit of those laws, it’s not something we do lightly, and we believe the board of trustees for Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County are acting against thos...
Dear Editor, As a delegate to the Wyoming State Republican Convention this year, I was disillusioned. It appeared to me some of the events that occurred in the process could be considered fraudulent. Transparency only occurs with windows, not in elections, so I will present the facts and allow you to make your own decisions. Most importantly, the State Chairman is supposed to be neutral, representing the “entire” Republican party and all candidates, while avoiding the appearance of using his position to further his own agenda. The State Cha...
Dear Editor, On April 28, the unions of the AFL-CIO observe Workers Memorial Day to remember those who have suffered and died on the job and to renew the fight for safe jobs. This year we will come together to call for work in this country that is safe and healthy and pays fair wages. We will celebrate the victories won by working people and commit to fighting until all workers have safe jobs and the freedom to form unions without the threat of retaliation. The Occupational Safety and Health Act and Mine Safety and Health Act promise workers...
You may have noticed that there is a lot of work going on around town these days. This summer is going to be a very busy season for Green River. Many projects that have been in the planning for years will finally be coming to fruition and a few new projects are happening too. To begin with, Second South Street is getting a makeover. You’ve probably noticed the detour signs already and may have wondered what was happening. A few years ago, citizens voted on several projects to be funded by the Sixth Penny Tax and improvements to Second South w...
It's something all Minnesotans grew up eating; and if they didn't I question whether or not they were a true Minnesotan. I can recall eating this dish a lot as a kid; and I now make it for my family. The recipe has been handed down from generation to generation. Although I have never seen an actual, physical recipe, because my family always made it from memory, there are variations of it in existence. A quick search on the internet for tater tot hotdish shows numerous recipes. Of course, my...
What’s old is new... I attended a newspaper conference over the weekend. One of the tidbits I walked away with is a column style known as an ellipsis column. I won’t bore anyone with the details, but it’s an older column writing style that still is used in some newspapers. The Star has run columns like these in the past, most notably in Adrian Reynolds’ “Chewing the Fat” columns originally published several decades ago. I figured I’d play with the format this week as a way of doing somethi...
Less than a week into owning a home, I became one of those obnoxious DIYers. I can tell I’ve become obnoxious about it; my own mother spoke with me with a glazed expression on her face when I Facetimed with her to show off the kitchen’s hardwood flooring. That floor was hidden beneath a layer of tacky green carpeting, some ancient linoleum and a nasty covering of tar paper. The project I’m working on started with a simple idea: take the carpeting out of the kitchen and replace it with some tilin...
One dollar can still buy a few items in today’s society. Even less items sell for less than a dollar. A dollar and some odd cents can buy a few more items. Most of these items come from a dollar store, some snack options from a convenient store, or food items on a fast food value menu. Another item one can buy with a lone dollar is a singular issue of the Green River Star newspaper. I as a newspaper reporter think this is a great price, considering all the effort and hours of work that is put i...
A few months ago, we printed an article about the need for newspapers and journalists to keep their local governments accountable. That article was published as part of Sunshine Week, a yearly observance by many publications to show the importance of transparency in government, as well as the importance of states’ public information laws. While most people would dismiss the article’s inclusion as mere space filler, we’ve internally debated what questions people have about their governments and the people they’ve elected to represent. This we...
Most people these days use at least a few types of technology, whether it be cell phones, digital cameras, high-definition televisions, remote controls, etc. We all do. We love our computers (most of the time). There are countless ads online telling us of all the great things that can be found on the Internet. Well sometimes, it really is true. When was the last time you took a look at the online resources the Sweetwater County Library System offers? Not just a quick glance, but a good look. You might be surprised. Most people are. One of my...
Earth Day is the day designated to appreciate the earth’s environment and create awareness of the issues that threaten it. Earth Day originated on April 22, 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. The first Earth Day celebration was inspired by the devastation in Santa Barbra due to a massive oil spill. This celebration was shared by 20 million Americans that day. Every year since April 22, 1970, Earth Day celebrations have grown. The Earth Day organized by Denis Hayes in 1990, went global. More than 200 million people in 141 countries p...
Sweetwater County, like every other governing body in Wyoming, faces a severe funding problem as a result of a decline in natural gas and coal prices. Discussion taking place between the Sweetwater County Commissioners Tuesday morning heavily foreshadow tough economic choices to be made amongst the county department heads and the directors of its satellite agencies. With a projected 20 percent decrease in county revenues, amounting to a loss of about $8 million total, the county commissioners are doing the right in telling the various groups...
Dear Editor, There are very few people in Green River that have a feeling of apprehension when their husband, wife, or child goes to work. Each police officer’s family feels this every day. Not just their husband, wife or child, but their parents and siblings have this uneasy feeling. When we hear a siren, it is always frightening. Most people think Green River is a small town and not much happens here. None of you really know what goes on in this town because you don’t hear it on the radio or read it in the newspaper. Green River has many crim...
