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The Flaming Gorge Days Committee has a difficult decision to make. Having to cancel an event that would have taken place in its 64th consecutive year is something we’re sure no one involved wanted to do. They made that tough decision and while there are some unintended consequences associated with that choice, the group should be commended for pulling the trigger on a difficult call. While the decision ultimately came down to a business dilemma, specifically what to do if contracts were signed and FGD would have to be canceled due to state h...
Dear Editor, One of the many things I love about living in Western Wyoming is the abundant amount of public land that is available for recreation. As an avid sportsman who relies on access to public lands, I was relieved to see that the Sweetwater County Board of Commissioners sent a letter to the Bureau of Land Management requesting that they delay their Draft Resource Management Plan for Rock Springs until the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted and the public can safely engage in this important process. The Rock Springs plan will determine how...
Observers have long dreaded the arrival of an economic perfect storm in Wyoming, but not even the most pessimistic of the bunch imagined the epic collapse that a recent Legislative Service Office memo says is in store for the state. Its “optimistic” scenario shows a loss of $556 million through the 2021-22 biennium. On the other end of the scale, where no one in state government wants to stare, the “pessimistic” forecast is a $2.8 billion deficit. House Revenue Committee Chairman Dan Zwonitzer (R-Cheyenne) told WyoFile reporter Andrew Graham, w...
The English language can be tricky. This is a language that offers different spellings for the same-sounding words. To, two and too, for example. Or there, they’re and their. Add in the fact that each of those six words have their own usage rules and definitions and you can see why English can be so difficult to learn for both native and nonnative speakers. Then there’s the regional variants for spelling. Think the difference between the British (and Canadian) “flavour” and the American “flavor...
It’s a photo we’re definitely happy to publish. The main image on the cover of this newspaper depicts two teens playing basketball at Edgewater Park last week. From the action in the image to what they’re wearing, it’s a photo announcing the arrival of spring in Sweetwater County. Yet, there’s a problem with the image. It was taken during a time when people have been asked to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from one another during a worldwide pandemic. We’re not criticizing the teens in the photos here. While they’re not following str...
Dear Editor, As the President of the Wyoming Nurses Association (WNA), I’d like to recognize and give thanks to all involved in the fight of COVID 19 in Wyoming. The Wyoming Nurses Association is the professional organization for registered nurses in Wyoming. Our mission is to promote the profession of nursing, provide a unified voice for nurses, and advocate for a healthier Wyoming Incident Command centers in every community, public health officials, first responders, primary care providers, nurses, respiratory therapists, and all who s...
(Note: This is the first article in a series looking into strange phenomena that has reportedly occurred in Wyoming) Over the years, I’ve heard some strange tales of things happening in Sweetwater County. A coworker at a former job told me about seeing a gathering of ghostly pioneers late at night on a desolate stretch of highway miles away from any town. My father, while working at the old Stansbury mine when it was owned by Arch Minerals, used to mention how he’d occasionally see metallic obj...
If the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that normal life can be changed in an instant. Three months ago, who would have thought we would have seen schools closed, business hours reduced and alerts telling people to wear masks while in public and to shelter at home? One of the most vulnerable groups in Green River are children and teens. With the closure of schools, many face food shortage on top of situations where parents may find themselves out of work because of the pandemic. However, with Sweetwater County School District N...
During my lifelong practice of geriatrics, I observed many people reaching the end of their lives. Truth is, what I’ve seen is a mixed picture. The two patient stories I describe here are really a blend of hundreds of experiences. Ms. A is in her late 80s, walks two miles every day, mostly outside but inside a wellness center when sidewalks are icy. She eats a balanced light diet and is connected to many friends. Ms. A is spiritually connected, and life has been and continues to be meaningful to her. Ms. B is also in her late 80s, has never b...
The COVID-19 CARES Act is so involved, complex and voluminous that — just as the speaker of the U.S. House famously said of another bill a few years ago — Congress may have had to pass it to see what all was in it. The relief package is broadly structured because the impacts of the virus are spread throughout the entire public and private sectors. In short, there is something in the act for nearly everybody. There is disaster relief for state, local and tribal governments, grants for public education and higher education. Several sections tar...
As of last week, the United States surpassed China in total number of recorded COVID-19 coronavirus infections. There are a few caveats to take in with that, but viral infections in China appear to be on a downward trend. China has a population of 1.4 billion people. The U.S. has a population 331 million people and confirmed infections have only increased. As of this writing, Wyoming had 95 confirmed infections. That will likely increase between the time this paper is printed and when our readers get a chance to peruse this edition, which...
It’s probably a wish a lot of us have right now: to fly away to some tiny island and away from everything that’s going on right now. With that in mind, it’s almost tragic to say “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” released two weeks ago at what is likely the perfect time for its kind of video game. Exclusive to the Nintendo Switch, the game allows players to develop a desert-island community for a huge cast of animal residents. While “Animal Crossing” doesn’t have the same name recognition as...
I never expected to be writing about anything as terrible as coronavirus, let alone the strange question that has been on so many people’s minds since the pandemic started: Where can I find some toilet paper? Frequent readers of this column likely believe this is the subject I am most qualified to report about. I will try not to disappoint. So why is toilet paper flying off the shelves of Wyoming stores and throughout the country? I asked several people to give me their theories, including a psychologist. My favorite response was from Joanne Ca...
Something occurred last week which received little, if any, notice amidst the ever growing concern of the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. March 15 through 21 was National Sunshine Week, which celebrates open government and citizens’ access to public records, documents, actions and deliberations. The Wyoming Legislature created a guarantee that residents could know what their state and local governments are doing for or to them through the state’s open government and records acts. Those statutes assure that all citizens have access to gov...
As we continue to hunker down and weather this viral epidemic, some of our nation’s leaders have started using tactics to focus blame for causing the global pandemic. President Donald Trump has repeatedly referred to the COVID-19 coronavirus as the “Chinese virus,” despite growing criticism of that characterization as being racist. Comments made by Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., may not be as pointed, but deserve scrutiny as well. Appearing on the “Wake Up Wyoming with Glenn Woods” show on KGAB in Cheyen...
History has its eyes on you. That is a quote from the popular musical Hamilton, but as we are dealing with a global pandemic it also applies to all of us. The year 2020 is going to be remembered someday in history books. How it will be remembered is in part, up to us. Will this year go down in history as a time of great selfishness – with people hoarding masses of toilet paper and masks? Will this year go down as a time when we all came together to help our neighbors through this scary and uncertain time? There are heartwarming stories of peopl...
Dear Editor, Watching the Oscars on Feb 9, 2020, my love and respect doubled for award-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix, when I heard his award acceptance speech addressing social justice issues like gender inequality, racism, queer rights, women’s rights and animal rights. It was inspiring and beautiful. His way of using his fame as a platform to shine light on systemic animal abuse in the dairy industry is admirable. He said, “We feel entitled to artificially inseminate a cow and when she gives birth, we steal her baby, even though her cri...
Dear Editor, We are concerned about the operation of the local Smith’s store. We have been there twice in the last two weeks. At Walmart the have a person at the toilet tissue aisle directing how much can be purchased. In Green River there is no such help anywhere. We think the store management just wants money. The clerks are doing the best they can. Where are the managers? Chuck and Wilma Realing Green River...
Amongst Green River’s many nicknames, “Gateway to the Flaming Gorge” is one of the most apt. Not more than 30 miles south of our city, a man-made recreational paradise lies, brimming with potential. Fishing, camping, boating, skiing, swimming -- there’s a lot to do at the gorge. With Interstate 80 bringing visitors to the gorge throughout the summer, Green River’s nickname is especially fitting. So, why isn’t there a ranger station in Green River? The gorge is part of the Ashley National Forest, which is primarily located in Utah. The recreat...
It’s easy to panic during the public health crisis the COVID-19 virus has created throughout the world. I can’t blame anyone for feeling unnerved or worried about current events. We’ve seen our schools and recreation center close and grocery stores sell out of a wide variety of foods and items. This is a truly unprecedented time. Despite all that we’re facing, I want to reiterate something to everyone in Green River: We will make it through this. The residents of Green River have shown themselve...
Green River’s Wild Horse Canyon might only be a name if the Bureau of Land Management moves forward with its preferred plan to contain wild horses found across the checkerboard to a section of land around Adobe Town. The horses are an important cultural resource in Sweetwater County. Western Wyoming Community College’s mascot is the Mustang, we have a tour called the Pilot Butte Wild Horse Scenic Tour and the annual distance run hosted during River Festival is the Run with the Horses Marathon. Beyond the cultural heritage, local wild horse her...
As insurance companies push doctors to save money by switching their patients to generic drugs, complaints about those generics appear to be on the upswing. That’s the observation of journalist Katherine Eban, who has written a book, “Bottle of Lies,” that tells a very dark tale about the generic drug industry and the safety of generic drugs Americans are increasingly taking. “My inbox is full of communications from patients who were on a drug that worked but were switched to a generic that didn’t work,” she told me. “Patients find themselv...
If there was anyone left in Wyoming who hadn’t yet gotten the memo, lawmaker activity during current legislative session has made it abundantly clear: The state needs to find some funding solutions. Toward that end, lawmakers have considered bills that would change the sales tax rate, alter the flows of severance and mineral royalty revenues and reduce dependence on the state’s general fund — which was the major motivation behind the lodging tax passage. The House Appropriations Committee even brought forth House Bill 186 – K-12 and local g...
A massive land deal might make a lot of sense for the state, but Sweetwater County’s residents should be weary of such a purchase. With more than 1 million acres of land and 4 million acres of mineral rights in play, it’s hard not to frame it as a great opportunity for the state. However, for residents who like the open spaces and ability to recreate, the purchase may cause problems in the coming decades if it goes through. The mineral rights at play are the key acquisition to be concerned with. A state desperate to keep the mineral rev...
Dear Editor: I am writing to remind the community that comments on the proposed Raven Solar project are due to the BLM by March 12. I am opposed because it will negatively impacts antelope. Already stressed from winter, they are having to expend valuable calories to move around the 600+-acre enclosure of the current Sweetwater solar project. Now the Raven project (400+ acres) is proposed right next to it. The developer also promises he has a “boatload” of projects in the works (his word). The BLM needs to deny the Raven right of way (and any...
