Sorted by date Results 901 - 925 of 1688
Dear Rusty: I am looking for advice regarding maximizing social security benefits. In our case, my husband is 59 and has been on Social Security Disability for about 5 years. I am also 59 and work full time as a nurse. I would like to retire at age 62, but realistically will continue by working part time from 62-65 to keep my insurance benefits and some income. I have a fairly significant amount of money in my 401K that we can live on and delay taking Social Security benefits if need be. I have worked full time for most of the last 40 years....
Green River’s residents have a lot to be thankful for. We live in one of the most beautiful cities in Wyoming. An absolute oasis in the southwestern Wyoming desert. Green River is filled with parks and trees. We have a Greenbelt walkway that gives us the opportunity to enjoy a leisurely stroll along the Green River. Gatherings at Expedition Island, Centennial Park and Stratton Myers Park are some of the enjoyable moments of the year, regardless of if they’re private or public. We’re thankful for our easy access to recreational oppor...
Each year, around this time, it’s customary for one to feel the need to profess what they are thankful for. Yes. It’s Thanksgiving. For me, I am not only thankful for my faith, family and friends, but for my memories. Growing up on a small, Minnesota dairy farm, I knew what hard work was. I also knew just how special it was to actually have a day or two off from the job. Once every other year, our family would hire someone to take care of the farm while we traveled to the big city of Sha...
Thanksgiving is here and thus begins the holiday season. This is a special time of year when we are able to take the time to count our blessings and enjoy our family and friends. It’s a time for food, fun and laughter. Unfortunately, this is also a time that the Green River Fire Department sees an increase in calls. We want to see everyone have a safe and happy holiday season and avoid any injuries or property damage which would certainly dampen the festive spirit, so we are sharing some information and safety advice with you. According to t...
With the closure of Jackson Elementary School officially announced with a vote Tuesday night, parents and concerned residents should be more motivated than ever to contact legislators and tell them to find ways of saving money without cutting funding to the state’s school districts. Discussion of Jackson’s closure was prompted by funding cuts Sweetwater County School District No. 2 will receive in the next year. While some cuts are set, additional funding cuts are anticipated to take place during the next legislative session in January. Dis...
Dear Editor, Wyoming is a big beautiful state enjoyed by many people driving through from one destination to another. Many times, people stop to enjoy one of the many wonderful sites Wyoming has to offer. There are a few times though when travel difficulties leave people stranded as they try to make their way across. Travelers Assistance Society of Sweetwater County (TASSC) exists to help those in need when their plans come to an unexpected halt. Providing proper assistance to those in need is guided by many years of service and Biblical...
The Green River Recreation Center has a vast array of fun things to do, even in the winter. One of the greatest assets in our facility is the pool. The 210,000 gallon pool, with its L-shape, can facilitate divers, lap swimmers, and recreational swimmers all at the same time. Also offered at our pool are water aerobics classes for all, not to mention the special activity days which are scheduled throughout the month. A great full-body workout can be accomplished by swimming laps; this is easier on the joints than running or lifting and has more...
Is pumpkin spice season, also known as fall, over yet? Yes. It’s almost as if during the past few years, the flavor has taken over the autumn. It’s no longer about the leaves turning color. Nope. It’s all about pumpkin spice lattes and everything else they can make in pumpkin spice flavoring. Fall used to be a time when the temperatures would start to drop and we would trade in our flip flops for a nice pair of ankle boots, but now it’s all about pumpkin spice flavoring. Yes. The flavor that al...
I have eight people in my household, so of course I was doing laundry the other day. Most of the time it feels like I do laundry every day. Don’t ask me why, but the other day I actually took a look at the control panel on the washer for a minute. I think I was just standing there, kind of zoning out nonetheless, I looked at the control panel, and saw several words that got me thinking. As weird as this sounds, I realized in that moment, that my machine’s control panel is very similar to my own life control panel. Let me explain. The first con...
With Halloween firmly in the proverbial rear-view mirror, many are now turning their attentions to Thanksgiving and the upcoming Christmas and New Year’s holidays. With Thanksgiving a few weeks away, we would like to remind residents to think about the less fortunate in Green River and consider making a food or cash donation to the Sweetwater County Food Bank. The food bank serves the county’s residents out of its Rock Springs and Green River locations. The Green River Food Bank is located behind Golden Hour Senior Center in the old Roo...
Dear Editor, I’d like to express my thanks to the city of Green River for providing doggy poo bags and repositories. Many of our citizens readily use them. Unfortunately, some dog owners do not pick up after their pets. Hopefully, that will change as they see other owners being responsible. In an effort to make a difference in my corner of the world, I have been carrying extra bags to pick up after those who don’t. Why? Because I, like so many others, enjoy our Greenbelt. We enjoy a clean area to walk our pets, meet people and enjoy what our...
Soaring high over the Arizona desert, condors search the landscape for meat. Anything will do: a gut pile left by a hunter; a lightning killed bison; or a tourist falling over the edge of the Grand Canyon. On an autumnal drive through northern Arizona, my Uncle Gerry Gagnon and I turned off a highway to the House Rock condor viewing area. The white guano-stain marks, just beneath the nests of the great birds, can be seen with the naked eye from miles away. The dark spots, against the blue sky, are condors. They glide swiftly and seemingly witho...
It’s November so you know what that means! The holidays are coming up quickly and shopping is on our minds. Green River URA/Main Street would like to remind everyone to shop small and support our local businesses. Small Business Saturday is Nov. 25 and is the perfect opportunity to find those special gifts for our loved ones. Why should we shop and spend money locally? Helps to stimulate the local economy When you purchase at locally owned businesses rather than nationally owned stores, about 70 cents of every dollar stays local. Only 40 c...
Fake news, as a concept, has been around at least as long as we’ve had politicians. But we used to call it something else: propaganda. That our President was able to harness the term and continue to ride its wave, is disconcerting to people in the business of reporting news because it is so often an attack on media outlets which pride themselves on unbiased reporting. But the President’s attacks are not groundless which is why they resonate with so many Americans. Journalism schools have evolved over the past generation, in an attempt to equ...
I truly believe that some of the greatest ideas come from children. We simply just have to take the time to stop and listen to them. I mean really, listen to them. That doesn’t mean we pull “the smile and nod” technique or repeat the last thing they said back to them so they think we are listening. I mean actual listening. A dear friend of mine always said “The Lord gave us two ears to hear and one mouth to speak.” How true that is. He also pointed out that we have these two ears because w...
In the past few weeks, there have been several changes in Washington that will directly benefit people across Wyoming. These include Wyoming’s energy workers, families who need affordable health care, and those concerned with preventing wildfires. Ending the “Clean Power Plan” On Oct. 10, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took steps to repeal the so-called Clean Power Plan rule. The EPA is supposed to issue reasonable regulations to protect America’s air. However, the unreasonable and unlawful Clean Power Plan would have hurt energy...
Many of our readers have likely heard about a couple of potential challengers to Sen. John Barrasso in the coming election year. While we’re in favor of residents seeking public office to serve their city, county or state; we cannot support what either of these potential challengers would bring to Wyoming. For those unaware, reports have surfaced in the past few weeks regarding former presidential advisor and head of far-right news outlet Breitbart News, Steve Bannon, targeting Barrasso’s seat in Wyoming as part of what he’s calling a “seas...
Dear Editor, Gigi Jasper is an AP English teacher, at Rock Springs High School. Having worked in that school as a substitute teacher, I have covered for her at least twice. The walls of the room are covered in all kinds of stimulating pictures and posters, yet it doesn’t seem cluttered or overbearing. It’s the kind of place that anyone would like to spend some cogitative time. Her students spoke of her with affection and respect. She is one of a small group of courageous teachers who are willing to stick their necks out and speak truth. She...
As I am laying in bed sleeping, I suddenly get the feeling that I should be awake for some reason. I lay there trying to decide if I am dreaming or if I do in fact feel something crawling on my face. As I pass in and out of this sleepy state, I realize quickly that there was something crawling on my face and it has since moved to my hair. As the creepy crawling thing makes its way to my shoulder, I am awake enough to grab it, squish it an throw it onto the floor. By now, I am wide awake and...
One of the aspects of living in Sweetwater County is the inevitable challenge of eating at a restaurant within a month of it opening. For that month or so, service to any brand-new eating establishment is similar to what one expects in Salt Lake City or Denver, with wait times of about half an hour from when the party arrives to when they’re seated. As we all know, that’s a rarity for any restaurant in Rock Springs or Green River, let alone any location in Wyoming outside of Jackson Hole or Che...
Halloween is coming and the Green River URA/Main Street Agency wants to share some tips to ensure a fun and safe experience for everyone. These recommendations are from the American Academy of Pediatrics: *Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame. *Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility. *Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup...
Typing your last name and final six digits of your social security number into Equifax’s website is sort of like getting a sore tooth looked at by the dentist - you know you need to do it, but the potential bad news you receive could lead to future pain. In this case, it is less of a root canal and more identity theft. I’m not sure which is more painful. To recap recent events, Equifax is one of three major consumer credit-reporting agencies, with data on more than 820 million consumers and 81 million businesses worldwide. In early Sep...
The closure of a school impacts an entire community. It isn’t just the students and staff being moved to another location, nor is it the physical act of closing a building and mothballing it for possible future use. With the closure of a school, the community loses a place to gather. It loses a gym to dance or practice in. It becomes a loss for everyone involved. With the school board deliberating on if it will close Jackson Elementary and a final judgement expected to pass in November, there’s time to discuss the value the school brings to...
Dear Editor, The second amendment of the United States Constitution states: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Obviously the need for a state militia has been replaced by the National Guard and Coast Guard whereby trained military personnel are entrusted with the defense of this country against domestic enemies. Their weapons are tightly controlled and safeguarded. The only two reasons for a citizen to own a firearm are for hun...
Dear Editor, I’m writing about a circumstance I find very upsetting. A picture that was sent to me that I’m told is hanging in Gigi Jasper’s AP English classroom at Rock Springs High School, of a caricature President Trump that says “STOP BIGOTRY.” I’m also told Jasper is putting up statistics in the room that purportedly show the number of black people being killed by white police officers on a daily or weekly basis. This is totally inappropriate and unacceptable. Posting statistics out of context is irresponsible and inaccurate at the very...
