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Masterful pitching performances from Sarah Abramson and Mckenzie Staub, along with two key home runs, helped Oregon Tech keep their Cascade Collegiate Conference title hopes alive, sweeping a doubleheader 1-0 and 10-1 from Bushnell University on Friday at Stilwell Stadium.
The Lady Owls (41-10 overall, 24-5 CCC) took a one-game lead on idle Eastern Oregon heading into Saturday’s regular-season finale. Tech can clinch a share of the title with a win, needing an EOU loss at Carroll to secure the outright crown and host next week’s CCC Championships.
Abramson was the story in Game 1, working out of a bases-loaded jam in the first – finishing with a three-hit shutout – her ninth of the season. The right-hander struck out 10 batters and did not allow a runner to third base after the first inning.
OIT got its lone run in the second, as Jayce Seavert hit her team-leading 12th home run of the year – more than enough for Abramson, who won her 23rd game of the season.
The Beacons (15-31, 11-18) Sam Silver was the tough-luck loser, holding the Owls to just five hits.
Staub followed suit in Game 2, holding BU to just two hits and striking out six – but watched as the Tech lineup broke through with a pair of big innings.
The Lady Owls took a 1-0 lead in the second, as Seavert singled and scored on a double to the gap from Staub. An inning later, McKenna Armantrout dropped down a perfect squeeze bunt to plate Aubrie Businger from third and Zoe Allen sprinted in on a Beacons error. Following a walk, Kennedy Jantzi ripped an opposite-field three-run homer, her 10th of the season, to give Tech a 6-0 lead.
BU got on the board in the fourth, as Anabel Mendez singled home a run, but OIT put it away in the fourth – as Kaila Mick tripled home a pair and Seavert added an RBI double.
Both Allen and Seavert had two hits in the victory for the Lady Owls.
“I am always proud of this team and how they continue to battle through adversity,” OIT coach Greg Stewart said. “Sarah and Mckenzie pitched great today and it was nice to see us make adjustments at the plate in Game 2.”
The two teams close out the regular season with an 11 a.m. doubleheader Saturday. It marks the final home regular-season games for four OIT seniors – Abramson, Armantrout, Businger and Jantzi, who will be honored in a ceremony between games.
Prep baseball
Bonanza 4, Lost River 1: The Antlers (8-5 overall, 6-0 2A/1A-Special District 6) remained undefeated in league play with the victory Friday against the host Raiders (4-10, 2-5).
Illinois Valley 20-7, North Lake 8-0: The visiting Cowboys (0-13, 0-8) lost the opener in five innings before forfeiting the nightcap.
Prep softball
Burns 1, Lakeview 0: The host Honkers (11-4) lost to the No. 3-ranked team in Class 3A in nine innings Friday in a pitching duel.
Merissa Medley doubled with one out in the top of the ninth and scored on a two-out error for the game’s lone run.
Lakeview pitcher Tyler McNeley pitched all nine innings, allowing six hits and the one unearned run. She didn’t walk a batter and struck out 21.
Burns’ Ayla Davies allowed two hits, no walks and fanned 16.
Annikah Tacchini and Laura Jo Buss had the two hits for the Honkers. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/basin-roundup-lady-owls-sweep-softball-doubleheader-move-back-atop-ccc/article_fa66bd75-7632-5ce5-8666-e263a6a7f38f.html | 2022-04-30T06:29:45Z |
When was the first time you felt beautiful? Not the kind of beauty you see in a mirror, but the kind you feel when you know that to someone who loves you, you’ll always be a beauty.
Six months after my brother Joe was born, my mother was told he was totally blind and suffered from cerebral palsy, a condition that would impair his walking, but not his will.
I was four years old and had no clue what a gift Joe would be to me. Growing up, he was a thorn in my flesh, making me tell him stories or sing him to sleep. And if his tricycle got stuck in a ditch, as it always did, he’d yell for me to get him out.
Worst of all, he made me tell him what things looked like. I’d try my best to describe, say, the colors of a sunrise. The legs on a rooster. Or the cars on the trains that rattled past our house.
I’d try and try again. But if I didn’t get it exactly as he saw it in his head, he’d say, “That’s not it, Sister. Try again.”
When I was 8, I accidentally broke out my permanent front tooth. A porcelain crown would cost more than my family could afford. So for years, my front tooth was a shiny silver crown.
Some boys at school meant no harm, but took great delight in chanting, “Here comes the Lone Ranger and her silver bullet!”
At first I liked the attention, such as it was. But it got old. One day, Joe heard me crying.
“What’s wrong, Sister?”
“Nothin’!” I said. “Go away!”
He wouldn’t let it go. When he got something in his head, he was like a dog with a bone. So I told him. And he laughed.
“A silver bullet!” he said, clapping. “What a hoot!”
Then I began to bawl and he hushed, took my face in his hands and ran his fingers over my eyes, my nose, my mouth.
“Sister,” he said. “You’re a beauty. Don’t forget it. And if them boys don’t leave you alone, tell ’em your blind baby brother will teach ’em some manners.”
I wish you could’ve seen the looks on those boys’ faces when I told them what Joe had said.
At 18, Joe decided he had learned enough at the school for the blind, got a job running the courthouse snackbar and rented an apartment to live on his own, 30 miles from our mother.
I was happy for him. Mama was not. Then one day she called me up in a hissy fit.
“He got MARRIED!” she said, “to a STRANGER of all things! We’ve got to do SOMETHING!”
“Calm down, Mama,” I said, “I’ll call him.”
“HURRY!” she said.
Joe answered on the first ring.
“Hey, Sister, I figured you’d be calling. Yes, I got married. My wife is a real beauty. We’ve only known each other three weeks, and I know Mama’s not happy about it. But even a blind man can fall in love at first sight.”
His bride, Tommie Jean, was also blind. They’d walk hand-in-hand with Joe tapping the way with his cane. Rarely more than an arm’s reach apart, they were always laughing and whispering secrets. Their happiness made everyone who saw it happier, even in due time, our mother.
In the eyes of the world, Tommie Jean was no beauty. She never saw her own face, but she radiated joy in a way that made her shine. She and Joe shared 10 good years before he lost her to cancer. And for him, she will always be a beauty.
When I sit down to do my makeup at a table filled with products that promise to work miracles, I remind myself that miracles can happen. Then I begin. Foundation. Concealer. Eye shadow. Mascara. Lipstick.
Finally, I look in the mirror hoping to see not the face I woke up with, but the one my brother sees when he pictures me. Some days I can almost hear him say, “That’s not it, Sister. Try again.”
But here’s what I learned from his beloved: True beauty can’t be seen in a mirror. It can only be felt in our heart and soul and in the touch of one who loves us.
The best beauty secret is love.
Sharon Randall is the author of “The World and Then Some.” She can be reached at P.O. Box 922, Carmel Valley CA 93924, or at www.sharonrandall.com | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/beautys-more-than-skin-deep/article_2dfef1ea-9eb4-57e6-ac74-970db442c4d7.html | 2022-04-30T06:29:52Z |
Angel Ramirez has just started his journey as a Klamath Union High School student but has already left a large shoe print in the dirt.
At only 14 years old, Ramirez has found his drive and passion but has decided to take on an activity many people his age would be terrified to do. No, Ramirez does not want to be the point guard of the basketball team, the starting quarterback on varsity, or on the top of the baseball mound. He wants to be a boxer.
Even with the rise of cases of people having post-traumatic stress disorder, the young Pelican is not afraid of being a part of one of the most grueling and challenging individual sports around.
To be said lightly, to be a successful boxer, your six senses need to all be intact and you have to be aware of the situation you are in or might put yourself in. A boxer can lose their focus in a mere second that can cost them a match.
Ramirez started from ground zero. He first took on the sport a year ago as a leisure activity after his older brother, Alen, asked him to tag along for a boxing practice at Weapons Grade Academy of Boxing and MMA.
Ramirez thought he was only going to sit and watch but realized there was something unique waiting for him inside the gym.
“Right when I stepped in here, I fell in love with the sport,” Ramirez said. “I did not expect it but knew it was something I wanted to do from that very first day.”
Not everyone who takes on boxing wants to be the next Mike Tyson or Floyd Mayweather Jr.
A lot of people take on the sport or any mixed martial arts because, simply, they want something to kick or punch. The rush and adrenaline they get when they release their anger relaxes them.
Being a new puppy in the sport, Ramirez only wanted to grow and improve.
Before he took on any contact, he had to learn to work on his foot work and struggled maintaining a consistent and proper way of jump roping, which is vital for a beginner. Ramirez wanted to learn the proper form and not simply exhaust himself throwing impactful punches. Many people in the boxing academy recalled having aches, muscle soreness and even injuring themselves by going until failure.
“I remember asking myself how was I going to get better,” Ramirez said. “I am pretty bad right now, but I kept doing it.”
It took him three months to perfect his jump roping ability. The key was to use light jumps during the exercise and not use the entire body when jumping.
The same technique he learned, he also took with him when he learned how to throw accurate and effective punches. He worked on making his legs stronger, realizing it is one of the contributing factors in landing a powerful punch.
The trick was using the force of his legs to carry him into a punch.
The time came for him to have his first sparring session (a one-on-one contact exercise), one the young high school student will never forget. Ramirez took a blow on the nose and gushed out blood.
Many teenagers in his place would have bowed out, likely shed a tear and gave up on the sport due to their embarrassment or the pain. Ramirez was not like one of those kids.
He bit his tongue, kept his head up and returned the blow, even knocking out his opponent’s mouthpiece in the process.
“From the first sparring, you can tell if someone is a fighter or if they will be passive,” Alen Ramirez said. “Most kids would cry after the first hit and most kids would stop. He came back, hit the kid back. He kept getting hit but kept going forward.”
Bringing the community together
Angel Ramirez was the first teenage boxer to come to Weapons Grade Academy of Boxing and MMA. While in eighth grade at Ponderosa Middle School, he walked into the academy being the only one his size and weight.
Everyone else he saw at the gym, earned their stripes, having decades of martial arts experience or time in the ring.
He knew he had to get more youth into the doors. Ramirez reached out to some of his friends and classmates, and even recruited a former friend who used to spend time boxing and encouraged him to give it a second try.
Little by little, more teenagers began to arrive and sparked a youth class to form, which now meet three days a week. Several Klamath Union students are a part of the movement.
Boxing debut
After more than a year of training and preparation, Ramirez stepped into the ring for his first boxing match. His first fight was Feb. 18 in the Oregon Golden Gloves Boxing Championships in Medford.
Along with his brother, Ramirez is trained by Juan Ulloa, who has developed several boxers in Klamath Falls.
Ulloa has helped local boxer Dylan Carlson compete in fights around the country, even helping him earn a fight against the son of International Boxing Hall of Famer, Evander Holyfield.
All-star student
While looking forward to his boxing debut, Ramirez is still able to juggle his education and his love for boxing all at the same time.
After he spends three hours, three times a week boxing, he also wakes up early and runs with his brother Sunday mornings.
“I am pretty much working all day, to be honest. I wake up at 6:30 a.m., pray and get ready, go to school, get out of school. Then I do homework right away and finish all my stuff so my grades can be good,” Ramirez said, “At six, I come to the gym and after the gym, I might go run or eat dinner. I might do some more homework right after, too.”
After his first semester at Klamath Union, Ramirez earned almost all A’s, only having one B.
Ramirez has been a star student since he could remember. He has ambitions of one day becoming an architect.
“I have not been obligated but I know I have to do it. I want to be the best version of myself,” Ramirez said. “If I do not get good grades, I am putting a bad point in my life and cannot take it back. I want to be 100% the best wherever I go.”
He will become a Klamath Union graduate in the year 2025, following the footsteps of his two older siblings, as well as his mother, Nora, who graduated as a Pelican in 1998.
A proper diet
Two weeks before his first fight, Ramirez started a strict diet, which his older brother made for him. Alen Ramirez had to mature from a young age, not by his own desire but because of circumstances. At the age of seven, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
He had to grow up with people taking things lightly on him, thinking he was delicate because of his condition. When he got older, Alen Ramirez wanted to make sure he was aware of what he was going through.
He took nutrition and health classes to know exactly what could help him as a diabetic. What he has learned, he has brought it to help his baby brother as well.
During the stern two-week diet, Angel Ramirez brings his own homemade lunch to school, which his brother prepared for him. Alen Ramirez lets his brother know what he can and cannot eat to help keep up his energy and avoid a probability of getting sick.
Uncles of the brothers continually ask when Ramirez’s next fight will be, supporting him after they spent time training and fighting when they grew up. Even with all his supporters, there is no doubt who wants him to succeed most.
“I do not think it is my dad’s dream or uncle’s dream. I think it is more of my dream that I have brought to him because our parents, they have worked a lot their whole lives. It was something I always liked to do,” Alen Ramirez said. “Our fighters you see today like Canelo (Alvarez), Ryan Garcia, you see all these people come up and they are young. That is always something I have wanted in our family, not necessarily for me but to see my brother do that and progress is 100% what I want.”
Growing up at a young age
The older brother and younger brother relationship is something Angel Ramirez has always valued since he could barely hold a memory.
With both their parents having to work difficult jobs that started early in the day and ended late at night, Alen Ramirez had to look after his younger brother, babysit and cook for him at the age of eight years old.
“We cooked eggs. It would not be microwaved Ramen. We cooked something good, made pasta, quesadillas,” Alen Ramirez said. “We learned how to cook pretty quickly, even if you got burnt a little bit. We all did.”
The two brothers’ mom and dad came to the United States from Mexico at age 13. Their parents met in the Klamath Basin, and eventually married and had four children.
It was a known story of a hard-working family that had to provide for their children and needed to rely on their older kids to look after the babies.
“You would not expect an 8-year-old to know how to cook and having to babysit,” Alen Ramirez said. “Our kind of help to our parents was staying at home by ourselves and take care of ourselves. That has been us since eight years old.”
It was not always the plan to be absent or to always be devoted to work. Nora Ramirez took college classes after she graduated high school but had to drop out after realizing she too had to provide for her family along with her husband.
From there, an inner discomfort arrived for the siblings.
“Times were hard. I remember having to wait at school until 6:30 p.m. sometimes, waiting for one of my parents to pick me up from school,” Alen Ramirez said.
Walking so you can run
Angel Ramirez remembers small glimpses of what he went through at the age of 3. Getting dropped off at the house of a stranger early in the morning panicked him. Hardly being old enough to mutter the words to say if he was hungry, or if he was too warm, wishing he could let his unfamiliar babysitter know his thick jacket was burning him up, were all glued in his mind.
Ramirez, however, knows why now.
He knows everything he went through was worth it. He knows his parents and his brother’s sacrifice, all the blood, sweat and tears, was worth it.
The long nights, working more than being home, was not a choice; it was a requirement.
Now, it is his time to give back. It is like a popular TikTok, which talks about someone walking and going through exertion for Peppa, a known animated pig, to run.
Ramirez is old enough now to appreciate what his family has done for him. He knows why he is where he is right now. Ramirez is Peppa.
“It is not just his (Alen) dream but it is my dream to be a pro one day,” Ramirez said. “My body feels the pain. I love this sport to the point where I want to do it for a long time. That is one of my dreams to travel around the world to box. I know where I have come from. I am here because of everyone else before me. I fight for them.” | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/chasing-his-dream-klamath-unions-angel-ramirez-has-found-his-drive-and-passion-in-the/article_ff8ee7d1-ce66-5315-88ba-d2aae15eb6a3.html | 2022-04-30T06:29:58Z |
Just say no to joining Idaho
More downsides to becoming part of Idaho:
Ol’ John Rademacher was correct when he recently pointed out that if Idaho is joined, we will lose at least 6% of our income to sales tax with nothing to show for it. This will also allow local governments to add their own sales tax -and they will — of 2 or 3%, so you can likely kiss 8 or 9% of your income goodbye. All businesses will spend more time and money to collect the tax and comply with the associated paperwork, and their customers will have 9% less to spend. I received a nice “Kicker” rebate this year from the state of Oregon, but that kicker will also disappear.
I support the Oregon National Guard. I am quite proud to have the 114th TFTS and the 132nd Fighter Wing stationed in Klamath Falls. Will they remain, or will the training program be transferred to Mountain Home AFB in Idaho? The Oregon ANG pumps millions of dollars into the Basin annually. This is the second year without irrigation water and without those ANG dollars, Klamath County’s economy will blow away. If the training mission leaves town, will the FAA continue to operate the airport control tower? If the tower is closed, any future airline service is another thing we can kiss goodbye.
At this writing, AAA Gas prices are: California $5.68; Washington $4.69; Oregon $4.66 and Idaho is $4.43, but don’t forget that 6% sales tax — that brings it to $4.69 per gallon. So, gas in Idaho is 23 cents less.
What does Oregon get for that 23 cents? We get something California, Washington and Idaho do not — several thousand entry -evel fuel attendant jobs! So many folks complain there are too many people on the dole, but this action could put hundreds back on public assistance. As a bonus, we don’t have to pump our own gas!
Oregon’s Governor and two senators wrangled some $40 million in aid for Basin farmers and an additional $100 million for habitat improvement and other programs to help free up more water in the future. Will Boise provide this level of support to our local farms?
Professionals and tradesmen are licensed by the state, not the Feds. Idaho does not have full reciprocity with Oregon on these licenses. Doctors, nurses, EMTs, firefighters, attorneys, electricians, plumbers, etc. — the list goes on and on — will be required to spend time, money and aggravation to become licensed in Idaho, and cannot work until they do.
This is just a fraction of the negative issues surrounding a move to Idaho.
Vote NO to Idaho!
Russ Davis
Klamath Falls
Our political parties: How I see itWe have two main political parties: Democrats and Republicans. The Democratic Party is the largest and is the party of big government, high taxes and free everything. The progressives and Communist Party are pretty much the same. They don’t seem to give a hoot about the U.S. Constitution by their actions.
The Republicans, Libertarians and independents are generally for smaller government, less taxes, the U.S. Constitution and liberty.
With Democrats having the most numbers, if you vote for one of the parties other than Republican or do not vote, you are voting Democrat. If you want change, join the major party closest to your beliefs and get involved.
And what is the point of being an “independent”? You just dilute the chance of getting what you want.
Stephen Rapalyea
Chiloquin
Harbick for U.S. Senate
Darin Harbick is a candidate for the U.S. Senate. I had heard him speak and liked what I heard. He gave a simple straightforward answer to every question, no beating around the bush. Recently my wife and I had the opportunity to have dinner with Darin, just the three of us. This enabled us to see what a quality individual he is. He is pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, pro-free speech, anti-government mandates, and a true entrepreneur.
At age 22, Darin and his wife purchased the store at McKenzie Bridge. The next year it burned down. They rebuilt and started over. They have since added a restaurant, a motel, and an RV park. Following the Holliday Farm fire which devastated their area but spared their businesses, Darin purchased a self-loading log truck and began salvaging the burnt timber. He has had as many as 100 employees at one time. He has coached girls basketball at the high school level and at New Hope College in Eugene. He has served on the school board and the tourism board. Darin and his wife established a faith-based residential mental health treatment facility for women which they fund and operate. He is running for the right reason; he is concerned about the future of America in which our families will grow up.
Two of Darin’s 4x8 campaign signs disappeared from their prominent site on Washburn Way. Apparently someone feels Darin Harbicjk is a strong threat in this election and wants to diminish his impact.
Please join me in voting for Darin Harbick for U.S. Senate.
Alan Eberlein
Klamath Falls
A vote for Henslee
Like you, I have watched in horror as the unjust, tyrannical, and horrific events taking place in Ukraine have unfolded before our very eyes and come to one galvanizing conclusion. Freedom is a truly fragile and ultimately priceless commodity. As we enter into another election cycle, I am reminded of the enormous responsibility each of us holds as members of the electorate. Our vote is not merely a pencil-marked sheet tucked into an envelope, but instead a contributing element of change, improvement, and a brighter future.
So, what does a change, improvement, and a brighter future look like for Klamath County? In a name, I would argue that it looks like Dave Henslee for Klamath County Commissioner No. 1. Dave is a man of character and integrity who has proven through a lifetime of service to also be a man of action. In a nearly 30-year career Dave gained the tools, knowledge, and experience necessary to serve the residents of Klamath County as their voice, advocate, and champion of change and improvement.
Serving as Klamath County’s representative, Dave will be committed to doing everything he can to ensure that not just the county, but our homes, our livelihoods, and our very way of life is represented honestly, boldly, and with sincere and unyielding commitment. Dave is committed to carrying the message of Klamath County to the bureaucrats and politicians in Salem and Washington, D.C., who seek to keep Klamath County in a regulatory strangle-hold, that we the people of Klamath County demand that they get out of the Basin’s way so we who call Klamath home can once again embrace the natural resources and our cherished rural way of life that makes Klamath County ours.
I am asking all who cherish Klamath County to join me in voting Dave Henslee for Klamath County Commissioner No. 1.
Ty Kliewer
Klamath Falls
Another vote for Henslee
After carefully considering the qualifications and reputations of those running for Klamath County Commissioner, position 1, I have decided one candidate stands above the rest, by far!
The candidate that will be getting my vote is Dave Henslee. Hands down, Dave has the background, education, knowledge, experience, and integrity I want serving as one of the three CEOs of county government.
Klamath County is a great place to live. I enjoy the rural lifestyle, beauty, sunshine, and safety of my family. We know our neighbors and we know our elected officials. It’s not like big cities, where elected officials can feel a certain level of insulation from their decisions. Anyone serving as a County Commissioner will see the people affected by their decisions day in and day out. It’s important to me that we elect a commissioner with integrity and ethics who interacts with the citizens in a positive way.
I am voting for Dave Henslee because he’s that candidate. I trust his intent to maintain the core values and livability of our community. He proved his integrity, leadership, and ability to manage people, time, and money as police chief. He will bring those same skills and experience to his role as Commissioner. Please vote for Dave Henslee for Klamath County Commissioner.
Kryssi Heitman
Klamath Falls
And yet another vote for Henslee
There is no denying that the last couple of years have been difficult for the Klamath Basin. The expansive overreach of government mandates, the ever-changing cultural environment that drifts further and further from traditional morals, values, and a way of life we all once embraced and cherished has taken its toll on the heart and soul of the Basin.
The scanning of any news source depicts a bitterly gloom prospect of a nation that once shined as a beacon of hope and goodness. Instead of shining brightly our nation, our state, and even our own community seem to be engulfed in the darkness of our times, and perhaps the unspoken question on all our minds is “when will it change, when will the light return?”
It has been said by many over the years that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing.” Luckily for Klamath County there is one good man who is willing to do something. In fact, this man has been actively engaged in making his community better his entire life. That man is Dave Henslee, a husband, father, former law enforcement officer, rancher, friend, neighbor, community member, and now a Candidate for Klamath County Commissioner position No. 1. Dave is a good man, the sort of man who will not stand by and do nothing in the face of adversity, or simply look the other way because it’s the path of least resistance. Dave has been recognized throughout the county for his integrity, leadership, and iron-will. Dave will hit the ground running to ensure that Klamath County is well represented while actively seeking solutions for our economy, housing, water policies, homelessness, and public safety.
I offer this public endorsement and will cast my vote for Dave because Dave Henslee is a good man!
Bill Kennedy
Klamath Falls | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/letters-to-the-editor/article_82dbcff2-bc1d-517a-b153-dae7f9ec7a4b.html | 2022-04-30T06:30:04Z |
A vote for Henslee
Like you, I have watched in horror as the unjust, tyrannical, and horrific events taking place in Ukraine have unfolded before our very eyes and come to one galvanizing conclusion. Freedom is a truly fragile and ultimately priceless commodity. As we enter into another election cycle, I am reminded of the enormous responsibility each of us holds as members of the electorate. Our vote is not merely a pencil-marked sheet tucked into an envelope, but instead a contributing element of change, improvement, and a brighter future.
So, what does a change, improvement, and a brighter future look like for Klamath County? In a name, I would argue that it looks like Dave Henslee for Klamath County Commissioner No. 1. Dave is a man of character and integrity who has proven through a lifetime of service to also be a man of action. In a nearly 30-year career Dave gained the tools, knowledge, and experience necessary to serve the residents of Klamath County as their voice, advocate, and champion of change and improvement.
Serving as Klamath County’s representative, Dave will be committed to doing everything he can to ensure that not just the county, but our homes, our livelihoods, and our very way of life is represented honestly, boldly, and with sincere and unyielding commitment. Dave is committed to carrying the message of Klamath County to the bureaucrats and politicians in Salem and Washington, D.C., who seek to keep Klamath County in a regulatory strangle-hold, that we the people of Klamath County demand that they get out of the Basin’s way so we who call Klamath home can once again embrace the natural resources and our cherished rural way of life that makes Klamath County ours.
I am asking all who cherish Klamath County to join me in voting Dave Henslee for Klamath County Commissioner No. 1.
Ty Kliewer
Klamath Falls
Another vote for Henslee
After carefully considering the qualifications and reputations of those running for Klamath County Commissioner, position 1, I have decided one candidate stands above the rest, by far!
The candidate that will be getting my vote is Dave Henslee. Hands down, Dave has the background, education, knowledge, experience, and integrity I want serving as one of the three CEOs of county government.
Klamath County is a great place to live. I enjoy the rural lifestyle, beauty, sunshine, and safety of my family. We know our neighbors and we know our elected officials. It’s not like big cities, where elected officials can feel a certain level of insulation from their decisions. Anyone serving as a County Commissioner will see the people affected by their decisions day in and day out. It’s important to me that we elect a commissioner with integrity and ethics who interacts with the citizens in a positive way.
I am voting for Dave Henslee because he’s that candidate. I trust his intent to maintain the core values and livability of our community. He proved his integrity, leadership, and ability to manage people, time, and money as police chief. He will bring those same skills and experience to his role as Commissioner. Please vote for Dave Henslee for Klamath County Commissioner.
Kryssi Heitman
Klamath Falls
And yet another vote for Henslee
There is no denying that the last couple of years have been difficult for the Klamath Basin. The expansive overreach of government mandates, the ever-changing cultural environment that drifts further and further from traditional morals, values, and a way of life we all once embraced and cherished has taken its toll on the heart and soul of the Basin.
The scanning of any news source depicts a bitterly gloom prospect of a nation that once shined as a beacon of hope and goodness. Instead of shining brightly our nation, our state, and even our own community seem to be engulfed in the darkness of our times, and perhaps the unspoken question on all our minds is “when will it change, when will the light return?”
It has been said by many over the years that “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing.” Luckily for Klamath County there is one good man who is willing to do something. In fact, this man has been actively engaged in making his community better his entire life. That man is Dave Henslee, a husband, father, former law enforcement officer, rancher, friend, neighbor, community member, and now a Candidate for Klamath County Commissioner position No. 1. Dave is a good man, the sort of man who will not stand by and do nothing in the face of adversity, or simply look the other way because it’s the path of least resistance. Dave has been recognized throughout the county for his integrity, leadership, and iron-will. Dave will hit the ground running to ensure that Klamath County is well represented while actively seeking solutions for our economy, housing, water policies, homelessness, and public safety.
I offer this public endorsement and will cast my vote for Dave because Dave Henslee is a good man!
Bill Kennedy
Klamath Falls | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/letters-to-the-editor/article_acc82187-6cf6-5e22-bf03-4e0bac901e21.html | 2022-04-30T06:30:10Z |
My wife and I welcomed our third baby last week. Our baby boy is happy and healthy; his parents are happy and tired. Please send caffeine.
During the nightly brain fog induced by our new “feed-change-cuddle-repeat” cycle, I’ve been thinking about a few baby-related language rules. Please excuse me if any spit-up gets on this column.
Is “baby” ever a proper noun? Unless your stage name is DaBaby, the short answer is “no.” Baby is a common noun, just the same as lamp, tree and stroller are common nouns. The only instance in which “baby” becomes proper is when the word is used as a name. For instance, “Baby Sinclair” is the name of a character from the early 1990s sitcom “Dinosaurs.”
How do you express something a baby owns or possesses (other than my heart when he wraps his perfect, tiny fingers around my pinky)? That certainly depends on the context.
If one baby owns a thing or things, use “baby’s”: My baby’s pacifier got lost in his car seat. That baby’s lung capacity is exceptional.
The word “babies” on its own indicates more than one baby: The babies went through an entire crate of diapers last week. As a child, I enjoyed the cartoon “Muppet Babies.” Those politicians are acting like a bunch of babies.
When multiple babies possess or own a thing or multiple things, use babies’: The babies’ strollers each got a new neon green paint job. The babies’ father had his hands full when each of the triplets started crying at the same time.
According to a March 2020 article published by the peer-reviewed scientific journal “Current Biology,” eight-month-old babies have a basic understanding of their native language. While they still can’t speak in full sentences, babies’ brains can distinguish between the linguistic categories of basic articles, pronouns, prepositions, verbs, adjectives, and context-specific content words like “dog” and “rainbow.” This means that good grammar matters even for babies!
It’s a daunting task to take on the responsibility for a new life, especially given the various levels of disarray in our nation and world. I do take solace, however, that my baby’s first word will no doubt be uttered in honor of his favorite absolute person in the entire world: mama.
Curtis Honeycutt is a syndicated humor columnist. He is the author of Good Grammar is the Life of the Party: Tips for a Wildly Successful Life. Find more at curtishoneycutt.com. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/like-teaching-grammar-to-a-baby/article_e4438346-5b23-51ee-bf24-f4d78f2f58cd.html | 2022-04-30T06:30:16Z |
Conservatives and libertarians are criticizing the Biden administration’s formation of a new Disinformation Governance Board within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to police social media platforms.
The U.S. administration says the disinformation board is being formed to take on social media posts with a focus on propaganda and fake news stories from Russia and misleading information from human smugglers encouraging migrants to try the enter the U.S.
It is the latest in series of pushes to counteract and restrict extreme, anti-government groups and foreign propaganda on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and other social media sites.
But conservatives and civil liberties advocates worry about the board leading to censorship and restrictions on dissenting voices. They see parallels to dystopian censorship and the Orwellian “Ministry of Truth”.
“President Biden’s 'Disinformation Governance Board' sounds like it's straight out of George Orwell’s ‘1984’. The objective of this ‘Ministry of Truth’ is to punish those who don’t support the administration’s narrative. We cannot trust any government to be the arbiter of ‘truth’ versus misinformation. This board is an attack on our constitution and free speech,” said U.S. Rep. Doug La Malfa, a Republican representing far northern California.
Those sentiments were being echoed by the political right and free speech advocates. “Every dictatorship has a propaganda arm — a Ministry of Truth’,” said Tulsi Gabbard, a former Hawaii congresswoman and former Democratic presidential candidate.
The White House also defended criticism of the head of the new board, Nina Jankowicz. GOP critics contend some of her social media posts show partisan bent.
Jen Psaki, Biden’s press secretary, defended the board as battling internet misinformation as well as the embattled Jankowicz
“Well, let me give you a sense of who she is,” Psaki said Friday. “She’s an expert on online disinformation .... She was formerly a Disinformation Fellow at the Wilson Center. She’s testified before Congress as well as the United Kingdom and European parliaments; advised a Ukrainian foreign minister — particularly relevant in this moment — under the auspices of a Fulbright Public Policy Fellowship; and overseen Russia and Belarus programs at the National Democratic Institute.”
The panel comes with Tesla founder Elon Musk’s $44 billion purchase of Twitter. Progressives and Democrats worry about the billionaire Musk at the helm of the influential social media platform. They also worry about Musk allowing former President Donald Trump to return to Twitter after being banned in 2021.
Former President Barack Obama, other Democrats and establishment Republicans have called for more oversight of social media platforms. The White House has also pushed for Facebook and platforms to restrict and censor right-wing and anti-government accounts. U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., wants to see more “rules of the road for big tech" after Musk's Twitter purchase.
GOP 2024 presidential hopefuls are also seizing about the issue. “The Biden Administration’s creation of a ‘disinformation’ bureau within DHS is effectively a Ministry of Truth that is alien to our constitutional tradition, “ said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
President Joe Biden has also declared May 1st as Loyalty Day, an American tradition dating back to 1921 to counteract May Day marches by socialists and communists.
“On Loyalty Day, we reaffirm our allegiance to the Nation we share and to the principles of freedom, justice, equality, and dignity enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution,” Biden said in a declaration Thursday. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/nation_world/ministry-of-truth-or-social-media-watchdog-bidens-disinformation-governance-board/article_198db1a7-0f5e-52e1-84d6-bafee7c8d1c2.html | 2022-04-30T06:30:23Z |
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown is the most unpopular governor in the country, according to a new poll.
The survey by Morning Consult gauges approval and disapproval of U.S. governors. Brown, a Democrat, ranks at the bottom with a 54% disapproval rating and a 41% approval rating, according to Morning Consult.
The research survey firm queried more than 600 registered voters in each state during the first quarter of 2022.
The most popular governors are Massachusetts’ Charlie Baker, Vermont’s Phil Scott and Maryland’s Larry Hogan. They are moderate Republicans and enjoy approval ratings of more than 70%.
Beyond the first quarter, survey Brown has faced recent criticism for granting clemency to the convicted killer of 19-year-old woman.
Brown commuted a life sentence for Kyle Hedquist, 45. He was released from prison by the governor’s clemency order on March 22 after serving approximately 27 years in prison.
Hedquist was convicted in 1995 of killing Nikki Thrasher, 19, to keep her from potentially divulging information about a string of burglaries. Hedquist was 18 at the time of the “execution-style” killing of Thrasher. Police and prosecutors in Douglas and Marion counties objected to the clemency reminding the governor that Thrasher was lured to a remote area and shot in the back of the head by Hedquist.
Brown defended her decision in a social media post April 26.
“I am disappointed that several district attorneys have chosen of late to score political points by issuing press releases that stoke public fears in these cases, decades after the original crimes were committed. In the intervening years, often 20 or more, the Oregonians granted clemency have demonstrated that they have turned their lives around and pose a low risk to anyone in the public,” the governor said in a Facebook post. “It will always be easier to stoke fear and anger than to build understanding, compassion, and healing in our communities. But that doesn’t make it right. We have a chance, now, to correct the wrongs our justice system made in the 1990s, when being ‘tough on crime’ meant sentencing children to life sentences without a second chance. That’s not the kind of justice that most Oregonians believe in.”
The governor’s has not yet responded to a request for comment about the approval numbers.
Brown was also of one of the more aggressive governors in the U.S. with COVID-19 mandates and orders. The state and its image and tourism sector have also had to deal with negative national perceptions of civil unrest and rises in crime and homelessness in Portland.
U.S. President Joe Biden has also seen his approval ratings dip in Oregon with the U.S. economy facing 40-year highs with inflation, continued economic supply chain problems and the aftermath of the end of the Afghanistan war.
According to Morning Consult, Biden’s approval ratings in Oregon went from a positive 21 points in March 2021 to negative 5 points in March 2022. The president’s approvals have swooned in other states also including some key battlegrounds.
Biden carried solidly Democratic Oregon over former President Donald Trump by a 56.4% to 40.4% margin in the 2020 election.
Trump carried southern Oregon counties including Klamath which he won by a 69% to 28% margin. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/oregon/poll-oregons-kate-brown-is-most-unpopular-u-s-governor/article_130ce099-5d97-553f-9e61-3e738e46cee2.html | 2022-04-30T06:30:29Z |
Correspondents’ gala offers political normalcy despite COVID
WASHINGTON (AP) — Much of Washington is ready to party like it’s 2019, before the coronavirus, when the biggest risk at the annual White House press corps gala was more likely to be jokes that ruffled too many political feathers.
After the pandemic nixed the event in 2020 and 2021, the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner returns Saturday night, with Joe Biden as the first sitting president to attend in six years after Donald Trump shunned it while in office.
Comedy is also back, with “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah as headliner. Celebrities are, too: Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson are expected to turn up, and the Funny or Die comedy studio is co-sponsoring an after-party. The event also draws a large swath of government officials and other prominent figures.
“Seeing the president of the United States come back, and the dinner come back, I think signals more than a pause in the pandemic,” said Harold Holzer, author of the book “The Presidents vs. The Press.” “We’re safe to talk to each other again.
“I think this relationship — even if it’s a one-night thing where witticisms are exchanged and people make fun of others and each other — it’s a very healthy thing.”
It feels like the return of a modicum of normalcy for the nation’s capital, but it is also a reminder that COVID-19 remains a threat. Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive this week and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top coronavirus expert, is skipping the dinner “because of my individual assessment of my personal risk.”
That raised questions about whether the 79-year-old Biden should go. The president is going to pass up the meal and turn up later for the program. He plans to be masked when not speaking.
Biden mentioned the dinner during a speech this week about Russia’s war on Ukraine, saying, “I’ve always had respect for the press but I can’t tell you how much respect I have watching them in these zones where they’re under fire.”
“Imagine if we weren’t getting that information,” the president added. “It would be a different world.”
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden’s plan to attend “does stand in stark contrast to his predecessor, who not only questioned the legitimacy of the press on a nearly daily basis, but also never attended the dinner.” Trump gleefully boycotted the event and at times branded the media “the enemy of the people.”
After the recent Gridiron Club press dinner in Washington, dozens of attendees, including members of Congress and of Biden’s Cabinet and journalists, tested positive for COVID-19.
The White House is stressing the abundance of the antiviral pill Paxlovid, which has been shown to reduce by 90% severe outcomes from the virus among those at highest risk. Still, Psaki has said of Biden, “We want to be very clear that it is possible he could test positive for COVID, just like any American.”
That’s because the U.S. is experiencing a COVID case spike from a highly contagious subvariant of omicron, with confirmed infections rising to about 44,000 per day, up from 26,000 a month ago. Though well below the maximum of 800,000-plus cases per day nationwide during the height of the omicron wave earlier this year, current statistics are probably undercounts given the increased availability of at-home COVID-19 tests whose results may not be reported to health authorities.
The White House Correspondents’ Association said it would require same-day antigen testing for its dinner attendees even before the Gridiron outbreak. It has since added a vaccination requirement for those attending Saturday’s gala, which will have a capacity exceeding 2,600 and is fully booked.
Despite the latest wave of COVID-19 cases, virus deaths and hospitalizations are near, or at, pandemic lows, with the BA.2 variant proving less severe than earlier virus strains. Just over 300 people are dying in the U.S. each day from the virus, down from more than 2,600 daily earlier this year — with about 1,600 hospitalizations per day, declining from a peak of more than 21,000 daily in January.
The correspondents’ dinner debuted in 1921. Calvin Coolidge became the first president to attend three years later and all have since, except Trump. Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon opted not to attend every year of their presidencies, however, and Ronald Reagan, then recovering from a assassination attempt, missed the 1981 installment — but called in from Camp David.
“The thing I think this shows is the restoration to the health of the relationship,” said Holzer, director of the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College in New York. “It’s still barbed, there are still tense moments. But that’s OK.”
After comedian Michelle Wolf’s sharp satire sparked controversy in 2018, the event the following year featured historian Ron Chernow. The return of celebrities this time recalls President Barack Obama’s administration, when the likes of George Clooney, Charlize Theron and Viola Davis attended.
As vice president in 2014, Biden appeared in a comedy video with the star of HBO’s “Veep,” Julia Louis-Dreyfus, which drew big laughs at the correspondents’ dinner. The White House director of speech writing, Vinay Reddy, and longtime Biden adviser Mike Donilon worked on Biden’s remarks for this year, the White House said, tapping material from a variety of people both inside and outside government.
Psaki already acknowledged trying to lower expectations, saying the speech is “not funny at all. Just kidding.” Presidential attempts at humor can be tricky, though.
At the 2011 dinner, Obama skewered an unamused Trump — in his presence — over Trump’s fictitious claims about the then-president’s birth certificate. Obama concluded by musing about Trump taking his job one day, saying, “He certainly would bring some change to the White House” as banquet hall screens flashed a parody image of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue’s grand façade fitted with a Trump logo, golden columns, a digital clock and a sign proclaiming “Hotel, Casino, Golf Course, Presidential Suite.”
That turned out to be prophetic, since Trump of course succeeded Obama — though the overhauls he eventually brought to the presidency stopped short of affixing his name to the White House.
___
Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/30/correspondents-gala-offers-political-normalcy-despite-covid/ | 2022-04-30T06:54:50Z |
Dems hone populist appeal with proposed stock trading ban
WASHINGTON (AP) — When Rep. Abigail Spanberger first introduced a bill banning stock trading by members of Congress and their families, the Virginia Democrat managed to get only eight co-sponsors. So far this session, 62 — or about one out of every seven House members — have signed on.
It’s a similar story in the Senate. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., a once lonely voice on the issue, had just one co-sponsor for his proposed stock trading ban in the last two congressional sessions. Now, he has nine.
The uptick in support reflects a growing lawmaker appetite to tighten the rules around trading after several members faced heavy scrutiny for their stock transactions during the pandemic. While there’s no guarantee any of the proposals will become law, many lawmakers facing the toughest reelection races have embraced the legislation, elevating the ethics issue as a talking point — and potential point of attack — for the midterm campaigns.
Even with voters focused on issues like inflation and the war in Ukraine, Spanberger said the trading ban comes up time and again when she meets with constituents.
“No matter where I am, somebody brings it up,” said Spanberger, who is among those lawmakers facing a difficult reelection bid.
But it’s not clear sailing. Other lawmakers, particularly Republicans, are skeptical and raising concerns about the merits of such a ban and the logistics of enforcing it. And while congressional leaders say they are open to the proposals, there are doubts from some lawmakers about whether that will translate to action.
“The headwind is that some members of Congress don’t want to abide by these rules, and some of those members are in leadership,” Spanberger said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., initially said she did not support a stock trading ban back in December. “We are a free market economy. They should be able to participate in that,” she told reporters. But in February she announced she was open to one. “It’s complicated, and members will figure it out. And then we’ll go forward with what the consensus is,” she said.
Under current law, members of Congress and government employees must report the sale and purchases of stocks, bonds, commodity futures and other securities no more than 30 days after learning they were made and within 45 days of a transaction exceeding $1,000.
But lawmakers have been routinely late in filing such notices, and in some cases didn’t file at all, leading to a flurry of complaints to the House Ethics Committee.
During a House hearing on the issue in April, Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., said it’s clear the current disclosure laws aren’t working as intended. But he characterized the violations as mostly inadvertent.
Davis said he’s heard little from constituents about the stock trading and worries that requiring lawmakers to put assets in a blind trust would prove inordinately expensive for many lawmakers. Still, he’s open to finding a compromise “that doesn’t encourage the ultra wealthy to be only ones to run for Congress.”
Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., went further. He said Americans have the “right and freedom to participate in a free and fair market economy.”
“It’s not going to make a difference to me personally, but it does make a difference to me as an American citizen,” he said.
Watchdog groups warned at the hearing that public disclosure of stock trades has failed to deter lawmakers from owning and trading stocks in companies subject to their oversight, eroding voter trust.
California Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the Democratic chair of the House Administration Committee who has been reviewing the various trading bills introduced, said this week she was “hopeful” of getting a bill through her committee. But she also said “it’s way more complicated than I understood when I first started looking at it.”
Support for the trading ban is bipartisan. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, co-authored the bill with Spanberger, but the vast majority of co-sponsors of the various bills are Democrats. That includes progressives such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
Several Democrats facing tough reelection battles have also signed on as co-sponsors. The list includes Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Sharice Davids of Kansas, Angie Craig of Minnesota, Kim Schrier of Washington, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Tom Malinowski of New Jersey.
Malinowski is under an Ethics Committee investigation after the Office of Congressional Ethics determined there was substantial reason to believe he failed to properly disclose stocks that he purchased or sold. Malinowski said his trading activity was conducted by a third-party investment manager without his involvement. He has since established a qualified blind trust to manage his investments. But Republicans have made the trades and the ethics investigation an issue as they try to win back Malinowski’s New Jersey seat.
Slotkin said she was elected in 2018 after promising not to accept donations from corporate political action committees. She called it a defining issue in that race, and she views the proposed trading ban as an extension of that effort.
“Anything that we can do to clean up the perception about elected officials is good for democracy,” Slotkin said.
She said she shares Spanberger’s concern that Pelosi doesn’t consider the stock trading ban a priority.
“When the speaker wants something to get done, it gets done. When she doesn’t want it to get done, you have to fight to get it on the agenda, and that is the place where we are at,” Slotkin said.
In the Senate, 13 Democratic lawmakers, but no Republicans, have signed onto a bill from Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia that would require lawmakers and their spouses and children to place their securities in a blind trust. Three Democratic senators viewed as having the toughest reelection races this year are co-sponsors: Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada.
Larry Parnell, director of the strategic public relations program at George Washington University, said Democratic candidates have had a muddled message going into the midterms because “they’re sort of halfway in, halfway out on certain elements of the Biden agenda.” But he believes the stock trading ban is one idea “that everyone can get behind.”
“Its a win-win situation for anyone looking for a populist message to bring to the market,” Parnell said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/30/dems-hone-populist-appeal-with-proposed-stock-trading-ban/ | 2022-04-30T06:54:56Z |
GOP election-deniers elevate races for secretary of state
ATLANTA (AP) — Add one more group of contests to the white-hot races for Congress and governor that will dominate this year’s midterm elections: secretaries of state.
Former President Donald Trump’s attempts to reverse the results of the 2020 election and his subsequent endorsements of candidates for state election offices who are sympathetic to his view have elevated those races to top-tier status. At stake, say Democrats and others concerned about fair elections, is nothing less than American democracy.
“If they win the general election, we’ve got real problems on our hands,” said former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican who has pushed back against the false claims made by Trump and his allies about widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election. “This is an effort to replace the people who oversee these races — to change the rules to make the results come out the way they want them to.”
The primary season begins in force in the coming week with elections in Ohio and Indiana. Ohio voters will decide which candidate will emerge from the Republican primary for secretary of state, with the winner favored to eventually win the office in the GOP-dominated state.
Primaries for the top election offices will follow over the next few weeks in Nebraska, Idaho, Alabama and the presidential battleground of Georgia. While Indiana also holds a primary Tuesday, nominees for secretary of state and some other offices won’t be decided until party conventions in June.
In all, voters in about two dozen states will be deciding who will be their state’s next chief election official this year. In three politically important states —- Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas — the position will be filled by whoever wins the governor’s race. In New Hampshire, the decision will be made by the state Legislature — currently controlled by Republicans.
States United Action, a nonpartisan advocacy organization co-founded by Whitman, has been tracking secretary of state races and identified nearly two dozen Republican candidates who deny the results of the 2020 presidential election.
That includes John Adams, a former state lawmaker challenging Ohio’s incumbent secretary of state, Frank LaRose, in Tuesday’s GOP primary. Adams has said “there’s no way that Trump lost” and said LaRose wasn’t any different than Stacey Abrams, a Democrat and national voting rights advocate who is running for governor in Georgia.
LaRose hasn’t talked much about the 2020 election on the campaign trail, other than to say it was secure in Ohio and to tout his office’s pursuit of voter fraud cases. This marked a departure following the 2020 vote in which he praised the work of bipartisan election officials in running a smooth election, promoted voter access and presented statistics showing how rare voter fraud is.
Earlier this year, LaRose brushed aside questions about whether his rhetoric had shifted.
“Unfortunately, some people want to make a political issue out of this,” he said. “Of course, it’s right to be concerned about election integrity.”
The pivot was enough to earn him an endorsement from Trump, who is considering another run for president in 2024 and said LaRose was “dedicated to Secure Elections.” LaRose has been touting the endorsement.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, said it was important for Republican secretaries of state, in particular, to speak the truth about the 2020 election.
“Those secretaries who are accepting the support of election-deniers or accepting the support of a former president who openly interfered with the results of a free and fair election are abdicating their role and responsibility to stand as nonpartisan guardians and choosing to put their own partisan agendas ahead of democracy,” Benson said in an interview.
This year, the most high-profile races will unfold in four of the six states where Trump disputed his 2020 loss to President Joe Biden: Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Michigan. Trump has endorsed secretary of state candidates in all but one, backing those who support his false claims.
There is no proof of widespread fraud or wrongdoing. Judges, including ones appointed by Trump, dismissed dozens of lawsuits filed by the former president and his allies after the 2020 election.
Last year, an Associated Press review of every potential 2020 voter fraud case in the six states disputed by Trump found nowhere near enough cases to change the outcome.
Kristina Karamo, Trump’s pick in Michigan, is the first to advance to the November election after state Republicans nominated her at the party’s April 23 convention. A community college professor, Karamo gained prominence after the 2020 election claiming she had seen irregularities in the processing of mail ballots while serving as an election observer in Detroit.
At a rally with Trump before the convention, she accused the media of trying to demonize her, adding “corruption in our elections systems is a national security threat.” She will face Benson, a former law school dean seeking her second term.
“All one has to imagine is what it would be like or what it would have been like if Brad Raffensperger had said, ‘Yes, I will find you those votes and deliver Georgia for you,’” Benson said. “That’s what could happen if you have an election denier serving as secretary of state.”
Raffensperger is the Republican secretary of state in Georgia who withstood enormous pressure to uphold the results of the presidential race there, won by Biden. At one point after the election, Trump called Raffensperger and asked him to “find” nearly 12,000 votes to overturn Biden’s win.
Of the 25 secretary of state races on the ballot this year, nine Republican and seven Democratic incumbents are running to keep their seats. While only one of the Democratic incumbents has drawn a challenger, seven Republican secretaries will be facing at least one GOP opponent who either denies Biden won or makes unsubstantiated claims that elections are not secure.
This includes Raffensperger, who rebuffed Trump’s demands and has drawn three primary challengers. Among them is one endorsed by Trump, U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, who objected to Georgia’s electoral votes being counted for Biden.
In nine states, incumbents have opted against seeking reelection, are running for higher office or are term-limited, leaving open contests. This includes Arizona and Nevada, which hold primaries in the coming months.
Both races feature Republican candidates -- Arizona’s Mark Finchem and Nevada’s Jim Marchant -- who have questioned the outcome of the 2020 election.
Another high-profile race is unfolding in Colorado, where a Republican county clerk under indictment for a security breach of voting systems is running to challenge Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat seeking a second term.
Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters has denied the charges, calling them politically motivated. She has been a frequent guest on conservative media and appeared at various events with Mike Lindell, the MyPillow CEO and Trump ally who has sought to prove voting machines were somehow manipulated in 2020.
In an interview earlier this year, Peters said she was committed to finding the truth of what happened in 2020 and hoped “the powers that be — instead of taking time to attack me — would solve violent crime, would look into election irregularities and find the truth.”
Colorado Republicans will be deciding who their nominee will be in late June.
“Americans are going to have a very simple choice — do we want people overseeing elections who believe in upholding the will of the voter regardless of how they voted?” said Griswold. “Or do we want extremist politicians who will do anything it takes to tilt elections in their favor and claim victory regardless of how the American people cast their ballot?”
___
Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/30/gop-election-deniers-elevate-races-secretary-state/ | 2022-04-30T06:55:02Z |
Princeton native designs custom cleats for WVU football
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. (WVVA) - One Princeton native is taking his talents to Division I college athletics. While he did get his foot in the door, it’s not to play a position on the field... but in a sense -- Jason Farley will be the sole of the team.
Beginning as a pandemic hobby in 2021, Farley brings a natural talent to designing athletic footwear. His day job: nursing.
“I’m an ICU nurse,” Farley said. “I get to see a lot of bad things happen... and COVID -- everybody kind of felt the brunt of it. I needed something to cope with not being the outgoing person I usually am.”
...Thirteen months later, his hobby is off and running.
“I never imagined I would be where I am right now,” he said.
Farley is designing custom cleats for a Division I football program.
“I was like... nobody is going to get this done for me,” Farley said. “If I want to grow and get better and get my name out there, I’m going to have to reach out.”
Living in North Carolina -- the Mercer County native pitched his designs to UNC, Duke and Wake Forest... with no success, his mind took him down country roads.
“I was like dude, you’re from West Virginia,” Farley said. “Why have you not hit up WVU?”
“So for West Virginia, I had reached out to the head equipment manager at WVU. He immediately reached back out to me the next day after I had emailed him...”
After working through the details -- just like a favorite pair of footwear -- it was the perfect fit.
“I did 14 pair for them,” Farley said. “I did two for the director of football operations, two for the head coach, Neal Brown, and 10 for players. That was five different designs that I did. I did that in two and a half weeks, and it took me like 70 hours to complete.”
But Farley’s feet hadn’t crossed the finish line...
“On short notice, I was told that they wanted me to come up the day before the spring game to present the shoes at a team meeting. I immediately arranged some plans...”
“We were walking to the meeting room, and the director of football said ‘are you ready to talk in front of a bunch of guys?...’ I said -- ‘No, but let’s do it.’”
“The coolest experience I’ve literally ever had in my life. Everybody seemed to love my designs I did for them, everybody treated me with way more respect than I thought I would get... I knew I would get a great amount of respect from everybody, but they treated me like one of their own,” he said.
While nursing still pays the bills for now, a full-time shoe customization career isn’t out of the question...
“If I can get some professional athletes, maybe one day,” Farley said.
For now, he is enjoying his pace -- as he is just beginning his race into big-time athletic footwear design... a journey that started at his kitchen table and has taken him all the way to Division I in a year’s time.
“Coming from Princeton, big things don’t always happen for people back home. So it’s been a really cool way to represent.”
If you’re interested in custom shoes from Farley -- you can connect with him on social media: @farleycustoms.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/30/princeton-native-designs-custom-cleats-wvu-football/ | 2022-04-30T06:55:09Z |
Three PikeView athletes sign to play at the next level
Published: Apr. 30, 2022 at 1:20 AM EDT|Updated: 1 hours ago
PRINCETON, W.Va. (WVVA) - Three PikeView athletes put pen to paper on Friday.
Kat Webb and Alex Patton are headed to Concord. Montana Mann is headed to Bluefield State.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/30/three-pikeview-athletes-sign-play-next-level/ | 2022-04-30T06:55:15Z |
Correspondents’ gala offers political normalcy despite COVID
WASHINGTON (AP) — Much of Washington is ready to party like it’s 2019, before the coronavirus, when the biggest risk at the annual White House press corps gala was more likely to be jokes that ruffled too many political feathers.
After the pandemic nixed the event in 2020 and 2021, the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner returns Saturday night, with Joe Biden as the first sitting president to attend in six years after Donald Trump shunned it while in office.
Comedy is also back, with “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah as headliner. Celebrities are, too: Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson are expected to turn up, and the Funny or Die comedy studio is co-sponsoring an after-party. The event also draws a large swath of government officials and other prominent figures.
“Seeing the president of the United States come back, and the dinner come back, I think signals more than a pause in the pandemic,” said Harold Holzer, author of the book “The Presidents vs. The Press.” “We’re safe to talk to each other again.
“I think this relationship — even if it’s a one-night thing where witticisms are exchanged and people make fun of others and each other — it’s a very healthy thing.”
It feels like the return of a modicum of normalcy for the nation’s capital, but it is also a reminder that COVID-19 remains a threat. Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive this week and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top coronavirus expert, is skipping the dinner “because of my individual assessment of my personal risk.”
That raised questions about whether the 79-year-old Biden should go. The president is going to pass up the meal and turn up later for the program. He plans to be masked when not speaking.
Biden mentioned the dinner during a speech this week about Russia’s war on Ukraine, saying, “I’ve always had respect for the press but I can’t tell you how much respect I have watching them in these zones where they’re under fire.”
“Imagine if we weren’t getting that information,” the president added. “It would be a different world.”
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden’s plan to attend “does stand in stark contrast to his predecessor, who not only questioned the legitimacy of the press on a nearly daily basis, but also never attended the dinner.” Trump gleefully boycotted the event and at times branded the media “the enemy of the people.”
After the recent Gridiron Club press dinner in Washington, dozens of attendees, including members of Congress and of Biden’s Cabinet and journalists, tested positive for COVID-19.
The White House is stressing the abundance of the antiviral pill Paxlovid, which has been shown to reduce by 90% severe outcomes from the virus among those at highest risk. Still, Psaki has said of Biden, “We want to be very clear that it is possible he could test positive for COVID, just like any American.”
That’s because the U.S. is experiencing a COVID case spike from a highly contagious subvariant of omicron, with confirmed infections rising to about 44,000 per day, up from 26,000 a month ago. Though well below the maximum of 800,000-plus cases per day nationwide during the height of the omicron wave earlier this year, current statistics are probably undercounts given the increased availability of at-home COVID-19 tests whose results may not be reported to health authorities.
The White House Correspondents’ Association said it would require same-day antigen testing for its dinner attendees even before the Gridiron outbreak. It has since added a vaccination requirement for those attending Saturday’s gala, which will have a capacity exceeding 2,600 and is fully booked.
Despite the latest wave of COVID-19 cases, virus deaths and hospitalizations are near, or at, pandemic lows, with the BA.2 variant proving less severe than earlier virus strains. Just over 300 people are dying in the U.S. each day from the virus, down from more than 2,600 daily earlier this year — with about 1,600 hospitalizations per day, declining from a peak of more than 21,000 daily in January.
The correspondents’ dinner debuted in 1921. Calvin Coolidge became the first president to attend three years later and all have since, except Trump. Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon opted not to attend every year of their presidencies, however, and Ronald Reagan, then recovering from a assassination attempt, missed the 1981 installment — but called in from Camp David.
“The thing I think this shows is the restoration to the health of the relationship,” said Holzer, director of the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College in New York. “It’s still barbed, there are still tense moments. But that’s OK.”
After comedian Michelle Wolf’s sharp satire sparked controversy in 2018, the event the following year featured historian Ron Chernow. The return of celebrities this time recalls President Barack Obama’s administration, when the likes of George Clooney, Charlize Theron and Viola Davis attended.
As vice president in 2014, Biden appeared in a comedy video with the star of HBO’s “Veep,” Julia Louis-Dreyfus, which drew big laughs at the correspondents’ dinner. The White House director of speech writing, Vinay Reddy, and longtime Biden adviser Mike Donilon worked on Biden’s remarks for this year, the White House said, tapping material from a variety of people both inside and outside government.
Psaki already acknowledged trying to lower expectations, saying the speech is “not funny at all. Just kidding.” Presidential attempts at humor can be tricky, though.
At the 2011 dinner, Obama skewered an unamused Trump — in his presence — over Trump’s fictitious claims about the then-president’s birth certificate. Obama concluded by musing about Trump taking his job one day, saying, “He certainly would bring some change to the White House” as banquet hall screens flashed a parody image of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue’s grand façade fitted with a Trump logo, golden columns, a digital clock and a sign proclaiming “Hotel, Casino, Golf Course, Presidential Suite.”
That turned out to be prophetic, since Trump of course succeeded Obama — though the overhauls he eventually brought to the presidency stopped short of affixing his name to the White House.
___
Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/04/30/correspondents-gala-offers-political-normalcy-despite-covid/ | 2022-04-30T07:33:48Z |
Dems hone populist appeal with proposed stock trading ban
WASHINGTON (AP) — When Rep. Abigail Spanberger first introduced a bill banning stock trading by members of Congress and their families, the Virginia Democrat managed to get only eight co-sponsors. So far this session, 62 — or about one out of every seven House members — have signed on.
It’s a similar story in the Senate. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., a once lonely voice on the issue, had just one co-sponsor for his proposed stock trading ban in the last two congressional sessions. Now, he has nine.
The uptick in support reflects a growing lawmaker appetite to tighten the rules around trading after several members faced heavy scrutiny for their stock transactions during the pandemic. While there’s no guarantee any of the proposals will become law, many lawmakers facing the toughest reelection races have embraced the legislation, elevating the ethics issue as a talking point — and potential point of attack — for the midterm campaigns.
Even with voters focused on issues like inflation and the war in Ukraine, Spanberger said the trading ban comes up time and again when she meets with constituents.
“No matter where I am, somebody brings it up,” said Spanberger, who is among those lawmakers facing a difficult reelection bid.
But it’s not clear sailing. Other lawmakers, particularly Republicans, are skeptical and raising concerns about the merits of such a ban and the logistics of enforcing it. And while congressional leaders say they are open to the proposals, there are doubts from some lawmakers about whether that will translate to action.
“The headwind is that some members of Congress don’t want to abide by these rules, and some of those members are in leadership,” Spanberger said.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., initially said she did not support a stock trading ban back in December. “We are a free market economy. They should be able to participate in that,” she told reporters. But in February she announced she was open to one. “It’s complicated, and members will figure it out. And then we’ll go forward with what the consensus is,” she said.
Under current law, members of Congress and government employees must report the sale and purchases of stocks, bonds, commodity futures and other securities no more than 30 days after learning they were made and within 45 days of a transaction exceeding $1,000.
But lawmakers have been routinely late in filing such notices, and in some cases didn’t file at all, leading to a flurry of complaints to the House Ethics Committee.
During a House hearing on the issue in April, Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Ill., said it’s clear the current disclosure laws aren’t working as intended. But he characterized the violations as mostly inadvertent.
Davis said he’s heard little from constituents about the stock trading and worries that requiring lawmakers to put assets in a blind trust would prove inordinately expensive for many lawmakers. Still, he’s open to finding a compromise “that doesn’t encourage the ultra wealthy to be only ones to run for Congress.”
Rep. Barry Loudermilk, R-Ga., went further. He said Americans have the “right and freedom to participate in a free and fair market economy.”
“It’s not going to make a difference to me personally, but it does make a difference to me as an American citizen,” he said.
Watchdog groups warned at the hearing that public disclosure of stock trades has failed to deter lawmakers from owning and trading stocks in companies subject to their oversight, eroding voter trust.
California Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the Democratic chair of the House Administration Committee who has been reviewing the various trading bills introduced, said this week she was “hopeful” of getting a bill through her committee. But she also said “it’s way more complicated than I understood when I first started looking at it.”
Support for the trading ban is bipartisan. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, co-authored the bill with Spanberger, but the vast majority of co-sponsors of the various bills are Democrats. That includes progressives such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
Several Democrats facing tough reelection battles have also signed on as co-sponsors. The list includes Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Sharice Davids of Kansas, Angie Craig of Minnesota, Kim Schrier of Washington, Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Tom Malinowski of New Jersey.
Malinowski is under an Ethics Committee investigation after the Office of Congressional Ethics determined there was substantial reason to believe he failed to properly disclose stocks that he purchased or sold. Malinowski said his trading activity was conducted by a third-party investment manager without his involvement. He has since established a qualified blind trust to manage his investments. But Republicans have made the trades and the ethics investigation an issue as they try to win back Malinowski’s New Jersey seat.
Slotkin said she was elected in 2018 after promising not to accept donations from corporate political action committees. She called it a defining issue in that race, and she views the proposed trading ban as an extension of that effort.
“Anything that we can do to clean up the perception about elected officials is good for democracy,” Slotkin said.
She said she shares Spanberger’s concern that Pelosi doesn’t consider the stock trading ban a priority.
“When the speaker wants something to get done, it gets done. When she doesn’t want it to get done, you have to fight to get it on the agenda, and that is the place where we are at,” Slotkin said.
In the Senate, 13 Democratic lawmakers, but no Republicans, have signed onto a bill from Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia that would require lawmakers and their spouses and children to place their securities in a blind trust. Three Democratic senators viewed as having the toughest reelection races this year are co-sponsors: Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona, Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada.
Larry Parnell, director of the strategic public relations program at George Washington University, said Democratic candidates have had a muddled message going into the midterms because “they’re sort of halfway in, halfway out on certain elements of the Biden agenda.” But he believes the stock trading ban is one idea “that everyone can get behind.”
“Its a win-win situation for anyone looking for a populist message to bring to the market,” Parnell said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/04/30/dems-hone-populist-appeal-with-proposed-stock-trading-ban/ | 2022-04-30T07:33:55Z |
GOP election-deniers elevate races for secretary of state
ATLANTA (AP) — Add one more group of contests to the white-hot races for Congress and governor that will dominate this year’s midterm elections: secretaries of state.
Former President Donald Trump’s attempts to reverse the results of the 2020 election and his subsequent endorsements of candidates for state election offices who are sympathetic to his view have elevated those races to top-tier status. At stake, say Democrats and others concerned about fair elections, is nothing less than American democracy.
“If they win the general election, we’ve got real problems on our hands,” said former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, a Republican who has pushed back against the false claims made by Trump and his allies about widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election. “This is an effort to replace the people who oversee these races — to change the rules to make the results come out the way they want them to.”
The primary season begins in force in the coming week with elections in Ohio and Indiana. Ohio voters will decide which candidate will emerge from the Republican primary for secretary of state, with the winner favored to eventually win the office in the GOP-dominated state.
Primaries for the top election offices will follow over the next few weeks in Nebraska, Idaho, Alabama and the presidential battleground of Georgia. While Indiana also holds a primary Tuesday, nominees for secretary of state and some other offices won’t be decided until party conventions in June.
In all, voters in about two dozen states will be deciding who will be their state’s next chief election official this year. In three politically important states —- Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas — the position will be filled by whoever wins the governor’s race. In New Hampshire, the decision will be made by the state Legislature — currently controlled by Republicans.
States United Action, a nonpartisan advocacy organization co-founded by Whitman, has been tracking secretary of state races and identified nearly two dozen Republican candidates who deny the results of the 2020 presidential election.
That includes John Adams, a former state lawmaker challenging Ohio’s incumbent secretary of state, Frank LaRose, in Tuesday’s GOP primary. Adams has said “there’s no way that Trump lost” and said LaRose wasn’t any different than Stacey Abrams, a Democrat and national voting rights advocate who is running for governor in Georgia.
LaRose hasn’t talked much about the 2020 election on the campaign trail, other than to say it was secure in Ohio and to tout his office’s pursuit of voter fraud cases. This marked a departure following the 2020 vote in which he praised the work of bipartisan election officials in running a smooth election, promoted voter access and presented statistics showing how rare voter fraud is.
Earlier this year, LaRose brushed aside questions about whether his rhetoric had shifted.
“Unfortunately, some people want to make a political issue out of this,” he said. “Of course, it’s right to be concerned about election integrity.”
The pivot was enough to earn him an endorsement from Trump, who is considering another run for president in 2024 and said LaRose was “dedicated to Secure Elections.” LaRose has been touting the endorsement.
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, said it was important for Republican secretaries of state, in particular, to speak the truth about the 2020 election.
“Those secretaries who are accepting the support of election-deniers or accepting the support of a former president who openly interfered with the results of a free and fair election are abdicating their role and responsibility to stand as nonpartisan guardians and choosing to put their own partisan agendas ahead of democracy,” Benson said in an interview.
This year, the most high-profile races will unfold in four of the six states where Trump disputed his 2020 loss to President Joe Biden: Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and Michigan. Trump has endorsed secretary of state candidates in all but one, backing those who support his false claims.
There is no proof of widespread fraud or wrongdoing. Judges, including ones appointed by Trump, dismissed dozens of lawsuits filed by the former president and his allies after the 2020 election.
Last year, an Associated Press review of every potential 2020 voter fraud case in the six states disputed by Trump found nowhere near enough cases to change the outcome.
Kristina Karamo, Trump’s pick in Michigan, is the first to advance to the November election after state Republicans nominated her at the party’s April 23 convention. A community college professor, Karamo gained prominence after the 2020 election claiming she had seen irregularities in the processing of mail ballots while serving as an election observer in Detroit.
At a rally with Trump before the convention, she accused the media of trying to demonize her, adding “corruption in our elections systems is a national security threat.” She will face Benson, a former law school dean seeking her second term.
“All one has to imagine is what it would be like or what it would have been like if Brad Raffensperger had said, ‘Yes, I will find you those votes and deliver Georgia for you,’” Benson said. “That’s what could happen if you have an election denier serving as secretary of state.”
Raffensperger is the Republican secretary of state in Georgia who withstood enormous pressure to uphold the results of the presidential race there, won by Biden. At one point after the election, Trump called Raffensperger and asked him to “find” nearly 12,000 votes to overturn Biden’s win.
Of the 25 secretary of state races on the ballot this year, nine Republican and seven Democratic incumbents are running to keep their seats. While only one of the Democratic incumbents has drawn a challenger, seven Republican secretaries will be facing at least one GOP opponent who either denies Biden won or makes unsubstantiated claims that elections are not secure.
This includes Raffensperger, who rebuffed Trump’s demands and has drawn three primary challengers. Among them is one endorsed by Trump, U.S. Rep. Jody Hice, who objected to Georgia’s electoral votes being counted for Biden.
In nine states, incumbents have opted against seeking reelection, are running for higher office or are term-limited, leaving open contests. This includes Arizona and Nevada, which hold primaries in the coming months.
Both races feature Republican candidates -- Arizona’s Mark Finchem and Nevada’s Jim Marchant -- who have questioned the outcome of the 2020 election.
Another high-profile race is unfolding in Colorado, where a Republican county clerk under indictment for a security breach of voting systems is running to challenge Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat seeking a second term.
Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters has denied the charges, calling them politically motivated. She has been a frequent guest on conservative media and appeared at various events with Mike Lindell, the MyPillow CEO and Trump ally who has sought to prove voting machines were somehow manipulated in 2020.
In an interview earlier this year, Peters said she was committed to finding the truth of what happened in 2020 and hoped “the powers that be — instead of taking time to attack me — would solve violent crime, would look into election irregularities and find the truth.”
Colorado Republicans will be deciding who their nominee will be in late June.
“Americans are going to have a very simple choice — do we want people overseeing elections who believe in upholding the will of the voter regardless of how they voted?” said Griswold. “Or do we want extremist politicians who will do anything it takes to tilt elections in their favor and claim victory regardless of how the American people cast their ballot?”
___
Associated Press writer Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/04/30/gop-election-deniers-elevate-races-secretary-state/ | 2022-04-30T07:34:01Z |
More evacuations expected near dangerous Southwest wildfires
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Thousands of firefighters battled destructive wildfires in the Southwest as more residents prepared to evacuate Friday into the weekend in northern New Mexico where strong winds and dangerously dry conditions have made the blazes hard to contain.
The biggest fire in the U.S. grew to more than 117 square miles (303 square kilometers) through the afternoon northeast of Santa Fe. Gusty winds prevented any aerial attacks by midmorning and crews lost some of the containment they had established in previous days.
The rapid rate of the spread of the fire was exceeding dire predictions in some areas, incident commander Carl Schwope said Friday night.
“We’re in a very dangerous situation. Evacuation statuses are changing as we speak,” he warned at a briefing in Las Vegas, New Mexico, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of Santa Fe.
More air and ground forces were on the way, he said, to fortify the nearly 1,000 firefighters on the fire lines there and winds that gusted up to 65 mph were beginning to subside as nightfall approached.
There were no immediate reports of any new structures have been lost since the local sheriff confirmed Thursday night at least 166 homes have been destroyed in northeast New Mexico’s rural San Miguel County.
But erratic wind shifts in some of the driest conditions the region has seen in years were forecast again Saturday, and authorities were making preparations to evacuate some residents as far north as Taos.
“Just getting people out of the way, that’s been the mission today,” Sheriff Chris Lopez said at the briefing in Las Vegas. Some of the most active fire was heading in the direction of that town but he said the town itself was not in immediate danger.
Fire lines were bolstered outside the rural New Mexico community of Ledoux in efforts to save structures, and they appeared to be holding.
More than 2,000 firefighters were battling fires in Arizona and New Mexico on Friday — about half of those in northeast New Mexico, where a total of more than 187 square miles (484 square kilometers) of mostly timber and brush have been charred.
Red flag warnings for extreme fire danger were in place Friday for nearly all of New Mexico and parts of Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
The fires are burning unusually hot and fast for this time of year, especially in the Southwest, where experts said some timber in the region is drier than kiln-dried wood.
“We still have some fire weather to get through tonight, tomorrow and several days afterwards,” fire behavior specialist Stewart Turner said at Friday night’s briefing in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
“It’s very important that everybody pays attention to the evacuation orders because this is a very, very serious fire — very dangerous fire behavior out there.”
Matthew Probst, Las Vegas-based medical director for the health clinic network El Centro Family Health, said the nearby fire has swept through impoverished communities already frayed by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Here, you’re losing meager homes, but it’s everything. It’s all they had,” said Probst, a coordinator of county health services for wildfire evacuees.
Rural families in the area were caught off guard after heading home from an early evacuation — only to be ambushed by a fast-moving fire last week.
A 79-year-old widow from the tiny community of Sapello left her house and a blue heeler cattle dog for a doctor’s appointment, with boxes packed for possible evacuation with jewelry and her 1964 wedding photos. Winds kicked up, and police said it was too late to go back for anything.
“They said, ‘No ma’am, it’s far too dangerous,’” said Sonya Berg in a phone interview Friday from an emergency shelter at a nearby middle school.
A close friend says the house burned, but Berg doesn’t want to believe it. A neighbor rescued the dog.
“I’m in denial until I go and see it,” said Berg, whose husband passed away in 2019 and was buried outside the home. “He’s up there, he’s been through the whole thing. I’m hoping the gravestone we put up is still there.”
In the Jemez Mountains east of Los Alamos, another wildfire spanning 12 square miles (30 square kilometers) crept in the direction of Bandelier National Monument, which closed its backcountry hiking trails as a precaution while central visiting areas remained open.
In northern Arizona, authorities are nearing full containment of a 30 square-mile (77 square-kilometer) blaze that destroyed at least 30 homes near Flagstaff and forced hundreds to evacuate. A top-level national management team turned it back over to the local forest Friday.
“It’s pretty stable for the most part,” said Coconino National Forest spokeswoman Randi Shaffer. “We’re not seeing any forecasted crazy weather patterns. We have fire crews monitoring, all of our suppression efforts have been holding.”
Some residents near another fire 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Prescott haven’t been allowed back home. Firefighters have about one-third of the 14 square-mile (37-square-kilometer) fire’s perimeter contained. Lighter winds were expected into the weekend, but low humidity will be a concern, fire officials said.
___
Associated Press writer Scott Sonner contributed to this report from Reno, Nevada. Attanasio reported from Santa Fe. Attanasio is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/04/30/more-evacuations-expected-near-dangerous-southwest-wildfires/ | 2022-04-30T07:34:07Z |
Tornadoes rip through suburb in Kansas
Published: Apr. 30, 2022 at 3:16 AM EDT|Updated: 17 minutes ago
(CNN) - Multiple tornadoes reportedly touched down in Kansas Friday night, prompting Gov. Laura Kelly to declare a State of Disaster Emergency.
A massive twister ripped through parts of Andover, a suburb outside of Wichita.
Residents say much of the city is without power.
There are reports of damage including to homes, Andover City Hall, a high school, and the city’s YMCA.
There are no immediate reports of injuries.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/04/30/tornadoes-rip-through-suburb-kansas/ | 2022-04-30T07:34:16Z |
Acacia University to enrich UniAthena's pool of accredited Degrees & Micro Credit Courses
OXFORD, England, April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Acacia University, USA, enters into collaboration with UniAthena, a UK-based EdTech provider with a global reach of learners from diverse backgrounds and communities to offer several professional programs and short courses with a vocational or technical focus. Upholding the value of equality of educational opportunity, the UniAthena-Acacia partnership aims to serve the socially and economically underprivileged student community.
An inclusive university in a diverse world, Acacia aims at making education accessible to all by giving everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, the chance to study at higher levels of education. It fosters a different type of learning environment featuring extensive collaboration in professional virtual learning communities.
Through its strategic partnership with UniAthena, Acacia University will offer:
- UniAthena's academic programs, comprising accredited Doctoral and Master Level Degrees and Diplomas
- Professional certification programs
- Free short courses in various disciplines on the UniAthena platform - A diverse pool of free-to-learn short courses principally designed to upskill learners in specific domains
These programs are designed to enhance the learner's knowledge and critical thinking abilities and develop expertise in that optimise. UniAthena continually aspires to be on the cutting edge of education to empower learners, upskilling them for the most in-demand jobs at the workplace. It has developed a delivery model which can accommodate the requirements of people from all walks of life. The programs are delivered through well-crafted Learning Resources and assessed through projects that conform to very high standards.
Athena Global Education and Acacia University share the same mission: providing high-quality education through innovative forms of online learning. Both the institutions enable learners to reach their personal and professional goals and also work for the greater good of society.
"We are thrilled to join hands with UniAthena and we are confident that this alliance will help us achieve our shared vision. Digital learning has gained momentum in recent years and has been at the forefront of our battle for seamless education during the pandemic years. We believe that Acacia & UniAthena together can open new horizons and opportunities for more learners and assist in their professional growth," says Mr. Tim R Moman, President, Acacia University.
"The values held dear by us at UniAthena– Affordability, Accessibility, Flexibility, resonate with those of Acacia, and a partnership between the two will pave the way for a brighter, successful career for the learners. It will equip the learners with skills in high demand at the workplace but in short supply. We both implement the best practices when it comes to design and delivery of programs and are totally committed to the welfare of the students," says Mr. Firoz Thairinil, Founder & CEO, Athena Global Education.
Today, UniAthena is a Global Education services platform dedicated to providing high-quality education to students from around the world, from the Middle East to North Africa to the United States. Its academic programs comprise Doctoral and Master Level Degrees and Diplomas from top-ranking universities and professional certifications from renowned bodies. It leverages technology to make the learner's experience an easy and enriching one.
For more information, please visit https://uniathena.com.
About Athena Global Education:
Athena Global Education is an Online Education provider offering self-paced Masters, Doctorate, and Microcredit programs in collaboration with European Universities and Reputed Professional Qualifications Authority. Athena is the latest venture of Westford Education Group, a higher education services provider since 2009.
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SOURCE UniAthena | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/30/uniathena-enters-into-strategic-partnership-with-acacia-university-usa/ | 2022-04-30T07:34:22Z |
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Hurricane season begins in June, but state and federal officials are warning Hawaii residents to start preparing now for how to be safe during a storm.
Hurricane Preparedness Week is just around the corner, May 1 - May 7. Officials are warning residents to not be complacent, despite near misses.
Hawaii is no stranger to hurricanes. Hurricane Douglas was a strong tropical cyclone that became the closest passing Pacific hurricane to pass near Oahu on record. Only two hurricanes in recorded history have made landfall in Hawaii. Hurricane Iniki was the most powerful hurricane to strike the state of Hawaii in recorded history in 1992 and Hurricane Dot in 1959.
Today, Governor David Ige and federal officials at the NWS, Central Pacific Hurricane Center, stressed the vital importance of being prepared for all storms that could devastate our Islands and our lives.
“I’m sure everyone remembers…the close call we had back in 2020 when Hurricane Douglas threatened every county and to go through every single island, " reminded Ige. "Douglas passed just a few dozen miles past the islands, sparing the state from any devastating impacts. This was not the case a couple of years earlier in 2018, when several tropical cyclones in that year, that included Hurricane Lane and tropical storm Olivia, did impact the state."
“I worry about the complacency, about everybody and the public, we had so many near misses," says John Bravender, meteorologist at the NWS/Central Pacific Hurricane Center. "Douglas was a big one where, it could have been really bad. Just a couple of miles offshore a Hurricane with an eye just passing north of us."
Because of the supply chain issues to the Islands, the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency recommends a 14-day supply of food, water, and medicine.
Preparedness does takes time, especially when you are 2,500 miles away from the nearest mainland distribution center.
“We continue to see disruptions in the supply chain worldwide, so if you are planning a project to strengthen your home for hurricane season or to stock up on emergency supplies, we encourage you to beat the rush,” says Adam Weintraub, of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. "If you think about hurricane preparedness early, that should make it easier for you to find the materials and the supplies that you need.”
The NWS, Hurricane Center and The Climate Prediction Center are collaborating now on the "Hurricane Seasonal Outlook", a forecast of conditions for the upcoming hurricane season, which will be released on May 18th. And KITV-4 will bring that report to you next month. | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/hawaii-officials-urge-hurricane-preparedness-as-hurricane-season-nears/article_ad90fb90-c83d-11ec-a0bd-63815c1ffcde.html | 2022-04-30T08:02:55Z |
Tornadoes rip through suburb in Kansas
Published: Apr. 30, 2022 at 3:16 AM EDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
(CNN) - Multiple tornadoes reportedly touched down in Kansas Friday night, prompting Gov. Laura Kelly to declare a State of Disaster Emergency.
A massive twister ripped through parts of Andover, a suburb outside of Wichita.
Residents say much of the city is without power.
There are reports of damage including to homes, Andover City Hall, a high school, and the city’s YMCA.
There are no immediate reports of injuries.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/30/tornadoes-rip-through-suburb-kansas/ | 2022-04-30T08:26:25Z |
HONOLULU (KITV4) -- It was on April 29, 1972 at the old Honolulu Stadium when something was done that will likely never happen again.
Glenn Goya threw a perfect game to lead Punahou to the state high school baseball championship.
Goya retired 27 straight batters without giving up a hit or a walk. He struck out eight while blanking Saint Louis five to nothing.
Because high school games have been shortened to seven innings, Goya's gem will never be matched.
On Friday, players from that team gathered to reminisce and honor their coaches.
What was Goya's reaction to achieving perfection?
"I couldn't believe a that time I had thrown a perfect game. It was just surreal, unbelieveable, but it couldn't have happened without the tremendous support from everyone," Goya said.
"He threw a ton of strikes, but there were also a lot of great plays in the outfield," said Doug Bennett, the 1972 Punahou head baseball coach. "So there were a number of things that could have broke it open, but as I said the defense was awesome."
Goya went on to play ball at Colorado State and led the nation in 1977 with a .485 batting average.
He was later drafted by the San Francisco Giants, but after two years in the minors decided to hang up his cleats.
But he'll always have that perfect game, and Goya says it remains one of the biggest highlights of his life.
Do you have a story idea? Email news tips to news@kitv.com | https://www.kitv.com/news/local/a-pitcher-from-punahou-made-local-baseball-history-50-years-ago/article_4f4e3b6e-c861-11ec-b734-5ba65ebd3e51.html | 2022-04-30T09:47:03Z |
6 people shot at popular New Orleans bar on first weekend of Jazz Fest
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE/Gray News) - Police are searching for at least one person who left six people injured after a shooting near a popular New Orleans Uptown bar.
Around 10:17 p.m. on Friday, officers responded to an aggravated battery shooting in the 3200 block of Magazine Street. Police initially said four women were injured in the shooting, but after midnight, the number included two men.
Four of the victims were taken to the hospital by EMS. Two others were taken to an area hospital by private vehicle. NOPD said all of the victims were shot in the lower part of the body.
The exact condition of the victims are unknown at this time.
More than 90 people have been murdered since the beginning of the year in New Orleans. It has been one of the deadliest years in decades through the first few months.
Thousands of people are in New Orleans for the Jazz and Heritage Festival. The shooting was miles from the Fair Grounds, but near the downtown area.
Witnesses near the scene said they heard the shots fired. Police laid out more than a dozen different crime cones to mark evidence in the area. A pool of blood was near the steps of the to the building, with a trail of blood leading down the sidewalk.
At least one car on Harmony St. was riddled with bullets. Crime scene tape surrounded the area including Walgreens and at least one block down each street from the bar. Workers were asked not to leave the business as late as 12:30 a.m.
One witness said he was surprised to hear gunshots in the busy area during a Jazz Fest weekend.
No further information is currently available, according to the NOPD.
Copyright 2022 WVUE via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/04/30/6-people-shot-popular-new-orleans-bar-first-weekend-jazz-fest/ | 2022-04-30T09:48:56Z |
LIMASSOL, Cyprus, April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- These days, InstaForex celebrates its 15th anniversary. Shortly after its foundation in 2007, the international broker signed a cooperation agreement with MetaQuotes Software, an industry leader in online trading software.
Since then, InstaForex has grown not just into a reliable broker providing access to all global financial markets but also a progressive fintech company. The brand has chosen innovation as its top priority.
InstaForex was one of the first brokers to introduce trust management technologies and give its clients an opportunity to copy trades of successful traders. The company also developed its own services – PAMM and ForexCopy systems.
The company continues to expand its services worldwide. Nowadays, InstaForex has representative offices all across the globe and works with traders from all over the world. Its clients have already opened more than 7 million trading accounts.
Favorable trading conditions are not the only thing that makes the broker so popular. InstaForex also provides one of the best bonus programs in the market and holds various contests and giveaways on a regular basis.
Along with public recognition, InstaForex has a high-performance rating. It has won prestigious awards and has been recognized as the best broker in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the CIS multiple times.
Being selected as the Most Active Broker in Asia by AtoZ Markets Forex Awards and the Best Affiliate Program by UK-based Global Brands Magazine are among the broker's latest achievements.
Over the years, InstaForex has cooperated with many world-famous sports stars, including Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjørndalen, tennis players Victoria Azarenka and Daria Kasatkina and many other athletes.
Nowadays, InstaForex brand ambassadors are three-time Olympic swimming champion Yuliya Efimova, grandmaster Viswanathan Anand, top racer Ales Loprais, as well as world Muay Thai champion Vladimir Moravcik.
The broker also cooperates with entire sports teams. Its partners are German football club Borussia Dortmund, Slovak hockey club Zvolen, and US racing team Dragon Racing.
In addition, InstaForex is the title sponsor of InstaForex Loprais Team, a well-known rally crew, which once again proves that the company strives to be the best at everything. The broker always makes every effort to meet the highest quality standards both in terms of trading conditions and customer services.
Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1808091/InstaForex.jpg
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SOURCE InstaForex | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/30/instaforex-international-broker-with-15-years-experience-global-financial-markets/ | 2022-04-30T09:49:03Z |
HAIKOU, China, April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- China's southern province of Hainan has made extraordinary and landmark progress in economic and social development over the past five years. In the coming five years, what are the prospects of this island province being built into the world's largest free trade port?
In this video, Lara Netherlands, Host of Hainan International Media Center, will brief you on the vision for Hainan's future development unveiled by the government at the Eighth Hainan Provincial Congress of the CPC held in Haikou from April 26 to April 29, 2022.
According to the report issued during the Congress, a strategic framework of "One Guide, Three Foundations, Four Beams and Eight Pillars" should be fully implemented in Hainan.
"One Guide" refers to being guided by Chinese President Xi Jinping's series of key speeches, instructions, and memoranda regarding Hainan's work.
"Three Foundations" refers to the three institutional cornerstones, comprising of the "Guiding Opinions of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council of the People's Republic of China on Supporting Hainan's Comprehensive Deepening of Reform and Opening-up", the master plan to build the island province of Hainan into a free-trade port, and the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Hainan Free Trade Port".
The "Four Beams" mean Hainan will stick to building a comprehensive deepening reform and opening-up pilot zone, a national ecological civilization pilot zone, an international tourism consumption center, and a national major strategic service guarantee zone.
The "Eight Pillars" refer to the support for the development of the Hainan FTP provided through the policy environment, the legal environment, the business environment, the ecological environment, the economic development system, the social governance system, the risk prevention and control system, and the organizational leadership system.
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SOURCE Hainan International Media Center (HIMC) | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/30/vision-next-five-years-hainan/ | 2022-04-30T09:49:09Z |
All Figures in U.S. Dollars Unless Otherwise Stated
TORONTO, April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Halo Collective Inc. ("Halo" or the "Company") (NEO: HALO) (OTCQB: HCANF) (Germany: A9KN) today announced that it has received final approvals from the Los Angeles Department of Cannabis Regulation & California Department of Cannabis Control and the State Department of Cannabis Control to commence adult-use sales at its Budega-branded retail dispensary in Westwood. This location is ready for transacting as the track and trace system and point-of-sale have been implemented. The remaining steps left to open include response to the final administrative review.
Adjacent to Beverly Hills, located at 10461 Santa Monica Blvd., ZXC11 has leased approximately 1,500 square feet in Westwood within two miles of the University of Los Angeles California campus ("UCLA"). One of the most vibrant and heavily trafficked areas of metropolitan Los Angeles, the location boasts over 161,000 daily vehicles within three blocks. This prime location features ample parking on the street front and an adjacent parking lot. Westwood is a central regional district for shopping, dining, movie theaters, and other entertainment. Additionally, Century City is one of the most prominent employment centers in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, with a workforce of approximately 244,000. In addition, the Westwood Dispensary is within a mile of the boutiques on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, well-positioned to attract tourist traffic.
"With these approvals in hand, Budega's Westwood store is slated to open with products on shelves in a matter of weeks," said Katie Field, President and Director of Halo. "Westwood's opening will allow us to serve even more consumers in the Los Angeles area with a super prime location .".
The Westwood location is expected to exceed $10 million annually in gross revenue at maturity1. The Company is also licensed for delivery, and this additional service is expected to increase top-line sales and help capture overall market share. The Westwood location's delivery service area will include all of the Westside of LA: Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, Century City, West Hollywood, and more.
Budega offers a product assortment exceeding 1,000 SKUs, including the many top-tier California brands such as Jungle Boys, Cookies, Kiva, and the customer favorite Budega-branded product lineup. The Budega dispensaries will also stock Halo's Hush™ branded cartridges, gummies, and pre-rolls. The store plans to operate Monday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visit www.budega.com for more information.
Ms. Field commented further, "We expect the Westwood location to contribute immediately to Halo's financial performance. Westwood should significantly increase our top-line net revenue and boost our profitability, especially since we intend to stock up to twenty percent of Budega shelf space with Halo brands and products which allows us to capture a greater proportion of the total economics compared to third party products."
California remains the highest-grossing state for cannabis retail sales in the United States. California legal retail sales in 2021 totaled $5.2 billion2 up 17% from 2020. California is projected to gross $7 billion by 2025.3 California is the largest legal cannabis market in the United States and is less saturated than other mature retail markets. In Los Angeles County, there are approximately 250 licenses4 for a population of 3.9 million across 500 square miles5 .There are roughly two licenses per 100,000 people in California, one of the lowest rates in the nation among states that support legal recreational sales. By comparison, Oregon has 18 retail shops for every 100,000 residents. Colorado boasts a similar ratio, and Washington state's rate is more than triple California's6.
We are pleased to report that the nationally celebrated industry holiday (420) produced exceptional results, exceeding initial forecasts, contributing positively to the continued growth trajectory of Budega's NoHo location with a well-rounded, double-digit sales increase. Additionally, we continue to see an 87% loyalty activation rate and very positive community feedback to our operating style. With the plans of delivery launch well underway along with the continued progress with our planned additional store openings, we are confident Budega will lead market share for the neighborhoods/markets we serve. Our laser-like focus on selection, accessibility, and service continues to be reinforced by the continued store growth.
Halo is a leading, vertically integrated cannabis company focused on the west coast of the United States and operates other emerging wellness businesses in CBD and non-psychotropic mushroom functional beverages. In its cannabis operations, Halo cultivates, extracts, manufactures, and distributes quality cannabis flower, oils, and concentrates and has sold hundreds of millions of grams of cannabis in the form of flower, pre-rolls, vape carts, edibles, and concentrates since inception. Halo sells a portfolio of branded cannabis products including its proprietary Hush™, Winberry Farms™, Williams Wonder Farms, and Budega™ brands, and under license agreements with Papa's Herb®, DNA Genetics, and FlowerShop*.
In Oregon, Halo has a combined 14 acres of owned and contracted outdoor and greenhouse cultivation. Halo also operates Food Concepts LLC, a master tenant of a 55,000 square foot indoor cannabis cultivation, processing, and wholesaling facility in Portland. In California, Halo maintains licenses for extraction, manufacturing, and distribution. Halo has partnered with Green Matter and jointly purchased the Bar X Farm in Lake County and plans to develop up to 63 acres of cultivation, comprising one of the largest licensed single site grows in California. Halo has opened a dispensary in Los Angeles under the Budega™ brand in North Hollywood and plans to open two more in Hollywood, and Westwood in the second quarter of 2022. Halo also operates three Kushbar retail cannabis stores located in Alberta, Canada.
Halo is in the process of creating vehicles to separate and enhance the value of its non-THC operating businesses, each of which is positioned to capitalize on the growth of the broader consumer health and wellness market. Halo Tek Inc. is intended to include all of the Company's technology assets including DispensaryTrack (point-of-sale), AccuDab Holdings (precise dosing pen), Cannalift (web-based delivery app), Nasalbinoid (personal nasal inhalers), Cannafeels (online database of strains) and 1275111 (cannabinoid filtration and purification). Halo has filed a preliminary long form prospectus for Halo Tek with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada, other than Québec, for the purpose of qualifying the distribution by Halo to holders of Halo's common shares of all of the issued and outstanding common shares in the capital of Halo Tek as a return of capital. Halo is also establishing Phytocann International Holdings for all of its remaining non-THC assets, to be anchored by the planned acquisition of Phytocann Holdings, one of Europe's leading wellness CBD companies, and bolstered by Halo's existing North American wellness assets including Dissolve Medical, H2C Beverages, Simply Sweet Gummies, and Hushrooms, as well as its distribution and manufacturing agreement with SWAY Energy Corporation (formerly Elegance Brands Inc.).
Halo also holds minority stakes in other companies, the largest of which is Akanda Corp. (NASDAQ: AKAN) an in which it owns 44% of the common shares. Akanda is a leading international medical cannabis and wellness platform company seeking to help people throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa to lead better lives through improved access to high quality and affordable products. Akanda is building a seed-to-patient supply chain, connecting patients with diverse products, including cannabis products cultivated at its competitively advantaged grow operation in the Kingdom of Lesotho and soon to be from its EU GMP certified indoor facility in Portugal, and with other trusted third-party brands. Akanda is positioned to become the clear leader in current and emerging markets in Europe for both medical and eventually adult use customers.
For further information regarding Halo, see Halo's disclosure documents on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
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This press release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only Halo's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Halo's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or may contain statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "will continue", "will occur" or "will be achieved". Forward-looking information may relate to anticipated events or results including, but not limited to the anticipated licensing and opening of the Company's Budega-branded retail dispensaries in California and the prospects thereof, management's plans regarding its portfolio of cannabis businesses, the Company's expansion plans regarding Canada, the expected size and capabilities of the final facility planned at Ukiah Ventures, the size of Halo's planned cultivation facility in Northern California, and the ability of Bophelo and Canmart to serve the UK market and the proposed spin-off by Halo Tek Inc.
By identifying such information and statements in this manner, Halo is alerting the reader that such information and statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such information and statements. In addition, in connection with the forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Halo has made certain assumptions. Although Halo believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. Among others, the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: inability of management to successfully integrate the operations of acquired businesses, changes in the consumer market for cannabis products, changes in the expected outcomes of the proposed changes to Halo's operations, delays in obtaining required licenses or approvals necessary for the build-out of Oregon operations, dispensaries or Canadian operations, the proposed spin-out with Halo Tek Inc., delays or unforeseen costs incurred in connection with construction, the ability of competitors to scale operations in Northern California, delays or unforeseen difficulties in connection with the cultivation and harvest of Halo's raw material, changes in general economic, business and political conditions, including changes in the financial markets; and the other risks disclosed in the Company's annual information form dated March 31, 2021 and other disclosure documents available on the Company's profile at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.
The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and Halo does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to Halo or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice.
This press release includes market and industry data that has been obtained from third party sources, including industry publications. The Company believes that the industry data is accurate and that its estimates and assumptions are reasonable, but there is no assurance as to the accuracy or completeness of this data. Third party sources generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but there is no assurance as to the accuracy or completeness of included information. Although the data is believed to be reliable, the Company has not independently verified any of the data from third party sources referred to in this press release or ascertained the underlying economic assumptions relied upon by such sources
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell nor the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.
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SOURCE Halo Collective Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/30/westwood-budega-receives-state-permit-prepares-opening-may/ | 2022-04-30T09:49:16Z |
6 people shot at popular New Orleans bar on first weekend of Jazz Fest
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE/Gray News) - Police are searching for at least one person who left six people injured after a shooting near a popular New Orleans Uptown bar.
Around 10:17 p.m. on Friday, officers responded to an aggravated battery shooting in the 3200 block of Magazine Street. Police initially said four women were injured in the shooting, but after midnight, the number included two men.
Four of the victims were taken to the hospital by EMS. Two others were taken to an area hospital by private vehicle. NOPD said all of the victims were shot in the lower part of the body.
The exact condition of the victims are unknown at this time.
More than 90 people have been murdered since the beginning of the year in New Orleans. It has been one of the deadliest years in decades through the first few months.
Thousands of people are in New Orleans for the Jazz and Heritage Festival. The shooting was miles from the Fair Grounds, but near the downtown area.
Witnesses near the scene said they heard the shots fired. Police laid out more than a dozen different crime cones to mark evidence in the area. A pool of blood was near the steps of the to the building, with a trail of blood leading down the sidewalk.
At least one car on Harmony St. was riddled with bullets. Crime scene tape surrounded the area including Walgreens and at least one block down each street from the bar. Workers were asked not to leave the business as late as 12:30 a.m.
One witness said he was surprised to hear gunshots in the busy area during a Jazz Fest weekend.
No further information is currently available, according to the NOPD.
Copyright 2022 WVUE via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/30/6-people-shot-popular-new-orleans-bar-first-weekend-jazz-fest/ | 2022-04-30T09:59:21Z |
Dan Ryan Goodman (Bixler) Dan was born in Klamath Falls. He graduated from Henley High in 2003. Dan went through 4 years of ROTC hoping to join the Air Force. Medical problems prevented that, but he stayed military oriented, just like his family. He made it into "Who's Who Among American High School Students." Dan was an avid fisherman since he was able to walk. Fishing with his grandpa, Pete Telle, was always the highlight of his life. Of course, a 6 inch trout always became 12 inches or more. Dan loved the outdoors. He always wanted to open a camp for underprivileged children, to teach them to fish and enjoy the outdoors. He also wanted to open a homeless shelter. He hated seeing people in need. Dan 's heart was filled with love, kindness, and hope. Dan was my son, my best friend, my shining light. He will be so missed and always loved. Dan is survived by his dad Jeff Bixler, mother Linda Goodman, grandfather Pete Telle, aunts and uncles Pete and Sandy Telle, Dennis Telle, Dave and Shanon Telle; cousins Adam & Todd Telle, Jeanie Reesers, April Nulman, Nick, Davie and Andrew Telle.
The Herald and News also publishes its obituaries and death notices with Legacy.com, a leading online obituary database that partners with more than 1,500 newspapers. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/obituaries/goodman-bixler-dan-ryan/article_210e11b9-05fb-54c2-ab68-6ae613d9099e.html | 2022-04-30T10:52:50Z |
SHANGHAI, April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai Electric Wind Power Group ("Shanghai Electric Wind Power" or "the Company") has been named as one of the top five wind turbine manufacturers in China, with its newly added offshore wind capacity overtaking all the other industry players in China in 2021, according to BloombergNEF's China's Top 10 Wind Turbine Manufacturers in 2021 report.
The report, which ranks China's wind turbine manufacturers based on new turbines installed throughout 2021, shows that Shanghai Electric Wind Power took the number five spot by increasing its wind capacity by 5.18GW, securing 9 percent of the market share in China. The Company retains the top spot in the offshore wind scene as the Company's newly installed offshore capacity grew by 4.1GW over the year.
"In light of the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and fierce market competition triggered by the looming end to offshore wind subsidies, Shanghai Electric Wind Power overcame the challenges and broke multiple industry records, winning recognition from our partners for our exceptional installation efficiency, as well as product and service quality. These accolades from the industry have given us fresh impetus as we continue to reshape China's wind power sector in an effort to accelerate towards carbon peak and neutrality goals," Shanghai Electric wrote in a statement.
In 2021, China's newly installed wind capacity increased 55.8GW in total, a slight dip of 3% from 2020, passing the 50GW threshold for the second year in a row. It comes at a time when China's wind power sector is contending with market uncertainties posed by surges in global commodity prices as well supply chain disruptions. Last year saw commissioning rates offshore shooting up 351% by adding 14.2GW, while domestic onshore capacity dropped by 23% from its peak in 2020, to 41.6GW in 2021.
Established in 2006, Shanghai Electric Wind Power offers services including wind turbine manufacturing, wind farm operation and maintenance (O&M), wind resource assessment, digitized wind farm investment and development, wind farm asset management, smart energy and more. The Company's product portfolios feature wind turbines with capacity ranging from 1.25MW to 10MW.
The last decade and a half have seen the Company launch itself to become the largest offshore wind turbine manufacturer in China, cementing its leadership in the global new energy sector. In May 2021, Shanghai Electric Wind Power launched an initial public offering on the Shanghai Stock Exchange Science and Technology Innovation Board, through which the Company can further expand investment into the R&D of its core technology.
Last year, Shanghai Electric Wind Power also unveiled its Petrel platform SEW11.0-208 to the world. The flagship direct-drive turbine, which is the company's full proprietary intellectual property, features a nameplate capacity of 11 MW – the largest of its kind in Asia – marking a major breakthrough for China's homegrown innovation in offshore wind technology.
With the development of cutting-edge technology sitting at the forefront of its strategy, the Company seeks cooperation with top-tier wind power companies in the hope of jointly driving forward the global new energy sector. Now, the Company is expanding its upstream and downstream partnerships, with the business focus centered on digitized wind farm development and smart O&M, transforming itself into a full-cycle service provider. Aiming to become a world-class wind power company, Shanghai Electric Wind Power is ramping up its global presence, bringing its high-quality products and services to customers worldwide.
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SOURCE Shanghai Electric | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/30/bloombergnef-ranks-shanghai-electric-wind-power-group-top-five-wind-turbine-manufacturers-2021-china/ | 2022-04-30T11:55:02Z |
NEW YORK, April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of the securities of International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE: IBM) between April 4, 2017 and October 20, 2021, inclusive (the "Class Period"), of the important June 6, 2022 lead plaintiff deadline.
SO WHAT: If you purchased IBM securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.
WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the IBM class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=5104 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than June 6, 2022. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.
WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually handle securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs' Bar. Many of the firm's attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.
DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Strategic Imperatives Revenue and growth, CAMSS (the sectors of "Cloud," "Analytics," "Mobile," "Security," and "Social") and CAMSS Components' revenue and growth, and the Company's Segments' revenue and growth were artificially inflated as a result of the wrongful reclassification of revenues from non-strategic to strategic to make those revenues eligible for treatment as Strategic Imperatives Revenue; (2) IBM's present success and positive future growth prospects concerning its Strategic Imperative business strategy were being fueled by the wrongful reclassification of revenues from non-strategic to strategic to make those revenues eligible for treatment as Strategic Imperative Revenue; (3) as a result of the foregoing, defendants misled the market by portraying IBM's Strategic Imperative's financial performance and future prospects more favorable than they actually were as a result of the fraudulent scheme and/or the wrongful reclassification of revenues from non-strategic to strategic to make those revenues eligible for treatment as Strategic Imperatives; and (4) Total Revenue and IBM's Segments' revenue and growth were artificially inflated as a result of the fraudulent scheme and/or the wrongful reclassification of revenues from non-strategic to strategic and/or the wrongful recognition of revenue. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.
To join the IBM class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=5104 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email pkim@rosenlegal.com or cases@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.
No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.
Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Contact Information:
Laurence Rosen, Esq.
Phillip Kim, Esq.
The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.
275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-1060
Toll Free: (866) 767-3653
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SOURCE Rosen Law Firm, P.A. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/30/rosen-recognized-investor-counsel-encourages-international-business-machines-corporation-investors-secure-counsel-before-important-deadline-securities-class-action-ibm/ | 2022-04-30T11:55:09Z |
Collaboration key to conservation efforts at St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area
John Darling, a Michigan Department of Natural Resources southeast region wildlife technician, scanned for leg bands on a family of geese as he pulled up to a small pond in the St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area on Harsens Island Thursday.
He spotted a band around one of the adults' leg as its tiny, fluffy brood ran in a haphazard line to the water's edge. Darling and a team of representatives from state and local conservation groups gathered to view firsthand the wildlife they were trying to protect.
The St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area holds some of the last remaining habitat for migrating waterfowl in the Lake St. Clair region, which makes it an important area for conservation. That conservation is made possible through collaboration between regional and local conservation groups who were visiting the area Thursday.
St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area comprises more than 25,000 acres of habitat for birds and other animals, and provides recreational opportunities for thousands of southeast Michigan residents and beyond.
Darling said the area is important for wildlife because it provides habitats for migrating waterfowl and other animals. The Lake St. Clair region has seen large habitat loss due to development in recent years.
"We need to provide really good habitat in what's left, otherwise ducks are losing an important stopover point, all migratory birds, not just ducks," Darling said.
Harsens Island has also seen development that has caused habitat loss for waterfowl and other animals, he said.
"All of these spots used to be spots where a duck would live, but now it's houses," Darling said, motioning out a vehicle window to rows of neat houses.
The wildlife area is important to protect because it also provides rich recreational opportunities for visitors near and far, Darling said. The island has opportunities for kayaking, boating, fishing, hunting and hiking, and draws about 1,500 duck hunters each year.
"(The state wildlife area) is perfect to take the whole family and go for a hike or go kayaking or whatever," Darling said. "We provide some of those opportunities shockingly close to where people are living. Detroit's right there. Otherwise to find something similar could be a multi-day adventure. Instead it's an hour away."
More on conservation projects in St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area
The area includes a farmed nature preserve maintained by the Department of Natural Resources. The area is farmed with corn and small grains in the spring and summer and flooded in the fall to provide habitat for migrating waterfowl.
The refuge provides a plentiful food source and a predator-free habitat for migrating waterfowl species in the fall, when boating and fishing push waterfowl out of other habitat, Darling said.
The wildlife refuge holds between 20,000 and 40,000 ducks at a time during the fall migration.
Beginning in 2014 or 2015, Darling said the DNR also treated about 2,000 acres with herbicide to kill phragmites, an invasive marsh plant that chokes native vegetation and crowds the habitat, Darling said. The treatment was paid for through a grant administered through Ducks Unlimited.
He said since then, the invasive plants eventually grow back and the DNR has experimented with other ways to manage the invasive plant that is less costly and more sustainable.
DNR also assists a project lead by the Audubon Great Lakes to study the population decline of the Black Tern, a small seabird that has seen a steep decline of its population in recent years.
Erin Rowan, conservation manager for Michigan with Audubon Great Lakes, said from 2013 to last year, nesting pairs have decreased from 200 breeding pairs to more than 50 in the St. Clair Flats Wildlife Area.
The DNR assists the Audubon with banding adult Black Terns and attaching small radio transmitter tags to chicks to learn more about why their population is on the decline, whether it be from habitat loss, flooding or other factors. Once the conservationists learn more, a conservation plan can be produced to help stabilize the population and reverse the decline, Rowan said.
Darling said in learning about a lesser-known species such as the Black Tern, they learn about other species as well, and how changing water levels and their management activities affect other waterfowl species.
Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com. | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2022/04/30/st-clair-flats-state-wildlife-area-provides-key-habitat-waterfowl/9575848002/ | 2022-04-30T12:10:25Z |
Recreational bowling: Hojnacki dominates scratch singles tournament
There have been a lot of great bowlers in the Port Huron Bowling Association with many accomplishments over the years, but it would be extremely difficult to identify anyone that puts fear in the rest of the top bowlers as much as Jesse Hojnacki has done over the past few years. This past weekend proved the point again when more than 40 of the best and bravest bowlers participated in the annual scratch Match Game Singles tournament at Port Huron Lanes.
After five games of qualifying on Saturday, a strong field of the top 10 bowlers moved on to the Sunday round-robin finals, and not one of the nine to accompany Hojnacki were fooled beyond thinking that they were competing for anything better than second place. Hojnacki mowed through the field beating everyone on his way to a match play 9-0 start. It was only during the final position-round match that the second-place, veteran bowler Jeff Meldrum was able to tarnish Hojnacki’s record and, even then, his final tournament total was more than 200 pins better than anyone else.
Hojnacki also had the only award score of the tournament as the warm weather toughened the lane conditions. His 300 game in the fourth match completed his conquering of Port Huron Lanes as he now has perfect games on every pair in the house. Hojnacki’s qualifying average was 250 for five games and then through the 10 final games he averaged 246, with a 279 game to go along with his 300.
Meldrum won seven of his 10 matches for a second-place finish. Chad Jeroue grabbed the final qualifying spot and then won six of his finals matches to take third place. Ed Crampton also won six matches on his way to fourth place after qualifying second when he averaged 247 with a 279 game. Scott Badley won half of his 10 matches for a fifth-place finish. Cliff Crawford toughed out sixth place after qualifying fifth while averaging 238.
Jose Ganhs took seventh after a strong qualifying performance that included a 279 game and 243 average. Eighth place went to Kris Brunelle, who was the only bowler other than Hojnacki to roll a game as high as 279 in the finals. Cheech finished ninth and would have been much higher if lanes 17 and 18 could have been avoided entirely.
Dylan Jacobs proudly claimed 10th place after an outstanding qualifying set in which he averaged 240 and had the high game at 289. While a spare in his closing frame of the 10th game of the finals appeared to keep him within 500 points of the leader, officials are still reviewing the legality of his fill ball which may have been delivered with the wrong hand.
In league play, Aaron Golubinski knocked down his second perfect game of the season, again in the Saturday Nite Bridge league at Port Huron Lanes. He would finish with a league-leading 758 series. Louis Hinojosa led all bowlers with a 788 series in the Don McIvor Memorial league while Mike Church was only a pin back with a 787 in Sunday Outcast, both at Port Huron Lanes.
Doreen Melvin tossed the high game for the women with a 267 in Saturday Nite Bridge. Melvin completed her night with a 610 series. In that same session, Samantha Creasor captured high series of the week with a 667 that included games of 256 and 237.
Two bowlers in the Friday Wanna Bees surpassed 750 as TJ Klein led the league with a 756 series and PJ Hollis was second at 751. Hollis fired a 280 game in that outing. Jon Dean paced Cowboys & Indians with a 745 series. Jim Hazelton was right on his heels with a 743. Kylar Marinez pitched a 742 series in the McIvor league. Scott Badley had 741 in Saturday Nite Bridge, 734 in Cowboys & Indians, and 711 to lead Monday Big 12 at St. Clair River Lanes. Other top series were Greg Marshall 735, Kris Brunelle 720 & 713, Mike McCoy 718, Matt Pawlak 716, and Steve McCoy 711.
Back to the women, Georgie Wenckovsky tore up Colony Bowl with a 657 series. Annette Thompson had 634 in Friday Wanna Bees. Alyssa Crampton had 633 in Saturday Hustlers at Colony Bowl Heather Bombard rolled 631 in Saturday Nite Bridge, with games of 235 and 227, and also had 606 in the McIvor league with a 233 game, and lastly, had a 237 game in Cowboys & Indians. Two others reaching 600 were Kristie Lashbrook at 602 and Terry Crampton 601. The remaining high series were Jackie Karl 595, Kristen Winkler 592, Kate Beck 580, Theresa Smith 576 and Wendy Tetreau 573.
Terry Crampton could not keep up with daughter Alyssa for series, but did top her by 11 pins for high game 246 vs. 235. Other high games were Katie Cataldo 245, Tammy Landrum 242, Annette Thompson 236, Georgie Wenckovsky 235, Kate Beck 233, Kristen Winkler 228, Janet Hope 224, Theresa Smith 222, Jackie Karl 222 and Jessica Heilig 221.
The balance of the men’s game leaderboard were Scott Badley 279 & 277, Bob McBride 279, Jerry Grzech 279, Don Nichols 279, Kris Brunelle 278, Dan Hawley Jr 278, Joe Schomburg 278, Mitch Martin 278, Lenny McIntyre Jr 278, Kylar Marinez 278, Don Peake 277, Mike Church 277, Lenny McIntyre Sr 276 and Louis Hinojosa 274.
Special Mention: Matt Gossman converted the 7-10 split in Cowboys & Indians.
Other Splits: 3-10: Bonnie Campbell, Barb Kilocyne; 5-7: Terry Crampton, Autumn Raines, Kathy Stockwell, Shirley Stevens(2); 4-5: Terry Crampton; 6-7: Becky Telesz; 4-7-9-10: Terry Crampton; 4-7-10: Del Stevens | https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/sports/2022/04/30/recreational-bowling-hojnacki-dominates-scratch-singles-tournament/9589711002/ | 2022-04-30T12:10:31Z |
Country music legend Willie Nelson turns 89 on Friday, and he keeps strumming along as a performer.
To coincide with his birthday, the 10-time Grammy Award winner is set to release his next album, “A Beautiful Time.” Then on Saturday, Nelson will perform at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, with George Strait and the Randy Rogers Band. On Sunday, Nelson will host his own party, “To Willie: A Birthday Celebration,” at Luck Ranch outside of Austin. It’s a tribute concert that includes Ray Wylie Hubbard, Robert Earl Keen and others.
During his 89th year, here’s how the iconic Nelson kept himself relevant to his adoring fans.
Taking COVID precautions
Nelson was at that vulnerable age for COVID-19 to be problematic. Nelson has emphysema, which is caused by long-term exposure to irritants in the air, including smoke from marijuana, tobacco, dust and chemical fumes.
He has been a proponent of COVID-19 vaccinations and, in 2021, received his first dose of the Moderna vaccine. At some of his shows last summer, Nelson required concert attendees to have protective face coverings, a negative test result or proof of vaccination.
In February, he canceled several of his upcoming indoor concerts, including a March appearance at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth, “until the COVID situation improves,” according to his publicist.
“I don’t want to do a show anywhere at any time where there’s a danger of somebody getting sick,” Nelson said in a prerecorded Q-and-A with Andy Langer of SXSW.
Death in the family
In March, Nelson mourned the death of his older sister, Bobbie, whose prowess as a piano player powered his band. She was 91.
In an interview with Austin music writer Michael Corcoran, Nelson offered high praise to his older sister – whom he always called “little sister” – and what she had meant for his one-of-a-kind sound:
“There’s just no way to explain how lucky I am to have a good musician in the family. Whenever I’ve needed a piano player, she’s been right there. Whenever our band plays, Sister Bobbie is the best musician on the stage.”
On the occasion of his 88th birthday, Bobbie shared childhood memories of her brother on SiriusXM Willie’s Roadhouse.
Last month, Nelson paid tribute to his sister at a concert at Luck Ranch, performing in his Family Band flanked by sons Lukas Nelson and Micah Nelson.
Are your shoes legal?
Nelson’s lighter side as a pitchman and former toker came out with his Super Bowl commercials for Skechers shoes.
In a 30-second ad, Nelson was decked out in a “Legalize” T-shirt and urged the decriminalization of Skechers shoes. When the ad’s director told him the shoes were already legal, Nelson feigned confusion, replying: “They feel so good I just assumed The Man made them illegal.”
On the road again
After canceling those local shows because of COVID-19, Nelson is making it up to his North Texas fans in July. That’s when Willie Nelson and Family will headline the Outlaw Music Festival Tour 2022.
He’ll make a stop on July 2 at the Dos Equis Pavilion at Fair Park in Dallas. The 19-show tour gets underway on June 24 in St. Louis.
Nelson’s Dallas appearance, the fifth on the Outlaw Music Festival Tour, will also include Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Brothers Osborne, Charley Crockett, Steve Earle and the Dukes, and Allison Russell.
“I’m glad to get back out,” he told Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show” in June. “It’s been over a year now, and I’m not sure I can remember ‘Whiskey River.’ ”
Fallon wished him a belated happy 88th birthday and asked Nelson what kept him going strong.
“I wrote a new song the other day – ‘Imagine what you want, and then get out of the way,’” he told Fallon.
“And I think the most important line is ‘get out of the way.’ ” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/as-willie-nelson-celebrates-his-birthday-here-s-a-recap-of-his-89th-year/article_d5d9fdc9-0cf8-59e6-a717-fe1b4e8ef679.html | 2022-04-30T13:41:23Z |
Camila Cabello will spread her wings and represent her culture with her latest endorsement deal.
The platinum-selling Latin Grammy Award winner is the face of Victoria’s Secret’s first bilingual beauty campaign.
The internationally renowned lingerie brand, mostly known for the “angels” who wear it on the runway, has announced Cabello as its spokesmodel of its Bombshell fragrance collection.
The 25-year-old Cuban American singer stars in the English and Spanish versions of the commercial campaign, which was shot by photographer Zoey Grossman.
“I am honored to be the newest addition to the @victoriassecret Bombshell family (heart emoji) and to be part of the brand’s first ever bilingual campaign!” she wrote on Instagram yesterday. “Bombshell is about embracing who and what you are, and celebrating that every day.”
In the commercial, the former Fifth Harmony member described what the word bombshell means to her: “Owning your desires, your pleasures and enjoying everything life has to offer. Those things that make you feel great and make you feel joyful. Being who you are in every way.”
The brand’s chief creative director, Raúl Martinez, said that on set, Cabello “exuded a presence throughout the day that didn’t need to be directed,” adding that “her vibrance and confidence shined through organically.”
The “Havana” singer previously starred in ad campaigns for L’Oréal Paris cosmetics, Skechers footwear and Guess jeans.
According to Victoria’s Secret, Bombshell is “a timeless mix of fresh-cut Peonies and exotic fruits.”
Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. He can be reached by email at wcarpenter@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3135. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/camila-cabello-is-the-face-of-victoria-s-secret-first-bilingual-bombshell-campaign/article_acb75621-0d58-5270-9b2b-9e6cd1190011.html | 2022-04-30T13:41:29Z |
It feels like the past year has all been leading up to this moment – for the local arts scene, that is.
Head downtown on May 6, and there probably will be a crowd around the Historic Cheyenne Depot. Expect the sound of music, the smell of Los Conejos food truck wafting down Capitol Avenue and the effects of beer taking hold.
The celebration is a way to ring in the First Friday Cheyenne Artwalk in extravagant fashion. Among the crowd, participants will get their first sighting of the completed mobile art gallery, the ArtHaus. Just inside the Depot will be the second installment of the Cheyenne Fine Art Exchange, hosted by Wy/Art Coalition.
“I think it is going to reflect what we have envisioned for the new First Fridays,” Steve Knox, board vice president of Arts Cheyenne, said. “We want it to be kind of more hip and exciting for people to come out.”
First, let’s talk about the ArtHaus. Arts Cheyenne volunteers spent the past year hard at work getting the project off the ground, and have been constructing the mobile unit since October.
Progress was slow, with supply chain issues continuing to affect shipment of materials across the country, but finally, all of the materials needed to finish the ArtHaus are in. All that’s left is putting the many pieces in place.
It’s crunch time for the Arts Cheyenne team. The walls to the mobile unit are in place, but the volunteers are in the process of painting, adding exterior paneling and getting the outside mural completed.
Knox anticipates the project coming down to the wire.
For the first ArtHaus show, the board invited 23 established local artists to supply their work. The majority responded, so step into the mobile gallery and see pieces from Georgia Rowswell, Terry Kreuzer, James Overstreet, Danielle Kirby, and Chris Vanderhoof and Derek Huffman, referred to as the “Achilles Duo.”
Future art calls for shows at the ArtHaus will run under different themes. The theme for the June Artwalk is “Revival of the Forgotten Main Street,” and July’s will be “Alternative-Modern West.”
The only other thing stealing the thunder of this unveiling is the return of the Art Exchange just inside the doors of the depot, a few feet away.
“We want to bring in people in the community who love art or appreciate the arts, but don’t always have $500 or $1,000 to spend on a painting or a piece of artwork they love,” Knox said. “Instead, they have a good, a service. They can make a bargain with the artists for their artwork.”
The event is structured like a silent auction, where different artists have their work featured, with bid sheets placed before them. People are free to put down a monetary bid, but the heart of the event is the trading of goods.
The idea for the exchange came naturally when Knox had some of his artwork hanging in Chronicles Distilling at 1506 Thomas Ave. for its grand opening in 2019. When it was time for the small show to be removed, the owners wanted to buy one piece from Knox.
“They didn’t have the cash on hand to buy a new painting, so they sat me down one night in front of a good vodka drink and proposed a trade,” Knox said. “I walked out of there with two cases of vodka and a little bit of cash, and they kept the painting. It still hangs there today.”
In the last installment of the Art Exchange, Knox saw people trade $500 worth of electrical work. Some brewery owners will bid a keg of beer, while local chefs will offer up a night of personal catering.
He’s also seen someone trade rock climbing lessons for a piece of art.
It’s up to the artists to decide what bid they deem fair, but as Knox recalls, at least every artwork received two bids on the first go-round. There will be a total of 30 works of art up for exchange from 11 local artists.
Fifteen percent of every piece sold will be donated to the ArtHaus, but the rest will go directly to the artists.
The Fine Art Exchange is a free event, and will be open Friday from 5-9 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. There won’t be beverages or music on Saturday, but the food truck will still be on site.
Other art galleries and studios will still have their own Artwalk events, so make sure to stop by other locations, even though the festivities around the depot are enticing. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/find-an-artwalk-paradise-in-inaugural-first-friday/article_1ad68b71-96e5-5c10-88cf-e890fa5a2cef.html | 2022-04-30T13:41:36Z |
Performers will be climbing on the bannisters, and leaning from the catwalk and the balustrades.
Done up in leather straps, fishnet stockings, wigs and thick layers of makeup, they’ll walk through the aisles and emerge from all around. Above and behind them at center stage, a band led by local musician Sean Ambrose will carry the showtunes.
“Cabaret” is set in Nazi Germany, and follows the story of Cliff, an American writer who, while trying to craft a novel, is beginning to more than question his sexuality. Within the seedy Kit Kat Club, where the majority of the musical is set, there’s singing, animated dance routines and a general air of sexuality emanating from each boisterous performance.
So yes, there’s a lot to take in when it comes to this much-anticipated musical put on by the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players.
“This is a huge show. It’s actually one of the biggest shows I’ve ever done,” director Justin Batson said. “It’s been really good, and I attribute a lot of that to the crew that I have assembled with me. Everyone’s been just really awesome about pitching in and doing their role.”
Batson has his work cut out for him, but, for the most part, the labor-intensive process of shaping “Cabaret” into its nearly final form has been manageable due to the team around him. He’s never directed a musical, but he did perform in the show the last time the Little Theatre held the production in 1997.
And this reboot has been a long time coming.
Batson pitched this stage play in 2019, but after one rehearsal, the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all theater activity. In 2021, they tried to revamp the show, but Batson knew that a performance of reduced proportions wouldn’t do the grandeur of “Cabaret” any justice.
Besides grabbing costumes and impressive performances from actors, a major reason for “Cabaret’s” flare is the highly animated choreography, for which the Little Theatre enlisted Tenacity Bricher-Wade, owner of En Avant Dance Studio.
She’s been choreographing for Little Theatre musicals for some time now, but Cabaret is a different beast. It’s a dance heavy show, with fast moving scenes and musical numbers that require precise blocking.
To prepare for this performance, Bricher-Wade paid special attention to taking lessons slow, ensuring that actors were keeping up with their choreography. Actors playing the role of dancers at the Kit Kat Club had particularly strenuous months ahead of them.
“The dancers started rehearsing the very first thing, and they’ve been going nonstop ever since,” Bricher-Wade said. “I think they’ve maybe had, with the exception of weekends, a couple nights off from dancing. Otherwise, they’ve been there five nights a week, two to three hours a night, just going over it and over it and over it.”
Most of the performers were hesitant at first, and rightly so, but through repetition, she’s watched as they’ve become confident in their characters.
Bricher-Wade is right there with them. She isn’t just choreographing the musical, she’s performing in it. As one of the Kit Kat dancers, she’s forced to think less like a choreographer and more like an actor.
They’re two very different positions to be in. Off the stage, she’s analyzing the entire group performance at once. When she’s among the actors, Bricher-Wade has to stop thinking about everyone around her and start focusing on her own steps.
“It has been a little bit of a challenge,” she said. “The dancers come to me with questions about how to fix things. It’s funny, because we’ll be working on something when I’m being a performer, and I’ll look at them, and I’ll ask them a question about the choreography.”
Not all of the performers are the most practiced dancers, but that wasn’t necessarily what the crew was looking for during auditions. Sure, they had to have a certain degree of ability, but an untrained actor who recites their routine with enthusiasm is favorable to the opposite.
Now that the cast is halfway through dress rehearsal, they are in the final stages of honing their performance. They’re less than a week away from opening night.
Krista Dixon, who co-leads as Kit Kat dancer Sally Bowles, has extensive experience in theatre, but she’s never been in something quite like “Cabaret.” Suddenly, she kicking and singing at the same time.
“It was a little intimidating at first, for sure,” Dixon said. “You always have that point in your head where you’re like, ‘Am I actually going to get all of this memorized?’”
But she’s had a good system in place to make sure she gets all of her lines down. She’s a resident of Wellington, Colorado, who works in Greeley and has had to drive to Cheyenne for rehearsal multiple times a week since March.
That’s at least two hours a day spent commuting.
“I have that drive time to learn,” Dixon said. “I have all of my lines recorded, and then I just play them back. If it’s a scene with somebody else, I do their lines in a different voice than my lines in my own voice.
“That tends to be how I learned all my dialogue.”
Coming to terms with her character was a whole different process, given that they’re polar opposites. In her words, Sally is self-absorbed, only interested in avoiding her problems by drinking, doping and having sex.
“She’s a big fish in a little pond, and she wants to keep it that way,” Dixon said.
Her avoidance of the issues surrounding her tie in with the time period the musical is set. As the Nazi Party strengthens its grip on Germany, Sally wears the armor of willful ignorance.
All of the characters’ reactions, or lack thereof, to the world around them are the key to the musical’s commentary.
“On the surface, it’s about Sally Bowles and the cabaret,” Batson said about the musical’s plot. “Really, I would say the underlying theme is about how people react to a country in change. You really get the gamut.
“You get people who accept it, you have people who try to ignore it. You really get the whole range of human emotion.”
The setting of Nazi Germany was one of the more difficult points for the production’s development. Batson remembers when he performed in “Cabaret,” and how around the same time as the show, Mt. Sinai Synagogue was defaced with swastikas.
But the impact of fascist dictatorship is essential to the plot of “Cabaret,” and it isn’t something that can simply be avoided. In the first week of production, Batson invited Jason Bloomberg, a member of Mt. Sinai, to speak with the cast and crew about the Jewish perspective of Nazi rule.
“We want to be respectful to history, but we also want to make sure that we’re presenting things in a way that people are not going to feel that we’re condoning it,” Batson said. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/long-anticipated-cabaret-is-too-ambitious-to-fail/article_be3e849b-857b-528c-8686-a0ce42895543.html | 2022-04-30T13:41:42Z |
The constellations overhead in May are dominated by Leo and Ursa Major.
Leo, the Lion, is easily identified by a large backward question mark known as the Sickle. The bright star at the bottom of the sickle is Regulus. Ursa Major, the Great Bear, is home to the well known group of stars known as the Big Dipper.
The handle of the Big Dipper curves and points to the bright orange star, Arcturus. Arcturus is the bright star in Bootes, which resembles a kite or ice cream cone. If you continue the curve from the Dipper’s handle past Arcturus, the next bright star you will see is Spica – the brightest star in Virgo.
The winter constellation Gemini is found standing upright over the western horizon. Cassiopeia looks like a “w” on the northern horizon. To the east of Bootes there is a small dim “c” of stars known as Corona Borealis. East of that, you’ll find the large but not very bright constellation of Hercules. In May, the Milky Way is hugging the horizon from the east to the north, ending up on the southwest horizon.In the May sky, the brightest stars in order of brightness are Arcturus, Vega, Capella, Procyon, Betelgeuse, Spica, Pollux and Regulus.The Eta Aquarids meteor shower peaks in the early morning hours of May 5 and can average up to 50 meteors an hour; this year they will compete with hardly any moonlight. You can watch for meteors on May 4 and May 6 as well.
This month also offers us a great chance to view a total lunar eclipse.The Earth casts two shadows that are responsible for all eclipses. The umbra is the darkest and innermost portion of the shadow; the penumbra is the lighter secondary outer shadow around the umbra. Total eclipses of the moon occur when the entire Moon passes through the Earth’s umbra and the Earth passes between the Sun and a full Moon.
Unlike total solar eclipses, which are only visible along a narrow path on the Earth, total lunar eclipses can be viewed from the entire hemisphere wherever the moon is above the horizon. A partial lunar eclipse occurs when only a portion of the moon passes through the Earth’s umbra shadow. A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the moon only passes through the Earth’s penumbral shadow.
A total lunar eclipse does not completely darken the moon but will turn it a red-orange color. The red-orange color you see during a total lunar eclipse is due to refracted light in the Earth’s atmosphere; the same coloring you see at sunrise and sunset. A partial lunar eclipse will not make the moon reddish, but you will probably notice a darkened portion on the moon. A penumbral lunar eclipse is barely noticeable.
We don’t have eclipses with every month because the moon is tilted 5.1 degrees to the Earth’s orbit so the Moon and Sun don’t fall in Earth’s shadow during every new or full moon. The perfect alignment happens roughly every 173 days – the time when the Earth lines up perfectly with the Sun and Moon – which allows us to see an eclipse somewhere on Earth.
Generally total lunar eclipses last for hours with totality lasting up to 1 hour and 30 minutes. The eclipse on the evening of May 15 will be in totality for 1 hour and 24 minutes. The hue of a total eclipsed moon depends on several things; the deeper the moon passes through the umbra means a darker eclipse. Our atmosphere makes a big difference as well. How much moisture and dust are in our atmosphere also contribute to the darkness and color you’ll see during the eclipse.
Total lunar eclipses require no equipment to see and they are completely safe to look at with your naked eye. Total Lunar Eclipses are relaxing to watch as you’ll see the the brightness and color of the full moon change as it passes in and out of the Earth’s shadow. You may enjoy using binoculars, but they are not necessary to watch the shadow move across the moon. The darkened moon will lie in the constellation of Libra.This total lunar eclipse will be visible in Africa, the Americas, Europe and French Polynesia.
The moon will be fairly low above the southeastern horizon during total eclipse. Eclipse times for Cheyenne as are follows: the penumbral eclipse begins at 7:32 p.m. but not above the horizon, partial eclipse begins at 8:27 p.m., total eclipse begins at 9:29 p.m., maximum eclipse (darkest) begins at 10:11 p.m., total eclipse ends at 10:53 p.m., the partial eclipse ends at 11:55 p.m. with the penumbral eclipse over at 12:50 a.m. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/outdoors/catch-a-total-lunar-eclipse-in-the-may-night-sky/article_e57f22b7-56f5-588e-aa1c-105c17b9c713.html | 2022-04-30T13:41:48Z |
Minute to Win It, Burns Branch Library
– April 30, 1-5 p.m. Can you complete our wacky and fun games in just one minute? Compete against your friends and family, or see how fast you can win the games by yourself. Every participant gets a prize. Burns Branch Library, 112 Main St., 307-547-2249
”An Evening of One Acts” @ LCCC
– April 30, 7:30 p.m. $10. LCCC’s spring production is a series of one-act plays over two weekends. Playwright Matthew McLachlan collaborated with the theater department in the creation of these plays. Laramie County Community College, 1400 E. College Drive. 307-778-5222
Dueling Pianos
– April 30, 8-11 p.m. $20. Come laugh and sing along in an evening of musical entertainment directed by your requests. The Metropolitan Downtown, 1701 Carey Ave. 307-432-0022
Cheyenne Audubon Free Photography Workshop
– April 30, 7 a.m. Award-winning Pinedale wildlife photographer Elizabeth Boehm will be presenting a free bird blind demonstration open to the public. Cheyenne Botanic Gardens’ Paul Smith Children’s Village, 710 S. Lions Park Drive. 307-637-6349
Crow Creek Spring Clean-Up
– April 30, 8 a.m. The Rotary Club of Cheyenne has scheduled the annual Crow Creek clean-up and is asking the community to join in this effort to protect its most precious local, natural resource. Volunteers are strongly encouraged to wear sturdy boots or shoes, waterproof waders or long pants, gloves, long sleeves, and other attire appropriate for cleaning in and around Crow Creek as well as for the day’s weather. The Rotary Club of Cheyenne will provide trash bags and will coordinate picking up all bags collected. Meet on 1st Street between Morrie Avenue and Russel Avenue. secretary@cheyennerotary.org
Meet the Birds!
– April 30, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. $15. A bird identification class for adults and children 12 and older. Just before the peak of migration, let Cheyenne Audubon members introduce you to 50 local birds. A combination of classroom discussion and short walks into Lions Park, a Wyoming Important Bird Area, with borrowed binoculars or your own. Cheyenne Botanic Gardens’ Paul Smith Children’s Village, 710 S. Lions Park Drive. 307-637-6349
National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
– April 30, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Join local animal shelters to celebrate National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day! You can fill out adoption documents, see pictures of other adoptable animals, learn how to take care of your new pet, and donate pet food and supplies to the shelters. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
”Wild Creek Whispers” Book Signing
– April 30, 10-2 p.m. Local author Cindy Reynders will hold a signing of the first book in her new series about a Wyoming private investigator. Barnes and Noble, 1851 Dell Range Blvd. 307-632-3000.
Car Show and Swap Meet
– April 30, noon. Awards around 1:30 p.m. A local car show and swap meet. There will be food and drink available as well. Intermountain Speedway, 4820 South Greeley Highway. 307-630-6574
Virtual SaturD&D
– April 30, 1-3 p.m. Join the library’s teen Dungeons and Dragons online community and get started on creating a character today. Don’t have a Discord account yet? No problem. They offers Discord Communities for teens to interact, chat and play online. To participate, you will need a phone, tablet or computer with internet connection and a Discord account. RSVP for the event at lclsonline.org/calendar/.
”The Price is Right” at the Laramie County Library
– April 30, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Grades 3-6. “Come on down” to be a contestant in our version of “The Price is Right” gameshow. Participants could win cool prizes as you learn about how far your money can go. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Tunes, Taps and Apps
– April 30, 5 p.m. $60. Join the Symphony Friends for a fantastic evening of locally brewed beer and chef-curated appetizer pairings in support of the Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra. There will also be a cash bar and silent auction. The Atlas Theatre, 211 W. Lincolnway. 307-638-6543
Cheyenne Roller Derby Spring Sting
– April 30, 5:30-10 p.m. $10. This Capidolls bout versus the Bitter Sweet Bombshells will feather a special junior roller derby mixer featuring the Cheyenne Fronterrors. There will be a silent auction, with proceeds benefitting Stride Learning Center. Roller City, 5506 Weaver Road. 307-637-7294
Cheyenne Capital Chorale Spring Concert
– April 30, 7 p.m. Free. This concert is titled “Pieces Put Together for Beautiful Music.” South High School Auditorium, 1213 W. Allison Road. 307-771-2410
All City Children’s Chorus Concert
– May 1, 4 p.m. The final performance in their 46th season, “Unforgettable,” is titled “Favorite Classics.” The concert will include songs that are favorites of the singers, the directors and the audience. The graduating 8th graders will be honored and ACCC alumni are invited to join the singers on the stage for the final number “River in Judea”.”Cheyenne Civic Center, 510 W. 20th St. 307-778-8561
Speed Dating @ The Louise Event Venue
– May 1, 7 p.m. Find you perfect match, enjoy drinks and a show by local comedian Geo Tha Leo. To register, text 307-220-1474 with your name and number of tickets. The Louise Event Venue, 110 E. 17th St. 307-220-1474
LCCC presents Chanticleer
– May 1, 7 p.m. Laramie County Community College Foundation will host the Grammy Award-winning vocal ensemble Chanticleer. The performance will be the group’s second performance in Cheyenne and part of their 2022 Tour. Laramie County Community College, 1400 E. College Drive. 307-778-5222
Guided Play
– May 2, 10-11:45 a.m. Each week, the library will feature a different playscape in the Early Literacy Center, along with suggestions of how to engage your child in guided play. This week’s theme is “Dress Up and Pretend.” Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Sit, Stay, Read! Read to a Therapy Dog
– May 2, 4-5 p.m. Everyone loves to hear a story, even our four-pawed friends. Visit the library and practice reading aloud to one of the community’s therapy dogs. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
May the Fourth Celebrations
– May 4, 6-9 p.m. There’s a disturbance in the Force and the source of the disturbance is fun. Visit and celebrate May 4th with special guest characters from the 501st Legion Mountain Garrison. The library will have fun activities and refreshments with a Star Wars theme. Join for trivia starting at 7 p.m. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
May the Fourth DIY Lightsaber Workshop
– May 4, 6-7:30 p.m. Is the Force strong with you? Prove it by making your own lightsaber as part of the library’s May the 4th celebration. The library will provide all the materials you need to create your very own special Jedi blade. Sign up at lclsonline.org/calendar/. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Knights of the Turntable
– May 5, 6-9 p.m. A monthly vinyl listening session with a new theme every month. Bring three vinyl records that fit within the theme. A prize goes to the best presentation. This month’s theme is “No guitars.” Downtown Vinyl, 1612 Capitol Ave. 307-632-3476
Movies at the Library, Burns
– May 6, 1-3 p.m. Join the Burns Branch Library for a family friendly movie and some popcorn. This week’s movie is “Encanto” (PG). Burns Branch Library, 112 Main St. 307-547-2249
Friday Matinee, Pine Bluffs
– May 6, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Spend your Friday afternoons at the library to watch a family friendly matinee. Bring a favorite snack and enjoy the show. This week’s movie is “The Addams Family 2” (PG). Pine Bluffs Branch Library, 110 E. Second St. 307-245-3646
Gamers Unite: Super Smash Bros.
– May 6, 3-5 p.m. They’re crashing and smashing at the library. Go get your game on at Gamers Unite. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
2022 Tacos & Tequila
– May 6, 5-10 p.m. $40. The yearly fundraiser for the COMEA House and Resource Center returns. Ticket price includes event admission, access to silent and live auction, taco and fajita buffet, free tequila tasting and a full bar. Cheyenne Frontier Days Arena, Exhibit Hall and Event Center, 1312 W. Eighth Ave. Call 307-632-3174 for tickets.
Arts Cheyenne ArtHaus Launch Party and Artwalk
– May 6, 6 p.m. Arts Cheyenne will be showcasing the first ArtHaus exhibit, a Fine Arts Cheyenne Invitational, which will highlight local artists’ work. Enjoy the art as you sip on a beverage and meet the artists eager to chat and share their creations. Cheyenne Depot, 232 W. 15th St. 307-632-3905
WyArt Coalition Fine Art Exchange
- May 6-7. The second installment of the Fine Art Exchange is here. Attendees can bid through the silent auction, or ... You know all those skills you have in plumbing? Or web design? Maybe you bake a killer wedding cake. How about just a crazy, off-the-wall skill you can teach? Well, now is your chance to offer that up in return for some artwork. Cheyenne Depot, 232 W. 15th St. 307-632-3905
CLTP presents “Cabaret”
– May 6-8, 12-15, 20-22, 7:30 p.m. $24, dinner theater $48. In a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920s draw to a close, a garish Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience and assures them they will forget all their troubles at the “Cabaret.” With the Emcee’s bawdy songs as wry commentary, “Cabaret” explores the dark, heady and tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. Historic Atlas Theatre, 211 W. Lincolnway. 307-638-6543
Kentucky Derby Brunch
– May 7, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. $25 per guest, $300 per table. Enjoy brunch with K9s 4 Mobility at The Metropolitan. Place your predictions on the live K9s Derby Puppy Run. There will also be brunch, games, drinks and music from Southern Fryed. The Metropolitan Gallery, 1701 Carey Ave. 307-222-9597
Wyoming State Museum Family Day
– May 7, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. This month’s theme is “May Flowers.” Join the museum for a day dedicated to the diverse plant life of our state. Make your own potted plant, explore how the fruits and veggies that you eat are pollinated, and meet experts from across Wyoming. Register online. The library will also hold storytime from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Wyoming State Museum, 2301 Central Ave. 307-777-7022
The Three Little Pigs: Musical Story Time and Instrument Petting Zoo
– May 7, 11 a.m. Free. Join master storyteller Aaron Sommers and Cheyenne Symphony Orchestra musicians, violinist Sarah McCoy and cellist Suzy Wagner for musical story time. Activities presented in partnership with Delta-Kappa Gamma, Upsilon Chapter. Paul Smith Children’s Village at the Cheyenne Botanic Gardens, 710 S. Lions Park Drive. 307-637-6458
Virtual SaturD&D
– May 7, 1-3 p.m. Roleplaying adventure is just a click away. Join the library’s Teen D&D online community and get started on creating a character today. Don’t have a Discord account yet? No problem. Laramie County Library offers Discord Communities for teens to interact, chat, and play online. RSVP for the event at lclsonline.org/calendar/.
4th Annual Corgi Derby
– May 7, 2-4 p.m. Pine Bluffs Distillery is allowing 50 dogs to participate in the races. Come dressed in your best derby attire (the bigger the hat, the better!). Dog costumes are also welcome. Prizes will be given to both humans and furry friends for “Best in Show,” so be sure to bring your A-game. There will also be food trucks and drink specials. $1 from each drink will go to the Cheyenne Animal Shelter. Pine Bluffs Distilling Tasting Room, 115 Bourbon St. 307-245-3000
3rd Annual Mothers Day Family Reunion Picnic
– May 8, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Nay & Jay’s Mothers Day Picnic will feature a bouncy house, food trucks, games, live music, raffles and a family tournament. There will also be a 3v3 basketball tournament. This event is presented by The Louise Event Venue. Holliday Park, East 16th Street. 307-220-1474
Guided Play
– May 9, 10-11:45 a.m. Each week, the library will feature a different playscape in the Early Literacy Center, along with suggestions of how to engage your child in guided play. This week’s theme is “Parachute Party.” Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Cowgirls of the West Luncheon
– May 9, 11:30 a.m. Reservations $25. Mike Kassel will be presenting the program on “Cheyenne and its Indian Neighbors.” Little America Hotel and Resort, 2800 W. Lincolnway. Call 307-632-2814 by May 6.
”Retribution” 30th Anniversary Tour
– May 9, 7 p.m. All ages. Donation required to enter. The legendary Death Metal band “Malevolent Creation” is on tour, celebrating the 30th anniversary of their album “Retribution.” With touring acts Luna In Sanguinem, from Illinois and Narcotic Wasteland, featuring members from Florida and Colorado. Cheyenne’s own death dealers Casket Huffer, will be playing new tracks from their upcoming release. Ernie November, 217 W. Lincolnway. 307-632-6867
Famous Illustrators
– May 10, 4:15-5:15 p.m. Ever wonder how illustrators make the beautiful pictures you see in books? Take a look into how some of your favorite book illustrators make their art. This month, the library will focus on the Pumphrey brothers. Wear play clothes, as it could get messy. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
We Drink and We Know Things
– May 10, 6 p.m. Monthly themed trivia night on the second Tuesday of each month. The theme is always a surprise, so gather your team, drink some beers and show us what you know! Freedom’s Edge Brewing Co., 1509 Pioneer Ave. 307-514-5314
Brown Bag Book Club
– May 12, 6-7 p.m. Grades 4-6. Book Club will meet twice during the month of May. We will chat about the book, do some crazy activities and enjoy a delicious treat. Participants can bring a “brown bag” meal, and drinks will be provided. We will be reading “Artemis Fowl” by Eoin Colfer. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Open Jam Night
– May 12, 7-10 p.m. Free. The Lincoln Theatre is hosting its next Open Jam Night. Musicians are encouraged to bring their guitar, bass, etc. and come jam with other local musicians! Backline provided. A full bar will be available for those who just want to come and watch. The Lincoln Theatre, 1615 Central Ave. 307-369-6028
Movies at the Library, Burns
– May 13, 1-3 p.m. Join the Burns Branch Library for a family friendly movie and some popcorn. This week’s movie is “Trolls” (PG). Burns Branch Library, 112 Main St. 307-547-2249
Friday Matinee, Pine Bluffs
– May 13, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Spend your Friday afternoons at the library to watch a family-friendly matinee. Bring a favorite snack and enjoy the show. This week’s movie is “Encanto” (PG). Pine Bluffs Branch Library, 110 E. Second St. 307-245-3646
Magic Beans, Schema Things, and Amorphic @ The Lincoln
– May 13, 8-11 p.m. $20 advance, $25 at the door. A night of funk/rock jam bands hailing from Denver and Fort Collins, Colorado. The Lincoln Theatre, 1615 Central Ave. 307-369-6028
Virtual SaturD&D
– May 14, 1-3 p.m. Roleplaying adventure is just a click away. Join the library’s Teen D&D online community and get started on creating a character today. Don’t have a Discord account yet? No problem. Laramie County Library offers Discord Communities for teens to interact, chat, and play online. RSVP for the event at lclsonline.org/calendar/. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Battle of the Bands @ The Lincoln – Metal bands
– May 14, 7 p.m.; doors at 6 p.m. $5. The fourth night of a four-month, multi-genre Battle of the Bands competition. Each performer will be given a 15-minute set. The event is open to all musicians within 50 miles of Cheyenne that are not signed to a label. All material performed must be original. The Lincoln Theatre, 1615 Central Ave. 307-369-6028
Ongoing Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition
– Through Aug. 14, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Presented by the Wyoming State Museum, this exhibit compiles 66 different pieces of artwork from artists around the state of Wyoming. Wyoming State Capitol basement extension, 200 W. 24th St. 307-777-7220
”Mountains and Monochromatic” April Art Show
– Through April 30. Wednesday through Friday, 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. No explanation needed for the mountains. This art show also features monochromatic works to convey simplicity, peacefulness, starkness, purity or other meaning. It can use different shades of one color, but, by definition, should contain only one base color. Cheyenne Artists Guild, 1701 Morrie Ave. 307-632-2263
Art & Text: Artist as Storyteller
– Through May 17, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Enjoy visual stories and the written word created by K–12 students in Laramie County School District 1. Art is located throughout all three floors of the library. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
The Front Range Alice in Wonderland
- April 30, May 6-7, 13-14, 7 p.m.; May 1, 7, 14, 1 p.m. $10. To celebrate their 30th season, Debut Theatre Company takes you on a delightful adventure to capture the imagination of all ages with clever, nonsensical word-play and irreverent humor. Lewis Carroll’s famous story about dreams and reality, childhood and growing up, games and nonsense, will transport you to a land that vexes time, stretches space and asks you to believe at least six impossible things before breakfast. The Lincoln Center, 417 W. Magnolia St. 970-221-6730
Canyon Concert Ballet presents “Snow White”
– May 7-8, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. $30-$40. This debut production brings to life the legendary fairy tale of Snow White. This production from new Artistic Director Michael Pappalardo will be complete with new sets, costumes and his exquisite choreographic style. Lincoln Center Performance Hall, 417 W. Magnolia St. 970-221-6730
”Black and White in Black and White” Exhibit
–Through May 28, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. $8. This new exhibit features striking photographs attributed to African American photographer John Johnson who took powerful, early 20th-century portraits of African Americans in Lincoln, Nebraska. Greeley History Museum, 714 9th St, Greeley, Colorado. 970-350-9220 | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/todo/saturday-calendar-4-30-22/article_01c2d1e7-d778-5f9e-8c6c-591d7f6b46f6.html | 2022-04-30T13:41:54Z |
SATURDAY
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW Planetarium presents “Mexica Archaeoastronomy”: 2 p.m., UW Planetarium. Illustrates the important role played by astronomical observation for the evolution of pre-Hispanic cultures in central Mexico.
Bingo at the Moose Lodge: 6 p.m., Laramie Moose Lodge, 409 S. 3rd St.
UW Planetarium presents “Liquid Sky, Electronica”: 7 p.m., UW Planetarium. Enjoy a custom playlist of music from today’s top artists.
UW Wind Symphony presents “Postcards”: 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $12 general, $8 seniors, and $6 for students, and can be bought at 307-766-6666 or uwyo.edu/finearts.
WU Theatre and Dance presents rock musical “Be Like Joe”: 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts. For tickets — $14, $11 for seniors and $7 for students — call 307-766-6666 or visit uwyo.edu/finearts.
SUNDAY
Walk With a Doc: 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Washington Park west shelter No. 3. Bring walking shoes and a friend. For more information, email questions@ivinsonhospital.org.
Learn about veterans benefits and how to apply: 3 p.m., American Legion post, 417 E. Ivinson Ave. Free and open to the public.
MONDAY
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
Community and symphonic bands host free spring concert: 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts.
TUESDAY
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW Planetarium presents “Wyoming Skies”: 8 p.m., UW Planetarium. What’s up in the sky around Wyoming? Tickets $5; $3 for UW students, staff and first responders; free for children younger than 5. Call 307-766-6506.
WEDNESDAY
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson Medical Group women’s health prenatal education: 5:30 p.m., Ivinson Memorial Hospital in the Summit Conference Room. Learn more or register at ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
THURSDAY
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Diabetes Support Group meets: 5:30-6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Email questions@ivinsosnhospital.org for the link.
Cinco de Mayo and Business After Hours at the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Horse Barn Theater at the site. Free to public. Prison also open for self-guided tours.
Stitching the Past Together creative aging class: 6:30-8 p.m., Albany County Public Library large meeting room. Students will learn memory-based storytelling through beading techniques in this free course. Register at acplwy.org or at the circulation desk.
UW Symphony presents “An American in Paris”: 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts concert hall. For tickets call 307-766-6666, visit the UW box offices at Fine Arts or the Student Union, or visit uwyo.edu/finearts.
FRIDAY
Free stress relief clinic: Noon to 1 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW Music presents Andrew Staupe on piano: 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets $10 general admission, $7 seniors and $6 for non-UW students. Ca307-766-6666 or visit uwyo.edu/finearts.
UW Planetarium presents “Astrology”: 8 p.m., UW Planetarium. Look into the past at the origins of astrology and learn how it’s affected the world, along with why we don’t depend on it today. Tickets $5; $3 for UW students, staff and first responders; free for children younger than 5. Call 307-766-6506.
May 7
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW Planetarium presents “Europe to the Stars”: 2 p.m., UW Planetarium. An epic journey behind the scenes at the most productive ground-based observatory in the world. Tickets $5; $3 for UW students, staff and first responders; free for children younger than 5. Call 307-766-6506.
VFW Post 2221 Commander’s Charity Dinner: 5:30-8 p.m., 2142 E. Garfield St. Tickets 412 at the door, all proceeds to benefit VFW Poppy Fund and Albany County Search and Rescue.
UW choirs present Brahms’ beloved “German Requiem”: 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts. For tickets, call 307-766-6666 or visit uwyo.edu/finearts.
UW Planetarium presents “Liquid Sky Indie Rock”: 8 p.m., UW Planetarium. Enjoy a custom playlist of music from out-of-this-world artists pushing the limits of rock. Tickets $5; $3 for UW students, staff and first responders; free for children younger than 5. Call 307-766-6506.
May 9
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
May 10
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
Albany County Republican Party meets: 6 p.m., Albany County Public Library.
May 11
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson Medical Group women’s health prenatal education: 5:30 p.m., Ivinson Memorial Hospital in the Summit Conference Room. Learn more or register at ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
May 12
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Stitching the Past Together creative aging class: 6:30-8 p.m., Albany County Public Library large meeting room. Students will learn memory-based storytelling through beading techniques in this free course. Register at acplwy.org or at the circulation desk.
May 13
Free stress relief clinic: Noon to 1 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW Planetarium presents “Extrasolar Planets”: 8 p.m., UW Planetarium. Just a couple of decades ago scientists could only speculate if planets existed around the other stars of our galaxy. Today, an abundance of diverse worlds are cataloged each day. Tickets $5; $3 for UW students, staff and first responders; free for children younger than 5. Call 307-766-6506.
May 14
University of Wyoming graduation ceremony: 8:30 a.m., UW Arena-Auditorium, undergraduate ceremony for the colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Engineering and Applied Science and School of Energy Resources.
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
University of Wyoming graduation ceremony: 10 a.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts, for the College of Law.
University of Wyoming graduation ceremony: 12:15 p.m., UW Arena-Auditorium, for master’s and doctoral students from colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Business, Education, Engineering and Applied Science, Health Sciences and Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources.
UW Planetarium presents “Out There: Extrasolar Worlds”: 2 p.m., UW Planetarium. For thousands of years, mankind thought that the Earth was the center of the universe. Thanks to our curiosity, imagination and urge to explore, we now know that planets like ours are nothing special in the cosmos. Tickets $5; $3 for UW students, staff and first responders; free for children younger than 5. Call 307-766-6506.
University of Wyoming graduation ceremony: 3:30 p.m., UW Arena-Auditorium, for undergraduate ceremony for colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education, Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and Office of Academic Affairs.
UW Planetarium presents “Liquid Sky Pop”: 8 p.m., UW Planetarium. Enjoy a custom playlist of music from today’s pop artists. Tickets $5; $3 for UW students, staff and first responders; free for children younger than 5. Call 307-766-6506.
May 15
Walk With a Doc: 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Washington Park west shelter No. 3. Bring walking shoes and a friend. For more information, email questions@ivinsonhospital.org.
May 16
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
May 17
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW Planetarium presents “Wyoming Skies”: 8 p.m., UW Planetarium. What’s up in the sky around Wyoming? Tickets $5; $3 for UW students, staff and first responders; free for children younger than 5. Call 307-766-6506.
May 18
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson Medical Group women’s health prenatal education: 5:30 p.m., Ivinson Memorial Hospital in the Summit Conference Room. Learn more or register at ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
May 19
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Stitching the Past Together creative aging class: 6:30-8 p.m., Albany County Public Library large meeting room. Students will learn memory-based storytelling through beading techniques in this free course. Register at acplwy.org or at the circulation desk.
May 20
Albany County CattleWomen meet: 11:30 a.m., location tbd. Visit wyaccw.com in the week before the meeting for location and more information.
Free stress relief clinic: Noon to 1 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW Planetarium presents “Science of Sci-Fi”: 8 p.m., UW Planetarium. Everyone loves a good sci-fi movie, but how much is science and how much is fiction? Tickets $5; $3 for UW students, staff and first responders; free for children younger than 5. Call 307-766-6506.
May 21
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW Planetarium presents “Hot and Energetic Universe”: 2 p.m., UW Planetarium. The planetarium documentary “The Hot and Energetic Universe” presents with the use of immersive visualizations and real images the achievements of modern astronomy. Tickets $5; $3 for UW students, staff and first responders; free for children younger than 5. Call 307-766-6506.
UW Planetarium presents “Liquid Sky Throwbacks”: 8 p.m., UW Planetarium. Stranger Things meets Guardians of the Galaxy — 1980s nostalgia addicts unite! Enjoy a custom playlist of music from yesterday’s top artists. Tickets $5; $3 for UW students, staff and first responders; free for children younger than 5. Call 307-766-6506.
May 23
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
America Sewing Guild Laramie Chapter meets: 7 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1215 E. Gibbon St. Please enter through the lower east door off the parking lot.
May 24
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 25
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
May 26
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Stitching the Past Together creative aging class: 6:30-8 p.m., Albany County Public Library large meeting room. Students will learn memory-based storytelling through beading techniques in this free course. Register at acplwy.org or at the circulation desk.
May 27
Free stress relief clinic: Noon to 1 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 28
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 30
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
May 31
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
June 5
Unexpected Company Senior Theatre presents “Three Doors to Death ... or the Choice is Yours”: 3 p.m., Alice Hardie Stevens Event Center. Tickets $12 can be bought at the Eppson Center for Seniors or Laramie Plains Museum Carriage Gift Shop.
Have an event for What’s Happening? Send it to Managing Editor Greg Johnson at gjohnson@laramieboomerang.com. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/announcements/whats-happening/article_3091734a-bc2c-5390-af3a-6d03fe58d6a3.html | 2022-04-30T13:42:00Z |
Laramie residents may begin seeing online advertisements encouraging them to provide feedback on their city. The ads are not a scam, but part of a strategy to genuinely make local voices heard.
The survey is part of a collaboration between the city of Laramie and Zencity, a technology company that works with governments to track feedback from residents that allows them to gauge overall satisfaction.
The system uses data from the latest census to develop a target population for the survey that will reflect the same demographics as the city overall. It then seeks respondents through an online ad campaign that targets geographical locations.
The survey, which will target about 800 residents a year, is meant to broaden the feedback the city receives while conducting data analysis to ensure the responses are reflective of the greater population demographics.
“We’re allowing the city to hear from more people and bring these insights to the city in a more timely fashion,” said Zencity spokesperson Traci Levin.
The city typically conducts a community survey every two to three years. Responses from the new survey system will be available in real time, with reports on the responses being delivered to the city every six months.
Questions on the survey will cover overall quality of life and satisfaction with city services. There also will be a “dynamic question” portion of the survey where city staff can ask specific questions about timely issues and projects. This section can be updated every six months.
During the first cycle of the survey, this portion of the questions will be about the Laramie Police Department and affordable housing.
The survey only takes a few minutes to complete and will be available in English and Spanish, Levin said. The city also will provide hard copies for people who are uncomfortable using a digital format.
The ads will have a professional feel and include an identifiable photo of Laramie to help lend legitimacy to the survey, Levin said. Respondents will not have to include any personal information other than a ZIP code.
Mayor Paul Weaver said the advertising strategy could help the city reach audiences that it typically misses with its own information sharing systems.
The survey technology includes an ability to ask the community questions in a poll format, which could help the city explore a new way to get resident feedback on policy issues as they are happening.
“The city has been struggling getting information out to people in a timely manner,” Weaver said. “Once people start to care, it’s usually much too late.”
The digital version of the surveys is expected to go live by this weekend, with print versions available next week. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/city-seeks-feedback-with-new-survey-system/article_adec08e6-b03a-540f-89dd-5c388d9187e1.html | 2022-04-30T13:42:07Z |
JACKSON — Crowds had started to form at Albertsons where Cindy Dahlin was trying to run errands last week.
“I couldn’t even get to my car because everybody in the lobby and the sidewalk was just talking about ‘Did you open your letter? Don’t go home and get your mail. It’s going to ruin your day.’ ”
The letters causing the panic were Teton County property value assessments.
True to Assessor Melissa Shinkle’s word, estimated property taxes had increased by an average of 30% to 50%.
That jump is attributable to high assessed values, which are calculated in different neighborhoods from the record-setting local real estate sales of 2021. The assessed values are multiplied by a number of “mills” to assess property taxes. The state sets the vast majority of the mills, with counties able to decide up to 12 mills. In 2021, the Teton County Board of County Commissioners approved 7.39 mills out of the 12 they’re authorized to levy.
Dahlin saw her tax estimate go from just under $6,000 to nearly $10,000.
That left Dahlin and her husband, Jeff, who has retired from the Post Office, with some big questions.
Should they move? That would mean leaving their six grown children and six grandkids who live here.
Could they find more work? Two days before Dahlin, 68, got her letter, she’d told her employer at the Presbyterian Church that she’d need to go part-time this summer to help rehab her recent knee replacement.
Should they raise the rent on the unit above the garage? Dahlin did raise rent by $100 a month to $1,200. That still left about an additional $250 to find.
What about buying a camper to park in their kids’ backyards for a few months at a time?
That’s still just a joke Dahlin makes to her kids. Four of them are teachers, she said, and their tables wouldn’t be big enough.
Ultimately, Dahlin said, she and Jeff will do what they must to stay, but they’re not looking forward to it.
“I really don’t want to work full time. But what happens if I need to work full time?” she said. “Just do this till you’re 95 and drop dead?”
Since receiving their tax estimates, Dan and Suzanne Marino have been asking the same questions as Dahlin from the perspective of landlords.
The Marinos have spent the 40 years they’ve been in the valley running small businesses, employing hundreds of workers.
When Suzanne desperately needed employees to work in Cadillac Grille — now Local restaurant and bar on Town Square — she would not only offer night-of cash payment and New York steak dinners, but housing wherever people could fit.
“I’ve had employees living at my house throughout the years. I had employees living on the deck behind the Cadillac. I had employees living in the basement,” Suzanne said.
The Cadillac Grille closed in 2012. But Suzanne still fills out the paperwork every year to verify that the tenants in the condo they purchased for the workforce meet deed-restriction rules.
As landlords, Dan and Suzanne say they’ve voluntarily rent-controlled their unit as long as they’ve had it. During a few months of the pandemic, they forgave rent payments that didn’t show.
And though they’ve been fighting the same housing issues for decades, they are losing their ability to help, they say, against an estimated 38% property tax increase this year after a 25% increase last year.
That’s on top of rising HOA charges, replacing appliances, and rising labor costs.
After running Jackson Hole Buffalo Meat Co., and the popular eateries Cadillac Grille and Lift, the couple retired to Alpine in Lincoln County. Their income is solely rent and Social Security.
In order to continue supporting the local workforce, they’ve placed another offer on a condo in town, an investment Suzanne says her brother, a land developer, has calculated to yield about a 2.5% return. But after opening their property tax envelope, knowing that burden will be passed along to the renter, they’re reconsidering all their options.
After her decades in Jackson Hole, Suzanne said she can’t wrap her mind around renting to someone outside the local workforce.
But there are no incentives to do so, they say, and they’ll end up passing costs to the very people they want to help.
“We are totally for workforce in Teton County,” Dan said, “but we can’t lose money doing it. We have to survive, too.”
Nancy Brumsted also wondered what the property tax increases would mean for the community.
“You just kind of wonder what’s going to happen to Jackson,” Nancy Brumsted said, “Is it just going to be Disneyland? Or is it going to be a real place?”
Nancy and her husband, Alan, performed “creative maneuvers” like picking up weekend and summer jobs to get a foothold in the Jackson housing market decades ago and refinancing to lower their monthly house payment.
The fixer-upper they bought 25 years ago off South Park Loop Road has seen tax increases of 337%, according to Alan’s calculations, in the last four years alone.
What progress they might have made by refinancing, Brumsted said, was completely wiped out by property tax increases.
They’ll have to come up with an extra $242 a month, she said, and they’re on fixed income supplemented by Nancy’s violin lessons.
They’re both retired school district teachers — Alan now serves on the school board — so they understand that 75% of their property tax money goes to education.
“That’s great that schools benefit,” Brumsted said. “We’re not against paying taxes … [but] every year is completely ruining us. It’s completely ironic.”
For one Teton County renter, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of losing his housing prematurely, there’s less uncertainty about what property tax increases will mean for his future. He’s already on Zillow, he said.
The renter has worked on and off in Teton County for nine years, living with his girlfriend for the last four years in a room they found via social media. There’s a communal kitchen upstairs, shared by renters in another two rooms, and rent is now $1,700 a month.
The landlord also lives with them and this year, the landlord sent out the property tax assessment letter in a group text.
The renter got the group text with the other tenants — a picture of the property assessment, with the new assessed value, the change since last year, and the new rent starting May 1. That amounted to $800 more a month split among the three rooms.
Sure, that was blunt, but the renter wasn’t surprised.
“Like what did we really expect was going to happen when there wasn’t necessarily a deep inventory for rental properties to begin with?” he said.
In his early thirties, the renter has worked in hospitality and retail with a second job at Grand Teton National Park during the summer, making the instability work. But seeing the text this year, he said, was an inflection point.
His month-to-month leases might be more of a blessing this time around than a curse as he looks for a new place.
And though he’s hoping to start over in someplace more stable, unlike people on fixed income or with close families, the renter still had big questions:
“You can contest if the American Dream is dead or alive,” he said, “but like, if you don’t give people that opportunity, what do you really call it?”
For the first time since 2019, Wyoming lawmakers funded the Property Tax Refund Program.
You can qualify for a refund up to 50% of the property tax you paid in 2021 if you meet the following criteria:
You’ve been a Wyoming resident for the past five years, have a household income in Teton County of $73,658 or less and your personal assets do not exceed $133,651 per adult household member.
In other words, if you own other real estate, bank accounts and investments, they cannot value in excess of $133,651 per adult household member. However, you may exclude the value of your home, a car for each adult household member, and any retirement accounts like IRAs, 401k plans and Medical Savings.
The filing deadline is June 6. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/dramatic-property-tax-increases-make-jackson-hole-residents-reconsider-life-plans/article_ae511b11-c79f-5975-bb34-24fc67d95016.html | 2022-04-30T13:42:13Z |
The following calls were included in the Albany County Sheriff’s Office responses:
MONDAY, APRIL 25
• 2:33 a.m., intersection of S. 20th St. and E. Grand Ave., possible impaired driving
• 10 p.m., Albany County Area, possible impaired driving
TUESDAY, APRIL 26
• 9:57 a.m., 500 block of E. Ivinson Ave., accident
• 10:44 a.m., Albany County Area, emergency
• 5:58 p.m., 700 block of Downey St., possible possession of controlled substance
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27
• 1:39 a.m., 200 block of N. Grant St., possible possession of controlled substance
• 7:05 p.m., Interstate 80, accident
THURSDAY, APRIL 28
• 12:46 p.m., 5800 block of South View Rd., animal bite
• 2:03 p.m., 1700 block of Wyoming Highway 230, theft
The following calls were included in the Laramie Police Department responses:
MONDAY, APRIL 25
• 2:33 a.m., intersection of S. 20th St. and E. Grand Ave., possible impaired driving
• 6:54 a.m., 1900 block of E. Harney St., accident
• 7:32 a.m., Albany County Area, emergency
• 9:50 a.m., intersection of N. 4th St. and E. Harney St., traffic hazard
• 10:03 a.m., 800 block of S. 5th St., wildlife
• 12:31 p.m., 2300 block of E. Grand Ave., accident
• 2:07 p.m., 700 block of E. Harney St., possible domestic disturbance
• 3:34 p.m., 1700 block of Boulder Dr., disturbance/harassment-threats
• 4:06 p.m., 4300 block of E. Grand Ave., shoplifting
• 4:16 p.m., 3900 block of E. Grand Ave., accident
• 6:06 p.m., 2100 block of Harrison St., theft
• 7:43 p.m., 900 block of N. McCue St., animal bite
• 8:14 p.m., 2100 block of Binford St., disturbance/harassment-threats
• 9:12 p.m., 900 block of E. Russell St., report of death
• 11:42 p.m., 800 block of E. Curtis St., extortion
TUESDAY, APRIL 26
• 7:52 a.m., 200 block of W. Snowy Range Rd., traffic hazard
• 7:56 a.m., intersection of N. 30th St. and E. Harney St., accident
• 9:57 a.m., 500 block of E. Ivinson Ave., accident
• 10:48 a.m., 500 block of E. Ivinson Ave., hit and run
• 5:28 p.m., intersection of N. 3rd St. and E. Gibbon St., wildlife
• 5:32 p.m., 3100 block of E. Grand Ave., hit and run
• 5:54 p.m., 2400 Armory Rd., vandalism
• 5:58 p.m., 700 block of Downey St., possible possession of controlled substance
• 6:13 p.m., 2500 block of E. Park Ave., wildlife
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27
• 2:01 p.m., 2500 block of E. Park Ave., wildlife
• 4:06 p.m., 4300 block of E. Grand Ave., shoplifting
• 4:48 p.m., 1600 block of N. Cedar St., vandalism
• 5:56 p.m., intersection of S. 3rd St. and E. Ivinson Ave., traffic hazard
• 7:07 p.m., 1000 block of N. 3rd St., vandalism
• 7:15 p.m., 4300 block of E. Grand Ave., shoplifting
THURSDAY, APRIL 28
• 10:14 a.m., 900 block of S. 2nd St., emergency
• 10:31 a.m., 1700 block of Boulder Dr., emergency
• 11:12 a.m., 1800 block of Monroe St., fighting
• 1:02 p.m., 3500 block of Grays Gable Rd., emergency
• 1:20 p.m., 100 N. 7th St., theft/unauthorized use of vehicle
• 3:13 p.m., 1100 block of S. 3rd St., shoplifting
• 4:17 p.m., 200 block of W. Snowy Range Rd., traffic hazard
• 6:22 p.m., 800 block of S. 5th St., theft
• 7:09 p.m., 1600 block of Jefferson St., attempted burglary
• 7:37 p.m., 1600 block of Van Buren St., animal bite
• 8:59 p.m., 1700 block of N. McCue St., fighting | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/local_news/arrest_record_and_police_calls/april-30-on-the-record/article_a0403e6a-11bf-59f7-aeb6-bfba145dcfb7.html | 2022-04-30T13:42:19Z |
Six finalists will share $63,000 in prize money after being selected as winners of the John P. Ellbogen $50K Entrepreneurship Competition at the University of Wyoming.
The competition was held last week in person in the UW College of Business Building and virtually via WyoCast.
Sponsored by the UW College of Business, the competition encourages students to act on their talents, ideas and energy to produce leading businesses for the future, according to a UW press release announcing the winners. Teams enter the competition from various disciplines across the UW campus or from state community colleges. Cash prizes are awarded to outstanding student-led entrepreneur teams showing significant business potential.
The grand prize winner is UplinkRobotics LLC, which was awarded $30,000 of endowed prize money. Team members, all from UW, are Oreoluwa Babatunde, a senior from Aremo, Oyo State, Nigeria, majoring in computer engineering; Christian Bitzas, a senior from Powell majoring in computer engineering; Brady Wagstaff, a senior from Evanston majoring in computer engineering; and Zoe Worthen, a senior from Gillette majoring in business management entrepreneurship.
UplinkRobotics is a manufacturing company that specializes in inspection robotics and drones. It also won a $1,000 top submission prize for the High School Choice Award.
Eight teams were eligible to win money from the endowed $50,000 in four categories of the People’s Choice Award, High School Choice Award and the Ethical Startup Award. This year, members of the John P. Ellbogen Foundation attended the event and decided to make a special commitment directly to one team.
Other winners with local ties include:
- Laboratory Inventory Management Systems: Was awarded $12,000 in endowed prize money. The company is led by Nicholas Case, a UW graduate student from Laramie majoring in geospatial information science and technology, and Shannon Albeke, a senior research scientist in UW’s Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center. LIMS is an end-to-end solution of software and hardware designed to contextualize samples first drawn from the field, as they get processed in the lab and long after work has concluded.
- GigaChar LLC: Was awarded $5,000 in endowed prize money. The company is led by Alexandra Howell, a UW doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering from Morrill, Neb., and Erica Belmont, an associate professor and head of the UW Department of Mechanical Engineering. GigaChar will provide monitoring, reporting and validation, and develop pathways for the large-scale utilization of biochar-based carbon dioxide removal. Biochar is a carbon-rich, durable material similar in appearance to charcoal. GigaChar also was awarded a pair of $1,000 top submission prizes for female entrepreneur and social enterprise. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/local_news/entrepreneur-teams-win-more-than-60k-in-uw-competition/article_50726100-f2b3-5670-a25b-19f65f73dfcd.html | 2022-04-30T13:42:25Z |
Wyoming Community Foundation and its board of directors have announced Samin Dadelahi will lead the organization as its new president and CEO beginning Sunday. She takes over for President and CEO Craig Showalter, who will retire later this summer.
In its 33 years, the Laramie-based group has connected people who care with initiatives around the state, granting more than $100 million to charitable causes, according to a WYCF press release announcing the change of leadership.
“Without question, they picked the best and most qualified candidate for the job,” Showalter said in support of his successor. “The board completed a deliberative and thoughtful process, and we are delighted that Samin is the board’s unanimous selection as WYCF’s next CEO.”
Dadelahi has spent 20 years with the community foundation, beginning in grants administration and continuing to work with statewide grant programs for 10 years. In 2012, she was promoted from senior program officer to chief operating officer.
As COO, Dadelahi focused on creating an organizational culture based on respect, integrity and humor. She implemented paid parental leave and employee flex time and has built a reputation as a strategic thinker who has cultivated deep relationships across the state. An important aspect of her efforts has been expanding nonprofit learning and funding opportunities by working with national foundations.
She holds a Master of Science degree in Entomology from the University of Wyoming and a graduate minor from the Ruckelshaus Institute of Environment and Natural Resources. Dadelahi also serves on the board of directors for Leadership Wyoming and sits on the National Kids Count steering committee for the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
“In my 20 years at WYCF, the best part of my job is that I help make lives better,” Dadelahi said. “Visiting communities all over the state, I have met hundreds of gracious volunteers, dedicated nonprofit staff and visionary donors. I am lucky to have their shared wisdom and expertise to use as a platform for the Community Foundation’s good work. I am deeply honored by the opportunity to lead this organization.”
“The board of directors is excited to have Samin as the next CEO and president,” said Joni Kumor, WYCF chair. “WYCF is a well-known, established organization thanks to the excellent leadership of Craig Showalter over the past 11 years.”
Dadelahi will assume her responsibilities as CEO beginning Sunday with Showalter taking the title of immediate past president through Aug. 1.
“As I ready myself for retirement and the next phase of my life, I feel great about the position of the Wyoming Community Foundation,” Showalter said. “Thanks to the exceptional leadership I know Samin will provide to the most talented staff that I have ever had the pleasure to work with, I am confident that WYCF’s future success is assured.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/local_news/longtime-wycf-officer-named-president-and-ceo/article_c0a39a49-418c-5eb0-b7d3-46db9761bd4d.html | 2022-04-30T13:42:31Z |
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SHERIDAN — Montana and Wyoming state officials have been in communication daily since Montana officials made an April 1 call on the Tongue River and its tributaries to fill the state’s Tongue River Reservoir.
Wyoming State Engineer Brandon Gebhart said the states are regularly reevaluating the need for the call, especially in light of snow and other precipitation arriving since April 1. However, he said neither state is rushing to lift the call.
“We realize that the recent storms have maybe changed the hydrologic conditions,” Gebhart said. “(Montana officials) are actively working right now to reevaluate their process with this new information to see how or if that impacts them lifting the call… The one thing we’re being cautious about is that we don’t want to lift the call just to reinstate the call at a later date.”
The Tongue River basin has been experiencing drought conditions over the past year with below average winter snowpack and streamflow conditions, which led to Montana’s call, said Division II Water Superintendent David Schroeder. Montana’s reservoir needs roughly 27,800 acre feet of water from the Tongue River basin to be filled, Schroeder said.
Until the reservoir is filled — or the call is lifted by Montana — filling the reservoir will become the second priority for the water of the Tongue River and its tributaries. First priority will be all pre-1950 water rights in Wyoming. All post-1950 water rights in Wyoming will be regulated off or prevented from turning on until Montana’s call is completed, Schroeder said.
Schroeder said he didn’t expect the call to have a significant impact on landowners with post-1950 rights given how early the call was happening in the irrigation season.
A call on a river or drainage system is a legal mechanism to order water conservation actions to help ensure minimum, legally required flows to users with senior water rights — typically for irrigation. In the event of a potential water shortage, those with junior rights — post-1950 Wyoming water rights holders, in this case — can be ordered to forgo diverting water to help ensure senior-rights holders downstream — Montana in this case — get their full allotment.
Montana made its call through the Yellowstone River Compact — an interstate agreement entered into by Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota in 1950. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the compact was created to provide for an equitable division of the waters of the Yellowstone River and its tributaries, while encouraging the beneficial development and use of the basin’s waters and furthering intergovernmental cooperation.
This is not the first time Montana has made a call on the Tongue River under the compact — it happened most recently in 2015 and 2016, Schroeder said. However, this is the first time a call has been made since the resolution of Montana vs. Wyoming, a U.S. Supreme Court case that stretched on for 11 years between 2007 and 2018.
In the case, Montana argued Wyoming violated the Yellowstone River Compact by permitting citizens to employ more efficient irrigation systems, causing Montana to receive less runoff water than the state had originally received. The court found Wyoming had violated the compact in two of the years claimed by Montana — 2005 and 2006 —and Wyoming was ordered to pay more than $67,000 in damages to Montana.
Included in the final judgment was a decree outlining how the call process should work in the future. These rules are being followed by both states in the current call, said Chris Brown, senior assistant attorney general for the state of Wyoming.
“The last call was in 2016, and when that call was made, the tools in the decree had not been established at that point,” Gebhart said. “So I think we have much more guidance and knowledge of how we’re going to handle calls going into the future.”
Gebhart noted the years-long litigation created tension between the two states, and departmental turnover led to a loss of institutional knowledge in both states. Despite that, Gebhart said his office is dedicated to keeping open lines of communication with Montana and to honor the spirit of the compact.
“We’ve committed to working more closely together, and I think that’s the first step to making this whole process better,” Gebhart said. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/montana-wyoming-communicates-daily-regarding-call-on-tongue-river/article_325c8603-f923-592b-850b-8323e7f3e7ac.html | 2022-04-30T13:42:44Z |
Speedgoat, popular a burrito and street taco restaurant in downtown Laramie, has announced it will close its doors at the end of the day Saturday.
“It was a very difficult decision for us to make,” said Jenny Patel, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Rajeev. “We love this place.”
The couple came to the decision to close the restaurant at 213 E. Grand Ave. after dealing with a number of challenges surrounding staffing shortages and supply chain issues that made food costs unpredictable.
“The last two and a half years have been really difficult,” Rajeev said about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuing economic pressures on small businesses.
The owners were lucky to have a core group of reliable staff members, some who had been with the restaurant since it opened in 2018. Despite this, a shortage of workers was an extra strain on an already-tight business.
Over the past year, other businesses in Laramie have reported impacts from staffing issues that include restaurants closing for lunch or other shifts because they can’t staff them.
In the midst of managing Speedgoat and their other businesses in town, Gateway Fuels & Liquors and the Quality Inn and Suites, the couple was is raising their 21-month-old son.
Laramie’s unique and eclectic downtown food scene has been enjoying its 15 minutes of fame recently with five local restaurants featured on the Food Network hit television show “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.” A sixth is scheduled to be featured sometime in May.
Rajeev said he and his staff get asked “quite a bit” about if the Speedgoat also was asked to be on the show. The answer is yes.
“We get asked that all the time and yes, we were asked,” he said, adding they declined for a number of reasons. “We didn’t know what we were going to do (with a possible closure) at the time, and we knew that (declining) would open up a spot for someone else.
“We were really honored to be asked, but we knew” the restaurant was on a trajectory to potentially close.
Rajeev said he’s enjoyed watching the recent episodes featuring other downtown spots.
“It’s just funny knowing the people on TV, to know the cooks and the owners,” Rajeev said.
In a thank-you to customers posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page Friday, the Patels confirmed that Speedgoat also had been approached to be on host Guy Fieri’s popular program.
“We get asked a lot and the answer is yes, we were asked to be on ‘Diners, Drive-ins and Dives,’” they say in the post. “We declined for numerous reasons, but really appreciated being asked after only four years of business.”
They ultimately decided it would be best to take time to focus on family and their other businesses.
Still, the Patels are proud of the impact their restaurant made on the Laramie community.
“Restaurants are for community,” Rajeev said. “People really love the space and community we created. That’s our biggest win.”
The pair made it clear that they owe much of their success to their employees and customers who supported them through the years.
“The outpouring of love for our place has really been humbling,” Rajeev said.
In addition to leaving behind merry memories of the good times spent at the restaurant, the owners created a successfully remodeled space that they hope will be a place a future restaurant can thrive.
This also is not the end of the Speedgoat name altogether. While the Patels intend to take the summer off from working on the concept, some format of the restaurant could return to Laramie or surrounding locations in the future.
The restaurant offered menu items that were unique to the area, but really found a niche with a group of faithful supporters. This is something the pair may retain for future iterations of the Speedgoat.
“It’s neat to watch the community embrace it and really enjoy it,” Jenny said. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/out-to-pasture-today-is-last-day-for-popular-eatery-as-speedgoat-owners-thank-community/article_c1265b38-aa7b-554a-ba28-3ac0d56ef025.html | 2022-04-30T13:42:50Z |
As black bears emerge from their den in Wyoming, people who live or recreate in bear country should take the necessary precautions to avoid potential conflicts.
If you live or play in bear country, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department recommends keeping food that could attract bruins properly stored and unavailable to wildlife.
For more information about how to stay safe in bear country, visit the Bear Wise Wyoming website at https://tinyurl.com/2tvaz964.
Anglers: Head out to Laramie Plains Lakes
The Game and Fish Department is encouraging anglers to try their luck at the popular Laramie Plains Lakes this spring.
Bank fishing for rainbow trout at Leazenby Lake has produced some monster fish, the agency reports. Meeboer Lake has more trout larger than 20 inches than previous years. Anglers also can expect trout measuring 22 inches and larger in Alsop Lake and Twin Buttes Reservoir.
Diamond Lake also continues to offer excellent fishing.
Be on the lookout for rusty crayfish
The state is asking for help from anglers, crayfish trappers and other outdoors recreationists to help protect fisheries by reporting any rusty crayfish found in the Laramie River watershed.
Rusty crayfish were illegally introduced into private ponds in 2006 and have been escaping into Wagonhoud Creek, a tributary of the North Platte River.
Despite early eradication efforts, the invasive species has recently been found in the Laramie River as the result of another illegal introduction.
Rusty crayfish can be identified by a red spot on the side of the body. The rusty-colored spots look like fingerprints, as if someone picked it up and squeezed it.
If you find any, report it to your local Game and Fish Department field office.
Get the kids out for Free Fishing Day
The Maury Brown Kids Fishing Day is set for June 4 this year. It’s a free event at Bell Reservoir on the Maury Brown Ranch, about 50 miles from Cheyenne and 60 miles from Laramie.
There is no cost to attend, and lunch and transportation are provided. Each participant will receive a free fishing pole, tackle box and tackle, and will be coached on how to fish.
They also can keep their legal limit of fish and have a chance to earn prizes for catching tagged fish in the Fish Rodeo.
All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Buses depart from Cheyenne at 8:30 a.m. and registration at https://tinyurl.com/2p997baz is required. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/outdoors/out-and-about/article_8856ba71-d417-5e23-a00b-9938e2f808a9.html | 2022-04-30T13:42:56Z |
CASPER — Teton was ranked the healthiest county and Fremont the least healthy county in Wyoming, based on data in the newest report from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
The rankings look at two main components: health factors and health outcomes. Health factors — like education, air and water quality, access to care and tobacco use — are things that can be changed to improve health. Health outcomes — the length and quality of life — represent the health of a county right now.
The outcomes aren’t all that surprising; Teton County has the greatest number of billionaires per capita out of any county in the nation. With that much money floating around comes better access to doctors, therapists, quality food and other resources to improve health.
On the other hand, the study estimates that about 22% of people in Fremont County were uninsured in 2019, with a trend that was neither improving nor getting worse. There was an average patient to primary care physician ratio of about 1,150 to one and an average patient to mental health provider ratio of about 410 to one.
By comparison, about 17% of Teton County residents were uninsured in 2019, with a trend — while improving — that was still worse than the national average. In the same year, there were about 870 patients to every primary care physician and one mental health provider for every 180 patients.
Niobrara, Big Horn, Carbon, Natrona and Platte counties ranked in the bottom quarter along with Fremont County for health factors, while Albany, Park, Sheridan, Laramie and Crook counties joined Teton County in the top quarter.
Those rankings were a little different for health outcomes — the overall quality and length of life.
Park, Sheridan, Weston, Johnson and Albany counties were in the top quarter for the best health outcomes, with Teton County still ranked No. 1.
Fremont County was still at the bottom, followed by Hot Springs, Uinta, Platte, Carbon and Sweetwater counties.
Childcare cost burdens in Wyoming counties ranged between 19% to 36% of household incomes, which is a little worse than the national average.
There isn’t a single county in the nation, however, that meets the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 7% of household income benchmark for affordable childcare, according to the report.
Incomes vary by race and ethnicity across Wyoming, with a median income of $50,458 for American Indian & Alaska Native households to $69,917 for Asian households.
Overall, the data shows that Wyoming has a larger number of premature deaths, low birth weights, tobacco users, alcohol-impaired driving deaths and teen births compared to the national average. It also has a higher primary care physician to patient ratio and a greater percent of people who are uninsured.
But outcomes were better in Wyoming compared to national averages for the number of poor physical and mental health days Wyomingites experience, and there were also fewer preventable hospital stays.
A greater proportion of residents — 94% — finished high school compared to the national average of 89%, and the unemployment rate in the state is about 2.3% lower than national rates. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/report-shows-health-disparities/article_49549d14-37e1-5d26-b0ce-8550ea39c867.html | 2022-04-30T13:43:03Z |
In a first-of-its-kind event, the Wild and Working Lands film festival debuts in Laramie on May 5. Sponsored by the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, the event will be in the Gryphon Theater at the Laramie Plains Civic Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the films start rolling at 7. Admission is free and even includes popcorn.
John Koprowski, dean and professor of the Haub School, is the mastermind behind the festival. Under his direction, a coordinating committee with the school made it a reality.
“Our wild and working lands are what bonds us together despite our many differences,” Koprowski said. “If you live in Wyoming, the American West or much of the globe, our wild and working lands provide a common connection.
“The idea behind this film festival was to create an opportunity to celebrate our shared appreciation through the different perspectives of our filmmakers.”
Grace Carr, research and outreach coordinator for the Haub School and member of the festival’s coordinating committee, said there were 80 entries for this year’s event. Films came not only from Wyoming, but also from across the United States and several foreign countries like Canada, France, Mexico and Italy.
“We put out a call for judges to review the films and give the films ratings,” Carr said. “We had a great response from across the university to help with the judging.”
The result is a festival featuring 14 films ranging in length from 3 to 20 minutes.
“Some of the films highlight research efforts, others are portraits of people relating to the world around them, while others feature groundbreaking issues,” Carr said. “We wanted to show that parallel of humans and the environment and how they coexist together.”
The film festival trailer offers a preview of what is in store for those who attend the event. It also can be viewed at the Haub School website, uwyo.edu/haub.
Produced by Isabel Zieres, a freelance video editor who often works with the Haub School, the trailer includes snippets from a number of the films.
A wide range of wildlife is shown from bison to grizzly bears, bighorn sheep, coyotes and burrowing owls. Humans are enjoying the outdoors via skis, fly fishing, hiking and just sitting and enjoying the view. The stunning photography in the trailer should whet the curiosity of anyone considering attending the festival.
“All of the films featured are a wonderful representation of people and their unique relationships with nature,” Zieres said. “If you are interested in the study of environmental issues or the connections we all have to our surrounding environments, this film festival is definitely worth seeing.”
Awards will be presented after the showing. The top entries will be determined by a film festival committee of judges. Two additional awards will be given by the Wyoming Migration Initiative and the Biodiversity Institute. For those there in-person, votes will be gathered to determine the People’s Choice award.
“It is a real opportunity to understand the natural world and how people interact in that world,” Carr said. “It is chance to experience a unique opportunity coming to Laramie.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/seeing-is-believing-wild-and-working-lands-film-festival-set-to-debut/article_9a07c117-3af8-5d20-b7a9-f5f2982dd0ce.html | 2022-04-30T13:43:09Z |
CASPER — An attorney and former Democratic lawmaker filed suit Wednesday over Wyoming’s voter ID law, arguing it violates multiple sections of the state’s constitution. The lawsuit alleges the law, which went into effect last year, is inconvenient and unnecessary.
“(The voter ID law) trammels the constitutional right essential to suffrage both in passage and operation,” the suit states.
The law, which requires voters to show ID at the polls, was passed in the 2021 legislative session and has been in effect for less than a year. Wyoming voters have long had to show a photo ID when registering, a provision the lawsuit does not challenge.
The lawsuit, filed by former Democratic representative Charles Pelkey, represents one of the first attempts to legally challenge the voter ID law on the basis of the state’s constitution.
“This is not the last century,” the lawsuit read. “The government needs to show why the first acceptable photo ID cannot display automatically to the poll workers when people vote, so voters can be welcomed and thanked for voting—rather than challenged.”
The law was enacted via House Bill 75, whose primary sponsor was Casper Rep. Chuck Gray.
Notably, 40 members of the House of Representatives and half of the 30-member Wyoming Senate signed on as co-sponsors.
“This formal complaint has been filed by a former Democrat state legislator after the law has already gone into effect and been utilized in multiple elections,” Gray said in a statement. “Today’s filing is frivolous and demonstrates how the radical Left wants to make it easier to cheat in elections.”
Currently, 35 states have some sort of voter ID law with varying levels of requirements.
In Wyoming, if ID is not presented at the polls, a voter is given a provisional ballot. To have that ballot be counted, the voter must visit a county clerk no later than the close of business on the following day and present a valid ID.
“They do not have a compelling need to assess this. If they did, where is the evidence?” said Tim Newcomb, the plaintiff in the case and another attorney who has expertise in the Wyoming Constitution.
Pelkey said that the Wyoming Constitution “puts a higher standard for imposing limits on voting rights” than the U.S. Constitution. He was not in the Legislature when the bill passed, but lawmakers attempted to adopt voter ID legislation multiple times before they were successful in 2021.
While past attempts at voter ID were rebuffed, the effort gained new life in the wake of growing concerns about voter fraud by Republicans in the wake of the 2020 presidential election.
Voter fraud is extremely rare in Wyoming, with only a handful of convictions over the past several decades.
During previous legislative sessions, Pelkey said he argued that the bill risked being deemed unconstitutional.
“Election integrity is pivotal and the voter ID legislation is a basic safeguard to fight voter fraud,” Gray said in his statement.
The voter ID law was in effect during some local elections last fall, but its biggest test will come this summer, when Wyoming’s primary election is scheduled. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/voter-id-faces-legal-challenge/article_d86867de-6065-570a-a62c-5bd5c810c29f.html | 2022-04-30T13:43:15Z |
Gov. Mark Gordon and the Legislature apparently believe Wyoming’s electricity customers are all chumps.
What other conclusion is possible given their push to prop up a dying coal industry by retrofitting the state’s coal-fired power plants with wildly expensive, efficiency-killing carbon-capture systems by 2030?
PacifiCorp, which operates as Rocky Mountain Power in Wyoming, said last month it would cost between $400 million and $1 billion for each coal power plant unit to add carbon capture utilization and storage technology. A law passed in 2020 required the company to analyze the feasibility of such a move. The same measure spelled out who gets to foot the bill — PacifiCorp’s roughly 140,000 Wyoming customers.
It’s uneconomical and environmentally irresponsible to keep burning coal for electricity generation, no matter how much tax revenue it brings to Wyoming. It’s killing our planet.
PacifiCorp announced plans in 2019 to close six units at Wyoming plants within 10 years and rely instead on natural gas, cheaper renewables like wind and solar and new, experimental nuclear technology.
Lawmakers in 2020 established new standards that — surprise! — can only be met by coal-burning plants utilizing carbon capture utilization and storage. Unless a company can prove the technology is not economically feasible, it cannot bill ratepayers to recoup capital investments in alternative power sources like carbon-free solar and wind energy.
The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis warns that the new law is a boondoggle. If the price tag of a CCUS retrofit is $1 billion, PacifiCorp’s 140,000 Wyoming customers must split the tab.
“[That’s] essentially imposing a tax of more than $7,000 per customer,” the IEEFA said. “In a state that doesn’t even have an income tax, we believe the proposal would generate massive public opposition.”
But it didn’t. Gordon has relentlessly pushed CCUS to “save” coal. His faith should be shaken by the fact Petra Nova in Texas — the technology’s $1 billion flagship project — flopped on a grand scale.
It was expected to earn a profit through selling CO2 for enhanced oil recovery but was mothballed in 2020 when oil prices tanked.
Congress spent $1.1 billion a decade ago on eight CCUS research projects to reduce pollution. A Government Accountability Office report this year said none of the “clean-coal” projects are operating.
IEEFA called the law “part of a carbon-capture-experiment racket that has existed for years in (Wyoming), at taxpayer expense, but has nothing to show for it.”
Black Hills Corp. noted in its Wyoming Public Service Commission filing in March that retrofitting two of its Gillette plants could result in rate hikes as high as $100 per month.
But because the PSC-capped CCUS-driven 2% rate hikes, Black Hills, Cheyenne Light, PacifiCorp and other utilities would have to spread out the charges over decades. Customers would be stuck paying higher rates far beyond the expected 30-year lifespan of a CCUS plant.
The law was sold as a way to keep Wyoming’s coal plants operating while boosting state tax revenue and shifting most of the cost of the bailout elsewhere.
“We can export that tax burden to people in other states,” predicted sponsor Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? The idea reminds me of another plan a few years ago to transport Powder River Basin coal by rail to a Washington state coal export terminal. Our coal would be shipped to China, and Wyoming’s coal mines would be saved.
Except Washington didn’t buy it for a minute, the company building the terminal went bankrupt and all Wyoming lawmakers could do is allocate millions of dollars to sue Washington for allegedly violating the U.S. Commerce Clause.
Exporting our cost of CCUS equipment to the 1.8 million customers in the other five PacifiCorp states sounds ideal for Wyoming, but it won’t happen. Why would any state regulators — especially in Oregon, Washington and California, which have solid commitments to move toward carbon-free emissions — tell PacifiCorp’s ratepayers they must share in Wyoming’s costs?
Reducing carbon emissions through CCUS would eliminate some pollution, but the move can hardly be classified as “green” no matter how much Gordon and others would like it to be.
The law lets Wyoming utilities off the hook if they can prove CCUS retrofitting isn’t economically feasible.
If companies ultimately can walk away from the law’s outrageous $1 billion cost to ratepayers, it’s no harm, no foul, right? It seems the only thing customers would lose is some sleep worrying about it.
Not exactly. PacifiCorp asked the PSC to grant a 0.5% surcharge on its rates to raise $3.5 million from customers to help pay for its legislatively mandated feasibility studies. Talk about adding insult to injury.
Black Hills Corp says reducing CO2 emissions by converting coal to natural gas, the company’s preferred method, would cost only 5% as much as CCUS retrofitting.
That ought to be enough to sink the idea once and for all — or until our elected officials find more ways to foist CCUS on Wyoming ratepayers, who still aren’t riled up enough yet to make this a major issue this election year. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/contributed_columns/wyo-officials-think-customers-should-pay-1b-to-save-coal/article_85899ce8-982c-5068-969a-0fb08f4775e9.html | 2022-04-30T13:43:21Z |
Housing in Wyoming is a difficult, emotional and complex topic. A lack of housing, affordable or otherwise, impacts every sector of our communities, especially those that spend a higher proportion of their income on housing.
A recent Casper Star-Tribune editorial picked up by newspapers across the state that comments on the state’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) highlights the complicated relationship between renters, tenants and the government’s role in supporting both.
As the director of the Wyoming Department of Family Services, I appreciate the conversation around important topics like housing as it serves to make meaningful change and create a deeper understanding of the problem.
The state was awarded $200 million in 2021 to provide rental assistance to tenants who meet financial eligibility and who had experienced financial hardship directly related to COVID-19. The money was not based on any federal analysis of Wyoming’s needs but was merely the minimum amount issued to states with the lowest populations.
There has been much discussion about the return of the majority of those funds or the lack of spending thereof, but at its most basic renters were, and are, financially struggling for reasons other than COVID-19. In addition, Wyoming is sixth in the nation for homeownership (almost 72%), which means we have fewer renters than most other states.
The second allocation of money received by Wyoming is much more flexible because the reason for financial hardship and eligibility for the program no longer has to be tied directly to COVID-19, thus freeing up funds for Wyomingites struggling for reasons other than the pandemic.
Since switching to the second allocation, the program has seen a substantial spike in applications and payments. There was a 62% increase in applications from October to December, and that number continued to climb through March. In fact, of the $30 million distributed to landlords, tenants and utility companies in less than a year, the program distributed more than $4.7 million in March alone. Because of that exponential growth in applications and funding distribution, the program is experiencing the growing pains mentioned in the editorial.
Since its implementation less than a year ago, the ERAP has taken great care to balance the needs of tenants and landlords while protecting against fraud and abuse. Learning from the rampant fraud that swept through the unemployment insurance pandemic program, ERAP built in system protections to identify potential abuse.
Some of those checks can create additional steps and increase the time to payment, but as stewards of public money, we have a responsibility to ensure only those who legitimately qualify receive it.
It is also a priority for the program to seek comments and feedback. ERAP was a new program for Wyoming with no existing infrastructure. Unlike other benefit programs that the Department of Family Services has managed for decades, this one required new policies, a new IT system, a new eligibility process and a new payment process, among other complicating factors.
Through feedback, such as what was offered by the landlords, program improvements will continue. So far, we have created a direct line of communication for landlords and are providing them with more detailed information on the application status of their tenants so they can help problem-solve.
Additionally, the call center contractor has added more caseworkers to support all applicants. We also receive regular comments and suggestions from the many community based organizations that provide extra support to applicants and landlords, and we make many adjustments accordingly. We welcome ideas and suggestions because we know every dollar, and rental payment counts.
We understand the frustration with the application process, but since a town hall meeting last month where we invited landlords to share their concerns with us, the call time has decreased, and the average application and payment turnaround time decreased to below 30 days, which is the standard turnaround in other benefit programs.
Housing will continue to be a big issue confronting Wyoming; however, this program is temporary and was never intended to provide long-term assistance. It’s clear that Wyoming needs to develop long-term solutions, but in the meantime, we are committed to improving the ERAP application process and promoting training and employment opportunities to help families improve their finances. Visit dfs.wyo.gov/erap for program details. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/erap-a-lifeline-but-not-a-long-term-housing-solution/article_b4ee8d66-0c26-56b7-9335-d5ceff7a8a49.html | 2022-04-30T13:43:27Z |
Ariah, 16, has a kind heart. Her favorite way to use her kindness is by caring for animals, and she previously volunteered at an animal shelter.
Ariah delights in playing soccer and going for a swim. Like others her age, makeup is a process she enjoys figuring out. Seeing the shenanigans that Stitch gets into with his pal Lilo is probably why Ariah finds his character so endearing. A social girl, she is said to be articulate and open to talking; she does well with adults.
Ariah appreciates a tidy room, and likes dark gray and yellow best. When asked about her favorite dish, there was plenty to choose from: all Mexican food, anything spicy, raspberries, strawberries, Takis, gum, blue raspberry Slurpees, but never squash. While still nailing down the specifics, Ariah is eager to get a job to earn money.
This intelligent 10th grader is a social butterfly. Ariah is excited about her ceramics class!
Ariah would do best in a family with two moms or two dads residing in a more urban area. Financial assistance may be available for adoption-related services. Ariah lives in Utah. Child ID: 330397
Child profiles are provided by Raise the Future at www.raisethefuture.org. For more information about waiting children, contact Raise the Future at 800-451-5246.
An approved adoption home study is required to be considered for placement of a child. Children can be placed across state lines, so Wyoming families are encouraged to inquire, regardless of the child’s current state of residence.
For information about becoming an adoptive parent, contact Wyoming Children’s Society at 307-632-7619 or visit www.wyomingcs.org. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/a_child_waits/a-child-waits-4-30-22/article_8f9ce8d7-69e0-5fb6-a534-7c5f6ea94585.html | 2022-04-30T13:43:34Z |
CHEYENNE – A man accused of causing at least $60,000 in damage after a fire he set spread throughout a Cheyenne apartment building was sentenced earlier this week in Laramie County District Court.
District Judge Steven Sharpe sentenced Lucas Ian Meadows to three years of supervised probation on two counts, with a suspended sentence of two consecutive three- to five-year terms in prison.
Meadows pleaded no contest in January to third-degree arson and attempting to disarm a peace officer, both felonies, as part of a plea agreement. His defense attorney, Marci Linde, said at the time that her client was “under the extreme influence of substances and does not exactly recall what occurred.”
Under a no-contest plea, a defendant does not admit guilt for a crime, but accepts conviction in the same way they would if they had pleaded guilty.
Two felony counts of child endangering with a controlled substance were dismissed in September in Laramie County Circuit Court. An additional charge, felony property destruction, was dismissed at sentencing as part of Meadows’ plea agreement.
At 7:02 a.m. Aug. 23, Cheyenne police officers responded to a report of a fire at an apartment in the 900 block of West College Drive. Meadows, who lived in the apartment, told officers he’d been under the influence of “bad” methamphetamine for about four days straight and had lit his couch on fire, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The fire spread throughout the apartment and caused severe damage, also spreading to and damaging other apartments. The estimated cost of damage at the time was at least $60,000.
Officers found that Meadows’ two children had been inside the apartment while he was under the influence and when he’d set the couch on fire, the affidavit said. Several other adults and children were inside the apartment building at the time Meadows set the fire inside his unit.
Meadows was not in handcuffs when he was transported to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, as he had been cooperative up to that point and is missing his left arm to the shoulder, according to the affidavit. While sitting in the emergency waiting area, Meadows suddenly lunged toward an officer and grabbed the handle of her firearm with his right arm. He then attempted to pull the gun away, but it did not come out of the holster.
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Also heard Monday in district court:
After his probation was revoked in a 2020 case, Noah Lee Stevens was sentenced by Judge Sharpe to five to seven years in prison. He was sentenced to three to five years in each of two other cases, both running concurrent to the sentence in the 2020 case.
Stevens pleaded no contest in January 2021 to a felony charge of aggravated assault and battery with serious bodily injury. Stevens had been accused of severely beating a fellow inmate at the Laramie County jail in May 2020.
The victim in the case, Michael Pings, later sued the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office for negligence during the incident. That case is ongoing.
On the same day as his plea in the aggravated assault case, Stevens received a sentence of four years of supervised probation, with a suspended five to seven years of incarceration.
In November and December, Stevens was charged with multiple charges in two separate cases. On April 11, he pleaded guilty to strangulation of a household member and felony theft, as well as misdemeanor property destruction and interference with a peace officer.
As part of a plea agreement, the state agreed to dismiss a count of felony theft and a count of aggravated assault and battery with a deadly weapon, also a felony, as well as misdemeanor counts of domestic battery, possession of a controlled substance, theft and property destruction.
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Harley M. Cole pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon with unlawful intent, a felony, and reckless endangering, a misdemeanor.
Cole was arrested last August after he was accused of firing shots from a moving vehicle at businesses on Dell Range Boulevard. He was originally charged with aggravated assault and battery (threaten with weapon), as well as reckless endangering, but the charges were amended April 20.
Judge Sharpe set Cole’s sentencing for Aug. 1.
On Aug. 27, 2021, Cheyenne police officers were dispatched to a report of shots fired near the intersection of Dell Range Boulevard and Ontario Avenue. A witness said a man, later identified as then-27-year-old Cole, had reportedly pointed a handgun out the window of a car and fired two shots, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Information released by the Cheyenne Police Department after Cole’s arrest alleged Cole had “fired shots in the direction of several local businesses while traveling east on Dell Range.”
“The driver of a passing pickup truck reportedly noticed the firearm, notified police, and proceeded to follow the (vehicle) to a residence near the 6700 block of Braehill Road,” a CPD news release said. “Cole then pointed his firearm in the direction of the truck driver.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/district-court-roundup-man-sentenced-for-starting-apartment-fire/article_2297c8c1-b650-5f03-be45-00a38656e63e.html | 2022-04-30T13:43:40Z |
CHEYENNE – People around town still don’t seem to understand what Curt Theobald does for a living.
“It’s a big thing, and it’s hard to believe,” Theobald said in a phone conversation this week with the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. “A lot of people in the community of Pine Bluffs know that ‘Curt works with wood,’ but any more than that, no. It’s hard to describe.
“I made this piece of wood. I glued 700 pieces of wood together, and then I’m going to sell it for $15,000. That doesn’t make sense in the farming and ranching community of Pine Bluffs.”
Rest assured, there are plenty of people who do understand his work. They live all over the world, including Ireland, France, New Zealand and England. But from May 13-April 2, the public will be able to see his work somewhere new – in our nation’s Capitol.
Theobald, a contemporary wood artist living in Pine Bluffs, recently had his 2013 artwork, titled “Eye of the Storm,” purchased by Smithsonian Institute collectors from another private collector. It will now be featured in the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum as a part of their newest show, “This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World.”
And that isn’t his only honor.
For the opening exhibition, Theobald was one of 12 artists invited to Washington, D.C., to interact with attendees during the showing. Out of more than 170 pieces, he was chosen to represent the medium of woodworking with his sculpture.
“There’s plenty of wood artists that they could have selected from,” he said with a laugh. “Did they put the names on a big spinning board and throw a dart at it?”
It’s a labor-intensive medium, carving and sculpting wood. Theobald spent many years running a cabinet business, putting his skills to practical use, which is probably why neighbors get confused as to what he’s doing in the shop all day.
But during his time running a business, he waited for those six weeks off where he could work on his craft. It was the thing that allowed him to express himself, after a life of manual labor.
“My dad, he’s the farmer – our farm just turned into a century farm – and his deal is, if you don’t have three hours of work in by eight in the morning, you’re a slacker,” Theobald said.
Theobald told his dad some years ago that he would be flying to England to teach woodturning.
“His question was, ‘How much does that cost?’ I said, ‘No, dad, they’re paying for me to come.’ It just doesn’t make sense to somebody that used to till the ground.”
He can thank his father for one thing, and that’s instilling in him a work ethic. What’s kept Theobald woodturning is the drive to solve problems and create something new. The moments where he realizes he doesn’t know how to do something are often his favorite.
Such is the case with “Eye of the Storm,” an intricate piece of woodworking that gives the top-down illusion of a gyrating cyclone.
From the elevation of Pine Bluffs, he can look out over the prairie at the early morning thunderclouds pluming in the distance. He sees the hues of blue and violet as they build over a vast landscape.
The scene reminded him of a hurricane, the eye of the storm that lay idle in the middle. The circular piece is meant to replace that of a hurricane’s “pinwheel” effect, as Theobald calls it.
He doesn’t know how long it took to complete “Eye of the Storm;” he doesn’t pay much attention to the time. Judging by the intricacies of his Smithsonian item, it took a good deal of patience to perfect.
“I’m no more patient than anyone else waiting at that traffic light to turn green, but everybody has a patience for their passion,” Theobald said. “If your passion is flying kites, you’re gonna go out there every day you can to get the satisfaction of flying that kite.
“When I make my work, patience just goes into the passion. It’s absorbing. The world does tend to go away when you’re making a piece of art.”
Beyond that, he isn’t sure what inspires him to design a piece of wood a certain way. He always sketches his work, but as he gets absorbed on the process, different ideas arise, and he takes risks.
Sometimes, before the sun rises, he’ll wake at 2 a.m. with an idea. There’s no rhyme or reason as to when inspiration strikes.
Despite years of labor and practice, turning wood and working in other mediums like glasswork, it’s hard for Theobald to take in the fact that his work will remain in one of the most prestigious art museums in the world.
There is one person he wants to thank above everything else, and that’s his wife, Wendy. While he’s working in the shop, she’s keeping things afloat with her day job as a teacher.
“It’s nothing new, but behind every successful artist is a successful spouse,” Theobald said. “It’s not that my wife has boatloads of money – she’s a school teacher, so she gets by – but the success is her believing in me that I can do this.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/pine-bluffs-wood-artist-to-be-featured-in-the-smithsonian/article_081e001c-56da-5e84-af45-333c3d7c5cf7.html | 2022-04-30T13:43:46Z |
Recently arrested by the Cheyenne Police Department:
Candice C. Cordova, 42, of West Ninth Street on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 3:45 p.m. Thursday in the 1700 block of Dell Range Boulevard.
Carl C. Butler III, 28, of South Cribbon Avenue on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 3:10 p.m. Thursday at his residence.
Hunter G. Munson, 18, transient, for two misdemeanor counts of interference with a peace officer without injury and on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 11 a.m. Thursday in the 100 block of North Greeley Highway.
Robert W. Butler, 34, of East 19th Street for felony possession of cocaine, misdemeanor possession of marijuana and driving with a suspended license at 10:22 a.m. Thursday in the 2800 block of West College Drive.
Jeffary D. Marsh, 32, of West 17th Street for misdemeanor failure to comply with CAC or FCS at 8:45 a.m. Thursday at Cheyenne Transitional Center, 322 W. 17th St.
Linda M. Christiaens, 71, transient, for misdemeanor driving under the influence (alcohol, first in 10 years) and failure to maintain lane/unsafe lane change at 7:10 a.m. Thursday in the 2700 block of East Lincolnway.
Scott J. Leyo, 47, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant out of Platte County for failure to pay at 1:57 a.m. Thursday in the 700 block of West Fox Farm Road.
Joslyn D. Wickard, 32, of Alex Ranch Road on a felony warrant out of Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, for failure to appear at 1:35 a.m. Thursday in the 800 block of Logan Avenue.
Kaylena D. Taylor, 26, of Dell Range Boulevard on two misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear at 1:14 a.m. Thursday in the 4300 block of Dell Range Boulevard.
Vince R. Trujillo, 60, of East Fox Farm Road for misdemeanor possession of a powdery substance and on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 500 block of Evans Avenue.
Gregory G. Snyder, 59, of College Drive for misdemeanor enter into/on other person's property, public intoxication and open container at 8:50 p.m. Wednesday in the 1100 block of East Lincolnway.
Christian A. Chaparro, 34, transient, for misdemeanor theft (shoplifting, less than $1,000) at 8:40 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Powderhouse Road and McCue Drive.
Stephen R. Garcia, 55, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the Laramie County jail, 1910 Pioneer Ave.
Jennifer M. Martin, 33, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant out of Albany County for failure to appear at 12:39 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Gardenia Drive and Willshire Boulevard.
Kenneth R. Potter Sr., 54, transient, for misdemeanor enter into/on other person's property, public intoxication and refusing to obey at 3 a.m. Tuesday in the 1100 block of Martin Luther King Court.
Edmund J. Brown, 46, of Loveland, Colorado, for misdemeanor unlawful entry onto property at 1:45 a.m. Tuesday in the 400 block of West Fox Farm Road.
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Recently arrested by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office:
Shaya M. Jones, 26, of Prosser Road on a felony warrant for failure to comply through Laramie County District Court at 5:47 p.m. Thursday in the 400 block of Walker Lane.
Benjamin R. Halcott, 21, of Taft Avenue on a felony warrant out of Larimer County, Colorado, for failure to comply at 11:24 a.m. Thursday at the Laramie County jail.
Evelyn E. Alcon-Cooper, 34, of Trent Court on a misdemeanor warrant out of Larimer County, Colorado, for failure to comply at 10:36 a.m. Thursday at the Laramie County jail.
Steven R. Brown, 41, of South Greeley Highway on a misdemeanor court order at 6:19 p.m. Wednesday at the Laramie County jail.
Benjamin R. Halcott, 21, of Taft Avenue on four misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear and a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 9:16 a.m. Wednesday in the 2300 block of East Fox Farm Road.
Britney L. Breazeale, 20, of Gettysburg Drive on two misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear at 9:16 a.m. Wednesday in the 2300 block of East Fox Farm Road.
Monica K. Diaz-Quintor, 42, of South Greeley Highway on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 1:52 a.m. Wednesday in the 800 block of West Fox Farm Road.
Earl H. Mercer, 48, transient, on a probation/parole violator arrest without a warrant at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the Cheyenne-Laramie County Probation and Parole Office, 1934 Wyott Drive.
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Recently arrested by Wyoming Highway Patrol:
Yingkong Thao, 57, of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, for felony possession of a controlled substance (plant form), felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver and misdemeanor failure to signal turn at 11:20 a.m. Thursday in the 700 block of South Greeley Highway. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/police_blotter/police-blotter-4-30-22/article_bd32344e-3c89-5317-a1c8-552af4fce899.html | 2022-04-30T13:43:52Z |
I would like to begin by saying we cannot do this work without our community partners. Thank you for providing the comments and feedback we needed to develop an action plan for your school district going forward.
As we launched Laramie County School District 1’s new five-year strategic plan at the April 18 Board of Trustees meeting, it was a proud moment as hundreds of hours of work came to fruition. From this, we developed three focus areas — Student Readiness, Community Engagement and Healthy Environment.
This article touches on community engagement. Our goal is to expand community partnerships so that our students have the chance to participate in real world experiences, both in the classroom and beyond. Our work will center around collaboration and cooperation in ways that enhance our students’ lives.
We fully recognize there is work to be done, and we look forward to bridging these opportunities. As we come together for our students, I anticipate there will be some tough conversations as we align our interests for the long-term positive impact of our students. It is also good to mention that these partnerships are not always about money. Oftentimes, the most valuable connections are made through networking and working together for the benefit of our community.
Moving along this path, transparency is key. If our partners have questions, we ask that they reach out to us for clarification. The factory model for education no longer works. Similar to the fact that we need to be flexible in how we are preparing our students for the workforce, we need to open our minds to a greater level of innovation. For that to happen, our community partners need to know that our schools look different than they did when they were students.
We are committed to finding ways to expand our community’s knowledge about the amazing things our district is doing every day and right at this minute. Our students are tomorrow’s leaders, and our school staff touch the lives of future lawyers, welders, social workers, police officers, doctors and YouTubers.
Our most recent experience with this has been through the development of our strategic plan, as we had a variety of community members who served on the team. A district parent, who spoke at our recent board meeting, stated that before becoming involved, she had a totally different concept about what was happening in LCSD1. Additionally, during a recent focus group meeting, we heard from parents and community members that people need to actively participate because community engagement is not just one-sided.
We continue to work with our industry partners and Laramie County Community College, as well as engage with the city of Cheyenne, Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Joint Forces Readiness Center, our Laramie County legislative delegation and numerous other community partners.
This year, we initiated a new program called Navigating Laramie 1 to provide stakeholders with an opportunity to learn more about our district through guided learning sessions on everything from finance and facilities to instruction and human resources. We will end this year’s program with a tour of our school buildings so participants can see first-hand the differences between our facilities, which range in age from less than three years to more than 100 years.
Our new strategic plan launch is just the beginning. Now the real effort begins as we develop initiatives and strategies to ensure the work is completed. We will report our progress to the community and our Board of Trustees on a regular basis and look forward to hearing from you along the way. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/crespo-community-engagement-key-to-student-success/article_6af54bff-c615-5799-b7ed-1eaaccce56b1.html | 2022-04-30T13:43:58Z |
When was the first time you felt like you belonged somewhere? Does the memory push you all the way back to your childhood? Your family? Elementary school?
When was the last time you felt like you didn’t belong? Was it recent? Were you embarrassed? Sad? Lonely? Afraid?
Are you part of a group, a team, a school, a club, a crew, a tribe, a family, a religion, a generation or a community? Of course you are. We are all affiliated in some way to a collection of others with a common interest or bond. Humans have a need for inclusion and connection. We fear and avoid isolation. So we join. We conform. We wear the uniform. We know the handshake, the secret knock on the door and the private password.
We are taught to mirror the actions and mannerisms of another person so they accept us as a reflection of themselves. We want acceptance and approval. We want to fit in. It is why as a teenager you may have tasted your first beer when you were at a party with friends. You probably hated it, but kept sipping it until the taste was tolerable. You felt like you belonged. You felt like you were part of the cool kids.
We mimic the actions of others because we don’t feel worthy to be accepted and included unless we do. We adapt and accept the expectations that the group has for us to be a member.
Some of this is necessary. In kindergarten, we learned how to stand in line, raise our hand, wait our turn and share in order to function in a space of civility and kindness. As we grew, we learned the basics of polite and compassionate living to be accepted as a member of our human society.
For many people the need to belong is an instinct – a requirement for human survival. It can push us to act in ways that feel uncomfortable or are out of character. When we bend and mold ourselves to be such a contorted version of who we are that we don’t recognize our own reflection in the mirror, it becomes a problem. What if we could be ourselves? Our crazy, goofy, wild authentic self?
What if we looked at each other not with our eyes, but with our hearts? Can you drop the expectation you hold for yourself and others and be open to the exploration of who YOU are … of who THEY are?
Stand in your own light and learn to accept yourself. Find the people who will see YOU and love YOU. You may lose some people from your life who only liked you for who you were pretending to be. But when you step into your light and let yourself free to be who you really are, you will attract the people who should be standing with you. You will attract the people that love and adore the real you. You won’t have to work so hard to fit in. You will finally feel like you belong in a way you never have before.
Pennie’s Life Lesson: When you allow yourself to be the authentic person you really are, you will attract the people you are meant to be with. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/hunt-how-strong-is-your-need-to-belong/article_57248c71-64a5-5279-9c55-8486eecba2ac.html | 2022-04-30T13:44:04Z |
It seems like a couple of topics have been on our agenda a lot recently: liquor licenses and historic horse racing venues. 307 First is a Wyoming company that owns the shopping center on Pershing that has The Office restaurant and the theater. They have a vision to create an entertainment area, and the next step is the redevelopment of the old Montgomery Ward building. One of their subsidiaries is 307 Horse Racing, and the plan is to build a historic horse racing venue in the building, a package liquor store and something fun like a bowling alley on the second floor. The liquor part comes with the transfer of the liquor license to serve the new project. The first phase should be open this summer.
I have shared the tough decision the City Council had to make between the great applicants for the single new retail liquor license the city received. Our population growth during the census resulted in one more license for the city to issue. We have had public hearings, work sessions, a committee of the whole meeting, and now the final council meeting. Get Bent, LLC was the project the City Council decided to issue the license to. They will call their business The Railspur, and will serve food from breakfast until it becomes a club in the evening. I want to again compliment the great entrepreneurial applications we received. Only one could receive the license by law, so now we will appeal to our legislators for relief.
On a related topic, Cory Talich came by to share the plans Town and County Liquors has for the future. We have been looking at the new applicants, and one of the older liquor dealers wanted to share their vision on how they plan to improve the shopping experience in Cheyenne. Maury Brown has been a philanthropist in our city for a long time, and I was encouraged to hear the family plans on continuing his great work. I appreciate how much of a difference one person can make.
Not everyone has health insurance or can afford health care. We are blessed to have a nonprofit agency called HealthWorks that works to bridge the gap for those in need. Since 2005, they have provided quality medical care, dental care, mental health services and a pharmacy. Folks are charged on a sliding scale. Margaret Cox, the CEO, shared how they are busting at the seams and in need of more space to meet the growing demand for their services. What a blessing during the pandemic to have this service in our community. It is my hope they will find a new building that will allow them to maximize this essential service.
It has been a year since we hired Chief Mark Francisco as our police chief. We had lunch to catch up and make sure we are on the same page. The chief wanted me to express his thanks for the way Cheyenne has welcomed his family, and for the support our city gives the men and women who wear the uniform. I am proud of our department and their leadership; they truly want to serve and protect.
While on the topic of law enforcement, we need your help. Property crime and vandalism have reached tragic levels. Folks are destroying bathrooms in our parks, defacing property, stealing parts off vehicles, destroying the grass in our soccer fields and so much more senseless crime. The police can’t be everywhere, and that’s where you come in. I need you to keep your eyes open, and if you see something, say something. Call the police, and they will take it from there. I had a friend get his camper stolen. It took the thieves a while to cut the gate, move the boat, back up the vehicle and drive away. It would have been brilliant if someone would have called it in and we could have arrested the bad guys.
I met with Jen Seitz, one of the folks who applied and did not receive the liquor license. Her team wanted to restore the 110-year-old elevator located on the Reed Avenue Rail Corridor. I appreciated the positive way Jen is looking to the future. I shared some of the feedback I received from the City Council on ways they can be better prepared for the next opportunity. My hope is that opportunity will come sooner, rather than later.
Tuesday morning, the city held a wellness fair for our staff at the Ice and Events Center. Julia in our HR team killed the planning and execution of the event, and I appreciated all the vendors who set up to support our employees. I actually won a door prize, an electric toothbrush from Delta Dental. It always feels a bit weird to be in the Ice and Events Center when the ice is gone. I spent so much time there with my kids watching them play hockey.
As part of our budget process, employee groups come by to share their concerns and hopes for ways we could invest our budget dollars. The Police Protective Association came by this week. They wanted to thank the City Council for the recent pay raise and advocate for a couple of things we could do to make recruitment and retention more successful. I asked about staffing levels and for advice on how we can battle the property crime we discussed earlier. These guys are so positive about our community.
We held our normal directors staff meeting. I really enjoy the updates and the opportunity to find ways our departments can collaborate. One big concern is the new federal laws concerning CDL licenses. For some reason, they have made getting a CDL a much harder and longer process. In our Public Works Department, we have 112 employees that require a CDL to do their job. Public Works is our sanitation department, street & alley and traffic groups. It is becoming almost impossible to find candidates for these open jobs.
If we can’t figure out a solution to the CDL hiring problem, the city will have to cut some of the services we provide. This could jeopardize our ability to do recycling, the yard waste program and cause a suspension of other services. We are working to develop an in-house training program that could help the city keep our positions filled. The city is a great place to work, if you want a career. Think pension and great benefits.
I have lots of meeting each week. Sometimes they are not so comfortable. I met with one of the neighbors in the Thomas Heights area that has been having flooding trouble since a city development was built a few years ago. He feels like no one is listening or trying to help. I assured him that I was personally involved and working to find a solution. I also assured him our staff was equally dedicated to finding a fix. It breaks my heart to see these folks hurting.
Wednesday was Administrative Professionals Day, and I am blessed to have Holly Martinez in the mayor’s office. Holly is the keeper of the schedule, advisor and, really, the boss. It was nice to have lunch away from the office and just hang out for a bit. Andy Worshek and Michael Skinner make up the rest of the team, and we all think the world of her.
If you have a question for me, send it to media@cheyennecity.org. I’ll continue to answer them in my future Mayor’s Minute columns. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/mayor-s-minute-liquor-licenses-continue-to-dominate-conversations/article_f81c860c-d78b-5426-8e93-addb717f2e4b.html | 2022-04-30T13:44:11Z |
UP to the Wyoming Department of Health for expanding the Emergency Rental Assistance Program by adding Housing Stability Services, and to Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County for administering it locally.
Funded from the federal American Rescue Plan, the service offers to pay as much as $5,000 per household for adults with disabilities and people who are older than 55 to make necessary upgrades so they can more easily maneuver inside their dwellings. It also offers a similar amount of money for repairs to mobile homes for people who rent the lots their homes stand on.
Dan Dorsch, Habitat’s local special projects coordinator, says “the need is huge.” Helping people stay in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic is ERAP’s main goal. And since Wyoming hasn’t been able to distribute all $200 million it was granted to help renters struggling to make rent and/or utility payments due to the pandemic, we’re glad to see this kind of opportunity offered.
If you or someone you know might qualify, visit health.wyo.gov and search for ERAP-HSS or call 307-777-7988. (To apply for ERAP money for rental assistance, visit dfs.wyo.gov/erap or call 1-877-WYO-ERAP. Or for local, in-person assistance, go to Community Action of Laramie County, 1920 Evans Ave., Cheyenne, or call 307-635-9291, Ext. 115 and Ext. 138.)
DOWN to Cheyenne city leaders for not being transparent about how they plan to force county pockets into the city.
For some time now, rumors have been flying among local residents about the fact the city is finally preparing to take action to force county pockets, or islands, into the city. For those not familiar with the issue, a county pocket is a residence or group of properties that was never annexed into the city and is now surrounded on all sides by land that is part of the city.
This is long overdue, and we have editorialized in support of it for years. But we’re disappointed that the City Council hasn’t held a public work session to discuss ways the city is considering lessening the impact for these residents.
Will that mean no requirement to add curbs and sidewalks to city code? Will the city offer a multi-year, no-interest loan to cover the cost of connecting to city water and sewer services? These and several other possibilities have been floating around in conversation, but without clear communication from city officials, they’re just ideas. That uncertainty fuels anxiety among some residents living in county pockets, and it can impact their ability to sell such a property, since a potential buyer doesn’t know what additional costs they might face.
We know they have a lot on their plates – especially as they prepare the fiscal year 2023 budget – but it’s time for city leaders to get out in front of the rumors and help put some of these concerns to rest.
UP to the Cheyenne City Council for carefully vetting the initial 11 applications for a single retail liquor license.
As we’ve said here before, it’s well past time for the Legislature to change the way liquor licenses are granted in Wyoming. We’re glad to see a state legislative committee take on the topic, and we hope it results in a new system that lets the free market decide who’s successful in the retail liquor market. Government officials shouldn’t be picking “winners” and “losers” in this way.
Working within the state’s flawed system, it’s clear Cheyenne officials did the best they could to carefully review the applications, consider a variety of factors and make a well-educated decision. After listening to presentations and asking questions of the presenters, then taking public comments, the council voted 7-2 Monday night to grant the license to Get Bent LLC, developers of The Railspur. This is a proposal to turn the West Edge Collective building at 707 W. Lincolnway into a coffee bistro by day and bar by night.
Not only did this project fit with the council’s priorities for development of that part of downtown, it could be completed faster than some of the other proposals.
Unlike in Sheridan, where council members resorted to a lottery for the six finalists after stringing their 11 applicants along for months, Cheyenne leaders did it the right way.
UP to Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee and the Board of Commissioners for making available online county commissioners records dating back to 1868.
The two-year project involved borrowing 272 volumes from the Wyoming State Archives, scanning them and uploading them to a special website. Now, the public can search these records by year or descriptive words, save them to a virtual clipboard, download and print them.
Some might argue that this isn’t the biggest priority. Nevertheless, we’re pleased to see these records safeguarded and made available for future generations. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/staff_editorials/wte-offers-thumbs-up-and-down-4-30-22/article_2b2ce2a0-ba70-527c-beca-3f427126af9e.html | 2022-04-30T13:44:17Z |
Less than two weeks after being rescued from what’s been described as a hoarding situation, the Cheyenne Animal Shelter says the more than 60 dogs are doing well.
Several have already been adopted, with more being fostered or awaiting assessment for adoption. And the community – having stepped up with donations, volunteering and foster homes – has made a difficult situation more manageable, shelter CEO Britney Tennant told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle on Tuesday.
On April 16, animal control officers responded to a call about 20 large-breed dogs running loose on the south side of Cheyenne, according to a Saturday news release from the city. With help from the city’s Compliance Department, the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office and community members, animal control officers rounded up 23 dogs and transported them to the Cheyenne Animal Shelter, along with “a handful more over the next few days.”
The city’s Compliance Department took charge of animal control services for both the city and county Sept. 1.
“Upon contacting the dog owner, animal control quickly became aware of the gravity of the situation the dogs and their owner were in,” the news release said. “The owner accepted an offer to surrender all animals so they could receive medical care and more adequate housing.”
Tennant said it was her understanding that animal control officers had not issued the former owner a citation because the owner surrendered the animals. She said the shelter supported the decision because this type of case is typically difficult to prosecute, and animals must be held as evidence during the duration of the criminal proceeding, which puts strain on both the shelter and the animals themselves.
An animal control supervisor could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
A total of 64 dogs, 13 birds and “a handful” of cats – nine, Tennant estimated – were taken from the situation. The dog breeds included Saint Bernards, English Mastiffs, Bullmastiffs, Catahoula Leopard Dogs and Great Pyrenees, according to an email newsletter from the animal shelter.
The birds were of miscellaneous types. Although the shelter was originally told there were about 100 birds, that number later went down to 40, and 13 were ultimately surrendered from the home. Tennant said she was unsure what caused such a big discrepancy in the bird numbers.
Dog population doubled
Within about 48 hours, the shelter’s dog population doubled, Tennant said in an interview.
Thirteen puppies have been born since the dogs’ rescue, with one more mother waiting to give birth.
For the first days they were in the shelter, the dogs were “pretty shut down and fearful,” Tennant said. In an April 19 newsletter, she described them as “under-socialized, unaccustomed to living as house pets, filthy, and generally unwilling or unable to walk on leashes.”
The shelter added in a later email newsletter that it decided to label it a hoarding situation because the animals were “covered in their own waste, were permitted to breed indiscriminately, had no medical records or established relationship with a veterinarian, and have untreated illnesses and injuries,” though they were minor.
“Where we can, we’ve doubled them up in kennels so they can enjoy some companionship and we can make the best use of our available space,” Tennant wrote. “But, at 150 pounds or more, most of the adults cannot share space. There are so many that we have been forced to take all of our other shelter dogs and condense them into just two adoption rooms. The available space per dog is less than half our usual allotment.”
One of the shelter’s adoption rooms is currently shut down, Tennant said, to house some of the biggest dogs in the group that still need “significant” grooming care. These dogs need to have matted fur removed before they can be examined for medical issues, she said.
Last Thursday, less than a week after the huge influx of dogs, the shelter said in a newsletter that the dogs were already improving. Shelter staff were “working diligently” to care for the animals, the newsletter said, and each were provided daily enrichment and time out of their kennels. Veterinary staff were working through ill and injured dogs, and they were on appropriate medication. The shelter had partnered with “numerous” rescue groups and were met with a lot of community members interested for fostering and adopting.
In the days since then, all of the dogs from the hoarding situation have begun walking on leashes, with some taking to it well, Tennant said in the interview. The dogs are eating, and most have come out of their shells.
“Every day, we see improvements,” she said. “There’s a couple of new dogs every day that have been hiding in the back of their kennel until this new day, and now all of a sudden they’re at the front of their kennel, wagging their tail, looking for attention and interaction from people. So, I think they’re settling in really well.”
The shelter CEO also described them as “the nicest dogs from a hoarding situation that we’ve ever seen.”
Community response
As of Tuesday evening, 36 dogs appeared on the shelter’s website as available to adopt. Tennant said all but about 10 of the dogs currently available were surrendered from the hoarding situation.
The week these dogs came to the shelter, the CEO said, 13 dogs not from that situation that had been available at the shelter “for quite some time” were adopted.
“(The hoarding) case brought attention not only to these dogs, but to lots of dogs in the shelters, so we saw a pretty marked increase in adoptions over the last two weeks from what we’ve had since early in the year,” Tennant said.
Even so, the shelter is still way over its typical 125- to 140-animal capacity. Tennant said the shelter was housing 212 animals as of Tuesday afternoon, and the situation is only tenable because such a large number of people have taken in foster animals.
Being so overwhelmed with animals needing a high level of care has put a strain on shelter workers, Tennant said – physically, mentally and emotionally – with many working 12- to 15-hour shifts.
The large influx of dogs also came during the shelter’s busiest week of the year, when it was preparing for its annual Fur Ball gala fundraiser.
The shelter is always in need of monetary donations, especially because of the large amount of overtime it must pay employees at the moment, said Niki Harrison, the shelter’s director of annual campaign and branding, in an interview with the WTE.
But Harrison and Tennant said that what will really help the shelter out and get it back to normalcy is more adoptions.
People can now simply show up for an adoption appointment, rather than make one beforehand, Harrison said, although the wait can sometimes be up to an hour.
Through the end of the week, all adult dogs – those seven months and older – available for adoption will have a fee of just $50.
And while the impact on staff has been real and challenging, the situation has been largely positive, Tennant said. Donations of dog food and other supplies have flooded in, both from companies and individuals. Veterinary clinics and groomers have donated their services. Supply drives have been organized, and mental health care services for staff have been donated. Black Dog Animal Rescue took in five of the animals, including a pregnant dog.
So many people have asked to volunteer that a fast-track onboarding process has been created for those who want to walk dogs, spend time with cats, clean kennels, do laundry and dishes or otherwise keep the shelter space clean.
Because of publicity given to the case and the huge community response, Tennant said, “these animals are going to be in a really good spot in a pretty short amount of time.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/animal-shelter-making-progress-with-dogs-from-hoarding-situation/article_1e20905c-c2b4-5adf-82a2-78037d3f975e.html | 2022-04-30T13:44:23Z |
BUFFALO — Most of Johnson County's elected officials will receive a pay raise after the county commissioners approved a new slate of salaries at a recent meeting.
Commissioners will fund the raises by taking a 25% pay cut to their own salaries.
Starting Jan. 1, the county clerk, assessor, treasurer and clerk of district court will all earn $84,000 per year, an increase from their current salaries of $82,000.
The largest raise will be for the county attorney, who will now earn $105,000, up from the current salary of $99,000. Half of the salary for the county attorney is paid for by the state.
The county sheriff will also see a raise, earning $86,000 starting in January, an increase from the current salary of $82,000.
Only one position — the county coroner — will continue to be paid the same salary of $30,000 for the part-time position.
In part to help pay for the increase for the other elected officials, the commissioners elected to cut their own pay from $40,000 to $30,000. Combined, the salary changes will save the county $10,866.
Before the commissioners discussed salaries at the April 19 meeting, elected officials indicated their salary requests.
Sheriff Rod Odenbach, Clerk Vicki Edelman, Treasurer Carla Bishop, Assessor Deb Robinson and Clerk of District Court Paige Rhoads asked for their salaries to remain at $82,000; County and Prosecuting Attorney Tucker Ruby asked for $100,000, a $1,000 raise; Coroner Dave Harness asked for $42,000, a $12,000 raise.
Ruby did, however, remind the commissioners that the salaries they were deciding on weren't necessarily for the people currently in the elected offices.
"You're setting the salary for the next crop of elected officials; that may include us, that may not include us," Ruby said. "And so part of the idea is you want to, with these positions, they want to be attractive positions that individuals may have interest in them and so that they will be willing to step in and serve."
During discussion, the salary for the county attorney was the biggest point of contention for commissioners Bob Perry and Linda Greenough.
Perry said he felt that in order to attract quality candidates, the salary needed to be increased significantly to $110,000.
"In order to have a county attorney who's worth having, it's going to take more than $99,000," Perry said. "You can make considerably more than that in private practice."
Greenough originally proposed a slight increase to $100,000 for the position, with the two commissioners eventually splitting the difference and settling on $105,000.
At several points, Greenough expressed concern over the county's ability to afford the elected officials' raises while also planning to give county employees a raise sometime in the near future.
She proposed several versions of the raises for elected officials that included two-year delayed raises or yearly raises of $1,000, though neither of those options was supported by the other commissioners.
Perry, however, seemed much more optimistic about the county's future valuations and income. For these reasons, he said, he felt more comfortable with giving the elected officials raises.
The new salaries, which were unanimously approved, will be in effect through 2026 when the commissioners are required again by state statute to approve them. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/commissioners-ok-raises-by-cutting-own-salaries/article_6bc60268-aee4-5a67-aef4-1df162f655fd.html | 2022-04-30T13:44:29Z |
A new report by a digital mapping company puts the acreage of public land in Wyoming that’s “corner-locked” at 2.44 million acres, far more than earlier estimates of 404,000 acres.
The April 8 report by onX, estimates 8.3 million acres of public land from the Rockies to the Pacific are inaccessible to the public unless reached by corner crossing. The digital mapping company, whose Global Positioning System app is used by hunters, examined land records from 11 Western states to compile its report.
Corner crossing involves stepping from one parcel of public land to another over a four-corner checkerboard-like intersection with two private parcels — without touching private land. Many believe the law is unsettled as to whether passing through the airspace above private property — a necessity in corner crossing — constitutes trespass.
Corner crossing is in “a legal gray area,” onX states. That makes most of the public fearful of violating trespass laws, said Joel Webster, the vice president of Western conservation at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership.
“There’s not legal clarity and as a result, most people don’t do it,” he said of corner crossing.
A criminal trespass case in Carbon County however, is challenging that uneasy status quo.
A trial set to begin in Carbon County tomorrow could settle whether four Missouri hunters are guilty under Wyoming trespass laws for corner crossing at the Elk Mountain Ranch in 2021. The case will unfold in front of a circuit court jury in Rawlins over two days.
After cataloging the corner-locked acreage and reviewing state and federal law and legal cases surrounding the conflict between private property rights and public access to public lands, onX believes the issue won’t be easily remedied.
“Whatever comes next, this legal gray area could very well remain clear as fog for decades to come,” its report concludes.
The onX report updates a widely used earlier estimate assembled almost a decade ago by the Center for Western Priorities that reviewed the issue across six western states. OnX began working on the corner-locked project shortly before the hunters were charged in Wyoming, said Lisa Nichols, access advocacy manager for the mapping company.
“We first started talking about it a month or two before this information started coming to light in Wyoming,” she said. Company employees saw the issue in the news and “wanted to provide [others with] the information at our fingertips.”
The company has a crew that scours land records regularly to update ownership status and easements depicted in its products.
It found 27,120 property corners in the West where “two parcels of public land meet on opposite sides of a point, with private land adjacent, effectively in between them.
“Beyond these corners lie 8.3 million acres of federal and state land that are inaccessible to the general public because the legality of corner-crossing remains unclear,” the report states. OnX and the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership in 2019 found that the public is blocked from 15.8 million acres of public land across the West. Some of it is completely surrounded by private land, some only “corner-locked.”
“[M]ore than half of all the landlocked public land in the Western U.S. would be unlocked if corner-crossing was legalized,” the report states.
Wyoming has the most corner-locked public land among the states surveyed, the report says. Its 2.44 million acres surpasses second place Nevada — 1.93 million acres — and Arizona — 1.33 million acres — the onX report states.
Across the West, about 5.9 million acres are corner-locked in a checkerboard land ownership pattern, much of that the result of federal land grants given to facilitate railroad construction.
All told, the 27,120 property corners onX identified could provide access to public lands.
The report does not advocate corner crossing and underscores the knotty legal history surrounding the issue. It provides a landowner perspective, including complaints about disrespectful public land users and promotes a dialogue between landowners and hunters.
Among the tools that could help resolve conflicts are land swaps, easements and programs like Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Access Yes initiative that opens private lands to limited hunting, according to the company.
“We wanted to basically provide a little more context than maybe the average hunter might be aware of,” Nichols said. “The legal backstory, it just feels so confusing.
“That’s why we wanted to offer up a couple more viewpoints,” she said, to help guide those who believe their take on the issue is the only interpretation. After reading the report, such believers may decide “maybe it’s not that easy,” she said.
Securing 16,102 easements from 11,000 private landowners could provide certain access to the 8.3 million acres, the report states. At least 19% of the corners at issue are shared by oil, gas, energy, timber, or mining companies — not ranchers or farmers, the report states.
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership focuses on voluntary programs and financial incentives that make more land accessible, Vice President Webster said. Although the conservation group has worked with onX on other public land issues, it was not directly involved with the corner crossing report. It is also not involved in the Carbon County litigation but agrees “more clarity on this issue would be beneficial,” he said.
Webster called corner crossing “an unsettled access dispute.”
Even if corner crossing is found to be legal, that wouldn’t solve all the issues, Webster said. With GPS tools, “you would need to rely on corners being surveyed,” and survey markers in place, he said. That’s because GPS devices alone are not accurate enough to guarantee one is not trespassing.
“This issue is not going to be fully resolved in the courts,” Webster said. “It’s going to require cooperating with landowners to make most of these lands accessible.”
“Focusing all the attention on a criminal case may make that harder,” he said of obtaining access agreements. “I recognize the importance of this [Carbon County] issue and am not downplaying that. But solving our larger access disputes is going to require working cooperatively with landowners.
“This stuff’s not simple and these challenges are not going to be solved by fighting,” he said.
Public access to public land may become easier with passage of the Modernizing Access to our Public Lands Act. It awaits President Joe Biden’s signature.
The act calls for public lands agencies to publish data “used to depict locations at which recreation uses are available to the public.” The act excludes from mapping “flowage easements” that are available to boaters on navigable waters.
“The federal and county road easement information is imperfect,” Webster said. “We realized 50,000 [Bureau of Land Management] and Forest Service easements recorded in law are still sitting in dusty filing cabinets.”
U.S. Sen. John Barrasso was “super helpful” with the legislation, Webster said. Barrasso wrote in an op-ed published in the Casper Star-Tribune that the mapping “will clearly tell the public which road or trail to use to access public lands.”
The legislation does not address corner crossing. Nevertheless, the mapping will “highlight the boundaries of where recreational hunting, fishing, and shooting are permitted,” Barrasso wrote. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/corner-crossing-report-inaccessible-public-acres-now-8-3m/article_982040f8-ad52-5b03-9508-ba7a78b4c2fb.html | 2022-04-30T13:44:35Z |
As the time fast approaches for the summer opening of the Saratoga municipal swimming pool, local resident Kathy Beck has called the Town Council to task for the poor condition of the facility.
Beck, a 20-year resident of Saratoga and a recent member of the town’s Recreation Board, was not on the agenda for the April 19 council meeting, but rose to read into the record a long email she sent to the council and rec board “about the current state of the pool.”
Beck said she has fond memories of enjoying the pool as a youth and young adult, along with taking water aerobics classes there in recent years.
“One of the primary reasons I wanted to be a member of the recreation commission was the current state of the community pool,” she said. “The facility has clearly been neglected for many years.
“A lack of cleaning and basic maintenance of the equipment, building and surroundings is evident. Our Hobo pool (natural hot springs) draws locals and tourists to our town, but they must walk by an outdated, rundown town property to get there.”
Beck said that the pool having to close weeks earlier than scheduled last year because of a lack of resources to maintain it makes it “clear that changes need to be made.”
Beck commended the town for hiring Sara Laughlin as director for the Recreation Department last year.
“Her energy, ideas and motivation to improve the programs are extremely encouraging,” she said. “It has been a pleasure to work with her over the last few months.”
She added that the local Recreation Board has already “spent countless hours developing a strategy to better the facility and program. Our local businesses and community members have stepped up and supported our endeavors. We have raised several thousand dollars in sponsorships and grants to spend on safety concerns, facility improvements and programs.”
The town’s maintenance crew removed the fence around the baby pool, the leaking water fountain and the old lifeguard stand, Beck said, which was a good beginning.
But there is much more to do.
There are tasks “that fall within the (town) maintenance group’s purview,” she said. “The current state of the concrete poses tripping hazards and injuries if not ground down smooth and evened out. The fencing (around the pool area) is falling down in multiple places. It needs to be supported, attached, and repaired in several sections.”
Along with addressing potentially dangerous issues with the facility, the overall maintenance of the pool needs to be addressed, Beck said.
Pool equipment is in disorganized piles in the utility room and shed.
“We don’t know what we have or what we need because of the disorganized way they are being stored,” Beck said, adding that the rec board understands there’s only so much the town can do with its financial and personnel resources.
“We accept that the painting, cabinets, surface finishing and assembling of tables, chairs, and shade (as well as the) program planning, fund raising and advertising will fall to volunteers, as we have no other recourse to see these tasks completed,” she said.
Most importantly, however, is the Saratoga Town Council has to get involved and lead the way to get the ball rolling, Beck said.
“What I have witnessed personally and secondhand is a lack of support from the council and the recreation commission,” she said. “By no means do I see these shortcomings as malicious or deliberate actions.
“I feel like many of the obstacles and delays we face are due to a lack of resources, communication or follow-through. The processes don’t seem to be clearly defined for purchasing or hiring. (However) they don’t make our recreation director’s job easier or pleasant.”
Beck raised the issue of the director not having a town-issued credit card or the ability to make purchases necessary in the normal course of doing her job.
The response
Three members of the Saratoga Town Council responded to Beck’s remarks.
Councilwoman D’Ron Campbell said she takes “a little exception” to Beck’s statement that the council does not support the Recreation Department, citing $1,500 in expenditures approved for the department “this last week.”
“Hopefully speaking for the rest of the council, we do support Sara (the director),” Campbell said. “She is doing an amazing job and needs to be commended for what she has done. We are trying to make headway. It just doesn’t happen overnight.”
“This is what we have identified over the last few years and over the last few months I have had concerns,” Beck responded.
After some additional back and forth, Councilman Ben Spalding joined the conservation and stressed a need to stay within the town’s current fiscal year 2021-22 budget where none of these issues were raised.
“I think it is important to realize we have a budget session that we are supposed to follow,” he said. “Sara came in midway through the year where she already had a budget established on what was needed to be done.
“We are well aware of the issues that need to be addressed. We can’t financially just go out and drop $100,000 into this pool project. I have spoken with Sara, and we have had a communication about coming into the 2022-23 budget (cycle) and establishing those issues for the pool so that we can make accommodations for the items on your list.”
Beck asked about the town at least addressing some of the low- to no-expense issues that can be addressed, like grinding down concrete areas that are sharp or uneven.
“If we can get them on the maintenance crews list, in the future, then we can do the rest,” he said.
“I think those are viable issues that we need to resolve, but a lot of it has to come down to the next budget session,” Spalding said. “(We can) look at that and say we are going to plan to mitigate that in the future so we don’t have these issues.”
As for the impending opening of the pool for the summer, Spaulding said the town could at least try and address any immediate safety concerns, within the current budget.
“I think that is something we can probably get with Public Works on and try to get something resolved so we don’t have any tripping hazards or safety issues, where somebody is going to get hurt,” he said.
Mayor Creed James closed the discussion by saying the council wasn’t aware of the extent of the need to invest in the municipal pool.
“In last year’s budget process, a lot of these issues were never told to the council,” he said. Part of the reason we budgeted to have a full-time recreation director was that, “We were serious about having opportunities for the kids in the community.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/deep-dive-rec-board-member-raises-concerns-about-saratoga-municipal-pool/article_3114adf0-c3e4-5792-a238-d5d16bd6d2fa.html | 2022-04-30T13:44:42Z |
Casper Star-Tribune
CASPER — Oil and gas exploration could look different in Wyoming after the next legislative session. How it should change is still up for debate.
Even though many of Wyoming’s oil and gas reserves remain untapped, the planning, permitting and other upfront investments required to drill somewhere new can make those sites inaccessible to producers.
The federal government — which manages nearly half of the state’s surface lands and closer to 70% of its minerals — oversees a program intended to make such lands reachable.
In Wyoming, the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission typically safeguards the rights of both leaseholders and property owners by grouping lands into 640- and 1,280-acre drilling and spacing units. Companies must, for the most part, hold the rights to drill across the entire unit before they can begin producing.
Steve Degenfelder, land manager for Casper-based company Kirkwood Oil and Gas, on Monday walked the Legislature’s Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee through the distinction between Wyoming’s drilling and spacing units and federal exploratory units, a different type of drilling arrangement authorized by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Federal exploratory units are much bigger than the average drilling and spacing unit — though they may eventually contain one or more — and often span tens of thousands of acres. They can be established in areas containing at least 10% federal minerals and are negotiated by the BLM, companies pursuing exploration and voluntarily participating property owners.
“You form it into one lease,” Pete Obermueller, president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming, told the committee, “and it helps operators to be able to explore for and develop in areas they may not otherwise do it.”
The units come with time-sensitive drilling requirements meant to prevent companies from locking public resources, or resources owned by private individuals, into long, unprofitable contracts when exploration doesn’t go well.
But many in Wyoming — especially property owners — don’t think the program is working as it should. Complicated contracts have left some feeling frustrated and trapped. Profits from the wells that are productive don’t necessarily reach everyone. The arrangements’ built-in deadlines don’t always work to give participants a timely way out.
“There were an awful lot of mineral owners out there that did not get the bargain that they thought that they bargained for,” Heather Jacobson, an attorney from Douglas who represents many of the area’s surface and mineral owners, told the committee.
Despite general agreement that federal exploratory units need fixing, there’s not much consensus on what the state should, or can, do about it.
“This is a federal issue,” Jacobson said, “but we can try helping as much as we can.” According to Monday’s testimony, limiting the units’ acreage could reduce harm to property owners, potentially at the cost of producers’ willingness to go through the steps required to drill there.
Meanwhile, doing away with federal exploratory units entirely would mean fewer headaches for all parties — and fewer opportunities for new drilling in undeveloped parts of the state. More specifics and alternative ideas are still to come. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/experts-agree-oil-and-gas-exploration-needs-fix/article_87243aac-d542-506e-acd5-f2fede2dd9a9.html | 2022-04-30T13:44:48Z |
CHEYENNE — As Wyoming Republican Party convention officials decide whether to seat the Laramie County delegation at the state convention, county party leaders warn that more than 20,000 party members could be disenfranchised.
The State Credentials Committee will announce its decision at a May 5 meeting and make a recommendation to be discussed May 7 on the convention floor.
“Following Laramie County leadership’s admission of its failures to follow Bylaws in conducting the election, the State Republican Convention’s Credentials Committee will now review the matter and make a recommendation to the body as to how many delegates from Laramie County will be seated,” Chairman Frank Eathorne said in a news release.
The motion was called for at the start of April after a complaint by Laramie County precinct committeeman and Central Committee member Ben Hornok, who questioned whether delegates set to attend the state convention had been properly nominated at the Laramie County Convention on March 12.
In his March 28 letter to the Laramie County GOP Executive Committee, Hornok claimed voting procedures for delegates and alternates to serve at the state convention did not follow county and state GOP bylaws.
He cited the form of secret ballot, additional delegates being allowed to be nominated from the floor, and the delegate and alternate ranking system.
The State Executive Committee passed a motion requesting Laramie County Chairwoman Dani Olsen respond by April 1. She agreed the concerns were legitimate.
She told committee members in a letter that the process used in years past, and in the recent county convention, did not fully follow the rules.
Upon reflection, the Laramie County Executive Committee will recommend a cleanup of some of the ambiguities in the delegate and alternate selection portion of the bylaws, she said.
The local party asked for grace on the error because, according to Robert’s Rules of Order, the election can only be contested by timely raising a point of order.
“We ask there to be assurance from the State Executive Committee that our delegates and alternates who attend the Convention in Sheridan will have the opportunity to participate, as they will be sacrificing time and financial resources to attend the Convention in May,” the letter ended.
Olsen told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle Wednesday the only flaw in the election process was how alternates were chosen. The nominating committee took the names and added the delegates to a list of people who were confirmed to attend, which was in accordance with local and state party regulations.
But since the state convention was only allowing 350 members to attend, the number of delegates allowed to go was lower. Thirty-seven spots were filled, and there were more than 40 individuals who expressed interest. Members of the nominating committee wanted as many as possible to have the opportunity, so they put the remaining individuals on the alternate list.
The slate was presented and approved at the county convention. The next step was filling the potential alternates.
Following the bylaws, Olsen said they took nominations from the floor by voice vote, which is considered a form of secret ballot. The body approved the next slate of alternates, and the complainant Hornok was included.
Olsen said she recognized the issue was that the Laramie County GOP did not rank the alternates based on order of votes received, because they approved them as a whole. But at the time of the vote, she recalled, there were no objections. They instead put them in the order they were nominated.
“Election integrity is a top issue among voters after the 2020 elections and has been the number one legislative priority for the Wyoming GOP for the last three years,” the state party said in a statement. “The Wyoming Republican Party is working hard to safeguard its internal activities and maintain the highest standards of transparency and integrity. No other complaints about county conventions have been brought before the State Executive Committee.”
The Laramie County Republican Party said it is aware of at least eight other counties that have made similar infractions.
“We can only hope that the other counties will be able to hold themselves to the same high standard Laramie County has been held to, and they will come forward with their own admission of errors, as we have done,” the county GOP press release stated. “While Laramie County believes all counties should be seated, if the Credentials Committee does not look equally at violations of all counties, it will show bias and an unfair application of the rules.”
A larger concern shared by Olsen and other county party members is the motivation of the investigation and the possible disenfranchisement of more than 20,000 Laramie County Republicans.
The county chairwoman said this would happen not only if Laramie County delegates were not allowed to attend and vote on state party leadership, as well as nominations, but in reducing the number of attendees overall.
She said it was unprecedented that the number was lowered from 550 to 350, when historically there has always been a set amount, and the venue could accommodate a larger convention.
“It was unusual that they would even reduce their own income potential by having such a low number, but the only justification I could find was to reduce the vote of the larger counties,” she said.
Laramie County GOP member Mike Heath told the WTE he was also worried voices would be lost in the process, and not just in Laramie County.
He highlighted the fact that the Natrona County GOP lost delegate representation at the state convention because it did not pay its full share of dues, which he said is difficult for members who fund their own expenses.
Olsen confirmed Natrona County was supposed to have 34 delegates but was reduced to six.
The changes within the state convention representation and complaints have stirred Heath’s apprehension. He said he is concerned the divisiveness he is seeing within the party might destroy it, because even members of the local Republican Party have asked for their own delegates not to be seated.
Laramie County Republican Party members Susan Graham and Fred Schlachter said in an April 9 letter that they did not approve of the method for pre-nominating a slate of people as delegates and alternates.
“We request and support a decision by the Credentialing Committee to not seat this year’s delegates to the Wyoming GOP State Convention from Laramie County,” the letter stated. “Either we are a nation of laws, and all citizens are equal under the law, or we are not. Let us bring the Rule of Law back to Wyoming, starting with the Wyoming State GOP’s ruling to NOT seat Laramie County’s delegates.”
Graham and Schlachter are alleged to be members of a group called the Conservative Corner, along with Hornok, which has had previous disagreements with the Laramie County Republican Party.
Although they remain members of the county delegation, Olsen said the group takes a more divisive approach to government and is critical of the county party.
She said their largest frustration has been with members not being conservative enough, because the Laramie County GOP is more inclusive of all ranges of Republicanism.
“And because of the fact that we are inclusive, it does tend to cause tension among people who don’t believe we should be as inclusive as we are,” Olsen said.
While she recognized the division among the ranks, she did not confirm whether she thought this was the motivation behind the complaint. Her focus was on which bylaws the Laramie County GOP may have broken, and the possible repercussions.
She said she wanted to protect the representation of county Republicans at the state convention moving forward and disapproved of the process in which the state party made it public.
This was a sentiment shared in the final lines of the statement released by her fellow leadership. (The Wyoming GOP did not comment.)
“It is a shame that the Chairman of the State Party would use his position to spout falsehoods as a means of not seating the largest county in Wyoming, and thereby disenfranchising over 20,000 Republican voices in Laramie County,” it read. “It is further alarming that while the State Executive Committee is passing motions to ‘vigorously enforce Bylaws’ that it has consistently stopped its enforcement efforts with only two counties – Laramie and Natrona counties.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/laramie-county-gop-leadership-warns-of-disenfranchisement/article_40f4111c-ea5d-542d-bdc0-a4489bfd7e92.html | 2022-04-30T13:44:54Z |
During a lengthy hearing Monday, there were signs that a legislative stalemate could be broken, or at least that discussions could advance, on how to help digital currency miners get more electricity and at lower rates.
Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle and stakeholders who testified Monday in Casper showed some openness to creating ways to serve the power-hungry cryptocurrency industry.
At this interim work session held by the Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee, there appeared to be more acceptance of the idea that some changes might be needed to interest Wyoming crypto companies in using scores of computers to virtually make these financial assets.
By contrast, when the bill up for discussion, Senate File 71, previously came up at Senate Minerals Committee hearings during the Legislature’s regular session earlier this year, the reception was more negative.
Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie, was the only lawmaker to vote yes on SF 71. It would have created deregulated industrial power zones so that high-technology companies and others could strike alternative power deals that do not necessarily involve the incumbent utility.
About 99% of the time, “our regulatory structure is great,” Rothfuss said near the start of Monday’s hearing.
While his bill may not be the answer, the Laramie lawmaker said that “if we leave our current system in place, I cannot imagine any company (that needs a lot of power) coming to Wyoming.”
Prospects to revive the same bill did not appear likely. All witnesses and legislators who spoke agreed they did not necessarily want to pursue total deregulation of the state’s power industry. Some suggested this could be a backstop to keep in mind if the utilities can’t work out some new approach to get crypto miners the electricity they want.
Statewide energy deregulation could take years, many testified. That could be too long for power-hungry virtual miners who say they each want dozens, if not hundreds, of megawatts of power quickly, sometimes approaching the amount some of the state’s largest cities such as Cheyenne consume.
For wide-scale deregulation, “if you could do that in five years, I think that is pretty optimistic,” said Wyoming Public Service Commission Chief Counsel John Burbridge. “I would imagine that it would be a pretty (extensive) endeavor. It is not something that could happen overnight.”
Stakeholders are searching for ways to proceed that do not involve such dramatic changes.
A way forward?
The difference between now and earlier this year when SF 71 died in the Senate committee without getting a House-side hearing is that lawmakers Monday cleared the way for a process to try to resolve crypto-utility differences.
The way forward this time is for an informal subcommittee or panel from the bicameral Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee to split off as a smaller group with a keen interest in the issue, the joint committee’s members told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
Typically when such a panel is appointed, it has a few members from each chamber, said Rep. Mike Greear, R-Worland. He helped run the hearing and is chairman of the House Minerals, Business and Natural Resources Committee.
“A couple legislators who are passionate about it” might be named to help helm the discussions, Greear said. With stakeholders, they could “spend a day on it,” and not merely a few hours such as at this hearing.
The crypto portion began a little late and ended close to 90 minutes beyond its appointed time.
Under the auspices of such a forthcoming panel, this is “where can we find common ground” and attempt to get the sides to “hash it out,” Greear said. “And then bring some recommendations back” to the full joint committee.
One potential member is Rep. Danny Eyre, R-Lyman. His name came up because before retiring and eventually elected, he worked at the Bridger Valley Electric co-operative for about 35 years, including serving as general manager. That utility expertise could give him a useful perspective.
Asked after the meeting if he would serve on the panel if asked, Eyre said yes, though he did not seek to put himself forward for it.
Given his lengthy involvement in the state’s power industry, he said there have long been discussions about carving out certain entities from the regulated power system. The new flavor is that crypto wants a piece of the pie.
Deregulation regrets elsewhere
Eyre said that of about 15 states that have enacted some form of energy industry deregulation, several may regret it while others that did not might be thankful they sat this previous trend out. He wondered aloud whether the issue could be addressed without deregulation.
“It’s very difficult to carve out industrial users without creating adverse impact for other ratepayers,” Eyre said. “We need to be very careful that we don’t have negative impact on residential customers.”
Another potential ad hoc panel member is Rothfuss. He is a proponent of attracting crypto to Wyoming, which he said the state is doing a good job on except for when it comes to energy.
As one GOP member of the joint minerals panel was heard remarking after the hearing, it’s interesting that Rothfuss as a Democrat is helping to lead the push for deregulation. Usually, it’s Republicans who carry that banner.
Regardless of who ultimately ends up on the energy group, it would aim to convene a meeting with all sides of the issue, lawmakers said. The goal would be for something to be discussed in time for the June 27-28 gathering in Casper of the full Minerals Committee.
During the hearing, a PSC staffer suggested that his agency could help provide a venue for getting stakeholders together. Under what lawmakers envision, it is more likely that the PSC could participate like any other party in the stakeholder meeting, rather than acting as the convening authority, Greear said.
One local legislator spoke as a witness advocating for ways to help satisfy virtual miners’ sizable appetites for power.
“The deregulated concept could work quite well for the large industrial users,” said Rep. Pat Sweeney, R-Casper.
He acknowledged concerns that crypto mining may not stick around in any area very long and stakeholders said mobile operations can easily move.
“Whether cryptocurrency lasts, I hope it does,” he said. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/lawmakers-target-stalemate-on-power-for-crypto-miners/article_0640a1da-fd94-579f-b1f2-eb7b63137000.html | 2022-04-30T13:45:00Z |
Business Council grant will help PVAC project
The Wyoming Business Council has awarded $2,500 from its Rural Development Grant Program to the Platte Valley Arts Council for its Platte Valley Public Art Project. Six new murals and sculptures will be installed this summer and revealed Sept. 3.
Platte Valley Arts Council is a nonprofit organization serving Saratoga, Encampment and Riverside with arts and cultural events and programs. PVAChas worked to keep art in the everyday lives of locals and believes the money will strengthen the work being done.
“The project budget is over $104,000, so every dollar helps,” said Platte Valley Public Art Project Coordinator Stacy Crimmins. “We have raised about half of the funding needed at this point.”
In addition to grant funding, the PVAC will launch a mosaic mural fundraiser in May, and a silent auction will be held at the Grand Reveal Event on Sept. 3.
To learn more about PVAC or to donate, visit facebook.com/PlatteValleyArts or contact Crimmins at 307-326-7150 or pvacpublicart@yahoo.com.
New member of PVHP team no stranger to Saratoga
Carbon County native Rachal Blumenthal has joined the Platte Valley Healthcare Project team. She was hired to be the administrative assistant to the board of directors.
“She will have a broad range of responsibilities including coordinating the board’s activities and facilitating interaction between board members and the community,” says a press release announcing the hire.
This summer will be a busy time as the organization completes its North Platte Valley Medical Center and moves Saratoga Care Center residents and staff and Platte Valley Clinic staff and patients into the new facility on the west side of Saratoga.
Among her duties will be assisting Saratoga Care Center CEO Jeff Mincy.
Blumenthal was born in Rawlins but came to live in Saratoga when she was in the second grade. After graduating from Saratoga High School, she went on to Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs, where she studied business administration.
She returned to Saratoga in 2018 with Bank of the West.
“I enjoyed working in banking, but this job with PVHP seemed like such a fantastic opportunity to get in on the ground floor of something important and grow with it,” Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal is married and has two children: Brynleigh, 2 and Bricklin, 5 months. Her husband John owns Blumenthal Built, a construction company based in Saratoga.
Average gas prices rise nearly 6 cents in past week
Average gasoline prices in Wyoming have risen 5.8 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.08 per gallon Monday, according to GasBuddy.com’s survey of 494 stations in Wyoming.
Prices in Wyoming are 1.4 cents per gallon higher than a month ago, and stand $1.18 per gallon higher than a year ago.
According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Wyoming was priced at $3.59 per gallon Sunday, while the most expensive was $4.86, a difference of $1.27 per gallon.
The national average price of gasoline has risen 4.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.11 per gallon Monday. The national average is down 13.3 cents per gallon from a month ago, and stands $1.24 per gallon higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.
WYDOT, WHP announce transition plan for leadership
Wyoming Highway Patrol Col. Kebin Haller has announced he plans to retire in early June after more than 31 years in law enforcement.
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Wyoming alongside the great men and women of the Wyoming Highway Patrol,” Haller said in a news release.
As the Wyoming Department of Transportation and WHP begin the search for a new colonel, Shannon Ratliff will temporarily come out of retirement starting May 16 to serve as interim administrator. Ratliff retired from the WHP in August 2021 as lieutenant colonel after more than 30 years of service in law enforcement.
WYDOT and WHP will consider applicants from both a nationwide pool, as well as candidates currently serving with the WHP for the position.
The search process for a new colonel is expected to take about six months.
Road to Yellowstone park gate set for repairs
CODY (WNE) — Sorely needed pavement work will be ongoing this summer on a little more than a 10-mile stretch of U.S. 14-16-20 on the North Fork leading up to the East Entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
Work will start Monday – the east gate opens May 6 – and is slated to continue through August.
The $5.4 million project, west of Cody, will consist of rotomilling the existing pavement surface, a 2-inch pavement overlay, chip sealing, minor slope flattening, guardrail repair and other work.
WYDOT spokesman Cody Beers said drivers will rarely be stopped for a lengthy period of time, as only one half of the roadway will be worked on at any one time, with pilot cars to lead traffic along the other lane.
“In evening and early morning there won’t be any delay, just reduced speed limits, but in the day they’ll be working,” he said. “(The) contractor will do its best to keep traffic flowing, but what a great place to get stopped. It’s the best scenery.”
The project extends east 10.25 miles to milepost 10.25 (Fishhawk Trailhead).
Prime contractor for the project is Mountain Construction Co. of Lovell.
This section of the road was originally constructed in 1996-97.
“Normal service life for pavement is approximately 20 years before it needs rehabilitation and an overlay,” said WYDOT resident engineer Todd Frost of Cody.
All work, with the exception of reclamation, is required to be complete by Aug. 31. Contract completion date is Oct. 31, 2022.
Woman arrested for drugged driving after hit and run
GILLETTE (WNE) — A 74-year-old woman was eventually arrested for driving while under the influence of a controlled substance, failing to report an accident and unsafe backing after a car was reportedly hit in the Lakeway Professional Center parking lot Monday morning.
A 83-year-old woman returned to the parking lot and found her brown 2012 Chevy had been hit by another vehicle, said Police Sgt. Dean Welch.
The hit and run was seen by a 27-year-old woman, who told officers a black 2008 Toyota had backed into the Chevy and left without leaving any information.
Officers later contacted the suspected Toyota driver, the 74-year-old woman, at Walmart. She told police her medication use may have impaired her driving that day.
She performed field sobriety tests and based on her performance, was arrested for driving while under the influence of a controlled substance, unsafe backing and failing to report an accident.
Worker dies in fall at Teton Village
JACKSON (WNE) – Construction worker Ricardo Miranda Hernandez died Wednesday after falling off a roof while working on the Cody House Condominiums in Teton Village.
Teton County Coroner Brent Blue said the cause of death has not been determined yet. Blue confirmed that Hernandez, whose age was unknown as of press time, fell off the roof at about 8:30 a.m.
“Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is saddened that a construction worker has died after suffering a fall while working on the roof of the Cody House Condominiums,” the resort said in a press release. “Teton Village Fire Department and Jackson Hole Fire/EMS responded immediately, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.”
The worker was not a resort employee. He was contracted by an outside company — MD Roofing — for work on the condominiums, which are adjacent to the Bridger Gondola.
Teton County has witnessed several workplace-related fatalities in recent history.
Man convicted in ‘95 murder dies in prison
NEWCASTLE (WNE) — Daniel Lee Harris, a South Dakota man convicted in a Newcastle murder case, died on April 17 in the Wyoming Medium Correctional Institution in Torrington.
Harris was sentenced to life in prison on Dec. 20, 1995, for his involvement in the death of Cheryl Varner. He was found guilty in Sixth Judicial District Court on various charges, including first-degree felony murder, first- and second-degree attempted sexual assault, criminal negligent homicide and assault and battery, according to stories prepared by the News Letter Journal.
According to the 1995 story, Harris and Varner had left a Newcastle bar together before driving to the LAK Lake. Harris has said during his testimony that he had attempted to have sex with Varner but that she had refused and slapped him.
The convicted felon then pushed Varner out of the pickup truck, driving off, leaving Varner alone and half-dressed at the lake. She died that night from hypothermia, and the jury found Harris responsible for her death.
At the time, prosecuting attorney Don Hansen did not seek the death penalty. Hansen had said that the decision to try Harris on felony murder charges had been made by former County Attorney Tracy Hunt.
Felony murder is defined as an act that causes death as a result of another felony act such as sexual assault or robbery.
A Wyoming Supreme Court appeal in 1997 upheld the Weston County court’s findings.
Harris was 57 at the time of his death. Per Wyoming Department of Correction policy, an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death although the department does not release protected health information.
Teton County inmate guilty of more than pranking
JACKSON (WNE) — A jury found Alvaro Gonzales Mancia guilty of more than bad comedic timing after he left his cell and sneaked up on a deputy at the Teton County Jail.
Jurors found the 25-year-old guilty of interference with a peace officer and escape from official detention during a trial last week. The jury acquitted him on a third charge of simple assault.
The charges stemmed from an incident at the jail where Mancia has been awaiting trial on separate charges from last September. He’s alleged to have bear sprayed two officers responding to a domestic call.
Evidence at last week’s trial detailed how Cpl. Janalynn McKay was conducting a formal headcount on the evening of Oct. 27. During a headcount, McKay observes every inmate but doesn’t enter the cells.
Mancia testified that he obstructed the lock on his cell door so at 6:06 p.m. it wouldn’t lock after McKay confirmed his well being. A video shows that when she closed the cell door and turned away, Mancia left his cell and sprinted at her while her back was turned.
McKay testified that her intuition told her to turn around, at which point she saw Mancia and began yelling at him to get back to his cell. Mancia then retreated.
Mancia’s counsel Spencer King told the jury that Mancia only sneaked up on McKay as a joke; he intended to spook her but not to harm her.
“Mancia said as he was running up behind McKay he said, ‘Here’s Johnny,’ a reference to the movie ‘The Shining,’” Deputy Robert Osmond stated in an affidavit.
“This is an extremely simple case,” prosecuting attorney Clayton Kainer said during opening arguments. “An inmate escaped from his cell while the facility was in lockdown. He attempted to escape and [McKay] thwarted the attack.”
King argued that the statute describing official detention is vague and countered that yes, Mancia left his cell, but not the jail. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/local/worth-noting/article_5113985f-6331-5441-951d-3a6cce1b8d5a.html | 2022-04-30T13:45:06Z |
BUFFALO — At Clear Creek Middle School this past Wednesday, roughly 40 seventh and eighth grade students crammed into a classroom off the back hallway and began stacking the room’s tables in front of the locked door.
Under the direction of TAC*ONE Consulting trainer Joe Deedon, the students moved efficiently in groups of two and four, picking up the tables and arranging them to create a layered barricade.
Once the tables had been stacked, Deedon instructed the students to grab all the classroom’s chairs and add them to the barricade, providing extra layers of protection in case the door was breached.
While the students were having fun with their friends showing off their table-lifting strength, they were actually learning how to build a barricade — one of three main tenets of the student-focused active-shooter training that had brought TAC*ONE to Johnson County School District No. 1.
Active shooter training, according to the TAC*ONE website, is “designed to address the threat of an active shooter and other violent critical incidents on school grounds and college/university campuses.”
“We’re not traumatizing kids, we’re giving them options, we’re exposing them to some things so that if something happens, they can quickly react when there’s not an adult around playing quarterback,” Deedon said during the staff training on April 18.
Throughout the remainder of the week, staff and students across the district went through trainings with Deedon and fellow trainer Rich Krantz to learn how to effectively build a barricade and to learn the two other tenets of the training — evacuate and fight.
At Meadowlark Elementary School, the training on April 19 primarily focused on evacuation, with the trainers instructing the students to be quiet like “ninjas” while following their teacher’s hand signals to get to safety as a group.
Deedon told all of the K-12 students and staff he worked with throughout the week that it’s important to calmly evacuate and not just run. Running, he said, can suggest having no plan, whereas an evacuation contains calculated moves to reach safety.
“There’s been several shootings lately, because they’ve been happening in the open environments, to where people got caught just blindly running and that’s the last steps they take,” Deedon said at the staff training.
At Buffalo High School and later at Clear Creek, the students also learned to fight in case it ever became necessary. To help the students practice, Deedon dressed in tactical gear and brandished a fake gun while groups of students tackled and trapped his limbs to negate the threat.
At the middle school, students were told to only help tackle a threat if a teacher or another adult requested the help, while at BHS, the students were taught to fight in groups of four by themselves to stop a person, if necessary.
While each of the three tenets was important in its own right, Deedon’s larger message was that they were just options and that the training should help the staff and the students to choose which one works best for the situation they find themselves in.
He spoke in the middle school, high school and staff trainings of recent shootings — such as the incident at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida in 2018 — where the shooter had pulled the fire alarm to get kids out of class.
In that situation, Deedon said, a lockdown that many students were accustomed to couldn’t help them, but if they had known how to safely evacuate, they might have been saved.
Johnson County Superintendent Charles Auzqui, who was present for all student and staff trainings, said he felt that providing options was the most important part of the training, especially for the district’s older students who had been through traditional lockdown drills in the past.
A lockdown drill typically instructs students to turn off classroom lights, shut window blinds and sit behind desks or in the corner of the classroom not visible from a doorway window.
“Empowering people is probably our No. 1 thing that came out of this,” he told the Bulletin. “Coming back to that, you know, you want to evacuate, barricade or fight, but there’s no clear decision; it just is based on where you’re at and what you’re doing.”
While the weeklong training mostly focused on staff and students, law enforcement officers with the Buffalo Police Department, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and Wyoming Game and Fish Department participated in their own half-day training at the end of the week.
“It’s the first time in over eight years that this type of training has been offered in a collaborative piece, so (it was great) to see your sheriff’s department, your police department, and even the Fish and Game attend,” Auzqui said.
Throughout the half-day training, shell casings from simunitions — a non-lethal marking ammunition — increasingly littered the floor of the high school as officers and mock school shooters traded shots from simulation pistols and rifles both in the hallway and inside a classroom on the school’s first floor.
The officers worked alone, and in pairs, sweeping the hallways and checking the classrooms in an effort to locate the mock shooter.
The law enforcement training is unique among school shooting training, Deedon told the officers, because it focuses specifically on one- and two-officer responses. This can be especially valuable in more remote locations like Wyoming, where it may take 15 minutes or more for a second or third officer to respond.
“You’ve got to be effective, right?” Deedon said to the officers. “So that’s why I like this program because, you know, it’s a dedicated lesson."
As officers moved through the school hallway during the four scenarios Deedon presented, the stress and nerves generated by the mock situation were palpable.
Over the course of the training, Deedon’s messages were clear — don’t give up your element of surprise and shoot to kill before a shooter could get to more victims.
“No one’s going to ever tell the deputy or the county sheriff or law enforcement, ‘Hey, you know what, you were a little too aggressive that day at the high school or the rec center or the city hall when that gunman came in, you know, and was just indiscriminately shooting unarmed people, you know, you shouldn’t have probably used force,” Deedon said.
The majority of students and staff the Bulletin spoke with throughout the week talked positively about the training and seemed to appreciate having more response options than a traditional lockdown drill.
But the training was just that, the response to school shootings around the United States, from the Florida school shooting in 2018 to the Oxford High School shooting in Michigan just five months ago.
Deedon, throughout the training, was open with both the students and the staff that the training isn’t meant to be the prevention piece of the puzzle.
“We know about the prevention, we know about the tip lines, anti-bullying classes, we get it,” Deedon said at the staff training. “But there’s still got to be a response, right?”
While Auzqui said that he believes the TAC*ONE training is invaluable for students and staff, that prevention piece is also crucial to potentially stop shootings before they begin.
Auzqui said that, because of the training, the district’s emergency response management plan is being revised, but that the district’s system when a potential threat is reported remains effective.
“If a student brings it to a staff member, the staff member has the responsibility to report that to administration, and then their responsibility is to make sure if it was a viable threat or not,” Auzqui said. “And if it’s something viable, then you get the local law enforcement involved.”
If threats are determined to be viable, which Auzqui said primarily means looking at the evidence available, parents will also be kept in the loop.
On top of threat assessment, prevention in Johnson County means focusing more on school security, Auzqui said, with the district looking into upgrading and expanding its security camera systems at the schools and preparing to roll out an updated building visitor system called Verkada.
That system would be able to quickly background check visitors and keep a log of who has visited buildings in the district.
“If we set it up, you could just simply come in with your driver’s license, it could be scanned, it would do a facial recognition of who you are, it would do a background check real quickly,” he said in March. “That’s the direction we’re headed.”
The system even has the ability to track people across school buildings, Auzqui said, meaning it would recognize people by face and name without having to run the background check each time.
Prevention in Johnson County also means investing more money and effort into the potential parent liaison program that the district is working to get set up before the start of the next school year, Auzqui said.
The program — which is currently used in districts throughout Montana and Wyoming — is designed to have dedicated liaisons within the schools to provide family support and help families access community resources, especially during times of crisis.
“We’re going down that road of what we can do with our counselors to kind of help support that social emotional piece,” Auzqui said. “It also comes back to, especially K-5 or K-6, if we can get that parent liaison, you know, those people helping deal with some community members or identifying things early.”
The training that students, staff and law enforcement participated in last week was just the first of a three-year program of training that the district has planned to receive from TAC*ONE.
Auzqui said that the next two years of training will likely include more hands-on and in-depth scenarios, as opposed to the discussions on school shootings and the basics of the training program that staff and students received this year.
He said that next year’s training — tentatively scheduled for January or February — will reinforce many of the lessons that students learned this year while working more on specific scenarios with staff, before eventually going even more in depth.
“Stage three or four would, what most school districts go into, if you feel comfortable, we’ll start talking about how do you address what they call triage-type things,” Auzqui said.
This triage training, according to Deedon, would mostly occur with staff, showing them the basics of triage medicine in the event that they are deep into a building where police or paramedics can’t reach them quickly.
But the training is more than just when TAC*ONE is in the district, Auzqui said, and must include reflection and repetition from the district itself.
This means incorporating things like evacuation drills into the school year as frequently as fire drills and making a concerted effort to continue to practice the lessons learned so that all parties involved in the training can be as prepared as possible.
“More importantly for me is that local law enforcement, teachers, administrators all know what everybody’s been trained (on) so they can know, ‘Hey, this is what the school is doing,’” Auzqui said. “We know, ‘Hey, this is what law enforcement is going to do when they get on site.’” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/middle-schoolers-get-active-shooter-training/article_489a91ca-f7d4-560f-ab5a-ee72c8d3205c.html | 2022-04-30T13:45:13Z |
CASPER —Teton was ranked the healthiest county and Fremont the least healthy county in Wyoming, based on data in the newest report from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.
The rankings look at two main components: health factors and health outcomes. Health factors — like education, air and water quality, access to care and tobacco use — are things that can be changed to improve health. Health outcomes — the length and quality of life — represent the health of a county right now.
The outcomes aren’t all that surprising; Teton County has the greatest number of billionaires per capita out of any county in the nation. With that much money floating around comes better access to doctors, therapists, quality food and other resources to improve health.
On the other hand, the study estimates that about 22% of people in Fremont County were uninsured in 2019, with a trend that was neither improving nor getting worse. There was an average patient to primary care physician ratio of about 1,150 to one and an average patient to mental health provider ratio of about 410 to one.
By comparison, about 17% of Teton County residents were uninsured in 2019, with a trend — while improving — that was still worse than the national average. In the same year, there were about 870 patients to every primary care physician and one mental health provider for every 180 patients.
Niobrara, Big Horn, Carbon, Natrona and Platte counties ranked in the bottom quarter along with Fremont County for health factors, while Albany, Park, Sheridan, Laramie and Crook counties joined Teton County in the top quarter.
Those rankings were a little different for health outcomes — the overall quality and length of life.
Park, Sheridan, Weston, Johnson and Albany counties were in the top quarter for the best health outcomes, with Teton County still ranked No. 1.
Fremont County was still at the bottom, followed by Hot Springs, Uinta, Platte, Carbon and Sweetwater counties.
Childcare cost burdens in Wyoming counties ranged between 19% to 36% of household incomes, which is a little worse than the national average.
There isn’t a single county in the nation, however, that meets the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 7% of household income benchmark for affordable childcare, according to the report.
Incomes vary by race and ethnicity across Wyoming, with a median income of $50,458 for American Indian & Alaska Native households to $69,917 for Asian households.
Overall, the data shows that Wyoming has a larger number of premature deaths, low birth weights, tobacco users, alcohol-impaired driving deaths and teen births compared to the national average. It also has a higher primary care physician to patient ratio and a greater percent of people who are uninsured.
But outcomes were better in Wyoming compared to national averages for the number of poor physical and mental health days Wyomingites experience, and there were also fewer preventable hospital stays.
A greater proportion of residents — 94% — finished high school compared to the national average of 89%, and the unemployment rate in the state is about 2.3% lower than national rates. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/report-shows-health-disparities/article_462a661c-34de-5786-8404-09189402941f.html | 2022-04-30T13:45:19Z |
In a first-of-its-kind event, the Wild and Working Lands film festival debuts in Laramie on May 5. Sponsored by the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, the event will be in the Gryphon Theater at the Laramie Plains Civic Center. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the films start rolling at 7. Admission is free and even includes popcorn.
John Koprowski, dean and professor of the Haub School, is the mastermind behind the festival. Under his direction, a coordinating committee with the school made it a reality.
“Our wild and working lands are what bonds us together despite our many differences,” Koprowski said. “If you live in Wyoming, the American West or much of the globe, our wild and working lands provide a common connection.
“The idea behind this film festival was to create an opportunity to celebrate our shared appreciation through the different perspectives of our filmmakers.”
Grace Carr, research and outreach coordinator for the Haub School and member of the festival’s coordinating committee, said there were 80 entries for this year’s event. Films came not only from Wyoming, but also from across the United States and several foreign countries like Canada, France, Mexico and Italy.
“We put out a call for judges to review the films and give the films ratings,” Carr said. “We had a great response from across the university to help with the judging.”
The result is a festival featuring 14 films ranging in length from 3 to 20 minutes.
“Some of the films highlight research efforts, others are portraits of people relating to the world around them, while others feature groundbreaking issues,” Carr said. “We wanted to show that parallel of humans and the environment and how they coexist together.”
The film festival trailer offers a preview of what is in store for those who attend the event. It also can be viewed at the Haub School website, uwyo.edu/haub.
Produced by Isabel Zieres, a freelance video editor who often works with the Haub School, the trailer includes snippets from a number of the films.
A wide range of wildlife is shown from bison to grizzly bears, bighorn sheep, coyotes and burrowing owls. Humans are enjoying the outdoors via skis, fly fishing, hiking and just sitting and enjoying the view. The stunning photography in the trailer should whet the curiosity of anyone considering attending the festival.
“All of the films featured are a wonderful representation of people and their unique relationships with nature,” Zieres said. “If you are interested in the study of environmental issues or the connections we all have to our surrounding environments, this film festival is definitely worth seeing.”
Awards will be presented after the showing. The top entries will be determined by a film festival committee of judges. Two additional awards will be given by the Wyoming Migration Initiative and the Biodiversity Institute. For those there in-person, votes will be gathered to determine the People’s Choice award.
“It is a real opportunity to understand the natural world and how people interact in that world,” Carr said. “It is chance to experience a unique opportunity coming to Laramie.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/seeing-is-believing-wild-and-working-lands-film-festival-set-to-debut/article_0699c1ba-0d26-5f91-b025-e8f61c888062.html | 2022-04-30T13:45:25Z |
POWELL — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department bird farm in Sheridan has euthanized its brood stock of pheasants out of an “abundance of caution” after officials discovered dead turkeys near its captive flock tested positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), a form of avian influenza killing wild birds across the country.
None of the birds raised by the farm was found to be infected, but the department decided it was necessary.
“With the amount of wild birds that are around the farm, we were concerned about (the virus) getting in the bird farm,” said Dan Smith, the department’s Wildlife Division and Cody Regional wildlife supervisor.
“There was no indication that any of our birds were sick and none tested positive,” he said in a Tuesday interview. “But had we got to that (point), it would have been too late. So this was a preemptive action.”
The farm raises approximately 14,000 pheasants to be released in hunting areas, including in the Big Horn Basin. Officials were able to collect eggs and will start fresh after wild birds have migrated through the area, Smith said.
“We’ve collected more than half of what we would normally collect,” he said, adding hunters should expect to see an impact during the 2022 upland game bird season. Yellowtail Wildlife Habitat Management Area receives thousands of the birds each year to give upland game bird hunters more opportunities in the Basin. They typically receive heavy pre-opening day pheasant releases and bi-weekly releases totaling approximately 4,000 pheasants for the season. Stocking concludes the third week in December, according to the department.
The bird farm hopes to receive supplemental eggs from the department’s Downer farm, which raises approximately 17,000 pheasants per year.
Reports of dead wild birds have hit several areas in the state, including in the department’s Cody Region. Game and Fish officials have reported finding infected Canada and snow geese with the virus in Park County.
Two turkey vultures were also reported to be found infected with the virus in Albany County on the University of Wyoming main campus.
After the first discoveries, reports of the virus were reported in high densities in the Big Horn Basin, on the east side of the Bighorn Mountains, in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, in the South Pass, east of Casper and near Cheyenne.
“Anyone who finds clusters of three or more dead wild birds — especially waterfowl and other water-birds — please contact the Game and Fish Wildlife Health Laboratory,” said Jessica Jennings-Gaines, Game and Fish wildlife disease specialist. “We’re also asking for reports of any number of raptors or bird scavenger species — like crows and vultures — exhibiting signs of neurological impairment or being found dead with no apparent cause.”
HPAI can be zoonotic, meaning there are risks to human health.
“Do not handle sick or dead wildlife,” the department warns. “We’ve been messaging directly to springtime turkey hunters to keep their eyes out and remind folks to not handle sick or dead birds to help prevent the spread of the disease,” said Sara DiRienzo, public information officer for the department.
Wild birds can be infected with HPAI and show no signs of illness.
They can carry the disease to new areas when migrating, potentially exposing domestic stock to the virus, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
The agency anticipates avian influenza detections will occur in additional states as wild bird surveillance continues into the spring.
The agency’s wild bird surveillance program provides an early warning system for the introduction and distribution of avian influenza viruses of concern in the United States, allowing the agency and the poultry industry to take “timely and rapid action to reduce the risk of spread to our poultry industry and other populations of concern.”
“The number of migratory birds coming through [the area] is going to reduce over the next few weeks,” Smith said.
The Sheridan farm will wait to hatch new stock until after the migration.
The Diamond Wings Upland Game Bird farm is on strict lockdown to protect its flock of 51 captively raised greater sage grouse and tens of thousands of pheasant and chukars.
Officials at the Park County Fair are also monitoring the situation to see if there will be a problem acquiring chickens for the upcoming county fair.
To report clusters of dead birds call the Game and Fish wildlife health laboratory at 307-745-5865. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/sheridan-bird-farm-depopulated/article_e4d4731b-720a-5af6-bc91-c1c6303fd882.html | 2022-04-30T13:45:31Z |
GILLETTE — The week before prom, most girls already have a dress picked out and hanging in their bedroom closet.
The classic, long velvet dress or the short, sequined tulle hangs hardly touched, prepared to wrap its owner in beauty and elegance for one of the most anticipated nights in high school. Hours were driven and many stores run through in order to find the perfect dress for what everyone hopes is the perfect night.
But as the days to prom count down, not everyone has found that special dress.
For some, the cost of shopping in the highly sought-out dress stores is simply too much. Others ordered dresses that were waylaid by supply chain issues or other logistical hurdles. Even if they did get the dress on time, maybe it doesn’t fit “just right.” Or maybe the color looks a little less vibrant than what the pictures online advertised.
For the girls still looking, there is someone in Gillette who has just the answer to their conundrum a day before prom when they have to ask themselves, “What am I going to do now?”
Because of 15-year-old Kimberly Dougal, they’re going to stay in town and follow a red scoria road up a slight hill.
Instead of a packed parking lot, there will be a short driveway. Rather than the perfectly lit fitting rooms, there will be a homey bathroom to test the fit, to ensure the look is just right. Instead of hundreds of dresses, there are about 60, each with its own patina and personality of its own.
The girls still looking for that ideal fit don’t need to travel hours outside of town or drop hundreds of dollars on something they will wear for one night. Instead, Dougal offers another solution by way of her local business, Budget Friendly Formals.
The inspiration for her formal dress rental business came when she noticed a void in Gillette, a need for special-occasion dresses at prices that didn’t exclude high schoolers who have the occasion, just not the budget.
Dougal went into Seconds on the Avenue about a year-and-a-half-ago with no previously laid business plan.
She spotted a long formal dress. Bright yellow. It had a slight amount of jewels and a small touch of ruffles. Dougal liked it and walked out the door as a content new dress-owner.
It wasn’t until about a week later that inspiration struck her.
An eighth grader at the time, she sat in the car with her mom, thinking about how she had heard some girls were searching for prom dresses.
“There really aren’t many places in town with them,” she recalled saying to her mother.
That’s when she proposed her new idea and found it supported. The yellow dress was the first piece of merchandise she built her new business around.
Now, anyone looking for a formal dress at any time during the year can reach out to her and rent a dress for anything from senior pictures to a photo shoot.
Since that first yellow dress, Dougal has accumulated almost 60 more by donation and thrifting the hidden gems out of crowded clothes racks. Sizes ranging from 0-18 hang waiting for use in her basement.
Some are brightly colored and fluffy, while others are neutral and sleek. Right now, they’re all organized by length for the engaged shopper to look through.
“There really aren’t many places in town with them,” she recalled saying to her mother.
That’s when she proposed her new idea and found it supported. The yellow dress was the first piece of merchandise she built her new business around.
Now, anyone looking for a formal dress at any time during the year can reach out to her and rent a dress for anything from senior pictures to a photo shoot.
Since that first yellow dress, Dougal has accumulated almost 60 more by donation and thrifting the hidden gems out of crowded clothes racks. Sizes ranging from 0-18 hang waiting for use in her basement.
Some are brightly colored and fluffy, while others are neutral and sleek. Right now, they’re all organized by length for the engaged shopper to look through.
“People have said there’s a large variety,” Dougal said. “I’m trying to get bigger sizes because especially around Gillette, they’re hard to find.”
She also pointed out that her prices are far better than the new name-brand silks and polyesters found in boutiques or department stores.
“Prices are a big thing for girls,” she said. “The prices now are just outrageous.”
Hundreds of dollars aren’t necessarily in the budget for teenage girls, especially when considering the cost of heels, makeup and hairstyles that go into completing their outfits for the big night.
Dougal’s prices allow for a little more flexibility as girls think about putting their complete fit together. She charges $100 upfront and then returns either $50 or $25 when the dress is returned, depending on if the customer dry-cleaned the dress.
There’s more to it than the price though. In the early years of her upstart, her clientele has not exactly pushed her profit margin into the black.
Those who give her dress rentals a shot may find exactly what they want for a fraction of the price. Or they may find that the Americana pomp and circumstance of finding the perfect dress is the coming of age experience they prefer.
But at least now they get to choose. Which is the kind of autonomy celebrating the beginning of the end of high school is all about.
Coming into her own
Budget Friendly Formals was not Dougal’s first business idea. In fact, the ideas have kept on coming over the past few years. Her other projects and ventures ranged from baking and selling cheesecakes to week-long summer camps for kids.
“She’s turned ideas into reality,” her mother Camellia said. “She’s had a lot of ideas and actually acted on a bunch of them.”
All of the different types of entrepreneurial activities placed Dougal in a variety of different audiences. Although she can’t help the ideas from coming to mind, that doesn’t mean it’s always easy for her to share them with others.
But it has gotten easier.
The soft-spoken teen has come into her own through taking chances with her different businesses and finding ways to communicate with others where she otherwise would not have.
“The more you talk to people, it gets easier,” Dougal said. “I used to be very concealed.”
Her mother has also noticed her stepping out of her comfort zone as she pushes to make her dreams reality.
“It’s interesting to watch her when people ask her questions,” Camellia said. “She really opens up because it’s something she’s into.”
This time of year, Dougal is into helping others slightly older than herself make their dreams a reality.
One day, she would like to go to prom herself. And one day, she very likely will.
When it’s her time, she’ll soak in the atmosphere and experience that she has only seen in movies or through the eyes of the girls she aims to help.
Just not yet.
This year she’s perfectly content being the woman behind the scenes. She plans to keep the business for at least a couple more years. In that time, she may even lend a hand in perfecting that perfect night that so many find unattainable.
For a night so many want to make perfect, there’s little control over how it turns out.
The uncertainty of who asks whom to the dance — as well as who says yes and who says no — is part of the tradition and mystique.
No one controls what song will come on that musters up their courage to step on the dance floor. And when it’s said and done, no one controls whether the night went according to their idealistic plan.
But every girl gets to pick their dress.
This year, and for the years ahead, more girls may have more say in that matter, controlling what they can while letting the teenage whims of prom night wrap them up in a night they’ll never forget, in a dress they’ll always remember. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/teen-s-dress-business-turns-dreams-into-reality/article_2cb0fac1-5dc8-55ff-8d0d-10566d103dc6.html | 2022-04-30T13:45:37Z |
If you drive along southern Wyoming’s main east-west interstate highway in the winter, especially if you’re in a big rig, you may experience some relief in the way of more parking and other enhancements when you need to pull off the road. And that may lead to a safer drive for all users of the road.
If all goes as expected — which is not guaranteed when it comes to construction projects in a time of supply-chain issues — vehicles could benefit starting this coming winter on Interstate 80 between Rawlins and Laramie. That is because of what the Wyoming Department of Transportation calls its I-80 winter freight roadwork project.
This week, WYDOT announced that work on the project was set to have resumed Wednesday. If all goes as planned, the work could wrap up around Oct. 31, a WYDOT spokesperson told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle by phone Tuesday. She noted that weather, supply chain kinks and other issues could play a role in the timing, however.
As the agency noted in a Monday release, the project “is expected to be complete in October 2022.” The overall project first began in 2020, and the $20 million initiative is funded by a federal grant called Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development, or BUILD, according to WYDOT.
Once all the work is complete, there will be more parking spaces for semitrucks, WYDOT has said. And there will be additional lanes for vehicles that need some extra time and distance to gather momentum to climb up what WYDOT described as steep grades.
“Climbing lanes help with traffic flow, especially on (such) inclines,” Tim Morton, who was WYDOT District 1 construction engineer at the time of his October 2020 remarks, has said about the project. “They also help prevent secondary crashes when I-80 reopens after an extended road closure.”
Construction crews have recently been gearing up to resume the road work project, the agency just announced.
The highway department said Simon Contractors has started work building almost 100 new semi-truck parking spaces in both the Fort Steele Rest Area (at mile marker 228) east of Rawlins and the Quealy Dome truck parking area (mile marker 290) west of Laramie. That would add a total of almost 200 new parking spaces.
In many things involving construction, there may be some short-term pain in exchange for longer-term gain.
The short-term hassles include that the “Fort Steele Rest Area, including parking areas, will remain closed during construction.” And watch for flaggers directing traffic, reminded WYDOT. It advised not parking on the “on- and off-ramps in the Fort Steele interchange.”
As always, the state agency also reminded, you should “watch for lane closures, reduced speed limits and other traffic changes” during the project. And, of course, you should “avoid distractions like cellphones when driving through work zones.”
The good news when it comes to motorists on the highway itself is that, in the words of the state agency, “traffic on I-80 will see minimal impacts as crews start structure work and begin building climbing lanes on I-80.” Still, WYDOT warned of the potential for “short lane closures in the eastbound lanes over Halleck Ridge (mile markers 250.5-252.5) west of Elk Mountain and westbound lanes between Cooper Cove and Quealy Dome (mile markers 279.5-281.5).” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/wydots-i-80-winter-freight-road-work-resumes/article_9c285840-1095-5484-a105-55d3c7d5b0e5.html | 2022-04-30T13:45:44Z |
A recent spate of wolf killings just outside of Yellowstone National Park has altered fundamental aspects of the canines’ behavior, and threatened the foundations of one of the most storied wildlife research efforts in American history, according to park scientists.
Twice in recent months Yellowstone National Park senior wildlife biologist Doug Smith and his team of researchers have observed highly unusual mating behavior.
Many more wolves have been getting frisky than expected. Ordinarily in Yellowstone, only each pack’s dominant alpha male and female get the opportunity to mate. The custom is reflected in 27 years of hard data: 85% of the time, park packs produce single litters.
But this year — in the wake of at least 25 wolves being shot or trapped just beyond the park’s boundaries — Yellowstone Wolf Project personnel observed three or four females in two different Northern Range packs “tied” and breeding, Smith said. “Usually the most dominant wolf prevents other wolves from breeding,” he said. “You lose that [dominant] wolf and it opens up opportunities for other wolves.”
It appears, in other words, that with their pack hierarchies disrupted by the record-setting killings, some wolves have abandoned their selective mating customs.
“We have multiple females pregnant in at least two packs — Junction and Wapiti — that could be due to the mortality that we’ve experienced,” Smith said. “It’s broken apart the social structure, it’s messed with the hierarchy, and it’s actually produced more pups. Now this is a hypothesis, but this is what I would call an artificial stimulation of wolf reproductive capacity. By going in and killing them, you stimulate reproduction.”
Yellowstone’s Northern Range is widely regarded as the best place on the planet to watch wild wolves. For researchers it holds a unique appeal: In the Lower 48, Yellowstone is the easiest place to observe wolves in their natural state.
Since the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reintroduced 31 wolves to the park in 1995 and ’96, the intensive research effort has been predicated on understanding wolf ecology in the absence of human persecution. Yellowstone’s 2.2 million acres have proven a grand arena for this research. Outside of Yellowstone about 80% of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming wolf deaths can be attributed to people, Smith said, but just 2% to 3% of wolves within the park’s boundaries succumb to humankind.
“Human-caused mortality is the story of wolves across North America,” Smith said. “One place that was not the case was Yellowstone, and we’re not anymore.”
Smith estimates it will take three to five years for Yellowstone’s wolf population to revert to a more natural condition following the 2021-22 state managed hunt — provided Montana changes the rules that allow wolf hunters to aggressively pursue the naive, human-conditioned canines without limit just outside the protected park.
All but one of Yellowstone’s nine packs lost wolves to hunters and trappers, he said.
The Junction Butte Pack — Yellowstone’s most visible wolf pack thanks to a den site near the road — was hit the hardest. Eight wolves from the once 35-animal-strong mega pack were shot or trapped over the boundary.
The Phantom Lake Pack, typically positioned between Junction Butte’s territory and the northern park boundary, used to keep the Junction Butte wolves from straying out of Yellowstone. But after six of its wolves were killed by boundary hunters, the remaining Phantom Lake wolves dispersed.
“They’re gone,” Smith said.
Other packs lost particularly influential wolves. An “unmistakable” half gray, half black 8-year-old alpha female from the 8 Mile Pack, for example, was caught in a trapper’s set outside the park boundary, Smith said.
“After she was dead,” he said, “the rest of the pack went places that they haven’t been in 10 years.”
The new realities have created new learning opportunities for researchers, but Smith, for one, isn’t happy about it.
“The question now is … let’s see what happens,” Smith said. “But we really don’t want that, because it is not aligned with the National Park Service mission. The National Park Service mission is to protect natural processes.”
Montana’s elimination of a stringent one-wolf hunting limit for two park-adjacent zones paved the way for the increased killings.
The area is accessible and roaded, and a small group of wolf hunters took advantage of the abruptly more liberal bag limit.
“There were scores of people watching the park line with spotting scopes every day,” Smith said.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commissioner Pat Byorth, whose district includes the northern boundary of Yellowstone, recalled that some of the bills in the Montana Legislature liberalizing wolf hunting and trapping advanced despite heavy opposition.
“That was a little bit sketchy,” said Byorth, a Bozeman resident whose day job is with Trout Unlimited.
Ultimately, he said, the Legislature passed, and Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte signed measures directing the state wildlife agency to reduce wolf populations. The new policy included the use of methods not normally considered fair chase hunting, like spotlighting and hunting from aircraft. In the aftermath, the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission reworked its wolf-take quota system throughout the state. Byorth “advocated strongly” to retain the two one-wolf-capped buffer zones along the border of Yellowstone, but the majority of his counterparts on the commission disagreed. The commission instead eliminated the buffer zones and folded the once protected turf into the remainder of Region 3, where the limit was 82 wolves. By the time the season closed, hunters and trappers had killed 85 wolves in the area — three above the limit.
Wolf hunters in the Gardiner and Jardine areas just north of the park capitalized on the change.
“There’s a group of dedicated wolf hunters down there, and they were very effective,” Byorth said. “They killed, I think, 19 wolves that were identified as members of Yellowstone packs.”
Hunters in Wyoming and Idaho killed six more known Yellowstone wolves.
The Yellowstone wolves on the Northern Range, accustomed to throngs of humans with pricey optics, lacked a recognition that humans posed a lethal threat, and they proved relatively easy targets.
“If you’re a wolf watcher in the park, you know they tolerate you at 100 to 200 yards,” Smith said. “That’s a perfect rifle shot.”
The naivety of the Yellowstone wolves was evident in how they were killed. Trapping is by far the most effective means of harvesting a wolf, but 23 of the 25 Yellowstone animals killed over the last year were taken by gunfire, Smith said.
The 19 wolves killed right outside the northern boundary constituted a disproportionate percentage of those harvested in Montana’s Region 3 and the state as a whole. Park wolves amounted to 22% of those killed in the zone, which encompasses over 18,000 square miles and covers over 12% of Montana.
“There were 273 wolves killed in Montana this hunting season,” Smith said. “Nineteen” — equal to 7% — “were Yellowstone wolves, yet less than 1% of the Montana population of wolves shares a border with Yellowstone.”
Specimen Creek Outfitters hunting guide Ralph Johnson had a front-row seat to the monthslong targeting of park wolves that moseyed across the boundary.
There was a group of about 20 Gardiner and Livingston men who patrolled the boundary area on a routine basis, he said. They used electronic calls and stayed in close touch with each other about wolves’ whereabouts via cell phones.
The Jardine, Montana resident disapproved: “It’s not hunting,” Johnson said. “It’s just killing is what it is, with those guys.”
Other members of Southwest Montana’s hunting community contacted by WyoFile pushed back on the allegation that the boundary hunters’ methods ran counter to fair-chase ethics.
Bill Hoppe has a Jardine ranch and pursued park wolves last winter, he said, though he never managed to kill one himself. He argued that the Yellowstone wolves were fast learners, quickly adjusting to the pressure.
“My grandson hunted for days and days and days, and he never got one,” Hoppe said. “Those animals are smart, smart, smart.”
Hoppe doesn’t think it’s fair that wolves are regarded differently than other park wildlife pursued by hunters across the boundary.
“The Indians, they shoot the elk and the buffalo and they’re still shooting them and it’s almost the end of April,” he said. “If they want to talk about ethics, there’s something [critics] ought to get on and talk about.”
Four Native American groups — the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Nez Perce Tribe and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes — have treaty rights to hunt in the region, and are not bound to state hunting seasons.
The prospect that Yellowstone’s remaining wolves have gained a newfound wariness is not welcomed by all. Gardiner naturalist and biologist Nathan Varley, who runs the Yellowstone Wolf Tracker guiding service, said skittish wolves are his biggest concern and a worst-case scenario for his business.
“Wolves that survive hunting events, they quickly learn that there’s survival value in avoiding humans,” Varley said. “And we’ve relied extensively on wolves that do not have that inclination.”
Nearly twice as many Yellowstone wolves were killed during the 2021-22 hunting and trapping seasons than in any other year since reintroduction, but humans culling park packs is not without precedent. In 2012 sportsmen legally killed 11 wolves that spent the majority of the year in Yellowstone then left the park. One of those wolves was the Lamar Canyon pack’s world-famous alpha female, wolf 832F, also known by her birth year, 06. The loss of the Lamar Canyon’s leader “totally disrupted the pack,” retired Yellowstone Wolf Project staffer Rick McIntyre recalled.
“The consequences to the pack were very significant,” McIntyre said. “The founding alpha male had no unrelated females in the pack after the death of 06, meaning that all the remaining females were his daughters. So that caused him to leave the family and disperse.”
There were major implications for wolf watchers. In his Park Service days, McIntyre meticulously maintained data on wolf sightings. At the time the Lamar Canyon Pack was the main pack in the Lamar Valley. Wolf sightings the following year in that wolf-watching mecca declined by 57%, according to McIntyre’s records.
It’s tough to say if the same dynamics are in store for 2022. The current pack that dominates Lamar Valley, the Junction Butte Pack, was very large going into the hunting season and is one of the packs with multiple pregnant females. Those conditions should allow the pack to “better absorb” the loss of eight hunter-harvested wolves, McIntyre said.
“It does look like they’re going to be denning at Slough Creek again, so that’s good,” he said.
For the first time this year, Yellowstone’s soon-to-be-released annual wolf report will present both year-end and post-hunt population data. There were 131 Yellowstone wolves going into the hunting season, Smith said, and it’s likely that the count will hold steady or even increase.
“Everybody is just going to look at last year’s count and this year’s count, and go what’s the big deal?” Smith said. “Well the big deal is this is no longer a natural population. It’s a human-exploited population and our job [in the National Park Service] is to have a natural population.”
Scientists have learned legions about how protected wolf populations function differently from hunted ones since the Yellowstone Wolf Project kicked off 27 years ago.
“It was once thought that wolf packs and other social animals, they’re a patriarchy — a male-led system,” Smith said. “We have learned that when you don’t have human-caused mortality, it’s lineages of females.”
In other words, daughters and granddaughters are the glue that holds together wolf packs through generations.
“When wolves are being shot up and dying all the time,” Smith said, “you don’t get that stable lineage.”
By having access to protected wolves, Smith said, the Yellowstone Wolf Project has also uncovered new insight on wolf dispersals. “Because you have this matriarchy and females tend to stay and carry on the lineage, males tend to leave to avoid inbreeding,” he said. “They start new packs or join other packs where they’ve lost a breeder.”
Biologists also have a better understanding of natural pack sizes because of the Yellowstone Wolf Project. Packs are larger when they are protected, they now know. Historically, Yellowstone packs average 10 wolves, Smith said. In contrast, in areas where Wyoming hunted wolves during 2020, the average pack size was just five animals, according to the state’s latest monitoring report.
Protected packs also persist for longer than hunted packs, another insight Yellowstone wolf researchers have gleaned. “We have packs that stay on the landscape for 10, 15 years,” Smith said. “We’ve got one — the Mollie’s Pack — that’s been there since 1995. You don’t get that when you’re hunting wolves.”
Had intensive boundary hunting occurred throughout Yellowstone wolves’ modern-day tenure, this scientific discovery would have been stymied.
“We would know none of that,” Smith said.
Getting back to the natural condition, “that’s our job,” Smith said.
Pressure is mounting to let Yellowstone go back to its business-as-usual wolf research. Teton Village resident Rob Wallace, a former Trump administration cabinet-level official who oversaw the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the Department of the Interior, called for a return to wolf management that respects the federal agency’s research.
“My worry is that this image of Montana, gleefully blasting wolves on the boundary of Yellowstone, poses a serious risk of undermining 27 years of interagency cooperation,” Wallace said. “You’re just stepping into uncharted territory. There’s a large negative reaction from people who care about wildlife resources in Yellowstone, you’ve got the unknown with the courts, and you’ve got a [presidential] administration that’s probably more sympathetic to wolves in Yellowstone than wolves being shot in Montana.”
“I don’t know where this goes,” he said, “but the fact that Montana is approaching this in a way that seems provocative is a risky strategy.”
Byorth, the Montana wildlife commissioner, said he will try again to convince his counterparts to work collaboratively with Yellowstone on wolf management. After the state board’s June 23 meeting, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will issue its wolf hunting proposal for the 2022-23 season. That proposal is subject to public comment.
“The best thing the commission can do is to quiet down some of the fervor surrounding wolf hunting in Montana by reestablishing quotas at some level down at the park,” Byorth said. “It’s rational and allows us to manage wolf populations better across the landscape.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/yellowstone-wolf-hunt-altered-behavior-damaged-research/article_9ca28feb-b24f-5f9e-abc3-c7bc78f42655.html | 2022-04-30T13:45:50Z |
When was the first time you felt like you belonged somewhere? Does the memory push you all the way back to your childhood? Your family? Elementary school?
When was the last time you felt like you didn’t belong? Was it recent? Were you embarrassed? Sad? Lonely? Afraid?
Are you part of a group, team, school, club, crew, tribe, family, religion, generation or a community?
Of course you are. We are all affiliated in some way to a collection of others with a common interest or bond. Humans have a need for inclusion and connection. We fear and avoid isolation. So we join, we conform, wear the uniform, know the handshake, the secret knock on the door and the private password.
We are taught to mirror the actions and mannerisms of others so they accept us as a reflection of themselves. We want acceptance and approval. We want to fit in. It’s why as a teenager you may have tasted your first beer when you were at a party with friends. You may have hated it, but kept sipping until the taste was tolerable. You felt like you belonged, like you were one of the cool kids.
We mimic the actions of others because we don’t feel worthy to be accepted and included unless we do. We adapt and accept the expectations the group has for us to be a member.
Some if this is necessary. In kindergarten, we learned how to stand in line, raise our hands, wait our turn and share to function in a space of civility and kindness. As we grew, we learned the basics of polite and compassionate living to be accepted as a member of our human society.
For many people the need to belong is an instinct, a requirement for human survival. It can push us to act in ways that feel uncomfortable or are out of character.
When we bend and mold ourselves to be such a contorted version of who we are that we don’t recognize our own reflection in the mirror it becomes a problem.
What if we could be ourselves — our crazy, goofy, wild authentic selves?
What if we looked at each other not with our eyes, but with our hearts? Can you drop the expectation you hold for yourself and others and be open to the exploration of who you are and of who they are?
Stand in your own light and learn to accept yourself. Find the people who will see and love you. You may lose some people from your life who only liked you for who you were pretending to be. But when you step into your light and let yourself free to be who you really are, you will attract the people who should be standing with you. You will attract the people who love and adore the real you. You won’t have to work so hard to fit in. You will finally feel like you belong in a way you never have before.
Pennie’s Life Lesson: When you allow yourself to be the authentic person you really are, you will attract the people you are meant to be with. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/guest_column/how-strong-is-your-need-to-belong/article_2b52616b-04a9-5d94-a86a-952c03a84e6d.html | 2022-04-30T13:45:56Z |
Gov. Mark Gordon and the Legislature apparently believe Wyoming’s electricity customers are all chumps.
What other conclusion is possible given their push to prop up a dying coal industry by retrofitting the state’s coal-fired power plants with wildly expensive, efficiency-killing carbon-capture systems by 2030?
PacifiCorp, which operates as Rocky Mountain Power in Wyoming, said last month it would cost between $400 million and $1 billion for each coal power plant unit to add carbon capture utilization and storage technology. A law passed in 2020 required the company to analyze the feasibility of such a move. The same measure spelled out who gets to foot the bill — PacifiCorp’s roughly 140,000 Wyoming customers.
It’s uneconomical and environmentally irresponsible to keep burning coal for electricity generation, no matter how much tax revenue it brings to Wyoming. It’s killing our planet.
PacifiCorp announced plans in 2019 to close six units at Wyoming plants within 10 years and rely instead on natural gas, cheaper renewables like wind and solar and new, experimental nuclear technology.
Lawmakers in 2020 established new standards that — surprise! — can only be met by coal-burning plants utilizing carbon capture utilization and storage. Unless a company can prove the technology is not economically feasible, it cannot bill ratepayers to recoup capital investments in alternative power sources like carbon-free solar and wind energy.
The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis warns that the new law is a boondoggle. If the price tag of a CCUS retrofit is $1 billion, PacifiCorp’s 140,000 Wyoming customers must split the tab.
“[That’s] essentially imposing a tax of more than $7,000 per customer,” the IEEFA said. “In a state that doesn’t even have an income tax, we believe the proposal would generate massive public opposition.”
But it didn’t. Gordon has relentlessly pushed CCUS to “save” coal. His faith should be shaken by the fact Petra Nova in Texas — the technology’s $1 billion flagship project — flopped on a grand scale.
It was expected to earn a profit through selling CO2 for enhanced oil recovery but was mothballed in 2020 when oil prices tanked.
Congress spent $1.1 billion a decade ago on eight CCUS research projects to reduce pollution. A Government Accountability Office report this year said none of the “clean-coal” projects are operating.
IEEFA called the law “part of a carbon-capture-experiment racket that has existed for years in (Wyoming), at taxpayer expense, but has nothing to show for it.”
Black Hills Corp. noted in its Wyoming Public Service Commission filing in March that retrofitting two of its Gillette plants could result in rate hikes as high as $100 per month.
But because the PSC-capped CCUS-driven 2% rate hikes, Black Hills, Cheyenne Light, PacifiCorp and other utilities would have to spread out the charges over decades. Customers would be stuck paying higher rates far beyond the expected 30-year lifespan of a CCUS plant.
The law was sold as a way to keep Wyoming’s coal plants operating while boosting state tax revenue and shifting most of the cost of the bailout elsewhere.
“We can export that tax burden to people in other states,” predicted sponsor Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? The idea reminds me of another plan a few years ago to transport Powder River Basin coal by rail to a Washington state coal export terminal. Our coal would be shipped to China, and Wyoming’s coal mines would be saved.
Except Washington didn’t buy it for a minute, the company building the terminal went bankrupt and all Wyoming lawmakers could do is allocate millions of dollars to sue Washington for allegedly violating the U.S. Commerce Clause.
Exporting our cost of CCUS equipment to the 1.8 million customers in the other five PacifiCorp states sounds ideal for Wyoming, but it won’t happen. Why would any state regulators — especially in Oregon, Washington and California, which have solid commitments to move toward carbon-free emissions — tell PacifiCorp’s ratepayers they must share in Wyoming’s costs?
Reducing carbon emissions through CCUS would eliminate some pollution, but the move can hardly be classified as “green” no matter how much Gordon and others would like it to be.
The law lets Wyoming utilities off the hook if they can prove CCUS retrofitting isn’t economically feasible.
If companies ultimately can walk away from the law’s outrageous $1 billion cost to ratepayers, it’s no harm, no foul, right? It seems the only thing customers would lose is some sleep worrying about it.
Not exactly. PacifiCorp asked the PSC to grant a 0.5% surcharge on its rates to raise $3.5 million from customers to help pay for its legislatively mandated feasibility studies. Talk about adding insult to injury.
Black Hills Corp says reducing CO2 emissions by converting coal to natural gas, the company’s preferred method, would cost only 5% as much as CCUS retrofitting.
That ought to be enough to sink the idea once and for all — or until our elected officials find more ways to foist CCUS on Wyoming ratepayers, who still aren’t riled up enough yet to make this a major issue this election year. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/guest_column/wyo-officials-think-customers-should-pay-1b-to-save-coal/article_f0ba6168-296f-57f7-95a2-2835d142ab2b.html | 2022-04-30T13:46:02Z |
Everywhere I go people ask, “What’s your problem?” Thanks to the folks at the Framingham Heart Study, I’ve been enlightened.
I’m stupid.
Actually, I’m fat and stupid. The two go hand-in-hand if you believe the group’s study that apparently shows those extra pounds make men lighter in the cranium.
We have a quotient, hold the intelligence.
It could be because there is less blood circulation to the brain of obese men, or it could be what my ex-girlfriends have been trying to tell me all along: I was born stupid.
A study of medical records of more than 1,400 men and women by the Boston University found that men classified as obese have significantly reduced mental abilities. Our female counterparts are apparently not similarly affected.
This is just what the male of our species needs — scientific proof of what women have been telling us since Eve pulled the wool over Adam’s eyes.
Seems those of us living large scored as much as 23% less intelligent than fit men. Maybe Adam was carrying a few extra pounds at the time he was bamboozled in the Garden of Eden.
While I hate to admit it, the results of this study must be true. It explains much in our society, like:
• Why professional football rosters don’t read like a Mensa membership roll.
• Why a portrait of former “Jerry Springer Show” guests wouldn’t resemble a roster of fitness models.
• Why Winston Churchill was way overrated and owes his place in history to his wife, Clementine.
• Why sumo wrestling isn’t a more complicated sport.
• Why men can program a remote control complicated enough to launch a space shuttle, but can’t set the clock on a microwave oven.
As if fat guys need another stigma to overcome, now there’s confirmation for what much of the world believes — that we’re slack-jawed dimwits who can’t hold a candle to our physically fit mental superiors.
Guess I have to stop using the time-honored comeback that “I’m not as dumb as I look.”
In today’s climate of political correctness, does this now mean I qualify for some sort of entitlement? Perhaps a stipend from the National Fund for Fatties is in order.
In schools, chubby little boys should be graded on a curve that accounts for their disadvantage scaled in proportion to their weight. A woman better calculate these grades.
I shudder to imagine the staggering intellect just out of my reach, lurking in limbo under layers of lard.
I’ve heard that inside every fat man is a skinny one straining to get out.
Truth be told, inside every fat man is another fat man who can’t remember birthdays or anniversaries.
All kidding aside, it’s ridiculous to believe someone is less intelligent because of his weight. Same as other related stereotypes like fat people are somehow less hygienic or that we’re all “jolly” buffoons. Heck, isn’t it a requirement for a sit-com to have a token fat guy, setting up the low-hanging fruit of cheap laughs at his/her expense?
Of course it’s absurd to assume a person smells, is slovenly or jolly because of a few extra pounds. Just as absurd to believe that intelligence is inversely proportional to a person’s weight (I didn’t even have to look up some of those long words!).
But what do I know? I’m just a stupid fat guy. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/staff_editorials/science-proves-it-i-m-a-stupid-fat-guy/article_a941b6ea-516e-5e95-8677-f194a0a90937.html | 2022-04-30T13:46:08Z |
CHEYENNE — Reed Thompson took first in high jump (5 foot, 6 inches) and was second in long jump (20-1) at the T-Town qualifier in Torrington on Friday to help the Pine Bluffs boys finish third with 110 points.
Carson Rabou placed first in the 110 hurdles (17.30), third in pole vault (10-6), and fourth in the 300 hurdles (48.46) and Stu Lerwick was second in discus (127-10), second in high jump (5-4) and third in long jump (17-5). Dalton Schaefer was second in pole vault (11-0).
The relay team of Tyler Christofferson, Thompson, Abe Serrano and Schaefer were first in the 4x100 (47.97).
Jackson Kirkbride was first in triple jump (40-5) and Cody Piasecki placed second (38-10) while Mason Medley was fourth (37-2.50) for the Burns boys.
Spencer Smith was second in the 1600 (5:04.71) and Cooper Allen finished second in the 3200 (13:49.50). Ethan Norris finished second in the 110-meter hurdles (17.30), third in the 300 hurdles (46.70) and fourth in pole vault (10-0).
Burns finished fifth with 75.5 points.
Emma Norris tied for first in high jump (4-10) and Kamber Clarson tied for first in pole vault (8-6) while Brooke Hansen was third (7-6) for the Burns girls. Grace Steenbergen clocked in second in the 400 (1:06.36), was fifth in long jump (13-5) and fifth in triple jump (29-5.5).
Merina Theobald placed second in the 800 (2:55.54) and Janie Davis timed in fourth (3:04.21) for the Pine Bluffs girls. Monse Serrano was third in shot put (36-1) and second discus (113-10). Jessica Hoffman was third in discus 112-10 and Alyssa Slade tied for first in high jump (4-10).
The relay team of Kami Tangeman, Cathy Purdum, Rachael Macy and Slade was first in the 4x100 (54.87).
The Pine Bluffs girls were third with 91 points and the Burns girls finished sixth (60.5). | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/burns/prep-track-pine-bluffs-boys-girls-third-in-torrington/article_983228e1-d186-5030-a461-c33ac1906452.html | 2022-04-30T13:46:14Z |
CHEYENNE – Keeping the ball down was crucial with a steady wind blowing in on the Central field at the Cheyenne Junior League Complex on Friday afternoon.
Cheyenne Central sophomore Katie Hinz did that. The left-hander allowed eight hits, but most of those went through the infield instead of being roped into the outfield.
The Indians also had just one putout come on a flyball during an 18-8 victory over Cheyenne East.
The wind wreaked havoc on seemingly routine flyballs, pushing them away from outfielders or killing them short of the outfield.
“It was crazy playing outfield (Friday),” said Central senior left fielder Drue Mirich. “We played way in, and there was no way of knowing if the ball was just going to die or go to the side. It was all over, and it even switched and started going the other way.”
Mirich finished the game 2 for 4 with a double and a triple. Both of her hits were line drives to left field that didn’t give the wind time to alter their course.
“That wind is really bad, and it was to our advantage,” Central coach Carrie Barker said. “We came out, and our bats were ready to go. It’s good to see Drue have some success, because she has been struggling the past couple games.
“For her to come back and hit like that is a big confidence booster for her. She really needed that.”
East freshman Aleah Brooks hit a two-run home run in the first inning. Her knock started toward right field and was nearly blown foul by the time it cleared the fence.
The Indians responded with five runs in the bottom of the frame. Senior third baseman Brogan Allen ended a 12-pitch at-bat with a run-scoring double to center, while classmate Lauren Lucas added a two-run single through the middle. Mirich closed out the scoring with an RBI triple to left.
Central (13-5 overall, 7-3 East Conference) added four more runs in the second, and led 10-3 after three innings.
The Thunderbirds (8-8, 3-6) clawed back into the contest by scoring four runs in the fourth and one more in the fifth to cut the lead to 10-8.
Ella Neider and Raguel Romero both had run-scoring singles during the fourth. Neider’s single drove home two runs.
Central put the game away over the next two frames, scoring three in the fifth and five in the sixth to invoke the 10-run mercy rule at 18-8. Lucas ended the contest with a two-run single.
“Central is on a roll and having a good season,” East coach Adam Galicia said. “They did a good job of putting the ball into play. The wind wasn’t ideal, but we didn’t make plays when we had opportunities to make plays.
“They made the plays we couldn’t, and that was the biggest difference.”
Lucas was 4 for 5 with five RBI. Sophomore second baseman Cameron Moyte had two doubles and two RBI. Senior right fielder Kaitlyn Ackerman added two hits – including a double – and two RBI. Freshman catcher Madi Birt added two hits and an RBI. Freshman center fielder Izzy Kelly was 3 for 5.
Hinz finished with 12 strikeouts for Central.
“She did a great job of keeping East’s hitters off balance and keeping the ball down,” Barker said.
East got two hits from both Brooks and sophomore Gracie Oswald. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_central/central-blows-past-east-on-windy-afternoon/article_d5a61ea4-fdcb-50fe-8ddf-d3b8a7f6add6.html | 2022-04-30T13:46:21Z |
GIRLS SOCCER: Late goal lifts Sheridan at Central Apr 30, 2022 2 hrs ago Comments Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Save CHEYENNE – Olivia Ballew scored in the 74th minute to lift Sheridan to a 1-0 victory over Cheyenne Central on Friday night at Riske Field.The Broncs outshot Central 17-2 overall, including 11-2 on goal. They also got seven corner kicks.Sheridan plays at Cheyenne East at 9 a.m. today.SHERIDAN 1, CENTRAL 0Halftime: 0-0.Shots: Sheridan 17, Central 2. Shots on goal: Sheridan 11, Central 2. Saves: Sheridan 2 (Gardner); Central 10 (Osterland).Corner kicks: Sheridan 7, Central 0. Offsides: Sheridan 0, Central 0. Fouls: Sheridan 5, Central 5. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Save Recommended for you Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. comments powered by Disqus Latest Special Section 2021 Wyoming Football Preview To view our latest e-Edition click the image on the left. Trending Now WHSAA sanctioning was a long time coming for girls wrestling Storm's Cinderella runs earn them national tourney invites Central's Madisyn Baillie reaching new heights, breaking own record Pine Bluffs' Monse Serrano is a top thrower in 2A Laramie High spring sports continue through adversity Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. 2022 Wyoming Legislature Updates Sign up to receive daily headlines on the 2022 Wyoming Legislature session. News Updates Would you like to receive our daily news? Sign up today! News Updates - Laramie Boomerang Want to keep updated on news headlines? Sign up today! News Updates - Rawlins Times Would you like to receive our daily news? Sign up today! News Updates - Wyoming Business Report Would you like to receive our daily news? Sign up today! You must select at least one email list. Please enter a valid email address. Sign up Manage your lists | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_central/girls-soccer-late-goal-lifts-sheridan-at-central/article_bad5f376-4ae1-5868-945c-bc25019afbfe.html | 2022-04-30T13:46:27Z |
CHEYENNE – Jackson Lewis scored one goal and assisted on another to help Cheyenne Central to a 2-1 win Friday night in Sheridan.
Lewis level the scored 1-1 by converting a penalty kick after Sammy Shumway was fouled in the 53rd minute. Lewis’ assisted Caden Smith on the game-winning goal in the 65th.
“It was quite an artful goal,” Central coach Tim Dennison said. “(Smith) beat the keeper and rolled the ball across the arch of his left foot and into the goal. It was a real clever play.”
Central limited the Broncs to six shots on goal. Jackson Cook made five saves. Sheridan’s lone goal came from Dane Steel, who scored on a rebound.
“(Cook) was stellar in the way he commanded the goal area,” Dennison said. “He handled some very nice shots that accelerated as they searched for the top spot in the goal.”
Central plays at Campbell County at noon today.
CENTRAL 2, SHERIDAN 1
Halftime: 0-0.
Goals: Sheridan, Steel (unassisted), 49. Central, Lewis (penalty kick), 53. Central, C. Smith (Lewis), 65.
Shots: Central 14, Sheridan 8. Shots on goal: Central 10, Sheridan 6. Saves: Central 5 (Cook); Sheridan 8 (Chr. Larson).
Corner kicks: Central 3, Sheridan 8. Offsides: Central 1, Sheridan 4. Fouls: Central 3, Sheridan 9. Yellow cards: Central 1 (Ziemann); Sheridan 1 (Jack).
Campbell County 4
Cheyenne East 0
CHEYENNE — Campbell County scored three goals in a three-minute span to lift the Camels to a 4-0 win over Cheyenne East on Friday in Gillette.
Joey Von Ashwege netted two goals, one in the 15th minute and one in the 60th. Joel Varela and Jose Aquayo scored the other two goals.
The Camels outshot the T-Birds 18-10 and 10-7 on goal.
CAMPBELL CO. 4, EAST 0
Halftime: 1-0
Goals: CC, Von Aschwege, 15. CC, Varela, 58. CC, Aquayo, 50. CC Von Ashwege, 60.
Shots: CE 18, CC 10. Shots on goal: CE 7, CC 10. Saves: CE 3 (Fisbeck, Wheeler); CC 10.
Corner kicks: CE 4, CC 3. Fouls: CE 4, CC 8. Offsides: CE 0, CC 4. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_east/boys-soccer-central-rallies-for-win-at-sheridan/article_43492145-1bb9-5a85-ae14-1c830aa2bd41.html | 2022-04-30T13:46:33Z |
CHEYENNE – Taking advantage of the wind early was an emphasis for Cheyenne East on Friday afternoon.
The Lady Thunderbirds chose to play the first half with the wind at their backs, and didn’t let the opportunity go to waste. They rang off three first-half goals, propelling them to a 3-0 victory over Campbell County.
“Wind, in our sport, can change a game, so, I thought we got a little bit of luck today, and anytime you get luck, you have to take it into your favor,” Each coach Rebecca Valdez said. “It’s what you do with luck that makes it work. We won the toss, and we told the kids we had to score in the first half to make it difficult on the other team to come back on. Sometimes luck’s on your side, and you make it work for you.”
East didn’t shy away from the pressure early on, not allowing Campbell County to advance any goal kick and sent two shots on goal in the first five minutes of play. The T-Birds ended the first half with seven shots on goal.
They managed to convert one of their looks in the 15th minute when Jordan Griess found Haley Pierson slashing down the middle of the field, where Pierson placed the ball in the bottom right corner of the net. Just over five minutes later, Aryana Booth doubled East’s advantage from the right side of the box when she was able to squeeze a shot between Camels goalie Onna Castellanos and the near post.
“I was shocked, because I thought I was going to shoot it right at her, but then the wind kind of took it a little bit, and it went in,” Booth said. “It was vital to score in that first half because we knew in the second half, we’d be going against the wind, so it was important we got those three goals.”
East (3-7-1 overall, 3-4-1 Class 4A East Conference) continued to pepper the Campbell County goal and got four first-half corner kicks out of the attack. One of those corner kicks was a Tayler Miller goal in the 29th. Miller also got a small assist from the wind, as it whipped the ball past Castellanos to give the T-Birds a 3-0 advantage going into the break.
Unlike East in the first half, the Camels were unable to take advantage of the wind in the second. Midway through the half, they had three consecutive shots on goal, but none seemed to have a chance, with Kiara Kershaw keeping the visitors scoreless.
The T-Birds adjusted their formation in the second half to fit more of a defensive approach and limit the Camels’ attack.
“They did a good job of following the game plan,” Valdez said. “Kids were playing in positions they’re not used to playing in, and we were playing in a formation we’re not used to playing in. To get a shutout against the wind is credit to the kids – they played hard.”
Campbell County (3-8-1, 2-6-1) was outshot 9-4 on goal, with all four coming in the second half. The T-Birds snapped a two-game losing skid and host Sheridan at 10 a.m. today.
“They really had a good week of practice, they put in the work this week,” Valdez said. “For as much as has been thrown at them, I thought they showed up today and performed well.”
EAST 3, CAMPBELL CO. 0
Halftime: 3-0
Goals: East, Pierson (Griess), 15. East, Booth (unassisted), 21. East, Miller (unassisted, 29.
Shots: CC 7, CE 7. Shots on goal: CC 4, CE 9. Saves: CC 6, CE 4.
Corner kicks: CC 4, CE 5. Offsides: CC 0, CE 3. Fouls: CC 2, CE 3. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_east/lady-t-birds-turn-first-half-goals-to-win/article_a8d3c4ad-31a7-5353-bc7c-3d01111c70d0.html | 2022-04-30T13:46:39Z |
LARAMIE — The first order of business late Friday afternoon and into the evening at Deti Stadium was just keeping the soccer ball in Albany County.
That was done with low passes for the most part, and the Laramie High boys soccer team remained undefeated in East Conference action with a 3-1 home win against Thunder Basin.
Shortly before the starting kickoff, a significant snow squall blew through the eastside of Laramie. But the main weather conditions to overcome on the field were 30 mph winds with gusts up to almost 60 mph out the west-northwest knocking a temperature of 38 degrees to a chill of 26 degrees.
Both teams set a tone of playing up-and-down the field with wide-open offensive surges, although shots on goal were very few during a scoreless first half. Third-ranked Laramie (11-1 overall, 9-0 East) had six shots, one on goal. Thunder Basin had three shots, all not on frame.
That all changed midway through the second half after a couple of rebounds found their way to the foot of Plainsmen senior Landon Whisenant. He made good on two goals in a span of three minutes when he was in the right place and the right time as the Bolts defense didn’t clear the ball.
Whisenant scored in the 53rd minute when he cleaned up a ball bouncing around the penalty box. His second unassisted goal was in the 56th after a blast from about 25 yards out.
“Zero-zero at half and we were moving the ball well,” Whisenant said. “It was just too close of a game and getting those two goals was a shift in the momentum in the game. Then (Thunder Basin) got a decent goal about 15 minutes and (later) Cameron (Hoberg) and Sammy (Heaney) had an amazing goal to finish it off.
“Overall, it was a great team performance and I am proud of the guys.”
Thunder Basin (5-5-2, 4-4-2) turned up the heat on its end to make it a one-goal game in the 69th after a long free kick was sent in. The first shot was initially a header by junior Caleb Howell, and the ball came to junior Angel Ontiveros, who finished the play for the Bolts’ first shot on goal in the game.
“It was a pretty evenly-fought match,” Thunder Basin coach Saber Garcia said. “We gave up a couple of goals halfway through the second half, but up to that point it was really back-and-forth. Unfortunately, it took (Laramie scoring) two goals to get our offense going with some good opportunities at the end of the second half. We had a lot of guys pushing forward, but let them counter on us.”
Laramie senior goalkeeper Talon Luckie preserved the 2-1 margin with a diving save to his right with about three minutes left. He also came out to challenge another push by a Thunder Basin player with a sliding stop that he took the worse of the encounter.
Laramie freshman Sammy Heaney (assist) and senior Cameron Hoberg (goal) iced the game with just over a minute left with a counterattack and finish for the 3-1 win.
“The one thing I was really proud of our team was how well we possessed the ball,” Laramie coach Anne Moore said. “We were connecting passing, controlling the game and switching the point of attack. I was extremely happy about the way we played as a team — for both halves. … We created three really nice goals.”
Laramie doubled up Thunder Basin with overall shots 16-8, and had seven shots on goal compared to two for the Bolts.
The Plainsmen will next host Cheyenne South at noon today. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/laramie_high/second-half-surge-electrifies-plainsmen-over-bolts/article_1a9de080-f1ad-5e81-8935-64f45c607fcd.html | 2022-04-30T13:46:46Z |
LARAMIE – A handful of starting spots and key roles are still up for grabs at the end of spring practice for the University of Wyoming, adding intrigue to today’s Brown and Gold game.
The annual scrimmage will kick off at 2 p.m. and is free and open to the public, with tailgating beginning at 9 a.m. in the parking lot east of the stadium. Here are five positions for fans to keep an eye on this afternoon.
Quarterback
With the Cowboys set to unveil a new starting quarterback in 2022, all eyes will be behind center today.
There hasn’t been any official indication on who is leading the position battle, but Utah State transfer Andrew Peasley has been the most talked about signal-caller throughout spring practice. He’s the most experienced player of the group – which also includes Snow College product Evan Svoboda and returners Hank Gibbs and Jayden Clemons – after receiving limited action in four years with the Aggies, and has impressed the coaching staff with his ability to grasp UW’s pro-style offense.
“I’ve been studying a lot and getting to know the offense,” Peasley said. “For me, being comfortable with knowing what I’m doing makes it a lot easier to make decisions on the field. About halfway through spring ball I really made a step towards better decisions and better accuracy, just because I was learning more and picking it up faster.
“I still have a lot to learn with the run game and protection-wise, but it’s going good.”
Running back
It’s no secret who is in line to get the bulk of the running back reps next season. However, with starter Titus Swen unlikely to play extensively in the spring game out of precaution, fans will receive a solid look at the candidates vying for the No. 2 spot.
Sophomore Dawaiian McNeely rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown with an average of 6.6 yards per carry last season. A hip injury forced him to miss roughly half of the spring, but all signs point to him being the favorite to back up Swen.
Redshirt freshman D.Q. James has had a couple productive scrimmages in the past few weeks, with Jordon Vaughn and Joseph Braasch also competing for playing time. Jeremy Hollingsworth had received praise from coaches this spring, as well, but he recently suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Running backs coach Gordie Haug says the competition within the group has had a positive effect.
“No doubt,” Haug said. “That’s the best part. You can’t have enough running backs in the room, just because of the beating they take throughout the season. To have as many guys as we do is pretty lucky, and every day is a competition.”
Offensive line
While other positions might typically garner more attention, the UW offensive line is a source of intrigue this off-season.
The Cowboys have a pair of seasoned returning tackles in Eric Abojei and Frank Crum, but the interior line likely won’t be solidified until close to the season opener. Emmanuel Pregnon, Nofoafia Tulafono, Jack Walsh and Caden Barnett are some of the underclassmen that have impressed new offensive line coach Joe Tripodi in his first year with the program.
“We kind of have two things going on,” Tripodi said. “We have our older guys, and then we have all these hungry younger guys. The competition is what makes us all better, so that part has been exciting.”
Linebacker
Similar to Swen, it wouldn’t be surprising for starting middle linebacker Easton Gibbs to have his snaps limited today. In addition to avoiding injury, this will allow the Pokes to receive an in-depth look into the players competing for playing time at weakside linebacker.
Sophomore Shae Suiaunoa has been working with the starters during the spring, and is the team’s most experienced linebacker outside of Gibbs. Fellow returner Connor Shay and Michigan State transfer Cole DeMarzo are also in the mix, with the competition expected to last well into fall camp.
“A lot of guys are stepping up and playing really well,” Gibbs said. “This competition is bringing a lot out of everybody, because it’s not really set between two guys. It’s really the whole room, so everybody is upping their game. We’ve been really physical during the scrimmages, which is always a big thing to have at linebacker.”
Cornerback
Regardless of who the two starters at cornerback are, defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel has indicated he would like to rotate at least three players at the position.
Bohl has spoken frequently about Ole Miss transfer Jakorey Hawkins’ speed and play-making ability, with sophomore returner Cameron Stone showing significant progress from where he was at this time last year. Wisconsin transfer Deron Harrell also will be a vital part of the Pokes’ plans.
Hawkins is excited about the depth that these three, as well as the rest of the cornerback room, will provide.
“It’s good to have,” Hawkins said. “I’m confident in the guys. Cam, Kolbey (Taylor), Deron, (Mathew Posas), Tre (Dean), we all work very hard. I feel like we’ve had a good spring, and I’m confident we’re going to handle our business.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/positions-to-watch-in-wyoming-s-spring-game/article_27dfc968-fe58-5947-bc8e-234abd70404a.html | 2022-04-30T13:46:52Z |
Trevor Bauer ready for fight with MLB over suspension
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Trevor Bauer is fighting to protect his pitching career, reputation and earning power in the face of his unprecedented two-season suspension without pay by Major League Baseball for violating MLB’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy.
Now, it’s an arbitrator’s turn to decide whether he ever plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers — or any other MLB team — again.
His punishment was meted out Friday for sexual abuse allegations he denies.
If the arbitrator sides with MLB, the 31-year-old pitcher’s full suspension of 324 games without pay would be upheld and Bauer would lose just over $60 million from a $102 million, three-year contract he signed last year. By that time, his contract with the team will have expired.
If Bauer wins, he faces the prospect of rebuilding his reputation, as well as potential public backlash and mending fences with MLB and his team.
Bauer became the Dodgers’ highest-paid player after they outdueled the New York Mets to bring the right-hander home in 2021. He was born in North Hollywood, attended high school in Santa Clarita and played at UCLA.
Public reaction at the time was mixed, not because of Bauer’s performance on the field, but his behavior off it. He had been involved in multiple controversies on social media, where he has a huge following, and some of the higher-profile incidents involved women.
Back then, Bauer told reporters, “I’m doing my best to be better.” And Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, said the team’s due diligence focused on talking to Bauer, his former teammates and previous organizations.
“We came away from it feeling good about it,” Friedman said at the time. “Now, obviously time will tell, but I feel like he’s going to be a tremendous add, not just on the field, but in the clubhouse and the community.”
By early July, everything had changed for the 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner.
A San Diego woman, whom the pitcher had met through social media, alleged Bauer beat and sexually abused her earlier in 2021. She later sought but was denied a restraining order.Los Angeles prosecutors said in February there was insufficient evidence to prove the woman’s accusations beyond a reasonable doubt.
Bauer repeatedly has said that everything that happened between the two was consensual. He vehemently denied that he abused the woman.
He was put on administrative leave by MLB in July.
His absence over the second half of the season didn’t affect one of the best lineups in baseball. The Dodgers notched a franchise-record 106 wins and finished a game behind rival San Francisco in the NL West. They advanced to the National League Championship Series, losing in six games to the eventual World Series champion Atlanta Braves.
They’re rolling this season, too. Los Angeles beat the Detroit Tigers 5-1 Friday night and is tied for first place in the NL West with a 13-6 record.
The role of hometown hero has been assumed by first baseman Freddie Freeman, the Orange County native who was signed in March and quickly became a favorite of fans who serenade him with chants of “Freddie! Freddie!”
Bauer’s teammates long ago publicly distanced themselves from the saga, which involves graphic descriptions of alleged sexual acts and domestic violence — including new allegations detailed Friday in the Washington Post from a woman in Ohio — which are in stark contrast to the family-friendly reputation the Dodgers cultivate.
Manager Dave Roberts said he didn’t address the team after Bauer’s two-year suspension was announced by Commissioner Rob Manfred.
“All I know is our guys have done a great job focusing on the job at hand and the guys in the room,” he said. “That’s kind of where our head is at.”
Among 15 MLB players previously disciplined under the domestic violence and sexual assault policy, none appear to have challenged the penalty before an arbitrator.
It’s not surprising that Bauer would be the first. He’s long been a counterpuncher. He objected to MLB placing him on administrative leave last summer, and he was emphatic again Friday.
“In the strongest possible terms, I deny committing any violation of the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy,” he said in a statement.
Bauer has aggressively defended himself on social media against the accusations by the San Diego woman, as well as two women from Ohio who also accused him of sexual misconduct.
His representatives have said the first Ohio woman’s allegation is “categorically false.” And Bauer said Friday that he had a “casual and wholly consensual sexual relationship from 2013-2018″ with the other Ohio woman and that none of their encounters “ever involved a single non-consensual, let alone illegal, act.”
He has sued the San Diego woman for defamation. He’s also suing two media outlets for defamation over their coverage of the allegations.
When it comes to baseball, Bauer is confrontational, too. He has complained publicly about Manfred and gone to arbitration when he didn’t like a previous team’s salary offers.
Bauer’s suspension could be overturned on appeal, which means he could potentially rejoin the team. Roberts alluded to that when he said, “I don’t think everything is finalized.”
Bauer hasn’t pitched since the San Diego woman’s allegations first surfaced last summer. Still, he has support among some Dodgers fans.
“She made accusations but no charges were filed,” said Stephanie Meraz, who attended Friday’s game. “If there’s no evidence to prove he violated a code of conduct, he shouldn’t be suspended.”
Meraz said if Bauer wins his appeal, she’d “definitely” like to see him pitch for the Dodgers again.
Another fan, Salina Hernandez, also disagrees with his suspension.
“I don’t think it’s fair,” she said. “There were no charges.”
___
AP freelance writer Jill Painter Lopez contributed to this report.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/30/trevor-bauer-ready-fight-with-mlb-over-suspension/ | 2022-04-30T13:48:21Z |
Trevor Bauer ready for fight with MLB over suspension
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Trevor Bauer is fighting to protect his pitching career, reputation and earning power in the face of his unprecedented two-season suspension without pay by Major League Baseball for violating MLB’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy.
Now, it’s an arbitrator’s turn to decide whether he ever plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers — or any other MLB team — again.
His punishment was meted out Friday for sexual abuse allegations he denies.
If the arbitrator sides with MLB, the 31-year-old pitcher’s full suspension of 324 games without pay would be upheld and Bauer would lose just over $60 million from a $102 million, three-year contract he signed last year. By that time, his contract with the team will have expired.
If Bauer wins, he faces the prospect of rebuilding his reputation, as well as potential public backlash and mending fences with MLB and his team.
Bauer became the Dodgers’ highest-paid player after they outdueled the New York Mets to bring the right-hander home in 2021. He was born in North Hollywood, attended high school in Santa Clarita and played at UCLA.
Public reaction at the time was mixed, not because of Bauer’s performance on the field, but his behavior off it. He had been involved in multiple controversies on social media, where he has a huge following, and some of the higher-profile incidents involved women.
Back then, Bauer told reporters, “I’m doing my best to be better.” And Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, said the team’s due diligence focused on talking to Bauer, his former teammates and previous organizations.
“We came away from it feeling good about it,” Friedman said at the time. “Now, obviously time will tell, but I feel like he’s going to be a tremendous add, not just on the field, but in the clubhouse and the community.”
By early July, everything had changed for the 2020 NL Cy Young Award winner.
A San Diego woman, whom the pitcher had met through social media, alleged Bauer beat and sexually abused her earlier in 2021. She later sought but was denied a restraining order.Los Angeles prosecutors said in February there was insufficient evidence to prove the woman’s accusations beyond a reasonable doubt.
Bauer repeatedly has said that everything that happened between the two was consensual. He vehemently denied that he abused the woman.
He was put on administrative leave by MLB in July.
His absence over the second half of the season didn’t affect one of the best lineups in baseball. The Dodgers notched a franchise-record 106 wins and finished a game behind rival San Francisco in the NL West. They advanced to the National League Championship Series, losing in six games to the eventual World Series champion Atlanta Braves.
They’re rolling this season, too. Los Angeles beat the Detroit Tigers 5-1 Friday night and is tied for first place in the NL West with a 13-6 record.
The role of hometown hero has been assumed by first baseman Freddie Freeman, the Orange County native who was signed in March and quickly became a favorite of fans who serenade him with chants of “Freddie! Freddie!”
Bauer’s teammates long ago publicly distanced themselves from the saga, which involves graphic descriptions of alleged sexual acts and domestic violence — including new allegations detailed Friday in the Washington Post from a woman in Ohio — which are in stark contrast to the family-friendly reputation the Dodgers cultivate.
Manager Dave Roberts said he didn’t address the team after Bauer’s two-year suspension was announced by Commissioner Rob Manfred.
“All I know is our guys have done a great job focusing on the job at hand and the guys in the room,” he said. “That’s kind of where our head is at.”
Among 15 MLB players previously disciplined under the domestic violence and sexual assault policy, none appear to have challenged the penalty before an arbitrator.
It’s not surprising that Bauer would be the first. He’s long been a counterpuncher. He objected to MLB placing him on administrative leave last summer, and he was emphatic again Friday.
“In the strongest possible terms, I deny committing any violation of the league’s domestic violence and sexual assault policy,” he said in a statement.
Bauer has aggressively defended himself on social media against the accusations by the San Diego woman, as well as two women from Ohio who also accused him of sexual misconduct.
His representatives have said the first Ohio woman’s allegation is “categorically false.” And Bauer said Friday that he had a “casual and wholly consensual sexual relationship from 2013-2018″ with the other Ohio woman and that none of their encounters “ever involved a single non-consensual, let alone illegal, act.”
He has sued the San Diego woman for defamation. He’s also suing two media outlets for defamation over their coverage of the allegations.
When it comes to baseball, Bauer is confrontational, too. He has complained publicly about Manfred and gone to arbitration when he didn’t like a previous team’s salary offers.
Bauer’s suspension could be overturned on appeal, which means he could potentially rejoin the team. Roberts alluded to that when he said, “I don’t think everything is finalized.”
Bauer hasn’t pitched since the San Diego woman’s allegations first surfaced last summer. Still, he has support among some Dodgers fans.
“She made accusations but no charges were filed,” said Stephanie Meraz, who attended Friday’s game. “If there’s no evidence to prove he violated a code of conduct, he shouldn’t be suspended.”
Meraz said if Bauer wins his appeal, she’d “definitely” like to see him pitch for the Dodgers again.
Another fan, Salina Hernandez, also disagrees with his suspension.
“I don’t think it’s fair,” she said. “There were no charges.”
___
AP freelance writer Jill Painter Lopez contributed to this report.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/04/30/trevor-bauer-ready-fight-with-mlb-over-suspension/ | 2022-04-30T13:57:27Z |
SHANGHAI, April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Daydaydream is an EP released in collaboration with the popular mobile game Arknights. You might be tempted to relegate Daydaydream to China-Chic the first time you hear it, but the more you listen, the more it will draw you in. "Weird but pleasant", the song has now achieved such popularity online - over 5 million PV streams on the Bilibili platform alone - that it has also sparked a trend among uploaders on Bilibili trying to cover it. THE EITHER - band and creator of Daydaydream - has been labeled "Genius" by countless ACGN communities. On January 24, the pioneering electronic band officially released its second full album, E·myth, a continuing attempt to communicate its unique vision of aesthetics. "We want to push the envelope of creation and performance with traditional and electronic music in a border-crossing and subversive way," bandleader Zongli said. "China-Chic is very popular, but we don't think it can be limited."
THE EITHER: Border-crossing exploration cannot be limited
THE EITHER is an indie electronic music band founded in New York in 2017 by Chinese musicians Zongli, Jiaju and Yang. Each member's job is clearly defined. Zongli composes, plays the keyboard, and sings (vocal electronic mix), Jiaju plays the plucked string instrument (electric Pipa), and Yang plays the bowed string instrument (electric Erhu). They each bring their own ideas to the collective and complement each other. Through the exploration of each other's inspiration, they were eventually able to create a style that is all their own. They have described the band's name, THE EITHER, as "an abstract description of either this one or that one".
Each of the members have brought their own share of talent and a professional educational background and reputation to the band. After four years of undergraduate studies in Composition and Music Production and three years of postgraduate studies in Electronic Music Design at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Zongli attended New York University, where he received a master's degree in Film Scoring. In 2016, his work Peace was performed at a summit at the U.N. Headquarters. His music was performed at New York Fashion Week for three consecutive years, and films he has scored have been selected for the Cannes and Tokyo International Film Festivals, etc. Jiaju, a graduate of Shanghai Theatre Academy, is a professional Pipa player. Jiaju has had the honor of performing at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and numerous NBA games. At the closing ceremony of the 2010 World Expo, Jiaju was invited to accompany the performance of the famous dancer Huang Doudou in the show Diversification at the closing ceremony of the 2010 World Expo. Yang, a graduate of Xi'an Conservatory of Music specializing in Erhu, has had the honor of performing at the National Centre for the Performing Arts, the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York, and Carnegie Hall among others. In 2019, Yang became the only Chinese musician to perform at Afropunk, one of the world's most important African-American music festivals.
Tradition isn't what drives these young people, however. They want to perform music in innovative ways and usher in new times. "I had a band and wrote songs in high school. I wanted to be a producer and a rock musician back then. But after seven years at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, I gradually became more focused and determined to be a composer," Zongli said. "I dream of composing a kind of music that occupies a space somewhere between the mainstream and the pioneering outer edges."
At that time, Jiaju was studying arts management in the U.S. and was working with industrial design majors to make an electric Pipa. "We all believe that there's great potential for making traditional Chinese instruments into electronic ones," Jiaju said. After several years of research and development, she is now no longer confined to an electric Pipa. Her latest plucked string instrument is known as a Black Marrow - a combination of the essence of Pipa and guitar.
Jiaju met Zongli when she was looking for someone to compose for electric Pipa. Their respective musical ideas immediately resonated and spawned their first mini-album, Black Silk. Audiences were appreciative of their innovative use of the Pipa and the new ideas they brought to traditional music in Black Silk, which The China Press described as "refreshing". Ultimately, the experience would lead them to Yang and the creation of their new group, THE EITHER.
The music and fashion communities immediately recognized the band's unique and futuristic aesthetic ideas when it first appeared on the scene. Consequently, THE EITHER has been invited on multiple occasions to perform at some of New York's top live music venues, including the Gramercy Theater, Irving Plaza, Bowery Electric, and The Bitter End. They have also been invited to perform at the New York Fashion Week and Shanghai Fashion Week. THE EITHER's Daydaydream, the EP produced in collaboration with the popular mobile game Arknights, has expanded the band's reputation even wider, bringing it to an idolizing younger audience.
E·myth: THE EITHER's reiteration of the concept that everything is multi-faceted
After the release of the second full album E·myth, THE EITHER, this four-year-old band, now has six singles, two albums, two mini albums, and several music videos under its belt. Its music is pioneering in its tonalities, musical themes, and performance styles.
Take the tone of the instrument, for instance: Chinese traditional music and modern electronic music are harmoniously integrated. Vocalist Zongli is able to mix natural vocals with electronic vocals so harmoniously as to make them sound completely natural. "My natural voice is getting more and more mechanized, while my electronic voice is getting more and more humanized. The two supposedly contradictory voices are now integrated within me. I enjoy it very much because it's unique and interesting," Zongli said.
E·myth is made up of 10 songs, with the odd and even numbers comparative in concept. As the band explains, the "E" in E·myth represents the odd numbers, an abstract concept that one can explain in whatever way he wants, while "myth" represents the even numbers, a concrete concept, most of which concern mythology. Joshua Valleau, a Grammy-nominated mixing & mastering engineer based in New York, is responsible for post-production on the album. His profound knowledge of musical aesthetics and unmatched mixing skills have played a major role in the fulfillment of THE EITHER's concept for their album.
Interestingly, THE EITHER's performance in E·myth is distinctively divided. The odd-numbered tracks employ traditional vocals, Pipa and Erhu, or electronic rock music plus vocals, Pipa and Erhu with an external effects unit. The even-numbered tracks employ futuristic electric vocals, the plucked string Black Marrow, and the bowed string Pin Xian - all truly cross-bordering integration masterpieces. "Only Drift off course, the tenth track, is an exception. Its first half is a traditional music performance while the second half is pure electronic. We integrated them like this deliberately," THE EITHER explained. E·myth is THE EITHER's reiteration of the concept that "The Essence is multifaceted, and the Extremity is illusory."
In fact, pioneer artists have been pursuing cross-border integration for some time, but with audiences' artistic senses improving, pioneer art previously enjoyed by only a limited group of people has now developed into a valuable resource worth an audience's attention because of its uniqueness. THE EITHER's independent style is not something made intentionally to appeal to the audience. They also do well in film scores and game scores, something known as "commercial music" to outsiders. "THE EITHER's main goal is not to be limited. We have a very diversified style," Yang said, "We can create scores for all kinds of films, such as serious dramas, comedies, action films, animation, sci-fi and emotional films."
"We don't stick to tradition or innovation. You can see from E·myth that we are rooted in traditional music and electronic music, but what we pursue is the modernization and internationalization of traditional and electronic music. We also believe that there's sufficient space in music for us to explore the versatility of each form. If you define a form of music, you will lose the meaning of exploring it, as well as the possibility of developing it," Zongli said.
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SOURCE THE EITHER | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/30/either-release-new-album-electronic-folk-china-chic-cannot-be-limited/ | 2022-04-30T13:57:33Z |
- Patients successfully self-managed PSVT episodes with etripamil which reduced need for ED intervention -
- As in other studies, etripamil was well tolerated by patients -
- Data to be featured during late breaking session at Heart Rhythm 2022 -
MONTREAL and CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: MIST), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative cardiovascular medicines, today announced data from NODE-302, its Phase 3 open-label extension study of etripamil nasal spray, the Company's novel, investigational, calcium channel blocker in patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). The presentation, titled "Etripamil Nasal Spray Is Effective and Safe for Conversion of Repeated Spontaneous Episodes of Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia During Long-term Follow-up: Results From the NODE-302 Study," will be featured during a late-breaking clinical trial session at the Heart Rhythm Society's Heart Rhythm 2022 meeting being held April 29-May 1, 2022 in San Francisco.
"PSVT is a highly disruptive condition that places a heavy burden on patients because of the unpredictable and sudden onset of symptoms that can require visits to the emergency department (ED) for treatment," said James Ip, M.D., Associate Professor and Director of Cardiac Pacing and Implantable Devices, Division of Cardiology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and the study's lead author. "Results from the NODE-302 trial support the potential role of etripamil intranasal spray for patients to safely and effectively self-treat recurrent PSVT episodes without direct medical supervision and reduce their need for ED visits."
"These data, which show that 85% of the eligible patients chose to enter the NODE-302 extension study after experiencing etripamil administration in the prior study, are very encouraging as we progress in our mission of helping patients suffering from tachycardias," said Joseph Oliveto, President and Chief Executive Officer of Milestone Pharmaceuticals. "I would like to thank Dr. Ip and all the NODE-302 study investigators, study personnel, and our Milestone team members for generating these data, and the patients for putting their trust in our program."
NODE-302 was a single-arm, open-label extension study of the Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled NODE-301 study. The primary objective of the NODE-302 study was to assess the safety of patients dosing 70 mg of etripamil over multiple episodes. Patients were eligible to participate in NODE-302 if they dosed themselves for a perceived episode of PSVT in NODE-301. In NODE-302, patients self-administered 70 mg of etripamil nasal spray in response to a perceived PSVT episode after a failed attempt at a vagal maneuver and were monitored for five hours using an ambulatory cardiac monitoring system. The study allowed patients to treat up to 11 unique episodes.
Of 198 eligible NODE-301 patients, 169 (85%) enrolled in NODE-302 and 105 (62%) experienced a perceived episode of PSVT, self-administered etripamil, and were included in the safety population. The calculated median (mean) number of treated episodes extrapolated over the course of one year was 3.7 (6.0). Of the 105 patients who treated themselves for a perceived episode, 92 (88%) had a positively adjudicated PSVT episode. There was a total of 188 positively adjudicated PSVT episodes (range 1-10 episodes per patient) over a median of 7.4 months follow-up. Overall, the PSVT conversion rate at 30 minutes following etripamil administration was 60.2%, with a median time to conversion of 15.5 minutes (95% CI, 11.3-22.1 minutes). Among 40 patients who self-treated two consecutive episodes, 21 of 26 (81%) who converted on their first episode were also successfully converted on their second. Moreover, the need for ED intervention to terminate a PSVT episode was low (13% of patients and 8.5% of positively adjudicated PSVT episodes). Etripamil was generally well-tolerated, with adverse events consistent with those observed in previous trials; the majority of adverse events related to treatment were localized to the nasopharynx administration site, and were mild and brief.
A copy of the presentation will be available on the Publications section of the Milestone Pharmaceuticals website.
Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) is a condition characterized by intermittent episodes of rapid heartbeat that start and stop suddenly and without warning that Milestone Pharmaceuticals estimates affects approximately two million Americans. Episodes of PSVT are often associated with symptoms including palpitations, sweating, chest pressure or pain, shortness of breath, sudden onset of fatigue, lightheadedness or dizziness, fainting, and anxiety. Certain intravenous medications, including adenosine, beta-blockers, and calcium channel blockers, have long been used for the acute treatment of PSVT. However, these medications must be administered under medical supervision, usually in an emergency department or other acute care setting.
Etripamil, Milestone's lead investigational product, is a calcium channel blocker designed to be a rapid-response therapy for episodic cardiovascular conditions. As a nasal spray that is self-administered by the patient, etripamil has the potential to shift the current treatment experience for many patients from the emergency department to a medically-unsupervised setting. Milestone is conducting a comprehensive development program for etripamil, with Phase 3 trials ongoing in PSVT and a Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial underway in patients with atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular rate (AFib-RVR).
Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: MIST), is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative cardiovascular medicines. Milestone's lead product candidate etripamil is currently in a Phase 3 clinical-stage program for the treatment of PSVT and in a Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial for the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation with AFib-RVR. Milestone Pharmaceuticals operates in Canada and the United States. For more information, visit www.milestonepharma.com and follow the Company on Twitter at @MilestonePharma.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "believe," "will," "expect," "continue," "estimate," "potential," "progress" and similar expressions (as well as other words or expressions referencing future events, conditions or circumstances) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Milestone's expectations and assumptions as of the date of this press release. Each of these forward-looking statements involves risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release include statements regarding the potential of etripamil to serve as a promising therapy for PSVT patients to safely and effectively self-treat PSVT episodes, the design, procedure, timing, scope and results of the NODE-302 extension study; Milestone's ability to execute on the remainder of the PSVT program and Milestone's ongoing plans to study etripamil in atrial fibrillation patients. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the risks inherent in biopharmaceutical product development and clinical trials, including the lengthy and uncertain regulatory approval process, uncertainties related to the timing of initiation, enrollment, completion and evaluation of clinical trials, and whether the clinical trials will validate the safety and efficacy of etripamil for PSVT or other indications, among others, as well as risks related to pandemics and public health emergencies, including those related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and risks related the sufficiency of Milestone's capital resources and its ability to raise additional capital. These and other risks are set forth in Milestone's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including in its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, under the caption "Risk Factors," as such discussion may be updated from time to time by subsequent filings we may make with the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, Milestone assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in expectations, even as new information becomes available.
David Pitts
Argot Partners
212-600-1902
david@argotpartners.com
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SOURCE Milestone Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/30/milestone-pharmaceuticals-announces-presentation-data-phase-3-node-302-study-etripamil-treatment-psvt/ | 2022-04-30T13:57:40Z |
Wom platform will be launched worldwide at 2022, May, 18th 01:00 (UTC+8), when 100,000 Wom Nodes are available for pre-sale.
Wom will be implemented in stages around Wom Node, music NFT, L2E and other modules.
BREA, Calif., April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
The combination of music and the digital age
Founded in California in 2022, Wom Labs is a Web3.0 company that combines blockchain with music industry perfectly, thanks to the blockchain decentralization technology. It encourages contemporary musicians, creators, producers and music lovers to share and create more pure music works through a complete ecomodel of music creation, distribution, trading and sharing. Adhering to the ecological principle of "benefiting the music fans and listeners", it sets up a bridge for music creators and fans to communicate directly.
Led by OG: G-Stark, a blockchain that manages listed companies, Wom Labs is co-produced by well-known musicians and towering figures from Tencent, ByteDance, SEA and miHoYo. Wom Labs boasts a full-time MOD team, members of which are highly experienced and will support Wom Labs' community operation. So far, Wom Labs has recruited many musicians to boost the early promotion and successfully established the media matrix, hoping to create a new era of digital music.
Wom, a decentralized platform for global musicians
Wom is Wom Labs' new music NFT platform in the Web3.0 era, which focuses on a fair, transparent, shared, open and immersive music ecosystem. Creators may easily create and issue NFT through Wom, and have access to the revenues in connection with their creation, either as lyricists, composers, singers or otherwise, or as independent musicians. Thanks to NFT and smart contract, all creation benefits are vested in creators and copyright owners, to the extent that authors have absolute control over their works. Besides, Wom can tailor cooperation programs and income distribution mechanisms for copyright companies to ensure that copyright owners gain benefits in the Web3.0 world. Wom is a platform for win-win cooperation in the Web3.0 era.
Wom, a new world for music lovers
Wom is a decentralized social platform driven by music culture. Here, fans can buy the creators' NFT and works and communicate with their favorite creators directly. Music lovers can get value back by listening to music for free, make content consumption become value investing, and derive benefits from hobbies and tastes. Far away from the influence of politics, region and policy, Wom will provide a better creative environment and a more pure free socializing.
Wom Node,Basic Building Block of Web 3.0 Wom's Platform
Wom Node is the infrastructure leading to Web3.0 and will be deployed in different parts of the globe by the distributed technology. With Wom Node's distributed servers, holders may provide storage and hosting capabilities for the decentralized network of Wom, thus facilitating the sustained development of Wom.
A small number of Wom Nodes will be distributed (not purchased) to Wom's music initiators, ecological contributors and partners. They will be the guardians of Wom and contribute to the sustainable development of the whole ecosystem.
Wom Node holders will, with the sustained development and ecological building of the Wom platform, receive rewards from Wom according to the fixed distribution logic. To put it simply, the more flowing music NFT in the Wom, the more connections, interactions, exchanges and value delivery between music fans and creators, and the more sound ecosystem. In this case, Wom Node will be of more significance as the infrastructure ecosystem of the Wom.
Keeping pace with the times for the future of Wom
NFT-Avatar, the first NFT issued on the Wom platform, will be introduced to the Wom community as a metaverse avatar, linking the Wom individuals into a decentralized autonomous organization.
The Wom platform allows musicians to issue NFT and self-define the forming of club members, fans PASS, free access to songs, collections, works of art, and music albums, etc.
In order to facilitate the dissemination of Web3.0 music culture, Wom will invite world-famous musicians to co-organize WOM offline music festivals. Wom World Music Tour will be held with WOM Awards, which are favored by global musicians and also Wom's direction of efforts.
Wom, a new music benchmark in the Web3.0 era
The world today is a digital age, and so is music. Music and technology have always been tied together in every leap forward, ranging from records to tapes and from offline to online. As new technologies and concepts such as 5G, blockchain, AI and metaverse are emerging rapidly, our ways of music creation and release have changed dramatically.
Wom is an industry revolution of "blockchain + music". In the Wom, everyone can be a music creator and every user can enjoy an auditory carnival of lossless tone quality for free. Keeping good music updated online, Wom draws musicians and listeners closer, and brings music back to its own purity and freedom.
In the Web3.0 era, Wom will bring you to a new world of digital music. Are you ready to be a witness?
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SOURCE Wom Labs | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/30/wom-decentralized-music-platform-is-going-be-launched-worldwide/ | 2022-04-30T13:57:46Z |
UK lawmaker resigns after viewing porn in House of Commons
LONDON (AP) — A British lawmaker from the governing Conservative Party has resigned after admitting he watched pornography on his phone in the House of Commons chamber.
Neil Parish, a member of Parliament since 2010, announced his decision Saturday after pressure from members of his own party who sought to defuse sleaze allegations before Britain holds its local elections on May 5. The ballot is seen as pivotal for Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is already facing a voter backlash over lockdown-breaking parties in government offices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Neil Parish, 65, stepped down after what he described as a moment of “madness.’’ Parish, chairman of the house’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, said he was trying to look at a tractor website, but stumbled into a porn site with a similar name and watched it for “a bit.’’
“My biggest crime is that on another occasion I went in a second time,’’ he told the BBC. “And that was deliberate.’’
Reports that a lawmaker had watched porn amid the historic green benches of the House of Commons triggered a flood of complaints from women in Parliament about the misogyny and sexual harassment they have faced while doing their jobs.
Long known for its boozy, macho culture, Parliament is now a more diverse place, with women holding almost 40% of the seats in the House of Commons. But lawmakers and staff say harassment and inappropriate behavior are still rampant under a system that largely allows members to police themselves.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Parish’s resignation should be a moment for people across the U.K. to say “enough is enough.”
“I don’t think there could really be any other outcome to what has come to light about this particular MP over the last few days,” she said while campaigning in Fife, Scotland. “Watching porn on a mobile phone in the House of Commons when you’re there representing constituents is just unacceptable.”
Parish rejected the notion that he meant to intimidate anyone.
“For all my rights and wrongs, I was not proud of what I was doing,’’ he said. “And the one thing I wasn’t doing, and which I will take to my grave as being true, is I was not actually making sure people could see it. In fact, I was trying to do quite the opposite.’’
The scandal comes at a precarious moment for Johnson, who will face pressure to resign if the Conservatives do poorly in the local elections.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/04/30/uk-lawmaker-resigns-after-viewing-porn-house-commons/ | 2022-04-30T15:51:30Z |
SAN DIEGO, April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- CureScience™ Institute, a San Diego, California based non-profit 501(c)(3) dedicated to accelerating cures based on a combination of diagnostic, immunological and regenerative approaches, proudly announce that Prof. Igor Tsigelny, who recently joined CureScience™, will initiate an educational program in bio-informatics for undergraduate and high-school students. His long-time collaborator Prof. Valentina Kouznetsova will join him. The Summer Scholars Program (SSP) invites students with a strong interest in science to spend eight weeks at CureScience™ Institute.
Students will be exposed to "hands-on" experience with CureScience scientists to conduct original, innovative research projects in areas such as: cancer biology, drug design, computational biology, infectious disease, machine learning and artificial intelligence, and more. In addition to original research, students will get to explore scientific careers.
There can be two levels of applicants: undergraduate students and high-school students. Students must meet the following criteria: 1) be at least arising senior in high school (i.e. students can apply their junior year), 2) attend a high school in the San Diego County area, 3) have earned a B or better in science and math class, 4) must demonstrate excitement for science! The program includes lectures and individual mentoring.
Igor F. Tsigelny is a Research Professor at the Department of Neurosciences of UC San Diego, having long time collaboration with San Diego Supercomputer Center, and Moores Cancer Center,. He is a world-known expert in structural biology, molecular modeling, bioinformatics, using AI for drug design and treatment, and structure-based drug design. He has a Ph. D. from the Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. He was a postdoctoral fellow in the University of California in the laboratory of Susan S. Taylor from 1992–1995. Dr. Tsigelny is the author of over 200 scientific and mentored the UCSD programs for undergraduate and high-school students for several years.
Valentina Kouznetsova is a Research Professor at UCSD (San Diego Supercomputer Center). She studies molecular mechanisms of various diseases including cancer, diabetes, and neurological disorders. She is an expert in computational drug design. She developed drugs for treatment of Parkinson's disease and glioblastoma that were licensed from UCSD and are in development in industry. She is an author of more than 50 scientific papers including publications in Nature and Science series of journals, 3 books, 8 book chapters, and 13 patents.
Media contact:
Lawrence D. Jones, Ph.D.
CureScience™ Institute
(858) 800 CURE (2873)
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SOURCE CureScience Institute | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/30/curescience-institute-launches-bioinformatics-training/ | 2022-04-30T15:51:37Z |
Leading Swim School, Olympic Gold Medalist, World Champion, Speedo USA & Renowned Pediatrician Come Together to Bring Greater Awareness to Water Safety
TROY, Mich., April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of National Water Safety Month, Goldfish Swim School brings together a star-studded team to launch its second annual 'Safer Swimmer Pledge' that reached over 400 million people last year, in an effort to bring greater awareness to water safety and drowning prevention. Throughout the month of May, families are encouraged to take the pledge and promote the importance of parent-child conversations around water safety. Those who take the pledge will be entered to win Safer Swimmer Prize Packs, a year of free swim lessons at Goldfish Swim School and a grand prize all-expenses-paid Safer Swimmer Golden Family Getaway*.
"It was incredible to see last year's response and Safer Swimmer engagement, and with growing support from our partners, we look to build on that momentum and reach even more families with this year's campaign," said Chris McCuiston, CEO and co-founder of Goldfish Swim School. "We're urging families to prioritize water safety as we head into the summer season and with all our 125-plus schools participating, we hope to double our number of Safer Swimmer pledges as we aim to make an even greater impact."
Supporting this year's campaign are brand ambassadors including World Champion Swimmer & Olympic Gold Medalist Ryan Murphy, Four-Time Olympic Swimming Medalist & First African American World Record Holder Cullen Jones, who is also the Senior Manager of Sports Marketing and Philanthropy at Speedo USA, and Goldfish Swim School's official pediatrician Dr. Molly O'Shea of Birmingham Pediatrics + Wellness Center. Together, this rockstar lineup is poised to make incredible strides with Goldfish Swim School in securing even more pledges to help combat the childhood drowning epidemic and make a real impact in communities across North America.
"With a passion for swimming and water safety, and as a near-childhood drowning victim myself, I've made it my life's mission to help combat the drowning epidemic," said Jones, who recently penned an open letter in USA Today about the importance of swim lessons as a life-saving skill that is inclusive for all. "With this campaign, it's our hope that more and more families will prioritize water safety and the value of swim lessons to help kids feel comfortable in and around the water, while also giving parents peace of mind at the pool or beach," added Murphy, who is currently training for the 2022 World Aquatics Championships.
By visiting the Safer Swimmer Pledge landing page or picking up a pledge at a local Goldfish Swim School, families can sign to join the cause in promoting and prioritizing water safety, while also accessing at-home water safety tools and activities. Once families have taken the pledge online, they will also receive a promo code for 25% off any Speedo USA purchase, with 10% of that purchase also donated to the USA Swimming Foundation.
Goldfish Swim School is also donating $1 for each virtual pledge to the USA Swimming Foundation, the philanthropic arm of USA Swimming, which supports swim lesson providers with resources, materials and grant funding to allow the opportunity for every child across the country to learn to swim. Goldfish Swim School has donated over $230,000 to the Foundation, inching closer toward its goal of $1 million over the next several years.
Throughout the campaign, Goldfish Swim School will be announcing various pledge prizes on social media, along with the grand prize winner of the Safer Swimmer Golden Family Getaway. The winning family will be contacted directly to coordinate details. Whether it be Disney World, a Caribbean getaway or water park destination, Goldfish Swim School will commit $5,000 to the family's getaway where they'll have the opportunity to show off their Safer Swimmer skills.
"Your Safer Summer starts now! It is so important to promote family conversations about water safety, drowning prevention and the value of swim lessons, because they have the ability to reduce the risk of childhood drowning by 88%," said Dr. Molly O'Shea. "Sadly, drowning remains the number one cause of injury-related death among children ages 1-4, taking the lives of three children in the United States every day. Take the pledge, join us in creating a powerful force making big waves in water safety awareness and set your family on the path to a safer summer ahead."
The Safer Swimmer Pledge draws on Goldfish Swim School's core value of creating a Golden Experience. Founders, Jenny and Chris McCuiston, wanted to create an experience that offered more than the average swimming lesson. With a lot of hard work, they've been able to raise the brand to the height of national recognition and, most importantly, create a safe, fun and stimulating environment for kids to grow in and enjoy. The Safer Swimmer Pledge echoes just that, as being a Safer Swimmer is truly Golden.
When families take the pledge, they are gaining a Golden Experience in confidence, play, growth and self-esteem. The Safer Swimmer Pledge helps parents and kids feel more confident in and around the water, promotes more play, creates an opportunity for kids to learn and grow in new ways and fosters healthy self-esteem as kids choose to take the pledge alongside their parents and peers.
To take the Safer Swimmer Pledge, please visit goldfishswimschool.com/saferswimmerpledge.
For more information on Goldfish Swim School, please visit https://www.goldfishswimschool.com/.
*See contest landing page for official rules and restrictions.
About Goldfish Swim School
Founded by husband and wife team Chris and Jenny McCuiston, Goldfish Swim School provides swim lessons and water safety instruction to infants and children ages four months to 12 years. Classes are offered by specially trained instructors in a safe, child-friendly and fun environment using their research-based philosophy called The Science of SwimPlay®. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, Goldfish Swim School was established in Birmingham, Michigan in 2006, and opened its first franchise location in 2009. Recently, the brand was recognized by Entrepreneur in its Franchise 500® ranking, Franchise Times' Fast & Serious List, and Inc. Magazine's Top 5000. Goldfish Swim School is currently in the process of expanding franchise opportunities throughout North America, with more than 125 schools open, and an additional 110+ in development in more than 30 states and Canada.
Media Contact: Kelly McNamara, Fishman PR, 847-945-1300, KMcNamara@fishmanpr.com
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SOURCE Goldfish Swim School | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/30/goldfish-swim-school-splashes-into-national-water-safety-month-with-2nd-annual-safer-swimmer-pledge/ | 2022-04-30T15:51:43Z |
UK lawmaker resigns after viewing porn in House of Commons
LONDON (AP) — A British lawmaker from the governing Conservative Party has resigned after admitting he watched pornography on his phone in the House of Commons chamber.
Neil Parish, a member of Parliament since 2010, announced his decision Saturday after pressure from members of his own party who sought to defuse sleaze allegations before Britain holds its local elections on May 5. The ballot is seen as pivotal for Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is already facing a voter backlash over lockdown-breaking parties in government offices during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Neil Parish, 65, stepped down after what he described as a moment of “madness.’’ Parish, chairman of the house’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, said he was trying to look at a tractor website, but stumbled into a porn site with a similar name and watched it for “a bit.’’
“My biggest crime is that on another occasion I went in a second time,’’ he told the BBC. “And that was deliberate.’’
Reports that a lawmaker had watched porn amid the historic green benches of the House of Commons triggered a flood of complaints from women in Parliament about the misogyny and sexual harassment they have faced while doing their jobs.
Long known for its boozy, macho culture, Parliament is now a more diverse place, with women holding almost 40% of the seats in the House of Commons. But lawmakers and staff say harassment and inappropriate behavior are still rampant under a system that largely allows members to police themselves.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Parish’s resignation should be a moment for people across the U.K. to say “enough is enough.”
“I don’t think there could really be any other outcome to what has come to light about this particular MP over the last few days,” she said while campaigning in Fife, Scotland. “Watching porn on a mobile phone in the House of Commons when you’re there representing constituents is just unacceptable.”
Parish rejected the notion that he meant to intimidate anyone.
“For all my rights and wrongs, I was not proud of what I was doing,’’ he said. “And the one thing I wasn’t doing, and which I will take to my grave as being true, is I was not actually making sure people could see it. In fact, I was trying to do quite the opposite.’’
The scandal comes at a precarious moment for Johnson, who will face pressure to resign if the Conservatives do poorly in the local elections.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/30/uk-lawmaker-resigns-after-viewing-porn-house-commons/ | 2022-04-30T15:52:22Z |
Meadows says 1/6 panel has sought to publicly ‘vilify’ him
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows accused the congressional committee investigating last year’s attack on the U.S. Capitol of leaking all of the text messages he provided to the panel in what he says was an effort to vilify him publicly.
The argument was made in a filing Friday in Washington’s federal court, where Meadows sued in December to invalidate subpoenas issued to him for his testimony and to Verizon for his cell phone records.
In the latest filing, lawyers for Meadows asked a judge to reject the committee’s request for an expedited ruling in its favor that would force Meadows to comply with the subpoenas. The committee requested an expedited briefing schedule Wednesday after filing its motion the previous week.
The lawyers say Meadows deserves a chance through the fact-gathering process known as discovery to take depositions and gather other information relevant to questions that are in dispute, such as the committee’s claims that former President Donald Trump did not actually invoke executive privilege over the items subpoenaed by the panel.
The House voted in December to hold Meadows in criminal contempt after he ceased cooperating, referring the matter to the Justice Department, which has not said whether it will take action.
His motion also accuses the committee of waging a “sustained media campaign” against Meadows. Though it does not provide evidence, it says the committee has leaked all of the text messages Meadows has produced to the committee.
“The Congressional Defendants, under the auspices of a legitimate subpoena, induced Mr. Meadows to produce thousands of his private communications only to use them in a concerted and ongoing effort to vilify him publicly through the media,” Meadows’ attorney, George Terwilliger, wrote in the motion.
Court filings by the committee have shown how Meadows was in regular contact before Jan. 6, 2021, with Republican allies who advanced false claims of election fraud and supported overturning the results of the race won by President Joe Biden. A filing a week ago cited testimony from a White House aide who said Meadows had been advised beforehand that there could be violence on Jan. 6.
The committee declined through a spokesperson to comment Saturday about Meadows’ accusations against the panel.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/04/30/meadows-says-16-panel-has-sought-publicly-vilify-him/ | 2022-04-30T17:38:32Z |
HONG KONG, April 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DL Holdings announced on April 29 that the company signed an agreement with Harvest Global Capital Investments Limited (HGCI) to reach a strategic partnership. The two sides will start comprehensive cooperation to jointly expand capital market investment business, including but not limited to distribution, joint investment and warehouse strategy, and will focus on real estate, artificial intelligence, health care, carbon neutrality, green finance and ESG.
Joseph Lang, executive director of DL Holdings group and CEO of DL Securities, said that "DL Holdings is a listed company that provides one-stop financial services for high-net-worth clients in Asia. The strategic cooperation with HGCI can achieve mutual benefit and increase more stable and high return investment opportunities for shareholders and investors."
Li Jiewei, head of the investment department of HGCI, said that Harvest pursues an aggressive and stable investment philosophy and is committed to creating sustainable risk-adjusted returns to meet clients' investment objectives. He believes that the cooperation between the two sides will have more successful investment opportunities in the future.
With rich experience, professional team, good reputation and strict risk control, DL Holdings provides HGCI with excellent capital market investment opportunities and post investment management services. Harvest Global Capital Investments 's comprehensive investment and research coverage can also provide DL Holdings with competitive and unique market information and views.
According to the announcement, HGCI is licensed by the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong ("SFC") for Type 1 (dealing in securities), Type 4 (advising on securities) and Type 9 (asset management) regulated activities. Focusing on the strategy of "one kilometer before and after IPO", HGCI has achieved the business interaction between primary and secondary market by building a diversified business structure including private equity, cornerstone and anchor investment of listed companies, private placement, mergers and acquisitions, strategic investment of listed companies, mixed reform of state-owned enterprises, real estate investment and financing.
DL Holdings is listed on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (1709. HK). DL Holdings' subsidiaries are licensed by SFC for Type 1, Type 4, Type 6 and Type 9 regulated activities, providing family offices, securities investment, asset management, diversified private equity funds and other services. Since its establishment, DL Holdings has been committed to discovering, cultivating and developing enterprises with excellent potential and great quality, focusing on the development of succession structure and global asset allocation for entrepreneurs' families, and successfully realizing the cross-cycle development of enterprises and the intergenerational transmission of family wealth. The assets under management and investment of DL Holdings has exceeded 3 billion USD.
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SOURCE DL Holdings | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/04/30/dl-holdings-cooperate-with-harvest-global-capital-investments-expand-capital-market-investment-business/ | 2022-04-30T17:38:48Z |
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