Wyoming
updated
8:46 a.m.
Niobrara Shale -- the blob that ate Laramie County. Map from the Unconventional Gas Center web site . Cheyenne is not a Wyoming “energy boom town” like Gillette, Rock Springs or Pinedale. That’s about to change. The oil rush is on in Laramie County. This past spring and summer, I’d read in the paper that leases for the Niobrara Formation were selling like hotcakes. A couple million...
Hummingbird Minds - Tue 11:00 a.m. - 7 clicks 
From Linda Stowers, chair of the LarCoDems: The Laramie County Democrats will be meeting tomorrow, Aug 30, at 7 p.m. at the IBEW hall in Cheyenne. We will be discussing activities to get Democrats elected in November. Please come if you can. ...
Hummingbird Minds - Sun 7:47 p.m. - 6 clicks
Stuff Alan Simpson Says is a new web site from http://www.boldprogressives.com/ , a production of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee PAC. It’s a liberal group that supports a healthy Social Security system. To do that, the PAC is raising alarums by picking on Sen. Alan Simpson’s quaint Wyoming-bred phraseology. Sen. Simpson has uttered no end of colorful quotes. You could probably fil...
Hummingbird Minds - Sat 8:46 a.m. - 8 clicks
This new documentary is about William Stafford, one of America's -- and the West's -- best poets. He was a conscientious objector during World War II and spent 1942-46 in a C.O. detention camp. The film has been screened at several film festivals and will be making the USA rounds through the fall. No screenings on the schedule for MT, WY, UT or CO, although there are ones for S...
Hummingbird Minds - Fri 1:47 p.m.
I came across this info while perusing the web. It encourages me that a "football legend" such as Herschel Walker would come out of the closet, mental health-wise. Brave man. Here's the info: It takes courage to seek help. Former Dallas Cowboy and NFL football legend Herschel Walker had a stunning football career. However, unbeknown to many he battled with dissociative identity disorder...
Hummingbird Minds - Thu 10:21 a.m. - 2 clicks
Bonnie Azab Powell, writing today in Grist: A new study, published last week in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives , looked at the effects of both prenatal and childhood exposure to organophosphate pesticides -- of which 73 million pounds are applied each year in the U.S. -- and found yet another link to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Not surprisingly, children living ...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 23 - 2 clicks
I've been invited to this event. You can come too: Help us elect Democrat Mike Massie for State Superintendent of Public Instruction at a Fundraiser on Friday, August 27. Join us, Jayne Mockler, Ken and Peg Decaria, Kathryn Sessions, Terri Lorenzon, Loretta Wolf, Barbara Rogers, Rae Lynn Job, for a party on the prairie, 8315 Westedt Road, between five and eight p.m. Please bring friend...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 23 - 2 clicks
The most-read New York Times article this week is “What Is It About 20-somethings?” Kids these days! Damn their hides! One of the paragraphs in the story caught my eye. I’m a 59-something rapidly closing on 60-something. But the story’s description of these 20-somethings (my son is 25) sounded a lot like a description of me when I was 20-something in the 1970s: The 20s are a black box,...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 22
Saturday, Aug. 28. While Tea Party members sing Lee Greenwood (badly) and carry around racist signs on the National Mall, Organizing for America/Wyoming will be getting out the vote. There will be a meeting to plan this "proactive voter outreach event" on Monday, 6-8 p.m., at Laramie County Democratic Headquarters, 408 W. 23rd, Cheyenne. It's right across 23rd Street from...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 21
Here is a very creative (dare we say "arty") video by Alan O'Hashi. The corner of Capitol Avenue and Lincolnway (16th Street) in Cheyenne captured by Scott Eckburg during the Wyoming Plein Air "Quick Draw" event. The Hynds Building is shown on the left in Scott's painting. His work is melded with "before" interior views of the Historic Hynds Building set to open for the first time in...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 21
This is a 1940s-style poster for the Peterson Garden Project , which encompasses "vegetable gardening, history, seed diversity and community... all in a day's work as we revive a World War II Victory Garden in Chicago's 40th Ward." This 2010 growing season poster was designed by E. Karl Fresa Fine Art. Signed limited edition prints were sold at an Aug. 5 fund-raiser gea...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 19
A psychiatrist's view of poetry and mental illness: Four Walls by Iain McGilchrist : Poetry Magazine [article/magazine] ...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 18
I worked as an election judge today at my polling station in Cheyenne. A half day, thanks to legislation sponsored in the Wyoming House by my District 8 Rep Lori Millin. Still, I was one of the few judges taking a short shift. I like working the polls. Public service, and all that. Congenial company. Community. We have five precincts in one spot. A good thing that it's a very large spot...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 17 - 2 clicks
The Wyoming primaries are tomorrow. I glanced at the sample ballots on the Laramie County Clerk's web site. I'm in precinct 2-7 and a Democrat so, naturally, my ballot is less crowded than the one to be used by my Republican brethren and sistren. There are many names on the Dem gubernatorial slate. Only two serious candidates -- Leslie Petersen and Pete Gosar. When I say serious I mean that t...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 16
A reminder from Bryon Lee at Organizing for America/Wyoming: Polls are open on Tuesday, August 17th, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. If you are not yet registered to vote, you can register at the polls on Election Day with a photo ID. Wyoming voters will cast their ballots for the candidates who will represent them in the halls of Congress -- so it's crucial that as many voters as possible...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 16
A nuke explodes in April 1953 at the Nevada Test Site. Looks like a painting, doesn't it? As the Cold War recedes into the past, it's tempting to be nostalgic. Gee, the planet didn't go up is smoke, as it did with the Doomsday Device in "Dr. Strangelove" or in dozens of sci-fi books. The Russkis are sort of our friends now, fellow travelers in the world of unbridled...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 13
Planet JH Weekly staff conducted interviews with all the gubernatorial candidates. Subject: the state of the arts (and arts funding) in Wyoming. Excerpts from some of the best responses for those of us who want to see the arts thrive in our state: Matt Mead (R) said that artists' works attract cultural tourists. He sees Wyoming arts as being more closely tied with statewide tourism effor...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 11
An amazing story at this Casper Star-Trib link: http://trib.com/article_6d01c998-a490-11df-84c7-001cc4c03286 Daniel Meyers, 56, finished his autobiography, "The Spirit of the Lion," after 21 years of work. An earlier version was lost, so he had to begin again. Not many of us writers have such dedication and stamina. Daniel has schizoaffective disorder. He lived a wayward chi...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 11
I love our farmers' market. Smells like roasted peppers, for one thing, which excites my senses. I want to buy bags of peppers and shove them up my nose. No good can come from that. But smelling the pablanos and jalepenos gets me in the mood for buying other foodstuffs. First up -- peaches. I know that it's slightly early for Colorado peaches but I bought a few from Palisade and some apr...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 8
Difficult to believe, but the state primaries are only two weeks away -- Aug. 17. Been so busy with family matters and old-fashioned melodrama and gardening and work that I barely noticed. I volunteered to be an election judge. I was a judge in the monumental 2006 mid-term elections, supervising the polls so thoroughly and adriotly that they wanted me back for aznother round. Besides...
Hummingbird Minds - Aug 3
Bill Luckett has announced the details about the 2010 Jefferson-Jackson Banquet hosted by the Wyoming Democratic Party. It's on Sept. 25, which is unfortunate since I'll be at the Equality State Book Festival in Casper. But most of the Dem candidates will be there and it's a great time and place for schmoozing. Here's the announcement: I am pleased to announce that we have scheduled the 2...
Hummingbird Minds - Jul 31 - 3 clicks
Sean R. Heavey/For The Billings Gazette From the Billings Gazette: Sean Heavey of Glasgow tracked a storm that hit Valley County and Phillips County on Wednesday evening. A pickup truck pulling a trailer drives in the storm on Highway 2 between Hinsdale and Glasgow at about 8 p.m. Wednesday. Victor Proton, lead forecaster for the National Weather Service office in Glasgow, said...
Hummingbird Minds - Jul 31
Linda Stowers sends this Dem news: Ken McCauley, Wyoming House District 8 candidate, is having a literature drop on Saturday, August 14. If you are interested in particpating in this activity join him at 3612 Moore Ave at 8 a.m. on the 14th. You will just be leaving literature on neighborhood doors. I am in Ken's district. He has visited me and my neighbors at least once already. He is a Dem...
Hummingbird Minds - Jul 30 - 2 clicks
The Wyoming Department of Health Aug. 27 on-line newsletter about suicide prevention carried this article: The "Cowboy Up" motto of self-reliance can be deadly for vulnerable Wyoming residents. Rugged individualism prevails in Wyoming and other frontier states, where residents “cowboy up” to take care of problems on their own — even if that may mean taking their own lives. Halloween 1991...
Hummingbird Minds - Jul 29 - 3 clicks
ARTCORE announces its MUSIC & POETRY Series: Betsy Bower ("Lycra, Music, Yoga") and Michael Shay (writer and yours truly) on Monday, Aug. 9, 7:30 p.m., at the Downtown Grill & Venue, Casper,. In Betsy’s own words: “My father owns a welding shop where I grew up playing with fire and tools twice my size. Though I never wanted to grow up, I live in a 24-year-old body playing as if I h...
Hummingbird Minds - Jul 29 - 2 clicks
There are many, many opportunities to check out a candidate forum before the primaries or even to watch debates! The primaries, in case you haven't been following closely, are on the 17th of August. Forums are a great opportunity for you to hear directly from the candidates and also to ask them the difficult questions! Here are a few, but more promise to arise:Regional Service Providers, Disabilit...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Jul 13
This Independence Day as you enjoy friends and family, firecrackers and barbeque take a moment to recognize your enormous contribution to making America and Wyoming better places to live and work.nbsp; It is because of your dedication that Democrats have a voice in Wyoming.nbsp; In 2002 Governor Freudenthal was elected and will soon leave office as the most popular Governor in the nation.nbsp; In...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Jul 2 - 3 clicks
Guest blog by Ken McCauley, Vice Chair of the Laramie County Democratic Party nbsp; The US Supreme Court will soon address the case of Snyder v Phelps. nbsp; The case centers on the Rev. Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church. In Snyder v. Phelps, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed an award of damages granted by a lower court, which awarded damages to the father of a US Marine killed in Ira...
Wyoming Democratic Party - May 25
The candidate filing period closes on Friday, May 28th.nbsp; If you are interested in following who the candidates are across the state you can check the Secretary of State's Primary List.nbsp;nbsp;Thenbsp;document is updated several times a day andnbsp;proves to be very useful.nbsp; There are manynbsp;Democrats running for reelection to the legislature and a few new faces.nbsp; We are extremely ...
Wyoming Democratic Party - May 25
Aliens in the Prime of Their Lives by Brad Watson W.W. Norton and Company, 268 pages, $23.95 In Brad Watson's new story collection, Aliens in the Prime of Their Lives, most of the families crumble, some almost as quickly as they form. Watson grew up in Mississippi, has taught creative writing at the University of Wyoming since 2005, and sets most of his stories in the American South.&nb...
New West Jackson Hole - Apr 19
And now the moment we've all been waiting for: two weeks ago I asked New West readers to vote on what book I should review next. I was delighted and relieved when several people voted. The winner, with four votes, is Staking Her Claim: Women Homesteading the West by Marcia Meredith Hensley. I'll review it next Monday. And since the voting was so tight, I plan to review the ...
New West Jackson Hole - Mar 17
Today Rep. Byrd (D-Cheyenne) announced he will seek reelection to the Wyoming House.nbsp; His statement is below.nbsp; A number of other democratic legislators have announced their intentions (mainly to not seek reelection).nbsp; Those who will not throw their hat in the ring for another round include:nbsp; Rep. Lori Millin (D-Cheyenne), Rep. Debbie Hammons (D-Worland), Rep. Pete Jorgensen (D-Jac...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Mar 16
As you have surely read Governor Freudenthal announced he will not seek another term.nbsp; He made the announcement today at 10:00 AM and WDP put a statement out soon thereafter.nbsp; Succinctly, we were greatful for his service and leadership and are sad to see him go.nbsp; He thanked Wyoming and indicated he had been leaning in this direction since around Christmas.nbsp; He also said his childr...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Mar 4
Every year during the legislative session we gather for meetings and the Nellie Tayloe Ross (NTR) Banquet.nbsp; This past weekend was our 2010 NTR and I think it turned out to be a success.nbsp; We had a number of great speakers, folks from all around the state, and a lot of enthusiasm.Our county chairs had a meeting that helped to evaluate what the basic function of a county party is and how they...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Mar 1
Today the Senate Judiciary Committee passed a bill (HB 61) that would create a statewide legal services funding program.nbsp; There is currently no program in the state the offers legal service in civil cases such as divorce, child custody, or domestic violence.nbsp; The program would be funded by raising court fees by $10.The committee room was packed and a variety of groups stood in favor of the...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 24
A budget amendment was brought today in the Wyoming House that would provide funding for the school lunch program. The amendment was brought by Rep. Cathy Connolly (D-Laramie), but failed in a voice vote.nbsp; It would have provided $3.6 million in funding.nbsp; Connolly argued that this problem has come about because costs of programs have increased by 20% in the past few years and that there ar...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 23
Guest blog written by James DuPont of Teton County.nbsp; James is serving as a high school intern for Rep. Pete Jorgensen (D-Jackson) during the first two weeks of the session.nbsp; Many thanks for his insight and perspectives. On February 12, 2010 House Bill 55 passed the House with a vote of 49 to 9. The bill was introduced by the Joint Education Interim Committee with the intention to eliminate...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 19
Guest Blog written by Gus Harrison of Teton County.nbsp; Gus is serving as a high school intern for Rep. Jim Roscoe (D-Wilson) during the first two weeks of the session.nbsp; Many thanks for his insight and perspectives. House Bill 113 is one step closer on it's way of becoming a law after the House Judiciary committee passed it with the recommendation it do pass the General Committee. The Bill fi...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 18
The AFL-CIO, Wyoming Contractors Association, ABC Wyoming, National Electrical Contractors Association and Wyoming Building and Construction Trades are supporting an important bill that is on general file in the Wyoming House.nbsp; nbsp; HB 89, Resident Contractor Preferences, would support Wyoming jobs and the Wyoming economy by requiring all public contracts to be let to a Wyoming resident as l...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 18 - 2 clicks
Wyoming's Legislature may have worked on being more transparent by making all bills available online and streaming proceedings live, but there is still a long way to go.nbsp; Last week the legislature took a big step by allowing people to testify by video conference.nbsp; According to the Equality State Policy Center, committee chairs are now questioning whether testimonies should be permitted by ...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 16
Today in a morning press conference Gov. Dave Freudenthal discussed some of the pieces of legislation passing through the Wyoming Legislature.nbsp; The Governor's proposed excise tax on wind energy was one of the most discussed proposals since lawmakers amended the legislation to $1 per megawatt hour versus the proposed $3, but did not change the 60-40% split between state and local governments.n...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 16
The House Revenue committee met this morning to discuss the excise tax on wind energy (HB 101) brought forward by the Governor. The proposed tax was $3 per megawatt hour of energy produced, but following amendments it was reduced to $1 per megawatt hour. According to the Casper Star Tribune, "If a $1-per-megawatt-hour tax existed last year, wind companies would have paid just over $4.9 million." ...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 15
The Legislature has been in session for a week and things are moving along quickly. Friday was the last day for bill introductions and a number have moved through the three readings in their house of introduction and are being sent to the other chamber for consideration. If you are unfamiliar with the process you can learn under the "Legislative Process" section of thenbsp;Citizen's Guide to the L...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 15
Today a resolution asserting the US constitution 10th amendment and amending the Wyoming Constitution directly aimed at health reform and Wyoming opting out of any national health reform initiative was killed on a party-line vote. Rep. Debbie Hammons stood and spoke against the resolution saying that it is not a reasonable approach to amend the Wyoming constitution to completely "deal us out." S...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 11
Rep. Lorraine Quarberg (R-Thermopolis) introduced a bill giving concealed weapon authority to Wyoming residents over the age of 21.nbsp; This would do away with the current requirement that residents show knowledge of firearm use and register and receive a concealed weapon permit from the state of Wyoming.nbsp; This proposal changes the standard considerably by making the requirements to carry a c...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 11
Rep. Bagby (D-Rawlins) introduced a bill to raise the minimum wage for tipped employees from $2.13 an hour to $5.00.nbsp; He brought this last year and it failed and the same with this year.nbsp; Three Republicans stood up in opposition and said things like:nbsp; "If a waitress is making $100/hour in tips why would we want to pay her more on top of that?" nbsp;Find me a Wyoming waitress that made ...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 10
The movie "Temple Grandin," about the life of Temple Grandin, the Colorado writer, animal expert, and advocate for people with autism, premiered on HBO this weekend. The movie stars Claire Danes, a casting choice that Grandin told Erin O'Toole of KUNC she was "absolutely delighted" with. Grandin spoke with O'Toole as she was in the midst of traveling around the coun...
New West Jackson Hole - Feb 10
The 2010 Budget session has officially begun and currently each house is considering which bills will be accepted onto the General File. It takes a 2/3 vote for bills to reach general file. A few to note: HB 37 and HJ 04 introduced by Rep. Keith Gingery (R-Jackson) - These bills would remove the current law that Wyoming Judges and Justices must retire by the age of 70. Passage of both would ultim...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 9
They're not on the ski slopes. They're not in the bars. Have all the ski bums left Big Sky? "A lot of guys are skiing backcountry now because it's free," said John the physical therapist. "Also, a lot of them worked construction to support their skiing habits. Those jobs don't exist any more." A footnote to the current recession is its effect on Big Sky's ski bum culture-...
New West Jackson Hole - Feb 8
The budget session of the 60th Wyoming Legislature convenes today.nbsp; Governor Freudenthal will be delivering the State of the State at 10:00 AM and you can listen in here:nbsp; http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2010/audio/AudioMenu1.htm.nbsp; These blogs will be regularly posted throughout the budget session on topics important to Wyoming's Democrats, working families and informed citizens.nbsp; If ...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 8
Ghosts of Wyoming By Alyson Hagy Graywolf Press, 192 pages, $15 Some places feel more haunted than others. As Alyson Hagy explores in her new collection of short stories, Ghosts of Wyoming, Wyoming is one of those places where the past seems to overlap with the present, where the rough frontier that she writes of in "The Sin Eaters," set in 1889, seems to have plenty in common...
New West Jackson Hole - Feb 1
Narrative Magazine, a leading online literary journal, is currently offering some new work by prolific Montana author Rick Bass. Bass has published a number of stories and essays in Narrative, and currently you can hear Bass read his story "Eating" for free, or for twelve bucks you can order The Blue Horse, a new novella available only at Narrative. It's 56 pages long, and the pric...
New West Jackson Hole - Jan 6
I'll start the final Roundup of the year with a look ahead at some intriguing books by regional authors set to come out in 2010. In January, Then Came The Evening, the debut novel by Idaho native Brian Hart, hits bookstores. According to Hart's bio, he "spent years working as a janitor, carpenter, welder, and commercial fisherman before earning his M.F.A. from the Michener Center for ...
New West Jackson Hole - Dec 30
Please see below for a fact check on false claims made by Senator Barrasso on the Senate floor today on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act today: RHETORIC: Barrasso Said That The Senate Health Care Bill Would Add $1 Trillion To The Deficit. Sen John Barrasso: "The President said this wouldn't add a dime to the deficit. Well, it's going to add a lot of dimes to the deficit. This is goin...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Dec 21
The following perspective by Brianna Jones was printed in the Casper Star Tribune, 12/20/2009,nbsp;http://bit.ly/5jF80yOur nation's health care debate has gone from civil, to raucous, to downright ridiculous, but the truth is that there are millions of people across the nation -- more than 72,000 in Wyoming -- who cannot go to the doctor because they cannot afford or do not have adequate insurance...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Dec 21
No Place Like Home: Notes from a Western Life by Linda M. Hasselstrom University of Nevada Press, 211 pages Linda Hasselstrom knows what you've been flushing because your sewage backed up into her basement. She knows how long you've been in the shower, wasting precious western water resources. She knows which punk kid lopped the tops off of all of the irises growing around her Che...
New West Jackson Hole - Dec 21
