Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
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I like to put puzzles together, it’s something I do. When all the pieces come out of the box, very little looks much like anything, yet it is all something. The relaxing effort of taking each individual piece and placing into its proper place speaks much of what life is: individual events that come together to produce a whole reasonable, purposeful, perspective. This month I have been handed many pieces that have yet to come together. I offer them to you to ponder in head, heart and find a place in your life. “A belief about God is really a bel...
It’s not often I’m ashamed of my country of birth, but today is one of those days. I find myself horrified at the latest news coming out of the UK and I’m not sure I’ll ever see my people the same way. An online delivery service called Foodhub ran a survey among 2000 citizens of my once-proud nation, the results of which have made me question everything I thought I knew. The topic of said survey was the most important ingredient known to mankind: cheese. Now, I’ve always thought of the Brits as...
One thing that can be safely said about the Biden Administration is that when you think they could not become even more extreme, they make clear that you underestimate them at your peril. Take President Biden’s Executive Order 14008, entitled “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.” Buried on page 9, is Section 216, with the heading, “Conserving Our Nation’s Lands and Waters,” the goal of which is to develop a plan to “conserve at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030.” Known as the “30x30” program, the ultimate objective...
Dear Editor, Kuhl – innocent until proven guilty? While I am no lawyer, it is my understanding that in the United States, all defendants facing criminal charges are still, to this day, presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Perhaps that only applies in our county to people not worthy of front-page news? I guess there is always the room that houses the Court of Public Opinion that some tend to enter hastily, convicting a defendant, long before court proceedings, via town gossip and social media. It’s something many of us, inc...
If you have been avoiding the idea of a vacation to my hometown because you feared it would be too much of a culture shock, I have great news. A local artist has decided it’s time we become more like our American cousins – the ones from Santa Monica, to be specific. I’ve spoken of Stuart Semple before, as he is very much one of my heroes. A couple of years ago, Semple found himself irritated by the actions of fellow artist Anish Kapoor when he licensed for his own exclusive use the darke...
Sometimes, people come into our lives and change them forever. We believe that happens for communities, too. Sometimes, people come into communities and change them forever. Mike Enzi is one of those. He came to Gillette in 1969 and spent the next 52 years being not only its biggest cheerleader, but also its clutch three-point shooter. That was Enzi when he first decided to run for mayor and then turned the boomtown in the right direction. That was Enzi as a state legislator when he helped lead the state out of significant downturn. That was...
“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). IT: A pronoun used to refer to that one previously mentioned. We are often told in this world to get with it. A movie has been made named “IT”, and we are usually the last ones to realize we have lost it. One thing we all wrestle with on earth is how we decide to live it, and more importantly as Jesus stated, “to have it [life] more abundantly.” The life we live is consumed with making it (work, money, family), keeping it and the fear of losing it....
You can’t please all of the people all of the time, even when they’re on vacation. We’ve had our fair share of baffling reviews for tourist destinations here in Wyoming, from the person who didn’t think there was much point going up to Devils Tower because you can “clearly see the rock approaching when you drive at it” to the one who thought Yellowstone was awful because “it was too hot the day I went.” It’s the same in my homeland, where even places that are littered with history both recent an...
Dear Editor, Good afternoon neighbors and patriots. I’m sure most of you have seen my signs referring to private property rights. Glad you noticed. I’m absolutely against any government entity taking away any of my freedoms, including my property rights! I urge all of the citizens in city limits to defend their property rights. This means attending the next city council meeting August 3 and letting the council know how you feel about giving up more private property rights. There has to be a better solution than another ordinance passed, whe...
Dear NP, “Can you tell me what skin cancer looks like? My mother died from skin cancer that spread to the underlying bones. What can I do to help prevent skin cancer other than sunscreen? I am 48 years old.” Dear Reader, Skin cancer is the most common cancer type in the world. In the United States, one out of every five persons will develop skin cancer by the age of 70. More than two people will die of skin cancer in the U.S. every hour. While these statistics are frightening, finding and tre...
It’s not every day that a snail solves a centuries-old mystery. Thanks to a long-dead group of gastropods, we’ve now discovered that one of my county’s most famous landmarks both is and isn’t as old as we thought it was. I’m referring in this somewhat confusing statement to a visual delight that I’ve introduced you to in this column before: the Cerne Abbas Giant. Carved into the hillside in Dorset, towering 180 feet over the nearby village, is what I’ve long believed to be an early example...
Just when you think you’ve finally got a handle on the wildlife of Wyoming, along comes a critter determined to prove you wrong. As I grabbed my purse and water bottle on Monday morning and prepared to leave the house, my husband hollered for me to wait a moment. “Don’t go on a wander,” he said, implying that I’d left myself plenty of time to ramble around the back yard for no reason. This was not the case – as usual, I was a mere 30 seconds from running late for work. Nevertheless, I wanted to...
For a long time, the Wyoming Legislature had a reputation for pragmatism. The lawmakers who inhabited it tended to be largely conservative, but they focused more on solving practical issues and less on fighting ideological battles that have little actual impact in Wyoming. Yes, there were always a few who sought to push polarizing bills that weren’t needed — a Casper lawmaker sought a ban on sharia law some years back — but leadership usually batted down such time wasters. That’s changed over the past few years. The Legislature has pulled...
To support England’s national soccer team has always been a harrowing commitment to stress, dashed hopes and heartbreak, over and over again…but not any more. On Sunday, we came a single kick from winning the UEFA European Championship (better known as the Euros) for the very first time. We lost, it’s true, but I’d like to explain why that isn’t really the point. To do that, I must rewind to the old days, when we were notorious for having all the talent in the world and failing to live up t...
My mother was a champion in her schooldays at the only sport that mattered. She could wield a conker like no other, earning the respect of many a peer, and it was decades before anyone figured out the reason for her success. At this point, I’m sure you’re wondering what a conker is and why anyone would want to wield one, and that’s a reasonable line of thought. You have the delightful gifts of nature we know as conkers in North America, although you call them by the more sensible name of horse chestnuts, but the playground activity of smack...
I ran for office as a CCMSD Board Trustee in order to make a difference, and to work with a team of people who want what is best for the district, and the people of this county. I wish to thank the people of Crook County for putting their faith in me as a representative for them. We’ve come a long way from eight and a half years ago when I was first elected. I appreciate the work the healthcare staff has done to make this hospital and district a high quality and people-centered program. We now – presently, at least – have monies to spend on im...
The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. ~ Ps. 116:6 Is anything in life simple? The answer is no and yes. The world, in general, is not an easy place. Since the fall in the Garden of Eden and the introduction of sin, what was once good is now complicated and corruptible. Here are several straightforward observations to assist in simplifying your life: There is no side-stepping the simple message of salvation and subsequent peace found in Jesus Christ. Simple to see...
Dear NP, “I was recently started on metoprolol for high blood pressure. I have never taken any prescription medications for blood pressure problems. Before starting the medication, I was able to walk at a fast pace for about 30 minutes. Now, I cannot tolerate any exercise, and I get tired very easily. Could it be due to the new medication?” Dear Reader, First, I’m happy to hear that you are addressing your high blood pressure. High blood pressure is known as the “silent killer” because it often...
Dear Editor, I am responding to the Letter to the Editor published on June 17 from Ernie Reinhold. This is perhaps the most nonsensical letter ever published in The Sundance Times. Somehow, Mr. Reinhold has equated being pro-life with the requirement to be a democratic socialist. He’s hit on all the major talking points of the Left: free child care, free education (meaning college of course), free lifelong healthcare and a guaranteed good paying job. Oh, and higher taxes of course. Clever talking points but it won’t work on anyone who can see...
When you’re running one of the most popular sport tournaments on the planet but it’s been delayed by a year because everyone keeps getting sick, what’s the best way to make sure people are watching when you finally get round to kick-off? If you’re a European soccer association, it’s apparently by making sure there’s nothing remotely normal about the event. It’s not that Euro 2021 has been scheduled at strange times or is being held in an odd location – it’s business as usual for the basics. It’s...
Dear Editor, “Life is essential health care” proclaims the unsigned anti-abortion ad that has been appearing each week in The Sundance Times. Of course, the opposite is true: health care is essential to life. I passionately hope that the unnamed person or persons who are purchasing this advertisement each week are also committed to supporting the lifelong health and wellbeing of our nation’s children. It would be utterly hypocritical to prove our “pro-life” commitment by disallowing abortion but fail to extend the commitment to helping n...
If I had to name an equivalent to Old Stoney from back in my homeland, my mind would instantly go to Battersea Power Station. I’ve spent a lifetime waiting for someone to breathe new life into the iconic London landmark, and finally my patience has been rewarded. Looming over the River Thames along my daily commute to work, the station is one of the biggest brick buildings in the world and once consumed over a million tons of coal each year to provide a fifth of London’s electricity. Unf...
The Casper Star Tribune published a lovely article last week about a 66-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus rex called Lee – the only T. rex skeleton found in this state that will be staying in Wyoming for good. In the article, Russell Hawley of the Tate Geological Museum is quoted as saying, “Wyoming has a long history of being a T. rex exporting state. So we’re trying to reverse that trend.” It also mentions that the very first T. rex found in this state is currently residing in London. I did not...
I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life. – Psalm 119:93 Life is filled with many different experiences and observations. There is a vastness to investigate, and here are several “I never” situations I have come across in my adventuring called “living.” I will never say never, ever again. I never saw it coming. Often, we never do. I never expected the pain to be this great. I never thought I would get this far. I never thought I would see so clearly when darkness was...
In response to last week’s letter to the editor, I feel some clarity might be of use to our readers. The letter accused us of bias against the Crook County Hospital Foundation and those members of the Crook County Medical Services District’s (CCMSD) board of trustees who support their efforts to move the Hulett clinic into a new building. Unfortunately, this criticism appears to be an attempt to cover the real issue: a consistent lack of transparency for a project that does not appear to have been properly planned out. This isn’t about what...
