Articles written by Shay Mahana


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 19 of 19

  • Census period winds down for Green River

    Shay Mahana, Contributor|Sep 9, 2020

    With the end of this year quickly approaching, it is time to fill out your 2020 census. The census can be filled out online, through a phone call to the number provided on the website or through the paper questionnaire sent by mail. The census asks a few simple questions about everyone living in your house hold. The census counts every person living in the United States as well as the five US territories. According to Pete Rust, Mayor of Green River, the census determines many important things such as state and federal funding, as well as...

  • Imagining a fresh skate park

    Shay Mahana, Contributor|Sep 9, 2020

    The skate park on Uinta is one of the most used recreational parks in Green River. When at the park, you can definitely tell it has had its fair share of wear and tear. After seeing how in need of some renovations the skate park was, I contacted Brad Raney. Raney, being the parks and recreation administrator, I believed he could share some insight. The first thing I asked Raney was if there had been any discussion or suggestions to renovate the park. To which he replied yes, and that it was on a long list of amenities to be done. Along with...

  • Expedition Academy: A school and family aiming for success

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Sep 2, 2020

    The greatest hope is to empower students to become innovative thinkers, creative problem solvers and inspired learners that are prepared for the choices in their lives according to Expedition Academy's website. The school, operating in Green River since 1999, has worked to provide a safe and challenging family environment where students can find a comfortable place to learn. It provides an alternate means of earning a diploma, as well as a place to get more connected with the community. Yet,... Full story

  • Lady Wolves volleyball kicks off

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Sep 2, 2020

    The Lady Wolves volleyball team is gearing up for its competitive season. Despite the complications the COVID-19 pandemic caused to schools throughout the country, Green River High School is ready to get out on the courts and play. According to Rikki Shantz, head coach, the team has 24 players total, two of them being returning seniors and two being returning varsity. The team is largely made up of sophomores this year, which is something new to the GRHS coaches. With the lack of experience this year’s team has, there were some initial concerns...

  • Tennis team sees success early in season

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Sep 2, 2020

    The Green River High School tennis teams are hitting their stride. Though the pandemic has taken quite a tole on school functions and activities, GRHS coaches and athletes couldn’t be more excited to get into the season. According to Phil Harder, the head coach, the team has five senior athletes on the girls team and seven senior players on the boys team, as well as a hand full of returning players. He said players are looking forward to showing other teams just how ready they are to get into the competitions. Having the returning varsity h...

  • Green River Main Street to host street fair in Sept.

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Aug 26, 2020

    Green River Main Street will host a street fair Sept. 12. Many other organizations joined together in order to host the event, including the Green River Development Fund and local businesses. The street fair will feature many different types of vendors as well as flea market items and food trucks. Live music will follow after the market closes. Vendors must pay a $25 fee in order to sell their products at the fair. According to Jennie Melvin, Green River Main Street administrator, the idea of the street fair was brought up as a group decision...

  • A day with the market vendors

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Aug 19, 2020

    Every week throughout the summer, residents driving along Uinta Drive will see a collection trailers and popup shops, as well as a large group of customers, gathered on Roosevelt Drive. The Green River Farmers' Market features local produce, goods and handmade creations. The market is also a great place for vendors to seek exposure and support. For Leslie Webster, the founder of LGWimaginations, the market is a means of introducing people to her art. Webster sells acrylic poured paintings,...

  • Fall sports will continue at Western

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Aug 19, 2020

    While the coronavirus pandemic continues to limit school functions, Western Wyoming Community College made the decision to proceed with falls sports. All five of the school’s sports teams will be participating in both the fall and spring seasons. However the main competition season will be spring rather then fall. The fall season will be strictly scrimmages. According to Lu Sweet, Western’s activities director, the most challenging part of going through with the season is the extra precautions required to ensure the sports are safe for the stu...

  • District hires softball coaches

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Aug 12, 2020

    Green River High School is one step closer to having a softball team with its recent hiring of a coaching staff. The team will be lead by head coach Blair Aimone. Aimone has several accomplishments in the softball world. She was most valuable player 2002-2004 at Sterling High School in Colorado, freshmen player of the year at Western Nebraska College and Chadron State outstanding defensive player of the year. Aimone was also team captain for multiple teams and was a student-athlete advisory committee member at Chadron State. “We are e...

  • City copes with sour-smelling lagoons

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Aug 5, 2020

    A foul smell coming from the wastewater treatment plant has made its presence well known amongst residents. A media release from the city attributed these smells to “turnovers” that occur during extended warm periods. These turnovers allow odors trapped in the deeper parts of the lagoon to come to the surface. The release also stated that the increase in the number of RVs dumping their waste at the plant’s dump station caused an overload, which only furthered the bad smells. According to Mark Westenscow, the director of public works, there...

  • Adventure on the Green

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Aug 5, 2020

    During the warm weather of Saturday, my party of five and I decided there was no better time to go kayaking down the Green River. After deciding that a short, one-hour float from County Picnic Grounds to the Island Park would be best, we started our journey. The party I was traveling with consisted of my best friend JJ, my grandfather Jim, my 13-year-old sister Kylee, my family friend Tyndia and her 10-year-old daughter Destiny. During this float there are several small rapids and a couple white water rapids, but the real challenge is the...

  • Knights head to state

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Jul 29, 2020

    The Green River Knights baseball team has been tearing up the fields as they compete this season. Starting the season with a loss against the Jackson Giants, scoring seven to six, the Knights started the season in slump. However, the team continued to fight hard as they made their way through their competition season. The COVID-19 pandemic threw several curveballs at the team. According to Ben Lail, the head of the Knights baseball program, the team had to start their season a month and a half late. Due to the delay, a lot of the coaching had...

  • Barbuto seeks county commissioner seat

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Jul 29, 2020

    The critical point Sweetwater County is at pushed Rock Springs resident Joe Barbuto to seek election to the Sweetwater County commissioners’ office. Barbuto, a Democrat, believes Sweetwater County is at a crossroads as its revenues and job opportunities decline. He said it is important for county leaders to start planning for the future, which is one of the main tasks he would like to tackle if elected. Barbuto would also like to focus on creating opportunities as well as jobs for residents. According to Barbuto, community effort is a must f...

  • Community garden helps apartments

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Jul 29, 2020

    The Rock Butte Apartments community garden is in bloom with the summer season. Roughly a year and a half ago, the Rock Butte Apartments' residents and volunteers worked to build a garden on the property. However, due to lack of soil, seeds and the weather, nothing was planted. After finding out about this garden, Wendy Neilson, who works with the Cent$ible Nutrition program at the University of Wyoming, took interest in getting the garden planted and flourishing. Neilson had worked with resident...

  • Guardsmen to work on runway

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Jul 22, 2020

    The Wyoming National Guard will complete two weeks of training at the Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport in August. The Greater Green River Intergalactic Spaceport will get some basic improvements courtesy of the Wyoming National Guard. According to a release from the city, the national guard will train at the spaceport Aug. 7-21, with 30 troops learning to operate machinery, manage schedules and working in less-than-preferable conditions in order to level the mile-long dirt runway. Public Works Director Mark Westenscow said the...

  • K-9 deputy receives vest donation

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Jul 22, 2020

    A four-legged Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office deputy is sporting some new protective gear thanks to a kind donation. K-9 deputy Deena was awarded a bullet and stab-protective vest by Vested Interest in K9s Inc., a non-profit organization specializing in providing protective gear and assistance to dogs of law enforcement. According to a release from the sheriff's office, the vest, normally pricing $1,744-$2,283, was the result of a donation of $960 made by sponsor, Mark Riccardi of Monument,...

  • Southwest Counseling receives grant

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Jun 24, 2020

    Southwest Counseling Services recently received a $486,458 grant to combat substance abuse and suicide. During the Sweetwater County commissioners meeting last week, Laura Schmid-Pizzato, a representative of SCS, announced they intend to use the grant funding for a community prevention service. This service will target specific areas such as underage drinking, adult binge drinking, tobacco, opioids and other drugs and suicide. With the extra funding, SCS hopes to see a decrease in risk behaviors. Data on these types of behavior is gathered by s...

  • A landmark decision for equality

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Jun 24, 2020

    A great stride was made in the efforts of workplace equality June 15. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Gerald Bostock, Donald Zarda and Aimee Stephens, all victims of discrimination and unjust firing. Bostock worked as a child advocate for Clayton County, Georgia. Bostock loved his job and had no problems in the workplace, until he was fired shortly after joining a gay recreational softball team. He sued his former employer in 2016, but it took years for the suit to travel through the court system. While waiting for his case to reach a...

  • Sweetwater county museum reopens

    Shay Mahana, Intern|Jun 17, 2020

    The Sweetwater County Museum has reopened to visitors, opening its doors to the public Monday. The museum opened under its regular summer hours Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Museum Director Brie Blasi and her staff worked to ensure that visitors can enjoy a safe and healthy visit to the local museum. The staff had to take a number of steps to open the building, such as rearranging and controlling as much of the museum’s environment as possible. Blasi said her staff worked to create an arrangement people can still enjoy t...