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It's something all Minnesotans grew up eating; and if they didn't I question whether or not they were a true Minnesotan. I can recall eating this dish a lot as a kid; and I now make it for my family. The recipe has been handed down from generation to generation. Although I have never seen an actual, physical recipe, because my family always made it from memory, there are variations of it in existence. A quick search on the internet for tater tot hotdish shows numerous recipes. Of course, my...
What’s old is new... I attended a newspaper conference over the weekend. One of the tidbits I walked away with is a column style known as an ellipsis column. I won’t bore anyone with the details, but it’s an older column writing style that still is used in some newspapers. The Star has run columns like these in the past, most notably in Adrian Reynolds’ “Chewing the Fat” columns originally published several decades ago. I figured I’d play with the format this week as a way of doing somethi...
Less than a week into owning a home, I became one of those obnoxious DIYers. I can tell I’ve become obnoxious about it; my own mother spoke with me with a glazed expression on her face when I Facetimed with her to show off the kitchen’s hardwood flooring. That floor was hidden beneath a layer of tacky green carpeting, some ancient linoleum and a nasty covering of tar paper. The project I’m working on started with a simple idea: take the carpeting out of the kitchen and replace it with some tilin...
One dollar can still buy a few items in today’s society. Even less items sell for less than a dollar. A dollar and some odd cents can buy a few more items. Most of these items come from a dollar store, some snack options from a convenient store, or food items on a fast food value menu. Another item one can buy with a lone dollar is a singular issue of the Green River Star newspaper. I as a newspaper reporter think this is a great price, considering all the effort and hours of work that is put i...
A few months ago, we printed an article about the need for newspapers and journalists to keep their local governments accountable. That article was published as part of Sunshine Week, a yearly observance by many publications to show the importance of transparency in government, as well as the importance of states’ public information laws. While most people would dismiss the article’s inclusion as mere space filler, we’ve internally debated what questions people have about their governments and the people they’ve elected to represent. This we...
Most people these days use at least a few types of technology, whether it be cell phones, digital cameras, high-definition televisions, remote controls, etc. We all do. We love our computers (most of the time). There are countless ads online telling us of all the great things that can be found on the Internet. Well sometimes, it really is true. When was the last time you took a look at the online resources the Sweetwater County Library System offers? Not just a quick glance, but a good look. You might be surprised. Most people are. One of my...
Earth Day is the day designated to appreciate the earth’s environment and create awareness of the issues that threaten it. Earth Day originated on April 22, 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin. The first Earth Day celebration was inspired by the devastation in Santa Barbra due to a massive oil spill. This celebration was shared by 20 million Americans that day. Every year since April 22, 1970, Earth Day celebrations have grown. The Earth Day organized by Denis Hayes in 1990, went global. More than 200 million people in 141 countries p...
Sweetwater County, like every other governing body in Wyoming, faces a severe funding problem as a result of a decline in natural gas and coal prices. Discussion taking place between the Sweetwater County Commissioners Tuesday morning heavily foreshadow tough economic choices to be made amongst the county department heads and the directors of its satellite agencies. With a projected 20 percent decrease in county revenues, amounting to a loss of about $8 million total, the county commissioners are doing the right in telling the various groups...
Dear Editor, There are very few people in Green River that have a feeling of apprehension when their husband, wife, or child goes to work. Each police officer’s family feels this every day. Not just their husband, wife or child, but their parents and siblings have this uneasy feeling. When we hear a siren, it is always frightening. Most people think Green River is a small town and not much happens here. None of you really know what goes on in this town because you don’t hear it on the radio or read it in the newspaper. Green River has many crim...
Are you in the market for some baked goods? Try our local bakery, The Daily Knead, located downtown on Flaming Gorge Way. Loanda Slaton opened her bakery about 5 and a half years ago to start a college fund for her two sons. She and her son, Aaron, do all the baking themselves and everything they sell is homemade. Loanda said that she decided to start a bakery because she loves baking for other people. She really enjoys watching people’s expressions as they take a bite of one of her goodies and seeing the look of joy that comes over their f...
What would make your medicines cheaper? That’s a question Americans are asking every time they go to the pharmacy and find the price of a maintenance drug they’ve been taking has doubled or tripled, or that a new medicine, like one of the new diabetes drugs, their doctors have prescribed is beyond their means. Increasingly the answer from the drug industry, which pretty much can charge whatever it wishes, is more patient assistance programs that come in the form of coupons, co-pay cards, or vouchers to help people buy their drugs. People nee...
(Editor’s Note: This was originally submitted as a letter to the editor, however due to its length and the topics covered, we’re publishing this as a guest column.) By CHRIS STEFFEN Green River Police Chief After reading the article about the mistake made by the joint tactical team in (the March 23) Green River Star, I felt compelled to respond, where possible, to the items you referenced in the article. As a department we did respond on each of the items you discussed at a level we felt was adequate when they occurred. With additional comments...
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” This is one of my favorite lines of poetry. Mary Oliver ends her poem, “The Summer Day,” with this question. The bulk of the poem meditates upon a moment of a grasshopper’s life. The beauty of poetry, I think, is its ability to take ordinary things and use them to push you to examine yourself, your actions, your life. April is National Poetry month. Millions of teachers, students, librarians, booksellers, publishers, bloggers, authors, and poets take part in this cele...
A few months ago the ity formed a beautification committee in partnership with Sweetwater County Travel and Tourism. Just this week the Beautification Committee learned that they have been awarded a grant from the Wyoming Department of Transportation, which means their first project will get underway this summer. The project is the first phase of a xeriscaping plan at the east entrance of town. The round grassy field diagonally across from the chamber’s sign is the first focus of the beautification committee’s efforts. It will be lan...
During a recent visit to Copenhagen, I squeezed in a visit with city officials to learn more about the Danish health system particularly the country’s arrangements for long-term care, a topic that draws endless complaints from American families, including many readers of this column. Coincidentally, the day I returned home, I learned the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which runs both programs, had just released star ratings for the country’s home care agencies that provide services to nearly 5 million Americans. The home hea...
It’s interesting when a politician starts openly fighting for public access to meetings. Yes, that statement comes from a somewhat jaded outlook, as it most often has been politicians who have argued the case for less transparency, not more. So imagine our surprise when Sweetwater County Commissioner John Kolb started talking about being declined access to committee meetings involving Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County’s Board of Trustees. His comments to us about the problem certainly got our attention. Kolb alleges he was kept out of com...
Spring did officially start last weekend and though there is snow on the ground today, now is still the right time to be thinking about the garden. The solid waste team here at the city doesn’t just handle curb side trash pickup, we also manage “green waste”. Beginning in April we will be setting out the “green waste” dumpsters again in several convenient locations. These dumpsters are for yard clippings, grass and leaves, etc. Basically, almost anything green from your yard can go in one of theses. But as a friendly reminder, plastic b...
Not many of us think about needing air ambulances. We don’t dwell on that possibility, but for people hurt in car accidents or who live in smaller or rural communities without medical care at hand, being airlifted to a hospital can mean the difference between life and death. Increasingly, the service also can mean the difference between getting well at a price you can afford or at a price that could push you over a financial cliff. Air ambulances have become the centerpiece of a nationwide dispute over balance billing, a practice that r...
Once again, I was trying to shop local instead of purchasing the same items on the internet, but it failed. I not only try to support little ma and pa shops, but I try to support the local well-known retailers as well. Why? Because it seems like more and more of them keep closing. I recently had a birthday, and because of this I received a lot of coupons in the mail or on my email encouraging me to visit a certain store and take advantage of “special birthday” savings. My oldest son, Mat...
As everyone knows at this point, members of the county’s SWAT team completely failed when they conducted a raid at a wrong address in Green River nearly three weeks ago. Unfortunately, the Green River Police Department’s response after the incident is also a failure, especially considering the severity of the issue. Sure, people have poked fun at the incident, with a few suggesting the department require its officers a degree in forestry to help them differentiate between the tree streets, the...
On the surface, caucuses appear to be a perfectly democratic process, but we think there are problems. For the Republicans, people living within each precinct get together and elect representatives to the county convention based on who they support, who then go on to a county convention and again vote for a delegate that best represents that group’s vote on who should be the party’s Presidential nominee. For Democrats, the process starts at the county level, but follows a similar path. The inherent problem with caucuses is they seem to mai...
Can you believe that it’s almost spring? This winter went by quickly, and while it may still snow a few more times (we do live in Wyoming) things have pretty much thawed out for the year. Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s a time of renewal, a time to get outside, a time to try something new. Speaking of trying something new, have you gotten hooked on audiobooks yet? Spring Break starts in Green River next week, so if you’re planning to take a vacation, now would be a good time to stop by the library and pick up an audio...
What goes around comes around! Especially when it comes to customer service; 90 percent of all service people fail to perform basic common courtesies such as greeting, making eye contact and really listening. Customer service is extremely important if you want your business to succeed. Customers are vital to your organization. Customers will spend 10 percent more for the same product if they receive better service. Unhappy customers will talk about their experience with 9-15 people, and those people will tell five or six others. A good...
(Editor’s Note: As part of Sunshine Week, which promotes transparent government, we’re publishing this guest column) Government must be held accountable. The only way for the public to hold government accountable is for all of the actions of government to be out in the open. That is why open government is part and parcel of democracy. When government is allowed to operate behind closed doors, it grows out of control, is not responsive to the public and is subject to corruption. These are some of the reasons the media, watchdog groups — and m...
My journey with hospice started about two years ago, long after the word “cancer” became part of my family’s regular vocabulary; long after my dad was diagnosed with brain cancer. No doubt, when hospice came into our lives, it was a difficult time. Thinking about it, it’s hard to put down in words. Even though we knew his death would come, I was not ready for it. In my mind, I don’t think I really fully accepted the fact that he would pass, or thought it really would happen, but it did. When...
