Sorted by date Results 1301 - 1325 of 1692
On Tuesday, President Obama released the final budget of his presidency. As a parting shot, he includes a new tax on the middle class that adds about 24 cents to the price of every gallon of gasoline. This will be bad for consumers, bad for jobs, bad for America’s economy and bad for our national security. The tax hike comes in the form of a $10 “fee” per barrel of oil. The money is earmarked for new spending on green transportation projects. This is just the latest sign that the Obama administration is eager to continue its assault on Ameri...
When the presidential race begins to focus seriously on issues, you’re likely to hear a lot about Social Security and to some extent Medicare. The nub of debate will center on two questions: Should we cut Social Security or expand it? Should Medicare beneficiaries assume more of the cost of their healthcare and reduce the government’s obligation over time? The questions are connected. In a recent op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, Andrew Biggs, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, a right-of-center think tank, argued that a b...
Dear Editor, The cities of Rock Springs and Green River have a deep tradition of rivalry that dates back generations. It does not matter if it is a city, company or school event. Nor does it matter if it is a blood drive, Make-A-Wish, or sporting event. Someone is keeping score and someone is being vocal about who is winning and who is losing. Often, someone takes it too far. However, last week during the Rock Springs verses Green River basketball battles, and amongst the bad weather, the two high schools respectively tried to host swim and...
Dear Editor, America, we have a problem. It’s happening again, just like in the 2014 elections. Headlines: “Iowa polls way off on Trump, suggesting soft support,” “Cruz’s unexpected victory exposed weaknesses in Trump’s unorthodox, personality-driven bid for the White House.” Wrong, wrong. The news media, polls, pundits, columnists and Democrats of all people, seem oblivious as to what is really happening. Donald Trump was at the top of each of the last 10 polls in Iowa and Trump is half right when he says Cruz stole the Iowa election. The...
Criticism can be hard to take, even if that criticism isn’t deserved. However, we think its best to listen to criticism and feedback before dismissing it. We disagree with recent action taken at the Castle Rock Hospital District board meeting to quiet an employee from speaking about her concerns regarding the medical center’s administration. Sandee Gunter, the chairperson for the board, told an employee she couldn’t speak during a public forum at the meeting because another employee had approached them and claimed they represented the emplo...
Is the glass half full or half empty? Are you almost finished with a task or just starting? Some would say that I am an optimist for many reasons but for the sake of space I will only share one reason. Since Dec. 22, 2015, which was winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, I have been counting the days until the arrival of the spring equinox, the day of the year when the days and the nights are about equal. And depending on where one lives, this may happen a few days before or after March 20. Since Dec. 21, 2015, and today, 35 days have...
Across North America, February is recognized as Black History Month. Although it may not be evident today, African Americans played an important role in the settling of the west. In Wyoming, the Equality State, many former slaves found freedoms that were not granted to them in other parts of the country even after the Declaration of Independence had been signed and the Civil War was over. Many African American men came west with the expansion of the Transcontinental Rail Road. Most of the black laborers who worked on the rail roads were...
Ninety years ago yesterday, the first live television demonstration took place. An anniversary such as this, I thought should not go unnoted. I came to the realization of this by a simple Google search. The Google Doodle for the online search engine on Jan. 26, 2016 was made in celebration of this historic event. After all, the invention has lead to so many innovations in technology. Surely, the event, the date, and the inventor deserve a shout out. John Logie Baird, the inventor of the...
With the upcoming legislative session, members of the house and senate will more than likely decide to use $242 million in Abandon Mine Lands funding the state is eligible for to supplement the state’s budget. As the state looks at more than $200 million in reduced revenue this year and the money would help to stabilize the state, but using those funds for anything outside their intended use is a mistake. It’s happened before, with the University of Wyoming benefiting from funds originally given to the state to mitigate and reclaim land imp...
Dear Editor, Did you ever wonder why Obama does the things he does -- with mysterious and consistent benefit to the Islamic radical side of issues? Who else could possibly benefit from such actions!? Just consider these few facts, and it all becomes very clear. Fact 1: Obama spent a significant part of his youth living in—and being educated by individuals and madrassas (schools) in a Moslem area of the world. Fact 2: According to the Roman Catholic church –which knows more than a little bit about education, having taught a significant part of...
Every year 45 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions and not even half of us mange to stick to them for longer than six months, according to the Journal of Clinical psychology. Apparently, according to their data, people in their twenties are 25 percent more likely to keep their resolutions than people over 50. Now this seems counter intuitive (think wisdom and patience that supposedly come with age), not to mention depressing. Unless you factor in everyone’s favorite resolution – losing weight, in which case it makes perfect sense...
The deaths of David Bowie and Alan Rickman rocked the world last week. Both of these celebrities were influential to pop culture – Bowie to the world of music, and Rickman for his portrayal of many on-screen characters. We will always remember Bowie for “Space Oddity,” “Ziggy Stardust” his many other brilliant albums, and we’ll remember Rickman for his portrayal of Professor Severus Snape from the “Harry Potter” series, Dr. Lazarus from “Galaxy Quest,” and the Sheriff of Nottingham in “Robin Hood Prince of Thieves,” among his many fantasti...
Weekend plans can be fun to discuss. For example, Stephanie Thompson spent an entire day cleaning a closet filled to the brim with toys and other things. We also watched her beloved Minnesota Vikings lose to the Seattle Seahawks in a close NFL Wild Card game Sunday. Lillian Palmer and her boyfriend basked in the glory of a her new television over the weekend, sitting through the “Matrix” trilogy of films. David Martin, on the other hand, did some house hunting over the weekend and spent a good portion of Sunday afternoon doing the hou...
Parks and Recreation - synonymous with summer fun and lots of sunshine. However, we are busy all year long. As winter descends upon Green River, citizens head indoors and hopefully to the Recreation Center where it is easy to see that the staff there is busier than ever running leisure programs or preparing for special events. The parks division is not always as obvious, although ever so present. For the parks staff, the winter months are filled with many tasks. It is this time of year not only for maintaining areas that have no “down s...
Roland Smith, award-winning author of a variety of children’s books, including the “I-Q” series, Storm Runner series, and a number of non-fiction zoo animal books, will be coming to Sweetwater County Feb. 24 through Feb. 26. He will be visiting schools and libraries in both Green River and Rocks Springs. During his visit to the Sweetwater County Library on Feb. 24, we will celebrate his arrival with a party at 6:30 p.m., which will include fun children activities and a book signing. Feel free to bring your own Roland Smith book or purch...
For a brief moment Tuesday, there was mention of an additional penny tax during the Sweetwater County Commissioners meeting. Legally, it’s possible. A county can levy up to 3 percent in local sales taxes. We’re already at 2 percent, with what’s become known as the Optional Fifth Penny, a general use tax, and the sixth penny tax, which is levied for specific purposes. The brief discussion about a seventh penny tax involved in being used as a way to fund Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County’s ambulatory surgery center and a new facilit...
Dear Editor, A pass along bit of information you may not remember-or even know, at all. Take a look at these statistics. This is pretty incredible. Just the building part alone, let alone the simultaneous winning of two world-wars, the building and use of an a-bomb, all at the same time. Those self-destructive idiots think they can win a “jihad” against such power, even the Japanese came to realize they had “woke a sleeping giant” and sorely wished they hadn’t. These “radical Muslims” wouldn’t make a good wart on the Japanese rear, in both,...
Dear Editor, I am a little perplexed that our post office here in Green River does not see the need to provide video security for those of us who entrust them with some of our most sensitive and private papers. What would it cost to have video surveillance installed? Is it too much to ask for a facility that is opened 24 hours a day? Glenda Holmes Green River...
It’s a new year and that means it’s time to set the goals that will make 2016 a success. The Green River URA/Main Street Agency will be doing just that in a few short days during our Strategic Planning session. We will be setting our goals and mapping out the steps to accomplish our mission. We encourage you to do the same. Here are a few suggestions to consider for your small business to help set a positive course for this year: Make a Plan Putting a business plan in place is the first step in creating a successful business. Business own...
It’s a new year! That means it’s time for a reboot. It’s time to look at what you can do to learn something new, experience something new, do something to make yourself happier, healthier. Thankfully, the Sweetwater County Library System has the resources you need to do all of these things. Are you looking to read more this year? We’ve definitely got you covered. Our libraries have thousands of books to help you reach this goal. Stop by and check out our selection of mysteries, romances, sci-fi books and more! We have biographies and memoirs...
For the first time in my adult life, as far as I can remember, I just had a week and a half staycation. What is a staycation? Well, according to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary a staycation is “a vacation spent at home or nearby.” This is precisely what my family did last week. After the Christmas festivities, our family left. My husband and I decided we didn’t really want to travel anywhere with a three-year-old and six-year-old in such cold weather so we decided to have a staycation. I must sa...
Green River is good at being kind. It is something that we all need in our lives. Many in the community do very well at giving and being generous during the holidays and all year round. With the new year here and chatter of new year’s resolutions in conversation, I’d like to remind people of kindness, though I do not want it to be a resolution. Kindness is a lifestyle. There are a couple neighbors of mine down my street that have been kind, good neighbors during the winter snow storms we hav...
New Year’s Day is always a great time to resolve to make great changes or embark on new challenges. That new calendar represents a clean slate and a lot of potential. There’s a reason why they’re known as new years resolutions. We have a few suggestions to help get the city off to a great start in 2016. Plan for another sixth penny tax The sixth penny tax is a great tool for the county and cities to get major improvement projects completed. We think the city should start planning a sixth penny funding request for the wastewater treatment plant...
My daughter has spent most of her holiday break reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. She is a Harry Potter fan and asked me the other day when the library would be holding its next Harry Potter party. I told her unfortunately she would have to wait until October. The annual Harry Potter party held in October has become a favorite at the library. For one day, the entire library is turned into the magical world of Harry Potter with games and activities for Harry Potter fans of all ages. The purpose of the party is to celebrate one of the...
Over the past year, oil and gas prices have fallen and coal production has struggled due to Federal regulations principally concerned with deteriorating air quality. Since a majority of state revenue is linked to these resources a tighter state budget will result with a trickledown effect to local governments. Counties, cities, and towns will most likely be facing similar tasks and working around balancing their future budgets with reduced sources of revenues. A great debate is expected when the legislature convenes in February relative to the...
