Wyoming Rural Electric News April 2022

WYOMING

APR 2022

RURAL ELECTRIC NEWS

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MISSING AND MURDERED IN WYOMING AND BEYOND T he Bli ght of Dark ness Amid Native Nations

22 THE SOUND OF SPRING 38 PERSEVERANCE AND GROWTH

ELECTRIFY AND SAVE

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VISIT US AT www.tristate.coop/BE

Tri-State is a not-for-profit power supplier to cooperatives and public power districts in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.

2022 A P R I L

ON THE COVER

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CENTERPIECE

Missing and Murdered

The Blight of Darkness Amid Native Nations STORY BY GAYLE M. IRWIN

PHOTO COURTESY OF LYNNETTE GREY BULL

FEATURES 06

CO-OP YOUTH

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CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

Cover photo: Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Indigenous women and girls from the Wind River Reservation. Photo taken at Ray Lake on the Wind River Reservation.

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JUST FOR FUN 20 23

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RO B E RT J O H N S O N SHINES THE LIGHT ON OTHERS

BY JOANNE MAI

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FROM OUR READERS

ESSAYS & ANECDOTES

STATE NEWS & EVENTS

I T’S T O U G H T O BE A PLANT IN W YO M I N G

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COUNTRY COOKS

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BOOK GIVEAWAY

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PEN TO PAPER

07 10

KIDS’ CORNER

THE RIVEN C O U N T RY S E R I E S

BY RENEE CARRIER

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CARBON POWER & LIGHT’S K AG A N G I L B E RT

PUZZLE

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

BY KENDRA SPANJER

VA N I L L A

WHY DID I L E AV E W YO M I N G LITTLE BANTY RO O S T E R

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JUST PICTURE IT S N OW

WREA NOTES

W E H AV E TO P ROT E CT OUR BORDERS

BY SHAWN TAYLOR

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HOME ON THE RANGE THE SOUND OF SPRING

BY DAY SCOTT

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ENLIGHTEN US

PERSEVERANCE A N D G ROW T H

BY GAYLE M. IRWIN

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THE CURRENT COWBOY STATE BUZZ WHAT'S HAPPENING

WREA NOTES

W E

H AV E T O P R O T E C T O U R B O R D E R S

My column is not about protecting the United State border with Mexico or Wyoming’s southern border, which I’ve joked about in the past, how it needs to be protected from Colofornian’s coming across. But rather, it’s about the borders between neighboring utilities.

We call these borders Certificated Service Territories (CST) and they delineate which utility serves which geographic areas and the people who live in those areas, across the entire state. As you all know, the reason rural electric cooperatives were formed in Wyoming, and across the country for that matter, is because it was not profitable for existing for-profit utilities to expand their electrical service into the hinterlands of rural Wyoming. Therefore, very industrious ranchers and farmers created their own electric companies using the cooperative business model, whereby the users of the electricity built and owned their own rural electric cooperative.

As co-ops were formed it was necessary to draw these boundaries, or CSTs, to ensure each one knew what their geographic service area was, and this also applied to the for-profit utilities or investor-owned utilities (IOUs). This was done for a number of reasons: one was to have an organized grid; another was so that each utility could plan for future development, knowing that if the population grew or the power use increased due to a large industrial customer locating within the CST of the respective utility, the utility where that growth occurred would provide the power and in fact is obligated to provide that power.

By creating the CSTs it created 14 “natural monopolies,” 11 REAs and three IOUs, meaning if you live, ranch, farm, own a small business or do anything that requires electricity you get it from the power company whose service territory you’re consuming that power in. In other words, you don’t have a choice of who to get your power from because of these CSTs that are regulated by the Public Service Commission.

Now I know in most instances competition is good and helps keep prices competitive but think about this. When power use increases within a certificated service territory it benefits everyone who also gets power from the same utility that serves that area because you have more customers to spread costs across and keep rates as low as possible. You and your cooperative have invested millions of dollars over the years in infrastructure to make sure everyone has the power they need when they need it. If the certificated territories were to go away and for-profit utilities could now “cherry pick” those loads or customers that they now see as profitable, the remaining customers would bear the burden of stranded investments and fewer people to share the costs of running the utility.

This past session of the legislature there were attempts to alter the CSTs in order to lure high power users, crypto mining companies for example, without much thought of the unintended consequences to the rest of the ratepayers. Furthermore, there are recent examples of IOUs crossing territorial boundaries and providing power to large industrial customers in co-op territory. Again, this hurts the regular ratepayer and should not be allowed. We have pushed back against these efforts but it looks like it might be an issue that legislators are going to study in the coming months. And we’ll be there to fight for you, our member-owners, and to protect our borders.

SH AWN TAY LO R

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

PHOTO FROM THE ARCHIVES

ANTELOPES ON F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE PHOTO BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS

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THE WREN MAGAZINE WYOMING RURAL ELECTRIC NEWS The official publication of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association The WREN Magazine, Wyoming Rural Electric News, volume 68, number 3, April 2022 (ISSN 1098-2876) is published monthly except for January for $12 per year by Linden Press, Inc., Periodicals postage paid at Cheyenne, WY (original entry office) and at additional mailing offices.

WREN Magazine is owned and controlled by rural electric cooperatives in the interest of the economic progress of rural areas specifically and the entire population of Wyoming and the nation generally. WREN Magazine has a total average monthly paid circulation of 40,437 for 11 months ending September 2020.

WREN Magazine is delivered to rural electric member/ consumers and other subscribers throughout the entire state of Wyoming and the nation.

Acceptance of advertising by WREN Magazine does not imply endorsement of the product or services advertised by the publisher or Wyoming electric cooperatives.

WREN STAFF Publisher: Linden Press, Inc. — Editorial Team — Maggie York Alison Quinn — Design Team — Dixie Lira David Merkley Shawna Phillips

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

High West Energy, Pine Bluffs – Michael Lerwick, President Big Horn REC, Basin – John Joyce, Vice President Wheatland REA, Wheatland – Sandra Hranchak, Secretary/Treasurer Basin Electric, Bismarck, ND – Paul Baker Bridger Valley Electric, Mountain View – Ruth Rees Carbon Power, Saratoga – Kenny Curry Garland Light & Power, Powell – Scott Smith High Plains Power, Riverton – Brett Gardner Lower Valley Energy, Afton – Fred Brog Niobrara Electric, Lusk – J.D. Wasserburg Powder River Energy, Sundance – Mike Lohse Wyrulec Company, Torrington – Dewey Hageman Deseret Power, South Jordan, UT – Gary Nix Tri-State G&T, Westminster, CO – Julie Kilty

SUBSCRIPTION RATES $12 per year, Single copies $1.50 each

ADVERTISING To purchase, contact Dhara Rose: [307] 996-6552 • dhara@golinden.com

OFFICE OF WREN OWNER 2312 Carey Ave., Cheyenne, WY 82001

SEND ADDRESS CHANGES AND CORRESPONDENCE TO PUBLISHER AT WREN Magazine • 214 West Lincolnway, Suite 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001, [307] 286-8140 wren@wyomingrea.org

POSTMASTER — Send address changes to — The WREN Magazine, Wyoming Rural Electric News, c/o Linden Press, Inc., 223 S. Howes St., Fort Collins, CO 80521, [970] 221-3232. Include 3-digit co-op code.

PRINTED WITH VEGETABLE INK



Carbon Power & Light nominated Kagan Gilbert, who was awarded a $1,000 scholarship in 2021.

PHOTO BY GEORGIA MILLER; ILLUSTRATION BY DAVID MERKLEY

CO-OP YOUTH

CO-OP YOUTH

WREN: Tell us a little about your studies.

KG: My studies have been going pretty good!

I have been enjoying school and am excited for the future. It wouldn’t have been possible without great people like Carbon Power & Light and many other organizations that have aided in allowing me to attend the University of Wyoming. _______

WREN: How have your hometown, family and/or friends influenced you?

KG: My hometown is a very unique place.

There is no town like it. That is why I love it so much. This town makes me appreciate the small things like holding the door, talking to my elders and an honest day’s work. After starting college, I was shocked to see how many people have missed out on those simple morals. My family’s impact has shaped me to be the person I am today. I am very blessed to have friends and especially a family as supportive as mine. _______

WREN: What are your plans for the future?

KG: When I graduate college my interest is to become a Game Warden.

KAGAN GILBERT HOMETOWN: Encampment HIGH SCHOOL: Encampment K-12 School YEAR OF GRADUATION: 2021 COLLEGE: University of Wyoming MAJOR STUDY INTEREST: Rangeland Ecology and Watershed Management

Wyoming’s rural electric cooperatives are proud to support our youth, giving college scholarships and lineman scholarships.

Youth Tour and youth camps were canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Your rural electric cooperative may be taking applications for next year. See the insert in the center of the magazine for contact information.

THE CURRENT

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GARLAND LIGHT & POWER

Over 170 members attended the meeting.

Garland Annual Meeting Has Big Turnout GARLAND LIGHT & POWER’S ANNUAL MEETING WAS A BIG HIT ON MARCH 10 WITH OVER 170 MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE. Tri-State CEO Duane Highley attended and discussed the diversity of membership across Tri-State, explaining it as both a strength and a weakness because policies in New Mexico and Colorado are different from those in Wyoming and Nebraska, which can make it difficult to ensure equitable planning. Highley said TriState’s primary focus is to ensure reliable, affordable, flexible and responsible powers.

He reported that Tri-State engaged in cost-cutting in 2021, identifying $50 million in cuts from an approximate $1 billion annual operating budget. He also noted Tri-State kept rates stable, without increase, despite other utilities increasing rates due to storms.

Highley also noted the clean energy requirements of New Mexico and Colorado required Tri-State to use more renewable power and to close some power plants, though they may invest in new power plants, likely in Wyoming.

Ike Eastman’s board seat was up for election as he decided not to run, opening the floor to nominations. Members nominated three candidates: Scott Williams, Ray Tollman and Ryan Gorsuch.

Each candidate spoke, describing their background and reasons for running.

Members then cast written ballots, which were counted and reported. Ryan Gorsuch will take Eastman’s place on the Board of Directors.

General Manager Molly Lynn thanked the board for their support for the past year, and thanked the staff and the board for their hard work and professionalism. Lynn reported that Garland had a good revenue year. There were no rate increases in 2021 and the board approved the retirement of $270,000 in capital credits. 2021 recipients of GLP, Tri-State and Basin Electric scholarships totaling $5,500 were also announced.

WREA Executive Director Shawn Taylor gave Garland’s members a report on the 2022 Wyoming legislative budget session, highlighting the issue of crypto-mining: the legislature wanted to de-regulate some of the certificated territories to attract crypto-mining operators, but the bill failed. He also reported that WREA helped introduce a bill related to protecting co-ops’ territories, which was tabled for further study. The legislature did pass a bill to create a scholarship for non-traditional students, which can be used for vocational and technical training, including training for line workers.

Tri-State CEO Duane Highley speaks to the members.

Wills, Trusts & Probate Land Use GAY WOODHOUSE DEBORAH RODEN KATYE BROWN CHRISTOPHER BRENNAN

1912 Capitol Avenue Suite 500 Cheyenne, WY 82001 (307) 432-9399 wrablaw.com

APR 2022

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THE CURRENT

Wheatland REA Annual Meeting WHEATLAND RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION HELD ITS 85TH ANNUAL MEETING ON MARCH 23.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WHEATLAND RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION

This year the meeting was held for the first time in Platte County’s new AGRIPLEX building; it was the first “in-person” meeting since the 82nd Annual Meeting in 2019.

Approximately 203 member-owners registered for the meeting and well over 200 participated in the health fair provided by Wheatland REA the morning of the meeting. The co-op provided a free blood screening for all members and their spouses.

The members enjoyed watching an electric safety video, a free lunch provided by their co-op and served by the local 4-H Leaders Council, and had numerous informational booths to browse.

One new director, Amy Miller, was elected. She replaces Candy Geringer.

Members in attendance at the March 23 meeting.

New Director, Amy Miller.

General Manager Don Smith reported on the condition and activities of the co-op over the past three years. He reported on energy sales, Patronage Capital Retirement, the blizzard of March 2021 and the damage the co-op experienced because of it. He reported on Wheatland REA’s regulatory involvement in partnership with Wyoming’s other electric cooperatives, its system projects and community involvement, highlighting the co-op’s extensive electric safety program.

After the meeting, door prizes were drawn and awarded.

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APR 2022

BASIN ELECTRIC

RELIABILITY

POWER YOU C AN A LWAYS D E P E N D O N At Basic Electric, we understand that life doesn’t stop when the going gets tough. No matter the season or storm our members face, reliable and affordable electricity for our members’ homes, schools, and businesses is our mission.

We’ll do everything we can to keep fans running, the lights on, and the coffee brewing.

Reliable Energy for Our Way of Life.

COWBOY STATE BUZZ

“A Look Back” is an occasional history series from the Fremont County Museums.

CM Ranch History & Entertainment PHOTO COURTESY OF FREMONT COUNTY MUSEUMS

A LOOK BACK

CHARLES “CHARLIE” MOORE ONCE SAID, “HAD IT BEEN POSSIBLE FOR A BOY TO CHOOSE WHERE AND WHEN HE WAS TO SPEND HIS BOYHOOD DAYS, I DON’T THINK HE COULD HAVE CHOSEN A LIFE MORE INTERESTING AS TO TIME AND PLACE. I GREW UP IN FASCINATING COUNTRY.”

Fascinating country indeed, for Moore grew up surrounded by Native Americans, cowboys, soldiers, hunters and even outlaws in addition to the wild mountains of the American West.

Even after earning a law degree from the University of Michigan and practicing law in Cheyenne, his wild roots drew him back to the Upper Wind River Valley.

Wanting to provide others with opportunities to explore the Wild West, Moore began to bring groups of young eastern “dudes” through Yellowstone National Park in 1906.

Moore went on to establish the Ramshorn Ranch and Camp Yellowstone in 1912 up the DuNoir valley and in the shadow of Ramshorn Peak. After 11 extremely successful seasons, a fire started in the camp lodge and the Ramshorn Ranch burned to the ground.

Not to be stopped, Moore purchased a property on Jakey’s Fork east of Dubois this time. Work began on the lodge on this new property in 1920. It was a perfect spot for his new dude ranch, at the end of a road where scenic mountains and cliffs soared into the air. With this new property, Moore also turned his more rustic, youth-oriented business into a family retreat.

Thus, the CM Ranch began.

Entire families came from New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania. Moore often went east in the winter to secure the summer guests. People came for the summer and enjoyed ranch sponsored rodeos, pack trips and day trips into the mountains. Concerts, costume parties and banquets were a few other ways that the CM Ranch entertained its guests. Ranch pageants, like the one whose contestants are pictured here, and masquerades provided additional entertainment to visitors.

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APR 2022

A ranch pageant on the CM Ranch east of Dubois.

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COWBOY STATE BUZZ

WREN Magazine Comes Up Big This Awards Season THE WREN MAGAZINE WON A TOTAL OF TWELVE AWARDS, INCLUDING FIVE FIRST PLACE AWARDS, AT THE WYOMING PRESS ASSOCIATION 2021 ASSOCIATES CONTEST IN JANUARY.

2ND PLACE

1ST PLACE PUBLICATIONS “WREN: Life Out West” WREN STAFF

ADVERTISING INTERNALLY DEVELOPED “Early Childhood Transitions” DAVID MERKLEY, DIXIE LIRA, ALISON QUINN

NEWS PHOTO “Everything Changed” SHERRY BLUEMEL

PHOTO PAGE/STORY “Wyoming Hotshots” KYLE MILLER

MAGAZINE ARTICLES “Mountain Meadow Wool” ELIZABETH SAMPSON

To see past issues of WREN Magazine, visit the archive at wyomingrea.org/ wren-magazine/wren-archive/

FEATURE PHOTO “Howdy Owl” RACHEL GIRT

COLUMN WRITING “Home on the Range” BRUCE CONNALLY

OP-ED WRITING “Getting Punchy” SHAWN TAYLOR

HONORABLE MENTION

PAGE LAYOUT AND DESIGN “Wyoming Hotshots” DAVID MERKLEY

FEATURE PHOTO “Citizens” DAN CEPEDA

MAGAZINE ARTICLES “Strategic Energy” GAYLE IRWIN

COLUMN WRITING “A Mighty Big Dog” DR. MEGAN BEAVERS

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CENTERPIECE

PHOTO COURTESY OF LYNNETTE GREY BULL

Cameron Jalyssa Hill

Not Our Native Daughters founder Lynnette Grey Bull when she was interviewed and appeared on Dateline.

Jade Wagon

PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE WAGON

MMIP awareness dances the Wagon family sponsored.

Missing and Murdered in Wyoming and Beyond

Trulin Louis-Daniel Oldman PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE WAGON

PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE WAGON

BY GAYLE M. IRWIN

Jade Wagon

Jade Wagon’s cross made by her grandpa.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE WAGON

Rupert Leo Brown

MMIW Medicine Wheel in Sturgis that was sponsored by Jocelyn Watt and Jade Wagon.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE WAGON

Jocelyn Watt Jocelyn Watt

PHOTO COURTESY OF LYNNETTE GREY BULL

T H E O F

B L I G H T

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D A R K N E S S

N A T I V E

A M I D

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Cameron Jalyssa Hill. Alandra Jaleigh Brown. Trulin Louis-Daniel Oldman.

Rupert Leo Brown. Jade Wagon.

Jocelyn Watt. These are just a few names of Wyoming Native Americans missing or murdered in the past few years.

Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone Indigenous women and girls from the Wind River Reservation. Photo taken at Ray Lake on the Wind River Reservation.

The Blue Sky Highway leads through Ethete on the Wind River Reservation.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE WAGON

PHOTO BY DAN CEPEDA

Alandra Jaleigh Brown

Jade’s daughter in the 2019 MMIW March in Laramie, Wyoming.

Rudy Perez and Jocelyn Watt

One year after Jocelyn’s death, the body of her younger sister, Jade, was found on the Wind River Reservation. The coroner ruled Jade’s cause of death as hyperthermia. However, the question remains–how did she get to that remote location after last seen alive inside the Shoshone Rose Casino?

“We are angry,” said the young women’s aunt, Janet Vanenkenvoort.

“There has been no justice for my daughter,” stated Nicole Wagon, mother of Jade and Jocelyn. “Somebody took her out there; somebody left her out in the middle of nowhere to die.”

Missing, Murdered & Violence Amid Native Nations The term Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) began receiving notice in recent years, and MMIWG morphed into Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) as facts emerged that teen boys and adult men also experienced disappearance and violence at high rates.

American Indians and Alaska Natives make up only about two percent of the population of the United States.

Yet, the proportion of missing and murdered indigenous people, particularly women and girls, is staggering.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE WAGON

Although some are later found safe, Jocelyn and her partner, Rudy Perez, died from gunshot wounds in their Riverton home in January 2019. Nearly three years later, law enforcement arrested three men for the murders.

United States in 2020. That same year, more than 4,200 Native American boys and men across the country appeared on the missing list.

Statistics show 84 percent of Native women and girls experience violence at a much higher rate than most other races.

Indigenous females are twice as likely to experience rape or sexual assault, and in the U.S. and Canada, nearly 40 percent of sex trafficking victims identified as American Indian or Alaskan Native.

Homicide is the third leading cause of death among female American Indians and Alaska Natives between the ages of 10 and 24 years; murder is the fifth leading cause of death for American Indian and Alaska Native women between the ages of 25 and 34.

The federal government and several states, including Wyoming, seek to find solutions to this blight of darkness.

Former president Donald Trump established Operation Lady Justice within the Department of Justice to track, solve and prevent violent crimes against Native Americans, and in April 2021, Secretary of the Interior and Native American Deb Haaland created a Missing & Murdered Unit (MMU) within the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

MMIP March.

While attending an event in 2019 at the University of Wyoming organized by the student-led campus Native group Keepers of the Fire, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon learned more about the issue of MMIP and pledged to respond to the crisis. He tapped Cara Chambers, director of Victim’s Services within the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office, to lead a task force.

“They are sovereign nations, the Northern Arapahoe and Eastern Shoshone, and they fall under federal jurisdiction,” Chambers said.

“But these crimes aren’t isolated to the reservation. So, we started a state-based task force to see what we can do.”

Two critical problems emerged from the task force’s first two meetings: lack of data on missing and murdered people on the reservation and having no data on the race of crime victims off the reservation. BIA was to track the first problem but the information “wasn’t easily accessible,” Chambers said. Additionally, the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigations (DCI) failed to collect information on victims’ race.

“We have a data problem,” Chambers said.

Through those two meetings and a third that occurred in December 2019, another factor emerged: dissatisfaction among family members with the system.

“We were having these anecdotal conversations about victims,” Chambers said. “Reports were made but were never really investigated or the families weren’t satisfied with the answers they had gotten … feeling like their loved ones were falling through the cracks. They said, ‘We’ve never heard anything, and [loved ones] went missing, 20, 30 years ago, or six months ago.’”

The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database listed more than 4,100 Native American girls ages 17 and under and more than 1,150 Native women reported missing in the 16

Wyoming Responds

APR 2022 PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE WAGON

The homicide rate per 100,000 for indigenous people was eight times higher than the homicide rate for white people during 2010 to 2019, and the homicide rate for indigenous women and girls was 6.4 times higher than the homicide rate for white females.

The governor, knowing the challenges the state and the task force face, recently said, “I am proud that Wyoming has stepped up to this challenge by working alongside our tribal and federal partners to bring attention, to solve and prevent Murdered and Missing Indigenous Persons cases. I look forward to continuing our efforts alongside leadership of the Northern Arapahoe and Eastern Shoshone Tribes, Secretary of Interior Haaland, and the state legislature to continue advancing the policy recommendations made in the statewide report.”

M M I P O N T O L I G H T

Not all the missing lived on the Wind River Reservation–they resided in 22 of Wyoming’s 23 counties.

S H E D

Only 30 percent of indigenous homicide victims had newspaper coverage compared to 51 percent of white homicide victims.

Indigenous female homicide victims had the least amount of media coverage: just 18 percent.

A R T I S T S

710 indigenous people were reported missing between 2011 and September 2020; 85 percent were juveniles and 57 percent were female.

The sun-bleached poster on the Hardin, Montana library’s bulletin board caught Craig Johnson’s eye. As the Wyoming author stared into the fading face of a young Native American woman missing for a year, little did he realize the depth of darkness encompassing Native people.

W Y O M I N G

8x 22 30% 710

The task force contracted the University of Wyoming’s Survey and Analysis Center to conduct research and create a report, which released in January 2021. Findings included:

“I remember looking at that and it being absolutely gut-wrenching,” Johnson said. “I started doing a bit of research and was stunned at the number of native people that go missing, particularly women.”

His encounter with that image led to his latest “Longmire” book.

“Daughter of the Morning Star,” released in 2021, exposes the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous people, particularly women and girls.

The story involves the disappearance of one woman and the stalking and threatening letters toward her younger sister.

“This is the kind of thing running through Indian country right now, and one of the only ways to really combat it is to try and give this issue the visibility so desperately needed,” Johnson said. “It’s a scourge, and we need to be aware.”

In a similar vein, Northern Arapahoe chairman Jordan Dresser’s filmmaking shines a light on MMIP through an upcoming documentary.

“The film is called ‘Who She Is,’ and it tells the story of four women [from the Wind River Reservation] who, unfortunately, got caught up in this epidemic,” Dresser said.

His production features Nicole Wagon and her two daughters. The film also incorporates animation.

Jordan Dresser poses at the Northern Arapaho Tribal Offices in Ethete.

Wyoming PBS plans to air the program, which is set to release this summer. Dresser and his team hope the film will gain national attention through PBS and film festivals.

“Our intent is to tell these individual women’s stories and make it so that they are not just a number or statistic,” Dresser said. “We want people to walk away with the clear idea about each woman’s life, her hopes and her dreams, and what we can do as a community to solve this epidemic.”

PHOTO BY DAN CEPEDA

Learn more at calderaproductions.com/whosheis.

From left to right: Trinity Wagon, Governor Gordon, Tianna Wagon, Jade Wagon on the first day of the MMIW Proclamation for the State of Wyoming on May 5, 2019.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NICOLE WAGON

PHOTOS COURTESY OF LYNNETTE GREY BULL

“We’re All Part of the Human Race” Desiree Tinoco of Casper established a Facebook page about three years ago for missing Wyoming people, native and non-native (bit.ly/MissingPeopleofWY), after a friend mentioned two people went missing from the community.

Lynnette Grey Bull

“There wasn’t anything on social media [about the cases], and I hadn’t heard anything on the news about them,” Tinoco said. “I thought, ‘How is that there are two men in my own town missing and I don’t know anything about it?’ I didn’t realize at the time how big of a problem this is and how many people go missing.”

Lynnette Grey Bull with U.S. Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez.

One of the gentlemen missing was found deceased and the other remains missing, Tinoco added. She joined the task force late last year.

Not Our Native Daughters

Native Americans make up only three percent of Wyoming’s population; however, according to the 2021 Wyoming report, “Indigenous people experience violence, homicide, sexual assault, and are reported missing at disproportionate rates relative to any other race/ethnicity in Wyoming.”

Grey Bull, and others, want to see that statistic change.

“I’ve been advocating for women and children for several years and have worn many hats,” Grey Bull said.

“Native American women not only suffer the worst statistics of violence toward women, but also have the worst cases of missing and murdered.”

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APR 2022

She plans to open a shelter this year on the Wind River Reservation for women experiencing domestic violence.

“A good percentage of Native Americans know someone who’s been missing or murdered, or someone in their family is missing or murdered,” she said. “Nearly every Native American has been impacted by this crisis, whether it’s a family member, a friend or somebody within their community–it’s pretty prevalent.”

A woman she knew from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota went missing in early January of this year. The 27-year-old’s remains were found on February 8 in the area she was last scene, according to the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. A few days later, the body of 17-year-old Shayna L. Youngman Afraid of His Horses was found on the Pine Ridge Reservation; she had been reported missing on February 3. As of the writing of this article, both cases remain under investigation.

PHOTO BY DAN CEPEDA

Eight years ago, task force member Lynette Grey Bull founded Not Our Native Daughters, an organization with a mission to “end the trafficking, exploitation, and murder of Indigenous Persons through education, policy change, coalition-building, and strengthening indigenous capacities to address the endemic violence.”

Desiree Tinoco poses in her Casper home recently.

Jade’s children wearing their mom’s memorial shirt.

Find a copy of the 2021 Report on Missing and Murdered Indigenous People in Wyoming here: wysac.uwyo.edu/wysac/reports/View/7713

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NICOLE WAGON

“Every day, people go missing [and many] don’t get attention,” said Tinoco, a member of Montana’s Blackfeet nation. “We’re all part of the human race–we all do matter.”

Mindful of that fact, the mother and aunt of Jocelyn and Jade remember their deceased loved ones as sources of light.

Jocelyn Watt’s headstone, which was designed by her sisters.

“Jocelyn was very outgoing,” Vanenkenvoort. said. “She loved singing. She was well-known for her singing and her laughter.”

“She had very quiet presence about her and a very shy smile,” Vanenkenvoort. said. “You always felt good when she was around.”

Experiencing the tragic loss of not just one child but two, and within a year of one another, leaves a hole in the heart many cannot imagine.

“I don’t want anybody to go through what I went through,” Wagon said.

“If we don’t talk about it, how can we do anything about it?”

“She hoped to get married and have kids,” Wagon, the young woman’s mother, added.

“We need to break the silence,”

Jade, who already had children, loved art, especially drawing.

Gayle M. Irwin is a freelance writer based in Casper.

added Vanenkenvoort. W

APR 2022

19

KIDS’ CORNER

ILLUSTRATION BY INNA ANTONOVA

ILLUSTRATION BY INNA ANTONOVA

www.wyobiodiversity.org

LITTLE WYOMING

IT’S TOUGH TO BE A

PLANT IN WYOMING

No matter where you go, you will find plants—even in places that seem barren at first glance. Plants can be very tough, for they must be adapted to the conditions in which they grow, whether that’s cold, heat, seasonal flooding or drought.

In Wyoming, common hardships include dry and alkaline soils, cold temperatures and excessive sunshine. (Yes, plants have limited tolerance to sunlight.) And then, of course, there’s the wind! Wind sucks moisture from both the soil and the plant, and can cause serious structural damage as well.

HARSH CONDITIONS?

TOUGHENING UP

WHERE CAN YOU FIND

Many plants in our harshest habitats—windblown ridges and mountaintops—grow in the shape of an overturned bowl or a small pillow.

These plants are referred to as cushion plants for their pincushion shape, and some are just as prickly! Cushion plants are low and dense, with closely-spaced stems and leaves. Not infrequently, the leaves are tough or spiked, covered in hairs, or a combination of these traits.

Their low profile keeps them from the strongest wind, and dense stems and leaves reduce desiccation by further decreasing the wind speed within the plant, while at the same time holding onto more humid air within the cushion.

Tough leaves and hairs also help the plant retain moisture, and spikes keep herbivores at bay.

Cushion plants typically flower early in the season, while there is still moisture in the soil.

Many different kinds of plants adapted to dry, windy climates have the cushion growth form. This is an example of convergent evolution—the independent evolution of similar traits in species that are unrelated to each other. If you visit a cushion plant community when the plants are in bloom, you’ll find it rich with color, shape and texture from the many different plant species adapted to these seemingly hostile habitats.

This is easy in Wyoming--look on any ridge or hilltop! At lower elevations, flowers may begin to appear as early as March and April, peaking by early June. High in the mountains, you will find a different suite of cushion plant species blooming as soon as the snow melts.

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HOME ON THE RANGE

PHOTOS BY DAY SCOTT

BY DAY SCOTT

The Sound of Spring The sweet sounds of the western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) are ones that can be nostalgic for many of us.

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APR 2022

H

earing their melodious tunes, sometimes as early as February, lets us know that spring is just around the corner, even if snowflakes are still dancing in our yards. Driving down endless Wyoming roads, I would often hear echoes of the meadowlark’s flutelike voice traveling through the wind like tumbleweed. On beautiful days, when vitamin D was essential and I walked throughout the land, I could surely plan on seeing them belting atop a fence post.

Western meadowlarks are mediumsized birds with distinctive plumage.

Their upperparts are streaked brown and black, while their throat and breast display brilliant yellow, dripping a black chevron that hangs like a bib. Meadowlarks aren’t “larks” as their name suggests. Surprisingly, they belong to the blackbird (Icteridae) family and are related to orioles, cowbirds and grackles.

My time spent with meadowlarks is often marveling. I used to think I was making a new feathered friend each time one would fly in, and perch close to me. Turns out, the grassland gurglers were just claiming territory.

Either way, I pay them in smiles.

It’s been debated among Wyomingites that the western meadowlark is not the best representation for our state bird, and many would love to see the famous Greater-Sage Grouse take its place. However, I think Wyoming’s beautiful landscape embodies the perfect habitat for these symphonic solitary singers. W Day Scott lives in Lander, Wyoming and is a certified naturalist, science communicator and wildlife photographer.

B OB O KO K G IR VE EV AI WE WA Y

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BOOK I: THE RIVEN COUNTRY OF SENGA MUNRO This is the story of a wounded healer, nudged by the Universe, set mostly in Wyoming.

2019 | 355p. | $16.00 | paperback ISBN: 978-1734043709

RENÉE CARRIER DESCRIPTION BY THE PRAIRIES BOOK REVIEW

Addictive and immersive, this series is a must-read.

Carrier combines love and intrigue with magical realism to build a stunning literary series set in rural Wyoming, Italy, Paris and Ireland. In the debut installment, Senga is struggling to realize her true purpose in life as the accidental death of her only daughter weighs heavy on her mind. The second installment sees Senga gradually coming to terms with her grief as a brilliant Danish artist enters her life.

In the third installment, Senga finds herself following a magical realism thread that takes her to Ireland.

BOOK II: STARWALLOW The second book explores the distance between home and the journey necessary to come home to oneself.

2020 | 405p. | $19.95 | paperback ISBN: 978-1-7340437-1-6

Carrier devotes considerable attention to developing her characters, especially Senga who is greatly affected by the tragic events of her past. The passages exploring Senga’s mental state are haunting and raw. Carrier balances the increasingly entangled lives of Senga and her friends with skill and precision, and readers will have no trouble following Senga’s story. The plot unravels at a tantalizingly leisured pace, and Carrier’s prose keeps the pages turning.

The characters’ complex relationships are brilliantly portrayed; the exquisitely detailed world and expert plotting are a bonus.

BOOK III: THE SIMPLER Book III examines obsession and madness, whether in Paris, France, a manor in Ireland or Devils Tower in Wyoming’s Black Hills.

Questions of love, life, regret, grief, racism, and the human cost of obsession and control are also explored. Intrigue, passion, madness and hints of magic keep readers spellbound from start to finish. With its intricate worldbuilding, heartrending emotions and expert characterization, this tale is sure to impress lovers of fiction.

To learn more about Renee Carrier, visit reneecarrier.blog.

2020 | 301p. | $16.00 | paperback ISBN: 978-1734043723

All books are published by Braeburn Croft and are available for purchase on Amazon.

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PUZZLE

These two batches of decorative eggs are nearly identical—but if you’re in an egg-hunting mood, you’ll find 10 differences.

24

BY KENDRA SPANJER

HOP TO PAGE 39 FOR THE ANSWERS.

Spot the Difference

Decorative eggs have been excavated from archaeological sites as far back as the prehistoric era, and are still commonly made as a symbol of the (much more modern) Easter season by artisans in Eastern European countries such as Slovenia, Lithuania, Poland, Bulgaria, Belarus and Ukraine. Colorful geometric designs are applied to eggshells using traditional methods and materials like wax, dye or paint.

APR 2022

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CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

WYOMING COWBOY HALL OF FAME

Robert Johnson

Some people crave the spotlight— even going so far as to take credit for another person’s work. Not Robert Johnson. When the light shines in his direction, instead of basking in its warmth, he turns it toward others.

After spending 36 years attending Carbon Power & Light board meetings and serving as President for 24 of those years, Robert is quick to dismiss the effort as being anything extraordinary.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WYOMING COWBOY HALL OF FAME

“I think all board members are special because they dedicate their time to learning and attending meetings,” he says. “I don’t consider myself as special or anything different than any other board member—just that I may have served longer than them.”

Despite his humble perspective, he is proud of the work that he and the board accomplished during his tenure from 1981-2017. And he says it was a worthwhile endeavor.

“They were all good people,” he says, adding with a chuckle, “I hope I didn’t make any enemies.”

Cowboy Hall of Fame ROBERT JOHNSON SHINES THE LIGHT ON OTHERS

BY JOANNE MAI

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APR 2022

His son John says, “That’s just the way he is.”

John recalls tagging along to Carbon Power & Light’s annual REA meetings when he was a child.

“He had pretty admirable leadership skills,” John says of his father. “He had to be pretty good at it—they elected him president for like 30 years.” He was also awarded the Craig Thomas Cooperative Service Award when he retired, a recognition for an individual who has shown a commitment to the well-being of Wyoming’s rural electric cooperatives.

W

hen it came time for Robert to retire, he asked John if he would be interested in serving, but John was already serving as a county commissioner. John’s son, also named John but who goes by Shea, stepped up and ran for his grandfather’s seat. A seat that also had been held by Robert’s father before him.

“There’s been a member of my family on it pretty much since it began,” Robert says.

Robert’s father, also named Robert, served on the Carbon Power & Light board for 32 years prior to Robert Jr. being elected to the seat.

“I remember when we didn’t have any electricity,” Robert says. “My dad had a lot to do with getting the REA started here. He was one of five or six people that helped get it off the ground.”

When Robert was a kid his family raised sheep, and at the age of 10, he would take his younger brother out into the field during lambing season.

“We rode horses up there,” he says of the field that was about two miles from the house. “We had a sheep wagon. We’d cook our own breakfast and supper, and we’d get out in the evening during lambing and put flags up around small bunches of the new lambs.”

Because there were no electric lights back then, he says his mother would be able to climb up a hillside and see the light of the kerosene lanterns they lit to keep the coyotes away at night. He said seeing the lanterns made her a little less worried about them.

He says it’s a concept the younger generation can’t comprehend.

“I ask them if they’ve ever gone camping and had to make food,” he says. “When I heat food over a campfire—that takes me right back. We didn’t even have running water.”

“It took a lot of time,” he says. “Everything was dug by hand and if you’ve ever tried to dig a five-foot deep hole by hand, you know it isn’t easy.”

Robert said everyone along the line lent a hand.

“They didn’t have experience,” he says.

“They just figured it out.”

When asked what it was like on the day the electricity reached the ranch, Robert says, “It’s not like suddenly we had lights.”

He explained that they had to install outlets and switches.

That was back in the 1940s.

“We’re really dedicated to the system,” he says. “If you’ve ever lived without electricity—no refrigerator, no hot water—if you’ve ever lived like that, you would understand.”

A few years later, in 1947, Robert’s father joined other landowners in the area to dig holes, put up poles and string wire for electricity to reach the family’s ranch.

Robert was 14 then.

We’re really dedicated to the system. If you’ve ever lived without electricity—no refrigerator, no hot water—if you’ve ever lived like that, you would understand.”

Robert Johnson, former Carbon Power & Light President, with his horses.

APR 2022

27

CO-OP SPOTLIGHT

WYOMING COWBOY HALL OF FAME

If you’ve ever been out on the flat in winter, you would know it would often be in white-out conditions, but he learned that if you rode under the power line, you could hear the lines blowing.”

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Not long after electricity reached the ranch, Robert started high school. Each Monday morning, he rode alone on horseback 14 and a half miles to the town of Elk Mountain where he stayed during the week with an aunt. John says his dad would ride back home, bringing the mail with him on Friday afternoons, delivering it to all the neighbors along the way.

“If you’ve ever been out on the flat in winter, you would know it would often be in white-out conditions, but he learned that if you rode under the power line, you could hear the lines blowing,” John says of his father’s commute home from school.

“REA is one of the best things that happened to this country,” Robert says. “My kids didn’t have to grow up the way I did. They have so many modern conveniences. They had electricity, farm equipment and a schoolhouse with other kids.”

John says he’s grateful to be able to live on the same land his dad grew up on.

“I had a good childhood,” John says. “I learned a lot from him. And I have a lot of admiration for the guy.”

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“We had to find a refrigerator and hot water tanks and other things, and figure out how to install them,” he says. “It was a long process.”

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When asked if he still works on the ranch now that his son and grandson run it, Robert says, “I probably get in their way more than they would care to admit.”

John disagrees with his father’s assessment. “Last year we ran 1,200 head [of cattle] through preg checks and he was right there. He’ll be 89 in April and he does it right alongside us the whole day.

That’s just the way he is. He has the most tremendous work ethic.” W

Joanne Mai is a freelance writer and educator who lives in Laramie. She is a member of Carbon Power & Light and Wyrulec Company.

28

APR 2022

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FILLING INGREDIENTS:

1/4 CUP SUGAR 1 CUP MILK 2 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT DASH SALT 1 CUP ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

Separate egg whites and yolks. Combine egg yolks, milk, corn starch, sugar and salt. Cook this slowly and stir until it gets to a custard consistency. Soak 1 package plain Knox Gelatin in ½ cup water for 5 minutes. Then add the cooked mixture to the gelatin and cool. When wobbly, add 1 small can crushed pineapple mixed with 1 cup whipped heavy cream and 2 beaten egg whites.

Place layer of rolled fine vanilla wafers, then a layer of mixture repeating these two layers in a trifle bowl, ending with a layer of the finely rolled vanilla wafers. Place maraschino cherries on top. Chill until served.

NANCY LANPHIER

VANILLA BANANA

Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown.

Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook other side. Serve hot.

Fill crepes with your favorite fruit or spread with jam or jelly.

RIVERTON

3 OR 4 BANANAS 1/4 STICK BUTTER

1/2 CUP SUGAR

2 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT

3 EGGS

1/4 CUP OF YOUR FAVORITE NUTS

1/8 TSP SALT

In a large mixing bowl, whisk egg and sugar blend well. Whisk in milk, vanilla, and salt. Stir in flour until mixed well.

Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto the frying pan for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

NANCY DENK

1 3/4 CUPS MILK 1/2 CUP HEAVY CREAM

1/4 CUP CORNSTARCH Prepare your favorite pie crust recipe and place into pie pan. Cook pie crust before adding filling. Put pan to the side while working on filling. Mix together salt, heavy cream, sugar and milk in medium pan on medium heat. Whisk all ingredients together until it begins to simmer. Slowly, whisk in eggs and cornstarch until mixture bubbles for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. Stir until smooth. Allow filling to cool. While mixture is cooling, slice bananas into the bottom of the pie crust.

Pour cooled filling over the bananas. Top with whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts.

JENNIFER ROBERTS

CUBA, MO

LINGLE

JUNE:

SAGE

Send Sendcomplete completerecipe recipeby byMarch May 15!

10!

Please Pleaseinclude includeyour yourname, name,address addressand andphone phonenumber. number.

S SU UB BM M II T T A AR RE EC C II P PE E

wren@wyomingrea.org | |  [307] 772-1968 286-8140   wren@wyomingrea.org  [307]   214 214W. W.Lincolnway LincolnwaySte. Ste.21C 21CCheyenne, Cheyenne,WY WY82001 82001 wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions   APR 2022

29

PEN TO PAPER

LITTLE BANTY ROOSTER

Why Did I Leave Wyoming?

A lot of people leave our town to find a better state Sometimes they have to look for jobs or maybe they are looking for a mate After years of being away they return to visit a while They look around and breathe fresh air then they say with a smile Why did I leave Wyoming it’s a wonderful place to be You can look at the high Uintas there’s rivers and skies to see My heart belongs to this country it’s the place of my birth Why did I leave Wyoming it’s the most wonderful place on earth LAURIE DAVIS

Little banty rooster Strutting his stuff, He’s not very big But he’s acting real tough.

He’s trying to scare me By flying up in my face, But I had a feeling That I would win this race.

He came at me again Down on the ground, Looks like he’s going For another round.

I held a blue scoop Tight in my hand, And stuck it in front of him As best as I can.

MOUNTAIN VIEW

He hit it with a force That put him flat on the ground, And when he got up He must have decided That there will never be Another round.

BARBARA JACKSON MCGUIRE

We share a selection of WREN readers’ creative writing (poems, limericks, haiku, short verse, and prose) every issue as space and content allow. To be considered for publication, please include the author’s consent to be submitted, his or her mailing address, and confirmation that the work has not been published elsewhere. If you would like us to return your work, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

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APR 2022

ARAPAHOE

Put Your Pen to Paper!

Please include your name, address, and phone number.

SUBMIT A PIECE

 wren@wyomingrea.org |  [307] 286-8140  214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001  wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions

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Laramie Valley James Alsop, Laramie

02

White as snow Lauree Scott, Gillette

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View Upon Alcova Reservoir from Fremont Canyon Eileen Hill, Alcova

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Beautiful Winter Snow Trudy Craft, Basin

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Snowshoe break Carrie Miller, Laramie

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Major in his snow armor Jennifer Pierson, Moorcroft

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JUST PICTURE IT

THIS MONTH:

JUNE (DUE MAY 15):

SNOW

SAGE

08 07

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Frosty Cows Barb Becker, Torrington

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Snow-kissed Weeds Brandi Vogelsang, Riverton

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Sunset Ski with My Son Maggie Heller, Lander

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First Snow Sandra Price, Wheatland

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Sledding Diane Christensen, Kaycee

12 13 14

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16 17

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Waiting for Spring Rob McIntosh, Torrington

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Wyoming’s version of a Snow Bird Barbara Rasco, Riverton

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Weathering the Storm Heather McLaughlin, Upton

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Snow Friends Kara Badura, Riverton

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Winter light Cindi Olson, Newcastle

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Melting heart Melody Posey-Harris, Saratoga

18 19

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Outlaw horses Carole Martinez, Kaycee

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Not a good day!

Marilyn Mackey, Gillette

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Big Horn Sheep in the snow Judy Cramer, Thermopolis

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Remembering the Old Days Darrylynn Fabrizius, Riverton

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Remembering the Good Old Days Linda Torczon, Cody

21 22

SUBMIT A P H OTO

 wren@wyomingrea.org  214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001  wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions Please include your name, hometown and a title.

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APR 2022

Please submit high-quality digital files* or an original we can scan, as well as details about the artwork, the artist’s name, and the co-op. *Use the highest quality setting on your camera, or save digital artwork as a .jpg or .tif file with at least 300 dpi resolution.

If you would like your work returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

WHAT’S HAPPENING REGIONAL MAP

02

03 04

01

MAY

01 | SOUTHEAST CENTENNIAL SAVE THE DATE: JUNE 18

Centennial Valley Volunteer Fire Department Open House: 12-3p, 4 North Fork Rd. Come join us for an afternoon of fun, raffles and silent auctions. Enjoy a free roast pig lunch and check out latest improvements.

Buy a chance in the Special Raffle for a beautiful Henry .44 Magnum Rifle.

Info Odell@uwyo.edu.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DUBOIS MUSEUM

CHEYENNE MAY 13

FEATURED EVENT

PETROGLYPH PRESERVATION & STEWARDSHIP WORKSHOP DUBOIS

 SAT, MAY 14  10-3PM DUBOIS MUSEUM

Dubois has some fantastic petroglyphs and for the most part they are undamaged! Join us to learn about the Wyoming Site Stewardship Program. We will learn how to protect and preserve prehistoric and historic cultural resources for the purposes of conservation, scientific study, interpretation, and public enjoyment is only the beginning of what you will learn on this talk and trek to help us all be responsible about sharing our amazing petroglyphs with new people. They have been damaged in the past, let’s try to keep them for other generations!

Joe Daniele from the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office will present this Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series program. $10.00 per person Bring water, hiking boots, trekking poles.

No pets allowed. Advanced registration required, no exceptions!

INFO 307-455-2284 NORTHWEST

17th Annual Cheyenne Day of Giving: 8a-4p, youth event 3:156:30p, Kiwanis Community House in Lions Park. Collection of nonperishable food, personal care items, eyeglasses, hearing aids, cell phones and chargers, craft items, unused prescription medication, blood, medical supplies and equipment for 17 local agencies. Monetary donations accepted as well. Info cheyennedayofgiving.org.

S A R AT O G A MAY 21

Costa Fly Fishing Film Tour: Hosted by non-profit fishing club Mother Mountain Anglers, Platte Valley Community Center.

Doors open 5:30p, event starts 6:30p. $20 general admission, cash bar and door prizes!

Info 307-710-2626.

W H E AT L A N D MAY 7

Discover Day: Hosted by Wheatland REA and the Kiwanis Club of Wheatland. Free and fun for all. Info 307-331-1500.

MAY 14

Total Spring Show: Platte County Agriplex, 59 Antelope Gap Road. 9a-3p.

Early bird registration through April 1 is $100 for members, $150 for non-members.

Registration after April 1 is $125 for members, $175 for non-members. Registration after May 2 will have a late charge of $25. One table and two chairs are included with each space. The show will feature everything you need for your home and garden. Come out and develop ideas for your own projects. There will be an arts and crafts area as well. Info 307-322-2322.

02 | NORTHEAST

C H U G WAT E R

B U F FA L O

THURSDAYS

THURSDAYS

Acoustic Jam Session: Stampede Saloon & Eatery music venue open for jam session. Info 307-422-3200, stampedefun@aol.com.

ENCAMPMENT ONGOING

Grand Encampment Museum: Main Gallery and GEM store open Tue-Sat 10a-4p. Info 307-327-5308.

GUERNSEY REGISTRATION DEADLINE: MAY 20

Wyoming BioBlitz: Registration deadline to sign up for this oneof-a-kind opportunity for families, students, and all nature-lovers to learn about plants and wildlife and help scientists survey them. During this weekend-long event, participants will team up with biologists to search for and document as many plants and animals as possible at Guernsey State Park, June 10-12. Sponsored

by Audubon Rockies, University of Wyoming Biodiversity Institute and Wyoming State Parks. $25 per person.

Info and registration at rockies. audubon.org/naturalist/wyomingbioblitz.

Bluegrass Jam Session: 6:30p, Occidental Saloon, free. Info 307-684-0451.

CASPER MAY 7-9

Wyoming Outdoor Expo: The only event in Wyoming where you can learn how to catch a fish, shoot a shotgun, paddle a canoe and identify birds in one weekend. 9a-3p at the Ford Wyoming Center. The event is open to the public and a great way to learn about the outdoors and wildlife. Info kathryn. boswell@wyo.gov, wyomingexpo.com.

GILLETTE ONGOING

Ava Community Art Center: Info 307-682-9133, avacenter.org.

HULETT ONGOING

Hulett Museum and Art Gallery: 8a-4p Mon-Fri, free. Info 307-467-5292.

MOORCROFT ONGOING

West Texas Trail Museum: Now open yearround 9a-5p, Mon-Fri. Info 307-756-9300.

NEWCASTLE FRIDAYS

Bingo: 7:30p, VFW Hall, free.

APR 2022

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WHAT’S HAPPENING UPTON

Bingo: Upton Senior Center, 6:30p, $1 for 5 cards. Info Gary at 307-468-9262.

03| NORTHWEST

MAY 19

THERMOPOLIS

Lander 100 Years Ago: 7-8:30p, Pioneer Museum. Join the staff for this Wyoming Community Bank Discovery Speakers Series program, an illustrated talk on what life was like in Lander in 1922. This program is free and open to the public. Info 307-332-3339.

MAY 1

Barrel Racing: Hot Springs County Fairgrounds. Info 307-864-3192, info@thermopolischamber.org.

MAY 7-8

Cowboy State Stock Horse: Hot Springs County Fairgrounds.

Info 307-864-3192, info@ thermopolischamber.org.

MAY 21

CODY ONGOING

Cody Country Art League Gallery: 9a-5p Mon-Sat, 836 Sheridan Ave. Info 307-587-3597.

DUBOIS MAY 6

First Friday: 9a-5p, Dubois Museum. Children admitted for free when accompanied by a paying adult. Info 307-455-2284.

MAY 12

Back to the Future: 7p, Dubois Museum. Dr. Laura Vietti from the University of Wyoming will present this Wyoming Community Bank Speakers Series program about studying the climate, vegetation and bone decay from fossils of the Wind River Formation to prepare for future climate conditions. This program is free and open to the public. Info 307-455-2284.

THIRD WEDNESDAYS

Wyoming Health Fairs Monthly Wellness Screen/Blood Draw: 7-10a, Dubois Medical Clinic, appointments encouraged. Info 307-455-2516, whf.as.me/dubois.

H YAT T V I L L E MAY 29

18th Annual Cowboy Carnival: 9a-3p, Hyattville Community Center. Tickets $10 for adults, $5 for kids, $25 for an immediate family. A celebration of all things cowboy, including sharpshooter contests, a sheep dog competition, quilt show, photo contest, music

by Songteller Dave Munsick, 5K race and Kids K race, other kids events, pie contest, live auction, and a fantastic ranch BBQ lunch.

Info hyattvillecommunitycenter@ gmail.com.

LANDER MAY 6

First Friday: 9a-5p. Take the kids to Pioneer Museum.

Children admitted for free when accompanied by a paying adult.

Info 307-332-3339.

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APR 2022

Historic Lander Walking Tour: 1-2:30p, Pioneer Museum. Join us for the Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek and learn about the history of some of Lander’s oldest buildings on this walk along Lander’s Main Street. Meet at the Lander Chamber of Commerce. Donation suggested. Info 307-332-3339.

MAY 14

Great Until 8!: Hot Springs County Fairgrounds. Info 307-864-3192, info@thermopolischamber.org.

MAY 21

SATURDAYS

Acoustic Music Jam: 11a-1p, Lander Bake Shop. Info 307-332-3237.

SUBMIT AN EVENT

MAY 6

MAY 14

Riverton Historic Walking Tour: 2-4p. Join the Riverton Museum and some local historians to visit a variety of historic buildings and homes in Riverton on this Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek. Learn the stories of the people who lived and worked in Riverton’s glorious past. Admission is $5 per person and includes a booklet about the buildings on the tour.

This trek requires a good amount of walking, please dress accordingly.

Info 307-856-2665.

JULY EVENTS ARE DUE MAY 15!

Please send events occurring in the month of July by May 15, and August by June 15 for inclusion in the WREN. Also, be sure to include the date, title, description, time, cost, location, address and contact information for each event.

Photos are always welcome.

WEDNESDAYS

Acoustic Music Jam: 6:30-8:30p, Holiday Inn Convention Center, free.

Join in or listen as musicians and dancers perform. Info 307-856-8100.

SATURDAYS

Farmers’ Market: 9-11a, Little Wind Center at the Fremont County Fairgrounds. Info 307-851-7562.

METEETSEE MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS

Meeteetse Recreation District: 10:30a yoga. Info 307-899-2698, www.meetrec.org.

MAY 6-8

150th Yellowstone Celebration: Musical highway, garage-a-rama and artisan fair. Info meeteetseewy. com, 307-868-2454.

MAY 28-29

Bobcat Booster Club 3 on 3 Tournament: High School Parking Lot. Info 307-864-3192, info@ thermopolischamber.org.

R I V E RTO N First Friday: 9-5p. Take the kids to Riverton Museum. Children admitted for free when accompanied by a paying adult. Info 307-856-2665.

WYO Quarter Horse Sale: Hot Springs County Fairgrounds. Info 307-864-3192, info@thermopolischamber.org.

Look for more events at wyomingrea.org/news.

ONGOING

Great Until 8! Second Saturday Late Shopping: This event showcases the businesses who are staying open until 8p or later in town. Shoppers have an opportunity to win a $100 gift certificate by entering a drawing.

They can bring their receipts from the participating businesses, with the date and time of purchase on them, to Discover Thermopolis at 541 Broadway by 8:15p. The $100 gift certificate will be valid at the business with the winning receipt. Info 917-589-7852, mainstreetthermopolis@gmail.com.

04 | SOUTHWEST LY M A N THURSDAYS

QUESTIONS & SUBMISSIONS:

Storytime: 111a, Lyman Branch Library, all ages are welcome, free.

Info 307-787-6556, uintalibrary.org.

 wren@

M O U N TA I N V I E W

wyomingrea.org

 [307] 286-8140  214 W. Lincolnway

Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001

 wyomingrea.org/

wren-submissions

MONDAYS

Cub Scout: Cub Scout Pack 7798 meets at 3:45p at the Presbyterian Church on 3rd Street. We are always accepting new boys who are in 1st to 5th grades. Info MarNae at 307-677-2566.

WEDNESDAYS

Storytime: 11a, Uinta County Library.

Info 307-782-3161.

CLASSIFIEDS WREN CLASSIFIED ADS ARE $0.75 PER SIX CHARACTERS | CONTACT:  SHAWNA@GOLINDEN.COM

 970-221-3232 EXT 22

FOR SALE

WANTED

Wanted CJ or Wrangler reasonably priced.

Any condition but rusted. 512-797-1664.

New & Used Coal Stokers, parts, service & advice. Available for most makes.

Thanks. 307-754-3757.

Antique Collector Looking For Oil Company Gas Pumps, Globes And Signs. Will pay fair market value! Also looking for general antiques for our antique shop. Please go to our website FrontierAutoMuseum.com. Located in Gillette WY, our passion is to preserve Wyoming history and the nostalgia of the past, especially Parco, Sinclair, Frontier, Husky and any car dealership along with all brands. We are also always looking for WY license plates and WY highway signs and State Park signs. Please call Jeff Wandler 307-680-8647 wandlerfrontier@gmail.com or daughter Briana Brewer 307-660-2402 bbrewer@frontierauto.net.

Wanted electric train set for Moorcroft museum.

CB&Q, BNSF or earlier. Please contact (307) 756-3386.

Shaver Outdoor Wood Boiler Furnace.

Aermotor Windmills and parts, cylinders, pipe, rod, submersible pumps, motors, control boxes, Hastings 12 ga. bottomless stock tanks and more. In business for more than 76 years. Herren Bros., Box 187, Harrison NE. 1-308-668-2582.

Wyoming Wildlife magazine 1967 – 2017, VG rare collection, $600.

Call 307-760-3551.

We Pay Cash For Mineral & Oil/Gas Interests producing & non-producing. 800-733-8122.

Want to purchase minerals & other oil/gas interests.

Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201.

MISCELLANEOUS Soon Church/Government uniting, suppressing “Religious Liberty” enforcing “National Sunday Law.” Be Informed! Needing Mailing address. TSBM, PO Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540, thebiblesaystruth@ yahoo.com, 1-888-211-1715.

PUZZLE ANSWERS

Spot the Difference PUZZLE ON PAGE 25

APR 2022

37

ENLIGHTEN US

PERSEVERANCE AND GROWTH:

THE ESSENCE OF SPRING

BY GAYLE M. IRWIN They migrate thousands of miles each spring, from New Mexico’s Rio Grande River area north to Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Canada, Alaska, even Siberia. Each fall, they return to their southern wintering grounds, primarily at Bos del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

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APR 2022

The change from barren to

Even Wyoming’s state bird, the western meadowlark, bright nourishes my soul, embarks upon a migration journey of several hundred refreshes my mind, and miles, taking a winter vacation renews my heart. in warmer, southern climates, and returning to raise a brood or two on the prairies and grasslands of our state.

Animals aren’t the only creatures to migrate long distances.

People traveled west during the 1800s by horseback, in wagons and on foot.

We see evidence of this human travel throughout Wyoming, with remnants of wagon ruts, forts and Pony Express stations. Later, settlers created ranches and farms throughout the west, and towns and communities eventually sprung up. Many endured great challenges, such as wildfires and outlaws, drought and blizzards. The fortitude of these folks brought statehood to territories west of the Mississippi, including Wyoming.

What do migrating creatures and pioneers of yesteryear have in common?

Perseverance. That trait embodies the season of spring.

T

he long, lanky legs and crimson heads of sandhill cranes help these tall birds stand out in fields and wetlands. With wing spans up to six feet, I often marvel how so many survive power lines, wind turbines, blizzards and thunderstorms during their twice-yearly journeys.

The migration of monarch butterflies stands out as well. The only butterfly known to make a two-way journey like sandhill cranes and other birds, many monarchs travel as far as 3,000 miles.

Those in the eastern United States winter in Mexico while western monarchs spend the cold months in southern California.

In the spring, these small, winged creatures return to pollinate plants in northern areas.

I encounter evidence of perseverance throughout nature during this time of year. Buds of shrubs and trees, grass and flowers grace the landscape. Crocus and tulip bulbs germinate and sprout, rising from a thawing, yet crusty soil of yards and gardens. Amid the meadows of prairie and forest, tiny flowers push through the cold, brown earth. Tiny spring beauties, pink shooting stars and white phlox carpet the wildlands. Sprigs of green grass join the rejuvenation. Branches of aspen, apple, cottonwood, oak, maple and other trees unveil sprouting leaves. Vegetation grows daily, and soon a rainbow of foliage brightens the warming earth.

“good old days,” times of greater physical strength and less mental fog. But the past doesn’t change, and the future isn’t promised. Aging will not stop … but can be embraced and enjoyed.

Two years of COVID and the death and severe lasting illness of loved ones make one weary. News and noise crush the heart.

Yet, like the pioneers of the past and the creatures that return to their summer habitats, I persist through the days, weeks, months and years given. Life is a blessing, and life is fleeting. Therefore, I persevere and grow, finding joy in the nature–and people–around me.

Spring is a delightful, joy-filled season.

The change from barren to bright nourishes my soul, refreshes my mind, and renews my heart. Senses awaken like unfurling flower petals.

Watching crane couples dance, with greening ranch fields and park meadows serving as dance floors, generates a desire to join in their jubilant freedom. Listening to the trill of a meadowlark on the prairie brings a wave of joyful song to my heart and observing butterflies flit from flower to flower creates a lightness to a once-oppressive atmosphere. The sweet aroma of lilac and honeysuckle disperses negativity, and apple tree blossoms bring awareness of newness and growth.

Winter lies in the rearview mirror, both the season and life’s past. Spring brings renewal and regeneration, growth and green. Brown fades, and an array of color births upon the landscape … and within the spirit.

Like a migrating bird or an unfolding flower, perseverance helps one arise from the burden of adversity. Growth, like a lilting monarch or a budding shrub, leads to adventurous possibilities.

Perseverance and growth define spring.

Those words also define life. Seasons in nature change. Seasons of life change.

Perseverance and growth are the essence of spring. They are also the essence of life. W

I’ve arrived at my sixth decade. Neither my body nor my mind work like they did 30 years ago. Sometimes I yearn for those

Gayle M. Irwin is a freelance writer based in Casper.

PRACTICE SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL LEARNING

WITH CARD GAMES! Playing games together is an opportunity to help your kids learn about taking turns, cooperation, handling frustration, being good leaders, patience, observation, and more!

Try these games together and notice the ways your kids are learning as you play. You’ll be happily surprised, and all you need is a deck of cards!

War Go Fish Play for pairs or four of a kind. Whoever has the most, wins!

Promotes taking turns and sharing.

The highest card wins! Along with early math skills, this game is about patience and turn-taking, and can promote good sportsmanship.

52-Card Pickup Slap Jack Win all the cards by being the fastest one to slap the Jack! This takes quick reflexes and concentration, and can be a lesson in handling frustration.

Toss all the cards on the ground and everyone picks them up. With a little teamwork, the task goes fast!

WE NEED YOUR HELP! For more activities to do with your kids, visit

wyqualitycounts.org/wren

THIS MONTH’S ACTIVITY:

Grow a Kindness Garden!

All WY Quality Counts activities are supported by the Wyoming Early Learning Standards as well as the Domains of Development, which include: Communication

Curious Minds

Sense of Self & Relationships

Strong & Healthy Bodies

Please complete this survey about your experiences and help shape the future of early childhood care and education in Wyoming.

Answers are confidential, and as a gesture of our appreciation, you will be entered into a drawing to win a $100 gift card! bit.ly/WYQCFamiliesSurvey SURVEY OPENS

WY Quality Counts, housed in the Department of Workforce Services, helps Wyoming parents and child care providers identify and create quality learning experiences for children, thanks to the funding of the Wyoming Legislature.

04/12/22 Available in English & Spanish