CLEARING THE WAY FOR A SAFER TOMORROW
At Tri-State G&T, we believe in the strength of rural communities — and we’re working hard to protect them. Our vegetation management crews are out in the field year-round assessing vegetation risk, clearing brush, trimming trees, and creating defensible space around power lines. It’s all part of our wildfire mitigation strategy to keep your family, homes, and businesses safe. Because when it comes to wildfires, prevention is power.
WHATEVER THE FUTURE HOLDS, WE’LL POWER IT.®
Scan to learn more about our year-round wildfire mitigation program.
Tri-State is a not-for-profit power supplier to cooperatives and public power districts in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.
Connie Morgan was commissioned to make this piece by the owners of La Cocina – A Mexican Concept restaurant in Casper. The wall was beautifully painted by local Casper tattoo artist P-Nut. Morgan mounted the neon to the wall and installed the transformers above in the rafters in 2023.
Arts, Culture Help Wyoming Communities Thrive
STORY BY AMBER STEINMETZ
Art
Head
SHOCK THERAPY:
DEREGULATION AND THE COMING POWER CRISIS
I’ve written about it in this column, and I’m sure you all have read or heard about the looming power crisis when it comes to meeting the demands of data centers and artificial intelligence. It is the modern-day space race, where many countries across the globe are trying to figure out how to generate enough power for these massive computing demands. Within the United States, it’s no different, where state legislatures are trying to crack the nut of attracting these large loads while not harming current rate payers. In Wyoming, some legislators and industries are touting the benefits of deregulating the electricity industry. However, I would urge caution before going down this road.
Back when I was working in Washington, D.C. for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee, deregulation of the electricity industry was sold to the public and policymakers as a means to foster competition, lower prices and spur innovation. In theory, removing government oversight would let market forces drive efficiency and benefit consumers. In practice, however, the outcomes have often fallen short—and in many cases, backfired dramatically. Remember Enron?
One of the most glaring problems with deregulation is price volatility. In regulated markets, utilities are required to maintain stable prices and invest in long-term infrastructure. Deregulated markets, on the other hand, allow prices to fluctuate wildly based on supply and demand. While this might make sense from an economic standpoint, it leaves consumers vulnerable—especially during extreme weather events or supply shortages. The 2021 Texas energy crisis is a striking example: during a winter storm, deregulated energy pricing led to astronomical bills, with some residents facing thousands of dollars in charges for just a few days of power.
Another issue is reliability. In a deregulated environment, energy providers often prioritize short-term profit over long-term infrastructure investment. There's less incentive to maintain or
upgrade transmission lines, weather-proof systems, or build capacity for peak demand. The focus shifts from public service to shareholder returns, and the consequences are borne by consumers who suffer through outages or face safety risks.
Deregulation also creates fragmented accountability. In a traditional regulated system, a single utility is responsible for generation, transmission and distribution. Consumers know who to call when something goes wrong. But in deregulated markets, multiple companies handle different parts of the system, making it harder to coordinate responses or assign blame when the lights go out. This confusion not only erodes public trust but also hampers effective oversight.
Furthermore, competition doesn’t always lead to lower prices. Many retail energy providers offer confusing rate structures, hidden fees and aggressive marketing tactics. Studies have shown that in several deregulated states, consumers actually pay more for electricity than in regulated ones. Instead of driving efficiency, competition has, in some cases, led to price gouging and consumer exploitation. Again, remember Enron?
Electricity is not a typical commodity—it's a basic necessity. Treating it as just another product in the marketplace fails to account for the public good it serves. While deregulation may have noble goals, its real-world implementation has too often sacrificed reliability, affordability and accountability in the name of market ideology. Policymakers would be wise to reconsider the assumptions behind energy deregulation and put the needs of the public back at the center of the conversation.
SHAWN TAYLOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
NEW FRIENDS, BIG ADVENTURES
PHOTO BY MELODY TURNER, MELODY MAE PHOTOGRAPHY TORRINGTON, WYOMING
Summer In Snowy Range
WANDA SANDERS CENTENNIAL, WYOMING
BASIN ELECTRIC
RELIABILITY
POWER YOU CAN ALWAYS DEPEND ON
No matter the season or storm our members face, Basin Electric provides reliable and affordable electricity for our members’ homes, schools, and businesses. We’ll do everything we can to keep fans running, the lights on, and the coffee brewing.
WILD◇WIRED◇WEST
CHALLENGES
Permitting
The average time from proposal to start of construction is 10 years.
Project Bottlenecks
At least 500 GW of generation is waiting to connect to the grid over the next 10 years.
Supply Chain
Higher costs and delays due to shortages of materials and qualified labor.
Policy
New federal transmission rules undermine the regional flexibility needed to provide reliable, affordable power.
10 YEARS
Time from proposal to start of construction
WHAT’S NEEDED
New Generation
The U.S. grid has about 240k circuit miles of transmission (>230kV). Capacity would need to more than double by 2035 to meet expected demand.
WHY IT'S NEEDED
Increasing Demand
Manufacturing, electrification and data centers are driving a nationwide spike in electricity use.
Renewables Integration
Transmission is needed to bring wind and solar power from where it’s produced to where it’s needed.
Reliability
The grid must balance supply/demand issues with factors like intermittent renewables and more extreme weather.
Distributed Generation
Future aggregation of regional DG will create a need for more transmission.
Aging Grid
~70% of the grid was built 25+ years ago and is in need of upgrade/replacement.
~ 70% of the grid is in need of upgrade/replacement
WREA Seeks Nominations for NRECA Committee Member and NRECA Director
THE WYOMING RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION NOMINATING COMMITTEE IS ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR CANDIDATES TO REPRESENT WYOMING ON THE NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION’S REGION VII STANDING COMMITTEES.
Region VII includes the Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska rural electric associations.
HOW IT WORKS
Region VII members (as a whole) have two representatives on each of the three committees:
1] Regulations
2] Legislative
3] Cooperative Management and Employee Issues
NRECA Legislative Committee Member
Per the WREA’s agreement with the other three states in Region VII to rotate the six seats, Wyoming will be accepting nominations for one seat on the Legislative Committee to start serving January of 2026.
NRECA Director
Per the WREA’s agreement with the other three states in Region VII to rotate the six seats, Wyoming will be accepting nominations for one seat on the Cooperative Management, Employment and Community Committee to start serving February of 2026.
MAIL YOUR NOMINATIONS BY AUGUST 28, 2025!
Committees generally meet once a year. A per diem is paid and travel expenses are reimbursed.
Members and employees from any Wyoming co-op are eligible to apply.
Committee members will be chosen by the WREA board of directors at the annual WREA Fall conference during the board meeting on SEPTEMBER 10, 2025.
Those interested in serving or nominating someone should submit names in writing to: Nominating Committee, WREA, 2312 Carey Ave., Cheyenne, WY, 82001
Include the name of the nominee, mailing address and phone number.
Arts, Culture Help Wyoming Communities
BY AMBER STEINMETZ
From fostering strong social connections and celebrating cultural heritage, to driving economic growth through tourism and local businesses, art provides multiple benefits throughout the state.
Clockwise from top left: Artist Talal Cockar's mural “Tierra y Libertad” in Laramie, funded by the Laramie Mural Project. PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT LARAMIE
GLoW Neon Lights storefront in Casper's Old Yellowstone District. PHOTO COURTESY OF CONNIE MORGAN "Cave" by Hofesh Schecter, Dancers Workshop of Jackson Hole. PHOTO BY CHRIS JONES
A young girl performs the Butterfly Dance at Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo in Cheyenne. LINCOLN ROGERS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
think the arts do so many things for Wyoming communities,” said Rachel Clifton, executive director of the Wyoming Arts Council. “Economically, the arts are a huge contributor to the state's economy, through tourism, through job support, workforce development and community engagement. But also, it really creates the sense of place where people want to build community and stay in communities.”
According to a report released in the fall of 2024, arts and culture added more than $1.3 billion to the economy in 2022, which was $350 million more than the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting sectors.
The report by the Wyoming Arts Alliance, commissioned from the University of Wyoming’s Center for Business and Economic Analysis, helps to quantify the scope of the arts and culture economy at the state and county level. Citing the report, Clifton said there are 14,618 jobs in the arts and culture sector in Wyoming, 4.1% of the state’s workforce.
It’s a number she said many find surprising, but it shows arts and culture help communities thrive, including community-based art programs, arts education and public art, which not only beautifies public spaces but encourages community engagement.
“Art can help reflect a community back to the people who live and work there, and show them an extension of themselves, which helps build community,” Clifton said. “Public art in particular can function as an attraction for tourism, for visitors to stay, spend more time in your community, walk around and find those hidden gems of artwork.”
The Lounge Cafe sign from the Tumble Inn Bar and Restaurant formerly located in Powder River, Wyoming. This is a project taken on by Jonathan Thorne from Boulder, Colorado. The restoration of the whole sign will hopefully be completed by the spring of 2026.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CONNIE MORGAN
The Jackson Hole Playhouse, a performing arts theater located in Jackson Hole.
THE CHEYENNE WATER TOWERS MURAL PROJECT is a perfect example. The project is a collaborative effort funded entirely through donations and featuring the water towers perched atop Storey Boulevard, visible from many vantage points throughout Cheyenne.
With an emphasis on local culture, history and natural environment, Cheyenne artist Jordan Dean was selected for the project. Dean wanted the murals to have a timeless feel. His focus is on the landscape before the area was settled, featuring horses, bison, Indian paintbrush and a Native American girl.
“When you stand up there and you look out, you can see all the way to Colorado, and most places in Cheyenne,” Dean said. “When you are driving around, you can look up and see these tanks. I’m very grateful to be able to paint them.”
Work on the first tower began July 21 and features wild horses appearing to run up the hill.
“I think horses in Wyoming and in Cheyenne are special,” he said. “I think that the land of God's creation
is beautiful on its own. You don't have to dress it up or do anything special or fancy to it, you’re just showcasing that a little bit.”
Dean completed his first mural 10 years ago and has done around 40 since then, but said this is the tallest and most logistically complicated. He uses a large-scale projector at night to outline the image on the tank. CHP Paint Co. then helps fill in sections during the day, thanks to the use of two large booms. Special paint that’s similar to an epoxy must be used and it hardens about an hour after it’s mixed, so they have to work fast.
The project is estimated to take six weeks, but Dean expected it to be done sooner as long as good weather prevailed.
“Each step I'm trying to find ways to improve it, or fix something,” he said. “And I think the more time I spend with this my appreciation for this project deepens.”
He hopes to be able to complete the second tower mural next year if the funds are raised.
Above: Renderings of the Cheyenne Water Tower Mural. Below: The current progress of the Cheyenne Water Tower mural.
IN CASPER, NEON ARTIST CONNIE MORGAN is helping to restore a vintage landmark through her business GloW Neon Lights in the Old Yellowstone District. She’s the only artist in the state who practices the fading art.
“It's pretty rare and people are drawn to the old-school feel of it,” Morgan said. “I think that there's still an appreciation for handmade things and I think there's probably even a deeper appreciation for it these days.”
In her shop she does both custom work and restorations including the Powder River Tumble Inn Cowboy sign. The sign was installed in the late 1950s but has been slowly lost to the elements, until it was purchased by Jonathan Thorne, who recruited John Huff and Morgan for the restoration.
“When you look at the Tumble Inn sign, it's very much a Vegas-type sign,” Morgan said. “It's not something that you would typically find in the middle of Wyoming. That's what makes it so cool. It's coming along slowly, but it's fun to bring something like that back to life.”
Her love of neon began when she was 17 and attended an art exhibition. Morgan wanted to learn the craft and went to San Francisco after high school to get her initial training. After years of working for sign shops in Detroit, Seattle and Bozeman, Montana, she settled in Casper 14 years ago and opened her shop in 2020.
“I think what drew me to it was making something with my hands,” she said. “I like building things and making things. I do art pieces, but for me the true art is the whole process of the making of the neon, the bending of the glass. That’s where my true passion lies.”
For the Tumble Inn sign, she first fixed the glass that had minimal damage, and is now working on areas of the sign that need glass replacement. Some setbacks have pushed back the completion date of the project, but the goal is to see the sign lit up by Memorial Day 2026.
“I love old signs,” Morgan said. “I think my only wish is that more people would see the value in restoring them because there's so many cool ones around the state of Wyoming.” W
Amber Steinmetz is a freelance writer and photographer in Cody.
Morgan was commissioned to make this piece by the owners of La Cocina - A Mexican Concept restaurant in Casper. The wall was beautifully painted by local Casper tattoo artist P-Nut. Morgan mounted the neon to the wall and installed the transformers above in the rafters in 2023.
Bottom Left: Morgan was commissioned by the Horseshoe Tattoo Company from Vernal, Utah. to create this sign. She said this is probably one of the most dense and complex pieces she's ever made.
Morgan was commissioned to make the ART321 sign by local Casper metal artist Betsy Bower.
Arts and culture has a significant economic impact in Wyoming according to a 2024 report by the Wyoming Arts Alliance, commissioned from the University of Wyoming’s Center for Business and Economic Analysis.
“I think conversation about the arts often focuses on the multiple other benefits,” Wyoming Arts Alliance interim director Ryan Dinneen O'Neil said. “We certainly contribute to community health and mental health, and arts education really impacts students, but this creative economy research helps us focus on an aspect of our story that I think often isn't told, but I think it is something that really resonates.”
$929 million in labor income. $1.3B 8.9% $3.6B 2.7% $35M $929M
Arts and culture contributes $1.3 billion to the state economy, with the total gross value of goods and services estimated to be $49.1 billion.
The creative economy is 2.7% of Wyoming’s GDP. To put that in perspective, tourism and outdoor recreation was 4.1% and the agriculture industry was 2.4%.
Annual growth of the creative sector was 8.9%, the fastest growing in the state.
$35 million in local and state tax revenue.
$3.6 billion in total economic output.
The economic analysis was the first step in a WYAA Data Roundup Project. The Wyoming Art Alliance is now holding community listening sessions and forum groups. O’Neil said the information from those will be available this fall, and they will use it to identify action items focused on enhancing support for artists, art organizations and art educators around the state.
Creative Aging participants read original works at a celebration event at Sage Living as part of Jackson Hole Writers.
Cheyenne All-City Children's Chorus Concert Choir performs at the opening session of the Wyoming State Senate.
Morgan created this piece as a trade with another artist. The neon is in the artist’s handwriting and favorite color; the base is epoxied with the artist’s work underneath.
Artist Meghan Meier's mural “Grainery Grove” in Laramie, funded by the Laramie Mural Project.
PHOTO COURTESY OF VISIT LARAMIE
Cathy Ringler’s first book, “Miya’s Dream,” began as a story she told her daughters as they rode their horses home in the evenings.
“Miya’s Dream” received the Western Horizon Award, a bronze medal in the Moonbeam Awards, third place in the Colorado Evvy Awards and a Blue Ink Starred Review. “Miya’s Dream” was also featured in a Wyoming PBS segment on bullying.
In the sequel, “Miya’s Mountain,” Ringler draws on her experiences in the wilderness along with her love of horses. She’s ridden, hiked and camped in the back country for over 35 years and is now paying it forward as the Education Director for the Shoshone Backcountry Horsemen. This position allows her to promote the principles of Leave No Trace, safety and conservation of the back country.
“Miya’s Mountain” received third place in the 2024 Wyoming Writer’s YA fiction contest.
For the book giveaway this month, we have a copy of both “Miya’s Dream'' and “Miya’s Mountain.” Enter to win the set and dive into Miya’s world as a gutsy yet vulnerable teenage girl who shows herself to be a survivor in the pristine, dangerous mountains. This relatable heroine tackles family and boyfriend problems while fighting to control her anxiety and prove herself in a world filled with uncertainty.
Ringler is a storyteller and cowgirl who lives at the foot of the beautiful Beartooth Mountains and rides in them as often as her busy schedule will allow. Her books depict rural life in the west with authenticity. Anyone with a love of horses and the ranching life will enjoy them!
Chosen as one of two storytellers from Wyoming selected to perform in the International Storytelling Conference in 2020, Ringler also tells stories annually at Wyoming Discovery Days in Thermopolis.
JUNE 2025 ISSUE
WYOMING JEEPERS TRAIL GUIDE
BOOK WINNER:
wyobiodiversity.org
Pockets Full of Nutrition
Lupins are in the Fabaceae family of plants, the same family of plants that the peas you eat for dinner are in. All plants within this family have a unique superpower. Their roots have nodules, or little pockets, that provide a home for good bacteria called rhizobium to grow in. These kinds of bacteria help convert a nutrient in the atmosphere called nitrogen into a form that plants can absorb to help them grow. These bacteria produce an enzyme, or a type of protein, that drives the process. The scientific name for this process as a whole is called nitrogen fixation, and the enzymes are called nitrogenases. It is similar in some ways to how we digest our food in order to absorb the food’s nutrients, and we have our own good bacteria in our gut that helps with the process.
Helpful Neighbors
One big difference in these two processes is that the nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the lupin’s roots allow for this easily absorbed form of nitrogen to also be released into the surrounding soil, which improves soil health and helps the plant communities nearby, too. In this way, lupins are not just pretty flowers, they are also helpful plant neighbors that support our ecosystems here in Wyoming. So next time you see a lupin, I hope you are reminded of the way that lupins help their plant neighbors and that you think of some ways that you can help your neighbors, too.
LUPINS HAVE COOPERATIVE SPIRIT
COOPERATION IN NATURE
Have you ever noticed those cone shaped, pretty purple flowers that pop up during spring here in Wyoming? Those flowers are called lupins, and the scientific name for their genus is Lupinus. Lupins are very special plants, not just because they are pretty, but because they are helpers to their plant neighbors.
— Gene H.
Tactical Meets Practical
Switzerland is synonymous with expensive, big-name luxury watches like Rolex®, Piaget® and Patek Philippe® that sell for thousands, but the Stauer Swiss Tactical Watch delivers Swiss precision for a fraction of the cost. Inspired by military timepieces like the American A-11, it combines rugged performance, simplicity, and legendary craftsmanship — built for action, not display cases.
Precision Takes Time
Swiss excellence demands patience. Each Stauer Swiss Tactical takes nearly nine months to complete, and this is a limited edition of 4,900. Crafted by master watchmakers, some of whom have worked with the other prestigious brands, this is your chance to own a rare, precision-engineered tactical watch without the inflated luxury price tag.
Why Pay for a Name?
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Stauer Swiss Tactical Watch
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When a Horse Throws You, Get Back On
BY KEN STIMSON
Albert Einstein said, “A hundred times every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life depend on the labours of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving.”
On the ranch “others” meant animals. Especially animals. They were our coworkers, our friends and our source of income. Did we treat them well? You bet! Did we treat them like humans? No. Most of the time we treated them better than we treated ourselves. But we did not think that they were human beings. Did we respect them? Without a doubt. They had their jobs and we had ours and that was where the teamwork came about. An old saying sums up the need and the importance of teamwork on the ranch: “When you’re working a team of horses and one horse bucks and the other pulls, you can’t get much work done.” All the animals and all the humans have their jobs and the success of any farm or ranch depends upon this teamwork. If you want to see real animal
lovers, visit a farmer or rancher. We had too much respect for them to treat them other than what they were.
In the city I see way too many people trying to make people out of their animals, and then they get upset when their animals don’t act human.
My first memory in life was being put on a neighbor’s horse and when my uncle turned away for a second, I fell off into a pile of cow manure. I remember Grandma running out of the house with a wash rag and cleaning me up. I was nine months old at the time and many say you can’t remember that far back. Well, I always said that if you start out life face down in a stinky barnyard corral, you’ve got no place to go but up! So maybe that explains some
of my weirdness in later life. That was my first time on a horse and that ill-fated fall only heightened my desire to be like my uncle, “a cowboy.” So, I do remember my first fall, but only two other falls of many after that, both of which I was hurt rather seriously. But the lesson of getting back on and not giving up has proved very useful to me in the rest of my life.
The other part of this lesson is you must finish what you start. If a horse knows that if he throws you and you don’t get back on right away, he’ll try to throw you every time you ride.
I look back to the ranch at calving time as an example of people and animals respecting and working with each other. Our cows started having their baby calves about the 10th of March. The younger cows, heifers as they are called, being smaller were more likely to have problems delivering. So, it was the later part of March when my uncle said that it looks like we’re going to have to help a heifer trying to calf. The snow that had covered the ground most of the winter had started to melt, forming mud puddles in the corral.
While most of the time the cows were pretty wild and you couldn’t walk up to them, when they would get in trouble they would allow you to approach. This particular heifer had been in labor for quite some time so we decided to help her by pulling on the calf when she was pushing. Well, the calf got about halfway out and stopped. Now, this is a very critical time as the air supply to the calf is cut off and in a very short time will suffocate. So, whether this calf lives or dies depends upon how the heifer pushes and how hard we can pull on this calf. My uncle was a very strong man and he kept saying pull … pull … pull … and with my help we started to make a little progress. All of us were on the ground wallowing in the mud, manure and gore. Then the progress stopped and
In the city I see way too many people trying to make people out of their animals.
time became critical. We started to pull with every ounce of strength we had and the calf came out. For a few seconds the cow, calf, my uncle and I were paralyzed from exhaustion. We didn’t know if we had saved the calf or not and we were too spent even to move. Then the calf started to move and my uncle crawled up to its head and started clearing the mucus from its mouth. When that was finished, we all lay back in the muck and let a wave of exaltation sweep over us. A baby was pulled into the world alive and all of us were so proud of this new life. As I sit writing this, my eyes are filled with tears. Never have I pulled that hard again and never have the stakes been that high.
I was relating this story to my friend, and he said that I’ll bet you felt close to God. I
replied that I never thought about it that way, but he was 100 percent right. Never give up when there is a reason to continue and always get back on that horse when he throws you.
In the city, I hear people say, “I’ll try,” or “I’ll do my best,” or “I’ll try to do my best.”
On the ranch you do whatever it takes to get the job done. It may take you all night or all the next day or into the next week, but you have to get the job done. So, if a horse throws you and you don’t get back on, you have given yourself permission to fail. The first time you give yourself permission you will give yourself permission to fail for the rest of your life. W
Ken Stimson was raised in Goshen County on a small ranch 32 miles north of Torrington. He studied at UW after Torrington High and was a proud member of the Wyoming National Guard for six years.
POLISH POTATO SOUP
POTATOES
BOURBON MASHED SWEET POTATOES
3 LBS GARNET SWEET POTATO, PEELED AND CUT INTO 1" CHUNKS
1 TBS SALT
4 TBS BOURBON
4 TSP GRASS FED BUTTER
2 TBS BROWN SUGAR
1 TSP VANILLA
1 CUP
Bring to boil the potatoes and onions until they are soft. Add peppers and carrots, and boil on medium until they are soft. DO NOT DRAIN the liquid. Add milk, cheese and butter/margarine. Bring to medium boil and serve! 3 or 4 servings of delicious potato soup. Double the recipe for a larger group.
PEGGY HOWARD SUNDANCE
PECAN CRUMBLE TOPPING
5 TBS BUTTER, MELTED
2/3 CUP BROWN SUGAR
1/2 CUP FLOUR
1/4 TSP SALT
1 CUP ROUGH CHOPPED PECANS
Place sweet potato chunks in a large 5 quart pot and just cover with water. Add salt to water. Bring to a boil. Cook until tender, approximately 15-20 minutes.
Drain the cooked potatoes and return to the pot on the stove. Turn heat to low. Add bourbon, butter, brown sugar and vanilla, stir to distribute then mash until smooth. Taste test and adjust the amount of bourbon, butter, sugar and vanilla to your liking.
Spread mixture into a 9x13-inch pan. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Bake about 20 minutes at 350° or until hot in center and topping golden and crunchy.
ANNA LAMBERT GILLETTE
Cook and chop eggs and potatoes. Let cool. Add red onion and celery and toss. Mix dressing ingredients well and fold into potato mixture. Adjust for creaminess as needed. Sprinkle lightly with paprika. Serve well chilled.
SARAH DEHMEL TEN SLEEP
Generational Wealth
BY GAYLE M. IRWIN
The Teacher Who Danced on His Desk
Eugene “Gene” Gagliano Instilled Knowledge and Joy Within Students for Decades, Continues Doing So Through Writing
Eugene “Gene” Gagliano spent three decades as an educator in Johnson County, teaching elementary school, including four years in a rural county school teaching multiple grade levels. Known as “The Teacher Who Dances on His Desk,” Gagliano not only taught children but he entertained them, sparking not just knowledge, but also creativity and joy.
“One winter when it was gray for several days and the kids were kind of in a funk, I thought, ‘Oh, I know, I’ll just jump up on one of the empty desks,’ and I started to dance. They looked at me like I was crazy, of course, but it worked! It got everybody laughing and happy.”
The dancing continued throughout his career in education.
“Every year when I had a birthday, the second-grade teachers would all come into my classroom with their kids, and [one of the second-grade teachers] would bring her guitar and she would play ‘Happy Birthday,’” Gagliano said. “They would all sing, and then I would get up there – and I had this hat and cane – and I would dance. I cleared the desk off and danced on the desk. I did that for years.”
Gagliano’s enjoyment of education and children came from being part of “a big Italian family” and working as a camp counselor. He also enjoys plants and has a degree in horticulture.
Gene in his garden outside his home in Buffalo, Wyoming.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF EUGENE GAGLIANO
Gagliano and his wife moved to Wyoming in 1973 from their home state of New York upon his acceptance of an educator position in rural Johnson County. He taught four students the first year, and his introduction to that area included a few interesting incidents.
“One morning we're starting class, and all of a sudden, I hear this noise. I looked out the window and there's all these cattle running through the front yard,” he recalled. “I asked, ‘Hey guys, what's going on out there?’ They were having a roundup, and it was going right through the schoolyard!”
He quickly learned about Wyoming winters.
“I got to the schoolhouse and the front door was all snowed in,” he reflected. “Then one of the parents showed up with one of the kids, and he managed to shovel us out … or shovel me in.”
He added, “One of my fondest memories is every morning we would put up the flag, and it was such a neat feeling of patriotism. I didn't make it into the military, so I said, ‘If I can't do that, I'm going to teach kids to love their country,’ and that was pretty neat for me.”
After four years at that school, Gagliano began teaching in Buffalo where he spent the rest of his career and where he and his wife continue to reside.
“I have no regrets [moving to Wyoming],” Gagliano said. “It was the best decision I ever made.”
Author, Poet and State Poet Laureate
Retired from teaching, Gagliano still impacts lives through writing. He has authored 24 books, and he served as Wyoming’s Poet Laureate for seven years, conducting presentations and readings around the state and for the legislature and the governor.
“I thoroughly enjoyed it because you're with an audience who appreciates that kind of stuff,” Gagliano said.
He’s also visited schools and libraries.
Some of his published works include alphabet and number books, such as “C is for Cowboy” and “Four Wheels West,” as well as “Dee and the Mammoth,” winner of the 2010-2011 Wyoming State Historical Society Award for best juvenile fiction. This book, illustrated by Casper artist Zachary Pullen, represented Wyoming at the 2010 National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Gagliano has also written fiction books for middle school readers, and those include “Ice Cave Mystery,” 2024 Wyoming Historical Society Award winner for
best fiction, and “Snap,” which took second place in the 2019 CIPA Evvy Awards, one of the longest-running book award competitions on the independent publishing scene.
He’s also published poetry books, including “A Wyoming State of Mind,” and his poems have been featured in several anthologies.
Gagliano began creating poetry while in seventh grade, and he saw several of his works published while still in high school. Today, he is a member of the statewide writers’ organization Wyoming Writers, Inc., and the statewide poets’ organization WyoPoets, among other writing and arts organizations.
Faith, Courage and Perseverance
He maintains a strong faith and believes he was called to teach and to write.
“God gave me this gift, and I needed to use it and then if I could touch people's hearts and do something good, that was my purpose here on earth,” he said.
Wyoming’s Cowboy Code of Ethics includes living with courage and taking pride in your work. Gagliano exemplifies those traits and encourages them in others, whether students or writers. Years ago, he desired to attend a writers’ conference organized by the Highlights Foundation in New York but couldn’t see a way to afford the travel, lodging, conference cost, etc. He decided to write the organizer and request a scholarship.
“There was no place indicating they offered scholarships,” Gagliano recalled. “One Sunday, after I came home from church, I received a phone call. The director of the Highlights Foundation said, ‘I just wanted to let you know we'd like to give you a full scholarship, including flying to New York.’ It was just wonderful, like a dream come true.”
Gagliano lives by advice he’s given to others: “You never know until you try.”
Like most people, he has experienced challenges in life, from health issues to rejections by publishers. He’s saved those rejection letters and used them during presentations, in particular when speaking to high school and college students. Gagliano believes no matter what a person wants to do in life, own a business, operate a farm or ranch, become an engineer, a singer, dancer or writer, perseverance and courage are necessary.
“Follow your heart and don't be afraid to try,” he said. W
Gayle M. Irwin is a freelance writer based in Casper.
Gene sharing one of his books with a group of school children.
Marilyn Schmoker, Osage
Afternoon Smiley Snuggles
Jenny Pierson, Moorcroft
Sleep Lab
Heather McLaughlin, Upton
Beautiful Rest
Tara Seely, Torrington
Are You Comfortable?
Martha Ralston, Encampment
Enjoying Spring
Carrie Miller, Laramie
"Like Father..."
Lisa Brenner, Harrisburg, NE
Peaceful Sunset
Martha Rasmussen, Burlington
Rest
Bernie Borland, Gillette
Resting
Gina Burns, Lyman
Resting With a Loyal Friend
Trudy Craft, Basin
Sleepy Bison
Vicki Mann Olson, Powell
It’s Been a Hard Day’s Night
Melody Posey-Harris, Saratoga
Hangin' Out Taking a Rest Before Movin' On
Rob McIntosh, Torrington
The Flop House
Vicki Mann Olson, Powell
Wild Flowers
Karen Henderson, Burlington
The Tail End Of The Night
Kinsey Jones, Otto
Jenny AKA "Pork Chop"
Rob Dickerson, Cheyenne
MEETEETSE 114TH LABOR DAY WEEKEND EXTRAVAGANZA
AUGUST 29 – SEPTEMBER 1
Big Horn County Fairgrounds • 315 Holdrege Ave • Basin
Fri 8/29 7pm: Live music-Justin Beasley & After the Rodeo at Elk Horn parking lot
Sat-Sun 10am-4pm: Craft Fair
Sat 8/30 11am: Cornhole Tournament
10am-1pm: 3rd Annual Car Show (1906 State St)
6pm: Live music - Buck WyOld at Elk Horn parking lot
Sun 8/31 9am: Chuck Perkins Memorial Roping 10am: Horseshoe Tournament
Evening: Live Music at The Cowboy and Elkhorn Bar & Grill
Mon 9/1 8am: Free Pancake Breakfast 9:30am: Parade 11am: Street Games
1pm: Labor Day Rodeo (Rodeo Grounds)
5pm: Duck Race after Rodeo at Bridge Cost and Information: 307-568-2968 • facebook.com/bighorncountyfair bighornfair.com
01 | SOUTHEAST
CENTENNIAL
THURSDAY-MONDAY
Nici Self Historical Museum: 12-4pm. Explore museum grounds and exhibits. Free. Info: niciselfmuseum.com.
CHUGWATER
THURSDAYS
Acoustic Jam Session and 4-Piece Chicken Dinners: 5:30pm. Stampede Saloon & Eatery, 417 1st St. Thursday night pickin’ and grinnin’ and fried chicken...while it lasts. Call to reserve your chicken so you don’t miss out! Music venue open for jam sessions. Info: 307-422-3200, stampedefun@aol.com.
ONGOING
Live Music: Stampede Saloon & Eatery. Weekend performances. Info: 307-422-3200, stampedefun@aol.com.
ENCAMPMENT
SEPTEMBER 7
2025 Sporting Clay Shoots: 9am-3pm. Spur Outfitters, 3135 Hwy 230. Open to the public. Shooting runs from 9am-2pm depending on number of participants. Call for cost. Info: 307-327-6505, info@spuroutfitters.com.
TUESDAYS-SATURDAYS
Grand Encampment Museum: 10am-4pm. Main Gallery and GEM store open. Info: 307-327-5308.
MEDICINE BOW
ONGOI N G
Museum and Gift Shop: 8:30am-4:30pm. 405 Lincoln Highway. Info: 307-379-2383.
RAWLINS
SEPTEMBER 13-14
3rd Annual Paint Seminoe Plein Air: 7pm. North Red Hills Campground at Seminoe State Park. Camp and paint wherever you like. We will have a showing and potluck dinner at 4pm on the 13th. Reserve your own campsite or come out for the day. No charge for the event. Campsite fee will be your responsibility. Info: 307-321-9920.
SARATOGA
AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 1
Labor Day Weekend: Event days and times vary. The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch, 66 Brush Creek Ranch Rd. Celebrate the final days
of your summer season with an all-inclusive holiday vacation! Plan your Labor Day weekend getaway connecting with nature, friends and family among 3,000 private acres of pristine landscapes. Wake to stunning Wyoming sunrises and begin your day with sunrise yoga or experience the western tradition of “Gathering of the Horses.” Enjoy the soothing sounds of the peaceful Brush Creek waters and cast lines during peak fly-fishing season. Indulge in gourmet cuisine for each all-inclusive meal, sourced from The Farm’s own greenhouse, goat creamery, Wagyu beef, Brush Creek Distillery spirits and awardwinning wine collection. Call for pricing. Info: 307-327-5284, Reservations@BrushCreekRanch.com.
SEPTEMBER 20
12th Annual Oktoberfest: 12-4pm. Saratoga Hot Springs Resort, 601 Pic Pike Rd. Tickets include collectible glass, live music by Slopeside, craft beer, wine and custom spirits. There will be German themed food available for purchase. Wear a costume or resort gear and get $10 off entry if awarded best costume! $45 per person. Info: 307-326-5261, saratogahotspringsresort.com.
SEPTEMBER 29-OCTOBER 2
Unbridled Women’s Equine Retreat: Event days and times vary. The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch, 66 Brush Creek Ranch Road. Call for pricing. Info: 307-327-5284, Reservations@BrushCreekRanch.com.
02 | NORTHEAST
BIG HORN
AUGUST 31 - SEPTEMBER 1
Don King Days 37th Anniversary: All day. Big Horn Equestrian Center, 352 Bird Farm Rd. ‘Old West’ rodeo events featuring match bronc riding, steer roping and end-of-season polo cups. The family-oriented celebration honors renowned saddle maker Don King. Free. Info: Sheila Blackburn, 307-752-6657.
BUFFALO
THURSDAYS
Bluegrass Jam Session: 6:30pm. Occidental Saloon. Free. Info: 307-684-0451.
CLEARMONT
SEPTEMBER 23
Ucross Reception for Big Red Showcase: 5pm. Ucross Foundation, 30 Big Red Ln. Head to Ucross for a public reception celebrating the new Big Red Showcase, including an artist talk by Roxanne Everett and complimentary refreshments. Free. Info: Rani Robison, rrobison@ucross.org.
GILLETTE
SEPTEMBER 4
The Battle of Bonepile Creek: The 1865 Sawyers Expedition: 6pm. Campbell County Rockpile Museum, 900 W 2nd St. Join the Rockpile Museum and the WAS-Pumpkin Buttes Chapter for an evening of excitement as the Rockpile Museum’s own Justin Horn presents on the history of the 1865 Sawyers Expedition. While passing 10 miles south of modern Gillette, Sawyers and his men encountered a group of Cheyenne Indians and got into several skirmishes with the Native Americas at Bonepile and Caballo
Creeks. Laurel Vicklund will also be joining us to talk about the archaeological excavations done at the rifle pits at the Caballo Creek Site in 1997. Laurel was the Senior Environmental Engineer assigned to the project by AMAX who owned the mine at the time. Free. Info: Justin Horn, 307-682-5723, justin.horn@campbellcountywy.gov.
THROUGH SEPTEMBER
Dramatic Moments: Frederic Remington’s Early Engravings, 1882-1893: Mon.-Sat. 8am-5pm. Rockpile Museum. Created by Lee Silliman, curator of “Hurrah for the Cowboy,” this exhibit illustrates Western frontier life. Featuring 38 vintage engravings that launched Frederic Remington's career. Remington’s consummate skill in rendering the horse in motion is prominently demonstrated in these engravings. Works such as “The Last Lull in the Fight” demonstrate Remington’s creative imagination and won him the silver medal at the Paris International Exposition. Free. Info: Justin Horn, 307-682-5723.
THIRD WEEK OF EVERY MONTH
Open Mic Nite: 6-9pm. Thu. or Fri. depending on the schedule. Frontier Auto Museum. Free. All musicians are welcome. We supply the stage, mic and speakers. Bring your voice and/or instrument for an evening under the neon lights. Upcoming dates will be posted on facebook.com/frontierauto. Info: Ryan Swanson, 307-686-5667, relics@frontierauto.net.
ONGOING
Ava Community Art Center: Exhibits and workshops. Info: 307-682-9133, avacenter.org.
HULETT
TUESDAYS
Children’s Storytime: 10:30-11:30am. Hulett Library. Info: 307-467-5676.
MONDAY-THURSDAY
5 Mile Walking Exercise Class: 4:45-6pm. Hulett Library. Info: 307-467-5676.
MONDAY-FRIDAY
Senior Exercise Class: 9-10am. Hulett Library. Info: 307-467-5676.
NEWCASTLE
THIRD SATURDAYS
Weston County Democrats: 2pm. Weston County Library. Info: 307-941-1822, weston.wyodems.net.
FRIDAYS
Bingo: 7:30pm. VFW Hall. Free.
SECOND AND FOURTH WEDNESDAYS
Gigi’s Closet: 9am-1:30pm. First United Methodist Church. Gently loved clothing available for babies to adults. Info: 307-746-4119.
ONGOING
Anna Miller Museum: 8am-4pm. Closed on holidays. 401 Delaware Ave. Free. Info: 307- 746-4188.
SHERIDAN
SEPTEMBER 1
Life is a rodeo BU CKLE
Moorcroft Branch Library Activities: 10am storytime, 4pm afterschool craft, 7pm AA meetings. Please use the downstairs entrance. Info: 307-756-3232.
THIRD THURSDAY OF MONTH
Adult Book Club: 1pm. Moorcroft Branch Library. New book each month. Stop by the library for your copy. Info: 307-756-3232.
MONDAY-FRIDAY
West Texas Trail Museum: 9am-5pm. Info: 307-756-9300.
ONGOING
Senior Center Events: 9am coffee and rolls on Wednesdays. 9am toenail clinic and 6pm dinner every fourth Thursday. Info: 307-756-9550.
3rd Thursday Street Festival: 5pm. Downtown Sheridan between Alger and Loucks streets. Downtown Sheridan Association's community event features an array of vendors, food, music and more. For the final 3rd Thursday Street Festival this summer, Cruisin' will be putting on an unforgettable live performance to cap off our amazing season! Free. Info: Downtown Sheridan Association, 307-672-8881.
SEPTEMBER 4
Sheridan Community Land Trust Discovery Session: Plein Air Sketching: 5:30pm. Big Goose Natural Area, 14 Lane Ln. Have you wanted to draw or sketch the stunning splendor of our landscape in its fall colors? Now you can! Randy Stout will help you discover the skills you need to capture what you see so you can keep it, enjoy it and share it. Free. Info: Sheridan Community Land Trust, 307-673-4702.
Downtown Sheridan is Open Late: Until 8:30pm. Downtown Sheridan. Our downtown businesses are teaming up to stay open late so you can shop after work, after sports practices or just enjoy a fun night out with friends and family. Free. Info: Epoch Collection, 307-429-1049.
SEPTEMBER 5-7
Flying Cowboys Annual Fly-In: All day event. 89 Keystone Rd. Pilots from five states bring 200 remotepowered planes for display and flight from dawn to dusk. Free kids’ glider toss, potluck dinner on Friday and burgers for sale on Saturday. Free. Info: 307-674-7342.
SheCo Women’s Conference: All day event. First Baptist Church, 3179 Big Horn Ave. SheCo is an annual conference for women from Sheridan County and beyond, offering a weekend of fellowship, biblical teaching and meaningful connection with others and with God. Free. Info: bit.ly/SheCo2025-Registration.
SEPTEMBER 6
Bluegrass in the Bighorns: 3pm. Mint Bar, 151 N Main St. Join us for an afternoon of live Bluegrass and Americana music featuring The Two Tracks along with support from the Mighty Holler and Shot in the Foot. $20. Info: bit.ly/BluegrassBighorns-2025.
SEPTEMBER 13
Sgt. Nevada Krinkee Memorial 5K: 9am. Thorne Rider Park, 1550 Thorne Rider Park Dr. On February 13, 2024 at the age of 33, Sgt. Krinkee was killed in the line of duty. His family has created this race to provide the opportunity for the community to remember and celebrate his service and life. Includes a one-mile fun run and five-mile run/walk. $35 to $40 depending on length of run. Info: bit.ly/SgtKrinkee5K.
Sheridan County Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention Walk: 10am. Whitney Commons Park, 320 West Alger St. Join us to show your support for preventing suicide and for supporting suicide loss survivors. There will be resource tables, activities including facepainting and more. Free. Info: afsp.org/sheridancounty.
24th Annual Wine Fest: 6pm. Grinnell Plaza. Wine Fest "Sheridan Uncorked" is a key Downtown Sheridan Association fundraiser supporting downtown projects, featuring a fun and elegant evening of delicious wine, beer, spirits and local flavor. $75 for general admission; $125 for VIPs. Info: Downtown Sheridan Association, 307-672-8881.
SEPTEMBER 19
Born in a Barn Creative Sale: All day. Born in a Barn, 415 US 14. Event featuring live music, a field of food and 90+ vendors. $5. Info: borninabarnwyo.com.
SEPTEMBER 20
The Mane Event 2025 Gravel Grinder Bike Ride: 7:30am. The foothills north and east of Sheridan.
80 mile, 50 mile and 25 mile bike races. $70-$100 depending on length of race. Info: maneeventgravel.com.
Writers and Authors Meeting: 1pm. Sheridan County Fulmer Public Library, 335 West Alger St. Looking to form connections with other writers or authors in the Sheridan area? This is the place for you! Free. Info: Brooke May, bmay2129@gmail.com.
The Second Annual Disco Ball: 8pm. The Mint Bar, 151 N Main St. Gather your people, get your glitter and ultimate disco-fit and meet us at the Mint after Born in a Barn! Free. Info: borninabarnwyo.com.
Dan Tyminski Band: 7pm. WYO Performing Arts & Education Center, 42 N Main St. Dan Tyminsk Band, one of the biggest names in modernday bluegrass, is a must-see! Info: wyotheater.com.
SEPTEMBER 25
Strings Unleashed: A Rock Fusion Experience with Dallas String Quartet: 7pm. WYO Performing Arts & Education Center, 42 N Main St. A brand new electric evening, perfect for a date night for the entire family! Brimming with your favorite rock songs – played on electric string instruments – your ears will be delighted, your feet will be tapping and you won’t take your eyes off the captivating stage presence that is DSQ. Info: wyotheater.com.
SEPTEMBER 27
Huntley: Home Town Tour: 7pm. WYO Performing Arts & Education Center, 42 N Main St. Millions of viewers of the longstanding hit television series The Voice cast their votes for Huntley, crowning him the victor of season 24. See Huntley in the next steps on this amazing journey with the premiere of a pair of independently released singles and more. Info: wyotheater.com.
SATURDAYS
Landon’s Farmer’s Market: 10am. Landon’s Greenhouse, 505 College Meadows Dr. Info: 307-672-8340.
SUNDANCE
FOURTH THURSDAY OF THE MONTH
Lunch Brunch Book Club: 11:30am. Crook County Library. Join us for an adult book discussion. Free. Info: Shannon, 307-283-1008.
WEDNESDAYS
Storytime: 10:30am. Crook County Public Library. Info: Tonia, 307-283-1008.
UPTON
SECOND TUESDAYS
Veteran Breakfast: 8am. Upton Senior Center. Free. Info: Gary Barnes, 307-468-9251.
FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAYS
Bingo at Senior Center: 6:30pm. $10 for 10 cards. Info: 307-468-9262.
ONGOING
Senior Center Activities: 1113 2nd St. 12pm lunch Mon.-Fri. for $4. Call for reservation before 9am at 307-468-2422 or 712-400-9056. 9am coffee and treats on Tuesdays. 9am exercise program every Tues. and Fri. 5:30pm card elimination and potluck every third Mon. Info: 307-468-9262.
Red Onion Museum: 8am-4pm. Closed holidays. 1920 HWY 16. Free. Info: 307-226-2873, redonion@gmail.com.
WOLF
SEPTEMBER 20
Wolf Creek Wrangle: 7:30am. Eatons’ Ranch, 270 Eaton Ranch Rd. All runners start on the lawn of the ranch, flow through a beautiful meadow and then quickly change to single track where only horses, cattle and trail runners roam! If you are looking for a true trail run experience, this is the race for you. Includes 5 mile, 7 mile, 13.1 mile and 18 mile races. $55-$95 depending on length of race. Info: runwolfcreekwrangle.com.
SEPTEMBER 26-28
Eatons’ Ranch Yoga Retreat: All day event. Eatons’ Ranch, 270 Eaton Ranch Rd. Escape to the breathtaking mountains for a rejuvenating yoga retreat at the oldest dude ranch in America, nestled amidst rugged mountains and rolling prairies. $460 for a onenight half retreat, and $780 for a two-night full retreat. Info: bit.ly/EatonsRanchYogaRetreat.
03 | NORTHWEST
CODY
MONDAY-SATURDAY
Cody Country Art League Gallery: 9am-5pm. 836 Sheridan Ave. Info: 307-587-3597.
DUBOIS
THURSDAYS
Farmer's Market: 4-6pm. Headwaters. Info: Twila Blakeman, 307-851-0785.
FRIDAYS
Family Story Time: 11:30am. Dubois Branch Library. Free. Songs, stories and crafts for ages birth to 5 years. Older siblings are welcome to join the fun. Stay and play in the Children’s Library after story time. Info: 307-455-2992.
THIRD WEDNESDAYS
Wyoming Health Fairs Monthly Wellness Screen/Blood Draw: 7:30-10am. Dubois Medical Clinic. Appointments encouraged. Info: 307-455-2516, whf.as.me/dubois.
GREYBULL
SECOND SATURDAYS
Greybull Ladies Coffee: Greybull Library. Info: 307-765-2100.
LANDER
SEPTEMBER 4
Keys to Embracing Aging: 5:306:30pm. Fremont County Library, 200 Amoretti St. Call to sign up. Free. Info: 307-568-4160.
SEPTEMBER 5-6
Dual Canning Classes: 9am-12:30pm and 5:30-9pm. Meadowlark Kitchen, 228 Main St. Dual canning classes (boiling water & pressure) with UWE & CWC. Call to sign up. Free. Info: 307-568-4160.
SATURDAYS
Acoustic Music Jam: 11am-1pm. Lander Bake Shop. Info: 307-332-3237.
ONGOING
First Friday: 5pm art show reception. 6pm music. Middle Fork Restaurant. New artist and local musician each month. Info: 307-335-5035, facebook.com/MiddleForkCafe.
LOVELL
SEPTEMBER 10
Boiling Water Canning Class: 2-4:30pm. Big Horn Federal Savings Bank, 8 E Main St. Call to sign up. $15 class fee. Info: 307-568-4160.
RIVERTON
WEDNESDAYS
Acoustic Music Jam: 6:30-8:30pm. Holiday Inn Convention Center. Free. Join in or listen as musicians and dancers perform. Info: 307-856-8100.
PreK Tales & Tunes: 10:30am. Riverton Branch Library. Ages 3-5. Free. Info: 307-856-3556.
Starlight Storytime: 5:30pm. Riverton Branch Library. Ages birth to 5 years. Free. Info: 307-856-3556.
THURSDAYS
Toddler Move & Groove: 10:30am. Riverton Branch Library. Ages birth to 2 years. Free. Info: 307-856-3556.
LEGO Club: 4-5pm LEGO Club. Riverton Branch Library. Grades 2-5. Free. Info: 307-856-3556.
MEETEETSE
AUGUST 29-SEPTEMBER 6
Chatelaine Labor Day Quilt Show: 10am. Meeteetse Museums, 1947 State St. Be sure to stop by the Museum to purchase tickets for the Buffalo Quilt raffle. Drawing to take place on Christmas in Meeteetse. Free. Info: 307-868-2423.
SEPTEMBER 3-DECEMBER 31
Meeteetse Museums Fall Hours: Tue.-Sat. 10am-4pm. 1947 State St. Free. Info: 307-868-2423.
MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS
Yoga: 10:30am. Meeteetse Recreation District. Info: 307-899-2698, meetrec.org.
MONDAYS
Toddler Storytime: After school. Meeteetse Library. All kids grades 1+ not in school. Legos, board games, crafts, stories, songs and more. Info: 307-868-2248.
POWELL
SEPTEMBER 12
Farm to Table Dinner/Fundraiser: Catering by Sarah Bear’s Farmhouse Kitchen. An outdoor dining experience with local foods. 21 and older event. Tickets on sale through August 31. Info: 307-754-9481.
SEPTEMBER 13
14th Annual Homesteader Days Festival: Streets in front of the Homesteader Museum. 10am-3pm Car/Truck Show hosted by the Vehicle Visions. 1:30pm Annual Ruby Hopkin Commemorative Pie Auction. Come celebrate the days of homesteading and farming with vintage tractors, antique machinery, demonstrations, activities, artisan/ food vendors and live music. Free family fun! Info: 307-754-9481.
TUESDAY-FRIDAY
Homesteader Museum: 10am-4pm. Private tours or visits available. Info: 307-754-9481, homesteader@parkcounty-wy.gov.
THERMOPOLIS
SUBMIT AN EVENT
Send events occurring in November by
SEPTEMBER 15!
Be sure to include the date, title, description, time, cost, location, address and contact information for each event.
Photos are always welcome.
SEPTEMBER 9
Keys to Embracing Aging: 6-7pm. Thermopolis Library, 344 Arapahoe St. Call to sign up. Free. Info: 307-568-4160.
SEPTEMBER 13
Hot Springs Health Foundation Golf Tournament: 9am. Thermopolis Golf Course, 143 Airport Rd. $300 per team of 4. Info: Laura Budd, 307-864-8104.
SECOND SATURDAYS
Great Until 8!: 4-8pm. This event showcases the businesses who are staying open until 8pm or later in town. Shop after 5pm and enter in for a chance to win $100 gift certificates valid at the business with the winning receipt. Info: 917-589-7852, mainstreetthermopolis@gmail.com.
Look for more events at wyomingrea.org/news.
QUESTIONS & SUBMISSIONS:
wren@ wyomingrea.org
[307] 286-8140
214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001
wyomingrea.org/ wren-submissions
04 | SOUTHWEST
LYMAN
THURSDAYS
Storytime: 11am. Lyman Branch Library. All ages welcome. Free. Info: 307-787-6556, uintalibrary.org.
MOUNTAIN VIEW
MONDAYS
Cub Scout Pack 7798 Meeting: 3:45pm. Presbyterian Church on 3rd Street. We are always accepting new boys who are in grades 1-5. Info: MarNae, 307-677-2566.
Classifieds
FOR SALE
NEED A NEW FLOOR? Free estimates. Wood, LVP, Carpet & Tile. Let us come to you! Schafer Carpet Sales & Service, 605-218-0855.
Flower Farm & Florist Gillette, WY all occasion bouquets & florist services; weddings, funerals, elopements, events. Farm store & pickup location has seasonal produce, cut flowers, gifts, baked goods, art & more. mcleantoinspire.com.
MISCELLANEOUS
FREE MATERIALS. When church/government unite, enforcing Sunday law, the mark of the Beast is here! Don’t be deceived, be informed! Leave mailing address only. TBSM, PO Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540, tbsmads@yahoo.com, 1-888-211-1715.
WREN CLASSIFIED ADS ARE $0.75 PER SIX CHARACTERS CONTACT: SHAWNA@GOLINDEN.COM 970-221-3232
WANTED
We Pay Cash For Mineral & Oil/Gas Interests producing & nonproducing. 800-733-8122.
WANTED CJ or Wrangler reasonably priced. Any condition but rusted. 800-316-5337.
Frontier Auto Museum Looking For Oil Company Gas Pumps, Globes And Signs. 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 neon motel or store signs, 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 relics@frontierauto.net.
PUZZLE ANSWERS
Country Class
The year was 1976. The Clark, Wyoming wind roared through the canyon and blew the snow into crusted drifts. The bus driver managed to pick up the students on the northern end of the route, but the western end was impassable. It looked as though only half of the students would attend school that day.
In response, teacher Bill Dansby fired up his snow machine and roared off to gather the missing students. Many years later, when I began teaching at Clark Elementary, I learned that an adventurous spirit was an essential requirement for the job.
I also learned that one needed to enjoy wildlife. The small brick school is located on the high desert in the shadow of the Beartooth Mountains. Deer and antelope are often seen grazing in the fields behind the playground. Other critters such as bats, jackrabbits and foxes inhabit the area around the school.
One August afternoon, I propped open the front door to unload boxes. On my third trip I heard what sounded like small pebbles shaking rapidly. Peering over the boxes, I realized I’d almost stepped on a rattlesnake who’d slithered in to enjoy the cool of the foyer.
On another occasion, the lunch machine malfunctioned. After it was dismantled, a black widow spider was found busily spinning a web.
Show and tell brought horses and ponies, cats and dogs, turtles and mice, and once an unruly goat.
Teaching K-2 students fostered a sense of wonder and imagination. Every March, Shawn the leprechaun visited from Ireland, wreaking havoc and scrawling poems across the whiteboard in green marker. He
danced across the desks, leaving tiny footprints, snagged a scrap of his green coat on the fence and even turned the toilet water green.
Year after year, the younger kids partnered with the older students to diagram traps and write a “how to” essay on constructing a leprechaun trap. Miles of duct tape, baling twine and imagination were used.
Pairs of students presented their traps to the rest of the children and the dialog might sound like this, “Shawn will walk up the popsicle stick plank. His weight will break the plank, and he’ll fall. Shawn will land in this Cool Whip bowl of water. After he climbs up the toy ladder, he’ll tumble into a box. Since Shawn will be wet, we made a tiny towel, and I brought a bed from my Barbie Dream House.”
The afternoon before St. Patrick’s Day, traps were set around the school, where our wonderful custodian vacuumed carefully around them. The next morning, the students would rush off the bus to discover that Shawn had sprung the traps, left candy coins in his wake and a final poem promising to be back next year.
The Christmas play was a huge production. Each student, K-5, had a part. Just as in the classroom, the older children were responsible for guiding the younger. If a smaller child forgot a line, the bigger student was quick to whisper a prompt. Santa was escorted to the festivities by the Clark Volunteer
Fire Department. Since 1975, they’ve provided treats for all, usually with an orange tucked in the bottom of the bag.
“I was a little afraid of you at first,” I once heard a kindergartner declare as he climbed onto Santa’s lap, “but then I saw that you have black cowboy boots on, so you must be okay.”
On the last day of school, “Madame Gypsy” would gaze into her crystal ball and predict each child’s fortune. Some of the students would become famous explorers plumbing the depths of the ocean or traveling through the vast galaxies of outer space. Some would care for orangutans and lions at nature centers. Other occupations ranged from trapeze artists to rock stars.
At the end of each year, I’d wave goodbye as the yellow bus lumbered out of sight. I’d reflect on the fact that in a mere 180 days we’d enriched each other’s lives through empathy, compassion and a sense of humor. I looked forward to next year where the Clark School would once again come alive with the laughter, hopes and dreams of students. I smiled as I locked the door, already looking forward to next year’s country class. W
Cathy Ringler is a storyteller, cowgirl and retired teacher. She lives at the foot of the beautiful Beartooth Mountains and rides in them as often as her busy schedule will allow.
RAINBOW EAT A
