Wyoming
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7:03 p.m.
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Here's my writing group pal Joanne Kennedy as she got ready to sign books March 2 at the launch party for her first novel, "Cowboy Trouble." The Cheyenne Barnes & Noble sold lots of books (five to the Shay family) and Joanne signed them all. A good time was had by, especially when we bugged out of B&N to Uncle Charlie's where we drank beer and ate wings and listened to music by Todd...
Hummingbird Minds - Fri 8:29 p.m. - 4 clicks 
Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal announced today that he will not run for a third term. I was at the Capitol Building this morning when the news broke. The last few days of legislative business is filled with salutes to our troops and performances by drum groups -- along with some last-minute votes and bill signings. This morning, Wyoming Poet Laureate David Romtvedt read his poetry in each cham...
Hummingbird Minds - Thu 8:47 p.m. - 8 clicks
As you have surely read Governor Freudenthal announced he will not seek another term.nbsp; He made the announcement today at 10:00 AM and WDP put a statement out soon thereafter.nbsp; Succinctly, we were greatful for his service and leadership and are sad to see him go.nbsp; He thanked Wyoming and indicated he had been leaning in this direction since around Christmas.nbsp; He also said his childr...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Thu 3:44 p.m. - 9 clicks
From a Wyoming Democratic Party press release: Wyoming Democratic Party Chair Leslie Petersen issued the following statement after President Obama today called on Congress to finish the job and take a final up-or-down vote on health insurance reform legislation: “After a long and rigorous debate, it’s time for Congress to act and provide their constituents a final up or down vote on reform. Pa...
Hummingbird Minds - Thu 6:26 a.m. - 7 clicks
I read today's Wyoming Tribune-Eagle almost cover-to-cover. I spend more time reading news online these days than I do in the paper. But the Sunday paper is still a ritual. Something about the tradition -- the rustle of the pages and the smell of the coffee and not having to go to work. Local stories, too. These are tough to find online, especially since the WTE has such a lousy web site. One...
Hummingbird Minds - Feb 28 - 3 clicks
Video clip of the day from Health Care Reform Summit (via a TPM post): POTUS vs. The Colossus of Casper. No contest! ...
Hummingbird Minds - Feb 26 - 3 clicks
Something weird happens to physicians when they're elected to the U.S. Senate. Especially Republican physicians. I thought Sen. Barrasso's remarks at today's Health Care Summit would be just as thoughtful and as succinct as Sen. Enzi's. They are both conservative Republicans from Wyoming -- Barrasso from Casper and Enzi from Gillette. They have both been in lockstep opposing Pres. Obama's healt...
Hummingbird Minds - Feb 25 - 8 clicks
Since I've been jabbering on about Wyoming's obstructionist GOP senators, I thought it would be wise to reprint in full Sen. Mike Enzi's remarks today at the Health Care Summit in D.C. This was billed as an exercise in bipartisanship, so it was interesting that Sen. Enzi took the theme seriously (see boldface section) and recounted ways he worked together with the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, as liber...
Hummingbird Minds - Feb 25 - 3 clicks
Hope spring eternal, eh? From the Wyoming Democrats: The Wyoming Democratic Party calls on Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso to make honest efforts to negotiate in good faith with Democrats to find solutions to the health care crisis during the White House summit on Thursday. Senate Republicans announced Tuesday that Enzi and Barrasso would be two of the seven senators the party will send t...
Hummingbird Minds - Feb 24 - 3 clicks
A budget amendment was brought today in the Wyoming House that would provide funding for the school lunch program. The amendment was brought by Rep. Cathy Connolly (D-Laramie), but failed in a voice vote.nbsp; It would have provided $3.6 million in funding.nbsp; Connolly argued that this problem has come about because costs of programs have increased by 20% in the past few years and that there ar...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 23 - 5 clicks
This comes from Bill Luckett, WyoDems E.D.: Nearly 200 Democrats from across the state will gather in Cheyenne on Saturday, Feb. 27, for the 2010 Nellie Tayloe Ross Banquet, the state party’s annual celebration of Diversity in Politics and Government. This year’s keynote speaker will be Colorado State House Speaker Terrance Carroll, a dynamic speaker who is both an ordained minister and an att...
Hummingbird Minds - Feb 22 - 5 clicks
A couple of lawmakers were sitting around the Wyoming Capitol Building. Lawmaker 1: What we need is a new Code of the West. Lawmaker 2: We already have a Code of the West. Lawmaker 1: But that's an old Code of the Old West. We need a new Code of West, one that seems old but also is up to date. Lawmaker 2: What's wrong with the old one? If it ain't broke... Lawmaker 1: Just seems like some of ...
Hummingbird Minds - Feb 22 - 8 clicks
Great idea I read about in the Billings Gazette : The Western Sustainability Exchange of Livingston will provide information on the production, distribution and purchase of local foods during a workshop from 1-5 p.m. Monday at the Mansfield Health Education Center at St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings. The organization’s Local Foods Commerce Day is advertised as the state’s premier trainin...
Hummingbird Minds - Feb 20 - 4 clicks
Guest blog written by James DuPont of Teton County.nbsp; James is serving as a high school intern for Rep. Pete Jorgensen (D-Jackson) during the first two weeks of the session.nbsp; Many thanks for his insight and perspectives. On February 12, 2010 House Bill 55 passed the House with a vote of 49 to 9. The bill was introduced by the Joint Education Interim Committee with the intention to eliminate...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 19 - 3 clicks
From an AP story (via Billings Gazette ): The Wyoming Department of Health reports that the number of Wyoming adults with diabetes more than doubled in the past 13 years. The department said Thursday that more than 7 percent of Wyoming adults have been diagnosed with diabetes, up from 3 percent in 1997. Diabetes prevention and control manager Star Morrison said the disease is the sixth-leadin...
Hummingbird Minds - Feb 19 - 5 clicks
Guest Blog written by Gus Harrison of Teton County.nbsp; Gus is serving as a high school intern for Rep. Jim Roscoe (D-Wilson) during the first two weeks of the session.nbsp; Many thanks for his insight and perspectives. House Bill 113 is one step closer on it's way of becoming a law after the House Judiciary committee passed it with the recommendation it do pass the General Committee. The Bill fi...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 18 - 8 clicks
The AFL-CIO, Wyoming Contractors Association, ABC Wyoming, National Electrical Contractors Association and Wyoming Building and Construction Trades are supporting an important bill that is on general file in the Wyoming House.nbsp; nbsp; HB 89, Resident Contractor Preferences, would support Wyoming jobs and the Wyoming economy by requiring all public contracts to be let to a Wyoming resident as l...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 18 - 7 clicks
Alan "Big Al" Simpson, a senator from Wyoming back in the day when GOPers and Dems would sometimes lie down together, lion-and-lamb-like, has been named by Pres. Obama as co-chair of a commission on reducing the federal deficit. His Dem co-chair is former Clintonian Erskine Bowles. I sighted Sen. Simpson Friday evening at the annual Governor's Arts Awards in Cheyenne. Big Al is a big arts support...
Hummingbird Minds - Feb 18 - 4 clicks
Wyoming's Legislature may have worked on being more transparent by making all bills available online and streaming proceedings live, but there is still a long way to go.nbsp; Last week the legislature took a big step by allowing people to testify by video conference.nbsp; According to the Equality State Policy Center, committee chairs are now questioning whether testimonies should be permitted by ...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 16 - 7 clicks
Today in a morning press conference Gov. Dave Freudenthal discussed some of the pieces of legislation passing through the Wyoming Legislature.nbsp; The Governor's proposed excise tax on wind energy was one of the most discussed proposals since lawmakers amended the legislation to $1 per megawatt hour versus the proposed $3, but did not change the 60-40% split between state and local governments.n...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 16 - 7 clicks
The House Revenue committee met this morning to discuss the excise tax on wind energy (HB 101) brought forward by the Governor. The proposed tax was $3 per megawatt hour of energy produced, but following amendments it was reduced to $1 per megawatt hour. According to the Casper Star Tribune, "If a $1-per-megawatt-hour tax existed last year, wind companies would have paid just over $4.9 million." ...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 15 - 4 clicks
Today a resolution asserting the US constitution 10th amendment and amending the Wyoming Constitution directly aimed at health reform and Wyoming opting out of any national health reform initiative was killed on a party-line vote. Rep. Debbie Hammons stood and spoke against the resolution saying that it is not a reasonable approach to amend the Wyoming constitution to completely "deal us out." S...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 11 - 2 clicks
Rep. Lorraine Quarberg (R-Thermopolis) introduced a bill giving concealed weapon authority to Wyoming residents over the age of 21.nbsp; This would do away with the current requirement that residents show knowledge of firearm use and register and receive a concealed weapon permit from the state of Wyoming.nbsp; This proposal changes the standard considerably by making the requirements to carry a c...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 11 - 5 clicks
Rep. Bagby (D-Rawlins) introduced a bill to raise the minimum wage for tipped employees from $2.13 an hour to $5.00.nbsp; He brought this last year and it failed and the same with this year.nbsp; Three Republicans stood up in opposition and said things like:nbsp; "If a waitress is making $100/hour in tips why would we want to pay her more on top of that?" nbsp;Find me a Wyoming waitress that made ...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 10 - 3 clicks
The 2010 Budget session has officially begun and currently each house is considering which bills will be accepted onto the General File. It takes a 2/3 vote for bills to reach general file. A few to note: HB 37 and HJ 04 introduced by Rep. Keith Gingery (R-Jackson) - These bills would remove the current law that Wyoming Judges and Justices must retire by the age of 70. Passage of both would ultim...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 9 - 5 clicks
The budget session of the 60th Wyoming Legislature convenes today.nbsp; Governor Freudenthal will be delivering the State of the State at 10:00 AM and you can listen in here:nbsp; http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2010/audio/AudioMenu1.htm.nbsp; These blogs will be regularly posted throughout the budget session on topics important to Wyoming's Democrats, working families and informed citizens.nbsp; If ...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Feb 8 - 4 clicks
Ghosts of Wyoming By Alyson Hagy Graywolf Press, 192 pages, $15 Some places feel more haunted than others. As Alyson Hagy explores in her new collection of short stories, Ghosts of Wyoming, Wyoming is one of those places where the past seems to overlap with the present, where the rough frontier that she writes of in "The Sin Eaters," set in 1889, seems to have plenty in common...
New West Jackson Hole - Feb 1 - 3 clicks
The following perspective by Brianna Jones was printed in the Casper Star Tribune, 12/20/2009,nbsp;http://bit.ly/5jF80yOur nation's health care debate has gone from civil, to raucous, to downright ridiculous, but the truth is that there are millions of people across the nation -- more than 72,000 in Wyoming -- who cannot go to the doctor because they cannot afford or do not have adequate insurance...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Dec 21
This is a heads up that Senator Enzi's staff will be holding sessions in the followingnbsp;communitiesnbsp;over the next few weeks and starting tomorrow.nbsp; Please share this information! nbsp; Buffalo - Thursday, Dec. 10 - Town Hall - 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Cowley - Tuesday, Nov. 24 - Town Hall - 10:30-11:30 a.m. Kaycee - Thursday, Dec. 10 - Town Hall - 9-10 a.m. Torrington - Thursday, Nov. 19 - Platt...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Nov 18 - 2 clicks
Sweetwater Station, Wyo.--If you blink once or your attention drifts for an instant on the two-lane highway between Muddy Gap and the Lander, Wyoming, you may miss one of the world's great road signs, a weathered, wooden square flanked by an American flag: "Old Books Fresh Eggs For Sale." And if you don't stop and go inside the two-story, structurally-reinforced, climate-controll...
New West Jackson Hole - Nov 17 - 2 clicks
Below is a letter we are circulating in support of a public option.nbsp; You can copy and paste the text below into a one-page word document and then circulate it to your friends and family.nbsp; Once you have the ten signatures please return the letter to the nbsp; Wyoming Democratic Party PO Box 1963 Casper, WYnbsp; 82602 nbsp; ____________________________________________________________...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Oct 30
A public health insurance plan should be an option for everyone, alongside private health insurance plans. However, U.S. Sens. Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, along with U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis, are siding with Big Insurance and HMOs over the citizens of Wyoming and the American people. They have teamed up with private health insurers and are fighting to make sure no public health insurance plan cut...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Oct 21 - 3 clicks
By: Mike Bell, Vice Chairman of Wyoming Democratic Partyhttp://www.trib.com/news/editorial/forum/article_7303a0 A series of new reports from the Treasury Department, the Census Bureau and independent organizations underscore something we've known in Wyoming for a long time - we can't wait another year for health insurance reform.Recent Census data reveals that 46...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Sep 29 - 2 clicks
Away.com, a leading website for travel planning, has listed a Montana and a Wyoming destination on its latest list of top resorts. The "Best Resorts & Lodges Guide," as described by the Away.com press release, offers "in-depth profiles of 200 of the world's best destination resorts across ten popular travel categories," chosen by a team of travel experts. And the experts li...
New West Jackson Hole - Sep 10 - 2 clicks
Representatives from the Wyoming Democrats and the Young Democrats of Wyoming attended the first Project New West Summit in Denver, August 12-14.nbsp; The summit was designed to bring together leaders from around the West to discuss the opportunities, challenges, and important issues facing the West as we enter a new decade. Project New West (PNW), founded in 2007, is an organization dedicated to ...
Wyoming Democratic Party - Aug 19 - 3 clicks
