Opinion
News
Dave Simpson: Good News – Legislature Was Not 'Horrible'
Columnist Dave Simpson writes, "You might not have thought we needed 165 new laws, but it could be a lot worse. Hundreds of bills were proposed.”
Dave SimpsonMarch 11, 2025
Cassie Craven: The Wyoming I Know Is Back
Columnist Cassie Craven writes, “We bucked the system, stirred the pot, spoke the truth and didn’t back down. Both chambers did the people’s work. And it was damn good work.”
Cassie CravenMarch 09, 2025
Bill Sniffin: Can I Whisper ‘Golden Age’ As We Contemplate Wyoming’s Immediate Future?
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, “Wyoming will benefit greatly by the presidency of Donald Trump. With a fossil fuel-friendly administration, a friendly Congress, and the sensible Supreme Court, Wyoming’s capacity for generating energy here has not seen such a green light in decades."
Bill SniffinMarch 08, 2025
Joan Barron: Maybe Next Year Will Be Better
Columnist Joan Barron writes, "It was a good thing for the Legislature to quit two days early this year. That way the lawmakers could not do any more damage to the Legislature as an institution than they already have."
Joan BarronMarch 08, 2025
Jonathan Lange: This Year’s Flood Of Election Integrity Bills Accomplished Great Things.
Columnist Jonathan Lange writes, "Kudos to Secretary of State, Chuck Gray for tirelessly pushing the legislature to fulfill its constitutional mandate to “pass laws to secure the purity of elections, and guard against abuses of the elective franchise.”
Jonathan LangeMarch 07, 2025
Dennis Sun: The World Has Gotten Smaller
Columnist Dennis Sun writes, "America needs to stop accepting beef from Paraguay as it doesn’t have strict health regulations over its cattle. Ranchers are worried about imported meat bringing in disease, especially foot and mouth disease."
Dennis SunMarch 07, 2025
Sally Ann Shurmur: Farewell To Colleague And Friend Jason Marsden
Columnist Sally Ann Shurmur writes, "Back before the big corporate buyout, before reporters thought they should make a union, before home delivery stopped, we were a family."
Sally Ann ShurmurMarch 06, 2025
Tom Lubnau: Actually, The Wyoming Senate Is More Conservative Than The House
Columnist Tom Lubnau writes, "The Senate did not react well to pressure from mysterious puppet masters. When dealing with the budget the upper chamber instead coalesced into a cohesive body. Leadership agreed to kill the budget, and no one on the Senate floor made a move to overrule Leadership."
Tom LubnauMarch 06, 2025
Candy Moulton: All Aboard! Let’s Get Amtrak Back
Candy writes: “Next to traveling on a wagon, taking a ride on a train very well may be my favorite mode of transportation.”
Candy MoultonMarch 05, 2025
Clair McFarland: Sure, False Spring, I’ll Fall For You
Columnist Clair McFarland writes, "I’m not blind to the fact that it’s going to snow tomorrow. This warm spell was a trickster and a flirt, designed to put me off my guard. And it succeeded."
Clair McFarlandMarch 03, 2025
Dave Simpson: Blame It All On The Freedom Caucus?
Columnist Dave Simpson writes, “Keep in mind that the awful stuff you hear about the Freedom Caucus might be what Sen. Larry Hicks calls fertilizer.”
Dave SimpsonMarch 03, 2025
Cassie Craven: The Wild Bunch Is Wyoming
Columnist Cassie Craven writes, “Gordon’s letter quoted an unnamed neighbor: ‘This wild bunch doesn’t understand Wyoming.’ With all due respect, Governor, the wild bunch was elected in a near landslide, despite your big-time money and endorsements trying to stack the deck. Maybe you and your friends don’t understand Wyoming.”
Cassie CravenMarch 02, 2025
Rod Miller: The 800-Pound Gorilla In The Wyoming Classroom
Columnist Rod Miller writes: "Absent the immediate writing and passage of an amendment to the Wyoming Constitution that says lawmakers can do what they damn well please with school funding, our citizen legislature has its work cut out for it. And it all circles back to our Constitution."
Rod MillerMarch 02, 2025
Tom Lubnau: Wyoming's Constitution Demands Fairer Teacher Pay
Columnist Tom Lubnau writes: "The Legislature has played games with teacher pay. Sometimes lawmakers dole out an increase just for one budget year, so the pay would slump right back down after that year - falling even further behind inflation."
Tom LubnauMarch 02, 2025
Joan Barron: Legislature Pedaling Back 50 Years
Columnist Joan Barron writes, "The recent movement to ignore the supplemental budget is clearly Freedom Caucus-inspired and is meant, at least partially, to target and embarrass Gov. Mark Gordon."
Joan BarronMarch 01, 2025
Bill Sniffin: Two Funerals, Two Monte’s, And An Inspirational Dream
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “This column is a somewhat different from my normal writings. It just seemed important to share these stories with you today.”
Bill SniffinMarch 01, 2025
Jonathan Lange: Constitutional Duty Requires Officials Who Oppose Evil From Other Government Officials.
Columnist Jonathan Lange writes: “Wise officials in county governments have changed the unjust policies of an entire state just by saying ‘no.’ We saw that happen in Wyoming when some sheriffs refused to enforce COVID decrees.”
Jonathan LangeMarch 01, 2025
Dennis Sun: Too Many Ag Cuts May Hurt Food Security
Ag columnist Dennis Sun writes, "Agriculture welcomes a more efficient government, but we are also worried tariffs and layoffs may cause extreme pain. I just hope Trump and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins realize their actions affect food security."
Dennis SunFebruary 28, 2025
Cassie Craven: Federal Politics Through the Lens of a Barmaid
Columnist Cassie Craven writes, "I worked at the local bar growing up. Other than a couple of churches and a post office, it was the only place for human contact. I’ve seen people live and die based on what the government wants to give them."
Cassie CravenFebruary 28, 2025
Rod Miller: Whiskeys I Have Known... Another Cautionary Tale
Columnist Rod Miller writes, "Please don’t misunderstand, this column does not advocate alcohol abuse. I believe it is up to the individual to come to their own terms with mind-altering substances, and to determine for themselves what 'abuse' means."
Rod MillerFebruary 28, 2025
Sally Ann Shurmur: Casper Hosting The Best And Then Some Over Three Weekends
Columnist Sally Ann Shurmur writes, "These three consecutive weekends were always my favorite time in my decades as a sportswriter, even though they have nothing to do with football."
Sally Ann ShurmurFebruary 28, 2025
Tom Lubnau: Hidden Dark Money Political Operatives Are Trying To Control Wyoming
Columnist Tom Lubnau writes, "We are seeing slimy mailers from out of state, the same cheesy animation on social media and the editorials demanding the Senate bow to the will of the almighty Freedom Caucus in the House."
Tom LubnauFebruary 26, 2025
Rod Miller: Breakfast With The Old Guard At The Ferris Hotel
Columnist Rod Miller writes, "The Ferris Hotel was once the elegant heart of social life in my hometown. Built by an early Carbon County copper baron and filled with Molesworth furniture, the Ferris featured a cafe that opened long before the sun rose."
Rod MillerFebruary 25, 2025
Candy Moulton: How A Steel Tycoon And A Wyoming Cowboy Left Library Legacies
Columnist Candy Moulton writes, "The Carnegie name is recognized across the country for the library network Andrew Carnegie funded. But in Campbell County, Wyoming, an old cowboy, George Amos, left his own legacy to the community."
Candy MoultonFebruary 25, 2025