WYOMING
SEP 2020
RURAL ELECTRIC NEWS
Power for Wyoming Working at the Laramie River Station
Tell Us What You Think of WREN! PG. 11
TYLER CHAVEZ
Wheatland Boilermaker
By 2024 we’re bringing over 1 gigawatt of wind and solar resources online, meaning 50% of the energy our cooperative family consumes will come from renewables.
Projects coming online by 2024 Niyol Wind | 200 MW Logan and Washington Counties, CO
Dolores Canyon Solar | 110 MW Dolores County, CO
Crossing Trails Wind | 104 MW Kit Carson County, CO
Axial Basin Solar | 145 MW Moffat County, CO
Spanish Peaks II Solar | 40 MW Las Animas County, CO
Escalante Solar | 200 MW McKinley County, NM
Coyote Gulch Solar | 120 MW La Plata County, CO
Spanish Peaks Solar | 100 MW Las Animas County, CO
To learn about how we are increasing clean energy, visit www.tristate.coop/responsibleenergyplan
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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 66, number 8, September 2020 (ISSN 1098-2876) is published monthly except for January for $12 per year by Linden Press, Inc., 214 West Lincolnway, Suite 21C, Cheyenne, WY 82001. Periodicals postage paid at Cheyenne, WY (original entry office) and at additional mailing offices. 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. 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 40,985 for 11 months ending September 2019. 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. Editor: Maggie York
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tri-State G&T, Westminster, CO – Dick Clifton, President Garland Light & Power, Powell – Scott Smith, Vice President Deseret Power, South Jordan, UT – Gary Nix, Secretary/Treasurer Basin Electric, Bismarck, ND – Paul Baker Big Horn REC, Basin – John Joyce Bridger Valley Electric, Mountain View – Ruth Rees Carbon Power, Saratoga – Kenny Curry High Plains Power, Riverton – Hearley Dockham High West Energy, Pine Bluffs – Michael Lerwick Lower Valley Energy, Afton – Fred Brog Niobrara, Lusk – Andy Greer
ON THE COVER 14
CENTERPIECE
Power for Wyoming STORY BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS
Cover photo: A worker passes through a doorway at the Laramie River Station in Wheatland.
Powder River Energy, Sundance – Mike Lohse Wheatland REA, Wheatland – Sandra Hranchak
PHOTO BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS
Wyrulec, Torrington – Dewey Hageman
SEND ADDRESS CHANGES AND CORRESPONDENCE TO WREN Magazine • 214 West Lincolnway, Suite 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001, [307] 772-1968 wren@wyomingrea.org
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
OFFICE OF WREN PUBLISHER Linden Press, Inc., 214 West Lincolnway, Suite 21C, Cheyenne, WY 82001
FEATURES 06 N I O B R A R A' S CO-OP YOUTH ALLISON WILLIAMS
22 B O I L E R M A K E R
CO-OP SPOTLIGHT T Y L E R C H AV E Z
BY ELIZABETH SAMPSON
STATE NEWS & EVENTS 07 THE CURRENT 10 COWBOY STATE BUZZ 30 WHAT'S HAPPENING
ESSAYS & ANECDOTES 04 R E G I S T E R A N D WREA NOTES VO T E
BY DERRILL HOLLY
26 M Y FAVO R I T E
HOME ON THE RANGE PA N T S
BY DR. MEGAN BEAVERS
US 36 ENLIGHTEN BRIDGING THE GAP
BY DOROTHY RIEKE PRINTED WITH VEGETABLE INK
FROM OUR READERS 11 READER SURVEY COOKS 28 COUNTRY GAME TO PAPER 29 PEN B A R N PA R T Y PICTURE IT 32 JUST BRIDGES
JUST FOR FUN CORNER 20 KIDS' BOILERMAKER REVIEW 24 BOOK SPIRIT OF THE
WEST COOKBOOK
BY BEVERLY COX & MARTIN JACOBS
25 PUZZLE SPOT THE
DIFFERENCE
BY KENDRA SPANJER
WREA NOTES
Celebrate Democracy: Register and Vote BY DERRILL HOLLY SH AW N TAY LO R
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The best way to celebrate democracy is by encouraging full participation in public life. That’s why the Wyoming Rural Electric Association is supporting National Voter Registration Day on September 22. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, less than 70% of eligible American citizens of voting age—18 and over— were registered to vote in 2018. That means that up to 30% have not filed the required applications, which are essential for making our voices as meaningful in
THE CHALLENGE AHEAD
The Wyoming Secretary of State has shared data showing that 140,042 registered voters turned out for the 2020 Primary Election on August 18. That’s 61% of Wyoming’s 230,230 registered voters, but only
American life as they might be.
31.5% of the state’s voting
We’re among thousands of organizations committed to
overall participation in the
making September 22 the most successful National Voter
election process begins with
Registration Day in history, because we believe its goals
registering as many eligible
are more important than ever before. Here’s why:
voters as possible.
UNUSUAL YEAR-UNEXPECTED CHANGES
That’s the goal of National
While 2020 began as a very active political year, disruptions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic concerns altered the campaign plans of many candidates. They also dramatically reduced overall access to voter registration forms through department of motor vehicle offices, public libraries and schools. Suspension of on-site classes at many high schools prevented guidance counselors and government teachers from passing out registration applications to students who reached voting age this spring and summer.
We must keep our faith in the Republic. The day we stop believing democracy can work is the day we lose it.
age population. Increasing
Voter Registration Day. Recognized as a civic holiday
The Star Wars quote above is from Jamillia, an elected queen of Naboo, from the 2002 Star Wars film “Attack of the Clones.” Here in America, we believe in democracy and we can put those beliefs in action by making sure we vote in the General Election on November 3. I’d like to share this column by National Rural Electric Cooperative Association writer Derrill Holly on the importance of registering to vote.
since 2012, the annual event has served as a rallying point for voter registration initiatives supported by a network of nonpartisan organizations committed to increasing overall participation in the electoral process. Remember to mark your calendar for National Voter Registration Day on September 22, and together, let’s enjoy the rights and opportunities we all share
Voter education efforts by churches, or by state and
as Americans and celebrate our democracy. To learn
local officials who normally would have booked space at
more about National Voter Registration Day, visit
community events to encourage community outreach
www.nationalvoterregistrationday.org.
found many of those events scaled back or canceled throughout spring and summer. Turn to page 12 for information on the General Election in Wyoming.
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SEP 2020
‘‘
This is one of the best areas in the nation to raise bees.
’’
− Dusty Backer, Backer Bees
Environment isn’t just a buzz word at Basin Electric. Backer Bees has bees at Glenharold Mine, a reclaimed coal mine that used to supply coal to our first power plant. The reclaimed pasture has a variety of flowers−alfalfa, clover, sunflowers, wildflowers−making it one of the best areas in the nation to raise bees. Environmental stewardship has always been a guiding principle for us. That’s why we’re committed to reclaiming and restoring land back to its natural state, like Glenharold Mine.
Your energy starts here. basinelectric.com
CO-OP YOUTH
PHOTO BY ASHILEY LANG PHOTOGRAPHY
CO-OP YOUTH
WREN: Tell us about your studies and interests. AW: I am going to the University of Wyoming to obtain my Bachelor of Science in nursing. I want to be a nurse because I want to do something every day that can make a positive difference in the lives around me. I was born and raised on a ranch, so my interests include roping and ranch work. I also love to babysit and photograph families and ranch life.
Wyoming’s rural electric cooperatives are proud to support our youth, giving college scholarships and lineman scholarships. In addition, our co-ops sponsor high school students on the NRECA Youth Tour in June and Youth Leadership Camp in July.
THIS MONTH: Niobrara Electric Association nominated college scholarship recipient Allison Williams.
ALLISON WILLIAMS HOMETOWN: Lusk HIGH SCHOOL: Niobrara County High School YEAR OF GRADUATION: 2020
While Youth Tour and youth camps were canceled this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, your co-op may be taking applications for next year. See the insert in the center of the magazine for information from your local rural electric cooperative.
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SEP 2020
COLLEGE: University of Wyoming MAJOR STUDY INTEREST: Nursing
WREN: How have your hometown, family and/or friends influenced you? AW: Growing up in Lusk has helped me become a better leader. I graduated in a class of 12, and I was one of four girls. I got to take responsibility for a lot of things in school. I think the community has been really supportive of me, especially so with our local scholarships.
WREN: What are your plans for the future? AW: I plan to attend UW to obtain my Bachelor of Science in nursing. I want to be a neonatal nurse someday. I also own a small photography business, so I’ll keep growing that too. I might stay in Wyoming to be a nurse. We’ll cross that bridge once we get there.
THE CURRENT
LINEMAN SCHOLARSHIP FUND A GOOD PROBLEM IS STILL A PROBLEM, BUT WITH YOUR HELP, OURS CAN BE FIXED. Due to its popularity and the generosity of our board, and increased interest in the trade, WREA’s Lineman Scholarship Fund is in danger of running out of funding.
SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED
WHAT IT IS The WREA Lineman Scholarship Fund offers grants to one or more individuals, including recent high school graduates who are interested in a career as a lineworker and plan to attend an approved regional lineworker training program.
Over the past several years the board has awarded many scholarships, donating a total of $146,540.00 since 2015.
$
$
2015
2016
14.9K 27.5K
CANDIDATES
2017
$
45K
35K
2018
2019
FUNDING
APPRECIATION We appreciate your support!
To be considered, applicants must submit
The scholarship's main source of funding has been
their education and work experience, three
a golf tournament, which
letters of recommendation and a transcript
was canceled this year.
of grades. If the candidate has not attended
Vendors, cooperatives and
an educational institution in the three years
others who do business
prior to submitting the application,
with cooperatives have been
During the last few months, WREA members and friends have contributed to the scholarship fund. A heartfelt “thank you” to everyone who has reached out!
solicited for donations to
Candidates must submit their scholarship application to the Wyoming Rural Electric Association; they are then passed on to
the fund. It has been very successful, raising as much as $20,000 in some years.
the WREA board for consideration.
DONATIONS CAN BE MADE BY:
30K
$
the application form, a resumé describing
the transcript is not necessary.
$
Calling WREA Office
Manager Robin Feezer: (307) 634-0727
But we aren’t done yet. If you haven’t already, please consider donating to the WREA Lineman Scholarship Fund.
Mailing a check to the WREA Office: 2312 Carey Ave. Cheyenne, WY 82001 Make check out to WREA Lineman Scholarship SEP 2020
7
THE CURRENT
NEXT MONTH: ELECTRICAL OUTLETS
Co-op Trivia
The electricity that powers your home can seem as simple as the flip of a switch. But that electricity arrived because of a complex, coordinated system overseen by your rural electric cooperative. As a memberowner of your cooperative, you oversee that system.
TRANSFORMERS After leaving the substation, electricity travels down power lines toward your home or business. When you look out toward the power lines, you’ll see tap lines running from the power pole to your building. Look again and you’ll notice a transformer drum on the power pole. The transformer drum’s main function is to “step down” power from the distribution lines to a voltage that is safe for your home. On a typical system that difference is from 7,200 volts to 240/120 volts. Tap lines running to the building also connect to your electric meter, which lets the co-op know how much electricity you are using.
For more information, visit science.smith.edu/~jcardell/Courses/EGR220/ElecPwr_HSW.html, or find out what’s inside a transformer at youtube.com/watch?v=MTafF2X32Js.
WEARING A MASK REDUCES RISK OF TRANSMISSION. Protect yourself and others. Transmission Probability
VERY HIGH
HIGH
MEDIUM
LOW
VERY LOW
Asymptomatic COVID-19 Carrier
Uninfected Person
cheyenneregional.org/covid 8
SEP 2020
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2020 CENSUS
The census data provides monetary funds for Wyoming. Wyoming towns and counties each received about $600/person from state tax distribution based on census data in the 2019 fiscal year.
CENSUS INFORMATION IS USED IN WYOMING FOR PLANNING AND FUNDING
NEW SCHOOL CONSTRUC TION
MEDICARE DISTRIBUTION
ROADS AND BRIDGES
POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT LOCATIONS
LIBR ARIES AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS
THE CENSUS IN YOUR COMMUNITY
THE CENSUS IS SAFE
The census will not be mailed to P.O. Box addresses. Instead, a
The U.S. Census Bureau is bound by law to keep your
census worker will bring a postcard or questionnaire to your home.
answers strictly confidential. Data cannot be used for law enforcement purposes or to determine personal
How to identify a census field representative:
eligibility for government benefits.
The representative must present
The representative
an I.D. badge with:
The census will NEVER ask for:
will have a letter from the director of the
THEIR PHOTOGR APH
SOCIAL SECURIT Y NUMBER S
U.S. Census Bureau and can provide the
A DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE WATERMARK
number for the regional office for verification. Wyoming residents can
AN E XPIR ATION DATE
BANK OR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION
MONE Y
also call 211 for census information.
ANY THING REL ATED TO POLITICAL PARTIES
CENSUS TIMELINE 2010
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
SEPTEMBER 30
2030
The last census took place 10 years ago.
Census information was sent by mail. Some households received a postcard, others received a questionnaire.
Reminder letters were sent out.
Census workers began visiting homes that haven’t responded.
The U.S. Census Bureau announced in August that the census will close on September 30.
The next census will take place 10 years later.
MAKE SURE YOU COUNT!
Wyoming’s rural electric cooperatives encourage you to participate in the 2020 Census.
For more information call 211, log onto 2020census.gov or visit your local library.
Sources: Wyoming Department of Administration & Information Economic Analysis Division, Wyoming State Library.
COWBOY STATE BUZZ
2020 Centennial Farm & Ranch Families Honored FROM THE WYOMING STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE
Four Wyoming ranch families are recognized as 2020 Centennial Farm & Ranch honorees.
The Gilbert Ray Cook family of Rozet in Campbell County was honored for the Cook Ranch, established in 1916 by Floyd Cook.
The Podio and Adkins families of Newcastle in Weston County were honored for the Circle Nine Cattle Company, established in 1918 by Claude and Marie Adkins. The Bush family of Hulett in Crook County was honored for the FA Bush Ranch, which was established in 1906 by Fount and Alice Bush. In May of 1899 Bush filed for a homestead about 18 miles northwest of Hulett on the Little Missouri River, with a certificate issued under the authority of President Theodore Roosevelt. The Richard Tass family of Buffalo in Johnson County was honored for the Klondike Ranch, established in 1920 by Joseph Hakert. Stella Cook was the original homesteader on the land
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10
SEP 2020
Your Savings Federally Insured
and she married Frank Jones who hit a rich strike in the Klondike Gold Rush. Hakert purchased the ranch in 1920 and retained the original name. The Centennial Farm & Ranch program annually honors families who have owned and operated the same farm or ranch for 100 years or longer. The history of these centennial families helps tell Wyoming’s story and highlights the importance of agriculture in the state. The acknowledgement of being a centennial family is honorary and does not place any requirements or expectations on the family. These families are honored each year at a luncheon ceremony on the last Saturday of the Wyoming State Fair. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, formal honors will be postponed to the 2021 luncheon event. Wyoming Centennial Farm & Ranch partners include the Wyoming Rural Electric Association.
READER SURVEY
Tell us what
think of WREN!
As we prepare for upcoming issues of WREN, we want to hear from you, our readers. What do you like about WREN? How can we improve? We take our readers’ feedback seriously at WREN, so we would greatly appreciate your input on this survey! TELL US ABOUT YOU 1. How old are you? 12–18 19–25 25–34 35–44 45–54 55–64 65 or over 2. What is your gender? Male Female WHICH SECTIONS OF WREN ARE YOUR FAVORITES? 3. Rate the sections from 1 to 10, with 1 being “least favorite” and 10 being “most favorite.” __ Shawn Taylor’s column (pg. 4) __ News briefs about energy and co-ops (pgs. 7-8) __ News briefs about Wyoming (pgs. 9-13) __ Feature news stories (pgs. 14–19) __ Personality profiles and interviews (pgs. 22-23) __ Creative essays like Home on the Range and Enlighten Us (pgs. 26-27, 36-37) __ Puzzles and activities (pgs. 20, 25) __ Book reviews (pg. 24) __ Reader-submitted recipes, poems and pictures (pgs. 28, 29, 32-34) __ Other _______________
4. Why is the section you rated “10” above your favorite? ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 5. Why is the section you rated “1” above your least favorite? ______________________
9. I want WREN to cover more news about co-ops and energy. Yes
No
10. I know more about Wyoming because of WREN. Yes
No
11. Do you subscribe to any other printed magazines? Yes
No
WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE? 15. What story ideas do you have to share with us? ______________________ ______________________ ______________________ 16. Any other suggestions for how we can improve WREN? ______________________ ______________________
______________________
If you answered yes, which printed magazines do you receive?
______________________
___________________________
______________________
______________________
6. What types of stories are you most interested in reading? Pick your top two choices. Farming and ranching Energy and cooperatives Business Environment and wildlife Education Personality profiles 7. The stories in WREN are… Too short
___________________________ 12. Do you have access to the Wyoming Rural Electric Association website at wyomingrea.org? Yes
No
13. Have you read the WREN online in the past? No
If so, how often? ___________________________ 14. Would reading WREN be the same experience if it was digital instead of printed?
Just right Too long PLEASE ANSWER YES OR NO 8. I know more about my cooperative because of WREN. Yes
___________________________
Yes
Tourism
No
______________________
Yes
No
If you’d like to explain your answer, please do! ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________
When you’re finished with the survey, cut it out and send it to: WREN Magazine 214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001 –OR–
Take a picture of it and email to: wren@wyomingrea.org –OR–
Take this survey online! wyomingrea.org/ wren-magazine/ wren-reader-survey
SEP 2020
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COWBOY STATE BUZZ
November 3 Election The General Election is quickly approaching and Wyoming’s Rural Electric Cooperatives would like to remind you to participate by casting your vote! The Office of the Wyoming Secretary of State recently announced changes at polling places due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including new locations, extra precautions and cleaning procedures. Please plan ahead to make sure your voice is heard.
VOTER REGISTRATION Registering to vote is simple, secure and safe. Minimize exposure by registering on Election Day at your polling location, or register any time with your local county clerk. To vote, you must be 18 years old on Election Day, a U.S. citizen and a Wyoming resident.
VOTING IN PERSON To better accommodate for social distancing, spacing, staffing and cleaning, polling locations may have changed temporarily, so verify your 2020 polling location with your local county clerk’s office.
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS INCLUDE: • Sanitation — Surfaces, including voting booths and election equipment, will be cleaned frequently and thoroughly. Pens and styluses used for marking ballots will all be single-use. • Social Distancing — Space markers on the floor will indicate where voters should stand. The space between voters might make lines look longer. Lines will move at a steady pace with a flow designed to minimize physical contact and maximize privacy. • Coverings — Poll workers and election judges will be provided with gloves and masks and stationed behind plexiglass barriers. Voters are encouraged to wear face coverings, but they are not required. ABSENTEE VOTING
REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT: • By Phone — Call your county clerk • By Mail — Print and fill out the application form and mail it to your county clerk • By Email — Put “Absentee Ballot Request” in the subject line • In Person — Request an absentee ballot in person at your county clerk’s office • Online Request Forms — sos.wyo.gov/Forms/Elections/ General/AbsenteeRequestForm-Standard.pdf
RETURN AN ABSENTEE BALLOT: Ballots may be returned to the county clerk in the following ways: • In Person — Bring your completed absentee ballot in the signed envelope to your county clerk’s office. • By Mail — Mail your completed absentee ballot in the provided envelope to your county clerk’s office. (Mail delivery within the county may take up to seven days, and longer if you’re mailing your ballot from outside the county.) All absentee ballots must be received in the county clerk's office no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day. Ballots arriving after the deadline will not be counted. 12
SEP 2020
ADAPTED FROM THE OFFICE OF THE WYOMING SECRETARY OF STATE
COWBOY STATE BUZZ
Driver License Grace Period Extended FROM THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Residents who have driver licenses and identification cards that will soon be expiring will have additional time to renew. Although WYDOT’s Driver Services offices are open and serving customers in person, a 180-day grace period signed by Gov. Mark Gordon gives residents more time to renew their credentials. Previously, the governor signed an executive order extending it 90 days.
ONLINE:
PHONE:
Customers can download several driver forms online at dot.state.wy.us/driverservices. They will need to email or mail the forms for processing.
Customers can call if they have general questions or to conduct other business by phone such as reinstatement fees/ requirements, CDL skills tests scheduling and requests for temporary licenses.
For general Driver Services questions, go to WYDOT’s Contact Us page at dot.state. wy.us/ContactWYDOT/ and select Driver License Issues.
Phone numbers and other contact information for local Driver Services offices can be found on WYDOT's website. Customers can reach the main Driver Services office in Cheyenne at 307-777-4800.
The extension, which applies to credentials expiring between March 15, 2020 through Sept. 30, 2020, enables highrisk groups to wait to renew. “We are open for business and encourage people that can, to come in and renew their driver license prior to their expiration date. However, we realize our high-risk citizens, those with underlying health conditions and those who are older, may want to take advantage of this extension so they remain safe,” said Misty Dobson, WYDOT’s Driver Services program manager. If a resident has an expired license and wants to wait, they can visit WYDOT’s Driver Services webpage at dot.state. wy.us/COVID-19 to download and print the 180-day grace period letter that they may want to carry with them. Although residents can conduct business at a local Driver Services Office, they can also take care of some items online, by email or by phone. The following services are available through these alternate methods.
Stay Home
and take our Factory and Model Home Tours online. See for yourself - a better way to build with our offsite construction system.
Better, Faster, More Efficient, More Enjoyable Wayne, NE | 1-800-759-2782 Watch our Tour Online | hhofne.com Find us on Facebook @heritagehomesofne SEP 2020
13
T E RC EC NE TN E RPI ECE PIECE
FOR
WORKING AT THE LARAMIE RIVER STATION
BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS
FACTS ABOUT THE LARAMIE RIVER STATION
Plant construction began in 1976 and was completed in
1982.
The initial cost of the plant was
$1.6 billion.
The station requires
23,250
acre-feet of water annually, which comes from 104,000 acre-foot Grayrocks Reservoir. The steam produced is
1,000 degrees!
Together, power providers Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association, Basin Electric Power
Coal for the plant comes from
Powder River Basin
Cooperative, Wyoming Municipal Power Agency, Lincoln Electric System and Western Minnesota Municipal Power Agency own and operate the Laramie River Station.
mines and is transported to the station by rail. Before it can be used in the boilers, the coal is crushed to 3/4-inch chunks and then pulverized to a fine powder. The station consumes
6.5
million tons of coal annually.
275 people work at the Laramie River Station, and several hundred contractors work at the plant each year.
The station controls pollution by monitoring and cleaning flue gas. The original pollution controls on the plant cost
The station can produce
1,710
megawatts of electricity. Unit 1 sends power to the eastern grid, units 2 and 3
Wyoming and Colorado.
send power to
$400
million. Plant operators spent an additional
$392 million
on pollution control systems since 1995, including nitrogen oxide-reducing systems in 2017 and 2018.
SEP 2020
15
L
OF
J OE
N EL S O N
ocated east of Wheatland, the Laramie River Station coal-fired steam power plant is a marvel of modern technology. Workers at the plant come from a variety of backgrounds and skills, each helping to generate power for Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska and Minnesota. The Wyoming Rural Electric Association board of directors toured the station late last year; this year we reached out to five employees at the Laramie River Station to learn about the work they do.
SY TE UR
PHOTO BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS
A system of electric lines and equipment allows power to safely travel west from the Laramie River Station in Wheatland.
PH
OT
O
CO
JOE NELSON
INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROLS TECHNICIAN 9 YEARS AT LRS
“
When there is a problem in the control system it is our job as instrument techs to troubleshoot it and fix it. We have a variety of devices plant-wide to measure and control pressure, temperature, level, flow and chemical makeup (to name a few). We are also tasked with preventative maintenance. We test and/or calibrate instrumentation on a yearly, monthly and sometimes weekly basis. We also do a fair amount of DCS (distributed control system) work. We not only use it for a very valuable troubleshooting tool, but we also have to make logic changes and update graphics. I hired on as a laborer in the coal yard and then moved on to a 4-year instrumentation apprenticeship. I am very thankful to LRS for the apprenticeship and lifelong career they have given me.
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SEP 2020
D AN
ON
TY
SO
N
P H OT O C
OU
RT
ES
YO
F
L
LANDON TYSON UTILITY OPERATOR 1 YEAR AT LRS
“
I worked in the oilfield for 8 years, and was enlisted in the Army for 6 years, completing two combat tours to Iraq prior to working at LRS. My job is to inspect and clean the coal system which conveys the coal to the main plant and ensure it's running properly. I have to take readings on electrical transformers, belt scales, coal feeder outputs and fire suppression systems every shift. It's a small piece to the puzzle out here, but it's still pretty important to keep generating power. I work with a lot of great people who have all taught me quite a bit in a short period of time. I gained a whole new respect for firefighters after washing down our coal system the first time as a laborer. I was soaked from head to toe with both water and sweat, and covered with coal. I'm still in awe over how large the facility is, and how everything works to produce electricity here at LRS. I have learned that LRS is a very efficient power plant—it recirculates most of the water needed, and unlike other stations it can send power both to the east and the west. It’s a pretty amazing place and I’m very impressed how well all the different shops work together to keep this place running.
WHEATLAND
PHOTO BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS
A feedwater heater at the Laramie River Station preheats water before it enters the boiler.
J
HO
UX
P H OT O C
OU
RT
ES
YO
F
AY
JAY HOUX
WATER TREATMENT PLANT SUPERVISOR 40 YEARS AT LRS
“
My job is to help the water treatment operators safely and efficiently operate the water treatment plant. I support them in their job when they come to me with questions about various equipment or systems. It’s actually a team effort to produce the water needed to run the power plant. The operators and I get support from the engineering, maintenance and coal yard departments when necessary.
PHOTO BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS
We oversee and document the water that is needed from Grayrocks Reservoir to operate the Laramie River Station’s three generating units and the water that is released from the reservoir to meet downstream water requirements.
Laramie River Station contractors and Wyoming Rural Electric Association board members look out from the roof above the boilers during a tour of the station.
My advice to someone starting out as a laborer here or any other job is to set goals and stick to them. Do the things that will help you achieve those goals. If you quit working towards them you will never reach your goals.
C
DI
TE
INH
AUS E
N
OF
AN
S CE
OUR
TE
SY
CANDICE STEINHAUSEN
P H OT O C
CONTROL ROOM OPERATOR 16 YEARS AT LRS
I have an amazing crew at work, the other control room operators, plant operators and assistant plant operators make my job easier and I couldn’t do my job adequately without them.
High voltage power lines at the Laramie River Station.
RT
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I was raised on a dairy farm with five brothers and sisters—my parents taught us the importance of taking pride in your job and doing it the best you can. I am thankful I have a job that will let me retire, I will be the first in my family to do so because they are all farmers and ranchers and we know they are in it for life.
PH
PHOTO BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS
“
My job requires me to work 12 hours in front of several screens running a unit, watching the equipment and making adjustments when needed, also solving problems as they arise. The control room operator job is complex and takes a lot of training; there are so many things that could go wrong and people’s lives are dependent on how you do your job. The constant training on new equipment and upgrades due to EPA rules and federal regulations require all of us employees to remember that we are not only responsible for the expensive equipment that requires our focus; people’s lives are on the line too.
DON PINDELL WELDER/MECHANIC 6 YEARS AT LRS
“
My job is very gratifying. I started as a laborer in the coal yard, now I work as a welder installing pipe and boiler tubes and making repairs. At the Laramie River Station I’ve learned that it takes a lot of teamwork to turn coal and water into electricity, and that you have to learn how to adapt to change because we are seeing a lot of change in the industry.
WREN Managing Editor Kelly Etzel Douglas lives just outside of Cheyenne.
With the war on coal and fossil fuels, we are desperately in need of ways to operate plants like this that are more environmentally friendly so that these units are able to run many more years. W SEP 2020
19
KIDS' CORNER
02 01
What do Boilermakers do?
Boilermakers in Wyoming
Wyoming Workforce Services counted 310 boilermakers working in Wyoming in March 2019 and reported their average wage at $35.12 per hour.
These are skilled craftsmen and women who construct, assemble, maintain and repair boilers, closed vats and other containers that hold liquids or gases.
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W UP
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t to I wan
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How to Become a Boilermaker
Boilermakers need a high school diploma to become an apprentice. After four years attending classes and working as an apprentice, they can become a journeyman boilermaker and train an apprentice of their own.
03
04
Tools of the Trade What does a boilermaker need to work every day?
Circle the correct items. 05
Boilermaker Quiz Boilermakers need special skills on the job every day. Why do they need these skills? Pick the work that a boilermaker might do. Mechanical skills
A. They work on carnival rides
A. They build engines
B. They work on water tanks
B. They repair appliances
C. They work on airplanes
C. They repair big trucks
D. They work on mountaintops
D. They use welding machines
Sources: Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
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SEP 2020
Answers: 1) B. 2) D.
Unafraid of heights
ROAD-TRIPPING? Electric vehicle growth is expected to continue to rise across the U.S. There are also plans to install thousands of additional charging stations across the country. With the infrastructure in place, people will soon be able to drive electric from coast to coast with plenty of options to plug in along the way. Let’s ride. –Advanced Energy
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL CO-OP FOR MORE INFORMATION.
CO-OP SPOTLIGHT
In 1958, a young couple from Denver named Herman and Marshallean Hranchak found property to buy near Glendo Reservoir where they built a large A-frame cabin. They had plenty of company in their Wyoming vacation getaway, and one lucky visitor was their son David’s girlfriend Sandy. She and David were still in school at the time, but they went on to marry and made their home in Colorado where they were raised.
TYLER CHAVEZ
Wheatland Boilermaker Maintains Generation Stations
Sandy swore if she ever left Denver she would go to Wyoming or Montana, and when their daughter was getting ready to graduate from high school, she and David pulled up their Colorado stakes and let the tug of their Wyoming memories draw them to the Cowboy State.
BY ELIZABETH SAMPSON
That daughter who was about to head to college is Erika, and she too came to Wyoming after she finished college. Erika dated Tyler Chavez when they were both in high school in Colorado, and after she moved to Wyoming, he decided to move here too.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TYLER CHAVEZ
Now they are married and living in Wheatland, and Chavez’s Wyoming story has opened up a new chapter. Like many Wyomingites, Chavez’s career is connected to the energy industry, but his job is a little unusual: he works as a boilermaker.
Boilermakers replace tube panels on the lower slope of a boiler at the Colstrip power plant in Montana.
Tyler Chavez didn’t grow up in this state, but you could say his Wyoming story started long before he was born.
As a boilermaker, Chavez spends his days working in industrial settings like power plants. He works on the huge boilers that create the steam that drives the turbines that generate the power used by electrical consumers around the nation. Chavez said while his work is mostly welding, the job varies day by day and can be much more than welding alone.
I like that you get to go to different places and see different plants,” Chavez said. “You’re not doing the same thing every single day. There are always different projects and a lot of hands-on learning.” That style of learning comes courtesy of the on-the-job training he has received from the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers Union. He is based out of union chapter Denver Local 101, which covers his home in Wheatland.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TYLER CHAVEZ
He is currently in his final stretch as an apprentice boilermaker and works alongside fully trained journeymen who teach him things like welding, metal fabrication, layout and blueprint reading.
Above: Chavez and his daughter check on Sandy Hranchak's cows. Top Right: Welding work in a tight space.
“I’ve actually been with some of our best journeymen in the union,” he said. “There’s a lot of stuff to learn. You could be welding for 12 hours. You could be cutting boilers apart. You could be rigging stuff up."
Gallegos noted that no matter what type of energy is being turned into electricity— whether it is coal, natural gas or anything else— boilermakers help make the plants that generate it.
In addition to the work training, he also receives classroom instruction. He spends three weeks out of every year at the Boilermaker Trade School in Salt Lake City. After four years of schooling and 6,000 hours in the field, an apprentice is qualified to be a journeyman.
“Anything to do with energy we build and repair, except for wind farms,” Gallegos said, adding that boilermakers had a hand in building Dry Fork Station near Gillette and the Laramie River Station near Wheatland.
Chavez has completed more than his required 6,000 hours and was in his final weeks of school in Salt Lake City when COVID-19 hit the country. His school closed temporarily and sent all students home. Now he is waiting for the school to reopen so he can finish his classroom hours and become a journeyman. Like other union apprentices in his trade, Chavez will complete his training and have no student loans to contend with when he is finished. “When our guys get out of the apprenticeship, they are usually buying houses instead of paying off a bunch of college bills,” said Robert Gallegos of Local 101. Gallegos, who grew up in Wheatland, now lives in Denver and serves as the dispatcher who lets people like Chavez know where to head next for work. “If you know anybody who wants to weld, they’re going to spend $20,000 going to a vocational school somewhere,” Gallegos said. “We’ll teach you for free. You’ve just got to show up—and you get paid to do it.”
Right now Chavez’s work is helping maintain existing power plants; doing things like replacing boiler tubes or air heater baskets, he said. He has also helped put in many new selective catalytic reduction systems in power plants, which are a method of emissions control. He said a typical day on the job starts with a morning meeting where a foreman will let everyone know what work needs to be done that day and discusses work safety. From there Chavez gets busy and works as many as 10 hours a day. He works all around Wyoming and northern Colorado, and has worked as far away as Michigan and Montana. Oftentimes, the work he and his boilermaker coworkers do takes place when a power plant unit is shut down, so they work long hours in order to get the facility back up and running as soon as possible. “When they do a big overhaul on these power plants, we work anywhere between 60 and 84 hours a week,” Chavez said. “That can run on from six to 12 weeks. There’s been days when we’ve worked 10 hours a day for 56 days.”
That’s where his mother-inlaw Sandy Hranchak comes back into the story. In addition to serving as a board member of the Wheatland Rural Electric Association and the statewide Wyoming Rural Electric Association, Hranchak babysits Tyler and Erika’s 4-year-old daughter when the girl’s parents are working. “If Tyler is gone, then the baby comes here,” Hranchak said. “I have a lot of gratitude for Tyler’s job because it gives me that opportunity to be with the baby every day.” Because Tyler goes where the work is, it isn’t always easy to plan because he doesn’t know what his schedule will be until his dispatcher calls. “The job is tough because we never know when he is leaving,” Hranchak said. But the same can-do attitude that has served Hranchak in her role as a rural electric board member makes her willing to work with Chavez’s unpredictable schedule. “With the baby and Tyler’s schedule, I can’t commit to a lot of stuff, but this has been an amazing opportunity for me to serve our members,” Hranchak said of serving on the board. “You take advantage of opportunities that come your way. Living in Wyoming has given me that opportunity.” W Elizabeth Sampson lives in Cheyenne with her husband and young daughters. SEP 2020
23
BOOK REVIEW
Spirit of the West
Cooking from Ranch House and Range BY BEVERLY COX & MARTIN JACOBS Get ready to feast on the scrumptious staples and rich delicacies of ranch-style cooking! Pot roast with dumplings, Quichelma Cattle Company’s rum ribs, potato doughnuts are some of the enticing, simple, and hearty meals that sustained the hard-working and hard-eating cowboys, wranglers, cattle barons and early settlers of the American West. Using available ingredients and basic cookware, these classic and approachable recipes are guaranteed to satisfy the even most hearty appetite. Peppered throughout the book are the histories behind the recipes—stories of gun-toting grandmothers and fortuitous improvisations over the cookstove. Notes from Western historian David Dary begin each chapter, providing additional background information and context. Spirit of the West isn’t just a record of the foods of the region, but is also a record of the people who created and were sustained by these foods. The Native peoples of the region, the Mexican cowboys (vaqueros), and settlers from across the entire United States, all left their mark on this truly American cuisine. The eyecatching photographs capture the vibrancy of the dishes and help bring Spirit of the West to the very top of the list of regional cookbooks.
WIN A
DESCRIPTION BY SUSAN PARKER-SUTHERLAND
ORDERING INFORMATION: 1996 & 2019 | 226p. | $39.95 ISBN: 9781635617634 Publisher: Echo Point Books Available through your local bookstore or online, or through the publisher at 1-802-257-6900 ext. 1, customerservice@echopointbooks.com and echopointbooks.com.
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SEP 2020
FREE
COPY OUR JULY BOOK WINNER:
Name: Phone:
WILLIAM KOCH II
Address:
OF NEWCASTLE
ENTRIES DUE BY OCTOBER 10 One entry per household, please.
COOKBOOK
c/o WREN Magazine 214 W. Lincolnway, Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001
wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions
Spot the Difference
PHOTO BY KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS
PUZZLE
BY KENDRA SPANJER Ten things have been changed between the two images at right. Can you find them? Inspect your handiwork on page 35. Crews perform maintenance work on a generator at the Laramie River Station in November 2019. The station has three units, which include three boilers and three generators. Together the three units can produce 1710 megawatts of electricity. Read more about the station on page 14.
SEP 2020
25
HOME ON THE RANGE
My Favo rite Pa nts BY DR. MEGAN BEAVERS It had been two hours of pushing and there were no more baby piglets on the ground for the sow named Gwen. Gwen had delivered two living and outwardly healthy little piggies, then one stillborn. That is where her progress stopped. The owners were concerned and decided a call to a veterinarian was in order.
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SEP 2020
When I arrived, Gwen was clearly in distress. The first-time mother wanted to attend to her piglets but was in too much pain. I began my exam to see what was wrong. I easily identified another stillborn just inside. It took some manipulation, but I was able to remove that pig. I examined her again, to find another dead piglet. This one was a lot farther in and much harder to get out.
Trying to help a sow deliver her piglets can be like a game of Jenga with the back half of the animal. They don’t know you are helping—they just want to find a way to experience less discomfort. Gwen was no different; she kept walking around trying to find the perfect place to lay. At one point she got up, and I moved with her, accidentally stepping on my own pants. I heard a little rip and looked down to see a 1-inch hole in the seam of my scrub pants. This particular pair of scrub pants were fairly used and abused over the many years I’d had them. Worn in this case because I did not care how dirty they ended up. I laughed with the owner about the little mishap and eventually delivered that piglet, also deceased, into the world. Pigs have exceptionally long reproductive tracts. They can give birth to lots of babies.
It’s almost like Mary Poppins’ bag ... piglets can seem to come from nowhere. After we gave Gwen a break and time to attend to her living babies, I started again to check for more piglets. This time she decided she needed to be outside with the other sow. I was compelled to go with her, coming along as she laid down in her favorite pit. It was deep and I was laying on my stomach trying to reach inside. I got up and heard another much bigger ripping sound, looked down and saw my legs. The entire seam had ripped out in my pants. I just split my pants! Nothing brings you closer to a client than having your pants fail while you attend to their favorite sow’s birth event. Gwen’s owners did not skip a beat. Before I knew it, the wife was in and out of their house with a pair of sweatpants (she didn’t need back), and a pot of warm water with a washrag. After a quick break and costume change, I carried on trying to get that other piglet out.
Eventually with a lot of manipulating and large lack of oxygen to my left arm the little pig came out. I reached in one more time and could not feel any more piglets. But my arms are short, and Gwen is long. I told the owner there could be some more in there, but I can’t feel any. We gave her some medications to help with pain and infection, as well as some vitamins to help boost her appetite and milk. As I left Gwen was exhausted but resting comfortably.
It’s almost like Mary Poppins’ bag ... piglets can seem to come from nowhere.
The next morning, I was updated by Gwen’s owner that she had delivered two more pigs on her own, also deceased. It was a sad case that we only ended up with the two living piglets. But Gwen was doting on them well as a first-time mom. It was also a sad case to lose my favorite pair of scrubs that day. Next time I am delivering pigs, I will try not to split my pants. W
Dr. Megan Beavers is a veterinarian in Farson.
Completing on the ground projects to strengthen and advance the
wildlife of Wyoming!
thewyldlifefund.org | (307) 316-3863
All gifts are tax deductible
SEP 2020
27
COUNTRY COOKS
GAME GREEK SHEPHERD’S PIE CHUKAR IN THE CROCKPOT 4-6 POTATOES, QUARTERED 2-3 LBS CHUKAR OR PHEASANT PIECES 2 LARGE ONIONS, QUARTERED 1 WHOLE BULB GARLIC, MINCED 3 TSP DRIED OREGANO 1 TSP SALT 1/2 TSP PEPPER 1 TBS OLIVE OIL Place potatoes in bottom of crockpot. Add chukar, onions and garlic. Sprinkle with seasonings. Top with oil. Cover and cook on high 5-6 hours or on low 9-10 hours. Makes 4-6 servings. Chef's note: to give it that special touch add crushed red pepper flakes.
JOSH JEWETT
DUBOIS
1 TBS VEGETABLE OIL 1 LARGE ONION, PEELED AND CHOPPED 1 LARGE CARROT, PEELED AND CHOPPED 1 LB GROUND ELK (OR SUBSTITUTE HALF WITH ANOTHER GROUND MEAT) 1 CUP BEEF OR CHICKEN BROTH 1 TBS TOMATO PASTE
1 TSP CHOPPED FRESH OR DRY ROSEMARY 1 TBS CHOPPED ITALIAN PARSLEY 1 CUP FROZEN PEAS 2 LBS RUSSET POTATOES, PEELED AND CUT INTO CHUNKS 6 TBS UNSALTED BUTTER 1/2 CUP MILK (ANY FAT CONTENT) KOSHER SALT TO TASTE
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, heat the oil, then add the onion, carrot and meat. Cook until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the fat and add the broth, tomato paste and herbs. Simmer until the juices thicken, about 10 minutes, then add the peas. Pour the mixture into a 1 - 1/2 quart baking dish; set aside. Meanwhile, bring the potatoes to a boil in salted water. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes; drain. Mash the potatoes with the butter, milk and salt. Spread them over the meat mixture, then crosshatch the top with a fork. Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes.
G
Tip – Instead of using a baking dish for the Shepherd’s Pie, keep the filling in the (ovenproof) sauté pan in which you cook it, top with the crust, and bake it all in the oven for a skillet version that won’t dirty another dish.
JOSH JEWETT
DUBOIS
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SEP 2020
6 SLICES OF BACON 2 TBS OLIVE OIL 1 TSP GARLIC, MINCED 2 SHALLOTS, MINCED 2 LBS GAME MEAT (ELK, DEER, MOOSE)
1 TBS WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE SALT TO TASTE PEPPER TO TASTE 1 EGG, BEATEN 6 HAMBURGER ROLLS
Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until browned and crispy. Pour bacon and bacon grease into a heatproof bowl and allow to cool. Heat olive oil in skillet then add garlic and shallots. Cook and stir until softened, about 3 minutes, then add to bacon. Once cool, mix in game meat, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and egg until evenly combined. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat. Shape the mixture into 6 patties and grill to desired doneness. Serve on toasted hamburger buns with your favorite toppings.
NANCY DENK
RIVERTON
Send complete recipe by October March 10!10!
Please include your name, address and phone number.
NOVEMBER:
TURKEY
GAME BACON BURGERS
SUBMIT A RECIPE
wren@wyomingrea.org | [307] 772-1968 214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001 wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions
PEN TO PAPER
Late in the evening and early at night, An opened gate caused the big sheep flight. One opened gate led to another, Little lambs being left by each one's mother.
Barn Party
The ewes pushed and crammed in the only feed door, Ate most of the grain and wanted some more. They moved on to the hay when they were discovered, their shepherd yelling, “I hope you recover!” She closed off the offenders and closed the gate, and she went back to bed since it was so late. Sick ewes welcomed the morning through eyes of green, Hung over from the party and making a scene. The shepherd grabbed the rakes and the big old scoopers, The sheep were found out to be party poopers.
DEB DAVIDSON
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.
YODER
Put Your Pen to Paper!
Please include your name, address, and phone number. SUBMIT A PIECE
wren@wyomingrea.org | [307] 772-1968 214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001 wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions
SEP 2020
29
WHAT'S HAPPENING
WHAT'S HAPPENING REGIONAL MAP
02
03
SEP 20 – OCT 20
01 | SOUTHEAST
02 | NORTHEAST
GUERNSEY
B U F FA L O
FOURTH SUNDAYS
THURSDAYS
American Legion Riders: 2p, Crazy Tony’s Bar & Grill, info 307-575-0838.
Bluegrass Jam Session: 6:30p, Occidental Saloon, free, info 307-684-0451.
S A R AT O G A
04
01
ONGOING
Saratoga Museum: 10a-4p, Mon-Sat, 10a-2p Sun, info 307-326-5511, saratoga-museum.com.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, events may be postponed or canceled. Please call ahead before attending events.
FEATURED EVENT
GILLETTE SATURDAYS
SUNRISE SEPTEMBER 26-27
Stone Age Fair: Exhibits, identification, demonstrations and distinguished lecture series. No buying or selling of artifacts. 9a, info 307-575-2010.
TORRINGTON MONDAYS TO OCTOBER 19
Yoga: 5-5:45p, 28th Avenue Dance Studio, $7, info 307-532-3879.
Black & Yellow Theatre: Experience designed to allow guests the opportunity to interact with subject matter, events and people that have shaped the Powder River Basin from pre-history to modern day. 11a-2p, Campbell County Rockpile Museum, free, info 307-682-5723, szacharias@ ccgov.net, rockpilemuseum.com. ONGOING
Ava Community Art Center: Info avacenter.org or 307-682-9133.
HULETT ONGOING
Senior Center Events: Blood draws 6a-9a Oct. 6, 13. Carry-in dinner 12:30p third Sun. Rolls and coffee 9a Thu. 145 Main Street, info 307-467-5743.
MOORCROFT ONGOING
NORTHEAST WYOMING QUILT SHOW OCTOBER 3-4 GILLETTE Local quilts from traditional to modern and art will be on display. Public voting and various awards are given during the show, Frontier Hall at the CAM-PLEX, free. INFO 307-689-2746 • FACEBOOK
NORTHEAST 30
SEP 2020
Senior Center Events: Bingo 7p Oct 9, 23. Coffee and rolls 9a Wed. Toenail clinic 9a fourth Thu, dinner 6p fourth Thu, info 307-756-9550. THURSDAYS TO OCTOBER 22
Torrington Farmers’ Market: 4-6p, Main Street, info 307-532-3879.
S H E R I DA N SEPTEMBER 25
The Everly Brothers Experience: Featuring the Zmed Brothers, 7:30p, WYO Performing Arts & Education Center, streaming and live tickets available, info 307-672-9084, wyotheater.com.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
SEP 20 – OCT 20
03 | NORTHWEST
OCTOBER 13
Riverton Ghost Stories: Alma Law presents stories and urban legends from Riverton and the surrounding areas. Come early to ensure a seat. 6:30p, Riverton Museum, free, info 307-856-2665.
CODY ONGOING
Cody Country Art League Gallery: 9a-5p Mon-Sat, 836 Sheridan Ave, info 307-587-3597. OCTOBER 2-4
WYO Film Festival: WYO Performing Arts & Education Center, info 307-672-9084, wyotheater.com. OCTOBER 10
Met Live in HD: Encore performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto, 11a, WYO Performing Arts & Education Center, info 307-672-9084, wyotheater.com. OCTOBER 16-18, 22-25
Into the Woods: Thursday-Saturday 7:30p; Sunday 2p. WYO Performing Arts & Education Center, info 307672-9084, wyotheater.com.
S U N DA N C E OCTOBER 14, 24, 28
Senior Center Events: PRECorp’s Tim Velder will give a presentation on ghost towns 12:30p Oct 14. The making of barn quilts talk is at 9a Oct 24. Beth Ellsbury will talk about bats 10a Oct 28. Ongoing events. 220 North 2nd Street, info 307-283-1710.
UPTON SEPTEMBER 20
Memorial Shoot: 8a-3p, Upton Outdoor Gun Club, fees vary, info 307-281-9980, rrrothleutner@yahoo.com.
DUBOIS THURSDAYS
Farmers’ Market: 4-6p, under the awning at Nostalgia Bistro. Info 307-455-2513.
LANDER ONGOING
First Friday: New artist and local musician each month. Art show reception 5p, music 6p. Middle Fork Restaurant. Info 307-335-5035, facebook.com/ MiddleForkCafe.
R I V E RTO N SEPTEMBER 25–27
Rustler Roundup College Rodeo: Three days of authentic western traditions in action. Fremont County Fair & Rodeo Grounds, info 307-856-6611, lori@cwc.edu, fremontcountyfair.org. SEPTEMBER 26
Oatmeal Box Cameras: Fifth grade students and older learn the basics of photography. 2-4p, Riverton Museum, $10, info 307-856-2665, fremontcountymuseums.com.
SUBMIT AN EVENT
Send complete information for the November issue’s events by
OCTOBER 10! Please remember that events from the 20th of November to the 20th of December are included in the November issue. Be sure to include the date, title, description, time, cost, location, address and contact information for each event. Photos are always welcome.
Look for more events at wyomingrea.org/news.
ONGOING
Outdoor Archery: 12-5p, Goose Landing, $5, info 307-468-2506.
QUESTIONS & SUBMISSIONS:
ONGOING
Senior Center Activities: Lunch is served at noon Mon-Fri, $4, call for reservation before 9a. 307-468-9267. Stop by Tuesday mornings for coffee and treats, with an exercise program at 9a. Seniors welcome Thu and Fri from 1-4p. Potluck at 5:30p third Mondays. Ask about medical equipment loans. 1113 2nd St., info 307-468-9251.
wren@
wyomingrea.org
OCTOBER 10
Fall Fun Fest: Harvest and Halloween themed crafts and snacks, classic kid’s games, including the legendary spiderweb maze. 2-4p, Riverton Museum, free, info 307-856-2665.
[307] 772-1968 214 W. Lincolnway
Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001
OCTOBER 17
Haunted Downtown Walking Trek: Alma Law will guide us around downtown Riverton and show us where some of his favorite ghost stories occurred. Cookies and hot cocoa after the walk. 5:30p, Riverton Museum, limited registration $10. Info 307-856-2665.
S O U T H PA S S C I T Y CANCELED SEPTEMBER 26
Run the Red CANCELED
English Tunnel Mine Tour
THERMOPOLIS SECOND FRIDAYS
ArtStroll: Stroll on Broadway Street in Historic Downtown Thermopolis. Info 307-864-3002, gatherer@panix.com.
04 | SOUTHWEST F O RT B R I D G E R SEPTEMBER 26
Bike Your Park: Bicycle a 2-mile guided path around the fort. 10a, Fort Bridger State Historic Site, free to participants, info 307-782-3842.
wyomingrea.org/
wren-submissions
SEP 2020
31
01 02
01
Sunlight Bridge, Todd Hall, Powell
02
Old Willwood Bridge looking towards Heart Mountain, Toby Sheets, Powell
03
Natural bridge, Carrie Miller, Laramie
03
JUST PICTURE IT
THIS MONTH:
BRIDGES 32
SEP 2020
NOV (DUE OCT 10):
DEC (DUE NOV 10):
PARADES
MUSIC
04 05
04
Sydney Harbour Bridge, Nick Biltoft, Riverton
05
New Willwood Bridge being built, Toby Sheets, Powell
06
South of Saratoga, Marilyn Norman, Cheyenne
07
Lake Creek bridges old and new, Todd Hall, Powell
06 07
08 09
08 09 10 11
Sunlight Basin on Chief Joseph Highway, Elgin Cook, Burlington Our yard, Dianalee Prime, Wheatland Past the uncertainty, Kara Badura, Riverton Lucerne, Switzerland, Georgia Antley Hunt, Basin
10 11
SUBMIT A P H OTO
wren@wyomingrea.org 214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001 wyomingrea.org/wren-submissions
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. Don’t use Kodak Easy Share®.
Please include your name, hometown and a title.
If you would like your work returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
PUZZLE ANSWERS
SPOT THE DIFFERENCE
Get Connected. Get Help.
Wyoming CAN COVID-19 Aging Network In this unprecedented time, many people who have never had to ask for help may need to turn to others. Whether you are an older adult, a caregiver, or an adult with disabilities, we want to make it easy for you to ask for the things you need to keep yourself and your family safe at home.
Visit www.wyoming211.org or
dial 2-1-1
to get connected.
Wills, Trusts & Probate
PUZZLE ON PAGE 25
Land Use GAY WOODHOUSE TARA NETHERCOTT HOLLI WELCH JEFF VAN FLEET
DISTRACTIONS
WRECK IT ALL
DEBORAH RODEN JOANNE SWEENEY KATYE BROWN CHRISTOPHER BRENNAN
1912 Capitol Avenue Suite 500 Cheyenne, WY 82001 (307) 432-9399 WRNLawFirm.com
SEP 2020
35
ENLIGHTEN US
Bridging the Gap BY DOROTHY RIEKE
One of our friends had a very interesting "thing" about bridges. If he saw a sign declaring a bridge was out, he would examine the bridge. If he deemed it was safe, with his wife beside him, he drove over it. Now, I wonder if that would be terms for divorce? 36
SEP 2020
I’ll have to admit it, I find bridges intriguing. Each one is a fascinating marvel of engineering skills. They have been necessary to man for many years. Without bridges, what would we do? Years ago, I worked for an employer who lived on a farm. Their long driveway led to a deep ditch containing shallow water. The house was located on the other side of the creek. I was stunned when I could not see a bridge or walkway to cross to reach the house. I noticed a few planks slanted across the water. As I was ready to venture across on those unsteady boards, I heard a yell. Someone was coming with my check.
bridges. The type of bridge, used in certain locations, depends on its function.
burning buildings, was killed in a jump from this bridge.
Many of these bridges are modern-style suspension bridges, in which the weight of the deck is supported by vertical cables suspended from larger cables that run between towers and are anchored in abutments at each end.
Bridges often played roles in the settlement of our country. Years ago in Wyoming emigrants needed to cross the North Platte and Laramie Rivers. At one time there were nine different crossings involving fords, ferries and bridges.
Located west of Douglas, [The Ayres Natural
Bridge] has been a
tourist attraction since
emigrants stopped along
One problem with these bridges is that they sway in strong winds. To correct this problem, these bridges have thick structures called “stiffening girders.”
Bridges often reveal interesting facts and stories. In 1867 in New York, traveling and perhaps before. from Brooklyn to Manhattan generally required a trip on a ferry. However, during winter when the East River was frozen, with ships stuck in the ice, some people actually skated to work. Obviously, a bridge was needed. German-born engineer John Roebling designed a bridge which was the longest steel-wire suspension bridge at that time. This bridge opened in 1883.
the Oregon Trail,
That person rushed down the bank, deftly crossed on the planks, and scrambled up the other side. Each time I arrived there for my check, I was afraid I’d have to cross those planks, but I never did. Somehow, someone always sensed my presence. During the early days of history, man, in his travels, decided that he and others needed bridges, structures made of natural or man-made materials providing passage over rivers, ravines, roads, railroads or other obstacles. Today’s bridges include beam bridges, arch bridges, suspension bridges, cantilever bridges and truss and cable-stayed
Even after this bridge was completed, there were problems. People could not believe that a “moving” bridge was safe. City officials turned to P. T. Barnum of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. Barnum's elephant, Jumbo, was advertised as “the largest known animal in creation.” The city officials asked Barnum to lead that elephant over the Brooklyn Bridge to silence rumors of its instability. On May 17, 1884, a parade of 21 elephants and 17 camels followed by Jumbo, an animal estimated to be more than 10 feet tall, crossed that bridge. Down through the years this bridge has been the scene of strange events. In 1993, Thierry Devaux from France, hooking himself up to a bungee cord, successfully jumped off this bridge eight times. Earlier, Robert Emmet Odium, in an attempt to prove that people should take the initiative and jump from top floors of
The Ayres Natural Bridge is a natural limestone arch across La Prele Creek. Located west of Douglas, it has been a tourist attraction since emigrants stopped along the Oregon Trail, and perhaps before. The Debbie Smith Memorial Bridge is part of the Bear River Greenway in Evanston. This iron-framed bridge is 220 feet long with latticed sides where people can observe the river. Debbie Stroud Smith, a runner and director of the Evanston Senior Center, enjoyed running along the Bear River. She organized the Bear River Project leading to river improvements as well as the beginning of the rail and bridge network. During the long history of bridges, these structures have managed to influence our culture and improve the way we travel, as well as the way we live. Bridges make it possible for us to go to school, seek medical help and go to work without having to cross a fast -flowing river or a dangerous railway line or a busy highway. Bridges often bring prosperity to rural areas. Bridges also allow people and communities to merge, allowing better understanding of people’s beliefs and cultures. Bridges, marvels of modern engineering, will seemingly last forever serving men in helpful ways. W
Dorothy Rieke was an English teacher for 44 years. She now writes from her home in Julian, Nebraska. SEP 2020
37
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SEP 2020
02 | FOR SALE
07 | WANTED
Black/white, short haired, long tail, male pup for sale - $250, whelped 5/21/20. www.lynettesstockdogs.com. Best suited for working cows. 307-272-5509.
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.
Gun Store – Very fine retail gun operation currently located in Colorado for sale. Supports and promotes local gun enthusiasts with ammunition, targets, protective gear, classes, indoor small arms training simulator, plus new and used pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Store currently operated by employees who are experienced hunters, shooters, instructors, and jewelers. Public range nearby. All offers will be considered. Out-of-state owner. Store is exceptionally successful right now. Contact christina.li1967@gmail.com. New & Used Coal Stokers, parts, service & advice. Available for most makes. Thanks. 307-754-3757. 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 74 years. Herren Bros., Box 187, Harrison NE. 1-308-668-2582. Surplus Equipment New and Used: Generators, air heaters, engine driven pumps, (all sizes), solar pumps, 3" and 4" polypipe, etc. A variety of types and sizes available. Call for pricing and details: Premier PowerPlants & Pumps, Farson, WY 307-273- 9591.
Want to purchase minerals & other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201. We Pay Cash For Mineral & Oil/Gas Interests producing & non-producing. 800-733-8122.
20 | FREE 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.
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ENCOURAGE THEIR
SelfExpression It’s always exciting to watch the seasons change. This fall, help your kids recognize the experience by talking about what they:
Then, write a poem about it together by using this prompt!
SEE – like how orange the pumpkins are
I know it’s fall when I can SEE __________________.
FEEL – like the cool air or a warm sweater
To me, fall SMELLS like __________________.
HEAR – like the crunching of leaves
And SOUNDS like __________________.
SMELL – like baking pies
And TASTES like __________________.
TASTE – like cinnamon and apple cider
I love fall because it FEELS like __________________.
For more fall activities to do with your kids, visit wyqualitycounts.org/wren
This month’s activity
Why Leaves Change Color Experiment!
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.
All WY Quality Counts activities are supported by the Wyoming Early Learning Foundations and Guidelines, as well as the Domains of Development, which include: COMMUNICATION
SENSE OF SELF & RELATIONSHIPS
CURIOUS MINDS
STRONG & HEALTHY BODIES