March 19, 2019 GENERALS 133rd Year, No. 254 Serving ...

TUESDAY

March 19, 2019 133rd Year, No. 254

Serving Sheridan County, Wyoming, since 1887



75 Cents

Press THESHERIDAN

LONG-TERM VISION

GENERALS FALL IN FIRST GAME

SPORTS ? B1

MATTHEW GASTON | THE SHERIDAN PRESS

Sheridan College's AJ Bramah, pictured here Wednesday, March 13, 2019, is a sophomore basketball player for Sheridan College.

KRISTEN CZABAN | THE SHERIDAN PRESS

Gov. Mark Gordon and Wyoming State Auditor Kristi Racines lead the Wyoming Financial Transparency Working Group's meeting Monday, March 18, 2019, in the Emerson Building in Cheyenne. The group discussed several near-term improvements the state could implement to improve financial transparency, and began crafting long-term goals for transparency in the state.

Transparency working group discusses priorities

BY MICHAEL ILLIANO MICHAEL.ILLIANO@

Sheridan resident Gail Symons speaks during the Wyoming Financial Transparency Working Group's meeting Monday, March 18, 2019, in the Emerson Building in Cheyenne.

CHEYENNE -- The Wyoming Financial Transparency Working Group discussed several short-term improvements to state transparency Monday and began to craft a long term vision for the group's efforts going forward.

The group, which was formed by Gov. Mark Gordon and Wyoming State Auditor Kristi Racines, consists of transparency stakeholders from throughout the state, including media members, private citizens and elected officials.

SEE VISION, PAGE 2

WGFD proposes minimal changes for Sheridan areas

FROM STAFF REPORTS

SHERIDAN -- Hunters dropped in to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Monday evening to discuss proposed changes to hunting regulations for the upcoming 2019 season. Those in attendance were encouraged to submit handwritten comments that evening and until April 1.

In the March 2019 draft of the Sheridan Region hunting seasons, antelope saw no changes in Hunt Areas 10, 15 and 102. Hunt Area 109 Type 6 is projected to increase its doe or fawn antelope quota to 400 from 350 last season. Local deer areas 23 through 26 will also see minimal changes.

SEE HUNTING, PAGE 3

ASHLEIGH FOX | THE SHERIDAN PRESS

Local hunters discuss changes in regulations during the season-setting meeting at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Sheridan office Monday, March 18, 2019.

Bramah's fast ascent in basketball

BY BUD DENEGA BUD.DENEGA@

SHERIDAN -- In the

summer leading up to

his junior year of high

school, AJ Bramah made

a vow to himself.

"I promised myself that

I would come back the

best player in the confer-

ence," Bramah said.

Bramah set the bar

quite high, considering he

had just completed his

first full season of orga-

nized basketball. Bramah

made good by his prom-

ise and claimed Most

Valuable Players honors.

Bramah has grown,

learned and advanced his

game the last few years,

Sheridan College's AJ Bramah (2) takes and this season he helped

flight from the free throw line at the the Sheridan College

Bruce Hoffman Golden Dome Friday, men's basketball team

March 8, 2019.

navigate to the national

tournament.

Bramah experience a growth spurt prior to his high school

sophomore season, which stretched him to 6-foot-4. This

prompted him to start playing basketball.

SEE BRAMAH, PAGE 2

Council considers changes to

wireless communications regulations

BY MICHAEL ILLIANO MICHAEL.ILLIANO@

SHERIDAN -- Sheridan City Council passed the first reading of an ordinance that would amend regulations related to the installation of wireless communications equipment in Sheridan.

Council passed Ordinance

2184 in April in an effort to establish a clear path for wireless communications companies interested in installing new structures in the city while putting regulations in place that would protect the city's aesthetics and viewsheds.

SEE COUNCIL, PAGE 3

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307.672.2431

Today's edition is published for: Betty Ross of Sheridan

OPINION PEOPLE AT A GLANCE ALMANAC

4 BUSINESS

8

5 SPORTS

B1

6 COMICS

B3

7 CLASSIFIEDS

B4

A2 THESHERIDANPRESS



TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019

BRAMAH : Lived off athleticism and length to survive on court at first

FROM 1

In an effort to get his feet wet, Bramah began shooting around at the local park down the street in his hometown of Hayward, California.

While some days saw Bramah squeeze in a quick shoot-around as the sun dipped below the horizon line, others saw him up at dawn playing pick-up and 21 with any number of people from his neighborhood.

Bramah, admittedly, didn't know how to play the game of basketball. He lived off his athleticism and length to survive on the court.

"I couldn't really dribble. I was just tall and athletic," Bramah said. "My IQ was really low, and I couldn't do much."

Plenty of days at the park and numerous hours of watching Youtube videos of Chris Paul and Magic Johnson increased Bramah's skill and feel for the game enough to earn a spot on the high school

MATTHEW GASTON | THE SHERIDAN PRESS

Sheridan College's AJ Bramah (2) hits the jump shot from outside the paint Saturday, March 9, 2019.

varsity team. After his breakout year as a junior, Bramah backed it up with

a strong senior season that Texas and Wyoming. commanded the attention of Bramah could have elected junior colleges in Arizona, to go south where the level

of basketball is high and the climate is more his speed, but he didn't.

Bramah chose to take his talents to the desolate and cold Rocky Mountain Region.

"Just trusting (Head) Coach (Matt) Hammer. He was on me the most, so I had an easy choice to come [to Sheridan]," Bramah said. "Coach Hammer trusts me, and he puts me in the best position to be a better player. I may want to do things, but Coach Hammer will tell me that it's not good for me.

"He's honest with me, and I love him for that."

Sheridan's population of just over 17,000 and rural lifestyle wasn't what Bramah was used to, but he has embraced it. He loves the local community and even enjoys what winter brings ... somewhat.

"Sheridan was the first time I saw snow," Bramah said. "It was fun. It was different. But I don't like to be in it."

Hammer heavily recruit-

ed Bramah with a focused mindset. He wanted a long, athletic player that could handle the ball, defend multiple positions, run and rebound.

"With AJ, the first thing that pops off the page is just his athleticism and how fast he can run the floor," Hammer said. "He is so quick off the floor, he could attack the basket, and he could rebound."

Bramah has filled up the stat sheet on more than one occasion. At least once this season, he has led the Generals in either points, rebounds, assists or steals.

Hammer still believes there's plenty of room for growth and improvement for his stretch four that has played basketball for five years.

"His ceiling is higher than anyone we've ever had," Hammer said. "He has got the ability to play at the highest level in college if he really wants to. ... He's a guy where he can play this game well into his 30s if he really wanted to."

VISION : Working group plans to educate government entities how to comply with new law

FROM 1

Racines framed the working group's objectives into two categories. The first was pragmatic -- ensuring state government entities comply, and can comply, with Wyoming's transparency laws and policies. The second category was more philosophical -- assessing whether the state's laws and policies are facilitating the kinds of transparency the group envisions.

As the group and the state move forward with transparency improvements,

Racines said they would have to weigh trade offs between greater transparency and the costs of providing it.

"It is a balance, making sure we're protecting transparency, but also protecting the privacy and protected data of our citizens," Racines said. "And then, preserving transparency, but finding a balance -- how much taxpayer funds do we want to expend and how much are we comfortable spending to make sure we are as transparent as possible."

The group discussed several near-term solutions to improve the state's ability to fulfill records requests with timely, legible data. Racines said her office has been working internally on a transparency website that would allow residents to search and download records, which could be active in the next three to four months.

Gail Symons, a Sheridan resident who is also a member of the state's Government Efficiency Commission, presented the group with several

highly-regarded transparency websites from other states and concluded that Wyoming could explore implementing similar systems for a relatively modest price.

Gordon said he would invite data firms like OpenGov and Socrata, which currently host websites for several state governments, to present at a future working group meeting to advance discussions on the implementation of a consistent state transparency platform.

With the prospect of releasing more data to the public, Racines noted the group would also have to prepare to contend with challenges that data could create.

Racines, who took office in January, has already resolved a transparency dispute that dogged her predecessor for years. Last month, Racines released six years worth of state expenditures, fulfilling a public records request transparency groups filed in 2015

and dismissing a lawsuit brought on by a perceived delay in the response to that request.

Since the release of the expenditure data, Racines said her office has received a lot of questions about line items in the expenditures, many of which have had to be redirected to the state agency that made the purchase.

Those questions, Racines said, have highlighted some of the limitations of releasing raw data.

"Out of context information can breed more confusion than clarity, sometimes," Racines said.

Gordon, who is currently drafting his first state budget, said he would like to explore ways to include more context in the budget to give citizens a sense of where and why the state is spending its money where it is.

Though providing context for every available record would be virtually impossible, the group began discussing ways to include

more context with data releases going forward. It also planned to begin discussing policies for what would happen if confidential information is inadvertently released through one of these new systems.

As the state implements new public records requirements established by a bill in the latest budget session, the working group plans to educate government entities how to comply with the new law. The law will require each government entity to designate a public records official to manage records requests and respond to inquiries about them; Gordon said he hopes to compile a list of the public records officials in each entity and publish it on the state's website in the near future.

The group has not scheduled its next meeting.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Sheridan Press Publisher, Kristen Czaban, is a member of the Wyoming Financial Transparency Working Group.

Questions about Science and Religion

This Lenten season, you are invited to join the conversation between religion and science at First Christian Church. Guest leader will be Paleontologist Nathaniel "Sandy" Ludlum (MS in

Geology). Plus readings from the book "The Language of God" by Francis S. Collins.

Thursday evenings, March 21, 28 and April 4.

Dinner begins at 5:30 p.m.

Study begins at 6 p.m; ends at 7 p.m.

This program is a mutual effort of First Congregational United Church of Christ

and First Christian Church.

All meetings are at the First Christian Church, 102 South Connor.

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019



A3 THESHERIDANPRESS

COUNCIL : Sales and use tax revenue up

ASHLEIGH FOX | THE SHERIDAN PRESS

A room full of hunters and Wyoming Game and Fish Department employees chat and review proposed regulations during the season-setting meeting at the WGFD Sheridan office Monday, March 18, 2019.

HUNTING : Comments can be hand delivered

FROM 1

In September, however, the Federal Communications Commission adopted federal regulations on wireless communications facilities, which rendered several sections of Ordinance 2184 noncompliant with federal law.

The ordinance council considered Monday would amend sections of Ordinance 2184 to bring them into compliance with the new federal standards. The amendments largely pertain to time frames for reviewing and approving projects that involve the installation of wireless communications structures; a red-lined document detailing all of the changes the new ordinance would make is available through Monday's meeting agenda packet on the city's website.

Council is expected to consider the new ordinance on second reading at its next regular meeting.

Other business:

City Treasurer Karen Burtis updated council on the city's sales and use tax collections. As in the past several months, sales and use tax collections continued to grow in city's March sales and use tax report, which details collections made in January. Burtis said the city has seen overall sales and use tax revenue grow by 4.8 percent on the year, which is nearly twice the growth the city projected when it compiled its budget for the current fiscal year. If that trend continues through the rest of the year, Burtis said, the city

will collect approximately $192,000 in additional revenue. Council approved a lease-option acquisition of a new landfill compactor, which Roberts said will offer the city a significantly more efficient compaction rate. Roberts said a selection committee overwhelmingly recommended the city purchase a TANA E380 compactor after reviewing several of the options on the market; the total cost of the compactor is $825,464. The city plans to use a seven-year lease agreement with Bank of the West, which will carry a 3.69 percent interest rate, to pay for the compactor, an agreement city staff plans to present to council for approval at its next regular meeting.

Roberts estimated that the additional space the TANA E380 will create in the city landfill during the seven-year lease through its improved compaction rate could be worth more than $3 million. Council approved a resolution that grants the Sheridan Community Land Trust a license agreement to operate and maintain trail systems on sections of city property. The license agreement will allow the SCLT to move forward with a twophase project to extend the Soldier Ridge Trail System. During a council study session last week, SCLT Executive Director Brad Bauer said his group would aim to begin construction on the project this summer if council approved the license agreement. Council passed a resolution establishing May 4 as "Trees for Trash" and "Community Clean-up" Day, and designates May 11 and Oct. 26 "Free Landfill Days."

FROM 1

In areas 23 and 26, the any white-tailed deer quota is slated to increase from 150 to 250 this year. WGFD suggested removing the private land stipulations in Hunt Area 24 general tag season from Oct. 15 to Oct. 31, allowing all hunters to shoot antlered mule deer or any white-tailed deer.

Also in Hunt Area 24, proposed increases from 300 to 400 for any white-tailed deer from Nov. 1-30 and from 200 to 250 for any doe or fawn valid on private land from Sept. 1 through Dec. 15 were considered by hunters.

For elk hunt areas near Sheridan, only two changes were listed. In Hunt Area 37, Type 6, the season will potentially span from Sept. 15-30 instead of starting at the first of the month. This decreases time for cow or calf elk hunting off national forest lands.

Any elk in Hunt Area 38, Type 1 from Oct. 15 to Nov. 5 will potentially be increased from 350 to 400 quota.

Hunt area 38 for archery-only, any elk will potentially be increased from 200 to 250 from Sept. 1

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission 2018 antelope, deer and elk hunting regulations book sits on a table during the season-setting meeting at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Sheridan office Monday, March 18, 2019.

to Sept. 30. Moose in Hunt Area 1 will remain at a five for the quota, while Hunt Area 34 limited quota is projected to decrease from 10 to five for the Oct. 1-31 season.

The five-year antelope herd evaluation from 2014 to 2018 for private land showed around a 77 percent average satisfaction rate among hunters and landowners. In 2017, 72 percent of hunters were satisfied with pronghorn herds in the Leiter area. In 2018, WGFD

estimates an 83 percent satisfaction rate for hunters and 43 percent for landowner satisfaction. No changes are proposed for the area for the 2019 hunting season for private landowners.

Comments can be hand delivered to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department Sheridan office or mailed to Wyoming Game and Fish Department Wildlife Division, Attn: Regulations, 3030 Energy Lane, Casper, WY 82604, by April 1.

WYOMING NEWS BRIEFS |

FROM WYOMING NEWS

EXCHANGE NEWSPAPERS

Two killed in crash

near Evanston

EVANSTON (WNE) -- A multi-vehicle crash resulted in two more fatalities on I-80 east of Evanston on the night of Friday, March 15. Three vehicles were involved in the accident at milepost 33 that kept emergency crews busy and closed the interstate in both directions for several hours.

Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Dave Homer said the accident involved a commercial vehicle, a decommissioned fire truck and a passenger car. The commercial vehicle, a 2019 Volvo semi-truck, struck the rear of the fire truck, both traveling westbound. The fire truck spun off the roadway and rolled while the commercial vehicle crossed the median into eastbound traffic.

The driver of an eastbound passenger vehicle, a 2002 Toyota Camry, swerved to avoid a collision but still struck the semi's trailer, spun and came to rest in the median.

There were two people in the passenger vehicle. The driver -- Ronnie Beck, 78, of Green River -- succumbed to injuries at the scene of the crash. Passenger

Ruth Beck, 74, of Green River, was transported to Evanston Regional Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries. Three additional patients from the other two vehicles were also transferred to ERH. All five involved were wearing seatbelts. The semi driver has been identified as 49-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina, resident Murad Temish. The driver of the fire truck was 42-year-old Fort Bridger resident David Watson, according to WHP.

The fatalities bring the number to 30 lives lost on Wyoming roadways in 22 crashes so far in 2019 -- double the fatalities of 2018 and significantly higher than the four previous years.

Western College

trustees approve fee

increases

ROCK SPRINGS (WNE) -- Voicing regret at having to do so, the Western Wyoming Community College Board of Trustees on Monday approved increases to a number of student and course fees.

Vice President of Student Services Philip Parnell, sitting in for President Karla Leach, said the college tries very hard to not increase fees for its students. However, continued revenue cuts by the Wyoming

Legislature -- and with future budget cuts on the horizon -- make these increases necessary, Parnell added.

Despite the increases, student and course fees remain below other higher education institutions in Wyoming, said Parnell and Kim Farley, vice president for Student Learning.

In addition to the increases to student fees across the board, an increase of $5 to the Academic Support Fee was approved.

Some of the courses that will see fee increase for the 2019-2020 school year include: general art, $7 to $12; all auto courses, $30 to $40; all biology courses, $50 to $55; all chemistry courses, $65 to $70; and all history courses, $0 to $10.

Courses that will see a large course fee increase are the ceramics courses, which jump from $35-$60 to $120$150; and the professional nursing care in health promotion course, which will increase from $100 to $300.

Trustees Greg Erramouspe and Troy Archuleta questioned these large increases. Archuleta requested the enrollment be tracked in the ceramics courses to see if the large fee increases cause a loss to enrollment. He said if the program loses students, then the college may have to bear some of the costs.

Elk refuge sued over feeding

BY MIKE KOSHMRL

JACKSON HOLE DAILY

VIA WYOMING NEWS EXCHANGE

JACKSON -- Environmental groups are suing the National Elk Refuge for business-as-usual elk feeding and failing to implement a 12-year-old plan. On Monday, the environmental law firm Earthjustice -- which has sued over Elk Refuge feeding before -- filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., on behalf of the National Wildlife Refuge Association, Defenders of Wildlife and the Sierra Club.

The suit claims "severe disease threats" and focuses on anticipated effects from chronic wasting disease, a lethal and incurable cervid sickness that showed up

not far from the refuge boundary last fall. Earthjustice had signaled that the

lawsuit was coming by publicly writing Elk Refuge Manager Brian Glaspell in December, asking him to release a "stepdown" plan detailing how the refuge will reduce elk numbers and feeding.

"There's no real secret here," Earthjustice managing attorney Tim Preso told the Jackson Hole Daily. "The letter asked them to do something and, as they have done for the last 11 years, they didn't do anything. Now we're asking a court to order them to take action that they promised."

Earthjustice's lawsuit asks a judge to force the Elk Refuge's hand, by giving it 30 days to produce a detailed plan.

OPINION

A4 THESHERIDANPRESS



TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019

Wedding

Planning

Boot Camp

Two weekends ago, I became engaged. Last weekend, my fianc? and I sat down and started what I deemed Wedding Planning Boot

Camp. The man was familiar with boot

camp from his time in the Air Force

(HURA!), so he was fully equipped to

dive in to my years of Pinterest planning

for our perfect day.

To be honest, though, when the time

came to actually plan, all of the bridal

showers and bach-

elorette hoopla that

everyone preaches,

all the frills and

thrills, were just

not up our alley.

We worked to plan

a simple week filled

with fun and food to

ASHLEIGH

honor the people we love.

FOX

Our dream was to

|

marry within a sixmonth time frame,

but ideally we want-

ed a three-month

engagement.

Despite nearly everyone's warnings

of not being able to squeeze it in the

time allotted, we did it.

Within 24 hours of him popping the

question, we had the venue and cater-

er penciled in. By the end of the week,

we had the guest list secured and

invitations ordered, venue and caterer

booked, tables and chairs scheduled

with an invoice coming our way and

the entirety of the wedding party and

most day-of schedule details orga-

nized.

For the next two months, we'll be

driving on cruise control as we final-

ize details, pay vendors and solidify

rockstar playlists for the week's

events.

For those who say it cannot be done,

I would like to encourage those want-

ing to have a short engagement --

and a big, boisterous wedding -- that

it can be done.

During our research, we discovered

the average cost of a wedding in 2017

was $25,764, according to costofwed-

. The website continued to

inform that couples, on average, spend

between $19,323 and $32,205 but 50 per-

cent of couples spend less than $15,000.

With a few cheap options in town, like

Whitney Commons Park rental for

less than $500 per day, a wedding is

certainly doable in Sheridan for far

less than the average.

The average wedding cost per zip

code (Sheridan's), couples typically

spend between $17,765 and $29,609 for

their wedding.

Pinterest also helps a ton. Sifting

through my pins, former brides

encourage wistful scrollers that a

three-month engagement can be

accomplished and the dream wedding

can still happen.

The "Hitched" wedding blog out of

the United Kingdom provided a three-

month timeline, including catering,

venue, invitations, wedding dress and

a photographer and music secured

within the first month.

Other scheduling factors were

spread out in the next two months,

including florist, cakes and bridal

party attire in month two and decor,

accessories, gifts and final tasks filling

the final month.

The "Hitched" author suggested

e-invitations -- a tip we nabbed and

are thankful that provided a

tedious but simple-in-the-long-run sys-

tem to allow for online RSVPs, which

automatically translates into head

counts.

I'm most certainly no expert in

wedding planning but can encourage

current or future brides-to-be that the

short engagements are totally plausi-

ble. HURA!

LETTER |

Controversy really

about overreach

Re: City fluoride debate

The controversy surrounding the fluoridation of the Sheridan water system is not about the benefits, or lack of, the fluoridation of the Sheridan water system, but rather whether Sheridan's City Council exceeded its authority.

Since the American colonies won their independence from Great Britain, the American people have considered themselves a free people, free from government

intrusion into our lives. At no level of government, whether at the local state, or federal levels, does government have any authority to meddle in our personal health decisions. We are a free people!

Secondly, Wyoming law requires before any person practices medicine or prescribes prescription medicines, they must be certified by the state before doing so. Our city council violated that law, and possibly have put themselves at risk of lawsuits. My suggestion to the city council is to forgo surveying residents as to whether they favor or disfavor fluorida-

tion of the water system and immediately repeal the decision for fluoridation and shut the system down. Fluoride is ubiquitous in our environment, thus making its presence already in our water system naturally. Also, fluoridation treatment can be requested from your local dentist or found in various toothpastes. There was no reason for the city council to force it upon all residents or expend the money for such a system. In the future, our city council needs to stay out of our personal lives.

George Walker Sheridan

HASTA LUEGO, BETO

It must be a grown-up thing, but every time I see Beto O'Rourke, I want to fix him a hamburger. He's precious. And, if my eyes serve me, he's hun-

gry.

Call it maternal instinct; call it age. But,

let's call the Texas Democrat's nascent

presidential campaign what it is: a

youthful folly. If only the media machine

weren't already doing its dang-est to

advance a narrative primarily of its own

making. No one in recent memory, save

for Donald Trump, has received so much

free advertising by simply showing up.

From near-constant

chatter on cable-news

shows to a recent cov-

er-story splash in Vanity

Fair, O'Rourke is the

newest celebrity politi-

cian. In a telling quote in

the magazine article, he

declared: "Man, I'm just

KATHLEEN PARKER

born to be in it." O'Rourke did grow up

around politics. His late

|

father, Pat O'Rourke,

a Texas county judge,

co-chaired Jesse

Jackson's presidential

campaign in Texas in 1984 and 1988, and

later ran unsuccessfully for Congress

after becoming a Republican. The younger

O'Rourke often tagged along on campaign

stops and has recounted hating it when

his dad urged him to speak to people. I

leave the rest to Dr. Freud.

Don't get me wrong, the boyish man

whose mannerisms and speech patterns

ricochet between Robert Kennedy and

Barack Obama (Berto O'Bama?) is -- have

I said this? -- precious, the preferred

fallback term when, upon peering into a

bassinet at someone's new baby, there's

nothing else to say. For a reason, Beto metaphors and similes are found in the nursery.

When he flails his arms, often in front of his own face, he reminds mothers everywhere of the moment when an infant suddenly realizes that the hand bobbing in front of his nose belongs to him, whereupon he remains mesmerized until he realizes there's another one!

O'Rourke apparently hasn't quite made the connection, but some coaching may help. If not, we'll be listening to the hand.

None of this is to say he isn't perfectly qualified to be president of the United States. O'Rourke, after all, has served three terms in Congress and barely lost his Senate bid last year to Republican Ted Cruz. Previously, he served as an El Paso city councilman and otherwise has worked for a startup Internet-service provider, been a nanny, art mover, proofreader and, when time allowed, a writer of short stories and, briefly, an alternative-weekly publisher. He also played bass in a punk rock bank, Foss. I'm no soothsayer, but I'd gamble on a late-night-show bass performance real soon.

In fairness, as columnists like to say when they're midway through a political evisceration, he is precious. But are we sure his dosage is correct? To the untrained eye, O'Rourke's jumping, dancing, lurching pogo-stick histrionics seem more manic than high-energy. I'd offer a beer with that hamburger, but I fear being accused of contributing to the delinquency of a minor leaguer. (Search O'Rourke's DWI and burglary arrest history if you want to.)

Otherwise, I confess that I like O'Rourke as the person he actually is -- a dreamyeyed Libran with whom I happen to share a birthday (Sept. 26), if a few years apart.

He also shares my husband's high school alma mater, Woodberry Forest. In a star-gazing, palm-reading, karma-kind-ofway, he's a pretty irresistible combo, but mostly for dating.

As presidential material, O'Rourke has offered little substance except to say that he wants to make the country a better place and save the planet, which no other politician has ever said. He's against walls, at times favors expanding Medicare for those who want it, and suggested climate-change warriors are like our troops who fought in World War II. No, they're not.

Going forward, the O'Rourke campaign's operative word is "positive," which is why columnists rarely run for public office. That said, I am positive about one thing: O'Rourke is a composite character churned out by a Google analytics algorithm that specified a youngish, Spanish-speaking, tall, skinny guy whose nickname sounds Latino, even though O'Rourke is 100 percent white, from a privileged background, and the husband of a hundred-millionaire's daughter, not that there's anything wrong with that.

In this anti-white-male era, I suppose a white mother of three white males and one white grandson should be gratified that so many young people are drawn to him. As I may be someday, too -- in about 2032 -- when the still boyish O'Rourke will be a more-seasoned 60 -- and I'll be trying to get out of a chair, assuming a lot.

In the meantime, a burger has Beto's name on it.

KATHLEEN PARKER is a syndicated columnist of The Washington Post, a regular guest on television shows like The Chris Mathews Show and The O'Reilly Factor, and is a member of the Buckley School's faculty. She won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for distinguished commentary.

DROP US A LINE |

The Sheridan Press welcomes letters to the editor. The decision to print any submission is at the discretion of the managing editor and publisher. Letters must be signed and include an address and telephone number ? which will not be published ? for verification purposes. Unsigned letters will not be published, nor form letters, or letters

that we deem libelous, obscene or in bad taste. Email delivery of letters works best and have the best chance of being published. Letters should not exceed 400 words. The best-read letters are those that stay on a single topic and are brief. Letters may be edited for length, taste, clarity.

We reserve the right to limit frequent letter writers.

Write: Letters to the Editor The Sheridan Press P.O. Box 2006 Sheridan, Wyo. 82801

Email: letters@

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The 1st Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

PEOPLE

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019



Event to offer introduction to snow sports

FROM STAFF REPORTS

BIGHORN MOUNTAINS -- Antelope Butte Foundation will host a free one-day introduction clinic for community members ages 16 and older who are interested in becom-

ing snow sport instructors. The event will take place Saturday

from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation Area.

Those planning to attend should wear layers, bring snacks and water.

The clinics will be led by Professional Ski Instructors of America and American Association of Snowboard Instructors professionals Eliza Kuntz and Chay Donnely. For more information, contact ABF at 307-529-1250.

A5 THESHERIDANPRESS

Equal Justice Wyoming sponsors free

legal presentation

FROM STAFF REPORTS

SHERIDAN -- Equal Justice Wyoming will sponsor free legal sessions Thursday at the Sheridan County Courthouse.

From 2-4 p.m., a volunteer attorney will be available for brief one-on-one visits with community members to provide instruction in filling out legal forms and navigating the court system.

No appointment is necessary and individuals will be served on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Sheridan County Courthouse is located at 22 S. Main St.

Grand View University Choir to perform in Sheridan

FROM STAFF REPORTS

SHERIDAN -- The Grand View University Choir will present the program "O Day Full of Grace" at Trinity Lutheran Church on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

The tour program proclaims that all of our days are in God's hands. The themes of the pieces cover all aspects of a day -- morning, work, leisure, struggle, joy and evening, and then usher in that greatest of

days -- eternal day. Grand View University,

of Des Moines, Iowa, with a student body of approximately 2,000, is a four-year, Liberal Arts University of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

All are welcome to attend the concert at Trinity Lutheran Church, located at 135 Crescent Drive.

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, call 307-6722411.

MATTHEW GASTON | THE SHERIDAN PRESS

New tattoo

Three-year-old Milee Rieger shows off her new tattoo (temporary) while enjoying a doughnut?? at Kids Country Daycare's fundraiser carnival Friday, March 15, 2019.

CJ Box to sign

copies of new book

FROM STAFF REPORTS

SHERIDAN -- Author C.J. Box will sign copies of his new book "Wolf Pack" from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday at Sheridan Stationery, Books and Gallery.

In the book, Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett,

last seen in the book "The Disappeared," has his old badge and district back, a brand-new pickup truck, and is happy to be out in the field tracking an illegal trapper.

For more information, stop by the store at 206 N. Main St.

Lynch teaching a class

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- According to filmmaker David Lynch, all it takes are 70 ideas to make a feature film. The visionary mind behind "Blue Velvet,"

``Mulholland Drive" and "Twin Peaks" is imparting this and other wisdom, like never giving up final cut, in a new MasterClass on creativity and filmmaking.

TRHS play `Johnson

County Cattle War'

opens tonight

FROM STAFF REPORTS

DAYTON -- Tongue River High School students will offer several performances of "Johnson County Cattle War" beginning tonight at the school in Dayton.

Performances are set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

A matinee will also be offered Thursday at 1:30 p.m. The Tuesday perfor-

mance will include a dinner fundraiser at 5:30 p.m. in the TRHS commons.

The cost is $12 per person or $35 per family for the dinner.

Admission for the play is free, though tickets must be reserved through the TRHS office at 307-655-2236. Donations will be accepted.

The play will take place at the school, located at 1100 Main St. in Dayton.

HAVENEWS?

Call The Sheridan Press at 672 -2431

(ISSN 1074-682X) Published Daily except Sunday

and six legal holidays.

?COPYRIGHT 2019 by SHERIDAN NEWSPAPERS, INC.

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EXECUTIVE STAFF

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