BASIN ELECTRIC
RELIABILITY
No matter the season or storm our members face, Basin Electric provides reliable and affordable electricity for our members’ homes, schools, and businesses. We’ll do everything we can to keep fans running, the lights on, and the coffee brewing.
STORY BY JENNIFER KOCHER
This year the WREN has been covering various resources for electricity production. We have received some positive feedback from folks saying they appreciate the information and balanced approach. And we have received some negative feedback from folks saying that we didn’t write enough about the positive or negative impacts of a specific resource. But we have yet to hear that we have reported false or misleading information.
We all expect to read accurate, fair and honest information. When this ideal falls short, we speak up for what is right. In that same spirit, I’m writing this month to help set the record straight following a series of misleading articles recently published in a widely read, online news publication.
The articles had inaccurate headlines and provided a platform for out-of-state voices that don’t have your best interests at heart, creating confusion about the eight Wyoming electric co-ops that are members of power supply co-op Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association (G&T).
Tri-State isn’t some big corporation calling the shots. It’s a not-for-profit co-op, just like your local REA, that was created back in 1952 by co-ops in Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska (co-ops in New Mexico have since joined) to have ownership and control over power supply, and together make the important decisions at Tri-State.
The Tri-State board of directors, representing each co-op, and co-op managers work hand-in-hand with Tri-State management to make sure that electricity reliability and affordability stay front and center here in Wyoming and everywhere they operate.
Some laws in Colorado and New Mexico require Tri-State to add more renewables or reduce power plant emissions. Even as Tri-State complies with these laws, it’s important to know that Tri-State has an “all-of-the above” resource strategy. A key part of that strategy is continuing to use power from Wyoming’s Laramie River Station, a coal-fueled plant that Tri-State co-owns and that helps deliver reliable and affordable power to serve you.
Where it matters most, reliability and affordability, Tri-State is doing what counts and the Wyoming members are right there, working alongside them, to make sure this remains at the forefront of all operational decisions made at the G&T.
On reliability, Tri-State publicly demonstrates more than enough generation resources to help us keep the lights on, even during extreme weather events when wind and solar energy isn’t as available. We have worked successfully in Tri-State’s regulatory processes to ensure reliability is not just preserved, but is strengthened.
On affordability, over nine years, Tri-State has had flat wholesale rates, with two rate decreases and one rate increase. With no change in rates for 2025, Tri-State will have had a net wholesale rate increase of 1.4% between 2016 and the end of 2025. Stable wholesale rates from Tri-State help us better manage the significant cost pressures our co-ops face because of inflation and increasingly expensive supply chains.
Finally, the Wyoming Tri-State members are not considering leaving Tri-State. In fact, co-ops that have left Tri-State have seen higher rates for their members. And Tri-State and their entire membership have worked hard to ensure that any co-op that would choose to leave Tri-State pays its share of Tri-State’s costs, so that those costs are not passed on to you.
I am, as are the Wyoming members of Tri-State, working with other co-ops in Wyoming and across the West, committed to keeping your power reliable and affordable. Our G&T co-ops, including Tri-State, remain our best option for power supply and give us the ownership, control and long-term security we need to serve Wyoming.
SHAWN TAYLOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Youth from across the Big Horn Basin attended an exciting and fun-filled day of outdoor activities for kids on Aug. 24 at Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site in Hyattville. Medicine Lodge Kids Outdoor Day is a well attended summer event that is put on annually.
“This is a great opportunity for kids to get outside, have fun and learn a new outdoor skill,” said Tara Hodges, information and education specialist with the Wyoming Game & Fish Department.
Participants are divided into age groups, then rotate through activity stations. Kids ages 8-10 cast fishing poles, shoot air rifles, practice archery, learn about birding and learn basic camping skills. Kids ages 11-12 shoot .22 rifles, pan for gold, throw atlatls, dig for artifacts, dissect owl pellets and learn about macroinvertebrates. Ages 13 and over
Welcome to all things wild west in the rural electric cooperative world. Each month will be dedicated to our lineworkers, including snippets about a day in their life, true tales of risky jobs, or more information about what it’s like to be a lineworker at an electric cooperative.
shoot muzzleloaders, practice on a ropes course, cast fly rods and learn about large carnivore awareness and outdoor survival.
The action doesn’t stop during the day, even when parents and kids take a break for lunch. Big Horn Rural Electric, which sponsors the event, provides a safety demonstration that is educational and fun. It is a demonstration that the line crew provides throughout the year at many different locations. Each one is geared towards the audience,
which varies from first responders to members and schools, but always leads back to safety. In July, the demo was provided at the Big Horn County Fair and for the Deaver Fire Department. Big Horn values getting the safety demonstration in front of as many people as possible and reminding folks how dangerous electricity can be.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, when paired with proper insulation, an electric heat pump can save over 30 percent on your heating and cooling bills compared to conventional HVAC systems. Here are some more advantages of a heat pump:
• One system to heat your home (even in sub-zero temperatures) and cool during warmer months
• Eliminate potential carbon monoxide exposure from combustion byproducts
• Costs substantially less to heat your home than propane or electric baseboard heat
A study from Consumer Reports showed that EV drivers spend close to 60 percent less on fuel (aka charging) costs compared to drivers of gas-powered cars. The biggest savings come when drivers charge overnight during off-peak hours. Other benefits include:
• No oil changes and less maintenance required
• Increased savings compared to gasoline
• Fun to drive because of torque
• A federal EV tax credit offers up to $7,500 for new cars and $4,000 for first-time used buyers
• More responsive, fun to drive and no lag
Our energy efficiency program is over 40 years old, and we’ve provided 10,000+ electrification and efficiency rebates as a part of our Electrify and Save program. Together with our members, we’re extending the benefits of electrification for schools, homeowners, businesses, agricultural producers, nonprofits and more.
Contact your local electric co-op or public power district to find out more on available rebates and incentives.
Tri-State is a not-for-profit power supplier to cooperatives and public power districts in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.
THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER MONTHS, INDIVIDUAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES SPONSOR STUDENTS TO ATTEND YOUTH CAMPS IN WYOMING, NEBRASKA, COLORADO AND UTAH.
JULY 13-18, 2024
CLARK, COLORADO (GLEN EDEN RESORT)
Campers from Wheatland Rural Electric Association: Annie McDonel, Hannah Lee, Nolan Allen
Campers from Powder River Corporation: Joe Willis, McKyla Strong
Camper from Carbon Power & Light: Darin Binning
Colorado Youth Leadership Camp gathered 79 students, five ambassadors and 13 counselors hailing from Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming and Oklahoma. The camp not only provided an incredible experience but also imparted valuable knowledge about the cooperative business model and crucial leadership skills that will undoubtedly shape their future endeavors.
The action-packed week included activities like a trip to the majestic peak of Mt. Werner, a rafting expedition, safety demonstrations, talent shows, leadership speakers and a soda pop co-op.
YOUTH LEADERSHIP CAMP
JULY 22-26, 2024
COZAD, NEBRASKA (CAMP COMECA)
Campers from Niobrara Electric Association: Thaine Monroe, Lincoln Falkenber, Brody Lang
There were 34 campers from 18 member systems with eight counselors and five junior counselors this year. The group also toured the Gerald Gentleman Power Station at Sutherland, Nebraska, and the Kingsley Hydro-Electric Power Plant at Ogallala, Nebraska.
Your connection to local cooperative news and information intended to connect, inform and inspire you as a rural electric cooperative member-owner.
JULY 8-12, 2024
EPHRAIM, UTAH (SNOW COLLEGE)
Campers from Bridger Valley Electric Association: Brockton Walker, Nash Piekkola, Isaac Tims, Ben Bluemel, Jayde Phillips, Mattie Behunin
Six students from two high schools in the BVEA service territory were selected by a BVEA committee to attend the annual Michael F. Peterson Leadership Challenge at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah. The camp consisted of approximately 150 students from Utah, Nevada and Wyoming, as well as chaperones and youth directors from each of the sponsor organizations.
The event-packed week provided opportunities to learn leadership skills, build self-esteem, focus on teambuilding exercises, hear from motivational speakers and participate in cooperative educational workshops. Dances, talent shows, movies and a demanding ropes obstacle course rounded out the festivities. At the banquet finale, scholarships were also awarded.
COAL CONTINUES TO BE A RELIABLE DOMESTIC ENERGY SOURCE, EVEN AS DEMAND HAS DECREASED.
BY JENNIFER KOCHER
As the appetite for Wyoming coal continues to decrease across the nation, Wyoming is pushing back against the federal regulations throttling the industry in a climate increasingly favorable to renewable energy alternatives.
In August, Gov. Mark Gordon vowed the state would fight against “the onslaught of anti-coal regulations” proposed by President Joe Biden’s Administration.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced in May its proposed resource management plan to end all new federal coal leases in the Powder River Basin in Wyoming and Montana.
The announcement garnered furious responses from Gordon and the Wyoming delegation. In a May 16 statement, Sen. John Barrasso accused President Joe Biden’s Administration of waging war on Wyoming’s coal communities and families.
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This short-sighted plan will kill future coal leases in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin – the most energyrich area in the country.
Demand for Wyoming’s thermal coal fell by 20% over the past year, according to the Wyoming State Geological Survey. An unseasonably mild winter is blamed in part for the decline on top of a coal backlog.
“This short-sighted plan will kill future coal leases in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin – the most energy-rich area in the country,” Barrasso said.
Sen. Cynthia Lummis likewise railed at the Biden Administration’s actions, calling it “the latest assault on our nation’s domestic energy production.”
The BLM’s resource plan came on the heels of earlier regulations handed down by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April that critics say are designed to regulate coal-fired plants out of existence.
Under the new EPA rules, the state has three choices with regard to coal-fired plants, including shuttering them by January 2032, converting to natural gas co-firing by 2030, with a forced shut-down date of January 2039, or installing CO2 capture technologies by 2032.
In response, Gordon declared the new rules “a travesty,” vowing to fight back.
In May, Gordon’s office announced it had filed a third lawsuit challenging the EPA rules, according to a statement from his office, while also earmarking $300,000 of the state’s coal litigation fund to the Wyoming Energy Authority in June.
In August, Gordon’s office announced that Wyoming had joined a lawsuit with Texas, North Dakota and 14 other states in its fourth lawsuit pushing back on proposed EPA rules.
“This one-size-fits-all rule applies a broad brush to every area, while setting unreasonable timelines that will be costly to implement,” Gordon said. “Ultimately, these costs will be borne by electric cooperatives and passed on to taxpayers. It’s time we stopped this onslaught of anti-coal regulations.”
Major coal players Arch Resources and Peabody likewise reported declining profits from Powder River Basin coal assets.
Arch, which owns the Black Thunder and Coal Creek mines, reported a $143 million loss in the first half of the year due to declining coal sales in its PRB operations, announcing planned “cost-cutting initiatives,” according to its second quarter 2024 report.
In late August, Arch announced it was merging with Consol Energy to create Core Natural Resources to maximize its global markets with two major expert terminals on the eastern seaboard, per a statement from the company.
Peabody, meanwhile, reported a 16.4% drop in coal sales from its PRB assets in a second-quarter report in late July. Peabody operates the North Antelope Rochelle Mine, the largest open-pit mine in the world, which saw nearly a 5% decrease in production over the past calendar year, according to the same report.
Critics like Gordon have accused the federal government of demonizing the fossil fuel industry which, according to his office, fuels about 20% of the nation’s electricity.
“Clearly, managing CO2 emissions is not the real target – it is Wyoming’s fossil fuel industries,” he said in an April statement.
Policy experts like David Gattie, an associate professor at the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia
steam travels through a turbine, causing it to rotate very fast, which spins a generator, producing electricity.
with extensive knowledge in integrated resource planning in the electric power sector, thinks that fossil fuels are getting “some really bad press” because of the prevailing climate narrative.
Gattie made a point to explain he’s not a climate change denier, but rather a pragmatist for energy reliability and protecting coal as a key domestic energy resource, which currently is being offset by cheaper natural gas.
He pointed to Biden’s pivot away from fossil fuels as part of a climate narrative that demonizes CO2 emissions,
despite their serving as a key energy source for decades.
“So, it’s almost one of those, ‘what have you done for us lately’ views,” he said. “Thanks for 75 years of killing yourself for everything you did, but right now, we don’t want you.”
He’s not dismissing the emissions issues with coal, he clarified, only that the payoff in eliminating it from our energy grid is not worth the minimal return in carbon emissions, particularly in light of the number of coal-powered plants that countries like China and India have built over the past 23 years.
Abundant fossil fuel
Provides constant power on demand
Easy to burn and produces high energy
Economic benefits and job opportunities
Between 2000 and 2023, China accounted for 8,854.7 million metric tons (mmtons) of CO2 emissions, according to the 2024 EI Statistical Review. Compare this to India’s 2,065 mmtons during the same period, followed by the U.S. at -893.3 mmtons.
Gattie argues that there would be a limited, if any, impact on global CO2 emissions if the U.S. stopped emitting CO2 completely, given that every developing country in East Asia is adding coal plants. He argued, “we are sacrificing reliability for zero return, climate-wise.”
Though he understands the concern about climate change, he feels ultimately that the U.S. has no unilateral control over the global climate system.
“We’re going to end up compromising our industrial base, in particular, our power grid,” he said.
Non-renewable resource
Environmental impacts and greenhouse gasses
Health risks from pollution
Waste generation
Those in the energy sector are equally troubled at the dwindling role of coal as a base load fuel source.
Brian Mills, chief executive officer at Powder River Energy Corporation (PRECorp), an electric cooperative that serves more than 12,000 members in northeastern Wyoming, said coal accounts for just under 40% of its total sales.
Over the past five years, they’ve seen a negative growth in coal, Mills said, except for 2022 in the wake of the pandemic, when coal stockpiles were refilled.
“We maybe have not found our bottom yet on coal sales,” he said. “The decline is probably sharper this year than in years past, but the reality is that coal will find a new bottom and we don’t see it going away completely.”
They continue to work with their power provider, Basin Electric, to manage an all the above energy portfolio to take advantage of the advancing technology and outside funding that is available to create a responsible mix of energy to meet the growing energy needs.
“Anytime you wholesale change reliable energy off the grid and replace it with intermittently available energy (renewables),” Mills said in an email,
“trouble [is] on the horizon. Simply put, our members’ energy demand/ consumption doesn’t follow the generation profile of renewables.”
He does believe that in the future, battery storage will go a long way in helping renewables become a more dependable resource, but that presently the technology is not where it needs to be to handle that scale of power.
Advances in carbon capture and sequestration may help save coal, he noted, and may provide a pathway for sustaining coal as a reliable fuel source.
Gov. Gordon has long been a proponent of decarbonization strategies and technologies like carbon capture and sequestration. In fact, he’s taken heat from legislators and others across the state for his role in the launch of the Decarbonizing the West initiative through the Western Governors’ Association.
The initiative supports decarbonization efforts such as reducing CO2 in the atmosphere through carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies.
Some, like Phil Christopherson, believe the future of coal is in the hands of such technologies. Christopherson, former chief executive officer of Energy Capital
Economic Development in Gillette, was instrumental in helping bring these technologies to the Powder River Basin.
The primary CCUS project in the area is the Wyoming CarbonSAFE Project at Dry Fork Station through the University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources, which is currently in its third phase of development, with the final phases being permitting and construction of a storage complex followed by commercializing operations.
The goal is to directly capture carbon dioxide emissions from the power plant’s exhaust stream and bury it safely beneath the ground. The underground membranes are designed to capture 150 tons of CO2, according to the SER’s website, with the goal of being the largest carbon capture facility in the world.
The bulk of the funding for the project – nearly $40.5 million –was awarded to the university by the U.S. Department of Energy with other entities contributing to the research.
Christopherson said efforts to use CO2 in plastics, bricks and other manufacturing have also been successful.
And though the technology is proving to be viable, retrofitting existing power plants with the CCUS equipment is not viable, given its cost.
“If we have a plant that’s at or near the end of its life, they’ll never generate enough power to recapture the cost,” he said. “It makes sense to build more coal-fired plants with that technology already built into the design.”
Regardless of its stance in the energy equation, coal is not going anywhere, according to energy experts like Gattie.
As the Wyoming Mining Association notes in its latest report, coal continues to be a reliable baseload generator that is abundant in Wyoming, with more than 1.4 trillion tons of total coal resources.
Not only is coal reliable, Gattie said, it’s in the best interest of the nation to maintain coal as an energy resource.
“Our energy security is national security,” he said, “and we don’t want to screw up our grid.” W
Jennifer Kocher is a writer and editor with more than a decade of
Change in CO2 Emissions (2020-2023)
2023 Global CO2 : 40,417.9
2000 Global CO2 : 26,651.9 2000-2023 Change: 13,765.9 (mmtons)
China Produces 8,854.7 CO2 Emissions (mmtons) The US Produced -893.3 CO2 Emissions! (mmtons)
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BY DR. MEGAN BEAVERS
If anyone knows the cattle working breeds, they know that they can be strong-willed to say the least. They have been bred over generations to be headstrong, tenacious and fearless. If a 3000-pound charging bull doesn’t scare them, not much will.
Riggin’ lived up to his breed’s purpose. He really only took instruction from his owner and didn’t back down from his much larger housemates on numerous occasions. After one such fight,
Riggin’ was unable to close his mouth, so he came in for a visit. Unfortunately, if not around his “human dad” he was basically feral and unable to be restrained in any manner for sedation. After quite the rodeo we got enough drugs into him for him to drift off to happy slumber. Upon examination it was very apparent that he had broken his lower jaw. There was also a lot of blood coming from a wound under Riggin’s tongue, through which I could see the broken bones.
The fracture was just behind the big lower canine tooth. This presented a problem. Because of the pieces of jawbone on either side of the fracture, there would not be a big enough space to place a plate and screws. Since Riggin’ was currently under anesthesia, I had to think quickly to use the items we had around the hospital on that day. Which wasn’t a lot. I decided we could try some makeshift braces, hoping they might work.
We found several different gauges of surgical wire. I needed a big size but pliable enough to make some tight turns. I began weaving the chosen wire between his teeth starting behind his biggest molar, up and around the front of the canine tooth; then twisted it tight in several places until the fracture reduced in almost perfect alignment. There was now great stability there from the wire that wasn’t there before! I sutured up the wounds in his mouth and cleaned things up. Riggin’ went home on a regimen of antibiotics, pain medications and a strict feeding protocol for the first few weeks. That evening his owners reported he was basically back to normal and was eager to eat and play.
Six uneventful weeks later Riggin’ came back in, this time easily sedated under supervision of his owner, for his recheck. The x-rays showed a nice strong callus formed around that earlier broken area. The jaw was strong and stable. In a few easy moments I easily snipped off his fancy braces.
I might have rigged up Riggin’s broken jaw, but his tenacious strong-willed cow dog spirit healed him almost perfectly, along with my spur of the moment makeshift braces. W
River.
2 MEDIUM SWEET POTATOES, SLICED INTO 1/4-INCH WEDGES
1 TBSP OLIVE OIL
1/2 TSP KOSHER SALT, DIVIDED
1/4 TSP GROUND BLACK PEPPER, DIVIDED
1/4 CUP DIJON MUSTARD
2 TBSP HONEY
1/4 TSP CAYENNE PEPPER
5 CUPS BROCCOLI FLORETS
4 5 OZ SALMON FILETS
2 TBSP EVERYTHING BAGEL SEASONING
2 TSP SOY SAUCE
Preheat the oven to 425°. Line large baking sheet with foil, coat lightly with cooking spray. Toss sweet potatoes with 2 tsp oil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Place on half of the baking sheet, bake for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together Dijon, honey and cayenne in small bowl. In a separate bowl, toss broccoli with remaining oil, salt and pepper. Remove potatoes from the oven. Add salmon to other half of the baking sheet. Place 2 tsp mustard mixture on each salmon filet, then sprinkle evenly with bagel seasoning. Add broccoli to sweet potatoes. Return pan to oven, bake until salmon flakes easily with a fork and veggies are golden, about 12 minutes. Stir soy sauce into remaining mustard mixture, drizzle over veggies on the pan or plate.
WREN STAFF
Preheat the oven to 450°. Pour 2 tbsp olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic and herbs into gallon size resealable bag. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, then seal bag and massage mixture over chicken while working to evenly distribute herbs. Set aside and let rest while chopping veggies. Place sweet potato, Brussels sprouts, apples and shallot on large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with remaining olive oil, toss to evenly coat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread into even layer then set chicken over veggie/fruit mixture. Sprinkle bacon (separate pieces that stick together) evenly over mixture. Roast in oven until chicken and veggies are golden brown, about 30 minutes (chicken should register 165° in center). Broil during last few minutes for a more golden skin on chicken. Sprinkle with more herbs and serve immediately.
WREN STAFF
4 5 OZ BONE-IN, SKIN-ON CHICKEN THIGHS
4 TBSP OLIVE OIL, DIVIDED
1 1/2 TBSP RED WINE VINEGAR
3 CLOVES GARLIC, MINCED
1 TBSP FRESH THYME, MINCED
1 TBSP FRESH SAGE, MINCED
1 TBSP FRESH ROSEMARY, MINCED
SALT AND FRESHLY GROUND PEPPER
1 LARGE SWEET POTATO (PEEL, IF DESIRED), CHOPPED INTO 1-INCH CUBES
1 LB BRUSSELS SPROUTS, SLICED INTO HALVES
2 FUJI APPLES, CORED AND SLICED
2 SHALLOTS, PEELED AND SLICED
4 SLICES HICKORY SMOKED BACON, CHOPPED INTO 1-INCH PIECES
Crust: Preheat oven to 350°. Spray sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray. Unroll both tubes of crescent roll dough. Press dough to bottom and sides of pan to form a crust. Let stand 5 minutes. Pierce with a fork. Bake until dough is fully cooked and golden brown (10-17 minutes depending on thickness of dough). Let cool completely.
Toppings: Combine sour cream, softened cream cheese, ranch seasoning mix, dill and garlic salt in medium bowl until smooth. Spread mixture on top of cooled crust. Cover with fresh vegetables and chill, 1 to 2 hours. Cut chilled pizza into squares to serve. Great to make ahead for game days!
Variation: Add diced salami and ham. WREN STAFF
BY KENDRA SPANJER
Answer: Thunderbird (FORD)
The evenings of late summer are ideal for cruising in a classic automobile. Each picture below represents a key idea or sound that, when read aloud with the other sounds in its group, will sound similar to—but not exactly!—the name of one of America’s beloved mid-century models. One has been done for you.
BY ILENE OLSON
Ida “Kaye” Sadlier is happiest when she’s in the saddle.
From her earliest memories, Kaye, who is now 81, has ridden horseback. She still lives on the ranch near Robertson, where her family moved when she was 2 years old.
Igrew up on this ranch and did a lot of riding,” Kaye said. “I just thoroughly enjoyed that way of life, and I still do.”
Kaye was inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame in May. She was nominated by two friends, Carol Hamilton and Deanna Behunin. Both nominators share the love of ranching, but they said Kaye takes it to another level.
“She is so dedicated to what her lifestyle is,” Behunin said. “She’s a bona fide rancher … we have so enjoyed the time we have spent together.”
Back in her early days on the ranch, Kaye’s father, Harold Harvey, ran a herd of sheep in addition to cattle. When coyotes threatened the sheep and calves, Kaye and her sister, Juanita,
spent their summer days riding their horses several miles from their home to a grove of trees, where they watched over the sheep to keep the coyotes at bay.
“My sister and I would corral the sheep each night. Coyotes wouldn’t bother them in the corral,” Kaye said. “We were just old enough that we could get on and off of horses, and that was about it.”
home and returned with them to meet the girls at the bus again at the end of the school day.
Kaye married Ike Sadlier, and that took her temporarily away from the ranch. But horses were still an important part of her life. She and Ike participated in many rodeos in Wyoming and Utah, with Ike calf roping and Kaye doing barrel racing and team roping.
During the school year, the girls rode two miles to the school bus with their father, who then took the horses back
When their children came along, Kaye made sure they got to spend plenty of time riding and showing horses. While they were in school, she exercised
the horses. She spent several years as the horse leader for the Smith’s Fork Stockmen 4-H Club, passing along her love of horses to young people in her community.
In 1974, Kaye and Ike moved back to the family ranch in Robertson.
“Kaye worked with her dad every day operating the family ranch,” Hamilton and Behunin said in their nomination. “Feeding was always done with a team and sled, and Kaye was often driving the team. No matter what needed to be done, whether it was holding a bull out in the field to be doctored, roping calves in the branding corral or hauling sick calves across her saddle back to the house, Kaye had confidence in her horses to take care of the job.”
After Ike died, Kaye continued to help her father on the ranch. Her father later experienced a serious illness, leaving Kaye and her mother to run the ranch alone.
“That was one of the most challenging times that I know of,” her son Bob said.
When her father retired, Kaye and Bob took over the ranching operation. They have since been joined by Bob’s son, Ryan, who lives with his wife, Chloe, and their daughter in the house where Kaye grew up.
Along the way, Kaye has faced winter storms and summer heat with grit and determination. She also endured lengthy recoveries after serious injuries.
“She’s been in a few physical wrecks that would have killed another person,” Hamilton said.
Bob said one of those happened five or six years ago when she went to catch a horse, and another horse knocked her down on ice. She broke her pelvis, and it took six months for her to recover enough to get back in the saddle.
Bob recalled another time when a 3-foot by 3-foot bale of hay tipped off a haystack and fell on Kaye, breaking her ribs. But she didn’t let that keep her out of the saddle long.
Another time, a horse fell on her and knocked her out, but she was back in the saddle quickly.
“Not much in her life has ever kept her from work and riding,” Bob said.
“She is leather tough,” Hamilton said.
Kaye said thoughts of her family and her desire to be riding horseback keep her going and helped her recover from her serious injuries.
“That’s the thing that boosts me when
I’m bad, is getting on a horse and going,” she said.
“Kaye has always said she is happiest when she is horseback and riding the family ranch,” Hamilton and Behunin wrote.
Kaye said it felt good to be inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame.
“I have a hard time realizing that I am able to receive such an honor,” she said. She is pleased to be following in the footsteps of her father, Harold Harvey, and his brother, Bert, who were previously inducted into the Hall of Fame. W
Hummingbird Moth Feeding in My Garden
Carol Kestner, Basin
Tiny Scales
Elizabeth Childress, Newcastle
Butterfly Feeding in the Big Horn Mountains
John Loud, Basin
Can’t See Me!
Jerry Thompson, Powell
Silent Hunter
Sandra Price, Wheatland
Blooming Beauties
CJ Kelly, Gillette
Mini Orange Beauty
Martha Rasmussen, Burlington
Barnyard Special
Heather McLaughlin, Uptone
Nicky Groenewold, Newcastle
Heart Felt
Anthony Warburton, Cheyenne
Hawkeye
Jennifer Pierson, Moorcroft
Moss on the Trail
Ben Mason, Newcastle
Giant Ichneumon Wasp
Vicki Olson, Powell
Prairie Dog Pose
Andre Nolt, Rozet
Break Out the Big Lens and Wait For It
Rob McIntosh, Torrington
Becky Stoddard,
Always Photo Ready
Martha Ralston, Encampment
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Melody Posey-Harris, Saratoga
Up Close Dragonfly
Trudy Craft, Basin
I’m Watching You!
Walt Lashmett, Manville
Conversation with Great-great Grandma
Tara Seely, Hawk Springs
Mr. Toad’s Bath
Sandra Lineberry-Sims, Sheridan
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✓ Heated seat providing warmth from beginning to end
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You’ll agree – there just isn’t a better, more affordable walk-in tub on the market.
OCTOBER 19 5:30 - 7PM
The Riverton Museum is hosting Alma Law and his Haunted Downtown Walking Tour as part of the Wind River Visitors Council Adventure Trek Series. Alma will be leading a walking tour around Riverton and telling many local scary stories not included in his “Fremont Haunts” talk.
Location: Riverton Museum
Cost: $10 per person (reservations required)
Info: 307-856-2665
THURSDAY-MONDAY
Nici Self Historical Museum: 12-4pm. Explore museum grounds and exhibits. Free. Info: niciselfmuseum.com.
OCTOBER 30
Wyoming Taxpayers Association 87th Annual Meeting: 8am. Little America Hotel & Resort. Celebrate 87 years of Wyoming Taxpayers Association providing a proven history of influential tax policy in Wyoming. Members $150. Non-members $195. Legislators $100. Info: 307-635-8761
IN MEMORIAM
Charles C. Roberson of Cheyenne, Wyoming, 95, passed away at the VA Community Living Center on August 15, 2024. He had a cabin in the Wold Addition.
THURSDAYS
Acoustic Jam Session: Stampede Saloon & Eatery music venue open for jam sessions. Info: 307-422-3200, stampedefun@aol.com.
TUESDAYS-SATURDAYS
Grand Encampment Museum: 10am-4pm. Main Gallery and GEM store open. Info: 307-327-5308.
OCTOBER 25-26
Gnome for the Holidays: LaGrange Elementary School Gym. 12pm-7pm Oct. 25. 9am-4pm Oct. 26. La Grange/Hawk Springs Homemakers community and craft fair celebration of upcoming holidays. Free. Info: Lillian Green, 307-715-0510 or Lynette Bye, 307-575-9317.
Craft Fair: La Grange Memorial Building. Friday 12-7pm; Saturday 9am-4pm. Shop for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays and showers. Two holiday basket drawings! Info: peggyoedekoven@gmail.com.
WRIGHT
OCTOBER 19
Wright Centennial Museum Annual Chili Cook-off: 5pm. 201 Wright Boulevard. Live weapons auction. Info: 307-464-1222.
THROUGH DECEMBER 2024
Hurrah for the Cowboy: Men of the Open Range: Campbell County Rockpile Museum. The traveling exhibit includes vintage engravings (18671911) depicting the North American cowboy – the most romanticized figure in American history – as seen by contemporary artists such as Frederic Remington, Charles Russell, Maynard Dixon and many other notable artists. Curated by Lee Silliman, Hurrah for the Cowboy has appeared in museums across Montana, Colorado and Wyoming. Info: 307-682-5723, RockpileMuseum.com, facebook.com/ RockpileMuseum.
THIRD WEEK OF EVERY MONTH
Open Mic Nite: 6-9pm. Thu. or Fri. depending on the schedule. Frontier Auto Museum. Free. All musicians are welcome. We supply the stage, mic and speakers. Bring your voice and/or instrument for an enjoyable evening under the neon lights. Upcoming dates will be posted on facebook.com/ frontierauto. Info: Ryan Swanson, 307-686-566, relics@frontierauto.net.
OCTOBER 7
Book Discussion: 3pm. Hulett Library. Info: 307-467-5743.
OCTOBER 17
Baking Contest (Bars): 11am. Public Judging will be from 12-1:30pm. Hulett Library. Everyone is welcome to participate. Winner will get $50, 2nd place will get $25 and the Librarian’s choice will receive a gift. Info: 307-467-5743.
TUESDAYS
Children’s Storytime: 10:30-11:30am. Hulett Library. Info: 307-467-5743.
MONDAY-THURSDAY
5 Mile Walking Exercise Class: 4:45-6pm. Hulett Library. Info: 307-467-5743.
MONDAY-FRIDAY
Senior Exercise Class: 9-10am. Hulett Library. Info: 307-467-5743.
MOORCROFT
WEDNESDAYS
Moorcroft Branch Library Activities: 10am storytime, 4pm afterschool craft, 7pm AA meetings. Please use the downstairs entrance. Info: 307-756-3232.
THIRD THURSDAY OF MONTH
Adult Book Club: 1pm. Moorcroft Branch Library. New book each month. Stop by the library for your copy. Info: 307-756-3232.
THIRD SATURDAYS
Weston County Democrats: 2pm. Weston County Library. Info: 307-941-1822, weston.wyodems.net.
FRIDAYS
Bingo: 7:30pm. VFW Hall. Free.
SECOND AND FOURTH
WEDNESDAYS
Gigi’s Closet: 9am-1:30pm. First United Methodist Church. Gently loved clothing available for babies to adults. Info: 307-746-4119.
SHERIDAN
OCTOBER 4
Jon Roberts y Pan Blanco: 7-9pm. Sheridan College. Original-sounding ensemble of energetic musicians that inspires the audience to dance and enjoy life! Info: 307-675-0360.
OCTOBER 5
Sheridan College Fall Marketplace: 9am-2pm. Sheridan College. Start your Christmas shopping while getting out and visiting with local vendors. Info: 307-675-0105.
10th Annual Dayton Chili CookOff: Dayton Community Hall. Enjoy tasting and voting for your favorite chili, music, and dancing! Info: 307-655-0184
OCTOBER 11
Peridance Contemporary Dance Company: 7pm. Sheridan College. Under the direction of Igal Perry, PCDC brings together diverse artistic voices from world-renowned choreographers for performances of virtuosity and elegance. $30. Info: 307-675-0360.
OCTOBER 18
Joshua Mietz Clarinet & Piano Recital: 7pm. Sheridan College. Join us for an unforgettable evening with Dr. Joshua R. Mietz, and experience his innovative takes on classic tunes. $30. Info: 307-675-0360.
OCTOBER 18-19
Full Moon Fort: Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site. Guided lantern tours! Tour after dark, if you dare. Info: 307-684-7629.
OCTOBER 19-20 & OCTOBER 20-27
WYO Premiere - Tootsie: 6pm. WYO Theater. Based on the hit comedy film starring Dustin Hoffman and hailed as “Broadway’s funniest new musical!” (The New York Post), Tootsie is a must-see performance! Info: 307-672-9084.
OCTOBER 26
Main Street Monster Mash: 10am-12pm. Main Street, Downtown Sheridan. Bring your kids to this family-friendly event and enjoy trick-or-treating at our wonderful participating businesses. Info: 307-672-8881.
OCTOBER 26-27
Wedding Dress Pop-up! Sale: 10am-4pm. Sheridan County Fairgrounds. Over 900 wedding gowns from va va vroom to temple ready. Info: 406-686-2665.
OCTOBER 27
Brass Ensemble & Symphony Band of Sheridan College: 4pm. Sheridan College. Free concert. Info: 307-675-0360.
OCTOBER 31
Trident & WYO Theater: The Rocky Horror Picture Show: WYO Theater. This cult-classic musical with a local shadow cast will play at the WYO Theater to celebrate Halloween. Info: 307-672-9084.
SATURDAYS
Landon’s Farmer’s Market: 9am. Landon’s Greenhouse, 505 College Meadows Dr. Info: 307-672-8340.
FOURTH THURSDAY OF THE MONTH
Lunch Brunch Book Club: 11:30am. Crook County Library. Join us for an adult book discussion. Free. Info: Shannon, 307-283-1008.
WEDNESDAYS
Storytime: 10:30am. Crook County Public Library. Info: Tonia, 307-283-1008.
SECOND TUESDAYS
Veteran Breakfast: 8am. Upton Senior Center. Free. Info: Gary Barnes, 307-468-9251.
FIRST AND THIRD WEDNESDAYS
Bingo at Senior Center: 6:30pm. $10 for 10 cards. Info: 307-468-9262.
OCTOBER 4
Taste of Park County: Cody Auditorium. Info:bit.ly/TasteofParkCounty.
MONDAY-SATURDAY
Cody Country Art League Gallery: 9am-5pm. 836 Sheridan Ave. Info: 307-587-3597.
DUBOIS
THURSDAYS
Farmer’s Market: 4-6pm. Headwaters. Info: Twila Blakeman, 307-851-0785.
FRIDAYS
Family Story Time: 11:30am. Dubois Branch Library. Free. Songs, stories and crafts for ages birth to 5 years. Older siblings are welcome to join the fun. Stay and play in the Children’s Library after story time. Info: 307-455-2992.
THIRD WEDNESDAYS
Wyoming Health Fairs Monthly Wellness Screen/Blood Draw: 7:30-10am. Dubois Medical Clinic. Appointments encouraged. Info: 307-455-2516, whf.as.me/dubois.
FRIDAYS
Story Time: 11:30am. Dubois Branch Library, 202 N First St. Free. Stretches, story, songs, crafts and fun! Ages birth to 5 years. Info: 307-455-2992.
SECOND SATURDAYS
Greybull Ladies Coffee: Greybull Library. Info: 307-765-2100.
SATURDAYS
Acoustic Music Jam: 11am-1pm. Lander Bake Shop. Info: 307-332-3237.
OCTOBER 16
Annual Fremont Haunts Speaker Series: 6-7pm. Riverton Museum. Alma will be presenting scary stories and urban legends from Riverton and the surrounding areas. Free. Info: 307-856-2665.
OCTOBER 18-19
Halloween Night at the Museum: 6-9pm. Pioneer Museum. Dress up in costumes and come walk through the spooky maze, listen to ghost stories, gather treats, take a hay ride, do crafts, shoot pumpkins from a sling shot and more! $5 per person. Info: 307-358-9288.
OCTOBER 19
Annual Pumpkin Trail: 5:30-8pm. Riverton Museum. Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies while viewing dozens of carved pumpkins. Free. Info: 307-856-2665.
Kids Corner: Pumpkin Carving: 11am. Dubois Museum. Learn about Halloween while carving some pumpkins! Advanced registration is required. $3 per child. Info: 307- 455-2284.
OCTOBER 26
Halloween at the Museum: 3-5pm. Dubois Museum. Bring your family and get dressed up for games, stories, treats and fun! Free. Info: 307- 455-2284.
Annual Fall Fun Fest: 2-4pm. Riverton Museum. Bring your family and get dressed up for games, crafts, cookies and hot chocolate! Free. Info: 307-856-2665.
WEDNESDAYS
Acoustic Music Jam: 6:30-8:30pm. Holiday Inn Convention Center. Free. Join in or listen as musicians and dancers perform. Info: 307-856-8100.
PreK Tales & Tunes: 10:30am. Riverton Branch Library. Ages 3-5. Free. Info: 307-856-3556.
THURSDAYS
Toddler Move & Groove: 10:30am. Riverton Branch Library. Ages birth to 2 years. Free. Info: 307-856-3556. LEGO Club: 4-5pm LEGO Club. Riverton Branch Library. Grades 2-5. Free. Info: 307-856-3556.
MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS
Yoga: 10:30am. Meeteetse Recreation District. Info: 307-899-2698, meetrec.org.
MONDAYS
Toddler Storytime: After school. Meeteetse Library. All kids grades 1+ not in school. Legos, board games, crafts, stories, songs and more. Info: 307-868-2248.
TUESDAY-FRIDAY
Homesteader Museum: 10am-5pm. Private tours or visits available. Info: 307-754-9481, homesteader@parkcounty-wy.gov.
SATURDAYS
SUBMIT AN EVENT
Send complete information for December events by
15!
Be sure to include the date, title, description, time, cost, location, address and contact information for each event.
Photos are always welcome.
Homesteader Museum: 10am-2pm. Private tours or visits available. Info: 307-754-9481, homesteader@parkcounty-wy.gov.
SECOND SATURDAYS
Great Until 8!: 4-8pm. This event showcases the businesses who are staying open until 8pm or later in town. Shop after 5pm and enter in for a chance to win $100 gift certificates valid at the business with the winning receipt. Info: 917-589-7852, mainstreetthermopolis@gmail.com.
THURSDAYS
Look for more events at wyomingrea.org/news.
QUESTIONS & SUBMISSIONS:
wren@ wyomingrea.org
[307] 286-8140
214 W. Lincolnway Ste. 21C Cheyenne, WY 82001 wyomingrea.org/ wren-submissions
Storytime: 11am. Lyman Branch Library. All ages welcome. Free. Info: 307-787-6556, uintalibrary.org.
MONDAYS
Cub Scout Pack 7798 Meeting: 3:45pm. Presbyterian Church on 3rd Street. We are always accepting new boys who are in grades 1-5. Info: MarNae, 307-677-2566.
WEDNESDAYS
Storytime: 11am. Uinta County Library. Info: 307-782-3161.
ONGOING
Community Classes: Valley Learning Center. Fitness, computer, workforce and kids’ classes are available. Times and prices vary. Info: 307-782-6401, valleylearningcenter.coursestorm.com.
New & Used Coal Stokers, parts, service & advice. Available for most makes. Thanks. 307-754-3757.
Soon Church/Government uniting, suppressing “Religious Liberty” enforcing “National Sunday Law.” Be Informed! Free materials. TSBM, PO Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540, tbsmads@yahoo.com, 1-888-211-1715.
WREN CLASSIFIED ADS ARE $0.75 PER SIX CHARACTERS CONTACT: SHAWNA@GOLINDEN.COM 970-221-3232
We Pay Cash For Mineral & Oil/Gas Interests producing & nonproducing. 800-733-8122.
WANTED CJ or Wrangler reasonably priced. Any condition but rusted. 800-316-5337.
Frontier Auto Museum Looking For Oil Company Gas Pumps, Globes And Signs. Also looking for general antiques for our antique shop. Please go to our website FrontierAutoMuseum.com. Located in Gillette WY, our passion is to preserve Wyoming history and the nostalgia of the past, especially Parco, Sinclair, Frontier, Husky and any car dealership along with all brands. We are also always looking for neon motel or store signs, WY license plates and WY highway signs and State Park signs. Please call Jeff Wandler 307-680-8647 wandlerfrontier@gmail.com or daughter Briana Brewer 307-660-2402 relics@frontierauto.net.
Corvette (CHEV)
Mustang (FORD) Continental (LINCOLN)
Fairlane (FORD)
Rambler (NASH/AMC)
Firebird (PONT)
Bel Air (CHEV)
Riviera (BUICK) Falcon (FORD)
Camaro (CHEV)
BY GAYLE M. IRWIN
TThe harvest moon climbed gradually from the horizon, eclipsing steam and smoke rising from distant thermal features. I stood in awe as the giant golden orb ascended, painting pine trees, dead snags, geysers and paint pots in yellow and orange hues. A sound cracked the silence – a bull elk’s bugle. Another responded from a nearby hillside. The two males challenged each other for several minutes. Although I never saw them, I heard the ritual as the vast moon covered the autumn landscape. September in Yellowstone became a favorite memory.
The sights and sounds of nature in autumn glisten like morning dew. Colors of crimson, gold, ginger and carrot flank creeks and brighten forests. Mountainsides gleam as the leaves of hardwood trees change from green to other hues of a painter’s palette. Breezes rustle, creating banners of color from aspens, maples, oaks, cottonwoods and more.
Sounds of autumn ripple through the forests and plains. The wind wafts and the bull elk bugle. Geese honk, and sandhill cranes trumpet. The cranes that summer in Wyoming and other northern locations (such as Alaska, Canada and Montana) fly south in autumn, and those traveling longer distances often rest in Wyoming during their journey. Their wintering ground include areas of Arizona and New Mexico, particularly
the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in central New Mexico. Flocks of cranes are often seen in western Wyoming during the birds’ autumn migration.
Other winged species also winter in warmer climates. Various types of waterbirds, shorebirds and songbirds leave Wyoming in autumn. Teal, sandpipers, meadowlarks and more spend the spring and summer months in our state, but then fly to Arizona, New Mexico, and even into southern countries such as Mexico and Central America. Groups of such birds gather and travel together, delighting Wyomingites and others with their calls and their colors. Various butterflies journey south as well. I’ve witnessed congregations of these fragile-winged creatures during autumn
acting like bears – foraging heavily on various plants during autumn. Monarchs, painted ladies and other species may travel hundreds, even thousands, of miles to warmer climates for the winter.
Aspen leaves change from green to yellow, gold, orange and sometimes red. Other trees and shrubs also dress for the season in varying hues, from auburn to rust. These include mountain maple, mountain ash and willow. Many, including chokecherry, serviceberry and elderberry, produce fruit, feeding bears and migrating songbirds.
Green leaves on deciduous trees and shrubs turn color for three primary reasons: pigmentation of the leaves (chlorophyll or lack thereof), length of day or night, and weather. Chlorophyll produces green, allowing plants to use sunlight for making sugars for food they will use during winter months when they are dormant. As autumn nears and the days get shorter and the nights become longer, chlorophyll production decreases and eventually stops. The other colors (yellows, reds, oranges), which had been hidden by the chlorophyll all summer,
emerge. Weather also influences colors, primarily when leaves are green and producing sugars.
Different tree species produce different colors. For example, aspen trees display primarily yellows and golds, with some in shades of red. Maples vary from crimson to plum as well as hues of yellow. Willows also vary in such colors. An assortment of shrubs along creeks and rivers add to autumn’s colorful canvas, some of which produce berries eaten by wildlife.
The sights and sounds of autumn are events we can store in our brains, hearts and souls, remembrances of experiences that bring smiles and wonderment.
As the fall season settles into our state, make plans for nature outings. Observe the various leaf colors. Go birdwatching. Take the camera and look for butterflies. Vast herds of deer, elk and pronghorn migrate across the state, and bighorn sheep can be seen on rocky hillsides. Moose and various bird species take to the willows, lakes and streams. Wyoming’s wildlife, whether they stay in-state or travel beyond our borders for wintering grounds, offers plenty
The sights and sounds of nature in autumn glisten like morning dew. Colors of crimson, gold, ginger and carrot flank creeks and brighten forests.
of opportunity to enrich one’s soul, and the state’s plant life portrays a canopy of color, like an artist’s canvas.
Soak up the sights and sounds of autumn in Wyoming the next few months and experience amazement! W
10 places to see colorful leaves and migrating wildlife in Wyoming this fall:
1. Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks
2. Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge
3. National Elk Refuge
4. Bighorn National Forest
5. Sierra Madre Range
6. Casper and Muddy Mountains
7. Black Hills and Devil’s Tower
8. Sunlight Basin and Chief Joseph Scenic Highway
9. Sinks Canyon and the Wind River Range
10. Flaming Gorge
Embrace the transitioning seasons with simple mindfulness activities you can do with your kids in just a few minutes.
Walking a labyrinth is a centuries-old activity for calming the mind, finding balance, easing anxiety, and even sparking creativity. Create your kidfriendly version in the living room or outside!
• Create a pathway using blocks, rocks, pillows, painter’s tape, sticks, stuffed animals, or anything that feels right
• Make sure your path has an entry/exit point, and a big space in the middle in which to turn around
• Include as many switchbacks (or “circuits”) as you like
Help your kids focus on the present moment. This will help them relax and engage in what’s happening around them now! Ask your kids to:
Your kids can feel the connection between their bodies and minds through movement and stillness.
• Have your kids follow the path to the middle, turn around, and come back out
• The first time through, challenge them to be as quiet as possible
• The next time through, have them twirl in the middle!
• On the third time through, have them dance, skip, or move like their favorite animal the whole way there and back
• Have your kids jump up and down for one minute
• At the end of the minute, have your kids sit down and place their hands on their hearts
• Encourage your kids to pay attention to their breathing and how their heartbeat feels