As the president of the Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (WAMHSAC), the Executive Vice President, and the Chief Business Officer for VOA Northern Rockies (VOA), we are deeply engaged in the ongoing conversation about mental health reform in our state. We acknowledge and appreciate the attention that Governor Mark Gordon brings to this critical issue, recognizing it as a vital subject in addressing the complex challenges we face in mental health care.

Last month, Senator Cynthia Lummis voted to support the Providing Reliable, Objective, Verifiable Emissions Intensity and Transparency (PROVE IT) Act despite heavy lobbying from groups that oppose President Donald Trump’s America First trade agenda.

Gar decided he needed a colonoscopy. It had been 10 years since his last one and apparently, he enjoyed it and wanted a redo. In the past, if you wanted one and who wouldn’t, you called your doctor and he set it up. Those days are gone because somebody realized they could get another dollar from your wallet. Now you have to meet with qualifiers.

Videos of Joe Biden not knowing where he is or saying he just met with a French president who died 25 years ago are not so funny anymore.

Each legislative session begins with a “state of the state” address from the Governor. Just like the president’s State of the Union address, the governor’s speech provides perspective on the Governor’s views on key issues, plans for the coming year, and sets forth his legislative agenda. It is an important moment for reflection about Wyoming’s current condition.

With Valentine’s Day coming soon, women are giddy, thinking that, instead of cooking, they’ll get candlelit dinners and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. Men might be exhilarated on this day, too; but their anticipation would have nothing to do with dining or dancing. Trust me, I know things.

When American soldiers during World War II were asked what they were fighting for, a popular answer was “mom and apple pie.” Not many would disagree that feeding hungry kids is another cherished value that’s high on the list. Until last week, I’d never heard of summer school lunch programs compared to weapons, nor considered providing nutritious food to children as welfare. Yet both were cited by Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder when she explained why the state isn’t participating in a federal program to fight hunger.

I was in the laundry room pulling new underwear out of the package when Gar walked in. I swung a pair in the air and said, “Yay, new undies.” His eyebrows shot up, and with a hopeful look asked, “Are they thongs?” I scowled as if trying to remember, then said, “I can’t be sure, but I don’t think so. Wait, no. I’m sorry. No, no, they aren’t. It’ll come as a big disappointment, not to mention a real shock, but I don’t think I could wear a thong, even if Jesus personally delivered it in a Hershey truck.”

Our belated and weak response to the missile attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea by Houthi militants has been embarrassing.

During and shortly after the Pandemic, much of Wyoming saw significant in-migration of people from other states. This movement of people into Wyoming was a result of our scenic beauty, rural nature, freedoms, and a general sense of restlessness in the nation.

This is the time to look back and see if we’ve learned anything in the past year. Our oldest son has a saying, “When you look back, glance, don’t stare.” These are true words of wisdom for Gar, who tries hard not to think of the many years he’s endured me. He says he takes advice from something he read. “My wife and I have a perfect understanding. I don’t try to run her life … and I don’t try to run mine.”

Thirty years after its inception, the Congressional Western Caucus is working harder than ever for rural America. During the past three decades, we have grown from our humble beginnings to a bicameral caucus of more than 100 members of the House and 20 Senators; yet our mission of serving the interests of farmers, ranchers, landowners and rural communities alike to ensure their legislative priorities are heard in our nation’s capital remains unchanged.

Here’s a great New Year’s resolution: get a pet. As we wrap up a very inflationary 2023, pet shelters across the country are at maximum capacity and they don’t have room to house the pets people are turning in. ABC News reports that animals entering shelters began to climb in 2021.

find most humans to be a dismal disappointment, so friends in my inner circle have heard me somewhat jokingly, say, “I’m a great judge of character. I hate everybody.” I always add, “So if I love you, you’re really something special.”

President Joe Biden’s climate envoy John Kerry told the COP-28 climate conference this month that there shouldn’t be any more coal power plants permitted “anywhere in the world.” He followed that up by announcing the United States would join an alliance of countries pledging to stop generating electricity using coal.

We’ve got Israel looking for billions. We’ve got Ukraine begging for more billions. And the president and Democrats can’t wait another day to cut fat checks for both countries. Thank God the Republicans in charge of the House of Representatives are telling Democrats that before we dish out money to help Ukraine and Israel defend their borders, we have to defend ours first.

Every year, just before Christmas, I bake five loaves of potica bread. Depending on whom you ask, potica pronounced, po-teet-suh, is a Serbian, Slovenian, Croatian or Yugoslavian pastry, but it’s my mother’s recipe and we’re not those, we’re just us.

Following the House’s 311-114 vote last week to expel the lying GOP weirdo and future criminal defendant George Santos, she wrote: “Republicans bounced George Santos. “Kevin McCarthy is leaving this month. “Bill Johnson is retiring. “This will leave the GOP with a ONE-SEAT majority. “Democrats would never do their voters like this. “These people don’t give a bleep about us or the country. In fact, they revel in sticking it to us and the country. “Disgusting.”

Excuse me for skipping the great debate Thursday night between the governors of Florida and California. I had better things to do than watch a meaningless political debate between Red State hero Ron DeSantis and Blue State hero Gavin Newsom.

Property tax is a hot issue in Wyoming politics. Residential property tax assessments have increased in recent years, and some are feeling the squeeze. These concerns are not entirely without cause, as some genuinely struggle with the increase. However, the reasons why assessments have increased are not well understood and the main proposed response would do more harm than good.