History Lessons: Do Right By Your Community

 

Isn't that just the coolest sign? It used to be the sign on the Depot, and now it's hanging in the museum.

So awesome!

I'ts been a long while since posting to my blog, but I figured now is good a time as any to start it up again.

So I thought that I'd start out with a bang and publish my speech that I gave during the Tuesday March 19th's

Riverton City Council public commentperiod regarding the Riverton Chamber

A quick side note...today as I was taking photos in the museum, I saw this posted in the ACME theater display:

"Do right by your community, and your community will do right by you."

Do wrong, and...?

____________________________

I am here to speak on the subject of the WyRiverton Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. At this point, I want to make it clear that I am not speaking on behalf of any business, group or organization, or anyone but my own self, as a citizen.

I stood up here almost 2 years ago, and told you all that the Chamber was making decisions (and I quote myself) “in backrooms, behind closed doors and I was cut from the team. I asked questions, and I got no response or was ignored. When I questioned processes happening without oversight. I got ambiguous responses or was ignored.”

I quit the Chamber and the Chamber Ambassadors (which has since been dissolved) because of that very thing: No oversight. They revised and created their own bylaws behind closed doors with no oversight or even a vote from their membership, so those bylaws should have been null and void this entire time. So this all goes back to two years ago when I saw that something wasn’t right, that you can’t just pass something as significant as bylaws without a vote, and you can’t just solicit and take peoples’ money and do whatever you want with it.

The city council liaisons for the Chamber sit up here in a roundtable and talk up all of the great things the Chamber does for Riverton, but no one wants to talk about the questionable things.

The Chamber recently boasted on (one of three) Facebook pages about some businesses that seem to have bailed them out, one of which was Mike Bailey…who sits on the city council and is the Chamber’s liaison! Is this or is this not a conflict of interest, given the recent audit?

Regardless of this, what values or incentives is the Chamber even able to provide for any member that joins now, if they have no money to even pay their staff, or rent an office, or even have a copy machine?

I have spoken to many business owners and past Chamber members who tell me they received no value or incentives for being a member. $5000 is the Chamber’s top-tier membership. What does $5000 get you? Gone are the days when folks really even care if you’re a high-tier member of a business organization for the prestige, a sticker, your logo on a banner, and a certificate in a cheap frame. With the emergence of social media and now AI, many of the successful businesses and organizations' posts that I share on GoRiverton have their own marketing pretty much down. It’s awareness and promotion of their products and services that they need. So what is the Chamber doing there, especially for $5000?

Additionally, there are two chamber websites: rivertonchamber.org and WyRiverton.com. When I was with the Chamber Ambassadors, that new website cost $40,000. I recently found out that their website is now costing them $1500 a month, and is basically a static site for tourism. $1500, which is $18,000/year. I charge starting at $300 per year for a static website..that works out to $25/month…plus my clients get promo on GoRiverton!

Also confusing are the Facebook pages…there are the RivertonWYChamber, WyRiverton, and Riverton Chamber of Commerce. Which one of these pages does the Chamber post and promote on daily? Weekly? Monthly?

5 executive directors in 5 years. It seems to me that the directors are to be nothing but puppets to do the Executive Board’s bidding. But when one stands up for what’s right and calls them out on their discrepancies or bad business practices, what happens?

As far as best business practices, the Chamber’s current Vice-President (and now Interim Director) should know better, as she has a background in banking and also sits on the Wind River Visitors Council itself. To claim ignorance and that everything is now copacetic is simply the narrative that has been created for the press in an attempt to put it all in a good light.  Additionally, this same person has been going around to businesses, bribing them to join the Chamber. This act of desperation is pitiful because, again…besides the bribe, where’s the value? Why should I join?

This person is also on other boards including your newly-formed community development committee. She is also going around the county with Kevin Kershisnik about the ½ cent sales tax for Forward Fremont County. Even though I agree with and support the ½ cent, I will not vote for it, for exactly the reasons I’ve already stated: No effective oversight and no confidence in the people on the committees that decide how that funding is awarded and dispersed. After all, if this is how TAD funds are treated, how can I have full faith and confidence in how EDGE funds are and will be managed?

The definition of embezzlement is “theft or misappropriation of funds placed in one’s trust or belonging to one’s employer.”

The Chamber cannot just claim that the left hand did not know what the right hand was doing. Someone knew and she came forward! Embezzlement, whether it’s across state lines, or from one account to another, is a federal offense. And because someone came forward to question it and was fired for it…that is called a cover-up and wrongful termination! What if she hadn’t come forward?

I personally think the Chamber should be dissolved, and every board member who voted with their Executive Board for the past 2 years should resign or be investigated. But realistically, I know that will never happen, because that's not the way things work here in Riverton. Investigations that include certain individuals or have the “right” last name end up like parents defending their bully child before the principal. The most they’ll get is a slap on the wrist and a warning…and not because the jails are full or because they have the wrong last name. It’s because the gaslighting includes what “all the Chamber does for the city and the community.” Pay no attention to who is behind the curtain!

And where is the Chamber? At the Heritage Center? On Main Street? The Chamber doesn’t even have a locale or center for tourists and visitors, which is its primary purpose! You’d think they’d be able to find a place and stay put. When do they meet? What do they do? Besides the TAD money, where is the membership money really going?

How has the Chamber been serving the businesses of Riverton? They haven’t. It needs to be dissolved. And it’s sad! Over two years ago, I had some element of hope for the Chamber…until I found out how they practiced. I spoke out about their lack of transparency and accountability and was ignored. So this time around, I hope I won’t be. I hope that Chamber members, past and present, and Riverton business owners will step up and do and say something, not nothing. If you haven’t received value for your membership, or were bribed into joining, or believed in the promises of ambiguous economic development plans that didn’t include or don’t benefit you, demand your money back.

Change will never happen if you do nothing.

Thank you.

History Lessons: Being the Goal

Happy New Year! If you’re my friend on Facebook, my Intro reads: “Be good! Don't be bad. Be nice! Don't be mean. Be strong! Life will hand you a bunch of shit…”  These three “B”s have become a part of my mantra and guide on my Journey, and as a result, I've been so very blessed by the Nouns in my life...people, places, and things...and look forward to yet another year of more connections and, well...more adventures!

That said, 2022 certainly was not without its challenges and changes. I found myself in the midst of economic, social, and physical transitions. Some were gratifying and joyful; others brought distress, discouragement, and disappointment, yet others brought a great deal of pain and sorrow. Each time, I had to choose how I would approach these challenges and changes. I didn’t always make the "right" choice(s), therefore the consequences of those choices weren’t always good or nice when Life handed me “a bunch of shit.”

I was recently in a meeting where the question was asked: “What is one goal you have for the New Year?”  We went around the “Zoom Room” and each person gave their answer…increased productivity, time management, “hit the gym”, acquire “X” amount of new clients, members, etc. I gave it some thought as I listened to the responses, and when it came around to me, I said:

“I am the goal.”

There was a bit of silence, so I went on to explain that we have a great team here and it’s because every single one of us brings one or several components of value to the table…our time, talents, and/or treasures. The reason(s) for those values lie within each and every one of us, every second, minute, day, quarter, and year of our lives...but at the end of the day, it is me who has to live with myself:

So often I have been influenced, invested in, and wrapped up in the aspiring goals of others, sometimes based upon expectations and rules controlled and/or marketed by powers-that-be that exist outside all of our little "bubbles", creating a unique brand of predilection and “tunnel vision.” Then, when challenges come along, we are wide open to derailment…then discouragement or regret set in, and we feel like giving up. Sometimes I felt like I was flailing on an open, raging sea, or desperately scratching and clawing upwards, trying to keep from falling into an abyss. I was struggling for peace, rather than making the choices that led to it.

On top of that, despair can set in. Then we beat ourselves up…so we reach for the drug, the pill, the bottle, the sermon, the system, or any number of things we “go-to” or try to convince ourselves and dissuade the thoughts and feelings that we “failed” when the truth might be that we really didn’t. It happened. It just is.

Everything happens for a reason; everything has a purpose. Never do I believe this more than when I look back on my own history lessons. My timeline is based upon the choices I’ve made on my own Journey, and many of them were based upon rules and expectations made by those outside my own Self, my own little bubble. It’s so easy to slip into reacting instead of acting…and whether the consequences were based upon mine or the choices of others, I got so used to others defining me and telling me who I was and am, that I was almost compelled to believe things about myself that weren't true. I’d automatically switch into a defensive “survival mode” and that is a very lonely place to be. Thankfully, I have many Angels and Nouns that step in, just at the right time, to bless and enrich my Life.

Last year I noticed a pattern, and now (besides my three “B”s) I have Four “C”s: Choices, Challenges, Changes, and Consequences. My approach to all four has helped me be more aware of the wisdom I have gained on my Journey, from birth to the present, and truly live a life of Faith, Hope, and Love.

Choices

You’ve heard it said, “You are the choices you make.” Understanding our everyday choices–even on the micro/nano level–can help us remember and reflect upon what we’ve learned and have been programmed with throughout our Lives. The past is the past; you cannot change it. But even if you could, would you? Sometimes we are greatly affected by the choices of others, which often leaves us no choice but to be strong. Other times, making a choice on a scale or certain level of risk can either lift us to the sky or plunge us to the ground.

Once you make a choice, change and consequences come into play. For example…choosing a wobbly chair instead of a proper stepladder, choosing to drive under the influence instead of taking an Uber, taxi or giving the keys to a sober friend, choosing to be in a toxic relationship (or choosing to be the abuser) instead of getting help, choosing to listen/believe or spread gossip instead of finding out the facts, choosing to destroy than to build, choosing to be mean rather than nice, choosing to be bad rather than good…the list goes on for the Nouns that affect human history's Timeline.

Challenges

When I found myself flailing, scratching, or clawing, or if I had been handed “a bunch of shit,” the reality bubble had already popped, and I often tried very hard not to do the blame game. Sometimes it’s very clear who or what is to blame, but many times, it is not. Either way, does it really matter? Presently, It is what it is. Blaming ourselves or others only wastes time in moving forward, and to see clear enough to rise above the situation. It can rot your soul if you can’t let go, so you must find a way to do it. Taking ownership of our choices is the first step to trodding a better Path...or staying stuck in the one we're in.

However…maybe you’re sick and tired of the status quo and you find yourself challenging the powers that be for a better life, a better world, and a better future. Countless sacrifices have been made throughout history, and they have not been in vain. Again, everything happens for a reason; everything has a purpose.

“Peace will not come out of a clash of arms but out of justice lived and done by unarmed nations in the face of odds.” - Mahatma Ghandi

Changes

I often ask myself: “Who or what is in control? And if it’s not me, who or what is?” Contemplating this as I make choices and experience the challenges can help me through the impending changes. I pray through them. Prayer and meditation give me peace, but I also focus on and seek the Truth, which can sometimes make you uncomfortable (especially when there’s a denial of it). However, it can also snap you out of those programmed comfort zones, routines, and status quo ruts. I first have a responsibility to the health of my own heart, mind, body, and soul, or I’m no good to anything or anyone, including myself!

This is what I mean by “I am the goal.”  All of my choices, all challenges, and changes should be in harmony with being nice, being good, and being strong. It doesn’t mean I don’t or won’t have bad days or never, ever have a bad attitude. It also doesn’t mean I’ll never, ever make a “wrong” choice again. What it does mean is that I become more mindful and aware, expect the unexpected, and pray through the challenges and changes so I never lose hope. So it’s…

A=Me

B=Be good, be nice, be strong.

C=Choices, Challenges, Changes and…

Consequences

Many years ago I interviewed a Wiccan friend for a local newspaper; she had a metaphysical store...sold crystals, wands, potions and blends, jewelry, did readings, etc. Particularly interested in the “readings” aspect, I inquired how it works, and she said that she was "basically, a very underpaid therapist.” LOL I asked her if she’d do a reading on me. She said, "You don’t need one.” When I asked why, she said, “Because you already know who you are.”

Over a decade later, I finally understood what she meant. Prophecy and/or “readings” are mathematical; they’re based on a balance of 1) a history of choices and consequences, 2) accurate and true information, and ultimately, 3) probability, or the likelihood that one will either continue to choose the Path they're already on, or have the ability and strength to choose another. If the information given is flawed, the prophecy or reading will be flawed, meaning…if one does not choose to set their ego aside and isn’t completely honest with themselves or others, or chooses to withhold information, the prophecy/reading is useless. There may be guiding elements, but if there is little or no truth in the Self, there is no point in the reading. You can make the choice(s), but cannot choose or control the consequences.

The problem is often the Ego.

“Ego never accepts the truth.”

The Buddha

I’m going to redefine this a bit by saying that the ego sometimes accepts the truth, but never, ever enough. More seek and strive after acceptance, membership, celebrity, accolades, titles, authority, power, and control. As a consequence, when choices have been made and the challenges follow, the truth is hidden or replaced with lies, false narratives, marketed, shiny exteriors…pure, unadulterated Faith is replaced with systematic, man-made beliefs, Hope is replaced by defenses, “go-to”s and “survival modes”, and Love becomes conditional. The Ego bubble is quite strong.

It is said that out of all of the Seven Deadly Sins (lust, envy, anger, greed, glutton, sloth)...pride is the deadliest of all. We have a whole world history chock full of consequences based on choices made out of pride and egos, and to date, we still haven’t realized how very destructive they are.

Peace begins with me, so if I want peace on earth and goodwill for all, I am the goal. If “Emmanuel” is defined as God with us, this should be reflected in the life I live and the choices I make, which in turn should inspire and convict the Truth in my heart (and even in the hearts of others) to be good, be nice and be strong…and if I pop a few bubbles along the way, at least I know that I am staying true to myself and continuing on in knowing who I am.

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have Love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have Love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have Love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient; love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres…

…For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known...

(1 Corinthians 13: 1-12)

We Don’t Have An Employee Shortage, We Have a Culture Problem

Jessie Campbell is a good friend of mine who owns and runs Campbell Construction General Engineering, Inc. in Amador County, California. She is one of the smartest businesswomen I know and respect, and wrote this a while back. I asked her if I could publish it here on my blog. She said I could. An excellent read!

During the first week of COVID lockdowns, we had four people whose schools or employers had been rescheduled, moved online, or reduced days…come to our office for a job.

We are a relatively small business, employing 25-30 people at any given time; however, we get 2-5 new applications weekly. We do underground construction and have a landscape and rental supply yard in Sutter Creek, California. Because of the extra demand for landscaping supplies through the lockdown, even while construction jobs were on pause, we added every one of them and our kids. We could not keep up, working seven days a week and twelve hours a day. Lunches and dinners were being delivered to the office with a multitude of new take-out options.

Our Human Resources company started doing round table Zoom meetings for employers, where we could meet for support and ideas on how they navigate the constant pivoting demanded by social pressure and mandates. It was in one of these meetings that our company's business partner put me on the spot. Out of the 126 company accounts that he was assigned to, we had the lowest turnover. In fact, we had the lowest turnover of all of the companies they managed, including other construction companies doing the same type of work, and many much larger that have the ability to offer better benefits. He wanted me to address the reason why, and offer advice to other business owners in the group. The two major differences that I see are these:
 
Use the Golden Rule with Employees.
 
I don’t mean that we have an “Employee of the Month”, and we have never served hot dogs on an Employee Appreciation Day. Your employees are likely to be just as unhappy at work eating free hot dogs than when they are not.
 
What I mean is: We let them prioritize their families. Temporary adjustments in scheduling to care for a sick kid, a school function, or a change in the school schedule…there is always a temporary adjustment. But to any parent, grandparents, or child, it’s everything. All the little humans in someone’s life are always going to be their first priority. Be open and honest about what you can do as an employer to accommodate that for both men and women.
 
And you know what? This policy is almost never taken advantage of. Have grace when they are going through rough times.
 
Set healthy boundaries with customers, and get rid of the customers who don’t follow them.
 
The customer is not always right. In the last two years, anyone in any service industry will tell you that mean customers are becoming the norm. It’s the number one complaint. When I sit at the owner/manager's desk, customers tend to treat me respectfully. However, when I sit at the front office assistant's desk, I noticeably get talked down to, and for nothing.

 The fact that someone is helping you, training for their job and working up their skills, or doing a 150% after many years and skills, does not entitle a customer's wrath. It’s concerning that customers feel it’s okay to be pleasant to the owner, and sometimes downright abusive to an employee. Customers that need to feel powerful by cursing at a 17-year-old high school student, working for money for school? Step in! Be the buffer for them. Let the customer know that isn’t tolerated, and stand by that. It’s better to lose a bad customer than a good employee.
 
What can the general public do about this? Be kind.
If a business is adjusting its hours or services, it’s almost always because of staffing. Be kind. If an employee at a business makes a mistake, remember the times you inevitably have made mistakes as well. If an employee gave you great service, tell them!

And for everyone…
Don’t be the reason someone had a horrible day at work.

We can all be the reason that someone loves their job as customers, co-workers and employers. That is the only way to bring employees back.

Coffee With A View: United We Stand, Divided We Fall

I usually cover city council meetings as a reporter, but last night I stood at the podium before the Riverton City Council and spoke on my views of the Chamber and what had been happening with the merger with the Chamber and Riverton Ambassadors.

My view(s) came from what I had experienced over the past couple of months, which has been a confusing Journey in and of itself; but as I wrote this speech, I knew I wasn't alone in them. Even though I wasn't speaking on behalf of anyone but myself, I know that there have been several who have shared with me their own concerns on the issue. Some have simply spoken their voice by no longer being members of the Chamber. Others struggle because of the lack of transparency and the expectation to just go along with the powers that be.

Take it however you wish, but at least know that I've spoken my piece and peace (see what I did there? LOL)...and that my conscience is clear.

I go with my gut now, with the Nouns in my Third Life, but I hadn't always been that way. In my previous Lives, there have been plenty of times where I've just blindly accepted things, passed over inconsistencies, ignored my conscience, and let things fly. In the wake of these decisions, I've learned that not speaking out not only perpetuates complacency and the status quo, but also injustices...ignoring the voices of those who may wish to speak out, but for whatever their own reason(s), cannot.

I'm not that great of a public speaker; I'm a better singer than an orator. Perhaps the council would've much rather preferred me to sing rather than hear what I had to say!

Here it is:

------

Most know me as a Riverton Ambassador, and also as a reporter for County 10. I was also briefly the Editor for the Riverton Ranger, Lander Journal and Wind River News. But I am not here tonight as a reporter, editor, or writer. I’m here as a citizen of Riverton, a Chamber member, and one of the founding Board members of the Riverton Ambassadors.

However, as a reporter…the why questions seem to always be the hardest ones to get answers for. Who, what, when, where, and how…not too hard to get, most of the time. But then there’s the “why”?

In regards to Riverton’s Chamber of Commerce:

• What is a Chamber, and what does a Chamber mean for businesses and the community?

• Who is at the helm of a Chamber? How are they nominated and voted in?

• When and where does a Chamber meet, in consideration of business hours, community activities, and personal/family time?

• How does a Chamber serve its members and its community?

In the forming of a new WYRiverton Chamber and Visitors Center, and the still yet unconfirmed merge with the Riverton Ambassadors, why was there suddenly a breakdown of communication, transparency, and a departure from current Bylaws and mission statements that were supposed to be about moving Riverton forward? When did working as a whole team fail? Why did they start excluding and ignoring members and volunteers who had given so much of their time, talent, and treasure? What do Bylaws or Mission statements even mean if they are not even adhered to?

Most of the time, we do what we’re told without questioning. Many things are passed in city councils and commissioners' meetings where the public might be unaware or uninformed beforehand. I’m not creating an excuse for the public; quite the opposite. An example…

Riverton City Council has its agendas, agenda packets and minutes posted on its website for the public. That type of transparency is commendable and should be a structure for many organizations. The Mayor doesn’t act alone; even he and Tony [City Administrator] do not act alone. No Councilmember, no city staff acts alone. Given that no system is perfect, at the very least there should be teamwork, communication, and transparency for things to not only work and flow but to establish that element of trust. If any one, few or even all of our City Council…or even law enforcement…just made their own decisions, pushed their own agendas, and just categorically passed ordinances without oversight, transparency or notice, how would that fly with the public? Or just appointed yourselves another term of office, without nomination or a vote? Or as we are doing now…what if the City Council just ignored public comment or input without discussion or consideration?  How would that fly?

So why would that fly with a Chamber membership, with any membership? Why would the assumed positioning of a brand new Board (even an ad hoc Board) without nomination or vote by its general membership be acceptable? What about those who don’t agree with this merger, or those who haven’t been given enough information to make an educated decision about it and cast their vote?

Under current Chamber Bylaws…In May, there was supposed to be a Nominating Committee set up for elections of a new Board. This was not done. Notification of nominations was to be sent out to all Chamber members. This was not done. The Executive Director was to notify the membership of their right to petition additional candidates. This was not done. Ballots and voting instructions were to be distributed by the Executive Director to all members. This was not done.

According to Chamber Bylaws, after 30 days, ballots were to be gathered and tallied by the Executive Director. The next Chamber Board meeting is this Thursday. As a Chamber member, should I just blindly accept this merger and its new Board created by a committee without any oversight or regard to current Bylaws, not to mention a vote from their General membership?

And why, when real questions and concerns were being raised, they were skirted or ignored with “Stay tuned, great things are happening!” That is not an answer.

I know it’s cliche to say “There is no “I” in TEAM”, but I believe it is applicable here. When we make it about ourselves and our own agendas, there is no team. When we ask the who, what, when, where, why, and how questions and get no response or are ignored, there is no team. When we give concessions to a select few, ignore and take a departure from rules and procedures, whether it's local/state/federal/tribal laws or bylaws, and push agendas without any oversight, there is no team. When gossip and backbiting occur, hurting peoples’ businesses and livelihoods, hurting friends, families, and neighbors…there is no team. So if this is how the Chamber…a business organization…does business? Again…what does a Chamber mean, and what does it mean to be a “Member” of an organization that does these things? You cannot just pretend there’s a team when there’s not.

I stood right here around this podium in April, excited about the merger of the Chamber and the Ambassadors. You all know I’ve given of my time, talent, and treasure and I had planned on continuing to do so. But along the way, I had been excluded. Plans and decisions were being made behind closed doors. When I questioned processes happening without oversight or vote, I got ambiguous responses or was ignored. Apparently, I wasn’t a valued member of the team anymore, as if anything I had to say or contribute wasn’t worth consideration or merit.

United we stand. Divided we fall.

This seems to be a theme with variations, not only in this situation with the Chamber, but even a few corporate businesses who come into town outside of Wyoming to assume control, who fail to listen and discount the voices of locals who have been here, lived here, have experience, ideas, insight, and expertise to lend in order to work together in making a vision come to fruition. Unfortunately, this has been my experience in some job capacities and as a volunteer. I don’t do what I do because of some agenda, aspirations, position, perks, or title. I do what I do, whether it’s as a job or as a volunteer, or even as an individual…to serve and support my community in the best way I can.

Lastly, (again, my example as a reporter) I hope that everyone knows that there are many sides to a story. Even when the truth is difficult to find, I always hope to find some facts, some threads of truth and not be distracted by “fake news”. That (at least for me) could be that “I” part of any team I’m on, in that: “I hope we can do this. I hope that we’re all on the same page. I hope we can all contribute our time, talents and treasure to something great.”  But when there is little or no transparency, oversight, communication or trust…how can anything be made rock-solid if the very foundation is made of sand?

Thank you for listening.

Coffee With A View: Writings on the Wall (literally)...

Music and writing have always been my "things". I started plunking out tunes on the piano when I was three years old; started formal lessons when I was four. Around that age, my parents couldn't keep enough paper and pens, pencils, crayons, etc. If I ever ran out of paper, I started writing on the desk, the walls, the baseboards...the shelving and walls in my closet...on the fabric stapled to the box springs under my bed...on the window sill...outside the window sill.

I never really kept a diary or a journal, and don't have an answer as to why. I guess the reason might be that my parents encouraged reading books and triggering the imagination. There wasn't enough paper in the world to contain the worlds I had already created in my mind, yet the greatest adventure was lived every day. Experiencing the Nouns - people, places, and things - was enough to fill volumes..and still is.

So about mid-January, when Grace Andrus of Wyoming Media LLC approached me with the opportunity to become the Editor of the Ranger (a newspaper which was an embedded childhood icon as a delivery girl, as well as the award-winning paper of which my Aunt Betty Starks Case's legacy was as a columnist for 35 years) - something lept in my mind, heart, and soul and caught fire.

This was it. This was the job I could do for the rest of my life!

So I resigned from my employment of four years with Fremont County's ambulance service(s) - through Guardian, AMR, GMR, Frontier - (not unfamiliar with transitions, LOL!) and dedicated countless days and nights to the struggle and uphill battle in keeping the content flowing for a newspaper with an unsure future. For those with questions and critiques in their own minds, Grace truly did save that newspaper. We were both on the same page (excuse the pun, LOL) and had a vision...listened to the readership, and spent countless hours finding relevant content for all three newspapers. We were tired; our brains were on overtime, and literally shot. But the vision and mission were constant, with the communities of Fremont County first and foremost.

When WyoToday took everything over the first week of February, [whatever was left of] the newspaper employees and the public were fed a narrative that, in my gut, just felt "weird". It was explained in a way that was just ambiguous enough to swallow (given the circumstances), but also enough to wonder if that same vision that Grace and I had would carry over. It was always my hope, and as I signed the dotted line as Interim Editor, business cards made up reflecting me as Interim Editor, newspapers stating that I was the Interim Editor...I drank the Kool-Aid.

Throughout my (brief) stint as Editor, I had no news reporters. Brooke Lehto came through with some great feature articles. Even through the transition(s), we maintained a strong Sports section. Advertising and subscriptions began to pick up. Everyone loved the Community Calendar. As one who hits the ground running in whatever I do, I managed the content for all three newspapers with everything I had to give, every single day, no matter what the challenge (outdated programs, emails, systems, etc.) Our composition/layout team kept up, even through moments when they wanted to quit. We finally got it to where subscribers actually got their paper on the day they subscribed! The Wind River News finally had content relevant to the Tribes! To crank out a (semi) daily newspaper on a skeleton crew was insane, but we did it. Every day.

During this insane time (and though distracted), something was not sitting right with me. WyoToday brought someone in from the South (someone who does not reside in Wyoming, and lives out of a hotel here), started calling the shots, and little by little, I was reduced to the title of "Staff Writer"...even though my title was still Interim Editor. "Letters to the Editor" went to him. I sat in on staff meetings as Editor; everyone knew me as the Editor. I worked my ass off as the Editor...waking up at 3 AM to get pages out, covering city council and board meetings, doing what I could to review and recommend potential columnists, actually read several Letters to the Editor that never got published, etc.

When I observed meetings being held behind closed doors...when I was being cut off and interrupted in staff meetings, ignored and treated like a mushroom...that's when I started asking questions. With a history of general assignment AP reporting, copy editing/writing, columnist, editor and founder of a CA news blog for 13 years...why wouldn't I question? Why wouldn't I ask, over and over, what Grace Andrus' role was during this transition?

Who is really in control? The readership and subscribers of Fremont County? Or some opportunistic financial company?

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/local-newsrooms-strained-by-budget-slashing-financial-firms,219808

On Friday, March 16, I was looking at the content budget for the weekender (newspaper). Mind you, I'm already exhausted; I'm like, literally scraping for content. There were some little burps going on as far as content-sharing with some Wyoming news exchanges (which were, actually and truly, above my paygrade), but for me, it was a big deal, and so this was an opportunity for me to finally voice my concerns. So I did...to Hal Welch, General Manager of Upstate Today (Edwards Media Group) in South Carolina, who is the boss of the boss of who was my boss at WyoToday (the one that continually and constantly interrupted and disrespected my existence).

Hal Welch? Not a huge deal...but I do quote him as saying to me: "I'm being sued in Seneca right now for $250,000,000...true story, over a series of articles and I've been laughing at it for 3 days. This really is not a big deal."

My response:

"Not a big deal to you...but I just covered a Riverton City Council meeting where a hike in a few dollars in utility fees affects fixed-income and senior families. They're not laughing."

When some "know-it-all" corporate interest comes in and assumes power and control of the narrative, environment and occupation of long-time, hard-working locals who have been here for literally decades...what exactly happens? I can already tell you what happens...not only on the EMS side but on the economic development side.

If these corporate entities are not fully, 100% vested in the economic development of the rural communities of Fremont County, Wyoming, they're in it for their own selves and opportunistic greed, and not the community's interests, nor what and who they claim to supposedly serve. So coming to Wyoming actually becomes a little vacation for them, so they can hunt, fish, get drunk at a local bar or other community events...get a slap on the hand, then go back to their home state, and "it's not a big deal". The gift of the silver, forked tongue.

I have been quite sad for the past month and a half...but not beaten down. I know bullshit when I "feel" it, and that's why I'm writing this today...if I could, on the walls and window sills of every single structure in Fremont County. Sure, there may be all kinds of rumors going around about me and why I left the Ranger, so let me set everyone straight:

If you heard that I went on to/"other opportunities", no. That's a complete, fabricated lie. I had no other opportunities! Zero. Like I said, I had invested my future in the Ranger/Lander Journal/Wind River News, in the vision that Grace and I had when we worked countless hours, laughing, crying, talking, etc. Hoped to make my Aunt Betty Starks Case proud, kept hoping that this newspaper would be one that the readership expected with every single issue.

So no more "interim" Editor. After finally asking WyoToday to give me an official job description as Editor in writing, they told me to consider it my resignation, to "pack my belongings, drop off the laptop and key by the front desk."  Total slap in the face for everything I did over the past few months.

(Well, I never used your useless laptop or needed your slow-ass WiFi. Shows how much you "knew" from afar in South Carolina. I got more done in my own home office). The writing was on the wall and I finally saw through the "bait and switch". Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice? I've been used and abused enough for one lifetime; you poked the wrong mama bear.

What a world we live in these days...where ego, pride, and greed are more important than life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness! In my opinion, there's a dire need for more "tea parties", and I still have faith in those who truly love and support their fellow human beings. It takes a lot to snap out of it, stand up, call people out on their bullshit, and believe in what's right. The writing should be on the conference room walls - closed doors, desks, tables, chairs, window sills, etc. -  for those who continue to use and abuse those who actually live here, work here...those with the true talents, gifts, character, and integrity. It's time that we value and respect those who work tirelessly, day and night, for what they bring to their community. It's the very least we can do for our fellow human beings, to call out those with forked silver tongues and expose them for who they really are.

Carol