In the mountains, those nine letters are what it's all about. The MOUNTAINS. Anything having to do with them is what's on everyone's mind.
I noticed this today when driving to Silverthorne to do errands. I've started listening to Krystal 93.7 because those guys have a fantastic line up. Not just that, they're local, and it's always nice to support local radio in this age of DJing a mountain radio station from Kansas.
Anyway, I was shocked and amused, as I was turning off the Dam Road, to hear a sound byte from Lindsey Vonn.
"Hey guys, this is Lindsey Vonn, and you're listening to Krystal 93."
A normal sound byte, yes, but then again....
It took me a second to register that I'd just listened to Lindsey Vonn. Isn't she an athlete? I thought. I then thought, in no way, shape or form - to my knowledge at least - does she have a hit record, a number one hit or a concert in the works. And then: Aren't musicians the ones announcing what we're listening to?
"Howdy there, this is Shania Twain and you're listening to Country 104."
Now that makes more sense for a radio station.
Nonetheless, Vonn's voice it was, and it makes sense: A champion skier born and bred in Summit County has EVERYTHING to do with the mountain radio station and the music it plays.
-----
DISCLAIMER: Don't get me wrong. I love Krystal 93.7 and I love Vonn (in an admiring sense). The connection between the two, though, was amusing.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
New words
The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again invited readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.
Here are the winners:
1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.
2. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
3. Intaxicaton: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
5. Bozone ( n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.
7. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high
8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
11. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
13.. Glibido: All talk and no action.
14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
17. Caterpallor ( n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.
Here are the winners:
1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.
2. Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
3. Intaxicaton: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
5. Bozone ( n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.
6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.
7. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high
8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)
11. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.
12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.
13.. Glibido: All talk and no action.
14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.
16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.
17. Caterpallor ( n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Epic can't explain it
Skittle thugs call it gnar-gnar pow-pow.
I call it bliss.
Woke up this morning to that feeling of... "I don't want to do anything. But you have the whole day off. You better do something."
I'd just gotten the text message from Winter Park, announcing six inches of fresh snow over the pass. I sighed to myself, thinking, "Surely, Copper didn't get any of that."
And a half hour later, when I finally got out of bed, I logged onto skireport.com.
17 INCHES OF FRESH SNOW AT MONARCH???, I thought. I'M GOING!!!
Figuring it was worth a shot to get AL and Donny on board with my scheme to leave at 8:30 (well after one SHOULD leave for a powder day at Monarch, a two hour drive away), I went and sat on AL's bed.
"Wake up," I said.
She shook her head no.
"Wake up," I repeated. "I have a question to ask you."
She squinted through half-shut eyes with an inquisitive look.
"Do you have to ski with your family today or do you want to go ski a foot and a half of new snow at Monarch?"
Her eyes opened a little more as the words penetrated the deep sleep she was emerging from.
"Ask Donny what he wants to do," she said.
In the other room, her six-foot-five cousin Donny was curled into a sleeping bag, still snoozing despite the excitement I exuded.
"Donny," I said. "Do you want to go ski fresh tracks at Monarch?"
His eyes snapped open and he rolled over to stretch as he muttered, "Maybe."
By quarter to eight, I had both on board to head for the hills south of Leadville, through Buena Vista and past Salida. By quarter to nine, we were in the car and on the way, with Donny's comment accompanying us the whole way: "I think that's the fastest we've gone from being dead asleep to getting on the road."
With Jurassic Five and Mighty Mouse tunes wafting through the vehicle, we traversed the scenic landscape of the collegiate peaks, the Arkansas River and the San Isabel National Forest, waking up slowly as the sun's rays awakened the frozen valleys.
By the time we got to Salida, the sun was brilliant, and AL admitted she was wondering where the snow was that the forecast promised to be hovering all day. But by the time we climbed near to the summit of Monarch Pass, her four-wheel-drive Exploder was our best friend.
And so ensues an epic day, riding 11 inches of fresh on top of six inches on top of 11 inches two days prior.
How can one explain the exhilaration of surfing down Mirkwood Bowl? Of floating through and around the trees off Garfield Chair and Christmas Trees Peak? Of hucking a cornice and falling into the closest thing one can get to our youthful cloud visions?
It's breathlessness as snow puffs from the ground at each turn, hitting your face like waves pounding the sand at the beach. It's bliss as there's not a sound throughout that 1,000-foot drop but for the soft snow falling - and the high five and thrilled comment of joy to fellow skiiers and riders at the base of the run.
On the way home, we realized the cold toes, fingers and faces didn't matter during the day. As we chowed down on the food we'd forgotten, we reminisced about the day. And as we emerged from the Monarch Cloud, still dumping on the mountain still unknown to many, the sun shone on the awe-inspiring San Isabel forest with its mountains and valleys, cliffs and dips, rivers and creeks and homes tucked into the landscape.
We looked at each other and sighed. It was good.
I call it bliss.
Woke up this morning to that feeling of... "I don't want to do anything. But you have the whole day off. You better do something."
I'd just gotten the text message from Winter Park, announcing six inches of fresh snow over the pass. I sighed to myself, thinking, "Surely, Copper didn't get any of that."
And a half hour later, when I finally got out of bed, I logged onto skireport.com.
17 INCHES OF FRESH SNOW AT MONARCH???, I thought. I'M GOING!!!
Figuring it was worth a shot to get AL and Donny on board with my scheme to leave at 8:30 (well after one SHOULD leave for a powder day at Monarch, a two hour drive away), I went and sat on AL's bed.
"Wake up," I said.
She shook her head no.
"Wake up," I repeated. "I have a question to ask you."
She squinted through half-shut eyes with an inquisitive look.
"Do you have to ski with your family today or do you want to go ski a foot and a half of new snow at Monarch?"
Her eyes opened a little more as the words penetrated the deep sleep she was emerging from.
"Ask Donny what he wants to do," she said.
In the other room, her six-foot-five cousin Donny was curled into a sleeping bag, still snoozing despite the excitement I exuded.
"Donny," I said. "Do you want to go ski fresh tracks at Monarch?"
His eyes snapped open and he rolled over to stretch as he muttered, "Maybe."
By quarter to eight, I had both on board to head for the hills south of Leadville, through Buena Vista and past Salida. By quarter to nine, we were in the car and on the way, with Donny's comment accompanying us the whole way: "I think that's the fastest we've gone from being dead asleep to getting on the road."
With Jurassic Five and Mighty Mouse tunes wafting through the vehicle, we traversed the scenic landscape of the collegiate peaks, the Arkansas River and the San Isabel National Forest, waking up slowly as the sun's rays awakened the frozen valleys.
By the time we got to Salida, the sun was brilliant, and AL admitted she was wondering where the snow was that the forecast promised to be hovering all day. But by the time we climbed near to the summit of Monarch Pass, her four-wheel-drive Exploder was our best friend.
And so ensues an epic day, riding 11 inches of fresh on top of six inches on top of 11 inches two days prior.
How can one explain the exhilaration of surfing down Mirkwood Bowl? Of floating through and around the trees off Garfield Chair and Christmas Trees Peak? Of hucking a cornice and falling into the closest thing one can get to our youthful cloud visions?
It's breathlessness as snow puffs from the ground at each turn, hitting your face like waves pounding the sand at the beach. It's bliss as there's not a sound throughout that 1,000-foot drop but for the soft snow falling - and the high five and thrilled comment of joy to fellow skiiers and riders at the base of the run.
On the way home, we realized the cold toes, fingers and faces didn't matter during the day. As we chowed down on the food we'd forgotten, we reminisced about the day. And as we emerged from the Monarch Cloud, still dumping on the mountain still unknown to many, the sun shone on the awe-inspiring San Isabel forest with its mountains and valleys, cliffs and dips, rivers and creeks and homes tucked into the landscape.
We looked at each other and sighed. It was good.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Fur-lined hoods
Leadville. Not like any other place on earth.
I'd never been to the quaint town nestled among 14ers before, but dollar microbrews at the Scarlet Lady sounded like it would fit nicely into my new ski bum budget. Not to mention, my college buddy and Frisco roommate was talking up the outing pretty irresistibly.
Being that I'd moved to Frisco two weeks earlier, I didn't know the Leadville scene. That it's mountain men and women gathered together in a town that hibernates throughout the winter except when 30-somethings and under congregate at the bars at night. That it boasts $250 monthly rent for square footage a metropolitan wouldn't believe. That it's so down-to-earth, residents live under pool tables.
I should have known, being a former Rawlins, Wyo. resident, where going out means "uglifying," as a friend once said, to avoid the creepers. But I didn't. So, I showed up gaper-style in my down vest with its fur-lined hood. And a bright long-sleeve with earrings and makeup.
That night, I didn't know anything was wrong. That I had clearly labeled myself as an outsider, not only in ski country but in the place - Leadville - where the "mountain life" emanates like well-fermented trash.
Let's just say I got more respect when I showed up to the Scarlet Lady's microbrews night in my old Spyder under-armor.
Still wearing makeup.
Still donning earrings.
But an all-the-wiser local.
I'd never been to the quaint town nestled among 14ers before, but dollar microbrews at the Scarlet Lady sounded like it would fit nicely into my new ski bum budget. Not to mention, my college buddy and Frisco roommate was talking up the outing pretty irresistibly.
Being that I'd moved to Frisco two weeks earlier, I didn't know the Leadville scene. That it's mountain men and women gathered together in a town that hibernates throughout the winter except when 30-somethings and under congregate at the bars at night. That it boasts $250 monthly rent for square footage a metropolitan wouldn't believe. That it's so down-to-earth, residents live under pool tables.
I should have known, being a former Rawlins, Wyo. resident, where going out means "uglifying," as a friend once said, to avoid the creepers. But I didn't. So, I showed up gaper-style in my down vest with its fur-lined hood. And a bright long-sleeve with earrings and makeup.
That night, I didn't know anything was wrong. That I had clearly labeled myself as an outsider, not only in ski country but in the place - Leadville - where the "mountain life" emanates like well-fermented trash.
Let's just say I got more respect when I showed up to the Scarlet Lady's microbrews night in my old Spyder under-armor.
Still wearing makeup.
Still donning earrings.
But an all-the-wiser local.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Video Samples
The following are two samples of recent videography work:
B-17 Sentimental Journey
Application for Nike Field Reporter position (turned out I was too old for the job):
B-17 Sentimental Journey
Application for Nike Field Reporter position (turned out I was too old for the job):
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Memories from Iraq
An first-hand alternative to the common view that "nothing's working in Iraq."
An AP Member Exchange
By BRANDON QUESTER
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The cost of change is great.
Trevor Harris knows that first hand.
The sacrifices he saw in Iraq as part of last year’s “surge” — which continues — are not something that he or anyone in his unit took lightly.
The Cheyenne native recently returned from his second tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was one of the thousands of service members called back to be part of the effort launched in February of 2007.
Harris was a U.S. Army sergeant serving with the 3rd Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade, 115th Infantry Battalion. As such, he was sent to one of the worst areas in the country to squelch violence from insurgents and other desperate individuals willing to do anything to keep the country unstable.
During his time in Iraq, Harris said he lost at least a dozen friends.
“It’s expected when you go over there,” he said. “You know that the guys you’re going over there with, some of them ain’t coming back.”
But knowing that something eventually will happen, or even expecting it to happen, does not make losing a friend any easier, he said.
“It’s not like your friend passed away from an illness or something,” he said. “When your friends get shot in the head or are blown to pieces by an IED, it’s a lot different.”
At the same time, Harris said he witnessed the progress that the hike in U.S. troop presence was designed to accomplish. “When we got there, this was one of the worst areas of southeast Baghdad,” Harris said. “It was horrible. Al Qaeda had strongholds there; other insurgents had strongholds there.
“I probably couldn’t even give you an accurate number of how many terrorists we killed in that area, but it was a lot.”
Harris said the area was filled with rubble and trash and was riddled with bullet holes. Their job was to “hunt down bad guys” and dispose of munitions caches.
In the end, he says, the effort turned the southeastern part of Baghdad into one of the safest and most prosperous areas.
Harris said that the last time he “rolled through” on his way out of the country, the area had erupted with life and commerce.
He said there were so many people out and about, selling things and mingling, that one vehicle barely could pass through at a time.
Harris said he did not even know the area had that many people. He said buildings had been rebuilt and repainted and there were even picnic tables and benches.
This turnaround, he said, was one of the most rewarding aspects of his tour. He said it made the sacrifices they had made worth it. He added that the surge is working.
Harris said Gen. David Petraeus, the commanding officer managing the additional 30,000 U.S. forces, wanted the military living in the towns and cities with the people, “where the action was.”
But living in a region ravaged by corruption and insurgency was no easy task.
“A lot of the town’s people might have liked us,” Harris said. “But say if somebody from Al Qaeda comes along and offers them $1,000 to plant an IED (improvised explosive device), they don’t have any money, they (are) living in poverty. They’re gonna do it because of the money.”
Harris recalled how his unit arrested two children, 15 and 16 years old, who had planted an IED that exploded near one of their Humvees.
“It didn’t do much damage, but it’s still an intent to kill a soldier,” Harris said. “So we had to arrest them. They’re just kids trying to make some money, but they don’t have any other way to do it.”
Harris said it also was common to learn during interrogations that people were forced to kill as many Americans as they could. He said the people were warned that if they did not comply, their family members would be kidnapped and killed.
“It was hard to tell who your friends were because there are no uniforms; there’s no obvious bad guys,” Harris said. “They could be just walking through the crowd, and you wouldn’t even know it.
“It definitely makes it harder to do your job when you don’t know who the bad guys are.”
Still, Harris said, they were able to gain friendships with those just trying to get by.
He said there was a family whose home bordered their combat outpost, and they became friends.
Harris said the unit helped to fix the father’s tractor and even ran a line of electricity to the home. He said the man’s wife would bring the soldiers tea and flatbread.
Harris said they could not understand each other because of language barriers, but he knew that the man and his family appreciated the small favors that he and his fellow soldiers provided.
And it is situations such as this, Harris said, that happen all across the country. He said not everyone is trying to kill Americans, and it was nice to help out families that got caught in the middle.
Such relationships helped Harris and his fellow soldiers to turn the town around. And that, he said, is why it is important to continue the missions — to keep fighting for the same things their fellow fallen soldiers were fighting for.
“So his death didn’t mean nothing,” he said. “It means something.”
Harris said it is important that people in America understand that there are good things happening in Iraq. He added that what you see on the television or read in a newspaper are not always the total truth.
He himself hasn’t watched television once since his return in May.
His focus is now on his family. He is trying to make up for lost time and the two wedding anniversaries he missed while deployed.
Still, Harris said he is proud of what he accomplished while serving his country. He added that it was an experience that made him appreciate his life in the United States.
But he also has left the military now and does not plan on serving again. He said he has done his part — and a little more.
“I don’t want to go back,” he said. “I just want to go on and be a normal guy and get back to a normal life.”
———
Information from: Wyoming Tribune Eagle, http://www.wyomingnews.com
An AP Member Exchange
By BRANDON QUESTER
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The cost of change is great.
Trevor Harris knows that first hand.
The sacrifices he saw in Iraq as part of last year’s “surge” — which continues — are not something that he or anyone in his unit took lightly.
The Cheyenne native recently returned from his second tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was one of the thousands of service members called back to be part of the effort launched in February of 2007.
Harris was a U.S. Army sergeant serving with the 3rd Infantry Division, 3rd Brigade, 115th Infantry Battalion. As such, he was sent to one of the worst areas in the country to squelch violence from insurgents and other desperate individuals willing to do anything to keep the country unstable.
During his time in Iraq, Harris said he lost at least a dozen friends.
“It’s expected when you go over there,” he said. “You know that the guys you’re going over there with, some of them ain’t coming back.”
But knowing that something eventually will happen, or even expecting it to happen, does not make losing a friend any easier, he said.
“It’s not like your friend passed away from an illness or something,” he said. “When your friends get shot in the head or are blown to pieces by an IED, it’s a lot different.”
At the same time, Harris said he witnessed the progress that the hike in U.S. troop presence was designed to accomplish. “When we got there, this was one of the worst areas of southeast Baghdad,” Harris said. “It was horrible. Al Qaeda had strongholds there; other insurgents had strongholds there.
“I probably couldn’t even give you an accurate number of how many terrorists we killed in that area, but it was a lot.”
Harris said the area was filled with rubble and trash and was riddled with bullet holes. Their job was to “hunt down bad guys” and dispose of munitions caches.
In the end, he says, the effort turned the southeastern part of Baghdad into one of the safest and most prosperous areas.
Harris said that the last time he “rolled through” on his way out of the country, the area had erupted with life and commerce.
He said there were so many people out and about, selling things and mingling, that one vehicle barely could pass through at a time.
Harris said he did not even know the area had that many people. He said buildings had been rebuilt and repainted and there were even picnic tables and benches.
This turnaround, he said, was one of the most rewarding aspects of his tour. He said it made the sacrifices they had made worth it. He added that the surge is working.
Harris said Gen. David Petraeus, the commanding officer managing the additional 30,000 U.S. forces, wanted the military living in the towns and cities with the people, “where the action was.”
But living in a region ravaged by corruption and insurgency was no easy task.
“A lot of the town’s people might have liked us,” Harris said. “But say if somebody from Al Qaeda comes along and offers them $1,000 to plant an IED (improvised explosive device), they don’t have any money, they (are) living in poverty. They’re gonna do it because of the money.”
Harris recalled how his unit arrested two children, 15 and 16 years old, who had planted an IED that exploded near one of their Humvees.
“It didn’t do much damage, but it’s still an intent to kill a soldier,” Harris said. “So we had to arrest them. They’re just kids trying to make some money, but they don’t have any other way to do it.”
Harris said it also was common to learn during interrogations that people were forced to kill as many Americans as they could. He said the people were warned that if they did not comply, their family members would be kidnapped and killed.
“It was hard to tell who your friends were because there are no uniforms; there’s no obvious bad guys,” Harris said. “They could be just walking through the crowd, and you wouldn’t even know it.
“It definitely makes it harder to do your job when you don’t know who the bad guys are.”
Still, Harris said, they were able to gain friendships with those just trying to get by.
He said there was a family whose home bordered their combat outpost, and they became friends.
Harris said the unit helped to fix the father’s tractor and even ran a line of electricity to the home. He said the man’s wife would bring the soldiers tea and flatbread.
Harris said they could not understand each other because of language barriers, but he knew that the man and his family appreciated the small favors that he and his fellow soldiers provided.
And it is situations such as this, Harris said, that happen all across the country. He said not everyone is trying to kill Americans, and it was nice to help out families that got caught in the middle.
Such relationships helped Harris and his fellow soldiers to turn the town around. And that, he said, is why it is important to continue the missions — to keep fighting for the same things their fellow fallen soldiers were fighting for.
“So his death didn’t mean nothing,” he said. “It means something.”
Harris said it is important that people in America understand that there are good things happening in Iraq. He added that what you see on the television or read in a newspaper are not always the total truth.
He himself hasn’t watched television once since his return in May.
His focus is now on his family. He is trying to make up for lost time and the two wedding anniversaries he missed while deployed.
Still, Harris said he is proud of what he accomplished while serving his country. He added that it was an experience that made him appreciate his life in the United States.
But he also has left the military now and does not plan on serving again. He said he has done his part — and a little more.
“I don’t want to go back,” he said. “I just want to go on and be a normal guy and get back to a normal life.”
———
Information from: Wyoming Tribune Eagle, http://www.wyomingnews.com
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Hidden horrors of the West
Not mine, but interesting nonetheless...
18 suicides reported in national parks this year
Eds: Note Yellowstone mention and Wyoming interest throughout.
AP Photos SLC101-103
By MIKE STARK
Associated Press Writer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Having mailed a farewell letter to his family back in Minnesota, Jerry O. Wolff stepped off a shuttle bus on a sunny Sunday morning and disappeared into Utah’s rugged Canyonlands National Park.
“I am gone in a remote wilderness where I can return my body and soul to nature. There is no reason for anyone to look for me, just leave me where I am,” he wrote.
No trace of Wolff has been found since he was last seen May 11. Park officials assume the 65-year-old biology professor committed suicide.
Millions of people come to national parks each year to enjoy the splendors of wildlife and natural beauty, but a tiny fraction arrive with a grim agenda.
So far this year, at least 18 people have committed suicide in America’s national parks, from the swamplands of the Everglades and the beaches of Cape Cod to the rain-soaked forests of Olympic National Park and the bleak expanse of the Mojave Desert.
For some, the parks are apparently just a convenient place to end it all. Others, though, seem to seek out the beauty and solace of these spots.
“Parks hold a special place in people’s hearts,” said Al Nash, a spokesman at Yellowstone, where five suicides have been recorded since 1997. “There are some individuals who feel it’s important to have that kind of connection in those final moments.”
As for Wolff, Jim Hughes, the police chief in his hometown of Sartell, Minn., said the St. Cloud State University professor had been to Canyonlands before for research. As for why he apparently took his life, Wolff had “some personal issues,” the chief said. But he said he had no details.
The day after Wolff disappeared, searchers found the body of a 27-year-old man who drove into Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction, Colo., parked on the side of a road, walked about 200 yards away and shot himself.
At the same park last October, a 57-year-old woman drove her station wagon off a 250-foot cliff. A few weeks later, a 63-year-old man drove to an overlook at the park called Cold Shivers Point, sat on a rock outcropping overlooking a valley and shot himself.
“It’s become known in this area as a place that suicides are happening, but you can be sure the staff here are doing everything we can to prevent them,” said Joan Anzelmo, superintendent of the Colorado National Monument.
Rangers are trained in suicide prevention, and park officials are contemplating closing certain areas at night and adding more guardrails. Employees in places like Grand Canyon are taught to keep an eye out for notes taped to steering wheels.
Ten people have killed themselves at the Grand Canyon since 2004, the most of any park in recent years, according to the Park Service. The 1991 movie “Thelma & Louise” — which ends with the pair driving off a cliff in a classic Thunderbird convertible — has been blamed by some for a string of copycat suicides at the Grand Canyon, even though the scene was actually filmed at a state park in Utah.
“Maybe it’s the romanticization of a suicide attempt in a spectacular place,” said Michael Ghiglieri, who has co-written books about deaths at the Grand Canyon and Yosemite.
Among the stories he has recounted: A young man once asked a couple to take his picture at Grand Canyon, then jumped to his death in front of them. Another man, who had squandered an inheritance, climbed to the top of Yosemite Falls, wrote his will — leaving money to have a redwood planted on his grave — and then leaped off the falls, the highest in North America.
Lanny Berman, executive director of the American Association of Suicidology, said that when it comes to suicides in national parks, in general, “the driving force for most is availability and accessibility and, secondarily, whether that site offers something that other sites don’t.”
At Colorado National Monument, Anzelmo said, suicides there are, in part, a reflection of nearby Mesa County, where the suicide rate is roughly twice the national average.
One of the first recorded suicides in national park history was that of a 27-year-old woman in Yellowstone who apparently killed herself with an overdose of morphine in 1884, just 12 years after the national park was created, according to Yellowstone historian Lee Whittlesey. Most suicides in that park’s history were by park employees, he said.
“Perhaps these persons wanted their last moments to be spent in a beautiful or famous place, or perhaps they wanted their deaths somehow inextricably linked to nature,” Whittlesey wrote in his book “Death in Yellowstone.”
Last year, there were at least 26 suicides or probable suicides in the national park system’s 391 units, according to Bill Halainen, who compiles ranger reports daily for the Park Service. The Park Service does not have complete figures for earlier years.
Halainen said he believes the numbers fluctuate from one year to the next, and there is “no clear indication of any sustained upward trend.”
This year began with a search for a 46-year-old carpenter with cancer who drove his truck to Everglades National Park, climbed into his canoe and vanished. The most recent case involved a 47-year-old man at Timpanogos Cave National Monument in Utah who called the sheriff’s department from the visitors center June 10 and told dispatchers he was going to shoot himself and where his body could be found. The body was discovered 15 minutes later.
When people vanish, Park Service employees and sometimes volunteers typically mount a search. Recovering bodies and vehicles, particularly when they go over a cliff, can require helicopters, rappelling and other dangerous exploits.
“Our expectation is that people are coming to the national parks to have a good time,” said Maureen Oltrogge, a spokeswoman at Grand Canyon. “When something tragic happens, it’s really difficult on the staff.”
18 suicides reported in national parks this year
Eds: Note Yellowstone mention and Wyoming interest throughout.
AP Photos SLC101-103
By MIKE STARK
Associated Press Writer
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Having mailed a farewell letter to his family back in Minnesota, Jerry O. Wolff stepped off a shuttle bus on a sunny Sunday morning and disappeared into Utah’s rugged Canyonlands National Park.
“I am gone in a remote wilderness where I can return my body and soul to nature. There is no reason for anyone to look for me, just leave me where I am,” he wrote.
No trace of Wolff has been found since he was last seen May 11. Park officials assume the 65-year-old biology professor committed suicide.
Millions of people come to national parks each year to enjoy the splendors of wildlife and natural beauty, but a tiny fraction arrive with a grim agenda.
So far this year, at least 18 people have committed suicide in America’s national parks, from the swamplands of the Everglades and the beaches of Cape Cod to the rain-soaked forests of Olympic National Park and the bleak expanse of the Mojave Desert.
For some, the parks are apparently just a convenient place to end it all. Others, though, seem to seek out the beauty and solace of these spots.
“Parks hold a special place in people’s hearts,” said Al Nash, a spokesman at Yellowstone, where five suicides have been recorded since 1997. “There are some individuals who feel it’s important to have that kind of connection in those final moments.”
As for Wolff, Jim Hughes, the police chief in his hometown of Sartell, Minn., said the St. Cloud State University professor had been to Canyonlands before for research. As for why he apparently took his life, Wolff had “some personal issues,” the chief said. But he said he had no details.
The day after Wolff disappeared, searchers found the body of a 27-year-old man who drove into Colorado National Monument near Grand Junction, Colo., parked on the side of a road, walked about 200 yards away and shot himself.
At the same park last October, a 57-year-old woman drove her station wagon off a 250-foot cliff. A few weeks later, a 63-year-old man drove to an overlook at the park called Cold Shivers Point, sat on a rock outcropping overlooking a valley and shot himself.
“It’s become known in this area as a place that suicides are happening, but you can be sure the staff here are doing everything we can to prevent them,” said Joan Anzelmo, superintendent of the Colorado National Monument.
Rangers are trained in suicide prevention, and park officials are contemplating closing certain areas at night and adding more guardrails. Employees in places like Grand Canyon are taught to keep an eye out for notes taped to steering wheels.
Ten people have killed themselves at the Grand Canyon since 2004, the most of any park in recent years, according to the Park Service. The 1991 movie “Thelma & Louise” — which ends with the pair driving off a cliff in a classic Thunderbird convertible — has been blamed by some for a string of copycat suicides at the Grand Canyon, even though the scene was actually filmed at a state park in Utah.
“Maybe it’s the romanticization of a suicide attempt in a spectacular place,” said Michael Ghiglieri, who has co-written books about deaths at the Grand Canyon and Yosemite.
Among the stories he has recounted: A young man once asked a couple to take his picture at Grand Canyon, then jumped to his death in front of them. Another man, who had squandered an inheritance, climbed to the top of Yosemite Falls, wrote his will — leaving money to have a redwood planted on his grave — and then leaped off the falls, the highest in North America.
Lanny Berman, executive director of the American Association of Suicidology, said that when it comes to suicides in national parks, in general, “the driving force for most is availability and accessibility and, secondarily, whether that site offers something that other sites don’t.”
At Colorado National Monument, Anzelmo said, suicides there are, in part, a reflection of nearby Mesa County, where the suicide rate is roughly twice the national average.
One of the first recorded suicides in national park history was that of a 27-year-old woman in Yellowstone who apparently killed herself with an overdose of morphine in 1884, just 12 years after the national park was created, according to Yellowstone historian Lee Whittlesey. Most suicides in that park’s history were by park employees, he said.
“Perhaps these persons wanted their last moments to be spent in a beautiful or famous place, or perhaps they wanted their deaths somehow inextricably linked to nature,” Whittlesey wrote in his book “Death in Yellowstone.”
Last year, there were at least 26 suicides or probable suicides in the national park system’s 391 units, according to Bill Halainen, who compiles ranger reports daily for the Park Service. The Park Service does not have complete figures for earlier years.
Halainen said he believes the numbers fluctuate from one year to the next, and there is “no clear indication of any sustained upward trend.”
This year began with a search for a 46-year-old carpenter with cancer who drove his truck to Everglades National Park, climbed into his canoe and vanished. The most recent case involved a 47-year-old man at Timpanogos Cave National Monument in Utah who called the sheriff’s department from the visitors center June 10 and told dispatchers he was going to shoot himself and where his body could be found. The body was discovered 15 minutes later.
When people vanish, Park Service employees and sometimes volunteers typically mount a search. Recovering bodies and vehicles, particularly when they go over a cliff, can require helicopters, rappelling and other dangerous exploits.
“Our expectation is that people are coming to the national parks to have a good time,” said Maureen Oltrogge, a spokeswoman at Grand Canyon. “When something tragic happens, it’s really difficult on the staff.”
Friday, May 2, 2008
LSRV switches to four-day schedule
Front page!
• Final approval still pending from state.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Last week, the Carbon County District 1 School Board unanimously approved the four-day school week for Little Snake River Valley School.
The schedule was endorsed for the next three years. But before it can be adopted, it must go before the Wyoming Department of Education for approval. Principal Rick Newton estimates a decision could be made by July.
The three-year stint is to allow the schedule to iron itself out, Newton said. In their research and promotion of the calendar, the school’s staff developed goals to meet. Among them is preserving class time.
Newton acknowledged that next year’s schedule would have trouble meeting that goal. LSRV Activities Director Ann Wille was unable to work several athletic events around the proposed schedule because it was not yet approved.
“Our staff is really excited about the possibilities and, for the most part, our community is too,” said Dale Wille, LSRV vocational agriculture teacher. “It’s not going to happen in one year and it’s going to take tweaking.”
One of the community concerns about the change was eased by the knowledge that a day-care center exists in Baggs. Many slots are vacant, and the center has a capacity of 36 children. However, parents still question being able to pay for the care.
School board members voiced concern about academic performance being compromised with the new schedule. LSRV staff found that schools operating in a four-day week neither improved nor reduced their PAWS scores. However, school board members thought the new schedule might open a door for improvement.
“District-wide, we’re not stellar performers,” Board Chairman Jim Espy said. “We want to give you guys the chance to do something different.”
If the schedule is approved, LSRV administrators have much more work to do, particularly in planning Friday tutoring, activities and teacher in-service days.
• Final approval still pending from state.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Last week, the Carbon County District 1 School Board unanimously approved the four-day school week for Little Snake River Valley School.
The schedule was endorsed for the next three years. But before it can be adopted, it must go before the Wyoming Department of Education for approval. Principal Rick Newton estimates a decision could be made by July.
The three-year stint is to allow the schedule to iron itself out, Newton said. In their research and promotion of the calendar, the school’s staff developed goals to meet. Among them is preserving class time.
Newton acknowledged that next year’s schedule would have trouble meeting that goal. LSRV Activities Director Ann Wille was unable to work several athletic events around the proposed schedule because it was not yet approved.
“Our staff is really excited about the possibilities and, for the most part, our community is too,” said Dale Wille, LSRV vocational agriculture teacher. “It’s not going to happen in one year and it’s going to take tweaking.”
One of the community concerns about the change was eased by the knowledge that a day-care center exists in Baggs. Many slots are vacant, and the center has a capacity of 36 children. However, parents still question being able to pay for the care.
School board members voiced concern about academic performance being compromised with the new schedule. LSRV staff found that schools operating in a four-day week neither improved nor reduced their PAWS scores. However, school board members thought the new schedule might open a door for improvement.
“District-wide, we’re not stellar performers,” Board Chairman Jim Espy said. “We want to give you guys the chance to do something different.”
If the schedule is approved, LSRV administrators have much more work to do, particularly in planning Friday tutoring, activities and teacher in-service days.
Guitarist plans Saratoga shows
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Finishing his widespread tour in Saratoga, singer-songwriter Noel Rosa has a special reason for next week’s visit.
The musician, who has made his mark primarily in Christian contemporary rock, is stopping by a homespun guitar shop to check on the progress of three new, custom-designed instruments — the Noel Rosa Signature line of thin-bodied acoustic guitars.
“As far as we know, there’s nothing like it on the market,” said Scott Platts, owner of Stone Tree Custom Guitars.
Rosa has a prototype that he’s been playing while on tour. The instrument has an electric-guitar style but was matched with an acoustic sound and light weight, which is a plus in light of his recent, crippling back trouble. It also eliminates the sound feedback that is characteristic of acoustic guitars on stage.
Concerts are scheduled on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, all for different crowds. His current tour is to promote the new album, “The Noel Rosa Acoustic Sessions.”
On Sunday, he’ll speak to the congregation at the Platte Valley Christian Center at 11 a.m. and plans a concert for the public at 6 p.m. The worship team from Aliens and Strangers Youth Center should open that show.
Rosa’s time on Monday is set aside for area students, who will be privy to a motivational talk during school hours. A concert at 7 p.m. at the Platte Valley Community Center is open to students and their parents.
Wednesday’s performance is for the Aliens and Strangers Youth Center, to be held at 7 p.m.
Rosa last visited Saratoga in 2006, according to Gene Smith, pastor at the Platte Valley Christian Center.
“He’s one of the most amazing guitarists I’ve ever heard,” Smith said. “The youth really love him. And the whole community can enjoy and benefit from his visit.”
The musician may soon sign onto the national market, and he hopes to take Platts’ guitars with him. He has already partnered with the guitar builder to serve as the guitars’ marketing representative.
When he arrives in town, he’ll be introduced to the new Signature designs, all with different wood combinations and different sounds.
Rosa is also excited to see the Saratoga audience once again.
“It’s amazing,” Rosa said. “The people in Wyoming really, really like my music and like me.” He has received several phone calls from friends and fans who want to meet with him during his visit.
Times staff writer
Finishing his widespread tour in Saratoga, singer-songwriter Noel Rosa has a special reason for next week’s visit.
The musician, who has made his mark primarily in Christian contemporary rock, is stopping by a homespun guitar shop to check on the progress of three new, custom-designed instruments — the Noel Rosa Signature line of thin-bodied acoustic guitars.
“As far as we know, there’s nothing like it on the market,” said Scott Platts, owner of Stone Tree Custom Guitars.
Rosa has a prototype that he’s been playing while on tour. The instrument has an electric-guitar style but was matched with an acoustic sound and light weight, which is a plus in light of his recent, crippling back trouble. It also eliminates the sound feedback that is characteristic of acoustic guitars on stage.
Concerts are scheduled on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday, all for different crowds. His current tour is to promote the new album, “The Noel Rosa Acoustic Sessions.”
On Sunday, he’ll speak to the congregation at the Platte Valley Christian Center at 11 a.m. and plans a concert for the public at 6 p.m. The worship team from Aliens and Strangers Youth Center should open that show.
Rosa’s time on Monday is set aside for area students, who will be privy to a motivational talk during school hours. A concert at 7 p.m. at the Platte Valley Community Center is open to students and their parents.
Wednesday’s performance is for the Aliens and Strangers Youth Center, to be held at 7 p.m.
Rosa last visited Saratoga in 2006, according to Gene Smith, pastor at the Platte Valley Christian Center.
“He’s one of the most amazing guitarists I’ve ever heard,” Smith said. “The youth really love him. And the whole community can enjoy and benefit from his visit.”
The musician may soon sign onto the national market, and he hopes to take Platts’ guitars with him. He has already partnered with the guitar builder to serve as the guitars’ marketing representative.
When he arrives in town, he’ll be introduced to the new Signature designs, all with different wood combinations and different sounds.
Rosa is also excited to see the Saratoga audience once again.
“It’s amazing,” Rosa said. “The people in Wyoming really, really like my music and like me.” He has received several phone calls from friends and fans who want to meet with him during his visit.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
School projects halted
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Earlier this week, two Carbon County School District 2 elementary school projects were halted by the School Facilities Commission.
The projects, Medicine Bow and Elk Mountain elementary schools, were well on their way and had a construction start date of early June.
But on Monday, District 2 Superintendent Bob Gates received word that both projects were over budget and would need significant changes, including the demolition of the Elk Mountain gym.
“Everything is on hold right now,” Gates said of the two projects. After community, staff and board meetings, the superintendent should be able to present a course of action to the school board next Friday.
The Elk Mountain gym was supposed to be saved. Now, a month before construction was to begin and in the midst of teachers packing up their classrooms, the bad news came.
A community meeting where residents can voice their concerns as well as vote on the next step is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at the school.
“To say it will be a hot meeting is an understatement,” Gates said.
The school board ultimately decides between two options, either going forward with the adjusted project or holding off until fall to re-apply for funding.
Gates said the cost to renovate the gym to bring it up to code is nearly $1 million. Re-applying in the fall has a slim chance of success, Gates said, because the commission’s funding is not expected to grow soon.
Because the cost of construction is always increasing, he said, waiting likely won’t help the gym’s chances of survival. Ken Daraie, director of the School Facilities Commission, was not available for comment.
The announcement has fewer ramifications for Medicine Bow.
“Medicine Bow isn’t losing as much because they didn’t have as much to lose,” Gates said. The biggest change is that the new school will now be built on the open football field in town instead of on the demolished remains of the vacant building in the center of town.
The demolition savings amounts to $500,000 and will be put back into construction of the new building, according to Gates.
Troy Maddox, Medicine Bow Town Council president, was disappointed by the news. Plans have often been snuffed in the council’s quest to find a use for the building. However, the wait should be two years before the old facility can be removed, because funds for demolition should appear in the School Facility Commission’s next biennial budget.
“One of the reasons the trade was going to work so well was because the building was going to come down,” Maddox said. “But we can wait for two years. We understand the budget.”
Times staff writer
Earlier this week, two Carbon County School District 2 elementary school projects were halted by the School Facilities Commission.
The projects, Medicine Bow and Elk Mountain elementary schools, were well on their way and had a construction start date of early June.
But on Monday, District 2 Superintendent Bob Gates received word that both projects were over budget and would need significant changes, including the demolition of the Elk Mountain gym.
“Everything is on hold right now,” Gates said of the two projects. After community, staff and board meetings, the superintendent should be able to present a course of action to the school board next Friday.
The Elk Mountain gym was supposed to be saved. Now, a month before construction was to begin and in the midst of teachers packing up their classrooms, the bad news came.
A community meeting where residents can voice their concerns as well as vote on the next step is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at the school.
“To say it will be a hot meeting is an understatement,” Gates said.
The school board ultimately decides between two options, either going forward with the adjusted project or holding off until fall to re-apply for funding.
Gates said the cost to renovate the gym to bring it up to code is nearly $1 million. Re-applying in the fall has a slim chance of success, Gates said, because the commission’s funding is not expected to grow soon.
Because the cost of construction is always increasing, he said, waiting likely won’t help the gym’s chances of survival. Ken Daraie, director of the School Facilities Commission, was not available for comment.
The announcement has fewer ramifications for Medicine Bow.
“Medicine Bow isn’t losing as much because they didn’t have as much to lose,” Gates said. The biggest change is that the new school will now be built on the open football field in town instead of on the demolished remains of the vacant building in the center of town.
The demolition savings amounts to $500,000 and will be put back into construction of the new building, according to Gates.
Troy Maddox, Medicine Bow Town Council president, was disappointed by the news. Plans have often been snuffed in the council’s quest to find a use for the building. However, the wait should be two years before the old facility can be removed, because funds for demolition should appear in the School Facility Commission’s next biennial budget.
“One of the reasons the trade was going to work so well was because the building was going to come down,” Maddox said. “But we can wait for two years. We understand the budget.”
Medicine Bow to turn 100
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Medicine Bow turns 100 next year, prompting resident Kenda Colman to organize a celebration.
The event comes at an opportune time, converging with a proposed influx of energy workers and an effort to revamp the town’s rodeo grounds.
The Centennial Committee met for the first time last week and emerged with grand ideas for a two-day birthday party in June 2009.
According to Colman, the prized idea is to ask all the town’s organizations to host an activity. For instance, the Fire Department might hold a dinner. Or, the rodeo arena committee might have a rodeo.
“It may not be a full-swing rodeo like the old days, but maybe something reminiscent,” Colman said.
In the preliminary concept, each organization would absorb event costs as well as proceeds. However, Colman said her committee members suggested setting some of the funds aside to continue the celebration in coming years. It could be a revival of Bow Days.
“If (the 2009 event) is successful,” she said, “we’ll see Bow Days return.” If nothing else, Colman has ideas to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Virginian hotel two years later.
Because the town has history in air, train and car traffic, Colman has contacted Union Pacific Railroad, an antique model car group and a collector of old airplanes to participate. She also hopes to recruit an American Indian group because of the town’s name and history. The event should also involve a parade, a dinner and games for children.
The Centennial Committee hopes to provide overarching support for the town’s organizations by helping to write grants and plan events.
“We’ll see how much of a celebration we can do with the money we get and the people who contribute,” Colman said.
Times staff writer
Medicine Bow turns 100 next year, prompting resident Kenda Colman to organize a celebration.
The event comes at an opportune time, converging with a proposed influx of energy workers and an effort to revamp the town’s rodeo grounds.
The Centennial Committee met for the first time last week and emerged with grand ideas for a two-day birthday party in June 2009.
According to Colman, the prized idea is to ask all the town’s organizations to host an activity. For instance, the Fire Department might hold a dinner. Or, the rodeo arena committee might have a rodeo.
“It may not be a full-swing rodeo like the old days, but maybe something reminiscent,” Colman said.
In the preliminary concept, each organization would absorb event costs as well as proceeds. However, Colman said her committee members suggested setting some of the funds aside to continue the celebration in coming years. It could be a revival of Bow Days.
“If (the 2009 event) is successful,” she said, “we’ll see Bow Days return.” If nothing else, Colman has ideas to celebrate the 100th birthday of the Virginian hotel two years later.
Because the town has history in air, train and car traffic, Colman has contacted Union Pacific Railroad, an antique model car group and a collector of old airplanes to participate. She also hopes to recruit an American Indian group because of the town’s name and history. The event should also involve a parade, a dinner and games for children.
The Centennial Committee hopes to provide overarching support for the town’s organizations by helping to write grants and plan events.
“We’ll see how much of a celebration we can do with the money we get and the people who contribute,” Colman said.
Award-winning bears on display
Times staff report
“Bear Rock,” the award-winning sculpture created by Encampment High School art students, is on display at the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne through June 14.
The display includes the eight winning designs out of the 35 submitted. Titled “Wild About Bears,” the exhibit celebrates the 20th anniversary of the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson. The museum may be named the official wildlife art museum of the United States, pending President Bush’s signature on the bill.
The goal of the museum’s bear competition was to encourage students to pursue wildlife art. By displaying them professionally, students can envision their success as artists. The cash prizes awarded to the schools that created the winning bears help boost art programs.
“Bear Rock,” the award-winning sculpture created by Encampment High School art students, is on display at the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne through June 14.
The display includes the eight winning designs out of the 35 submitted. Titled “Wild About Bears,” the exhibit celebrates the 20th anniversary of the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson. The museum may be named the official wildlife art museum of the United States, pending President Bush’s signature on the bill.
The goal of the museum’s bear competition was to encourage students to pursue wildlife art. By displaying them professionally, students can envision their success as artists. The cash prizes awarded to the schools that created the winning bears help boost art programs.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Embroidery business is far-reaching
Rawlins Daily Times, Janice KurbjunBy Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
In the shadow of Elk Mountain, behind the bikes strewn across the gravel, the Volkswagen parked by the street and the well-used basketball net, a small embroidery shop sits adjacent to Jennifer Bowen’s home.
Serving companies from Elk Mountain to Washington state, Custom Creations is run at Bowen’s leisure.
“I hardly pound the pavement,” she said about finding customers. “It’s all word of mouth.”
She and her husband decided to buy the business almost two decades ago while still living in Rawlins. It and her two commercial embroidery machines moved with the family to Elk Mountain in 1996 and has continued to flourish.
“‘Tis the season for hats,” Bowen said, pointing toward stacks of hats of various colors sitting amongst odds and ends on the worktable. She’s currently doing projects for the Carbon County Road and Bridge Department, weed and pest and the Old Baldy Club.
Among Bowen’s more unusual projects was a wedding dress embroidered with green and brown elk tracks, designed for a Rawlins woman.
“It sounds wacky, but it looked really cool,” she said.
Bowen said she has never turned a customer away. With thousands of designs to choose from, including the copyrighted University of Wyoming cowboy, she can create a satisfying design for almost anyone.
The business is Bowen’s way to pay her share of the bills. It allows her the flexibility to go to her children’s’ events, which are many. She is also involved in the parent-teacher association and town council.
“My kids are number one,” she said. “And the business is fun and never the same. It’s never boring.”
Successful valley readers celebrate
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The party stretched into the night for elementary school students in Saratoga who were celebrating their third quarter reading success.
Out of 140 kids, 107 first- through sixth-grade students were eligible to partake in the festivities, which turned the elementary school into fairgrounds two weeks ago.
Giant, inflatable slides brushed the ceiling of the gym, according to Saratoga Elementary School Librarian Ceile Fisher. A life-sized table soccer game stretched across a third of the gym floor, allowing kids to strap in and compete.
They bounced on an inflatable trampoline and tried to dunk a basketball against the pull of an elastic harness. They played table tennis in classrooms, danced in the cafeteria and challenged each other to shuffleboard and bowling. Two groups visited the town’s hot pool.
All this happened after a hearty sloppy Joe dinner.
That night, the kids settled in to watch “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” but Fisher said it ended at about 11 p.m., an hour short of closing time.
“It was like six in the evening again,” she said of the kids who got their second wind.
The school uses a reading program known as Accelerated Reader, which asks students to set and meet reading goals throughout the year. Each book in the program — about 100,000 total — has an assigned point value based on length and reading difficulty. Each also has a test that assesses the students’ reading comprehension. The test scores determine how many points a student earns toward their goal.
An average picture book for first- through third-grade students is worth about a half of a point. A chapter book like those in the “Harry Potter” series are worth about 25 points, Fisher said.
Goals are set based on the child’s grade level, reading ability and allotted time for reading at school and at home.
“It’s really fun. The kids love it,” Fisher said.
The reading program has been used for about 10 years, but only recently have the celebrations become so elaborate, Fisher said. Previous events have included a sleep over, a beach day with beach games and stories, and outings such as bowling, sledding and cross-country skiing.
If students meet half of their fourth-quarter goal by mid-May, they have the chance to throw a whipped cream pie in Principal Dave Rangitsch’s face. They get more pies — up to five — for every five points above the halfway mark.
For students who fully meet their year-end goal, they should be rewarded in late May with a lunch at Saratoga’s Hotel Wolf and a root beer float party with dancing.
Times staff writer
The party stretched into the night for elementary school students in Saratoga who were celebrating their third quarter reading success.
Out of 140 kids, 107 first- through sixth-grade students were eligible to partake in the festivities, which turned the elementary school into fairgrounds two weeks ago.
Giant, inflatable slides brushed the ceiling of the gym, according to Saratoga Elementary School Librarian Ceile Fisher. A life-sized table soccer game stretched across a third of the gym floor, allowing kids to strap in and compete.
They bounced on an inflatable trampoline and tried to dunk a basketball against the pull of an elastic harness. They played table tennis in classrooms, danced in the cafeteria and challenged each other to shuffleboard and bowling. Two groups visited the town’s hot pool.
All this happened after a hearty sloppy Joe dinner.
That night, the kids settled in to watch “Alvin and the Chipmunks,” but Fisher said it ended at about 11 p.m., an hour short of closing time.
“It was like six in the evening again,” she said of the kids who got their second wind.
The school uses a reading program known as Accelerated Reader, which asks students to set and meet reading goals throughout the year. Each book in the program — about 100,000 total — has an assigned point value based on length and reading difficulty. Each also has a test that assesses the students’ reading comprehension. The test scores determine how many points a student earns toward their goal.
An average picture book for first- through third-grade students is worth about a half of a point. A chapter book like those in the “Harry Potter” series are worth about 25 points, Fisher said.
Goals are set based on the child’s grade level, reading ability and allotted time for reading at school and at home.
“It’s really fun. The kids love it,” Fisher said.
The reading program has been used for about 10 years, but only recently have the celebrations become so elaborate, Fisher said. Previous events have included a sleep over, a beach day with beach games and stories, and outings such as bowling, sledding and cross-country skiing.
If students meet half of their fourth-quarter goal by mid-May, they have the chance to throw a whipped cream pie in Principal Dave Rangitsch’s face. They get more pies — up to five — for every five points above the halfway mark.
For students who fully meet their year-end goal, they should be rewarded in late May with a lunch at Saratoga’s Hotel Wolf and a root beer float party with dancing.
School board irked by RHS students
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
In last week’s meeting, Carbon County District 1 School Board members complained about the attitudes and behaviors of Rawlins High School students.
Dave Dingman mentioned qualms about post-lunch tardiness as well as cell phone distractions. Juli Miller questioned the level of respect students have for fellow community members.
“It’s a frustrating event for our staff,” Dingman said of the students’ fifth-period lateness.
Dingman and other board members questioned whether students should continue to be permitted to leave campus each day.
Addressing cell phones, Dingman noted that students sometimes threaten each other and use what he called “vile language” in text messages.
“If you look up the word ‘weapon’ in a dictionary,” he said, “you can almost bridge the gap there.”
Despite the school’s “out of sight, out of sound” policy on the phones, board members acknowledged that students are often so quick and quiet, it is hard to catch them in the act. Dingman said that, aside from the threats, text messaging is a general distraction. Board members again questioned the existing district policy.
According to Miller, last week some students came into McDonald’s not long before the school’s lunch period ended. They jumped ahead of the long line to place their order. After repeated requests from Miller, the students waited their turn.
“I’m just amazed at the sense of entitlement and absolute lack of respect of these kids,” Miller said. “They need to be representing themselves and the community well. And I don’t know what to say because it often starts at home and we can’t fix that in school.”
Also at the meeting, board members:
• Appointed a selection and interview committee for the proposed elementary school’s construction manager.
• Awarded the Little Snake River Valley gym resurfacing project to Wyoming Wood Floors for $12,950.
• Approved a $251,310 contract with Hutch’s Hi-Country Plumbing and Heating for the Rawlins High School small gym boiler.
• Heard a recommendation from board member Kristi to re-evaluate the school’s activity budget prior to the upcoming budget session. According to Groshart, there is a bigger budget but fewer participating kids. The evaluation may lead to a cut in funding for less popular activities.
Times staff writer
In last week’s meeting, Carbon County District 1 School Board members complained about the attitudes and behaviors of Rawlins High School students.
Dave Dingman mentioned qualms about post-lunch tardiness as well as cell phone distractions. Juli Miller questioned the level of respect students have for fellow community members.
“It’s a frustrating event for our staff,” Dingman said of the students’ fifth-period lateness.
Dingman and other board members questioned whether students should continue to be permitted to leave campus each day.
Addressing cell phones, Dingman noted that students sometimes threaten each other and use what he called “vile language” in text messages.
“If you look up the word ‘weapon’ in a dictionary,” he said, “you can almost bridge the gap there.”
Despite the school’s “out of sight, out of sound” policy on the phones, board members acknowledged that students are often so quick and quiet, it is hard to catch them in the act. Dingman said that, aside from the threats, text messaging is a general distraction. Board members again questioned the existing district policy.
According to Miller, last week some students came into McDonald’s not long before the school’s lunch period ended. They jumped ahead of the long line to place their order. After repeated requests from Miller, the students waited their turn.
“I’m just amazed at the sense of entitlement and absolute lack of respect of these kids,” Miller said. “They need to be representing themselves and the community well. And I don’t know what to say because it often starts at home and we can’t fix that in school.”
Also at the meeting, board members:
• Appointed a selection and interview committee for the proposed elementary school’s construction manager.
• Awarded the Little Snake River Valley gym resurfacing project to Wyoming Wood Floors for $12,950.
• Approved a $251,310 contract with Hutch’s Hi-Country Plumbing and Heating for the Rawlins High School small gym boiler.
• Heard a recommendation from board member Kristi to re-evaluate the school’s activity budget prior to the upcoming budget session. According to Groshart, there is a bigger budget but fewer participating kids. The evaluation may lead to a cut in funding for less popular activities.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Are PAWS tests too long?
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
With Wyoming’s PAWS testing finished, the consensus among Carbon County teachers is that the tests were too long.
The Wyoming Department of Education initially issued estimated times to guide teachers, which were supposed to be shorter this year. The test is supposed to gauge each school’s proficiency in reading, writing, math and science.
After one week of testing, though, the state department had to nearly double the time estimates. According to Linda Duncan, counselor at Little Snake River Valley School, the reissued time was 625 minutes.
“That amounts to 10 and a half hours,” Duncan said. “The length concerned staff and administration both.”
Compared to the ACT test’s four-hour time limit, the PAWS test time shocked many teachers.
In the math portion, Denise Ashline’s eighth-grade class at Rawlins Middle School took between 140 and 210 minutes to take tests that were estimated by the state to run a maximum of 80 minutes.
“That’s a long time when middle-schoolers should be doing things in 15-minute increments,” Ashline said.
Melissa Irvin at the department of education said that, based on continued negative feedback from across the state, the test times will be adjusted next year.
Other post-test complaints arose as well. Jim Catlin, counselor at Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow Junior Senior High School, said, “There are high stakes for the schools, but not the students. The problem is that schools are held accountable for tests that students don’t take as seriously.”
Teachers district-wide acknowledge this, and some have reacted. For instance, Ashline’s eighth-grade students will get awarded for their effort with a DVD, video game and snow cone party on Friday. Ashline measured effort by evaluating each student’s preparation work.
“They really tried hard, even though the tests were grueling,” she said.
Teachers did find some improvements this year. As the Wyoming Department of Education pushes toward computer testing, efforts to streamline the system seem to be working.
“Our kids seemed to function well with the online testing,” Duncan said of the 11th-grade students who took most of the test online this year.
“The software was easier to navigate this year,” said Shelley Cooper, a Medicine Bow Elementary School math teacher.
Saratoga, Rawlins and HEM also saw significant improvements in the computer portion of the test. Fewer students were booted off the system this year and the teachers could more easily monitor how quickly students were moving through the tests. Some tests had nearly immediate scores.
Times staff writer
With Wyoming’s PAWS testing finished, the consensus among Carbon County teachers is that the tests were too long.
The Wyoming Department of Education initially issued estimated times to guide teachers, which were supposed to be shorter this year. The test is supposed to gauge each school’s proficiency in reading, writing, math and science.
After one week of testing, though, the state department had to nearly double the time estimates. According to Linda Duncan, counselor at Little Snake River Valley School, the reissued time was 625 minutes.
“That amounts to 10 and a half hours,” Duncan said. “The length concerned staff and administration both.”
Compared to the ACT test’s four-hour time limit, the PAWS test time shocked many teachers.
In the math portion, Denise Ashline’s eighth-grade class at Rawlins Middle School took between 140 and 210 minutes to take tests that were estimated by the state to run a maximum of 80 minutes.
“That’s a long time when middle-schoolers should be doing things in 15-minute increments,” Ashline said.
Melissa Irvin at the department of education said that, based on continued negative feedback from across the state, the test times will be adjusted next year.
Other post-test complaints arose as well. Jim Catlin, counselor at Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow Junior Senior High School, said, “There are high stakes for the schools, but not the students. The problem is that schools are held accountable for tests that students don’t take as seriously.”
Teachers district-wide acknowledge this, and some have reacted. For instance, Ashline’s eighth-grade students will get awarded for their effort with a DVD, video game and snow cone party on Friday. Ashline measured effort by evaluating each student’s preparation work.
“They really tried hard, even though the tests were grueling,” she said.
Teachers did find some improvements this year. As the Wyoming Department of Education pushes toward computer testing, efforts to streamline the system seem to be working.
“Our kids seemed to function well with the online testing,” Duncan said of the 11th-grade students who took most of the test online this year.
“The software was easier to navigate this year,” said Shelley Cooper, a Medicine Bow Elementary School math teacher.
Saratoga, Rawlins and HEM also saw significant improvements in the computer portion of the test. Fewer students were booted off the system this year and the teachers could more easily monitor how quickly students were moving through the tests. Some tests had nearly immediate scores.
Music teacher gets her final hurrah
Rawlins Daily Times, Janice Kurbjun• One Medicine Bow student noted, ‘Mis Macan is the best teacher I have nown.’
By Janice Kurbjun Times staff writer
Facing her final concert at 7 p.m. on Wednesday in the Medicine Bow Elementary School gym, Jill McCann is starting to realize how meaningful her last four years have been as music teacher for the Carbon County District 2 elementary schools.
“They’re just like family,” McCann said of her students and their parents. “Plus, they’re talented, and everyone works together as a team.”
McCann is leaving at the end of the school year to head back to Idaho, where she grew up. But not without leaving a lasting impression on her students.
At the very bottom of his worksheet defining what music is, buried under sketches of treble clefs, scales and a bold outline of the word “music,” Timothy Heward wrote in tiny letters, “Mis Macan is the best teacher I have nown.”
Timothy’s sister Caroline agreed, writing that she likes McCann’s songs and the way she sings them. As part of the concert’s theme, she and her classmates will read their definitions of music. The rest of Caroline’s lists include things associated with the discipline: dancing, songs, melody and rhythm.
For the concert, which is free and open to the public, the girls will be dressed in 1950s poodle skirts and the boys will mimic John Travolta’s jeans and white T-shirt costume in “Grease.” The program includes upbeat songs from the musicals “Hairspray” and “Rigoletto” — along with sign language to fulfill state requirements — to a rendition of Barry Manilow’s “One Voice,” to be sung in a dark auditorium.
RHS kids place high
Times staff report
Eleven Rawlins High School students won 15 medals in Casper earlier this month in the Wyoming State Skills USA conference, second only to Douglas High School for the number of medals won by 3A schools.
It was the technology and pre-engineering students’ second appearance at the state event, which had about 335 participants this year.
“I’m very proud of my students,” Jon Larson said in a release. “This is a very challenging competition and they showcased the skills they have learned very well.” Larson is the technology and pre-engineering instructor at the Carbon County Higher Education Center.
Larson’s team included seniors Donald Lehmkuhl, Devon Schmidt and Timothy Tschacher; juniors Jake Frost, Matt Hettchen, Jason Koehler, Adam Penland and Chris Sheets; sophomore Alex Dahl and freshmen Tony DeMillard and Matt Welch.
A Hettchen-Dahl duo won first place in mechatronics, the combination of mechanical, electrical and software engineering to study how the disciplines can work together to control equipment and mechanical processes.
The students gleaned other recognition from the conference including Koehler being chosen as one of seven Skills USA state officers.
Three students go on to compete in the national Skills USA conference in June. Hettchen and Dahl should compete in the national mechatronics competition.
Eleven Rawlins High School students won 15 medals in Casper earlier this month in the Wyoming State Skills USA conference, second only to Douglas High School for the number of medals won by 3A schools.
It was the technology and pre-engineering students’ second appearance at the state event, which had about 335 participants this year.
“I’m very proud of my students,” Jon Larson said in a release. “This is a very challenging competition and they showcased the skills they have learned very well.” Larson is the technology and pre-engineering instructor at the Carbon County Higher Education Center.
Larson’s team included seniors Donald Lehmkuhl, Devon Schmidt and Timothy Tschacher; juniors Jake Frost, Matt Hettchen, Jason Koehler, Adam Penland and Chris Sheets; sophomore Alex Dahl and freshmen Tony DeMillard and Matt Welch.
A Hettchen-Dahl duo won first place in mechatronics, the combination of mechanical, electrical and software engineering to study how the disciplines can work together to control equipment and mechanical processes.
The students gleaned other recognition from the conference including Koehler being chosen as one of seven Skills USA state officers.
Three students go on to compete in the national Skills USA conference in June. Hettchen and Dahl should compete in the national mechatronics competition.
Community conference planned later this week
Times staff report
On Thursday and Friday, the Platte Valley Community Center in Saratoga hosts Project Prevention’s fourth annual community conference.
A highlight this year is a planned panel discussion involving area high school students.
Panelists will be selected from people who submitted an answer to a recent essay contest in Carbon County School District 1 for students hoping to go to the 2009 Anti-Drug Coalitions of America conference in Washington, D.C. Carbon County School District 2 should also have some representatives.
The event includes presentations from Shanda Wright of Big Brothers Big Sisters and Diane Hipp of Wyoming Community Norms. Ben Atherton-Zeman will have a talk called Voices of Men on Thursday while on Sunday, Capt. Richard Fowler of the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office plans to speak about gangs. For parents worried about Internet safety, Jim Anderson is set to address the issue Friday.
The event is from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday. It resumes at 8:30 a.m. on Friday and finishes at 3:30 p.m. Project Prevention has arranged specially-priced hotel accommodations in the area.
For more information, call Theresa Pacheco at 328-3969 or 321-0686.
On Thursday and Friday, the Platte Valley Community Center in Saratoga hosts Project Prevention’s fourth annual community conference.
A highlight this year is a planned panel discussion involving area high school students.
Panelists will be selected from people who submitted an answer to a recent essay contest in Carbon County School District 1 for students hoping to go to the 2009 Anti-Drug Coalitions of America conference in Washington, D.C. Carbon County School District 2 should also have some representatives.
The event includes presentations from Shanda Wright of Big Brothers Big Sisters and Diane Hipp of Wyoming Community Norms. Ben Atherton-Zeman will have a talk called Voices of Men on Thursday while on Sunday, Capt. Richard Fowler of the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office plans to speak about gangs. For parents worried about Internet safety, Jim Anderson is set to address the issue Friday.
The event is from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday. It resumes at 8:30 a.m. on Friday and finishes at 3:30 p.m. Project Prevention has arranged specially-priced hotel accommodations in the area.
For more information, call Theresa Pacheco at 328-3969 or 321-0686.
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