Anti-bullying program on the agenda at tonight's LCSD1 school board meeting

Laramie County School District No. 1 put out a press release on April 3 about its new arrangement with Wyoming non-profit UPLIFT to serve as ombudsman for its anti-bullying program. Not everyone is town is happy with the news. I happen to know that UPLIFT already has a great track record working with families whose children have "emotional, behavioral, learning, developmental or physical disorders." The topic will be discussed tonight at the school board meeting in the Storey Gym. It's also awards night for district students, followed by a bit of official business. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. I am attending as a parent whose children (now in college) have benefitted from UPLIFT's expertise. Here's info from the press release:

Officials at Laramie County School District 1 have announced plans to continue offering bullying ombudsman assistance for families in the community as part of the district’s overall package of services offered to address bullying and provide for safe schools.  

The ombudsman advocacy service will be provided through UPLIFT, a family support network dedicated to the hope, health, and well-being of Wyoming children and families. This service will complement the existing prevention programs and problem-solving efforts of the district. 

“An ombudsman is available to advocate and support kids and families during instances when people believe their concerns have not been addressed through standard processes,” said Dr. Mark Stock, LCSD1 superintendent of schools.

UPLIFT"s phone number in Cheyenne is 778-8686.

Call for entries: 17th Street Art Festival in Cheyenne

17th Street Art Festival – Call For Entries

Entries Due By May 1, 2012!

Festival is August 17-18 in Historic Downtown Cheyenne at the new 17th Street Dinneen Plaza

Application materials postmarked May 1, 2012
 
Contact: Lynn Newman lynnnewman@bresnan.net
Mail entries to Lynn Newman, 921 Ranger Dr., Cheyenne, WY 82009

WyoPoets holds writing workshop April 28 in Casper

George Vlastos

Casper poet and teacher George Vlastos will present "Place Makes Person" for the WyoPoets’ Spring Poetry Workshop on April 28 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Casper, Wyoming. FMI: See the workshop brochure at http://www.wyopoets.org.

Here's George's bio from the Wyoming Arts Council web site:

Between time spent on his family’s olive farm on Crete, teaching language arts at Star Lane Center, an interdisciplinary problem-based high school in Casper, and his duties as Young Authors District Coordinator for the Natrona County School District, George Vlastos writes poetry. He recently was named the winner of the Neltje Blanchan Memorial Writing Award from the Wyoming Arts Council. He has published several collections, including Strophe (1997), Dreams, Grotesques & Hours (2003) and 9 Cross Sections (2005). Previously in WordBand, a former WAC roster artist literary group that performed choral poetry, George approaches the “mythic procession of community and culture” in his workshop presentations, and “the processes necessary to move from thought to written expression.”

Aran Gupta: "The Wonderful, Unpredictable Life of the Occupy Movement"

Progressive journalist Aran Gupta has been reporting on the Occupy Movement since it began Sept. 17 with Occupy Wall Street. Here's his latest report: The Wonderful, Unpredictable Life of the Occupy Movement. Last fall, he toured the U.S. and stopped in Cheyenne to interview local Occupiers. Read my post on that here.

"There's nothing left to do but sing" -- Climbing Poetree performs April 19 at Center for the Arts in Jackson

Performance poetry group Climbing Poetree will take the stage at the Center for the Arts in Jackson on Thursday, April 19, 7 p.m. FREE! Brought to you by pARTners. This is an amazing chance to see art for social justice in action.

News from the Equality State Book Festival

Most states have at least one statewide book festival. Some, such as Arizona, have several. Wyoming's Equality State Book Festival has been held every other year since 2006 in Casper. It's organized by a committee made up of Casper College faculty and staff and members of the community. And me, Mike Shay of Cheyenne, fiction writer and the individual arts specialist at the Wyoming Arts Council. This year's co-drectors are Holly Wendt and Laurie Lye of Casper College. They just sent me this exciting news:

Equality State Book Festival organizers are pleased to announce this year's festival date has been set for Sept. 14-15 in Casper. This celebration marks the 26th anniversary of the annual Casper College/ARTCORE Literary Conference, which has been called "The Equality State Book Festival" every other year since 2006, this being our fourth venture in that spirit.

For the two-day event, more than 15 authors and illustrators will share their talents, giving readings, leading craft talks, emceeing a poetry slam, visiting local schools, and participating on panels. This year's group includes poets, novelists, memoirists, essayists, illustrators, and publishers. 

Among the participants slated are state-wide and regional favorites: Pat Frolander, current Poet Laureate for Wyoming; Zak Pullen, Cat Urbigkit, Kendra Spanjer and Karla Oceanak who will be making school visits; Alyson Hagy and David Romtvedt, faculty from University of Wyoming's MFA program, who will give readings and lead craft talks; and essayist and poet Linda Hasselstrom. From further regions, we are also joined by Rebecca O'Connor and Renee d'Aoust.

The Wyoming Arts Council will be announcing their annual Creative Writing Fellowship awards which celebrate poetry this year and will be judged by Brian Turner. Our friends at Natrona County Public Library are sponsoring a visit from Luis Carlos Montalvan. 

We hope you can join us to appreciate the good company of fellow readers and writers and help celebrate books and the written word Sept. 14-15, 2012, at Casper College and a few other Casper locations, all to be detailed on this web site soon.

For more book festival information, please contact Laurie Lye at llye@caspercollege.edu or 307-268-2639.

Attention Dems: Get your asses to the caucus on Saturday!

We NEED every registered Democrat in Laramie County to caucus and cast a ballot on April 14th. Please come to the Laramie County Community College Training Center. Registration begins at 9:30 AM, and the caucus will begin promptly at 11:00 AM. 

Caucus Chair Ken McCauley has penned an invitation requesting your participation:

Your vote to show support for the Democratic Party is very necessary this year, and that begins by supporting the county convention. One neoconservative challenger predicts that the turnout of Wyoming Democrats will be so low that he will be able to make a mockery of our convention by encouraging lifelong Republicans to change their party affiliation and subvert our process. This candidate has already sent out illegal robocalls to forward his purpose.

Wyoming Democrats care about the people of Wyoming. We believe America should be a land of opportunity for everyone, not just for a privileged few. We believe in the freedom our founding fathers worked so hard to protect. We believe in Americans -- the workers and thinkers who built this nation. If you believe in these values, please come to the Training Center building #16 at Laramie County Community College on 14 April and cast a ballot to help us continue working toward a better Wyoming. Wyoming needs your voice!

If you have questions, please call:

Linda Stowers, Laramie County Chair, 307.220.1219
Ken McCauley, Vice-Chair, 307.630.4973
Lori Brand, Communications Director, 307.631.3410

In search of spring's Pink Moon

After reading about “the pink moon” on Facebook for several days, my daughter Annie and I decided to take a look for ourselves.

Each full moon has its own name and stories. The Pink Moon is April’s moon. Here’s how it’s described by the Farmer’s Almanac:

The name came from the herb moss pink, or wild ground phlox, which is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names for this month’s celestial body include the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and, among coastal tribes, the Full Fish Moon, because this is when the shad swam upstream to spawn.

Susan Tweit, a nature writer out of Salida, Colo., had mused about the pink moon for several days. Susan has a fine moon-viewing venue in the Colorado mountains. On Thursday night, she posted a gorgeous photo of the full moon. It wasn’t pink (at least to the camera’s eye) but it was big and bright, lighting up wispy high-altitude clouds and what looked like a jet’s contrail.

That night, I saw the same moon from my Cheyenne backyard. A fast-moving storm was rolling in. I called my wife Chris and daughter Annie to come out and take a look. But within minutes, the moon was hidden by clouds.

“What moon?” they said.

“It was here a minute ago.”

Friday night brought more commentary and another smashing photo from Susan. I watched the moon emerge from behind my neighbor’s house. Not pink but still glorious. Even though I was wearing a jacket, the cold wind drove me inside when all I really wanted to do was stand and stare.

Last night, I decided to view the moon’s rising. I found the time and Annie and I jumped in the car and drove down Dell Range to the Culver’s parking lot. It was after nine but people were still diving into those butter burgers. We found a strategic spot and watched the moon rise.

“It’s pink, I think,” I said.

“Looks more yellow,” said Annie.

I forgot to bring the camera but that probably was a good thing. Snapshots would not have done it justice. The moon’s big face looked down on us. That’s how Annie described it.

We sat in the lot and watched the moon slowly shed its pink and take on more of a yellowish cast. It began to brighten to white. We talked of space travel and some of the sci-fi movies we both like. 2001, A Space Odyssey;  Apollo 13;  Star Wars;  Star Trek, etc. I spoke about our country’s space program. My father – her grandfather – had been a part of the race to get a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s. I talked about Alan Shepard and Yuri Gagarin and John Glenn and how Gus Grissom and his crew died in that terrible launch pad fire. We talked about walking on the moon – what a thrill that must have been. It was thrilling enough to watch on black-and-white TV. And what a view that must have been, to see earth from a rock 238,000-some miles away!

Sitting there in the front of the Ford, we spoke of the vastness of space. So wonderful but yet so frightening. Annie said that, given the chance, she probably wouldn’t go into space. I had to agree. It frightened me too. I have been having trouble lately dealing with my own “inner space.” I have depression and lately have been struggling with it. If I can’t handle this tiny space I inhabit, how could I possibly face the vastness of space? I could easily be crushed by the universe!

But that won’t happen. The wonder and curiosity in Annie’s voice helps me realize that embracing the universe and its marvels only expands my inner self. Pink moons. Spiral nebulae. Black holes. Vast, empty stretches of space.

On this night in the Culver’s parking lot, we sit together, my college student daughter and I, gazing on the Pink Moon of April. She was born under another full moon, the Full Worm Moon of March (Farmer’s Almanac), the time when earthworms begin working the soil and the robins and the crows reappear and the snow begins to crust over as it thaws by day and freezes by night. Annie was born with a full head of dark hair with silver tips. I told her she had been kissed by the full moon. It was a pretty good story at the time and it seems as good an explanation as any.

On this Saturday during Easter weekend, moonlight shines down on us and the Cheyenne streetscape. We eventually head for home. I am feeling comfortable in my body for the first time in months. Perhaps the light of the Pink Moon carries some healing powers. But I suspect the brightening of my mood has more to do with what’s happening right here on earth, within the orbit of  my own loving family.

No Wyoming panel at Netroots Nation 12 -- but we are sending at least one progressive blogger to Providence

I'm a bit disappointed that Democracy for America has turned down our panel proposal for Netroots Nation 12. More than 400 panels were proposed for the June 7-10 gathering of progressive bloggers in Providence, R.I. Ours was one of 150 proposals that made it to the final round, but it wasn't selected for one of the 70 panels to be presented at the conference. We still think it's a pretty cool idea, one that comes with an embedded literary reference. So, the Southeast Wyoming Progressive Blogosphere may only be sending one of our group to NN12, and that's Meg Lanker-Simons from Laramie. In case you haven't noticed, Meg is number two in the NN12 scholarship sweepstakes. Top three vote getters get scholarhips. Go vote for her now! Have your entire family vote for her. I did.

Here's the NN12 proposal. See what you think.

Panel proposal: “Where I’m Blogging From: On-line Progressives in Red State Wyoming”

It’s mighty red out here, people!

In 2008, Wyoming voters went for John McCain over Barack Obama by a 65-33 percent margin. This was the lowest percentage of “blue” voters in any state, outdoing even neighboring Utah and Idaho (34 percent). In 2010, Republican Matt Mead was elected governor by a 3-to-1 margin. All five elected offices were swept by Republicans and the GOP-dominated Legislature upped its “R” margin to 76 out of 90 seats.

Democrats are an endangered species in Wyoming. This is a state where sporting an Obama bumper sticker is a radical act. Many Democrats are afraid to speak up in public because they are so tragically outnumbered. In some cases, jobs are on the line.

The four bloggers in this proposal are not the state’s only outspoken progressives, but they represent voices unheard in Wyoming’s mainstream media. While they have been active in Democratic Party politics (one has served in the legislature), they often find themselves at odds with a party structure that is timid in the face of Republican onslaughts.

In this session, the presenters will speak about our prog-blogging journeys, and offer tips about making on-line connections in the wide-open conservative spaces. They also will discuss those ground-breaking bloggers in neighboring states who nurtured them.

Presenters

Jeran Artery, Cheyenne, blogs at Out in Wyoming, LGBT activist and Director of Social Change for Wyoming Equality, actor and visual artist, a native of Wheatland in very conservative Platte County, Wyo. Blog: http://outinwy.blogspot.com

Meg Lanker, Laramie, blogs at Cognitive Dissonance, hosts a radio show by the same on KOCA FM every Friday night. Meg brought a successful lawsuit against the University of Wyoming when it refused to let 1960s radical turned education reformer Bill Ayers speak on campus. She also organized a fund-raiser for LGBT groups when ultra-conservative commentator Ann Coulter spoke in Laramie earlier this year. She’s a member of the National Writers Union and a U.S. Navy veteran. Her web site is included in Tumblr's featured politics and government directory at http://www.tumblr.com/spotlight/politics and her site has over 3,000 followers. Blog: http://cognitivedissonance.tumblr.com/

Rodger McDaniel, Cheyenne, former Wyoming state legislator, one-time director of Habitat for Humanity in Nicaragua, retired director of Wyoming Mental Health and Substance Abuse Division, ordained minister, Blowing in the Wyoming Wind blogger. Sponsors a Monday night “Beer and Bibles” get-together each week at a Cheyenne bar where Bible stories are explored from a social justice angle. Rodger is a frequent guest columnist for the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. Blog: http://blowinginthewyomingwind.blogspot.com

Michael Shay, Cheyenne, fiction writer, essayist and blogger on hummingbirdminds since 2005. One of Michael’s short stories is featured in the 2010 anthology “Working Words: Punching the Clock and Kicking Out the Jams” from Coffee House Press. Other poets, writers and musicians in the anthology include U.S. Poet Laureate Phil Levine, Wanda Coleman, Diane DiPrima, Bob Dylan, Eminem, Li-Young Lee, Dorothy Day and Daniel Berrigan. Michael’s blog was recently named by the Washington Post as one of the top state-based political blogs in the U.S. He was a scholarship attendee at NN11 in Minneapolis. Blog: http://hummingbirdminds.blogspot.com

Wyoming DemoCatz: See you at next Saturday's Laramie County Democratic Convention

You never know, but the Wyoming DemoCatz may show up for next Saturday's Laramie County Democrats' convention and caucus. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m.; convention begins at 11 a.m. For more info, go to the convention invitation page on Facebook.

Rodger McDaniel: "When they say 'it isn't about race,' you can bet it is"

We don't have to go to Central Florida to find racism in action. It can strike close to home -- and has! Great column by Rodger McDaniel. Posted on his blog and on the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle's op-ed pages. For the original, go to http://blowinginthewyomingwind.blogspot.com/2012/04/when-they-say-it-isnt-about-race-you.html?spref=fb

March WPEA newsletter features blow-by-blow account of 2012 Legislative battles

The March issue of The Reporter newsletter from the Wyoming Public Employees Association (WPEA/SEIU) explains how Republican extremists in the Wyoming State Legislature attacked our retirement system. After the dust cleared, the defined benefit (Pension) plan remained in place. The attempt to replace it with a defined contribution plan (401K) failed. COLAs were not eliminated but the rules were changed. A Wisconsin-style law probiting public sector collective bargaining failed on introduction. But a bill did pass creating a teired system for retirement. For those employees joining state government after Sept. 1, 2012, the retirement age goes up from 60 to 65, retirement benefits will be calculated at the top 5 years of salary (instead of top 3) and the state multiplier is reduced. This may seem a bit arcane to non-state employees but it will have an effect on those newbies hired this year. This will not affect older employees like me, but it will affect opportunities for our children and grandchildren. When you're 25, this change may not look like such a big deal. It does when you're 61, as I am now. As a union member and progressive, I was against these changes. But members of my age cohort -- Baby Boomers -- crafted the legislation and worked to enact it. What kind of legacy are they leaving their own offspring?

I have to hand it to the WPEA. It picked its battles, realizing you can't win everything in a Republican-dominated Legislature, one that's tilted further to the Right since the 2010 Tea Party-influenced elections. 

The Wyoming Retirement System is not broken, in fact, it is one of the top ten best funded systems the nation. Our intent was to focus on the more critical issues facing public employees. By doing so, we would stand a better chance of defeating the very worst bills as we indicate an openness to necessary changes but opposed to the truly bad, unnecessary changes.

Get the full story, plus specifics on voting, at http://www.wyomingpublicemployees.org/id7.html

Gardeners gather in Gillette to rethink the future

Gardening is in again. Rethinking Gardening in the 21st Century is the title for the Gillette Master Gardeners Conference. My fave garden blogger, David Schmetterling of Montana Wildlife Gardener, is Friday's keynote speaker. The conference will bring together authors, Master Gardeners, vendors, horticulture experts, and backyard gardeners to share enthusiasm and knowledge. To view the complete conference agenda, click here.

Suicide risk factors explored by National Institute of Mental Health

Suicide, especially teen suicide, is a scourge in Wyoming. Instead of casting blame, better to get more and better information from the National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health

What causes someone to commit suicide? In a sense, it is an unanswerable question. Professionals who study the risk factors associated with suicide say that its causes are complex and slippery, difficult to pinpoint. Still, there are a set of risk factors agreed upon by the National Institute of Mental Health and others that tell us some of the things that can cause suicide rates to increase. Click here to view full article.

Wyoming Farmers' Market Conference set for April 27-29 in Riverton

Here's a sign that farmers' markets are really taking off in Wyoming (thanks to Nancy Sindelar's newsletter for the listing):

Friday-Sunday, April 27-29, Riverton: Wyoming Farmers Market Conference. Three tracks of programming for farmers, market managers and vendors. 10 AM Friday, Market Manager Certification, 8 AM Saturday, Seminars, Holiday Inn, 900 E. Sunset Blvd. 9 AM Sunday, High Tunnel Workshop, Riverton Fairgrounds, 1010 Fairgrounds Rd. Info & RSVP: wyomingfarmersmarkets.org, Brook, 777-5612, brook.gerke@wyo.gov, Renee, rking10@uwyo.edu, Linda, 777-6592, linda.stratton@wyo.gov. Cost: $25-100, 75% scholarsips available.

Wyoming Democratic Party gets new look for 2012 campaigns



Posted today by WDP Executive Director Robin Van Ausdall on Facebook

Get well soon, Meg!

Meg is sick, people, as this photograph attests. To cheer her up, cast a vote for her on the Netroots Nation 12 scholarship page. She's in second place now but getting her to number one might just cure what ails her. BTW, a real "get well soon" message can be sent to Cognitive Dissonance.

Happy National Poultry Poetry Month

Birds of a feather slam together...

Essayist Poe Ballantine explores "the imperatives of virgins in volcanoes and the ghosts who watch over us"

Laramie County Community College writing professor Leif Swanson invites us to a presentation by Nebraska writer Poe Ballantine on Monday, April 9, 7-9 p.m., at Recover Wyoming, 512 E. Lincolnway, Cheyenne. It's free and open to the public with refreshments provided. Poe will be at LCCC"s Conferences and Institutes Building on Tuesday, April 10, for a writing workshop at 2 p.m. and a reading at 7 p.m. These events also are free and open to the public.

Here's some background info:

Share in the insights of Poe Ballantine, his writing life and the experiences he draws from decades of tramping about the country, taking odd jobs, living on $400 a month and failing spectacularly. Poe has been called “The Voice of the People” and “The King of the Personal Essay.” You are invited to view into his writing life, how he got here, how he sustains, the imperative of virgins in volcanoes and the ghosts who watch over us, matters of process, magic, mechanics, flambéing with banana liqueur and whatever else you want to know.

One of the "ghosts of the deceased" invites you to a play

Blogger, minister and ghostly stage presence Rodger McDaniel sends this news:

As one of the "ghosts of the deceased" I invite you to get your tickets for Spoon River Anthology. April 13 & 14, 2012 @ 7:30 p.m. at Atlas Theatre. A Cheyenne Little Theatre Players productions. Originally published by Edgar Lee Masters in 1915, this series of free‑verse poems parts the curtains of civility and reveal the raw passions that fuel the lives of a small town. Delivered by the ghosts of the deceased, these stories voice the secrets they guarded during their days on earth. In turn both humorous and heart-wrenching, these stories continue to speak to people across the ages.