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.

Call for submissions: Veteran Voices, Open Window Review, Issue III

Open Window Review invites you to submit your poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and creative nonfiction for Issue III: "Veteran Voices." This special topics issue of Open Window Review is devoted entirely to writing from, for, and about the experiences of veterans, service members, their friends, families, and their communities. We at Open Window are glad for the opportunity to provide a venue for all kinds of discourse on the military, military life, and conversations on what it means to live in a country at war. Also see the Open Window Review Facebook page for more details and a link to Issue I and Issue 2 (due out later this month)

Categories:

Poetry: Please submit up to three standard-length poems (no more than 12 pages, total)

Fiction: Please submit work in flash-fiction (250-1,000 words); short fiction (1,000-5,000 words); novel excerpts (up to 20 pages, standard.)

Creative nonfiction: Please submit up to 15 pages of creative nonfiction

Non-fiction: Please submit up to 15 pages of straight non-fiction/personal essay/journalism.

Deadline and contact info: Please submit your work, along with a brief, third-person bio (no more than 150 words) and a photo (optional), to Senior Contributing Editor Oscar Lilley at veteranvoices.owr@gmail.com by 10 p.m. on May 31, 2012.

Prizes/Awards: One $100 prize will be awarded to winners in each of the four categories: Poetry, Non-fiction, Creative Nonfiction, and Fiction.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Wyoming poets may also want to submit their work to the Wyoming Arts Council's 2013 creative writing fellowships. Fellowship judge is soldier-poet Brian Turner, U.S. Army Iraq War veteran and award-winning author of "Here, Bullet" and "Phantom Noise." More info at http://wyomingarts.blogspot.com/2012/03/soldier-poet-brian-turner-is-judge-for.html

Easy to Love but Hard to Raise: "You are not alone"

One of my essays, "The Great Third Grade AIDS Scare," is in this anthology. The overall message of the book and the blog and all of its writers is "You are not alone," even though it sometimes feels like it. All kinds of compelling posts on the blog about medications, education, outreach, relationships, resources, etc. To connect, go to the blog at http://www.easytolovebut.com/

How one small event can put things in perspective

Yesterday I was reminded of life’s important moments.

Chris and I attended a christening at the First United Methodist Church. Katherine Margaret Cotton, infant daughter of our friends Don and Karen Cotton, was baptized by Rev. Trudy. It was a few family members and some friends. Lots of photos.

Much of the liturgy was about water and its healing powers. There was no full immersion, or even a partial one. Much different from the Catholic ceremonies I’d witnessed, the ones we held for our two children. Just a touch of water and a few words on Saturday and the baptism was complete. All of us in the pews pledged that we would be there to look after Katie. And we will.

She was born in Cheyenne two months prematurely. Rushed to Denver Children’s Hospital via ambulance, her father at her side. Joined by mom two days later -- Chris and I ferried her to Children’s. It was less than a week before Christmas. I was frightened when I saw the tiny baby in the huge incubator. This three-pound girl was hooked up to an assortment of tubes and wires. But she was in good hands in a hospital ranked among the top five in the nation.

She and her parents were in Denver almost two months. Karen and Don stayed at the Ronald McDonald House (remember to donate next time you're at McD's). And now they’re all home.

Welcome home.

I’m sure that Karen will be sharing many photos in the coming weeks. She’s a writer and photographer, after all. And a proud mother.

In "Companions in Wonder," Rick Bass writes about how fireflies can illuminate "a newness in the world"

What I'm noticing this morning: tiny clover growing at the root of my awakening strawberry plants.

I have been reading my way through the new anthology, “Companions in Wonder: Children and Adults Exploring Nature Together.” I have a short piece in it about rock climbing with my young son.

Last night read a beautiful piece by Rick Bass, “The Farm.” It is spring and he and his family are visiting Rick’s father’s Texas “brush country” farmhouse near Austin. His mom lived here for a time, but died too young. Now it’s a place for the Bass family on a spring hiatus from Montana’s snowbound Yaak Valley.

As always, Rick is lyrical in his descriptions of people in nature. He delights in his daughters’ first encounter with fireflies. “I am not sure they had even known such creatures existed.” Not many fireflies up there on the Yaak. The girls, ages 3 and 6, are bedazzled by them. The family manages to snare one and put it in a jar. Rick remembers catching whole squadrons of them as a kid.

I remember the same thing while growing up in southeastern Kansas lightning bug territory. Not all that distant from Austin. The fireflies lit up those muggy summer evenings. I remember my brother and sister and I chasing them amongst the backyard swing set which backed up against dense undergrowth. We didn’t stop until the jars were filled with bugs and grass. We came inside, punched air holes in the lids, and marveled at our catch.  

The Bass family repeats this “time-honored ritual.”

Writes Rick: “That simple, phenomenal, marvelous miracle – so easy to behold – as old familiar things left us, replaced by a newness in the world. The heck with electricity, or flashlights. Yes. This is the world my daughters deserve. This is the right world for them.”

We see the world anew through children’s eyes. That’s an old saying, isn’t it? It’s one thing to say it and other to illustrate it with stories from personal lives, told well. That’s what this book is about. It will help you as an adult take another wonder-filled look at nature. And that’s what I’m planning to do today – take another look at my rejuvenating strawberry plants and a crocus rising from winter and the buds on my maple and the deep blue sky.    

To order “Companions in Wonder,” go here. It’s a $21.95 trade paperback. ISBN-10: 0-262-51690-X; ISBN-13: 978-0-262-51690-7  

Cheyenne Liberal Examiner weighs in on Randall Terry and Dem caucuses

Cheyenne Liberal Examiner David Neil Dibble writes more about Randall Terry's efforts to hijack the Wyoming Democratic cauucuses. Read it at http://www.examiner.com/liberal-in-cheyenne/randall-terry-operation-rescue-and-the-wyoming-caucuses

Author Tim Wise guest on tonight's Cognitive Dissonance radio show

Shepard Symposium keynote speaker Tim Wise will be on Meg's show tonight

Laramie's Meg Lanker-Simons, currently numero uno in the Netroots Nation scholarship sweepstakes, sends this out about tonight's radio show:

Tune into 93.5 KOCA tonight, 10PM-1 AM and keep your dial locked for fab music + Legit Conservative + d-bag o' the week. Our special guest tonight is Tim Wise, author of "White Like Me" and "Dear White America: Letter to a New Minority." He'll be live in-studio! Have a question? Post it here! Still taking your requests for songs, dedications & d-bag nods til 8 p.m. Laramie Civic Center, rm #255

CLTP unveils new season April 5

Cheyenne Little Theatre Players'

2012-2013 Season Announcement

Thursday, April 5, 2012

6:30pm

Historic Atlas Theatre

Enjoy Hors d'oeuvres and desserts while listening to our directors talk about their productions.

as long as you're there, why not purchase your Season Membership that evening?

Anyone who purchases their membership, and pays in full that evening, will also receive a coupon to bring a friend to a show of their choice during our 2012-2013 Season.

Make a donation of $251.00 or greater that evening and receive a 2nd coupon!

So, mark your calendar now,

and we'll see you at the Atlas!

** If you cannot attend our event,

Season Memberships may also

be purchased online at www.cheyennelittletheatre.org

or by calling our Box Office at

307-638-6543.

Casper Star-Trib: Randall Terry halts illegal Wyoming robo-calls

Wyoming Secretary of State's office warns Randall Terry to halt illegal robo-calls. He complies (with a few snarky comments). Read story and comments in today's Casper Star-Tribune: http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/presidential-candidate-randall-terry-halts-illegal-robocalls-in-wyoming/article_d0a34664-b1a9-56d7-973b-ef63b48ba0ee.html

Attention Wyoming Democrats: GOP extremists attempting to hijack April 14 caucuses

Received this urgent message from the Laramie County Democrats and wanted to relay it ASAP (and please pass it on via social media and e-mail and word of mouth and any other means at your disposal):

Laramie County Democrats:

Action Alert: Extremists in the GOP are attempting to hijack and make a mockery of our Democratic Caucus on April 14, 2012. TODAY MARCH 30 IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS ON APRIL 14! IF YOU ARE UNSURE OF YOUR REGISTRATION STATUS OR DID NOT VOTE IN 2010 YOU MUST REGISTER WITH THE LARAMIE COUNTY CLERK IN PERSON. ELECTION CLERK PHONE: 633-4204

Apparently not content with turning their own presidential primary into a circus act, the GOP is sending out the clowns to try to disrupt our democratic process.

Anti-abortion activist Randall Terry hopes to seize control of the Wyoming Democratic Caucus. He's motivating Tea Party activists and followers to attend the Caucus. This is just another example of the obstructionist tactics the GOP resorts to when they don't have answers.

While the GOP continues to play games with politics, Wyoming Democrats are focused on addressing the real problems citizens in our great state face, and we will not be distracted by jesters or fools.

We NEED every registered Democrat in Laramie County to 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.

Let's turn out in great numbers and show Randall Terry, and the rest of America, that Wyoming Democrats are tired of these charades and tactics. Let's continue the momentum of the 2008 election and continue to support our party as it struggles to make the changes that benefit all Americans.

If you have questions, please call:

Linda Stowers, Laramie County Chair 307.220.1219
Ken McCauley, Vice-Chair, 307.530.4970
Lori Brand, Communications Director, 307.631.3410

Cheyenne Winter Farmers' Market moved up to March 31

Cheyenne Winter Farmers' Market this Saturday, March 31, 10 am-2 pm, Inside the Historic Train Depot Museum, 121 W. 15th Street. The normally scheduled market would be April 7 but has been switched due to Easter weekend.

Cheyenne Winter Farmers’ Market is held inside the sunny and cozy lobby of the Historic Cheyenne Depot Museum in downtown Cheyenne, featuring farm and hand-crafted products from Wyoming and the local region.

 At the Cheyenne Winter Farmers' Market this Saturday, March 31:

·         Farm-fresh eggs and cheese

·         Grass-fed beef, lamb, and bison, pork, goat's meat, smoked wild-caught salmon

·         Gourmet local mushrooms

·         Local honey

·         Gourmet pastas, flavored oils and vinegars

·         Fresh breads, home-baked treats, chocolates and candies

·         Locally produced jams and Amish-style peanut butter

·         Sugar-free jams and gluten-free baked goods

·         Locally roasted fair-trade coffee

·         Take-home BBQ, bratwurst, chowders and bisque

·         Natural, locally-produced body care products

·         Hand-crafted jewelry, sewing crafts, photo cards, and other hand-made crafts

·         Sip coffee, tea, cider, and hot chocolate while you shop!

 Remaining markets this season: May 5, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.            

For more information, please contact Kim Porter, kim.porter@wyo.gov, or Cindy Ridenour, cindyr@meadowmaidfoods.com.

Randall Terry isn't a "bona fide Democrat" so can't claim any Wyoming delegates

This man ain't bona fide

Democrats may hear a strange name being batted around during the April 14 county caucuses.

According to the Casper Star-Tribune, anti-abortion zealot and wingnut Republican Randall Terry is trying to get 1,000 Wyoming Republicans to register as Democrats next month in the state Democratic caucuses and vote for him in a guerrilla campaign to oust President Barack Obama.

The Wyoming county parties will hold conventions on April 14 to elect delegates to the state convention. Those people will be vying for a spot in Wyoming’s delegation to the Democratic National Convention in September in Charlotte, N.C.

Wyoming Democratic Party Executive Director Robin Van Ausdall said Terry has filed the necessary letter for participation in the Democratic caucus and will be allowed to make speeches, but he will not collect any delegates. “We’re instructing our counties to not award delegates to him,” she said Monday, noting Terry is not a bona fide Democratic candidate.

On March 6, Terry’s weird campaign received a boost when he won 18 percent of the vote in Oklahoma’s Democratic presidential primary. Last week, in a move similar to what Wyoming party officials have planned, Oklahoma party officials said they wouldn’t give Terry his share of delegates because he didn’t follow the required procedures and because he’s not a bona fide Democrat.

Terry complained he was the victim of “political insider trading.”

But he did get plenty of media attention. On Monday in Casper, he described the fallout from Oklahoma as “rage from the [Democratic National Committee], excitement from the pro-life community, awe from the press.” He labeled the vote a “disaster for a sitting president.”

Terry recently qualified for next month’s Alaska caucus, but Kansas Democratic Party officials banned him from their state’s caucus. Terry told the Wichita Eagle he will go to court to challenge the Kansas decision. Kansas Democratic Party attorney Joe Sandler told the Wichita Eagle that Terry failed to meet two mandatory deadlines. In addition, Sandler said, Terry “is not a bona fide Democrat, as determined by his actions.”

Read more: http://trib.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/insurgent-democratic-presidential-candidate-targets-wyoming-caucus/article_4ea77799-2aeb-57e8-8ab5-a624f2bb464f.html#ixzz1qSFguj7V

Shay & Hernandez co-host open mic

My favorite daughter (O.K. -- my only daughter) and one of my favorite spoken-word performers will be co-hosting an open mic session at the Laramie County Public Library this evening in Cheyenne. Annie Shay and Mikey Hernandez invite you to bring your poems, stories, songs, comedy routines and snappy patter to the library's Cottonwood Room beginning at 6 p.m. Snacks provided! More info at 307-514-1131.

New to the WY Progressives' blogroll: The Bucking Jenny

Pleased to add The Bucking Jenny to hummingbirdminds' Wyoming Progressives blogroll (see right sidebar). She launched the blog in February, tackling the big topics: the Republican war on women, the state legislature's weird need to drug-test everyone but themselves, controversy over the Trayvon Martin shooting, the GOP's vengeful God fixation, etc. Especially liked her exploration of the spirituality in Norman Maclean's "A River Runs Through It." Jenny, I wish you many thoughtful comments. 

We're number three! -- on the list of most corrupt states

At least we're not number one: States with the most lax anti-corruption laws

Help send Meg to blogger summer camp

Blogger, DJ, activist and perennial hell-raiser Meg Lanker of Cognitive Dissonance in Laramie seeks your vote in the annual Netroots Nation scholarship competition sponsored by Democracy for America. I nominated Meg and am proud as punch of my fave blogger. She's sixth in the standings now and rising fast. Cast your vote at http://democracyforamerica.com/netroots_nation_scholarships/1681-meg-lanker-cognitive-dissonance

Job fair for veterans March 27 in Casper

From Wyofile:

The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services will host a veterans job fair in Casper on Tuesday, March 27, from 9 a.m. to noon at the McMurry Training Center, 2220 N. Bryan Stock Trail.

Employers in the fields of construction, energy, manufacturing and government are scheduled to participate. There is no fee to attend the job fair. Job seekers are encouraged to bring resumes and dress for potential interviews.

“I strongly encourage veterans seeking employment opportunities to take advantage of this job fair which has had a great turn out in previous years. We are expecting that tradition to continue this year,” said Joan Evans, director of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services.

Biased statements (and proposed legislation) don't just scare away gay people -- they scare away everyone

Some Republican Legislators talk up economic development but also sponsor and support anti-gay legislation. They may want to rethink that strategy.

Interesting article by Melissa Maynard in stateline.org about the crucial role that businesses play when it comes to the gay marriage debate.

Washington state recently passed a gay marriage bill that had support of the governor, key Republican legislators and high-profile businesses such as Microsoft, Boeing and Nike. Bill sponsor Sen. Ed Murray, a Democrats, said this is "how we got moderate Republicans and conservative Democrats to vote for this."

LGBT activists have been successfully lining up business support for years. It's paid off in Washington, Maryland and New York. There's now a looming battle over the issue in North Carolina. On May 8, voters will decide whether to further codify the state's gay marriage ban by putting it in the state constitution.

These are all big states with a strong corporate presence. These businesses want to attract the young workforce and "fear being left behind in places seen as backward by gay workers and other young employees who feel strongly about the issue."

While Wyoming is not exactly a hipster destination (with the possible exception of Jackson), it runs a risk that its biased attitudes may hinder attempts to land new businesses. None of us lives in a vacuum. Outrageous statements travel like wildfire in our social media age.

Stephen Dull V.P. with North Carolina-based VF Corp. (a Fortune 500 company) put it this way: "If you're sending a signal to the world that you're biased, it just doesn't scare away gay people. It scares away everyone."

Laramie County Democrats hold convention on April 14 at LCCC

The Laramie County Democratic Party wil hold its county convention on Saturday, April 14.

The event beguins at 11 a.m., with registration at 9:30 a.m., at the Training Center, Laramie County Community College, Cheyenne.

On April 14, Dems will vote for their preffered presidential candidate and elect delegates to the state convention. The list of candidates is a lot shorter than the one in 2008.

Anyone registered as a Democrat no later than March 30 is eligible to vote at the convention and to seek election as a delegate to the state convention.

REMINDER: Open Mic Night March 28

Laramie County Community College students Annie Shay (music) and Mikey Hernandez (theatre) have put together this open mic night March 28, 6-8:50 p.m., at the Laramie County Public Library in Cheyenne. Bring your poetry and and prose and scripts and music to the library for a fine time.

Wyoming DemoCatz take a page from Woody Guthrie's songbook

Wyoming DemoCatz -- "Party Brave" by Alan O'Hashi. Filmed at the Historic Atlas Theatre in downtown Cheyenne. See if you can spy some familiar faces.

Grassroots Coalition holds casino night and costume party fund-raiser March 24

Don't forget - This Saturday, March 24, is the Mardi Gras Casino Night & Costume Party! 

Where: In Cheyenne at Suite 1901, 1901 Central Avenue 

When: 7:30-11:30 p.m.

The cost is $20.00 per person, which includes hors d'ouvres and $20,000 in 
play money. Bring a friend and get an extra $10,000 in play money to enjoy the casino 
games. 

This is a big fund-raiser, so come out and support your Laramie County Democratic Grassroots Coalition!

Occupy Jackson Hole addresses the Teton County Democrats

Small business owner, veteran and Occupy Jackson Hole activist Pete Muldoon gave a speech recently to the Teton County Democrats. It eloquently sums up the motives and beliefs of many of us in the Occupy movement. I was tempted to print the entire speech or provide excerpts, but it's best to read it all in context on the Occupy Jackson Hole blog.

Check out Nancy Sindelar's e-newsletter for progressive happenings around Wyoming

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

On a South Dakota St. Patrick's Day, I toast Sen. George McGovern and his populist legacy

Book jacket from the shelves of the
bookstore at the McGovern Center
at Dakota Wesleyan University.

When in South Dakota last weekend, I kept thinking of Sen. George McGovern.

Bomber pilot, U.S. Senator, anti-war presidential candidate, international champion of hunger relief, writer, friend of the working man -- Sen. McGovern has led a long, rich life (he'll be 90 this year) and remains one of my heroes.

I looked out on that yawning open pit mine in Lead and thought about McGovern's book on the West's coalfield wars, the era that gave us the Ludlow Massacre and strong labor unions. It's called "The Great Coalfield War" and represents McGovern's commitment to labor unions. McGovern was born in Avon and grew up in Mitchell where his father was a conservative Methodist minister (and a staunch Republican). He grew up with farmers and small town people and reflected their Prairie Populist values, honed during the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. His World War II experience allowed him to look at the Vietnam War through a warrior's eyes and he didn't like what he saw. Nixon clobbered him in the 1972 election. I'm proud to say that I cast my first vote for president for McGovern. I lived in Massachusetts at the time, the only state (along with D.C.) that went McGovern's way. Boston is a long way from the West's wide-open spaces where I now make my home. But I still remember that day almost 40 years ago. The loss was tough but it felt good to be 21 and voting for someone you really believed in.

South Dakota is a bigger and more complicated place these days. I don't pretend to know the details, but Prairie Populism has turned to Tea Party Populism and the results aren't pretty. Still, there's a feistiness behind the Tea Party that one can see in the small towns that gave birth to McGovern and his family and his politics.

Before we leave South Dakota, I have a few things to say about Rapid City. We spent a couple days wandering around and I liked what I saw. The downtown is vital and filled with cool shops. On each corner is a sculpture of a president. That reflects its "City of Presidents" motto taken from nearby Mount Rushmore, the granite mountain that looks down on Rapid City. Funny to think that favorite son McGovern could have been one of the corner statues. Nixon is there instead. Someday, a statue to our first black president will rise from a corner.

Rapid City has the great Firehouse Brewery, home to the Smoke Jumper Stout that I quaffed on St. Patrick's Day. It's housed in what once was the city's main fire house. The food's good, too, and it boasts its own theatre for plays, comedians and musicians. When we were at the mall on Friday, we came upon the Black Hills Community Theatre. When the 43-year-old theatre company lost its old home, it found a new spot at the mall next to J.C. Penney and Radio Shack. The evening we were there, patrons were pouring in to see the classic "Our Town." The Firehouse Theatre's next play is "39 Steps" which, coincidentally, is the show that opens this weekend at Cheyenne's Historic Atlas Theatre. The Dahl Arts Center downtown offers a full slate or art shows and classes.I didn't get to it, but I hear that the South Dakota School of Mines has a nifty art gallery.

We spent Saturday at the St. Patrick's Day parade downtown, and then drove off to Mount Rushmore. You can see a long way from up there, all the way to the Dakota prairie, all the way back to McGovern's roots.

That night, over corned beef and cabbage at the Firehouse, I toasted Sen. McGovern. Here's to you -- one of the good ones. Your like may never be seen again.