Oil City News publishes letters, cartoons and opinions as a public service. The content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Oil City News or its employees. Letters to the editor can be submitted by following the link at our opinion section.

Dear Casper,

I just watched the 1942 movie “Flying Tigers,” starring John Wayne. An early scene shows Chinese children receiving and eating U.S. food aid. Without warning, Japanese planes swoop down and bomb them. The final image of this scene is of a soot-covered child crying amid destruction. The message is clear: an immoral enemy that deliberately attacks children deserves merciless resistance.

My mind leapt to Gaza today. Instead of fighting like John Wayne against such horrific acts, we Americans are providing the means to the Israelis to commit even worse atrocities, specifically the targeting of children and healthcare workers. Without American military and economic aid, and our carte blanche diplomatic support, the Israelis would not be able to perpetrate what they are doing. This makes all of us Americans equally culpable for their atrocities.

Israel is working hard to control the narrative of their actions in Gaza, notably denying media access. Unfortunately, the label of antisemite is now often attached to those who are critical of Israel. But being outraged at intentional mass killings of civilians, especially children and healthcare workers, doesn’t make someone an antisemite. It means they are a person with some semblance of a moral compass.

We live in a world saturated with extreme media bias. Some may discount my views as regurgitated propaganda. But even staunch allies of Israel are publicly recognizing that Israeli actions in Gaza go far beyond any degree moral acceptability.

Yes, there is so much going on in the world that may anger and shock us. How do we decide which causes are worth fighting for? See if you can find some reputable information on Israeli drones deliberating shooting young children. If you can, then were does this particular cause fall on your priority list now?

We are currently taking hard looks at how the U.S. government spends its money. This involves asking some very hard questions. I would ask, are we OK with cutting healthcare funding for the most vulnerable Americans, while at the same time continuing to bankroll the morally indefensible, systemic actions of Israel? Which side of the moral compass do we want to be on? And how do we square ourselves to the legacy of the Greatest Generation who sacrificed so much to stop the strong from exterminating the weak?

Tom Smyth
Casper

Dear Casper,

Nice to know the City Council is senseless. You obviously don’t care about human life at all. You make decisions like you are the only people that matter. You neglect your duties as a council when you risk the health and welfare of everyone that lives in Bar Nunn with nuclear waste.

Thank you for serving the public and ignoring the people that elected you. I hope come voting time you are all getting an eye opener. Every person on that council will be sued for what you do when the people in our town start getting sick we can hold you all responsible because you failed the people.

Just like with Coates Road, you don’t give two iotas about the people you’re supposed to be serving.

It is blatant disregard for the folks who bought and paid for their property and we pay taxes. Your overall conduct is abhorrent in these matters.

I think you all should quit disrespecting our rights as citizens to live a healthy life safely in our homes. I have lost all hope that you folks care for anything but lining your pockets and building needless tennis courts. Not in our town.

Not our children and grandchildren shouldn’t be at risk. Let’s put the nuclear plant next to your homes. Let’s see how you like it.

Amber Sparks
Bar Nunn

Dear Casper,

In 2016, when the City of Casper entered into an agreement with Spectra Venue Management to oversee operations at then the Casper Events Center, residents were promised more affordable and accessible entertainment — all while reducing the city’s subsidy to the facility.

Further revenue-generating deals followed: a partnership with Sinclair Oil in 2017 to modernize the ticket-buying process, and naming rights sold to Ford dealerships in 2021.

Today, the facility is called the Ford Wyoming Center and is managed by OVG360, which acquired Spectra in 2021. The City of Casper renewed its agreement with OVG360 for another 10 years in 2022, continuing to promise lower subsidies and accessible entertainment for families.

However, my wife and I took our youngest daughter to “Sesame Street Live” recently, and we spent $200 for three tickets and another $14 on stale popcorn and warm soda. This is a steep price for a children’s show.

This raises an important question: Is the original goal of affordability still being met? This wasn’t a Metallica concert — the glory days of cool concerts in Casper are dead and gone. This was Sesame Street — the kind of event that should be packed with toddlers, parents and grandparents. It is a family-oriented show built on characters designed to reach children — many of whom come from underprivileged backgrounds. And when families have to think twice or go into debt to attend something as basic as Sesame Street, something is broken.

I’m not writing this to complain for the sake of complaining. I’m writing as someone who remembers the promises made to this community. While I understand that national tours come with associated costs, $200 for three tickets feels out of reach for many working families in our area. And if pricing families out of a children’s show is the new normal, then those promises have fallen flat.

The clearest evidence that prices were too high wasn’t a statistic — it was the rows of empty seats in a venue less than half full. This should have been a sold-out show but the luxury price the management company had set for this show kept families away.

The city leaders and venue management need to do better. A half empty arena should be a wake-up call and they clearly need to rethink how accessibility is being defined. Casper families deserve access to community events without feeling like they have to take out a loan to enjoy them.

Alan Corey
Casper

Dear Casper,

When President Donald Trump unveiled his One Big Beautiful Bill earlier this year, the fanfare focused on slashing regulations and delivering tax cuts. What got buried, first by design, then by damage control, was who would be footing the bill: working-class Americans.

The original version didn’t include eliminating home heating aid, cutting food assistance or slashing Medicaid. Those were last-minute additions made to appease Republican deficit hawks in the House who were alarmed by the cost. And they had reason to worry. The bill would add nearly a trillion dollars a year to the national deficit, mostly to pay for massive tax breaks for corporations and high-income earners.

Nobody proposed smaller tax cuts. Instead, they demanded more spending cuts, all on the backs of seniors and working people, especially the working poor. Defense spending stayed intact. Subsidies for big oil and Wall Street giveaways stayed intact. But if you’re poor and trying to stay warm, feed your kids or afford basic healthcare, you were the first to be thrown overboard.

LIHEAP, the heating assistance program that helps more than 6 million low-income households — including thousands in Wyoming — was zeroed out. Not reduced. Eliminated. No more federal help heating your home in the middle of a Wyoming winter.

Medicaid, which covers more than 70 million Americans, including low-wage workers, children, seniors in nursing homes and people with disabilities, faces billions in cuts. Millions will lose care. Many will die. And the rest of us will still pay for it, only now through higher emergency room costs and local hospital bailouts.

Food assistance is also on the chopping block. Fewer groceries, more hunger.

And if all that weren’t enough, the bill quietly raises taxes on people making under $30,000 per year by phasing out deductions and tightening eligibility for refundable credits. The people with the least will pay more and get less, so the people with the most can pay less and get more.

This reverse-Robin Hood bill has been called by The Nation and The Atlantic the largest transfer of wealth in U.S. history.

These cuts weren’t in Trump’s original proposal. They were added to make the math appear to work, or at least to let House Republicans pretend it did. What passed the House is not just cruel. It is dishonest.

Now Senate Majority Leader John Thune says the only way this bill will pass is with even more cuts. More cuts?

Wyoming may be a red state, but we are also a working-class state. Many of us live paycheck to paycheck or survive on modest Social Security checks. These cuts are not abstract here. They are personal.

It’s time for Sens. Barrasso and Lummis to stop hiding behind slogans and stand with Wyoming families.

They must vote no. No to tax hikes on the working poor. No to gutting Medicaid and food aid. No to freezing out Wyoming just to pad the yachts of billionaires.

Senators, Wyoming is watching. Don’t betray us.

Gina Douglas
Casper

Related

A new report released this month by the Jay Kemmerer WORTH Institute and the Center for Business and Economic Analysis at the University of Wyoming reveals the impressive economic impact of the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Grant Program.

The program, which distributed more than $20 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds — along with an additional $3 million in local matching contributions — has spurred more than $36 million in economic activity across the state.

The study, conducted in collaboration between the Wyoming Office of Outdoor Recreation and WORTH (Wyoming Outdoor Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality), shows that these infrastructure investments supported 211 jobs, generated $12.2 million in labor income and contributed $19.8 million to Wyoming’s gross domestic product (GDP). These impacts include both direct construction activity and long-term economic gains from increased outdoor recreation and tourism.

“Wyoming has long been known for its wide-open spaces and outstanding recreation opportunities,” says Dan McCoy, director of UW’s WORTH Institute. “This report confirms that investing in recreation infrastructure is not only good for quality of life, but it is a sound economic strategy.”

Using economic modeling tools IMPLAN and REMI, the report details how trailhead improvements, bike parks and other amenities are already boosting visitation and creating ripple effects throughout the state’s economy. By 2036, permanent impacts are projected to include up to 3.96 new jobs annually, $319,000 in labor income and $653,000 in annual economic output each year.

“Outdoor recreation is one of the cornerstones of the state’s economy. These grants bolster outdoor recreation projects which, in turn, create jobs, stimulate local economies and improve access,” says Mark Tesoro, manager of the Wyoming Outdoor Recreation Office. “This report is a clear demonstration of the value outdoor recreation brings to communities across the state.”

The report also highlights the geographic diversity of the grant awards, with funded projects in Albany, Fremont, Laramie, Lincoln, Natrona and Sweetwater counties. From the Pilot Hill trailhead in Laramie to trail and campground improvements on the Wind River Indian Reservation, these investments are making lasting differences in both rural and urban communities, McCoy says.

To view the full economic impact report, visit: https://doi.org/10.15786/wyoscholar/10085.

ROCK SPRINGS — The Rock Springs City Attorney has become annoyed with continued, baseless allegations of corruption within the city.

“I, along with these other individuals, swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and uphold the law, which I have done,” City Attorney Richard Beckwith said at Tuesday night’s Rock Springs City Council meeting. “And I would be more than happy to sit down in a court of law and swear to that under oath. Anytime.”

Discussion initially started when Shirley Cukale, a resident who often approaches the Council during the public comments portion of its meetings, questioned the Council about the city’s request for proposal process works. Cukale has alleged corruption occurring within the city, though hasn’t brought forward any information to the Council supporting her allegations. 

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“Nobody has given me evidence,” Mayor Max Mickelson said Wednesday morning. “If someone had evidence and didn’t bring it forward to me … I would be frustrated.”

Cukale alleged former Rock Springs Mayor Tim Kaumo had gotten some city contracts and claimed Councilwoman Jeannie Demas did not abstain from votes involving Kaumo as she had previously served with him on the Council during Kaumo’s most-recent period as mayor. Mickelson immediately responded to Cukale, saying Kaumo has retired and no longer works for JFC Engineering. Cukale doubled down on her allegations involving the former mayor, even claiming she spoke with an unnamed prosecuting attorney about charging him and alleging nothing came of that discussion. 

Sweetwater County Attorney Daniel Erramouspe told SweetwaterNOW he does not recall speaking with Cukale regarding corruption allegations but if there was a specific allegation that had some validity, he would contact the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. He said people claiming corruption happens and isn’t new to him. If he receives a claim about specific incidents, he contacts law enforcement for an investigation.

“When I heard about the Kaumo bid allegations, I contacted DCI to investigate,” Erramouspe said 

Kaumo and the city were investigated by the Wyoming DCI and the FBI in a corruption probe near the end of Kaumo’s third term as mayor, which led to him initially being charged with six misdemeanor counts of official misconduct and one misdemeanor count of conflict of interests in 2022. Kaumo pled guilty to one count of official misconduct and one charge of conflict of interest in 2023 and was ordered to pay $5,000 in fines. 

Mickelson said the city’s processes were investigated as part of that probe, to which Cukale shook her head in disagreement.

“That’s not true,” she claimed.

“It is true,” Mickelson responded.

Cukale continued making accusations against Kaumo and JFC Engineering’s contracts until Mickelson cut her off again.

“You’re certainly entitled to your opinion,” Mickelson said.

Not only the city, but all of the citizens of Rock Springs deserve much more than what you are giving them with these false accusations of corruption. They have no basis. You have no evidence and I am personally sick of it.

Richard Beckwith, Rock Springs City Attorney

Beckwith then spoke and addressed Cukale and Councilman Rick Milonas and recent claims of corruption. Near the start of the year, comments Milonas allegedly made about city employees while at a local grocery store were publicly questioned by Mickelson, with Milonas publicly saying he wasn’t sure if city employees were corrupt or not. 

Beckwith said the FBI and Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation thoroughly investigated the city’s procurement process and didn’t find evidence of wrongdoing by the committee in that investigation. Beckwith said he fully cooperated with and participated in the investigation.

“I, myself, was personally questioned for several hours, as were the other two individuals sitting with me at this table right now,” Beckwith said. “I would ask (Cukale) and I would ask Mr. Milonas, that if you have any evidence at all that any one of us three have been involved with any corruption at all, we’d like to hear it now. Or if you have any evidence at all that the procurement process was legally fouled in any way at any time by any one.”

Beckwith further said unless Milonas and Cukale are willing to appear in court and swear under oath, that they stop wasting the city’s time with the allegations.

“Not only the city, but all of the citizens of Rock Springs deserve much more than what you are giving them with these false accusations of corruption. They have no basis. You have no evidence and I am personally sick of it,” Beckwith said.