Northern Wyoming News - Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years

A big shout out to Kendra Ware and the Mental Fitness Fair Committee who put on a event on Saturday.

There were great speakers covering a lot of topics, a wealth of information.

There was a great crowd on hand to listen and learn. This was not a “fun” event but one for learning to help yourself and to help others who may struggle with mental fitness. (I like the phrase that Stan Flitner, one of the organizers of the Shell community fair that spiraled into the Worland fair. Mental fitness.)

So often we get caught up in phrases like mental illness but mental health is mental fitness. Everyone needs to be mentally fit. We all deal with a full range of emotions in our lives and we may need help to stay mentally fit. It does not mean we have been fully diagnosed with a mental illness such as schizophrenia. It just means we are struggling, maybe it is with anger or depression or overwhelming grief.

As humans we need to stay fit, not just in body, but mind and spirit as well.

While the Shell group has opted to not make theirs an annual event, but rather help other communities such as Worland put on events, Ware said the group hopes to make this an annual event.

Sometimes people are more comfortable coming to an event like this and they may get the help they need rather than reaching out to someone one-on-one. The more resources and events we can provide for people to be mentally fit the better. So kudos to the committee for all their hard work and for seeing a need to host the fair again.

Also a shout out to the speakers who took time to share ways to help and to share their stories.

One of the most powerful speakers was Dusty Hoopes when talking about his son’s suicide. Everyone could see it was not easy, but he felt it was important to share in hopes of helping someone so they do not go through what his family has gone through.

There are many resources available. Walk-in clinics are available Monday through Friday at Cloud Peak Counseling in Worland and telehealth options are available at counseling centers in Worland, Basin, Lovell, Powell and Cody.

There is also the suicide prevention hotline at 988 if you need to talk to someone.

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This week’s ‘Say What?’ goes to the Wyoming Legislature for passing legislation that repeals gun free zones allowing concealed carry weapons at schools and government meetings without any ability for local control or local decisions.

I understand their intent to protect the Second Amendment and I support that effort, but in the process of passing House Bill 125/Enrolled Act 49 they lost sight of local control, something Wyoming used to pride itself on.

The Legislature and state officials love to preach local control when it comes to the heavy handedness of the federal government but time and time again they have turned around and done it themselves, providing a one-size-fits-all legislation for Wyoming’s counties and towns.

The Senate even had to suspend its own rules to pass the legislation. It failed in the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 2-3 vote, but was brought out of committee after rules were suspended.

Amendments to provide some local control failed, including allowing schools and colleges to establish their own rules and procedures for persons to carry concealed weapons and one for people wishing to carry a concealed weapon into elementary or secondary facilities to notify the superintendent.

Any of these would have provided some local control and still supported the Second Amendment.

At least the Legislature finally included themselves in allowing concealed carry weapons into government meetings. When the bill was first attempted several years ago, they wanted to be exempt from their own rules.

I strongly support the Second Amendment, but I also support local control. The Legislature this session, sent a strong message that they, along with the Second Amendment, come first before local control.

And now we wait for the governor’s decision on this bill. He can veto it, sign it or allow it to become law without his signature.