The following Letters to the Editor appeared in the April 29, 2026 edition of the Star Valley Independent.
Supporting Ukraine
Dear Editor
First of all, I support Ukraine and I think many Americans do. I often watch Professor Gerdes on YouTube explain what is going on in Ukraine, and lately it doesn’t bode well for the Russians.
So I ask, what does Putin have on Trump? Why aren’t we supporting Ukraine against a long-time foe in Russia. Why has Trump’s Administration made it so hard to help Ukraine.
While Ukraine goes after military targets, the Russians attack the civilian populations.
And Russia has denied Internet access to its citizens.
Ukraine has adapted well to the drone war strategies , and probably are the best in the world in that area of warfare.
Let’s continue to support Ukraine and let our Congressional delegation know of our support and hope we have theirs’.
Jeff Bowen
Ukrainian neighbors
Dear Editor
On Feb. 26, 2022 I sent a text in response to a friend’s horror about Putin’s invasion of Ukraine: Ukraine is absolutely tragic. The pictures coming out strike a nerve because the women, children, elderly fleeing for their lives all look like they could be from our community. For years we’ve been conditioned to think of refugees as being from Afghanistan or Syria or Northern Africa. […] When I see photos I think ‘that could be me and my kids walking to safety knowing my husband is ordered to stay behind to fight.’ It’s crazy that all men 18-60 years old are forbidden from leaving Ukraine. It’s telling of how serious Russia’s invasion is.
Fifty months later, I am haunted by a 2022 image of a woman and little girl walking through a landscape that looks very similar to Wyoming. Did they make it to safety? Are they both alive today? What happened to the men in their lives that grimly took up arms to defend their homeland? Andrii Seletskyi, Serhii Pylypenko, & Yulii Morozov – the three men of the Delegation from Novovorontsovka County, Ukraine that came to Afton, WY on 02/14/26 – reminded me of my husband in the fact that they were all regular men with families, hobbies, and dreams for the future until Putin’s invasion upended everything. They looked like they hadn’t slept in four years. Despite their brave smiles, the horrors they’ve witnessed were visible in their eyes.
In the beginning the US worked with global allies to prevent Ukraine from falling to Russia. But the Trump White House has drastically cut funding for Ukraine, has intentionally damaged alliances with global partners, and has worked to normalize Russia’s actions. Our ability to influence this situation is connected to our congressional delegates – through our votes and our expectations. We should expect “cowboy ethic” demonstrated in action from Lummis, Barrasso, and Hageman. Where is their defense of freedom, their sense of neighborliness, their integrity, their grit in defending Ukraine? Important bills affecting Ukraine are being introduced in Congress. Please raise your voice in support of our Ukrainian neighbors.
Stephanie Henderson
Earth Day Starts With You
Dear Editor
The Earth is what we all have in common. — Wendell Berry
Every April 22, we celebrate our amazing planet. Earth is what we all have in common. We daily receive its blessings – air to breath, water to drink, amazing beauty in its flora and fauna, warm sunshine, starry nights, refreshing rain, glistening snow and nourishing food. We all share a collective responsibility to care for our planet and the amazing gifts it provides.
Star Valley is an incredible place. It is small in the big picture of Earth, but it is the area we can directly protect. The adage, think globally, act locally, applies to our valley and our daily practices here.
Some simple action steps to consider:
-Reduce
Reduce the use of outside lights to decrease light pollution and protect our beautiful starry nights (and nocturnal wildlife)
Reduce or eliminate single- use plastics (water bottles, coffee cups, grocery bags)
Reduce your home use of water by watering your lawn between 5am – 10 am
Re-evaluate the heavy stress placed on our aquifers and watershed by golf courses, acres of lawn, and non-productive agricultural land
-Reuse
Switch to reusable water bottles, coffee mugs, grocery bags, etc.
Buy household items and clothing second-hand
Donate items to LSR Thrift in Afton. This not only keeps usable, good quality items out of the land-fill, it also helps stretch household budgets and supports our neighbors and friends who have developmental disabilities and who are served by Lincoln Self Reliance (LSR)
-Recycle
Many household items can be recycled at the Teton County Recycling Center – visit their website to learn more about what you can recycle (and even compost!) there. – https://www.tetoncountywy.gov/
-Protect the Pollinators – plant a pollinator garden and reduce or eliminate dangerous pesticides in your yard and garden.
We can all make a difference to protect our planet. Happy Earth Day!
Rick Nelson
Wyoming’s $36.3 Billion Question
By Amber Hyde
Disclaimer: The following article is protected speech under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and reflect the author’s opinions based on publicly available, information and legislative proceedings.
Wyoming prides itself on independence, thrift, and common sense. Yet when it comes to how our state manages money, something doesn’t add up. We are the smallest state in the nation by population, but somehow we rank 10th in total cash reserves—sitting on a staggering $36.3 BILLION. That puts us in the same league as giants like Texas, Florida, New York, and California. For a state of roughly 587,000 people, that’s not just impressive—it’s worth questioning.
Governor Mark Gordon tells us this still isn’t enough. We need more, more, more—always “saving for the future.” But what does that really mean for the people living here today?
Let’s look at the numbers. Wyoming holds the 2nd largest cash reserves per family of four in the country: $246,356. The national average? Just $16,287. That’s not a small gap—it’s a different reality entirely. Imagine how many Wyoming families could breathe easier if even a fraction of that money remained in their own bank accounts instead of the state’s.
It doesn’t stop there. Wyoming also ranks 2nd in cash reserves relative to Gross Domestic Product. With $36.3 billion in reserves against a $40 billion GDP, that’s a staggering 91%. The national average sits at just 6%. And since FY19, the state’s reserve account has grown by 50%. How many households can say their savings increased by 50% over the same period?
To put it plainly: $36.3 BILLION is enough to run Wyoming for more than 3.5 years without collecting a single dollar in taxes. Meanwhile, most families would struggle to last a few months without income. So why are we being told the state needs to keep stockpiling more?
We’re often told these reserves “aren’t your money”—that they’re restricted, untouchable. But laws can change with a vote. And where did this money come from in the first place? Taxes. The government doesn’t create wealth—its citizens do. Then it invests that money and earns returns, while families feel the squeeze.
If these reserves are meant to keep taxes low, the reality tells a different story. Residential property taxes increased 73% from FY19 to FY24. Sales tax revenue rose 30%—on the same population. Those aren’t signs of relief; they’re signs of growing pressure.
So the question becomes simple: if families are struggling now, why are we prioritizing savings for some undefined future? Why are Wyoming residents funding a $36.3 billion reserve while tightening their own budgets?
At some point, fiscal responsibility stops being about prudence and starts looking like overreach. Wyoming doesn’t have a savings problem. It has a priorities problem.
