Powell Tribune

It all began in the fifth grade

Nearly three decades ago, two young girls began to exchange letters, beginning a friendship despite being separated by many miles. Recently the two girls, now in the 40s, met each other in person for … more

By Don Amend | 6/25/19

What we can learn from Arabic numbers

I had a good laugh over something I read in the news recently. At least I did until I realized what the item says about Americans, and I decided it wasn’t so funny after all. The item was … more

By Don Amend | 6/13/19

Grandkids a reliable source of columns

I seem to have been a bit lax in my duty to the readers of this column this year. To put it simply, ever since the calendar rolled to a new year, I haven’t written my usual number of essays … more

By Don Amend | 6/4/19

Rethinking television

I have always been a drug-free person. At least I used to be such a person, before myeloma and diabetes caught up with me a few years ago. Between the two conditions, I am ingesting a frightening … more

By Don Amend | 5/14/19

Of black holes and trolls

There was big news on the astronomy front earlier this month when a team of researchers managed to take the picture of an actual black hole. It was an impressive achievement, but some people used the … more

By Don Amend | 4/23/19

Whose side is God on?

Big changes came to the world a century ago. With the end of World War I, the German Empire — a collection of Germanic principalities — was dismantled, and its emperor, the kaiser, … more

By Don Amend | 3/12/19

The opera ain’t over ...

I've spent a lot of time at the opera the last couple of weeks. Actually, I haven’t actually been at the opera. More accurately, the opera has been coming to my house, thanks, of course, to … more

By Don Amend | 2/5/19

Another history lesson

I have been visiting the past in my reading, as usual, by learning about the life and career of a guy named Whittaker Chambers. If you are wondering who Whittaker Chambers is, and why someone … more

By Don Amend | 1/22/19

Christmas tree troubles

Last week, we were faced with a disaster. Actually, as disasters go, it wasn’t much. In fact, I’m a little embarrassed to call what almost happened a disaster. It wasn’t as … more

By Don Amend | 12/18/18

Private letters to a lady, made public

My reading interests took an uncharacteristic turn last week. For most of my adult life, I have preferred to read non-fiction — especially history and current events — to reading … more

By Don Amend | 12/6/18

Thankful once again

Thanksgiving is a little early this year. In fact, Nov. 22 is the earliest date Thanksgiving can ever fall on. It can only happen when Nov. 1 falls on Thursday and November has five Thursdays. … more

By Don Amend | 11/20/18

What exactly is a Republican Rustler?

About an hour down the road from Powell, I officially became a news writer, joining the small staff of the local paper. It is actually among the oldest newspapers in Wyoming, and it has a rather … more

By Don Amend | 11/8/18

Being mindful of the midterms

When it comes to voting, I sometimes feel like an explorer, hacking my way through a Central American jungle in hopes of finding the ruin of a Mayan temple. Please understand, this feeling … more

By Don Amend | 10/25/18

Choose your candidates wisely

It’s election time again. Once again, we face the task of choosing the leaders of our local and state governments, as well as our representatives in Washington. That’s a tough job, … more

By Don Amend | 10/16/18

Becoming street legal

My wife and I were shocked one day last week when we opened our mail. Well, maybe shocked is too strong. It was more like we were a little surprised, but the surprise was a bit magnified because … more

By Don Amend | 9/27/18

What happened to 56,000 Trump voters?

It seems that our fair state did something strange last week. When Wyoming Republicans rejected the candidate who had the support of President Donald Trump, we were the first voters in the nation … more

By Don Amend | 8/30/18

Of parties, principles and primaries

I suppose many of you readers of this column have been wondering why I have failed to pontificate on Wyoming’s primary election, which happens next Tuesday. Or maybe it hasn’t crossed … more

By Don Amend | 8/16/18

I don’t remember ‘play dates’

There has been considerable change in the world since I first began to store up information in my memory banks. The data collection probably started sometime after D-Day, but for the first two or … more

By Don Amend | 8/7/18

Can we trust the ex-KGB officer Putin?

It seems like only yesterday that critics were taking aim at President Barack Obama for something he said to other world leaders. Supposedly, he had been traveling around the world, blaming the U.S. … more

By Don Amend | 7/26/18

Resist urge to fight fire with fire

The goofiness that infects our political life here in the Home of the Brave just won’t go away. The most recent evidence of that goofiness began when the owner of a restaurant in Virginia, … more

By Don Amend | 7/12/18