Change won’t impact Solvay plant Staff Report employees or operations,” Brian The soda ash business was Carroll, head of external com- what started Solvay in 1863. A move to carve out Solvay’s munications for Solvay told the Two brothers, Ernest and Alfred soda ash and derivatives busi- Star. Solvay founded the company af- ness won’t impact employees or However, according to an ar- ter Ernest invented an ammonia customers a spokesperson for ticle in Chemical and Engineer- soda production process, which the company said. ing News, Solvay may be aiming is commonly referred to as the Following the release of Sol- to sell the business in the future. Solvay process. vay’s 2020 financial results, the The article cites a research note This process uses a salt brine company announced it would be authored by Rob Hales, of the and limestone to produce soda spinning off its soda ash busi- investment firm Morningstar, ash. ness into a separate legal entity. which states that soda ash is The company operates six “The change of legal struc- “no longer a sacred cow” for soda ash plants in Europe based ture of Solvay’s Soda Ash and the company and believes the on the Solvay process, as well as Derivatives business unit has business doesn’t fit with Solvay’s the Solvay trona mine and soda no impact on our customers, focus on specialty materials. ash plant west of Green River. Wednesday, March 10, 2021 130th Year, 42nd Issue Green River, WY 82935 Address Service Requested $1.50 Mask order to end March 16 By DAVID MARTIN Publisher Wyoming’s pandemic restrictions will be lifted March 16 according to an announce- ment from Gov. Mark Gordon’s offi ce. The statewide mask requirement will be removed, as well as allowing bars, restau- rants, theaters and gyms to operate nor- mally. “I thank the people of Wyoming for their commitment to keeping one another safe throughout this pandemic,” Gordon said. “It is through their efforts that we have kept our schools and businesses operating and our economy moving forward. I ask all Wy- oming citizens to continue to take personal responsibility for their actions and stay diligent as we look ahead to the warmer months and to the safe resumption of our traditional spring and summer activities.” The move refl ects growing confi dence in both the vaccination system enacted by the state, as well as continued downward trends in COVID-19 infections and hospi- talizations. While facial coverings will no longer be required in public buildings and businesses, guidelines regarding face cover- ings will still be in place for the state’s K-12 A sign of spring? schools. This is being done as a safety measure A bird makes its way along a barren branch at Scotts Bottom Nature Area Tuesday morning. Star photo by David Martin to ensure classroom instruction and school activities can continue safely. “Wyoming is one of the few states in the country that kept students learning in the classroom for the entire school year. We New lawmaker’s tattoo has ties to made sacrifi ces, but the earlier orders saved lives. We persevered,” Gordon said. “With this approach we can have graduations, proms and a great end to the school year by far-right anti-government movement keeping schools open. Especially since our children will not have the chance to be vac- By NICK REYNOLDS appealed to me, and to me it represents Defamation League. A number of militia cinated this spring.” Wyofile.com my solid commitment to the Second groups and anti-government activists According to Dr. Jean Stachon, Sweet- and Tenth Amendment,” Burt wrote. “I have adopted the symbol. water County’s Health Offi cer, the county The Three Percenters movement has have never been a member of a militia The photograph of Burt — in which health offi cers can seek variances on these gained representation in the Wyoming group, and I think we have much bigger he is sitting at a table with a smiling new health orders in they believe COVID-19 Legislature — at least symbolically. issues to address, like reducing wasteful young supporter — initially appeared infection rates increase as a result, some- A photograph resurfaced this spending and getting patients and online last year. National Libertarian thing she said she would do if that happens. week of freshman Rep. Marshall Burt veterans access to treatments, rather Party chairman Joe Bishop Henchman But, she’s also aware of how unpopular a (L-Green River) that shows a tattoo than to dwell on something as minor as first posted it on his public Facebook stricter variance to the state order would be. on his left forearm — the Roman a tattoo.” page shortly after Burt’s victory over “I don’t think the county has an appetite numeral “III” surrounded by 13 stars, The tattoo’s symbol — which closely incumbent Democratic Rep. Stan Blake for that,” she said. above the year 1776. The symbol is resembles a Betsy Ross flag — is in November. She also believes there is political moti- commonly associated with a far-right, associated with a loosely organized After a reporter contacted Burt about vation behind the announcement. anti-government movement and the anti-government movement known as the tattoo on Nov. 5, the image was “There’s a lot of pressure on some of popularization of militia groups. the Three Percenters, which has been removed from the post, which featured these decisions,” she said. In a written statement this week, Burt growing in influence within American other images of the newly elected While much of the state has very low said he is not involved in any militia conservative politics. The name comes lawmaker engaging with Henchman and instances of COVID-19 transmission, groups, and got the tattoo because he from the debunked claim that only a handful of supporters. The Libertarian Sweetwater County’s percent positivity rate enjoyed the symbolism of what it stood 3% of colonists fought against the Party did not respond to an email or remains in the double digits, at 11.7%. for. British during the Revolutionary War phone message requesting comment. So far more, than 7,000 residents have “I got the tattoo because the but “achieved liberty for everybody,” received either the fi rst or both doses of American Revolution symbolism according to a policy brief by the Anti- Continued on A7 COVID-19 vaccines available in the county. Sweetwater tourism crashed in 2020 upwards and though the pandemic Yes, COVID-19 is hit the industry hard in March 2020, the lodging tax dollars collected to blame were still up from fiscal year 2018- 2019. During fiscal year 2019-2020, Staff Report which ended June 30, 2020, taxes collected amounted to more than Tourism spending in Sweetwater $1 million. Meredith also reminded County fell by $87 million in 2020 the Council that this was influenced according to a recent report given by by a percentage increase approved Jenissa Meredith to the Green River by voters. Nine months of collection City Council. took place at 3%, with the other three Meredith, the executive director months at 4% lodging tax. of the Sweetwater County Travel and The lodging tax is charged to Tourism, said the decline from 2019 anyone staying at a Sweetwater spending is directly attributed to the County hotel or motel and is used to coronavirus pandemic. promote the county’s tourism industry Meredith said prior to the and local events to potential visitors pandemic, money collected from the outside the county county’s lodging tax were tracking A2 www.greenriverstar.com Wednesday, March 10, 2021 City approves fi rst police therapy dog Green River will be the first city in Buddy is being trained in Cody and Wyoming to receive a police therapy Martha Holzgrafe, a detective with the dog following an approval by the Green GRPD who works on juvenile cases, will River City Council last week. be his handler. The Council approved a $6,000 grant The department expects Buddy, who to purchase Buddy, a black Labrador is only four months old now, to join the retriever, who will serve as the depart- force in June. ment’s therapy dog. Holzgrafe said it’s important for Bud- Tom Jarvie, chief of police for Green dy to be both well trained and socialized River, said the department received when he arrives. several donations for the therapy dog, Mayor Pete Rust commented on including a $1,250 from Jason Barrera, a Buddy’s acquisition, saying the therapy nine-year-old child. dog project is “very exciting.” “The community has really latched onto this program and the department is He said Buddy will provide green grateful for the support,” Jarvie said in a river with a resource the city currently press release. does not have. UW announces fall grads Several Sweetwater in Nursing); CERT Kailyne L. Dickinson BSN County residents, (Certificate); and MA Jordan L. Jones BSN including six from Green (Master of Arts). Keeri Ann Klein BA River, recently graduated Ashlee Ledgess BSN from the University of Green River Joyce K. Lew BSN Wyoming. Maria V. Baker BA Kaley A. Martinez BS The students earned Kyler Jaylin Cochrane BS Cheylynn Parker BA Ready for a new ride? their degrees following Rocky B. Cordova BA Marisela Schumacher BS completion of the fall Taylor L. Draney BA Brooke A. Shassetz MA 2020 semester. Michael Chase O’Melia Clayton Allen Stott BS We’ll help you get the The following degrees BSEE Kourtney A. Tarango BSN may be included on this Ezequiel A.