I was going to save my first editorial for the first anniversary of this newspaper's rebirth, but I have just spent well over 100 hours at the Goshen County Fair over 10 days and wanted to share my thoughts.
I took over editorial duties of the Telegram in mid-June. You may have seen me out and about in the community, trying new-to-me places in downtown Torrington and the surrounding areas.
This year's Goshen County Fair was my first time experiencing the county's signature community event. Fellow first-time Goshen County fairgoer and Telegram reporter Brenna Ralston and I split coverage duties 50/50. The Fair would exceed every expectation we had.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the 4-H and FFA shows and exhibits, pig wrestling, the ranch rodeo, and mutton bustin', I took the most joy in watching the people at the Fair.
I've spent most of my life within 50 miles of Detroit, Michigan, but for the last eight years, I've sort of meandered about the country, looking for God knows what, God knows where — my home state of Ohio, two stops in Kentucky, Las Vegas, the northern reaches of Chicagoland, and most recently the Western Slope of Colorado.
Being immersed in different parts of our country, with different cultures, different ways of life, and let's face it — different people, I was ready to see what Goshen County was all about. I wanted to observe the people of this county and how they behave and interact.
What I experienced was eye-opening, and in the best way. People here are genuinely friendly. Not “ok, I'm in public, so I'll feign courtesy” politeness, but true friendliness. It isn't contrived or artificial. Fairgoers were having fun, and it showed.
Friendliness and politeness go hand in hand, and I saw both all around. But it wasn't just from the adults, who should (and do!) know better. The children of Goshen County are respectful, pleasant, and a joy to be around.
Even the teenagers, historically perceived as being difficult, unruly, and sometimes unpleasant, did not appear to be that way at all. Yes, there was some friendly razzing and teasing among themselves, but they treated both people younger than themselves and their elders in a respectable fashion.
For me, that's the biggest takeaway. The youth here in Eastern Wyoming are much more kind, polite, friendly, and easier to be around than what I grew accustomed to in some of the larger metro areas I've called home, where a certain anonymity can creep into how people treat one another. I heard very little swearing, and not once did I see or hear any threatening language or intimidation.
And there is absolutely no coincidence that these agreeable traits come straight from their parents and grandparents. This is a respectful community.
I have stood to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, put my hand over my heart to sing the national anthem, and bowed my head to pray during invocations more in the last month than over a span of many years of my life before it.
I'm not naive to think that there are no problems here. I know Goshen County suffers from many of the ailments most communities across America face. Having spent more than 17 years as a paramedic and firefighter, I have seen the worst that cities and towns can throw at people.
But here, at least for ten days at the end of July, in 2026, I saw the best thing this community has to offer — the people who call this place home. I feel welcomed here, and want to do my part to keep this community safe, polite, and enjoyable.
