March 1, 2012 I The Lovell Chronicle I 3
Speech and debate team takes second in Buffalo
BY PATTI CARPENTER
Eleven members of the
speech and debate team
traveled to Buffalo to com-
pete against 19 schools from
WYOming and South Da-
kota in poetry, humor, stu-
dent congress, extempora-
neous speaking, duets and
oratory over the weekend.
The combined team from
Lovell and Rocky Mountain
high schools walked away
with a second-place team
win after two days of com-
petition Feb. 24 - 25.
Elizabeth Birkholz
made it into the semi-final
round with her humorous
piece. Her twin sister Em-
ily made it into the semi-fi-
nal round with her poetry.
The two sisters also made
it into the semi-final round
with their duet based on the
Broadway play "Wicked,"
which is based on the clas-
sic children's story, "The
Wizard of Oz."
Chase Aagard made
it to the final round in the
super congress competition
and was only one point shy
of placing sixth.
Emily Birkholz placed
fourth in poetry, reciting
poetry by human rights ac-
tivist Andrea Gibson.
"Coach Fink and I are
so proud of how hard this
group has worked all season
and how well they placed at
this meet," said assistant
coach Jason Zeller. "We had
a lot that were very close
to breaking into finals that
have never been close be-
fore."
The team will perform
for the community on March
6 at 6 p.m. in the Lovell El-
ementary School gym. The
performance is free to the
public and the entire com-
munity is invited to attend.
The Birkholz twins will
PAI"rI CARPENTER PHOTOS
Assistant coach Jason Zeller helps speech and
debate team member Jessica Emmett prepare for an
upcoming student congress competition.
perform their duet at the Tournament March 7 - 9,
District Speech and Debate in Riverton. Many of the
Chase Aagard practices a speech for an upcoming
student congress competition. Aagard made it to the
final round in the super congress competition held
last weekend in Buffalo.
team's members will com- petition to be held in Rock
pete at the state level com- Springs March 15-17.
Romney tops in caucus straw poll as planks, resolutions prepared
BY BOB RODRIGUEZ
Conducted during a Big Horn County
GOP precinct caucus in Lovell, a straw poll to
gauge public opinion for a Republican candi-
date in the next presidential election showed
Mitt Romney at the top with 81 votes followed
by Rick Santorum with 7, Ron Paul 6 and Newt
Gingrich 0.
Approximately 120 persons packed the
Lovell Fire Hall meeting room for the annual
north-end caucus held by the county Republi-
can Party on Tuesday night, Feb. 21. The as-
sembly began close to 7:30, instead of 7 as
scheduled, due to the large turnout. Only the
94 registered voters in the audience could cast
straw poll ballots, and the conclave included a
significant number of young persons and other
spectators.
Greybull resident Dave Mattis, who di-
rected the caucus as county Republican Party
chairman, stated that the turnout was consid-
erably larger than anticipated.
'lNventy to 25 would be a lot based on past
experience," he told the assembly, "so this is
great. It's a good indication of the interest in
the election and the concerns that people have."
Following some procedural motions ap-
proved unanimously by voice vote, the straw
poll ballots were distributed and collected.
That was followed by Mattis opening the floor
to review platform planks and resolutions as
prepared by the Platforms & Resolutions Com-
mittee. As well, audience members could offer
proposals for new items.
Recommendations and revisions approved
by participants, and the ballot results, will
be submitted to the county convention set for
Tuesday, March 6, with a "carry-in" dinner at 6
p.m. followed by the meeting beginning at ap-
proximately 7 at the Basin City Arts Center.
From that event, planks and resolutions will be
forwarded to the state convention.
The north-end caucus lasted until nearly
9:30, and the crowd by then had dwindled to
around 50 persons. At various times some ap-
parently disgruntled attendees left the gather-
ing due to disagreements with the proceedings.
As one woman left, she said, "I'm outta here;
do what you're going to do." Some proposals
for planks and resolutions from the audience
caused considerable debate, causing votes by
a count of hands because the voice votes were
too close to call. Additionally, the meeting was
prolonged a number of times by persons call-
ing for points of order and disagreements on
wording and intent plus "friendly revisions"
and amendments. And there were situations
in which items appeared to be redundant, re-
sulting in discussion and voting to retain them
or not.
In the "Crime and Law" plank listing,
there was unanimous approval that the coun-
ty GOP believes in the U.S. Constitution as it
was written and intended by the Founders."
Preceding that, there was a 40-23 disapproval
by hand vote on a motion to change "Constitu-
tion as it was written" to "as prescribed in the
Bill of Rights."
Under '%and, Agriculture and Environ-
ment" there was a unanimous OK for a wom-
an's motion that "Obama's czars be removed
from office," and that "new regulations need
Congressional approval."
A resolution offered by the Platforms &
Resolutions Committee under "Education"
was revised from basically reading that "sex
education in the schools should teach (sic)
abstinence as their first and most impor-
tant part of sex education." Stated one audi-
ence member, 'That isn't written good." The
unanimously approved revision notes that
when schools address sex education "absti-
nence must be taught." One woman observed,
"It works every time." Another "Education"
plank, this from the audience with revisions,
was approved by a show of hands and deals
with telling the federal government to stay
out of education, as it is a "state and local is-
sue."
Under "Health and Society ' a plank was
approved with one man voicing disapproval
that, 'le Big Horn County Republican Party
believes that marriage is defined as the union
between one man and one woman."
The plank category "Immigration and (Il-
legal) Immigrants" stirred a groundswell of
debate by audience members and heartfelt
commentary by two naturalized citizens. The
ultimate result was that a unanimous vote oc-
curred for enforcing existing laws in connec-
tion with illegal immigrants. The man and the
woman who spoke each received applause for
their impromptu comments concerning the
difference between being a legal immigrant
who contributes to his or her community, pays
taxes and undergoes strenuous screening vs.
illegals who cost the taxpayers money in the
areas of medical care, education and law en-
forcement.
Under "Government and Budgets," a man
proposed that the state should mint its own
gold and silver coins to be ready for "when the
dollar collapses." He also proposed that each
community have seven years worth of rations
in commtmity food storage facilities and that
the state's investments of some $15 billion be
shifted to within the state. There was consid-
erable discussion and a hand count had to be
taken with the result a defeat of 30-11 near the
conclusion of the caucus.
There were a number of other planks and
resolutions either revised, added or deleted
during the caucus. They will be made available
at the county convention.
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