BLM reopening the Rock Springs Wild Horse Preparation Facility

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rock Springs Field Office (RSFO) is reopening the Rock Springs Wild Horse Preparation Facility with a special streamlined adoption event.
On Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011, from 8:00 a.m. until noon, anyone qualified to adopt a wild horse will be able to fill out the application, be approved, and take their animal home the same day. Adoptions will be on a first come, first served basis, by noncompetitive bid, so all animals will be available for $125. Nearly 700 untrained weanlings, geldings and mares gathered from the Adobe Town/Salt Wells Herd Management Areas will be eligible for adoption.
According to Adoption Coordinator Kathi Fine, “This is a great opportunity to own a beautiful wild horse. The animals are in very good shape, and display a variety of coat colors including grey, speckled, roan, buckskin, sorrel, bay, black and palomino.”
The Rock Springs Corrals have been temporarily closed since early November 2010 so all the horses gathered from the range could be evaluated by a veterinarian, dewormed, Coggins tested and given booster shots.
Fine reminds people to come prepared. “You must bring at least a 3-horse covered trailer with no ramp loading and a swing back door.” Participants are also encouraged to bring a halter and lead rope.

The BLM manages more land - more than 245 million acres - than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.

County Commision will have 5 Members

The sweetwater county commission will have five new members, not four, when the new year begins Monday. On Thursday, the only leftover commissioner, Paula Wonnacott, resigned from the commission. The two remaining lame duck commissioners, Randy Walker and Debby Dellai Baese, then appointed former Green River Mayor Don Van Matre. Wonnacott said in her letter of resignation that she felt the county was headed to " business as usual" when the four new commissioners take the oath of office on Monday. Wonnacott also said that the new commissioners would remove all the good things the current commission has accomplished in the past two years.
Wonnacott was not in the meeting room when Chair Dellai Baese read the resignation letter. In fact, Baese broke down while reading the letter, and Walker had to finish reading Wonnacotts comments. Following the acceptance of the resignation, the commissioners moved to appoint Van Matre. Van Matre will serve out Wonnacotts remaing two years. Van Matre was sworn in as a commissioner following the 2-0 vote.
Because Wonnacott was elected as an independent candidate, the commisioners were not obligated to submit the vacancy to a political party, like the republican or democratic party.
The commissioners, which at the time included Wonnacott, elected not to advertise the position to the general public but instead apparently recruited Van Matre for the job. The commisioners were conducting general business Thursday morning with Wonnacott in attendance, however, following a five minute break, Walker and Baese returned to the meeting , Wonnacott did not, and read Wonnacotts letter and then appointed Van Matre.
Van Matre will join Jon Kolb, Gary Bailiff, Reid West, and Wally Johnson as new commissioners this Monday.

Hunters Say Decoys are Entrapment

Game wardens in Wyoming are using decoys of big game animals to nab poachers who take illegal shots at them while they are under surveillance. But some hunters think the bait constitutes entrapment. Game and Fish officials note court rulings have upheld the fact that no one is being encouraged to shoot at the decoys, and the mere presence of an opportunity to take a wild animal does not constitute entrapment.
Decoys are usually set along public roads in hunt areas and are normally used in one- or two-day operations. Some states also deploy mechanical deer replicas, or “robo” deer, that mimic the animal's movements.
Wyoming Game and Fish Department wardens set up an antelope decoy at a remote site northeast of Casper back in October. Officials said 29 vehicles drove by the decoy during the day. Ten drivers stopped for a look. Hunters in eight of the cars took shots at the decoy, but only two of them did so legally.

Alcohol Suspected in Crash

Alcohol is suspected to be key in a crash that killed a Rock Springs man on the day after Christmas, according to the Wyoming Highway Patrol. 49 year old Robert Cox was killed in a one-car rollover on County Road 701 south of Wamsutter. Farrell Richards of Wamsutter was the driver of the car that was southbound on the icy and snow-packed gravel road about 20 miles from Wamsutter when he lost control of the car. Neither Cox nor Richards were wearing seat belts and both were thrown out of the car. The vehicle then flipped into a ravine, rolling one more complete time and coming to rest on its top. According to Sgt. Steve Townsend, this is fatality 147 for the year compared to 128 fatalities at this time last year.

Crash Kills One Injuried Other

A one car crash sent a man to the hospital and claimed the life of his passenger. Farrell Richards was southbound on Carbon County Road #701, 20 miles south of Wamsutter in Carbon County which is a dirt roadway, when he lost control of the vehicle on the icy surface.
The vehicle skidded broadside as it went off the roadway going into the southbound borrow pit. The vehicle rolled ½ time as it slid onto its top for about 100 feet. Both the driver and passenger were totally ejected from the vehicle. The vehicle then flipped into a ravine rolling one more complete time coming to rest on its top.
Troopers investigating this crash are looking into alcohol use as a contributing factor.
49 year old Robert COx of Rock Springs was identified as the man killed in the crash. Neither men were wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.

Trucker Stabbed, Assailant In Custody

An Arkansas truck driver is in custody as the result of a stabbing incident on Interstate 80 on December 19th.
Sweetwater County Sheriff Rich Haskell said Larry W. Sevinsky, 42, of Harrison, Arkansas, has been charged with Aggravated Assault and Battery.

According to Haskell, deputies were dispatched to the area of mile marker 125 on Interstate 80, east of Rock Springs, at about 1:20 PM on the 19th in response to a report of a stabbing.
When they arrived, the county officers encountered a group of men near five semi tractor-trailer rigs parked along the interstate. One of the men, 45-year-old Russell Leroy Long, was bleeding from a stab wound to his left side. He pointed out the man he said had stabbed him, subsequently identified as Sevinsky, and was transported by ambulance to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County in Rock Springs.

Witnesses at the scene told deputies that Long and two other drivers were convoying three trucks to Texas at the time of the incident. They were traveling eastbound in the left-hand lane between Rock Springs and exit 122, they said, when Sevinsky’s rig, in the right-hand lane, swerved in front of the convoy’s lead truck and cut him off. An argument over CB radios in the rigs ensued.

Haskell said Sevinsky and Long both apparently pulled their rigs over and got out on foot. Not long afterward, according to witnesses, Long was on the radio saying that he’d been stabbed. His assailant, he said, had left the scene in his (the assailant’s) truck.
At Memorial Hospital, Long was treated for his wound, which was not considered life-threatening.
Sevinsky was arrested and transported to the Sweetwater County Detention Center without incident. He appeared in Circuit Court in Rock Springs on December 20th, where Judge Dan Forgey set his bond at $25,000, cash or surety. Sevinsky could face up to 10 years and fines if convicted.

How To Feed Backyard Birds

Some wild birds need to eat 10-thousand calories a day to survive, and Wyomingites can help supplement bird diets by putting out feeders in the winter. Black oil sunflower seed is a favorite of many backyard birds in this area, according to the National Wildlife Federation's David Mizejewski. He recommends setting out several feeders with different types of seeds and suet, and then make plans for this spring to create more natural winter habitat for birds.






He says there are some myths about wild bird feeding...such as if you start feeding, you can't stop, or birds will be harmed.







N-W-F offers a Certified Wildlife Habitat program, to help Wyomingites choose landscape elements.

Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust

Trust officials say the Wyoming Stock Growers Agricultural Land Trust had a banner year in 2010. The land trust secured conservation easement agreements on a historic property along the lower Greybull River, on the heralded Cottonwood Ranch in western Wyoming, and on the huge Sommers-Grindstone properties along the Green River, among others. The land trust conserved over 38 thousand acres through 11 conservation easements.

Elk Run

A wildlife biologist says elk and bison could eat up remaining forage on the south end of the National Elk Refuge in a matter of weeks. Refuge biologist Eric Cole says 6,000 elk and 650 bison have migrated there, and at the current rate, officials could have to begin supplemental feeding with alfalfa pellets in early January. Last year, the migration didn't happen until January.

Dinosaur Tracks

The tracks of the three-toed dinosaurs resemble giant chicken prints and have endured the elements for years but are eroding and could soon be gone, according to Friends of Dinosaur Ridge, the nonprofit group that manages the site.
The group proposed building a canopy over the tracks but county officials say that will diminish the majestic views of Colorado's Front Range.
"The plan that they came up with includes structures and it just doesn't work," said Kathryn Heider, a spokeswoman for Jefferson County, which owns the land where the tracks are located 15 miles from Denver. "It doesn't mean we don't want to preserve the footprints. It just means we don't want structures on the backdrop."

New Years Eve

If you're still looking for a unique way to ring in 2011, you might consider heading to western Colorado and Colorado National Monument, where a special fireworks display will mark the end of 2010.
The fireworks display is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. on December 31 and run for about 30 minutes. Park officials say the best way to watch the fireworks will be the Book Cliffs View Shelter and Canyon Rim Drive near Saddlehorn Picnic Area.
If you're planning to attend, you can find parking at the Saddlehorn Picnic Area and Saddlehorn Campground loops.
The public is encouraged to arrive at the west entrance station beginning at 6:00 p.m. and no later than 7:15 pm at the west gate to be able to park and get to viewing areas.

Park officials also have arranged free shuttle buses, which will run from Dinosaur Journey’s Parking Lot in Fruita, Colorado, starting at 6:15 p.m. and continuing until 7:00 p.m. Return Shuttle buses will begin to leave Saddlehorn Picnic Area Parking Lot starting at 8:40 p.m.

There will be a bonfire and marshmallow roasting event at 6:30 p.m. at the park's Saddlehorn Picnic Area. Food and hot beverages will be available for sale.
Wear extra warm clothing, boots or sturdy warm shoes, extra outer wear such as hats, gloves, scarves are recommended. Bring flashlights, headlamps, folding chairs. Smoking is not permitted other than in an established smoking area in C Loop of campground. No pets and no alcohol.

New Proposal for Renters

A new proposed act, known as the Wyoming Safe Homes Act, would protect victims from landlords seeking rent from a victim who suddenly vacates a rented dwelling as well as drafts legislation allowing tenants to request a landlord to change the locks after a domestic or sexual assault.
Senators John Hastert (D-Green River) and Stan Cooper (R-Kemmerer) and Representatives Joseph Barbuto (D-Rock Springs), Bernadine Craft (D-Rock Springs) and Kathy Davison (R-Kemmerer). are all sponsoring the bill.
According to the drafted legislation, it would protect a tenant from a landlord attempting to collect rent after leaving a property. The tenant would have to be “under a credible imminent threat of domestic abuse or sexual violence at the premises.”
The tenant would also have to provide written notice to a landlord before or up to three days after leaving.
If a landlord tries to collect past-due rent, the tenant will have to prove that theyor a member of a family occupying the household was a victim of sexual or domestic violence and that violence was the reason for leaving.

New Commisioner Appointed Against Legal Advice

The sweetwater County commisioners voted yesterday to make an appointment to the Hospital board against the advice of the county attorney's office. Incoming commisioner, Reid West is currently the chair of the hospital board however, will have to resign his position once he takes over as a county commisioner. The vote of the commision was 2 to 1 to appoint Grant Christensen to the hospital board even though there is no current vacancy. The county attorneys office informed the commisioner that they could not appoint someone to a board whe there is no vacancy. Commisioner Randy Walker whose term ends January 3rd, voted against the appointment. West is expected to resign his post prior to taking the oath for his new job. The commision will expand to five members in January with the addition of West, Gary Baliff Jon Kolb and Wally Johnson. Paula Wanacott stays on to serve on the commision.

Christmas Tree and Trash Pick Up

City crews will be off half a day Thursday, December 23 and all day Friday, December 24, 2010 to celebrate Christmas and Friday, December 31, 2010, to celebrate New Year’s Day.
• December 23th, Thursday’s trash will be collected as usual on Thursday, December 23, 2010

• December 24th, Friday’s trash will be picked up Monday, December 27, 2010
• December 31st, Friday’s trash will be picked up Monday, January 3, 2011
• Please have your trash out by 7:00 a.m.

Landfill Holiday Schedule
• Open all day Thursday, December 23, 2010 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
• Closed at 1 pm Friday, December 24, 2010
• Open all day Friday, December 31, 2010
• Closed all day on Saturday, December 25 and January 1, 2011

• The City will provide free pickup service for bagged or boxed Christmas waste only on your collection day from December 27 through December 30. Place the bags near your collection container on your scheduled collection day as stated above. Bagged and boxed waste will be picked up separately from the trash in your can.


• Christmas trees will be picked up, at no charge, January 3-7, 2011. Place your tree near your collection container on your scheduled collection day as stated above. If you would like to take your tree to the Landfill, holiday hours are listed above. Trees will be mulched at the Landfill.

BLM Wants Input

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rock Springs Field Office (RSFO) requests public comment prior to preparing an environmental analysis as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) on the proposed Sweeney Ranch Wind Park southeast of Rock Springs, Wyo.

Sweeney Ranch Wind Park, LLC proposes building up to 119 wind turbines capable of generating 250 megawatts of electricity, associated support facilities, transmission lines, and access roads on 9,700 acres of public and private lands approximately 15 miles southeast of Rock Springs, Wyo. in Sweetwater County. Further information can be found at the BLM website...blm.gov
BLM is launching a 45-day comment period on Sweeney Ranch Wind Park by requesting the public’s help in identifying the level of analysis needed, alternatives, mitigation opportunities, and any other comments or ideas.
Comments are requested by January 29

Family Dealing with Loss after Fire

A Green River family is dealing with the loss of there home following an early sunday morning fire. Steve Core has the details.

Report

Justin G Meyer, age 24, of Green River, was arrested on 12/16/10 at 23:55 hours on W Flaming Gorge Way for Driving While Intoxicated. Meyer was stopped for a lane violation and further investigation showed Meyer to be intoxicated.
Travis Lohman, age 27, of Green River was arrested on 12/16/10 at 12:30 hours on Commerce Way on a warrant out of Circuit Court. Officers were dispatched to Probation and Parole regarding a wanted subject. A warrant for Lohman was confirmed and he was arrested without incident.

Officers investigated traffic crashes on Logan Street, on Uinta Drive, on Alaska Street and at the parking lot for Sweetwater County Health.

Anna C Birch reported a Hit and Run crash at 1150 Alaska Street when an unknown vehicle struck a retaining wall. Chevrolet auto parts were collected at the scene. Anyone with information please call the GRPD at 972-0555.

A report of a vehicle failing to comply with the orders of a crossing guard was taken on Monroe Ave. A copy of the report was forwarded to the City Prosecutor for review.

PETA And Feral Weirton Cats

PETA, the animal rights activist group, is not real happy the the town of WEIRTON for their alleged lackidaisical approach to the feral cat population. Feral cats are the ones that are wild cats that roam the area and usually can not be approached. In an e-mail sent Monday to Hancock County Administrator Chuck Svokas, Teresa Chagrin, animal care and control specialist for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, criticized the county animal shelter for ceasing to accept trapped cats. Mayor Mark Harris, who also has served as Weirton's animal control officer since July, said the shelter informed officials in mid-October it could no longer accept feral cats trapped by the city. The mayor was not sure of the total number of cats trapped in the city prior to mid-October, but he said it wasn't uncommon for him to take as many as 10 to the shelter in a single week.

Crash Gets Extra Ticket

A Green River man involved in a roll over crash Wednesday was cited by police for Driving While Suspended. 33 year old Clinton A Bunton was named as the person involved in the crash\ who was cited. Police didnt say was caused the wreck or the extent of any injuries. They do however, report that Bunton's crash on Barnhart Street led them to discovering that his driving privileges were suspended.

1200 Dogs Euthanized

An estimated 1,200 dogs at a Kansas kennel were euthanized after an outbreak in Wyoming of the highly contagious disease distemper was linked to the large-scale breeding operation.
Kansas Livestock Commissioner Bill Brown said the state started investigating the Beaver Creek Kennels near Oberlin in September after being contacted by Wyoming's state veterinarian about distemper cases at a pet store in Cheyenne. Distemper, which is usually lethal, can be spread through contact with wildlife, as well as through other infected dogs. Donal O'Toole, a professor and pathologist with the University of Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory, said 24 confirmed cases of distemper were identified in the state, primarily at pet stores in Cheyenne and Casper that bought puppies from breeder Jeff Fortin's kennel.

Road Conditions

US 191: No Unnecessary Travel between the Utah State Line and I-80

WY 28: Black Ice West of Farson to Wyoming 372.

Meeting to Recruit For Tourism Board

The City of Green River will be holding its first meeting to start populating the city
Tourism Board, which was recently put into effect in order to implement the City
strategic goal of creating Green River as a tourist destination.
The City is asking for anyone interested in tourism to come to the initial meeting, which
will begin at 7pm on December 15th in Council Chambers,
The main discussion will be centered on the exact goals that the City would hope for the
new Tourism Board to accomplish.
For more information, please call 307]872]6133.

Teton Park Sold

State Officials have voted to sell 1,400 acres of state land in Grand Teton National Park to the federal government for $107 million. The Department of Interior will buy the state land in four phases. Wyoming officials said this way the land will still be open to Wyoming residents, and if had been put up for bid worldwide that may not have been the case. The Legislature must approve the deal when it meets early next year.

Soule Suicide

Authorities in Sweetwater County say a 72-year-old man whose body was found last weekend took his own life. Jean Soule of Rock Springs was missing for two weeks before his body was found Saturday along the lower reaches of White Mountain, where he frequently hiked. Nearly 150 people volunteered to help search for him that day. Detective Dick Blust say a suicide note was found at the scene and investigators have concluded that Soule jumped to his death.

Spur Road Project Encounters Harder Rock; Costs Increase

Green River City Council members will learn next week at their semi-monthly work session about a cost overrun on the FMC Spur Road project. According to documents released by the city, the contractor, Reiman Corporation, has asked for more than $115,000 to be added to the project because nearly one-fifth of the rock that has been encountered is harder than engineering analysis before the project estimated it would be. The project Engineer, Inberg Miller Associates, is recommending about half that increase be authorized by the council.

In a letter dated Wednesday, Mike Brown of Inberg Miller reports that about 7,000 cubic yards of excavated rock from the project are too hard to break down with equipment the contractor had on site under the original contract. The rock was supposed to be broken down by the contractor simply rolling over it with normal construction equipment. However, to use the rock for the roadway embankment, additional equipment needs to be brought in.

The engineer's recommendation is that the city require part of that equipment cost, running a larger trackhoe to excavate the material, be borne by the contractor. Other changes and equipment, as well as the use of fill dirt from an adjacent property, are extra work beyond the original contract, according to the engineer, and the contractor should be paid extra for it. Once credits are applied for some work the revision will cause not to be needed, the total recommended extra cost is just over $60,600.

The council is expected to spend about 45 minutes discussing the item at their December 14th workshop, which is open to the public. Action on the matter is expected at the December 21st meeting.

Helped 2 Times

Sweetwater County Sheriffs were busy yesterday (Wednesday). Search and Rescue help a total of ten people in to seperate incidents last week. A group out cutting a Christmas tree got stuck and had to be rescued. That happened Saturday after 4 adults and two children from Rock Springs were in the Pine Mountains area south of Rock Springs. Forunately the group was able to contact the Sheriffs office in Green River with a cell phone. The process of elimination helped determine the location of the group.

The group had then went back to the area Sunday to get their Suburban out and got stuck again. Bad weather late Sunday hindered the search and Snow Cats were brought in to help. The group was finally located late in the afternoon Monday. No one in the group was seriously in need of medical attention.

This should be used as a learning story for those who dare trek the back country. Be prepared for anything that could happen. Pack food, water, blankets and other emergency gear that will help you stay alive in a similar situation. Make sure you have plenty of gas in you vehicle and a working cell phone and charger. If you think you are lost or are stuck, always stay with the vehicle and call for help. Stay calm and stay warm, hypothermia is hard to reverse in an adverse situation.

New Drug Spice Possibly Banned

A new designer drug meant to mimic the effects of marijuana under the name Spice or K2 appears to be on the hitlist of the DEA. Emergency action taken by the Drug Enforcement Administration will ban the sale of the drugs for one year while the five chemicals used to make the herb blends are studied for a permanent ban.

During this temporary ban, five chemicals used to make Spice and other brands of treated herbs would be listed as a Schedule I substances, the DEA's most restrictive category.
Other Schedule I drugs include natural marijuana, heroin and methamphetamine.
During the Rock Springs City Council meetingthis week, Mayor Tim Kaumo requested the city attorney's office to look into a possible municipal ban on Spice .
“It's my intent to see if there's a possibility to create local legislation to ban Spice or paraphernalia,” Kaumo said.

The city can't ban Spice until the state legislature passes legislation to consider the chemicals used to make Spice controlled substances according to assistant city attorney Richard Beckwith.
In Rock Springs, it is possible that anyone caught smoking Spice could be cited for inhaling a toxic substance, a citation normally given for huffing.
That's because the advertised use is as incense and its label advising against human consumption.

Man Charged with Child Abuse

A Farson man has been charged with child abuse, after sheriff's deputies say he threw a 12-year old boy to a concrete floor in a fit of rage. Matthew Broadhead was arrested last week following the incident, which was reported by the child to have happened November 29th. Charging documents indicate the boy accidentally tried to plug a welder in backward, which would have been an electrocution hazard had it not been noticed. But Broadhead got mad, the boy says, and threw him to the floor of the garage, then kicked him. That caused the child's knee to hit him in the face causing a nose bleed. Both of them thought the boy's nose was broken. It wasn't. Broadhead is free on a $10,000 bond, and faces a prison term of up to 10 years if convicted of the two child abuse counts lodged against him.

When Weather's Bad, Reconsider Going Out

Sweetwater County Sheriff's Deputies have a reminder: think before you go out when severe winter weather is happening. twice this weekend, deputies or Search and Rescue crews were called out to locate a group which had taken a four-wheel drive vehicle where they shouldn't have.

Sheriff Rich Haskell says both incidents are related, because the second, and potentially more serious, incident Sunday happened only because the vehicle owners from the first incident on Saturday didn't follow advice to leave their Suburban to be recovered when the weather got better. Instead, part of the group that was stuck on Saturday, requiring deputies to spend several hours searching after dark, piled into another Suburban on Sunday and tried to get the first stuck Suburban out.

This time, the county search and rescue team had to be called out. The team nearly crashed on the way to the search site due to the snow-slicked roads. The group was rescued by the team using their tracked "Snow Cat" over-snow machines. While all the people involved in both incidents are okay, Sheriff Haskell says it serves as a reminder that this time of year requires caution, planning, and responsible decision before heading out, and being properly equipped with winter clothing, an emergency kit with food and water, and a GPS if you chose to venture out.

Abuse

A Farson man was arrested by the Sheriff’s Office on December 3rd and charged with child abuse.
Sweetwater County Sheriff Rich Haskell said Matthew M. Broadhead, 41, is charged with two counts of Child Abuse.
Detective Michelle Hall interviewed the victim, a 12-year-old who is not identified in charging documents other than by initials, on December 3rd, 2010. During the interview, the victim told her that on November 29th, 2010, Broadhead became upset with him, “grabbed him by the back of the shirt and threw him down on the concrete floor of the garage.”

Broadhead, the victim said, then “kicked him causing his own knee to hit him in the nose and cause it to bleed” and “he thought his nose was broken because the sides of it looked different” and Broadhead “tried to put his nose back in place.”
Broadhead, interviewed by Hall the same day, said that on November 29th, “he and [the victim] were in the garage and [the victim] was going to unplug a welder the wrong way which would have caused [the victim] to be electrocuted,” that he “yelled at him and threw him down on the floor ... ‘kicked and spanked him.
Broadhead was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Sweetwater County Detention Center. He appeared in Judge Victoria Schofield’s Circuit Court in Green River on December 6th, and is free on a $10,000 cash or surety bond.

Child abuse is a felony. Upon conviction, each count carries a maximum possible penalty of five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, or both.
Haskell said the Sheriff’s Office investigation continues.

Puppets and Laughter in Rock Springs

Puppets and laughter took over Rock Springs city hall last night ...Amanda Hobbs has more






for more information on how to get help, call 352 6680 or 875 5515

Green River Dam Update

A dam proposed on the Green River in Sublette County could undergo scrutiny from Wyoming senators and representatives next week as the state’s Select Water Committee prepares to send an omnibus water bill to the Legislature. The select committee, which includes State Senator Marty Martin and Representative Stan Blake, is set to consider the 2011 water development funding bill Dec. 15 in Cheyenne.

Members of the Wyoming Water Development Commission, a separate, appointed board, voted 7-1 last month not to include a proposed dam above the Warren Bridge on the 2011 list. Therefore, $750,000 requested by Sublette County is not included in a bill the appointed board will consider before forwarding it to the legislative committee. The commission's deputy director, Jon Wade, says either the commission or the committee could amend the list and recommend the dam move forward.

The Wyoming Water Development Commission meets for a two-day workshop Monday to finalize the bill and forward it to the Wyoming Select Water Committee. The committee will meet to consider that bill Dec. 15. Both meetings take place in Cheyenne.

Breakfast with Santa

Young at Heart Senior Center and the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program are sponsoring a breakfast with Santa. All the proceeds will go to the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program to buy hats, gloves, boots, mittens, toys and so forth for the grandchildren’s Christmas! It happens this Saturday from 8am to 11am.

The cost is $8 per child under age 11 and includes breakfast, a 5x7 picture with Santa, a holiday craft, decorate cookies to leave for Santa on Christmas Eve, watch the Polar Express, and listen to Christmas stories. The cost is $8 for adults and children 12 and older, but you only get the meal. Reservations must be made in advance by purchasing tickets at the Young at Heart Senior Center front desk.

Last Chance to Reegister for Winter Clothing Assistance Program

Today is the application deadline for the annual Operation Warmers for Tots. SW-WRAP stops accepting applications for the program at close of business today, but will continue to accept donations of winter clothing through December 20th.

Warm clothing and accessories can include: hats, scarves, mittens, gloves, thermal underwear, socks, tights, hoodies, heavy long sleeve tops, winter coats, wintervests, leggings, boots, warm blankets, and the like. Small toy donations will also be accepted. SW-
WRAP is also accepting donations for the Personal Essential Pantry Program that collects personal hygiene products including but not limited to diapers, household cleaning materials, and home maintenance items.

Snow Brings Forest Road Closures

It's time for the start of over-the-snow recreation in the Ashely National Forest, and rangers based in Vernal have already closed roads to autos and trucks for the safety of those skiing or using snowmobiles. One exception to the usual set of areas available: the Red Cloud Loop Road between Iron Springs and Kaler Hollow is closed to all motorized travel due to the Brush Creek Bridge bing out. That bridge, which was 18-feet wide, was torn out this year and is set to be replaced with a 30-foot wide bridge next year. Right now, there's a hole with 15 to 25 foot vertical banks where the bridge used to be, in the location where bridge abutments will be poured next spring. Officials also say the west end of the Flaming Gorge Ranger District is now closed to wheeled traffic and open to over-the-snow access. Gates are closed at Birch Creek and Sheep Creek Park on Forest Road 221. The Deep Creek area is also closed to wheeled vehicle, but open for over-the-snow access.

Toys for Tots

The Rock Springs fire department is again sponsoring Toys for Tots this Christmas. Firefighters say they have participated in the program, which helps make sure all children in the community receive a Christmas gift, for decades. Anyone who needs assistance in ensuring their children get a gift is invited to participate. Advance sign up is required to help ensure a fair distribution of the toys. The final sign up will be tomorrow at the Food Bank of Sweetwater County. Times for the sign up are 10am to 2:45pm and 4pm to 5:45pm.

The department will accept toy donations until December 17th. They ask that the toys be new or like-new, and unwrapped. Drop off your donation at the Fire Department headquarters on College Drive or at the Rock Springs Library. The toy giveaway is Saturday the 18th, and appointments will be made with applicants for assistance at the time they register. If you have any questions, call the Fire Department at 352-1475.

Pipeline Worker Dies

Authorities are investigating the death of a pipeline worker at a construction site west of Green River. Sweetwater County Sheriff Rich Haskell said Elvin Loggins, 62, of Bronson, Texas, was apparently crushed by a large section of pipe around 10 a.m. Saturday. Loggins was working as a welder on a natural gas pipeline project for the Snelson Companies, Inc. at the time of the accident, Haskell said in a media release yesterday.

The accident occurred about 17 miles west of the city of Green River. Loggins was transported from the scene by ambulance to Memorial Hospital in Rock Springs, where he was declared dead shortly after 11 a.m. Sweetwater County Coroner Dale Majhanovich said an autopsy was performed Monday and the cause of death was extensive chest and abdominal injuries. Majhanovich said there was no evidence of foul play.

Grouse Protection Fund

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is boosting funding to protect sage grouse and sage grouse habitat in 11 Western states. This will be the second year of the Natural Resources Conservation Service Sage Grouse Initiative. Up to $30 million will go to the states where sage grouse are found, an increase from $18.5 million in 2010. Sage grouse are a mottled brown, football-sized bird found in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, California, Colorado, Utah, Washington, Oregon, South Dakota, North Dakota and Canada. The next round of funding includes $3.75 million for projects in Wyoming. Sage grouse numbers have declined by 99 percent over the past century. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declined earlier this year to protect the bird as endangered.

Ash

U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis has introduced a bill that would extend the current 2 percent soda ash royalty rate through 2016. The Wyoming Republican says her legislation would keep Wyoming's soda ash industry competitive on the global market. Being the leading producer of soda ash in the United States, most of the production occurs in Sweetwater County. Several t6housand residents are employed because of soda ash. China is also a producer, but Lummis says China undercuts its soda ash prices, giving China an unfair advantage over American soda ash. She says her bill will maintain a level playing field for Wyoming soda ash companies. Soda ash is used in glass, soaps and detergents, as well as in some industrial chemicals

Body Of Missing Man Found

Searchers have found the body of a Rock Springs man missing for over 2 weeks. 72-year old Jean (zhahn) Baptiste Soule, an avid hiker, went for a walk November 20th, and never returned. The Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office organized a group of volunteers to search some of his most popular hiking areas over the weekend. During a search of the area around White Mountain, Soule's body was found. It's not clear yet how he died, but an autopsy is pending. Over 120 volunteers showed up to help with the search.

Green River-Rock Springs Route Set to Move Forward

At their meeting tomorrow, Green River City Council members will review the draft of a cooperative agreement between the city, Sweetwater county, and the city of Rock Springs to take the first steps in building a future route between Green River and Rock Springs. Officials have already informally decided where the route would be built. It's along a currently unimproved trail between the communities that in some places follows the old Lincoln Highway route. The first step in the project is to determine the legal descriptions of the land that would be used by the route and to conduct any surveys needed to make that determination. The cooperative agreement sets out the responsibilities of each community and of the county for this phase of the project.

CD

For the past several months, Bryan Ragsdale has traveled to 14 schools, written Christmas songs with Wyoming students and produced a Christmas CD. This CD represents Wyoming near and far in the eyes of our children. It will travel with the Capitol Christmas Tree to Washington, D.C. It will be played all over the country. It will spread the ideals and values of Wyoming folks across the land. All of the royalties from the CD will go back to the schools who wrote the songs. One dollar from each CD will go to the Wyoming Arts Alliance to promote the arts across the state. Two dollars will go to the Capitol Christmas Tree Project. All other proceeds will be used to offset the cost of the project as a whole. CDs are available for purchase at the Green River Chamber for $15 each.

United Way Focuing on Workplace Giving As Campaign Passes the 1/3 Point

The United Way of Southwest Wyoming says workplace giving is the single largest area of support to their organization each year. Employees giving through the workplace made up 65 percent of the campaign, donating over $1.6 million last year. Nearly three months into the campaign United Way has raised over $675,135, which is 34 percent of their $2 million goal. United Way officials say funds raised in the community stay in the community. Grants are awarded to local community programs whose measurable outcomes align with UWSW’s goals. Executive Director Suzanne Zutter says most companies that have completed their campaigns have shown an increase in employee and corporate giving this year, in spite of the economic pressures.

Rock Springs Man Dies in Wreck on Snowy Road

A Rock Springs man is dead following a crash Wednesday in Fremont County. Wyoming Highway Patrol crash reports show 60-year old Roberto Santos died in a crash caused when he tried to pass a slower-moving vehicle on Highway 28 south of Lander. He lost control on the snow-packed road and clipped the other vehicle, spinning to the left and into the oncoming lane. There, his car hit a westbound vehicle head-on. He was thrown from his car, a 1997 Dodge Neon and died at the scene. His passenger, 23-year old Kevin Johnson of Columbia Falls, Montana, was also ejected. He was airlifted to Salt Lake City. The other drivers were alone in their vehicles and were uninjured.

Kemmerer Cable Franchise Issues

The question of the legal status of the Kemmerer cable TV franchise may be headed to court. The city council recently approved a resolution for City Attorney Joe Bluemel to pursue the enforcement of the Cable Franchise agreement. At the last council workshop the need for television service at the recreation center was discussed. The council is aware the agreement with the cable company requires them to provide city facilities with cable service. When the current cable company took possession of the cable facility they did not transfer the cable franchise.

Repeated attempts to contact the company have resulted in no response, so the transfer of the franchise not been accomplished. The council formally authorized Bluemel to pursue the necessary legal action to provide this service to the citizens of the city.

Black Ice Reported on Area Highways

Wyoming DOT is reporting some road problems this morning. US-191 has been experiencing black ice issues throughout the night, with reports of black ice between Mile Marker 12 and Pinedale, and also between Wyoming 351 and Pinedale. Additionally, crews have reported black ice along Highway 28 between Highway 372 and Farson.

Help Sought ID'ing Vandal

Green River police are asking for public help in identifying the vandal or vandals who damaged a local man's cars this weekend. Stanley Blake reported the mirrors on three of his vehicles have been damaged. He lives on West Railroad Avenue. Police ask anyone with information concerning the crime call them at 872-0555.

Winter Fest This Saturday

12th Annual Jarvie Winter Fest is this Saturday from 10:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. Santa arrives at 1:00p.m. Leather crafts, wagon rides, candle dipping, bird feeders, rope making, wool spinners, and live music. Silent auction of Christmas trees, Cowboy poetry, blacksmith demo, and birds of prey. Browns Park Homemaker Bake Sale and Lunch available for $5.00/person. For more information, call the Vernal BLM office at 435-781-4400 or the John Jarvie Historic Site at 435-885-3307.

WWCC Winter Concert Series Starts

The Western Wyoming Community College Music Department presented the first in its Winter Concert Series last night. Additional performances are scheduled tonight and Friday, and next Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. On Tuesday night, The Green River Community Choir, under the direction of Marlys Ciscar, will perform in concert in the Green River Center’s John Wesley Powell Auditorium. The other concerts are in the WWCC Theatre, and start at 7pm each night.

Thayne Senior Center, Town Hall Celebrate 10 Years

The Thayne Town Hall and Senior Center facility has been operating for a decade, and is celebrating the milestone at an event tomorrow night. An open house and reception is set from 4:30-6:30 p.m. tomorrow. The evening will include live musical entertainment, refreshments and a cookie walk.