Inductions Announced For Green River High Hall of Fame

Four individuals and two teams will be inducted into the Green River High School hall of fame this fall. Green River activities director Tom Wilson announced today (monday) the halls 4th class. Individuals include Julie Archuleta Polasek (arch-uh-letta) Pole-a-seck), Michael Clark, Carol Fischer, and Leslie Spraker (spray-kerr). Joining those four individuals will be the 73-74 girls state swimming and diving champions, and also the 76-77 state girls swim champions. The 73-74 girls team marked the schools first ever girls state championship team. Wilson says the district is seeking names and contact information for both teams, so if you have that information, contact Wilson at 872-4742. The inducition ceremony will take place September 8th. The Walk of Fame, honoring the previous classes, is on display in the main hall at Green River High School.

Northern Arapaho push federal appeal of taxation

he Northern Arapaho Tribe is pressing its legal claim that tribal members shouldn't be subject to taxation by the state of Wyoming or Fremont County on lands around Riverton. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver is set to hear an appeal from the Northern Arapaho next week. The tribe is appealing a 2009 ruling by Judge Clarence Brimmer of Cheyenne that dismissed its legal challenge. Brimmer ruled the Northern Arapaho Tribe's lawsuit couldn't proceed without the involvement of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe and the federal government. Neither the Shoshone Tribe nor the federal government agreed to participate in the lawsuit. The Northern Arapaho and the Eastern Shoshone share the Wind River Indian Reservation. Congress in the early 20th century opened lands around Riverton to settlement by non-tribal members.

Aaron Million Has Two Homes In Forclosure

The man behind a proposed pipeline to deliver water from Wyoming to Colorado has two homes in Fort Collins, colorado in foreclosure. Aaron Million is behind Wyco Power and Water, which has proposed building a pipeline to deliver water from the Flaming Gorge Reservoir to southeast Wyoming and Colorado's Front Range. One is listed as the business address for Wyco. Million says that home is owned by a partnership with his parents, who have fallen on hard times. The other is a home he owns with his former wife. Almost $1.8 million is owed on the two properties. Million says the foreclosures are "completely isolated" from his business operations.

Wyo. wildlife winter ranges opening for springtime

Outdoor enthusiasts in western Wyoming will have more opportunities to get outside now that many of the winter ranges that are closed to protect wildlife are reopening for the year. Several closures are scheduled to end Tuesday. Among them is the seasonal prohibition on antler hunting on public land west of the Continental Divide. In Jackson Hole, areas opening on Tuesday will include the lower gate on the Gros Ventre (grow-VAHNT') Road and Flat Creek Road on the National Elk Refuge. Other seasonal closures have been implemented. Grand Teton National Park has closed off some areas including sensitive habitat for bears, raptors, sage grouse and wolves.

Sentences In Drug Ring Result of Two Year Investigation

Sweetwater County Detective Dick Blust, Jr. says the sentencing of four people with federal prison terms on April 13th was the result of a two-year, multi-agency investigation of a methamphetamine trafficking ring operating in Sweetwater County including the Division of Criminal Investigation's Southwest Enforcement Team.






Officials said the Team developed information about methamphetamine suppliers in Idaho working with drug dealers in Sweetwater County in 2010 and began building a case against members of the ring. 






The investigation expanded in July of 2011, when Southwest Enforcement Team agents made a key undercover drug buy and the Sheriff’s Office Tactical Response Team arrested Felix Maldonado of Burley, Idaho, Juan Manuel Glaria-Ramirez of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Mexico, and Sheila Anne Russell, also of Burley, Idaho.  Arrested later was Eden resident Steven E. Painovich. Four were sentenced on April 13th except for Glaria-Ramirez, whose sentence is still pending.

Rawlins police chief leaving to work for governor

The Rawlins police chief is stepping down to become a senior policy adviser to Gov. Matt Mead. Mike Reed will leave his post May 15 after nearly 25 years in the Rawlins Police Department. He's been chief since 2001. Reed will work as an adviser on impaired driving issues. Reed is originally from Wichita, Kan. He'll do a lot of traveling in his new job but plans to keep a home in Rawlins.

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rawlins Field Office

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rawlins Field Office is seeking public comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed uranium in situ recovery project in Sweetwater County approximately 40 miles northwest of Rawlins, Wyo.
The Lost Creek In Situ Uranium Recovery Project area contains approximately 4,250 acres within the project boundary, with no more than 345 acres actual surface disturbance when approved by BLM. Most of the surface disturbance would be related to construction of the well fields used to extract the uranium from the site.
The proponent has submitted a Plan of Operations describing their proposal to develop and recover uranium by the in situ mining process where a solution is injected into a bore hole to dissolve the mineral, then the solution bearing mineral is pumped back to the surface for processing. Planned facilities would include well pads for injection, production and monitoring, wellhead houses, a central processing facility, an access road network and pipeline system.
The BLM has been working closely with the other permitting agencies, including the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WYDEQ), Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The BLM has analyzed the potential environmental impacts and the NRC has reviewed handling and management of the uranium. The NRC issued Lost Creek ISR, LLC a license in August 2011. WYDEQ issued the project a permit in October 2011.
An open house meeting on the project is scheduled for Monday, May 14 from 4-6 p.m. at the Rawlins Field Office, 1300 N. Third Street, Rawlins, Wyo.

Shooting Range Improvements

Improvements to the Carl T. Williams Shooting Range in Green River were completed, and the city plans to host a ribbon cutting for the new restroom facilities installed at the range.
The shooting range will be the venue for some of the shooting events hosted by the NHSFR.
Improvements to the range include a wider road leading to the shooting grounds, poured concrete and 10 new benches as well as the new restroom facilities.

Spay-ghetti and No Balls fundraising dinner

Members of the Red Desert Humane Society were informing residents “it’s hip to snip,” during its Spay-ghetti and No Balls fundraising dinner in Green River Tuesday night.
The proceeds from the dinner went into the humane society’s spay and neuter funds.
Christina Shepard, a member of the humane society, said spaying or neutering a pet is one of the easiest methods of controlling the population of unwanted pets.
“The equation’s simple; less unwanted animals equals less strays,” Shepard said.

Man gets 5 to 8 years for fatally shooting cousin

A 27-year-old man who fatally shot his cousin while the two were re-enacting a gun scene from a movie has been sentenced to five to eight years in prison. Erasmo Castillo of Baytown, Texas, was sentenced in Lander on Thursday for the death of Cesar Perez Jr. He previously pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter. Castillo says he didn't realize the gun was loaded when he pulled the trigger at a motel in Riverton on Aug. 12th. He and his cousin had just arrived in town from Texas to work. Castillo apologized in court for the shooting, saying "I wish I could take it back, but I can't."

BLM wild horse citizen panel faces conflicts

The new chairman of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro Advisory Board acknowledges the citizen panel faces major challenges. Veterinarian Boyd Spratling of the northeast Nevada community of Deeth says the board faces a complicated task of trying to balance the needs of the federally protected herds against competing interests while an ongoing drought and shrinking budgets limit their options. At a board meeting in Reno last week, Spratling and other members discussed the latest research on reproductive drugs, vaccines and sterilization practices aimed at slowing the growth of horse herd populations that double naturally every five years if left unchecked. The soaring cost of housing horses removed from the range has forced BLM to place more emphasis on population control and less on roundups.

Wyoming reassured over Colo. oil well pollution

Wyoming water quality officials said Friday they are reassured after talking with Colorado health officials after learning that a troublesome oil facility in northern Colorado has been dumping up to 400,000 gallons a day of treated wastewater from well drilling that flows into the North Platte River. Wyoming water quality director John Wagner says the water is not from fracking or drilling and he believes it's not harmful to Wyoming streams and wildlife. Colorado water officials said Lone Pine Gas violated water quality standards a number of times since 2007, including dumping water with excess levels of copper and iron. The company says it shut down the plant in March and did a complete cleanup. Colorado officials and the EPA are continuing to investigate an oil spill at the site.

Two Crashes on I-80 Leaves One Dead; Two Injured

Two crashes on I-80 have left one person dead and two others seriously injured. Both took place on Sunday morning near the College Avenue exit in Cheyenne. The first, which took place just before 6 AM happened when two semis collided, closing both west bound lanes. No one was injured in that crash. The second then took place at aroun 10:30 AM while emergency crews responded to the first. A semi ran into the back of two cars, then crossed over the median into east-bound traffic, closing the entire highway. A woman in one of the cars died at the scene. Two others were taken to Cheyenne Regional with life threatening injuries. I-80 was closed for nearly nine hours.

BLM Kemmerer Seeks Public Comment on Special Recreation Permit

Shelley Gregory with the Bureau of Land Management Kemmerer Field Office says they are seeking public comment on a proposed Special Recreation Permit within the Raymond Mountain Wilderness Study Area.






The base camp will consist of two wall tents, two privy holes, a fire pit and a temporary corral. All disturbances will be confined to a previously used camp site.






You can mail or deliver written comments by May 21st to the KFO at 312 Highway 189 North in Kemmerer or email to wmierzej@blm.gov with “WSA Permit” in the subject line.

Company begins to plug blown Wyoming oil well

Workers at a blown oil well that's been spewing large quantities of natural gas in eastern Wyoming have begun trying to plug the well with mud. The operation began about 9:30 Friday morning and was expected to take several hours. The newly drilled well owned by Oklahoma City-based Chesapeake Energy blew out Tuesday afternoon. Potentially explosive methane gas has been roaring from the ground at the site five miles northeast of Douglas. The situation prompted an evacuation advisory for 67 people living within 2.5 miles. Fifty people heeded the advisory but have been allowed to come and go from their homes. Workers staged equipment to plug the well but shifting winds blew gas over their equipment Thursday. Westerly winds Friday enabled them to safely approach the well and begin plugging.

Judge fines 3 Powell men $17,000 in deer poaching

A judge has ordered three men to pay a combined $17,000 in fines and restitution for poaching seven mule deer off the Chief Joseph Highway north of Cody in 2009. Circuit Judge Bruce Waters of Cody accepted plea agreements between the Park County Attorney's Office and the three men. The men are 26-year-old Thomas G. Howard; 30-year-old Douglas Hutchins and 26-year-old Cody Waters, no relation to the judge. In addition to imposing the fines and restitution, Judge Waters placed the three on unsupervised probation and banned them from hunting or fishing for the next six years. Court records state that the three men admitted killing the deer after being confronted by Powell Game Warden Chris Queen in 2010.

Meth Trafficking

Four people have been sent to Federal Prison for their roles in a methamphetamine trafficking ring operating in Sweetwater County. The sentences are the result of a massive investigation by law enforcement teams in Wyoming and Idaho, that pointed to manufacturers in Idaho bringing their product to Wyoming for distribution. The investigation has been ongoing since 2010. Steven Painovich of Eden was sentenced to 10 years. Christopher Ayers, also of Eden, was sentenced to 12 years 7 months. Sheila Russell of Burley Idaho got 14 years. Felix Maldonado, also of Burley, was given 12 years 7 months. Charges ranged from money laundering, to possession and distribution. Other sentences are pending.

Feds prepare for another busy US fire season

The chief of the U.S. Forest Service says he expects this year's fire season to be as active as last year, when historic fires charred hundreds of square miles in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and elsewhere. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell says the Southwest remains dry and the middle part of the country could have a more severe season this year. Tidwell says federal scientists are monitoring weather patterns and trying to make accurate predictions so resources can be placed in the areas where they'll be needed most. Tidwell joined U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and other officials for a conference call Thursday to address the nation's preparedness. Vilsack says the agencies are taking their responsibility seriously given that lives and property are at stake.

Wyoming Supreme Court will decide term limits case

The Wyoming Supreme Court has agreed to decide Secretary of State Max Maxfield's lawsuit challenging term limits for statewide elected officials. Chief Justice Marilyn S. Kite on Tuesday signed a notice that the court will decide whether the state law setting term limits for statewide elected officials is constitutional and enforceable. District Judge Thomas C. Campbell of Cheyenne earlier asked the high court to resolve the question. Maxfield is now in his second 4-year term as secretary of state. He filed a lawsuit last fall as a private citizen challenging the law that sets term limits for statewide elected officials. The Wyoming Supreme Court ruled in 2004 that term limits were unconstitutional in regard to state legislators. The ruling came in response to a legal challenge by two state lawmakers.

Green River Won't Change Government

The Green River City Council has decided to stay with the mayor and city administrator form of government. In an executive session, the council made the decision to keep the existing organization where most of the city authority is centered with a mayor and councilmen and a professional manager directs staff regarding council decisions. Green River Mayor Hank Castillon says the review of its government structure issue arose as the city searched for a new city administrator. Castillon says the council preferred to stay with what has been working and stay with 1 of the more democratic alternative forms of local government.

BLM Invites Public Comment on Proposed Green River Land Sale

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rock Springs Field Office is considering the sale of two parcels of public land totaling 970 acres to the City of Green River under the provisions of the Federal Land Policy Management Act of 1976. Serena Baker says that an environmental assessment (EA) will analyze the effects of the proposed sale.






The BLM is seeking constructive public comments to help identify potential issues, concerns, ideas and alternatives to be addressed in the EA. You can mail or deliver written comments by June 7th to Lance Porter at the BLM Rock Springs Field Office.






Baker says the sale would not take place for a couple of months. For more information, go to blm.gov or Rock Springs Field Office Realty Specialist, Patricia Hamilton, at 307-352-0334.

Wyoming board aims to prevent spread of cattle STD

The Wyoming Livestock Board has issued an order aimed at preventing the spread of a venereal disease in cattle called Trichomoniasis (trik-oh-moh-NIE'-ah-sis), which can cause cows to lose their calves. The order covers all or parts of Lincoln, Uinta and Sweetwater counties in southwest Wyoming. It requires all bulls nine months and older that come from or into the area to be tested for the disease before May 31 and before they are placed with female cattle. Bulls are the main carriers of the disease. The order was adopted this week and supersedes an order adopted in March that covered only part of Sweetwater County. State officials say seed-stock producers may apply with the state veterinarian for a test exemption for virgin bulls.

Development of Yellowstone Lake Area Approved by National Park Service

The National Park Service has approved a plan to manage future development of the lake area in Yellowstone National Park. The plan approved this month limits what development can occur at Lake Village, Fishing Bridge and Bridge Bay.

Leaking Oil Well Could Be Plugged Soon

An oil well that's leaking natural gas in east-central Wyoming could be plugged soon. Chesapeake Energy says the work could begin as soon as this morning. A blowout at the well on Tuesday prompted 50 residents to evacuate amid concern that the gas could explode. Chesapeake says air sampling results at the site remain normal. It says residents can return home if they'd like or they can continue to stay in hotel rooms at the company's expense.

Green River Police Department Investigates Hit and Run Crash

Detective Fred Maculski with the Green River Police Department says that Officers investigated a Hit and Run Crash on Shoshone Ave when a car driven by a 17 year
old female failed to negotiate the curve by the LDS Stake Center because of excessive speed at which the car was traveling. The report said the vehicle rolled several times before coming to rest on its wheels.






The driver was arrested and charged with Driving While Intoxicated, Leaving the Scene of a Crash and Interference with a Police Officer.






Both juveniles sustained minor injuries and refused treatment.

Aquatic Invasive Species Decals

All watercraft users are reminded that along with registration of watercraft for the upcoming boating season, watercraft used on Wyoming waters must have an Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) decal. This is the third year the AIS decal and watercraft inspection program has been in effect. The 2012 AIS decals are now available on the Game and Fish website wgfd.wyo.gov, all Game and Fish regional offices, and at automated license agents. A complete list of automated license agents may be found at the department’s website, under the Aquatic Invasive Species tab. A Wyoming AIS decal must be displayed on all watercraft using Wyoming waters with the exception of inflatable watercraft 10-feet in length or less. Costs are $10 for motorized watercraft registered in Wyoming, $30 for motorized watercraft registered in other states, $5 for non motorized watercraft owned by Wyoming residents, and $15 for non-motorized watercraft owned by nonresidents. “Boaters should expect to be inspected when they arrive at favorite waters to recreate this summer,” Green River Fisheries Supervisor Robert Keith said. “Boaters can expedite the inspection process by following the drain, clean, and dry protocol being promoted by the department. Immediately upon departing any water (lake, reservoir, or river) drain all water from your watercraft, clean off debris, and dry your watercraft (including live wells and bilge tanks) after every use.” Keith reminds Utah boaters that their Utah AIS decal is not valid in Wyoming.

Green River Crash

Officers investigated a Hit and Run Crash on Shoshone Ave when a car driven by a 17 year
old female failed to negotiate the curve by the LDS Stake Center because of excessive speed at which the car was traveling. The report stated the vehicle rolled several times before coming to rest on its wheels. The driver and passenger fled the scene prior to police arrival and were later located after an hour and a half search hiding under a camp trailer two blocks from the crash scene.
The driver was arrested and charged with Driving While Intoxicated, Leaving the Scene of
a Crash and Interference with a Police Officer. The passenger, a 17 year old male, was also
arrested and charged Underage Consumption and Possession of Narcotics Equipment. He was later released to a parent. Both juveniles sustained minor injuries and refused treatment.

Sweetwater Combined Communication Center

Effective Wednesday, May 9th, all citizens of Green River are encouraged to call the new Sweetwater Combined Communication Center when requesting a Green River Police Officer at 875-1400. The Green River Police Department office, located in City Hall, will be open for walk-in business Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Our regular telephone numbers of 872-0555 and 872-0556 will still be in effect during business hours for Citizens wishing general information, to speak to Police Administration, Investigations or the Records Division. Our staff also has the ability to transfer callers to the Dispatch Center should a Citizen need a police officer to respond to their location. As always, if your call is an emergency, please dial 911 and you will be immediately routed to the Combined Communication Center for assistance.

Volunteers Needed

Wildlife managers with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department are asking members of the public to join them for their 19th annual mortality surveys conducted to assess the impacts this past winter has dealt in the Wyoming Range and Uinta mule deer herds of According to wildlife biologists and survey coordinators Gary Fralick and Jeff Short the annual surveys are conducted on mule deer winter ranges to assess overall mortality for the herds, but also to evaluate which age classes have been impacted the most. The Cokeville area surveys will run Saturday, May 5. Volunteers will meet at 9 AM at the Stateline gravel pit, three miles southwest of Sage Junction on U.S. Highway 30/89. The Leroy Surveys for the Uinta mule deer herd (east of Evanston, WY) will take place Saturday, May 12. Volunteers will meet at the Leroy exit (exit 24) off Interstate 80 at 9:00 a.m. Participants should bring a lunch, water, and dress appropriately for weather conditions. Surveys are conducted on foot or horseback. The public is welcomed to bring their own horses or mules if they choose to conduct their work from horseback. New volunteers will be required to fill out a volunteer form upon their arrival in order to participate in the mortality surveys. To receive more information on the Cokeville surveys contact Thayne wildlife biologist Gary Fralick at 1-307-883-2998. For more information on the Leroy surveys contact Mountain View wildlife biologist Jeff Short at 1-307-782-6810.

Residents evacuate after gas leaks from Wyo. well

Officials are optimistic that an oil well blowout that's been spewing a cloud of natural gas in east-central Wyoming will be plugged soon. The blowout prompted 50 residents to evacuate their homes amid concern that the gas could explode. Sixty-seven residents were asked to leave, but 17 decided to stay in their homes. Gas continued to erupt from the ground Wednesday after the blowout Tuesday afternoon five miles northeast of Douglas. No workers were injured. Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission supervisor Tom Doll says the leak is diminishing and officials are optimistic that workers with the Houston-based well control company Boots and Coots will plug it soon.

Wyoming Plans Wolf Hunt This Fall

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission has voted to allow hunters to kill up to 52 wolves in the state this fall. Gov. Matt Mead told reporters on Wednesday that he's hopeful Congress will act to exempt the state's wolf management plan from any legal challenges from environmental groups. Congress earlier extended such protection to earlier wolf delisting actions in Idaho and Montana. Mead says he's heard that environmental groups are intent on suing to try to block Wyoming's wolf plan. Jenny Harbine is a lawyer with Earthjustice in Bozeman, Mont. The group has mounted legal challenges to wolf delisting efforts before. Harbine says it's too early to say whether her group or its clients will challenge Wyoming's wolf plan until the plan receives final federal approval this fall.

Kemmerer and Pinedale Field Offices Lift Winter Range Closures

Shelley Gregory with the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Kemmerer and Pinedale field offices says that the annual prohibition on motorized vehicles in big game winter ranges will end on May 1st.
 




 
The Pinedale field office also has areas that will open.






 
Motorized vehicle use on public land is limited to existing roads and two-track trails. Off-road, cross country travel by motorized means is prohibited. To learn more about responsible recreation activities on public lands, please visit http://www.treadlightly.org/.

Residents evacuate after gas leaks from oil well

More than 60 residents have evacuated their homes after a natural gas leak at an oil well being drilled into the Niobrara (NYE'-oh-BRER'-uh) formation in Wyoming. Natural gas has been spewing into the air from the oil well since Tuesday. The town of Douglas is not threatened, since it is about 10 miles northeast. Well operator Chesapeake Energy says air samples are normal but the company asked about 80 residents who live within 2.5 miles to voluntarily evacuate. Chesapeake officials say they are working with contractors to bring the well under control. The Niobrara is a deep oil deposit beneath Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska where drilling has increased over the past two years.

Grizzly Count

Grizzly managers have proposed new ways to count bears and bear deaths in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem that could make it easier to end federal protection of the species.
In the absence of accurate grizzly bear demographics, the changes are expected to increase the estimated number of bears in the population while decreasing the estimated number of mortalities, experts say. The idea surfaced at a meeting of Yellowstone area grizzly mangers in Teton Village last week. The current method for estimating the size of the grizzly population — by counting females with cubs of the year from the air and ground and by trapping — is inaccurate, USGS biologist Mark Haroldson said at the gathering last week. The mathematical formula estimates the population at between 533 and 652 animals, but Haroldson said it is likely larger.

Firefighter Honored

Firefighters from around Wyoming have paid their respects to a Natrona County firefighter who died after suffering a massive stroke. A memorial service was held Tuesday for 31-year-old Adam Longo in Casper. After the service, more than 100 fire, emergency and homeland security vehicles joined a procession through the city to Highland Cemetery. Longo suffered a stroke while responding to a grass fire on April 12. He died one day after being taken out of intensive care.

New Farm Bill AUDIO

A new Farm Bill is on the table today (Wednesday) before the Senate Agriculture Committee, and it could bring big changes to Wyoming. The Center for Rural Affairs says the bill contains no money for rural development programs – such as micro-enterpreneur assistance, beginning farmer initiatives and help for communities to upgrade water and sewer systems. Center Executive Director Chuck Hassebrook says it’s surprising to see that the bill expands farm program and crop insurance subsidies for the largest operations.






Rural development is funded through other programs outside the Farm Bill, which is one reason given by those who say it isn't needed in the legislation. Farm subsidy limits have long been debated and Hassebrook expects another round as the bill is considered.
The Ag Committee is taking a look at amendments to the bill – and Hassebrook says there is a proposal to limit subsidies for the richest farmers and ranchers.






That amendment is being offered by Senators Sherrod Brown of Ohio (D) and Ben Nelson of Nebraska (D).

Advantage In Retail (AIR) Institute

The Advantage In Retail (AIR) Institute is an innovative workshop series designed to help retail businesses achieve greater success. The webinar series will run for eight weeks, from May 15 until July 10. Presentations will take place every Tuesday evening, from 6-8:00 pm. Registration fee for all eight workshops is $49. Sponsored by the Wyoming Entrepreneur SBDC, Karen St. Clair, MBA will teach the workshops. Karen is currently Director of Workforce Training and Development for the Northern Wyoming Community College District. She was previously employed by Accenture, a worldwide management
consulting firm. She has extensive experience developing and delivering workforce training programs and has over 15 years of retail experience. The seminars
will cover Customer Service; Back Office Management Skills; Retail Procedures; Employee Development/Selling; Marketing; Visual Merchandising; Inventory Control and Management; and Financial Management.
The normal registration fee for the AIR Institute is $299. Because grant funding from the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 is subsidizing costs for Wyoming businesses, an application process required. To apply, go to http://www.uwyo.edu/sbdc/retail.html, or contact Susan Jerke for more information at (307) 682-5232 or toll free (888) 956-6060.

Wyoming unemployment down for 7th straight month

Wyoming's unemployment rate is down for the seventh straight month. The state Department of Workforce Services said Tuesday that Wyoming's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March was 5.3%, down from 5.4% in February. There were about 5,500 more people employed this March than last March, a 1.9% increase. Sublette County, home to large natural gas fields, once again had the lowest unemployment rate at 3.5%. Lincoln County had the highest rate at 8.9%. The national unemployment rate is 8.2%.

Judge rules Encana must face suit in tribal court

A federal judge has tossed out a lawsuit that Encana Oil and Gas filed against a tribal judge on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Encana sued John St. Clair, the chief judge of the Shoshone and Arapaho Tribal Court, in February claiming the tribal court had no jurisdiction over the company. The lawsuit followed St. Clair's ruling that Encana must answer a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the estate of a Shoshone man who died after drinking at an Encana drilling site on the reservation. Kimberly D. Varilek is attorney general of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe. She says Judge Alan B. Johnson ruling is a victory for tribal sovereignty. Encana spokesman Randy Teeuwen says the company will appeal.

Traffic Stop Leads To Discovery of 14 Lbs of Drugs, Two Arrested

A traffic stop in northeast Wyoming has resulted in two arrests. The Wyoming Highway Patrol says the case involved a U-Haul truck that was stopped for unsafe driving Sunday night on Interstate 90 west of Moorcroft. With the help of a canine, troopers found 14 pounds of drugs inside a television set in the truck. Troopers initially said Tuesday that the drug was marijuana but later said it was methamphetamine. Troopers say the truck was carrying household furnishings from California to the St. Paul, Minn., area. A 50-year-old man and a 29-year-old female were arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. They weren't identified, but troopers say one is a Mexico resident and the other lives in San Jose, Calif.

Calling All Volunteers... For the National High School Rodeo Finals

The National High School Rodeo Finals is expected to draw 1500 to 1700 kids from 43 different states, 5 Canadian provinces and also from Australia. Last year, 11,000 people showed up to cheer them on. With that many people expected, a lot of volunteers are needed. Chad Banks with the Sweetwater Events Center says an orientation for those who have signed up or who might be interested, will be held on May 2nd.







Volunteer shifts are generally 4 hours long, but you can take on as much time as you like. And there are some special skills needed with some volunteers as well.






All volunteers will get a free t-shirt. Those that volunteer for 8 hours or more will get two free tickets to the rodeo event of their choice and there will also be a Survivors Party for all volunteers following the rodeo. The orientation will be held in the small hall at the Sweetwater Events Complex at 7 PM. The National Finals will be held from July 15th through the 21st. Volunteers are needed from July 12th, but can also be used even earlier.

BLM Opens Land

The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Kemmerer and Pinedale field offices are notifying the public that the annual prohibition on motorized vehicles in big game winter ranges will end on May 1.
BLM-administered lands in the Kemmerer Field Office area will open
The Slate Creek area south of Fontenelle Creek, west and north of Highway 189, and east of the crest of Slate Creek Ridge;
The Rock Creek area south of County Road 204 (Pine Creek Road), west of the crest of Dempsey Ridge, west of Fossil Butte National Monument, north and east of Highway 30; and
The Bridger Creek area south of Highway 30, west of Fossil Ridge, west of the Bear River Divide, north of the Uinta-Lincoln county line, and east of the Utah-Wyoming border and southeast of Highway 89.
BLM-administered lands in the Pinedale Field Office area will open:
The Ryegrass, Bench Corral, Deer Hills, Calpet and Miller Mountain winter ranges, including lands north of Fontenelle Creek, east of the U.S. Forest Service boundary, west of Highway 189 and south of Horse Creek; and
The Mesa winter range, including lands east of County Road 110 (East Green River Road), north of County Road 136 (Paradise Valley Road), west of the New Fork River and south of State Highway 191.

Outdoor enthusiasts are reminded that motorized vehicle use on public land is limited to existing roads and two-track trails. Off-road, cross country travel by motorized means is prohibited. To learn more about responsible recreation activities on public lands, please visit http://www.treadlightly.org/.

National Wildlife Federation on Dirt

Dirt is good, especially for children. A new National Wildlife Federation report makes that case by highlighting the benefits of letting kids get messy outside – and its release coincides with Earth Day activities in Wyoming this weekend. Meri Margaret Deoudes oversees the ‘Be Out There’ initiative for the N-W-F and says most kids naturally want to be messy, and there are good reasons to let them dig around.






Deoudes says getting grubby equals happiness for many kids, and scientists have found some clues as to why.






Recognizing that mucking around in the mud is a good thing may be toughest for parents, with Deoudes pointing out that our societal slant is towards over-sanitization. She wants families to keep in mind all the benefits of dirt and outdoor time to try to balance the thoughts of extra laundry.






She says for young children, there are tactile benefits to playing in the dirt. Encouraging kids to make mud pies and create forts also counts as exercise. The E-P-A website has a list of events in Wyoming this weekend, with several hands-on opportunities in the dirt.

Wildlife officials look to push bison toward park

State and federal wildlife officials are considering ways to haze more than 160 bison back toward Yellowstone National Park. Members of the Interagency Bison Management Program met by teleconference on Monday to hear concerns that more and more bison are roaming onto private land west of the park. Montana state veterinarian Marty Zaluski says the bison must be removed before they calve on private ranchland that cattle will soon inhabit. State Department of Livestock officials asked for reinforcements to help push back the bison off the private land to avoid potential conflict and reduced future tolerance for the animals. The bison wander from the park in winter in search for food. Yellowstone officials say the grass inside the park is not expected to sustain the animals until mid-May.

FERC grants rehearing on Flaming Gorge proposal

Federal regulators have granted a rehearing for further consideration of a Colorado businessman's proposal to build a pipeline to deliver water from southwestern Wyoming to southeast Wyoming and Colorado's Front Range. Aaron Million of Fort Collins had sought a permit from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for his project because a system of turbines and reservoirs that he plans to build along the pipeline would generate electricity. However a FERC official said in February that Million's application was premature and lacked specifics. Million then asked for a rehearing. The commission on Monday said that in order to afford additional time to review matters that were raised, it was granting a rehearing for further consideration.

Man Arrested After Stabbing in Rock Springs

One man has been arrested after an apparent stabbing in Rock Springs. On Sunday, at around 2:07 a.m., officers of the Rock Springs Police Department were patrolling in the area of N Street when they came upon a group of people congregating in the area. The crowd moved to the area of Channel Street when a fight broke out. As police moved in to break up the fight they found a man with a stab wound to his neck. 35 year old Hector Valenzuela-Solorzano of Rock Springs was arrested after police found he had used a weapon to stab the victim.

During the arrest of Valenzuela-Solorzano he reportedly struck a police officer in the face with a fist and stabbed the officer in the arm. The weapon used in the assault was recovered. The injuries received by the victim and police officer were minor in nature and did not require hospitalization. Hector Valenzuela-Solorzano was arrested for Aggravated Assault, and Interference with Police. Both charges are felonies with a maximum sentence of ten years in the penitentiary on each offense. Hector Valenzuela-Solorzano was taken to the Sweetwater County Detention Facility.

BLM Offering Firewood Permits This Spring

Field offices in the Bureau of Land Management’s High Desert District will be offering firewood permits for purchase this spring. Shelley Gregory says the Kemmerer and Pinedale field offices will offer firewood permits beginning May 1. The cost is $4.00 per cord with a five cord minimum and a 10 cord maximum.






The Rock Springs Field Office will offer permits beginning June 18th. The cost is $7.50 per cord in the designated wood cutting areas on Little Mountain and in the Prospect Mountains. There is a two cord minimum for both areas with a maximum of eight cords on Little Mountain and 10 cords in the Prospect Mountains.






Permits can be purchased between the hours of 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at all four High Desert District field offices.

No sign of invasive mussels found in Wyoming

Wyoming authorities haven't found any sign of 2 invasive mussel species in the state's water ways. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department searched 52 lakes and inspected thousands of lakes for signs of the species last year and didn't find any signs of quagga (KWA'-ga) or zebra mussels. Officals advise anyone who has used their boats in California, Nevada or Arizona to clean and dry their wheels and call the department before launching them in Wyoming.

Snowpack Down to 54 Percent of Average

Wyoming's snowpack has declined to 54% of average. That is down from last week's 59% average. Last year at this time the state average was 137%. This week, no river basins have above average snowpack and 19 basins are below average. Among the major basins, the Yellowstone is at 90% of average, Wind River at 58%, Bighorn 81%, Shoshone 84%, Upper North Platte 50%, Lower North Platte 51% and the Upper Green 59%.

Wildhorse Energy Sells Sweetwater uranium project

Wildhorse Energy says it has sold its Sweetwater uranium project to an unidentified mining company for $1.4 million. Australia-based Wildhorse says it will use the money to help fund a feasibility study of an underground coal gasification project in Hungary. The unnamed buyer also has a four-month option to purchase Wildhorse's Bison Basin project in Fremont County for $100,000. If Wildhorse sells both project sites in Wyoming, it won't have any projects left in the state. The Wildhorse deal comes amid a surge of development of uranium properties in Wyoming, as companies with uranium interests seek to benefit from increased prices for uranium.

Inmate Dies

Authorities say a Wyoming inmate has died at a hospital after apparently trying to kill herself the day before at a women's correctional facility in Lusk.
Officials with the Wyoming Department of Corrections say 20-year-old Eulalia A. Garcia was flown from the Wyoming Women's Center to a hospital in Casper early Thursday morning. She died Friday morning.
Garcia was sentenced in December to three to five years for unlawful manufacture or delivery of drugs.

Two Poisoned by Carbon Monoxide in Rock Springs

A call about two sick people to the Rock Springs Fire Department on Friday led to a discovery of a case of carbon monoxide poisoning. It all took place at around 11:30 AM at 700 4th Avenue West. Two people were removed from the home and transported by ambulance to Memorial Hospital. The cause was found to be the improper installation and inadequate maintenance on the natural gas supplied furnace and water heater in the home. Officials urge citizens to conduct regular inspections and maintenance on appliances such as water heaters, furnaces, stoves and clothes dryers. Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning include a feeling of lethargy and fatigue, red and watery eyes, and redness to the skin. These conditions may clear up when no longer exposed to the poisonous fumes.

Grizzly mauling trial scheduled for December

A lawsuit over a fatal bear mauling near Yellowstone National Park is set to go to trial at the end of the year. Federal Judge Nancy Freudenthal (FREE'-den-thawl) has scheduled the trial to start Dec. 3 in Cheyenne. Erwin Evert of Park Ridge, Ill., was killed by a grizzly bear that had been tranquilized by researchers in Shoshone National Forest. Evert's widow, Yolanda Evert, is suing the federal government for $5 million. She claims that researchers let the bear go too soon and took down warning signs. The Everts spent summers in a cabin in the forest on the east side of Yellowstone. Freudenthal will decide the case instead of a jury. That's the standard practice with claims brought under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

National Park Entrance Fees Waived This Week

Entrance fees are being waived this week at Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks in northwest Wyoming, as well as at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. The National Park Service is offering free visitor admission in honor of National Park Week from Saturday through April 29. More than 100 parks across the country are participating. The free entrance also pertains to commercial tour entrance fees and transportation entrance fees.

One Killed In Accident on I-80 Near Arlington

A Texas man driving a UPS Inc. tractor-trailer has died after an accident in southern Wyoming. The Wyoming Highway Patrol said Friday that the driver may have fallen asleep at the wheel. Officials say 60-year-old David W. Hickman of Cumby, Texas, was heading east on Interstate 80 near Arlington around 3:45 a.m. Thursday when the vehicle collided with a guardrail, went into a median and then overturned onto the driver's side. A passenger in the truck was treated at a hospital in Laramie and was released.

Wanted Rock Springs man and his aunt arrested

Sweetwater County Sheriff Detective Dick Blust, Jr. reports that a wanted Rock Springs man - and his aunt - were taken into custody by county deputies after a foot chase in Rock Springs on Thursday.






Carter told Sergeant Joe Tomich and Detective Jason Mower her nephew was not there.






Jamie Carter was arrested for interference with a peace officer. She has since been placed on one year of unsupervised probation on Friday. Wesley Carter remains in custody at the Sweetwater County Detention Center pending court appearances.

Game and Fish not expecting high winter mule deer deaths

Thanks to a fairly mild winter, Wyoming wildlife managers are not expecting significant winter deaths among mule deer herds. Biologist Dean Clause of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department says initial surveys show a fawn mortality rate of about 19% this past winter. Clause says that is below the average annual mortality rate of 30%. Still, Game and Fish wants to get a better picture of mule deer mortality and is inviting the public to help it survey deer winter ranges in southwestern Wyoming.

Wyoming National Guard participates in Utah drill

Wyoming National Guard members are returning home after participating in Utah's earthquake drill this week. The drill was the largest ever done in the state and involved mass evacuations, mock patients at hospitals and the deployment of 400 soldiers. The drill scenario called for a 7-magnitude quake, which occurs on the Wasatch Front about every 350 years. The Wyoming Guard sent 48 members to help out. Members helped process and deploy military units during the drill with help from the Wyoming Joint Force Headquarters Operations Center in Cheyenne.

Survey: Higher fuel prices slowing rural growth

Higher fuel prices may be applying brakes to the economy in rural areas of 10 Midwest and Plains states. A monthly survey index of rural bankers dropped to 57.1 in April from 59.8 in March. Organizers of the Rural Mainstreet Index survey say any score above 50 suggests the economy will grow. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss says there are signs that the higher energy and fuel prices are slowing growth in agriculture-dependent areas. And he says slower global growth has harmed some rural areas that are dependent on agricultural sales. The survey covers Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Hydrant Flushing

A standard procedure to maintain a healthy drinking water system is to flush the water lines annually. This is done by opening up fire hydrants.
The Utility Division will be flushing the water lines throughout Green River this spring and summer. This procedure may temporarily affect the color and clarity of your water. If this occurs, we recommend that you run your cold water faucet for a few minutes until the water clears.

Old Lincoln Track and Field at Castle Rock Park

Old Lincoln Track and Field at Castle Rock Park is the subject of debate as the city Council is currently planning to develop Tract C of the land, including sewer, water, power and a 10-foot-wide pathway and the tract into a park. Tract B of the park will be maintained by the city, only until the property is sold for future housing. Councilman Gene Smith proposed an amendment that would place the full financial burden of the reconstruction of the land on the contractors. The amendment was voted down 5-1.

Jonah Interagency Office and Pinedale Anticline Project Office

The Jonah Interagency Office (JIO) and Pinedale Anticline Project Office (PAPO) Boards of Directors will meet on May 2 and 3 at the Pinedale Field Office (PFO) at 1625 W. Pine St. in Pinedale, Wyo.
A field trip is planned for the morning of May 2 and will depart from the PFO at 7:30 a.m. The field trip will focus on mule deer and other wildlife mitigation projects within the Pinedale Anticline Project Area. It is open to the public who must provide their own transportation suitable for gravel roads.
On May 2, the JIO Board will meet at 1:30 p.m. and on May 3, the PAPO Board will meet at 8 a.m.; both meetings will be at the PFO and are open to the public. Each board will review budgets and receive a presentation on the database management systems that track the degree of disturbance and reclamation in both the Jonah and Pinedale Anticline gas fields. The PAPO Board will also review and discuss potential projects up for 2012 funding.

WINhealth Partners

Officials from WINhealth Partners (WIN) and Wyoming Health Solutions (WyoHS) announced today that they have entered into an agreement with Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. This expansion of its provider network will allow WIN to offer comprehensive health insurance plans and care management services in Sweetwater County.
WIN is a not-for-profit health maintenance organization managed by WyoHS, a third-party administrator. WIN is part of Cheyenne Regional Medical Center’s healthcare system and is the only Wyoming-owned and operated provider of comprehensive health insurance plans to Wyoming residents.
“We are enthusiastic about our expansion into Sweetwater County,” said Stephen Goldstone, WINhealth and WyoHS CEO. “We are confident that we will be able to offer competitive healthcare solutions to Sweetwater County individuals, families and employers.”
WyoHS Staff will initially offer Sweetwater County healthcare providers the opportunity to join the WIN network. WyoHS will also offer its management expertise to self-funded employer groups.

Easton Corbin To Join Lineup For Wyoming's Big Show

Country recording artist Easton Corbin will perform at the Sweetwater County Fair, Wyoming's Big Show, on Thursday, August 2, 2012.   The full concert line-up for the Sweetwater County Fair, Wyoming's Big Show, includes Kellie Pickler on Tuesday, July 31 followed by Sick Puppies on Wednesday, August 1, Easton Corbin on August 2, Theory of a Deadman on August 3 and The Roots and Boots Tour, featuring Joe Diffie and Sammy Kershaw on Saturday, August 4.   Wyoming's Big Show® will be held July 26 through August 5 at the Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs, WY. 

Officials from WINhealth Partners (WIN) and Wyoming Health Solutions (WyoHS) announced today that they have entered into an agreement with Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. This expansion of its provider network will allow WIN to offer comprehensive health insurance plans and care management services in Sweetwater County.

Officials from WINhealth Partners (WIN) and Wyoming Health Solutions (WyoHS) have announced that they have entered into an agreement with Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. This expansion of its provider network will allow WIN to offer comprehensive health insurance plans and care management services in Sweetwater County. WIN is a not-for-profit health maintenance organization managed by WyoHS, a third-party administrator. WIN is part of Cheyenne Regional Medical Center’s healthcare system and is the only Wyoming-owned and operated provider of comprehensive health insurance plans to Wyoming residents. WyoHS Staff will initially offer Sweetwater County healthcare providers the opportunity to join the WIN network. WyoHS will also offer its management expertise to self-funded employer groups.

EPA resumes testing in Pavillion area

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking more water samples in the area of a Wyoming gas field where it says hydraulic fracturing may have caused groundwater pollution. The company operating in the Pavillion gas field is skeptical of the new testing. Encana spokesman Doug Hock says a third-party analysis raises questions about how the EPA went about drilling two wells used to collect groundwater samples. Contamination in those wells led to last year's theory. Now, those same wells are being tested again. Pavillion residents say the EPA also has resumed testing their well water. Previous testing of the monitoring wells found high levels of the carcinogen benzene. The EPA announced last month it would collaborate on new testing with the U.S. Geological Survey, Wyoming and two American Indian tribes.

Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office communications officers recognized

Sweetwater County Detective Dick Blust, Jr., says the Sheriff's Office took the time last week to recognize their public safety telecommunicators.






Special plaques were presentedto Heather Ginestar, Tasha Urbache, Angela Adams, Tear Lehmann, Jeanette Lacy, Kristi Frost, and Elena Hamilton.






The plaques were presented during a special ceremony on April 13th.

Group: Deal reached to remove Wyo. forest corrals

An environmental group says it has reached an agreement with the U.S. Forest Service to remove some corrals it says could impede pronghorn migration in western Wyoming. The group Western Watersheds sued last year over the corrals in the Bridger-Teton National Forest east of Kelly in Jackson Hole. Ranchers use the corral while they graze cattle on public land in the Gros Ventre River drainage. The group says the corrals weren't built in accord with federal rules and could impede antelope migration between Jackson Hole and the Upper Green River Basin. Rancher Amy Robinson says removing the corrals will only be a temporary inconvenience. She says ranchers will continue to do business in the Gros Ventre.

Western Wyoming Community College Approves Proposal On Alternative Fueled Vehicles

The Western Wyoming Community College board of trustees has approved a proposal to add an alternative-fueled vehicles certificate program. Students at the college in Rock Springs would have access to a Toyota Prius electric-gasoline hybrid car and a Chevrolet Suburban converted to a compressed natural gas vehicle. WWCC President Karla Leach says automotive program students will have much better chances of getting jobs if they have a certificate in alternative fuels. The proposal must be approved by the Wyoming Community College Commission.

Carbon County making preparations for wildfires

Authorities in Carbon County are making preparations for possible wildfires this summer. Emergency management coordinator John Zeiger said meetings are being scheduled in towns closest to national forest lands - Baggs, Elk Mountain and Saratoga - to discuss how possible evacuations would be handled. On April 9th, about 10 acres burned between Elmo and Hanna and a controlled burn went out of control, growing to about 15 acres near Riverside. There were also a couple of smaller fires near Baggs last week. So far, wildfire activity across much of the state is expected to be higher than normal because of the low snowpack.

Gun in accidental shooting of Cheyenne boy probed

Laramie County investigators and federal agents are tracing the origin of a gun used in the accidental shooting of an 8-year-old boy in Cheyenne. Two 8-year-old boys found the .25 caliber gun while building a fort in a field on April 7. Sheriff's department spokesman Gerry Luce says that one boy pulled the trigger and the bullet hit Gage McClellan in the chest. He was dead when deputies arrived. Sheriff's investigators are working with agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to figure out how the gun ended up in the field.

Udall backs delaying closure of rural post offices

Colorado Sen. Mark Udall is backing an effort to prevent closing rural post offices for at least two years. Udall joined other senators on Wednesday in backing the amendment to a bill that would stabilize the U.S. Postal Service. The Postal Service says it needs to begin closing thousands of low-revenue post offices and mail processing centers this year as part of efforts to become profitable. The Senate bill would, in part, slow if not stop many closings by forcing the agency to first consider the special needs of rural communities. Seventy-one post offices in Colorado and 43 in Wyoming face possible closures. Sens. Michael Bennet of Colorado and Roy Blunt of Missouri have proposed appointing an advocate for rural communities facing closures so that communities' interests are heard.

Old oil fields could be geothermal power source

The Teapot Dome in central Wyoming will always be associated with 1 of the nation's biggest political scandals in the 1920s. But these days it's proving that old oil fields can be a source for clean, renewable energy. Now called the Rocky Mountain Oil Test Center, the field near Casper is the site of a demonstration project that shows hot water extracted from established oil and gas fields can be turned into geothermal power. Similar projects are being conducted elsewhere. Using hot water from oil and gas fields to create electricity benefits both the environment and the field by broadening and extending the field's use and producing clean energy. While more work is needed to show that the new geothermal resource is practical, industry officials say it holds great promise.

Sweetwater County Property Valuations Relatively Stable For 2012

Within the next few days, County residents will be receiving their 2012 Assessment Schedules. Sweetwater County Assessor Pat Drinkle wants everyone to take the time to look them over since they will be the basis for the 2012 property taxes.






This year saw a slight increase in values of residential properties within the County. The sales information collected during 2011, which is used to value residential property for tax year 2012, showed a slight increase in sales prices especially in the lower and moderate priced properties. Drinkle says that commercial properties also showed some increase in values. New construction and major remodeling of existing buildings added to the total county valuation.






After looking over your assessment schedule, if you have any questions or concerns about the valuation of your property, please call or stop by the Assessor’s office located in the Courthouse in Green River.

Man saves toddler thrown from wreck onto I-80

A Cheyenne man is credited with helping save the life of a 2-year-old who ended up on Interstate 80 after being thrown from a wreck. Travis Daniels and his father Ray Daniels were driving on I-80 near Pine Bluffs on Tuesday when they saw a car seat in the middle of the highway. The girl was still strapped to it. Ray Daniels said his son moved the girl out of traffic and he called for help. The Wyoming Highway Patrol says the car the toddler was in drifted off the side of the highway and rolled three times. The driver, Cindy Sprey, was in serious condition and passenger, Clay Holmes, of Gering, Neb, was in good condition Wednesday. The toddler's condition wasn't known.

City Council Meeting

The Green River City council flew through its second April Meeting Tuesday night, Erick Pauley has the story

WY gov. protests proposed federal fracking rules

Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead is protesting new natural gas drilling regulations being considered by the federal government. In a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar last week, Mead said adding new regulations for hydraulic fracturing on top of state rules would be "unnecessary, burdensome and unreasonable." A draft of the proposed new rules hasn't been released yet. Interior Department spokesman Adam Fetcher says they will require disclosure of chemicals used in fracking but protect trade secrets as well as address fracking water that flows back to the surface. Fracking involves blasting mixtures of water, sand and chemicals deep underground to release gas. It's used in nearly all of Wyoming's gas wells.

EPA wants full review of Ore. coal-export project

The Environmental Protection Agency wants the Army Corps of Engineers to do a thorough review of the impacts of exporting U.S. coal through Northwest ports. A subsidiary of Ambre Energy is planning to build a facility at the Port of Morrow along the Columbia River near Boardman, Ore., to ship coal from the Powder River basin of Montana and Wyoming to Asia. It needs approval from the Corps. The EPA wants the Corps to address the overall impacts to human health and the environment from increases in greenhouse gas emissions, rail traffic and mining. The coal-export project is o of at least six planned in the Northwest, including ones at Bellingham, Longview and Grays Harbor in Washington state, and at Port of St. Helens and Port of Coos Bay in Oregon.ne

Child in car seat thrown from vehicle on I-80

A one-vehicle rollover in southeast Wyoming resulted in injuries to three people, including a 2-year-old girl who was thrown from the wreck while still strapped in her child car seat. Sgt. Stephen Townsend says the accident occurred about 11 a.m. Tuesday on Interstate 80 near Pine Bluffs. He says the vehicle drifted off the side of the westbound lanes and then the driver overcorrected. The vehicle rolled three times. Townsend says the driver, Cindy Sprey, and a passenger, Clay Holmes, both of Gering, Neb., were admitted to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. He did not have the name of the child, who was taken to the Cheyenne hospital initially and scheduled for transfer to Children's Hospital in Denver later Tuesday. Their conditions were not immediately available. The accident is under investigation.

BLM Rawlins Schedules Visual Resources Scoping Meetings

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rawlins Field Office will host four scoping meetings to inform the public about the proposed visual resource management amendment for the 2008 Rawlins Resource Management Plan. Serena Baker says specialists will be available to answer questions at each of the meetings.






Baker says the meetings give the public a chance to look at maps, read the hand-outs and ask questions.






Any comments for consideration must be submitted in writing. For more information, visit blm.gov or call 307-328-4264.

Wolves, Sage Grouse To Be Discussed at WY Game and Fish Commission Meeting

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission is preparing to set hunting seasons for wolves and sage grouse at a meeting in Casper next week. The commission also plans to set seasons and license quotas for all big-game species including wild bison. Other business will include seasons for upland and early migratory birds, small game and turkeys. The meeting April 25-26 will be held at the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Building. An open meeting session will begin at 7:30 a.m. on April 25th.

Cheyenne teen's death labeled undetermined

The cause of death of a teen found dead in Cheyenne's rail yards in January will be listed as undetermined. The body of Alexander Frye was found with a single gunshot wound to his forehead after searches by hundreds of volunteers. Initially it was suspected that he killed himself, perhaps because of bullying, but a jury convened as part of an inquest on Monday couldn't determine how he died. Frye was found with a gun in 1 of his hands. However, gunpowder found on him didn't prove that he had fired the gun, only that it had been fired nearby. Even though the cause of death is being listed as "undetermined", coroner Marty Luna said there is flexibility to re-examine the case if new information arises.

Wyoming snowpack declines to 59% of average

Wyoming's snowpack continues to decline. The U.S. Agriculture Department's Natural Resources Conservation Service reports that snowpack is 59% of average this week. That's down from 63% last week and 119% last year at this time. The Belle Fourche (bel FOOSH') basin doesn't have any snow left at all. The Madison basin has the most snow at 96% of average. Record mountain snowmelt caused disastrous flooding across Wyoming last year but this year federal hydrologists foresee below average runoff because of the lower snowfall.

County Sheriff’s Office DUI Training

Troopers with the Wyoming Highway Patrol and Deputies with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office are taking part in a two day training to recognize drivers that are under the influence of drugs. “There are just as many, if not more drug impaired drivers than alcohol,” said Scott Peters, Drug Recognition Expert with the Riverton Police Department. A total of 18 troopers and deputies are in the class titled “Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement”. The training is taking place at the Riverton Police Department and educates them to recognize the signs and symptoms of someone that might be under the influence.

WPX Energy

Oil and natural gas producer WPX Energy surpassed the nine-year mark without a lost-time accident in the Powder River Basin. WPX was formerly known as Williams Production. At year-end 2011, Williams spun off its exploration and production business. That move created WPX, which employs 95 people in Wyoming. Over the past nine years, WPX employees around Gillette have worked 2.1 million hours and driven 16.2 million miles without incurring a work-related injury that causes an employee to miss work. A lost-time accident, or LTA, is a specific reportable incident whose standards and criteria are set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Summit Series

Wyoming business leaders interested in sharpening their marketing and leadership skills are encouraged to attend a professional development series in Gillette and Rock Springs, Wyo., in May.
The Wyoming Business Leadership Institute (WBLI), an advanced business leadership education program offered by the Wyoming Business Council and the University of Wyoming College of Business, is offering an accelerated, three-day series focused on marketing and leadership. The Summit Series is the second tier of professional development training offered through the WBLI. Summit Series participants will learn from University of Wyoming College of Business professors how to hone marketing and leadership skills important to business professionals in the workplace. The Leadership Summit will be held in Gillette, May 8-9, followed by a Marketing Summit on May 10-11. A Marketing Summit will be held in Rock Springs, May 8-9, followed by a Leadership Summit on May 10-11. Class times for both classes on all dates are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the first day, and from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the second.

Some Yellowstone roads to reopen for season Friday

Roads into the north and west sides of Yellowstone National Park are scheduled to reopen for the season this Friday. The roads will be open from the park's North Entrance at Gardiner, Mont., and the West Entrance at West Yellowstone, Mont., to Norris, Madison, Canyon and Old Faithful. Park officials say visitors still have a good chance of encountering cold weather and snow this time of year in Yellowstone. Also, many park services and amenities remain closed. People visiting Yellowstone will be rewarded with free admission next week, which is National Park Week. Entrance fees will be waived April 21-29 to encourage people to visit America's 397 national parks.

Torrington teen catches new state record stonecat

A 14-year-old Torrington boy is now in the Wyoming state fish record book. The state Game and Fish Department says Colton Bustillos caught a stonecat last month from the North Platte River near Torrington. The catch was 10.1 inches long and weighed .35 pounds. Torrington game warden Jon Stephens verified the fish was a stonecat and that it was the first entry in Wyoming for that species, making it the new state record. Colton, who had been fishing in the river most of the winter, caught his stonecat using a crappie rig with worms. The stonecat is a small catfish that grows up to 12 inches in length. In Wyoming, it is found in the North Platte, Belle Fourche, Powder, Tongue, and Bighorn River drainages.

Wyoming Inmate Released Early Has Been Found

A Wyoming inmate who was mistakenly released from prison is back in custody. The state Corrections Department says 28-year-old Arthur Penrod was apprehended by police in Riverton on Monday, about a week after his inadvertent release. The agency says Penrod was found at his girlfriend's house and was taken into custody without incident. Penrod was released from the Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins early last week after finishing a sentence for burglary. However, authorities determined after his release that he was supposed to have started serving a consecutive sentence for aiding in an aggravated assault. The Corrections Department is conducting an internal investigation into the mistake.

WY Department of Health Encourages Health Professionals To Register As Volunteers

The Wyoming Health Department is encouraging doctors, nurses, emergency medical technicians and other healthcare providers to register now with the Wyoming Volunteer Registry known as “WYeROLL – Wyoming Enrollment, Response, Operations, Logistics, Let's Enroll.” Kim Deti says that WYeROLL serves as a local, state and national web-based registry system for both medical and non-medical volunteers.






Deti says that registering does not commit you to responding, but should something happen, it would be up to you on whether you can respond at that time. It's easy to get registered.






Deti notes that the system is secure, and personal information will only be used to contact volunteers if the need arises.

Nevada Man Dies In Airplane Crash in Sweetwater County

A plane crash in southern Sweetwater County took the life of a Winnemucca, Nevada man on April 12th. Sweetwater County Sheriff Detective Dick Blust, Jr. says that 65 year old Cranfill A. “Buster High took off from Sidney, Nebraska in his twin-engine Cessna 320D at 3:30 PM Mountain time on April 12th and was originally headed for Riverton, Wyoming, where he had family.







Working with radar-sourced coordinates, county deputies launched a search and located the crash site around at around 10:00 AM some 22 and a half miles southwest of Green River near Dry Creek. 







Blust says investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have begun their investigation. No information about the cause of the crash was available.

Haz Mat Spill

A hazardous material spill on a road between Vernal and Manila could take two to four weeks to clean up, officials said Friday. The spill occurred when a semitrailer rolled Thursday. The driver told emergency responders that when he swerved to avoid an animal in the road, his tractor-trailer hauling 12 large containers of chlorite solution tipped over and rolled down a ravine. The incident occurred about five miles south of Manila on state Route 44, which is west of Flaming Gorge Reservoir and leads to Green River, Wyo. Up to 3,600 gallons of chlorite solution spilled from the containers, all of which leaked, according to UHP Lt. Steve Winward. An unknown amount of the material leaked into a stream that feeds into Flaming Gorge Reservoir, which could have some effect on fish there, he added.

SR44 Open Despite Hazmat Spill

A semi truck and trailer, rolled near mile post 22.5 on SR44 April 12th. The trailer was
carrying a Chlorite solution, and Hazmat teams were called out. The spill was maintained
with no threat to the public. SR44 is open to travel, with only minor delays. Hazmat clean up is in progress. SR44 is still open. There have been temporary closures as the semi is being removed.Clean up may take up to a week and a half, during which time there may be minor delays.

Partnership To Preserve Upper Green River Basin

The Upper Green River Basin in southwest Wyoming has been called the "Serengeti of the West." It has highly productive year-round sage grouse habitat and includes an important pronghorn antelope migration route. In addition, it winters more than 100,000 moose, elk, mule deer and pronghorn.,,The Conservation Fund has partnered with many other agencies, including the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, to protect about 30,000 acres in the Upper Green River Basin. As part of its Upper Green River Valley Initiative, The Conservation Fund is working to protect and enhance more than 150,000 acres.

Inmate mistakenly released early still at large

Sheriff's officials say they notified the Department of Corrections in August that a Wyoming inmate who was mistakenly released from prison earlier this week had received a new sentence. Natrona County Sheriff's Lt. Mark Sellers says the corrections department was emailed Aug. 10th about 28-year-old Arthur Penrod, the same day he was sentenced for aiding in an aggravated assault in Casper. The email informed the DOC it needed to transport Penrod so he could serve time for a parole revocation - stemming from an early burglary conviction - and the new assault sentence of 5 to seven years. The Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins released Penrod on Tuesday. The Department of Corrections says its central office got a copy of his sentencing information but the prison didn't. Penrod remains at large.

WY Relative of Titanic Survivor Attends Memorial Event

One hundred years after the Titanic sank, 40 of the survivors' descendants gathered yesterday to remember the infamous maritime disaster at a museum co-owned by an explorer of the wreckage. Wyoming resident Helen Benziger, who is the great-granddaughter of Titanic survivor Margaret Brown, is among the descendants who attended. Benziger, who lives in a small town in the Big Horn mountains, says she didn't know she was related to one of the disaster's most famous survivors until she was teenager watching the 1964 movie "The Unsinkable Molly Brown."

Former VP Cheney Speaks In Cheyenne, 1st Time Since Heart Transplant

On Saturday former Vice President Dick Cheney spoke at the Wyoming Republican's State Convention at Little America. It was the Wyoming native's first public event since undergoing a heart transplant three weeks ago in Virginia. Cheney, 71, was on stage for about an hour with his daughter Liz. She asked him several questions relating to his new book.

Public Scoping Meeting on Rogers Canyon Resource Protection and Public Access Plan To Be Held

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Rawlins Field Office has launched a 14-day public scoping period prior on a proposal to fence a one mile stretch of public land on the south side of Rogers Canyon. Serena Baker says the Rogers Canyon Resource Protection and Public Access Plan has become necessary because of unauthorized off-highway vehicle use, nuisance gun fire, and litter. 






In addition, barriers may be installed surrounding a current parking area.






The scoping meeting on the proposed plan has been scheduled for Thursday, April 26th from 6-8 p.m. at the Albany County Fairgrounds, located at 3510 S. Third Street in Laramie.  BLM specialists will be available to answer questions. You can also submit comments by fax, email, mail or in person at the Rawlins Field Office. Comments must be received by April 26th. 

Carbon County roads open early after mild spring

Seasonal roads have opened early in Carbon County because of the mild spring. Road superintendent Bill Nation says workers are about a month ahead of schedule in clearing snow from roads closed over the winter. The roads that go into the forest are open but, if it snows, they would only be passable in high-profile, four-wheel-drive vehicles. That could be the case soon. Snow and windy weather is expected across much of southeast Wyoming from late Friday.

Power plant unit near Kemmerer could switch to gas

1 of 3 coal-fired units at the Naughton Power Plant near Kemmerer could be switched to burn by natural gas. The power plant is owned by PacifiCorp and company spokesman Dave Eskelsen said the newest unit's emissions controls are up for review by the Environmental Protection Agency. According to Eskelsen, it would be less expensive to switch it to natural gas than to install new emissions controls for coal by 2014. Eskelsen said the company isn't planning to install any new coal-fired units in the future because of the "politics and economics" of air quality regulations.

Wyoming State Loan and Investment Board

The Wyoming State Loan and Investment Board (SLIB) approved over $6 million in Business Ready Community (BRC) and Community Facilities Program (CFP) grants at its meeting today in Cheyenne.
The Wyoming Business Council administers the BRC program, which provides the financing for publicly owned infrastructure that serves the needs of businesses and promotes economic development within Wyoming communities. The Community Facilities Program assists communities in preserving former school and government surplus facilities that have existing or future community uses.
The Business Council Board of Directors is required by statute to forward all BRC and CFP recommendations to the SLIB for final approval. During its March 15 meeting in Douglas, Wyo., the Business Council board recommended funding for two BRC Business Committed applications totaling $7,531,424 and four Community Facilities program applications totaling $3,614,950 leaving $30,886,481 available for this biennium. A BRC Managed Data Center Cost Reduction grant of $5 million requested by Laramie County was approved at a special SLIB meeting in March.

Wyoming Premium Heifer Program

A new management and marketing program will help agriculture producers add value to their livestock and provide potential buyers with a source of females of known production practices and genetics. The Wyoming Premium Heifer Program was created to help develop and market a source of quality, commercial replacement heifer calves and bred heifers that are produced and managed under a set of standard guidelines to meet the requirements of producers nationally. The program was developed by the University of Wyoming Department of Animal Science and the Wyoming Business Council’s Agribusiness Division. John Henn, Wyoming Business Council Livestock and Meat Program manager, said the program will assure buyers across the country that certified animals are managed, raised, and bred in accordance to the national requirements.
“The next few years will see a very high demand for heifers from several segments of the industry, creating a great marketing opportunity for cow-calf producers in the state,” said Henn. “The Wyoming Premium Heifer Program will provide the ability for producers to create and capture that added value sought by buyers across the country.” Henn said many producers in Wyoming are currently using these management practices with their heifers and would qualify.

LEAD Awards

It was an award winning day in Sweetwater County Wednesday as the local chambers handed out four awards to local residents. At the annual L-E-A-D-(say lead) in business luncheon, the Green River and Rock Springs chambers handed out there annual awards. Tammy Christenson from Wells Fargo was awarded the business women of the year, Dr. Paul Zancanella (Zank-uh-nella) was named Business man of the year, the Growth and Innovative business of the year went to FMC, and the Business champion of the year went to the Sweetwater County Events Complex.

Sweetwater County Democrats

Sweetwater County Democrats will meet this Saturday, April 14 for the County Convention. Registration begins at 10 a.m. followed by keynoter Randy Udall at 11:00. The Democratic caucus will follow with the Presidential Preference Vote, election of delegates to the State
Convention in May and adoption of the County Party’s platform. The convention takes place at WWCC Green River Center in the John Wesley Powell Room.

Sweetwater County Library System Last Poetry Jam of the Season To Be Held

Wordsmiths and musicians are needed to perform at the last Poetry Jam of the season on Friday, April 20th at 7 p.m. at the Sweetwater County Library. Brittany Wells says that whether people prefer to sing or speak, the spirit of spoken word is definitely present at the Poetry Jams.






Steve Davis will also be performing. Any poets and musicians are welcome to perform at the Poetry Jam. The Poetry Jams provide an opportunity for people to express their creativity in front of an audience - and audiences the chance to be entertained by short bursts of contemporary poetry and music.






The Poetry Jam is sponsored by the Sweetwater County Library System. For more information about
Library System sponsored events, resources, and services, stop into your local library, or go to
sweetwaterlibraries.com or on Facebook at sweetlibraries.

Local Chambers Hand Out Four Awards to Local Residents

It was an award winning day in Sweetwater County Wednesday as the local chambers handed out four awards to local residents. At the annual L-E-A-D-(say lead) in business luncheon, the Green River and Rock Springs chambers handed out their annual awards. Tammy Christenson from Wells Fargo was awarded the business women of the year, Dr. Paul Zancanella (Zank-uh-nella) was named Business man of the year, the Growth and Innovative business of the year went to FMC, and the Business champion of the year went to the Sweetwater County Events Complex.