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The Campbell $1.00 County Observer
www.campbellcountyobserver.net
“If it doesn’t have to do with Campbell County, we don’t care!”
Volume 2 • Issue 16
June 17 - 24, 2011
April 20 - 27, 2012
Iseman Homes announces “Win a free home!” Home Giveaway
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Local Foods Grass Fed Beef and Draft Horses Come to our website for all our available products. www.EZRocking-Ranch.com Owned by local Campbell County Rancher.
Leann Francis, Jocelyn Johnson, and Katalina Crain have fun selling Girl Scout Cookies at the Annual Camplex Garage Sale.
Our best source for news is you. Visit our website for contact information.
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A Wal-Mart security camera captures this unidentified man who is suspected of stuffing a gray tote with about 249 DVD movies as he allegedly walks out of the store with more than $7,000 in stolen merchandise.
Update: Security cameras capture suspected movie thieves Police are asking for the public’s help in finding two people suspected of stealing over $7,000 worth of DVD and other merchandise from a Gillette retail store. Wednesday morning, local law enforcement released images of the suspects captured on Wal-Mart security cameras as they allegedly left the store on April 10 around 7:20 a.m. Police say an unidentified man entered the store and placed a large gray tote and two pillows in a shopping cart. The man then allegedly entered the electronics department and stuffed the tub with approximately 249 3D DVD movies and walked out of the store. According to police, the man was working with a woman who was acting as a look out. Police say the woman purchased several items with cash before walking out of Wal-Mart with the man. The security alarm activated when both suspects simultaneously exited the store. At that moment, police say the woman stood there while the man continued walking out of the store. The store did not detect the alleged theft until nearly a week later when employees could not account for the missing inventory. If you have any information as to the identity or whereabouts of these two individuals you are asked to call the Gillette Police Department at (307) 682-5155.
Iseman Homes, the region’s leading provider of manufactured housing, announces a sweepstakes in which the prize is a free home. “Getting a free house is something that is pretty exciting,” said Iseman Homes president Ken Ward. “For most people, their home is the most significant expense they have so getting one for free is a once in a lifetime chance.” Though the economic challenges of the past few years have put significant pressure on the housing industry, Iseman has had unusual success. The “Win a free home” promotion not only brings attention to Iseman but also serves to communicate the most important reasons people choose a manufactured home. “We put people in high quality homes, quickly and at more reasonable cost than old-school construction methods” adds Ward. The particular home that Iseman is giving away is an excellent example of what is possible for today’s home owner. Nearly 1,400 square ft central air, designer-grade furnishings, and spacious floor plans. Each sales office in Iseman’s seven state area has a sample model of the home the company will be giving away this Christmas. Though there is no purchase necessary to register for the free home, the public is encouraged to visit their nearest Iseman office to experience the home directly. “People who know our homes will love it,” says Ward. “But people who aren’t quite familiar with our homes will walk away impressed. They always do and that’s just good marketing.” Iseman Homes was founded in 1920 in Sioux Falls, SD and has 11 locations in the upper Midwest. For more information on Iseman Homes and the “Win a free home” promotion, contact Jeremy Redepenning at 307-682-0201. Iseman Homes is also available on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and at www.IsemanHomes.com
For subscriptions go to www.CampbellCountyObserver.net
Community Southern Drive speed limit now 50 mph By Nathan Kobielusz - Basin Radio A new traffic light at the corner of Enzi Drive and Southern Drive isn’t the only big change occurring along the southern belt loop. This week, the speed limit along Southern Drive has been adjusted to a constant 50 mph. The Campbell County Commissioners approved the change this past January following a detailed speed study after the City of Gillette approved plans to install a traffic signal at the intersection of Enzi Drive and Southern Drive. County officials have said all along that the speed limit changes will coincide with the installation of the traffic signal. “So we went in and took a very detailed, engineering look at the Southern Drive section from Highway 50 to Highway 59,” explains Campbell County public works director Kevin King. King says the uniform speed limit will be better for drivers. Previously, the speed limit along Southern Drive switched from 55 mph to 45 mph and then dropped to 30 mph at the ends where Southern Drive intersects with Highway 59 and Highway 50.
“So it was very confusing for drivers,” King says. “They never knew if they were in the 45 zone or the 55 zone, and then at the two ends it was reduced clear down to 30. So I guess in my opinion going with a uniform speed limit over the full length should be much better for drivers. It’s consistent; you know what the speed limit is all the way through there.” Under the new speed limit, the only variations along Southern Drive will be at the intersections of Highway 59 and 50 when the speed limit drops to 40 mph. King estimates that within the next year, the county will likely review the new speed limits to determine if they are still appropriate. “As with any speed limit, over time things change,” he says. “You have different traffic patterns. I think one of the big things we’ll be looking at when the city’s signalized intersection goes in there is what that does to traffic—that will impact speeds along the roadway, that will impact other streets as they come in.” King anticipates that motorists on Southern Drive will naturally slow down
green for traffic on Southern Drive until a vehicle stops on Enzi Drive,” Lunne explains in an email to Basin Radio Network. As well, advanced warning lights will be placed along Southern Drive roughly 800 feet on each side of the signal, Lunne says. Additionally, Lunne says
near the intersection of Enzi Drive once the traffic signal is installed. Public Information Officer for the City of Gillette Joe Lunne anticipates the new traffic light will be operational by the end of next week on April 13. A few days before the light becomes completely functional, Lunne says, it will blink yellow for Southern Drive traffic and red for traffic on Enzi Drive. “Once it is operational the traffic signal will utilize a video sensor to detect traffic flow on Enzi Drive, and the traffic signal will remain
the contractor will be installing a pathway along Southern Drive as part of this project. He asks motorists to observe all traffic control in the area until the entire project is completed. In the end, King says the revised speed limits will also have a surprising affect on the time it takes drivers to travel Southern
Drive. “When we did the calculations we actually looked at if you drove from one end to the other under the previous speed limits and under the new speed limit, the time to transverse from [Highway] 59 to [Highway] 50 would be virtually the same, if not a little bit quicker under the new one.”
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Community Business leaders encouraged to attend professional development series Submitted by Kim Kittle - Wyoming Business Council 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 lead-
ership 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. Participants may choose to take one or both of the learning tracks. Those who participate in the Leadership Summit will: • Recognize how personality influences effective and ineffective behavior within themselves and others • Use leadership practices and skills that foster effective work relationships
• Manage decisions that ensure consensus and “buy-in” from others • Recognize situations that require leader decisiveness • Use leadership methods to develop positive work culture Marketing Summit participants will: • Understand the strategic marketing process • Analyze the marketing environment through information acquisition, management and use • Understand situational analysis • Understand customer analysis • Integrate the marketing mix in managing the customer experience Cost to participate is $950 for each Summit ($850 for WBLI Alumni), or $1,700 to attend both the Marketing and Leadership Summits
($1,500 for WBLI Alumni). The registration deadline is April 20. For more information or an application, please visit www.wyomingbusinessinstitute.com or contact Cindy Garretson-Weibel at the Wyoming Business Council at cindy.weibel@wyo.gov. To reserve a room at the Holiday Inn in Rock Springs, call 307.382.9200. To reserve a room at the Clarion in Gillette, call 307.686.3000. Be sure to ask for the WBLI conference rate.
ALL ABOUT WOMEN
EVENTS
Proceeds benefit The Boys and Girls Club June 2nd • 10 - 4 Father’s Day Bazaar - Anytime Storage
April 21st • 10-4 Mother’s Day Bazaar Lakeway Learning Center
Premium heifer program creates new market opportunity for cow-calf producers
May 19th • 10 - 5 Benefit for the Boys and Girls Club Style and shopping Experience Cam-Plex Central Pavilion Gillette’s Glamme Belles Fashion Show by Fashion Bug Wonderful Appetizers Offered Tickets $30 available at Avenue Mall
June 16 • 10 - 4 Mall in the Park - Cam-Plex Park June 30 Summer Splash - Hairlicious Starting memorial Weekend Summer Flea Market Anytime Storage
Submitted by Kim Kittle - Wyoming Business Council 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. To participate, producers must submit an application for membership by June 1 for the enrollment of bred heifers, and by Sept. 1 for replacement heifer calves. There is an annual $25 ranch enrollment fee and a $3 per head enrollment fee which includes the cost of the official program tag. However, as a promotion for the first year of the program the $25 annual enrollment fee will be waived for 2012. The program will have several special internet video sales starting in November with additional sales after the first of the year in January 2013. The sales will be managed and
conducted by participating Wyoming auction markets. The program’s sales and listings will be promoted nationally, especially in those areas where rebuilding and expansion will be taking place from the Southern Plains to the Midwest and West. Heifers certified in the program will also be listed on the Wyoming Beef Cattle List atwww.wyobeef. com with consigned sale date and specifications. The program guidelines, application, and marketing form may be downloaded from the website.
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Campbell County Observer
Featured Crime
Destruction of Property
Crime Stoppers needs your help in solving destruction of property crimes that are occurring throughout Gillette. There have been 20 reported incidents where unknown suspect(s) have used a BB gun to shoot out the windows of businesses, residences and vehicles. The majority of the crimes occurred on the evenings of April 4th and April 5th. If you have information that can solve this or any other crime please call Crime Stoppers at 686-0400 or the High School Crime Stoppers at 682-4185. You can remain anonymous and may earn up to $1,000 in reward.
Joke of the week Submitted by Trevor Overhault During a terrible storm, all the highway signs were covered with snow. The following spring, the state decided to raise all the signs twelve inches at a cost of six million dollars. “That’s an outrageous price!” said a local farmer, “but I guess we’re lucky the state handled it instead of the federal government.” “Why’s that?” “Because knowing the federal government, they’d decided to lower the highways.”
CampbellCountyObserver.net 5105 Tarry St. Gillette, WY 82718 (PP-1) Volume 2 Issue 16 The Campbell County Observer is published by Patriot Publishing L.L.C. in Gillette, WY every Friday. 5105 Tarry St. Gillette, WY 82718 Postmaster: Send address changes to 5105 Tarry St. Gillette, WY 82718 Candice De Laat - Owner/Publisher CandiceDeLaat@CampbellCountyObserver.com Nicholas De Laat - Owner/Editor NicholasDeLaat@CampbellCountyObserver.com Keary Speer - Editor KearySpeer@CampbellCountyObserver.com Anne Peterson - Advertising Sales Manager AnnePeterson@CampbellCountyObserver.com Robyn Brooks - Sales/Marketing RobynBrooks@CampbellCountyObserver.com Traci Jefferson - Sales/Marketing TraciJefferson@CampbellCountyObserver.com Dale Russell - Sales/Marketing DaleRussell@CampbellCountyObserver.com Owen Clarke - Ad Design OwenClarke@CampbellCountyObserver.com Ken McCoy - Distribution Manager Pattie Ladd - What’s Going On PattieLadd@CampbellCountyObserver.com Clint Burton - Photographer ClintBurton@CampbellCountyObserver.com
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Writers Sandra Boehler (Charities/Fundraisers/Veterans Events) SandraBoehler@CampbellCountyObserver.com Glenn Woods (Political Column) GlennWoods@CampbellCountyObserver.com Mike Borda (American History) MichaelBorda@CampbellCountyObserver.com Elizabeth Albin (Wright) ElizabethAlbin@campbellcountyobserver.com Lin Stephens LinStephens@CampbellCountyObserver.com Josh Uzarski (Science) JoshuaUzarski@CampbellCountyObserver.com Ken De Laat (About Nothing) KennethDeLaat@CampbellCountyObserver.com “Juice” (Political Cartoonist) Juice@CampbellCountyObserver.com Jeff Morrison (Local History Contributor) JeffMorrison@CampbellCountyObserver.com
EARTH DAY April 22, 2012
Since and before the official formation of Earth Day in 1970, individuals and groups alike have been trying to raise awareness, educate, and regulate mankind’s impact on the environment. A general consensus might agree that this prospect is a noble one; however it seems that ideological conflict arises in not only the objective view of the scientific data and where it points, but the implementation of the conclusions based in the analysis of that data. Finding common ground on the issue of our responsibility to minimize undesirable impacts on the environment, if only solely based on an idea of a better future for generations to come, collectively may have a very substantial impact. Stewardship is a term that has great merit in its practice. It’s realization in the environment revolves around mitigating wastefulness and propagating resourcefulness. Reducing, reusing, and recycling, we all should be mindful of our own ability to do our part. If you’d like to get involved, it’s free and easy, just stop by City Hall, or simply call customer service at 686-5206 to register for the city’s curbside recycling program. You’ll receive a free starter kit and some blue trash bags to get you going. Simply put your recyclables into the bags and set them next to your trash can for pick-up on your normal trash day. If you desire to go above and beyond your own property’s boundaries you can volunteer to be a part of the Coal Country Trash-a-thon too! You simply pick a local area of any size, and become responsible for helping to keep it clean. For more information on trash-a-thon and other ways you can get involved to help keep Gillette “Clean and Green” check out www.gillettewy.gov and click on the “Conservation and Recycling” link. Water and energy conservation is an integral part of reducing waste but can significantly reduce your expenses as well! It’s estimated the average family spends $500/yr. on water and sewage costs. Fixing small leaks and putting water efficient fixtures in your home can drastically reduce these costs. Likewise, locating and fixing air leaks in your home as well as installing energy efficient windows and doors can greatly improve your families bottom line, not to mention the tax credits available for efficiency upgrades. The City of Gillette will also rebate residential utility customers $125.00 for getting a “Home Energy Audit” by their affiliate Green Steps, Inc. Call 6205360 to make an appointment and you can find out exactly where the major areas of your home efficiency losses are! In these days of a tight economy and even tighter budgets this knowledge can go a long way. So whether you’re just trying to remember to shut your lights off or you have the carbon print of an ant, you’re making a difference and can be proud of it, and remember, ants can move mountains, but it’s only by working together one pebble at a time. Do you have your pebble? -Jason Boucher
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Community Girl Scouts thank volunteers During Volunteer Appreciation Week, April 15 – 21, Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming would like to thank the more than 2,700 volunteers and lifetime members across the council for their dedication and commitment the organization’s mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. More than 800,000 Girl Scout volunteers across the country work tirelessly to make sure the Girl Scouting mission comes to life. In its 100th anniversary year, Girl Scouts has affirmed its unwavering commitment to girls’ leadership with the launch of ToGetHerThere, the largest, boldest advocacy and fundraising cause dedicated to girls’ leadership in the nation’s history. The multi-year effort will seek to create balanced leadership—the equal representation of women in leadership positions in all sectors and levels of society—within one generation. ToGetHerThere will be made possible by volunteers. “Since 1912, Girl Scouting has built its success on a deep commitment to timeless values, and volunteers make it happen!” said Sally Leep, Chief Executive Officer for Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming. “We couldn’t do this important work without those who give selflessly of their time on behalf of Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming.” Each year, Girl Scouts formally recognizes adult members whose accomplishments are significant and for their unique and outstanding service. Awards presented during the 2012 Annual Meeting of Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming, held March 31 in Billings, Mont., included the Outstanding Volunteer Recognition (given to a registered adult Girl Scout volunteer serving in a capacity other than troop leader), the Outstanding Leader Recognition (given to a volunteer who is a troop/group leader, assistant leader, or coordinator for outstanding performance in working with girls), the Appreciation Pin (recognizes volunteers actively giving outstanding service to at least one geographic area or program delivery audience), the
Honor Pin (recognizes volunteers giving outstanding service in more than two geographic areas), and the Thanks/Thanks II Badge (award that recognizes volunteers for actively giving outstanding service impacting the council or the entire Girl Scout movement). Award recipients are as follows: Outstanding Leader: Marie McCann (Billings), Melissa Abby (Billings), Kristen Fears (Billings), Deb Larson, Bozeman), Lorraine Sheroian (Bozeman), Becky Hollowell (Bozeman), Karen Byerly (Bozeman), Mary Black (Bozeman), Kori Curry (Bozeman), Lisa Golden (Hamilton), Tricia Deen (Hamilton), Angela Timmes (Corvallis), Mellisa Michaels (Cut Bank), Kadee Sharp Knapp (Helena), Liz Burke (Helena), Jessica Mead (Gillette), Theresa Drake (Great Falls), Linda Erikson (Great Falls), Nancy Neese (Miles City), Racquel Williams (Missoula), Nina Marie Lloyd (Rock Springs), Ann Atkinson (Rock Springs), Jenn Dunn (Shepherd), and Jeana Barnhart (Sidney). Outstanding Volunteer: Alene Malloy (Billings), Gwen Boone (Bozeman), Kathy Handelin (Bozeman), aci Walker (Cheyenne), Kathy Smith (Dillion), Tacey Sartorius (Helena), Shari Strachan (Missoula), and Natalie Miller (Rock Springs). Appreciation Pin: Tara Kronland (Casper), Trish Peoples (Cheyenne), Shawn Muhle(Cheyenne), and Cheryl Alexander (Hamilton). Honor Pin: Janet Stacy (Sheridan). Thanks Badge: Jenn McFarland (Bozeman), Karen Downs (Cheyenne), and Deb Spurgeon (Cheyenne). Additionally, volunteers were highlighted for their leadership in three categories: Longtime leader, new leader, and youth leader, in a special Leadership Spotlight that focused on the council’s 12 geographic areas:
Northwest Montana
Longtime leader: Becky Opalka-Johnson Columbia Falls, Montana Youth leader: Kendra Sago, Columbia Falls, Montana
New leader: Renee Jones, Kalispell, Montana
Tharp, Cheyenne, WY Youth leader: Khamis Peoples, Cheyenne, WY New leader: Shawn Muhle, Cheyenne, WY For information on adult recognitions, visit http:// gsmw.org/adults/volunteer/ recognition, and for details on ToGetHerThere, visit http://togetherthere.org. About Girl Scouts: Founded in 1912, Girl Scouts of the USA is the premier leadership development organization for girls with 3.4 million girl and adult members worldwide. Girl Scouts is the leading authority on girls’ healthy development, and builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming—serving two states, 79 counties, and covering 245,000 square miles—is one of more than a hundred chartered Girl Scout councils. For more information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming, call (800) 736-5243 or visit www.gsmw.org.
Northcentral Montana
Longtime leader: Andrea Anderson, Cut Bank, MT Youth leader: Kyla Campbell, Great Falls, MT New leader: Felecia Midboe, Shelby, MT
Eastern Montana
Longtime leader: Cami White, Glendive, MT Youth leader: Amanda Price, Miles City, MT New leader: Ann Lansrud, Wolf Point, MT
Western Montana
Longtime leader: Shelley Juvan, Helena, MT Christine Patten, Helena, MT Heather Lynn Meeks, Butte, MT
Southwest Montana
Longtime leader: Chris Greytak Hower, Corvallis, MT Youth leader: Katie Bertram, Stevensville, MT New leader: Shari Strachan, Missoula, MT
Southcentral Montana
Longtime leader: Cathy Speich Ferguson, Dillon, MT Youth leader: Anna Teintze, Bozeman, MT New leader: Nancy Collyer, Clyde Park, MT
Board recognizes students who have excelled -- in and out of the classroom -based on scholarship, leadership and service. Mortar Board members participate in many projects and activities throughout the year, both on campus
2100 S. Douglas Hwy., Suite 100 Gillette, Wyoming 82718 Cell 307.687.7101 Office 307.687.0440 Fax 307.686.9529 E-Mail boucher0130@gmail.com Web Site www.wesellwy.com
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Billings
Longtime leader: Alene Malloy, Billings, MT Youth leader: Kailey Slemp, Billings, MT New leader: Melissa Abbey, Billings, MT
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Northwest Wyoming, Central Montana
Longtime leader: Valorie Pearl, Powell, WY Youth leader: Alyssa Rodriguez, Powell, WY New leader: Andrea Benson, Laurel, MT
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Northeast Wyoming
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Longtime leader: Jean Harm, Sheridan, WY Youth leader: Khailey Searing, Gillette, WY New leader: Emily Evan, Gillette, WY
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Southwest Wyoming
Longtime leader: Cindy Hovander, Green River, WY Youth leader: Sheridan Sherwin, Green River, WY New leader: Nina Lloyd, Rock Springs, WY
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Central Wyoming
Longtime leader: Susan Bronson, Riverton, WY Youth leader: Amber Erhart, Riverton, WY New leader: Nicole Hool, Casper, WY
Southeast Wyoming
Longtime leader: Mary
Confidential • Courteous • Convenient • Clean
Senior Honor Society names new members Top University of Wyoming students are new members of Mortar Board, the national senior honor society. Selection as a member of Mortar Board is one of the highest honors that a UW senior can achieve. Mortar
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t h g i l t o Sp of the Week
Warden’s Corner Spring wild turkey season is in full swing and I hope you’ve had a chance to get out and enjoy the beautiful spring weather we’ve been having. Keep in mind if you go turkey hunting that areas 1, 3, and 5 are open to hunting on a general license and hunters may take any male wild turkey or any wild turkey with a visible beard. Legal firearms for wild turkey hunting are defined as any centerfire cartridge as well as .22 magnum. Have a safe turkey season and remember that hunters are not required to wear fluorescent orange to hunt wild turkeys so be sure of your target and what’s beyond it before you take your shot.
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Comics
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Solutions from last week
“A patriot is like a Father. Right or wrong you love your kids, but sometimes you have to put them in their place. The same goes for a country.� - Nicholas De Laat
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Community City of Gillette invites public in for Arbor Day celebration The City of Gillette’s Public Works Department would like to invite the public to attend an Arbor Day celebration on Monday, April 30th. The celebration begins at 10am at Northwest Park, located at the northern end of Burma Avenue. While Arbor Day falls on Friday, April 27th, the Public Works Department graciously requests your presence at Northwest Park on April 30th. Other upcoming events: Earth Day - Sunday, April 22nd! Community Stop & Drop - Saturday, May 12, 2012 Hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: Campbell County Public Health 2301 S. 4-J Rd Gillette, WY 82718 What can you drop off? ProTech is sponsoring responsible Electronic Recycling
• Consumer Electronics: computers, printers, TV’s, stereos The EPA reports in 2009, discarded TVs, computers, peripherals (including printers, scanners, fax machines) mice, keyboards, and cell phones totaled about 2.37 million tons. A great deal of what is labeled as “e-waste” is actually not waste at all; rather, it is whole electronic equipment or parts that are readily marketable for reuse or can be recycled for materials recovery. On a national level, about 25 percent of TVs, computer products, and cell phones that were no longer useful were collected for recycling. It is important to note that consumer electronics are complex devices which are made of a wide variety of materials. Some, such as lead, nickel, cadmium, and mercury, could pose risks to human health or the environment if mismanaged at their “end-of-life”. The City
of Gillette wishes to take an active role in the proper management of used electronics and offers Stop & Drop events to increase the collection and responsible recycling of used consumer electronics. Powder River Shredders is sponsoring safe Document Destruction/ Shredding • Bring in any sensitive documents to be destroyed: cancelled checks, tax forms, etc. Substance Abuse Advisory Committee is sponsoring Pharmaceutical Take-Back • Bring in old bottles of prescription drugs (unwanted or expired), vet or pet drugs, over-the-counter medicine, vitamins, medical patches or creams. Please do not bring thermometers (or anything containing mercury), oxygen containers, pressurized drugs, or illicit drugs.
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1103 E. Boxelder, Suite C Gillette, WY USA 82718
We want to get it Write. Oops we mean Right. The Observer strives to make news reports fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage, Contact us at nicholasdelaat@campbellcountyobserver.com
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Before you dig, know what’s down there
The warm weather and extended hours of sunshine are welcome reminders that Wyoming winters may be long, but they don’t last forever. The upcoming months are affectionately known as construction season, and the City of Gillette would like to remind anyone who plans on doing any digging to first make one important phone call. As you begin working outside this summer, always call before you dig because there are a lot of important things buried in the ground in Wyoming, including electrical line, telephone lines, gas lines, and fiber optic cables. These lines are buried everywhere—in cities and towns, in the country, along roads
and sometimes far away from the beaten path. One-Call of Wyoming is a program which helps those who dig by identifying and locating underground facilities such as utility pipes, lines, wires, cables, and other equipment. Whether you’re in a city, town, or far off the beaten path, there’s important things buried in the ground all throughout Wyoming. “They’ll come out and they’ll do a locate and that really helps protect you if something happens,” explains City of Gillette public information officer Joe Lunne. “Don’t just take it for granted that every things okay in the backyard. Just call before you dig.” And it doesn’t matter how insignificant you think your
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project is. The goal of One-Call is to prevent injury, death, destruction, and damage to property caused by excavation activity. So whether you’re adding a room to your house, building a road, digging a trench, or doing anything else that requires digging, call OneCall of Wyoming at least two business days before you dig. Besides, state law also requires you to contact the One-Call service provider to request the location of underground facilities in the area of your excavation before you dig. Best of all, One-Call of Wyoming is completely free. You can reach them by calling 1-800-849-2476.
307.299.2323
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110 E Lakeway Rd. Ste., 1000 Gillette WY, 82718 www.ActiveLivingGillette.com
Campbell Co. Fire Dept. April 11, 2012
- At 2:34 p.m. to Lakeside Drive for an EMS assist. - At 3:17 p.m. to Boxelder Road for an EMS assist.
April 12, 2012
- At 9:47 AM to Helena St. for an EMS assist. - At 12:07 PM to Greenough Rd. for a structure fire. Upon arrival we found a large tin sided pole barn that was approximately 200’ x 80’ already destroyed by fire and collapsed. Nearby stables had fire in the eaves, crews were able to put out the fire in these structures. As a result of the high wind several small grass fires were also started along with several manure piles and hay bales. The cause of the fire was a controlled burn that was started yesterday in the corrals to burn manure and moldy hay. The high winds this morning spread the fire to nearby corrals and the barn. The large barn was a total loss. - At 6:08 PM to Lexington for an EMS assist. - At 9:47 PM to Four J for an EMS assist. - At 10:16 PM to Campbell County Memorial Hospital for an automatic fire alarm, the cause of the alarm is believed to have been a faulty detector. The alarm system was reset and turned over to maintenance personnel.
April 14, 2012
- At 12:33 PM to the 100 block of Cottonwood Lane for a medical assist. - At 1:09 PM to 3209 Fitzpatrick Drive for a fire alarm involving a smoke detector activation in the hallway. Responding fire units were cancelled when it was learned it was a false alarm.
We are
tally destroyed in the fire and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. - At 1:36 PM to the 4500 block of Tepee Street for a medical assist. - At 2:50 PM to Rozet, along East Highway 14-16 for a medical assist. - At 3:44 PM to the area of Newton Road for a gas smell. The source of the smell was not located by fire crews in the area and dissipated in short time period. - At 5:28 PM to 5603 Marlin Court for a smoke detector activation. Responding fire units were cancelled when it was learned to be a false alarm. - At 9:03 PM to the 900 block of Camel Drive for a medical assist.
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April 17, 2012
- At 6:51 AM to the area near Burma and 2nd for a report of a natural gas smell, later reports came in from Foothills, Escheta, Echeta and McKenzie Rd. We found no detectible levels of natural gas and believe that a worker in the gas industry may have had a bottle of mercaptan that was leaking. - At 8:46 Am to the area of North Gurley Avenue for an EMS assist. - At 2:12 PM to the area of West Fourth Street for an EMS assist. - At 4:16 PM to Newton Rd. for a report of a natural gas smell. Upon arrival a strange odor could be detected, it was determined to be employees of Jims Water Service who were cleaning out years of waste in a large sump in the shop. - At 9:51 PM to the area of E. 2nd St. in Industrial Park for a report of a possible structure fire. Upon arrival by the Police Department it was determined to be a wood burning stove, all units were cancelled.
April 15, 2012
- At 11:05 p.m. to the 800 block of 4J Road for an EMS assist.
April 16, 2012
- At 7:30 AM to the 700 block of West 6th Street for a medical assist. - At 9:28 AM for a medical assist on East Boxelder Road. - At 10:20 AM to Prairieview Drive for a fluid leakage from a vehicle. - At 11:10 AM to the area of East Highway 14-16, in Rozet, for a medical assist. - At 1:07 PM to the 500 block of Arapahoe Avenue for a vehicle fire. The vehicle was to-
307.660.4779
Who’s Brand is this in Campbell County? Find out in next week’s Campbell County Observer
8
Community
Gillette-Campbell County Airport reports highest-ever monthly traffic
More passengers than ever traveled through Gillette-Campbell County Airport in March 2012, as the airport continued to outpace last year’s numbers for a third consecutive month. In March, a total of 6,020 passengers flew into and out of GCC, setting an all-time record, while marking a 13.7 percent increase over the previous March. The previous record, 5,833, was set in October 2010.
For the year, the airport has served 15,257 passengers, a 5.8 percent increase over 2011’s first calendar quarter’s total of 14,424. About Gillette-Campbell County Airport: The Gillette-Campbell County Airport is located in Northeastern Wyoming in a major energy producing part of the country known as the Powder River Basin. Gillette is at the hub of this basin, and the Airport serves the commercial ser-
vice and general aviation needs for a large portion of this corner of the state. The Airport sees approximately 56,000 passengers come through yearly and is currently served by Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Great Lakes Aviation to Denver, Salt Lake City, and Rock Springs, Wyoming. The Gillette-Campbell County Airport and tenants currently employ approximately 260 people in the surrounding area.
March 2012 Passenger Totals
March 2012 6,020
March 2011 5,295
% Change 13.7
2012 Y-T-D 15,257
2011 Y-T-D 14,424
% Change 5.8
Avoiding the illnesses our animals can pass on Submitted by Dr. Kerry Pride Veterinarian and Epidemiologist - Wyoming Department of Health Your young child wakes up in the middle of the night with vomiting, stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea. Because the illness seems to be getting worse, you rush your child to the hospital. Your child is admitted and they spend the next few days in intensive care on intravenous fluids. The doctor talks with you about your child’s kidney function, warning you that your child is very ill and is not out of the woods yet. This kind of scenario is a nightmare for every parent. One way to help prevent such a nightmare from becoming a reality starts by understanding what bacteria our families may be exposed to by our own pets and livestock. Because I grew up in a ranching family in rural Montana and have practiced as a mixed-animal veterinarian, I understand the importance of raising livestock. I appreciate the rewarding experiences livestock can bring to our families, and I realize that knowledge is power when it comes to preventing animal-associated illness in our families. In Wyoming, common animal-associated bacteria that can cause human illness include E. coli, Campylobacterand Salmonella. These bacteria are found worldwide and are common causes of illness. Each can lead to life-threatening complications in children, older adults and anyone with immune system concerns. These bacteria are typically transmitted to humans when tiny, usually invisible amounts of animal feces are ingested. This can occur when we handle animals and then do not wash our hands before we
eat or touch our face. The years of age and under and problem is especially com- 20 percent of all cases remon in young children who quire hospitalization. put their fingers and toys/ Salmonella species have objects in their mouths. been found in all of our These bacteria can also common livestock and be spread by contaminated domestic animals. Most water, food or surfaces. animals carry this organThe most common symp- ism with no signs of illness, tom in people is diarrhea, but some can show cliniwhich is frequently bloody. cal signs, which includes In severe cases, kidney fail- diarrhea, during times of ure can occur. stress. In Wyoming, there E. coli are normally found is an average of 74 cases in the intestinal tract of ani- per year reported to WDH. mals, but there is a group of More than 30 percent of E. coli with the ability to pro- all reported cases occur in duce toxins. One type is E. children 14 years of age coli O157. The toxins pro- and under and 20 percent duced by these types of E. require hospitalization. coli are what cause illness There is good news. in people. Cattle and sheep Simple precautions go a are the major sources of long way toward preventing toxin-producing E. coli, but these bacterial illnesses in other animals can carry the our families. bacteria. E. coli can also be The best defense we acquired from contaminat- have against infection ed food and water sources. with one of these bacteAdult cattle and sheepMispelled can ria isEasier good hygiene. Hand only change carry the bacteria, but usu- washing after contact with ally have no signs of illness. animals and their environIn Wyoming, an average of ments is the best preven16 human cases per year tion tool. Children need to are reported to the Wyo- understand at as early an ming Department of Health age as possible the impor(WDH). More than 50 per- tance of hand washing and cent of reported cases oc- the importance of keeping cur in children 14 years of their fingers and toys/obage and under and 30 per- jects out of their mouths. cent require hospitalization. Children shouldn’t be alCattle, sheep, goats, lowed to feed or play with chickens, turkeys, ducks, any sick animal. Placing horses, rodents, dogs, cats alcohol-based hand saniand pigs can all be sources tizers throughout the barn ofCampylobacter for peo- is a good alternative if no ple. Many different types running water is available. of Campylobacter are as- However, remember to also sociated with animals and wash hands thoroughly with have the potential to cause soap and warm water as human illness. Campylo- soon as possible. bacter in animals usually When livestock are causes no signs of illness, worked, make sure good but can be associated with hand washing practices are miscarriages and diarrhea. used and food is not served In Wyoming, there is an av- near the corrals. During erage of 60 cases per year calving, lambing, kidding or reported to WDH. More foaling make sure gloves than 25 percent of reported are worn and hand washing cases occur in children 14 occurs between and after
handling each animal. Any aborted fetuses have the potential to be infectious, so handle with gloves and dispose properly. When dealing with a sick animal, wear gloves and wash hands immediately after done caring for the animal. Also, handle the sick animal after taking care of other animals to avoid spreading the infection. If there are multiple sick animals or if any animal is severely ill, call your local veterinarian so a diagnosis can be made. I have no doubt the benefits of pet and livestock ownership outweigh the risks of animal-associated illness. Diligent hand washing and hygiene practices will go far to prevent a nightmare scenario in your family.
Congratulations to our own Mike and Paige Borda for the birth of their first child, Lillian Borda.
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Readers on the Road
Gillette
16TH ANNUAL BANQUET April 28, 2012 • 5:30 p.m.
CAM-PLEX Energy Hall Banquet Ticket $40 - Adults, $30 - 14 and under • Served Dinner choice of: Ribeye Steak or Chicken Breast • Cash Bar • Door Prize Guns • Wall of Guns Board
PRE-EVENT RAFFLE
Grand Prize: DPMS AR10 .308 Win Kimber Ultra Carry II .45ACP NRA Pistal Vault Second Prize: URBERTI 1885 Highwall 45/70 GOV
Flashback from a year ago! Rod McQueary and little Harvey Hibbert show off the Campbell County Observer in Lander, WY.
For more information call:
307-660-5934 or 307-660-9869
Tickets can be purchased at • Gun Traders • Rocky Mountain Discount Sports • T&T Guns & Ammo • Gillette Pawn & Gun
Be sure to check out The Gillette Gun Club Show April 27, 28 and 29th!
***
The Campbell County Observer welcomes “Readers on the Road” submisisons. Take a picture of yourself and your family holding the Campbell County Observer while you are somewhere out of the county and submit it to us at 5105 Tarry St., Gillette, WY 82718 or by email at CampbellCountyObserver@gmail.com.
NEED NOT BE PRESENT OT WIN.
9
Community Yard Waste Collection Program to begin Monday, April 16
Tracy Norris
Insurance and Financial Agent
To enroll in the Yard Waste Collection Program call 686-5206
The City of Gillette’s Solid Waste Division would like to remind the public that the 2012 Yard Waste Collection Program begins on Monday, April 16th. Participants should place their yard waste rollouts curbside on their regular trash and recycling day. The program will run through Friday November 16th. The curbside collection of yard waste is an opt-in program and homeowners will receive, on a voluntary basis by subscription only, 96 gallon roll-outs. The fee for the curbside collection of yard waste is $9.00 per month per rollout for 8 months of service (April through November). The fee for additional pickups is $9.00 per additional pickup. The roll-outs are tan in color to distinguish from other roll-outs. The tan Yard Waste roll-outs are for only the following: grass clippings, leaves, and woody materials (limbs, brush, and branches). No sod, dirt, or sand should be placed in the roll-out. The roll-out maximum capacity is 300 pounds and the lid must be able to shut - do not overload. How to make the program effective: • Place loose material (such as grass clippings, leaves, limbs, brush
and branches) in roll-out - avoid compacting the material into the roll-out as it will make it difficult to empty • Limbs and branches should be two inches in diameter or smaller • Limbs and branches should be thirty-six inches in length or less Please don’t put these items in the roll-out: • Trash bags or sacks - yard waste only • Limbs larger than two inches in diameter • Limbs larger than thirty-six inches in length • Sod, dirt or sand • Tree trunks Please avoid overfilling your rollout. As part of Phase III of the pilot program, the Solid Waste division will service the containers weekly. The schedule will consist of Yard Waste Collection Day being the same day as your trash day. Please remember, Yard Waste Collection is now every week! Materials collected curbside will be taken to the City of Gillette’s Yard Waste Drop-Off site which is adjacent to the Waste Water Treatment Plant located at 3101 S. Garner Lake Road.
Do-It-Yourself: The City of Gillette’s Yard Waste Drop-Off Center is open and will remain open through Saturday December 1st. (Operating hours: Tuesday thru Saturday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) Please note: Landscape businesses may now bring Yard Waste to the City’s drop-off site. Citizens who choose not to participate in the curbside program are asked to transport their Yard Waste materials to either the Campbell County Landfill or the City of Gillette’s Drop-Off site which is adjacent to the Waste Water Treatment Plant located at 3101 S. Garner Lake Road. Drop-Off Center Guidelines: Please show attendant your City of Gillette Utility bill Customers are responsible for unloading their vehicles • Yard waste only; NO TRASH • Please place materials in their designated areas • Place plastic bags in one of the dumpsters located on-site • No sod, dirt, sand or stones • Exercise caution when driving in the drop-off center
1001 S. Douglas Hwy. Suite 265 P.O. Box 3560 Gillette, WY 82717 Bus: 307-685-6600 307-682-1213 Fax: 307-682-2978 jnorris2@farmersagent.com
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CCPLS Cabin Fever Reliever Cupcake Wars results
Campbell County Public Library’s Cabin Fever Reliever series of Wyoming Library Endowment fundraising events wrapped up with Cupcake Warson April 12. Fourteen bakers generously donated their time and effort for this event that raised $1560 for the library’s endowment. Bakers included: Tia Martin, Ann Holt, Jennifer Keller, Leslee Clements, Rebecca Steffen, Shannon Dinkel, Barrie and Sandra Pfeiffer, Sarah Newbern, Jessica Anders, Ashley Eischeid, Taylor McInerney, Carol and Jalene Chadwick, Charisa Fox, and Tashina Garrett. Bakers competed for Judges’ Choice and People’s Choice (adult’s and kid’s division) awards. Judge’sSandy Daly, Clark Kissack, Carol Seeger, Linda Shober, Rhiannon Larson carefully evaluated each of the 18 cupcake entries and reviewed the presentations of each booth to select an overall winner as well as winners for taste, texture, presentation and originality categories. Adults and children attending the event also voted for winners in the same categories.
Judges’ Choice
Overall Taste Texture Presentation Originality
Shannon Dinkel Charisa Fox Carol Chadwick Taylor McInerney Ann Holt
People’s Choice (kids and adults combined)
Overall
Charisa Fox
Taste Texture –tie non Dinkel Presentation Originality
Adult
Rebecca Steffen Charisa Fox and ShanCharisa Fox Ann Holt
Kids
Taste Ashley Eischeid Texture Ashley Eischeid Presentation Charisa Fox Originality Ashley Eischeid Cabin Fever Reliever fundraising events began in February and featured Art in the Stacks, a Scavenger Hunt throughout Gillette, and a (nearly) 5k run/walk that started and ended at CCPL. These events raised $6,467 toward The Library Foundation’s goals in The Wyoming Public Library Endowment Challenge Program. Through the Challenge Program, that amount will be matched by the state for an addition of over $13,000 to the library’s endowment. The Challenge Program began in July of 2008 when the state legislature passed a bill which provides an endowment to the foundations of the state’s 23 public libraries. Every dollar raised for Campbell County libraries is matched by the state up to $550,000. The Library Foundation has raised nearly $245,000 for county libraries HOME OF THE ADULT DAYCARE CENTER since 2008only another $305,000 to reach 302 E 2nd • Gillette • (307) 682-9442 our $550,000 goal and a million dollar en(Across from NAPA) dowment which will protect the long term health and sustainability of our county liFill out and bring to Jack‛s Liquor “The Adult Daycare” braries. by April 30th for a chance to WIN!! The Library Foundation, Inc. would 3 days and 2 nights in your choice of like to thank the following donors for sponVegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, Laughlin or Mesquite!! soring Cabin Fever Reliever endowment fundraising events: Above the Line CPAs, PC Dr. Laura Anders/Family Medical Care Name ______________________________________ Beverage Broker The Bicycle Shop Bill &Mary Carson CCPLS Board CCPL Staff Address ____________________________________ A 3 DAY 2 NIGHT Classic Portrait Studio The Embroidery Place Gillette Printing Susan McKay CPA City___________________ State____ Zip_________ HOTEL-CASINO STAY LLC Mufa Cafe Phagan Photography StetFOR TWO Phone______________________________________ Mother's Day Inc. Contest son Engineering, Teachers Corner/ You can also stop by Kids Martweek WBL Staff Printing. Next add Zip e-mail or mail letters to: The Campbell County Observer Email_______________________________________ For more information and to make for more entry forms! 5105 Tarry St.libraries, call 687-0009. a donation to your
WIN!
1 Mother’s Day
Gillette, Wy 82718
ST Annual
“The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one’s country deep enough to call her to a higher plain.” - George McGovern
Contest!
In 300 words or less tell us why your Mom is special. The winner will receive a great package of gifts and services from Gillette Businesses!!! E-mail or mail letters to: The Campbell County Observer 5105 Tarry St. Gillette, WY 82718 ` campbellcountyobserver@gmail.com
Watcohr More .... f Details
Where is this picture taken?
Find out in next week’s Campbell County Observer
10
Community Leadership change at Cam-plex
Joke of the week
By Paul Wallem - Basin Radio News
Submitted by William Ford Buskly
Cam-plex General Manager Dan Barks submitted his letter of resignation to members of the Campbell County Land Board during their meeting Thursday evening. Mr. Bark’s will stay in his current position through the end of the year, effectively resigning on January 1, 2013. “I have worked hard to serve the people of Campbell County faithfully and with considerable passion in two capacities since 1976; first as Director of Parks and Recreation for 15 years then as Cam-Plex General Manager,” Barks writes in his resignation letter. “Both of these roles have been truly rewarding and with the help of good board members and a dedicated staff, we have created many community improvements and programs to better the lives of people we serve.” In an interview with Basin Radio Network, Barks says he will work with the Land Board to find his replacement as they search locally and nationally to fill the top leadership position at the multi-event facility. “The plan is to have a new person here sometime in October,” Barks explains. In nearly 22 years at Cam-plex, Barks says what he will remember most is the family environment and the relationships he had with those he worked with. “I’ve had good board members and I’ve always had good support from the Land Board, but working with the people of Cam-plex I’ve been able to classify them as friends as well as coworkers, and that’s helped make the job very enjoyable,” recounts Barks. After leaving Cam-plex, Barks says he and his family will continue to make Gillette their home as they have during the last 37 years. “I love [Gillette] and I plan to stay
involved in community issues and projects,” Barks states. In that sense, Barks adds that this most recent announcement does not mean that he is retiring, but rather changing directions. “I will be looking for a job when I leave Cam-plex that will allow me to use my experience and abilities,” he writes. “I have worked for the people of Gillette and Campbell County for a long time and would like to continue in that direction if possible. I still have a lot of energy and drive to be able to contribute in a positive way.”
In his resignation letter to the Land Board, Barks concludes by reassuring the board members that Camplex is being left in the hands of a “truly dedicated and experienced staff capable of finding a solution for any issue which confronts them.” Barks ends his letter by saying he hopes the next generation of leadership takes the facility to a higher level. “My only advice to future Cam-Plex leadership is to remember the adage…‘A ship in port is safe, but that’s not what ships are for,’” Barks writes.
Photo by Nathan Kobielusz - Basin Radio
After nearly 22 years as General Manager of the Cam-plex multi-event facilities in Gillette, Dan Barks announced he is resigning from his position effective at the beginning of 2013.
Hospital receives quality-based accreditation Campbell County Memorial Hospital (CCMH) today announces that it has achieved national accreditation from DNV Healthcare, the newest and first Medicare-approved hospital accreditation program that integrates the ISO 9001 quality management system with the Medicare hospital standards and which requires the organization to evaluate the continuum of patient care throughout an entire healthcare system and take measured steps to improve when it is warranted. “The DNV program is more consistent with our long-term commitment to patient safety and total quality,” says Sue Ullrich.
“There has not been a new hospital accreditation organization in over 40 years. The ability to integrate the ISO 9001 quality management system with our clinical and financial processes is a major step forward.” DNV hospital accreditation addresses the demands of quality-driven hospitals that are dedicated to patient-centered care. As part of the accreditation process, DNV surveyors track the care of patients across various departments and facilities of Campbell County Memorial Hospital. “It’s a much more holistic system” says Sue Ullrich. “DNV is very thorough and it doesn’t feel like an in-
spection. We see collaboration. The DNV program helps us find opportunities throughout the organization to improve every day. This is a welcomed change. We now look upon accreditation as a strategic business tool and as source of empowerment for our staff. The DNV program keeps us moving forward.” Being accredited allows CCMH to receive reimbursement for its patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid. The DNV accreditation program was authorized by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2008 and is the only program that integrates the ISO quality management system with
Medicare’s Conditions of Participation, the core requirements for hospitals set forth by the federal government. CCMH will have three years to become compliant with the ISO 9001:2008 standards in order to maintain its accreditation with DNV.
NOW OPEN
307-682-7001 306 W. Lakeway Rd.
16th through Friday, April 27th. This closure is for work related to the Zone 2 Water Transmission Improvement Project which will provide water service to areas near Lakeway Road and is funded by the Optional 1% Sales Tax.
Friday, April 20
-Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly, Heritage Center 8am-5pm -Teen Dungeons & Dragons, 10 a.m., CCPL -AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -Teen Open-Play Video Gaming, 1 p.m., CCPL -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Last Call Group, 10 p.m., 2910 S Douglas Hwy.
Saturday, April 21
-AA-Morning Spiritual, 10:15 a.m., 2910 S Douglas Hwy. -Jehovah’s Witnesses Assembly, Heritage Hall, Camplex 8am-5pm -AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -Senior Center- Carry In Game Day, 12 noon -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy.
-Van Gogh Kiddo’s AVA art center 1011:30am -Pottery with Tricia Jr. High and HighschoolAVA art center 9-10am -Pottery with Tricia-Adult AVA Art Center 1-3pm -Puppet Making, AVA Art Center 1011:30am -AA- Discussion, 8:30 a.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -Muscle Race and Rod Show, Central Pavilion, Camplex 12-5pm
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What’s Going On? -AVA: Little Tikes, 10 a.m. -Open Mic Night Brothers Coffee -6:30 pm -AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Last Call Group, 10 p.m., 2910 S Douglas Hwy. -Senior Center 9am Quilting/Yoga -Senior Center 9:30am Walking -Senior Center 10am Senior Singers -Senior Center Choose Dance-1pm
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Road Closure Hillcrest Drive (April 16-27) The City of Gillette’s Utilities Department announced the closure of Hillcrest Drive from approximately 125’ south of the intersection at Lakeway Road and Hillcrest Drive to the intersection of Hillcrest Drive and Three Forks Drive from Monday, April
Leave Your Mark on Campbell County...
Sunday, April 22
11
A man and his wife were sitting in the living room discussing a “Living Will” “Just so you know, I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug.” His wife got up, unplugged the TV and threw out all the beer.
Weekly Trivia Answer from Last Week What year did Frederick Douglass escape from slavery? 1838
Douglass first tried to escape from Freeland, who had hired him out from his owner Colonel Lloyd, but was unsuccessful. In 1836, he tried to escape from his new owner Covey, but failed again. In 1837, Douglass met and fell in love with Anna Murray, a free black in Baltimore about five years older than him. Her freedom strengthened his belief in the possibility of his own.[17] On September 3, 1838, Douglass successfully escaped by boarding a train to Havre de Grace, Maryland. He was dressed in a sailor’s uniform, provided to him by Murray, who also gave him part of her savings to cover his travel costs, and carried identification papers which he had obtained from a free black seaman. He crossed the Susquehanna River by ferry at Havre de Grace, then continued by train to Wilmington, Delaware. From there he went by steamboat to “Quaker City” (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and continued to the safe house of abolitionist David Ruggles in New York; the whole journey took less than 24 hours. Frederick Douglass later wrote of his arrival in New York: “I have often been asked, how I felt when first I found myself on free soil. And my readers may share the same curiosity. There is scarcely anything in my experience about which I could not give a more satisfactory answer. A new world had opened upon me. If life is more than breath, and the ‘quick round of blood,’ I lived more in one day than in a year of my slave life. It was a time of joyous excitement which words can but tamely describe. In a letter written to a friend soon after reaching New York, I said: ‘I felt as one might feel upon escape from a den of hungry lions.’ Anguish and grief, like darkness and rain, may be depicted; but gladness and joy, like the rainbow, defy the skill of pen or pencil.”
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In case you think you’re fooling us
M-F 9-6 · Sat 9-4
By Glenn Woods
Well, we are not far off folks. Some local politicians are about to come out from under their rocks and announce that they are running for some office or another. They’ve been practicing, you know! Their messages, I mean. Knowing that this is the most conservative state in the nation they have been rehearsing to sound like a conservative even if they are not. Wolves in sheep clothing. Democrats and stateists dressed as small government conservatives with slick sounding messages that do not come anywhere near matching how they vote once they get into office. So how do some of these charlatans continue to fool us election year after election year? Because, up until now, we have not been paying attention. And to let us off the hook, just a bit, it has been difficult to pay attention, what with having to keep a full time job and raising the kids and all, but today it is much easier. Moments ago, before sitting down to write this very article, my Twitter informed me that my Facebook had E-mail. It was from a Wyoming watchdog group trying to get the word out on how a local political figure was voting on a local issue. In other words folks,
I’m plugged in. Between websites and social networking sites it is easy today to get the poop on your local political hacks to find out what crap they are trying to spoon feed you. A little homework is easy to do before you vote. Ok, I know, as a radio talk host and newspaper columnist I am a bit more plugged in than most. It’s easy for me. I sit in two news rooms with access to hundreds more. It is what I do for a living. But you can follow along. That is why I have a Twitter and Facebook account and a website to go along with my radio show. Here in Campbell Country we have several Democrats who have put the letter “R” by their name because they could not get elected with a “D” by it. Then there are those who have been in office so long they have lost track of why they were sent there in the first place. Would you like to know why they are? I bet you would. Well, as announcements are made for who is running for that I’ll direct you to the information you need to make an informed decision. I’m not going to be so arrogant as to tell you who to vote for, but I want you to have the information so you can spot who is being truthful with
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you and who may have lost their way. Don’t forget I am available, through my show and my website and social links in case you have any questions. Also - should you find yourself with someone that you do not care to vote for and there are not many other choices out there for you, might I suggest that, perhaps, you consider running for office yourself. Don’t laugh. Trust me. If these boneheads can get elected and hold office, you can. Just a thought, albeit a serious one. Keep it in mind. There are many of us out here who would LOVE to find some fresh blood to vote for. Ok, now that I have set up the public for the coming onslaught of slithering pond scum, let me address the slithering pond scum: You know who you are, and this is not the old days where you could say one thing to the general public and then another when you are in office. The public now has easy access to information that, up until this new and wonderful age of information at our fingertips, was hard to come across. And while I am having so much fun scaring the (expletive) out of you let me insult you just a little bit more, because it
is so much fun watching you squirm. You - Mr. and Mrs. Politician, are getting old. That sheep skin suit that you used to wear so well is getting worn about the edges, and the zipper does not come up like it used to due to your middle aged fat gut, or butt. You can see a tailor and try to diet but it won’t work. We see you now for what you have been all of these years. The public can now become more informed than ever before, and what makes it even better? They have the hunger to be. WOW -that felt good. Can you folks out there see why I love my job so much?
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Governor says Wyoming Rules for Hydraulic Fracturing Should Lead
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Submitted by Renny McKay troubling, then, to learn that the BLM has drafted similar rules pertaining to hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas production… I am concerned that the proposed rules will duplicate and possibly be sequential to Wyoming’s rules.” Governor Mead points out that the proposed rules seem to go against President Obama’s Executive Order 13563. That Order requires the least burdensome tools for achieving regulatory ends and the promotion of predictability and certainty. “The BLM’s exercise to regulate what is already state-regulated
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Governor Matt Mead underscored Wyoming’s first in the nation rules for hydraulic fracturing are based on sound science and protect public health, safety and the environment. According to Governor Mead this is why the Bureau of Land Management’s proposed rules for hydraulic fracturing are unnecessary and unreasonable. In a letter to Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, Governor Mead wrote, “I have heard no concern from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) about the adequacy of Wyoming’s regulatory structure. It is
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Public Pulse School district continues strategic planning process
Weekly Trivia Question Who was the only American President and Commander-in-Chief to witness the battle of Bunker Hill and the Burning of Boston?
By Paul Wallem - Basin Radio News The Campbell County School District conducted the first phase of their strategic planning process in March and the second phase is scheduled to begin next week. At the beginning of this year, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Richard Strahorn says the school district planned to look at an organizational assessment and a strategic plan. “We conducted the organizational assessment during the last two days of January and the first three of February,” says Dr. Strahorn. For five days, Krenek Consulting met with nearly 500 people, including school district staff, stakeholders and the public. According to Strahorn, that process identified 20 strengths and 12 opportunities for growth within the school district. The second part of that overall process is the district’s strategic plan, the first of which was conducted on March 20, 21 and 22. Dr. Strahorn explains this involved a district committee of 21 people composed of teachers, administrators, parents and community members. “We sat down to talk about what our vision would be, what our mission would be, what our values are and we talked about some academic goals and objectives,” says Dr. Strahorn. The second phase will begin next week. It will consist of a draft strategic plan that will be shared with internal and external stakeholders in order to obtain their input and feedback. This vetting process will begin at 7:45 a.m. Monday, Tuesday and
Wednesday and will continue through the late afternoon or early evening of each day. “It’s simply to say, ‘Here is the placemat. Here is the draft, vision statement, mission statement, values, goals and objectives. Let met provide this to you for your input and then we’ll go from there,’” Dr. Strahorn describes. “We will take that vetting process and the information gained from that next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from more groups than we’ve had before and more people than we’ve had before, including we’ll have two night meetings—one in Wright and one here in Campbell County; they’re just community information meetings,” explains Dr. Strahorn. The community information meeting for the Town of Wright will be held on Monday, April 16, at 5:30 p.m. at Wright Junior/Senior High School. The strategic planning community information meeting in Gillette will take place on Tuesday, April 17, at 7 p.m. at the south campus high school. These two meetings are open to the public. The final phase of the strategic planning process will be completed next month. At that time, Dr. Strahorn says he will again meet with Krenek Consulting and the district committee from May 8-11. “We will take the draft document we have as well as all the input solicited and put together a final format that I will have the board approve at a later meeting,” says Dr. Strahorn. In the end, Dr. Strahorn
Look in next week’s paper for the answer
Photo by Nathan Kobielusz - Basin Radio
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Richard Strahorn says the second phase of the school district’s stategic planning process will begin on April 16 with a community information meeting in Wright, followed by a similar meeting in Gillette the next day. says the strategic planning process will offer many benefits to the school district, including: • A common mission and vision for the district that can be owned and supported by stakeholders • A vision that will provide the beacon by which everyone should navigate. • A strategic plan to drive the work of the district in a more focused way. • A chance to engage stakeholders at a variety of levels internally and externally so they feel a sense of ownership and have a voice
in setting the district’s direction • A way to track the district’s progress with meaningful measures. • A communication plan to keep stakeholders informed about the district’s progress regarding the plan. The entire process will cost $60,000, according to Dr. Strahorn. Of that, $30,000 went to the organizational assessment and the other $30,000 went towards the entire strategic planning process.
Utility rate increases pass third and final reading By Paul Wallem - Basin Radio News On the third and final reading, the Gillette City Council unanimously approved to increase the rates for the city’s wastewater service, refuge collection fees for solid waste, and electrical service during Monday night’s Gillette City Council meeting. Gillette citizen David Allison attended yesterday’s meeting to express his concerns about how recycling costs negatively impact the cost of the city’s solid waste pickup. Previously, Allison stated he didn’t want to subsidize a program for other people just to make them feel good. “I don’t want to ruin things, but I think we should bring it up to a point where at least it breaks even,” Allison said during the April 2 city council meeting. “If that means we have to charge everyone who recycles $5 a month to recycle then we need to do that.” Last night, Allison raised another concern when he asked the city council how they were on the third reading on these specific ordinances to increase utility rates when the first reading was conducted during the last city council meeting. “We do have a situation here where we’re hopeful to get rates implements by
May 1 in order to be consistent with the budget for the city that’s coming up here soon,” City of Gillette administrator Carter Napier explained in response to Allison’s question. Napier says the second reading of the ordinances took place as action items during a special meeting on April 9 prior to the Gillette City Council workshop. According to Napier, beginning the workshop in that manner was done legally since it was properly advertised to the community. “We did have a formal meeting that was recognized a week ago where the second reading took place, therefore the third reading would take place this evening, which would be the final reading of this ordinance,” Napier says. Allison openly questioned whether or not having the second reading during a special meeting cut down on public input. “That’s one of the reasons why we get comments that you guys are always trying to cram everything down our throats so fast,” Allison says. “If we knew there was a timetable that it had to be done, why didn’t we start on it sooner?” Following Monday’s meeting, City of Gillette
Mayor Tom Murphy says he felt there was adequate opportunity for public input on this issue. “I think the fact that we had that special meeting in the second floor community room in a much more relaxed situation encourages more debate and more discussion,” the mayor says. “The fact that we did not get any was a little bit upsetting—that the fact that people aren’t paying attention to the advertisements that we’re putting forward.” Under the newly passed ordinances, the city’s electrical rates will increase by 1 percent each year for the next two years, the city’s wastewater rates will go up 7.5 percent every year for a projected five years, and the city’s solid waste rates will increase 6.5 percent each year over the next two years. However, if the Campbell County Commissioners do not increase the tipping fees charged to utilize the county landfill, Carter says the city’s solid waste rates probably will not increase next year as proposed. According to City of Gillette public information officer Joe Lunne, the average city household will see a $1.48 monthly increase in their wastewater bill,
a $1 monthly increase in their solid waste bill, and a $1.15 monthly increase in their electrical bill. The rate increases go into effect on May 1. The proposed rate increases are designed to keep the city’s enterprise revenues on pace with expenses, according to Lunne. Enterprise funds are the city’s utility funds, and Lunne says they are set up to be their own entity and they are required to cover their own costs.
Submitted by Cathy Raney A tourist walked into a Chinese curio shop in San Francisco. While looking around at the exotic merchandise, he noticed a very lifelike, life-sized, bronze statue of a rat. It had no price tag, but was so incredibly striking the tourist decided he must have it. He took it to the old shop owner and asked, “How much for the bronze rat ?” “Ahhh, you have chosen wisely! It is $12 for the rat and $100 for the story,” said the wise old Chinaman. The tourist quickly pulled out twelve dollars. “I’ll just take the rat, you can keep the story”. As he walked down the street carrying his bronze rat, the tourist noticed that a few real rats had crawled out of the alleys and sewers and had begun following him down the street. This was a bit disconcerting so he began walking faster. A couple blocks later, he looked behind him and saw to his horror the herd of rats behind him had grown to hundreds, and they began squealing. Sweating now, the tourist began to trot toward San Francisco Bay. Again, after a couple blocks, he looked around only to discover that the rats now numbered in the MILLIONS, and were squealing and coming toward him faster and faster. Terrified, he ran to the edge of the Bay and threw the bronze rat as far as he could into the Bay. Amazingly, the millions of rats all jumped into the Bay after the bronze rat and were all drowned. The man walked back to the curio shop in Chinatown. “Ahhh,” said the owner, “You come back for the story?” “No sir,” said the man, “I came back to see if you have a bronze Democrat.”
to e m o H n o e m o C RN TIRE
Suicide Prevention Speech Suicide Prevention Speech Monday, April 23, 2012 6:30pm Rockpile Community Center 121 4-J Road, Gillette, WY. Come hear our story and learn the warning signs and risk factors for suicide, and where and how to get help. I am not a professional. I am not a counselor. I am not a doctor or psychiatrist. I have no college degree or anything that qualifies me as an expert. I am a mother. On September 21, 2008, my 16 year old
Joke of the week
daughter attempted suicide. Until that time, I was fairly ignorant about mental illness and suicide. Suicide was a distant problem in my mind. It wasn’t real to me. I began researching suicide and mental health issues and found out what a huge problem and threat this is in our society. Since then, it has become my mission to shred the veil of shame and to dispel the myths (including those I believed) surrounding suicide and mental illness. www.facebook.com/gripsuicide or www. gripsuicide.org
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Public Pulse Letters to the Editor
Photo by Nathan Kobielusz
Wyoming Governor Matt Mead speaks to a crowd at the Clarion Inn and Convention Center Tuesday during a luncheon hosted by the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce.
Mead: “We are most fortunate to be in Wyoming” By Paul Wallem - Basin Radio News Wyoming Governor Matt Mead received a warm welcome from 200 local residents in attendance at a luncheon hosted by the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. Despite declining mineral prices, the governor said Wyoming is in pretty good shape. Nevertheless, since the state’s revenue is closely tied to energy resources like natural gas, which recently dropped below $2 per 1,000 cubic feet for the first time in over a decade, Mead says some belt tightening is in order. “But having said that, the State of Wyoming is strong, and I know that as I talk to governors around the country we are most fortunate to be in Wyoming,” Mead says. Mead opened his speech by saying how much he enjoyed being back in Campbell County where he began his legal career as well as his political career. “My announcement that I was running for governor was here in Campbell County, and this was the place where I had my first legal job out of law school,” Mead recounts. Then, Mead addressed Wyoming’s strengths by applauding the
mining industry, saying the energy developed in Campbell County fuels the nation. “You all recognize that very well in Campbell County, but it’s important to continue to talk about it,” Mead says. “The reason it’s important to talk about it, as we think about energy in particular and the cost of energy, energy touches so much of everything we do in our economy.” The governor then said technology will have a strong impact on Wyoming’s economy going forward, citing Microsoft’s recent announcement that the company will build a $112 million data center near Cheyenne. “I imagine that [technology] as a sector that continues to build and we mention it along with our big three more and more,” Mead says. According to Mead, the warm reception Microsoft received from the state and its residents is one aspect that eventually tipped the scales in Wyoming’s favor. Wyoming’s 32nd governor then praised the state’s educational system as another strength of the state. “As we look at what our state
provides in terms of dollars, there is no other state that is more financially supportive of education,” Mead says. Wrapping up the portion of his presentation dedicated to Wyoming’s strengths, Governor Mead thanked the state’s citizen legislature for the strong work they do. States with citizen legislatures like Wyoming have performed stronger during the nationwide recession then states with full-time, professional legislatures, according to Mead. Moving to the challenges Wyoming faces, Mead cited falling natural gas prices. He says the State of Wyoming loses over $100 million a year in tax revenue for every $1 decline in the price of natural gas. Mead concluded his appearance Tuesday with a question and answer segment before presenting Louise Carter-King and Casey Painter-Sams of Powder River Office Supply in downtown Gillette with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2012 Jeffrey Butland Family-Owned Small Business of the Year award.
Veteran of the Month SrA Courtney Foley Story by mother Mrs. Foley SrA Courtney Foley is from New Jersey. She joined the 143d Airlift Wing Security Forces Squadron in December 2007 seeking a more structured life, education benefits and with hopes to travel the world. SrA Foley just returned this October from a more than six month deployment to Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. While at Bargram she was a member of the 455th Expeditionary Security Force Squadron, Quick Response Team. While deployed SrA Foley and her team were involved with outside the wire missions and responded to incidents on and off the base. SrA Foley acted as the Radio Telephone Operator for her team. Now that she has returned home (we now live in Gillette, WY) from her deployment SrA Foley will continue her studies as a Criminal Justice major Gillette College. When asked about her experience while deployed she had this to say, “I had the chance to deploy and meet some amazing people all while being part of something bigger than myself. All things I know wouldn’t be possible without the RI Air Guard.” Thank you for your service!
Dear Editor, Is it me or are the number, and cost of, the conflict claims paid out to the City Council members increasing? Anyone else who watched the meeting notice the glee Mrs. Carter-King expressed when she briefly spoke of other cities charging you if you don’t recycle? Now that they’ve gotten the issues of raising City employee’s pay and your utility rates out of the way, it’s time to get back to the issue of...spending more money. No, not the issue of spending your tax money on the massive 36,669 sq-ft heated garage so public workers don’t have to scrape their windshields in the winter. The real issue is the Field of Dreams, the great job creator. Guaranteed to bring the tourists running to see the next amazing taxpayer built venture, nothing like it in all the States surrounding Wyoming. You, the person who lives here and will pay for it, thought it was being built to improve your quality of life and keep your kids off drugs? The food service industry jobs to be created for your kids, those are what the Field of Dreams will create for you, the citizen. For the City and County: more tax dollars for them to wisely spend. The infrastructure work needs to start immediately, no time to dawdle. Mr. Napier has the blank check all ready to go, just needs your signature, he’ll fill out the important details at a later time. Garner Lake Village, a 174 acre housing/commercial development, is gearing up to begin. The first phase is 106 housing lots directly across from the Field of Dreams. Didn’t the City Council remember to mention that at their meetings? Part of the infrastructure needed for the Field of Dreams, Axel’s Avenue, is a new street that will directly connect to one of the entrances for Garner Lake Village. The electrical, water, and sewer that the City will install for the Field of Dreams would benefit this new housing/commercial development if they connect to it, quite convenient if it happens. Is it any wonder Napier is pushing, as a priority, that the City include in the next fiscal budget infrastructure spending for the Field of Dreams? Campbell County Resident Dear Editor, I just read this story: “Police in Northern California have detained a 23-yearold Gillette man in the death of his girlfriend’s baby, whose body was found off the side of a highway less than a day after the two failed to return to the homeless shelter where they had been staying with the boy’s mother. Sgt. Bill Schueller tells the Redding Record Searchlight that Christopher James McDonald, of Gillette, Wyo., is being held on suspicion of
kidnapping and homicide in the death of 11-month-old Sebastian McDonald.” As I read this letter, I got sick. This man represents our fine town. Lately in the news you hear of parents letting their children drive them home drunk on a highway in Disney World and now a man murdering a baby. This is how we look to the rest of the world, and that is nothing to be proud of. People, the only time we make the news is when stupid members of our community put us there, not for the good we do. Please Stop! By Janeine Flasern From Editor Keary Speer: Dear Janeine, Sadly, I feel inclined to agree with you. It does seem that Gillette has been getting some bad press in the news lately. I can only hope that other people reading it are not as short sighted as to think that all people in Gillette, or Wyoming for that matter, are the same! It does feel like a very common thing, however. For example, any politicians you hear about are usually the radical ones and, therefore, giving all politicians a bad name. I think it is a common occurrence and as long as we see it, there is a shed of hope out there that everyone else sees it as well. Thanks for writing in! Dear Editor, It has been my pleasure to watch your humble publication go from ‘pretty darn good’ to ‘Outstanding!’ In one year. You must be reading my mail, because every feature you add is a new favorite. From the funnies to Mr. Glenn Woods…(not just another pretty face) to the growing want ads, I get a wonderful read from local news to the terrific historic articles on the back page- I always, always, always save for dessert. If you publish a book made of those great articles, count me in. I also notice the growing list of advertisers, who know a good thing when they see it. Your jokes are good, and as soon as I hear one naughty enough for all audiences, I will submit at once. Thanks for doing a great job, and (once in a while) making me chuckle ‘till tears run down my leg. Rod McQueary From Editor Keary Speer: Deary Rod, Thank you so much for writing in! I am so glad to have been a part of this growing venture since day one and it is so exciting to see how far we have come. Often times I wonder if it is as obvious for the readers as it is for us. We have gone from doing all of our work in Nick’s house to having an office and a real staff! Hearing letters like this one shows me that you have, indeed, been noticing our changes as well. I can guarantee some exciting upcoming changes as well! So, stay tuned! Thanks again!
Joke of the week Submitted by Don Humphries The more you earn, the less you keep, And now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to take, If the tax collector hasn’t got it before I wake.
Senior Airman Courtney Foley, 143d Airlift Wing Security Forces Squadron, Rhode Island Air National Guard, now studies at Gillette College in Gillette, WY
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Sports Report Gillette Edge opens spring season with league games in Gillette and Sheridan
“Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.” - William Arthur Ward
Submitted by Sarah Williams The Gillette Edge soccer teams opened their spring seasons with league games in both Gillette and Sheridan. The U10 girls traveled to Sheridan and opened in the snow. The U10 Girls Purple went 2-0 defeating Worland 14-0 and Yellowstone Fire 1-0. Kristina Roswadovski commented that she is very excited for the rest of the season with this group of girls. The U10 Girls White split games loosing 2-1 to Yellowstone and winning 6-3 against Sheridan’s squad. Goals were scored by Breckyn Hamlin, Gabby Drube, Kate Hladky, Brooke Conklin, and Sydney Solem. Coach Andrea Lladky was very pleased with their opening weekend stating that it was a great effort from all of the girls. The U10 Girls Black squad
went 0-2 as they battled the snow in their first game in Sheridan. The team was defeated 10-0. The second game, the team had a better game against Worland, allowing only 1 goal to get past them for a final of 1-0 Worland. In the U12 Girls division, The Black team won their season opener defeating Douglas 5-2 with Alyssa Baumgartner scoring 2 goals and Trea Knez scoring 3 respectively. The second game, The U11 Casper squad beat them 6-0. Coach Chris Baumgartner was pleased with the weekend overall and is excited as he expects to see good things from this group of girls. The U12 Girls white team also split games this weekend in Gillette, loosing 3-2 to the U12 Casper squad. This was a close
game according to Mike Jones, the teams coach that was decided in the last 2 minutes. The girls put up a great fight against this team. The second game he saw his team come back to beat Doaglas 13-0. Eight players from this team recorded goals between the two games. On the boys side, the U10 Boys Purple team won both of their games at Bicentenial Park beating Sheridan 6-1 and Casper Red 4-3. According to Jannie Miller, the teams coach, it was definitely a team effort as Mason Miller, Cade Ayers, Cole Deimling, Nate Delgrande, Nathan King, Willy Knigge, and Dymon Decker all scored for the Edge. The U11 Edge team lost to Laramie 2-6 but put up a great fight against this older U12 team. Joey Ju-
rewicz and Nathan Brown utilized a great team effort to score a goal. The second goal was put in the net by Colton Pilon. The second game showed much more promise for this team. It was close, but Sheridan was able to sneak past them 2-1. Coach Randy Miliron was very pleased with the way this team played together this weekend. He is also excited to see how the rest of the season pans out for this squad.
Patriot Publishing is a small publishing business starting up right here in Wyoming. We not only publish the Campbell County Observer and calendars, but anything in print. We will soon also have a monthly publication that we think you will enjoy. If you have a book and can’t get a major company to publish you, we are a new and American-owned publisher that may print your work. Please feel free to contact us at anytime with your idea.
GC Men’s Rodeo Team takes third in Torrington The men’s Gillette College Rodeo Team had a consistent performance in Torrington this past weekend, winning third and remaining second in the overall year end Central Rocky Mountain Standings, just 250 points behind Casper with two rodeos left. The Men were led by Dane Kissack who once again won the Tie Down Roping, along with freshman Travis Nelson, who won both rounds and the average in the Saddle Bronc Riding. On the Girls side of things it was a rough weekend. The Girls placed fifth at the Torrington rodeo and dropped one spot in the overall standings to third in the Central Rocky Mountain Region. They now trail NJC (Sterling CO) by just
33 points for a trip back to the CNFR. Gillette was led by Megan Belas of Buffalo Wyoming who won fourth in the breakaway. Torrington Rodeo Results for the Men 1. CWC 520 points 2. Casper 460 points 3. Gillette 435 points 4. UW 375 points 5. NJC 290 points Torrington Rodeo Results for the Women 1. Chadron State College 560 points 2. NJC 410 points 3. CWC 360 points 4. EWC 160 points 5. Gillette 140 points
Mother’s Day Bazaar
What’s Going On In Sports?
April 21, 2012 Lakeway learning Center 10-4
Friday, April 20th
-Camel Girls Soccer at home vs. Cheyenne South at 3:30 and 5:30pm -Camel Boys Soccer at Cheyenne South at 4 and 6pm
Unique Gift’s For Your Mother
Saturday, April 21
-Gillette Rustlers at Casper Triangular -Camel Boys Soccer at Laramie at 10am and 12pm -Camel Ladies Soccer at home vs. Laramie 10am and 12pm
Sunday, April 22
-Gillette Rustlers vs. Billings Halos 12and2pm
Contact: Gail 307-660-7663 Robin 605-545-1188 allaboutwomen@bresnan.net Allboutwomen.weebly.com
To submit ideas or your own articles go to www.CampbellCountyObserver.net or email us at Newsandideas@CampbellCountyObserver.com
Weekly Weather Forecast Saturday, April 21
Sunday, April 22
Monday, April 23
Tuesday, April 24
Wednesday, April 25
Thursday, April 26
Thursday, April 27
67/42
76/47
81/50
73/37
64/37
57/36
53/39
We will have a high of 67deg. with a low overnight of around 42deg. It will be clear all day and night, and the Humidity will be around 48% with a UV index of 7-High. A slight breeze will be out of the North-Northwest at about 6-9mph consistently through nightfall. The sunrise over the range will be at 6:07am and sunset will be at 7:55pm. The breeze in the evening will slow down to a crawl with a humidity rising to around 67%. Moonrise is at 5:03am.
We will have a high of about 76deg. with a low overnight of around 47deg. Sunshine with no clouds all day, and the Humidity will be around 48% with a UV index of 7-High. A slight breeze will be out of the North-Northwest and blowing at about 7 miles per hour steadily all day. The sunrise over the Rushmore will be at 6:06am and sunset over Yellowstone will be at 7:56pm. Wind in the evening will stay steady at 6mph with humidity at 54%. Moonrise is at 5:36am.
We will have a high of 81deg.(Record is 78deg) with a low overnight of around 50deg. There will be on and off clouds in the sky all day but no chance of rain, and the Humidity will be around 40% with a UV index of 7-High. A decent breeze will be on and off with speeds out of the Southwest at around 7-9mph. The sunrise over the range will be at 6:04am and sunset behind the Bighorns will be at 7:57pm. Wind in the evening will maintain 5-6mph with a humidity maintaining at around 42%. Moonrise is at 6:12am
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We will have a high of 73deg. with a low overnight of around 37deg. We will see on and off clouds, and the Humidity will be around 36% with a UV index of 7-High. Wyoming wind will be out of the WestNorthwest and blowing at about 17-20 miles per hour consistently until after nightfall. There is a slight but improbable chance of Showers in the evening and throughout the night. The sunrise over the Black Hills will be at 6:03am and sunset dipping to the west will be at 7:58pm. Wind in the evening will slow down through the early morning hours at 9-10mph with a humidity maintaining at around 60%. The moonrise is at 6:55am.
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We will have a high of 64deg. and still plenty of time to soak in your fertilizer with a low overnight of around 37deg. The Humidity will be around 53% with a UV index of 7-High. Wyoming wind will be out of the West-Southwest and blowing at about 1618 mph but falling to 9mph through the overnight. The sunrise over the Basin will be at 6:01am and sunset into our Ocean of field grass will be at 7:59pm. Moonrise is at 7:43am
It is going to be rainy pretty much all day and night with a high of 57deg. and a low overnight of around 36deg. Humidity will be around 55% with a UV index of 4-Moderate-though watch these change as the weather system comes in again with clouds during the overnight at 40deg.. Wyoming wind will be out of the South blowing 19-21miles per hour consistently throughout the nightfall. The sunrise over the grasslands will be at 6:00am and sunset behind the buttes will be at 8:01pm. Wind in the evening will slow down to about 13-14mph with a humidity rising to 65%. Moonrise is at 8:37am.
Today will be a continuation from the rainy last night. We will have a high of 53deg. with a low overnight of around 39deg. We will see nothing but clouds and rain, but it will stop by morning, and the Humidity will be around 55% with a UV index of 6-High. Wyoming wind will be out of the North-Northwest and blowing at about 1416mph until nightfall. Sunrise over the range will be at 5:58am and sunset behind our beloved State will be at 8:02pm. Wind in the evening will slow down to about 10mph with a humidity rising to 62%. Moonrise is at 9:36am.
Sports Report Change in Snowball Series schedule Submitted by Coach Perleberg Due to the new sod that was laid last week at Roughrider Stadium, we have decided to switch weekends with Casper for the Varsity Snowball Series. Thank you Coach Schoonover for being flexible with this! This will allow our sod another week to take and get prepped. We certainly do not want to ruin this! Therefore this weekend
(April 21-22) the Riders and Rustlers will both be at Casper. The Varsity games will be at Mike Lansing Field and the JV games will be at Crossroads field. Game times will be posted on website shortly... The Gillette Varsity Snowball Series will now be April 28-29. Game times will stay the same. Thanks for your understanding.
Girls Fastpitch teams to open season at Colorado tournament By Ted Ripko - Basin Radio Sports
Gillette Lady Camels vs. Sheridan Bronco’s. Photo’s submitted by John Lacek
The Gillette Girls Fastpitch Association (GGFA) will get a start to their season on April 21 and 22 at the Spring Stampede Fastpitch Tournament in Northern Colorado. The GGFA is sending their 18U Blue Jay team, and their 16U Heat team. The 16U team, Coached by Danny Gojkovich, is excited to get their season started as they’re looking forward to the competitiveness of a 30 team bracket. This is the second year these girls have been in this tournament, as last year they competed in the 14U division. Coach Justin Conner with the 18U Blue Jays is gearing up for a competitive tournament, facing a
field of 32. This is a huge tournament with very seasoned players on each and every team. Coach Justin is expecting big plays and an offensive scheme that will keep their opponent’s defenses guessing. Small ball will be an integral part of the Blue Jays offensive scheme. Both teams have been practicing since January, thanks to Nate Perleberg and the Roughriders. The GGFA has 7 competitive traveling teams, with girls ranging from ages 7 to 19. If any parents or students want to submit pictures and articles about the games, e-mail CampbellCountyObserver@gmail.com or fill out the form at www.CampbellCountyObserver.net
Two local athletes will represent team WY By Ted Ripko - Basin Radio Sports Cody Anderson of Gillette and Timmy Benedict of Wright will represent the Wyoming All-Stars in their annual battle against Montana this summer. The roster was recently announced by Steve Smiley and Frank McCarthy, the men’s and women’s head basketball coaches at Sheridan College. Cody Anderson led the Camels with 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last season. Timmy Benedict led the Panthers with 18.5 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. The men’s team will be joined by Gatorade Player of the Year Jason McManamen of Torrington and Riley Ryan of Sheridan. McManamen will be playing for the University of Wyoming this fall. This annual tournament will take place in Sheridan on June 8, and in Billings on June 9. Below are the complete rosters for each Wyoming team. Each player is listed with their future college of choice.
Cory Peck – Natrona (undecided) Timmy Benedict – Wright (undecided)
Girls
Christie Scheil – Cheyenne Central (running track at Montana State) Kyleigh Hiser – Laramie (playing for Northern Colorado) Madison Forney – Rawlins (playing for Sheridan College) Mikayla Brower – Torrington (playing for Western Nebraska)
Regen Wilson – Laramie (playing for Casper College) Cheyenne Balster – Natrona (playing for Casper College) Morgan Wille – Little Snake River (playing for Sheridan College) Stephanie Sessions – Sheridan (playing for Sheridan College) Ali Beckler – Laramie (undecided) Madison Browning – Natrona (playing for Sheridan College)
Boys
Jason McManamen – Torrington (playing for Univ. of Wyoming) Riley Ryan – Sheridan (playing for Black Hills State) John Soundingsides – Wyoming Indian (Undecided) Hunter Reese – Sheridan (playing for SD School of Mines) Chase Riley – Rock Springs (playing for Casper College) Ryan Madsen – Wheatland (playing for Casper College) Taylor Millay – Glenrock (undecided) Cody Anderson – Gillette (undecided)
Six Peak wrestlers compete in Casey Ulrich Memorial tournament Submitted by Jannie Miller
Photo by Nathan Kobielusz - Basin Radio
Cody Anderson is the only player from Gillette selected to represent Wyoming in the state’s annual basketball competition against Montana.
On April 13 and 14, six Peak Wrestlers competed in the Casey Uhlich Memorial Greco and Freestyle wrestling tournament in Douglas. Mason Miller in the intermediate 65lb division and Warren Carr in the Intermediate 80lb division both got 1st place in
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Greco and freestyle. Josh Macy in the Novice 80 lb divison was 1st in freestyle and 2nd in Greco. Hunter Schultz in the Intermediate 70 lb division was 1st in Greco and 2nd in freestyle. Rayce Mason in the intermediate 50 lb division was 3rd in Greco and 4th in
freestyle and Tanner Macy in the Bantam 60 lb division was third in Greco and 4th in freestyle. Several wrestlers are planning on competing in the Sarah Tolin Memorial tourney in Casper next weekend.
Classifieds Help Wanted
Merchandise
Services
Cook needed at Lu La Bells. Motivated and Energetic. Days Only. Apply at Lu La bells.
1939 HA Selmer Trumpet $750 OBO. 687-1087 Exterior door with window, interior light fixtures, and computer supplies. E-mail Corsair115@yahoo.com
Homeowners and renters insurance for house, trailer, or apartments. Call Elizabeth Jones Agency 307-682-6520
Are you a friendly outgoing individual? Do you connect with people casually? Are you looking for supplemental income? Do you need to be in charge of your own hours? We are looking for an independent contractor for commissioned based ad sales. For more information call Sandra at 307-689-0028 or email at campbellcountytidbits@yahoo.com Needing Models for style show. Contact corey or cassee @ fashion bug. 6862588 Job Opening - Advertising Sales-N.E. Wyoming and more. Pays 20% commission, gas allowance, monthly team and individual bonuses. Set your own hours, work around your own schedule. You would be selling advertising for the fastest growing company in N.E. Wyoming. In the next five years, we will be expanding to many new areas and cities around the country. If you join our team now, you can be on top later. This position is a career, not a job. If you are interested, please call 307-670-8980 or e-mail us at CampbellCountyObserver@gmail.com Contributors wanted for weekly newspaper. Need a doctor, a Politician, a lawyer, and more to contribute an article a month. E-mail CampbellCountyObserver@gmail. com for more information.
QUEEN SLEEP NUMBER BED like new. $700 call 680-2982. Can text photo if you like. Blue Dual Reclining Sofa. Good shape $100 Call 6802982. Can text photo if you like. Spyder Semi-auto paint ball gun. cal..68 Special Edition. Only used twice! New $300 For you $175 plus two canisters. Call 680-1302 If you are interested in purchasing Nutrient Rich Ranch Raised Beef grown locally, call 307-340-1108. Great Jerky http://www.rberlinger.jerkydirect.com/ My First Computer hardly used. Asking $15. Call 605 - 545 – 1188 Five roasts and twelve pounds of hamburger for a flat rate. $150.00. All ranch raised beef. This is an approximate savings of 10% on the total. Contact Jason Walker at 307-686-0577 Two place aluminum snowmobile trailer. $1,600. 307689-0202
Homes for Sale
State Wide Sales people. Print Advertising Sales for new State-wide newspaper. Call 307-299-4662 Website/ad designer wanted. Must be familiar with building/maintaining websites and website advertising design. Commission and base salary pay. Call the Cowboy State Free Press at 307-670-8980
Home for sale by owner in Western Way. Asking $239,000 for the 1,800 sq. ft. 3 bedroom 2 bath home with an unfinished basement and a two car garage. Fully fenced, large landscaped yard with a sprinkler system. Home is within walking distance to the new recreation center and the new elementary school that is being built. Please contact me at 307-670-1209 if you are interested.
Wanted to Buy
Tri-level house for sale 4 bed 2 bath $209,000 (307) 6701925.
I Buy Militaria. Swords, uniforms, bayonets, medals, guns/parts, field gear. 6827864 Newspaper vending machines. Contact us at: CampbellCountyObserver@gmail. com WILL PAY CASH FOR CAMPERS. Call Scott (307) 680-0854. Manual Transmission for 93’ Chevy Pickup 4wd. Must be in good shape. Call 2572306.
Guns for Sale
Business Opportunities
Toy Parts & Accessories Stock pipes for Sportster. 500mi. Stock pices for Dyna Wide Glide. 1500mi. Email baxtersmom62@gmail.com for info. Harley Accessories for sale. Call 307-670-8980. Ask for Tammy.
Produce for Sale Fresh local “Free Range” eggs. All natural, no animal by-products. No antibiotics. $3/Doz. 257-9049
Apartments for Rent 1-5 bedroom units available for rent. Please contact Real Estate Systems of Gillette Inc at 307-682-0964 for all the updated details. Spacious & new, 1, 2, &3 bdrm affordable apartments available now! Call 6858066. Washer and dryer in every unit. Private sunny patio or balcony. Special move-in rate, 1 bdrm: $694, 2 bdrm: $777, 3 bdrm: $888. Move in now and deduct $ 200 off first month while special lasts. Call Konnie or Celeste at Highland Properties 685-8066.
Home Appliances/ Furnshings Microfiber couch with 2 recliners combined. Green. $100 Call 299-4967. Booth Table. L-shaped. With Chairs. Seats 6. $500.00 Call 299-4967 Three antique pressedbacked oak chairs. Excellent condition. $85 each. 6820042
40+ Acres 2 miles south of Wright 1999 Atlantic Oak Modular. $250,000 OBO Call 307 - 680 – 2374
Camping/Fishing
FSBO 2,688 SF home on corner lot with fenced back yard. 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, upgraded kitchen, finished walkout basement, oversized garage. $259,000. 307-680-9180.
6x10 trailer. Great shape, fits your biggest Harley. $1,400 obo. 299-4967. 1981 Circle J 4-horse Horse Trailer. New floor, paint and wiring. $2500 OBO Call 307 - 680 – 2374 1981 Circle J 4-horse Horse Trailer. New floor, paint and wiring done in shop class 2 years ago. No rust only used once since redone. $2500 or OBO Call 307 - 680 – 2374
Miscellaneous Licensed daycare now open. Spots available full-time and before and after school. Close to Rozet school and the post office. Monday through Friday 6:30am to 6pm. Ages 3 and up. Call 307-299-1915 ACE will reduce your appetite and give you energy. The natural way to lose weight. www.facebook.com/AcePill 660-2974 RYO Filling station has come to Gillette! Stop in and see just how easy and affordable it is to roll your own for a fraction of the cost of name brand cartons. Stop in at Jack’s Liquor, home of the adult daycare at 302 E. 2nd st, right across from NAPA
For Rent 2 Bedroom Duplex, with one car garage, washer/dryer, no pets. $700rent/$700deposit. 307-689-0202
Work Wanted Skidsteer with Operator. For all your Snow Removal and Dirt needs. Call Ken at 307680-5947 Weekly house cleaning-$50.00 per week. Windows, floors, dusting, bathrooms, etc. Call 670-2037.
Minnows, crawlers, leeches, fishing tackle, boating and camping supplies. Fully furnished cabin rentals, 50 Amp Full Hookup RV sites 5 minutes from Keyhole Reservoir in Pine Haven. Empire Guesthouse & RV Park 307756-3454. www.empireguesthouse.com
Choose Your Hours, Your Income and Your Rewards. I DO! Contact: Julie Balmer Avon Independent Sales Representative
307-689-6812
jkbpennigwen@msn.com www.yourAVON.com/juliebalmer
Health problems? Try doTERRA certified pure essential oils. 307-680-0363. www. myvoffice.com/healingisbelieving
Interested in founding a Sherlock Holmes Society in Gillette? Contact gillettesherlockians@gmail. com for info.
Auto insurance preferred and SR-22’s. Call Elizabeth Jones Agency 307-682-6520 Motorcycle and ATV insurance. Call Elizabeth Jones Agency 307-682-6520
Storage Unit Sale!!!!! Home stereo, car speakers, 2 dressers, mattress and box spring sets $20, chests, coffee table, chairs, end tables and much more. Call (307) 682-7864
Choose your hours, your income, and your rewards. I DO! Contact Julie BalmerAvon Independent Sales Rep. 307-689-6812 or email jkbpennigwen@msn.com
Personals
Avenue Mall - Over 30 vendors, come check us out! 217 Gillette Ave. Mon-Fri. 9AM to 7 PM, Sat. 9AM- 5 PM, Sun. 10 AM - 4 PM
Gorgeous land home package set up in Wright. 3 bedroom, 2 full baths, hickory cabinets throughout, front porch, central air, and much more. Financing available. For a personal showing call (307) 687-0333
.380 Smith and Weston Bodyguard. Built in laser site. $450.00 firm. Trades possible. Call (307) 6827864. 1903 Springfield. 30o6 Cal. U.S. Military. $700 obo. Call (307) 682-7864
Want To Get in Shape?Like to have Fun? Learn The Graceful moves of American Oriental Belly Dancing! The 3rd Sunday of every month. Call Leanna Tabatt 307-6808457
Heavy Equipment/ Trailers
Tony’s Towing
& Equipment $85,000
Business, Equipment, Everything Goes! Prudential Preferred Properties 819 Country Club Rd, Gillette WY 82718 Call Keni Cundall @ 307-689-7997 or Jason Walker @ 307-340-1108 www.gillettehomebay.com & click commercial
HELP WANTED Advertising Sales/Marketing Specialist
20% Commission plus gas allowance Monthly Individual & Team bonuses Fun Work Enviroment Set Your own hours
Send resume/cover leter to campbellcountyobserver@gmail.com
Be a part of the best up-and-coming business in the area!
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Campers & Motor Homes
Autos, Trucks and Vans
1997 32ft. Class A Motor Home. Sleeps 6, Only 31,000 Miles. Asking $17,000. Call (307) 660-7520.
2003 Chevy Monte Carlo SS (White) with 137,000 mi; $6500. Call 307 - 689 – 0966
Large Private RV/Camper Lot for rent. Big yard, trees. All utilities available. $400 per month, $400 deposit. 1 year lease. Call (307) 6601007. 5th wheel camper for sale. Call Skip (307) 680-0073
Toys (ATV’s Boats, Etc.) BOAT FOR SALE. 18ft 120 port jet outboard bass tracker for sale. Call 307-680-5947 Boat for Sale with trailer. Needs work. Call 670-8980 for info.
Autos, Trucks and Vans 1986 Toyota Tercel 4x4. $1050.00. Call 307-2995918 Chopper - Custom built frame, s&s engine, carb, etc. 80ci. Evolution engine. Wide glide front end. Low. Torn apart down to frame. Have all parts, could be built in two days with under $200.00. Asking $5,500 or best offer. Price:$5,500obo. Contact: 307-670-2037 1993 Chevy 1500 4x4 350 Engine, runs great. 5 spd. manual, transmission needs rebuilt. Transfer case in great condition. No other problems other than transmission. Asking $2,000 or best offer. Price: $2,000obo. Contact: 307-670-2037 1982 Chevy Ventura Van. 350 Engine, 400 Turbo newly rebuilt transmission. Interior in GREAT shape, has a working electric wet bar and built in cooler in back. Carb. needs re-jetted, other than that there are no problems. Must see. Asking $3,500 or best offer. Price:$3,500obo. Contact: 307-670-8980
Custom Harley Soft tail. Being built, need to sell now. Almost finished. Chopper, built in Sturgis, SD. Asking $5,500 and will help you build it. HAVE ALL PARTS! Call 257-2306 2004 Yukon Denali XL,6.0 Motor, Loaded $14,000 OBO 660-9351 ‘76 Electra-Glide would consider trade on Pan or Knuck if ya know of anyone, ‘81 sent it to LA-S&S, 11.5to1 and dual-plugged to run regular-gas, had burn-out time at Hog-Jam! Ben 680.7464. 1981 Harley Davidson FXBSturgis, 1st dual-belt drive to commemorate Hill-Climb @ Sturgis, Jack-Pine Gypsies rally started in ‘41, 50th anniversary model. 12K on straight-up original paint, new Moetzler’s driven-by beefed Shovel, 102hp at wheel. Perfect in every aspect, serious inquiries only, loan is $15K and value of over 25K. Ben 680.7464, 3-other older bikes and this has to go to the right person! 2008 Hyundai Sonata LMTD, 40,000 mi. $13,500, Call 307-660-2532.
Leave Your Mark on Campbell County...
Hickey Unlimited LLC
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307-682-7001 306 W. Lakeway Rd.
Our Roots Are We Alone? By Mike Borda
Are we alone? This is the question man has been asking for thousands of years. Astronomy and the search for the extraterrestrial have been recorded as far back as writing. The ancient Greeks believed that there were many alien worlds in existence, as did the Egyptians. However, even today, we have no proof that there is life beyond our world. Or do we? In 1977, a signal was detected coming from deep space, and in the years since has yet to be fully explained. This signal has the potential to change our understanding of the universe, or confirm our galactic loneliness. Here is the story of the “Wow! Signal”: The astronomy world during 1977 consisted of, among other things, many large telescopes, probing the sky. Known as the SETI project (Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence), the focus of this group of astronomers was to scan the sky to see if there were any discernable signals coming from space, similar to those we are broadcasting out ourselves. In 1971, NASA began providing funding for SETI, which had grown to involve computer companies such as Hewlett-Packard. One office of SETI was located at Ohio State University, known as the Big Ear radio telescope. The man running this particular piece of equipment, Dr. Jerry Ehman, was a volunteer who was simply reading printouts of data. However, on the night of August 15, 1977, his life would change forever. While reading the printouts of telescope data, Ehman noticed something unusual. The characters printed before him were higher than he had ever seen before. He read “6EQUJ5”. At the time, the coding used to describe the signal strength started at 1, going to 9, and then used letters to extend the scale. “6EQUJ5” then, is a
signal that increases in strength to a peak (U) and then decreases. When he saw this reading on the paper, Ehman circled it, and wrote “Wow!” in the margin. While the telescopes also intercept many signals from Earth and our satellites, the fact that this one lasted 72 seconds from one point in space ruled out most of possibilities of interference. In fact, it came from the constellation Sagittarius. However, an interesting complication quickly arose. The Big Ear telescope used two different receivers to hone in signals. The “Wow!” signal came through one receiver, but not the other (which scanned the same point in space three minutes later). The signal has never re-appeared. In the months following the announcement of the signal, public interest in SETI peaked, but because the result was never replicated quickly tailed off. That did not stop the theories from collecting, though. Some say that the signal could have come from an alien spaceship, which was moving through space. Because they were moving, the signal was not found in the same spot again. Another theory states that the signal was a one-time burst sent out to attract attention to other signals we have yet to detect. Even Ehman has expressed doubts, however, as to the origin of the signal. More terrestrial explanations have also been offered. It could have been interference bouncing off an Earth satellite, or a glitch in the system (although no proof of these has been found, either). To this day, we cannot be sure of the origin of the “Wow!” signal. Is it sign of alien life, or simply a misunderstanding of the data? One thing is sure, though. Humans have been searching for extra-terrestrial life from our earliest days, and that trend is not likely to stop anytime soon.
“Let every man, every corporation, and especially let every village, town, and city, every county and State, get out of debt and keep out of debt. It is the debtor that is ruined by hard times.” - President Rutherford B. Hayes
Joke of the week Submitted by Denise Sickeley A young man, at this construction site, was bragging that he could outdo anyone based on his strength. He especially made fun of one of the older workman. After several minutes, the older worker had enough. “Why don’t you put your money where your mouth is?” he said. “I’ll bet a week’s wages that I can haul something in a wheelbarrow over to the other building that you won’t be able to wheel back.” “You’re on, old man,” the young man replied. “Let’s see what you’ve got.” The old man reached out and grabbed the wheelbarrow by the handles. Then nodding to the young man, he said with a smile, “All right. Get in.”
The Birth of a Recreational Area By Jeff Morrison While driving through northeast Wyoming, it’s fairly easy to picture the countryside as it appeared 100 years ago. Aside from the coal mines that line Highway 59, and the urban sprawl of Gillette, the landscape hasn’t changed much. This is especially true of Crook County; the home of Devil’s Tower, the Little Missouri Buttes, Inyan Kara, and most of the Wyoming portion of the Black Hills. One significant man-made change to the landscape occurred in the early 1950s, however, with the construction of Keyhole Dam. It is unlikely that anyone watching the Belle Fourche slowly flood the valley above the new dam could have envisioned that the resulting reservoir would become a fishing mecca, and one of Wyoming’s major outdoor recreational areas. The valley that became Keyhole Reservoir was located where the Belle Fourche River entered the Black Hills. Running mostly southwest to northeast, the river was augmented along a six mile stretch by the water from seven tributary creeks. Between two of these – Wind Creek and Mule Creek – the river valley narrowed into a canyon, lined with limestone cliffs on both sides. The natural grass grew green and tall here, and was perfect for grazing. This drew the attention of Stocks and James Millar, who established the AK ranch in 1881, just east of what eventually became the west shore of the lake. The Millar brothers, who named their ranch headquarters “Moorcroft”, raised horses, and shared the grazing in the valley with the cattle of the nearby 101 ranch. The old Montana Road ran through the valley as it made its way from Deadwood to the old Bozeman Trail. In the early 1890s, with the help of Stocks’ wife, Sarah, they purchased three sections of land along the Belle Fourche to the mouth of Wind Creek, under the Desert Land Act. Stocks died in the spring of 1890 and Sarah moved to Nebraska, leaving the ranch to James. Ten years later, the McKean family began acquiring land
along the Belle Fourche, under the Homestead Act, receiving their patents by the early 1900s. By the time the Taylor Grazing Act of 1934 ended the homesteading era, no less than 83 patents had been issued in and around the valley. Ironically, most of these homesteads failed, due in large part, to a lack of water. One by one, each failed homestead was absorbed by their neighbors, primarily the McKean family. By the 1940s, Paul John McKean owned the AK brand, and although “Moorcroft” was owned by John Schuricht, the McKean family owned most of the rest of the valley, including the Keyhole Ranch, which would eventually lend its name to the reservoir. As early as 1917, the United States Reclamation Service saw the need for water storage, to be used for flood control and irrigation, along the Missouri River Basin. Although dry land farming had its die-hard enthusiasts, it was plain to anyone involved in the endeavor that farming worked a lot better with irrigation. Unfortunately, as the Army Corps of Engineers concluded in the 1930s, the construction of irrigation dams along the Missouri Basin was cost prohibitive. In the late 1930s, the Bureau of Reclamation began looking into the possibilities of creating reservoirs in the Cheyenne River Basin. As the Belle Fourche is, geographically speaking, a fork of the Cheyenne River, it was included in the study. Authorization to build the dam on the Belle Fourche was finally given in 1948, the private property bought, and the dam site was finalized in 1949. The construction contract was given to the Knisely-Moore Company of Douglas, Wyoming. A construction camp, located just below the dam site was quickly established, and construction began in the summer of 1950. In addition to the construction of the dam, the entire valley had to be deforested, primarily to reduce the buildup of silt. According to one area rancher, the trees were stacked into mounds on the valley floor and
burned, however some of the tree stacks could still be seen near Asher’s Store in the early 1970s. Buildings were also dismantled and/or relocated. One of the houses, probably belonging to Paul John McKean, was moved to Gillette, where it still stands today on the corner of 4th Street and 4-J Road. Two major roads had to be moved as well. The MoorcroftSundance road, part of the original Black and Yellow Trail, was rerouted around what would become Mule Creek Bay, while the Hulett Road was moved west about three quarters of a mile. Construction was completed in 1953, although it took a few more years for the water level to reach its intended nominal capacity elevation of 4099 feet. As the water rose, what had been most of McKean’s AK Ranch, nearly half of the Keyhole Ranch and all of what had been Stocks Millar’s “Moorcroft” disappeared under the waves. What remained was the largest body of water in northeast Wyoming, just waiting for fisher-
men, boaters and outdoor lovers – except that for the first few years the shoreline was heavily infested with rattlesnakes that had been displaced from their dens in the valley below, making it extremely hazardous to go anywhere near the water. In 1961, due to a snafu in negotiating a contract with down-stream water user, it was decided to drain the reservoir and maintain the dam as a flood control measure only. The planned drainage ran into problems from ice jams and flooding, causing delays throughout 1962. By the time engineers were ready to resume draining the lake, a 40 year contract with the Belle Fourche Irrigation District was signed and the plan was abandoned. The snake infestation eventually returned to a normal state and by the late 1960s Keyhole Reservoir became the outdoor recreational hot-spot it is today. The 1970s brought a new type of “homesteader” to the valley. A group of people, including Albert “Coop” Waters (who had acquired the Keyhole
ranch from Sam McKean), Gillette businessman Bob Hays, and Paul John McKean, envisioned the creation of a resort community on the tip of the divide separating Mule Creek Bay and Wind Creek Bay. Within a few short years Pine Haven became a bedroom community of Gillette, 48 miles away, in another county, with another town in-between. It also has the distinction of being the only town in Wyoming designed around a golf course. The “town hall” was actually a garage that housed the fire truck and ambulance, while the nominal community meeting house was the Keyhole Kountry Store, owned by the Solomon family. In 1987, Pine Haven got organized and filed for incorporation, to become an officially recognized town by the State of Wyoming. In true Wyoming fashion, the town fathers solved the dilemma of meeting the population requirements the same way our state founders did when petitioning to become the 44th state. They lied.
The Local “Our Roots” Column is sponsored by
· Auto · Preferred · SR22’s · Home · Renters · Life · Health 18
Elizabeth Jones Agency 1001 S. Douglas Hwy., Suite 184 Gillette, WY 82716 Office (307) 682-6520 Fax (307) 682-3536
Elizabeth (Betsy) Jones, Agent CPIW, DAE, LUTCF
www.farmersunioninsurance.com/ejones ejones@vcn.com