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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 10

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June 17 - 24, 2011

March 9 - 16, 2012

Discussion on the Field of Dreams continues

By Paul Wallem - Basin Radio News

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.

Gillette residents will soon get two opportunities to speak with city officials about the master plan for the Field of Dreams project.

First, City of Gillette Mayor Tom Murphy will appear on a local talk radio program on Monday, March 5, at 8 a.m. The mayor will speak with Bold Republic host Glenn Woods on News/Talk 1270-AM KIML, and he will answer your questions live on the air. You can voice your opinion on the Field of Dreams directly to the mayor by calling the KIML studio

To place a classified ad, email us at Classifieds@CampbellCountyObserver.com Include name, phone, e-mail and physical address.

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Later on Monday, March 19, the City of Gillette will host a public hearing on the master plan for the Field of Dreams project at 6 p.m.

This is the public’s chance to clarify their opinions on the project to the city council, whether you are for the Field of Dreams, against the Field of Dreams, or somewhere in the middle.

“Whether you’re for it or against it, I think the public participation so far what I’ve seen on various websites and stuff like that is good, but I do think it helps to have a public presence to talk about these things at the public hearing and I think we’ll look forward to that,” explains City of Gillette public information officer Joe Lunne.

The entire project, as presented, would cost approximately $90 million. Some of the amenities included in that price tag are 13 Little League baseball fields, 4 Babe Ruth baseball fields, 8 Women’s Fast Pitch Softball fields, 4 soccer fields, 6 multi-purpose fields, a skate park, a toboggan run, a hockey ice rink, and basketball courts.

On the other hand, the total does not include the costs of projects within the Field of Dreams that will be covered by other entities, such as the covered stadium, BMX track, golf course, and a facility for the Boys and Girls Club.

The public hearing will also provide an opportunity for the city’s staff and the city council to reiterate and clarify a few issues about

Photo by Nathan Kobielusz - Basin Radio

The projects consultant, Bruce Dees, explains the Field of Dreams master plan during the public unveiling on Feb. 8 to an enthusiastic crowd of over 100 people at the Gillette College Presentation Hall. the Field of Dreams.

“What is really important and what the public needs to know, we have not obligated $90 million to this project,” Lunne cautions. “That was the estimated price if we did the whole plan, and there were two phasing options for that plan; one was a five-year plan and one was a 15-year plan. Council asked the consultant and city staff to go back and revise that phasing a little bit. So, we’re going to look at that. But I think it’s important that the public work together with the council, attend this meeting. I think there are some great things about this plan that we can do for the community.”

Input from the public and decisions by the Gillette City Council will not be a one-time deal, according to Lunne. On the other hand, the process of developing the project could take 5 to 15 years and perhaps even longer. If the master plan is approved, the process will continue, Lunne says.

“Approving the master plan doesn’t necessarily mean they’re allocating all of the money for the project, they’re just approving that this is the plan we’re going to go with and then as we phase it in, each of those pieces will be bid out and budgeted and council will approve or reject at that point,” says Lunne.

According to Lunne, he has frequently received two questions from the public on this project. The first questions deal with the proposed enclosed football stadium.

A second common question is whether or not the Field of Dreams project should be put to a public vote.

“We have designated land in the Field of Dreams for the stadium if the school district chooses to do that,” describes Lunne. “That’s really up to them but we made space in this land for that facility and that’s really up to them. They may not want to do it, they may do it.”

As far as whether or not the public should be able to

vote for or against the Field of Dreams project, Lunne explains the public doesn’t typically vote on construction projects.

“Typically, the public does not vote on construction projects or plans,” Lunne says. “What the public has voted on is to raise taxes for specific projects. Right now, the city’s looking at our existing funding mechanism to pay for this project. So, right now as it stands there’s no need for a capital facilities tax vote or anything of that nature.”

The Field of Dreams consists of 320 acres of land east of the Country Club Golf Course near Garner Lake Road and Boxelder Road that the City of Gillette purchased from the State of Wyoming at auction for $2.534 million on January 18, 2011.

The public hearing will take place in the Gillette City Council Chambers on Monday, March 19, at 6 p.m.

Rex Brown named BIG WYO winner Wyoming’s tourism industry has chosen Rexina, “Rex” Brown recipient of the annual “BIG WYO” award. This award is sponsored by the Wyoming Lodging & Restaurant Association and recognizes an outstanding travel and tourism person of the year. “Rex’s life and work truly embrace the ideals of citizenship, service to community, leadership and character. As a Gillette resident for over thirty-five years, she has served her community, state and profession through involvement in many different clubs and organizations,” said Dan Barks, General Manager of CAM-PLEX where Brown worked since 1986.

In the time that she worked at CAM-PLEX, Brown served as Assistant Marketing Manager (1986-1994) and Marketing Manager (1994-2011).

Brown was responsible for bringing major events like the National High School Finals Rodeo (nine times), the International Pyrotechnic Guild

Conference (three times), the World Horseshoe Pitching Tournament (two times), the BMW Motorcycle National Rally, and the Great North American RV Rally to Wyoming.

“Through these events, Rex has been responsible for bringing tens of millions of dollars in tourism money to not only Gillette but to the entire region,” explained Lynn Birleffi with the Wyoming Restaurant and Lodging Association.”

Rex is married to Gene Brown and together they have one son, Travis Brown and two granddaughters, Bailey and Kennedy Brown. Both Rex and Gene retired in November of 2011 and are enjoying the life they deserve after many years of hard work and dedication in retail and tourism.

Diane Shober, Director of the Wyoming Office of Tourism is a good friend and colleague of Brown’s and complimented her both personally and professionally, “Rex has that

rare ability to make people feel comfortable immediately upon meeting her. She will visit with anyone and is gracious in her conversation, making sure to learn all she can about those with whom she is talking. Her background in marketing and private business and her community involvement made her a valuable resource to me, our community, CAM-PLEX Multi Event Facilities, and the tourism industry of Wyoming.”

Brown was gracious Tuesday night as she accepted the award, surrounded by her friends and family, “I have attended the Big WYO banquet over the years and watched so many deserving people receive this prestigious honor, but never once did I expect that I would be chosen. I worked hard because I loved what I did and I love the State of Wyoming.”

“Even in retirement I find myself promoting Wyoming,” Brown joked as she accepted the award from Governor Matthew Mead.

For subscriptions go to www.CampbellCountyObserver.net

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Community ANNIVERSARY SUBSCRIPTION

Friday, March 9

Saturday, March 10

-Valley Pool Tournament @ Jakes Tavern -SAT Testing, 8 a.m., CCHS North Campus -2012 Shoe Shuffle, 8 a.m., Rec Center 660-5588 - Donations are Greatly Appreciated -AA- Discussion, 8:30 a.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -4-H Shooting Sports, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., Cam-plex Barn 3 -Teen Dungeons & Dragons, 10 a.m., CCPL -RCM Barrel Race, 10 a.m.- 8 p.m., Cam-plex East Pavilion -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. -Cattlewomen Sheep Herder’s Banquet, 6 p.m., Camplex Energy Hall, Gwen Geis 686-7456 -Christopher Amend Book Signing, 7 p.m., AVA Center -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Last Call Group, 10 p.m., 2910 S Douglas Hwy.

Sunday, March 11

-DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINSSpring Ahead -Valley Pool Tournament @ Jakes Tavern -Senior Center- CLOSED -AA-Morning Spiritual, 10:15 a.m., 2910 S Douglas Hwy. -AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -4-H Beginners Horse Progress Show, 12-7 p.m., Cam-plex Barn 3 -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy.

Monday, March 12

-Rozet Picture Day -AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -Prairie Wind PTO Meeting, 12 p.m.

-AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -Dyslexic Education Association of Readers (DEAR) Meeting, 7 p.m., CCPL 6802163 -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy.

Tuesday, March 13

-HealthCHECK Testing, 7-11 a.m., CCMH Lab, 6881222 -Storytime, 3-5 yr. olds, 10:30 a.m., CCPL -AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -Cloud Peak Sponsored Dinner, 12 noon, Senior Center -AVA- Preschool Art, 2 p.m.

-AVA- Grade School Pottery, 4 p.m.

-Teen Card Game Club, 4 p.m., CCPL -Gillette Abuse Refuge Foundation (GARF) Advocacy Training, 5-9 p.m., 686-8071 (Must Take All

Courses) -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AVA- Wooden Bead Class Part 1, 6-7:30 p.m.

-AA-Beginners, 6:45 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy.

Wednesday, March 14

-Early Dismissal- Professional Day, 1 p.m. Secondary, 1:30 p.m. Elementary -Children’s Immunization Clinic, 8-11:30 a.m., Public Health -Children’s Saint Patrick, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., CCPL- Wyoming Room -Storytime, 3-5 yr. olds, 10:30 a.m., CCPL -Storytime, All Ages, 11 a.m., WBL -AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -ASVAB Test, 1-4 p.m., CCHS North Campus -Teen Early Release Party, 1-4 p.m., CCPL -AVA: Early Release, 2-5 p.m.

-Kids Leapin’ Leprechaun Party, 2:30 p.m., CCPL -Teen Advisory Board Meeting, 4 p.m., CCPL -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -Gillette Community Theatre Auditions, 6 p.m., CCPL -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy.

Monday, March 19

@ Jakes Tavern -Dave Cross Volleyball Tournament, All Day, Rec Center, 682-8527 -National Turkey Federation Banquet, All Day, Camplex Energy Hall, 689-0051 -Eastside RV’s Summer Fun Show, All Day, Cam-plex Central Pavilion, 686-1435 -GARF Advocacy Training, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m., 686-8071 (Lunch will be Provided) -AA- Discussion, 8:30 a.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -NEWCA Home Show 2012, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., Camplex Wyoming Center -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 -Gillette Community Theatre Auditions, 1 p.m., CCPL -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -CASA St. Paddy’s Day Hockey Game, 6 p.m., Camplex Spirit Hall -AVA: Saturday Uncorked!

7-9 p.m.

-AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Last Call Group, 10 p.m., 2910 S Douglas Hwy.

-AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -PAD Meeting, 4 p.m., SVJH Choir Room -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy.

Tuesday, March 20

-FIRST DAY OF SPRING -HealthCHECK Testing, 7-11 a.m., CCMH Lab, 6881222 -Wyoming Rangeland Management School: Grazing Plan, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., Rec. Center -Storytime, 3-5 yr. olds, 10:30 a.m., CCPL -AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -Visually Imparted, 1 p.m., Senior Center, Pat Edward 257-2949 -AVA- Preschool Art, 2 p.m.

-AVA- Grade School Pottery, 4 p.m.

-Teen Card Game Club, 4 p.m., CCPL -Gillette Abuse Refuge Foundation (GARF) Advocacy Training, 5-9 p.m., 686-8071 (Must Take All Courses) -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -NWCCD Advantage in Retail (AIR) Institute, Tues.

Nights 3/20-5/8, 6 p.m., Gillette College -AA-Beginners, 6:45 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy.

Sunday, March 18

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-Early Dismissal- Gillette Schools Only -Valley Pool Tournament @ Jakes Tavern -CCPL- CLOSED from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. for Staff Inservice -AVA: Little Tikes, 10 a.m.

-AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AiE “Macbeth”, 12:151:15 p.m., Cam-plex Heritage Center -Ladies Night Expo, 5 p.m., Cam-plex Central Pavilion -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -Macbeth, 7-10 p.m., Camplex Heritage Center, 6820552 -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Last Call Group, 10 p.m., 2910 S Douglas Hwy.

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What’s Going On?

HELP SPREAD THE NEWS! The Campbell County Observer has been in Print for 1 year!

-UMF Meeting @ Jakes Tavern -Senior Center- CLOSED -Dave Cross Volleyball Tournament, All Day, Rec Thursday, March 15 -HealthCHECK Testing, Center, 682-8527 Mother's Day ContestRV’s Summer -Eastside 7-11 a.m., CCMH Lab, 688All Day, Next weekFun addShow, e-mail or Cam-plex mail letters to: The Campbell County Observer 1222 -Toddler Time, 18 months5105 TarryCentral St. Pavilion, 686-1435 -NEWCA Home Show 3 yr., 9:30 a.m., CCPL 82718 2012, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m., Cam-Storytime, 3-5 Gillette, yr. olds, Wy plex Wyoming Center 10:30 a.m., CCPL -AA-Morning Spiritual, -AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 10:15 a.m., 2910 S Douglas noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -Ribbon Cutting: Campbell Hwy. -AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 County Head Start, 12:30 noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. p.m., -Personal Frontier PresOpen House/Grand Opening, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., 601 Run- ents The Harlem Ambassadors, 2:15 p.m., CCHS North ning W Drive -AVA- Homeschool Art, 2 Campus, 686-1189 -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m.

-AVA- Grade School Kids p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., Club, 4 p.m.

-March Mixer & Legisla- 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. tive Reception: Clarion Inn & Convention Center, 5-7 p.m., 2009 S. Douglas Leave Your Mark on Hwy., 682-3673 -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 Campbell County... p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -Families & Jammies, Birth- 6th Grade, 6:30 p.m., CCPL -Teen Anime Club, 7 p.m., CCPL -Wagonwheel Elementary Unlimited LLC 1/2 Grade Program, 7 p.m., Your New Generation of Beautiful Cam-plex heritage Center -Gillette Abuse Refuge Foundation (GARF) Advocacy Training, 5-9 p.m., 686-8071 (Must Take All Courses) •Hair Extentsions -AVA: Wooden Bead Class Ultratress II Part 2, 6-7:30 p.m.

-AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., •Xango Hair Products 2910 S. Douglas Hwy.

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Contest!

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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

Hickey

NOW OPEN

Friday, March 16

-St. Jude‘s Benefit with The Younger Brother‘s Band @ Jakes Tavern -Eastside RV’s Summer Fun Show, All Day, Cam-plex Central Pavilion, 686-1435 -AVA: Little Tikes, 10 a.m.

-Brave the Shave Benefit, 11 a.m., Dry Fork Station, 687-8400 -AA- Mid-day Serenity, 12 noon, 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Happy Hour, 5:30 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AVA: Art Attack Youth Show, 6 p.m.

-Open MIC Night, 7 p.m., Brothers Coffee -AA-Hopefuls(BB), 8 p.m., 2910 S. Douglas Hwy. -AA-Last Call Group, 10 p.m., 2910 S Douglas Hwy.

Saturday, March 17

-HAPPY SAINT PATRICK’S DAY -St. Jude‘s Benefit with The Younger Brother‘s Band

Joke of the week Submitted by Felix Scheobar Congratulations to Mitt Romney. He won the New Hampshire primary. See, this is proof that even the multimillionaire son of a multimillionaire can beat the odds and run for president of the United States.

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307-682-7001 306 W. Lakeway Rd.

The Campbell County Observer Staff CampbellCountyObserver.net (PP-1) Volume 2 Issue 10 The Campbell County Observer is published

by Patriot Publishing L.L.C. in Gillette, WY every Friday.

Postmaster: Send address changes to 5105 Tarry St. Gillette, WY 82718 Writers Candice De Laat - Owner/Publisher CandiceDeLaat@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Nicholas De Laat - Owner/Editor NicholasDeLaat@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Sandra Boehler (Charities/Fundraisers/Veterans Events) SandraBoehler@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Keary Speer - Editor KearySpeer@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Glenn Woods (Political Column) GlennWoods@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Anne Peterson - Advertising Sales Manager AnnePeterson@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Mike Borda (American History) MichaelBorda@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Robyn Brooks - Sales/Marketing RobynBrooks@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Elizabeth Albin (Wright) ElizabethAlbin@campbellcountyobserver.com

Traci Jefferson - Sales/Marketing TraciJefferson@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Lin Stephens LinStephens@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Owen Clarke - Ad Design OwenClarke@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Josh Uzarski (Science) JoshuaUzarski@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Ken McCoy - Distribution Manager

Ken De Laat (About Nothing) KennethDeLaat@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Pattie Ladd - What’s Going On PattieLadd@CampbellCountyObserver.com

“Juice” (Political Cartoonist) Juice@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Clint Burton - Photographer ClintBurton@CampbellCountyObserver.com

Jeff Morrison (Local History Contributor) JeffMorrison@CampbellCountyObserver.com

3

Community City Council approves traffic light for Enzi, Southern Drive intersection

By Paul Wallem - Basin Radio News The Gillette City Council approved a $90,401 bid award to Scott Brothers for the construction of a traffic signal at the corner of Enzi Drive and Southern Drive during Monday’s city council meeting by a vote of 5-2.

City Councilmen, Everett Boss and Robin Kuntz, were the only council members to oppose the project.

Over the last few days, Boss and Kuntz have both expressed concern about the weight and speed of tractor-trailers heading into that intersection.

“I have a problem with this one because of the speed limit and it’s all about safety to me, so until the speed limit can be lowered I am not for the stoplight,” Boss says during the discussion Monday.

In January, the Campbell County Commissioners voted to lower the speed limit near the intersection from 55 mph to 50 mph.

In fact, the commissioners voted to make the entire

Southern Drive route the same uniform speed. Although the commissioners have not set a definite date to change the speed limit along Southern Drive, the change is supposed to coincide with the installation of the traffic signal at Enzi and Southern.

“We certainly will be in discussion and looking for the warrants that would indicate an even lower speed limit potentially as that area develops more,” City of Gillette administrator Carter Napier explains during Monday’s meeting.

At the same time, Councilman Kuntz has said earlier that he is concerned about installing a traffic signal on a heavily used truck route.

“Loaded trucks and unloaded semis are going to have difficulty getting stopped for the signal, and then when they do get stopped they may have difficulty going up the steep slope,” Kuntz says.

Now that the project has been approved, however, City of Gillette public information officer Joe Lunne says construction on the traffic signal should begin by the end of March or early April.

The traffic light at Enzi and Southern is one of several capital improvement projects submitted to the Wyoming Loan and Investment Board in a countywide consensus list last summer. The City of Gillette requested $900,000 in consensus funds from the state for two projects. Besides the traffic light at Enzi and Southern, Gillette’s other capital improvement project is the Flying Circle sanitation pipeline project.

Since the State of Wyoming requires local entities to match consensus funds, half of the total cost required to install the traffic light and pedestrian crossing at Enzi and Southern is coming from the optional 1 percent sales tax.

The $90,401 price tag approved Monday does not include the cost of the traffic light, which the city has already purchased. Including the cost of the light, the total project is $214,230.

The idea of installing a traffic light at the intersection of Enzi Drive and Southern Drive intensified after some high profile vehicle accidents occurred at that intersection last year.

One such accident involved a 16-year old driver and a Freightliner Semi Truck, while another accident involved two semi-trucks, one of which caught on fire.

MIGRAINES?

Governor Mead signs Redistricting Bill and moves to have Wyoming regulate Greenhouse Gases

Every ten years, the Legislature must adjust voting districts to match new census figures. Lawmakers worked on the latest redistricting bill throughout the past year.

“Redistricting is no easy job and I want to thank all the members of the Corporations Committee for their hard work,” Governor Mead said. “Not everyone is pleased with this plan. It is such a difficult process and lawmakers should be com-

mended for their effort.”

Governor Matt Mead signed the redistricting bill today. He also signed a bill that allows Wyoming to regulate greenhouse gases. He said Wyoming will continue with its legal challenge of the EPA’s decisions regarding a State Implementation Plan.

“This new law is an important change – needed in order for Wyoming to have a lead role over the federal government in regulation

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of its greenhouse gases,” Governor Mead said. “Absent this law the federal government would regulate greenhouse gases in Wyoming. We want to take on that responsibility whenever possible. Companies that produce greenhouse gases would have to apply to both Wyoming and the federal government for permits without Wyoming as the lead regulator.”

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4

Community Girls Scouts turns 100

Girl Scouts is turning 100! March 12, 2012 officially marks the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting.

To celebrate this historic milestone, Girl Scouts of the USA has declared 2012 the Year of the Girl: a celebration of girls, recognition of their leadership potential and a commitment to creating a coalition of likeminded organizations and individuals in support of balanced leadership in the workplace and in communities across the country.

“Since 1912, Girl Scouting has built its success on a deep commitment to timeless values,” said Sally Leep, Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming CEO. “The organization has shown remarkable resilience in meeting the changing needs of girls while remaining faithful to Low’s vision of a safe and

supportive environment in which girls can develop the courage, confidence, and character to become leaders today, as well as tomorrow.”

In the 100 years since Juliette Gordon Low began the Girl Scout movement by gathering together a small group of girls in Savannah, Georgia, Girl Scouts has grown into an organization with 3.2 million members and 50 million alumnae.

During the Year of the Girl, local Girl Scout councils across the country will hold celebrations in honor of the organization’s 100 years as the premier leadership experience for girls.

On March 30 – 31 Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming is hosting the biggest birthday party in a two-state area at the Holiday Inn Grand Montana Convention Center. Friday

night Girl Scout alumnae, friends and supporters are invited to take a walk down memory lane at Denim and Pearls! Wear your favorite blue jeans and pearls and enjoy Girl Scout-themed appetizers and desserts.

An actor will bring Juliette Low to life with an interactive presentation about the founding of Girl Scouts!

During the event, girls are invited to their own party— PJs and Pearls, featuring a pampered evening of fun and fashion! Door prizes, raffle items, and more!

Saturday the fun continues throughout the day culminating with a birthday cake and Girl Scout carnival!

Friends and family are welcome to attend!

Visit www.gsmw.org/100 for details or to register to attend! Be there when our first 100 years turns into our next 100 years!

TEAR DUCT ACTIVATOR Pour it on this anniversary, fellas.

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1103 E. Boxelder, Suite C Gillette, WY USA 82718

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Submitted by Kim Sears, Marketing and Public Relations Wyoming Business Council The Wyoming Business Council’s Agribusiness Division is now accepting photos for its 5th Annual Ag Photo Contest.

Amateurs, professionals, youth and adults may submit photos to the Agribusiness Division until Sept. 1, 2012. While there are no subject categories, all submissions must be agriculture related and taken in Wyoming. Photos could include crops; livestock and farm animals; ag recreation and activities; or scenic agriculture. Photos may be in color or black and white. Contestants may submit multiple photos to the contest.

All contestants are eligible for the Grand Prize of $300. Adult contestants may win $150 and $75 for 1st and 2nd places respectively. Youth contestants may win $50 and $25 for 1st and 2nd places respectively. Winning photos will also be used in the 2013 AgriCulture Calendar issued in fall 2012.

“This is the fifth year for the ag photo contest and the response we get grows every year,” said Terri Barr, senior marketing information specialist in the Agribusiness Division. “The first year, there were only 28 photos submitted; last year, it was

Tom Hoffman Contact # 307-660-5984 or email at tomhoffman@juneks.com

just shy of 300. Wyoming has some exceptional amateur and professional photographers. We hope to receive a record breaking number of photos again this year from both former and new contestants.”

Each submitted photograph should be accompanied by a completed and signed application form. The photos must be at least 300 dpi in jpeg or tiff format. Each submitted photo should include the location of the picture, the contestant’s name and a title (optional) on the back of the photograph. Digital photos may be submitted on CD or via email.

For questions or to receive the application and contest rules, contact Terri Barr at terri.barr@wyo.gov or307.777.2807.

Applications, contest rules and tips are also available online at www.wyomingbusiness.orgin the Ag and Business Assistance Section.

All photos become property of the Agribusiness Division and may be used in marketing materials, publications and the AgriCulture Calendar.

For a free copy of the 2011 AgriCulture calendar featuring last year’s winning photos and submissions, contact Barr.

Serious health problems associated with “Spice” being reported Submitted by Kim Deti - Wyoming Department of Health The Wyoming Department of Health and the Casper-Natrona County Health Department are warning Wyoming residents to avoid the use of “spice” due to potentially critical health effects.

At least three Casper area residents who reportedly smoked or ingested “blueberry spice” in recent days have been hospitalized due to reported kidney failure; others have also sought medical attention in connection with the drug’s use.

Spice is a synthetic type of marijuana that can be several times more potent

than the marijuana more commonly found in Wyoming.

“Our message today is more than a general health warning. At this point we are viewing use of this drug as a potentially life-threatening situation,” said Dr. Tracy Murphy, state epidemiologist with the Wyoming Department of Health. “We will continue to follow up on this situation to gather more information on these reported illnesses and the cause.”

The Wyoming Department of Health is also planning to send out a notice to healthcare providers

Joke of the week Submitted by Dwayne Letlan What’s the difference between a dead rat and a dead tax inspector found on the road?

There are braking skid marks by the rat.

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around the state alerting them to the potential connection between this drug and the reported symptoms.

Murphy said anyone who is experiencing illness and who has recently used spice to contact a medical professional.

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To submit a quote of the week go to www.CampbellCountyObserver.net

Solutions from last week

“There are those, I know, who will say that the liberation of humanity, the freedom of man and mind, is nothing but a dream. They are right. It is the American dream.�

- Archibald MacLeish

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Community Hair and Makeup Director and Designer Brigitte McClintock begins the two-hour process of getting Sage Valley ninth-grader Logan Bullard into makeup.

Logan is playing the beast in the school’s upcoming performance of Beauty and the Beast Jr. at CAM-PLEX. Photo by Nathan Kobielusz Basin Radio

Miss Wyoming, Sage Valley students star in children’s classic

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This Friday and Saturday performers from Sage Valley Junior High School will be putting on a presentation of Beauty and the Beast Jr. at the CAM-PLEX Heritage Center.

Being a performer in the theater always requires a commitment, according to hair and makeup director and designer Brigitte McClintock.

“We spend a lot of time researching the era of what the production’s going to be taking place in, and then it’s a matter of finding the proper prosthetics,” says McClintock. “There’s different types of prosthetics that we use that we actually ad-

here to the face.”

Logan Bullard, a ninth grader from Sage Valley, is playing the part of the Beast.

McClintock says she spends approximately two hours getting Logan into makeup and another 30 minutes taking him out of makeup.

The performance features a special guest as well. Miss Wyoming 2011, Catherine Brown, will be playing the role of Enchantress. Following the performance, attendees will be able to meet Ms. Brown.

In the end, McClintock says one of the greatest things about working in theater is it takes an entire

team to make everything work.

“It’s not just about doing your thing and doing it well, it’s about doing your thing well as a team,” explains McClintock.

Sage Valley Junior High School is holding two public performances of Beauty and the Beast Jr. The first public performance is on Friday, March 2, at 7 p.m.

The second public performance is on Saturday, March 3, at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $12 per person and can be purchased at the CAM-PLEX Ticket Office by calling (307) 6828802.

“Militia” suspect claims he was trying to help HOME OF THE ADULT DAYCARE CENTER

By Paul Wallem - Basin Radio News Tuesday morning, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office released additional information on a 40-year old self-identified militia man from Gillette who was arrested just after 7 a.m. Sunday.

Cameron Lee Garcia is accused of pointing a pistol in the vicinity of some people on Moran Ranch Road while claiming to be part of the Wyoming militia.

According to Campbell County Undersheriff Scott Matheny, Garcia has been cooperating with investigators and telling them his side of the story, including why he had a gun and why he was telling the residents inside the home on Moran Ranch Road to stand down.

Matheny says Garcia explained to investigators that he was asleep at his home on Elon Avenue in Gillette Sunday morning when a friend woke him up saying his girlfriend was being shot at and that the friend needed Garcia’s assistance to help her.

Garcia then told investigators that he believed the neighbors of his friend’s girlfriend, who were inside the home on Moran Ranch Road, were in danger.

“He advised he had the pistol in what we commonly refer to as a ready position, scanning in between the two residences of the hill, looking for any signs of suspects or gunfire,” explains Matheny.

Matheny says the suspect told investigators that he attempted to return home after realizing no gunshots were fired in the vicinity of Moran Ranch Road. It was then that he was arrested.

While Garcia admits, according to Matheny, that the people inside the home could have misinterpreted his intentions,

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Cameron Lee Garcia was arrested Sunday monring after Sheriff Deputies say he pointed a gun at residents inside a home on Moran Ranch Road while informing them he was a member of a Wyoming Militia.

Garcia claims he never pointed his gun at anyone and that he was only trying to help.

“He loudly identified himself to the neighbors as Wyoming 44th Militia,” Matheny says. “He advised the neighbors that shots were being fired and asked if anyone needed assistance. He repeated himself approximately three times with no response from the neighbors.”

Wyoming stands up for plan to protect forests from beetles

Governor Matt Mead announced Wyoming has filed a motion to intervene in a lawsuit, in order to defend an Amendment to the Black Hills Forest Plan.

The Amendment was developed by the Black Hills National Forest, Wyoming and South Dakota to maintain forest health. Several environmental groups sued the U.S. Forest Service over the Amendment.

“Thousands of acres of forest land in Wyoming are under attack by bark beetles. It is necessary to find ways to slow their spread,”

302 E 2nd • Gillette • (307) 682-9442 (Across from NAPA)

Governor Mead said. “I believe it is necessary to join with the Forest Service to protect forest health and to use proven techniques for bark beetle mitigation.”

The case is in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming.

“We want the Forest Service to be able to manage fires and insects, to sustain habitat for species and protect multiple use objectives in forests,” Governor Mead said. “Bark beetles are devastating to forests and unless trees are removed the entire forest is at risk.”

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Public Pulse

Mayor makes his case for the Field of Dreams

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By Paul Wallem - Basin Radio News For nearly an hour, City of Gillette Mayor Tom Murphy fielded questions from area listeners about the Field of Dreams and encouraged the public to attend the March 19 public forum on the same subject with the Gillette City Council during his appearance on News/Talk 1270AM KIML with Bold Republic host Glenn Woods Monday morning.

For the most part, listeners of the conservative talk show expressed concern about the $90 million price tag, how the park will be paid for, and whether or not more parks are really needed in Gillette.

One caller identifying herself as Janet says the city’s current parks are underutilized.

“I drive by the parks all the time but I never see anybody playing in them,” Janet said on the radio. “Is it really necessary to spend this kind of money on parks that are not being used?”

In response, Mayor Murphy said the Field of Dreams incorporates space for summer and winter recreational activities. Accommodating a wide variety of activities, the mayor says, will help ensure the Field of Dreams is utilized year round.

Other callers questioned why the city is considering spending $90 million on recreational parkland at a time when Gillette residents have seen their city utility bills climb higher.

The mayor says he believes the city should charge what it costs to provide such services to its business and residential customers. They city isn’t, however, out to make a profit from the services they provide.

“We’re trying to treat the City of Gillette as a business, and if we’re providing a good service for our community and speeding the process of permitting so that buildings can get built quicker, subdivisions built sooner, and that’s all good,” the mayor explains. “But we should charge for those services as well, but not a penny more. Whatever it costs us to provide a service to our citizens we should charge for that, but not a penny more.”

According to Murphy, the city will fund at least part of the construction of the Field of Dreams with the optional 1 percent sales tax. The mayor says roughly threequarters of the revenues generated by the tax is paid for by local industry. At the same time, the mayor says he hopes to partially fund the project through corporate sponsorships.

As well, the mayor says the Field of Dreams will benefit the local economy by providing a revenue stream separate from the minerals industry.

“This community has always struggled with economic development and diversification,” describes Mayor Murphy. “We’ve always been an energy-based economy.”

The mayor says the community has benefited from the addition of CAM-PLEX, which has allowed Gillette to attract major events like the National High School Finals Rodeo and the Airstream Rally.

“Now it was just in last week’s Casper Star Tribune that with the basketball and wrestling tournaments in that community,

they brought in $4.5 million to the economy of Casper,” Murphy says.

“So this weekend we had the state swimming, we had a regional track meet, we had the state hockey tournaments here. Those are all very, very good things that bring revenue into our community, fill our hotel rooms, are not energy based, and improve our economy.”

By building the Field of Dreams, the mayor contends, Gillette could also attract the state football championships, the state soccer championships, and several softball and baseball tournaments.

“It brings in revenues that we normally don’t enjoy,” he says.

At least one caller was supportive of the project, though. A man who identified himself as Jim says the entire Field of Dreams project is about the future of the local youth.

“A lot of times what happens is we forget that our youth are the ones that are going to be running the country in the future, and if we’re having a need to get them more fields and more areas to be active and to expand their boundaries, it’s way better than having to come up with juvenile detention centers, more police officers, more drug treatment centers,” Jim says. “The busier we keep our kids, the more active we keep them in group activities, the better chance they have to be successful in the future.”

The Field of Dreams consists of 320 acres of land east of the Country Club Golf Course near Garner Lake Road and Boxelder Road that the City of Gillette

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City of Gillette Mayor Tom Murphy discussed the proposed Field of Dreams on a Gillette Talk Show Monday morning. purchased from the State of Wyoming at auction for $2.534 million on January 18, 2011.

The project, as presented, would cost approximately $90 million. Some of the amenities included in that price tag are 13 Little League baseball fields, 4 Babe Ruth baseball fields, 8 Women’s Fast Pitch Softball fields, 4 soccer fields, 6 multi-purpose fields, a skate park, a toboggan run, a hockey ice rink, and basketball courts.

On the other hand, the total does not include the costs of projects within the Field of Dreams that will be covered by other entities, such as the covered stadi-

we can’t leave our kids at home with bad baby sitters.

OH, come on. REALLY!?

4). But I don’t know when the meeting is so I’m probably going to miss it.

But your local government posts all of these meeting places and times online. All you have to do is look it up and make the time.

5). I can’t look it up my dog ate my laptop.

OH -- for the love of…..

6). LOOK --- I just don’t have the time.

If you really cared, you would make the time.

Honestly, we are letting the inmates run the asylum in this nation. We don’t have to let these nut balls win. The only reason they always seem to win is that we, the sensible people of the world, never bother to show up and put up a fight.

Now come on, how bad to things need to get before we have had enough and bother to show up and put up a fight?

7). It was raining.

Yeah, well the other side still showed up, even though it was raining.

8). It was snowing.

Again - THEY still showed up.

9) OK FINE! No matter what we do those in government always do what they want to do no matter what we say so what’s the point.

But those in government don’t know how you feel about these issues because you never bother to

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John Rolfe (1585 – 1622) was one of the early English settlers of North America. He is credited with the first successful cultivation of tobacco as an export crop in the Colony of Virginia and is known as the husband of Pocahontas, daughter of the chief of the Powhatan Confederacy

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show up and speak out.

Remember, this is YOUR government. These people work for YOU! If YOU never bother to show up then those in government will only hear one point of view and so they will always vote against YOU! Add to that, you have to realize that showing up just once is never enough you have to show up to win, then remain vigilant to ensure the victory.

10). “I need to spend more time with my dog.”

Get a dog sitter 11). But the people on the other side took all the best dog sitters.

I’m sorry what?

12) “I swear I have a high maintenance bird.”

GREAT! Let’s have a BBQ! Ok, we are past ten excuses here and your nation is going broke, we are buried in laws and regulations and…

13) “’My mother has cancer” LIAR! You mother died five years ago.

14). My dog ate my copy of The Constitution.

SIGH ----OKAY! Fine --stay home. And as this nation, you liberties, and all your hard earned money is taken from you, along with your children’s future, we can all be rest assured that is was not your fault.

I mean --- you can’t be blamed if you never got involved --- RIGHT?

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um, BMX track, golf course, and a facility for the Boys and Girls Club.

The public hearing will take place in the Gillette City Council Chambers on Monday, March 19, at 6 p.m.

Bold Republic with Glenn Woods is Northeast Wyoming’s most popular talk radio show and most read political columnist in Campbell County. It airs each weekday from 6:00 am to 10:00 am on News/Talk 1270-AM KIML. Visit Glenn’s website at www.BoldRepublic. com or find his page on the Campbell County Observer website at www.CampbellCountyObserver.net for past archives of his radio program.

Leave Your Mark on Campbell County...

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City Hall is about to spend another hundred thousand dollars on a midget cross walk, with longer walk timers to give those little legs a chance to hustle across the street. The County Commission is about to spend another fifty thousand on a dog mating park, because animal right activists feel them pooches need to be spared the embarrassment of doing it in view of the public. I mean, with everything being posed on YouTube these days…. We just can’t have Fido and Fluffy embarrassed like that. The state is considering a new law banning the eating of cooked cabbage in the state of Wyoming to fight Global Warming. -- It causes the release of methane you know.

Quickly I get on the air and implore my radio listeners to show up fight this flood of insanity, and right off the bat the excuses come my way.

1). I would show up at the next city council meeting but, you know, I have this job, and it takes all my time.

Right, but the people on the opposing side of the argument, they have jobs too but they show up.

2). I would show up and fight but I have kids and they take all my time.

Yeah but the people on the other side, they have kids too but they are able to show up.

3). Yeah but they took all the good baby sitters and

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Public Pulse Land Board agreement under review

Leave Your Mark on Campbell County...

By Paul Wallem - Basin Radio News Deputy County and Prosecuting Attorney Carol Seeger informed area leaders from the Town of Wright, the City of Gillette, and the Campbell County Commissioners Board that the Joint Powers Land Board that oversees CAM-PLEX has not been operating under its most recent amendment, but rather under its 1981 formation document.

During a Tuesday luncheon meeting between the three government entities, Seeger explains that a 1988 comprehensive amendment detailing the powers, functions, and organization of the Joint Powers Land Board was declined by the Wyoming Attorney General. In effect, this means the original formation documents created in 1981 continued to legally govern the land board.

Dear Editor, We need another school?

The Field of Dreams? The overpass? FIRE ALL CITY OFFICIALS. Why can’t we add on to schools? Why can’t we build an overpass correctly? Why, when you build a school, can’t you build it bigger for the future?

If our government was a private business it would be broke, and folding. I would like to thank the City of Gillette for the most extreme waste of my tax money I have ever seen. You are rivaling the Federal Government on your decision making capabilities. I hope your proud of yourselves.

Candice Melgring Dear Editor, I would like to thank the City of Gillette for putting your information in the Observer. It is nice to see your announcements that can finally get out to us, as we do not have time to read other papers. You are all doing a wonderful job, and I would like to especially thank one of your police officers. My car broke down and he was kind enough to take his time (off duty) and help me. I didn’t catch his name, but THANKYOU THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I am proud of having you serve our community.

Gale Peterson From Editor Keary Speer: We are very grateful that we get to share the City of Gillette’s information, as well! A letter like yours just goes to show that they, indeed, are making a great choice involving themselves with our paper. So, thank you for taking the time to say so. Also, I am very glad to hear that our community has such helpful and selfless people to help others. I hope they are in the majority! And if he reads our paper (which, I am sure he does) he will definitely know you are talking to him! I hope he has the pleasure of knowing how thankful you are.

Dear Editor, Having followed the Conservation Easement letters and opinions in the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, I find that I can no longer sit back and not join in the fray.

I have read with great inter-

“The Joint Powers Land Board that oversees the CAM-PLEX facilities was actually formed under Wyoming’s Joint Powers Act in 1981, and it had some minor amendments that toyed with the board composition, but in 1988 a more significant amendment was approved by both the city and the county,” describes Seeger.

“However, the law requires the Attorney General’s Office to approve it also and they did not approve that 1988 amendment.”

The 1988 amendment was not approved because it did not indicate the interest split in the land board between the City of Gillette and Campbell County, as required under Wyoming law.

“I am concerned that possibly we are operating under the 1988 agreement es-

Letters to the Editor that kind of money?

est Attorney Harriet Hageman’s talk, “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” that she delivered to the Wyoming Farm Bureau convention.

Remarkably, Jim Magagna and John Lunt of the Wyoming Stock Growers rose to the bait and rebutted Attorney Hageman’s remarks!

Well, now, if landowners are not well informed, it is quite their own fault. I find it interesting that the only defenders of Conservation Easements are the Easements holders and purchasers such as the Wyoming Stock Growers Ag Land Trust, who obviously have much to gain by such purchases.

As the short, legislative session conducted its business, a little noticed bill, SF 42, which has passed its 2nd reading, came to my attention. Among several huge monetary requests, was one for nearly $8 million to buy a conservation easement on a ranch near Devils Tower, by the Wyoming Stock Growers. $8 Million? Good Grief!

This is money coming from the taxpayers of Wyoming!

There is no money for roads and how many other legitimate governmental departments?

However in my large Senate district 1 of one Senator, our Senator, who at one time served on the Wyoming Stock Growers Ag Land Trust Board, has plans for the $8 million for his ranch at the base of the Devils Tower. For $8 million, he can go buy another ranch without a restrictive easement, and at the same time help out the WSGALT can’t he? He did recuse himself from voting on SF 42 since he is the recipient, which of course denied Senate District 1 constituents a “no” vote on this bill, and left a huge area totally unrepresented in the Wyoming State Senate.

Now this tidy sum for his own pockets may not be illegal, but it smacks of being totally unethical for a Senator who is responsible for spending the Wyoming taxpayers’ money. But, there is no corruption here, not with the Stock Grower’s principles and our fine Wyoming Senator! I do wonder how many elderly ranch couples have been duped into these easements and if they got

What’s Going On In Government?

Monday, March 12

-City Council Work Session, 6 p.m., 2nd Floor Conference Room, City Hall -Wright Town Council Workshop, 7 p.m., Council Room, Town Hall -Wright Town Council Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Council Room, Town Hall

Tuesday, March 13

-Board of Examiners, 12:30 p.m., Community Conference Room, City Hall

sentially, which hasn’t been properly approved through the necessary channels,” Seeger says.

In the end, officials decided to create a committee consisting of two county commissioners, two city council members, two members of the land board and legal staff to research and draw up a new amendment governing the Joint Powers Public Land Board.

Notable differences between the 1981 agreement and the 1988 amendment Original 1981 Agreement 1988 Amendment No full-time non-elected Gillette or Campbell County employees can serve on the land board No restrictions on full-time, nonelected Gillette and Campbell County employees’ ability to serve on the land board

Board members can be removed at any time without cause Board members can only be removed with cause, such as missing three straight board meetings, failing or refusing to perform board-related duties, and other causes as recognized by law Land Board can only lease or sell to governmental agencies only and they do not need city or county approval Adds that the land and facilities may be scheduled for rent to organizations and individuals.

Selling land by resolution requires city and county approval. Leases of five years and longer require city and county approval Specified that the City of Gillette and Campbell County each have an interest in the product and services Removes the pro-

visions regarding the city/ county interests in the product and services Requires compliance with the Municipal Budget Act Provides additional details regarding the preparation of the budget, and requires the budget be submitted in a format designated by the governing agency No provision for long-term debt Provides provisions for long-term debt.

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There are several of Jim Magagna’s defensive statements that I would like to shred, but lest this letter grow too long, I will only pick on the statement that the WSGALT will hold their easements and not be like the rest of the land trusts who sell to the highest bidding NGO’s (National Nongovernment Organizations).

Will Mr. Magagna live to perpetuity to assure that this happens? Since the Stock Growers are obviously using tax payer dollars to buy their easements, some of which are federal grant dollars, how can they say the government won’t have some say in how the easements will be managed?

Van C. Johnson of Evanston wrote an excellent letter in the February 25th WLR. I agree with him that the Wyoming Legislature should not allocate money for conservation easements this year. I keep choking on that $8 million for the Senator’s ranch.

Dan Byfield, CEO of American Stewards of Liberty, wrote an excellent piece in the Western Ag Reporter stating 8 points land owners need to be aware of. With his permission, those points condensed are: 1. CE’s are in perpetuity and cannot be removed by the landowner.

2. CE’s allow for merger of estates and when the holder of the easement buys the remaining property rights, they merge and the easement disappears leaving the land trust or government to do as they please with the property.

3. CE’s create a baseline for habitat, natural resources, endangered species, and other natural features that cannot be changed unless approved by the managing partner.

4. The holder of the CE is the dominant owner, and the landowner becomes subservient on all management decisions.

5. The land trust has sole discretion to make decisions about the conservation purposes like fewer cattle or buffer zones.

6. CE’s can be transferred to a 3rd party, but only to a government entity or another land trust by the holder and that party becomes the managing partner of your land.

7. A 3rd party can enforce

easements by taking the landowner to court.

8. CE’s become available for mitigation for displaced endangered species. CE’s are placed in computer databanks called mitigation banks,.and the CE’s can be condemned as replacement habitat.

As ranchers we all flirt with the ever possibility of the Sheriff’s sale, but rather than a conservation easement, a landowner might be better off selling a back forty and retaining all his property rights on the remaining land. As Kimmi Lewis of La Junta, CO says, “Keep your title clean.” The right to own property is the key to American freedoms and it is the key to a prosperous America.

Judy McCullough, Director for Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming

Thursday, March 15

-Campbell County Economic Development Corporation Board, 7 a.m., CCEDC Board Room

Monday, March 19

-City Council Pre-Meeting, 6 p.m., 3rd Floor Conference Room, City Hall -City Council Meeting, 7 p.m., Council Chambers, City Hall

Tuesday, March 20

-Planning Commission Meeting, 7 p.m., Council Chambers, City Hall

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Sports Report

Photo by Nathan Kobielusz - Basin Radio

Tanner Richards fights to win a faceoff in the WAHL State Squirt championship last Sunday at Spirit Hall.

Goalie Conner Conzelman (left) keeps his eye on the puck during a Cheyenne break away.

Photos by Clint Burton-Campbell County Observer Photographer

Brady Vogel (left), Mason Miller (middle) and Warren Carr

Photos submitted by Jannie Miller

23 Peak Wrestlers compete in Touch of Gold Ironman tournament

By Ted Ripko - Basin Radio Sports Twenty-three Peak Wrestlers competed in the Touch of Gold Ironman at Cam-plex March 3rd and 4th. The tournament has wrestlers compete in all three styles of wrestling: folkstyle, Greco-Roman, and freestyle.

Warren Carr in the Intermediate 87 lb division and Brady Vogel in the Schoolboy 112 lb division wrestlers won the Ironman award by winning all three styles. Mason Miller and Britton Grey both had good showings as well. Miller, in the Intermediate 65 lb division, won the folkstyle and Greco, but came in third in freestyle. Grey got first in the Greco and freestyle, but got third in the folkstyle division.

Name Folkstyle Greco-Roman Freestyle Mason Drube - Pee Wee 55 1st Tanner Macy - Bantam 55 DNP 4th DNP Rayce Mason - Intermediate 50 2nd 2nd 2nd Sage Grey - Intermediate 55 DNP 5th DNP Cooper Cook - Intermediate 60 DNP 6th 5th Mason Miller - Intermediate 65 1st 1st 3rd Hunter Schultz - Intermediate 70 6th 3rd 5th Tristan Wornkey - Intermediate 75 6th 5th 6th Warren Carr - Intermediate 87 1st 1st 1st Tanner Cook - Novice 60 3rd 3rd 3rd Joshua Macy - Novice 75 3rd 2nd 3rd Jacoby Garcia - Novice 112 4th Britten Grey - Novice 112 3rd 1st 1st Trevor Jeffries - Schoolboy 84 2nd Dalton Macy - Schoolboy 91 3rd 3rd 3rd Brady Vogel - Schoolboy 112 1st 1st 1st Taylor Jeffries - Schoolboy 120 1st Drayson Hladky - Schoolboy 128 1st Wyatt Rising - Cadet 106 3rd 3rd 3rd Wrestling, but not placing included Brady Carlson, Cole Deimling, Bret Dohse, and Logan Reed.

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.

13

George Edwards tied Kash McKinney with a team-high 19 points Saturday against the Rapid City Stars.

Pronghorn men take down Stars on Sophomore Night

By Vic Wright - Basin Radio Four sophomores were honored on the Pronghorn men’s team (18-12, 8-8) Saturday night at the South Campus before defeating the Rapid City Stars, 81-71.

Reece Maxwell, Matt Strickland, Kash McKinney and Kalen Foreman were recognized Saturday night. Other than McKinney, all the sophomores played both of the years they were eligible to for Gillette College.

It started out slow for the Pronghorns, as the Stars came out to an early lead. It wasn’t until about the midway point of the first half, that Gillette was able to take the lead. Rapid City kept the game close in the first half, but never regained the lead. It was 36-33 in favor of the Pronghorns at halftime.

In the second half, the Stars were able to tie it early at 36 apiece. However, due to the rebounding by Gillette College, that was as close as the Rapid City Stars got.

The Pronghorns out-rebounded the Stars 53-36. Four Pronghorns finished in double figures and shot over six percent better from the field than Rapid City.

Carl Johnson of the Stars led all players with 24 points.

George Edwards and McKinney led the Pronghorns with 19 points each.

That wrapped up the regular season for the Pronghorns, as they will travel to Scottsbluff, NE to take on the No. 2 seed from the South Sub-region of the Region IX, Otero Junior College (La Junta, CO). The Pronghorns will be the No. 7 seed from the North Sub-region going into the game. The tip is set for 1 p.m. on Friday. The winner will face the victor of the No. 3 Sheridan College vs. #6 Eastern Wyoming College game on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Scoring Summary for the Pronghorns: George Edwards-19 Kash McKinney-19 Kalen Foreman-15 James Hunter-14 Reece Maxwell-5 Asante Smiter-5 Matt Strickland-4

Reid Drilling, Inc. • Mineral Exploration Drilling • Coring • Monitor Wells PO Box 236 Wright Wy 307-464-0035

SWEDE’S SPECIALTIES 307-686-0588 Chad Ekberg Gillette WY Wine & Beer Brewing Supplies & much, much more!

Check out our web site for a variety of products

www.swedesspecialties.com

INDUSTRIAL ALTERNATOR & STARTER

(307) 686-7300 5352 S. Windland Dr. • Gillette, WY 82718

Sports Report 12 Camel Kids Wrestlers finish in top 6 in weekend tournament

BRN Photo by Nathan Kobielusz

Forward Taylor Motsinger leads Wild with 67 points and 37 goals scored.

Gillette Wild set to close out the regular season

By Ted Ripko - Basin Radio Sports The Gillette Wild Junior Hockey Tier III team’s dominance against Great Falls continued this weekend as they picked up two more wins over the Americans by a combined score of 17-5. The Wild closed out their season series with Great Falls winning all ten match-ups by a combined score of 7827. With their fourth win in a row the Wild pulled their season record back to .500 at 21-21-2.

Gillette already has a playoff spot wrapped up, which happened when they defeated Great Falls in back-toback games the previous weekend in Montana and Head Coach Tom Winkler is relieved to finally have clinched their spot in the second season.

“Both relief and sense of accomplishment, that was one of our goals from day one was to get into the postseason,” explains Winkler. “The relief was that we kind of let it drag out a little longer than we should’ve, we had some opportunities a few weeks earlier to distance ourselves and clinch it a little quicker, but you know all those things eventually happened for a reason and we got it done.”

Now, with just four regular season games remaining, three road games and just one home game, the Wild do have an opportunity to still jockey for positioning in the playoffs.

“We still have an outside chance to catch Billings and move up another

space in the standings,” Winkler says.

“Nothing is settled right now; the four teams that are in are in. After this weekend you’ll have a better idea of where everybody is at.”

On Friday, March 2, the Wild will be taking on the Bighorns in Helena at 7:35 p.m. Then on Saturday, March 3, they’ll travel to Missoula to play the Maulers at 7:30pm, who they haven’t played since before the New Year said Coach Winkler.

“We haven’t seen Missoula since before the Christmas break and I think they’re going to be surprised when they see us,” Winkler says.

Coach Winkler knows that this weekend will be a real test for the Wild because he knows to be successful in the playoffs you have to win on the road.

“This weekend will be a great test for us, we play Helena in Helena and Missoula in Missoula,” the coach describes. “You’ve got to win on the road in the postseason and these are two teams that we’re going to have to get past in a 7-game series if wer’e going to have success [in the playoffs].”

Missoula is the lone team in the America West Hockey League (AWHL) that the Wild have not beaten this season, but Winkler likes their chances because of how close some of their games have been.

“We’ve had some really, really good hockey games with that club (Mis-

soula),” Winkler says. “You learn from those games and make adjustments.

You continue to improve and get better. We’re all excited to see where we stack up against them.”

In their previous eight meetings, the Maulers have outscored the Wild by a combined score of 57-18 with only three games being decided by less than three goals.

Coming into Gillette’s final four regular season games, forward Taylor Motsinger has played in every game this season. Motsinger leads the Wild in points with 67 and he leads the team in goals scored at 35. Only two other players have played in every game this season and they are Matt Rose and Tyler Johnson, and they are fourth and sixth respectively in the team in points scored this season.

For complete season stats from the Wild just go tohttp://awhl_wild.stats. pointstreak.com/teamplayerstats.html ?teamid=321982&seasonid=7365.

On Saturday, March 3rd and Sunday March 4th , the Camel Kids Wrestlers completed in the Touch of Gold Ironman Tournament and they had 12 of their wrestlers place in the top 6 in Folkstyle with two boys winning their respective weight classes, Antonio Avila brought home another win for the Camel kids and so did Terren Swartz.

Swartz earned Ironman status after winning titles in all three styles, folkstyle, Greco roman and freestyle.

Results for Folkstyle are as follows: Braydan Terry, PeeWee 40#-B, 4th Wyatt Eadus, PeeWee 45#-B, 6th Antonio Avila, PeeWee 50#-B, 1st Brody Sorenson, PeeWee 50#-C, 4th Larson D’Agosta, PeeWee 50#-C, 6th Peyton Henderson, PeeWee 55+#, 3rd Dalton McRae, PeeWee 55+#, 5th Terren Swartz, Novice 140, 1st Dawson George, Schoolboy 91, 5th Deric Johnson, Schoolboy 128, 3rd Rhyse Wandler, Schoolboy 175, 5th Robert Shirley, Cadet 120, 4th Also participating, Logan Gulbranson, Jais Rose, Deyton Johnson, Blake Harding, Dalton Wright, Mason Brown, Hunter Henderson, Kolt See, Dymon Decker, Jarek Sorenson, Carson Jefferson, Alan Blomberg, Dylen Johnson, Nick davis, Dawson George & Adrian Alvarado.

Results for Greco were as follows: Dylen Johnson, Novice 95, 2nd Terren Swartz, Novice 140, 1st Adrain Alvarado, Schoolboy 136, 3rd Results for Freestyle were as follows: Alan Blomberg, Novice 80, 4th Dylen Johnson, Novice 95, 4th Terren Swartz, Novice 140, 1st Deric Johnson, Schoolboy 128, 2nd Also participating were Deyton Johnson & Blake Harding Adrain Alvarado, Schoolboy 136, 3rd

“Mainly, I like to have fun.

Swimming is all about having fun, and I am firm believer that you should keep swimming as long as you are having fun, but I can say that it becomes much more fun as you get older and learn more about the sport, life, and especially more about yourself.”

- Scott Goldblatt [USA]

Campbell Co. Fire Dept.

February 29, 2012 - At 1:24 AM to 1672 Pathfinder Circle for an automatic fire alarm activation. CCFD responded to the scene and upon arrival was told by the homeowners that everything was fine and the alarm was caused by a temporary power outage.

- At 7:20 AM to the 900 block of West 1st Street for a medical assist.

- At 9:51 AM to the 3200 block of Echeta Road for a medical assist.

- At 11:07 AM to the 400 block of East 5th Street for a medical assist.

- At 1:34 PM to 1484 Hilltop Drive for a mobile home fire. A wood stove chimney started the surrounding ceiling of a late model single wide mobile home on fire. The occupants used a fire extinguisher to knock the fire down and firefighters finished extinguishing the fire. The wood stove chimney was too close to combustibles in the ceiling. The Occupant, Maria Guevara was advised not to use the wood stove any more. Fire damage was contained to the ceiling area around the chimney pipe and preliminary fire damage estimate is $500. to the structure.

- At 6:30 PM to the 2200 block of Bishop Road for a medical assist.

- At 9:41 PM to the 3400 block of Foothills Blvd. for a medical assist March 1, 2012 - At 2:46 p.m. to Green Avenue for an EMS assist.

- At 3:03 p.m. to Four J Road for an EMS assist.

- At 8:43 p.m. to East Warlow Drive for a natu-

ral gas smell. CCFD arrived on scene to find a leaking valve at a gas distribution station.

Source Gas responded to the scene and secured the leak.

March 2, 2012 - At 4:50 PM to Southern Drive near Remington Estates for a two vehicle collision. The wreck involved two pick-up trucks with one pulling a light utility trailer.

- At 7:19 PM to the 2500 block of Dogwood Ave. for an EMS assist.

March 3, 2012 - At 10:14 AM to the Campbell Co. Courthouse for an automatic fire alarm. The alarm was caused by a faulty air compressor that was unable to maintain pressure on the dry sprinkler portion of the fire protection system.

- At 1:00 PM to the Campbell Co. Courthouse for an automatic fire alarm, it was determined that this alarm was due to the maintenance on the sprinkler system from the previous alarm.

- At 5:16 PM to Five Fingers Rd. in Oriva Hills for an unknown fire.

Upon arrival it was determined to be a controlled burn that was never called in the Sheriff’s Office or Fire Department.

March 4, 2012 - At 11:03 AM to the 2700 block of Cheryl Avenue for a medical assist.

- At 1:01 PM to 713 Ventura Avenue for a fire alarm. Responding fire units cancelled when it was learned that it was a false alarm. Cutting

sheet rock caused dust that activated a smoke detector.

- At 4:25 PM to Independence Drive for a medical assist.

- At 8:44 PM to the 200 block of East Boxelder Road for a medical assist.

March 5, 2012 - At 7:22 AM to American Ranch Rd. for an EMS assist.

- At 9:08 AM to the 1900 Block of Nebraska Street for an EMS assist.

- At 10:31 AM to the 200 Block of West Warlow Drive for an EMS assist.

- At 11:52 AM to the area of Brooks Avenue railroad crossing for EMS assist.

- At 11:56 AM to Primrose for an EMS assist.

- At 2:05 PM to the area of Vaquero Drive and North Garner Lake Road for a natural gas line that had been accidentally hit by an underground boring machine.

Garner Lake Road was shut down of traffic until the line was clamped off

by Source Gas Officials.

There was no fire or injuries reported during the incident.

- At 4:59 PM to Terrace Circle for a carbon monoxide check, nothing was found.

- At 5:38 PM to 2307 Wyoming Ave for an automatic fire alarm, it was determined that the alarm was activated due to maintenance on the system.

- At 9:13 PM to W. 6th St. for an EMS assist.

- At 10:46 PM to Green and 4th St. for an EMS assist.

This is the link to watch the Men’s Region IX games from Scottsbluff, NE. The Pronghorn Men will play Otero College on Friday, March 9th beginning at 1:00 pm. http://www.ihigh.com/bigtimesmalltown/ Otero (S2)

2012 Region IX Tournament Men's Basketball-Division I March 9 - 13, 2012

March 9 @ 1:00 Gillette (N7) March 11 @ 1:00

National Tournament March 20 - 24, 2012

Sheridan (N3) March 10 @1:00

Sub-Region Cut-off Date March 2, 2012

Eastern WY (S6) March 12 @ 6:00 Miles (N1) March 9 @3:00 McCook (S8) March 11 @ 3:00 Laramie CO (S4) March 10 @3:00 Western WY (N5) March 13 @ 7:00

Region IX Champion

Casper (N2) March 9 @ 6:00 Trinidad (S7) March 11 @ 6:00 Northeastern JC (S3) March 10 @ 6:00 Central WY (N6) March 12 @ 8:00 Western Nebraska (S1) March 9 @ 8:00 Northeast NE (N8) March 11 @ 8:00 Northwest (N4) March 10 @ 8:00 North Platte (S5)

14

* Top Team Wears White **Host Team Always Wears White ***White Team Is Home on Scoreboard

Sports Report

Camels upset Sheridan for Regional Championship

What’s Going On In Sports?

Friday, March 9

-CCHS GBB/BBB (V) State, Casper

By Ted Ripko - Basin Radio Sports The third time was a charm for the No. 2 Gillette Camels as they finally took down No. 1 Sheridan 62-53 on Saturday at Cheyenne East High School to claim the 4A Eastern Regional Championship.

The Camels let their previous two match-ups with the Broncs slip away, but not this time as three Camels finished the game in double figures as Westin Hinkel led the team with 13 points while Cody Anderson and Tanner Moser each finished with 10.

The Camels came out and led by as many as 12 points in Saturday’s game. Gillette improved on their Achilles heel from their lose in Sheridan last week by going 21-of-28 from the free throw line Saturday.

The Camels enter the state tournament as the No. 1 seed out of the East as they begin defending their 4A State Basketball title. Gillette will have the first boys’ game at the 4A level when they take on Natrona on Thursday, March 8, at 12 p.m. from Casper College. You can catch all the action on 97.3 KAML-FM and online at http://www. network1sports.com/station/kaml#menus.

For all of the other pairings at the 3A and 4A State Tournaments, click here.

Scoring Summary for the Gillette Camels: Westin Hinkel – 13 points Cody Anderson – 10 points Tanner Moser – 10 points Logan Wasson – 9 points Cody Kelley – 8 points Michael Cook – 6 points Jade Kampfe – 6 points

Saturday, March 10

-CCHS GBB/BBB (V) State, Casper -Gillette WILD vs. Billings, 8 p.m., Cam-plex Spirit Hall

Thursday, March 15

-CCHS BSOC (JV/V) @ Buffalo, 3 p.m.

-CCHS GSOC (JV/V) vs. Buffalo, 3 p.m., CCHS South Campus

Friday, March 16

-Gillette College Men’s & Women’s Rodeo, All Day, Cam-plex East Pavilion

Saturday, March 17

-Gillette College Men’s & Women’s Rodeo, All Day, Cam-plex East Pavilion -CCHS GSOC (JV/V) @ Kelly Walsh, 11 a.m.

-CCHS BSOC (JV/V) vs. Kelly Walsh, 1 a.m., CCHS South Campus

Sunday, March 18

-Gillette College Men’s & Women’s Rodeo, All Day, Cam-plex East Pavilion

Monday, March 19

Photo by Nathan Kobielusz - Basin Radio

Westin Hinkel led the way for the Camels with 13 points against the Broncs.

-WJSH Drama Rehearsal, 5 p.m., Town Hall

Tuesday, March 20

-WJSH Drama Rehearsal, 5 p.m., Town Hall

Classifieds Help Wanted

Personals

Guns for Sale

Produce for Sale

Cook needed at Lu La Bells.

Motivated and Energetic.

Days Only. Apply at Lu La bells.

Interested in founding a Sherlock Holmes Society in Gillette? Contact gillettesherlockians@gmail. com for info.

.380 Smith and Weston Bodyguard. Built in laser site. $450.00 firm. Trades possible. Call (307) 6827864.

Fresh local “Free Range” eggs. All natural, no animal by-products. No antibiotics. $3/Doz. 257-9049

For Rent

1903 Springfield. 30o6 Cal. U.S. Military. $700 obo. Call (307) 682-7864

Business Opportunities

Toys (ATV’s Boats, Etc.)

Choose your hours, your income, and your rewards. I DO! Contact Julie BalmerAvon Independent Sales Rep. 307-689-6812 or email jkbpennigwen@msn.com

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 Local journalists wanted. Always wanted to try? Must be 16 yrs of age. Contact us at CampbellCountyObserver@ gmail.com Advertising Sales for our weekly paper. Great commission rate, set your own hours. Contact 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.

Sports writers, event writers wanted. Gillette, Wright, Recluse, Rozet. Call 670-8980.

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

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 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

2 Bedroom Duplex, with one car garage, washer/dryer, no pets. $700rent/$700deposit.

307-689-0202

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.

Merchandise 1939 HA Selmer Trumpet $750 OBO. 687-1087 Exterior door with window, interior light fixtures, and computer supplies. E-mail Corsair115@yahoo.com 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

Wanted to Buy 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.

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.

Health problems? Try doTERRA certified pure essential oils. 307-680-0363. www. myvoffice.com/healingisbelieving

Homes for Sale

Camping/Fishing

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.

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

Tri-level house for sale 4 bed 2 bath $209,000 (307) 6701925.

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 40+ Acres 2 miles south of Wright 1999 Atlantic Oak Modular. $250,000 OBO Call 307 - 680 – 2374 Ranchett for rent.

20mi. south on Hwy 59. Three Bed, 2 bath. 2.5 car heated garage on 94 acres. $1,600.00 per month.689-2338

Services Homeowners and renters insurance for house, trailer, or apartments. Call Elizabeth Jones Agency 307-682-6520 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

Home Appliances/ Furnshings Microfi ber couch with 2 reHello Anne, cliners combined.

Green.

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

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.

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 2004 Yukon Denali XL,6.0

$100 Call $14,000 OBO Hopefully you299-4967. get my attachment andMotor, can seeLoaded it.

Let me know if there is problems.

Booth Table.

L-shaped.

With 660-9351 The attachment is just example of what Chairs.

Seats 6.an $500.00 1982 Chevy Ventura Van. Avon allow for advertising.

Callwill 299-4967 350 Engine, 400 Turbo newFSBO 2,688 SF home on My contact name is Julie Balmer ly rebuilt transmission. Intecorner lot with fenced back yard. 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, upgraded kitchen, finished walkout basement, oversized garage. $259,000.

307-680-9180.

Three antique pressedbacked oak chairs. Excellent

rior in GREAT shape, has a

It condition. must say - -Avon Salesworking electric wet bar and $85Independent each. 682Representative after my name. built in cooler in back. Carb.

0042 Contact phone is 307-689-6812 needs re-jetted, other than Storage Unit Sale!!!!!

Home Email is jkbpennigwen@msn.com that there are no problems. stereo, car speakers, 2 Must see. Asking $3,500 or Web is www.yourAVON.com/juliebalmer

dressers, mattress and box

best offer. Price:$3,500obo.

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 ‘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.

Yard/Garage Sales Garage Sale-Saturday March 24th at St. Matthew’s Parish Hall, 8am-Noon.

Choose Your Hours, Your Income and Your Rewards I DO! Contact:

Julie Balmer

Avon Independent Sales Representative

307-689-6812

spring sets $20, chests, We were talking about the 3 x 1cofad forContact: March and307-670-8980 the jkbpennigwen@msn.com www.yourAVON.com/juliebalmer fee table, chairs, tables classified for the cost ofend $50.00.

A black background with whitemore. lettering.Call I leave the font and sizes up to you. andthemuch (307) After you send me a proof, I will return my approval along with payment information.

682-7864

Apartments for Rent

1-5 bedroom units available Thank you for your time and assistance. for rent. Please contact Real Heavy Estate Systems of Gillette Inc at 307-682-0964 for all Equipment/ 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.

Trailers

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

15

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!

Our Roots Are you paying $1,000 a month rent or more?

James K. Polk

By Mike Borda

Own a home for less than you rent!

When we think of controversial Presidents, a few come to mind right away.

Hoover, Nixon, and Obama all seem to generate strong feelings amongst the general population on both sides of the argument.

However, in the long history of American politics, another President was considered in his day quite the troublemaker. That man was our 11th President, James K. Polk.

Born on November 2, 1795 in Pineville, North Carolina, Polk was the oldest of his family’s ten children. He led a challenging yet middle-class life in his early years, going on to college at the University of North Carolina and graduating with a law degree that would serve him well in his future career.

After college, he was elected to the Tennessee legislature, and in 1823 became a supporter of Andrew Jackson. Jackson would later become President of the United States, cementing strong ties between the men. In 1825, the people of Tennessee elected Polk as one of their United States Representatives, in part because of his tremendous speaking ability.

Polk rose quickly through the ranks of Congress, and in 1835 was named Speaker of the House (this occurred while Jackson was in office). Four years later, he was elected Governor of Tennessee, although he was defeated in 1841 and 1843 during re-election campaigns.

These defeats, while surprising for a man of his popularity, ultimately set the stage for an interesting rise to the top. During the election of 1844, Polk was at first not in the running for the nation’s top spot.

Instead, former President Martin Van Buren was the top pick to run for another

(although non-consecutive) term. However, there were some issues on which Van Buren could simply not sway his party.

One of these issues was what to do with the Republic of Texas, which at this point had broken away from Mexico, and requested to join the United States.

Van Buren favored leaving Texas on its own, a move unpopular with his fellow Democrats. Given these developments, other candidates began to emerge as possibilities, including Polk.

After some campaigning

by Jackson on Polk’s behalf, he was selected as the nominee. He won the election by a slim margin, and took office on March 4, 1845.

This is where his controversy began to take shape.

Seen as a surprise President, not many expected Polk to assert much political force. They were sadly mistaken, however.

On slavery, he favored the Missouri Compromise, which split slave states and Free states by a line through the middle of the country. This angered both slaveholders and abolitionists, who both wanted their option to be nationwide.

Polk was also in favor of expanding the country, much like his friend and mentor, Andrew Jackson.

Not only did Polk take back Texas, but he also worked with the British to gain control of the Oregon Territory, consisting of what are today Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and parts of Montana and Wyoming. In addition to these acquisitions, he also infuriated Mexico by trying to buy California in 1845.

By this point the Mexican government had already lost Texas, and were feeling bullied by their American neighbors. When Polk sent troops into a disputed area along the border, he

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incited the Mexican-American War, which would eventually see American gain control of most of the American southwest, including California.

This was not a popular move at the time, and he lost the support of many politicians, including an up-andcoming young man named Abraham Lincoln.

James K. Polk was a very galvanizing figure in American politics, and it showed in his life after Presidency.

The office took a great toll on his health, and within four months of leaving office, he was dead. However, his legacy was left in the form of an American stretching from coast to coast. He did all he could to expand our influence, and in doing so cemented his status as one of America’s most influential, and controversial, Presidents.

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(307) 687-7070 2800 S. 4J Road Gillette, WY 82718

The Iron Trail

By Jeff Morrison

Northeast Wyoming was forever changed on the morning of October 30, 1889, when John Smith drove the first spike on the first rail of track crossing into Wyoming from Edgemont, South Dakota, at 9:45 a.m., just ahead of Engine No. 191. The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (commonly known as the Burlington Line) had arrived.

Over the next five years, the track would slowly grow until exiting the northern border of Wyoming and eventually joining the Northern Pacific Railroad at Huntley, Montana.

Just as the Union Pacific in the mid1860s and the Central Wyoming Railroad in the 1880s, the Burlington Line would be instrumental in the development and settling of the northeast corner of the state.

Moving ahead of the rail crew was a locating party, headed up by survey engineer Edward Gillette. The job of a locating party was to survey ahead of the track builders along the proposed route and then locate and plan the best actual route for the construction crew to follow. After the actual route was established, the railroad agents would secure the right-of-ways and the construction continued. The locaters often had quick deadlines to meet to insure competing railroad interests would not beat them to prime real-estate, as had been the case earlier in the year while the line was making its way through Nebraska.

Wyoming proved to be less of a race against competitors and more of a logistical challenge. “The method we employed in locating a railroad,” Gillette later wrote, “was to run careful preliminary [survey] lines over every possible route, and then by comparison select the best route.”

Not far into Wyoming, Gillette and his party found an oil spring along the main line that could provide oil for axle grease with an accessible coal vein not far away. A spur line was located off the main line and the land secured for a town-site at the junction. Thus the town of Newcastle and the mining community of Cambria were established when the tracks arrived in mid-November.

The line continued to Merino (later

renamed Upton), arriving on August 4, 1890. By spring of 1891, the rails had reached the Belle Fourche River and the small cluster of three buildings known as LaBelle became the town of Moorcroft. The track laying continued up Donkey Creek to the vicinity of Donkey Town, where Edward Gillette’s locating crew, using their comparison technique had discovered that by routing the line through Stone Pile Draw to Hay Creek, it shaved five miles off the proposed route, eliminated the need for thirty bridges and quite a bit of grading. The company was so happy it dispensed with the name Donkey Town and renamed it Gillette. The company politely declined Gillette’s suggestion that his crew be paid a commission on the money saved.

Construction moved ahead in 1892 to Suggs where a bridge had already been built to cross Powder River. The company established Arvada on the opposite shore and Suggs was promptly abandoned.

Although a spur line to Buffalo had already been located and let out for bids, thanks to the Johnson County War, those plans were scrapped and never revisited. Eventually a narrow-gauge line was constructed from Buffalo to Clearmont and operated for more than 40 years before being abandoned.

For the struggling cow town of Sheridan, the arrival of the railroad in November, 1892, was a godsend. Many residents were facing loan foreclosures due to an ailing economy. With the coming of the railroad, and the jobs created, plus contracts with local companies for a wide variety of goods and services, most of those loans were paid in full within thirty days of its arrival. The ready availability of coal, timber and other natural resources convinced railroad officials to make Sheridan their western headquarters, and it served as the end-of-the-line terminus for another year and a half while the company waited out a national economic crisis and a permit to cross through the Crow reservation. In 1894 the rails finally crossed into Montana and were joined to the Northern Pacific.

All along its path through northeastern Wyoming, the railroad birthed a many “lesser” communities wherever there was a need for water and fuel – roughly every 15 miles. Some, such as Rozet, Osage, Oriva, Echeta, Arvada and Leiter, still exist, if only in name.

Others, such as Thornton, Minturn, and Felix, have long since disappeared.

The Burlington Line, whether parented by CB&Q, B&M, or Burlington Northern, remained the dominate influence of industry in northeast Wyoming for more than half a century.

Towns thrived or withered based on decisions made by the company.

Sheridan quickly became the largest town in the area due to the railroad facilities located there. Newcastle also fared well with the railroad and remained an important supply point with its coal, timber and oil.

Buffalo, which had been a ranching and agricultural center for a decade before the coming of the railroad, lost prominence when the railroad decided not to build a line there. Sundance was also passed over for a spur line and community growth slowed as a result. Moorcroft became a victim of the railroad’s decision making when it was decided to place a major livestock yard for shipping in the fledgling community of Gillette rather than expanding an existing stockyard in Moorcroft.

But the biggest benefactor of the Burlington Line in northeast Wyoming was the rowdy tent-town named after Edward Gillette. Although the existence of coal and oil were known at the time of its establishment, not much emphasis was placed on it at the time. But perhaps due to its location, roughly halfway between Sheridan and Newcastle, the railroad not only chose it for a livestock shipping point, but also built a round-house and repair shed.

Many of the line’s engineers, firemen and conductors were housed there in company-provided quarters. The town later became a major shipping point of wool, grain and coal. Today, an unimaginable amount of coal is shipped out of the county every day by rail, much of it over the path of the original Burlington Line.

The Local “Our Roots” Column is sponsored by Where is this picture taken?

Answer from last week The Open Range Steakhouse in Wright, WY

“Posterity: you will never know how much it has cost my generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make good use of it.”

- President John Quincy Adams

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