town square to light up friday. See stepping out.
Jackson, Wyoming
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
One dollar
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Jesus bucked from prayer
Git along
Over pastors’ objections, town is set to approve rodeo prayer without Christian references. By Benjamin Graham
investigation six days before announcing his resignation. “A viable option would also have to realize at least $1 million dollars in savings each year,” Forsgren wrote to Bridger-Teton Supervisor Jacque Buchanan and Caribou-Targhee Supervisor Brent Larson. “The goal is to find ways to reduce fixed costs, reduce duplication of administrative work and increase program delivery and work on the ground.” A joint forest, at about 6.5 million acres, would be the largest national forest in the Lower 48. Today the two forests have a combined budget of $32.65 million. Hamilton, Bridger-Teton supervisor from 1999 to 2010, said the location of the Bridger-Teton headquarters is a factor in the merger study. The issue of the Jackson office first came up five or six years ago when Forsgren began looking at necessary renovations and moving the headquarters out of town, she said.
Despite the pleas of pastors, Jesus doesn’t have a prayer at the Jackson Hole Rodeo. The Jackson Town Council agreed Monday to an addendum to Phil Wilson’s rodeo contract that spells out the wording of a prayer that will be recited every night before the rodeo. The prayer begins with “Father” and asks for protection for contestants; it does not mention Jesus or use other overtly Christian language. Pastors Mike Atkins and Don Landis protested the move on First Amendment, free speech grounds. The council, citing the same amendment as justification for separating church and state, is expected to approve the addendum at a future meeting. Mayor Mark Barron said the issue is not one of prayer, Christianity or free speech. “This Town Council has approved and continues to approve many Christian prayers throughout the town,” Barron said Monday at the rodeo’s annual review. “We do Christian caroling. We do the menorah.” But the rodeo is different, he said. “All of those Christian and other faith organizations applied [to the town] for a faith-based event,” he said
See FOREST MERGER on 23A
See RODEO PRAYER on 24A
PRICE CHAMBERS / NEWS&GUIDE
Cody Lockhart and Thomas Watsabaugh separate calves for an inspection last week at the Lockhart Cattle Company. See the Valley cover to read about the family-owned beef operation in South Park.
Critics hit forest merger Two question motivations for consolidation as agency underscores potential savings. By Mike Koshmrl A county commissioner and a former Bridger-Teton National Forest supervisor leveled broadsides this week against Regional Forester Harv Forsgren’s order to study a merger with the Caribou-Targhee. Former Supervisor Kniffy Hamilton and Commissioner Hank Phibbs said the study is hasty, lacks public input and is unwise and unworkable. The proposal would reduce the influence the active and involved residents of Teton County have on federal land management, Hamilton said. Forsgren called for the study, saying a merger could save the U.S. Forest Service $1 million a year. He ordered the
Misdemeanor pot bust 42 minutes early, lawyer argues Cops with warrant for daytime raid came before sunrise, attorney says. By Emma Breysse A Jackson lawyer is asking a judge to throw out pot collected at a client’s condo, claiming police conducted a search and bust 42 minutes early. Bob Horn, who represents 33-year-
Inside
old William Grayson Hite, of Teton Village, argued that the evidence from the search is invalid because police came to the house to look for marijuana before a search warrant said they could. Cops busted Hite and three roommates, starting their raid 42 minutes before sunrise in October. Each was charged with misdemeanor possession — having less than 3 ounces. Police obtained a search warrant overnight after visiting Hite’s condo one evening on a dis2A 3A 7A
Search still on for plane Colter students add it up Face lift for Whole Grocer
turbance call and allegedly smelling marijuana. The warrant specified that the search should take place “in the daytime.” Horn argued in a Nov. 13 motion that deputies violated the terms of the warrant because they came to the condo at 7:09 a.m. The sun rose at 7:51 a.m that day, making the bust 42 minutes early, he said. As such, Horn argued, the citations would violate the Fourth Amendment 9A Money needed for buyout 10A Volunteers sought 11A Birder to stand trial
of the U.S. Constitution, which says people should be secure in their houses against unreasonable searches. Arriving 42 minutes before sunrise meant deputies knocked on Hite’s door during the night, something they weren’t allowed to do, Horn said. Nighttime searches carry “additional constitutional significance” because of the greater invasion of privacy, Horn said. “Daytime is unequivocally and See POT BUST on 23A
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