starvalleyindependent.com
Star Valley INDEPENDENT Valley: Dunbar retires after nearly four decades of federal service 6A Feature: A Driving Force 12A VOLUME 108 NUMBER 8 50¢ CRIMSON CORNER |Sports on page 14A
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010 • STAR VALLEY WYOMING
Wounded deputy recovering, assailant charged in New Year’s Eve shooting ◆ Deputy Cory Stoof on the mend after being shot
JACOB BLAINE THOMAN
By Sarah Hale A Lincoln County Sheriff’s Deputy is on the mend this week after being shot last Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009. According to Sheriff Shane Johnson, Deputy Cory Stoof “underwent successful surgery” on Friday, Jan. 1, 2010 at the University of Utah Medical Center in Salt Lake. “His condition is good,” said Johnson. “His injuries are not considered life threatening.”
Alpine
Jenkins calls it a day after 35 years of service
According to information provided by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Stoof “spotted Jacob Blaine Thoman, 27, an Opal resident wanted on a standing traffic and failure to appear arrest warrant,” on Thursday, Dec. 31 at approximately 1 p.m. Stoof was on patrol and was working in Opal at the time he located Thoman. “Stoof made contact with Thoman, who fled on foot,”
said Johnson. “When Stoof pursued him, Thoman produced a large-caliber handgun and fired, striking the deputy in the right arm.” According to information provided by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, after the shot was fired, Thoman “barricaded himself inside his residence with his girlfriend, Katherine Fitzsimmons, 22.” “Lincoln County deputies and officers from a number of
nearby law enforcement agencies surrounded the residence and a 10-hour standoff ensued,” said Johnson. “When negotiators were unable to establish contact with Thoman, entry was made by the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Response Team and state Division of Criminal Investigation special agents.” According to Johnson, Thoman was still in “possession of his handgun when the special team made its entry.” Continued on page 3A
2010 New Years Baby
Richard Jenkins has retired from the Alpine Fire Department and EMTs after 35 years of service. In his tenure he has responded to over 13,000 calls for service. Story on page 8A
Star Valley Ranch
Winter water woes... Independent photo by Dan Dockstader
By Sarah Hale Residents of the Town of Star Valley Ranch have been experiencing a few water outages this winter. According to Town Administrator Gregg Wilkes, the outages are the result of leaks in the system and the subsequent repairs to the water lines. Story on page 10A
Earthquake By Sarah Hale A small earthquake occurred in the southwestern portion of Star Valley on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009. The event took place at approximately 9:13 p.m. Story on page 3A
Independent Online starvalleyindependent.com svimobile.com svisports.com sviclassifieds.com STAR VALLEY News, Features, Sports, Events and MORE
Trapper G Merritt has the honor of being the 2010 New Year’s Baby at Star Valley Medical Center. Trapper, the 7 lb. 4 oz., son of Shawn and Amber Merritt, was born Tuesday, Jan. 5, at 11:38 a.m. He joins sister Kylie, age two, in the Merritt family.
Bark beetle discussion draws national attention ◆ Meeting held to discuss deteriorated state of the Bridger-Teton National Forest
By Sarah Hale USDA Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman, and Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal met with Lincoln County officials, local legislators and Forest Service personnel on Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2009. The meeting took place
in Kemmerer. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss bark beetle-ravaged forests in Western Wyoming. Freudenthal also hosted the Undersecretary during a flyover of both the Bridger-Teton and Shoshone National Forests. Continued on page 2A
Alpine • Freedom • Etna • Thayne • Star Valley Ranch • Bedford • Auburn • Grover • Afton • Fairview • Osmond • Smoot • Cokeville
2A – STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010
www.starvalleyindependent.com
Lower Valley Vision Clinic 122 Petersen Pkway, Suite 1, Thayne, WY
Red Eye? Blurry Vision? Glaucoma, Cataracts, Diabetes: Contacts? In-office lab, some prescriptions ready the same day. All frames and lenses have a one year warranty Dr. Luke Brog has extensive training and experience in managing these conditions. Call for an appointment 307.883.4678
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. www.lowervalleyvision.com
Get A Grip On Winter!
with the LOWEST PRICED TIRES
in all of Star Valley. USDA Undersecretary for Natural Resources and Environment Harris Sherman and Governor Dave Freudenthal met with county officials and legislators on Tuesday, Dec. 29. 2009. The undersecretary and governor also toured bark beetle-ravaged forests the Bridger-Teton National Forest.
TIRE and TOWING
Great Tires! Great Deals!!
Expert Automotive Repair Call ROB SANDERSON at 307-883-3244 478 North Main Street in Thayne
Advantage Realty On the rise? Hometown Experts...
World of Experience ®
Interest Rates...
REAL ESTATE analysis predict
Bark beetle Continued from page 1A “There’s no question that Wyoming is facing significant challenges in the BridgerTeton and the Shoshone, as well as the Medicine Bow
[National Forest] areas and the Forest Service needs to be responsive and focused on working with the state to address these issues,” said Undersecretary Sherman. “I think the Forest Service and the Department [of Agriculture] are very focused
on the challenges that Wyoming is facing containing the bark beetle. And in the coming weeks the regional foresters in both regions two and four will be formulating a work plan.” Following the forest tours and discussion will local officials, the Undersecretary stated that the Forest Service will work to mitigate bark beetle issues. “What I took away from this is there is a very serious problem in the Shoshone, [and] Bridger Teton [National Forest] area,” said Sherman. “The Forest Service will clearly have to address these issues.” According to Governor Freudenthal, the Undersecretary’s trip to Western Wyoming emphasized that the beetle “problems are every bit as real in Wyoming as they are in Colorado.” Wyoming officials are aware that the Undersecretary is from Colorado, Freudenthal said. The point they were trying to make with this visit was
interest rates will rise in 2010.
Right now...
**
FREE
*
The time to buy is NOW! 118 S. Main Street in Thayne
Enjoy an Early Spring Break
3 MONTHS
Prices are down, and so are interest rates. Their lowest ever.
WyomingAdvantage.com CALL TODAY 883-7653
“when you start slicing up this pie, don’t forget the rest of the forests,” Freudenthal continued. to County According Commissioner Jerry Harmon, overall the meeting and forest tours in December were very successful. Additional meetings regarding the topic of forest health and management took place this week and are in the works for the future, he said. Harmon stated that inaction when it comes to forest management is “no management.” “That just does not work,” Harmon said. “We have seen that.” Wyoming Senator Dan Dockstader expressed his belief that the Dec. 29 meeting was a step in the right direction for the Bridger-Teton National Forest. “This is significant to have both the Undersecretary and the Governor sit down with us to address this issue,” said Dockstader. “Now we need to know we have the support of the Bridger-Teton leadership.”
Samsung S5230 Star
AND A FREE PHONE
/ ÕV ÃVÀii ÊUÊΰ£xÊ i}>« Ýi Ê > iÀ> ÕiÌ Ì ÊUÊ Õà VÊ* >ÞiÀ
Wireless Treating You Like a Neighbor - Not a Number Jo Hillstead Broker 307.654.1618
Sheryl Manning Sales Assoc., GRI 307.880-4689
Wendie King
Linda Butterfield
Betty Davis
Shantal Petersen
Assoc. Broker 307.690.4706
Assoc. Broker 307.413.1184
Sales Assoc. 307.248.1656
Sales Assoc., GRI 307.248.0190
Member of the Teton MLS, the National Association of REALTORS and the WY & ID. Association of REALTORS. Independently Owned & Operated. RE/MAX does its best to make sure this information is accurate, but not guaranteed. Buyer to verify information.
(888) (888) 926-CARE 926-CARE (2273) (2273) | UnionWireless.com UnionWireless.com AUTHORIZED UTHORIZED AGENT | Allred Allred Radio Radio - 549 Allred Road - AFTON * “Three “Three Months Months Free” Free” offer offer is is available available for for the the first first line line on on any any signed signed new new ttwo-year wo-year retail retail wireless wireless service service agreement. agreement. Offer Offer eends nds Sunday, Sunday, February February 14th, 14th, 2 2010 010 aand nd ccannot annot b ombined w ith aany ny o ther o ffer. S ee sstore tore o uthorized U nion W ireless A gent ffor or ccomplete omplete d etails. S ome rrestrictions estrictions aapply. pply. bee ccombined with other offer. See orr aauthorized Union Wireless Agent details. Some * *P hone p ricing rrequires equires a ttwo-year wo-year aagreement greement o nA NY T alk, T ext aand nd IInternet nternet ccalling alling p lan. ** Phone pricing on ANY Talk, Text plan.
www.starvalleyindependent.com
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010, STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING – 3A
Earthquake rocks Star Valley According to information provided by the United States Geological Survey, the quake measured 3.0 or the richter scale. It’s epicenter was located approximately six miles southwest of Fairview and eight miles from Smoot. No damage was reported from the quake, however a number of area residents felt the movement of the quake. The USGS has recorded a series of small quakes within the last week in the Intermountain Region.
Shooting Continued from page 1A Thoman was “taken into custody without injury; nor were there injuries to Fitzsimmons or any of the arrest team,” Johnson said. According to Johnson, the whole scenario could have been much worse. “As a department we feel very fortunate,” he said. “For myself, as an administrator this is something that you never want to see happen. When your deputies are hurt or injured, that is really something you don’t want to face. But given the circumstances, we feel fortunate that things turned out the way that they did.” Johnson commended all of the law enforcement agencies that responded to the incident.
Tuesday, Jan. 5, a 2.9 quake occurred just north of Saratoga Springs, Utah. Monday, Jan. 4, a 3.3 earthquake rattled through southern Utah. It’s epicenter was located approximately seven miles southeast of Cedar City. Sunday, Jan. 3, a 1.2 earthoccurred near quake Sunnyside, Utah. The epicenter was located 11 miles northwest of the town. A 1.2 earthquake also occurred in Yellowstone National Park on Sunday, Jan. 3,
approximately five miles east of West Yellowstone, Mont. Saturday, Jan. 2, two small quakes, measuring magnitudes of 1.1 occurred in Yellowstone National Park nearly 30 miles from Gardiner, Mont. Thursday, Dec. 30 a small earthquake took place just outside of Midway, Utah. Tuesday, Dec. 29 a 1.6 magnitude quake rattled through Helper, Utah. For information on earthquakes across the region, visit www.earthquake.usgs.gov.
In all, 11 different agencies provided aid in the standoff. “Thanks to their professionalism and willingness to respond it was possible to bring the standoff to a safe resolution,” said Johnson. “It was one of those situations where the commitment, training, and skill of Wyoming law enforcement really paid off.” Responding agencies included the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, police departments from Kemmerer, Diamondville, LaBarge, Green River, Rock Springs and Jackson; the Sweetwater and Teton County Sheriff’s Offices, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, and the state Division of Criminal Investigation. “All rendered aid during the incident in the form of manpower and specialized units and equipment, including remote-control robots used
during the entry and arrest,” said Johnson. “Everybody was there to help and it went smoothly. We were able to end the standoff without anyone else getting hurt.” According to Johnson, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department will be looking into the incident to see “if there are things we need to change to keep our people safe.” “This sort of thing is an eye opener and a reminder to law enforcement that at any time a situation can go bad,” said Johnson. Formal charges against Thoman were issued on Monday, Jan. 4, 2010. Thoman has been charged with attempted murder and interference with a peace officer. The state Division of Criminal Investigation is handling the investigation of the shooting.
©
Advertisements and content in the Star Valley Independent are the property of the newspaper and may not be duplicated in any form by any other publication or website
StarValley INDEPENDENT “The Princess Frog” will be playing Jan. 8-14 Showing at 7 p.m. on Mon.-Thurs. and 7 & 9 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. Phone: 886-5684
FORD THEATRE
Buy a Gift you can open all year around. Verticals | Silhouettes Wood blinds | Duettes Pleated Shades
Extra Service at NO Extra Cost FREE Installation & In-Home Measuring
You don’t have to measure, install or drive anywhere. Just pick-up your phone and call...
307-885-9833 or 307-887-9833
, Inc. We make smiles
beautiful.
Cosmetic Dentistry Plus...
Call for a free smile consultation.
• Orthodontic/Invisalign™ • Implants • Headache/Neck • Same Day Crowns Pain Management • TMJ Dysfunction Delta Dental & Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wyoming Provider
Call 654-CARE (2273) In Jackson call 732-2273 363 Deer Lane in Alpine, WY
610 W. Broadway in Jackson, WY
STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT
Opinions
www.starvalleyindependent.com
4A – STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010
EDITORIAL
Property Tax and You By Ken Shackelford Equality State Taxpayer Association During the past two weeks editorials have been presented on the opinion page concerning the property tax valuation system (CAMA) and how it affects individual property owners and their taxes. As said earlier this is a complex system that is being administrated by the Wyoming Department of Revenue and individual County the Assessors. As elected officials one would hope that County Assessors would be responsible to their constituents, however the administration of property valuation is for the most part mandated by appointed officials of the Department of Revenue in Cheyenne. The question becomes, “What can an individual taxpayer do to insure that a fair tax based on Fair Market Value is charged against property by the Government.” First, as a property owner you need to obtain and review a copy of the “Lincoln County Assessor Property Profile” for each parcel of real property that you own and are taxed. This is an important document because it is the foundation for the “Notice Of Assessment” and the “Property Tax Notice” you receive each year. It contains all of the data that is used to determine the value of your home or any unimproved property that you might own. Of the three before men-
tioned documents it is the Property Profile only one not readily provided to the taxpayer by the County Government. You have to either go to the Assessors office in Kemmerer and use the computer station in the lobby to generate a copy or telephone the Assessor’s office (307) 877-9056 and request a copy. You might also request and should receive a copy of any assessed property in the County. This is important for comparison purposes should you want to further explore the basis of valuation. The Property Profile contains the following information, Property Address, Legal Description, Last Date of Update, Sales Summary, Land Valuation Summary, Building Description (Type, Quality, and Condition), Building Details, Value Details and ultimately total property value. All of this information should be reviewed in detail and any discrepancies or questions should be directed to the Assessor. You can see why it is so important that this data base be accurate and it is incumbent upon you, the individual taxpayer to insure the accuracy of the information and the methods of calculation. There are three things that the Assessor’s Office could do to make property tax valuation more transparent and open to the public. One would be to provide the owner of every assessed property an Continued on page 5A
The Star Valley Independent welcomes letters to the editor for the Opinion Pages. All letters must have the author’s signature and phone number and be 350 words or less in length. Thank yous are not considered letters. Personal attacks will not be printed. Letters from political candidates will not be published during election years. Letters will be edited for length and content when deemed necessary. Opinions expressed in letters to the editor or guest editorials do no necessarily reflect the views of the Star Valley Independent or its employees.
Pillar of Hope Dear Editor, Our historically proud and free America stands at risk. For 234 years this country has stood as a pillar of hope for the World. Now there are those that would dismantle this pillar in order to bring this nation down into the miseries of all other nations, leaving no hope left in the world for the world. I suggest that we owe our God, our inspired forefathers, our children and grandchildren, and all those yet to be born, the same freedom we have been blessed with.
We should also remember that free agency is the natural law of God. We also should remember the huge debt we owe to all those who have worked, struggled, sacrificed, fought, and died to preserve for us the right of free agency and the freedoms identified in the Declaration of Independence, and protected by the Constitution of the United States. It will be good to remind our Washington leadership that they had best remember their responsibilities, that they were elected to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States and to serve
the free citizens of this nation, that “We the People” do remember our responsibilities and duties, and that we will fight against the dismantling and destruction of the great pillar of hope, the United States of America! 2010 is the year to begin to raise back up the pillar of hope. The year to resurrect the battered Constitution. The year to repel the attack against that same Constitution and America’s freedoms. The year to demand honesty, integrity, and loyalty of our elected leadership and demand that Continued on page 5A
Conservative As a community bank, we’re conservative. We have to be. We don’t
make the kind of loans you’ve heard about in the news. Never have. Never will. We loan money to people we know. We serve this local Rated one of the nation’s strongest banks.
area. We’re very careful with home loans to make sure the customer doesn’t get in over their head. If they don’t have the credit, we don’t make the loan. That’s one of the reasons we’re rated one of the nation’s strongest banks. We’re an equal housing lender.
www.starvalleyindependent.com
Property Tax Continued from page 4A unsolicited copy of their Property Profile. The second would be to make Property Profiles available at the Assessor’s web-site. The third would be to provide a computer console at the County Field Office in Afton so citizens would have access to these public documents. As citizens, property owners, and voters it is important that your voice be heard by elected officials at both State, County, and Municipal levels. Questions need to be asked about how Assessors throughout Wyoming are applying computer assisted mass appraisal for the determination of Fair Market Value. The State of Wyoming, Board of Equalization, and the Department of Revenue currently endorse the use of assessment/sale ratios to adjust Replacement Cost New Less Depreciation in an attempt to establish uniform estimates of Fair Market Value within local property tax jurisdiction. Ratio studies are considered to be a primary tool for use by the state when determining if property that is involved in school finance allocations is fairly represented across political jurisdictions. Ratio studies are not considered to be a primary tool in the determination of individual property valuations. IAAO Standards, recognized as the primary guide for assessment practices throughout the United States, have cautioned as follows. “Assessors, appeal boards, taxpayers and taxing authorities can use ratio studies to evaluate the fairness of funding distributions, the merits of class action claims, or the degree of discrimination.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010, STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING – 5A However, ratio study statistics cannot be used to judge the level of appraisal of an individual parcel.” (IAAO, Standard On Ratio Studies, Part 1 Guidance For Local Jurisdictions, July 2007) Rather than use common appraisal practice which utilizes actual sales comparables to determine market value of individual properties, various ratios are developed and introduced into the computer model to adjust Replacement Cost Less Depreciation. It is proposed that this practice distorts Fair Market Value for taxation purposes. That is why so many taxpayers say, “I wish I could sell my property for what the Assessor indicates it is worth!” One might ask, “How can I understand the Assessors determination?” The Buffalo Bulletin in Johnson County this past Fall describes the barriers and frustration that one citizen encountered when he tried to make sense of the system! “When Buffalo resident Mike Madden went in for his Board of Equalization hearing on Monday, July 20 2009, he was really looking for one thing, an explanation. “It wasn’t easy for me to do this,” Madden said. Madden, who is currently a Wyoming state legislator representing District 40 which includes portions of Johnson County, said he hesitated when he appealed his property taxes earlier this year because he was concerned some people would think he was asking for preferential treatment. “That’s the last thing I wanted,” Madden said. “The only thing I wanted was an explanation of how they came up with that value.” The value he was referring to is the fair market value attributed to his home for
2009. After a 46 percent jump in home value the prior year, Madden wanted to find out why his home value had risen yet another five percent again this year. But by the conclusion of the hearing Friday morning, Madden was left feeling more perplexed than ever. He intended to use the home comparables the assessor’s office had sent him to show that they had been, on average, over-assessed by about four percent. He also hoped to show that housing market trends in Buffalo were declining. With this evidence, Madden was confident that his value should be lower than his tax notice indicated. According to testimony from deputy assessor Mary Klaahsen, the rise in Mr. Madden’s tax assessment can be attributed to a “neighborhood adjustment.” A neighborhood is comprised of homes with similar attributes that are not necessarily found in contiguous areas within the county. The assessor’s office follows sales ratios to find whether sales in a particular neighborhood indicate that the market is rising or falling. In Madden’s case, the comps that the computer pulled and that were sent to him may indicate that his particular home value has decreased. But as Klaahsen explained, the assessor’s office makes its neighborhood adjustments in broader strokes that take into consideration more than simply the properties he was provided. The assessor’s office presented a list of 126 properties that were considered valid. “The idea in bringing that list was to show them how (Klaahsen) reached the analysis of the sales ratio,” said Johnson County Assessor
Dorothy Elsom. Yet Madden was still unsatisfied. He was concerned that the assessor’s office could still not identify those exact properties that were used in calculating his home value. Madden then cited a line from Wyoming state statute 39-13-109 that reads, “The assessor shall specifically identify the sales information used to determine market value of the property under appeal.” “I don’t know that the law could have been written any more clear than that,” Madden said. Elsom maintains that her office provided all of the requested information. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Board of Equalization ruled in favor of the Assessor. After his experience Madden does not believe the system is transparent. “If you can’t tell me, how can I see how you’ve done it?” Madden asked. “If they could have said, “Oh here’s the ones we used,” I would have walked out of there satisfied. But when they absolutely refuse to do what the law requires, I can’t deal with that.”
“We the People,” to stand and be counted among the loyal and faithful as we take back our nation! Len Woolley
Christmas Spirit Dear Editor, I would like to take this opportunity to say how lucky we are to live in such a wonderful place so full of wonderful, caring people. We had a wonderful thing happen to our family this Christmas holiday. We had our very own angels come by and leave the most wonderful surprises and left without being seen. I wish they could have seen all the children’s faces light up with joy and excitement that someone thought of them without even knowing them. I would love to send this song out to our Christmas angels. “There are angels among us, sent down to us from somewhere up above. They come to you and me in our darkest hour, to show us how to live to teach us how to give, to guide us with the light of love.” May each and every one of us be someone else’s angel in these hard times and in the good times to come. Our family is looking forward to sending this blessing on to some unsuspecting family to help cheer them up. Living in the Smoot community has been such a blessing for us. We have been welcomed by so many. And, to our angels, you have touched our hearts deeply and we shall never forget what you have done. Thank you. DeLis Roper and the Roper Family
Pillar of Hope Continued from page 4A they honor and respect the Oaths of Office they have sworn when they took office. If you agree and feel the same, I behoove you to call, write, or email everyone you know across the United States, particularly in California, the east, the northeast, and in the mid-west, and strongly express your views, fears, and what you feel needs to be done! That is our duty as American Citizens. May God bless and strengthen and inspire us,
HOMES
REALTY CO., LLC
746 So. Washington St., Afton
starvalleyrealty.com
ALPINE, Three bedroom two bath 1 1/2 story log sided home on the Greys River Road with over 1100 sq. ft. of garage and RV storage attached. This attractive 1900 sq. ft. home is situated on a very nice 1/2 acre lot with a sprinkler system, $327,000. MLS#09-3411
FAIRVIEW, Look at this new home on 5.6 acres with Crow Creek running through the property. Approximately 1408 sq. ft. of new living space including a lovely front room, convenient kitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, full unfinished basement, 2 car garage and new metal 40x40 barn. No covenants and only $349,000. MLS#09-3723
ACREAGE
AFTON, Two 3.49 Acre Lots on Swift Creek, located on paved county road, convenient to town. Lots have mature trees and mountain views, Priced reduced to: $89,900 each. MLS#08-4993
FAIRVIEW, A 1.42 acre lot that has tons of potential: Mixed use zoning, Fairview culinary water hook-up, utilities to property, not in a subdivision, has no restrictive covenants, and is on the Spring Creek Road. $49,900. MLS#08-4224
TOM DAVIS, GRI Broker -C 877-3892
PRICE REDUCTION! UPPER VALLEY, Operating Ranch in SV bordering the national forest to include two homes, numerous outbuildings and approximately 686 acres. This property is traversed by 5 miles of Salt River and two spring creeks yet it has nice elevations overlooking the upper valley. Enjoy great fishing and water fowl hunting right from the property. $6,450,000. MLS#07-154
GROVER, 7.82 acre rural lot with v iews across the valley. Elevated building sites near Grover. Listed at $235,000. MLS#09-2885
FAIRVIEW, 909 acres in two parcels are SW of Afton and its jet accessible airport. 209 acres on approximately one mile of Crow Creek and 700 acres of mountain grazing, aspens, and heavy pine forest. Includes livestock improvements, 14,000 sq. ft. metal buildings, and a very nice 3,600 sq. ft. home $6,000,000. MLS#07-1866 & MLS#07-3749
Price Reduced!
ETNA, 28+ acres that overlook Etna, Freedom & Lower Star Valley. Great views of the Salt River Range. Access is County Road 115 (Clark Lane). Great development potential. $342,000. MLS#07-3980
STUART T. BRINGHURST Sales Assoc.-885-3892
OSMOND, Affordable home. 3 bedroom, 2 bath house on Osmond Highway. Updated kitchen, wood floors, 2 car attached garage on over an acre lot. Animals okay, Priced reduced to $164,900. MLS#08-3855
105.41 acres Northwest of Afton that has all the amenities sought after by anyone looking for the ideal property with access, views and structures to support a horse lover’s dream. Large barn with stalls, 950 sq. ft. living area, outdoor arena, hay barn and two other outbuildings. Beautiful building sites overlooking the upper valley, timbered slopes and canyon, spring, and abundant wildlife. Property has both alfalfa and grass hay fields. Take some time to look at this listing, $1,090,000. MLS#09-2379
DREAM HOME on Strawberry Creek located at end of a private lane. 4 bedroom, 2.75 bath home on an 8 acre lot. Beautiful mountain view and Strawberry Creek running through the back yard. Large shop with paint bay and adjacent 1120 sq. ft. storage shed. Underground sprinkler system will be installed by sellers. Lot can be split, Price Reduced: $599,000. MLS#08-3845
Phone: 307-885-3892
FAX: 307-885-3994
SKIPP MCCRARY, GRI
ALAN L. ALLRED
Assoc. Broker-C 654-1589
Assoc. Broker-H 883-8338
200
Valley
Over teeth cleaned in two afternoons...
STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT www.starvalleyindependent.com
6A – STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010
Jay Dunbar retires with nearly four decades of federal service ◆ Time now for the 1940 Ford and relaxation in the forests.
Smiles n o s r e d n e H y 12 Health Dr. Orton & Staff,
Invite you to send in your “best smile” picture and story to be featured in our weekly ads. Because we truly believe that every smile has a story and we would like to hear yours.
General Family Dentistry NEW PATIENTS and EMERGENCIES welcome Accommodating adults & kids of all ages. Mon.-Thurs. 8am to 4pm or by appointment
Cosmetic Fillings Implant Restoration Root Canals Dentures Crowns Bridges
Call 885-9244 for an appointment with Dr. Andrew Orton, DDS or Lorrie Taylor, RDH
Elk Horn Dental
LOCATED AT 431 Washington St. Suite 7 in Afton
By Dan Dockstader After nearly four decades of federal service, the Grey River District Ranger has decided to bring his career to a close. Jay Dunbar retired from the U.S. Forest Service on Dec. 31, 2009. Dunbar’s career has included Department of Interior Forest Service assignments in Utah, Washington state, Oregon, Nebraska and Wyoming. In addition, Dunbar served three years in the U.S. Navy on the USS eldorado. The ship and crew had oversight of amphibious assignments in Vietnam and the Philippines. As a Navy veteran, Dunbar completed a masters in forest ecology at Colorado State University, adding to an earlier undergraduate degree in forest management from West Virginia University. After completing his masters, Dunbar’s fist assignment was with the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a forester at Neah Bay on the northwest corner of Washington State and the nation. His next assignment lasted 23 years as a horticulturalist and range manager in the Fremont National Forest of Centeral Oregon. The forest is located in a dry climate with tree populations of Fir, Lodge
Jay Dunbar stands next to his 1940 Ford Coupe Deluxe, a project that he hopes to have more time for now that he has retired from the Forest Service after nearly four decades. Pole and Ponderosa Pines. An opportunity to have oversight of the U.S. Forest Service Nursery operations in Nebraska opened so he took over management of the nation’s two largest manmade forests. The two, 160-thousand acre segments were dedicated to forest seeding during the Teddy Roosevelt administration. Early in his career Dunbar had an opportunity to work in the Greys River District while assigned to Forest Service Regional Office in Ogden. “I knew it and I knew how beautiful it was,” said Dunbar. “And I always wanted to come back here.” In 2006 the opportunity came and he was assigned Greys River District Ranger. Dunbar expressed appreciation to the people of Star
Valley. “I have enjoyed working with the folks here,” he said. “I appreciate their cooperation and assistance in helping me do my job.” Looking back on the career, Dunbar said he has enjoyed all of the assignments. “I have had a passion for forest management and land management and in making those kinds of decisions that make things better,” he concluded. Dunbar said he will remain in Star Valley for now, enjoying his new additional free time. “I’ll do a lot of things I didn’t have time for before,” he said. “It will be fun.” One of the things he wanted to have time for is a recently acquired 1940 Ford Coup Deluxe. He plans to complete the restoration work on the car and enjoy “spending time in the forest.”
Star Valley INDEPENDENT P.O. Box 129, 360 S. Washington, Afton, Wyoming 83110 Ph:(307)885-5727 • Fx:(307)885-5742 www.starvalleyindependent.com • General News: svi@silverstar.com Display Ads: sviad1@silverstar.com • Classified Ads: sviclassifieds@silverstar.com News & Advertising Deadline: Monday at 4 p.m. Subscription Rates: 1 Year $30 in Lincoln Co. and $35 Outside Lincoln Co.
PUBLISHER ..................................Dan Dockstader svidan@silverstar.com MANAGING EDITOR ............................Sarah Hale svisarah@silverstar.com SPORTS EDITOR ............................Dahl Erickson svidahl@silverstar.com ADS/DESIGN MANAGER ........Josh Henderson sviad1@silverstar.com SALES & DESIGN ................................Patty Taylor sviad3@silverstar.com CLASSIFIEDS & Legals ....................Wendy Hurd sviclassifieds@silverstar.com OFFICE MANAGER..............................Paula Nield svipaula@silverstar.com Periodicals Postage Paid at Afton, WY 83110. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Star Valley Independent, Box 129, Afton, WY 83110 The Star Valley Independent (USPS 519-300) is published every Thursday.
Last 7 Days December 31 January 1 January 2 January 3 January 4 January 5 January 6
High N/A 33 34 33 20 34 33
Low N/A 21 26 15 3 12 -6
7 Day Forecast January 7 January 8 January 9 January 10 January 11 January 12 January 13
High 26 32 34 30 32 30 31
Low -6 3 9 9 9 10 4
Day
Thurs. Jan. 7
Fri. Jan. 8
Sat. Jan. 9
Sun. Jan. 10
Mon. Jan. 11
Tues. Jan. 12
Wed. Jan. 13
Sunrise 7:53 a.m. 7:53 a.m. 7:53 a.m. 7:53 a.m. 7:52 a.m. 7:52 a.m. 7:52 a.m. Sunset
5:05 p.m. 5:06 p.m. 5:07 p.m. 5:08 p.m. 5:09 p.m. 5:10 p.m. 5:11 p.m.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010, STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING – 7A
Rotary Club prepares for another year of service in Star Valley ◆ Star Valley Rotary Club meets Tuesdays in Thayne By Dan Dockstader The Star Valley Rotary Club is gearing up for another year of service. “Our main goal is service, not just locally in the valley, but globally where we can,” explained Rotary President Scott Sessions. “We want to help the Star Valley community, but also assist with international programs.” Dictionary distribution Locally, the Star Valley Rotary Club promotes literacy with an annual dictionary distribution program in the Lincoln County School District No. 2. “We use our own funds to purchase the dictionaries and then we give them to all of the third grade classes,” said Sessions. LSR Prom Another program focuses on residents associated with the Lincoln Self Reliance program. Every spring, the Star Valley Rotary Club sponsors a prom for LSR, allowing clients the opportunity to dress for and experience a formal dance every year. Star Valley High School Students assist Rotary with the prom. “The high school youth have been really supportive in this effort,” Sessions pointed out. “They come and help us put on a successful evening, dressing up with their prom outfits and dancing with all of the LSR members.”
HALE’S VALLEY
PROPERTIES LLC Dennis L. Hale, Broker • Janice (Jan) Earhart, Assoc. Broker Kevin Jackson, Assoc. Broker • Kelly Johnson, Realtor
PRICE REDUCED!!! AFTON: 2BR, 1BA, 1140sf, garage... Call Kelly AFTON: 4BR, 2BA home, newly remodeled, at 884-8655 $110,000 short sale approved... Kelly 884-8655 $125,000
FREEDOM: 2BR, 1BA, 1156sf, 2 large out ROCKY POINT CONDO north of Thayne, 2BR, 1BA, appliances, Call Jan 248-0111 $155,000 buildings... Call Kelly 884-8655 $135,000
NEW LISTING Star Valley Rotary Club President is Scott Sessions. The club meets on Tuesdays at 12 noon in the Thayne Town Hall Conference Room. LVE Students Star Valley Rotary teams up with Lower Valley Energy once a month to honor students at Star Valley High School. Working with the assistance of faculty and administration two students are chosen each month and honored for their academic, music, athletic or extra curricular achievements. Students are presented with a certificate and small scholarship check. Narrows cleanup Every spring the club cleans both sides of U.S. Highway 89 in the Star Valley Narrows as part of the Wyoming Department of Transportation highway maintenance program.
Purple Pinkie Rotary’s Purple Pinkie Project is growing in popularity. The project is part of Rotary International and is designed to help stop the spread of polio around the world. Sessions and other Rotary members provide information at school assemblies and students may voluntarily contribute to the program. Rotary polio vaccination programs are administered in several countries. The vaccination is a sweet tasting oral dose and to avoid duplicate vaccinations, children have their small finger dipped in a harmless purple solution.
NEW YEAR . . . NEW YOU . . . NEW ROOM!
Continued on page 11A
AFTON: Remodeled 3BR, 2BA home, small at- FREEDOM: 3BR, 2BA, 2,062sf home, 7th fairtached garage, lrg garage in back... $159,000 way, finished bsmt. Call Jan 248-0111 $175,000
AFTON: 3BR, 2BA, 1680sf, 600sf bsmnt, re- AFTON: 2756sf, 4BR, 2BA home, custom built everything... Priced to sell at $249,000 modeled, Call Kelly 884-8655 $189,500
AFTON: 5BR, 2.5BA home, lrg kitchen, full fin- THAYNE: 4BR, 3BA, 3840sf, new appliances, ished bsmnt... Call Jan at 885-9800 $255,900 priced to sell... Call Kelly 884-8655 $259,900
PRICE REDUCED!!! AFTON: 1500sf, 2BR, 2BA w/bsmnt and extra AFTON: New 3BR, 2BA, 1600sf, 2 acres unfinroom on 1.25 acres. Call Kevin Today $260,000 ished bsmnt... Call Kelly 884-8655 $265,000
AFTON: 3BR, 2BA, custom built, near parks, SV RANCH: 3BR, 3BA, 3495sf home, unfinished schools & shopping Call Kevin Today $285,000 bsmnt, fireplace... Call Jan 885-9800 $297,500 SMOOT: 120 acres of farm land in Smoot, that the seller will sell 20 to 120 acres. Land is irrigated with gravity flow system, no pump needed. Farm land is in alfalfa hay now. The easement is 60 feet so it is sub dividable. Good investment opportunity...................................$720,000 SMOOT: Two parcels, 35 acres & 40 acres, 60 foot easement from Cottonwood Lane, borders national forest, hunters paradise, many beautiful building sites with great valley and mountain views. These lots can be purchased together or separately. ......................$595,000-$680,000 AFTON: DEVELOPERS SPECIAL---Located just south of Afton on the very popular Fairview corner this 17 acres has it all. Location right on Hwy 89 gives unbelievable exposure. The zoning is to die for and allows pretty much anything you want to do. Very accessible. ..$540,000 THAYNE: This 35 acres is located just south of Star Valley Ranch on Lost Creek Rd. It is perfect for the developer looking to subdivide. Comes complete with spectacular views and Bedford water. Access is very easy and the price is just right at......................................$420,000 THAYNE: 10 acres mixed use commercial / 10 acres rural that may be rezoned mixed use (20 acres), 60ft entrance bordering HWY 117, county approved approach, 200ft road to property, Bedford water being extended to property. Agent owned, owner financing available ............$375,000
Qu al i t y & Co m f o r t , f r o m o u r Ho m e t o Yo u r s .
Village Furniture & Appliance 515 Washington, Afton, WY 885-3814
See our entire inventory at... WWW.HVPSOLD.COM
CALL US TODAY 885-9800
starvalleyindependent.com
ONE SOURCE for Star Valley News, Special Features and Coming Events.
©
8A – STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010 Advertisements and content in the Star Valley Independent are the property of the newspaper and may not be duplicated in any form by any other publication or website
StarValley INDEPENDENT Sunday Service: 9:30 a.m.
Sunday School/ Bible Class: 10:45 a.m.
Ph: (307) 883-1012 New Location: 1011 Lariat Drive, Nordic Ranches, WY
www.christoursaviorstarvalley.org Enjoy dining in our comfortable atmosphere, where children are always welcome!
Located at 470 S. Washington in Afton
307-885-2222 HOURS: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat. CLOSED on Sundays
ALPINE LOCALS
SPECIAL
Richard and his wife, Kathy, moved their family to Alpine in 1975. He was the first EMT and Fire Captain in Alpine. In order to complete the necessary EMT training, Richard traveled 30 miles in the dead of winter to attend classes. In addition to Richard’s service to the town with the fire and EMT department, the Jenkins Family opened the first lumber yard and hardware store in Alpine. Richard was also instrumental in making the dream of the having the Morning Star Baptist Church a reality. Richard was elected to the first Alpine Town Council in 1989, serving for 10 years. He then served as the Mayor of Alpine. “There is not enough space in this paper to list all that Richard and his family have done for Alpine, Star Valley and Wyoming,” said Jan Rollins, longtime Alpine
Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal is pictured here with Kathy and Richard Jenkins. Richard has served as part of the Alpine Fire and EMTs for more than 35 years. resident. “He has been a force behind many projects and has always been willing to serve. He has truly helped the Town of Alpine move forward and to build a reputation as a progressive community and one to be proud of.” Even though Richard is stepping down from his
responsibilities with the fire and EMT department, his work is far from finished. Richard and Kathy are working as postmasters of the Alpine Post Office. Richard continues to operate his newest business, the Black Mountain Lodge and Trailer Corral.
Junior mushers named for 2010 sled dog race
Jackson Hole Adventure Rentals BRAND NEW 2010 Self Rental Snowmobiles
% OFF
20
Any Sled with Local ID 2 LOCATIONS:
Alpine location (FREE trailer or ride from our shop) Jackson Hole location (trailer included) Helmets, Jackets, Bibs, boots, gloves and maps also included.
307-733-5678
Alpine Richard Jenkins retires from Alpine Fire Department
www.jhadventure.com
By Sarah Hale Select students from Wyoming will participate in a sled dog race of their own, the IPSSSDR Jr. Stage Stop on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010 during the final day of the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race in Park City, Utah. The junior musher race is slated to begin at 2 p.m.
Host communities for the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race are eligible to send two students to represent their towns in this short exhibition fun run. In order to participate in the race, students agree to perform 10 hours of community service work prior to the race. Each junior musher also pays a $25 participation fee which is donated to the Uinta County Community Youth Coalition to help provide free
immunizations for children in Uinta County. The two junior mushers from Star Valley are Isabella Currie, a fifth grade student at Etna Elementary School; and Janice Hall, a fourth grade student at Osmond Elementary. Currie is volunteering as part of the Star Valley Therapeutic Activities and Riding (STAR) program. Hall is organizing a food and fund drive for local animals in need.
Silver Star accepting applications for Caring for Community grants !!! E V SA ! ! E AV S ! SAVE EVERYTHING IS SPECIALLY PRICED! Financing Available OAC
Sales & Service
We Won’t Be Undersold!
Silver Star Communications is currently accepting applications for their annual Caring for Community grant program. The deadline for applications is Friday, Jan. 29, 2010. “Silver Star strongly believes in supporting and giving back to the organizations that work to make this a
healthy, sustainable place to live and work,” said Jennifer Brannen, marketing manager for Silver Star. “The criterion used to evaluate the applications is based on Silver Star’s Social Mission, to lead by example and support organizations whose mission it is to sustain the unique character
of our community for future generations. The program is a donation request process, not intended for sponsorships.” Non-profit organizations interested in applying for the donation program can visit www.silverstar.com to download an application form.
You’re invited to help RON MICHELI become the next GOVERNOR of Wyoming
If you are interested in conservative, effective government, please come to the Afton Civic Center
Wed., Jan. 13 @ 5:30 p.m.
and learn how you can help elect Ron Micheli Governor of Wyoming. This will be a brief 30-minute meeting and refreshments will be served. For questions or for more information please call 886-1500 or 885-1132.
13 West Nield Ave. in Afton
885-3322
Paid Political Ad Committee to elect Ron Micheli, Governor
www.starvalleyindependent.com
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010, STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING – 9A
Avalanche danger considerable in Greys River area of Bridger-Teton By Sarah Hale The Bridger-Teton National Forest Backcountry Avalanche Hazard and Weather Forecast listed avalanche danger in Greys River as being considerable. The report was issued early Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010. “The general avalanche hazard is considerable above an elevation of 8,000 feet,” the report stated. “New snow and wind have created easily triggered slabs to two feet in depth on wind-loaded avalanche terrain. Slides could also involve deeper hard slabs that rest on weak, faceted base. Use careful snowpack evaluation, cautious route finding and conservative decision making.” Avalanche danger in any given region is rated on a five level scale. The danger levels are extreme, high, considerable, moderate and low. Extreme: Wide spread areas of unstable snow exist and avalanches are certain on some slopes. Backcountry
Ski patroller struck by avalance A ski patroller at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort was hit by an avalanche Wednesday morning, Jan. 6, 2010. The name of the patroller had not been released at press time. The avalanche occurred at approximately 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. It is believed that the resort's ski patrol triggered the slide. According to a press travel should be avoided. High: Mostly unstable snow exists on a variety of aspects and slope angles. Natural avalanches are likely. Travel in avalanche terrain is not recommended. Considerable: Dangerous unstable slabs exist on steep terrain on certain aspects. Human triggered avalanches probable. Natural avalanches possible. Moderate: Areas of unsta-
release of the incident, the avalanche took place prior to the lifts opening to the public. Following the slide, an immediate search of the area was conducted. The buried patroller was discovered, dug out and transported to the Village Clinic. The condition of the ski patroller was unknown at press time.
Now Offering
Weekly/Monthly rentals (Oct.-April)
Rentals include Mini-fridge, Microwaves, Free WIFI, Pool and Sauna privileges.
Skiers and weary travelers we also offer a winter local rate of $55 per night.
CALL TODAY 307.733.4340
Or stop by our Downtown Jackson location 400 W Broadway for more details.
ble snow exist. Human triggered avalanches are possible. Larger triggers may be necessary as the snowpack becomes more stable. Use caution. Low: Mostly stable snow exists. Avalanches are unlikely except in isolated pockets. To report an avalanche observation call 739-2607 or send an email to avalanche@jacksonhole.com.
PROPERTY ALPINE TWIN HOME FEATURED HIGH QUALITY, custom construction
Next Performances: Saturday, Jan. 9
MOTIVATED SELLER
in Alpine, 1320sf, 3BR 2BA, twin home, vaulted ceilings, laminate flrs & carpet, attached garage, privacy fenced back yard, 36 minutes from Jackson. (R930) Priced to sell... $229,000
Der Rosenkavalier R. Strauss
Saturday, Jan. 16 Carmen Bizet Other Upcoming Performances: Simon Boccanegra, Hamlet & Armida
NICELY REMODELED HOME: 3BR, 1.5BA, extra wide hallway, covered patio, new counters, carpet & flooring... Lots of storage, unfinished bsmnt, oversized 2C garage. Great starter home! MLS# 09-17 $219,000
GRANDVIEW ESTATES: Detached work shop, freshly remodeled inside and out, parklike landscaped setting with grand views of Ferries Peak and Bradley Mountain. $239,500
See all our listings on-line at...
WWW.WYOHOMEANDRANCH.COM Wyoming Home DONN H. WOODEN Broker/Owner & Ranch Co. SHAWN BARD “We Know the Territory” CALL TODAY (307)654-7898 Sales Associate
10A – STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010
©
Advertisements and content in the Star Valley Independent are the property of the newspaper and may not be duplicated in any form by any other publication or website
StarValley INDEPENDENT The ONLY satellite TV provider with The Mountain Network & The NFL Sunday Ticket
Packages starting at
$29.95 per mo.
LOCAL SALES, INSTALLATIONS AND SERVICE
ALLRED RADIO
307-885-5255
Ice Skating Lessons Starting
Tuesday, Jan. 12 at 3 p.m. To be held at the
STAR VALLEY RANCH ICE RINK (Behind the pool and shelter area)
For more information or to register, please call Jenny Connell, 307-248-1399
My 25 Years Selling Star Valley Tells Me Buy Location, Location, Location | Ed Nelson, Broker
Lodge-Like Comfort 2691sf All Above Grade, 3 BR, 3 BA, Dining room, master BR includes a sitting room... $350,000 Trees, At Star Valley Ranch 1112 Vista West Drive 8” Log Cabin in the trees, 3BR, 2BA, Sunroom plus Den, Decks, Large Garage One block from Aspen Hills Club House $225,000 12 Tee Stewart Country Club Estates 12 Tee, new construction, 9ft ceilings, propane gas-log FP, stone, travertine, granite, hickory, forced air heat, appliances including washer and dryer unfinished basement plumbed/framed... Owner-Financing $229,000 Behind 4th Tee Stewart Country Club Estates 187 Fairway Avenue New, 3668sf, 6 BR, 3 BA, 3 bay garage, 2 fireplaces, custom finishes $487,000 18th Green Cedar Creek Golf Course 341 Ridge Crest Drive Log, 6 BR, 3 BA, 3633sf on 1.33 Acres $475,000 PRICE REDUCED $350,000
ED NELSON Broker (307) 883-2441
ROSEMARY IVINS Sales Assoc. (307) 883-2667
www.starvalleynelsonrealty.com Member Teton County (Jackson Hole) Multi-List
www.starvalleyindependent.com
Star Valley Ranch
Ranch facing winter water woes Another major leak in the town’s system was discovered on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2010. “The leak was discovered because of ice build up on the road,” said Wilkes. “When we got looking into what was causing the ice to build up on the roadway, the leak was identified. We are not sure what led up to the leak but it appeared that the line had just snapped.” Town crews worked to repair the line until the early morning hours on Sunday, Jan. 3. According to Wilkes, town crews are spending a great deal of time and effort just to keep the town’s water lines up and running. “Here at the ranch we have a patchwork of different types of piping,” said Wilkes. “But it is the old steel piping that seems to be giving us the most trouble. We have sections of pipe that have more patches than pipe.”
This week Mayor Boyd Siddoway traveled to Cheyenne to plead the town’s case with the state. According to Wilkes, the town is looking to secure funds to address the aging pipe issues in the town. “We are looking at doing a replacement of the system in phases,” said Wilkes. “That way we can utilize funds as they become available.” According to Wilkes, the town is currently looking for state and/or federal stimulus dollars to replace the steel piping within the town. In the meantime, however, leaks continue to be discovered. According to Wilkes, once a leak is identified, infrastructure such as power and communication lines are located and then digging begins. Town crews do their best to keep water flowing while repairs in the water lines are made. However, sometimes it is necessary to shut off the
water in order to make the needed repairs, he said. And, with a shutting down of water lines for any period of time in winter, there is the risk of freezing. According to Wilkes, the town takes every precaution to prevent a freeze up from happening, recognizing the danger for what it is. “If a line freezes up we could really be in a mess,” he said. “Hopefully with our funding we will get the lines replaced in the next couple of years.” The Town of Star Valley Ranch is optimistic that it will receive stimulus funding for water projects in the coming year. The projects are shovel ready, Wilkes said, and can begin as soon as funding and weather allow. For more information on water outages or the town’s water system, contact the Town of Star Valley Ranch at 883-8696.
It s Cold Out
W
yoming s winter months are typically prime time for flu. Because of the swine (novel H1N1) flu virus strain, this influenza season is not business as usual. We don t know what the coming months will mean for flu activity, so it s important to get vaccinated. Vaccines are the single most effective weapon we have against influenza. Contact your local public health office to find out where and when vaccines are being offered in your community. Fight the flu!
...And Winter Isn t Over Yet! More information online at www.health.wyo.gov
www.starvalleyindependent.com
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010, STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING – 11A
Get over 120 Top Channels including Locals for
Afton
$24.95 per mo.
Less slick is in the mix for Afton roads ◆ Adding a bit of grit brings more traction for tires. By Sarah Hale Road crews with the Town of Afton have been testing out a modified sand and salt mix on the streets. The mix uses the standard sand and salt blend from the state highway department, but adds some bigger rock chips to provide motorists with additional traction on the
roadway. According to Blake Robinson, director of public works for the Town of Afton, the modified mix seems to be working well so far. The problem with using the more traditional sand and salt blend, Robinson said, has been the fact that the salt melts the snow and ice on the roadway, as it is designed to do, until temperatures drop. At that point new ice forms, encompassing the sand that has been laid, virtually eliminating any traction benefits
the sand provided. The melting and freezing process translates into using more and more sand and salt and still having very slippery roads. The hope is that by mixing a “little bit bigger rock” in the blend, motorists will have more traction, Robinson said. The new blend has been used in Afton for approximately three weeks. For additional information regarding the sand and salt blend used by the Town of Afton, call the town at 885-8696.
FREE DVR Upgrade! LOCAL SALES, INSTALLATIONS AND SERVICE
ALLRED RADIO
307-885-5255
Rotary Continued from page 7A Sessions expressed appreciation to all of the schools that have helped with “Purple Pinkie,” but he specifically noted the efforts of the Star Valley Middle School Student Council this year. “The student council actually put together the whole project, promoted it and collected the funds without administrative help,” he said. Mongolia medical supplies Star Valley Rotary has also assisted with international projects in Romania and Mongolia where newborn supplies were distributed to rural hospitals in both countries. Rotary international funds and contributions from a Cheyenne club have assisted with these projects in recent years. Rotary funds Rotary funds are raised locally through membership fees and two annual events, the Octoberfest program at
Stone’s Family Pharmacy
CHROMALUX 885-2345
LUMIRAM
FULL SPECTRUM LAMP
Natural Balanced Light
Rotary Club members clean both sides of U.S. Highway 89 in the Star Valley Narrows every spring. the Star Valley Ranch RV Park in the fall and the springtime Chili-cook off in Afton. Student program In the coming year the Star Valley Rotary Club will institute an Interact Club at Star Valley High School. Interact is an extension of Rotary for students, grade nine through 12. “This will give youth the
opportunity to experience leadership and community service,” Sessions concluded. Meetings in Thayne The Star Valley Rotary Club meets every Tuesday, at 12 noon in the Thayne Town Hall Conference Room. Club fees include a lunch from the Thayne Senior Center.
• Mimics Natural Light • Enhances Reading Comfort • Reveals Natural Colors & Textures • Promotes Well-being • Lasts Longer
Your Locally Owned & Operated Pharmacy
STOP!
Inside Familee Thriftway - Hours: Open 9-7 Mon.-Fri.; 9-4 Sat.
Putting your Dentist Off!
Call to make a hygiene appointment today!!
Seasonal & H1N1 Vaccinations Call for an Appointment at our clinics in Afton or Alpine:
Dr. Mark Weston Dr. Mark Johnson
307-885-9598 SEASONAL $20.00
Karen Louder, RDH BS Jessica Allred, RDH BS
H1N1 FREE
885-4355
(Medicare and Medicaid accepted)
New Patients Welcome
starvalleyindependent.com
ONE SOURCE for Star Valley News, Special Features and Coming Events.
12A – STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010
www.starvalleyindependent.com
A DRIVING FORCE
STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAHL ERICKSON
While You Were Sleeping - The area’s snow plow drivers take these rigs with cost upwards of $100,000 out into some of the scariest portions of road
◆ Area snowplow drivers brave hazardous conditions, long hours and impatient drivers. Driving a snowplow in Wyoming is akin to the quick red stop light in a busy intersection. You may not like them, you may even think they are out to get you, but life would be a disaster if they didn’t do their job. On this particular morning, 2:30 a.m. to be exact, Hal Hepworth, Road Foreman for this area is not only alert and ready to move some of the white frozen bounty that covers Star Valley for roughly half the year, but he’s happy to do it. Even after 28 years of lip-pursing, white knuckle stories, it’s still fun for him to clear the roads. As the huge diesel truck jumps forth with surprising agility and the hand controls constantly puff out their hydraulic sound it’s just another outing into the cold black stillness that is early morning January in Western Wyoming.
“The first trucks we had when I started would hit certain things and kick you off the road,” Hepworth chuckles. “You come across a lot of things on the side of the road that can still do that. These are bigger trucks and they hold the road a whole lot better.” One of the best things about driving so early in the morning is that there are very few vehicles on the road to slow down the job. “I think we as plow drivers feel that most people don’t quite understand what we’re dealing with,” stated Hepworth. “People will come up behind you in the daylight and in this big truck we can’t see them behind us. Other times we’re throwing snow and the wind is blowing and it’s making it so we can’t even see very far in front of our own truck. I guess we’ve seen it all. Some people are real polite; some people aren’t so polite. They cuss us because we throw snow into their driveway but they want the road cleared or they think we’re making it too slick. We get cussed and very seldom do we get thanked. I don’t think people understand how hard it is to see the shoulders of the road after a storm or during a blizzard.”
On this morning, much like hundreds of others in his career, Hepworth will have plowed nearly 100 miles of Lincoln County road before many people have left their homes. Items like mailboxes, cars, fence posts and even dogs, skunks and deer miss his blade by inches. A product of countless hours behind the wheel of his vehicle which he sometimes refers to as “Jezebel.” Sometimes thing don’t miss his blade but it’s a product of thousands of pounds of truck keeping it’s precious momentum. Though some items such as these and huge rocks from mother nature herself can cause a big incident, it’s the snow moved across or into the road itself by residents that cause the drivers the most headaches. Hepworth explains that the piles of snow that encroach into the natural plowing area will accumulate and then freeze, creating a hidden boulder of ice that can damage the truck, detach the plow or throw the huge truck off the road. “If people push across the road and leave that snow, we can’t see those big gobs of snow and it will just knock this truck around and cause trouble,” he
added. “It’s dangerous for us. thing that we’d like to see c when people park their car or the side of the road and we’r right along and it can obviou some trouble. We’re picking other than snow and throwing the road and it can really dama Speeds will vary from creep to a top speed of 35 miles which will throw the snow t sary dozens of feet, but it can the huge adjustable blade eit tion. Ironically as Hepworth various situations that can occ er decides to stay in the near l we barrel down the center lan one way or the other some every few seconds. This time er avoids meeting the blade bu ing to Hepworth, a good rule might be to give them a mu berth than you may think. The army of drivers this includes four gear-jockeys w along behind the wheel while s ously adjusting the blade. Th control all of it looks like a rep Death Star. It’s a process that sive to watch as Hepworth cut
www.starvalleyindependent.com
Hal Hepworth checks his guages before he hits the road.
Drivers have to run several parts of the truck at the same time.
Either direction required plenty of plowing on this morning. (Below) A WYDOT plow clears Highway 89.
d that Mother Nature has to offer.
. Another change is r truck on re coming usly make up things g them off age a car.” ping speed per hour the necesn also pull ther direcdescribes cur, a drivlane while ne jerking 18 inches e, the drivut accordof thumb uch wider
s morning who barrel simultanehe panel to plica of the t’s imprests through
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010, STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING – 13A
the last layer of snow. This morning results in a much different situation than the drivers were expecting. With some seven to ten inches and 20 mile per hour wind in the forecast, the sky is calm with not a flake coming down. All the situation does is make this particular passenger grateful that weather experts are wrong frequently. As Hepworth precisely cuts through narrow corridors of Dry Creek and narrow roads of subdivisions, he does have some things in common with surgeons. “We have to be on call all the time,” he said. “In Star Valley you have to be on call from November through the end of April. We have to get the busses through and you can’t really plan anything or go anywhere. But, I like doing it. I like clearing the road.” On this morning as I climb the six feet from the cab down to the ground, Hepworth gives me a friendly wave and jolts forward, some five hours of plowing still in front of him. As I drove home on newly plowed roads, a feeling of new understanding and appreciation crept over me as I wished everyone could take a morning behind the wheel of the snow fighters.
STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT
Sports
www.starvalleysports.com
14A – STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010
Lady Braves bounce back against Bear Lake ◆ Star Valley (4-5) faces trio of 4A teams in Riverton Invite. By Dahl Erickson The Lady Braves claimed a bit of redemption after an ugly outing in Jackson by shutting down the visiting Bear Lake Lady Bears to close out 2009, 37-29. Emily Porter scored ten of her game-high 13 points in the first half to pace the Lady Braves who led by as many as 14 in the contest. However, the rivals from Montpelier battled back to begin the third quarter on an 8-0 run to close the gap to a single point. After a time out called by Coach Erickson, Porter hit her third threepoint basket of the night to push the advantage back to four points and the Lady Braves never looked back. Fellow senior Shae Wilkes scored eight of her nine points in the second half, many times collecting a crucial rebound and scoring in the paint. In fact, the Star Valley guards were responsible for eight rebounds on the night. Junior
Lachelle Winters got the start and had a game-high five steals as the Lady Braves racked up 15 larceny counts in the game. Senior Dani Scherbel accounted for six big points and three rebounds. “I thought we had the game under control and we experimented on the half-court trap a little which allowed a few more points for Bear Lake,” stated Head Coach Rob Erickson. “Our girls didn't panic.” Erickson and his staff have spent the holidays keeping the team in shape but also continuing to implement more concepts from his play book. “I thought our holiday practices were great,” he added. “We put in a lot of new things. We increased our offensive options and I felt like we were running on a skeleton system to begin the year and now we're excited to give these things a try.” Up next is a trio of games that will test the Lady Braves to their core as they face undefeated Laramie, the Sheridan Lady Broncs and a rematch against the Kelly Walsh Lady Trojans. All three represent their own obstacles. “We've got film on Sheridan and they are just fast,” added Continued on page 17A
Shoulder to Shoulder in the Border War - Star Valley senior, Kelsea Gardner, battles with Bear Lake’s Katlyn Stevens on the low block during a free throw attempt. The Lady Braves play at 6 p.m. on Thursday evening against Sheridan and again at 6 p.m. on Friday against Laramie. They finish with a 3 p.m. game against Kelly Walsh (Photo by Mal Winters)
Braves skin Bears in home opener ◆ SVHS faces two top-five teams in Riverton. By Dahl Erickson After a disappointing double-overtime loss to rival Jackson the night before, the Braves started their home schedule with a dominant 6438 performance over Bear Lake, giving them a sweep over their Idaho nemesis for the first time since the 2005-06 season. Coming into the ball game with just a handful of threepoint baskets on the season, the coaching staff emphasized to the players that the longrange basket is a part of the flow of their offense. They answered by hitting a seasonhigh seven shots from behind the arc. The scoring was immediate as the Braves ran away from Bear Lake, leading 19-6 after on quarter of play. The offense was led by some incredibly hot shooting from David Cranford who scored a
whopping 18 points in the first half. He was joined by junior Josh Hunsaker who scored in the paint by compiling 12 points in the first two quarters. The lead swelled to 29 points early in the fourth quarter where Taylor emptied his bench and several members of the squad played what may turn out to be valuable varsity minutes. Ten players made their way into the scoring column and all twelve players who dressed for the game contributed in the stat sheet. “I thought it was a more complete game than we’ve had so I was happy with that,” stated Head Coach Mark Taylor. “At times we were able to increase the tempo of that game and I think that put some pressure on Bear Lake. We put in a new defense that week that we used in that game and I was real happy with how the kids executed that early on.” Up next is a slate of games against some of Wyoming’s tougher programs in the
Eastern Conference as the Braves will take on the Laramie Plainsmen, the Kelly Walsh Trojans and the Sheridan Broncs at the Riverton Invitational. Star Valley defeated Kelly Walsh in Cheyenne already this season and lost to a hot shooting Plainsmen squad in the same tournament. “I’d rather not play teams that we’ve played before in tournament play,” added Taylor. “With Laramie however, we felt like we didn’t play well against them the last time we face them so I know that myself and the kids are excited to see them again. As for Kelly Walsh, I think we played fairly well the last time and it came out a victory for us so we’ll try and do that again. Sheridan has been ranked for much of the season so they will be a good challenge for us. “It’s our last tournament situation left for us before we have a bit of a break and then start conference play and I think it’s going to work out pretty well for us.” Continued on page 16A
High in the Sky - Senior Brandon Taylor goes vertical for a shot attempt. Taylor and the Braves face a tough weekend of games before conference play begins later this month. The Braves tip off against Sheridan, Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
www.starvalleyindependent.com
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010, STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING – 15A
Wrestler anxious to begin the stretch run in shape ◆ Rollie Lane Tournament outside Boise, Idaho features over 40 teams from five states. By Dahl Erickson When thinking about the Star Valley Braves wrestling team, one need only think about themselves when it comes to overcoming challenges. Did you eat a little too much over the holidays? Did you indulge in late nights and late mornings? Now ask yourself if you did so when you were 16 and you have some sort of idea the dedication the wrestlers have to have for a simple holiday. For the season to this point, the Braves have been out of position on the weight chart almost to a man. With the hol-
idays and several practices behind them, when the squad starts to get down to business this weekend in Idaho, they should be able to make some noise. “We're close,” said Head Coach Eddie Clark. “We're trying to get there. We should have everyone down this week. Dalton Dance is going to try 152 this week so we've got some things to settle in. The guys did a great job over the holiday. A lot of them exhibited a lot of discipline. To watch your weight over the holidays is not an easy task. We are real proud of them.” Now traveling to the Rollie Lane Invitational in Nampa, Idaho, more than 40 teams from Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and of course Wyoming will be in attendance where the Braves will be looking to improve from their eighth place finish as a team in 2009. Individually, the Braves will have two placers from last years event. Josh Claye placed
third at 103 pounds last year while Hayden Heap won the title at 112 pounds. Both wrestlers are up a weight class this year with Claye at 112 and Heap at 125. The Braves will not be short on experience when they roll into town as they have many who have experienced the stunning visual of the Rollie Lane before with T.J. Guild, Brandon Aullman, Mark Van Slyke, Darin Taylor, Alex Cooper, Brandon Anglesey, Dawson Loveland, Nick Edwards and Casey Wolfley all competing last year. “It’s a huge tournament with 14 mats,” added Clark. “Imagine a domed stadium that’s bigger than the Wyoming wrestling tournament and instead of having walkways and isles, they will cover the floor completely with mats. The guys will wrestle in pods of four and then wrestle three matches. The top two of the four kids come out and then they wrestle single elimination. Now our kids
understand that they have to be the top two in the pod so it's very important. We understand the process a little better and I think we're bringing in a better group as a team. We're hoping to be competitive. Columbia out of Boise is the favorite but that's who we want to wrestle. We want to wrestle the best.” The Rollie Lane also brings the advantage of facing competitors that the Braves haven’t seen and they may point out key weaknesses and strengths for Star Valley’s stretch run. Depth will be key in a tournament where second place and ninth place were separated by just nine points a year ago. It’s a strength the Braves should have. “It's a great event,” concluded Clark. You see kids from all over the country. T.J. Guild wrestled a kid [last year] that eventually became a national champion and we don't always get to rub shoulders with guys
like that. These are great opportunities for our kids.” • Who’s Going? The Braves were able to take multiple wrestlers in certain weight classes. At 103 pounds, Mitchell Heap and Carbon Kennington will face the field. Claye will fill the 112 pound slot while Guild will move down to 119. Hayden Heap will make his season debut at 125. Tim Stephens and Jade Daugherty will both battle at 130 while senior Mark Van Slyke will hold down the 135 pound position. Brandon Aullman will be at 140 pounds with Darin Taylor at 145. Dance is wrestling up at 152 pounds while Brandon Anglesey is up a weight class from last year up to the 160 pound slot. Dawson Loveland will remain at 171 while Nick Edwards is all the way down to 189 pounds. Casey Wolfley at 215 and Adam Walton at Heavyweight will round out the Star Valley grapplers traveling to the Rollie Lane.
Indoor Track & Field opens with big initial numbers ◆ The squad’s first event will take them to Provo, Utah on January 15-16. By Dahl Erickson The Indoor Track & Field program opened up their third
year as a sanctioned activity at Star Valley High School with some impressive overall numbers. More than 70 prospective athletes swelled the ranks on Monday as the coaching staff is now in the process of getting the participants in competition shape and also the evaluation of talent. “We're still just trying to get
everything sorted out,” said Head Coach Ty Draney. “We have a lot of bodies which is a nice problem to have.” As far as eyeballing the boys and girls teams, the girls certainly have more proven competitors at this point. “I expect our girls to be a lot more experienced,” Draney added. “I like the mix we have. The kids that have been with
us for four years and the fact we have an athletic and energetic freshman class. I like what I see so far.” With just three major events before the state meet in Laramie, the season is an intense and demanding 60 days of the athletes want to excel. “Everybody that has enough practices will be going
to BYU in two weeks,” One of the challenges that we have is talking the underclassmen through the tough meets that we have. If they’ve dominated at the eighth grade level this is a big jump for them but they are doing well. Sometimes its hard for them to keep in mind as they compete against upperclassmen.”
ATTENTION: All Parents! The 2009-10 SVHS Basketball and Wrestling seasons are here! While we welcome all who would come to support the Braves and Lady Braves, we would ask you to give your support to our supervision teams by helping us with the following:
Please do NOT allow your children to play or wander unattended in the Common’s Area or the Hallways. We appreciate your help as we strive to create a safe environment. COME & SUPPORT THE SVHS ATHLETES AND REMEMBER TO SHOW GOOD SPORTMANSHIP! GO BRAVES and LADY BRAVES! Thank you, SVHS Administration
Start your morning right
16A – STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010
Have you had an adjustment lately?
KEEP YOUR SPINE ALIGNED. Call Star Valley Chiropractic for your appointment TODAY . . .
Star Valley Chiropractic Dr. Van L. Hale, D.C.
885-HEAL(4325) Stay Healthy!
109 Hospital Lane in Afton
Eyes Toward the Future - Senior James Bowers drives to the rim in Star Valley’s game against Jackson. Bowers and the other Braves’ guards will have some big challenges this weekend as they face Laramie’s Dan Estes and Kelly Walsh’s Lucas Nolan once again.
Braves Continued from page 14A (Dec. 29) Star Valley Braves: 62 Jackson Broncs: 64 [2OT] Player Pts TWoodford 4 2 J Bowers E. Merino 1 DCranford 17 J Hunsaker 7 B Taylor 13 R Hillyard 6 K Ingersoll 9 B Gardner 3 Pts Team Star Valley 62
Reb 3 3 0 4 3 8 1 4 6 Reb 32
Bear Lake Bears: 38 Star Valley Braves: 64
Asts Stl Blk FT 0 0 0 2/2 1 1 0 2/4 0 2 0 1/2 0 0 0 4/4 1 1 1 n/a 5 5 1 2/6 3 2 0 4/4 1 1 0 5/6 0 2 0 1/3 Asts Stl Blk FT 11 14 2 68
Player Pts TWoodford 2 5 J Bowers E. Merino 3 DCranford 20 0 J Sims J Hunsaker 14 B Taylor 7 R Hillyard 4 K Ingersoll 0 B Gardner 4 4 C Rich L Sorenson 1 Pts Team Star Valley 64
Reb 1 2 1 6 3 6 2 2 1 1 0 2 Reb 28
Asts Stl Blk FT 2 0 0 2/2 1 0 0 n/a 0 0 0 n/a 1 1 1 2/3 1 1 0 n/a 1 1 3 2/2 4 3 0 5/6 2 3 1 1/3 0 0 0 n/a 1 0 0 n/a 0 0 0 0/2 0 0 0 1/4 Asts Stl Blk FT 13 9 5 59%
885-5684 444 S. Washington St. in Afton
We do Windshield Repair and Windshield Replacements on all vehicles! NEW INVENTORY 2010 2010 2010 2010
Ford Mustang GT, leather Ford F-150 Platnium, gray Ford F-350 Lariat, white Ford Edge Limited, Leather Navigation, AWD
USED INVENTORY 2003 2004 2003 2003 2004 2000
Ford F-250, V10, 113K, white Chevrolet Trailblazer, 4 dr., 4x4 Dodge Ram 2500 SLT, long bed Ford Explorer, 4 dr., 4.0L, 4WD GMC Yukon, 4 dr., 1500, 4WD Volkswagen Jetta, 4 dr., GLS, V6
2010 Ford F350
2004 Chev. Trailblazer
Leather, navigation
LT, 79K miles, $10,900
USED INVENTORY 2003 GMC Sierra 1500, ext. cab 1997 Dodge Ram 1500, ext. cab 2008 Suzuki XL7, AWD, 4 dr, 3rd row, 22,100 miles 2008 Ford Escape XLT, 4WD, V6, 18K 2004 Ford F-150, ext. cab, 96K, long bed, black 2006 Chevrolet Malibu LT, 54K
1995 Lincoln Town Car
2008 Ford Escape XLT
Great condition, leather
V6, 37K miles, $18,900
2008 Ford Edge
1999 Passat
SEL, 38K miles, $19,995
Leather, 50K, great condition, black, $7,999
USED HONDA’S 2006 Honda CRF450R Motocross 2006 Honda CRF230F6 2003 XR250R
Check us out on our website: www.fordhonda.com
www.starvalleyindependent.com
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010, STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING – 17A
©
Advertisements and content in the Star Valley Independent are the property of the newspaper and may not be duplicated in any form by any other publication or website
StarValley INDEPENDENT
SURVEYOR SCHERBEL, LTD.
GPS LAND SURVEYING Combined with CAD Drafting.
Highly Accurate & Cost Effective for Many Surveying Applications. Box 725 - Afton, Wyoming 83110
Telephone: 307-885-9319 FAX: 307-885-9809
PLACING OF ICE AND SNOW ON AFTON MUNICIPAL STREETS IS PROHIBITED Pinpoint Passing - Senior Emily Porter eyes a team mate during Star Valley’s win over Bear Lake. Porter led the team with a game-high 13 points including three baskets from behind the three-point line. (Photo by Mal Winters)
Lady Braves Continued from page 14A Erickson. “That's the best way to describe them. They're kind of like greyhounds so we'll have to try and control the tempo. Laramie is both fast and tall. They are the complete package I think and we'll have to have some help with their post player. They are ranked number one and I think they deserve it. They cause a lot of turnovers and that will be a challenge for us. Kelly Walsh;
we have some pressing packages in and I think we were so emotionally drained after playing East close the night before that I don't think we were ready last time. We’re excited to get back out on the court.” Bear Lake Lady Bears: 29 Star Valley Lady Braves: 37 Player L Winters D Scherbel S Wilkes RRobinson E Porter K Woodie K Gardner
Pts 4 6 9 0 13 0 5
Reb 3 3 2 1 4 2 5
Asts Stl Blk FT 0 5 0 2/4 0 1 0 2/5 3 3 0 3/5 0 2 1 n/a 2 2 0 n/a 0 0 0 n/a 1 3 0 1/3
Team Pts Reb Asts Stl Blk FT Star Valley 37 20 8 15 0 47% 8 10 0 20% Bear Lake 29 14
(Dec. 29 @ Jackson) Star Valley Lady Braves: 30 Jackson Lady Broncs: 31 OT Player L Winters D Scherbel S Wilkes RRobinson A Hall E Porter H Wilkes B Titensor K Woodie K Gardner Team Star Valley Jackson
Pts 4 3 2 5 3 2 0 6 2 3 Pts 30 31
Reb 4 7 3 10 0 2 1 7 3 3 Reb 40 32
The Town of Afton has passed Ordinance 482 prohibiting placing ice and snow on Municipal Streets, Roads and Alleys. No person shall place snow or ice from private driveways or sidewalks on the maintained portion of the municipal streets or roads. Your cooperation with this matter would be appreciated.
Asts Stl Blk FT 1 1 0 0/1 0 2 1 3/4 1 1 0 n/a 1 1 0 1/5 0 0 0 1/2 1 0 0 n/a 1 0 0 n/a 1 1 0 4/5 1 2 0 0/1 0 0 0 3/4 Asts Stl Blk FT 7 8 1 55% 10 5 3 44%
Winter Season is Here! Help us do a good job by keeping your vehicles off of the streets and parking lots between
1 a.m. to 6 a.m. (City Ordinance Section 6:148.1)
November 1, 2009 through April 30, 2009 All Vehicles must be Parked 20 ft. Off Paved Town Streets THANK YOU, The Town of Afton Street Department
PROFESSIONALS For All Your Well Needs Call The
Thomas Drilling Water Well Specialist
Goulds Pumps Pumps & Pressure Tanks Complete Water Systems Complete Pump Repair & Service
Phone: 886-3976 or 883-4897 (After Hours)
Afton, Wyoming
Community
STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT
NEWS SOCIAL OBITUARIES
www.starvalleyindependent.com
18A – STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010
Smoot Correspondent Sonnet Call (208) 357-6813 Smoot Holiday Tradition of the Week- Ding Dong Ditch: Involves crawling through barb wire fences, avoiding vicious poodles, etc. to leave a treat on a neighbors unsuspecting doorstep. There is also the sneak,
shovel, and hi tail it approach. This entails sneaking around Smoot in night and secretly shoveling driveways, leaving a Christmas ornament as a gift. Smoot community was saddened at
Auburn Correspondent Connie Brown 885-3541 Penny and Deloy Leavitt enjoyed a busy holiday season with many of their grandchildren visiting them. Gavin Jenkins who is stationed in San Diego with the military came to visit with his daughter Jada. Other visitors were Colson and Shaylee Loveland, and Robert, Tonya and Elliot Lofgran from Taylorsville. Penny also reported that her grandson Dawson Loveland, son of Dawnlee and Eric Loveland, is a member of the high school wrestling squad and he is
having a very successful season. Megan Leavitt visited her dad Brad Leavitt from her studies at the University of Wyoming. She also visited her grandparents, Penny and Deloy Leavitt and Steve and Lawanna Campbell and her mom, Reba Straw. Dain and Marie Schwab welcomed a new baby girl into their family on Tuesday, Dec. 29. She weighed in at 6 lbs. 15 oz. and has lots of black hair. She has a brother, Dayton, to welcome her home. Proud grandparents are
Osmond Correspondent Mary Isabell Cassity 886-5425 Sister Virginia Gardner who is serving a mission in Fort Worth, Texas enjoyed having her daughters Diane Gardner of Evanston and Marcella and Dale Wright and children of Laramie spend Christmas with her. Joe and Beth Rodrigues have enjoyed having their grandson stay with them for a couple of weeks. Hazen Thomas Erickson, son of Scott and Britani Erickson, was baptized and confirmed by his father Scott last Saturday at the Stake Tabernacle. The Doran and Debra Erickson family had a great holiday season as all
members of the family were able to be together for the first time in six years as their eldest son, Robert, his wife Becky and their five children from Alpharetta, Georgia drove cross country and spent Christmas to New Year’s with their parents and all the brothers and sisters that live here in the valley. The kids, their spouses and families were able to have some get together’s, suppers and activities. Cousins were able to share times skiing, playing in the snow, experiencing feeding the animals and on the 31st and 25 members of the group made a very enjoyable trip into Granite Hot Springs
Cokeville Correspondents Jan Moody In honor of Wyoming getting Statehood and Women's right to vote, you are invited to an open house reception to meet Republican Governor Candidate Ron Micheli. The event will take place on Thursday, Jan. 14 from 6-9 p.m at the Freeman Home, 370 Taylor Lane. Cokeville rang in the New Year with fireworks on Thursday, Dec. 31, 2009. A large crowd gathered around the football field while others watched from the warmth of their homes as the Cokeville Police Department set off fireworks to begin a year-long celebration in honor of Cokeville's 100th birthday.
The Cokeville LDS Wards held a dance and breakfast for their New Years celebration. The dance began at 9 p.m. Those who were up for the challenge to ring in the New Year at midnight were treated with a pancake breakfast. Alan Beck passed away peacefully in his sleep on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009 following a long hard battle with cancer. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010. Troy and Melissa Holden and family were home over the New Year's weekend with Brent and Ann Holden. Judy Walton has been in Cokeville visiting with family and friends for a
This week in Star Valley By Rozie Erickson All content taken from the Star Valley Independent. 25-years ago: Snow pack 132 percent of normal. 48th Wyoming Legislature convenes. (photo) The new Alpine Nordic Inn, the newest hotel in Western Wyoming, was recently opened for business, featuring 21 rooms, a restaurant, bar, and shop, in a European manner. "The Red Fury," the latest theatrical
entry in a series of made-for-the-family movies from successful film-maker Layman Dayton is completed and will be shown in the Ford Theatre. 50-years ago: Jan. 1 survey in area shows lightest snow cover in 20 years. The water content of the snow pack for the Salt River watershed is 47 percent of normal. Aliens must report address this month . . . According to Clingan, 21,896 aliens reported their addresses last year in the states of Colorado and
the passing of Rayma Anglesley. Bart and Denise Kunz had all of their family home for Christmas. Shann and Debora Call family had all of their family and extended family home for the Christmas holiday. Angie Muir and her daughter Olivia went to Utah last week. Olivia stayed
in Logan, Utah with some family members; while Angie went on to Bountiful, Utah, to spend a few days with her parents, Polly and Kent Erickson. Polly is in Davis Rehab Hospital still recovering from her car accidents, it would be 16 weeks ago this past Jan. 3.
Kevin and Jan Hyde and Lee and Erika Schwab. Julie and Rick Aagard spent their Christmas vacation in Idaho Falls helping their son, Adam on his home renovation. They got Adam moved upstairs in his home and will spend the next couple of months working on the basement. Don and Kathy Johnson were happy to have Misty and Mark McIntire and family from Corrine visit during the holidays. Trevor and Rachel Hepworth and three sons visited with Hal, Dixie, Heidi and Rex Hepworth over New
Years. Jeane and Clint Coville and family from Pinedale also spent some time with their parents and brothers and sisters. Eugene and Susan Worton attended the baptism of Mikel Sorenson, son of Tracy and Ray Sorenson on Saturday. Connie Brown and Kaydene and Brian Andrews and family attended the baptism of Kyle Kunz, son of Brock and Renae Brown. A family dinner was held afterwards. Helen Johnson had major surgery in Jackson on Thursday. She is home and doing well.
swimming. The Erickson’s received a phone call Sunday evening that the Georgians had arrived safely at their home. Charles and Neta Jones are home for good after Neta has been released from the Doctors after a very long extended bout with staff infection following her operation. Nick and Patty Tippetts enjoyed having all of their family home during the holidays. Aubrey Walker and family of Bosie, Idaho, and Skyler and Amamda Tippetts of Salt Lake, and their daughter Nicki Townsend and family who lives in Smoot, and Casey and his wife Lexi who live in Afton. Betty Pippitt from Nampa, Idaho
spent the Christmas Holidays with her daughter Leslie and Kim Tippetts and family, They went to Pleasant Grove, Utah after Christmas to see Colt and Nicole Tippetts Nehring. Ryan and Sara Challis Tippetts from New Haven, Utah also came to the valley for Christmas. They spent time with the Tippetts and Challis families. Cody and Anna Nelson are the proud parents of a baby boy born in Layton, Utah on Dec. 31. He will be named Jonathan Cody Nelson The Nelsons are back home in Osmond. Keith and Janeve Swenson spent Christmas in Utah with their children Kamie Warren and family and Kody Swenson and family.
few days. Teresa Helm was home for a visit with family over New Years. Shane Walker and his family were home for a visit with Kevin and Glenna Walker for a family party and baptism. McKenzie Thompson is home recovering from knee surgery this past week. Steve and Sherry White blessed their infant son on Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010 in the Cokeville First Ward. They had many friends and family members who were visiting for this special event. Mark and Amanda Anderson are the proud parents of a baby girl born Dec. 30, 2009. Maggie Jane weighed 6 lds. 13 oz. She was welcomed home by
big sister, Zoe and big brother, Noah. Proud grandparents are Glenn and Mary Lue Birch. The family of Lois Dayton held a birthday celebration at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2009. A celebration will be held on Friday, Jan. 8, 2010 at the Robert Petersen Residence in Cokeville to continue her 100th birthday celebration. Emory and Katrina Mackey will celebrate their union on Friday, Jan. 8, 2010 at a reception held in their honor at the Cokeville LDS Church. Parents of the groom are Mark and Stella Mackey and parents of the bride are KC Call and Betty Hymas.
Wyoming. The number this year is expected to be slightly larger. Mr. Clingan attributes this anticipated increase to an increase in immigration during the past year. Ad: At Afton Drugs, Lowest price in History! The camera that made color slides popular, the famous Argus C-3, only $39.95. 75-years ago: Ad: First Annual Fireman’s Ball at Welch Hall, Sat. Jan. 12th. Two Orchestras Will furnish the music. Don't miss this gala dance event, free caps and noise makers for all. The fire siren must be paid for.
The first of a series of dances and other entertainments that will be given for the pleasure and enjoyment of the public starts Saturday. Never has there been a series of Fireman's entertainment given before, and both young and old will find, by attending the dance, a very good time awaits them. Music by the Blue Birds and the Haymakers orchestras. Special hats and caps confetti, noise makers and serpentine. A free voting ticket, valuable on chance for a valuable prize. Dance tickets 50¢; extra ladies, 10¢; spectators, 10¢.
www.starvalleyindependent.com
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010, STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING – 19A
Bedford Correspondent Allene Heiner 883-2799 Congratulations to Glen Park who has earned his Eagle Scout Award. Glen is the son of Scott and Jackie Park, and grandson of R.L. and Mary Heiner. Denna Fluckiger spent the Christmas holidays in Wisconsin with her daughter Vickie and Scott Crager and family. While she was there she received word that her granddaughter, Nicole Stuart from Sinclair, passed away in her sleep of a heart attack. Nicole was 36 years old and has two little boys. She is the daughter of Chris and Linda Fluckiger. We express our sympathy to Denna and her family.
Little Zoey Diane Winters, daughter of Tucker and Laurie Winters, was blessed in church last Sunday. A number of family members and friends were there for the occasion. Zoey has an older brother, Tray. Grandparents are Mallory and Alesia Winters. Bryan and Holly Garrett and boys spent eight days in Montana during the holidays. They had a great time visiting with Holly's parents, her siblings and grandparents. Kyler Battleson, son of Mike and Lezlie Battleson, was ordained a Deacon in the Aaronic Priesthood last Sunday by his father. His
Etna Correspondent Wendy Clegg 248-3615 I hope everyone had a great and joyful Christmas and New Years! Charles and Connie Bucans had company over the holidays. Danny Barney, Connie's son, and his son Quinton
came from Colorado. Maxine Bucans, Charles's mom, spent Christmas eve and Christmas with the Bucans also. Charles and Connie Bucans also recieved exciting news. They have twin great-
Salt River Senior Center We would like to invite you to come to the center and check out our treadmill, exercise bike and Wii game system. Chase away the winter blues by enjoying this equipment. There is personal instruction provided by Missy our outreach staff member. We have implemented a new program called “Senior Buddy Program.� If you (a senior) bring a senior (60 years or older) that has not been to the center both of you will receive
a free meal. When the new senior completes a AGNES form to qualify for the free meal they will get an additional free meal on their next visit to Salt River Center. The second Tuesday of every month will be designated as “Super Tuesday� Jan. 12 we will be making tile pictures. Check online at saltrivercenter.com, call 8853780 or stop in at the center for more information and sign up.
grandparents and other relatives were there for the event. Humanitarian Workday will be on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at the church. The hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and a luncheon will be served. Everyone is welcome to come help. We will be working on projects for the Stake Humanitarian Day on Jan. 26-27 and the items will then be shipped to Salt Lake City for distribution throughout the world. The new emergency planning booklets are now available. If you do not receive one in the near future please check with Jermy Wight. This is filled with important emergency information for our community.
grand babies. Both are boys and weighed 8 lbs each and are very healthy. Mom and twins are doing fine. Over the holidays, Wendy and Brent Clegg had the company of Brent's oldest daughter, Jennifer, from Fruitland, Idaho. She was able to stay a couple of weeks. Don’t forget BINGO on Friday, Jan. 8 and the ladies will also be playing cards at 11 a.m. STAR VALLEY SENIOR CENTER Monday-- Country fried steak, potatoes with gravy, Russian salad, green beans, whole wheat bread, fruit cocktail. Tuesday-- Chicken pot pie, seasoned zucchini, spring salad, peanut butter cookie, cinnamon pears. Wednesday-- Meatloaf, baked potato, carrot coins, lettuce salad, hot roll, fruity gelatin salad. Thursday-- Chicken enchiladas, refried beans and cheese, tortilla soup, carrots and peas, fruit cocktail. Friday-- Roast turkey, potatoes with gravy, green beans, tossed salad, pumpkin bread, fruit cup. BINGO
Sister Mikel Barfuss, the daughter of Brad and Monica Barfuss of Thayne, has been called to serve in the Canada, Vancouver mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Elder Cache D. Kennington, son of Garry and Joyce Kennington, has returned from serving in the Suva, Fiji Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Alpine Correspondent Jan Rollins 654-7748 The Alpine American Legion Auxiliary and the Alpine Fire Department will send troop boxes later this month. Any donations of nonperishable food items or money for postage would be greatly appreciated. More information on the date the boxes will be packed and sent will be available in next week’s edition. The Alpine American Legion Post 46 is looking for little league baseball teams and coaches in Alpine for the upcoming summer season. Contact Sarge Rumbaugh at 654-7640 if you are interested in participating or for more information.
Elder Collin James Rothenberger, son of Kim and Linda (Merritt) Rothenberger, has returned from serving in the South Africa, Durban Mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
SONDRA JACOBSON, Broker E-mail: wrangler@silverstar.com
HEADS OR TAILS?
(307) 884-8884 21 N. Washington, Afton, WY Fax 877-884-9488 M L S FOR SALE OR RENT Mak e an o f f er I c an ’ t r ef u s e! ! CIAL SPE R E T WIN
There’s a better way to choose auto insurance. THIS 2 BDRM, 1 BATH COTTAGE-LOOK HOME IN AFTON is adorable, and LISTEN TO WHAT’S NEW: Carpet, flooring, paint, kitchen, cabinets, countertops, sink, appliances, disposal, light fixtures, tub w/shower, bathroom vanity & sink, toilet, medicine chest, all drain plumbing, up-graded electric, garage w/auto opener, basement w/laundry & plenty of storage, natural gas stove & wood stove, $154,000.
As your local independent agent, I’ll hHOS Ànd the car insurance policy that’s right for you. I often recommend Progressive Insurance because you receive:
› Outstanding claims service › Multi-vehicle discounts › Competitive Rates
FOR SALE OR RENT: Cute 2 bdrm. 1 ba., hardwood floors, nice size living room and kitchen, nice yard, $132,000. Open mind to offers!
FOR SALE
Make the right choice. Contact me today!
6 & COTT 27 7 9 VEIGEL ( ,*( / ,16 85 $ 1& ( S VF RW W LQVXU H#J P D LO F RP
SCOTT VEIGEL
AFTON open-style living/roomy, 3 bdrm, 1 bath, natural gas furnace, woodstove, metal roof, cutest barn/garage, large lot. Only $145,000.
Š2008 Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and its aIÀOLates, Ma\ÀHOG Village, Ohio. Sold everywhere but MA. 08A00501 (06/08)
REDUCED TO $78,000!
Scott Veigel Insurance
Phone: 307-885-1100
109 Hospital Lane, Afton, WY 83110 Email: scottinsure@gmail.com
Life, Auto, Home, Health, Disability, 401K Rollovers, Long Term Care, Medicare Supplements, Retirement Planning
MAYBE LOWEST PRICED HOME IN AFTON, 1 bdrm. plus extra room, 1 bath, garage, fenced yard, storage shed. This of this purchase as possible investment as a rental.
20A – STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010
www.starvalleyindependent.com
Alan Kent Beck
church in September 0f 2000, and was sealed to Ida Marie for time and all eternity in September 2001. Alan’s true joys in life were spending time with his family. It did not matter if it was hunting the cold mornings with his sons, or fishing in the warm afternoons with grandchildren, or cutting firewood for family and friends. Alan truly touched the hearts of all that would welcome him. Alan is survived by his wife Ida Marie; father Vernon; sisters Janet and Viki; six children and 21 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his mother, Agnes; and one grandson, Kenneth. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010, in the Cokeville LDS Chapel Interment took place in the Cokeville Cemetery.
©
Advertisements and content in the Star Valley Independent are the property of the newspaper and may not be duplicated in any form by any other publication or website
StarValley INDEPENDENT
FRIENDSHIP BAPTIST CHURCH Independent and Fundamental
Meeting at the Thayne Senior Center Sunday School 10:00 a.m. Worship Service 11:00 a.m. Evening Worship 6:00 p.m.
Jay A. Sprecher, Pastor (307) 886-9241 Jesus... “a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
HEARING AID CLINIC
FREE
Hearing Aid Evaluation with the latest test equipment
16 Point Cleaning
Could increase your understanding and efficiency by 100%
ALAN KENT BECK nal bride to be Ida Marie Pearson; they were married April 6, 1994 in Cokeville, where he became the father to three more boys, Richard, Marc and Eric Romero. Alan joined the LDS
Governor’s Capital Art Exhibition seeks entries
Check for Excessive Ear Wax
A common cause of hearing impairment
Hearing Aid Batteries at Wholesale Prices NowFeaturing the new electric marvel for the ear:
C.I.C.
Alan Kent Beck, of Cokeville, age 57, passed away Dec. 30, 2009 in Pocatello, Idaho after fighting cancer for over a year. He was born Sept. 27, 1952 to Vernon and Agnes Beck in Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Alan was the oldest of three children followed by two sisters Janet and Viki. Being a military family Alan was able to grow up all across America. It was after attending school in Roy, Utah, that he married Vickie Naef in 1971. They had three children Timmea, Scott, and Deanna. He joined the Navy and his career allowed him to see the world, and after 20 Years of service, he retired as a Master Chief Petty Officer. In 1993 Alan met his eter-
Fitted on a
A hearing instrument that defies detection in the ear. So advanced that it makes most all other hearing aids obsolete - even computerized.
30DAY Trial Period
CALL TOLL FREE 800-972-9500 or 208-313-0436 (cell) for an appointment
Dean Laurance - Custom Hearing Service - 45 Years Experience
Thayne Senior Center | Friday, January 8 and January 22 at 10:30 a.m. Afton Senior Center | Tuesday, January 26 at 10:30 a.m. For more information call the Thayne & Afton Senior Centers at 883-2678 or 885-3780.
Wyoming artists interested in applying for inclusion in the 10th Annual Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition are reminded the deadline for entries is Feb. 1, 2010. All artists living and working in Wyoming are invited to enter this juried competition. Selected pieces will be on display in the Wyoming State Museum in Cheyenne from May 8 through June 5. Additionally, all work submitted must be for sale with a maximum price of $4,000. Gov.
Dave Freudenthal will present more than $10,000 in anticipated purchase awards at a public reception on May 21. Juror’s Choice and People’s Choice awards will also be presented. The Governor’s Capitol Art Exhibition is a joint effort between the Governor’s Office, the Wyoming Arts Council, the State Museum and the Office of Travel and Tourism. The show was initiated to recognize and promote Wyoming artists.
REBATES or 0% FINANCING for 60 mo. on ‘09 GMC TRUCKS NEW VEHICLES 2009 Heavy Duty Trucks Duramax, crew or ext. cab, also big gas motors in-stock
2009 GMC Duramax, crew cab
2009 GMC Duramax, ext. cab
All artistic interpretations from traditional to contemporary are encouraged in all mediums except video and installation. Applicants must be members of the Wyoming Arts Council Artist Image Registry. Applicants will be notified in mid-March if they are accepted into this year’s show. Persons wishing to apply for the exhibit can download applications from wyomuseum.org, or call (307) 777-5810.
Check out these New Arrivals! 2008 Chevrolet Impala LTZ 2008 Chevrolet Aveo 2008 Chevrolet Impala LT 2008 Subaru Impreza AWD 2006 Buick Lacrosse CX 2006 Dodge Stratus 2005 Honda Accord 2005 Toyota Camry 2007 Nissan Sentra Sedan
See Scott or Jerry for Great Deals! 2002 Chevrolet Silverado
2008 Chevrolet Impala LTZ
2007 Buick Lacrosse CX
K2500, LT, leather, 4x4, low miles
USED CARS 2008 Chevrolet Malibu LT 2007 Nissan Sentra sedan 2004 Cadillac Deville
USED TRUCKS 2006 GMC Sierra
2008 Subaru Impreza, AWD
2004 Cadillac Deville
1500, crew cab
2006 GMC 1500, crew cab 2006 GMC 3500, flatbed 2006 Dodge 2500, regular cab 2002 Chevrolet 3/4 ton, ext cab, LT 2001 GMC 2500HD, Duramax, ext.
USED SPORT UTILITY
GMC Trucks
2003 Chevrolet Suburban, white 1998 Ford Expedition
516 S. Washington in Afton
Phone: 885-3353
Ser v i n g St ar Val l ey Si n c e 1947
www.starvalleyindependent.com
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010, STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING – 21A
Rayma Anglesey Rayma Anglesey was born on June 21, 1947 in Afton at the Star Valley Hospital to Joseph Albert Rickenbach and Siota L. Parsons. Rayma married Keith H. Anglesey March 1, 1969. He was the love of her life. In their later years, Rayma loved to travel with Keith on the truck and could spend everyday with him. They were best of friends and shared everything. They were sealed as man and wife in the Idaho Falls Temple on Sept. 11, 1999. Going to the temple and doing the Lord's work was a great joy in their lives. Rayma loved her family very much and was a devoted wife and mother. As a young family they spent a lot of time hunting and camping and have some of their best memories outdoors. In 1997, Keith and Rayma purchased some land in Smoot west of their
RAYMA ANGLESEY first home and built a new house which they moved into in 1998. They had always dreamed of having a farm and their little farm became their pride and joy. Rayma loved the animals, especially the pigs. They raised their own pork and beef along with ducks, chickens, turkeys, cats
and dogs. She also loved to raise a large garden, though some years she felt more successful than others. She was also very skillful at preservation and canning. In her later years, Rayma enjoyed photography and loved to take pictures of her family and nature. Rayma loved to crochet and has made many afghans and doilies, but her family and their well-being was always her highest concern and interest. Rayma died in her home on Dec. 31, 2009 at noon after a four month struggle with cancer. She is survived by her children, Derek three Anglesey; Anita Brown; and Misty Stadler. She has seven grandchildren, five stepgrandchildren and one greatgrandson. Rayma's love and attention will be sorely missed.
Thayne Senior Citizens We will have Bingo after lunch every Wednesday starting Jan. 6. The center will have their monthly hearing aid clinic on Friday, Jan 8 at 10 a.m. The monthly board of directors meeting will be held on Monday, Jan. 11 at 10:30 a.m.
Our Birthday Bash for January will be Friday, Jan. 15 at noon. We have a new digital blood pressure machines that can be used during normal business hours. THAYNE SENIOR CENTER Monday-- Salisbury steak, baked potato, light vegetable soup, spinach, ww bread, pear crisp.
Tuesday-- Hawaiian chicken, seasoned rice, cauliflower, broccoli salad, Oriental vegetables, homemade bread, chilled apricots. Wednesday-- Meatloaf, parsley potatoes, lettuce salad, carrot coins, hot roll, fruity gelatin salad. Thursday-- Baked pork chop, whipped potatoes, pub style veggies, Italian veggies, ww bread, melon slices. Friday-- Spaghetti and meat sauce, garden vegetable salad, asparagus, Cindy's rolls, sliced bananas.
Your
“Star Valley Wyoming Online”
www.starvalleywy.com Guide
At this time of sorrow of our daughter Laura’s sudden death, it is with very deep gratitude and appreciation, that we express our thanks to the many loved ones, friends and neighbors for all the great love, help, kindnesses, visits, phone calls, cards and letters, money, food, flowers, and help in so many other numerous ways. We will always remember you and what you have done, and are so deeply grateful, that words cannot express. Also, very deep gratitude and thanks to all at Schwab’s Mortuary, Town Personnel, and Bishop Michael Hansen and members of the Afton LDS 4th Ward for their great help with all the funeral services. Everything was so beautiful and more perfect, than we could have imagined. With our deep love and gratitude, forever, Craig and Lennis Franklin and family
POLARIS RIDE ON CLOSEOUT 516 S. Washington in Afton
Phone: 885-3353
REBATES UP TO $1,000
NO Interest, NO Payment, NO Money Down for 6 mo. PLUS . . . Non Current Models
5.99% for 60 mo. OAC
Check out our 2010 Polaris Rangers!
Har d es t Wo r k i n g Sm o o t h es t Ri d i n g !
22A – STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010
www.starvalleyindependent.com
Castle Rock 2007 DODGE RAM 2500 Mega cab, Laramie, 4x4, diesel, only 28,000 miles, DVD player, $540 per mo. OAC
2007 PONTIAC G-6 Leather, loaded, sunroof, V-6, only $229 per mo. OAC
2001 DODGE RAM 1500 Quad cab, 4x4, SLT, only $7,700
2007 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LTD Leather, 21K, AWD, only $22,990
2008 FORD F-350 Quad cab, diesel, FX4, 25,000 miles, only $31,880
2001 CHEVROLET IMPALA Nice, only $4,770
2005 MAZDA 6 Low miles, V-6, nice, only $229 per mo. OAC
2007 TOYOTA COROLLA S model, sunroof, only 14,000 miles! $293 per mo. OAC
2006 CHRYSLER PACIFICA Touring, leather, third row seating, only $266 per mo. or $12,330
2005 FORD RANGER 58K, 4x4, only $269 per mo. OAC
2005 CHEVROLET Ext. cab, 4x4, 79K, only $14,990
1998 FORD F-150 Ext. cab, leather, lift kit, loaded, very nice, only $6,990
2006 JEEP WRANGLER Only 13,000 miles, $338 per mo. OAC or $16,990
1998 CHEVROLET 2500 Ext. cab, only 94K, very nice, only $6,990
2005 MAZDA MPV Nice, only $228 per mo. OAC
2005 HONDA CRV 4x4, only 58,000 miles, $313 per mo. OAC
Castle Rock Service and Repair 2005 CHEVROLET Crew cab, 4x4, shell, nice, only $17,880
2005 FORD F-150 Crew cab, 4x4, XLT, 5.4 liter, only $17,485
Our diagnostic equipment and our certified technicians are able to service -- Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Pontiac, Cadillac, Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, etc. (with only a few exceptions)
Lube, Oil, and Filter Starting at
$19
(Gas motor)
885-5337 AFTON
50
SERVICE HOURS: 7: 30 a.m .-5: 30 p .m . Mo n .-Fr i .
Starting at
$4180
(Diesel motor)
24-hour Tow Service 880-JEEP
883-5337 ETNA
www.starvalleyindependent.com
THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010, STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING – 23A
Wilma Westover Wilma Hoopes Westover died Dec. 29, 2009 in Orem, Utah. Wilma was born April 16, 1917 in a log cabin in Fairview, the oldest child of Sarah Lorilla Allred and Julian Hoopes. She attended schools in Fairview and Afton, graduating from Star Valley High School in 1933. Wilma served an LDS mission to the southern states in 1939. On Jan. 1, 1942 she married Richard Nelson Westover of San Diego, Calif. Richard served four years in the U.S. Army during World War II, returning in the fall of 1945 to find that he had two sons, Robert and Keith, born in Star Valley where Wilma had been staying with her parents. The family moved to San Diego where Richard worked with his father in construction. There they added three more sons, Layne, Clay and Jon. In 1965 they moved to El Centro, Calif., where Richard worked for Imperial County as a building inspector. In 1972 Richard began working for the LDS Church Building Division with assignments to New Zealand, American Samoa, and Tonga, followed by a brief period in Boise, Idaho. Wilma's favorite assign-
WILMA WESTOVER ment was Tonga where Richard supervised the building of the Tonga Temple while Wilma helped teach the Queen of Tonga and her entourage to quilt so that they could make a quilt to give to Prince Charles and Diana for their wedding. Richard retired in 1984 when he and Wilma moved back to Fairview where he built a new house for them to live in. Richard had a cerebral hemorrhage in 1985 and died nine years later in 1994. Wilma continued to live in Fairview until 2001 when she moved to Orem, Utah where she lived for nine years before her death. Wilma was preceded in
death by her parents, brothers J. Wayne Hoopes and Darrel A. Hoopes, and sister Nola Hoopes Turner. She is survived by a sister Eda Loy Hoopes Lee of Fairview, and F. Vaughn Hoopes (Janalee) of Pasco, Wash; and sons Robert N. Westover (Linda) of Sandy, Utah; Keith R. Westover (Sheila) of Fairview; Layne J. Westover (Keiko) of College Station, Texas; Clay A. Westover (Rebecca) of Provo, Utah; and Jon. H. Westover (Dorothy) of Mesa, Ariz. Wilma was blessed with an eidetic memory which allowed her to recall and recite stories, rhymes, riddles, readings, scriptures, etc. up to the day she died. She had hundreds of friends and relatives all over the world with whom she maintained contact and exchanged greetings over the years. Wilma was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serving in numerous and Sunday callings and assignments. She was a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel. She was beloved by all who knew her and feared by none (expect her five boys). Funeral services were held Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010 at noon at the Fairview LDS Chapel and internment was in the Fairview Cemetery.
HCG Diet Drops Bio-energetic Testing & Homeopathic Remedies with Karen Merritt CNC doTERRA Essential Oils: Schedule a class for Family Physician, Tootsy Footsy Party or Aromatouch Technique
Footzone Therapy offered by Kellee Merritt
Call Vision of Health 885-3311 or visit karenmerritt.org
OPEN FOR BREAKFAST 7 days a week Monday - Saturday 7am-8pm Sunday 7am - 1pm Breakfast only
Hearty Country Breakfast
As always, serving Lunch and Dinner
130 S. Hwy 89 Thayne (307) 883-5050
T wo s ek e W ly! On
SVHS Speech & Debate Invitational Meet -- Big O Tires of Afton 885-2446
Friday & Saturday Jan. 15 & 16 We are looking to find volunteers in the community to be JUDGES for the Meet A Judging Clinic will be held on Tues., Jan. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at the SVHS Media Center (Suggested but not mandatory) If interested or for more information please contact: Robyn Johnson, 885-SVHS or 886-5437
24A – STAR VALLEY INDEPENDENT, STAR VALLEY WYOMING, THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2010
Governor’s candidate Ron Micheli to visit Star Valley on Jan. 13
Avalanche Awareness Class BACK COUNTRY
WEDNESDAY, FREE to the public JANUARY 27th Hosted by the Star Valley Starting at 7:00pm in the Afton Civic Center
Search and Rescue and the U.S. Forest Service
Ron Micheli, Republican for Wyoming candidate Governor, will be in Star Valley on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010 to meet with residents. He will speak that evening at the Afton Civic Center at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Ron’s great-grandfather came to the state to work in the coal mines of Southwest Wyoming. For six generations now, the Micheli family has called Wyoming home. Ron was born in Ft. Bridger to Joe G. Micheli and Rebecca Micheli. Ron and his wife Patty (Smith) Micheli met at the University of Wyoming and, together, they have raised eight children and have 21 grandchildren. Ron is a fourth generation rancher in Ft. Bridger where he runs and operates a ranch in partnership with his father Joe G. Micheli and his brother Dale Micheli. As a community volunteer, a legislator, and an administrator, Ron has spent his life serving Wyoming.
RON MICHELI Ron graduated from Mountain View High School in 1966 and received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wyoming in 1970 with a degree in Animal Science. After graduation, Ron continued his ties with the University of Wyoming by on College of serving Agriculture Advisory Board. The Wyoming College of
Agriculture has named Ron as an outstanding alumnus. Ron served for 16 years in the Wyoming House of Representatives. During this time, he held various leadership positions including Majority Floor Leader, Speaker Pro Tempore, and Majority Whip. Ron also was the Chairman of the House Revenue Committee for six years. After his service in the legislature, Ron served in the cabinet of Governor Jim Geringer as the Director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture from 1995-2003. From sponsoring a team for the local Relay for Life to officiating high-school football and basketball games to volunteering for the County Fair Boards, Ron has always been involved in his community. Ron has been active in his church and charity related service and has seen first hand how community involvement impacts individual lives and brings people together.
NOW is the time to buy! Prices & interest rates are low. But they may be on the rise in 2010. To see all of our listings; photos, descriptions and more... We invite you to visit our website:
www.starvalleywyoming.com ––––––––––– ASK US ABOUT THE $8000 FIRST TIME HOME BUYER TAX CREDIT ––––––––––– NEW LISTING
OWNER FINANCING AVAILABLE
H461 Afton: Charming and functional, newly remodled, large back yard, sprinkler system, privacy fence, mature trees and a nice storage/ work shop w/electricity! $139,000
H407 Bedford: Charming 1962sf, 5BR, 1BA restored home on 1 acre, victorian style, landscaped... Bring back memories of Grandmas house! Plenty of room... $144,000
H470 Afton: Adorable, fully furnished, remodled 4BR, 1BA home, guest house and slumber party rm, lrg city lot, retro appliances in guest house... Come and see for your self! $179,000
H471 SVR: Country charm, landscaped, 2BR, 2BA, full bsmnt partially finished, framed for 3 more BRs or storage & BA, ready for sheetrock. $8000 Tax Credit available! $197,000
H448 Thayne: Charming kitchen/dining rm, we love the floor plan, deck, fireplace, bsmnt w/huge BRs... This is a great house with 4BR, 3BA, 2376sf, 2C garage... $295,000
H469 Grover: Set-up for horses on 5 acres, 1916sf, 3BR, 2BA home, walkout bsmnt, 2C garage, detached garage, 900sf barn w/covered storage/loafing, deck on 3 sides... $299,000
H422 Smoot: 5BR, 3BA home, beautiful mature yard, pannel & post fencing, corral, tack rm, barn w/plenty of storage, very functional and very well maintained... $345,000
H439 Afton: Majestic Meadows Ln, 1936sf, 3BR, 2BA, open flr plan, 11.61 irrigated acres, huge great rm, spacious kitchen, covered deck, oversized garage. Bring the horses. $360,000
H445 Thayne: 4.56 acres fenced horse property, Riverview Ranchettes, 2352sf, 4BR, 2BA home, lrg family rm, extensive decks, detached garage, barn for horses or toys... $375,000
H442 Afton: Spacious cozy cabin with 4BR, 3BA, family rm, laundry rm, huge garage, and horse barn all on 7 treed acres! Awesome views! XTRAS! $525,000
H456 Alpine: Two homes bordering Nat. Forest, 2600sf, 3BR, 2BA main cabin; 1782sf, 3BR, 2BA guest house, pole fenced w/barn, round corral, lake/mountain views. $670,000
H459 Thayne: Executive home w/gourmet kitchen, open dinning & living rm, deck, spacious & beautiful with windows, office, family room w/cozy fireplace... $674,000
H454 On Willow Creek: 2780sf, 4BR, 3BA on 5.5 acres. This is a master piece. Landscaped, patio, huge shop w/private office and room for your toys... $695,000
H425 Freedom: 3BR, 2.5BA Lindell Cedar home, 1500sf guesthouse, 2 shops, barn, 3600sf hanger w/office-shop, 65 acres, water rights, airstrip access... $2,750,000
NEW LISTING
PRICE REDUCED TO SELL
NEW LISTING
Phone: 307.883.8830 Fax: 307.883.8831 235 South Main Street, P.O. Box 1119, Thayne, WY 83127 Email us at jlfj@silverstar.com Laura Faye Jensen Broker/Owner 307.654.1817
Eko Paul Assoc. Broker 307.654.1155
Cindy Lu Roman Assoc. Broker 307.883.2227
DeVonna Frasier Assoc. Broker 307.654.1090
Billie Kilroy Sales Assoc. 307-885-7701
Our goal is to deliver the highest standard & the expertise of motivated realtors. Stage Coach Realty wants to help you reach your goal in buying or selling your home or property. Stage Coach Realty does its best to make sure that all information, while not guaranteed is accurate at time of publication. Member of Teton County (Jackson Hole) Multi List
starvalleyindependent.com
ONE SOURCE for Star Valley News, Special Features and Coming Events.