Mark Davis Veteran Journalist Entry 2020

An Award-Winning Community Newspaper • Published Tuesday and Thursday Dave Bonner - Publisher

Esteemed judges: In the span of three and a half years as our outdoor editor/outdoor writer, Mark Davis has established himself as one of the leading voices in Wyoming in coverage of recreation and public land issues. He has earned the respect of agency heads and resource managers in the field and the following of the many individuals and organizations for whom the outdoors are precious to the Wyoming way of life.

He understands the issues and the challenges of preserving Wyoming’s beautiful landscapes, its wildlife populations and the public lands, forests and waterways that sustain the very nature of the state. He is a hunter, fisherman, camper and explorer. He lives his subject, and he writes about it.

Mark is an exceptional journalist. At 56, Mark is the senior member of our news staff, and his veteran presence lends stability to our news gathering operation. He brings three decades of newsroom experience to underscore his informed coverage and credibility. Mark came to the Powell Tribune in May of 2017 after 17 years at the Omaha World Herald and a previous combined 12 years with the Chicago Tribune Suburban Newspaper Group.

Only a month ago, Mark Davis was granted exclusive access to conduct a one-on-one interview with William Perry Pendley, acting director of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, who was in Cody, Wyoming, on a speaking engagement. This was not a news conference; Mark had sole access to Pendley, a President Trump appointee. Mark’s resulting story — in which Pendley effectively said a federal judge’s recent decision that he was serving without authority didn’t change anything at the agency — made national news.

Earlier this year, the capers of David Christensen requiring National Park Service rescue from the bottom of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River also drew national attention. Many carried the rescue story, but Mark was the only one linking Christensen’s stunt with treasure hunting and the search for Fenn’s gold. Mark reached out to Christensen in Indiana, and the story of his exclusive interview appeared in more than 50 U.S. newspapers the next day.

Many of Mark’s stories on charismatic species like grizzly bears, wolves, sage grouse and black-footed ferrets are picked up and featured statewide in the state’s largest newspapers. To cover a middle-of-the-night Game and Fish operation to translocate sage grouse to the Dakotas, Mark used his day off on his birthday and paid his own expenses.

Mark’s speciality is his coverage of outdoor issues. But he brings great versatility to the Powell Tribune. This is community journalism. A news staffer at our newspaper is called upon to do a variety of stories in the course of twice-weekly publishing. It may be spot news like fire coverage or feature stories such as a top-to-bottom home remodeling or an avocation for raising champion hogs. Mark responds with stories offering revealing detail and flavor.

Mark is a world class news photographer as well, and I don’t use that term loosely. He is tremendously skilled.

He shoots news and sports events for the Tribune in addition to illustrating his own news and feature work. Mark is willing to help others on staff improve their photography if they want to learn and will trust and use the lessons of his teaching.

Above all, Mark is kind and thoughtful. He is an asset to the Powell Tribune and to journalism as a profession. He credits his editors and management at the Tribune with providing him the leeway and the authorization to cover the outdoors as a “statewide beat.” I am proud to offer his nomination for deserved recognition as Veteran Journalist of the Year in Wyoming.

Sincerely, Dave Bonner, Publisher

P.O. Box 70 • 128 South Bent Street • Powell, Wyoming 82435

Phone 307-754-2221 • Fax 307-754-4873 • e-mail: dave@powelltribune.com • www.powelltribune.com

An Award-Winning Community Newspaper • Published Tuesday and Thursday

To whom it may concern: My love for journalism starts with the community. I’m motivated to explore the stories of the Big Horn Basin, identifying our heroes, writing with pride about the best of what we have to offer. I work to report news from our area — not only of interest to folks in a single county or region, but stories that lead conversations in the state.

This year we have seen our newspaper’s byline in almost every state publication, as well as receiving national recognition for a handful of stories and even international play for a couple.

While my beat is the outdoors, I have leant a hand to other departments when needed, including stories on car care, home improvement, politics, sports and columns. My beat stories consistently make the front section, including feature photos taken while in the field.

I spend much of my time in the office working with other reporters and artists, offering to share my knowledge of photography to help improve our product. One of our best success stories saw a sports reporter go from no experience with a camera to winning first place in sports action at the WPA within a two-year period.

I also fight for new equipment and will lend my own personal equipment on occasion to make sure my colleagues have what they need to bring home great photos.

I rush to the scene of spot news stories all hours of the day to ensure we have photographs when tragedy hits.

With every assignment, I attempt to represent our organization with professionalism and compassion. We rely on the community to support our efforts and that means truly respecting the community as a whole while maintaining journalistic integrity.

Back in the office I have tried to help with design and coverage decisions, while at the same time respecting each employee. I think of our team as a family, deserving of the best I have each and every day. Like every family, we have our tough days. And I can be a little too pushy. But, I believe, that is born in passion, which I have always had for this industry.

Mark Davis

P.O. Box 70 • 128 South Bent Street • Powell, Wyoming 82435

Phone 307-754-2221 • Fax 307-754-4873 • e-mail: mark@powelltribune.com • www.powelltribune.com

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020

110TH YEAR/ISSUE 05

Several cases requiring rescue and several deaths have resulted from the search of Fenn’s gold

TREASURE SEEKER RESCUED FROM YELLOWSTONE CANYON

BY MARK DAVIS Tribune Staff Writer

A

n Indiana man who illegally rappelled into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone this month before being pulled out by rescuers says he was searching for hidden treasure.

Dave Christensen, 55, is convinced the canyon holds the famed Fenn treasure — a multimillion dollar cache of gold and jewels that Sante Fe art dealer and author Forrest Fenn reportedly hid some time ago.

Christensen took a scouting trip into Yellowstone just after Christmas, loaded up with supplies back in Indiana, then snowmobiled into the park again on Jan. 6.

Armed with a rope, harness, helmet and other climbing gear, he tied off on a railing at a popular overlook and proceeded to climb down to the Yellowstone River — more than 850 feet below.

Yellowstone National Park rangers and search and rescue personnel were ultimately called to the scene, and it took them several hours to bring Christensen back to safety. He’s now facing misdemeanor criminal charges for the incident.

However, the Winamac, Indiana, resident says his attempt was to save others who may be injured or perish in attempts to discover the “pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.” He sought to make that case in an email to Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly following the incident, laying out why he believes Fenn’s gold is in the canyon.

“I am not a quack, nor have blind lust for hidden treasures,” Christensen wrote. “I’m sending this so you can analyze the information, hopefully understand its validity, and thus, potentially circumvent a ‘Mad Mad World’ or ‘Rat Race’ of searchers in the near future, or spring when Yellowstone opens to wheeled vehicles.”

‘I had to do this. The story has to end.

Too many people are getting hurt and killed.’

Dave Christensen, Treasure seeker Blogger Dal Neitzel estimates that nearly 250,000 people have searched for the treasure. He’s written about the subject for the past five years, prompting many to ask if he knows so much about the search, why doesn’t he find the gold himself?

“Believe me, I’ve tried,” Neitzel wrote last year, saying he’d

made more than 70 trips to the Rocky Mountains and planned more.

Fenn said the treasure is about 42 pounds of gold and jewels in an ornate, 10-inch by 10inch Romanesque box. He was in his 70s when he hid the box, See Gold, Page 8

David D. Christensen climbs down into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River after coming to the end of his rope. Christensen was searching in the canyon for a chest of treasure hidden by Forrest Fenn. He said he was scared away from where he thinks the treasure is located by a bear. Photo courtesy Terry Dolan

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River in Yellowstone National Park is covered in snow and is closed to tourists even during the summer months. A treasure hunter was cited for climbing into the canyon on Jan. 6; rescuers were required to get him back out during a snowstorm. Tribune photo by Mark Davis

LEGISLATURE PREPARES TO WRESTLE WITH TIGHT BUDGET

Cuts versus taxes

BY KEVIN KILLOUGH Tribune News Editor

N

eeded improvements and maintenance to the City of Powell’s infrastructure will likely require a 1 percent specific purpose tax to pay for it all, Mayor John Wetzel said recently.

At the top of the list of priorities is slurry seal on the city’s streets and replacement of 40-year-old cast iron water lines under them.

Slurry seal processes extend

BY KEVIN KILLOUGH Tribune News Editor

T

his year’s legislative session is all about budgets, and with revenue forecasts predicting a decline, the debates over spending cuts versus taxes are at the forefront.

The Legislature is set to convene on Feb. 10 to lay out the state’s budget for the next two years State Sen. R.J. Kost, R-Powell, mentioned the challenge in getting voters to support tax increases and the lack of trust that often informs their opposition.

“At some point, we have to get to where there’s some trust in what local and state government is doing,” Kost said. “There’s only one of two ways to go. We either look to bring in more money, or we ask where are we going to cut.”

Mayor: City may need new tax to pay for infrastructure projects

After being closed for a four-year restoration and rehabilitation project, the Wyoming Capitol in Cheyenne is now open; legislators will return to the Capitol in coming weeks for the 2020 budget session, which begins Feb. 10. Ahead of the session, local lawmakers will host a town hall meeting Wednesday evening.

Photo courtesy Wyoming Capitol Square Project

For his part, state Rep. Dan Laursen, R-Powell, said he thinks the state should continue to look into the second option — of cutting more spending.

“We’re short of money. I think we could save some more on our

LAWMAKERS TO HOLD WEDNESDAY TOWN HALL Three local lawmakers — state Sen. R.J. Kost and Reps. David Northrup and Dan Laursen — will host a Wednesday town hall meeting at Northwest College.

The trio of Powell Republicans has scheduled the public gathering to run from 6-7 p.m. at the college’s Yellowstone Building.

expenses,” Laursen said.

He also suggested the state could close its own budget shortfalls by tapping more into the “rainy day fund.” Laursen said the fund has a significant reserve and replenishes itself enough that the state can rely on it to cover expenses for a while.

“It’s what you do as a family.

You dip into savings during lean times,” he said. “That’s what the state should do.”

Laursen said he’d oppose any attempt to enact a corporate tax, which the House passed in the last legislative session. The bill never made it to a vote in the Senate before the session ended.

He also is opposed to a bill

LOTTA NUMBER - 3821 06/30/2020

that would allow county voters to make a 1 percent general purpose sales and use tax permanent, while also granting local governments the ability to seek another 1 percent sales tax.

That’s all in addition to any 1 percent specific purpose taxes, such as the one local governments are considering for infrastructure needs (see related story).

Local leaders are hoping they find room to again provide $105 million to cities, towns and counties across the state.

“It’s pretty critical to keep us rolling along,” said Powell See Legislature, Page 2

the life of roads. Powell Streets Superintendent Gary Butts said it costs about $2.15 per square yard to reseal a street, and it should be done ideally once every five years. The city maintains just over 1 million square yards of street surface, so for the best protection for city streets, the city should be resealing approximately 216,400 square yards every year. In the last 10 years, however, Powell has only resealed See Tax, Page 2

County mulling $36K website overhaul

BY CJ BAKER Tribune Editor

P

ark County’s website is getting a more than $36,000 overhaul — or maybe not.

Commissioners decided last month that, even amid a tight budget, upgrading the county’s web presence was a priority.

“There’s some stuff you can’t afford not to do,” Commissioner Jake Fulkerson said on Dec. 17, as the commission voted 3-1 to hire the firm CivicPlus to redesign

LAST WEEK’S LOTTA NUMBER BELONGED TO JOHN DELINGER OF POWELL WHO MISSED $20.

and host the county’s website. The Manhattan, Kansasbased firm would charge the county $36,371 for the initial makeover, then $5,625 a year for hosting, support and other services.

However, the commissioners have since had some second thoughts and will reconsider their vote today (Tuesday).

In talking with more and more people, looking at the cost and noting the lack of proposals from any local See Website, Page 3

PAGE 8 • POWELL TRIBUNE TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020

Gold: Could be banned from park Continued from Page 1 taking him two trips to carry the load to its hidey hole.

“Please be cautious and don’t take risks,” Fenn has said. “The search is supposed to be fun.”

However, at least four people have died looking for the treasure and several have required rescue, including in Park County.

A couple from Virginia, Madilina L. Taylor and boyfriend Frank E. Rose Jr., had to receive assistance from search and rescue crews in 2013, 2015 and 2016 after trying to find Fenn’s fortune in the Wapiti area and Shoshone National Forest.

Those misadventures included Taylor breaking her ankle in 2015, which required her to be airlifted to a hospital. After another trip in July 2016 resulted in encounters with grizzly bears, Taylor reportedly told the sheriff’s office that “she was headed back East with no intentions of ever returning.”

Then in early June 2018, Jeff Murphy, a 53 year-old from Batavia, Illinois was searching for the treasure near Yellowstone’s Turkey Pen Peak when he accidentally stepped into a chute and fell to his death. A year earlier, Paris Wallace, a 52 yearold pastor from Grand Junction, Colorado died while searching for the treasure in the Rio Grand Gorge in New Mexico. After the death, the New Mexico State Police asked Fenn to call off the search for the gold and jewels.

“If someone thinks the treasure is hidden in a dangerous location, they should not search for it. There is no percentage in taking risks,” Westword reported Fenn as saying at the time.

The octogenarian then added a couple more clues, saying “the treasure chest is not under water, nor is it near the Rio Grande River. It is not necessary to move large rocks or climb up or down a steep precipice.”

Christensen ignored the additional clue.

“This is his [Fenn’s] life savings,” Christensen said. “He’s not going to put it where someone can stumble across it.”

Christensen framed his decision to drop into the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone as an effort to ultimately help others.

“I had to do this. The story has to end,” he said. “Too many people are getting hurt and killed.”

The military veteran said he’s been working for months on a “solve” to the poetic riddle that Fenn published in 2010, which launched the search for his treasure.

Christensen made a “reconnaissance” trip by rented snowmobile to the canyon on Dec. 26, checking the logistics of getting to the spot where he suspects the treasure is hidden. Then he returned to Indiana to prepare and purchase needed equipment, including special clothing, climbing tools, 1,000 feet of climbing rope and bear spray. He also was outfitted with a Garmin transceiver in case of an avalanche.

Christensen then returned to Yellowstone, rented another snowmobile near Pahaska Tepee, loaded it with all the supplies he thought he would need and entered the East Gate on a non-commercially guided snowmobile access program permit.

“I knew it would be too hard to carry it out,” he said of the treasure. “I had my cellphone and I was going to take a picture to prove it was there and then move it.”

Christensen’s preparation and

experience in the Army — where he received the Bronze Star for his service in the Middle East during Operation Desert Storm — gave him the courage to take that first step over the edge of the overlook, he said.

Despite his advance planning, he admits he may have made a couple miscalculations.

Christensen later told search and rescue personnel and park rangers that he dropped his backpack and went off-rope to retrieve it. Then he slid down the canyon wall to the river.

Christensen said a friend, who he didn’t identify, was at the overlook and was supposed to help send down more rope when contacted to do so by two-way radio.

Rangers reported that after two hours of attempting to climb back up with his backpack, Christensen requested assistance.

He disputes the official report, saying that “I could have climbed out, but they wouldn’t authorize more rope.”

Christensen said he turned back from the treasure location after seeing possible bear tracks and hearing a loud moan or growl; he claimed a bear might be skipping hibernation due to plentiful food — fish that die after going over the Lower Falls.

Further, rangers were yelling at him at the time, Christensen said.

“They were yelling at me, asking ‘what are you doing down there’ and I wasn’t going to take the chance of pissing something off so I got out of there,” he said.

Onlookers and park personnel couldn’t believe their eyes.

“He was like a turtle on his back in that heavy snow,” said Gary Fales, owner of Gary Fales Outfitting and Snowmobile Tours in Wapiti, which had rented the sled to Christensen with no knowledge of his plans. “This guy was lucky he didn’t die.”

A team of rangers and 11 search and rescue members responded from throughout the

David D. Christensen’s rope hangs from the Lower Falls Overlook at Yellowstone National Park, attached to a railing at the popular tourist destination. The treasure hunter climbed 850 feet to the Yellowstone River below to search for Forrest Fenn’s treasure. Photo courtesy Terry Dolan park, eventually lowering an expert climber approximately 800 feet to Christensen.

It took more than four hours to bring Christensen to safety, with the team finishing the operation at about 8:30 p.m. in snow flurries and frigid temperatures.

Christensen was taken to Mammoth and received two citations for creating a hazardous condition and off trail travel in a closed area.

He isn’t the first to be cited for going off trail in the canyon, said Klint Powell, incident commander and high angle technical rescues team member in Yellowstone.

Some cross-country skiers went into the canyon undetected, but were nabbed after the scofflaws bragged about their trip on social media.

We Heart You

“The laws and regulations are in place for a reason,” Powell said. “This one — no off trail travel — is definitely for the safety of visitors and our folks here. It puts people at risk for these type of rescues.”

Powell said he’s been involved in many rescue missions while working as a law enforcement ranger. But most of them involved accidents, not intentional acts.

“Seems like common sense to us here, but we get folks from all over the place and they don’t understand it’s a truly wild place,” he said.

The ranger, who has worked in Yellowstone a total of 10 years and trained extensively for rescues in the mountainous park, said Christensen was a “novice” climber.

Terry Dolan, an experienced hunting and over-snow guide for Fales Outfitting and Wapiti-area resident, happened to be leading a commercial trip to the canyon the day that Christensen made his descent.

Dolan took photographs of Christensen while he was “flailing” in the deep snow. Two days later, Christensen turned up at the Fales’ equipment drop-off.

That’s when guide Dean Lavoy found out Christensen had been planning to search for Fenn’s gold all along.

The Fales will no longer lease equipment to Christensen now that they know his intentions, A Va co-owner Dede Fales said. Both You an lentine Tre she and Gary are just happy at d Your Sweet for Christensen wasn’t hurt during heart!

275 N. B his treasure hunt. ent • P o w ell • 75 “You’ve gotta have your brains 4-4665 Open with you — you can’t leave them d break aily for fa at home,” Gary said. & Din st. Lunch n serve er specials d ever Christensen will get another y day. f chance to enter the park before a lot o o d ’t n o it officially opens for the summer I d ’s Day Servin season, when he heads to U.S. Valentine g from VALEN 4-7pm District Court in Mammoth on shopping…

TINE’S D A Y ONL April 2 to answer to the citations.

I n e Y ~ FE t wh BRUA His search could cost him time in bu RY 14T to: d a son e er h d n I H A o a d jail and thousands in fines if he’s Mal5in Age found guilty. Christensen could also be banned from the park.

“If they ban me for five years, I’ll just have to wait to find the k Street treasure,” he said. “I could have 9 SPo. wCell,laWryoming 6 3 eventually climbed my way out.

-4pm ay: 10am There wouldn’t have been any m, Saturd p 0 :3 -5 am riday: 10 need for a rescue if they would uesday-F Hours: T have authorized more line. Either way, I know my actions have consequences.”

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The Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, as seen from the Lower Falls Overlook as it plunges into the Grand Canyon region of Yellowstone National Park, is mostly frozen during the winter season. This photo was captured on Dec. 28, a little more than a week before a treasure hunter climbed down into the canyon looking for a famous treasure.

Tribune photo by Mark Davis

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PAGE 10 • POWELL TRIBUNE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2020 POWELL TRIBUNE • PAGE 11

THE LONG-LASTING IMPACT OF LEAD

Susan Ahalt prepares a syringe with a chelating agent, similar to chemotherapy, for Preacher.

It was part of an attempt to rid the bald eagle of the dangerously high levels of lead in its system.

BIRD ADVOCATES AND WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS LOOK TO HUNTERS TO HELP SAVE RAPTORS

Lifetime Animal Hospital vet tech Tessa Baker and Ironside Bird Rescue’s Susan Ahalt check for lead levels in a bald eagle named Preacher.

He was one of three eagles treated by Ironside since the end of hunting season. cue during her lunch hour to help treat eagles.

Baker is extremely patriotic and for ith a beautiful bald eagle splayed her, working with a bald eagle is a privion its back atop a stainless steel lege.

“A bald eagle, I mean it’s a symbol of table, vet tech Tessa Baker and raptor rehabilitator Susan Ahalt worked America right there,” she said. “I’ve got to control the massive raptor while draw- that pride going on. I mean to work on these. It’s awesome.” ing blood from its wing.

However, the work can been grim.

Ahalt was already bleeding. Preacher Ahalt has been — given its name treating raptors for when Ahalt mislead poisoning so takenly thought often she bought she heard a game the expensive warden say the blood analyzer to bird was found do immediate tests on “Jerry Falinstead of waiting well’s” ranch — days for results. bit her hand with Raptors don’t do its sharp, yellow well with lead in beak. Ahalt, 76, their system and barely flinched, every minute withonly rubbing out treatment is fresh snow on critical, Ahalt said. the wound after Susan Ahalt keeps a collection of When poisoned Preacher was se- paperwork and metal identification by lead, raptors cured in a travel bands from raptors that have died after have the appearcase; the blood being brought to Ironside. ance of starving, matched the color many losing a third of their weight or of her frayed and ripped coat.

Preacher was found southeast of Pow- more before succumbing. Their talons ell with lead poisoning that was literally contract and curl up; when forced to the off the charts. A level of 2 is considered ground, too weak to fly, the raptors can’t too high; Preacher’s was above 65, the stand. Ahalt has developed “sandals” to maximum level Ahalt’s $3,500 Lead Care open their talons, but it’s often the least of their problems. Lead-poisoned rapblood analyzer can register.

She keeps the machinery at Lifetime tors die unless they’re found by a Good Animal Hospital for convenience; she Samaritan, and even when treated, few survive. can’t do the task by herself anyway.

Ahalt has been in the business of savBaker, a vet tech at the facility, is a former Marine, serving in Iraq before ing birds for 33 years. Yet, she says, you coming home to get her education. She never get used to death.

Losing “Blue 308” was especially hard volunteers at Ahalt’s Ironside Bird ResBY MARK DAVIS Tribune Staff Writer

W

Susan Ahalt comforts Preacher after putting a protective hood on the bird en route to a blood test in Cody.

Contact us today for more information, ordering and quotes.

Pheasants and Chukars

for Ahalt. The large female golden eagle got its name from its wing tags. Scientists tracked her for more than four years — much of it in Park County. It was found near Meeteetse and Ahalt spent days hand-feeding the bird and administering expensive medicine, a type of avian chemotherapy.

Tears welled in the bottom of Ahalt’s bright blue eyes simply talking about the young female golden eagle — now stiff and waiting to be shipped to a national repository for eagles in Denver.

“This one hit me hard,” she said choking back the tears. “I gave her a good death.”

Preacher came to her just an hour after she put Blue 308 in the shop freezer — a temporary tomb for birds before processing; Blue filled an entire shelf.

“I’d like to defrost [the freezer],” Ahalt said, “but it’s never empty.”

A PERSISTENT PROBLEM Ahalt dreams of a day when eagles stop coming to her poisoned and with little hope. But according to state wildlife disease specialists, the amount of lead from the past more than 100 years of hunting will continue to be a problem here and across the country for many years — even if lead ammunition is banned.

“You can change to nontoxic shot and bullets, but there’s always going to be that lead deposited from the last century or more to contend with,” said Terry Creekmore, a disease specialist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s wildlife laboratory in Laramie.

In his research before coming to Wyoming, Creekmore has found lead shot from a muzzleloader used possibly 100 years earlier.

He has criss-crossed North America studying the issue while working for the National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin. He was living in Texas in 1984, when the Lone Star state was the first to ban lead shot in waterfowl hunting and has hiked the frozen tundra looking for evidence of lead poisoning.

During his work, “I carried a portable X-ray machine in the boat and could take a [Polaroid] picture of a loon or swan and know within a minute if the bird had ingested lead,” Creekmore said.

Lead from shotguns and fishing weights are often ingested by waterfowl, which are the most susceptible to the poisoning. The U.S. Geological Survey’s Field Manual of Wildlife Diseases reports lead poisoning has affected every major species of waterfowl in North America — and eagles love to eat waterfowl about as much as finding a carcass or gut pile.

Eagles are perceived as a more charismatic species, drawing more attention.

Once on the brink of extinction from the use of DDT (a pesticide), many point to the return of healthy populations of bald eagles as one of the great wildlife conservation stories in the U.S. Few see lead poisoning from ammunition and fishing gear as the same level of threat.

When Creekmore worked in Wisconsin, the center in Madison was processing more than 200 eagles per year from across the country. Now in Laramie, he and the state lab process about a halfdozen eagles per year, most dead or nearly so.

Disease specialists at the lab perform diagnostics when they can, but more often do necropsies.

Wyoming is surrounded by states with higher occurrences of lead poisoning, according to the USGS Field Manual.

Montana leads border states with an average of 20-24 eagles killed each year by ingesting lead. Nebraska has an oc-

A dead coyote, picked clean from birds including ravens and eagles, was found in an isolated area south of Deaver. The lead bullets often used to kill the predatory species can be ingested by scavengers in life-threatening levels, according to a 13-year study by the University of Minnesota.

Center in Jackson.

Doug Brimeyer, the deputy chief of In 2018, a condor moved into an area wildlife for Game and Fish, said he’s near Casper, exciting wildlife enthu- been using non-toxic ammunition for all siasts. But the news of the first condor his hunting for more than a decade. Brirecorded in Wyoming in decades soon meyer worked in Jackson when Bedroturned sad when condor T2 died of lead sian was doing his studies and was part poisoning near its perch on Medicine of educational efforts to help hunters learn about non-toxic alternatives.

Bow Peak in the Snowy Range.

“We received a lot of positive feedBedrosian has been studying the issue for the past 16 years. When the back during the effort,” Brimeyer said.

“Now, Teton Raptor there are a lot Center has more alternasponsored tives and pricnon-toxic ames have come munition givedown.” aways, he’s In Wyoming, seen a correnon-toxic shot sponding deis required in crease in the all waterfowl level of lead hunting.

In in eagles. As addition, two a big game Wildlife Habihunter, Bedrotat Managesian said getment Areas in ting hunters to the southern switch to non- Susan Ahalt has been rescuing bird species for part of the toxic ammo more than three decades, but also considers state require comes down to herself a hunter. non-toxic shot education and for all bird hunting, “basically due to availability of alternatives.

“Pretty much all ammunition manu- the large presence of waterfowl in the facturers have a non-lead line now,” areas,” said Dan Smith, Cody Regional he said. “But you can’t always walk Wildlife Supervisor. Non-toxic bullets into the store and get it, especially are also required in Teton County’s in smaller communities around the Hunt Area 77.

There are no requirements to use state.”

Non-toxic ammunition is available in non-toxic bullets for big game hunting every caliber and the performance is in the state.

Bedrosian feels the move to non-toxic amazing, Bedrosian said. And the price difference is between 25 and 50 cents a ammo is a matter of caring for the environment and non-game species. bullet.

“You can walk away from your gut “Pretty nominal for hunting,” he said.

pile knowing you potentially harmed eagles or you can walk away knowing you didn’t,” he said. “For me, it’s a clear choice.”

Creekmore said he personally believes “the writing is on the wall.”

“Lead shot should be banned in most instances and bullets should follow suit,” he said.

Creekmore makes a clear distinction between his opinion and that of his employers, but said hunters should look at the big picture.

“It’s a good thing,” he said. “Hunting is under assault. One thing hunters can do to reduce that pressure is to stop using lead ammunition.”

In 2017, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued an order banning the use of lead ammunition on federal lands by 2022. However, the order was soon overturned, due in part to protests by hunting and fishing organizations.

Critics say ammunition and tackle made from non-lead metals can vary in size, shape and weight and that their performance differs from that of lead products. The higher cost of alternatives and availability is also an issue.

Don Frame, vice president of the Wyoming Outdoorsmen, said banning lead shot is “fine,” but he is “totally against” a ban on all lead ammunition.

“There’s a lot of speculation out there,” he said. “I haven’t seen any hard facts and until I see some, I think a ban is going overboard.”

Frame, of Cody, said the outdoors organization as a whole opposes a ban on lead bullets.

“We’re not for it in any way,” he said.

IN SEARCH OF GOOD NEWS Ahalt, of Ironside Bird Rescue, is also a hunter. She has a shoulder mount of her best buck hanging from a wall in her bedroom and a 20-year-old box of lead ammunition under her bed.

“I never gave it a thought,” she said.

“It was what I grew up using.”

But her decades of caring for leadpoisoned raptors has changed her opinion.

On Sunday, Preacher succumbed — despite tests showing the level of lead in its system had dropped by nearly half.

Ahalt put Preacher in the freezer with Blue 308.

And she now has another golden eagle in her care, suffering from lead poisoning. “Elsa” is a giant female found in the same area near Meeteetse as Blue.

After the first three days of treatment, her levels dropped from 44 to 12. Elsa was moved to Ironside’s eagle flight pen Tuesday and has been gaining weight.

Ahalt hopes the bird will be released back to the wild within days.

She needs some good news.

Preacher, described by Susan Ahalt as ‘one of the most beautiful bald eagles I’ve ever seen,’ had trouble holding its head up due to lead poisoning. Every year after hunting season, eagles start coming into raptor rescue facilities across the nation, diagnosed with lead poisoning from consuming meat tainted with lead from ammunition. curence of 15-19 per year. Wisconsin leads the nation in occurrences of lead poisoning, with more than 50 eagles dying each year.

Between five and nine eagles die each year in Wyoming from ingesting lead, the Field Manual says. However, the data in largely rural states can be deceptive; few raptors are found in time to be saved, if ever.

The University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Science Raptor Center reported 90% of the bald eagles it received had elevated lead residues in their blood,

with about 25% having clinical lead poisoning.

In the last 24 years, more than 500 eagles at the clinic have either died or had to be euthanized due to lead poisoning, the Minneosta center reported. Data on the location and seasonal timing of lead poisoning events in eagles point to spent lead ammunition from shotguns and rifles as the source.

“Analysis of the seasonality of the major influxes of lead-poisoned eagles revealed notable spikes in admission beginning in mid-November and continu-

Upland Game Birds 307-337-6197 • DiamondWingsFBF@outlook.com

ing through the winter,” the Minnesota center reported.

This pattern led to the hypothesis that wounded deer and deer gut piles were left in the field by hunters “is conclusive evidence that spent ammunition in deer remains is a significant if not primary source of toxicity.”

However, Creekmore said the results from the 13-year study gets controversial the minute you suggest replacing lead in ammunition with metals like steel and copper.

“People don’t like change,” he said. “If

they have something that works that’s cheap, they don’t want to be told what to use.”

ADVOCATING FOR A CHANGE In Arizona, the fight to get lead out of the environment is being led by wildlife biologists working with the endangered California condor. About 54% of mortalities among the California condors in Arizona, where efforts to bring back the species are conducted, are due to lead poisoning, said Bryan Bedrosian, research director of the Teton Raptor

We Support Wildlife Conservation www.bomgaars.com

Blue 308 and Preacher await transport to a national depository for eagles in a shop freezer at Ironside Bird Rescue. Both eagles, found in Park County, suffered from high levels of lead poisoning.

Tribune photos

by Mark Davis

Fitness SPRING

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THE

HEALTH AND POWELL

TRIBUNE

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THURSDAY,

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2020

Larry Hedderman tees off at the Powell Golf Club as he heads out on the front nine for his daily round of golf. Hedderman uses the sport to get in shape after the long winter. Tribune photos by Mark Davis

SEEKING THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

BY MARK DAVIS Tribune Staff Writer

L

arry Hedderman had a theory about the location of the fountain of youth. He may have been wrong, but he has no regrets.

“I thought if I walked to the top of that hill every day,” pointing to the green on the third hole at the Powell Golf Club, “it would keep me young.”

“It’s not working, but I’m not giving up,” Hedderman said.

At 69, he heads out on the course as often as possible.

“Rain or shine, he’s always here,” said club employee and bartender Jess Herweyer.

Hedderman, co-owner of Wyoming Real Estate Network, first teed off at the Powell Golf Club when he was a

junior at Cody High School. He played don’t mind getting their feet wet walkthat round with his mother. Back then ing on the dewy grass around sunrise.

Unless you’re first to tee it had only nine holes off, play can be slowed.

— the present day back And, Hedderman admits, nine. It had oiled-sand ‘I thought if I he’s not a huge fan of the greens and “you’d take a early morning hours. rake and make a line to walked to the top The next group of playthe hole,” Hedderman of that hill every ers to hit the course is the recalled. The course was “10 to 3” crowd. Many of flood-irrigated, with irri- day, it would keep the players are retired, he gation tubes crossing the me young.’ said, and make the day of fairway.

Hedderman’s pace is Larry Hedderman it. Play can be slow, and Hedderman hates to wait. quick, amounting to a Powell golfer After 4 p.m., the “workroughly 2 1/2-mile speed ing stiffs” hit the links. walking regimen. He can finish the scenic front nine in as little Again, the pace is too slow if you’re as 80 minutes. That is, if he can time his looking at the game as a way to keep in shape. But, if he times it perfectly, assault on the hill correctly.

He avoids early morning rounds.

There are quite a few “early birds” who See Fountain of youth, Page 2

Powell golfer refuses to take a cart, hoping the daily walks will keep him feeling young

10

k

co

u

rs

e

As the light gets low in the sky, Larry Hedderman putts on the fourth green at the Powell Golf Club (left) and on the seventh hole (above).

Due to “Social Distance” group restrictions and uncertainty, Powell Rec and Plaza Diane have decided to postpone the annual fundraiser 5K/10K Run until next summer.

Make plans to compete in the Thrill Run in 2021!

PAGE 2 • POWELL TRIBUNE THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2020

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Larry Hedderman pushes his cart to his second shot on the fifth hole. He carries everything necessary to golf through bad weather, including an umbrella, gloves, hats and a rain suit. Tribune photo by Mark Davis

Fountain of youth: Continued from Page 1 he can pull out his driver 90 minutes before sunset and start a round at a near jogger’s pace, avoid catching up to the 4 o’clock crowd, and finish his round with enough light to see where the ball lands on his drives.

Of course, perfection is hard to attain and he is often playing the ninth hole when most couldn’t see a ball.

“He’s got the eyes of a hawk,” Herweyer said.

Hedderman explains that having a clear course is worth sometimes playing in the dark; he plays so often he simply heads in the direction he thinks the ball went and it usually works out.

If it sounds like Hedderman is intentionally avoiding folks, you might find some truth surfacing. He fully admits he struggles at attempts to be a people person.

“I’ve never really liked being around people all that much,” he explains. “For me, golf is like primeval aggression therapy. At the end of the

‘Rain or shine, he’s alway here’

day, you get to come and beat about his scores — somewhere between four and seven [stuff] with a stick.”

Yet, he’s been in sales and over par on average for nine the real estate business his en- holes — but being great at golf tire career, so his motive isn’t isn’t really the end goal.

“I have a loveall an attempt hate relationship to avoid human with the game,” contact. It’s im- ‘I always say if a Hedderman adportant for him person doesn’t mits. “I always to stay fit.

He hits the have quite enough say if a person doesn’t have links as soon quite enough as possible each frustration in frustration in year; 45 degrees their life, they their life, they F is his comfort just need to take just need to take zone to start the up golf.’ up golf.” season.

He refuses to “I have everyLarry Hedderman give up on his thing you need Powell golfer daily walks, alfor all weather though he reconditions right cently moved to here in my bag,” Hedderman said, pointing to the gold tees.

“It was time,” he said, adhis near-apartment-sized kit.

He bought a Chrysler based mitting he hasn’t found the solely on the trunk size to ac- fountain of youth. But, he still commodate the bag, along refuses to use a cart. And you with the attached caddy on can almost set a clock to his wheels. His pace is so quick, timing — Hedderman will be he often gives the push cart there about 90 minutes before a shove, hoping to move it to last light.

It’s how he likes it. a convenient location for a “This is how I got my own quick exit from the green to the next tee. He complains private golf course,” he said.

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THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020

110TH YEAR/ISSUE 44

VOTERS WILL LIKELY BE ASKED TO CONSIDER NEW 1% SALES TAX

BY CJ BAKER Tribune Editor

T

his fall, Park County voters will most likely be asked to approve a new, 1% sales and use tax to help bolster the county and municipal governments.

Elected leaders in Powell, Cody, Meeteetse and the county government say they’re having a harder and harder time maintaining critical infrastructure — like roads, bridges and sewer systems — due to dwindling revenues and rising costs.

“We’ve cut things to the bone and we need new revenue sources,” Park County Commissioner Jake Fulkerson said Tuesday, speaking of the county’s plight.

At least two of the three municipalities plus the county commissioners must vote to put the 1% general purpose tax on November’s general election

ballot, but that appears to be a near certainty.

The Cody City Council unanimously passed a formal resolution on Tuesday night to send the general purpose tax to voters.

“This is what we need,” Cody Mayor Matt Hall said in an interview.

Hall said the city has dropped its staffing back to some of the lowest levels in years and plans to cut its budget by 17 to 20% for the coming fiscal year, anticipating a drop in sales taxes and other revenue amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Everyone’s thought process is like, let’s put it to the voters, let’s try and show them what we’re up against as far as how to fund our general fund operations,” Hall said. “And hopefully they’ll grant us a little bit of See Tax, Page 3

Businesses begin applying for forgiveness of PPP loans STATE KICKS IN MORE SUPPORT FOR BUSINESSES (PPP). Kriss Hunter, co-owner of the business, said Hunter Clean Care survived because he federal Payroll Pro- of the assistance.

“It kept our doors open. tection Program provided nearly $660 billion Without that we couldn’t have in funding to American busi- kept our employees.”

Hunter said that startnesses during the pandemic.

According to Small Business ing around March, people in the area ofAdministraten hire Hunter tion (SBA) figClean Care to ures, more than ‘It kept our doors clean decks and 12,000 loans tocarpets as part taling over $1 open. Without of their spring billion had been that we couldn’t cleaning. This made to Wyoyear, the panming businesses have kept our demic hit at that by the end of employees.’ time and people May. Kriss Hunter were reluctant The goal was to bring others Hunter Clean Care to keep those into their homes. businesses afloat and avoid layoffs while gov- Hunter lost a lot of important ernment restrictions related seasonal business.

So there are no deadlines to the COVID-19 pandemic kept them from operating. If for when businesses must certain requirements were apply for forgiveness, but met, the loans can be forgiven. banks and the SBA do have The forgiveness application deadlines for processing and and documentation came out reviewing the applications.

At a May 26 Powell Ecoat the end of May. Hunter Clean Care was nomic Partnership advisory among the businesses that meeting, Daniel Diver and received a loan under the See PPP, Page 3 Payment Protection Program

Meeteetse Conservation District Manager Steffen Cornell wends his way through the sagebrush near a lek north of Thermopolis, looking for sage grouse nests. While the effort didn’t turn up any viable eggs for an attempt to raise the species in captivity, the experience could help a Powell game bird farm’s attempt to raise the species in coming years. Tribune photos by Mark Davis

EGG HUNT ENDS WITH

EMPTY BASKETS

BY KEVIN KILLOUGH Tribune News Editor

BY MARK DAVIS Tribune Staff Writer

T

O

n the final day of a monthlong hunt for greater sage grouse eggs, Karl Bear approached his team with a noticeable limp.

Yet, as he neared their trucks on a dusty, double-track road, Bear had a broad smile on his sweat-soaked face.

The manager of Diamond Wings Upland Game Birds, a Powell bird farm, knew this was the end. The team had been unable to find a single nest of viable eggs after more than 100 miles of searching under many thousands of sagebrush in the high desert that’s home to the species. Multiple times, the team found camouflaged grouse nests — only to discover that predators had gotten there first.

Bear knew there would be no eggs in the incubators this year, no chicks to rear and no chance to raise a brood stock in captivity. All the efforts, including tens of thousands of dollars, years of planning, legislative approval, multiple inspections and meetings with

the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the blood and sweat of the search team as they marched through May were seemingly in vain this year. Yet Bear looked happy, his smile growing larger as he neared his team.

He was thankful for the experience. “This was not a failure

BY TESSA BAKER Tribune Features Editor

M

any Americans have been stuck at home this year, but for Matt and Shayla Walsh, that’s where they wish they could be.

“Being at home doesn’t seem like anything special for a family without a sick kid,” Shayla said. “... but for us we would give anything to be able to just be at home all together.”

Life changed dramatically for the young couple in December when they took their baby girl, Riverlyn, to her 2-month checkup: She was diagnosed with leukemia. “... Our worlds got flipped upside down,” Matt wrote in a Facebook post at the time.

“There are a lot of risks in the road ahead. However, we know that God is good and that God is a God of miracles.”

Their already difficult journey took an unexpected turn this spring, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and hospitals went on lockdown. Since March 25, their hospital has only allowed one person to be with a patient

at a time, even for infants. For one hour each night, parents are allowed to switch out, but two parents cannot be in the hospital at the same time, Shayla said.

“Having an immunocompromised child during all of this is so scary and this pandemic has made our fight a million times harder,” she wrote in a Facebook post.

Not only are they separated, but many of the amenities for families have been shut down, such as laundry, the pantry, Ronald McDonald House, quiet room, cafeteria and more, Shayla said. Services for families and kids have also been limited, including physical therapy, support services and spiritual care.

But instead of seeing only struggles, Matt and Shayla also look for blessings and what they can learn. The most prevalent lesson: Not to take little things for granted.

“I have to be grateful for this cancer journey because I appreciate everything about my child and being a parent just that much more,” Shayla said.

See Family, Page 2

in any way,” Bear said.

The private effort to collect wild eggs and raise sage grouse in captivity is controversial, with several conservation groups and scientists panning the idea as going in the wrong direction for protecting the species. However, Diamond Wings owner Dennis Brabec, a

Meeteetse Conservation District Manager Steffen Cornell points the way before a team of egg hunters, including Karl Bear (right) and Chloe Winkler (center), head into the desert in search of nests.

As baby undergoes cancer treatment, family separated due to pandemic

rancher and oilman, hopes that the lessons learned now can someday help save the imperiled species from being listed under the Endangered Species Act. “We learned a lot, though we weren’t successful,” Brabec said.

Bear added that, “We were able to live it. We were able to go in among the birds and experience it. ... And it gave us a huge leg up for next year.”

Bear has a way of finding the silver lining in life’s disappointments. Shortly after having his left knee replaced, he headed out into the seemingly endless tracts of sagebrush looking for a needle in a haystack.

“It’s definitely been a challenge on this knee — that’s for sure,” he said. “But we pushed on.”

SAGEBRUSH FOR DAYS After their intricate mating ritual of spring, sage grouse hens nest hidden in cover within 5 miles of the lek, Bear said. That meant the crews — with the help of bird dogs and See Eggs, Page 7

Law enforcement leaders denounce ‘appalling’ actions

by Minneapolis officers Chauvin and the three other officers on scene did nothing to help him before he died.

All four of the officers have he death of a handcuffed, restrained black man at the been fired from the Minneapolis hands of Minneapolis po- Police Department and are now lice last week continues to ripple facing criminal charges; Chauvin has been charged with across the country — second-degree murwith local law enforceder. ment officials taking Outrage over the unusual step of Floyd’s death has decrying the officers’ only swelled in the actions and local residays since his death, dents organizing a with the officers’ acSunday rally in Cody. tions being almost On Memorial Day, universally criticized Minneapolis police — including by Presidetained 46-year-old dent Donald Trump.

George Floyd after ROY ECKERDT Protests have also a caller reported he broken out in major had attempted to pass a bogus $20 bill at a store and cities across the country with appeared intoxicated. Police say protesters calling Floyd’s death Floyd resisted arrest, ultimately an example of systemic racism. being handcuffed and placed Businesses have been looted, facedown on the street. Then, Of- multiple officers and protesters ficer Derek Chauvin proceeded injured or killed and a Minneapoto press his knee against Floyd’s lis police precinct was set ablaze.

On Monday, Powell Police neck for nearly nine minutes. In video footage that made its way Chief Roy Eckerdt, Cody Police around the world, Floyd repeat- Chief Chuck Baker and Park edly said he couldn’t breathe and See Leaders, Page 2 then became unresponsive, but

BY CJ BAKER Tribune Editor

T

Shayla Walsh is pictured with her daughter, Riverlyn, who is almost 8 months old. Riverlyn was diagnosed with leukemia at her 2-month checkup in December. Courtesy photo

Despite monthlong effort, private endeavor to raise sage grouse in captivity hits a snag

INSIDE ♦ FAMILY BUSINESS TURNS 40: PAGE 8 ♦ PIONEERS SPLIT DOUBLEHEADER: PAGE 9

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020 POWELL TRIBUNE • PAGE 7

Weather Columbus Livingston 78/50

Bozeman 76/46

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Hardin

Billings

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Red Lodge 69/45

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Lovell

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76/50

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POWELL

West Yellowstone

76/50

67/38

Cody 77/51

Greybull 84/56

Manderson 83/53

Meeteetse

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75/48 Bozeman

Columbus Billings 78/50 Livingston Dubois 75/53 76/46 Jackson 75/47 78/42 74/43 Red Lodge 69/45

5-day Forecast for Powell Brought to you by Mammoth

Worland 85/52

Ten Sleep Hardin 80/51 79/51

Thermopolis 84/51

Lodge Grass Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are Bridger 78/50 lows.

78/50 today’s highs and tonight’s

TRACE Weekly PAUL,Almanac NMLS#616402 Sheridan Lovell

Today

Clouds andBranch sun, a t-storm in spots in West Yellowstone 50° the p.m.

76°67/38 69/39

76/50 81/52 Manager, Commercial Lending Powell for the 7-day period ending Tuesday POWELL (307) 754-1358 TEMPERATURES 76/50

High/low ...................................................88°/45° Cody Greybull Normal high/low ...................................71°/45° 77/51 84/56 Average temperature ...............................

Manderson 63.9° Partly sunny and 83/53 ............... 58.0° Normal average temperature Meeteetse warm; an afternoon Driggs 79/47 PRECIPITATION 75/48 Worland Ten Sleep 80/51 84° 62° shower Dubois Total for the week ......................................Trace 85/52 Jackson Month to dateWY ..............................................0.00” 245 E. 1st Street Powell, 82435 78/42 Thermopolis 74/43 Saturday Normal month to date..............................0.12” 84/51 Year to date...................................................1.57” Clouds and sun, a Shownyear is today’s weather.

Temperatures are Normal to date ...................................2.66” 5-day Forecast for Powell t-storm around in the highsmonth and tonight’s Percenttoday’s of normal to datelows. ............ 0% afternoon Today 79° 52° Percent of normal year to date ...............59% Weekly Almanac Clouds and sun, a Powell for the 7-day period ending Tuesday Sun and Moon t-stormSunday in spots in TEMPERATURES ...................5:31am/8:57pm Sunrise/Sunset Clouds and sun 76° 50° the p.m.

Friday

The search team for the last day of the egg hunt — including (from left) dog handler Pat Shellady, Steffen Cornell, Karl Bear, and Chloe Winkler — talk with Game and Fish employees (on ground) Skyler Gerrity, a contract technician, and Bart Kroger, Worland area wildlife biologist, during lunch Sunday. Tribune photos by Mark Davis

Eggs: Crew walked between 8 and 12 miles a day for a dozen days in May Continued from Page 1 a drone armed with thermal imaging technology — were tasked with finding well-camouflaged nests under brush in a 25-square-mile area for each location they searched. Once the team searched a section, they couldn’t return — part of state regulations intended to keep the team from over-stressing nesting sage grouse hens.

Every day meant exploring a new area, and most involved long drives from Powell.

Bear and teams of dog trainers, University of Wyoming students, scientists and volunteers rose well before sunrise and assembled at various park- Karl Bear, Diamond Wings Upland Game Bird farm manager, and ing lots at the crack of dawn. Steffen Cornell, Meeteetse Conservation District manager, plan their They moved quickly to meet next steps while searching for nests near the Blue Mesa #25 lek, north Game and Fish escorts before of Thermopolis. arriving at pre-approved sites.

Two Game and Fish employees and Fish sage grouse program It wasn’t the only cost, either: A large section of the farm was walked with the teams on each manager.

“It’s when any of those popu- set aside for sage grouse prosearch to ensure all regulations were observed and to report lations balloon up that sage duction, reducing the number grouse can be impacted by of birds it could raise by 15,000. progress.

Over the years, the farm has The crew walked between 8 those predators that are kind of and 12 miles a day for a dozen unnaturally increasing,” Sch- raised pheasants, Hungarian partridges, chukar partridges, days in May. Brabec, Diamond reiber said.

The team also pure French red-legged parWings’ 72-yearfound an eco- tridges, and bobwhite, red and old owner, went on six of the ‘We’re disappointed system suffering California valley quail. Bear is from the infesta- solely responsible for rearing searches. tion of cheat- the species and he has been “It may be not to get eggs, grass. able to raise difficult birds sucin the desert, we are multi-years “You hear cessfully where others have but it’s not flat about it, but to failed. ground,” he said. into this, but what see it, there’s That experience is vital, “You are con- we have learned is areas that it’s because if finding nests seems stantly zigging gonna stand us in just, oh my God, hard, Bear said the next test and zagging, it’s just every- will be even harder: Hatching head into cou- good stead and in where,” Bear and raising chicks. lees and step- years ahead.’ said.

“We feel this experience … ping over sage More than 50 will be an asset in helping us brush.”

Diemer True They searched Former Diamond million acres of better understand the greater sage grouse,” he said. through unusual Wings owner sagebrush ecosystem across heat in rattlethe West is now A LEARNING CURVE snake territory, working through physical and infested with cheatgrass. In Only one entity has ever atemotional exhaustion while areas so far spared from the tempted to raise greater sage infestation, Bear said that the grouse: the Calgary Zoo. They looking for up to 250 wild eggs.

On the last day, the team team always saw more birds. reportedly started with an iniwould have been content to find tial $5 million budget, backed POPULATION DOWN one nest with eggs. You can’t by the Canadian government.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Diamond Wings is on its own. raise a brood stock with chicks from the same nest, but each Service estimates as many as In the month of May alone, the step in the right direction pro- 16 million sage grouse once search effort cost more than vides an opportunity to learn inhabited 13 western states $25,000, Brabec said, while more about a process that has and three Canadian provinces. costs to renovate the Powell Now, as populations have dwin- facility totaled more than never been tried in the U.S. dled 66% since the 1960s — and $100,000, even before the 2020 another 40% in the past four inspections.

HINDERED BY WEATHER, years — there are only about PREDATORS Failing to find eggs this There were some hiccups. 300,000 left in the U.S. and less spring will set the privately May was warmer than an- than 100 living in the wild in run experiment back. Diaticipated, making it hard for Canada. mond Wings will be forced to the drone’s sensors to pick up “We are very close to an [En- keep the flight pens earmarked the heat signature of a hen on a dangered Species Act] listing for sage grouse empty for a nest. In initial testing, the drone under an honest administra- full year before attempting to successfully located pheasants, tion,” said Brian Rutledge, dibut that was earlier this spring rector of the National Audubon MULTI-FAMILY and the ground was cool.

Society’s Sagebrush Ecosystem Meeteetse Conservation Dis- Initiative.

YARD SALE trict Manager Steffen Cornell In 2017, the Wyoming LegSat. June 6 • 8am-2pm performed drone missions at islature passed a controversial Wide variety of items night and in the early morning law allowing private game hours in the attempt to find farms to apply to be certified 526 N. Day St. nests. Despite working through by the Game and Fish Departmany of the nights, Cornell ment to raise the sage grouse in 1x1 joined the team for the long captivity. Diamond Wings, the walks the following days. largest game bird farm in the They saw many sage grouse. state, was the only company Sat., June 6, 8am - 1pm They also found nests, but all to apply. The Powell business 101 Clark Ave., Ralston had been raided by ravens, coy- was twice certified, in 2018 Follow signs otes, badgers and snakes prior and 2019, but backed out both Household items, clothes, bedding, to their arrival. In all, the team years due to the overwhelming some furniture. discovered 12 nests destroyed cost of the project and timing by predators. that required farm owners to “It was a black cloud that fol- invest tens of thousands prior lowed us,” Brabec said. “It’s a to knowing if they would even big concern of ours.” be allowed to look for eggs.

Fri. & Sat., June 5-6 “Nobody has gone out and Last year, Casper energy looked for nests like we have,” entrepreneur and former Dia9am-2pm he added, saying ravens were mond Wings owner Diemer a bigger problem than the Dia- True founded a nonprofit ormond Wings-led team previ- ganization, the Western States Space #5, Powell ously thought.

Sage Grouse Recovery FounSleeper sofa, twin roll-away bed, Populations of the intelligent dation, to raise money for the 5-drawer desk & chair, side chair, lightpredator — which can eat both experiment. Through donaed side table, 3-drawer chest, 2 end eggs and small chicks — have tions, the company was able tables, all kitchen items, gas grill, lawn increased an estimated 400% in to renovate Diamond Wings’ mower/trimmer & many misc items.

NO EARLY BIRDS/CASH ONLY! the West over the last 40 years, facilities and purchase new said Leslie Schreiber, Game equipment for raising grouse.

GARAGE SALE

MOVING SALE

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certify again. The deadline to apply is Dec. 31. The process should be easier in the future, as all parties now know what to expect, but there is no guarantee of recertification, said Scott Edberg, the Game and Fish Department’s deputy chief of wildlife.

There’s also no guarantee there will be more money for future attempts. While True is satisfied with the team’s progress, times have changed — including the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic — and donations may be harder to come by this time around.

“We’re hopeful to continue next year, but I don’t think we can say much more than that, because I have to go talk to our donors,” True said “Part of the goal of the foundation is to increase the body of knowledge of both research and applied science; and I think we’ve done that,” he added. “We’re disappointed not to get eggs, we are multi-years into this, but what we have learned is gonna stand us in good stead and in years ahead.”

Meeteetse Conservation District Board Member Tim Morrison said he hopes the district will continue to support the project.

“I can’t speak for the board, just for myself, but I understood that there would be a learning curve,” Morrison said.

His hope is the use of new technology, matched with efforts to raise sage grouse in captivity, will result in an opportunity to augment wild populations in need with farm-raised birds. He hopes the drone technology will be refined and it will become a valuable tool for conservation of the species in the future.

District Manager Cornell, an FAA-licensed pilot, has been working with the equipment to refine possible uses in sage grouse conservation — and Bear hopes to add the use of radio telemetry to next year’s efforts. It is labor intensive, requiring capturing grouse and installing transmitters.

Though it’s expensive for the equipment and labor, if successful, it would allow teams to zero in on nests at the start of incubation.

Meanwhile, the state law allowing captive breeding attempts is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2022.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2020

110TH YEAR/ISSUE 80

Powell Library seeks consultant for new or remodeled building BUT FUNDING FOR PROJECT REMAINS UNCERTAIN thing.

“I’m not ready today to buy into this,” said Commissioner lans for a new or re- Lloyd Thiel, noting that county modeled Powell Library revenue “is such a question” drew a step closer to right now.

Still, there was support becoming reality on Tuesday, for moving things with Park County along. commissioners “I was elected agreeing to seek eight years ago an architect for the ‘Everybody and the Powell Liproject. However, wants a shiny brary was a topic it remains to be new building, of discussion then; seen whether the I don’t think it’s decision will lead but in reality going to go away,” to action. that probably said CommissionAmid an ongoer Lee Livingston. ing budget crunch, won’t happen.’

“Powell’s growcommissioners Geoff Baumann ing and the folks agreed to issue a Task force chairman over there want request for proto move forward posals only after being assured that the consult- with this project.”

A group of library boosting work would be entirely paid for with private dollars ers has been working with — and after making clear that the Park County Library they were not committing to See Library, Page 8 building or renovating any-

BY CJ BAKER Tribune Editor

P

William Perry Pendley, deputy director of policy and programs for the Bureau of Land Management, poses for a portrait outside the Buffalo Bill Center of the West on Tuesday. A federal judge barred Pendley from continuing to serve as the acting director of the bureau last month, but he said the ruling has changed nothing. Tribune photo by Mark Davis

Despite federal judge’s order, controversial official remains head of bureau

BLM LEADER NOT BACKING DOWN

BY MARK DAVIS Tribune Staff Writer

T

wo weeks after a federal judge in Montana ruled the Trump administration’s choice to direct the Bureau of Land Management rose to his position illegally, William Perry Pendley told an audience in Cody that the decision has changed nothing.

Pendley paraphrased Mark Twain in saying, “News of my political demise has been greatly exaggerated,” while speaking to the Free Roaming Equids

Assistant librarian Diane Desfosses cleans a computer desk at the Powell Library on Wednesday after it was used by students.

Library advocates say the current building is too small for the growing Powell community and are hoping for a new or expanded facility. Tribune photo by Mark Davis

‘It’s just an attempt — and we’ve seen this since, I don’t know, 2016 — as an attempt to delegitimatize this administration.’

William Perry Pendley, Bureau of Land Management and Ecosystem Sustainability Network conference on Tuesday at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

U.S. District Judge Brian Morris of Montana ruled late last month that Pendley had “served unlawfully” as the acting head of the BLM for 424

days, enjoined him from acting as the director and suggested any actions that Pendley took as director must be reversed.

However, Pendley said in a Tuesday interview that Judge Morris’ decision “has no impact, no impact whatsoever.”

“I have the support of the

president. I have the support of the Secretary of the Interior and my job is to get out and get things done to accomplish what the president wants to do — which means increase recreational opportunities on federal land and to increase opportunities for jobs, so we can [economically] recover back to where we were pre-pandemic,” Pendley said.

Department of Interior Secretary David Bernhardt temporarily authorized Pendley See BLM, Page 2

Slaughterhouse plans draw out supporters, opponents

BY KEVIN KILLOUGH Tribune News Editor

T

he Powell City Council got an earful on Monday from opponents and supporters of a proposed meat processing facility in an industrial area on the south side of town. While those living near the proposed location

are concerned about noise, smells and safety, supporters say it’s going to bring an important benefit to agriculture.

Last month, Dave Peterson, owner of the Proud Cut Saloon in Cody, asked the Powell council to change city code to permit the slaughter of livestock within city limits; he also met with Mayor John Wetzel, Councilor Lesli

GREAT CATCH A

Partnership (PEP) Executive Director Rebekah Burns.

At Monday’s meeting, the council took public comments on the requested change to the ordinance, but no action was taken.

Burns reiterated PEP’s support for the facility, which Peterson hopes to house in an existing building on East

North Street.

“Powell is an agricultural community. And that’s something Powell should feel real pride about,” Burns said.

Currently, beef producers are dependent on large processing facilities, like the JBS plant in Greeley, Colorado.

See Slaughterhouse, Page 3

SCHOOL NURSE’S SUSPICIONS HELP SAVE STUDENT’S LIFE

bored breathing, Nurse Misti, as she is known, consulted with another district nurse. The pair s a nurse, Misti Asher determined the student needed has often gone beyond to see a doctor.

Because his grandmother the necessary to care for her patients. But when an was out of town, the student 8-year-old student at Southside was staying with another famElementary School came to her ily member. When the guardian office Sept. 15, complaining he came to school to pick the child up, they menjust felt ill, it was tioned how much her tenacity in adwater he had vocating for care been consuming. that may very ‘I couldn’t put my With that well have saved finger on it, but I added symptom, the student’s life. knew something Asher consulted The student came into her wasn’t quite right.’ another district nurse about the Southside office Misti Asher case; they susearly in the day School nurse pected diabetes feeling poorly, and decided acbut Asher was at another school at the time. The tion had to be taken right away. student rested in the office, even Asher advised the family caring napping a little. But he returned for the child to take a glucose after lunch, feeling worse. His test. Because another family respirations were not normal member is diabetic, a glucomand the mystery caused Asher, a eter was available to test blood 1999 graduate of the Northwest sugar levels. The test returned College nursing program, to very high numbers.

The family caring for the look deeper into the problem.

“I couldn’t put my finger on child suggested they would go to it, but I knew something wasn’t the walk-in clinic, but Asher was adamant they take the student to quite right,” she said.

Because the student had la- the emergency room.

BY CONNIE BURCHAM Tribune Managing Editor

Spencer and city staff for a Sept. 22 planning session to discuss details on the facility.

In last month’s planning meeting, it was determined Peterson would need to come up with a mitigation plan for a number of impacts of the facility on sewer drainage and neighborhood noise and smells, said Powell Economic

From Powell Valley Healthcare, he was transferred to Billings for care, where he remained four days, getting his blood sugar and pH levels stabilized. The doctors determined he had Type I diabetes, previously undiagnosed.

“She caught the fact that my grandson has diabetes,” said his grandmother, Marcie Ray. “She literally saved his life. She’s an angel.”

Asher said there were angels involved, but she wasn’t one.

“I have to give credit to the Lord for giving me discernment,” she said. “I pray every day for that discernment from the Lord for these kids.

“I also rely on the other nurses,” Asher added. There are four nurses in the school district.

“I’m so thankful to have them,” she said. “It’s extremely important that we have these different backgrounds and experience.”

The boy’s grandmother, however, stressed the key role Asher played.

“She caught it with his See Nurse, Page 2

Misti Asher, school nurse at Southside Elementary School, solved the mystery Sept. 15 of why an 8-yearold student felt ill. In doing so she may very well have saved his life. Tribune photo by Carla Wensky

INSIDE ♦ TENNIS COURTS READY FOR PLAY: PAGE 9 ♦ FUNDRAISING IN A PANDEMIC: PAGE 13

PAGE 2 • POWELL TRIBUNE THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2020

BLM: About 550 positions moved to Grand Junction Continued from Page 1 to carry out the duties of the BLM director in July 2019, and extended those orders multiple times. President Donald Trump formally nominated Pendley for the position permanently in late July 2020, but withdrew his nomination in August. Senate confirmation of the former oil industry lawyer and Wyoming native was thought to be a tough sell with testimony possibly affecting election results.

Pendley, who previously served in the Department of Interior during the Reagan Administration and in other high profile jobs, has made William Perry Pendley, deputy director of policy and programs for the controversial statements about Bureau of Land Management, addressed the Free Roaming Equids selling off public lands, and has and Ecosystem Sustainability Network (FREES) conference on a long history of actions and Tuesday, traveling to Cody from BLM headquarters in Colorado. statements concerning Native Tribune photo by Mark Davis Americans and other minority groups that have been described decision to move its headquar- wintering ground for elk, deer by his critics as being racist. ters from Washington, D.C., to and wild sheep as well as a In July, Montana Gov. Steve Grand Junction, Colorado, could popular place for hiking, hunting Bullock filed suit, claiming be challenged. and horseback riding. The fund Pendley’s service unconstituBut Pendley is proud of prog- will also be used to catch up on tional. Bullock asserted that ress made in the past 15 months maintenance backlogs on fedPendley’s extended “acting leading the BLM, including the eral property, including national director” service violated the move to Grand Junction, which parks. Pendley said while the Federal Vacancies Reform Act “allowed me to jump in a gov- parks have more than $12 billion and the U.S. Constitution. The ernment rig and run up here to in backlogs, the BLM has a large Constitution’s Appointments give a speech today [in Cody],” backlog of deferred maintenance Clause requires the president to he said. as well. nominate, and the Senate then “On the way I stopped in Rock “It’s obviously not the magniconfirm heads of significant fed- Springs and Worland. When I go tude of the Park Service, but we eral agencies. back, I’ll go to Casper and Raw- have backlogs,” he said. “And On Sept. 25, in response to lins — just to be out on the road having those funds available Bullock’s suit, Judge Morris and visit, see what we’re doing so that we could increase recbarred Pendley from continu- in the field and see what help reation and how appealing our ing to perform the duties of the people need to get more work recreational lands are to visitors, BLM director and also blocked done,” Pendley said. that’s huge.”

Bernhardt from He said the He pointed out that at the selecting anothmove was need- height of the pandemic, people er acting chief to ed because 99% were going stir crazy wanting to ‘State parks were temporarily fill of BLM lands get out and recreate. closed, forest lands and 97% of BLM the position.

“State parks were closed, forBullock cel- were closed, but the employees are est lands were closed, but the ebrated Morris’ in 11 West- BLM kept its lands open,” Pendruling, saying BLM kept its lands ern states and ley said. “Every facility in Wyo“Montanans can open.’

Alaska, “but our ming was open simply because of rest easy knowdecision mak- the hard work of BLM employees ing that National William Perry Pendley ers were all in who said, we’re going to do whatPublic Lands ever we can to make sure those BLM director Washington.”

Day [Sept. 26] About 550 po- restrooms have toilet paper, the will begin with William Perry sitions were moved to Grand trash gets dumped and the doors Pendley packing his desk and Junction in the past year. are open.” vacating the Director’s Office “It allows us to be out here Pendley thinks the interest at the Bureau of Land Manage- where the people are most di- in outdoor activity will survive ment.” rectly affected by what we do,” after a vaccine is found and the Yet, Pendley said Tuesday Pendley said. pandemic is behind us. there have been no changes to On Tuesday, Pendley spoke his ability to lead the bureau, at the conference and then AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE which oversees 245 million toured the McCullough Peaks Pendley is just one of sevacres of public land, mostly in with members of the Cody Field eral senior officials in the Trump 11 western states and Alaska, Office, enjoying views of wild administration who have run with a workforce of more than horses and meeting with region- federal agencies and depart10,000. al leaders. The office oversees ments without Senate confir“I’m still here, I’m still run- 2.2 million acres of the north- mation. The agencies have ning the bureau,” Pendley said, ern Big Horn Basin, including defended skipped deadlines pointing out he has never been portions of Park and Big Horn on Senate hearings, saying the the acting director. “I have counties. senior officials involved were always been from day one … carrying out the duties of their deputy director of policy and PROUD OF HIS RECORD acting position, but not actually programs.”

Pendley spoke of his pride of filling the position and didn’t rePendley said the suit was working with President Trump, quire a vote before the Senate. brought by Bullock in an at- who recently signed the Great Last month, the Government tempt to hurt the Trump American Outdoors Act, which Accountability Office, a bipartiAdministration. “It’s just an fully and permanently funds the san congressional watchdog, said attempt — and we’ve seen this Land and Water Conservation acting Department of Homeland since, I don’t know, 2016 — as Fund.

Security Secretary Chad Wolf an attempt to delegitimatize this The fund supports the pro- and acting deputy Ken Cucciadministration,” he said. tection of federal public lands nelli were illegally serving under On Monday, Bullock asked a and waters, including national the Vacancy Reform Act. The judge to negate three land use parks, forests, wildlife refuges, two have been in high profile plans in Montana that would recreation areas and voluntary positions in the Trump adminopen most BLM land in the state conservation on private land. istration’s immigration and law to energy development, saying The fund was used locally to enforcement efforts. the documents were invalidated build Powell city parks and most Pendley said every adminiswhen the Trump administra- recently helped improve the tration for the past 30 years has tion’s public lands boss was re- Powell Golf Club. done the same thing. moved for being in the post “It has been done for almost 30 “When you think about the unlawfully. fact that five presidents and nine years throughout all administraConservation groups, includ- secretaries of the interior have tions,” he said. “Republicans and ing the Center for Biological Di- passed through government Democrats, over the decades, versity, Western Environmental and have not been able to get a have said they will designate Law Center, Western Water- permanent [funding] of the Land somebody who’s in the chain sheds Project and WildEarth and Water Conservation Fund of command, as exercising the Guardians, also asked for per- through, that’s really quite mi- authority of the assistant secmission to join the case to over- raculous,” he said. retary, or the director, so that turn a long list of actions taken One of the most recent actions person has the authority to sign under Pendley’s watch. The in Park County is the BLM’s something, and we can move on list includes the approval of the pending purchase of 1,820 acres with life.”

Moneta Divide project, which of land on Sheep Mountain, west Opponents are watching the would allow the development of Cody. In an area tradition- Pendley case closely, hoping to of up to 4,250 oil and gas wells ally suspicious of federal land use the precedence set to undo in an area east of Shoshoni, in purchases, the acquisition by the actions taken by Wolf and CucFremont and Natrona counties.

BLM to open hunting in the area cinelli. The Trump administraIf Judge Morris grants per- was well received. tion has said it will appeal Judge mission, even the bureau’s The property is an important Morris’ “outrageous” decision.

Nurse: Asher to be recognized at school board meeting Continued from Page 1

Asher played, calling her “an amazing gift to our district” and breathing and other signs,” said she saved the child’s life.

Ray said. “I just want to thank He said the state fundher for catching ing model does it and pushing not provide to get that test ‘I just want to thank for the nursdone. The only ing staff that description for her for catching it Powell schools her is ‘angel.’” have, but the and pushing to get Asher moniboard has been that test done. The tors the student supportive for after each meal only description for funding nurses. at school now her is “angel.”’

Another emand things are on ployee without a far more even Marcie Ray a medical backkeel than on that could Grandmother ground frightening day have mistaken not so long ago. the symptoms for another ail“I’m thankful I was able to get ment, Curtis said, but nurses him to where he needed to be,” recognized the seriousness of Asher said. the child’s condition.

Superintendent Jay Curtis “Had you not, as a board, supalso recognized the key role ported having the nurses that we

do, we would have had at least one child lose their life,” he said last month.

The Park County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees will recognize Asher during its meeting Tuesday night.

In a letter to the board, Southside Principal Scott Schiller commended Asher and extended his appreciation to the district’s nursing staff, Superintendent Curtis, nursing supervisor Ginger Sleep and the school board “for the nurses they have hired and placed around the district to help keep our kids healthy and safe.”

“This life-saving moment is one more instance of how PCSD#1 is Driven by Excellence, and keeps their focus on ‘doing what’s BEST for kids!’”

Schiller wrote.

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