Volume 5 Issue 11
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Dance like there’s no tomorrow Love like you’ve never loved before And never, ever be afraid to show the real and wonderful you. -The Bird
Cow Muncher On The Loose In Converse County Community News Glenrock Mayor McQueary Steps Down - Page 2 Fire/Death Investigation in Glenrock - Page 2 Glenrock Medals in State Drama - Page 3 Jordan Assumes W.E.A.D. Position - Page 3 Pyatts Pieces - Page 3 Bingo Night in Glenrock is Coming! - Page 3
Converse County and Beyond Federal Agencies Announce Initial Step to Incorporate Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Measures into Land Management Plans- Page 4 Park County Woman Pleads Guilty to Medicaid Fraud - Page 4 and more! News From The Nest A big rig heading out towards a Converse County oilfield site moves through a herd of cows being pushed down Hwy 93 just outside of Glenrock last week. This trucker had a snack or two while mooooo-oooving through the cattle. Several times during the year cattle are pushed on the various open range areas of Wyoming’s roadways, while being moved from pasture to pasture. Photo Amanda Smith.
Wyoming Warns Of Those Offering Official Wyoming Birth Certificates The Wyoming Department of Health’s Vital Statistics Services Office is warning residents to avoid commercial vendors who charge unnecessary high fees to individuals seeking official birth certificates or other similar certified documents. “We have seen a significant increase in official birth certificate requests this year due to Wyoming’s new driver’s license renewal law,” said Jim McBride, deputy state registrar with the Vital Statistics Services Office. “For most of us, getting a license now requires either an unexpired passport or a certified copy of our birth certificate.” For people born in Wyoming, certified copies of official birth and death certificates are only available from Vital Statistics Services. McBride said commercial online vendors who promise to obtain the documents must get them from his office. “These are secondary providers. People pay them to simply forward requests to us.” “We suggest people contact our office directly rather than spending extra money,” McBride continued. “We’re hearing
about some secondary providers charging much, much more than the $10-13 we charge for the same documents.” For more information or to order a certified birth certificate for those born in Wyoming, please call 307-777-7591 or go to http://www.health.wyo.gov/ rfhd/vitalrecords/index.html. The Vital Statistics Services office may also be visited in person in Cheyenne at 2300 Capitol Avenue on the first floor of the Hathaway Building. “It’s clear these companies pay search engine advertising fees so their sites are listed prominently on online search results pages. For example, if you search for ‘Wyoming Birth Certificate,’ our Wyoming Department of Health site may not appear at the top of the list,” McBride said. “Many people simply miss our listing and unfortunately choose a commercial vendor.” Individuals born in other states can find where to get certified birth certificates by visiting http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w. htm.
Rocky Mountain Power Requests Rate Increase
Rocky Mountain Power has asked the Wyoming Public Service Commission for permission to increase its prices in Wyoming. If approved, changes would likely take effect in October of 2012.
serve them. For an average residential customer, the requested increase would amount to about $6 more per month. Most residential customers with lower electricity use would see lower percentage increases.
Requested price increases vary for different types of customers, based on the utility’s costs to
Rocky Mountain Power says that for all electricity provides Continued Page 3
USPS to Cut Saturday Delivery - Page 5 A Letter to Sec. Salazar - Page 5
Bird Odd’s and Ends Cowboy Poetry - Page 6 I’m Just Sayin - Bunkhouse Recipes - Page 6 Straight Talk With Sassy - The Parrot and so much more in this issue of The Glenrock Bird!
Bird Business Directory Area Businesses - Page 7 Bird Classifieds - Page 7
Four Citizens Honored For Coming To Assistance Of Heroic Douglas Officer, Distraught Young Person On July 28th of this year 2011, five individuals jumped in to the fast moving Platte River in Douglas, Wyoming in an effort to save the life of a young lady. Four of the rescuers survived, along with the young female. The 5th, Deputy Bryan Gross of the Converse County Sheriff's Department did not survive. On Saturday, December 10th those individuals were recognized as heroes in their heroic and selfless acts in their assistance to Deputy Gross while putting their lives on the line to save the life of the young lady who went in to the Platte on July 28th. Dustin Eubanks, Lawrence McPhearson, Lane Morgan and Keith Thompson are the four individuals were presented with the Bill Daniels Neighborhood Hero Award by Converse County Sheriff Clint Becker and Linda Childears, President and CEO of the Daniels Fund. Deputy Gross’ actions on July 28th represented the highest standard of personal sacrifice and dedication required of all law enforcement personnel.
Community Message Board
Glenrock Mayor McQueary Steps Down Glenrock Mayor Mike McQueary who was elected during the last election has stepped down as Mayor of the Town of Glenrock as of the date of his letter of resignation below. He was sworn in as the new Mayor of Glenrock on January 10, 2011. McQueary held high hopes of continuing the development of a strong and viable infrastructure within the Town of Glenrock and will be deeply missed. His enthusiasm for positive growth was felt by all during his run for election last year and during his short tenure as Mayor. Linda Care of Glenrock has been a member of the Town Council for multiple terms, and will temporarily act as Mayor as of yesterday December 8th, 2011. "Linda will act as Mayor Pro
Meetings in Glenrock Where: The Senior Center East Door (thrift store entrance.) When: Monday nights from 7pm - 8pm
Bird Special Announcements!
Glenrock Schools Music Concert Schedule 7-12th gr. Choir Concert Dec. 14 at 7:00pm in the GMS Auditorium
Glenrock Library News Weihnachtsgrüße!! Christmas greetings in German from the library! Visit our Mango Foreign Language database on line. Find out how to get connected. There are over 80 languages to choose from. Learn from the comfort of your own home. This database comes to us courtesy of the state library. Our Christmas tree is up and it is bare! We are in need of some mittens!! This year we are collecting mittens to donate to the Glenrock Senior Center. Bring yours in and help spread a little “warm” cheer to some special families in Glenrock. On December 12th we will start our “Food For Fines” that will last until December 23. This is a great way to start the year, fine free! If you have fines, please bring in the equivalent in non perishable food items to the library and we will clear your fine!! We are recognizing the Rocky Mountain Food Bank this year in conjunction with our “Food For Fines”. Peggy Bussey han-
dles this in our community. This is located at the Senior Center. Hours are Tuesday: 5:00pm – 6:30pm, Thursday: 9:00 – 12:00pm. You may drop off your non perishable items at the Senior Center or at Peggy’s residence, 754 South 3rd. You may also bring items to the library!! If you have any questions please call us at 436-2573 or Peggy at 436-5401. Peggy wants everyone to know that food is available for Glenrock families in need, please take advantage of this community service. For Read Me A Story December 10-17:The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. December 17-24: Charlie the Christmas Caterpillar by Jeremy Huck. Pick up the phone and dial 4362353 to listen to a good story. We’re on the web at http:wyldweb.state.wy.us/glen or at www.conversecountylibrary.org. Our phone number is 436-2573. Fax number is 4368525. Be sure to “friend” us on facebook!! Just look up Glenrock Library.
Tempore until the meeting Monday night. At that time the council will enter into an executive session to choose a mayor to serve until the first meeting in January 2012. At that time who ever is elected in November will assume the duties of mayor for a 2-year term to keep us in line with the election cycle." stated Donna Geho, Town Clerk for Glenrock. Mayor McQuary's letter to the citizens of Glenrock is below. December 8, 2011 Dear Citizens of Glenrock, Due to a serious, chronic medical condition that has negatively affected my overall health to a point that I can no longer provide
the necessary time and energy to be a strong and effective Mayor, I am resigning on the signature of this letter. To clarify my situation, I will tell you that my condition is squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer) that has taken on a seriously rapid growth rate. Squamous cell skin cancer is generally not a very aggressive cancer unless the patient has a weakened immune system. Because of both of my transplants, I have just such an immuno-suppressed system. I am very disappointed not to be able to continue in my position as mayor. I really had hoped to be able to
assist the Town of Glenrock to develop a strong, viable infrastructure that would have benefitted everyone in the future. But all of that aside, I certainly want to thank everyone that supported me and voted for me in the election. I do so appreciate all of the cooperation and assistance I have received during my short tenure as mayor. Most of all, I want to thank everyone for the kind thoughts, warm wishes, and heartfelt prayers that many of you have expressed or shown towards me during this time. Sincerely, (Signature) Mike McQueary
Fire In Glenrock Results in Tragedy At approximately 4:45 AM the Glenrock Police Department Communications Center received a 911 call reporting a 5th wheel style camper on fire at 206 N 4th St. in Glenrock. Fire and ambulance units were immediately dispatched to the scene as well as a Glenrock Police Officer. Responding units arrived to find that the fire had been called in by a Glenrock Volunteer Fireman who was passing through the area on his way to work. The fireman did locate a man just inside the door of the trailer. He was able to remove the man from the trailer and attempted to resuscitate the individual, but was unsuccessful. The deceased
has been identified as 66 year old Jackie Lee Beals. All efforts to locate family members of the deceased have been unsuccessful. It is believed that Beals had been estranged from family for several years. An investigation conducted at the scene by the Wyoming Department of Fire Prevention and Electrical Safety indicates the source of the fire was electrical in nature. The fire appears to have originated in a back area of the trailer where a heating pad and electrical blanket were in use to provide warmth for Beals’ two dogs. The dogs also perished in the fire.
Local Glenrock firemen along with the Wyoming State Fire Marshall investigate the cause of a fire that broke out in the early morning hours of Tuesday, December 6th on 4th street in Glenrock. Jack Beals and his two canine companions “Blue” and “Shadow” lost their lives in this tragic fire. See story at left. Photo Amanda Smith.
Craig Capron Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
Dr. Capron is trained in all aspects of foot, ankle, and lower limb care. From diabetic foot exams to bunions, hammertoes, and everything in between, Dr. Capron specializes in keeping his patients healthy and on their feet.
CALL 307.358.7397 TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT
Sunday November 27, 2011 The Glenrock Bird Page 2
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Glenrock Medals in State Drama Competition Twenty students from Glenrock High School joined over 600 talented and enthusiastic students from around the state at the annual State Drama Competition, which was held at Central Wyoming College in Riverton December 1 through 3. There were 27 schools, 1A through 4A, represented.
Britney Bartz, Alyssa Biffle, Clarissa Bryner, Christine Davis, Amanda Dority, Mara Dority, Ivy Engel, Steven Flynn, Nathan Hansen, Brooke Kissack, Ana Kroll, Caitlyn Kumpula, Amanda McGrady, Cole Nelson, Logan Peasley, Cheyanne Pfander, Aimee Potter, Adrianna Williams, and Gideon Williams.
NOT THE GERBER BABY By Mike Pyatt
Make-Up artist Ana Kroll with model Brooke Kissack-All State Medal Fourth Year Fantasy Make-Up Flynn in Group Performance Art, Britney Bartz for Proscenium One-Act Play, and Adrianna Williams for Dramatic Monologue.
Make-Up artist Alyssa Biffle with model Ivy EngelThird Place State Medal in Third Year Fantasy Make-Up This event included competition in both performance and technical areas of theater. Acting events included one-act plays and Group Performance Art, dramatic and humorous two person scenes, and dramatic and humorous monologues. Technical events included original script writing, lighting, publicity, costume, scene, lighting and realistic and fantasy make-up design. The Glenrock students participated in all of these events. In addition, Glenrock senior Caitlyn Kumpula auditioned to earn acting and/or singing college scholarships. The students participating from Glenrock were Lewis Allen,
They were accompanied by Coach Ada Jane Pauline, Assistant Coach Bob Duncan, and parent/coach Barb Kumpula. The results included a Third Place State Medal for Adrianna Williams in First Year Fantasy Make-Up, Third Place State Medal for Alyssa Biffle in Third Year Fantasy Make-Up, All State Medals for Alyssa Biffle in Third Year Fantasy, Ana Kroll in Fourth Year Fantasy MakeUp, with an overall ranking of 7 among 21 entries, and Caitlyn Kumpula for Second Year Publicity with a ranking of 8 out of 48 entries, as well as State Honorable Mention Certificates for Nathan Hansen and Steven
Other results included an overall ranking of 6 out of 15 productions in Group Performance Art, with ten Glenrock students performing, a ranking of 5 out
of 45 Humorous Two-Person Scenes for Nathan Hansen and Lewis Allen, performing an original script the two created for the competition, a ranking of 9 out of 20 entries in First Year Fantasy Make-Up for Christine Davis,and a ranking of 12 out of 53 entries in First Year Publicity for Amanda Dority. Way to go, Glenrock!!
Make-Up artist Adrianna Williams with model Britney Bartz- Third Place State Medal in First Year Fantasy Make-Up
Rocky Mountain Power Rate Increase Continued From Front Page , it continues to be a very good value for its Wyoming customers. Prices will unavoidably increase over the next decade, however, primarily due to growing electricity use by the utility’s Wyoming customers (nearly 18 percent increase in overall electricity use in about 5 years) and environmental regulations. More than half of the costs included in this price increase request are related to producing electricity. The other major items include environmental controls
at coal-fueled power plants, new substations and other infrastructure projects to meet our customers’ growing electricity needs. This price increase request does not include any new large wind or transmission line projects. Rocky Mountain Power spokesman Jeff Hymas said the company recognize the economic stress its customers, Wyoming communities, our region and our nation are experiencing, and that Rocky Mountain Power will continue to hold down costs
within our control. Between 2006 and 2010, he says the company reduced its own administrative costs by more than 32 percent. “We are delivering higher quality service, and our employees are doing more with less,” said Hymas. Hymas said the utility has proven programs to help customers save money by making energy efficiency improvements at their homes or businesses, and that customers can visit their website at www.wattsmart.com to learn
more. He said they also have programs to help customers experiencing difficulty paying their bills. “We’ll continue working together with our customers, utility regulators and other stakeholders to keep electricity a good value now and into the future,” said Hymas. For more information about this price request, visit www.rockymountainpower. net/wyomingprices.
Christmas time again, and millions from my generation were nourished on Gerber Baby products, and likely recall the photo of the cuddly baby on their label, that has endured through the years. However, as we are celebrating the Birth of Christ, this Day of Days, in the midst of the tinsel, pageantry, gift exchange and the last minute rush for that “perfect” gift, it is easy to obscure the “Gift of Gifts” that was born more than two thousand year ago. No doubt, though he was fully human and fully God, he was surely cute and cuddly to the Virgin Mary. However, He was far more than that. He is wholly unlike the Gerber Baby. He is the incarnate Son of God that still gives hope and promises a new start to all who will embrace Him and His claims. In 1949, President Harry Truman sent Christmas greetings to the nation by radio from his home in Independence, Missouri, here is a portion of that salient message: “Once more I have come to Independence to celebrate Christmas with my family. We are back among old friends and neighbors around our fireside…Since returning home, I have been reading again in our family Bible some of the passages which foretold this night. It was the grand old seer Isaiah who prophesied in the Old Testament the sublime event which found its fulfillment almost 2000 years ago. Just as Isaiah foresaw the coming of Christ, so another battler for the Lord, St. Paul, summed up the law and the prophets in a glorification of love which he exalts even above faith and hope. We miss the spirit of Christmas if we consider the Incarnation as an indistinct and doubtful, faroff event unrelated to our present problems…” Yes, Harry had it right. It is exactly the incarnation of Christ that gives true meaning to life,
and untangles the web of life. Jesus, a real baby who physically developed like other babies of that day, but, He was to one day walk on water, and, as the contemporary song “Mary Did you Know”, declares to Mary “…this child that you delivered will soon deliver you.” That could never accurately be said of another baby. Never. For more than two millennia Christ’s birth has cast its redeeming shadow on the landscape of history of the world, as no other figure. Ernest Renan declared, “All history is incomprehensible without Christ.” And, whether peasant or king, indigent or President of the United States, we are all born to know Him, and make a decision as to what we will do with the “Babe of Bethlehem of Judea”, according to Matthew 2:1 Will we receive Him as Savior, as our only certain link to heaven? Or will we be so mesmerized by the lights, trees, festivities, the exchange of gifts, and endless shopping, that the Incarnation escapes us for another year? Of course there is nothing inherently wrong with all the attendant festivities that surround this Day of Days, as long as we recognize that “Jesus is the Reason for the Season”. Millions will celebrate Christmas around the world, in a multitude of ways. But how many will miss the true meaning of that day? Too many. Far too many. Most important is that we don’t miss it. After the gifts have been unwrapped let us not forget the real reason for “Christmas Morn”. As the oftsung 19th Century hymn “Silent Night” succinctly declares, “Jesus, Lord at Thy Birth …Jesus Lord at Thy Birth!” May it resonate in our hearts and lives all year. And, humbug to those politically correct institutions and organizations that trifle with the Day, calling it “Winter Break” or “Season Intercession”. Merry Christmas to all. What do you think?
Sunday November 27, 2011 The Glenrock Bird Page 3
Federal Agencies Announce Initial Step to Incorporate Greater Sage-Grouse Conservation Measures into Land Management Plans The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) today announced the initial steps in a formal planning process to evaluate greater sage-grouse conservation measures in land use plans in 10 Western states. The two public land management agencies are opening a 60day public comment period on issues that should be addressed in Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) and Supplemental Environmental Impact Statements (SEISs) that will be published in the Federal Register on December 9. Based on ongoing threats to the greater sage-grouse and its habitat throughout the West, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2015 deadline for making a decision whether to list the species under the Endangered Species Act, the BLM and the USFS aim to incorporate consistent objectives and conservation measures into relevant Resource Management Plans by September 2014. As a result, the accompanying environmental reviews will be conducted under expedited timeframes. “As the steward of more than half of all remaining sagebrush habitat in the United States, the BLM is playing a leading role in developing and implementing land management actions to conserve the sage-grouse and its habitat,” BLM Director Bob Abbey said. “Today’s action is the first step in formally involving the states, tribes, lo-
cal governments, researchers, organizations, and the interested public in addressing sage-grouse conservation in our multiple land management plans in 10 western states. Working with our partners, we will use these land use plans to implement actions range-wide so we can conserve and restore the greater sagegrouse and its habitat on BLM lands over the short term and the long term.” Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said, “the agency is committed to conserving the habitat of the greater sage-grouse to prevent the species from being listed under the Endangered Species Act. We welcome the invitation from the Bureau of Land Management to work together as one federal family on this important issue.” Greater sage-grouse currently use as much as 47 million acres of land managed by the BLM, and about nine million acres of land managed by the USFS. As many as 98 BLM Resource Management Plans address greater sage-grouse, while the USFS expects to evaluate conservation measures into as many as nine Land and Resource Management Plans considered high priority for the conservation of sage-grouse. The BLM and the USFS expect to prepare EISs to analyze proposed amendments to some Land Use Plans that are not currently undergoing amendment or revision. For plans already under amendment or revision, the BLM and the
USFS will consider incorporating conservation measures, either through the ongoing amendment or revision process, or through SEISs. In an effort to encourage tailored, region-specific partnerships, cooperation and restoration measures, the planning process will be coordinated under two regions: an Eastern region which includes land use plans in the states of Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and portions of Utah and Montana; and a Western Region which includes land use plans in northeastern California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and portions of Utah and Montana. Public scoping meetings will be held in communities throughout the west in January and February 2012 to provide an opportunity for interested parties to talk to staff and resource specialists and submit written comments on the proposal in person. In Wyoming, information workshops will be scheduled for January 2012 in Buffalo, Casper, Rock Springs and Worland For more information, visit Wyoming’s sagegrouse web site at http://www. blm.gov/wy/st/en/programs/ Wildlife/sage-grouse.html Specific times and locations for these meetings will be announced through local media and on the BLM’s greater sagegrouse website at http://www. blm.gov/sagegrouse.
Cameco To Provide Toll Processing Services For Uranerz’s New Uranium Mine In Campbell County Cheyenne, WY – Cameco Resources and Uranerz Energy Corporation have entered into an agreement by which material from Uranerz’s recently licensed Nichols Ranch in situ uranium mine in Campbell County will be processed into uranium concentrate at Cameco’s central processing plant at the Smith Ranch-Highland Project in Converse County. Smith Ranch-Highland is America’s largest uranium operation and has the licensed capacity to mill four million pounds of uranium concentrate (yellowcake) per year. Recent production has been just under two million pounds per year. Commercial
in situ operations at the combined Smith Ranch-Highland Project began in 1988. "Adding processing from Uranerz under a tolling agreement will help make both of our operations more efficient, ensuring jobs and continued growth in Wyoming’s uranium industry," said Cameco Resources’ President Paul Goranson. Uranerz is hiring additional personnel to work at its site during construction and operation, and announced it is focused on achieving commercial production as soon as practical.
pounds a year from Uranerz will still allow full growth from our own new sites that we are working to bring into production," Goranson said. Cameco Resources of Cheyenne is America’s largest uranium producer and comprises the US operations of Cameco Corporation of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada (NYSE:CCJ), which is one of the world’s largest uranium producers. Cameco Resources has about 350 employees and full-time contractors at its Wyoming and Nebraska mines, its exploration and development office in Casper, and its headquarters in Cheyenne.
Attorney General Greg Phillips Joins 54 Other Attorney Generals In Fight Against Robo-Calls To Cell Phones Federal Bill Erodes Americans’ Telephone Privacy
Cheyenne, Wyoming – Attorney General Greg Phillips today joined 54 other state and territorial attorneys general in asking Congress to oppose legislation targeting consumers’ telephone privacy. The “Mobile Informational Call Act of 2011” [H.R. 3035] would amend the Communications Act of 1934 and allow for robo-calling to all cell phones, leaving consumers to foot the bill. For example, debt collectors and other businesses could place automated “informational” calls to cell phones, impacting those who pay by the minute or have a limited number of minutes available. In addition, since businesses frequently have the wrong contact information, consumers could be getting and paying for repeated robo-calls on their cell phones to accounts that are not their own. “This federal measure invades the telephone privacy of Wyoming residents” said Attorney General Phillips. “If passed, H.R. 3035 would create a huge inconvenience for Wyoming consumers as they would be subjected to a flood of unwanted solicitations to their cell phones.” The attorneys general are asking members of Congress to reject
U.S. House Resolution 3035. As chief protectors of consumer rights, many state attorneys general would not be able to enforce their more strict state laws against junk faxes, prerecorded calls or text messages. “Wyoming statutes prohibit many robo-calls” Phillips said. “This measure could potentially interfere with Wyoming’s current efforts to investigate and curtail illegal robo-calls made to Wyoming residents.” This legislation would also narrow the definition of what constitutes an illegal "automatic telephone dialing system." If passed, the new definition would only prohibit “random or sequential number generators” which means “targeted” calls would be permitted, General Phillips said. Currently, federal law allows robo-calls to be placed to people who have given their explicit consent to receive them or in case of an emergency. If this federal legislation passes, the law will be expanded to allow businesses to robo-call any consumer who has provided their telephone number in the course of a transaction – regardless if a consumer asks not to be contacted.
In the letter, officials also pointed out that an increase in calls to mobile phones could present a hazard to drivers who may become distracted. A 2009 study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that cell phone use was involved in 995 or 18 percent of fatalities in distraction-related crashes. The proposal is currently being considered in the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce – the first step in the legislative process. Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller joined other consumer advocates in November to provide testimony in opposition to the legislation during a hearing before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology in Washington, D.C. Citizens can also voice their opinion on the proposal by contacting their representative or by voting on Popvox’s nonpartisan website https://www.popvox. com/bills/us/112/hr3035. Popvox will also forward consumers’ comments to members of Congress. All of the states and territories have signed the letter except Virginia and Nebraska.
Park County Woman Pleads Guilty to Medicaid Fraud Cheyenne, WY - Wyoming Attorney General Greg Phillips announced that Melody Sell of Cody was convicted and sentenced to a suspended two to four year prison sentence. She was placed on four years of supervised probation for fraudulently billing Wyoming Medicaid for services she did not provide and ordered to pay $22,704.31 in restitution to Wyoming Medicaid. Sell provided rehabilitation services to developmentally disabled Wyoming Medicaid recipients through her business Achieving Independence. Sell billed Wyoming Medicaid for a twelve month period in 20072008 certifying that she provided services for a client when that client was actually hospitalized
or in the Park County Detention Center. Sell pleaded guilty to a felony Medicaid fraud charge and was ordered to pay restitution and fines, fees and assessments. “Medicaid provides medical care for many of the most vulnerable segments of Wyoming’s residents. Every dollar we can return to Wyoming’s Medicaid program protects the system and benefits our neediest and most vulnerable citizens,” Christine Stickley Director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit said. The case was investigated by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Attorney General’s Office and prosecuted by the Park County Attorney’s Office.
People convicted of Medicaid fraud may be excluded from future Medicaid participation. The Wyoming Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigates and prosecutes financial fraud by those providing healthcare services or goods to Medicaid patients. The unit also investigates and prosecutes instances of elder abuse or neglect. Anyone wishing to report suspicions regarding any of these concerns may contact the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in Cheyenne (307) 777-3444 or (800) 378-0345. Medicaid fraud information can also be found on the Attorney General’s web site: http://attorneygeneral.state. wy.us
"The addition of up to 800,000
WWF Grants +60k to Wyoming Women The Wyoming Women’s Foundation has recently granted over $60,000 in funds to eleven organizations that are creating opportunities for women and girls across the state. These communities include Casper, Cheyenne, Cody, Gillette, Douglas, Jackson, Laramie, Evanston and Sublette County,” said Richelle Keinath today. According to Keinath, “These grants were awarded to groups in the state that support women in making strides toward achieving economic self-sufficiency. Programmatic initiatives in-
cluded but were not limited to; access to job training, education and housing. Grants were also given to programs that create opportunities for Wyoming’s girls through education or mentoring curriculum. Funds provided to these organizations will strengthen Wyoming’s communities economically and give women and girls the tools to succeed.” For a list of all the 2011 grantees please go to the Wyoming Women’s Foundation website at www.wywf.org.
sufficiency and access to opportunities for women and girls in Wyoming by raising funds, making grants, advocating for change and providing leadership. It is an endowed fund of the Wyoming Community Foundation. For information call 307721-8300 or visit the Wyoming Women’s Foundation website at www.wywf.org.
The Wyoming Women’s Foundation supports economic self-
Sunday November 27, 2011 The Glenrock Bird Page 4
Cutting Saturday Delivery No Answer to Postal Dilemma By DONALD J. HALL JR. To ensure its future the United States Postal Service (USPS) must do more than seek shortterm fixes to its long-term financial problems. Year after year, the United States Postal Service continues to raise postal rates to cover its growing expenses without adequately addressing its significant underlying organizational and operational issues. Instead it is offering to cut service by eliminating Saturday mail delivery. These are complex problems requiring a comprehensive plan. Cuts in delivery service should be last on the list of considerations. Projected short-term cost savings from delivery cuts are minuscule in the context of the systemic change required and would only accelerate the decline in mail volume and revenue in the long term. It is difficult to find any business that would choose to increase prices and reduce service as a path to sustainability, yet this is precisely what the Postal Service is recommending. A healthy Postal Service is vital to Americans who depend on timely, affordable, reliable mail delivery. The dual strategy of raising rates while cutting Saturday delivery is no way to sustain customer loyalty or encourage use of mail. It also overlooks the dependence many — including small businesses and rural
customers — have on six-day delivery. According to research from the Postal Regulatory Commission, an agency that provides oversight of postal rate and service changes, the actual savings to ending Saturday delivery would be only about half what is estimated. The Commission also found that customers in rural and remote areas would be especially hard hit because their mail delivery would take longer, and that small businesses and other first-class mail customers who depend on timely delivery would be affected far more than bulk mailers. Of course, change clearly is needed, but there are more substantive steps that can be taken before cutting Saturday delivery to eliminate inefficiencies and achieve a sustainable solution to the fiscal dilemma. A reasonable funding plan for pension accounts, and especially retiree health benefit accounts, is one. Addressing excess capacity and associated costs are necessary as well. According to the most recent report of the Office of Inspector General, the Postal Service has nearly twice the capacity it needs in its 260 processing and distribution centers to maintain quality service. Excess capacity at this level is something no
business could sustain and is a major factor in continued rate increases. Because wages and benefits make up more than 80 percent of expenses, postal management and union leaders must work together to find viable ways to manage these costs.
It is important to remember that the Postal Service is an independent entity and expected to operate as a business. It is fully paid for by postal customers and receives no public funding — a critical distinction that often is misunderstood. I value postal employees, the work they do and the important role their service plays in our nation’s economy. To ensure its continuation, the service must address its underlying organizational and operational issues. Reducing delivery service to customers instead will only further jeopardize its future. Donald J. Hall Jr. is president and CEO of Hallmark Cards Inc., headquartered in Kansas City, Mo.
Red Tape Decreases Care, Increases Bureaucracy.
A recent USA Today article titled “Health Care Jobs Grow… In Administration” highlights how the health care law forces providers to lay off caregivers so they can hire more clerks and administrators. A recent Washington Post article by George Will titled “Choking on Obamacare” talks about how the law’s crushing mandates are keeping businesses like Carl’s Jr. from hiring new workers. Excerpts of Senator Barrasso’s remarks on the floor of the U.S. Senate:
“So here's a hospital, 5% of the work force is cut—many of those workers, nurses and other caregivers. Yet in spite of the fact they've had to cut, eliminate 5% of the work force, they're actually still hiring. “Well, how can that be? Let's listen to what the hospital's vice president, Mark Whitney said, ‘we need to deal with new technology, new services, new regulations, electronic health records, government reporting requirements on quality.’ “A lot of this is related to the new federal health law. So they're eliminating nursing positions, positions of caregivers and hiring more people to push paper. Washington Post article: “Choking on Obamacare”
“The health care law was supposed to actually work to get more doctors and more nurses and more x-ray techs and physical therapists to take care of patient—but that's not what happened.
The article talks about the health care law's crushing insurance mandates and how those influence those small and large businesses in terms of their willingness to actually hire new workers.
“Now we see its administrative jobs that are up, not caregiver jobs.
“In the article they use the example of the restaurants ‘Carl’s Jr.’. There are about 3,200 of those around the country and the parent company says that they have created about 70,000 jobs and they want to hire more workers.
“As a matter of fact the USA Today printed an article, and the article actually talked about a New Hampshire hospital, and that hospital according to the article was forced to eliminate 5% of its work force.
“But the C.E.O. of the company, Andy Pudzder, says they can't hire more workers because they don't know how much they will
Dear Secretary Salazar; You and I have met. The photo here shows you and I shaking hands in the small western Montana town of Ovando.
chery gear, fishing tackle and other similar outdoor products. He says the money was literally stolen from the PittmanRobertson Funds that, by law, are to be used exclusively for funding wildlife habitat and
In short, the solution to the financial crisis will not be found in failing to adequately serve small towns in remote areas. It’s about the need to address major structural issues embedded deep within the business model itself.
Obamacare: Fires Caregivers, Hires Clerks and Administrators
Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) discussed two recent articles that show how the President’s health care law decreases care and jobs across America.
Dear Secretary Salazar;
need to spend on health care. “But thanks to the health care law's complex formulas and many regulations which have not yet been released, and many of the uncertainties that continue to exist, this is a company that's going to have to guess about how much they'll need to spend on health care. “Well, they're guessing they're going to have to spend about twice the amount of money on health care as they did building new restaurants last year. “It doesn't take a lot to realize that hindering a company's ability to build new restaurants means fewer available jobs, construction workers, service suppliers, in a struggling economy.”
Toby Bridges (right) and Sec. Salazar meeting in Ovando, Montana.
During your visit to the “Crown of the Continent” this past summer, you stopped in Ovando to address a small crowd there to greet you, and to welcome you to the area. You praised conservation efforts in the area to save several wildlife species. However, you totally failed to address a very serious wildlife conservation disaster – the extremely negative impact USFWS transplanted non-native wolves are having on elk, moose, deer and other big game populations right in that same exact area.
fisheries improvement.
I was the one who dared to show up packing a wolf protest sign. If you remember, the sign read “Thank You U.S.F.W.S. – Non-Native Canadian Wolves!” I know that you read the sign.
If this is true, why isn’t former USFWS Director Jamie Rappaport Clark serving time behind bars? I’ve heard that she even used some of the stolen money to hand out bonuses to USFWS staffers, including herself.
When you were appointed Secretary of the Interior, you certainly inherited a lot of tainted USFWS baggage, especially with the wolf problem. The sportsmen of the Northern Rockies have grown weary of watching wolves destroy the past 75 to 100 years of wildlife restoration. The very area you visited in the Blackfoot River and Clearwater River drainages has seen elk populations plummet by 80+ percent, deer numbers cut in half, and moose nearly wiped out by wolves that USFWS wrongly dumped into western Montana, most of Idaho, and northwestern Wyoming. Those who have footed the bill for wildlife conservation in the Northern Rockies have a lot of questions, and I hope you are man enough to provide some very honest answers. Probably the number one question plaguing the Northern Rockies Wolf Recovery Project has been, “Where did the funding for this fiasco come from?” I and many others have spent countless hours on the internet researching every aspect of this project, and we have not been able to find where Congress ever authorized such funding. One reasonably high ranking former USFWS staffer claims that the money was embezzled from the excise tax dollars that sportsmen pay on the purchases of firearms, ammunition, ar-
Several other former USFWS staffers have said the same thing. They’ve claimed that among the various illegal uses of the $45- to $65-million stolen from these funds, USFWS covered the costs of trapping wolves in Canada… used the money for transporting them into this country… for construction of elaborate holding compounds …and for covering the salaries of those USFWS employees assigned to work on this project.
Why did USFWS choose to transplant Canadian wolves (Canis lupus occidentalis) as replacement wolves for the native wolf (Canis lupus irremotus) of the Northern Rockies? Sure, we’ve heard the claims that ALL gray wolves are the same. Hogwash! There’s a reason why earlier taxonomists recognized 24 subspecies of wolves in North America – and that’s because they had different characteristics, different physical features, or different instinctive habits. For USFWS to simply lump ALL gray wolves together and claim they are ALL the same establishes a very dangerous precedence. What keeps them from doing the same thing with other species/subspecies? Using the same illogical logic, then the Sonoran pronghorn can easily be “unendangered” by simply trucking down a few thousand pronghorn from Wyoming. Likewise, the threatened Florida Keys deer can easily be saved by transplanting thousands of whitetails from Iowa or Illinois, where there’s an overabundance. So what if they’re a bit larger subspecies? That sure didn’t stop USFWS when it comes to wolves, now did it? It’s extremely evident why USFWS took this route. First, the large number of wolves in Canada sure made their job easier when it came to sourcing wolves for the project. Secondly, it allowed overzeal-
ous USFWS “wolf experts” to greatly accelerate saturating the Northern Rockies with the aggressive apex predators. The manner in which the agency manipulated science, and replaced one subspecies with another, is a violation of the Endangered Species Act itself. The residents of the affected region are extremely suspect of the real number of Canadian wolves transplanted where they never ever inhabited before. Was Northern Rockies Wolf Recovery Project coordinator Ed Bangs given carte blanche power with this project? Try as hard as one may, the mandatory USFWS Form No. 3-177 that is to be completed and filed for every wildlife shipment into the U.S. cannot be found for the wolves flown in from Canada. Without those forms, there is no verification of the number of wolves imported…where they all came from…the subspecies of the wolves…or the cost of the shipments. In other words, there’s no paper trail. Who qualified the “wolf experts” chosen to compile the Northern Rockies Wolf Recovery Plan, and to compile the 1994 Environmental Impact Statement for this project that was submitted by USFWS? I personally have spent hundreds of hours mulling through these two official documents, and one thing is very, very clear. And that is what the so-called “experts” claimed, predicted, forecasted, and stated as “fact” was far from the wolf impact we are now realizing. When the time is taken to compare what was outlined in those two Wolf Recovery Project documents to what has happened and continues to happen, it’s easy to see that those experts missed by a country mile. Likewise, those experts failed to address a number of other negative issues wolves bring to an ecosystem. Their plan and their EIS were far from complete – or correct. Was this an oversight on their part? Could it be that they were not qualified for assessing the impact wolves would have on the Northern Rockies? Or, were these documents just more of the lies, deceit and secrecy surrounding the introduction of non-native wolves here? Has USFWS turned against the sportsmen of this country, and now sides with the radical environmental groups? There are still far too many unanswered questions surrounding the idiocy of allowing wolves to destroy what took nearly a century to rebuild. This is a building firestorm that has already ruined any trust that sportsmen have in USFWS. As we near the 2012 elections, things are sure to erupt. Toby Bridges LOBO WATCH
Sunday November 27, 2011 The Glenrock Bird Page 5
The Song of the Ol’ Nighthawk The cattle now are bedded; they’re settled for the night. A northern breeze is blowing; the fire, flickering bright.
TJ Casey is a singer/ songwriter, storyteller, composer and entertainer. He was raised up on ranches in Wyoming and Montana and now teaches the "Code of the West" and poetry to students all across America. Check him out at: www.tjcasey.net.
Cowboys in their bedrolls; too tired now to talk. You hear the sound of an old cow horse and the song of the ol’ nighthawk. Hush now cattle; sleep all night. Tomorrow you’ll trail with the sun shinin’ bright. Settle down dogies; everything is alright. You’ll be on the trail with the first morning’s light. Clouds are now a buildin’; no stars twinklin’ in the sky. A last coyote’s howlin’ with the wailin’ wind and sighs.
Camp cook’s cursin’ growlin’ at swirlin’ dust in his sourdugh crock. Cattle nervous restless bawlin’ and the song of the ol nighthawk. Lightning starts to flashin’; thunder booming in the air. Cattle up and millin’; cowboys cursin’ everywhere. Cow boss is a wailin’; boys saddle that stock. You can hear the hooves clatter and the song of the ol’ nighthawk. The storm is all over it lasted all night . The cattle and the cowboys are tired, but alright. No cattle stampeded. Not one took a walk; on account of the cowboys and the song of the ol’ nighthawk.
Old West Cowboy Recipe for: Hardtack Every cowboy had some in his saddlebags
Dear Sassy, My boss caught me on facebook the other day. I got a WRITTEN warning. I should have known better because there are stupid postings all over our office building reminding all of us that we are NOT ALLOWED to utilize facebook during work hours. Well, my question is this.... I WAS USING IT ON MY PHONE so whats the big deal? Its not like I was using it on the work computer? And a WRITTEN WARNING? You can only get so many and then you are FIRED. Isnt it freedom of speech (I guess) to be able to use my own device at work so long as I'm not bothering anybody while doing it? I just think its unfair and I'd like to hear what you have to say about it Sassy. Is it fair for my boss to give me a written warning because he caught me on facebook on my OWN PHONE?????? While it was during work hours, it wasn't like I was surfing xxx sites! Hope you will respond. Not that it will change anything. But your response might at least make me feel better? Jennifer in Mills
- 2 cups stone ground flour
Ok Jennifer,
- 1 cup water
Please tell me you are 18 years of age and this is your first job. Seriously? First of all, Freedom of Speech: Go google that ammendment and re-read it. Secondly, whether you are in the storage room at work taking a nap or doing facebook on your cell, its the same thing. You are not doing the job you are being paid to do. Let me spell that out for you: You are being paid to work. Period. There is no room in any workplace for a person HIRED to do a JOB to do anything but what their job description describes. I would be willing to be bet your facility also has a cell phone policy in which you are more than likely breaking as well. Cell phones are to be used on breaks and lunch. So park your phone in your purse, get your attitude in check and get to work. And remember to please re-read those ammendments.
Combine the flour and water. Knead until smooth. Sprinkle some flour on a smooth surface and roll the dough flat until it is 1/4 inch thick. Cut biscuits out with a can or a glass making each biscuit about 3-4 inches in diameter. Poke holes into each biscuit with a fork. Place on a floured cookie sheet. Cook at moderately high temperature until done, about 35-45 minutes. It should come out hard and dry.
Keep me posted, Sassy. Sassy@thgelenrockbird.com
Stay warm and wattsmart this winter. We spend more time indoors during the winter, meaning it costs more to light and heat our homes. Fortunately, Rocky Mountain Power offers a variety of energy-saving ideas to keep your home comfy, cozy and efficient. It’s what the company calls being wattsmart. One of the easiest ways to save energy and money during the winter is turning the heat down. Set your thermostat to 68˚F when you’re home and 60˚F while you’re asleep or away. You can also buy a programmable thermostat, which will automatically adjust the temperature during the day. Additionally, make sure your furnace is working properly. Remember to clean or replace furnace filters every month during the winter. A dirty filter reduces air flow and makes your furnace work harder. Sealing leaky ducts will also make your furnace run more efficiently. Finally, check to see if your furniture is blocking heating vents, registers, baseboards, radiators or hot air returns. Even the best furnace in the
world won’t keep your home warm and comfortable without enough insulation. Make sure there are at least six inches of insulation in your attic as well as plenty in your walls and floors. Always check the R-value of the insulation to ensure its quality. Do everything you can to prevent heat loss, including covering drafty windows, installing door sweeps, weather stripping doors and caulking around window frames. While heating your home efficiently is important, there are lots of other ways to be wattsmart during the winter. For example, insulating your hot water pipes and setting the water heater to 120˚F can help lower water-heating costs. Do all the little things to save energy, such as closing the fridge, turning off TVs, computers and other electronics when not in use and installing high-efficiency CFL bulbs. You’ll spend a lot of time indoors this winter, so make a few simple changes to save energy and money by being wattsmart. For more energy-saving ideas, please visit wattsmart.com, or call toll free at 1-888-221-7070.
Sunday November 27, 2011 The Glenrock Bird Page 6
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