Sunday, December 16, 2012
Volume 6 Issue 12 Proud Member of the Associated Press
PRST STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE PAID EDDM Retail
Christmas is in the Air Folks! Here’s a Smidgin’ of Some Holiday Cheer from Here, There and Everywhere!
Community Message Board
Glenrock High School Wrestling Team Begins New Season
G-Rock Holiday Sanitation Collection Schedule
Tammy Taylor (TBC)
The Town of Rolling Hills - Where the deer and Antelope really do play! If you haven’t done so already, check out the Town of Rolling Hills great website. Chock full of information so be sure and check it out: www.rollinghillswy.org
Meetings in Glenrock Where: The Senior Center East Door (thrift store entrance.) When: Monday nights from 7pm - 8pm
Those individuals whose trash is normally collected on Tuesday December 25 and January 1 will be collected on Wednesday December 26 and January 2.
The Glenrock high school wrestling team started out the season with a new theme: Family. Head coach, Nic Dillon decided on the new theme, explaining in the parent orientation that successful wrestling involves family. Teammates become family, but also he wanted to emphasize the importance of a wrestler’s family being involved and feeling a part of the season.
Thank You Glenrock Public Works
WY Snowpack Down Slightly On Average Taylor Yinling - Photo (TBC) Tammy Taylor
American Legion Jessie Martin Post # 9
(AP) — Total snowfall in Wyoming this season is slightly below average — but the real snow picture depends where you are.
snowy winter. But the NRCS says the southeastern part of Wyoming is severely lacking snowfall The Snake River drainage basin in northwestern Wyoming is 121 percent of the 1981-2010 median and the Belle Fourche drainage basin in the northeast is 36 percent.
The Natural Resources Conservation Service says that the actual snow picture depends on the region within Wyoming.
American Legion Jessie Martin Post # 9 is a non-profit organization in Glenrock. They can be reached at #307-436-4908 or m1f1w111@ yahoo.com
American Red Cross
American Red Cross has a local office located in Casper WY. They are located at 318 West “B” Street and can be reached at #307-2378436, Fax#307-265-0324, or emailed to wilkinsonh@usa.redcross. org. Their web page is www.wyomingredcross.org. Like them on Facebook.
The northwestern part of Wyoming is on track for a normal,
Glenrock Library News Kayira be!! Hello in Mandinka from the library! Visit our Mango Foreign Language database on line. 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 and it’s free!! Come in and find out how to get connected. I looked at the calendar and while I was taking a deep breath, I realized that we have seen the last week of autumn come to a close. Now we are entering our Christmas season, let’s make this season a memorable one. The library’s “mitten tree” has been put up. Please bring mittens, hats, or scarves to decorate the tree. We will be handing over all of the donations to the Senior Center to distribute to who needs them in our community.
by Chris Van Allsburg. Santa will be making a visit. There will be refreshments served!! All are welcome to join in! For Read Me A Story: December 1- December 8: How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss. December 8-December 15: The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg. Pick up the phone and dial 4362353 to listen to a great 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 436-8525. Be sure to “friend” us on Facebook!! Just look up Glenrock Library. Check out the 3m Cloud audio library with your library card!
One important date to remember, December 8, 2012 from 11:00- 12:00!! That’s the date set for our Christmas party. Lorie Hinton will be here reading her favorite Christmas story, The Polar Express
Community Baptist Church, 301 S 2nd St, Glenrock, Regular Information: Worship service 10:30 AM Sundays, nursery provided. Sunday School 9:00 AM. Every month: open communion first Sunday, potluck last Sunday at noon. Info: 436-9091. Church of Christ, acappella, 420 S 2nd St - worship service communion 10:00, sermon 10:15 Sundays; Bible study Wed, 6 PM. Assembly of God, 201 N 3rd St - 10:00 Sundays. Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, 939 W Birch St Regular Info: worship service with communion 8:30 AM Sundays, children's Sunday School after service; Bible study Mon 7 PM, 10 AM Wed.
Tanner Kelley of GHS. Photo (TBC) Tammy Taylor
Garrett Reid - Photo (TBC) Tammy Taylor
Along with the new theme, Dillon made some changes to the schedule, opting for more challenging tournaments. In the past, the season has typically started out with a tournament in Yoder, Wyoming, but on December 1st Dillon only sent a handful of wrestlers to Yoder and the varsity team headed to Torrington in order to see some tougher competition. In Torrington, the Herders won two of the duals, beating Gering, Nebraska and Morrill, Nebraska, but fell to Torrington, Cheyenne South and Scottsbluff, which are all bigger teams and were able to fill almost all their weight classes. Despite the losses, Dillon was pleased with the opportunity to be able to match up with some out-of-state teams, as well as tougher teams such as Torrington.
ticipated in the Lusk Invitational on Friday, December 7th and Saturday, December 8th. They wrestled well, ending up with a second place finish as a team. Taylor Yingling and Jackson Taylor took home individual championships, with Garrett Williams earning second place and Jordan McClintick winning third. Fourth place winners included Casey Leinweber, Tanner Kelley and Garrett Reid. Glenrock heads to their last tournament before Christmas break, at Cheyenne South Saturday the 15th. Over the holidays, the Herders will be gearing up for the toughest wrestling they have seen on the schedule this season, the Shane Shatto tournament in Douglas on January 4th and 5th.
Glenrock Wrestling Coach Don Flynn recipient of the Lund Award was extremely happy to be honored. "I was very surprised. I didn't expect it , had no idea they put me in for it. I'm very thankful and honored to receive the Lund Award," said Don Flynn. Photos Jo Yingling Courtesy Paula Flynn
Glenrock Vehicle Stolen - Later Located Info Sought Between the late hours on December 6th and the early hours on December 7th, a white four door Ponitac was allegedly stolen from a resident on 4th street in Glenrock.
On December 4th, the Herders headed to Douglas to dual the Bearcats as well as Buffalo. Glenrock defeated the Bison but
Reportedly, the vehicle was later located at a bar, 15 minutes after the initial call went in to dispatch.
lost the dual against Douglas.
The Glenrock Police department is investigating the incident. If anyone has any in-
The Herders most recently par-
formation about this incident, please contact the Glenrock Police Department at 436-2777 or contact Crime Stoppers at 307436-9000. The Glenrock Police Department would like to remind all residents to secure their vehicles and keep keys in a separately secured location.
Church of the Resurrection, 506 W Birch St - worship service 8:30 AM Sundays. St. Louis Catholic Church, 601 S 5th St: Regular Information: Mass Sat 5:30 PM, Sunday 9 AM and 7 PM. For more information, call 436-9529 Glenrock Baptist Church, a Bible-believing New Testament Church, 125 N 7th St - Sunday Bible study 9:45 AM, Sunday morning service 11 AM, Sunday potluck 12:30 PM, Sunday afternoon service 2 PM, Wed evening service 7 PM. Les Potter, 3153218. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 219 Lookout Dr, 4362217. Sacrament meeting, Sunday, 9:00 AM. Visitors welcome. Sunday School, 10:10. Glenrock First Southern Baptist Chapel, 485 E Birch St, 2516688. Sunday services 10:45 AM and 6:00 PM; Sunday School 9:30 AM; youth at Boys and Girls Club 5:30 PM. Tuesday Men's Bible Study at Rec Center 6:30 PM. Wed service 7:00 PM. Christ Episcopal Church, 415 W Cedar St, 436-8804; Summer schedule: Sunday worship service with communion, 10:45; NO Bible study or Sunday School. Sunday Service for Christ Episcopal Church 9:30 AM with Sunday School convening at the same time. Confirmation classes are being held after the service.
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525 E. Birch St. • Glenrock, Wyoming • 307-436-8838
Sunday December 16, 2012 The Glenrock Bird Page 2
Rolling Hills Residents Shorthorn Association Newest Members
Local Resident becomes Member of the ASA The American Shorthorn Association (ASA) is proud to announce the recent membership of Big M Show Cattle from Glenrock, Wy. The owners of Big M are Brad, Devonie, Bailey and Austin Mueller The mission of the ASA is to provide quality service and support to its members by promoting the value of Shorthorn cattle in all aspects of the beef industry, while maintaining the integrity of the herd book and performance database. The ASA is headquartered in Omaha, Neb., and was founded in 1872 with herd book records going back to 1822.
Association promotes personal development through youth activities and educational events. The AJSA is dedicated to the betterment of its members, promotes valuable skills, and fosters friendships that will last a lifetime. To learn more, contact the ASA office or visit www. shorthorn.org or www.juniorshorthorn.com. Devonie Mueller is the Mayor of the Town of Rolling Hills and stated “We do own Big M Show Cattle and are super excited to compete at the Denver Stock Show this year with 3 calves” Well, we’re super excited for you, Mayor Mueller and family.
As one of the oldest American breed associations, the ASA provides services for more than 6,000 junior and senior members who register nearly 15,000 cattle annually. The American Junior Shorthorn
Sunday December 16, 2012 The Glenrock Bird Page 3
Apartment For Rent In Glenrock 2 Bedroom Apt. $550/ month, $500 Deposit, 201 Boxelder Trail #4. Laundry Hook ups, Dishwasher, Off Street Parking Call Commercial Services - 234-7179
Purple Christmas As she lit the purple candle, Lily said, “Mommy, tell me about grandma again.” Cindy sat down at the dining room table, looking at the candle and said, “When I was just about three years older than you are now, I was at a friend’s house at Christmas. Everything was decorated in reds and greens. And I told my friend, your Aunt Gracie, that in our house, we decorated in purple for Christmas. Aunt Gracie just didn’t believe me, so we went to our house and there was your grandma putting out the wreath with purple ribbons on the door. As Gracie watched, my mom put the purple balls on the tree, and lit the candelabra with six long tapered candles in it. Also purple. “Gracie was so surprised; she had never seen so many purple decorations before. But your grandma just kept pulling out more and more purple things from the Christmas box. A little wooden manger scene that she had spray-painted, the cotton tree skirt – that used to be white – now purple, the Santa figurine sitting in a purple sleigh, the strands upon strands of lights – each one purple. “Grandma used to sing while she put everything out, her favorite Christmas carol was “Silver Bells” because it was your grandpa’s favorite song many years ago. She loved to sing that song; she would echo the phrases, like the choir does when that song is a part of the Christmas program at church. Each time the chorus would come around, she would get louder and louder. She told me that my dad, your grandpa, always said, ‘Anything worth singing is worth making sure someone can hear you!’ When Gracie left, she told everyone that we had a purple Christmas and it almost became a tradition at church. Every time someone found a new ornament that was purple, they bought it and gave it to your grandma. “There were many different shades of purple. Some of the things were very old; grandma bought those years before, right after grandpa died. She decided that first Christmas that she was going to be different than everyone else. And purple was how she was going to be different. She had sheet music that she put out on the piano for show – with faded purple covers. There were three pillows that she put on the couch, they didn’t match the blue sofa, but she didn’t care. A purple welcome mat, which had faded to almost light blue with age, but grandma knew it started out as purple and that’s all that mattered. There was the big glass bowl that was filled up with purple marbles, sitting right in the middle of the coffee table. I remember when my brother, your Uncle Jerry, was four years old, he got a handful of those marbles and started to put them in his mouth. I never saw your grandma move so fast! She grabbed those marbles from him and moved the bowl to the top of the bookcase that year. When he was about seven, like you, she put it back on the coffee table. After all, it was only the first year for the purple Christmas, when Jerry was four. It was a hard Christmas for grandma; she missed your grandpa so much. With me and Jerry to raise by herself, it wasn’t very easy. In those days, mommas stayed home when the men went to work. Fortunately, she ended up taking the secretary job at church – running the bulletin every week and typing letters for the preacher. We used to help fold the bulletins, I still remember how the mimeograph ink smelled! “Four years ago, when your grandma went to heaven, Uncle Jerry and I agreed to take turns with the purple Christmas box. This year is my turn. “Now that you are seven, you get to take out the last item from the box and put it on the tree.” With that, Lily reached into the big box and brought out a black display case. As she opened it and removed the Purple Heart, Cindy touched her fingers to her lips, then to the medal. She began singing “Silver Bells" as her daughter placed the medal on the tree.
Cowboy Code
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.
Gathered steers on the old red river; loaded cars in Omaha. The northern wind sure made him shiver on the stage at Tonopah.
He knew every town and brothel; every hotel and saloon. Every place to bed the cattle and when to travel by the light of moon.
He stepped aboard the horse he bought at the livery down town; then he rode on back to Texas to buy a piece of ground.
He was loyal and honest and trusted by the men that owned the herd. They shake of his hand and the look in his eye said “he’d” die to keep his word.”
Was the peak of the cattle gather by the time that he got home. He hired on the (4*6) 6666’s wagon, from there, began to roam. Five times, up north he gandered ‘fore they made him trail boss; by then, he knew every single man and the name of every hoss. He knew every river crossing from Texas to ol’ Montan; and every place an outlaw lingered all the way up the Rio Grande.
Now folks? That there’s a cowboy, it’s the way we are today; and we wouldn’t change our ethics for a double raise in pay. Its cowboy pride, folks, and integrity our hearts and souls in this western land. We’ll always live by the cowboy code, and ride for the Masters brand.
Sassy, We get a lot of kids coming to our house for donations for their school. I feel like they should be offering something for the money they are asking for, for instance when I was in school a long time ago, the football team would offer to shovel driveways or the cheer-leaders would have a car wash . Seems nowadays they just knock on doors and ask for money. Im from Boston and thats how we did it. What are your thoughts? Ms. Boston MS BOSTON, Amen sister!!! These days it's just want, want, want, and give, give, give. It's almost like this generation has a sense of entitlement. I'm baffled. With the economy as it is nobody wants magazines by the hundreds, pretzels, cookie dough, etc. But I know I sure would like my driveway shoveled, or yard raked. You make a great point. Sometimes change is not for the better and maybe schools and organizations should do it the old fashioned way again. Thanks for the question and Merry Christmas!!
Sunday December 16, 2012 The Glenrock Bird Page 4
Kathleen Ann Lind Funeral services for Kathleen Ann Lind, 53, will be held at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, December 13, 2012 at the Douglas Baptist Church in Douglas, Wyoming with Pastor Randy Gregory officiating. Kathy Lind a former resident of Douglas died Monday, December 3, 2012 at the Saint Francis Hospital in Shakopee, Minnesota. Kathy was born March 15, 1959 in Shakopee, Minnesota the daughter of Robert Frances and Mildred Alice (Lauer) White. She was reared and educated in Shakopee and graduated from high school in 1979. She was married to Keith Lind on September 30, 1978 in Shakopee. They moved to Douglas in the summer of 1979. She worked as a secretary at the Douglas High School. In 1986 she opened up an in home daycare, and closed it up in 1993. Kathy own and operated a cleaning business, worked for Hallmark, and Pepsi products until her accident in June, 2004. Kathy has been cared for by her family in Minnesota these past few years. She is survived by her children, Kelly (Joshua) Johnson and Kenny Lind both of Douglas; grandchildren, Braiden and Blaine Johnson of Douglas; ex-husband, Keith Lind of Wright, Wyoming; siblings, Robert D. White of Shakopee, Louisa
(Ernie) Johnson of Mound, Minnesota, Mary White of Shakopee, Paul (Dawn) White of Carver, Minnesota, Ann (Mark) Lemke of Watertown, Minnesota, Lara (Alan) Malecha of Lonsdale, Minnesota, and John White of Shakopee; and numerous nieces and nephews. Kathy was preceded in death by her parents and nephew, Michael White. Serving as pallbearers will be Carol Fenner, Cari Goossen, Deanna McLean, and Lisa Brooks. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be all of her day care kids. A memorial to the Kathleen A. Lind Memorial Fund in care of Converse County Bank, P.O. Box 689, Douglas, Wyoming 82633 would be appreciated by the family. Gorman Funeral Home – Converse Chapel of Douglas is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family at gormanfh.com
Obituaries
Sibyl June (Bruner) Prager Sibyl June Prager passed away Monday, December 5, 2012, in Casper at the Wyoming Medical Center, at the age of 88 years. Funeral services will be held 2 p.m. Monday, December 10, 2012 with Pastor Donnie Holt at First United Methodist Church in Douglas, Wyoming. Dr. Kent Sundell will offer the eulogy. Interment will follow in Douglas Park Cemetery. Sibyl was born May 9, 1924 at the home of her parents, Ferris Bruce and Mary Kathryn (Dunn) Bruner. The Bruner home, located in the LaBonte community south of Douglas, Wyoming, brimmed with three generations of family, including up to three grandparents on occasion. As a child, Sibyl helped herd sheep and rode a horse to gather the draft horses and milk cows. She loved to hunt beads and arrowheads, and sing as she chorded on the old guitar. She attended the Black Bridge Grade School, where she completed the required work in seven, rather than the usual eight, years. She excelled in spelling. Sibyl then lived in Douglas during four terms at Douglas High School. She played the tenor saxophone in the band, and graduated in 1941, with honors in typing and shorthand. She worked as an usher at the Princess Theatre and as a clerk in the county court house. During those years, her
Shane Michael Huseby Funeral services for Shane Michael Huseby, 31, were held at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, December 6, 2012 at the Gorman Funeral Homes – Converse Chapel in Douglas, Wyoming with Pastor Al Seadore from the Glendo Community Church officiating. Interment was held at the Horseshoe Cemetery near Glendo, Wyoming. Shane Huseby of Douglas died Thursday, November 29, 2012 at his home. Shane was born January 3, 1981 the son of Thayne Daryl and Teresa N. (Weiss) Huseby in Spokane, Washington. Shane grew up on ranches in Augusta, Deer Lodge, and Dell, Montana. He worked as a cowboy and ranch hand with his family in Dell most of his adult life and the last two years lived in Douglas and worked in the oil field. Shane loved ranch roping, hunting, fishing and loved to spend
time with his family and friends. Shane was also a marksman in Archery. He is survived by his mother and father, Teresa and Thayne Huseby of Glendo, Wy o m i n g ; brothers, Daryl Huseby of Douglas and Photo courtesy Gorman Funeral Home Tyler Huseby of Casper, A memorial to the Laramie Wy o m i n g ; grandmother, Barbara Weiss of Peak Animal Shelter, P.O. Box Maryland; grandfather Orvia 463, Douglas, Wyoming 82633 Huseby of Billings, Montana; would be appreciated by the many uncles, aunts and cousins. family. Serving as pallbearers were Gorman Funeral Home – ConTyler Huseby, Daryl Huseby, verse Chapel of Douglas was in Steve Huseby, Jared Huseby, charge of the arrangements. Troy Gear, Richard Pearsons and Russ Smith.
brother, Charles, bought a piano accordion for her, and she began playing for dances with her Dad and her brother, Archie. She was also a very good dancer, and it was not unusual to have several young men awaiting their turn on the dance floor with her. One night in 1939, in the old dance hall at Esterbrook, one young man asked her to dance. She had too many dances promised, so she turned him down. Lawrence Prager’s persistence prevailed, however, and soon he was not only dancing with her, but also playing drums in her family’s band, known as the LaBonte Quartet. On September 28, 1941, Sibyl and Lawrence were married at the Bruner Ranch. They lived on his family’s ranch, located in an extremely remote area of northern Albany County, four miles west of Laramie Peak. Her new brother-in-law, David Prager, teased her, suggesting that they could use her pancakes to chink the logs of the dilapidated house they were renovating. The newlyweds continued playing for area dances. One winter night, they rode horseback six miles through deep snow and cold, to play for a dance. He carried his banjo, and she hung on one side of her saddle, while her accordion balanced on the other. During Lawrence’s service in the United States Navy, 1944—46, she followed him to California, and worked as a typist in the Navy Supply Depot. Upon their return to the Prager Ranch, they lived in his mother’s tiny homestead cabin four years, while Lawrence did major interior remodeling in their house. In 1948, she became a mother, just in time for the Blizzard of ’49. Her biggest challenge during those six weeks was to keep Barbara from freezing to death. In 1950, they moved back into the house. Her family responsibility increased, with the births of Rita, Larry and Norman. Electricity’s arrival in 1954 made her homemaker’s job easier. The Prager’s began operating an outfitting service for deer and antelope hunting, for the next twenty years. She cooked meals for up to 35 people in her relatively primitive kitchen. To accomplish this, she bought groceries by the station wagon-load, and often changed at least one flat tire during the 50-mile trip back to the Prager Ranch. In 1959, her children began 4-H projects, and she oversaw all their work, as well as transported them to all the meetings. She later was a 4-H leader. As the sheep morphed into a whole-family project she learned to trim and show sheep. Her dedication to those sheep is demonstrated best by her helping lamb in January, two weeks after major surgery. In 1966, the Prager’s purchased land near Douglas, so that Sibyl could be with her three younger children as they completed their high school educations. When Larry entered FFA, he was awarded a chapter sheep flock. They drove to the donor’s pasture, where she helped lift the wild black-face ewes into our truck after the Larry and Norm caught them. She and Lawrence were the first parents in Wyoming to have more than one child receive FFA’s American Farmer Degree. In the early 1980’s, Lawrence was having trouble hiring capable hay hands. After his latest employees wrecked his Jeep, Sibyl told him to take those boys back to town, and she would learn to do the work. Soon she was baling, and also learned to run the bale piler. This she continued to do every summer through 2000. Her winter projects during these years were pursuing and recording family history. She held offices in the Converse
County’s Historical Society, Cowbells, and Farm Bureau. And she and Lawrence, along with their children, were still playing their music at the Douglas Senior Center and Esterbrook. In 2002, Sibyl and Lawrence began living year-round at their Douglas home. She devoted many hours to Lawrence’s care as his health declined, until his death on March 31, 2010. In these last years, she continued to pursue her love of bridge, playing in as many as three different groups per week, and playing the piano several times each week for the Douglas Senior Band, at the Senior Center and also at Douglas Care Center. Some of her last instructions, dictated from her hospital bed to her daughter, was the protocol for this week’s bridge game at the Senior Center! She was also preceded in death by her parents; brother, Archie Bruner; brother-in-law, David Prager; sister-in-law, Rosa Kilpatrick; brother-in-law, Alfred Kilpatrick; and nephew David Kilpatrick. Survivors include daughters Barbara (Vern) Billingsley, and Rita Prager of Douglas, sons Larry(Karen) Prager of Belle Fourche, SD, and Norman (Edwina) Prager of Douglas; grandsons Gary Cundall of Washington, DC, Ryan (Jammie) Prager of Ladera Ranch, California, Jeff (Michelle) Prager of Hoboken, New Jersey, and Kevin Prager of Traverse City, Michigan; granddaughters Kristin (Tim) Fauss of Casper, Wyoming, and Amanda Prager of El Paso, Texas; two great-grandsons and two great-granddaughters, Sydney and Ellie Prager. In addition, she is survived by her devoted brother, Charles (Mary) Bruner of Douglas; nephews, Jim (Gwen) Bruner of Dubois, Wyoming, Bill (Linda) Bruner of Wheatland, Wyoming, Philip Bruner, Roy (Sherrill) Kilpatrick of Douglas, and Tom (Linda) Bruner of Mesa, Arizona; and nieces Marie Koppa of Douglas, Carol (Chad) Miller of Ord, Nebraska, and Mary (Bruce) Fowler of Arcadia, Nebraska. Serving as pallbearers will be Jeffrey Prager, Ryan Prager, Gary Cundall, Jim Bruner, Bill Bruner and Philip Bruner. Honorary pallbearers will be the Douglas Senior Band and Bridge Friends, and all of her many friends. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully asks that memorials be sent to the Douglas Senior, Center, P.O. Box 192, Douglas, Wyoming 82633. The Gorman Funeral Homes – Converse Chapel of Douglas is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family at gormanfh.com
Clayton Eugene Russell Funeral services for Clayton Eugene Russell, 79, will be held at 10:00 A.M. Thursday, December 13, 2012 at the Glendo High School Gymnasium in Glendo, Wyoming with Jim Wilson officiating. Inurnment will be at Reader Mountain on the Russell Ranch west of Glendo. Gene Russell died Saturday, December 9, 2012 at the Wyoming Medical Center in Casper, Wyoming. Gene was born August 14, 1933 in Wheatland, Wyoming the son of Clayton Dexter and Clarissa Martina (Christiansen) Russell. Gene was reared on the Russell Ranch and received his education in the Glendo school system, and graduated from the Glendo High School in 1951. He worked his entire life on the Russell Ranch on Horseshoe Creek west of Glendo. He worked with his parents showing Hereford cattle and selling registered Hereford bulls. Gene was married to Lola M. (Nolke) Walker on January 3, 2000 in Douglas, Wyoming. He enjoyed following his grandchildren in their many activities they participated in. He was a member of the Hereford Association, life member of the Farm Bureau, was a 4-H leader in Platte County, member of the Rural Glendo Fire Department, served as the chief, and was a past member of the Platte County Hospital board. He enjoyed collecting toy tractors and working tractors. He had received the conservation award from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Gene is survived by his wife, Lola Russell, of Glendo; stepchildren, Mary Ann Simpson of Torrington, Wyoming, Dwight Walker of Glendo, Fred Walker of Ardmore, South Dakota, and David Walker of Torrington; eight grandchildren; and three great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his father, Clayton Russell, on April 18, 1987 and his mother, Clarissa Russell, on September 10, 2001. A memorial to the Glendo Ambulance Service, P.O. Box 404, Glendo, Wyoming 82213 or to the Rural Glendo Fire Department, P.O. Box 123, Glendo, Wyoming 82213 would be appreciated by the family. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Dwight Walker, Fred Walker, David Walker, Jason Walker, Todd Walker, and all of his many friends. Gorman Funeral Home – Converse Chapel of Douglas is in charge of the arrangements. Condolences may be sent to the family at gormanfh.com
Bryan Travis Bloom Funeral services for Bryan Travis Bloom, 29, will be held at 12 noon Saturday, December 8, 2012 at the Chugwater Valley Church in Chugwater, Wyoming with Pastor Mike Baber officiating. Bryan Bloom a resident of Chugwater died Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at his home. Bryan was born May 18, 1983 in San Jose, California the son of Jeffrey Kent and Viola Renee (Robbins) Bloom. He was raised and educated in Chugwater. He worked as a concrete finisher before joining Iron Workers Local 27 where he loved to work. He married Angela Dorsch on November 22, 2008 and to this union they had two girls. Some of his hobbies included hunting, fishing, willing to help others with whatever they wanted or needed, and most of all he loved his girls and family and would do anything for his family. Bryan is survived by his wife Angela Bloom of Castle Dale, Utah; his girls, Rayna and Bailey Bloom of Castle Dale; mother, Viola Bloom of Chugwater; sisters, Elizabeth Carter of Colorado, Mary Bloom of
Chugwater, and Joanna Johnson of Colorado; grandmother, Frances Robbins of Cheyenne, Wyoming; uncle, Archie Robbins of Cheyenne; aunt, Karen Bryan of Colorado; father and mother-in-law, Joel and Susan Dorsch of Utah; five nieces; four nephews; and many cousins and extended family. He is preceded in death by his father, Jeffrey K. Bloom on October 21, 2012. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Art Warren, Steve Schirmer, Paul Lovett, Paul Pesek, Daryl Lamphere, Joseph Morrison, Cole Jeffrey Bloom, Cody Redding, Dustin Johnson, Rusty McGuire, and Bob Mosley. A memorial to the Jeffrey K. and Bryan T. Bloom Memorial Fund in care of Oregon Trail Bank, P.O. Box 217, Chugwater, Wyoming 82210. The Gorman Funeral Homes – Platte Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
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Chesapeake Holds First Town Hall Meeting for Converse County Rhonda Zeller-TBC Converse County had the privilege to participate in its first Town Hall meeting with Chesapeake Energy, the Wyoming Oil and Gas Commission, the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and Converse County Commissioners. The Town Hall meeting was held at the Clarion Inn on December 4, 2012. Roughly 300 people were in attendance to hear the future of Converse County’s oil and gas production, along with having a few of the county residents’ concerns addressed.
Oil Co. Fined $22,500 Over Dead Birds
(AP) — A Denver-based oil company has been fined $22,500 for the deaths of migratory birds at a subsidiary's fluid pits in Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. SM Energy Co. pleaded guilty Wednesday to one misdemeanor count of violating the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in each state. U.S. Magistrate Carolyn Ostby also placed the company on probation for a year, fined it $7,500 on each count and ordered it to make a $7,500 payment to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. "These charges arose after a multi-year pattern of bird deaths at company sites, notification by the Fish and Wildlife Service, and failure of the defendant company's subsidiary to take reasonable measures to make the hazardous sites bird-safe," said Michael Cotter, U.S. attorney for Montana. The case dates back to 2005, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service documented deaths of a dozen migratory birds at open fluid pits at a Nance Petroleum site in Wyoming. Billings-based Nance, which later became a subsidiary of SM Energy, paid a $3,025 fine. Oil and gas mining operations use temporary "reserve pits" to store fluid accumulated during drilling operations. The pits usually contain petroleum and other chemicals harmful to birds that land in the pits and ingest or become coated with the fluid, prosecutors said. Such pits can be covered with nets to prevent birds from coming into contact with the fluid. In 2007 and 2008, USFWS agents conducting follow-up investigation at Nance Petroleum sites in Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska found dead migratory birds and reserve pits that remained uncovered or insufficiently netted. "In all these cases, the birds died as a result of contact with liquids harmful to wildlife in the pits," the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement. In 2009, Nance began to address the bird mortality at its operation sites and hired a consulting company to develop appropriate measures to reduce the hazard to migratory birds. In November of that year, Nance merged with SM Energy. SM Energy's efforts to develop a plan to reduce bird deaths and cooperate with federal wildlife officials resulted in a lesser punishment, prosecutors said. The $22,500 fine is to be paid to the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund for work benefiting migratory birds in Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska. Ostby also ordered SM Energy to continue implementing its $300,000 remediation plan to prevent future bird deaths at its drilling and storage sites. A spokesman for SM Energy did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.
CC Commissioner Mike Colling stated to the packed crowd that Chesapeake Energy will pay over$3 million in taxes to Converse County this year, making them the 4th largest tax payer in the county. Hotels, Motels and area businesses are doing well. Converse County has a shortage of housing. Our biggest hurdles during this play our roads and law enforcement; there are 600 miles of roads in Converse County. “Trying to overcome these hurdles, we’ve hired more road and bridge workers along with extra deputies,” said Colling. Jim Willox talked about a road study that was completed on Bill Hall Road in Converse County. A traffic study was done about 7 years ago and there were 8 vehicles that traveled the road in a day, at that time. Within the last 6 months a study was completed again and there was 800 vehicles traveling up and down Bill Hall Road, 650 being truck traffic meaning more than two axles. CC Commissioner Willox said, “Chesapeake came in and reshaped and graveled 12.2 miles, put in 20 new culverts, 2 new cattle gaurds and put mag water on the road. There was a public partnership that worked.” Mr. Willox also shed light onto the new Oversize/Overload Permit process that will be implemented to travel on Converse County Roads. The county is looking at implementing this process around February 1, 2013. The process will mimic the current WYDOT Permit process. Revenue from these permits will be put right back into the roads, this will also let the commissioners know if any roads are being abused. Converse County Commissioners will be releasing more details soon on the new process.
John Dill, Chesapeake Energy’s Senior Director of Corporate Development and Government Relations shed the light on Chesapeake’s role in the oil and gas play of Converse County. Chesapeake is currently the #1 driller of horizontal shale wells in the world, largest U.S. leaseholder (15 million acres leased) and the second largest U.S. natural gas producer. At this time in 2011 there were 165 rigs being operated in the United States, currently 60% of those were oil and the other 40% were natural gas. Chesapeake has 98 rigs operating in the U.S. for 2012, 89 are oil producing and 9 produce natural gas. Sandy Andrew, Chesapeake Energy’s Operations Manager for the Rocky Mountain Region addressed the crowd letting all in attendance know that at this time in Converse County there are 55 horizontal wells producing for Chesapeake, currently operating nine rigs in the Powder River Basin Niobrara Shale play. Production is just beginning to ramp up, working with the constraints of pipeline construction to get the gas to market. There five major steps in the production process; site selection and well pad preparation, drilling the well, completing the well, marketing the resources and reclaiming the site once it is no longer producing. When Chesapeake is selecting a site they take into consideration favorable geology, topography, access roads, routes for pipelines and utilities, proximity to schools or residential areas, environmental factors such as wetlands and sensitive wildlife habitat and available water source. Well pads can be located in rural
or urban areas. Pad preparation tacks roughly 2-3 weeks to construct and a typical horizontal pad requires 10-12 acres. When drilling a horizontal well there is a 90% less surface disturbance compared to the old style of drilling. Horizontal drill allows access to a larger volume of the reservoir in the deep shale. Multiple layers of protection are put in place in the well drilled in order to protect groundwater supply from the well. Mr. Andrew said, “We work 24/7, the rigs are always manned. Generally it takes 40-50 days in the drilling phase for one single well. We may be there longer on the pad if we are adding more horizontal wells. It takes 4-6 days for wellbore activity and 7-15 days for flaring. Flaring is done right after flow back.” Flaring is regulated by the Wyoming DEQ and WY OGCC. Flaring is a process used to safely dispose of natural gas in an environmentally sound way by burning it when it is not possible to capture the gas and send it to market via pipeline, “We would rather sell that gas then flare it,” said Andrew. Chesapeake’s Coordinator for Corporate Development and Government Relations, Kelsey Campbell described in detail how engaged Chesapeake is with the communities in Converse County. Chesapeake has donated over $142,000 in Wyoming for 2012. A few of the places they’ve donated to are the Boys and Girls Clubs in Douglas and Glenrock, Jackalope Days, Cowboy Christmas, Converse County Sheriff’s Department and Wyoming State Fair. Bob King, Interim Supervisor for the WY OGCC discussed the commission’s guidelines for authorization for flaring and venting of gas. “In our rule and regulations we require companies to report all well procedures and depths. A company can flare a well for 15 days of the initial flow back with-
out approval,” said King. Wells that are listed confidential all progress on the well is not confidential and can be located through the WYOGCC website or office. Director for Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Todd Parfitt stated the EPA states that 95% of all VOC’s are to burn off, Wyoming DEQ’s regulations is 98% of all VOC’s are to burn off. This means that Wyoming has a higher expectation than the EPA for clean air. Wyoming DEQ monitors water and air quality for the state of Wyoming. With water quality monitoring the look at protection of surface water and groundwater. Air Quality covers emissions. Flaring and minor source permitting. WYDEQ is looking at developing a plan for Mobile Monitoring stations to be utilized in Converse county in2013. Converse County resident Kristie Mogen voiced her concerns with being a resident right next to where the Combs Well experienced a blow out earlier this year. She is very concerned with all the hydrocarbons her and her family experienced and endured due to the blow out and flaring of area wells. Mogen stated no one her household is subjected to chemicals and shouldn’t be subjected to the liquids coming off the flaring. Kristie voiced her concern with a well being drilled next to their mailboxes and bus stop. Chesapeake’s Sandy Andrew did a wonderful job addressing Ms. Mogen’s concerns. He assured that the Combs well blow out was a very unusual event. “We know what happened and are taking great strides to assure that the public is safe,” said Mr. Andrew. “Any specific issues we can deal around your concerns we’re happy to address with you one on one.”
dressed Ms. Mogen’s concern on flaring. King stated that permits must be applied for to flare and make sure all other operations have been utilized. King believes the OGCC does a superb job in addressing these issues. Jim Willox of CC Commissioners talked about emergency procedures in case of an event where emergency responders were needed an area of devolopment. Wayne Paris, owner of Z Lazy Y Ranch commended Chesapeake on their actions during the Combs well blow out. “I was home at the time; Mike Steele called us and said they had a problem. We had cows out by the well, a sufficient amount of cows. Myself, my son and all of us were there, I don’t see any side effects on the cows or on any of us. I thought Chesapeake did a hell of a job working with us as a rancher and trying to get things back to normal as quick as they could. We had no ill effects on any of us or any of our animals. The dog is still chasing the dang cats up the tree. I thought Chesapeake did a good job in trying to take care of things,” said Mr. Paris “We appreciate those comments I wanted to echo what somebody said earlier that is, nothing in the energy world is completely without risk, we try to minimize that every chance we get,” said John Dill of Chesapeake. Bob King of WYOGCC stated the rules and regulations of the WYOGCC state that a well can be drilled within 350 feet of a dwelling. Chesapeake Energy’s future in Converse County’s oil and gas play will extend into the next few years. In 2013 they plan to have 10 rigs actively drilling at all times here. Chesapeake looks forward to having community involvement at future town hall meetings.
Bob King of WY OGCC also ad-
MeMorial Hospital of Converse County
Advanced Medicine. Hometown Care.
introducing:
Dr. Kathryn Skuza Board Certified Pediatrician/ Pediatric Endocrinologist
Dr. Skuza is a Board Certified Pediatrician from New Jersey and is new to the Memorial Hospital family. She is a graduate of Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey and of the Warsaw Medical School in Warsaw, Poland. She completed her Pediatric Residency and Pediatric Endocrinology Fellowship at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and has spent the last 20 years as an attending pediatric endocrinologist at the Children’s Hospital and University Hospitals of New Jersey. Dr. Skuza is excited to be part of Memorial Hospital and enjoys being much closer to her family and grandchildren in Rapid City, SD.
111 South 5th Street ~ Douglas, Wyoming
307-358-2122
www.ConverseHospital.com Memorial Hospital of Converse County is an equal opportunity provider.
Sunday December 16, 2012 The Glenrock Bird Page 6
Lady Antebellum Cheyenne Frontier Days Concert Canceled Two Gillette Men Plead The 12 Days Of Christmas (AP) — Lady Antebellum has Customers also can request a recanceled its July 20 concert at fund by mailing their tickets to Electrical Safety Guilty to Elk Poaching Cheyenne Frontier Days be- the CFD ticket office. Two Gillette men were recently sentenced after pleading guilty to shooting a cow elk in the wrong hunt area during a closed season.
elk was shot through both lungs and could not possibly have traveled the 7 miles onto the private land in the wrong hunt area.
Robert Golombeski, 33, and his father Mark Golombeski, 51, appeared in Converse County court on Dec. 10 to answer to charges of hunting elk in a closed season and trespass.
After thorough questioning, Robert Golombeski eventually confessed to shooting the elk in area 113.
Robert Golombeski was in possession of a general elk license for area 126. Robert said he shot and wounded a cow elk in area 126 on Nov. 30, but the animal made its way to private land in area 113, about 7 miles away, before dying. Area 113 is a limited quota area and not open to hunters with a general elk license.
He was fined $750 for hunting elk in a closed season, $220 for failing to properly tag the elk, and a total of $440 for two trespassing charges. He also lost his hunting and fishing privileges for three years. He must also pay $3,000 to the Game and Fish Department’s access fund for loss of the elk.
The two men left the elk overnight and returned to retrieve it the next morning.
Mark Golombeski was fined $750 for accessory to hunting elk in a closed season and $440 for two trespass charges, and also lost his hunting and fishing privileges for three years.
In the meantime, the landowner contacted law enforcement personnel.
Warden Boyd said the elk was confiscated and given to a needy family.
The Golombeskis were met by a deputy from the Converse County Sheriff’s Office and Game Warden Gary Boyd. Boyd said evidence showed the
Rocky Mountain Power reminds its customers and the public there are some electrical safety issues unique to the Holiday season that should be considered in preparing for upcoming festivities. "This is a season of merriment and many gatherings of families and friends," said Mike Felice, Rocky Mountain Power safety director. "Taking a few minutes to check safety measures is wise and will help ensure a festive and fun Holiday season. The following list of 12 recommendations is a good place to start." 1. Inspect all electrical decorations for damage before use. Cracked or damaged sockets, loose or bare wires and loose connections may cause a serious shock or can start a fire. 2. Do not overload electrical outlets. Overloaded electrical outlets and faulty wires are a common cause of holiday fires. Avoid overloading outlets and only plug one high-wattage appliance into each outlet. 3. Never connect more than three strings of incandescent lights. More than three strands may not only trip a circuit breaker, but also can cause a fire. 4. Check decorations for certification label. Decorations not bearing a label from an independent test-
ing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL) have not been tested for safety and could be hazardous. 5. Make sure all extension cords and electrical decorations used for outdoor decorating are marked for outdoor use. 6. If using a live tree, keep it fresh by watering daily. Dry trees are a serious fire hazard. When trimming the tree, only use noncombustible or flame-resistant materials and lights approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. 7. Use battery-operated candles in place of traditional candles. Almost half of home decoration fires are caused by traditional candles, according to the National Fire Protection Association. 8. Keep combustibles, including Christmas trees, at least three feet from heat sources. 9. Protect electrical cords from damage. To avoid shock or fire hazards, cords should never be pinched by furniture, forced into small spaces such as doors or windows, placed under rugs, located near heat sources or attached by nails or staples.
cause Hillary Scott is expecting a baby.
Scott announced her pregnancy last Friday.
CFD announced that tickets purchased for the Lady Antebellum show will be honored for the replacement show when it is announced.
It's the first child for the 26-yearold "Need You Now" singer and her husband, Chris Tyrrell.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is seeking information on two white-tailed deer killed at the Casper Country Club.
and saw a vehicle that looked out of place, heard rifle shots, or saw any other suspicious activities,” said Robin Kepple, public information specialist for the Casper Game and Fish office.
Information Sought On Deer Poached at Casper Country Club
The buck and doe were discovered on Dec. 5 but were possibly shot the night of Dec. 4. The deer were shot in an area closed to hunting. “We’re hoping to hear from anyone who might have some information on this crime. Give us a call if you were in the area on those days
Anyone with information on this crime is encouraged to call the Stop Poaching hotline at 877-WGFD-TIP. Tips may result in a reward and informants can chose to remain anonymous.
10. Stay in the kitchen when something is cooking. Unattended cooking equipment is the leading cause of home cooking fires according to NFPA. 11. Turn off, unplug and extinguish all decorations when going to sleep or leaving the house. Unattended candles are the cause of one in five home candle fires. Half of home fire deaths occur between the hours of 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. (NFPA). 12. When contemplating electronic toys for children, be sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions and warning labels. Note if the item is appropriate for the child’s age group, determine whether adult supervision is required and plan accordingly. Additional details and web links regarding these safety subjects will be posted daily on the company’s blog at www.rockymountainpower.net/blog. Wishing you all a happy (and safe) Holiday season!
Neither rain, nor snow, nor dead of night... Why should mailmen have all the fun?
© 2012 Rocky Mountain Power
Safety – both yours and ours – is our number one priority. When storms hit or unexpected power outages happen, we’re on the job no matter the time or the weather to restore electricity quickly and safely. If you experience a power outage, we want to know right away. Call us toll free at 1-877-508-5088 . To learn more and find all of our storm-ready answers, go to rockymountainpower.net/outage.
Sunday December 16, 2012 The Glenrock Bird Page 7
Wyo. US Attorney Collects $1M (AP) — Wyoming U.S. Attorney Christopher Crofts says his office collected just over $1 million in criminal and civil actions in fiscal year 2012. Of the total, about $765,000 was collected in criminal actions and some $173,000 was collected in civil actions. Additionally, the office collected
about $68,000 in criminal and civil forfeitures. U.S. Attorneys' Offices, along with the department's litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims.
Gov. Matt Mead Presents His Budget To Lawmakers (AP) — Gov. Matt Mead is telling state lawmakers that if they won't approve a 10-cent a gallon fuel tax hike to help pay for state highways they should dip into revenues from state energy production to help cover the tab. Mead addressed members of the Legislature's Joint Appropriations Committee on Monday, December 10 in Cheyenne. The committee took no action on his recommendations and plans to meet this week to consider budget issues.
Mead told lawmakers his general budget proposal would reduce state agency budgets by an average of 6.5 percent, saving more than $60 million in the coming fiscal year. Mead proposes to divert some state energy tax revenues from permanent savings toward project funding, a proposal that likely will face some opposition in the legislative session starting in January.
Wyoming Lawmakers Plan To Propose Lottery Bill
(AP) — Some Wyoming legislators are suggesting bringing Powerball to the state. A group of lawmakers plans to draft a lottery bill that would bring games like Powerball to the state and earmark proceeds for highway maintenance. Legislators have tried to pass lottery bills before with no luck. Legislators already have proposed boosting the fuel tax and motor vehicle registration fees
for highway maintenance. Supporters of the lottery bill say their legislation could provide enough money for highways that a fuel tax hike might not be needed. While Wyoming has no lottery system, Colorado to the south does. That has helped boost lottery sales at Colorado stores near the Wyoming border.
Interior Secretary Moves to Tighten Rules Over Sale of Wild Horses (AP) — Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is restricting the number of wild horses people can buy from the federal government and promises to prosecute those who sell mustangs for slaughter. Salazar's announcement comes after reports about Tom Davis, a southern Colorado livestock hauler and horse slaughter proponent who has bought more than 1,700 horses from the Bureau of Land Management since 2009. Davis' purchases account for 70 percent of BLM wild horse sales since 2009. The Gazette previously reported that the BLM sometimes contacted him to see if he'd like to buy more horses. Davis has told Colorado officials that he shipped some horses out of state, in violation of brand inspection laws. The Alamosa County district attorney is investigating the transfers. But Davis has said he honored contracts promising the animals wouldn't be slaughtered. Salazar told The Gazette in an interview (http://bit.ly/ SOnW5w ) that buyers can be prosecuted for falsifying sales applications and for indirectly selling horses to slaughter by reselling to middlemen. Salazar also said buyers will be limited to five horses every six months. Larger orders must be approved by the BLM's deputy director. The BLM oversees most of the 35,000 wild horses roaming public lands in the West. They are protected by law from slaughter.
But the agency has struggled with how to manage growing horse herds, which can double naturally within five years if left unchecked. Horses have been injected with drugs and vaccines to slow reproduction and rounded up for adoption, but the BLM currently has more horses in captivity — more than 45,000 — than are left roaming the range. A BLM investigation of Davis' purchases was transferred to the interior department's inspector general in October when it became clear that federal employees could come under scrutiny, Salazar said. "When I became aware of the magnitude of his purchases and the concerns of illegal activity I asked the BLM to open an investigation of Tom Davis," Salazar said. "If there was impropriety on the part of the BLM or on the part of BLM officials, the investigation will tell us." Salazar told The Gazette that he has had no relationship with Davis, who like Salazar lives in the San Luis Valley. The larger wild horse sales to Davis began shortly after Salazar became interior secretary. "I have never done any business with him," Salazar said. "I have never had a conversation with him."
Barrasso: IRS Auditing Americans’ Health Care “What we’re going to have as a result of the health care law is a much larger Internal Revenue Service. They’re going to have broad new powers. Powers to investigate, powers to monitor, and powers to tax the American people.” WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator John Barrasso (RWyo.) spoke about how the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will enforce the unprecedented tax increases included in the President’s health care law. Excerpts of his remarks are below: “Everyone in Washington is talking about the fiscal cliff and the tax increases that might come from that. “But today, I want to talk about something different—and those are the tax increases that are coming regardless of what happens with the fiscal cliff. And those are the tax hikes that were seeing because of President Obama’s health care law. “People who have been following this closely, know that the President’s health care law guarantees that middle class families will pay higher taxes. “The President promised repeatedly that he would not raise taxes on the middle class. “He said, ‘If you're a family making less than $250,000 a year, my plan won't raise your taxes one penny.’ He went on to say, ‘…not your income taxes, not your payroll taxes, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.’ “But once he got into office, President Obama arranged for his health care plan to be written behind closed doors, Democrats in Congress passed it, and they did it strictly along party lines. “This law included more than 20 different tax increases. These tax increases amount to more than a trillion dollars over the next 10 years. Of those, a dozen taxes specifically targeted middle class taxpayers. The most famous of course, is the individual mandate tax. “That’s the one that requires all Americans buy a government approved health insurance plan. If they don’t—for even one single month out of the year—then they have to pay the tax. “It is the tax that’s going to hit families harder than single people—and it’s going to hit the middle class harder than wealthier Americans. “By 2016, 4.7 million low and middle income households will face a tax for not buying government approved health insurance. “This leads me to another aspect of the health care law that the White House and the Democrats have not been eager to talk about. “And it’s the role specifically related to this tax—and that’s the role of the IRS, the Internal Revenue Service. “The law gives the IRS unprecedented new powers to probe into taxpayers’ lives. “Right after the election, and they waited until after the election, the Obama Administration started releasing a wave of new health care regulations. These include new rules on how the IRS plans to implement the new health care taxes. “We do know that IRS agents are going to be verifying who bought health insurance, and taxing everyone who didn’t. “We know the IRS will be doing more tax audits for health care spending. “We know the IRS will be able
to confiscate, confiscate Americans tax returns. Why? To pay for health care taxes and to assess interest and late fees on people without insurance. “We know we’re going to see an army of new IRS agents and auditors. To do what? To investigate the health insurance choices of Americans and their families. “The agency is going to have to collect a huge amount of data—not just from insurance companies, but from the American people. “The IRS is going to want to know details like the costs and the benefit structure of every person’s health insurance policy. They’re going to want to know who in each household is covered, and how long they’ve been covered. “They’ll want to know the incomes people reported to their insurance company, and what other kind of coverage their employer may have offered. “To get all this information, the Internal Revenue Service will have to develop new layers, additional layers of red tape for businesses and for families—new forms, new filing procedures, and new instructions. “And it’s going to have to come up with some way for taxpayers to resolve any discrepancies—and there are going to be a lot—between what their tax returns may say and the data that the insurance companies report. “It’s also clear that a lot of Americans are going to be defending themselves against audits. “All of that is work the IRS is going to have to do just to get ready for this massive amount of new bureaucracy. The problem is, several independent reviews have found the agency is seriously unprepared. “In one, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration found that the IRS is not equipped to implement the law contained in what it called ‘the largest set of tax law changes in more than 20 years.’ “The American people knew what they wanted from health care reform. What they asked for was the care they need, from the doctor they choose, at lower costs. That’s what the President and Democrats promised them. “It turns out what the American public has gotten is less choice, more regulations, and higher taxes. “Now, what these same people are learning is that the IRS is the chief federal enforcer for key parts of President Obama’s health care law. And the people of my state, and the people around the country do not like it at all. “What we’re going to have as a result of the health care law is a much larger Internal Revenue Service. They’re going to have broad new powers. Powers to investigate, powers to monitor, and powers to tax the American people. “At the same time, there’s real doubt about whether the agency is even up to the job. America’s middle class families don’t want, don’t need, and cannot afford more taxes. “They don’t want, they don’t need, and they cannot afford a more powerful Internal Revenue Service—with more agents looking into the details of their health care choices. “But that is exactly what President Obama and every Democrat in this body has given them.”
The Glory of the Story Almost everyone likes a story. When my sons were little, it was unclear who like it best when reading to them. We are told the manifold benefits of reading to children; they will love to read when they are older; better readers. It’s hard to quantify enjoyment. However, that twinkle in their eye as they hung on our every word served to press us onward until the end of the story, or if they fell fast asleep, whichever came first. In fact, my spouse routinely falls asleep when I read to her, or for that matter, when I talk. Some stories are just for the purpose of pure enjoyment. Others taught us a lesson, to help bridle our natural inclination to a self-serving existence. Robert Louis Stevenson’s, “Good and Bad Children” declares that self-discipline is a virtue. Aesop’s fable “The Flies and the Honey Pot’” moral is that foolish creatures destroy themselves for transitory joy. “The Lion and the Mouse” teaches children the importance of having a big heart and compassion. Responsibility was the realm of “St. George and the Dragon” as St. George’s great line to the tired, old King resonated, “ I’ll stay as long as you have need of me,” after delivering the Princess safely inside of the city gates. Friendship and loyalty are the province of the Bible story of Ruth and Naomi, one of the greatest in all of literature, as Ruth’s words are as contemporary as they are ancient, “Wither thou goest, I will go, where thou lodgest , I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” What’s that digital slang the girls say? BFFL?’ And the tale of the “Tortoise and the Hare“ reveals that perseverance, more than enough compensates for a range of disadvantages. In this Aesop fable, the virtue of the slow turtle outdistancing undisciplined ability is legendary. Unbridled, old-fashioned, stick-to-it-iveness impacts all else in the lives of children of all ages, and cascades over into performing well in such endeavors as math, history, English, and life. Likewise, in Hans Christian Andersen‘s “The Emperor’s New Clothes” we discover that honesty, unlike feigned flattery, is always in fashion. This Christmas we’ll record, in our own voices, the book, “The Night Before Christmas,” for our three year old grandchild Reagan. We trust she will enjoy it as much as we shall in reading the story, by Clement C. Moore, first published anonymously in 1823, that is arguably the best known Christmas poem for children. It’s original title “A Visit from St. Nicholas” was read to his family on Christmas Eve, 1822. Consider such timely gifts at Christmas for children and grandchildren. Don’t forget to include with your reading list the “greatest Christmas story ever told.” The Birth of Christ, the Savior, foretold more than 700 years before His birth, by the Seer Isaiah, and chronicled in Luke, Chapter 1 and 2, is a must read at Christmas. For both the young and old, it is a soul warming truth, an unparalleled story of God, Incarnate, that all who embrace Him, shall find life eternal. Luke 1:79 portends a penetrating and everlasting promise for we dwellers on this revolving orb, “To give them light that sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet in peace.” Teddy Roosevelt, in the 1917, Ladies’ Home Journal, offered his reasons for going to church and Bible reading, lamented, in poignant words, speaking of the beautiful passages from the Bible, “And if he is not familiar with the Bible, he has suffered loss… My prayer is that my readers suffer no such loss. My gift this year, to my readers, is a reminder of the hope of Him who came to us long ago, as a Babe in a manger. As the 1917, Gesu Bambino, (The infant Jesus) choral hymn, by Pietro A. Yon, Italian born organist, expresses magnificently, “From paradise to earth He came, that we with Him might dwell.” What do you think? Merry Christmas to All. Mike’s email is noahwebs@yahoo.com
BLM Offers Christmas Tree Permits for Sale The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is now offering Christmas tree permits for sale. Permits may be purchased between 7:45 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Mon.-Fri. from any BLM Wyoming field office. The cost for a permit ranges from $5 to $10 per tree depending on the location and the size of tree. A minimum of one and up to a maximum of five Christmas trees can be individually purchased on a single permit for Christmas trees located on BLM-administered lands. A BLM permit is valid for trees located on BLM lands only. Permits for U.S. Forest Service trees can also be obtained at some local BLM offices.
be cut within a wilderness area, wilderness study area, timber sale area, or administrative sites such as developed campgrounds. Although the Christmas tree permits are for any tree species, the BLM recommends Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, Douglas fir and lodgepole pine as the best species to cut for your Christmas tree. It is the purchaser’s responsibility to not trespass on private land and to make sure you’re cutting the tree in the correct area. Be prepared for winter weather and high country conditions. For more information call your local BLM office.
Tree cutters must have a valid permit with them while cutting a tree. Trees may not
Sunday December 16, 2012 The Glenrock Bird Page 8
NFL Schedule Sun., Dec., 16, 2012, 11 am NY Giants @ Atlanta Green Bay @ Chicago Minnesota @ St. Louis Jacksonville @ Miami Indianapolis @ Huston Tampa Bay @ New Orleans Washington @ Cleveland Denver @ Baltimore 2:05 pm Detroit @ Arizona Carolina @ San Diego Seattle @ Buffalo 2:25 pm Pittsburgh @ Dallas Kansas City @ Oakland 6:20 pm San Franciso @ New England Mon Dec 17, 2012, 6:30 pm New York Jets @ Tennessee Sat Dec 22, 2012 6:30pm Atlanta @ Detroit Sun Dec 23, 2012, 11 am Tennessee @ Green Bay Minnesota @ Huston New York Giants @ Baltimore St. Louis @ Tampa Bay Oakland @ Carolina Buffalo @ Miami Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh New England @ Jacksonville Indianapolis @ Kansas New Orleans @ Dallas Washington @ Philadelphia 2:05 pm Cleveland @ Denver 2:45 pm Chicago @ Arizona San Franciso @ Seattle 6:00 pm San Diego @ New York Jets Sun Dec 30, 2012, 11 am Jets @ Bills Dolphins @ Patriots Panthers @ Saints Buccanerrs @ Falcons Packers @ Vikings Ravens @ Bengals Browns @ Steelers Texans @ Colts Jaguars @ Titans
NHL Labor Talks Wrap Up With Still No Progress IRA PODELL,AP Sports Writer Negotiators from the NHL and the players' association made it into the same room to talk this time. They just didn't carry any meaningful progress out of it. A second straight day with a federal mediator didn't do anything to bring the sides closer to a settlement on Thursday as the lockout dragged on with dwindling hope that the hockey season will be saved. NHLPA special counsel Steve Fehr talked face to face with lead league counsel Bob Batterman, which was a positive development because the sides were kept separate on Wednesday and met only with the mediator. Fehr is expected to talk on Friday with NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, either in person or by telephone, to discuss how to proceed in their search for a new collective bargaining agreement. "I'm not sure what the next steps will be," Daly told The Associated Press in an email. "I do expect the mediators to stay involved in terms of monitoring our ongoing negotiations, but at this point there are no further sessions planned. It doesn't appear there was movement by either side on any of the main issues over the last two days." Daly and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, along with union executive director Donald Fehr didn't participate in Thursday's talks. The dispute has gotten so big that President Barack Obama was asked about the stalemate during an interview Thursday with WCCO-TV in Minneapolis. "My message to owners and to players is, 'You guys make a lot of money and you make a lot of money on the backs of fans, so do right by your fans. You can figure out how to spread out a bunch of revenue that you're bringing in, but do right by the people who support you,'" Obama said. "And I shouldn't have to be involved in a dispute between really wealthy players and even wealthier owners. They should be able to settle this themselves. And remember who it is that's putting all that money in their pockets." While the President isn't jumping into the fray, the mediators aren't likely to jump out yet. "I expect the mediators will continue to be involved," Steve Fehr wrote in an email to the AP. "(I) do not want to characterize the discussion." Mediators talked to each group separately Wednesday in suburban New Jersey and carried messages back and forth. The league and union hadn't met since talks fell apart a week ago on the third straight day of negotiations in New York. Mediators rejoined the conversation Wednesday following two failed days last month, but still couldn't achieve a breakthrough. The latest round of talks was supposed to be held away from
reporters and cameras, but the meeting location was quickly revealed Wednesday. Both sides briefly made public statements then in frustrated tones. When the NHL agreed last week to increase its make-whole offer of deferred payments from $211 million to $300 million, it was part of a proposed package that required the union to agree on three nonnegotiable points. Instead, the players' association accepted the raise in funds, but then made counterproposals on the issues the league stated had no wiggle room. Bettman then said that the offer was being pulled from the table. Mediators, however, asked the union Wednesday if that proposal was back in play, would the players take it or leave it? "It wasn't much of a decision," said Brendan Morrison, one of 13 players to attend Wednesday's talks. "I thought the gap would be closed much quicker, but it hasn't come to fruition yet, so we have to keep working." The offer wasn't actually resubmitted by the NHL. Neither side made proposals Wednesday or Thursday. All games through Dec. 30 have been canceled, 43 percent of the season, along with the New Year's Day Winter Classic and the All-Star game. After talks ended last Thursday, Donald Fehr began the first of his two news conferences that day by proclaiming he believed the sides had agreements on such issues as actual dollars and a players-funded pension plan. He returned moments later to reveal the NHL rejected everything offered. The 2004-05 season was lost completely, resulting in the players' association accepting a deal that included a salary cap for the first time. While no such major philosophical disputes exist in these negotiations, the sides still aren't ready to come to an agreement. A 48-game season was played in 1995 after a lockout stretched into January. Bettman said he wouldn't have a shorter season than that. The NHL wants to limit personal player contracts to five years, seven for a club to re-sign its own player and has elevated the issue to the highest level of importance. The union countered with an offer of an eight-year maximum length with the variable in salary being no greater than a 25 percent difference between the highest-paid year of the deal and the lowest. The other sticking points the NHL demanded of the players are a 10-year term on the new agreement, with a mutual optout option after eight years, and no compliance buyouts or caps on escrow in the transition phase to the new structure. The union presented an offer of an eightyear deal with a reopener after six.
UW Forward Named Mountain West Player of Week LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming forward Chaundra Sewell has been named the Mountain West Conference women's player of the week. It is the first conference weekly award in Sewell's career, and the first such award this season for a Cowgirls player. Sewell led the Cowgirls to a 2-0 record last week with road wins at Montana and Montana State. Sewell scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds against Montana. She also dished out five assists, blocked two shots. At Montana State, Sewell recorded her third double-double of the season with 16 points and
11 rebounds. She also had two blocked shots and two steals. Photo UW
Wyo. Snowmobiling Generates $175 Million (AP) — A recent study by the University of Wyoming says snowmobiling generates more than $175 million a year for the state economy. The report says snowmobilers directly spend $147 million across the state, supporting the equivalent of 1,300 jobs and generating more than $7 million in annual state and local govern-
ment revenue. The Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at UW prepared the study. It focuses on snowmobiling at the 12 trail systems and 2,000 miles of snowmobile trails managed by the Wyoming Department of State Parks and Cultural Resources.
College Sports Madness Names Seven Wyoming Cowboys to All-Conference Teams College Sports Madness released its 2012 All-Mountain West Conference Football Teams on Thursday and seven Wyoming Cowboys were honored. Three Cowboy seniors earned First Team AllConference recognition from College Sports Madness. Senior center Nick Carlson, senior wide receiver Chris McNeill and senior defensive tackle Mike Purcell were each named to the First Team. College Sports Madness selected two Cowboys to its Second Team. Sophomore quarterback Brett Smith and senior linebacker Ghaali Muhammad received Second Team recognition. Photo Ghaali Muhammad - courtesy UW Cowboy sophomore wide receivers Dominic Rufran and Jalen Claiborne earned Third Team honors from College Sports Madness. Fresno State swept the individual honors as Bulldog head coach Tim DeRuyter was named Coach of the Year, junior quarterback Derek Carr was named Offensive Player of the Year, senior defensive back Phillip Thomas earned Defensive Player of the Year and wide receiver Davante Adams was selected Freshman
of the Year. College Sports Madness also covers FCS Football, Men's Soccer, Women's Soccer, Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball, Baseball, and Softball. The Madness covers all aspects of college sports from recruiting right up through the draft.
Eagles @ Giants Cowboys @ Redskins Bears @ Lions 2:25 pm Raiders @ Chargers Chiefs @ Broncos Cardinals @ 49ers Rams @ Seahawks ----Playoffs
Sunday December 16, 2012 The Glenrock Bird Page 9
*No Bingo in G-Rock on Dec 24
Sunday December 16, 2012 The Glenrock Bird Page 10