Interchange November 2021
Vol. 49, Iss. 11
Photo: Rick Carpenter
Service with a smile
Laura Whalen-Steege was presented the IDEC Examiner of the Year award by Director Luke Reiner (left) and Driver Services Program Manager Misty Dobson (right).
Laura Whalen-Steege wins Wyoming IDEC Examiner of the Year award By Jordan Achs Annually, the International Driver Examiner Certification (IDEC) Board and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) recognizes outstanding examiners through the IDEC Examiner of the Year award. States and Territories within each member jurisdiction nominate one examiner for outstanding performance as a driver’s license examiner. Laura Whalen-Steege, supervisor of the Cheyenne Driver Services location, was named Examiner of the Year in Wyoming this year. Wyoming is part of
Region 4, which also includes Utah and even portions of Canada. To qualify, she had to be IDEC certified for a minimum of one year. Selection criteria also considers the person’s excellence in adhering to the Examiner’s Code of Ethics, as well as demonstrating outstanding performance as a driver’s license examiner. Those were easy qualifications for Whalen-Steege to meet; her peers and supervisors have commended her excellent customer service, innovative ideas and professionalism, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact
on Driver Services. “She always serves with a smile,” said Misty Dobson, Driver Services program manager. “Even if someone has just been incredibly rude to her, she responds with a smile on her face.” Whalen-Steege was the sole nominee in Wyoming, and while she didn’t win the international award, being a representative for her jurisdiction was a prize itself. The longest tenured Driver Services employee, she’s seen a thing or two in her 37 years with the organization. “WYDOT has been a wonderful place to work,” she said. “It’s been a great career,
Contents
Interchange Vol. 49, Issue 11
Features
Interchange is published for employees of the Wyoming Department of Transportation by its Public Affairs Office and a number of field correspondents. Interchange invites submissions from all employees. Please send them to either your district correspondents or to: Carlie Van Winkle, Interchange editor 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, Wyoming, 82009-3340 or send an email to carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov.
1 Service with a smile Driver Services employee garners Wyoming IDEC Examiner of the Year award
6 Employee Satisfaction Survey results are in Top WYDOT concerns are on the board
Programs & Partner Agencies Aeronautics.....................................................................................................7
Staff
Employee Safety.............................................................................................8
WYDOT Director:
Game & Fish.................................................................................................. 13
Public Affairs Manager:
Information Technology – TechNotes..........................................................10 Training......................................................................................................... 12 Travel & Tourism........................................................................................... 11 U.S. Forest Service.......................................................................................16
Also in this issue District Briefs..................................................................................................3 By the Numbers..............................................................................................5 Noteworthy.....................................................................................................6 District News................................................................................................ 17 Letters...........................................................................................................20
K. Luke Reiner Doug McGee
Editor: Carlie Van Winkle
Contributors: Jordan Achs Matt Groth Mark Horan Carlie Van Winkle Andrea Staley Jeff Goetz Stephanie Harsha Laura Dalles Cody Beers Sgt. Jeremy Beck
Public Affairs Public Affairs Public Affairs Public Affairs District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 Patrol
Photography: Rick Carpenter
Public Affairs
Be sure to check out the online version of Interchange at http://issuu.com/wydot.pao or click on the link found on the employee’s internal website home page.
WTDEA..........................................................................................................21 Break Time....................................................................................................23
Kindly recycle this publication after reading.
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A WYDOT PUBLICATION
and we are a great team.” Among her favorite aspects of the job are the different challenges each day brings as well as the small successes. One unique perk she’s had is completing driving tests on multiple generations of drivers, including a few formerly-teen drivers who now have teens of their own. Whalen-Steege also has her famous Cheyenne Day outfit, a cowgirl getup that brings a festive spirit to Frontier Days at the Cheyenne office. She even helped famous country singer and rodeo champion Chris LeDoux renew his license on Cheyenne Day in 2004. This isn’t the first time WYDOT examiners have been awarded for their excellence. Previous WYDOT winners of the IDEC Examiner of the Year award include: • David Reid - Regional Supervisor 2019; • Luz Craig - Gillette Supervisor - 2018; • Janet Hood - Kemmerer/Pinedale/ Big Piney Supervisor - 2016 (Hood was also selected as 2016 Outstanding IDEC Examiner of the Year); and • Karmen Warrington - Rawlins/Baggs examiner - 2015. n
Goals
District Briefs Headquarters
Commission awards more than $17 million in contracts in October CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded more than $17 million in contracts for 10 Wyoming Department of Transportation construction projects during its Oct. 21 business meeting. The commission awarded a bid of $3.4 million to McGarvin-Moberly Construction Co., out of Worland, to complete milling, paving, chip sealing and other miscellaneous work on approximately 10 miles of WYO 135 in Fremont County. In Laramie County, S&S Builders, LLC, out of Gillette, was awarded a bid of $3.4 million for grading, paving and updating curb, gutter, electrical systems and sidewalks along US 85. Reiman Corp. was the sole bidder on a project to complete bridge rehabilitation, paving, grading and other miscellaneous work in various locations around Sweetwater County with a bid of about $5 million. The commission also awarded a bid of $1.2 million to Cowley-based Wilson Bros. Construction, Inc. for a project that includes grading, draining, fencing, guardrail and other miscellaneous work on about 3 miles of US 310 and WYO 789 in Big Horn County. The above projects all have a contracted completion date of Oct. 31, 2022. Kilgore Companies, LLC, based out of Rock Springs, was awarded a $1.5 million bid to crush surfacing material, mix salt stockpiles and other miscellaneous work in various locations in Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater, Teton and Uinta Counties. This project has a completion date of April 2022. Other projects awarded include: • Highway Improvement Inc. out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota was awarded about $834,000 for a crack sealing project on approximately 104 miles of highway in various locations within Lincoln, Sublette, Sweetwater and Uinta Counties.
• Z & Z Seal Coating, Inc. out of Billings, Montana was awarded about $799,000 for a crack sealing project on approximately 43 miles of highway in various locations within Converse, Goshen, Natrona and Platte Counties. • Z & Z Seal Coating was also awarded about $399,000 for a crack sealing project on approximately 77 miles of highway in various locations within Big Horn and Park Counties. • Z & Z Seal Coating was also awarded about $324,000 for a crack sealing project on approximately 101 miles of highway in various locations within Albany, Carbon and Laramie Counties. • Wilson Bros. Construction was awarded $517,000 for a project that includes grading, draining, paving and other miscellaneous work in Fremont County. Almost all WYDOT projects are awarded to the lowest bidder.
District 1
Bridge rehab work concluded on I-25 Horse Creek Road interchange CHEYENNE – The WYO 211/Horse Creek Road interchange on Interstate 25 (exit 16) reopened Oct. 7, as crews with Reiman Corp. and the Wyoming Department of Transportation concluded a bridge rehabilitation project. Travelers encountered some ramp closures on I-25 while the guardrail was upgraded to current standards. Sections of guardrail on the service roads (Bishop Boulevard and Hynds Avenue) were also replaced. Additionally, there was some seeding and painting completed underneath the structure on I-25 as well.
Briefs continued on page 4
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District 4
Work on US 14/ Ranchester bridge SHERIDAN – The Wyoming Department of Transportation Commission recently awarded the Joint Venture of Reiman Corp. and High Country Construction a $12.5 million bid for pavement work and bridge replacement on US 14 near Ranchester. This project replaced the existing bridge over the BNSF railroad located on the east end of the town of Ranchester with a new structure and rehabilitate the existing roadway from the I-90 Interchange to Coffeen Street. Scheduled to be completed in two phases, Reiman Corp began Phase I the first week of October with building the new eastbound lane of the bridge structure. Phase II is scheduled to begin early next spring at which time traffic will shift to the newly constructed eastbound lane. The single lane of traffic will be controlled by a traffic signal at both ends of the project. Once the bridge is complete, High Country Construction will begin the pavement rehabilitation utilizing the crack and seat techniques with an asphalt
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US 14/Ranchester bridge over BNSF railroad line.
District 5
Removing rocks from state-owned and stateleased pits is illegal CODY – Citizens are reminded that it’s illegal to remove gravel, rocks and other items from state-owned or state-leased gravel pits. State-owned and state-leased gravel pits are clearly labeled at their entrances with signs, according to Wyoming Department of Transportation Maintenance Foreman Jim Berry of Cody. There is an ongoing investigation into the theft of large rocks from the Red Pole Pit west of Cody. The rocks were slated to be used for rip-rap and were taken from the pit. “Please respect state property,” Berry said. “Thanks to everyone for their understanding.”
An investigation is ongoing at Red Pole Pit, west of Cody, where large rocks used for riprap were taken from the pit.
LANDER – Replacement of approach slabs and guardrail modifications continued on a pair of bridge structures over Twin Creek southeast of Lander on US 287/WYO 789. The bridges are located at milepost 67.9, about 12 miles southeast of Lander, and milepost 65.7, about 14 miles southeast of Lander. “The structure work at the milepost 65.7 bridge is scheduled to be completed this week, with traffic returned to normal two-way traffic by Monday, Oct. 18,” said Wyoming Department of Transportation Project Engineer Brian Martin of Lander. “Structure work at milepost 67.9 will complete the first phase this week, and the second phase of work will begin next week.” Martin said the second phase of bridge maintenance is anticipated to take 10 working days to complete after traffic is switched to the other side of the bridge. All work is dependent upon favorable weather. Next year’s work includes bridge deck repairs of the two structures and asphalt paving on the 10.1-mile project. A one-inch pavement leveling will take place, and a two-inch pavement overlay and chip seal will be completed between mileposts 64.27 and milepost 74.21 in the Twin Creek area. McGarvin-Moberly Construction Co., of Worland was awarded the $5.1 million project on April 15, 2021. Contract completion date is June 30, 2022.
Photo: WYDOT
CHEYENNE – Crews with S&S Builders, a subcontractor for Simon Contractors, and the Wyoming Department of Transportation hung girders for the eastbound structure on the Interstate 80/ Hillsdale interchange on Sept. 29. The work took place overnight, from about 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sept. 30 at Exit 377. The crane used to complete this work was stationed on County Road 140/ Stuckey Road. Crews needed to close the county road overnight. A detour was in place to reroute travelers. Traffic control measures along mileposts 372-382 of I-80 included headto-head lanes, reduced speed limits and flaggers. The overall bridge replacement and pavement project first started in summer 2020 and is expected to be complete in fall 2021.
Photo: WYDOT
I-80 bridge work near Hillsdale prompts closure of CR 140/Stuckey Road
Work on Twin Creek bridges near Lander continued; project extends to next year
overlay. The crack and seat technique is a method by which contractors break down the existing concrete pavement into one and a half to two foot pieces and firmly seats the pieces into the subgrade prior to overlaying with asphalt. This project is scheduled to be completed by October 31, 2022.
Photo: WYDOT
Briefs continued from page 3
Workers from subcontractor Jerry Bornhoft Construction, Inc., of Riverton tied steel on one of two Twin Creek bridges as part of guardrail modifications southeast of Lander on Oct. 11.
LANDER – Asphalt paving activities continued in Lander on the $6.89 million Lander concrete rehabilitation project/US 287 project. A 2-inch layer of asphalt pavement was applied to the milled road surface. Once the first layer of pavement is placed between Buena Vista Drive and the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River bridge, the entire asphalt paving project received a second 3/4-inch layer of pavement wearing course, according to Wyoming Department of Transportation Inspector Austin Shields of Lander. More than 5,325 tons of asphalt paving and 1,921 tons of pavement wearing course were paved on each end of the downtown Lander concrete pavement. In other news, a WYDOT striping crew is scheduled next week to paint lines on the concrete section of the Lander streets project. The US 287 (Lander Main Street Americans with Disabilities Act improvements and concrete rehabilitation, and US 287 pavement overlay) project is 16.2 miles in length, between the Main Street/Buena Vista intersection in Lander and Ft. Washakie. The project includes concrete grinding, concrete joint sealing, asphalt paving, chip sealing, and curb, gutter and ADA ramp repairs. Prime contractor is Mountain Construction Co., of Lovell. Contract completion date is Nov. 30.
Rock scaling in Wind River Canyon THERMOPOLIS – An $8.78 million slide stabilization/rock scaling project continued in Wind River Canyon alongside US 20/WYO 789 between Shoshoni and Thermopolis. Prime contractor is Oftedal Construction Inc., of Casper. “Subcontractor Midwest Rockfall is scheduled to complete rock scaling,” said Wyoming Department of Transportation Project Engineer Jordan Erz of Worland. “Following rock scaling, prime contractor Oftedal Construction continued to
remove the scaled rock. The contractor broke up the large boulders to be loaded and hauled from the canyon.” Erz said the 20-minute traffic delays eased during rock cleanup efforts and project work may continue this fall as weather allows. Work on the project is scheduled to resume in the spring. The rock scaling highlight involved about three working hours by the rock scaling crew to remove a 500,000 pound boulder from above the highway for safety reasons. Erz said dirt was washed out under the big rock and a channel for mud and water flows was cut underneath the rock. “The big rock was very unstable. We are confident it would have fallen during or after a future large rainstorm and at the very least, the big rock would have damaged the highway and caused a road closure,” Erz said. “When the big rock was ready to roll toward the highway, we had a 28-minute traffic delay. We apologized for the lengthy delay, but safety was the top priority.” Rockfall scaling locations in Wind River Canyon during the last month were milepost 116.3 (highway tunnels), mileposts 116.79 to 116.82 (north of the tunnels/just south of the Fremont/Hot Springs county line), mileposts 118.12 to 118.18, and mileposts 120.41 to 120.61 (3 miles north of the Hot Springs/Fremont county line). The Wind River Canyon slide stabilization project includes slide repair, grading, slide stabilization rock (SSR), manual rock scaling, rock fall mitigation and other work on US 20/WYO 789 beginning at milepost 115.9 through 123.12 inside the canyon between Shoshoni and Thermopolis. Contract completion date is Nov. 30, 2022. n
Total number of employees: As of October 5, 2021
1,829
One month ago
1,837
One year ago
1,910
WHP Total number of highway fatalities: As of October 13, 2021 Photo: WYDOT
US 287 paving between Buena Vista and Middle Fork of Popo Agie River bridge; concrete striping
The “big rock” – a 500,000 pound boulder – after being unseated from the top of the hill.
88
One year ago
105
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Noteworthy
Top WYDOT concerns are on the board. Survey says… By Mark Horan Results from the 2021 Employee Satisfaction Survey have been compiled and now the work begins, according to WYDOT Director Luke Reiner. 926 surveys were completed during a three week period between May and June, which translates to an overall response rate of 46% for the agency. Survey results were emailed out to all WYDOT employees in September and can also be found on the agency’s public website on the Administration page under the Strategic Performance tab. The survey was conducted by the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center (WYSAC) which is part of the University of Wyoming. WYDOT chose to use a contractor for the Employee Satisfaction Survey for the last two iterations to ensure confidentiality of respondents and to receive an excellent analysis of the results. The survey’s 30 questions fell into seven broad categories: Experience with WYDOT, Assessment of Agency Leadership Culture, Assessment of Workgroup Flexibility, Satisfaction with Supervisor, Job Satisfaction, Work Safety, and Open-end responses. Executive Staff are planning on utilizing the survey information in a meaningful manner. “I do not believe in conducting a
survey and shelving the results,” Reiner told WYDOT staff in an email. “I expect to start working it as soon as possible, looking to strengthen what we are doing well and improving the areas we can do better.” WYDOT’s Strategic Planning Team which includes Julie Newlin, Sandra Sanderson, and Rob Rodriguez, in conjunction with the Executive Staff are working to incorporate the results into action items worked and evaluated through WYDOT’s Strategic Plan. The results have also been discussed with the Employee Advisory Teams who have formulated follow-up action, including: • Improving communication throughout the agency; • Enhancing training and awareness on the subject of workplace sexual harassment and discrimination; • Enhancing leadership training; and • Developing alternative compensation incentives to help with recruitment and retention. Looking ahead, the Strategic Planning Team has already begun exploring ways to increase the agency’s response rate when the survey is re-issued in 2023. n
Signs of human trafficking Recognizing human trafficking is the first step in combatting this horrible crime. Learning the signs and reporting tips helps law enforcement identify victims and connect them with the care and resources they need.
Physical indications
Does the person: • Show signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture? • Appear to be deprived of food, water, sleep, medical care, or other necessities? • Lack personal possessions?
Social signs • • • • • • •
Work excessively long and/or unusual hours? Show sudden or dramatic changes in behavior? Appear to be coached on what to say? Act fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous/paranoid? Defer to another person to speak for him/her? Appear disconnected from family, friends, community organizations, or place of worship? Not have the ability to freely leave where they live?
Should you observe these signs, please dial 9-1-1 or call the National Human Trafficking Hotline immediately.
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24/7/365 Confidential • Text: 233733 200+ Languages spoken #HumanTrafficking
Aeronautics
Aeronautics employees garner awards from Wyoming Airports Coalition By Mark Horan A current WYDOT employee and a former WYDOT employee were among a group of individuals and airports recognized for their contributions to Wyoming aviation at the Wyoming Airports Coalition annual conference in Casper. Shawn Burke, who is the air service development program manager for WYDOT’s Aeronautics Division, was one of two recipients to receive the Coalition’s Aviation Achievement Award. That award is presented to individuals who have given substantial effort towards the promotion, operation, maintenance, and development of aviation in their community or across the state. Burke was recognized for his efforts to sustain and develop commercial air service across the State of Wyoming. His leadership in creating and managing the Air Service Enhancement Program and the Commercial Air Service Improvement Plan were critical to ensure air service remained in Wyoming’s rural communities throughout the pandemic.
Christy Yaffa spent 26 years with WYDOT’s Aeronautics Division and is now the community planner for the Federal Aviation Administration Denver Airports District Office. She was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award, which is the Coalition’s highest level of recognition and is bestowed upon an individual who has spent a significant amount of their career pursuing the improvement of aviation throughout the State of Wyoming. Yaffa’s nomination highlighted her “can do” attitude and her many years of dedication to each and every airport in the State of Wyoming. Other award recipients were Marlon Holmquist with the Casper/Natrona County International Airport and Devon Brubaker with the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport outside of Rock Springs. In addition, the Southwest Wyoming Airport and the Wheatland Airport received Project of the Year Awards. The award ceremony was held in September. n
EMAIL PHISHING RED FLAGS Email Preview (COVID-19 Remote Work Policy Update): Sender's Email Address: noreply@[[domain]] Sender's Name: [[company_name]] COVID Team Reply-To Email Address: noreply@[[domain]] Reply-To Name: [[company_name]] COVID Team
Hover over the link. Link does not take you to the site the email content says it will. Tells you to click a link or open an attachment.
Sense of urgency. (Example: “Do this now!”)
November 2021
© 2021 KnowBe4, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Employee Safety Winter weather cold stress By Geoff McPherson-WYDOT Employee Safety We all know how extreme the winter weather patterns can be in Wyoming. Planning early for the weather could lead to a decrease in injuries caused by exposure to freezing conditions. Employee Safety recommends early assessment of potential exposures and documentation in the applicable JSAs, along with safety briefings, significantly increase the safety of all employees.
Cold Stress Cold stress occurs by driving down the skin temperature, and eventually the internal body temperature. When the body is unable to warm itself, serious cold-related illnesses and injuries may occur, and permanent tissue damage and death may result. Four factors contribute to cold stress: cold temperatures, high or cold wind, dampness and cold water. A cold environment forces the body to work harder to maintain its core temperature. Cold air, water and snow all draw heat from the body. So, while it is obvious that below freezing conditions, combined with inadequate clothing could bring about cold stress, it is important to understand that it can also be brought about by temperatures in the 50’s coupled with rain and/or wind. What are some physical signs of cold stress?
Immersion/Trench Foot Trench foot is an injury of the feet caused by prolonged exposure to wet and cold conditions. Symptoms of trench foot are reddening skin, tingling, pain, swelling, leg cramps, numbness and blisters. First Aid • Remove wet shoes/boots and wet socks; • Dry the feet and avoid working on them; and • Keep affected feet elevated and avoid walking. Get medical attention.
Hypothermia occurs when the normal body temperature (98.6°F) drops to less than 95°F. Hypothermia is most likely at very cold temperatures, but it can occur even at cool temperatures (above 40°F) if a person becomes chilled from rain, sweat, or immersion in cold water. Symptoms of hypothermia are: • Mild Hypothermia: Alert but Shivering; and • Moderate to Severe Hypothermia: shivering stops; confusion; slurred speech; heart rate/breathing slow; loss of consciousness; death. First Aid • Call 911 immediately in an emergency; • To prevent further heat loss, move the worker to a warm place. Change to dry clothes and cover the body,including the head and neck, with blankets and with something to block the cold (i.e., tarp, garbage bag). Do not cover the face. • If medical help is more than 30 minutes away give warm, sweetened drinks, if alert. Apply heat packs to the armpits, sides of chest, neck and groin.
Preventing Cold Stress Planning for work in cold weather is the most important defense in preventing cold stress. Wearing appropriate clothing and being aware of how your body is reacting to the cold are important to preventing cold stress. Avoiding alcohol, certain medications and smoking can also help to minimize the risk. Protective Clothing Wearing the right clothing is the most important way to avoid cold stress. The type of fabric also makes a difference. Cotton loses its insulation value when it becomes wet. Wool, on the other hand, retains its insulated qualities even when wet.
Work Schedules
Frostbite Frostbite is caused by the freezing of the skin and tissues. Frostbite can cause permanent damage to the body, and in severe cases can lead to amputation. Frostbite typically affects the extremities, particularly the face, ears, fingers and toes. The symptoms of frostbite are reddening skin developing gray/white patches in the fingers, toes, nose, or ear lobes. Tingling, aching, a loss of feeling, firm/hard skin and blisters may occur in the affected areas. First Aid • Protect the frostbitten area. Wrap loosely in a dry cloth and protect the area from contact until medical help arrives; • Do not rub the affected area, because rubbing causes damage to the skin and tissue; • Do not apply snow, water or break blisters; and • Do not try to re-warm the frostbitten area before getting medical help.
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Employers should provide engineering controls Engineering controls can be effective in reducing the risk of cold stress. For example, radiant heaters may be used to warm workplaces like outdoor security stations. If possible, employers should shield work areas from drafts or wind to reduce wind chill. Employers should use engineering controls to protect workers from other winter weather related hazards, for example, aerial lifts or ladders can be used for safely applying de-icing materials to roofs, to protect workers from the hazard of falling through sky lights. Employers should implement safe work practices Providing workers with the proper tools and equipment to do their jobs; Developing work plans that identify potential hazards and the safety measures that will be used to protect workers; Limiting the amount of time spent outdoors on extremely cold days;
Providing warm areas for use during break periods; Try to work in pairs to keep an eye on each other and watch for signs of cold stress. Victims of hypothermia may not recognize symptoms; Encourage employees to drink plenty of liquids, avoiding caffeine and alcohol. It is easy to become dehydrated in cold weather; Monitoring the weather conditions during a winter storm, having a reliable means of communicating with workers and being able to stop work or evacuate when necessary; Acclimatizing new workers and those returning after time away from work by gradually increasing their workload, and allowing more frequent breaks in warm areas, as they build up a tolerance for working in the cold environment; Having a means of communicating with workers, especially in remote areas; Knowing how the community warns the public about severe weather: outdoor sirens, radio and television; The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides multiple ways to stay informed
about winter storms. If you are notified of a winter storm watch, advisory or warning, follow instructions from your local authorities; and Avoiding exposure to extremely cold temperatures when possible. However, if due to the needs of the Wyoming public, WYDOT employees must work in extreme temperatures refer to the cold stress graph below developed by the American Council of Governmental Industrial Hygienist (ACGIH) for employees, supervisors and managers. n
When to use eye and face protection By Jerry Fritz, Employee Safety, District 5 Recently, an employee was working under a raised mower and sustained a significant injury to one of his eyes. The employee had taken precautions to wear eye protection; however, this injury might have been avoided if both the proper eye and face protection was used for the task. Personal Policy Number 8-17’s purpose is “To ensure Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) employees facing potentially hazardous working conditions use appropriate face and/or eye protection to safely fulfill their duties and reduce possible injury”. When to use eye protection and face protection? OSHA 1910.133 (a) (1) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious
light radiation. When do you need to wear a face shield? Face shields protect against potential splashes or sprays of hazardous liquids. When worn for protection against UV, must be specifically designed to protect the face and eyes from hazardous radiation. When used for chemical protection or UV protection, must comply with ANSI standard Z87.1. How can you prevent a similar injury? Review the JSA’s to see recommended eye/face protection for the task. The following face and eye protection items are available from the Procurement Program. In addition, WYDOT will provide employees one pair of safety prescription eye wear, up to $250, every 24 months through our contacted vendor (with supervisory approval). n
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TechNotes Google Calendar updates
By Carlie Van Winkle New updates to the Google Workspace suite are allowing Google users to adapt their calendars to new hybrid working arrangements that have been growing in popularity. WYDOT supervisors and teleworking agreements are allowing WYDOT employees work both in the office and in their home offices during the week. Google Calendar has been updated to allow an employee to share a work location and specify whether they will be attending a meeting in person or virtually. Day-to-day locations Let others in a program or work group, or those frequently contacted, know where you will be from day-to-day. Beginning in August, Google added support for indicating a work location. The user needs to enable the “Working hours & location” feature in Calendar Settings. The user may specify working hours, working location or both. Choose hours and days of work week and from the drop-down on the right-hand side, choose work location for each day of the week chosen. Meeting attendance The “Yes” button at the bottom of a meeting invitation will feature a new drop-down with icons for each new option (when viewing online, not in email); Yes; Yes, in a meeting room; and Yes, joining virtually. The organizer and guests will be able to see how attendees are planning on
When viewing Google Calendar, click on the Settings icon and scroll down to the Working hours & location section to adjust your work days, hours and location.
attending the session in the event’s details. Organizers and attendees will know what to expect when joining a meeting. The attendance details will not be visible to users of Microsoft Outlook or other platforms. n
In meeting room
Joining virtually
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To set a meeting status when accepting a meeting invitation, click on the drop down menu next to “Yes” and select the appropriate option.
THE RED FLAGS OF
R GUE URLs
Spotting malicious URLs is a bit of an art. The examples represented here are some of the common tricks used by hackers and phishers to fool users into visiting malicious websites. The methods shown here could be used by legitimate services, but if you see one of these “tricks” you need to make sure you’re dealing with the organization you think you are.
Domain Mismatches
Look-a-Alike Domains Domain names which seem to belong to respected, trusted brands. Slight Misspellings
Microsoftnline <v5pz @ onmicrosoft . com>
Human Services .gov <Despina . Orrantia6731610 @ gmx . com>
https : // www . le-blog-qui-assure . com/
Strange Originating Domains
www . l l nked in . com Brand name in URL, but not real brand domain
ee . microsoft . co . login-update-dec20 . info www . paypal . com . bank / logon? user= johnsmith @ gmail . com
MAERSK <info @ onlinealxex . com . pl>
Overly Long URLs
ww17 . googlechromeupdates . com/ Brand name in email address but doesn’t match brand domain
Bank of America <BankofAmerica @ customerloyalty . accounts . com> Brand name is in URL but not part of the domain name
devopsnw . com / login.microsoftonline . com?userid=johnsmith
URL Domain Name Encoding https :// %77%77%77.%6B%6E%6F%77%62%654.%63%6F%6D
URLs with 100 or more characters in order to obscure the true domain.
http : // innocent website . com/irs . gov/logon / fasdjkg - sajdkjnd fjnbkasldjfbkajsdbfkjbasdf/adsnfjksdngkfdfgfgjhfgd/ght.php
File Attachment is an Image/Link It looks like a file attachment, but is really an image file with a malicious URL.
INV39391.pdf 52 KB
Open Redirectors
Shortened URLs When clicking on a shortened URL, watch out for malicious redirection.
https : // bit . ly / 2SnA7Fnm
https : //d. pr/free/f/jsaeoc Click or tap to follow link.
URLs which have hidden links to completely different web sites at the end.
t-info . mail . adobe.com /r/ ?id=hc347a&p1=evilwebsite .com
© 2021 KnowBe4, Inc. All rights reserved. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. 01DSSB34R01
Travel & Tourism Motorcoach Familiarization Tour By Amy Larsen, Wyoming Office of Tourism The week of Sept. 13, the Wyoming Office of Tourism (WOT) hosted three qualified motor coach companies on a 1500-mile familiarization tour along the Salt-to-Stone and Rockies-toTetons route. In all, they met with more than 30 partners including restaurants, lodging options, attractions, local artists and museums. The overwhelming reaction was “I had no idea how much more Wyoming had to offer!” They all were eager to start working on new and extended itineraries that will most likely begin in 2023. What became known as the “Wyoming Rendezvous Tour” started 52 million years in the past in the Fossil Basin area and then spent the majority of the time exploring the history of the
Mountain Man, Rendezvous points, Native Americans, emigrant trails and wildlife as they circled the Wind River Mountain Range. The stories told along the way fascinated the tour operators as they recounted them often and connected them to the other stops. The scenery of course left them speechless and wanting to return. The tour operators were selected through meetings held at ABA and NTA, as they had expressed interest in growing their Wyoming itineraries. While the motor coach industry has been very active in Wyoming this summer, WOT intentionally kept this familiarization small, knowing additional tours would be held in the future in other areas of the state. n
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WYDOT Wednesdays
By Taylor Rossetti, Support Services Administrator Starting mid-October, WYDOT Leadership and Training Services initiated ongoing conversations about leadership, called WYDOT Wednesdays. Three Wednesdays a month, Training Services will post short messages on OneWYDOT, focused on a leadership aspect that will help facilitate those conversations. The posts will contain links to a variety of videos, articles, recordings, book summaries, etc. covering the topics below: Leading Self – centers on developing leadership skills for informal leaders; Leading Others – focuses on supervisor and manager leadership competencies; and Leading the Agency – spotlights bigger picture leadership skills and behaviors. Each WYDOT location will also receive monthly posters to put up in common areas to further facilitate these discussions. These posters will contain QR codes to additional content. Visit the Training page on OneWYDOT* to participate in the conversations, respond, share ideas and more. Also, check out the FY22 WYDOT University Schedule to find classes that align with those same topics. Let’s talk about WYDOT culture. Let’s talk about WYDOT leadership! Let’s Lead! *Not a member of OneWYDOT? When you click the link for the first time, you’ll be able to request permission for access to all the content.
Buckle up, turkey. Every turkey trip. Every turkey time.
Training
Getting your learning on track
By Kurt Borgaard, Training Services Looking for employee development opportunities at WYDOT? As you know we offer instructor led classes and eLearning courses pertaining to various subjects which can be accessed in the WELL. Still there is another learning development option which may not be as familiar. And it has features which provide an added flexibility to the learning experience. This option is referred to as “Learning Tracks” and they can be found in the WELL. The benefits of learning tracks are: • The learning experience and focus is customized by the learner; and • A majority of the content is accessible 24/7, when you need it. In previous years, WYDOT Training Services developed Learning Tracks which cover a range of competency topics. Presently we are in the process of updating the content of each of those Learning Tracks. The first Learning Track to be updated for FY22 is called “Slaying Your Dragons and Becoming Your Own Hero.” The focus of this Learning Track is to get a handle on those dragons that prevent your professional growth. Resources in this track help you to improve your skills in self-development, and work with your supervisor to select content, establish goals, and report on progress. You’ll learn concepts and applications that underlie improving professional performance and acting on feedback. This learning track contains formal development opportunities to help you improve in the competency areas of Accountability, Interpersonal Relationships, Planning and Prioritization, Initiative, and Continuous Learning and Self Development. Vetted resources options which you can choose for this Learning Track are: • eLearning: LinkedIn Learning, the WELL; • WYDOT-U Instructor Led Classes; and • Transportation Learning Network (TLN) recorded presentations. To check out the “Slaying Your Dragons and Becoming Your Own Hero” learning track, go to the WELL and search “Slaying Dragons.” Or, go to the “Internal Course Catalog” under the “Find Training” tab. In the filter section, select “Learning Plans” and scroll through the options to find the title. Give it a look. WYDOT Training Services staff is always here if you have questions or need our help. Give us a call or drop an email. Sally forth! n
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Game & Fish
Walleye stocked at Greyrocks Reservoir
These walleye were slightly larger than the ones stocked in Grayrocks with the hopes that survival rates would increase by stocking bigger fish. n
Black-footed ferrets released on historic recovery site
daughter, Addison, was able to join me and experience the thrill of seeing these amazing creatures headed back to their natural habitat. This is a side of conservation that I want her, and those of her generation, to see and be part of.” Game and Fish works to maintain at least 35 individuals at the Meeteetse recovery site, a baseline set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The new ferrets were released to bolster the A black-footed ferret. population, which saw a decline this last year due to plague. Plague is a common disease that impacts prairie dogs, the main food source for black-footed ferrets, as well as the ferrets themselves. Walker said Game and Fish will continue to carefully monitor the population. The department routinely surveys ferrets in the late summer with eyeshine surveys. During the nighttime surveys, biologists search the ground around known burrows with high-powered spotlights, looking for the green glow of a ferret’s distinctive eyeshine. When they see it, they set a trap at the ferret’s burrow. Any wildborn ferrets captured are vaccinated for distemper and plague. The department plans to release 10 ferrets in Shirley Basin near Laramie in the coming weeks, another historic ferret location. Shirley Basin was the first location in Wyoming to reintroduce black-footed ferrets following successful captive breeding. Black-footed ferrets are one of the most endangered mammals in North America. n
By Sara DiRienzo, Wyoming Game and Fish Twenty black-footed ferrets were released last week on the historic recovery site near Meeteetse. Ten male and ten female captive-born ferrets joined their kin on the ground, adding another chapter to Wyoming’s work on endangered species recovery. The small mammal that was once thought to be extinct was rediscovered in Wyoming 40 years ago. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released the black-footed ferrets on private land. Partnerships with landowners in Wyoming have been key to the species recovery efforts. “We have phenomenal partnerships with the Lazy BV and Pitchfork ranches who are dedicated to black-footed ferrets and their success,” said Zack Walker, Game and Fish nongame supervisor. “Much of what we’ve been able to accomplish for ferrets is due to their considerable support, of which we’re grateful and appreciative.” Ashlee Lundvall, Game and Fish Commissioner from Powell who attended the release, noted it was an impactful moment for the next era of conservationists. “It was an honor to participate in the black-footed ferret release,” said Commissioner Ludvall. “I was so thankful that my
Wyoming biologists sort walleye on white boards to make sure the shipment is free of plants, invertebrates, tadpoles and fish other than walleye.
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Photo: Wyoming Game and Fish
The small mammal that was once thought to be extinct was rediscovered in Wyoming 40 years ago.
Photo: Wyoming Game and Fish
The Laramie fisheries and Aquatic Invasive Species crews helped inspect two separate loads of walleye from the Garrison National Fish Hatchery in North Dakota before stocking them into lakes and reservoirs in southeast Wyoming. Because Wyoming hatcheries only raise trout, we receive walleye from North Dakota for Wyoming waters. The walleye are raised in outdoor ponds, so the loads must be free of plants, invertebrates, tadpoles and fish, or “anything that’s not a walleye” before stocking. So biologists sort through the shipment by running the fish over white boards before stocking them. The white boards make it easy to see anything that doesn’t belong. “Garrison National Fish Hatchery does a really good job sending us clean fish, but we still need to go through them to ensure all is good,” said Laramie Region Fisheries Supervisor Bobby Compton. Once cleared, 400,000 fingerling walleye were stocked into Grayrocks Reservoir in June. In August, Hawk Springs Reservoir and Wheatland Reservoir No. 1 each received 40,000 walleye.
Your best photos could be published in Wyoming Wildlife magazine Submissions for the 2021 Wyoming Wildlife magazine annual photo contest are being accepted online until midnight Nov. 15. By Sara DiRienzo, Wyoming Game and Fish One of the most popular outdoor photography competitions in the West is now open. Submissions for the 2021 Wyoming Wildlife magazine annual photo contest are being accepted online until midnight Nov. 15. Winning entries will be published in the February 2022 photo issue of Wyoming Wildlife. “Anyone – amateur or professional – can enter his or her images taken in Wyoming, and this issue is a chance to not only showcase great photography but also the amazing wildlife and scenery found throughout the state,” said Tracie Binkerd, magazine editor. In addition to being published in the magazine, the grandprize winner for the best overall photo will receive $600 and a $350 voucher for a print of their shot on metal, gallery mount or other canvas at Artizen Photo Printing in Cheyenne. Prizes are also offered for first, second and third places in each of the four photo categories. Honorable mentions will also be recognized. Contestants can submit up to 10 photographs; the maximum size for each is 9 MB. Each must represent one of the following categories: Wildlife – wild mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects Scenic – landmarks, scenery or inanimate objects are prominent
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Recreation – people enjoying the outdoors through hunting, fishing, hiking, backpacking, skiing or other outdoor activities Flora – wildflowers, foliage, fruiting bodies or other parts of plants Submissions are accepted online only. Photos must have been taken in Wyoming and cannot have been previously submitted to or taken on assignment for Wyoming Wildlife. Employees of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Wyoming Game and Fish Commissioners and their immediate families are ineligible. Photographers are encouraged to practice ethical photography, keeping an appropriate distance and respecting animals and their habitats. For more information, complete submission guidelines and prizes, visit the photo contest web page. About Wyoming Wildlife magazine Wyoming Wildlife is published 12 times a year for anglers, hunters and wildlife enthusiasts. Its pages are full of the wild things and wild places that make Wyoming incomparable. Wyoming Wildlife is available online through the Game and Fish Store or by subscription for $14.95 for 12 issues. To subscribe call (800) 710-8345 or visit the website. n
40Years of Excellence
November 2021 Message
SAD Is a Treatable Condition Seasonal affective disorder, also known as SAD, is a type of depression that comes in the fall and leaves in the spring. Experts believe shorter daylight hours affect two brain chemicals, causing an increase in melatonin and a decrease in serotonin, which can trigger the depression. People who have SAD can struggle in various ways. Besides feeling depressed, they’re likely to lose interest in favorite activities, become shorttempered, crave carbs or struggle with everyday challenges, especially getting out of bed. Kids and teens are also susceptible. In addition to the symptoms above, kids are likely to become more sensitive, cry more often or struggle to concentrate. If you notice these changes in yourself or loved ones, there are steps you can take to alleviate these symptoms: • Schedule a daily walk or some other outdoor activity during daylight hours. • Use full spectrum (daylight) lightbulbs wherever possible. Symptoms of SAD can range from mild to severe. If you need additional support, medication, special light boxes and talk therapy are very effective.
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U.S. Forest Service Visitors encouraged to remember fire safety as seasons change Fire restrictions rescinded as of Oct. 1 By Mary Grace Bedwell, U.S. Forest Service As seasons change on the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland (MBRTB), visitors are reminded to exercise caution when building and maintaining fires. Effective Oct. 1, fire restrictions were rescinded on all National Forest System lands managed by the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland. This includes National Forest and Grassland in Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt counties in northwest Colorado; Albany, Campbell, Carbon, Converse, Crook, Natrona, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston counties in Wyoming. While the onset of shorter days and cooler temperatures has seasonally decreased fire danger, all areas of the MBRTB remain in drought of varying levels of intensity. Large wildfire activity has been less substantial in 2021 than in recent years, however late-season fires have become more common in the Rocky Mountain region. Hunters, campers, and all other forest visitors should exercise caution to reduce wildfire risk. Campfire safety best practices include making sure that campfires are thoroughly extinguished before leaving a fire unattended. This is effectively done by stirring coals and other burned
materials with water until cool. Even if your fire is a relatively small warming fire, the fire should be dead out before you leave the site. More campfire safety information is available online. Regarding ongoing wildfires on the Routt National Forest, all fires have transitioned management back to local Forest resources. Engines continue to patrol and monitor fires while conducting fire suppression repair work as necessary. Area closures on National Forest System lands remain in place for the Muddy Slide, Morgan Creek, and Black Mountain fires. Call or visit your local office for site-specific information. • Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District, Saratoga, Wyo., (307) 326-5258 • Douglas Ranger District, Douglas, Wyoming, (307) 358-4690 • Hahns Peak/Bears Ears Ranger District, Steamboat Springs, Colorado, (970) 870-2299 • Forest Supervisor’s Office & Laramie Ranger District, Laramie, Wyoming, (307) 745-2300 • Parks Ranger District, Walden, Colorado, (970) 723-2700 • Yampa Ranger District, Yampa, Colorado, (970) 638-4516
Pole Mountain and northeast Sierra Madre Range prescribed burning for mitigation By Mary Grace Bedwell, U.S. Forest Service USDA Forest Service fire staff looked for windows of opportunity to conduct a cumulative 1,000 acres of prescribed burns on the Pole Mountain unit of the Medicine Bow National Forest and nearly 1,600 acres in the northwest portion of the Sierra Madre Range. Smoke from the Pole Mountain burns were likely be visible to the public from Interstate 80, Happy Jack Road (WYO 210), and nearby forest roads. The work is part of the ongoing Pole Mountain Vegetation Project in eastern Albany County that began in 2014. Nearly 9,000 acres were authorized to be treated over a period of approximately 10 years, with the goal being the return to a resilient, diverse, and historically healthy forest. At this time, Firefighters are primarily targeting the understory in stands of large ponderosa pine, as well as juniper patches and deteriorating aspen stands. The operations in the Sierra Madre Range are part of the Divide Peak Prescribed Burn Project. Located on the northern end of the Sierra Madres in Carbon County, Wyoming, this project area is nearly 1,600 acres and includes multiple years of spring/
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fall burning. Other burn units are located on National Forest System lands managed by the Brush Creek/Hayden Ranger District (BCH), approximately 18 miles southwest of Saratoga. The burn units are composed mainly of conifer encroached aspen stands consisting of Lodgepole Pine, Engelmann Spruce and Subalpine Fir mix. Fire behavior models will be used to determine the needed organization to safely complete the burns. The fires are expected to burn in a mosaic pattern. Smoke from the prescribed fires were likely visible from the Baggs and Saratoga areas. Staff primarily used drip torches to carry out the burning. For safety and effectiveness, operations were not initialized if weather conditions were unfavorable. Necessary smoke permits were obtained from the state of Wyoming and adhered to throughout the project. Prescribed burning is a versatile forest management tool that can mimic historically natural fire disturbances, reduce hazardous fuels buildup, and improve habitat for a variety of wildlife. Minimal and managed smoke from prescribed fires now helps prevent the potential for more unpredictable and hazardous wildfire smoke in the future. n
District News Headquarters
Holly Garrison, GIS/ITS; Alanna Jarvis, Port of Entry-Cheyenne I-25; Jordon Lackey, Financial Services-Disbursements; and Jordan Remley, Right of Way-Administration.
Driver Services-Policy and Records; James Garland, Traffic; Nicole Harvey, Driver Services-Policy and Records; Job Lopez, Materials-Bituminous; Margaret Mordahl, Planning-Programming; April Patrick, Employee Safety; Joshua Walther, Patrol-Operations.
Promotions and Transfers
Service Awards
Nathan Bell, Patrol-Capitol Services Protection; Wesley Bybee, Materials-Administration; Caleb Decroo, Materials-Bituminous; Sabrina Ernst, Budget; Kathryn Everett,
Sarah Meyer, Bridge-Engineering Design – 20 years; Ronald Hartwig, GIS/ITS – 15 years; Daniel Tolman, IT-Administration – 15 years; Nathan Smolinski, Emergency Communications-Administration – 10 years; Damion Aldana, Motor Vehicle Services-Registration/Title – 5 years; and Vincent Martini, Driver Services-Policy and Records – 5 years.
Welcome
Bell
Retirements
Ernst
Mordahl
Walther
Meyer
Tolman
Smolinski
Aldana
Martini
Russell Howe retired Sept. 9 from Construction Staff as a Senior Staff Technician. He leaves WYDOT with 40 years of service to the state. Howe began his career in February 1981 as a temporary micro-graphic records technician. He moved Howe into a job with the Wyoming Highway Patrol in Overweight Loads. Howe was with Overweight Loads for 26 years before moving to Maintenance Staff in Cheyenne. He moved from Maintenance Staff to Construction Staff in 2008. When not at the office, Howe can be found on the basketball court officiating games, bicycling, woodworking or playing softball. Shannon Ratliff retired Sept. 2 from Patrol-Operations as the highway patrol lt. colonel with 30 years of service to Wyoming. Ratliff began his career with the WHP in August 1991. He attended Lander
Valley High School, Casper College where he graduated with an associate degree in law enforcement, and the University of Wyoming, graduating with Criminal Justice Administration. Ratliff has also been a part of the Wyoming Army National Guard beginning in March 1985. In his spare time, especially now in retirement, he enjoys hunting, fishing, camping and all types of winter sports. John Samson, WYDOT’s lone agonomist and “roadside beautification specialist” packed away his wildflower seeds on Sept. 3, to retire after 27 years of service. He retires from the Environmental Services Program. Born on a farm in eastern Nebraska, Samson continued his affinity for agriculture by attending the University of Nebraska where he received a dual degree in Agronomy and Ag Economics. Later, he received his Master’s degree during which time he had the opportunity to work with some of the country’s best known experts on re-vegetating highly erodible lands, establishment of indigenous plant materials and climate change. After working for the Soil Conservation Service in Nebraska, Samson’s knowledge of re-vegetation practices led him to Wyoming. Since his favorite “entertainment” was hiking in the beautiful Wyoming mountains, the agronomy job at WYDOT was a perfect match for him. For 27 years, Samson was instrumental in re-vegetating all roads that were cut or renovated across the state of Wyoming. During his employment, he established not only native grasses, but also showy wildflowers along roadsides for many miles. One of his favorite accomplishments is the establishment of the beautiful and iconic Palmer Penstemon in the high steep rock cuts in Telephone Canyon between Cheyenne and Laramie. Anyone who was lucky enough to travel with Samson was quick to acknowledge that they had received a crash course, albeit comprehensive, on native grass and wildflower identification. Samson never met a plant that he did not know and appreciate. Wyoming’s roadsides are certainly more spectacular due to his knowledge and efforts. n
Ratliff
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District 1
Retirements
Filip Camacho, Cheyenne Maintenance; Kyle Hurlburt, Cheyenne Mechanics; Elizabeth Landry, Highway Development-Project Development-Laramie Design Squad; and Kendall Smith, Cheyenne Maintenance.
Donald Bridges retired on Sept. 8 from Cheyenne Maintenance with 40 years of service to the state. Bridges was a Highway Maintenance Supervisor in Cheyenne. He began his career as a maintainer in Saratoga back in September 1981, later moving to an operator position and a heavy.
Promotions and Transfers Brian Erickson, Cheyenne Maintenance; and Kenneth Lennon, Laramie Maintenance.
Erickson
Lennon
Sharp
Service Awards Ken Sharp, Cheyenne Maintenance – 10 years.
RIDES! Photos deadline:
11/15/21
Brand Fogg retired on Sept. 8 from Elk Mountain Maintenance. Fogg retires with 32 years of service to the state. Bridges Fogg began his career with the state in April 1989 in the Photogrammetry and Survey Program in Cheyenne. After a year in the office, he moved to the maintenance side of WYDOT. He has worked as a laborer Fogg in Thermopolis, an equipment operator in Douglas, a welder in the fabrication shop in Cheyenne and a heavy and foreman in Pine Bluffs.
He retired as the Arlington, Elk Mountain and Medicine Bow area highway maintenance supervisor. Fogg has been a member of the Wyoming Air National Guard since May 1986.
Congratulations Ryan Shields has been selected as the new District Construction Engineer in Laramie, effective Oct. 1. n
Shields
Photo: WYDOT
Welcome
Highway Maintenance Supervisor Brian Erickson (left) gives Warren Moeller (Crew 1034) his certificate for his 10-year service award
District 2
Welcome
Service Awards
Bradley Chapman, Wheatland Maintenance; Samuel Keck, Wheatland Mechanics; and Daniel Tiemersma, Casper Maintenance.
Tyler Strickland, Casper Maintenance – 5 years; and Terry Vollmar, Casper Maintenance – 5 years. n
Keck
Chapman
Cross
Sorenson
Strickland
Vollmar
Tiemersma
Promotions and Transfers carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov
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Peter Cross, Patrol-Casper; Lawrence Huelle, Shirley Rim Maintenance; and Ryan Sorenson, Casper Construction.
District 3
Welcome Bradley Chrisman, Rock Springs Mechanics; Wyatt Duran, Kemmerer Maintenance; Kimberly Pagh, Port of Entry-Evanston; Dane Widner, Evanston Maintenance; and Christopher Yarnell, Traffic-Striping.
Promotions and Transfers James Brash, Wamsutter Maintenance; John Bundy, District 3 Shop; Lizabeth Porter, Pinedale Construction; and Clay Seals, Jackson Maintenance.
Brash
Harsha
Retirements
Richardson
Lon Richardson retired on Sept. 8 from Lyman Maintenance as a Highway Maintenance Supervisor with 25 years of service to the state. He began his career in December 1995 as an equipment operator in Evanston. Richardson is a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served near and far from March 1974-August 1987. He had been stationed in Korea, southeast Asia and at Ft. Carson Army Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Guard or Reserve member, may nominate individual supervisors and bosses for support provided directly to the nominating service member and his or her family. The Patriot Award reflects the efforts made to support citizen warriors through a wide-range of measures including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families, and granting leaves of absence if needed. Robinson was nominated by our surveyor Tyler Mckenzie. The ESGR is the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve organization--more information here: https://www.esgr.mil/About-ESGR/ Who-is-ESGR). n
Bundy
Seals
Service Awards Stephanie Harsha, District 3-Administration – 10 years.
Afton resident engineer, Darrin Robinson, was awarded the Patriotic Employer Award from the ESGR for his support of military employees. An employee serving in the National Guard or Reserve, or the spouse of a
Photo: WYDOT
Congratulations Afton Resident Engineer Darrin Robinson being awarded the Patriotic Employer Award by a representative from the ESGR.
District 4
Welcome
Promotions and Transfers
Service Awards
Gregory Bland, Buffalo Mechanics; Richard Burridge, Sheridan Maintenance; Mark Conrad, Traffic-Signing; and Lorren Lane, Sheridan Maintenance.
Jeremey Frisbie, District 4 Maintenance Staff; John Holloman, Gillette Maintenance; Bradley Jones, Sheridan Construction; and Thomas Skubal, Gillette Maintenance.
Anthony Morris, Buffalo Maintenance – 15 years.
Bland
Burridge
Frisbie
Holloman
Conrad
Lane
Skubal
Morris
Retirements Ronnie Moseman Jr. retired on Sept. 8 from the Wyoming Highway Patrol in Sheridan as a trooper. He retires with 24 years of service to the state. He began his career in February 1997 as a trooper in Arlington and then to Buffalo before landing in Sheridan. Moseman was a hazmat specialist in Boston, Massachusetts before coming to Wyoming. He is also a U.S. Army veteran where he served seven years as an aeroscout observer. n
Moseman
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District 5
Welcome
Promotions and Transfers
Retirements
Theodore Hailey, Lander Construction.
Lawrence Anesi, Riverton Construction; Bill Daugherty, Patrol-Cody; Jerry Fritz, District 5 Administration; and Kyle Heinrich, South Pass Maintenance.
Scott Nolting retired on Sept. 2 from Riverton Construction with 36 years of service to the state. He began his career in April 1985 as a highway engineering worker and has spent his entire career in Riverton. Nolting
Service Awards
Anesi
Fritz
Wagner
Daren Wagner, District 5-Shop – 15 years; Scott Thomas, Basin Maintenance – 10 years; Dalen Davis, Emergency Communications-District 5 Radio Shop – 5 years; and Benjamin Hockett, Patrol-Lander – 5 years.
S. Thomas
Letters
Davis
Sick leave donations greatly appreciated Thank you to everyone who donated sick leave to me while I was in the hospital. A special thank you to Jason Ban for taking me to the ER and taking care of my dog, Charlie, until my brother arrived from Indiana.
Thanks again, Kathleen A. Kinney
Good jobs not going unnoticed by public High praise to WYDOT maintainers and WYDOT as a whole. The roads, I-80 specifically 15 miles west of Laramie, look and drive great.
Brian Evans
Big, beautiful Wyoming Dear Staff and workers of WYDOT, Just yesterday we returned to the Big Horn Basin after being in Jackson for a couple of days and coming home over Togwotee Pass through Dubois. It is such
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Glen Thomas II retired from Sept. 2 from Thermopolis Maintenance. He began his career in February 2000 and retires with 21 years of service to the state. Thomas is a Thermopolis native. n
G. Thomas
Hockett
a beautiful drive and the good hi-ways and great rest stops. I want to thank all of you for doing such a good job with limited funds and sometimes limited stuff. Wyoming is a big state and we sure depend on all of you to be able to get around! Keep up the good work. May God bless you all with safety and satisfaction for a job well done.
what I’d found. This young lady was extremely helpful and knowledgeable and I really enjoyed my time there thanks to her!
State employee welcomed out-of-stater, exceptional trip ensued
Just a quick note to say thank you for the Interchange. It has been 19 years since I retired from WYDOT (Highway Development/Utilities/Railroad) and I enjoyed my 34 years, but I have enjoyed even more being able to keep up to date with a great organization through the Interchange. Most of the names have changed but WYDOT continues to serve the people of Wyoming. Following family and grandchildren to Texas I have learned to appreciate the great people in Wyoming. Keep up the great work to keep all of us “old retirees” up to date.
Sincerely, Dirk Cozzens
I stopped at one of your welcome center rest areas a couple of weeks ago coming out of South Dakota. While there, one of your employees, (a young lady approximately 24-30 years of age – unfortunately I didn’t get her name), gave me information on fossil hunting in Wyoming. I’d told her I’d stop back in and show her my finds. Unfortunately, I had to cut my trip short and never got to stop back in to the rest area to thank her and show her
Thank you, Charlie Harrison, Kentucky
Interchange keeps retired WYDOTers up-to-date
Thank you, David Bryden Midland, TX (WYO at heart)
Trunk or Treat distributes more than 16,000 pieces of candy at afternoon event
This year’s Trunk or Treat, sponsored by WTDEA and WyHy, was a huge success. The event was held Oct. 24 in the parking lot outside the main campus car barn. More than 800 people attended the afternoon event to see the 17 decorated trunks and vehicles. Employees donated more than 8,000 pieces of candy, bringing the ghastly total to 16,995 pieces of sweetness to be given away to little spirits and ghouls. As a suggested “entry fee” to the event, canned goods and personal care items were collected for the local Salvation Army. By the event’s end, an entire van full of non-perishable food and new personal care items had been collected for donation. n
Sh o u lder
WTDEA
Back
Middle m ad Ha H eWTDEA District 1 B e ll y
Half-Hog Raffle Winners chosen!
Jane Boykin, non-WYDOT employee; and Rhonda Sifford, Saratoga Maintenance Drawings were for half a hog – processed and packaged! Proceeds benefit the District 1 scholarship.
Photos: Rick Carpenter
Headquarters chili cook-off success
Photos: Rick Carpenter
Photo: WYDOT
Fun was had by all at the Trunk or Treat annual event. It does seem that the adults had a little bit more fun decorating and dressing up than the children.
The WTDEA Headquarters chapter hosted their annual Relief Fund Chili Cook-Off on Oct. 21. The event was attended by 85 people and raised $661 for the Relief Fund. Headquarters employee volunteers supplied the chili and were hungrily sampled by attendees. The chili cook-off cost attendees $5 to taste all the recipes and receive one voting ticket to vote for their favorite. After attendees cast a vote, a small bowl of their favorite was the reward. Baked potatoes with fixings were also on site for an additional cost. The event wouldn’t have been possible without the volunteers from the WTDEA State Board and Headquarters Chapter and the assistance of the Facilities Maintenance team. The 2021 best in show was a green chili made by Jessica Fehlberg with Facilities Maintenance. She has full bragging rights until next year at this time. A 50/50 raffle was held as well with proceeds also going to the Relief Fund. Robyn Eifert, with Procurement Services, won half spoils of the raffle; the other half going to the Relief Fund. n
The chili cook-off was well attended and provided a great fundraiser for the WTDEA Relief Fund.
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GOOD FRIENDS SHARE EVERYTHING REFER A FRIEND & EARN $100 OR MORE
Learn more at WyHy.org or visit any branch. A Friend Ad 7.875x10.375.indd 1 22ReferInterchange n November 2021
(307) 875-3044 | wyhy.org
10/13/21 9:24 AM
Break Time Try your hand at the photo puzzle. Find five differences in the photos to the right. Fall colors on WYO 130, photo: Rick Carpenter.
Answer to the October 2021 Break Time maze:
Interchange subscription issue? Update your address:
1) Complete and return this slip to WYDOT Public Affairs Office, 5300 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY 82009, or 2) Send an email to Carlie Van Winkle at carlie.vanwinkle@wyo.gov. Add me to the mailing list
Retiree Employee
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Name change, I am a family member of a deceased employee, but I would like to continue receiving Interchange.
Name Current address City, State, Zip Previous address City, State, Zip
November 2021
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Interchange 23
Interchange
Pre-sorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid Cheyenne, WY 82009 Permit No. 24
Wyoming Department of Transportation 5300 Bishop Blvd. Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-3340 Address Service Requested
WYDOT’s Travel Information System is the one and ONLY source for up-to-the-minute road and travel information. Take road conditions with you. Get the WYOMING 511 app. www.wyoroad.info
Know before you go. Visit wyoroad.info.
Know traffic hazards & road conditions before you go View highway webcams "Where am I?" function Hands-free, eyes-free function Easy to use
Available for free download at the Apple App Store.
Available for free download at the Google Play Store.
