Proudly Serving the Hulet and Devils Tower Community
Proudly Serving the Hulet and Devils Tower Community
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The northern long-eared bat is now officially listed as “endangered”. The implementation of this upgrade to the bat’s status was originally set to take place on January 30. However, this was delayed until the end of March to address concerns over the impact that the listing might have on infrastructure projects across the bat’s territory. The delay, according to an announcement from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) in the Federal Register, “Is necessary for the Service to finalize conservation tools and guidance documents to avoid con...
Did you know that you can check out a blood pressure monitor at the county library? That you can get help from senior services to clip your toenails if you are unable to reach your feet? That there are thousands of sandbags available through the emergency management department to protect your home in the event of a flood? Crook County’s various agencies and institutions have these health and human needs services available and many more besides. But do members of the public know they exist, or where and how to access them? This question was t...
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering recovery assistance for livestock losses in Wyoming due to the storms and frigid weather of winter. Assistance on offer includes both technical and financial, with the goal of helping farmers and livestock producers to recover from the impacts of adverse weather events. “These recent winter storms have taken their toll on livestock producers in Idaho, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming, leaving producers with snow removal costs as well as increased feed expenses,” said Rob...
Ty Stutzman was elected the new chairman of the Crook County Republican Party at a meeting of the Central Committee last week, winning the vote against incumbent Jeff Burian. “I was elected by the people who were sitting in front of me, the central committee. They are my boss and I believe that, as chairman, you need to listen to everybody and be open to everything,” Stutzman says of his goals in this new position. “I would like to see the Republican Party grow and get younger people involved, but the biggest thing is that I believe, as chairma...
Two very different requests came before the Crook County Commissioners last week from landowners hoping to sidestep the new regulations for large-acre subdivisions. While the first was for a single chunk from a personal property that the owner would like to sell, the second was a subdivision containing more than 30 individual tracts that was completed by a developer around the time the new rules came into being. In the first instance, the request was for a 36.7-acre parcel south of Pine Haven. Colt Massie explained that he had bought several pa...
When Paul Stille of Leo Riley & Associates presented this year’s county audit, it once again included reference to an issue within the Weed & Pest department that suggested operational difficulties severe enough to have caused a “near complete breakdown in the accounting process”. However, he was quick to note that the issue has now been solved and only appeared in the audit because the timeline spilled over into the fiscal year of 2021-22. “This will be gone this year,” he said. “Last year I came and met with you about the problems th...
A wildfire prevention program in California is set to bolster the timber supply here in Crook County, according to an announcement made by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) last week. Through this program, Neiman Sawmills is expected to receive surplus fire salvage logs from areas with too much wood and not enough of a market for it. “We’re honored to be a partner with the Forest Service and NWTF on this pilot project,” said Jim Neiman, President of the family-owned forest management company with operations across the west. “Collectively, we’re h...
For about three years, the state stopped reviewing whether Wyomingites enrolled on the Medicaid program were still eligible – but things are about to change. As the Wyoming Department of Health prepares to resume the practice of reviewing people’s eligibility for Medicaid coverage, it is urging citizens to make sure their contact details are up to date. “We just started sending renewal notices by mail to clients. We’ll be reviewing eligibility in the same manner as we did before the pandemic so it’s not something new,” said Lee Grossman, s...
Keeping someone safe if they are prone to wandering can be a challenge, but the Crook County Sheriff's Office can help. The office sponsors Project Lifesaver, a nationwide program designed to help you protect someone who is cognitively impaired. Project Lifesaver is supported by donations and grants and completely free to its participants. Members of the community are invited to reach out to the office for more information if a loved one has been diagnosed with a condition such as dementia or...
Among the bills signed into law by Governor Mark Gordon over the last week was one that gives Wyoming primacy to permit and regulate parts of the rare earth and critical minerals industry. HB 061 does this by amending the agreement state status between the state and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to give Wyoming permitting and regulatory authority. It was passed with unanimous support, authorizing the governor to begin negotiations with the NWC and enter into a final agreement. Upon signing the bill, the Governor immediately sent a...
The snow may be coming down more often than it has over recent years, but the National Weather Service (NWS) is not predicting it will cause flooding when the spring arrives. According to the outlook for the Rapid City Hydrologic Service Area, the severe drought conditions that led into winter – along with lower streamflows and minimal frost – have reduced the chance for spring floods, despite the abundance of the snowpack. At this time, there is below average potential for flooding in northeastern Wyoming. The NWS predicts less than a 5% chanc...
Due to delays caused by a backlog at the Wyoming State Hospital, the trial of Crook County native Ed Svoboda is now expected to begin in August. Svoboda will stand trial for murder in the first degree following the death of his wife in 2021. Svoboda has pled not guilty by reason of mental illness. An August, 2022 date was originally set for his trial. However, the case has experienced significant delays due to the necessity for an examination of his mental condition, which was to take place at the Wyoming State Hospital. At Svoboda’s a...
A group of landowners from the Hulett area have found themselves disagreeing over the maintenance required on a private road that serves an estimated ten families. Despite the differences of opinion, several of the affected citizens were able to come together last week on a potential solution: requesting that it be adopted as a county road. Unfortunately, the Crook County Commissioners were equally united in their response. While the landowners have every right to put together a formal petition for their request, the commissioners responded,...
Crook County Medical Services District is ready to form its own internal fundraising foundation, having given the nod of approval to a completed set of bylaws. The board decided this was necessary after disagreements with the Crook County Medical Foundation (CCMF) over the Red Bluffs Clinic, which led trustees to feel that the goals of the two entities no longer aligned. Offering a contract to Campbell County Health was, to some, a clear demonstration that the foundation’s mandate is to support healthcare in the county, rather than CCMSD i...
U.S. Senators Cynthia Lummis and John Barrasso have resubmitted a bill that would protect the name of Devils Tower National Monument. The bill, which was introduced on January 22 and has been read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, would designate the monument as “Devils Tower” and commands that it shall be referred to as such in any law, map, regulation, document, paper or record. Senator Mike Enzi first introduced the bill, along with Barrasso, in 2015, at which time Lummis introduced companion leg...
Once again, the students of Crook County have outdone the state average with a graduation rate for the 2021-2022 school year of 90.6%. This places Crook County School District among the top 15 in the state. Overall, graduation rates in Wyoming have been statistically strong over the last decade, staying above 81% since 2014 according to the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE). This year’s state average was 81.8%, down slightly from 82.4% in 2020-2021, which was the highest in the nine-year span. A total of 77 students graduated in Crook C...
Following the December tragedy at Keyhole Reservoir, a recent training session gave Crook County Sheriff's Office the opportunity to test out the Argo first responder UTV under the varying circumstances that might occur during an ice rescue. The primary purpose of the training, says Sheriff Jeff Hodge, was to prepare and train for different types of ice rescue operations – and to ensure that a rescue can be completed safely. This was done by pushing the limitations of the Argo and other e...
Crook County Sheriff's Office hosted an active shooter training at Sundance High School on January 20, focusing on a scenario in which one or two officers must respond to an active shooter situation. "The reality is that, if an active shooter incident occurs, it will likely be one or two officers that are able to respond in the critical first few minutes and it is their responsibility to stop the threat," says Sheriff Jeff Hodge. "There is not time to wait for backup or a SWAT team to arrive in...
On Tuesday morning, the county commissioners approved a grant application for funds that would be used to construct a new building to house the county’s emergency response departments under a single roof. The application will be submitted to the State Lands and Investments Board (SLIB) for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. The building would be known as the Crook County Consolidated Public Response Facility and would contain space for three individual departments. “It’s for fire, emergency management, search and rescue,” said Commissione...
As one of the county's own picked up the gavel as President of the Wyoming State Senate, and another became the first freshman legislator elected as floor leader, Crook County took its fair share of the focus during the first week of the 2023 Legislative Session. During the opening ceremonies, Governor Mark Gordon gave the annual State of the State speech, during which he took the opportunity to recognize one of the community's exemplary volunteers. Perry Honored There's something about the...
The county commissioners enjoyed their first opportunity at last week’s regular meeting to try out the exemption process for the new regulations governing large-acre subdivisions, which came into effect at the end of last year. Garry Davis was the first to come before the commission to ask for an exemption, regarding land he has owned with his business partner since 1998. The two are aiming to split the land into almost equal portions and would like it grandfathered in before they do so. Davis initially made his request in December. However, a...
The Wyoming Legislature convened on Tuesday at the State Capitol to kick off its 37-day general session. As always, a variety of services will be available both online and offline to help members of the public participate in the session. The numerous bills so far introduced cover potential new laws such as a significant increase to nonresident hunting tags; prevention of crossover voting; 12 months of Medicaid coverage for women after giving birth; an increase to tobacco tax; the creation of a 988 suicide and crisis lifeline; a “back to s...
A clearing of the air at last week’s meeting led to the board of trustees agreeing to examine the possibility of once again seeking to fund a new hospital building for Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD). As the board convened for its monthly meeting, Sandy Neiman addressed new trustee Brent Fowler with the stated intention of getting to the bottom of a rumor before the board begins working together in the new year. “When you were elected and even afterwards, you said the reason we don’t have a new hospital is my fault,” she said to...
January Life had almost returned to normal by the beginning of 2022 after almost two full years of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the danger was not over, as a new and more infectious strain that came to be known as Omicron began to dominate new infections. Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) implemented a new policy requiring staff be vaccinated to comply with the federal mandate upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court and tightened its visitation policy to protect patients and residents...
Hot on the heels of a nation-spanning storm that closed down the region for several days came a “polar plunge” last week, just in time for Christmas. Travel once again became difficult as temperatures began to plunge and the new snow joined what was already on the ground to blow whiteouts across the roads. The strong, gusty winds continued until the end of the week, with the combination of fresh snow and wind resulting in blizzard-like conditions in some parts of the region. The bigger problem for human fingers and toes, though, was the dan...
