Proudly Serving the Hulet and Devils Tower Community
Proudly Serving the Hulet and Devils Tower Community
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As the final stage of adopting the new hazard mitigation plan for the county, Emergency Management Coordinator Ed Robinson has been presenting it for approval to the governmental bodies it will affect. The Region 1 Hazard Mitigation Plan is, Robinson says, “A plan that is adopted by all of the municipalities and the county every five to seven years.” As the last adoption was in 2018, the time for renewal has arrived. The mitigation plan identifies the demographics and characteristics of the county and the major hazards faced here. These inc...
A new website has been launched to help ensure that every Wyomingite has the resources they need to vote this year. Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray announced that “Wyoming Votes” is intended to contain all the pertinent information a voter needs to make sure their voice is counted. Available at letsvotewyo.org, the site includes functionality that will help you check where your polling place will be for the coming elections. Typing in your zip code and street address will allow you to check your polling location, precinct number and the...
The state has been working to overhaul and strengthen its behavioral health system since 2021, when the Wyoming State Legislature passed new laws to support the effort. The goal, says the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH), is to focus the state’s resources on the people who need them most: acute psychiatric adults, criminal justice-involved clients, high needs children and families and low income and indigent general access populations. “For many years, our department has paid millions of state dollars to community mental health centers to hel...
CORRECTION Last week’s newspaper listed the day of the parade, bicycle rally, color run, livestock sale and Tris Munsick concert incorrectly. Parade day will take place on Saturday, July 27. The youth rodeo is scheduled for July 20, the ranch rodeo for July 23 and the youth rough stock rodeo for July 25. Fair week is coming right up, this year to the theme of "Country Freedom". Promising all the familiar contests and attractions, there will be a few small schedule changes to watch out for t...
A lawsuit has been filed against Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) by the company responsible for the electronic medical records (EMR) system that was recently replaced throughout the district. TruBridge Inc has filed the suit in the Southern District of Alabama, claiming that the district broke its contract and owes the company just under $1 million in damages. According to the complaint, CCMSD entered into an agreement with TrBridge for the use of its EMR system, Evident. The system was to provide full accounts receivable...
Fire restrictions are back in place on BLM land within Crook County and the agency is asking for the public’s help to prevent human-caused fires by being safe and responsible while enjoying the outdoors. “Preventable wildfires threaten lives, property, and precious resources every year,” says Craig Short, BLM High Plains District Fire Management Officer. “Firefighters are needed more than ever to keep Americans safe, so please, do your part to prevent human-caused wildfires.” A fire ban was initially put in place in March due to the abundance...
It isn’t shaping up to be a good summer for Wyoming’s rabbits. Following last week’s announcement from Wyoming Game & Fish that Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 appears prevalent this year, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is now warning about tularemia, otherwise known as “rabbit fever”. This serious disease can spread to humans in a number of ways and can cause serious symptoms. According to WDH data, eight confirmed and suspected cases of tularemia have been reported so far in 2024 – four times the normal amount for the whole year....
Fireworks will likely not be permitted in Hulett for this year's July 4 holiday, but there are plenty of opportunities around the county to celebrate independence. The Devils Tower KOA will be hosting a July 4 event including a mullet contest, cornhole tournament, music and, of course, fireworks. Fireworks Over the Lake will be taking place at Keyhole State Park on July 6, the largest fundraiser of the year for the Pine Haven Fire Department. The Town of Hulett and Fire Chief Jack Johnson...
The county is entering the final stages of setting the budget for the coming year and it seems like holding steady will be the name of the game. While revenue from the mill levy has increased, other revenue sources went in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, inflation has made its presence known on numerous budget lines. This, along with an eye to future sustainability, has led the commissioners to decide that it won’t be possible to greenlight any departmental projects during the fiscal year of 2024-25. Revenues Revenue has been a mixed bag t...
Wyoming Game & Fish is asking citizens to keep their eyes peeled for dead rabbits, whether in your yard or on your property or in another outdoor area. The department is currently monitoring for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHD2V), which was first detected in this state in 2020 and has already been identified in 20 rabbits across eight counties this year. The disease is highly contagious and is believed to kill between a third and half of wild rabbits that become infected. It has been detected in wild cottontails and jackrabbits but may...
A sizeable fire northwest of Hulett had been fully contained by Monday morning, thanks to the combined efforts of local, state and federal firefighters. Located northwest of Hulett, the Creek Fire was reported late in the afternoon of June 11 and is believed to have been caused by lightning, according to Incident Commander Karsten Milek. The fire reached approximately 1470 acres on a mixture of private, state and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands. A command center was set up at the...
The Sixth Judicial District officially has a fourth judge. Governor Mark Gordon announced last week that he has appointed Mike McGrady to fill the newly created role for the district that covers Crook, Campbell and Weston counties. A bill passed by the Wyoming Legislature earlier this year increased the number of judges in the district from three to four and appropriated $1.24 million to fund the additional judge for the first two years, beginning on July 1. It also authorized three full-time positions for the personnel necessary to staff and...
The Independence Day holiday brings with it two familiar opportunities to enjoy patriotic firework displays. On July 4 itself, the Devils Tower will form the backdrop for a display at the KOA. The event begins in the afternoon, when proudly coiffed visitors may take part in the annual mullet contest. Should your hairdo not meet the requirements but you’re still feeling competitive, you can instead sign up for a cornhole tournament. Meanwhile, enjoy music on the deck and food from vendors. The firework display will be set off as night falls. V...
We likely won’t be seeing much about the revised management plan for the Black Hills National Forest this year, according to Dru Palmer, consultant to the county commissioners. She said last week that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has pushed back publication of the notice of intent to begin developing the plan to fall or early winter. This is partly because USFS is also working on its environmental impact statement for old growth forests, she said, and some of the same personnel are involved with both projects. In the meantime, Palmer told t...
The Crook County Commissioners have signed up as a cooperating agency as the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) decides how to manage old growth forests, but will be making their thoughts clear on how the process has gone so far. Earlier this year, the commissioners called for a rethink of USFS plans to amend every national forest land management in the nation to create an overall strategy. The county criticized the one-size-fits-all approach and failure to include local governments in the planning. In a letter sent to the USFS in April, the...
After a notably bad year for mosquitoes, the Wyoming Weed and Pest Council (WWPC) is warning that the conditions so far in 2024 could mean we're set for another season of swatting. While most mosquitoes limit their nuisance to itchy bites and buzzing, some carry a potentially serious disease: West Nile Virus. In 2023, Wyoming saw the worst outbreak of the disease in a decade, with a case rate far exceeding the national average and four human deaths. The year before, only three cases in total...
Wyoming’s two senators are criticizing the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) for its “chokehold” on the timber industry in the wake of the recent layoff announcement from Neiman Enterprises. U.S. Senators John Barrasso and Cynthis Lummis joined their South Dakota counterparts, John Thune and Mike Rounds, in calling for USFS to outline what it plans to do to protect the remaining forest products industry in the Black Hills. Neiman Enterprises announced layoffs and product reductions at its last remaining South Dakota facility, Spearfish Forest Products...
Filing has now closed for this year’s primary election, with candidates now finalized for city, county, state and national seats. Chip Neiman will stand again for his seat as State Representative for House District 01. He will be unopposed. At the county level, one county commissioner seat with a four-year term will be voted on this year. Incumbent Kelly Dennis will be challenged by Dale T. Davis. On the national level, John Barrasso will be challenged for his United States Senator seat by John Holtz of Laramie and Reid Rasner of Mills on the R...
Crook County will again transform into one giant yard sale next weekend, as the three-day annual Junkin’ Weekend gets underway. Look for a bargain, find the perfect gift or simply browse locations all across the county until something strikes your fancy. The Junkin’ vendors will be spread around the area, with stops available in and around all four municipalities. Garage and yard sales are a summer staple, but the Junkin’ Weekend aims to bring them all together for the convenience of bargain hunters and vendors alike. To do this, Crook Count...
The Wyoming State Legislature granted a fourth judge to the Sixth Judicial District earlier this year and their identity will be known in the next few weeks. Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice Kate M. Fox, chairman of the Judicial Nominating Commission, announced last week that the commission has completed its consideration of everyone who expressed an interest in the position. Three nominees have been submitted to Governor Mark Gordon for his consideration: Alison Ochs Gee of Lubnau Law in Gillette, who has practiced law in Wyoming since...
The county commissioners have officially approved the presence of the 1% Specific Purpose Sales and Use Tax on this year’s general election ballot. Better known as the SPOT Tax, this is far from new to the county, having been used to raise extra revenue for counties and towns since it was authorized by the legislature in 1984. In Crook County, it is an additional penny on top of the obligatory four percent state sales tax and the one percent general purpose tax. One difference this year, however, will be the amount. At the suggestion of Pine H...
A Hazmat team was called to the Crook County Courthouse on Friday after it became the third Wyoming courthouse in a week to receive suspicious mail. As with the previous two cases, the letter tested negative for hazardous substances. The incidents are now being investigated by the FBI. According to Crook County Sheriff’s Office, the suspicious letter arrived in the regular mail distribution and was reported at around 3:10 p.m. Prior to this incident, all offices in the courthouse had been advised to be on the lookout for suspicious mail of t...
Sometimes, it takes a fire to prevent a fire. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) is proposing to target areas of the Bearlodge Ranger District in Crook County with planned burns, with the aim of improving the odds of managing future wildland fires safely and effectively. Hazardous fuels have built up within the estimated 8382 acres that have been identified, such as grass, brush and fallen trees. Clearing this accumulation through a planned fire helps to provide fire managers with areas in which to manage future fires. Though it may seem...
Filing opens for this year’s elections in a couple of weeks and, for the first time in Wyoming, this event will also mark the deadline by which you must declare or change your party affiliation before the primaries.Filing opens on May 16 and will run for two weeks, until May 31. The day before filing opens, May 15, is your final opportunity to declare your party affiliation. If you want to vote for either Republican or Democratic candidates in this year’s primary, you must be a registered voter for that party; if you are not affiliated, your ba...
The Crook County Facilities Department is introducing an annual fundraiser to support its ongoing goal to make the fairground an enticing destination for events both familiar and new. “It’s going to start building our pot of money for the future,” says Jasmyne Bryant, Event Coordinator. “We’ve been going after grants for some of our fairground improvements and part of that is that we do have to match money.” The proceeds from this fundraiser will kick-start a fund through which the department can continue its work to update and improve the...
