Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
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After last week’s much-needed shot of moisture, Fire Warden Charlie Harrison has temporarily suspended all burn ban restrictions in Crook County. This respite is intended to allow time for residents to burn slash and trash piles as needed while conditions are favorable, but the restrictions will be reinstated should this area enter another dry spell. In a statement, Harrison said, “The conditions will be monitored and adjusted as needed.” To ensure that the smoke from your burn is not misin...
The father-son duo who marked their neighbor’s cattle with bleach have been ordered to pay just under $10,000 in restitution – around a tenth of the amount requested by the prosecution. Judge Mike McGrady determined the figure following a restitution hearing last week, after which Patrick Sean Carroll was also given a sentence of suspended jail time and a $750 fine. His father, Tucker Carroll, will be sentenced at a later date. Both parties entered plea agreements in which father Tucker entered an Alford plea (in which the de-fendant maintains...
An organization with a strong and long-lasting presence in Crook County is celebrating its 150th anniversary this month. The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Wyoming was chartered in Laramie on December 15, 1874. It was followed a few years later by the establishment of Sundance Lodge #9, on December 6, 1887. In honor of the occasion, the Sundance City Council signed a proclamation honoring the anniversary and recognizing members of the lodge for the many years they have...
A previous resident of the county has been charged with sexual assault of a minor after his alleged victim came forward to report an assault that occurred more than a decade ago. On November 11, 2023, a Crook County Sheriff’s Office deputy received a report that Morgan Anderson had sexually abused a juvenile female over a decade prior. The abuse occurred in Crook County, though neither party now lives locally. The alleged victim, during a forensic interview two days later, claimed that Anderson and his now deceased wife routinely babysat her w...
On November 27, a Crook County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was traveling at 87 mph in a 75 mph zone. The driver, Willie Moorehead, allegedly stated he was trying to get home from his job in Sheridan. When asked for his license, registration and insurance, Moorehead “became nervous” and said his license was in court for traffic violations. Moorehead allegedly admitted he might have warrants from other states, but said none were extraditable. He also stated that he had a “little bit” of marijuana in his ve...
As his final meeting came to an end, Commissioner Kelly Dennis was honored for his years of service to Crook County. Dennis served as commissioner for four terms, spanning a total of 16 years, before which he was a member of the Crook County Land Use Planning & Zoning Commission for several years and served on the Crook County School District Board of Trustees from 1981 to 1984. He is officially the longest serving commissioner in the county's history. "I appreciate having the opportunity to...
The county is considering a change to its fire restrictions, removing the option for individuals to request permits to burn during a ban period. The provision is causing more issues than it’s solving, the county commissioners believe. Fire Warden Charlie Harrison brought up the issue last week when he mentioned that county residents will often request permits during a fire ban period. No matter the person’s history, level of experience or circumstances, he said, he cannot grant one when conditions are dangerous. Commissioner Fred Devish com...
Crook County and the City of Sundance are already feeling the effects of the loss of the Specific Purpose Options Tax. Known as SPOT, it has been used to raise extra revenue for counties and towns since it was authorized by the legislature in 1984 and, according to Mayor Brooks, is one of the very few available sources for some infrastructure projects, such as roads. 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. Unlike other taxes, SPOT is approved by...
Issues between city and county employees were resolved last week with promises on both sides to observe proper levels of decorum. Though the background that led to these problems were not discussed in detail, both sides agreed that observing the appropriate rules will help solve what Mayor Paul Brooks described as, “A conflict of your staff and our staff.” The conversation took place at last week’s meeting of the county commission, to which Mayor Brooks had been invited to discuss an issue with snow removal brought up at November’s council...
The Sundance Winter Festival will be coming back next year – assuming there’s enough snow to build the ski joring course. Organizer Tony Barton was given the blessing of both the Sundance City Council and Crook County Commissioners last week as he began the formal planning process. “We do have to have a little bit more snow for it to happen,” he said, referring to last year, when the mild winter rendered it impossible for the festival to go forward because there wasn’t enough building material for the course. The plan, Barton said, is for th...
The Sundance Volunteer Fire Department is taking first steps towards meeting new regulations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), starting with a physical fitness program. Unfortunately, said Fire Chief Gari Gill last week, efforts to convince OSHA that the standards are too burdensome for small, volunteer departments have not yet met with success. Alongside his own efforts, he has spoken with Wyoming’s Congressional delegation, he said, and “they are battling” to reduc... Full story
Though it’s a suggestion right now, rather than a formal offer, the City of Sundance is not interested in taking ownership of Old Stoney. The council agreed that it would not be fiscally appropriate to pursue the idea when the building is not yet finished and there is no financial data yet available. Mayor Paul Brooks brought to the council’s attention last week that the Crook County Museum District is interested in exploring the possibility of the city owning the cultural center and renting the space inside to the district on a square foo...
Questions of officer elections, conflicts of interest and training led to valuable learning opportunities for new and old board members alike at last week’s meeting of the Crook County Medical Services District Board of Trustees. With one new trustee unable to attend the meeting and the other hoping to find her feet before making important decisions, the board hit its first snag at the first item on the agenda: electing officers. “I like to know people personally,” said new Trustee Sharon Coleman, explaining that she felt uncomfortable nomin...
The total amount of sales and use tax collected locally grew by 11.2% this year – nearing double the statewide average. Crook County was on the higher percentage end of 16 counties that saw an increase in collections, with Niobrara County coming in top with 50%, followed by Albany with 38.6%. Wyoming’s Economic Analysis Division attributes this to a continued rebound in mineral activities or an expansion of utilities projecst. “This robust expansion is the result of continued higher spending on wind power projects and strong lodging sales...
Interested in the future of mule deer management? Wyoming Game & Fish is hosting “community conversations” across the state to address widespread public concern about populations of the species. The goal is to gather input and perspectives in an informal setting that will ultimately help guide the departments next steps in managing mule deer. Game & Fish also collects input from outreach efforts such as season-setting meetings in the spring and hunter field checks, as well as the 2023 Mule Deer Hunter Attitude Survey. The conversations are in...
Support the residents of the long-term care unit at the annual Christmas Bazaar next week, a fundraiser for the activities department. The event will be held on both December 14 and 15 at the long-term care and will run from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. The department keeps residents entertained through activities like the recent Thankful Tree, which was both a photoshoot and opportunity for each resident to express what they are grateful for on a leaf; poppy-making for Veterans’ Day; and, of course, ornament making for the bazaar. The department is a...
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is reporting an outbreak of salmonella linked to cucumbers and is advising consumers to check their refrigerators for contaminated products. At this time, there are 68 known cases, of which 18 have led to hospitalizations. The hardest-hit state is Montana with 16 cases, with two in Wyoming. The cucumbers in question were recalled last week by SunFed Produce LLC. Check for whole cucumbers with the “SunFed” label or the name of the grower, “Agrotato, S.A. de C.V.”, or a sticker showing “SunFed Mexico”....
Representative Chip Neiman will complete his swift rise to the top of the leadership ladder next year as he takes on the position of Speaker of the House. Neiman was elected on the weekend, which came as little surprise to him, considering his was the only name being considered. "I knew that was the next logical position for me, as majority floor leader, to move into the position of speaker," he says. "I knew I had the support of everyone who was winning and potentially could win in the general...
Two Crook County ranchers fell victim to the scams of a Kansas man who was sentenced for wire fraud last week in the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana. Jory Parks will serve five years of probation and has been ordered to pay back over $100,000 to his victims from a scheme in which he sold – but never delivered – large quantities of hay. “The victims’ desperation in this case was central to the success of Parks’ fraud scheme,” wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Hargrove in a sentencing memorandum. Parks’ scheme took place i...
The holiday season is officially here and Sundance invites you to welcome Santa to town on Friday, December 6, when the downtown will play host to all manner of Christmas-themed events. The annual parade of lights will take place at 5:30 p.m. along Main Street to the theme of “Ritz, Glitz and Rednecks”. This year’s entries will be judged in two categories: overall appearance and originality. The Shop Small Punch Card contest winner will be announced during the parade. Once the parade is over, warm yourself up with a bowl of chili in the court...
Crook County Sheriff’s Office is reporting an increase in the number of scam reports in this area, which all appear linked by the caller claiming to be from the Publishers Clearing House (PCH). This is a known scam that the PCH itself has warned against. If you receive one of these calls, you can expect to be told that you have won a significant cash prize and then asked to send money to a specific place. The reasons given for this payment, according to the Sheriff’s Office, have ranged from a need to “verify your account” to “paying for the t...
Wyoming is among 18 states affected by an outbreak of E. coli 0121 infections that have been linked to organic carrots. Carrots that are currently on the shelves of stores are not likely to be affected, but they may be present in your home. The carrots are sold by Grimmway Farms and may come under a number of brand names, including 365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, Good & Gather, GreenWise, Grimmway Farms, Marketside, Nature’s Promise, O-Organic, President’s Choice, Raley’s, Simple Truth, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans...
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released the draft of its plans to manage public lands in northeast Wyoming and the public now has a chance to comment. The new resource management plan would replace the current, 23-year-old version now used by the Newcastle Field Office. The Draft Newcastle and Nebraska Resource Management Plan covers all the lands within the Newcastle Field Office's boundaries in Crook, Weston and Niobrara counties, and also the entire state of Nebraska. While this may...
It's time for some retail therapy, because next weekend is your annual opportunity to get your Christmas shopping underway while supporting local businesses and earning the chance to win a reward of your own. The Saturday following Thanksgiving marks the date of two local traditions: Small Business Saturday® and the Ladies Night Block Party. Your two chances to "Shop Small" begin with Small Business Saturday®, which will run throughout the day. Sundance observes this holiday shopping...
Both father and son in the cow defacement case have entered into plea agreements that would see their felony charges lowered to misdemeanors. Two ranchers are accused of using bleach to paint markings, including drawings of penises, on a total of 189 cows and six bulls belonging to their neighbor. Patrick Sean and Tucker Carroll claimed their actions were intended to bring their neighbor’s attention to the problem of broken fences that weren’t being fixed quickly enough. The markings led to an alleged loss in value for the cattle of app...
