Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
Sorted by date Results 276 - 300 of 2318
A structure fire on Tuesday night claimed a single family residence on Cow Camp Road, northwest of Sundance, but no injuries were reported to the residents or the firefighters who responded. The fire is believed to have begun at around 2:35 a.m. on March 6. At this time, the cause is unknown and under investigation. Sundance Fire Department responded along with a county fire unit. Upon arrival, crews found that the structure was burned to the foundation. Work began to extinguish the fire that...
Wyoming is still fighting the good fight to keep invasive mussels from its waters. With boating season underway, Wyoming Game & Fish has opened its check stations for the season. “Wyoming is one of the few states left in the nation that hasn’t detected the invasive zebra or quagga mussels in our waters,” said Josh Leonard, AIS coordinator in a press release. “Game & Fish is dedicated to keeping these destructive invasive species out of our state’s waters. That’s why it’s crucial that out-of-state boaters and residents who have taken their b...
Bills have fallen by the wayside at a steady pace throughout this year’s legislative session, but the first new laws have made it to the governor’s desk. As a budget session, the focus on non-financial matters has been necessarily limited. The budget bills spent the beginning of the week the Joint Conference Committee, which was tasked with finding a way to reconcile a $1.1 billion gap between the proposals put forth by the House and Senate. The two chambers went in different directions while examining the budget. While the House added addition...
After six dormant years, Sundance's American Legion post is proudly bringing its Easter egg hunt back to the community this March. Once again, little ones will get their chance to root out the goodies left behind by the bunny and fill their baskets to brimming just as quickly as they can. This will be Legion Post #45's first community-focused event since it re-formed about a year ago. Since that time, under the leadership of Phil Colozzi, Commander, the group has been working hard to establish...
The Wyoming Department of Transportation is getting ready for road repair season, starting with a project expected to be visible on I-90 throughout most of the year and will involve eight individual bridges. Also confirmed for the season is a striping project on U.S. Hwy 212. The bridge structure project will be completed by contractors S&S Builders and, weather permitting, began on March 4. It is scheduled for completion on November 30. The eight bridge structures to be repaired during the project are located between mile markers 152.96 and...
Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) is about to flip the switch on a new electronic medical records system (EMR) – a project more than a year in the making. Please forgive any hiccups in service while the new system is implemented, says a press release from the district announcing the launch. “At CCMSD, our mission is ‘Proudly providing high quality care, putting patients first’ and partnering with a new EMR will do just that,” states the press release. “Taking our software into the future to maximize efficiency and patient car...
Another chest of federal funding for broadband access is soon to go live in Wyoming, this time through the “Internet for All” initiative. The federal government’s “Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program” (BEAD) aims to make sure that all unserved locations in the state – at a minimum, with “underserved” locations to also be targeted if possible – will be connected to the internet by the time the funds have been spent. According to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which is part of the U.S. Departme...
Two wildfires that ignited on Sunday burned a combined estimated total of 1600 acres and required a sizeable response from firefighters around the county and beyond. In New Haven, a fire located on a combination of private and state land is estimated to have reached 400 acres. According to Fire Warden Charlie Harrison, crews that responded to the fire included Oshoto, Carlile, Sundance, Pine Haven and Hulett. The lower portion of the fire was located in grass, but around 70% of the fire was in...
With an influx of influenza A and B cases spreading through the community, Crook County Public Health is alerting anyone who has not yet had their flu shot this year that a limited number of doses are still available. Public Health currently has fewer than 50 doses of regular flu vaccine and high-dose vaccine for those aged over 55 years. If you would like to take advantage of one of these remaining doses, contact Public Health at 283-1142....
With fire season getting an early start this year and several incidents already under their belts, county firefighters gathered last week for their annual meeting and training. "This class is what's called the annual refresher," says Fire Warden Charlie Harrison, explaining that it covers everything from escape routes to communications to ensure those aspects of the job stay uppermost in volunteers' minds. "It all ties back to that basic safety for firefighters." It's one of the requirements...
During a week that has been proclaimed National Invasive Species Awareness Week by Governor Mark Gordon, the state’s weed and pest organizations are asking the community to keep its eyes out for invasive species. “As people head outdoors this summer, we want them to know that a little bit of prevention contributes to a greater effort of keeping Wyoming wild and beautiful,” said Donley Darnell, Wyoming Weed & Pest Council (WWPC) President. “Invasive insects, noxious weeds and plant diseases cost the U.S. an estimated $40 billion annually in dama...
Two Sundance women have been arrested on charges of burglary after allegedly taking money from the safe and a cash jar of a local bar. Lisa Alberts and Amber Nehmer have been charged with felony counts of burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary. Both charges carry maximum penalties of ten years of incarceration, a $10,000 fine or both. According to court reports, a Crook County Sheriff’s Office deputy was called to the Dime Horseshoe Bar on the afternoon of January 22 to respond to a report of burglary. Camera footage allegedly showed Lisa A...
A $2.7 million grant for which the county applied last week would fund more than half the work needed to overhaul the courthouse. The seat of Crook County’s government needs significant work to address issues ranging from overcrowding and inefficiency to mechanical systems that are over half a century old. Once complete, the project will ultimately see a new look and new spaces throughout the two floors. This Mineral Royalty Grant through the State Loans and Investments Board, however, is intended for the less glamorous but more crucial part o...
With the deadline now passed for new bills to be introduced during this year's budget session, the Wyoming Legislature has its agenda set for the next few weeks. The majority of the focus, of course, will be on the budget itself, which passed first reading by the House Committee of the Whole on February 16 and saw legislators undergo a marathon session on Monday that included the introduction of 80 amendments in the House, only 33 of which were adopted, and 59 in the Senate on second reading,...
A new clinics manager has joined the team in Sundance. Melaynee Trandahl, RN BSN, was a twelve-year veteran of Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) before stepping into the role of overseeing management of the clinic. In a press release, CCMSD said it was pleased to have, "Appointed a well-educated and long serving member of the team to the role of Clinics Manager." The role itself has also been changed, according to the press release, with the goal of promoting increased accessibility...
Medicaid clients in Wyoming are experiencing another attempted scam this year, according to the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH). This time around, the caller is attempting to gather personal information and appears to be fraudulently attempting to sell medical equipment and services. "A client reported receiving a call from someone claiming to be from a department program that doesn't actually exist. The caller was pushing medical equipment and aggressively asking for personal information,"...
Crook County has once again slipped into drought conditions due to an ongoing “snow drought”. The latest data from the National Integrated Drought Information System shows that, during the last month, 95% of the county has entered a state of moderate drought. The western half of the nation is currently experiencing a snow drought, with snow water equivalent below normal at 78% of stations. Northern Wyoming is among the hardest hit areas. Though the southwest could see conditions continue to improve over the next few weeks, the northwest is lea...
An outbreak of listeria has been linked to a type of cheese sold nationwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The outbreak has led to a recall of products made by Rizo-López Foods, including cheese, yogurt and sour cream. The company recalled its aged cotija cheese on January 11 after Hawaii state officials found listeria in it, and followed this with a complete recall of cheese and dairy products made in its facility on February 6, along with a temporary stop on production and distribution. If you currently possess any of...
After hearing the results of an outreach effort on the question of zoning, the county commissioners will take some time to consider what comes next. Should the county stop right here and cease to pursue the thought of zoning? Should it go ahead full speed, starting with updates to its land use plan and then moving on to the creation of a zoning document? Or should it delay the ultimate decision about zoning, for now focusing on the land use plan updates that are needed either way? This was the decision – “Whether we do or we don’t, or we partly...
The ongoing situation with Beulah’s water system evolved in two directions last week. Citizens were granted permission to start the process of forming a district through which they could take control of their water system. The next day, the Wyoming Public Service Commission (PSC) determined that Beulah Land Water LLC (BLW) would not be granted its requested 380% rate increase to $240.06 per month. Instead, an interim rate just over half that much was made permanent, with BLW required to continue reporting on its business and maintenance p...
Kid Prints Inc. is back on track financially and thankful to the Sundance City Council and community for their support in making that happen. “We are no longer in the red for our finances,” said board member Naomi Jacobson last week. The organization that runs Sundance’s daycare was faced with a budget deficit late last year after losing a grant of $60,000 that had been in place since the pandemic began. A combination of fundraisers, assistance from the city, sponsorships and donations, as well as a recent $10,000 grant from the Wyoming Commu...
Sundance’s firefighters plan to stand against “severe” new regulations proposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), says Fire Chief Gari Gill. “There’s quite a pushback throughout the nation on it,” he said last week. The proposed rules were published in the Federal Register on February 5 and would replace the existing “Fire Brigades Standard” with one titled “Emergency Response”. It would, according to the publication, “address a broader scope of emergency responders and would include programmatic elements...
The county has formally offered its support to the Town of Hulett’s efforts to designate a Purple Heart Highway in tribute to those wounded in service to their country. The effort would designate Highway 24, which runs from south of Devils Tower, through Hulett and east to Aladdin, as part of the symbolic and honorary system of roads, bridges and monuments nationwide that honor the men and women who have been awarded the Purple Heart. The Purple Heart Trail was established in 1992 by the Military Order of the Purple Heart and originates at Mt....
January’s cold snap was tough for the fire department, the Sundance City Council heard last week. It was “Mother Nature at her worst” when a structure fire during subzero temperatures caused “total havoc”, said Fire Chief Gari Gill, plugging the diesel particulate filters and “shutting [two] trucks down”. One of those trucks is now up and running at a repair cost of around $2000, Gill said. The other is likely to cost around $5000. Though the city will still need to pay the $1000 deductible, he reported that insurance does cover the rest of t...
Refreshing a franchise agreement with the City of Sundance does not necessarily mean that Black Hills Energy will bring natural gas to town, but it will leave the door open for that to happen. The city council passed a first reading of an ordinance that grants a non-exclusive franchise agreement to the company for the next 20 years, but Mayor Paul Brooks noted that somewhere in the region of $5 million would still need to be found in order to install the necessary infrastructure. The council has the option to renew or end this franchise...
