Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
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The assessment phase is now complete for the Black Hills National Forest Plan Revision process and a total of 20 revised, forest-wide resource assessments have been released. The 20 assessments evaluate existing information about current and relevant ecological, economic and social conditions, trends and sustainability on the Forest, according to a press release from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The purpose of conducting assessments is to identify the need to change the Land Management Plan. These will be used, according to the USFS, alongsi...
Residents of the Beulah area are coming together to create a service and improvement district that will broadly include the Beulah Land Estates and Redwater Estates subdivisions and a couple of additional properties. The main purpose of the district, according to County Clerk Melissa Jones, is to properly govern the shared well through which these residents obtain water for their homes. The shared well is owned by the homeowners’ association, said Jones, “But there has been controversy on who owns it, so they want to form a district so tha...
Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) has been making strides in fixing the “bottlenecking” issue that was keeping the number of patients served in the Sundance Clinic each day at a lower level than the district would like. The district has also been improving the efficiency of the hospital’s emergency department. According to CEO Micki Lyons, the district has been looking at, “What we need to do, from check-in through notifying the back that they’re ready and getting them in with a provider…more efficiently so that we can see more pat...
Amid great fanfare, the first annual winner of the Crook County Courthouse's festive door decorating contest was announced on Friday. Clerk of District Court Julie Crawford and Deputy Clerk Amy Porter were victorious with their 3-D rendition of the Polar Express, complete with snow-heaped signs throughout the courthouse and ticket stickers on the corridor walls. A surprisingly competitive contest saw entries ranging from a carol-singing reindeer to a jailed Grinch, tax notices stuffed in...
The Board of Trustees for Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) has been working with just four members since August, when Trustee Ed Ray resigned his position representing the Moorcroft area. At last week’s meeting, the board discussed next steps in finding a volunteer to fill out his remaining term, which ends in 2024. “I know this board has made significant efforts, I know there have been personal contacts, I know there was an article published in the newspaper,” said Board Attorney Kara Ellsbury. “If we don’t find someone s...
The Board of Trustees has approved a new investment policy that will allow Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) to invest excess money as a way of increasing its liquidity. CCMSD intends to entrust Sundance State Bank with its portfolio. The board kickstarted this process in August after listening to a presentation from a local government investment pool called Wyoming CLASS. The name stands for “Wyoming Cooperative Liquid Assets Securities System”, a program organized in 2020 to provide public entities in this state with a competitiv...
The developer of one of the county’s newer large-acre subdivisions has filed a petition to form an improvement and service district for the 46 parcels contained within. A public hearing will take place for the proposed Yellowstone L&R Ranch Improvement and Service District on January 3 at 2 p.m., during the regular meeting of the Crook County Commissioners. The developer is Yellowstone L&R Ranch, a South Carolina limited liability company. The purpose of the district is to repair and maintain the roads within the subdivision, though it will n...
Several prizes were up for grabs from last week’s Ladies’ Night Block Party, the annual event hosted by the Sundance Chamber of Commerce in which shoppers can explore town with a glass of wine in hand, looking for gifts, useful items and, of course, a few personal treats. The winner of the pre-buy ticket raffle was Cheryl Bullock, who won $50 in Sundance Bucks. Chelsea Randolph won the same prize plus a print from Bruce Speidel Gallery for visiting all of the locations and turning in a full punch card ticket. Caitlin Metz was the winner of the...
Make some wishes come true this Christmas for the residents of the long-term care unit at Crook County Memorial Hospital. Visit Sundance State Bank to find the angel tree, covered in decorations with a special purpose. Each one details the gift wishes of a resident, from clothes and coffee tumblers to a donation to the unit for a new ice cream machine. Pick your angel, fulfill the wish and return it to the bank to be delivered to your recipient this Christmas....
Rare Element Resources (RER) reports that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has finalized its review of the demo plant that the company anticipates will soon be built in Upton, officially completing the federal permitting process prior to construction. The DOE’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review was consistent with the one performed by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, RER says, with both finding no significant impact. This previous NEPA review will allow RER to make use of around 1000 tons of stockpiled material from t...
Kids from Girl Scout Troop 1989 and the Sundance Methodist United Church helped to hang tags on the Boot Tree inside Sundance Hardware this weekend, part of the annual effort to make sure every child in the community has a gift waiting for them under the tree on Christmas Day. Stop in at the hardware store to see the tree, which is now festooned with numerous tags that provide the details of individual present recipients. Each tag details the age and gender of the recipient, and some also...
You don't hear much about boat school as a student in this region, says Midshipman Aiden Coberly. That's why he took the opportunity to spend the week before Thanksgiving traveling around northeast Wyoming to present at schools on behalf of the United States Naval Academy, including in Sundance and Hulett. His aim was to sharing his reasons for being at the academy – and why he'd love for more kids from this area to consider it for themselves. Now in his second year at the academy, Coberly s...
To guide how climbing opportunities are managed in national forests, grasslands and parks, public input is requested on new guidance for U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and National Park Service (NPS) personnel. The public comment period is open until January 16. The guidance covers all climbing types, including rock climbing, snow and ice climbing, mountaineering, canyoneering and caving. It affirms that this is an appropriate use of public lands, including wilderness, and that it should be managed in a way that protects cultural and natural resour...
After all these years, you’d think there were few things left for me to discover about how differently our two nations utilize the same language. Trust me to find something new on Thanksgiving, when everyone was watching. You might have noticed that last week was the big holiday. I know I did – I never pass up an opportunity for company potatoes. In our family, this family gathering has been claimed by my sister-in-law. She is an excellent cook and terrifyingly organized, which means she pre...
Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) has proposed the county pass a resolution that would increase the amount of reimbursement it receives for ambulance services and therefore ensure that these services remain affordable to keep providing in the future. A public hearing for the resolution has been set for January’s regular meeting of the county commissioners, after a 45-day notice period is complete. The resolution would significantly increase the amount CCMSD makes through reimbursements for its ambulance services, said Ellsbury, a...
By There are jingles in the distance and Sundance is ready to welcome Santa back to town. Coming up next weekend is the grand Christmas kick-off, with events from wreaths to candy tasting for the family to enjoy. As always, the Festival of Lights will begin the festivities, illuminating Main Street at 5:30 p.m. on December 1. This year’s theme is “Sugar Plums and Magical Memories”. The winner of the Shop Small Punch Card event from the previous weekend will be announced during the parade. If the weather is a little chilly for your likin...
Crook County School District has this week announced a partnership with Care Solace to improve mental health care access for students, staff and their families. Care Solace is a social purpose organization that aims to remove barriers in accessing mental health care. It serves as a central hub of care, streamlining communication and coordination in order to connect people with the resources they need. The service acts as a “middleman” of sorts, acting to connect a person with mental health or substance abuse care provider. It is a com...
Almost a hundred seventh graders from across the county convened in Sundance last week for a day of learning about civics. Elected officials were on hand to introduce the students to the functions of local government and the impact each office will have on their adult lives. Arranged by Sara Fleenor, 4-H Educator, and educators from each of the three schools, the field trip included visits to each of the county offices, as well as the museum. The visit began with a welcome speech from Sundance...
Governor Mark Gordon’s proposed budget for the next biennium is a conservative one, recognizing that the pandemic-related “funding tsunami” has receded but the circumstances that led to program cuts three years ago still exist. However, it also addresses immediate challenges faced by Wyomingites, such as expanding property tax relief to $20 million. “It is not easy to have to reduce programs, especially those providing services for our most vulnerable populations. And yet that is what circumstan...
A salmonella outbreak is currently affecting 22 states including Wyoming and is believed to be associated with onions. The specific products with which the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have linked the outbreak are from the Gills Onions brand and have been recalled. They include some lots of diced yellow onions, both three-pound bags and 8 oz cups; diced celery and onion mirepoix (10 oz); and diced red onions (8 oz cups). The affected produce has use-by dates between August 8 and 28, 2023. While this date is long passed, the CDC notes that...
Harold Chant of New Underwood, South Dakota has been charged with a felony count of driving while drunk after being pulled over on the highway for unsafe driving. According to court reports, Chant was pulled over for failing to maintain a single lane of travel on Hwy 14 at mile marker 202.2 at around 10 a.m. on November 2. Chant was the sole occupant of the vehicle and was observed to have bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and the odor of alcohol about his person. He allegedly admitted to drinking a lot “last night” and said he had stopped dri...
Once upon a time, the word “zoning” was akin to a curse in this part of the world – but that doesn’t seem to be the case any more. To make sure this is more than an illusion, the county commissioners will include public forums in the process of researching possible new zoning rules. Last month, the commission kicked off the process of developing a possible zoning plan for the county by inviting a community planning and zoning consultant to do the necessary groundwork of figuring out exactly what the county wants and needs. As Jayna Watson...
Despite creaks and groans and a couple of hair-raising moments, the gazebo was successfully moved across the courthouse lawn on Wednesday to rest in its new home, where it will offer a better view of town for those looking to enjoy an al fresco lunch hour and for visitors to town. It was by no means an easy task, with no guarantee of success. Moving the gazebo took a great deal of planning to accomplish, with the county's Facilities department led by Director Larry Schommer enlisting the help of...
The Sundance City Council is wrestling with a business proposal that will require a variance on the zoning that applies to the downtown area. The Coders, owners of the corner lot on which higbee’s Café used to sit, intend to use the lot to display recreational vehicles, with the building next door as the sales premises. Jason and Darlene Coder chose this business, they said, because “we feel that there’s a need” considering the city’s proximity to so many trails and outdoor spaces. The aim, they told the council, is to add something new to the...
The council faces a conundrum with a parcel of land under development at the east end of town. City rules don’t allow for a lot within reach of a sewer line to have a septic tank, but this particular lot sits at an elevation that makes it tough to tap in at the available connection point. Heith Waddell, who is currently constructing a garage on the Cleveland St. property, told the council on Tuesday that he had stopped the installation of his planned septic tank upon hearing about the d...
