Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
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WORLAND -For the first time since 2005 the Washakie County Fair has royalty reigning over the week with the official crowning Monday night of Fair Queen Aubrie Carlisle and Junior Princess Lacee Greet. Organizer Beth Stiver said, "You would see Miss Rodeo Wyoming and other county fairs and see their different representation (around the state) and I was disheartened not to see Washakie County representation." She said she spoke to Jeff Lapp one night about bringing the royalty back and he asked...
Welcome to the 2022 Washakie County Fair. There are several changes to this year’s fair as the fair board worked to listen to residents and provide some nostalgic favorites to the fair, revamp some past events and add some new events. The horse show kicked things off Saturday and you could not have asked for better weather, especially in the morning with a cool breeze and some cloud cover. The kids seemed to be having a good time. I witnessed some light banter between friends on who would help with the barrels or run and pick up cowboy hats, bu... Full story
WORLAND - Washakie County Clerk Mary Grace Strauch announced Wednesday that Commissioner Fred Frandson has withdrawn from the county commissioner race. In a letter to Strauch and fellow commissioners Terry Wolf and Aaron Anderson, Frandson wrote, "With a heavy heart, I am officially withdrawing my name from the 2022 County Commissioner elections. It has been an extreme honor to serve this community. I am humbled and proud of the work we have accomplished together." Frandson was appointed to the... Full story
TEN SLEEP — Washakie County School District No. 2 resident, Ruth Ann Carter asked board members what they would do if the federal government mandates critical race theory and nondiscrimination policies for gender identity, including restrooms. Board member Marc Dykman said he is opposed to all of those issues. “It’s a travesty what they are doing to our kids. We do have some autonomy due to the state,” he said, adding that as a new board member he is uncertain how much federal funding is part of the overall district funding. Board member...
WORLAND — The Washakie County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees approved the $24.1 million 2023 fiscal year budget at the annual budget hearing on Wednesday, July 13. Business Manager Charlie Cauffman reported to the board that the general fund has dropped from $25.8 million for the 2022 fiscal year to $24.1 million for the 2023 fiscal year. He said the decline mirrors the loss to the district for the average daily membership. He said the funding formula is based mainly from a three-year rolling average of ADM. While the three-year a...
TEN SLEEP — The Washakie County School District No. 2 Board of Trustees approved an overall budget of $37,528,810 at Monday’s monthly meeting and budget hearing. The majority of the budget, $31.9 million is in capital construction for the new school. The general fund budget approved was $3,641,225, which is slightly above last year’s. The 2022-23 budget message this year to the board indicated that the budget increased $148,926 from last year and is primarily made up of increases to employee salaries, employee benefits and utilities. The speci...
WORLAND - County fairs and rodeos are the perfect venues for Jared Rogerson and the Rodeo Wreck and they will be bringing their "rodeo rock" music to Worland for a free concert Thursday night in the stage area. The concert starts at 8 p.m. Rogerson, who hails from Pinedale said, "The reason I love to play at county fair and rodeos is because I think it's the best venue for my music. It's definitely suitable to rural audiences and people that are in to horses, rodeos and Wyoming culture."...
WORLAND — The valuation for Washakie County increased by nearly $30 million, amounting to an increase in revenue for the 2022-23 budget of $29,600. Washakie County Clerk Mary Grace Strauch said the valuation increased from $131,341,140 last year to $160,992,671 this year, which equates to the $29,600. The increase was good news as expenses increased in several areas in the county budget set for approval next week. The overall budget to be presented at the hearing on Monday is $11,477,352 without grants and $13,949,682.67 with grants. Strauch s...
WORLAND — With deadline for youth entries in this year’s fair on Monday, numbers are up in some areas and holding steady in other areas, according to Washakie County Extension and 4-H Educator Amber Armajo. She said beef, horse and poultry entries are up from last year. Swine entries are even, along with meat goats. There are 29 rabbit entries this year after no entries last year. There are 64 poultry entries, Armajo said, noting that an entry does not mean a separate animal, but one animal can be entered in several categories. During the Was...
Voters in Washakie County have been treated to three strong debates in the past few weeks. Up first was the local debate between the three candidates for sheriff, hosted by and at the Worland Senior Center. Executive Director Wendy Fredricks knows seniors in the community prefer to vote absentee and prefer to vote earlier rather than wait until the primary election Aug. 16. She realizes the importance of the local race and opted to host the debate for the seniors to have a chance to meet the candidates and make an informed decision. There were... Full story
WORLAND — With limited numbers of pig wrestling teams this year, all teams must obtain applications from and return applications to the Washakie County Fair Board’s bookkeeping company, S&A Accounting, 728 Big Horn Avenue. Teams will not be considered entered until entry forms and waivers, along with payment are turned in. There will be 15 peewee teams for ages 6 to 9; 15 intermediate for ages 10 to 15 and 10 co-ed adult teams for 16 and older. For the adult co-ed teams there must be at least one member of the opposite sex on the fou...
Welcome to another installment of life in the country. I know you were thinking there is plenty to write about especially about elections and debates but with one big debate scheduled for Wednesday (county commissioner candidates) look for me to write about that next week. The past several weeks it has been the battle of the miller moth at our house. Thankfully we have a pup named Roscoe who has become a great moth killer, but even he can’t keep up. According to the Colorado State University Extension Education, miller moths are the m... Full story
WORLAND - The three Republican candidates for Washakie County sheriff - Austin Brookwell, Sean Duffy and Brad Horath -- faced off in a debate at the Worland Senior Center last Wednesday, June 29, answering some prepared questions and then taking questions from the audience. The four prepared questions and answers are as follows: •Why should you be elected? What makes you different than the other candidates? Horath: I am the most experienced sitting at this table." He said he has 33 years o...
WORLAND - Top Molson Coors barley growers from northern Wyoming for the past four years were honored during Northern Wyoming Barley Field Day on Wednesday, June 22. Agronomist Dave Dougherty said the field day had not been held since 2018 so they were honoring the 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 top growers that day. The 2018 top grower for Northern Wyoming was Gimmeson Farms with Ray and Jason Gimmeson of Powell. Ray Gimmeson was present. Dougherty said, "Ray couldn't believe he had won this, but...
WORLAND - A statewide priest shortage for the Wyoming Diocese is resulting in the priests taking on additional responsibilities. Father Robert Rodgers has been the priest at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Worland for three years. Starting this week on Friday, July 1, he will also serve as priest for St. Francis Catholic Church in Thermopolis. Thermopolis priest, Father Randy Oswald has been assigned duties as associate pastor at the cathedral in Cheyenne, according to Rodgers. Rodgers...
This Monday, July 4, 2022, we celebrate the 246th birthday of his nation we call the United States of America. I have to thank the founding fathers who wrote the Declaration of Independence and to all those brave men and brave families who fought for this initial freedom from England and thank all those who have been fighting to protect the many, many freedoms we have in this country that are outlined in our U.S. Constitution. These are freedoms we should hold dear and never take for granted. These are freedoms that we should celebrate Monday... Full story
WORLAND — The Worland Board of Adjustment and Planning Commission set a date for an appeals hearing at their regular meeting Monday. Clayton Draggoo, funeral director for Veile Mortuary has filed the appeal through his attorney, Bill Hibbler, appealing the board’s decision to not grant a special exemption to allow a crematory at 301 South Eighth Street. The board set the appeals hearing for Veile Mortuary at 4 p.m. on Monday, July 25. In April 2021, the BAPC unanimously opposed a special exemption that would allow a crematory at 301 South Eig...
WORLAND - Just over a year after the official groundbreaking for the new Sunlight Federal Credit Union building in Worland, the doors were opened and the public was welcomed at an open house on June 22. The former Sunlight FCU at 1419 Big Horn Ave. was on a 14,517 square foot lot with the facility 2,484 square feet. The new facility at 1800 Big Horn Avenue is 4,784 square feet on a 30,000-square foot lot. The new bank opened on May 10. Office manager Maritza Deniz said there are many new...
WORLAND — The Wreaths Across America Mobile Education Exhibit (MEE) will be stopping in Worland as part of its 2022 tour. The stop will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, July 7, at North Ninth from Big Horn Ave. to Robertson (on the street adjacent to Pioneer Square). The street will be closed during that time after action by the city council earlier this month. The Wreaths Across America MEE is being brought to Worland by the Worland Community Center, thanks to the efforts of marketing director Sheryl Ley. Ley said the idea to bring t...
WORLAND — The Washakie County one-cent general purpose tax committee met last Thursday to discuss the survey results and decide percentages for each of the eight entities seeking funding if voters continue the tax in November. Committee Chairman Chris Kocher said representatives from each of the entities sat down and looked at what each entity needed from the 1 cent general purpose tax. Currently the City of Worland receives 42% and the recommendation is for them to receive 40% of the distribution over the next four years. The Worland C...
THERMOPOLIS — How do you offer quality services at an affordable and sustainable business model? That is the question facing emergency medical services around Wyoming and around the country. To help answer those questions, the Governor’s Health Task Force and the Wyoming Department of Health have been seeking input and information about the current operations and challenges to Emergency Medical Services in Wyoming, conducting five listening sessions around the state to gain information from the stakeholders providing those services. One suc...
WORLAND — The first-ever fly-in at Worland Municipal Airport, at least in recent history, will be this Saturday hosted by the Worland Flying Club and sponsored by the City of Worland and Sky Aviation. Bill Pennington, president of the club, said a Fly-In serves several purposes — to promote Worland, promote the Worland Municipal Airport and aviation commerce. It is also a community activity for the club. What is a Fly-In? General aviators from around the area are invited to fly in to Worland airport and socialize with other aviators and enj...
Fire and law enforcement are by law essential services, meaning counties and municipalities must provide those services. What is not an essential service is emergency medical services. No one really seems to know why but more and more people are asking as emergency medical services are struggling across the state and the country. During a listening session hosted by the Wyoming Department of Health last week in Thermopolis, DOH officials reported that requests for service for EMS have increased 27.1 percent in the past six years statewide. In... Full story
WORLAND — The Washakie County Republican Party will be hosting the Big Horn Basin Gubernatorial Debate next Thursday at the Worland Middle School Auditorium. While the debate is hosted by the local party, they want the debate to be open to any interested voter in the Big Horn Basin, according to party members Jeff Pomeroy and Tami Young. Pomeroy said Republican governor candidates Rex Rammell and Brent Bien have committed to the debate and a letter from Governor Mark Gordon appears to indicate that he will be in attendance but a formal a...
WORLAND - After being notified by email that Double D Livestock of Greybull would be canceling the pig wrestling events due to lack of swine, the Washakie County Fair Board began looking for alternatives to ensure the popular entertainment could still be a part of this year's fair. Board member Dani Rice was able to find a swine contractor in Wheatland, who could provide 40 hogs for the show, but the board would be responsible for putting on the show, including setting up the arena, getting the...