Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years
Sorted by date Results 276 - 300 of 1451
Officials from the Wyoming Democratic Party, during a press conference last week asked for an independent commission to handle redistricting efforts in the future. With politics and personal agendas coming to light during the process this year an independent commission may not be a terrible idea. County clerks across the state worked hard on redistricting during the interim to come up with district lines that worked with special districts in their county, worked to make sure voters were not isolated, and they worked with local legislators as... Full story
WORLAND — The Washakie County Fair Board in finalizing the final few evening spots of entertainment for the 2022 County Fair July 25-30 approved the bid for a youth rodeo and fair rodeo from Cassidy Griemsman for $15,000. Board Chairman Jeff Lapp noted that the amount was for $1,000 more than last year. All board members noted that they received no complaints about either rodeo last year, the first year with Griemsman as the contractor. The fair rodeo will be Friday, July 29 at 7 p.m. The kids rodeo will either be on Wednesday or Thursday at 5...
WORLAND — Nine separate entities have expressed interest in receiving funding from the general purpose one-cent sales tax if it is approved for renewal by voters in November. During a meeting with the Washakie County Commissioners six of the seven entities currently receiving funding are seeking to continue to receive funds — City of Worland, Town of Ten Sleep, Ten Sleep Senior Center, Worland Senior Center, Crisis Prevention and Response Center and Worland Community Center Complex. The Washakie County Fire Protection District No. 1/W...
WORLAND — After many changes in the House and the Senate, the Wyoming Legislature approved a 62 House District-31 Senate District plan last week that keeps the representation as is in the Big Horn Basin with some minor changes to the legislative district boundaries. The House worked the 62-31 redistricting plan that was submitted by the Joint Corporations Committee and then the Senate changed it to a 60-30 plan that the House did not concur with so a conference committee went to work, essentially going back to the House plan that passed. The H...
WORLAND — What started as an innocent 4-H sheep project a few years ago evolved into a breeding frenzy this year with one ewe giving birth to quintuplets on Saturday, March 12. Erin Larson said her daughter Aubrey Avant joined 4-H a few years ago and wanted a sheep project so she borrowed a neighbor’s bum lamb named Barbara, that Avant named for a character from “Stranger Things.” After 4-H, Barbara went back to the neighbor until last year. Barbara lost her lambs and the neighbor brought her over to Tharp Veterinary Clinic so they could g...
WORLAND —The Worland City Council approved two graduation events at Tuesday night’s regular meeting. The council approved allowing the Worland High School parent group to place banners of the seniors on the light poles in downtown Worland. Kara Anderson said they are obtaining the necessary permit from the Wyoming Department of Transportation, requested assistance from Admiral Beverage so they would not need to use city resources. The banners would be on display from April 25 through May 23 and taken down in time for flags to be placed for Mem...
WORLAND — The City of Worland and Mayor Jim Gill are ready to move forward on at least one phase of the Washakie Avenue reconstruction project. Gill made an impassioned plea to the Washakie County commissioners last Tuesday at the commission meeting to help move the project forward. He outlined a number of street improvement projects that were funded in part through the general purpose optional one-cent sales tax that is up for renewal this year. “You helped set up a pathway to success through the 1 percent project. We thank you for that. Our...
The 2022 Wyoming Legislative Budget Session is slated to end this Friday, if everything goes according to plan; however, nothing has gone according to plan this session it seems. Let’s first talk about deadlines something the House leadership adheres to but the Senate side ignored this year and three bills were never debated on the House side because of it. The bill with the highest profile was the Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, Senate File 51. There was some interesting debate in committee from the sponsor who admitted not having talked to...
WORLAND — After receiving inquiries about building tiny homes in Worland, City Building Official Randy Adams brought the issue to the Board of Adjustment and Planning Commission during their Monday meeting. Adams said he has received several calls about building tiny homes. The homes can be built with a foundation or on wheels. “The problem is we don’t have an area that would address that (the homes on wheels). All of our mobile home parks are full.” According to thetinylife.com, “The trend toward tiny houses has become a social movement. Peopl... Full story
WORLAND — The Washakie County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of East Side Principal Chris Peterson at Monday’s regular monthly meeting. Peterson’s resignation is effective at the end of the school/contract year. Peterson was a teacher in the district before being hired as East Side principal in the spring of 2017. Peterson said Tuesday, “I feel it is best at this time to step down and return to the classroom. This will give me more time to spend with my family. I appreciate the school district for allowin...
WORLAND — Worland resident Renee Cormier came before the Worland City Council to request a sidewalk around Kiwanis Park for the safety of the students walking to and from school and for the recreational value. She told the council at Tuesday night’s regular meeting that she has noticed consistently when she drives by the park that students do not walk on the grass in the park but rather on street. Cormier said she would love to see a four-foot wide sidewalk around the perimeter of the park. Council member Christy Schneider who lives in the are...
WORLAND - Professional athlete and extreme BMX bicyclist Kurtis Downs brought two friends with him to Worland last Wednesday, Feb. 23, to entertain and inspire Worland Middle School students. Downs, who grew up in Firth, Idaho (population 510 in 2020 census) has won a bronze in the BMX Big Air event during the 2017 X Games. He won a silver at the 2016 Nitro World Games in the BMX Best Tricks event. He said he was coming through the area and like Woralnd so he called a friend in Cody telling her...
CHEYENNE - The House and Senate completed work on the budget last week with differences in the two versions to be ironed out this week. Sen. Ed Cooper (R-Ten Sleep, SD20) said, "We were able to pretty well hold the line with the Appropriations Committee. It is a pretty good budget approved out of the Senate." He said they fought for additional funding for community colleges but that amendment failed. Rep. Mike Greear (R-Worland, HD27) said, "The budget went relatively well. The main differences...
Kudos to the Washakie County Commissioners, who as they have in the past, took the reins to begin the discussion of continuing the general purpose one-cent sales tax. Voters have approved the tax twice in the past eight years. The current tax has helped fund projects with the City of Worland, Town of Ten Sleep, Worland and Ten Sleep senior centers, Crisis Prevention and Response Center, Worland Community Center Complex and the Worland Fire Protection District No. 1. Four years ago the commissioners spearheaded the effort to get the tax back on... Full story
CHEYENNE - A bill to force health care facilities to allow for visitation if a patient has been in the facility for more than five days stalled on second reading in the State House Friday but was approved on Monday. Rep. Mike Greear (R-Worland, HD27) said about House Bill 27, "The only concern with this Bill is the 'what ifs' in the future, where somebody needs to be in isolation due to a very contagious disease and the liability the care facility may have. I think we can get this worked out."...
WORLAND - Two bills that would assist Wyoming citizens regarding property taxes are moving through the Senate. Sen. Ed Cooper (R-Ten Sleep, SD20) said Senate File 69 would limit property tax from rising more than 5% in one year. The bill has been introduced and referred to the Agriculture Committee, which Cooper is a member. The bill was not on the committee's agenda on Tuesday. According to the Legislative Service Office, the fiscal impact by the bill is "indeterminable, as it would depend on...
The primary election is six months away but work to impact who can vote in that election is underway in the Wyoming State Legislature with Senate File 97 – Change in Party Affiliation. The bill, similar to ones that have been filed in previous years since the 2018 governor election, would limit the timeframe when a person could change party affiliation. Currently you can change party affiliation at any time including on the day of the election. The bill, if approved would only allow an “elector” or qualified voter to change party affil... Full story
WORLAND - When one thinks of a carbon footprint, thoughts of oil and gas usually come to mind, not cattle grazing, but that is exactly what was discussed during a WESTI Ag Days presentation last week in Worland. Washakie County Extension Educator Caitlin Youngquist, Chris Mejus of the Western Sustainability Exchange and Montana ranchers Roger and Bonnie Indreland discussed carbon sequestration and the carbon market available in Montana through Native Energy. According to the Native Energy...
WORLAND — In hopes of changing the prevalence of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in some herds in the Big Horn Basin, the Wyoming Game and Fish is proposing a few seasonal changes for deer hunting. During a public meeting on Thursday, Feb. 10, Wyoming Game and Fish biologists Bart Kroger and Sam Stephens outlined the proposed changes and the issues in hunt areas 40, 41, 47 and 164. THE BASICS Before the season changes were discussed, however, G&F wildlife disease biologist in Cody, Eric Maichak, outlined the basics of CWD. The disease is 100% f...
A few weeks ago I wrote about our adoption of Roscoe, a mixed breed pup we adopted from New Hope Humane Society. Roscoe is the first dog we adopted from New Hope but the fifth animal. When I discussed Roscoe it was in the context of an issue of pet owners versus parents and I said then I would come back to telling you more about our youngest furchild. That time is now. Roscoe has one brown eye and one blue eye. He usually gives me a sideway glance with his brown eye as if to say "Really." I get... Full story
WORLAND – Livestock health and the latest disease report highlighted Wyoming State Veterinarian Hallie Hasel’s, DVM, presentation on the opening day of the 2022 WESTI Ag Days in Worland. Hasel, who replaced Jim Logan, DVM, last July, came to Wyoming from Kansas and Texas. She grew up in Kansas and raised Angus. She worked in private practice for about 20 years and then had lengthy career with U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Inspection Service Veterinary Services, including as director of the cattle fever tick eradication program...
The Wyoming State Legislature begins the 2022 20-day budget session on Monday. There are many important decisions for the Legislature to make during this shortened session that occurs every two years. The first important decision is, of course, the budget. By all accounts, working the budget this year should be easier than the past two budgets where numerous cuts had to be made. Revenues for the state have improved, without taking into consideration the $1.2 billion worth of federal COVID funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. The ARPA funds... Full story
WORLAND - When the Wyoming Legislature begins work for the 2022 budget session they will have a "tight 20-day schedule" to get through the budget, redistricting and distributing the American Rescue Plan Act federal funds. State Rep. Mike Greear, who is the speaker pro tempore, said the legislative leadership is "determined to get through this in the 20 days." Some legislators have tossed around the idea of having a special session following the budget session to work on other bills. He said...
WORLAND - Returning after a five-year hiatus, the Worland Middle School music and drama departments will be presenting the musical "Blue Suede Paws" next Friday and Saturday. The curtain opens at 7 p.m. both nights at the Worland Middle School Auditorium. Tickets are available at the door. There are 31 cast members under the direction of Amy Wright and new music teacher Connor Dennis. Dennis said he and Wright selected the musical because it had been a while since it was performed and they both...
This week’s issue of the Northern Wyoming News completes our third year returning to our roots and returning to a weekly newspaper. We appreciate the community’s support and especially our readers who have continued along with us on our journey. For the most part the community has adjusted to the weekly but we still hear from our readers that they miss a daily newspaper and on occasion we will get an inquiry if we will ever go back to a daily. My answer to that is I don’t know, but what I do know for certain is that our staff works hard on th... Full story