Thursday, 09-02-10

It’s almost done.  Work is nearing completion on the section of road between Norris and Madison through Gibbon Canyon in Yellowstone National Park.  Earlier this month, traffic began traveling along the new road alignment and over the new 253 foot bridge over the Gibbon River.  Overnight closures ended yesterday, but visitors can still expect up to 30 minute construction delays through October 23^rd -- including over the Labor Day holiday weekend.  Paving of the new road and the nearby Beryl Springs Bridge is expected to be completed by the end of September. Work is now underway to remove the old road and bridge and restore the 2-mile section of river corridor.  In addition to the road, the redesigned Gibbon Falls Overlook and parking area, two new picnic areas and the long closed Gibbon Falls picnic area are all set to open to visitors October 23, weather permitting.  All interior park roads close for the season Monday morning, November 8^th. 

Friday afternoon begins the long Labor Day weekend, signaling the official end of the summer season.  State law enforcement agencies will be joining in for the nationwide campaign:  “Operation CARE” or Combined Accident Reduction Effort. Lt. Tom Kelly of the Wyoming Highway Patrol’s Jackson office says the patrol will be working with other law enforcement agencies performing highly visible enforcement operations during the crackdown period which begins tomorrow, and continues through Monday. Kelly says the violations they will be looking for are familiar ones: aggressive and drunk driving, and speed. Kelly says troopers will also be participating in saturation patrols during the evening hours at locations where alcohol-related crashes are statistically more likely to occur.  Kelly urges drivers to refrain from drinking and driving, and to be sure they and their children are safely secured by the car’s safety restraints.

September is National Preparedness Month, and that according to local authorities should have special significance to residents of Jackson Hole.  Interim Emergency Management Coordinator Rich Ochs says short of hurricanes, this valley could face almost any of the other events that could threaten the welfare of its residents. Among the actions Ochs says local residents can take during this month is to organize their personal survival items to be centrally located. Ochs adds, that families need to outline how they will communicate if they become separated during an emergency since local communications are likely to be knocked out.  This, he says, includes setting a specific geographic rendezvous point and an out-of-town contact to coordinate family information since long-distance communication is often available when local communication is not.

The Teton County Housing Authority Board has selected a Design/Build Team to design and construct the Hall Street Affordable Housing Development.  The team of Timothy Raver Construction and Harger Architects was selected from 11 qualified proposals reviewed by a five member Selection Committee of construction and development experts. According to the Housing Authority Board, decision was a difficult one as the candidates were all highly qualified. However, the Raver/Harger Team stood out with their competitive pricing, clear proposal, and strong interview demonstrating their ability to work effectively as a team and listen to the needs of their client.  The Housing Authority is partnering with Habitat for Humanity to build 12 affordable homes on Hall Avenue beginning next June.

Sheriff’s Sergeant Scott Terry says an eight-foot wooden carved giraffe, a familiar fixture in a front yard in the River Front Subdivision south of town, vanished from that yard sometime last month.  Terry says sheriff’s officers are trying to help the owners recover the piece of art work and are calling on members of the public to help. Information can be phoned to the Sheriff’s office or CrimeStoppers at 733-5148 – and Terry says those who supply the information may remain anonymous and so will not be sticking their necks out, so to speak. 

Wednesday, 09-01-10

While Idaho and Montana plan to challenge the decision by District Judge Donald Molloy to keep the wolves in the Greater Yellowstone Area listed as endangered, Wyoming has no new plans to challenge that decision beyond the litigation already under way.  Wyoming has had its own federal lawsuit pending in US District Court in Cheyenne challenging the Fish and Wildlife Service’s refusal to de-list the wolves in the state.  At this point, it's unclear whether Wyoming's lawsuit will be judged a moot point in light of Molloy's ruling. Bruce Salzburg, Wyoming attorney general, said the state would object if the federal government tries to dismiss the state's case. Doug Honnold, a lawyer with Earthjustice in Montana says he believes there's a strong argument that Wyoming's lawsuit should be dismissed as moot.  Meanwhile, state leaders from the governor down say Wyoming is not likely to change its position on wolf management.

The calendar says the summer season is quickly drawing to an end, and area weather seems to be pointing to that reality as well.  In fact, says Al Nash of Yellowstone National Park, snow forced a brief closure of South Entrance and Sylvan Pass yesterday morning.  Still, Nash says there are bound to be some great autumn days ahead to enjoy the park – visitors just need to be prepared for the inevitable changes. Nash urges visitors to Yellowstone to check forecasts and road conditions as they plan their trips, and be prepared to deal with what changes may occur during their travels.

The release of an American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials report calling on the federal government to increase funding for the national highway program to $375 billion over the next six-year period has drawn comment from Wyoming Department of Transportation Director John Cox this week.  Cox says maintaining and expanding the highway system in the state is essential to the economy of Wyoming and the nation as a whole.  However, Cox says the current proposal for future federal transportation funding doesn’t adequately address the needs of rural states.  Cox pointed to shipping through the I-80 corridor, oil and gas development in the southwestern corner of the state, coal in the northeastern corner, and agriculture in much of the state as areas of need.  Cox also pointed to tourism as Wyoming’s second leading industry, ranking in the top 10 among most rural states. He says AASHTO report notes that many hotspots around the nation face major congestion and seasonal bottlenecks that deter tourism’s growth.  Cox says with the completion of a series of projects on US 26-287 east of Moran Junction in 2012, WYDOT will have spent about $270 million to upgrade three highways providing access to Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks since 1996 in order to handle the millions of visitors they attract every year.  Cox says overall,  WYDOT’s Long Range Transportation Plan estimates $651 million a year is required to keep Wyoming’s existing highway system in good shape and make improvements needed for economic development.

As they have for the last 36 years, members of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study

Team will resume research work in Yellowstone National Park.  The long-term monitoring and research effort is intended to provide critical information for monitoring the status of the grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem and guiding programs directed at the ongoing recovery of the grizzly bear population.  In the next several weeks, National Park officials say the team members will attempt to trap bears at several remote sites in Yellowstone National Park, sedate them and conduct scientific studies of their health and condition. None of the trap sites in the park are near any established hiking trails or backcountry campsites.  Park officials say the study areas will be clearly posted, and anyone who might happen onto such an area needs to stay out of that area.  The project is expected to be finished by the end of October.

Jackson-based private jet charter leader New Flight Charters has been named for the second consecutive year as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America.  Awarded to the prestigious Inc. Magazine 500|5000 annual ranking for 2010 as well as 2009, the company achieved more than 200% sales growth over the past 5 years.  According to Jane Berenston, Editor of Inc. magazine, as an Inc.5000 honoree, New Flight Charters shares a prestigious pedigree with such notable alumni as Intuit, Zappos, Armour, Microsoft, Jamba Juice, Timberland, Visa, Clif Bar, Patagonia, Oracle, and scores of other powerhouses.  Company President Rick Colson says he is obviously pleased to have been selected again.

Tuesday, 08-31-10

The number of auto burglaries in the town of Jackson has increased once again with an undisclosed amount of property having been taken from a variety of locations around town.  Jackson Police Chief Todd Smith says to a certain extent, the rise and fall of incidences seems to be seasonal. Smith sounds the familiar precautions for vehicle owners: lock the vehicle and remove any valuables from it, or at least put them out of sight.  Smith also asks that should anyone see something suspicious they should report it immediately. Furthermore, Smith asks anyone with information about those responsible for the most recent rash of auto burglaries to notify the police department or CrimeStoppers at 733-5148 – anonymously if they choose.

St John’s Medical Center Monday announced it will be  operating  once  again  with  a  full  administrative  leadership  team effective  September  7th.  Most notably, Gary Trauner will assume responsibility as Chief Operating Officer with responsibilities over St. John’s Ancillary, Support Services and Business Development functions. Hospital Trustees made the decision to hire Trauner during a Thursday night meeting, after a national search that attracted more than 100 applicants. Also assuming duties at that time will be Lynn Campbell who will be in the position of Chief Nursing Officer.  She will have house-wide responsibility for St. John’s nursing resource management including inpatient Nursing services (Primary Care Unit, ICU and Obstetrics), Emergency Department services, Oncology services, Home Based Services and  Hospice, Surgical Services, Pharmacy, Quality Improvement and Nutrition  Services.   In the meantime, Kaye Music who has been serving as the interim CNO and Risk Officer will now focus her attention on Quality Improvement and Risk Management.

Tomorrow morning, students in Teton County Wyoming return to their daily school routine.  That means, says Teton County Sheriff Jim Whalen, motorists in the county need to be watching for children around schools and bus stops around the region.  Whalen also urges parents to counsel the children to watch for the cars and use their best traffic behavior.  Furthermore, Whalen reminds drivers that flashing lights on a schoolbus mean the traffic around the bus needs to stop. Whalen also reminds motorists that children can be unpredictable around bus stops and playgrounds and could dart into traffic unexpectedly.  That’s why slowed speed zones have been posted near schools and caution signs preceed the bus stops.

The Idaho Fish and Game Department has trapped one bear and harassed a second that was breaking into homes in Victor. Greg Losinski of the Fish and Game Department says the trapped bear had not been as much of a problem as the second bear, but it was decided it best to relocate it none-the-less.   The second bear had become habituated to food left accessible by residents in the form of garbage or pet foods, and became more aggressive in its search for those rewards by breaking into homes.  Losinski says that bear was harassed by dogs late last week and has not been reported in the area since.  A third bear was causing similar problems further north in the Island Park area, and Losinski says it had to be destroyed as its aggressiveness had also become a concern for human safety.  Losinski says the Fish and Game Department is currently working with Teton County, Idaho seeking an ordinance to require residents to be more conscientious about the disposal and storage of food sources outdoors and Victor City Council is currently considering is a new bear proof trash bin ordinance so that bears aren't foraging for food near homes.  Losinski says Teton County, Wyoming is ahead of their neighbors with the ordinances already in place – a direction he says he hopes the Idaho counties can take in the near future.  Meanwhile, another sub-adult male grizzly bear was trapped in Wyoming Friday and relocated to the Snake River drainage approximately ten miles northwest of Moran.  According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the bear had been involved in several cattle depredations on private ranchlands near Cody.

Work began yesterday on the Hidden Ranch Pathway Tunnel Replacement project on the Russ Garaman Pathway (the Town Trail) that runs between the new Post Office and Smith’s along Flat Creek. The project, being conducted by the Town of Jackson and Pathways will replace the existing pipe culvert pathway underpass of Hidden Ranch Lane with a new concrete box structure, and also realign short sections of the pathway on either end of the tunnel, reroute numerous utilities, and replace an irrigation pipe. The original construction left a kink in the tunnel and a sharp bend in the pathway just south of the tunnel, resulting in an undersized tunnel with poor sight lines.  The Town of Jackson received $400-thousand in federal Transportation Enhancements funding through the Wyoming Department of Transportation for the project and will make up the remaining $175-thousand dollars needed through SPET funds.

Monday, 08-30-10

An escaped campfire is to blame for a small wildfire that flared up on Elk Island in Grand Teton National Park Friday. Law enforcement rangers located the boater that had camped at the site on Thursday night, and although he had a fire permit, he failed to properly extinguish his campfire before leaving the site Friday morning. High winds caused the fire to spot outside the rocky area below the high water mark where fires are permitted. North District Ranger Patrick Hattaway says failure to properly extinguish a campfire has a minimum fine of $100, but can require a mandatory court appearance and a judge can require restitution for suppression costs and damages.  The negligent party in this case has been ordered to appear in court to face charges in connection with the fire.  The unidentified boater says he had changed his camping location about 2:00 am because of the winds.  He stated that he did not notice that the fire was still smoldering and therefore did not make attempts to extinguish it.  The Elk Fire was controlled by Friday evening.  Meanwhile, a lightning-sparked fire was quickly doused Sunday on the National Elk Refuge.  The fire was spotted at about 8:15 am on the northern end of the refuge and a Teton Interagency fire crew quickly put the single tree out.  Fire danger in Teton County, Wyoming is currently considered moderate.

Grand Teton National Park, in partnership with Trout Unlimited, will begin a project to remove the Spread Creek dam which has been in place on the park boundary with Bridger Teton National Forest for more than 40 years. According to Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs, the project will reconnect approximately 50 miles of critical trout habitat along Spread Creek and allow for the natural movement of native cutthroat trout and other non-game fish that historically migrated through this waterway to spawn. The project she says involves the removal of the dam, installation of natural-design and fish-friendly rock weirs, as well as the restoration of stream channel contours and vegetation.  Trout Unlimited’s “Wyoming Water Project” is securing the funds for the project and will oversee and conduct restoration activities; including the removal of the existing diversion structure, construction of a water delivery system, and restoration of the natural stream channel.  Skaggs says in place of the dam, three rock weirs will be installed to maintain water level at a new head gate that will divert irrigation water to authorized users in the park.

It’s a matter of days before school replaces the summer activities of our children, and Teton County School Superintendent Pam Shea says teachers and administrators have already been in the buildings for almost a week getting ready for the new school year.  The first day of school is Wednesday, and Shea urges parents to check online for this year’s revised bell schedule. School supply lists, bus schedules and school calendars are available from the district website.

You can keep your money.  That was the message from Governor Dave Freudenthal to the US Department of Education who said he would NOT apply for funding under the Education Jobs Fund Program.  Wyoming is eligible to apply for nearly $18 million in federal funds meant for teacher retention, but Freudenthal says the state has no voice in determining the best uses of the windfall.  Freudenthal noted Wyoming’s K-12 education system is fully-funded so the most effective use of the $17,533,686 would be for one-time funds where they would make a significant, lasting impact rather than an allocation through a general distribution.  If any Wyoming districts have reduced teacher numbers, the Governor said the actions were not the result of cuts at the state level.

Former Bridger-Teton National Forest Supervisor Kniffy Hamilton recently joined the board of the Conservation Alliance. Hamilton retired from the national forest in early June after 30 years of government service, more than ten spent as forest supervisor of the 3.4-million-acre Bridger-Teton. During her tenure, Hamilton worked with conservation organizations, other agencies and the Jackson Hole community in efforts to keep lands in the upper Gros Ventre and the Wyoming Range free from energy development.

Friday, 08-27-10

Grand Teton National Park rangers rescued a 29-year-old Jackson woman yesterday after she fell while climbing the Grand Teton.  Michelle Smith had set out about 11:00 am Thursday morning with a partner to climb via Enclosure Couloir.   According to a park report, she slipped on a section of ice and snow and fell about 30 feet, injuring her leg. Smith and her climbing partner had been roped up when she fell.  Rangers were alerted to the accident by a cell phone call from her partner and initiated a helicopter rescue.  Smith was taken by short-haul method to the Lower Saddle of the Grand, where she was transferred to inside the helicopter and flown to Lupine Meadows and placed into an ambulance to be taken to St. John’s Medical Center for treatment.

Wyoming Highway patrol Thursday announced that an accident eight miles east of Moran late Tuesday night was a fatal accident.  According to their official report, 62-year-old Beverly Powell of Estes Park, Colorado died when her car drifted off the right shoulder of the roadway as she was driving westbound.  She overcorrected, sending her across both traffic lanes and off the opposite side of the roadway where it rolled 3½ times. Powell was pronounced dead at the scene.  Cause of the accident remains under investigation.

Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal has issued a revised executive order on the state’s sage-grouse Core Population Area strategy, aimed at protecting the bird to prevent an Endangered Species Act listing while offering opportunities for resource development.  The executive order maps with new boundaries of protected sage-grouse Core Area habitat where development is prohibited. The revised order replaces the one issued in 2008 and allows for development in non-Core Areas, even where sage-grouse are present.  Under the order, there will still be broad development of oil and gas mining, but that will occur outside of the Core Areas. The new executive order reiterates that wind development will not be permitted in Core Areas. On two separate occasions the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has stated that the best available science indicates that wind development is incompatible with Core Area protection. Outside of Core Areas, the executive order clarifies that stipulations are to be relaxed, so that there are enhanced resource development opportunities.

Wyoming’s drivers licenses will have a new look by the end of September that will incorporate an image of the Tetons on the cards.  Under a plan revealed by WYDOT, the new format retains the bucking horse and script Wyoming logos on the front of the card, and adds the state flag and the photo of the Tetons in the background. The back of the cards will continue to carry a scannable barcode for all the information from the front of the card. A ghost image of the cardholder’s photo will continue to appear in a second area of the card. The objective of the change is to add more security to the cards, but most security features will not be readily visible to the cardholder.  Licenses and ID cards issued to minors will retain the vertical format that is easy to distinguish from the traditional horizontal format used for adults.  WYDOT officials say the new licenses and ID cards will meet federal Transportation Security Administration requirements for boarding commercial aircraft at the nation’s airports scheduled to go into effect in 2014 for those born after December 1^st, 1964 and in 2017 for those born before December 1^st, 1964.

Conditions permitting, the Palisades and Teton Basin Ranger Districts plan to implement four prescribed burns this fall, sometime between August 30^th and September 30^th.  The locations of these prescribed burns include the West Lone Pine Unit on the Palisades Ranger District approximately 10 miles southwest of Irwin, Idaho and the Beartrap Unit of the Palisades Ranger District, approximately 15 miles east of Ririe, Idaho.  It is possible that smoke from these fires may be visible or otherwise detected locally.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that nearly $600,000 will be awarded to nine projects targeting three of the highest priorities from the Quagga-Zebra Mussel Action Plan for Western U.S. Waters.  The Service also has provided support for quagga and zebra mussel efforts through regional projects under the “100th Meridian Initiative”, a cooperative effort between local, state, provincial, regional, and federal agencies to prevent the westward spread of zebra/quagga mussels and other aquatic nuisance species.  Although Wyoming’s efforts to stem the spread of zebra mussels has not been included in the federal program, funds were awarded Colorado and Montana to combat the invasive species.

Thursday, 08-26-10

Old Faithful Geyser erupted as if on cue as the keynote speaker wrapped up his remarks Wednesday to more than 600 gathered for the dedication of the new  visitor Education Center at Old Faithful. Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis says that helping visitors enjoy Yellowstone – and helping them understand the role they play in protecting this place and others like it for this and future generations is one of the most important parts of the National Park Service mission. Lewis says even though the visible construction began over two years ago, work actually began on this new visitor education center more than 10 years ago.  Lewis says the result is a facility that goes more than a giant step forward in serving the visitors to the Park’s iconic attraction. The new building includes new interactive exhibits demonstrating the park’s hydrothermal features, a diorama of the thermal areas with information about the living creatures to be found near and in them, a special room for children with a working geyser model to explain the workings of Old Faithful, an auditorium and an exhaustive research library.  $15 million of the $27 million cost of design and construction of the new Old Faithful Visitor Education Center was provided through private donations by the nonprofit Yellowstone Park Foundation, the official fundraising partner of Yellowstone National Park. 

The Board of County Commissioners yesterday appointed Police Sergeant Alan John to fill the unexpired term of Bob Campbell as the Teton County’s Coroner. The selection was made after interviews with John, Jim Flower and Kiley Campbell, who were all nominated by the Teton County Republican party. John’s appointment takes effect immediately. He will serve through December, 2010 when the duly elected coroner will assume the role.

The Bull Fire east of the Hoback Junction, is now estimated to be 3,539 acres. Fire managers are preparing to continue with burnout operations on the southern perimeter of the fire for Thursday and/or Friday. This includes a 1/2 mile stretch of the Granite Creek road. As firing operations carry on, forest officials say additional closures and the use of pilot cars may be necessary to provide for public and firefighter safety.  Most of the fire is being managed for its resource benefits.

Governor Dave Freudenthal met Tuesday with Assistant Interior Secretary Tom Strickland and National Parks Service Director John Jarvis to discuss the issue of the state land section in Grand Teton National Park.  Freudenthal says the meeting focused on about how to proceed with such a sale, and was fairly fruitful. Freudenthal says the land will probably be valued in the range of about $100-million.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has moved a young male grizzly bear that was frequenting a ranch near Jackson to location in Park County.  According to a Department spokesman, the yearling bear was trapped northwest of Jackson along the Snake River and taken to a spot about five miles east of Yellowstone National Park last Thursday with the assistance of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Shoshone National Forest. Meanwhile, an adult female grizzly was trapped Monday near Cody where it was frequenting a lodge and two campgrounds.  It was relocated to an area 30 miles northwest of Moran.  As usual, the release site is within the federal grizzly bear recovery zone and is known to be habitat for other grizzly bears.

Sweetwater County commissioners have announced they are supporting an extension of that county's 2 percent lodging tax.  Voters are to decide whether to renew it during the November election. Revenue from their tax on overnight stays at area hotels, campgrounds, and bed-and-breakfast establishments is intended pay for marketing the county to visitors just as part of Teton County’s proposed lodging tax would.  Sweetwater County Travel and Tourism Executive Director Jenissa Bartlett says a study in 2009 showed that for every $1 spent on advertising by the county travel and tourism Board, $2.24 came back to their county in the form of spending by visitors on hotels, meals, gas, souvenirs and other items.

Wednesday, 08-25-10

Wyoming’s seasonally adjusted unemployment decreased a tenth of a percent during July, according to information released yesterday by the state Department of Employment.  According to the monthly report, the statewide average is now 6.7% -- significantly lower than the national average of 9.5%, and lower than last July’s average of 6.8%.  At the same time, the state reports an increase of 1000 jobs from a year earlier.  Here in Teton County, the jobless rate dropped to 5.1% -- down from 5.8% last month but up three-tenths of a percent from last July.  The lowest jobless rate in the state last month was found in Sublette County where 3.9% of the workforce was idle followed by 4.8% in Crook County.  The worst employment picture was found in Fremont County where 7.5% of their workforce was unemployed, followed by Johnson County where 7.3% were job-hunting.

Cooler temperatures and occasional showers have served to slow the progress of a half dozen fires on the Bridger Teton National Forest.  Forest Spokesperson Leslie Williams says it appears that respite will be fairly short-lived however as warmer temperatures are again expected later this week. At this point, Williams says the Bull Fire is estimated to be 3047 acres, the Gravel Fire is 433 acres, the Bobcat Fire is about 30 acres and the Crystal Fire is still only about ¾ acre.  The remaining fires are estimated to be somewhat smaller with little growth occurring. Williams says firefighters are on scene monitoring the fires.

The Teton County, Idaho Sheriff’s Department is seeking the public’s help in finding the person responsible for a hit-and-run accident involving a bicycle near Driggs.  Sheriff’s officers say the incident occurred about 6:00 am August 24th on Highway 33 in the area of the Victor Gateway Chevron. The bicyclist was struck by a silver subcompact car believed to be a Hyundai and the passenger side mirror was lost during the collision.   Sheriff’s officers ask that anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has any information regarding it, please contact the Teton County Sheriff’s Office at 208-354-2323 x2 and speak with someone in dispatch.

Teton County Wyoming Sheriff’s investigators are seeking more information regarding a burglary early Sunday morning at Moosely Seconds in Moose.  According to Sheriff’s Captain Scott Terry, the burglary was reported Monday afternoon when a witness reported seeing an individual exiting the building through a window.  Terry says losses were limited to two backpacks valued at a total of $295.  So far, Terry says, it has determined that the burglar accessed the building through a window that had been left unlocked.  The witness says the suspect left the scene at about 2:30 am in a small silver or gray sedan.

Christmas plans around Wyoming are beginning to take shape – but these plans involve a special celebration that begins only 11 weeks from now.  That, says Bridger-Teton National Forest Christmas Tree Coordinator Mary Cernacek is when the Capitol Christmas Tree will be harvested north of Jackson on the forest and the state-wide celebration begins; with the tree making a tour of communities throughout the Cowboy State before heading to Washington D.C.  Cernacek says Wyoming is truly a proud state which she says will manifest itself during the tour of the tree across the state.  The celebration, however, begins in Jackson. Cernacek says it is hoped that the various plans can be mapped out and ready within the next eight weeks.

Tuesday, 08-24-10

The US Fish and Wildlife has appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court a decision late last year by Federal Judge Donald Malloy  vacating the de-listing of the Greater Yellowstone Area grizzly population and placing further restrictions for the management of the animal.  Grizzly Bear Recovery Coordinator Chris Servheen says the USFWS believes that decision is unwarranted. Furthermore, Servheen says the ruling places expectations on the bear managers that go beyond the law. Servheen says the USFWS filed its appeal on August 9^th and the process is expected to take 12 to 18 months.  Meanwhile, Yellowstone Ecosystem Subcommittee Chairman Steve Schmidt says that the legal action to obstruct recovery efforts for grizzly bears only serves to erode public support for species conservation and reduces public support for the Endangered Species Act.

Some forty or more nonprofit leaders in Teton Valley, Idaho received the fruits of their collective fundraising efforts in the Tin Cup Challenge last month – a total of $847,810 to support that valley’s nonprofits.  All of the money will be put to work there over the coming months to benefit the Teton Valley and its residents.  Organizers of the event announced yesterday that the 3rd Annual Tin Cup Challenge this year enjoyed contributions from 685 donors, including 237 new donors this year.  As with Jackson Hole’s Old Bills event, Tin Cup Challenge designated gifts of $536,906 were matched by $302,763 contributed by the Community Challengers and Friends of the Match.  That made the resulting match percentage 46%, meaning nonprofits received an extra 46 cents for each dollar donated.  Since the event was launched three years ago, the Teton Valley community has raised $2,622,384 to benefit their local nonprofits.

As summer comes closer to its end, gasoline prices have become rather unstable.  Where they had climbed about a week ago to $2.75 per gallon of unleaded regular, AAA Auto Club’s Fuel Gauge Report shows the national average back down to $2.70 per gallon again this week.  The most expensive states seem to be clustered through the west, with Wyoming posting prices above average.  AAA says the state average this week is $2.79 per gallon. Teton County’s average meanwhile has risen to $2.96 per gallon while west of the pass in Teton Valley, Idaho, the average prices is $3.06.

While Wyoming Game and Fish Department has not found any zebra mussels on the thousands of boats that have been inspected this summer, some other invasive species have been found in western Wyoming.  Spokesman Ray Hageman says the New Zealand Mud Snail and the parasite that causes whirling disease in trout have made their way into Wyoming’s waters. Whirling disease has been found in the waters in this part of Wyoming, being first discovered in 1988.  Game and Fish officials urge fishermen to thoroughly clean their waders and gear to stem the spread of the parasite that causes the disease.

A brief travel closure will be in effect on the unpaved section of the Moose-Wilson Road within Grand Teton National Park for about 28 hours Wednesday, beginning at 4:00 am. The road is scheduled to reopen by 8:00 am. on Thursday barring equipment malfunction or rainy weather. Those wishing to reach the Laurence S. Rockefeller Preserve or Death Canyon trailhead, access will be possible by driving south from the junction with the Teton Park Road near the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in Moose. Wednesday’s temporary closure is scheduled to allow for dust abatement work to be done on the unpaved roadbed.

U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell, Intermountain Regional Forester Harv Forsgren and the National Association of Forest Service Retirees representative Stan Tixier Saturday presented Ron Dickemore, Palisades District Ranger for the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, with the nationally recognized John R. McGuire Award at the Heise Campground near Ririe, Idaho. Dickemore has been a District Ranger for 30 years with 24 of those years as the Palisades District Ranger.

Monday, 08-23-10

The Bull Fire near Granite Creek Road has grown to over 3000 acres now forcing the closure of  a portion of Granite Creek Road from Highway 189 to the Highline Trail. Also included are the Little Granite Road and the Boulder Creek drainage, the Cow Creek trail, Bull Creek Road and the Rough Hollow drainage. The Hoback Shield and the Granite Creek Road, Granite Hot Springs and Granite Campground are still open at this time, but Spokesperson Lesley Williams says visitors are asked to use caution while driving there due to the smoke and fire equipment that are likely to be present. Williams says a Type 3 Incident Management team has done a successful burn-out along Little Granite Creek to help contain the fire. Between that operation and the heavy winds Saturday, a large plume of smoke was clearly visible from many parts of the valley. Williams says crews will continue to secure the Bull Creek drainage on the southern perimeter and keep working along the Little Granite Road on the eastern fire perimeter.  Meanwhile, smaller fires continue to burn at Red Creek, Crystal Creek and near Lower Slide lake while the 100 acre Gravel Fire and the 50 acre Bobcat Fire in the Teton Wilderness have grown and continue to be managed for their benefits.

Does lightning strike twice in the same location?  The true answer to the idiom is yes, and the figurative reference is borne out in Yellowstone National Park where strong winds last Wednesday brought to life a fire within the perimeter of a previous fire.  That latest fire was likely ignited from a series of storms that passed through the area more than a week ago.  The 218-acre Arthur 2 Fire is burning within the perimeter of the 2001 Arthur Fire, about 1.5 miles southwest of the East Entrance to Yellowstone National Park.  Fire crews are making water drops to cool down hotspots.  The area contains large amounts of dead trees, both standing and down, remaining from the 2001 Arthur Fire.
 
When students return this fall to Jackson Hole’s Colter Elementary School, they will find the playground gone and new modular units erected in its place.  School Superintendent Pam Shea says it’s because the school population has grown in the short seven years since Colter School opened. As that larger group of classes moves up into Middle School, Shea says the modular buildings can be used to accommodate whatever needs may be generated there.
 
The National Park Service is soliciting proposals to provide lodging, food and beverage, campground, service station, retail and other related visitor services within the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, approximately 55 miles north of Jackson. Under the park contract agreement to run concessions, such permits are subject to open competitive bid each time they come up for renewal.  The new contract on the JDR will be valid for 15 years.  The existing concession operation provides commercial services at Flagg Ranch Resort and is held by International Leisure Hosts, Ltd.  Under the new contract, the NPS will require the authorized concessioner to undertake improvement projects, including upgrades to some lodging rooms, the addition of camper cabins, the addition of a coffee/snack shop, and the replacement of diesel and unleaded gas pumps.  A prospectus for bidding is available online from the regional office of the National Park Service.
 
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department trapped and relocated another adult male grizzly bear last week. The bear was captured last Tuesday because it was frequenting a residential area north of Pinedale.  It is uncertain whether or not the bear had been rewarded by obtaining food there or not.  Wildlife officials relocated the bear to the Blackrock Creek drainage approximately 21 miles east of Moran, at the foot of Togwotee Pass, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bridger Teton National Forest. The release site is located within the Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone and currently occupied grizzly bear habitat.
 

Friday, 08-20-10

At a time Jackson Hole is recovering from recessionary visitation, the joint Jackson Town Council and Teton County Commission voted to place a 2% lodging tax referendum on the November ballot.  Commission Chairman Hank Phibbs says it is hoped the money generated by such a tax could help prop up the sagging numbers seen recently. Phibbs says compared with other resort communities, the proposed tax would be quite modest. Furthermore, Phibbs says it is in no way in conflict with the special projects sales tax just passed by voters since this would only be paid by those traveling here. Phibbs says about 3½ million dollars annually is anticipated to result from the lodging tax if it is passed.  That he says would be divided so that 2-million dollars would be going toward tourism promotion, a little more than 1-million dollars would be used for visitor impact services, and about 350-thousand dollars would be placed into the general fund for related expenses.

Residents of Jackson Hole and southeastern Idaho particularly in the Driggs and Victor area, may be seeing and smelling smoke from the Mike Spencer fire which is approximately six miles northeast of Swan Valley on Pine Creek Pass increased in activity yesterday afternoon due to high temperatures and gusty winds.  Fire officials flew the fire perimeter yesterday to assess the fire activity and now estimate it to be approximately 14 acres. The lightning-caused fire started August 7^th and has been smoldering for the last two weeks. Caribou-Targhee officials say the fire is currently showing minimal activity due to cloud cover and is creeping and smoldering.  Officials say fire activity may again increase due to a rise in temperature.

Wyoming Secretary of State Max Maxfield says unofficial information about total ballots cast in each county indicates that the voter turnout for yesterday’s Primary Election was about 52 percent of those who are registered to vote.  Over the past 5 primary elections, Maxfield says voter turnout in Wyoming has averaged 53 percent.   Here in Teton County, 45.6 percent of the registered voters turned out for the primary.  That, says County Elections Clerk Sharon Nethercott compares with an average in Teton County of the mid-50 percentile range for primary elections – although she adds that it has been as high as 60 percent here.  Nethercott says she was surprised by the turnout, expecting it to be much higher because of all the local offices and the SPET tax on the ballot this time. 

Guidelines for the use of federal grant money awarded to Teton County School District #1 last week will fit well into intervention activities already going on in the district.  That’s the word from School Superintendent Pam Shea who adds that the money will be able to be used over a three-year period.  Last week, the Wyoming Department of Public Instruction awarded the school district $1.3-million dollars under the Federal “Title One Program” dealing with special educational needs – like those brought upon Colter Elementary School by an influx of English Language Learners. To that end, Shea says the district as moved Principal Tom Radke into a position to head up the district’s ELL program, Patty Corsey will become the Principal at Colter Elementary School and Jean Coldsmith will become the Instructional Leadership Developer while Bo Miller will become the Principal at the Middle School.  Consequently, Shea says the use of the grant fits into the “Transformation Model” outlined as one of their four options.  Now while much of the focus will be at Colter School, Shea says the effort to deal with the special needs of the demographic is really district-wide. Shea says the grant seemed to fit well into the initiatives that have been under way as a “Tier III school” to address low achievement in specific demographics within the district.

Grand Teton National Parks Youth Conservation Program concludes for another year today after the young participants put in thousands of hours to improve trails, restore vegetation, construct buck-and-rail fences and remove invasive weeds.  Donations from donors through the Grand Teton National Park Foundation enabled the Park to expand the program and offer employment to 21 YCP crew members making that crew half again as large as it was last year.  The YCP is a summer employment program for high school students, ages 16 to 19.

Thursday, 08-19-10

The direction that the Teton County Historical Society will take now that the special projects excise tax issue was denied by voters remains to be seen.  Executive Director Loki Lytjen calls the project a great one and important – especially to the valley’s young people.  She says the project will move forward, albeit somewhat more slowly than had been hoped. The issue lost by a mere 70 votes, or less than 4-tenths of a percent, but Lytjen does not foresee a call for a recount of the votes.

Yellowstone National Park reports finding two dead bears Tuesday not far from the Fishing Bridge area of the park.  Spokesman Al Nash says a grizzly was discovered dead about 50 yards off the road and one-half mile south of LeHardy Rapids, north of Fishing Bridge while a black bear was found in a ditch next to the road south of Fishing Bridge, about half way between Lake and West Thumb.   Nash says it is not know for certain what caused the deaths of the bears, although it is believed the black bear was struck by a vehicle. As yet, however, Nash says nobody has reported hitting a black bear. Nash says the grizzly will be taken to Bozeman, Montana for a necropsy to determine cause of death. The bear was an adult male, medium brown in color, and weighed 576 ½ pounds.  So far, seven bears have died in Yellowstone this year.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is alerting recreationists, homeowners, and hunters that this looks to be a year of low whitebark pine cone production. That, says Game and Fish Spokesman Dennie Hammer, means grizzly bears tend to shift to a diet of meat when such shortages occur, which often results in increased human-bear and hunter-bear conflicts.  Hammer says it will be all that more important this fall for hunters and others in bear habitat to watch for sign including tracks and scat and carry bear spray.  Hammer says the concern will remain until  the bears den up in October or November.  Meanwhile, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department trapped and relocated an adult male grizzly bear on August 15^th.  The bear was captured because it was frequenting a dude ranch at night near Cody. The bear was relocated to the Boone Creek drainage approximately 24 miles northwest of Moran in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Caribou-Targhee National Forest. The release site is located within the Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone and currently occupied grizzly bear habitat.

Yellowstone National Park has completed its annual summer bison population abundance estimate.  The population is estimated to be 3,900 bison.  The estimate is based on a series of aerial surveys conducted in June and July.  This year’s calf production represents 15 % of the population.   Fifty-six percent of the bison are distributed across the Northern Range this summer, while the remainder is found in the Central Interior herd. The population was estimated at 3,300 bison last summer; and at 3,000 adult and yearling bison in late winter.

Idaho Governor "Butch" Otter was recently elected chairman of the Western Governors' Association, and pledges to work to "unite the West" as governors tackle traditional and new issues over the next year. Otter says the WGA will continue to address such traditional issues as energy, transmission, water management, forest health and wildlife management.  However, Otter says he wants to also put a spotlight on some new issues, such as increasing nuclear energy production and expanding educational and career opportunities for veterans.  The Western Governors' Association is a non-partisan organization of all 22 United States Governors representing 19 U.S. States and 3 U.S. territories that are considered to be part of the Western region of the nation.

Wednesday, 08-18-10

Teton County has released the unofficial returns from yesterday’s primary election, reflecting the desires of the 45.6% of the county’s registered voters who showed up at the polls. The county’s Republicans chose Matt Mead to run for Governor by a wide margin over Colin Simpson, Rita Meyer, Ron Micheli, and state returns upheld that selection with a narrow margin.  The county’s Democrats yesterday chose Leslie Petersen to run for Governor with a decisive 85.8% of the vote at home, and she went on to win the state Democratic nod handily as well.  Cynthia Lummis won handily over Evan Slafter for another run for US Representative, Cynthia Cloud slipped by Bruce Brown as the county’s choice for the Republican State Auditor candidate.  The state chose Cindy Hill over incumbent Jim McBride as their choice for a State Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate.  Leland Christiensen was easily chosen over Sam Harrell as the Republican Senate District 17 candidate while Ruth Ann Petroff was the clear choice for District 16.  For State Representative in District 22, the Republicans chose Bill Winney by a clear margin.  The three given the Republican nod for the County Commission Race were Paul Vogelheim, Peter Moyer and Scott Anderson.  In the hotly contested County Coroner Race, The Republicans chose Kiley Campbell with 42.4 percent of the vote while Alan John came in not far behind with 36.5%. James Flower had nearly 20% of the vote.  In the only other contested Republican race, Dawn Johnson was chosen over Lisa DaCosta for County Assessor.  The county’s Democrats yesterday chose Leslie Petersen to run for Governor with a decisive 85.8% of the vote and she went on to win the state Democratic nod handily as well.  Dr. Brent Blue was their choice to run for County Coroner.  Other Democratic races were uncontested.  On the non-partisan side of the ballot, ten of the 11 special purpose excise tax issues passed, however the request for funds to continue construction on the museum failed by less than 4-tenths of a percent.  Mark Barron was chosen for Mayor with 62% with Fanz Camenzind providing the closest challenge at 31%.  Melissa Turley and Bob Lenz were the clear leaders for town council, followed by Ray Elser and Michael Pruett.  The returns from the election will not become official until the state canvassing board meets later today to confirm all the races.

The State Canvassing Board are meeting today beginning 10:00 am at the Wyoming State Capitol in Cheyenne.  The purpose of the meeting will be to canvass the state primary election results. The State Canvassing Board consists of: Governor Dave Freudenthal, Secretary of State Max Maxfield (who also serves as the Canvassing Board Chairman), State Auditor Rita Meyer and State Treasurer Joe Meyer.

The ground continues to shift in the vicinity of Monday night’s earthquake with another shake recorded nearby at 3:22 am Tuesday morning.  That shake was measured at 3.0 on the Richter scale and was estimated to be a little more than 3 miles down.  About two dozen residents reported to USGS that they had felt it.  All three of the recent earthquakes clustered in this area are near the headwaters of Turpin Creek just north of Slide Lake in the Gros Ventre area.

A possible reason that a grizzly bear mauled three campers outside Yellowstone National Park last month is linked to its health.  48 year old Kevin Kammer of Grand Rapids, Michigan was killed and two people were hospitalized when the 216-pound grizzly sow tore into their tents in a nighttime attack July 28^th.  The bear was captured a day later at the Soda Butte Campground near Cooke City, Mont., then was euthanized. Its three cubs are now in a Billings zoo.

A five-acre fire is burning in the Bridger Wilderness 15-miles northeast of the town of Pinedale, after being sparked by lighting on Saturday.  Spokesperson Mary Cernicek says the fire will be managed for its resource benefits, and fire managers are putting together a long-term management plan for that fire.  Named the Fayette Fire, it is two miles north of Fayette Lake and is predicted to burn throughout the fall.

The Idaho Fish and Game Commission is urging the state government to pursue all legal options  to overturn the decision to re-list the wolf under the Endangered Species Act and restore full state authority in the management and control of wolves.  The Commission has adopted a resolution on future of wolf management which it says will attempt to keep Idaho in the lead role of managing re-listed wolves but will include restrictions on spending sportsmen’s money on enforcement and other management efforts.  Among the observations cited in the resolution, management of wildlife in the state is to be considered the maintenance of healthy populations while balancing predator and prey relationships and providing hunting opportunities for game species addressing conflicts between wildlife and people.  Furthermore, the state commission says it will proceed with setting a hunting season and harvest limits as soon as the wolves are de-listed.  Last week, Montana said it would challenge US District Judge Donald Molloy’s re-listing of the wolf in the circuit court of appeals.

Tuesday, 08-17-10

Today is primary election day in Wyoming with polling places open from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm at the familiar voting places around the county.  Those living in precinct 1-1 south of Jackson will vote at Lower Valley Energy, precinct 1-2 in the middle/east Jackson area vote at the LDS Church, precinct 1-3 in the Skyline/Hi Country/Gros Ventre Butte area vote at the National Museum of Wildlife Art, precinct 1-4 in north Jackson vote at the Recreation Center, precinct 1-5 in the middle/western area of town vote at the fair building, and precinct 1-6 in the Cottonwood Park/Indian Trails area vote at the Presbyterian Church.  Those who live in Rafter J (precinct 1-7) will vote at River Crossing Church, those in east Jackson (precinct 1-8) will vote at the Senior Center, and those in West Jackson (precinct 1-9) vote at the library.  Further from town, those in South Hoback precinct 1-10 vote at WYDOT, those in the Kelly/Moose/Airport precinct 2-1 vote at the airport, those in the Elk Refuge/South Gros Ventre precinct 2-2 vote at the National Museum of Wildlife Art, those in Moran precinct 3-1 vote at Moran School, and those in Wilson precinct 4-1 vote at Wilson School.  Residents of Moose or along the Moose-Wilson Road West in precinct 4-2 vote at the new Wilson fire house, while those west of Wilson in precinct 4-3 vote at the old Wilson School Community Center and those in Teton Village or along the Moose-Wilson Road East in precinct 4-4 vote at the Teton Village firehouse.  A complete list of these sites can be found on our website at jacksonholeradio.com. Residents of Alta (precinct 5-1) vote at Alta School.  Meanwhile, the Teton County Clerk's Office will be closed today for all business except elections and recording, due to Primary Election Day.

Wyoming voters will find a dozen people seeking spots on the November ballot for the Gubernatorial Race.  Five of them are Democrats and seven of them are Republicans.  It is a heated race to say the least…one that retiring Governor Dave Freudenthal says he is content to watch from the sidelines. Freudenthal says he crossed paths with one of the Republican candidates last week and noted how worn out he looked as the end of campaigning was approaching.  Freudenthal says when you are a candidate on election night, you are searching for the best information about the count at that moment.  However, as a non-candidate, he plans to more casually check the returns through the evening.  Freudenthal says he is still undecided what he will do once he is out of office early next year.

There was little mistaking it last night when a 4.3 tremor hit the Jackson Hole area.  The single percussion swept from East to West through the valley about 8:50 pm jarring buildings and startling residents, but little else.  According to the US Geological Survey in Golden, Colorado, the tremor was located five miles deep just east of the Teton Science School’s Kelly Campus – very close to where another bump was felt Saturday morning about 8:40 am. That minor earthquake was located about 3 miles deep and measured 2.9 on the Richter scale.   Like the event last night, the epicenter was at the headwaters of Turpin Creek.  Last night’s quake drew scores of comments to the earthquake site from residents of the valley and Victor, Idaho.

Four people were hospitalized Friday evening after a two-vehicle head-on collision near the National Museum of Wildlife Art north of Jackson shortly before 6:00 pm.  According to Lt. Tom Kelly of the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the accident occurred when the driver of a southbound vehicle from Cottonwood Heights, Utah fell asleep and crossed the line into the path of a northbound vehicle from Moran.  Lt. Kelly says 19 year old Britton Coombs and her two passengers had been climbing the Grand since shortly after midnight and was returning to town when she fell asleep at the wheel.  She, her two passengers, and the driver of the second vehicle – 47-year-old David Neville – were all transported to St. John’s Medical Center for treatment.  The accident effectively closed the highway for about 45 minutes, but Kelly says it took much longer for traffic to return to a normal flow.  No word was immediately available on the condition of those injured in the wreck.

Grand Teton National Park rangers issued 48 warnings and six citations—including three arrests— during a traffic safety checkpoint conducted late Saturday evening, August 14 and early Sunday morning on Highway 26/89/191 at the park’s south boundary. Of the six citations that were issued, three were for driving under the influence of alcohol, two for having an open container, and one for possession of a controlled substance.  In just over four hours, park rangers processed safety screenings for 497 vehicles. The goal of the operation was to identify and correct safety violations and reduce the number of impaired drivers in an effort to make roads safer for the traveling public.

Monday, 08-16-10

Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Tom Strickland is pointing his finger at Wyoming as being to blame for the re-listing of the bray wolf under the Endangered Species Act.  Strickland said recently in a news release that the ruling, quoting now, “means that until Wyoming brings its wolf management program into alignment with those of Idaho and Montana, the wolf will remain under the protection of the Endangered Species Act throughout the northern Rocky Mountains.”  Governor Dave Frueudenthal calls Strickland’s comments “incredibly inappropriate,” and he adds that nobody has approached the state to discuss a solution.  Meanwhile, Wyoming has an ongoing lawsuit with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over its refusal to accept a state management plan that calls for designating wolves as predators that could be shot on sight in much of the state. The state is awaiting a ruling on that lawsuit from a federal judge in Cheyenne.

Following the recent district court ruling that returned the region’s wolves to the endangered species list, Montana wildlife officials continue to press federal authorities to provide management options that would bring the wolf population in balance with other wildlife and the people who live and work in Montana.  Montana hoped to reduce the state’s wolf populations to about 450 wolves this year by using a combination of management tools, including hunting.  US District Judge Donald Molloy decision last month reinstating federal protections essentially scuttled Montana’s efforts to maintain authority to manage a viable and connected wolf population, and yet still reduce wolf impacts on big game populations and livestock producers.  The state is now looking to appeal the district court decision to the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit while continuing attempts to reach a settlement with the 13 plaintiffs.  State officials say the absence of any true ability to manage wolves means that Montana's wolf population will continue to grow and impacts to livestock growers and to Montana's wildlife herds will grow more severe. The minimum recovery goal for wolves in the northern Rocky Mountains was set at 30 breeding pairs—successfully reproducing wolf packs—and a minimum of 300 individual wolves for at least three consecutive years. Last year, the wolf population in parts of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, was estimated to be at least 1,706, with 242 packs, and 115 breeding pairs.

Tomorrow is primary election day in Wyoming with polling places open from 7:00 am until 7:00 pm at the familiar voting places around the county. Secretary of State Max Maxfield reminds employers that state law mandates that employees be given one hour off specifically to vote on Election Day if the employee does not have three or more consecutive non-working hours during the times the polls are open.

The primary election ballot will provide voters with plenty of choices to be made tomorrow with a variety of local offices being sought.  In the county commission race, four Republicans and two Democrats will vie for three spots on the commission, three Republicans and two Democrats are seeking the nomination for County Coroner, two Republicans and one Democrat are seeking to run for County Assessor, three are seeking the Mayor’s non partisan office, and five are seeking non partisan seats on the town council.  A variety of people are seeking posts on their respective precinct committees and other local offices will see people running unopposed from their respective parties.  Among the state offices, the largest race is for Governor with seven Republicans and five Democrats all vying for a place on the November ballot.  Cynthia Lummis faces a Republican challenger for her office, four Republicans and one Democrat seek ballot positions for Superintendent of Public Instruction, and two Republicans and one Democrat seek to run for State House District 22.  Several other offices will appear on the ballots tomorrow, with no challengers.  Also on the ballot will be 11 special purpose excise tax issues seeking voter approval.  A special Jackson Hole Radio News program will review those today on this station and will be podcast at jacksonholeradio.com  Jackson Hole Radio will begin coverage of the returns at 7:30 pm.

Karen Stewart of Jackson joins Gillette Mayor Duane Evenson and Leslie Shinaver of Afton as the latest members to be appointed appointed to the Wyoming Arts Council Board by Governor Dave Freudenthal.  Stewart recently retired as the executive director of the Art Association in Jackson and is a board member of Jackson’s Center for the Arts.  In addition to their appointments, David Neary of Lander has been appointed chairman of that board.

Friday, 08-13-10

Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Mary Gibson Scott says while her visit Wednesday with Governor Dave Freudenthal was congenial, he did set a deadline for the process to begin in resolving the issue involving state lands within the Park.  Scott says the governor said if a deal didn’t get under way by Labor Day, he would put the parcels up for auction on the open market. Scott says the Park has been exploring options with the Bureau of Land Management, the State Lands Board and the Governor’s office for the past several months, but the issue has been a concern long before that. Scott says the Bureau of Land Management, The Park Service and the State need to identify options that are acceptable for reimbursing the state for the value of the property.  Then it will be presented to the delegation for authorization or legislative options that they would pursue.  Considering that both parcels are extremely developable, Scott says she has hopes that the issue can be resolved expeditiously in order to keep the land appropriate to the park surrounding it.

The man arrested in Jackson last week for allegedly killing his pregnant wife near Chicago has waived extradition in Wyoming.  31-year-old Eric Gilfor, was arrested last Thursday at a Orville’s Mission where he'd been staying for about a week.  Gilford will be returned Villa Park, Illinois, where he faces charges of murder and intentional homicide of an unborn child in the May stabbing death of 35-year-old Kristine Gilford.

It took Grand Teton National Park rangers less than an hour to evacuate an injured runner from the 11,650-foot Lower Saddle on yesterday morning.  Using the Teton Interagency contract helicopter, rangers evacuated 26 year old Meredith Edwards of Wilson, Wyoming who injured her foot while attempting to run to the Lower Saddle and back. Park officials say Edwards was at the Lower Saddle when she took a misstep on a rock just before 11:00 a.m., causing an injury that prevented her from hiking out on her own. Two rangers already on patrol at the Saddle provided initial emergency medical care to Edwards before requesting the aerial evacuation.  This marks the eighth major search and rescue operation of the season conducted by Grand Teton rangers.

It appears there are some major changes in the wind for at least one Teton County School.  Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jim McBride announced that Teton County School District will receive nearly $1.3-million.  McBride explained that the grants awarded five of the state’s districts are part of the federal Title I program, which provides money to districts and schools with high numbers or high percentages of low-income children.  McBride says the school districts receiving the funding must choose one of four intervention models for the identified and eligible schools in their district:  Those include the Turnaround Model - Replace the principal, rehire no more than 50 percent of the staff and grant the new principal sufficient operational flexibility to implement a fully comprehensive approach to substantially improve student outcomes; the  Restart Model - Convert a school or close and reopen it under a charter school operator, a charter management organization, or an education management organization; a School Closure - Close a school and enroll the students who attended that school in other schools in the LEA that are higher achieving; or the Transformation Model - Implement to include replace the principal and take steps to increase teacher and school leader effectiveness, institute comprehensive instructional reforms, increase learning time and create community-oriented schools, and provide operational flexibility and sustained support.  As yet, the Teton County has not announced the school or model targeted by the grant.

As we approach one of the final summer travel weekends prior to the beginning of the school year, gasoline prices have been creeping back up.  According to AAA Auto Club’s Fuel Gauge Report, the national average has increased nearly seven cents since a month ago.  That average is about $2.78 per gallon of unleaded regular.  Here in Wyoming, AAA says the average price is $2.79 per gallon of regular.  Idaho is $2.97 per gallon.  Here in Jackson Hole, the average price is $2.85 per gallon of regular ranging from a low of $2.65 to a high of $3.33.  The average price in Teton Valley Idaho is $3.06 per gallon.  Teton County Students return to the classroom September first.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks will waive entrance fees for this weekend as part of a nationwide initiative proclaimed earlier this year by Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.  Secretary Salazar announced that fee waivers are being offered during targeted summer weekends as a way to encourage Americans seeking affordable vacations to visit their national parks and national refuges. Additionally, Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell is offering his agency's second fee waiver weekend this summer on August 14-15.  Tidwell says that by waiving fees, everyone will have the opportunity to enjoy the wonder and rejuvenation of recreation on national forests.  The fee waiver initiative on public lands is also designed to encourage people to connect with the great outdoors and engage in healthy activities. In addition to the August weekend, entrance fees will also be waived for National Public Lands Day on September 25^th.

Thursday, 08-12-10

Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal continued to work on resolving the issue of unprofitable land located adjacent Grand Teton National Park while visiting Jackson Hole yesterday.  Freudenthal said that topic was brought up when he visited with Park Superintendent Mary Gibson Scot last evening. Freudenthal also visited with Acting Bridger Teton National Forest Supervisor Jacque Buchanan regarding beetle kill on the forest and how it will impact the watershed outside Kemmerer in Lincoln and Uinta Counties.  The governor’s afternoon activities were capped off by attending a dinner for the National Park Foundation.

Governor Freudenthal says the nation’s escalating immigrant problem is really the result of inaction over the years on the parts of federal lawmakers from both parties.  Freudenthal says while some areas of Wyoming have problems with illegal immigrants, the magnitude of that problem is not nearly that seen in the border states. Freudenthal says instead of federal leaders being concerned about boots showing up at the voting places, they should be worried about putting boots on the ground to deal with security on the border.  Of particular concern here, Freudenthal says are the numbers of people in agriculture and hotel industries seeking ways to get increased numbers of work permits and visas to bring more people into the country to fill those jobs.

Wyoming’s U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis is decrying the congressional passage yesterday of House Bill 1586 that she says will increase taxes on American job creators and add to America’s already exploding deficit.  Lummis says America is long past broke; and yet this $26-billion bailout package takes money from people in Wyoming and other states who have tightened their belts to foot the bill for unions in states that have failed to budget. Lummis says the teachers and firefighters cited in the reasoning for extending the bail-out were hired with stimulus money which was intended to provide stop-gap funds for the states until they could provide the funds themselves – not to provide ongoing funds for those positions.

State and federal authorities are trying to determine who put a device resembling a bomb under an overpass just east of Rock Springs Tuesday. Authorities shut down I-80 near Point of Rocks for nearly an hour until the package could be removed. It was removed from its lodging place on a girder by a robot and destroyed. Wyoming Highway Patrol officials say it doesn't look like it contained any explosive material however.  The device spotted by a passerby, is described as having tape around it and a wire hanging from it. The investigation has been turned over to the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms.

National Forest Service employee Tim Beaty was awarded the Boy Scouts' William T. Hornaday Gold Medal, at the recent 2010 Centennial Celebration of the Boy Scout National Jamboree, for his decades-long association with the Jamboree as well as other scout projects. Beaty received the award for his tireless efforts to influence and educate young people in the complexities and challenges of land management and natural resource conservation.  In addition to his most recent activity at the Jamboree, Beaty served as a national liaison during the ArrowCorps5 projects on the Bridger-Teton National Forest in 2008 and similar projects in other states.

Wednesday, 08-11-10

The Bridger-Teton National Forest has reduced the Temporary Emergency Fire Closure for the Bull Fire south of Jackson. That closure order, has been in effect since July 24^th. While the Bull Creek Trail remains closed, but the Cow Creek Trail, Bull Creek Road, and Little Granite Road will be open. At the same time, the Hoback shield and Granite Creek Road remain open. Meanwhile, three new fire starts were discovered Monday afternoon on the Bridger-Teton National Forest, bringing to eight, the number of uncontrolled fires currently burning in the immediate area.  The most recent fires include the Snag Fire on Monument Ridge on the Big Piney Ranger District, The Wallace Fire burning in Wallace Draw east of Grand Teton National Park and just southwest of Blackrock Ranger Station, and the Horsetail Fire northwest of Lower Slide Lake on the Jackson Ranger District.  All three of the new fires or a tenth of an acre or less and both the Snag and Wallace Fires are being suppressed.  The Horsetail fire is being managed for its resource benefits.  Forest officials remind that conditions are considered high and caution is urged with any use of fire by forest visitors.

Another fire that could become visible to residents in Jackson Hole if it grows has been sparked by lightning in Idaho.  Caribou-Targhee National Forest Spokesman Lynn Ballard says the Mike Spencer Fire on Pine Creek Pass is currently about a quarter acre.  Ballard says it isn’t very active right now, and is being managed for its benefits to the habitat there.

Comments received during public scoping in January, February and March were reviewed and considered by Yellowstone National Park and used last month to help create a draft list of alternatives for winter travel in the park.  Those six alternatives are to be analyzed in the draft environmental impact statement which is due out early next year.  Wyoming’s US Representative Cynthia Lummis says the alternative selected needs to provide for winter access for the welfare of the region’s economy. Lummis says the debate over winter travel came just as new technology was being developed for over-snow travel, and she does not think enough consideration has been given to those developments. Yellowstone officials say a summary of the comments received during public scoping, and a newsletter that describes the range of alternatives are available on the National Park Service Planning, Environment, and Public Comment web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/yell or by calling 344-2019. 

Wyoming Game and Fish has entered the field of wildlife forensics.  With a laboratory located in the animal science building at the University of Wyoming, the program seeks to aid in law enforcement pertaining to the protection of wildlife as well as some biological pursuits.  Department Spokesman Ray Hageman says some of the work includes species identification, animal populations, matching and gender identification for crime evidence or biological studies and, yes, includes DNA testing to match blood found in a pickup to a poached animal, or meats in a freezer to an animal type.  Most recently, Hageman says, the lab has worked with identifying specific problem animals – specifically bears. Hageman says it is critical to assure the offending animal is taken out of the population, and make sure no additional animals have to be euthanized.  Being at the cutting-edge of the science, the lab is already being contact to help with efforts in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Iowa and Illinois.

Hunters began applying yesterday for permits to hunt elk on the Refuge during the 2010 season. Applications for either the North or South Unit elk hunt areas must be submitted electronically by September 21 to be entered into a computerized random draw. Hunters may initially apply for only one hunt period per hunt unit and must already have a valid Wyoming elk license to enter the electronic drawing for a Refuge permit. The results of the drawing will be posted on the application web site on September 28.  A full set of instructions, including information on the permit application process, alternate permits, and drawing times and dates can be found on the National Elk Refuge’s home page at www.fws.gov/nationalelkrefuge.

Tuesday, 08-10-10

A Jackson man is dead and a local woman was taken by “life-flight” to Idaho Falls where she remains in critical condition after a head-on collision Monday morning 1½ miles north of town on Highway 22.  According to Wyoming Highway Patrol Lt. Tom Kelly, the accident occurred when a pickup truck drifted over the fog line and the driver overcorrected, running into an SUV head-on.  Kelly says the driver of the pickup, 40-year-old Crecencio Perez-Avila died at the scene while the driver of the SUV, 39-year-old Kristin Karn was taken to St. John’s Medical Center and later flown out.  The woman’s three-month-old child was fastened into a child seat and emerged from the wreck uninjured.  The wreck briefly closed highway 22, but later, officials were able to open it to one-lane traffic for about an hour and a half, even as traffic backed up nearly two miles.  The cause of the accident is still under investigation.

Unemployment in Teton County has dropped significantly, with the June report from the Wyoming Department of Employment showing the rate dropping from 9.5% in May to 5.7% in June.  Statewide, the unemployment rate declined by a less impressive .2%: now estimated to be 6.8%.  The lowest unemployment rates were found in Sublette County at 4.2% and Niobrara County at 5.2%.  The highest rates were found in Lincoln County where 8.5% of the work force was idled, and Johnson County where 7.9% were without work.

While about five fires continue to burn on the forests in the region, their growth has been slowed by recent rains.  Nan Stinson of Bridger Teton National Forest says unfortunately, with that rain has come a certain amount of lightning which brings with it the threat of more fire starts. Stinson says while some fires have been contained, others are being managed for their resource benefits.

Recreational visitation to Yellowstone National Park continues to climb with the latest report showing a 6.4% increase from July 2009 to last month’s totals.  Year-to-date, visitations in the nation’s first park increased by 5.8% from last year.  In Grand Teton National Park, recreational visitation is up by about 1% for July with year-to-date totals up by about 2.7%.

Wyoming’s US Representative Cynthia Lummis spoke sharply against the decision last week by Federal District Judge Donald Malloy to re-list the wolf as endangered in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.  Lummis says that decision was “inappropriate.” In his decision, Malloy said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service erred when it de-listed the gray wolf in Idaho and Montana; and that a decision to declare the wolf recovered must include the entire Northern Rocky Mountain gray wolf population, not just selected parts.  Lummis says that objective has clearly been achieved. Since their reintroduction in 1995, there are now about 1,600 wolves in the Northern Rockies region, which includes all of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, along with portions of Washington, Oregon and Utah.

Governor Dave Freudenthal has named Teton County Attorney James Radda to the Circuit Court for the Ninth Judicial District which serves Fremont, Sublette and Teton counties. Freudenthal says the choice was not an easy one since all three of the candidates the Judicial Nominating Commission sent him were extremely well qualified. Ultimately, Freudenthal says he found Radda to be a very deliberative and thoughtful attorney and so believed he would no doubt exhibit those same characteristics on the bench. Radda is currently at the Teton County Attorney’s office working as a prosecutor and he has experience in private practice as well.

Monday, 08-09-10

Wyoming and Montana law enforcement authorities have joined with law enforcement rangers in Yellowstone National Park in the search for two escaped prisoners from Arizona believed to be in the park.  The men reportedly escaped from a private Arizona prison and joined a suspected accomplice to travel to Yellowstone National Park. Efforts to find them intensified after one of the inmates was linked to a double homicide in New Mexico. According to authorities, an Oklahoma couple was murdered while on a trip through eastern New Mexico, and their bodies were found in their burned camper at a remote location.  John McCluskey and Casslyn Welch were traveling with Tracy Province. Investigators believe Province has separated from McCluskey and Welch and may be hiding separate from them.  Authorities say it doesn't appear any of the three are expert campers or have wilderness survival skills, and so authorities believe the three might be sticking to back roads and smaller state highways.  Authorities warn that the fugitives are considered very dangerous.

Teton County Commissioners today are expected to discuss the sudden resignation by County Coroner Bob Campbell.  In his letter of resignation, Campbell said his effective date would be today, leaving Deputy Coroner Dave Hodges in charge.  Campbell explained that due to deficiencies in certification cited by the state, he would no longer be permitted to continue in his post.  Once the commissioners declare the post to be vacant, they are to notify the chairman of the county central committee of the Republican Party with whom Campbell is affiliated.  The party then is to call a meeting within 15 days after the notice of vacancy, and select the names of three persons qualified to fill the position.  From that list, the county commissioners will select an interim coroner.  Campbell had planned not to run for reelection this fall, and was to be replaced in that election effective January 6^th. 

Minor growth in passenger traffic through the Jackson Hole Airport was reported to the airport board for last month.  According to the monthly report, those catching flights out of the valley increased nominally, while those arriving increased by one percent.  Meanwhile, the number of flights serving the valley last month declined by eight percent; which means the efficiency of the remaining flights increased during the month as well.  Compared with 2008, air travel was still down slightly for the month of July.  Year-to-date, air travel increased by one percent over 2009, but remains more than ten percent below the 2008 level.

There’s no question that this area of Wyoming is now in the midst of fire season.  With the fire danger listed as “high,” there have been several recent starts as well as ongoing fires in the area.  Interagency firefighters responded Saturday morning to a reported fire about a mile southwest of Whetstone Creek Trail in the Teton Wilderness.  The fire they found was burning about a tenth of an acre of subalpine fir just north of the 2003 Bobcat fire.  Fire managers are currently monitoring the fire for resource benefits.  The Pilgrim Fire in Grand Teton National Park is now considered completely contained and in patrol status.  That fire grew to 13 acres before firefighters established that line.  A fire known as the Bull Fire continues to burn east of Hoback Junction inside the Grow Ventre Wilderness.  The lightning-ignited fire is being managed for its resource benefits, but has led the closures in the area, including Little Granite Creek Road.  That fire is estimated to involve about 1800 acres.

Grand Teton National Park Rangers Friday evacuated an injured climbing guide from the Grand after he fell approximately 20 feet while hiking just below the Lower Saddle.  Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says 31-year-old Nate Opp of the Jackson Hole Mountain Guides was not guiding clients at the time of the accident. Skaggs says another employee with Jackson Hole Mountain Guides contacted the park dispatch center by means of a satellite phone Friday morning.  Rangers determined to make the evacuation with the assistance of the park’s contract helicopter utilizing the short haul technique from the mountain to the rescue cache on the valley floor.  Skaggs says Opp was treated and released at St. John’s Medical Center.

Gallatin and Shoshone National Forest officials have reinstated camping restrictions in area of the Clarks Gardiner Ranger District near Cooke City, Montana due to recent bear activity.  Camping in the Colter and Chief Joseph Campgrounds is restricted to hard-sided units only while the Soda Butte Campground remains closed to all human entry.  Officials say these restrictions will remain in place until further notice.

Tuesday, 07-13-10

Attendance figures at Grand Teton National Park snow visitation was up in June, while perhaps not as significantly as Yellowstone National Park to the north.  According to the National Park Service Public Use Statistics Office, there were nearly 451-thousand recreational visits to the park last month – an increase of not quite 3½%.  Year-t0-date, there have been 1-million-463-thousand visitors total in the park (including non-recreational visits) raising those visits by just shy of 2.9% for the year.  Year-to-date figures in Yellowstone show a 3.8% rise.

Grand Teton National Park rangers recovered an aluminum drift boat from the Snake River Sunday, a day after the boat capsized and sank. At approximately 5:30 pm Saturday, the Teton Interagency Dispatch Center had received a call from a party who reported that their drift boat had capsized on the Snake River just below the historic Bar BC Ranch area, about three miles north of the Moose landing. Park officials say Dan Mei and James Fisher of Jackson, Wyoming and their guest, Joseph Keller, had been fishing while floating between Deadman’s Bar and Moose when the boat was pulled by the current toward an uprooted tree midstream. The boat operator stated he did not have enough time to correct his course before the boat got caught in the tree and capsized.  According to the park report, none of the three boaters was wearing a life vest at the time of accident; however, they were all able to get out of the river on the east bank, uninjured.  Seeing the boaters on the riverbank, a commercial scenic float company picked them up and shuttled them to Moose, where park rangers met the party. This is the second major accident on the Snake River in the park this season.

Wyoming Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis introduced a bill in late April seeking to help forests in the West fight the bark beetle by giving the Forest Service the tools and flexibility it needs to undertake large, long-term projects that will protect them from future epidemics.  Senator John Barrasso says he and other western senators have taken up that cause in the Senate as well.  A major part of the focus of the legislation there, Barrasso says, is cooperative efforts between local resources and the federal government. Under the “good neighbor authority,” the Forest Service would be authorized to contract with state foresters to reduce the threats next to homes and private property in particular.  The bill would enable rangers to work with local communities to ensure the biggest threats are addressed quickly, in order to protect the communities from wildfire and falling trees while at the same time create jobs in those communities.  Co-authors of the bipartisan Senate bill are Mark Udall of Colorado and James Risch and Mike Crapo or Idaho.

Bridger Teton National Forest is hosting a public meeting to discuss a Teton to Snake Fuels Reduction project proposed south of Grand Teton National Park.  The project is intended to reduce existing hazard fuels, remove beetle killed snags and reduce ladder fuels within and adjacent residential developments from Grand Teton Park’s southern boundary, south along the Fall Creek road corridor to the Cottonwood Work Center.  That work is anticipated to begin in 2011.  Public input into the project is being sought and to that end, a town meeting is being hosted by the forest Tuesday evening beginning at 6:30 in the Old Wilson School House in Wilson.

A Casper man was charged and bitten by a grizzly bear while hiking with his brother along the South Fork of Fish Creek near Union Pass on Saturday. Investigation of the incident revealed the bear had been feeding on a moose calf near the trail the two individuals were hiking. The individual attacked was carrying bear spray, but was unable to use it before the bear knocked him down and bit him in the thigh. The bear left the scene and was not seen again. The two said they noticed bear tracks just prior to the incident and were trying to make noise, but the thick vegetation, a wind in their face and the noise of the nearby creek apparently prevented the bear from hearing them. Wyoming Game and Fish Department Spokesman Mark Gocke says it appears to be one of those unfortunate cases where they had unknowingly approached the bear at close range and surprised it.

With the appointment of Wally Ulrich as Wyoming’s state geologist, the Teton County Republican Party will lose its chairman.  As a result, Vice Chairwoman Lisa daCosta will assume the role of Chairman of the local Republican Party.  Then, in accordance to the bylaws, the Teton County GOP Central Committee has been called to a Central Committee Meeting which will be held at the Antler Inn Conference Room Friday July 16th to appoint a new Vice Chairman to serve out the 2009 - 2011 term.   daCosta says while the appointment is a great gain for Wyoming and a great opportunity for Ulrich, the board was faced with accepting his resignation with both congratulations and regret.

The Jackson Hole Giants American Legion Baseball team won both of their games in a double-header against Evanston yesterday with the mercy rule ending each game after five innings.  The first game saw a final score of 14-0 while the second game ended with a score of 10-0.  The Giants next travel to Lovell on Friday.

Monday, 07-12-10

An 11-year-old girl was evacuated from about a mile south of the Yellowstone National Park boundary in the Teton Wilderness Thursday night after she suffered a fall from a horse.  According to Teton County Search and Rescue Director Tim Ciocarlan, the girl reportedly had suffered a possible back injury as well as other lesser injuries.  Based on that report, it was decided to use the forest contract helicopter to evacuate the girl.  Ciocarlan says the girl was flown to a waiting ambulance north of town and brought from there to St. John’s Medical Center.  Ciocarlan says altogether, the evacuation took little more than an hour.

A major milestone is taking place today on road reconstruction between Norris and Madison through Gibbon Canyon.   Beginning today traffic will be shifted onto the new road alignment and across the new bridge over the Gibbon River. Once this shift occurs, restoration of the two miles of old road segment along the Gibbon River will get underway.  The project there has been under way since last spring.  As work continues, park officials say visitors will continue to experience up to 30-minute delays through October 20^th.  This section of road will also be closed to travel between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. every night until September first.  None-the-less, the shift of traffic onto the bridge signals the energetic project is at last nearing an end.

The tree that will be sent from Bridger Teton National Forest to Washington DC has been chosen and it is not far from Jackson – but don’t think you can go looking for it. Forest Spokesperson Mary Cernacek who says the location of the tree won’t be revealed until it is actually cut on November 6^th.  The tree is described as a 67-foot tall spruce that is perfect on all sides.  Cernacek says the forest began with 23 candidates throughout the forest, narrowed it to ten, and national officials made the final choice Friday.  Capitol Grounds Superintendent Ted Bechtol says the tree will spend about ten days touring Wyoming followed by another 14 days visiting communities across America on its way to the Capitol.  In the nation’s history, this is the first year Wyoming has been selected to supply the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree.  U.S. Senator John Barrasso requested that this be Wyoming’s year for the tree honor.  At the time the tree is harvested, the host community – in this case Jackson – traditionally stages a community-wide send-off ceremony.

Bear activity in the Upper Green River Area has prompted Bridger Teton National Forest to close the area to recreational activity until further notice.  According to Spokesperson Nan Stinson of the Pinedale Ranger District, one or more bears have been getting into tents and garbage in that area, and another bear was trapped nearby last week and relocated after it had killed a calf grazing in that region.  The closure area includes the Forest Boundary up to Green River Lake, including the Green River Lakes Campground. Camping is also currently prohibited within five miles of the Green River Lakes Trailhead.  Stinson says Bridger-Teton National Forest currently has a food storage order covering much of the Forest which requires that all food and other attractants be properly stored or hung so that they are not available to bears. Additionally, attractants such as food leftovers or bacon grease should not be buried, discarded, or burned in an open campfire.  Pet and livestock food should also be stored in an approved bear-resistant manner.

Senator John Barrasso was in Jackson this weekend as he visited with constituents in communities around western Wyoming.  The number one issue being brought up by them, Barrasso says, is concern over the national debt.  The Senator says that debt is ultimately having a negative impact on the state’s economy which is driven by small business. At the same time, Barrasso says he was pleased to see the level of tourism Teton County appears to be enjoying right now.  Barrasso says what has been done at the Jackson Hole Airport in the ticketing and baggage areas is in his words “really terrific” and the artwork which greets the air passengers is impressive.

Friday, 07-09-10

A partnering effort by the Teton County housing Authority and Habitat for Humanity should result in more affordable housing in town beginning next spring and progressing in stages.  Together, the agencies announced plans to build 12 homes on the western end of Hall Street near Mike Yokel Park. According to a joint news release, Habitat for Humanity will subsidize the construction of five of those homes while the Housing Authority provides the land and the funding for the remaining seven homes. Housing Authority Executive Director Christine Walker says despite the drop in the price of real estate over recent months, homes for the valley’s workforce continue to be pretty much priced out of their reach.   At the same time, Walker says the effort will help put some local construction professionals to work.

Releases of water through the Jackson Lake Dam are still below 3000cubic feet per second, but the water level in the lake is beginning to decline now. According to the Bureau of Reclamation, Jackson Lake is 98% full. Downstream, Palisades is also now 98% filled while American Falls Reservoir is 90% full.  This differs from a week ago when the local reservoirs were at 100% of capacity.  None-the-less the Upper Snake River system is still 95% filled collectively which is above average for this time of year.

Educators at Teton County School District #1 are neither surprised nor anxious about the adoption this week of revised common core standards by the state department of education.  In fact, says Superintendent Pam Shea, the revisions she has seen will be quite helpful. The state does not plan to implement the new standards until December of 2011, but Shea says the district will examine the changes throughout the coming school year and make adjustments to the district’s strategic plan to be ready by the time they are put into place.  Overall, Shea says the revised standards are a step in the right direction. Shea says the move will make districts more articulate about what they are teaching and hence, what the students can learn.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department trapped another sub-adult male grizzly bear Saturday. Game and Fish Spokesman Mark Gocke says the bear was captured because it had killed domestic cattle north of Pinedale. Following its capture, Gocke says the bear was relocated to the Pilgrim Creek drainage inside Grand Teton National Park near Moran.  The release site, he says is located within currently occupied grizzly bear habitat and the Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone. Grizzly bear relocation is one of the management tools afforded to bear management in order to minimize conflicts between human activity and grizzlies. The decision to relocate and the selection of the relocation site was made through the cooperation of Wildlife officials from both the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Grand Teton National Park taking into consideration the age, sex, and type of conflict the bear was involved in.  Meanwhile, Bridger-Teton National Forest has closed the Upper Green River area to overnight camping until further notice.  The closure includes the Forest Boundary up to Green River Lake including the Green River Lakes Campground. Camping is also prohibited within five miles of the Green River Lakes Trailhead. Day use within this area is not prohibited at this time but visitors should be alert for, and report any bear activity to the Pinedale Ranger District.

Teton County has published its annual list of delinquent 2009 taxes with a sale of these properties for those back taxes to be held on August 4th. Properties to be sold are published for a period of three consecutive weeks, four weeks prior to the sale.  They may be found in the local newspaper or online.

Thursday, 07-08-10

Improvements to the visitor services building at Home Ranch Parking Lot on the north side of Jackson were again in discussion at the town council.  Under consideration is a 3-thousand square foot building to replace the 2-thousand square foot building now there.  Mayor Mark Barron says the way has been cleared for the project with the passage Tuesday night of a conditional use permit to perform the reconstruction.  Information in the lobby will be presented by unmanned static displays.  The project is slated to begin this fall and have a price tag of approximately $2½ million dollars.

Gasoline prices nationwide are on their way back down again following the long Independence Day holiday.  According to AAA Auto Club’s Fuel Gauge Report, the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular is now $2.72 – three cents lower than a week ago.  Surrounded by the highest priced states in the nation, Wyoming is now numbered among the median-priced states with an average of $2.76 per gallon.  Here in Teton County, the average price is about a dime higher than the rest of the state while gasoline in Teton Valley, Idaho currently averages $2.90 a gallon.

Governor Dave Freudenthal named Jackson Geologist Wallace Ulrich to be Acting State Geologist.  As such, he will lead the Wyoming State Geological Survey.  Freudenthal says Ulrich will succeed Ron Surdam, who left the post to direct the Carbon Management Institute at the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources. Ulrich, who will begin his new job August 2, is the vice president of the Geologists of Jackson Hole board of directors, the chairman of the board of the National Foundation for the Geosciences and a trustee of the American Geological Institute Foundation. 

Yellowstone National Park has begun to develop a long-range plan to respond to changing visitor and resource needs and conditions in the Lake area.  Identifying ways to protect the wealth of resources in the area, while enhancing the visitor experience and accommodating park operational needs, will require significant evaluation and analysis.  The park would like to provide the public with an opportunity to participate early in the planning process.  In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Yellowstone National Park will prepare an environmental assessment for the Lake area.  The process will evaluate alternative proposals and potential impacts to multiple resources, including natural, cultural, and scenic resources, as well as visitor use and experience, park operations, and public health and safety.  The first step is to solicit public suggestions and comments during what is known as the scoping period.  Open house meetings have been scheduled late this month in several of Yellowstone’s gateway communities.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced the release of a report showing the economic importance of America's National Forests and Grasslands to the nation’s rural communities. Vilsack says the report shows that recreational activities on national forests resulted in approximately 173-million visits to the forests in 2009 which have contributed approximately $14.5 billion annually to the economies of nearby rural communities and helped to sustain nearly a quarter million jobs there. Yet, Vilsack says we have not been doing as well as we should in marketing the recreational assets of the forest – and one member of the export council says that’s particularly true of foreign tourism. Domestically, Vilsack adds that the many recreational activities available on public lands also help support First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" initiative which aims at getting children and their families more physically active.

Wednesday, 07-07-10

Yellowstone National Park is reporting record numbers of visitors again for June.  According to the park, 694,841 people entered the park for recreation – a 7.9% increase from June of 2009 and which is also fully 100-thousand more than during June 2008.  By contrast, air travel in an out of Jackson Hole last month again fell from it’s already declined level in 2009.  According to the monthly report to the airport board, both enplanements and deplanements in June fell by 9% from what they were during the same month last year.  Both, however, still are slightly above what they were year-to-date: showing a 2% improvement over the period. 

The final selection begins today.  The Capitol architect is here from Washington D.C. to examine a variety of trees on Bridger Teton National Forest that have been proposed for this year’s Capitol Christmas tree.  Then on Friday, says Forest Spokesperson Mary Cernacek, the decision will be formally announced. Cernacek says numerous trees have been nominated by members of the public and National Forest employees for consideration for that special tree, and of those, candidates have been short-listed. Once the tree is selected, the community closest to that chosen tree will be named as the site of this year’s Christmas Tree harvesting celebration.

Wildlife Biologists in Yellowstone National Park have trapped and relocated a bear that had been causing problems at Norris Campground over the weekend while a second bear that had been accompanying him left the area.  Park Spokesman Al Nash says that means the campground has been reopened to tents and tent trailers again.  The young male grizzly was trapped late Friday evening and transported to “Zoo Montana” in Billings, Montana.  The second bear – a young female – was seen early this week along the road at Roaring Mountain and has not returned to the campground areas.  Meanwhile, Grand Teton National Park reports that bear sightings and bear traffic jams have been coming at the usual rate for this time of year and as yet, there have been no problems or conflicts.  Both Parks remind visitors to keep food, garbage, barbecue grills and other attractants stored in hard-sided vehicles or bear-proof food storage boxes when not in use.  This helps keep bears from becoming conditioned to human foods, and helps keep park visitors and their property safe.

Entry deadlines for the Teton County Fair are here already.   All Pig Wrestling entries and Open Class Horse Show pre entries are due at the Fair Office by 5:00 pm today.  Fair officials point out that after today, absolutely no more entries will be accepted for pig wrestling and a late fee will be assessed for late Open Class Horse Show pre-entries.  Then on Monday, July 19^th, all Figure “8” entries are due at the Fair Office by 5:00 pm.  The remainder of the Open Class pre-entries must be submitted to the air office by 5:00 pm July 23^rd.  Entry forms and additional information are available online.  This year’s Teton County Fair runs from July 24^th through August 1^st. 

The State of Wyoming has a new set of Common Core Standards to guide the curricula of the state’s school districts.  State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jim McBride says the new standards actually build on what was good about the old state standards. McBride says the revision effort actually began 2½ years ago as an initiative to save the state and school districts money.  To that end, McBride says the new standards may reduce the need for the amount of standardized tests administered to students. McBride says among the changes are moving math standards to earlier grade levels while making the language arts standards more rigorous.  Overall, the new standards will raise the expectations of students by the end of their 12^th years and better guide schools about what should be taught at each grade level.  Adoption of the new standards is set for December of 2011.

Tuesday, 07-06-10

A small lightning-caused fire southeast of Hoback Junction is being managed for its resource benefits.  According to forest officials, the 1/4 acre Beaver fire, located near the top of Beaver Mountain, six miles southeast of Hoback Junction, was discovered the evening of July 1st and continues to smolder in a small stringer of mixed conifer. The fire is located in an area that has been identified by wildlife managers as critical bighorn sheep habitat and will benefit from this fire. Fire managers have been monitoring the fire which they say has seen no growth since it was discovered. However, officials say smoke may be visible at times from the Bryan Flats area.  Fire danger on the forest and in the National Park is now considered moderate as vegetation in the area has begun drying out.

Saying his patience is running out, Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal is turning up the heat on trying to convert a parcel of land the state owns within Grand Teton National Park into a financial advantage for the state.  Now, after ten years of trying to negotiate a purchase with the National Park Service, the governor is threatening to sell the property on open market.

A 38-year-old Idaho man died late Friday evening when his motorcycle collided with wildlife north of Pinedale.  Marcus Corbeil of Bliss Idaho was southbound on US 191 traveling on dry roads with clear weather at the time of the crash.  Highway Patrol reports indicate Corbeil failed to see an elk that was standing within his travel lane and struck the animal.  There were no skid marks prior to impact.  After impact Corbeil remained on the motorcycle and both he with his motorcycle and the elk came to rest on the northbound shoulder of US 191.

Norris Campground in Yellowstone has been temporarily restricted to hard-sided units only through the holiday weekend because of bear activity in that area.  Two young grizzly bears were frequenting the campground on the park’s west side.  Around lunch time Thursday, one of the bears entered an unoccupied tent, slightly damaged another, and then bit a generator.   He returned later in the afternoon along with a second bear.  Attempts to haze those bears out of the area were unsuccessful -- so as a precaution, visitors with tents and pop-up trailers were relocated to campsites in other areas of the park Thursday afternoon, or directed to sleep in their vehicles.

Governor Dave Freudenthal is challenging those running for Governor who charge in their campaign that the state’s budget is too high to detail exactly where they would cut it. During a news conference last week, Freudenthal told reporters that the candidates should be challenged to explain their positions and provide details. Freudenthal says he thinks it is important to hear from the candidates just what they would do as Governor.  Defending what has been accomplished during his term in office, Freudenthal says his successor will have the opportunity to make budget recommendations to the legislature when it meets in January, 2011.

The Wyoming Department of Education, through the Wyoming Office of the Attorney General, has filed a permanent injunction and breach of contract claim against Newport International University after their continued operation as a private school in Wyoming.  The organization had been instructed to cease operations in April of 2009 as they are not licensed to do business in the state.  The Wyoming Department of Education is seeking an undetermined amount of monetary damages as a result of the breach of contract, a complete cease of operations and will be referring this matter to the District Attorney of Laramie County for criminal prosecution.

Monday, 07-05-10

The Comprehensive Planning Committee Thursday set the wheels into motion to turn portions of the Draft Comprehensive Plan over to the elected bodies of the town and county.  Planning Commission Director Jeff Daugherty says, however, not all themes of the plan were signed off.  Daugherty says the joint commissions accompanied the Themes and Policies portions along with a list of suggested reconciliations for the boards to consider when adopting those sections of the plan.  Once that is finished, the planners hope the boards will send the land use portions back so that those portions can be meaningfully addressed.  Daugherty says staff is now preparing the document to be conveyed to the elected officials. Daugherty says the joint boards unanimously approved the conveyance of the draft plan.

Discussions could be termed “lively” during Thursday night’s “Purpose and Need” public hearing involving transportation issues in southern Teton County.  About fifty people were on hand – many of whom were concerned about a connection once spoken of from Wyoming Highway 22 to South Park Loop Road.  However, County Planner Paula Stevens quickly points out that the effort currently under way is to identify potential traffic problems; not alternatives to address such problems.  As such, there is no project under consideration for the Tribal Trails area.  Stevens says the document being prepared is intended to provide guidance to the elected officials for determining what areas may need attention.  That document is to be prepared by the end of July, and comments are being accepted from the public over the next two weeks.  Stevens emphasizes should action be deemed appropriate, it will be at that time discussion will turn to alternatives and their potential impacts.  Interested people may review the process on the county’s website.

Grand Teton National Park rangers rescued two local men from the Snake River last week after their fiberglass drift boat capsized when it hit an uprooted tree that was recently lodged in the stream. The accident occurred on Tuesday afternoon about one mile south of the Bar BC Ranch area.  Brothers Doug and Kelly Ward of Moran, Wyoming had launched their craft from Pacific Creek Landing and floated the Snake without incident until they encountered the uprooted tree midstream and unable to avoid it due to the swift current. The two men were uninjured and able to swim safely to shore.  This is the first major accident on a reach of the Snake River in the park this season.

Maintaining a vibrant economy in Wyoming is directly tied to the conservation of the sage grouse, according to the chairman of the Sage Grouse Implementation Team which made its final recommendations to Governor Dave Freudenthal last week.  Bob Budd presented his team’s report to the governor, who observed that he received it on the same day that several environmental groups filed a federal lawsuit over the bird’s status.  Budd told reporters that if the sage grouse is declared an endangered species, the impact of its listing will reach across the entire state.  The Team was comprised of twenty individuals from diverse sectors, with disparate interests, who worked together and developed points of commonality.  State policies to protect the bird will be implemented by a gubernatorial executive order.

With pertussis cases – or “whooping cough” – sharply­ on the rise this year in several states, Wyoming Department of Health officials are encouraging families to make sure their families are protected from the disease by vaccines.  Officials say while we are not seeing any unusual pertussis activity in Wyoming at this time, what is going on in other states serves as an important reminder of the importance of having the inoculation.  The shots are available through the local health department or local physicians.

After splitting the first two games on Thursday in the Boise Firecracker Invitational, the Jackson Hole Giants American Legion Baseball Team went on to lose the next three games, beginning with a close loss on Friday afternoon to the Boise Senators, 9-8.  On Saturday, the Giants lost to the Boise Seminoles 9-6, and the Boise Capitals 14-3 in five innings.  Next up for the Giants is a pair of home games against the Cody Cubs on Wednesday.

Friday, 07-02-10

Jackson police have arrested a 23-year-old man in connection with an incident in early June where two people at a local apartment complex were threatened by a knife-wielding man.  According to Police Sergeant Cole Nethercott, the residents of one of the Virginian Apartments answered a knock at their door during the early morning hours of June 6^th and an Hispanic male armed with a knife entered the apartment demanding to know there where-abouts of another individual.  Last week, detectives obtained a felony arrest warrant for Ramiro Lopez –Montiel charging two counts of aggravated assult by a deadly weapon.   Detective Russ Ruschill received information from a CrimeStoppers tip that lead him to Lopez-Montiel in Alpine, Wyoming.  Lopez-Montiel is currently being held in Teton County Jail.

Those traveling around town July 4^th will encounter certain challenges created by traffic patterns associated with the community’s variety of activities.  Beginning with the annual street pancake breakfast at Center and Deloney Streets, town officials ask that vehicles not be parked in that vicinity overnight as set-up of the breakfast begins at dawn and hopefully will not involve the towing of vehicles.  Likewise, parking along Broadway and Glenwood Streets is prohibited Sunday morning as officials make way for the parade route. Police Chief Todd Smith says those driving to the parade will find ample parking elsewhere. From 3:00 pm until about 7:30 pm, thousands will gather near the Middle School for Music in The Hole.  Smith says it typically takes about an hour to leave that venue when the concert is over – and while officers will be directing traffic to expedite the process, riding the START Bus to and from that event would be a smart alternative.  Smith says the final challenge comes at the conclusion of the fireworks at the base of Snow King Mountain. Smith urges motorists to be patient, and observe the direction given them by the dozens of officers who will be on duty that evening.

Stepped-up law enforcement activities by Troopers of the Wyoming Highway Patrol begin today during the national “Operation C.A.R.E.” enforcement mobilization for the Independence Day holiday.  “Operation C.A.R.E.” is a combined effort by Police, Highway Patrols and county law enforcement agencies to reduce the number of crashes during the holiday.  Wyoming Highway Patrol Spokesman Sgt Stephen Townsend says troopers will be participating in saturation patrols in their respective areas of operation. 

Independence Day is a fun and exciting time for everybody, right?  Not necessarily so – at least not for our four-legged friends.  The National Humane Society points out that animal shelters across the country are accustomed to receiving "July 4th" dogs who run off during fireworks celebrations and are rescued by animal control officers or good Samaritans who take them to the safety of a local shelter.  Jackson/Teton County Animal Shelter Manager Corie Rybak points out that the day’s excitement is perceived by our pets much differently that we experience it. Rybak urges pet owners not to let the animals be on their own, but to provide them with a safe haven in the house to retreat to if they become frightened.  Rybak emphasizes people should not bring their pets to fireworks or shoot-out shows because too often they will find they way out and run away or hurt themselves trying.

Holiday weekend visitors to Yellowstone National Park may see some traffic delays, but those delays won’t be due to road construction.  Traffic congestion and travel delays instead should be expected due to two lane mountain roads. The speed limit on most roads is 45 miles an hour, and visitors frequently stop along or even in the road to look at bears, bison, and elk.  Work on the single major road project in the park will be halted for the holiday weekend to help keep traffic moving through Gibbon Canyon between Norris and Madison from 8:00 am today until 10:00 pm Monday.  All campgrounds, lodging, stores, shops, service stations, restaurants, and other services and activities in the park are open for the season.

A group of people will be celebrating the recent legal ruling permitting firearms in the national parks.  Considering it an affirmation of the Constitutional right to bear arms, a number of firearms owners plan to take a constitutional in Grand Teton National Park on Independence Day, openly carrying their firearms.  Organizers explain the objective is to visit with the public, explain Second Amendment Rights and educate people about gun ownership vs. the too-often negative image.  Those interested in participation my learn more by calling 733-6281.

Thursday, 07-01-10

County Commission Chairman Hank Phibbs and Jackson Mayor Mark Barron were on hand Wednesday for the dedication of the community’s new emergency operations center south of town.  Phibbs told those gathered that while the county does not name buildings after its elected officials, the late commissioner Bill Paddleford in particular had a singular role in the creation of the new facility. Barron added that the facility accomplishes much of what Paddleford had sought. The new EOC building enables representatives of the various local agencies to meet face-to-face in the event of an emergency situation so that all are working in consort to respond to the needs of the community.  Even before the facility was dedicated, Emergency Management Coordinator Rich Ochs says it was utilized to respond to the threat of flooding along the Snake River earlier this year.

Planners from the town and county will again discuss the draft comprehensive plan tonight – possibly for the last time prior to turning the document over to the two governing board for their disposition.  During their last meeting, the joint Planning Commission recommended an affirmation and strengthening of the draft Theme 8. They recommended stronger language about climate sustainability and energy conservation as being central to the preservation of wildlife and natural resources and consequently the whole Plan. They recommended more policies, strategies, and indicators to address transportation impacts on climate as the recent audit of carbon emissions identified transportation as by far the greatest emitter in the community. Today, when they turn the plan over to the county commission and town council, several of the planners will include personal comments about concerns or observations to help the boards as they consider the draft document.

Motorists who are texting while driving are now breaking the law. A new state law goes into effect today making it illegal for motorists to write, send or read text messages. The US Department of Transportation says distracted driving can either be visual, when a driver takes their eyes off the road; manual, when a driver takes their hands off the wheel; and cognitive, when a driver is thinking about something else then driving. Violators of the new rule against texting will face a $75 fine.  The new law makes texting a primary offense, which means that law enforcement can pull over a vehicle if a driver is texting.  It applies to any handheld electronic wireless device. Wyoming is one of 28 states to enact a texting while driving law.

U.S. Senators Mike Enzi, John Barrasso and Representative Cynthia Lummis  are praising the Department of the Interior’s decision not to delay payments made to local governments to compensate for the loss of potential tax revenues on federal lands, known as Payment in Lieu of Taxes.  The Department of Interior reports that nearly $4 billion in revenue annually are raised through commercial activities on federal lands such as oil and gas leasing, livestock grazing and timber harvesting.  Since they are on federal lands, the local governments do not directly derive tax revenues from them. Senator Enzi says as such, the local governments depend on receiving their payments. Senator Barrasso says the decision not to delay the payment comes in response to a letter from the delegation and western lawmakers to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar urging the department to provide funding to county governments on time.  The lands to which PILT payments pertain include the National Forest and National Park Systems, those affected by Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation water resource development projects, and those managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

A black bear was captured and euthanized by Yellowstone National Park staff yesterday.  The adult female bear had been frequenting Bridge Bay Campground, the Gull Point Picnic Area, and Lake Village where it had become habituated to human food.  Park officials say on one occasion the bear had even ripped open an occupied tent in the campground and had also been following and approaching hikers on a nearby trail.  When efforts to haze the bear away from the area, it was determined it would have to be destroyed.  The bear was estimated to be 4-5 years old, was cinnamon in color, and weighed 100 pounds.  Visitors are reminded to keep food, garbage, barbecue grills and other attractants stored in hard-sided vehicles or bear-proof food storage boxes when not in use to prevent having them become conditioned to human foods.

Wednesday, 06-30-10

Jackson Town Council this week decided that education would be better than enforcement when trying to reduce the amount of idling done by the community’s motorists.  Mayor Mark Barron said an ordinance that had been drafted by staff failed to receive support of a majority of the council during Monday’s meeting. Barron says Council directed staff to prepare signage for public parking areas and common areas like outside the post office as well as at the entrances to the town along the main roads.  Barron says it was determined that a heavy-handed approach can actually have more of a reverse effect on people than a good marketing campaign urging people to make the town idle free.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department trapped an adult female grizzly bear over the weekend and moved it to a location just west of the John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway. Game and Fish officials say the bear was captured because it had been frequenting the landfill at Clark, Wyoming and there were fears it was becoming habituated to human activity. The bear was relocated Saturday to the Boone Creek drainage on the Caribou Targhee National Forest approximately 25 miles northwest of Moran within currently occupied grizzly bear habitat and the Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone.

While the employment picture in Wyoming has been brightening some in recent weeks, Governor Dave Freudenthal told members of the media yesterday that he is not yet ready to say the state has “turned the corner.”  Freudenthal says the state experienced an historically high unemployment during the recent recession, and so it has a way to go before employment can be termed “recovered.” Freudenthal says while recent statistics are encouraging, the 7% unemployment is progress from what the state had experienced is still a long way from anything approaching full employment.  At the end of May, Teton County remained at 9.4% of its workforce idled which included off-season layoffs.

Yellowstone crews want to restore power to the people.  Efforts are underway to restore electrical service to sites at Yellowstone’s only RV park, Fishing Bridge. Officials say the infrastructure at the Fishing Bridge RV Park was designed and built in the 1960s, before RVs were in widespread use and when travel trailers were smaller, and electrical needs were limited to lights and heat.  Last fall, after the RV park closed for the season, an assessment revealed that the electrical service had not only exceeded its useful life, in some locations it had deteriorated to a point where its continued use would pose an unacceptable risk to visitors.  The decision was made to stop providing electrical hook-ups for trailers and RV’s until upgrades could be made.  Planning, compliance and design efforts are underway on a project to restore electrical service to all the sites in the RV park, and work is to begin on a new system later this year.

A local architectural firm has won national acclaim for two recent projects. Ward & Blake Architects of Jackson has received two 2010 Dream Home Awards, for “Best Conceptual Multi Family Design” with the firm’s Miller Park Lodge, and for “Best Conceptual Custom Home Design” with a private residence.  The national Dream Home Awards, announced by the Wall Street Journal, honor trend-setting products and technology from the past year and are given to professionals who have helped take the home building industry to a new level. Winners received recognition in the June issue of hab-i-ta-tion Design Magazine.

Grand Teton National Park is reminding park visitors that a brief travel closure is in effect on the unpaved section of the Moose-Wilson Road within the park for about 27 hours, beginning at 4:00 am today. The road is scheduled to reopen by 7:30 am on Thursday barring equipment malfunction or rainy weather. The temporary closure is scheduled to allow for dust abatement work to be done on the unpaved roadbed.

Tuesday, 06-29-10

It appears people are just not getting the message about being careful with their warming and cooking fires at their campsites.  Grand Teton National Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says on Sunday alone, interagency fire personnel were called to extinguish ten abandoned campfires on the forest and in the park. Skaggs points out that conditions on park and forest lands are quickly drying out.  Not far away in Rocky Mountain National Park, crews are battling a (800) acre fire which started from a lightning strike Thursday afternoon.

Here they come…  AAA Auto Club and IHS Global Insight are predicting a good travel period through the Independence Day Holiday for the Rocky Mountain region of the US.  The report shows that although the region's economy lagged behind the nation's in 2009, the region's pace of recovery appears to be more closely tracking with the rest of the nation. The joint forecast predicts that Rocky Mountain region will experience a larger increase in travel than the nation as a whole.  Overall, the study shows Fourth of July holiday travel is expected to increase by 19.1 percent relative to last year, with automobile travel and air travel growing 19.9 percent and 9.9 percent, respectively. That means the region is expected to see 12.2 percent of its population traveling this upcoming holiday, a higher share than the broader national forecast which calls for 11.2 percent of the U.S. population to travel.

A motorcycle accident Saturday afternoon in the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park has claimed the life of a 53 year old Illinois man.  Jay Fitzgerald of Downs, Illinois and two companions had rented motorcycles for a loop trip from Belgrade, Montana, through the park, over the Beartooth Pass, and back.  Fitzgerald was trailing the other two riders around 3:00 pm as they headed east past the turnoff to the Slough Creek Campground into the Lamar Canyon. Fitzgerald’s red Harley-Davidson struck a rock wall at the east end of the canyon.   While the motorcycle remained on the road, Fitzgerald went over the rock wall and down an embankment.  Fitzgerald was unconscious and not breathing when bystanders reached him.  The helmet he was wearing had come off, and he suffered severe head trauma.  Fitzgerald was declared dead at the scene.

A second bear in less than a month has been killed by a hit and run driver in Yellowstone National Park.  According to Park Spokesman Al Nash, a 147-pound cinnamon-colored female adult black bear was found in a ditch along the Grand Loop Road, east of the entrance to Blacktail Plateau Drive, about halfway between Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower Junction.  Nash says the animal’s injuries indicate she probably darted out of the forest into the road path of the vehicle and was struck.  There were no witnesses, and no accident report was filed with rangers.  This is the second bear killed by a car in the park so far this summer.   A male yearling grizzly was discovered dead along US Highway 191 in early June, after another unreported accident.  Drivers who accidentally strike an animal in the park are asked to report the incident at the nearest ranger station.

It’s the time of year that personal fireworks become increasingly popular – and are readily available at roadside stands in counties surrounding Teton County.  However, Teton County Fire Inspector Cathy Clay points out that fireworks are illegal throughout the county, regardless of whether the user would be on federal lands, in the county or in town.  However, she says, the threat of fire is not the only concern. Clay admits that fire danger in the area is low, but aside from pyrotechnics of any sort being illegal, several small fires in the area in recent weeks have illustrated that they are still possible.  Meanwhile, forest officials remind visitors that those discharging fireworks on National Forest System lands can be fined up to $5,000 and receive up to six months in jail.

Monday, 06-28-10

Those who would use the internet for dishonest purposes are apparently at it again.  According to the Teton County Sheriff’s office, some local residents have received emails posing to be from HSBC Bank in London claiming to have a pending payment but seeking to verify the recipient’s account.  The email asks the recipient to submit a variety of personal information to verify the account.  Sheriff’s officials remind people that such communications are called “phishing” with the objective of identity theft.  Among the tell-tale signs are a generic salutation such as “Dear User,” a logo that my be distorted or otherwise not look right, a URL that does not match that of the company’s legitimate site and often an attachment which is intended to launch spyware into the recipient’s computer.  This particular scam has been circulating since 2005, but officials caution there are dozens of others like them to be watchful for.

U.S. Representative Cynthia Lummis grilled Obama Administration officials over their opposition to her Forest Ecosystem Recovery and Protection bill during a Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands Oversight Hearing.  Lummis told the group the state of forests in Wyoming and the West is cause for great alarm. Lummis says over 3.5 million acres of forested land in Wyoming are already dead from bark beetle infestation, and areas in the West that have not typically been in danger of outbreaks are squarely in the beetle’s path today.  Lummis urged Forest officials to come look for themselves at the problem and gain some “on the ground” experience with it.  Lummis told the subcommittee she would be willing to work with them on finding solutions to those areas of the bill in which they find disagreement.  

Driving anywhere this week?  AAA Auto Club says gasoline prices are rising a bit in time for the Independence Day Holiday.  According to the Auto Club’s Fuel Gauge Report, the national average price for unleaded regular is now $2.75 per gallon – up four cents from a week ago.  While Wyoming is rated at a median average and Idaho averaging high, the roles seem to be reversed regionally.  Jackson Hole’s average price is now $2.90 per gallon while Idaho Falls now averages $2.71 and Riverton, Wyoming now averages $2.81.  The lowest priced state in the US for gasoline according to AAA is South Carolina at $2.51 per gallon while the highest in the 48 contiguous states is $3.12 in California.

Two Teton County cultural and heritage projects are to benefit from a total of about $17-thousand in grant awards from the state’s cultural trust fund.  Those projects are the Jackson Hole Historical Society and Museum, and the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival.  Cultural Trust Fund Administrator Renee Bovee says the awards came in the largest grant found so far. Altogether, 38 organizations from around the state received a total of $1.3-million in grant awards approved by the five-member Cultural Trust Fund Board.

Teton County Commissioners have approved a 14% increase in tip fees at the Trash Transfer Station effective July 15^th.  That means the fee for trash disposal will go up from $70 per ton to $80 per ton. Solid Waste & Recycling Division Chief Heather Overholser explains that landfill costs increased by 42% this year over last year. By the same token, Overholser says it’s likely that trash collection service fees will increase following the transfer station tip fee increase. One way to decrease your trash service costs she says is to recycle as much as possible.  All household recyclable materials (except household hazardous waste and electronic waste) are accepted free of charge at the Recycling Center and seven community recycling sites throughout the valley.

The Junior Ranger program at Yellowstone National Park is no longer out of this world.  Thursday, a national park banner along with two Junior Ranger patches and a patch representing the park’s Young Scientist program were returned to Yellowstone by Astronaut Robert Behnken who had taken those items into space for a ride on the Space Shuttle Endeavor.  Behnken told Yellowstone Superintendent Suzanne Lewis, “The mission the national parks and NASA share is outreach to kids about the importance of science, technology, and history.”  The banner, along with a plaque containing a mission patch and American flag which also were aboard the shuttle, will become part of the park’s museum collection.  This marks the first time a national park banner has gone into space.

Friday, 06-25-10

Even as the nation looks forward to solid travel statistics for the upcoming Independence Day Holiday, an informal survey by the Wyoming Travel Commission indicates that the summer tourism season is shaping up to very solid overall.  Travel Commission Assistant Director Alan Dubberly says visitation seen so far combined with advanced reservations seems to indicate reason for optimism in Wyoming ranging from small businesses to larger boards that promote an entire area. Dubberly says the public appears to be becoming more confident in their financial conditions and so more comfortable with taking family vacations. Dubberly says if those vacations are not over a long distance, people will at least take a vacation closer to home. 

Teton County School District #1 has been listed by the State Department of Education as one of a dozen districts in the state receiving “accreditation with follow-up” rather than full accreditation.  State Department Spokesman Tim Lockwood explains that the designation considers a variety of administrative processes and determines if a district is deficient in any of those processes. If the district does have a deficiency and can submit a plan for correcting the problem within a year, it will be accredited and the deficiency monitored for satisfactory correction.  Since the shortfall is administrative, Lockwood points out that such a deficiency does not suggest that student instruction is unsatisfactory.  Lockwood says quality contacts are made annually with each school, and accreditation visits are conducted on site using a five-year cycle. Lockwood explains that all schools must complete a two-year progress report following the on-site visits on each overall recommendation within their accreditation reports.

As the area’s weather becomes more appealing for outdoor activities, an increasing number of people are heading into the national forest for camping and picnics.  Unfortunately, many are not being careful about the management of their cooking and warming fires.  Bridger-Teton National Forest Spokesperson Mary Cernacek reminds forest users that they are required to assure such fires are dead out. Cernacek says as yet, none of these abandoned campfires have resulted in escapes leading to fire incidents, but as conditions continue to dry, the risk of such incidents only increases.

A group of young bicyclists participating in the “Think Outside the Bomb” national tour will be rolling into Jackson Monday between 3:00 and 5:00 pm at Teton County Public Library. The tour began at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review in New York City in May, and since that time has snaked across country, ultimately visiting some 40 cities on its way to Los Alamos, New Mexico – the birthplace of the atomic bomb. The group will ultimately participate in a global convergence called “Disarmament Summer” slated to take place July 30^th through August 9th.

A group of young bicyclists participating in the “Think Outside the Bomb” national tour will be rolling into Jackson Monday between 3:00 and 5:00 pm at Teton County Public Library. The tour began at the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review in New York City in May, and since that time has snaked across country, ultimately visiting some 40 cities on its way to Los Alamos, New Mexico – the birthplace of the atomic bomb. The group will ultimately participate in a global convergence called “Disarmament Summer” slated to take place July 30^th through August 9th.

The Jackson Giants American Legion baseball team split a pair of games with the Rock Springs Mustangs on Thursday night, winning the first one 13-3 in six innings and dropping a tough one in the second, 18-16.  The Giants are now 9-8 on the season, heading into the Powell Heavy Metal Invite beginning on Friday afternoon.   

Thursday, 06-24-10

It will be one more week before the planners who have been working on the draft Comprehensive Plan will meet again for what is likely to be the final time before passing that plan on to the town and county for their approval.  Teton County Planning Director Jeff Daugherty says the focus of the meeting will be the administrative chapter which outlines how the plan is to be used.  Last week, Daugherty says the group made some additions to the section on sustainability, but little else. This week’s meeting has been postponed due to schedule conflicts for a number of the committee members.  The next meeting takes place July first beginning at 5:30 while the transportation meeting will be delayed to accommodate the comments from the public on the comprehensive plan.

Visitors to Grand Teton National Park got quite a show near Jackson Lake Lodge yesterday as two grizzly bears were spotted not far from the road in front of the establishment.  According to Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs, rangers were called to assure the bears didn’t cause a threat to the spectators.  During efforts to haze them away from the public, one of the bears apparently became quite agitated and charged toward the road and the front of the lodge.  Eventually, the bears did leave the area.  Skaggs says rangers have been busy in recent days with a variety of bear reports, and she again urges the public to keep their distance and take all the necessary precautions when hiking or visiting other areas where bears are present to avoid any kind of a confrontation.

Are you one of the lucky people feeling a little more jingle in your pocket in recent weeks?  After five consecutive quarters of decline, the Wyoming Division of Economic Analysis says the state’s total personal income grew point-nine percent in the first quarter of 2010 from the previous quarter, but was still 1.5 percent lower than that in the first quarter of 2009. U.S. personal income also increased point-nine percent from the previous quarter. Total personal income is derived from sum of net earnings by place of residence, rental income, dividend income, interest income, and current transfer receipts. Total earnings in the State grew quite strong for the quarter, at 1.6 percent, mainly attributed to growth in the State’s primary industry - mining.  Earnings from that sector climbed 3.7 percent, marking the first increase since the fourth quarter of 2008.

Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi is criticizing the new health insurance rules unveiled this week as violating President Obama’s promise to allow Americans who like their health plans to keep them.  Enzi says a year ago, President Obama delivered a speech to the American Medical Association in which he vowed that health care reform would not infringe on anyone’s ability to maintain the health insurance coverage that they had before passage of health care reform.  However, Enzi says the new regulation will increase the costs businesses pay for health insurance. Rather than making it easier for businesses to continue to provide health insurance, Enzi says the new regulation will actually make it more likely that employers will simply drop their coverage.    

AAA Auto Club is projecting the number of Americans traveling this Fourth of July holiday weekend will increase 17.1 percent from 2009, with approximately 34.9 million travelers taking a trip at least 50 miles away from home. Last year, 29.8 million Americans traveled during the same period. Glen MacDonell, director, AAA Travel Services says 90 percent of travelers, or 31.4 million people, will reach their destination by driving. AAA’s projections are based on economic forecasting and research by IHS Global Insight. The Boston-based economic research and consulting firm teamed with AAA in 2009 to jointly analyze travel trends during the major holidays.

Wyoming’s Highway Patrol has a new chief.  Lt. Colonel Jess Oyler of Cheyenne was selected to become the next administrator of the Wyoming Highway Patrol yesterday.  Oyler, who is a 31-year veteran of the patrol, becomes only the 11th person to head the patrol since its formation in 1933.  Oyler replaces Colonel Sam Powell who retired in early April after serving five years as the head of the patrol.  Since that time, Oyler has served as the interim patrol administrator.

Wednesday, 06-23-10

Unemployment in Teton County had a three-percent drop in May from its near-record high in April.  According to the Wyoming Department of Employment, the county went from 12.3% of its workforce idled in April to 9.4% in May.  That maintained the county’s unemployment as the highest out of the state’s 23 counties during the month.  Helping improve the county’s employment picture was the seasonal increase in leisure and hospitality jobs.  Statewide, that sector increased by 24-hundred jobs, surpassed only by jobs in government which included the hiring spike involving the Bureau of Census.  Wyoming’s jobless rate statewide remained almost even with April, declining by only a tenth of a percent.  The best counties for finding a job included Sublette at only 4.4% of the workforce idled and Albany at 4.7% still seeking jobs.  The national rate declined to 9.7% last month.

It’s half-way through June, and area reservoirs are still at least 99% filled.  After a very dry winter, an uncommonly wet spring combined with run-off to fill the reservoirs while fields downstream which usually require the water for irrigation were amply watered by the generous rains.  Currently, flows out of the brim-full reservoirs are moderate with the outflow at Jackson Lake Dam now set at 3500 cubic feet per second to match the inflows into the lake.  Similarly, the outflow at Palisades Reservoir has been increased to 14,700 cfs.  Art Hill of the Minidoka Project office says he anticipates summer operations to begin in early July with releases stabilizing around 2200 cubic feet per second out of Jackson Lake.

Residents of Teton County may remember about this time last year when an ordinance took effect for those living north of Highway 22 to bear-proof their properties, including the required use of bear-resistant trash containers.  Those on the southern end of the county would be affected by the ordinance this year.  Game and Fish Spokesman Mark Gocke says the effective date is July first, but it does not truly involve the entire county – mostly areas through the Snake River corridor. Gocke says the sanitation service companies will work with the homeowners in supplying the bear-resistant cans, but the homeowners need to give attention to other things around their properties as well; like pet food and bird feeders.  Gocke adds pet food and other attractants should also be eliminated from around the outside of residences.  Gocke adds that this is the time of year we need to be most concerned about keeping bears in the area out of trouble.

A 45-year-old paraglider was the subject of an evacuation from a hillside south of Jackson Monday evening after the lines of his chute became tangled, putting him into an uncontrolled spin.  Teton County Search and Rescue Coordinator Doug Meyer says Mike Carothers of Jackson suffered a leg injury when he plunged about 30 feet to the ground.  A team of approximately 25 people made up of the county search and rescue group, fire/EMS and sheriff’s deputies lowered Carothers about 1800 feet down the hillside by ropes.  Meyer says the accident took place about 6:40 pm and Carothers was hospitalized by 9:44 pm.

The USDA has published proposed rules in the Federal Register that are designed to give small, independent ranchers an avenue when they have a grievance against a large meat packing operation. Wyoming’s U.S. Senator Mike Enzi authored legislation with similar goals and pushed for the livestock title of the 2008 Farm bill which required the USDA to issue these new regulations. The new rules would address about 10 separate areas including limiting exclusive arrangements between packers and dealers, making sample contracts available on the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration website, outlining protections so that producers can remedy a breach of contract and clarifying what producers need to prove if they think their operation has been harmed.  Enzi says Wyoming ranchers should take the time to review these new regulations.  Enzi says these new rules could have a positive effect, but it’s up to the livestock producers to judge for themselves and tell the USDA what kind of the proposed rules.  Comments are due by August 23^rd.

In case you missed it, dignitaries from Grand Teton National Park and the Grand Teton National Park Foundation gathered last week at the Craig Thomas Discovery Center in the park to break ground for a new auditorium to be added to that structure.  The 3,600-square-foot, 154-seat auditorium will complete the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center and is scheduled to open in spring 2011.   

Tuesday, 06-22-10

The rains of subsided and the temperatures are warming.  With that, area residents and visitors will likely be encountering a veritable air force of mosquitoes.  Unfortunately, Teton County Mosquito Abatement Director John Holick says this is destined to be a bad year for mosquitoes here.  Holick says the budget for mosquito abatement in the county is reduced this year, despite this having been a wet spring.  Holick says for those property owners willing to do some of their own control around their properties, the county is willing to make some resources available. In the meantime, Holick says those who are outside – especially in the early morning or evening hours – should use mosquito repellant containing DEET and observe all the familiar precautions to limit their exposure to mosquito bites.  The Wyoming Department of Health says last year there were 12 human West Nile Virus cases with one death reported in Wyoming.

A Wyoming Department of Health representative is encouraging Wyoming residents to take advantage of free HIV testing offered in many locations around the state.  Rob Johnston, HIV prevention program manager says early HIV diagnosis is critical.  To that end, Johnston says free screening is being made available throughout Wyoming, including at the Teton County Public Health Department where interested people may make an appointment Monday through Friday between 8:00 and 5:00 pm.  Johnston says finding out whether you are infected with HIV is the first step toward improving your health as well as toward helping protect the health of your partners and your family.

Jackson area residents tonight meet with a consultant to discuss transportation concerns on the south side of town .  That meeting is set for 6:30 pm at the Jackson Hole Middle School.  Lead Consultant Jessica Myklebust says the outcome of the event is to serve as a guideline for local planners. The study has been made possible with a grant from the Federal Highway Administration.  Myklebust urges interests from all sides of the issue to participate in the discussion. Myklebust says the final objective of the study is to develop a “Purpose and Need Statement” which will prioritize roadway projects in that area. 

Concerts by ensemble groups from the Grand Teton Music Festival are scheduled in Grand Teton National Park again this summer. The special concert series called “Music in Nature” will be offered at various park locations. A Grand Teton Music Festival resident string quartet will perform 30-minute musical recitals inspired by nature. The inaugural performance of the string quartet will take place on the terrace at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center on Monday, June 28th at 12:30 pm. The free public concerts will run June 28th through July 23rd.  The concerts will be staged in locations including the Colter Bay Visitor Center, Jackson Lake Lodge and the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center.

Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce is looking for the names of those business people or their employees who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to help a customer.  The Western Hospitality Award Nomination Deadline is Friday, June 25^th.  Mary Haworth says the chamber is looking for those employees who so impressed customers that they sent a thank you note. Nominations for the Western Hospitality Award may be emailed Mary at mary@jacksonholechamber.com.

Monday, 06-19-10

Wildlife officials say they have killed a grizzly bear that is believed to have fatally mauled a 70-year-old man about seven miles east of Yellowstone Thursday afternoon. The adult male grizzly bear had been snared and tranquilized by federal researchers Thursday morning and fitted with a radio collar before being released. Wildlife officials say Erwin Frank Evert of Park Ridge, Illinois was later found dead near the capture site following the release of the bear. Evert’s friends say that Evert was a botanist who owned a cabin nearby, and was on a hike near his cabin. Officials are now investigating to be sure procedures were followed during the collaring procedure. The incident is the first fatal mauling by a grizzly bear in the area in 25 years.

Sometimes when dealing with wild animals, the best intentions go wrong.  An attempt to capture and treat a young grizzly bear Friday in Yellowstone National Park instead resulted in the death of the animal.  Park officials say the small yearling bear had been seen roaming around the Old Faithful area for a couple of weeks, apparently blind in one eye, undersized and malnourished. The decision was made to capture the animal, examine it to determine if it was healthy enough to be relocated or to send the animal to a captive facility to be nursed back to health. A last resort would be to euthanize the bear if it was unlikely to survive.  On Friday, the bear was successfully lured into an aluminum culvert trap, but the bear made a dash for the door as it was coming down to close.   The trap’s door came down on the back of the neck of the animal, killing it instantly.  Park biologists say an examination of the bear after the accident showed the animal weighed just 21 pounds as opposed to the 45-70 pounds it should have weighed at this time of year.  The animal had severely infected canine wounds to the head, some of which appeared to have penetrated the bear’s brain.  The yearling had lost one eye, and had a large hole in one cheek.  Park staff members believe if left in the wild the animal would have slowly starved to death, and if the accident had not claimed the bear’s life, the decision would most likely have been made to euthanize the animal.

Residents of a small town just west of Afton were rattled early Friday morning by a 3-point-oh shaker.  According to the U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center, residents in Auburn, Wyoming near the Idaho state line were jolted at 3:25 am by the quake.  However, no-one reported feeling it and there were no reports of damage or injuries.

Jackson Police are finding themselves faced with athletes and their supporters insisting on parking in no parking zones near the soccer fields between the Middle School and Colter Elementary School along Middle School Road.  Jackson Police Chief Todd Smith says his office has been providing numerous advisories for the teams to pass the word, but the problem is persisting, and it is causing a dangerous situation for pedestrians and bicyclists on the bike path there. Smith says while he is hoping the matter can be resolved through voluntary compliance, but he fears it may eventually have to involve enforcement.

The chiefs of the Interior Department and the Forest Service have assured that resources are in place for the 2010 fire season.  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar say that more than 18,000 firefighters will be available in 2010, including permanent and seasonal federal and state employees, crews from tribal and local governments, contract crews, and emergency/temporary hires. On average, the Forest Service responds to more than 10,000 wildfires per year, suppressing 98 percent of them on initial attack. In order to continue to improve its ability to address this threat, the Forest Service recently provided more than $35 million in grants to state forestry agencies for preparedness, suppression, equipment, and training for more than 42,000 personnel. The agency also provided more than $10 million in grants to local volunteer fire departments for equipment and other support, such as training for more than 24,000 firefighters.

He has been termed “the reluctant figurehead” of the social unrest of the 1960s, and “the singularly most influential musician” of that time.  Today, Folk Legend Bob Dylan prefers playing to small town audiences over large arenas, although he could easily fill such concerts.  Tonight, Jackson Hole Town Council considers an application from Knitting Factory Entertainment to host an outdoor concert by Dylan at Snow King Amphitheater August 14^th.  While the concert has not yet been confirmed, the applicant is preparing for that eventuality by seeking use of the ball field parking lot for three days and a permit to sell beer at the venue.  Knitting Factory Entertainment is also producing an outdoor concert on Snow King in September by Willie Nelson.

A very familiar and active member of the Jackson Hole Community lost his battle to cancer Thursday night.  Jim Kaye will be remembered today with a visitation and funeral mass at Our Lady of the Mountains Catholic Church.  The visitation begins at 1:00 pm – one hour prior to the funeral mass.  Condolences to the family may be sent by way of Valley Mortuary at valleymortuaryjackson.com.  Jim was 68.

Friday, 06-18-10

The arrests of nearly a dozen people involved in a drug ring based in Teton County, Idaho this week eliminated one avenue for drugs flowing into Jackson Hole; and involved the arrest by Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation officers of two individuals in Teton Village who were allegedly involved in the ring.  During a news conference in Driggs yesterday, Assistant US Attorney Mike Fica  [FEE-KAH]  told reporters the group was found to be distributing various amounts of cocaine and crystal methamphetamine. Fica says it appears the drugs were brought in from elsewhere rather than being manufactured locally.  Fica terms the level of drug traffic involved “extremely large.”  Sheriff Tony Liford says the case was cooperatively worked by his office, the Idaho State Police Investigations, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshal’s Service, Idaho Falls Police Department, the Davis County, Utah Drug Task Force, and surrounding counties. Those arrested are being arraigned today in Pocatello.  Meanwhile, investigations continue in connection with the case.

This week’s thunderstorm cells spawned the first wildfire of the season in Jackson Hole.  Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says the West Jenny Fire was limited to about a 10X10-foot area on the western shore of Jenny Lake near the South Jenny Lake Trail.  Skaggs says it appears the fire actually resulted from a June 11^th lightning strike, but did not flare up until Wednesday afternoon.  Fire crews moved to quickly suppress the fire because of its proximity to popular trails.

Teton County has retained a consultant through a grant from the Federal Highway Administration to study the needs of transportation south of the town of Jackson.  The objective of the project is to develop a “Purpose and Need Statement” which will prioritize roadway projects in that area.  Lead Consultant Jessica Myklebust explains a variety of roads and intersections will be considered. From there, Myklebust says the county may use the information to develop alternatives to address the needs.  Myklebust stresses that the consultants provide an outside view and so go into the process with no pre-conceived notions. Areas that have gotten a lot of attention when discussing transportation projects have been the “Y” intersection of highways 22 and 89, High School Road, and a suggested Tribal Tails Link between Highway 22 and South Park Loop.  The public meeting with the consultant is set for Tuesday beginning at 6:30 pm in the Jackson Hole Middle School.

Grand Teton National Park will soon have a new Chief Ranger.  That post became vacant when Andy Fisher who served as Grand Teton’s chief ranger since June 2004 retired from the position this past April.  Park officials yesterday announced that Michael Nash of Grand Canyon National Park will assume that position in early August.  Nash began his career as a seasonal ranger in Acadia National Park in Maine and later Grand Canyon National Park before relocating to Yosemite where he worked conducting front country patrols and Search and Rescue responses. After relocating again to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, he found himself back at Grand Canyon National Park for a third time in 2006.  Nash served for two years as the deputy chief ranger at Grand Canyon National Park before he took over as Grand Canyon’s chief ranger in February.  Grand Teton National Park’s chief ranger is responsible for the park’s Division of Visitor and Resource Protection: a division that includes the branch of ranger activities, the branch of fire and aviation management, the Teton Interagency Dispatch Center, and the fee and revenue program…and is considered the third highest position in the park.

Governor Dave Freudenthal slammed recent criticism from candidates that state government and state spending have grown too large.  Freudenthal says those kinds of generic statements will not satisfy the Legislature or the public. Freudenthal says that the next governor will inherit state reserves of $800 million - $1 billion.  Wind energy, a sage grouse policy, budget specifics and figuring out how to live with the federal government are issues that he believes prospective governors need to address.

Thursday, 06-17-10

A group of law enforcement agencies from multiple counties and states collaborated yesterday to arrest and charge 11 Teton County, Idaho men on a variety of drug charges.  Teton County Sheriff  Tony Liford says 51 year old Jesus Mara Figueroa [FEE-GOO-ROW-UH] of Tetonia, Idaho and several co-conspirators living throughout the Teton Valley in Eastern Idaho and in Utah have been taken into federal custody.   Liford says a lengthy criminal investigation initiated by the Teton County, Idaho Sheriff’s Office revealed that over the past several years, Figueroa and his co-conspirators have allegedly been responsible for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in that county and the Upper Snake River Valley, as well as to areas of Wyoming and Utah.  Figueroa is a lawful permanent resident but several of his co-consipirators have been previously deported from the United States.

One of the high profile points during this week’s oral arguments regarding the proposed delisting of wolves in the Greater Yellowstone Area was again the question of Wyoming’s state laws pertaining to post-listing management of the wolf.  Justice Department Attorney Mike Eitel told US District Judge Donald Malloy that the state’s laws threaten the welfare of the population since they do not offer protection against people killing wolves throughout most of the state.  Governor Dave Freudenthal says he has been watching the case, but he adds which direction it may take is still unclear. Judge Malloy ended the day saying he still has trouble accepting that the Endangered Species Act would allow wolves in Wyoming be separated from the rest of its population segment for the purpose of management.

That search continues for a 25-year-old ex-marine from Oklahoma City in the Hellroaring area of Yellowstone whose rental car was discovered there June seventh.  Family members of Peter Louis Kastner told rangers that he had been honorably discharged from the Marine Corps after serving for four years. During his service, he was injured twice by Improvised Explosive Devices while serving in Iraq. His family told rangers Kastner was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome related to his injuries. Park Spokesman Al Nash says the park’s contract helicopter has arrived for summer activities this week and will be used to participate in more searching from the air.  Previously, fixed-wing aircraft used to survey wildlife was deployed to the area but no sign of Kastner was spotted. Nash also says park rangers have not received any new tips about the missing. Nash says the search may be scaled down after this week. Kastner is described as 6-1, 185 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes, and the public is asked to contact rangers if they have seen or had contact with Kastner since early June.

The once-named Mad River is not quite so mad this week as it was last week.  Flows along the Snake River have been cut back again after the threat of flooding subsided.  Still, reservoirs Upper Snake River System are reported to be near capacity – collectively measuring 96% of their storage capacities.  Meanwhile, the Bureau of Reclamation says releases from Jackson Lake Dam which had been elevated to nearly 10-thousand cubic feet per second last week have now been cut back to about 4900 cfs.  Combined with waters flowing into it from Flat Creek, The Gros Ventre River and the Hoback River; water flowing through the Snake River in the canyon is currently just under 15-thousand cfs.

There will be a taste of Japan in downtown Jackson this weekend.  Vista 360 will present the 2010 Jackson Hole Fire Festival Friday and Saturday. Events include the Fire Festival Celebration on Friday on the Jackson town square from 5:00pm-11:00pm and the Greater Yellowstone Food and Heritage Fair on Saturday from 10:00am-6:00pm. The event will be highlighted by Japanese drumming performed by world-renowned Fubuki Daiko, and will offer food and drink, a festival market, the Japanese fire ceremony, storytelling, exhibits, and demonstrations.  The festival is provided free.

Gallatin National Forest officials say they plan to consolidate two of its ranger districts northeast of Gardiner, Montana in the interest of economy.  The consolidation of the Big Timber and Livingston Ranger Districts into the Yellowstone Ranger District is a component of their latest re-organization effort.  Eventually, the Yellowstone District Ranger will be located in Big Timber while a Deputy District Ranger will be stationed in Livingston. Many of the employees located in Big Timber and Livingston already work for both Districts and will experience little change with the formal consolidation.

Wednesday, 06-16-10

It may be weeks before Federal District Judge Donald Malloy makes a decision regarding the listing of wolves for protection under the Endangered Species Act in the Greater Yellowstone Area.  A host of attorneys from environmental groups, the states involved, federal agencies and interest groups addressed the court in Missoula, Montana yesterday while scores of protesters demonstrated outside the courtroom.  Among the issues being questioned are whether the decision to delist the animal is solidly based in science and whether such a move can be made in Idaho and Montana without including the population in Wyoming.  Malloy pledged to make his ruling as quickly as possible.

Those two men arrested in March for poaching antlers in Sublette County have been sentenced now and will have to avoid even being with others who do legal antler hunting for several years.  Ray Hageman of the Wyoming Game and Fish says the rule is a fairly new one. The pair were hunting antlers in the Daniel area before the area was open for hunting, and realizing they had been discovered, abandoned their pick-up truck and walked to Daniel to avoid apprehension.  Hageman says both confessed to their actions when contacted the following day.  The law enacted this winter prohibits antler gathering west of the continental divide from January first through April 30^th.

It’s shaping up to be the city folks vs. the country folks.  Wyoming Senator John Barrasso and North Dakota Senator Kent Conrad have introduced the Rural Mobility and Access for America Act which would require a fair distribution of highway funds to rural states.  The proposed legislation comes in response to a current House of Representatives highway reauthorization proposal which establishes the "Metropolitan Mobility and Access Program" for urban areas with populations of over 500,000. That program would fund projects such as transit and congestion mitigation, but would not provide any funding for mobility and access needs in rural states.  Barrasso says Congress should not lose sight of the value of a national interconnected system of highways that includes access for rural Americans.  Barrasso says this bill intends to assure that funding for rural highways is not ignored by the lawmakers from the large, urban areas of the country.

The fight against the proliferation of zebra mussels in Wyoming lakes continues with a recent donation from a local organization to assist in the effort.  Wyoming Game and Fish Spokesman Mark Gocke says the Pinedale Boat Club has contributed $1,100 to help ensure regular boat inspections occur at Fremont Lake, which is one of the region’s most popular boating destinations. In the Pinedale Region, Fremont Lake was identified as a priority water for Aquatic Invasive Species prevention due to its multiple water users, higher boater use and relative suitability for invasive mussel establishment.  Gocke says to help ensure all boats entering Fremont Lake are intercepted prior to launching, an inspection site was needed near the entrance to the lake. While the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and U.S. Forest Service could provide the necessary planning and construction, Gocke says funding for road base and gravel was still needed, and the Pinedale Boat Club stepped up to assist. 

Inspections of commercial vehicles will be conducted later this week in Yellowstone National Park. The inspections planned for today and tomorrow, will primarily focus on commercial buses and trucks. Park rangers and the Wyoming Highway Patrol will assist the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in conducting full-level inspections at undisclosed locations in the park.  The inspections evaluate both the driver and the commercial vehicle, to assure full compliance with federal regulations that govern commercial vehicles.  The inspection program has resulted in a significant decrease in the most serious "out-of-service" violations which require that either a commercial vehicle or a commercial driver be taken off the road due to serious mechanical or driver-specific violations.  This is the first commercial vehicle inspection this summer, and the 12^th year of the interagency inspection program.

Tuesday, 06-15-10

While the revenues coming into the town of Jackson have been lower than projected, budget planning has apparently been conservative enough that it won’t mean any noticeable cuts in service beyond what the town has already experienced.  Jackson Mayor Mark Barron says council plans to adopt a budget for the coming year that will be very similar to the one adopted last year. Consequently, the Recommended General Fund budget for the coming year totals about $13-million-112,000.  That line was held with the reduction of a variety of budget requests which reduced the total amount sought by about $200-thousand.  Barron says the budget will eventually increase again as the economy recovers, but he sees a permanent shift in expectations.  Overall, Barron says, it is the valley’s tourism industry that continues to drive its economy. The 2010/2011 budget will see final action Monday in the regular session of the town council.

The Jackson/ Teton County Animal Shelter has announced plans to reduce hours beginning July first.  According to Administrator Corie Rybak, the shelter will not be open to the public Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays and hours of operation will be scaled back to 9:00 am until 6:00 pm Monday through Friday.  Those trying to track down a lost pet may still call the shelter at 733-2139 or check online at jacksonshelter.petfinder.com.  At the same time, Rybak says the animals will continue to receive their daily attention and care.  Rybak explains the reduced hours have become necessary due to budget reductions.  The shelter is located at Adams Canyon south of Jackson.

Jackson Hole Airport is reporting a noticeable increase in ridership on the airlines serving the valley last month.  According to the monthly report to the airport board, both those arriving and departing through the airport increased last month by 32% over May of 2009.  With that, ridership has increase by over 5% year to date.  On the down side, enplanements and deplanements are still down by 18% over May of 2008 – which was a record year.  At the same time, the number of flights serving the valley has increased slightly since the same time last year.

A particularly insidious scam emerged in Jackson Monday morning wherein the perpetrators have used the name of a well-known Jackson resident in an email which claims the resident has been mugged and left without money or communications in London.  Sheriff’s Captain Scott Terry says owing to the respect the person name commands, residents have been willing to cast caution aside to respond. Terry says the Sheriff’s Department has gotten a number of calls about the scam and so does not need reports of further contacts.  However, Terry emphasizes, regardless of your concern for the person named, do NOT respond.

Inflation has come to the library.  The Teton County Library Board approved an increase in library fines for some overdue items in May 2010, and the new fines are now in effect. Overdue materials such as books and music CDs borrowed from the Teton County Library or another Wyoming library will now incur a fine of 10 cents per day, with the fine capped at a total of $10. In addition, the cost of visitor cards will now be a one-time fee of $10.

It was not a good night for the Jackson Hole Giants American Legion Baseball team last night as the Powell Pioneers swept the Giants in a conference double-header, 8-1 in the first and 10-0 in the second.  The defending state champion Pioneers pounded out 10 hits, including six doubles, in the first game to account for their eight runs. The second game was called after five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.  The Giants now are at 6-4 overall and 1-3 in conference play, and will travel to Green River for a weekend tournament beginning on Friday.

Monday, 06-14-10

With the comprehensive plan coming back to the table, the joint planning commissions focused last week on the process furthering the plan should take.  Teton County Planning Director Jeff Daugherty says the planners agreed the plan as it stands has deficiencies, but they are reticent to address them. Consequently, the planners determined to review the chapters on sustainability and administration and adjust the chapters before certifying the plan for the commission and council to consider.  With that, the planning commissions will essentially be done with their review of the comprehensive plan.  Once the planners pass the plan along to the elected officials, each will also submit a personal opinion that will further describe any concerns they have with any parts of the plan to serve as starting points of discussion among the elected officials.

TV in Jackson will probably look pretty much the same, but your check for your cable subscription will soon be headed somewhere else.  Cablevision systems incorporated today announced a definitive arrangement by which a newly formed subsidiary of the cable giant will acquire the assets of Bresnan Communications for nearly 1.4 billion dollars.  Bresnan is the nation’s thirteenth largest cable operator with systems operating in Colorado, Utah, Montana and Wyoming.  The completion of this transaction, which the company expects to happen in late 2010 or early 2011, is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval.

Today marks the first official day of summer vacation for Jackson Hole School children.  That means drivers in town need to remember that the young people will be scattered around the valley and not just around school yards.  Jackson Police Chief Todd Smith urges motorists to be watchful and expect the unexpected pretty much anywhere in town. By the same token, Smith urges parents to remind their children of the familiar summertime cautions. Smith urges kids not to use the skate park as a BMX track.  Smith goes on to urge young people when bicycling to utilize the community’s network of bike paths for their recreation.

Bears have been showing up in some rather busy areas of southern Teton County in recent weeks, including a grizzly in the Teton Village area and a Grizzly sow and her cub near Crater Lake along the old Teton Pass Road.  A black bear was reported along the popular trail up the face of Snow King Mountain over the weekend.  Wyoming Game and Fish Bear Management Specialist Mike Boyce says it has become increasingly important right now for recreationists and even residents in general to be keenly aware of the increased bear activity.  Especially along Old Teton Pass, Boyce says it would be most unfortunate to have someone inadvertently find themselves between the momma grizzly and her cub.  …and as the bears’ ranges continue to move further south, Boyce says it is important to be vigilant at keeping all attractants unavailable to bears.  Attractants are anything food related with an odor, such as garbage, human foods, pet or livestock feed, bird seed, barbeque grills, compost piles, and so on. Garbage should be stored in certified bear resistant containers or in a secure building or enclosure at all times.   All bird feeders should be hung with a catch pan, at least 10 feet from the ground, deck railing or patio and 4 feet away from any tree, post, or structure.  Finally,  Boyce  says when hiking or walking in the rural areas, travel during the daylight with someone, be sure to make plenty of noise, and always carry bear spray as a defense.

Fire crews from Grand Teton National Park, Bridger-Teton National Forest and Jackson Hole Fire/EMS collaborated in training sessions for the annual All Fire Day Saturday.  During the morning, approximately 80 firefighters gathered at the Wilson Elementary School for indoor workshops, covering topics such as fire and medical response skills, GPS mapping and compass use, as well as interagency radio plans, fire ecology, ignition techniques, incident command and dispatch protocols. All Fire Day training was established in 1998 to provide opportunities for interagency fire personnel to complete field exercises that test basic and essential skills. The exercises also promote safety and efficiency in wildland firefighting between the agencies.

Fourteen people got to know the Snake River up and personal Thursday afternoon when the private raft they were floating in overturned, spilling them into the churning waters.  Fortunately, Lincoln County Sheriff’s authorities say no-one was injured in the mishap.  Several of the floaters found themselves stranded on the wrong side of the river, but were ferried across  by members of Teton County Search and Rescue – wet, cold, but otherwise OK.

Friday, 06-11-10

Torrential rains around 2:00 yesterday afternoon flood streets and some basements in downtown Jackson.  Public utilities crews scrambled to try to facilitate drainage and diminish the flow of water into buildings.  The National Weather Service reported the storm was not only producing very heavy rains, but hail in some areas as well.  By the time the storm cell moved into neighboring Fremont County, it had been elevated to the status of severe thunderstorm.  No reports of damage were immediately available.

If you are traveling this week, you will no doubt notice that the price of gasoline has dropped 20 cents from what it was one month ago.  According to AAA Auto Club’s Fuel Gauge Report, the national average price for a gallon of unleaded regular is now $2.70 with the highest prices found across the west and the least expensive in the southeastern states.  According to their report, Wyoming currently averages $2.76 per gallon while Idaho, Utah and Montana are much higher.  Teton County prices now average $2.93 per gallon of regular with gasoline on the west side of the pass averaging about a penny more.

Some vacancies in the Bridger Teton National Forest administrative team are being filled, but several of them will remain unfilled for now.  The forest has announced it is hiring nine people while leaving a number of other posts vacant.  Those new hires include an interim forest supervisor and a forest safety officer. Forest spokesperson Mary Cernicek says the forest also is hiring district rangers in Afton and Pinedale.  Among others, that leaves the GIS coordinator, forest engineer and resource specialist offices vacant.  Cernacek says the process of filling vacancies is still under way, and the decision of which post to fill is a question of the efficient use of forest resources.  Cernacek points out that the vacant offices on the forest have occurred in recent months due to retirements.  Meanwhile, two familiar Grand Teton National Park Employees have been promoted to key vacancies in the Park.  Scott Guenther was chosen as the lead ranger for the Jenny Lake Subdistrict; he will manage the park’s search and rescue operations as well as the backcountry and climbing program. Chip Collins was named as Grand Teton’s Fire Management Officer and will supervise the park’s wildland fire operations in coordination with the region-wide functions of the Teton Interagency Fire network. Guenther replaces Renny Jackson, who served as the Jenny Lake Subdistrict Ranger for over five years, and Collins replaces Lisa Elenz who transferred to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise in the fall of 2009.

The National Forest Service says it has received 26,155 responses from the public in connection with the process of revising its national land use rules in order to be more concise. Plans are to finalize that plan and draft an environmental impact statement prior to the implementation of those rules by the end of the year.  To that end, the Forest Service hosted roundtables in various part of the country during April, and plans a final one in Washington DC in late July.  However, forest officials will accept feedback online as well through the end of July.  Information about the process is available online.  The process is expected to result in a Draft Environmental Impact Statement in August.

The Teton Valley Foundation and START Bus have entered into an agreement for START Bus to provide shuttle transportation to the 2010 Music On Main concert series in Victor, Idaho this year with service from Alta, Jackson and Wilson, Wyoming and Driggs, Idaho.  Jackson residents can ride the Teton Valley Commuter START Bus from Jackson for the round trip fare of $8. One Bus will return to Jackson, leaving Victor at 10:10 pm from Victor City Park. The return shuttle will have also be available for a one way fare of $5 for those who did not ride the commuter bus from Jackson but wish to return by bus.   Music on Main takes place in Victor City Park, Victor, Idaho on Thursday July 15, 22, 29, August 5, 12, and 19, beginning at 6:00 pm and ending by 10:00 pm.

Thursday, 06-10-10

The National Weather Service has cancelled its flood WATCH for Teton County.  To date, Teton County has received no reports of flooding, other than nuisance flooding of fields and isolated reports of flooded crawlspaces.  Teton County Emergency Services departments continue to monitor the situation with all sections of the levee system being checked twice each day.  The water levels in the Snake River continue to drop according to Teton County Road & Levee workers and Jackson Lake Dam has maintained its releases at just under 10-thousand cubic feet per second while the inflow has dropped to about 6000 cfs.

Jackson police are looking for the public’s help in locating a man who forced his way into a local apartment and held the residents at knife-point.  According to Police Sergeant Cole Nethercott, the residents of one of the Virginian Apartments answered a knock at their door during the early morning hours of June 6^th and an unknown Hispanic male entered the apartment demanding to know there where-abouts of another individual. The assailant then left the apartment and drove away in a white 1993 Pontiac Grand Am which eventually showed up at the Maverick Country Store where it was involved in a collision with a soda display outside the store.  The man fled the accident scene on foot and Nethercott says is unknown where he went from there. Nethercott says the suspect was last seen wearing a white shirt and blue jeans, he is about 5-foot-5, around 160 pounds and clean shaven.  Police are seeking anything the public might know about the suspect and encourage them to call either the police department or CrimeStoppers at 733-5148.

It’s one of the last remaining remnants of western life played out each year at this time in Jackson Hole – the cattle drive; complete with a sizable herd and cowboys on horseback.  As such, motorists along Highway 26/89/191 may experience minor travel delays from Moran Junction to the Elk Ranch flats – one mile south of the junction – on Saturday morning from 6:45 until 8:30 am. Park rangers will provide traffic control during the drive.  Pinto Ranch wranglers will drive the herd of about 250 cattle west from the ranch using a right-of-way along the highway. When the cattle drive reaches Moran Junction, the animals will cross the Buffalo Fork Bridge, causing an anticipated delay of 30–40.  Under the 1950 Grand Teton National Park enabling legislation, certain historic grazing privileges were retained. Consequently, the fenced and irrigated Elk Ranch pastures continue to be used for cattle grazing within the park.

National Park Crews in Grand Teton National Park plan to make a rock roll today, necessitating the closure of one or the trails there while the work takes place.  Grand Teton National Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says a temporary closure of the trail to Garnet Canyon and Surprise/Amphitheater Lakes will be in place from 8:00 am until noon beginning at the junction with the Valley Trail and continuing to higher elevations. Grand Teton National Park’s trail crew will remove the boulder from its perch and reopen the trail by this afternoon, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

The graduation rate from Teton County School District last year was pretty admirable, but was not by any means the highest in the state.  According to the state Department of Education, nearly 91% of Teton County’s seniors graduated in the spring of 2009.  However, 15 other districts in the state did better than that.  In fact, Park County School District #16 and Sheridan County School District #3 both saw 100% of their senior classes graduate this year.  Statewide, the graduation rate has risen this year to 81%.  That means 5481 Wyoming students successfully completed high school last year.  This year’s graduation rate won’t be released until NEXT spring.

An 87-year-old man working out at a local fitness center collapsed and died late Tuesday.  According to Teton County Coroner Bob Campbell, John Britton of Wilson apparently died of natural causes – possibly a heart attack.  Campbell says the ambulance was called to the fitness center on High School Road shortly after 6:00 pm, but EMTs were unable to revive him.

Wednesday. 06-09-10

The flood watch in Teton County remains in effect through this afternoon, but fears have subsided somewhat.  The National Weather Service predicted a crest on the Snake River last night of 9.5 ft at the Jackson gage at Swinging Bridge.  The official flood stage at that location, however, is 10.0ft.  Teton County Emergency Services departments continue to monitor the situation checking the levee system twice a day.  Releases from Jackson Lake Dam were increased yesterday to 10–thousand-500 cubic feet per second while releases downstream at Palisades were increased to 17-thousand cfs – still below seasonal normal there.  Jackson Lake is still considered 100% full while Palisades is estimated at 87% filled.

Teton County Sheriff’s officers apprehended and charged a Jackson man in connection with a series of thefts from unlocked cars parked trailheads near the town of Jackson.  Sheriff’s Captain Scott Terry says deputies launched an extensive investigation in response to a number of reports of cash, ipods and sunglasses being taken from the cars over the past 2 ½ weeks.  Terry says the thefts occurred at a variety of parking lots. Terry says 17-year-old Kyle Davidson has been charged as an adult with felony burglary and conspiracy to commit burglary.  Additional felony charges are pending for tow other area men in the case.

A second grizzly bear in less than a week has been hit and killed on a highway within the local national parks.  The latest accident occurred Sunday night on US Highway 191 near the Fawn Pass trailhead, about 22 miles north West Yellowstone, Montana inside Yellowstone National Park.  Park officials say the body of the one-year-old male bear was found along the road by a passing motorist, who reported the discovery.  This is the first grizzly bear mortality reported in Yellowstone this year.  However, earlier in the week, a three-year-old grizzly was struck and killed along US Highway 89 on the northern end of Grand Teton National Park.  It is estimated there are roughly 600 grizzlies with home ranges in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.  Park officials estimate more than 100 large animals are killed in the parks each year after being struck by vehicles.

It should be common sense for potential visitors to Bridger Teton National Forest that given all the rain over the past month and the high water in the rivers and streams, some of the forest roads are not ready for motorized travel yet.  Forest Spokesperson Mary Cernacek says traveling on those roads prematurely can cause costly damage. Cernacek says those wishing to travel the forest roads should check ahead to be sure the route they intend to take is passable. Cernacek adds that those traveling roads that are passable will need to reduce their speeds because they remain slippery in many areas.

A hardware problem in Colorado led to the most recent interruption of cell service from Verizon wireless.  According to Spokesman Robert Kelley, the malfunction took place in a switching location in Aurora, Colorado about 1:15 Monday and affected most of Wyoming as well as parts of Colorado.  Service was totally restored to voice transmissions by 9:45 Tuesday and data service was restored later in the day.  The malfunction came only days after a cut into a fiber-optic line belonging to Qwest Friday afternoon interrupted service to cell customers in Jackson as well as Qwest customers elsewhere.  Kelley explained that those fiber lines are used to carry the signal from Verizon’s cell towers to their switching stations.

The drought conditions during the first part of this year has resulted in Bonneville Power Administration ending the year with $450-million less revenue than BPA had anticipated.  BPA is the wholesaler of electrical power that makes its way into the Lower Valley Energy lines for use by businesses and consumers here.  BPA Administrator Steve Wright says traditionally, sales of surplus power, which is any power that is available beyond what is committed to its customers, have represented about 1/5 of the agency’s revenues.  However, with lower run-off in the Columbia River Basin, BPA has been able to generate less power and so has had to dip into its reserves to cover its costs.  Years of surplus power, Wright says, help keep electricity rates down across the Pacific Northwest.

Tuesday, 06-08-10

Bureau of Reclamation officials cranked the gates at Jackson Lake and Palisades Dams open even further yesterday in anticipation of increased run-off in the hours ahead.  According to a Bu-rec notification, Jackson Lake Dam increased from 8,000 cubic feet per second to 10,000 cfs while Palisades Dam increased from 10,000 cubic feet per second to 11,000 cfs. Currently, Jackson Lake Dam is over 98 percent full and taking in more than 16,000 cfs due to rainfall on melting snowpack conditions in the Upper Snake River basin. Art Hill, hydrologist for Reclamation’s Snake River Area Office says the lake has been filling faster than expected.  Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Teton County today and tomorrow.  According to a weather statement issued this morning, the Snake River at Jackson has risen to 8.3 feet as of 3:00 am with a flood stage considered to be nine feet here.  The water level is forecast to be 9.5 feet by noon today and forecasters say increased reservoir releases from Jackson Dam may push the river even higher.

The fund drive may not have raised the target set by “One Percent For the Tetons,” but it is still being considered a resounding success.  Executive Director Jonathan Schechter says over $140-thousand dollars was raised over the period of 28 days, enabling the program to fund three key projects. Schechter says $10,000 will go to a project by the Grand Teton National Park Foundation to adapt drinking fountains in the park to allow the filling of water bottles and reduce the use of disposable water bottles there, $6700 will go toward a project by the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance to seek alternative highway designs to reduce wildlife mortality, and $8500 for Teton Freedom Riders to build a mile and a half of trail on Teton Pass to reduce the conflicts between mountain bikers and other trail users there. Schechter says how those funds will be distributed will be announced by the end of this month.

Yellowstone National Park is reporting that despite a slight year-to-year drop in visitation during the month of May, visitation during the first five months of the calendar year remain among the highest on record.  The park posted more than 13-hundred fewer visitors than during the same month in 2009 while the number of visitors during the first five months was up ½ of a percent. However, Park Spokesman Al Nash points out that what happens in the first five months of the year may not necessarily be a barometer for things to come. Nash reminds that most of the park is inaccessible by automobile during the winter and early spring and May represents the first month most major park roads are open to wheeled visitor.  Nash says while May visitation is off slightly compared to 2009, it is the fourth highest on record.  Meanwhile, Grand Teton National Park is reporting a 9% decline during May and a ½% decrease in visitation over the first five months of the year.

The search continues in Yellowstone National Park for a 25-year-old Oklahoma City man  missing since Monday.  A car that had been rented to Peter Louis Kastner was discovered at the Hellroaring Trailhead in the northern part of Yellowstone was spotted at that time and rangers determined he had not applied for a permit to camp out overnight in the vicinity.  Upon further investigation, rangers learned that the car had been rented a month earlier and was two weeks overdue and that family members had reported Kastner missing.  Based upon information from his family, rangers learned that he had been honorably discharged from the Marine Corps after serving for four years. During his service, he was injured twice by Improvised Explosive Devices while serving in Iraq. His family told rangers Kastner was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome related to his injuries. Investigators still believe he is in the park.  Kastner is described as 6-1, 185 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes, and the public is asked to contact rangers if they have seen or had contact with Kastner.

The 2011 International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race roster has been expanded from 20 teams to 25 teams in order to allow for more participation.  Race Organizer Frank Teasley says based on the teams that have already signed up, it was decided it would be appropriate to expand the field.  By the middle of last month, all 20 competitive slots in the race had been filled with some of the top racers in the sport.  Teams registered in the 2011 event include the reigning champions of distance mushing, Lance Mackey and Hans Gatt; Iditarod veteran Ryan Redington, and Fur Rondy Sprint Champion Blayne “Bud” Streeper.  Streeper won the IPSSSDR in 2004 and 2010. The largest sled dog race in the lower 48 states is slated for January 28 – February 5, 2011, starting in Jackson and making its way through western Wyoming to finish in Park City Utah.

Monday, 06-07-10

Grand Teton National Park reports a three-year-old grizzly bear was hit and killed Wednesday night on Highway 89.  According to Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs, the bear apparently emerged from the shadows just south of the Moose Head Ranch and darted in front of a vehicle driven by an unnamed local resident.  Skaggs says the incident occurred about 9:00 pm when the light combined with the rainy weather made visibility poor.  No charges are being brought against the driver – but Skaggs says the incident serves as a reminder that the wildlife in the area is very active and motorists need to be extra watchful for unexpected appearances of wildlife onto the roads.  

This corner of Wyoming remains under a flash flood watch through Tuesday. The National Weather Service issued the alert mid-morning Sunday saying excessive snow melt run-off across the Teton and Gros Ventre mountains is expected to continue through tomorrow and may combine with as much as one to two inches of rainfall. Consequently, the Weather Service says, high flows and flooding will be possible on rivers across Teton County and the surrounding area. With that, flash flooding of low-lying areas including roads and campgrounds is possible. Currently, the Snake River is now running at 13-thousand-492 cubic feet per second through the Snake River Canyon. While a watch doesn’t mean a threat is immanent, it does mean conditions are right for such a threat to develop and people in the watch areas should monitor local media for developments.

Grand Teton National Park has awarded a $12.6 million contract under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to Advanced Solutions Group, LLC from Kaysville, Utah and their partner Big-D Construction of Salt Lake City, Utah.  Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says the two companies will complete a rehabilitation of the park’s 68,300-square-foot Moose Headquarters Complex. The extensive renovation project was designed by AJC Architects of Salt Lake City in 2006 and will require three phases for its physical completion. Construction work is expected to begin in mid June.

Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jim McBride has announced nine school districts have been selected as recipients of the Student Enrichment Project grants, including Teton County School District #1. The project is intended to offer learning opportunities and activities that engage students in developing essential skills, values and relationships as a vehicle for both inspiring learning and encouraging academic and life success.  All programming for this project will take place before school, after school, weekends, school holidays or summer break periods.  Teton County received two grants totaling $78,741 to be used for a robotics program and for a Spanish language program.  The grants are a single year funding source.

Governor Dave Freudenthal has signed an executive order creating the Wyoming Early Childhood State Advisory Council, which is intended to encourage coordination and collaboration between public and private care and education programs and services in the state.  Freudenthal says he supported the use of federal stimulus dollars in an effort to fix problems in the state’s juvenile justice system and save the state money. The creation of the Council makes the state eligible for $500,000 in federal funding and expands the duties of its predecessor, the Wyoming Early Childhood Development Council.

Friday, 06-04-10

The Teton County Health Department has announced that next month it will adopt updated food safety rules outlined by the state.  Those rules, the county says, will apply throughout Teton County, including within the Town of Jackson. The revised food safety rules will cover Bed & Breakfast Establishments, Day Cares, Restaurants, Schools, Grocery & Convenience Stores, Temporary Food Service Stands & Mobile Food Service Units. All interested parties may obtain a copy of the proposed food safety rules at the office of the Teton County. A copy of the food safety rules may also be viewed at the Teton County Library. A hearing to take testimony on the proposed food safety rules is planned on July 27 at 9:00 a.m. during the regular meeting of the Teton District Board of Health Meeting.
 
Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks will waive entrance fees this weekend as part of a nationwide initiative directed by Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.  In time for the fee-free weekend, Grand Teton National Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says park facilities are now open and nature is putting on quite a show. At the same time, the US Forest Service has announced fee waivers will be offered at forest service fee areas under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.  Admittedly two-thirds of developed recreation sites on forest lands can traditionally be used free.  Many recreation opportunities such as camping, sightseeing and hiking can be enjoyed throughout the year at no cost. 
 
Internationally-known endurance athlete Lisa Smith Batchen of Driggs, Idaho is a third of the way toward her goal of running 2,500 miles in two months to help orphans around the country and throughout the world. With more than 850 miles under her belt, she is trying raise one million dollars for three organizations: AIDS Orphans Rising, The Caring House Project and the Orphan Foundation of America. Turning 50 this year, Smith Batchen plans to hang up her running shoes at the end of this run, which she considers the most meaningful event of her career.  Over the years, she has logged hundreds of miles through the Sahara Desert and Death Valley and has run through some of the biggest, longest ultra-marathons out there, but she has never attempted a run of this scale – and in doing so, will become the first person who ever has.
 
146 seniors will be graduating from Jackson Hole High School Saturday morning with ceremonies set to begin at 11:00 am.  High School Counselor Julie Stayner says the academics of this year’s class remain very high. Two of the graduating class’s 4-point-0 students will speak at the ceremony and Chemistry Teacher Alan Brumsted will be the featured speaker having been honored as an outstanding teacher in 2009.  The commencement ceremony will be held in the high school gym.
 
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will host Kids Fishing Day in Jackson Saturday. The event will take place at the Jackson National Fish Hatchery pond. All kids aged 13 and under are invited to participate and parents are invited to come and share in the fun and may learn a few tips themselves. Public Information Specialist Mark Gocke says there will be short educational activities, a free lunch provided by the Jackson Jaycees and the opportunity to catch trout freshly stocked in the pond. Gocke says some fishing gear and worms will be available, if needed. The entire event is free of charge. Registration begins at 10:30 am and concludes at 3:00 pm.

Thursday, 06-03-10

Nine visitors to Yellowstone National Park were injured late Tuesday afternoon when they were struck by lightning.  Spokesman Al Nash says there really was nothing unusual about the circumstances leading up to the lightning strike – or much forewarning for that matter. Nash says some of the group had gathered next to the Old Faithful Lodge under an overhang to get out of the rain and hail which was coming down at the time while others were on the walkway between the Old Faithful viewing area and the Lodge.  Nash says it is unclear exactly where the lightning struck in proximity to the group. The 57-year-old man was given CPR by bystanders and was restored to consciousness by the time rangers arrived.  He was airlifted by helicopter to Eastern Idaho Medical Center in Idaho Falls. Nash says information about the hospitalized man’s condition was not available.  Nash says the other eight complained of symptoms including shortness of breath, tingling, or numbness.

One Percent for the Tetons’ One28 campaign is coming to an end with a final push to raise the goal of $300-thousand.  The drive to raise that money concludes at the end of the day Saturday.  During the past week, Jonathon Schechter says some good momentum has been made during the past week, pushing the total donated to $102,267. Finalists will receive 100% of all donations received from both member and non-member donors during this year's campaign. Altogether, there are 19 projects to be funded by the campaign. 

Governor Dave Freudenthal is looking at the best disposition of about 1400 acres of land located near Kelly and surrounded by Grand Teton National Park land.  Freudenthal says the state school lands have significant financial potential, but only if the state is less than sensitive to environmental concerns. Freudenthal says the best use of the land in the interest of the valley is not to turn it into housing plots.  However, Freudenthal says the value of the land does need to be addressed.  Freudenthal says the Department of Interior has agreed to provide an appraised value to the state by early to mid-July.  The swap, he says, may ultimately involve receiving mineral reserves in exchange for the surface rights in the park.  Freudenthal says one parcel is above Kelly with what he terms a “magnificent view of the Tetons” while the other is further down in the sagebrush flats.

Early summer travelers have been treated to slightly lower gasoline prices nationwide as well as within the region.  According to AAA Auto Club’s Fuel Gauge Report, the national average has fallen to $2.71 per gallon of unleaded regular – 16 cents lower than one month ago.  The report also indicates Wyoming’s average is now $2.79 per gallon which is a dime lower than the average in Montana and 20-cents lower than Idaho’s average.  In Teton County, the price has risen to $2.90 from last week’s average of $2.89.  Gasoline in Teton Valley, Idaho this week averages $2.96 this week.

If summertime is here, construction is now or soon will be under way on area roads.  In Grand Teton National Park, paving work is underway on the North Park Road from Huckleberry Hill North to Flagg Ranch. Visitors can expect consistent 30 minute delays weekdays.  On Teton Park Road from Spalding Bay to Jackson Lake Junction, work continues on replacement of the guardrail near Jackson Lake Dam and installation of gates on side roads.  Re-striping of the eastside portion of the highway and parking areas will commence June 1^st along Highway 89 on the southern end of the park. Delays there will be minimal.  …and crews will be completing painting of the Snake River Bridge at Moose starting June 7th. Motorists can expect delays of up to 15 minutes there.  Updates on construction projects can be obtained online or by calling 739-3614

The Jackson Hole Giants American Legion Baseball team dropped a couple of games to the Cody Cubs on Wednesday night at Giants Field, losing the first 12 - 2 with the ten-run mercy rule invoked after five innings.  The second game ended with a 10-6 score.  The Giants are now 5-2 overall and 1-2 in Northwest Conference play, with the non-conference Riverton Raiders coming to town for a double header beginning at noon on Sunday at Giants Field.

Wednesday, 06-02-10

Teton County Commissioners yesterday approved an expansion proposal for the River Crossing Church in Rafter J Subdivision that would add approximately 60-thousand square feet to the facilities there.  Commission Chairman Hank Phibbs says discussions of the proposal occupied most of yesterday’s meeting, and it was decided that the county’s hands are legally tied with regard to the matter. The proposal actually amends the church’s original master plan which would have allowed the addition of a family-life center, administrative offices, classrooms, a performing arts center and a dormitory.  The church now wants to build a 658-seat auditorium and housing units and housing units within the same footprint allowed by the 1992 plan.  Phibbs says yesterday’s approval was by no means a consensus among the commissioners.

Yellowstone National Park Rangers are trying to find a 25-year-old Oklahoma man who is believed to be in the Hellroaring area of the park, and likely not prepared for overnight travel there.  Rangers began their search after finding a rental car at the Hellroaring trailhead which they learned had been there overnight and was not associated with and overnight backcountry permit.  That car was rented to Peter Louis Kastner from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Interviews of hikers, backpackers and area businesses failed to turn up any information about Kastner, and searchers have now employed search dogs to aid in the effort.  Kastner is described as 6-foot-1, 185 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. Rangers believe Kastner may have been in the area for up to two weeks, and may not have been using his own name in any contact with individuals or businesses.  They ask that anyone who might have information relating to the missing man contact the Park.

With the passage of the deadline to file intentions to run for office, the ballot for the August primary election has taken shape.  In local races, six have filed to run for the three county commission positions to be filled this year: four Republicans and two Democrats.  Those candidates include incumbents Ben Ellis, Hank Phibbs and Paul Vogelheim and challengers Scott Anderson, Bob Morris and Peter Moyer. Five people – three Republicans and two Democrats – have filed to run for County Coroner including Dr. Brent Blue, Kiley Campbell, James Flower, Alan John and Steve Ware.  Steve Weichman is unopposed for reelection as County Attorney, and Sheriff Jim Wahlen is likewise unopposed for reelection.  Republican Sherry Daigel has filed for reelection as County Clerk and Democrat Kyle Burson plans to challenge her.  Donna Baur is unopposed for the office of Treasurer while two Republicans and two Democrats – Dawn Johnson, Lisa daCosta and Dee Buckstaff – will run for Assessor.  Dee Mahoney is unopposed for reelection as Clerk of Courts.  The mayoral race is a non-partisan race with Franz Camenzind and Jim Evanhoe challenging incumbent Mark Barron for the position.  Five will vie for the two available town council positions and they include Ray Elser, Bob Lenz, Kevin Petersen, Michael Pruett, and Melissa Turley.  Voter registration for the primary closes July 19^th and reopens for registration at the primary election August 17^th.

While our current weather conditions aren’t very conducive to outdoor recreation, it has proven to be of benefit to the local aquifers.  Late spring precipitation has led to snow/water equivalent ratios in the Snake River Basin rising to 88% of normal now while further north, the Upper Yellowstone/Madison Basin has increased to 85%.  At the same time, the reservoirs along the system are not collectively posting 85% of their capacities, but river flows are still low owing to releases from Jackson Lake still being minimal.  That is expected to change by the middle of this month.  As of Tuesday morning, the flow of the Snake River at Alpine measured 5197 cubic feet per second.

Four Jackson fiddlers placed in the 2010 Wyoming State Champion Contest held in Thermopolis May 29-30.  Sara Rodeck of Jackson took First Place and Rebecca Hamilton of Jackson took Third Place in the Junior Division for ages 13-17.  As First Place, Sara is certified to enter the National Championship Oldtime Fiddlers Contest in June in Weiser, Idaho. Sara also took First Place in the No Holds Barred Division, open to all ages, with her vocal and fiddle rendition of Honeysuckle Rose.  Emma Mayer and Caden Colson, both of Jackson, took Fifth and Seventh Places respectively in the Junior-Junior Division, ages 9-12. In the competition, each contestant must first play a hoedown; second, a waltz; and third, a tune of their choice other than a hoedown or waltz. 

Tuesday, 06-01-10

Wyoming Game and Fish officials began stopping and inspecting boats at check stations throughout the state over the weekend in efforts to prevent the proliferation of zebra mussels into Wyoming lakes and ponds.  Game and Fish Spokesman Mark Gocke explains that Fisheries are destroyed by the presence of these exotic filter-feeding mussels which remove plankton from the water. Plankton are the primary food source for forage fish and forage fish are the food of sport fisheries.  Gocke says the boats are being checked to see that they are not carrying such species. Gocke says infected waters have shown up in Utah, Colorado and Nebraska as well as Lake Mead.  Consequently, the inspection program has been required by legislative action in the state. To raise money for the inspection program and decontamination equipment, Gocke says identification decals have been mandated for all craft used on Wyoming waters.  Those decals may be obtained at any location that sells Game and Fish licenses or online.

Yellowstone National Park is seeking public comment on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement which looks at vaccinating bison against brucellosis without capturing or handling the animals.  The park believes the most logical method for remote delivery of the vaccine is to use a compressed air rifle to deliver an absorbable projectile containing the vaccine. The National Park Service promised to evaluate such an approach in the 2000 Record of Decision which created the Interagency Bison Management Plan, a cooperative plan designed to conserve a viable, wild bison population while protecting Montana’s brucellosis-free status.  The Draft EIS and an electronic form to submit comments on the Internet can be found at the National Park Service’s Planning, Environment and Public Comment website. Yellowstone is home to the last free ranging and wild herd of pure plains bison. 

It continues to be a busy year for bears in Grand Teton National Park and that has led to some closures of areas in the park in the interest of safety.  Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says such closures are not uncommon to protect animals that are calving or protected birds that are on the nest – but just as common are closures to protect the park visitors. Skaggs also stresses that regardless of whether or not an area is closed, if people see a bear in their travels around the park, they need to keep their distance.  Furthermore, Skaggs says those hiking or biking around the park should carry bear spray as there are many more bears in the park than in the past – and grizzly bears have been ranging further south than they have in recent memory.

Work continues this summer to improve habitat for migrating songbirds, shorebirds and waterfowl at a management area that has been established south of Jackson at South Park.  The South Park management area has become popular with bird watchers since it provides critical cottonwood riparian habitat for a number of bird species. Last fall, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department began several habitat improvements at the area involving prescribed burning of vegetation, draining the ponds and grading the banks and islands to create more shallow water habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds. This summer, students from the Teton Science Schools will partner with the department to transplant native sedges and rushes in many of the excavated areas. An interpretive sign will also be installed completing the project. Funding for the entire project was provided by the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the local Ducks Unlimited chapter and Teton Conservation District.

The United States Mint will introduce the Yellowstone National Park Quarter to the Nation on Thursday at 10:30 am with a special ceremony taking place near Old Faithful geyser, which is depicted on the tails side of the coin.  Park Spokesman Al Nash says commemorative quarters will be given to young people attending the ceremony. Nash says the director of the US Mint will join Yellowstone Superintendent Suzanne Lewis and other dignitaries for the event.  Commemorative sets will be available to collectors through the US Mint.  Meanwhile, for those who cannot attend the ceremony, it will be broadcast live on the web at: http://www.americathebeautifulquarters.gov.

Monday, 05-31-10

State Democratic Chairperson and former Teton County Commissioner Leslie Peterson has become the latest to file to run for Governor on the Democratic ticket.  Petersen made the announcement Friday evening saying she plans to base her campaign on common sense, common ground and civility.  Peterson has been involved with public policy issues in the state for over 40 years.  Petersen began her policy experience as a citizen lobbyist working on the Wyoming Environmental Quality Act, Industrial Siting Act and related issues in the mid-70’s;  she served as a Board Chair of the Wyoming Outdoor Council and Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance in the 80’s; served as a Teton County Commissioner from mid-1983 through 1988; and served for eight years on the Wyoming Water Development Commission and as Governor Herschler’s Legislative Liaison in the 1981 and 1982 legislative sessions. Public appearances are planned on Tuesday, June 1st in Casper and Cheyenne to meet with the press and public and define the campaign. Petersen pledges that if elected, she will work for good jobs and good education for Wyoming. 

A third candidate has filed to run for mayor of Jackson Hole in the final hours to apply.  Jackson Hole Conserevationist Franz Camenzind announced his intentions Friday morning and says he intends to run on the basis of seeking a common sense approach to planning for the community. Camenzind describes himself as a fiscal conservative and says he regrets the town having to go to soft money like the SPET tax to help support essential services or infrastructure.  Others running for mayor include incumbent Mark Barron and local businessman Jim Evanhoe. Meanwhile, Chaparral Broadcasting Manager Scott Anderson threw his hat into the ring late Friday for a seat on the Teton County Commission.  Anderson has alreadyh served 12 years on the Jackson Town Council and says he would like to see a closer relationship between the two bodies.  Anderson says he is particularly interested in getting a better handle on the county’s finances in the face of the current economic times.

Today is Memorial Day – once known as Decoration Day for the wreaths and flags placed on the graves of those who gave their lives in service to their country.  Wyoming’s Senator Mike Enzi is encouraging Wyomingites to take a few moments today to honor those who gave their lives in the fight for freedom, and also for those who continue to serve and protect our nation.  Enzi says Memorial Day should be more than just a three-day weekend. In Enzi’s words, “It is a time of remembrance across this entire country where many activities will take place to honor and appreciate our veterans.”  Here in Teton County, American Legion Post Commander David Bentlage says there will be six venues where service men and women are to be honored through the morning – with the largest of those commemorations to be conducted on the town square at 10:00 am with comments from Mayor Mark Barron and the reading of proclamations from the congressional delegation.  The ceremony will conclude with a 21 gun salute and taps.  Bentlage says other observances will be held at 9:30 am at the American Legion Hall, 10:30 am at Aspen Hill Cemetery, 11:00 am at South Park Cemetery, 11:30 am at the Wilson Bridge and noon at Elliott Cemetery.  Wreaths will be laid at each location, except the Wilson Bridge where it will be dropped into the water in memory of those lost at sea.

Motorists on highway 22 near the intersection with the Moose/Wilson road have been running into some traffic challenges lately as people have been slowing or stopping to see a moose and her two babies not far from the road.  Mark Gocke of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department says the trio is very special, but they need to be left alone. Gocke warns that the moose are in a location where it is not safe to park and the land around the three is largely private.  Gocke says especially at this time when the moose population locally has not been faring all that well overall, quoting now, “it’s really fabulous seeking twins born out there.”

Jackson Police are asking the public’s help in apprehending an attacker who invaded the Presbyterian Church last week and attacked an employee of the church.  According to Lieutenant Bob Gilliam, the unknown assailant struck the victim with a blunt object and then fled.  The victim was not seriously injured in the attack and was treated at the scene.  Gilliam says anyone who might have information regarding the incident is asked to contact the police department, or may provide a tip to CrimeStoppers either online or at 733-5148.  CrimeStoppers pays rewards of up to $5000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for such criminal activity.  Those providing tips do not have to give their names.

Friday, 05-28-10

With the long holiday weekend comes the beginning of the summer tourist season in Jackson Hole.  Maureen Murphy of the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce says advanced reservations for the weekend are up significantly.   …and looking at even next weekend’s bookings, Murphy says it appears the valley should be in for a solid summer. Meanwhile, in Yellowstone National Park, Xanterra Resorts reported that reservations for the summer are up 12% over 2009 and several points from 2008 as well.

An “oops” at the Jackson Hole Airport during construction of its new baggage handling system has resulted in one of the contractors being fined $7500 for an inadvertent security breech.  According to Airport Manager Ray Bishop, one of the workers on the new system stepped into the secured area of the airport without the proper credentials.  The federal Transportation Security Administration levied the fine against the airport which the contractor subsequently reimbursed to the airport board. Bishop says he doesn’t anticipate a repeat of the incident since the baggage screening part of the construction is completed now.

All entrances and interior roads in Yellowstone National Park have opened in time for the long Memorial Day weekend.  Spokesman Al Nash adds that many seasonal visitor services are open as well and there will be no daytime delays or overnight closures due to construction on any of the park road projects during the next three days.  However, Nash says, traffic through the park will definitely be picking up.  Nash also points out that this time of year, wildlife will still be very much in evidence; and that means those people who don’t often see such animals may momentarily forget their best traffic safety behavior. Typically, the Bear Tooth Highway just northeast of the park opens on Memorial Day weekend, but with rain or snow in the forecast for the weekend, people need to remain flexible in their plans to travel that route or possibly some of the higher roads in the park.  Details and current conditions are available online or inquiring at entrance stations.

As school draws to a close for another year, certain students are being singled out for their outstanding performances.  The University of Wyoming announced that it has named eight local students for maintaining a 4.0 grade point average for the semester while being enrolled for a minimum of 12 credit hours taken for letter grades.  Those students include Lara Basye, Brendan Bryant, Mitchell Clark, Amanda Kinley, Erin Lane, Ali Maguire, Susannah Malarkey, and Stuart Smith.

With Wyoming’s summer season almost here, the Wyoming Department of Health is urging residents to take action to protect themselves from West Nile.  Health Department Epidemiologist Emily Thorp says Mosquitoes spread the virus by feeding on infected birds and then biting people, other birds and animals. Thorp says residents should wear shoes, socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when spending time outdoors or when mosquitoes are most active in the dawn and dusk hours, clothing should be light-colored and made of tightly woven materials to keep mosquitoes away from the skin, home-owners should reduce the amount of standing water by draining and/or removing it from ponds or standing puddles, and use an insect repellent containing DEET.  Thorp says Wyoming has seen human cases of WNV reported as early as May and as late as October with late summer and early fall as the typical peak times. 

Even though the summer season is just getting under way and most people aren’t even beginning to think of August yet, Teton County Fair books are out and can be picked up at various locations around the valley or at the Fair Office.  All night event and pre-sale carnival tickets go on sale June 1^st.

Thursday, 05-27-10

A variety of community and transportation dignitaries were on hand yesterday for the ribbon cutting for phase one of the Jackson Hole Airport Terminal Renovation project.  Airport Board President Andrea Riniker, who coordinated the speakers at the event, acknowledged that many in the community have noted that there have been several remodels in the recent life of the facility.  Riniker says the board really is trying to build for the future, but the needs of the airport have seen dramatic changes. Acting Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Bob Vogel pointed out that having a commercial airport within a national park presents some special challenges for all concerned. Finally, Airport Manager Ray Bishop announced that the new facility has achieved a silver LEED green building rating that recognizes projects that implement strategies for better environmental and health performance.   

Teton County has become a little more prepared for events such as earthquakes, wildfires, and floods through the graduation of 23 new Community Emergency Response Team volunteers.  A three week, 24 hour Community Emergency Response Team, or CERT, course culminated in a mock disaster drill and hands-on practical exercises last Saturday.  The 23 new CERT volunteers will now be available to assist local emergency services during disasters. Teton County Emergency Management and Jackson Hole Fire/EMS conducted the course, teaching the participants skills such as basic first aid, rapid medical triage, light urban search & rescue, disaster psychology, and more.  In addition, students became certified Weather Spotters through the National Weather Service.  To date, Teton County has trained over 150 people through the CERT program, and has a roster of over 100 current volunteers. 

The Wyoming Highway Patrol will be out on the state’s highways in force during the long Memorial Holiday.  WHP Lieutenant Tom Kelly says the Wyoming troopers will be joining with other Highway Patrols and State Police agencies nationwide for the annual campaign called “Operation C.A.R.E.”  Kelly says the campaign begins just after midnight Friday and continues through midnight Monday.  But Kelly says troopers are watching for more than just violations when they are out on the road. This weekend, the patrol will be using electronic reminders for holiday travelers including speed monitoring trailers to remind motorists what the posted speed limit is through construction zones and display their current speeds. 

Xanterra Resorts and American Railway Explorer have announced they will be combining to offer luxury train service in 2011 from California's Napa Valley to Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. The Denver-based American Railway Explorer is planning to bring back train travel on four different routes, including the eight-day Northwest Explorer excursion, which will use refurbished 1950’s-vintage luxury cars to travel between Napa and Jackson with stops at Crater Lake National Park, Glacier National Park and Helena. The end portion of the trip -- through Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park to Jackson -- will be done via motor coach. The luxury train experiences will feature four-, eight- and 11-day tours with accommodations on board the train. Most of the travel is to happen at night, allowing guests to disembark for day excursions. Those experiences will include accommodations, meals, entertainment, off-train transportation and interpretive guides. There is no word yet on the pricing for the trip.  Meanwhile, the Walt Disney Company’s “Adventures by Disney” is again this year offering twelve guided trips through Jackson Hole and Yellowstone throughout the summer.

Wyoming’s commitment to dominant energy and minerals sectors has it ranked among the top states in the country when it comes to growing jobs, according to a new study from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Chamber Foundation. The Enterprising States study highlights how state and local policies, including those in Wyoming, play a vital role in stimulating job creation and economic development.  The report specifically cites Wyoming’s “biggest success story” as its Business Ready Community Grant and Loan Program. Using its severance driven budget surplus, the funds have been used to upgrade infrastructure, community amenities, buildings, and other physical assets to support economic development around the state. The U.S. Chamber’s Enterprising States study was released as part of a national event where a group of bipartisan governors from around the country discussed the role of the free enterprise system in job creation. The study is part of the U.S. Chamber’s “American Free Enterprise—Dream Big” campaign,  which is a comprehensive nationwide effort to create 20 million jobs in the next 10 years.

Wednesday, 05-26-10

Unemployment in Teton County soared off the chart last month – posting the highest rate in 27 years.  David Bullard of the Wyoming Department of Employment says in April of 1983, Teton County saw a jobless rate of 13.5%.  Bullard says this April the jobless rate topped 12.3 percent which eclipses even the national jobless rate of 9.5%.  Meanwhile, the state’s unemployment on the whole continues to lessen with the latest statistics being released Tuesday by the state.  According to the latest report, Wyoming’s unemployment rate which had been 7.6% in January and has steadily decreased to 7.1% in April.  Over-the-month job losses were primarily seen in leisure & hospitality with a loss of 1,000 jobs, or 3.4% and government positions declining by 500 jobs.  The best counties in which to find jobs were once again Albany and Sublette Counties where only 4.7 percent of the work forces were idled.

A late season ice climb attempt on a waterfall below the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone has resulted in the deaths of two Montana men over the weekend.  The victims are identified as 28 year old Mark William Ehrich and 29 year old Michael Alan Kellch, both of Bozeman, Montana.  Park officials say the two reportedly had several years of ice and mountain climbing experience.   Rangers initiated the search Monday afternoon after hearing from friends of the pair that they had not returned from their climb.  Rescuers stationed on a North Rim viewpoint observed what appeared to be an immobile individual and climbing gear. Late Monday evening, a rescue team member was able to rappel into the canyon and found the two men deceased on a rock ledge about 300 feet below the canyon rim.  A helicopter and three climbing rangers from Grand Teton National Park joined a Yellowstone rescue team yesterday to recover the bodies. Rangers say it appears the men fell when an ice column collapsed during their ascent. Both victims have immediate family members who live in Wyoming. 

Today marks the opening of the 52-thousand square-foot addition to the Jackson Hole Airport terminal building which has been under construction for the last year.  However, Airport Manager Ray Bishop says there is still a lot of work to be done in the area of the building that the new addition replaces. Today’s ribbon cutting actually marks a partial dedication with a larger celebration anticipated when the remainder of the work is completed in December.

A Frontier Airlines flight from Anchorage, Alaska to Denver made an emergency landing in Jackson early Tuesday morning when a 25-year-old Anchorage man suffered a mid-flight cardiac arrest.  Jackson Police Lieutenant Bob Gilliam says the flight crew had notified the Teton County dispatch center of the man’s heart attack at 5:21 am and a local ambulance met the plane when it landed at 5:27 am, and took Turner to St. John’s Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.  According to Teton County Coroner Bob Campbell, Martin Turner, who was enroute to Omaha, was attended to by a retired EMT on board the plane, and as soon as the plane landed, Teton County Emergency Medical Service personnel boarded the plane and took over.  An autopsy has been scheduled to determine the cause of Turner’s cardiac arrest.

Teton County Search and Rescue at last has dirt flying at their future location just north of the “Y Junction” on Wyoming Highway 22.  Contractors broke ground for Search and Rescue’s new equipment storage facility, aircraft hanger and helipad. SAR director Tim Ciocarlan says the new storage space and adjacent helipad will allow rescuers to quickly respond to key locations including Teton Pass and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.  Ciocarlan says the building is also designed to accommodate an additional 2,500 square foot classroom and training facility which will be added in the future.  Meanwhile, Ciocarlan says construction of the facility should move along pretty quickly. Funding for the Search and Rescue Facility has been acquired through various grants and donations including grants from the Wyoming State Lands and Investment Board, Wyoming Department of Transportation Aviation, The Community Foundation of Jackson Hole, The Annenberg Foundation, and many individual donations from friends of Search and Rescue.  

Citing the need for property assessment relief for Teton County taxpayers, former Town of Jackson Planning Commission Chair and current Teton County Republican Vice Chair Lisa daCosta filed her paperwork yesterday to run for Teton County Assessor. daCosta says with more than twenty years experience in financial analysis and business consulting, her campaign will be about bringing property valuation assessments in Teton County in line with reality to provide tax relief to county taxpayers. 

Tuesday, 05-25-10

The late, cold spring weather has had the effect of keeping reservoirs in the Upper Snake River region abnormally high and stream flows abnormally low.  In a public meeting held in Jackson last week, Mike Beus of the Bureau of Reclamation’s Minidoka Project office told those in attendance releases are coming next month, but run-off is expected to promptly replenish the reservoirs. Beus says the release from Jackson Lake Dam will likely peak at 5,000 cubic feet per second by mid-June and then be scaled back for the remainder of the summer.  Further downstream, Beus says reservoirs have already been seeing releases. Beus says Jackson Lake Dam is scheduled for maintenance work this fall which will require a larger draw-down in order to lower the lake level by about 2½ feet.

While the cold, wet weather this month has been admittedly unpleasant, the Natural Resources Conservation Service reports that it has raised the moisture content in the local aquifers which have truly needed it.  According to Monday’s report, the Snake River Aquifer is now posting 75% of the 30-year average for snow/water equivalent while further north, the Upper Yellowstone/Madison basin is now up to 71% of normal.  Not far to the east, meanwhile, the Wind River basin, which includes Togwotee Pass, is boasting 168% of its average snow/water content.

The 28-day drive by “One Percent for The Tetons” is now half over and organizers are still optimistic about its potential outcome.  Executive Director Jonathan Schechter says about $65-thousand toward to goal of $300-thousand dollars has been raised, and considering that 60% of the donations to Old Bills Fun Run come in the final days of the annual campaign, he is looking for a similar final influx.  Altogether, there are 19 projects to be funded by the campaign.  1% for the Tetons funds efforts furthering the long-term sustainability of the Tetons region’s natural resources and related essential qualities. Member businesses donate one percent of their sales to 1% for the Tetons. The deadline for all donations is midnight on Saturday, June 5^th.

A commemoration last week slipped by pretty much unnoticed, but in this part of the country, deserves a second look.  The United States Senate had unanimously passed a resolution to honor the men and women who perform search and rescue missions throughout the US.  That resolution set aside the week of May 16th to May 22nd as National Search and Rescue week, acknowledging the role that these professionals and volunteers provide.  One of the premier search and rescue groups is located in Grand Teton National Park.  Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says their efforts require a great deal of personal commitment to keep up to date in the latest methods. In addition to looking after visitors to the park, Skaggs says the Search and Rescue team is involved with mutual aid efforts with the Teton County Search and Rescue Team, rescues in the Wind River Range, and similar efforts in other areas in the tri-state region.

Archeologists from Utah State University have been inventorying Euroamerican and American Indian archaeological sites  on the National Elk Refuge, in part as preparation for the irrigation project now getting under way there.  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded the university a $28,000 contract to conduct the inventory on the refuge, with money coming from the federal stimulus package.   As the project continues this summer, Utah State archaeologist Molly Boeka Cannon will direct the efforts which cover more than 1,000 acres of land where there had been little previous archaeological research.  Not only does The project involve the financial and administrative support of two federal agencies, but the local historical society, the local chapter of the state archaeological society, private individuals and companies, and an international conservation organization, plus thousands of volunteer hours as well.  Work on the project will continue through the summer.

Monday, 05-24-10

With the summer season kicking off next weekend with the long Memorial Day holiday weekend, industry leaders are watching to see how hard the travel bug bites the public.  AAA Auto Club is predicting the number of Americans traveling on vacation this Memorial Day holiday weekend will increase nearly 5½ percent from 2009 with approximately 32.1-million travelers taking a trip away from home. AAA travel agents are reporting double-digit increases in the percentage of travelers making advanced bookings and AAA’s many travel industry partners have reported improved business conditions this spring as well. Trips by auto are expected to increase in popularity with 87 percent – or 28- million people reaching their destination by driving. This is an increase of 5.8 % from last Memorial Day when 26.4 million travelers went by motor vehicle. At the same time, AAA does not expect the price of gasoline to average more than $3.00 per gallon for the long weekend. AAA says the strongest travel trends will be seen in the Mountain states.

Gasoline prices nationally are beginning to fall, but the average is more sluggish to respond in Wyoming.  According to AAA Auto Club’s Fuel Gauge Report, the state average for a gallon of regular is currently $2.88 – six cents higher than the national average.   Here in Teton County, the average price is reportedly a penny above the state average.  Meanwhile, the average price for gasoline in Teton Valley, Idaho is $3.04 per gallon.  Predictions continue that gasoline prices will continue to drop nationally for the summer season ahead.

113 bidders from 22 states braved snow showers and chilly winds to participate in the 43^rd annual Jackson District Boy Scout Antler Auction.  Because of the mild winter, only about half of the traditional winter herd on the National Elk Refuge shed their antlers on refuge land, leaving the sale with only 5564 pounds to auction off.  That, says organizer Cliff Kirkpatrick, meant less money for the project. Altogether, the auction yielded slightly more than $46-thousand dollars for habitat enhancement on the refuge – that’s about half of last year’s total.  Among the highlights of the sale were one matched pair that sold for a total of $1863.00 and a single buyer who made a total of $7135.00 in purchases at the sale.

Jackson police are looking for help from someone in the public who may have witnessed a hit and run collision on Wednesday, May 19^th. The incident occurred just south of the 5 way intersection on Flat Creek Drive between 4:30 and 4:45 pm.  A bicyclist was struck by a red SUV, possibly a Toyota 4runner, while traveling southbound on Flat Creek Drive.  The bicyclist reported being struck in the middle of the back and being thrown over the handlebars of his bicycle.  The cyclist suffered minor injuries as a result of the collision.  Anyone with any information about this collision is asked to contact CrimeStoppers at 733-5148 to report what they witnessed.  Jackson Hole CrimeStoppers pays rewards of up to $5,000.00 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for this and other crimes.  Tips may be left anonymously.

They did it again for a third time in a row.  After 100 minutes of soccer play, the Jackson girls have their third straight 3A State Girls Soccer title.   The match was scoreless at the half, and still without a score at the end of regulation play, and again at the end of overtime.  Then came the shootouts, and Jackson was able to cinch their state title again with a final score of 1-0 over Buffalo.

The Jackson Hole Giants American Legion baseball team played a double-header this weekend against the Lovell Mustangs here in Jackson.  In a heart-stopper first game, the Giants snatched a 10-9 victory in the final innings and went on to attempt playing the second game.  However, that game was called after just shy of three innings because of snow.  Because it was a scheduled conference game, it will have to be made up as part of Jackson's road trip to Lovell, Cody and Powell in mid-July.  The Giants next game is against the Cody Cubs in Jackson Wednesday, June 2nd, for another conference double-header beginning at 4 p.m. at Giants Field. 

Friday, 05-21-10

This weekend the community of Jackson celebrates an event now known as ElkFest. It’s a weekend of activities built around the 43rd annual world famous Jackson Hole Boy Scout Elk Antler Auction and celebrates nature, scouting skills, hunting and ecological education and awareness. Every spring, thousands of elk wintering on the National Elk Refuge lose their antlers before they migrate to their summer range, and the Boy Scouts assist the Refuge with harvesting the shed antlers and auction them to bidders from around the world who make furniture, wall decorations, jewelry and food products from them. This annual event, which includes a Chili Cook-Off, live musical performances, and the kick-off of a Mountain Man Rendezvous, supports the interpretation programs and winter range enhancement on the National Elk Refuge with 80% of auction proceeds going back to the Refuge.

The investigation continues today into what happened in a single-vehicle accident mid-day Wednesday in Hoback Canyon.  Wyoming Highway Patrol Sergeant Stephen Townsend says it is unsure whether a 53-year-old Star Valley man died as the results of his injuries or whether it was the result of a medical condition.  Audie Martin was northbound when his pick-up truck left the northbound lane and crashed through a guardrail and into a tree on the southbound side of the road.  It is hoped forensic tests will provide better indication of what happened.

Some in the Democratic Party have been blaming Governor Dave Freudenthal for the party’s lack of candidates for some key races, including the gubernatorial race.  Freudenthal told reporters this week, while he supports his political party; it is not his job to rally the party prior to the election. So far, three candidates have filed to run on the Democratic ticket for governor.  They include Perennial Candidate Al Hamburg, Cheyenne Cabinet Maker Rex Wilde, and Former Cheyenne Psychiatrist, Chris Zachary.

Teton County has two new ursine residents this week after relocations

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has trapped a sub-adult male grizzly bear near Cody, Wyoming on Tuesday and relocated it to the Sheffield Creek drainage on Bridger Teton National Forest, approximately 22 miles northwest of Moran. Game and Fish officials say the bear was captured because it had killed a calf on private land at a Park County ranch.  Game and Fish also trapped a sub-adult female grizzly bear that had been frequenting the Park County landfill near Clark, Wyoming Wednesday. That bear was relocated to the Falls River drainage approximately 17 miles west of the south entrance to Yellowstone National Park.  Both release sites are located within currently occupied grizzly bear habitat and the Grizzly Bear Recovery Zone.

Wyoming’s Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis is sponsoring legislation that seeks to halt growth in government and produce a smaller, leaner federal work force. Lummis joined Texas Republican Representative Sam Johnson in introducing the measure Thursday.  The bill seeks to freeze all non-national security hiring, make agencies compete for new hires and reduce the size of government through attrition. Lummis explains that unchecked growth in government is not the answer to getting the country's economy going again. Lummis says the government needs to better mirror what is happening economically in the private sector for the nation’s welfare. Lummis says big government will only impede small businesses and entrepreneurs that are the true engine of the U.S. economy if it is allowed to continue to grow in size and power.

Thursday, 05-20-10

With visitation in Jackson Hole beginning to pick up already, the question on the minds of many is what the summer tourism season will hold for local business. One business leader says that while recovery from the past 18 months of recession has been slow, that may not be altogether bad for the travel and lodging industry.  Xanterra Resorts Marketing Manger Rick Hoeninghausen in Yellowstone National Park says over the years, reservationists there have found by a strange twist, a bad economy can be good for business since travelers then shift from more exotic vacations to domestic vacations.  Hoeninghausen says reservations in Yellowstone are well ahead of last year and slightly ahead of 2008.  In Jackson, Chamber Tourism Manager Heather Falk says advance lodging reservations are 12½ % ahead of last year and activities reservations are running strong as well.  Falk also notes that many contacting the Chamber about travel here reference having seen the Ken Burns documentary about Grand Teton National Park.

With 18 days to go in the 1% For The Tetons Campaign, organizers of the drive say there’s still 78% of the funds to be raised to meet the campaign’s goals.  Altogether, there are 19 projects to be funded by the campaign.  1% for the Tetons funds efforts furthering the long-term sustainability of the Tetons region’s extraordinary natural resources and related essential qualities. Member businesses donate one percent of their sales to 1% for the Tetons. As of now, organizers say only $65,000 of the needed $300,000 for key local projects has been raised.  The deadline for all donations is midnight on Saturday, June 5^th.

David Cernicek, of the Jackson Ranger District of Bridger-Teton National Forest, was recognized with the prestigious River Manager of the Year award from the River Management Society. Cernicek is the Natural Resource Specialist and River Manager for the Bridger-Teton's popular Snake River Canyon, and a myriad of Wild and Scenic eligible and designated streams and rivers across the Forest.  Cernicek joins only two other Forest Service employees who have enjoyed this honor over the past decade. The highly coveted award is from the only professional society for river managers.  Each year, one RMS member is recognized for making a significant contribution to the art and science of river management. The Snake River is considered the busiest commercially run river in the United States.

For generations, the Roosevelt Arch at the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park has been equated with those entering the nation’s first park for a visit.  Now, the Park Service is considering ways to improve that entrance while preserving its history.  Park Spokesman Al Nash says the scoping process is being launched in advance of an environmental assessment to be prepared in coming months. Nash says all of this needs to be done without disrupting the area’s historic integrity.  Park officials are inviting any interested individual, organization, or agency to provide thoughtful, relevant information or suggestions for consideration by the National Park Service before the environmental assessment is prepared and made available for public review and comment.  In addition, the park plans an open house on Tuesday, June 8^th, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Yellowstone Association building in Gardiner, Montana.

The National Elk Refuge has announced Double Diamond Outfitters from Afton, Wyoming and Trefren Outfitters from Thayne, Wyoming have been selected to provide hunting guide services on the Refuge for the next five consecutive hunting seasons. The National Elk Refuge solicited applications for the business opportunity on April 12^th, with proposals due by May 5^th. A review team of agency partners analyzed the applications based on specified criteria, including experience and a status of good standing with the Wyoming Board of Outfitters and Professional Guides.  The outfitters begin their services in September.

Wednesday, 05-19-10

Bridger Teton National Forest Supervisor Kniffy Hamilton has announced her retirement after 30-years of government service and nearly 11 years overseeing the second largest national forest in the US. As Supervisor, Hamilton has been responsible for the 3.4 million acres of Forest land and 1.2 million acres of congressionally designated Wilderness in the Bridger, Gros Ventre and Teton Wildernesses. Under Hamilton’s leadership, the Bridger-Teton has evolved in effort to remain true to the multiple-use mission of the Forest Service.  To that end, Hamilton began the process in 2005 of revising the Bridger-Teton Forest Plan, which is the guiding document that the land managers use in making management decisions throughout the Forest’s resources. Hamilton has also served as the Chair of the Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee and represents the Bridger-Teton on the Yellowstone Ecosystem Subgroup of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee. Hamilton’s retirement becomes effective June fourth at which time Regional Forester Harv Forsgren will begin the process of selecting a successor for Hamilton.  Hamilton says with retirement, she will at last be able to enjoy the forest that attracted her here.

Even as the Wyoming Department of Education has declared it will go back to pencil-and-paper administration of the standardized test due to problems with the computerized testing, some believe some other more basic changes need to be made to the testing.  One of those people is US Congresswoman Cynthia Lummis. Lummis admits that schools and teachers need to be held accountable for providing quality education, but she says the pendulum has swung too far and the states themselves need to be allowed to assess the classrooms and the teachers and students in them in such a way that makes sense for each state.

Grand Teton National Park is recruiting for volunteers interested in serving as ambassadors for the multi-use pathway that extends from Dornan’s in the Moose area to South Jenny Lake. Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says the volunteer ambassadors will patrol the eight-mile-long paved pathway on foot, bicycle or roller blades to meet and greet other pathway users. Official ambassadors will wear a National Park Service jersey, vest, or other recognizable and authorized clothing. For anyone interested in joining the Grand Teton pathway ambassador program, an orientation and mandatory training session is scheduled for Thursday, June 3^rd, at 9:00 am.

Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone National Park is scheduled to open for the season at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, May 21.  This pass is part of the road segment that connects Tower/Roosevelt and Canyon.  Rising to almost 8,900 feet, it is the highest elevation road inside the park.  On clear days, views from Dunraven Pass and Mount Washburn are expansive. With the opening of Dunraven Pass on May 21, all park entrances and interior roads will be open for the season. 

Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis was honored yesterday by the National Audubon Society for her contributions to conservation.  Lewis received the 2010 Rachel Carson Award at a ceremony held as part of Audubon’s annual Women in Conservation Luncheon, held at The Plaza Hotel in New York City.  She is the first National Park Service employee to receive the award.  Audubon has been recognizing outstanding women in conservation with the Rachel Carson Award since 2004.

Tuesday, 05-18-10

It’s back to the old methods for the administration of standardized tests in Wyoming Schools.  State Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tim McBride Monday told reporters that the state had decided to abandon the online components of the PAWS tests and return to the traditional scan sheets on the multiple choice questions. McBride says by returning to pencil and paper responses, the testing period can be shortened to a three-week window allowing schools to complete the testing within a week, it will free up computer labs for other student users, and it will reduce the cost to the state. Teton County School Superintendent Pam Shea says she is concerned how the new 3-week window will relate to the calendar already set for next year.  Shea says the technology problems experienced statewide were not as significant here as elsewhere, but there are areas of concern that need work in the test itself.

Five Eastern Idaho teenagers were seriously hurt in a roll-over accident late Friday night just outside of Tetonia, Idaho – four of them remain in critical condition at Eastern Idaho Medical Center in Idaho Falls. The teenagers received multiple injuries when their car rolled over on Highway 33 just outside Tetonia.  Authorities report that none of the teens were wearing their seat belts. Police are still investigating the crash but say it did not appear that alcohol, drugs, speed or weather caused the crash.

Travel for vacationers from outside the US to American destinations has been a bargain over the past several years, but that is beginning to change.  In the past six months alone, the euro has dropped nearly 17% against the dollar, making travel now not as great a bargain for visitors to travel here.  Still, says Yellowstone’s Xanterra Resorts Marketing Manager Rick Hoeninghausen, visitors from Europe, and the Pacific Rim for that matter, continue to find travel here a value. Meanwhile, Hoeninghausen says domestic travel to the park remains very strong, and has since 1991. Hoeninghausen says declining gasoline prices predicted for this summer will likely make people feel more comfortable about making their drives through the Yellowstone area and leave them with more discretionary resources.  Currently he says, reservations are up about 12% over last year and a few percentage points ahead of 2008 as well.

Local residents and community leaders are being invited to participate next week in the Wyoming Transportation Department’s discussions of this year’s State Transportation Improvement Program.  Spokesperson Theresa Herbin says the program is a prioritized construction plan by which the department designs, schedules and prioritizes road construction projects over the next six years, and so the department would like the local take on those proposed projects. That meeting begins at 1:30 pm May 27^th at the WYDOT building south of Jackson.  Meanwhile, Herbin says crews will be conducting bridge inspections, including inspection of the Snake River Bridge on Highway 22 east of Wilson today through Thursday which will require some brief traffic control there during the process.

Local residents and community leaders are being invited to participate next week in the Wyoming Transportation Department’s discussions of this year’s State Transportation Improvement Program.  Spokesperson Theresa Herbin says the program is a prioritized construction plan by which the department designs, schedules and prioritizes road construction projects over the next six years, and so the department would like the local take on those proposed projects. That meeting begins at 1:30 pm May 27^th at the WYDOT building south of Jackson.  Meanwhile, Herbin says crews will be conducting bridge inspections, including inspection of the Snake River Bridge on Highway 22 east of Wilson today through Thursday which will require some brief traffic control there during the process.

Journeys School faculty members Ethan Lobdell and Kate Schelbe have been awarded a fully-funded fellowship to the 2010 Summer Institute for Early Career Teachers offered by the Klingenstein Center for Independent School Leadership, Teachers College, Columbia University. This distinguished award is granted to only 75 teachers annually. The fellowship provides full tuition for four graduate credits as well as room and board.  The two will travel to Lawrenceville, New Jersey  for two weeks in late June, to participate in a variety of workshops, seminars, and collaborative exercises, guided by prominent education experts, Teachers College professors, and master teachers.

Monday, 05-17-10

Eight months before the event – even before other races have begun to fill – the  field of contestants for the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race has filed with racers including the likes of the winner of the last four Iditarod Sled Dog Races, Lance Mackey and Yukon Quest multiple champion Hans Gatt.  Along with Iditarod Veteran Ryan Redington, they will be skipping the Yukon Quest to come to the Jackson event – which Teasley believed says a lot for the race. Furthermore, Teasly says there has never been a race where you’ve had the world’s number one sprint driver, number one mid-distance driver, and number one long-distance driver all competing together.  Part of the appeal is the format of the race which requires breaks each night with events in each town along the way – what Teasley calls kind of like the Tour de France of dog mushing.  It also makes the race very visible for the general public. Teasley says with the race slate filled this early, he is considering possibly expanding the field this year.

Representative Cynthia Lummis’ bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to designate national forests or portions of national forests in western States as locations for demonstration projects to prevent or mitigate the effect of pine beetle infestations and conduct forest restoration activities is gradually making progress.  One concern is how to fund such projects which, Lummis admits that considering the costs mounting from other disasters like flooding in Tennessee and the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico, may be hard to sell. However, Lummis says by partnering with states and private industries, the project could be more sustainable.  Some of that could be derived by the sale of timber in infected areas of the forests to logging companies. Lummis, who solely introduced the bill late last month, says the bill has gathered some co-sponsors now – particularly following the hearing that was held earlier this month in Cheyenne.

The Jackson Hole Airport Board has issued an invitation to the public to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 26^th as the community celebrate4s the completion of phase one of the Airport Terminal Expansion Project.  Airport Manager Ray Bishop says that project has expanded the terminal to a much-needed 52-thousand square foot facility. Furthermore, Bishop says the new renovations provide cutting-edge technology to provide faster service to the traveling public. Phase 2 of the renovation still under way includes remodeling some of the back rooms and old ticketing areas.  The ribbon cutting for the terminal itself begins at 8:00 am and will include such dignitaries as the town council and mayor, the county commission, and several state officials.

Acting Intermountain Region Director Mary Gibson Scott has announced that John Wessels, associate regional director for Business and Technology at the National Park Service Intermountain Region, will serve as interim superintendent at Grand Teton National Park for the next two months.  Wessels begins his temporary assignment today and lead the park through mid July when Gibson Scott returns from her temporary post at the regional office in Denver, Colorado.  Meanwhile, Deputy Superintendent Bob Vogel who had been serving as Grand Teton’s superintendent for the past two months will resume his normal duties.

Applications are due by 5:00 pm May 28 for young people interested in a summer youth camp hosted by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department August 1-6 where teenagers can enjoy a week of shooting sports, fishing, canoeing, hiking, and rappelling and will take part in campfire and conservation education programs. The camp is available to youth age 14-17 and is held at the Whiskey Mountain Wildlife Conservation Camp located near Trail Lake, ten miles southeast of Dubois.  The camp is free for students who live in Wyoming and are recommended by a teacher or youth leader. Most equipment is provided. Each camper is required to provide personal gear, including sleeping bag, hiking boots, rain gear, and cool-weather clothing.  According to Dawson, the camp application process is very competitive and the forty openings fill fast.

Friday, 05-14-10

Teton County has announced that William (Willy) Watsabaugh has been selected as the new Chief for Jackson Hole Fire/EMS.  Watsabaugh says especially considering the competition for the position, he is very honored to have been chosen. Watsabaugh has served the Jackson Hole Fire and Emergency Medical Department for the past 33 years, in various roles including Interim Chief; Deputy Chief; Training Officer; Volunteer Chief; Captain; Lieutenant and Volunteer Firefighter.  Professional activities and affiliations include the Wyoming Fire Chief’s Association; Wyoming Firemen’s Association; and Wyoming Firefighters Certification Committee. 

Each year, high school students world-wide celebrate and honor those among them who will be graduating and no longer being together – in some cases since Kindergarten.  Here in the United States as in Canada, the event is called the “Prom,” short for promenade, and it is typically held about this time of year. Perhaps more appropriately, the British synonym for the North American event would be the “Leavers' Ball,” the “Leavers' Dinner,” or informally, the “Leavers' Do” as it also seeks to honor those who will be moving on.  Here in Jackson, the traditional rite of passage is being held Saturday night at the Shooting Star Ranch Club in Teton Village.  Those in the community may encounter the young people, dressed “to the nines” in formal attire, gathering for dinner with their dates at any number of the community’s eateries, and parents may gather at the high school at 6:00 pm for the formal promenade and photos prior to the event.  However, the young people and their chaperones will leave the parents behind and travel to their closed event which is slated to run from nine until midnight.

Predictions today that gasoline prices could actually fall in time for the summer travel season provide optimism for Wyoming travel interests.  AAA Auto Club foresees falling gasoline prices this summer, laying to rest fears of prices of $3.00 or more per gallon at the pumps.  Ben Brockwell of the Oil Price Information Service agrees.  That, he says, could be a national average of $2.80 per gallon or less.  In fact, AAA predicts prices 10 cents a gallon lower by the end of next week. All of this is good news for Travel Commission Director Dianne Shober who says the public wants to be able to take their vacations. Statewide, Wyoming realizes about $3-billion annually from its tourism industry.

The countdown clock is ticking and 1% For The Tetons is already down to only 24 days left to raise $300,000 to fund 19 of this year's projects it seeks to support. So Far, says organization chairman Jonathan Schechter, the campaign has raised over $57,000.  Among this years projects are Grand Teton National Park Foundation’s “Restoring Whitebark Pine,” Teton Raptor Center’s "Port-O-Potty Owl Project," and Conservation Research Center of Teton Science Schools’ "American Pika Distribution."  Altogether, there are 19 projects to be funded by the campaign.  1% for the Tetons funds efforts furthering the long-term sustainability of the Tetons region’s extraordinary natural resources and related essential qualities. Member businesses donate one percent of their sales to 1% for the Tetons. These donations are aggregated and granted to fund projects supporting the long-term sustainability of the Tetons region.

Weather permitting, Teton interagency fire personnel and Grand Teton National Park natural resource managers have announced plans to burn a 310-acre area Saturday.  This unit is part of a 4,000-acre native rangeland restoration project along Grand Teton’s east boundary with the Bridger-Teton National Forest. This project involves a multistage effort to convert pasture land back to native vegetation as part of the 2007 Bison and Elk Management Plan for the National Elk Refuge and Grand Teton National Park. Smoke will be evident during the day of the burn and officials say it may persist for several days after, especially in mountain valleys during early morning and evening hours.

Thursday, 05-13-10

The water supply picture in northwestern Wyoming has been improving thanks to the spring storms parading through the region, but it is still nowhere near normal.  According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, snow-water estimates in the Upper Snake River Basin place the total at 74% of average and 1% higher in the Upper Yellowstone-Madison Basin.  Slightly to the East, the Wind River Basin enjoys a 127% average now.  At this time, the area’s reservoirs collectively are at 91% of their capacities, thanks largely to carry-over from last year.

As Wyoming Flood Awareness week continues, the public is being urged more than anything to know how to react to a flood warning.  Chief Meteorologist In Charge at the Riverton office of the National Weather Service, Kevin Lynott says it starts with listening for warnings through the local media. Should a warning be issued, Lynott says people need to climb to higher ground, stay away from the low-lying areas of rivers and creeks, and stay clear of poor drainage areas or the bases of mountains or cliffs where water can run rapidly and build up a powerful force.

The South Entrance to Yellowstone National Park, and the road segments from

there to Lake and Old Faithful, open for the season tomorrow at 8:00 am. Park Spokesman Al Nash says that means the only road in the park that remains closed is Dunraven Pass, between Tower and Canyon. That road is to open next week.  Nash reminds park visitors that due to construction through the Gibbon Canyon between Norris and Madison, motorists can expect up to 30-minute delays this summer.   That section of road will also be closed to travel between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 am nightly.  For those taking advantage of the initial opening of park roads, Nash cautions that limited visitor services are available at this time of year, but some facilities are open at most locations.  At the same time, weather conditions can run the gamut and bring slippery road conditions and even temporary road closures.  Park visitors can find current information about facility opening dates, and road conditions online or by calling 307-344-2117.

Yellowstone National Park is considered one of the crown jewels of the National Park System, and in Wyoming, it draws visitors winter and summer to see the wildlife and geothermal features.  Xanterra Resorts Director of Sales and Marketing Rick Hoeninghausen says he is optimistic about the upcoming summer season. While the success of Yellowstone to draw visitors any given season impacts its gateway communities, Hoeninghausen says it is well known that it effects the regional economy as well.  Among the highlights this summer at Yellowstone will be the dedication of the new Old Faithful Visitor Center and interpretive displays contained inside.

With all the discussions beginning to take place regarding what happened on that oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico and whose fault is the failure of measures to stop the flow, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso fears the focus is being taken off of the most important task at hand – averting a greater disaster. Barrasso says he takes his perspective from his home state which, while it has no coastline, is a major energy-producing area with a strong consciousness for treasured landscapes and wildlife protection.  Barrasso made his comments as a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee which has been meeting with oil executives about the ongoing disaster.

Wednesday, 05-12-10

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is beginning to involve people from federal agencies across the nation, including those here in northwestern Wyoming.  The National Park Service, which manages Gulf Islands National Seashore, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Everglades National Park, Padre Island National Seashore, and other parks along the Gulf Coast, has activated two incident management teams in the Gulf while many other park service employees across the country – including employees from Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks -- are supporting the response with technical information and assistance.  The Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages 24 national wildlife refuges that could potentially be affected by the spill, has also dispatched additional help from refuges across the nation although no-one from the National Elk Refuge here has been sent as yet.  Still, additional personnel have been put on notice that as the disaster grows; more people may be called out to help.

In some unfinished business from yesterday, yes that was a micro-earthquake residents felt about shortly after midnight Tuesday morning.  According to the US Geological Survey Office in Golden, Colorado, a shaker measuring 1.8 on the Richter scale rattled the area at 12:30 am.  The tremor was centered roughly under Snow King Mountain, one mile due south of the Town of Jackson and two miles north-northeast of Rafter J.  About a dozen and a half people reported having felt the shake.

Relief may be available for those in Teton County paying their property taxes.  Qualifying taxpayers may reduce their property tax liability if the applicant has been a resident of this state for not less than five years, and their gross income does not exceed one-half of the median gross household income for the applicants’ county of residence or the state, as determined annually by the economic analysis division of the department of administration and information. For information and participation in this program, residents are encouraged to contact the County Treasurer or Wyoming Department of Revenue and apply. Applications must be filed by the June 7^th.

Those commuting from Teton Valley, Idaho to and from work in Jackson Hole may find themselves with connectivity for the trip thanks to a new program being piloted by START bus. Riders commuting over Teton Pass can now enjoy free Wi-Fi on one of the busses, thanks to a piece of equipment called LinxComm that is being piloted in a partnership between START and the newly formed regional transportation cooperative Linx.  START Marketing Coordinator Janice Sowder says the pilot program was ushered into existence through the efforts of the Yellowstone Business Partnership and will provide a variety of conveniences. The project came out of a feasibility study funded by a stimulus grant from the Idaho Department of Transportation to establish Linx.  Currently, the LinxComm unit is being tested on the START’s MCI Coach that leaves Driggs in the morning at 6:35am and returns from Jackson at 5:10pm.  Sowder says through the use of the connectivity, riders may now catch up on their emails, conduct business from their laptops, catch up on the day’s news or watch movies during their commutes.

A group of conservation organizations have announced that they appealing a recent Washington, D.C. court ruling that allows artificial feeding of elk and bison on the National Elk Refuge. The groups say they want the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to follow its own scientists’ advice by creating a plan to protect the health of wildlife and habitat by phasing out artificial feeding. Lloyd Dorsey of Greater Yellowstone Coalition says his organization originally brought this case to prevent Chronic Wasting Disease effecting the Refuge elk population that is densely clustered on feedlines.  The organizations appealing the recent ruling are: Greater Yellowstone Coalition, Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance, Defenders of Wildlife, Wyoming Outdoor Council and the National Wildlife Refuge Association. Earthjustice is representing the groups.

Tuesday, 05-11-10

Despite having only about 75% of the flights seen last year in and out of Jackson Hole Airport last month, passenger traffic posted a marked increase through April.  According to the monthly report to the Airport Board, those catching flights out of the valley numbered 20% more passengers than April of 2009 and 7% more than in 2008.  Those arriving saw no statistically significant increase from last April but did increase by 4% over April of 2008.  That means year-to-date, travel in and out of the airport by over 2% from the same period one year ago.  Those statistics still lag behind 2008 by nearly 10%.  Most of the decline in flights serving the valley are due to the discontinuance of service here by Mesa Airlines after last November.

Yellowstone National Park has begun to develop a long-range plan to respond to changing visitor and resource needs and conditions in the Old Faithful area. Spokesman Al Nash says the objective of the plan is to identify ways to enhance the visitor experience and accommodate park operational needs, while protecting the wealth of resources in the area.  Nash says Yellowstone is taking the approach of  developing comprehensive plans for its individual developed areas, rather than an over-all, park-wide plan. Nash says the public is being asked to participate early in the planning process. To that end, open house meetings regarding the process will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 pm on Monday, May 17^th, at Old Faithful, Tuesday, May 18^th, in Gardiner, Montana, and Wednesday, May 19^th, in West Yellowstone.  In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Yellowstone National Park will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) for the Old Faithful area over the next 16 months. 

One man has been arrested and a second hospitalized following a bar fight after midnight Friday night at a downtown establishment.  Police Investigator Michelle Webber says 55-year-old Michael Kimes suffered lacerations to his face when 29-year-old Nathan Flambouras allegedly smashed his glass of beer in Kimes’ face following an argument at the bar.  Flambouras now faces charges of felony aggravated assault and battery in connection with the incident.  Meanwhile, the case remains under investigation.

May 10^th through 14^th is being observed in Wyoming as Flood Awareness Week.  The National Weather Service and emergency officials are encouraging people to become more alert to the dangers of flooding even during times of drought. …and even though Teton County is a mountainous community, Kevin Lynott, Meteorologist in Charge at the Riverton office of the National Weather Service, says flood safety should be a concern to its residents.  Lynott says in addition to snowmelt from the mountains potentially filling streams and rivers to overflowing, there is the summertime potential for flash flooding. Flash flooding is typically the result of intense thunderstorms, and even during drought years, Lynott says an intense thunderstorm can quickly inundate a drainage basin of a small stream or river, causing flash flooding in a matter of an hour, or even minutes.  Lynott says the correct response to a warning of an immanent flash flood is to climb to safety immediately.  Never try to outrun it.

Secretary of State, Max Maxfield, has issued a reminder to potential candidates that the filing period for federal, state, county and municipal offices nominated at the primary election is just around the corner.  By statute, candidates must have their original application and filing fee filed by the close of the business day May 28^th in the Secretary of State’s office, or locally at the county clerk’s or municipal clerk’s office, depending on the office sought. For the first time, candidates running for a state office may file their Application for Nomination and pay the required filing fee online during the filing period.

Monday, 05-10-10

District Court Judge Tim Day will be the new Ninth District Court Judge replacing retiring Judge Nancy Guthrie.  Governor Dave Freudenthal made the announcement Friday afternoon saying he is confident the Day will make a great jurist in that position.  Day has been a long time resident of Jackson Hole and most recently has served as Circuit Court Judge for the past seven years.  Meanwhile, Freudenthal announced that retiring Ninth District Court Judge Nancy Guthrie will succeed Kelly Rankin as the governor’s legal counsel.  That position encompasses: constituent interaction, the review and approval of rules for state agencies and boards, direct interaction with the tribes of the Wind River Indian Reservation and the provision of legal advice to the state’s top elected official.  Guthrie, who announced her retirement last month, will take up the post July 6^th.  Rankin, formerly of Jackson, joined the staff in January and now returns to the U.S. Attorney’s office to head its criminal division.

It should come as no surprise that payrolls across the state fell during the third quarter of last year as a result of the recession.  According to the state Department of Employment, 2009’s third quarter total unemployment insurance covered payroll decreased by $255- million compared with third quarter 2008. That decline was led by a loss of jobs in the mining industry. In that same third quarter, Teton County lost 1,825 jobs and its total payroll fell by $28.9 million. Construction posted the largest job losses here followed by accommodation & food services and retail trade. Meanwhile, employment increased slightly in local government -- including public schools.

Democratic Party officials say they hope to hear about more Democratic gubernatorial candidates during their state convention May 15^th. Paul Hickey, an attorney and the runner-up to Freudenthal in the 2002 Democratic Primary, and Larry Clapp, also an attorney and former Mayor of Casper, had stated their interests in running for Governor but Rex Wilde of Cheyenne so far is the only candidate who has declared intentions to run as a Democrat.  Retiring Governor Dave Freudenthal says admittedly, there are fewer Democrats than Republicans in the state, but why those who do call themselves Democrats haven’t stepped up to run is a mystery.  Meanwhile, Freudenthal says he still comfortable with his decision not to seek re-election.  Freudenthal will hand the reins over to the state’s new governor who will serve a four-year term beginning in January of 2011.

The annual Governor’s Awards for impaired driving prevention have been announced and were made in a formal ceremony Wednesday night to Wyoming citizens, groups and law enforcement officers for their extraordinary efforts in the state.  Among them is the House Judiciary Committee chaired by Teton County Representative Keith Gingery.  The committee sponsored new DUI legislation which was ultimately passed in this year’s legislative session.  There are two categories of awards: Citizen Awards go to those people or organizations that have made an outstanding difference in their communities; DUI Enforcement Awards go to the top 100 peace officers in the state for the most DUI arrests. 

United Steelworkers Union leaders in Wyoming have sent U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar a strong message of support for his reforms to oil and gas policy on public lands.  In a letter faxed to the Interior Department in April, the Wyoming AFL-CIO wrote that the Wyoming State AFL-CIO and its membership, quoting now, “believe that oil and gas development is necessary in Wyoming for our nation's energy independence.”  The letter adds that the group also believes in balance. Again, in the words of the letter; “The new common-sense guidelines for the Bureau of Land Management's leasing activities on public lands are the only way to fully protect our air, water and wildlife for years to come…”  The union says it applauds the BLM efforts to balance energy development on public lands-essential to the state’s quality of life and economic future. Wyoming State AFL-CIO Executive Secretary Kim Floyd says that sportsmen like the union membership want common-sense policies on Wyoming's public lands that sustain wildlife and preserve the state’s hunting and fishing heritage. Said Floyd, "We need to bring law and order to oil and gas leasing."

Friday, 05-07-10

Recreational visitation to Yellowstone National Park last month showed a marked increase over the same month a year ago.  According to the National Park Service’s monthly report, 32,763 people visited the park for recreational activities in April compared with 24,831 in 2009 for an increase of 31.9%.  That means year to date, visitation to Yellowstone has increased by nearly 14% from the same period last year.  Meanwhile, Grand Teton National Park was down 1.3% from April of 2009 and is showing a year to date decline of 1.1%.

A second man charged in the Ben Bradley murder case in Sweetwater County four years ago, was returned to Rock Springs yesterday after waiving extradition from Amador County, California. 38-year-old Tommy Joe Bowman was served with the charges at the Amador County Jail in Jackson, California where he was in custody on unrelated local charges.  Bond has been set at $150,000, cash or surety.  41-year-old Eric Conn, also a former Rock Springs resident, remains in custody, charged with Murder in the First Degree, Accessory to Murder in the First Degree, and Accessory After the Fact in Bradley’s death.  Bradley had disappeared on June 2, 2006, while hitchhiking from Tabernash, Colorado, to Jackson, Wyoming. His body was found on October 1st, 2006 near the base of a landmark called Boar’s Tusk, north of Rock Springs.  An autopsy confirmed the cause of death to be multiple stab wounds to the chest. A skull fracture was also noted above the left ear.

Wolf reintroduction in Wyoming has run into a new glitch –tapeworms are finding their ways into the packs. A recent study found 60 percent of wolves tested in the region were infected with the parasites often found in coyotes and foxes, too. It survives through a ‘predator-prey' cycle; and some wildlife biologists are blaming the reintroduced wolves themselves for bringing the tapeworm with them. However, Veterinarian Mark Johnson who oversaw the health of the wolves before they were reintroduced in Yellowstone National Park says the wolves aren’t to blame. Johnson says it’s clear to him the wolves got the tapeworm from local deer and elk. Those raising the issue say they’re concerned the tapeworm might infect livestock, although that’s never been documented. Several proposals being are being discussed as possible ways to battle the tapeworm including further reduction of wolf numbers. Johnson says the way the tapeworm spreads has nothing to with how many wolves…or foxes, or coyotes there are – so that would be ineffective.

If you pulled in to fill up your car in Jackson Hole this week, no doubt you noticed another increase in the price of gasoline from the previous week.  The average price for a gallon of unleaded regular in the county has increased now to $2.99 per gallon.  AAA Auto Club’s Fuel Gauge reports the national average has increased five cents from last week to $2.90 per gallon now.  Wyoming’s average, according to AAA is now $2.89 per gallon while Idaho now averages $3.11 per gallon.  The average in Teton County, Idaho is now $3.16 per gallon.

Wyoming’s US Representative Cynthia Lummis and ten other Members of Congress officially launched the newly formed 10th Amendment Task Force in Washington yesterday.  The Task Force will develop and promote proposals that aim to disperse power, decision-making, and taxpayer money from Washington back to states, local governments and individuals.   Lummis told those on hand for the initiation of the task force that it is clear in the US Constitution that certain rights were to remain with the states. Moreover, Lummis told the group that as someone who has spent her entire adult life in the Wyoming Legislature and as State Treasurer, and as the Director of State Lands and Investments in Wyoming before going to Washington, she is astounded by what Members of Congress feel are appropriate issues for this Congress to deal with, rather than the states.

Teton County Road & Levee Department has announced that it will begin dust-guard maintenance on the Elk Refuge Road at 11:00 am Monday and proceed to the next site of maintenance which will be Spring Gulch Road, weather permitting.  The county urges motorists to allow adequate drive time as there may be short delays. 

Thursday, 05-06-10

The Wyoming Transportation Commission has approved a $25-million dollar contract for the construction of a new bridge over the Snake River on US 26-89 southwest of Hoback Junction.  The contract awarded to Wadsworth Brothers Construction of Draper, Utah calls for a new 780-foot-long steel girder bridge to be built downstream and parallel to the existing bridge, which will remain open to traffic during the construction. The new bridge is to be three lanes wide with safety shoulders and a separated pedestrian and bicycle pathway. A web camera will also be installed to allow users to check road conditions during construction and after the new bridge is open.  The more expanded project also will include construction of a roundabout at the intersection of US 26-89 and US 189-191 at Hoback Junction to allow safer continuous traffic flow at that intersection. Construction is expected to begin later this spring, and the contract calls for completion by October 31^st, 2012.

Over a year later than first anticipated, the Jackson/Teton County Comprehensive Plan will be available for public review and comment by the end of the day tomorrow.  Assistant Teton County Planning Director Alex Norton says the document will posted on line by 5:00 pm and hard copies will be available to review at both the town and county planning offices – and the public will have three weeks to submit their comments about it. Norton says one element that will not be released are the land use plan and map until it is known if the land use policies outlined in the comprehensive plan which will dictate specific land uses are adopted.  It is still hoped the new comprehensive plan can be implemented by the end of the year.

The National Interagency Fire Center in Boise is admitting this could be a more active fire year in northwestern Wyoming.  Coming off a strong El Niño winter weather pattern, portions of the western United States will enter the 2010 fire season drier than normal, according to the annual Fire Season Outlook released by the Predictive Services group at the NIFC.  Deputy Fire Weather Program Manager Robyn Heffernan says after good moisture last year that inhibited wildfires over most of the country, 2010 might see a spike in fire activity—particularly in the northern half of the west  Heffernan says the drier conditions suggest higher than normal wildfire potential for the Northern Rockies of Montana and Idaho; parts of eastern Washington; northwestern Wyoming; and a portion of south-central Oregon stretching down into the northeastern corner of California.  The seasonal outlook produced by NIFC evaluates wildland fuels, weather forecasts, climate and drought data and identifies the general outlook for wildland fire activity across the United States.

Governor Dave Freudenthal has welcomed the participation of the state’s congressional delegation in problem solving on the issue of beetle kill-trees in Wyoming.  During a news conference Tuesday, the governor said the state has been wrestling with the issue for some time now and he is pleased to see the delegation take up the issue. Freudenthal says that beetle kill in Wyoming raises huge economic questions that will affect everything from the way our forests look to how we manage our water.  Freudenthal says the largest water storage in the state is in the trees and the snowpack; not the reservoirs.  A loss of those trees, he says, will significantly impact the state’s water situation.

One week ago shortly before 3:00 am, a man employed as a bouncer at a local tavern was attacked and beaten.  The bouncer had traveled from downtown in a taxi to the Virginian where a black recent-model 4-door Pontiac pulled up and two males occupants got out, while the driver remained inside.   The two males attacked the victim and battered him.  The victim believes this attach was in retaliation for an earlier incident at a down town restaurant. Police are seeking any information someone might have about this attack.  The attackers are described as male, white 6’3” tall, about 210 pounds with a shaved head, and 5’7” tall, about 160 pounds with brown hair in a partial pony tail and goatee.  CrimeStoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this crime.  Tips can be submitted online or called in to 733-5148 – you do not have to give your name.

Wednesday, 05-05-10

This weekend begins National Tourism Week – an event noted through a proclamation signed yesterday by Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal.  Travel Commission Director Diane Shober who was on hand for the signing points out that the tourism is Wyoming’s second largest industry and has proved relatively stable during tough economic times. Shober adds that the industry provides over 30-thousand full and part-time jobs for Wyoming residents.

Teton County has been hard hit for unemployment in recent months as a result of the recession with the latest jobless rate at 7.9%.  Still, some have said that out of the 50 states, Wyoming’s economy in general has fared much better than elsewhere.  That, says Governor Freudenthal, really is not that much of a distinction. Freudenthal adds, however, that if Wyoming is better off than most states, it is because Wyoming has managed its money better than most states.  Freudenthal says the state has what construction has taken place here has been done on a pay-as-you-go basis.  …and the reports that Wyomingites have a more positive outlook on life despite the recessionary times Freudenthal is a reflection on the personality of the state’s people. Freudenthal says Wyoming’s tourism and energy businesses will ultimately pick up when the rest of the nation recovers to the point it will again be seeking those services.

Strong winds whistled through Teton County early Tuesday morning, bringing down power lines, felling trees and blowing loose items around residential neighborhoods.  It was an example of the kind of severe weather the national weather service tries to track with the help of a network of weather spotters in each county.  Warning Coordination Meteorologist Chris Jones says the weather service is seeking people to participate in that network. Jones says an information meeting about the program is being offered tomorrow beginning at 6:00 pm at Teton County Fire Station #6 on Moose/Wilson Road.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department reports generally good compliance with the new restrictions imposed west of the continental divide for the shed antler gathering season.  Ray Hageman reports that the regulations were enacted by the state game and fish commission following a series of public meetings this winter.

Wyoming’s US Representative Cynthia Lummis is joining ten other co-founding Members to officially launch the newly formed 10th Amendment Task Force during a media event Thursday.  The Task Force seeks to decentralize power from Washington back to states, local governments and individuals.  Lummis says the task force aims to usher in a “New Era of Federalism” and will work to ensure that the principles within the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution serve as a framework for lawmakers to fundamentally alter the way government interacts with and touches people on a daily basis.

Tuesday, 05-04-10

Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal was in Jackson yesterday interviewing three candidates to replace 9^th District Judge Nancy Guthrie when she retires at the end of this month.  Among the candidates submitted by the Wyoming Judicial Nominating Committee are 9^th Circuit Judge Tim Day, Deputy County Attorney Jim Radda and Teton County Attorney Steve Weichman.  Freudenthal says the choice will not be an easy one. Freudenthal says along with the recommendations of the committee, he has heard from no small number of constituents. Freudenthal has until May 20^th to make the final choice, but he says he plans to make his decision sooner than that.  Guthrie had been appointed to the bench in Fremont County over 15 years ago by then Governor Mike Sullivan.  Ninth District Court serves Fremont, Sublette and Teton Counties.

The 42nd Annual Spring Clean-Up will be held on Saturday as the culmination to Jackson Hole’s 2010 Clean-up Week.  Each spring Jackson Hole non-profit organizations, businesses, Wyoming Adopt-A-Highway agencies, and hundreds of volunteers hit the streets and highways throughout Jackson Hole with garbage bags in hand to clean up debris left behind as the winter snow melts. Trucks, provided by Teton County, the Town of Jackson, and other volunteer groups, collect bags of roadside trash left by clean-up volunteers. The Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Clubs, Town of Jackson, and Teton County will facilitate the day’s activities. Participants gather at Town Square, Hoback Market, or Old Wilson School at 9:00 am and fan out from there. Complimentary continental breakfasts will be served to the volunteers before the work begins and clean-up assignments are handed out along with trash bags. Typically, one to two hours are spent on clean-up. At noon, participants are served a complimentary barbeque lunch on the Town Square.

Wyoming Game and Fish Personnel working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service over the weekend relocated a young male grizzly bear that was in the Indian Paintbrush Subdivision south of Wilson.  Game and Fish Spokesman Mark Gocke says the young bear had killed a lame yearling elk and was remaining in the vicinity of the carcass. Gocke says the grizzlies are showing up further south all the time, and so it is all that much more important for local residents to be careful about potential bear attractants in their yards. Gocke also stresses that people need to keep their distance from the bears and restrain their pets.  This is the third grizzly in a week that has been relocated.  The Game and Fish Department trapped and relocated two grizzly bears that were involved in killing cattle and had also frequented a ranch headquarters and calving operation north of Jackson. Both adult males were trapped and relocated early last week to just east of the east entrance to Yellowstone National Park.

If the roads through Grand Teton National Park are open now, can construction season be far behind?  Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says two projects in particular will cause delays for summertime travelers there.  One of those projects is on the Teton Park Road from North Jenny Lake Junction to Willow Flats and the other is from Flagg Ranch to the South Entrance.  30 minute delays are possible at each site.  Additionally, Skaggs says the access road leading to the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve from the Moose-Wilson Road, as well as the parking lot, will remain closed to public entry until the gravel surfaces can sufficiently dry and harden to handle vehicles.  

Even as the snow continues to melt out of the forest and some residents are concentrating on searching for shed antlers, Bridger Teton National Forest is beginning the sale of non-commercial firewood gathering permits.  The Bridger-Teton National Forest will begin selling those permits May 15th. Firewood permits are five dollars per cord with a minimum purchase of twenty dollars. The permit holder must be present while gathering firewood and must sign the permit when purchasing.  Individual households may purchase up to ten cords per year for personal use.  In addition to purchasing the permits at a forest service office, permits may also be obtained online. However, even though the permits are available now, forest officials point out that due to wet seasonal weather, many of the Forest roads are still impassable or too soggy for motorized use to access many wood-gathering areas.

Monday, 05-03-10

An early season grassfire on the National Elk Refuge Sunday evening blackened only about a 900-square-foot area, but may be a harbinger of things to come.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says a severe hydrologic drought has developed during the winter across the Upper Yellowstone, Snake, Shoshone, and Upper Green Watersheds. The agency’s report says major deficits in snowpack across northern and western Wyoming are the driving factor in these hydrologic drought conditions.  …and while spring precipitation may allow drought conditions to improve somewhat, spring precipitation is usually concentrated across areas east of the continental divide and are not considered likely.  Consequently, the agency says current drought conditions are expected to persist across Wyoming through the middle of summer.  At this time, the snow water content is 71% of normal in the Snake River Basin – up about 10% from mid-April – and it is 69% of normal in the Upper Yellowstone-Madison Basin which is only a 3% improvement from mid-April.

Wyoming’s lone US Representative Cynthia Lummis has introduced a bill entitled the “Forest Ecosystem Recovery and Protection Act” which would give the Forest Service the tools and flexibility it needs to undertake large, long-term projects to recover damaged forests and protect them from future beetle epidemics. Lummis says the western forests need unique solutions and flexibility for forest managers to, in her words, “take this bull by the horns.” Lummis says her bill would begin the process in a targeted and measured way recognizing that the bark beetle infestations are spread throughout the west and are of epidemic proportions. It also recognizes that each forest is unique and must be managed in full cooperation with state and local officials who know these forests well. Lummis says the bill would involve 25 large-scale and long-term demonstration projects in 10 Western States with two specific goals: recovery of areas already destroyed by beetle kill and protection against future outbreaks in green forests.

Wyoming Travel and Tourism, Wyoming Game and Fish and State Parks, Cultural Resources and Historic Sites begin their series of community meetings today in Cody, with others planned in six other towns statewide.  Assistant Travel Commission Director Alan Dubberly says the effort is in conjunction with formulating a new master plan which involves both inventorying attractions around the state and ascertaining promotional needs. One of those all-day meetings is slated for Wednesday in Jackson and includes a working lunch.  The Jackson meeting will be at the Teton Science School campus just west of town beginning at 10:00 am.

The National Ski Areas Association has named Grand Targhee Resort as one of five member ski areas to receive funding through its annual Sustainable Slopes Grant program.  The grants, also sponsored by California energy bar maker CLIF Bar & Co., and the Natural Resources Defense Council, are designed to spark innovation among NSAA member resorts and provide resorts additional resources to initiate sustainability projects.  Grand Targhee Resort officials say they plan to use the Sustainable Slopes Grant to add water bottle refilling stations at the base of the resort for the 2010/11 winter season.  This, they say, will allow Grand Targhee to help diminish the use of disposable plastic water bottles at the resort.

Gretchen Long of Wilson, Wyoming has been appointed as one of 12 new members to the National Park System Advisory Board by Interior Secretary, Ken Salizar. The Board, first authorized in 1935, advises the Secretary and the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) on matters relating to the Service’s work. Eight of the new members, Salizar says, previously served on the independent Second Century Commission that was charged with developing a 21st century vision for the National Park Service. In 2009 the commission submitted a comprehensive report that included sweeping recommendations for enhancing the ability of the National Park Service to share its natural heritage with all Americans and engage them in its protection.  The members of the advisory board are appointed by the Interior Secretary for terms not to exceed four years.

Friday, 04-30-10

Jackson summertime travel will get a “shot in the arm” with new non-stop air service between Los Angeles and the airport here.  United Airlines this week announced the new service to be inaugurated June 9^th.  Airline officials say the new link will offer opportunities for Californians looking for Rocky Mountain summertime adventures.  The flight will employ 70-seat Canadair CRJ-700 aircraft to fly the route through August 23^rd.  Flights leave Los Angeles at 6:05 pm and return at 7:00 am the following morning.

It’s Jackson/Teton County Clean-up week beginning Sunday.  Those cleaning up their yards during the week ahead may be puzzling over what to do with those things they want to dispose of.  Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling Manager Heather Overholser says the trans transfer station has a special 50% rate to deal with that very concern. For those living inside the Jackson town limits, organic items from the yard may be left curbside for free pick-up on Saturday, May 8^th. At the same time, Overholser says residents and businesses looking to dispose of hazardous waste (like cleaning or painting supplies) may bring items to the Teton County Household Hazardous Waste collection facility Tuesday, May 4^th between 8:00 am and 3:00 pn – but appointments to do so are required.

With clean up week begining Sunday in Jackson Hole, it also is the official burn week.  However, Jackson/Teton County Fire Inspector Cathy Clay says, residents should not do their burning before then.  Clay says burning should be limited to clean vegetative material only, and the size of the fire needs to be kept to less than 1000 cubic feet.  Clay also says resources to extinguish the fire should be kept nearby in order to douse it if it starts becoming hard to control.  Finally, Clay says before you burn, it needs to be called into the dispatch center so there that it doesn’t result in an unnecessary fire call.  That phone number is 733-2331.

If May first is here, can the summer season in the national parks be far behind?  Grand Teton Naitonal Park has announced the official opening dates for facilities throughout Grand Teton National Park and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway for the 2010 season.  The Teton Park Road and Moose-Wilson Road open Saturday while Grassy Lake Road in the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway doesn’t open until a month later.  The Moose, Moran and Granite Canyon entrance stations are already open with the seven-day pass for a vehicle into the park again costing $25.  Bicyclists must also stop and show a $12 entry receipt or seasonal pass before proceeding through the gates, just as vehicles are required to do.  However, this year there is an automated self-serve machine on the multi-use pathway adjacent to the Moose Entrance Station where people traveling on the paved pathway by foot, bike, or rollerblade can pay $12 for a 7-day entry permit.  The South Entrance to Yellowstone National Park is not scheduled to open until May 14^th.

Three American Recovery and Reinvestment Act projects on the National Elk Refuge are now under way, with two of them moving from the planning stages to construction work this month.  The National Elk Refuge received $3.2 million in ARRA funding for an irrigation project in April 2009, with an additional $1.1 investment allocated in October. The Irrigation Expansion Project is one of the largest ARRA habitat enhancement projects in the nation for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.  In this project, workers will install a main line underground pipeline that is central to an irrigation system.  In early May, Ground breaking will begin on a section of the multi-use, non-motorized pathway connecting the Town of Jackson to Grand Teton National Park – a project that received $1 million in ARRA funding through the Wyoming Department of Transportation.  The National Elk Refuge also received $211,000 in ARRA funding in April 2009 to develop a conceptual design plan for new exhibits in the Jackson Hole & Greater Yellowstone Visitor Center and the surrounding outdoor area.  The funds will pay for the design, fabrication, and installation of a portion of the interpretive panels and exhibits outlined in the plan.

Thursday, 04-29-10

Don’t look for the release of the town and county comprehensive plan tomorrow as scheduled.  Work by the planning staffs to rewrite two of the themes is taking longer than anticipated.  County Planner Jeff Daugherty says instead, the plan should be released for public review May 7^th. Most importantly, however, Daugherty says the time for the public to respond will not be impacted by the delayed release of the plan. The update of the plan, which was started in 2007 had been expected to be completed in 2009.  However, with the wealth of public input and the desire to represent all concerns, the process took longer than initially expected.  Final implementation of the plan is anticipated later this year.

An employee in the Teton County Assessor’s office has announced plans to run for Assessor in the upcoming election.  Dawn Johnson worked 6 ½ years in the Assessor’s Office and plans to run as a Republican on the platform of fair and accurate property assessment and taxation.

 US District Judge Donald Malloy in Montana has set June 15^th as the date he will hear oral arguments on whether wolves in Idaho and Montana should be de-listed.  The objective of the hearing is to determine if the case has merit to see full litigation.  In question is whether the US Fish and Wildlife Service can legally de-list the wolf in Idaho and Montana without doing the same in neighboring Wyoming.  Last year, the court blocked the feds from delisting the animal in two of the three states was likely in violation of the Endangered Species Act since it appeared not to be scientifically based.

A sudden jump in the price of gasoline in the area was apparently not typical of the trends at the pump nationally this week.  According to AAA Auto Club’s Fuel Gauge Report, the national average price for the gallon of regular unleaded gas is now $2.85 which is about even with last week and five cents higher than one month ago.  That matches the average price this week in Wyoming.  Meanwhile, Jackson Hole Prices have risen to an average of $2.91 per gallon while the price in Teton Valley, Idaho averages $3.16 per gallon. 

Heavy snowfall from yesterday’s strong spring storm closed roads in Yellowstone National Park and caused power outages there, complicating work for staff preparing facilities for the upcoming season.  Sections of the park reported a foot of snow had fallen in just a two-hour period yesterday afternoon and snow continued over the park through most of the day.  The section of road from Norris to Canyon was the first to close shortly after 10:00 am.  By 3:00 p.m. the roads from Mammoth Hot Springs to Norris and Madison, and from West Yellowstone to Madison and Old Faithful were all closed as well. The only road that remained open was the road from the park’s North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana to Mammoth Hot Springs and east toward Tower Junction, the Northeast Entrance, and Cooke City, Montana.  Park personnel say the roads will be evaluated by park staff on today to determine if they can be reopened.

The National Elk Refuge and Bridger-Teton National Forest have announced plans to reopen the Curtis Canyon and Flat Creek Roads for the season and remove special Forest winter travel restrictions. Beginning 8:00 am Saturday, the Refuge Road will be open to public travel beyond the county maintained line, allowing access to the Curtis Canyon and Flat Creek Roads and the adjoining National Forest. These roads have been closed from since December 1^st to protect wintering wildlife.  Spokesperson Lori Iverson says some restrictions do remain in place for those traveling the road. Additionally, it is illegal to remove antlers from the National Elk Refuge, so those people accessing the National Forest after May 1^st to look for elk antlers are responsible for knowing and respecting the boundaries in order to avoid violating Federal regulations. Regulations for accessing the Bridger-Teton National Forest through the National Elk Refuge on May 1^st are available online. 
 

Wednesday, 04-28-10

Teton County Commission Chairman Hank Phibbs has become the latest to declare his intentions to run for reelection.  Phibbs is completing his first term now and says he has found the work very fulfilling. Not surprisingly, topping the list of the issues Phibbs is concerned about in the county’s future center around the sagging economy, as well as protecting the valley’s natural resources. Phibbs says he also wants to see through the implementation of the comprehensive plan once it is adopted.  The big job, Phibbs says, still lies ahead and that is to update the county’s regulations to accomplish the plans goals.

Don’t look for the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce in the Powderhorn Mall after this weekend.  The chamber’s administrative office is being relocated to 112 Center Street, next to Wells Fargo Bank just north of the Town Square.  Tourism Manager Heather Falk adds the new location will provide for administrative offices and a board room upstairs and visitor services downstairs – and generally a lot more room than the chamber had to work with in their old location. The chamber had moved to the modular office behind Bank of Jackson Hole 12 years ago when the interagency visitor center on the north end of Jackson was taken over by the National Elk Refuge under a long pre-existing contract.

Beginning Saturday the Census Bureau will begin sending census takers around the area’s neighborhoods to help residents complete the ten question form.  The Census is mandated to count everyone regardless of whether they are citizens or not. An accurate count will mean that the more than $435 billion distributed annually in federal funding will be available for services needed in each community. Federal funds are used for hospitals, roads, schools and centers for employment, for seniors and for veterans.  Data from the once-in-a-decade census is also used for political representation at the national, state, county and city levels of governments.  Currently, only about 48% of Teton County’s residents have completed and returned their forms – far below the national average of 72%.  Census officials point out that all census takers will have an official badge with an emblem from the U.S. Department of Commerce and a tote bag with printed information.

The Jackson Hole Energy Sustainability Project has announced plans to partner with the University of Wyoming to conduct market research on local sustainable practices.  The town, county and Lower Valley Energy who make up the project have committed to addressing at least one third of the area’s future energy demand through conservation.  To that end, the research being done by the University will help the members of the Project better understand what drives behavior in terms of residential as well as small business electrical usage.  A grant of $68-thousand dollars which requires a local match will provide the seed money for the research which is to take place this summer.

Jackson Hole High School’s Academic Challenge team this week learned the results of last week’s competition, waged world-wide by internet.  This year’s participation in the annual event put Jackson in first place in Wyoming and 80^th out of 622 schools world-wide.  In the process, the team bested the school’s scores over all previous years of participation.  Student’s making up this year’s state champion team include Willie Barge, Gino Bellinghiere, Keaton Brown, Hunter Collins, Andrew Hess, Hayden Leeds, Ott Lindstrom, Bri Meagher, Peter Ninnemann, Carter Schultz, and Mitch Smith.

Tuesday, 04-27-10

Eleven projects will be listed on the August ballot for voter consideration in determining the uses of a special project excise tax.  Members of the Jackson Town Council and Teton County Commission met in a special session yesterday to determine what would be placed on the upcoming ballot and Mayor Mark Barron says the two groups agreed on the list of projects and a dollar amount of slightly more than $38-million dollars. Barron says the most animated portions of the discussion involved the questions of operation and maintenance of the library, and the pathways project north of town along the highway. Both of the town and county independently passed the necessary amendments, and not the proposed projects will appear on the August 17^th ballot along with the primary election candidates.

The weather forecast for the rest of the week is for rainy weather…and while the rain might literally splash cold water on the plans of some to work or play outdoors this week, it is none-the-less very welcome to the drought-plagued northwestern corner of the Wyoming.  Currently, the national weather service shows almost all of the major basins in western and central Wyoming continue to have below to well below average Snow Water Equivalent measurements. Furthermore, Wyoming NOAA hydrologist Jim Fahey says below to well below stream-flow volumes are expected during the upcoming spring runoff across western and central Wyoming. On the positive side, area reservoirs are already at 93% of their capacities collectively while the area is still in the midst of its spring run-off.  With the drought predicted to continue into the summer, local interests are quick to point out that any precipitation the area continues to experience is definitely a needed commodity.

Jackson District Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Venture Scouts gathered on the National Elk Refuge Saturday for the annual elk antler roundup – prior to next month’s auction to raise money for refuge activities.  Blessed by outstanding weather, Spokesperson Lori Iverson says the event was well attended by nearly 200 scouts, adult scouters, and Refuge personnel. Iverson says this year’s harvest was noticably below that of previous years, although an official tally has not yet been made.  This year, Iverson says technology entered the traditional project. Under the supervision of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the Boy Scouts were recruited in 1957 to help pick up shed antlers on the Refuge. The Town of Jackson later used some of these collected antlers to create the Town Square’s antler arches, built by the Rotary Club.  Then, beginning in 1966, the National Elk Refuge assumed the lead on the project and issued a special use permit to the Boy Scouts for the collection of antlers on the Refuge, which first became available to the public for purchase via an annual auction in 1968. About 80% of the proceeds from this auction are used to support various programs at the National Elk Refuge.

With a fairly light winter now giving way to spring in western Wyoming, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has ended its elk feeding operations on all state feedgrounds.  This past winter elk were fed the fewest number of days on record, and the 35-hundred tons of hay fed was the third lowest total since record-keeping began in 1975.  Game and Fish did not provide supplemental feed to elk at the Green River Lakes and Soda Lake feedgrounds in the Pinedale area as snow conditions and elk distribution did not warrant feeding there. In addition, only a handful of elk were fed for just a 27 day feeding season at the Fall Creek Feedground south of Pinedale.  Feedgrounds near Jackson also saw reduced supplemental feeding.  Much of this reduced feeding was made possible by the relatively mild winter, but it was also the result of a new program being implemented by the Game and Fish Department, called the Target Feedground Program which strives not to encourage as much congregating of elk at feedgrounds and more easily spread brucellosis to each other.

Grand Teton National Park and the Grand Teton Association (GTA) have announced that James Meadow has received the Boyd Evison Graduate Fellowship for 2010. Meadow is the sixth recipient of an Evison Fellowship, and is currently pursuing a P-H-D in ecology and environmental sciences at Montana State University in Bozeman. Meadow plans to use his fellowship award to study the composition, diversity and ecological environment of thermal-influenced soils in the Imperial Meadow thermal area of the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park.  The Evison Graduate Fellowship was initiated to support studies throughout the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Monday, 04-26-10

A 38-year-old Rock Springs man is the second person to be arrested in connection with the 2006 murder of Snowboarder Ben Bradley as he was traveling to Jackson Hole to work for the winter.  Tommy Joe Bowman is in custody in the Amador County Jail in Jackson, California, charged with Accessory After the Fact which is a felony. He was scheduled for a hearing in Amador County last Thursday.  In a joint release, Sweetwater County Sheriff Rich Haskell said arrangements are being made for Bowman’s return to Wyoming. Sweetwater County Attorney Brett Johnson noted that the charges are merely accusations, and any defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  Accessory After the Fact is punishable by imprisonment for not more than three years, a fine of not more than $3,000, or both. 41-year-old Eric John Conn, was arrested in March in St. Louis for participating in the killing of the 29-year-old Bradley, who was last seen June 2, 2006, hitchhiking through Rock Springs, Wyo., with his snowboard and backpack.  Conn has been charged with first-degree murder, accessory to murder in the first degree and accessory after the fact.

Over $400-thousand dollars in scholarship money was conferred on local college-bound students Thursday night during the community’s annual Scholarship Night event.  Jackson Hole High School Counselor Julie Staynor says nearly 100 students from Jackson Hole High School, Summit High School, The Community School and Journeys School received a variety of scholarships from 70 organizations or foundations from around Jackson Hole. Despite the past year being marked by recession, Staynor says the amount conferred on the graduating students may mark the highest total ever distributed.

Officials from Bridger Teton National Forest are reminding forest users that motor vehicle travel regulations go into effect May 1st on the Jackson and Buffalo Ranger Districts of the forest.  Wheeled motor vehicle use must occur on designated routes shown on motor vehicle use maps for each district. The maps show which routes are open for public motor vehicle use, during seasons when use is allowed, and what class of vehicle is permitted on each route. The free 2010 maps are available on the Bridger-Teton National Forest website under a link called “Maps and Brochures” and are also available at the Forest Supervisor’s Office in Jackson and at the Jackson Hole Interagency Visitor Center.

Wyoming Travel & Tourism, the Wyoming Game & Fish Department and State Parks, Cultural Resources and Historic Sites are holding a series of community meetings to seek input for a tourism master plan. Assistant Director of Wyoming Travel & Tourism Alan Dubberly says the meetings will be held in various communities from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm and include a working lunch.  Dubberly stresses it is not just those things that are marketable in Wyoming’s tourism attractions the state wants to discuss. Those meetings will be conducted statewide with one scheduled in Jackson Hole May 5^th at the Teton Science School on Coyote Canyon Road. 

Jackson Resident Steven Kilpatrick has received the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources Alumni Association’s 2010 Achievement Award. The award was presented April 18 at the Association’s annual Banquet held in the Nebraska East Union in Lincoln. Kilpatrick is a terrestrial habitat biologist with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department stationed in Jackson, and has been with the department since 1978. Kilpatrick has also been recognized with numerous awards from a variety of organizations including the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Wyoming Stockgrowers Association, the U.S. Forest Service and his professional organization, and The Wildlife Society.

Friday, 04-23-10

There’s a new phone scam taking place in the area involving requests for monetary support for a Police and Sheriff Yearbook.  Police Sergeant Allan John says the solicitor is asking for some sizable donations.  Investigation of this scam is currently under way in cooperation with the Burbank, California Police Department, since that is where the company lists its business address.  John says neither the Jackson Police Department nor the Teton County Sheriff’s Office is involved in any way with this organization and anyone who is contacted should not respond to their requests.

Wyoming’s US Representative Cynthia Lummis joined with South Dakota Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin to lead a bipartisan group of their western colleagues in writing to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, urging the United States Department of Agriculture to develop a comprehensive and proactive strategy for responding to the bark beetle epidemics in the West.  Lummis says steps need to be taken to ensure the forests we enjoy are not destroyed by the serious threat posed by the bark beetle. Sandlin adds that damage done by pine beetles dramatically increases the risk of catastrophic wildfires, ultimately endangering the safety of rural communities, inhibiting economic growth and diminishing the role forests play in addressing climate change. The Herseth Sandlin/Lummis letter requests that the USDA plan include a projected scope of work, estimated costs, and source of funds. Among the Members of Congress who signed the bipartisan letter were Colorado Representatives John Salazar, Mike Coffman, Jared Polis, Diana DeGette and Betsy Markey, California Representative Joe Baca, Idaho Representative Walt Minnick, and Montana Representative Denny Rehberg.

Yellowstone National Park has opened the section of road from the park's South Entrance to West Thumb for a brief period of bicycle-only access, beginning this morning.  However, Park Spokesman Al Nash points out that the opportunity is certainly not for the casual cyclist. Nash says cyclists are urged to call 307-344-2109 between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm on weekdays for updated road access information.  The road from the South Entrance to Grant, West Thumb, Old Faithful and Fishing Bridge is scheduled to open to automobile travel on Friday, May 14th.

Warmer temperatures in the Upper Snake Region have not only caused humans to get out and shake off their cabin fever, but bears are as well.  Both black and grizzly bears are coming out of hibernation, and some bears have been spotted poking around human dwellings during the last week.  Everyone in the Upper Snake Region west of Teton Pass is reminded that like the folks in Jackson Hole, they live in bear country also and need to act accordingly. Interagency Grizzly Bear Regional Conservation Educator Gregg Losinski says they already had their first verified visit this week by a grizzly bear snacking on birdseed at a home in the Island Park Area.  Losinski says it is important to take the time to watch for cubs since mama is probably nearby and will be very protective of her young. For the bear hunters, Losinski stresses the need to be sure what kind of bear they are shooting at.  Grizzly bears in the Yellowstone Ecosystem have been returned to the Endangered Species List, so there is no hunting season for them.

Grand Targhee Resort yesterday announced the granting of over $10,000 to six Teton Valley, Idaho non-profits for environmental projects benefiting the local community.  Those projects range from solar panel installation to gardening education.  Non-profits benefiting from the grants include National Outdoor Leadership School for a solar panel installation & education project which will provide 30% of the school’s electricity use,       Friends of the Teton River for a Valley-wide water conservation education campaign, Teton Valley Community Recycling for the creation of a short educational film regarding recycling to show throughout Teton Valley, Teton Valley Community School to provide farm & gardening education to 150 school children this summer, Teton Valley Education Foundation for sponsoring public high school students’ conservation expeditions to Yellowstone, and Teton Valley Trails & Pathways to fund one trail crew person to work in the wilderness improving trails.  The Targhee POW Foundation collects donations throughout the year from employees who donated a specified amount from each paycheck which was then matched 100% by the Resort. 

Thursday, 04-22-10

Teton County has announced the selection of four finalists to be considered to fill the position of Fire/EMS Chief.  Teton County Commission Administrator Steve Foster says the selection comes after pouring over some 50 applicants that had been received for the vacancy. Finalists for the position include Tom DeMint, currently serving as the Battalion Chief for the Poudre Fire Authority in Fort Collins, Colorado;  Scott Lucas, currently serving as Assistant Fire Chief/EMS Coordinator for the City of Westland Fire Department in Westland, Michigan; Patrick Reitz, currently serving as Fire Chief/Emergency Services Director for the City of Sheridan, Wyoming; and William Watsabaugh who has served the Jackson/Teton County Fire and Emergency Department for the past 33 years, in various roles including Interim Chief, Deputy Chief, Training Officer, Volunteer Chief, Captain, Lieutenant and Volunteer Firefighter. Foster says the candidates will participate in a series of interviews on May 6th and 7th with a community reception at Snow King Resort on Thursday, May 6 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. 

Today is Earth Day, and while there are no special activities planned for today in Jackson, Saturday the community will mark the event with an Eco-fair.  The event is jointly hosted by Jackson Whole Grocer, Slow Food in the Tetons, and the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Campaign, and Momo Shack.  Over fifty Greater Yellowstone businesses, nonprofits and government agencies will showcase their sustainability efforts and sell their eco-wares at Eco-Fair 2010.  Additionally, the event will provide free workshops on contents of personal care products, gardening, worm composting and more as well as entertainment by local musical groups.  The Eco-Fair will take place from 11:00 am until 4:00 pm at Powderhorn Park – or under tents in the Powderhorn Mall parking lot in the event of bad weather. Fair-goers should bring their reusable shopping bags to tote home goodies and informational materials.

Grand Teton National Park is cautioning visitors that bears have emerged from their winter dens and local residents and park visitors should be alert for their presence throughout all locations in the park. Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says several recent sightings have been reported, and bears are now active at locations ranging from the John D. Rockefeller Memorial Parkway to developed areas in the southern part of the park.  Skaggs says when bears leave their winter dens, they search for any food source that will help restore fat reserves lost during hibernation. Winter-killed animals provide immediate sources of protein, and hungry bears will strongly defend this and other food sources against perceived threats.  Skaggs says park visitors and nearby residents need to be particularly vigilant for the bears right now, carry bear spray, and avoid areas where they see winter killed animals.  Skaggs says sows with cubs are particularly dangerous and a healthy distance should be maintained from them.

Wildlife conservation projects in 12 Wyoming counties have been selected to receive grants from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation in 2010. The new RMEF funding, totaling $335,500, include a grant for habitat improvement in Teton County.  Those projects include a prescribed burn on 1,250 acres of winter and transition range for elk, bighorn sheep and mule deer in Gros Venture watershed in Bridger-Teton National Forest; treatment of 300 acres of exotic plant infestations to improve habitat in Grand Teton National Park; a prescribed of burn 3,500 acres and a slash project on 500 acres to improve habitat in Hill Creek area of Caribou-Targhee National Forest.  Projects are selected for grants using science-based criteria and a committee of RMEF volunteers and staff along with representatives from partnering agencies and universities.

Earlier this week that the Town of Jackson announced it had hammered out a deal with Jack May to purchase a parcel of property near the Public Library in a complicated arrangement to obtain property for an administrative site for START Bus. The town has proposed purchasing the parcel called “The Grove” for nearly $6.2 million dollars – far below May’s asking price of $16 million – and exchange it for another parcel that could be used for the proposed START site.  START Bus Administrator Michael Wackerly says that other parcel is located on the west side of Karns Meadow. Funds for the purchase of that property will in part come from approximately $2.5 million dollars in funds obtained by START Bus in the 2008 SPET tax initiative in addition to some other town funds.  START Bus Administrator Michael Wackerly says that means changes will be made to what will be requested on the upcoming SPET tax ballot. Once the site preparation and design is completed, Wackerly says funds for building the structure would be sought from future sources.  Owning the land, he says, would put START in a better posture to qualify for a federal grant for the project.

Wednesday, 04-21-10

There was good news from the Wyoming Department of Employment yesterday. According to their monthly report, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate continued to decrease from 7.5% in February to 7.3% in March. And while it remained much higher than its March 2009 level of 5.2%, it was significantly lower than the U.S. unemployment rate of 9.7%. Over-the-year job losses slowed from -6.3% in October 2009 to -3.6% in March 2010. Teton County’s unemployment rate remains high – posting 7.9% of its workforce idled. Meanwhile, Albany and Sublette counties tied for the lowest unemployment rate at 5.2%. Lincoln County had the highest at 10.8%.

Jackson businessman Tom Frisbie is announcing his intent to run as a Democrat for the Wyoming Senate District 17 -- the seat that has been held by Grant Larson.  Frisbie is a 33 year resident of Jackson Hole and first worked for Jackson State Bank in their insurance department. He later purchased the business and operated under the name of the T.J. Frisbie Agency. That business sold to what is now Hub Insurance. He formally served as the President of The Wyoming Independent Insurance Agents, President of the Jackson/Teton County Recreation Board and President of Jackson Hole Boys Baseball. He sat on the board of Teton Youth and Family Service, The Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson Hole Housing Trusts. Frisbie says he intends to bring a moderate, common sense approach to the issues facing our state and our community.

The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Campaign of Jackson Hole continues its efforts this week to reduce Jackson Hole’s consumption of resources and landfill bound waste through a creative educational and awareness-raising media campaign. One Less Bottle is the newest phase of RRR’s ongoing efforts. One Less Bottle mirrors last years Bag 2 Differ campaign that was hugely successful in distributing reusable shopping bags. This year, the project is aimed at promoting the use of reusable bottles. Waste Diversion Manager for Teton County Kyle James says the campaign will start in the schools. James points out that every day in Jackson, we generate nearly 5,000 single-use plastic bottles into our waste stream.Beginning April 26th, a stainless steel bottle will be distributed to every student in the county. Logo bottles will also be available at several businesses throughout the valley. One Less Bottle is a collaborative project of Teton County, Jackson Community Recycling, and Community Foundation of Jackson Hole.

President Leslie Mattson of Grand Teton National Park Foundation, a Jackson-based organization that funds special projects in Grand Teton National Park, participated with conservation leaders from across the country last week in President Barack Obama’s launch of the White House Initiative on America’s Great Outdoors. More than 500 conservation leaders gathered at the Department of the Interior to discuss challenges, opportunities, and innovations surrounding land preservation and the importance of reconnecting families to nature. Mattson says Grand Teton National Park Foundation’s projects closely align with the Initiative’s goals of connecting children to the environment and promoting community-based conservation solutions via its popular privately funded youth programming. Opportunities like the Wyoming Youth Congress on Children in Nature, a joint effort between the Foundation, Teton Science Schools, and other partners also provide an educational venue for young people across the state. In addition to youth programs and a state-of-the-art visitor center, the organization’s donors are funding an auditorium that will complete the visitor facility as well wildlife research and bear-resistant food storage boxes.

A group of special Olympics athletes from Teton County will be heading to Lincoln, Nebraska in July to represent Wyoming in the national Special Olympic Games. Ivan Alva-Avarado, Azael Bedolla, Heidi Kaunitz, Karim Reyes-Garcia, Chris Thompson, Irving Aquilar, Yara Thomas, Pam Arland, Annie Milburn, and Josue Bedolla make up the soccer team that will be competing on behalf of the Cowboy State at the event to be held at the University of Nebraska July 18th through the 23rd. Team Wyoming athletes and partners will also be competing in Aquatics, Athletics, Bowling, Golf, Powerlifting, and Softball. Altogether, 3,000 athletes from 50 states will be competing in the national event.

PAWS testing this year went anything but smoothly – particularly due to some technical problems on the state level. Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jim McBride this week announced that he has given specific directions to his assessment team to examine ways PAWS can be improved and recommend any and all changes necessary to assure a focus on student results. One immediate action of that request is that the Wyoming Department of Education is reaching out to various district leadership and staff with a survey about whether PAWS should be changed for next year. Dr. McBride says he specifically asked them to consider timelines, the use of technology, and interfering with classroom time.
 

Tuesday, 04-20-10

Wyoming Speaker of the House Colin Simpson visited Jackson Hole over the weekend through Monday morning on his gubernatorial campaign tour as he seeks the Republican nod for a spot on the ballot.  Simpson says topping the concerns is the condition of the state’s economy – especially as it pertains to keeping the state’s businesses viable. The son of former U.S. Sen. Alan Simpson, grandson of former governor and U.S. Sen. Milward Simpson, and nephew of former gubernatorial nominee Pete Simpson, Colin's name is better known than the other three Republicans running for governor, and he hopes that will work in his favor. Simpson’s opponents include former U.S. Attorney Matt Mead, State Auditor Rita Meyer and former state legislator and state Department of Agriculture director Ron Micheli.

Grand Teton National Park has awarded the contract for construction of an auditorium addition on the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center  to a Utah-based contractor and construction company, Raass Brothers, Inc. To accomplish the project, Raass Brothers, Inc. will work with a co-contractor, R & O Construction, also of Utah. The Discovery Center’s addition will place a 154-seat auditorium on the south side of the building. The new auditorium will include an architectural feature called a “glass curtain wall” that will reveal stunning views of the Teton Range at the completion of video programs and educational lectures. The Seattle office of  the architectural firm, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, designed both the principal visitor center building and the auditorium wing. The Grand Teton National Park Foundation, a partnership organization of the park,  pledged to fund 100 percent of the project costs. They are nearing that goal, making it possible to begin construction almost immediately. Completion of the auditorium addition is expected for spring 2011.  

Jackson Hole Fire/EMS honored several volunteers for their longevity Saturday night at their annual dinner.  However, one volunteer in particular was presented an award for service above and beyond. Christopher Betsinger works for the forest service and has had a surplus of down time which he has donated to the department – showing up to attend to tasks there almost daily and chairing this year’s Fireman’s Ball.  Members of the department expressed their appreciation for his efforts, presenting Betsinger with the department’s “Extra Distance” award during the banquet.

Researchers using G-P-S technology have been following elk, wolves and hunters in the Greater Yellowstone Area to find out how elk respond to threats from predators and sportsmen…and the results weren’t what the scientists expected. Terrestrial biologist Jamin Grigg at the Colorado Division of says while both wolves and human hunters had impacts on elk movement and distribution, hunters generally had larger impacts." Grigg says elk congregated in smaller groups and traveled farther when hunters were present compared to when wolves were active, which indicates elk sense more of a threat from humans than wolves. He suggests the results show that both human hunters and wolves can affect elk migration, which can mean elk spending more time on private rangelands instead of public lands. That’s a concern when elk move into livestock pastures to graze.

The Teton Raptor Center has established a webcam on a live osprey nest in Wilson, Wyoming. Known as the W.O.W. Project  (for Wilson Osprey Webcam) the camera will give viewers a unique perspective into an active nest. Over the past two weeks, dozens of osprey have returned to the valley. The W.O.W. Project provides a live portal into a wild and active osprey nest above the banks of a local creek. Through this medium, Teton Raptor Center offers an opportunity for neighbors near and far to observe the daily routines of an osprey pair as they nurture their young, fish, preen and go about their wild raptor lives in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The webcam can be accessed at www.tetonraptorcenter.org.

Monday, 04-19-10

Grand Teton National Park is reporting recreational visits to the park last month increased 7.3% over what the park experienced in March of 2009.  According to the Park’s monthly public use report, 47, 742 recreational visitors entered the park last month compared with 44,492 last year. Together with January and February’s totals, the total recreational visits to the park for the first three months are just less than 2% behind the first three months of last year – despite weather conditions that were less-than-optimal for winter recreation. At the same time, however, the park also reports non-recreational use during March fell by nearly 9.4% so that the total visits to the park for March showed a decline. 

Sleigh Rides on the National Elk Refuge over this just-completed winter season showed about a 13% decrease for the year  None-the-less, Refuge  Spokesperson Lori Iverson says it was still considered a successful season.  Iverson says there are still elk on the refuge and big horn sheep on Miller Butte, and people can view them from the refuge road.  However, for those traveling along the refuge road, Iverson cautions that deliveries of large irrigation pipes for a major project taking place on the refuge this summer will be arriving soon.  She says drivers and pedestrians need to be watchful for those trucks.

Yellowstone's roads to Old Faithful and Canyon opened for the season over the weekend.  Visitors were able to travel by car through the park’s North and West Entrances to Norris, Madison, Canyon and Old Faithful for the first time since the winter season.  Additionally, visitors to Yellowstone National Park are able to enter the park free of charge during National Park Week, which is being celebrated through April 25.  Travel from the South Entrance to Grant, West Thumb, Old Faithful and Fishing Bridge is not set to be available until Friday, May 14^th.

The concept of so-called “snow birds” is relatively familiar here in Teton County, and many Wyoming citizens residing in warmer climates during the winter have inquired how they can be counted as a Wyoming citizen for the U.S. 2010 Census. According to the bureau of census, they need to put a zero where it asks how many people live at that residence on the form those residents received at their winter address, then check "usual home elsewhere" and send back the form. After sending back the census form from that state, Wyoming citizens can be counted in Wyoming a couple of different ways. Those who will be in Wyoming during May can wait for the census canvassers to come to their homes to count them in person. Those who are not going to be in Wyoming during May and/or would like to take care of the census another way can go to the “Census 2010 Be Counted” center closest to their snow bird residence and pick up a blank form that is not marked by a bar code, claim Wyoming as their residence on that form, and return it by mail. They can also call the closest local “Be Counted” service center and ask them to send a blank census form to them.

This is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wyoming.  National Weather Service offices serving Wyoming use the week to promote weather safety, preparedness plans, and to test statewide communications systems. Warning Coordination Meteorologist Chris Jones says among the weather concerns in Wyoming are tornadoes, flash floods, damaging wind, hail, and microbursts. Jones says people need to know how to obtain weather alerts and how to react.  Jones says a test Tornado Warning will be issued on Wednesday at 10:30 am for the entire state of Wyoming.  Businesses, schools and local, state and federal government agencies will use this as a drill of their own procedures for what they do when severe weather threatens. 

With warmer days on the way, the Wyoming Department of Health is reminding residents to avoid tick-borne diseases by taking simple precautions when spending time outdoors.  Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia and Colorado tick fever are found in Wyoming and are typically transmitted by the bite of an infected tick.  The best way to avoid these diseases says Surveillance Epidemiologist Emily Thorp, is to limit exposure to ticks.  Humans are exposed to ticks by walking through, playing or sitting in brushy and grassy areas or by handling animals. Recommendations for people visiting potentially tick-infested areas include: wear light-colored clothing to make it easier to see ticks crawling on clothing, tuck pant legs into socks, apply insect repellents containing DEET to discourage tick attachment, upon return from potentially tick-infested areas, search body for ticks and remove them, pets that can carry ticks into the household and should also be examined. Tick populations usually peak during spring.

Friday, 04-16-10

The week’s unsettled weather has brought yet more snowpack to the high country, boosting the supply in the area’s aquifers slightly.  According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Snake River Basin is holding at 67% of average, the Upper Yellowstone/Madison basin is at 64% of the 30-year average, and the Wind River Basin is recording 89% of normal.  Meanwhile, the area’s reservoirs collectively are 91% filled as the spring run-off is still under way.

Northeastern Utah and southwestern Wyoming saw some noticeable shaking last evening at 6:00 pm.  An earth tremor measuring 4.9 on the Richter was recorded on the Utah/Wyoming border near Randolph, Utah and about 27 miles south of Cokeville.  The shaker rattled windows and pictures on the wall, but there were no reports of significant damage.  Last evening’s quake reportedly was felt throughout that region and as far away as St. George, Utah 343 miles to the south; and Evergreen, Colorado 332 miles to the east.  One person in Jackson also reported feeling the quake.  This marks the largest earthquake in that region since 1966.

National Park Week begins tomorrow through April 25^th, which means you can enjoy Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks admission free.   Grand Teton National Park Spokesperson Jackie Skaggs says the idea was to get the public more familiar with their parks during the off-season. Visitors can take advantage of this week to bike, hike, or inline skate the Teton Park Road with less motorized vehicle traffic.  Skaggs says this is also a time when the public can see more wildlife than during the summer months.  That said, along with National Park Week, naturalists are also leading trips to watch the Sage Grouse as they perform their annual mating dance at a lek at Mormon Row.  The trips begin at 5:30 a.m. from the Craig Thomas Discovery Center in Moose, but Skaggs says the spectacle is worth sacrificing a couple hours of sleep.   Visitors who want to participate to see the strutting grouse should make a reservation by calling 739-3399.

With the weekend here once again, many may be planning a weekend getaway.  Unfortunately, AAA Auto Club says it will again cost more to fill your vehicle’s gas tank.  Currently, AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report says it will cost you about $2.84 for each gallon you pump in Wyoming, with the Cowboy State is keeping pace with the national average, which is just a penny more.  Meanwhile, Wyoming's average is lower than our neighbors, with Idaho's gasoline now at $3.05 per gallon and Montana's at $2.95 per gallon.  Here in Jackson, the cost of a gallon of gas now averages $2.86 per gallon while across the pass, motorists in Teton Valley are paying an average of $3.11. 

Just over 3 years ago, Jackson and Teton County officials committed to reducing energy and fuel consumption by 10% by the end of 2010.  In 2006, the Jackson Town Council and Board of Teton County Commissioners made a commitment to improve energy efficiencies and reduce heat trapping gas emissions in the town and county.  Wendy Koelfgen, of Jackson/Teton County Energy Affairs, says since the beginning of the initiative,  Teton County's electricity use is down 4%.  Parks and Recreation electricity use combined is down 9%, as is the Town of Jackson facilities use.  That reduction is impressive, since the new parking garage was added after the baseline year.  All County and Town of Jackson fuel sources combined are down 8% since 2006.  The Town of Jackson departments are down 40% on gasoline use and 17% on diesel. Teton County departments are down 7% on natural gas use Both Teton County and The Town of Jackson are down 28% on propane use. 

Thursday, 04-15-10

A former Rock Springs, Wyoming man has been arrested in the 2006 murder of Colorado snowboarder Ben Bradley. According to a joint release issued today by Sweetwater County Sheriff Rich Haskell and Sweetwater County Attorney Brett Johnson, Eric John Conn, 41, was taken into custody on March 18th without incident by law enforcement officials in St. Louis, Missouri. Conn is charged with Murder in the First Degree, Accessory to Murder in the First Degree, and Accessory After the Fact. Conn was transported to Wyoming by county detectives and appeared in Circuit Court in Rock Springs on Tuesday [April 13, 2010] before Judge Dan Forgey, where his bond was set at $2 million, cash or surety. On June 2, 2006, Bradley left his home in Tabernash, Colorado, in Grand County, to hitchhike the 464 miles to Jackson, Wyoming for a special snowboard outing he’d planned with friends there for his birthday on June 4th. With him he carried his black, custom-made split-board “Never Summer” snowboard bearing the image of an eagle with lightning bolts in its talons.  Bradley never arrived in Jackson. When Bradley’s father in California reported him missing, detectives from the Grand County Sheriff’s Office began tracking his movements. They examined his cell phone records and determined that he made a last phone call to his Jackson friends at about 8:58 PM on June 2nd from a location near a cell tower site in north Rock Springs.  Bradley’s friends told investigators that during the call he said he was two hours from Pinedale and asked that someone drive there from Jackson to meet him and pick him up, but this arrangement was not made and Bradley was never heard from again.  On October 1, 2006, a family out sightseeing found a human body near the base of a promontory called Boar’s Tusk north of Rock Springs. A wallet found in the pants pocket contained the Colorado driver’s license of Ben Bradley and DNA confirmed the identification.
As described in court documents, “An autopsy confirmed the cause of death to be multiple stab wounds to the chest. A skull fracture was also noted above the left car. No defensive wounds were noted on Bradley’s body.”  Bradley’s one-of-a-kind custom snowboard was not found and remains missing.  Conn, who was living in Rock Springs at the time of Bradley’s disappearance, was among the many people questioned during the course of the investigation. The charges against him stem from additional interviews in March in St. Louis. Haskell emphasized that Ben Bradley’s snowboard is still missing, though dozens of leads concerning it have been followed up, all with negative results so far.  “We’re asking, as always, that anyone with information about the snowboard or the case in general get in touch with us,” he said.  Murder in the First Degree and Accessory to Murder in the First Degree are punishable by death, life imprisonment without parole or life imprisonment according to law. Accessory After the Fact is punishable by imprisonment for not more than three years, a fine of not more than $3,000, or both.  Johnson noted that the charges are merely accusations, and any defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

A rebate program to help Wyoming residents replace older, less energy efficient appliances with newer, energy efficient technology starts today.  The Wyoming Appliance Rebate Program, managed by the Wyoming State Energy Office and funded by the federal 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act  aims to capture valuable energy savings and spur economic growth around the state. Rebates will be available for replacement of older appliances with new, ENERGY STAR-qualifying clothes washers, dishwashers, water heaters, and furnaces.  The rebates range from $50 to $250 depending on the product, and are available on a first-come, first-served basis while funds last. Details about eligibility and how to participate are available here.  

Recognizing the potential threat that Aquatic Invasive Species like zebra and quagga mussels could have on Wyoming waters, the Wyoming State Legislature has passed a bill directing the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission and State Parks and Cultural Resources to develop a new AIS prevention program.  In response to the measure, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has implemented emergency regulations to address the invasive species threat.  Under the emergency rule, all watercraft using Wyoming waters will be required to display an annual Aquatic Invasive Species program decal.  You can get one for your boat on the Game And Fish Department Website, beginning today.   Costs for the decal are $10 for motorized watercraft registered in Wyoming and  $30 for out of state watercraft.   Non motorized watercraft decals are $5.00 for Wyomingites, and $15.00 for non-residents.  All funds collected from the decal fees will help fund the AIS program.   The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission will consider permanent rule-making June 17, 2010 at 1 p.m. at the Casper Game and Fish Regional office, following a series of public meetings.  Public comments will be accepted from April 13 through May 28.  An informational meeting will be held next Wednesday, April 21 at the Wyoming Game and Fish Regional Office in Jackson. 

Wednesday 04-14-10

Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Jim McBride has released a letter he sent to the U.S. Department of Education that outlines his concerns with the current PAWS testing, as well as testimonial from Wyoming school districts.  The letter was directed to Dr. Zollie Stevenson at the USED as his office and staff are responsible for monitoring and managing assessment and accountability results in the states. The letter outlines problems associated with the 2010 PAWS administration, and specifically asks USED to grant a waiver in using the results of 2010 PAWS to make accountability and adequate yearly progress determinations.  The problems around the state ranged from inaccurate protractors, to computer problems causing lost data.  Teton County School District 1 Superintendent Pam Shea said some students had to retake some portions of their tests.  Shea said the data that is gathered by the PAWS test is very important, because it helps determine of  the standards required by the ‘No Child Left Behind’ Act are being met, and helps districts know how to distribute resources.  A statewide meeting was held on Monday to determine how widespread the problems with PAWS were, and how they might be mitigated. 

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will be presenting their final Wildlife Protection Recommendations for Wind Energy Development in Wyoming on April 23 at the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission meeting in Casper. The commission will have received the final draft document and the comments in preparation of the April Meeting.  They will be taking public testimony on the final draft.  The draft wildlife protection recommendations for wind energy  development were released for public comment Nov. 3, 2009.  The Game and Fish received 45 comments from private landowners, state and federal agencies, wind  developers and sportsmen and conservation groups. The final draft document currently posted on the Wyoming Game and Fish Web site differs from the Nov. 3, 2009 version due to modifications made in response to comments received over the last four months.  The document can be accessed on the Wyoming Game and Fish Web site http://gf.state.wy.us.  It provides recommendations for assessing impacts to wildlife from wind energy projects, for collecting data and for mitigation.   

After a successful rehabilitation, Teton Raptor Center will return a Tundra Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius) to the wild on Friday, April 16, 2010. The release is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at Teton Raptor Center’s rehabilitation and education facility at the Hardeman Barns in Wilson. The public is invited to witness this release, sharing in the opportunity to observe a Tundra Peregrine up-close and watch it take flight.  The Tundra (Arctic) Peregrine is the palest of the North American subspecies of Peregrine Falcons, and is slightly smaller than the others. The male Tundra came to Teton Raptor Center in September 2009 after sustaining injuries to its chest, resulting in two broken coracoid processes. The bird has been in physical rehabilitation for the last few months, flying at the Center. He now appears strong enough to fly north, just in time to return to his migration path. This return will mark the fifth successful release of a wild raptor benefitting from the veterinary care and rehabilitation program at Teton Raptor Center this year. Parking is limited at Teton Raptor Center, kindly carpool or bike.

Tuesday, 04-13-10

Once again this year, the local Snake River Brewery has returned victorious from the World Beer Cup, a biannual international competition among beer crafters.  This year, three Medals were awarded to the local brewery, including a Gold for the Berliner Weisse in the German Style Sour Ale Category, a Silver Medal for the Foreign Style Zonker Stout, and a Bronze Medal for Le Serpent, which is a Belgian Style Flanders Category Beer.  Snake River Brewery’s Director of Brewing Operations Chris Ericson says the Snake River Brewery has Medaled at every single World Beer Cup since the competition began in 1996.  It is the largest commercial competition ever, and was host to 642 breweries from 44 countries this year.  More than 33 hundred beers were entered, in 90 different categories.  Ericson said that Snake River Brewery’s recipes come from a variety of inspirations. He said they pay attention to Jackson locals tastes and suggestions, keep an eye on trends in the brewing industry, and study old world styles. Ericson himself came up with the recipe for the Gold Medal winning Berliner Weisse, and the Bronze Medalist Le Serpent was developed by Brew Master Cory Buenning. 

So do you think your paycheck is about average?  Well if it is, and you live in Teton County, you can consider yourself  pretty fortunate.  The Internal Revenue service says Teton County residents collectively have the highest average gross incomes in the nation.  The latest available information about the income of taxpayers in each of the nation's 3,140 counties was recently  posted on the Internal Revenue Service’s Web Site.   The data allowed the comparison of any county with the others in its state and in the nation as a whole. At an average of $107,694, the taxpayers in Teton County, Wyoming reported the highest average gross adjusted income in the United States -- more than five times higher than the $18,761 reported in Zavala County, Texas, which was the lowest in the country. After Teton County in Wyoming, the next four wealthiest counties were Fairfield County, Connecticut, Marin County, California, Somerset County, New Jersey, and Morris County, New Jersey.

And while we’re on the subject of paychecks – don’t forget, Uncle Sam is looking for his this week.   The notorious April 15th tax filing deadline is day after tomorrow.  But don’t panic, even if you haven’t begun to gather your w-2s and fill in your forms. .  Taxpayers who need extra time to file their federal returns this year can file the Form 4868 request for an automatic extension through IRS Free File. The extension gives you an additional six months, until Oct. 15, to file the tax return.  Taxpayers can file the request for extension with traditional Free File or Free File Fillable Forms. Using Free File to prepare and electronically submit Form 4868 is free to everyone.  In addition, taxpayers can use paid preparers or purchased software to electronically file Form 4868. A paper version is available for download from the IRS Web site, IRS.gov. Keep in mind that an extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay. You need to estimate your tax liability and pay any balance due when you request the extension. Several payment options are available, including electronic funds withdrawal, credit card and check.  If you are unable to pay the total balance due, you should pay as much as possible and then contact the IRS about an installment plan. Even if you cannot pay the balance due, it is important to either file a return or request an extension to avoid the failure-to-file penalty.  The IRS expects to receive approximately 10 million extension requests in 2010, which is about the same as last year.

Monday, 04-12-10

Recent snow storms in northwestern Wyoming have been helping the snowpack in the various river basins inch upward.  According to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, snowpack in the Snake River Basin has increased slightly to 66% of the 30-year average.  Late last month, it had measured slightly over 50% of normal.  Likewise, the Upper Snake River/Madison River basin is reporting snow depths at 63% of normal which is 8% higher than late last month, and the Wind River basin is at 86% of normal.  While the improvement is welcome, the aquifers still remain in the drought category.  On the positive side, area reservoirs are well above average in what is stored – ranging from 100% filled at American Falls Reservoir and 89% at Palisades Reservoir, to 75% at Jackson Lake and 86% at Grassy Lake.  System-wide, the Minidoka project reports their water supply already at 90% of capacity.

Governor Dave Freudenthal was joined at his press conference last week by advocates for children, and about 30 students from a nearby preschool, to watch as he signed a proclamation intended to raise awareness about the need to prevent child abuse and neglect.  "This question about the prevention of child abuse and neglect is a big issue with myself and my wife, so we're delighted to do this.  I can't think of any better group to join us than these young people to make the point that they're not just worth protecting, they're worth nurturing and it's a community responsibility.  Now I better sign this before they all go nuts.  The proclamation calls for community involvement in supporting parents to raise their children in a safe environment.  With a stroke of his pen, Freudenthal proclaimed April 2010 Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month.

The Teton County Fair Board is lining up its agenda for this summer’s Teton County Fair and Rodeo.  According to Fair Manager Yvonne Robertson, the grandstand events will feature all the old favorites, like Pig Wrestling, Figure “8” Races,  and a Demolition Derby.  Fair goers can also enjoy the annual rodeo, and a concert by well known country artist, Pat Green.  Frazier Shows will be back with their carnival and this year discount Carnival tickets and wristbands will be pre-sold in the Fair Office.  As always, there will be lots of free entertainment for all ages, including a clown, a magician, jugglers, a hypnotist, and a petting zoo.  The Fair will also feature a kids pedal tractor pull, interactive science displays, a fiddle contest and talent show, and  a car show.  Robertson said this year the Fair is sponsoring Non-Profit Alley on Friday, July 30 where non-profits can set up booths for the day.  The Fair will run from July 24th through August 1st, and Robertson says it will definitely live up to this year's theme, "A 'Hole' Lot of Fun!"

Friday, 04-09-10

The first of the candidates seeking to replace State Representative Pete Jorgensen has announced plans to run.  Ruth Ann Petroff says she has been impressed by the leadership shown over the years by Clarene Law and wishes to emulate that service to community.  Petroff says it is those previous state representatives who provide inspiration for the goals she would seek to achieve in the office. Petroff says considering all of the polarization in national politics, which can make it intimidating for those in the ‘middle majority’ to be represented, she is motivated to run for office to represent balanced ideals and values. Petroff is running as a Republican. Len Carlman had previously announced intentions to run for the position as a Democrat.
 

Grand Teton National Park has announced plans for a sizable spring prescribed fire project. As soon as weather permits, Teton interagency fire personnel and Grand Teton National Park natural resource managers plan to burn the 182-acre Elbo West unit, southwest of the Teton Science Schools’ campus and Ditch Creek Road. The burn is part of a 4,000-acre native rangeland restoration project along Grand Teton National Park’s east boundary and involves a multistage effort to convert pasture land back to native vegetation as part of the 2007 Bison and Elk Management Plan for the National Elk Refuge and Grand Teton National Park. Firefighters will only ignite burn units when favorable weather and fire behavior conditions exist. Smoke will be evident during the day of the burn.

Governor Dave Freudenthal says the call from some legislators for a possible special session to address federal health care reform is not a good idea.  Freudenthal says such a session would likely cost about half a million dollars and the governor said legislators would be discussing the same issues they would in their regular session next January. Freudenthal says state agencies are analyzing the health care reform bill’s possible impacts to Medicaid and other programs in Wyoming now.  The governor said states are not required to be in Medicaid, but the key is to figure out what that means for the 80,000 people currently covered by the program. Freudenthal says there is no legal requirement for states to be in Medicaid, and they have a real recourse to simply withdraw.

When considering the lack of progress on the conveyance of the Forest Service property in north Jackson and reconstruction of a Supervisor's office, one need only look at the local real estate market where properties are not selling at a fair market value. According to Forest Spokesperson Mary Cernacek, plans have not changed regarding keeping the office in Jackson and a final "game plan" for that office employee housing is anticipated by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Bridger-Teton National Forest will begin an online auction to sell a residential property at 203 Van Noy Parkway, Thayne on May 3^rd.  The nearly ¾ acre property contains a single family home with attached single garage and fenced back yard which was used in the past to house Greys River Ranger District employees. Information about the sale can be found on the GSA property disposal website.

With improving weather conditions forecast this weekend, there are those who may be thinking of cleaning out their garages, barns, campers, cabins or storage units.  “Be careful!” warns the Wyoming Department of Health. State Epidemiologist Dr. Tracy Murphy says residents need to consider the possible presence of rodent droppings which can place them at risk for infection.  To minimize exposure, Murphy suggests wear rubber, latex, or vinyl gloves, spray rodent urine and droppings with a disinfectant or bleach solution until thoroughly soaked, do not vacuum or sweep rodent urine, droppings, nesting materials or contaminated surfaces until they have been disinfected to avoid the virus becoming airborne, and after the rodent droppings and urine have been removed, disinfect items that might have been contaminated by rodents or their urine and droppings.  Furthermore, Murphy says, if the building has been closed and unoccupied for a long period of time, open the doors and windows for ventilation at least 30 minutes before beginning work.

Thursday, 04-08-10

There may have been fewer flights in and out of Jackson Hole Airport last month, but passenger traffic through the terminal definitely showed signs of improvement.  The number of those arriving on one of the six airlines serving the valley last month increased 14% above those who flew into Jackson in March of 2009 raising the year-to-date arrivals by 3%.  Curiously, the number of people departing the valley decreased by 2% last month causing the enplanement statistics to be dead even with 2009 year to date.  With Delta and Skywest cutting their flights to Jackson Hole last month, the number of flights declines by 12% -- meaning, however, that the load factor for those remaining flights was improved.  Still, the number of passengers utilizing Jackson Hole Airport remains significantly below the same month in 2008 which was considered a banner year.

Work continues tonight on Theme Six of the town and county comprehensive plan – focusing on the transportation needs of the valley now and in the future.  County Planner Alex Norton says this may be the last evening for this issue to be discussed. Discussions last week centered on what studies need to be done before the governments can set policy and what studies would be appropriate after the setting of transportation policy.  Then, Norton says, emphasis was put on the need to actually take action once the policy is set and implement that policy.  Last week, various agency leaders were on hand to answer questions about the specific needs of various areas of the community. Norton says several of those leaders will be back again tonight.  The meeting again is set for 5:30 pm in the County Commission Chamber.

National media and others in the media are proclaiming the mid-term elections are heating up.  Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal would beg to differ.  At this point before the election, the only ones who really care he says are the politicos and the media. Freudenthal says he sees the voters as still being a long way from even formulating what the significant issues are.  Currently, he says, the candidates are making general statements about federal involvement in state issues and other federal influences, but there still isn’t much focus on what candidates would do if they won their office.

An avalanche in Western Wyoming claimed another life this winter season.  A 39 year old Idaho man died Friday when an avalanche buried him as he was snowmobiling with a group of friends just southwest of Palisades Reservoir in Lincoln County, Wyoming.  According to Lieutenant Brian Andrews, Thell “Bart” Weeks of Ririe was caught by the avalanche in the Indian Creek Drainage, about noon Friday.  Companions quickly searched for him, unburied him and began CPR.  Andrews says Air Idaho Rescue flew Weekes to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

It happened again while you were sleeping – gasoline prices rose again at the pumps with the nationwide average now $2.85 per gallon of unleaded regular according to AAA Auto Club’s Fuel Gauge Report.  Idaho is now listed among the most expensive states while Wyoming still is numbered among those at about the median level.  Wyoming’s average is now $2.81 per gallon while Idaho is listed with an average of $3.01 by AAA’s survey.  Here in Teton County, prices average $2.79 per gallon while across the pass, the price averages $3.07.  Some national prognosticators predict the price at the pump will rise to over $4.00 a gallon by this summer.

Wednesday, 04-07-10

Last month’s recreational travel in Yellowstone National Park increased by more than 21% according to statistics just released by the National Park Service.  The nationally posted report says Yellowstone saw 21,028 visitors through four of the five park entrances.  Interestingly, the north entrance alone saw an increase of 4,000 recreational visitors through the entrance station over the same period last year.  The total number of people in the park, including those in the park for business, increased by 5.5% over last year.  Year to date, recreational winter visitation in Yellowstone this year was up by 7-point-5 percent.  Meanwhile, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort reports that it experienced the 4th highest visitation level in its 45 year history this just-concluded season with over 413,684 skiers hitting the slopes this winter. This year’s results mark the 5th consecutive year of skier visits above the 400,000 benchmark.

With the end of the winter season in Jackson Hole, the flight schedule in and out of Jackson Hole Airport is being scaled back beginning today.  Among the flights being dropped from the daily schedule are departures to Dallas/Fort Worth and to Chicago by American Airlines and the flight to Chicago by United.  Also seeing seasonal discontinuance are corresponding arrivals from those cities by the two airlines.  Service between Denver and Salt Lake City continue with minor time adjustments.

Wyoming State Senator Mike Massie announced yesterday he will run for Wyoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction - the only elected position in Wyoming that focuses exclusively on statewide education. In his announcement, Massie said he strongly believes that Wyoming’s schools are about more than test scores, buildings and funding.  Instead, he says, it’s about each student who walks through the doors of. Massie has represented Laramie in the state legislature for the past 16 years, including many years of service on various education committees. 

The Wyoming Highway Patrol has named an interim administrator to replace Colonel Sam Powell who retired last week after 34 years with the patrol.  Lieutenant Colonel Jess Oyler of Cheyenne was named by WYDOT Director John Cox late last week to fill the position until a permanent successor can be found. Oyler, a Rawlins native joined the Patrol in 1979 and has earned successive promotions since then. He has served as the WHP’s operations commander since 2003.