Friday, December 12, 2008

Five bizarre things you probably didn't know about our '08 elections

Public processes can get a little messy, and no more so than at elections time. From hanging chads to lost ballots, things can get strange.

Here are the five most bizarre things I ran across this election cycle in Park County. Now one more than month removed from the election, I think it's safe to put together a final list.

1. Getting a text message from Park County Commission candidate Hank Whitelock on Primary Election Day, asking me to vote for him. In a race where no candidate even set up a web site, getting invasive electronic campaigning was a little bizarre. I'm pretty sure he simply texted everybody in his address book (I had previously called him from my cell), but it was still weird.

Speaking of weird, for the record, that's not my hand. It belongs to composition whiz Carla Wenksy.

2. The flood of emails from anti-Obama campaigners on election eve. On Nov. 3, everyone at the Tribune with an email address - from the front office folks to the press room - was inundated with messages letting us know of Obama's promise to like to bankrupt the coal industry, in hopes we would run a story about it. Through some investigative email replying, it was learned that the barrage was orchestrated by PUMAs. The PUMA movement (which originally stood for "Party Unity My A**", but was later changed to "People United Mean Action") began after Hillary Clinton lost the Democratic Presidential nomination.

And apparently, their mailings were effective in some areas.

One emailing supporter who was gracious enough to respond to my inquiries, explained the movement's origins this way:
"They saw the fraud at the caucuses. It's not about them losing and they are somehow sore losers. They saw the sexist tactics used by the Obama team in the primaries and carried forward into the general election. They came together in anger, but they quickly turned that anger into action against the Obama presidency.

I found them when I went out researching the PUMA's' that had been referenced on another blog, and I, like several others, at PUMA Pac am a Republican. The thing is we are ALL serious about getting the info out to defeat Obama."
I'll second the serious part. They referred to their mass mailings as a "daily prowl" and sent their messages to everyone they could at the Lovell Chronicle, Lusk Herald, Casper Star Tribune, Torrington Telegram, Guernsey Gazette, Douglas Budget, Jackson Hole News and Guide, and Platte County Record Times.

What makes the whole thing especially weird is that while Wyoming is a coal state, the PUMAs apparently overlooked the poll numbers showing Obama already hopelessly trailing in the Cowboy State.

Weeks before the election, even Obama's state director, Michelle Sullivan, was encouraging Wyoming residents to lobby their neighbors ... in Montana.

Then again, the PUMAs also predicted that despite poll numbers to the contrary, McCain was going to sweep the election in a landslide.

3. The importance of Ralston. The two Park County precinct results sought by national vote-tracker Edison-Mitofsky were the Cody Auditorium, and Ralston. With absolutely no disrespect to Ralston, there just aren't that many people there to effect the state-wide races Edison cared about. There must be something particularly special about those few hundred votes in precinct 21-1. Had the Lummis-Trauner results been a little closer, organizations like Edison-Mitofsky would have used data from Ralston to help predict a winner. Think about that one the next time you're tempted to say your vote doesn't count.

4. Having your boss run for elected office. I'll be frank - having Tribune publisher Dave Bonner seeking the House District 25 seat was awkward at times.

I remember when I first learned that Pat Slater was running a write-in campaign; I mentioned to Dave how cool it was to have some competition in the race. Then, I caught myself, realizing that for him, it meant more stress, time, and money. The paper, myself, and I think Dave, all welcomed another voice in the campaign, but that doesn't mean it was fun for him.

I don't think our coverage of the District 25 race was ever anything other than fair. Dave is pretty hands-off in terms of day-to-day editing these days, and he specifically stayed away from stories on his race. And contrary to some rumors, Dave paid for the Tribune ads out of his own pocket, not the Tribune's.

However, despite our caution, there was a slip-up in October.
On Oct. 14, we ran the at-left advertisements on page 4 of the Tribune Plus (the free ad mailer sent to non-Tribune subscribers in the area).

The advertisement urging readers to subscribe to the Tribune featured the April 3 cover of the newspaper. In that issue, the lead story was "Rec District Director Calls it Quits." Of course, that director was Pat Slater. And directly below that - same column width and everything - was Dave's campaign ad. That unintentional mess potentially created the impression that the goal was to disparage Slater while promoting Dave.

In reality, that Tribune subscription ad had been running at least since May - months before Pat decided to run his write-in campaign, and even days before the original filing period had closed.

It was an innocent mistake, but a stupid one on our parts. I think the Tribune consensus was that we should have caught it. It ended up not catching our attention until someone raised the issue.

Again, awkward.

5. The loser should have, could have, won in the hotly uncontested race for the Northwest College board seat for the Meeteetse area. James Sessions took the race with 45 votes to claim the NWC seat, defeating fellow seat-seeker Larry Todd, who fell 2 votes short with 43. Both Sessions and Todd were write-in candidates, as neither had filed for seat. Oddly enough, Todd actually had more people write in his name. However, Sessions had more supporters remember to fill in the corresponding "Write-in" bubble, said Park County Clerk Kelly Jensen. Both the name and bubble must be completed on the ballot for it to count.

Moral of the story? Never underestimate the importance of ballot access.

Or the complexity of the American electoral process.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Audio: Brian Doyle, soccer, and the Dalai Lama

Essayist Brian Doyle, editor of Portland Magazine, shared stories and read from his works at the inaugural Northwest College Winifred S. Wasden Memorial Reading back in October. What follows is an excerpt from Doyle's presentation, in which he talks about his four minutes of face time with the Dalai Lama.

Brian Doyle meets the Dalai Lama - 10:15

If the audio player doesn't work in the space above, you can download the recording here.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Audio: Pam Houston writes of Halliburton and massages

Author Pam Houston did some reading at Northwest College November 20, and the Tribune brought a mic along. In these excerpts, Houston reads short stories about Ozona, Texas and Tucson, Arizona.

Pam Houston writes of Halliburton and massages - 7:07

If the audio player doesn't work in the space above, you can download the recording here.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Wild horse challenge

I’ve been covering the wild horse issue for months and have another installment for Friday’s paper.

The Bureau of Land Management is in a tight spot. They’re saddled with oodles of wild horses from across the west and the price to hold the mustangs is mounting.

What’s a government bureaucracy to do?

The bulk of the wild horse appropriation - totaling millions of dollars - is spent putting the captured critters out to pasture in BLM-run facilities.
Wild horses wallow in the mud. Photo by Ken Martin
The BLM wants the public to adopt the animals, but the public can’t afford to feed the horses.

The BLM could legally euthanize the horses or send them to slaughter. But if they do, the public will scream bloody hell (Ed. note: one example).

Congress’ cops, the Government Accountability Office, is leaning on the BLM to fix the problem. But the answer is as elusive as a politician’s campaign pledge.

This is where the public comes in. If we, the taxpayers (remember, we’re the ones supposedly calling the shots) unearth a solution, we can make the BLM listen.

I know. Getting a federal bureaucracy to heed our advice is like fighting city hall on a colossal scale. However, I believe the BLM people want to do a good job, but money is tight and the answer demands some tough decisions.

Wild horses are the bomb. Watching mustangs dash across the prairie is a cool glimpse of nature’s choreography in action.

I don’t have the answer, but I know we must find a solution and convince the decision-makers in our nation’s capital to listen.

Dig the pic. My pal, Ken Martin, who takes folks on wild horse tours in the McCullough Peaks, snapped these mustangs wallowing in the mud at the water hole.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Yes, Virginia, there are cowboys in New York!

The Naked Cowboy of Times SquareWhile we're on the subject of New York, Brad and I took a trip to the Big Apple last week. While there, we had the pleasure of seeing the famous Naked Cowboy of Times Square. The guy has been a fixture there for 10 years. The day we saw him, it was cold -- I'm talking really, really cold -- even for this Wyoming girl. But there he was in all his near-naked glory, singing and posing with passers-by.

But the highlight for us was seeing The King snapping pix of the cowboy -- Elvis himself. You really can see anything in New York.
I'll leave you with this parting shot!

New York Times: 2,000 miles from Yellowstone's realities

In a Saturday editorial entitled "Ms. Lewis Refuses to Listen," the New York Times called for the firing of Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis.

I think they're wildly off-base.

Snowmobiles enter the West Entrance in this 1998 NPS photoThe Times, which advocates that all snowmobiles be removed from Yellowstone, says that Lewis' decision to allow 720 daily snowmobiles this season is a "distortion" of Wyoming District Court Judge Clarence Brimmer's Nov. 7 ruling on winter use.

In that decision, Brimmer largely deferred to District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan of the District of Columbia. On Sept. 15, Sullivan had voided Yellowstone's proposed plans, ruling that 540 snowmobiles a day would cause undue environmental damage.

Brimmer said that if had it been up to him, he would have upheld the 540 rule. Not having that option available, he left the rule's vacation in place, and ordered that a temporary 2004 rule be reinstated until the Park Service crafts a new, long-term plan.

The New York Times contends that Lewis manipulated Brimmer's decision. They wrote:
"According to Judge Brimmer’s decision, 'The ruling of the D.C. District Court [shall] remain undisturbed here.'

Judge Brimmer’s intentions are perfectly clear and explicitly stated. But by carefully quoting half-sentences from the decision, Suzanne Lewis, Yellowstone’s superintendent, claims just the opposite. She says that he is directing the Park Service to scrap the current plan and revert to the formula of several years ago, which allowed 720 snowmobiles a day into the park."
In speaking of "carefully quoting half-sentences," the Times may as well be reprimanding itself.

Anyone who's followed the issue knows exactly what Judge Brimmer's intentions have been in the past - keeping snowmobiles in the Park.

From Brimmer's decision:
"IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the D.C. District Court's invalidation of the final rule shall remain undisturbed by this Court."
That's where the New York Times editorial board apparently stopped reading. But Brimmer continued.
"IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the NPS shall reinstate the 2004 temporary rule until such time as it can promulgate an acceptable rule to take its place."
As per Brimmer's orders, that 2004 temporary rule permits up to 720 snowmobiles a day.

How following the judge's ruling to the letter is a distortion of his decision, we ignorant Westerners may never know.

There are serious, thoughtful arguments made on both sides of the snowmobiling issue. However, they are not being advanced by the New York Times.

Photo courtesy of Jim Peaco, NPS. Note: This version of the post removes a portion regarding Park County's borders.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Audio: Senator Al Simpson and the Casper Star Tribune

I did an interview with former U.S. Senator Al Simpson last week that yielded this story in Tuesday's Tribune about the '08 election.

Left out of that article were many of the side stories he shared over the course of the conversation. Fortunately, I had a microphone along for the trip.

Here's a roughly 7-minute clip in which Al talks about his relationship with the media - in particular, recounting a tussle with the late Charles Levendosky of the Casper Star Tribune.

Senator Simpson and the Casper Star - 7:05

If the audio player doesn't work in the space above, you can download the recording here.

We're thinking of making audio clips a regular (perhaps, weekly?) podcast thing, and before we make too many plans, it would sure help to know if it's something you (yes, you!) are interested in.

If you're so moved, weigh in with a comment below, drop by the office sometime, give us a ring, or shoot me an email. As usual, feedback in any form is more than welcome.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Audio: Park County's CodeRED message

Last Saturday, Park County tested its CodeRED emergency notification system.

Rather than use a plain "This is a test" message, the Board of Commissioners decided to use the test to remind folks about the Bureau of Land Management resource planning meetings in Cody and Powell on Wednesday and Thursday.

In the test, around half of the County's phones weren't reached. If you were one of those unreached folks, and want to hear it for yourself, the audio message is playable below.
If the audio player doesn't appear or work in the space above, you can download the recording here.

As a side note, the comment deadline on the BLM's resource management planning has been extended to Nov. 24.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Public land: yours for the shaping

It won't get any easier to weigh in on the Big Horn Basin's public lands than it will tomorrow. At least not for 20 years or so.

As you're hopefully aware, the Bureau of Land Management is putting together a new Resource Management Plan for the Big Horn Basin's federal lands. The Tribune's story on the process can be found here, and the BLM has a planning webpage loaded with info here.

BLM logoBasically, a "Resource Management Plan" is a document that lays out everything that can or can't be done on federal land. That ranges from where you can hunt & fish, to what land is available for oil drilling, to which roads will be maintained.

The document will guide BLM actions for the next 15 to 20 years. It will take the BLM a couple years to put the plan together, but only until next Monday (the 17th) can you freely weigh in with your opinions.

Tomorrow (Thursday, Nov. 13), from 3 to 8 p.m. in the conference room of Americas Best Value Inn, the BLM is hosting an open house-type meeting. You can drop in and share your thoughts and fire away with questions at any time in there.

Comments collected at tomorrow's meeting - along with those collected from across the Basin - will largely determine what options the BLM will consider in their planning.

Commissioners have been doing their best to get raise awareness of the meetings. They've set up a blog (here), commissioned an environmental consultant to survey folks' land-use priorities (fill it out here), and even tried cold-calling just about everyone in the county who has a phone (see page five in tomorrow's Trib).

Residents apparently got the message one way or another - word has it that the meeting in Cody today was standing-room only. I'm hoping Powell will see a similarly massive turnout, but if you can't make it, you can send comments to bbrmp_wymail@blm.gov or by mail to PO Box 119, Worland, WY, 82401-0119 until Monday.

If you have questions, you can contact Caleb Hiner, planning Project Manager, at the Worland Field Office, (307) 347-5171.

Monday, November 10, 2008

As a local publication, we keep our coverage local

A couple of readers recently criticized the Tribune’s coverage of President-elect Barack Obama’s victory as too minimal (Ed. note: an example), so we wanted to provide some explanation.

Throughout the campaign season, the Tribune’s coverage has centered on local politics. As a community newspaper, we have always been and always will be focused on local news.

Due to the historic nature of Obama’s win, the Tribune covered the presidential election in more depth than previous elections — a front page story with local comment, photo, column and editorial. As a newspaper that strives for fair and unbiased reporting, we would not have covered a McCain victory more prominently than Obama’s.

It’s also worth noting that the Tribune’s reporting paralleled or, in most cases, went beyond other Big Horn Basin newspapers’ coverage of Obama’s victory. Most Wyoming community newspapers didn’t include a story or photo of Obama on the front page.

For example, the Jackson Hole News and Guide didn’t include a front page story or photo of Obama’s victory in its Nov. 5 edition, and that was in Teton County, one of two Wyoming counties that voted Obama. Its page one stories fittingly focused on local elections — the hospital board, mayoral and House District 22 seat results.

By making local elections the priority, these Wyoming newspapers are not small-minded nor biased. Rather, they are fulfilling the role of a community newspaper by covering local politics, just as we are.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Park County general election results

The below post is an archive of the Tribune's live coverage throughout election night.

11:17 Well, it looks like I missed the boat: despite early returns, the Cynthia Lummis-Gary Trauner contest just wasn't that close. Lummis took the race by 20,000 votes or so. Apologies for the unnecessary hype. Anyway, that's the end of this blogging, but the election breakdown continues in Thursday's Powell Tribune. We'll have stories on pretty much everything that happened tonight and what it means for you. Thanks for following along.

10:01 OK! Looks like we're pretty much final here. Looks like my below recap is holding true. If you want to look at the numbers, check them out at the county's site here. I think I'm calling it a night, though I may pop back on when I get home. Here's the most important number, in my opinion: Lummis carried Park County by 4,919 votes. According to the Secretary of State's web site right now, she's only up by 2,400 votes or so at the moment. Park County could give her perhaps a decisive boost.

9:42 Let's just do a recap:
-McCain handily wins Park County and Wyoming, but loses in the United States.

-John Barrasso and Mike Enzi win handily here and across the state.

-Cynthia Lummis trounced Gary Trauner here by more than 3,000 votes, but golly gee is it tight statewide.

-Scott Mangold looks like he's reclaiming his seat as Powell mayor.

-Floyd Young, Don Hillman, Jim Hillberry are winners of city council seats.

-Dave Bonner handily overcame a write-in campaign by Pat Slater for House District 25.

-Nancy Tia Brown looks to be the new Cody mayor.

-Amendment A, which modernizes Wyoming's oath of office, was approved by 75 percent of Park County voters. Amendment B, however, which changes how citizens can get initiatives and referenda on the ballots (arguably making it harder) only received 48 percent support. That means it failed in Park County.

-District Court Judge Steven Cranfill apparently received the support of a majority of voters to retain his seat on the bench.

-In Cody, voters said no to giving the Cody Conservation District a one mill levy from property taxes.

Phew.

9:41 Just had a glitch that deleted what I had spent the last 10 minutes writing. Let's try that again.

9:18 Some race numbers with like 93 percent in. Very close to being done.

U.S. House
Cynthia Lummis: 6,655 votes (62 percent)
Gary Trauner: 3,239 votes (30 percent)

With the state race tight, that 3,400 vote difference could prove definitive. Park County's results aren't in yet.

House District 25
Dave Bonner: 2,759 votes (76 percent)
Write-ins: 396 votes (11 percent) NOTE: May not all be for write-in candidate Pat Slater

Powell mayor
Scott Mangold: 1,412 (64 percent)
Tim Sapp: 645 (29 percent)

Cody mayor
Nancy Tia Brown: 1,984 (57%)
Paul Rankin: 1,253 (36%)

Powell Hospital District:
Mark Kitchen: 2,526 (20%)
Kay Carlson: 2,270 (18%)
Deb Kleinfeldt: 2,200 (17%)
Doug Nissen: 1,681 (13%)

Powell City Council Ward 1
Jim Hillberry: 52%
Shea Reel: 32%

Powell City Council Ward 2
Mark Senn 22%
Floyd Young 68%

Powell City Council Ward 3
Don Hillman 57%
John Sides 31%

9:12 Here comes more numbers. 93 percent of precincts in. Don Hillman looks to have taken Powell City Council seat over John Sides. I'll start posting some numbers. And geez is that Trauner-Lummis race looking tight statewide. But there's still a lot of votes out there. Check it here.

9:03 We're almost there. 90 percent or so of the county's vote is in the books. McCain and Lummis are still holding strong (as are Barrasso and Enzi). Locally, Mayor Mangold, Jim Hillberry, Floyd Young are looking good. Still waiting on council race in ward 3 (Don Hillman and John Sides). Doug Nissen still trails in his bid to keep his Powell Hospital board seat, looks like Deb Kleinfeldt will be taking a seat there. Nancy Tia Brown looks to have all but locked up her spot as Cody mayor, too.

Just heard that national media called the race for Obama. State race between Trauner and Lummis looking tight. It sure isn't here.

8:52 We've got Powell numbers. 22 of 29 precincts are in. That's around three quarters of the county's voters. Looking good for Scott Mangold in the mayoral race and Jim Hillberry in Ward 1. Doug Nissen looks to be in real trouble in his bid for keeping his seat on the Powell Valley Hospital Board. The write-in votes for Pat Slater look like they will fall far short of beating Dave Bonner for House District 25.

Mangold: 468 votes (64 percent)
Tim Sapp: 192 votes (26 percent)

Hillberry: 381 (52 percent)
Shea Reel: 232 (32 percent)

Wards 2 and 3 not in yet.

Powell Hospital Board:
Mark Kitchen: 1,124 (19 percent)
Kay Carlson: 1,008 (17 percent)
Deb Kleinfeldt: 994 (17 percent)
Douglas V. Nissen: 669 (12 percent)

Dave Bonner: 1,124 votes (75 percent)
Write-in: 173 votes (12 percent) PLEASE NOTE: Write-in votes are not necessarily just for Slater

McCain: 6,243 (74 percent)
Obama: 1,976 (23 percent)

8:51 New results, coming in.

8:47 Whoops, slight mix-up with print-outs. 17 of 29 precincts are up over on the county's page. I'll try to track those down, but until then, you can check over there. A total of 4,217 absentee ballots have been received just so far, 3,278 was the previous record. Just heard from Clerk Kelly Jensen that they're hoping to wrap things up by 10:30 p.m. "After that, we'll get cranky," she said to the long-suffering janitorial staff.

8:38 Everything's going super smooth, but no Powell votes yet. Actually, as I type this, Powell's votes have just arrived. Hopefully, we'll get some tallies for Powell sometime soon. Still trying to pin down some kind of a turnout figure.

8:29 No Powell, but some more Cody numbers with some mayor race numbers. This is with 13 precincts of the 29, some 5,526 votes in (45 percent of the county)

Cody mayoral race:
Nancy Tia Brown: 1,669 (57 percent)
Paul E. Rankin: 1,062 (36 percent)

McCain: 4,148 (75 percent)
Obama: 1,245 (23 percent)

Lummis: 3,567 (65 percent)
Trauner: 1,551 (28 percent)

As I mentioned earlier, Enzi and Barrasso have been projected to win. No reason to doubt that here.

Barrasso: 4,448 (80 percent)
Carter: 938 (17 percent)

Enzi: 4,556 (82 percent)
Rothfuss: 850 (15 percent)

8:13 Still waiting for Powell, Ralston, etc. County Information Technology head Mike Conners says, "A lot of votes. More than I've ever seen here."

Since there's a break, I'll post some hard numbers. Remember, these represent the 4,025 Cody folks that are counted so far - roughly a third of all voters.

McCain: 3,002
Obama: 927
Barr, Baldwin, Nader, and write-ins: 81

Lummis: 2,587
Trauner: 1,155
Herbert: 172

8:10
No Powell numbers are in. Some Cody numbers are, however. 9 precincts of Park County's 29 are in (31 percent). That's 4,025 votes. Lummis is thumping Trauner - 64 percent to 29 percent so far. Herbert has 4 percent. McCain has 75 percent, Obama has 23 percent. Unopposed legislators Colin Simpson, Hank Coe, and Pat Childers are doing fine, as are the only commission candidates - Dave Burke and incumbent Bucky Hall. District Judge Steven Cranfill has 60 percent of voters backing him, with 30 percent opposed.

7:52 According to the major media outlets, things are looking grim for Wyoming's McCain nation-wide, as polling had previously indicated. However, the folks who flooded all of the Tribune's staff email addresses yesterday disagree. They've predicted a landslide victory for McCain. I'll write a fuller explanation of that weirdness sometime later tonight or tomorrow. Still waiting for results. I can hear election folks feeding ballots right now.

7:45 Starting a bit earlier than expected. No results for Park County just yet. But turnout's looking more than incredible. They ran out of ballots over at NWC. Seriously.

However, despite no Park County votes, here's some media projections I heard on Wyoming Public Radio: Sen. John McCain has been projected as the Wyoming winner in the presidential race. Further, Sen. Mike Enzi and Sen. John Barrasso have been projected as winners as well.

The McCain projection came at like 7:01, like, before a single ballot had been counted. Kinda silly if you ask me.

A first-time voter registersIf all goes according to plan, the Trib blog will have Park County results online before anyone else - including the county. I'll try to keep an eye on state-wide results, too.

If you have any election predictions, or a particular race you want us to focus on, weigh in down in the comments section.

My first prediction: county voter turnout will surpass Clerk Kelly Jensen's 95% prediction. Help prove me right by getting out and voting, if you haven't already. You've got til 7 p.m.

At left, first-time voter Kayla Myer registers to cast a ballot.

Monday, November 3, 2008

The need to amend Wyoming's wording

Under normal conditions, calling extra attention to a typo is kinda rude.

For example, when I reference 'Pakr County,' the appropriate response is to shake your head at my incompetence and perhaps have a little chuckle - not tell all your friends.

However, some errors are unintentionally funny enough that they become necessary to share.

We ran across one of those the other day at the office. It comes from the League of Women Voters' Pro/Con pamphlet on Wyoming's proposed constitutional amendments....not making a permanent mistak.Laugh, then read the flyer all the way through and figure out how you're going to vote.

Friday, October 31, 2008

Halloween: make it fun and safe

Snow White took the apple from the stranger but Powell children should not.

With Halloween night on the horizon, children are bouncing off the walls with excitement. And why not? The pumpkin carving, the costumes, the spooky decorations and the loot at the end of a rousing night of trick-or-treating —candy.

While the kids are unable to contain themselves some parents are fretting about the fear of poisoned apples or, on the less scary side, a sugar-rush tummy ache.

"Some basic parental oversight will go a long way," said Powell Police Chief Tim Feathers.

The Nebraska Regional Poison Center (NRPC) offers several pieces of advice to parents seeking a spooky night of Halloween fun, ranging from nighttime precautions to how to deal with the fear of getting candy from strangers, as well as safe alternatives.

Halloween seems to be one of the only exceptions to kids not being let out of the house at night. Arming a child with a flashlight and some good traffic know-how are some of the best tools available. If a child is going trick-or-treating, they should be with an adult and a flashlight.

Feathers added parents should remind their older children of basic pedestrian safety. He emphasized the use of crosswalks and intersections instead of crossing mid-block. If children are old enough the go it alone or with friends, then it is advised they stay in their own neighborhood. But in a town the size of Powell a neighborhood isn't easily defined. In that instance the community has different organized events that can replace the door-to-door type of trick-or-treating.

Flashlights are the standard for night visibility since lanterns went out of fashion. There are hip light alternatives like glow sticks, but with anything hip, there are precautions. The NRPC warns that the liquid inside can cause burning and stinging if it comes into contact with eyes or the mouth. Parents are advised to keep glow sticks out of the hands of small children who might put them in their mouths.

Feathers said the level of patrol in town would be the same as usual.

"We will be placing emphasis on pedestrian safety," he said. "Drivers need to be aware and alert.”

Also if a child is wearing a mask, NRPC recommends that they allow for good visibility and breathing and should be removed when crossing streets. They also suggest that non-toxic face paint is a good alternative. Other aspects of the night cause concern namely the weather — this is Wyoming, after all. For that reason, costumes should be warm and well-fitting. Feathers added that costumes should be light in color or offer some sort of reflection.

Before sending the tikes to plunder the peasants, children should get in a full meal according to the NRPC this will help keep the paws off the candy until the treaters return home.

This also allows for more time to find those treats the kids should avoid. According to the poison center and most moms all treats should be inspected before snacking.
Homemade treats and unwrapped treats are a monstrous no. Other prizes can be given away as well lie pencils and party favor like items.

The alternatives to a night of trick-or-treating are endless. The NRPC suggests holding block parties. While those may be more popular in larger areas, Powell still has alternatives to offer.

High school students are invited to a dance at the Powell VFW, Southside elementary school offers a treat corral and local churches are hosting the Harvest at The Commons.
In addition to evening activities, downtown merchants will host trick-or-treating in the late afternoon.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Socialism in a capitalistic society

Is the federal government embracing socialism by bailing out ailing banks?

I am at bottom of the financial food chain pinching pennies while scratching my thinning pate. It certainly looks like socialism to me, no matter how unseemly my assumption seems.

Without voter assent, the federal government is spending my tax money to rescue banks and investors long on greed and short on foresight billions and billions and billions of dollars. That deserves and exclamation point, I exclaim: “Billions and billions and billions of dollars! Holy sh—, that’s a lot of smackers!”

Powell Tribune Staff Writer Gib MathersPresident Bush tells us it is necessary to save our gaunt economy. Well, duh!

I have never written a hot check, taken a loan I couldn’t repay or maxed-out my credit cards, but I’m paying the darn tax piper just the same.

I’m just a poor working stiff. There is no golden parachute hanging in my closet, and no federal programs to buy me even a papier-mache parachute. My bail-out bucks are stashed in a modest savings account.

These days it’s pretty hard to pad my cash stash because I’m spending all my discretionary bread on grub.

I’m in the lap of luxury when I sup though. Soup, TV dinners and SpaghettiOs — Uh-Oh!

I know it wasn’t just overly avaricious financiers. Some Americans were over-extending their credit or swallowing hook, line and sinker, loan deals that they should have questioned right from the git-go.

The bailout kicked up the national debt to 11.3 trillion. That is a boat-load of zeros.

How long will it take the bourgeois to pay off a marker of that magnitude? I’ll be sporting a halo, plucking a harp or typing a story at that big newspaper in the sky long before that puppy will be paid off.

Two guys are jostling for the most powerful office in the land, perhaps the world.

Is it really, or are they just a couple of politicos jockeying for an egg-shaped office with a view? Are big businesses and powerful lobbyists that are throwing their weight around Washington, D.C. the true puppet masters? Whatever.

Come January it will probably be more of the same only with a pricier price tag and a new guy dissing the opposing party. The government will throw money at the problem, but won’t address it. Money is the problem, sure. But you can bet your sweet 1040-EZ that lack of government oversight is the essence of the dilemma.

Somebody needs to keep an eye on the wheeler-dealers that are playing fast and loose with our financial future.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Weigh in on National Forest drilling this week

The Shoshone National Forest is hosting a pair of public meetings tonight (Wednesday, Oct. 22) and tomorrow night in Cody and Clark, respectively. Up for discussion is a proposed natural gas well just inside the Forest's boundary near Clark.

Windsor Energy Group is looking to drill the new well just about a mile up the road from the rig that blewout in August of 2006, contaminating soil and groundwater.

The Cody meeting will be held tonight at 6 p.m. at the Big Horn Federal Bank on Stampede Avenue. Tomorrows night's will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Clark Pioneer Recreation Center (That's Thursday, Oct. 23).

The Forest Service hosted a public field trip to the proposed site on Oct. 8 (pictured below).Mary Maj explains how the Shoshone National Forest manages oil and gas exploration.The relationship between some local residents and Windsor has been contentious at times in the blowout's aftermath.

There were a couple moments Oct. 23 that captured the friction.

For example, consider this exchange between Terry Ziehl of Iron Creek Energy (contracted to aid Windsor with the project), Clark Resource Council organizer Deb Thomas, and Clark resident Pam Murrell. Ziehl was explaining the how there are no guarantees that Windsor will find gas at the site.
“There’s only one man who knows that and He’s not here,” Ziehl said.

“He is here,” Thomas countered.

“And He’s not so happy,” finished Murrell.
There's no question that there are strong opinions and multiple stakeholders in the debate over oil production. Learn more and add your two cents at this week's meetings.

I'm not surprised when the wind blows

Speaking of campaign negativity, the following email arrived from Cynthia Lummis' campaign office today.
Title: DEM GOV ENDORSES DEM CANIDATE -- NO NEWS HERE
Cheyenne -- The following is a statement from Tucker Fagan, campaign manager for Lummis for Congress.

"So let me get this straight - the Democrat Governor of Wyoming, who endorsed and campaigned for Barack Obama in Wyoming and other states has decided to endorse the Democrat candidate for Congress in Wyoming. Is there anyone who honestly thinks he would have done anything different? I just wonder why Gov. Freudenthal would endorse Barack Obama months ago and it took him this long to endorse Gary Trauner - two weeks before the election. I mean, it's not like he was going to do anything differently, but is sure took him a long time to do it.

"This is only a surprise to those who are also surprised when the wind blows in Wyoming."
Given the back-and-forth between the Lummis and Trauner camps about negativity and the like, the tone of this email was indeed a surprise to this reader. Obviously, tensions are running high this close to the election, but it's an error for either side to forget about good judgement. It seems that Fagan may have hit the send button on this one a bit too quickly.

Yancy

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Senate candidate Nick Carter's website hacked for Viagra

(UPDATE: 10/22 Carter's site has been fixed, sometime between yesterday and today.)

U.S. Senate candidate Nick Carter wants to improve U.S. health care, but contrary to appearances, providing universal access to $1 Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra isn't part of his plan.

According to Google search results, Nick Carter's campaign web site is entitled "1 cheap dollar viagra 100 mg viagra prices 1 cialis levitra sales."Google search results for Nick Carter's web siteThat's not a campaign strategy.

Apparently, a good while back, a hacker, hoping to boost their online Viainserted more than 1,200 lines of malicious coding in the landing page of Carter's website (nickforsenate.com/index.html), with the aim of boosting an online pharmaceutical operation.

Looking at Carter's web page in your browser, you might think I'm making this stuff up - and perhaps by the time you've read this, the Carter campaign will have removed the junk. (I told them about the problem on Saturday.) But as of this writing, the page contains more than 1,000 hidden links promoting male enhancement medications.

In fact, some 191,300 characters of the 196,700 that make up the webpage shouldn't be there.

The malicious coding isn't visible when you view the page in your web browser because it's been coded to be hidden from view. That's why no one - Carter campaign and their website provider, Blue Utopia included - noticed when it happened. The code was placed on the page at least a month or so ago. Who knows how many site visitors were scared off by the screwy descriptions.

The technique is nothing new. In fact, about a year ago, a highly similar attack was made on a website belonging to former Vice President Al Gore.

Usually, the point of inserting the code is to boost traffic to a given web page, and thus, in theory, boost sales of a site's under-the-counter pharmaceuticals.

Search engines like Google read the full code contained in a web page (such as what's pictured at right) - not just what an Internet surfer sees in their browsers. Therefore, links, whether viewable or not, can be used to temporarily increase a site's credibility.

Whenever you link to a webpage, (such as the Powell Tribune's), you're telling Google, Yahoo, and all the other search engines that the site you're linking to has value and relevance.

Generally, the more links a page has, the higher it will rank on search engine results pages, and that helps drive web surfers to the page. Hacking, of course, is a cheater's way of boosting traffic and revenue.

However, in this case, the hackers appear to have been utterly incompetent in that regard. They succeeded in adding links to 1,203 webpages in Carter's coding, but all of those links point to abandoned pages buried deep on Carnegie Mellon's web site that hold no opportunities to purchase Viagra (here's an example).

Whoever added the coding will probably remain a mystery, but it's highly unlikely that the attack was launched by a political opponent or, for that matter, anyone in the U.S.

It's similarly unlikely that the coding was a desperate attempt to draw over-50 voters from incumbent U.S. Senator John Barrasso's side.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Paddling for Obama

You may remember that last week in this exact space we posted a pic of a nifty homemade Palin-McCain sign planted in a Powell yard.

Manuel Olveda happened upon the photo and decided that as an Obama supporter, he was not about to be outdone.

Putting together and painting some leftover boat oars, a pool ladder, box, and a board, he crafted the below-pictured sign for the Obama-Biden campaign.Manual Olveda poses next to his homemade campaign sign for Barack ObamaOlveda is getting some of his leftover stuff together for a future garage sale, but he figured he "might as well" put his extra oars and ladder to creative use.

Sadly, the handmade McCain sign has since been replaced by some official ones.

In this writer's opinion, hand-crafted signage speaks volumes more about a candidate's appeal than shiny ones from some far-off campaign office.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Grants lacking common cents?

The Park County Homeland Security Department was recently awarded a pair of very specific grants from the state office of Homeland Security.

A precisely $143,357.69 grant will fund equipment purchases and training while an second package offers exactly $4,588.67 for Citizens Corp Program expenditures.

Homeland Security grant paperworkIt left a clear question in Commissioner Jill Shockely Siggins' mind at the commissioner's Tuesday meeting.

"What are we going to do with the 67 cents?" she asked.

It was suggested that the office could perhaps buy a stamp.

Weird numbers are pretty typical for grants at the local level. By the time they've been handed down from Uncle Sam to Gov. Dave to county commissioners, the money has usually taken some screwy splits.

"They've always had cents since I've been here," said Park County Homeland Security Coordinator Martin Knapp. "I can ask (the state office), but I'm sure they'll have some patented answer."

You can actually view an old Citizen Corp cash formula breakdown on this Homeland Security pdf. Basically, every county gets a certain cut of the cash pie, plus additional funds based on population.

Commissioner Bucky Hall offered perhaps the sagest two cents on the subject.

"Just be glad we didn't get two-thirds of a cent," he quipped. "How would we spend that?"

Here's another reason for commissioners to be glad: this year's Citizen Corp grant is $16.53 more than Fiscal Year 2007.

That means the county can finally buy a copy of "Internet dating just bytes: A survivor's guide to Internet dating and relationships," which undoubtedly covers issues of domestic online security.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Thursday's Trib: Zoning, relocation camps, and sub $3 gas

A sampling of what you'll find in the Oct. 16 Powell Tribune, as illustrated by a few extra quotes:

"It’s kind of like putting a striped shirt next to plaid pants. It just doesn't work," Jim Zeigler, a resident concerned with the new development in the Water Tower West subdivision. Zeigler and other residents in the area of Avenue D and Edmonds Street are concerned that the new housing development next to their old neighborhood just won't fit in. Learn more about the issue in tomorrow's Trib.

"We’re all kind of foreigners in this land, in a sense," documentary filmmaker Kevin Walker, explaining why he feels relocating Japanese residents during World War II was unjustified. Walker was in the area to film the Heart Mountain Relocation Center. Find out more about Walker's documentary on Japanese relocation on the County page.

“We do own a one-ton (pick-up) -- it sits a lot,” Denice Harris, American Automobile Association spokesperson in Helena, Mont., referring to her family’s diesel-drinking truck. Gas prices are dropping, but it still ain’t cheap. Read about the price dip on page one.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

I can't see Sarah Palin from my house

There are more than five times as many Republicans as Democrats in Park County. However, there are (roughly) a bazillion more Obama signs on county lawns than McCain-Palin signs.

The obvious question is, why?

Right after the Park County Republicans opened their campaign office, Chairman David Northrup said he'd seen a huge demand for McCain-Palin yard signs. He said the party was working to get their hands on some.

Some folks are eager enough they're not waiting on official swag. A Powell resident apparently constructed the below-pictured sign by hand to voice their support of the Palin-McCain ticket.
A handmade Palin-McCain yard sign graces a Powell yardHowever, it's about the only McCain sign I've seen, and some folks allege mischief is to blame for the Obama-McCain discrepancy.

Last week, after the County Republican's office was vandalized, GOP member Terry Hinkle said that McCain signs are being stolen almost as soon as they're in the ground. But Park County Democratic Chairwoman Margaret Whited said the Dem's have had similar trouble with pilfered Obama signs.

No one has any hard numbers, and a big reason why is that no one had been reporting the thefts.

Before the Tribune and Enterprise ran stories last week about the vandalism, there had been zero reports of swiped political signs to Powell or Cody police. In the days since those stories were published, reports have started trickling in.

Sounds like some troublemakers could stand to get a new hobby. I mean, what do you do with signs you don't want, anyway?

UPDATE: An Obama supporter decided to make a homemade sign of his own. Very cool.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Alan: The library renegade

Alan the library renegadeAlan M. has been working as a temporary employee at the Cody library during the move to its new home at the Park County Complex.

At Saturday's grand opening, Alan was sporting quite the get up - complete with lace up boots and knives.

The obvious question, was why?

"We've got a lot of cowboys, but not a lot of renegades," he said. "That's pretty much it."

Alan, who describes himself as "from the U.S.," recently moved to Cody. He's planning to stick around, though he said the library may not be able to keep him on.

"But that's alright," he said while cleaning up from the opening day festivities. "I got to be part of this."

The new facility is a big hit with him.

"I'm thrilled - and I'm just a newbie," he said.

Wyoming's presidential ballots

As you hopefully already know (especially since it was in last Tuesday's paper), Wyoming has five presidential candidates on the ballot.

They are:
-John McCain / Sarah Palin - Republican Party
-Barack Obama / Joe Biden - Democratic Party
-Bob Barr / Wayne Root - Libertarian Party
-Ralph Nader / Matt Gonzalez - Independent
-Chuck Baldwin / Dick Castle - Constitution Party
The Republican, Democratic, and Libertarian parties are all major parties in Wyoming and thus automatically get their nominees on the ballot, but Nader and Baldwin had to qualify through the independent signature-gathering process. It takes 3,868 sigs to get on the ballot in Wyoming. Those can only come from registered voters - and a voter can only sign for one candidate in each race.

Some numbers that political geeks like myself find interesting:
Sample Park County, Wyoming election ballot
Nader turned in 437 pages of signatures, and Baldwin turned in 394. Each page has slots for 20 signatures, which would yield a maximum of 8,740 and 7,880, respectively.

State Elections Director Peggy Nighswonger said both candidates had loads of unregistered voters on their petitions. So, the Secretary of State's office had to process 6,709 Baldwin signatures to come up with 3,973 valid ones. With Nader, the state processed 8,424 sigs and accepted 3,962.

Nighswonger said at least part of the reason it took Nader more signatures to reach the threshold is because Baldwin turned in his signatures first. Some voters signed petitions for both candidates - so, on the first-come, first-serve basis, the overlapping signatures only counted for Baldwin's campaign.

That's probably more than you wanted to know about ballot access - especially since throwing out the number of Nader petition signatures isn't all that great of a party trick.

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Thursday's Trib: Yellowstone, new library, and bad water

“We’re focused on what’s legally sustainable. ... Especially when a judge has kind of told me something and I don’t want to go to jail,” Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Suzanne Lewis discussing the park's winter use options this year. A federal judge kicked snowmobiles out of Yellowstone a couple weeks ago. Find out when Yellowstone hopes to have a new plan in place in Thursday's paper.

"Goodness guys - it's so sad!" Library Board member Pat Stuart, looking at the now-barren Park County Library in downtown Cody. The library's books and other materials have been moved to the new Park County Library at the Park County Complex. The spiffy new facility opens this Saturday. Read about its sweet new features in tomorrow's Trib.

“We’re delivering water out of well No. 3 and it is just fine,” Tod Stutzman, president of the North End Water Users, Inc. Stutzman was referring to a notice sent to North End customers warning them not to serve North End water to infants. See what's going on with local water in Thursday’s Tribune.

New Cody library a few books short

The new Park County library will open in Cody this weekend with about 76,000 items. That includes magazines, DVDs, audio recordings, and other things that aren't books.

"Because," notes Park County Libraries Director Frances Clymer, "Libraries aren't just about books anymore."

However, about 1,000 items (such as the below-pictured National Geographics dating back to 1917) aren't making the trip to the new building.
Stacks of old volumes of National Geographics line the floor of the old Cody libraryOld stuff - from computers to beat-up, unpopular books - were pulled out off their shelves and offered for sale to the public last weekend. Roughly 600 books were yanked from their homes in the children's section, and around 400 were weeded from the adult collection.

About 25 folks were waiting at the door to get first pickings Friday morning. Branch Librarian Marge Buchholz estimates about 500 or so of the items were ultimately purchased, raising about $600, and leaving behind a stack of interesting stuff.

Among the titles that were passed over by shoppers is a 1960 tome entitled "A History of Capital Punishment." An excerpt from the preface:
"Philsophically, psychologically, and legally the scaffold has ceased to produce any new arguments for or against its use. As an intellectual pastime, its pros and cons have ceased to interest all those who are not prejudiced."
With the topic still a hot button issue some 58 years later, we apparently have a whole lot of unintellectual, prejudiced people.The cover of 'Man, Myth and Magic: An illustrated encyclopedia of the Supernatural'

A 24 volume set entitled "Man, Myth and Magic: An illustrated encyclopedia of the Supernatural" also failed to disappear over the two-day sale (pictured at left). The creepy magician hair may have been a factor.

The leftovers also indicate how much our education system has improved. A withdrawn (and unpurchased) 1984 title, "How to Write Book Reports," hadn't been checked out for 10 years - undoubtedly because today's students are just innately good writers.

Bestseller or not, Phil McGraw's "Self Matters" didn't make the cut either.

Anyway, we've got a far less frivolous story about the new library in tomorrow's paper.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Panther golf and tennis results

Just a heads up for anyone who doesn't know - you can follow PHS state golf and regional tennis results at the Wyoming High School Activities Association's website.

It can be a bit slow in updating, but golf results are available here, and tennis results are available here.

The girls tennis team won 3 of their 5 opening matches. The lady Panther's No. 2 doubles duo Kelli Lewis and Kelsey McKearney and No. 3 doubles team Lisa Schiermeister and Brittany Feller have both advanced to the championship match. On the guys side, the boys won 2 of their 5 opening matches. After a pair of wins, No. 2 singles player Chris Brinkerhoff will play for the regional title tomorrow.

The boys golf team sits in 12th place after day one at the Douglas Golf Course. They tee off at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
Brady Schaefer tracks his putt at the Powell Golf CourseIn the above picture (taken earlier this season at the Powell Golf Course), freshman Brady Schaefer tracks his putt as fellow frosh Brian Morse looks on. Both golfers are aiding the Panther cause in Douglas.

Read more about PHS's complete efforts this weekend in Tuesday's Tribune.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Thursday: Spies, Palin, and the price of gas

Previewing tomorrow's issue with some quotes that didn't make the paper.

“There are events that take place in the world that nobody knows about,” ex-CIA intelligence officer Pat Stuart. Stuart currently sits on the Park County Library Board. She's the one responsible for all those large, painted bears sitting around Park County. Read all of the United States' deep dark secrets and learn about literate poodles on tomorrow's Family page.

"Even my neighbors out here are really hitting me up," Park County Republicans Chairman David Northrup on the demand for McCain-Palin campaign swag. Read a bit about the local GOP's campaign efforts in the County section.

"If you're making less than $150,000 annually in Wyoming, you qualify as "low-income" and the government can help you pay your heating bill this winter. The catch is that you have to have, like, 15 kids," me, extrapolating the 2009 Low Income Energy Assistance Program's income guidelines (they're based on family size). In all seriousness, heating costs are expected to take a real, significant jump this year. Read how much and what help is available in tomorrow's paper - front and center.

How Ralston got its railroad markings

A crew contracted by Park County lays down railroad crossing warnings outside Ralston, WYA worker sprays adhesive on the railroad crossing outside Ralston, WyomingToby (Bonner), the Trib's general manager and frequent photographer, snapped these a week or so back. They didn't make the paper, but I thought they were kinda cool.

A crew contracted by Park County installed this reflective 3M product to create the in-road railroad crossing markings you see out there today. I thought it was rather nifty that road markings are unpacked and dispensed from a roll.

Even if you disagree as to the process's novelty, at least you now know there was real effort involved in creating those extra "thump-thumpities" on the way into Ralston.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Tuesday Preview: Never over a barrel

Nicole Baggs, 31, Cody, and her McCullough Peaks’ mustang, Dallas, will compete in the National Barrel Horse Association's World Championships next month. Baggs loves her horse and loves barrel racing.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to quit,” she said.Nicole Baggs and her McCullough Peaks' mustang Dallas gun it around a barrelIn Baggs’ eyes, it is a team effort, not her superb riding skills that delivered her and Dallas to the championships.

“It’s a huge accomplishment for us,” she said.

For tomorrow's paper (Sept. 23), I tried to write a story that would capture the reader’s interest and thus inspire folks to offer monetary assistance to this terrific team, but I was dissatisfied with my results (Ed. note: the rest of the Tribune likes it). Give me a break by helping this swell lady and her horse get to the World Championships in Georgia.

Baggs is trying to raise money for travel expenses. There is a pig raffle at five bucks a ticket or you could be a sponsor. Give her a call at 307-899-4254.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

A sneak peek at Thursday's Tribune

A sampling of stories you'll find in tomorrow's Tribune, as told by the folks in them. This is kind of an experiment, so feedback is even more appreciated than usual. These are some leftover quotes that I liked, but they didn't make it into the stories.

“It would be called 'a valley,'” State representative Colin Simpson, describing a federal decision banning snowmobiles from Yellowstone as a “low” in the up and down legal battle for winter recreation in the Park. Despite that, Simpson said he wasn’t surprised by the ruling. Find out why tomorrow.

“The federal agencies aren’t thinking about the long-term environmental quality impacts,” Greater Yellowstone Coalition representative Hilary Eisen. Eisen, GYC, and other environmental groups oppose proposed drilling in the Shoshone National Forest. Specifically, they’re concerned with the company that wants to do it. Who? Pick up a paper.

“Regardless of the outcome, it was an opportunity to say, 'Here’s a choice for everybody,'” House District 25 write-in candidate Pat Slater on why he’s running. Read a profile of Slater’s candidacy on the county page.

And of course, there's much much more.

Much.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Bear jailed for momma bear's sins

The yearling grizzly bear could barely bear his captivity.

The young bear and his brother and sister were trapped by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, and the guys were trying to trap their mum last week and Monday. Mom was on the lam for killing cattle.A yearling grizzly bear looks out of his Wyoming Game and Fish Department-imposed captivityAlthough the bear looks bummed in the picture, he was a bit intimidating, especially when he growled and lunged at the steel mesh window.

Yikes!

Still, my heart went out to the bear. Leaning towards tree-hugging, I want the best for my four-legged friends.

Anyway, the Game and Fish released the bears south of Cooke City Saturday and invited a couple of Powell Tribune types to tag along.

My colleague, Carla Wensky, who is mighty handy with a shutter, snapped this picture. I shot a few pics too, but they pale in comparison to Carla’s.

I did write a dandy story, albeit long. Check it out in tomorrow's (Tuesday’s) print edition.

It was scary, but moving, witnessing the bears take to the hills. It was a beautiful moment I will cherish forever.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Gunbarrel area closures lifted

Good news folks...

According to an update from the Shoshone Forest, effective Thursday (Sept. 11), the Shoshone National Forest has lifted the area closure for the Gunbarrel Fire.

The fire is 80 to 90 percent contained. Fire personnel continue to monitor the area daily and will increase their presence as warm, dry conditions return this weekend. Crews mopped up some hot spots in Jim Creek this week.

"We're not calling the fire out," said Clint Dawson, Shoshone north zone fire management officer, "there's still heat in some areas."

With the recent moisture — from one-quarter to one-half inch of rain in the last 24 hours — fire managers don't believe remaining hot spots will affect people's activities. However Dawson advised people to be especially aware in the Trout, Robbers Roost and Jim creek areas.

"Let us know if you see smoke,” said Dawson, “we'll be glad to hear about it."

Smoke should be reported to Cody Interagency Dispatch Center at 800-295-9954.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Resident takes time to say thanks

In the world of government, no news from constituents is sometimes the best news.

But on Tuesday, a Cody resident asked for an audience with Park County Commissioners not to complain or bring a beef, but to say 'Thank you.'

Bob Spears, who lives southeast of Cody on Sage Drive, had asked the county's Public Works department if they could do something about the approach from Sage onto County Road 3DX (Look at it on Google Maps).

A bit of an indented dip had developed on the lead-up to the intersection's stop sign. That slope, Spears said, made it a real bear to stop and then get started again - especially in the winter. It took backing down the hill and getting a rolling go of it to make it through, he said.

The County Public Works Department took a look, agreed it was unsafe, and leveled out the approach. That was despite the fact that it's technically a subdivision road (and thus not exactly at the top of the county's list). County Engineer Dave Kieper said the road is used on a school busing route, and that made it particularly important to get squared away.

Spears told commissioner that Public Works was "courteous, helpful, concerned" and "possibly saved a real tragedy" in fixing the problem.

The commissioners appreciated his appreciation.

"It's always good to hear good news," said Commissioner Jill Shockley Siggins.

If you're hoping for some county help on your road, keep in mind that you'll need that good reason for them to do so. And having a bus-full of precious youth relying on it for their education helps too.

"We love the little kids," Kieper said.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Nosing around the corral

Last week I was in Ralston checking out Jake Clark’s mules for a hunting story. I’ll tell you what. I got a real kick out of the mules. Fortunately, they didn’t get too big a kick out of yours’ truly.

There I was in a dusty corral feeling like a rootin’-tootin’ cowboy in shorts and sneakers.

Mules and horses circled me like a wagon in a 1950s western flick. Or maybe an old episode of “Hee Haw.”
“Oh, yippee, yippee yo-yo,” I sang to the mules. The mules didn’t serenade me back while mugging for a photo. Perhaps they couldn’t carry a tune, were tongue-tied or simply preoccupied trying to put their best foot (hoof) forward when they spotted me sporting a camera.

This is no award winning pic, but it was fun shooting this guy when he tried to sniff the camera lens.


Getting back to nature is a great way to embrace our Wyoming heritage, even if it just entails getting a whiff of manure or rubbing shoulders with stock. As a friend of mine used to say, “It’s all good.”

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Video: PHS Shooting Drill

Last month, emergency responders staged a drill in which shooters took over the new Powell High School. The scenario involved Powell police, EMS, fire department, school officials, and NWC resident assistants helped play the roles of students.

Gunbarrel chief aims at good eats for team

Reporter’s note: I wrote this story a couple weeks ago and it didn't fit in the paper. It’s not too bad a story and reflects the close bond felt within fire camps.

Like most of the folks on the Rocky Mountain Fire Use Management Team, Logistics Section Chief Loren Wickstrom takes taking care of fellow crew members as job one when it comes to hygienic bathrooms/showers and quality grub.
An overlook of the Gunbarrel fire base camp at Buffalo Bill State ParkThe food firefighters are served must meet federal standards, but, perhaps more importantly, must be palatable and nutritious. Meals must not only be good so the guys on the line can continue their strenuous exertions, but it must also be good to maintain morale.

Firefighters eat a lot.

“You’re looking at probably 4,000 calories a day,” Wickstrom said...

Wickstrom said that was a guess, offhand; he was not exactly sure what the federal standards were.

Most of the management personnel from the fire bosses to other managers have been there — sweating and cutting fire lines a stone’s throw from the flames.

“I think I make a good logs chief because I have been on the line,” Wickstrom said.

Wickstrom is personally committed to the crews’ health and spirit. If firefighters complain about the victuals, Wickstrom takes care of it.

Firefighters get served to dine in either a mess tent or have food delivered if they can’t tear themselves away from the business at hand — fighting fire.

MREs, or meals ready to eat designed for soldiers — consisting of dehydrated food sealed in plastic — can sustain a firefighter, and they often do.

“You can eat MREs,” said Wickstrom, “but after a while, they get old.”
Gunbarrel firefighters take a break at base camp in Buffalo Bill State ParkAfter a couple of days, when firefighters are in isolated locations, Wickstrom will have hot cans flown in. Hot cans keep food hot for up to five hours. Or they can be packed with ice to keep milk cold.

“They appreciate it,” Wickstrom said.

Transported coffee may get cold, but Wickstrom will send in stoves so the guys on the line can warm the java. If a stove isn't available, Wickstrom said, in a pinch, they’ll drink it cold.

Though some might find it inappropriate, Wickstrom has also purchased — out of his own pocket — and sent cans of snuff to crews after they have been in the hills a week or so.

“‘You don’t know how you saved me by bringing Copenhagen in the hot cans,’” one firefighter told Wickstrom.

Sack lunches are ample. Two sandwiches with meat one-quarter inch thick, apples or oranges, a couple candy bars, and a fruit drink.

Sometimes they will include frozen burritos wrapped in foil. Around lunch time, firefighters can toss their foil-wrapped burrito in the fire to warm, Wickstrom said.

Special diets can be an issue, but Wickstrom caters to their needs as best he can. He asks what firefighters’ requirements are and purchases the necessary food items in town.

The Gunbarrel camp is a tent city laid out like a military bivouac. Trucks are lined in a row, tents where personnel sleep in another designated location. There is an information trailer, incident command, logistics, etc. Personnel are served in an open-air tent and chow down in another.Gunbarrel Fire base camp manager Chet Wheeler inspects a box of sack lunchesCaterer Gary Fales enjoys serving Gunbarrel firefighters.

Fales runs Rimrock Dude Ranch and the Trail Shop and Inn on the North Fork of the Shoshone, off U.S. 14-16-20, and said he has been the caterer at similar incidents in the past.

The chow is pretty good. One evening firefighters enjoyed steak with all the trimmings, he said. A couple of weeks ago, Fales said there were 150 people.

Fales’ employees do the cooking. The hours could be described as brutal.

“We start at two in the morning,” Fales said.

Fales is working hard, but said he must give credit to his wife, Dede, and his cooks’ for their efforts.

Suppers look appealing — enticing aromas surging from steamy pots seduces the stomach. A casual reporter’s camp survey one evening indicated dinner was toothsome.

“I like to cook good food for these people and it is fun to hear they like it,” Fales said.

The chow usually is pretty good, Wickstrom said. He compared supper to that served at a hometown diner or an Applebee’s Restaurant.

“My main priority is that the folks on the ground are taken care of,” Wickstrom said.

Gunbarrel helicopter overhead


This helicopter was busy filling its bucket from Buffalo Bill Reservoir and dumping the water on the Gunbarrel Fire atop Jim Mountain a few clicks to the west Saturday. Surprisingly, when the helo hovered to top its tank, the pelicans chilling nearby held their ground (water), evidently unruffled by the big thumping bird’s nearness.

Gunbarrel meteorologist gets it right

On Saturday, at the fire camp just west of Buffalo Bill Reservoir, temperatures were in the low 80s with a light breeze. Smoke was billowing over Jim Mountain like cumulous clouds smeared with pink dye. Rain seemed like a distant dream.

Nonetheless, Dave Lipson, incident meteorologist for the Gunbarrel Fire, predicted that it was going to rain over the Labor Day weekend. The rest of the type I incident management team listened. Before a drop of rain fell, fire hose was fetched off the mountain and camp workers began rolling it up in preparation for demobilization.
Storm clouds replace smoke clouds over the Wapiti ValleySure enough, Lipson's precipitation prediction was right on the money — rain and snow arrived Sunday and Monday, placing a strangle-hold on the fire’s advance. The prediction wasn't a matter of luck...

Lipson was on loan from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration office in Riverton. Today’s firefighters use science to predict and hopefully corral fire behavior. Though, ultimately, nature still calls the shots.

“We can’t control the weather,” Lipson said, “but we can control the fire to a certain extent.”

Meteorologists and fire management can guesstimate where a fire will travel to plan fire lines, protect areas or implement burn-outs to contain fires.

Predicting the weather not only helps fire strategy planning, it helps personnel plan for fire camp life. If a cold front or moisture is en route, more sleeping bags can be ordered and equipment covered, Lipson said.

A type I incident management team - the most highly trained type - requires a certified incident meteorologist, such as Lipson. Other type teams can request them as well.

To make his forecasts, Lipson observes first-hand how a fire reacts to weather and how the weather reacts to fire. He accompanies reconnaissance flights, hikes fire perimeters, observes burn-out areas, and launches weather balloons to ascertain what the weather and wind is up to.

On the Gunbarrel fire, a permanent weather station near Eagle Creek (about five miles east of Yellowstone National Park) and a temporary station on Logan Mountain (around 15 miles west of Cody) provided Lipson with wind speed/direction, temperature and precipitation.A tree smolders just off the North Fork highway Labor Day weekendFire can be a strange thing to predict. Ironically, a smoke plume rising on one end of a fire can shade the other end, thus reducing heat and reducing the fire. But a fire can also wither everything in its path and so create more fuel or a whirlwind to increase its radius, Lipson said.

Lipson digs what he does. He said it is gratifying see the direct results of his forecasts. With the Gunbarrel fire held at bay by the Lipson-predicted wet stuff, there's little wonder why.

More rain and snow is expected. However, even if the weather clears and the hills dry-out, the fire is not expected to kick-up as it has in the past.

The type I team demobilized Tuesday, turning the fire’s keys over to a type III team.