Friday, December 2, 2011

Firefighters rescue trash container

Don't mistake a city of Powell trash bin for a burn barrel.

That may be the takeaway from a Monday morning incident in which discarded ashes from a wood stove proved too hot for a Washington Park Dumpster to handle.
Members of the Powell Volunteer Fire Department (seen above) got to the brewing blaze while it was still just smoldering and doused it around 8:40 a.m.

Given the trash bin's contents, Fire Chief Joey Darrah said he assumed someone from out of town had dumped the refuse. "It wasn't trash from the park," he said.

In good news for city utility customers, Darrah believed the bin suffered no serious damage.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Lummis says Romney will be GOP nominee

Wyoming's Congressional Representative, Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., hasn't made an endorsement in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, but last week she did make a prediction.

Speaking with KGWN TV in Cheyenne, Lummis named former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney the favorite.

"I do believe that eventually we're going to see Mitt Romney emerge as the Republican nominnee," she told interviewer Rylee DeGood.

Lummis said it's "been wonderful to watch these candidates grow on the campaign trail and hone each others' (economic) plans" and that the "great" Republican debates have better prepared the eventual party nominee (which, according to her prediction, will be Romney).

Another Wyoming political powerhouse, former U.S. Sen. Al Sipmson declined to pick a winner while speaking to the Cheyenene station on Thursday.

"I have irritated so many people in the world that at this point, if I were to pick one, I would again rain boulders on my bald dome and I'm not going to do that," Simpson said during a joint interview about his recently-published biography.

"However," Simpson said, "there are some real nutcases in the race, I just would throw that in. You pick them out."

While not naming any nutcases, Simpson did laugh off the chances of one would-be presidential contender -- himself.

The Cody Republican said an effort to draft him into the 2012 Presidential race (www.alsimpson2012.com) "gives me goosepimples all over."

"Those guys got together over 18 beers and put together this YouTube thing [Note: PG13 language] ... I nearly died laughing when I saw it because they had quoted one of my great phrases which I don't use here," Simpson said.

The "great phrase" Simpson is apparently referring to is, well, we won't use it here, either.

Monday, October 31, 2011

The Smith Mansion's paranormal activity

The Smith Mansion's strange, pagoda-like frame can look a bit spooky from the Cody-Yellowstone highway near Wapiti.

In March, the Powell-based Wyoming Area Paranormal Society investigated whether the spirit of the structure's inventive creator, Francis Lee Smith, was present at the site; Smith died while working on the landmark home in 1992.

Tribune reporter Gib Mathers tagged along with the W.A.P.S. team at the Smith Mansion and wrote about it for the paper, but we never shared the footage the paranormal investigators eventually posted. It being Halloween, now seems like a prime time do so.



On the website she's set up to help preserve her father's creation, www.smithmansion.org, Sunny Smith Larsen wrote of the Wyoming Area Paranormal Society's work:
"This was an amazing experience and I cannot believe what was caught on W.A.P.S. equipment. A lot of things have happened over the years, strange things. 
I have experienced many questionable things within the house, along with my mom, Linda. Friends and even strangers have told me about their experiences with "something" in that house. 
I am glad to know that spirits do haunt the mansion, but I am left with even more questions."
A follow-up W.A.P.S. investigation had been scheduled for the night of Nov. 11, but recently had to be canceled.

Monday, October 17, 2011

Former Yellowstone spokesperson honored for conservation

Former Colorado National Monument Superintendent and Yellowstone National Park spokesperson Joan Anzelmo has been honored by the National Parks Conservation Association for "her commitment to preserving the integrity and open access of the park for all visitors."

The National Parks Conservation Association gave Anzelmo its Stephen T. Mather Award -- named after the first director of the National Park Service -- on Friday. In giving the award, the environmental group specifically cited Anzelmo's December 2010 decision to prohibit a professional bicycling race from going through the Colorado National Monument.

Organizers and elected officials in Colorado had said the event would be an economic boon to the area; Anzelmo and Park Service Director Jon Jarvis said it would have gone against policy, adversely affected the monument and temporarily shut off access to the public.

"Her (Anzelmo's) actions in the last year at Colorado National Monument, in preventing the overt commercialization of the park by a privately-sponsored competition, despite personal attacks and political maneuvering, are merely the latest examples of her dedication to the principles the National Parks System is built upon,” said NPCA Southwest Regional Office Senior Director David Nimkin.

NPCA's senior vice president for government affairs, Craig Obey, said Anzelmo -- who retired in July after 35 years of park service --  is "exactly the type of person we want in charge of our national treasures."

"Throughout her career she remained focused on the proven policies and science that she knows are needed to retain the character and spirit of the National Park system for the future," Obey said.

Anzelmo previously served as chief of public affairs for Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks -- including acclaimed work during the 1988 Yellowstone fires. She later headed up public affairs for the entire National Park Service. Anzelmo also worked for the Park Service's unified area command in May 2010 following the BP oil spill.

Former Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Bob Barbee, who was Anzelmo's boss at the park, called her a top-flight professional.

"Her principled dedication to the values embodied in the national parks is unrivaled -- and when faced with pressures to compromise those values, Joan (Anzelmo) can be counted on to hold the line," Barbee said.

Anzelmo has received numerous awards, including from the Department of the Interior, honors in Congressional Record and in White House commendatory documents.

She called the NPCA's Stephen T. Mather Award the "honor of a lifetime"

"I am so grateful to have the National Parks Conservation Association as a steadfast partner and leader in helping to protect our nation's most precious natural and cultural resources and serve the vast visiting public to America's national parks," Anzelmo said.

She now lives in Jackson.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Economic official irritated by "Occupy" movement

The "Occupy Wall Street" protests and their cry against corporate power have spread to other parts of the United States -- and that includes Wyoming.

I haven't heard of any events locally. Update: An "Occupy Powell" protest is planned from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, according to organizer Faith Wicks.

"We're going to be loud, but we're going to be peaceful," Wicks said on Friday, while protesting in downtown Powell.

It seems to be a safe bet that local economic development officials won't be joining any local "occupy" protests.

In Forward Cody's latest newsletter, the organization's business development specialist, Scott Wagner, wrote that he is "truly irritated" with the Occupy Wall Street movement. Wagner's take:
"Hundreds of chronically unemployed people are out pitching a fit about their situation and wanting someone to fix it for them. Speaking out for your rights is a good thing, however, I think that the best thing for these people to do is to help solve this high unemployment and stagnant economy is to take the proverbial bull by the horns and become an entrepreneur. Small business is what makes our economy the world powerhouse that it is, and starting a business is a great way to solve the unemployment issue..."
Wagner goes on to say many people he talks to don't know where or how to start a business; he says the solution is as simple as seeking help from Forward Cody.

Police chief's retirement letter

As you may already know from reading the Tribune, Powell Police Chief Tim Feathers is retiring at the end of the year -- officially on Wednesday, Dec. 28. That will conclude roughly 30-and-a-half-years of service with the Powell Police Department.

In case anyone's interested, here's some of what Feathers wrote in his official retirement memo to City of Powell Administrator Zane Logan, dated Sept. 29:
It has been my privilege to serve the citizens of Powell for over 30 years as a Police Officer. I would like to thank the City for the many opportunities I have been afforded through my employment with the City, it has certainly been a blessing to me and my family. I am grateful for a fulfilling career in which I was given every opportunity to make a difference for my neighbors. However the time has come where a candid assessment of the leadership needs of the Police Department clearly indicate it is time for a Chief with a different skill set, a fresh vision and more energy than I possess. I leave with fond memories of my years with the City of Powell and the many friends I made here. I would like to personally thank you (Logan) for being the model of a 'good boss', I have cherished our working relationship. I wish you the best, may God bless you and your leadership of the City in the days ahead.
Feathers asked that his successor be in place and assume responsibility for the department's operations at the end of his shift on Dec. 23.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Food-conditioned wolf killed in Yellowstone

A habituated gray wolf believed to be conditioned to human food was killed by Yellowstone National Park staff Saturday.

Since July, the 110-pound male wolf had approached staff and visitors at close range at least seven times and had been unsuccessfully hazed each time from developed areas at Fishing Bridge.

The estimated 2- to 4-year-old wolf was a member of Mollie’s Pack from the Pelican Valley area.

The decision to remove the wolf came following a history of fearless behavior in the presence of humans, repeated visitation to developed areas within the park and numerous unsuccessful hazing attempts. Each of these factors was indicative of the wolf’s potential habituation to human food, which posed an increased risk to park visitors and staff.

Efforts to relocate food-conditioned animals generally have proven unsuccessful because the animals simply return to the areas from which they were removed.

Park visitors are reminded that intentionally feeding or allowing animals to obtain human food is a violation of park regulations, and may ultimately lead to the death of the animal involved. Park rangers vigorously enforce these regulations, which are designed to protect both people and animals. Visitors also are reminded to be vigilant at all times with proper food storage by keeping food, garbage, coolers and other attractants stored in hard-sided vehicles or food storage boxes.

Park rules require people to remain at least 100 yards from wolves at all times. Visitors also are advised to stay on designated trails, hike in groups of three or more people, be alert for wildlife and make noise in blind spots.

The best defense against attacks is to maintain a safe distance from wildlife and use binoculars, spotting scope or telephoto lens to get a closer look. Never feed, approach, disturb or entice wolves in any way. Bear spray may be an effective last resort should a wolf approach too closely.

Sightings of wolves in close proximity of humans and developed areas may be a dangerous situation developing and should be reported to the nearest visitor center or ranger station as soon as possible.

Monday, June 27, 2011

A reporter's wild goose chase ends

One of the Tribune's longest-suffering and most inconsequential investigations has come to an appropriately frivolous end.

One of these things is not like the others.
Ever since we ran a photo of the County Road and Bridge Department performing some Bitter Creek culvert repair on Lane 7 last month, I've been trying to learn what a plastic goose was doing at the scene.

On the north side of the road, a faceless goose decoy had been strategically placed alongside the roadside cones warning oncoming travelers of the narrowed roadway.

I'd originally hypothesized the fake gander was some inventive technique to, say, keep road-undermining varmints away from the construction site. But Road and Bridge brass quickly kiboshed my bird-brained notion that it was there per department policy.

"We don't stockpile geese cones," said an amused County Project Manager Mike Collier a couple weeks back. Collier helpfully added that the set of national engineering standards used by the county "doesn't say anything about reflective geese."

The decoy stoically supervised the arrival of soil to the project.
Tonight, however, Powell Road and Bridge employee Clarence Anderson confirmed the goose was placed on the road not for any practical reason, but as a practical joke. The decoy was apparently found bobbing in Bitter Creek and the crew working on the road and culvert placed it alongside the cones for a laugh.

The goose has since taken up residence at the pond outside the Powell Road and Bridge Shop on Lane 9 West.

"I think it's still floating out there," Anderson said. "I think."

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Free watercraft safety inspections Saturday

If you’d rather be safe than sorry this boating season, take advantage of the free watercraft safety inspection being offered on Saturday June 18. The free inspection is scheduled to take place between 7 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. at the Cody Wal-Mart parking lot.

The purpose of the inspection is to ensure that boats are properly registered and equipped with safety and operational equipment. Each inspection takes approximately 15 minutes, depending upon the condition and number of watercraft present. Watercraft — which includes boats, jets skis and wave runners — that are in compliance and pass the safety inspection will receive two 2011, “Safe Boat” inspection stickers, indicating they are properly equipped with safety equipment.

“A dry-land safety inspection is a preventative measure; it could save lives,” said Cody game warden Craig Sax, who will conduct and coordinate the inspection. According to Sax, one benefit of having a game warden inspect your boat on dry land is that no citations will be issued.

“Certainly it is better to discover that something like a life jacket or fire extinguisher needs to be replaced before getting on the water,” said Sax. “You never know when an accident might occur or when you might find yourself in an emergency situation.”

The department uses a very detailed checklist while conducting the inspections and makes note of equipment for the boat owner that should be replaced or repaired.

Sax also encourages boaters to do a little home study and take the free “Boating Basics” course offered by the department.

“The boating basics course is a good way to increase your general watercraft knowledge and safety and may qualify for reduced insurance rates with some carriers,” added Sax.

For more information on the boating basics course or free watercraft inspections, call the Cody region office at 1-800-654-1178.

Friday, June 10, 2011

Beartooth Highway opens for season

After two weeks of delays caused by heavy, late spring snow conditions, U.S. Highway 212, known as the Beartooth Highway, opened to vehicle traffic at 9 a.m. today (Friday).

Friday's opening was just in time for the highway's 75th anniversary celebration, which takes place this weekend in Red Lodge, Mont.

Through a joint effort conducted each spring, snow plowing crews from both Yellowstone National Park and the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) cleared the famous 67-mile passage that links the park’s Northeast Entrance with the community of Red Lodge.

The Beartooth Highway is maintained as a seasonal road that opens around Memorial Day weekend and closes by mid-October, depending on snow conditions.

This year a majority of the road spent well past its traditional opening date buried under more than 25 feet of snow and ice. In advance of the scheduled May 30 opening, MDT had cleared a section from Red Lodge to Vista Point, though the road was opened and closed several times over the next few weeks due to adverse weather and snow conditions. At the same time Yellowstone crews were forced to pull resources from the Beartooth to focus on road clearing efforts over Dunraven Pass to increase visitor access that was being affected by other weather-related delays within the park.

Each year the National Park Service clears the road from the park’s Northeast Entrance at Milepost 0.0 through Wyoming to the Montana state line at Milepost 43.1., meeting up with MDT crews that have plowed the road from Red Lodge.

Cutting through the Absoroka-Bearthtooth Wilderness, the Beartooth Highway is the highest elevation highway in Wyoming (10,947 feet) and Montana (10,350 feet), and is the highest elevation highway in the Northern Rockies, passing through one of the highest and most rugged areas in the lower 48 states, with 20 peaks reaching more than 12,000 feet in elevation. Because of the road’s altitude, extreme weather conditions including snow, ice, rain and high winds can force road closures at a moment’s notice. In 2008 the road was closed for nearly the entire season when a rock slide caused by heavy rains buried the road.

Because of rapidly-changing conditions, motorists are encouraged to check the status of the road in advance by contacting the proper state transportation departments.

Travelers in Wyoming may dial 511; those outside of Wyoming may call 888-996-7623, or visit the Wyoming Department of Transportation website at http://www.wyoroad.info.

Travelers in Montana may dial 511; those outside Montana may call 800-226-7623, or visit the Montana Department of Transportation website at http://mdt511.com/.

For road conditions inside Yellowstone National Park, visitors can call the parks’ 24-hour road hotline at 307-344-2117 or visit http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit.

Friday, June 3, 2011

Yellowstone plans vehicle checkpoints this weekend

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (AP) — Rangers in Yellowstone National Park will be conducting vehicle safety checkpoints this weekend (June 3-4).

The checkpoints will allow rangers to look for traffic and safety violations and watch for impaired drivers. Rangers will also hand out information on safe driving tips, seatbelt use and DUI awareness.

Yellowstone has more than 300 miles of paved roads. Park officials say driving conditions can be challenging because of heavy traffic, rapidly changing weather and visitors and wildlife on roadways.

For current road conditions in the park, call 307- 244-2117.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Panthers capture state title, girls finish second

For the fourth time in six years, the Powell High School boys' track and field team will be returning home as the state champion in Class 3A. The Panthers scored an 11-point win over Douglas to raise the trophy.

The Panthers carried an 11-point lead into the day and never saw that gap sink below nine points. By the time Douglas had fought back from a gap that at times soared above 20 points on Saturday, there was only the 4x400 relay remaining. The Panthers simply had to hold onto the baton for four laps of the track to guarantee victory.

But the Panthers did far more than just hold the baton. The team punctuated its 2011 state title with an exclamation point, winning the final relay by a margin of more than eight seconds. Afterward, not even a late-arriving rain could douse the spirits of the squad.

On the girls' side, the Panthers used a pair of top-three finishes from Desiree Murray to fight into second place, but it was the team's performance in the 1600 meters that provided the margin of comfort for the Panthers' runner-up trophy. Powell placed all four of its runners -- Kassey MacDonald, Tess Mitchell, Sierrra Morrow and Tally Wells -- in the top eight, earning 11 points as the team finished second behind Cody.

After three rainy, windy and, at times, snowy days, here's hoping the community will stay up late to provide a warm welcome home for the teams tonight.

For full details from this championship weekend, be sure to check out Tuesday's edition of the Powell Tribune.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Mayor mixes up city's namesake

Almost exactly two years ago, the city of Powell hosted a Founder's Day Celebration to recognize the city's founding. It may be time for a refresher: in a message posted on the city website, Powell Mayor Scott Mangold mistakenly identified the city's namesake as "William Powell" instead of American West explorer (and actual namesake) John Wesley Powell.

The original version
In his monthly message posted on the city website Wednesday night, Mangold outlined some of the problems the oodles of rain have caused, such as delaying landscaping at Homesteader Park and planned street work. But in closing, Mangold noted Powell is also better off than other places in the state.

"It’s going to be a bad spring for many towns in Wyoming for flooding and they’re going to need some help," Mangold wrote. "So let’s all curse the weather under our breath but thank William Powell for planning a town far enough away from the river."

Tessa, the Tribune's managing editor, caught the unfamiliar name and we knew the Tribune had to investigate.

When I asked Mangold on Thursday afternoon who Powell was named after, he didn't hesitate:

"William Powell."

But when I then asked if it wasn't actually John Wesley Powell, the mayor readily agreed he was in error.

"Oh yeah, John Wesley Powell," he said.

I then, to Mangold's chagrin, pointed out that his column had attributed Powell's origins to William, not John W.

"I'm going to change it real quick," Mangold said. He did note there actually is a famous William Powell (in fact, many). The best known William Powell was an acclaimed actor who starred in many films between the late 1920's and mid-1950's.

In less than 10 minutes, the mayor had corrected his message to say residents should instead thank "John Wesley Powell for planning a town far enough away from the river."

Of course, as the city's website notes, John Wesley Powell never actually came here to plan out the town or do anything else, but that's another matter altogether.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Updating State Track 2011 thread

The most recent information will always be at the top of the thread, immediately below this message.

Saturday, 1 p.m -- Before getting to the track news, I need to correct some soccer news. The information sent to the media from the tournament site yesterday was in error. Soccer season did NOT end for Powell's boys as they were, in fact, 3-2 winners over Worland on Friday. Furthermore, the Panthers rolled over Torrington today by a 6-2 final count to finish the year as your 2011 3A boys' consolation winners. Good job Panther soccer!

Now on to track, where a big development has taken place in the race for the 3A boys' title. Powell holds a 21-point lead over Douglas at the moment with four events remaining (the 200, 400, 1600 and the 4x400 relay), but a usurper -- the Cody Broncs -- currently sit in second place, a mere 12.5 points in back of Powell. 

The shift occurred in the 300-meter hurdles, where Douglas had two runners in the finals. One false-started while the other wasa disqualified on the final hurdle. The disaster likely cost the Bearcats a shot at the title today. Cody, on the other hand, pulled in big points in the pole vault to rise in the standings past Douglas. It will be interesting to see if the Broncs can hang on over the final events of the day.

Individually, Kyle Sullivan not only won both hurdle races, but turned in the lowest time in all classes to earn the Best-of-the-best award. His 110-meter hurdle time also bumped Justin Cross from the state record books as he set a new 3A class record of 14.35 seconds. Sullivan had to settle for runner-up honors in the high jump though as Lander's Tanner Simpson denied the Powell senior a three-peat, winning with a leap of 6-6 after Sullivan opted to pass out of that height and then failed to convert a jump at 6-8.

The rains have held off, but the wind is really starting to gust here in Casper. Hopefully the bad elements can hold off for four more events and a trophy presentation.

Saturday, 7:40 a.m. -- We've arrived at championship Saturday here at the state track and field championships in Casper. The rain came in waves overnight as I was awakened on at least two occasions by the patter of wind-driven droplets against the nearby window. Nothing is falling as I type, but a glance at radar indicates that could be a temporary thing with much precipitation to both the north and west of here.

To my readers following along here, I may or may not be able to break away and update today given my need to camp out on photographer row for most of today. You can follow the results as the automatic times become official here. Have those fire trucks and a victory parade on standby back in the BIg Horn Basin tonight.

There's not much more to say. About nine hours from now, a new state champion will be crowned. Go Panthers!

Friday, 9:30 p.m. -- Here are your team scores going into Saturday's finals. On the boys' side, Powell carries an 11-point lead in the standings with 58 points to Douglas' 47. Jackson (45) and Cody (44) are both holding close, but are expected to fade as Saturday progresses.

Using preliminary times and regional heights and distances, Powell projects to an eight-point victory at the end of the day tomorrow. That's hardly a comfortable spread as one stumble or off performance can quickly see that evaporate.

There are a number of events where Powell and Douglas have multiple participants tomorrow — pretty much every race at 400 meters or below sees the two schools in direct competition. The wildcard event on Saturday though could be the boys' high jump, where a number of participants enter having recorded a height of 5-8 in regional competition. Two of those are from Douglas. One of those (Cole Good) is from Powell. The way things break down, individuals from that group will likely take up four or five of the top eight positions in the high jump standings tomorrow. Just like the girls' pole vault today, the number of misses at lower heights could be the difference between scoring team points and not scoring team points. As you assess the Powell-Douglas title race, this is the event that projects to sway some key points one direction or another.

On the girls' side, Cody has things well in hand with 101.5 points. Glenrock (38), Powell (34) and Wheatland (33) will battle for the final two team awards in a race that's simply too close to call at this stage. As low as those scores are, don't overlook the chance that a school not currently in the top four could mount a final day surge and factor into the mix as well. This is literally anyone's race for second place.

One final observation -- the rains have been steadily falling since about 4 p.m. and the forecast for tomorrow has bumped up the chance for rain from 40 to 60 percent. That could effect the two remaining boys' field events (pole vault and high jump) and obviously throws another question mark into how athletes respond on the track.

At NCAA regional golf action, Cody's Gabe Maier played 24 holes today, finishing up the last six holes on his 1-over first round and adding a second round score of 68, 4-under-par. Maier currently sits in a tie for 11th place in the NCAA regional standings and, based on current team scores, is two strokes off the needed pace to qualify for the NCAA championship tournament. The University of Wyoming senior has one more round to play in Erie, Colo. The top five teams and the lowest scoring individual not affiliated with one of those five schools earn the right to advance.

Friday, 6:10 p.m. -- Powell now has its second state champion of these games. The boys' 4x100 relay team of Marco Borja, Colby Gilmore, Josh Cragoe and Jakob Bowers executed a series of flawless handoffs to turn in the only sub-45 second time of the finals and claim the top spot on the medal podium.

This was a pivotal race as Powell and Douglas were expected to be the top teams, and in a race where every point counts the last thing you want to is hand points directly to your primary challenger. Gilmore and Cragoe also turned in two of the three fastest prelim times in the 400 meters tonight, it should be noted.

In other afternoon action, Vince Sleep and Garrett Lynch finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the shot put. It will be fun to watch that pair compete together for two more years in both the shot and the discus.

Not much to report on the girls' side of things. The 4x100 relay placed 7th, which could be noteworthy since the team they relegated to eighth place was Glenrock, which appears to be their principle challenger for the state runner-up hardware. Desiree Murray successfully qualified for Saturday in both the 300-meter hurdles and the 400 meters. A shout out also needs to go out to Kadi Cooley in the girls' pole vault. Cooley wound up in ninth place, but cleared 8-6, which is the same height as the fifth-place finisher. A five-competitor tie at the height was broken based on misses at prior heights and, unfortunately, Cooley came up with the short straw and was the one competitor to finish outside the medal range.

I'm going back to the hotel to dry off and head out to dinner. Look for a late-night posting tonight where I try and assess the prospects of tomorrow's finals. Team scores at the end of Day 2 will also be posted then.

Friday, 2 p.m. -- The skies have gotten darker, but the rain has held off so far. The wind? Well, that's a different matter. This is spring and we are in Casper, after all.

That said, it has been a mixed bag for Powell competitors today. On the good side, Drew MaGill placed second in the boys' triple jump this morning with a leap of more than 43 feet. Magill, along with teammate Marco Borja, also advanced through the 100-meter preliminaries and will run in tomorrow morning's finals.

Also finding his way into the top eight was freshman Hayden Cragoe. Cragoe continued his May sizzle by jumping more than 40 feet in the triple jump to pick up an extra point for the Panthers.

Speaking of points, Justin Lynn grabbed another one in the 800-meter finals. The Panthers, with three runners in the field, had the opportunity to score big, but managed just an 8-9-10 finish.

On the girls' side, the Panthers' only points today have come from Kassey MacDonald, who placed fifth in the girls' 800 finals. Sierra Morrow firmly established herself as a candidate for title of tough-luck kid at these games by again placing ninth. While she's sporting a shiny 4x800 medal from last night, let's hope she can shake off the string of 9's when they run the 1600 meters tomorrow.

The biggest news of the day for the Panther girls, unfortunately, is not good news. The Panthers were shut out of points in an event they figured to score very well in today. Marquette McArthur and Tori Sleep owned two of the top discus throws coming to Casper, but were unable to crack the top eight here in town.

Up at state soccer, the season has ended for both Panther teams. Worland scored a 2-1 victory in girls' action and a 3-2 win in boys' competition to bring down the curtain on Powell's seasons.

We're in a bit of a lull right now. The next action should fire up around 3 p.m. with boys' shot put, the 4x100 relays and the 400-meter prelims among the featured events, at least for Powell followers.

Friday, 9:20 a.m. -- Just a quick note before things heat up too much on the oval. Right now we have mostly cloudy skies, but the sun is peeking through and, most important, there's no new rain falling at this time. Today's events should run on schedule, with the exception of the pole vault -- after being shut out of vaulting competition yesterday, I, like many, really don't know what's going on there yet.

Early action includes Drew MaGill in the triple jump, the boys' and girls 800 meter finals, where again the Panthers could add to their point totals, and closer to the lunch hour, the girls' discus.

Stay tuned. As long as Mother Nature continues to play nice, I'll be able to update throughout the day.

Thursday, 8:15 p.m. -- For the second consecutive year, the Powell Panthers are the state girls' 4x800 relay champions. Had you said that back in February, when three of the four members of the 2010 state title relay were predicted to again carry the baton, it might not have seemed a surprise. But of the four that lined up today in Casper, only Kassey MacDonald was actually on the award podium a year ago. Injuries sidelined Brooke Nisley and Alyssa Rodriguez this track season, paving the way for Desiree Murray, Tally Wells and Sierra Morrow to step up and do a fantastic job in winning a state title and becoming the first sub-10 minute relay in school 4x800 history.
Mother Nature gets the blame in preventing the team from going below 10 minutes again, but considering they ran in a drizzle and 41 degrees, the winning time of just under 10:03 is still mighty impressive. Also impressive was the 17-second margin of victory over runner-up Lander. The Panthers were in front almost the entire race after Murray ran down a fast-starting Douglas team after 250 meters. From there on, the Panthers put the pedal to the metal and pulled away. Running the third leg, Tally Wells transformed a 25-yard lead into a morale-crushing 60+ yard cushion over the final 200 meters of her leg before handing off to MacDonald, who simply continued to stretch that gap.

Naturally, after the tropical conditions they endured all day, the foursome had plans to go to Dairy Queen for celebratory Blizzards tonight.

In other late action from Day 1, the boys' 4x800 relay won a battle down the home stretch to finish as the state runner-up behind Jackson. Freshman Shawnea Harrington uncorked her best throw of the season in the shot put, going 37-6 and winning third-place honors. Drew MaGill placed fourth overall in the long jump and Kendra Ostrom placed eighth in the high jump as the entire field struggled on the wet footing.

In prelim action, Josh Cragoe and Kyle Sullivan each won their heats of the 110-meter hurdles to advance. Murray was also one of the top qualifiers in the 100-meter hurdles. In the 200, MaGill and Colby Gilmore each advanced to a final race that will include three Douglas runners.

After four of 17 events, the standings show Cody already atop the girls' division with 42 points. Powell is a comfortable second with 28 points. Wheatland and Glenrock share third place at 16 points apiece. On the boys' side, Powell heads to the hotel with 33 points, four ahead of Jackson. Cody makes it an all-northwest Wyoming affair with 23 points in third place. Douglas currently sits in fifth place at 13 points.

Casper wasn't the only place the weather was creating fits today. In Colorado, University of Wyoming senior and Cody native Gabe Maier was unable to complete his full 18 holes in the opening round of NCAA regional golf play. Maier was called off the course after 12 holes. He's currently 1-over-par and in a tie for 35th. Tournament officials hope to resume the opening round at 8 a.m., Friday.

Both Powell soccer teams came out on the wrong side of 8-0 decisions against Buffalo today, dropping the teams into the elimination bracket tomorrow. Both will play Worland for the right to advance to Saturday's consolation final match.

As for me, I'll be taking a very long hot shower tonight and doing my "please don't rain" dance in preparation for Day 2 of state track. Due to the weather conditions, which aren't supposed to improve a whole bunch overnight, the next update might not come until Friday evening.

Thursday, 4:15 p.m. -- Welcome to the Wyoming state track and field championships where it was 35 degrees and snowing at the start of competition this morning. I'm starting to feel more and more spoiled by those 75-80 degree days that greeted me to Wyoming state track two years ago with each return visit to Casper.

Despite a persistent rain/snow mix, they have gotten a few events off on schedule. The Panthers wasted little time getting off to a good start on both the boys' and girls' side of things. Tally Wells and Tess Mitchell broke the 13-minute barrier and finished 3-4 in the day's first race, the 3200. Sierra Morrow was edged on a photo finish at the line to narrowly miss out adding an eighth place finish.

Not to be outdone, Bodie Friday, Danny McKearney and Zander Andreasen finished 6-7-8 in the boys' 3200-meter race to get the power of Powell's multiple entries started. Remember, head coach Scott Smith called his team's performance in the distance races one of the keys to winning this weekend's expected head-to-head showdown with Douglas.

The weather has played havoc with the field event schedule. All pole vault competition has been cancelled for the day and everything else is 2+ hours behind schedule. There's a small moat around the inside of the stadium track and the only thing apparently taking the weather in stride is the snowman someone positioned in front of the grandstands. Substitute a pair of track shorts for the corn cob pipe and the button nose and it would pretty much sum up this first day of competition.

One field event that did get in the books today was the boys' discus. Senior Jacob Beuster missed out on his quest for a state title, but did place second. Freshman Garrett Lynch was ninth going into his final throw and then uncorked a beauty to leapfrog his way clear up to fifth in the standings. Sophomore Vince Sleep had some drama of his own, scratching his first two throws before advancing to finals with his last regulation toss. Sleep finished seventh overall to give Powell another three-medalist event.

The Panthers now have 20 points in the books while Douglas has yet to crack the scoring column. That's sure to change over the next 15 events, but for right now it's the Panther boys in front in Casper with the 4x800 relay finals coming up in an hour or so. That's another event where both the Powell girls and boys are expected to pull in some big numbers.

Stay tuned and I'll try to make sense of the revised field events schedule for everyone, although if it doesn't stop raining they'll have to print a revised revised schedule before the day is done.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Video: U.S. 26-89 landslide in action

While Yellowstone National Park road crews grapple with snow slides and road damage on Sylvan Pass, Wyoming Department of Transportation officials are waiting out a massive, slow-moving landslide between Hoback Junction and Alpine that has shut down U.S. 26-89.

This time lapse video, shot by WyDOT, shows the rock, mud and vegetation slowing sliding across the highway on Tuesday, May 17. It compresses 30 minutes of footage into 47 seconds.


According to WyDOT:
The slide is moving at a rate of about one foot per minute with an estimated 40,000 cubic yards of material currently covering the highway to depths of up to 40 feet. WYDOT crews began moving material off the highway Saturday, but by 10 p.m. they could no longer keep the road open. Contractors were brought in to assist Sunday, but by Monday it became clear that effort was only further destabilizing the slide above the road.

“For every loader of dirt we moved out, four more would come down,” said WYDOT District Engineer John Eddins. “No amount of equipment is going to be able to open the road until the slide stops moving.”
The transportation department website has more on the challenging situation.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Avalanche closes East Entrance Road

Massive amounts of sliding, wet snow in Sylvan Pass have forced Yellowstone park officials to close the East Entrance Road until further notice.

A 70-yard wide, 20-30-foot deep field of snow that came down in an avalanche has forced the route through Sylvan to close, the Park Service said in an email sent this evening.

"Extremely hazardous conditions, current debris levels on the road, and ongoing snow slide events make reopening impossible until complete assessments can be made," the agency said.

This May 2 photo provided by the National Park
 Service shows a 15-foot drift on Sylvan Pass.
Yellowstone officials are currently working to get heavy road-clearing equipment to the pass, but the snow slides are expected to continue until nighttime temperatures return to freezing.

The East Entrance road -- which opened for the season on Friday -- has been intermittently open and closed this week thanks to the large amount of shifting snow in Sylvan Pass. Warmer weather and rain have been blamed for the unstable conditions.

The Park Service said forecasts for the pass in coming days call for daytime temperatures in the 50's, which will make the heavy snowpack increasingly unstable

"Weather conditions are being continually monitored by park staff to keep the road open when it is considered safe," the park service said in an email yesterday.

Yellowstone visitors should call the 24-hour park road report (307-344-2117) for the most current conditions and be prepared for conditions that can change quickly.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Tourists disregard signs, trudge on Old Faithful

An unidentified tour group rambled around Old Faithful geyser Wednesday evening with a total disregard for their safety or the fragile and iconic landscape.

At around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, a group of 30 left the boardwalk in front of Old Faithful Lodge and sauntered to the very lip of the geyser.

Signs are posted everywhere warning of the danger.

“They claimed they hadn’t seen the signs,” said Yellowstone Park Spokesperson Al Nash.

Three individuals — the tour group leader, tour bus driver and a tour member who initiated the out-of-bounds stroll — were cited for being off-trail in a thermal area and fined $125 each.

For more on the story, see Tuesday’s Tribune.

— By Gib Mathers, Tribune Staff Writer

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Dramatic video shows rock slide near Lovell

LOVELL, Wyo. (AP) — Beware of falling rock: That's what the Wyoming Department of Transportation is telling motorists on a northern Wyoming highway after a rock slide nearly hit a man shooting video.

The short but dramatic video, posted on YouTube, shows a few rocks coming down to the left of the man, then more falling on the right.

Then the entire road cut comes loose, causing the man to run and shout profanity. The video ends with a lot of whooping about a large pile of rock on the road.



The man's identity couldn't be confirmed and he couldn't be reached for comment.

The slide happened Monday on U.S. Highway 14-A east of Lovell. A falling rock advisory remains in effect for the route, which remains open.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Cox to testify before U.S. Senate committee

Wyoming Department of Transportation Director John Cox will testify before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in Washington, D.C., Thursday, April 14, on issues surrounding the reauthorization of the federal surface transportation program.

Cox will present a statement on behalf of the transportation departments of Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota focusing on the needs and priorities of rural states in the next surface transportation program. His testimony will begin at 8 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time.

Cox, who formerly served as Powell’s police chief, is one of five state transportation department heads from around the nation who will present testimony before the committee and answer questions from senators.

To watch a streaming broadcast of the hearing, go to the committee’s web page.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Your Heart Mountain photos

Tribune readers answered our call for photos of Heart Mountain. We published a group of photos in the Thursday, March 24 edition of the Tribune. Here are all the photographs we received from residents throughout the Powell and Cody area.

Bill Finefield:

Richard Brady:

Carolyn Danko:

Mack Frost:

Mack Frost:

Mack Frost:

Mack Frost:

Mack Frost:

Mack Frost:

Mack Frost:

Mack Frost:

Melanie Saldana-Gardner (former Powell resident now residing in Hinesville, Ga.) :

Mike Wright:

Shannon Lusk:

Shawnee Dicks:

Teri Ann Oursler:

Todd Thayer:

Todd Thayer:

Todd Thayer:

Todd Thayer:

Todd Thayer:

Todd Thayer:

Todd Thayer:

Toby Bonner:
CJ Baker:

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Cody teen located

A Cody teen reported as a runaway Thursday afternoon has been found, Cody police announced in a media release early this afternoon.

"On behalf of the Cody Police Department, I want to thank everyone for the attention given to this incident," said Chief Perry Rockvam in the release.

Elizabeth "Liz" Wellong, 15, had been reported missing Thursday afternoon after she did not attend school and her belongings were found to have been packed.

Friday's release did not indicate where Wellong was found, or under what circumstances. Rockvam said no further information was available.

State basketball updates

The Powell Panthers were eliminated from 3A state tournament play on Friday morning following a 54-38 loss at the hands of Torrington. The shooting woes that plagued Powell in the opening round on Thursday continued. The Panthers hit just 27 percent of their shots, incliding a 3-for-16 display behind the arc.

Torrington jumped to a 19-6 lead after one quarter as the Panthers struggled to find a rhythm against the Blazers' full-court pressure. The lead was 33-19 at intermission, but a 16-7 third quarter denied the hope of Panther fans for a second-half rally.

Leslie Thronburg finished her Powell career with 10 points and a team-best seven rebounds. Olivia Rogers added a team-high 11 points and six boards. Becky Dent blocked three shots.

The contest was the last in the high school careers of Thronburg, Rogers and Randi Asay.
==============

Powell has been relegated to the consolation half of the bracket following a 52-26 trouncing at the hands of Buffalo. The Panthers' starting lineup was introduced first. Unfortunately, it was the only time the team was in the lead.

Once the ball was thrown in the air at center court, it was all Buffalo. Powell didn't score its first point until almost a minute was gone in the second quarter. By that point, Buffalo's lead was more than 20 points. The Panthers never mustered anything resembling a rally.

Powell stumbled to less than 16 percent shooting (3-for-19) in the first half. Buffalo, meanwhile, came to play. The Bison drilled five of their 10 3-point attempts in the first half, part of a 48 percent shooting display, as they carried a 27-7 lead into intermission.

The Panthers were outscored 11-3 in the third period and trailed 38-10 entering the final quarter and remained stuck on 10 points well into the fourth period until a late flurry against the Buffalo reserves elevated the team's score into the 20s.

Kendra Ostrom finished with eight points for Powell. Leslie Thronburg added seven points, six rebounds, four steals and had Powell's only three assists in the game. The Panthers face Torrington in an elimination game at 9 a.m. tomorrow.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Day at the Legislature: Wednesday, March 2

CHEYENNE (AP) — Developments on the 36th day of the 2011 General Session of the Wyoming Legislature, Wednesday, March 2, 2011:

BUDGET — Gov. Matt Mead used his line-item veto to remove a $450,000 appropriation from the Legislature's supplemental budget bill that had been set aside to buy land for construction of a new governor's mansion. He stated that if he decides over the next year that the expenditure would be wise, other funds should be available.

CONCEALED CARRY — Mead signed into law a bill that will allow citizens to carry concealed handguns without a state permit starting in July.

SAME-SEX MARRIAGE — The Senate rejected a bill that would have specified that Wyoming would only recognize marriages between one man and one woman.

EMINENT DOMAIN — Mead signed into law a two-year extension of Wyoming's moratorium on using eminent domain powers for wind projects.

EDUCATION — The House gave final approval to a bill that would establish statewide standards for annual teacher evaluations. The bill now goes to Mead.

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Helena wins game 2 over Quake

If the 2010-2011 hockey season is going to last beyond Friday, the Yellowstone Quake will have to dig deep for answers. For the second consecutive night, the Helena Bighorns baffled the Quake on the way to a shutout victory, this time by a 10-0 final count.

The formula was much the same as in Tuesday night's game, the Bighorns climbed on top early in the first period, added a second goal before the first intermission and then capitalized on some power play opportunities to build an insurmountable lead of 6-0 as play entered the final period.

The Bighorns held the Quake to just 14 shots on goal as the team recorded its second shut out in as many nights. The series now heads to Montana, where the Quake will have to win three consecutive games in Helena, starting on Friday night, if they hope to extend their season into another week.

Day at the Legislature: Tuesday, March 1

CHEYENNE (AP) — Developments on the 35rd day of the 2011 General Session of the Wyoming Legislature, Tuesday, March 1, 2011:

MARRIAGES — A conference committee agreed to amendments to a bill that seeks to specify that Wyoming will only recognize marriages performed between one man and one woman. The House is set to consider the revised bill on Wednesday.

HEALTH CARE — The House gave final approval to a bill that would put up $1 million to expand the state's health care pilot project. The project aims for offering limited health care coverage for up to 200 low-income people.

SPICE DRUGS — The House and Senate concurred on a bill to outlaw so-called "spice" drugs.

EDUCATION — A conference committee reached agreement on the "teacher accountability act," and both the House and Senate are set to consider it on Wednesday. The House and Senate failed to reach agreement on some proposed changes in another bill regarding the high school courses required to qualify for the state's Hathaway scholarship program.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Day at the Legislature: Monday, Feb. 28

CHEYENNE (AP) — Developments on the 34rd day of the 2011 General Session of the Wyoming Legislature, Mon., Feb. 28, 2011:

HATHAWAY — The House rejected a conference committee report on proposed changes in the Hathaway college scholarship program. The House rejected the Senate's insistence that foreign language remain mandatory for some recipients.

TEACHER STANDARDS — State Senate and House negotiators have compromised on a bill that would establish statewide standards for annual teacher evaluations. The bill now goes back to each body for consideration.

PUBLIC MEETINGS — The Senate killed a bill that would have required Wyoming government boards to record their closed sessions.

MARRIAGE — A conference committee failed to come to agreement on a bill that would specify same-sex marriages to be void in Wyoming.

DUI — The Senate passed a bill that would eliminate motorists' right to refuse to take chemical tests to determine the presence of drugs or alcohol in their body.

PATRIOTISM — The Senate for the second time approved a bill that would require the American flag to be displayed in public school classrooms and require students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

SEX OFFENDERS — A bill to tighten registration requirements for sex offenders passed in the Senate for the second time.

SPOOFING: A bill making it a crime to impersonate another person through various electronic means passed the Senate.

Friday, February 25, 2011

State/national wrestling

We've come to that time of the year once again -- the Powell Panthers are in Casper in pursuit of a 3A state title and the Northwest College Trappers have a delegation of seven wrestling at the NJCAA national championships.

Check back with the Tribune throughout Friday and Saturday as we'll be posting the latest updates as they become available. The most recent information will always appear immediately below this note.
=================
Saturday, 9:15 p.m. -- Nick Petersen is your 2011 national champion at 184 pounds. Petersen won the title with a 4-1 decision victory. After scoring an early takedown and giving up the escape, Petersen spent the entire second period attempting to get to his feet after starting in the down position. Petersen returned the favor in the third period, keeping his opponent on the mat despite a couple nerve-wracking scrambles, the latter ending in a two-point nearfall for Petersen with roughly 10 seconds remaining in the match.

The Trappers' two other championship match wrestlers finished on the losing side of narrow decisions. Jesse Hillhouse struck first with a takedown at 133 pounds, but gave up escapes in the first and second periods to enter the third period knotted at 2-2. The two grapplers spent two minutes on their feet with no points scored in the third period, then repeated the process for another minute in overtime. In double overtime, starting down, Hillhouse was unable to work to his feet in 30 seconds. Working from the top in the reciprocal 30-second period, Hillhouse surrendered his third escape of the match and was unable to press forward for a winning takedown in the final seconds, losing 3-2.

For Cast, a second-period escape put the freshman on top 1-0, but he gave up an escape early in the third period to re-tie the match. An edge-of-the-mat takedown against Cast brought Trapper head coach Jim Zeigler out, but the call stood. Cast got back to his feet for an escape with 55 seconds remaining but got caught for another takedown attempting to press the action and take the lead. Cast escaped again with 15 seconds left, but was unable to threaten a takedown against his defensive-minded opponent, falling 5-3.

No team score updates yet, but when those scores are posted, expect yet another top-1o finish for your Northwest College Trappers.

This will be the last posting in this blog entry. Thanks for following along with the action and for more coverage of both the Wyoming 3A and the NJCAA national wrestling tournaments, check out Tuesday's edition of the Powell Tribune.
=================
Saturday, 7:15 p.m. -- The Powell High School Panthers will bring home three state champions as Craig, Seckman and Olson all won their championship matches. The upper weights are still underway, but it appears that performance will not be enough to bridge the gap between the Panthers and Douglas in the race for second place. Worland is your 2011 state champion.

At Spokane, the championship round is scheduled to begin at approximately 7:45 p.m. Mountain time. Northwest College wrestling fans can watch the championship matches online at: www.nic.edu/athletics/wrestlingnationals/
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Saturday, 2:45 p.m. -- The Panthers have narrowed the gap between themselves and second place, but Worland continues to pull away from everyone at the 3A state wrestling tournament.

They are up to the medal rounds now, so here's your rundown of Panthers who will be competing today and bringing home a medal for finishing somewhere in the top six:

103-Charles Wittick will wrestle for the state title.
119 -Jessee Craig will wrestle for the state title.
125-Robert Friday will wrestle for third place.
140-Colt Nix will wrestle for third place.
145-Waylon Bays will wrestle for third place.
152-Jimmy Seckman will wrestle for the state title.
152-Tyler Patterson will wrestle for fifth place.
160-Olie Olson will wrestle for the state title.
160-Clay Saldana will wrestle for fifth place.
171-Randy Andrews will wrestle for third place.
215-Kurt Bullinger will wrestle for fifth place.
285-Trevor Griffeth will wrestle for fifth place.

Team standings heading into the medal round show Worland in front with 234 points. Douglas is in second at 208.5 and Powell is third with 198.5 points. From there, it's 72.5 points back to fourth place, so this has been the three-horse race everyone predicted it would be.

For those curious, Douglas has 13 wrestlers competing in the medal rounds. Worland and Powell each have 12. Lander, with seven, is the only other 3A school to have more than five still competing.

For those not able to make it to Casper, remember that you can watch Powell's four championship contenders wrestle their final matches at www.rtcom.tv.
=================
Saturday, 1:30 p.m. -- The championship semifinals have just concluded and the Northwest College Trappers have gone 3-for-3. Jesse Hillhouse, Keithen Cast and Nick Petersen will all be wrestling for national titles this evening.

Hillhouse advanced through a meeting between the No. 1 and No. 2 wrestlers at 133 pounds when the match was stopped in the third period due to an injury. Hillhouse will face Tyler Holloway from Rend Lake in the title match tonight. Holloway entered the national tournament with a No. 6 ranking nationally.

Cast earned a narrow 4-3 decision in the semifinals. The Trappers' freshman will take his No. 4 ranking into the finals against an opponent that he actually knows quite well -- North Idaho's No. 2 ranked Jesse Nielsen. The two have faced off twice previously this year.

Finally, Nick Petersen breezed through the semifinals with an 8-0 victory. The margin was impressive enough, but looks even larger when one considers it came against the No. 3 wrestler in the weight class. One person who might not be impressed is Rend Lake's Austin Morehead, Petersen's opponent in tonight's championship. Morehead, ranked second nationally, advanced with a 9-4 decision over Labette's Ray Hall, the wrestler that took Petersen into overtime in the zone championship tournament two weeks ago.

Sears Tiernan's tournament finished one win shy of All-American honors. The Trappers' sophomore heavyweight lost a major decision in the All-American round to be eliminated from competition. Northwest had slipped to 12th in the team standings after the All-American round, but obviously will shoot upwards after its three semifinal victories.

No updates from Casper yet. Stay tuned.

=================
Friday, 10:45 p.m. -- The Powell Panthers will wrestle for four individual state titles on Saturday, but find themselves chasing two schools that will be wrestling for six apiece.

Charles Wittick (103), Jessee Craig (119), Jimmy Seckman (152) and Olie Olson (160) chained together three wins on Friday and go to sleep tonight knowing they need just one more to wrap up the dream of a state title. Between the four, they've recorded 11 wins by fall and one technical fall victory.

Wittick (33-11 overall this season) scored a pair of first-period wins by fall in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds to go along with a prelim round match that went into the second period before Wittick pressed his man flat. He'll square off Saturday against Justin Lewton, who brings a 45-4 record into the match. Like Wittick, Lewton's day consisted of three wins by fall, two within the first minute.

Craig, like Wittick, cruised through Friday with three wins by fall. He takes a 33-10 record into Saturday's championship match where he'll face Josh Materi of Thermopolis in the first of two Powell-Thermop pairings in the final round. Materi reached the finals with a 26-second fall in the prelims and back-to-back major decisions in the quarters and semis.

Jimmy Seckman finally got pushed beyond the first minute of a match in the semifinals, but that hardly changed the outcome. Seckman, now 33-4 on the year, has a Saturday date with Lane Read of Douglas, whose two wins by fall and a technical fall gave him a comfortable route into the championship round.

Finally, Olson scored his 40th win of the season in the semifinals on Friday night. It didn't take long as he recorded it via a first-period pin. Now he'll face Kyle Larson of Thermopolis for the title. Larson's day didn't contain much drama, but it did contain a variety of results as he won by fall, technical fall and major decision.

Powell enters Saturday a distant third in the standings, staring at a 31-point gap between themselves and defending state champion Douglas. The Panthers have 144.5 points. Douglas has 175.5 points while Worland is in striking distance with 164 points. Both Worland and Douglas have six wrestlers in the finals, so if the Panthers are going to make a move, it will have to come in the consolation rounds.

Now, let's shift focus to Spokane, where the Trappers have three wrestlers in the semifinals tomorrow. Nick Petersen captured a quarterfinal win by fall to advance. Jesse Hillhouse earned his second victory by decision on the day, scoring a 7-3 victory. Both can now call themselves two-time All-Americans as they are assured of spots in the top eight. Also assured of All-American status by virtue of reaching the semifinals is freshman Keithen Cast, whose 8-6 win in the quarterfinals allows him to keep wrestling for a title when action resumes on Saturday.

On the consolation side of the bracket, Bobby Robbins' day came to a close in the third consolation round, where he was a major decision victim. Sears Tiernan picked up a victory by fall in the third consolation round to stay alive. Tiernan needs to produce just one more victory to give the Trappers their fourth All-American of this year's national championships.

The Trappers were sitting in eighth place heading into what is affectionately known as the All-American round of the elimination bracket, a reference to the fact that those who win the round have achieved All-American status and a finish somewhere in the top eight. Northwest has amassed 44.5 points but will need to gather more on Saturday to continue its string of top-10 finishes for head coach Jim Ziegler.

That'll do it for today. Get some sleep and join us for the excitement of championship Saturday, both at Casper and Spokane.
=================
Friday, 6 p.m. -- A quick update as I dash out the door. The Panthers remain third in the team race after the quarterfinal round with 92.5 points. They're 15.5 in back of Worland in the team chase .

Wrestling tonight in the semifinals will be Charles Wittick (2 wins by fall at 103), Jessee Craig (2 wins by fall at 119), Robert Friday (2 wins vs. Wheatland opponents, including a 9-7 quarterfinal win), Colt Nix (a 7-0 quarterfinal winner after a morning pin to begin his state tournament), Jimmy Seckman (2 wins by fall at 152 pounds, coming in a combined 1:19) and Olie Olson (a technical-fall winner in the quarterfinals 18-2).

They've tipped off in the Park County rivalry game between Powell and Cody, so this will be my last post until late tonight when I'll do my best to summarize the day's action at both venues.

If you're reading this, be sure to leave a comment of support for your favorite wrestler(s) -- I'm sure they'll appreciate it, and we'd love to know who you are and where you're following the action from!
=================
Friday, 4:30 p.m. -- They're through the second elimination round at Spokane and two Trapper wrestlers have seen their season come to a close as Bernie Dupuy (165) and Ben Price (197) each suffered their second losses of the tournament. Each of the defeats came by a single point.

Bobby Robbins (149) staved off elimination by winning 7-4 in his latest outing. Sears Tiernan (285) won via injury default. As a team, the Trappers had 19 points entering the round, placing them in a tie for 12th place among all teams in attendance.

Still no word on the 3A championship quarterfinals out of Casper. Hopefully I'll receive an update there before the Cody-Powell basketball games take me away from the computer tonight. Just a reminder -- the championship semifinals are reportedly being streamed live to the Internet at www.rtcom.tv for those wanting to tune in and watch tonight. They also claim to be broadcasting Saturday's championships. No information on what sort of computer specs you might need in order to enjoy the broadcast.
=================
Friday, 3:15 p.m. -- All Northwest College wrestlers have been through their second round matches. Both of the Trappers' No. 1 wrestlers have advanced safely into the quarterfinals, as has freshman Keithen Cast, ranked No. 4 at 174 pounds. Everyone else is still alive in the elimination side of the bracket.

Cast's first match on the mat didn't last long as his opponent was forced to forfeit due to an injury just 65 seconds into the first period. He'll face ninth-ranked Travis Peralta of Ridgewater in the quarterfinals.

Nick Petersen, who, like Cast, had a first-round bye this morning, won convincingly with a 13-3 decision over No. 11 Nate Bazan. He'll face unranked Teagen Franco of Yakima Community College in the quarters.

For Bernie Dupuy (165), it was a good effort against the top-ranked wrestler in his weight class, but not quite enough to take the win. Dupuy dropped a 7-3 decision. For Sears Tiernan, it was a meeting with the No. 2 man in the heavyweight division, and a 12-2 loss in a battle of top-10 grapplers. Ben Price, who lost in the opening round, received a bye in the first elimination round of the day, keeping all seven Trappers alive on the bracket.

On the high school side, the championship quarterfinals are close to wrapping up. No results or team score updates yet, but to clarify an item from earlier today, Randy Andrews was an upset victim in the first round, bringing an abrupt end to the state title hopes of the 34-6 wrestler. Andrews will look to make as much noise as possible on the elimination side of things as he goes after a third-place medal and score as many points as possible toward the team race.
=================
Friday, 1:40 p.m. -- Haven't been able to reach anyone on-site in Casper, but we can at least remove part of the asterisk from the 1:15 p.m. post. The 160-pound bracket has been revised and now shows Olson as a winner by fall in the first period. Powell's team score has similarly been adjusted. The Panthers remain in third place, but now have 40 points, putting them six off the pace. As tight as this three-horse race for the 3A title is forecast to be, those points could come in handy by tournament's end.

Out in Spokane, Jesse Hillhouse turned in a 7-2 decision in his showdown with North Idaho's Brock Banta. He's into the quarterfinals against Wismit Moinius, an unranked grappler out of North Iowa Area. Bobby Robbins wasn't as fortunate at 149 pounds, dropping a 16-5 major decision to sixth-ranked Mark Marionovich.
=================
Friday, 1:15 p.m. -- And just like that, the results have appeared from Casper. Or have they? After round one, the Panthers sit in third place with 36 team points. Worland is in first with 46 points. Douglas is second with 42 points.

The bigger story, if accurate, would be that Olie Olson (160) and Randy Andrews (171) are both shown as having lost their first-round matches by fall. If true, that would deal a significant blow to Powell's chances for a state title as both were on a short list of state title contenders at their respective weights. I'm putting an asterisk by this one for now (*) and making some phone calls to verify.

In the meantime, Powell won at least 12 matches in the first round, including eight wins by fall among scoring wrestlers. Kurt Bullinger turned in the fastest first-round pin, needing just 20 seconds to get on and off the mat with his arm raised in victory. Jimmy Seckman and Dylan Rood also took less than 45 seconds to finish off their round one foes.

Round two should be getting started. Obviously, we'll report back in with clarification on the situation at 160 and 171 if needed. Round two is also underway in Spokane, updates coming as events warrant.
=================
Friday, 1 p.m. -- Round one is pretty much in the books at Spokane and it couldn't have gone much better than it did for Northwest College. The Trappers have six of their seven wrestlers alive on the championship side of the bracket. Bernie Dupuy was a 10-4 winner at 165. Sears Tiernan won by fall in just 2:26. Only Ben Price fell onto the elimination bracket, dropping a 4-0 first-round decision at 197. No team scores have been posted yet as the final 285-pound matches are still on the mat, but Northwest pulled good points through round one.

The second round will be coming up and now we start getting to the fun part. Of the six Trappers still in title contention, five will be hitting ranked opponents. Dupuy will square off against the top-ranked grappler at 165. Tiernan will face the No. 2 man at 285. Robbins, Hillhouse and Petersen will also take on opponents ranked 11th or better in the nation. Only Cast draws an unranked foe in round two as he'll face Tony Lisek of Jamestown.

Still waiting on WHSAA to make round one results available from Casper. We'll pass those along as quickly as possible.
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Friday, 11:45 a.m. -- We now have our first correction of the weekend. The results have changed in Spokane and are now showing that Hillhouse's first-round victory was actually a win by fall, adding a little more to the Trappers' team score as the school goes after another top-10 finish.

In the meanwhile, Bobby Robbins has hit the mat and defeated Ryan Davis of Iowa Central by a narrow 5-4 decision. Up next for him is Lincoln College's Mark Marionovich, ranked sixth in the weight class.
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Friday, 11:15 a.m. -- The first result is in from Spokane and returning All-American and No. 1 in the 133-pound division Jesse Hillhouse cruised to a technical fall victory in his tournament opener. The victory sets up a second-round showdown with Brock Banta of North Idaho, who also won by tech. fall. One month ago, this would have been an unheard-of match at this stage of the bracket. Hillhouse was ranked No. 1 and Banta No. 2 when the pair faced off at the Apodaca Duals. It certainly isn't the sort of match you'd expect in the second round, but Hillhouse and NWC head coach Jim Zeigler were comfortable with their game plan, which produced an 8-2 win in January.

Keep in mind that Keithen Cast (174) and Nick Petersen (184) are already through to the second round as well by virtue of first-round byes. The 141-pounders are getting set to take the mat at Spokane. I'll check back in on the progress of Bobby Robbins (149), Bernie Dupuy (165), Ben Price (197) and Sears Tiernan (285) in about an hour, at which time we should also be in possession of the first round results from Casper and the state 3A championships.