The Cody Park County Republican campaign office at 1262 Sheridan Ave. was vandalized sometime Monday night, apparently by a fan or fans of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Tribune photo by CJ Baker
Park County Republicans awoke Tuesday morning to find that their campaign office had undergone an unwelcome change.
In yellow window paint, overnight vandals had scrawled “Obama” on the headquarter’s front windows and affixed Barack Obama posters over the GOP’s John McCain signs.
“That’s just the kind of people that support him (Obama),” said GOP volunteer Joni Seuferer.
Fellow volunteer and Cody resident Terry Hinkle said two McCain signs have been stolen from his yard over the past week, and he blames Obama supporters.
August test results suggest there are fewer Escherichia coli (E. coli) colonies in the Shoshone River and Bitter Creek than there were last year.
“We are showing some improvement,” said Ann Trosper, watershed coordinator for the Powell-Clark’s Fork Conservation District.
“...Still not out of the woods, but a definite improvement.”
Where Bitter Creek dumps into the Shoshone River, there were 401 colonies of E. coli per a 100 milliliter vessel in 2007. August 2008 numbers confirmed 380 colonies, Trosper said.
In an area on Bitter Creek where septic systems have been repaired, 2007 numbers were 137 colonies per 100 milliliter vessel. In August 2008, that number dropped significantly to 54. An irrigation waste ditch dumps into the creek at that location, so the site has been referred to as a “hot spot,” Trosper said.
Until the Heart Mountain Volunteer Medical Clinic opened in July, Lori Niebel of rural Powell had given up on trying to access the regular health care she needed.
In fact, she had nearly given up hope for living.
Niebel had seen a doctor twice during the previous 12 months — both times in the emergency room, and both when she was seriously ill.
During her most recent emergency-room visit, doctors discovered her blood-sugar level was more than 400.
Judee Solberg, a 1987 graduate of Powell High School, is now a member of the hall of fame at Jamestown College in North Dakota. Solberg, along with her teammates on the Jimmies’ 1991 track and field team, were inducted into the school’s hall of fame last weekend. Tribune photo by David Dickey
Crowning achievement
Seventeen years after her collegiate athletic career came to a close, Powell’s Judee Solberg had a chance to jog down memory lane when she returned to Jamestown College in North Dakota to take her spot in the Jimmies’ hall of fame.
Solberg, formerly Judee Trevino and a 1987 graduate of Powell High School, entered the school’s hall of fame along with her teammates from the Jimmies’ 1991 women’s track and field team. The squad was inducted last Saturday and recognized on the field during halftime of the Jimmies’ football game with Minot State.
Solberg said the return trip conjured up many memories of a time that was pivotal in her life. She thought of the many trails she navigated during practices directed by longtime Jimmie coach Jim Clark. And she said it didn’t take long for memories of running in harsh winter conditions to race into her thoughts.
Russ Wenke, administrator for Park County Fire District No. 2, left, and Clint Dawson, zone fire manager for Shoshone National Forest, returned to the scene of the Gunbarrel Fire. Thursday, Dawson predicted the fire would be extinguished or nearly extinguished with the weekend’s anticipated precipitation. Tribune photo by Gib Mathers
Almost out
Conducting a field trip into the heart of the now mostly-extinguished Gunbarrel Fire last week, Clint Dawson, zone fire manager for Shoshone National Forest, defended the loss of Sweetwater Lodge and called the fire, as a whole, a success.
No private property was lost, nor were there any major injuries attributed to the $11.2-million, 68,149-acre fire.
Although the loss of Sweetwater Lodge raised a few hackles, Dawson said it was owned by the service, not privately.
Contrary to what some may believe, Dawson said they did not allow the lodge to burn.
While many support a proposed statewide law prohibiting smoking in public buildings, some local business owners say a smoking ban would affect their business and infringe on their rights.
“I don’t think that’s up to snuff,” said Mick Walker, who owns the Classic Lanes bowling alley. “I can’t see me losing a percentage of my business ... because somebody else is cleaning up the world.”
A joint committee of the Wyoming Legislature is debating the issue this fall and could forward a bill to the 2009 Legislature that would ban smoking in buildings statewide.
Walker said prohibiting smoking at the bowling alley could cost him 20 percent of his income, and he already struggles to get a portion of the limited money locals are able to spend on recreation.
The old Southside Elementary building has been replaced, but the school district can’t dispose of it just yet.
Scott Campbell, coordinator of support services for Park County School District No. 1, said the property eventually will be sold, but for now it will be mothballed until a new Westside Elementary building is completed.
The district’s intention is to move Westside students into the old Southside building during the construction of a new Westside.
Campbell said he believes Westside will have to stay in the Southside building for two years, because, unlike the new Southside, the new Westside will be built on the same site as the current building, requiring more construction time.
