Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884

Articles from the July 16, 2020 edition


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  • COVID-19 orders to stay in place

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 16, 2020

    Infection numbers continue to rise across Wyoming, as do the number of people hospitalized as a result of COVID-19. The figures now include an eighth confirmed case in Crooi County, a symptomatic adult female who is believed to have contracted the virus at a family gathering, according to Crook County Public Health. The public health orders currently in place will be extended through July 31 as a result, Governor Mark Gordon announced on Monday. “Our numbers keep rising and I think that’s of concern. Many of our counties are reporting inc...

  • Uncertainty plagues city rally plans

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 16, 2020

    It’s still impossible to guess how the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally will go this year, which makes it tough for the City of Sundance to begin its preliminary planning. Discussion was held at last week’s council meeting about the measures that could be taken to keep COVID-19 at bay during the busiest week of the local tourist season. “Sturgis City Council did not cancel the rally in Sturgis,” confirmed Police Chief Marty Noonan. On hearing this news, he said, the police department was represented at a meeting arranged by Emergency Management Coordin...

  • County considers proposals for broadband

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 16, 2020

    Though the funding process still bears question marks, Crook County has taken steps towards securing better broadband for more remote areas of the county in the form of requests for proposals. This is a project that began with a statewide push to improve broadband access two years ago and has evolved into a potential avenue for CARES Act funds. However, said Commissioner Jeanne Whalen, whether CARES Act funding can be utilized for this is still being figured out at the state level and, right now, “It’s just all up in the air”. Because the s...

  • Council hears updates, considers ordinances

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 16, 2020

    Before hearing updates on the various projects happening around town, the Sundance City Council first considered a border dispute between neighboring landowners that appeared to underscore the need to revisit some city ordinances. The border dispute includes neighbors in a subdivision where gravel is migrating from one property to the other and setbacks on a retaining wall are in question. The landowners requested assistance, but the council and City Attorney Mark Hughes explained that it is a civil trespass issue and should be handled legally....

  • Picnic in Aladdin

    Jul 16, 2020

    At least 55 people from throughout Crook County enjoyed a beautiful Sunday afternoon attending Aladdin Homemakers Annual Community Picnic on July 12 at the Aladdin Community Park. Joining the Crook County friends and neighbors for the afternoon were ten candidates running in the 2020 Wyoming Primary Election including: Blake Stanley, Carl Beach, Bryan Miller, Donna Rice, Josh Wheeler, Star Roselli, Kelly Dennis, Bob Latham, Tyler Lindholm and Chip Neiman. It was reported by those that had...

  • Beef chuck

    Jul 16, 2020

    Soren Webber looks for a soft landing after coming off his steer during the Jr. Boys Steer Riding competition on Saturday. Webber was one of a large number of competitors that turned out the for the Wyoming Junior Rodeo Association event held here on Saturday and Sunday. Contestants travel to Wright and Douglas for the final two rodeos on the schedule before the state finals in Casper on August 7-9....

  • Miller visits county on election trail

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 16, 2020

    Political hopefuls often talk about draining swamps and cutting back federal overreach, but Bryan Miller says he actually knows how to get those things done. The candidate for U.S. Senator Mike Enzi’s seat believes his unique background sets him apart not only from his opposition, but also from most people serving in Washington, D.C. today. “I see the value of looking at things from a different angle. We get so entrenched in Washington, D.C. in specific ideology, specific ways of doing thi...

  • Donny N. York

    Jul 16, 2020

    Donny N. York, age 86, passed Monday, July 6, 2020. He was born in the Lost Springs, Wyoming area, in a little cabin. He was a cowboy around that area until he joined the U.S. Army and went to Germany. Donny was a life-time resident of Campbell County where he and his uncle Robert started York Ranch north of Rozet in 1950. The Ranch and his many friends were life. He loves them all. Donny was fun, loving and active in the community. His wishes were to leave his ashes at York Ranch or to be buried at Rozet Cemetery with all his...

  • Our View

    Jul 16, 2020

    From both a personal and community perspective, we’d like to commend the boards and districts that have been conscientiously providing online access to their meetings throughout this pandemic. Not only has it allowed the public to avoid small rooms of large groups – the kind of places we’ve all been warned about by health experts – it has opened a new line of transparency to the people of Crook County. Offering choice is always commendable, when it’s possible to do so. Not everyone can take time off during the working day, or leave the kids...

  • Dear NP

    Dr. Wesley Davis, DNP, ENP-C, FNP-C, AGACNP-BC, CEN|Jul 16, 2020

    Dear NP, My daughter struggled through school last year. Due to COVID, she was homeschooled for several months and I am worried about her focus. What are the signs of ADHD? M. L. Dear M. L., ADHD stands for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and can be a major problem for children and adults alike. Over six million children are diagnosed with ADHD every year, so it is far from a rare problem. However, many of the stereotypical behaviors of ADHD are things that all lively, energetic childre...

  • Wyoming Hunger Initiative

    Jennie Gordon|Jul 16, 2020

    Food insecurity is a largely invisible problem, most typically experienced within the privacy of a home or kept an uncomfortable secret in a school setting. Walk into any grocery store in Wyoming and it’s hard to imagine how anyone might not have enough to eat, but that’s the irony of hunger: it isn’t that there isn’t enough food to eat, but that families and children aren’t always able to access that food. Kids who don’t have reliable access to food are much more likely to face unhealthy,...

  • Sturgis teen sentenced to 55 years

    Deb Holland, Black Hills Pioneer|Jul 16, 2020

    STURGIS — Sturgis teen Michael G. Campbell, who was charged with killing a Wyoming teen last fall, has been sentenced to 55 years in prison. The sentencing was a sad day for both families involved in the case, said Campbell’s attorney, Steven Titus. “This was a difficult case for everyone involved,” Titus said. Campbell confessed in May in a Meade County courtroom that he killed 16-year-old Shayna Ritthaler. He said the two fought and he shot her. Judge Kevin Krull handed down the sentence in Fourth Circuit Court Friday. Titus said Campbel...

  • Two out of three

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 16, 2020

    After many months of discussion, the Sundance City Council has officially handed over its two ambulances to Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) and entered into a rental agreement that will allow (CCMSD) to continue storing them in a city building. The issue was temporarily tabled during the COVID-19 crisis but has now been picked back up, with Chairman Mark Erickson attending last week’s council meeting because “we want to put all this to bed”. “First and foremost, we’ve got to have a place to store them,” he said. Mayor Paul Brooks...

  • Supercell brings second tornado

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 16, 2020

    Hot on the heels of last week’s tornado, a second storm supercell moved through Crook County on Friday – possibly bringing another tornado along with it. According to the Black Hills National Forest, the wind event once again caused damage near the old mining town of Tinton. The thunderstorm developed over southeast Montana and northeast Wyoming in the mid-afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Just before 2:30 p.m., the storm was located along a line that extended from eight miles northwest of New Haven to nine miles nor...

  • Landowner offers stewardship of Elmore Hall

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 16, 2020

    The landowner on whose property the Elmore polling station sits has offered to take ownership of the building to maintain it for public use. The 432 square foot hall was gifted to the county in 1981 and has been used as a polling place since that time. “As you know, it’s been the polling place forever…the Policky ranch has been maintaining it,” Tess Policky told the county commissioners last week. According to Policky, the family has already been taking care of trash, repainting and reporting abandoned vehicles, among other things. “We are...

  • Nuisance building to come down

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jul 16, 2020

    The City of Sundance will move ahead with tearing down the property identified as a nuisance on Sewell Street. Letters sent to the owner have gone unanswered, said City Attorney Mark Hughes, and the building itself is considered a hazard. The city will take charge of abating the nuisance, though Public Works Director Mac Erickson expressed some concern over the cost of such things as acquiring the necessary equipment. “Once that’s done, then you’re going to have a dump fee,” said Hughes. To recoup this cost, he continued, “You would be filing a...

  • Water for the piggies

    Jul 16, 2020

    Through a generous grant from the Wyoming Pork Producers Council, the Bearlodge Sundance FFA and Crook County 4-H, with help from county maintenance supervisor Larry Schommer, were able to purchase and install new waterers to all of the pens in the pig barn. This will be a nice feature for the exhibitors during county fair. Be sure to visit the pig barn and other activities during the Crook County Fair July 26-August 1....

  • Kids invited to Weston County Youth Mini Rodeo

    Jul 16, 2020

    Just over a month ago, a group of rodeo-minded Weston County residents met and decided someone needed to put together a fun activity for the kids and community to enjoy at the Weston County Fair at no cost to spectators or participants. That group included a banker, bull contractor, rodeo clown, refinery worker, county equipment operator and several Weston County ranchers. From that meeting the Weston County Mini Roughstock Rodeo Association was born to produce the first annual Weston County Youth Mini Rodeo July 27, 6:30 p.m. at the Weston...

  • PRECorp Foundation announces Ritthaler scholarship

    Jul 16, 2020

    In memory of Shayna Ritthaler, a special scholarship fund has been established through the Powder River Energy Foundation. With the consent of Shayna’s family members, Reuben and Shelly Ritthaler, the scholarship will help pre-school students in Crook and Weston counties who are in need of tuition assistance. More information on the scholarship fund and the first recipients will be announced at a later date. For more information, contact Jeff Bumgarner, Executive Director of the PRECorp Foundation, at communications@precorp....

  • UW Graduates

    Jul 16, 2020

    The University of Wyoming accorded degrees upon the following students from Crook County at the completion of the 2020 spring semester. Students are: Raena Leigh Bush (Master of Arts) of Beulah; Amber Kaplan (Bachelor of Arts), Melissa Maria Maddison (Master of Science) and Alberto Mastrovito (Bachelor of Science) of Hulett; Josey Shae Bailey (Bachelor of Science) and Cameron Braden (Bachelor of Science) of Moorcroft; Kole D. Schell (Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering) of Pine Haven; Olivia Farris Croft (Bachelor of Arts), Jacob Disney...

  • UW President's Honor Roll

    Jul 16, 2020

    The University of Wyoming lists seven students from Crook County on the 2020 spring semester President’s Honor Roll. The President’s Honor Roll consists of regularly enrolled undergraduates who earned a 4.0 (“A”) grade point average for the semester. To be eligible, students must have been enrolled for a minimum of 12 credit hours taken for letter grades. Students are: Richard Logan Stefanich and Madeline F. Stoddard of Beulah; Josey Shae Bailey of Moorcroft; Shelby Heaster, Haley Grace Marchant, Jonas Pridgeon and Skyler L. Wagaman of Sundanc...

  • Circuit Court

    Jul 16, 2020

    Speeding – Nicholas M. Evers, Sheridan, 75/65, $125; Leeann D. Gonzales, Gillette, 77/70, $99; Dustin R. Rogge, WI, 88/80, $86; Aspen G. Checketts, Newcastle, 65/55, $90; Robert S. Buda, CO, 89/70, $140; Samuel G. Farnum, Ranchester, 78/70, $86; Tristen Ray Esterbook, Gillette, 37/20, $140; Sanchez Mario E. Lupercio, GA, 96/75, $160; Jace Robert Bruce, Gillette, 61/50, $100; Carlos I. Villegas, AZ, $130; Cory J. Ryshkus, MN, 89/80, $88; Jonathan D. Anderson, SD, 85/80, $15; Jaeger R. Schippa, MI, 80/75, $15; Michael A. Shaw, PA, 86/75, $100; D...

  • Crook County Sheriff's Office

    Jul 16, 2020

    July 6 – Two VIN checks. Suspicious circumstance investigated. Assisted other agencies twice. Assisted Highway Patrol. K9 sniff. Fingerprinting for outside employment. Detention booked in subject. Trespassing call. Three EMS pages. Six fire department pages. July 7 – Two VIN checks. Six traffic stops. Two welfare checks. Prisoner transport. Fingerprinting for outside employment. Assisted Highway Patrol twice. Business check. Detention booked in subject. Domestic dispute. Two EMS pages. July 8 – Three VIN checks. Three paper services. Three...

  • Sundance Police Department

    Jul 16, 2020

    July 4 – House watch and business checks. Arrest for public intoxication. Officer discovered open door. Three bar checks. Four traffic stops. July 5 – House watch and business checks. Two traffic stops. July 6 – House watch and business checks. VIN inspection. Officer assisted Life Flight. Traffic stop. July 7 – House watch and business checks. Civil assist. Officer investigated suspicious person at swimming pool. Officer investigated crash. Two traffic stops. July 8 – House watch and business checks. Three bar checks. Six traffic stops. Ju...

  • Health Department pulls back proposed addition to vaccine list

    Seth Klamann, Casper Star-Tribune Via Wyoming News Exchange|Jul 16, 2020

    CASPER — Citing challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the state Department of Health has withdrawn a proposal to add a new vaccine to the required list for school children. The Health Department announced the change Thursday. The proposed changes would’ve made the meningococcal vaccine — which protects against what an expert called a “devastating” and life-threatening disease — a requirement for attendance in public schools. The proposal would’ve also clarified other school requirements and provider agreements. The department sa...

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