Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
Continuing the Crook County News Since 1884
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Confirmation this week that the coronavirus pandemic has reached inside the Sundance hospital building and caused infections among the elderly residents of the long-term care facility. “We do currently have positive cases of COVID-19 in the LTC,” confirms CEO Micki Lyons. At this time, she says, everything possible is being done to keep infection numbers from rising. “We are following the CDC guidelines as well as the recommendations from the Wyoming Department of Health as means to decrease the spread and keep everyone as safe as possi... Full story
The Sundance City Council passed a motion on Tuesday to move ahead with plans to contract for law enforcement services with the Crook County Sheriff’s Office. The aim is to have the new system in place by January, when Police Chief Marty Noonan intends to retire. “In order for us to have a seamless transfer, we need to make a move tonight,” said Mayor Paul Brooks. “That’s where we are at. The money is not getting better.” Brooks announced in September that the council was looking into the idea of entering into a contract for law enforcement...
Teammates celebrate the final point as the Sundance Bulldogs finished off the Riverside Rebels in a three-set sweep during the championship round of the 2A state volleyball championship. For a rundown of the tourney, see page 11....
At Tuesday’s meeting, the Sundance City Council heard updates on ongoing projects ranging from the new park to water tanks and the Old Stoney restoration. Karla Greaser of Trihydro reported that the project to replace the Sundance Kid water tank on the other side of the interstate is ongoing, with the city engineers still working with Abandoned Mine Lands officials to finalize the environmental assessment requirements. Clerk Treasurer Kathy Lenz mentioned that geologists have visited the site t...
Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) has reached an agreement with ex-management company Health Management Services (HMS). An ongoing court case has seen both sides accuse the other of financial wrongdoing. HMS filed the case, claiming the company is still owed payment after the sudden termination of its contract. CCMSD, on the other hand, alleged that HMS deliberately committed fraud against the district by intentionally overbilling for its management fees. During a special meeting on Wednesday morning, the CCMSD board of trustees...
THIS EVENT WAS CANCELLED AFTER PRESS TIME Sundance High School’s musically talented students will once again honor veterans with a concert program on Thursday evening. The program begins at 7 p.m. on November 12. According to music teacher Teresa Preisner, patriotic selections will include “America the Beautiful” and, in recognition of servicemen and women, “An Armed Forces Salute” (performed by both band and choir). “Student speakers will speak on ‘what is a veteran,’ ‘what is Veterans Day’ and Red Skeleton’s recitation of the Pledge of Alle...
Pansy Robison, Sundance, Wyoming, died Monday, November 2, 2020 in comfort care at Crook County Memorial Hospital at the age of 92 of natural causes and advanced years. At her request there will be no funeral service and cremation has taken place. A graveside gathering will be scheduled by the family sometime in the near future. Pansy was born to Tony and Mary Francisco on the Francisco homestead ten miles north of Boyes, Montana, in Powder River County on March 14, 1928. She attended Hay Creek School, two miles from home, and then attended... Full story
Walter Henry Cundy, age 87 of Sundance, Wyoming, passed away peacefully Thursday night, November 5, 2020 at the nursing home in Sundance. Walt was born at home in Vale, South Dakota, on April 17, 1933. His parents were Henry and Amie Cundy. Walt attended rural elementary schools in Lawrence County. He attended at different times both Spearfish High School and Sundance High School. Walt left high school and entered the U.S. Navy in the spring of 1951. He served in the Navy until the spring of 1954 and returned to Crook County at that time. He... Full story
Holly (Caikoski) Millican passed away peacefully on October 10, 2020, at the young age of 69, with her loving family by her side. She was born in Carmichael, California, on January 8, 1951, to Lee and Pearl Magouirk. She was preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Pearl and her sisters, Cathy Lynn and Georgia. She is survived by her husband, Joe; her brother, Marvin (Paula) Magouirk; her daughters, Tammy Delaney, Jamie (Bryan) Hill, April (Corey) Carskaddon; her step-children, Jerad and Sonya Millican; eight grandchildren, Coty, Cassie,... Full story
Dr. Leon E. Wakefield, 75, passed away peacefully of natural causes at his home in Santa Rosa, California, on October 20, 2020. Leon, the youngest of three children, was born on September 5, 1945, to Wilma “Billie” and Harvey “Bud” Wakefield in Denver, Colorado. He grew up in Upton, Wyoming, where he attended and graduated high school. Leon attended college at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, South Dakota, earning a bachelors degree in elementary and special education. He later attended the University of South Dakota in Vermili... Full story
The Sundance City Council has agreed to lend its weight to renewed efforts to create a countywide garbage district with its landfill based in Moorcroft. Dick Claar, Mayor of Moorcroft, again visited with the council on Tuesday ahead of his scheduled presentation to the county commissioners on December 2. “I’m asking for you to write a letter to the commissioners, either in support, which is where I assume you are, or if you’re not [then to] state that,” said Claar. Claar was not sure if the commission will decide whether to support the distric...
After months of fighting to clean up a property on E. Sewell Street that was long ago determined a nuisance, the Sundance Council heard last week that the Crook County School District has taken ownership of it. Sharing the district’s plans to clean up and repurpose the lot, Facilities & Purchasing Manager Randy Gill asked for the city’s help on the financial side of removing the old buildings. “We’d like to demolish the house and take off the out-buildings, remove all the cleared trees and utilize the cleared lot for a greenhouse and storage...
After being cut short at last month’s regular meeting due to time, Library Director Jill Mackey spoke again to the Sundance City Council on Tuesday about a project to install a StoryWalk® along the nature trail for local kids to enjoy. Her proposal was met with enthusiasm and approval from the council. “What we’d like to do is install a StoryWalk here in Sundance,” she said. “StoryWalks are a way for children and families to enjoy reading and the outdoors at the same time.” The current situation has made the idea seem particularly attractive,...
How much it costs to dump a trailer home at the Sundance landfill will now depend on whether or not the customer lives inside city limits. While believing it’s important to help citizens keep their community clean, the council doesn’t feel inclined to offer the same low rate to out-of-town residents. Public Works Director Mac Erickson raised the issue, explaining that the fee of $350 per trailer was removed around three years ago when the city was trucking its construction and debris (C&D) refuse to an external landfill. Now Sundance has its...
Last week’s election saw an impressive turnout in Crook County, with more voters casting their ballots than County Clerk Linda Fritz has seen before in her 22 years of working for the county. A total of 4143 people voted, representing 91% of the county’s voters, with 1651 of them doing so through absentee methods. A huge turnout plus high numbers of absentee votes plus the challenges of new voting machines plus the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic could have been a recipe for disaster – but on the night, exactly the opposite happened. Acros...
Two seats that opened up during this year’s election were decided via write-in ballot because no candidates stepped forward to place their names on the ballot. The winners were announced on Thursday after the canvas board had met. Audrey Ebsen received the most write-in votes for the open seat on the Crook County Senior Services board of trustees. Kit Swaney received the most write-in votes for the open rural seat on the Crook County Natural Resource District. Write-in candidates for special districts are presented with a certificate of e...
With Thanksgiving around the corner, Sundance Fire Marshal Chris Tomford is sharing tips on fire safety in the kitchen. It’s important at any time of the year, but especially so during the activity-filled holidays when there are more people in the home than usual. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) advice recommends staying in the kitchen while cooking on the stovetop to keep an eye on the food and not leaving home while the turkey is cooking. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking and most cooking fires i...
To the Editor, In the 29 Oct. 2020 Sundance Times letter to the editor from Mac Frank there were indications that he was somewhat misinformed. Now we are fortunate that our paper encourages us to voice our opinions as would be expected in a county espousing free speech. His opposition to the mill levy does not coincide with the election results. The mill levy passed significantly and this in an anti-tax conservative county. I would ask him to re-think some of his opinions. Now I am from California and moved to Crook County because of taxes. I...
GILLETTE – All John McClelland wants to do is complete his daily ranching chores, but he recently had to deal with unexpected losses of livestock as well as clean up a growing amount of trash on land he uses. In early October, McClelland found one of his cows lying dead near a target practice shooting site on a parcel of state trust land he leases northwest of Gillette. “There’s another loss,” McClelland said, adding that two cows and a calf of his were shot a year ago on the same section of land. On Oct. 6, the Campbell County Sheriff...
Outbreak at Shepherd of the Valley largest of its kind in Wyoming CASPER (WNE) – Fourteen residents of Casper’s Shepherd of the Valley nursing home have died from COVID-19, the most deaths reported at any such facility in Wyoming since the pandemic emerged. Casper-Natrona County Health Department spokesperson Hailey Bloom said the deaths at the facility began in early October. An administrator for Shepherd of the Valley did not respond to a call Friday, nor did they respond to a call last week regarding the outbreak. It’s unclear how many...
Speeding – James J. Martinez, IL, 89/70, $155; John Harvey, WI, 79/70, $103; Gail Johnson, TX, 95/80, $135; Amanda Roeske, WI, 86/80, $97; David Bargerstock, AZ, 70/65, $25; Aron J. Carlson, Gillette, 59/45, $115 Stop Sign Violation – Brandon Lee Cowger, Gillette, $80 Expired Temporary License Permit/Improper Registration – Trenten James Ruhe, Gillette, $150 Drive While License Cancelled, Suspended or Revoked – Michael Maness, NC, $450 Drive While License Suspended (2nd + offense) – Brandon Lee Cowger, Gillette, $255, 30 days jail/24 days susp...
Sept. 30 – House watch and business checks. Six traffic stops. Three bar checks. Civil assist VIN. Oct. 1 – House watch and business checks. Three traffic stops. Three bar checks. Oct. 2 – House watch and business checks. Ten traffic stops. Three bar checks. Oct. 3 – House watch and business checks. Five traffic stops. Three bar checks. Escorted young male back home. Oct. 7 – House watch and business checks. Eight traffic stops. Three bar checks. Oct. 8 – House watch and business checks. Four traffic stops. Three bar checks. Oct. 9 – House wat...
The Sundance Lady Bulldogs walked away back-to-back state champions Thursday as they won the 2A state championship tournament in Casper. Advancing into the tournament as the number one seed from the east, the Lady Bulldogs faced the number four seed from the west, the Wind River Cougars. Having previous experience at the state tournament, the Lady Bulldogs were not intimidated by all the bells and whistles of the big stage. The opening round found all the Lady Bulldogs seeing some time on the...
The Upton-Sundance Patriots postseason play came to a close this past weekend as they fell to the Lyman Eagles in the semifinal game. The Eagles came into the game with a 10-1 record overall and were the number #1 from the east. The Patriots were the #2 seed from the west and knew this would be a tough game. The opening quarter went scoreless as both sides made gains, but were shut down just short of the yardage they needed. The second quarter put the Patriots in unfamiliar territory as the Eagl...
University of Wyoming Extension Educator Sara Fleenor earned the national Excellence in 4-H Communication & Expressive Arts award. The award was presented by the National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals (NAE4-HYDP) during their virtual national conference in October. Nominated by the Wyoming Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals (WAE4-HYDP) in March, Sara Fleenor’s earned regional recognition and ultimately won the national competition for her 4-H Friday efforts which combine that national 4...
