Articles from the July 26, 2017 edition


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  • Brush fire contained

    Staff Report|Jul 26, 2017

    A fire at Little Bitter Creek Road has been contained after burning about 30 acres of land southwest of Rock Springs. According to a media release from the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, the cause of the day-long fire is under investigation and is unknown. July has been a busy month for firefighters across the county as dry grass and, in many cases, man-made causes, has resulted in many blazes throughout the county. The Little Bitter Creek fire was reported Monday afternoon, with firefighters starting fire fighting operations at about 2...

  • Unfriendly game leads to prison time

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Jul 26, 2017

    A Green River man will serve time in prison for beating up his wife. Darrel Lee Montez, 42, appeared in the Third District Court of Judge Richard Lavery at a change of plea and sentencing hearing to two felony counts of aggravated assault and battery and one misdemeanor charge of domestic battery. In exchange for Montez’ guilty plea to one count of aggravated assault and battery and one misdemeanor charge of domestic battery, the other felony charge of aggravated assault and battery was d...

  • Bid for governor's office announced

    Staff Report|Jul 26, 2017

    Despite the 2018 primary election being more than a year away, a Sheridan man has already announced his intent to run for Wyoming’s highest office. Bill Dahlin announced his candidacy in a media release sent Tuesday evening. Dahlin created the Dahlin for Governor committee June 20, despite not being able to file for the election with the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office until May 17, 2018. Dahlin, a businessman and Republican, believes more should be done in diversifying the state economy, saying the politicians from both parties have don...

  • Diocese helps PMO's state-wide suicide prevention efforts

    Jul 26, 2017

    The Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming and the Prevention Management Organization of Wyoming are excited to announce a new initiative to promote suicide prevention training across the state. For the past three years, the Diocese and the PMO have worked closely together to promote a faith-based approach to suicide prevention in communities across Wyoming. When drastic budget cuts during the last legislative session resulted in the loss of funding for suicide prevention, the Episcopal Diocese stepped up to the plate. Through its nonprofit foundation,...

  • Robert Wayne "Bob" Facinelli

    Jul 26, 2017

    Robert Wayne "Bob" Facinelli passed away at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City following a lengthy illness. A longtime resident of Green River and former resident of Rock Springs. He was born Oct. 13, 1954, in Rock Springs the son of William Facinelli and Barbara Wright Facinelli. Facinelli attended school in Rock Springs and graduated from the Rock Springs High School in 1974. He married Teresa Marie Swets in Virginia City, Nev., in 1984. Facinelli was employed by Tronox formerly known...

  • Nadine Valentine

    Jul 26, 2017

    Nadine Valentine, 94, of Rock Springs, passed away July 22, 2017, at Sage View Care Center. She was born on July 15, 1923, in Norfolk, Neb., the daughter of Olaf Ingamar Grinden and Inez Davis Grinden. Valentine attended schools in South Dakota and was a 1941 graduate of the Martin High School. She married Clyde Charles Valentine in Rushville, Neb., Feb. 7, 1949. He passed away in Denver, April 28, 1978. Valentine was employed as a telephone operator for many years and during World War II. She...

  • Richard "Rick" Dean Tyler Jr.

    Jul 26, 2017

    Richard "Rick" Dean Tyler Jr. passed away July 16, 2017, in Green River at the age of 62. He was born July 10, 1955, in Denver to Richard "Dick" and Ruth Tyler. He was preceded in death by his brother Michael Joseph Tyler; his father Richard "Dick" Tyler and his mother Ruth Tyler. He lived in Morrison, Colo., until 1970 when the family moved to Encampment. Richard graduated from Encampment High School in 1974. He lived and worked in Saratoga for the next several years. He then moved to Cheyenne...

  • Allen Ray Campbell

    Jul 26, 2017

    Allen Ray Campbell, 68, passed away in his home, in Manila, Utah, July 19, 2017, following a lengthy illness. He was born June, 2, 1949, in Rock Springs to Gene and June Campbell. Raised on his family's ranch, he attended schools and graduated from Manila High School in 1967. He married his high school sweetheart, Mari Gean Ruble on Nov. 22, 1968. He received a bachelor of science degree from Weber State University in criminal justice. He began his career in law enforcement with the University...

  • Kristine Kolczak

    Jul 26, 2017

    Kristine Kolczak, 45, of Rock Springs, passed away July 14, 2017, at her home. She was born on April 12, 1972, in Gillette, the daughter of Roy and Barbara Jean Swingle Crowder. Kolczak attended schools in Gillette and obtained her GED in Rock Springs. She married Brian Kolczak in Rock Springs on June 11, 1994. Her interests included riding ATVs and collecting cherubs. She recently returned from a trip to New Mexico where she was able to take her first air balloon ride. She enjoyed it...

  • Janette "Brewer" Bequette

    Jul 26, 2017

    Janette "Brewer" Bequette, 63, of Green River, passed away July 16, 2017, in Salt Lake City. She was born May 1, 1954, at home in the small mining village of Hersden, Canterbury, Kent, England, the daughter of Roy and Edna Brewer. Janette attended Sturry Secondary School in Kent, England. The family emigrated to Grande Cache, Alberta, Canada in March of 1971 and then relocated in 1973 to Green River. She then met her husband Bob Bequette and they later divorced. Janette was able to live in...

  • Gordon Justis

    Jul 26, 2017

    Gordon Justis, 93, of Granger passed away July 20, 2017, at Sage View Care Center. He was born on July 27, 1923, in Scottsbluff, Neb., the son of Aaron Bunyon Justis and Ivy Gladys Correll Justis. Justis attended school in Bridgeport, Neb., and attended and graduated from the Bridgeport High School in 1941. He married Laura C. Thompson in Elko, Nev., on July 3, 1947, and she preceded him in death on Sept. 4, 2013. Justis was a United States Army Veteran of World War II. He served our country...

  • Our View: Volunteer for Green River

    Jul 26, 2017

    It’s difficult to overstate how important a sense of community is to a city like Green River. A community is what makes a location warm and inviting while providing a feeling of safety. A community is, after all, a place where people look our for one another. It’s a place where people feel comfortable speaking with their neighbors and genuinely want to see their city thrive. One of most important aspects promoting community in Green River is volunteerism. Volunteers are the reason we have summertime events like Flaming Gorge Days and the Ove...

  • Notes from Town Square: Main Street receives accreditation

    Jennie Melvin, URA and Main Street|Jul 26, 2017

    Green River URA/Main Street has been designated as an accredited Main Street America Community for meeting the commercial district revitalization performance standards set by Main Street America. Receiving national accreditation is a prestigious achievement and the city is very proud to be one of the 828 communities across the nation that has been recognized as a Main Street community for the year 2017. The board and I are pleased to have received accreditation again this year for our 12th straight year. Our organization’s performance is a...

  • Love for newspapers continues to grow

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Jul 26, 2017

    I wish I could say, like one of my former coworkers, that my love for newspapers was fostered at a young age, but that simply wouldn’t be true. For me, my love of newspapers grew throughout my life and continues to grow. First, I must admit, I didn’t grow up reading the newspaper every day when I was a kid. However, I can recall looking through the newspaper around Christmas every year to see if my Christmas drawing or letter to Santa had made the paper. Each year, I was left with the same dis...

  • Old Sarum and Wyoming have a lot in common

    Tom Gagnon, Guest Columnist|Jul 26, 2017

    Old Sarum, in Wiltshire, England, had seven voters, none of whom lived there, and two seats in the House of Commons. No one had actually lived there for two centuries. Elections were held under a tree in the “Election Acre.” Old Sarum came to be known as a “rotten borough.” Manchester had 180,000 people, and not a single seat in parliament. It was the early 1800s, and this situation was not to be corrected till the Reform Act of 1832. So, what does this have to do with Wyoming? I’ll get to that. Complaining about Big Government has become a maj...

  • A different side of yoga

    David Martin, Editor|Jul 26, 2017

    Standing before a group of students, Molly Wening slowly positions her body and instructs her class to follow her lead. She stretches her left leg forward on the mat while pressing her right knee down to balance. She then brings her left arm over her head and bends her body to the right. The students follow along, mimicking both her movements and deliberate breathing. Before shifting her body into a new pose, Molly issues one final instruction. "And drink." Molly, a yoga teacher from Green...

  • GR's Taylor earns 4th win of his racing season

    Staff Report|Jul 26, 2017

    Zac Taylor was on a mission July 15 at I-76 Speedway in Fort Morgan, Colo., where he dominated to score his fourth win of the season. Taylor won his heat race after starting fourth to open the night. He then led every lap and at times had over half a track lead in his family-owned 305ci sprint car during the A Main. “I started third and jumped into second getting into the first turn and I had a great run off the bottom and took the lead,” he said. “There were three cautions, but a corner worker told me if there wouldn’t have been any I probabl...

  • Juniors win state title

    Jul 26, 2017

    For the first time since 1999, the Green River's 13-15 junior little league team has captured a state title. They're now invited to compete in San Jose, Calif., in the west region tournament. They are scheduled to take on Washington state's team Monday, with the team having the opportunity to play at least three games during their trip. Coach Garry McLean said the team came together against a tough team from Powell during the championship game Saturday evening, overcoming a nine run deficit on...

  • Summer programs keep kids busy

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Jul 26, 2017

    Summer classes help keep children learning, being creative and most of all having fun. Each year, the Sweetwater Board of Cooperative Educational Services offers Summer Programs in both Green River and Rock Springs. The classes fill up fast and this year was no different. This week, children in second through sixth grades in the Hawaiian Vacation class at Lincoln Middle School were busy looking at photos of Hawaii their two teachers, Sheila Syvrud and Nanette McCurdy, brought. The teachers also...

  • Residents work on picture frames

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Jul 26, 2017

    Although the schedule said the residents were going to make firefly glow jars, they didn't seem to mind switching to another project. Heidi Schuh, Mission at Castle Rock Rehabilitation Center activities director and volunteer coordinator, said she had planned on purchasing the items for the craft, but got caught up with other work-related activities. Knowing she still had to provide a craft for the residents, Schuh went into the craft closet to see what she had on hand. She quickly remembered...

  • Theater director excited about job

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Jul 26, 2017

    Year after year, the Green River High School Theater Department has put on strong plays and musicals and the new director can’t wait to jump into an already strong program. During the recent Sweetwater County School District No. 2 board meeting, the trustees approved the request to hire Bradlee Skinner as its new theater director. Skinner was teaching English at the Rock Springs High School for the past three years. Prior to that, he taught in Nevada and Utah. For the first 11 years of his t...

  • Residents can apply for U.S. Senator internship

    Jul 26, 2017

    U.S. Senator John Barrasso, R-Wyo., is currently accepting applications for internships in his Washington, D.C., and Wyoming offices, for fall 2017. The program, which lasts four months, is designed to give Wyoming’s students a unique opportunity to view their government firsthand. In both Wyoming and D.C., interns will participate in a wide array of activities ranging from constituent relations to legislative research. Applicants are generally college students, 19 years of age and older, from the state of Wyoming. Each intern is given a m...