Articles from the December 31, 2014 edition


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  • Wendling chooses county role

    David Martin, Editor|Dec 31, 2014

    By DAVID MARTIN Editor Believing he could be more effective as a Sweetwater County commissioner, Randal “Doc” Wendling announced he would resign from the Sweetwater County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees Monday. Wendling won election to the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners in November, but was also elected to the school board in Rock Springs, having actively campaigned for both positions. However, the Sweetwater County Commissioners filed a complaint for declatory judgement Nov. 24, asking a judge to weigh in on the...

  • Police, WYDOT advise safe winter driving

    David Martin, E|Dec 31, 2014

    A number of vehicle crashes occurring in Sweetwater County have resulted in law enforcement telling residents to be cautious while driving. In Green River, officers responded to a number of crashes occurring throughout the city during the last week. Det. Luke Benson said the city experienced one of the larger snowfalls of the year last week, which resulted in the police department calling for help from the city's streets department to clear snow. However, Benson also reminded residents to drive...

  • Deer rescued from icy waters

    David Martin, Editor|Dec 31, 2014

    A whitetail doe deer was rescued from the Green River Sunday morning after residents reported seeing her fall through the ice. According to Det. Luke Benson with the Green River Police Department, officers were flagged down by residents near Expedition Island at about 8:15 a.m. Sunday morning, reporting that a deer had fallen through the ice and was partially submerged. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department, along with the Green River Fire Department, were contacted about the struggling doe....

  • Man faces 55 years for multiple charges

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Dec 31, 2014

    A Green River man pleaded not guilty to eight felony charges and nine misdemeanor charges, which stemmed from a four to five-month relationship. Joseph Daniel Kunkle, 30, recently appeared in the Third District Court of Judge Richard Lavery at an arraignment to all 17 charges. The felony charges were, strangulation of a household member, three counts of battery against a household member, two counts of child abuse, stalking and third-degree sexual assault. The misdemeanor charges are unlawful contact without bodily injury, interference with...

  • Deputy coroner's salary increased

    David Martin, Editor|Dec 31, 2014

    Two weeks ago, the Sweetwater County commissioners voted to adjust the deputy county coroner’s salary to match other pay increases awarded to the county’s chief deputies. Garry McLean, human resources director for the county, said the increase would bring the position’s salary to 85 percent of the total paid to the coroner. The increase brings the salary from $46,750 to $55,250 a year. The increase goes into effect on Jan. 1. Commissioner Wally Johnson said he supported the measure, in part because the coroner, Dale Majhanovich, has...

  • BLM land sale set for next year

    David Martin, Editor|Dec 31, 2014

    After nearly eight years of work, two sections of land owned by the Bureau of Land Management will be sold off next year. The sections of land, formally known as Sections 10 and 12, contain 390 acres and 260 acres of land respectively. The land is located west of Green River, outside of Jamestown. For much of his administration, Mayor Hank Castillon worked to have the land sold, which requires an act of congress to accomplish. It was initially seen as a way to help Green River expand outside of...

  • Mentality questioned

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Dec 31, 2014

    A man accused of pulling a gun on three others claims he is not mentally fit to proceed. Raymond Price pleaded not guilty by reason of mental deficiency in the Third District Court of Judge Nena James at an arraignment to three counts of aggravated assault and battery. According to an order suspending proceedings and for examination by a designated examiner under the provisions of Wyoming Statute 7-11-303, which was filed in the court on Dec. 4, 2014, Price will be examined by the Wyoming State Hospital within 30 days of Dec. 4, 2014, to...

  • Cards save county time and money

    David Martin, Editor|Dec 31, 2014

    Those who had to change their polling station or were registered to vote, but did not do so, will receive a small courtesy card from the Sweetwater County Clerk’s Office. According to Sweetwater County Clerk Dale Davis, the office sends cards in an attempt to contact residents to confirm their new election district information or check to see if the resident wants to keep their voter registration. Registered voters who do not participate in the general election may lose their voting status, resulting in a resident needing to re-register for...

  • Former administrator's jeep sold to local business

    David Martin, Editor|Dec 31, 2014

    While the city continues to seek a new city administrator, it was able to sell off one of the holdovers from former administrator Marty Black’s tenure. Black left the city in June and was replaced by Police Chief Chris Steffen on an interim basis. Two weeks ago, the Green River City Council approved a $26,000 offer for Black’s city-provided vehicle, a 2011 Jeep Rubicon. The offer came from First Choice Ford in Rock Springs. Initially, the city tried to sell the vehicle as one of its surplus items. However, no one bid on the Jeep, which...

  • Polar plunge Jan. 1

    Jack H. Smith, Staff Writer|Dec 31, 2014

    Nearly 20-years ago a group of local residents started what has become a New Year’s Day tradition. They started the new year with a quick swim in the cold water. This year will be no different, with the 18th annual Polar Plunge slated to take place at either Expedition Island or at the Lucerne Marina. Event organizer Randy Walker is asking those interested to meet at Expedition Island at 10 am. and they will then make a decision to do the plunge in the Green River or on the swimming beach at Lucerne. Walker said for about the past decade...

  • Geraldine Ray (Sis) Nelson

    Dec 31, 2014

    Geraldine Ray (Sis) Nelson, 81, passed away peacefully at the home of her daughter in Foxfield, Colo., on Dec. 18, 2014, following a lengthy illness. Mrs. Nelson was born on Nov. 26, 1933, in Poteau, Okla., to Raymond A. and Bertha M. Carden. She lived in Oklahoma and attended school in Poteau until her father moved the family to Mt. Harris, Colo., where she graduated from Hayden High School with the class of 1951. Shortly after her high-school graduation, the family moved to Hanna, Wyo., and...

  • Shirley M. Cilensek

    Dec 31, 2014

    Shirley M. Cilensek, 78, of Rock Springs passed away Dec. 21, 2014, at her home.  She had been a longtime resident of Rock Springs. Cilensek was born July 30, 1936, in Nuckolls County, Neb., the daughter of the late Louie and Lena Tegtmeier Meyer. She attended school in Boise, Idaho, and graduated from Boise High School in 1953.  Cilensek graduated in 1956 from St. Alphonsus School of Nursing. She married Carl Cilensek in Green River on June 29, 1957m, and he preceded her in death on April...

  • Irma Evelyn Parkko Anselmi

    Dec 31, 2014

    Irma Evelyn Parkko Anselmi, 97, of Rock Springs passed away Dec. 19, 2014, at her home. A lifelong resident of Rock Springs, Anselmi died following a sudden illness.   She was born on April 27, 1917, in Hanna, Wyo., the daughter of the late Jacob Emil Parkko and Edith Marie Koski. Anselmi attended schools in Rock Springs and was a 1934 graduate of the Rock Springs High School. She married Angelo Anselmi on June 24, 1936, and he preceded her in death on February 28, 2007. Anselmi was a member...

  • Marie Rae Miller Hubert

    Dec 31, 2014

    Marie Rae Miller Hubert died on Dec. 20, 2014, in Torrington, Wyo., at age 94. Hubert wore many caps, including pilot, teacher, artist, mother, wife, grandma, great-grandma and world traveler. Born in Steubenville, Ohio, on Sept. 17, 1920, to Raymond and Marie Miller, she graduated from Muskingham College in 1942 with a teaching degree. She always wanted to fly, so decided to get her pilot's license. She started flying in 1944, got her private license in 1945 and commercial license in 1946. She...

  • Stephen Royal Griffin

    Dec 31, 2014

    Stephen Royal Griffin, 56, passed away Dec. 26 at the McKay Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah following a sudden illness. He had been a resident of Ogden, Utah for the past three years and former resident of Rock Springs. He was born in Farmington, N.M. on June 12, 1958, the son of Dickie Royal Griffin and Claudia Jean Shaw. Griffin attended schools in New Mexico and Oklahoma. He married Laurie Guffey on June 17, 1989 and they were married for 23 years, but later divorced. Griffin worked in retail...

  • Virginia Vanderpool

    Dec 31, 2014

    Virginia Vanderpool, 76, of Green River died Dec. 24, at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County in Rock Springs after a brief illness. She was a former resident of Missouri and Rock Springs. She was born Sept. 8, 1938 in Webb City, Mo., the daughter of Perl Ager and Helen Cook Ager. She graduated from Rock Springs High School with the class of 1957. She also had attended school at the University of Wyoming. She married Wilbur "Jim" Vanderpool Nov. 24, 1957 in Rock Springs. He preceded her in...

  • Mary W. "Polly" Vollmer

    Dec 31, 2014

    Mary W. "Polly" Vollmer, 87, of Rock Springs passed away on Dec. 25 at the Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. A resident of Rock Springs since 2013 and former resident of Denver; Tucson, Ariz. and Oak Park, Ill., Vollmer died following an illness of one week. She was born Aug. 12, 1927, in Oak Park, Ill., the daughter of the late Harold W. Parthemer and Mary R. Fletcher. Vollmer attended schools in Oak Park, Ill. and graduated from high school there. She also attended the University of...

  • Frank Zeleny

    Dec 31, 2014

    Frank Zeleny, 94, of Green River passed away on Saturday, Dec. 20.  A longtime resident of Green River and former resident of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Zeleny passed away following a short illness. He was born on Aug. 19,1920 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the son of the late John Zeleny and Louise Jirousek. Zeleny attended schools in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and graduated from Wilson High School with the class of 1938. He also attended Montana State University and graduated with a degree in electrical...

  • Beverley Jean Renner Williams

    Dec 31, 2014

    Beverley Jean Renner Williams left our world to share her 35th wedding anniversary with her best friend Bob Williams Nov. 22, in Lake Havasu, Ariz. It was the last chapter of Bev and Bob’s love story here on earth and a beginning of their next. Beverley was born in Greybull Dec. 11, 1943 to Wilma and Hoover Renner of Burlington. She grew up with her sisters on the Renner Ranch west of Burlington and graduated from Burlington High School in 1962. She then attended and graduated from Weaver Airline Training School in Kansas City, Mo. She...

  • Our View: A resolution for Green River

    Dec 31, 2014

    As 2014 comes to a close, people throughout the city are looking forward to the coming year with hope and anticipation. It’s also a time when people resolve to make changes and turn over a new leaf in the coming year. For the residents of Green River, we have a suggestion for the coming year that may help shift the perception of our beautiful city. Stop saying Green River is a bedroom community. Green River can aspire to so much more than being a simple bedroom community to Rock Springs. While many claim Green River’s placement has...

  • A shusher's conundrum

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Dec 31, 2014

    I have become one of those moms. You know the ones. The ones who shush their kids. I can honestly say I never thought I too, would become a shusher. In fact, for years I used to criticize the moms who used to do that, arguing that when they shush their child they are actually louder making the shush sound than the child was. Yet, here I am years later doing the exact same thing that used to annoy me. I think I have become a bad shusher too. I think it has just become a bad habit; and I am starting to wonder if it even works anymore since I have...

  • Movie drama kills winter films

    Jack H. Smith, Staff Writer|Dec 31, 2014

    While I’m not as obsessed as I used to be, I still consider myself to be a movie buff. I love everything from a big time summer blockbuster to more of an indie movie whose plot can be something as strange as a guy who falls in love with his cell phone. There are often times nothing better than going to the theater, spending a paycheck on popcorn and a soda with enough sugar to give the entire state of Delaware type-two diabetes. The same goes for a movie night at home. Once the movie starts...

  • Understanding the two sides of hockey

    David Martin, Editor|Dec 31, 2014

    After watching my first live hockey match, I came away with the opinion that hockey is equal parts grace and violence. I date a woman whose family is very much into hockey. Earlier this year, I spent a few hours with her father watching a Stanley Cup playoff game at a Utah sports bar as we waited for a plane with my girlfriend, her sister and her mother onboard. Not long after that, a game of Settlers of Catan I played with her brother and cousin was interrupted as a Stanley Cup Finals matchup...

  • Coyote hunting for the first-time hunter

    Fred Uhrich, Columnist|Dec 31, 2014

    I am not a professional coyote hunter, nor an expert caller. What follows will help someone new get started if they should choose so. Coyote hunting is a way to extend your hunting season and assist with conservation. For some that have gained the experience and passion, it is an additional income. But it is the challenge of hunting the hunter that brings hunters to this sport. The easiest way to start is to go with someone that knows how to hunt coyotes. If you don’t have someone that is experienced, you can buy a how-to-call DVD, some even...

  • County libraries offers tablet-based services

    Jason Grubb, Sweetwater County Liburary System|Dec 31, 2014

    This Christmas, my five-year-old son received a tablet designed for kids. As I was loading it on Christmas morning with learning games and interactive books, I couldn’t help but think of how different Christmas morning was seven years ago when my oldest son was five. That morning I spent the time assembling a dinosaur mountain playset that had several tiny pieces that needed to be put together before dinosaurs and cavemen could do battle. How things have changed. Seven years ago, I couldn’t have purchased a tablet for my son, and...

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