Sorted by date Results 26 - 50 of 1123
Wyoming's primary election gave voters the chance to narrow down the field of candidates within their party before the general election in November. In Sweetwater County, many races were also decided in the primary election when there were only Republican candidates running. The primary election took place Tuesday, August 20. The unofficial results were shared Tuesday night. A total of 6,499 ballots were cast in Sweetwater County, with 5,442 Republicans voting, 925 Democrats voting, and 132... Full story
United Steelworkers Local 13214 and Genesis Alkali have completed their first month under their new contract. After six weeks of negotiations, the fruits of both of their labors have been apparent, according to Union President Marshal Cummings. The changes to the safety language are still working their way through their infancy, Cummings explained. Productive Safety Leadership Team meetings have taken place, he said, and the team has already started working to build comprehensive training... Full story
The question of whether or not elections are secure, and whether or not voting machines are reliable, is one that has come up in discussion regularly these days. While the Wyoming Republican Party has filed a lawsuit regarding election integrity in Laramie County and Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray has requested county clerks to retest electronic voting systems around the state, the Sweetwater County Republican Party is reassuring voters that local equipment is secure. "Recently there... Full story
Republican candidates campaigning for a spot in local government faced off against one another this week in order to discuss issues that are important to Sweetwater County, including property tax reform and fiscal responsibility. The candidates participated in a series of debates hosted by the SweetwaterGOP, which took place Monday and Tuesday at the Broadway Theater in Rock Springs. Candidates who are running against one another took the stage together to answer a series of questions covering... Full story
"Wyoming is a border state," Senator Stacy Jones said. "Every state is a border state." This idea was reiterated several times during a briefing hosted by Senator Stacy Jones and Representative Tony Niemiec after their recent trip to the southern border of the United States. The legislators gave the briefing on their trip to Sweetwater County Sheriff John Grossnickle on Monday, and were joined by Representatives Clark Stith, J.T. Larson, and Cody Wylie. During the briefing, the legislators...
A harmful cyanobacterial bloom (HCB) recreational use Bloom Advisory has been issued for Fontenelle Reservoir and Meeboer Lake. The observation or sampling location for the bloom at Fontenelle Reservoir was at Fontenelle Creek Campground and issued Tuesday, August 6. The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) works cooperatively with the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality to issue recreational use advisories when cyanobacterial cell densities or cyanotoxin concentrations pose a risk to...
Routine sampling of Killpecker Creek in Rock Springs has detected unsafe levels of E.coli, according to Sweetwater County Public Health. "Avoid contact with the water to prevent potential health issues," Public Health advised in a press release. "If you or your pet get sick after ingestion or contact with the water, call your doctor or veterinarian." This warning will remain in place until two sampling events confirm levels below the designated threshold. Sampling occurs at least every two... Full story
Editor's Note: For our primary election edition, local candidates were given the opportunity to run short articles free of charge and/or to place paid advertisements. The articles serve as a chance for candidates to tell voters about who they are, why they are running for their position and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Not every candidate replied to the newspaper's invitation to be part of the election edition or submitted an article before the deadline. Candidates were all given...
Accepting the job as Director of Quality at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County is a little like coming home for Stephanie Mlinar. Mlinar worked for MHSC from 1998 through 2017 as a registered nurse on the medical/surgical floor, a registered nurse in the ICU, medical/surgical clinical coordinator, Director of Acute Care Services, Administrative Nurse Director, interim Emergency Department Director, relief house supervisor, and Director of Emergency Services & Patient Experience. Since 2017,... Full story
"Let them be wild and free" was one of the rallying cries of protestors who gathered on Monday morning to speak out against wild horse roundups and management practices by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Approximately 30 protestors met up at the Rock Springs Wild Horse Holding Facility, then made their way to the BLM Rock Springs Field Office where they shared speeches, chanted slogans, and held up signs with messages like "Free our wild horses, "Stop wild horse roundups," and "Stop taxpaye... Full story
After what many considered a successful week of hosting the National High School Finals Rodeo, several Sweetwater County residents received quite a shock. At least two locals found the campers and RVs they had rented out to rodeo contestants and their families in disrepair, and several others struggled to obtain full payment. It has long been the practice of many local residents to rent out their campers and RVs to rodeo families as thousands flock to the event and are often hoping to stay on si...
It's getting smoky around Sweetwater County as a result of wildfires. Be kind to your lungs. If you are unusually sensitive to particle pollution, consider reducing your activity level or shorten the amount of time you are active outdoors, according to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. Wildfire smoke is made up of a variety of pollutants, including particulate matter and ozone, which can cause respiratory health effects. Crystal Hamblin, Sweetwater Memorial Cardiopulmonary... Full story
While several construction projects are in full swing around Sweetwater County this summer, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) has construction plans for not just this year, but the next several years. WYDOT District 3 Construction Engineer Peter Stinchcomb gave a presentation to the Board of County Commissioners during the July 16 meeting to go over the annual State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) update. This annual presentation highlights current and future highway pro...
Addressing concerns with county roads in rural parts of Sweetwater County was one of the main topics of discussion during the July 2 County Commissioner meeting. The commissioners voted to award a bid for a frost heaves project on County Road 1 near McKinnon and voted to vacate County Road 124 near Eden. Both roads have been the subject of discussion for the past few months, with several commissioners making trips out to the affected areas to see the roads for themselves and learn more about the...
A new slate of officers for the Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County Board of Trustees were elected Monday afternoon. Barbara Sowada retains her position as president. Sowada was recently reappointed by the Sweetwater County Commission to a five-year term on the hospital board beginning July 1. Kandi Pendleton was elected vice president, a position previously held by Craig Rood. Nena James was elected secretary, a position previously held by Pendleton. Marty Kelsey retains his position as... Full story
Sweetwater County is prepared to head into Fiscal Year 2025 with a balanced budget and a roughly $4.2 million increase in projected budgeted reserves when comparing this year's budget to last year's. The Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners hosted a special meeting last Thursday, June 27, to have a public hearing and adopt the Fiscal Year 2025 budget for the county. However, due to the need to follow state statutes regarding the advertisement of the budget, the commissioners only...
After hosting multiple rallies to show solidarity and multiple readings of the proposed agreement, the United Steelworkers Local 13214 union voted on Sunday to approve their new contract with Genesis Alkali. The union and company have been working on renegotiating the contract, with union members calling for changes in order to have more input on safety concerns and better work-life balance for employees. Since the contract was presented to the union and a majority of the members voted to... Full story
Local mine rescue teams from Sisecam, Genesis Alkali, TATA, and Solvay competed against one another in a competition hosted by Southwest Wyoming Mutual Aid (SWMA) last week at the Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs. The competitions provide an opportunity for mine rescue teams to practice their skills. Results Field 1st place Sisecam Blue 2nd place Sisecam White 3rd place Genesis Blue First Aid 1st place Sisecam Blue 2nd place Genesis Teal 3rd place Solvay Blue Draeger BG4 1st place Tata... Full story
A chorus of honks and cheers rang out along Westvaco Road, even while 40 mile per hour wind gusts blew off people's hats and lightning flashed in the background. "What do we want?" Marshal Cummings yelled through a megaphone. "Fair contract!" hundreds of voices answered. "When do we want it?" "Now!" A severe thunderstorm watch wasn't enough to stop members of the United Steelworkers Local 13214 union, along with supportive family members and friends, from taking part in a rally outside Genesis... Full story
The Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) awarded accreditation to the medical laboratories at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County based on results of a recent on-site inspection conducted by CAP inspectors. The inspection team included practicing pathology and laboratory medicine professionals. Recognized for rigorous and robust standards, CAP accreditation elevates quality and mitigates risk, an important way that laboratories can contribute to improved... Full story
As a pharmacist, Brendan Gemelli says he loves being able to make a tangible difference in people's lives. As the new Pharmacy Director at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, Gemelli said what drives him is a patient's well-being. "What drives me as a pharmacist is being able to make tangible differences within people's lives and their well-being," he said. It's rewarding to know that my knowledge and expertise can contribute directly to improving someone's quality of life, whether that... Full story
A new program targeting healthy lifestyles for teens is being offered through the Pediatric Clinic of Sweetwater Memorial. TEEN (Thinking, Emotions, Exercise, and Nutrition) is a 15-session program. This program is meant to complement and to build on the skills learned in the COPE (Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment) program, which has been helping children for about four years. Joshua Walker, the clinic's Child Life Specialist, leads both programs. Here's a breakdown of both... Full story
Sweetwater County continues to see growth, from plans for new development - including new housing - to the improvement of existing services. The Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners addressed and discussed some of the recent growth in the county during the June 18 meeting, from approving Planning and Zoning resolutions to hearing an update from Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. One of the Planning and Zoning resolutions the commissioners approved was for a zoning amendment to al...
Local first responders and law enforcement had several eventful days last week, working together with multiple agencies on calls including water rescues and high speed pursuits. The Green River Fire Department shared information on an incident involving rescuing an adult and juvenile whose canoe had capsized in the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. At approximately 11:40 a.m. on Wednesday, June 5, the Green River Fire Department (GRFD), Castle Rock Ambulance, and the Sweetwater County Sheriff's Departmen... Full story
Questions over how the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been making rules and handling decisions continue to concern the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners. Commissioner Mary Thoman, in particular, works closely with several federal government groups and the BLM on a number of conservation projects and processes. In her report to the other commissioners during the June 4 meeting, Thoman shared that she has recently been part of several Zoom meetings with federal government...
