Amanda and Jesse Lesmeister are happy to announce the arrival of Laurel Olivia Lesmeister. Laurel was born on March 3, 2018, weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long.
Maternal grandparents are Leonard and Denise Feist. Paternal grandparents are Steve and Sheryl Lesmeister.
According to a press release issued today by the Economic Analysis Division of the Wyoming Department of Administration and Information, Wyoming experienced its most significant annual population loss in nearly three decades in the year that ended last July.
“Wyoming’s total resident population contracted to 579,315 in July 2017, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. The annual decrease from July 2016 was 5,595 persons, or 1.0 percent, the largest decline since 1989. There are two components for population change. The natural increase (7,513 births less 4,847 deaths) was 2,666, but the estimated net migration (in-migration less outmigration) was about -8,300, which means that approximately 8,300 more persons left Wyoming than moved into the State between July 2016 and July 2017. In contrast, the net migration was about -4,000 between July 2015 and July 2016,” the release stated.
It went on to indicated that Campbell County led the state with the largest loss of 2,558 residents from July 2016 to July 2017. In terms of percentage, the decrease of 5.2 percent was the steepest among the nation’s 3,142 counties. Weston and Niobrara counties also experienced a decline of at least 3.0 percent, each. The report indicated that Weston County’s population decreased by 271 (7,198 to 6,927) from July of 2016 to July of 2017, for a drop of 3.2 percent, while Niobrara’s decrease was an even 3.0 percent.
The report showed that Lincoln was the only county that demonstrated an increase of 1.0 percent, and all other counties with moderate increases are located in the Northwest and the Southeast areas of the state where there are minimal energy extraction operations. Since 2010, the fastest growing counties were Teton (9.3%), Laramie (7.0%), and Lincoln (6.4%).
“Migration is mostly driven by changes in employment, which is particularly true for Wyoming,” said Dr. Wenlin Liu, Chief Economist with State of Wyoming, Economic Analysis Division. “People tend to move to areas where jobs are available, or conversely, may leave the areas where employment opportunities become limited.”
Between the first quarter of 2015 and the first quarter of 2017, the state’s economy lost about 17,000 jobs or nearly 6.0 percent. Counties with the most mineral activities endured the heaviest losses— most notably Campbell, Converse, Natrona, and Sublette where employment shrunk around 15.0 percent, respectively. Only Teton and Lincoln counties showed job growth during the same two-year period.
“Substantial declines in employment, consequently, contributed to the increase in outmigration. In addition, the labor market nationwide, particularly in neighboring states such as Colorado, Utah, and Idaho, continued to show strong expansion, which attracted a number of Wyoming workers and residents,” the report stated.
At its conclusion, however, the report indicated the trend has likely slowed, as the state’s economy has stabilized and unemployment has come back into line with the national average.
“Since the beginning of 2017, the mining industry (including oil & gas extraction) in the state gained some ground and added approximately 2,000 jobs due to price stabilization and increased drilling. Industries and sectors closely related to mining, such as manufacturing, wholesale trade, transportation, and professional services are also benefiting. As a result, statewide total employment in the fourth quarter of 2017 grew 0.5 percent from the fourth quarter of 2016, the first year-over-year increase in nearly three years. The unemployment rate in Wyoming declined significantly since the summer of 2016, and the current level is similar to the U.S. average. Additionally, business layoffs are very low, and both average working hours and hourly earnings in the private industries are higher than last year,” the report said.
“Wyoming’s current labor market environment should provide encouragement for people who are looking for jobs within the state,” Liu suggested.
Sticking with a multiyear tuition policy adopted in 2014, the UW Board of Trustees voted today (Thursday) to increase student tuition by 4 percent in the 2018-19 academic year.
That means that undergraduate Wyoming residents will see a $5 increase per credit hour, from $129 to $134, while the cost for undergraduate nonresidents will rise from $516 to $537 per credit.
The university will continue to study the financial implications of a possible nonresident tuition decrease aimed at driving enrollment increases.
Huron Consulting Group, retained by UW to examine UW’s enrollment capacity and pricing, found that the university has sufficient space to accommodate 1,000-1,400 more students. UW’s strategic plan, “Breaking Through: 2017-2022,” calls for an approximately 1,100-student increase, to 13,500, by 2022.
To help meet that objective, Huron recommended reducing annual undergraduate out-of-state tuition from $15,480 at present to $9,500. UW officials say the issue needs further study because of the complexity of tuition discounts already offered to nonresident students, along with the number of part-time students.
The board today also approved small increases in mandatory student fees: $10 per semester for UW athletics and $6.06 per semester for consolidated student services. There are no increases for student board, room or rent.
Also going into effect this fall will be academic program fees approved by the board last November to enhance advising, career preparation and other student services. Revenue from a new common advising fee of $6 per credit hour will be used to implement a new professional advising model at the university, while expanding student success and career planning and placement services. Other program fees will be based upon the cost of individual academic programs, ranging from an additional $3 per credit hour for some nonscience courses in the College of Arts and Sciences to $25 per credit hour in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, and for classes in the visual and performing arts.
This set of fees will replace all of UW’s existing college program and course fees — there are more than 140 of them at present — with a simpler and comprehensive framework to allow students to better understand the costs of attending UW.
According to the university, even with the increases, UW’s tuition and fees for Wyoming residents will remain the lowest among the nation’s doctoral degree-granting institutions, and nonresident tuition and fees are still among the lowest in the country.
Laramie, Wyo. (March 22, 2018) – University of Wyoming Football will be at the center of the NFL Draft world on Friday, March 23 as Wyoming’s Pro Day will be featured in national television coverage by both NFL Network and ESPN.
NFL Network will feature live coverage of Wyoming’s Pro Day on their “Path to the Draft” show on Friday. Their coverage will begin live at Noon, M.T. (2 p.m., E.T.). Mike Mayock will be reporting.
ESPN will feature taped coverage of Wyoming’s Pro Day on their digital platforms throughout Friday afternoon, with additional coverage featured on ESPN SportsCenter. Todd McShay and Mark Schwarz will be reporting.
NFL scouts and team personnel from throughout the country will be in attendance to test nine former Cowboys, including quarterback Josh Allen, who is expected to be among the top selections in this April’s NFL Draft.
“This is great exposure for our university, our athletics program and our state,” said University of Wyoming Athletics Director Tom Burman. “We wish all of our student-athletes who will be going through Pro Day all the best on Friday and in their futures.”
“We are excited for the young men in our program to have the opportunity to be evaluated by top NFL personnel,” said Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl. “This is another step as we move Cowboy Football forward. The national recognition created by these seniors is certainly welcome, and we hope the foundation of success that they have helped establish propels us to future success.”
Due to the desire to provide as professional a testing environment for Wyoming draft-eligible players as possible and due to the high demand from NFL teams and media who plan to cover the event, the event will not be open to the general public. The testing will be open to NFL team personnel and credentialed media only.
CHEYENNE— The Wyoming FFA Association has announced the recipients of the 2018 Wyoming State FFA Degree, the highest award the state can bestow on its members.
A total of 194 members representing 45 Wyoming FFA chapters earned the degree, including Upton’s Maxx Cowger and Emalee Sweet and Bryson Tidyman from Newcastle’s Saddle and Sirloin chapter.
These members will receive their degrees on April 19, 2018, as part of the Wyoming FFA Convention, held in Cheyenne each year.
“The State FFA Degree is awarded to FFA members who have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to FFA and made significant accomplishments in their supervised agriculture experiences or SAEs,” explained State FFA Advisor Stacy Broda.
When students enroll in agriculture education and FFA, they select a hands-on program of work, known as a SAE. These programs help solidify concepts learned in the classroom or through FFA experiences, and incorporate the student’s individual interests and goals. SAEs can include animal production, agribusiness experience or placement in an agriculture business or company.
“The state degree is given to the top FFA members in the Wyoming FFA. Less than 10 percent of our members earn the degree each year, marking it as a significant accomplishment, “said Broda. “Each recipient has shown growth in their SAE as well as demonstrated leadership, scholastic achievement and participation in community service activities.”
The Wyoming FFA Association is part of the National FFA Organization, formerly known as Future Farmers of America. This youth organization has more than half a million student members nationwide, and more than 2,900 in 54 chapters in Wyoming. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.
Custer, SD, March 26, 2018 – The U.S. Forest Service, South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDDA) and Wyoming State Forestry Division have released the results of the 2017 forest health survey on the Black Hills National Forest and surrounding lands.Aerial surveys conducted last fall indicate that approximately 2,900 acres have been affected last year, while approximately 2,500 acres were affected in the year prior. In total, over 450,000 acres have been affected since the epidemic began 20 years ago. While officials have called the epidemic over, the mountain pine beetle continues to be a native insect in the Black Hills National Forest. As such, trees or groups of trees will continue to be killed each year, which is natural and expected.“Working together has made a significant positive impact on ending the epidemic,” said Mark Van Every, Black Hills National Forest Supervisor. “We will continue landscape scale treatments to ensure our forest is more resilient to future insect epidemics and catastrophic wildfire.”As a native species, the mountain pine beetle has always been a part of the Black Hills forest ecosystem, with periodic epidemics. The first recorded epidemic in the Black Hills occurred from the late 1890’s through the early 1900’s. Epidemics also occurred in the 1930’s, 1940’s, 1960’s and 1970’s, each lasting 8-13 years.“With the end of the mountain pine beetle epidemic, we look forward to working with the Forest Service and other cooperators to manage for a healthy and diverse forest that is resilient to future disturbance,” said Greg Josten, South Dakota State Forester.“While we have turned the corner on the current beetle epidemic, we still have serious forest health problems that we need to continue to work together on for our forests in the future.” said Bill Crapser, Wyoming State Forester.The complete survey results for the Rocky Mountain Region, including Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming are available athttps://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r2/forest-grasslandhealth/?cid=fseprd569849Additional information on Mountain Pine Beetles can be found at: http://www.beatthebeetles.com/.
He has until May 30 to remove his name
LARAMIE, Wyo. (March 26, 2018) – University of Wyoming junior guard Justin James announced on Monday that he has submitted papers for early entry to the 2018 NBA Draft to test the process and determine interest of NBA franchises.
James has not hired an agent, leaving the door open for a return to the Cowboys for the 2018-19 season. James has until May 30 to remain in or remove his name from the draft.
“This has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid and I have to thank my coaches and teammates that helped put me in this situation,” James said. “There is definitely a long road ahead of me, but this is the first step in the right direction and I’m excited for the opportunity to show my talents to NBA scouts.”
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Justin and the program to be put in this situation,” UW head coach Allen Edwards said. “It shines a positive light on some of the things we are doing here. If he is not ready the option of coming back and being a part of this team helps him long term in knowing what he needs to do to get to that level of play. Last year, Chandler Hutchison at Boise State went through the same process and knowing coach Leon Rice at Boise State and having his input on the process and the positives was a great asset in the decision. This whole process will benefit Justin long term and benefit the program.”
James, a native of Port Saint Lucie, Fla., was a First Team All-Mountain West selection and was named All-District by the National Association of Basketball Coaches averaging 18.9 points per game to go along with 6.0 rebounds per night and 3.1 assists per game. In conference play, James averaged 20.8 points per game ranking second in the MW. James scored 20 or more points 15 times this season including a career-high 33 points on two occasions. He shot 48 percent from the field going 207-of-430. James recorded six double-doubles on the season scoring 20 or more points in all six performances.
The Wyoming Republican Party met in Casper on March 24.
The purpose for the meeting, according to a press release from the party, was to address alleged misconduct by party secretary Charles Curley. During the course of the meeting, secretary Curley tendered his resignation effective immediately.
The Wyoming Republican Party will elect a new secretary according to the process provided for in the bylaws, and in a separate release the party announced that Leigh Vosler of Laramie County will serve as the party’s interim secretary.
Vosler was born in Cheyenne. She attended Laramie County public schools and graduated from East High School. She earned her degree from Wheaton College in Illinois and pursued graduate studies at the University of Wyoming.
Vosler is a past chair of the Laramie County Republican Party and a past State Committeewoman. She has served as an elected delegate and alternate at two Republican National Conventions and has been active in Republican activities in Wyoming for three decades.
“I look forward to serving on the State Central Committee again and to help elect Republican candidates at all levels across Wyoming,” said Vosler.
Vosler and her husband Chris Allen live in Cheyenne.
Fees charged by the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) for birth and death certificates, as well as other records ordered through Vital Statistics Services (VSS), are going up.
Beginning April 1, the costs of birth, death, marriage and divorce certificates will increase between $5 and 10 dollars each.
Guy Beaudoin, deputy state registrar with WDH, said fees for searches and other official activities are also increasing. “All documents and requests postmarked on or after April 1 will be affected by the new, higher fee schedule,” he said.
A complete, updated fee list is available at https://health.wyo.gov/admin/vitalstatistics/.
Beginning July 1, VSS will also again start collecting a $5 dollar surcharge that benefits the Wyoming Children’s Trust Fund. The surcharge expired in the past year but was recently renewed by the Wyoming Legislature. The trust fund supports child abuse and neglect prevention.
Beaudoin noted WDH fees for certified copies of certificates and records have not increased since 2008 and remain reasonable.
“We also want to remind people to be careful with online companies offering birth, death and other certificate services,” he said. “Some of these secondary providers charge as much as three or four times the state fees.”
“What really happens with many of these companies is they collect information from customers, have them sign a release document and then simply forward the completed application to our office for processing,” Beaudoin said. “It’s an added step that does not get people what they want any faster.”
Vital Statistics Services is the only source for Wyoming’s official certificates. “We suggest people contact our office directly rather than spending extra money,” Beaudoin said.
To download applications needed to order certificates by mail, visit the official WDH web site at https://health.wyo.gov/admin/vitalstatistics/. People may also call 307-777-7591 or visit VSS in Cheyenne at 2300 Capitol Avenue on the first floor of the Hathaway Building.
The Newcastle Dogie tracksters were finally out in full force last Friday as they headed to Rapid City for a developmental meet. For all but 13 this was their first foray into competition, and despite the challenges they faced head coach Chad Ostenson was very pleased with his team’s performance.
Foremost among the challenges was the fact that most of the squad had yet to be able to practice their events given the inclement weather that has rendered their practice facilities useless up to this point. In addition, the sheer size of the meet was daunting, as demonstrated by 18 heats of the 200 Meter race for the women and 15 for the men. Finally, Mother Nature still wasn’t doing any favors for anyone, as the day was cold and windy.
“It was definitely a test for us and it was a tough day, but everybody finally got to put up a time or distance in their events,” Ostenson began. “And when you look at the kids who finished in the top 20, you know they did very well given the level of competition, as well as the number of athletes entered into the events.”
The Dogies’ 2018 season began with challenges regarding practice, and their season opener last Thursday against the Bearcats in Douglas reflected the rough start they’ve endured. With only two days of practice outside before kicking off their first quadrant contest, it was evident early on that Newcastle wasn’t quite up to speed.
“They scored three goals in the first four minutes and their fourth by the 10th minute,” head coach Josh Peterson sighed. “You could really tell that we hadn’t been outside, and that we didn’t have a chance to work together as a team on any of the big stuff. To make matters worse, they had already played two games, so it was ugly.”
Although they dug a hole early, the Dogies began to put things together as the game progressed, but still fell to the Bearcats 0-8.
The Lady Dogies’ opening weekend of the 2018 season did not go as planned, both in terms of the venue and caliber of play.
Old Man Winter’s lingering gifts forced head coach Bryce Hoffman’s team to travel to Douglas on Thursday and Saturday to take on the Bearcats first and then the Rawlins Lady Outlaws, rather than host both events as originally scheduled.
The snow and ice on Newcastle’s fields also kept the team from being able to properly prep for the quadrant opener against the Cats, and the conference contest against Rawlins. Their minimal exposure to practicing on the field may have contributed to the 3-0 loss against Douglas, followed by having to settle for for a 2-2 overtime tie against the Lady Outlaws.
The early heydays of the historic Dogie Theatre
Block 7, lots 17 and 18, are well-known in the Newcastle community because they continue to house the historic Dogie Theatre. This week, Leonard Cash details the beginnings of the Main Street lots, starting with the birth of the theater we still know and love today.
Weston County Courthouse records date back more than 130 years for lot 18. The first entry was filed as of March 2, 1885, when Lincoln Land Co. sold to John P. Ost. According to the Sanborn Maps, lot 17 was home to the L. Wineland Saloon in 1891, and the business was named after its owner. The map’s information is verified in Cash’s records from local news, which state that the saloon opened for business on August 21, 1890. Wineland, originally of Nebraska, built a building on a lot next the Castle Theater, also known as the House of Blazes.
Also in 1891, records indicate that lot 18 was occupied by John “Johnny” Owens, who ran the House of Blazes on the property. The House of Blazes was a dance hall and bar with rooms upstairs, according to Cash. The Weston County Democrat reported on the business in July 1890, stating that John Owen was constructing a new show building and music hall, later known as the House of Blazes. The structure was said to be “a modern building not to be behind the times” and “a resort of leading attractions.” Owens supposedly traveled all around to gather talent and have them come to Newcastle to perform.
March 30 of every year represents “the day of welcoming” for Wyoming Veterans. This year Newcastle— along with Lusk and Hulett— will hold Wyoming Veterans Welcome Home Day celebrations featuring Gov. Matt Mead; Maj. Gen. Luke Reiner, the state’s adjutant general; and Keith Davidson, chairman of the Wyoming Veterans Commission.
The News Letter Journal was informed this week that U.S. Senator John Barrasso will also be present for this year’s
celebration.
The public is encouraged to join these men as they welcome home Wyoming veterans and their families from every era.
“It is never too late to do the right thing!” Mead has said of the annual event.
Nov. 12, 1935–March 25, 2018
Kenneth W. McCollom died Sunday, March 25, 2018, at Weston County Health Services in Newcastle, Wyo.
Ken was the youngest of three children, born to Harold V. and Gretchen (Thornburg) McCullom on Nov. 12, 1935, near Sundance.
He was raised in Osage and attended school there until graduating from eighth grade. He attended high school in Newcastle, graduating in 1954.
He married Patrica Braley in 1953. They had two children, Ricky and Joyce. They later divorced.
He later met the love of his life, Arlene Trenham of Custer, S.D. They were married on June 25, 1960. To this reunion they had four children, Kenneth, Rodney, Todd, and one daughter who died at birth.
Ken graduated from Wel-Tech Electronics school in Salt Lake City in 1963. He went to work for General Dynamics in California.
In 1971, they moved back to Osage where he went to work for Butte Oil and Gas, Petrochemical Lewis, and other various places.
Ken loved spending time with family and friends telling jokes. He loved to fly fish, camp, hunt, garden and play cards.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one daughter, Arlene; two sisters, Eleanor (Tom) Beale and Phyllis (John) Reynolds; and one brother-in-law, John Reynolds.
He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Arlene of Newcastle; his children, Rick (Linda) of La., Joyce Hall of Cheyenne, Kenneth of Missouri, Rodney of Newcastle, Todd (Lynette) of Nev; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on April 7, at 10 a.m. at the Weston County Senior Center in Newcastle.
“All students are at-risk because of these things,” DeMoine Adams told a small group of citizens who gathered to hear the motivational speaker at Crouch Auditorium on Tuesday evening. He was holding up his cell phone when he said it.
Few would argue that social media is presenting challenges to children that previous generations weren’t forced to confront, but we appreciated Adams’ message because he didn’t simply point a finger at social media and then tell us that we are powerless against it. Nor did he brand cell phones and social media as evil, and unrealistically suggest that we should eliminate them entirely. Instead, he urged us as a community to respond to the challenges presented by modern technology by making a consistent commitment to mentoring. While those types of commitments will certainly produce positive results for our children, it struck us that Adams’ suggestions can also prove effective for dealing with the very real issues that confront adults in this community.
“Get mentored or be mentors,” Adams said, and it wasn’t hard to understand that the former Nebraska Cornhusker standout was simply encouraging community members to get in the game.
Of course, to be in the game, you’ve got to be on a team, and Adams provided some powerful tips on how to make our community a championship team. Most of those tips came down to recognizing that this is our team, and we each have a responsibility to make ourselves better and provide positive support to help our teammates become better as well.
Positivity isn’t something you find very often on social media, and Adams pointed out that our mentoring can begin by simply posting something positive there on a regular basis. It’s a simple step, but a powerful one, and it could be the first step in true community improvement. So pick up your phone and post something nice about your town or somebody in it— and start being a mentor today!
By Pam Penfield
NLJ
One of my favorite places for breakfast has always been The Hop. They had wonderful food, great staff, some very cool patrons, and the 50’s and 60’s Diner ambiance and decor was a lot of fun.
I loved their breakfast sandwiches, and have purchased quite a few of them. I usually popped in once a week on my way to work, and ordered one (or two) to go. While Evelyn (Eddie) Stuart made my breakfast, I enjoyed a cup of coffee, a cigarette, and good conversation with my favorite waitress, Carol, and the other customers at the counter (the best place to sit).
Over the years we have shared much— our glad times and our sad times. We laughed a lot, we gossiped a lot, and we loved each other— a lot.
When I stopped in last Friday to order my breakfast sandwich, one of my friends at the counter looked sadly at me and stated, “Today is their last day.”
“Whose last day?” I asked.
“Theirs, here”, she replied.
What? I couldn’t believe it.
But, it was true. Without a lot of fanfare, no notice in the paper or on the radio, not even a sign on the door, The Hop quietly closed their doors after business was completed last Friday.
Evelyn posted on her Facebook page last Friday at 9:13 p.m.:
“Thank you to the people that have supported us at The Hop for the last 18 yrs. As of March 23rd we are no longer open.”
And that was it. Another business in our small town closes it’s doors after almost two decades. Facebook was flooded with comments from the community, including fellow restaurant owners, thanking them for serving us for so long and wishing them all the best.
I’m sure there are a myriad of reasons why The Hop had to close. When a business owner makes this decision, it is never an easy one, and I applaud Evelyn for knowing when it was time, her time, to move on.
I will miss hanging out at The Hop. I will miss the friends I seen there. I will miss the huge Pez collection, and the Elvis and Marilyn memorabilia lining the walls. I will miss all of the laughs. It may seem like a sad end. However, an ending is really just a beginning, and I hope the whole crew finds a great new beginning. Thanks to each and every one of you for all the years of great food and friendship.
I encourage you, as I always do, to support our local businesses. Keep your dollars here at home so that our businesses can stay open, here, at home.
Hop to it!
By Bill Sniffen
“A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove, but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child.”
—An important quote
I spent some quality time with my young granddaughter on a Friday afternoon, some 20 years ago. Here is an old column that I wrote about that experience:
Mallory wanted to fish in our creek. It’s not really a creek, but Big Dickinson irrigation ditch.
But it sounds like a creek, it looks like a creek and it has fish in it like a creek. And it also has leaves and limbs in it.
Well, we fished hard, my granddaughter and me. We were working so hard, we even set up a couple of lawn chairs next to the creek as she soaked her bait. That’s what she called the goo she put on her hook, anyway. She had borrowed her dad’s tackle box and fishing pole, and she kept smearing some kind of pink or blue or bubble gum-colored muck made by a company called Berkley on the end of her hook.
She decided she should roll the stuff into a ball first and then stick in on her hook.
We were having a little family celebration at our house for Mal’s seventh birthday that evening. It was my idea that she come early and we could get in some fishing since I had been seeing some little brookies in our creek. I have some amazing Maui Jim sunglasses that allow you to see through the reflection on the water, and actually see the fish and the rocks and the leaves and the limbs that were in the creek .
I put the sunglasses on Mallory, and attached them to her head with some Croakies. Now she could see much more clearly what was in the water. This seemed to make a big difference to her, and she got even more excited. She kept snagging leaves and limbs, though, and the fish seemed to have departed as soon as she dropped that line into the creek. Our dog’s exciting jumping around the creek bank didn’t help too much, either.
I had left work early Friday to be with Mallory. Her folks were going shopping, and my wife Nancy picked up our birthday girl at West School. Nancy wanted me to take Mallory fishing (since I had already brought up the idea to her) and now Nancy was busy cooking a birthday dinner for the family.
So there we were, a little girl and her grandpa, sitting on lawn chairs next to the creek, watching intently to see if we got any hits from these elusive little brookies.
Time and again, she pulled out more leaves and more limbs— but no fish. She tried other colors of the Berkley Trout Bait. She tried the pink and she tried the blue, but to no avail.
As we sat there on the creek bank, I couldn’t help noticing the setting sun glistening through the yellow Aspen leaves. The blue sky was almost cloudless. The air was dry and there was no wind. It was Indian Summer in Wyoming, and I was exactly where I wanted to be— fishing with my oldest granddaughter.
It was ironic that the following Monday, I attended a meeting with 200 other people where the emphasis was on increased relationships among grandparents and grandchildren.
Part of Lander’s Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth initiative was confronting the fact that in today’s mobile society often we aren’t lucky enough to spend time with our own grandchildren or our own grandparents. It was emphasized that we can find surrogate young people or older people who would like our company. Such interaction promotes healthy relationships, which can overall help a community. It makes a lot of sense.
But back to Mallory.
She showed incredible patience for a seven-year-old. We drank some Pepsi and fished in several places along the creek bank. Finally, she got bored, and we went for a long walk. As we got back to the house, her folks were arriving for her birthday party.
She ran up to her dad and told him about her fishing experience. Her dad turned to me and asked how it went?
“How many did you catch?” he asked me.
“Dozens,” I replied.
“Really,” he said. “What kind?”
“Aspen,” I replied. “Mainly Aspen.”
Bill Sniffin is a retired newspaper publisher who has penned a number of books about Wyoming. Check out additional columns written by Bill at www.billsniffin.com. and find volumes from his coffee table book series, which have sold over 30,000 copies, for sale at the News Letter Journal.
By Hannah Gross for NLJ
It is pretty easy to take things for granted these days, but I wanted to take a moment to remind everybody how lucky we are to have a quality swimming pool in our community, and a great swimming program available to the kids here. As somebody who has benefitted from both since moving here a half dozen years ago, I can vouch for how fortunate we truly are to have these things in a town this size.
Swimming is something that I have always done. I started doing swim lessons when I was three, and joined the swim team when I was seven. I’ve been doing it ever since.
When I first moved to Newcastle, I didn’t think it would even have a pool, let alone a swim team. But I was pleasantly surprised. Not only did it have a pool, it had a really nice one at that. So I began swimming with the Newcastle Stingrays Swim Team (NSST) and have been doing so for six years. It’s been great. I’ve had many fun (and somewhat brutal) experiences with my time spent with the NSST at swim practices and meets, and it’s all been worth it.
I’d have to say that my favorite meet is the Wyoming State Swimming Championship Meet. It’s by far the longest and most exhausting swim meet I have ever been to, but the atmosphere surrounding it is so exciting and enlivening that it makes me appreciate a job well done.
That’s just how it felt at the 2018 Winter Short Course Championships in Laramie, WY. NSST was definitely one of the smaller teams, having only four swimmers competing; Ramsey Gross, Harrison Gross, Gabe Hoover, and myself; but that didn’t stop us. In our division, we placed second overall with a total of 244 Points. Everyone did well, improving times and accomplishing goals.
One goal that I’ve had ever since I was ten-years-old was to qualify for the Western Zone Championship Meet. Zones is the next level up from State, and it’s a big championship meet for all of the states in the western part of the United States. For swimmers under the age of 15, the location varies from places like Colorado all the way to Hawaii, but for the older kids, it’s held in Clovis, CA each year.
Every time I’ve gotten close to qualifying, the qualification standards got harder because I “aged up.”
But this year, I finally reached my goal. During the high school swim season, I qualified for zones in two events, and at this past State Meet, I picked up another time. As far as I can tell, no one from Newcastle has gone to Zones in the past decade, and I’m really grateful and excited for the opportunity to go to Clovis and represent not only Newcastle, but Team Wyoming.
This is not something that I could’ve done on my own. I’ve had a lot of support from all my parents, teammates, and coaches in the past six years, pushing me at practice and making me a better swimmer. Most importantly, I thank God for giving me the chance to swim and bringing me where I am today. It’s nothing I’ve done on my own, only what He’s doing through me. He’s given me this gift so I want to give it back to Him.
Our other swimmers also did really well at State. Ramsey and Harrison Gross both qualified in several events which was really awesome considering they both recently aged up, meaning they had a tougher fight in the rink since they were on the younger side of their age categories. They improved in several races, and even placed in a few events. Being their older sister, I’m pretty proud of them both.
Gabe Hoover, our youngest qualifier, was definitely a highlight during the weekend. He medaled in all eight races and scored a total of 94 points out of the team’s 244 points. It’s a big deal to achieve a medal in every event, especially as an eight-year-old. He’s going to be an awesome swimmer, and has already proved to be very talented in the sport. I wouldn’t be surprised if he broke a record down the road. He has both the skill and the competiveness to do it.
Our swim team is a fairly young team, and that helps build up the high school swim program. It’s been really neat to see all the different kids who have tried out for swimming. We’ve had both experienced and inexperienced kids join the team, and I want to thank the community for sending us their kids, helping to keep NSST afloat. Without you, we couldn’t have a swim team. So thank you and keep up the good work!
Another way I’ve seen the community get involved is through our home meet, the Cupid Classic, held in February each year. We usually have about 150-200 swimmers participate, and we always have had huge support from local businesses, swim parents, and other volunteers helping us out.
Swimming is a great sport, and we have a great community to support us. I look forward to continuing to swim with the NSST, and hope to meet some new faces in the years to come.
From Black Hills Energy:
Newcastle, Wyo. – March 29, 2018 — Black Hills Energy has received customer reports of a phone scam in the Newcastle, Wyoming, area. Customers receive a call with ‘Black Hills Energy’ on the caller ID. Customers are then told to make a $1,000 payment at the local Family Dollar store by 2:45 p.m. today.
“Individuals claiming ties to the utility may threaten to disconnect service if they are not paid immediately or may say you’ve overpaid and must provide personal bank account or credit card information for a refund,” said Norm Long, community affairs manager for Wyoming at Black Hills Energy. “If your account is at risk of service disconnection or you’re due a refund, we will issue advance written notices by mail.”
Beware, as perpetrators are becoming more sophisticated, manipulating caller ID or leaving a call-back number with a recording that mimics a utility’s phone system message and options. We advise customer with concerns to call our service associates at 888-890-5554 to verify the legitimacy of requests for payment history, amounts due or whether an employee was dispatched to your location. Payment options and account access also are available at blackhillsenergy.com.
Additionally, Black Hills Energy urges customers with concerns about the identity of someone claiming to represent the company to call Black Hills Energy’s 24-hour emergency line at 800-694-8989 to verify employment. Calling local law enforcement is also an option.
ADDITIONAL TIPS:
