The Voice of the Community Since 1909, Serving Moorcroft and Pine Haven, Wyoming
The Voice of the Community Since 1909, Serving Moorcroft and Pine Haven, Wyoming
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Spring may seem a long way away from underneath February's snowdrifts, but the Wyoming Game & Fish Department will be prepared when it arrives to protect Keyhole Reservoir from an infestation of zebra mussels. Game & Fish has been concerned about this possibility since an infestation of the invasive creatures was reported at Pactola Reservoir, just 30 miles from the Wyoming border. This was the closest location where the species has yet been found, which the department concluded was a...
Keeping someone safe if they are prone to wandering can be a challenge, but the Crook County Sheriff's Office can help. The office sponsors Project Lifesaver, a nationwide program designed to help you protect someone who is cognitively impaired. Project Lifesaver is supported by donations and grants and completely free to its participants. Members of the community are invited to reach out to the office for more information if a loved one has been diagnosed with a condition such as dementia or...
Karey Hedlund of Moorcroft has been jailed for up to ten years on charges of child abuse. Hedlund accepted a plea deal related to the 16 separate counts of child abuse and one of aggravated assault and battery with which she was originally charged. Hedlund’s alleged victims accuse her of years of mental and physical abuse. According to reports from a Crook County Sheriff’s Office deputy, an investigation was launched at the beginning of June, 2021 in response to a report of “abusive and neglectful behavior”. The victims reported numerous incide...
Crook County Sheriff's Office hosted an active shooter training at Sundance High School on January 20, focusing on a scenario in which one or two officers must respond to an active shooter situation. "The reality is that, if an active shooter incident occurs, it will likely be one or two officers that are able to respond in the critical first few minutes and it is their responsibility to stop the threat," says Sheriff Jeff Hodge. "There is not time to wait for backup or a SWAT team to arrive in...
January Life had almost returned to normal by the beginning of 2022 after almost two full years of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the danger was not over, as a new and more infectious strain that came to be known as Omicron began to dominate new infections. Mayor Dick Claar stepped down due to health reasons, prompting his fellow council members to praise his long dedication to the Town of Moorcroft. Ben Glenn was appointed to replace him. Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD)...
On Friday, Governor Mark Gordon ordered that U.S. and State of Wyoming flags across the state be flown at half-staff to honor the memory of Bruce Lang, who lost his life attempting to assist with an ice rescue at Keyhole Reservoir last week. Lang was a volunteer firefighter and training officer with the Pine Haven Volunteer Fire Department. He died when his UTV plunged into open water as he was heading to assist an individual who had fallen through the ice. "Jennie and I send our deepest...
Hot on the heels of a nation-spanning storm that closed down the region for several days came a “polar plunge” last week, just in time for Christmas. Travel once again became difficult as temperatures began to plunge and the new snow joined what was already on the ground to blow whiteouts across the roads. The strong, gusty winds continued until the end of the week, with the combination of fresh snow and wind resulting in blizzard-like conditions in some parts of the region. The bigger problem for human fingers and toes, though, was the dan...
A Gillette man whose altercation with a police officer in Crook County led to a high speed chase back across the county border has successfully appealed one of his two convictions of aggravated assault on the basis that the jury was given improper instructions. The Wyoming Supreme Court released its opinion on the case last week, reversing and vacating one count of aggravated assault for Nathan Jess Michael Schuerman and also finding that the record is unclear as to the state of his second aggravated assault conviction and it should be...
Two local men perished during a search and rescue effort at Keyhole State Park that began on Thursday and continued until dusk on Sunday. Bruce Lang, 68, and Jason Otto, 48, both tragically lost their lives while attempting to rescue a stranded recreationist who had fallen through the ice. The Crook County Sheriff's Office received a call on December 15 at around 9:10 p.m. that a male subject had gone through the ice while driving his UTV on the reservoir. Dispatch spoke to the subject on the...
As Santa’s big day approaches, medical experts are recommending caution – especially around members of your family and social circle who are more vulnerable to serious illness, such as infants and the elderly. An increase in contagious diseases has been reported all around the nation, with an earlier flu season than usual. “We have been seeing some RSV, especially in the pediatric population,” says Micki Lyons, CEO for Crook County Medical Services District. “There has been an uptick of Influenza A in the county along with Strep. There are...
The board of trustees for Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) has officially moved to replace its electronic medical records system (EMR), which has been causing serious issues with cash flow and is deeply unpopular with staff. The board met in special session on Friday to discuss the potential contract. The majority of the meeting was spent in executive session to allow board attorney Kara Ellsbury to provide legal advice on the terms of the contract and any other legal issues associated with it. Following the executive session,... Full story
Search and rescue crews from the Crook County Sheriff's Office continue to search for two men who were reported missing last night at Keyhole State Park. The Sheriff's Office received a call on December 15 at around 9:10 p.m. that a male subject had fallen through the ice while driving his UTV on the reservoir. Dispatch spoke to the subject on the phone, who said he had made it out of the water and was lying on the ice. Pine Haven Fire and EMS were paged and arrived at approximately the same time as three local citizens, who drove a UTV onto... Full story
Wyoming Game & Fish (WGF) has announced that the watercraft check station at Coulter Bay has been closed for the season to allow recreationists to enjoy Keyhole Reservoir for its more winter-based activity: ice fishing. Regulations came into effect a couple of months ago to protect Keyhole Reservoir from the growing threat of invasive zebra mussels, which had been documented at Pactola Reservoir in South Dakota in July. This was considered concerning as it was the first time zebra mussels had be...
Governors Mark Gordon (WY) and Kristi Noem (SD) have penned a joint letter to Black Hills National Forest Supervisor Jeff Tomac requesting a rethink of the revision assessments being used to draft an updated version of the Black Hills National Forest (BHNF) Land Management Plan. The two governors also expressed concern over the potential impact of the plan on the timber industry within the Black Hills The plan has already caused concern at the county level, with Crook County penning a letter of comment that also expressed “significant c...
Crook County Medical Services District (CCMSD) is introducing a new program that it hopes will encourage staff members to progress their own careers – and simultaneously offer an opportunity to people who may be interested in the medical field but are either unable to afford the education required or cannot justify leaving a current job to go back to school. “It’s our belief that the best way to staff our facilities is from within,” said board chairman Mark Erickson at last week’s meeting, explaining the program to incoming board member Br...
Begin your Christmas season with numerous local opportunities for some festive fun over the next few weeks, starting with the Candy Cane Classic hosted by the Whitcomb FFA. The event will take place at 6 p.m. on December 3 at the Moorcroft Community Center and includes a chili dinner alongside two cook-off contests, one for chili and the other for caramel and cinnamon rolls. This will be followed by a dance. On December 15, head to Big Horn Avenue to watch the Parade of Lights, presented by the Moorcroft Area Chamber of Commerce. The parade...
Continuing the recent tradition of punching above its weight, the small county of Crook can once again boast that both of its legislators hold positions of leadership in the Wyoming State Legislature. During a vote held on Saturday, Senator Ogden Driskill was voted the new President of the Senate, while Representative Chip Neiman will start his second term in office as the House Majority Floor Leader. Senate President As Senate President, Driskill will select committee members, appoint...
Crook County's own Jennifer Purcell has been honored with the Public Safety Telecommunicator of the Year award from the Wyoming chapter of APCO International. Purcell has worked within the county's dispatch center for seven years, though her experience in the field spans two decades. She was nominated for her pleasant and professional manner with callers and colleagues at all times, no matter what kind of day she is having. In announcing Purcell's award, APCO also recognized her for being...
Karey Hedlund of Moorcroft has accepted a plea deal related to the 16 separate counts of child abuse and one of aggravated assault and battery with which she was originally charged. Hedlund’s alleged victims accuse her of years of mental and physical abuse. According to reports from a Crook County Sheriff’s Office deputy, an investigation was launched at the beginning of June, 2021 in response to a report of “abusive and neglectful behavior”. The victims reported numerous incidents of cruel and physical abuse at Hedlund’s hands. At change of...
Numerous seats will be filled on the county’s various boards at November’s general election. While many seats are uncontested, two boards in particular will see high levels of competition. To assist voters in making their choice for these contested positions, we asked every candidate for Crook County School District and Crook County Medical Services District to provide a brief bio and answer the question: what was the driving force behind your decision to run for this seat? Hospital Board: At Large (2 seats) Brent Fowler My name is Brent Fow...
Julie Ann Cox of Pine Haven faces felony possession charges after THC was allegedly found in her residence when a Crook County Sheriff’s deputy made contact in reference to a warrant for her arrest. On September 28, the deputy was sent to a Pine Haven residence in reference to a wanted person. He reports being greeted at the door by Cox, who he knew from previous contact. The deputy advised Cox that there was a warrant for her arrest and entered the residence to assist with gathering the medications she needed. A purse was allegedly sitting o...
Crook County's two new game wardens introduced themselves to the county commissioners last week and provided information on the rights of citizens if they find themselves face to face with a dangerous predator. Nate Holst has joined the Wyoming Game & Fish department (WGF) as the Sundance Game Warden, while Mitchell Kern will be his counterpart in Moorcroft. The two men asked to be added to October's agenda after receiving a letter from the commission requesting a more proactive approach to...
Patrick LeFave of Moorcroft will spend up to three years behind bars after his probation was revoked for three separate alleged violations. LeFave was serving 36 months of supervised probation after pleading guilty to strangulation of a household member in 2019. According to the complaint, LeFave failed to meet the conditions of his probation in three ways, including that he failed to meet with his supervising probation agent twice in March this year. LeFave is also reported to have admitted to a Department of Family Services agent and his...
If you will need to travel this winter on roads that may be closed due to weather, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) is inviting you to sign up for two programs that will allow you to do so. Collectively known as the Wyoming Travel Authorization Program (W-TAP), the Wyoming Authorized Travel and Rolling Closure Authorization programs allow drivers to apply for authorization to travel on sections of closed roadways when the department has deemed it is safe enough. The Wyoming Authorized Travel application is open to all drivers, b...
After a lull during the summer months, bird flu is back and members of the public are asked to report any suspicious avian deaths to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department. According to a statement from the department, positive results for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been confirmed in a blue-winged teal, a great horned owl and two turkey vultures. “With bird hunting seasons either ongoing or rapidly approaching, and as migrating birds start to head south, we are asking the public to keep an eye out for dead birds and be aware o...
