The Voice of the Community Since 1909, Serving Moorcroft and Pine Haven, Wyoming

Articles from the January 14, 2021 edition


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  • Upping the ante

    Grace Moore|Jan 14, 2021

    The Second Annual Coach Mirich Texas Hold ‘em Tournament hosted more than 60 guests at the Pine Haven Community Center Saturday, with 34 players filling the gaming tables. This year’s more than $14,700 has been earmarked to buy a new “Jaws of Life” for the Pine Haven Volunteer Fire Department. The tool the department has their eye on is Battery operated and, depending on the set, will cost anywhere between $12,000 and $20,000, according to former fire chief Don Lancaster. Last year’s event con...

  • Commission reluctant to form trash district

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jan 14, 2021

    The commissioners intend to decide in February what should be done about the imminent closure of the last remaining landfill in Crook County. According to Mayor Dick Claar of Moorcroft, the formation of a solid waste district is the only way to convince the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) that the county is serious in its efforts to move forward. However, there was reluctance during last week’s meeting to create a formal district. Commissioner Kelly Dennis expressed concern that doing so would place the decision-making with the d...

  • Council seat reopens

    Grace Moore|Jan 14, 2021

    Of the two recently elected Moorcroft Councilmen set to be sworn in at Monday night’s meeting, only Ben Glenn showed up. According to Mayor Dick Claar, Paul Gallegos provided a letter of resignation to the clerk’s office “about an hour and a half” before the meeting began, citing “personal reasons”. This situation reopens one seat within the governing body. The mayor advised Clerk Cheryl Schneider to advertize for anyone interested in serving on the Moorcroft Town Council to have their appli...

  • Vaccine program reaches next phase

    Sarah Pridgeon|Jan 14, 2021

    Crook County Public Health completed the first phase of COVID-19 vaccinations at the end of last week and will be moving on to the next tier of candidates on the state’s priority list. The phase 1a vaccination tier included front-line workers who are either most at risk of exposure to the virus or most likely to pass it on to people who are more vulnerable to its effects. This ranged from hospital and public health staff, EMS and fire personnel and law enforcement to home and residential i...

  • Rita Joyce Smithburg

    Jan 14, 2021

    Rita Joyce Smithburg passed away at home in Sundance, Wyoming on the morning of January 4th, at the age of 76. Rita was born on August 21, 1944 in El Centro, CA to Wilmar and Joyce (Lingscheit) Ernst. When Wilmar was discharged from the marines the family settled in Draper, SD, where Rita grew up and graduated from high school in 1962. On July 21, 1962, she married John Feddersen. From this union were born two daughters, Joni and Juli. In 1969, they settled in Estelline, SD, where Rita began...

  • Mike Olson

    Jan 14, 2021

    Michael "Mike" Olson, 73, of Moorcroft, Wyoming passed away on January 4, 2021 after losing his battle with lung cancer. Mike was born to Toralv and Eileen in Brainerd, Minnesota. From there the family moved to Montana where Mike spent his childhood and graduated high school. Mike then served in the marines from 1967-1970 where he ranked as a sergeant and was a machine gunner in Vietnam. During this time, he also met the love of his life, Kathleen Noble, at a bowling alley in Barstow,...

  • George "Durand" Grenier

    Jan 14, 2021

    George “Durand” Grenier passed away January 4, 2021, at home surrounded by his loving family. He was born on March 14, 1925, in Hulett, Wyoming, to George and Elizabeth (Freeborn) Grenier. When he was three months old, the family moved to Devils Tower, Wyoming, where his father established the first store and post office at the entrance to Devils Tower National Monument. He attended grade school in an old log cabin known as Campstool School at Devils Tower, and then Sundance High School in Sun...

  • Michael Pat Mackey

    Jan 14, 2021

    Michael Pat Mackey was born January 27, 1953 and passed away January 3, 2021, in Rapid City, South Dakota. A memorial service was held January 9, 2021, at Kirk Funeral Home. A burial of cremated remains will take place in the spring in Hillview Cemetery at Isabel, South Dakota. The family moved around a bit during his younger years before settling down in Draper and Ft. Pierre, South Dakota, where he went to primary school. He graduated from Stanley County High School in 1971. He then attended M...

  • Ruth Marie Gurkowski

    Jan 14, 2021

    Ruth Marie Gurkowski passed away peacefully in Cheyenne, WY on December 22, 2020 at the age of 90. She was born to Clyde and Nettie Roadifer on May 19, 1930 in Sundance, WY. Until recent years, she lived in Sundance her entire life. She attended local country schools and graduated from “Old Stoney” in Sundance. Ruth worked various jobs in Sundance for most of her career, including being a telephone operator, waitressing at the Elk Horn Café, working at the Model Grocery and retiring from Durf...

  • Letter to the Editor

    Jan 14, 2021

    Dear Editor, Holy crap, who knew! There really is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I discovered this after attending the January 6 Crook County Commissioners meeting, at which they held a hearing concerning the request to establish a county wide Solid Waste Tax Assessment District to support Moorcroft’s city dump. I was astounded to hear Moorcroft’s Mayor state at this meeting, that if only we would agree to access all of the property owners in Crook County an additional three mills of tax, on top of what they may already be paying to d...

  • State Briefs

    From Wyoming News Exchange Newspapers|Jan 14, 2021

    Snow evades area, state classified as in ‘extreme drought’ SHERIDAN (WNE) — Much of Wyoming is still classified as being in an “extreme drought,” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, but it’s the late winter and spring months that will either prolong or break dry conditions this summer. Parts of Sheridan, Johnson and Natrona counties are also reporting snowpack levels hovering at 75-85% of normal for January, according to a Wyoming SNOTEL report issued Monday. The U.S. seasonal drought outlook is expected to persist through 2021 and possibl...

  • Seeking heroes

    Jan 14, 2021

    Vitalant Blood Services will be in Moorcroft on Tuesday, January 19, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Moorcroft Town Center (MTC) cafeteria. Please join us in this awesome mission to save lives by donating blood. As always, all blood types are needed. Please consider donating blood, even if you haven’t done so before. It only takes roughly an hour of your day… what a selfless act! You must be minimum of 16 years of age to donate (a signed parental permission is required for all 16-17 year old donors). If you have any questions reg...

  • Fourth and fifth grade students invited to participate in Arbor Day poster contest

    Jan 14, 2021

    Wyoming State Forestry Division and Wyoming Project Learning Tree (WY PLT) are teaming up again this year to hold the annual Wyoming State Arbor Day poster contest. This year Wyoming will celebrate its 133rd Arbor Day. The contest is open to all Wyoming fourth and fifth grade students, including home-schooled, private and public. Students are invited to create a poster no larger than 14 by 18 inches in size that depicts the theme “Trees: That’s WY.” The winner will receive $100, their framed poster and a plaque. The winner’s teacher will al...

  • CSC Honor Rolls

    Jan 14, 2021

    Chadron State College has announced the names of 328 students who qualified for the institution’s Fall 2020 President’s List with a 4.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Crook County students on the list include Devin Hodges of Hulett and Parker Seeley of Sundance. Chadron State College has also announced the names of 332 students who qualified for the institution’s Fall 2020 Dean’s List with at least a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Crook County students on the list include Tate Allison of Moorcroft and Gabrielle Velder of Sundanc...

  • Wolves too hot for Devils

    Dusty Petz|Jan 14, 2021

    On Thursday night, the Lady Wolves traveled to Hulett to take on the Red Devils. Moorcroft got out to a quick start and led most of the game. The Lady Wolves ended up winning the game 54-14. I thought we came out with really good intensity in the first quarter; we had discussed in practice what we wanted to do from a defensive standpoint and I thought the girls really executed well. Once we got the stops on the defensive end that we needed, we were able to convert baskets that helped extend the lead. I was pleased with the different defensive...

  • Wolves face tough competition

    Marci Allison|Jan 14, 2021

    The Wolves wrestling team traveled to Thermopolis and Powell this past weekend to wrestle duals against, Hulett, Star Vallley, Worland, Powell and Cokeville. There, they faced some tough 2A and 3A competition, where open weight classes were filled amongst the teams and many exhibition matches were given making for lots of wrestling and great mat time. Individual duals were: Moorcroft vs. Hulett/Start Valley JV Moorcroft vs. Worland Moorcroft vs. Powell Moorcroft vs. Cokeville - 33-39 106 Wyatt...

  • Wolves conquer Devils

    Sonny Merchen|Jan 14, 2021

    On Thursday, The Wolves boys basketball team traveled to Hulett to take on the Red Devils. The Wolves jumped out early and often and took a 41-13 lead into halftime and cruised to a 52-31 Non-Conference win. I thought we played together, shared the basketball and pressured them extremely well. All 12 players who suited gained valuable playing time experience. The Wolves Junior Varsity team took on the Devils in a non-conference matchup on the same day, but only played two quarters because of numbers. The squad came out and played very well,...

  • Moorcroft Police Report

    Jan 14, 2021

    On January 5, police assisted Crook County Sheriff’s Office for a report of a domestic disturbance on Warbonnet Road. Officer responded to the scene along with a WHP Trooper and they spoke with the couple involved separately. Both parties denied any injuries or physical altercation. With no evidence of any physical altercation or concerns officer and trooper cleared. Nothing further. On January 7, police were notified of a theft at Coffee Cup. Suspect entered the store and began trying on belts. Suspect put on two belts, did not pay for them a...

  • Circuit Court

    Jan 14, 2021

    Speeding – Mark C. Peters, SD, 90/75, $135; Carla Jobgen, SD, 87/75, $120; Joshua Young, WA, 89/80, $103; Kase P. Gustafson, Moorcroft, 86/75, $115; Michael Greene, UT, 100/75, $185; Sergei O’Sullivan, MT, 94/70, $180; Connor Crane, SD, 85/75, $105; David McRae, GA, 91/80, $115; David Bufkin, CA, 91/70, $165; Elaine Elizabeth, SD, 81/70, $115; Brian L. Vandrey, IA, 91/80, $100; Delan Leblanc, Gillette, 74/65, $103; Emalee Sweet, Newcastle, 84/70, $130; Timothy Masias, CO, 79/70, $103; John Manus, CA, 86/80, $97; Aaron Poulson, UT, 88/75, $12...

  • Making progress on the lagoon

    Jan 14, 2021

    Pouring concrete for the foundation of the contact chambers This is the last stop before liquids are released into the tributary leading into the Belle Fourche River....