State Briefs

Grand opening of Dubois military museum delayed

RIVERTON (WNE) — The grand opening of a world-class museum in Dubois has been postponed.

Memorial Day had been the announced date for the public unveiling of the $100 million National Museum of Military Vehicles, constructed by Dan Starks entirely with personal funds.

The NMMV is in the final stages of construction at a site a few miles south of Dubois along U.S. Highway 26.

Due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic, along with state stipulations prohibiting large gatherings, museum leaders have determined that the Memorial Date grand opening won’t be possible. A new date for opening the museum will be announced.

Starks, a retired business executive in the medical devices industry, has assembled the world’s largest privately-owned collection of military vehicles.

He moved to the Dubois area after selling his company. He has said he imagined the museum initially as a place to house the collection where he could enjoy it near his place of residence, but increasing interest from the public led him to embrace the idea of a fully developed museum that would be open to the public.

The Starks collection now numbers more than 400 vehicles, with World War II tanks at its core. Starks also has acquired a unique collection of firearms, with a custom-designed exhibition firearms vault intended to be the first component a typical museum visitor will see.

The bulk of the 140,000 square-foot museum will take guests on self-guided tour that follows the timeline of American military history, centered on World War II. The museum has elements of Civil War, World War I, Korean War and Vietnam War history as well, along with more modern military vehicles.

Man who jumps into pickup taken directly to police

GILLETTE (WNE) — A quick-thinking 20-year-old was surprised at about 7:40 p.m. Sunday when a stranger jumped into the back of his pickup.

The stranger told the driver that someone was going to kill him. The driver then called dispatch and was instructed to take the man to the Gillette Police Department.

Police Lt. Brent Wasson said he did not think the incident occurred near the police station but wasn't sure of the location.

Unfortunately for the 41-year-old hitchhiker, police found him more suspicious than his story. The 41-year-old had puncture marks on his arm, was “sweating profusely” in front of the officer, acting “erratic” and was not speaking clearly, Wasson said.

The suspect was arrested for use of a controlled substance because there was probable cause to believe he was under the influence. It is unknown, however, what substance was injected, Wasson said.

Wyoming FFA works to reschedule convention events

SHERIDAN (WNE) — The Wyoming FFA announced plans for rescheduling parts of its annual convention, including delivering some content online.

The FFA was forced to cancel its convention due to school and facility closures resulting from COVID-19 health concerns. The convention was set to take place April 15-18 in Cheyenne.

Beginning in May, the Wyoming FFA will deliver online award announcements and their state officers’ retiring address presentations. There will also be an online conferring of the 2020 Wyoming FFA State Degrees.

“We’re excited to announce the results of some of our awards and competitions as part of what we’re calling the ‘Wyoming FFA Online Jubilee’,” said Stacy Broda, Wyoming FFA state advisor. “It won’t be the convention we all know and love, but we will get to celebrate some of our successes together with our virtual FFA family.”

Awards announcements will include the regional and state star awards, chapter awards and Agriscience Fair results. A complete schedule of announcements and how the public can access the presentations will be available in late April on the Wyoming FFA website.

The Wyoming FFA is still evaluating options on completing career development events, leadership development events and state officer candidate interviews.

Broda said a great deal remains unknown about when or how gatherings on in-person restrictions will be lifted, preventing the board from making firm decisions about how to certify teams for the national FFA convention.

Other new deadlines include:

Proficiency Award Applications are due April 27.

• State Officer Candidate and Nominating Committee Applications are now due May 5.

• American FFA Degree Applications are due June 10.

Gym owner requests jury trial, pleads ‘not guilty’ to violating public health law

PINEDALE (WNE) — A gym owner cited for allegedly allowing a member to work out there during the state-ordered business closure pleaded “not guilty” to the criminal misdemeanor in Sublette County Circuit Court on Monday.

Jennifer R. Ramsey, owner of the Iron Bar Gym, was charged with violating the state’s public health order after two officers warned her to not open, according to court records.

Ramsey posted on Facebook that her livelihood was endangered by the state’s closure order through April 30 that includes gyms, bars, restaurants, schools, theaters and other “public” businesses.

On April 14, police Sgt. Travis Bingham said that as a public information officer for the COVID-19 response, he learned “via social media that the Iron Bar Gym locally had posted about opening her gym up this week.”

After getting the tip, Bingham said he called Ramsey to “ensure she was aware of the order. She responded with “I don’t care” and that she had to do something to avoid being evicted, the court document states.

The next day, Undersheriff Lance Gehlhausen went to the Iron Bar Gym and spoke with one member who came there after she told him he could come work out, his affidavit states.

Later Gehlhausen returned and told Ramsey that she could not be open.

He said he told her that “we could not allow her to stay open against the order or we would have every bar and restaurant opening back up.”

Violation of Wyoming Statute 35-1-105 carries a criminal penalty of up to six months in jail, $100 fine or both.

Ramsey was released on her own recognizance and ordered not to violate any public health laws.

Game and Fish dismissing Teton County's shed hunt request

JACKSON (WNE) — Elected officials have been denied their request that the state of Wyoming suspend its shed antler hunting by one month to avoid drawing people to Jackson Hole amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Teton County commissioners agreed to formally make the request for a one-month suspension to the season with a letter Monday morning, but by the time they sent the letter, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission had already indicated a preference to proceed with the season as scheduled May 1.

“The commission decided that ... with the governor’s order possibly expiring on the 30th, that it was premature to do anything with the horn hunting season at this time,” Commission President Peter Dube told the Jackson Hole Daily. “If something were to change then we can come back and reevaluate our situation, but we have pledged to try to make 2020 as normal a season as possible with all aspects of hunting, fishing and recreating — and this is part of our choice.”

Gov. Mark Gordon’s order calls on any person entering the state — who’s not here on business — to self-quarantine for two weeks. If it were extended, widespread compliance with the order would mollify worries about a huge influx of nonresident shed antler hunters coming to Jackson Hole and other western Wyoming communities, but the order is not enforceable by law and basically amounts to a recommendation.

Land managers like National Elk Refuge Deputy Manager Cris Dippel say they’re anticipating business-as-usual chaos and hordes combing the landscape come May 1.

“Instead of 800 or 1,000 people, we may get 600 or something like that,” Dippel said. “There may be a few folks who follow that guideline.”

Campbell County hospital to cut costs

GILLETTE (WNE) — Campbell County Health is cutting costs in response to the financial pressures caused by the coronavirus pandemic and also starting preparations for how to deal with the emerging economy, whenever that may be.

CEO Andy Fitzgerald said an internal task force was started last week to figure out what a return to normal operations would look like.

He believes that sometime in May or June, CCH will resume elective surgeries, outpatient radiology and other services that have been set aside during the pandemic, “but we can’t just start that. There has to be a plan.”

Fitzgerald said this should not be taken to mean that CCH is looking at a specific date to resume those services.

“We just want to put that planning into place, so when we feel we can reasonably and safely do that, we have a plan in place to execute,” he said during a hospital board meeting Thursday.

Starting this week, Campbell County Health administration also will implement cost reductions that include pay cuts and restructuring of some departments and staff positions.

Fitzgerald will take a 50% cut of his $440,000 annual salary through the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30. Senior management will take a 20% pay cut, and directors and managers will take a 5% pay cut.

There also will be a freeze on capital expenditures through the end of the fiscal year, and some departments and employees will be put on temporary furlough. These employees will keep their benefits and be brought back to work within six to 12 weeks.

Most departments will have mandatory hourly reductions, and there is a freeze on educational travel through the end of the year.