Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Four-day school week liked by many
Three days running...
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Seemingly loved and accepted by those who have adopted it, the four-day school schedule is coming under school board scrutiny with surveys due from across Carbon County School District 2.
Currently, school schedules vary across the district, and so far, parents seem happy. All of Encampment still operates on a five-day week, while all of Saratoga has adopted the four-day schedule. Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow is split between a four-and-a-half day elementary school week and a four-day high school week.
A year ago, the school district turned the schedule over to the community at local and district meetings to recommend changes. Saratoga and HEM chose the four-day schedule due to secondary level students missing class time by participating in activities such as sports, vocational agriculture, speech and arts, said Saratoga’s principal Larry Uhling.
Now, as is standard with many school board decisions, it is coming under review after a year of implementation.
When asked how parents of elementary students in Saratoga handle caring for their children for the Friday off, principal Larry Uhling said, “It’s no different than if we have a holiday on a Monday or a late start on a Wednesday or an early out on a Friday. We had all those things in our last schedule because there’s a certain amount of time that teachers need to prepare and for staff development and those types of things.”
The new schedule generally standardizes time off and enables the development of additional programs for the students, he said. Uhling spoke of the activities that have been set up for the children through the community and through the school’s staff, including enrichment programs and remedial help for students who need it.
Cindy Loose, a Saratoga parent of a third-grader and a woman who runs her own company, VIP Marketing, from home, spoke highly of the four-day week. “I think it works well for our family. I like the enrichment on Fridays and I’m spending time with Katie, which is another benefit.”
She said her daughter does every enrichment program, including art, storytelling and rocketeering. “She is expanding her literary skills and taking part in science that she wouldn’t normally have on her agenda,” she said. Loose believes that the students are not losing valuable class time, but instead are gaining an element to their learning.
The new schedule relieves stress from students and teachers alike, particularly at the secondary level. High school students are able to travel and be involved with important extracurricular activities without the stress of missing school and making up work, Uhling said.
Teachers who are coaches or are involved in activity leadership are able to spend more time with their classes. “We have a coach for the high school who has only missed two days this year of actual instructional time compared to the year before where he missed 30-some days of instruction,” Uhling said.
Principal Brad Barlow spoke of another benefit to teachers, which is having time for staff development. On Friday, his staff at HEM met in Saratoga to listen to a motivational speaker. The entire staff was invited, from teachers and principals to custodians and cooks.
“The main message was that we’re all teachers,” Barlow said. He said the motivational speech was about being positive with the kids and with coworkers, because everyone at the school is a role model. “It was important stuff,” he said.
Uhling said child care was a major concern when the schedule was implemented across the board in Saratoga, but he thinks most parents have found a way to work with it. Jane Hill, the mother of 11-year-old Marshall and 15-year-old Wyatt, said she enjoys the schedule, but realizes the issue of caring for children for the extra day. “I don’t have to have day care for my kids, so that makes a big difference. For someone who does need day care, it might be different,” she said.
As the surveys are received on Feb. 8, the date extended by Superintendent Bob Gates, both Uhling and Barlow are unsure of what to expect. Both say they have not heard any negative feedback about the schedule. However, both are interested to see what does come back.
Schedule's a juggling act
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Some love it and some wish it could change.
With the Carbon County School District 2 school schedule surveys circulating until the end of next week, parents have the opportunity to voice their opinion about the continued use of the five-day schedule in Encampment.
As the only community in District 2 to maintain the traditional five-day week, Encampment is at the mercy of parents who have observed the benefits and detriments of the four-day week implemented in the rest of the school district.
“It was very evident from the community meetings in Encampment (last year) that no one was interested in changing the schedules (to four days),” Encampment principal Mike Ericson said. He has not had anyone come to him yet saying the five-day schedule should be changed.
However, there is a contingent who quietly hopes Encampment might adopt the four-day schedule. Joelle Vacher, mother of Darion Vacher in Encampment, voiced her opinion. “I would like to go to a four-day schedule if it were conceivable,” she said. “I’d like to have my son at home an extra day.”
She enjoys the thought of an extra family day amidst all the homework and class time. Still, she did recognize the need for kids to be in school while their parents are working. “A lot of the parents wouldn’t want (their children) to be home because they can’t be home,” she said.
On the other end of the spectrum is Michele Fisher, an Encampment parent who juggles a preschooler, a kindergartner, a fourth-grader and a full-time job in Rawlins. “I’m against the four-day week because I need day care,” she said. “I don’t have anybody to watch them all day on Friday.”
She mentioned the fear that losing a day of instruction would be detrimental to her fourth-grade son. “He needs a bit more attention, so if he loses the extra day, it’s not going to hurt anybody but him,” she said. She hopes the schedule stays the same, particularly since she has managed to find care for her children within their current time at school.
Speaking about what he expects from the surveys, Ericson said he has been asked by various parents if Encampment will be forced to go to a four-day schedule. “I don’t think it’s going to happen. It would be up to the board of course, but my impression is that it’s not going to,” he said.
Ericson said his staff and the community believes the five-day schedule works better. “If the community’s not in favor of it, it’s not something that would be smart to do,” he said.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Seemingly loved and accepted by those who have adopted it, the four-day school schedule is coming under school board scrutiny with surveys due from across Carbon County School District 2.
Currently, school schedules vary across the district, and so far, parents seem happy. All of Encampment still operates on a five-day week, while all of Saratoga has adopted the four-day schedule. Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow is split between a four-and-a-half day elementary school week and a four-day high school week.
A year ago, the school district turned the schedule over to the community at local and district meetings to recommend changes. Saratoga and HEM chose the four-day schedule due to secondary level students missing class time by participating in activities such as sports, vocational agriculture, speech and arts, said Saratoga’s principal Larry Uhling.
Now, as is standard with many school board decisions, it is coming under review after a year of implementation.
When asked how parents of elementary students in Saratoga handle caring for their children for the Friday off, principal Larry Uhling said, “It’s no different than if we have a holiday on a Monday or a late start on a Wednesday or an early out on a Friday. We had all those things in our last schedule because there’s a certain amount of time that teachers need to prepare and for staff development and those types of things.”
The new schedule generally standardizes time off and enables the development of additional programs for the students, he said. Uhling spoke of the activities that have been set up for the children through the community and through the school’s staff, including enrichment programs and remedial help for students who need it.
Cindy Loose, a Saratoga parent of a third-grader and a woman who runs her own company, VIP Marketing, from home, spoke highly of the four-day week. “I think it works well for our family. I like the enrichment on Fridays and I’m spending time with Katie, which is another benefit.”
She said her daughter does every enrichment program, including art, storytelling and rocketeering. “She is expanding her literary skills and taking part in science that she wouldn’t normally have on her agenda,” she said. Loose believes that the students are not losing valuable class time, but instead are gaining an element to their learning.
The new schedule relieves stress from students and teachers alike, particularly at the secondary level. High school students are able to travel and be involved with important extracurricular activities without the stress of missing school and making up work, Uhling said.
Teachers who are coaches or are involved in activity leadership are able to spend more time with their classes. “We have a coach for the high school who has only missed two days this year of actual instructional time compared to the year before where he missed 30-some days of instruction,” Uhling said.
Principal Brad Barlow spoke of another benefit to teachers, which is having time for staff development. On Friday, his staff at HEM met in Saratoga to listen to a motivational speaker. The entire staff was invited, from teachers and principals to custodians and cooks.
“The main message was that we’re all teachers,” Barlow said. He said the motivational speech was about being positive with the kids and with coworkers, because everyone at the school is a role model. “It was important stuff,” he said.
Uhling said child care was a major concern when the schedule was implemented across the board in Saratoga, but he thinks most parents have found a way to work with it. Jane Hill, the mother of 11-year-old Marshall and 15-year-old Wyatt, said she enjoys the schedule, but realizes the issue of caring for children for the extra day. “I don’t have to have day care for my kids, so that makes a big difference. For someone who does need day care, it might be different,” she said.
As the surveys are received on Feb. 8, the date extended by Superintendent Bob Gates, both Uhling and Barlow are unsure of what to expect. Both say they have not heard any negative feedback about the schedule. However, both are interested to see what does come back.
Schedule's a juggling act
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Some love it and some wish it could change.
With the Carbon County School District 2 school schedule surveys circulating until the end of next week, parents have the opportunity to voice their opinion about the continued use of the five-day schedule in Encampment.
As the only community in District 2 to maintain the traditional five-day week, Encampment is at the mercy of parents who have observed the benefits and detriments of the four-day week implemented in the rest of the school district.
“It was very evident from the community meetings in Encampment (last year) that no one was interested in changing the schedules (to four days),” Encampment principal Mike Ericson said. He has not had anyone come to him yet saying the five-day schedule should be changed.
However, there is a contingent who quietly hopes Encampment might adopt the four-day schedule. Joelle Vacher, mother of Darion Vacher in Encampment, voiced her opinion. “I would like to go to a four-day schedule if it were conceivable,” she said. “I’d like to have my son at home an extra day.”
She enjoys the thought of an extra family day amidst all the homework and class time. Still, she did recognize the need for kids to be in school while their parents are working. “A lot of the parents wouldn’t want (their children) to be home because they can’t be home,” she said.
On the other end of the spectrum is Michele Fisher, an Encampment parent who juggles a preschooler, a kindergartner, a fourth-grader and a full-time job in Rawlins. “I’m against the four-day week because I need day care,” she said. “I don’t have anybody to watch them all day on Friday.”
She mentioned the fear that losing a day of instruction would be detrimental to her fourth-grade son. “He needs a bit more attention, so if he loses the extra day, it’s not going to hurt anybody but him,” she said. She hopes the schedule stays the same, particularly since she has managed to find care for her children within their current time at school.
Speaking about what he expects from the surveys, Ericson said he has been asked by various parents if Encampment will be forced to go to a four-day schedule. “I don’t think it’s going to happen. It would be up to the board of course, but my impression is that it’s not going to,” he said.
Ericson said his staff and the community believes the five-day schedule works better. “If the community’s not in favor of it, it’s not something that would be smart to do,” he said.
Panther wits leads to Panther wins
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
In boys basketball, the Panthers outsmarted the Chiefs in Saturday’s game and hope to sneak in a few more wins on their home court this weekend against Little Snake River Valley School on Friday and against the Southeast Cyclones on Saturday.
In its first weekend home after a long stretch of traveling, Saratoga High School nailed a win against Wyoming Indian by simply keeping the energy up. Neck and neck until the second half of the game, the Panthers took off by eight points in the third quarter to finish 11 points ahead at the end of fourth, 83-72.
“I thought we had a little more energy due to the crowd than they did at the end of the game,” Saratoga coach Rex Hohnholt said. “We just looked a little fresher than they did out there.”
He speculated that the elevation may have had something to do with Wyoming Indian’s ability to keep up. While the Chiefs train at 4,000 feet above sea level, the Panthers are accustomed to the lack of oxygen 3,000 feet higher.
Hohnholt said the boys had no special tactics against the Chiefs. They played their game and surprised Wyoming Indian, showing them Saratoga could push the ball and put on the pressure too, he said.
With double-digit scoring from Hayden Hohnholt, Josh Rice, Jake Johnston and David Capozzoli, and scoring contributions from Jonathan Jones, Gus Redmond, Ryan Larscheid and Sam Streeter, the coach said there is always someone new who steps up to help the team.
“Every week they surprise me with what they can do and do well,” Hohnholt said.
This weekend is one of the biggest weekends Saratoga plays all year, according to the coach.
On Friday night, the Panthers tip off against the Rattlers at 7 p.m. to fight the ongoing battle between the two Carbon County schools.
“(Little Snake River Valley) has a very good ball team and we are not overlooking them,” Hohnholt said. “We talked this week that our biggest game this week is Snake River. They could beat anyone in the state on any given night and we know that and we know we have to have our best game out on the basketball court if we want to beat them.”
The Southeast game is the second of two conference games all season and is important for seeding in the regional tournament. The game starts at 4 p.m.
“We were fortunate to beat them on their turf by six points,” the Panther coach said. “They do everything right and play within their abilities.”
If his boys can control the tempo of the game and step up their defense, Hohnholt thinks Saratoga can secure a victory. “We feed off a steal here or a good defensive stand there,” he said. “We get easy baskets by playing hard and scrappy and we didn’t do that in (the last) game.”
The team is excited about the home court advantage against both teams and plans to start and
finish the weekend with intensity supported by the crowd.
Times staff writer
In boys basketball, the Panthers outsmarted the Chiefs in Saturday’s game and hope to sneak in a few more wins on their home court this weekend against Little Snake River Valley School on Friday and against the Southeast Cyclones on Saturday.
In its first weekend home after a long stretch of traveling, Saratoga High School nailed a win against Wyoming Indian by simply keeping the energy up. Neck and neck until the second half of the game, the Panthers took off by eight points in the third quarter to finish 11 points ahead at the end of fourth, 83-72.
“I thought we had a little more energy due to the crowd than they did at the end of the game,” Saratoga coach Rex Hohnholt said. “We just looked a little fresher than they did out there.”
He speculated that the elevation may have had something to do with Wyoming Indian’s ability to keep up. While the Chiefs train at 4,000 feet above sea level, the Panthers are accustomed to the lack of oxygen 3,000 feet higher.
Hohnholt said the boys had no special tactics against the Chiefs. They played their game and surprised Wyoming Indian, showing them Saratoga could push the ball and put on the pressure too, he said.
With double-digit scoring from Hayden Hohnholt, Josh Rice, Jake Johnston and David Capozzoli, and scoring contributions from Jonathan Jones, Gus Redmond, Ryan Larscheid and Sam Streeter, the coach said there is always someone new who steps up to help the team.
“Every week they surprise me with what they can do and do well,” Hohnholt said.
This weekend is one of the biggest weekends Saratoga plays all year, according to the coach.
On Friday night, the Panthers tip off against the Rattlers at 7 p.m. to fight the ongoing battle between the two Carbon County schools.
“(Little Snake River Valley) has a very good ball team and we are not overlooking them,” Hohnholt said. “We talked this week that our biggest game this week is Snake River. They could beat anyone in the state on any given night and we know that and we know we have to have our best game out on the basketball court if we want to beat them.”
The Southeast game is the second of two conference games all season and is important for seeding in the regional tournament. The game starts at 4 p.m.
“We were fortunate to beat them on their turf by six points,” the Panther coach said. “They do everything right and play within their abilities.”
If his boys can control the tempo of the game and step up their defense, Hohnholt thinks Saratoga can secure a victory. “We feed off a steal here or a good defensive stand there,” he said. “We get easy baskets by playing hard and scrappy and we didn’t do that in (the last) game.”
The team is excited about the home court advantage against both teams and plans to start and
finish the weekend with intensity supported by the crowd.
On the road again...
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
After a devastating loss to Cokeville and a narrow win against Farson-Eden three weeks ago, Encampment’s Lady Tigers hope to take home their prey as they face off once more against the two western Wyoming teams this weekend, this time on the road.
Cokeville’s speed and depth should still be daunting in the Friday conference game, which starts at 4 p.m. Encampment coach Jami Krein spoke of Cokeville’s strength with outside shooting and strong posts. “They’re good all around,” she said.
Can they close the 23-point gap? “If we play to our potential, we can,” Krein said. However, it will be tough after their five-hour road trip starting at 8 a.m. Friday.
Krein said that if Encampment goes all out against Cokeville on Friday, she hopes her girls have something left for the Farson-Eden conference game on Saturday, which also tips off at 4 p.m.
“(Cokeville) is going to be a physically draining game,” she said. “So to have something left will be difficult, but I think we can do it.”
In terms of goals, the team is still aiming for better ball management and a higher shooting percentage. Krein said Encampment’s ball handling has been slowly getting better and was visibly improved in the team’s recent game against Little Snake River Valley School. However, the Lady Tiger’s shooting percentage still lingers at 32.
Times staff writer
After a devastating loss to Cokeville and a narrow win against Farson-Eden three weeks ago, Encampment’s Lady Tigers hope to take home their prey as they face off once more against the two western Wyoming teams this weekend, this time on the road.
Cokeville’s speed and depth should still be daunting in the Friday conference game, which starts at 4 p.m. Encampment coach Jami Krein spoke of Cokeville’s strength with outside shooting and strong posts. “They’re good all around,” she said.
Can they close the 23-point gap? “If we play to our potential, we can,” Krein said. However, it will be tough after their five-hour road trip starting at 8 a.m. Friday.
Krein said that if Encampment goes all out against Cokeville on Friday, she hopes her girls have something left for the Farson-Eden conference game on Saturday, which also tips off at 4 p.m.
“(Cokeville) is going to be a physically draining game,” she said. “So to have something left will be difficult, but I think we can do it.”
In terms of goals, the team is still aiming for better ball management and a higher shooting percentage. Krein said Encampment’s ball handling has been slowly getting better and was visibly improved in the team’s recent game against Little Snake River Valley School. However, the Lady Tiger’s shooting percentage still lingers at 32.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
It was a wild, wild weekend
And the first post shall be a personal recap of the third weekend in Wyoming.
After working late on Friday night to help my sports writer coworker - Kirk Hanna - cover sports, I packed for the weekend and crashed in preparation to leave early for Steamboat skiing on Saturday.
Blink. Awake.
It's way past 6:30 a.m. Oops. Still needed to shower and get out the door. Patty began stirring... that means conversation. I got out the door at 7:30. As usual, I-80 was terrible. Driving slowly and leading a pack of Wyoming drivers, I finally got to the turnoff to head to Colorado, and the roads were thankfully better. Cruised along to music, watching the sun continue to wake up as I thought about how lucky I was to be witnessing such beautiful county.
Arrived at Steamboat at around 10:30 a.m. The fella at pay parking let me park for free, then I "bought" ski poles at Christy's Sports under the pretense of renting them. The day was awesome! Deep snow, sweet slopes, cool people, fantastic weather! Just wish I'd had someone to share it with, or even just a camera to take pictures! Definitely got a great workout on the first run down Easy Face over there on the outskirts of the resort. Decided to try to go through the gully in the deep snow instead of down the long runout... and ended up hiking out. Was knee deep in heavy powder with skis on- can't imagine trying to walk out! I'd have been up to my chest in snow!
At the end of the day, I hopped off the slopes and hit the road to get back to Craig, CO to meet up with the coworkers, Kirk and Clancy. Clancy has the city beat and also enjoys writing about Wamsutter, WY. It's a dinky little town that for some reason has him fascinated.
Perfect timing in Craig, though the guys will say I was unclear about where I'd be. They just didn't listen. Typical guys. Stocked up on some goods for the road and started road trippin' to Aspen.
Darkness fell, Clancy and I got to work as passengers. Nah, no need for navigator, shot gun, whatever you call it. Just annoying drinking buddies. Good thing Kirk didn't mind because I was really craving that beer after a day of skiing. Bonding ensued. And laughter. Much laughter. Those boys are crazy. In fact, I think I can say that it was this leg of the trip that Kirk rapped in chicken lingo to a song. That's right, "bak bak baaaak bak-bak-bak..." You had to be there.
Next stop: Glenwood Springs. Just long enough to check in, change, and hit the road again for Aspen. XGames were finished for the night, but Kirk had a stellar showing with Helly Hansen gear. And I quote:
One of the guys: Man, Argentinians are good looking people.
Me: Yeah, that guy was hot!
Kirk: They have cool names too - one of their name's was Helly, it was written on her butt, Helly Hansen.
[Clancy and I look at each other]
Clancy: Uh, Kirk? Helly Hansen is ski gear. I don't even ski and I know that.
Good stuff. He didn't live that down, nor will he. And apparently I won't live down my confession of charging interest to classmates as a child, because Clancy handed me a check today saying, "I added two dollars interest."
At the bar Bentley at the Wheeler, yes, I did flirt with the guys at the bar to get drinks for my coworkers. The problem is when I do that, as a reporter, I tend to find something interesting about them, and wind up talking to them much longer than planned. This time it was because one works for Luftansa in Denver and the other for U.S. Customs in Denver. For anyone who knows me, can you figure out why this matters?
Back to Glenwood Springs for drinks, meeting up with Chris Riley & Co. and Karl, Kristin and Jimbo. Hit up Hippy Dippity Springs, the springs situated next to the ice-cold river. Would be a beautiful location if it wasn't under the highway and serviced by a massive drainpipe that looks like it is spilling out sewage. Good ol' hot springs. Always sketchy whenever they are free.
Blink. Awake.
It's 8:00 and Clancy's damn cell phone alarm has been chiming "Oh When the Saints Go Marching In" for the past half hour. I couldn't sleep any longer, so I decided everyone else had to get up too. They were great, pulling themselves together to get to the slopes for skiing.
Clancy's a quick learner! He was tearing down the slopes to the hazard of those around him, but overall, a good showing from the athletic young chap wearing women's clothes (he had borrowed my warm ups, ski hat and gloves). And Kirk thinks he was slowing us down on the chutes, but what he doesn't understand is we don't give a crap if we're skiing or talking while waiting... the point about it all is we're together and on the slopes. So just for the rest of you, if you come out, don't feel like you're holding us up!!
Sunlight's a good resort, but I'll still choose Winter Park over it all so far. Nothing beats the trees and mogul playgrounds there!
Next up: Aspen XGames. Coffee. Food. Found myself inside the ESPN and athlete headquarters simply by not paying a damn bit of attention to what was going on around me. Apparently neither did the security guard. Clancy somehow knew what had happened when he grabbed my arm and told me Kirk didn't make it in. He'd made eye contact with the guard. Guess his Michigan garb gave him away as not an XGames athlete.
Anyway, some great pizza, a visit to the ESPN broadcasting center and a walk down the executive hallways later, we exited back onto the icy base of Aspen to check out the Snowmobile Freestyle and the Superpipe Finals. Snowmobiiles were SWEET because these massive machines were being launched off jumps right in front of us with their drivers hanging on with one or no hands performing craziness right before our eyes! Definitely worth the trip.
I can say my Uggs are not great in ice, but they do pretty well in snow, and damn are they warm. Which satisfies me as long as I have a coworker to hang onto, the purpose Kirk served by having great hiking boots that may as well have been cramp-ons.
The drive home was definitely an hour and half longer than intended, due to white out conditions for part of it, elk herds for some of it, and just terribly icy/snowy roads for the rest. Good thing Kirk was leading, he kept us sane and driving slowly for most of the trip. But when we got back on I-80 and it was 3:00 a.m. and he was still going 30 mph with 30 miles left, I said, "Sorry mate, but I can't do this for another hour," and picked it up to a speedy 45 mph. Found myself "home" at 3:30 a.m. Unfortunately, I'll probably do it again.
Blink. Awake.
It's Monday, and I need to get up and start getting my brain in work mode.
Check out Hanna's Helping for Kirk's take on the weekend (and the photos he wont' share with me).
Actual news to come, I promise! But beware, it will come all in one shot, probably tomorrow morning.
After working late on Friday night to help my sports writer coworker - Kirk Hanna - cover sports, I packed for the weekend and crashed in preparation to leave early for Steamboat skiing on Saturday.
Blink. Awake.
It's way past 6:30 a.m. Oops. Still needed to shower and get out the door. Patty began stirring... that means conversation. I got out the door at 7:30. As usual, I-80 was terrible. Driving slowly and leading a pack of Wyoming drivers, I finally got to the turnoff to head to Colorado, and the roads were thankfully better. Cruised along to music, watching the sun continue to wake up as I thought about how lucky I was to be witnessing such beautiful county.
Arrived at Steamboat at around 10:30 a.m. The fella at pay parking let me park for free, then I "bought" ski poles at Christy's Sports under the pretense of renting them. The day was awesome! Deep snow, sweet slopes, cool people, fantastic weather! Just wish I'd had someone to share it with, or even just a camera to take pictures! Definitely got a great workout on the first run down Easy Face over there on the outskirts of the resort. Decided to try to go through the gully in the deep snow instead of down the long runout... and ended up hiking out. Was knee deep in heavy powder with skis on- can't imagine trying to walk out! I'd have been up to my chest in snow!
At the end of the day, I hopped off the slopes and hit the road to get back to Craig, CO to meet up with the coworkers, Kirk and Clancy. Clancy has the city beat and also enjoys writing about Wamsutter, WY. It's a dinky little town that for some reason has him fascinated.
Perfect timing in Craig, though the guys will say I was unclear about where I'd be. They just didn't listen. Typical guys. Stocked up on some goods for the road and started road trippin' to Aspen.
Darkness fell, Clancy and I got to work as passengers. Nah, no need for navigator, shot gun, whatever you call it. Just annoying drinking buddies. Good thing Kirk didn't mind because I was really craving that beer after a day of skiing. Bonding ensued. And laughter. Much laughter. Those boys are crazy. In fact, I think I can say that it was this leg of the trip that Kirk rapped in chicken lingo to a song. That's right, "bak bak baaaak bak-bak-bak..." You had to be there.
Next stop: Glenwood Springs. Just long enough to check in, change, and hit the road again for Aspen. XGames were finished for the night, but Kirk had a stellar showing with Helly Hansen gear. And I quote:
One of the guys: Man, Argentinians are good looking people.
Me: Yeah, that guy was hot!
Kirk: They have cool names too - one of their name's was Helly, it was written on her butt, Helly Hansen.
[Clancy and I look at each other]
Clancy: Uh, Kirk? Helly Hansen is ski gear. I don't even ski and I know that.
Good stuff. He didn't live that down, nor will he. And apparently I won't live down my confession of charging interest to classmates as a child, because Clancy handed me a check today saying, "I added two dollars interest."
At the bar Bentley at the Wheeler, yes, I did flirt with the guys at the bar to get drinks for my coworkers. The problem is when I do that, as a reporter, I tend to find something interesting about them, and wind up talking to them much longer than planned. This time it was because one works for Luftansa in Denver and the other for U.S. Customs in Denver. For anyone who knows me, can you figure out why this matters?
Back to Glenwood Springs for drinks, meeting up with Chris Riley & Co. and Karl, Kristin and Jimbo. Hit up Hippy Dippity Springs, the springs situated next to the ice-cold river. Would be a beautiful location if it wasn't under the highway and serviced by a massive drainpipe that looks like it is spilling out sewage. Good ol' hot springs. Always sketchy whenever they are free.
Blink. Awake.
It's 8:00 and Clancy's damn cell phone alarm has been chiming "Oh When the Saints Go Marching In" for the past half hour. I couldn't sleep any longer, so I decided everyone else had to get up too. They were great, pulling themselves together to get to the slopes for skiing.
Clancy's a quick learner! He was tearing down the slopes to the hazard of those around him, but overall, a good showing from the athletic young chap wearing women's clothes (he had borrowed my warm ups, ski hat and gloves). And Kirk thinks he was slowing us down on the chutes, but what he doesn't understand is we don't give a crap if we're skiing or talking while waiting... the point about it all is we're together and on the slopes. So just for the rest of you, if you come out, don't feel like you're holding us up!!
Sunlight's a good resort, but I'll still choose Winter Park over it all so far. Nothing beats the trees and mogul playgrounds there!
Next up: Aspen XGames. Coffee. Food. Found myself inside the ESPN and athlete headquarters simply by not paying a damn bit of attention to what was going on around me. Apparently neither did the security guard. Clancy somehow knew what had happened when he grabbed my arm and told me Kirk didn't make it in. He'd made eye contact with the guard. Guess his Michigan garb gave him away as not an XGames athlete.
Anyway, some great pizza, a visit to the ESPN broadcasting center and a walk down the executive hallways later, we exited back onto the icy base of Aspen to check out the Snowmobile Freestyle and the Superpipe Finals. Snowmobiiles were SWEET because these massive machines were being launched off jumps right in front of us with their drivers hanging on with one or no hands performing craziness right before our eyes! Definitely worth the trip.
I can say my Uggs are not great in ice, but they do pretty well in snow, and damn are they warm. Which satisfies me as long as I have a coworker to hang onto, the purpose Kirk served by having great hiking boots that may as well have been cramp-ons.
The drive home was definitely an hour and half longer than intended, due to white out conditions for part of it, elk herds for some of it, and just terribly icy/snowy roads for the rest. Good thing Kirk was leading, he kept us sane and driving slowly for most of the trip. But when we got back on I-80 and it was 3:00 a.m. and he was still going 30 mph with 30 miles left, I said, "Sorry mate, but I can't do this for another hour," and picked it up to a speedy 45 mph. Found myself "home" at 3:30 a.m. Unfortunately, I'll probably do it again.
Blink. Awake.
It's Monday, and I need to get up and start getting my brain in work mode.
Check out Hanna's Helping for Kirk's take on the weekend (and the photos he wont' share with me).
Actual news to come, I promise! But beware, it will come all in one shot, probably tomorrow morning.
CCHEC students increase
• Higher education enrollment increase stems from more aggressive marketing.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Year-end enrollment reports throughout the county show that numbers are up in higher education, but have dropped for Carbon County school districts 1 and 2.
In a constant roller coaster of incoming and outgoing families, Carbon County School District 2 is on the downward trend. At the start of the school year, there were 683 children enrolled, while January’s numbers showed 663. Between December and January alone, the district lost five students.
“Those are significant numbers,” District 2 Superintendent Bob Gates said. “We’re in a down phase right now. Last year, we were in an up phase. We’re hoping real soon here we’ll go back up again. It’s hard when the numbers go up and down.” He expressed the value of having a stable student population for budgeting, staffing and other school planning.
Gates acknowledged that the falling student population in his district this winter could be affected by the flow of energy workers from companies like Sinclair Oil for the winter.
The enrollment report for Carbon County School District 1 also showed a student population decrease from 1,875 in August to 1,798 in December. Between November and December of last year, the district lost nine students. The January figures have not yet been gathered. District 1 officials were unable to accurately pinpoint any reason for the decrease.
Meanwhile, Patty Pedersen, academic advisor for the Carbon County Higher Education Center, reported that the total number of full-time and part-time students at the school has increased by five from the spring 2007 semester. In January of last year, the education center had 139 students, while this semester there are 144 enrolled.
Carbon County Higher Education Center Director Dave Throgmorton attributed the higher number to the aggressive marketing done by his staff.
“Patty, in particular, has been very effective about talking to students who have been here in the past,” he said. “People are responsive. They know they had a goal. And then they get a phone call that says, ‘hey, get in here.’”
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Year-end enrollment reports throughout the county show that numbers are up in higher education, but have dropped for Carbon County school districts 1 and 2.
In a constant roller coaster of incoming and outgoing families, Carbon County School District 2 is on the downward trend. At the start of the school year, there were 683 children enrolled, while January’s numbers showed 663. Between December and January alone, the district lost five students.
“Those are significant numbers,” District 2 Superintendent Bob Gates said. “We’re in a down phase right now. Last year, we were in an up phase. We’re hoping real soon here we’ll go back up again. It’s hard when the numbers go up and down.” He expressed the value of having a stable student population for budgeting, staffing and other school planning.
Gates acknowledged that the falling student population in his district this winter could be affected by the flow of energy workers from companies like Sinclair Oil for the winter.
The enrollment report for Carbon County School District 1 also showed a student population decrease from 1,875 in August to 1,798 in December. Between November and December of last year, the district lost nine students. The January figures have not yet been gathered. District 1 officials were unable to accurately pinpoint any reason for the decrease.
Meanwhile, Patty Pedersen, academic advisor for the Carbon County Higher Education Center, reported that the total number of full-time and part-time students at the school has increased by five from the spring 2007 semester. In January of last year, the education center had 139 students, while this semester there are 144 enrolled.
Carbon County Higher Education Center Director Dave Throgmorton attributed the higher number to the aggressive marketing done by his staff.
“Patty, in particular, has been very effective about talking to students who have been here in the past,” he said. “People are responsive. They know they had a goal. And then they get a phone call that says, ‘hey, get in here.’”
Kids Campus family should grow
Two in a row! (Another front-pager with photo)!
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The Kids’ Campus, an extension of the Carbon County Higher Education Center, plans to expand in size as well as numbers as it seeks to contract with Memorial Hospital of Carbon County to care for the hospital staff’s children.
Working in symbiosis with the community, the Kids’ Campus previously adopted children of penitentiary workers into its initial community of youngsters from the higher education center. It now plans to add to its family 28 new slots set aside for the hospital in an agreement awaiting approval by representatives from each party.
Kids’ Campus officials planned to expand their facilities when the taekwondo center vacated the property connected to the child care center’s playground, Kids’ Campus Director Nicole Wright said. “The landlord offered it to us and we took it, because the current space does not provide much room for the kids.”
The new lease creates a courtyard complex with two buildings on either side of the playground. The infants and “wobblers,” up to age 2, should receive care in the new building while the toddlers, the “pre-pre-schoolers,” and the preschoolers, from ages 3 to 5, should remain in the older building, Wright said.
Some renovation is required for the new building to be fully functional for the Kids’ Campus, Carbon County Higher Education Center Director Dave Throgmorton said. Throgmorton hopes work begins in the next few weeks so the complex can be open by the end of March.
The hospital saw the opportunity to negotiate with Kids’ Campus officials when it signed the new lease, said Nurse Manager Dawn Dingman. Wright said the expansion had been arranged when the hospital began expressing interest in adding children to the Kids’ Campus.
“It would give our staff a place to take kids without having to take classes,” Dingman said. Currently, it is hard to find infant day care, a specialty of the Kids’ Campus, in Rawlins, Dingman said.
Once the contract is finalized and signed, the hospital can add another tool to its belt in recruiting future employees. “It was one of (the nursing community’s) suggestions to get childcare as a recruiting tool,” Dingman said.
The 28 slots should be open to all members of the hospital staff, she said. The number is based on surveys issued by the hospital board where employees had the opportunity to express their needs. The numbers have been adjusted to accommodate the children of new employees.
The Kids’ Campus currently receives two-thirds of its funding from the higher education center, while the penitentiary contributes one-third of the funding, Wright said. She expects the contract to contain the hospital’s contribution for the expansion. “(The hospital’s subsidy) is important so we can continue to have our employees,” she said.
Wright spoke of retaining folks of the caliber of Tera Voss, the preschool teacher at the Kids’ Campus. From Encampment, Voss received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Wyoming. “We’re glad to have her,” Wright said. “She has so much knowledge.”
The contract between the hospital and Kids’ Campus officials should be ironed out by the next hospital board meeting on Feb. 28 at 5:15 p.m. The hospital has made a verbal agreement, but the official contract has yet to be written, Wright said.
The future is bright
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Building and occupancy expansions are the immediate focuses for Kids’ Campus officials, but Carbon County Higher Education Center Director Dave Throgmorton said he sees other advances in the future of the Kids’ Campus.
“We are exploring the possibility of a brand new Carbon County higher education facility,” he said. The school contracted with Pedersen Planning Consulting, based in Encampment, to evaluate its needs — staffing, space and curriculum. Funded by a grant from the Wyoming Business Council, the evaluation should be finished by early February.
“Before we get carried away with this space that we’re leasing,” Throgmorton said, “we want to see what their report says about a permanent home for the higher education center.”
Also in the works at the Kids’ Campus is the possibility of developing the child care center into what Throgmorton called a laboratory school. “I would like to see it as a place to teach nutrition and parenting skills to parents, and maybe neonatal skills to future parents,” he said.
Such skills are currently being taught at various places around Rawlins, but Throgmorton hopes the Kids’ Campus might become the primary place to hold such classes. “I’m not anxious to step on toes,” he said.
The laboratory school would be both a place to bring parents into their child’s learning and a place for the Carbon County Higher Education Center to expand its curriculum. Higher learning in elementary education, curriculum development and other courses could be fostered there.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The Kids’ Campus, an extension of the Carbon County Higher Education Center, plans to expand in size as well as numbers as it seeks to contract with Memorial Hospital of Carbon County to care for the hospital staff’s children.
Working in symbiosis with the community, the Kids’ Campus previously adopted children of penitentiary workers into its initial community of youngsters from the higher education center. It now plans to add to its family 28 new slots set aside for the hospital in an agreement awaiting approval by representatives from each party.
Kids’ Campus officials planned to expand their facilities when the taekwondo center vacated the property connected to the child care center’s playground, Kids’ Campus Director Nicole Wright said. “The landlord offered it to us and we took it, because the current space does not provide much room for the kids.”
The new lease creates a courtyard complex with two buildings on either side of the playground. The infants and “wobblers,” up to age 2, should receive care in the new building while the toddlers, the “pre-pre-schoolers,” and the preschoolers, from ages 3 to 5, should remain in the older building, Wright said.
Some renovation is required for the new building to be fully functional for the Kids’ Campus, Carbon County Higher Education Center Director Dave Throgmorton said. Throgmorton hopes work begins in the next few weeks so the complex can be open by the end of March.
The hospital saw the opportunity to negotiate with Kids’ Campus officials when it signed the new lease, said Nurse Manager Dawn Dingman. Wright said the expansion had been arranged when the hospital began expressing interest in adding children to the Kids’ Campus.
“It would give our staff a place to take kids without having to take classes,” Dingman said. Currently, it is hard to find infant day care, a specialty of the Kids’ Campus, in Rawlins, Dingman said.
Once the contract is finalized and signed, the hospital can add another tool to its belt in recruiting future employees. “It was one of (the nursing community’s) suggestions to get childcare as a recruiting tool,” Dingman said.
The 28 slots should be open to all members of the hospital staff, she said. The number is based on surveys issued by the hospital board where employees had the opportunity to express their needs. The numbers have been adjusted to accommodate the children of new employees.
The Kids’ Campus currently receives two-thirds of its funding from the higher education center, while the penitentiary contributes one-third of the funding, Wright said. She expects the contract to contain the hospital’s contribution for the expansion. “(The hospital’s subsidy) is important so we can continue to have our employees,” she said.
Wright spoke of retaining folks of the caliber of Tera Voss, the preschool teacher at the Kids’ Campus. From Encampment, Voss received her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Wyoming. “We’re glad to have her,” Wright said. “She has so much knowledge.”
The contract between the hospital and Kids’ Campus officials should be ironed out by the next hospital board meeting on Feb. 28 at 5:15 p.m. The hospital has made a verbal agreement, but the official contract has yet to be written, Wright said.
The future is bright
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Building and occupancy expansions are the immediate focuses for Kids’ Campus officials, but Carbon County Higher Education Center Director Dave Throgmorton said he sees other advances in the future of the Kids’ Campus.
“We are exploring the possibility of a brand new Carbon County higher education facility,” he said. The school contracted with Pedersen Planning Consulting, based in Encampment, to evaluate its needs — staffing, space and curriculum. Funded by a grant from the Wyoming Business Council, the evaluation should be finished by early February.
“Before we get carried away with this space that we’re leasing,” Throgmorton said, “we want to see what their report says about a permanent home for the higher education center.”
Also in the works at the Kids’ Campus is the possibility of developing the child care center into what Throgmorton called a laboratory school. “I would like to see it as a place to teach nutrition and parenting skills to parents, and maybe neonatal skills to future parents,” he said.
Such skills are currently being taught at various places around Rawlins, but Throgmorton hopes the Kids’ Campus might become the primary place to hold such classes. “I’m not anxious to step on toes,” he said.
The laboratory school would be both a place to bring parents into their child’s learning and a place for the Carbon County Higher Education Center to expand its curriculum. Higher learning in elementary education, curriculum development and other courses could be fostered there.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Land trade in the works
Another front-pager!
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Medicine Bow officials and the Carbon County District 2 School Board have hatched a land exchange plan that should be a boost to the eastern Carbon County town.
Standing in Medicine Bow’s village square is a dilapidated building acquired years ago by the town. Its windows are broken and it currently houses bones belonging to the paleontology department of the University of Colorado at Denver, but has been unused by the school for some time.
“It has become more of a liability than an asset,” Town Councilman Troy Maddox said. “We are out $5 million before we can even get into (that building).” He said the council was unable to market it to anyone throughout the years of ownership.
On the outskirts of town is a building about 25 years old, still in good shape. It’s Medicine Bow Elementary School. At 78,000 square feet, the building is too large for the amount of kids that use it.
“About two-thirds of our building is moth balls,” Superintendent Bob Gates said. “Maybe it’s time to think about building something much smaller in a better location for our kids.”
Enter the land exchange, where the school district acquires the village-square property in exchange for the elementary school building on the outskirts of town. The town then relieves itself of a liability and gains a building appropriately sized to market to out-of-area entities like the University of Colorado, various contracting firms and incoming energy companies.
The school district plans to demolish the building currently standing in the village square and erect a new school with more appropriate square footage in its place.
The new building would be in the “perfect location for an elementary school,” Gates said. “(The property) is right in the middle of town. It has a lot of protection from the wind and elements with trees and homes. It’s easy for kids to get to. They don’t have to cross any major streets to get to the school.”
With the 78,000 square foot building in its ownership, Medicine Bow would have more than potential office space to offer out-of-town businesses. It could also open the gymnasium to the community as a recreation center or health club with the financial help of energy firms wanting to entertain employees. Even the cafeteria has promise for the town, Maddox said. “It holds quite a few people” for conferences or meetings, he said.
“The town has the chance to get the old building to come down and put something new in its place,” Gates said. “They also get to take ownership of a building where it’s more cost effective to fix it up than the old one.”
With a memorandum in the works that will outline a three-way agreement between the school board, the Medicine Bow Town Council and the School Facilities Commission, all parties are actively and eagerly pursuing their end of the deal. The memorandum is scheduled to be written and reviewed at the next Carbon County District 2 School Board meeting.
The School Facilities Commission covers the tie that binds — funding. School Facilities Commission Assistant Director Donna Murray said the memorandum should outline funding provided by the commission for asbestos abatement and demolition of the village-square property. It is also scheduled to cover the construction of the new 10,000 square foot building.
“We will provide funding (for the school) and some technical assistance through our project managers,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Medicine Bow Town Council is searching for grants with the help of the Carbon County Economic Development Corporation to cover renovations in the current elementary school if the memorandum is signed.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Medicine Bow officials and the Carbon County District 2 School Board have hatched a land exchange plan that should be a boost to the eastern Carbon County town.
Standing in Medicine Bow’s village square is a dilapidated building acquired years ago by the town. Its windows are broken and it currently houses bones belonging to the paleontology department of the University of Colorado at Denver, but has been unused by the school for some time.
“It has become more of a liability than an asset,” Town Councilman Troy Maddox said. “We are out $5 million before we can even get into (that building).” He said the council was unable to market it to anyone throughout the years of ownership.
On the outskirts of town is a building about 25 years old, still in good shape. It’s Medicine Bow Elementary School. At 78,000 square feet, the building is too large for the amount of kids that use it.
“About two-thirds of our building is moth balls,” Superintendent Bob Gates said. “Maybe it’s time to think about building something much smaller in a better location for our kids.”
Enter the land exchange, where the school district acquires the village-square property in exchange for the elementary school building on the outskirts of town. The town then relieves itself of a liability and gains a building appropriately sized to market to out-of-area entities like the University of Colorado, various contracting firms and incoming energy companies.
The school district plans to demolish the building currently standing in the village square and erect a new school with more appropriate square footage in its place.
The new building would be in the “perfect location for an elementary school,” Gates said. “(The property) is right in the middle of town. It has a lot of protection from the wind and elements with trees and homes. It’s easy for kids to get to. They don’t have to cross any major streets to get to the school.”
With the 78,000 square foot building in its ownership, Medicine Bow would have more than potential office space to offer out-of-town businesses. It could also open the gymnasium to the community as a recreation center or health club with the financial help of energy firms wanting to entertain employees. Even the cafeteria has promise for the town, Maddox said. “It holds quite a few people” for conferences or meetings, he said.
“The town has the chance to get the old building to come down and put something new in its place,” Gates said. “They also get to take ownership of a building where it’s more cost effective to fix it up than the old one.”
With a memorandum in the works that will outline a three-way agreement between the school board, the Medicine Bow Town Council and the School Facilities Commission, all parties are actively and eagerly pursuing their end of the deal. The memorandum is scheduled to be written and reviewed at the next Carbon County District 2 School Board meeting.
The School Facilities Commission covers the tie that binds — funding. School Facilities Commission Assistant Director Donna Murray said the memorandum should outline funding provided by the commission for asbestos abatement and demolition of the village-square property. It is also scheduled to cover the construction of the new 10,000 square foot building.
“We will provide funding (for the school) and some technical assistance through our project managers,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Medicine Bow Town Council is searching for grants with the help of the Carbon County Economic Development Corporation to cover renovations in the current elementary school if the memorandum is signed.
Friday, January 25, 2008
'Toga beats Miners 84-69
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
It was a hard fought game, but the Panthers landed on their feet with a 84-69 victory against the male Miners on Friday night in the Platte Valley.
The high-scoring game did not see strong defense from either team, said Saratoga High School coach Rex Hohnholt. Instead, the scoring was high.
For Saratoga, Jake Johnston went up for 35 points. Also in the double digits, David Capozzoli bucketed 20 points while Hayden Hohnholt came out with 16. Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow was not far behind as Matt Larson raked in 22 points, Matt Mayfield had 15 and Justin Palm had 12.
It was a story of strep throat this week for Hohnholt’s team. Seven of his 12 players were home sick throughout the week, leaving four at practice at any given time. They all returned for Friday’s game. “It’s hard to tell them they can’t play,” Hohnholt said. “They went in and did well.”
With a lacking defense, the Panther offense was on their game. They shot the ball well, coming at the basket from the inside and outside.
The Panthers had not won the game by the time halftime came around. Ahead by 10 points as they walked back out from the locker rooms, the Panthers took off from the Miners in the third quarter with enough of a lead that HEM just could not catch them.
The Miners gave Saratoga a run for its money by working the ball inside to the guys they needed to hit, Hohnholt said. The Miner’s 6-foot 5-inch players towered over their 6-foot opponents, making it easy for them to get inside twos.
HEM goes to Little Snake River Valley School at 3 p.m. on Saturday, while the Panthers host Wyoming Indian at the same time.
Times staff writer
It was a hard fought game, but the Panthers landed on their feet with a 84-69 victory against the male Miners on Friday night in the Platte Valley.
The high-scoring game did not see strong defense from either team, said Saratoga High School coach Rex Hohnholt. Instead, the scoring was high.
For Saratoga, Jake Johnston went up for 35 points. Also in the double digits, David Capozzoli bucketed 20 points while Hayden Hohnholt came out with 16. Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow was not far behind as Matt Larson raked in 22 points, Matt Mayfield had 15 and Justin Palm had 12.
It was a story of strep throat this week for Hohnholt’s team. Seven of his 12 players were home sick throughout the week, leaving four at practice at any given time. They all returned for Friday’s game. “It’s hard to tell them they can’t play,” Hohnholt said. “They went in and did well.”
With a lacking defense, the Panther offense was on their game. They shot the ball well, coming at the basket from the inside and outside.
The Panthers had not won the game by the time halftime came around. Ahead by 10 points as they walked back out from the locker rooms, the Panthers took off from the Miners in the third quarter with enough of a lead that HEM just could not catch them.
The Miners gave Saratoga a run for its money by working the ball inside to the guys they needed to hit, Hohnholt said. The Miner’s 6-foot 5-inch players towered over their 6-foot opponents, making it easy for them to get inside twos.
HEM goes to Little Snake River Valley School at 3 p.m. on Saturday, while the Panthers host Wyoming Indian at the same time.
Hospital recruiting tactics paying off
Another front pager!
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Once a stop for travelers on their way to anywhere and now reaping the rewards of a boom due to temporary workers, Rawlins has long struggled to retain its visitors.
When nurses are in demand nationwide, what does Memorial Hospital of Carbon County do?
They develop a recruitment and retention committee. Composed of about 10 hospital staff, the committee brainstorms ways to attract nurses to Rawlins and then devises ways to keep them here.
Three years ago, the hospital sought Filipino nurses, signing them to three-year contracts. One is still at the hospital, while others have moved to join their families in other states.
The hospital has since abandoned this tactic as the nursing shortage has eased slightly. “We’ve done different avenues,” Nurse Manager Dawn Dingman said.
One route is a connection with Western Wyoming Community College, which reinstated its nursing program. It now provides training for locals who can pour the fruits of their learning back into their community.
Additionally, said Dingman, the hospital has changed the nurses’ work week to match national standards. “We used to work four (12-hour shifts) one week and three the next,” she said. They now work 36 hours each week, generally in three shifts.
Is it working? “We have gotten two people and we are maybe working on our third,” Dingman said. Lately, most of the recruits are from Wyoming. Some previously worked at the hospital and are now returning.
Wendy Thorvaldson, intensive care unit nurse manager, mentioned adopting the 14 ideals, called forces, of magnet hospitals to attract nurses. Magnet status is an award given by the American Nurses Credentialing Center to hospitals that satisfy a set of criteria measuring the strength and quality of their nursing.
“It’s a marketing tool (for us),” Thorvaldson said. “Here in Rawlins, and with smaller hospitals, it is very difficult to even look at attaining magnet status. It requires a lot of money and a large staff. But the ideals are important, and that’s what we’re looking at.”
Another thing the hospital touts is its superior medical benefits. “I think I can say with confidence that this is hands down the best insurance (provided by a hospital) in the state,” said Art Canaday, the secretary-treasurer of the hospital board. When the employees know they are in good care, the draw to Rawlins’ hospital is strong.
Most of the hospital’s nurse-recruiting efforts are concentrated in Wyoming. They advertise in Wyoming-based nursing magazines, in newspapers and are attending a career fair in Casper on Feb. 1.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Once a stop for travelers on their way to anywhere and now reaping the rewards of a boom due to temporary workers, Rawlins has long struggled to retain its visitors.
When nurses are in demand nationwide, what does Memorial Hospital of Carbon County do?
They develop a recruitment and retention committee. Composed of about 10 hospital staff, the committee brainstorms ways to attract nurses to Rawlins and then devises ways to keep them here.
Three years ago, the hospital sought Filipino nurses, signing them to three-year contracts. One is still at the hospital, while others have moved to join their families in other states.
The hospital has since abandoned this tactic as the nursing shortage has eased slightly. “We’ve done different avenues,” Nurse Manager Dawn Dingman said.
One route is a connection with Western Wyoming Community College, which reinstated its nursing program. It now provides training for locals who can pour the fruits of their learning back into their community.
Additionally, said Dingman, the hospital has changed the nurses’ work week to match national standards. “We used to work four (12-hour shifts) one week and three the next,” she said. They now work 36 hours each week, generally in three shifts.
Is it working? “We have gotten two people and we are maybe working on our third,” Dingman said. Lately, most of the recruits are from Wyoming. Some previously worked at the hospital and are now returning.
Wendy Thorvaldson, intensive care unit nurse manager, mentioned adopting the 14 ideals, called forces, of magnet hospitals to attract nurses. Magnet status is an award given by the American Nurses Credentialing Center to hospitals that satisfy a set of criteria measuring the strength and quality of their nursing.
“It’s a marketing tool (for us),” Thorvaldson said. “Here in Rawlins, and with smaller hospitals, it is very difficult to even look at attaining magnet status. It requires a lot of money and a large staff. But the ideals are important, and that’s what we’re looking at.”
Another thing the hospital touts is its superior medical benefits. “I think I can say with confidence that this is hands down the best insurance (provided by a hospital) in the state,” said Art Canaday, the secretary-treasurer of the hospital board. When the employees know they are in good care, the draw to Rawlins’ hospital is strong.
Most of the hospital’s nurse-recruiting efforts are concentrated in Wyoming. They advertise in Wyoming-based nursing magazines, in newspapers and are attending a career fair in Casper on Feb. 1.
School to drop spring golf
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Carbon County District 1 School board member Juli Miller heralded the message that spring golf would be removed from the Wyoming High School Activities Association sports lineup during Thursday’s school board meeting.
She said the change reflected the outcome of a survey issued to gauge school sports and the time involved in participation. The decision was made in Casper two weeks ago.
Miller said many of the surveys illustrated a difficulty by teams in securing courses to use during weekends, which led to some contests having to be cut short in order for business to resume at the courses.
In other news, a revised school calendar passed its first reading Thursday night. Board members have the chance to review the calendar prior to the next meeting, at which point board members should receive final recommendations and decide whether to approve the calendar for the 2008-09 school year. Next year marks the second year in the three-year calendar survey cycle, so changes should be minor until the community again has a chance to scrutinize it.
The board officially approved a contract for Neil Terhune to become superintendent for the next two school years. Board member also approved the expulsion of four students from Rawlins Middle School. The board plans to consider the expulsion of one Rawlins High School student at 5 p.m. on Feb. 14.
In executive business, a resolution in support of hiring April Oman as a one-on-one para-educator and George Truman as a maintenance worker passed. The resolution also included the hire of two substitute teachers, Lori Voorhees and Sarah Munoz, as well as the resignations of Marc Stauffer, director of technology, and Tina Ellis, para-educator at Mountain View Elementary School. Bill Ingram, of the technology department, was terminated.
With excitement building over the School Facilities Commission’s decision to designate funding for new elementary schools in Carbon County School District 1, the school board pushed at Thursday’s meeting for a celebration of the hard work headed up by Superintendent Peggy Sanders.
After several years of trying to bring the schools to the attention of the commission, the board is momentarily resting on its laurels after seeing its schools listed on the commission’s needs index.
“It is so great that we have an educational reason to come to the SFC and ask for a new school,” board member Kristi Groshart said. She was so enthralled, she called the board to begin planning the celebration.
The rest of the board agreed that Sanders and the others who have pushed for this feat should be recognized. If the idea comes to fruition, the board envisions including community folks who have fought long and hard for gaining funding for the schools, two of which have been standing for more than 50 years.
Part of the reason the schools had been overlooked for so long was because District 1 took such good care of the buildings, board member Dave Dingman said. The commission continued to designate funding for the more poorly managed school facilities in the state.
Times staff writer
Carbon County District 1 School board member Juli Miller heralded the message that spring golf would be removed from the Wyoming High School Activities Association sports lineup during Thursday’s school board meeting.
She said the change reflected the outcome of a survey issued to gauge school sports and the time involved in participation. The decision was made in Casper two weeks ago.
Miller said many of the surveys illustrated a difficulty by teams in securing courses to use during weekends, which led to some contests having to be cut short in order for business to resume at the courses.
In other news, a revised school calendar passed its first reading Thursday night. Board members have the chance to review the calendar prior to the next meeting, at which point board members should receive final recommendations and decide whether to approve the calendar for the 2008-09 school year. Next year marks the second year in the three-year calendar survey cycle, so changes should be minor until the community again has a chance to scrutinize it.
The board officially approved a contract for Neil Terhune to become superintendent for the next two school years. Board member also approved the expulsion of four students from Rawlins Middle School. The board plans to consider the expulsion of one Rawlins High School student at 5 p.m. on Feb. 14.
In executive business, a resolution in support of hiring April Oman as a one-on-one para-educator and George Truman as a maintenance worker passed. The resolution also included the hire of two substitute teachers, Lori Voorhees and Sarah Munoz, as well as the resignations of Marc Stauffer, director of technology, and Tina Ellis, para-educator at Mountain View Elementary School. Bill Ingram, of the technology department, was terminated.
With excitement building over the School Facilities Commission’s decision to designate funding for new elementary schools in Carbon County School District 1, the school board pushed at Thursday’s meeting for a celebration of the hard work headed up by Superintendent Peggy Sanders.
After several years of trying to bring the schools to the attention of the commission, the board is momentarily resting on its laurels after seeing its schools listed on the commission’s needs index.
“It is so great that we have an educational reason to come to the SFC and ask for a new school,” board member Kristi Groshart said. She was so enthralled, she called the board to begin planning the celebration.
The rest of the board agreed that Sanders and the others who have pushed for this feat should be recognized. If the idea comes to fruition, the board envisions including community folks who have fought long and hard for gaining funding for the schools, two of which have been standing for more than 50 years.
Part of the reason the schools had been overlooked for so long was because District 1 took such good care of the buildings, board member Dave Dingman said. The commission continued to designate funding for the more poorly managed school facilities in the state.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Hospital addresses key issues
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The Memorial Hospital of Carbon County board addressed the two prominent issues — an ongoing energy savings project and a new step toward remedying hiccups in hospital finances — at its meeting Tuesday night.
The energy-savings project involves a complete overhaul of the existing heating, air-conditioning and ventilation system, and hospital windows, as well as an update on the fire-protection system. Although the approximately $2.2 million project was under way, it is currently at a standstill as the board awaits approval of the architect’s heating system by the Wyoming Department of Health.
The board elected two officers to manage an energy-savings lease. According to a movement by the board, the positions should be filled by the board chairman and the chief executive officer of the hospital.
The lease is intended to manage the cost of the project according to laws that prevent boards from entering agreements to be upheld by future board members. For example, the 10-year payment plan necessary to cover costs of the energy savings equipment requires the equipment to be leased until full payment is received. At that point, the hospital may purchase the equipment in full for $1, said attorney Kermit Brown.
The question of implementing a pay-in-advance system for elective care is second on the to-do list. “We need to do it and do it well so we’re ahead from the beginning,” the hospital’s Chief Financial Officer Florence Kostic said.
As a nonprofit, the hospital must care for its patients regardless of their financial circumstances. By having patients prepay for care, the hospital is assured to see some reimbursement from its services.
Kostic said some hospitals have already implemented this and are seeing positive reactions from patients. By addressing payment prior to care, patients can undergo procedures with fewer worries, she said.
The hospital expects to face obstacles such as physician cooperation, accurate cost estimates and consistent execution of the plan. As prepayment gets ironed out, it will be gradually implemented across the hospital departments as each shows it can effectively execute the program. The obstetrics department has already adopted the plan.
In February, the hospital board plans to visit with new physician and surgeon recruits from across the country. Drs. Manual Ybanez and Dwight Frisbee, both surgeons, and Dr. Bruce Sobko, a general physician, should meet with hospital staff and the board when they visit Rawlins. A family practitioner from Casper has postponed his visit and Dr. Clinton Seger has opted to take a position in Billings, Mont.
The board discussed changes to the health insurance program and received input from those attending the meeting. It moved to hold its decision until employee feedback has been collected.
Dr. Duane Ables reported positively on the progress of training at the Southeastern Wyoming Ambulance Service. He said many emergency medical technicians should finish training in March. He also pointed out that time was beginning to run out for hospital financial assistance, which is scheduled to end in July.
Discussing the second leading cause of death in Wyoming, colorectal cancer, the board approved receiving candidates for testing with Medicaid reimbursements ranging from $400 to $750.
In its final business, the board approved several items including the completion of the mammography survey, a plan required for hospital bed use, the state-required hospital program analysis and integration, a cohesive abbreviation list as required by the state and the allied health policy. All of these were previously reviewed and approved by the medical staff and appropriate committees before coming to the board.
The next board meeting is set for Thursday, Feb. 28 at 5:15 p.m. at the hospital.
Times staff writer
The Memorial Hospital of Carbon County board addressed the two prominent issues — an ongoing energy savings project and a new step toward remedying hiccups in hospital finances — at its meeting Tuesday night.
The energy-savings project involves a complete overhaul of the existing heating, air-conditioning and ventilation system, and hospital windows, as well as an update on the fire-protection system. Although the approximately $2.2 million project was under way, it is currently at a standstill as the board awaits approval of the architect’s heating system by the Wyoming Department of Health.
The board elected two officers to manage an energy-savings lease. According to a movement by the board, the positions should be filled by the board chairman and the chief executive officer of the hospital.
The lease is intended to manage the cost of the project according to laws that prevent boards from entering agreements to be upheld by future board members. For example, the 10-year payment plan necessary to cover costs of the energy savings equipment requires the equipment to be leased until full payment is received. At that point, the hospital may purchase the equipment in full for $1, said attorney Kermit Brown.
The question of implementing a pay-in-advance system for elective care is second on the to-do list. “We need to do it and do it well so we’re ahead from the beginning,” the hospital’s Chief Financial Officer Florence Kostic said.
As a nonprofit, the hospital must care for its patients regardless of their financial circumstances. By having patients prepay for care, the hospital is assured to see some reimbursement from its services.
Kostic said some hospitals have already implemented this and are seeing positive reactions from patients. By addressing payment prior to care, patients can undergo procedures with fewer worries, she said.
The hospital expects to face obstacles such as physician cooperation, accurate cost estimates and consistent execution of the plan. As prepayment gets ironed out, it will be gradually implemented across the hospital departments as each shows it can effectively execute the program. The obstetrics department has already adopted the plan.
In February, the hospital board plans to visit with new physician and surgeon recruits from across the country. Drs. Manual Ybanez and Dwight Frisbee, both surgeons, and Dr. Bruce Sobko, a general physician, should meet with hospital staff and the board when they visit Rawlins. A family practitioner from Casper has postponed his visit and Dr. Clinton Seger has opted to take a position in Billings, Mont.
The board discussed changes to the health insurance program and received input from those attending the meeting. It moved to hold its decision until employee feedback has been collected.
Dr. Duane Ables reported positively on the progress of training at the Southeastern Wyoming Ambulance Service. He said many emergency medical technicians should finish training in March. He also pointed out that time was beginning to run out for hospital financial assistance, which is scheduled to end in July.
Discussing the second leading cause of death in Wyoming, colorectal cancer, the board approved receiving candidates for testing with Medicaid reimbursements ranging from $400 to $750.
In its final business, the board approved several items including the completion of the mammography survey, a plan required for hospital bed use, the state-required hospital program analysis and integration, a cohesive abbreviation list as required by the state and the allied health policy. All of these were previously reviewed and approved by the medical staff and appropriate committees before coming to the board.
The next board meeting is set for Thursday, Feb. 28 at 5:15 p.m. at the hospital.
Money issues get dealt with
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Working to plug numerous holes in the financial record-keeping process at the Carbon County Higher Education Center, Director Dave Throgmorton and accounts payable clerk Shelly Collier have made progress, certified public accountant Alexandra Wilkinson said in Thursday’s board meeting.
Many of the things she outlined have been addressed by Throgmorton and Collier, while some await attention. However, Wilkinson commended Throgmorton for calling her firm to make efforts toward correcting the holes in the system.
Wilkinson’s firm, Porter, Muirhead, Cornia and Howard, recommended instating a system of checks and balances across the board in every financial process. This would ensure the school’s accuracy with financial records, particularly in the accounts payable department.
“There is no need for more staff,” she said. She encouraged a rotation amongst the staff for performing bank functions and reconciliation of statements.
She said the school’s journals often showed disproportionate revenue or expenses when in fact the net flow was zero. She held the purchase and sale of textbooks and the funds flowing to the Kids Campus or the vocational campus as examples.
Additionally, Wilkinson worried about budget errors and monthly bank deposits. She said that budget errors often occur while comparing actual expenses to budgeted numbers. She recommended streamlining the accounting duties to avoid such errors.
Monthly bank deposits make accounting difficult because if there are errors, accounting must review a significant portion of the books to uncover it. Additionally, the time this process takes can allow for money to go missing, possibly by fraud.
Times staff writer
Working to plug numerous holes in the financial record-keeping process at the Carbon County Higher Education Center, Director Dave Throgmorton and accounts payable clerk Shelly Collier have made progress, certified public accountant Alexandra Wilkinson said in Thursday’s board meeting.
Many of the things she outlined have been addressed by Throgmorton and Collier, while some await attention. However, Wilkinson commended Throgmorton for calling her firm to make efforts toward correcting the holes in the system.
Wilkinson’s firm, Porter, Muirhead, Cornia and Howard, recommended instating a system of checks and balances across the board in every financial process. This would ensure the school’s accuracy with financial records, particularly in the accounts payable department.
“There is no need for more staff,” she said. She encouraged a rotation amongst the staff for performing bank functions and reconciliation of statements.
She said the school’s journals often showed disproportionate revenue or expenses when in fact the net flow was zero. She held the purchase and sale of textbooks and the funds flowing to the Kids Campus or the vocational campus as examples.
Additionally, Wilkinson worried about budget errors and monthly bank deposits. She said that budget errors often occur while comparing actual expenses to budgeted numbers. She recommended streamlining the accounting duties to avoid such errors.
Monthly bank deposits make accounting difficult because if there are errors, accounting must review a significant portion of the books to uncover it. Additionally, the time this process takes can allow for money to go missing, possibly by fraud.
Tigers look to zip up Baggs
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
On paper, Friday’s 5:30 p.m. game between the Encampment High School girls and Little Snake River Valley School in Baggs is even.
The Lady Tigers average 34 points, 29 rebounds and a shooting accuracy of 32 percent. The Rattlers bucket 27 points on average, grab 27 boards and have a 31-percent shooting average.
“(Encampment) played Farson at home and won by one point in overtime,” Rattlers coach Jodi Stanley said. “We played Farson at Farson and won by one point.” She hopes those games will be an accurate measuring stick of what should come out of this weekend.
Speaking of measurements, Encampment played North Park, Colo., again on Tuesday night. The Tigers came home with a 59-33 loss, but according to Krein, Encampment has improved.
“(Encampment) played better than the first time,” head coach Jami Krein said. “(My girls) scored more and held them to fewer points.”
Speaking about the upcoming game against LSRV, Krein hopes to see her defense continue to step up, though she expects good outside shooting.
Offensively, the posts should get involved early in the game to try to open some options for Encampment. Krein hopes that what worked before will work again.
Stanley expects good things out of her five players. Isabel Quinteros is the Rattlers’ leading scorer and Stanley hopes she shines in Friday’s game. Cora Foster’s height should enable her to pull down some rebounds to keep the Tigers away from the offensive boards.
The nice thing about only having five players, Stanley said, is that they’re all MVPs. “I need every one of them now,” she said.
Stanley is excited about the message coming from the statistics. With the numbers the way they are, she is positive her team can compete.
Encampment’s Saturday game against Rock River has been canceled due to too few players on the Rock River squad. The Rattlers play Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Baggs.
Times staff writer
On paper, Friday’s 5:30 p.m. game between the Encampment High School girls and Little Snake River Valley School in Baggs is even.
The Lady Tigers average 34 points, 29 rebounds and a shooting accuracy of 32 percent. The Rattlers bucket 27 points on average, grab 27 boards and have a 31-percent shooting average.
“(Encampment) played Farson at home and won by one point in overtime,” Rattlers coach Jodi Stanley said. “We played Farson at Farson and won by one point.” She hopes those games will be an accurate measuring stick of what should come out of this weekend.
Speaking of measurements, Encampment played North Park, Colo., again on Tuesday night. The Tigers came home with a 59-33 loss, but according to Krein, Encampment has improved.
“(Encampment) played better than the first time,” head coach Jami Krein said. “(My girls) scored more and held them to fewer points.”
Speaking about the upcoming game against LSRV, Krein hopes to see her defense continue to step up, though she expects good outside shooting.
Offensively, the posts should get involved early in the game to try to open some options for Encampment. Krein hopes that what worked before will work again.
Stanley expects good things out of her five players. Isabel Quinteros is the Rattlers’ leading scorer and Stanley hopes she shines in Friday’s game. Cora Foster’s height should enable her to pull down some rebounds to keep the Tigers away from the offensive boards.
The nice thing about only having five players, Stanley said, is that they’re all MVPs. “I need every one of them now,” she said.
Stanley is excited about the message coming from the statistics. With the numbers the way they are, she is positive her team can compete.
Encampment’s Saturday game against Rock River has been canceled due to too few players on the Rock River squad. The Rattlers play Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Baggs.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Hospital sitting pretty financially
Another front-pager!
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The hospital is financially sound according to auditor Tom Dingus, whose presentation at Tuesday’s board meeting indicated positive trends in Memorial Hospital of Carbon County’s financial records.
He traveled to Rawlins from Spokane Valley, Wash., to discuss the analysis of the hospital’s journals as performed by his firm, Dingus, Zarecor and Associates. The firm specializes in accounting for rural hospitals in the northwest.
Memorial Hospital of Carbon County is in the unusual position of being virtually debt-free in both the long and short term, he said. Most other hospitals are unable to claim the same feat.
Hospital board member Judy Merrill said the method adopted to maintain these figures is to avoid paying high interest on new equipment investments.
She mentioned the hospital’s new MRI machine that was paid off early last year. It took the hospital five years to complete payments on the device, which is better than average, she said.
Dingus pointed out that the cash-in to cash-out ratio is at a good flow, indicating that the hospital is steadily reinvesting in its equipment and facilities. In short, the hospital administration has been keeping its facility up to date. Again, that is an area where the hospital excels above other rural hospitals.
One problem area that appeared in the analysis was a higher-than-average percentage of uncollected payments. However, Dingus said experience reveals that bad debts are increasing across the nation, with many individuals switching to higher deductibles with their health insurance. They then often refuse to pay after receiving care.
In an effort to combat losing revenue due to bad debt, the hospital relies on three collection agencies instead of just the Carbon County Collection Agency to pursue payment from individuals.
“They generally seek payment for three to four months before classifying it as bad debt,” Merrill said. With three agencies, “we can keep them in competition, and that has worked very well for us,” she said. Each agency receives a percentage of its own collections.
Dingus wanted the hospital to push toward 120 days of cash on hand — an item in the analysis that indicates how long the hospital can function without income. Currently, the hospital sits at 60 days with CDs in local banks for emergency purposes. Merrill said part of the problem is bad debt. “If we had all our bad debt collected,” she said, “we would be at the 120 number.”
According to the numbers, the hospital is in good financial shape. Charts revealed that pricing for care is increasing sufficiently. The age of the hospital sits at a median as compared to other hospitals and Memorial Hospital of Carbon County is generating income.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The hospital is financially sound according to auditor Tom Dingus, whose presentation at Tuesday’s board meeting indicated positive trends in Memorial Hospital of Carbon County’s financial records.
He traveled to Rawlins from Spokane Valley, Wash., to discuss the analysis of the hospital’s journals as performed by his firm, Dingus, Zarecor and Associates. The firm specializes in accounting for rural hospitals in the northwest.
Memorial Hospital of Carbon County is in the unusual position of being virtually debt-free in both the long and short term, he said. Most other hospitals are unable to claim the same feat.
Hospital board member Judy Merrill said the method adopted to maintain these figures is to avoid paying high interest on new equipment investments.
She mentioned the hospital’s new MRI machine that was paid off early last year. It took the hospital five years to complete payments on the device, which is better than average, she said.
Dingus pointed out that the cash-in to cash-out ratio is at a good flow, indicating that the hospital is steadily reinvesting in its equipment and facilities. In short, the hospital administration has been keeping its facility up to date. Again, that is an area where the hospital excels above other rural hospitals.
One problem area that appeared in the analysis was a higher-than-average percentage of uncollected payments. However, Dingus said experience reveals that bad debts are increasing across the nation, with many individuals switching to higher deductibles with their health insurance. They then often refuse to pay after receiving care.
In an effort to combat losing revenue due to bad debt, the hospital relies on three collection agencies instead of just the Carbon County Collection Agency to pursue payment from individuals.
“They generally seek payment for three to four months before classifying it as bad debt,” Merrill said. With three agencies, “we can keep them in competition, and that has worked very well for us,” she said. Each agency receives a percentage of its own collections.
Dingus wanted the hospital to push toward 120 days of cash on hand — an item in the analysis that indicates how long the hospital can function without income. Currently, the hospital sits at 60 days with CDs in local banks for emergency purposes. Merrill said part of the problem is bad debt. “If we had all our bad debt collected,” she said, “we would be at the 120 number.”
According to the numbers, the hospital is in good financial shape. Charts revealed that pricing for care is increasing sufficiently. The age of the hospital sits at a median as compared to other hospitals and Memorial Hospital of Carbon County is generating income.
Miners are on the road again
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
In the midst of a killer two-week stretch, most of which is on the road, the Miners had a brief moment for a breather this week.
At the beginning of the season, the Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow boys basketball team penciled this as the toughest part of the season. After last weekend’s losses against Encampment High School (66-36) and Guernsey-Sunrise (73-57), the team is looking ahead and not behind.
Mauled by the Tigers on Friday, the Miners started off the game trying to catch up. “I like to think that if we could have stopped Encampment from coming out the way they did,” coach Clif Jones said, “we could have been in that game. But they got such a big lead so quick, the game was over before it even started.”
He reiterated Encampment’s talent, size and depth as obstacles to overcome. “We didn’t play well against them,” Jones said. “They played at a level we weren’t ready to play at yet.”
With long faces in the locker room at the end of the night, the team pinpointed one bright spot. Trevor Strauch, a Miner who had not yet sunk a foul shot during the season, went two for two on the free-throw line that night.
“In that locker room, when you get beat by 30 points like we did, it doesn’t do any good to harp about it. So we found a positive and moved on,” Jones said.
On Saturday, the Miners again let their opponent take off early, but this time they responded. “We played better, especially in the second half with the transition of their two guards,” Jones said. “One went for 26, the other went for 20. They made nine 3-pointers in the game.”
Guernsey-Sunrise returned five starters from last year’s team that played in the state tournament. Guernsey-Sunrise has been pinpointed as a strong team with talented, quick guards. If Guernsey-Sunrise still played at the 1A level, it would be in the same spot as Saratoga and Encampment as one of the top teams in the state, Jones said. As it is, they hold a record of 11-2 in the 2A conference.
Jones started freshmen Mitch Long and Charlie George in the Saturday game “to see if there was a spark,” Jones said.
“They both did a great job. Of course they were nervous, playing against probably two of the best guards in the state,” the coach said. Since HEM does not meet Guernsey-Sunrise in the conference, he felt it was safe to test the waters.
Other firsts included Matt Mayfield ending the Guernsey-Sunrise game with 10 points. It was his first time reaching double digits. Kalter Blauvelt played his premier games this week. He ended with eight points on Saturday. The old hand, Justin Palm, had a good game on Saturday with 27 points and 17 boards.
Jones leads a young team into the second weekend of tough games. The Miner starters in the Guernsey-Sunrise game included two seniors, one sophomore and two freshmen. The coach thinks they are working well together.
HEM faces the Saratoga Panthers at 7 p.m. on Friday in the Platte Valley and the Little Snake River Valley Rattlers at 3 p.m. on Saturday in Baggs.
“We’re in a long stretch of road games and important games that we’ve got to take care of,” Jones said. He expects the Saratoga guards to shoot, run and press. He wants his team to be ready to step up to a higher level.
The two teams met once earlier this season. Viewing this game as a measuring stick, Jones asked, “How far have we come since that first game?” The Miners are at about the halfway point, having played 12 games with nine left before the regional tournament.
In their back-to-back games this weekend, the Miners hope to silence the Rattlers on Saturday. They will not have anything special to bring to the court, but expect a difficult game against a talented, well-coached team.
Times staff writer
In the midst of a killer two-week stretch, most of which is on the road, the Miners had a brief moment for a breather this week.
At the beginning of the season, the Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow boys basketball team penciled this as the toughest part of the season. After last weekend’s losses against Encampment High School (66-36) and Guernsey-Sunrise (73-57), the team is looking ahead and not behind.
Mauled by the Tigers on Friday, the Miners started off the game trying to catch up. “I like to think that if we could have stopped Encampment from coming out the way they did,” coach Clif Jones said, “we could have been in that game. But they got such a big lead so quick, the game was over before it even started.”
He reiterated Encampment’s talent, size and depth as obstacles to overcome. “We didn’t play well against them,” Jones said. “They played at a level we weren’t ready to play at yet.”
With long faces in the locker room at the end of the night, the team pinpointed one bright spot. Trevor Strauch, a Miner who had not yet sunk a foul shot during the season, went two for two on the free-throw line that night.
“In that locker room, when you get beat by 30 points like we did, it doesn’t do any good to harp about it. So we found a positive and moved on,” Jones said.
On Saturday, the Miners again let their opponent take off early, but this time they responded. “We played better, especially in the second half with the transition of their two guards,” Jones said. “One went for 26, the other went for 20. They made nine 3-pointers in the game.”
Guernsey-Sunrise returned five starters from last year’s team that played in the state tournament. Guernsey-Sunrise has been pinpointed as a strong team with talented, quick guards. If Guernsey-Sunrise still played at the 1A level, it would be in the same spot as Saratoga and Encampment as one of the top teams in the state, Jones said. As it is, they hold a record of 11-2 in the 2A conference.
Jones started freshmen Mitch Long and Charlie George in the Saturday game “to see if there was a spark,” Jones said.
“They both did a great job. Of course they were nervous, playing against probably two of the best guards in the state,” the coach said. Since HEM does not meet Guernsey-Sunrise in the conference, he felt it was safe to test the waters.
Other firsts included Matt Mayfield ending the Guernsey-Sunrise game with 10 points. It was his first time reaching double digits. Kalter Blauvelt played his premier games this week. He ended with eight points on Saturday. The old hand, Justin Palm, had a good game on Saturday with 27 points and 17 boards.
Jones leads a young team into the second weekend of tough games. The Miner starters in the Guernsey-Sunrise game included two seniors, one sophomore and two freshmen. The coach thinks they are working well together.
HEM faces the Saratoga Panthers at 7 p.m. on Friday in the Platte Valley and the Little Snake River Valley Rattlers at 3 p.m. on Saturday in Baggs.
“We’re in a long stretch of road games and important games that we’ve got to take care of,” Jones said. He expects the Saratoga guards to shoot, run and press. He wants his team to be ready to step up to a higher level.
The two teams met once earlier this season. Viewing this game as a measuring stick, Jones asked, “How far have we come since that first game?” The Miners are at about the halfway point, having played 12 games with nine left before the regional tournament.
In their back-to-back games this weekend, the Miners hope to silence the Rattlers on Saturday. They will not have anything special to bring to the court, but expect a difficult game against a talented, well-coached team.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
School board talks about land issues
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Land issues were at the top of the agenda during the Carbon County District 2 School Board’s Monday meeting.
Discussions about the land exchange between Medicine Bow and the school district for the construction of a new school in Medicine Bow stood forefront as board members evaluated the intended content of the memorandum of understanding, which remains to be written.
It should outline the details of the exchange as it relates to the three involved parties — the School Facilities Commission, the town of Medicine Bow, and District 2.
“We’re all on the same page with this,” Superintendent Bob Gates said. He expects the exchange to go smoothly.
Other land business included renewing the lease from a private landowner for continued use of the garage that serves as the bus barn at Medicine Bow, an item that required attention after being previously overlooked.
As the last piece of land business, the district is currently surveying land around Elk Mountain Elementary School for future modifications. However, legal right-of-way access to the road around the school has become an issue. The town should review its land-rights records before the next district meeting, but the issue should not inhibit building progress.
The board intends to keep offering a $3,000 signing bonus to new teachers, which is provided for relocation. It is in place primarily to attract teachers fresh out of school who have bills to pay, Gates said.
The board also approved the installation of the first of three stand-alone cooling units for the computer server rooms in the district’s schools to be installed before summer. Additionally, the district intends to issue a request for bids for bleachers, continuing progress with the Saratoga Middle High School track project.
Gates presented a report stating that the school has lost five students since December. A comparison with last year showed a decrease in enrollment of 20 students during the past year.
The board agreed to continue offering breakfast options to students, based on the program’s success as reported by Gates. It also considered modifications to salaries for the activity program that might offer increased compensation based on seniority.
The next meeting should be held Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. at the central office in Saratoga.
Times staff writer
Land issues were at the top of the agenda during the Carbon County District 2 School Board’s Monday meeting.
Discussions about the land exchange between Medicine Bow and the school district for the construction of a new school in Medicine Bow stood forefront as board members evaluated the intended content of the memorandum of understanding, which remains to be written.
It should outline the details of the exchange as it relates to the three involved parties — the School Facilities Commission, the town of Medicine Bow, and District 2.
“We’re all on the same page with this,” Superintendent Bob Gates said. He expects the exchange to go smoothly.
Other land business included renewing the lease from a private landowner for continued use of the garage that serves as the bus barn at Medicine Bow, an item that required attention after being previously overlooked.
As the last piece of land business, the district is currently surveying land around Elk Mountain Elementary School for future modifications. However, legal right-of-way access to the road around the school has become an issue. The town should review its land-rights records before the next district meeting, but the issue should not inhibit building progress.
The board intends to keep offering a $3,000 signing bonus to new teachers, which is provided for relocation. It is in place primarily to attract teachers fresh out of school who have bills to pay, Gates said.
The board also approved the installation of the first of three stand-alone cooling units for the computer server rooms in the district’s schools to be installed before summer. Additionally, the district intends to issue a request for bids for bleachers, continuing progress with the Saratoga Middle High School track project.
Gates presented a report stating that the school has lost five students since December. A comparison with last year showed a decrease in enrollment of 20 students during the past year.
The board agreed to continue offering breakfast options to students, based on the program’s success as reported by Gates. It also considered modifications to salaries for the activity program that might offer increased compensation based on seniority.
The next meeting should be held Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 4 p.m. at the central office in Saratoga.
Panthers earn weekend split
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The Lady Panthers returned home after a traveling weekend with a Friday win against Farson-Eden, 42-36, and a loss to Cokeville on Saturday, 71-41.
Saratoga High School coach Josh Sandlian saw his girls leave the bus without their heads in the game on Friday evening. “We were a little shaky in the first part, and our shots just weren’t falling,” he said.
The Panthers were also having trouble finding a defensive game that would work against Farson-Eden. Trying to shut down a couple of standout guards, Saratoga waffled between defending a man and a zone.
Despite several points at which the two teams were tied, Sandlian’s team led going into the second half. They maintained the advantage — leading by as many as 11 points at one point — up until the buzzer.
“(Farson-Eden) fought back to make it a close game at the end, but we did what we had to do to win,” Sandlian said.
The girls fine tuned their shooting in practice. Sandlian set the goal of 60 shots per game, and on Friday Saratoga just about reached it with 58. Unfortunately, they bucketed just 15 of those.
“We’ll be home for the next three weeks,” Sandlian said. “I’ve told them that we should have the chance to sink shots in our home gym.”
The Panthers had a lazy first half in Saturday’s game on Cokeville’s turf. After spending the night in Rock Springs, it seemed to suddenly hit home that the team had spent most of its season on the road, Sandlian said.
When they started the weekend, the Panthers “felt confident that if (they) beat the press, (they) could do well,” Sandlian said. However, their first half was rough. Channing Love earned a call for traveling as well as four fouls before halftime. The score was 44-19 in favor of Cokeville as the teams went into the locker room.
“I told the girls, ‘you girls need to find a way to win,’” Sandlian said. “The coaches can’t do it for you, your parents can’t do it for you. You and your teammates have to find it. You just have to want it.”
The pep talk paid off in the second half, as Saratoga stepped up to limit Cokeville to 27 points while they raked in 22. “They found a way to fight back and keep it close,” Sandlian said.
Returning home this weekend, Saratoga should play Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Wyoming Indian at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Times staff writer
The Lady Panthers returned home after a traveling weekend with a Friday win against Farson-Eden, 42-36, and a loss to Cokeville on Saturday, 71-41.
Saratoga High School coach Josh Sandlian saw his girls leave the bus without their heads in the game on Friday evening. “We were a little shaky in the first part, and our shots just weren’t falling,” he said.
The Panthers were also having trouble finding a defensive game that would work against Farson-Eden. Trying to shut down a couple of standout guards, Saratoga waffled between defending a man and a zone.
Despite several points at which the two teams were tied, Sandlian’s team led going into the second half. They maintained the advantage — leading by as many as 11 points at one point — up until the buzzer.
“(Farson-Eden) fought back to make it a close game at the end, but we did what we had to do to win,” Sandlian said.
The girls fine tuned their shooting in practice. Sandlian set the goal of 60 shots per game, and on Friday Saratoga just about reached it with 58. Unfortunately, they bucketed just 15 of those.
“We’ll be home for the next three weeks,” Sandlian said. “I’ve told them that we should have the chance to sink shots in our home gym.”
The Panthers had a lazy first half in Saturday’s game on Cokeville’s turf. After spending the night in Rock Springs, it seemed to suddenly hit home that the team had spent most of its season on the road, Sandlian said.
When they started the weekend, the Panthers “felt confident that if (they) beat the press, (they) could do well,” Sandlian said. However, their first half was rough. Channing Love earned a call for traveling as well as four fouls before halftime. The score was 44-19 in favor of Cokeville as the teams went into the locker room.
“I told the girls, ‘you girls need to find a way to win,’” Sandlian said. “The coaches can’t do it for you, your parents can’t do it for you. You and your teammates have to find it. You just have to want it.”
The pep talk paid off in the second half, as Saratoga stepped up to limit Cokeville to 27 points while they raked in 22. “They found a way to fight back and keep it close,” Sandlian said.
Returning home this weekend, Saratoga should play Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and Wyoming Indian at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Miners dig too deep
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Playing three game in three days, the Lady Miners felt the effects on Saturday as they lost to Guernsey-Sunrise by 13 points, 47-34.
“We just dug too deep of a hole (in the first half),” Miner coach Jackie Jones said. Her team was up against a deep bench and a crew that liked to push the ball.
The scoreboard read 24-13 going into the second half, but the Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow girls rallied to close the gap. Their aggressiveness stopped the Guernsey-Sunrise offense, putting HEM point for point with its opponent. The Miners allowed only one unanswered two-pointer in that half.
“We kept fighting and kept working on Saturday,” Jones said. “We played to the buzzer.” Overall, the coach was pleased with her team’s performance, given all the adverse factors. “We hustled and had great transition defense,” she said.
Amanda Booth topped the scoring charts with 12 points, followed by Jennifer Korkow with 11. Penny Blauvelt contributed six points. Sarah McAtee led the team in rebounds with 15, assisted by teammates Blauvelt, with nine, and Korkow, with seven. Booth also had eight steals. Jones mentioned a positive performance from freshman Barbie Croteau who stepped into Saturday’s varsity game to deepen the Miner bench.
Times staff writer
Playing three game in three days, the Lady Miners felt the effects on Saturday as they lost to Guernsey-Sunrise by 13 points, 47-34.
“We just dug too deep of a hole (in the first half),” Miner coach Jackie Jones said. Her team was up against a deep bench and a crew that liked to push the ball.
The scoreboard read 24-13 going into the second half, but the Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow girls rallied to close the gap. Their aggressiveness stopped the Guernsey-Sunrise offense, putting HEM point for point with its opponent. The Miners allowed only one unanswered two-pointer in that half.
“We kept fighting and kept working on Saturday,” Jones said. “We played to the buzzer.” Overall, the coach was pleased with her team’s performance, given all the adverse factors. “We hustled and had great transition defense,” she said.
Amanda Booth topped the scoring charts with 12 points, followed by Jennifer Korkow with 11. Penny Blauvelt contributed six points. Sarah McAtee led the team in rebounds with 15, assisted by teammates Blauvelt, with nine, and Korkow, with seven. Booth also had eight steals. Jones mentioned a positive performance from freshman Barbie Croteau who stepped into Saturday’s varsity game to deepen the Miner bench.
Chug too massive for Tigers
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
The Encampment girls lost to Chugwater on Saturday, 35-33.
The Tigers fell behind in the first quarter by five and “just couldn’t make up the deficit,” coach Jami Krein said.
Offensively, the girls were up against a tough crowd. Chugwater presented a half-court trap that forced Encampment to adjust its game. Free throws also proved difficult, as the ladies sunk four of 13.
Still, the Tigers achieved one of their goals. Hoping to get the posts more involved, Krein said her team left the game with increased scoring from that position.
“We weren’t sure what to expect,” Krein said. She mentioned the sophomore Chugwater star Kristine Hilger, who’s had a strong season and gave Encampment a good show.
The squad had solid teamwork as six girls scored, including high scorer Jamie Marchetti, who had 10. Mackenzie Rakness walked off with seven points, Kindle Soderberg with six and Chelsea Knotwell bucketed five, Lacey Hooker had three and Shelby Wilder shot two.
Despite the loss to Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow on Friday, the girls were confident going into Saturday’s game. “We had beaten (Chugwater) twice last year,” Krein said. “That may have been part of our problem, starting the game off with a bit of overconfidence.”
Times staff writer
The Encampment girls lost to Chugwater on Saturday, 35-33.
The Tigers fell behind in the first quarter by five and “just couldn’t make up the deficit,” coach Jami Krein said.
Offensively, the girls were up against a tough crowd. Chugwater presented a half-court trap that forced Encampment to adjust its game. Free throws also proved difficult, as the ladies sunk four of 13.
Still, the Tigers achieved one of their goals. Hoping to get the posts more involved, Krein said her team left the game with increased scoring from that position.
“We weren’t sure what to expect,” Krein said. She mentioned the sophomore Chugwater star Kristine Hilger, who’s had a strong season and gave Encampment a good show.
The squad had solid teamwork as six girls scored, including high scorer Jamie Marchetti, who had 10. Mackenzie Rakness walked off with seven points, Kindle Soderberg with six and Chelsea Knotwell bucketed five, Lacey Hooker had three and Shelby Wilder shot two.
Despite the loss to Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow on Friday, the girls were confident going into Saturday’s game. “We had beaten (Chugwater) twice last year,” Krein said. “That may have been part of our problem, starting the game off with a bit of overconfidence.”
Monday, January 21, 2008
When the weather outside is frightful...
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter
As January nears its close and February prepares to breathe its icy frost across Wyoming roads, drivers should take time to update their vehicle survival kits and check their planning methods.
With plenty of cars and trucks sliding off the roads, Wyoming Department of Transportation officials say their employees have seen it all.
“We’ll get truckers coming through from warmer climates like California,” WyDOT representative Ross Doman said. “They’ll slide off the road, and you wouldn’t believe it. They’ll get out of their cabs in the blowing snow in shorts, T-shirts and sandals.”
Though they are more accustomed to handling adverse conditions, even the best Wyoming drivers should be prepared.
WyDOT provides a running list of items to be considered in the event of getting caught in less-than-ideal conditions.
Dave Kingham, in the public affairs office of WyDOT, said having a cell phone and a charger are of utmost importance. It gives the driver the opportunity to notify either highway patrol or the county sheriff of their condition and to get help as quickly as possible.
If caught in one of the many areas of Wyoming outside of cellular reception, Doman and Kingham both recommend staying with the car.
“How would you know where cell reception is?” Doman asked. “You really shouldn’t move. A plow driver should come along before too long, or the road will reopen and traffic will pick up again. It’s very rare that a road is closed longer than three days.” Kingham said closures average six to eight hours.
“Even if you think you’re relatively close to a town or a house, don’t try to walk to it,” Kingham said. “Bad visibility makes it very easy to get disoriented. In your car you’re protected. You’re also a bigger target for someone to find.” He said WyDOT plow drivers and troopers sweep the highway immediately after road closures to find stray vehicles.
A year ago, a West Coast family took a wrong turn in Oregon and was stranded in the snow for more than a week. The driver eventually left the vehicle to find help, but died en route. The rest of the family was found two days later by a helicopter. They had survived on bottled water, baby food and jelly. The event spurred WyDOT officials and others to talk more in depth about survival and rescue methods.
Neither representative had a specific answer for how long a person can live in a stranded vehicle. Doman considered it a medical issue.
“What we’re talking about is how long a person can survive without food and water, in the cold. It really isn’t something that has a set number,” Doman said. He listed aspects to consider, including one’s age, health, general fitness and how much fuel the car has.
Having a full tank enables the victim to turn the heater on for 10 to 15 minutes every hour to stay warm, he said. Just be sure to clear the area by the tailpipe to avoid carbon monoxide accumulation.
In addition to following preparation guidelines, Kingham recommended communicating with people in your destination. Always let someone know the intended route and the estimated time of arrival, he said. “That way, if you don’t get there, someone can have a good idea of where to look,” he said.
“What it comes down to is if you bring (your survival) items, clearly you’re preparing for the worst case scenario. You go off the road, maybe you flip your vehicle, you’re injured and you could be there a while. The more you listen to those suggestions the better off you’re going to be,” Doman said. “You never know, you might end up spending the night in your car.”
Official name common problem areas
Wyoming Department of Transportation public affairs representative Dave Kingham and spokesman Ross Doman outlined three of the most common reasons drivers encounter problems on Wyoming roads.
Often, drivers make ill-informed decisions. WyDOT recommends dialing 511 or using its Web site to get up to date and detailed information on road conditions.
Cruise control reduces the driver’s feel for the road, so the person is unable to detect slippage on black ice or other dangerous situations. It is often set in ideal conditions, but those conditions can change quickly, Kingham said. Paired with an automatic transmission, the car will downshift to maintain speed on hills. The added power will cause the wheels to slip and the driver to lose control, the pair said.
Most drivers attempt to drive faster than conditions permit. Interstate 80 closures between Rawlins and Cheyenne would often be unnecessary if drivers paid attention to the conditions and drove appropriately, Doman said.
Times staff reporter
As January nears its close and February prepares to breathe its icy frost across Wyoming roads, drivers should take time to update their vehicle survival kits and check their planning methods.
With plenty of cars and trucks sliding off the roads, Wyoming Department of Transportation officials say their employees have seen it all.
“We’ll get truckers coming through from warmer climates like California,” WyDOT representative Ross Doman said. “They’ll slide off the road, and you wouldn’t believe it. They’ll get out of their cabs in the blowing snow in shorts, T-shirts and sandals.”
Though they are more accustomed to handling adverse conditions, even the best Wyoming drivers should be prepared.
WyDOT provides a running list of items to be considered in the event of getting caught in less-than-ideal conditions.
Dave Kingham, in the public affairs office of WyDOT, said having a cell phone and a charger are of utmost importance. It gives the driver the opportunity to notify either highway patrol or the county sheriff of their condition and to get help as quickly as possible.
If caught in one of the many areas of Wyoming outside of cellular reception, Doman and Kingham both recommend staying with the car.
“How would you know where cell reception is?” Doman asked. “You really shouldn’t move. A plow driver should come along before too long, or the road will reopen and traffic will pick up again. It’s very rare that a road is closed longer than three days.” Kingham said closures average six to eight hours.
“Even if you think you’re relatively close to a town or a house, don’t try to walk to it,” Kingham said. “Bad visibility makes it very easy to get disoriented. In your car you’re protected. You’re also a bigger target for someone to find.” He said WyDOT plow drivers and troopers sweep the highway immediately after road closures to find stray vehicles.
A year ago, a West Coast family took a wrong turn in Oregon and was stranded in the snow for more than a week. The driver eventually left the vehicle to find help, but died en route. The rest of the family was found two days later by a helicopter. They had survived on bottled water, baby food and jelly. The event spurred WyDOT officials and others to talk more in depth about survival and rescue methods.
Neither representative had a specific answer for how long a person can live in a stranded vehicle. Doman considered it a medical issue.
“What we’re talking about is how long a person can survive without food and water, in the cold. It really isn’t something that has a set number,” Doman said. He listed aspects to consider, including one’s age, health, general fitness and how much fuel the car has.
Having a full tank enables the victim to turn the heater on for 10 to 15 minutes every hour to stay warm, he said. Just be sure to clear the area by the tailpipe to avoid carbon monoxide accumulation.
In addition to following preparation guidelines, Kingham recommended communicating with people in your destination. Always let someone know the intended route and the estimated time of arrival, he said. “That way, if you don’t get there, someone can have a good idea of where to look,” he said.
“What it comes down to is if you bring (your survival) items, clearly you’re preparing for the worst case scenario. You go off the road, maybe you flip your vehicle, you’re injured and you could be there a while. The more you listen to those suggestions the better off you’re going to be,” Doman said. “You never know, you might end up spending the night in your car.”
Official name common problem areas
Wyoming Department of Transportation public affairs representative Dave Kingham and spokesman Ross Doman outlined three of the most common reasons drivers encounter problems on Wyoming roads.
Often, drivers make ill-informed decisions. WyDOT recommends dialing 511 or using its Web site to get up to date and detailed information on road conditions.
Cruise control reduces the driver’s feel for the road, so the person is unable to detect slippage on black ice or other dangerous situations. It is often set in ideal conditions, but those conditions can change quickly, Kingham said. Paired with an automatic transmission, the car will downshift to maintain speed on hills. The added power will cause the wheels to slip and the driver to lose control, the pair said.
Most drivers attempt to drive faster than conditions permit. Interstate 80 closures between Rawlins and Cheyenne would often be unnecessary if drivers paid attention to the conditions and drove appropriately, Doman said.
Tully tallies 27 in Outlaw win
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter
Shoot ’em up was the game plan of the Outlaws in their home duel against Douglas on Saturday as they ended the night with a 75-69 victory.
With a large student crowd and a parent fan pocket, as well as a smattering of Douglas supporters, the gym’s energy throbbed as Rawlins went nearly point for point against its opponent.
The team’s initial aggressiveness gave them a solid lead by the end of the third quarter. The Outlaws snared the Bearcats with a 13-point margin. The cheerleaders had the crowd on its feet. Every play was received with a gasp, a cheer, a groan or a taunt at the referee.
It was a story of being at the right place at the right time for much of the game. Aaron Willcox stepped in to have more than one successful attempt at swatting baskets away from Douglas. He also slid in to make crucial steals.
“Aaron is athletic, so he’s quicker than most,” head coach Linzie Green said. “He tends to get out of position, but he finds a way to get back in. And when he’s hitting his shots he’s virtually unstoppable.”
Willcox finished the night with 20 points, nailing several 3-pointers.
Casey Tully came off the bench after a prolonged academic absence to score 27 points for the team. Saturday marked the first game the team was at its full capacity of 19 players, bringing four back into play. It paid off when Tully and Trey Jebens each earned their fifth personal foul in the fourth quarter. Having a deeper bench allowed Green to substitute players who helped push toward the win.
The Bearcats brought it, but “it” was not enough to put them above the Outlaws. Their team leader, Shane Richedndifer, was a solid contender for Rawlins, but the Outlaws’ height proved to be a wall against his efforts.
With a Bearcat timeout with 44 seconds left in the fourth, all Rawlins had to do was hold them off. A missed two-point effort from Douglas got pulled down by Rawlins. They tried to force the ball to the other end with poor placement, providing some last-minute excitement. Regaining possession, the Outlaws drew a foul to put Kody Mann on the line to shoot points 74 and 75.
Rawlins successfully rebounded from their 87-70 loss on Friday to Wheatland. Proud of Saturday’s victory, Green remained true to his job and found things to work on in preparation for games against Wyoming Indian and Newcastle this weekend.
“We need to work on defense,” he said. “I also need to get them to tell me when they’re tired. I don’t know why they’re tired because we do a ton of conditioning. But if they tell me, we have a full bench now so I can take them out.”
Green intends to prepare his team for the weekend games by taking note of what their opponents will bring to the table. They should work various drills, but the coach hopes the team also prepares mentally for the tactics they expect to face.
Times staff reporter
Shoot ’em up was the game plan of the Outlaws in their home duel against Douglas on Saturday as they ended the night with a 75-69 victory.
With a large student crowd and a parent fan pocket, as well as a smattering of Douglas supporters, the gym’s energy throbbed as Rawlins went nearly point for point against its opponent.
The team’s initial aggressiveness gave them a solid lead by the end of the third quarter. The Outlaws snared the Bearcats with a 13-point margin. The cheerleaders had the crowd on its feet. Every play was received with a gasp, a cheer, a groan or a taunt at the referee.
It was a story of being at the right place at the right time for much of the game. Aaron Willcox stepped in to have more than one successful attempt at swatting baskets away from Douglas. He also slid in to make crucial steals.
“Aaron is athletic, so he’s quicker than most,” head coach Linzie Green said. “He tends to get out of position, but he finds a way to get back in. And when he’s hitting his shots he’s virtually unstoppable.”
Willcox finished the night with 20 points, nailing several 3-pointers.
Casey Tully came off the bench after a prolonged academic absence to score 27 points for the team. Saturday marked the first game the team was at its full capacity of 19 players, bringing four back into play. It paid off when Tully and Trey Jebens each earned their fifth personal foul in the fourth quarter. Having a deeper bench allowed Green to substitute players who helped push toward the win.
The Bearcats brought it, but “it” was not enough to put them above the Outlaws. Their team leader, Shane Richedndifer, was a solid contender for Rawlins, but the Outlaws’ height proved to be a wall against his efforts.
With a Bearcat timeout with 44 seconds left in the fourth, all Rawlins had to do was hold them off. A missed two-point effort from Douglas got pulled down by Rawlins. They tried to force the ball to the other end with poor placement, providing some last-minute excitement. Regaining possession, the Outlaws drew a foul to put Kody Mann on the line to shoot points 74 and 75.
Rawlins successfully rebounded from their 87-70 loss on Friday to Wheatland. Proud of Saturday’s victory, Green remained true to his job and found things to work on in preparation for games against Wyoming Indian and Newcastle this weekend.
“We need to work on defense,” he said. “I also need to get them to tell me when they’re tired. I don’t know why they’re tired because we do a ton of conditioning. But if they tell me, we have a full bench now so I can take them out.”
Green intends to prepare his team for the weekend games by taking note of what their opponents will bring to the table. They should work various drills, but the coach hopes the team also prepares mentally for the tactics they expect to face.
Ice fishing: All about chilling
My first front pager (with a photo)!
• For many anglers, competition takes a back seat to having a good time.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter
It was a blustery Saturday morning as anglers took their posts for the 25th year of ice fishing on Saratoga Lake.
The grind of ice augers occasionally pierced through decibels of wind gushing across the open landscape. Elk Mountain was hardly visible in the low-lying clouds. It was hard to know if the snow slapping against faces came from the sky or was swept from the ground by the wind.
Even Ryan Hildreth, the winner of the 24th annual Saratoga Lake Ice Fishing Derby from Berthoud, Colo., was motionless. Polar bearing, as it is called. Laying on the ice with nothing but a foam pad as insulation, he peered down into the lake. A tarp covered his head to enable better viewing of the water beneath. When a fish came into view, he would do his best to lure it to the bait, snap upward to snag the catch and reel it in.
Despite around 500 contestants on the ice that day, the scene seemed entirely too still.
That is, until tent flaps unzipped or doors opened, revealing individuals, couples and families huddled around ice holes and fishing lines, hiding from winds blowing in excess of 30 mph. Propane and wood stoves gave extra warmth, as did the well-known “liquid warmth,” a smattering of liquors and beer, which eased Wyoming’s frosty bite.
After spending time with these tent inhabitants, one is inclined to make nominations for awards other than “biggest fish.”
Chance and Kurt Esquibel led with the best party. From their tent, they called out, “Hey, come in here! We’ve got a heater and food. Oh, and grab a beer.”
The two brothers were just out for a good time with their family. Chance hailed from Cheyenne and Kurt was from Denver. They came with their father, Daniel, and their other brother Chad. Their uncle, Fred Garcia, and cousin, Isaac Garcia, were also in tow.
“It’s about a great steak dinner, the hot springs... we just like (the derby),” Chance Esquibel said. They freeze the fish they catch for a family fish fry in the summer.
To add to their day’s excitement, Isaac Garcia’s jacket caught on fire. He was standing too close to the heater, Kurt Esquibel said. “Next thing we knew, the little guy was darting across the ice like a little ball of fire.”
The men talked of the wind, a common theme of the day. “Sometimes you see guys who are setting up going sailing across the ice when there’s a lot of wind and it’s just the ice,” Chance Esquibel said. The amount of snow providing traction on the ice this year was unusual, but welcome.
John Bruce, his wife Ann and dog Budd, from Green River, took the prize for most interesting bait of the day — marshmallows. They enjoyed a bit of community on their corner of the ice as anglers intermingled between huts. Bruce was visited by Jim Shirey, also from Green River, and Mike Sims, an energy worker from Alabama.
Nearby, Mark Aragon stood outside his wooden shack, built with two-by-fours and mahogany plywood, “for the smell,” he said. For 10 years, he has hauled his hut onto the Saratoga ice to participate in the derby. The wood stove inside burns so warm he leaves the door and window open when he spends the night on the ice.
One of the most diehard anglers, Rock Springs resident Danny Ellifritz sat in the middle of the lake with his back against the wind. Not too far away were his sons, Luke and Cage. All three braved the weather with nothing but insulated underwear, heavy clothes and Arctic parkas, saying all they had to do to keep warm was retain warmth and ward off the wind.
It was their first time at the Saratoga derby. Luke may have been the most technologically advanced, catching the most fish out of the folks interviewed — seven by 2 p.m. He used a fishfinder to replace the polar bearing technique, moving his bait to lure whatever fish appeared on screen.
His demonstration won him a catch and revealed the success rate of fishing with the device. Removing the hook, he held up his catch for a photo before dropping it back into the water. “Not big enough,” he said.
The attendance at the derby was a bit smaller than last year, Saratoga Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stacy Crimmins said.
“Even though Saturday weather was not very cooperative, everybody had a good time. We had smaller fish than usual, but it was a good derby overall,” she said.
• For many anglers, competition takes a back seat to having a good time.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter
It was a blustery Saturday morning as anglers took their posts for the 25th year of ice fishing on Saratoga Lake.
The grind of ice augers occasionally pierced through decibels of wind gushing across the open landscape. Elk Mountain was hardly visible in the low-lying clouds. It was hard to know if the snow slapping against faces came from the sky or was swept from the ground by the wind.
Even Ryan Hildreth, the winner of the 24th annual Saratoga Lake Ice Fishing Derby from Berthoud, Colo., was motionless. Polar bearing, as it is called. Laying on the ice with nothing but a foam pad as insulation, he peered down into the lake. A tarp covered his head to enable better viewing of the water beneath. When a fish came into view, he would do his best to lure it to the bait, snap upward to snag the catch and reel it in.
Despite around 500 contestants on the ice that day, the scene seemed entirely too still.
That is, until tent flaps unzipped or doors opened, revealing individuals, couples and families huddled around ice holes and fishing lines, hiding from winds blowing in excess of 30 mph. Propane and wood stoves gave extra warmth, as did the well-known “liquid warmth,” a smattering of liquors and beer, which eased Wyoming’s frosty bite.
After spending time with these tent inhabitants, one is inclined to make nominations for awards other than “biggest fish.”
Chance and Kurt Esquibel led with the best party. From their tent, they called out, “Hey, come in here! We’ve got a heater and food. Oh, and grab a beer.”
The two brothers were just out for a good time with their family. Chance hailed from Cheyenne and Kurt was from Denver. They came with their father, Daniel, and their other brother Chad. Their uncle, Fred Garcia, and cousin, Isaac Garcia, were also in tow.
“It’s about a great steak dinner, the hot springs... we just like (the derby),” Chance Esquibel said. They freeze the fish they catch for a family fish fry in the summer.
To add to their day’s excitement, Isaac Garcia’s jacket caught on fire. He was standing too close to the heater, Kurt Esquibel said. “Next thing we knew, the little guy was darting across the ice like a little ball of fire.”
The men talked of the wind, a common theme of the day. “Sometimes you see guys who are setting up going sailing across the ice when there’s a lot of wind and it’s just the ice,” Chance Esquibel said. The amount of snow providing traction on the ice this year was unusual, but welcome.
John Bruce, his wife Ann and dog Budd, from Green River, took the prize for most interesting bait of the day — marshmallows. They enjoyed a bit of community on their corner of the ice as anglers intermingled between huts. Bruce was visited by Jim Shirey, also from Green River, and Mike Sims, an energy worker from Alabama.
Nearby, Mark Aragon stood outside his wooden shack, built with two-by-fours and mahogany plywood, “for the smell,” he said. For 10 years, he has hauled his hut onto the Saratoga ice to participate in the derby. The wood stove inside burns so warm he leaves the door and window open when he spends the night on the ice.
One of the most diehard anglers, Rock Springs resident Danny Ellifritz sat in the middle of the lake with his back against the wind. Not too far away were his sons, Luke and Cage. All three braved the weather with nothing but insulated underwear, heavy clothes and Arctic parkas, saying all they had to do to keep warm was retain warmth and ward off the wind.
It was their first time at the Saratoga derby. Luke may have been the most technologically advanced, catching the most fish out of the folks interviewed — seven by 2 p.m. He used a fishfinder to replace the polar bearing technique, moving his bait to lure whatever fish appeared on screen.
His demonstration won him a catch and revealed the success rate of fishing with the device. Removing the hook, he held up his catch for a photo before dropping it back into the water. “Not big enough,” he said.
The attendance at the derby was a bit smaller than last year, Saratoga Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Stacy Crimmins said.
“Even though Saturday weather was not very cooperative, everybody had a good time. We had smaller fish than usual, but it was a good derby overall,” she said.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Encampment no place for Miners
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter
The Tigers hunted, attacked and destroyed their prey in a 66-36 victory against Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow on Friday night.
“It was the best first half of basketball we’ve ever played,” said Encampment High School head coach Clint Bromley.
Everyone played. Everyone shared the ball. Everyone played a good game of defense. “Marion Marchetti did an awesome job on defense,” Bromley said. “And the rest stepped in and did their part.”
According to Bromley, the two star Miners got into foul trouble, allowing the Tigers to sink their teeth in to secure the win.
HEM’s Matt Larson had 12 points while Justin Palm came off the court with nine points. The pair led the scoring effort for the Miners.
“I was expecting it to be a little bit better game,” Bromley said. His team tackled its goals of shutting down the Miner stars and breaking their winning streak.
Bromley’s five starters each rounded off double figures by the end of the night with Marion Marchetti leading the pack with 18 points and nine boards. Brian Lynch dropped 12 points, while Garrett Pantle and Max Doebele walked off with 11 points each. Chat McKinney racked up a solid 10 points to seal the deal.
Times staff reporter
The Tigers hunted, attacked and destroyed their prey in a 66-36 victory against Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow on Friday night.
“It was the best first half of basketball we’ve ever played,” said Encampment High School head coach Clint Bromley.
Everyone played. Everyone shared the ball. Everyone played a good game of defense. “Marion Marchetti did an awesome job on defense,” Bromley said. “And the rest stepped in and did their part.”
According to Bromley, the two star Miners got into foul trouble, allowing the Tigers to sink their teeth in to secure the win.
HEM’s Matt Larson had 12 points while Justin Palm came off the court with nine points. The pair led the scoring effort for the Miners.
“I was expecting it to be a little bit better game,” Bromley said. His team tackled its goals of shutting down the Miner stars and breaking their winning streak.
Bromley’s five starters each rounded off double figures by the end of the night with Marion Marchetti leading the pack with 18 points and nine boards. Brian Lynch dropped 12 points, while Garrett Pantle and Max Doebele walked off with 11 points each. Chat McKinney racked up a solid 10 points to seal the deal.
More babies born is a sign of the times
My first front-pager!
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Births at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County increased 15 percent from 2006 to 2007, mirroring a similar increase nationwide.
Nursing manager Dawn Dingman said the hospital’s obstetrics department had a year-end tally of 136 births in 2007 compared to 118 the year before.
The growth seems to adhere to the report that the U.S. “seems to be experiencing a baby boomlet, reporting the largest number of children born in 45 years,” according to The Associated Press.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that Carbon County’s population dropped 2 percent between 2000 and 2006. According to the numbers recorded at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County for the same time span, births also decreased, at a similar rate of 4 percent.
The question remains as to whether the increased births may equal population growth in Carbon County.
When asked about the possible correlation, officials shrugged their shoulders. They identified with national demographers who say it is too soon to know if the increase is the start of a trend.
“We have to wait and see,” said Center for Disease Control and Prevention statistician Brady Hamilton. “For now, I would call it a noticeable blip.”
Wendy Thorvaldson, the hospital’s intensive care unit nursing manager, said “The numbers (in the obstetrics department) have grown and they’ve been really busy, but I can’t answer why.”
Rawlins City Manager Dave Derragon theorized that the county’s population is increasing, but for different reasons.
“In the last four to five years, (the city has installed) between 300 and 350 new utility hookups,” he said. “My basic theory is that there must be more people at least equal to the number of utility hookups, especially since we haven’t torn that many down.”
He did not have any speculation about whether more births directly corresponded to increased permanent population.
Dr. Wayne Couch estimates that the growth in the number of births is related to the appearance of temporary workers. Many of the women he saw last year were associated with temporary workers. However, he expects the numbers seen in 2007 to taper off.
“Predicting the future is always impossible,” he said. “But my best guess tells me that (the births are) not going to go down. I’d expect to see about the same this year as in 2007. I think it’s elevated some and you’ll see those numbers remain steady throughout the next year and maybe for the next two to three years.”
Derragon raised the question of when residents are considered permanent and can therefore officially be incorporated in the county’s population. “If these workers are here for two or three years, is that still temporary?” He mentioned that the U.S. Census Bureau has strict regulations on when the switch from temporary to permanent resident occurs.
Dingman said she is unsure of how the temporary workers have affected births at the hospital.
She said overall inpatient numbers at the hospital have gone down, but she attributes that to insurance companies striving for more outpatient operations rather than population trends.
Staff at Couch’s clinic and at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County have not felt taxed with the increase in births. “We’ve worked to accommodate the increase in patients that need to be seen,” Couch said.
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Births at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County increased 15 percent from 2006 to 2007, mirroring a similar increase nationwide.
Nursing manager Dawn Dingman said the hospital’s obstetrics department had a year-end tally of 136 births in 2007 compared to 118 the year before.
The growth seems to adhere to the report that the U.S. “seems to be experiencing a baby boomlet, reporting the largest number of children born in 45 years,” according to The Associated Press.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported that Carbon County’s population dropped 2 percent between 2000 and 2006. According to the numbers recorded at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County for the same time span, births also decreased, at a similar rate of 4 percent.
The question remains as to whether the increased births may equal population growth in Carbon County.
When asked about the possible correlation, officials shrugged their shoulders. They identified with national demographers who say it is too soon to know if the increase is the start of a trend.
“We have to wait and see,” said Center for Disease Control and Prevention statistician Brady Hamilton. “For now, I would call it a noticeable blip.”
Wendy Thorvaldson, the hospital’s intensive care unit nursing manager, said “The numbers (in the obstetrics department) have grown and they’ve been really busy, but I can’t answer why.”
Rawlins City Manager Dave Derragon theorized that the county’s population is increasing, but for different reasons.
“In the last four to five years, (the city has installed) between 300 and 350 new utility hookups,” he said. “My basic theory is that there must be more people at least equal to the number of utility hookups, especially since we haven’t torn that many down.”
He did not have any speculation about whether more births directly corresponded to increased permanent population.
Dr. Wayne Couch estimates that the growth in the number of births is related to the appearance of temporary workers. Many of the women he saw last year were associated with temporary workers. However, he expects the numbers seen in 2007 to taper off.
“Predicting the future is always impossible,” he said. “But my best guess tells me that (the births are) not going to go down. I’d expect to see about the same this year as in 2007. I think it’s elevated some and you’ll see those numbers remain steady throughout the next year and maybe for the next two to three years.”
Derragon raised the question of when residents are considered permanent and can therefore officially be incorporated in the county’s population. “If these workers are here for two or three years, is that still temporary?” He mentioned that the U.S. Census Bureau has strict regulations on when the switch from temporary to permanent resident occurs.
Dingman said she is unsure of how the temporary workers have affected births at the hospital.
She said overall inpatient numbers at the hospital have gone down, but she attributes that to insurance companies striving for more outpatient operations rather than population trends.
Staff at Couch’s clinic and at Memorial Hospital of Carbon County have not felt taxed with the increase in births. “We’ve worked to accommodate the increase in patients that need to be seen,” Couch said.
HEM girls fight off Tigers
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff reporter
Encampment High School’s inside-shot strategy just wasn’t enough to split the Miners’ wall on Friday night as the Lady Tigers left the court with a 43-37 loss.
“We missed too many easy buckets,” Encampment coach Jami Krein said. “We came out aggressive in the first half, but in the second we didn’t play as hard and had too many unforced turnovers again.”
Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow stuck to what it knew and pounded the basket with outside shots. The Tigers were too tame to stop them. Amanda Booth scored 15 points and added seven steals. Jennifer Korkow netted 12 points and Penny Blauvelt added 13 rebounds and five assists for the Miners.
Encampment did push toward getting the second shots. Chelsea Knotwell took down seven boards, while teammate Jamie Marchetti had six. Mackenzie Rakness and Kindle Soderberg walked off with four each.
Teamwork paid off to earn the Tigers’ 37 points. Knotwell contributed 10, Marchetti had eight, and Shelby Wilder bucketed six. Rakness, Soderberg and Lacey Hooker walked away with four points each.
“It was a better game than we’ve played in a while,” Krein said. “Almost everybody put up some points for us.”
“It was great to go on the road and get a conference win,” Miner head coach Jackie Jones said.
Times staff reporter
Encampment High School’s inside-shot strategy just wasn’t enough to split the Miners’ wall on Friday night as the Lady Tigers left the court with a 43-37 loss.
“We missed too many easy buckets,” Encampment coach Jami Krein said. “We came out aggressive in the first half, but in the second we didn’t play as hard and had too many unforced turnovers again.”
Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow stuck to what it knew and pounded the basket with outside shots. The Tigers were too tame to stop them. Amanda Booth scored 15 points and added seven steals. Jennifer Korkow netted 12 points and Penny Blauvelt added 13 rebounds and five assists for the Miners.
Encampment did push toward getting the second shots. Chelsea Knotwell took down seven boards, while teammate Jamie Marchetti had six. Mackenzie Rakness and Kindle Soderberg walked off with four each.
Teamwork paid off to earn the Tigers’ 37 points. Knotwell contributed 10, Marchetti had eight, and Shelby Wilder bucketed six. Rakness, Soderberg and Lacey Hooker walked away with four points each.
“It was a better game than we’ve played in a while,” Krein said. “Almost everybody put up some points for us.”
“It was great to go on the road and get a conference win,” Miner head coach Jackie Jones said.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Miners and Tigers and hoops, oh my
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
At 4 p.m. on Friday, the gym at Encampment High School should be an exciting place as Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow goes head to head with the Tigers in both girls and boys basketball.
All four coaches representing the Tigers and the Miners anticipate strong competition.
Both girls coaches agree that the teams are evenly matched. Their teams have similar height, experience and records, so the coaches are expecting a good game. “It being a conference game always adds to the excitement and competition,” HEM coach Jackie Jones said.
The Miner girls are coming off a win on Tuesday over Chugwater, 48-42. Coach Jones got great performances from younger girls including Penny Blauvelt, Kayla Brown, Jennifer Korkow and Lexy Bayles. Blauvelt led the team with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Korkow contributed 14 points and Brown netted eight points. Jones said Bayles was “big off the bench,” playing aggressive defense and recording four steals.
Encampment coach Jami Krein expects the Miners to rely on outside shooting. “The game plan is to not allow them any open outside shots and really rebound hard defensively.” She plans to counteract HEM’s shooting with inside shots and offensive boards to get second attempts at the basket.
Krein also said HEM star Amanda Booth will be a strong force on the court. Additionally, she said her team’s “goal is to take care of the ball on offense. We’ve struggled with too many unforced turnovers in the last few games.” She is relying on her entire team to shoot for a win.
On the boys’ side, HEM coach Clif Jones said “Encampment is the favorite to win the conference.” They have been successful the past few years and have a lot of kids with a lot of experience, he said. “They are having a good season so far.”
Jones expects the Tigers to feature numerous defensive sets. “Really, they’re the complete package,” he said. However, he plans to send his team out to “play how they know how to play. They’ll run faster and shoot a lot.”
On the other hand, Encampment coach Clint Bromley expects a good show from Miner stars Matt Larson and Justin Palm. “If we can deal with those two, we think we can win the game. But those two guys are really tough.” Both players are 6 foot 5 inches tall.
“We definitely aren’t overlooking them at all,” Bromley said. “They’ve been playing really good as of late.”
Times staff writer
At 4 p.m. on Friday, the gym at Encampment High School should be an exciting place as Hanna Elk Mountain Medicine Bow goes head to head with the Tigers in both girls and boys basketball.
All four coaches representing the Tigers and the Miners anticipate strong competition.
Both girls coaches agree that the teams are evenly matched. Their teams have similar height, experience and records, so the coaches are expecting a good game. “It being a conference game always adds to the excitement and competition,” HEM coach Jackie Jones said.
The Miner girls are coming off a win on Tuesday over Chugwater, 48-42. Coach Jones got great performances from younger girls including Penny Blauvelt, Kayla Brown, Jennifer Korkow and Lexy Bayles. Blauvelt led the team with 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Korkow contributed 14 points and Brown netted eight points. Jones said Bayles was “big off the bench,” playing aggressive defense and recording four steals.
Encampment coach Jami Krein expects the Miners to rely on outside shooting. “The game plan is to not allow them any open outside shots and really rebound hard defensively.” She plans to counteract HEM’s shooting with inside shots and offensive boards to get second attempts at the basket.
Krein also said HEM star Amanda Booth will be a strong force on the court. Additionally, she said her team’s “goal is to take care of the ball on offense. We’ve struggled with too many unforced turnovers in the last few games.” She is relying on her entire team to shoot for a win.
On the boys’ side, HEM coach Clif Jones said “Encampment is the favorite to win the conference.” They have been successful the past few years and have a lot of kids with a lot of experience, he said. “They are having a good season so far.”
Jones expects the Tigers to feature numerous defensive sets. “Really, they’re the complete package,” he said. However, he plans to send his team out to “play how they know how to play. They’ll run faster and shoot a lot.”
On the other hand, Encampment coach Clint Bromley expects a good show from Miner stars Matt Larson and Justin Palm. “If we can deal with those two, we think we can win the game. But those two guys are really tough.” Both players are 6 foot 5 inches tall.
“We definitely aren’t overlooking them at all,” Bromley said. “They’ve been playing really good as of late.”
County, ranching are intertwined
By Janice Kurbjun
Times staff writer
Rancher Colleen Stratton presented the past, present and future of Carbon County’s agricultural and ranching industries to attendees at Tuesday’s “The Power of Place: Legacies of Carbon County” lecture.
Carbon County Higher Education Center Director Dave Throgmorton introduced the lecture by summarizing the role of ranching in the lives of Carbon County residents. “Agriculture is not just an industry, it is a way of life,” Throgmorton said.
The lecture was primarily attended by members of the ranching community, he said. “It was a ranching audience and they were loving one of their own.”
Stratton presented an hour and a half of information that dated back to the days of the first settlers of European decent — fur trappers — in Carbon County in the 1800s and ended with future implications to ranching.
“I’m so impressed with the homework that Colleen did,” Throgmorton said. “If that wasn’t a 30- or 40-hour job, I don’t know what was.”
She provided anecdotes to her facts with vignettes about specific ranch families, including her own.
According to Stratton, the Union Pacific railroad played a large part in the growth of agriculture and ranching in the West. The trains provided transport for sheep and cattle. They also carried west the population that would become modern-day ranchers.
“Ranchers then weren’t anything like the ranchers of today,” Stratton said.
The travelers, who originally headed west for the California gold rush, instead found themselves in Wyoming to run trading posts to supply goods to other folks on their westward journey.
Later, ranchers would come directly from Europe, the heritage from which Stratton herself descends. They were often poor and would work for shares of sheep, which eventually gave them the opportunity to go into business for themselves.
These early trade post managers began gathering wild horses and longhorn cattle that roamed the open land, Stratton said. She said the early ranch animals were released from Hernando Cortez’s conquistador party in Mexico. Grazing patterns brought them to Wyoming.
Cattle kicked off Wyoming’s ranching industry, but when sheep arrived 10 years later with the Mormons, Stratton said, it became more prominent, lasting through the 1950s. Sheep ranching then began to consistently decline while cattle ranching was on the rise.
Stratton indicated that as the industry grew, the reins tightened on thievery and poor herd management. Both practices simultaneously allowed some settlers to get started in ranching, but plagued the ranchers already in business.
Additionally, Stratton indicated that the rancher-railroad partnership grew in a different direction as track managers began to sell land to ranchers. The land often positioned them to continue to ship their livestock via the railroad.
Land regulation agencies appeared as the original draws of Wyoming agriculture — free water and free land — dwindled. Branding, counting, trailing regulations and fencing regulations all became common practice. Additionally, ranchers began paying fees to use grazing lands.
At this time, cattle feed transitioned from grass grazing to stationary feeding with hay, Stratton said. Cowboys stopped going home in the winters and instead stayed on the ranches to work with the hay.
A more recent trend in ranching is the reduced slaughter age for cattle, Stratton said. Slaughtering currently occurs at 18 months, while historically, the cows were slaughtered at 3 to 4 years of age. Stratton speculated that the nomadic nature of the ranching industry up to the early 1900s forced ranchers to take longer to fatten their cows after trailing them between winter and summer locations.
Stratton finished by raising questions about the future of ranching. She recently held a poll of fellow ranchers about their future in the business. Even with the obstacles they face, she said, they agreed that ranching in Carbon County should stay strong for years to come.
Throgmorton felt that most of those attending the lecture are already experts in the industry, “they learned some facts, odds and ends that they didn't know before.”
“And I always get a kick out of that, when you get a room full of experts and you can teach them something they don’t know about.”
Future Concerns
Colleen Stratton outlined five specific areas of concern to the future of Carbon County agriculture:
• Land disturbance due to oil, gas and methane well access roads. Drilling reduces acreage available for ranching and dust blown off these sites affects grazing.
• The sage grouse teeters on the edge of appearing on the endangered species list, which would cause state and national limitations on the use of land for ranching purposes.
• Recurring droughts force ranchers to sell herds and buy hay, forcing little profit and damaging business. Additionally, water calls exercised for endangered species in Nebraska often further damage a rancher’s access to water.
• Governmental reallocation of corn for the production of ethanol for fuel purposes increases feed costs. As the abundance of corn crops increase, wheat production goes down, which affects grocery prices.
• Higher paying jobs elsewhere in the state and region prevent family members from returning to work on the ranch. Additionally, the increased cost of land and the nearly 50 percent consolidation of family ranches since the 1940s has changed the landscape of the industry.
Times staff writer
Rancher Colleen Stratton presented the past, present and future of Carbon County’s agricultural and ranching industries to attendees at Tuesday’s “The Power of Place: Legacies of Carbon County” lecture.
Carbon County Higher Education Center Director Dave Throgmorton introduced the lecture by summarizing the role of ranching in the lives of Carbon County residents. “Agriculture is not just an industry, it is a way of life,” Throgmorton said.
The lecture was primarily attended by members of the ranching community, he said. “It was a ranching audience and they were loving one of their own.”
Stratton presented an hour and a half of information that dated back to the days of the first settlers of European decent — fur trappers — in Carbon County in the 1800s and ended with future implications to ranching.
“I’m so impressed with the homework that Colleen did,” Throgmorton said. “If that wasn’t a 30- or 40-hour job, I don’t know what was.”
She provided anecdotes to her facts with vignettes about specific ranch families, including her own.
According to Stratton, the Union Pacific railroad played a large part in the growth of agriculture and ranching in the West. The trains provided transport for sheep and cattle. They also carried west the population that would become modern-day ranchers.
“Ranchers then weren’t anything like the ranchers of today,” Stratton said.
The travelers, who originally headed west for the California gold rush, instead found themselves in Wyoming to run trading posts to supply goods to other folks on their westward journey.
Later, ranchers would come directly from Europe, the heritage from which Stratton herself descends. They were often poor and would work for shares of sheep, which eventually gave them the opportunity to go into business for themselves.
These early trade post managers began gathering wild horses and longhorn cattle that roamed the open land, Stratton said. She said the early ranch animals were released from Hernando Cortez’s conquistador party in Mexico. Grazing patterns brought them to Wyoming.
Cattle kicked off Wyoming’s ranching industry, but when sheep arrived 10 years later with the Mormons, Stratton said, it became more prominent, lasting through the 1950s. Sheep ranching then began to consistently decline while cattle ranching was on the rise.
Stratton indicated that as the industry grew, the reins tightened on thievery and poor herd management. Both practices simultaneously allowed some settlers to get started in ranching, but plagued the ranchers already in business.
Additionally, Stratton indicated that the rancher-railroad partnership grew in a different direction as track managers began to sell land to ranchers. The land often positioned them to continue to ship their livestock via the railroad.
Land regulation agencies appeared as the original draws of Wyoming agriculture — free water and free land — dwindled. Branding, counting, trailing regulations and fencing regulations all became common practice. Additionally, ranchers began paying fees to use grazing lands.
At this time, cattle feed transitioned from grass grazing to stationary feeding with hay, Stratton said. Cowboys stopped going home in the winters and instead stayed on the ranches to work with the hay.
A more recent trend in ranching is the reduced slaughter age for cattle, Stratton said. Slaughtering currently occurs at 18 months, while historically, the cows were slaughtered at 3 to 4 years of age. Stratton speculated that the nomadic nature of the ranching industry up to the early 1900s forced ranchers to take longer to fatten their cows after trailing them between winter and summer locations.
Stratton finished by raising questions about the future of ranching. She recently held a poll of fellow ranchers about their future in the business. Even with the obstacles they face, she said, they agreed that ranching in Carbon County should stay strong for years to come.
Throgmorton felt that most of those attending the lecture are already experts in the industry, “they learned some facts, odds and ends that they didn't know before.”
“And I always get a kick out of that, when you get a room full of experts and you can teach them something they don’t know about.”
Future Concerns
Colleen Stratton outlined five specific areas of concern to the future of Carbon County agriculture:
• Land disturbance due to oil, gas and methane well access roads. Drilling reduces acreage available for ranching and dust blown off these sites affects grazing.
• The sage grouse teeters on the edge of appearing on the endangered species list, which would cause state and national limitations on the use of land for ranching purposes.
• Recurring droughts force ranchers to sell herds and buy hay, forcing little profit and damaging business. Additionally, water calls exercised for endangered species in Nebraska often further damage a rancher’s access to water.
• Governmental reallocation of corn for the production of ethanol for fuel purposes increases feed costs. As the abundance of corn crops increase, wheat production goes down, which affects grocery prices.
• Higher paying jobs elsewhere in the state and region prevent family members from returning to work on the ranch. Additionally, the increased cost of land and the nearly 50 percent consolidation of family ranches since the 1940s has changed the landscape of the industry.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
