Fri-Sat snowfall amounts in Fremont County
From the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Riverton:
Another Pacific storm system brought more snow and wind to the Cowboy State Friday and Saturday. Snow has tapered off across most of the region and winds will continue to settle down this afternoon and evening. A ridge of high pressure will build across the region Sunday and Monday, keeping conditions dry and cool across most of the state.
Current Forecast Synopsis: The Pacific storm system that impacted the state Friday through Saturday morning has moved off into the central plains. Windy conditions are likely to persist through the afternoon, then settle down after sunset. Cooler temperatures are in store for the region tonight as a ridge of high pressure builds in across the region leaving mostly clear skies and dry conditions. Dry conditions should last through Sunday and Monday.
Local snowfall received in the graph below is recorded in inches:
| Fremont | Burroughs Creek Snotel |
7 |
| Fremont | Brooks Lake Lodge |
7 |
| Fremont | 10 miles NNE Riverton |
3 |
| Fremont | Little Warm Snotel |
3 |
| Fremont | Boysen Dam |
3 |
| Fremont | 9 miles SW Shoshoni |
2 |
| Fremont | Castle Creek Snotel |
2 |
| Fremont | 31 miles WSW Thermopolis |
1 |
| Fremont | Deer Park Snotel |
1 |
| Fremont | Hobbs Park Snotel |
1 |
| Fremont | Riverton ASOS |
1 |
| Fremont | Dubois |
0.5 |
| Fremont | 2 miles SE Riverton |
0.5 |
| Fremont | Riverton |
0.4 |
| Hot Springs | Owl Creek Snotel |
1 |
LVFD: Apartment fire cause electrical, most damage limited to attic, no injuries
A Friday afternoon apartment fire in Lander has been tentatively ruled as electrically caused, Lander Volunteer Fire Department Administrator Nick Hudson said Saturday. Hudson said the fire apparently started at the rear of the apartment building at 408 South Second street where the electrical panel is located. the fire spread up the back wall of the building and into the attic.Hudson said most of the damage from the fire occurred in the attic, with extensive damage to the roof trusses, and some smoke and water damage in one of the building’s upstairs units. There are four apartments in the building. Hudson said firefighters had to poke some holes in the second floor apartment ceilings to determine the extent of the fire spread.The Lander Fire Administrator said firefighters gained access to the attic from a portal on the front of the building and used a technique called “fog spray” to introduce water into the space. With the heat inside the attic, the fog quickly turned to steam and extinguished the blaze.Hudson also said firefighters used fans to create positive pressure in the building to keep the smoke in the attic as much as possible, and reducing damage to the apartment units. He did not have a damage estimate prepared on Saturday. The building is owned by Lander attorney Sky Phifer. No one was at home at the time of the fire, excepting one renter’s cat, and temporary accomodations have been found for the residents living there. The cat was rescued unharmed.The LVFD responded to the scene with two full engine companies, one ladder company and one rescue unit, a total of about 20 firefighters. The Lander Rural Fire Department was called in for back up and to assist if necessary and it responded with two pumpers and 10 firefighters.
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Happy New Year from County 10!
Have a great 2012!
Reduced night time speed limit now in place in GTNP
Fremont County winter sports enthusiasts who travel over Togowotee Pass will find a new night time speed limit through Grand Teton National Park on U.S. Highway 26/89/191. The night time speed limit has been lowered from 55 mph to 45 mph from the park’s south boundary (Jackson) to the boundary east of Moran Junction. Night time begins 30 minutes after sunset and lasts until 30 minutes before sunrise. Areas around Gros Ventre Junction and Moran Junction will remain 45 mph at all times.
The number of animals killed due to vehicle collisions in GTNP continues to rise. In 2010 more than 150 animals were killed on park roads. During the past three years, 64 percent of wildlife fatalities occurred on this section of highway. Throughout the park, 55 percent of fatalities occurred at night. In order to protect the public and to preserve wildlife populations, park officials reduced night time speed limits to give drivers and animals more reaction time. The reduced speed only adds six minutes to your trip along this section of highway, according to GTNP officials.
Please obey the new night time speed limit to help us improve safety and protect wildlife.
Candy sales funding Voc-Rehab start-up business help for disabled
Candy machines are sprouting up in State of Wyoming owned public buildings in Fremont County and Northwest Wyoming. While installing candy machines may be counter-productive to the State Health Department’s efforts to reduce obesiety, income from machines is being directed into another state program to help people with disabilities be more independent.Lynne Iverson, the Vending Program Manager at the Division of Workforce Service’s Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, said a contract to provide vending services goes out to bid every two years. A Jackson firm, Airport Vending, recently won the bid for Northwest Wyoming and began delivering the candy dispensers in December. Other counties served under the bid include: Teton, Sublette, Park, Big Horn, Washakie, and Hot Springs.
“The revenues from this program go into the Business Enterprise Program which is used for people with disabilities to assist them start their own businesses,” Iverson said. “The money is used to match other loans and resources. It’s a way to help people with start-up costs.”
The Division’s web site explained the program this way: “Vocational Rehabilitation collaborates in self-employment for clients. In Wyoming, the Business Enterprise Program (BEP) assists clients in researching opportunities for self-employment and business planning. BEP funds come from a portion of the sales from vending machines located in State buildings.”
Iverson was initially unable to cite the amount of funds collected through the program, although she said she would research the request.
The specific buildings where the vending machines are located are: WYDOT offices in Dubois, Riverton, Cody and Jackson, The Wyoming Honor Farm and Wyoming Fire Academy in Riverton, the Wyoming Division of Workforces Services office in Lander plus WYDOT Drivers Services offices in Cody and Pinedale, and the Frannie Port of Entry.
Riverton SRO Myers named interim director of regional association
Riverton Middle School's School Resource Officer Cody Myers is the new interim director of the Region 8 NASRO Association. He is pictured here this past spring talking with a visitor to his Military Science class at RHS.
A Riverton Police Department School Resource Officer said he will accept a nomination to be Interim Director of the Region 8 Division of the National School Resource Officers Association (NSRO).
Cody Myers was informed of the nomination this past month. Myers is the SRO for Riverton Middle School. He is also an instructor for Fremont County BOCES Military Science program at Riverton High School. Myers will retain his position in Riverton, although he said he may have to cut back in other outside activities.
Myers is no stranger to Region 8 as he was named the SRO of the year in that region in 2010. The Region 8 area is comprised of 10 states, including: Wyoming, Montana, Utah, Colorado,, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
“He was also awarded the WREN Solutions Scholarship,” said RPD Captain Eric Murphy. “Officer Myers’ dedication to the Riverton Police Department and the kids of the community continue to be recognized by NASRO.”
Myers said he would serve in the interim position through July, at which time he would decide if he would seek election to the post.
The NASRO is a not-for-profit organization for school based law enforcement officers, school administrators, and school security/safety professionals. Its members work as partners to protect students, school faculty and staff and the schools they attend. According to its website, there are over 6,000 members of the group.
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Alice M. Prosser
Memorial services for Alice M. Prosser of Thermopolis are at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, January 4, 2012 at the Thermopolis V.F.W.
Cremation has taken place.
Mrs. Prosser died in a vehicle accident north of Shoshoni on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011. She was 48.
Alice May Wurtz was born in Seattle, Wash., on June 29, 1963, the daughter of Donal Lee Wurtz and Jessie Gene (Hunt). She grew up in Seattle, Wash., during which time she often visited family in Thermopolis and Casper.
She later moved to Casper, lived at various times in Kirby and Thermopolis, and had been a Thermopolis resident since 1999.
On Aug. 17, 2008, she married Leon Eugene Prosser at the State Park in Thermopolis.
She worked as an independent circulation contractor for the Casper Star-Tribune for three years. Prior to that, she had been the Quick Mart store manager in Thermopolis for seven years.
Her family said that in the past she enjoyed crocheting blankets.
Survivors include her husband, Leon Prosser of Thermopolis; sons, Andrew Tanner of Seattle, Wash., and Christopher Prosser of Thermopolis who is attending the University of Wyoming in Laramie; a daughter, Suzzanna Tanner of Thermopolis; a brother, Karl Wurtz and his wife Jackie; sisters, Lelia Burchett and Kathy Tanner.
She was preceded in death by her mother and a brother, Donal Hunt.
On-line condolences may be made at: theDavisFuneralHome.com
Arrangements are under the direction of the Davis Funeral Home of Riverton.
Firefighters working Lander apartment fire Friday afternoon
Lander Volunteer and Lander Rural Volunteer firefighters are working a live fire at 480 South Second Street in Lander in a four-plex apartment building at 3:40 p.m. Smoke is seen pouring from attic vents and firefighters wearing breathing packs entered the second story of the building. One firefighter was seen bringing a cat in a carrying case out of the smoke. Second Street has been closed to through traffic.
Yellowstone transitioning to fully oversnow travel Saturday
With significant snowfall throughout the park over the past 48 hours,Yellowstone National Park will ring in the New Year by transitioning fully
to oversnow travel beginning at 7:00 a.m. Saturday, December 31.
Rubber- and steel-tracked guided snowcoaches and snowmobiles will be
allowed to travel on all interior park roads, with the exception of the
road between Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Junction, which is restricted
to rubber-tracked guided snowcoaches only until snow conditions improve.
The East Entrance road through Sylvan Pass also remains closed due to
avalanche danger.
The road from the park’s North Entrance at Gardiner, Montana through
Mammoth Hot Springs and on to Cooke City, Montana outside the park’s
Northeast Entrance is open to automobile travel all year.
Over the past two days, interior areas of the park have received up to 12
inches or more of heavy wet snow along with strong winds, increasing the
danger of avalanches on steep slopes. Storms and adverse winter weather
conditions throughout the park have also caused poor visibility due to
blowing and drifting snow. Visitors traveling oversnow with guides or
driving on open portions of park roadways are cautioned to remain alert for
rapidly changing road conditions and other hazards. It is also strongly
advised to carry emergency items such as drinking water, an extra blanket
or warm clothes, and remain flexible with alternate travel plans.
Park staff members will continue to closely monitor road conditions and
weather forecasts, and are working to reopen Sylvan Pass as soon as the
avalanche danger has been mitigated.
Updated park road information is available 24 hours a day by calling
307-344-2117
Six Feathers Youth Conference promotes safe & healthy New Year’s
The Wind River UNITY Six Feathers Circle Youth Conference in Lander this New Year’s weekend has attracted between 55 and 60 young people from the Wind River Indian Resevation.“They keep signing in,” said WR UNITY’s Layha Spoonhunter Friday morning. “We got a few more last night after the Fremont County Shootout ended at Ethete.”
Staged at Lander’s Holiday Inn Express, the youth have gathered for a “safe and healthy” New Year’s event and have heard various speakers on leadership, positive living and team building so far. The conference addresses issued faced by teens including peer pressure, pregnancy, bullying, suicide prevention and drug and alchol abuse. Co-facilitating with Eastern Shoshone Tribal Liaison Edward Wadda is Native American and Canadian pop-recording star Inez Songsoulgirl from British Columbia. She’ll perform a public concert tonight at 6 p.m. at the Fort Washakie LDS church along with several Native American entertainers, Tito Ybarra and Arnold Thomas.
On New Year’s eve, there will be a Healthy Livestyles dance for the participants. The conference ends on New Year’s Day.
The Six Feathers of the Circle are: Traditions, Language, Humility, Teaching, Learning and Prayer.
UNITY spokesperson Layha Spoonhunter spoke with County 10 News Friday morning at the hotel. Watch the video.
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