July 29, 2018

Yellowstone fire danger climbs

Several weeks of persistently sunny skies and curing vegetation have pushed Yellowstone National Park’s fire danger to “high” for the first time in 2018.

The higher ranking comes days after lightning sparked the first wildfire of the season near Yellowstone. As of Sunday, the Bacon Rind Fire, just outside the park’s northwest boundary, was burning in the Custer-Gallatin National Forest’s Lee Metcalf Wilderness, about two miles west of Highway 191.

“Smoke from the fire is visible from Highway 191, and the fire poses no threat to the highway at this time,” federal officials wrote on InciWeb, an online wildfire information database. “If you do see smoke from the Bacon Rind Fire, please remember to stay focused on driving until you can find a safe place to pull over.”

As of Sunday, the Bacon Rind Fire was 25 acres, but it was spotting in several areas within a 50-acre perimeter. The possibility of standing dead trees falling during ignition was creating a “significant safety concern” for firefighters.

Read more: https://www.jhnewsandguide.com/jackson_hole_daily/local/article_fe4e7ca6-9c97-5138-bf42-8f72ede3b3f5.html

July 29, 2018

Frothy, Friess on Wyoming campaign trail

CHEYENNE — A local resident opened her home Thursday to Republican gubernatorial candidate Foster Friess' campaign.

Mary Cole hosted a few dozen people, including Friess and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, for about an hour Thursday morning.

Santorum, who served 12 years in the U.S. Senate and twice ran unsuccessfully for U.S. president, is supporting Friess' campaign in person this week.

Cole said she and her husband, Jay, chose to open their home for Friess' campaign primarily because they support the pro-life movement.

Read more: https://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/news/wyoming/article_2b2552d3-dddd-5520-b883-675ded5b7cf9.html

July 29, 2018

$6 million workforce training bill 'broken'

One of first pieces of legislation to come out of Gov. Matt Mead’s 20-year economic diversification plan — the 2018 workforce training bill — is already “broken,” said Jerimiah Rieman, Mead’s director for economic diversification strategy and initiatives.

The law was passed in March and had the strong backing of Senate President Eli Bebout, R-Riverton, and other top legislators.

The law was a starting effort of ENDOW, which stands for Economically Needed Diversification Opportunities for Wyoming.

The bill, Senate File 119, provided incentives for private companies by funding state-sponsored workforce training in certain industries ENDOW aims to foster.

Read more: http://www.laramieboomerang.com/news/local_news/million-workforce-training-bill-broken/article_ce3ccb0e-8ef2-11e8-922c-97b8f029fea9.html



This image isn't significant in any way, whatsoever. However, it might spark a few jokes so have fun.

July 29, 2018

Sheridan to host 2020 Hemingway Society conference

SHERIDAN — Earlier this week, the Hemingway Society announced from its conference in Paris it will hold its next biennial conference in Sheridan in 2020.

National Endowment for the Humanity’s Hemingway Grant project director John Sutton estimated the conference will draw 350 attendees from countries around the world. He said at the 2016 conference, which was held in Chicago, conference-goers traveled from nine different countries to attend.

“I think it’s really interesting that this was announced from Paris,” Sutton said. “I can just imagine that hundreds of people are looking at their phone and saying ‘Siri, where is Sheridan, Wyoming?”’”

Sutton said Sheridan’s main competition for the 2020 conference was Havana, Cuba.

Read more: http://thesheridanpress.com/91492/sheridan-to-host-2020-hemingway-society-conference/

July 29, 2018

Officials remain silent regarding Rawlins fire chief arrest

RAWLINS – Following the arrest of John Rutherford, the current Rawlins Fire Chief and Carbon County Fire Warden, officials have remained relatively silent when pressed on the matter.

Both Rawlins City Mayor Robert Grauberger and Carbon County Commission Chairman John Johnson declined to comment. Johnson said he wouldn’t comment until after he talks to the rest of the commissioners next month, while Grauberger noted he wanted to wait for court procedures before addressing the occurrence.

The Rawlins Police Department was also contacted regarding the arrest; however, they immediately referred to City Manager Scott Hannum. Hannum also said he didn’t want to comment until the legal process unfolds; however, he did report that the case won’t be handled by Carbon County court.

Instead, being Rutherford is the acting county fire warden, Hannum said, to avoid conflicts, the case will be handled by Sweetwater County. Although Rutherford had a hearing earlier this week, Hannum said his next court date is unknown.

Read more: https://www.rawlinstimes.com/news/officials-remain-silent-regarding-fire-chief-arrest/article_cae2ecd8-a489-5f67-ae71-a4f81dd30879.html

The officials may have remained silent, but the reporter has the sordid story at the link. I suspect that the sheriff's race in Carbon County might get interesting.

July 29, 2018

Hickenlooper says moderation is best path for Democrats

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper has been talking lately about how out-of-power Democrats could take advantage of the national mood.

They do it by being moderate, he said.

If Democrats do pick up seats in red states, they’re certain to face hostile Republicans they’ll have to negotiate with. That’s something Hickenlooper can relate to. The Colorado Senate is led by Republicans.

Democrats controlled both chambers for only two of Hickenlooper’s eight years in office. And they nearly cost him re-election, passing gun control bills and other legislation he had to answer for in conservative enclaves on the campaign trail.

“They’ll bring a voice of moderation,” Hickenlooper, speaking to the New York Times, said of Democratic candidates for governor in red states this year. “I don’t think they’ll swing way far to the left.”

Read more: https://gazette.com/government/hickenlooper-says-moderation-is-best-path-for-democrats/article_54b39b86-8f70-11e8-9d6f-0f31b41d7bdf.html

July 29, 2018

Goat yoga? 'Naaaaah-maste'

PUEBLO -- "So, it's really yoga, with a goat?" my wife wanted to know.

"Multiple goats, as I understand it," I answered cheerfully. Because I could see why she was skeptical.

Until recently, I wasn't aware there was such a thing as goat yoga. My first clue came when I saw a Hotels.com commercial in which the website's "Captain Obvious" pitchman was doing goat yoga.

Even then, I wasn't completely convinced. Captain Obvious may look sharp in his doorman outfit, but I'm not sure I'm buying everything he's selling on those commercials.

Then I heard there was going to be a goat yoga session at the Pueblo County Fair. So naturally I had to investigate further.

Read more: https://www.chieftain.com/opinion/ideas/pueblo-goat-yoga-naaaaah-maste/article_a9492412-22b0-5b46-bd72-56df137dae91.html

July 29, 2018

Colorado's first rural complex for the homeless opens at full capacity

CANON CITY -- A homeless 40-year-old mother of two young children had tears slipping down her face the first day she walked into her new apartment.

"It's the nicest place I have ever lived," said Tanya Reese, one of the new residents at Journey Home, an apartment complex for the homeless which opened last month. "I can afford it -- the stress is off me -- and I don't feel defeated any more."

Located at 250 Justice Center Road, the $7 million 30-unit complex, comprised of 22 one-bedroom apartments and eight two-bedroom apartments, is the first homeless housing complex built in a rural Colorado community.

"In 72 hours we filled all the apartments," said Dee Dee Clement, director of Loaves & Fishes ministry which oversees the apartment complex as well as the homeless shelter and food bank across the street from it. "I don't know that we would ever get another one, but I could easily fill another 30 unit complex."

Read more: https://www.chieftain.com/news/region/colorado-s-first-rural-complex-for-the-homeless-opens-at/article_4f5b034c-b4c3-56a7-aad9-69360006e7b1.html

July 29, 2018

Firm proposes drilling 32 wells in Weld County southwest of Longmont's Sandstone Ranch

An exact location has been announced for the proposed 32 new wells and a production facility an oil and gas firm intends to build to possibly drain minerals from thousands of acres on Boulder County's eastern border.

Extraction Oil and Gas has proposed building a well pad and production facility southeast of the intersection of County Line Road and Weld County Road 20 ½ near Longmont's Sandstone Ranch, adjacent to where there is already drilling and production equipment owned by another company.

Last month Extraction notified six property owners within 1,000 feet of its planned Blue Paintbrush well pad and a production facility just north of the pad, according to Jason Maxey, oil and gas specialist for Weld County.

A hearing before the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission with 8 North, an Extraction affiliate, is set for Tuesday regarding its drilling and spacing order to tap minerals from 2,720 acres of Boulder County land just west of the county line that has been met with rebuke from Boulder County commissioners.

Read more: http://www.timescall.com/longmont-local-news/ci_32037535/firm-proposes-drilling-32-wells-weld-county-southwest

July 29, 2018

Prankster puts Putin's portrait in Trump's place on Colorado Capitol's wall of presidents

The Colorado Capitol’s wall of presidential portraits is missing one — President Donald Trump.

KUSA-TV reports the group that collects private donations for the portraits hasn’t received a single dollar needed to hang Trump’s picture.

But on Thursday, a prankster placed a portrait of Russian President Vladimir Putin on an easel below the blank space on the wall where Trump’s portrait would go.

Putin’s portrait was removed by a tour guide, but not before state Sen. Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, tweeted a picture.

Read more: https://www.denverpost.com/2018/07/28/putin-portrait-replaces-trump-colorado-capitol-prank/

https://twitter.com/SteveFenberg/status/1022558756519866368

Photo for those who don't get Twitter: