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Year in Review, A look back at 2023

By
NLJ Staff

The last several years have seen notable news across the globe, including rural Wyoming, and the News Letter Journal is happy to once again bring you the wrap of the top news from Weston County in 2023. 
There was tons of news shared by the News Letter Journal, including Rare Element Resources development, a joint powers board agreement for dispatch services, and the settlement of NLJ’s lawsuit against the Board of Weston County Commissioners. 
We also had the opportunity to highlight amazing people in our community and their many accomplishments.
Please enjoy looking back at the 2023 Year in Review before we put another year to rest and welcome 2024. And don’t forget to read highlights from your favorite Newcastle High School Dogie and Lady Dogie news in the back section of this edition. Happy New Year! 
 
January
● Barb Hansen was selected as the 2022 Person of the Year for faithfully serving the Weston County community through various aspects of volunteer work. According to friends and family, she never slows down but is always serving right where she’s needed to make the community a better place. Hansen said she believes in the importance of working together to make a community more viable and prosperous. Hansen has served on the Welcome Committee Board for the Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp, drove the bus for the Weston County Senior Citizens Center and was honored as the first lady of Beta Sigma Phi. Currently, she serves on the local BREAD board, the Weston County Historical Society board and as an active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary. Many of her friends say she is one of the most caring people they know and very deserving of the recognition. 
 
●   Weston County Commissioner Don Taylor presented a list of considerations to the board of commissioners during the Jan. 3 meeting to address concerns raised by constituents. Taylor suggested scheduling an evening meeting once a month to improve public access and involvement, although no motion was made. Additionally, it was decided to reinstate the prayer before the meeting, despite concerns raised by County Attorney Michael Stulken and Commissioners Nathan Todd and Chairman Ed Wagoner about the legal issues that could open up, including a potential lawsuit. It was also agreed upon by the board to remove Wyoming State Statute 16-4-406, regarding the disruption of public meetings, from the back of the agenda, where it was previously printed in red. Instead, copies of the open law would be made available when needed. During the coronavirus pandemic, meetings began being held on Zoom. However, there were complaints about various technical issues that occurred, making it difficult to participate via livestream. Taylor suggested that the board invite the county’s technology providers to attend a meeting to discuss how they can solve some of the issues and improve the process, but nothing was decided. Despite the long list of recommendations presented by Taylor, no official action was taken. 
 
• The lawsuit against the Weston County Board of Commissioners for the secret-ballot vote used to fill the vacancy left when former Wyoming Rep. Hans Hunt resigned in October 2022 continued into the new year. On Jan. 11, the board rejected a settlement proposed by the plaintiffs (represented by the News Letter Journal, Kari Drost, Patricia Bauman and Raymond Norris), which would have included an independent transparency review of county government by outside parties, required disclosure of the full set of the rules governing the appointment process for that position, and an agreement to a consent decree specifying the secret ballots constituted a violation of the Public Meetings Act. Later, the plaintiffs asked for full disclosure of all group text messages among the commissioners over the past two years as public records. This indicated that the plaintiffs were moving forward with the lawsuit. However, the defendants later conceded to allow the plaintiff party to review the group text messages. Later, Bruce Moats, the attorney representing the News Letter Journal and the county constituents, filed a motion in Sixth Judicial District Court to amend the complaint against the board to include the text messages. The lawsuit was later accepted by Judge Stuart S. Healy III, for the  Sixth Judicial District Court. 
 
• It’s long been debated whether or not Weston County School District No. 1 should switch to a four-day a week schedule, and the topic was continued during the Jan. 11 meeting. This year, three different calendars were presented to the board of trustees: the traditional calendar with early-release Fridays, an alternative schedule with a four-day week and a hybrid of the two. The concern with the alternative schedule, according to Superintendent Brad LaCroix, was the “unknown impact on student learning, programming and hourly employees.” Board Chairman John Riesland said he wondered how it would impact the students and what they would be learning if they were not in the classroom with the teacher. Other concerns included the effects on child care, low-income families who eat at school and the different programs offered by the school district. Trustee Jason Jenkins said he believes the decision should be left up to the teachers. However, it was decided on Jan. 25 to keep the traditional calendar.  
 
February
• Piper Allard was appointed as interim CEO of Weston County Health Services by the board of trustees upon the retirement of Maureen Cadwell on Feb. 6. Cadwell served as the CEO for 10 years, and Monument Health would help in the process of finding a long-term CEO, according to WCHS President LeAnn Kenagy. Hospital board Vice Chair Kari Drost assured that all services would continue to be provided during the transition, including long-term care in the Manor. Although Cadwell was the only current employee with a Wyoming nursing home administrator license, Kenagy said Allard applied for the long-term care license, so they could still provide nursing home services at the Manor, and Cadwell would be a consultant in the interim. 
 
• On Feb. 6, the Newcastle City Council voted to make Heritage Park its No. 1 priority on the list of the American Rescue Plan Act grant resolutions submitted to the State Loan and Investment Board, upon the recommendation of interim city engineer Chuck Barlett. The park’s estimated cost is $3,412,785 with the city requesting $2,837,785 in coronavirus relief funds to apply to the project. In the previous month, the city had prioritized the replacement of the sewer main and lift station on Duff Avenue, as well as the water and sewer lines on Seventh Avenue above Heritage Park. However, Dave Ehlers, a member of the park’s steering committee, pointed out that this round of coronavirus relief funding is designated for capital improvements and not water and sewer projects. Barlett said it was still possible for the city to receive SLIB grants for the projects and suggested that the water and sewer committee meet to go over priority projects and look into alternative funding streams for needed projects. However, while SLIB approved funding for the lift station, SLIB denied the funding request for the park due to ineligibility. 
 
• The Newcastle City Council worked to finalize a Chapter 56 permit, a process that began in April 2022, for deer to lethally be removed from city limits. Despite opinions expressed on both sides, public works supervisor Greg Stumpff said that the Public Works Department supported the removal of the deer. According to City Councilman Tyrel Owens, who was working with local Wyoming Game and Fish Department wildlife biologist Joe Sandrini, there are an estimated 210 deer in the city, and the permit would allow for the removal of 70-75. The deer that are killed and receive a negative test result for chronic wasting disease would be given to low-income families on a first-come, first-serve basis. Sandrini said this was the most cost-effective way to reduce the deer population in order to limit starvation, injured deer and harm to pets and citizens. 
 
• The dispatch debate between the city and county hit another bump in the road due to unilateral changes made by city leaders in the arrangement under which the Newcastle Police Department provides dispatch services for all emergency responders in Weston County. The city sent the county an $11,000 bill for dispatch services, which the county refused to pay, instead agreeing to pay the previously agreed-upon amount of $9,000 for two months of services during the Jan. 17 commissioners meeting. According to Sheriff Bryan Colvard, the city was charging the county $56 per dispatch call, even though the county was “covering” for the city, according to Commissioner Nathan Todd, while the police department was short-handed and the city tried to find space to relocate its dispatch services after being evicted. However, Mayor Pam Gualtieri said that the county was given 60-days’ notice of the increased charges, and although there was an overcharge of $521.81, the bill would be adjusted accordingly. Additionally, Councilman Don Steveson stated that he believes Colvard and Weston County’s emergency management coordinator Gilbert Nelson were feeding false information to the commissioners. 
 
• The winter proved to be a white one, and snowfall levels steadily continued well above average in the Newcastle area, according to the Black Hills Snow Course Reading completed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Sundance. The Mallo Camp snowfall was measured at 26.9 inches with a snow water equivalent of 5.9 inches while Little Bear Run came in at 17.5 inches of snowfall with an SWE of 3.3 inches. This resulted in 126% and 122% above the 30-year median for the two locations, respectively. Despite the whiter winter, Weston County remained in a D2 drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. 
 
March
• Three members of the Board of Weston County Commissioners – Vera Huber, Don Taylor, and Garret Borton – met with technology professors to address the technical issues that citizens said they have had while trying to watch the meetings via Zoom. However, Commissioners Ed Wagoner and Nathan Todd said they were concerned when decisions were made to get quotes at the informal meetings, especially because the commissioners were already named in a lawsuit by the News Letter Journal and three constituents regarding open meetings law violations. Borton apologized for the potential breach of open meetings laws, but Taylor added that it could have been avoided if his previous request to meet with a technician during a regularly scheduled meeting had been granted. Despite the controversy and seeming lack of communication, Todd said it was a good start to resolving the tech issues. 
 
• The Weston County School District No. 1 board of trustees voted to approve contract extensions for six administrators on March 8 by numbering the contracts rather than specifying the name, title or position, a move that concerned some citizens, although the names were attached to the numbers in the official minutes. The reason for this voting process, according to board Chairman John Riesland, was to give Superintendent Brad LaCroix the opportunity to visit one on one with each administrator before the public knew the outcome of the vote. According to News Letter Journal publisher and former school board member Bob Bonnar, this voting method speeds the process up, but it is only possible when the board is in universal agreement. The board voted unanimously in favor of 5 out of the 6 administrators, but the sixth resulted in a 5-3 vote with one abstention. Bonnar commended the school district for quickly publishing the names after hearing the concerns of the citizens.  
 
• The ongoing battle with city water lines continued when a water main break, due to a lateral break in an AC pipe, caused a late start for schools in Weston County District No. 1 on Friday, March 10. Ten feet of 6-inch broken main had to be replaced, according to Public Works Supervisor Greg Stumpff. He said that city crews worked throughout the night and had the issue resolved by 5:30 a.m. for a smoother-than-normal repair. In addition to water main breaks, Newcastle also experienced several water breaks on customer properties, which resulted in the city forgiving $1,085.12 in sewer charges at that time. 
 
• Newcastle High School entered into a lockdown on March 15 when a student brought a gun to school. Due to another student reporting the gun situation, law enforcement was notified as soon as possible, and no one was hurt during the lockdown. After locating the firearm in the student’s backpack, Sgt. Derek Thompson arrested the student, who was detained in the Campbell County Juvenile Detention Facility. The student was later expelled. 
 
• Although the Saddle and Sirloin Chapter of Future Farmers of America usually sticks with activities at the high school during FFA week, the chapter’s 27 members decided to do something a little different this year by involving the community and other schools to spark some interest. According to chapter adviser Jill Pischke, one of the fun projects the members did was pick out some ag-related books and read them to the kindergarten, first and second grades, which seemed to be enjoyed by all. In lieu of the normal breakfast or lunch held in honor of the staff and teachers, the FFA students came up with an original idea to demonstrate their gratitude on Teacher Appreciation Day to deliver doughnuts and handmade doorstops crafted by member Cort Perino. The chapter was busy with many other activities throughout the year, and Pischke said that, despite her high expectations, her students are always “spot on” when it comes to leadership and character building. She said her focus with Saddle and Sirloin is on three strengths: agriculture, growing leaders, and serving in the community.
 
April
• All three schools in the Weston County School District No. 1 were put into a lockdown for nearly an hour after the local law enforcement dispatch center received a “swatting” or a spam-type call at 9:11 a.m. on April 3. Swatting is making a hoax call to report a serious crime or emergency with the purpose of deceiving emergency services into sending a special weapons and tactics team. This call claimed that there were “seven victims on the first floor” at one of the schools and, according to Newcastle Police Chief Chuck Bowles, County Sheriff Bryan Colvard said several schools across the state had received similar calls. Mayor Pam Gualtieri said the call received by the local police dispatch came from someone with a “Middle Eastern accent” reporting an active shooter. The Newcastle Police Department, the Weston County Sheriff’s Office and the Wyoming Highway Patrol all took active roles to ensure the safety of the schools. Although it was a hoax, the threat was taken seriously and was treated as a live active shooter situation. 
 
• It seemed as if the members of the Newcastle City Council and the Weston County Commission were reaching a compromise on the dispatch debate, that is until the commissioners rejected the proposal offered by the City Council because it didn’t offer the type of compromise the county officials were seeking. Mayor Pam Gualtieri proposed at the council’s April 17 meeting that Newcastle would operate emergency dispatch as a city service from a newly renovated room in City Hall with a five-person advisory board representing Newcastle, Upton and Weston County. However, the commissioners felt that they had the larger compromise in the proposal. Many officials from both parties expressed their desire to have a joint powers board and their view that a single dispatch service would be the more feasible and logical solution. The question that remained was who would operate it and where. 
 
• Three members resigned from the Weston County Fair Board, including fairgrounds manager Kara Fladstol, and one of the resigning members, Jessica Graham, explained in a letter to the Weston County Commission her reasons for leaving before her term expired at the end of the year. She expressed her dissatisfaction with the commissioners for what she felt was a lack of support and training, leaving the fair board liable to handle situations they didn’t have the knowledge for in what was an already “thankless position.” Resident Billie Jackson was appointed by the commissioners to fill part of the vacancy, and despite the three departures, fair board member Susan Bridge was optimistic about the future of the fairgrounds and said she was gathering training information and establishing policies to outline the expectations for new board members. She said that she, along with Friends of Fair, have been working with the commissioners to bring improvements to the facility. 
 
• The seventh and eighth grade students of Newcastle Middle School experienced the trip of a lifetime with social studies teachers Robert and Sheila Munger in Washington, D.C., during the Close Up tour. Boarding an early flight from Rapid City, South Dakota, to Dallas, the group was “Stuck in Dallas” after the Dallas connection was canceled due to weather. This has been a common occurrence during the annual D.C. trip, sometimes resulting in unfortunate circumstances. This year, the Close Up Foundation provided hotel accommodations and soon, the students were on their way again. Although they missed the first part of their tour, the group didn’t let that stop them from making the most of the trip. History came to life as students visited the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the Lincoln Memorial, Philadelphia and more, in addition to attending various workshops. Over the past 25 years, the Mungers have taken 517 middle school students, 28 parents, 18 other adults with students, 17 high school students, and 21 adults through the adult program, for a total of 601 people connected to Newcastle.
 
May
• Newcastle filed for an extension to its Landfill No. 2 permit because the proposed Weston County Solid Waste District landfill did not open before the February 2022 closure of the city landfill. According to public works supervisor Greg Stumpff, the city decided to apply for a permit that would “allow less than five percent total increase in capacity” in order to ensure that there would be sufficient capacity until the county’s landfill opened. Information regarding the delay was not provided by county officials, although the News Letter Journal reported in April 2019 that title issues were causing delays. 
 
• After the departure of former director Stacie Hoxie for undisclosed reasons from FOCUS, the local domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy association, Sandra Stevens of Crook County Family Violence and Sexual Assault Services in Sundance stepped into the role as interim executive director for FOCUS. Stevens works with the attorney general’s office to assist programs while they are without a director, and because the Division of Victim Services in the attorney general’s office was considering regionalizing programs due to lack of funding, she will be working toward merging FOCUS with the Sundance program. Additionally, the Division of Victim Services would no longer provide funding for FOCUS, so Crook County would also be used for Weston County victims. Although the FOCUS board will dissolve by 2023, Cara Boyle Chambers, director of the Division of Victim Services, offered assurances that there would be offices in both counties under the new entity. 
 
• A Newcastle High School student was hospitalized after an incident involving three students vaping high concentrates of THC, which resulted in the expulsion of the three students by the Weston County School District No. 1 board of trustees. However, the expulsion was modified to allow the students to continue their education under supervision in the administration building away from other students, as recommended by Superintendent Brad LaCroix. His goal in doing so, he said, was to make the message clear that there are consequences for misbehavior while still keeping the students “on track” toward their diploma. Additionally, the board later decided to reallocate funding for a juvenile probation officer after Deb Sweet’s retirement as the school resource officer, a decision supported both by the Newcastle Police Department and the Weston County Sheriff’s office. 
 
• Due to increased supply costs, the use of contract staff and a “fundamental flaw” in the health care system, according to Weston County Health Services board of trustees Treasurer Kari Drost, WCHS experienced a $3,110,134 operating loss as of March 31, 2023. When nonoperating revenue of $1,370,234 is added, the net loss drops to $1,739,899. Some of the contributing factors, according to Drost, interim CEO Piper Allard and board Chair LeAnn Kenagy, include Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements not keeping pace with inflation to costs associated with the need to employ significant numbers of contract staff members because of employee shortages. The trio admitted that not much can be done regarding supply costs as they’re already running as “lean as we can,” but they were brainstorming strategies to recruit and retain staff. Drost said that “we can’t lose money forever.”
 
• After expressing concerns over the level of service being provided by Newcastle’s current ambulance service during an April 26 meeting, the Newcastle City Council wanted the county commissioners to explore the option of creating an EMS district to help fund ambulance operations in Weston County. The previous ambulance service, owned and operated by Roger Hespe, was sold to Campbell County Health Services with the assurance that equal, if not improved services, would continue to be provided, according to Mayor Pam Gualtieri, who was concerned that the expectations were not met. Christopher Beltz, paramedic and director of urgent and emergent services for Campbell County Health, said that a lack of staff has meant that only one ambulance is being fully staffed 24/7. A possible solution was to set up a tax and EMT district, but Weston County Commission Chairman Ed Wagoner stated that the formation would take a year and that the tax must be voted on by the constituents. 
 
June
• Just before the May 23 trial to determine the outcome of a lawsuit filed by three constituents and the News Letter Journal’s against the Weston County Commission regarding the secret ballot used to replace the former Rep. Hans Hunt for Wyoming House District 2 in October 2021, the commissioners acknowledged that the actions, including an ongoing group text message, were in violation of Wyoming’s open meetings laws, although they stated they were unaware at the time of breaking the law. According to plaintiff attorney Bruce Moats, this was the first time in Wyoming history that a court determined that secret ballots and group text messaging regarding county business to be in violation of the Public Meetings Act. Later, four of the five commissioners voted to amend the minutes from the Nov. 2, 2021, meeting to accurately reflect what took place, an action prompted by a resolution that plaintiff Kari Drost presented to the board. The minutes previously stated that County Attorney Michael Stulken said that the secret vote was legal, but after reviewing the meeting’s recording, it was discovered that this was inaccurate. The board voted to strike the line from the record. 
 
• The dispatch debate between the Newcastle City Council and Weston County Commission also came to a close when the two parties agreed to form a joint powers board to operate dispatch services. Various officials from the city, county and Upton worked together on the proposal before presenting it to the City Council, county commissioners and the public on May 30. The board was to consist of five people: the Newcastle police chief, the Upton police chief and the sheriff, or their designees, as well as two at-large members to be selected from the community by a committee composed of representatives from the involved entities. Newcastle will fund 50% of the board, Weston County, 37%, and Upton, 13%, although the numbers will be reevaluated every five years. The group decided to relocate the dispatch center to City Hall in the space recently renovated for the police department, where the joint powers board will lease the space. The agreement was made official in July. 
 
• After months of searching for a new CEO for Weston County Health Services, Judd Dawson was hired by the WCHS board of trustees, which became effective on July 12, although he served in a consultant capacity from June 12 until that date. Dawson studied medicine at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania, and is affiliated with Cheyenne Regional Medical Center’s West Campus. With over 26 years of health care experience, he also serves as the chief medical officer of Kimball Health Services in Kimball, Nebraska, as well as previous experience in hospital management. In addition to a new CEO, the WCHS board also appointed Dottie Briggs as its new chairman. Although she’s relatively new to the community, having moved to Weston County just two years ago, Briggs thought her 50 years of nursing experience and working in the health care business could be used to give back to the community. Her priority is to improve the financial situation of the hospital. 
 
• John E. Handy escaped from a Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp forestry work crew on Monday, June 5. He was participating in a work detail on Beaver Creek Road a couple of miles from the Vore Ranch. Handy was serving a five-to-seven year sentence out of Sublette County for unlawful manufacture or delivery of a schedule I, II or III substance, marijuana. The escape caused the cancellation of the three-day Black Hills Natural Resources Youth Camp at Mallo Camp, which was supposed to begin June 7. 
 
• Mendocino Ellis, better known as “Miss Mendo,” landed her dream job at the Weston County Library as the children’s librarian. She’s always been an avid reader, finding a safe haven in the library, and hopes to bring that same positive experience to the children of Weston County. She’s also responsible for the various children’s programs. A native of Texas, Ellis has moved around quite a bit but has found Newcastle to be her favorite when she moved here five years ago. In addition to reading, she loves taking time for different hobbies, which include baking, crocheting, writing poetry and being outdoors. 
 

 
July
• A Title 25 Transfer issue plaguing Weston County Health Services caused the board of trustees to seek the help of the Weston County Commission on July 5. Patient services director Angela Phillips explained that the hospital was struggling to transfer Title 25 patients because Newcastle Ambulance Service, owned and operated by Campbell County Health, only provides transport to patients who require emergency medical services transports, which isn’t always the case with Title 25 patients. Title 25 is a term used by the Wyoming Department of Health to describe the emergency detention of someone who is dangerous to themselves, others or unable to meet basic needs due to a mental handicap. If a Title 25 patient needs transportation but it’s not medically necessary to go by an EMS transport (for example, to the Wyoming Behavioral Institute in Casper), Phillips said they are unable to get them out of the facility. Later, the board voted to put Title 25 transfers out to bid in case other parties are interested in providing the service.  
 
• Newcastle received a notice of violation from the Environmental Protection Agency for violating the Safe Drinking Water Act 40 C.F.R. 141.24 of the National Primary Drinking Water Regulation. According to Public Works supervisor Greg Stumpff, this was caused by the failure of a second set of synthetic organic compounds samples within the allotted time. To correct the error, the Public Works department immediately collected the required samples, reporting it to Region 8 EPA, and to complete the public notice for failure to monitor for the SOCs. 
 
• The Red Onion Museum in Upton relocated to Old Town on Main Street because of its improved location next to U.S. Highway 16 and the historic atmosphere, according to Weston County Museum Director Cindy Dysart. Additionally, the building (purchased from Upton History and Heritage Inc.) offers 4,000 square feet and is handicap accessible. The increased space allowed the museum to put more artifacts on display that were previously in storage. 
 
• For the first time in 23 years, the Bureau of Land Management is revising the resource management plans for the Newcastle Field Office and Nebraska Planning Area. The proposed revision would change the management guidance of approximately 287,900 acres of public lands and 1.7 million acres of federal mineral estate managed by the BLM in Crook, Weston and Niobrara counties, according to a July 11 press release from the BLM. Public meetings were scheduled to invite public comment, and Weston County Natural Resource District manager Caleb Carter encouraged attendance to show interest, explaining that access to public lands is under attack nationally. According to the BLM, the proposed rule is designed to allow the federal agency to use tools to ensure responsible development and environmental prosperity, although Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon and the local office were not of the same viewpoint. 
 
• Weston County Emergency Management coordinator and Red Cross volunteer Gilbert Nelson was honored as the Wyoming Red Cross Volunteer of the Year for his work both inside and outside of the community as a disaster action team member, government operations service associate and a disaster logistics team member. The anonymous nomination says that Nelson is always working to help others, especially when it comes to preparedness and resiliency planning. Nelson believes that God placed him in the position to do what he does and says he is grateful for the help of the dispatchers, law enforcement, first responders and “the grace of God to be by my side.”
 
August
• Flushable wipes have been an increasing problem for Newcastle’s sewer system for several years, and it grew to a climax at the July 17 City Council meeting when Marge Ruff asked for a solution. According to Public Works supervisor Greg Stumpff, an estimated 50 emergency calls per year are due to the buildup in the systems. Ruff experienced two separate incidents that resulted in 8 inches of water in her finished basement on Gray Boulevard. And because the sewer backup was not the result of public employee negligence, the Local Government Liability Pool, the city’s liability insurance provider, denied the claim. 
 
• On July 30 at 9 a.m. in the morning, a small Volkswagen sedan ran through the intersection at the Port of Entry in Newcastle before crashing into two businesses at 1903 W. Main St., causing the front walls of Treasured Floral and Seven Painted Ladies to collapse. Because the driver of the car was a juvenile, the Newcastle Police Department would not provide police reports or any other information about the accident due to Wyoming State Statute(s) 16-4-203(b)(i) and 14-6-203(g), according to Mayor Pam Gualtieri. Injuries were minor and building owner Loretta Murphy said that the police, firefighters, ambulance and sheriff were all quick to respond to the emergency. 
 
• The proposed rare element resources mine in Crook County that will be supported by a processing plant in Upton completed yet another step toward completion when the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued Rare Element Resources Ltd. a Source Material License. According to a press release from Littleton, Colorado, this license allows the company to process previously stockpiled material from the Bear Lodge Project at the proposed plant to be built in Upton.
 
• Yet another technology issue for Weston County officials arose when it was discovered that official county emails were not working properly. Weston County District Court Clerk Tina Cote and County Assessor Kara Lenardson reported issues of emails appearing late (as much as a year) or not at all in their inboxes. County Attorney Michael Stulken added that emails sent to Cote can be time sensitive, causing detrimental problems if not delivered. Cote’s office decided to adopt a Carbon County rule to help eliminate issues. Golden West, the county’s technology support company, recommended switching to office 365, but County Clerk Becky Hadlock said the switch was too expensive and her office wasn’t interested in switching as they had not experienced any issues. The county commissioners decided to invite Golden West IT engineer Charles Wuestewald to attend the Sept. 5 meeting to discuss the issue further before making any decisions. It was later approved to update all county offices to Microsoft 365.
 
• The Weston County School District No. 1 Athletics and Activities handbook featured some changes this year after the athletics team met with coaches, parents, administrators and the school board regarding the Wyoming High School Activities Association requirements to consequences for infractions of the rules and expectations laid out in the handbook. The suspension for the first offense of tobacco and alcohol substance was increased from one contest to three weeks. The second offense is suspension from all activities for a full calendar year, and a third offense is suspension for the remainder of the student’s high school career. Each offense also requires the student to complete a district-approved tobacco and alcohol educational program. The penalty for controlled substance will now result in suspension from all activities and athletics for the remainder of their high school career upon second offense. 
 
• Weston County School District No. 7 in Upton was awarded a Career and Technical Education grant, according to the office of the Wyoming State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder and the Wyoming Department of Education, which will be used to purchase supplies, materials and equipment for new or existing career and technical education in the Upton district. The grant is $50,000 per year for two years. According to District 7 Superintendent Clark Coberly, the money will be put toward a campus greenhouse to cultivate interest in agriculture careers. Degenfelder believes this grant will help pave the way to higher-paying jobs in the state. 
 
September
• Upon the recommendation of the Weston County School District No. 1 Superintendent Brad LaCroix, the board of trustees unanimously approved a pilot program to allow more families to use virtual learning to help address needs concerning health, transportation, preference to homeschool or hybrid schooling, and family agriculture duties. The $67,500 out-of-state organization called Blended Learning Services Agreement with VLN Partners to be funded by the funds from the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund. 
 
• The Newcastle City Council approved sewer rate increases for customers within city limits to $21.53 per month for the first 2,000 gallons or less and anything over $2,000 would be $9 per 1,000 gallons. An amendment to the ordinance added on Aug. 14 included rates for customers outside of city limits to increase to $27.50 for the first 2,000 gallons and $11 per 1,000 gallons after the initial 2,000 gallons. Additionally, the water rates were increased to $19.50 per month for the first 2,000 gallons of water used and $7 dollars per 1,000 gallons afterwards for users inside city limits. Users outside of city limits would be charged a flat rate of $11 per 1,000 gallons. Several residents approached the council to express their frustrations with the lack of notification, and while the council acknowledged it could have done more to notify the people, it was a necessary change to fund current city projects, loans and grant matches. 
 
• The Weston County Board of Commissioners discussed concerns regarding lack of communication and inability to add items to the agenda. Commissioner Don Taylor previously tried to add items to the agenda in June and again in September but was denied both times by County Clerk Becky Hadlock, although the second time was upon the recommendation of Chairman Ed Wagoner. Commissioner Vera Huber pointed out that according to a board training with University of Wyoming field educator Mary Martin, the chairman is responsible for the agenda and communicating with the rest of the board but not what actually goes on it. She continued that although the clerk should be “in the loop” about the agenda, she doesn’t determine the agenda either. Problems with the agenda should be addressed to Wagoner, according to Huber. Both Huber and fellow commissioner Nathan Todd agreed that no one was at fault but it was merely a lack of communication. Taylor concluded that he was not angry with Hadlock and that he was confused on whether things should be discussed as individuals or in front of the board, but he wasn’t given official direction by the chairman. 
 
• This year’s sixth grade class at Newcastle Middle School showed significant signs of improvement on the Wyoming’s Test of Proficiency and Progress testing results as they moved from 36th in the state last year as fifth graders to 10th in the state this year in reading. Additionally, they showed improvement in math, and this year’s eighth graders also climbed the ranks in reading and math. As seventh graders, these same students landed fourth in reading after coming out in 20th place the year before, moving from below average to 14% above average. Sonya Tysdal, the district’s curriculum director, said that “overall, the middle school was deemed to be ‘exceeding expectations, which is the highest descriptor a school can achieve.”
 
• Weston County School District No. 1’s bus driver Tonya Crawford made the district proud by bringing home some hardware from Casper when she took first place in the School Bus Rodeo held by the Wyoming Pupil Transportation Association. Crawford has been driving school buses for 12 years, and in order to win the competition, the first from Newcastle to do so, she had to compete in a driving course with various obstacles and a written test. Not only is the rodeo an educational opportunity to improve bus driving skills, but it’s also a fun event to socialize with peers across the state, Crawford said. Transportation director Troy Allen and Superintendent Brad LaCroix said they were proud of Crawford’s accomplishment.  
 
October 
• Several students demonstrated their support for Newcastle High School Ag teacher and FFA adviser Jill Pischke at the Weston County School District No. 1’s board meeting at the end of September after the board accepted Pischke’s resignation on Sept. 26. While no specific reason was listed, Superintendent Brad LaCroix said that community tension influenced her decision, which was “the best thing for both Pischke and her family” and the “worst thing for the young people” at the high school. Sophomore Preslee Fitzwater expressed her reaction by reading a statement to the board of Pischke’s influence on her academic career. Pischke said that she spent time with leadership and the school board to encourage implementing new policies to prevent other teachers from experiencing something similar. Trustee Dana Mann-Tavegia proposed a policy to outline the expectations for communication with teachers, and while he’s not opposed, LaCroix admitted that you can’t “police ethics.” He’s also concerned about replacing Pischke because of the teacher shortage, especially in the area of career tech teachers due to their “incredible skill set.”
 
• Less than six months after being hired, Weston County Health Services new CEO Judd Dawson resigned suddenly due to “unforeseen and unfortunate events” in his personal life, according to Dawson’s statement to the board. Although he tried to arrange a way to remain in Weston County with his family, the only possible option was to move back to Colorado. In his short time with the community and hospital staff, he said, he found them “to be dedicated and hard working and a joy to work with.” 
 
• The Newcastle Police Department lost its new police chief when Chuck Bowles was officially terminated after a tense exchange and an executive session during the Oct. 2 Newcastle City Council Meeting. Bowles had been on “medical leave” for months, but questions were publicly raised about his position during a discussion about a possible police department dissolution. Councilmen Daren Downs and Tom Voss said that they were unaware of what was going on before Mayor Pam Gualtieri initiated an executive session to discuss the matter. Upon returning to open session, Voss moved to terminate Bowles’ employment, which was unanimously approved due to personnel information protected by state and federal law. A few weeks later on Oct. 16, the City Council swore in Sgt. Derek Thompson as the new police chief. With 13 years of experience, he had been acting as interim chief since Sept. 5. As police chief, he received a $3 per hour pay raise. 
 
• When Newcastle Middle School student Kase Smellie suffered a cardiac arrest, the community came together to support the 11-year-old and his family. His mother Brianna Smellie explained that Tuesday, June 20, began “one of the scariest roller coasters” of their lives when she found Kase on the couch – blue, unresponsive and cold. He was life-flighted to Children’s Hospital-Anschutz Medical Campus, where he was diagnosed with Wolfe-Parkinson-White Syndrome. Friends Matt and Dawn Ramsey hosted a silent auction and dinner to raise funds for Kase’s continued supportive care, which raised over $20,000. Matt Ramsey said it was one of the largest auctions he had seen, and Smellie said they can’t thank the community enough for the support. Kase is now at home on the road to recovery. 
 
• After Garrett Tysdal went missing while moving cows at the beginning of the month, Weston County Search and Rescue member and county coroner  Scott Beachler reported the sad news that Tysdal’s body had been discovered on Oct. 8, two days after the search began. 307-plus hours were undertaken by 14 search and rescue personnel, in addition to 506 hours from other area personnel and volunteers. Tysdal had been separated from his family earlier in the day. Family members later found his abandoned ATV. Several drone flights were conducted, a canine team was used, as well as volunteers on foot, horseback and ATV. The body was finally discovered by a helicopter from Warren Air Force Base around 9 a.m. Before it was recovered around 12:30 p.m., search and rescue personnel expressed their condolences to the family and their gratitude for the neighboring emergency services personnel, as well as the friends and neighbors who volunteered to find Tysdal. 
 
November
• The debate over city and county policing finally came to a head during a town hall meeting on Oct. 30. The general opinion expressed by the public was support for the Newcastle Police Department and continued need for their services. Councilman Tyrel Owens had suggested a public meeting to discuss the dissolution of the police force due to staffing issues, financial considerations and crumbling infrastructure as some of the reasons. Former police chief Jim Byrd said that 24-hour police coverage is critical to public safety, and that if the community enforced a county led policing, there is no going back and the city would always be dependent on future boards and elected sheriffs. Weston County Commissioner Don Taylor, although he was speaking on his own behalf, suggested that both entities sit down to discuss how to make policing in the community more efficient. On Nov. 6, the City Council voted to put the police dissolution debate to bed. 
 
• Randy L. Lindauer was hired by the Weston County Health Services board of trustees as the new CEO after the sudden resignation of Judd Dawson. Lindauer has a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering, a master’s degree in health care administration and certification in health care leadership. He has served in a CEO position in various places from 2005 to 2021, as well as the director of facilities at a Mayo Clinic in Florida from 2002 to 2005. 
 
• Rare Element Resources moved one step closer to constructing its demonstration-scale processing and separation plant for rare earth elements after securing the final federal approval needed, according to George Byers, RER consultant and former CEO. The company held a ground-breaking ceremony in Upton on Oct. 9 and expects to complete the project in seven months and  begin operations at the plant in the second quarter 2024. According to current CEO Brent Berg, plant operation could begin as early as summer 2024, which would bring the company closer to obtaining its goal of creating a secure domestic source of separate   and refined rare earths. Operations will last eight to 10 months, with decommissioning of the demonstration plant anticipated in the second and third quarters 2025. 
 
• The Newcastle City Council formally voted on Nov. 20 to deny a settlement offer from Weston County Commissioner Don Taylor, who was issued a citation by city police as the owner of the Mondell Heights Retirement Home for alleged violation of a city ordinance three months earlier. Taylor was told that the council rejected his settlement offer after discussing it in a Nov. 6 meeting during an executive session, which appeared to be in violation of Wyoming statute. That’s when City Attorney Dublin Hughes asked the council to hold a formal public vote to reject Taylor’s offer. The debate started when the city gave Taylor a citation for the removal of a manhole cover near Mondell Heights on Labor Day weekend. The city employees claimed to see a garden hose running into it. However, Taylor said that he was out of town for the weekend and that neither he nor Sean Crabtree, the plumber Taylor hired to fix a sewer problem, had knowledge of the hose and that the plumbers received verbal permission to remove the manhole cover. The debate led the council to amend the ordinance to improve the current language and approve the first reading of the amended ordinance. 
 
• Vicki Hayman received two national awards at the 89th conference of the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Services in Providence, Rhode Island, in September. Hayman has been with the University of Wyoming Extension Office for 25 years, bringing home various awards at the national level. This year, Hayman and graphic designer Tanya Engel produced a cookbook for those who bake in high altitudes, and according to the 2023 Communications Educational Publication Award on neafes.org, the book’s page was the most visited publication on the UW Extension website in recent months. The cook-book received first place in the western regional category and second place nationally. Hayman also received an individual award at the conference for her education publication “Food Preservation with Reduced or No Salt or Sugar.” Hayman said she loves being an educator both at home and across the state. 
 
December
• The Weston County Health Services board of trustees had a lengthy discussion at its November board meeting about a document intended to help streamline on-boarding for future and/or new trustees, according to board President Dottie Briggs. She said it was an educational tool describing board positions, but board members Connie James, Ann Slagle and Karen Drost were opposed to the document. Drost claimed the document contained misleading information, while James and Slagle viewed it as a board governance policy possibly conflicting with other policies already established. In a 4-3 decision, the board voted to table the discussion. 
 
• Former Weston County Health Services CEO Judd Dawson announced that a contract was made with DMS Health Technologies to reduce the price per MRI performed from $750 to $550. However, DMS did not provide a way for the hospital to get out of the original contract early. The hospital must honor the original 2004 contract, which stipulates that the board must give DMS a 90-day notice of intent to not renew its contract, and it must be 90 days before the end of the next contract renewal date. The board unanimously passed the addendum to the contract with DMS. Additionally, WCHS Chief Financial Officer William Giles reported to the board that the hospital must look for areas to cut back in order to ensure financial stability in the next fiscal year due to the over $3 million deficit the hospital is expecting at the end of December 2023.
 
• The Newcastle City Council voted to temporarily decrease water and sewer rates after receiving backlash from the community when the council increased rates up to 200% for some users earlier in the year. The temporary rate decrease of $7 per thousand gallons would be in effect until a rate analysis is complete and the council found a “good” rate to charge its customers. The council also voted to seek GettingGreatRates.com to conduct a rate analysis at a cost of $7,045. 
 
• The Weston County Board of Commissioners is considering a county employee handbook at the Dec. 5 meeting, but it left the county’s elected officials less than satisfied with the proposed human resources and public relations guidelines. Deputy County Attorney Jeani Stone began working on the handbook nearly two years ago under a four-month $20,180 agreement to the county, but elected officials have started questioning her work.  County Clerk Becky Hadlock said that none of the officials wanted the new handbook, and while Commissioner Don Taylor voted against the motion originally, he said, “Then we need to apologize to the constituents for wasting their tax dollars.” Treasurer Susie Overman said that the wasted money is “water under the bridge,” and everyone just needed to unify and keep things the same.
 
• Tonia Mills was recognized at Wyoming’s Public Safety Communications Telecommunicator of the Year for 2023 at the annual Wyoming Association of Public Safety Communications Officials Conference held in Casper on Nov. 12-15. Mills has worked with the Weston County dispatch team for 19 years, and Newcastle Police Chief Derek Thompson said Mills goes above and beyond to perform her duties to ensure that someone is always staffing the public safety communications system. He added that the award “helps keep her spirits up doing the work that she is.” 
 
• Weston County School District No. 1 and at least six other Wyoming school districts responded to a bomb threat during school hours on Wednesday, Dec. 13, which prompted an evacuation and a cancellation of the regularly scheduled board meeting. The threat was assessed as non credible. Superintendent Brad LaCroix said the school coordinated with law authorities to evacuate the school and relocate the students and staff to safety as quickly as possible. The threat was received at 1:17 p.m. and the pickup location was announced by 1:33 p.m.

 

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