News

Last call for tours of Qualls' winter wonderland

Published by admin on Thu, 12/03/2020 - 3:25pm

It was 1976 when Barbara Qualls, who was living in California, put together her initial “Winter  Wonderland” display. It wasn’t big or elaborate, featuring just three houses, but year by year it found new life as Quall added something new, something different.

When Qualls moved to Greybull she brought the wonderland with her, and each year opened her doors to the community to share the beautiful, diverse display that she painstakingly puts together each year.

Barb said 2020 will be her last year of assembling the display that includes literally hundreds of figures, nativity scenes, churches (each lighted church has a small nativity scene in front of it), cathedrals, trees, skaters, carolers, fishing village, old-time farm, livery stable, lamp posts, shepherd’s house, rustic crèche, polar bears and nuns handing out presents. 

You’ll be amazed at what you spot tucked away in the nooks and crannies of the huge  display.

For Three Rivers, positive financial trends continue

Published by admin on Tue, 11/24/2020 - 3:12pm

Positive financial trends continue for hospital district

By Tammy Keele

The South Big Horn County Hospital District’s board of directors meeting normally scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of the month was held a week early due to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. The Nov. 18 Zoom meeting covered several topics including free turkeys, positive financials, surgical suite design changes, and an end to board member Jeff Petty’s term. 

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Susan Novak had yet another positive report while presenting October financials to hospital board members. “The swing bed is really generating a lot of gross revenue,” said Novack during her report. 

Novak also recognized over $20,000 in generated revenue from the new mammography equipment during the month of October.  Novak’s financial summary showed current ending balance at a positive $1,294,569 — a huge upswing compared to last year’s ending loss of approximately $218,000. 

'All Shook Up' on stage this weekend

Published by admin on Thu, 11/19/2020 - 1:15pm

By Marlys Good

Elvis Presley, or more correctly his music, takes center stage  tonight at 7 p.m. at the Greybull High School auditorium in the first of three performances of “All Shook Up.”

Tickets will NOT be available at the door.  You can purchase one at the GHS office for $7 each exact cash or by check made out to Greybull Arts Council. No phone reservations will be taken.

All those attending MUST wear a mask, as per a directive from the Wyoming High School Activities Association.

Seamus Bercher takes on the role of “Chad,” a guitar-playing roustabout on a motorcycle who cruises into town  and makes thing happen.

The cast includes Destiny Swearingen, a pretty, young mechanic more at home in greasy coveralls than a dress; her widowed father played by AJ Jenness; Wende Jenness, the owner of Sylvia’s Soda Shop, and her smart, romantic, teenaged daughter played by Samantha Jones. 

County not planning to request local mask mandate

Published by admin on Thu, 11/19/2020 - 1:13pm

While a statewide order could still come from the governor’s desk, members of Big Horn County’s COVID-19 incident management team say they have no intention of requesting a local order that would require people in the county to wear masks.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the state had approved local mask mandate requests from 12 of the state’s 23 counties, including Park and Hot Springs counties in the Big Horn Basin, as well as Teton, Laramie, Albany, Natrona, Sweetwater, Sheridan, Lincoln, Goshen, Sublette and Carbon counties.

According to the Casper Star-Tribune, the state is currently reviewing similar requests from Washakie and Converse counties, which if approved by State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist and Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill, would represent approximate 70 percent of the state’s counties.

Hawkins inducted into Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame

Published by admin on Sat, 11/14/2020 - 9:59am

The late Daniel “Dan” Hawkins is one of the latest inductees into the Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame for  work in the field of aviation.

Dan, who was born May 25, 1927 in South Dakota, spent his first years on a ranch near Ft. Pierre. As a teenager life took him to Rapid City, where at the age of 16, he went to work at a nearby airport. His duties included washing the planes and acting as a “go-fer.” 

Hospital taking overflow patients

Published by admin on Thu, 11/05/2020 - 9:39am

CNO Linda Walker reported South Big Horn County Hospital, also known as Three Rivers Health, has been very busy. She attributed it to an influx tied to COVID-19.

Walker reports that because of the rising number of COVID-19 cases, hospital staff are closely adhering to CDC guidelines and Department of Health safety measures. Anyone entering the facility is screened. All staff must wear masks and protective eyewear. Employees are tested weekly for COVID-19. Staff that has tested positive has been sent home immediately and isolated. The nursing home residents are also checked weekly and will continue to be as long as there are positive COVID-19 tests. 

Rural health district seeks levy increase in general election

Published by admin on Thu, 10/29/2020 - 2:40pm

Big Horn County Rural Health Care District No. 1 is asking voters in the Nov. 3 general election to support a tax increase that would allow it to re-establish its community automated external defibrillator program, fund additional paramedic/advanced life support personnel and fund continuing education for first responders. 

The rural health care district has provided these services in the past, according to board chairman Ken Nelson, but will be unable to do so moving forward because it greatly enhanced the quality of its ambulance services, which are provided by Cody Regional Health.

For 30 years, dating back to its formation in 1990, the rural health care district has been funded by property tax levy of two mills. Becky Lindsey, the Big Horn County treasurer, said those two mills will generate just under $182,000 "if 100 percent of the people pay their 2020 taxes."

Big Horn County marked as county of concern by White House Task Force

Published by admin on Thu, 10/15/2020 - 1:47pm

Big Horn County has been named one of the most prominent areas of COVID-19 infection within Wyoming by the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

In a Sept. 27 report, published by the Center for Public Integrity, the task force identified counties with a high amount of COVID cases as either a red, orange, or yellow zone, based on the number of new cases the rate of positive tests.

Big Horn County was identified as a red zone county in the Sept. 27 report, along with Albany, Campbell, Converse, Park, Sublette and Goshen counties. Teton and Sheridan counties were orange zones, and Natrona, Lincoln and Platte counties were yellow zones.

According to Kim Deti, spokeswoman for the Wyoming Department of Health, Big Horn County was redesignated as an orange zone county in an Oct. 11 report by the White House task force.

Three Rivers signs letter of intent to partner with Billings Clinic

Published by admin on Thu, 10/01/2020 - 3:13pm

Tadd Greenfield, CEO of Three Rivers Health (formerly South Big Horn County Hospital), confirmed during the Sept. 23  board meeting that the facility has presented Billings Clinic with a letter of intent to begin exploring a partnership with the large Montana hospital. 

According to a Sept. 23 press release by Billings Clinic, if Three Rivers Health does in fact sign on to be an affiliate, it will join Powell Valley Healthcare and Lovell’s North Big Horn Hospital among the 15 rural hospitals that currently partner with Billings Clinic.

During an interview with Greenfield, the CEO stressed that the move to become an affiliate was considered with due diligence for a period just short of a year. He stated that several facilities were looked at and Billing Clinic’s commitment to rural health along with its quality reputation were major reasons why Three Rivers Health chose to go with them.

Margaritaville in Shell

Published by admin on Thu, 09/24/2020 - 1:36pm

The generosity of rural Wyomingites was evident this past weekend at Shell Community Hall’s annual fundraising event: Margaritaville. 

“Thank you to so many individuals and businesses that choose to be a part of such an important event that contributes to the success of the Shell Community Hall. Without community support, there would be no Shell Community Hall,” said hall board member Jody Lafko-Gilbert.

Holding its first public event since their annual meeting in January, the Shell Community Hall received a warm welcome from people eager for fellowship — after a seven-month hiatus. 

Due largely to COVID-19 and the resulting regulations, all planned events had been canceled this year, including the St. Patrick’s Day dinner and the popular Easter Sunday breakfast and egg hunt. 

Saturday’s event was well attended, tables were spaced-out and a large group stayed outside enjoying the music from outdoor speakers.