News

Upcoming mental health fair promotes awareness, resources

Published by admin on Thu, 03/02/2023 - 2:10pm

Aiming to promote mental health awareness and provide resources to the community, the Big Horn County Citizens for Economic Development (BCED) will host a Mental Health Awareness and Fitness Fair Saturday, March 11 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Shell Community Hall. 

There is no admission fee and a free lunch is included.

The event will feature resources from local vendors and a panel discussion consisting of mental health professionals, fitness instructors and visiting speakers who will share their lived experiences and expertise. 

“What we’re talking about is mental fitness, mental wellness,” said Stan Flitner, a BCED member credited for the event’s inception. “I think mental fitness is like physical fitness. You can’t have one without the other. Without mental health, there is no health. It’s a balance between physical and mental, and I think we’ve lost track and left mental fitness behind.”

WYLD Sage celebrates grand opening

Published by admin on Wed, 02/22/2023 - 2:02pm

Jalissa Olsen didn't set out to open a coffee shop, but there she was on Saturday morning, surrounded by family, friends and other members of the business community, cutting a ceremonial ribbon in celebration of the grand opening of WYLD Sage in the Historic Hotel Greybull building.

Olsen moved into the former Aspire Coffee Roasters location around the first of January, assuming the lease from Scott Boeckner who moved to Colorado.  Olsen is selling Boeckner's coffee, so other than some fresh paint, removal of roasting equipment and the name, little has changed.

That's been by design.

"I was in school getting my nursing degree — that was always the goal," Olsen said in a brief conversation before the ribbon cutting. "I was coming here all the time. I'd study, use the internet.  Then one day, Scott told me he was looking for help. I thought, 'Why not? I could use a part-time job.' 

Bill's progress a good sign for Leavitt project

Published by admin on Thu, 02/16/2023 - 3:54pm

Optimism is growing among supporters of the proposed expansion of the Leavitt Reservoir near Shell.

The long-discussed project has languished for more than a year due to a significant gap between what the Shell Valley Watershed Improvement District (SVWID) expected it to cost (approximately $46 million) and the only bid it received, which came in well north of that (approximately $78 million).

The angst over that is dissipating, however, with every hurdle cleared by House Bill 93.  Slugged the Omnibus water bill-construction, it includes an earmark for the full $78 million for the Leavitt Reservoir project. 

Of that total, 97.8% ($76.248 million) would come from the state in the form of a grant; the SVWID would be on the hook for the remaining 2.2% ($1.716 million), which would need to be repaid over a 50-year period at 4% interest.

Art Gala puts on the Ritz

Published by admin on Fri, 02/10/2023 - 10:30am

The bolo ties were shined, ball gowns and cocktail dresses glittering, and the cummerbunds of a handful of tuxedos were fitted just right, at last Friday night’s Inaugural Winter Art Gala at the Basin City Arts Center. 

“This was by far the most wonderful, fine soiree I have ever attended in the 20 years I’ve lived here. Big Horn County was ready for something like this,” said Linda Cooper of Greybull. 

Hosted by the Big Horn County Arts Guild, the event had more than one purpose: to challenge artists to create new works of art, give the community a reason to dress-up, and host the premier of a documentary film. 

The ambitious gala met those expectations and then some. It was a sold-out event, with only 120 tickets available for purchase due to the occupancy of the upstairs ballroom of the center which was decorated to the hilt. 

Antelope Butte hosts ski patrol event

Published by admin on Thu, 02/02/2023 - 12:01pm

A sea of red descended on the Antelope Butte Mountain Recreation Area last month as Shell’s local hill hosted the National Ski Patrol’s annual Northern Division Powder Rendezvous.  

The event location was poetic as Antelope Butte was just named Outstanding Small Patrol in the Nation for 2022.

With their mountain uniforms of red jackets donning bright white medical crosses, over 50 ski patrollers from Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Utah, California, Idaho, Oregon, and Alaska honed their skills over three days on Jan. 20-22. It was clear that regardless of geographic location, ski patrollers are a tight-knit family. 

The event was coordinated by Michael Marlow, the supervisor of the Northern Division of Outdoor Emergency Transportation. With a goal to teach and enhance patroller skiing and skills in running toboggans – the orange sleds used to bring injured guests off the mountain. 

Library to close during repairs

Published by admin on Thu, 01/26/2023 - 2:58pm

The Greybull Public Library will be closed to patrons until further notice starting Friday, Jan. 27 due to floor abatement and carpet replacement in the building. Amenities like curbside pickup and the book drop box won’t be available during the repairs. 

 “The library is not closing forever,” said Ted Menke, chair of the Big Horn County Library board. “It is reopening and it will be back to its capacity—and much better, we hope—but we just don’t know the timelines.”

Patrons are advised to utilize the Big Horn County Library’s services in Basin for the time being. Basin “will pick up the slack of all the regular library services,” such as book checkouts and returns, the S.T.E.M. program and Story Time. 

Greybull Library Manager Cynthia Garay added that individuals can hold onto their books until further notice or drop them off at the Basin library.

Town promotes from within to fill chief's post

Published by admin on Thu, 01/05/2023 - 4:38pm

The Greybull Town Council hired a new police chief Monday night, promoting Ken Blosser, the police department’s longest tenured officer, to replace the retired Bill Brenner.

The move followed the swearing-in and seating of Mayor Myles Foley and Councilmen Chris Dooley, Gerald Crist, Jeremy Kottmann and Blaine Jolley.

Brenner announced in mid-December that he’d be leaving his post Jan. 2, 2023, to become the chief deputy coroner for Big Horn County.  He had served as the police chief since 2007.

A native of New Jersey, Blosser joined the GPD in February of 2018. He brought nine years of law enforcement experience with the Delaware River Port Authority.

A promotion to corporal followed in February 2021.  He was third in command at the GPD, working under the supervision of Chief Brenner and Sgt. Mark Dewees. 

Ace Hardware store opens

Published by admin on Thu, 12/22/2022 - 10:53am

Earlier than expected and just in time for Christmas came the soft opening Tuesday, Dec. 20 of the new Greybull Ace Hardware store on North Sixth Street.

Shane McInroy, district manager for Ridley’s Family Markets, had indicated in mid-November that it would likely take about eight weeks to set up the store.

“I know we said early in 2023, but we kind of planned for this — we didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up,” said McInroy. “We do just consider this a soft opening, not a grand opening. 

“We’ve still got lot of work to do before then, but figured we were far enough ahead that we could open the doors today.”

The store has hired a mix of 12 to 14 full- and part-time employees.

“The workforce came together pretty quickly,” McInroy said, adding, “We had a lot of great applicants.”

Based in Twin Falls, Idaho, Ridley’s operates 30 grocery stores and 12 Ace Hardware stores spread out across Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming and Colorado.

Mission accomplished, says outgoing councilman

Published by admin on Thu, 12/15/2022 - 11:49am

Marvin Hunt takes pride in many of the town’s accomplishments during his 12 years on the council, but one thing stands above the rest and it can be found at the corner of First Avenue South and South Fifth Street. 

The opening of the town’s outdoor swimming pool in the summer of 2020 was the culmination of years of planning, meetings, fundraising, and toiling in the summer heat. While a great many contributed, Hunt was often the public voice of the effort due to his role on the council.

With three summers at the pool in the books, Hunt said he wrestled “a little bit, but not much” with the idea of running for another term on the council. He opted not to and will be leaving the council at the end of the month. 

“My whole intent these last eight years has been to get the pool built and then get off — and that’s where I’m at,” he said in an interview Tuesday, a day after receiving a plaque for his service from Mayor Myles Foley.

Mission accomplished, says outgoing councilman

Published by admin on Thu, 12/15/2022 - 11:49am

By Nathan Oster

Marvin Hunt takes pride in many of the town’s accomplishments during his 12 years on the council, but one thing stands above the rest and it can be found at the corner of First Avenue South and South Fifth Street. 

The opening of the town’s outdoor swimming pool in the summer of 2020 was the culmination of years of planning, meetings, fundraising, and toiling in the summer heat. While a great many contributed, Hunt was often the public voice of the effort due to his role on the council.

With three summers at the pool in the books, Hunt said he wrestled “a little bit, but not much” with the idea of running for another term on the council. He opted not to and will be leaving the council at the end of the month. 

“My whole intent these last eight years has been to get the pool built and then get off — and that’s where I’m at,” he said in an interview Tuesday, a day after receiving a plaque for his service from Mayor Myles Foley.