Taking a look back at key moments of 2024

Posted 1/15/25

Oct. 2, 2024 Dwyer Fire burns 960 acres DWYER – Approximately 960 acres of grassland burned early on Monday before fire crews were able to contain the fire. Two separate fires were reported …

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Taking a look back at key moments of 2024

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Oct. 2, 2024
Dwyer Fire burns 960 acres
DWYER – Approximately 960 acres of grassland burned early on Monday before fire crews were able to contain the fire. Two separate fires were reported approximately the same time at Dwyer and Wendover. The Wendover fire merged into the northeast corner of the Dwyer fire before both were officially contained mid-morning.
Ten structures were threatened and Dwyer residents were ordered to be evacuated, but were allowed to return home within a couple hours. No structures were damaged in the fire. At least four electric poles were burned through and leaning from the fire damage, but Wheatland Rural Electric Association crews were on-scene to replace them immediately after the fire.

Former Glendo clerk/treasurer arrested
WHEATLAND – At 11:42 a.m. Sept. 25, former clerk/treasurer for the Town of Glendo, Tristany Hoffman, was arrested for alleged theft of Glendo town funds.
On July 8, a report was made to the Platte County Sheriff’s office of “suspicious charges and money handling,” according to Sheriff David Russell.
Hoffman is being charged with three felonies. Each felony charge comes with a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. According to Circuit court records from Sept. 25, for each charge, Hoffman “knowingly took or exercised unauthorized control over an interest in the property belonging to the Town of Glendo, Wyoming. The value of the property was $1,000 or more.” Each charge sets different timeframes for the offense, beginning from May 2024 through July 2025.
Any person charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Steppin’ to the Streets
WHEATLAND – During halftime of the football game last week, WHS Homecoming royalty were officially presented: Paiges Halle Huston and Ayden Lind, attendants Taylor Gudahl and Kreed Kuntz, princess Karley Adams and prince Kael Gudahl, queen Desirae Iacovetto and king Cesar Dominguez.
Oct. 9, 2024
Communications tower receives upgrade
WHEATLAND – “It’s ‘North Tower Day’ today, and I’m excited,” Tony Krotz, Platte County Emergency Management coordinator, said at last week’s commissioner’s meeting. A long-awaited improvement to emergency communication capabilities in the county were completed last Tuesday.
“I’m looking forward to driving around the county and making some calls to try it out,” he said. “It’s a great fix. We’ll save money using some equipment [that was on hand]. I’m excited about this.”
As far as communication gaps go, Krotz said he will now focus on solutions for the Palmer Canyon area on the western side of the county.
The Agriplex is being considered by Krotz as the number-one mass shelter location in the county, but a backup generator is needed. He told the commissioners, the fact it is also a polling place opens up some grant opportunities.
In other business during the commissioner’s meeting, commissioners approved two resolutions to recognize recently retired magistrate Scott W. Cole, and approve the appointment of Wendy Curtis Palen as part-time magistrate for the Circuit Court of the Eighth Judicial District in Platte County.
Hospital Foundation Board
The commissioners also held a public interview of Platte County Hospital Foundation board applicant Lauren Nordeen, before unanimously approving her appointment to fill a board vacancy for a term ending June 2025.

Miller to be inducted into Wyo. Cowboy Hall of Fame
CHUGWATER – A Chugwater cowboy, Alva Miller, will be inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame this weekend, Oct. 11 and 12 in Casper for nearly 50 years of contributions in establishing the cowboy culture of Wyoming.
The WCHF’s chief goal, according to their website, is “to preserve, promote, perpetuate, publish and document Wyoming’s working cowboy and ranching history through researching, profiling and honoring individuals who broke the first trails and introduced that culture in this state. WCHS plans to collect, display, and preserve the stories and photos of such individuals and anything else that will honor and highlight their contributions to our history.”
Miller’s story began on a homestead where he was born to Bert and Agnes Miller about five miles southeast of Chugwater. He spent his entire life practically on the range, and he’d find any excuse to work or train a horse, but the man would rarely brag about his success. His life and legacy speaks for itself.

Valor Institute Community:
Local religious school continues to grow
WHEATLAND – Platte County is known for having quality school systems, and between its various schools has produced some notable academic scholars and successful entrepreneurs. There are also multiple choices for parents when deciding to send their children to school. The local public school districts, charter school, and home schooling are among those options, but there is another option in Wheatland which has been growing over the last several years.
Valor Institute Community is a tuition-funded religious school started with an eight-student kindergarten class and enrichment program in 2020-2021. Since then, the school has grown to include four teachers and accommodate an average of 27 students from Kindergarten through eighth grade. There are also additional enrichment teachers who assist in the learning process.
“Our combined classrooms are small to foster advanced learning (each at their own level of ability),” Walton said. “We want people to know there is another schooling option available to parents, but do not claim to be better than any other local school.”
Valor also has a Department of Family Services-licensed preschool through preK program that accommodates before- and after-school childcare for working families. Since the school is DFS licensed, tuition assistance through DFS is available for those who need extra help with childcare expenses.

Oct. 16, 2024
Women’s Screening Event to highlight new 3D mammogram machine
WHEATLAND – According to a risk factor map on Breast Cancer in Wyoming, (prepared by the Wyoming Department of Health and dated February 2023) just 65.3 percent of females statewide, age 40 to 74, have been screened for breast cancer. In Platte County, the rate is a little lower, at 62.8 percent. One in eight will develop breast cancer in a lifetime – up to 65 percent more invasive breast cancers are found with three-dimensional mammograms versus two-dimensional. Routine scans also lower the mortality rate by 40 percent.
Platte County Memorial Hospital (PCMH) is bringing awareness to the need for breast cancer screenings and encourage more individuals in Platte County to take the time to schedule their mammogram. Cost doesn’t need to be a barrier in receiving a mammogram either: there are multiple resources available assist individuals with income limitations.
After a recent addition to the radiology department in the Wheatland Hospital, mammograms will be taken with top-of-the-line 3D imaging equipment, which will be highlighted during a Women’s Screening event on Oct. 23 in the hospital lobby.

Multiple agencies needed to contain Tuesday’s blaze near Chugwater
CHUGWATER – Approximately 300 acres of grassland burned north of Chugwater (on the opposite side of the interstate) on Tuesday, Oct. 8, which requiring the closure of the interstate before it was contained at around 8 p.m.
At around 3:12 p.m. on Tuesday, Chugwater Volunteer Fire Department was notified of a fire near town. Chugwater fire chief Tim Ash said the fire was in rough terrain with deep, narrow, and steep-sided canyons northwest of town. One group of structures was threatened, but firefighting personnel were able to prevent any structure damage. As the blaze neared the interstate and prevailing westerly winds, visibility was limited. The interstate was closed for approximately an hour to keep both motorists and firefighters safe.
“It came across the top [of the bluffs] where it is flat and burned some CRP grassland, but where the fire mostly burned was in rough terrain,” Ash said. “We had a lot of equipment fighting the fire, and the slurries (from SEAT firefighting planes) doused on the fire were a benefit to us…The fire was kept mainly in the grass, so we lucked out. Thankfully we had the personnel [to help].”
There were 60-plus firefighters assisting, including local units from Platte, Goshen, and Laramie Counties; Wyoming State Forestry, and Bureau of Land Management.
The fire chief wanted to thank Jill Winger of the Chugwater Soda Fountain for jumping in at the spur of the moment to put together delicious, filling meals to feed everyone on-scene.
As of Wednesday morning, the fire was still contained, but being monitored, and the inevitable post-fire repairing of vehicles – especially tires – was underway. The cause of the fire is officially under investigation.

Chugwater: agreement reached with county for snowplow storage
CHUGWATER – After discussion between the council and Platte County Road and Bridge supervisor – and some compromise for both parties – an agreement was reached to store a county snowplow in Chugwater’s maintenance shop. The Chugwater council voted unanimously to approve the MOU with the county to house the snowplow in exchange for the county opening roads in the town in case of a severe snow event which was beyond the capability of the town’s equipment.
Christian Winger, CEO of Prairieview Community School gave a quick update on the school. There are currently 96 students and 25 staff members, including substitute teachers, but one more bus driver is needed.
He said the success the school is showing with enrollment numbers, etc. is “a big deal. We’ve overcome a lot of hurdles being the first certified charter school in the state of Wyoming and we still have a lot of hurdles to go, but it’s a big win for us and a pretty big win for the town of Chugwater.”

October 23, 2024
PCED discusses stategic growth at annual meeting
WHEATLAND – Change is inevitable, and the future will happen whether you want it to or not. Your only choice is to have a purposeful direction in which you steer that change, or it will randomly happen on its own.
This principal is the concept which guest speaker Tom Lubnau shared with members of Platte County Economic Development (PCED) during their annual meeting hosted at 10th Street Social in Wheatland last week.
He offered advice on nine areas to think about in developing the economic future of Platte County: support core industries, defend the ag economy, preserve the industrial base and don’t allow resources to be marred by government, unmatched beauty coupled with amazing history gives a chance to have a great tourism industry, have a pro-business environment where businesses can thrive, keep government out of the way, strategically control the infrastructure on terms which don’t invite unnecessary federal involvement, attract young people, and support the community.
Chairman Bob Ruwart said the focus of PCED is to support and strengthen businesses and forge relationships with its members, county commissioners, and town councils throughout the county. Those partnerships are important to the success of economic development.

Commissioners approve grant to increase election security
WHEATLAND – Commissioners approved a grant from Wyoming Office of Homeland Security for $5,649 to help provide further election security during the general election on November 5. In the breakdown, there is $1,700 for the sheriff’s department to pay overtime wages, and the remainder to provide funding to install upgrades to the access control devices at the Agriplex.
In a report to the county commissioners, Platte County treasurer Kristi Rietz said county attorney Doug Weaver is investigating an incident that occurred involving a payment from the county to a vendor which had been altered at some point in the transaction. Rietz emphasized the funds were reimbursed to the county by the bank, and while the county is no longer a victim of a crime, a full investigation is still being conducted.
In seeking to pin down the definitions and requirements for what kind of transmission or pipelines should require building or construction permits, and to identify the difference between irrigation or industrial use of pipelines, the planning and zoning committee began discussions with commissioners at the October planning and zoning meeting. They met with Wyrulec and Wheatland Rural Electric Association at the meeting to hear various sides of the issue. Dumont said there will be further discussions at the next Platte County Planning and Zoning meeting in November.
“Right now, pipelines are exempt, and there is no verbiage or regulations for transmission lines,” Dumont said. “We have been discussing that possibly anything above 69kv should require a certificate, and if there are pipelines – what is the cutoff point?”

Platte County declared primary natural disaster area
WHEATLAND – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced last Tuesday it was expanding the number of counties in Wyoming designated as primary natural disaster areas as a result of wildfire.
The primary counties are Albany, Converse, Crook, Goshen, Hot Springs, Johnson, Platte, Sheridan, and Weston; the contiguous counties are Big Horn, Campbell, Carbon, Fremont, Laramie, Natrona, Niobrara, Park and Washakie.
The governor had previously requested the primary disaster designation for “all counties in Wyoming due to damages and losses from wildfires occurring from June 11, 2024, and continuing.”
Governor Mark Gordon’s office issued a press release that said, “[W]ildfires have now burned more than 810,000 acres in Wyoming in 2024, much of it private land.”
Nov. 6, 2024
Missing cattle a concern for Glendo ranchers
GLENDO – The Platte County Sheriff’s Department and the Wyoming Livestock Board are currently investigating claims of missing cattle near Glendo.
Sheriff David Russell said a report was recently made by the Millikin Ranch of Glendo of nine missing red angus cattle was recently made by the Millikin Ranch; the last time they could confirm their location was in April. “We want to remind people to report as soon as they notice so we can work with the Wyoming Livestock Board law enforcement team to try to get them found,” he added.
Glendo rancher Tim Millikin is assuming the cattle are long gone but wants to bring awareness to the fact thefts may be occurring in the county. He said as he has talked about the situation with other ranchers, they are saying they are missing cattle too. For some of them, they’ve had missing cattle multiple different years and didn’t realize others were having the same issue.
Missing livestock can be reported to the local brand inspector, sheriff’s department, the livestock board, or a combination of the above. “We want to be able to notify inspectors and neighboring states as soon as possible if there has been a theft,” Wyoming Livestock Board director Steve True said.

Water okay in Hartville after cautionary warning
HARTVILLE – A water issue that prompted a precautionary warning to town residents of Hartville has been resolved.
On Tuesday, mayor Lisa Mindietta said she was notified one of the town’s pumps had failed causing sediment in the holding tank. A notice was issued to town residents, and on Platte County’s Facebook page, warning citizens to properly boil the water before drinking.
The issue was fixed and the tank and fire hydrants were flushed on Wednesday. Subsequently, four samples were analyzed came back confirming the water was safe and the water system can be utilized as normal.
“The water operator and backup water operator did an excellent job and responded quickly,” Mindietta said.

Grant provides access to resources, help for struggling residents
PLATTE COUNTY –The Platte County Family Resource Center, under the direction of Platte County Public Health nurse manager Penny Simonton and CSBG case manager Julie Worthington, will be a one-stop shop for information and resources for families and individuals within Platte County. The FRC, which will have a grand opening at its new location in January, will be partnering with local organizations and businesses to help connect people with services or training they may need, and in some cases can assist in filling out paperwork – particularly for people not comfortable using a computer. There are plans for education workshops, coordination with the schools, DFS, workforce services, the senior centers, and any other source that can benefit people in Platte County.
Think of it as an information hub, with the added benefit of guidance. For those struggling to make ends meet who are willing to follow the steps required for the Project Hope-style intensive case management program.

Barber shop to offer free haircuts for veterans at Camp Guernsey
GUERNSEY – From someone who’s been in combat boots, the little things make a lot of difference for veterans. On Nov. 14 – 16, free haircuts will be given to veterans in honor of Veteran’s Day at Camp Guernsey.
Cosmetologist Stacia Smith has worked with base leadership to establish a barber shop, Patriotic Cuts, at the general mercantile building at Camp Guernsey, with haircut services available to both service members and civilians, men or women – anyone who wants to come on base to get a haircut.
The free haircuts for veterans will be offered at the camp the afternoon of Nov. 14 and all day on the 15th and 16th.

Nov. 13, 2024
Hospital changes name: the hospital in Wheatland is now Platte County Hospital

WHEATLAND – Effective Nov. 12, Platte County Memorial Hospital changed its name to Platte County Hospital.
The medical care facility was built in 1955 and is owned by the Platte County Hospital District Board and managed by Banner Health. Changing the hospital’s name was requested by the hospital’s board and the new, simpler moniker ensures the name is very clear and consistent.
“Platte County Hospital is simple and easy, and more reflective of the work we do here,” Sandy Dugger, the hospital’s CEO said. “Nothing changes, Banner Health will continue to provide the same great care we’ve been providing this community for almost 70 years.”

New Glendo EMS taxing district approved, board appointed
WHEATLAND – With the unanimous approval of county commissioners, a Glendo EMS District (emergency medical services) was approved with resolution 2024-17.
The new EMS district will share the same border as Glendo Fire District 2F for taxing purposes. As one requirement for its formation, commissioners appointed five members to a newly formed board to govern the finances of the district. Voters in the affected district boundaries (tax collection district Glendo 3-1) will be able to vote on the formation of the district – either in a special election in 2025 or in the regular election in November 2026, as determined at the discretion of the newly formed board.

Road and Bridge
Commissioners gave the final approval on an agreement to house the county’s snowplow at the Town of Chugwater’s heated shop. “The agreement has a two-year auto-renewal, which I’m not a huge fan of…councilman John Burns was very helpful in clarifying the intentions of the town.” Bookout told commissioners, if Chugwater crews are unable to handle the snow load in a big storm event, the town would consult with the county crew at their convenience to make a pass through to open up the roads.
County fire warden
The upcoming retirement of county fire warden Aaron Clark has prompted discussion by the commissioners for an alternate system in the county. There was discussion to determine if commission would agree to Clark transferring the paperwork to Platte County Emergency Management coordinator Tony Krotz, and showing him the processes he’s refined throughout the county. Krotz would manage the paperwork and oversee two deputy fire wardens, one from the northern portion of the county; the other in the southern portion.

County Clerk
An expense and receipt report for fiscal year 2023-2024 prepared by county clerk Malcolm Ervin was approved by commissioners. The report showed [balanced] totals of $13,605,541.99 received and $12,810,718.17 paid out.
A gas leak scare was discussed by commissioners which recently had occurred at the Agriplex. Though investigated thoroughly by county maintenance, firefighters, and AG Heating and Cooling, the gas systems were found as functioning properly with no leaking occurring. “There was no gas leak. There was a sewer gas smell outside, and we think the fresh air return vents were bringing the smell into the kitchen area,” Mantle said.

County, town discuss plans for handling funds utilizing joint CDBG grant
WHEATLAND – In one more step to finalize details for the upcoming renovation of Wheatland’s 16th Street Development Project, county commissioners discussed plans to coordinate invoicing and payment of joint grant funds with town clerk Candy Wright.
Platte County and the Town of Wheatland applied for Community Development Block Grants through the Wyoming Community Development Authority in 2021 for their respective interests in the project. The grant was approved by WCDA in 2023, awarding both applicants $1 million each to make safety, flood control, and infrastructure improvements (including sidewalks and lighting) to a primary business corridor for both Wheatland and Platte County. Dubbed the “16th Street Development Project,” the town – with Wright at the forefront – has secured other grants and set aside matching funds for the $15 million project, and secured Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) to manage the project. WYDOT has taken on the responsibility for engineering; coordinating water, sewer and electricity updates; managing contractors; and conducting required studies and reports to satisfy grants and legal requirements for the project.
Construction bid requests are going out this week, and while planning for the 16th Street Development project began 11 years ago, it is expected to begin in April 2025 and is estimated to take approximately one year to complete. Wright said there will be a public meeting to discuss access to businesses and homes prior to road closures for construction.

Nov. 20, 2024
Chugwater native publishes book nationally
WHEATLAND – On Saturday, 2008 Wheatland High School graduate Charles MacDuff “Charlie” Westerman will be at The Wanderer on Gilchrist for a sample reading of his new book, Where Heaven Meets Cheyenne, published by Atmosphere Press.
The story has been a lifetime in the making for Westerman, who lived the real story throughout his life, having been 14 months old when events started unfolding in his family that led to the eventual creation of this masterpiece.
Having grown up hearing anecdotes of the incidents leading to the formation of his blended family, Westerman began writing the story – an autobiographical fiction of real-life events – after college at the age of 22. It was a project he worked on for three years before setting it aside to pick up nine years later to revise and complete it for its debut on October 29, 2024.

Firefighters respond to structure fire near Guernsey
GUERNSEY – A call came into Platte County dispatch at 1:14 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 15, notifying available units of a structure fire near a private lane off Wendover Road west of Guernsey.
County fire warden Aaron Clark said by the time the fire engines came on-scene, the structure – a home – was completely burned. The cause of the fire is unknown, and the Wyoming State Fire Marshal’s office is investigating the incident. Guernsey Rural, Guernsey Town, and Camp Guernsey fire departments all responded to the call.

County-wide fire update
Clark reported, throughout Platte County this summer and fall, firefighters responded an official total of 34 wildland fires (including nine mutual aid responses to surrounding counties) which burned approximately 11,000 acres in Platte County. He cautioned people to continue to be vigilant about the fire danger and dry conditions across the county. “Remember, we’re still under a fire ban,” Clark said.
Community center planning underway in Glendo
GLENDO – Plans for a new community center was the main topic of discussion at last week’s Glendo council meeting.
Councilmember Heather Schoning thanked Greg Burke and Robynn Hill for working together on the Wyoming Intertie Grant to obtain funding for the center. The committee plans to meet Dec. 4 to finalize the grant, with a presentation to the town at the Dec. 11 council meeting for approval prior to the grant application deadline of Dec. 17. The committee also hopes in their next report to the council to include a preliminary report of the building’s condition, and the result of Jay Collins’ meeting with the fire marshal.

New barracks building dedicated at Camp Guernsey
GUERNSEY – A mix of military and civilians, construction workers, base staff, and local and state officials were on hand for the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new barracks building at Camp Guernsey last Wednesday. The new 17,439 square foot barracks building has a capacity of up to 175 beds when fully occupied.
After signing a contract with the Wyoming Military Department in March 2023, Hensel Phelps construction announced completion of building 511 at Camp Guernsey one month before the scheduled completion date of December 2024.

Nov. 27, 2024
Ranchers, law enforcement discuss livestock thefts
GLENDO – At an at-capacity meeting of area ranchers and landowners Wednesday at Glendo town hall, the message was clear: don’t ignore missing cattle anymore. Even if it is just one or two you may have written off as lost or killed by coyotes.
The meeting, attended by ranchers, landowners, brand inspectors, and law enforcement, was prompted by the likely theft of nine red steers Glendo rancher Tim Millikin confirmed were missing with no evidence of their death; but the sticking point is, he didn’t realize they were truly missing until several months after the fact.
After thorough investigations to try to find any trace of the cattle, it is almost a given the cattle were most likely stolen. He posted notices and spread the word about the missing cattle and found others have similar stories.
“When I first posted this award, we got a lot of phone calls, and I’ve talked to a lot of people. We’re not the only ones that are missing cattle. We’ve got neighbors and ranchers all over the county missing cattle,” Millikin said at the opening of the meeting. “It’s happening, and we want to make people aware that it’s happening.”
Millikin admitted, he believes his cattle are long gone and will never know exactly what happened to them, but wanted to raise awareness so everyone is on the same page in realizing there is an issue, and it seems like it has been going on for years. For Millikin, he has lost 20 cattle in eight to ten years.
Wyoming Livestock Board and law enforcement from Platte and neighboring counties discussed the issue and what can be done to prevent future thefts. Livestock owners were urged to immediately call to make a report when they cannot find their livestock.
“Please call. If we get nothing out of this meeting tonight, at least take a good look at us and don’t hesitate to call – and call your sheriff to make a report,” Steve True, the WLB director urged.
Additionally, if you see anything suspicious, or just out of place, take notes get plate numbers or vehicle descriptions, and don’t be afraid to call the sheriff’s department on their non-emergency line. Follow up if you don’t hear back from them or the brand inspector, but at the same time, be patient.
Progress made in EPA grant application, Bordeaux Road bridge condemned
WHEATLAND – Commissioners approved a partnership with Glendo Volunteer Ambulance Service to satisfy requirements for an EPA grant application the county submitted last week.
Earlier this fall, commissioners welcomed non-profits with 501C-3 to apply to be included in the grant application, which had a November deadline for submission. The grant was chosen as a method for commissioners to fund a permanent replacement of the temporary bridge across the Laramie River on Palmer Canyon Road that was installed in the 2010’s after the existing bridge washed out. If it is accepted by the Environmental Protection Agency, there will be no matching fund requirements.
A total of $11.8 million in projects from the county and additional non-profits, as well as funding to pay for someone to manage the grant, is included in the grant package request.
Also at the meeting, road and bridge superintendent Chris Bookout reported WYDOT condemned the bridge crossing Chug Creek on Bordeaux Road. Fortunately, the county has a bridge deck on hand which is the right size to replace the bridge. Bookout said the bridge is a high priority and engineers are creating the design necessary to put in a permanent replacement with the necessary weight capacity. As soon as it is finished, a crane will be rented to remove the existing bridge, cement pilons will be poured, and the new bridge installed.
Platte County Economic Development director Tracy deRyk told commissioners she has been in touch with a representative for Grid United, and things are moving forward with the Wyoming Intertie Transmission Project to tie solar power from Carbon, Albany, and Platte counties to the power plant, enabling energy to be moved in multiple directions.
She also reported the Sip ‘n Shop event in Wheatland was crowded with a large portion of the community participating. A Cocoa Crawl on Dec. 7 is also scheduled, for people to get in the Christmas spirit and do some shopping, deRyk said.

School board to address safety concerns of key system
WHEATLAND – The Platte Co. School District No. 1 school board met on Nov. 18 for their monthly school board meeting. FFA instructor Bill Dalles shared the successes of local students at the national FFA convention. Wheatland FFA, the defending sweepstakes champions, took four teams to nationals this year, one more than attended last year. FFA teams saw several silver emblem teams and individuals, one gold emblem winner, and bronze emblem winning teams and individuals. Dalles shared that one of the teams which came back with a bronze emblem members faced team changes late in the season, with one member who had only one week of practice prior to the convention, yet still managed to receive three bronze emblems and one silver, individually.
Maintenance director Jim Tolle and technology director Ryan Gonzalez discussed the need for an electronic key system at the schools to improve safety. Tolle said he wanted to highlight the security and safety side of keys across the district, stating that there isn’t a record for when the current key systems were installed or who possesses master keys.
Gonzalez said the system they are looking at is capable of retrofitting, meaning they can leave most of the existing hardware in place. Only the cylinders on the locks would have to be swapped out for the new keys to work, making it a more budget friendly option while still addressing current security concerns. It was recently discovered there is a device that can read the current cards, so the updated technology is necessary to keep district schools secure.

Locals participate in Operation Christmas Child
WHEATLAND – For decades, good Samaritans in Platte County have sought to use their talents, abilities, and resources to help children in areas of the world who are less fortunate. This year is no different.
Through the efforts of local churches, hundreds of boxes were filled to send to Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child processing center in Denver, Colorado, before heading to a distribution center in North Carolina where they will be sent to needy children in the world.
Collections for Wheatland ended on Nov. 25, but the boxes have been set up in the community and at churches a month or two in advance. Participating churches included Wheatland Bible Church, First Christian Church, Impact Ministries, Chug Valley Church, and Memorial Baptist Church. Boxes were also available at the public library, Family Dollar, Dollar General, and Wandering Hermit for anyone who wanted to fill them.

Commissioners discuss rule changes,
deny permit request
WHEATLAND – Prompted by questions raised from recent building permit applications by companies planning major construction projects within the county and the potential for additional applications in the future, Platte County commissioners are looking closely at the rules and regulations governing both road use agreements and permits for construction and building projects. Their goal is to ensure fairness to local businesses and property owners while ensuring the burden to repair damage to infrastructure, etc. for industrial or commercial business activities is not solely born by Platte County taxpayers.
The discussion is still on-going, but it seems commissioners are leaning the same direction as the planning and zoning board: to make significant changes to the rules for who needs to obtain a building permit – which they want to change to say “construction certificate” to eliminate confusion.
The issue will be discussed in more detail in the next couple months by the planning and zoning committee and county commissioners, with road and bridge department input considered.
At their Nov. 19th meeting, commissioners also voted unanimously to deny a special use permit for applicant/owners Tyler Mills and Pam Revell for their property east of Guernsey.
“Planning and zoning commission deliberated on whether a special use permit was required for the agriculture and dual vehicle repair use at 1835 Hwy 26. Following discussion on zoning compliance and neighbor concerns, they determined those uses are already allowable under current regulations and there is no need for this special use request,” Dumont reported to the commissioners.
Platte County Commissioner chairman Steve Shockley said, “I tend to agree with the planning commission in that a special use permit is not required. We have people all over the county operating businesses from their homes and residences who are doing the same thing and don’t have special use permits.”
Commissioner Kayla Mantle added, “One of the neighbors’ concerns was the approach coming into the highway: that is between you and WYDOT – we do not regulate approaches onto a state highway. I want to make that very clear: we are not telling you that you do not need a bigger approach or a longer approach – that is outside our realm and is not something we deal with.”

Dec. 4. 2024
Festive floats and jolly notes
Parade of Lights kicks off Wheatland’s holiday cheer!
The streets of downtown Wheatland were filled for the Parade of Lights on Saturday evening. Local businesses shared in the festivities with Christmas-themed lighted floats – including an appearance by Santa Claus. There was Christmas music, hot chocolate, and a chili supper provided by local businesses and organizations.

Record-Times relocates business office
WHEATLAND – After 43 years in its current location, the Platte County Record-Times is announcing their office will be moving to 1560 Johnston Street, Unit D.
On Dec. 11, the office at 1007 8th Street in Wheatland will be closed for the move, but will open for business at 8 a.m. on Dec. 12 at their new location in the Johnston Building facing 16th Street, near the stoplight. The phone number will still continue to be the same (307-322-2627.)
New office hours also went into effect this week: the Record-Times will be open for general business from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday; and afternoons by appointment.
“We look forward to serving the community from our new location,” general manager Bailey Ervin said.

Locals debut ‘Supper at the Fountain’
CHUGWATER – After months of planning and preparations, the Chugwater Soda Fountain has successfully launched “Supper at the Fountain.”
Owners Jill and Christian Winger hope to continue bringing the one-of-a-kind dinner experience monthly to their establishment in Chugwater, featuring a unique gourmet three-course menu with house-made starters, desserts, and bar service.
Their debut dinner was held in October, followed by two dinners in November.
“It was a huge success— we sold out both seatings [in the debut of Supper at the Fountain] and are doing our next one next Friday, Dec. 13,” Jill Winger said.
The dinner is by reservation only, since space is very limited. Check out their website at chugwatersodafountain.com or call 307-214-6055 for more information.

Dec. 11, 2024
Project SAFE, Inc. begins bullying awareness outreach in schools
WHEATLAND – Last week, as part of its community outreach, Project SAFE, Inc. held its first presentation with elementary students to bring awareness of bullying and discuss how the children can help stop it.
Krystal McClain, DVSA program coordinator for Project SAFE, Inc., shared with the kindergartners, there are many ways to be a bully, such as “someone calling you names that can make your heart sad, or pushing you – that is not very kind, is it? Sometimes you can even be a bully to your friends and not realize it.”
Reading a book titled Bully Beans by Julia Cook, Krystal opened discussion to give some simple things the children can do to stop and prevent bullying. Having courage to use your words” to speak up to say, “I don’t like that,” and walking away, telling a teacher or parents, and gathering in groups to keep individual people from being singled out as a target for bullying, are all ways to prevent the unwanted emotional or physical teasing and threats which are markers for bullying behavior.
As DVSA coordinator, Krystal plans to expand prevention outreach programs in the school – beginning with the bullying awareness for elementary students, and including healthy relationship awareness for more mature students, such as “One Love” (a national non-profit focused on preventing relationship abuse) and healthy dating classes.

Artery shares personal story of flintknapping journey
HARTVILLE – A lifetime of curiosity, some observation, and a lot of boredom during the “Covid” lockdowns sprouted into a nearly full-time hobby for a retired postman from Wheatland.
In a Flintknapping 101 presentation as a featured speaker at the monthly SHAPPS (Sunrise Historic and Prehistoric Preservation Society) meeting, Curt Artery, former postmaster for both Chugwater and Guernsey, shared how he started creating his own arrowheads, arrows, tomahawks, knives, and other tools from a variety of stones and object.
Artery has made arrows, hatchets, knives, arrowheads, necklaces, sheathes, tools, sewing kits, bows, a Wyoming double shotglass out of a piece of horn, and more. His goal is not just to make artifacts, but tools which can actually be used for hunting. He is also careful not to just mix the things he makes on the land, confusing future artifact hunters.
Really, the flintknapping and toolmaking is limited only by the imagination – and one could realistically imagine, it has always been that way.
“So, you can see you can have fun and everything’s unique,” Artery said.
Bridge across Chug Creek to re-open
WHEATLAND – The bridge across Chug Creek on Bordeaux Road will soon be replaced. County road and bridge superintendent Chris Bookout shared at last week’s commissioners’ meeting he was in the process of finalizing the crane company he will use to remove the bridge condemned by WYDOT on Nov. 15. The crane company will also put in the replacement bridge the county happened to have in storage, which engineers have ensured will meet specifications.

Council rejects Camp Guernsey land swap proposal
GUERNSEY – After a 3-2 vote at last week’s monthly meeting, the Guernsey council shut down the option of a land swap with Camp Guernsey for the town’s aging infrastructure at the airport.
The decision came after a five-month pause in which the council gathered information on the estimated cost to bring the airport and hangars up to FAA standards, and hosted a public workshop where they heard comments from the community. The council had agreed to delay a decision on the land swap “at least 120 days” at the July 23 council meeting and hosted a workshop with the community on Oct. 22.
Just before he made the motion, Michaels said he thought the proposal was a little one-sided, though the mayor disagreed.
The 141 acres of land directly north of the town the military department offered in exchange for the buildings and repair and maintenance of the airport’s tac strip was proposed as a trade for the town’s hangars, outbuildings, and full control of the tac strip, taxiway, and apron currently leased by the town from Camp Guernsey – with 61 years left on a 99-year lease.
Councilman Michaels made a motion to reject the land swap proposal from the Wyoming Military Department. The motion was seconded by councilman Kellie Augustyn, and in a 3-2 split, the motion passed. Councilmen Michaels, Augustyn, and Dale Harris voted in favor of the motion; councilwoman Penny Wells and mayor Ed Delgado voted against the measure.

Simply Creative and Wheatland Lobos bring holiday magic to Wheatland
WHEATLAND — Simply Creative is proud to team up with the Wheatland Lobos baseball team to spread holiday cheer with a special community event on Dec. 19 with a Holiday Lights bus tour through Wheatland’s most dazzling holiday light displays. Complimentary hot cocoa, provided by Simply Creative, will keep you warm and cozy as you enjoy the ride and take in the holiday spirit. All proceeds from this event will be donated to the Wheatland Lobos baseball team, helping to support our local athletes and strengthen our community.
Dec. 18, 2024
Dance Wyoming
WHEATLAND – In two packed-house performances, Dance Wyoming dancers didn’t disappoint with holiday-themed pieces showcasing their talent. Here, the lyrical class performed to “Little Toy Train” demonstrating teamwork and skills in a broad range of disciplines.

Hay combusts on semi-trailer near Wheatland
WHEATLAND – East Fairview Road, from Highway 320 to Front Road, was closed this weekend while fire crews put out a fire on a semi-truck load full of hay, and crews stayed on-scene through Saturday to flood the remaining hay to ensure the fire was completely extinguished. “It’s hard to extinguish a hay fire,” Wheatland fire chief Bob Glasson said. “We pushed it into the ditch and put a whole lot of water on top. It took just shy of 40,000 gallons.”
Glasson said the cause of the fire is unknown, but it appeared the hay must have been baled green, then spontaneously combusted.
This was one of four calls Fire District 1F went to over the weekend. Glasson wanted the public to know, the volunteers who make up the fire department receive a lot of calls (250 per year) for service. “The calls may not always be big and put out a lot of smoke, but we go on three to five calls a week. Even when you don’t see smoke, there are still a lot of volunteers leaving their families to go on calls for help.”
The fire department could also use more volunteers. Anyone interested can stop by the fire hall on 10th Street in Wheatland and pick up an application at the door, or talk to a fireman at the station for more information.

Council votes to change zoning ordinances
WHEATLAND – At 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 9, the Wheatland Town Council held a public hearing to hear comments on ordinances no. 853 and no. 854 first readings, both of which are rezoning ordinances, presented by town/county planner Douglas Dumont.
Ordinance no. 853 would update the zoning rules in three areas. The first area is general business zones and the ordinance would simplify the rules for which businesses need special permits. This would: make it easier for new businesses to set up shop while protecting the character of the area they are in; the second area is highway business zones, such as 16th street; the ordinance would expand the types of businesses allowed in the zone by including businesses such as nurseries, greenhouses, and auto repair shops; and set a limit of 30 days for repair shops to have vehicles stored on the property, ensuring the area remains clean and professional. The third change is to industrial zones. The ordinance would increase flexibility for businesses in industrial zones while also keeping disruptive activities, like junkyards, away from sensitive areas of the town.
Ordinance no. 854 looks to rezone parts of Wheatland to better align with how the areas are used and may be used in the future. This ordinance includes rezoning several areas from industrial zones to highway business zones on 16th Street, Walnut Street, Ferguson Road, and Cole Street.
Dumont stated both ordinances have been in the works for about a year and are aimed at encouraging growth and attracting businesses while also preserving the character of Wheatland.
After much discussion Mayor Graves returned to the regular meeting and ended the public hearing so the council could vote on the agenda. A motion was made to approve motion no. 853 at first reading with a proposed change for the second reading to allow auto shops to have vehicles stored on their properties for 60 days, or longer with proof from the shop they are awaiting either for repair parts or insurance company claims. The motion was approved 5-0.
Ordinance no. 854 on first reading was also passed, 5-0.

Glendo requests local input for community center construction
Wording of specific purpose tax resolution may limit choices
GLENDO – The Glendo community center was part of a specific purpose excise tax resolution approved by Platte County voters in 2018. In the resolution, the Town of Glendo was awarded $413,000 from taxpayers for “planning, design, construction and renovations to convert the old town shop into a community center.”
Schoning, representing the community center committee, gave a report at last week’s Glendo council meeting on the research the committee has done so far. The building, built in 1918, has a wood foundation, crumbling concrete, and is sagging on the sides. Estimates for repair come in at $500,000, and would involve jacking up the building, pouring a new foundation, gutting the building, putting on a new roof and renovating the interior to current building codes. Asbestos testing still needs to be done, no matter what is done with the building. In October 2024, the fire marshal evaluated the building and declared it a “public nuisance”, and it was noted the building was also evaluated in 2007 and declared a public nuisance and a fire/electrical hazard.
“It will be expensive and at the end of the day, the old building will only have a capacity of 100 people,” Schoning said.
After Schoning concluded her report, town attorney Eric Jones pointed out a catch in the plans to create the community center. He explained, because the resolution providing the $413,000 was voted on by taxpayers, the town is bound by what was voted on for the specific use of the funds. Jones explained, he has had conversations with county attorney Doug Weaver about the wording used in the resolution, and before the town can proceed with any demolition the county attorney will need to issue an opinion on what the term “restore” means in this instance.
Attorney Jones said, for the Glendo community center, the interpretation of the wording of the resolution will have a large impact on what decisions the council can make.

Crabtree to be new Glendo clerk/treasurer
GLENDO – Mayor Susan Juschka announced Kelsey Crabtree will be the official clerk/treasurer for the town; Crabtree was sworn in during the meeting.
The newly-appointed clerk said online bill pay is officially available for residents, and a note on how to sign up will be included in this month’s water bill. “There are lots of ways to pay, so I’m excited,” Crabtree said.
The council unanimously approved a motion to clarify building permit instructions for anyone who applies as of Jan. 1. The instructions are a guideline to clarify what projects need building permits.
Councilwoman Heather Schoning reported the bill from Badger to flush the sewer lines came in $7,000 less than their estimate, ultimately costing the town “around $12,000.”
Schoning thanked the fire department for putting up the Christmas lights on the town’s Christmas Tree.
Speaking on behalf of the fire department, Tim Wright said there is concern about the fire hydrants on Warren Ave. not working, but the department has not yet officially determined what action they will officially take to address the issue.
Mayor Juschka said the town will have to work on helping find a solution for the fire hydrants.

Black Mountain Phase 2 electrical upgrades complete
WHEATLAND – The Wheatland Town Council meeting was called to order at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 9. Councilmen Madsen, Montoya, Kaufman, Allison, and Mayor Graves were in attendance.
There were many challenges with the Phase 2 upgrade that was recently completed, Mayor Graves said,
“I don’t think anyone could have predicted the way it went,” Meier said, “and the community and homeowners were honestly the biggest help we could have had there. They were super, super willing to let me run that and help me get through that. Guidance everywhere I went and they were very understanding of what we undertook and the problems that we had. There is a thank you to the community, not just the parents that had their kids go home on the first day of school because of the contractors, but the homeowners that had their yards destroyed. We owe them a big thanks that they were so trying through the whole ordeal, it was good they were on our side. So thank you.”
The next order of business was a proposal by Barr Engineering for the design of a new transformer which would require a new, larger foundation and data upgrades. The proposal is for the engineering process of the project. Construction will not begin until fiscal year 2026. The council motioned to approve the proposal, which passed 5-0.
The last item on the agenda last week was the TAP agreement amended into the agenda at the beginning of the meeting. The agreement is for a grant to add new walkways on the south side of town. A motion was made to approve the TAP agreement for 2025, which passed 5-0.

Dec. 25, 2024
Community brings joy during Christmas season
WHEATLAND – A little color, a little jingle, some smiles and some laughs help keep the holidays bright at Platte County Legacy Home in Wheatland.
Activities director Makaila Hershey said there have been multiple activities for the residents of Legacy Home, but there is always room for more volunteers and events which can help residents keep connected to the community. Sometimes the holidays can be difficult, but visits from the community and various activities help a lot. For this holiday season, there have been evenings of Christmas music, Christmas Go-Fish with holiday-themed cards, Christmas stocking decorating, Christmas cookie decorating, and a bus tour of Christmas light displays throughout the town. As many things as possible are Christmas-themed for the season, from holiday crafts to Christmas manicures if residents want them.
“My department mission is connecting the residents with community. Since COVID we’ve lost part of that connection,” Hershey explained. She added, people don’t realize the home still welcomes volunteers and visits with the community. She wants people to know, it is important to build and keep those connections to the community.
Wednesday rollover ends in fatality
WHEATLAND – On Dec. 18, at approximately 10:32 a.m., the Platte County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a rollover crash at mile marker 2 on East Laramie River Road.
Upon arrival, deputies observed an overturned truck with the roof severely caved in and a male underneath. The male was unresponsive upon arrival. After the vehicle was lifted it was determined the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was deceased.
The family has been notified, but the name of the driver is not being released out of respect for the family.
The PCSO is still actively investigating the cause of the accident. Initial observations show speed and lack of seatbelt are the primary contributors.
WHS thefts under investigation
The PCSO has received reports of thefts from Wheatland High School. The incidents are being investigated by Deputy David Smith, SRO for Platte County School District No. 1. An individual captured on security cameras has stolen chain valued at approximately $40, several times over the past few months. Thefts like this cost the schools, and in turn the taxpayers of Platte County. Anyone with any information is requested to call PCSO non-emergent number, (307)-322-2331.
Deputies to assist Wyoming Livestock Board investigators, increase livestock checks
On Nov. 20, Platte County Sheriff, David Russell, attended a meeting in Glendo with livestock owners and learned of issues and concerns with missing livestock, and the need for increased assistance of local law enforcement in preventing livestock theft.
On Dec. 10, all Platte County Sheriff’s deputies attended a livestock training regarding brands, documents required to travel, and resources available.
The Sheriff’s office is also working on an agreement with the Wyoming Livestock Investigators to assist with providing more checks. As a result, after the first of the year there will be an increase in stops concerning livestock. This is an effort to try and stop some of the thefts that are occurring in Platte and surrounding counties.

Bordeaux bridge replacement nearly complete
WHEATLAND – The bridge over Chug Creek on Bordeaux Road is one step nearer to re-opening after crews replaced the bridge span on Thursday.
Platte County Road and Bridge crews, with direction from engineer Ian Jolovich of 307 Engineering LLC, have been prepping the site for the new bridge over the last few weeks. Road and Bridge supervisor Chris Bookout was pleased with how smooth things went Thursday morning when the crane company, High Country Crane Service out of Casper, lifted out the old bridge and placed the new bridge.
The old bridge was condemned by Wyoming Department of Transportation engineers on Nov. 15, after inspecting the existing wooden pilons holding the bridge in place and finding them to be compromised – an accident waiting to happen. Since then, all traffic has been re-routed several miles to avoid the bridge on Bordeaux Road.
The turnaround time from the bridge being condemned and being replaced in less than two months.
This week the road and bridge crew will work on the finishing touches for the Bordeaux bridge, then once WYDOT signs off on the bridge, it will be re-opened. Bookout estimates that will possibly be the first of the year.