Articles from the August 3, 2016 edition


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  • Spaceport funding crashes

    David Martin, Editor|Aug 3, 2016

    More than $8 million will be carried onto the current budget and while it may sound like the city’s budget problems are solved, that amount is already earmarked. The carryover reflects projects previously budgeted for or already underway and includes work paid for through the sixth-penny improvement tax and other funding methods. While the list of projects includes funding for the U.P. Depot project, city vehicle replacement and improvements on Hitching Post Drive, a $97,050 line item for the G...

  • Firefighter seeks council seat

    David Martin, Editor|Aug 3, 2016

    A volunteer firefighter is among those seeking election to the Green River City Council in Ward I. Tom Murphy is one of three residents seeking election in the ward, who will replace Mark Peterson as the council representative. Murphy said one of the major issues he wants to push if elected to the council is investigating if a return on investment is high enough to justify an expense. Murphy believes this outlook is especially important as the city continues to deal with decreasing sales tax...

  • Man pleads not guilty to sexual abuse

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Aug 3, 2016

    A Green River man accused of having intercourse with a 14-year-old girl pleaded not guilty to a felony charge. Marshall L. Mechling Jr., 20, of Jamestown, appeared in the Third District Court of Judge Richard Lavery at an arraignment to second degree sexual abuse of a minor. If found guilty of the charge, Mechling Jr. could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. A jury trial has been scheduled to take place Oct. 11 at 9 a.m. According to court documents, on...

  • Construction continues on Green River roads

    David Martin, Editor|Aug 3, 2016

    Residents will continue to have road construction to drive around, at least until the end of September. A state-funded project focusing on Hitching Post Drive, West Teton Boulevard and East Teton Boulevard is underway while a sixth-penny funded city project continues along Second South Street. City Utility Manager Mark Westenskow said he hopes most of the work on Hitching Post Drive will conclude by the time school starts, but admits he doesn’t have too much control over the timeline as it is a...

  • Sooie!

    Aug 3, 2016

  • Library hosts forums

    Staff Report|Aug 3, 2016

    Learn about the candidates running for Sweetwater County Commission at upcoming forums sponsored by the Sweetwater County Library System. The forums will be on Aug. 8 at White Mountain Library, 2935 Sweetwater Drive in Rock Springs. The forum for candidates running as Democrats will be at 6 p.m. and the forum for those running as Republicans will be at 7 p.m. “Since these forums are before the primary election, we decided to separate the candidates by party,” Rock Springs Library Manager Lindsey Travis, said. “We will have another forum with...

  • Franklin Willoughby

    Aug 3, 2016

    Franklin Willoughby, 91, of Rock Springs, passed away July 28, 2016, at Sageview Care Center. A longtime resident of Rock Springs, Willoughby died following a lengthy illness. He was born July 12, 1925, in Halfway, the son of Charles Lee and Florence M. Woods Willoughby. Willoughby attended schools in Big Piney. He married the former Mildred Bollinger and after five years of marriage, they divorced. In 1953, he married Pauline Simon and she preceded him in death in 1979. In 1984, he married...

  • Vernon Geske

    Aug 3, 2016

    Vernon Geske, 87, of Green River, passed away July 31, 2016, at the Sage View Care Center. He had been a resident of Green River since the late 1960s. He was born Jan. 19, 1929, in Wabasso, Minn., the son of Henry Frederick Geske and Elsie Louise Raddatz Geske. Geske attended schools in Wabasso, Minnesota. He married Marian "Mimi" Behrendt in Redwood Falls, Minn., April 17, 1954, and she preceded him in death on July 4, 2008. Geske was a United States Navy veteran of the Korean War. Following...

  • Shirley Mae Overy

    Aug 3, 2016

    Shirley Mae Overy of Green River, passed away July 30 at her home hand in hand with her two daughters and surrounded by her granddaughters. She faced her health challenges with faith and strength every step of the way. She was born on March 8, 1934, in Annis, Idaho, the daughter of the late Earl and Eva Hall. Shirley was one of eight children in her family. Shirley graduated from Rigby High School in 1952 and attended Ricks College. She then served an LDS mission in Hong Kong. Shirley married...

  • Steven Craig Gunderson

    Aug 3, 2016

    Steven Craig Gunderson, 30, of Rock Springs, died July 23, 2016, at Wyoming Medical Center in Casper with his family at his side. He was a lifelong resident of Rock Springs. He was born in Rock Springs June 29, 1986, the son of Monte Gunderson and Allyenne Maria Urrutia. Gunderson attended school in Rock Springs, as well as Worland, and was a 2004 graduate of the Worland High School. He was employed as a workover rig operator for Mountain States Pressure Service in Rock Springs, for the past 15...

  • Arthur Saburo Kitagawa

    Aug 3, 2016

    Arthur Saburo Kitagawa, 95, passed away on July 19, 2016, in Warminster, Penn. He was born on Feb. 28, 1921, in San Francisco, Calif., to Japanese immigrant parents Hiroshi and Misao Kitagawa. Raised in San Francisco’s Japan Town, Art graduated with an associate of arts degree from San Francisco Junior College in 1940. On Mother’s Day, 1942, the Kitagawa family was evacuated to Tanforan Race Track, and then relocated to Topaz Internment Camp, Utah. Only later did the Army recognize that these American citizens could be US military int...

  • Elizabeth J. "Libby" Pedri

    Aug 3, 2016

    Elizabeth J. "Libby" Pedri, 59, of Rock Springs passed away Aug. 1, 2016, at her home, surrounded by family. She was born Jan. 15, 1957, in Rock Springs, the daughter of Carl and Ruth Klein. Libby attended schools in Rock Springs and graduated with the Rock Springs High School class of 1975. She married Gary Gene Pedri in Rock Springs April 7, 1979. Libby was the office administrator for Rock Springs I.V. Center, which she and her husband founded in 1998. She was a member of Holy Spirit...

  • Eric J. Tune

    Aug 3, 2016

    A memorial service for Eric J. Tune, 51, of Tucson, Ariz., is scheduled to take place Aug. 5 at 11a.m. at Pioneer Trails Park. Tune died unexpectedly on Jan. 10, 2016. Pioneer Trails Park is located on LaBarge Road. Take Exit 83 off of Interstate 80 to LaBarde Road and drive about 10 1/2 miles and take the road to Pioneer Trail Park. This service will not take place at the main pavilion, but signs will be posted. A luncheon will be served after....

  • Jeff Wamsley

    Aug 3, 2016

    Jeff Wamsley, 49, died at 11 p.m., July 25, 2016, after a valiant two-year battle with cancer. He devoted his life to providing for his family – his loving wife and soulmate Shannon, daughters Tiffiny and Jessica and sons, Jeffrey and Curtis. Born in Evanston, April 21, 1967, Jeff wore many hats throughout his work life. In the core-drilling industry, his keen ability to work in any environment and carry out difficult jobs carried him all over the world – first to Alaska, then to Kir...

  • Our View: Closures don't reflect economy

    Aug 3, 2016

    For some, the last few months have been a scary time. In Rock Springs, the economic center of Sweetwater County, three long-time chain stores will have shut down by the end of the year. J.C. Penney and Sports Authority have already shut their doors and Hastings recently initiated a liquidation of its stock. For a state still reeling from severe declines in its energy economy, news of such large chains closing their stores may look like more bad news for Wyoming. However, these closures have nothing to do with the state’s downturn, but more with...

  • Notes from Town Square: a farmers market week in GR

    Jennie Melvin, URA and Main Street|Aug 3, 2016

    Communities across the country will celebrate their local farmers markets during National Farmers Market Week, which takes place Aug. 7-13. The impact of these farmer-to-consumer transactions is greater than it appears on the surface. Now more than ever, farmers markets serve as anchors across American communities, positively influencing community health and wealth. Markets result in more viable regional economies and local farm businesses, increased access to fresh, nutritious food, and stronger social networks that help keep communities...

  • Barrasso visits troops in Middle East, discusses coal lease moratorium

    John Barrasso, U.S. Senator|Aug 3, 2016

    One of the most important and rewarding parts of my job is visiting our men and women in uniform overseas. I was fortunate to meet with and bring a little bit of Wyoming to members of the Wyoming Air National Guard who are currently serving in the Middle East. Visiting troops in the Middle East On July 28, I had privilege to meet and thank Wyoming troops serving in the Middle East. Wyoming has more than 30 members of the Wyoming Air National Guard’s 153rd Airlift Wing stationed in the United Arab Emirates. These service members are from communi...

  • Pigs ready to attend the county fair

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Aug 3, 2016

    Sooie! No matter how one may try to call them, it is really up to the pig to decide whether or not it is going to come. Or at least this is what it seemed like to the Friel boys last week. Connor Friel, 13, and Zachary Friel, 11, of Green River and the 4-H club Project Hope were busy at the 4-H Youth Barn getting their pigs ready for Wyoming’s Big Show. “You can take however many you want, but you can only auction one,” Zachary said. The boys were planning on taking all five of their Hamps...

  • Art class discusses possible projects

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Aug 3, 2016

    About an hour after the class was supposed to start, students began entering the room to join the three already waiting. The Friday painting classes at the Golden Hour Senior Center usually start on time, but when there is a public breakfast sometimes food is more important than art. While Viola Espinoza, Shirley Okerson and Gloria Gulp were waiting for the others to arrive, they chatted about art projects they had been working on throughout the summer. Espinoza said she noticed her ceramic...

  • Outreach coordinator retires

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Aug 3, 2016

    Saying goodbye to the patrons she served will be the hardest thing for Barb Killpack, who recently retired from the Sweetwater County Library. Killpack started out as an assistant to the homebound and outreach coordinator. She then worked her way up to that coordinator position. For the past 16 years, Killpack worked for the library full time. "The hardest thing is going to be missing my people because they are like family," Killpack said. "Her people," as she called them, are the patrons she...

  • Girl feels free while riding her horse

    Stephanie Thompson, People Editor|Aug 3, 2016

    For Abby Smith riding is just a way of life. She has been around horses for as long as she can remember. However, this year was different. She needed to learn a new side of horse riding -- the competitive side. Ten-year-old Smith of Green River wasn’t the only one in her family who needed training, her black-and-white quarter horse she calls “Taffy” also needed training. For the past year, Smith has been riding with her trainer in the hopes of becoming good enough to compete. While Smith was lea...

  • Camp trains future Wolves for the gridiron

    David Martin, Editor|Aug 3, 2016

    The future of Green River football was on display at Wolves Stadium during the last few days. The Wolves' coaching staff, with the help of several players, hosted a football camp to pass along some of the skills to kids in fourth through eighth grades. While the camp helps develop talent and, hopefully, makes enough of an impression on some of the kids to keep involved with the sport and join the high school team, head coach Don Maggi has another reason to work with the kids. "We want to win,...

  • Knights get eliminated from state tournament

    Pete Rust, Contributor|Aug 3, 2016

    The Green River Knights baseball season came to an abrupt end last week as the Knights lost their first two games of the double elimination state tournament. In two close games, a one run loss in the opener Wednesday to the No. 3 seed from the North, the Riverton Raiders 2-1, then exchanging leads for 10 innings with the Cody Cubs, before finally being eliminated by the two-time defending state champs 14-13. In their first game Wednesday Green River was the victim of some outstanding pitching by Dalton Baldes of Riverton, who went the nine-inni...