Sorted by date Results 126 - 150 of 1129
Taylor Jones took his seat among the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners this week after being appointed and sworn in at the end of Tuesday's meeting. Jones fills the vacancy on the board left by Lauren Schoenfeld after her recent resignation. "I appreciate your confidence in me," Jones told the rest of the commissioners after sitting down in the empty chair. "I'll work hard and we'll see great things happening." Jones was one of three candidates chosen by the Sweetwater County...
The Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners is making adjustments after adopting the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 budget for the county, including making changes to contracts with component units and approving the Capital Projects List for Core County and Component Units. During Tuesday’s meeting, the commissioners approved contracts with the Sweetwater Events Complex, Southwest Counseling, the Sweetwater County Library System, and the Sweetwater County Historical Museum. The contracts had t...
The Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death of a 30-year-old Teton County man whose body was discovered on Sunday afternoon by passersby near a dirt side-road in Reliance, Wyoming, north of Rock Springs. The decedent was identified as Colter Wesley Watsabaugh, 30, originally of Teton County, Wyoming. Watsabaugh had been living and working in Rock Springs prior to his death. According to sheriff's detectives, in concert with the county coroner's office and the county... Full story
Lauren Schoenfeld is stepping down from her role as a Sweetwater County commissioner in order to pursue new opportunities and new ways of serving both Sweetwater County and all of Wyoming. Schoenfeld recently submitted a letter of resignation to the Board of County Commissioners, which was accepted during the July 5 meeting. "She has accepted a position in the Governor's office which is forcing her to move to the eastern side of the state, and with that she has vacated her seat, so I'd like to...
Construction work to improve and upgrade Sweetwater County's highways will continue throughout the next several years as the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WDOT) works on a long list of construction projects. WYDOT District Engineer John Eddins and resident engineers Clint Lockman and Brad McCullough presented the WYDOT State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP) update on current and future highway projects in Sweetwater County to the Board of County Commissioners during the July 5...
Human remains found near Granger, Wyoming in 1982 have been identified as belonging to a man who disappeared in 1981 while traveling back to his home in Missouri after visiting family in California. The sheriff's office announced June 21 that the remains, known to investigators over the years only as "Pipeline Pete," have now been identified through DNA testing as those of Jack Clawson, of Sedalia, Missouri. Family members lost contact with Clawson after a visit with him in Fremont, California... Full story
For the 14th consecutive year, deputies and detectives with the sheriff’s office, in partnership with the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Sex Offender Enforcement Task Force, conducted a concentrated sweep of compliance checks of registered sex offenders living in Sweetwater County in an annual campaign known as Operation Jessica. Earlier in June, small teams of deputies and federal agents spread out across the county, including in many of the outlying communities such as Granger, Point of Rocks, Wamsutter, and Bairoil, in an attempt to c... Full story
The sheriff’s office marine unit is pleased to announce its upcoming recreational boat safety training classes. This year, the sheriff’s office marine unit is offering both a basic boating safety class and an advanced boating operations class. The basic training course is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Weds., July 12. The advanced training course is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thurs., July 13. Those interested in the advanced operations course must also take the basic safety course. Both classes will be held in the sheriff’s offic... Full story
The Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners recently approved the final fiscal year 2023-2024 budget for the county after grappling with decisions about reserve funds, the impacts of Senate File 60, and Cost of Living Adjustment increases. Increased revenues and cash carryover During the June 20 Budget Workshop, the last workshop before the final budget was approved, Sweetwater County Accounting Manager Bonnie Berry told the commissioners the budget was currently at a shortfall of...
Since the original septic system failed and the county commissioners didn't approve a proposed system that would put treated effluent into the river, Love's Travel Stop has been finding solutions to handle their sewage until they can be part of the new Jamestown sewer system. During Tuesday's meeting, the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners approved a conditional use permit for Love's Travel Center and Truck Stop to add two additional sewage holding tanks to the tanks that are...
If you’re planning to leave your camper or RV for a few days to reserve a good camping spot near the shoreline of Flaming Gorge, beware that water levels at the reservoir are currently up over eight feet from one year ago. A high amount of mountain snowmelt runoff, increased outflows upstream from Fontenelle Reservoir, and decreased outflows at the Gorge itself have raised water levels nearly three feet during the first fourteen days of June. Sheriff’s office spokesperson Jason Mower said, “Obviously, if the water gets too high and you’r... Full story
Anyone planning to catch kokanee salmon in the Flaming Gorge this summer should prepare themselves for disappointment. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) has said that anglers should expect reduced kokanee salmon catch rates this year compared to previous years. Tony Valdez, the owner of Buckboard Marina, thinks the problem is even more severe than the WGFD is letting on. "Fisheries managers from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and Utah Division of Wildlife Resources set a...
A resolution allowing overnight group camping at county parks, particularly at Pioneer Trails Picnic Grounds, was unanimously approved by the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners during Tuesday's meeting. The resolution came together after several months of discussions between commissioners and representatives from the Boys Scouts of America, particularly from local Troop 312, who requested use of Pioneer Trails Picnic Grounds for overnight scouting activities. The resolution makes...
Marriage licenses recorded at the Sweetwater County Courthouse from April 10 to May 26: Wesley Robert Burchett, 29, to Dusti Rose Bryant, 28, both of Rock Springs. John Thomas Lane, 52, to Ginny Lynn Slaugh, 33, both of Green River. Joshua Allen Powell, 40, to Haaley Ann (Thullen) Carmine, 37, both of Rock Springs. David Joseph Soller, 62, to Catherine Mayme (Hannah) Johnson, 56, both of Rock Springs. James Gage Richardson, 21, of Rock Springs, to Megan Theresa Willis, 20, of Green River. Henry Leonard Reynolds, 70, to Lucia Helena (Rodriques... Full story
Former commissioner added to planning and zoning board Former Sweetwater County Commissioner Roy Lloyd is continuing his public service career as the newest member of Green River’s Planning and Zoning Commission. Lloyd was appointed to a vacant position last Tuesday night, May 16, at the Green River City Council meeting, receiving unanimous approval for his appointment. Lloyd previously served one term as a Sweetwater County Commissioner from 2019 to 2022. Aside from political work, Lloyd has volunteered in multiple areas, including service on... Full story
Several people have been arrested by local and state law enforcement recently on drug charges, including one man who the Rock Springs Police Department allegedly found in possession of Fentanyl pills. On Thursday, May 18, officers with Rock Springs Police Department initiated a traffic stop on a dark-colored passenger vehicle, according to a press release. Contact was made with the passenger of the vehicle, identified as Alec Praytor, who had an active warrant for his arrest. A search was conducted where drug paraphernalia and pills were... Full story
ROCK SPRINGS — A resident came forward with sexual harassment issues at this month’s Sweetwater County School District No. 1 board meeting. During the meeting on May 8, Rock Springs resident, Cherell O’Driscoll, revealed that she has received “an ungodly amount of emails and messages” from teachers who don’t want to come forward because of retaliation. “That is disgusting!” O’Driscoll expressed. “They should be able to come forth with their issues.” She pointed out that punishment for the same type of unacceptable behavior is not the s...
With time running out for the Ashley National Forest's extended public comment period on the proposed boundary changes at Buckboard Marina, discussions over the future of the marina have continued to provoke strong opinions. The proposal involves taking away acreage currently considered part of the marina's lease that is in the water of the bay and instead adding acreage on land that extends further along the bay. The initial public comment period was extended and is now set to end Friday, May...
ROCK SPRINGS — Sweetwater County residents attended Monday’s Sweetwater County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees meeting and spoke out in support of Sean and Ashley Willey, the couple suing the school district for concealing information regarding the social transition of their child. As the meeting got started and the central administration building began to fill up with people, board of trustees chairman Carol Jelaco made a statement regarding the lawsuit, since it has been a hot topic around the state and even the national media. “We...
Financial questions and budget considerations were a recurring theme during the May 2 Sweetwater Board of County Commissioners meeting. Several agenda items were called into question and action was postponed due to a desire to understand more about the impact on the county budget. Judge Suzannah Robinson and Clerk of District Court DonnaLee Boback appeared before the commissioners to discuss a potential hourly salary increase for court-appointed attorneys. The current rate is $100 an hour,...
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has completed installation of a new state-of-the-art advanced technology Computed Tomography (CT) checkpoint carry-on baggage scanner at the Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport (RKS). This equipment is similar to what is used to scan checked baggage for explosive devices. It has been "sized" to fit at checkpoints to create such a clear image of a bag's contents that the system can automatically detect explosives, including liquids, by shooting... Full story
Former Rock Springs mayor Timothy Kaumo pleaded guilty to one count of official misconduct and one count of conflict of interest in a sentencing hearing in Evanston last Tuesday, April 25. Kaumo was sentenced to pay a fine of $5,000. In the summer of 2022, Kaumo was charged with six misdemeanors related to alleged actions he took to win a municipal contract for his company JFC Engineers and Surveyors to work on the Bitter Creek Restoration Project. The charges, which consisted of five counts of...
Concerned citizens, the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioners, and representatives from the Ashley National Forest and Flaming Gorge Recreation District recently weighed in on plans and potential problems regarding the future of the Buckboard Marina. The marina, which is located approximately 22 miles south of Green River, is the only marina for the Flaming Gorge in the state of Wyoming. The Ashley National Forest and Flaming Gorge Ranger District are currently considering a boundary...
A SWAT standoff with a man barricaded in his vehicle on the interstate ended with his arrest late Friday afternoon, according to Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office. David Eugene Furman, 52, of Washington, was traveling eastbound on Interstate 80 when he was stopped by a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper near mile marker 50 in neighboring Uinta County, Wyoming. Upon contact with him, Furman fled in his vehicle toward Green River, leading law enforcement on a miles-long high-speed pursuit. After... Full story
While budget amendments are often a regular part of the Sweetwater County Board of County Commissioner’s meetings as adjustments are made at the end of the fiscal year, the latest budget amendments dealt with unique situations for Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County and the Road and Bridge Department. At their last meeting, postponed from Tuesday, April 4 to Thursday, April 6 due to the winter storm at the beginning of last week, the commissioners approved budget amendments of $3 million f...
