JHHS Bronc Compeitions

The Jackson Hole High School Speech and Debate Team placed second among 3A schools and third overall among 15 schools at the Fremont County Invitational Speech Meet, held at Lander Valley High School this weekend. Worland edged Jackson from first place honors by a tally of 51 to 43, while Powell earned 32 sweepstakes points. The team travels to Natrona County High School next weekend for the largest meet of the season with nearly forty teams attending. Meanwhile, both the Broncs and the Lady Broncs romped over the Pinedale Wranglers in basketball Friday. The Lady Broncs out shot the Wranglers 40 to 31 in the first game, and then the boys went on to embarrass the Wranglers 66 to 31. The Broncs next play Powell on Friday.

No Decision Yet

There has been no decision yet on who will replace former Teton County Commissioner Leland Christiansen who has become Teton County’s state senator. The four remaining commissioners met in executive session yesterday after interviewing Chris Tice, Kelly Lockhart and Paul Perry whose names had been submitted by the Teton County Republican Party for consideration. Then following about an hour in executive session, the Commission postponed their decision until Monday. Commission Chairman Ben Ellis says he and other members of the board wanted to provide time for more discussion and more thought on the matter before making their appointment. In Ellis’ words, “this is a very important decision for us.”v

Not “Wild” About Order

Governor Matt Mead says he is looking for an opportunity next month to visit with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar about the secretarial order penned last December instructing the Bureau of Land Management to set aside areas of interest for their wilderness values. As yet, Mead says, he has heard no response to his letter to Salazar asking him to rescind that order. Recently, the Wyoming County Commissioners Association passed a resolution voicing its opposition to the order on the basis that it was adopted without respect to mandatory procedures, and the National Association of Counties sent a letter of their own adding support to Wyoming’s position. Mead says he is pleased at their standing shoulder to shoulder with him on the issue. Mead says the issue has multiple impacts on local economies, affecting everything from oil and gas to ranching and tourism.

IPSSSDR Begins

The 16^th annual International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog race gets under way this evening with a ceremonial start at the Jackson Town Square and the brief run on the first leg of the race.  From Jackson, the race passes through Lander, Pinedale, Big Piney, Alpine, Kemmerer, Evanston, Mountain View, and Lyman before ending in Park City, Utah February 5^th. The race runs in staged format with special receptions and events planned at each of the stops to celebrate the race.  Organizer Frank Teasley is quick to point out that the participation of everyone in the events is what makes the race special. With some of the top racers in the sport participating in this year’s event, Teasley pledges this year’s race will be the most significant in its history.

Stephens Creek Empty

A group of 62 bison that had been temporarily held in the Stephens Creek capture facility just outside Gardiner, Montana was released Thursday afternoon and moved south into Yellowstone National Park.  The bison were among 88 captured in order to select an experimental group of 25 seronegative bison which was released to a new grazing area on the Gallatin National Forest January 19^th.  Forty of the bison released back into the park Thursday had been tested for exposure to brucellosis.  Of that group, 19 tested positive and 21 tested negative for exposure to brucellosis.  Twenty-two bison that had been held at Stephens Creek were not tested.  During the selection process, care was taken to ensure young bison calves were not separated from their mothers.  However, one bison cow held in Stephens Creek which was found injured was euthanized last week. With Thursday’s release, the Stephens Creek facility is free of bison.  

New START Chairman

The START Board also met Thursday in a regularly scheduled meeting, and being the beginning of the year, selected their board leadership.  Matt Faupel was selected board chairman, while Frank Lane remained Vice Chair and George Erb remained board secretary.  START Manager Michael Wackerly  explains that Former Chairman Reed Armijo is on the design team for the proposed START facility and wished to step aside from the chairmanship in order to have more time to spend on the planning.

10 X 10 Successful

A move by Teton County and the Town of Jackson to improve energy efficiency and reduce heat-trapping emissions is apparently paying off.  The initiative committed to reducing energy usage by 10% by the year 2010.  According to the town, energy use during the first 11 months of last year included a 27% savings in electricity and 41% savings in gasoline, diesel and propane compared with a 2006 baseline.  At the same time, town officials say a number of projects are currently underway to install further energy efficiency upgrades to town and county facilities.

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Preparing The Race

Getting around Jackson may pose a few more challenges than usual Friday thanks to preparations for the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race.  Several streets will have partial closures as the track for the dogsleds is being construction. According to Sergeant Steve Saez of the Jackson Police Department, the streets affected include East Broadway, Redmond, West Cache Creek and Snow King Avenue. Saez urges motorists to be cautious around the crews as they construct the track, and observe the directions being given them by police officers during the race.  Meanwhile, a START Bus shuttle will be run from the Town Square to the musher’s party at Snow King following the race start.

Securing Palisades Dam

The Bureau of Reclamation is seeking public review and comment on the Palisades Dam Security Enhancement Project Draft Environmental Assessment, which documents the environmental effects of a proposal to correct security vulnerabilities related to motor vehicles traveling across the top of the dam. Security studies determined that motor vehicles traveling across the crest of the dam pose a threat to security and public safety from an explosion which could compromise the dam’s structural integrity.  Bu-rec Spokesman John Redding says corrective actions could include widening the dam crest up-stream by 10-feet, raising the dam crest by 5-feet, constructing a bridge down-stream, or placing a median on the dam crest.  Public comments on the assessment are being accepted by Bu-rec until February 25^th and Redding says construction on the selected alternative could begin in August.  Palisades Dam was constructed by Reclamation in 1957 as part of the Palisades Project.  It is a multipurpose facility that provides for irrigation, flood control, hydropower, and recreation.