January

SLIB approves grant to fund rail extension

GUERNSEY – The town of Guernsey got a thumbs up in a big way from the State Loan and Investment Board and Wyoming Business Council this week with their full endorsement and approval of a Business Ready Community Grant in the amount of $717,792 to extend 260 feet of single-rail across Buffalo Road in the Guernsey Business/Industrial Park.

The expansion of rail will allow Bunning Transfer, a privately-owned transportation and logistics company, the ability to grow their business, creating eight to 10 new jobs. The expansion also makes the community more marketable to companies looking for new or additional locations.

Reinhardt wins state VFW award

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Wyoming announced recently Nate Reinhardt, business teacher at Guernsey-Sunrise High School in Guernsey, as the state winner of this year’s Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award. He had previously won the department’s District 5 contest. Reinhardt was selected from entries dubmitted by VFW posts across Wyoming.

He will now compete for the VFW Teacher of the Year award. 

February

Free press wins out

A pair of legislative bills that would affect how residents get their information with regard to government entities have both met their demise.

House Bill 201 would have given county and municipal government the ability to publish pubic notices on their own websites rather than in a newspaper of record. It died in committee by a 7-2 vote.

House Bill 242 would have established a state-run website for publishing public notices. It also died in committee by a margin of 6-3.

Members of the Wyoming Press Association spoke against both bills, citing the need to maintain transparency to the public, the effect the bills would have had on privately-owned newspaper businesses, the cost to taxpayers of establishing and maintaining a website and the fact there are still many older people who don’t rely on the use of computers to get their news.

Warner receives VFW firefighter award

David Warner, Guernsey Rural Fire Department chief, has been named the 2018 Firefighter of the Year by Lake Guernsey VFW Post 4471.

Bob Halloway, a retired firefighter and EMT, included in his nomination of Warner that, “David has dedicated his life to that of a  volunteer firefighter in both the Guernsey Fire Department and the Guernsey Rural Fire Department.”

BNSF says derail clean-up nears

GUERNSEY – The diesel fuel and oil cleanup from the derailment involving two Burlington Northern Santa Fe trains in Wendover Canyon two weeks ago is nearing completion. 

According to Amy McBeth, BNSF Public Affairs Director, the work was around 95 percent completed near the end of last week. Fuel was initially contained with booms – floating devices that soak up fuel and restrict the spread on the surface of the water. Some of the remaining fuel was burned off the surface of the water following the initial cleanup.

March

Oregon Trail Band bids Scoleri farewell

Banner Capital Bank and its affiliate, Oregon Trail Bank, recently announced the retirement of long-time OTB president Leonard Scoleri.

Scoleri has served as president of the Guernsey bank for 30 years. His retirement became effective March 1, 2019.

Scoleri began his banking career in 1976 in Cheyenne. He held positions in several Wyoming banking locations before settling in Guernsey in 1989. 

Scoleri will continue in his capacity as a bank director for parent company, Banner Capital Bank.

Trucker gives new meaning to ‘traffic jam’

HARTVILLE – As excuses go for being late to work, telling your boss you were delayed due to a traffic jam in Hartville, Wyoming, ranks right up there with “the dog ate my homework.”

But for an Idaho couple who ride the highways for a paycheck together, that’s exactly what happened early Friday morning at the east end of Hartville’s main street.

Due to an error in their GPS system, the driver turned Wyoming 270 and ended up going east through the tiny town. While trying to turn around, the back end of the trailer slid on icy pavement.

As the backend of the trailer slid into a guardrail, the driver tried to continue forward. But the front end of the trailer was stuck on a power pole, preventing the driver from moving in either direction without breaking the pole. By this time, the situation has drawn the attention of several Hartville residents.

Ranchers challenge possible subdivision

On a beautiful piece of windswept prairie west of Guernsey, a sign reading “Rabbig Bush Ranch Subdivision” has been recently covered over with black trash bags. A development company is attempting to build a subdivision while allegedly subverting zoning and permit laws and adjacent landowners are rising up in protest.

The property is located on Wendover Road, about three miles west of Guernsey. A representative of the company reportedly contacted Jon Kalev, Platte County Planner, and alleged asked Kalev to “look the other way” regarding requirements to have the land rezoned from agriculture to residential subdivision for the project.

Kalev told Platte County Commissions on March 5 that he refused the request because it was his job to serve the county.

April

School assault incident discussed at meeting

As two fathers of kindergarten students addressed the Guernsey-Sunrise School Board, administrators and a mixed crowd of community members and school staff, their pain and frustration was evident. 

The source for that pain and frustration is the result of an event reported initially by one kindergartner and then others in February – The students alleged they’d been sexually assaulted by a classmate. Both parents shared serious concerns with the way they said the district and administration mishandled the situation when it was reported and in the two months since that initial report.

One concern they had regarded reports the student alleged to have committed the assault continued to have problems in the classroom after being returned following an initial removal from the class.

Several parents who addressed the board in March said they thought the school did not adequately inform parents of the incident and what was being done to address it. District Superintendent Mike Beard said information regarding the incident fell under a school discipline and confidentiality policy and could not be discussed.

Fire Department secures energy grant

The Guernsey Volunteer Fire Department has received a State Energy Office Retrofit Grant from the Wyoming Business Council. The VFD building houses fire trucks, ambulances, a meeting room, housing quarters and office space for the fire and EMTs that service Guernsey.

Areas of concern include windows, overhead doors, insulation, furnaces and lighting. The town has been working to improve the building and the $20,000 grant – which includes a 10-percent match – will help address recommendations provided for a more energy-efficient building.

May

New buildings enhance training traditions

Eighty-one years ago this summer, the Wyoming National Guard held its first summer camp on a tract of land just east of town and Camp Guernsey was on its way to becoming what is now considered one of the premier military training sites in the county.

Much has changed in those 81 years – tents gave way to tin huts and then more permanent structures. An armory, airport, support buildings and firing ranges for all types of ordnance were added. The camp has evolved, looking very different today than in photographs of the early days. And, since the first of the year, three new buildings have taken shape, including a 26,000 square foot enlisted barracks, a 72,000 square foot education building and a 12,000 square foot dining facility. Camp Guernsey administration showed off progress on the project during a recent tour of the construction site.

Seniors collect Viking diplomas

It was a day they spent 13 years waiting for – a day that would bring a sense of relief, accomplishment and even tears – both happy and sad. It was the final day of school for the Guernsey-Sunrise Class of 2019.

On that final day last week, it was mostly a matter of housekeeping – cleaning out lockers, getting signed out of classes, returning books and a walk-through of the graduation ceremony on Sunday. But probably the most poignant part of the last day came when the 21 members of the Class of 2019 met with members of the Class of 2031 to share final words of advice with each other.

One by one, seniors took off the stoles and caps and placed them on the kindergartners seated in front of the stage. Seniors offered tidbits of wisdom including, “Always follow through,” “Study hard,” and “Do your very best in everything you do.”

June

Next stop, Mongolia

Most kids are happy to spend their summers with their friends, hanging out at the pool or hte lake, maybe even making a little money at a part-time job.

But Libby Logan isn’t most kids – and this summer, she’s headed halfway around the world to spend two weeks in a country most Americans probably couldn’t find on a map. On June 15, Libby will be on her way to Mongolia, thanks to an exchange program offered by 4-H

Libby has excelled in 4-H, a group she’s been associated with for eight years. She doesn’t remember exactly how she got started with 4-H. It was probably at her mom’s uring, starting with a comment like, “Hey, you should do this.” 

As a trusting 8-year-old, Libby probably said, “Sure, why not?”

Fireworks rules release for July 4

It’s nearly the Fourth of July and time to celebrate the nation’s independence. That means fireworks for many people who just can’t wait to set off bottle rockets, sparklers and firecrackers.

The Masons will have fireworks for sale again this year at their stand. The town of Guernsey has outlines rules for the safe and legal use of fireworks.

Fireworks will be permitted July 1 to 4 from 8 a.m. to midnight within city limits, excluding city parks, the Larson Park golf course and campground, rodeo grounds and Hub City campgrounds. Parents are asked to monitor children’s activities and will be issued citations for violations of discharge dates and times.

There has been concern expressed in the past regarding how fireworks may affect soldiers suffering from PTSD or neighborhood pets who may be frightened by the sounds. Residents are asked to respect any potential situations and obey the rules.