 |
 |
FREE
ONLINE
Edition
Mini February
Archives
|
|
Tel: (307) 684-2225
Fax: (866) 824-9488 86 S. Main, Buffalo, WY
82834
info@themini.biz |
|
Black & White &
READ All Around ... Buffalo, Kaycee and the Surrounding Area
The Mini Archives - Just Click on the Month Button Below
to Find Articles from that Month !
Current Month's Back Articles Are Published on this
Page, then Filed at Month's End in Month Archive for One Year |
|
MINI NATIONAL
NEWS TICKER
|
| JAN |
FEB
| MAR | APR | MAY | JUN |
Mini FEB Archive:
Wyoming
News ... |
THOMAS GRILLS DOE ON BUDGET, COAL
FUNDING
February 9, 2007
WASHINGTON -- At an Energy Committee oversight hearing yesterday to review the
Department of Energy’s (DOE) 2008 budget proposal, U.S. Senator Craig Thomas
asked tough questions of Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman about what appears to be
a bureaucratic stranglehold on getting advanced coal projects off the ground in
the United States.
“The people of Wyoming want to convert our coal to a more valuable product. We
want to generate clean power and produce clean diesel fuel. These options are
clearly better than digging up coal and shipping it out on railcars. We dig up
quite a lot too -- 36 percent of the nation’s supply comes from Wyoming,” Thomas
said.
“The incredibly slow progress on the loan guarantee program and the lack of
focus on getting Section 413 fully funded are very troubling. What provisions in
the Energy Policy Act do you think are best suited to helping Wyoming’s goal of
exporting value-added coal products? Where's the money for the pipes and wires
we need out West?” Thomas asked Bodman.
“It looks to me like we’re playing the same games this year as we have in the
past. We talk a lot about alternative fuels, and we need to be pursuing those
things. But the ability of alternatives to make a real difference is a number of
years off. We need to work on our near-term needs to make fossil fuels cleaner
and more efficient,” Thomas said at the hearing. “On a federal level, it is the
Department of Energy’s job to make sure these things happen. Congress has given
you the tools to get it done with the Energy Policy Act of 2005.” “Our ability
to produce energy here at home is reliant upon advances in technology. The Rocky
Mountain Oilfield Testing Center is located in Wyoming. It is the Department of
Energy that owns it, runs it, and uses it to advance technologies.”
Yet I must seek an earmark every year to run a facility that belongs to DOE,”
Thomas said to Bodman. “Why doesn't your request include money for the Rocky
Mountain Oilfield Testing Center?”
THOMAS LAUDS PARK SERVICE BUDGET PROPOSAL
February 7, 2007
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.) today lauded the President’s
budget request for park operations funding -- the highest funding level for park
operations in National Park Service (NPS) history.
“I have long advocated for a considerably larger investment in our
national treasures and for better funding of the Park Service’s operations,”
Thomas said. “I am very pleased that the President has answered my call to
address the pressing needs which face our national parks today, while ensuring
their prosperity into the future.”
“A sound financial future for our parks continues to be one of my
top priorities, and I will continue in that effort through my work in the
National Park Subcommittee and in the Senate,” Thomas said.
The President’s budget calls for a $250 million overall increase in park
operations and an $8 million increase for Park Police. Overall, the President is
seeking $2.4 billion in 2008 for the NPS budget, which is an overall increase of
5 percent over last year.
In September 2006, Thomas, as Chairman of the National Park
Subcommittee, sent a message to the President: “I applaud the
President’s decision to invest in the Centennial Challenge. This initiative will
ensure a consistently strong natural and cultural resource will be preserved for
another century."
Thomas Takes Lead Role on New
Subcommittee
February 6, 2007
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.) today announced that he will
play a key role, as the lead Republican, on the Senate Finance Committee’s newly
formed Natural Resources and Infrastructure Subcommittee. The sub-panel is
expected to deal with tax issues surrounding energy and natural resources
legislation.
“The creation of this subcommittee couldn’t have come at a better
time,” Thomas said. “I look forward to working with Senator Jeff Bingaman to
pursue tax incentives for emerging technologies involving clean coal, and
turning back policies that would hamper our progress to provide alternative fuel
sources. I will also work to develop America’s infrastructure to ensure that
people receive the energy they need.”
“I believe that this subcommittee will have a great impact on
legislation that concerns Wyoming, and I am proud to have a lead role on it,”
Thomas added.
The Wyoming Senator is also the lead Republican on the Indian Affairs Committee, another panel he has been on throughout his
time in the Senate. He is also the lead Republican on the National Parks
Subcommittee, which is under the jurisdiction of the Senate Energy and Natural
Resources Committee.
Thomas also sits on the Environment and Public Works Committee (EPW),
which has jurisdiction over highway funding, endangered species, and climate
change, as well as air and water concerns.
WYOMING AND MONTANA ESCALATE FIGHT OVER TONGUE and POWDER RIVER WATER—MONTANA
FILES LAW SUIT
February 2, 2007
Cheyenne, Wyo. -- Governor Dave Freudenthal expressed disappointment that
Montana filed suit yesterday against Wyoming over the apportionment of water in
the Tongue and Powder River drainages.
“Since territorial times, Wyoming and Montana have shared the
waters in the Tongue and Powder Rivers. Since 1950, the apportionment of these
waters has been controlled by the Yellowstone River Compact which Wyoming has
strictly honored,” Freudenthal said. “Prior to 2004, Wyoming and Montana agreed
on how the compact operated. Since 2004, Montana has been agitating for a fight.
I guess they finally threw the first punch. I am confidant that Wyoming will
prevail on this claim, but I am disappointed that Wyoming will be forced to
expend millions of dollars to defend a claim that has no merit. These lawsuits
drag out for years and consume vast resources and rarely result in any
significant shift of water rights.” Still Freudenthal has no intention of
backing down as there is no other option left open short of losing important
water rights.
Freudenthal also noted he is concerned that Montana seems intent
on managing not only its affairs but also Wyoming's.
“Since 2003, Montana has passed water quality standards on the
Tongue and Powder Rivers which they are seeking to enforce in Wyoming," he said.
"Recently, Montana Senator Baucus proposed legislation in the U.S. Senate
concerning the operation of Yellowtail Dam that would be contrary to the
Yellowstone River Compact and existing rules, regulations and contracts of the
Bureau of Reclamation. Now, Montana has filed this lawsuit trying to direct how
we apportion water to our Wyoming irrigators."
“The last time I checked we were more than competent to administer
our own laws and problems without any help or guidance from Montana.”
“I am perplexed why Montana officials have spent so much time and
energy since 2003 poking Wyoming in the eye. We will vigorously defend our water
rights and our sovereign interests to control our own
destiny.”
THOMAS INTRODUCES ENDANGERED SPECIES REFORM BILL
February 20, 2007
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., today introduced a bill which
will provide needed reforms to the “Endangered Species Act” (ESA) by requiring
that each listing be supported by sound science and need, and be accompanied by
a recovery plan that will lead to de-listing.
“I believe the Endangered Species Act’s intention of protecting
species is good, but I believe those good intentions have gone off track,”
Thomas said. “The ESA has serious deficiencies in meeting its goal of recovering
species, not to mention putting Wyoming’s ranchers, energy producers and
foresters at risk of becoming endangered species themselves,” Thomas said.
“In the 30 years since ESA was first enacted, more than 1,300
species have been listed as threatened or endangered. Yet, only a handful of
species have recovered to the point of being de-listed, because agencies do not
have clear standards about when a species should be de-listed.”
The “Endangered Species Reform Act of 2007,” S. 658, establishes minimum
requirements for a listing petition, including: an analysis of the status of the
species; its range; population trends and threats. The bill will also give the
Secretary of the Interior discretion in determining if sufficient biological
information exists to continue supporting recovery. Thomas' proposal would also
give a more substantial role to the states and general public in determining
which species are endangered.
“I fully support efforts to protect species that are truly threatened or
endangered. Species that need protection must be protected, but we cannot lose
sight of the real goal of recovery and delisting,” Thomas said. “If the
Secretary knows enough to list a species, we should also know enough about what
will be required for recovery. This should be the case under current law, but
unfortunately, it is not.” Thomas’ bill is cosponsored by Senators Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.),
Wayne Allard (R-Colo.), Larry Craig (R-Idaho), and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.).
PEANUT BUTTER LINKED TO NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SALMONELLA OUTBREAK
February 19, 2007
Johnson County, WYO— Who would have thought it? No one. But it appears there are
salmonella cases in at least 37 states dating as far back as October that are
linked to two brands of peanut butter. The two brands are Peter Pan and Great
Value, which is distributed by Wal-Mart. Both brands are from the same lot
starting with 2111 on the jar lid.
Right now over 100 salmonella cases nation-wide are being
investigated. Thermopolis already has reported 4 illnesses attributed to the
peanut butter salmonella. In Johnson County, JC Public Health Nurse, Ann Jarvis
has started to notify folks about the danger and has had one jar of the Great
Value peanut butter turned in from the recalled lot. She will be checking with
Sheridan Public Health and WalMart today to be sure the affected lots are
pulled. She says if you have one of these jars, put it in a plastic bag and drop
it off at their office or call their office for more information.
Salmonella are a family of bacteria that can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach
pain in people.
The CDC reports 40,000 cases a year in the United States, and 600
deaths. "Salmonella infections usually resolve in 5 to 7 days and often do not
require treatment unless the patient becomes severely dehydrated or the
infection spreads from the intestines," the CDC says on its web site.
The salmonella being investigated is a strain known as Salmonella
tennessee. Health officials have found "two sets of DNA fingerprint patterns
that appear to be related, but not identical" in samples from patients. Stay
tuned.
THOMAS REITERATES NEED TO BETTER AUDIT PACKERS
February 22, 2007
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Craig Thomas wants the USDA to take responsibility for
the auditing and conduct of meatpackers.
“It’s USDA’s responsibility to ensure there’s responsible oversight of the
industry. What we learned through hearings was that the audits are not being
done,” Thomas said. “We have suffered long enough with inadequate protection for
producers and consumers -- I believe it’s time for that to change.”
Thomas co-sponsored a bill with Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), to establish an Office
of Special Counsel at USDA to investigate and prosecute livestock competition
abuses.
Thomas requested an Agriculture Committee hearing last year on the
Packers and Stockyards Act to provide oversight of the auditing process. During
the hearing he asserted the extent of the problem and that there was no excuse
for these audits not to have taken place.
“We need fair competition in livestock markets,” Thomas said.
“There needs to be transparency in how the packers are conducting business. What
is most concerning is that the packers have become too concentrated. If our
local ranchers can only market to huge meatpackers who appear to be coordinating
prices with each other -- there’s definitely something wrong.”
“A handful of large packers are asserting control over the market
causing a serious disadvantage to our family-run ranches. The fact that the
meatpackers could be controlling prices makes me wonder if they’re getting too
big for their britches,” Thomas said.
Currently, the Deputy Administrator at USDA’s Grain Inspection,
Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) oversees the Packers and
Stockyards program and has the responsibility of enforcing the Packers and
Stockyards Act. GIPSA personnel responsible for investigating violations of the
Packers and Stockyards Act would be transferred to The Office of Special
Counsel. This position will also serve as a liaison between the Department of
Justice and Federal Trade Commission and will be appointed by the President and
approved by the United States Senate.
The bill also makes a number of changes to the Packers and
Stockyards Act and Agricultural Fair Practices Act to provide additional
protections for livestock producers in their dealings with packers.
In summary, it would:
· Establish an Office of Special Counsel at USDA to investigate and prosecute
violations on competition matters.
· Prohibit unfair or deceptive practices by a person that affects the marketing,
receiving, purchasing, sale or contracting of any agricultural commodity.
· Make it unlawful for a processor to not act in good faith with producers
regarding agricultural contracts.
· Give producers contract protections against confidentiality clauses, premature
termination, unfair capital investments and arbitration provisions.
· Strengthen the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 by clarifying the definition
of unfair practices committed by packers.
· Remove a disclaimer clause in the Agricultural Fair Practices Act that
currently allows processors the ability to not bargain in good
|
| Mini FEB Archive: Local
News ... |
RIDIN’ & RHYMIN’ - COWBOY POETS COME TO THE BIGHORNS
February 1, 2007
SHERIDAN, WYO — The 15th Annual Sagebrush Cowboy Gather “Ridin’ & Rhymin’ will
be held in Sheridan on February 9-11 when whole herds of cowboy bards and
balladeers gather to share their talent with each other and the rest of us.
The weekend of cowboy fun and entertainment includes Cowboy Kidz Poetry, a
“Shoot-Out”, an annual Scott Redington Award and this year’s Feature Performance
at the WYO Theater called Ridin’ & Rhymin’ featuring TJ Casey and Ken Overcast.
Ridin’ & Rhymin’ will kick off with Billings cowboy entertainer, TJ
Casey. TJ has shared the stage with the likes of legends Ian Tyson, Merle
Haggard, Dirks Bentley and the Everly Brothers. He was a top 5 finalists for the
Rising Star Award and Western Swing Album of the Year and one of the top 10
finalists for the Western Song and Western Music Male of the Year.
Feature artist Ken Overcast is a Chinook, MT cowboy & rancher with
eight CD recordings under his belt and a host of other music award nominations.
Ken was crowned the Western Music Association Yodeler of the Year and awarded
the coveted Will Rogers Award by the Academy of Western Artists.
The Cowboy Kidz Poetry Contest will showcase Champions and Reserve
Champions from
Wyoming Schools performing their poems to win a trophy,
certificate and a chance to perform their poem on stage at the WYO Theater
during the evening feature performance.
Don’t miss the “Shoot-Out”. More entertaining than lethal this
event pits cowboy poets against the clock. Using one line, a pencil and paper,
the cowboy poets must construct a rhyming cowboy poem in not more than an hour.
The public is invited to attend the free Open Sessions of cowboy music and
poetry at the Watt Agricultural Center from 10 am – 5 pm on Friday, February 9
and at the WYO Theater on Saturday, February 10 from 11 am-5 pm. The Cowboy Kidz
Contest and “Shoot-Out” are also free and open to the public and will be held at
the WYO Theater 8 am – 11 am on Saturday, February 10.
Sunday morning at 9 am a cowboy church service will be held at the
Sheridan College Ctel Presentation Hall in the Whitney Bldg.
The event is sponsored by the Sagebrush Cowboyography Association, which works
to “promote cowboy poetry, singing and public
performances through cultural activities and in doing this, preserve the
heritage of the western cowboy, his music and his way of life. “ They chose
sagebrush as part of their day as you can find it all over the west. The rest of
the year they visit schools to help foster a deeper understanding of cowboy
culture.
GOVERNOR'S BIG GAME LICENSE SALES TOP $1.5 MILLION
February 16, 2007
CHEYENNE, Wyo. - A program which puts proceeds from the sale of Governor Dave
Freudenthal’s complimentary big game licenses toward wildlife conservation
projects has topped $1.5 million.
I n 2003, the governor’s licenses raised $325,000; in 2004,
$399,390; in 2005, $351,221; and in 2006, $403,650. So far in 2007, four
licenses have generated $105,500.
By statute, the governor can receive up to 20 complimentary hunting
licenses each year in the form of bighorn sheep, moose, elk, deer and antelope
licenses. Since he took office in 2003, Freudenthal has turned over his big game
licenses to the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of Wyoming to administer on behalf
of the Governor’s Office and the Wyoming Governor's Big Game License Coalition.
The foundation authorizes other wildlife and sportsmen’s
organizations to arrange for auctions of the licenses. Those groups may retain
no more than 10 percent of the proceeds. Ten percent may be retained by the
Wildlife Heritage Foundation as an administration fee, 10 percent is transferred
to an account designated for “all wildlife conservation projects” and 70 percent
is transferred to appropriate conservation project accounts to be spent on the
types of game for which the license was sold.
The coalition has approved 118 projects since the program began,
and of those, 88 have been completed. Projects funded so far include ones
improving forage, restoring sagebrush, conducting prescribed burns, diverting
trumpeter swans from power lines, promoting education, monitoring wildlife
populations and enhancing riparian areas.
“I’m delighted that the sales of these licenses are providing a direct benefit
to our wildlife,” Freudenthal said. “It’s important that we
take steps now to preserve this habitat so that our children and grandchildren
will also be afforded the same opportunities to enjoy Wyoming’s wildlife.”
On April 18 in Casper, the coalition will hold its annual meeting to discuss and
approve the next round of projects. A total of 27 requests were submitted.
Thomas Speaks Out on President’s
Budget
February 13, 2007
WASHINGTON, DC - How does the President’s budget affect Wyoming? Here are
several of the President’s recent Budget Proposals Senator Thomas is watching
and has commented upon how they affect Wyoming’s citizens and economy:
Clean Coal (Clean Coal Power Initiative):
“I’m looking for specific funding for the clean coal power
initiative at DOE to support Wyoming’s efforts for both turning coal into liquid
fuel for our transportation sector, as well as to strengthen the role coal can
play in electric generation”. “I told the President that we need to start seeing
more financial backing and support for the initiatives in the Energy Policy
Act,”
Thomas said. “We can pursue alternative fuels, but as of right now,
we are not able to fully fuel our nation’s energy needs using switch grass and
sunshine. Over the next 10-15 years what we have is an abundant natural resource
that with the proper technology can produce both fuel and electricity in an
environmentally friendly way.”
Loan Guarantees -- Advanced Energy (Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005)
“It’s foolish to let South Africa and China aggressively pursue
coal-to-liquids with their federal dollars and not have our own loan guarantee
program funding projects in the United States. I’m pleased to see the
President’s request for $9 billion for our loan guarantee program created two
years ago in the Energy Policy Act. We need to get these commercial-scale
projects under way for things like coal-to-liquids, nuclear power, bio-diesel,
and solar to hydrogen projects. It’s been two years since this title became law
and its time to get these projects under way,” Thomas said.
“Wyoming has a coal-to-liquids plant with cooperative agreements
already in place to make 13,000 barrels of coal-derived diesel per day.” …. More
Budget Comments to Come
THOMAS GRILLS DOE ON BUDGET, COAL FUNDING
February 12, 2007
WASHINGTON -- At an Energy Committee oversight hearing last week to review the
Department of Energy’s (DOE) 2008 budget proposal, U.S. Senator Craig Thomas
asked tough questions of Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman about what appears to be
a bureaucratic stranglehold on getting advanced coal projects off the ground in
the United States.
“The people of Wyoming want to convert our coal to a more valuable product. We
want to generate clean power and produce clean diesel fuel. These options are
clearly better than digging up coal and shipping it out on railcars. We dig up
quite a lot too -- 36 percent of the nation’s supply comes from Wyoming,” Thomas
said.
“The incredibly slow progress on the loan guarantee program and the lack of
focus on getting Section 413 fully funded are very troubling. Where's the money
for the pipes and wires we need out West?” Thomas asked Bodman.
“It looks to me like we’re playing the same games this year as we have in the
past. We
talk a lot about alternative fuels, and we need to be pursuing those things. But
the ability of alternatives to make a real difference is a number of years off.
We need to work on our near-term needs to make fossil fuels cleaner and more
efficient,” Thomas said at the hearing. “On a federal level, it is the
Department of Energy’s job to make sure these things happen. Congress has given
you the tools to get it done with the Energy Policy Act of 2005.”
“Our ability to produce energy here at home is reliant upon advances in
technology. Producing responsible domestic energy lowers prices and increases
our security. The Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center is located in Wyoming.
It’s not a private company ... the Department of Energy that owns it, runs it,
and uses it to advance technologies. “Why doesn't your request include money for
the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Testing Center? Enzi asked.”
ENZI OUTLINES NEED TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION, REDUCE COSTS, HELP
STUDENTS AVOID HEAVY DEBT
February 21, 2007
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Ranking Member of the Senate
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today outlined the need
for a broad Higher Education Act reauthorization bill to expand access to higher
education, give American students the tools they need to complete college and
acquire the knowledge and skills needed to be successful in the 21st century
global economy.
“We must use this reauthorization process to promote innovation and new
technologies that will keep costs down, encourage competitive financial aid,
open doors to more information helpful to students and parents planning for
college, and improve financial literacy across the board,” Enzi said at today’s
HELP Committee hearing titled “Higher Education, Higher Cost and Higher Debt:
Paying for College in the Future.”
“We need to promote better financial literacy among students and
their parents, so that they will know what their financial obligations are, and
can manage debt more effectively,” Enzi said. “Students should graduate with a
degree in hand, not a ball and chain of debt holding them back.”
Enzi, who is the Senate’s only accountant, said Congress must also
work to simplify the federal student aid system, which is so complicated and
difficult to navigate that it impedes access to higher education. “It’s time to
make filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) less
complicated than filling out our tax forms – and for an accountant to say that
is really something,” he said.
“We must take a close look at the ‘hidden’ costs of college that
are driving up the price,” Enzi said. “For instance, many students enter school
without the knowledge and skills that they need and must take remedial
coursework just to catch up, costing them extra semesters. Other students
transfer from one school to another only to discover that their hard-earned,
fully-paid credits will not count toward a degree at their new school. This
costs students money and time, and adds to taxpayers’ costs, too. It also
contributes to higher attrition rates, particularly for low-income students.”
Enzi said colleges must make better information available to students and
parents regarding the costs and advantages of their institutions. “By finding
innovative ways and utilizing new technologies to help students and parents
comparison shop, we can help them make the best choices,” Enzi said.
THOMAS ACCEPTING SUMMER
INTERN APPLICATIONS
February 28, 2007
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Craig Thomas (R-Wyo.) is currently accepting
applications for his Washington, DC internship program for summer 2007. The
Senator’s intern program, which lasts four months, is designed to give Wyoming’s
youth a unique perspective into the inner workings of the United States
government.
“I firmly believe that all of our interns walk away with a deeper
appreciation and understanding of how our government operates, and an instilled
sense of civic duty,” Thomas said.
Interns have a wide range of responsibilities, including helping
respond to constituent requests, attending legislative hearings, giving U.S.
Capitol tours, and shadowing the Senator to observe his job on a day-to-day
basis. In addition to their work, interns are also encouraged to take advantage
of the many sights and activities that our nation’s capitol has to offer.
Interns receive a monthly salary and are responsible for their
round-trip airfare and living expenses while in DC. Senator Thomas offers four
different Congressional Intern sessions each year. In addition to the summer
session, there are two four-month sessions held during the spring and fall
semesters. The dates for the summer session are May 21 - August 24.
Applicants are typically residents of Wyoming, in college, and are 21 years of
age or older.
For those students who attend the University of Wyoming, 15 credit hours may be
earned after successful completion of the university’s requirements. More
information is available on the University’s website.
MINI NOTE: Candidates should apply on-line. The application can be found on
Senator Thomas’s website by choosing the "Students" tab on the left and then
clicking on "Intern Program.” For more information, please contact Senator
Thomas’ office at 202.224.6441. The cut-off date for applications will be April
13. No exceptions folks so get those applications in on time .… this is a truly
great experience and there are many applicants. It would be great if someone
from Johnson County got chosen.
WYOMING INNOVATORS SOUGHT FOR BRAVO! AWARD NOMINATIONS
February 27, 2007
CHEYENNE – Last night was the Oscar’s presentation, a couple of weeks before
that it was the grand old opera nominations. Nominations are being sought for
the 2007 Bravo! Entrepreneur Awards sponsored by the Wyoming Business Report,
the Wyoming Business Council, the Wyoming Chamber of Commerce Executives, the
Wyoming Business Alliance, the Heritage Foundation and the Wyoming Economic
Development Association.
The Bravo! Entrepreneurship Awards honor entrepreneurs from around
Wyoming and will be presented during a banquet, Thursday, April 12 at the
Parkway Plaza in Casper. The event will be held in conjunction with the Wyoming
Heritage Foundation’s Economic Outlook Forum, which begins at noon on April 12.
Awards will be given for the following categories:
Bravo! Entrepreneur Award – Winners of these awards should demonstrate
the best traits of entrepreneurship, including vision, drive, perseverance and
willingness to take risks. Six winners statewide will be named from each of the
Wyoming Business Council’s six regions of the state.
Lifetime Achievement Award – Winners of the Lifetime
Achievement Award should demonstrate a long career of commitment to Wyoming’s
growth and well-being of its business community. Among the criteria is a minimum
of 10 years as a Wyoming entrepreneur.
Emerging Entrepreneur – Winners of this award should
demonstrate the best traits of entrepreneurship, including vision, drive,
perseverance and willingness to take risks. The award is for businesses started
within the last three years.
Governor’s Award for Economic Development – This award
recognizes businesses, organizations, communities and individuals who contribute
to significant economic growth in Wyoming. This nominee has been instrumental in
creating new jobs and increasing tax revenues in Wyoming.
IQ Award – This award honors the Innovation Quotient among
Wyoming companies and seeks to honor those products or services that have
demonstrated a high degree of innovation with a strong market potential.
Mini Note: Nominations may be submitted electronically
to the Wyoming Business Report through the newspaper’s Web site:
www.wyomingbusinessreport.com, or mailed to the Cheyenne office of the Wyoming
Business Report at 1603 Capitol Ave., Ste. 211, Cheyenne, WY 82001. Nominations
can also be faxed to 307-635-1646. The nomination deadline is February 28, 2007.
UPDATE ON SALMONELLA OUTBREAK IN PETER PAN PEANUT BUTTER AND GREAT VALUE
PEANUT BUTTER
February 26, 2007
WASHINGTON, DC — On February 14, 2007, the FDA first advised consumers not to
eat any Peter Pan peanut butter purchased since May 2006 and not to eat Great
Value peanut butter with a product code beginning with "2111" purchased since
May 2006 because of risk of contamination with Salmonella Tennessee (Salmonella
is a bacterium that causes food borne illness, and “Tennessee” is a type of
Salmonella).
Originally it was reported that both brands branded with the 2111
code were contaminated. That report has been revised. All Peter Pan peanut
butter purchased since May 2006 is affected; only those jars of Great Value
peanut butter purchased since May 2006 with a product code beginning with "2111”
are affected.
Although Great Value peanut butter with the specified product code
has not been linked by CDC to the cases of Salmonella Tennessee infection, the
product is manufactured in the same plant as Peter Pan peanut butter and, thus,
is believed to be at similar risk of contamination. Great Value peanut butter
made by manufacturers other than ConAgra is not affected.
Number of Cases and State Locations:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified 290 people
from 40 states who have gotten sick from Salmonella Tennessee, the Salmonella
type associated with this outbreak. Forty six (46) patients are known to have
been hospitalized and there have been no official reported deaths, although one
woman is reported to have died from complications in Massachusetts and her
family is suing ConAgra.
The 40 states with reported illness are: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas,
Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri,
Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, New Mexico, New
York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota,
Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and
Wyoming.
Advice to Consumers:
The FDA continues to advise consumers not to eat any Peter Pan
peanut butter purchased since May 2006 or Great Value since that same period
with the 2111 code. The FDA recommends all such products should be thrown out.
If consumers cannot find a number on the jar lid or are unsure, the safest thing
to do is to discard the product.
Individuals who have recently eaten the affected Peter Pan and Great Value
peanut butter and who have experienced any symptoms of Salmonella infection
should contact their health care provider immediately. Symptoms include fever,
diarrhea and abdominal cramps. For persons in poor health or with weakened
immune systems, Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause life-threatening
infections.
Anyone who has a jar of the affected peanut butter and who has
become ill also should report that they have a jar to state or local health
authorities. Individuals who have eaten the affected peanut butter within the
last week and who do not feel sick most likely will not get sick. However,
persons who begin to have any of the symptoms outlined above should see a health
care professional.
| |
Mini Weather
Public Voice
Click
Above
to Read About Community Issues:
Projects, Plans & Proposals
| |
| | |
Folks Who Have Visited The Mini
OnLine: |
 | |
|
| | |
|
|
Your
Ad Here with Link to Your Web Site ! |
|
|
The Mini®
An Echo Publication
Copyright © 2007 Echo Publications, LLC.
86 S Main Street,
Buffalo, Wyoming 82834
307.684.2225
Another Great Site Built and Maintained by CloudPeak.Net, Inc
Privacy Policy
|
Contact Us
A Mini Publication - All contents of this site are copyright by Echo Publications, LLC.
Information in this document / website is subject to change without notice. Other Products and Companies referred to herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders. Copyright © 2007 CloudPeak.Net, INC™
All design and layout rights reserved. Questions regarding the website? Please, contact:
info@themini.biz |
|