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Mini JAN 07 Archive:
Wyoming News ... |
GOVERNOR'S GIVES HIS VIEW ON FEDERAL WOLF DELISTING PLANS
January 31, 2007
Cheyenne, Wyo. -- Governor Dave Freudenthal offered the following thoughts in
response to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's announcement today that it
plans to remove wolves from federal protection in the northern Rockies:
“Regarding the Fish and Wildlife Service’s hopes to reach some
agreement with Wyoming to alter our existing plan, I remain concerned about the
amount of private land that would be included in the proposed trophy game area,
as well as the definition and number of wolves that would compose a breeding
pair. The ultimate question, though, is whether or not Wyoming will be given the
flexibility to manage wolves that are causing an unacceptable impact on our elk
and moose populations.
“I am delighted by the potential for progress in Montana and Idaho,
although it seems to be of limited value for wildlife. I am also pleased that
Fish and Wildlife believes the populations in Idaho, Montana and Yellowstone
National Park are sufficient for delisting without the other Wyoming packs. This
raises the interesting question of whether any packs outside Yellowstone in
Wyoming are even necessary.”
SMALL BUSINESS PROTECTED WITH SENATE MINIMUM WAGE VOTE
January 31, 2007
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Ranking Member of the Senate
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today said the Senate
has rejected a partisan, one-sided approach to raise the minimum wage and voted
to move forward a bipartisan, fair and balanced minimum wage increase that
supports both working families and the small businesses that will face the
greatest difficulties in meeting a federally mandated wage hike.
"Raising the minimum wage without providing relief for the small
businesses that must pay for that increase is simply not an option," Enzi said.
"In the long run, we simply cannot claim to be helping workers while at the same
time we hurt the businesses that employ them.
"A vote for cloture is a vote for small businesses and
working families. It is a vote for a well balanced and bipartisan solution."
The Senate approved today the motion to file cloture on the
Baucus Substitute Amendment to H.R. 2, the minimum wage bill by a vote of 87-10.
The Senate can now proceed to a final vote on that amendment, which couples an
increase in the federal wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour with targeted
tax and regulatory relief for small businesses.
"In addressing minimum wage we have rejected the misguided notion
that it be a ‘clean bill,’ because it is not a ‘clean’ issue. While pretending
that economics or social issues are simple often makes for great rhetoric, and
always makes for great politics, it seldom makes for responsible policy. Around
here, ‘clean,’ more often than not, simply means ‘do it my way’ and does not
respect the democratic process of the Senate. and allowing the Senate to work
its will.
THOMAS CONTINUES PUSH FOR COOL LEGISLATION - WYOMING, WESTERN SENATORS JOIN
FORCES TO FIGHT FOR BEEF LABELING
January 30, 2007
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Craig Thomas introduced legislation this week that
would expedite the implementation of country-of-origin labeling (COOL) for beef
and other products by saying, “It is important to provide consumers with more
product information, better choices, and a better chance to support American
agriculture.”
“This bill is certainly of great importance to Wyoming livestock producers and
consumers who have the right to know where their food comes from,” Thomas said.
“When Montanans and Americans are shopping in their local grocery
store for their hamburgers and steaks for dinner, they should be able to look
for the ‘U.S.A.’ label – it’s a no-brainer,” U.S. Senator Max Baucus said.
“The sooner, the better,” said U.S. Senator Mike Enzi. “This is a
new Congress and there are new faces on Capitol Hill. I’m hopeful they will join
us in moving this legislation forward. It’s an issue that has support on both
sides of the aisle and from ranch families all across the country, but we must
overcome opposition from the big packer conglomerates,” Enzi said.
“Global trade is not going away, and with more trade, comes an
increase in the importance of country of origin labeling,” Thomas said. “Many
nations already label food and other products – including the United States, and
like I’ve said before, if it is good enough for T-shirts, it is good enough for
T-bones.”
Thomas, (R-Wyo.) said producers and consumers of seafood are
already enjoying the benefits of labeling and further delays for beef and other
products are not warranted. Most U.S. trade partners, including the European
Union, require country of origin labeling for food. Virtually every other item a
consumer buys in the U.S. indicates a country of origin.
The original COOL legislation became law as part of the 2002 Farm
bill. That law mandates that beef, lamb, pork, fish, fruits and vegetables be
labeled with their country of origin by U.S. retailers. Opponents of the law
have delayed the implementation purely through the use of appropriation riders.
ENZI TO HOST 5TH CONTRACTING CONFERENCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
January 29, 2007
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., is inviting Wyoming business
representatives to Casper to expand their knowledge and explore ways to increase
their sales.
Enzi is co-hosting the 5th Wyoming Government Procurement Opportunities for
Small Business Conference scheduled to take place February 21-22, in the Casper
Best Western Ramkota Hotel. The conference is being co-hosted with the Wyoming
Procurement Technical Assistance Center, also known as Government Resources and
Opportunities for Business (GRO-Biz). Enzi said the event will give small
business owners the opportunity to meet one-on-one with more than 50 federal and
state government agencies and prime contractors and learn about government
contracting. "Past procurement conferences have been wonderful successes," said
Enzi, member of the Senate Small Business Committee.
"During the conference, business owners will have a tremendous opportunity to
meet with officials to talk about products they buy and any special
requirements. Representatives from the Defense Supply Center, Department of
Treasury, Veteran’s Administration, UW and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are
just a few of the 50 state and federal contracting agencies that have been
invited to share information with business owners." Enzi launched the
procurement conference in 2002 with help from GRO-Biz.
The fourth conference held in 2006 in Sheridan drew numerous small business
participants who wanted to learn about the procurement process.
GRO-Biz, a partnership among the UW, Wyoming Business Council and the Defense
Logistics Agency, counsels and assists Wyoming businesses in the selling of
their services and products to national, state and local governments. The U.S.
Small Business Administration’s Wyoming District office and various other
resource offices have also assisted in the planning of the conference.
MINI NOTE: Contact Pat Stille at 307-362-2110 if you are interested in
participating in the conference or register at www.gro-biz.com/seminars.htm
ENZI STAFFER TURNS IN CAPITOL HILL SUIT FOR WYO COWBOY BOOTS
January 29, 2007
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., has placed a new grants
coordinator in his Casper office to assist Wyoming constituents and communities
find funding for foundations, businesses, organizations or special projects.
Richard Hawley, a five-year veteran of Enzi’s D.C. office, will travel to every
part of the state learning about the needs of the various communities and
assisting in finding federal funding for various projects. "Wyoming is home and
I am glad to be back. I am really looking forward to traveling around the state
to meet and help as many people as possible," said Hawley, a native of Lovell.
"There are federal pools and foundation streams of funding out there, but
finding them and then actually getting some assistance can be very difficult.
That’s where I come in. I have experience in this area and can show people the
way. It’s hard for smaller population areas to afford help when searching for
grants and special loans, but Wyoming people deserve access
to aid as much as people from the larger states. Senator Enzi recognized this
need and I’m hopeful I can be of great service to people all over the state and
fill this void."
Enzi is confident that Wyoming communities will benefit greatly
from Hawley’s expertise. "I’m excited to see Richard set up shop in our Casper
office. This is an important position and I encourage anyone interested in
acquiring grant assistant to contact Richard personally," said Enzi.
_________________
MINI NOTE: You can reach Hawley by calling 307-261-6572 or toll free
at 888-250-1879 or via e-mail at
richard_hawley@enzi.senate.gov.
SUPERCOMPUTER WOULD DIVERSIFY ECONOMY, ENHANCE ENERGY RESEARCH
January 26, 2007
Cheyenne, Wyo. - Diversification of Wyoming’s economy, enhancement of energy
research and attracting top-flight scientists and faculty to UW are among the
benefits from a planned supercomputer center in southeast Wyoming, Gov Dave
Freudenthal and UW President Tom Buchanan said Thursday.
Establishment of the $60 million data facility by the National
Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) west of Cheyenne is pending approval by
the NSF and the Wyoming Legislature. The data center would solidify the state’s
long-term commitment toward innovative ideas, new products and new companies.
“This is a great day for Wyoming. This is exactly the type of
economic development that will allow Wyoming to build our intellectual capital
and become a world-class player in the high-tech arena,” Freudenthal said.
“Wyoming will become a magnet for researchers, professors, students and
entrepreneurs who rely on and can benefit from access to one of the world’s most
powerful computers.”
The UW School of Energy Resources would be among the first to
benefit, with its scientists having access to tremendous computing power that
could help improve analysis of the state’s complex geology and possibly unlock
new methods of mineral extraction.
Senate President John Schiffer from Johnson County said he looks
forward to learning more about the data center and commended all involved. “It’s
those kinds of partnerships that really build Wyoming and it’s those kinds of
partnerships going forward that will allow us to take advantage of 21st century
access,” he said.
House Speaker Roy Cohee said that although the center may be
located near Cheyenne, it is truly a statewide project. “It’s going to bring
tremendous opportunities,” he said. “It’s incredibly important to the state that
Wyoming finally join the high-tech sector.”
ENZI ANNOUNCES WYO. JOB CORPS CENTER
COMING
January 11, 2007
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao and U.S. Senator Mike
Enzi, R-Wyo., announced this week that work on a multi-million dollar job
training center to be located in Riverton should begin soon. The center will be
the first located in Wyoming.
"This new center in Riverton furthers Job Corps’ mission of helping
young Americans overcome barriers to employment," said Secretary Chao. "The
Riverton Job Corps Center will provide education and skills training that young
workers need to succeed in the 21st century worldwide economy."
"I’ve been working with Secretary Chao for years to make this
happen and appreciate all she’s done. One thing Wyoming needs more of are
skilled workers and this center can help supply that need, but as much as what
it can potentially do for the economy of the state, it can do even more for the
individual by helping that young person achieve a better life. This is exciting
news," said Enzi, who is the Ranking Member on the Senate Labor Committee.
The new Job Corps Center will provide academic assistance and career technical
training to about 550 students from Fremont County and around the state. High
school and General Equivalency Diploma programs will also be offered.
Enzi estimated the investment in the center would be from $30-40 million by the
time the center is completed. The target for having students in the facility is
2011. Land acquisition for the center should begin this year.
Governor Proclaims an Anti-Bullying
Week in Wyoming
January 8, 2007
CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Citing effects from bullying such as depression, anxiety and
low self-esteem, Gov. Dave Freudenthal on Friday signed a proclamation declaring
Jan. 1-7, 2007, as Anti-Bullying Week in Wyoming.
“Studies have shown that bullying can have as much of a negative impact on the
bullies as it does the victims,” Freudenthal said. “We need to raise the level
of awareness while also redoubling our prevention efforts.”
As he signed the proclamation, the governor was flanked by Cheyenne Central High
School seniors Lindsey Larsen and Maya Martinez, who chose bullying prevention
as their DECA public relations project.
“We realized what a big issue it was, not only in our school but around the
nation, especially with the school shootings,” Larsen said.
Studies show that between 15 percent and 25 percent of U.S. students are bullied
with some frequency, and as many as 160,000 students may stay home on any given
day because they’re afraid of being bullied. Youths who are bullied are more
likely to feel depressed, lonely, anxious, have low self-esteem, feel unwell or
think about suicide. Bullies themselves are more prone to smoke, drink and get
into fights, and 60 percent of boys who were bullies in middle school had at
least one criminal conviction by age 24.
Adults are urged to stop and listen to an affected child, take complaints of
bullying seriously and respond by taking appropriate steps to intervene.
Larsen and Martinez have arranged school assemblies around town, spoken on talk
radio shows and distributed public service announcements. They hope to spread
their message at the state DECA convention in Casper next month and possibly at
nationals in Orlando, Fla., in April, should they qualify.
GOVERNOR OFFERS CHALLENGE: WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE GREATER
OPPORTUNITIES
January 7, 2007
CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Governor Dave Freudenthal, in his second inaugural, challenged
citizens to work together to build a Wyoming that will provide greater
opportunities, including pursuit of cleaner and renewable energy technologies
and a diversified economy that retains and attracts young families.
"All of the essential ingredients exist for the people of Wyoming to mold a
great future. ... We must challenge ourselves to meet the opportunity before
us," the governor said Tuesday during inauguration ceremonies at the Cheyenne
Civic Center.
Wyomingites need to show faith and confidence and not be concerned about a
possible slowdown in the economy, Freudenthal said. That faith must be tied to
action, he added.
"With or without our participation, time and history always march forward. But
with our active participation, we can affect the direction we march and help
create the best possible future for our children and grandchildren," he said.
"This nation and this state exist because our forbearers accepted their
uncertainties, set a course and took action."
Freudenthal remarked on the changes that had occurred 32 years ago when Ed
Herschler was first inaugurated, such as creation of the Permanent Mineral Trust
Fund and a ramp-up of coal production. Making sound decisions now can allow more
people to share in the state's prosperity in the near future as well as 32 years
from now in 2039, he said. He added that despite Wyoming's current prosperity,
too many citizens are struggling from paycheck to paycheck.
Amid the state's remarkable ongoing growth, the governor envisioned a series of
investments that will enable Wyoming to retain its quality of life, including
its open space, abundant wildlife and recreation, while also providing greater
economic opportunities.
Prudent investments by the public and private sectors will develop intellectual
capital, skilled workers, stronger community infrastructure and improved
transportation and healthcare systems, he said.
Investments must also be made in economic development infrastructure, water
storage projects, wildlife habitat and environmental protection -- investments
that will support a diversified economy that will be more attractive to young
people, he said.
Freudenthal asked Wyomingites not to focus solely on their own schools, towns,
counties or political parties but to work together on strategies that will build
the entire state. He
urged adherence to a sound strategy of putting some revenue
aside while meeting the current needs of Wyoming citizens, encouraging economic
diversification and building the intellectual capital to attract the
entrepreneurs and companies who will guide and participate in the next economy.
The key is not being reckless or overly optimistic but not being tentative
either, the governor said. "Relying on tentative investments is like learning to
ride a bike by pedaling very slowly - we will not remain upright for long," he
said. "We must pedal deliberately and quickly, making smart investments and
decisions in areas of our economy and lifestyle that we know will continue to be
important for decades to come."
"We have been given an enormous and remarkable opportunity, you and me,"
Freudenthal said. "I pledge to you my deepest efforts to be a faithful and
devout follower of the dream of a better future for Wyoming and to allow that
vision to guide my every action. And I ask you all of you, all of you who live
in Wyoming, all of you who do business in Wyoming, to join me in these efforts.
We have a bright future in Wyoming, should we choose to create it, should we
choose to act boldly and should we choose to act with confidence."
CUBIN MOVES TO INCREASE SOCIAL SECURITY OVERSIGHT
January 14, 2007
Washington, D.C. – Committed to combating America’s immigration crisis, Rep
Barbara Cubin (R-WY) introduced legislation late last week to require
Congressional approval of pacts such as the U.S.-Mexico Social Security
Totalization Agreement, which could allow illegal immigrants to collect U.S.
Social Security benefits.
"The U.S.-Mexico Agreement, if allowed to move forward, could actually encourage
Mexican nationals to illegally immigrate to America," Rep Cubin noted. "My bill
would ensure that an agreement with such tremendous potential impact would
always be fully vetted, debated and voted on by Congress before taking effect."
Social Security Totalization Agreements allow for the recognition of retirement
contributions between the U.S. and another country's social security system so
that citizens who work abroad get credit for the work they do while in another
country. Current law allows Totalization Agreements to be negotiated by the
President and submitted to Congress for approval. Once submitted, Congress has
only 60 days to specifically reject an agreement. If Congress does not do so,
the agreement can become law without ever having been voted on.
"It is outrageous to think that the U.S. would enter into an agreement that
would allow illegal immigrants to get a piece of our Social Security," said
Cubin. "This issue is far too important to just slide past Congress because of
procedural rules. This legislation will ensure Members of Congress an up or down
vote on Totalization Agreements."
Since 1978, the U.S. has entered bilateral Totalization Agreements with 21
nations. In 2004, the U.S. reached a Totalization Agreement with Mexico, but the
President has yet to submit it to Congress. The expected impact was made public
by a Freedom of Information Act request, which makes it clear that the agreement
does nothing to prevent employees from collecting benefits for work done while
in the United States illegally. The Government Accountability Office has
indicated that this agreement will increase the number of unauthorized workers
eligible for Social Security benefits.
Wyoming County Tops Homeland Security
List for Readiness
January 11, 2007
Washington, D.C. – Laramie County is among the top six areas of the country when
it comes to emergency communication systems, according to a report released
today by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., helped the Wyoming Department
of Transportation and Wyoming Public Safety Communication Commission and other
agencies obtain federal emergency preparedness funding. He said the report is a
nice accolade.
"The key to improving public security and safety is not only
how much money you dedicate to this purpose, but how you spend that money.
Wyoming is putting its resources to good use. This report is a nice accolade,
but I’m sure Wyoming authorities are not going to stop there," Enzi said. "What
really counts is the practical application of this system and I know Wyoming’s
emergency personnel are hard at work ensuring that we have a system that works
as it was designed. I know they have their sights set on further expansion and
improvement of emergency communications, which helps us to make areas of our
remote state ones that aren’t out of help’s reach."
In addition to Laramie County, the DHS’s best ratings
went to the Washington, D.C., area; San Diego, Calif.; Minneapolis-St. Paul,
Minn.; Columbus, Ohio and Sioux Falls, S.D.
Many people have claimed that Western states don’t deserve Homeland Security
monies and there are some bills before congress now to see the appropriations
reduced to those states where the federal government has ascertained that there
is less of a risk of terrorist threats.
ENZI SAYS NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND RENEWAL SHOULD INCLUDE FLEXIBILITY FOR RURAL
SCHOOLS
January 10, 2006
Washington, D.C. – Following a White House meeting yesterday with President Bush
and congressional leaders, U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Ranking Member of the
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, said he is
encouraged by the bipartisan commitment to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind
Act (NCLB), which Enzi said can help give American workers and the nation’s
economy a competitive edge in the 21st Century global marketplace.
The meeting with the President marked the fifth anniversary of the landmark law.
Also in attendance were Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, Chairman of
the HELP Committee, Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., House Education and Labor Chairman,
George Miller, D-Calif., and Ranking Member Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif.
"Renewal of No Child Left Behind and important elementary and secondary school
programs represents a test the 110th Congress must pass, as the law is a key to
helping our nation meet the growing challenge of global competition. We are
committed to working together and earning high marks on this critical
assignment," Enzi said. "To pass this test we need to make the classroom
experience real and relevant to the knowledge and skills the 21st Century
requires."
Enzi stressed the importance of examining the impact of NCLB implementation on
rural school districts. During last falls county elections many teachers had
concerns about NCLB rules, and many of the JC School Board candidates echo their
concerns saying they would like to see changes that reflected local educational
needs. Apparently these concerns were not unique to Johnson County, and these
are now being ironed out in congress as Enzi went on to stress. "No Child Left
Behind should mean that the proper flexibility and focus are provided so that no
rural schools are left behind. [Yesterday’s] meeting with President Bush
confirmed a strong, bipartisan commitment in the Congress to improve NCLB so
that it will better meet the needs of all our nation’s schools and better
prepare students with the knowledge and skills they need to be successful," Enzi
said. "We must work in a bipartisan manner to ensure that states and local
communities are able to use the tools the law developed over the last five years
to best fulfill their mission and close the achievement gap among our students."
Enzi said he’s never been to a more positive meeting on the NCLB Act than the
meeting today. "There was agreement we should proceed and an agreement in
principal on what needs to be done," Enzi said.
|
| Mini JAN 07 Archive: Local
News ... |
BHS Forensics Marching through
Another Great Year
January 23, 2007
Buffalo, WYO — The BHS Forensics team had another outstanding weekend. On
January 19th and 20th they traveled to the Newcastle Invitational where they
competed against 15 other schools. BHS placed second in the 3A division.
In Drama, both of the BHS competitors advanced to the semi final round. Courtney
Carlisle and Bailey Jackson were able to make it to semis, but were not able to
advance to finals.
In Poetry, Carlisle advanced through the semi final round, and into finals,
where she placed 4th overall.
In LD Debate, Luke Myszewski had another great weekend, winning all four of his
preliminary rounds to advance into semi finals with a 4-0 record. In semis he
faced an opponent from Spearfish. Myszewski lost the semi final round, to end
the tournament with a 3rd place trophy.
In Humor, BHS once again broke both of their competitors. Caila Booth and Audra
Harvey both advanced to the semi finals. Booth was unable to break into finals,
but Harvey did make it to the final round, where she had a great performance and
took home the 2nd place trophy.
“Buffalo broke more than 50% of their competitors into elimination rounds,”
according to Coach Walter Farwell, “which is an outstanding achievement. The
team has been doing amazing things this year. While we usually don’t have enough
entries to win the sweepstakes trophies, we always have a very large percentage
of kids competing in the elimination rounds. This team is such fun to work with,
and they are all so enthusiastic about the activity, and that is coming out in
their performances.”
Starting on the 23rd of February, the BHS Forensics Team will again be hosting
the High School Forensics Tournament.
MINI NOTE: Right now they are looking for a few good listeners! They need judges
for the tournament. Please call Walter Farwell at the Buffalo High School,
684-2269.
COUNCILMAN MIKE JOHNSON BACK IN BUFFALO AND CONTINUES TO MEND
January 19, 2007
Buffalo, WYO— Mike Johnson is continuing his recovery back in Buffalo at the
Johnson County Health Care Center following back surgery in Billings last month.
Business partner and friend, Dave Kennedy, says Mike is doing well but needs to
get stronger before he goes home. But Kennedy says he is now getting up and
sitting in a chair after 36 days in bed. Now it’s just a matter of building his
strength as all these activities are still exhausting to Mike. He is improving
steadily though, and his family is starting to arrange furniture at home to
prepare for his home coming. For the present though, he will stay in the
hospital. Folks who want to send get well wishes to Mike can reach him through
the JC Health Care Center.
GOVERNOR: SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY; INVEST IN ROADS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WATER,
WILDLIFE
January 17, 2007
CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Gov. Dave Freudenthal, in his 2007 State of the State address,
asked lawmakers to seize the opportunity presented by a strong economy and
invest in highways, local governments, health, water storage and wildlife. He
also asked for tougher sex offender sentencing, permanently removing the food
tax, providing property tax relief, improving child care options, enhancing new
energy technology research, and banning all open alcoholic containers in
vehicles.
Freudenthal noted that revenue projections have been reduced by $250 million by
the Consensus Revenue Estimating Group due lower-than-anticipated natural gas
revenues but that available revenues are still above $500 million. “Half a
billion dollars -- that is a phenomenal number,” he said. “And it is a number
that I think more than justifies the conclusion that the sky isn't falling. We
have got some budget things that we need to address. We will have to trim our
sails a bit from other expectations. But I don't think this is a time for us to
become timid about an investment course that we have launched ourselves on in
the last four years.”
The Governor encouraged the Legislature to consider a study of the mission,
governance and funding of the state’s community colleges and particularly the
colleges’ role in workforce training, and to give serious consideration to
addressing the housing shortage that exists in many areas of the state.
He renewed his request for $162 million for the WYDot for highway improvements,
and $18 million for airports. Freudenthal encouraged lawmakers to help community
colleges with construction projects that will bolster workforce training
efforts, and to not be concerned about the location of any particular project
.
CUBIN DEMANDS JUSTICE FOR BORDER PATROL
January 22, 2007
Washington -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Barbara Cubin joined
several House colleagues this week in demanding justice for United States Border
Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. The two men are scheduled to
report to Federal prison this week after being convicted of felony charges in
relation to the shooting of an illegal alien drug smuggler at the U.S. - Mexican
border.
“Every day, when our Border Patrol agents put on their uniforms, they are saying
to the public, ‘I’d die today to protect your freedom and secure your safety,’”
Cubin said during a press conference in the U.S. Capital this afternoon. “Why
should we expect these agents to risk their lives to protect our borders from
drugs, criminals, and terrorists if they don’t know if their right to justice
will be defended?”
Agents Ramon and Campean, both veteran agents, were convicted in October of 2006
after the drug smuggler they had shot during a border confrontation, an illegal
alien from Mexico, was granted amnesty to testify against them in U.S. court.
“These agents, like any other law enforcement officers in the country, have
sworn to put their lives on the line to protect the public,” Cubin said. “That
is exactly what they did. They thought a man – an illegal immigrant who was
smuggling over 700 pounds of marijuana bound for American communities – was
armed and dangerous. If that is not cause to defend the public safety, I do not
know what is.” Cubin has joined House colleagues in calling on the President to
pardon Agents Ramos and Compean. “America is less safe today because of this
decision, and every day, we will be less and less safe,” Cubin said. “I urge you
Mr. President, set these men free.”
WYOMING BUSINESS COUNCIL REVS IT UP IN JOHNSON COUNTY — MAY HELP WITH
PURCHASE OF OURAY SITE AND NEW DOWNTOWN PLANNING STUDY
January 18, 2007
Buffalo, WYO — His mission was clear, he came to dispel some untruths about what
the Wyoming Business Council (WBC) does and does not do. The first point Dave
Spencer, NE Wyoming’s Regional Director for the Wyoming Business Council, made
clear is that they are not about just bringing new business in from out of
state. In fact, Spencer said that only 2% of their budget is spent on attracting
new businesses to the state. These days the trend is more toward recruiting work
force to Wyoming’s communities than new businesses. Spencer informed the Chamber
sponsored event that 67% of their budget goes to community development, and the
next largest portion of the budget goes to business assistance for existing
businesses. That accounts for about another 31% of their annual budget.
Spencer went on to outline how they are different than all other
state offices in that the WBC was formed by the legislature in 1998 to work for
the private sector, with a CEO that answers to the state appointed business
council, and that they are all “at will” employees. Another misconception Dave
Spencer wanted to dispel was the idea that they could give money directly to
businesses. Spencer went on to outline the process of how they fund community
development and business at the local level. Grant money from the WBC must first
be funneled through the local government and then it indirectly benefits the
local business community by making the community more business ready by
fulfilling marketing studies, planning studies, even infrastructure needs (one
community got water and sewer lines for the first grocery store in that
community).
In Johnson County there are two big projects about to be undertaken
with the help of the WBC. The first is a “done deal”, says City Planner Jeremy
Grimm. He said the City has partnered with the WBC to do a study on downtown and
how to revive it and stop the retail leakage. The other, more controversial,
project is a grant to help purchase the Ouray building and renovate it to
attract more business to Buffalo. One local business that has been growing
steadily and hasn’t been able to find a building they could afford for their
expanding company, Mountain Metal Wool, would rent part or the building and then
the rest would be rented out to two other companies. The wool company would add
about 10 new jobs to Buffalo.
Spencer stressed said this is all CBM money and we need to
invest it now before we are in a down cycle or it goes to another community’s
development and Buffalo is left in another down economic cycle.
GOVERNOR’S STATE OF THE STATE FOCUSES ON SERVICES THAT ENHANCE QUALITY OF
LIFE
January 18, 2007
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — “The ultimate cap on our ability to grow this state is going to
turn out to be the availability of people with skills to do the work that needs
to be done,” he said.
The Governor asked lawmakers to consider direct funding for local governments,
rather than funneling dollars and directing projects through the state’s top
five elected officials sitting as the State Loan and Investment Board.
“We need to address the fact that communities need money. Everybody agrees to
that,” he said. “I think direct allocation is how you get that done. I've not
had much success with that argument in the past, but I'm going to continue to
make it because I believe there's a way to structure it that protects the fiscal
integrity and your concern with regard to the available future revenues and at
the same time recognizes that they (local officials) should make that decision.”
The Governor repeated his request for additional funding for large water storage
project planning and the Wildlife Trust Fund, earnings of which are used to
enhance wildlife habitat and open space.
“I would argue to you that wildlife in particular is an incredible priority for
this state and it is an incredible priority for the average citizens,”
Freudenthal said.
He asked for more funding for Water Account III, which is intended to fund
projects that would keep more water available in Wyoming and less flowing to
cities and states downstream.
“I would be surprised if many of us in this room today will be here when one of
those projects is finally commissioned, but I will tell you those projects won't
be commissioned if those of us who are here today don't act properly,” he said.
BUFFALO CHAMBER GETS A NEW
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
January 25, 2007
BUFFALO, WYO — After the loss of popular Chamber Executive Director Dee Woodall
just before Christmas, the Chamber Board of Directors set themselves the
difficult task of finding someone as quickly as possible and with qualifications
that would help the organization grow at a critical time. The Chamber’s
newly appointed Executive Director, Margaret Dunfee, according to Chamber
President Kelly Tvedt, “was top of the class”. He said they had some “very
unbelievably good applicants” and Dunfee was their top pick from out of all
these great applicants. Tvedt went on to say that the Chamber Board is really
excited, and that they think Dunfee will be a real benefit to the Buffalo
Chamber of Commerce.
Margaret Dunfee has been in the area for about a year, coming from
Arizona with her husband who works in mining with Peabody. Her resume before
coming here is long and impressive, with a BS in Accounting and an MBA in
Finance and Management. She has held many jobs that given her on-hands
experience in relation to such varied occupations as publishing, the medical
field, human resources at the Univ. of Arizona. In all of these jobs she worked
primarily in financial and management positions.
Kelly Tvedt indicated that Dunfee comes both with the right
educational background they were looking for and the right kind of job
experience to apply to the Chamber job. Added to all of her education and
experience, Tvedt stressed that Dunfee is very personable and that was an
important part of their decision as well.
He said the Chamber was especially happy she was able to start
right away, and she “will spend the next few days getting to know operations.
She really is starting the job on the run.”
For right now the Chamber has no special plans for introducing the
community to Dunfee, but Tvedt suggested that anyone wanting to meet her can
stop by the office or come to the Business After Hours on Thursday for Sheridan
College.
THOMAS PRAISES PASSAGE OF LOBBYING REFORM
January 24, 2007
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Craig Thomas this week praised the passage of lobbying
reform legislation that passed the United States Senate last night by a vote of
96-2.
“This bill is a significant victory for public transparency
and for those of us who believe a strong ethics code should be an integral part
of government,” Thomas said. “Republicans remained committed to passing
comprehensive lobbying reform and limiting wasteful spending throughout this
debate. Using a broad range of amendments, we strengthened the Senate
legislation significantly.”
“One example is the success we had for the American public by passing Senator
DeMint’s amendment to increase earmark disclosure requirements. Another example
of our effort was the ‘Second Look at Waste Act,’ which will provide an
important check on wasteful spending. Republicans will continue to work to
increase transparency in government and promote responsible stewardship of
taxpayer dollars.”
“I continue to be concerned about runaway government
spending, as well as the size and scope of our government. I will continue to
use all the tools available to promote the responsible spending policies our
country needs for a sound financial future,” Thomas said.
Thomas is a member of the Senate Ethics Committee. The
committee enforces Ethics rules for the Senate.
Councilman Mike Johnson on the Mend
January 3, 2007
Buffalo, WYO— Mike Johnson is on the mend up in St
Vincent’s Hospital in Billings following back surgery. He's had some ups and
some downs, but he is now improving steadily. He is out of the ICU and has
been moved to a private room! He plans to be back in Buffalo soon for rehab, but
no firm date has been set yet. You can send cards and emails to RM 519 at St.
Vincent’s Hospital in Billings, MT.
ANDERSON SWORN IN AS MAYOR - PLANS FOR THE NEW YEAR!
January 2, 2007
Buffalo, WYO - Mayor Andy Anderson and councilman Russ Humphrey were sworn in by
Municipal Judge Mary Hupy yesterday at 4 pm. The new mayor got right down to
business with the new year’s appointments, including Skip Hancock as Vice-Mayor,
Julie Silbernagel as Clerk/Treasurer, Kenn Durfee as Safety Director, Chris
Spenser continuing as Building Inspector, as well as Clarence Gammon as Fire
Chief. Mary Hupy will also continue as Municipal Judge with Chris Wages as an
alternate judge. With the retirement of Dennis Kirven as City Attorney, the new
mayor appointed his son, Ben Kirven as the new City Attorney. In his out going
reports to the council, Kirven had the opportunity to introduce his son and
offer a few more colorful stories about 2 am council meetings.
Anderson also proposed meeting at 5 pm to help boost attendance,
especially by local community businesses who have a difficult time getting to 4
o’clock meetings. New Councilman Humphrey made a motion to adopt it on a
temporary basis to see how it works, but Councilmen Holt and Hancock didn’t see
the need for the change and worried about asking city workers to stay later. So
the first new motion by the mayor was tabled. Anderson also
started a new tradition of personally welcoming new employees at council
meetings, and introduced some new public works employees last night. He also
announced that he will keep hours at City Hall on Wednesdays from 9 am to 4 pm
so folks could get a hold of him and to free up the time of City Hall folks.
Mayor Anderson then went over board appointments, departments gave
their reports — the most notable of which were the plans for repairs at the
Justice Center that Chief Mike Dahmer outlined and the “short” list of 2007
projects that City Planner Jeremy Grimm outlined in summary fashion.
Finally, Anderson took questions from those in attendance. The most
important of which was an update on Councilman Mike Johnson.
NOTE: The Mini will be having more the Mayor and the City’s Future Planning
tomorrow.
MAYOR ANDY ANDERSON - BIG PLANS FOR THE NEW YEAR!
January 4, 2007
Buffalo, WYO - Mayor Andy Anderson has some big goals and changes
planned for City Hall this year. He started Tuesday night with some changes he
proposed like welcoming new employees at council meetings, hours for the mayor’s
office, and a new time for council meetings—that last one didn’t take though.
Many are projects that former Mayor Bruce Hepp got going and
Anderson sees that he just has to follow through on them, but many are ambitious
new projects. These include finishing the engineering and construction of the
water treatment plant, finish up the new comprehensive plan for Buffalo (and
then follow it), continue the work on affordable housing that the task force is
doing so that Buffalo is more of a business ready community, and infrastructure
planning for Buffalo’s growth projection.
Then there are the new projects that need developing and
implementation: 1) Start the study and engineering for replacement of old water
and sewer lines, and get funding for the needed repairs; 2) Set up within the
next year more Citizen Task Forces on important issues - like planning for the
possibility of a coal gasification plant coming to Buffalo and Johnson County;
3) Local Governments (City and County) working together on future planning more;
4) With continued growth, looking at adding more employees and better equipment
to provide mandated services.
In order to make all of these infrastructure projects come to
fruition, Mayor Anderson says it will be necessary to continue to “lobby
Cheyenne for more impact monies from energy resources,” as well as directly
approaching the energy companies working in Johnson County and Buffalo. Anderson
concludes that “with infrastructure in place, we can then truly market Buffalo
as a business ready community.”
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