Thursday, April 29, 2010

A busy weekend to kick off the spring season

Last weekend was a busy weekend, and this upcoming weekend is no different. Here are a few things going on in and around north Big Horn County this weekend:

Thursday
•Mustang Days Committee meeting, 6 p.m., Big Horn Federal

Friday
•Bobcat Invitational track meet, 1 p.m., Thermopolis (LHS competing)
•All-class, best-of-the-best Wyoming Track Classic, 4 p.m., Henry Geldien Stadium, Casper (qualified LHS track athletes competing)
•Girl Scout Navajo Taco Dinner, 4-7 p.m., Rocky Mountain Elementary School
•Lovell High School Prom, 8 p.m., LHS gym
•Cowley Spring Rodeo Calcutta, 8 p.m., Byron Bar

Saturday
•Big Horn Canyon May Day Tour, 9 a.m., BHCNRA Visitors Center
•Normative Services Invitational, 10:30 a.m., Sheridan (RMHS competing)
•Estate Auction (estate of Jay Hansen), 1123 Road 12, Lovell.
•Cowley Spring Rodeo, 1 p.m., Cowley Rodeo Grounds
•Rhino performs Rock and Roll at the Waterhole No. 1 in Cowley

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Wyoming behind U.S. in census participation

There is still time for households to send back their 2010 Census questionnaire.  The U.S. Census Bureau is encouraging all households that have not returned their census form to get it in the mail by April 16.  

Census workers are about to begin non-response follow-up, which involves visiting housing units that have not returned a census questionnaire.  Households that mail back their census form this week diminish the likelihood of a census worker coming to their door.  The follow-up operation will begin May 1 and end Aug. 27. The U.S. Census Bureau will still accept forms in the coming weeks, but households may still be visited by a census worker.

For households that did not receive a questionnaire, or if a person feels they were left off their household’s form, they can pick-up questionnaire from a Questionnaire Assistance Center (QAC) or Be Counted site.  These sites are open until April 19.  People can also call 1-866-872-6868 to get a form sent to them  (Spanish: 1-866-928-2010).

A list of QACs and Be Counted sites in Wyoming

Wyoming is currently trailing the national Census 2010 mail participation rate.  As of Wednesday, April 14, Wyoming’s mail back participation rate was 64 percent, the U.S. 67 percent.  Wyoming counties that currently have the highest mail participation rate include Laramie, Sweetwater, Park and Washakie.  The counties on the lower end of the mail participation rate spectrum include Sublette, Teton, Carbon and Lincoln.  Wyoming is also falling behind the mail participation rates of surrounding states, such as Colorado, Nebraska, Idaho, South Dakota and Utah.   

You can track the Census 2010 mail participation rate for your community on the U.S. Census Bureau’s Take 10 Map, which is updated daily Monday-Friday, here.

Monday, April 12, 2010

Bighorn Canyon Triathlon

Calling all crazy people … the first ever Bighorn Canyon Triathlon is Saturday, June 19, 2010! 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike, and 3 mile run. Entry fee is $12 for soloists and $30 for teams. Race starts at 7:30 a.m. with check in between 6:30 and 7:15. Entry fees must be remitted before race day. Contact beezeen@yahoo.com or call Ben at 307-254-0344 for more information.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

2-300th returns to Wyoming

Soldiers from the Wyoming Army National Guard's 2nd Battalion, 300th Field Artillery, 115th Fires Brigade, will return to the Casper Natrona County International Airport's Nerd Hanger at 11:20 a.m., 2 p.m. and 2:50 p.m., on April 1.

This is the second of three groups of returning Soldiers. Those returning include Soldiers from the 2-300th, as well as 960th Brigade Support Battalion service members who were attached to them for the deployment.

Brief welcome home ceremonies will take place after the first and last aircraft arrive.  Soldiers from the first aircraft will be dismissed immediately following the first event.

Members of the public are invited to join the Soldiers' families in welcoming the unit home. The Nerd Hanger, located next to the commercial aircraft terminal, will be open to family members, media and the public two hours prior to the chartered aircraft arrival. Those planning to attend will be
directed to a designated parking area at the airport.

This group of roughly 400 Wyoming Soldiers left the Casper airport in April 2009, to conduct pre-mobilization training at Fort Hood, Texas, before making the journey to Kuwait and Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The mission of this unit was to conduct convoy security and escort missions throughout Kuwait and Iraq.

Throughout its deployment, the 2-300 FA conducted more than 15,500 convoy security and personnel security missions, drove more than 3.2 million miles and moved and secured more than 500,000 Department of Defense personnel in Kuwait. The unit also integrated more than 200 Soldiers from outside units into the battalion from more than 36 different states, secured more than
48,000 logistics vehicles into Iraq and maintained accountability of more than $94 million worth of military equipment.

Additional duties for this unit included command and control operations, communication support, logistical support, intelligence support, medical support and electronic warfare support for more than 680 Soldiers operating in three different countries.

Homecoming event coordinators are looking for volunteers to help wave flags and welcome Wyoming Soldiers home. For more information on how to help with the ceremony, please contact the Wyoming Guard's Yellow Ribbon Program by calling Deputy Military Personnel Officer, Ms. Corey Loghry, at (307) 772-5933.

For additional information, contact the Wyoming National Guard Public Affairs Office at (307) 772-5253.