County sets formula for consensus block grant

By Karla Pomeroy

Big Horn County will receive just under $1 million to share with municipalities as part of the 2011 consensus block grant.

Grants administrator Chris Harp presented the figures to the Big Horn County commissioners at Tuesday's regular meeting. The county will receive $932,781.11 and the commissioners, Harp said, are tasked with developing the formula for distribution. Once the formula is set the mayors and commissioners can meet and approve projects.

Harp presented five options to the commissioners Tuesday, including the past formula that includes a $35,000 base award for the county and municipalities, and then a calculated formula of $49.95 per resident. Harp said the $35,000 base might not be as manageable since the award was less than past consensus block grants. He said the $932,000 is about a third of what the county received in the last biennium.

Commissioner Keith Grant said the municipalities agreed to the previous formula so they should stay with the $35,000 base award. The other commissioners agreed. Harp said he will contact the mayors to try and set up a meeting this month. Since the last meeting with the mayors was in Greybull, the next meeting will be in Byron.

The breakdown for funding under the $35,000 base award is as follows:

Lovell $152,874.82

Greybull $127,252.03

Basin $99,181.84

Cowley $67,715.26

Byron $64,618.55

Burlington $49,384.72

Frannie $41,892.68

Deaver $43,890.56

Manderson $40,693,95

County/Special Districts $245,276.69.

Grant said he would like to see the county/special district portion used to remodel the old jail as a secured court.

Lynn, Peterson honored as valedictorian, salutorian

By Brad Devereaux

The top academic students at Rocky Mountain High School both said they are honored to receive awards for valedictorian and salutatorian in an interview this week.

Valedictorian SheraLee Lynn and salutatorian Kyle Peterson were recently announced at the March Big Horn County School District One board meeting. 

Lynn, the daughter of Ron and Jolene Lynn, said she has wanted to be at the top of her class since elementary school. She said her parents provided some motivation, but it was mostly her personal drive to do the best she could in school that brought her perfect grades throughout her high school career. She graduated with a 4.0 GPA.

“School has been something I have been able to excel in,” she said. “I knew if I tried my hardest it would benefit me for the rest of my life.”

Peterson, the son of Ray and Cresta Peterson, said his parents pushed him to do well in school along with a personal motivation.

“It’s just the aspiration to do well in life and provide for myself and my family down the road,” he said. “I’m glad I did well.”

*Read the full story in this week's Chronicle. 

Calamity returns to Evening With Friends

By David Peck

A night of fun featuring the return of the popular comedy group Calamity Entertainment from Montana will be the theme when the North Big Horn Hospital Foundation hosts its annual Evening With Friends event on Saturday, April 16, at the Lovell Community Center.

Tickets for the “black tie/blue jeans” event are still available by calling NBHH Foundation Director Janet Koritnik at 548-5240, but time is limited.

The evening will include a silent auction and social time from 5:30 to 7 p.m. during which Ron McClure and Collin Ingram will perform music on guitar and bass. Following dinner at 7 p.m., the main event will be the return of Calamity Entertainment, which left audiences in stitches at foundation dinners a few years ago.

Money raised by the event will be used for the purchase of a new blanket warmer for the New Horizons Care Center.

Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be offered during the social hour, and wine will be served with dinner.

Items offered during the silent auction will include works from regional artists, jewelry, photographs, stained glass items, a natural wood vase made with the wood-turning process and a variety of baskets.

Koritnik said the foundation is still seeking corporate sponsorships for the event.

Following the prime rib/Italian prosciutto and fontina chicken breast dinner provided by ARAMARK of Northwest College, Calamity Entertainment will take the stage for “fabulous music, questionable comedy and more!” as their website puts it.

Calamity has performed original comedy and nostalgic music throughout the western U.S. for more than 20 years with “our extremely unique style of off-beat humor (we constantly crack ourselves up…) and our toe-tappin’, finger-snappin’ music (it’s impossible to watch us without moving some part of your body, and getting it to stop is your problem),” according to the website.

Shows include classic rock from the 50s, 60s and 70s, swing hits from the 30s and 40s, oldies but goodies, celebrity impressions, rhythm and blues, traditional country and modern country. Members of the troupe are Julie Omvig, Karen Jackson, Todd Yeager, Allen Peters and Becky Drake.

Twenty participate in talent show

A vocal solo and an instrumental duet were judged the top performances at the Lovell High School/Middle School Talent Show last Thursday, March 31, at the LMS Commons.

Lovell junior Maci May won the first-place prize in the high school division for her vocal solo “Because You Love Me,” while the duo of drummer Dylan Ohman and bassist Colton Wardell, accompanied by Ty Sammons on guitar, won the top prize in the middle school division.

The duet of Madison Tippetts singing and Jeff Sawaya on guitar won second prize in the high school division for “I Won’t Let Go,” while Miranda May placed second in the middle school contest with her original vocal and guitar solo “Find the Rain.”

There was a tie for third prize in the middle school division between pianist Mykelle Nichols with her original solo “In a Book” and vocalist Kaitlyn Stevens singing “American Honey.”

There were 20 pieces performed at the show Thursday night.

Little Mountain Decision Record Available

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Cody Field Office announced today that the Decision Record for the Little Mountain Travel Management Plan (TMP) Environmental Assessment (EA), as amended in 2010, has been signed.

A TMP for the Little Mountain area was developed by the Cody Field Office in 2005 and 2006. Public input was sought from 2004 to 2006 through public meetings and comment periods. Throughout the spring of 2010, the BLM worked with the public, county and state governments and other federal agencies to resolve travel management issues. In support of this, the BLM hosted field trips and a listening session to discuss the initial implementation of the Little Mountain TMP.

As a result of additional information gained from these outreach efforts, the Cody Field Office has amended the Little Mountain TMP. The amended TMP addresses the public and administrative concerns with regard to access needs, while protecting resources, promoting safety and minimizing
conflicts among various uses on public lands.

Copies of the Decision Record, the amended Little Mountain TMP EA and the Little Mountain Travel Management Map are available online or at the Cody Field Office located at 1002 Blackburn Street in Cody. In addition, the public will find updated maps and information at key access points in the Little Mountain area.

For more information, contact the Cody Field Office at (307) 578-5900.