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June 15th 2026 |

Photo: Courtesy of Rawlins High School Counseling Dept.

Two Rawlins High School graduates have received a newly created trade‑school scholarship.

Last week, Rawlins High School announced that Brady Snyder and Oliver Nambo had been selected to receive the inaugural Jon B. France Memorial Scholarship. Speaking to Bigfoot99 and Bandit102, Bank of Commerce President Copper France explained that the award was named in honor of his brother, Jon, a Rawlins High School graduate who died in 2019 in an unfortunate accident.

France said he and his family established the Jon B. France Memorial Scholarship to give students who excel outside a traditional classroom, like Jon, a chance to continue their education in a skilled trade.

Rawlins High School graduates Brady Snyder and Oliver Nambo were each awarded a $1,000 scholarship to attend a technical or trade school of their choice. Copper France said the boys reflected his brother’s strengths, a strong mind that wasn’t well served by a conventional school setting.

France said Snyder plans to go to Idaho to become an electrical lineman and Nambo has expressed interest in training as an electrician or a welder, though he couldn’t recall which.

This past school year was the first in which Rawlins students could apply for the Jon B. France Memorial Scholarship. France described the qualities a student must have to be considered for the award.

France said students who meet the qualification only need to contact their school counselor to apply for the scholarship.

The post Rawlins Graduates Receive Jon B. France Memorial Scholarship first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

June 15th 2026 |

Photo: file photo

Saratoga officials hired a street sweeper to clear the town’s streets ahead of the July 4th celebrations.

Saratoga residents may have noticed a street sweeper removing debris from the town’s streets last week. The town hired R&D Sweeping and Asphalt Maintenance out of Rock Springs to handle the work ahead of the July 4th parade.

During the June 2nd Saratoga Town Council meeting, Public Works Director Emery Penner said his department’s street sweeper is out of service. The town allocated money for a new machine, but Penner said it won’t arrive in time for the 4th of July celebrations. In addition, he said he would like to try the street sweeper out before committing to the purchase.

In the meantime, Penner said he reached out to sweeper rental companies, but most only offered year‑long rentals at a cost comparable to buying a new machine. After a long search, the public works director said he finally found a street‑sweeping company willing to come to Saratoga, R&D Sweeping out of Rock Springs. Penner presented two options to the governing body: have the sweeper come to town once for $12,540, or have the company sweep now and return again before July 4th for $19,540.

Councilman Bub Barkhurst asked if Penner thought a second sweeping was worth the added cost. The public works director said he didn’t expect the streets to get too dirty before July 4th. He added that the town’s existing sweeper can handle small messes between then and the parade.

Penner suggested the less expensive one‑time sweep, but noted that this July 4th marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the town should look its best. However, he said he expects there to be little noticeable difference between the two options. With no meaningful distinction, Councilman Barkhurst asked why the town should spend extra money to have the sweeper return.

Following the discussion, the Saratoga Town Council unanimously voted to pay R&D Sweeping and Asphalt Maintenance $12,540 to carry out a one‑time cleaning of the town’s roads ahead of the July 4th parade.

The post Saratoga Street Sweeper Hired first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

FRIDAY, June 12, 2026 |

Photo – CC Public Health logo – Courtesy CC Public Health

Carbon County Public Health is looking to partner with a Laramie-based family‑planning clinic.

During the June 2nd Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Carbon County Public Health Nurse Manager Amanda Brown announced that her organization was teaming up with Laramie Reproductive Health to provide low‑ or no‑cost services to residents. Brown said the family‑planning clinic requested to use Public Health’s office space for free.

Commission Vice Chairwoman Gwynn Bartlett asked if the county can legally allow organizations to use county‑owned space without charging a fee. Deputy Attorney Ashley Davis explained that the company must not make any money while operating in the county in order to qualify for donated use of county facilities.

Nurse Manager Amanda Brown said she was unsure whether Laramie Reproductive Health would charge residents for its services but noted that the organization receives federal Title X family‑planning funds, which support access to reproductive‑health and family‑planning services.

Brown added that Carbon County Public Health will continue providing the care it always has, while Laramie Reproductive Health will offer services the county does not.

Brown said Public Health previously offered those same services but can no longer do so without a provider willing to donate their time. She said Laramie Reproductive Health will allow Carbon County to continue offering women’s and family‑health services it can’t afford to provide on its own.

The Board of Commissioners expressed support for allowing Laramie Reproductive Health to operate in county‑owned buildings and advised Brown to work with Deputy Attorney Ashley Davis to ensure the contract meets the state’s legal requirements before they approve the partnership.

The post Family Planning Clinic May Open in Rawlins first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

FRIDAY, June 12, 2026 |

Photo – The artist, Bobbie Herman, in front of her mural – Courtesy Hanna Basin Museum

The Hanna Basin Museum will unveil the next panel in its historic mural later this month.

On Saturday, June 27th, the public is invited to attend the unveiling of the second panel in the Hanna Basin Museum’s mural depicting the history of northern Carbon County. The first panel, which debuted in May 2024, focuses on the town of Hanna. The second panel is titled “Remembering Carbon.”

Both mural panels were painted by Elk Mountain rancher, Bobbie Herman. Hanna Basin Museum Director Haley Clark explained that Herman is a talented artist with strong ties to the area.

Director Clark said history doesn’t have to be taught through traditional methods like lectures or classroom-based instruction. She said the mural will help visitors better understand what life in the area looked like from its founding to today. Clark added that Herman’s latest work depicts the history of Carbon, the former mining town for which Carbon County is named.

Founded in 1868 to supply coal to the still-under‑construction Union Pacific Railroad, Carbon was once home to approximately 1,140 residents. By 1890, coal production was slowing, and Union Pacific opened new mines nine miles north in what would become Hanna. According to WyoHistory.org, the Carbon mines closed for good in 1902, and the town was gradually abandoned.

Herman’s mural is currently housed in the museum’s Victor Anderson Building. Clark said she plans to find a permanent home for the completed work but declined to share details. She didn’t go into detail about the second panel either, saying people will have to attend the unveiling to see Bobbie Herman’s latest work.

The mural unveiling is scheduled for 1 p.m. on June 27th. Director Clark said the museum will open two hours earlier to let the public view the first panel and enjoy the museum’s other exhibits. She also said food will be served throughout the day, with proceeds supporting the Hanna Basin Museum.

After the unveiling, Bobbie Herman will host a question‑and‑answer session about the mural and her artistic work in general.

The mural reveal isn’t the only event the Hanna Basin Museum has planned. Director Clark said she has activities scheduled for every month this summer, including a 1920s‑themed speakeasy in Elk Mountain in July, and the August unveiling of the museum’s Carbon County 250 committee‑funded exhibit on the life of Edith Birchall, an immigrant who lost most of her family in the 1908 Hanna mine explosion. Clark said the piece will focus on the impact Birchall and other immigrants had on northern Carbon County.

The Hanna Basin Museum’s second mural panel unveiling, titled “Remembering Carbon,” is Saturday, June 27th. The museum, located at 502 Front Street, will open at 11 a.m., and the mural will be revealed at 1 p.m. Food will be available for purchase during the event, with sales going to support the museum.

The post Second Panel in Hanna Basin Museum’s Mural to be Revealed Soon first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

FRIDAY, June 12, 2026 |

Photo – Hanna Town Hall – Bigfoot99 file photo

Hanna residents will see another water rate increase to help build the town’s reserves for future projects and emergencies.

During Tuesday evening’s Hanna Town Council meeting, the governing body considered Resolution 2026‑625. Mayor Charlie George said the measure sets the town’s water rates for the coming fiscal year.

Treasurer Ann Calvert explained that the town raises residents’ water bills every year. She said the increases will continue until the water enterprise fund, which pays for infrastructure improvements and repairs, reaches a reserve of $250,000.

Hanna residents currently pay $47.10 a month for water. Under the 2.5 percent rate increase, that price would go up by roughly $1.18.

By law, enterprise funds cannot be refilled with tax money. They have to be supported by fees and other charges. If the fund runs low, the town can loan it tax dollars, but the money must be paid back. Without regular fee increases to keep pace with inflation, towns risk leaving their water funds short when they need to pay for infrastructure work.

Rawlins is an example of what happens when a municipality fails to adopt annual rate increases. For years, residents paid the same amount for their water and the city put off overdue repairs to its water system. The problem came to a head in March of 2022, when a series of failures on the water transmission line left Rawlins without clean drinking water for nearly a week.

A 2023 study by the Wyoming Water Development Office identified $50 million in needed repairs to the city’s water infrastructure.

Rawlins officials are slowly working to resolve the issues with the city’s water system. In May 2025, the city received a $2.835 million grant from the Wyoming Water Development Commission to replace the blowoff valves and cathodic protection system on the 32‑mile water transmission line. The grant required an equal match from the city, bringing the total allocation to $5.67 million.

Earlier this month, the city applied for a $1.5 million mineral royalty grant from the State Lands and Investments Board to build a booster pump station at the corner of Date and 9th Streets. The facility would allow the city to pump low‑pressure water to higher‑elevation areas when the high‑pressure line is down for repairs.

Replacing the high‑pressure line was identified as a priority project by the Water Development Office, along with revitalizing the Sage Creek Springs, repairing the transmission line from the springs to the water treatment plant, and replacing the city’s two deteriorating treated‑water storage tanks. The mineral royalty grant requires a $750,000 match from the city.

Hanna officials are determined to keep the town’s water infrastructure in working order through regular rate increases.

The Hanna Town Council voted unanimously to raise water fees by 2.5 percent. The new rates will take effect on July 1st.

The post Hanna to See Water Rate Increase first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

THURSDAY, June 11, 2026 |

Photo – Sergeant Zach Burns and child – Courtesy Sheriff Alex Bakken

The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office released more details about Monday’s officer involved shooting in Baggs.

Yesterday morning, Sheriff Alex Bakken posted on social media that his department received a call on Monday, June 8th, about a man with a gun in Baggs.

Sheriff Bakken wrote that Sergeant Zach Burns was in the area and responded immediately. Dispatchers relayed the suspect vehicle information to Sergeant Burns, and he was able to locate the suspect vehicle in front of a small apartment complex in Baggs.

Sergeant Burns then initiated a traffic stop, and the suspect, whose name has not been released, immediately got out of his vehicle and opened fire on the officer with a semi‑automatic rifle. Sergeant Burns was struck in the neck, arm, and hip.

The suspect then set fire to the apartment building before getting back in his vehicle and fleeing north out of Baggs on Highway 789. Officers responding to the fire reported that the suspect set up propane tanks to detonate in the blaze.

Baggs residents immediately rushed to provide aid to Sergeant Burns until emergency medical crews arrived. The wounded officer was flown by medical helicopter to a trauma center in Colorado. He remains in critical condition.

Bigfoot99 and Bandit102 incorrectly reported that the suspect committed suicide following the altercation. Sheriff Bakken wrote that the suspect was actually killed in a shootout with Carbon County Deputies on Highway 789 after fleeing the scene.

The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation is continuing to investigate the incident.

Sheriff Bakken wrote that his heart is with Sergeant Burns and his family, as well as all the deputies, troopers, Baggs residents, and partner agencies who assisted. The sheriff asked the public to keep all of them in their thoughts and prayers.

Later in the day, Sheriff Bakken wrote in another social media post that a large number of people had reached out to express their support for Sergeant Burns, his family, the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, the Little Snake River Valley, and all the partner agencies.

Sheriff Bakken instructed those interested in helping support Sergeant Burns and his family to make an in-person contribution at either the Rawlins or Saratoga Bank of Commerce branches.

Mail‑in donations should be addressed to Bank of Commerce at PO Box 50 in Rawlins, 82301, with “Attention to Benefit for Zach Burns and Family,” written on the envelope.

Sheriff Bakken said his office also has created an online account with the crowdfunding platform, SpotFund. Donations quickly poured in and by yesterday afternoon, donors had contributed nearly $10,000 to the campaign. A link to the Support for Sergeant Burns and Family SpotFund page has been included in this story on Bigfoot99.com.

Sheriff Bakken thanked the public for their support during this immensely difficult time, adding that it means more than they can know.

The Carbon County Sheriff’s Victim and Witness Program is holding a community debrief at 11 a.m. tomorrow, June 12th, at the Carbon County Higher Education Center in Baggs. For more information, call Victim/Witness Coordinator Loretta Hansen or Victim/Witness Specialist Dawnette Spaulding at 328-7713 or contact the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office at 324-2776.

Support For Sgt. Burns And Family: *Support For Sgt. Burns And Family – Fundraiser by Battle Mtn Consulting on *spotfund

The post Sheriff Releases More Information on Monday’s Officer Shooting first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

THURSDAY, June 11, 2026 |

Photo – Main branch library in Rawlins – Bigfoot99 file photo

Medicine Bow Town Council expressed uncertainty about funding for the town’s library.

Statewide property tax cuts reduced Carbon County’s ability to fund outside agencies, including senior centers, museums, and libraries. Facing a 53 percent reduction in its county contribution, the Carbon County Library System cut hours at every branch, with lower performing locations, specifically the Encampment, Hanna, and Medicine Bow branches, at risk of closure without a significant cash infusion.

The Encampment library was saved through a fundraiser at Brush Creek Ranch. The Hanna and Medicine Bow branches were still scheduled to shut down last September. However, last minute grants and donations from PacifiCorp and the Wyoming Intertie Community Investment Program, which were matched by the Carbon County Library Foundation, saved the libraries. In total, the library system received $25,000 specifically to keep the Hanna and Medicine Bow branches open. In addition, the Medicine Bow United Methodist Church donated $3,000 exclusively to the town’s library.

Speaking at Monday evening’s Medicine Bow Town Council meeting, Mayor Justin George said the library board calculated that the donation money could keep the town’s branch open at its current hours of operation until next summer.

At the end of May, the Carbon County Library System Board of Directors issued an open letter explaining that if the system only received the expected $140,000 from the county, the Rawlins branch would reduce its hours to 20 per week, branch libraries would close unless communities could support them financially, and staffing would be reduced.

With closures all but promised, Mayor George asked what happened to the donation money that was supposed to keep his town’s branch open until next August.

Councilwoman Kristi Wickizer said the library system only needs to staff the Medicine Bow branch for five hours a week. Meanwhile, the town donates a range of services to the library, including water, sewer, and garbage removal. Councilman Lee Cook noted that the town does not cover the librarian’s salary. Mayor George said the previously mentioned donations were intended to support those staffing and administrative costs.

Councilman Cook said that during the October 15th Carbon County Public Library Board budget workshop, Chairwoman Adelaide Myers stated that donations could be redistributed across the entire library system at the board’s discretion. Mayor George said the $25,000 donation was made specifically to support the Hanna and Medicine Bow branches and asked whether PacifiCorp and the Wyoming Intertie Community Investment Program knew the money had been directed into the whole system.

During that meeting, Chairwoman Myers explained that money not donated specifically to an individual branch, such as contributions made through the Carbon County Library Board’s website, goes into the library system as a whole rather than to any single branch. In a follow-up email to Bigfoot99 and Bandit102, Myers wrote that the grant and donation funds in question are specifically tied to Medicine Bow and Hanna, while the United Methodist Church money is designated solely for Medicine Bow.

Myers continued, writing that any money raised for a specific branch is used only for that branch’s employees, with a small portion set aside for the courier and the programming manager. All indirect administrative support such as the library director, IT, and collection development must be covered by County funding or the library system’s savings.

At Monday’s Medicine Bow Town Council meeting, Mayor Justin George encouraged residents to bring any concerns they have about the local branch to the Carbon County Library Board’s attention.

The post Medicine Bow Council Questions Library Donation Use first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

WEDNESDAY, June 10, 2026 |

Photo – Great Seal of Carbon County – Bigfoot99 file photo

Carbon County Emergency Manager Lenny Layman has been removed from the position, and the sheriff’s office is now handling his former duties.

During the June 2nd Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Riverside Mayor Leroy Stephenson explained that he had received a letter from Deputy Attorney Ashley Davis announcing that Emergency Manager Lenny Layman was no longer employed by the county. Mayor Stephenson asked about the reasoning behind Layman’s removal.

Before the Board could respond, Deputy Attorney Davis said they cannot legally discuss the situation.

In May of 2020, Lenny Layman was selected from a pool of five candidates by then‑Fire Warden Ron Brown to fill the open emergency manager seat.

Back at the June 2nd meeting, Mayor Stephenson asked if the Board was planning to backfill Layman’s position. Chairman Travis Moore said Sheriff Alex Bakken will oversee emergency management coordination in Carbon County while the Board searches for Layman’s replacement.

Mayor Stephenson noted that Layman had set up a monthly emergency planning call involving all 10 municipalities and asked if the practice would continue. Sheriff Bakken said the former emergency manager had a number of events and activities planned. He will review Layman’s schedule and determine which ones to keep and which to cancel. The sheriff added that the monthly emergency calls are likely to remain in place.

Mayor Stephenson said Layman was working with the towns of Riverside and Encampment to establish a plan to connect the two municipalities’ water supplies in the event of an emergency. He asked if the work would continue in Layman’s absence. Commission Vice Chairwoman Gwynn Bartlett said she expects Sheriff Bakken to move forward with the project with support from the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security.

Mayor Stephenson said he was surprised by Layman’s sudden departure and thanked the Board for its answers and Sheriff Bakken for assuming the county’s emergency management duties.

The Riverside mayor wasn’t the only municipal official caught off guard by the emergency manager’s exit. Speaking at Monday evening’s Medicine Bow Town Council meeting, Public Works Director Brian Lashley said he received the same email from the deputy county attorney regarding Layman’s removal. Like Mayor Leroy Stephenson, Lashley said he had no additional information beyond what was in the email.

The Wyoming Public Records Act prevents the county from releasing an employee’s personnel records or discussing them publicly, leaving the reasoning behind Layman’s departure unknown.

The post Sheriff’s Office Handling Emergency Management Duties first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

WEDNESDAY, June 10, 2026 |

Photo – Rawlins City Hall – Bigfoot99 file photo

The governing body in Rawlins approved next fiscal year’s budget for a second time, including funding for new vehicle purchases.

The current fiscal year ends on July 1st. Governments must pass their 2026 through 2027 budgets three times before that deadline.

The Rawlins City Council passed next fiscal year’s budget for the first time during its May 19th meeting. The budget contains fee increases for water, sewer, landfill, and recycling services. It also includes seven new city vehicles: two for the water department, two for the sewer department, one for the fire department, and two for the police department, at an estimated cost of $65,000 each.

Some, including Councilman Derek Elliott, questioned the logic of buying new vehicles while the city is facing millions of dollars in needed water infrastructure repairs. Speaking at the June 2nd Rawlins City Council meeting, Finance Director Laura Malone said the majority of the city’s municipal vehicles are over a decade old. She said the older trucks are transferred between departments when needed, but taken together, they have little remaining value.

Of the seven new vehicles put forward in the upcoming budget, Malone said the four assigned to the water and sewer departments will be paid for through enterprise funds, which do not use taxpayer money. By law, enterprise funds must be run like a business, replenished only through fees and related charges. She added that both enterprise funds are expected to show positive balances in the coming fiscal year, with the water fund at roughly $4.8 million and the sewer fund at $1.8 million.

Finance Director Malone said the old trucks need to be replaced, noting that the total number of city‑owned vehicles will not increase because the older ones will be disposed of.

The remaining three vehicles will be purchased with general‑fund money, which includes tax dollars. One of the trucks will go to the fire chief. Malone said the chief’s current vehicle is in poor condition, with repairs estimated to cost well above its value.

The other two vehicles are for the Rawlins Police Department. Malone said police vehicles require specialized equipment and can take years to be outfitted and delivered.

Malone said that last year the Rawlins City Council allocated funding specifically to replace outdated vehicles. Between the current fiscal year and the next, Malone said more than half of the requested vehicle costs are already covered through those accounts.

In addition to the vehicle purchases, Malone said the 2026 through 2027 budget includes $4.5 million for water infrastructure projects, including the Date Street booster station, $750,000 for asphalt repairs, and $15,000 to have city properties appraised ahead of a potential sale.

The Rawlins City Council voted to include $101,250 to support nonprofit entities, and a three percent increase to the city manager, municipal judge, and city attorney’s salaries.

The governing body passed the 2026 through 2027 fiscal year budget on the second reading. Citing his objections to the utility fee increases and vehicle purchases, Councilman Derek Elliott voted against the measure.

The post Second Reading of 2026-2027 City of Rawlins Budget Passes first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

TUESDAY, June 9, 2026 |

Photo – WHP patch – Courtesy Wyoming Highway Patrol

A police chase from Baggs ended with the suspect killing himself.

At 1:50 yesterday afternoon, Carbon County residents received an emergency alert about an active assailant in Baggs and were advised to shelter in place.

Details are scarce at the moment, but in an email statement to Bigfoot99 and Bandit102, Wyoming Highway Patrol Senior Public Relations Specialist Aaron Brown wrote that troopers responded to reports of shots fired north of Baggs and that no troopers have been injured in the incident.

What is known is that a little after 2 p.m., law enforcement had located the suspect’s vehicle on Highway 789. However, police did not know whether the suspect was still inside or not.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that the suspect shot two responding officers, with one needing to be life flighted to an area hospital. It is currently unknown what the officer’s condition is.

The suspect is said to have started a fire at a Baggs apartment building.

About six minutes after the vehicle was located, police reported that the apartment fire was contained but warned that the suspect had set up multiple propane tanks to detonate in the flames.

Law enforcement called the Sweetwater County bomb squad to the scene of the fire while the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office took over coordination duties.

Roughly 10 minutes after the county‑wide alert was sent, an unknown Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper asked other officers to secure his patrol car. When asked which one, the trooper replied that it was the car with bullet holes, indicating the suspect had fired at police.

A few minutes after that exchange, officers reported that the Sweetwater County bomb squad was on its way to Baggs.

The bomb squad was instructed to travel through Saratoga and take Jack Creek Road to reach the scene, as the suspect vehicle was still blocking Highway 789. When asked if they should take the same route, officers coming from the Casper area in an armored Lenco BearCat were told to take Highway 789 directly to the suspect.

Twenty minutes after the vehicle was located, law enforcement still did not know if the suspect was still inside. A police officer reported that the trooper, the suspect had shot at, did not see him leave the vehicle.

Nearly a half hour into the standoff, officers requested information about the suspect to identify any potential places he may be hiding. Meanwhile, they waited for other units to respond with a drone.

It is also unclear how the incident concluded, but sources told me the suspect was found dead inside his vehicle. By 7:48 p.m., the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office lifted the shelter in place order.

We will continue to follow the investigation and report back with any new findings.

The post Police Chase Ends with Injured Officer and Deceased Suspect first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.