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Tuesday, April 14, 2026 |

Photo – City of Rawlins emergency dispatch center – Bigfoot99 file photo

Rawlins officials will explore joining the county’s combined emergency dispatch center despite objections from the Chief of Police.

During Tuesday evening’s Rawlins City Council meeting, Vice Mayor Darril Garner reminded the governing body that two years ago Sheriff Alex Bakken proposed consolidating all the county’s emergency call centers under one roof. Last July, the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office assumed dispatching duties for the Platte Valley from the Saratoga Police Department. Operations are overseen by a joint powers board made up of representatives from the sheriff’s office and the Saratoga PD.

With the Carbon County Unified Dispatch Center now fully operational, Vice Mayor Garner asked to create an exploratory taskforce consisting of himself, another City Council member, City Manager Matt Hall, and a representative of the Rawlins Police Department. The group would determine what benefits, if any, joining the unified dispatch center would provide the city.

Vice Mayor Garner said the city should explore joining the unified dispatch center if it would deliver significant cost savings and improve response times.

Mayor Jacquelin Wells asked Rawlins Police Chief Mike Ward to give his opinion on the subject. Chief Ward explained that Carbon County’s emergency calls were previously handled by three separate dispatch centers: Saratoga, Rawlins, and the Sheriff’s Office. As the Federal Communications Commission-designated 911 Public Safety Answering Point, the police chief said his department handles the majority of the county’s emergency calls.

In 2023, Sheriff Alex Bakken approached the Board of Carbon County Commissioners about consolidating the county’s three emergency call centers into a single agency to address rising law‑enforcement costs. Chief Ward said neither he nor then-Saratoga Police Chief Mike Morris was consulted before Sheriff Bakken began publicly discussing the proposal.

Chief Ward said he, Chief Morris, and Sheriff Bakken agreed to form the Combined Dispatch Operations Collaborative Working Group to gather information on the issue. The chief emphasized that the group was not created to establish a combined dispatch center, but to study the concept.

Chief Ward said the group reviewed other Wyoming counties that once operated multiple dispatch centers and later consolidated them into a single agency. The review identified two examples: Sweetwater and Converse Counties, though the chief did not mention them by name. Chief Ward added that he and members of the Saratoga Police Department visited the two counties and spoke to local law enforcement, but Sheriff Bakken did not attend.

Chief Ward said he learned that assumptions often viewed as obvious, such as saving money by operating a single call center instead of several, were not true. The chief said both counties reported the need to purchase costly new equipment for the combined dispatch facility.

Chief Ward said a joint call center would require constructing a new building with the infrastructure needed to manage the county’s emergency calls. The chief added that staff in the two counties they visited reported very poor morale. Chief Ward said he was advised not to move forward with a combined dispatch center.

Chief Ward said the Carbon County Unified Dispatch Center is unified in name only. The chief said that by assuming call services for Saratoga, the sheriff’s department only increased its call volume by one or two percent.

Chief Ward urged the City Council to proceed carefully when considering whether to join the Carbon County Unified Dispatch Center.

The council voted to form a joint dispatch exploratory committee, with Councilwoman Tonya Lewman joining Vice Mayor Darril Garner. Mayor Jacquelin Wells instructed the committee to meet with Chief Ward outside of a City Council meeting to discuss the issue in greater detail.

The post Rawlins Council Forms Group to Study Combined Dispatch first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Tuesday, April 14, 2026 |

Photo – An officer hangs banner outside the police department – Bigfoot99 file photo

Rawlins officials declared this as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

April 12th through the 18th is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, when local governments recognize the essential role emergency dispatchers play in serving their communities.

During the April 7th Rawlins City Council meeting, Mayor Jacquelin Wells marked the observance through an official proclamation.

Mayor Wells continued reading the proclamation, saying that public safety communicators serve their communities by answering emergency calls, gathering critical information, and directing the appropriate police, fire, or medical response. The proclamation also states that as the first point of contact, public safety communicators support both first responders and residents during emergencies.

Mayor Wells said every Rawlins Police Department dispatcher has shown compassion, understanding, and professionalism in their work over the past year and proclaimed this as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week in the City of Rawlins.

Rawlins Police Chief Mike Ward thanked the governing body for the declaration. Chief Ward said he’s been a police officer for a long time and has always has a special place in his heart for emergency dispatchers. The chief said they support both the public and emergency crews, collecting information to ensure responders are prepared when responding to calls.

Chief Ward said Rawlins’ dispatchers do a phenomenal job and that he couldn’t be prouder of them.

The Rawlins City Council also declared the entirety of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Mayor Wells read the proclamation, saying that 20 percent of Wyoming women have experienced sexual assault.

Mayor Wells continued reading the proclamation, saying that victims must be treated with dignity and respect and given the support needed to heal. The mayor said the community must work together to prevent sexual violence.

Mayor Wells said Carbon County Crisis Outreach and Victim Empowerment, or COVE, is working to eliminate sexual violence and declared April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

COVE Executive Director Jennifer Evans thanked the City Council and the Rawlins Police Victim Assistance Program for the proclamation, saying they work together toward the same goal: ending sexual violence.

Carbon County COVE typically hosts awareness events in April, but Executive Director Evans said unforeseen circumstances forced the organization to cancel all planned activities this year.

Next week, April 19th through the 25th, is both National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and National Volunteer Week.

The post Rawlins Council Proclaims National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Monday, April 13, 2026 |

Photo – Seminoe Reservoir – Bigfoot99 file photo 

Representatives from rPlus Hydro updated the Natrona County Commissioners on the Seminoe Pumped Storage Project.

During the April 7th Board of Natrona County Commissioners meeting in Casper, rPlus Hydro Managing Director of Hydro Strategy Matthew Shapiro and Senior Attorney Kevin Baker delivered a presentation on the proposed Seminoe Pumped Storage facility.

The Utah‑based energy developer rPlus Hydro, which also does business as Black Canyon Hydro, is seeking to build a pumped storage facility at Seminoe Reservoir. Speaking to the Board of Commissioners, Matthew Shapiro explained that the project would include building a new 13,000‑acre‑foot man‑made lake on a nearby mountaintop. During periods of high energy demand, 10,000 acre‑feet, or approximately 3.26 billion gallons, of water would be released from the upper reservoir back into Seminoe. Shapiro said operating the facility would alter Seminoe Reservoir’s water level by one to three percent.

Shapiro said that the proposed pumped storage facility will help stabilize Wyoming’s electrical grid. When energy production is high, water is pumped from Seminoe Reservoir into the upper lake. When demand outpaces production, the water flows back downhill through an underground turbine, generating electricity.

Shapiro said Seminoe Reservoir was chosen because of its existing body of water, meaning rPlus Hydro will only need to build one new lake. He added that the Bureau of Reclamation has identified the area as a suitable site for pumped storage since the 1960s.

Shapiro said most of the facility would be housed underground. Above ground, the project would require construction of a new bridge near Seminoe Dam to reach the underground powerhouse, an intake and outlet structure linking the mountaintop lake with the reservoir, and 29 miles of power lines connecting the site to the Aeolus substation.

Shapiro said the proposed facility can generate up to 970 megawatts of electricity, similar to the Dave Johnson coal‑fired power plant near Glenrock, for 12 hours. With the ability to come online quickly, the managing director of hydro strategy said the project would fit well with the state’s existing energy infrastructure.

Shapiro said most coal‑fired power plants are scheduled to be taken offline by the 2040s, adding that the pumped‑storage project would help meet the state’s growing energy demand, driven in part by large computer datacenters.

Shapiro said the project is expected to cost $2 to $3 billion to build and generate roughly $9 million in annual property taxes, mostly in Carbon County. Construction would create roughly 400 temporary jobs, with up to 35 permanent positions once the facility is completed.

Shapiro added that Natrona County will see an increase in local spending during construction.

Over its six years of development, the scope of the project has changed to address concerns from federal, state, and local stakeholders. Shapiro said the original plan called for mining spoils to be hauled on Seminoe Road to a processing site more than three miles away. The newly proposed location has cut that distance by half.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is especially concerned about the project’s impact on the Seminoe-Ferris bighorn sheep herd, which is the last in the state not infected with domestic livestock diseases.

Shapiro said Game and Fish originally placed seasonal restrictions that limited construction to a four‑month window, from May to August, in specific areas to avoid disturbing the bighorn sheep herd. Last year, the agency expanded the herd’s habitat, extending those restrictions to additional parts of the project.

Shapiro said the closer spoils site was chosen in response to the new Game and Fish restrictions.

The majority of concerns about the proposed Seminoe pumped storage project focus on potential impact suspended‑sediment levels and water temperature changes could have on Seminoe Reservoir and the downstream blue‑ribbon Miracle Mile trout fishery. Shapiro said rPlus Hydro spent over two years working with the Wyoming Department of Quality to ensure the project will have no impact on water quality.

After finding no perceivable impact, DEQ issued a Clean Water Act Section 401 Water Quality Certification for the project last month.

As for turbidity, Shapiro said the facility would only stir up the water when initially activated. In addition, the structure that moves water between Seminoe Reservoir and the upper lake will sit on a bed of rocks to keep it from drawing in sediment.

Natrona County Commissioner Dave North questioned how moving 3.26 billion gallons of water between the two reservoirs won’t change the temperature. Shapiro replied that rPlus Hydro and Wyoming DEQ studied the facility’s potential effect on water temperature in depth, down to the degree, and found it would only change during very specific conditions.

rPlus Hydro Senior Attorney Kevin Baker said the temperature threshold was one‑tenth of a degree. Baker said any water‑quality changes would occur only when the facility is operating and added that increased dissolved oxygen may benefit the Miracle Mile trout fishery.

Shapiro said rPlus Hydro will install monitors at Seminoe Reservoir and the Miracle Mile two years before construction begins to establish a baseline water temperature. Once operational, any fluctuations beyond normal levels will require the facility to scale back activity until temperatures return to normal.

Commissioner Dave North asked how much Seminoe Reservoir’s water level would drop while the upper lake was being filled. Managing Director of Hydro Strategy Shapiro said it would fall anywhere from a few inches to more than a foot. Commissioner North then asked the two rPlus Hydro representatives if they had ever boated on the reservoir, and both said they had not. He said lowering the water level could affect recreational users as well as fish.

The rPlus representatives did not respond to Commissioner North’s comments as the discussion moved to evaporative loss. Shapiro said the upper lake is expected to lose 200 acre‑feet, or approximately 65 thousand gallons, a year. However, overall annual evaporative loss for the system is estimated between zero and 80 acre‑feet. Shapiro explained that lowering the water level of Seminoe Reservoir will essentially offset any losses.

Despite the projected net‑zero evaporative loss, Shapiro said rPlus Hydro will still financially reimburse the Bureau of Reclamation and the Casper‑Alcova Irrigation District for 472 acre‑feet per year.

Since the Seminoe Pumped Storage facility is considered a hydroelectric power plant by the federal government, it falls under the authority of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC. Shapiro said in its draft environmental impact statement from last September, FERC concluded that the project’s public benefit outweighs its potential impact on wildlife. The federal agency is expected to issue a final ruling in June, with permitting to be approved in September.

Even with FERC’s approval, Shapiro said rPlus Hydro must still obtain an amendment to the Rawlins Resource Management Plan from the Bureau of Land Management to allow for year‑round construction. In addition, rPlus must also secure a buyer for the electricity. Even once those requirements are met, Shapiro said construction is not expected to begin until 2029 at the earliest.

The post rPlus Hydro Gives Update to Natrona County Commissioners first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Monday, April 13, 2026 |

Photo – Larry and Jane Benjamin in period costume – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99

A group of historical reenactors gathered in Hanna over the weekend to honor the town’s lone Civil War veteran.

On Saturday, April 11th, the Platte Bridge Company, a Casper-based living‑history organization, recreated a Civil War-style encampment at the Hanna Basin Museum. Roughly 20 members of the 70‑member unit pitched tents, cooked food, and showed off handmade items, all while adhering to authentic Civil War practices.

Hanna Baptist Church Pastor Larry Benjamin, and his wife Jane, spearheaded the event. Benjamin said that after gaining an interest in Civil War‑era history, particularly the 19th‑century American West, he joined the Platte Bridge Company, where his wife was already a member.

Benjamin was dressed as a captain in the Civil War, specifically from 1876. The reenactor said he purchased the majority of his equipment online, with his uniform made in Bar Nunn, outside of Casper.

As part of its historical demonstration, the Platte Bridge Company honored Hanna’s only Civil War veteran, James W. Case. In late summer 1862, at just 15 years old, Case joined the Enrolled Missouri Militia, a home‑guard unit formed to support the Union army. Benjamin said that one year later, on the authority of the state government, Case joined the Missouri State Militia as a cavalryman.

Case and the 9th Missouri State Militia Cavalry carried out anti‑guerrilla operations against pro‑Confederate forces led by “Bloody Bill” Anderson and William Quantrill. From September to October 1864, the unit played a significant role in opposing Confederate General Sterling Price’s large‑scale invasion of Missouri. Case was honorably discharged from military service on July 12th, 1865, four months after General Robert E. Lee’s surrender.

Pastor Larry Benjamin said Case’s unit suffered casualties from battle and disease. The war left many veterans, including Case, with long‑lasting physical and psychological effects.

Case suffered from what was described as a faulty smallpox vaccination in 1864, which resulted in the “enlargement of his bones and corruption of his blood, rendering him unable to labor.” Based on those injuries, Benjamin said Case filed for a government pension in 1880. Ten years later, the Civil War veteran moved to the Elk Mountain area with his wife, Sarah Jane Allen, whom he married in 1866.

According to the 1900 census, Case, then 53, was working as a stockman. He and his wife are listed as having twelve children, with five living: George, 32; James, 24; Hazel, 11; and Alphus, seven.

Benjamin said two years later, Case met the final legal requirements of the Homestead Act of 1862 to gain permanent ownership of his land.

The Homestead Act of 1862 required settlers to live on their land continuously for five years, without abandoning the property for more than six months at a time. They were also required to “improve” their 160‑acre plots, typically by building a permanent dwelling and growing crops or raising livestock.

Benjamin said that, like many homesteaders, Case found it difficult to earn money on his farm, and in November 1906 the family moved to Hanna. Case and his oldest son, George, were then employed by the Union Pacific Coal Company, working in Mine Number One.

On March 28th, 1908, a fire in the mine triggered an explosion, killing 18 men. Benjamin said Case and a coworker were caught in the blast but survived. However, Case’s son, George, went back in to rescue his fellow miners and died in the second explosion.

After the disaster, Case continued working in the mines, with his youngest son, Alphus, joining him in 1910. Case’s second‑oldest son, James, moved his family to a remote homestead north of Hanna. On April 15th, 1917, one month before his 70th birthday, Case died while visiting James’s homestead.

In honor of Hanna’s only Civil War veteran, the Platte Bridge Company simulated firing muskets and a cannon.

Visit the Platte Bridge Company Facebook page for information on joining or hosting Civil War reenactments.

The post History of Civil War Veteran Told in Hanna first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Friday, April 10, 2026 |

Photo – Image from City of Rawlins website – Courtesy City of Rawlins

City staff in Rawlins say the Edinburgh Street project is on track to be finished this fall.

In 2019, Rawlins’ residents approved the use of Specific Purpose 6th Penny Tax funds to reconstruct Edinburgh Street between Dunphail and Murray. The project includes replacing the existing water main and sanitary sewer system, installing a new stormwater collection system, and reconstructing the road with new curb, gutter, sidewalks, and ADA‑accessible pedestrian friendly ramps.

Last fall, Rawlins officials submitted an RFP, or request for proposal, seeking contractors for the project. In November, the City Council voted to accept a $7.9 million bid from Lewis and Lewis Incorporated. The agreement gives the Rock Springs contractor 250 working days to remove and replace 10,500 square yards of asphalt and install 3,000 feet of new water lines and 2,900 feet of storm sewer pipe. The contract allows Lewis and Lewis to shut down for the winter if necessary and includes a provision granting the contractor five additional days beyond the expected completion date for every five hours lost to adverse weather.

Work on the Edinburgh Street Project officially began on Monday, November 24th.

During the April 7th Rawlins City Council meeting, Councilman Derek Elliott asked for an update on the project. Public Works Director Cody Dill said Lewis and Lewis are on track to finish in October.

Councilman Elliot asked if the city would provide the asphalt needed to repave Edinburgh Street. Dill replied that the city’s plant cannot supply enough asphalt for the project.

Next, Councilman Elliot asked when the crumbling 6th Street bridge would be addressed. Due to its deteriorating condition, the Wyoming Department of Transportation determined that the bridge qualifies for repairs or replacement under the Biden administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Public Works Director Dill said WYDOT intends to begin work within a year.

Councilman Elliot recommended painting murals on the bridge supports to make the structure more visually appealing.

WYDOT is also working on a pedestrian underpass beneath North Higley Bouvard. The tunnel will allow residents to travel between the Highland Hills residential area, nearby school campuses, and the Carbon County Higher Education Center without having to cross over the busy highway. Last month, the Rawlins City Council chose to name the underpass after 10-year-old Patrick Casey McMorrow, who was struck and killed by a vehicle while attempting to cross North Higley Boulevard in 1983.

Speaking at the April 7th meeting, City Manager Matt Hall announced that after more than 40 years, construction of the Patrick McMorrow Pedestrian Underpass is scheduled to begin on May 1st. Hall warned residents that heavy truck traffic will be detoured around the work site.

For more information on the Edinburgh Street Project, visit the Rawlins city website at www.rawlinswy.gov and click the banner titled “Edinburgh Updates” at the top of the page.

The post Edinburgh Street Project On-Track for Completion this Fall first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Friday, April 10, 2026 |

Photo – US Representative from Wyoming Harriet Hageman speaking at Jeffrey Center in Rawlins – Bigfoot99 file photo

Wyoming Congresswoman Harriet Hageman met with constituents in Rawlins to discuss her work in Washington D.C., including her push to increase the state’s coal production.

On Tuesday, April 7th, Congresswoman Harriet Hageman held a town hall meeting in the Jeffery Memorial Center in Rawlins. Among other topics, the congresswoman discussed her efforts to remove illegal commercial truckers from the nation’s highways, her opposition to the Clinton‑era roadless rules, and her campaign to increase access to Wyoming coal.

Hageman said the Natural Resources Committee, on which she serves, is focused on meeting the nation’s growing demand for critical minerals. The congresswoman pointed to three sites in Wyoming that are working to help satisfy that demand.

Congresswoman Hageman said she introduced the Domestic Ore Act to ensure mineral extraction companies can continue exploring for additional resources, including coal.

The congresswoman said existing regulations make it difficult for companies to pursue new mineral deposits. Under her proposed bill, exploration boundaries would increase fivefold.

Congresswoman Hageman also said she’s working on the Coal Bid Bonus Reform Bill. The congresswoman said the measure doubles the amount of time coal producers are given to pay for federal coal lease bids.

On the subject of coal, Congresswoman Hageman said Wyoming produces 40 percent of the nation’s supply. However, because of federal regulations, the congresswoman said no new coal mines have opened in the state in 12 years.

The majority of the country’s coal comes from the Powder River Basin in northeast Wyoming and southeast Montana.

Congresswoman Hageman said new mining leases must be put on the fast‑track or the nation could quickly face a coal shortage.

Both the Obama and Biden Administrations placed moratoriums on new federal coal leases, with President Biden’s action specifically targeting the Powder River Basin. Congresswoman Hageman said Congress eliminated those regulations through her Buffalo Bureau of Land Management Congressional Review Act, allowing new coal leases to proceed. Hageman added that federal agencies are also prohibited from reintroducing similar limitations.

A meeting attendee said most coal mined in the United States is shipped overseas as the country moves away from coal use, adding that China purchases a significant share of the world’s supply. The attendee asked Congresswoman Hageman how she is addressing the sale of coal that, in his view, supports the Chinese Communist Party.

The congresswoman replied that she believes most U.S. coal exports go to Japan and South Korea. Hageman said the biggest challenge for expanding production is shipping coal through West Coast ports. The Millennium Port, a proposed coal export facility in Longview, Washington, failed to overcome its legal hurdles. The congresswoman said she has been in talks with suppliers about transporting coal to the Gulf of California for shipment through Mexico. Hageman said the Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal is preparing to begin exporting coal, though the facility will only be able to handle roughly half of Wyoming’s coal output.

Hageman said she had been told coal is dead, but demand remains high. The congresswoman argued that increased coal production is the only way to meet the nation’s growing energy needs.

Hageman said people are now discussing a new coal‑fired power plant near Gillette, something that would have been unthinkable five years ago.

The congresswoman added that Lee Zeldin, the current Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, is working to roll back the EPA’s anti-coal regulations to allow for more energy independence.

The post Hageman Speaks with Locals About Her Push to Increase Coal Production first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Friday, April 10, 2026 |

Photo – Map showing road fatalities by county – Courtesy US Department of Transportation

The Carbon County Commissioners selected an engineering firm to develop a plan to reduce fatalities on local roadways.

In 2021, the Biden Administration created the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which allocated $1.2 trillion to rebuild and modernize the nation’s aging utility and highway infrastructure. Of that total, $5 billion was designated for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program, which set a long‑term goal of reducing highway deaths to zero.

Through the Safe Streets and Roads for All program, Carbon County received a $228,000 grant to design a comprehensive action plan to eliminate traffic fatalities on county‑owned roads. In February, the County Clerk’s office issued a request for proposal for professional services to develop the plan.

During the April 7th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Clerk Lisa Smith announced that five engineering firms responded to the request for proposal.

Clerk Smith said she, Road and Bridge Superintendent Kandis Fritz, and Deputy Clerk Wendy Newbrough reviewed the proposals. Smith said they evaluated each firm on several criteria and considered price only at the end.

After applying their criteria to the five companies, Clerk Smith said Engineering Associates scored the highest. With an office in Saratoga, Smith said the firm has the most knowledge of the county’s roadways.

Clerk Smith said Fort Collins-based Ayres Associates submitted the lowest bid at $216,000, but only scored third, with its experience centered mostly on city work.

Smith said KLJ Engineering and Planning Services of Idaho scored second. The county clerk said the firm stood out because it conducted extensive research on the county’s roads, unlike several other submissions that fell outside the scope of the project.

Smith said Engineering Associates ranked highest due to the firm’s familiarity with the county’s road system.

The county clerk said that if selected, Engineering Associates will have until 2031 to complete the comprehensive action plan. However, the company expects to finish the work within a year, giving the county time to seek additional grants to address any identified safety deficiencies.

The Board of Commissioners voted to award Engineering Associated the contract to develop the county’s Safe Streets and Roads for All comprehensive action plan.

The post Commissioners Hire Firm to Create Plan to Reduce Road Fatalities first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Thursday, April 9, 2026 |

Photo – US Representative from Wyoming Harriet Hageman speaks at Jeffrey Center in Rawlins – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99

Wyoming Congresswoman Harriet Hageman highlighted her work in Washington DC, including efforts to remove unsafe commercial truck drivers from the road.

On Tuesday, April 7th, Congresswoman Harriet Hageman held a town hall‑style meeting at the Jeffery Memorial Center in Rawlins. In addition to discussing her work to expand tribes’ authority to lease their lands, secure funding for Wyoming‑specific projects, and increase the country’s influence within the United Nations, Congresswoman Hageman also noted her work to improve safety on the nation’s roads. The congresswoman said the Biden administration’s failure to secure the border has contributed to a rise in illegal‑alien and non‑English‑speaking commercial truck drivers on highways.

Congresswoman Hageman said it appears that many trucking companies are putting illegal drivers behind the wheel in violation of federal law.

Congresswoman Hageman recounted a conversation with her nephew who hauls cattle near Jay Em in Goshen County. The congresswoman said her nephew reported that many commercial truck drivers appear unqualified and unprepared to operate on Wyoming’s highways. Hageman questioned how those drivers were obtaining commercial licenses without the ability to speak or understand English.

After looking into the issue, Hageman said she found that Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations have required all commercial driver’s license holders to demonstrate a minimum understanding of English since 1937. However, the congresswoman said the Obama administration directed federal agencies to disregard the language requirements, allowing illegal immigrants onto the nation’s highways.

Congresswoman Hageman said the issue is two‑fold: non‑English speakers being issued commercial driver’s licenses and the rise of so‑called chameleon carriers. Hageman explained that chameleon carriers repeatedly change Department of Transportation identification numbers to avoid complying with state and federal laws.

Congresswoman Hageman said the number of chameleon carriers, mainly operating out of Illinois, Minnesota, California, and New York, has surged over the past four years. Shutting them down can take up to two years, after which they simply change DOT numbers and get back on the road. To combat that practice, Hageman said she worked with national trucking organizations to draft a bill giving the Department of Transportation more authority to permanently take these carriers out of service.

On February 3rd, an illegal immigrant from Kyrgyzstan caused a head‑on collision in Jay County, Indiana, that killed four members of a local Amish community. In discussing the crash, Congresswoman Hageman said illegal truckers are operating far more widely than she previously understood, noting that Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak reported that roughly one‑third of the commercial drivers he pulled over were illegal immigrants.

Congresswoman Hageman also discussed Connor’s Law, a measure she introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last May. Named for 18‑year‑old Connor Dzion, who was killed in 2017 by a distracted commercial truck driver, the bill codifies President Donald Trump’s executive order restoring the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations’ minimum English‑proficiency standards. The mandate requires all commercial driver’s license holders to read and speak English well enough to understand highway signs and communicate with the public. Hageman said that lack of language skills likely contributed to truckers continuing down Interstate 25 despite recent high‑wind closures.

Hageman added that the trucker involved in last year’s deadly Green River Tunnel crash was also believed to be an illegal alien.

The congresswoman said many states, including Maine, New York, and California, are home to so‑called CDL mills, driving schools that prioritize speed and profit over safety and driver proficiency. Hageman said one school in California admitted to issuing over 17,000 commercial driver’s licenses to non‑English speakers, but the state has refused to revoke the licenses. In addition, Hageman said a school in New York focuses on licensing Chinese citizens, which the congresswoman said presents a national‑security risk.

After opening the floor to public comments, an attendee pointed out that the majority of commercial trucking fatalities involve English‑speaking drivers. Congresswoman Hageman agreed, saying that all chameleon carriers, even those that employ authorized workers, must be taken off the road to improve safety.

Congresswoman Hageman said she considers how Americans, including Memorial Hospital of Carbon County EMT Tyeler Harris, might still be alive had the illegal immigrant involved not been permitted into the country. Harris was killed on December 21st, 2022, while responding to emergency calls on Interstate 80 after Haitian‑born trucker Saviol Saint Jean crashed into his ambulance. Saint Jean was found guilty of aggravated vehicular homicide and sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Congresswoman Hageman said it is wrong when anyone violates the law, including American citizens. However, the congresswoman added that Tyeler Harris, 12‑year‑old Jocelyn Nungaray, who was murdered by two Venezuelan nationals, and Laken Riley, who was also killed by a Venezuelan national, might still be alive had their accused killers not been permitted into the country illegally.

The post Congresswoman Speaks on CDL Violations to Group in Rawlins first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Thursday, April 9, 2026 |

Photo – Earth Day Clean Up announcement – Courtesy Facebook

Earth Day 2026 will be observed on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, marking the 56th anniversary of the first Earth Day. A Saratoga resident is organizing a town‑wide community cleanup day.

During the April 1st Saratoga Town Council meeting, Mayor Chuck Davis announced that resident Jamie Messina had submitted a special event permit for the council to review. Messina explained that she would like to host an Earth Day cleanup event at Kathy Glode Park.

Mayor Davis asked Police Chief John Moore and Public Works Director Emery Penner if they had any objections to the cleanup event. Both officials reported that they did not and the mayor added that he supported the effort.

The Town Council unanimously voted to approve Messina’s special event permit. Shortly afterward, the Saratoga resident created a Facebook post to promote the cleanup.

Saratoga’s Earth Day Cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, April 18th, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Participants are asked to gather at Kathy Glode Park on South River Street, where they will receive trash‑collection supplies. Afterward, residents are invited back to the park for a family‑friendly community gathering with food trucks, a bounce house, pony rides, and free snacks. A link to the event’s Facebook page will be included in this story.

Saratoga Earth Day Cleanup Facebook Event Page: Earth Day Town-wide Clean-up | Facebook

The post Saratoga Resident Organizes Earth Day Clean Up Event first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Thursday, April 9, 2026 |

Photo – Carbon County Coroner’s Office – Bigfoot99 file photo

County officials approved the purchase of a used x‑ray machine for the coroner’s office.

In February, County Coroner Brittany Nyman announced that Memorial Hospital of Carbon County administrators offered to sell her an unneeded x‑ray machine for $6,000.

Speaking at the February 2nd Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Nyman explained that low‑end models cost tens of thousands of dollars and that a new machine similar to the one being offered by Memorial Hospital can be many times more expensive.

Nyman explained that without an x-ray machine in her office, she must take cadavers to Memorial Hospital to be examined, at a cost of between $500 and $900.

The Board of Commissioners directed Nyman to confirm that her office can accommodate the x‑ray machine without the need for costly upgrades to the electrical system. The coroner said she would gather the necessary information and report back to the board.

Coroner Nyman provided an update during the April 7th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting. Nyman said Buildings and Grounds Manager Jeff Askins told her the unit would need a new electrical outlet at the proposed location.

Nyman said the x‑ray machine will eliminate the need to pay Memorial Hospital of Carbon County for examinations. Responding to a question from Commission Vice Chairwoman Gwynn Bartlett, Commissioner Sue Jones said the unit will save the county approximately $6,000 annually.

Commission Chairman Travis Moore asked if the unit was in working order. Nyman said Memorial Hospital staff properly maintained the device and recently replaced the batteries.

Chairman Moore asked how long the batteries are expected to last. Nyman said she was not certain but added that the unit will remain plugged in to extend their lifespan.

The Board of Commissioners agreed to purchase the used x‑ray machine from Memorial Hospital of Carbon County for $6,000. The money will come from the county coroner’s annual budget, specifically funds set aside to hire a deputy coroner.

The post County Commissioners Approve Coroner’s Request to Purchase X-Ray first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.