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Monday, March 16, 2026 |

Photo – Angel (left) and Oscar and Felix (right) – Courtesy Rawlins Rochelle Animal Shelter

The Rawlins animal shelter has pets available for adoption.

Stray animals from around Carbon County are brought to the Rochelle Animal Shelter in Rawlins. The facility is currently home to seven dogs and four cats.

Police Lieutenant Daria Hooper oversees the Rawlins shelter, along with Animal Control Officer Lisa Eriksson. Each month, Bigfoot99 works with Lieutenant Hooper to highlight a special dog and cat ready for adoption. This month, we are featuring Angel, a one‑year‑old husky mix and graduate of the Cage to Save Program. Lieutenant Hooper said Angel is shy and timid but will make a strong companion for anyone willing to get to know her.

Launched in early 2023, the Cage to Save Program is a partnership between the Rawlins Rochelle Animal Shelter and the Wyoming State Penitentiary. Selected shelter dogs are paired with inmates for a nine‑week training period, where they learn basic obedience, socialization, and manners to help them pass the Canine Good Citizen test. Lieutenant Hooper said the program gives dogs that might not thrive in the shelter, like McLovin, a chance to learn new skills and prepare for adoption.

The 100th dog to complete the Cage to Save Program, a lab-mix named Autumn, is expected to graduate next month.

Lieutenant Hooper also asked to highlight a pair of six‑month‑old black‑and‑white kittens named Oscar and Felix. The police lieutenant said the brothers were abandoned and are now ready for adoption.

The city provides a modest amount of funding to operate the Rochelle Animal Shelter, with donations covering the remainder of the facility’s budget. Lieutenant Hooper said the shelter is seeking donated dog and cat treats, laundry detergent, dish soap, and, as always, financial support. She said monetary contributions help cover unexpected medical expenses, such as removing tumors from Runt, another graduate of the Cage to Save Program.

To meet an animal, volunteer, or drop off donations, visit the Rawlins Rochelle Animal Shelter at 2711 East Murray Street Monday through Friday from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m., or call 328‑4534 to schedule an appointment. All adoptable animals are posted on the shelter’s Facebook page and on Petfinder.com. Adoption fees are $35 for cats and $50 for dogs.

The post Make a Friend, Adopt a Pet first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Friday, March 13, 2026 |

Photo – Rawlins City Hall – Bigfoot99 file photo

Rawlins officials voted to delay changes to the city’s right‑of‑way access fees, clearing the path for franchise agreements with internet providers.

In January, the Rawlins City Council began the process of approving franchise agreements for two communications companies: Visionary Communications and All West Wyoming. Both providers plan to install new fiber‑optic lines in the city, providing residents with additional options for high‑speed internet access.

The franchise agreements authorize the companies to install and maintain underground utilities in the public rights‑of‑way, with the city receiving financial compensation for overseeing the work.

State statute requires franchise agreements to be approved three times during three separate public meetings. Visionary and All West were scheduled for final approval at the February 17th Rawlins City Council meeting, but the governing body was presented with a resolution to change right‑of‑way permit costs before the vote. Under the amended fee schedule, franchise holders would be required to pay $325 for every 350 feet of subsurface work in the public right‑of‑way.

Representatives from the communications companies opposed the changes and questioned how city officials arrived at the proposed costs. Due to their comments, the Council chose not to adopt the amended fee schedule. Instead, the governing body directed city staff to meet with franchise holders and develop a more agreeable solution. In the meantime, final approval of the franchise agreements for Visionary Communications and All West Wyoming was delayed until the updated fee schedule could be approved. The decision appeared to frustrate Visionary Broadband CEO Brian Worthen.

The matter was discussed again at the March 3rd Rawlins City Council meeting. City Attorney Pinita Maberry‑Nave recommended leaving the amended fee schedule tabled while her staff works on a more focused resolution.

Attorney Maberry‑Nave said franchise holders will still be expected to follow the existing right‑of‑way ordinances while staff continue working on the resolution.

Shortly after, the governing body approved franchise agreements for both Visionary Communications and All West Wyoming. Following the vote, Councilman Steve Sanger asked the city attorney if she had reached out to franchise holders and applicants about the amended right-of-way fee schedule. Attorney Maberry-Nave said yes, adding that she had also contacted other towns and cities and found that their prices varied widely.

Attorney Maberry‑Nave said the amended fees must also account for emergency situations and other unforeseen circumstances. She offered to bring a more comprehensive resolution to a future City Council meeting.

The post Rawlins Council Tables Right-of-Way Access Fee Changes first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Friday, March 13th, 2026 |

Photo – SCWEMS ambulance at the barn – Bigfoot99 file photo

Saratoga residents have voiced their concerns about the shortage of ambulance drivers in the Platte Valley.

During the February 4th Saratoga Town Council meeting, as the South Central Wyoming Emergency Medical Service’s monthly report was being discussed, resident Dan McGuire asked if SCWEMS had ambulance drivers in town. McGuire explained that he suffered a medical emergency roughly six weeks before. Instead of being transported to Banner Wyoming Medical Center in Casper by ambulance, he had to wait over two hours for a rescue helicopter.

Mayor Chuck Davis speculated that SCWEMS may not have had a second ambulance driver available. The medical transport service must have at least one driver in the Platte Valley at all times to handle emergencies. With only one person on duty, SCWEMS must rely on outside ambulance providers, such as Intermountain Health Flight and Ambulance Service, formerly Classic Air Medical, to transport patients out of the area.

McGuire said fortunately, his medical insurance covered the helicopter trip.

Mayor Davis acknowledged the shortage of ambulance drivers but said it is a SCWEMS matter and not something the Council can directly affect. The mayor said the state will attempt to use the $205 million Rural Health Transformation Program to address the broader issue: a lack of volunteers.

McGuire said that while he was being flown to the hospital, the helicopter EMT reported that he had picked up seven patients from Saratoga that week. McGuire described a case in which someone without medical insurance is facing a $140,000 helicopter bill because SCWEMS had no available drivers.

Mayor Davis said he understood McGuire’s concerns, adding that the problem is not unique to Saratoga.

The matter was addressed again at the February 18th Saratoga Town Council Meeting. Steve Martin, the town’s SCWEMS representative, recognized the organization’s need for drivers. However, Martin said SCWEMS relies on volunteers to staff its ambulances, which are becoming increasingly difficult to recruit.

SCWEMS volunteers receive $50 for calls under four hours and $100 for calls over that time. Martin said he hopes the Rural Health Transformation Program funding can be used to attract more volunteer drivers and EMTs to the organization.

On March 9th, Governor Mark Gordon signed House Bill 122, which sets how Wyoming will manage and distribute the federal Rural Health Transformation Program funding. While county‑by‑county allocations have not yet been finalized, the state is investing 80 percent of the first‑year award, $164 million, into a perpetuity fund to ensure the federal support lasts beyond the initial five‑year allocation.

During the March 4th Saratoga Town Council meeting, resident Richard Hodges also commented on the lack of SCWEMS drivers. Hodges recommended having off-duty police officers drive the ambulances.

Mayor Davis explained that SCWEMS is entirely separate from the town. While he isn’t opposed to assigning off‑duty police officers to transport patients out of the Platte Valley, the mayor said the ambulance service must attempt to resolve the problem on its own. If that proves impossible, then the town can step in to assist.

Mayor Davis invited Hodges to bring his idea to the SCWEMS Joint Powers Board at its next meeting, adding that the Saratoga Police Department would need to approve the plan as well.

Other Carbon County towns are feeling the effects of the SCWEMS volunteer shortage as well. During the March 10th Hanna Town Council meeting, SCWEMS Joint Powers Board Vice Chairman Carl Bickel presented his monthly report. Bickel said the organization is working to hire a new director following the resignation of Stayton Mosbey in September and to secure a grant to construct a new ambulance barn in Hanna. Councilman Sam Sikes recommended focusing on attracting more volunteers, adding that Memorial Hospital of Carbon County has been responding to emergency calls in Hanna because SCWEMS is understaffed.

Councilman Sikes said every town is experiencing a lack of volunteers, but Hanna is facing the worst shortage in the county.

The Wyoming Department of Health is expected to begin distributing the Rural Health Transformation Program funding on July 1st. While 80 percent of the state’s initial $205 million award is being placed in a perpetuity fund, the remaining $41 million is designated for short‑term projects. From the first year’s investment earnings, roughly $1.76 million will be available specifically for EMS staffing and services. Saratoga’s SCWEMS representative, Steve Martin, said the organization’s Joint Powers Board intends to apply for a portion of those funds.

The post Valley Residents Voice Concerns on Ambulance Volunteer Shortage first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Friday, March 13, 2026 |

Photo – The three finalist signs – Courtesy Uplift Rawlins

A Rawlins‑based community group is asking the public to choose the organization’s new monthly home and business recognition signs.

Last summer, a group of Rawlins residents, committed to beautifying the city, created Uplift Rawlins. Since then, the community improvement group has led several projects, including Yard Lift, where volunteers clean a resident’s yard at no cost, and the Home and Business of the Month Awards, which recognize properties that help improve the city’s physical appearance.

When the Home and Business of the Month Awards began last fall, winners received a plastic campaign‑style sign to place in their yards to highlight the award. Member Don Woolley said this year, Uplift Rawlins is prepared to provide winners with a more official‑looking marker. Last month, the community improvement group invited the public to submit designs for a permanent Home and Business of the Month Award sign.

The Uplift Rawlins members narrowed the field of 13 submissions to three finalists. Member Jill Patterson described the chosen entries.

Photos of the three finalists can be found on the Uplift Rawlins Facebook page and the organization’s website, with a link to the site included in this story.

The winner of the design contest will be chosen by the public. Patterson said votes can be cast through Facebook or by email.

After all the votes are counted, the winner will be announced in early April. Don Woolley said that afterward, Carbon County Higher Education Center students will produce six versions of the sign, five for Home of the Month and one for Business of the Month.

The finished signs are expected to be revealed this summer, when the Home and Business of the Month Awards begin again.

The Uplift Rawlins members thanked Bank of Commerce for funding the permanent signs.

Visit www.facebook.com/upliftrawlins or Home | Uplift Rawlins to cast your vote.

The post Rawlins Community Group Asks for Public to Choose Sign Design first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

March 12th 2026 |

Photo – Courtesy of the Rawlins Police Department

Local law enforcement praised Governor Gordon’s veto of the Second Amendment Protection Act.

The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office and the Rawlins, Sinclair, Hanna, Encampment, and Saratoga Police Departments and Marshals Offices, issued a joint media release on Wednesday thanking the governor. The agencies were joined by state lawmakers, as well. State Senator Larry Hicks and Representatives Pam Thayer and Bob Davis thanked the governor for opposing Senate File 101.

While the bill passed both the Wyoming State Senate and the House, Governor Mark Gordon vetoed the measure.

Speaking to Bigfoot99, Rawlins Police Chief Mike Ward said state lawmakers claimed the bill was intended to prevent Wyoming law enforcement from assisting the federal government in enforcing any bans on weapons, magazines, or accessories. However, Chief Ward described Senate File 101 and its associated Senate Enrolled Act as “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” with the wolf being the wording of the bills and the sheep being the Second Amendment.

The chief said that even a cursory reading reveals that the measure does nothing to protect Second Amendment rights of Wyoming citizens. Chief Ward said Senate File 101 reads as anti‑law enforcement and pro‑criminal.

The measure would have also allowed citizens to file $50,000 civil lawsuits against police departments if their guns are seized.

Chief Ward said any bill that makes law enforcement officers criminals for doing their job has a direct impact on the safety of all Wyoming residents. The police chief offered an example of how Senate File 101, if passed, would have impacted his ability to work with federal agencies in a negative way.

Chief Ward said if he arrested a suspect on a federal warrant and found a gun in the individual’s vehicle, he would take the firearm for safekeeping. In that situation, if the federal government decided to pursue a firearms offense, the chief said hypothetically he would be in violation of the law.

Proponents of Senate File 101 claim that the measure is necessary to prevent Wyoming law enforcement officers from complying with any federal gun‑confiscation efforts. Chief Ward said the United States Constitution and existing state law already prohibit the federal government from seizing firearms without due process.

Chief Ward said that during his decades of experience, he has never witnessed federal agents confiscate any banned items, including firearms, from law‑abiding citizens. Instead, he said federal agents focused on arresting criminals who had no business being armed in the first place.

Both Governor Mark Gordon and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons issued letters opposing Senate File 101, arguing that its steep penalties would hinder local law enforcement cooperation on human trafficking and international firearms cases. The Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police shared the same concerns.

Chief Ward said Senate File 101 not only criminalized police for doing their jobs, but the legislation was  also unnecessary because all peace officers are already sworn to uphold the Constitution.

Despite being sponsored by Wyoming Senator Bo Biteman, Senate File 101 resembles legislation introduced in Missouri by the Gun Owners of America. The Missouri Second Amendment Preservation Act, which passed in 2021, also includes a $50,000 civil penalty for state law enforcement agencies that help the federal government enforce certain firearms regulations.

In 2023, U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes ruled the law unconstitutional, stating it violated the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the ruling the following year and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Missouri’s appeal.

In his veto letter, Governor Mark Gordon criticized Wyoming’s version of the bill as “boilerplates created in far-flung states.”

Rawlins Police Chief Ward questioned why gun‑advocacy groups, including the Gun Owners of America, are seeking to criminalize police officers.

While Senate File 101 appeared to enshrine Wyoming’s commitment to the Second Amendment, Chief Ward said that is not the case. The police chief recommended reading the language of the bill to see that it is not what it purports to be.

Chief Ward also recommended reading acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and Governor Gordon’s letters of opposition.

Supporters of Senate File 101 and Missouri’s Second Amendment Preservation Act often cite the famous Ben Franklin line, “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety

Chief Ward said people should read the bills themselves before deciding on their intent.

Chief Ward said the opposition from all 23 Wyoming sheriffs and most police chiefs should prompt residents and lawmakers to take a closer look at the issue.

The Wyoming Legislature failed to secure the two‑thirds majority needed to overturn Governor Gordon’s veto Wednesday afternoon.

Senate File 101 is now dead on arrival, could return in another form next year.

The post Local Law Enforcement Supports Veto of SF 101 first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

March 12th 2026 |

Photo – Bigfoot 99 file photo

Good news for the Town of Hanna. A husband‑and‑wife medical team, who operate in Saratoga, is preparing to reopen the shuttered clinic in northern Carbon County.

During Tuesday evening’s Hanna Town Council meeting, Mayor Charlie George said that Steve Martin, a physician assistant with Pathfinder Medical and Saratoga Urgent Care, plans to begin seeing patients in Hanna. Mayor George said Martin and administrators from Memorial Hospital of Carbon County, which owns the Hanna clinic building, have reached an agreement to reopen the unused medical facility in roughly six weeks.

The Memorial Hospital of Carbon County Family Practice Clinic in Hanna closed last April after Physician Assistant Peggy Lake retired.

Originally, Lake had planned to step down six months earlier, but volunteered to continue seeing patients until Memorial Hospital could find her replacement.

Speaking to Bigfoot99 at the time of the closure, Memorial Hospital Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Hinkle explained that attracting qualified candidates and their families to Carbon County was proving to be a significant challenge.

Efforts to find Lake’s permanent replacement were unsuccessful and Memorial Hospital Physician Assistant Sophie Baxter stepped in to treat patients in Hanna. However, citing “mounting operational losses,” the Board of Trustees opted to close the clinic and the facility has sat vacant since last April.

At Tuesday’s Hanna Town Council meeting, Mayor George said Martin and his wife, Jolena, both physician assistants, began talks to reopen the Hanna clinic in October.

After six months of negotiations, Memorial Hospital agreed to the terms, and the Martins will start seeing patients once the facility is prepared for use.

Mayor George said the clinic will open twice a month at first as the Martins gauge demand. The mayor added that most Hanna residents are already familiar with Jolena from her practice in Saratoga.

Mayor George said that when Memorial Hospital operated the clinic, providers saw between 25 and 30 patients a week. If that level continues, and the mayor said he is hopeful it will, the Martins may expand the clinic’s hours of operation.

Councilman Sam Sikes added that Physician Assistant Martin said he typically sees around 40 Hanna patients each month.

Mayor George thanked Memorial Hospital of Carbon County for allowing the Martins to reopen clinic. The building will continue to be called the MHCC Family Practice Clinic Hanna. The mayor said Martin has no objection to the name and is only focused on supporting Hanna residents.

Mayor George encouraged Hanna residents to seek care from the Martins after they reopen the clinic. If demand is high enough, the mayor said Martin is open to hiring another physician assistant specifically for the community.

While the town itself isn’t being asked to financially support the clinic in any way, Mayor George offered to cover heating costs if requested.

Physician Assistants Steve and Jolena Martin are scheduled to reopen the Memorial Hospital of Carbon County Family Practice Clinic in Hanna near the end of April.

The post Martins Set to Reopen the MHCC Family Practice Clinic in Hanna first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

March 11th 2026 |

Photo – Courtesy of Mark Gordon

Governor Gordon vetoed a bill that would prevent Wyoming law enforcement from cooperating with federal gun‑confiscation orders.

The Wyoming senate, fearing a federal attempt to seize firearms from law-abiding citizens, introduced Senate File 101, the Second Amendment Protection Act. Senate President Bo Bitman sponsored the legislation, which was approved by both houses.

SF 101 prohibits Wyoming law enforcement from assisting federal authorities in the regulation of firearms, firearm accessories, magazines, and ammunition. The measure allows an individual to sue a police department or responsible entity up to $50,000 if their Second Amendment rights are violated.

Opponents of the bill feared it would prevent officers from working with federal agents in domestic‑violence cases where an armed offender has lost their federal right to possess a firearm. During House debate, Uinta County Representative Robert Wharff said the bill does not prevent officers from responding to any crimes, including domestic violence.

Representative Wharff said the bill clearly only applies to federal laws that limit gun ownership.

The House of Representatives passed Senate File 101 on a vote of 40 to 21. The bill then moved to the Senate, which also approved it, and advanced to Governor Mark Gordon’s desk.

Governor Gordon’s vetoed Senate File 101 on Monday. The governor cited serious issues raised by the Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police about how the bill may limit cooperation between local agencies and federal law enforcement. Officials in the Trump Administration raised similar concerns, warning that the legislation could weaken joint efforts to combat violent crime, firearms trafficking, and drug cartel activity.

The acting Director of ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Todd Lyons sent Governor Gordon a three-page letter outlining his objections to the bill. Lyons wrote that the legislation undermines law enforcement by exposing law enforcement to criminal charges, civil lawsuits, and steep penalties for cooperating with federal firearm investigations.

Instead of empowering officers to do their jobs, Lyons wrote that the bill would force them to second‑guess their decisions whenever firearms were involved.

In his veto letter, Governor Gordon made his frustration with Senate File 101 clear. The governor wrote that the bill originated at the behest of what the governor called “out‑of‑state snake oil salesmen” who, he stated, had convinced lawmakers that elected sheriffs would comply with any federal gun‑seizing efforts. The governor wrote that sheriffs, chiefs of police, and state law enforcement officials all testified against Senate File 101. Governor Gordon accused lawmakers of either willfully ignoring their concerns or blindly obeying those who disparage them, adding that he is “sickened” to see Wyoming’s law enforcement officers treated in such a manner.

The governor noted that Wyoming strongly supports the Second Amendment, but cautioned that the bill could create serious unintended consequences for law enforcement and public safety.

With his veto, Governor Gordon formally returned Senate File 101 to the legislature. Both the Wyoming House and Senate would need a two-thirds majority vote to override the governor’s veto.

The post Governor Gordon Vetoes SF 101 first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

March 11th 2026 |

Photo – Courtesy of the Town of Medicine Bow

The Town of Medicine Bow will now round pennies on cash utility payments.

Due to their high production cost and limited real‑world value, President Donald Trump ordered the United States Treasury to stop minting new pennies shortly after taking office in February of 2025. As pennies fall out of circulation, they will become harder to find, forcing cash‑accepting entities to develop workarounds for the lack of one‑cent coins. In response to the growing shortage, Wyoming Democrat Mike Yin introduced a bill to standardize how cash transactions would work in a world without pennies. House Bill 71 would have required all entities that accept cash to round final totals up or down to the nearest nickel or dime. The legislature chose not to take Representative Yin’s bill up for consideration, leaving Wyoming businesses and municipalities to set their own rules for rounding pennies.

One such example is the Town of Medicine Bow. In January, the Medicine Bow Town Council began discussing whether to round cash utility payments.

The governing body suggested rounding totals ending in one, two, six, or seven cents to the nearest nickel. For example, a $20.07 utility bill would be rounded down to $20.05. Totals ending in three, four, eight, or nine cents would be rounded up.

Councilman Lee Cook questioned the legality of over‑ or undercharging residents for utility payments. Town Attorney Cameron Smith offered to research the matter and, during the February 9th meeting, reported that the town appears to be within its legal rights to round pennies. However, because Mayor Justin George and Councilwoman Kristi Wickizer were not present at that meeting, the governing body chose not to adopt an official penny‑rounding policy at the time.

The matter was discussed once again during Monday evening’s Medicine Bow Town Council meeting. Mayor George said that as the owner of J B’s Stop‑N‑Shop, he has had trouble getting enough pennies for his business. The mayor added that the town is dealing with the same problem.

Councilwoman Wickizer asked if the town had the authority to round utility payments. Attorney Smith responded that his review of state statutes showed the practice is legally permitted.

At the February 9th Medicine Bow Town Council meeting, Clerk and Treasurer Karen Heath said the town’s utility billing program, Caselle, is developing a software update that will automatically round pennies. At Monday’s meeting, Councilwoman Crystal Mayfield asked if Caselle had released the update. Treasurer Heath said it had not, but she can manually round utility payments in the meantime.

Attorney Cameron Smith said the town is reaching a point where penny rounding is becoming necessary. The question is whether to round all transactions or only cash payments.

Public Works Director Brian Lashley said other businesses are choosing not to round check or credit card charges. Lashley noted that over the course of a year, a pizza restaurant reported losing less than one dollar from rounding cash payments.

To avoid the appearance of bias against cash payers, Mayor George recommended rounding all financial transactions. However, the mayor acknowledged that he only rounds cash payments at his convenience store.

Councilwoman Kristi Wickizer pointed out that the town charges a five to seven percent surcharge on credit card utility payments. Because of that, Councilman Trevor Strauch said he supported rounding pennies only on cash transactions.

Councilwoman Crystal Mayfield disagreed, saying some residents may choose to pay with cash if it makes their bill a few cents lower.

Councilwoman Wickizer said she supported rounding all payments, but did not want to burden Treasurer Heath with the additional work of manually adjusting every transaction.

Following the discussion, the Medicine Bow Town Council voted to immediately begin rounding pennies only on cash transactions. Mayor George offered to provide signs for town hall explaining the new policy.

The post Medicine Bow to Start Rounding Pennies first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

March 10th 2026 |

Photo – Carbon County Seal

Officials in Carbon County are working to update public‑records fees to reflect the actual cost of fulfilling requests.

During the March 3rd commissioners meeting, County Attorney Ashley Davis presented a resolution to amend public‑records request prices. Attorney Davis said the new fee schedule more closely matches the county’s cost to handle those requests.

Under the proposed fee schedule, photocopies will remain 50 cents per side for black‑and‑white copies and 75 cents for color. However, labor rates will rise, with clerical costs increasing from $16 to $20 an hour and professional labor, including department heads, elected officials, and IT staff, going from $31 to $41 an hour.

Attorney Ashley Davis said the higher prices still don’t reflect the true cost to the county, but will help offset some of the expense.

Attorney Davis said the proposed rates follow updates to the Wyoming Public Records Act and a push by state lawmakers and Public Records Ombudsman Darlena Potter to standardize fee structures across local governments.

As well as increasing labor costs, the county attorney said the new fee schedule also clarifies public records request timelines. While the county still has 30 days to produce documents under state law, the resolution specifies that a submission may be denied if the applicant fails to provide information in a timely manner.

Specifically, the resolution states that public‑records submissions lacking accurate information, or involving non‑responsive applicants, will close three business days after the applicant is notified that additional information is required.

At the March 3rd Board of Commissioners meeting, Attorney Davis said that since the county began handling all records requests online, the number of applications has risen dramatically. The proposed fee schedule will help cover the cost of meeting those demands.

A draft copy of the newly proposed public records fees can be found on the official Carbon County website. A direct link to the resolution will be included in this story when it is posted to the Bigfoot99 website later today. (see below)

The Board of Commissioners approved the draft fee schedule and opened a 45‑day public comment period on the proposal.

Proposed Public Records Request Fee Schedule Resolution: https://www.carboncountywy.gov/DocumentCenter/View/8451/Resolution-No-2026-xx—Public-Records-Fees-22726

The post Updated Public Record Fees for Carbon County first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

March 10th 2026 |

Photo – Courtesy City of Rawlins

In Rawlins, city officials approved three change orders for the Edinburgh Street Project despite concerns regarding their necessity.

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, and sidewalks, along with ADA‑accessible pedestrian ramps.

Last November, Lewis and Lewis Incorporated of Rock Springs was awarded the $7.9 million contract, and the Edinburgh Street Rebuild Project finally began.

In January, Rawlins Public Works Director Cody Dill reported that work was progressing more slowly than expected. Dill said the contractors were held up by a city‑owned property at 1146 North Higley Boulevard, the former Kum and Go. The site is monitored through the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality’s Soil Vapor Extraction program, which pulls gasoline vapors from contaminated soil.

The public works director said engineers contacted Wyoming DEQ and Trihydro Corporation, the state’s environmental engineering firm, for guidance.

During the March 3rd Rawlins City Council meeting, Dill presented a $44,615.79 change order for work performed outside the original project scope. The public works director said Lewis and Lewis had to wait for DEQ and Trihydro to advise on how to proceed, which delayed the project and raised costs.

Councilman Steve Sanger said the change order states the project was delayed due to a lack of communication from DEQ and asked if the monitoring wells were known about before work began. Dill said they were, but the contractors did not know the extent of the impacted area.

Dill added that Trihydro has since provided the contractors with a map showing the full contamination zone.

Councilman Sanger questioned why DEQ failed to inform the city about the monitoring wells before work began. Dill said DEQ and Trihydro did not consult with the city on the project.

Councilman Sanger said it seemed odd that DEQ didn’t tell the city about the contamination zone. Dill responded that the state agency was unaware Lewis and Lewis would be digging in the area, adding that DEQ was very responsive once they were informed about the project.

The change order also states an existing water line was interfering with the new stormwater and sewer pipes being installed.  Councilman Sanger questioned the wording of the change order.

Dill said workers relied on surface features in 2019 to locate the underground water pipe. When the area excavated the area, contractors found the lines were more than a foot away from the estimate.

The public works director said variables are always present when locating underground infrastructure. Councilman Sanger responded, say that those variables are costing Rawlins a lot of money. Dill attributed the issue to the age of the pipe and the city’s outdated Geographic Information System. When the contractors discovered how far off the original location was, Dill said they excavated the remainder of the line.

Dill also presented a $6,812 change order to address additional concrete for a stormwater drain. A second change order calls for $46,204 to place geotechnical fabric over the entire site due to the area’s high moisture content. Councilman Steve Sanger said he expected the contractors to have accounted for the moist soil before beginning work.

Dill said preliminary site work failed to identify how moist the soil was 10 inches below the ground. As the contractors fill in the excavations, the ground will become more compacted than the surrounding soil.

Dill said the geotechnical fabric will prevent the future road surface from shifting due to the uneven moisture and compaction levels.

Councilman Sanger asked if it would be simpler to remove all the soil in the work site and replace it with gravel. Dill said that approach would be more costly than using geotechnical fabric.

Following the discussion, the Rawlins City Council voted to approve all three change orders, adding $97,631.99 to the project total. Public Works Director Dill said the additional funding will come from the city’s general budget reserves and the water enterprise fund.

The post Change Orders Approved in Rawlins first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.