Bigfoot99 News - Bigfoot 99 Radio

Tuesday, NOVEMBER 4, 2025 |

Photo – Admin building for Carbon County Child Development – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99

The ongoing federal government shutdown may jeopardize access to childcare for many Carbon County residents.

As the government shutdown enters its second month, many individuals who rely on federal subsidies such as SNAP have found that assistance payments are no longer being processed. Meanwhile, organizations dependent on federal grants face the risk of closure if the government does not reopen soon.

One organization that may be forced to shut down is the Carbon County Child Development Program, the state’s longest-running federally funded early childhood education center. Executive Director Mindy Monson-Greene explained that the preschool offers much more than a simple babysitting service. Thanks to federal support, Monson-Greene said the Child Development Program’s Head Start initiative provides a wide range of medical and developmental services at no cost, support that many Carbon County residents rely on.

Executive Director Monson-Greene said children in foster care, those receiving SSI, from low-income households, or covered under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, which ensures equal access to public education for homeless youth, all qualify for free childcare through the Head Start program. The preschool relies on annual federal grant funding to supplement its in-kind donations. However, with the federal employees who authorize those grants currently furloughed due to the ongoing government shutdown, the future of the Carbon County Child Development Program remains uncertain.

In the meantime, generous donations from the local community will allow the Carbon County Child Development Program to continue operating Head Start through the end of the year. Monson-Greene said she hopes the government shutdown ends before that time, or the program will end.

Carbon County Child Development Program Parent Policy Council Vice President Brenda Apodaca has a daughter enrolled in the Head Start program. Apodaca said she relies on meals served at the Rawlins facility to supplement her weekly food budget.

If the Head Start program ends, Apodaca said she would have no choice but to quit her job to care for her daughter.

LeAnn Spilski, a Child Development Program employee and parent of a former student, said the no-cost preschool helps working families redirect their income toward other essential needs.

Sixty Carbon County families rely on the Rawlins and Saratoga Head Start programs for their childcare needs. Project Reach, a local developmental preschool, also depends on Head Start to provide specialists who support its 23 students’ Individualized Education Programs, or IEPs. Executive Director Monson-Greene said the program’s closure would trigger a domino effect throughout the community.

Monson-Greene said the best way to support Child Development Programs across Wyoming is to contact federal representatives, including President Donald Trump, and explain how the government shutdown is affecting you and those around you.

Monson-Greene thanked the City of Rawlins and HF Sinclair for their ongoing financial support of the Carbon County Child Development Program. Still, without federal grants, the Executive Director said the facility cannot continue operating, as rising costs have made it unsustainable to run on donations alone.

Carbon County Child Development Program Executive Director Mindy Monson-Greene encouraged the public to reach out to their federal representatives and urge them to end the government shutdown before residents lose access to federally funded childcare. Without restored funding, Monson-Greene said, the Head Start program is set to end on January 1st, 2026.

For more information about the Carbon County Child Development Program or how you can help, call Executive Director Mindy Monson-Green at 324-4951 or email [email protected]

The post Vital Child Program May Close Due to Federal Government Closure first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Tuesday, NOVEMBER 4, 2025 |

Photo – Green River tunnel crash – Courtesy WYDOT

Nearly nine months after a horrific crash on Interstate 80, inside the westbound lanes of the Green River Tunnel, temporary repairs are finished. Traffic is moving both ways now. Since March of this year, travel had been narrowed to head-to-head traffic on two lanes in the eastbound tunnel while WYDOT crews worked to repair the fire-damaged westbound tunnel.

An initial report from the National Transportation Safety Board released in March of this year identified the cause of the fiery collision that killed three people and injured another 18 as a 2006 Toyota Tundra. According to the NTSB findings, the Toyota pickup lost traction, spun out and came to a rest after crashing into a guard rail upon exiting the tunnel. A chain reaction of collisions followed.

Two of the people killed in the crash were from Rawlins: 20-year-old Christopher Johnson and 22-year-old Quentin Romero.

The Green River Tunnel cuts through Castle Rock in Sweetwater County, with one tunnel in each direction of I-80.

WYDOT District 3 engineer Clint Lockman said temporary components have been installed to open the tunnel ahead of the winter driving season.

The tunnel has reopened with eastbound and westbound traffic separated. WYDOT Traffic Control Supervisor Larae Davis with S&L Industrial in Big Horn County cautioned drivers that the speed limit through the tunnel has been set to 35 miles per hour.

Drivers are advised to take the temporary reopening of the westbound tunnel at Green River seriously and obey the posted speed limit. More work to rehabilitate the tunnel will come with spring, next year. Lighting is only partial at this time and will be improved when construction resumes in 2026.

The post Temporary Repairs Complete on Green River Tunnels first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Tuesday, NOVEMBER 4, 2025 |

Photo – Rawlins City Hall – Bigfoot99 file photo

The City of Rawlins will host a public forum to discuss the needs of seniors in the community.

On Wednesday, November 5th, the City of Rawlins, Ayres Associates, and WLC Engineering will host an Aging in Place Summit at the Historic Depot, located at 400 West Front Street. Public Information Officer Mira Miller said the meeting is designed to gather public input on potential options for additional senior care or assisted living facilities in Rawlins. Miller explained that the summit will be divided into two separate meetings: an earlier stakeholder workshop focused on information gathering and a casual open house in the afternoon.

Tomorrow’s Aging in Place Summit is funded by a Brownfields grant awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2023. The money is being used to conduct environmental assessments on abandoned and underutilized properties throughout the city.

The city’s Public Information Officer Mira Miller said the Rawlins Aging in Place Committee is exploring the feasibility of transforming one or more of those sites into a senior care facility.

The Aging in Place Committee is a group of citizens working to improve senior care options in Rawlins, led by local author Sherril Bailey.

Miller said information gathered during tomorrow’s Aging in Place Summit will help Rawlins officials and potential developers identify the city’s assisted living needs. Public comments will be compiled into a feasibility study to determine what additional senior services are needed and where they should be located.

The Rawlins Aging in Place Summit is tomorrow, November 5th, at the Historic Depot. The meeting begins at 10:00 a.m. with a stakeholder workshop, concluding at noon. Afterwards, a public open house will be held from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m.

For more information about tomorrow’s summit, call Community Development Director Lou Lascano at 328-4500.

The post Rawlins Will Host Aging In Place Summit at Old Depot first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Monday, NOVEMBER 3, 2025 |

Photo – Governor Mark Gordon – Courtesy State of Wyoming

Governor Mark Gordon signed two executive orders on Friday intended to put food on Wyoming tables and reduce anxiety over the loss of the federal SNAP program because of congressional inaction.

The federal program distributes up to $5.4 million per month on food for Wyoming families. Children and seniors receive most of the benefits. In 2024, SNAP participants in Wyoming received around $62 million in benefits. In light of the breakdown in Washington, Governor Gordon declared the matter a public welfare emergency.

Unlike the federal government, which allows people on the program to use the benefits to purchase unhealthy food items, Executive Order 2025-07 restricts the use of SNAP benefits from being used to purchase foods that offer little or no nutritional value, such as sugary beverages and candy.

The governor’s EO reads, “Wyoming taxpayers expect their dollars to support food assistance that helps families put healthy food on the table.”

Under the Executive Order, DFS will conduct a full review of food items with low or no nutritional value currently eligible for purchase under federal SNAP rules.

The Department of Family Services will prepare a list of foods to be excluded from SNAP purchases, as well as a phased rollout option to reduce administrative burden on retailers, particularly in rural communities around the state.

The Governor said that Wyoming will lead with common sense and the program will support only wholesome nutrition.

Another Executive Order, 2025-08, authorizes up $10 million dollars in state emergency funds to go toward Wyoming food pantries.

Wyoming DFS Director Korin Schmidt said the failure of the federal government to do its job is placing additional stress on local organizations and churches dedicated to feeding hungry Wyomingites. Schmidt said the state will distribute money based on the number of SNAP recipients in the counties as of September.

According to DFS figures, an average of 28,364 people accessed SNAP in Wyoming each month last fiscal year, with an average monthly payment of about $185 per person.

The state funding, announced on Friday, is temporary and will stop when the federal government shutdown ends and politicians go back to work.

By the way, at least 12 states, including Colorado, received federal approval to restrict recipients of SNAP from using their benefits to purchase certain foods such as soda and candy.

The trend is part of U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda to “make America healthy again” by inviting states to apply for waivers to change SNAP rules to limit what types of food recipients can buy.

Kennedy said in a statement that SNAP has used taxpayer dollars to “fuel America’s diabetes and chronic disease epidemics.”

The post Governor Declares SNAP Benefits Loss “A Public Welfare Emergency” first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Monday, NOVEMBER 3, 2025 |

Photo – Salvation Army logo – Courtesy Salvation Army

An anonymous donation has allowed the Rawlins Salvation Army branch to resume offering financial assistance to residents in Carbon County.

On Thursday evening, Salvation Army volunteer Tink Day announced on social media that she had received a generous $3,000 donation from a Rawlins family. With that money, Day wrote, the Salvation Army can resume financial assistance for utility and housing payments.

Two years ago, Day stepped away from the local Salvation Army branch, citing a need for time off. WYO Help, a statewide charity, stepped in to manage the organization. Problems with vendor payments caused the WYO Help to end its involvement last December.

At the time of the split, Executive Director of Emergency Disaster Services for the Salvation Army Intermountain Division Ian Anderson issued a written statement acknowledging that the organization was at fault.

Anderson said that the Divisional Headquarters Finance Department was understaffed, causing assistance checks to be issued “very late.” The delays upset clients and local vendors working with the Salvation Army.

Frustrated by the unpaid invoices, the vendors directed their complaints at WYO Help, ultimately prompting the organization to end its long-standing partnership with the Salvation Army.

Thanks to support from St. Christopher’s Highway of Carbon County, Tink Day reassumed control of the Rawlins Salvation Army affiliate in April. Speaking to Bigfoot99, Day said that a lack of funding had prevented her from processing assistance requests for two months. The situation changed when Day received two large donations from an anonymous family in Rawlins.

Day said the money will be used to assist Carbon County families with housing and utility bills, adding that the Salvation Army has set a $200 annual limit per household.

For rent assistance payments, Day said the Salvation Army requires the landlord’s sales tax ID number to prevent fraud. Day added that she already has a list of tax ID numbers for most large rental properties.

Day encouraged residents to seek help with utility payments before their service is shut off. Once that happens, Day said, individuals must bring their accounts up to date before the Salvation Army can step in.

As of Friday morning, Day said she had processed four assistance requests and was expecting two more later in the day.

Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, are unlikely to receive their November benefits. Day said she expects more people to seek help. Day hopes local charities can work together to support residents with food and utility payments.

Day, who also volunteers with St. Vincent de Paul, said she’s already seeing a rise in the number of people seeking food aid.

In anticipation of a surge in aid requests, Day said the regional Salvation Army headquarters authorized her to begin holiday donation collections early. Typically, bell ringers start after Thanksgiving, but this year, collections outside Rawlins’ grocery stores will begin on November 15th.

Day opened registration for Salvation Army bell ringer volunteers on Saturday, November 1st. A link to the sign-up sheet is available in the Rawlins News and Chatter Facebook group. Additionally, those wishing to help may call Day directly 321-4989 to schedule a time to collect donations.

If you need help with housing or utility payments, call the Salvation Army at 321-6688. A volunteer will take your information and pass it along to Day, who will return your call as soon as possible.

The post Anonymous Donation Allows Local Salvation Army to Resume Assisting Residents first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Monday, NOVEMBER 3, 2025 |

Photo – RFD logo – Courtesy Rawlins Fire Department

The Rawlins Fire Civil Service Commission has made hiring new firefighters cheaper and more convenient.

During the October 21st Rawlins City Council meeting, Fire Civil Service Commission Chairman Mark Pappenheim updated the governing body about changes to the organization’s bylaws. Over the course of 10 meetings, Pappenheim said the commission approved revisions to the Rawlins Fire Department’s hiring and promotion policies.

Pappenheim thanked City Clerk Lynn Shearer and Rawlins Fire Chief Allen Robinson for their work on the new bylaws and for helping keep the Fire Civil Service Commission on track.

Pappenheim said that most firefighter testing agencies stopped conducting exams in smaller communities after the COVID-19 pandemic. Pappenheim said Chief Robinson visited other fire departments around the state to review their hiring practices, then brought that knowledge back to Rawlins, where the Civil Service Commission approved his ideas.

Pappenheim said the City Council also approved of the Fire Civil Service Commission’s new policies, adding that the new hiring process will save the city money.

Fire Chief Allen Robinson said the city’s firefighter recruitment and hiring systems have moved online, saving approximately $1,000 for each testing session. Chief Robinson explained that applicants pay for their own online testing. Afterwards, only those who pass the online written exam are invited to complete in-person physical fitness testing. The fire chief said that in the past, most applicants failed the written portion, which led to wasted time and effort during the hiring process.

Chief Robinson said the new hiring process has worked very well.

The fire chief said the framework for in-house promotions has been overhauled as well. Chief Robinson said he looked at how other fire departments handled promotions, took what worked, and created a better system for Rawlins.

Under the new system, promotion candidates complete a three-part evaluation: a written test, practical exam, and interview. Like the updated hiring process, Chief Robinson said the new promotional track has proven very successful.

The Rawlins fire chief thanked the entire Fire Civil Service Board, saying they worked together on the new hiring and promotion systems.

The post Hiring and Promoting Firefighters in Rawlins Has Been Restructured first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Friday, OCTOBER 31, 2025 |

Photo – Medicine Bow Food Pantry info – Courtesy Town of Medicine Bow

State officials have recognized the Medicine Bow Food Pantry for its efforts to combat food scarcity in both Carbon and Albany Counties.

In 2019, Wyoming First Lady Jennie Gordon launched the Wyoming Hunger Initiative to address food insecurity across the Cowboy State. Recently, First Lady Gordon honored Medicine Bow Food Pantry volunteers Vicki Kelly and her husband, Dale, for their ongoing dedication to feeding their community.

In a written statement to Bigfoot99, Vicki Kelly stated that the award was meant to honor the whole food pantry, not any single volunteer. Kelly added that Medicine Bow Food Pantry founder Lucy Schofield’s name should have been on the plaque, as she has poured her heart and soul into the organization.

Speaking to Bigfoot reporter Matt Copeland, Lucy Schofield said her volunteers are the most important part of the Medicine Bow Food Pantry. After fighting through reems of red tape, Schofield was able to found the northern Carbon County food bank in June of 2022.

The organization began in the Medicine Bow Community Center but quickly outgrew the space and moved into a larger building thanks to a generous offer from the local electricity cooperative, High Plains Power.

The food bank is now located at 213 Maple Street in Medicine Bow. Schofield said the Wyoming Hunger Initiative has supported the Medicine Bow Food Pantry since its inception, with First Lady Gordon personally donating a quarter of beef.

The Medicine Bow Food Pantry receives weekly deliveries from the nonprofit Food Bank of Wyoming, in Evansville. Schofield said items not included in those deliveries must be purchased using donated funds.

The food pantry is open three days a week. Schofield said her organization provides aid to approximately 60 families from northeastern Carbon and western Albany Counties.

Founder Lucy Schofield encouraged everyone in need to visit the Medicine Bow Food Pantry. Schofield said community members only need to sign a logbook and take what their families can use.

Due to the ongoing government shutdown, families who rely on federal food assistance programs may not receive their November SNAP benefits. Schofield said she expects a surge in food requests and is prepared to distribute items originally intended for Thanksgiving.

Additionally, the Medicine Bow Food Pantry will host a silent auction at the C-Spear Restaurant on November 22nd, featuring a variety of donated and handmade items. Schofield said money raised during the event will be used to restock the food pantry’s shelves.

Schofield said she’s committed to doing whatever it takes to ensure that residents of Medicine Bow and the surrounding communities have access to free food, adding that the pantry is open to everyone, regardless of where they live or how much money they make.

The Medicine Bow Food Pantry is located at 213 Maple Street and is open Monday from noon to 3:00 p.m., Wednesday from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., and Friday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. For more information about the food bank, donations, or volunteering, call Lucy Schofield at 299-6643.

The post Medicine Bow Food Pantry Recognized by State Officials first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Thursday, OCTOBER 30, 2025 |

Photo – 2021 photo of CNAs helping fill food baskets at St Vincent De Paul – Courtesy Barb James

Local charities in Carbon County are gearing up to help during the expected pause in government-funded food assistance that begins November 1.

Nearly one in 13 Wyoming residents, most of them children, participates in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Due to the government shutdown and the breakdown in talks between Republicans and Democrats, funding for SNAP is not expected to be issued in November. Approximately 1,000 families here in Carbon County are likely to be without benefits because of the political impasse.

Private agencies are stepping into help. In Rawlins, St. Vincent de Paul provides food to needy families. St. Vincent de Paul Society President MaryKay Albrechtson said the organization is preparing for an expected surge in aid requests.

St. Vincent de Paul Society President Albrechtson said the charity has been stocking up on canned goods for the Christmas season. These supplies are expected to be needed in November, when SNAP benefits lapse.

Albrechtson said she’s confident that residents in Rawlins will continue donating throughout the federal government shutdown.

St. Vincent de Paul is currently running a Halloween canned food drive at the Rawlins Family Recreation Center.  On Saturday, November 1, Rawlins community members are holding the annual Friends of the Needy Bazaar in the Jeffery Memorial Community Center.

Albrechtson said money raised during the event is typically used to purchase food for Christmas, but this year, the funds will help prepare for November’s expected rise in aid requests.

Albrechtson said St. Vincent de Paul also accepts monetary donations, which are used to purchase meat for the food baskets.

In the meantime, the St. Vincent de Paul Society has been meeting with the state’s leading food assistance organizations: the Wyoming Hunger Initiative and Food Bank of Wyoming.

Society President Albrechtson said both groups are pressing Wyoming lawmakers to reinstate full SNAP benefits, while St. Vincent de Paul focuses on providing direct aid at the local level.

If you need food assistance, call St. Vincent de Paul at 324-7002 and leave a message with your name and phone number. A volunteer will return your call to ask about your family size and prepare a customized basket tailored to your household’s needs.

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has been addressing the issue this week in Cheyenne and will hold a news conference on Friday where he may address the issue.

The post St. Vincent De Paul Prepares to Assist SNAP Recipients first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Thursday, OCTOBER 30, 2025 |

Photo – Saratoga Rec Center gym – Courtesy Platte Valley Community Center

In Saratoga, The Saratoga Recreation Commission is considering a policy that would require members to pay for gymnasium key FOBs.

During the October 15th Saratoga Town Council meeting, Recreation Director Carter Edwards said the Recreation Commission is reviewing gym membership rates at the Platte Valley Community Center. As part of those ongoing efforts, Edwards said the Commission would like to begin charging lower-tier members for their security access devices. The Recreation Director said the FOBs have gotten more expensive to replace.

Edwards said he would like to purchase 50 additional key fobs.

The Saratoga Recreation Department offers three membership levels: One Star, Two Star, and Gold Star. One Star members over the age of 13 receive unsupervised access to the gym and sports equipment. For an additional fee, Two Star members are eligible for unlimited access to the weight room or complimentary town-hosted fitness classes. Gold Star members enjoy all the benefits of the lower tiers, including access to both the weight room and fitness classes.

In addition to asking One Star members to pay for their initial key FOB, Recreation Director Edwards said the Commission is planning to require all members to pay a $7 fee to replace lost access devices. Edwards said the price increase will only apply to new One Star members.

Councilman Bub Barkhurst asked if people typically return their key FOBs when their membership expires. Since the town doesn’t require the FOBs to be returned, Edwards said most people simply keep them.

Councilman Jerry Fluty asked what prevents former members from using their FOBs to continue accessing the gym. Edwards explained that the devices automatically expire when the membership ends.

Edwards said he can reset the FOB when a person renews their membership.

Mayor Chuck Davis suggested tracking down former members to collect expired key FOBs so they can be reused.

Rec Director Edwards said he isn’t concerned with retrieving old FOBs. Instead, the Recreation Commission is trying to recoup the town’s increased overhead costs through membership fees.

Mayor Davis instructed Edwards to order new key FOBs and work with the Recreation Commission on the new membership rates. Once the fees are set, the Town Council can vote them into effect.

Edwards said he’ll have the key FOB purchase ready for the next Saratoga Town Council meeting on November 5th. In the meantime, the Rec Director will coordinate with the Recreation Commission on the new gym membership rates.

The post Saratoga Recreation Discuss Increase of Membership Fee first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Tuesday, OCTOBER 28, 2025 |

Photo – Sararoga’s debris piles – Courtesy Town of Saratoga

Saratoga officials are considering moving the town’s unsightly debris pile.

During the October 15th Saratoga Town Council meeting, Mayor Chuck Davis announced that Elizabeth Hilliard, a resident of the Vista Dawn subdivision on the town’s west side, had expressed concern about the staging of waste concrete and rock near her property.

In a letter to the governing body, Hilliard stated that in 2021, she was assured the debris pile on West Walnut Avenue would be removed shortly after she purchased her new home. However, Hilliard wrote that the pile has only grown since that time. Hilliard described the dump site as aesthetically unappealing to all Vista Dawn residents and claimed it is preventing her from selling or renting her property.

Public Works Director Emery Penner noted that Hilliard is not the only west side resident who has raised concerns. In response to complaints, Penner presented a plan to move the pit to a 20-acre parcel of town-owned property on County Road 640, also known as North Spring Creek Road.

The Bureau of Land Management deeded the 20-acre parcel to the Town of Saratoga sometime in the 1960s.

Penner said the property is entirely owned by the town but added that he has received conflicting information about whether the parcel lies within town limits or in an unincorporated part of the county. Penner said the jurisdiction of the land will dictate how it is zoned.

Penner said he would like to fence off 4.5 acres portion of the property to use as the new dumping area.

The Public Works Director noted that the town has used the area off West Walnut Avenue to store construction debris since before the Vista Dawn subdivision was established. Still, Penner said relocating the debris pile would be the right thing to do. Clearing the land would also give the town the option to sell the property in the future.

Penner asked if the governing body would prefer him to look for an alternative site. The Public Works Director said the proposed location is ideal for the town’s debris pile.

Councilman Jerry Fluty asked if the debris pile could be relocated to the east side of the North Platte River, within Saratoga’s industrial area. Penner responded that the town does not own any property in that location, adding that the proposed location has plenty of room and is out of the flood plain.

The Public Works Director said he informed the resident who raised the complaint formally that the town is currently undergoing a water and sewer line replacement with Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel. Penner said the debris pile won’t be moved until sometime after that project is completed.

Mayor Chuck Davis expressed his approval of the idea. Penner said he will present the proposed relocation of the debris pile to the Town Council once he confirms if the site is located within Saratoga town limits or in the county.

In a written statement to Bigfoot99, Penner stressed that the relocation is only a proposal at this stage and has not been finalized. The Public Works Director wrote that he must first determine if the property can be used to store construction debris before proceeding with the move. Penner added that the town understands the public’s concerns and that he is personally committed to finding a solution.

The post Saratoga Officials Discuss Debris Piles Move first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.