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Tuesday, OCTOBER 7, 2025 |

Photo – Announcement for Haunted Downtown Tours – Courtesy CC Museum

The Carbon County Museum is hosting a Halloween-themed walking tour of downtown Rawlins.

Carbon County Museum Director Tom Mensik said he was exploring ways to celebrate the Halloween season while expanding the museum’s public outreach. Mensik said, as a result, Museum Education Manager Kelia McCuddy gathered a collection of creepy and morbid stories about the city. The Museum Director said he and his staff decided to turn those stories into a haunted walking tour.

Tour attendees will meet in front of Victory Baptist Church, located at 302 West Cedar Street, before being led through downtown Rawlins. Mensik said the tour will include the location where notorious outlaw Big Nose George Parrott’s remains were discovered.

Parrott was lynched by a Rawlins mob in 1881 after a failed attempt to escape from jail. His body was dissected by local physicians, Dr. Thomas Maghee and Dr. John Osborne. Perhaps most famously, Dr. Osborne had skin from Parrott’s thighs and chest tanned and made into a pair of shoes, which he is said to have worn to his gubernatorial inauguration and are on display in the Carbon County Museum.

Dr. Thomas Maghee kept the remainder of the outlaw’s body in a whiskey barrel at his office on the corner of 4th and West Cedar Streets. Museum Director Tom Mensik said the barrel was discovered in the 1950s during renovations to Dr. Maghee’s former office. The remains were positively identified by matching the skull to a fragment being used as an ashtray by Lillian Heath, Wyoming’s first female doctor. Although the barrel and most of Big Nose George’s remains are presumed lost, Mensik said the Carbon County Museum still has the outlaw’s boots in its collection.

The Haunted Downtown Tour will also visit the Osborn Building, located at the corner of 5th and Cedar Streets. Museum Director Mensik said the location is tied to a 1912 murder, when Frank Hadsell fatally shot banker A.G. Rosser before committing suicide near the historic train depot.

Mensik said each Haunted Downtown Tour lasts approximately one hour, with two tours offered at 6:00 and 7:30 p.m. The first tour is scheduled for Saturday, October 11th, but tickets quickly sold out, prompting the Museum Director to add a second date on Saturday, October 18th. Tickets are $20 per person, with proceeds going to support the Carbon County Museum. Each tour is limited to 15 participants.

Mensik said he may add a third tour date if the October 18th event sells out as well. However, the Museum Director said he would schedule it for early November to avoid conflicting with the Wyoming Frontier Prison’s annual Halloween fundraiser.

In the meantime, the Carbon County Museum is offering guided cemetery tours. Mensik said the free tours focus more on historic Rawlins’ residents than on morbid events.

The next historic cemetery tours are scheduled for October 10th and 17th, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Attendees are asked to arrive at the Rawlins Cemetery, located at 915 3rd Street, by 6:00 p.m. on either date.

The Carbon County Museum’s Haunted Downtown Tour will take place on Saturday, October 18th, at 6:00 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person with a maximum of 15 tickets available for each of the two tours. Visit the Carbon County Museum Facebook page for more information about the event.

The post Haunted Downtown Tours Help Carbon County Museum first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Monday, OCTOBER 6, 2025 |

Photo – Wind Turbines – Bigfoot99 file photo

State officials debated the prudence of renewing wind energy leases in Carbon County.

As part of the State Office of State Lands and Investments, the Wyoming State Board of Land Commissioners oversees state trust land. The Board’s duty is to ensure these lands generate revenue for public schools through grazing, mineral development, and renewable energy leases.

At the October 2nd meeting of the State Board of Land Commissioners, officials considered renewing two PacifiCorp wind energy leases in Carbon County. Both wind farms were built in the year 2000 under 25-year leases from the state. The Board of Land Commissioners was being asked to extend each lease by an additional 50 years.

Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments Lands Management Program Supervisor Cody Booth began by describing the first wind energy lease up for renewal. Booth said the project spans more than 13,000 acres of the Hi-Allen Ranch, 640 of which are located on state trust land, roughly 22 miles northwest of Arlington.

The wind farm has a maximum output of 147 megawatts. Over the past 25 years, Booth said the lease has generated $300,000 for the state. The Lands Management Program Supervisor admitted that the amount was lower than expected and said the new lease will ensure the state receives more money from the project.

Booth explained that the original lease required PacifiCorp to pay the state $1,000 per megawatt hour per year and $2.25 for each acre of state trust lands. In 2024, the wind farm generated $23,532.74. The Lands Management Program Supervisor said the new lease more than quadruples the fees.

Booth said the fees are set to increase by at least 2% every year for the next 50 years. Under the new lease agreement, PacifiCorp will pay the state $64,000 in the first year.

By the end of the 50-year contract, Booth said the state will have received over $5 million dollars from the agreement.

Booth said the second wind lease renewal was similar to the first, with 640 acres of a 2,780-acre wind farm on state trust lands, located roughly eight and a half miles north of Arlington. Booth said PacifiCorp will have paid the state $8 million in generation fees by the end of the 50-year lease.

Secretary of State, Chuck Gray, objected to the wind leases, saying they don’t align with the Board of Land Commissioners’ duty to ensure state trust land is generating the maximum possible revenue. Secretary Gray added that President Donald Trump has asked states to stop supporting wind energy projects.

Secretary Gray said he would vote against both wind leases.

Board of Lands Commissioners Auditor Kristi Racines disagreed with the Secretary of State’s remarks. Racines said the leases generate money for the state. By not renewing the agreement, the Board would be forcing PacifiCorp to remove its wind turbines from state trust land, creating a 640-acre gap in both wind farms and eliminating any state revenue.

Board Treasurer Curt Meier said China added 51.8 gigawatts of wind energy capacity in the first half of 2025. Treasurer Meier said not renewing the wind leases would effectively end the county’s energy independence at a time when electricity is critical to national security.

Secretary of State Gray said President Trump disputes claims that China is expanding its use of wind energy, arguing the country is instead building more coal and gas power plants. The Secretary of State said reliance on wind energy is forcing America to depend on global partners for electricity production.

Secretary of State Gray said the Board of Land Commissioners must do what’s right for the American people and take a stand against wind energy.

After further discussion, the Board of Land Commissioners approved both PacifiCorp wind energy lease renewals by votes of 3–2. The agreements are set to expire in 2075.

The post State Officials Renew Wind Energy Leases Near Arlington first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Friday, OCTOBER 3, 2025 |

Photo – Staging area for sewer project – Bigfoot99 file photo

Saratoga officials approved changes to the town’s 6th Penny Tax-funded sewer improvement project.

In March, the Saratoga Public Works Department and Engineering Associates began drawing up plans to modernize the sewer lines on the west side of town using 6th Penny Specific Purpose Tax funding. Called the West Bench Sanitary Sewer Improvement Project, the goal is to use Cured-in-Place epoxy lining to repair approximately 7,000 feet of deteriorating sewer pipes. Lines found to be beyond repair will be dug up and replaced with new synthetic pipes.

In June, the Town of Saratoga began soliciting contractor bids for the project. At the July 15th Saratoga Town Council meeting, Public Works Director Emery Penner announced that he had received three bids, all of which were near the estimated $1,487,605 cost of the project. Penner said of the three proposals, Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel submitted the lowest bid, at $1,482,272.50.

As is typical with major infrastructure projects, costs climbed to $1,706,843 once Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel began work.

The project is being paid for using voter-approved funding from the 2019 Special Purpose Tax. Additionally, the Town of Saratoga had roughly $11,000 left over from a previous 6th Penny Tax project, the 6th Street sewer replacement, which it allocated to the West Bench initiative.

Last month, the governing body of Saratoga signed a contract with Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel to complete the sewer infrastructure project for the agreed upon price. The Cheyenne-based contractor was given until February 17th, 2026, to finish the entire project or face daily fines totaling $2,250.

Similar fines were assessed to Lewis and Lewis for failing to complete the Spring Avenue Sewer Replacement Project by the October 31st, 2022, deadline. Multiple delays, including groundwater issues and difficulty procuring equipment, extended the project nearly seven months. Final completion did not occur until May of 2023, resulting in more than $300,000 in financial penalties. However, the Town ultimately repaid most of the fines to the Rock Springs contractor, minus the costs incurred during the unexpected winter shutdown.

Public Works Director Emery Penner assured the Saratoga Town Council that Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel would not face the same ground water issues as Lewis and Lewis.

Work on the West Bench Sewer Replacement Project began on Monday, August 25th. Since that time, the Saratoga Water and Sewer Joint Powers Board, which oversees the West Bench project, has held two public meetings: the first on September 18th and the second on September 30th, both to discuss changes to the job.

During the October 1st Saratoga Town Council meeting, Public Works Director Penner presented a change order from the Water and Sewer Joint Powers Board. Penner explained that Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel discovered two sections of pipe on Saratoga Avenue, from 11th to 9th Streets, that were originally scheduled to be relined but must be replaced instead.

Penner said relining the roughly 1,000 feet of damaged pipe would be more difficult and costly than fully replacing the affected sewer lines. The Public Works Director agreed that the change order was necessary.

Penner said the rest of the work is progressing as planned, with no further unexpected setbacks.

Penner said following the two public meetings, the Saratoga Water and Sewer Joint Powers Board recommended approving the change order. The Public Works Director urged the Town Council to authorize completely replacing the affected sewer lines rather than using the Cured-in-Place, or CIP, liner.

The change order added $318,823 to the project, bringing the total cost to $2,025,666. Penner said the Town has enough Special Purpose Tax revenue left to cover the added expense. Penner added that the change pushes the expected completion date back 45 days, to April 3rd, 2026.

The Saratoga Town Council unanimously voted to approve Rocky Mountain Sand and Gravel’s $318,823 change order. Public Works Director Penner said the Cured-in-Place pipe relining is scheduled to begin by Saturday, October 11th, with that portion of the work expected to take two to three weeks to complete.

The post Changes Made to Saratoga Sewer Improvement Project first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Friday, OCTOBER 3, 2025 |

Photo – Platte Valley Community Center – Courtesy PVCC

The Platte Valley Community Center and Chamber of Commerce are hosting a memorial 5K to raise money for student mental health services.

Platte Valley residents are still grappling with the sudden loss of 16-year-old Saratoga High School football star Easton Mason. During the October 1st Saratoga Town Council meeting, Platte Valley Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Amanda Knotwell announced that she had been asked to help organize a memorial run in his honor. Knotwell said proceeds from the event will be used to replenish Carbon County School District Number Two’s mental health support services budget.

Knotwell explained that she was asked to organize the fundraiser due to her work on Saratoga’s annual Fourth of July fun run. The Chamber of Commerce CEO said the Easton Mason Memorial 5K will follow the same route as the July 4th race, with participants starting at Veteran’s Island, running along South River Street, crossing the North Platte River via Bridge Avenue, and returning to Veteran’s Island. Organizers typically close the bridge to vehicle traffic to protect runners, but Knotwell said that it won’t be necessary for this event because of the lack of holiday traffic.

Knotwell said she is also accepting donations from those who would like to contribute but not take part in the run. The Chamber of Commerce CEO said 100% of the proceeds will go to Carbon County School District Number Two.

The Saratoga Town Council unanimously voted to approve the Easton Mason Memorial 5K on November 1st. Knotwell said she’ll notify the governing body if the weather requires a change in date.

The post Memorial 5K Run Scheduled for November 1 first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Thursday, OCTOBER 2, 2025 |

Photo – Notice – Bigfoot99 file photo

The federal government remains shut down today with no end in sight.

Democrats are holding firm to their demand for health care subsidies totaling over $1 trillion. Much of the American taxpayer money would go to illegal aliens who entered the country during the Joe Biden administration.

Neither side appears willing to budge. The next step could likely be the mass layoff of federal workers rather than simple furloughs.

No new official talks between the two sides are scheduled.

Vice President JD Vance was blunt about the options Wednesday. “Let’s be honest, if this thing drags on, we are going to have to lay people off.”

Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed with some being fired. Many offices will be closed, some permanently.

President Trump has focused on cutting programs Democrats tout.

Wyoming Senator John Barrasso saw it this way.

Layoffs are coming with neither party looking ready to back down from the standoff.

Democrats in the Senate have blocked the GOP funding bill on three separate votes. Many members of the Senate are expected to return home on Thursday to observe Yom Kippur but will return Friday to continue voting. To advance the bill, Republicans need at least 60 votes to defeat the Senate filibuster.

At the center of the standoff is having American taxpayers provide healthcare to illegal aliens. Democrats say this is untrue. Vice President Vance explains the smoke obscuring the standoff.

The Vice President said in a tweet later, “Democrats shut down the government to give health care money to illegal aliens. It’s really that simple.”

New York State, for instance, uses the fungibility of federal money to move money to illegals for health care. Only three members of the Democrat caucus crossed the aisle and voted yes on the bill yesterday.

The post Government Remains Shut Down with No End in Sight first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Thursday, OCTOBER 2, 2025 |

Photo – 1940’s photo of Highway 130 and Bridge Avenue in Saratoga – Courtesy Dyrt Road Realty

Saratoga officials addressed the importance of improving pedestrian safety along Highway 130.

Back in April, the Saratoga Town Council discussed the need to increase pedestrian safety in the center of town. Police Chief John Moore suggested installing a traffic light at the intersection of Bridge Avenue and Highway 130, but the idea was quickly dismissed. Instead, Chief Moore announced that the Wyoming Department of Transportation is planning to install pedestrian curb extensions during a 2029 Highway 130 repaving project.

Curb-outs, also known as bulb-outs, are sidewalk extensions that project into the parking lane, narrowing the roadway to improve pedestrian visibility and create safer crossing points at the intersection.

Chief Moore informed the governing body that WYDOT plans to conduct a traffic study at the intersection of Bridge Avenue and Highway 130 next year. The results will help determine what measures are needed to improve safety.

The matter was revisited during the September 16th Saratoga Town Council meeting. Public Works Director Emery Penner said WYDOT representatives told the town it could install flashing warning beacons to improve pedestrian safety at the intersection. However, Penner said the state agency is uncertain if the devices are necessary.

Penner said the decision to install the flashing beacons is ultimately up to the governing body.

Councilman Bub Barkhurst emphasized the need for additional safety measures at the corner of Bridge Avenue and Highway 130, saying that he personally witnessed a large tanker truck nearly strike someone crossing the intersection.

Councilman Barkhurst said the intersection of Bridge Avenue and Highway 130 is the most dangerous place for pedestrians.

Public Works Director Penner replied that WYDOT would require limiting the number of crossing points along the highway if the town chooses to install the flashing beacons.

Penner reiterated that the decision is entirely up to the governing body. However, the Public Works Director said WYDOT District One Engineer Ralph Tarango recommended waiting until the curb-outs are installed during the Highway 130 repaving project, slated for 2029.

With the project still four years away, Councilman Barkhurst said something must be done to protect people in the meantime. The Councilman warned that Saratoga’s traffic volume is steadily increasing.

Police Chief John Moore pointed out that the Town of Sinclair installed a flashing pedestrian beacon on Lincoln Avenue, which has proven effective at keeping people safe from commercial truck traffic.

The Saratoga Town Council agreed that something must be done to improve pedestrian safety. While they consider how to proceed, the governing body encouraged residents and visitors to use extra caution when crossing Highway 130.

The post Pedestrian Crossing at Highway 130 and Bridge a Concern of Saratoga Council first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Thursday, OCTOBER 2, 2025 |

Photo – Rawlins Animal Control Truck – Bigfoot99 file photo

The City of Rawlins will continue accepting stray animals from around the county.

As the most populated municipality in Carbon County, Rawlins is home to the largest animal rescue facility, the Rochelle Animal Shelter. Consequently, the City of Rawlins has agreements in place with other municipalities and county agencies to take in stray animals.

In May, the Rawlins City Council approved a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with the Sinclair Police Department to accept lost pets and feral animals. Under the agreement, the Town of Sinclair will pay $50 for every dog or cat brought to the Rochelle Animal Shelter. If an animal remains in Rawlins for more than five days, the Sinclair Police Department will be charged an additional $150 to cover spay, neuter, and vaccination costs.

During the September 16th Rawlins City Council meeting, the governing body discussed a similar MOU with the Town of Saratoga.

Rawlins Police Lieutenant Daria Hooper, who oversees the Rochelle Animal Shelter, said the MOU renews an existing agreement with Saratoga with updated fees to reflect the rising cost of housing the stray animals.

The governing body unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding between the City and the Town of Saratoga to accept stray animals.

Next, the Rawlins City Council reviewed an MOU with the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office for similar services. Councilman Steve Sagner asked if the agreement was the same as the one with Saratoga. Lieutenant Hooper replied that the two documents are nearly identical, with only small language differences.

The governing body also unanimously approved the MOU between the City of Rawlins and the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office.

The post Rawlins Animal Shelter to Accept County’s Strays first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Wednesday, OCTOBER 1, 2025 |

Photo – Notice – Bigfoot99 file photo

Government is shut down. Some national news media outlets refer to it as “The Schummer shutdown”, referring to Democrat Senate Leader Chuck Schummer.

Congress, on Tuesday, failed to agree to a funding extension by midnight, October 1. The failure to reach a spending deal shut down government for the first time in more than six years.

Wyoming Senior Senator John Barrasso voiced his frustration Tuesday evening as the deadline neared.

Two Democrats and one Independent joined with Republicans on Tuesday.  Senators John Fetterman (PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (NV), and Angus King (I-ME), voted for the bill, which failed 55 to 45, forcing the shutdown.

Medicare and Social Security will continue to operate. Unemployment benefits will be paid.

However, calls to federal agencies may go unanswered.

The National Weather Service also will continue to operate.

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has been monitoring the situation in Washington with the federal government.

The Governor issued protocols to state agencies regarding state employee positions that are fully or partially funded by the federal government.

The Governor’s Chief of Staff, Drew Perkins, articulated the short-term protocols in a letter to state cabinet members as follows:

The memorandum to state agencies from the Governor’s Chief of Staff concluded, “Any state funds expended under federal obligation during the shutdown are expected, though not guaranteed, to be reimbursed by the federal government.”

Other impacts from the failure of Congress to strike a deal Tuesday include a warning from Vice President JD Vance that flights could be delayed in some parts of the nation amid the government shutdown.

The US Travel Association, a trade group, warned that a government shutdown could cost $1 billion a week and create ‘unnecessary strain on an already overextended federal travel workforce.’

Stock futures plunged and gold rocketed to fresh all-time highs on Wednesday after the government shutdown took hold at midnight.

The post Federal Government Shutdown First in Six Years first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Wednesday, OCTOBER 1, 2025 |

Photo – Governor Mark Gordon – Courtesy State of Wyoming

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, on Tuesday, detailed ways that the Trump Administration is working to expand coal production after years of Democrat Administrations writing off the industry as dead.

The Governor detailed how the green light to boost production and expanding coal sales into Asian markets could offset the drop in federal royalty rates from 12.5% to 7%, causing a hit of $50 million to the state budget.

Key to the move is expanding coal production. The Trump Administration announced on Monday that 13.1 million acres of federal land will be made available for coal leasing. Sales were announced in Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, and Utah.

In Wyoming, The West Antelope III lease sale is on a tract 15 miles south of Wright. The sale is scheduled for October 8 at the BLM Wyoming State Office in Cheyenne. The Antelope Mine, operated by Navajo Transitional Energy Company, is the third-largest coal mine in the United States by production, with an annual output of 20-25 million tons and approximately 400 employees.

Some of the miners from Antelope Mine attended the news conference with the Governor in Cheyenne on Monday.

The Governor applauded the decision to move forward with coal production rather than abandoning it as an obsolete part of the American past. Last year, Wyoming reduced the severance tax rate on coal to match the royalty rate of oil and gas.

Guaranteeing new revenues from coal is good news for Wyoming families and businesses, the Governor said.

The Governor then pivoted to what he described as “other exciting news” for Wyoming coal. A recent court decision will open the door for exporting coal to markets in Asia.

The Governor said that under the new guidelines, Wyoming will pivot from coasting to closure of coal mines to coasting to energy security.

As part of this week’s announcement, the Trump Administration plans to double down on the coal industry with $600 million in funding. The Governor ran through the details of the funding.

Another $25 million dollars will be available for engineering and implementation of dual firing retrofits for plants. This will enable power plants to switch seamlessly between fuel sources, such as coal or gas, and achieve full-steam capacity. This will expand the lifespans of power plants.

The Governor said that the Bridger Power Plant, located 10 miles north of Point of Rocks near Rock Springs, is looking for the ability to switch between gas and coal.

The economics of gas tend to be more volatile than coal. Gas prices are prone to sharper peaks and valleys, depending on supply and other issues. Keeping the price of energy stable will help lower the price for consumers.

The Governor said the general view over the last decade, or more is that coal was being phased out so industries weren’t reinvesting in existing plants.

The Governor said that the Trump Administration is providing an opportunity to reinvest and equalize the costs over time.

The post Wyoming Governor Details the Plan of Coal Expansion first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Wednesday, OCTOBER 1, 2025 |

Photo – 2012 Hazmat emergency response book – Bigfoot99 file photo

The Rawlins Fire Department will receive a new handheld chemical identification device at no cost.

On Friday, September 26th, the Rawlins City Council held a special meeting to discuss demolishing the 137-year-old Wyoming Bar building in the downtown shopping district. During the meeting, the governing body also considered a 2025 State Homeland Security Program grant application. Rawlins Fire Chief Allen Robinson requested a $103,550 grant from the Wyoming Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency to purchase a Raman Point chemical detection device for the city’s fire department.

Chief Robinson explained that the handheld chemical detector will allow firefighters to quickly identify a wide variety of unknown substances, including explosives and narcotics.

Raman spectroscopy uses a laser to determine the chemical makeup of materials. When the laser hits a substance, a small portion of light changes energy. By measuring that change, the device can identify the material.

Back at Friday’s meeting, Chief Robinson explained that the fire department already has a Raman chemical detection device. However, the unit is past its operational lifespan and can no longer be serviced.

Chief Robinson said the chemical detector is portable and can be quickly deployed where it is needed. In fact, the Fire Chief said the 2025 State Homeland Security Program grant stipulates that the device must be available to any agency requesting its use.

Chief Robinson said the Laramie Fire Department has a Raman chemical detector similar to the one he’s requesting, but it’s too far away to be useful during an emergency.

Vice Mayor Darril Garner asked how frequently the chemical detector would be deployed. Chief Robinson responded that he doesn’t expect to use the machine often because his firefighters are trained to identify hazardous substances.

However, Chief Robinson said the chemical detector will be housed in Rawlins, allowing firefighters to quickly deploy the unit when needed.

The Rawlins City Council unanimously voted to allow Chief Robinson to submit the $103,550 State Homeland Security Program grant application for the purchase of a new Raman Point chemical detector. This is a zero-match grant, meaning no City funds are required.

The post RFD to Apply for Grant to Purchase Chemical Identification Device first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.