Bigfoot99 News - Bigfoot 99 Radio

Wednesday, AUGUST 6, 2025 |

Photo – Members of Search and Rescue carry injured person down side of mountain – Courtesy Sheriff Alex Bakken Facebook

Medical personnel had to overcome rugged terrain to rescue an injured hiker over the weekend.

As reported by Bigfoot99, on Saturday afternoon, 15 Search and Rescue volunteers responded to a call about an injured hiker located within the Platte River Wilderness Area of southern Carbon County. Bigfoot99 reporter Matt Copeland reached out to Intermountain Health Flight and Ambulance Service Rawlins Region Director Cy Cass for more information about the incident. Cass explained that his helicopter team arrived at the scene before the Carbon County Search and Rescue Teams and were able to locate an uninjured female standing by the North Platte River.

Intermountain Health Flight and Ambulance Service is also known as Classic Air Medical.

Rawlins Region Director Cass said the helicopter pilot struggled to find a suitable landing zone due to the mountainous terrain. The pilot eventually settled on a flat area on top of a nearby hill, but had to conduct a “hot drop,” where he left the helicopter running with its blades spinning while the medical team disembarked. Cass explained that type of maneuver allows the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft while landing in a hazardous location.

After landing, Cass said the two-person medical team began looking for the female. However, she had returned to her injured companion. Eventually, the Intermountain Health team located the reporting party and, with the help of the Carbon County Search and Rescue teams, began looking for a way to evacuate the injured person.

Cass said the Search and Rescue team considered lifting the patient into the helicopter by ropes. However, they eventually determined that bringing the injured person down the mountain side, to the river, was the best course of action. By rotating stretcher carriers, the team successfully completed the descent and reached the riverbank.

The helicopter pilot flew up and down the valley, searching for a suitable landing zone. Ultimately, the decision was made to touch down on a shallow gravel bar in the middle of the North Platte River. Cass said the riverbed offered the most practical location to load the patient into the medical helicopter.

Additionally, Cass said the water offered a safer landing zone than a typical dirt patch, where rotor wash can stir up loose sand and cause a “brown out.” The wet soil helped minimize airborne dust during the landing approach.

In total, Cass said his team was on the ground for approximately 7 hours, necessitating a pilot change in the middle of the rescue operation.

Due to HIPAA privacy restrictions, Cass was unable to disclose any information about the injured person.

Intermountain Health Flight and Ambulance Service Rawlins Region Director Cy Cass said Saturday’s successful search and rescue operation demonstrated the seamless cooperation between his agency, both Carbon County Search and Rescue East and West teams, and the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office.

The post Rugged Terrain a Big Hurdle in Rescue of Injured Hiker first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Wednesday, AUGUST 6, 2025|

Photo – Medicine Bow Town Council – by Matt Copeland Bigfoot99

A Medicine Bow resident’s plan to relocate their sewer line prompts the governing body to reconsider the town’s high tap fees.

During the July 14th Medicine Bow Town Council meeting, Public Works Director Brian Lashely announced that a resident has been having reoccurring sewer issues. Lashley said the community member is seeking permission to install a new sewer line in a town-owned alley. The Public Works Director said he was uncertain about the legality of the proposal and asked the governing body for guidance.

Public Works Director Lashley explained that the resident is asking to abandon their existing sewer line and install a new pipe within the town-owned service corridor. Lashley said he doesn’t approve of the plan to add private underground infrastructure into the alley.

Lashely said the resident reported that the existing sewer line is made up of Orangeburg pipe, which is constructed from layers of wood pulp and coal tar pitch, typically used between 1945 and the early 1970s. The fiber pipes are collapsed in areas, resulting in repeated sewer backups for the resident.

Mayor Justin George expressed concern over a privately owned sewer line running near town infrastructure. While the current owner may know the sewer line’s exact location, Mayor George said future property owners might not, which could force contractors to search for the pipe and risk damage to municipal equipment.

Alternatively, the property owner could pay $4,300 to have the town install a new sewer hookup to their home. Mayor George questioned the high cost of the service. Public Works Director Lashley explained that the tap fee is meant to serve as a financial commitment to the town and its sewer infrastructure.

Meanwhile, a water tap costs approximately $1,400 in total. The Medicine Bow Town Council agreed that the sewer tap fees are too high. Mayor George offered to review the hookup fees in the future, stating that the high cost to connect to the town’s water and sewer system may discourage people from moving to the town.

Following the discussion, the Medicine Bow Town Council unanimously voted to deny the resident’s application to relocate their sewer line into the town-owned alley. Mayor Justin George instructed the resident to bring an alternative proposal to the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission for consideration.

The post Medicine Bow to Reconsider Tap Fees first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Wednesday, AUGUST 6, 2025 |

Photo – WY Game and Fish logo – Courtesy Wyoming Game and Fish

A newly released report details the law enforcement activities of Game and Fish wardens.

On Monday, June 28th, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department released its 2024 Law Enforcement Report. Saratoga Game Warden Connor Worthen explained that the 42-page document provides detailed information and statistics on wildlife law enforcement activities across the state’s eight districts.

Worthen took over the Saratoga office from Game Warden Levi Wood in April.

According to the report, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department recorded 3,102 total violations in 2024. The majority, around 65 percent, were classified as wildlife infractions, including poaching and illegal possession. In the Laramie Region, which covers approximately 10,000 square miles including Carbon County, 667 total Game and Fish law enforcement actions took place. Game Warden Worthen said 397 of those enforcement actions were related to hunting. In many cases, the offenders received warnings rather than formal citations.

In 2023, Laramie Region game wardens conducted a total of 552 law enforcement actions. The previous year, they carried out 371.

Last November, one of the most notable Game and Fish cases occurred in Carbon County, when then-Saratoga Game Warden Levi Wood discovered a large number of frozen brown trout in a game processor’s freezer. A total of 32 frozen brown trout were taken from the North Platte River, 18 of which exceeded the maximum legal size. Additionally, anglers are only permitted to catch and possess three fish per day.

Warden Worthen said the three anglers from California were located on Veteran’s Island, in Saratoga. When confronted, the fishermen admitted to catching the trout, but said they did not know that they could only have three fish each day.

According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, one angler took 10 brown trout, four of which were more than 16 inches long. The second fisherman took 15 brown trout and one rainbow trout, with nine of the brown trout exceeding the size limit. And the third angler took seven brown trout, including five that were more than 16 inches long.

Due to the severity of their violations, the three out-of-state anglers were cited for exceeding the limit of game fish and violating size restrictions. Warden Worthen said the fishermen were ordered to pay a combined $1,140 in fines and $1,500 in restitution and had their national fishing privileges revoked for one year.

According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s 2024 Law Enforcement Report, Laramie Region game wardens spent a total of 7,848 hours patrolling 115,948 miles of land and water last year.

Statewide, fishing without a license was the most common violation, with 263 reported incidents. Second, at 224 violations, was hunting, fishing, trapping, or collecting shed antlers on private property. Rounding out the top three most common violations of 2024 was failure to stop at an Aquatic Invasive Species check station for inspection, which saw 213 violations last year.

The post Game and Fish Releases 2024 Law Enforcement Report first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Tuesday, AUGUST 5, 2025|

The Wyoming Industrial Siting Council has not been contacted regarding the Seminoe Pumped Storage Project, according to the department head.

On July 14th, Wyoming Industrial Siting Administrator Jenny Staeben addressed the Board of Carbon County Commissioners. During the discussion, Commissioner Sue Jones asked if the developers of the Seminoe Pumped Storage Project, rPlus Hydro, had contacted the Industrial Siting Council for a construction permit. Staeben responded that the company had not, adding that rPlus Hydro may be under the mistaken assumption that it is not required to engage with the Industrial Siting Council.

In June of 2024, representatives from rPlus Hydro, a Utah-based energy development company, held a presentation in Sinclair on their proposed Carbon County large-scale electrical storage project. Company officials detailed a plan to build an artificial lake atop Bennett Mountain at Seminoe Reservoir capable of holding 10,000 acre-feet of water. rPlus Energies Chief of Staff Theresa Foxley explained that the pumped storage facility will serve as a type of battery. When electricity is abundant, water is pumped 1,000 feet up into the higher storage lake from the lower Seminoe Reservoir. When energy demands outpace production, Foxley said the water is allowed to flow downhill through an underground hydroelectric turbine, generating electrical power.

When completed, the Seminoe Pumped Storage project is expected to span roughly 1,100 acres of federally managed land and cost upwards of $3 billion.

Naturally, construction of a facility of this scale, including miles of new roads, an upper reservoir, and extensive underground working to house the electrical generators, will have a substantial impact on the local environment. Even after the project is operational, it will continue to affect the area, with the water level of Seminoe Reservoir expected to fluctuate by 6 to 18 inches as the pumped storage facility draws water into the upper reservoir and releases it to generate electricity.

Speaking to Bigfoot99 in May, Casper Regional Fisheries Supervisor Matt Hahn explained that changes to the Seminoe Reservoir’s water level could alter the water temperature, potentially harming the Miracle Mile, a nationally recognized blue-ribbon trout-fishing area located downstream from the proposed facility.

The project is still a long way from fruition, with rPlus Hydro representatives optimistically stating that construction is expected to begin as early as 2027, with the facility becoming operational around 2032. In the meantime, the Seminoe Pumped Storage facility is continuing to undergo an extensive environmental review and permitting process. According to the Federal Infrastructure Projects permitting dashboard, none of the seven federally mandated permits have been completed as of this report. Nevertheless, the dashboard lists January 15th, 2027, as the estimated completion date for the review and permitting process.

Back at the July 14th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, Wyoming Industrial Siting Administrator Jenny Staeben explained that rPlus Hydro is aware it must obtain a permit from her organization before construction can begin but has yet to do so.

Here in Wyoming, all projects with an estimated build cost exceeding $253 million must obtain a permit from the Industrial Siting Council before beginning construction. Once an application is submitted, the Council has 135 days to evaluate the proposed project’s socio-economic and environmental impacts and determine how much assistance funding will be allocated to the local community to help address those effects.

The post Seminoe Pumped Storage Project has Not Contacted Industrial Siting Council first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Tuesday, AUGUST 5, 2025|

Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray responded Monday to recent enforcement operations by the Trump Administration’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the western end of the Cowboy State.

The recent operations resulted in the arrest of illegal aliens.

Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray said Monday that he supports the efforts to rein in illegal immigration.

Wyoming Highway Patrol will tighten the net for undocumented immigrants in five counties across Wyoming, including Laramie, Carbon, Sweetwater, Natrona and Campbell.

The post Wyoming Secretary of State Supports US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Efforts first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Tuesday, AUGUST 5, 2025|

Attorneys in the Elk Mountain corner crossing case have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to issue a final ruling on the matter.

Last month, attorney Robert Reeves Anderson, representing Iron Bar Holdings, LLC owner Fred Eshelman, petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court for a writ of certiorari, or a request to review a lower court’s ruling on corner crossing.

In 2020 and 2021, four Missouri elk hunters used corner crossing to move between parcels of public land on Eshelman’s Elk Mountain ranch. In court documents, Attorney Robert Anderson contends that the hunters, Bradley Cape, Zachary Smith, Phillip Yeomans, and John Slowensky, trespassed on Eshelman’s airspace while crossing between the corners. The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office issued criminal trespass citations to the hunters.

In April of 2022, a Carbon County jury acquitted the four hunters on all charges. Eshelman’s attorneys appealed the ruling to the 10th Circuit Court in Denver, where the three-judge panel upheld the lower court’s ruling.

Speaking on his monthly podcast, Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken announced that his deputies are instructed to follow the 10th Circuit Court’s decision, maintaining that corner crossing is not illegal unless the person physically touches private land. Sheriff Bakken added that attorneys for Iron Bar Holdings, LLC have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review the case. However, given the high volume of petitions received by the Court, the justices may choose not to take the case.

Each year, the U.S. Supreme Court receives approximately 7,000 to 8,000 petitions for writs of certiorari. However, the Court typically only hears oral arguments in roughly 80 to 150 cases, or less than 2% of all petitions. The Justices tend to prioritize cases that present constitutional questions or issues of national significance.

Sheriff Bakken said the Supreme Court may wait until mid-October to announce if it will hear the case.

In the meantime, the Wyoming Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee has drafted bill 26LSO-0118. Sheriff Bakken said if passed, the measure will establish the legal status of corner crossing in the Cowboy State.

As of this report, the language of the bill hasn’t been released. The Joint Travel, Recreation, Wildlife, and Cultural Resources Committee will meet at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 12th, to discuss the matter.

Sheriff Bakken reiterated that his deputies are operating under the 10th Circuit Court’s decision, which states that people may make no physical contact with private property while crossing between parcels of public land. The Sheriff asked both sportsmen and landowners to be respectful of one another.

The post Iron Bar Holdings Attorney Files with US Supreme Court for Final Ruling first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Monday, AUGUST 4, 2025|

Congratulations from state leaders poured in quickly Friday afternoon as Brian Nesvik was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Senior Wyoming U.S. Senator John Barrasso spoke highly of Nesvik on the floor of the upper chamber last week.

The Senate confirmed Nesvik on Friday as part of a Republican ploy to push dozens of Trump nominees across the finish line in early August.

The upper chamber voted 54-43 to approve the onetime head of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. Democrats Jacky Rosen and Martin Heinrich, ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, joined Republicans in voting “yes.”

Nesvik cleared the Environment and Public Works Committee in April along party lines. At the time, ranking Democrat member Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island accused Nesvik of prioritizing fossil fuel and farm interests over wildlife.

People in the know had a different take of Nesvik. For instance, Mike Leahy, senior director of wildlife, hunting said Nesvik’s big game management experience will make the Casper native an exceptional value to the federal agency. Leahy also described Nesvik as a “strong proponent for conserving big game migration corridors.”

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon also welcomed the news of Nesvik’s senate confirmation.

In a statement, the Governor said, “I am thrilled to congratulate my friend Brian Nesvik, who, months after clearing committee, is now confirmed as Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There simply has never been a more qualified Director for the agency. He brings decades of wildlife expertise, a collaborative approach to addressing complex issues, and exemplary leadership to the role. His confirmation is an asset to the Trump Administration, and he will serve as a strong advocate for western issues.”

Ducks Unlimited also applauded the decision. “We’re glad to see Brian Nesvik confirmed as the next director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” said DU CEO Adam Putnam in a statement Friday afternoon.

Nesvik will bring decades of real-world, hands-on experience to the Trump Administration on wildlife issues rising through the ranks from a Wyoming game warden to head the state game and fish agency.

The U.S Fish and Wildlife agency is home to 8,000 employees with a federal budget of around $1.5 billion.

The post Former Game and Fish Director Confirmed as Director of US Fish and Wildlife Service first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Monday, AUGUST 4, 2025|

Photo – Members of a Search and Rescue mission stabilize injured hiker – Courtesy Sheriff Alex Bakken Facebook

Carbon County Search and Rescue responded Saturday afternoon with more than two dozen volunteers to rescue an injured hiker in the Platte River Wilderness Area in southern Carbon County.

According to Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken, Classic Air Rescue and Intermountain Healthcare used a helicopter to locate the hikers along a “small game trail” in a canyon above the North Platte River.

Responders from both East and West Divisions of Carbon County Search and Rescue partnered in the effort. Medical personnel were dropped into the site to stabilize the injured hiker.

The sheriff described the rescue as “a perfect example of the exemplary teamwork and communication between dispatchers at the Carbon County Unified Dispatch Center, deputies with the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, SAR volunteers from our East and West Divisions and, of course, our friends in high places, the crews with Classic Air Rescue/Intermountain Healthcare.”

The unidentified injured hiker is reportedly recovering.

The post Over Twenty Volunteers Respond to Rescue Injured Hiker first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Monday, AUGUST 4, 2025|

As the Wyoming Highway Patrol begins assisting federal immigration efforts, the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office clarifies the role its deputies will play in the process.

On Monday, July 28th, Governor Mark Gordon announced that Wyoming Highway Patrol will join ICE’s 287(g) program to assist with immigration enforcement.

In 1996, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, created the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. Section 287(g) of the bill allows ICE to delegate limited immigration enforcement authority to state and local law enforcement agencies.

In January, Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken announced that he was negotiating with ICE to have deputies participate in the 287(g) program.

According to an article on WyoFile.com, the Wyoming Highway Patrol’s agreement to arrest undocumented immigrants in five counties, including Carbon County, has raised concerns from Wyoming American Civil Liberties Union Director Antonio Serrano. WyoFile reports that Serrano criticized the sheriffs who signed contracts with ICE without offering the public a chance to comment.

Bigfoot99 reached out to Carbon County Sheriff Bakken to clarify what his deputies will be required to do under ICE’s 287(g) program. Sheriff Bakken explained that the purpose of the program is to facilitate the transfer of illegal aliens already detained in the Carbon County Jail to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Sheriff said his deputies are not legally permitted to arrest a person solely on their immigration status.

Under the current system, Sheriff Bakken said ICE requests weekly updates on inmates housed at the Carbon County Jail. If a detainee is wanted by ICE, the Sheriff’s Office will hold them for 48 hours while agents come from Cheyenne to take custody of the inmate.

Sheriff Bakken said the mainstream media is mistakenly reporting that local law enforcement officers are acting as ICE agents. The sheriff said the 287(g) program simply enables his department to arrest suspects on behalf of ICE, providing the federal agency with more opportunities to take the inmate into custody.

Sheriff Bakken said ICE detainers are uncommon, with only one or two issued each year.

Bigfoot99 asked Sheriff Bakken to respond to Wyoming ACLU Director Antonio Serrano’s criticism over the lack of public input. The Sheriff said he presented the 287(g) agreement to the Board of Carbon County Commissions and shared information about it on social media. Sheriff Bakken reported strong public support for the initiative.

When the initiative was first proposed, Sheriff Bakken said he contacted both Carbon County School Districts about holding a presentation explaining exactly what the 287(g) program entails. However, both school districts chose not to participate.

In the WyoFile.com article, ACLU Director Antonio Serrano is quoted as saying participation in the 287(g) program would “make immigrants less likely to call law enforcement to report crimes or testify as witnesses.”

Sheriff Bakken said Serrano may be correct in his assumption. However, the Sheriff attributed concerns within the immigrant community to a general misunderstanding of the ICE program, rather than to the expanded authority his office would gain under the agreement.

At the time of reporting, the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office has not officially entered into the agreement to execute ICE detainer warrants. Sheriff Bakken said the Carbon County Attorney’s Office is still reviewing the contract. The Sheriff said he doesn’t know when the agreement will be finalized but estimated that it may take at least another month.

Sheriff Bakken said he fully supports his department’s future participation in the 287(g) program.

For more information about ICE detainers and the 287(g) program, call Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken at 212-1355.

The post CCSO Deputies May Be Participating in Immigration’s 287(g) Program first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

Friday, AUGUST 1, 2025 |

Photo – Carbon County Jail – Bigfoot99 file photo

Carbon County Sheriff Alex Bakken discussed a bill to enable mental health evaluations in local detention facilities.

In January, Sheriff Alex Bakken briefed the Carbon County Commissioners on the financial burden of housing inmates waiting for state-ordered mental health assessments. Sheriff Bakken said some individuals may remain in jail for up to seven months before a bed opens at the Wyoming State Hospital in Evanston, adding that Carbon County spends between $87,000 and $98,000 a year to house those inmates.

To push the Wyoming State Hospital to conduct mental health evaluations more quickly, the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office began billing the state $102.09 per inmate per day while they wait to be seen in Evanston.

During his recently released podcast, Sheriff Bakken said a new bill was being drafted by the Wyoming state legislature to set aside $2.5 million to conduct mental health evaluations in county jails.

According to the draft bill, the Wyoming Department of Health estimated the $2.5 million appropriation by multiplying the current mental evaluation wait time, which it estimates at 30 days, over one year using a daily cost of $230 per inmate.

Sheriff Bakken explained that when a person is detained, they are seen by a judge who may order a mental health evaluation. Because the assessment must be conducted at the Wyoming State Hospital in Evanston, the Sheriff said inmates are forced to remain behind bars while waiting for an available bed.

Sheriff Bakken said inmates often remain in custody far longer than necessary while awaiting a mental health evaluation. With Carbon County spending roughly $189 per inmate per day, those prolonged incarcerations put increased financial strain on the county.

Sheriff Bakken said the process is a continual source of frustration for both his office and the inmates.

The Sheriff said on August 12th, the Wyoming Judiciary Committee will consider a bill to allocate state funding for mental health assessments in county jails, as opposed to exclusively in Evanston.

Sheriff Bakken said he will be testifying in support of the measure, explaining that a jail is not the best place for people who need mental health evaluations or treatment. The Sheriff said removing those individuals from the county jail benefits both the inmates and detention center staff.

Sheriff Bakken said he hopes the jail-based services bill draft proposal passes.

The Wyoming Judiciary Committee will meet at 8:00 a.m. in Casper on Tuesday, August 12th. The Wyoming Department of Health and Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police are both expected to testify on the draft bill.

The post Sheriff Briefs Commissioners on Inmates Awaiting Mental Health Assessments first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.