Bigfoot99 News - Bigfoot 99 Radio

WEDNESDAY, August 19, 2026|

Photo – Map showing town owned property – Courtesy Town of Saratoga 

The town of Saratoga successfully sold four out of ten listed properties.

In January, Saratoga officials began the process of purchasing the former Dan’s Trucking property from Danny McGuire with the intent to eventually relocate the public works department to the 12‑lot parcel at North State and East Rochester Streets. After two public hearings, where residents spoke both for and against the proposal, the Town Council voted to pay $800,000 for the industrial land. To help offset the cost, the governing body placed 10 unneeded town-owned properties up for sale.

Referred to as Properties A through J in town documents, the lots are located throughout Saratoga, including the Crawford, Riverside, and Valley View additions. Speaking at the August 5th Saratoga Town Council meeting, Public Works Director Emery Penner announced that four of the 10 properties had received successful bids. He said if the offers are accepted, the sales would generate just over $350,000 for the town.

The Town Council voted to accept the bids for Properties C, D, I, and J.

Properties C and D are both located on Block 48 of the Crawford Addition on the southeast side of town. Property C was awarded to Mike Butler for $41,289; it was appraised at $43,500. Dave Rangitsch purchased Property D for $63,000; the land was valued at $46,000. Property I includes Lots 20 through 24 in the Valley View Addition near Saratoga Middle High School. Valued at $31,000, Alan Webster successfully purchased the parcels for $31,101. Property J, referred to as the Myrtle Avenue Tract, was also awarded to Mike Butler for $216,999; it had been appraised at $193,000.

Public Works Director Emery Penner said the town also received a bid for Property H, Lots 21 through 24 in the Riverside Addition. However, he said the bidder demanded terms the town is unwilling to accommodate and recommended against accepting the offer.

The bidder, later identified as Quality Landscape and Nursery owner Randy Stevens, requested a 40‑foot access agreement, demanded the town relinquish ownership of an alley, and sought an easement for existing electrical facilities. Stevens offered $101,000 for the land, which was appraised at $100,000. In his bid document, he wrote that the property would be “useless” to him without those accommodations.

Public Works Director Emery Penner said the town cannot guarantee those stipulations will be met and that they render the bid invalid.

The Saratoga Town Council voted to reject Randy Stevens’s bid for Property H.

As for the unsold properties, Penner recommended waiting before listing them for sale again.

Penner said the remaining six properties are valued at approximately $340,000 in total. The Town Council voted to postpone relisting those parcels for sale.

The post Saratoga Sells Four Properties to Offset Cost of One Property first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

WEDNESDAY, August 19, 2026|

Photo – Rawlins City Hall – Bigfoot99 file photo

Municipalities are adopting the latest International Building Codes.

As reported by Toga Radio, the Rawlins City Council discussed the 2024 International Building Codes, or IBC, during the July 7th meeting. Officials debated automatically adopting the newest IBC into city ordinance without amending them, a process that currently requires approval three times at three separate public hearings.

Rawlins Building Official Mike O’Brien explained that the state adopts the standard International Building Codes every four years, while Rawlins must add its own restrictions into local ordinance. He said the city mostly follows the unmodified codes but, like other local governments, is more restrictive in certain areas, such as wind and snow‑load requirements. The city also sets time limits on building permits to encourage contractors to finish work in a timely manner.

The Rawlins City Council voted to adopt the 2024 IBC for the first time on July 7th and again on July 21st. The ordinance amendment was brought up for a third and final reading during the August 3rd City Council meeting. Building Official Mike O’Brien said the measure has not been altered since it was originally approved in early July and recommended it for final adoption.

Councilman Steve Sanger asked if the latest International Building Codes automatically take effect after the state adopts them. O’Brien replied that they did but added that the city must remain in compliance with the state or face legal, financial, and liability consequences.

Councilman Sanger asked what would happen if the governing body refused to adopt the newest International Building Codes. Building Official O’Brien said the state would intervene to ensure the codes were being enforced. In that case, Sanger said the Council should amend city ordinances to automatically adopt whatever International Building Codes Wyoming approves.

Councilman Bruce Seilaff said the city has chosen not to adopt certain building codes, including sprinkler requirements for all new homes. Building Official O’Brien said if the governing body automatically accepted the latest IBC, then those provisions would become mandatory.

Following the discussion, the Rawlins City Council unanimously voted to adopt the 2024 International Building Codes on the third and final reading.

The Medicine Bow Town Council also considered an ordinance amendment to adopt the latest IBC during its August 10th meeting. Mayor Justin George introduced a measure to not only accept the building codes, but also to automatically incorporate them into town regulations, putting less demand on future governing bodies.

Councilman Lee Cook asked what would happen if future International Building Codes contained provisions the town did not want to adopt. Mayor George said any unwanted requirements could simply be removed by a council vote.

The Medicine Bow Town Council unanimously voted to pass the ordinance accepting the latest International Building Codes with the added condition that the standards are automatically written into law unless town officials object. The measure must be read two more times, during two separate public meetings before being finalized.

The post Rawlins Adopts New Building Codes first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

TUESDAY, August 18, 2026|

Photo – Deputy Carter Edward with family – Courtesy CCSO

Saratoga’s recreation director has stepped down to take a position with the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office.

During the August 5th Saratoga Town Council meeting, Mayor Chuck Davis announced that Recreation Director Carter Edwards had submitted his letter of resignation. Town Clerk Jennifer Anderson read Edwards’s letter.

Carter Edwards was hired as Saratoga’s recreation director in the fall of 2024, following the resignation of Kim Hemenway earlier in the year. August 14th was Edwards’s last day in the role.

Assistant Recreation Director Emelia Anderson was appointed to serve as interim recreation director while the Town Council searches for Edwards’s replacement.

As for his next step, Sheriff Alex Bakken announced on social media yesterday that Carter Edwards is now a detention deputy at the Carbon County Jail. Sheriff Bakken thanked Edwards and welcomed him to the Carbon County Sheriff’s team.

The post Saratoga Rec Director Takes New Position as Sheriff’s Deputy first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

MONDAY, August 17, 2026|

Photo – Birchall’s mourning dress – Courtesy Hanna Basin Museum

The Hanna Basin Museum unveiled a new exhibit on prominent resident Edith Birchall.

On Saturday afternoon, Hanna Basin Museum Director Haley Clark debuted the museum’s newest exhibit. Clark explained that the display focuses on the impact the mines had on the residents of Hanna, and specifically Edith Birchall.

Called one of Carbon County’s most resilient women by the Lander‑based website VisitUSAParks.com, Edith Birchall was born in Lancashire, England in 1887. In 1906, at the age of 18, she immigrated to Carbon County with her father, Henry George, and brother, Andrew. The next year, her two uncles, John and Andrew Hoy, followed them to Hanna to seek work in the mines.

Around three o’clock on the afternoon of March 28th, 1908, the Birchall family was playing dominoes in their Hanna home when an explosion rocked the town. An underground fire triggered the blast, trapping 20 miners in the tunnels.

Edith Birchall’s father, brother, and two uncles rushed to the No. 1 mine to help with rescue and recovery efforts while she stayed home to prepare dinner. Seven hours later, at 10:30 p.m., a second explosion tore through the mine, killing 41 rescue workers, including all four Birchall men.

In the April 16th, 1908, edition of the Laramie Republican newspaper, Birchall is quoted as saying, “My men folks, four of them, all went to the mine when the explosion came and got to work. I stayed home and cooked supper. I waited until 1 o’clock the next morning for them to come and then learned that they had been killed.”

In total, the two 1908 explosions killed 59 miners. The blasts caused catastrophic cave‑ins that sealed the mine, and the bodies of 28 victims were never recovered.

While not as deadly as the 1903 coal‑gas explosion that killed 169 miners, recognized as the worst mine disaster in Wyoming, the 1908 blast left 20-year-old Edith Birchall all alone.

Instead of returning to England, Birchall chose to stay in Hanna. In the same newspaper, she said, “…in England I did housework all day long, and the washing, too, and only made what in United States money would be 75 cents a week.” She earned $1.25 a week performing the same duties in Hanna.

Later in 1908, Birchall married Carl Erickson, and together they raised his daughter, Margaret, along with three children of their own, Ruth, Lena, and Carl Jr. After 43 years of working in the Hanna coal mines, Carl Erickson died in 1949 at the age of 79. Birchall, then known as Edith Erickson, died in 1967, also at the age of 79.

Using grants provided to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Hanna Basin Museum Director Haley Clark was able to put together the new Edith Birchall exhibit in the former Crawford home, known as House 11. Clark described the display, which includes Birchall’s black mourning dress and the dominoes the family was playing on that fateful March afternoon.

Birchall’s mourning dress was already part of the Hanna Museum’s collection, having been donated to the institution by her family many years ago.

Museum Director Clark also transformed an adjoining closet into a mine entrance, with a television playing a short documentary on coal mining in northern Carbon County narrated by local historian Nancy Anderson.

Clark, who also teaches at Hanna Elementary School, said she spent her summer working on the Edith Birchall exhibit, often staying at the museum through the night. She said she wanted to ensure the project honors Birchall and her descendants.

View the new Edith Bichall exhibit at the Hanna Basin Museum, located at 502 Front Street in Hanna.

The post New Exhibit Unveiled at Hanna Basin Museum first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

MONDAY, August 17, 2026|

Photo – Black Hills Energy logo – Courtesy Black Hills Energy

Hanna officials approved a 25‑year franchise agreement with Black Hills Energy to continue natural gas service for residents.

Representatives from Black Hills Energy, the natural gas and utility provider, were present during August 11th’s Hanna Town Council meeting to discuss renewing the company’s franchise agreement with the town. Senior Public Affairs Manager Laurie Farkas began her presentation with a brief overview of Black Hills Energy.

The energy company representative presented a 25‑year franchise agreement between Black Hills Energy and the town of Hanna. Senior Public Affairs Manager Farkas explained that a franchise agreement is a contract between the utility provider and the town.

The agreement gives the company authorization to operate within the town’s public rights‑of‑way and sets a franchise fee that the utility pays to the town for that access. Farkas said Black Hills Energy collects those fees on top of customer rates and provides that revenue to the town.

Farkas said the original 2001 agreement set franchise fees at one percent of the company’s gross income generated from Hanna customers. She said the fee was lowered to .0074 percent in 2007. Farkas said returning to the original one percent rate would add roughly 14 cents to customers’ monthly natural gas bills.

The proposed franchise agreement is set to expire in 2051. Farkas said it can be set for a shorter time period, but a longer term allows the governing body to revisit the contract less often. Despite being valid for 25 years, Farkas said the agreement can be changed or ended at any time.

Following Farkas’s presentation, the Hanna Town Council unanimously voted to approve the 25‑year natural gas franchise agreement with Black Hills Energy, leaving the franchise fee unchanged.

The post Hanna Approves Franchise Contract with Black Hills Energy first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

MONDAY, August 17, 2026|

Photo – Saratoga Water Tower where there is radio equipment for town – Bigfoot99 file photo

Saratoga officials voted against renewing a Motorola communications service contract.

During the August 5th Saratoga Town Council meeting, Police Chief John Moore presented an annual service contract with Motorola to maintain radio equipment on the municipal water tower south of town. Chief Moore said the contract costs the town $19,941.80 a year. Citing only a single use and the limited scope of the contract, the chief recommended against renewing the agreement.

Chief Moore said the town could likely perform its own maintenance for less than $20,000 a year.

Mayor Chuck Davis and Council members Jerry Fluty and Cory Oxford said they had no concerns about ending the contract. Mayor Davis added that the money saved could go toward replacing any failed radio equipment.

The Saratoga Town Council unanimously voted not to approve the $19,941.80 Motorola service contract.

The post Saratoga Will Not Renew Radio Contract with Motorola first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

FRIDAY, August 14, 2026|

Photo – Wyoming’s House Chamber – Bigfoot99 file photo

Wyoming’s judges and clerks of court opposed a bill mandating online access to all public legal proceedings.

During the August 4th Board of Carbon County Commissioners meeting, IT Director Matt Webster announced that he had received an email from IT staff around the state regarding House Bill 93, titled The People’s Right to Judicial Transparency. Webster said that if the bill passes, it will require courts to make documents publicly available online.

House Bill 93 directs every municipal, county, and state court in Wyoming to publish non‑exempt court records to a free, publicly searchable database. The measure also mandates that all public court proceedings be recorded and made available online at no cost. The proposal was originally introduced to the Wyoming House of Representatives during this year’s legislative session but failed to secure the votes needed for further consideration.

Despite its defeat in February, House Bill 93 was discussed again during Tuesday’s Joint Judiciary Committee meeting. Legislative Service Office Deputy Legal Administrator Brian Fuller reviewed the measure and explained that under the proposed bill, all publicly available court documents must be uploaded online. However, Fuller said certain sensitive records are exempt from the requirement.

In addition to written documents, Fuller said the bill also requires each court to stream real‑time video or audio online at no cost and to post those feeds on the court’s website and maintain an archive of the recordings. He said the bill allocates $100,000 to implement those requirements.

Joint Judiciary Committee Chairman Art Washut opened the floor to public comment. Carbon County District Court Judge Dawnessa Snyder testified against House Bill 93. Judge Snyder said sensitive or confidential information is required to be redacted from public documents, but that doesn’t always happen. She raised concerns about those details ending up online.

House Bill 93 also requires all public court proceedings to be livestreamed online. Judge Snyder said Colorado issued a similar mandate last year. However, when the policy was put into practice, she said malicious actors would hijack the broadcast.

Judge Snyder said the Colorado court system is also experiencing an issue where people are recording the streams and posting them online.

In contrast to House Bill 93, Colorado courts are not mandated to record and archive public proceedings. Judge Snyder said Wyoming lawmakers must weigh the benefit of livestreaming cases against the harm it may cause to court users.

She voiced support for increased judicial transparency but noted that the states’ judges and clerks of court believe that House Bill 93 requires additional work before moving forward.

Sixth Judicial District Court Judge Matthew Castano also spoke in opposition to House Bill 93. Judge Castano said he already livestreams his court proceedings, but he does not archive them. He cautioned that saving the recordings could enable individuals not connected to a case to use them against the participants.

Judge Castano also said a searchable database of court documents and recordings would allow data-miners to harvest that information and sell it to outside entities, including third-party marketing firms.

Natrona County Representative Jayme Lien asked Judge Castano what happens when confidential information is inadvertently broadcast during a case. Judge Castano confirmed that it occurs but said there’s not much anyone can do about it.

Later in the meeting, Carbon County Clerk of District Court Mara Sanger testified that other states have implemented public online databases, including Colorado, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Idaho. Clerk Sanger said North Dakota courts were overwhelmed by requests and eventually limited what information was available online.

A register of actions is the official list of filings, orders, and procedural steps in a court case. District Court Clerk Sanger said most states only offer registers of action online. If an individual wants any of the documents listed in the register, they must contact the clerk’s office. Sanger also noted that a computer connected to Wyoming’s Public Access and Search System, or PASS, can be found in the Carbon County Courthouse in Rawlins. Through PASS, users can view non‑confidential court records at no charge.

Sanger said implementing House Bill 93 would require additional staffing, training, and financial support for the state’s clerks of court.

Casper Mayor Ray Pacheco estimated that creating a searchable online archive of his city’s court records would require Natrona County to hire at least one new employee at a cost of between $60,000 and $90,000 a year. Mayor Pacheco said the proposed measure only allocates $100,000 to the state’s courts to make the required changes, but the financial burden will continue long after the funding is gone.

The fiscal notes section of House Bill 93 states that the Wyoming Supreme Court also doesn’t believe $100,000 is enough to meet the bill’s requirements. The Court wrote that roughly $2.8 million will be needed to cover its administrative impact.

Due to privacy concerns and the difficulty and cost of implementing the measure, the Joint Judiciary Committee chose not to bring House Bill 93 up for another vote during the 2027 legislative session.

The post Failed Bill Would Make Courts Publish Court Proceedings On-Line first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

THURSDAY, August 13, 2026|

Photo – Medicine Bow airport – Courtesy Vernon Lovejoy

Wyoming DEQ discovered several hazardous materials at the historic Medicine Bow Airport.

Built in 1929, the Medicine Bow Airport, officially known as Site 32, served the transcontinental airmail route, guiding pilots between Salt Lake City, Utah, and Omaha, Nebraska. The runway hosted several notable aviators, including Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. Because of its role in the airmail system, the site is listed on the National Park Service’s Register of Historic Places.

Despite its significance, the Medicine Bow Airport sat largely unused for decades until the summer of 2024, when Colorado pilot Nathan Finneman highlighted the importance of the town‑owned airfield to the Medicine Bow Town Council. Finneman’s presentation led the governing body to reform the Airport Advisory Board to oversee preservation and restoration of the historic site.

Since that time, the Airport Advisory Board has worked to preserve the remaining structures, including the original weather station, light beacon tower, and concrete directional arrow. However, progress stalled last summer after pilots reported a strong fuel smell on the dirt runway.

When historical records failed to identify the source of the odor, such as a forgotten underground fuel tank, the Airport Board applied for a Brownfields grant from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality.

Wyoming DEQ took samples from around the site, including dirt cores and paint from the weather station. After six months of analysis, the state agency issued its findings in a 218‑page report.

Wyoming DEQ determined that contamination at the Medicine Bow Airport is widespread and above the legal threshold where the state must take action. In other words, the levels aren’t just elevated; they’re high enough that DEQ cannot leave the site as is.

Investigators found toxic metals, including arsenic, barium, and cadmium, in the soil. Arsenic reached a maximum of 7.99 milligrams per kilogram, well above the state’s threshold of 0.68 milligrams per kilogram.

Bromomethane was detected at 0.0384 milligrams per kilogram, above the state’s groundwater limit of 0.011 milligrams per kilogram. The herbicide 2,4‑D measured 11.4 milligrams per kilogram, also exceeding the federal screening level of 0.018 milligrams per kilogram.

DEQ also reported extremely high lead around the weather station, beacon tower, and runway lights, including readings as high as twenty‑five‑thousand milligrams per kilogram. Testing showed that lead found in paint, debris, and some soils meet the federal definition of hazardous waste, with levels far above the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act threshold of five milligrams per liter.

On a positive note, no asbestos was found at the site.

Wyoming DEQ concluded that the Medicine Bow Airport has multiple confirmed contaminants and that materials containing lead must be disposed of as hazardous waste. The next step is for the state and Medicine Bow to develop a plan to remediate the site.

Keeping to the subject of the airport, during Monday evening’s Medicine Bow Town Council meeting, the town’s representative to the Carbon County Visitors Council, Chia Valdez, said she and Saratoga’s representative, Ellie Dana, were working to secure financial support for the airport.

Valdez said the money can be used to replace the beacon light. Airport Board members welcomed the update, but told Valdez they needed clearer communication, saying they were unaware of her work.

Afterward, Councilman Lee Cook, the town’s liaison to the Airport Advisory Board, reported that the board purchased new roof shingles for the weather station, though the delivery date is still unknown.

Councilman Cook said the Airport Board had not yet reviewed Wyoming DEQ’s Brownfields assessment and planned to do so at its next meeting. He added that pilots still want to see the historic airfield restored.

The post WYDEQ Issues 218 Page Report on Medicine Bow Airport first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

THURSDAY, August 13, 2026|

Photo – Hanna Town Hall – Bigfoot99 file photo

Hanna residents demanded the town take action on excessive trash and debris.

During the citizens participation portion of Tuesday evening’s Hanna Town Council meeting, resident and Hanna Basin Museum Board President Pam Borrego noted that debris from nearby properties frequently ends up in her yard. She said the situation is worsening with nothing being done about it.

Borrego added that people are moving to Hanna with the impression that they can do whatever they want with their land. She expressed concern that nearby neglected properties will negatively affect her home’s value.

Borrego acknowledged the difficulty of getting homeowners to follow the town’s nuisance ordinances and urged the governing body to address the situation.

Mayor Charlie George said the town is attempting to deal with the matter but warned the process will be slow. When questioned about hiring a code enforcement officer, Mayor George said enforcement falls to the marshal’s office. With only two part‑time officers, all the town can afford, he said they cite violators only when time allows.

Mayor George said the town also cannot afford to hire a separate code enforcement officer.

Museum Board President Pam Borrego asked what happens when a resident files a formal complaint in town hall, complete with pictures of the offending property. She added that previous reports appear to have been ignored. Councilman David Felix said the governing body is working with Town Attorney Mike Roberts on stronger enforcement procedures.

Councilman Felix said the town can fine homeowners, but collecting those fines is difficult. He said the town is collaborating with Attorney Roberts and the marshals to resolve the situation.

Borrego said community members blame the Council for the lack of enforcement, regardless of who’s responsible.

Mayor George said the problem has been going on for at least 50 years, perhaps even as long as Hanna has been a town.

Hanna Basin Museum Board Vice President Diane Springsguth said her neighbor’s garbage blows into her yard. When she informed Marshal Roger Harks, Springsguth said he offered to simply speak to the homeowner. She called for real action.

Springsguth said she was tired of repeated justifications from the marshal’s office. She said that Marshal Dan Starr removed the debris from her yard, including mail addressed to the offending neighbor with the stated intention of using the garbage as evidence.

Springsguth added that she called Marshal Starr to check on the investigation but was told he had forgotten about it. She said being part‑time officers shouldn’t prevent them from issuing tickets to violators of the town’s nuisance ordinances.

Mayor Charlie George committed to addressing the matter, saying he was also upset by the ongoing situation.

Mayor George thanked the residents for bringing the matter to his attention. He said Town Council meetings are the proper place to publicly raise such concerns.

The post Hanna Residents Demand Town Take Action on Excessive Amounts of Debris first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.

WEDNESDAY, August 12, 2026|

Photo – Molzahn (center) with squad mates – Courtesy Garth Molzahn

A Rawlins resident is working to reestablish a VFW post in the city.

Garth Molzahn is a United States Navy corpsman who served in support of Operation Inherent Resolve as part of the global war on terror. After being discharged from the service, Molzahn said he tried to join his local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter in Thompson Falls, Montana, but was discouraged after learning the establishment simply served as a drinking spot for older members.

Molzahn explained that he moved to Rawlins five years ago for work, where he met other veterans. After years of talking about the need for a VFW post in the city, he took the idea to social media. Now, he’s one member short of establishing a new chapter of the VFW in Rawlins.

Molzahn said a VFW post in Rawlins would bring money into the community through several different fundraiser events, including the annual Poppy Drive, which could help improve the city’s senior center and baseball fields. In addition, he said a local post would provide veterans’ services within the city itself.

Molzahn said Rawlins had a VFW post in the past, but it closed due to a lack of members. However, he said an influx of new veterans has renewed interest in opening a chapter. He added that the national VFW has recently taken steps to bring the organization up to date with virtual meetings and less emphasis on drinking, making a local post more attractive to younger veterans.

Molzahn said he’s working with American Legion Post 54 in Saratoga, the Wyoming Veterans Commission, and the VFW Department of Wyoming to create the new chapter.

Veterans interested in reestablishing a VFW post in Rawlins should call Garth Molzahn at 406‑242‑0702 or visit the New VFW Rawlins WY Facebook page. A direct link to the group’s Facebook page has been included in this story on Bigfoot99.com.

Molzahn said the Rawlins chapter will be open to all Carbon County residents.

New VFW Rawlins WY: New VFW Rawlins WY | Facebook

The post Rawlins Resident Working to Reestablish VFW Post first appeared on Bigfoot 99 Radio.