• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2018 108TH YEAR/ISSUE 86 FUTURE OF SAGE GROUSE-REARING Black-footed ferret center bringing species back from the brink EFFORTS UNCLEAR Powell game bird farm ACHIEVING THE UNIMAGINABLE BY MARK DAVIS little-known government com- — the black-footed ferret. grasshopper, rest on their night. Tribune Staff Writer pound north of Fort Collins, Never straying too far from haunches and watch for trouble This is how black-tailed prai- changes hands Colorado. Although they’re wel- the edges of their subterranean while enjoying the morsel. It’s rie dog colonies looked a couple lack-tailed prairie dog come here, the chubby rodent homes, families of the barking a pretty good defense — un- hundred years ago, Pete Gober, BY MARK DAVIS burrows pock-mark a residents have unwittingly built ground squirrels are ever vigi- less death comes in nightmar- director of the National Black- Tribune Staff Writer B40-acre parcel of bar- their homes around breeding lant. The prairie dogs grab a ish fashion from inside their Footed Ferret Conservation ren plain on this isolated, facilities of their mortal enemy morsel of grass or an occasional tunneled homes in the dark of Center, likes to say. The life owell’s Diamond Wings cycle of prairie dogs is of ut- Upland Game Birds, LLC most importance to the 11 U.S. P— which recently launched Fish and Wildlife employees and then dropped a controversial who raise black-footed ferrets attempt to raise sage grouse — at the center: The two species has changed hands. are married in their life and Dennis Brabec, a petroleum death struggles. engineer and co-owner and Without prairie dogs, black- general manager of Fiddleback footed ferrets would cease to Farms, LLC, recently bought the exist. But prairie dogs also property from former owner Di- carry a parasite — fleas that are emer True of Casper. infected with a deadly infec- Brabec already owns a private tious bacterial disease: sylvatic hunting area in Greybull and said plague. It’s the same bacterium he’d previously worked with Dia- that causes bubonic and pneu- mond Wings manager Karl Bear monic plague in humans. The on game bird hunting projects disease is ever-present for the for more than 15 years. Bear, the team of scientists fighting for founder of the company, will stay the life of every endangered on as manager. ferret. Brabec said he loves working with and hunting game birds and A RARE SIGHT is looking forward to heading up The hard-to-find ferret con- Diamond Wings. servation center in northern “I’m a lousy shot, but I enjoy Colorado is not open to the working with the birds,” Brabec public. There are no signs said. pointing to the facility, no buses Originally from Deaver, he at- filled with students on field tended Northwest College before trips or tourists stopping by heading to the University of Wyo- for a glimpse. The mission is ming for his degree. too precarious and dangers too The sale closed earlier this many. Even here, at the front month. door of the site where the fed- Diamond Wings, located west eral government has sheltered of Powell, drew headlines last and revived a species previ- year for trying to attempt captive ously thought extinct, plague is breeding of the imperiled sage Two black-footed ferret kits poke their heads out of their cage tunnel to check on the status of lunch at the National Black-Footed Ferret a factor. Conservation Center in northern Colorado. Over the years, more than 9,000 ferrets have been raised at the facility, helping to bring the See Birds, Page 8 species back from the brink of extinction. Tribune photo by Mark Davis See Ferrets, Page 8 Ackley running for Powell producers part of re-election to hospital trade mission to Taiwan BY MIKE BUHLER conjunction with the opening of Tribune Community Editor the first international trade office board as write-in for Wyoming in the last 30 years.” owell was very well-repre- Wyoming’s office is located BY MIKE BUHLER my community and I still sented on Wyoming’s trade inside the Taipei World Trade Tribune Community Editor want to be on the board. I’ve Pmission to Taiwan earlier Center, “and it was so exciting to learned a lot and I want to this month. see Wyoming’s presence in such s it turns out, some- continue to grow — and grow Gov. Matt Mead was joined on an enormous commerce facility,” one is running for a this community.” the trip by Val Murray of Mur- said Murray, who shared Seaton Atwo-year position on Ackley was born and raymere Farms and Forrest and Smith’s excitement. the Powell Hospital District raised in Park County and is Seaton Smith of “What an in- Board: incumbent Gerri Ack- a registered nurse at West GF Harvest, a credible experi- ley. Park Hospital in Cody. She gluten-free oats ‘What an incredible ence to represent Just as she did sees serving on business. The experience to the State of Wyo- when she was first the Powell Hospi- mission saw the ming and our elected two years tal District Board opening of the represent the State beef industry by ago, Gerri Ackley of Trustees — and Wyoming–Asia of Wyoming ...’ having the first is running as a its sister body, Pacific Trade Wyoming beef write-in candidate. the Powell Valley Office in Taipei samples from However, that Healthcare Board Val Murray while seeking to Murraymere Farms Murraymere wasn’t quite her of Directors — as grow trade be- Farms going to plan this time a way to give back. tween Wyoming and Taiwan in Taiwan,” she added. around. Because of “I want to con- agriculture, minerals, goods and Her farm’s beef was served at a miscommunica- tinue to support my tourism. an exclusive Taipei restaurant as tion on when the community. I love part of the celebration. GERRI ACKLEY Seaton Smith described the trip filing deadline was it here,” Ackley as “fantastic.” “I was extremely proud to be for the seat, Ackley said. “My whole “We went over on what I refer representing Murraymere Farms tried filing for re-election one family still lives here and to as a fact-finding mission be- and 104 years of family farming day late, resulting in her hav- I have a father that’s in the cause Asia is probably not well- along with our premium Angus ing to run as a write-in candi- long-term care center here known for its gluten-free market beef,” Murray said. date once again. and is doing well. Both my at this time,” Seaton said. “But The state’s trade office hired With no known challengers grandchildren were born neither was the United States two people who did market re- for the seat, Ackley is hoping here and they’re thriving. I when we started it. We have been search with the Smiths in Taiwan- to continue serving in her want to see it [Powell] con- on the leading edge before … so ese stores. Forrest Smith (back) and his father Seaton Smith visit City Super, a position. tinue to grow and prosper.” we thought this opportunity was a “We were able to see how they higher-class supermarket in Taipei, Taiwan, earlier this month. The “I appreciate being on the great way to share our purity pro- visit was part of a trade mission led by Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead. board,” Ackley said. “I love See Write-in, Page 2 tocol over in Taiwan and Taipei in See Taiwan, Page 2 Photo courtesy Wyoming Business Council Challenger seeks to join Crown Hill Cemetery District Board FOUR CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR THREE SEATS scribed as “very conservative,” decid- on seeking another term, but “I didn’t project also played into James’ decision ed to develop the final four blocks all at want to leave with all that hanging over to run: He thinks the district should BY CJ BAKER In separate interviews, Anderson, one time to save money in the long run. [things].” have waited to develop out those new Tribune Editor Beavers and Karst generally cited simi- The board is phasing that $865,500 “And I enjoy working with the people blocks. lar reasons for running again for the project over a three-year period, taking out there,” he added. “I’m against raising taxes for it,” hile it may not be the most volunteer, unpaid position. out a loan and budgeting $300,000 for Karst also said he’d like to see the James said, adding, “I don’t think we attention-grabbing race on the “We’ve got a lot of construction to the project this fiscal year. project through. should be raising taxes to pay for that Wballot, Powell area voters have complete that we want to see finished,” Anderson said he hadn’t planned In a different way, the construction now.” a decision to make for the Crown Hill said Beavers. Crown Hill leaders raised the dis- Cemetery District board. The district has largely revamped trict’s mill levy — effectively, its prop- For the first time in years, there’s a its sprinkler system — “and we want to erty tax rate — from 2.86 to 2.99 mills contested race for the cemetery’s board continue with that before we’re dead,” this year to help finance the project. of trustees, with four people running Beavers laughed — and it’s in the mid- For a $186,500 house (the median sales for three seats. dle of developing the final four blocks price in Powell last year) the increase Longtime trustees Clarence Ander- of land on Crown Hill’s southeastern will cost an extra $2.30 in the property son, Jim Beavers and John Karst are corner.

Load more

  16

Copy Link