ad sards|rys ad Tr arrPage 1 Theh Sundancear a Times $1 Thursday, July 30, 2020 Volume 136 • Issue No. 31 Thursday, July 30, 2020 Thesudas Sundance Times Constructive feedback CCMSD calls for lawsuit to be dismissed 30, but was terminated early. Crook County Medical Ser- HMS claims that no grounds vices District (CCMSD) has were given for this “unilateral moved to dismiss the com- decision” to void the agree- plaint filed against it by Health ment. Management Services (HMS), Kara Ellsbury of Hirst Apple- the management company gate, attorney for the board with which the district sev- of trustees, has responded to ered ties earlier this year. The the complaint with a motion motion rests on the argument to dismiss, based on the argu- that HMS cannot sue a govern- ment that CCMSD is a special mental entity without following hospital district established Wyoming’s rules for doing so. according to Wyoming Stat- The case is based on claims utes and is therefore a local from HMS that the company governmental entity. was given 120 days of notice “Accordingly, HMS’s claim as per its contract, but then against CCMSD is subject to “inexplicably” dismissed with- the Wyoming Governmental out payment. According to Claims Act (WGCA),” says Ells- the complaint, the five-year bury’s response. “…HMS did contract states that payment not comply with the WGCA, for HMS’s services would take however, including by fail- the form of five percent of CC- ing to present CCMSD with a MSD’s total gross operating notice of claim as required by revenues. the WGCA; therefore, its claim This contract was due to See CCMSD: page 12 come to an end on September ass h rs the first day of school creeps Restrictions closer. Current state orders, ac- extended as cording to the announcement, daily case would mean that face cover- ings will be required in schools record broken in situations where physical distancing is not practical. The again 500,000 masks are the result of state and local collaboration between public and private As new COVID-19 infections entities. Sarah Pridgeon photo continue to plague the state Whether or not face coverings Juds sd h hard r h uys ds a h arruds Tusday dur ud r sa hs, and the number of active cases will be necessary depends on rs ad ar ad ash , hrs au ad Ja hr ha h dsy s au hr climbs, the Wyoming Depart- how the state health orders ar ra al shs r s u r h rs h , uuad y ra h r ment of Health announced stand when the new semester dy ul, uls, r rars ad a ra sal Tusday ar on Monday that, along with begins, and local decisions ll hs ar s h yuh ruh s rd Thursday a 30 aad y h a ry the Department of Education made with these in mind. The ul h a a h rd ruds r aa raas ll rard y h uys ld and the Wyoming Office of current orders are set to expire als rday r a 30 a Th d ll r h ar arad a 0 a aurday, l Homeland Security, it will be at the end of this week. ld y h r h rd ryaly a 30 a h ara ad h uyrs ad uy a 3 delivering half a million face h shad sruur Th ur ls sal s shduld r aurday h ar coverings to school districts as See COVID-19: page 12 Voters to decide Title company opens in Sundance Black Hills Titles tle and closing departments on senior in Newcastle. This, says Roe, is because staff must opens satellite be from Wyoming in order to office on notarize in Wyoming. services levy In the future, however, he Main Street would love to expand the the same this time around. staff further. For the second time, voters “Things have changed some- “We’d love to man it and be will be asked at the general what from two years ago when Black Hills Title Company there full time – hopefully it election this year to signal it came up on the initial bal- opened its doors in Sun- grows to that,” he says. whether they support a mill lot. Our state economy has dance last week in the form The Newcastle office was levy for Crook County’s se- changed dramatically, oil and of a satellite office on Main the most recent expansion niors. A political action com- gas and coal are down, so ev- Street, opposite the post before Sundance. Black Hills mittee has been formed to erybody is cutting their bud- office. The business has Title Company has grown inform the public of why it’s so gets,” he says. been in operation for nearly considerably over the years important to keep it going. On the other hand, these is- 35 years across the bor- since its inception, Roe says, “The initial mill levy initiative sues have made the mill levy der in South Dakota, but and now has 25 people on was passed in 2018 and at more important than ever, he has spread its wings into staff. that point in time it ran for two says. Wyoming in response to “The company started in years, so it’s now back up on “Both state and federal customer demand. 1986 in Sturgis, SD. My dad, the ballot in November,” says grants have declined. First of “It was a popular request Wayne Roe, was the person Terry Wilkerson, chairman of all, there are fewer state and from our current clientele, who started it here and I the Senior Mill Levy Support federal grants, and those that folks in Spearfish and in started in the business in Group. “If it’s passed on the are out there are for smaller Wyoming, that we try to look 1996,” he says. general election, it will run for amounts than they used to at opening an office there,” At that time, the company an additional four years.” be,” he says. says Dan Roe, President. was a two-person operation Over the last two years, says “That’s what brought it to in the back of a utility com- r Wilkerson, the mill levy has our attention and we looked pany on Main Street in Stur- The mill levy passed fairly been used to support a wide into it, found a building we gis and was known as Meade easily the last time it was on range of programs. To do this, liked and just went for it.” County Title. The name Courtesy photo the ballot, Wilkerson says, but it has been used largely as The satellite office is by ap- change took place five years hads, ra a, ayll al ad aa the committee is not taking it pointment only and will be Jhs ar h y rs sa h ll a for granted that voters will feel See rs: page 12 staffed by members of the ti- See Tls: page 12 h la lls Tl ay uda ra ahr , T T T The Sundance Times Page 2 Thursday, July 30, 2020 Obituaries Chris “Junior” Santistevan Chip Neiman Chris “Junior” Santistevan months in the hospital, Chris’ got his love of hunting from his Republican Candidate for House District 1 passed away too soon and un- perseverance and strength Grandpa Ernie. His grandpa expectedly on July 19, 2020, never faltered. Never leav- was a huge part of Chris’ life surrounded by his loved ones. ing his side, Chris and Sheryl and was a role model to Chris. A memorial service for Chris married on October 30, 2004, By knowing Chris and his will be at 10 a.m. Friday, July while Chris was still in the nature, it is evident that his 31, 2020, at Gillette Memorial hospital. grandpa’s easy-going per- Chapel. Burial will follow at Not to let any obstacle stand sonality rubbed off on Chris. The Black Hills National Cem- in his way, Chris took the Chris was also a proud grand- etery at 2:30 p.m. challenges he faced head on. pa to eight grandchildren ages Chris was born in Torrington, He went back to college and eight to one. He loved to give Wyoming, on October 28, earned his associate degree them rides in his wheelchair, 1974. He was the youngest of followed by his bachelor’s de- watch cartoons, play video five to parents Cindy Haas and gree in accounting. games and cheer them on at Jim Santistevan. He graduated In 2007, he participated in their sporting events. from Niobrara High School and his first National Veterans He is survived by his loving immediately joined the United Wheelchair games. He looked wife, Sheryl (Soper); stepchil- States Marine Corps. He was forward to participating each dren, Stacy (Tommy) Banks, proud to be a Marine and serve year and proudly brought Brice (Angie) Stanton, Tristin dreds of friends. his country, serving four years home medals every year for (Tate) Wammen and Bailey He is preceded in death by his of active duty from 1993-1997. the last 12 years in sports (Ryun) Huber; grandchildren, grandma, Phoebe Santistevan; Chris and Sheryl met in ranging from soccer to air rifle. Dayne, Jaxon, Easton, Paxton, grandma, Alma Lemons and 1999. In true Chris fashion, on Chris left his mark on all that Kit, Parker, Rebel and Rylan; his grandpa, Ernie Lemons. In their first date they went to Mc- knew and loved him, making in-laws, David and Joni Brown lieu of flowers, memorials and Donald’s with two of Sheryl’s many lifelong connections.