Fire Investigation Continues House Seats and Three of Four Wyoming Senate Seats Including Sweetwater County
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Mask mandates extended By DAVID MARTIN years of age or older to wear a mask According to the order, facial Publisher while encouraging children aged coverings are not required in a three to 11 to wear a covering. personal offi ce that isn’t regularly The a mandate requiring people Businesses within the county, visited by the public and if seated in Sweetwater County to wear as well as government buildings at a restaurant at least 6 feet away facial coverings in response to the excluding state and federal build- from other patrons, though patrons ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was ings are required to post notices are required to wear a mask while extended last week, with its new ex- requiring a face covering near their entering, exiting or moving inside piration date set for Jan. 4, though entrances and employees must the restaurant space. a new statewide facial covering or- wear a facial covering if their work People who have a mental or der announced Monday took effect places them within 6 feet of cus- physical health condition or dis- Wednesday and expires Jan. 9. tomers, clients or other workers. ability that prevents them from Along with the mandate’s Masks are also required for people wearing a mask are exempt from extension, other changes have working in highly traffi cked areas the order. been made. One of those changes such as reception areas and public regards the requiring anyone 12 restrooms. Continued on A2 Wednesday, December 9, 2020 130th Year, 29th Issue Green River, WY 82935 Address Service Requested $1.50 City has solid waste options By ANDREW GRAHAM Wyofi le.com In Sweetwater County, the November election capped — at least for now — a decades-long shift of one of the state’s few Democratic strongholds from blue to red. The transition marks a milestone for the state’s southwest region, as well as its statehouse, which is ever-more dominated by the Republican Party. The Rock Springs and Green River election results also represent gaps the state’s struggling minority party must overcome if it hopes to achieve relevance anytime soon, Democratic politicos say. Democrats suffered two losses in the House as 14-year-veteran lawmaker Rep. Stan Blake (D-Green River) lost to Libertarian Marshall Burt by 275 votes. Meanwhile, Republican Mark Baker defeated Democrat Lindsey Travis to fl ip retiring Rep. John Freeman’s Rock Springs seat. Baker will turn to the Legislature after representing a different Sweetwater County House District from 2013-2017. In the Senate, lawmaker Liisa Anselmi-Dalton (D-Rock Springs) lost to Republican John Kolb by 702 votes. Democrats retained one seat in the county, that of retiring Rep. JoAnne Dayton- Monday morning pickleball Selman. Democrat Chad Banks, a former Rock Springs city councilman and manager Teri Deakin readies a serve during a friendly game of pickleball at Edgewater Park Monday morning. Star photo by David of an urban renewal initiative, won the seat. Martin He was unopposed. Times weren’t always so tough for Democrats in the state’s southwest. In 2004, the year Republican President George Bush won reelection with Wyoming politician Vice President Dick Cheney on the ticket, Democrats won three of six Wyoming Fire investigation continues House seats and three of four Wyoming Senate seats including Sweetwater County. By DAVID MARTIN not due to suspected criminal activity. home at 5 a.m. Four of the home’s five Those lawmakers worked in a statehouse Publisher The property, located at 1610 Idaho occupants were able to escape the blaze, with a more robust partisan divide. The St., has been boarded up to prevent but a fifth person, Elizabeth Andrews, 2005 Legislature had 17 Democrats in the Little information is available as people from trespassing and looking was unable to get out. This caused House and seven in the Senate, according to to the cause of a fatal house fire over into the structure. Erdmann said firefighters to focus their attention on Ballotpedia. Thanksgiving weekend that claimed trespassers isn’t often a problem with the portion of the home Andrews was at In contrast, just two Democratic senators the life of a Green River resident as burned structures, but the walls and while letting the rest of the home burn. and seven Democratic representatives will investigators continue to look at the supports holding the home up are Andrews was recovered by firefighters, take their seats this January. remnants of the home. significantly weakened, which could who were then able to extinguish the Assistant Fire Chief Larry Erdmann result in someone being injured if they fire within an hour. Working on the railroad said two fire investigators representing decide to sneak in. Erdmann said the Erdmann said the fire was part Democratic Party politics in southern USAA, he family’s home insurance insurance investigators have noted a of a busy four-week period for the Wyoming share an origin source with company, and a state fire investigator concern about the structure’s stability department as firefighters were called statehood itself: the construction of the will be attempting to determine more and asked the fire department to shore to four “significant structure fires” Union Pacifi c railroad. The development information about the fire during up the home until their investigation within that period. Including an of coal mines and train yards across the follow-up investigations. Erdmann said ends. Erdmann said once that apartment fire occurring last weekend railroad’s route drew union laborers they believe the fire started with the concludes, the home’s remnants will be and the Idaho Street house fire, he said and built a stronghold for Democratic home’s furnace, but further facts about torn down. the GRFD was dispatched to another politicians, according to WyoHistory.org, the fire have yet to be determined. He The fire took place early Nov. 28, fire on Midwest Street and at the a project of the Wyoming State Historical also said the continued investigation is with firefighters being dispatched to the Genesis Alkali facility. Society. Continued on A2 Apartment fi re caused by lit candle Staff Report apartment as the door was locked and the space was unoccupied. A Saturday afternoon fire at They found the fire, which 370 Upland Way was started by a consisted of a table and items placed candle according to Larry Erdmann, on it, as were able to extinguish the assistant fire chief for the Green River blaze. Fire Department. Firefighters interviewed the The fire department was called to occupant, who said they had lit a the fire at 1:43 p.m. Saturday after a candle near flammable materials on resident reported hearing a fire alarm the table. Firefighters were at the in a nearby apartment. The caller scene for more than an hour and said they could smell smoke, but responded with two trucks and 18 firefighters could not see smoke of firefighters. flames when they arrived. Apartment Erdmann said people should residents outside said they could see ensure their smoke alarms are flames from under the door on the operational and make sure lit candles third floor of the complex. are placed in safe places, far from Firefighters forced entry into the combustible materials. A2 www.greenriverstar.com Wednesday, December 9, 2020 Dems have history in county From A1 according to residents and region. The jobs may have lost the vote in that town, she Though not everyone former state politicians. been considered blue collar said. familiar with the area’s “It was important to like those on railroads and in “I would go out there Rebecca Price, AuD political history considers be a Democrat and it was coal mines and power plants, and campaign heavily and 198 Uinta Drive the union vote naturally important to say you were but the politics were distinct. everyone was happy to see ItÕs never too Green River, WY 82935 Democratic, they agree that a Democrat,” Bernadine If local and national me and everything was good, 307.875.1460 a strong labor movement Craft (D-Rock Springs), who union leaders tried to and then they never voted for early to get your 15 Shrine Club Road helped the party’s served in the House from push their members’ me,” she said. Lander, WY 82520 candidates. 2007-2012 and then in the votes toward Democrats, Today, the state’s oil and hearing checked! 307.335.7555 “It is very defi nitely Senate from 2013-2016, said. oil and gas bosses had a gas industries are both in because of some pronounced Nate Martin, who grew different message for their a bust. The infl ux of new OUR SERVICES INCLUDE: union history,” said Chris up in Rock Springs and non-unionized employees, workers has ceased. But the • Hearing Device Sales Boswell, a Democrat who today directs the progressive Boswell recalled. political change stuck. • Hearing Device Servicing served as state representative political organization Better “Their employers very “The fl avor that was • Diagnostic Testing for from Green River from 1993 Wyoming, remembers his effectively tell them, ‘the imparted then is still with us Pediatrics & Adults to 2003 and went on to a once-Republican mother Republicans will support and it remains here,” Craft • Balance & Dizziness Testing long career in Wyoming registering as a Democrat your continued livelihood said. • Custom Ear Molds government and politics. to make sure she had a say and the Democrats are trying Wyoming Democratic • Assistive Listening Devices But, “union labor in in primary elections, he to put too many restrictions politicians, and voters, have Sweetwater County was not said. It’s a tactic left-leaning on our way of doing often considered themselves We are committed to a solid vote for Democrats,” residents in many parts of business,’” he said, “so vote as distinct from the national your long-term hearing Boswell said.