First COVID-19 death reported B y D AV I D M AR T I N taken to Memorial Hospital of since the start of the pandemic. Publisher Sweetwater County July 10 after According to the state health testing positive for COVID-19. He department, resident deaths are An unidentified Sweetwater died Monday. added to the state’s coronavirus- County man is the first person in Mower said Sweetwater County related total based on information the county to die from COVID-19, has had 140 lab-confirmed on the death certificate and if according the Wyoming coronavirus infections since the death was caused or contributed Department of Health. start of the pandemic, with 105 to a person’s death is based The man was 77 years old and recoveries recorded. He also said on a medical opinion of what had health complications known two other COVID-19 patients lead to the death. If COVID-19 to increase the risk of serious are at MHSC, but are in stable did not contribute or directly illness from the virus. According condition and have not been cause a death, despite a person to Jason Mower, interim placed on a ventilator. testing positive for the disease, public information officers Wyoming has had 22 that death won’t be listed as a for Sweetwater Public Health, coronavirus-related deaths out coronavirus-related death. the man started experiencing of 1,545 lab-confirmed cases symptoms July 7 and was and 359 probable cases reported Continued on A2 W e d n e s d a y , J u l y 15 , 2 0 2 0 12 3 rd Y e a r, 8 t h I s s u e G re e n R i v e r, W Y 8 2 9 3 5 Ad d re s s S e rv i c e R e q u e s t e d $ 1. 5 0 State budget cut by $250 million B y N I C K R E Y N O L D S AN D S E T H K L AM AN N Casper Star-Tribune Via Wyoming News Exchange CASPE R — Gov. Mark Gordon has signed off on more than $250 million in state budget cuts that includes furloughs and layoffs for state employees, a signifi cant hit to senior services and a million reduction to the Department of Health amid a worsening pandemic. his is an incredibly diffi cult tas but e must respond to the fi nancial circumstances the state is facing,” Gordon said in a statement. “These cuts will impact families across the state, will affect the services we provide and will have an effect on dollars that o into the private sector.” At this point, it is unclear what services specifi cally ill be affected or eliminated by the budget cuts, which amount to a reduction of roughly 10 percent from the state’s general fund. The cuts were fi rst announced by ordon in a press conference last week. However painful those cuts may be, they are only a drop in the bucket compared to what the state is facing amid the COVID-19 pandemic and persistent declines in sectors like oil, gas, and coal. E ven with an additional 10 percent cut planned later this summer, Monday’s announced reductions will not be enough to make up for an anticipated $1.5 billion budgetary shortfall over the coming two- year budget cycle, Gordon told members of the Joint Appropriations Committee Monday, meaning even steeper cuts – or a number of unpopular tax and fee increases – are likely coming sooner rather than A cool treat later. While the governor said he remained David Shafe enjoys a fresh ice cream cone while visiting the Green River Main Street Farmer’s Market Wednesday evening. hopeful the state could avoid tax Star photo by David Martin increases, the alternatives are likely to be challenging. They could include everything from the closure and consolidation of some school district operations to ending support for municipalities on highway and sewer projects. Cuts alone are not enough City to test sewage for coronavirus to fi x the defi cit, ordon arned. hat will likely involve a number of unpopular B y D AV I D M AR T I N samples to MIT for testing as it allows and testing is becoming an economic options to diversify the state’s revenue Publisher scientists and health officers the ability means of monitoring communities for streams, which are still dependent on to track the disease. coronavirus infections. yoming’s agging energy sector. hose Green River is joining a group The concentration of coronavirus He said health officers can look options could involve the elimination of of cities in monitoring sewage for found in human waste gives health at the data from sewage samples to a number of exemptions in the state’s tax presence of the novel coronavirus. officials an understanding of how determine areas with rapidly raising code, including some for property taxes, Last week, the city council voted to prevalent COVID-19 is within a city, as infection rates. disabled veterans and food, that latter approved a contract with the Wyoming well as a loose idea of the number of According to the Wyoming N ews of which could have a disproportionate Department of Health to monitor people infected. E xchange, sewage testing was part impact on the state’s poorest people. The sewage for the virus. The health “This is something a lot of states of the initial discussions about how cuts also come with challenges: notably, department is providing up to $28 ,000 are doing,” Public Works Director Teton County would reopen businesses the fact that some services – when in funding from the federal CARE S Act Mark Westenskow said. “It’s actually and services. In early May, officials in underfunded – could actually cost the for sampling and testing. becoming quite common. Cody followed suit and approved the state more in the long run. Testing sewage for evidence of the While the city can easily treat purchase of a sewage sampling device. coronavirus isn’t new to Wyoming. In wastewater for coronavirus, Continued on A2 April, Teton County started sending Westenskow said sewage sampling Continued on A2 Rendezvous canceled due to COVID-19 S t a f f R e p ort a large number of people attending each year, it would Like many other local have been diffi cult to meet events, the annual Fort requirements such as social Bridger Rendezvous is being distancing and limiting postponed to 2021. contact with objects. The rendezvous was “The board has spent the canceled for the fi rst time last 48 years making sure in 48 years due to concerns the Rendezvous keeps up to, related to the spread of and is held to the highest the novel coronavirus. The historical standards,” the decision was made by the board’s announcement said. Fort Bridger Rendezvous ”It is a simple fact that if Association Board after the rendezvous was to be carefully considering their held this year, we could not options. maintain those standards According to a press with the restrictions and release regarding the requirements placed upon decision, as the event has us.” A2 www.greenriverstar.com Wednesday, July 15, 2020 Pre-existing health problems complicate illness From A1 shortness of breath or In an ongoing analysis immunodefi ciencies. Sweetwater Public Health. staying home from Symptoms from the diffi culty breathing, chills, of available data by the “On behalf of the “Our thoughts are also work and away from disease can take anywhere muscle pain, headache, Centers for Disease Control entire MHSC family, with the families of others others when ill, unless between 2 and 14 days sore throat and new loss and Prevention, underlying we express our deepest who have been affected by medical care is needed; to develop after viral of taste or smell. The medical conditions sympathy for the family this disease. The health maintaining physical exposure. disease can be transmitted that put individuals at and loved ones of our fi rst and safety of our patients, distancing of 6 feet Common symptoms by people who are not increased risk for severe COVID-related death in staff and community whenever practical include fever, cough, experiencing symptoms. illness from COVID-19 Sweetwater County,” Irene continues to be our top and wearing cloth face most often include chronic Richardson, the hospital’s priority.” coverings in public settings heart or lung conditions, chief executive offi cer, said The department of where physical distancing uncontrolled diabetes and in a press release from health recommends is not reasonable. Gordon plans cuts to state services From A1 experience in government you’re losing a third of your other redundancies. Offering an early when it is needed most, income, you really can’t Of Wyoming’s 23 retirement package to some while slashing services like live on your savings for that counties, only eight have state workers in an effort substance abuse treatment long.” one school district. Fremont to save money, Gordon for inmates could lead to Finding the appropriate County has eight districts, noted, could lead to a loss of potentially greater costs to funding level for K-12 Big Horn has four, and Doors open at 9 a.m. the state down the line. education will likely Park, Sheridan, and Uinta Other cuts – like be among the biggest counties each have three. reductions to the state’s challenges faced by state The rest either have one capacity to provide health lawmakers this year, or two districts.