News

BHC valuation increases by 25%

Published by admin on Thu, 07/21/2022 - 3:46pm

The value of state-assessed land in Big Horn County increased by 50% in the last year, driving the county’s total assessed valuation to its highest point since 2015.

Big Horn County Assessor Gina Anderson set the county’s total valuation at $248,468,601 in a report released by her office last week.

The total represents an increase of $51.042 million, or 25%, from the county’s 2021 total valuation of $197,426,831.  

The last time the county valuation topped $248.46 million was 2015, when it was $279.25 million. It was $230.99 million in 2020, $227.83 million in 2019, $215.84 million in 2018, $201.51 million in 2017 and $215.15 million in 2016. 

“The increase in our county valuation is mainly due to natural gas and oil values,” said Anderson. 

Natural gas increased from $601,367 to $2.5 million, oil from $31.02 million to $65.15 million. Rural telecommunication valuation soared as well, increasing 70% from $568,273 to $967,304.

New floor brings new life to Shell Hall

Published by admin on Thu, 07/14/2022 - 1:25pm

The historic Shell Community Hall has a new floor. Gone is the wood and in its place is a concrete slab. 

“The renovation has been a very long and hard project for the hall,” said Shell Hall board president Jessica Hartman. “With such a massive project comes its ups and downs for sure. The beginning for the project went fast. Thanks to everyone who came out to help Dan Anders with removing the floor, it made his job so much easier and faster,” she added. 

With the removal of the floor, revealed more issues than were anticipated. “As everyone was able to see in the last update in the paper we had areas in the building where the building was no longer together. The wood walls had rotted and therefore fell apart. That there put a damper on the project,” said Hartman. 

Flag flying over Eagle Pass again

Published by admin on Fri, 07/08/2022 - 8:58am

Knocked down but never out, the American flag is flying high above Eagle Pass again thanks to a generous outpouring of support from individuals and businesses in the Big Horn Basin.

Shellabration Celebrates Cyclists

Published by admin on Fri, 07/01/2022 - 11:53am

The annual PEAKS to Conga bike ride was a success this year with a record number of riders, 152. In its 11th year, the fundraiser and outdoor event brought people together from the mountain west region for a day of fun, music, and food – all for a good cause. 

Town losing administrator to BHC

Published by admin on Thu, 05/27/2021 - 3:35pm

The Town of Greybull’s administrator and finance director for the past eight years has resigned.

Paul Thur informed Mayor Myles Foley on Tuesday, May 18 that he had accepted a job with Big Horn County to serve as its airport manager and land planning manager.  His hiring was approved and announced that same day by the county commission.

He said the idea of working around an airport is what appealed to him the most.

“I worked building and maintaining airfields in the Antarctic for more than 10 years, so I know I enjoy being part of airport operations,” he said.  “It certainly won’t be an apples-to-apples correlation between Antarctic airfields and Big Horn County airports, but it’ll be close enough where I am hitting the ground very familiar with airfields.

Mask order waived for GHS graduation

Published by admin on Thu, 05/20/2021 - 2:33pm

Although still recommended, Big Horn County School District No. 3 will not require people attending Greybull High School’s commencement ceremony on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. to wear masks or social distance.

School board members on Tuesday, May 11 voted to seek an exception to the 27th continuation of the statewide public health order regarding child care facilities, K-12 schools, colleges, universities and trade schools. That order is in effect statewide through May 31, but it won’t be enforced in Greybull schools after Saturday, May 22.

Hillary Mulley, Big Horn County’s public health nurse, said her office received word on Monday that Dr. Alexia Harrist, the Wyoming state health officer, had granted the exception. It applies to all four school districts in the county, all of which are planning commencements in the coming days. 

It also covers the final week of school.  In Greybull, the school year ends Friday, May 28.

New name, new plan for geoscience center

Published by admin on Thu, 05/13/2021 - 10:25am

A retired geologist who grew up in Greybull and discovered what would later come to be known as the Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite has an exciting vision for the future of the Bighorn Basin Geoscience Center.

Erik Kvale shared it with members of the Greybull Town Council on Monday night, telling them that and his wife Angela are now retired and living in Shell and would like to expand the existing museum located in the Big Horn building in downtown Greybull.

Their vision is built on premise that if they do a good job of putting the “wow” in the story of the Big Horn Basin — and specifically, how it’s been the site of some of the most significant dinosaur finds in history — the tourists will stop, they’ll spend money and the town will benefit.

Tippetts hits the ground running as new fair manager

Published by admin on Thu, 05/06/2021 - 9:07am

At the age of 23, Masey Tippetts may seem young to be hired as the new manager of the Big Horn County Fair, but with her more than 10 years of experience at the fair, office management experience and a love of events, she is more than ready to accept the challenge.

The daughter of Brook and Brandy Tippetts of Lovell and a 2016 graduate of Lovell High School, Tippetts was recommended by the newly reconstituted Big Horn County Fair Board and ultimately approved by the county commissioners. She said her hiring was official on April 9, and she started the job Monday, April 26.

Second Amendment listening session set for May 3

Published by admin on Thu, 04/29/2021 - 2:17pm

 With more and more groups approaching the commissioners about Big Horn County becoming a Second Amendment sanctuary, a listening session has been scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday, May 3 at the Weed and Pest building west of Greybull.

Rep. John Winter, Sheriff Ken Blackburn and Deputy County Attorney Jennifer Kirk participated in the discussion on April 20 that led to the commissioners agreeing to schedule the listening session.

Assessment data shows student growth

Published by admin on Thu, 03/18/2021 - 1:07pm

One year ago, as schools were closing due to the emerging threat of COVID-19, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) granted Wyoming a waiver from certain federal assessment and accountability requirements.

What that meant for students is that they would not have to take the statewide assessment, WY-TOPP.  For districts, it meant no formal accountability determinations would be made for the 2019-20 year.

While it essentially amounted to a skip year in the assessment routine, school districts have been able to glean some insights about student performance since in-person learning resumed in the fall, courtesy of ACT and WY-TOPP data.

GHS Principal Ty Flock, GMS Principal Cadance Wipplinger and GES Principal Casey Bowe shared what they’ve learned during the March 9 meeting of the Big Horn County School District No. 3 board of trustees.