2025 Year in Review

January

2

Bob Mangus stepped down as assistant chief of the Lovell Fire Department as of January 1.

< The year 2024 brought carefully considered expansion and well-planned improvements to North Big Horn Hospital, rewarding its patients with more services close to home and its employees with national recognition for their hard work. The year started and ended on a solid financial footing, compared to many rural hospitals that struggle to break even. In spite of a somewhat harsh economic climate continuing into 2024 that sent a pall over many rural hospitals, NBHH not only kept its doors open but managed to thrive and grow.

< After 14 years of serving patients as a visiting specialist through Billings Clinic, cardiologist Dr. Kristin Scott-Tillery has officially joined the staff at North Big Horn Hospital.

9

Todd Wilder, a Lovell native with many years of experience in facilities management and engineering, is the new maintenance director for the Lovell school system.

< While most of the attention will be on what lawmakers do about property taxes and guns, Rep. Dalton Banks is zeroing in on the problem of federal overreach, with plans to sponsor three pieces of legislation during the upcoming session in Cheyenne.

16

A recent cyber-attack on PowerSchool that resulted in a data breach has school districts across the nation assessing the potential risks to staff members, students and parents and how to head them off in the future. 

<Achieving and maintaining good health just got a bit easier for women in the area with the addition of an experienced OB/GYN provider, Dr. Brenda Camp, to the staff at North Big Horn Hospital this month. Camp will lead the way in the much-anticipated expansion of women’s health services at the hospital.

<A new bill making its way through the Wyoming State Legislature that would create an enhanced concealed carry permit is causing concern among local school administrators.

<Board members unanimously agreed to renew Superintendent Matt Davidson’s two-year contract for the second year during the regular meeting Thursday of the Big Horn County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees.

23

The Lovell Chronicle has been judged the top newspaper in Wyoming. As announced at the 126th annual winter convention held at Little America in Cheyenne, the Chronicle was judged the top paper in the medium weekly division, Division B, based on circulation (1,400 to 3,000). Sister paper the Greybull Standard was judged the top newspaper in Division C (under 1,400 in circulation).

< Shortly after being sworn in as the country’s 47th president on Monday, Donald Trump declared that “the golden age of America begins right now.” Gov. Mark Gordon is hoping it will be an especially good time for the state of Wyoming. Speaking to the state’s newspapers on Thursday, Gordon said the departure of the Biden administration and arrival of Trump’s team means “we’re going to be paid attention to.”

30

It was a three-peat for the Lovell High School cheerleading squad as the team won the Game Day Cheer competition at the Wyoming State Spirit Competition Friday in Casper. The school also captured first place in the Hip Hop Dance competition, giving Lovell the top trophy in two of the three categories the school competed in.

February

6

North Big Horn Hospital Clinic provider Ali Wagner is currently immersed in a program offered through New Mexico State University that will expand mental health services in her practice in the future. Once she completes her mental health training this summer, she will have essentially earned two master’s degrees and will have dual certification as a family health nurse practitioner and a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.

< The Big Horn County Commissioners, together with the Prevention Coalition, local police and hospital officials, are nearing an agreement to renew the Volunteer Observation Specialist (VOS) program, which aids in suicide prevention and attends to suicidal patients in the county’s hospital system.

13

Tragedy struck the otherwise peaceful, quiet community of Byron on Monday afternoon when a mother of four allegedly shot all of her children before turning the gun on herself.

< A Lovell family is in mourning this week after their son and/or brother perished in an Alaska airplane crash last Thursday. JaDee Moncur, son of Brent and Darlene Moncur of Lovell and brother of CaMee Nichols of Lovell, was one of nine passengers aboard Bering Air Flight 445 when it went down Thursday afternoon and crashed onto an ice flow around 30 miles southeast of Nome, Alaska. All nine perished in the crash, along with the pilot.

20

 On Saturday afternoon, Feb. 15, 7-year-old Olivia Blackmer lost the fight for her life in a hospital bed at Primary Children’s Hospital in Utah. Up until her death on Saturday, Olivia was the sole survivor of four girls believed to be shot by their mother, Tranyelle Harshman, at the family home in Byron, on February 10. Harshman appeared to have taken her own life after shooting her four girls, ages 2 through 9. She died at a hospital in Billings a few days later.

< Lovell town councilman Bob Mangus had some good news for fellow town elected officials and the citizens of Lovell last week: an improved insurance rating for the Lovell Volunteer Fire Department that should mean lower premiums for Lovell homeowners.

< The Cal S. Taggart Visitor Center for the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area in Lovell is closed. A sign on the door reads that the visitor center is “temporarily closed,” and a post on the Bighorn Canyon Facebook page states that the visitor center is “currently closed” and continues that “the rest of the recreation area remains open and accessible for your enjoyment” and directs visitors to check the official “BICA” website for the latest updates.

< CEO Eric Connell was the bearer of good news at North Big Horn Hospital’s board of trustees meeting on February 18, announcing that the hospital made the Chartis Top 100 list for critical access hospitals for the second year in a row.

< A brand new DEXA scanner stands ready and waiting for patient use through the radiology department at North Big Horn Hospital. The primary purpose of the scanner is to scan bone density.

March

6

A changing of the guard will take place Tuesday at the Lovell Fire Hall as longtime commander of Robert Boyd Stewart American Legion Post 11 Rich Fink turns the reins of the veterans organization over to Nicolle Laffin.

< As final week of the legislative session began, the House of Representatives was dealing with the repercussions of the Senate’s refusal to pass a supplemental budget. Rep. Dalton Banks, R-Cowley, called that surprising decision one of his greatest frustrations about the session.

< The Town of Lovell is out of the QSF business, apparently for good. Coming out of a three-hour executive session during a special meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25, the council voted to accept a settlement agreement with Eastern Point Trust Company, the financial entity that had threatened legal action over the town’s arrangement with Flatirons Bank and related company Justice Escrow to provide a vehicle for qualified settlement funds, which are used by lawyers following a settlement or judgement to manage large sums of money awarded in a lawsuit.

< They did it again. The Rocky Mountain Lady Grizzlies swept through the 2A West Regional Tournament last week in Riverton to capture the regional title – the program’s third in four years.

< As the intensity and the stakes grew higher, the Lovell Bulldogs upped their game during the 3A West Regional Tournament in Lander last week and weekend, culminating with a thrilling win over Cody in the regional championship game.

< It’s a wrap for the Wyoming Legislature, the first one with the Wyoming Freedom Caucus in control of the state’s House of Representatives, as both legislative chambers officially adjourned Thursday to mark the end of the 37-day legislative session. The Wyoming Legislature passed 178 of the 556 total bills and resolutions filed for introduction, or 32%, according to the Legislative Services Office. The LSO report found that 47% of committee bills and 27% of bills sponsored by individual lawmakers passed both chambers. Out of the 209 bills introduced in the Senate, 47% of proposed legislation passed both chambers. The House has twice as many members, so it naturally had a higher quantity of legislation. Out of the 252 bills introduced in the House, 31% of them successfully made it through both chambers.

20

No one expected game number four against the Cody Broncs to be easy, especially with a state championship on the line, and it certainly wasn’t as the Lovell Bulldogs battled the Broncs for the state Class 3A crown Saturday afternoon at the Ford Wyoming Center. The game was close from the opening tipoff, and in the end, the Bulldogs proved the old adage that defense wins championships as they held Cody 20 points under the Broncs’ scoring average to win 44-40 and win the school’s 10th state championship in boys basketball.

< Alan Kooi Simpson, 93, a legendary political force in Wyoming and Washington, died Friday morning, according to a statement by his family. Simpson was surrounded by family and friends at the Spirit Mountain Hospice Center in Cody after suffering complications from a broken hip in December.

< A group of approximately 45 Big Horn Basin residents, both Republicans and Democrats, gathered in Greybull Sunday to discuss concerns about the direction of the nation and state and becoming more vocal about confronting threats to the rule of law and democracy.

< A group of thieves with advanced technological capabilities targeted several ATMs in the Big Horn Basin early last week during a 36-hour crime spree that stretched from Montana to Colorado.

< The North Big Horn Hospital radiology department has been awarded the American College of Radiology’s “gold seal” of accreditation for a term of three years. The accreditation represents the highest level of image quality and patient safety awarded following a thorough review of the equipment, procedures and images used in mammogram procedures.

April

3

Final construction of the Constitution Park Project will soon be underway at the redeveloped park as temperatures warm this spring. According to Town of Lovell Administrator Jed Nebel, the long-awaited amphitheater for the park, renamed Armory Park since the project’s inception, will be completed this spring.

< The Cal S. Taggart Visitor Center reopened Tuesday, April 1, after staffing issues forced the facility to close for five-plus weeks.

< The Lovell Rodeo Club held the annual rodeo royalty contest in Basin Sunday. Daisy Carpenter was crowned as the 2025 Lovell Rodeo Club queen, and Oakley Bischoff is the Lovell Rodeo Club princess.

10

What was anticipated to be “the great chicken debate” at the Lovell Town Council meeting Tuesday did not deliver as promised when the mayor and council deferred the debate to a future time and place when more room would be available.

< Park County may staunchly be Trump country, but there was some loud dissent voiced on Saturday in Cody. An estimated 250 to 300 people gathered at Cody City Park to protest President Donald Trump’s actions, including the broad cuts to the federal government overseen by adviser Elon Musk.

17

The search to replace Doug Hazen as superintendent of Big Horn County School District No. 2 has come to an end as the school board approved Lovell Middle School principal William Hiser as his successor at Monday night’s monthly board meeting.

< The Downrange Warriors and Veterans Talking to Veterans organizations, in conjunction with Mentor Agility, are bringing a two-day community event to the Lovell Community Center on April 23 and 24, an event called Family Strong. The event aims to strengthen families, build resilience and foster leadership within the community, event publicity states.

24

There was optimism in the air and plenty of input from interested parties as mountain biking enthusiasts gathered at the Lovell Community Center April 17 for an update on ongoing plans to develop a mountain bike system on the western flank of the Big Horn Mountains east of Lovell in the Cottonwood Canyon area. Some 40 people attended the meeting conducted by Town of Lovell administrator Jed Nebel, Annie McFarland of consultant Pointe Strategies out of Colorado and Michael Kusiek, executive director of Wyoming Pathways, an advocacy organization that works to facilitate projects including biking, walking, hiking and cross-country skiing paths.

May

1

The Lovell Town Council held a public forum about the proposed idea of allowing chickens to be owned inside town limits on Tuesday evening at the Lovell Community Center. At the table at the door, a total of 71 townspeople signed in when they arrived and could designate whether they were for chickens, against chickens or neutral. Out of those 71 in attendance, 36 residents (51%) were for allowing chickens in town, 27 (38%) were against and 8 (11%) remained neutral.

< The Wyoming Coaches Association announced the 2025 Winter Sports Season selections for Coach of the Year awards earlier this month, and Lovell High School boys basketball coach Shane Durtsche was named as the 3A winner.

8

In what is being hailed as the most successful night in the history of the event, the annual An Evening with Friends fundraiser for the North Big Horn Hospital Foundation drew a large crowd of people enjoying good food and quality entertainment at the Lovell Community Center on April 26.  According to North Big Hospital Marketing, Foundation and Grants Coordinator Janet Koritnik, the event had a record attendance of 173 people, with 180 tickets sold.

< Eldon Leithead of Worland and Kay Bischoff Hopkin of Lovell will be inducted later this year into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame (WCHF).

15

The top honor students at Rocky Mountain High School have a variety of interests and destinations in mind as they take the first post-high school steps in their young lives. Bryce Haslem is the 2025 valedictorian, and Nathan Clendenen is the salutatorian. Hayden Wambeke has received the Daniels Fund Scholarship.

< Three of Lovell High School’s graduating seniors will be honored on Monday, May 19, during the 2025 commencement ceremony, school officials announced. Jarrett Allen is the valedictorian and completed his high school education with a 4.0 grade point average and scored a perfect 36 on the ACT. Salutatorian was earned by Davin Crosby, who also finished with a 4.0 GPA and had an ACT score of 33. Based on a vote by members of the Class of 2025, Braxton Felkins was selected as this year’s honor student and will be joining Allen and Crosby in addressing the graduates at the ceremony.

< The Big Horn County School District No. 2 school board on Monday night approved Lydia McCracken as the new principal of Lovell Middle School beginning the 2025-26 school year. McCracken is currently a fifth grade teacher at Rocky Mountain Elementary School. The other candidates in the final interview process were Chris Edwards (AD/teacher, Lovell) and Autumn Tempany (K-12 principal, Burlington).

< Janet Koritnik has officially hung up the many hats she has worn in her nearly 21 years of employment at North Big Horn Hospital. During her tenure with the hospital district, Koritnik was responsible for coordinating and growing the hospital’s foundation, advertising, marketing, public relations, grant-writing and donor relations programs.

22

If you’re a senior citizen struggling to get by, brace yourself. Some of the services many seniors rely on may be reduced or eliminated altogether if the proposed 2026 federal budget is passed in its current form.

< The Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center in Lovell has expressed great concern about a recent decision by the Bureau of Land Management to euthanize a wild mustang in the Pryor Mountains the agency considered to be in poor health with a low chance of recovery.

29

They did it! In a perfect example of teamwork in action, the Lovell Bulldogs – one of the smallest schools in the division – captured the Class 3A state track and field title over the weekend in Casper, beating much larger schools including Cody, Douglas, Worland, Lander and Powell. The Bulldogs earned 117 points during the meet, topping Cody with 110 points, Douglas with 71 and Buffalo with 68. The Lovell boys won six meets this season including Regionals and State.

< North Big Horn Hospital trustees approved an equipment request for $33,000 to purchase equipment for its in-house sleep lab at the board’s regular meeting held on May 20.

< North Big Horn Hospital held its semi-annual Kid’s Health and Safety Fair on Saturday, and despite a little inclement weather, the fair had its biggest turnout yet.

June

5

The new Lovell amphitheater in Armory Park is taking shape, with the long-awaited structure rising from its foundation over the last three weeks thanks to the work of contractor Midway Construction and Dirt Work.

< There is a new face at North Big Horn Hospital. Payton Gambill has taken over the role as Foundation, Marketing and Grants Coordinator for the retiring Janet Koritnik.

< Kyle Leithead was selected last week as an appointed school board member for Big Horn County School District No. 2 in Lovell. The opening on the school board came after the district hired Tess Peterson to be the executive assistant in the business office for the upcoming school year. Due to her new employment in the district, she had to resign from her seat on the board.

12

Longtime station manager of the Lovell Volunteer Fire Department, Bob Mangus, has retired after 27 years at the position.

< There will be no chickens roosting in the Lovell town limits, at least for now, with a decision by the Lovell Town Council Tuesday night to not proceed with an ordinance to amend the town code and allow the birds, ending a several months-long discussion on the issue.

19

The Lovell Volunteer Fire Department has hired Jesse Piper as the new station manager, replacing the retired Bob Mangus.

< Two incoming high school seniors are working as summer interns at the Lovell Chronicle. Ella Spanier and Haley Sanders are working as reporters and photographers at the paper.

< To begin the June school board meeting of Big Horn County School District No. 2, the board members took the opportunity to bid farewell to Superintendent Doug Hazen.

< The newly passed concealed carry law, effective July 1, 2025, was on the minds of Big Horn County School District No. 1 board members at their regular meeting on June 12.  Following multiple discussions with area law enforcement, Chairman Joseph Bassett recommended that District 1 meet with law enforcement, school superintendents and at least one board member from Big Horn County School Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 to discuss the new law, share perspectives and determine how best to move forward. A meeting is planned for July 7. 

26

Citizens of the Big Horn Basin voiced their opposition to the sale of public lands at Rep. Harriet Hageman’s, R-Wyo., town hall meeting in the Greybull High School auditorium on Tuesday, June 17. 

< A longtime North Big Horn County family-owned company with a proud legacy spanning 42 years of operation throughout the West is winding down. S.E. Incorporated, also known as SEI, was founded in Deaver in 1983 by father LaMoine and sons Mark, Steve, Craig and David Sorenson, though the Sorenson family history in the power line business extends well before that genesis.

July

3

Lovell town administrator Jed Nebel had some good news for the Lovell mayor and town council during a special meeting last Wednesday, June 25. The Town of Lovell has been looking to remodel Lovell Town Hall for several years now, and Nebel announced that the town had been approved for a mineral royalty grant through the State Loan and Investment Board in the amount of $648,500.

< The Lovell-Kane Area Museum received a very special gift this week in the form of a desk used by legendary rancher Caroline Lockhart during her years living at her ranch in the Dryhead country just north of Barry’s Landing.

10

The Cody Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management has been hard at work on projects and improvements in our neck of the woods to increase local outdoor opportunities and experiences.

< A sparkling new facility at the North Big Horn County Airport north of Cowley was dedicated last Wednesday, July 2, in a ceremony that featured state and local officials and a ribbon cutting.

17

On Friday afternoon, a large crowd gathered at the entrance of Riverview Park in Byron for the dedication of the new park sign honoring the four sisters that tragically lost their lives early this year.

< Among the items discussed at a short July meeting of the Lovell Town Council last Tuesday, perhaps the most consequential was a discussion item: scooters and the dangers they pose to their young riders when not operated properly.

< The Big Horn County Little League Minors all-star team swept the competition at the district tournament in Greybull last week to claim the championship title and clinch the top spot heading into the state tournament to be held in Lovell on July 23-26.

 

24

Local first responders attended to a pair of serious highway incidents this week that left an RV and a semi tractor and trailer destroyed but occupants able to walk away from each scene with little or no harm.

< A weekend meeting of a group calling itself the Concerned Citizens of Big Horn County —made up of both Republicans and Democrats — focused less on hot-button national issues and more on what can be done to make a difference closer to home.

31

Talk about peaking at the right time! The Lovell Mustangs put it all together at the 2025 Wyoming State Class A American Legion Baseball Tournament in Sheridan over the weekend, playing to a 4-1 record with two wins over Cody, including the state championship game.

< Four local individuals are in the process of reorganizing the North Big Horn Arts Council with hopes of staging a Christmas play and bringing music and other programming to the community. Board member Bryan Baird said the group is in the process of filing paperwork and establishing bylaws for a 501c3 corporation.

August

7

Big Horn County Search and Rescue has been looking for a Minnesota man lost in the Cloud Peak Wilderness area since Friday, Aug. 1.

14

At 1:09 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 11, a neighbor called the Lovell Police Department to report a vehicle on fire on Carmon Avenue. Local fire department, ambulance and police officers responded rapidly to the location and were directed by the neighbor to the car parked in the alley in front of a garage that was on fire.

< At Monday night’s monthly meeting for Big Horn County School District No. 2, the board voted to begin the 45-day public comment period regarding the new concealed carry rule to comply with the recently enacted Wyoming state statute.

21

At the regular school board meeting of Big Horn County School District No. 1 on Thursday, Aug. 14, held at Burlington High School, no decision was reached concerning the concealed carry policy. Superintendent Matt Davidson informed the board that the policy was still out for public input. There was a great deal of discussion with Chairman Joseph Bassett commenting that there seems to be a variety of opinions about the intent, purpose and implementation of the new law.

< “They’re gutting our little community,” Chelsea Yates of Deaver addressed the Big Horn County Library board, holding back tears, at their Tuesday, Aug. 12, meeting. The Big Horn County library system faces a $70,000 cut in county funds this year, 20% of last year’s budget. As a result, the county’s three largest libraries -- Lovell, Basin and Greybull -- have faced reduced hours and the removal of benefits for all staff members. Its smallest libraries, Frannie and Deaver, were given the axe as of September 1.

28

For 57 years, local wild horse advocates have had a close working relationship with the Bureau of Land Management in the ongoing management of the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range. That unique wild horse herd and the specialized management employed to help them thrive -- management practices now threatened under a new plan -- was the theme of a presentation by Mustang Center director Nancy Cerroni at the August 18 membership luncheon of the Lovell Area Chamber of Commerce.

< Two of the newest providers to join the North Big Horn Hospital staff are the husband-and-wife duo of John and Jena Wallace. John has been hired to practice emergency medicine in the ER, while Jena will focus on family practice and will provide same-day care for patients needing to be seen immediately, but don’t have prior appointments with their provider.

< Search and Rescue operations in the case of lost Minnesota hiker Grant Gardner have ceased after 20 days scouring the Cloud Peak Wilderness. 

September

4

Lydia McCracken has taken the reins as the new principal of Lovell Middle School and has hit the school year running.

< Grant Gardner of Minnesota was found deceased in the Cloud Peak Wilderness on Wednesday, Aug. 27.

< Emergency responders recovered three injured persons and one deceased from a plane crash in Bighorn National Forest on Monday, Sept. 1.

11

Mike Steenbakkers has been serving as a member of the Hyart Restoration Committee for 21 years, overseeing the hills and valleys of the historic theater’s projects and challenges. He recently announced his retirement as board president.

< At Monday night’s Lovell School Board meeting, Superintendent William Hiser raised ongoing concerns about declining enrollment in the district. He cited several factors, including families moving out of the area, more students opting for virtual schools, fewer exchange students this year and an overall population decrease.

< Big Horn County School District No. 2 has a new face leading its maintenance department. Kyle Fluty stepped into the role of maintenance director in June and has been busy ever since overseeing projects across the district.

18

The North Big Horn Hospital District Board of Trustees met Tuesday, Sept. 16, in the New Horizons Care Center conference room, with board chairman David Winterholler presiding. The meeting opened with a surprise recognition for Shelley Murphy, RN, ER trauma coordinator, who was presented with the Wyoming Hospital Association’s Norman S. Holt Award for Nursing Excellence. Murphey was praised for her professionalism, compassion and leadership in areas such as achieving pediatric readiness. A plaque was presented to her, and another will be displayed at the hospital. 

< A trio of power outages that struck north Big Horn County last Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 8-9, were annoying to many local residents, but for some companies, the outages were damaging.

25

Two weeks after Tranyelle Harshman killed her four young children and herself at their Byron home, friends and family members gathered to commemorate their lives. As Harshman’s mother, Rhonda Coplen, prepared to say goodbye to her daughter and granddaughters, she still had unanswered questions eating at her. But Coplen was convinced that the medication prescribed to Harshman was dangerous and may have, at least in part, caused Harshman’s unthinkable decision. Over six months later, she’s following through on that conviction. Acting on behalf of the family, Coplen filed a Monday lawsuit against the Cody clinic and provider who prescribed ketamine to Harshman.

< A day of fall fun is planned next week when the Lovell Area Chamber of Commerce and local merchants host Sugar Beets and Sunflowers, a fall festival in downtown Lovell next Saturday, Oct. 4.

October

2

The Rocky Mountain High School volleyball team is rallying around longtime music teacher Mandie Asay, who has been in serious condition since early September.

< A pink night volleyball fundraiser for longtime Lovell coach, mom and community leader Stormy Jameson will be held next Thursday, Oct. 9, during the Lovell-Thermopolis volleyball matches at Winterholler Gym.

< Due to the U.S. Government budgetary impasse as of October 1, the Cal S. Taggart Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area South District Visitor Center is closed. All visitor services and programs at this location will be suspended until further notice.

9

Mike Jameson announced his retirement last week after more than 40 years with the Lovell Volunteer Fire Department, for the last several years as chief.

< As the federal government shutdown moves into a second week, the immediate impact in north Big Horn County has been relatively mild. The Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area remains open to visitors, though the Visitor Center in Lovell is closed and park staff are limited. Trails, boat ramps and picnic areas are still accessible, but visitors will notice few rangers and reduced maintenance.

< A near head-on two-truck crash at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains Thursday afternoon created a dramatic scene of destruction and sparked a wildfire, but remarkably, both drivers walked away from the scene, though one was life-flighted to Billings with burns.

16

The Lovell Community Center was alive with laughter, music and the sound of rain pounding on the roof Saturday evening, October 11, as the Lovell-Kane Area Museum held its annual fundraiser. While lightning flashed across the sky and the town received one of its heaviest downpours in months, the show went on, and the crowd didn’t seem to mind a bit.

< The town council meeting in Cowley Tuesday evening lived up to every movie scene you’ve ever imagined of an old Western town hall meeting. The one uniting thing in this loud, abrasive gathering was that every single person claimed to be there because they love Cowley -- and honestly, they really do.

23

The Lovell Police Department honored one of their own during last week’s Lovell Town Council meeting. Before a large gathering in the town hall council chambers, Chief of Police Roger Haney honored Officer Dusty Schultz with the Lovell Police Department Life-saving Award for his actions last spring to resuscitate a man in the throes of a cardiac arrest.

< A big surprise was in store for Lovell Elementary School lunchroom worker Holly Huish midway through her morning shift Tuesday. A baker for the lunchroom staff, Huish was presented with the Apron of Honor Award as the food services employee of the year by the Wyoming Department of Education.

< The Big Horn County Public Health Office in Lovell is returning to full-time hours for the first time in months, thanks to the addition of registered nurse Kindy Krei, who began work this week. The Lovell office will now be open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a lunch closure from 12 to 1 p.m.

30

The North Big Horn Hospital District Board met October 21 on the second floor of the New Horizons Care Center and heard encouraging financial news, approved new equipment purchases and outlined plans for future clinic and facility expansion.

< “Slowly but surely, the rest of the world is sneaking into our little Mayberry here, so we need to be a little bit careful.” That was the central theme of a fraud and scam prevention talk by Big Horn County Sheriff Ken Blackburn at the October 20 Lovell Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

November

6

Jack Hessenthaler of Byron and Jim Thomas of Lovell were featured on the front page of the Chronicle for Veterans Day in honor of their service in the armed forces.

13

After 39 years in business, S&L Industrial sold recently to Road Safety Services, Inc. but will continue to operate north of Cowley.

< They won it for Stormy. Fueled by a season dedicated to former head coach Stormy Jameson, a deep lineup, rare team chemistry and a never-say-die attitude, the Lovell Lady Bulldogs vanquished all foes at the Class 3A State Volleyball Tournament in Casper over the weekend, sweeping Newcastle, Douglas and rival Cody to capture the school’s third state title and first Class 3A crown.

< A Hollywood screenwriter couldn’t have constructed a better script for the Rocky Mountain Grizzlies than their dramatic 35-34 win over the Greybull Buffalos in the Class 1A 9-man semifinals in Greybull.

20

Too often the history we read about is from hundreds of years ago, but this week the Lovell Western Sugar factory made a little history of its own. In a presentation before the Lovell Area Chamber of Commerce Monday, factory manager Shannon Ellis shared the exciting news of yet another record harvest, one strengthened by new technology, improved agronomic science and the hard-working farmers, drivers and workers who keep everything running year after year.

< North Big Horn Hospital is moving quickly to fill the void created by Powell Valley Healthcare’s recent decision to close its oncology unit. During a special board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 11, CEO Eric Connell recommended immediately creating a part-time oncology position, with the expectation that it could grow into a full-time role as patient demand increases. The hospital is already aggressively recruiting to fill the position.

< The reigning Miss Rodeo Wyoming, Cowley’s own Dusty Miller, will be off to Las Vegas next week to compete for the title of Miss Rodeo America.

27

A flock of birds was the apparent cause of a power outage that struck the Lovell area last Wednesday, Nov. 19.

< Lovell High School coaches and former student athletes, the Lovell Chronicle staff and friends and family members in the community are mourning the death of Stormy Smith Jameson, who lost a courageous battle with cancer on Sunday, Nov. 23, at the New Horizons Care Center in Lovell.

December

4

The Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office, community members and now the U.S. Marshals Service are on the lookout for a Byron man wanted for what the Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force is calling “multiple sex crimes against children.” On Thursday, Nov. 6, the Sheriff’s Office put an alert on the agency’s Facebook page informing the public about an attempt to locate Anthony Pease, who the agency said was evading a felony warrant for a crime against a person.

<The cast is set, and the rehearsals are nearly finished as the North Big Horn Arts Council stages the Christmas play “It’s a Wonderful Life” at the Hyart Theatre on Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 9-10.

11

They did it again. For the fourth consecutive year, the North Big Horn Hospital District has received national recognition for quality by the Chartis Center for Rural Health. The district announced the Chartis Performance Leadership Award on December 4. 

< The Big Horn County School District No. 1 technology team recently donated four computers to the towns of Deaver and Frannie for use in their community libraries. District Technology Director Mick Esquivil and Systems Administrator Rich Carter completed full updates on the computers and ensured they were ready for immediate use before the donation.

18

A nearly 20-year career as the Big Horn County Sheriff will come to an end in March for Sheriff Ken Blackburn, who this week announced his plans to step away from the position on March 17, 2026.

<Wyoming’s recent property tax cuts have delivered meaningful relief to many homeowners, particularly seniors on fixed incomes. But as the changes take hold, counties and small towns across the state are beginning to feel the strain, raising concerns about long-term impacts on local services.

<North Big Horn Hospital is once again offering in-house sleep studies following the reopening and upgrade of its sleep lab, bringing modern, more comfortable technology back to Lovell. The expanded service was celebrated with a ribbon cutting on December 4 and significantly improves both patient comfort and access to care.

 

Births

Logan Andrew George Dec. 29, 2024

Avery Renee Helms-Winland Dec. 30, 2024

Arthuros Lee Manning Jan. 6, 2025

Josie B. Bassett Jan. 31, 2025

Daniel Mathew Hill Feb. 15, 2025

Bennett Andrew Rasmussen-Dickson March 6, 2025

Ryat Allen Winkelman March 9, 2025

Tyrel Kevin Weinand March 23, 2025

Cohen Neal Wolfe April 27, 2025

Samuel Patrick Dausman May 31, 2025

Elsie Dawn Bennett June 4, 2025

Oaklee Jean Ford June 4, 2025

Elijah Thomas Asay June 13, 2025

Hunter Renae Geiser June 24, 2025

August Cole Bowers July 5, 2025

Alonzo Ray Luna no date

Rory Rockwell Parsons July 14, 2025

Avery Twomey July 21, 2025

Enzo Jacob Balmaceda Aug. 22, 2025

Caiti Lee Smith Aug. 22, 2025

Khialynn Ruthann Holzer Sept. 4, 2025

Marcus Cooper Leonhardt Sept. 8, 2025

Callum Clinton Jones Sept. 10, 2025

Rhett Warren Bennion Sept. 19, 2025

Baileigh Sue Clavadetscher Sept. 24, 2025

Jack Clark Davidson Oct. 17, 2025

Brodee Mason Allen Oct. 25, 2025

Allison Susan Wilkerson Nov. 1, 2025

Adelaide Lyla Nicholson Nov. 4, 2025

Kane Thomas Croft Nov. 8, 2025

Matthias Reign Hellyer Nov. 24, 2025

Gilbert Oscar Tryon Dec. 8, 2025

Scarlet Faith Howard Dec. 9, 2025

Jed Lyle Arnold Dec. 10, 2025

 

In Memoriam

Rosalynd Ruth Doerr Nov. 3, 2024

Ann Louise Gist Dec. 8, 2024

Gail Toinette Tillett Good Dec. 16, 2024

Donna Irene Beal Dec. 30, 2024

John Peters Bramson Dec. 30, 2024

Richard Scott Hansen Dec. 30, 2024

Alma K. Cardinal Dec. 31, 2024

Jean Harston Wardell Jan. 2, 2025

Dick Andrew Gifford Jan. 8, 2025

Janice Kaye Hiser Jan. 8, 2025

Justin Hettinger Jan. 9, 2025

Judy Ann Berk Jan. 23, 2025

Donn Graham Jan. 27, 2025

Alana Van Grinsven Feb. 1, 2025

Jerry Wayne Warman Feb. 3, 2025

Paul Robert Lewis Feb. 4, 2025

Ronald James Trayah Feb. 4, 2025

Carol Joyce Welch Feb. 5, 2025

JaDee Brent Moncur Feb. 6, 2025

Alexandra Hinckley Cramer Feb. 8, 2025

Robert John Paxton Feb. 12, 2025

Alfred Lee Anderson Feb. 15, 2025

Gary Jack Anders Feb. 17, 2025

Mary Lewis Jensen Feb. 18, 2025

Marilyn Ann Revelle Feb. 18, 2025

James Robert Hoffman Feb. 20, 2025

Dorothy Maria Nelson Feb. 25, 2025

Sharon K. Dodson March 4, 2025

James Edward Blick March 5, 2025

Charles Everett Hull March 7, 2025

Danny Oaks March 14, 2025

Cheri Rae Bischoff March 19, 2025

Joseph Edward Mickelson March 26, 2025

Cara Jean Nicholls March 27, 2025

James Emmett Lindsay March 30, 2025

Scott Baxendale April 10, 2025

Christopher Franklin Stewart May 4, 2025

Sandra Sue McConnell May 5, 2025

Dora Agnes Bond May 6, 2025

Deanna J. Wagner May 13, 2025

Richard M. Tew May 19, 2025

Douglas Arnold Reutzel May 22, 2025

Stephen Robert Stevens June 9, 2025

Richard William Welch June 19, 2025

Nancy Robison June 22, 2025

Judith Colleen Wambeke July 2, 2025

Kayla Marie Green July 3, 2025

Jon Charles Stauffacher July 3, 2025

Mary Lou Perkins July 7, 2025

Gary Lee Bischoff July 8, 2025

Jack D. Preston, DDS July 13, 2025

Dorothy M. Emmett July 17, 2025

David Evans Hoffman, MD July 23, 2025

David A. Nelson July 24, 2025

Ralph May Wilkerson July 24, 2025

Coleton Ryan Cahill July 27, 2025

Sharon Lee Hallman July 30, 2025

Vana Lynn Camp July 31, 2025

Ellen G. Cooper Aug. 3, 2025

Madeline Owens Kraft Aug. 15, 2025

Florence Mae Wambeke Aug. 19, 2025

Laurene M. Grant Aug. 25, 2025

Merla Wardell Henderson Aug. 27, 2025

Ellen Zwemer Jones Aug. 28, 2025

Millie Armstrong Sept. 7, 2025

Phyllis Dulane Wood Sept. 11, 2025

Elizabeth Mae Holso Sept. 14, 2025

Tiffany Martin Huff Sept. 14, 2025

Ruth Tippetts Sept. 16, 2025

Shirley Van Lake Sept. 22, 2025

Bill Jay Welden Sept. 28, 2025

Lois Marie Hess Oct. 4, 2025

Henry L. Phillips Oct. 8, 2025

Nola Marie Voss Oct. 8, 2025

Glen Rice Howe Oct. 9, 2025

Sean Richard Thomas Oct. 11, 2025

Clara S. McDermott Oct. 12, 2025

Louis James Welch Oct. 12, 2025

John Daniel Tippetts Oct. 17, 2025

Scott Allen Caturia Oct. 20, 2025

Olga Marie Reynosa Oct. 23, 2025

Toni Dillon Bassett Nov. 1, 2025

Mack Jones Wardell Nov. 5, 2025

Barbara Asay Kryger Nov. 9, 2025

Eleanor Jean Wagner Nov. 11, 2025

Renee Elizabeth Walton Nov. 11, 2025

Joyce Earl Nov. 15, 2025

Stephen L. Scranton Nov. 10, 2025

Franklin Taggart Hinckley Nov. 20, 2025

David Pat O’Conners Nov. 22, 2025

Stormy Nicole Jameson Nov. 23, 2025

John Thomas Nickle Nov. 29, 2025

Robert Cornell Zwemer Dec. 5, 2025

Casey Gordon Good Dec. 6, 2025

Doris Jean DeGraw Dec. 7, 2025