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Headlines: Former Game and Fish Director nominated as Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service CWD found in new Wyoming hunt area Time to do away with the penny 2025 Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race concludes in Dubois, Wyoming Cold Weather Advisory Whooping Cough cases increasing in Wyoming The Harpweaver comes to Pinedale February 15th Game and Fish conducts annual mule deer surveys Wyoming Senior Olympics 2025 Feb. 20-22 in Pinedale WY State Superintendent supports U.S. Department of Education’s Title IX announcement Low cost insulin program available to Wyoming citizens Pinedale Local: Nordic Ski Grooming Report – February 15, 2025 Nordic Ski Grooming Report – Feb. 14, 2025 Order daffodils now Rec Board grant request hearings March 11 & 12 ‘The Little Mermaid’ March 19-21 Outdoor Living Space fully funded for the future Sublette Center Obituary – Alta Faler Mark your calendar for Daniel community events 40th Annual Daniel Chili Cookoff March 8th Youth Snocross races Climb Wyoming workforce training program in Pinedale Feb. 19 Call for artists

Front Page Story Archive

Former Game and Fish Director nominated as Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (posted 2/15/2025)
Nesvik worked as a Game Warden in Pinedale
Wyoming Game & Fish
CHEYENNE, WYOMING — Former Wyoming Game and Fish Department Director Brian Nesvik was nominated by the Trump administration to be the next U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director. The nomination was announced Feb. 12.

"Brian is an outstanding leader, and if he is appointed, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be in good hands," current Wyoming Game and Fish Director Angi Bruce said. "He has a proven track record of working to develop science-based policies and programs for wildlife management, and his expertise would greatly benefit the federal and state wildlife management agencies. I have no doubt that, if appointed, Brian will work collaboratively with all agencies and organizations throughout the country for the benefit of wildlife. He is the right person at the right time."

Nesvik retired from Game and Fish in 2024 after more than 29 years with the agency. He worked his way up the ranks, from a game warden in the Laramie and Pinedale areas, the title of Cody Regional Wildlife Supervisor in 2010, and Chief Game Warden and Wildlife Division Chief in 2011. Nesvik was appointed as Game and Fish Director by Gov. Matt Mead in 2019. During his tenure as director, Nesvik tackled issues such as grizzly management and aquatic invasive species, as well as the ongoing challenges in managing healthy mule deer populations.

Nesvik served in the Wyoming Army National Guard for 35 years, and retired as a brigadier general in 2021.

Current Chief Game Warden and Wildlife Division Chief Dan Smith said Nesvik's hands-on experience with Game and Fish will give him a realistic perspective as he works on national-level wildlife issues in Washington, D.C.

"Brian’s real-world experience with the challenges we face in wildlife conservation will be a tremendous benefit as we work with our federal counterparts," Smith said. "I am optimistic that with his leadership, state agencies will be able to further strengthen their partnerships and common objectives in conservation efforts."

Nesvik will undergo a Senate hearing later this month in order to receive official confirmation.

CWD found in new Wyoming hunt area (posted 2/15/2025)
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
PINEDALE, WYOMING — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has confirmed the presence of chronic wasting disease in two adult female elk from Elk Hunt Area 87. The first elk was found dead in January, followed by the second in early February. Both elk were discovered at the Dell Creek feedground. Department personnel have investigated the sites, collected samples and removed the carcasses.

Elk Hunt Area 87 is located in the Pinedale Region. It is bordered by two CWD-positive elk hunt areas: 84 and 92. This marks the first recorded cases of CWD in Hunt Area 87 and is the first detection of the disease within the Upper Green River Elk Herd. This is the second confirmed instance of elk testing positive at a feedground, following a previous detection of CWD at the Scab Creek feedground in December.

"It is unfortunate and concerning to find CWD on an elk feedground;" said Wildlife Division Deputy Chief Justin Binfet. "However, it was not unexpected given this disease continues to spread throughout the West. In anticipation of the spread of CWD to elk feedgrounds, the department created its Elk Feedground Management Plan, which will guide wildlife managers to work to minimize and mitigate CWD risks and look for long-term solutions to disease transmission on feedgrounds."

CWD is 100 percent fatal to infected deer, elk and moose. Continued monitoring of CWD over time is important to help Game and Fish understand the potential impacts of the disease, as well as evaluate future management actions. Department personnel will continue to closely monitor feedgrounds for elk showing signs of CWD.

Game and Fish personnel from the Jackson and Pinedale regions are currently developing the first Feedground Management Action Plans (FMAPs) for the Jackson and Pinedale herds. This process aims to identify both long and short-term strategies to reduce the elk's reliance on feedgrounds and mitigate the risks of disease transmission. After completing the initial FMAP process for the Pinedale Herd, the Region will determine which herd to prioritize next.

Please visit the Game and Fish website for more information on CWD testing, transmission and regulations on transportation and disposal of carcasses.

Time to do away with the penny (posted 2/12/2025)
Pinedale Online!
On Sunday, February 9th, President Trump announced that he has asked the US Treasury Department to stop producing pennies. The reason given is they cost more than three times to produce than they are worth. In 2024, the cost of making a penny was nearly 3.7 cents, according to the US Mint’s Annual Report. In 2024, the US Mint reported losing over $85 million on the 3.2 billion pennies it produced that year. So it is understandable the financial argument is that the penny’s value is too small in current times to be valuable. However, others argue with sales tax added to purchases, pennies are needed to be able to make correct change in coins. The current trend is clearly that many people pay for their everyday and online purchases using credit or debit cards, even for very low dollar amount totals. Many people say they no longer bother carrying around cash anymore.

Before 1962, pennies were made of copper. Currently they are made mostly of zinc with copper plating. President Abraham Lincoln has been on the penny since 1909. The penny was the first coin made by the US Mint, according to the US Treasury Department.

Will nickels be next on the chopping block? Apparently, the government is also losing money on the production of nickels, the next larger coin denomination. According to the latest annual report from the US Mint, each nickel costs 13.8 cents to produce, with 11 cents of production costs and 2.8 cents of administrative and distribution costs.

What about dimes and quarters? According to the US Mint, it costs less than six cents to make a dime, and about 15 cents to mint a quarter.

Eliminating the penny is a step closer to a cashless society in favor of a digital currency, but so far, coins and paper money will still be around for a while longer.

2025 Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race concludes in Dubois, Wyoming (posted 2/13/2025)
Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race
The 30th running of the Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race concluded on February 11th after Stage Seven near Dubois, Wyoming.

Mushers from Canada, the US, and Germany competed for an increased purse of $200,000.

Finishing Positions
#1 Anny Malo from Saint Zenon Quebec, Canada.
#2 Cathy Rivest from St-Paul-de-Joilette Quebec, Canada.
#3 Alix Crittenden from Bondurant, Wyoming.
#4 Stéphane Roy from New Brunswick, Canada.
#5 Bruce Magnusson from Newberry, Michigan.
#6 Michael Tetzner from Burg, Germany.
#7 Liam Conner from Loon Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada.
#8 Al Borak from Newberry Michigan.
#9 JR Anderson from Buyck, Minnesota.
#10 Leonie Tetzner from Burg, Germany.
#11 Sarah Tarlton from Mountain, Wisconsin.
#12 Dave Hochman from Carlowrie, Manitoba, Canada.
#13 Michael Bestgen from St. Cloud, Minnesota.
#14 Austin Forney from Leadville, Colorado.
#15 Tim Thiessen from Leadville, Colorado.
#16 Sean Hildreth from Bend, Oregon.
#17 Chris Adkins from Canyon Creek, Montana.

The Pedigree Stage Stop Race draws top mushers and dog teams from across North America and Europe. This "stage" format sled dog race starts in downtown Jackson, Wyoming on the last Friday of every calendar January.

Each of the seven timed race stages are hosted by western Wyoming communities and take place on US Forest Service trails. Spectators and media are welcome to attend.

Mushers can enter a pool of up to 16 dogs, with a maximum daily team size of 12 dogs. The musher and team who completes the entire racecourse in the fastest time will be declared the 2025 Stage Stop Champion.

Cold Weather Advisory (posted 2/11/2025)
Nighttime temps expected to dip to -30F
Pinedale Online!
Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 8:00AM Weather and Travel update: 0F (zero) degrees in Pinedale as of the time of this report. COLD WEATHER ADVISORY in effect for western Wyoming from 10PM tonight through 10AM Thursday. Temperatures of -10F to -30F forecast for nighttime lows. Windy conditions will create wind chills of -15F to -35F. Dangerous wind chill conditions can create frostbite to exposed skin in less than 10 minutes. Daytime highs of only single digits to teens for western Wyoming with mostly sunny conditions through Thursday around Pinedale. For those working or recreating outside, bundle up in layers and cover exposed skin - hats and gloves a must. Temperatures "warming" to the 20Fs-30Fs with another chance of snow at the end of the week. If traveling, carry emergency supplies in your vehicle, allow more time to reach your destination, and monitor road reports by calling 511 in Wyoming, toll-free nationwide: 1-888-996-7623, or go online to www.wyoroad.info.

Whooping Cough cases increasing in Wyoming (posted 2/11/2025)
19 confirmed cases reported so far in Wyoming
Wyoming Department of Health
With recently increased cases of pertussis (whooping cough) across the state, including a current outbreak in Sheridan County, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is encouraging awareness of the disease.

At least 10 Sheridan County pertussis cases have been reported to WDH over the past couple of weeks with additional recent cases in Campbell, Johnson and Lincoln counties. "That brings us to 18 reported cases so far this year and we’re only in the year’s second month," said Clay Van Houten, infectious disease epidemiology unit manager with WDH.

Van Houten noted pertussis activity went up in 2024 significantly with 19 total confirmed cases. There were 0 reported pertussis cases in 2023 and 2 in 2022. Actual case numbers in any year are likely higher because many illnesses are not recognized as pertussis and others may not be reported. The department sent a December 2024 advisory to Wyoming healthcare providers noting increased pertussis activity.

"Any surge in pertussis activity is something we watch with concern because it can be so tough on infants," Van Houten said. More than half of infants less than 1 year of age who become ill with pertussis must be hospitalized; in some cases, it can be deadly.

"Thankfully, we have not seen hospitalizations involving Wyoming babies due to pertussis so far this year. Large outbreaks with infant deaths have happened in other states over the last couple of decades and we just don’t want that to happen here," Van Houten said.

Van Houten said the Tdap adolescent/adult pertussis booster vaccine is important for those who spend time with new infants such as parents, grandparents and other people who take care of them. "If you are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant, you should talk to your doctor about a Tdap vaccine, which can help protect infants," he said. "Infants are most vulnerable and don’t yet have the protection a pertussis vaccine can offer."

"In addition to our focus on protecting babies, we recommend all residents stay up to date with their pertussis vaccines for themselves," Van Houten said. "Those who still become ill with pertussis after vaccination are less likely to have a severe infection."

Pertussis typically begins with cold-like symptoms and perhaps a mild cough. Pertussis is often not suspected or diagnosed uneeks. Infants and children can cough violently and rapidly with a loud "whooping" sound.

"Pertussis is not always recognized because it has been less common in the United States over the last several decades due to immunizations slowing its spread overall," Van Houten said.

More information about pertussis can be found online at https://health.wyo.gov/publichealth/infectious-disease-epidemiology-unit/disease/pertussis/.

The Harpweaver comes to Pinedale February 15th (posted 2/4/2025)
Maeve Gilchrist
Pinedale Fine Arts Council
The Pinedale Fine Arts Council (PFAC) is proud to present critically acclaimed harpist Maeve Gilchrist live at the Sheppard Auditorium on Saturday February 15 at 7:00 p.m.

Described by one critic as "a phenomenal harp player who can make her instrument ring with unparalleled purity", Maeve Gilchrist has taken the Celtic (lever) harp to new levels of performance and visibility.

Born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, and currently based in New York, Maeve‘s innovative approach to her instrument stretches its harmonic limits and improvisational possibilities. She is as at home as a soloist with an internationally renowned orchestra as she is playing with a traditional Irish folk group or using electronic augmentation in a more contemporary, improvisatory setting.

For the Pinedale concert, Maeve will be performing as a duo (harp, guitar) and the program will be based around her Harpweaver Album. The performance will also include some brand new music that Maeve is workshopping in anticipation of her next record. The program is primarily instrumental but includes a few songs and also spoken word (as well as samples of the voice of Edna St Vincent Millay, the poet who inspired the Harpweaver album with her Pulitzer-award-winning poem, The Ballad of the Harpweaver').

Tickets for the February 15 performance are on sale now at local PFAC outlets (Office Outlets, Nested West & The Cowboy Shop) and online at .

2024 Mule Deer Fawns & Bucks. Graphics courtesy Wyoming Game & Fish.

Game and Fish conducts annual mule deer surveys (posted 1/4/2025)
Wyoming Range and Sublette herds continue to recover
Wyoming Game & Fish
Each winter, Wyoming Game and Fish Department personnel conduct aerial surveys to assess mule deer populations. In late December, wildlife managers in the Jackson and Pinedale regions took to the sky to record classification data for the Wyoming Range and Sublette mule deer herds.

Managers continue to evaluate mule deer recovery in the Wyoming Range and Sublette herds following the severe winter of 2022-23, which resulted in above-average mortality. The data collected from these surveys, along with data from ongoing research, provide valuable insight into population trends and assist managers with hunting season recommendations.

Long-term research on mule deer in the Wyoming Range Herd, conducted in partnership with the Monteith Shop at the University of Wyoming, indicated mule deer entered this winter in very good body condition. The average body fat percentage of adult females captured during the fall of 2024 was 12.9%, a slight decrease from the average during fall 2023 of 15.8%, which was the highest recorded since the study began in 2013. Last summer, researchers captured fawns on the ground in the Wyoming Range. The average birth mass of newborn fawns was 7.7 pounds, the largest measurement recorded since 2016, and nearly 1 pound larger than average birth mass across all previous years.

Weather patterns such as drought and extreme winters affect the quality and quantity of forage available to mule deer. Forage production and availability have significant impacts on the body condition of deer heading into winter.

"High precipitation zones that approach 30 inches or more on Wyoming Range mule deer summer ranges allow a diversity of plants to grow, which enables doe deer to produce and care for viable and healthy fawns before they migrate to winter ranges," said Gary Fralick, Game and Fish south Jackson wildlife biologist.

Additionally, the relatively mild and snow-free winter conditions over the last two years have resulted in high over-winter survival.

"Deer are able to disperse over the entire winter range because of the low snow accumulations, and therefore maximize the use of forage at elevations that approach 9,000 feet on winter ranges," Fralick said.

The high fawn crop and elevated survival rates heading into this winter were evident in the December aerial classification surveys. During these annual surveys, biologists and game wardens fly over winter ranges from a helicopter and tally the number of observed fawns, does, yearling bucks and adult bucks.

The population data for the Wyoming Range Herd includes hunt areas 134, 135 and 143-145. The December flight survey resulted in 4,902 mule deer counted and indicated a considerable increase in fawn ratios at 83 fawns for every 100 does, up from 34 fawns for every 100 does surveyed in 2023. These high fawn ratios are consistent with findings from the long-term research data that showed high survival of marked fawns last summer.

The overall buck ratio was up with 28 bucks for every 100 does. This is approaching the 30-45 buck-to-doe ratio objective. Yearling buck ratios increased to nine bucks for every 100 does, while adult buck ratios remained unchanged at 19 bucks for every 100 does. While the ratio of adult bucks remained stable, the increase in yearling bucks contributed to a rise in overall buck ratios for the herd.

In the Sublette Deer Herd, which includes winter ranges in hunt areas 130, 131, 138, 139, 140 and 142, biologists recorded 7,645 mule deer during the December flight survey. Similar to the Wyoming Range deer survey, there was a notable increase in the number of fawns observed. The classification survey indicated a fawn ratio of 76 fawns for every 100 does — the highest ratio observed since 2006.

The overall buck-to-doe ratio remains stable at 34 bucks for every 100 does, identical to the findings from 2023. The ratio of yearling bucks increased to 10 bucks for every 100 does, whereas the ratio of adult bucks decreased to 23 bucks for every 100 does.

"Both herds have demonstrated resilience in the past, quickly recovering from periods of high winter mortality. We witnessed this recovery in the mid-2000s and again from 2011-16 and 2017-22," Fralick said. "During those times, the mild and open winter conditions led to high over-winter survival rates for mule deer and rapid recovery of the populations."

As the Wyoming Range and Sublette herds continue to recover, wildlife managers will assess mule deer hunting season structures.

"As these herds recover, our hunting seasons will be adjusted to maximize opportunities while still meeting herd unit objectives, such as maintaining appropriate buck ratios," said Dean Clause, Game and Fish wildlife biologist for the Pinedale Region.

For more information about mule deer management in Wyoming, please visit the Game and Fish website: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/wyoming-wildlife/mule-deer-wyoming

Wyoming Senior Olympics 2025 Feb. 20-22 in Pinedale (posted 2/1/2025)
The Wyoming Senior Olympics 2025 Winter Games will be held in Pinedale Thursday through Saturday, February 20-22. The games are for people 50 years of age or older by December 31, 2025. Games are sponsored by the National Senior Games Association. Register by February 9, 2025. For information and registration, visit www.wyomingseniorolympics.com.

Schedule:
Thursday, Feb. 20:
1:00PM: Singles Pickleball

Friday, Feb. 21:
8:00AM-5PM: 1 Mile Walk
8:00AM: Women’s Doubles Pickleball
9:00AM: Nordic Classic (2.5K, 5k, 10K)
1:00PM: Swim Meet
1:00PM: Men’s Doubles Pickleball
Celebration Banquet, guest speaker: Dr. Uriah Gracia-Salinas, banquet ticket included with registration

Saturday, Feb. 22:
8:00AM: Mixed Doubles Pickleball
9:00AM: Nordic Freestyle (2.5K, 5K, 10K)
1:00PM: Snowshoe Races (2.5K, 100 Meter)
5:00PM: Pickleball Skinny Singles

WY State Superintendent supports U.S. Department of Education’s Title IX announcement (posted 2/1/2025)
On Friday, January 31, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education announced that the 2020 Title IX rules will be reinstated to replace the 2024 rules proposed by the Biden administration.

The Wyoming Department of Education said in a statement released Friday, "The 2020 rules better guarantee due process for students and staff involved in Title IX investigations and confirm that individuals are protected based on their biological sex assigned at birth."

"This is great news from the Trump administration as we continue to work on protections for women in Wyoming, including several bills currently before the Legislature. This is about safety and fairness and I will never stop fighting for our girls," said Wyoming State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder.

Title IX is a federal civil rights law passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. This law protects people from discrimination based on sex in any school or any other education program that receives funding from the federal government. Under the Biden administration, the 2024 Title IX Final Rule expanded the definition of "sex-based harassment" to include harassment based on sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes, and pregnancy, among other changes.

Low cost insulin program available to Wyoming citizens (posted 1/30/2025)
Office of the Attorney General
As announced in October, Attorney General Bridget Hill reminded Wyoming citizens of the settlement agreement with Sanofi-Aventis U.S. LLC (Sanofi), which guarantees that Wyoming citizens not enrolled in government health care programs can buy Sanofi’s insulin products for $35 per month for the next five years and directed citizens to a website to help them enroll in the program.

The terms of this settlement are now in effect. and Wyoming has launched a website for Wyoming consumers to obtain low-cost insulin as a result of the settlement. The settlement requires Sanofi to provide insulin products—including Admelog, Lantus, Toujeo, and Apidra, and any biosimilar of those products that Sanofi markets in the U.S.—at $35 per monthly prescription for customers choosing to pay with cash.

To take advantage of the pricing, consumers will need to register for a savings card via Sanofi. Consumers can find all links and necessary information at the following website: https://attorneygeneral.wyo.gov/law-office-division/consumer-protection-and-antitrust-unit/sanofi-insulinsettlement

In addition to the $35 monthly prescription rate, Sanofi has agreed to implement an enrollment message program to assist pharmacists and patients in determining eligibility for its low-cost insulin. The system will alert patients about this low-cost alternative at pharmacy counters throughout the State when patients are filling their prescriptions. Lastly, Sanofi has also committed to continuing its Patient Connection Program that provides free insulin to Wyoming citizens in financial need. Wyoming consumers can sign up for this Patient Connection Program at the following website: https://www.sanofipatientconnection.com/patientassistance-connection

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Pinedale Online! is designed and maintained by Wind River Web Services LLC in Pinedale, Wyoming to offer a "slice of life" view of happenings in and around Pinedale, Wyoming. Webmaster for this site is Dawn Ballou. Although we try to cover as many local events as possible, we have a very limited staff and much of this site is done in our volunteer time. We welcome community volunteers who can provide pictures or event information. Photos by Pinedale Online unless otherwise credited. Please see our companion site Pinedale OFFline, www.PinedaleOFFline.com, updated annually on April Fool's Day. All site content is copyright 2025. No photos, stories or content may be used or reproduced without permission for commercial or non-commerical purposes. Please contact Pinedale Online for more information or permission about using pictures or content found on our site, or advertising on this website. If you find any broken links on our site, please let us know. Privacy Policy: E-mail inquiries may be forwarded to the local Chamber of Commerce, businesses or others who can best respond to questions asked. We use website server visitation statistics to compile web traffic analysis to refine our site content to better serve our visitors. Server statistics do not gather e-mail addresses or personally-identifiable information. Pinedale Online does not sell, trade or rent our opt-in lists or any personally-identifiable information to third parties. Thanks for visiting Pinedale, Wyoming on the Web!