At a Glance: News Briefs 11/18/09

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

By Ben Cannon

Pinedale G&F: adult cutthroat pop. ‘large’
Wyoming Game and Fish biologists in Pinedale found during a recent survey that native fish populations of the Green River appear healthy, according to a recent statement by WG&F officials. There are as many as 150 trout per mile near the town of LaBarge, in southern Sublette County (by comparison, there are about six people per square mile in that area, according to a LaBarge community Web site.)
There were slightly fewer fish found on an upper section of the Green River, just downstream of the Green River Lakes.

“I was excited to see a relatively large number of adult cutthroat,” said biologist Darren Rhea. He attributed the numbers in part to annual stocking efforts by G&F officials.

G&F officials made these findings during a recent electrofishing survey of about 130 miles of the river. Electrofishing involves temporarily paralyzing the fish by mildly electrocuting them. They float to the top and are netted and put into live wells aboard boats. They usually recover and often return to the extraction point, according to the press release.

Data on Green River fish populations goes back to the 1950s.

Healthcare forum Sunday
A group calling itself Wyoming for Health Care Reform on Sunday will hold an informational forum free to the public. From 2 to 4 p.m. in the Teton Room of Snow King Resort, a panel will discuss health care issues, share personal stories, and attempt to answer questions about healthcare and healthcare reform.

Panelists will include Dr. Jim Little, a local family practitioner; former County Commissioner candidate Claire Fuller; a former business owner; and an AARP representative. Former U.S. congressional candidate Gary Trauner will moderate.
The group bills itself as nonpartisan, and maintains a Web site at www.WyomingForHealthCareReform.org.

The forum “is intended to assist people who are being bombarded by sound bites and wish to find out what proposed healthcare reform would mean to them,” said member Vance Caruth. He added the group would like to respond to recent comments on the public option by U.S. Senator John Barrasso, who was an orthopedic surgeon before he entered politics.

Fire/EMS slashes energy use
Members of Teton County’s fire and emergency services department were recognized by County officials this week for significantly reducing energy usage within that department over the last three years.

Energy usage data showed the department lowered electricity use by 24 percent and natural gas use by 32 percent from a period in 2006 to the same period this year.

“It was a change in attitude, a change in how our staff and volunteer members carry out day to day responsibilities,” said Chief Rusty Palmer.

The sea change in energy use was prompted by the so-called 10-by-10 initiative, an effort between Town and County to reduce energy usage.

Palmer attributed the reduction to effectiveness of seemingly mundane changes, like turning off the office’s icemaker in winter, and lowering the thermostat when the building is empty.

Officials have said they appear on track to meet the 2010 goal, an energy savings of 10 percent based on 2006 usage data.

Fire/EMS is jointly run by Town and County and is one of the largest agencies in local governance. JHW


COURTESY WYOMING GAME AND FISH
Electrofishing

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At a Glance: News Briefs 11/18/09 | Planet JH News Article: Coulter Elementary School

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