Them on Us: Climate control; Resi returns; Dubois remembers

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

By Jake Nichols

Jackson Hole, Wyo.-Could cloud-seeding guarantee lucrative powder skiing for Jackson Hole? It’s not that far-fetched an idea. In fact, it is already being done in Wyoming.

Weather Modification, Inc. has been tinkering with the Wyoming climate for years now. The five-year, $8.8 million state-funded project is in its fourth year, centering in the Snowy Range in the southern portion of the state. Bruce Boe is heading the project which aims to prove cloud-seeding is a practical option for increasing the state’s water supply.

Boe said his company has already worked in places like Morocco and Saudi Arabia. “My two biggest projects are Wyoming and West Africa,” he told the Casper Star-Tribune. Scientists estimate a cloud pumped full of silver iodide produces 10 percent to 15 percent more snow. Yummy!

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It is no secret Jackson is home to a few celebrities, but don’t underestimate the allure of Big Piney. Huh?

Dr. William Close, 84, died recently at his home in Big Piney, Wyo. Close was the personal physician of Zairian President Mobutu Sese Seko and played a key role in halting the 1976 outbreak of the lethal Ebola virus that terrified Africa and the world.

When his work in Africa was done, Close wanted to move to a quiet place in the states. He chose the least-populated county in the least-populated state. When he arrived, Big Piney and the nearby community of Marbleton, had a combined population of less than 2,500 and were served only by a resident nurse-practitioner and a physician from Jackson who drove the 90 miles to the communities once or twice a week.

Close oversaw the construction of a large new clinic, which opened in Marbleton just this month. Oh, and by the way, the reason we read this news in the LA Times is Close’s daughter is named Glenn. Yeah, that Glenn.

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Resi’s back! While Lindsey Vonn crashed out in the women’s slalom last weekend at Val d’Isere, France, Stiegler placed 19th in her first World Cup in more than 13 months.

The Sports Network reported Stiegler was “back with her normal flare, sporting red lipstick and bright red new Shred goggles on Valentine’s Day.” When she finished her first run, Resi found out French President Nicolas Sarkozy was there to watch so she climbed over the fence into the crowd and got his autograph.

“Well, I am a big fan of him and his wife. It’s pretty impressive to have a president at a ski race. He signed my bib and I blew him a kiss,” she said.

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ESPN’s hip ‘Go’ Web site debuted some local pow, Feb. 11. John Makens and Adam Dowell filmed a video last season while they were out shreddin’ the backcountry. The three-minute film is called the Jackson Hole Project and ESPN’s Tracy Anderson said it “does a good job capturing that down-for-anything Teton vibe.”

During the footage, Makens’ voiceover claims the valley is “just a quiet little scene. Everyone rips here and you don’t even know who they are.”

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Jackson’s Michael Miller founded Greenscool last fall and had high hopes of traveling to Tanzania to install his renewable energy systems into schools there. When the economic downturn dried up his funding, Greenscool headed for Mexico instead.

Miller is the CEO of wind-power specialists Teton Power. Together with Sun Valley resident Mat Gershater, Greenscool made their inaugural project Guaymas, Mexico. The non-profit installed 25 solar panels at a school in Fatimas last month.

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The touching story of Lance Cpl. Chance Phelps is coming home. The 19-year-old Marine from Dubois was killed in Baghdad in 2004. His body was escorted home by Lt. Col. Michael Strobl, who was so moved by the experience he chronicled the event in a personal journal. The narrative made national news after it was published in 2007.

HBO became interested and produced the movie version. The film debuted at Sundance this year to positive reviews. HBO plans to air the movie this weekend after a special advanced screening for family and friends in Dubois tonight. PJH
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Them on Us: Climate control; Resi returns; Dubois remembers | Planet JH News Article: General News

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