Them on Us: Wyo. grasshopper say, "Run away"

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

By Jake Nichols

JH real estate registers pulse

The Steamboat Pilot peaked at our real estate scene and got a bit jealous, claiming Jackson “seems to have competitive edge” because of Wyoming’s favorable tax laws and the valley’s low limited inventory. January and February transactions were up when compared with 2009. Scott Yandell, CEO and chairman of Bank of Jackson Hole, and Jeffrey Fueschel, president of BOJH were both quoted in the piece.

Count Yandell and Fueschel as two bankers who are still willing to say “yes.” The Wall Street Journal ran a weekend story tracking U.S. banks that were OK with lending in the down economy. BOJH was cited as one bank that was bucking the trend by aggressively making home loans. “Consumer lending was up 34 percent,” said WSJ.

Jackson couple in horse wreck

Richard and Jeannette McGrath (Hearts Up Ranch) are less than a month into their cross-country horse pack trip and the two narrowly avoided disaster. Richard, who is from California, met Jeanette, a Connecticut native, while working at a therapeutic riding stable in Jackson Hole. The two married, dedicated their life to Christ and are now embarking on a coast-to-coast fundraising trip.

The couple was ascending a hill above Lucas Valley in Marin County, Calif., when Richard’s pack mule lost its footing and took Richard with him over the edge. All survived the incident with minor injuries and are hoping to continue the journey later this week.

Brent Ainsworth covered the harrowing incident in the Marin Independent Journal.

Powder dreams

Ski Channel turned us on to a sweet short film shot in Jackson. The short won the 2010 Coldsmoke photo competition at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. It features a young lady dreaming about skiing and was done using a stop-motion photography technique similar to claymation.

The photographer/director is Kari Medig, a photographer in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The video is called “Pillow Lines.”

Pillow Line from Kari Medig on Vimeo.

WTF: WYO 86’s DWT

It’s official, Wyoming has become the 20th state to enact a statewide ban prohibiting drivers from texting while behind-the-wheel. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood applauded the new ban which will allow law enforcement officials to ticket anyone caught texting while driving in Wyoming.

In a press release, LaHood said Wyoming has taken an important step to eliminate distracted driving.

Mary Neal visits Maine

Bangor Daily News stated it perfectly: “Volunteering as a timer at last week's USSA Junior XC Olympics may very well be the hardest thing Dr. Mary Neal has ever done.” For Neal, just being in northern Maine brought a firsthand reminder of June 21, 2009, when she got the call that her son Willie was killed while roller skiing in Maine.

 “Coming out here was very, very difficult,” Mary Neal told the paper last weekend. “None of us really wanted to come.”

Neal said Willie was passionate about two things — skiing and making a difference. Since Willie Neal’s death, a number of young people from California to Maine have taken up his environmental causes, Mary Neal said.

I wanna be a cowboy

Men’s Journal ran an interesting piece last weekend claiming there was a place for everyone and their dream somewhere in the U.S. For instance, if you want to be an urban gardener, move to Red Hook (Hudson Valley, New York). If you want to keep a boat near New York City, look no further than Red Bank, New Jersey; and head to Reno for outdoor pursuits far from the madding crowd. Fairfax, California is the place to pursue the suburban ideal and Nashville is the city for aspiring music stars, according to the magazine.

Men’s Journal’s pick to pursue a wannabe cowboy lifestyle: Casper, Wyo.

Pine beetle vs. grasshopper

Never mind the pine beetle, Wyoming is set to eradicate the grasshopper. Gov. Dave Freudenthal says Wyoming will undertake a $2.7 million program to suppress an expected grasshopper infestation this year.

Freudenthal says he has asked the state Department of Agriculture and State Land Office to prepare a robust spraying program to begin this spring. He says it's essential to prevent depredation to Wyoming's natural resources and crop lands. Experts are forecasting a large grasshopper hatch in the state.  JHW

Courtesy photo

Richard and Jeannette McGrath

Reader Comments
Wyoming is not "set to eradicate the grasshopper" As the Governor's words suggest, the goal is to suppress the outbreak to an acceptable economic thresholds. Eradication would not be ecologically sound, nor feasible. Slade

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