Them on Us: ‘0 Tannenbaum’

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

By Jake Nichols

  “It's hard to think about Christmas when it's 90 degrees outside, but the folks in charge of the Capitol Christmas tree had an important decision to make and they couldn't wait for temps to take a dip to make it,” said the talking head on NBC’s Washington, D.C. television affiliate.

The superintendent of the Capitol grounds, Ted Bechtol, picked the winning tree last Friday from 10 finalists. There were 23 trees nominated for the honor. The winner was a 67-foot Engelmann spruce from the Bridger-Teton NF somewhere in the Jackson area.

This is the first time the “People’s Tree” has come from Wyoming.

Freudenthal: Don’t sell
Backlash from Gov. Dave Freudenthal’s threat to sell off pieces of Grand Teton NP continue to pour in from across the country. Public sentiment is running 99 percent against the idea, and we are hearing a few tidbits of new information.

The Boston Herald, reporting on the standoff between the State of Wyoming and federal agencies like the Interior Department and Bureau of Land Management said: “The key issue is valuation. Wyoming thinks the land could bring $125 million from somebody planning to put up condos and maybe a resort or two. The state rejected a swap for 1,250 square miles held by the Bureau of Land Management, calling it “trash land.”

The Herald went on to suggest that it might be time for a special presidential envoy-mediator with the prestige and clout necessary to get this deal done.
The Discovery Channel said: “It is hard to imagine that anyone, even Governor Freudenthal, would prefer a fast food chain, luxury condo development, or ski resort to the natural calming landscape.”

The Casper Star-Tribune, the state paper that broke the story, reported that the animal rights group PETA made an unusual offer to the governor. The organization stated they would be willing to pay more than the $3,000 in annual grazing permits if they could erect a billboard saying "Stop Grazing, Start Saving – the Park and the Planet. Go Vegan."

This is no bull
Denver’s News 4 broadcast an interesting piece on rodeo clown Marvin Nash who will be heading to the East Coast for a promotion.

Nash and his wife founded Bulling Hurts, a mentoring program that helps schools, parents and students deal with bullying. Nash began yesterday, rolling his bull barrel from Washington, D.C., to the Cowtown rodeo attraction in New Jersey to draw awareness to the cause. He expects the 125-mile trek to be completed by July 24.

Wyomingite turns pro?
He may be just another NFL hopeful invited to mini-camp, but we’re rooting for John Chick. The 6-foot-4, 248-pound defensive end has persevered through a lot.
At 14, Chick was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, a condition he has managed effectively. The former Utah Ute was invited to camp by the Houston Texans in 2006. He didn’t make the team but ended up spending the season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League where he was named Outstanding Defensive Player last year.

According to the Indianapolis Star, big number 97 is currently fighting for a spot on the Indianapolis Colts. And, oh yeah, we wouldn’t be talking about him if he wasn’t a local … of sorts. Chick was born and raised in Gillette, Wyo., where he led the Camels to two state titles. JHW

Courtesy photo
Capitol Tree

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Them on Us: ‘0 Tannenbaum’ | Planet JH News Article: General News

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