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Articles written by Jim Angell


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  • Hemp producer relieved by judge's ruling

    Jim Angell|Aug 20, 2020

    A pioneer in Wyoming's fledgling hemp industry accused of growing marijuana for distribution is praising the circuit court judge who dismissed the charges against his mother and him. "We're relieved that the charges were dropped and appreciate the judge doing the right thing," said Josh Egle, a Denver resident who raises hemp on his land near Albin. Egle and his mother Deb Palm-Egle were both charged with a variety of marijuana growing and distribution charges after a raid of their farm in...

  • Carson Rabou wins entrepreneur contest

    Jim Angell|Aug 13, 2020

    An Albin youth who launched a business marketing organic wheat products directly to consumers has been named a winner of a statewide contest for young entrepreneurs. Carson Rabou tied for first place in the Wyoming Afterschool Alliance's Young Entrepreneur Pitch Challenge, the WSAA announced Monday. Rabou tied for first place with one other competitor in the 15-17 age group in the contest designed to help young people explore and practice entrepreneurship and develop critical thinking and proble...

  • Ron Rabou tells his story, provides tips for change in new book

    Jim Angell|Aug 13, 2020

    Albin farmer Ron Rabou knows it can be difficult to change the way a family-owned business operates after generations, but he also knows that to survive in changing times, people must be willing to adapt and take chances. Rabou did just that with his own farm, starting from scratch to make it one of the top producers in the nation, and now he's sharing the story of that journey with others. "My purpose is to reflect on the fact that just because your family is going through it doesn't mean you'r...

  • Shooting, casting practice on tag for 'Family Fun Day'

    Jim Angell|Aug 13, 2020

    A day of fun on the range, a little casting practice and some lunch are all on the agenda later this month as the Bowman family hosts Family Fun Day at the Bowman Shooting Range. The free annual event, sponsored by the Bowmans and others, features hands-on target practice with .22-caliber handguns and rifles, shotguns and bows and arrows, said B.J. Bowman. “There’s something for everyone,” she said. “Kids or adults, we’ll take them all. We have as many adults come and shoot as we do kids.” The Aug. 22 event, which also features paintball compet...

  • Wyatt Day Wins 'All-Around' At Youth Rodeo

    Jim Angell|Aug 13, 2020

    Two first-place finishes at the Pine Bluffs Trail Days Youth Rodeo earned cowboy Wyatt Day "all-around" honors among senior boys for the annual event. Day finished first during the Aug. 1 rodeo in tie-down roping and teamed with Kaydence Bartlett to finish first in ribbon roping. Day also finished third in ribbon roping with Ashley Kisicki and third in team roping with Josh Stevens. The awarding of all-around honors capped a long day of rodeo competition that saw an above-average number of...

  • Appleseed Shoot - a combination of shooting instruction, history lesson

    Jim Angell|Aug 13, 2020

    A shooting event at the Pine Bluffs Sportsman's Club last weekend mixed shooting instruction with a history lesson. The Appleseed Shoot, sponsored by Project Appleseed, saw five people trained in shooting skills by three instructors, who also took time during the day to offer lessons on the events on the first day of the American Revolution, from Paul Revere's ride to the shots fired in Lexington and Concord in Massachussets on April 19, 1775. "On the history side, we basically go through the...

  • Trail Days a success, council members agree

    Jim Angell|Aug 6, 2020

    The 2020 Trail Days celebration was an unqualified success, according to Pine Bluffs Town Council members. Council members, during their meeting Monday, agreed that turnout for the annual event was good and that for the most part, attendees seemed to be practicing social distancing. "I think everybody was ready to get out and do something," said Councilman Mike Ragsdale. Councilman Donn Randall, chairman of the Trail Days Committee, agreed in a telephone interview Tuesday. "The turnout was...

  • Pine Bluffs Recycling Center ready for business

    Jim Angell|Aug 6, 2020

    Except for some signs, Pine Bluffs’ recycling center is ready for business, according to town Treasurer Kim Patterson. Patterson, speaking during the Pine Bluffs Town Council meeting on Monday, told council members that people will be able to park their vehicles next to a gate leading to the recycling bins and carry their recyclable material to the bins. It is a walking entrance off of 2nd. Street and Walnut. By limiting entry to foot traffic, the town hopes to prevent the dumping of trash in the bins, Patterson said. “We want to keep peo...

  • Homemade goods take center stage at Trail Days

    Jim Angell|Aug 6, 2020

    A stroll through the vendors’ area of Pine Bluffs City Park during Trail Days revealed an impressive array of homemade products, from pickled eggs and asparagus to rich cookies and fudge. And all the products, it seemed, had a story. “My brother (Kenny Hill) was trying to quit smoking and this was his therapy,” said Amy Votruba, pointing to horseshoes welded into such whimsical shapes as frogs and pumpkins on display at the A&K Creations booth in city park. Votruba was one of about a dozen vendors in the park on Saturday selling their wares...

  • Heath harvests unusual crop

    Jim Angell|Aug 6, 2020

    Although the combines are still harvesting wheat in eastern Laramie County, Master Gardener Mike Heath recently finished up harvesting a more unusual crop at his farm. Heath last week finished his annual lavender harvest. "I was actually about two weeks late because I had some people who wanted to come out and see the fields," he said. "I started (July 26) and finished up (July 29). Lavender is just one of the many plant varieties to be found at Heath's place. He grows it to make essential oils...

  • Pandemic benefit: Pine Bluffs stunt dog company puts on show for Trail Days

    Jim Angell|Aug 6, 2020

    It took a pandemic to make it happen, but a Pine Bluffs company that puts on shows of athletic exhibits by dogs finally got a chance to stage a performance for a hometown crowd at Trail Days. The "Stunt Dog Show," a production by The Canine Stars, was the main attraction at city park on Saturday as dogs, many of them rescue animals, performed feats of athleticism such as long-distance diving, high-jumping and Frisbee catching. The show's appearance was the result of The Canine Stars seeing all o...

  • Harvest well under way, fire chief urges caution

    Jim Angell|Jul 30, 2020

    Eastern Laramie County's wheat harvest is well under way and results so far have been mixed, according to one area farmer. Rebecca Talmadge of ST Organics, which owns fields between Carpenter and Hereford, Colorado, said drier conditions this year have resulted in lower yields in the county's hard red winter wheat crops, but the number had not been uniform. "It's kind of all across the board," she said. "There's been some places that have seen some decent yields. Not as good as the last few...

  • Schools to open as normally as possible, trustee says

    Jim Angell|Jul 23, 2020

    While some details are still being ironed out, students in Pine Bluffs and other schools in Laramie County School District No. 2 will resume classes in as close to a normal setting as possible this fall, a district trustee said Monday. Taft Love, speaking to the Pine Bluffs Town Council, said some questions still need to be answered about how to manage schools in such a way as to minimize the risk of coronavirus, such as how to keep high school students from interacting between classes. “It’s very difficult to try and make all that wor...

  • Town may want to discuss emergency services with other officials, mayor says

    Jim Angell|Jul 23, 2020

    The town of Pine Bluffs may want to speak with officials in Laramie County and Kimball County, Nebraska, about providing emergency services for both areas, Mayor Alan Curtis said Monday. Curtis, speaking during a town council meeting, said the Pine Bluffs Emergency Services division often provides service for southeast Laramie County and Kimball County without being compensated. “We just go where we need to go,” Curtis said during the review of the division. “We have an EMS service here funded by any revenue they generate plus (the Pine Bluff...

  • Pine Bluffs community garden to be operating by spring

    Jim Angell|Jul 23, 2020

    Pine Bluffs residents who want to try their hands at vegetable gardening but lack the space for a plot will be able to see how their gardens grow next spring, thanks to efforts by the Pine Bluffs Environmental Club. The Pine Bluffs High School club is working to put the finishing touches on a community garden that will make space available behind the Grace English Lutheran Church parsonage for small plots that can be used to grow any vegetables the growers want to try. “There are a lot of people who live in an apartment or a trailer home w...

  • Plenty to do at 70th Trail Days

    Jim Angell|Jul 16, 2020

    Pine Bluffs’ 70th annual Trail Days celebration may officially be limited to three days this year, but there’s enough going on to keep anybody busy through the weekend. Donn Randall, chairman for the annual celebration, said several groups have planned their own activities separately from the Trail Days Committee for the event scheduled to run Friday, July 31, through Sunday, Aug. 2. “There’s a lot of things that just pop up because people are trying to be creative,” Randall said. “Sometimes, it’s kind of hard to keep up.” Concerns raised by th...

  • Delancey claims two top honors in Albin Rodeo

    Jim Angell|Jul 16, 2020

    Cheyenne cowgirl Reagen DeLancey picked up first-place honors in two events at the July 11 Tim Malm Junior Rodeo in Albin. DeLancey, one of dozens of competitors at the fourth annual rodeo held in honor of the former state champion high school rodeo cowboy, placed first for both senior girls goat tying and senior ribbon roping. Also winning two events at the rodeo was Cheyenne cowgirl Kaige Reisdorfer, who placed first in junior barrel racing and junior pole bending. The rodeo is held every year...

  • Pine Bluffs Galactic Lemonz to play two shows for Trail Days

    Jim Angell|Jul 16, 2020

    A Pine Bluffs three-piece band will be treating listeners to a mix of classic rock and heavy metal music on July 31 as part of Trail Days. And some of the songs that will be played by Galactic Lemonz at the Knotty Pine Saloon are about as old as the combined ages of all three of the talented musicians. Jason Weller, 20, his sister Jessi Weller, 15, and Carson Rabou, 16, have an affinity for playing classic rock and heavy metal that comes from a combination of the influences of their parents...

  • Police maintain services while economizing

    Jim Angell|Jul 9, 2020

    The Pine Bluffs Police Department is keeping its costs down while maintaining coverage of the community through steps to economize, such as relying on part-time officers, Chief Chance Walkama said Monday. Walkama, speaking during the Pine Bluffs Town Council, said while budget cuts have had an impact on the department, community members probably won’t notice a difference in service. “I don’t think it will be things that people will be able to see,” he said. For instance, by using part-time officers, the police department can make sure to have o...

  • Pheasants Forever silent auction very successful, official says

    Jim Angell|Jul 9, 2020

    The silent auction held at Pine Bluffs Distilling last week as a fundraiser for Pheasants Forever was very successful, according to a group official. B.J. Bowman said 26 firearms put up for auction at the fundraiser were purchased. "We had a good turnout," she said. "I would guess we had 40 to 50 people." Pheasants Forever was forced to cancel its annual banquet in April, its major fundraising event for the year, because of coronavirus. However, the organization had already obtained firearms -...

  • Recycling services to be available later this month

    Jim Angell|Jul 9, 2020

    Recycling services will be available in Pine Bluffs later this month, thanks largely to the efforts of a group of Pine Bluffs High School students, a town official announced Monday. Kim Patterson, the town’s treasurer, told the town council during its meeting Monday evening that residents will be able to bring their recyclable materials to a recycling center on Walnut Avenue later this month. “We’re just getting the area cleaned up and secured to make sure it’s safe for people to work,” she said. “Hopefully, we’ll get some art students to c...

  • Nebraska ropers win Friday team roping event

    Jim Angell|Jul 9, 2020

    A pair of Nebraska ropers took home first place at the second B-S Productions roping event held at the Pine Bluffs Arena on Friday. Rex Stauffer and J.R. West, both of Harrisburg, Nebraska, took home the top honors for the night, said Abby Cross, a partner in B-S Productions with Brent Lerwick and Mike Shelit. The "10x10 Round Robin," which saw 10 heelers and 10 headers all getting a chance to compete with each other in teams, was the second of a series being put on by B-S Productions. In...

  • Pine Bluffs man plans restoration of Archery course

    Jim Angell|Jul 9, 2020

    A Pine Bluffs man plans to restore an archery course outside of Pine Bluffs for use by the public by late July. Dave Crouse won support for his plans from the Pine Bluffs Town Council during its meeting Monday night, when he announced he would replace target faces and hay bales used at the archery course in the bluffs south of town. Crouse is a 4H archery instructor who said he noticed the targets were in poor condition while he was hiking in the area. "It requires regular maintenance and I...

  • After 5,000 gallons of sanitizer, Pine Bluffs Distilling going strong with spirits

    Jim Angell|Jul 2, 2020

    After making nearly 5,000 gallons of sanitizer, Pine Bluffs Distilling is back to its normal operations, making unique vodka, whiskey, bourbon and rye. Chad Brown, co-owner and founder of Pine Bluffs Distilling, said the company has one more batch of sanitizer to finish, which will bring the total manufactured during the coronavirus pandemic to 5,000 gallons. Pine Bluffs Distilling was one of several distilleries and breweries in the state to win federal approval to manufacture sanitizer when...

  • Pheasants Forever holds silent auction Thursday at Pine Bluffs Distilling

    Jim Angell|Jul 2, 2020

    With its annual banquet canceled because of the coronavirus, Pheasants Forever wants to give people a chance to win the quality firearms it puts up for silent auction every year as a fundraiser. The organization will hold a silent auction Thursday night at Pine Bluffs Distilling, where members of the public will be able to put in bids on some of the rifles, shotguns, handguns and even BB guns the group had planned to auction during its banquet in April. “We had all the guns for the banquet, so it’s like ‘Why don’t we try to sell what we can...

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