The Star Valley Independent is a member of the Wyoming News Exchange.

These stories come courtesy the WNE.

Yellowstone fire danger “high” for first time this year

JACKSON (WNE) — Several weeks of persistently sunny skies and curing vegetation have pushed Yellowstone National Park’s fire danger to “high” for the first time in 2018.

The higher ranking comes days after lightning sparked the first wildfire of the season near Yellowstone. As of Sunday, the Bacon Rind Fire, just outside the park’s northwest boundary, was burning in the Custer-Gallatin National Forest’s Lee Metcalf Wilderness, about two miles west of Highway 191.

“Smoke from the fire is visible from Highway 191, and the fire poses no threat to the highway at this time,” federal officials wrote on InciWeb, an online wildfire information database. “If you do see smoke from the Bacon Rind Fire, please remember to stay focused on driving until you can find a safe place to pull over.”

As of Sunday, the Bacon Rind Fire was 25 acres, but it was spotting in several areas within a 50-acre perimeter. The possibility of standing dead trees falling during ignition was creating a “significant safety concern” for firefighters.

Despite the higher fire danger, Yellowstone has not initiated special restrictions on campfires. Its general campfire safety regulations, which allow open flames only in campground fire rings and at some backcountry sites, still apply.

The fire danger remains moderate in areas covered by the Teton Interagency Fire district, which includes all of Jackson Hole.

No wildfires of significance have burned in the valley this year, though firefighters last week extinguished a diminutive Grand Teton National Park wildfire on the timbered slopes above Beaver Creek. Well to the south near Kemmerer, the Bridger-Teton National Forest on Monday put out a tiny blaze on Commissary Ridge.

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Drugs may have played role in fatal accident

TORRINGTON (WNE) – Drugs may have been a contributing factor in an accident that claimed the lives of two men in May, including Torrington resident Neil Newman.

According to an investigation report from the Wyoming Highway Patrol obtained from Newman’s family by The Torrington Telegram, Austin Walton, 22, of Kirkland, Ill., tested positive for marijuana, opiates and other, unspecified controlled substances, in a post-mortem examination following the May 13 accident. Walton was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of crushing head injuries. 

Newman, of Torrington, was transported to Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead of crushing injuries to his chest.

The accident occurred at about 12:45 p.m. near Mile Marker 85 on U.S. Hwy. 85, just south of Road 56 south of Torrington. According to the completed investigation report, Newman was traveling south in a 1999 Ford F-250 pickup, towing a trailer. Walton was northbound, driving a 2005 Hyundai Sonata registered to Doug Melahn of Hampshire, Ill.

Newman’s vehicle swerved into the northbound lane to avoid Walton’s vehicle which, investigators concluded, had crossed into the southbound lane. The two collided head-on, coming to rest partially in the east ditch along the highway. The investigation also concluded both drivers, who were alone in their vehicles, were properly wearing their seatbelts. Neither driver was ejected from their vehicle.

The investigation further found no indication of mechanical or other issues with Newman’s vehicle which might have contributed to the crash. The copy of the report obtained from the family did not contain the page listing vehicle condition and possible contributing factors for Walton’s vehicle.

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Climber killed in accident identified

JACKSON (WNE) — Authorities have identified the climber who fatally fell 300 feet Sunday on a popular route up Storm Point in the Cascade Canyon area.

Marco Korstiaan Dees, 33, was climbing Guide’s Wall on Sunday when the accident occurred. His girlfriend and climbing partner, Grace Mooney, was rescued the next morning by Jenny Lake climbing rangers. They learned of the accident from a hiker who phoned authorities after seeing a flashing light and hearing calls for help Sundaynight.

Rangers made contact with Mooney, who was uninjured, around 2 a.m. in less-than-optimal conditions.

“The conversation was limited,” Grand Teton National Park spokeswoman Denise Germann said in an interview, “because there was a cascade waterfall kind of between them.”

But two responding rangers managed to intelligibly yell questions to the stranded climber.

“She responded that she was uninjured, that she was alone and that she was comfortable spending the night there,” Germann said.

The rangers returned to the valley in the darkness and Mooney remained.

A second team of two rangers climbed toward Mooney at first light and, upon reaching her, learned Dees had fallen the previous day. The two rangers helped her down the wall and brought her to the Lupine Meadows Rescue Cache while a third team of three rangers set out to recover Dees and investigate the accident.

Dees’ body was found in a gully just west of Guide’s Wall. He was flown via a helicopter long line to the Lupine Meadows cache around noon Monday and taken to the Teton County coroner.

Dees and Mooney were capable climbers who had appropriate gear, Teton Park officials reported.

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Rock Springs airport sees passenger increase

ROCK SPRINGS (WNE) — For the 18th straight month, Southwest Wyoming Regional Airport experienced a significant increase in passengers.

The airport served 4,412 passengers during the month, a 44.32 percent increase compared to June 2017 and up by about 300 since the total of 4,111 in May 2018. For the year, the airport’s passenger traffic is up 23.29 percent compared to the same period in 2017, according to an airport press release.

“The growth that RKS is experiencing is the result of the convenience that people find in traveling to and from our airport along with new lower fares and incredible reliability,” Airport Director Devon Brubaker said in the release. “It highlights the trust that passengers and the business community have in us.

“With over 21,379 total passengers using the airport so far in 2018, the airport’s airline partners are starting to take notice of Southwest Wyoming as a viable air carrier market. We are looking forward to continued growth as the airport’s advanced booking look very strong through the end of the year.”

RKS has not seen passenger numbers at this level since 2012, which was the best year on record for the airport when the local economy was experiencing a boom and the airport had service from multiple airlines and at times six daily flights, the release states.

“As travelers make their airport choices, we expect RKS to be the airport of choice for many more travelers with the lower fares in place,” Brubaker said. “With the anticipated increase in passengers, we fully expect opportunities for additional flights and destinations in the future.”

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Wet weather dampen Peabody coal production

GILLETTE (WNE) — Six months of what company officials call “unprecedented” wet weather have impacted coal production at Peabody Energy Corp.’s North Antelope Rochelle mine, which saw a drop in production of 1.5 million tons in the second quarter of 2018.

The most productive coal mine in the world, NARM’s dip in production was notable but still not terrible when considering the U.S. thermal coal industry is down overall about 5 percent, said Amy Schwetz, Peabody’s chief financial officer, during a Tuesday morning earnings call.

The flat NARM and Powder River Basin performance was outpaced by robust seaborne coal shipments from Peabody’s Australian operations. Overall, the company posted a $113.7 million net income on $1.3 billion in revenues for the second quarter of 2018, according to its quarterly report.

“Peabody’s diversified portfolio continues to generate substantial returns, led by 39 percent margins from the company’s Australian platform, as we capitalize on continued strength in seaborne metallurgical and thermal coal fundamentals,” said Peabody President and Chief Executive Officer Glenn Kellow.

“During the quarter, Peabody also freed up all remaining cash collateral, reduced debt and returned $213 million in cash through buybacks and dividends,” he said. “Peabody continues to generate cash, maintain financial strength and return cash to shareholders as part of a financial approach that is as consistent as it is powerful.”

Since emerging from Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization, Peabody reports it has improved its net debt position by nearly $900 million over the past five quarters, while at the same time paying stockholders more than $1.1 billion.

However, continued weak natural gas prices and retirements of coal-fired power plants are the main contributors to the dip in demand for PRB coal, Kellow said.