The Star Valley Independent is a member of the Wyoming News Exchange. These stories come courtesy of the WNE.

State takes back $1.7 million in taxes from Casper

CASPER (WNE) — The city of Casper will receive $1.7 million less in sales tax revenue from the state this month, despite the protests of officials and local leaders. 

“We were initially told that we would be able to work this out over a period of months, but it didn’t happen that way,” City Manager Carter Napier said at the City Council’s Tuesday work session. 

A Sweetwater County vendor erroneously reported its taxes in Natrona County, leading Casper to incorrectly receive an additional $1.7 million in sales tax distributions from the state, officials at the Wyoming Department of Revenue said last week. 

The Council instructed Napier to push back and fight for state officials to deduct the money gradually from multiple checks. 

“Why do they need to hit us all at once?” asked Councilman Mike Huber. 

Napier said he was already speaking to local legislators and planned to continue discussions with state officials this week. 

Council members also urged the city manager to reach out to Governor Matt Mead. 

But the issue isn’t negotiable, according to Kim Lovett, the administrator of the Department of Revenue’s Excise Tax Division. 

“It was deducted out and the checks went out today,” she told the Star-Tribune on Wednesday.

Deducting the money gradually from Casper’s checks would be unfair to Sweetwater County, as well as to the vendor, Lovett said. 

The error, which occurred from October 2013 to December 2015, was detected during a routine audit. Lovett said the audit also revealed that the vendor had overpaid taxes and was due a refund. 

The state would have to delay payments to the vendor and to Sweetwater County if Casper’s deductions occur over a longer period, she said. 

———

Laramie sees affordable housing shortage

LARAMIE (WNE) — A shortage of housing in Laramie has led to a lack of affordable options, according to city staff.

Most of the Laramie City Council’s work session Tuesday was made up of two presentations on housing. The first was from John Batey, director of affordable housing development from the Wyoming Community Development Authority, a housing finance agency. The WCDA could provide financing options to developers building projects catered to lower-income households.

The second was from Charles Bloom, city of Laramie principal planner. His presentation was on the 15-year housing plan, which started in 2015. So far, Bloom said they found Laramie’s population has increased by about 2,000 from 2010-2017, while new housing development has not kept up with the growing population.

Councilor Bryan Shuster said he was worried about the rising prices of housing in Laramie.

“Everybody in this town makes a different amount of money,” Shuster said. “Some people can dive into the housing market a lot easier than other people. First-time house buyers, I am not sure how they do it.”

That is a large concern for local businesses bringing in young professionals, according to conversations Laramie City Manager Janine Jordan had with a couple CEOs. These newcomers would like to buy a home when they get married and have children in Laramie, but it’s been difficult for them to find houses within their price range. 

Councilman Dave Paulekas said a major step the city could make towards increasing affordable housing would be to move apartments out of certain residential areas under zoning laws. He said investors buying houses and renting them out by the room drives housing prices up.

“It takes away the affordability of that house for people that need starter homes,” Paulekas said.

———

Man dies in Bighorn Mountain climbing accident

SHERIDAN (WNE) — Tip Top Search and Rescue personnel confirmed a man died after sustaining injuries related to a climbing accident in the Bighorn Mountains.

Johnson County Law Enforcement Center received a 911 dispatch July 7 at approximately 2:15 p.m. stating that a climber had fallen on Black Tooth Mountain in the northwest corner of Johnson County.

The reporting individual was the climbing partner of the victim. He stated it had taken approximately 45 minutes for him to climb to the area where he had cellphone reception.

He indicated the victim had sustained head and shoulder injuries during the fall. The climbers were at approximately 12,000 feet.

Due to the victim’s injuries, Casper Life Flight was notified and immediately responded, and Johnson County Search and Rescue ground crews headed into the area.

Upon arrival of life flight in the area, they were able to locate the victim but his location prevented them from landing due to terrain hazards. A second helicopter had been requested from Sublette County Tip Top Search and Rescue. It arrived on scene along with three search and rescue members.

The second helicopter was also unable to land but did drop off two search and rescue personnel as close as possible to the victim. The helicopter continued to transport search and rescue personnel into the field. The first two search and rescue personnel who were dropped off reached the victim after a two-hour climb.

Search and rescue personnel advised due to roughness of the terrain and the darkness that it was not safe for search and rescue personnel to continue climbing. Personnel stayed with the victim and his climbing partner during the night. They administered first aid, but during the night the victim died.

———

Rock Springs main street named one of nation’s cutest

ROCK SPRINGS (WNE) — Rock Springs was recently named to a list of the America’s 25 Cutest Main Streets in Small(er) Towns by Fodor’s Travel.

“America’s Main Streets are staging a comeback,” the Fodors.com article states. “Not so long ago, Main Streets everywhere were being boarded up, caving into the fight against big business and shopping malls. Well, that’s all changing, as concerned citizens and historical groups are spearheading movements to renovate buildings, beautify streetscapes, revive local economies, and bring 21st-century verve into main drags across the nation. Here are some of the best — both the darlings and some unexpected surprises.”

While not a sequential listing, Rock Springs appears at No. 16.

“It may have been rough and tumble in the olden days, but this Wild West town has changed its ways. Two restored buildings led the way for Main Street’s comeback: The century-old Freight Station, now the visitor center; and 1948 Broadway Theater, an intimate space that draws thousands of people for live performances. In between, mom-and-pop shops, indie boutiques, and gift shops offer superior shopping. Among favorite festivals, Rods and Rails Car Show brings hundreds of classic cars all along the street.”

According the Rock Springs Main Street/URA Manager Chad Banks, the attention Rock Springs is garnering is appreciated.

“It’s nice to be recognized for the great community we are,” he said. “Fodors is the fifth or sixth national organization to recognize Rock Springs, and we couldn’t agree more.”

———

Powell officials find pot in city planters

POWELL (WNE) — City of Powell workers recently discovered a different kind of “weed” sprouting up in a couple of city planters: marijuana plants. 

Powell Police Chief Roy Eckerdt suspects someone slipped marijuana seeds into the city planters some time ago. 

Amid the other plants and flowers growing in the pots, city workers unknowingly watered and cared for the cannabis plants for a period of weeks before discovering a couple on the afternoon of June 29, Eckerdt said. 

“They recognized what it was once everything started to leaf out,” he said. 

City Parks and Recreation Superintendent Del Barton said the plants were difficult for his seasonal workers to distinguish at first. 

“To be honest with you, and to be fair, without having a marijuana field testing kit, I can’t tell the difference between hemp and marijuana,” Barton said with a chuckle. “But it sure looked like marijuana to me.”

Barton’s workers pulled the plants and took them to police. A couple days later, another plant was found, bringing the total to three plants in three different pots.

“They [the workers] just mentioned to me this morning that in the course of watering, they think — though we’re not sure yet — that there may be some additional ones popping up,” Barton said Wednesday. 

While the chief can only speculate on the intent behind the clandestine plantings, “my guess is that’s somebody’s sense of humor,” Eckerdt said.