Co00d play: Winter sports season approaches lPage 12 75¢
_ , Volume 130 • Issue No. 49
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www.sundancetimes.com
Prescription for
Br ef
Governor
a..ou.ce, retirement
budget
PrOPosal
Governor Matt Mead pre-
sented his recommendations
for next year's supplemental
budget earlier this week,
emphasizing the need for a
_ thoughtful discussion about
Wyoming's fiscal porky. The
state's permanent savings
total $6.8 billion in the perma-
nent mineral trust fund and $3
billion in the common School
Permanent Land Fund. Liquid
savings accounts available for
expenditure total $5.9 billion. In
addition, the Legislature may
want to identify proceeds for
capital gains not included
in the fiscal PrOfile, said the
governor, who also pointed
to reversions from the past bien-
nbm of over $] O0 million. With
the available resources, Mead
recommended a budget of
around $17millior! for state
government operations and
$51 million, to be matched by
private donations, for research,
athletic programs and a high
altilude training facility at the
university, as well as $30 million
for local governmenls. He
recommended $2.1 million for
construction of passing lanes
on state highways, with Hwy 59
between Douglas and Wright
as a top priority, "Revenues are
substantial and ongoing ex-
penditures are relatively fiat. It
is the right time to ask questions
and begin to make decisions
about the right amounts for
saving and the right amount for
vestmenfS in infrastructure."
or Mead said.
Rollover kills
three
A single vehicle rollover north
of Gillette resulted in three
fatalities on November 25. The
driver, a 60-year-old man from
California. lost control of the
2012 Ford van for unknown
reosons, crossing the north-
bound lane and leaving the
highway, where it slid down an
nkrnent and rolled. One
passenger was not wearing a
seat band was ejected dur-
ing the crash, while two others
also sustained fatal injuries.
Speed. tire condition, driver
fatigue and the ice-covered
conditions of the road are all
b investigated as possible
causes.
Weather
Thu 43128
12/4
Plenty of sun, Highs in the low 40s
and lows in the upper 20s,
. r "'#
Fd 42/27
t2/6
Sunshine. Highs in the low 40s
and lows in the upper 20s.
Sat 44/28
12/6
Plenty of sun. Highs in the mid 40s
and lows in the upper 20s.
Sun 39124
12/7
Sunny, Highs in the upper 30s and
lows in the mid 20s.
Mon 37123
12/8
More sun than clouds. Highs in the
upper 30s'and lows in the low 20s.
009 American Proflte Hometown Content Service
t
Curt Moberg photo
Virgil Vlrchow bids farewell from his familiar digs at Hillside Pharmacy. The Vlrchows
- Virgil and Charlene - will retire from the store on January 1 but plan to remain in
Sundance.
Hillside
Pharmacy
changes
hands
Longtime Sundance business
Hillside Pharmacy was recently
sold. Owners Virgil and Char-
lene Virchow have decided to
retire after many years in the
pharmacy and drug store busi-
ness. They will retire January
1 and will continue to reside in
Sundance.
The new owner is Vilas Phar-
macies of South Dakota. Sun-
dance will be their first location
in Wyoming.
Jim Stephens, owner of
Vilas Pharmacies, says, "We
are proud to be a family-
owned, independent buM-
ness. The first Vilas 'ore
opened in downtown Pierre,
SD in 1910, and from that
very first day we 'have done
our best to be good mem-
bers of the communities we
serve.
"We are honored to be join-
ing the Sundance community
and we hope to contribute to
Sundance being not only a
viable but a vibrant place to
live. We very much appreci-
ate the extremely warm wel-
come that we have already
received from the people of
Crook County."
In addition to the Sundance
pharmacy, a "Vilas Health-
care" store will be opening in
Moorcroft, also in January.
This will be a full drug store
minus the pharmacy.
Prescriptions will be filled
in Sundance and delivered to
Moorcroft for same-day pick-
up five days a week. Same-
day'pres(ription pickup will
also be available in Hulett,
as has been done for many
years.
Vilas will accept nearly
every available prescription
insurance plan.
Both stores will include a
full line of over-the-counter
medications and vitamins,
as well as Montana Silver
jewelry, a large selection of
home d6cor and gifts, cos-
metics, school and office
supplies and a digital photo
processing kiosk. Hallmark
greeting cards will be added
later in the winter.
The Sundance store will be
remodeled in stages in the
coming months.
Current Hillside pharma-
cist Louise Negaard wilt be
the pharmacist-in-charge,
and all other Hillside staff
members will also continue
at the store.
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roads result
in multiple
wrecks
BY SARAH PRIDGEON
Over the last two weeks, since the snow began to fall, Wyoming
Highway Patrol has responded to and seen evidence of numerous
crashes and slide-offs, says Lieutenant Marry Noonan. As winter
seems to be sticking around, he advises caution and constant
attention to all motorists.
Since November 17, says Noonan, Highway Patrol has re-
sponded to approximately 20 crashes locally, some of them
caused by deer but most by the weather. Of those crashes,
around ten were rollovers.
One rollover took place earlier this week, for example, on the
roads north of Hulett. The driver was not found until the fol-
lowing morning and his most severe injuries were caused by
exposure to the cold.
A serious accident took place on November 25 at the inter-
section of the frontage road and Hwy •111, although it does not
appear to have been related to the weather, says Noonan. Two
cars were involved and one of the occupants was transported
to hospital with serious injuries.
There is also evidence that a high number of slide-offs have
taken place during the time since the snow began to fall, Noonan
says, each one causing minimal damage or none at all. These
generally are not reported, he explains, but troopers often see
"fresh evidence" in the mornings that slide-offs have occurred.
Most crashes in winter weather are caused by motorists trav-
elling too fast for the conditions, failing to slow down or pay
attention to the road, says Noonan. Avoid using cruise control
when there is a chance of slick roads, he advises, and be aware
that the roads can appear clear but still be dotted with icy
patches, particularly where ice has built up in shaded areas
and on bridges.
Keep your distance from the driver in front of you, says Noo-
nan. Most importantly of all, make sure to keep your attention
focused on driving - if the road is bad, he says, it doesn't take
much to find yourself in trouble.
Tri-state search turns
up aircraft wreckage
BY SARAH PRIDGEON
A priest from South Dakota was found deceased in his crashed
aircraft on Sunday after a search that involved air and ground
crews from both Wyoming and across the border. Peter Kovarik,
age 50, was reported missing after failing to turn up at church
on Saturday evening, says Sheriff Steve Stahla.
Kovarik took off in his Cessna 170 from Spearfish Airport on
Friday at 11:30 a.m., says the sheriff, but did not I'tle a flight plan.
He was reported missing the following evening.
South Dakota authorities confirmed with staff at the airport that
he had been seen there the previous day. Kovarik's vehicle was
found at the airport and his plane was found to be missing.
Crook County Sheriffs Department received a call at 9:39 p.m.
on Saturday, says Stahla. Signals from the plane's emergency
locator beacon suggested that Kovarik may have been located
this side of the border.
Along with Deputy Sheriff Jeff Hodge, Stahla worked on logistics
until 1:30 a.m., preparing for the search to begin the next
See Search l page 7
"Winter Wonderland" to light up
Sundance this week
BY SARAH PRIDGEON
Christmas will be in full
swing for the residents of Sun-
dance this weekend, with the
annual parade of lights fill-
ing the streets with cheer on
Friday evening, to the theme
of Winter Wonderland. The
first drawing for the Sundance
Bucks Shopping Spree Raffle
and the chili supper and Fes-
tival of Trees will take place on
the same evening.
Head to the Longhorn Saloon
& Grill at 5:30 p.m. for the
raffle drawing if you haven't
already purchased one of the
250 tickets, you can do so
for $10 at Dillon's Hardware,
Country Cottage, The Sun-
dance Times or Sundance
State Bank.
The first ticket drawn this
Friday will receive $50, or $25
if the winner is not present.
A total of 50 tickets will be
pulled and eliminated from
the raffle.
After the drawing, head out
to Main Street to watch the Pa-
rade of Lights in all its Christ-
mas glory. Line-up begins at 6
p.m. at East Main on 8 TM Street
and the parade itself will begin
half an hour later.
There's still time to enter
the parade, whether on a
float, in a vehicle, on foot or
on horseback. Call 283-1000
for a form and email it to sun-
dance.chamber@gmail.com by
December 4.
Entries this year will be
judged on five categories: best
use of theme, best youth, best
organization or group, best
business and most unique.
There is no entry fee for par-
ticipants and no prizes -just
fun and community recogni-
tion.
The Annual Festival of
Trees will follow the pa-ade
in the Courthouse Community
Room, immediately following
the Christmas Light Parade.
The Crook County Library
Foundation will host a chili
supper at the same time.
Vote for your favorite tree
by purchasing a ticket. One
ticket represents one vote and
will cost $1, or $5 for six.
The proceeds for the Festival
of Trees will be split between
the sponsor of the winning
tree and the foundation. To
enter a tree, head to the com-
munity room between 10 a.m.
and 4 p.m. on Friday with your
tree, decorations and exten-
sion cords.
The raffle will continue on
December 12, when the first
ticket pulled will receive $75,
or $25 if the ticket holder is
not present, and a total of 75
tickets will be eliminated. On
December 19, the first ticket
drawn will receive $125, or
$25 if not in attendance, and
125 tickets will be pulled and
eliminated.
The third place prize for this
year's raffle is $100, second
place will take $300 and
the grand prize winner will
receive $1000 in Sundance
Bucks, which are redeemable
Jeff Moberg photo
This year's Christmas Light Parade wlll hit the streets at 6:30
p.m. on Friday night. Line up for the event begins at 6 p.m.
near Main and 8th Streets.
with any Sundance chamber
member and at local retail
locations.
Everyone who attends all
three drawings will be entered
into an additional drawing
for a prize of $100. If you are
eliminated and in attendance,
you will receive a donated
prize.
Watch out for open houses
and sales at other local busi-
nesses throughout the festive
season.
