Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 13

Casper Star VTribune Sunday, February 23, 2003 Wyoming OBITUARIES B3 WEDDINGS B4 In Brief Feds to pump money into PRB because the Bureau of Land Management had only requested a W80.000 Increase. "We feel like the program is really getting support," said Bill Moon, who is a member oi the BI.M Washington budget staff. "We are talking aliout thousands of applicatH his for drilling." In the 2004 budget request that the BI.M sent to Congress on Feb 3. the agency requested addilioh.il 7IKI.IHNI The request is the beginning of the process that eventually results in a spending bill Between in ictober the jikm pending bill will wind its way through congressional panels and the lull House and ByTEDMONOSON Star-Tribune Washington bureau WASHINGTON Interior I partment officials anil legislators aim to increase coal bed methane production in the Pow der River Basin by providing a steady stream of money speed up approval of new wells A massive 2003 spending bill that President Bush signed Friday includes nearly $5.15 million in funding for coalbed methane production in the Powder River Basin, a 23 percent Increase over the $3.2 million directed to tin-area in the 2IHI2 spending bill The increase of $1.95 million Is particularly impressive. Senate before ending up on the president's desk.

Once it Is signed the money can be released. Members of the Northern Plains Resource Council will be in Washington, DC, next week to encourage the BI.M and Congress to slow the pace of coalbed methane development in the Powder River Basin, "I think it is going fast enough." said Mark Fix, who owns a ranch along the rongue River near Mile City, Mont Fix and the other Resource Council memlx'rs are concerned about both the amount of money lli.it is being directed toward Suzanne Moore was also unsure of what the money would be used lor. "Some of this is news to us." Moore said in reference to the funding totals. "We know the money is coming, but we haven't received a breakdown yet." Fix and other Resource Council members are concerned that too much of the money is di-rected toward expediting the production of coalbed methane "I would like to see more money go to inspection and Fix said. "We're nol opposed to developing natural gas.

we just want them to do it right We want to be able to Please see PRB. B2 the Powder River Basin and what it will be used lor Most of the money will be dl reeled toward enabling the BI.M to process more applications for rights-of-way permits lor pipelines, roads and other Infrastructure. It will also be used to reduce the amount of time it takes the BI.M to process applications for ermit.s to drill. Some of the money also ill be direel ed toward inspections of drilling operations and enforcement of federal environmental regulations. Gllmore said it was unclear how much of the money was de voted to each of the tasks Wyoming BI.M spokesman me on the range bbY Ian bh Baaaasflrii SJSr ijE M4aK3 HS GILLETTE NEWS RECORD AP Salmonella outbreak examined Milk may be to blame SHERIDAN (AP) It might do a body good, but investigators believe milk is the likely culprit of a salmonella outbreak that sickened doens of people at Normative Services Inc.

last fall. "We have concluded that consumption of contaminated milk may have played a role in the initial outbreak." said Dr. Jostyn Cassady. an epidemic Intelligence service offic er with the Centers for Disease Control In Cheyenne. Cassady said there were 55 confirmed cases of salmonella In students and staff members of the residential school west oi Sheridan An additional 58 suspected cases were also reported.

Salmonella Is a bacterium that can cause diarrhea, nausea, headache and fever. Three students were hospitalized but have fully recovered. Early salmonella cases at NSI stemmed from the milk, but subsequent cases likely resulted from Improper (leaning practices, unsanitary personal hygiene or sharing food Cassady said. "Interpersonal transmission from the close living quarters may have contributed to the duration of the outbreak." she said. The outbreak started in late August, leaked in mid-September and continued through late Oc tober.

It forced NSI to cancel numerous school activities, including sporting events and homecoming. "It was a frustrating experience, hut we did get a lot of assistance from health officials on all different levels." MSI executive director Cal Furnish said "We got feedback from them from the very beginning that our cleaning practices were actually very good, and that's part of the mystery." Local, state and federal Please see SAJ MOMIJA B3 FROM STAFF AND WIRF. RF.PORTS Couple accused of dealing meth GILLETTE A couple has been arrested for allegedly operating a drug-dealing ring involving several pounds of methamphetamine from the Denver area. Cheryl Ann Allen, 44. and Daniel Dee Allen, 51.

both of Gillette, were arrested Tuesday. They were charged with conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine and three counts of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. The couple allegedly used adults and juveniles to sell multiple pounds of methamphetamine in the Gillette area, according to the state Division of Criminal Investigation. A search of the Aliens' home Tuesday allegedly resulted in the seizure of firearms, suspected drug ledgers and a small amount of methamphetamine. Police ask for help in death CHEYENNE Laramie County sheriff's officials have asked the public for help in their investigation of the murder of a mother of two.

The body of Shawny Smith, 32. was found by a rancher Feb. 8 just south of the Colorado line. Results of an autopsy were still pending, but officials have Mid she may have been sexually assaulted. Sheriffs officials want the public's help in finding the clothes they believe Smith was wearing at the time of her death.

Items of interest include a dark bhie, thigh length "FUBU" brand jacket, a pair of brown "Sketchers" ankle shoes, a pair of white logics and a pair of jeans. Smith's drivers license could be in one of the back pockets, sheriff's Det Steve Reese said. Reese said detectives have collected evidence and interviewed several people in their investigation but rovided few details abOUl the crime. Smith lived in a mobile home in the Wetl Winds Trailer Park, which lias been the scene of domestic violence, stabbings, arson, gun threats, attempted murder and drug arrests. Mountain lion seen in Lander LANDER A mountain lion spotted in downtow lander i a used quite a stir this week but authorities have no plans to capture the animal unless it is treed.

Cathy Janish notked the mountain Ik in standing outside her day care center She said her dogs all of a sudden "went baHi "All the kkls were at the window going Kitty! ianish saki. was ekise It just kiokcd at us and its tail" The animal was also spotted Feb 14 cutting through the parking kit of the lender Valley Medical Center No injuries or damage were report ed (jaine and Fish wardens said they will dart and relocate the animal I mry if it becomes treed, adding tlie cat was likely already gone Airport numbers take another dip RfVERTON Passenger traftV at Rjverton Regional Airport fell in January for the third consecutive year, according to a report from Great lakes Airlines Figures show 738 passengers boarded finnmercial flights at the airport last month compared with 745 boardings in 20Q2 834 in 2001 and 804 in 2000 The airport needs IOjOOO passengers a year to retain a $1 mflTirm federal grant used for improvement projects I just short of that requrernerrl last year, but the Federal Aviation Admirsstration waived the rrmirriurn in 2002 because of the slumping national airtne hdustry Paula Fowler's home is moved into its new location near Gillette in this Fowler family photo, date unknown. The home is one of several houses built in Canada and moved to Wyoming. Housing ready to roll Weak Canadian dollar makes importing homes affordable try home runs about $62 to $72 per square foot, while the cost might be between $85 and 1120 per square foot in the United States. Some of the larger anadian sti k-builts can top 1200,000, depending on the range of custom options, size, travel distance and difficulty of shipment In business for 28 years, Town and Country shipped its first homes into Montana in 1(1.

The company now has sold about homes in Montana North Dakota and South Dakota, Fowler said Fowler's Town and Country home, built three years ago. was the company's first in Wyoming There are now 11 Town and Country homes in Campbell Sheridan and Crook counties. Other anadian dealers, working with area reps like fowler, also say they've Please IK HOI SL B2 top of a basement foundation of the same size. Homes, whether stick-built. Manufactured or modular are blowing in from the ileal hite North Home buyers from Sparsely populated areas in the I'nited States are finding they can get a pretty good deal, even with the tost of transporting those homes hundreds of miles as an oversized load on a trailer Housing companies in Alberta and Saskatchewan territories largely thank tfie difference between the and Canadian dollars.

Right now. it takes about IL64 of Canadian money to equal I in the 1 nited States. Altogether, tie lumber and housing i OMponentS that go into the homes can be in pen cut to 45 percent Cheaper in Canada than in the United States, which in turn an more than offset the ost oi freight The price range for a Town arid Coun By SAM HERLEY The Gillette News-Record GILLETTE It conies as I lumbering behemoth, sometimes taking up the entire road Bright yellow signs warn: "Oversize Load And it isn't just any oversized load. It's an entire house, miking its way from Canada to its new home in Wyoming. The spectacle of a home on wheels is big.

eye-catching and even absurd But it's not slow. It rolls down the highway at 55 mph "They're very proud that one time they got a speeding ticket," said Paula Fowler, a representative for Town and Country Homes, based in Balgonie. Saskatchewan She lives in one of the Canadian transplants just north of Gillette Hers is 2.600 square feet and was built to sit on Loaned executives not unusual in government "But their business will never interact with the government so you don't have the issue." he said "That the happiest circumstance, but frankly that's the one that happens least often Most often, he said the loaned executives, especially if they are in a consultant role, bring the potential of interactions with government later on. "It really falls back the governor and the governor's organization to make certain that they do not in the future derive any kind of an unfair advantage from the period they worked for the state Wiley said "II you need someone to give good energy advice, you need someone experienced In the field." he added "It's hard to get around It." tutes a conflict of interest. During a news conference Friday.

Freudenthal said the arrangement with addington was done "above board" and is one way his office can obtain expertise on energy matters "I think to some degree their reservations are appro priate in that they should be watching people who are public officials to make sure that were doing things properly Freudenthal said of the critics. He reiterated that addington will not be setting polky "Tve met with him a couple of times over the last few weeks." the governor said "He's been busy meeting people and reading government studies." Although the Wyoming Energy Commission is finishing its work on a proposed energy policy for the state. Freudenthal said the energy advisory is a more locused and detailed examination. particularly of electric generation and transmission The commission, he said, has more of a broad brush approach Wiley, meanwhile, said that most of the loaned executives are paid by their companies. "These are always a delicate balance regardless ol who paying." Wiley added 'The delicate balance there is if you're going to look for particular expertise in an area you're probably going to find it only In someone who works in that area Every so often, he said, a governor tan find an outside manager who can shares his or her managerial skills make up their minds that the arrangement will bring value that the state cannot otherwise aflord The governor and his or her organization also must line up the arrangement so the loaned executive does-n't have an unfair advantage later on.

"And then you go ahead -Wiley said Gov. Dave Freudenthal has drawn critk ism for his arrangement to bring into his office a PaciliCorp executive. Steve V. addington to be an energy policy adviser for six to eight months Waddington will be on the PacifiCorp payroll while he works in the governor's office Sarah Gorin chair of the Equality State Policy Center and Steve Jones of the Wyoming Outdoor Council claim he arrangement consti Arrangement requires a 'delicate balance' By JOAN BARRON Star Tribune capital burpau CHEYENNE Although the states have had loaned execu tive programs for many years, the arrangement always requires a "delicate balance an official of the National Governors' Association savs "We counsel the governors when they take on these loaned executives 'hat it is likely some folks -vill be critical," Peter Wiley, association director oi manaeement consulting said in an interview He said tne governors must Sraie raum Nadb Whfte For rtmmaUuu questions and comments abrwt this page call the news desk 307 JWUfiW or (Iff) 1 442-6916: email edors45irtb com, fax C307) 2GM 4-.