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2 — September 17, 2020
news letter journal NEWS
editor@newslj.com
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LENDER
Eight students quarantined
Alexis Barker
NLJ News Editor
As a result of the first confirmed COVID-19
positive test result in a Weston County School
District No. 1 student, eight students from
Newcastle Middle School are under a, 14-day
quarantine after the district worked with local
health ofiicials to use contact tracing to help
identify students possibly exposed to the student
who tested positive. According to a district press
release, on Sept. 8 the school was notified of a
positive test for a NMS student. '
“Once we were notified by public health
officials, we went to work assisting them in their
investigation trying to identify students who
may have had close contact with the individual
diagnosed with COVID-19 during the time
frames we were given,” Principal Tyler Bartlett
said. “Thankfully, we had anticipated issues like
this in the school district and had done some
work in advance to make contact tracing a little
less cumbersome.”
Working with the public health officials is
key, according to Bartlett, who helms the 173-
student school, and so far, those individuals have
been helpful and informative. Both Bartlett and
Superintendent Brad LaCroix assured the News
Letter Journal that the district had no ability to
perform any of the testing, although they would
monitor symptoms, if needed.
“As a district, we don’t have any say in who
gets tested or quarantined and obviously don’t
do any testing or diagnosing,” Bartlett said.
LaCroix noted that the district will check
with students who are exhibiting symptoms, just
as they would with any potential illness or issue
at any time during any school year.
“The school is not making any of the deci—
sions. We are just bridging a gap between
the school population and the public health
officials,” LaCroix said. “We are here to educate
from Page 1 ......... .. ‘
kids. The idea that we are pulling kids out and
testing them is crazy.”
LaCroix added that the rumors spread
regarding the procedure are not helping.
“If we are going to get through this, we
have to believe that no one is out to be the
becgeyman,” LaCroix said.
Thankfully, Bartlett said, the parents and stu-
dents involved in the positive case at the middle
school have been patient and understanding.
“Nobody wants to miss two weeks of school, 1
but everyone is complying with directions from ;
public health and doing everything they can to i
keep everyone healthy and safe,” Bartlett said.
“Everyone is also putting in a lot of extra work 1
now to try and help students stay caught up and
not stress about missed school wor .”
Both administrators maintained that the situa-
tion showcases the need for the guidelines set by
the district and Wyoming Department of Health.
“Of course, it serves as a great reminder that
COVID-19 is still something we’re battling
against, and it reiterates the importance of fol-
lowing health guidelines like staying home when
ill, washing hands frequently, social distancing
and wearing a mask when social distancing 3
is not possible,” Bartlett said. “Hopefully, :
we can learn from this situation as the school
year continues so we can try to minimize the
spread of illness and keep our schools open and
our students in attendance. Regardless of any-
one’s thoughts on the coronavirus, I think we ‘;
can all agree that’s what is best for our students
and our community.”
Any community members, parents or students
with questions or concerns regarding COVID-l9
in the district are encouraged to contact building
principals or administration directly.
“If you have concerns, you need to reach out
to the building principal,” LaCroix said. “We
aren’t just talking about COVID; we are talking
about any concerns regarding the school.”
........................................................................ ..
recorded, Smith reported, range
Rancher’s Feed and Supply
KASL Radio
WC Sports & Western Wear
Lunatic’s
And a thank you to all the downtown businesses and vendors that set up.
as well as anyone else who was involved we may have forgotten!
now eligible to apply for emer-
gency loans.
“This designation allows the
[Farm Service Agency] to extend
much-needed emergency credit
to producers recovering from
natural disasters,” the release
states. “Emergency loans can be
used to meet various recovery
needs including the replacement
of essential items such as equip-
ment or livestock, reorganiza-
Both Campbell and Converse
counties were designated as
primary natural disaster areas
by Perdue, the release stated.
Anyone suffering losses
caused by the drought has until
May 4, 2021, to apply for emer-
gency funds. FSA will review
the applications as they are
received and determine loans
based on the extent of losses,
security available and repay-
tion of a farming operation or ment ability.
the refinance of certain debts.” Several other programs
Several other counties across are available to help farmers
the state received the same recover from the impacts
designation: Albany, Carbon,
Crook, Johnson, Natrona,
of this disaster, including the
Emergency Assistance for
Farm-Raised Fish Program, 1
Emergency Conservation
Program, Livestock Forage ’
Disaster Program, Livestock?
Indemnity Program, Operating \
and Farm Ownership Loans and
the Tree Assistance Program. ‘
The release notes that thesel
programs are available without
disaster declaration. l
Producers are encouraged to I
contact their local USDA center ‘3
for information on eligibility)
requirements and application
processes. Additional informa-
tion is also available on the ‘
department’s website at farmers.
gov/recover.
N from Page 1
..............................................................................
..
!
from 6.74 inches of precipita- ,
o 0 tion in 1961 to 10.64 inches of HOW S the weather? 1
precipitation in 1952.
0 u r n m The lack of precipitation in Warmest Average Temps Lowest
Rainfall Totals .
Newcastle, Smith said, is fol- Average Year 6.74 1961
_ _ i . _ ' . lowing a pattern that can be seen 50.8 2012 1960 2
professwnal gathenng and reportmg of Information to soc1ety. When errors in
the statistics, 50,1 1934 3,52 1950 g
are published, corrections are issued. Investigative journalism reveals
hitherto “Wet and dry seasons last 3
' ' about 10 years in the area,” . . 1
unknown crlme, corruptlon, and wrongdomg. Smith said. Newcastle has been
499 1987 9.69 1985
I i g yet since jabfiout 2008, although 49-9 1938 10.163~ 1954
. , V . _. there. were a fepi grandom 49.7 2006. 198,7; , . 1..
. 1 " 4“ W I , ' ' ‘ " years_ So,
i‘nsn’t‘sut'pfismg that V 5" ' ‘" T‘
"‘"‘ 5'
we are going into a dry time,” 49.4 1999 10.64 1952
U E T K The lack of precipitation 49-3 1941 '
, . as well as temperature and HIQHESt Snow Totals
. other factors play a role in an Coldest Average Temps 78 1911-12
T D 0 I area being designated as in a 43-6 1912 69 1993'94 i
L _ drought Smith explained that 44.1 1978 63.5 2018-2019
the overall high temperatures 44-1 1929 62 2005-06 s
. . . . seen in the area, accompanied 44-3 1993 58 090940 3
Wyoming Refining Company Newcastle Lodge & Convention Center by the
early and late freezes are 44] 1957 55 1996_97 I
Newcastle Volunteer Fire Department Black Hills Energy a recipe for
drought. 443 2019 54] 1936-37
Tower .1117 t ' . Farnsworth Services «Around May 10 we saw 45.0 1924
53.9 1954-55 5
Wyoming Pipeline Company CLT Flooring and Furnishing freezing temperatures
and 45 1982 53.2 2017-18 .4
Bomgaars ‘ Range then the early freeze came last 45-1 1996 52 1974‘75
Woody’s Food Center powder River Energy week. This has killed off a
Par Pacific Frontief Home, Ranch and H ar dw a 8 lot of vegetation,»
Smith said, 24 ll-lighezggalnfall Totals 5Lowes: gar-15a" Totals
First State Bank of Newcastie Weston County Library Foundation explainmg
that. dead vegeta- 24-34 1996 16 4 1948-49
Edward Jones investments tion 15 more at risk for fire than
I , Undefeated Youth Group . . . 2393 1929 15 1960_61
lsabelta’s and Miner’s on Main w 11V1ng Vegetatlon-
, esco Gas Because of this A bulmre 23.88 1998 17.7 1959-60
First State Bank insurance g“
, . Duncan Cox Greta 50m P rdue has 22.9 1923 18.6 2015-16
Cote s Vending Se W Y 6
Madison Townsend desi ated Weston County as 21.31 1986 19.7 1980-81
Wesm" COW“)! Gazette 3“ 20 99 2013 19 8 1961 62
Newcastle Hi h School a contiguous natural disaster ' '
AGED Embrmdery 9 . 20 45 1997 20 8 1945-46
Newcastle Area Chamber of Commerce area, accordlng to a Sept 14 ' '
Pinnacle Bank Newcastle I press release from the US. 20.32 1964 20.9
2014-15
Embroidery by Graphic Design Newmst‘e P°"°e Defi’anmem Depamlem
Ongdculm. 20.24 2019 21.6 1963-64 ._
Weston County Travej Commission Weston County Sheriff Search and Rescue The
finponanw of the des_ _J
Letter Journaj Weston County Emergency Management ignation lies in the fact
that
13063430” High COUNTY Banting company “We, N'Ck! Keua’ 8‘ Randy
BOCk Weston County producers are Niobrara, Platte and Sheridan. Livestock,
Honeybees and )
misinterpretation in the future. He noted that the
example resolutions would be hard for landowners
to comply with and hard for the county to enforce.
“If comes down to an issue of definition,
you can narrow it down and be specific,” Berger
said.
Berger said there might be a concern about a
resolution being too specific. If seen as being too
specific, he said, the commission could be viewed
as creating a law to attack an individual person.
Commissioners agreed that the county should
refrain from creating a nuisance resolution and
allow entities such as the DEQ or fire marshal to ‘
enforce potential cleanups of areas of concern. "
Ertrnan maintained that if the county wants “
to move forward in dictating what is and is not
a nuisance, it should be done through a planning
and zoning board and involve the public’s opinion
in developing the rules and regulations.
“It has been tried a couple times and it
just doesn’t fly,” Ertrnan said. “But, the world
changes.”
According to Clerk Becky Hadlock, the topic
is not scheduled for further discussion.