Pinedale Online!
Pinedale, Wyoming  •  www.PinedaleOnline.com
A "Slice of Life" view of Pinedale and Sublette County, Wyoming
(Do SHIFT or CTRL-Refresh for most current version of this page)
Road, Travel & Weather Links | Advertising on this website

Headlines: Sublette County Health announces the appointment of CEO Rex D. Walk, FACHE 307 Air Rescue to establish full-time medical helicopter service at Sublette County Health Roberts sentenced to supervised probation for wolf cruelty High winds causes truck blow overs, road closures and property damage WYDOT warns against recent scam texts March 9 Yellowstone National Park’s first grizzly bear sighting of 2026 New Wyoming law enforces English language proficiency for commercial drivers Pinedale Local: Ask Flora–Spring 2026 Wrangle Hunger Snack Club earns grant to fuel student success in Sublette County Funeral Service for Pat Campbell April 11 Lions Club Easter Egg Hunt Kickin’ Cancer Casino Night fundraiser April 18 Western US High School Alpine Championships SCUF requesting submissions for wildfire art

Front Page Story Archive

Sublette County Health announces the appointment of CEO Rex D. Walk, FACHE (posted 4/12/2026)
Sublette County Health
Sublette County Health is pleased to announce the appointment of Rex D. Walk, FACHE, as CEO, bringing more than two decades of senior healthcare leadership experience in rural hospitals, community health systems, and multi-state healthcare organizations.

Mr. Walk is a healthcare executive known for operational excellence, financial turnaround leadership, and a patient-first approach to healthcare delivery. Most recently, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Southeast Colorado Hospital District, where he led operational improvements, strengthened community trust, enhanced employee engagement, and improved financial performance by nearly $3 million in his first year.

Throughout his career, Mr. Walk has successfully guided critical access hospitals and community health systems through periods of transformation, growth, and stability. His leadership experience includes serving as CEO of Phillips County Health Systems in Kansas, Craig General Hospital in Oklahoma, and interim CEO roles in Wyoming and Kansas. Across these roles, he consistently delivered measurable improvements in quality, safety, patient satisfaction, provider recruitment, and financial sustainability. Mr. Walk brings deep expertise in rural healthcare strategy, revenue cycle optimization, supply chain and group purchasing, provider recruitment, regulatory compliance, and organizational culture development. He has led new service line expansions, negotiated cost-saving vendor agreements, improved access to care, and fostered highly engaged healthcare teams while maintaining a strong focus on patient and community needs.

In addition to his executive leadership roles, Mr. Walk has held senior positions with Vizient and the Great Plains Health Alliance, where he delivered system-wide savings, supported supply chain innovation, and served as a trusted advisor to hospital executives across the country. He holds a Master’s Degree and Bachelor’s Degree from Fort Hays State University, is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), and maintains professional certifications in healthcare management and leadership. Mr. Walk is also a former ACHE Regent, healthcare educator, and frequent public speaker on rural healthcare leadership and innovation.

"We are thrilled to welcome Rex Walk to Sublette County," said Tonia Hoffman, Board Chair. "His proven leadership, integrity, and commitment to high-quality, sustainable rural healthcare align perfectly with our mission. We are confident his experience and vision will strengthen our organization and the communities we serve."

Mr. Walk added "I am deeply honored to be selected as the SCHD CEO. It is a privilege to join an organization led by such a visionary and dedicated board with a commitment to being an exemplary healthcare organization. I truly look forward to working with the entire SCHD team to further its mission of excelling in the delivery of comprehensive and high-quality healthcare services to its patients and communities served."

307 Air Rescue to establish full-time medical helicopter service at Sublette County Health (posted 4/9/2026)
Sublette County Health
Sublette County Health is proud to announce that a new, locally-owned air medical provider, 307 Air Rescue, will soon be based full-time at the hospital’s helipad—bringing critical care transport even closer to home for Sublette County residents.

Since opening its new hospital in August 2025, Sublette County Health has made significant strides in expanding access to care. As the last county in Wyoming to establish a hospital, the mission has always been clear: keep patients close to home whenever possible. At the same time, leaders recognize that in certain critical situations, rapid air transport is essential.

"This is exactly the kind of growth we hoped to see," said Sublette County Health Interim CEO Bill Patten. "Our hospital’s success is not only improving care locally—it’s attracting new services to the community. The addition of 307 Air Rescue strengthens our ability to respond when minutes matter most."

307 Air Rescue will create approximately a dozen local jobs, including pilots, flight medics, mechanics, and critical care nurses. 307 Air Rescue LLC. is a locally focused air medical program led by professionals with deep roots in Wyoming and a long-standing commitment to the communities they serve.

Program leadership includes Laura Woolery, a sixth-generation Wyoming native with strong ties to Sublette County. Woolery spent more than 15 years serving both full-time and part-time with the Sublette County Hospital District EMS team, where she helped strengthen local critical care capabilities. Her work included developing the district’s Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI) program and leading ventilator training efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. She has since advanced her training as a critical care flight medic and in healthcare leadership and now brings that experience back to the community where she built her career.

"Coming back to Sublette County to help build this program matters to me," said Woolery. "This is my home. I understand the needs of this community, and our focus is making sure patients have access to the level of care they deserve when it matters most."

Woolery is joined by April Larsen, an experienced flight nurse and healthcare executive with more than a decade of leadership across air medical programs in the region. Larsen has led clinical operations, base development, and quality initiatives, with a track record of building strong teams and sustainable programs that serve rural communities.

Together, the leadership team at 307 Air Rescue is building a program grounded in local experience, operational expertise, and a shared commitment in elevating the standard of care for local communities by improving access to critical care across the region.

In addition to emergency transport services, 307 Air Rescue plans to collaborate closely with Sublette County Health by offering staff training opportunities and providing surge support during periods of high demand or emergency response situations.

Importantly, 307 Air Rescue LLC. is an independent company and funded as such. Sublette County Health is not subsidizing its operations. The only shared cost is a portion of a safety fence surrounding the helipad. This partnership ensures enhanced services for the community without additional burden on local taxpayers.

A grand opening celebration will be announced in the coming months, coinciding with the arrival of the helicopter.

Together, Sublette County Health and 307 Air Rescue are committed to delivering high-quality, timely care—right here at home, and when necessary, beyond.

Roberts sentenced to supervised probation for wolf cruelty (posted 5/10/2026)
Joy Ufford
Cody J. Roberts, of Daniel, was sentenced to 18 months of county-supervised probation with strict terms on April 8, 2026, after previously pleading "not guilty" to the felony charge of animal cruelty to a young gray wolf.

He was initially charged with the Feb. 29, 2024 alleged torture of an injured wild animal, a gray wolf he caught legally in Wyoming’s wolf predator zone. Roberts then took the subdued, almost motionless wolf, leashed and collared, into a local bar. It laid on the floor, muzzle duct-taped, barely reacting to human presence, until Roberts took it outside and shot it.

A secret Sublette County Grand Jury, called by Melinkovich, indicted Roberts for the felony charge last August. The charge was then filed in 9th District Court, where Judge Kate McKay passed it to Judge Lavery of Sweetwater County.

Roberts faced 18 to 24 months in prison, a $5,000 fine or both.

Roberts had pleaded not guilty at his Nov. 10, 2025, District Court arraignment via videoconference. Then on Feb. 25, 2026, Roberts, his attorney Robert Piper and prosecutor Sublette County Attorney Clayton Melinkovich posted a plea agreement they submitted to presiding Third District Court Judge Richard Lavery on Feb. 25 – almost two years after the actual incident.

Changed plea to ‘guilty’
On March 5, four days before his scheduled weeklong trial, Roberts changed his plea to "guilty" before Judge Lavery in the Pinedale courtroom. Dozens of potential Sublette County jurors were on standby. Roberts indicated he did not plan to go to trial.

Judge Lavery questioned Roberts about changing his plea and reviewed the proposed plea agreement. It stated that Piper and Melinkovich jointly recommended incarceration of 18 months to 2 years, to be suspended, and a fine of $5,000, with $4,000 suspended, in favor of 18 months of successful supervised probation.

"Agreed upon conditions of probation:
a. No hunting, including shed hunting, or fishing, whatsoever, for the entirety of probation.
b. No alcohol, or entry into or presence within bard, lounges or liquor stores.
c. Follow all recommended treatment from ASI (substance abuse) evaluation.
d. Standard and additional conditions as enumerated by the Court at the Court’s discretion."

Under the agreement, Roberts would pay mandatory court costs and assessments and a $300 Victim Compensation surcharge. The drafted plea agreement noted that Roberts understood Judge Lavery was not obligated to accept it.

Pre-sentence report
April 8, Judge Lavery said he observed Roberts during previous court hearings and the required Pre-Sentence Investigation (PSI) report filled in a lot of details about Roberts’ personal life, longtime family history and lack of significant criminal violations.

"You have a long history in Wyoming," the judge said. "The PSI gave me a lot of information about your life in Sublette County."

Melinkovich said recommending supervised probation avoided emotional "sob sister" or "vengeance" avenues. "The crime is ‘nonviolent’" per state legislation, he said. "This is not to say this case did not include violence."

A "nonviolent" felony conviction means Roberts could potentially have his rights to carry firearms and vote restored.

Judge Lavery emphasized that Roberts must successfully complete a Level 1 alcohol-abuse treatment program. "You mentioned that alcohol had a lot to do with this incident." Melinkovich said High Country Behavorial Health in Sublette County would facilitate.

Roberts also should take probation very seriously, the judge said. "I think there are some things you can get out of probation by doing it right. People either "take the bull by the horns or just flip around (and ignore strict terms). That’s usually a failed effort. ... You will invariably get caught. You can’t ask for forgiveness when you are on probation."

County supervised probation
Judge Lavery asked Melinkovich why Sublette County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Lance Gehlhausen would supervise Roberts’ probation rather than the Wyoming Department of Corrections agent at the Pinedale office. The state generally requires felony probationers to request court permission to travel out-of-state. "(The Sublette County probation officer) would be a more tailored supervision ... based on the nature of (Roberts’) business travel out of state," Melinkovich said. "Needing permission to travel out of state could limit it."

Judge Lavery disagreed, saying Roberts’ out-of-state travel will be monitored during probation; Melinkovich said he would "make sure the court has notice of intent to travel out of state."

Judge’s perspective
"I have to be honest with you, Mr. Roberts – in Wyoming, we have a long history with what to be defined as a predatory animal (including gray wolves)," Judge Lavery said. "Law says they can be taken at any time but it can’t be done in a cruel way." What happened after Roberts captured the wolf "was cruel. That was the crime in this case."

His office received "countless communications from around the world of people trying to influence the court improperly. "I can tell you it was almost entirely from people across Wyoming and across the world who objected to the cruel treatment."

Native gray wolves were extinct in Wyoming in the 1990s when federal officials and wildlife organizations pressured to reintroduce them in Yellowstone National Park, he related. "Wyoming formulated detailed legislation," including the state’s designated trophy-game management area and the separate predator zone for the growing gray wolf population. "As I look at it, our Game and Fish folks are second to none in their work they do whether for game or predators to create a front-row seat to nature. It comes with a special obligation ... to not be cruel."

‘Healing’
The only time Roberts has spoken publicly about the entire case was on March 5 when he apologized to "the community and my family" with hopes that healing could begin. Roberts declined to speak again at his sentencing. Sublette County deputies were stationed for security around the courtroom and courthouse. He and wife Holly were seated when the courtroom opened to their friends, family, public and half a dozen reporters, and escorted out ahead of those present.

High winds causes truck blow overs, road closures and property damage (posted 3/13/2026)
Wyoming Highway Patrol
The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) and Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) responded to a major high-wind event yesterday that had widespread impacts to highway travel, resulting in as many as 32 blow over crashes across the state.

Of the crashes, at least 15 took place on Interstate 25, with nearly half of them between Cheyenne and the Colorado border. On Interstate 80, as many as twelve occurred between Laramie and Arlington. While most crashes resulted in minor injuries, the wind appears to have also been a factor in one fatality in Fremont County on State Highway 28. The total number of blow over crashes is expected to change as WYDOT and WHP continue processing crash reports.

"Our Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers and dispatchers demonstrated exceptional dedication and professionalism yesterday in the face of extreme wind gusts that reached up to 109 mph," said Lt. Col. Karl German, Wyoming Highway Patrol Operations Commander. "Troopers worked tirelessly throughout the day responding to incidents, ensuring the safety of stranded drivers, managing hazardous scenes, and coordinating with WYDOT to enforce necessary restrictions and clear debris. Their quick actions helped prevent further injuries and kept our highways as secure as possible under extraordinarily dangerous conditions."

Due to the severity of the winds, WYDOT closed some highways, including I-80 and I-25 in southeast Wyoming, to all trucks and trailers regardless of weight. I-25 south of Cheyenne was closed to all traffic because of wind-related crashes in Colorado.

"It’s incredibly frustrating that drivers see these warnings and decide to take a chance, putting everyone from themselves to other drivers and first responders at serious risk," said Mark Ayen, WYDOT Assistant Chief Engineer. "High winds are forecasted to continue into the weekend; drivers, please heed all highway signage to ensure you are safe to travel."

WYDOT’s salt/sand storage sheds in Arlington and Quealy Dome west of Laramie were all but destroyed by the wind, and some rest areas like at Bitter Creek and Kaycee also sustained damages. Multiple trees on WYDOT’s Cheyenne Headquarters campus fell during the wind event, and WYDOT plans to plant new trees this summer.

Winds were too strong for crews to recover crashed vehicles safely yesterday. Drivers are reminded to move over and slow down for wrecking crews clearing the blown-over vehicles on the side of the highways in the coming days.

WYDOT warns against recent scam texts (posted 3/11/2026)
Wyoming Department of Transportation
CHEYENNE, WYOMING — The Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) has been alerted to a potential texting phishing scam, often called smishing.

Scammers are sending text messages that claim they are from the "Wyoming DMV" and demand payment for unpaid traffic fines. The text even warns that failure to submit payment urgently could lead to license and registration suspensions, additional fines and even legal action. The text also includes a suspicious link.

This is a smishing scam aimed at manipulating people into revealing personal and credit card information.

WYDOT does not and will not send text messages of this nature and does not seek personal information in this manner. WYDOT does not collect ticket fees, does not call itself "the DMV," and does not use foreign phone numbers to conduct business. If you receive a text message like this one, avoid opening the link and giving personal information.

Those who receive this or any other scam text can report it to the Federal Trade Commission via the link on WYDOT’s scam alert website:
https://www.dot.state.wy.us/home/news_info/scam-watch.html

For tips on how to avoid common scams, visit the Wyoming Attorney General’s Consumer Protection website:
https://attorneygeneral.wyo.gov/law-office-division/consumer-protection-and-antitrust-unit/consumer-education

If anyone has questions or concerns about the status of a Wyoming driver license, reach out to your local Driver Services office directly for accurate information. WYDOT’s only Driver Services websites are http://www.dot.state.wy.us/driverservices and mvds.onewyo.gov.

March 9 Yellowstone National Park’s first grizzly bear sighting of 2026 (posted 3/11/2026)
Yellowstone National Park
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WYOMING – On March 9, 2026, Yellowstone National Park biologists working in the northern part of the park reported seeing the first grizzly bear of the spring season. The bear was observed in the backcountry scavenging on a bull bison carcass.

The first reported grizzly bear sighting of 2025 occurred on March 14. In 2024, it occurred on March 3, and in 2022 and 2023, March 7.

When bears emerge from hibernation, they look for food and often feed on elk and bison that died over the winter. Bears may react aggressively to encounters with people when feeding on carcasses. Male grizzlies come out of hibernation in early March. Females with cubs emerge in April and early May.

All of Yellowstone is grizzly and black bear country: from the deepest backcountry to the boardwalks and parking lots around Old Faithful. Protect yourself and bears by following these guidelines:

• Prepare for a bear encounter by carrying bear spray, knowing how to use it and making sure it’s accessible.
• Stay alert.
• Hike or ski in groups of three or more, stay on maintained trails and make noise. Avoid hiking at dusk, dawn or at night.
• Do not run if you encounter a bear. Stay 100 yards (91 m) away from black and grizzly bears. Approaching bears within 100 yards is prohibited. Use binoculars, a telescope or telephoto lens to get a closer look.
• Store food, garbage, barbecue grills and other attractants in hard-sided vehicles or bear-proof food storage boxes.
• Report bear sightings and encounters to a park ranger immediately.
• Learn more about bear safety.

Bear spray has proven effective in deterring bears defending cubs and food sources. It can also reduce the number of bears killed by people in self-defense. While firearms are allowed in the park, the discharge of a firearm by visitors is a violation of park regulations.

New Wyoming law enforces English language proficiency for commercial drivers (posted 3/6/2026)
Wyoming Highway Patrol
CHEYENNE, WYOMING - Command staff for the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) was on hand this afternoon (March 5, 2026) for the signing of House Bill 32 (HB0032). The bill effectively gives authority for members of Wyoming law enforcement to enforce federal English Language Proficiency regulations (Title 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2)).

Under the current regulations, any commercial driver who is found not to be proficient in English according to federal standards will be put out of service - meaning they will not be allowed to continue driving their commercial vehicle. Those regulations were originally only enforceable by members of the Wyoming Highway Patrol and its commercial carrier section.

Generally speaking, the purpose of the regulations is to ensure all commercial drivers can communicate with other drivers and read road signage and emergency communication billboards. With Governor Mark Gordon's signing into law, any peace officer in Wyoming can now help ensure our roadways are safer.

"This is what Wyoming Highway Patrol, and our commercial vehicle section, and our inspectors do every day. This is something we already do." Colonel Timothy Cameron, WHP Administrator said at the signing, "But now what (the bill) does is it leverages all the law enforcement assets in the state to most importantly identify people that jeopardize public safety."

Business Directory
Click here for
Advertising Information

www.pinedaleonline.com       www.pinedalewyoming.com
www.pinedale.com
Pinedale Online! PO Box 2250, Pinedale, WY 82941
Phone: 307-360-7689 (ok to call or text anytime)
Fax: 307-367-2864
We are located in Office Outlet in Pinedale, 43 S. Sublette Ave
E-mail:support@pinedaleonline.com

For more information about Sublette County and towns near Pinedale,
visit our local Sublette.com, BigPiney.com/Marbleton.com, and Bondurant community web sites.

Click here for information about advertising on this website

Pinedale Online! is designed and maintained by Wind River Web Services LLC in Pinedale, Wyoming to offer a "slice of life" view of happenings in and around Pinedale, Wyoming. Webmaster for this site is Dawn Ballou. Although we try to cover as many local events as possible, we have a very limited staff and much of this site is done in our volunteer time. We welcome community volunteers who can provide pictures or event information. Photos by Pinedale Online unless otherwise credited. Please see our companion site Pinedale OFFline, www.PinedaleOFFline.com, updated annually on April Fool's Day. All site content is copyright 2026. No photos, stories or content may be used or reproduced without permission for commercial or non-commerical purposes. Please contact Pinedale Online for more information or permission about using pictures or content found on our site, or advertising on this website. If you find any broken links on our site, please let us know. Privacy Policy: E-mail inquiries may be forwarded to the local Chamber of Commerce, businesses or others who can best respond to questions asked. We use website server visitation statistics to compile web traffic analysis to refine our site content to better serve our visitors. Server statistics do not gather e-mail addresses or personally-identifiable information. Pinedale Online does not sell, trade or rent our opt-in lists or any personally-identifiable information to third parties. Thanks for visiting Pinedale, Wyoming on the Web!