Posted: Thursday, August 7, 2008 12:00 am
Police rack up overtime
CHEYENNE - The Cheyenne Police Department will pay about $40,000 to pay for the overtime officers work during Frontier Days.
Cheyenne Mayor Jack Spiker said it is costly but something the city has to do because of the number of people attending the 10-day event.
Spiker said the police cost is offset through added tax revenue, the support of merchants and the jobs and fines that Frontier Days creates.
Police Chief Bob Fecht said the department's overtime and service call numbers this year increased slightly from 2007.
LIFT program seeks mentors
CHEYENNE - The Department of Workforce Services' LIFT (Life Improvement for Today) Mentoring Program is recruiting mature and retired individuals looking for a way to keep active by making a positive impact in their community and wanting to supplement their retirement income, according to a press release.
LIFT will be launched in September in Casper and Cheyenne. The program's aim is to help individuals who are currently receiving financial assistance through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families by providing them with a mature, retired mentor to offer advice and guidance. The final goal is for the TANF recipients to be successful enough to support themselves without government assistance.
Brad Westby, the special projects program manager for the department, said, "Mentors should have the ability to actively listen, be a sounding board, ask challenging questions, provide feedback, be accessible, share experiences and be able to give sound advice."
Individuals who are 50 or older and would like to share their work and life experiences can apply at www.wyomingworkforce.org/lift/
For more information about the LIFT Program or about the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services, visit www.wyomingworkforce.org or call 877-WORK-WYO.
WYDOT: Watch for bikers
The Wyoming Department of Transportation is reminding motorists that the annual Sturgis Rally begins next week, so it's a good time to watch out for an increased number of motorcyclists using Wyoming's highways.
"Interstate 25 is a major north-south route for motorcyclists heading to Sturgis from all along the Front Range. Between now and the end of the rally, motorists need to be aware that they're likely to see more motorcycles on the road both going to and from the event," said Jeff Goetz, WYDOT District 2 public involvement specialist.
In 2007, there were 457 motorcycles crashes in Wyoming, up 32 from 2006. In Natrona County alone, there were 62 motorcycle-involved crashes last year - the highest number in the state for any county. Along Wyoming's I-25/I-90 corridor into the Sturgis area, there were 272 motorcycle crashes in 2007. Traditionally, July and August are the highest traveling months, with just more than 5,000 vehicles per day traveling through Casper on I-25.
"It's not just the interstates that will see an increase in motorcycle traffic," said Goetz. "Roads such as highways 85 and 26 are also preferred routes motorcyclists take to Sturgis."