SBA honors business people

Several people have been recognized by the Small Business Administration for their contributions. Wyoming winners for 2008 are:

- Small Business Person of the Year, Lisa and Jeff Rose, Madeline's Scents, Cheyenne;

- SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year, J.R. Hunter, Godfather's Pizza, Casper;

- Family-Owned Business of the Year, Shively Hardware, Saratoga;

- Financial Services Champion of the year, Angie Hallsted, Casper;

- Small Business Journalist of the Year, Jackie Dorothy, Riverton;

- Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year, Ken Johnson, Casper;

- Women in Business Champion of the Year, Diana L. Wallace, Casper;

- Small Business Champion of the Year, David Reetz, Powell.

Bill Barrett Corp. plans wells

Denver-based Bill Barrett Corp. reported capital expenditures of $39.3 million in the Powder River Basin and $10.5 million in the Wind River Basin in 2007.

In the Powder River Basin, the company expects to drill about 275 coal-bed methane wells in 2008, mostly in the Pine Tree, Pumpkin Creek, Willow Creek and Deadhorse areas, according to a press release.

Dinner comes with movie

A Casper restaurant delivery service now makes it possible to order a movie with a meal.

Click 'N Dine has affiliated with CinemaNow.com to offer customers movies.

"Customers can rent or purchase DVD movies while placing an order for delivery. Movies can be downloaded legally and safely, and watched on your PC or burned to a blank disc for viewing on a DVD player," owner Travis Glasgow said in a press release.

Click 'N Dine is a call-in and online food ordering service.

Architects get childcare projects

Teton County has awarded Ward + Blake Architects a contract for three new childcare facilities in Jackson, each of which will be open to children ranging from infants to pre-kindergarten age.

The first facility, located in the Rafter J Subdivision, will be built in several phases and will ultimately accommodate 250 children, according to a press release.

The second facility n to be constructed at 555 E. Broadway Ave. n will serve 125 children, with plans to eventually add a new playground, parking and drop-off area.

The existing Children's Learning Center at 105 Mercill Ave. is the site for the third facility, which will accommodate 125 children plus new office space for staff.

Fremont County expo set

CHEYENNE - The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services' Riverton and Lander Workforce Centers, in partnership with local groups, will hold a Career Fair on Tuesday, according to a press release.

The event will run from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Central Wyoming College Gym in Riverton.

It will be open to high school students from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and to college students and community members from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

For more information, call Mary Flohr at (307) 855-2208 or Lance Goede at (307) 855-2175.

Frontier posts record profits

CHEYENNE - Oil refining is a booming business in Cheyenne.

Houston-based Frontier Oil employs about 350 people at its refinery in the capital city, and Frontier had its most profitable year on record last year.

Frontier reports that its profits jumped more than 31 percent in 2007 compared to 2006, and 2006 also was a record year for profits.

Net income last year was $499 million, up from $379 million in 2006.

Still, Frontier CEO James Gibbs says he wasn't happy with Frontier's net income of $43 million in the fourth quarter for 2007. That was down from $52 million in the fourth quarter of 2006.

Frontier executives blamed the lower fourth-quarter profits on a December fire at the Cheyenne refinery and higher prices for crude oil.

Natural gas price improves

Wyoming's natural gas prices continued to improve in February, according to the state Economic Analysis Division.

February-to-date averages for the Opal and Cheyenne hubs were $7.70 and $7.72 per mcf, respectively. By comparison, the Henry Hub in Louisiana averaged $8.52 for the month.

Coal-bed methane rig counts declined by two from the previous month, while rotary rigs increased by two. CBM rig counts have improved over last January, while the number of rotary rigs are still lagging last year's count.