Casper chamber forms class

The Casper Area Chamber of Commerce has formed its Leadership Casper Class of 2008-09.

The program provides monthly in-depth studies of specific topics as they relate to the community. The class consists of:

Dan Adcock, Office Max; Laurie Anderson, First Interstate Bank; John Cash, Ur Energy USA, Inc.; Deb Farris, U.S. Small Business Administration; Korletta Harland, First Interstate Bank; Donna Hoffman, Wyoming Medical Center; James Holloway, GSG Architecture; Justin Hurless, Wells Fargo Bank; Kimberly McAtee, River Rail Community Federal Credit Union; Ryan McIntyre, Northwestern Mutual Financial Network; Marguerite Meyer, Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies; Leah Schieck, Killmer & Associates; Candy Schilling, Casper Area Chamber of Commerce; Linda Spaulding, Jonah Bank of Wyoming; Jill Stauch, First Interstate Bank; Kimberly Sullivan, First Interstate Bank; and Amanda Waldron, Bisiar & Waldron Properties.

Schools executive receives award

JACKSON - Jack Shea, executive director of Teton Science Schools, received the highest national honor given to an individual in the nature and environmental learning profession.

He received the 2008 Nature Center Leadership Award from the Association of Nature Center Administrators, according to a press release.

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{M3Casper foreclosures rise

{M3The foreclosure rate in Casper was slightly higher in June than a year ago, according to First American CoreLogic.

The rate of foreclosures among outstanding mortgage loans was 1.3 percent in June, an increase of 0.7 percentage points from June 2007.

The mortgage delinquency rate also increased. First American CoreLogic said 2.4 percent of mortgage loans were 90 days or more delinquent for June 2008, compared to 1.3 percent for the same period last year.

Utility buys share of plant

GILLETTE - The Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska will purchase a 23.5 percent ownership in Black Hills Corp.'s Wygen I generation plant from Black Hills Corp. for $51 million, according to a press release.

Wygen I is an 85 megawatt coal-fired plant near Gillette.

Arch Coal team wins

WRIGHT - Arch Coal's Thunder Basin Coal Co. won first place in the 28th Annual International Surface Mine Rescue Competition held in Campbell County earlier this month.

Twelve teams from the United States and Canada participated in the three-day event hosted by the Powder River Basin Safety Association and the Campbell County Fire Department.

Gillette health center opens

There will be a grand opening of the Herbert A. and Dorothy P. Carter Health Science Education Center at Gillette College in Gillette on Friday.

The center is a collaborative effort to educate nurses, according to a press release.

The 12,600-square-foot building houses the Gillette College nursing program and has space for use by Campbell County Memorial Hospital.

Company acquires pipelines

Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. has acquired two pipeline systems from Knight Inc., the private entity that owns the general partner of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, reportedly for about $116 million.

The purchase includes Knight's one-third interest in the Express-Platte crude oil pipeline systems that run from Alberta to Illinois.

The approximately 1,700-mile Express-Platte pipeline systems stretch from Hardisty, Alberta, to Casper and on to Wood River, Ill, according to a press release.

The crude pipeline has a design capacity of 280,000 barrels per day from Canada to Casper and 150,000 barrels per day from Casper to Wood River. Kinder Morgan Energy Partners will own one-third of Express-Platte and will operate it.

Rep returns to ag group

Irv Petsch has been reappointed by the Wyoming Beef Council as the state representative to the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

Petsch will serve a three-year term. He operates a commercial feedlot in Meriden.

Group names Wyomingite

Patricia Ullery, executive director of the Big Horn Mountain Coalition Economic Development District, has been elected to the board of the National Association of Development Organizations, a press release indicates.

She will represent the West Region, which is made up of 14 western states, including Alaska and Hawaii. Ullery is the first board member to be elected from Wyoming.

The Big Horn Mountain Coalition is a four-county economic development district made up of Johnson, Sheridan, Washakie and Big Horn counties.

Peabody Energy picks director

John Hull has been named director of sales and western transportation for the Coalsales subsidiary of Peabody Energy.

He will be responsible for managing transportation for Peabody mines in several western state including Wyoming, according to a press release.

Wyo rig count dips

HOUSTON - The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the United States rose by eight last week to 1,998.

Of the major oil- and gas-producing states, California gained six rigs, Arkansas five, Oklahoma four, Louisiana three and New Mexico two. Colorado and Wyoming lost three rigs each and Alaska and North Dakota lost one each. Texas remained unchanged.

Of the rigs running nationwide, 1,594 were exploring for natural gas and 395 for oil, Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday. Nine were listed as miscellaneous.

A year ago, the rig count stood at 1,816.

Scout executive leaves

Keith Ashby, Scout executive for the Boy Scouts of America's Central Wyoming Council for the past 11 years, has accepted a promotion as associate director at the BSA's national Center for Professional Development in Westlake, Texas.

His last day with the Central Wyoming Council is Sept. 5, a press release indicates.

During his tenure with the Casper-headquartered council, the organization has seen marked increases in membership, Friends of Scouting donations, popcorn sales, endowments, and the continued improvement of Camp Buffalo Bill, the council's Boy Scout summer camp 40 miles west of Cody.

The public is welcome to attend an open house Thursday, Sept. 4, from 4 to 6 p.m., for Ashby at the Central Wyoming Council Service Center at 3939 Casper Mountain Road, south of Casper College.