State adds one rig

HOUSTON - The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in the United States went up by two last week to 968.

Houston-based Baker Hughes Inc. reported Friday that of the rigs running nationwide, 688 were exploring for natural gas and 272 for oil. Eight were listed as miscellaneous.

A year ago, when oil and gas prices were much higher, the rig count stood at 1,990.

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

The rig count tally peaked at 4,530 in 1981, during the height of the oil boom. The industry posted a record low of 488 in 1999.

Golden Predator signs deal

Canada-based Golden Predator Royalty and Development Corp. has signed an agreement with Bronco Creek Exploration, Inc. and Mineral Hill, LP to lease the Mineral Hill alkalic gold property in Crook County.

The property is located about 14 miles east of Sundance. It consists of 69 unpatented lode mining claims and 20 patented claims comprising about 1,430 acres of mineral rights and patented mining claims.

SBA plans Cheyenne workshop

The U.S. Small Business Administration will hold a workshop on starting a business from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 8 at the Laramie County Library.

Participants can learn about free assistance that is available from a variety of sources to help start and run a business, according to a press release.

Crosshair aims at uranium

Crosshair Exploration and Mining Corp. has receive an estimate on the Bootheel uranium project in southern Wyoming.

It includes an indicated resource of 1.09 million pounds of uranium oxide and an additional inferred resource of 3.25 million pounds of uranium oxide.

The resource remains open for expansion with less than 60 percent of the historical resource area included in this initial estimate, a press release indicates.

Women's Business Expo set

Cody will host a Women's Business Expo on Oct. 17 at the Holiday Inn.

The Expo will provide resources designed to help women start their own business, enhance their skills and expand their networks.

More than 300 women from the Big Horn Basin and northwest region are expected to attend.

For more information, contact Kelli Thornton at 307-587-3136 or email kthornton@forwardcody.com.

Arts Council slates meeting

The Wyoming Arts Council will hold its quarterly board meeting on Thursday and Friday at the Afton Civic Center in Afton.

Individuals and organizational representatives are invited to attend any part of the meeting and to participate in a public comment session at 4 p.m. on Thursday.

Comments about the agency's policies, funding priorities and other arts-related topics are welcomed, according to a press release.

At the conclusion of Thursday's meeting, a free public reception will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Afton Civic Center. The Star Valley Arts Council will host the event.

For more information, contact Camellia El-Antably, at celant@state.wy.us or call 307-777-5305.

Wyoming Whiskey tours offered

Ever wonder how they make whiskey the Wyoming way?

Residents can find out under a new tour program beginning this summer at Wyoming Whiskey, Inc.'s distillery in Kirby in the Big Horn Basin.

Wyoming Whiskey is the state's first legal distillery. The company began small-batch production of bourbon whiskey on July 4, using strictly Wyoming grains and water for its product.

Spokeswoman Donna Nally said the company is now accepting reservations for tours of the distillery operations so people can see how workers hand-make bourbon "the Wyoming way" under the direction of Master Distiller Steve Nally.

"We will show you how we grind locally grown corn, wheat and malted barley on a roller mill, cook all the grains in a stainless steel cooker, and ferment the grains with our specially-selected yeast in stainless steel fermenters," Donna Nally said.

"Then we'll show you how we distill the alcohol for the fermented mash in our one-of-a-kind, 38-foot copper still, which was built especially for Wyoming Whiskey and never to be reproduced," she said.

A grand opening celebration for Wyoming Whiskey is scheduled for Oct. 10 in Kirby.

Tours are being offered Monday through Friday by reservation at 307-864-2116.

Dry bean research continues

POWELL - The University of Wyoming Research and Extension Center at Powell is studying some promising new dry bean varieties.

UW Seed Certification Service manager Mike Moore says among pinto beans a variety called Quincy, developed in Idaho, shows promise in Wyoming.

The UW Seed Certification Service operates a dry bean nursery at the Powell research center as an ongoing performance evaluation for different varieties. Studies each year include new varieties and older, established dry bean varieties. The program is in cooperation with the National Cooperative Dry Bean Nursery.

Board OKs bouldering park

JACKSON - The Jackson/Teton County Parks and Recreation Board has approved efforts to build a bouldering park at the base of Snow King Mountain.

The board says a group of climbers organized under the moniker Teton Boulder Initiative could proceed with plans to raise an estimated $250,000 for the park.

The proposed park would include two practice climbing rocks and a traverse wall up to 12 feet high.

The park would provide a place for expert and novice climbers to practice and gather. The idea is to commemorate the role of climbing pioneers and promote bouldering.

Saratoga plans film festival

SARATOGA - Saratoga will host the Wyoming Film Festival this week.

The festival is scheduled to start Thursday and run through Saturday at the Platte Valley Community Center in Saratoga.

This year's featured speaker will be Kirk Ellis, who won an Emmy writing award for the HBO miniseries "John Adams."

Organizers say the long-term goal of the festival is to develop a forum for new filmmakers to continue to study themes of the West in the modern day.

Festival co-director Mark Ducker said although most of this year's films were hand-picked, many are from new or emerging filmmakers, such as three University of Wyoming students.