With August 2009 quickly approaching, I'm ready to say goodbye to questions from 2008. Here's a bunch of questions with short, to-the-point answers, to help rid my files of queries from long ago:

Q. What are the record high and low temperatures ever seen in both Casper and Wyoming? - Ralph in Casper

A. Casper's highest recorded temperature, taken from the official automated observing station at Natrona County Airport, is 104 degrees, which has happened three times (July 12, 1954; July 16, 2005; July 29, 2006.). Casper's lowest recorded temperature is -41 degrees, on December 21, 1990.

Wyoming's highest recorded temperature is 116 degrees, recorded at Bitter Creek on July 12, 1900. The state's lowest recorded temperature? A bone-chilling -66 degrees at the Ranger Station in Riverside on Feb. 9, 1933.

- Andy McNeel with National Weather Service in Riverton

Q. I read that the 4-H group is going to build a new building to display the pigs before they slaughter them after the fair. How many million will this cost the taxpayers? - Frank M.

A. No dollars were appropriated from the county, meaning taxpayers didn't spend any money on the Morton Arena Annex, the new pig barn on the fairgrounds. The money came from the 4-H foundation, as well as from generous donations from businesses and individuals.

- Colleen Campbell, 4-H program associate and county coordinator

Q. Why doesn't the city of Casper have a large city park with a pond for ice skating, walking trails, picnic areas, etc? - Susan of Casper

A. The city does have a large park with a pond, walking trails and picnic areas. Yesness Park in Casper surrounds Yesness Pond. Several parks along the Platte River also provide areas near water with trails and picnic areas.

Ice skating outdoors can be very risky, since the ice is uneven and isn't very thick in some places. However, ice skating is available year-round at the Ice Arena.

- Peter Meyers, spokesman for the city of Casper

Q. If a driver is pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving and is confident that he or she is not impaired, and the weather is bad, can the driver go straight to the Breathalyzer test, rather than go through the field sobriety test? - George I.

A. Generally, yes. If the weather could affect a field sobriety test (cold, icy, generally nasty), the person would be asked to go to a climate-controlled area before the test would be administered (meaning, indoors). The first Breathalyzer or blood test is paid for by the police department's budget, but can be requested instead of field sobriety tests.

- Sgt. Steve Schulz with Casper Police Department

Q. Are the police required to follow the speed limit while on duty? - Anonymous

A. Yes, but because of the nature of the job, they sometimes go faster than the speed limit. If something major were happening to you or a loved one, would you want the police to take their time getting there?

- Sgt. Steve Schulz with Casper Police Department

Q. In the Public Record section of the Casper Star-Tribune, why aren't book-ins listed for the Natrona County Sheriff's Office or the Evansville Police Department? - Interested Citizen

A. The book-ins are voluntarily given to the Star-Tribune by the departments listed. Book-ins are not offered from the sheriff or Evansville PD. Those departments choose not to list their book-ins with the paper.

- Sally Ann Shurmur, Star-Tribune community editor (in charge of putting book-ins in the paper each day)

Q. Why is it that non-property owners get an equal say in things that don't affect them? Why do they get to vote on property taxes? Gordon in Casper

A. Voting rights are dictated by state statute. In Wyoming, an elector (a person eligible to vote) is anyone who is a United States citizen, is a Wyoming resident, and is at least 18 years of age. The state does not require property ownership to vote, and all electors are seen as equal, whether they own property or not.

- Renee Vitto, Natrona County Clerk

Q. There are a lot of small tanks, most painted tan, brown or green, by oil pump jacks or by themselves. Those by oil well derricks are painted red. What is in these tanks? - Jean in Casper

A. Those are production tanks. They hold the oil and water that's pumped up until enough its is accumulated to sell. The ones that are tan, brown and green are painted as such because the federal government has specific requirements for color of production tanks. The green, brown and tan ones generally stay through the life of the well, and are federal Bureau of Land Management or Forest Service tanks. The red tanks are usually rented or privately owned temporary tanks, and are usually part of the initial drilling process.

- Tom Doll, Wyoming state oil supervisor

Ask Answer Girl

Answer Girl tackles questions about Casper, the universe and everything else. Submit your questions to megan.lee@trib.com, or call Megan Lee at (307) 266-0616. Write to Answer Girl, Box 80, Casper, 82602. Visit the AnswerLabs Blog Place at tribtown.trib.com.