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LOVELL, WYOMING • VOLUME 107, NUMBER 17 • THURSDAY OCTOBER 4, 2012 • 75¢
DAVID PECK
The Lovell Bulldogs capped Homecoming Week with a resounding 54-16
win over the Greybull Buffs Friday night. Here, senior Cody Savage hauls
in a long touchdown pass from Dylan Hultgren. See more homecoming
photos on page 12.
BY PATTI CARPENTER
U.S. Senator John Barrasso made a
house call of sorts to Lovell residents via
the Lovell Health Fair, which was held at
the Lovell Community Center on Saturday.
Wyoming Health Fairs and North
Big Horn Hospital sponsor the health fair
jointly. Barrasso, a medical doctor turned
senator was instrumental in getting Wyo-
ming Health Fairs started, a program that
brings low-cost health screening exams to
people all around the Cowboy State. He
also served as medical director for the pro-
gram for almost 20 years.
"The whole Wyoming Health Fairs
program has been set up to help people
with early detection of medical problems,"
explained Barrasso. "All of the booths here
have to do with education of folks, and the
more we know in terms of what to look
for in health problems, and how to detect
those problems early, the better we can get
full and successful treatment and the least
costly way to get that treatment."
Barrasso is a strong proponent of
health care programs that offer early de-
tection and prevention but doesn't believe
the government should play a large part in
those programs. He noted that the Wyo-
ming Health Fair program is fueled by vol-
unteer efforts, not government money.
"Vqashington tends to want one size
to fit all, but when something works for
Los Angeles, it most likely won't work for
Lovell," said Barrasso.
Barrasso said he believes that each
community should design what works best
for them and that the community should
PATTI CARPENTER
Senator John Barrasso chatted
with one of the Lovell Health Fairs
organizers John Mangus at the health
fair held at the Lovell Community
Center on Saturday.
See 'BARRASSO BELIEVES IN
HEALTH FAIRS' page 6
Super heroes
converge on RMHS for
Homecoming 2012
BY DAVID PECK
Rocky Mountain High School will
celebrate homecoming next week to the
theme "Super Heroes Homecoming," Stu-
dent Body Secretary Mandee Leonhardt
announced Tuesday.
Theme days will begin Monday with
Twins Day, with students pairing up to
dress as twins.
Tuesday will be Super Hero Day, and
students will dress, by class color, as spe-
cific super heroes. Seniors, black, will
dress as Batman; juniors, purple, will
dress like Ninja Turtles; sophomores,
blue, will dress like Superman; fresh-
men, red, will dress like Spider-Man; and
See 'RMHS HOMECOMING
NEXT WEEK,' page 3
BY DAVID PECK
People in north Big Horn County are
invited to mark their calendars for the
first Fall Festival to be held in conjunction
with the annual Lovell Craft Fair on Fri-
day and Saturday, Oct. 19-20.
The festival is a spinoff from and an
addition to the Lovell Pumpkin Festival
and is being tied in with the Craft Fair at
the Lovell Community Center, said Lovell
Inc. Director Sue Taylor, one of several or-
ganizers of the event.
The Craft Fair will be held from 4 to
8 p.m. on Oct. 19, Taylor said, and tenta-
tive plans are to move the Lovell Farmers'
Market out to the community center for
its final time this fall, starting at 4 p.m.
that day.
See 'FALL FESTIVAL EVENTS'
page 3
moose
BY PATTI CARPENTER
On Thursday, a moose
was spotted moving to and
then bedding down in a
field just outside of Byron.
The moose caused quite a
stir and several people got
close enough to photograph
it.
Somewhat annoyed by
the attention, the moose
headed to town creat-
ing even more of a spec-
tacle before moving on.
Another moose was seen
the next day running at
a lope northbound on the
west side of U.S. Highway
310 south of Lovell. Both
moose were males.
According to Lovell
Game Warden Jim Hobbs,
it is unusual to see moose
this close to town in this
area but not unusual for
a bull moose to travel long
distances during the mat-
ing season to find a female.
Hobbs cautioned residents
to keep their distance.
"More people are
harmed by moose than
bears, mountain lions
or wolves," said Hobbs.
"These are powerful ani-
mals that can be danger-
ous if disturbed."
Hobbs said a bull
moose can exhibit protec-
tive behavior when in the
company of a cow moose
during the mating season.
Also, like all mothers, a
cow moose can be extreme-
PHOTO COURTESY OF E. DENNEY NEVILLE
On Thursday, a young bull moose was seen moving
to and then bedding down in a field just north of
the town of Byron. Later the same day, the moose
walked through town causing quite a stir among
residents.
ly protective of her young.
"They will trample
people if provoked," said
Hobbs. "I've seen them
chase people and I've been
chased myself for getting
too close. They have long
legs and those legs can
stomp awfully hard."
Hobbs said he is more
worried about interac-
tions between people and
moose than any other
animal.
"It's exciting for peo-
ple to see a moose, we're
not used to seeing them so
close to town in this area,
but people need to be very
careful and give the moose
plenty of space in order to
be safe," he said.
DAVID PECK
The new crew at the Prairie Grill in Cowley are (l-r) Kip Heintz, Frank Hiltz
and Brock and Sasha Ninker.
Prairie Grill o
BY DAVID PECK
The anticipation in Cowley has been
building following papered windows at the
former Cowtown Caf about a new restau-
rant opening its doors. Some folks have
even ventured inside for a peek.
Then somewhat quietly, the new Prai-
rie Grill opened its doors Tuesday and is
poised for a grand opening this Friday and
Saturday, Oct. 5-6.
Brock and Sasha Ninker are the new
proprietors of the Prairie Grill. They recent-
ly bought a place two miles west of Cowley,
and it was their realtor, JLee Steed, who
when they said they were thinking about
opening a restaurant asked, "What about a
place with everything in it?" Brock said.
"We came and looked at it," he said.
"We already knew Ernie and Laura Work-
man (building owners)." Brock and Sasha
bought the building and fixtures.
Brock Ninker grew up in Powell where
his mother, Colleen, cooked for the Eagles
Club and Brock often helped her.
"I grew up chopping onions," he said.
After attending Powell schools for years,
including high school, he moved to Cody
High School for his senior year and grad-
uated in 2001, then went into the welding
program at Northwest College. He farmed
and drove trucks for David Northrup for
seven years, worked as a mechanic at a coal
mine in Gillette and drove a truck for Big
Horn Redi Mix and Big Horn Co-op.
"My mom always talked about it (run-
ning a restaurant), and I love to cook," he
said. "I love people and being with peo-
ple. The opportunity arose and I jumped
on it."
Sasha McMillan grew up in Powell,
then finished up at Kemmerer High School,
graduating in 2005. She attended Western
Wyoming Community College for a year,
then switched to NWC, working on a degree
in elementary education. She has experi-
ence waiting tables, working at Adriano's in
Cody, the American Legion in Gillette and
8th Street at the Ivy in Cody. She will be in
charge of the wait staff at the Prairie Grill
while Brock runs the kitchen.
Brock and Sasha married in 2011. ,.
Also on staff are Frank Hiltz, baker and
soup maker, and Kip Heintz, dishwasher
and Brock's best friend.
"We've done a lot of jobs together,":i
Brock said of Heintz. "I could not, in good :
conscience, take on something like this
without Kip. I've known Frank for a long :,'
time, too.
CHANGES MADE
After purchasing the building about a
month ago the Ninkers and comrades have
worked hard cleaning and then remodeling
the facility.
"We spent about two weeks on our
hands and knees with wire brushes," Brock
said of the effort."
The main dining room features a por-
table divider to allow more intimate din-
ing, and the menu features Brock's spe-
cialties like Mom's Famous Green Chili,
Brock's Marinated Steak, teriyaki chicken
and fresh, homemade baked goods. There
are also basics like rib-eye steaks, burg-
ers, chicken fried steaks, Philly steak sand-
wiches and fresh salads. Like late Cowtown
owner Rick Munsinger initiated, wood fired
pizza will be on the menu.
Breakfast includes huevos rancheros
with Brock's green chili.
"I'm a good, old farm boy," Brock said.
"It'll be meat and potatoes with a slight Ital-
ian flavor twist. I get that from my mother.
A lot of our specials will be German.
"Our marinated steak is made with an
Italian-garlic blend that's locked in a vault
in the back with Mom's chili."
Asked what his number one goal is,
Brock answered: "People leaving happy.
There's nothing more I want than that. As
long as people enjoy it and I have fun, that's
good enough for me.
"I cooked more than 100 steaks at our
own wedding. I love making people happy."
The Prairie Grill is open from 7 a.m.
to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 7
a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.
