Report safety concerns at Wyoming center

A report by a disability advocacy group says residents at a state facility for the developmentally disabled are exposed to significant safety risks. The group says the unsafe conditions are exacerbated by the Wyoming Life Resource Center's failure to secure dangerous areas or lock away potentially harmful chemicals. It also says staff at the Lander facility failed to take adequate steps to address suicide risks at the center, leaving residents unsupervised or with easy access to items they could use to harm themselves. The report was done by Wyoming Protection and Advocacy System, which is a nonprofit that investigates abuse and neglect of people with disabilities. State officials say that the center is safe but they're reviewing the report and facility operations.

Green River URA Main Street Annual Trunk or Treat This Saturday

The Green River URA/Main Street Annual Trunk or Treat will be held this Saturday. Rod Ness wants area kids and their pets to put on those costumes and head on down to Clock Tower Plaza and North First Street East.






The event also features a Kids' Creepy Crawly Parade and Pumpkin Patch.






All of the ghoulish fun will take place from 11 am to 1 PM this Saturday.

US judge Shutdown won't delay NV mustang hearing

A federal judge says the government shutdown is not a good enough reason to postpone a hearing in Reno Thursday in a fight between the Interior Department and wild horse advocates over hundreds of mustangs gathered from a wildlife refuge on the Nevada-Oregon line. Justice Department lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Miranda Du for a stay in the proceedings until Congress restores both agencies' appropriations. Horse advocates claim it's a ploy to keep them from securing a court order to stop the shipment of animals to a Mississippi contractor they say has a history of reselling them for slaughter. The judge didn't address that claim, but ruled the critics have a right to argue their First Amendment right to have access to the horses to ensure their safety before shipment.

Wyo. Trout Unlimited gets council award

Wyoming Trout Unlimited has been recognized by the national organization for its statewide efforts. The Wyoming organization was presented recently with the "State Council Award for Excellence" by Trout Unlimited Vice President of Volunteer Operations Bryan Moore. Wyoming Trout Unlimited Chair Mike Jensen, of Evanston, received the award on behalf of the Wyoming group's council leadership, 11 chapters, 1,700 members and staff members. The state council award recognizes such things as work on leadership and organizational actions, attracting new members, mentoring new leaders and carrying out Trout Unlimited's coldwater conservation mission and vision.

Army Corps agrees to halt missile site cleanup

At the request of the state of Wyoming, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has temporarily halted the cleanup of groundwater contamination at an abandoned Atlas missile site west of Cheyenne. The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality asked the Corps to stop cleanup so it could collect more data to determine the exact location and movement of the underground contamination. DEQ Water Quality Division Director Kevin Frederick says the agency believes the Corps needs to do a better job of identifying where the contamination is and how deep it is in the Ogallala Formation. Project director for the Army Corps of Engineers Jeff Skog says that the data collection project will take a couple of years.

Wyo. education board stands firm on Common Core

The state Board of Education is sticking with its support for new statewide K-12 education standards in English, language arts and math. Wyoming is among about 45 states that have adopted the Common Core State Standards. Members of the board heard a presentation Tuesday from Amy Edmonds with the Wyoming Liberty Group, which opposes the new standards. Edmonds asked the board to consider stopping the rollout or ending the use of the Common Core and returning to a system that better allows for local control. Two teachers spoke in support for the new standards, saying they were tougher and more challenging. Board member Pete Gosar noted the standards have a lot of support from educators in the state.

Shutdown nixes Yellowstone wedding bells

Megan Wenk spent three months planning her dream wedding at Yellowstone National Park's Artist's Point. Then the government shutdown closed all the national parks to visitors, leaving Wenk and her husband-to-be, Kory Hammerbeck, scrambling to find a new location for Sunday's ceremony. It didn't matter that her dad is the park's top official. Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Dan Wenk said Wednesday he and his daughter are scouting new wedding locations north of the park, near the Gallatin National Forest. He says the wedding will still go on, with 65 guests expected to arrive from across the nation. Wenk says it won't be the wedding his daughter had hoped for, but they are no different from anybody else when it comes to the effects of the shutdown.

Former state AG would be lead special counsel

A special House committee investigating state schools Superintendent Cindy Hill has voted to hire former state Attorney General Bruce Salzburg as its lead special counsel. The committee is seeking $100,000 from the Legislature's Management Council to hire Salzburg and his firm to help with the investigation. The Management Council will consider the request next Tuesday. The special committee is investigating Hill's administration of the Wyoming Education Department before she was removed by a new state law earlier this year. Hill had denied any wrongdoing.

UW will help student veterans stay in school

University of Wyoming President Bob Sternberg has issued a directive that no military veterans who attend the college will be forced to leave or to have their studies curtailed because of the federal budget impasse. More than 400 veterans are students at UW. There's concern that the partial federal shutdown will cost them their financial support for tuition and residence hall costs. But Sternberg says the university will work to help military veterans regardless of what happens with their federal funds. The university expects to review each veteran's needs, and a customized variety of resources will be employed to help address each student's immediate financial needs.

Y'stone treatment of tour group draws complaints

Some tourists to Yellowstone National Park are complaining about their treatment by National Park Service rangers when the park was closed down last week because of the partial federal shutdown. One tour guide operator went so far as to say rangers used "Gestapo tactics" in the treatment of his tour group. Gordon Hodgson, of Provo, Utah, described one confrontation with a ranger where his tour group was prevented from taking pictures of bison along a road. Pat Vaillancourt, of Salisbury, Mass., was a member of the tour group. She says some foreign members of the group felt they were under arrest because armed rangers ordered them confined to the lodge when the park was closed Oct. 1. National Park Service officials in Washington didn't immediately comment on the matter.

Sweetwater County Library Book Sale Starts Thursday

The Sweetwater County Library Book Sale will be held this Thursday through Saturday at the White Mountain Library. Britney Wells says that a wide variety of items is available for purchase at discounted prices.






Hours for the sale are 9 AM to 8 PM on Thursday, 10 am to 5 PM on Friday and 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday.






All Library Book Sale items will be sold for donation. The Sale is sponsored by the Sweetwater County Library System. For more information call the White Mountain Library at 362-2665.

UW in tax dispute with Albany County

The University of Wyoming and Albany County are in disagreement about whether a campus apartment development should be subjected to local property taxes. The dispute over the 9.14-acre Bison Run Village has been argued before the county's Board of Equalization, which consists of the three county commissioners. Albany County Clerk Jackie Gonzales says that a decision is tentatively scheduled for Oct. 15, the county commission's next official meeting date. The Albany County assessor contends the land and development should be taxed because it is being used for commercial purposes. Bison Run Village is owned by UW and leased to a private nonprofit company.

NPS issues citations in Grand Teton, Yellowstone

National Park Service rangers in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks have been issuing trespassing citations to people being found in the closed parks. Grand Teton park spokeswoman Jenny Anzelmo-Sarles says the park has issued nine citations. Yellowstone spokesman Al Nash says a few citations have been issued there. The national parks closed last week after Congress and the White House deadlocked over spending priorities and the new health care law. Anzelmo-Sarles says that people cited for trespassing in Grand Teton included cyclists, runners and drivers taking vehicles around temporary barricades. In addition to closure violations, she says rangers have issued citations for taking a vehicle off-road and for resource damage.

Management Council to consider special counsel

The Wyoming Legislature's Management Council will meet Oct. 15 to consider a request to pay for an attorney and others to help the state House in its investigation into Superintendent Cindy Hill. Council Chairman Sen. Tony Ross says the meeting is to vote on the budget request of the Select Investigative Committee to provide for special counsel and other contractors determined necessary by the committee as it looks into allegations against the state superintendent of public instruction. The Management Council won't take public testimony during the meeting. The special committee is investigating Hill's administration of the Wyoming Education Department before she was removed by a new state law earlier this year. Hill had denied any wrongdoing.

Sweetwater County Daughter sentenced for exploiting father

A 52-year-old Sweetwater County woman has been sentenced to two to eight years in prison for taking money from her father while he was being treated at a senior care center. Brenda L. Griffiths pleaded guilty to abuse, neglect, abandonment, intimidation or exploitation of a vulnerable adult. District Judge Rick Lavery also ordered Griffiths to pay $20,000 in restitution to her father. Deputy prosecutor Teresa Thybo says Griffiths took advantage of her father, Everett Kraft, while he was a patient at Sage View Care Center. Thybo said Griffiths spent tens of thousands of dollars from her father's bank accounts without permission at stores and restaurants and to buy a car. Griffiths apologized and offered to get another job to help repay her father.

Wyo. coal-fired plants top EPA new-plant CO2 limit

Several of the coal-fired power plants located in Wyoming emit carbon dioxide at a much higher rate than a proposed federal limit for new power plants. The standards recently proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency would require new coal-fired plants to exceed no more than 1,100 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour. The relatively new Dry Fork Station north of Gillette emits roughly 2,100 pounds of CO2 per megawatt-hour. Power plant owner Basin Electric touts the plant as one of the cleanest coal-fired power plants in the U.S. Officials at PacifiCorp say CO2 emissions from their four Wyoming coal-fired power plants range from 2,100 to 2,600 pounds per megawatt-hour. The EPA plans to issue carbon pollution standards for existing power plants in June.

Rock Springs man killed at Bridger Coal; MSHA concerned about 3 US mining deaths in 3 days

Sweetwater County Detective Dick Blust, Jr. tells us that a Rock Springs man was killed in an industrial mishap early Sunday morning.






Stassinos, the dozer’s lone occupant, was thrown from the cab and died from injuries he sustained.






The death of Stassinos has brought the total of mining deaths to three in the last three days and that has federal regulators concerned. They are urging U.S. coal companies to refocus on health and safety regulations. The three deaths have occured amid the ongoing government shutdown. In West Virginia, a miner was struck in the head with a piece of equipment and became the state's sixth fatality this year. In Illinois, a miner died when a golf cart flipped and pinned him. It's the first time since 2002 the industry has had three deaths in three days, and Mine Safety and Health Administration director Joe Main calls it an extremely troubling pattern. Fewer than half of MSHA's employees are on the job, and inspections are largely focused on mines with a documented history of problems.

Construction to begin on Casper oil-to-rails hub

Developers say they expect to begin construction this week on a major rail terminal in Casper where crude oil from trucks and pipelines will be transferred onto tanker cars. The pipeline crude will come from as far away as Alberta, Canada, along Spectra Energy's Express Pipeline. Other oil will be trucked in from oil fields west of Casper. The facility also will have tanks for storing and blending different grades of crude. Heavy crude is difficult to refine and blending in lighter crude in Casper instead of at a refinery elsewhere can save customers money. The project is part of a 6-year-old rail development where a variety of other raw products are loaded and unloaded onto rail cars in the Casper area.

WyDOT honored for work to reduce big-game deaths

A regional association of wildlife agencies is honoring the Wyoming Department of Transportation for its work to reduce big-game deaths on Wyoming's roads and highways. WyDOT has built big-game underpasses in three different parts of Wyoming since 2001. Monitoring suggests tens of thousands of mule deer and other animals now use those underpasses during their annual migrations. That potentially saves many big-game animals from being hit and killed. The honor comes from the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. The association represents wildlife agencies in 23 U.S. states and Canadian provinces.

Wyo. 2014 conservation stamp contest announced

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will take entries for its next conservation stamp art competition starting Jan. 1. This is the 31st annual Game and Fish stamp art competition. The sauger will be the subject for the 2014 contest. Sauger are fish that are native to streams east of the Continental Divide. In Wyoming, sauger are found in the Wind-Bighorn River Drainage and the Tongue and Powder River drainages. Sauger are no longer found in the North Platte River or its tributaries. The winning artist gets his or her painting featured on a conservation stamp and a cash award of $3,500. Entries must be postmarked and/or delivered to Game and Fish headquarters in Cheyenne by March 1. Judging is scheduled to take place in Cheyenne on April 14.

Human remains found in Sand Dunes - determined to be prehistoric

Sweetwater County Dick Blust, Jr. says that human remains found in the Sand Dunes north of Rock Springs have been identified as prehistoric.






They notified county authorities, who recovered the remains.






As the remains are prehistoric and were found on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management, that agency is normally notified, but the local BLM office is closed due to the current federal government shutdown. Officials said the BLM will be contacted when the Rock Springs office reopens.

Wyoming Vietnam veteran reunion planned for 2015

The Wyoming Veterans Commission is planning to hold a statewide Vietnam veteran reunion in June 2015 in Casper. The reunion would mark the 50th anniversary of the start of U.S. combat operations in Vietnam. The commission will host an organization meeting next week at the Wyoming National Guard armory in Casper. Commission Chairman Al Ellefson says the commission looks forward to partnering with local and statewide organizations to ensure Wyoming Vietnam veterans are honored in a positive manner.

Man sentenced in Wyo. refinery valve sabotage case

A man accused of deliberately damaging valves at the oil refinery in Sinclair has pleaded no contest to a felony charge of making terroristic threats. Carbon County District Judge Wade Waldrip on Monday sentenced Bryant Paul Willingham to two to three years in prison. The judge suspended the prison time in favor of six months in jail and two years of probation. Prosecutors agreed to drop charges of aggravated assault and battery, and reckless endangerment. Refinery workers discovered the damage in October, 2012. Police say Willingham told them it was a joke to get the refinery evacuated so workers could go home. A Sinclair spokesman says two workers shared a $25,000 reward that was offered for anybody who provided useful information in the case.

Oregon man facing felony drug charges in Wyoming

A 65-year-old Oregon man accused of transporting several pounds of marijuana across Wyoming is set to appear in court Wednesday. William Boon, of Cave Junction, Ore., was charged Friday with speeding and multiple drug-related felonies. A state trooper pulled him over on Interstate 80 near Laramie on Wednesday and found more than 10 pounds of packaged marijuana and several pounds of hashish. An arrest affidavit says the trooper stopped Boon for going 79 mph in a 75 mph zone and smelled a strong odor of raw marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Boon is being held at the Albany County Jail on $10,000 bail.

Wyo. sugar beet harvest heats up

Sugar beet farmers in northern Wyoming report having among the best crops in a long time as they undertake the annual harvest. But a sharp decline in sugar prices has put a damper on the strong harvest. Ric Rodriguez grows 1,400 acres of sugar beets and serves as vice chairman of the Western Sugar Cooperative Board of Directors. He says that prices are at a 30-year low. Rodriguez says sugar prices topped $70 per ton in the recent past, depending on sugar content, but they started to slide this year. The sugar factories will store as much of the sugar as they can until prices increase. But some will have to be sold, no matter the price, because of a lack of space to keep it.

Gov. Mead says 233 Wyoming employees face furlough

Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead says the federal shutdown is forcing the state to place 233 state employees on furlough starting Monday. Wyoming has 9,867 employees of which 1,600 positions are funded in whole or in part by federal funds. Money for the 233 employees furloughed on Monday comes from federal funds cut by the Oct. 1 federal government shutdown. Mead says more employees may be furloughed if the federal shutdown continues past Oct. 30. The 233 employees work in the Wyoming departments of Environmental Quality, Family Services, the Military, and Parks and Cultural Resources. Mead says it was difficult to take the action but says state and federal law required furloughing the employees. He says they may choose to use annual leave and may apply for unemployment.

Gov. Mead says 233 Wyoming employees face furlough

Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead says the federal shutdown is forcing the state to place 233 state employees on furlough starting Monday. Wyoming has 9,867 employees of which 1,600 positions are funded in whole or in part by federal funds. Money for the 233 employees furloughed on Monday comes from federal funds cut by the Oct. 1 federal government shutdown. Mead says more employees may be furloughed if the federal shutdown continues past Oct. 30. The 233 employees work in the Wyoming departments of Environmental Quality, Family Services, the Military, and Parks and Cultural Resources. Mead says it was difficult to take the action but says state and federal law required furloughing the employees. He says they may choose to use annual leave and may apply for unemployment.

Missing hunters in Lander area found OK

Two young elk hunters are all right after spending an unexpected night in the backcountry south of Lander. Fremont County sheriff's officials say the two went to set up camp in the Slate Creek area at the southern tip of the Wind River Range. The two were reported late at around 11 p.m. Wednesday. By that time, snowy weather had moved into the area and a sheriff's deputy wasn't able to reach the area. A search began Thursday morning and involved more than 45 people and several vehicles. The boys were found around 5 p.m. Thursday at the base of some microwave towers about three-quarters of a mile from their truck. Sheriff's officials say they were cold and wet but unhurt. The names and ages of the two weren't released.

Blizzard warnings up for Wyoming

Blizzard warnings are up in Wyoming as a wintry storm moves across the state. Steve Rubin of the National Weather Service in Cheyenne said Friday that Douglas, Wheatland and Lusk are expecting winds up to 40 miles per hour and up to 15 inches of snow. Rubin said the conditions could be really dangerous for those areas beginning around noon. The heaviest snow is generally expected to fall east of the Continental Divide, with some mountains possibly receiving up to 30 inches. Snow began falling in the mountains of central and western Wyoming on Thursday, with some places receiving half a foot. The Weather Service warned of likely power outages and hazardous travel conditions in many areas.

UW reports another drop in rapes in 2012

The University of Wyoming reports a drop in rapes on and near campus for the second straight year, and campus police dealt with fewer alcohol and drug violations in 2012. UW crime prevention officer Aaron Appelhans says the university has been working to improve educating students and others about crime prevention and the consequences of committing offenses, particularly "relationship violence." UW reported five forcible sex offenses on campus and adjacent public property in 2012 - down from seven in 2011 and nine in 2010. Liquor violation arrests decreased from 205 in 2011 to 178 last year. The number of drug arrests fell to 60 in 2012 from 96 the previous year. UW did report more burglaries in 2012, but no murders, robberies, aggravated assaults or hate crimes.

4 to receive UW distinguished alumni awards

The University of Wyoming will give its Distinguished Alumni Award to four people during UW homecoming on Oct. 12. The 2013 recipients are retired Shell executive Thomas Botts; automobile dealer Joseph Drew; law professor and retired UW administrator Joseph R. Geraud; and utility company executive, retired Air Guard colonel and former state auditor Rita Meyer. They will be recognized during the Cowboys' football game against New Mexico.

Government shutdown might impact NV mustang fight

Citing the hardship of the government shutdown, Justice Department lawyers are asking a federal judge in Reno for a stay in a legal battle with wild horse advocates over hundreds of mustangs gathered from a wildlife refuge on the Nevada-Oregon line. The horse advocates said Wednesday it's a ploy to keep them from securing an emergency court order to stop the shipment of animals to a contractor they say has a history of reselling them for slaughter. About half of the 400 horses that once roamed the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge are scheduled to be shipped to a contractor in Mississippi beginning Friday. The Justice Department acting on behalf of the Fish and Wildlife Service asked Judge Miranda Du to postpone any proceedings until Congress restores both agencies' appropriations.

Wyoming WIC not affected by budget impasse

The Wyoming Department of Health says the Women, Infants and Children program has not been affected by the federal budget impasse. Agency spokeswoman Kim Deti says the department has been getting calls from residents in the program concerned whether their benefits were being cut off. Deti says the Wyoming WIC program has enough money to operate normally for another two weeks or so. There are about 11,000 Wyoming residents who get benefits through the WIC program. The program provides food and health support to low-income women and children up to age 5.

Volunteers Needed For Annual Book Sale

Volunteers are needed to help with the annual Sweetwater County Library System Book Sale. Brittany Wells says that anyone wishing to assist at the sale will have an early bird advantage and be able to purchase materials before the general public.






Wells says that the Library Book Sale is a dream for both library supporters and book lovers.






Those would like to volunteer may sign up at the White Mountain Library. Patrons may also call 362-2665 for more information.

Winter storm bears down on Wyoming

Snow has been falling in the mountains of central and western Wyoming, and it's expected to spread down into lower elevations Thursday evening. The National Weather Service has posted a winter storm warning for most of Wyoming through Friday night. The heaviest snow is generally expected to fall east of the Continental Divide. Areas along Interstate 25 can see 7 to 10 inches. Cheyenne is looking at 6 to 12. The mountains, including Casper Mountain, could see up to 20 inches. Gusty winds of 45 mph are expected with the storm. The snow and wind will likely cause hazardous travel conditions in many areas.

Sweetwater County Library System Ghost Walk Tickets Are Still Available

According to Brittany Wells with the Sweetwater County Library System, you still have the chance to purchase ghost walk tickets for their annual paranormal investigation of the alleged haunted library.






Tickets went on sale on Monday and are still available at the Green River Library. Last year, the popular event sold out.






The gallery is free and open during regular library hours. Ghost Walk tickets are $10 each. Patrons must be at least 15 years old to purchase ticket. They must be purchased in person.

Wyoming Game and Fish Department has online walk-in atlas available

he Wyoming Game and Fish Department says the walk-in hunting atlas is no longer available in print but can be accessed on its web site. The walk-in atlas contains information on hundreds of areas where hunters can access private lands for a variety of species. Walk in areas are available in 21 of Wyoming's 23 counties and comprise more than 700,000 thousand acres throughout much of Wyoming. Walk-in acreage varies by hunt area and although many areas have walk-in access, acreage is limited or non-existent in others. No permit is required to hunt in a walk-in area. Hunters should consult the walk-in atlas for a list of species that may be hunted within each area and the dates the walk-in area is open.

Government shutdown's hit magnified for tribes

American Indian tribes have more than access to national parks on the line with the government shutdown, as federal funding has been cut off for crucial services including foster care payments, nutrition programs and financial assistance for the needy. On southeast Montana's Crow Reservation, tribal leaders furloughed 316 workers Wednesday due to the shutdown and earlier federal budget cuts. Tribal programs including home health care for the elderly, bus service for rural areas and a major irrigation project were suspended indefinitely. Other tribes say they'll try to fill the funding gap themselves, risking deficits to cushion communities with chronic high unemployment and poverty against the effects of the budget battle in Washington, D.C. The Bureau of Indian Affairs says essential activities such as law enforcement, firefighting and some social services will continue.

Winter storm aims for much of Wyoming

Winter storm warnings and watches have been posted for a large part of central and eastern Wyoming. The National Weather Service says a storm system was expected to primarily impact areas east of the Continental Divide on Thursday and into Friday night. Some snow and rain was already falling in northwest Wyoming on Wednesday afternoon. Included in the watch area are Cheyenne, Casper, Riverton, Rawlins, Laramie, Gillette, Wheatland and Cody. Eight or more inches of snow is possible in some of the cities. The Weather Service issued a winter storm warning Thursday for Sheridan and the Bighorn Mountains where 10 to 20 inches of snow is possible.

State to seek life sentence in Evansville slaying

Prosecutors say they intend to seek a life sentence for an Evansville man charged with murder and other crimes in the fatal shooting of another man this summer. Defendant Samuel Renner is charged with killing 41-year-old Todd Callies outside Taylor's Sports Bar in July. Renner has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held without bond at the Natrona County Detention Center. Prosecutor Dan Itzen says the case would not qualify for the death penalty. Prosecutors have said Renner got in a fight outside the bar and returned with a gun later that night. Authorities say Renner was threatening patrons with the gun and say Callies was shot as he tried to tackle Renner.

Wyoming kicks off downsized wolf-hunting season

Wyoming's second wolf hunting season started this week and the state has lowered the quota of wolves available for hunters to kill. Wyoming Game and Fish Department spokesman Alan Dubberley says hunters have reported killing four wolves since the season opened Tuesday in the designated trophy hunting zone bordering Yellowstone National Park. The state classifies wolves outside the trophy area as predators that may be shot on sight. Hunters killed 42 wolves in the trophy zone last year. Dubberley says the quota there this year is 26 wolves. He says the state expects to end the season with no less than 160 wolves left in the trophy zone. Environmental groups are still challenging the federal government's decision to end federal protections for Wyoming wolves.

Rock Springs man receives prison sentence

Sweetwater County Detective Dick Blust, Jr. says that a Rock Springs man has been sentenced to five to eight years in prison for Immoral or Indecent Acts with a Child.






District Court Judge Richard Lavery handed down Tuesday’s sentence. Myers, who is free on bond, was given 10 days to turn himself in to begin serving his sentence. 

Wyo. Vet Commission gets new chairman

Al Ellefson, of Hulett, is the new chairman of the Wyoming Veterans Commission. He will serve a two-year term. Ellefson is a 26-year U.S. Air Force retiree and also worked 15 years with Wyoming's Department of Workforce Services. He is also a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and previously served as their Department of Wyoming commander. He re-appointed commissioner Lee Alley, of Wheatland, as the vice chairman and commissioner Ron Akin, of Casper, as the secretary and parliamentarian. The Wyoming Veterans Commission works with the governor and state Legislature on veterans issues. In addition, it helps Wyoming veterans and their families with benefits and disability claims. The commission also oversees the Oregon Trail State Veterans Cemetery in Evansville and the Wyoming Veterans Memorial Museum in Casper.

No trial in UW student accused of Facebook post

The attorney for a former University of Wyoming student accused of posting an anonymous Facebook threat against herself says the student intends to plead no contest. Meghan Lanker-Simons is charged in Albany County Circuit Court with misdemeanor interfering with a peace officer. She has pleaded not guilty. Defense attorney Vaughn Neubauer told Circuit Court Judge Randal Arp on Monday that Lanker-Simons intends to change her plea to no contest in an agreement with prosecutors in exchange for her paying a fine and receiving no jail time. Arp canceled Lanker-Simons' trial, which was scheduled for next week. The charge against Lanker-Simons stems from a UW Police Department investigation earlier this year into a graphic, sexual comment against Lanker-Simons. Investigators say Lanker-Simons authored the post.

Couple charged in Wyo. lived in SW Mo. for years

Authorities say a couple charged with murder in Wyoming ago lived "untouchable" in southwest Missouri for years until investigators found key evidence in one of their cases. Wyoming authorities have charged 74-year-old Alice Uden and her husband, 71-year-old Gerald Uden, of Chadwick, with first-degree murder. Alice Uden is charged in the death of Ronald Holtz, who disappeared in 1974 or 1975. Gerald Uden is charged in the deaths of his former wife, Virginia Uden, and her two sons, who were last seen in 1980. Christian County, Mo., Sheriff Joey Kyle says Wyoming investigators have known for years the Udens were in Missouri but didn't have evidence to arrest them until Holtz's remains were found recently. Court records also show Wyoming investigators interviewed Alice Uden in Missouri in 2005.

Federal gov't shutdown hits Wyoming campgrounds

Federal land management agencies are closing campgrounds and other facilities around Wyoming as part of the partial government shutdown. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced Tuesday that it is closing about 4,000 recreational facilities nationwide, including campgrounds, boat ramps and other recreation facilities in Wyoming. The U.S. Forest Service also is closing offices and at least some of its campgrounds around the state. The Shoshone National Forest, based in Cody, announced that all its campgrounds and picnic areas are closed until further notice. The Bridger-Teton National Forest, based in Jackson, put out a similar statement that campgrounds and other developed recreation areas are closed. General areas of the federal lands remain open for hunting, fishing and other activities.

Rocky start for federal insurance exchange in Wyo.

Things got off to a rocky start on Tuesday for the federal government's new health insurance exchange in Wyoming. The site is intended to allow citizens a place to shop for insurance and apply for tax credits to help cover the cost. Wyoming Insurance Commissioner Tom Hirsig was among many people who tried unsuccessfully on Tuesday to get onto the federal government's Internet site. Representatives from the two companies offering insurance in Wyoming also said they were unable to get on. Wyoming is among 36 states in which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services plans to operate health insurance exchanges under the federal Affordable Care Act. Attempts to reach federal officials Tuesday were not successful. Many federal workers have been furloughed because of the budget showdown in Congress.

Wyo. Supreme Court overturns murder conviction

The Wyoming Supreme Court has overturned a Riverton man's first-degree murder conviction in the 2010 shooting death of another man. The court on Tuesday ordered a new trial for Gabriel R. Drennen. Drennen had appealed his convictions for first-degree murder and aggravated assault and battery in the 2010 killing of 29-year-old Leroy Holster. The Supreme Court ruled it was improper for prosecutors to tell the jury at Drennen's trial that Wyoming law always prohibits the shooting of an unarmed man. The ruling states prosecutors misinformed the jury about the law and that it was up to the jury to decide whether the shooting was justified. Drennen has stated he feared for his life when Holster threatened to kill him and pushed him over a fence.

As Flu Season Begins, Wyoming Officials Urge Vaccination

As a handful of flu reports begin to emerge in the state, Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) officials are urging residents to get an annual flu vaccination. Kim Deti with the Wyoming Department of Health reminds the public that flu season has officially begun.






Deti says that last year's flu season proved how important getting the vaccine is.






Everyone who is six months or older should get an annual flu vaccine to help stop the spread of the virus. Influenza vaccines are available in many locations, including local public health offices, workplaces, doctors’ offices and retail stores. Basic common-sense measures can also slow the spread of influenza such as covering your mouth and nose with your sleeve or a tissue when you sneeze and cough, frequently washing your hands, and staying home from work, school, day care and errands when you are ill.

Feds defend plan to drop gray wolf protection

The director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is strongly defending its proposal to drop federal protection for gray wolves across most of the Lower 48 states ahead of a series of public hearings on the plan. The agency in June called for dropping the wolf from the endangered list everywhere except in parts of Arizona and New Mexico, where a subspecies called the Mexican wolf is struggling for survival. Agency director Dan Ashe said Monday that the wolf's recovery in the Great Lakes and Northern Rockies is one of the greatest conservation successes ever. He said the species is no longer in danger of dying out. But some environmentalists and scientists say it's too soon to drop federal protections. The first public hearing is Monday in Washington, D.C.

Industry estimates groundwater testing cost

The oil and gas industry estimates that Wyoming's proposed groundwater testing rule for new wells will cost $18,000 per well. Under the proposed rules, operators would have to test four water sources within in a half-mile of a well. Jerimiah Rieman, Gov. Matt Mead's natural resources policy adviser, shared the cost estimate last Friday with the Legislature's Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Interim Committee in Cheyenne. Supporters say data from testing would help protect industry from allegations of groundwater contamination if data proves there is no change in water quality. Conversely, landowners would be better protected if the data shows change. The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is accepting public comment on the proposal rule.

Hunters' help sought in tracking Wyo. sage grouse

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is asking sage grouse hunters for help in tracking the activities and population numbers of the chicken-sized, ground-dwelling birds. The department wants hunters to drop one wing from any sage grouse they harvest in marked barrels placed at major access roads to popular hunting areas. Biologists can tell the age and sex of the harvested birds by examining their wings, which is key to determining reproduction rates and, ultimately, the population trend. Each year, in addition to the wing data, biologists count the number of male birds on spring strutting grounds, or leks, and then try to get a sample of brood counts after the chicks have hatched.

Wyoming taking part in lawsuit against EPA

Wyoming is one of a dozen states suing the Environmental Protection Agency over what the states see as a cozy relationship between the agency and environmental groups. The lawsuit was filed this summer in U.S. District Court in Oklahoma City. It alleges that the EPA and environmental groups cooperate by employing a so-called "sue and settle" strategy. Environmental groups sue the EPA and the two enter a binding consent decree setting new rules and regulations. Wyoming contends the strategy was used when the EPA rejected the state's plan for controlling regional haze from coal-fired power plants and the agency offered its own proposal. The EPA denies that it participates in any such practice, noting it has no control over what parties sue the agency and what issues are involved.

Mo. couple accused in Wyo. of killing exes, 2 kids

A Missouri couple has waived extradition to face first-degree murder charges in Wyoming in the deaths of their ex-spouses and two children more than 30 years ago. Seventy-one-year-old Gerald Uden and 74-year-old Alice Uden of Chadwick, Mo., were jailed in Christian County in southwest Missouri. Gerald Uden is accused of killing his ex-wife, Virginia Uden, and her two children, 12-year-old Richard Uden and10-year-old Reagan Uden. Virginia Uden and her children were last seen in Fremont County in central Wyoming in 1980. Alice Uden is accused of killing her ex-husband, Ronald Holtz, who disappeared in 1974 or 1975. His remains recently were found in an abandoned mine in Laramie County in southeast Wyoming. Neither Gerald nor Alice Uden had an attorney. A neighbor said the Udens worked as long-haul truckers and were rarely home.

Mule deer illegally killed in Riverton

Wildlife officials are investigating after a mule deer was illegally shot and killed in Riverton and left to rot. A witness heard a gunshot just before 11 a.m. on Sept. 23 and saw the deer fall in a field in the 2200 block of Riverview Road. The witness did not see who shot the deer or any vehicles nearby. Wyoming Game and Fish warden Allen Deru says the poaching "takes away from the people who are trying to (hunt) legally." The deer was a mature male and had three points on each antler. No meat or any other part of the animal was removed from the carcass.

Farson Sex Offender Sentenced

A Farson man has been given his sentence for crimes he committed against a minor. Sweetwater County Detective Dick Blust, Jr. says that 35 year old Marty Rhodes was found guilty on May 21st of Child Abuse and Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the Third Degree.






Under state statute, the maximum penalty for Child Abuse is five years of imprisonment; for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the Third Degree the maximum is 15 years.






Lavery sentenced Rhodes to imprisonment for not less than four and not more than five years for the Child Abuse charge, and a minimum of 13 years and not more than 15 years for Sexual Abuse of a Minor in the Third Degree, and ordered that the sentences be served consecutively. Rhodes will receive credit for 476 days already served.

Lubnau questions document dump by superintendent

Wyoming House Speaker Tom Lubnau says state schools Superintendent Cindy Hill isn't cooperating with a special committee's investigation into her management of the Wyoming Education Department. The Gillette Republican sent a letter to Hill on Friday saying her office intentionally submitted thousands of irrelevant and unorganized documents in response to two subpoena requests by the committee. Hill told The Associated Press in response that she submitted everything from her office because the subpoena requests were so broad. She says the committee has more resources than her office and can sift through the documents to find what it needs. Depending on its findings, the panel could recommend that the full House of Representatives initiate impeachment proceedings against Hill, who denies any wrongdoing.

Throwback soda keeps Wyo. sugar farmers happy

A Worland-based bottling and distribution company has helped lead the way back to using real sugar in soft drinks. Admiral Beverage Vice President of Production Dave Willard says the company convinced PepsiCo to go back to the real sugar and the result has proved to be a success for the company and Wyoming sugar beet growers. Using Throwback concentrate from PepsiCo, Admiral Beverage combines it with Wyoming sugar and water, then carbonates it and puts it in cans or bottles. Admiral Beverage used slightly more than 700,000 pounds of sugar from Big Horn Basin beets in 2012. Willard says that the Throwback products brought back a lot of interest in the sugar beet industry.

Man accused of fleeing prerelease center arrested

Authorities in Arizona have arrested a Pinedale man accused of fleeing a Casper prerelease center late last year. Lt. Mark Sellers with the Natrona County Sheriff's Office says that Jeffrey Brost was arrested in Dolan Springs, Ariz., on Thursday. Brost was 20 years old when he went missing after he was dropped off at the Department of Motor Vehicles office in Casper on Sept. 21, 2012. He served three months of a six- to nine-month probation sentence at the Casper Re-entry Center on a theft charge. Sellers says Brost will be transferred back to Casper.

Hay prices down in Wyoming from last year

Wyoming ranchers are paying lower prices for hay in the state compared to last year. Ranchers who paid around $310 per ton last year are seeing prices in the $180 a ton range this year. But at the same time, hay producers have experienced some challenges in raising hay crops this year. Axel Garcia y Garcia, of the University of Wyoming Powell Research and Extension Center, says hay at the center has done well this year, but not as good as last year's. Gerry Danko, of rural Powell, tells the Powell Tribune that unusually high humidity has made it hard to get hay dry. Adding to that difficulty have been repeated rain and hailstorms in some areas.

Early snowstorm hits central Wyoming

Snow is falling not only in the mountains of central and northern Wyoming but in lower elevation areas as well. A winter storm warning is in effect for parts of central Wyoming, including Riverton and Lander, until noon Friday. Snow also is falling in Casper and Buffalo, where a winter weather advisory is posted. The National Weather Service reports 2 inches of snow has fallen already in Riverton with 5 inches recorded just outside the city. Up to 8 inches is possible in the surrounding area. Thermopolis reports 4 inches. Up to 20 inches is possible in the mountains. The snow was expected to taper off Friday afternoon. Other than U.S. 212 over Beartooth Pass north of Cody, the snowstorm wasn't hampering traffic although some roads were slick in spots.

BLM Rawlins Issues North Platte River Recreation Area Management Plan

Serena Baker with the Bureau of Land Management Rawlins Field Office says they have released the North Platte River Recreation Area Management Plan, environmental assessment finding of no significant impact and decision record which authorize campground and river access improvements and adjusts the number of Special Recreation Permits issued.  






The RFO manages more than 122 miles of the North Platte River from the Colorado border to the Seminoe Reservoir, including numerous public access points for recreation.






The decision record is subject to administrative review through the appeal process.  For more information, call 307-328-4206.  

Sweetwater County's Unemployment Rate Continues To Decline

Sweetwater counties un-employment rate continues to decline, thats according to the Wyoming Department of Workforce services. The counties un-employment rate in August of this year stood at 3.7 percent, compared to July's rate of 3.9 percent. In August of 2012, the rate was at 4.3 percent. Their are currently 932 job seekers in the county, compated to over 1,000 a year ago. The statewide un-employment in August stood at 4.1 percent. The highest un-employment rate in Wyoming is in Fremont county at 5.5 percent, while the lowest is in nearby Sublette county, 3.0 percent. The US un-employment rate in August stood at 7.3 percent.

Daniels Fund awards $891K to Wyoming groups

The Daniels Fund has awarded nearly $891,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations serving seniors, youth and the homeless in Wyoming. Grant recipients are the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming, the Casper Family YMCA, the Hot Springs County Senior Citizens Center in Thermopolis, the Northwest Wyoming Treatment Center in Powell, the Stride Learning Center in Cheyenne, the Youth Crisis Center in Casper and Youth Emergency Services in Gillette. The Daniels Fund is expected to award about $3.3 million in grants to Wyoming nonprofit organizations this year. The Daniels Fund Grants Program regularly awards money to programs in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

UW Hall of Famer Keith Bloom dies

University of Wyoming Athletics Hall of Fame member Keith Bloom has died. He was 86. Bloom died last week in his hometown of Powell. He was recognized as 1 of the last three sport athletes at UW, competing in football, basketball and baseball. He lettered in all three. Besides the UW hall, Bloom was inducted into the Wyoming Coaches' Association Hall of Fame and the National High School Coaches' Association Hall of Fame. He also was active in local youth sports in Powell. He is survived by a son and daughter, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Funeral services are set for Saturday at Union Presbyterian Church in Powell.

Lawmakers frustrated by lack of orphan well action

Some Wyoming lawmakers are expressing frustration with how the state Oil and Gas Conservation Commission is addressing thousands of abandoned oil and gas wells. The so-called orphan wells are primarily wells that belonged to companies that have gone out of business and it's up to the state to plug and reclaim them. There are about 1,250 orphan wells in Wyoming, and another 1,300 that are likely to be added to the list. The backlog and expense of plugging them means many abandoned wells may sit for years without any resolution. Lawmakers have been pressing the Oil and Gas Conservation Commission for months on how it plans to address the problem. On Thursday, members of a joint legislative minerals committee were critical that the commission hadn't provided any plans.

Wyoming refuge may open for hunting

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to allow hunting on the Cokeville-Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in western Wyoming. Project leader Tom Koerner says the agency's draft management plan is an important step toward allowing more public access to the refuge in Lincoln County. He says that in addition to hunting, the agency is planning to allow fishing, wildlife viewing, photography, environmental education and interpretation at the refuge. The agency is accepting public comment until Oct. 24 on its proposal.

Snow expected in central Wyoming

The National Weather Service has posted winter storm warnings and advisories for large section of central Wyoming. Up to 16 inches of snow is possible in some mountain areas, while up to 8 inches is possible in lower elevations, including the city of Lander. The heaviest snow was expected Thursday night and Friday morning. The storm system moving through the state already dumped up to a foot of snow in the mountains of northwest Wyoming

BLM Monitoring Sublette Wildfire

Shelley Gregory with the Bureau of Land Management High Desert District says they are monitoring the Sublette Wildfire approximately 10 miles north of Cokeville in the Raymond Mountain Wilderness Study Area. 






Gregory says the fire is creeping and smoldering but producing significant smoke due to heavy timber.






Outdoor recreationists are urged to use caution or avoid the area entirely since fire behavior can change suddenly and fire spread is unpredictable if high winds develop.

Educators get look at new school grading system

The Wyoming Department of Education has given educators in the state a sneak preview of how state schools will be graded on accountability. The agency presented information Tuesday during a conference in Cheyenne on how schools might fare under a grading system that is being developed. Schools would be graded in 1 of 4 categories: exceeding expectations; meeting expectations; partially meeting expectations; or not meeting expectations. Using data from last year, the department was able to tell how many schools fell into each category. The agency did not identify individual schools in each category. That information will be released later. Officials say that the system will be ready in the fall of 2014.

State vet: horses still need West Nile vaccine

Despite the onset of fall, cases of West Nile Virus in horses continue to be reported throughout the state of Wyoming. At least 15 West Nile horse cases have been diagnosed this season by the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory. State Veterinarian Jim Logan says the West Nile season can last until a hard frost. The Wyoming Livestock Board veterinary staff recommends that owners vaccinate their horses if they have not done so already. Horses are far more affected by the West Nile than other livestock and domestic animals. Signs of West Nile include initial flu-like symptoms, where the horse becomes lethargic and depressed, followed by weakness, incoordination and seizures. Of those that become ill, about 30% die or need to be euthanized.

Wyo. health insurance exchange questions remain

There's less than a week to go before the federal government is set to open an Internet site offering health insurance to Wyoming residents under the federal Affordable Care Act. Wyoming is among 36 states in which the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, not the individual state government, will operate the so-called health insurance exchanges. Beginning in January, the public may purchase insurance through the exchange. Wyoming will see some of the highest premiums. But the federal government intends to offer tax credits to low-income residents to even out rates. Wyoming Insurance Commissioner Tom Hirsig says higher rates are predictable because it's expensive to provide health care to the state's sparse population. Hirsig says the federal agency hasn't told Wyoming yet which companies will offer coverage.

Snow hits northwest Wyoming mountains

The first major snowfall of the season has dumped closed to a foot of snow in the mountains of northwest Wyoming. The National Weather Service says 11 inches of snow had fallen by Wednesday afternoon on Togwotee Pass in Teton County. Up to a foot of snow was possible in areas above 8,500 foot elevation in the Teton Range, Yellowstone National Park and parts of the Absaroka Mountains. Up to 6 inches was possible in lower elevations to 6,000 feet. A winter storm warnings and watches were posted for northwest and central Wyoming, including the Lander foothills. A section of U.S. 212 was closed at Beartooth Pass because of snow Wednesday afternoon. The Weather Service said the snow is likely to spread into central and southwest Wyoming by Thursday.

Ghost Walk Tickets on Sale Oct. 1st

Just in time for Halloween, the Sweetwater County Library is hosting a paranormal investigation of the “haunted” library. According to Brittany Wells, tickets will go on sale Tuesday, October 1st at 9 a.m. at the Green River library for the Ghost Walk that will be held on Saturday, October 26th.






The ghost log is a collection of reports documenting unexplained events in the library since 1993. It is available to the public for use in the library during regular hours.






The Ghost Walk tours are an hour long starting at 8 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 11 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. No refunds will be given and tickets are sold on a first come first serve basis.

UW launches professional land management program

The University of Wyoming has launched a new program for students interested in land management related to oil, gas and mining. UW's Professional Land Management program is 1 of just nine in North America accredited by the American Association of Professional Landmen. This fall, 13 students are enrolled in the program, developed in partnership with the Wyoming Association of Professional Landmen and the energy industry. Don Roth is the program's director and deputy director for academics in UW's School of Energy Resources. He says there's a tremendous demand for landmen. Landmen determine land ownership and availability for mineral leasing; negotiate agreements with landowners for drilling and production rights; draft and administer contracts with the assistance of corporate couns

Wyoming jobless rate remains at 4.6%

Wyoming's unemployment rate remains unchanged at 4.6%. The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported the jobless rate for August on Tuesday. It has remained at 4.6% since May. Wyoming's unemployment rate for August was lower from a year ago when it was 5.4% and was significantly lower than the current U.S. unemployment rate of 7.3%. Across Wyoming, county unemployment rates followed their normal seasonal pattern and fell slightly, or were unchanged from July to August. Sublette County posted the lowest unemployment rate in August at 3%, followed by Teton and Converse counties at both 3.1%, and Campbell and Niobrara counties at 3.5%. The highest unemployment rates were found in Fremont at 5.5%, Big Horn at 4.8% and Platte at 4.7%.

1 year delay possible for new Wyo. lotto start

The goal of starting Wyoming's lottery early next year may be too ambitious. The new chief executive officer of the Wyoming Lottery Corporation presented a timetable that pushes the full implementation of the lottery from early spring 2014 to 2015. Jon Clontz presented his preliminary timeline to the Wyoming Lottery Board on Monday. Clontz says the timeline hinges on the contract with a vendor but could be shortened if the board is willing to rush the process. Lottery Board chairman Brian Scott Gamroth says that the delayed timeline came as a surprise. But he says the board has only one chance to establish the lottery. He said the goal is to do it as fast as possible without unnecessary risk.

Wyo. sees decrease in wildfires this year

The end of summer means that the major wildfire season is all but over in Wyoming. While the number of fires and acreage burned is still being tabulated and more wildfires can start this fall, state forestry officials say this year's fire season has been completely opposite from last year. According to the Wyoming State Forestry Division, the cost of fighting fires on state and private land so far has totaled a preliminary $1.5 million. That compares to about $42 million for 2012. The largest fire this summer burned about 25,000 acres in the Shoshone National Forest. That would have been small compared to 2012 when one fire burned nearly 100,000 acres. Forestry officials attribute the better fire season to timely rain, fewer dry lightning strikes and better fire response.

Join the BLM Rawlins at the Corral Creek Campground National Public Lands Day Event

The Bureau of Land Management Rawlins Field Office invites individuals, families and groups to participate in its annual National Public Lands Day event on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Serena Baker says that this year, volunteers will help construct tent pads, repair picnic tables, fix fire rings, install water filters, paint restrooms, pull weeds, and pick up litter at the Corral Creek Campground along the North Platte River southeast of Saratoga. 






Gas powered weed eaters are also needed for the event. Children must be at least eight years old to volunteer. Participants are also asked to bring a sack lunch, plenty of water, and provide their own transportation, 4-wheel drive vehicles are recommended. 






Volunteers collected an estimated 23,000 pounds of invasive plants, built and maintained an estimated 1,500 miles of trails, planted an estimated 100,000 trees, shrubs and other native plants, removed an estimated 500 tons of trash from trails and other places and contributed an estimated $18 million through volunteer services to improve public lands across the country.

Teton Co. puts moratorium on new cell towers

Teton County commissioners have imposed a 105-day moratorium on the construction of new cell towers. The moratorium approved last week will give the county time to write new cell-tower regulations. ATandT has plans to erect more than a dozen new cell towers in the county. ATand T's lawyer, Bruce Salzburg, told the commission that telecommunications companies have successfully sued municipalities to overturn moratoriums. But Melissa Wittstruck of the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance says current county cell tower regulations are outdated and insufficient to deal with modern laws and equipment.

3 Yellowstone leaders say the park needs advocates

Three men who have served as superintendent of Yellowstone National Park say the park will always need advocates. Former Yellowstone superintendents Bob Barbee and Mike Finley joined current Superintendent Dan Wenk for a fireside chat on Saturday with several hundred members of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. The three said that although the park is healthy in many respects, there are looming threats to its integrity. Among the problems is decimation of the native cutthroat trout population by exotic lake trout. The three spoke at a convention in West Yellowstone, Mont., on Saturday celebrating the 30th anniversary of the conservation organization. They said park managers alone may not be able to defend Yellowstone adequately and said support from outsiders is critical.

Money available to help ag producers go organic

There's financial help for Wyoming agriculture producers interested in going organic. The Wyoming Business Council Agribusiness Division and the Wyoming Department of Agriculture administer a USDA grant program that helps producers pay for becoming organically certified. The grant covers 75% of organic certification costs up to $750. It reimburses applicants for expenditures, which must be made before receiving an award. Wyoming farms and ranches are eligible to apply for reimbursement if they are a Wyoming company or a Wyoming-based subsidiary company that is farming or ranching organic products in Wyoming. They must be able to document that they have achieved organic certification with a USDA-accredited agency. The deadline to submit grant applications is Nov. 1, but applications are being accepted now.

Historic saddle donated to Frontier Days museum

A 106-year-old championship saddle from Cheyenne Frontier Days has been donated to the rodeo's Old West Museum. The family of Clayton Danks, a 3-time Frontier Days winner who was awarded the saddle in 1907, gave it to the museum after they obtained it from King's Saddlery and Museum in Sheridan. The saddle is the oldest trophy in the Old West Museum. Curator Mike Kassel calls the saddle a priceless artifact. Danks' family began searching for the saddle in 2008 when he was inducted into the Frontier Days Hall of Fame. They have been negotiating with King's Saddlery and Museum for several years to buy the saddle

Wyoming lottery names chief executive officer

The Wyoming Lottery Corporation has named an Oregon man to serve as its first chief executive officer. The corporation on Monday announced the selection of Jon Clontz as CEO. He's set to start in Wyoming in early October. Clontz comes from Oregon, where he's served as deputy director with the Oregon Lottery for the past two years. Brian Scott Gamroth is chairman of the Wyoming Lottery Corporation board. The Wyoming Legislature approved the creation of a state lottery early this year. Gov. Matt Mead appointed the nine-member lottery board this summer. Officials hope to have the lottery up and running next year. Gamroth says Clontz's leadership qualities, communication skills and record with the Oregon Lottery give the board confidence in his ability to get the Wyoming Lottery going.

Forest Service lowers Medicine Bow camping limit

The U.S. Forest Service has lowered the maximum daily limit for dispersed camping on the Medicine Bow National Forest in southeastern Wyoming from 21 days down to 16. Dispersed camping means camping outside of developed campgrounds. The limit for staying at developed campgrounds remains unchanged at 14 days. Under the new order, campers must move their camp at least three miles after they've been in one spot for 16 days. Campers cannot come back to the same site to camp for at least 30 days. The Forest Service says the new rule is designed to discourage people from locking up spots on the forest for long periods.

Rock Springs man sentenced to lengthy prison terms

Sweetwater County Detective Dick Blust, Jr. says that a Rock Springs man was sentenced in District Court on September 18th to as much as a century in prison.






Grady’s charges were the result of an extensive Sheriff’s Office investigation led by Detective Michelle Hall.






Hodge is also wanted  by authorities in Burnet County, Texas, for multiple counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child and Indecency With a Child (Sexual Contact). He is fighting extradition on his Texas charges.

Judge grants fees in Fremont County voting case

A federal judge has approved over $960,000 in legal fees for lawyers who represented American Indians who successfully challenged Fremont County's system of at-large voting for county commissioners. U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson of Cheyenne on Friday granted the bulk of the request for fees from the legal team that represented five members of the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes. Their litigation changed the structure of Fremont County government. Johnson wrote in his decision that the purpose of this litigation was to seek justice for people who have historically been marginalized and whose voting rights had been diminished. He overrode objections from Fremont County that fees were too high.

Cowboy Joe Club raises $315K for athletics

The Cowboy Joe Club's annual auction has raised more than $315,000 for University of Wyoming student-athlete scholarships and resources. The club is UW athletics' main fundraising organization. A sold-out crowd of close to 600 UW supporters from around the region attended the auction held recently in Cheyenne. The auction is the Cowboy Joe Club's largest annual fundraising event. UW Senior Associate Athletic Director Randy Welniak says it's impressive that the auction generates the amount of money it does.

Bull Moose Wanders Into Rock Springs

On Saturday afternoon, a bull moose caused quite a bit of excitement in Rocks Springs. The Rock Springs Police Department received numerous calls of a bull moose which had wandered into the Killpecker Creek area near Springs Drive and Stagecoach Blvd. Several local residents lined up to watch as the animal strolled through a residential trailer court. The Rock Springs Police Department would like to remind citizens are reminded to give wildlife ample room to avoid potentially violent encounters when the animals become startled by humans.

Swarm of earthquakes shake Yellowstone

Scientists have been busy monitoring earthquake swarms in and around the Yellowstone Caldera. University of Utah geophysics professor Bob Smith says they have come across three simultaneous earthquake swarms. He calls the simultaneous swarms "remarkable." Smith says that the swarms have left many questions for scientists to ponder. He says that's because concurrent swarms have never been detected in the past. Temblors from the three quake swarms mostly hit in three areas: Lewis Lake, the Lower Geyser Basin and the northwest part of Norris Geyser Basin. A total of 130 earthquakes ranging from magnitude 0.6 to 3.6 were observed. Yellowstone's recent earthquake swarms started on Sept. 10 and were shaking until about 11:30 a.m. Sept. 16.

4.9 magnitude earthquake jolts W. Wyoming

A 4.9 magnitude earthquake jolted much of western Wyoming on Saturday, but no damage was reported. John Bellini, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Golden, Colo., says the temblor occurred at 7:16 a.m. about 45 miles underground. The nearest city is Fort Washakie, about 9 miles east of the epicenter. Bellini says "it was felt widely in western Wyoming, but this is too deep of an earthquake to cause any damage. ... A lot of people might have felt something but they wouldn't know what they felt because it woke them up." The area west of Yellowstone National Park experiences a handful of earthquakes a year.

Woman accused of having sex with 15-year-old boy

A 27-year-old Natrona County woman accused of having sex with a 15-year-old boy has pleaded not guilty to five counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Sarah Rae Cady entered her plea Tuesday after authorities say she acknowledged engaging in a six-month relationship with the boy. A sheriff's office report says Cady and the boy had sexual contact, once in January and once in May, at each of their homes. She also is accused of sending nude photos to the boy and visiting him at his high school during his lunch break.

Yellowstone remains closed to hunting

Officials at Yellowstone National Park are reminding the public that the park is closed to hunting. Fall hunting seasons are opening on lands around the park. While most of the park boundary is well marked, officials say it's hunters' responsibility to make sure they don't enter the park. Federal laws prohibit killing or removing any animal, living or dead, from inside Yellowstone. That includes animals that are shot outside the park and die within the park boundaries. It's also illegal to remove any animal parts including shed antlers from the park.

BLM Rock Springs Wild Horse Holding Facility Temporary Closure for Cleaning

Serena Baker with the Bureau of Land Management has announced that the Rock Springs Wild Horse Holding Facility will be temporarily closed for cleaning from Sept. 23rd until approximately Oct. 15th. 







Approximately 660 wild horses from the North Lander and Red Desert Complexes; McCullough Peaks, Adobe Town, Salt Wells Creek, Great Divide Basin, White Mountain, and Little Colorado Herd Management Areas are currently held at the facility






To see a full calendar of adoption events and requirements, just google blm wild horse adoptions or go to blm.gov.

1st snow of season hits Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park is reporting snow at higher elevations, and meteorologists also spotted it on Togwotee Pass between Dubois and Jackson in northwestern Wyoming. National Weather Service meteorologist Dave Lipson tells says that even though both areas only received a dusting Wednesday, they are among the first in the state to see snow accumulations this season. The Weather Service reports the earliest recorded snowfall accumulation in populated areas in Wyoming was on Sept. 6, 1929, when Riverton received 3 inches. Lipson says elevations above 10,000 feet could see significant snow next week. Summer officially ends Sunday.

Ecuadoran wounded in shooting at Wyo. camp

A rock climber from Ecuador is recovering from a gunshot wound he received at a campground near a popular climbing location in northern Wyoming. Jose Mosquera (MOHS'-kehr-uh) is being treated at a hospital in Billings, Mont., where he is in stable condition. Mosquera's companion says the two were camping at Leigh Creek Campground in Ten Sleep Canyon when they fled their tent early Monday because of a falling tree limb and rock. She says that while the two were running to their car, Mosquera was struck in the chest by a bullet. She says she saw someone rustling in the bushes and Mosquera heard a vehicle drive away. Washakie County Sheriff Steve Rakness was not immediately available for comment.

Senate passes bill to avert helium shortage

The Senate has approved a bill to avert an impending shutdown of the federal helium reserve, a key supplier of the lighter-than-air gas used in a wide range of products, from party balloons to MRI machines. The Federal Helium Program, which provides about 42% of the nation's helium from a storage site in Texas, is to shut down Oct. 7 as a result of a 1996 law requiring the reserve to pay off a debt by selling its helium. The debt is paid, but billions of cubic feet of helium remain. Closing the reserve would cause a worldwide helium shortage - an outcome lawmakers from both parties hope to avoid. The bill the Senate passed Thursday differs slightly from a House-approved bill. President Barack Obama favors the Senate version.

Judge rules against challenge to uranium mine

A federal judge has ruled against an environmental group's challenge to an in-situ uranium mine that started production last month in Sweetwater County. U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl on Wednesday upheld the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's approval of the Lost Creek In-Situ Uranium Recovery Project operated by Ur Energy. The mine is about 15 miles southwest of Bairoil. The Biodiversity Conservation Alliance in Laramie had challenged the project, saying the BLM had failed to consider its effect on sage grouse and other species. Alliance lawyer John Persell says the group is disappointed with the judge's ruling. A statement on Ur Energy's website quotes company President Wayne Heili saying he commends state, local and federal officials who worked to confirm the company's compliance with environmental and safety regulations.

Judge rejects plea agreement in Lander shooting

A judge has rejected a plea agreement that prosecutors had reached with a man accused of shooting at three people early this year in Sinks Canyon near Lander. District Judge Marvin Tyler rejected the plea agreement Wednesday because it didn't reflect the number of victims. Prosecutors allege defendant Jeremy Cunningham shot at three people on Jan. 31 on Sinks Canyon Road in a "road rage" incident. Prosecutors initially charged Cunningham with three counts of attempted second-degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault. He had agreed to plead guilty to two counts of aggravated assault. Tyler approved reinstating the dropped aggravated assault charge. The judge granted a request from Fremont County Attorney Michael Bennett to dismiss the attempted murder charges.

Green River man sought by Sheriff’s Office on felony drug charges

Sweetwater County Detective Dick Blust, Jr. tells us the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Team is seeking information on the latest entry on the agency’s Sweetwater County’s Most Wanted list.






Each charge is a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than 20 years, a fine of $25,000, or both.






Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office or other law enforcement agency. 

Western Wyoming ranked 7th in the nation among community colleges by Washington Monthly

Western Wyoming Community College has been ranked seventh nationally among community colleges by the news and public-affairs organization Washington Monthly. Western is Wyoming’s only community college to appear in the annual Top 50 list this year. The Washington Monthly College Guide rankings aim to serve as a counterpoint to the U.S. News and World Report rankings (which do not include community colleges), and are based on the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) and the U.S. Department of Education’s measures of student retention and completion. The Washington Monthly ranking is the latest in a series of mentions for Western in national Top 20 lists for community colleges. Previously, CNN Money had ranked Western number 13 for student success among community colleges nationwide, while the college website TheBestSchools.org ranked Western number 18 in the country.

WWCC student Alexandra Shannon, of Rock Springs, receives Mary K. Anderson Scholarship award

Western Wyoming Community College freshman Alexandra “Alex” Shannon has received the Mary K. Anderson Scholarship from the Rock Springs AE Chapter of Wyoming’s State Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood. Shannon is pursuing General Studies at the College. The P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization) Sisterhood is a society dedicated to supporting educational opportunities for women. There are three chapters in Rock Springs and one chapter in Green River. The Mary K. Anderson Scholarship was awarded by the Rock Springs AE chapter in the amount $700 for the academic year. Mary K. Anderson was a former professor at Western and a chapter member, and the scholarship is named in her memory.  As part of her scholarship application, Alex wrote an essay about community service and why she wants to pursue higher education.  

Mead appoints new School Facilities director

Gov. Matt Mead has appointed Bill Panos as the new director of the Wyoming School Facilities Department. Panos is currently the City Manager in Eureka, Calif. He previously served as School Facilities Director in Washington State. The Wyoming School Facilities Department is charged with making sure each public school district has adequate space to deliver quality education to students. Mead noted in a statement that the state has spent more than $1 billion on building schools over the last decade, and there are many more school projects in line. Panos plans to start work in Wyoming on Nov. 4. He will be paid $150,000 a year.

Man gets prison after police officer bitten

A man accused of biting a police officer during a disturbance in Cheyenne has been sentenced to three to six years in prison.
David C. Croy appeared in court Monday after previously pleading no contest to interfering with a peace officer. Police who were called to a disturbance Sept. 21 say Croy was in an argument and smelled strongly of alcohol. He then became agitated and started swinging his arms back and forth as paramedics were treating him. Authorities say the officer was bitten on his right hand as he was trying to stop Croy from injuring the paramedics.

South Dakota couple gets $8 million award in Sweetwater County wreck

A federal jury has awarded a South Dakota couple more than $8 million for losses they suffered in a 2009 traffic accident in Sweetwater County. A judgment filed Wednesday following a jury trial in Casper awarded the money to Alexsandr and Lyudmila Durnyak of South Dakota. The couple last year sued Nebraska-based trucking company Prime Inc., and 1 of its drivers. The lawsuit claimed Mr. Durnyak was injured when a truck operated by Prime pulled in front of him as he was driving westbound on Interstate 80. The lawsuit states that he suffered extensive injuries including brain injuries, impaired vision and broken bones. The lawsuit claimed Mrs. Durnyak suffered damages because of the injuries to her husband.

Census figures: 1 in 7 in Wyoming lacks insurance

New U.S. Census figures show that more than one in seven Wyoming residents lacks health insurance. The federal government released new figures on Tuesday that show the estimated number of uninsured people in Wyoming stands at 89,000. That's down by 11,000 people from last year. Nearly 10% of the children in Wyoming are uninsured. Anne Alexander is an economist at the University of Wyoming. She says having a large number of uninsured residents drives up health care costs in the state because they tend to wait until medical conditions are serious before seeking emergency help. The new figures come three months before the federal Affordable Care Act will require most Americans to possess health insurance.

WYDOT Cleans Up Flooding damage near La Barge

This year's snow has not fallen yet, but the Wyoming Department of Transportation maintenance crews were out in full force due to the recent weather. Stephanie Harsha says that flooding, mudslides and fog caused many delays and at times, closures, on western Wyoming's roads. Although Evanston saw some brief delays on WYO 89 within the city limits on Sept. 7th through the 8th, most of the damage was done south of La Barge in Lincoln County on US 189.






During the downpour, silt, mud and debris was building in and over the top of drainage ditches and box culverts, causing the water to build up and then overflow, carrying mud and debris over the highway.






The rain continued through Sunday, causing a second brief closure, this time southbound, on US 189 at milepost 79 and milepost 80, due to flash flooding. Clean-up still continues on US 189, but some work will have to take place on an emergency contract. Other areas were also affected by limited flooding were WYO 414 in the Bridger Valley and US 191 near Bondurant. However, the most severe damage was done near La Barge.

Anti-drunken driving campaign launched in Wyoming

A new statewide advertising campaign against drunken driving takes aim at the culture of drinking and driving in Wyoming. The radio, television and newspaper ads began Monday - the 12th anniversary of the deaths of 8 University of Wyoming cross country runners killed by a drunken driver in 2001. The horrific event is a central part of the new campaign sponsored by the Governor's Council on Impaired Driving. Mike Reed of the governor's office says the campaign has the backing of the families who lost sons in the wreck. Reed says a single advertising campaign won't change the culture of drinking and driving, but it's a step in advancing public discussion about the need to change attitudes about drunken driving.

Wyo. Game and Fish, Chesapeake cooperate on grouse

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has been working with a petroleum company to develop a plan to guide oil drilling in a vast area of designated sage grouse habitat in east-central Wyoming. A representative of Chesapeake Energy and Bob Budd with the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust will present the proposal in Cheyenne on Wednesday. Budd says the plan will concentrate drilling in already disturbed areas while protecting habitat that is more pristine. Sage grouse are chicken-sized birds in steep decline over the past century. Wyoming officials want to avoid an endangered species listing for sage grouse, as that could impede development. Federal officials praise Wyoming's strategy of setting aside core areas for grouse. Others say Wyoming officials are too willing to allow drilling in the core areas.

Wyo. Game and Fish: hunters need bear spray

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is urging hunters and others who go into the back country to be cautious in grizzly country and carry bear spray. Tara Teaschner with the game department in Cody says the department anticipates more people will encounter bears as they become more active and hunters take to the field. Teaschner says hunter's techniques such as moving quietly and being active at dawn and dusk make them more likely to encounter bears. She says hunters and others in bear country should be prepared for a confrontation. The game department recommends that hunters carry bear spray and know how and when to use it. Hunters also should hunt with a partner and stay in sight of each other.

Lander company gets training grant money

A Lander technology company has been awarded a grant to train 30 people how to become software developers. The grant to PitchEngine comes from a fund administered by the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services that encourages business expansion, enhances employment opportunities within Wyoming and meets the training needs of new and existing businesses in the state. PitchEngine's eight-week program will prepare graduates with the skills needed for an entry-level software development position that can pay between $35,000-$40,000 annually. Several Wyoming-based employers have expressed a shortage of the skill sets that the training is designed to meet. The companies will interview candidates who complete the program and consider them for employment within their organizations.