Sweetwater County Library System Celebrates Read Across America

The Sweetwater County Library System has been celebrating Read Across America this week. Brittany Wells says that you can join in on the fun at their last event this weekend.






Each year, the National Education System sponsors Read Across America. Wells says they also have local sponsors for the Sweetwater County events.






Read Across America Day is a nationwide reading celebration that takes place annually on March 2—Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by bringing together kids, teens, and books.

Looming Budget Cuts To Affect Cheyenne Regional Airport

The future of Cheyenne Regional Airport is uncertain with possible budget cuts associated with the sequestration. The FAA is looking at cutting $600 million out of their budget if no deal is reached regarding the sequestration. The FAA Contract Tower Program would take a brunt of the hit and the airport in Cheyenne falls under that program. As it stands now, 168 contract towers nationwide would be closed on April 1st. Another 21, which includes Cheyenne, would close on September 30th.

Montana hunters, trappers kill at least 223 wolves

With at least 223 gray wolves killed by Montana hunters and trappers this winter, Gov. Steve Bullock and wildlife officials say they now have the right rules in place as the state seeks to reduce the predator's population to about 400-500 animals statewide. Montana's wolf season ends Thursday. Harvest numbers are up roughly 25% from last winter. Fish, Wildlife and Parks Director Jeff Hagener says he expects at most a modest drop in the population as a result. But a new law loosens hunting and trapping rules for coming seasons. Bullock said in an interview this week that letting hunters take up to three wolves and the elimination of no-kill zones around Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks gives the state the leeway it needs to manage the animals.

Lawmaker defends confidential search law

Some lawmakers say a new law allowing the University of Wyoming and community colleges to hire presidents in secret is worth looking at again next year to provide more openness. However, the Laramie lawmaker who pushed the law defends the legislation. The UW Board of Trustees last week selected a new president after deciding to abandon its confidential search and release the names of the four finalists to the public. By all accounts, Robert Sternberg is highly qualified to replace President Tom Buchanan, who is retiring. Republican Rep. Kermit Brown, who sponsored the new law, says it's not known whether UW got the best possible candidates because some pulled out to avoid being identified.

Study focusing on wildlife warning reflectors

Wyoming transportation officials are studying whether highway reflectors are working to prevent collisions between vehicles and deer. The devices create a moving pattern across the road when they reflect vehicles' headlights and are meant to discourage deer from approaching until vehicles have passed. The Wyoming Department of Transportation and the Conservation Research Center of Teton Science Schools are evaluating effects of wildlife warning reflectors this winter around Thermopolis. The study will move to Big Horn and Fremont counties next year. Part of the study involves covering the reflectors to study how deer behave with and without the reflectors working. Principal investigator Morgan Graham says the study will help determine factors influencing collisions between wildlife and vehicles; the reflectors' effects on collision rates; and effects on deer behavior.

Yellowstone winter season drawing to close

Yellowstone National Park's winter season is drawing to a close this week. Park roads that serve commercially guided snowmobile and snow coach travel to Yellowstone locations will be closed in stages beginning Friday, when the East Entrance will close at 9 p.m. Over snow travel into the park from Mammoth Hot Springs will end at 9 p.m. Sunday. Old Faithful will remain accessible from both the West and South Entrances until March 15, when all remaining interior parks roads will close for the season. At Old Faithful, the Snow Lodge and Cabins will close for the winter season on Sunday. The Geyser Grill, Bear Den Gift Shop and the Old Faithful Visitor Education Center will remain open through March 15.

Skillet to Perform

Alternative rock group Skillet is set to perform at Wyoming's Big Show, the Sweetwater County Fair on Thursday, August 1, 2013 on the main stage.
The group's toured with the likes of Breaking Benjamin, Three Days Grace, Seether and Flyleaf, followed by a solo headlining ranking within Pollstar's Concert Pulse Top 50 Tours for 2008. Along the way, the Grammy-nominated alternative outfit also scored three top 40 singles on Billboard's Mainstream Rock charts, earned a pair of BMI Songwriting Awards and released its first ever concert CD/DVD combo pack in support of the season called Comatose Comes Alive.

Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Apprehension Team Arrests 51

Sweetwater County Detective Dick Blust, Jr. says the Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Team has made a total of 51 arrests since it went into operation on January 22nd. Charges range from misdemeanor warrants issued by the Circuit Courts in Rock Springs and Green River and by other courts and jurisdictions to felony offenses including drug trafficking, sexual assault, aggravated assault, and robbery.           






Miller entered a plea, but failed to appear for sentencing on January 4th. A bench warrant was issued and bond was set at $500,000. Arrangements are being made for Miller’s return to Sweetwater County. Most recently, the team has tracked down and arrested three men for multiple counts of 2nd and 3rd degree sexual assault, and 1st and 2nd degree sexual assault of a minor; two of the suspects were captured locally and the third in Natrona County.






29 year old Tabitha Rachelle Chenoweth was recently added to the Sheriff’s Office Most Wanted list on drug charges. She is described as a white female, 5 foot 9 inches in height, weight about 160 lbs., brown hair and brown eyes.

185K spyware images sent to Aaron's computers

A Casper, Wyo., couple suing furniture renter Aaron's Inc., alleges that the spyware installed on leased computers secretly sent 18,500 emails to the company containing sensitive information. The new allegations grew out of a Federal Trade Commission settlement last year and are contained in documents filed in U.S. District Court in Erie, Penn. That's where Brian and Crystal Byrd have sued Aaron's, Aaron's franchises and the spyware company in a class-action suit. The couple's May 2011 lawsuit claimed the manager of the Casper store showed Brian Byrd a webcam picture of himself operating a rental computer after the manager activated the spyware in the process of trying to repossess the computer, which the manager mistakenly believed the Byrds hadn't paid off under their rent-to-own agreement. Aaron's has denied knowing about the spyware.

Wyoming Legislature adjourns general session

The Wyoming Legislature has adjourned the general session that started in early January. The Wyoming House adjourned at 3:52 p.m. Wednesday, following an address by Gov. Matt Mead. The Senate already had adjourned following an earlier address by the governor. Mead congratulated both houses for their work in crafting a state budget that includes 6.5% cuts for most agencies. He contrasted the Legislature's work with that of Congress, saying a major problem with Washington is politicians' unwillingness to make tough decisions.

Wyo. delegation decries nat'l park cuts tactics

Wyoming's congressional delegation is critical of warnings from the Obama administration about how budget cuts could affect operations in national parks including Grand Teton and Yellowstone. Sens. Mike Enzi and John Barrasso and Rep. Cynthia Lummis accuse the Obama administration of engaging in scare tactics when it comes to the effects that steep budget cuts could have on national parks. A report just out from the National Park Service says Yellowstone and Grand Teton sustain thousands of jobs and draw hundreds of millions of dollars in economic activity to surrounding communities every year. Recent leaked memos specify how steep budget cuts could affect national parks. In Yellowstone, delayed plowing could cause roads to open later than usual this spring. In Grand Teton, the Jenny Lake Visitor Center could be closed.

Green River Police Investigate Hit and Run

Green River Police Officers investigated a Hit and Run crash at the municipal parking lot across the street from the Brewery Bar when Katherine Forrester backed into a parked bus owned by Sweetwater County. Forrester left the scene without stopping to exchange information with the bus driver. The driver was able to get the vehicle license number and a description of the driver. Forrester was contacted and admitted to the crash and was cited for Hit and Run. No injuries were reported and damage to both vehicles was estimated at under $1000 each.

Northwest College scholarship to honor soldier

A new scholarship program will benefit students at Northwest College in Powell in the memory of a soldier who was killed while serving in Afghanistan last year. Suicide bombers killed 45-year-old Army Sgt. Maj. Kevin J. Griffin and two other service members. All three were members of units at Fort Carson, Colo. The attack also killed a foreign service officer. Griffin graduated from Riverton High School in 1985 and attended Northwest College. He excelled as a wrestler in high school and college. The new scholarships will go to wrestler and veterans studying at the community college starting in 2014. Griffin was a 24-year Army veteran and father of 2. He previously served three tours in Iraq and had been deployed to Kuwait and the Balkans.

Wyoming Senate endorses money for gun protection

The Wyoming State Senate has voted to shoehorn an appropriation of money to fight any possible federal gun ban into a bill originally intended to encourage bison hunting. The Senate on Tuesday voted to amend the bill to add a $250,000 appropriation to the state Attorney General's Office for possible legal action to protect gun rights. The House would have to approve the change before the bill goes to the governor. President Barack Obama has called for a crackdown on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines following December's massacre of 20 school children in Connecticut. The Wyoming Senate last week declined to hear a separate bill that sought to exempt Wyoming from any assault weapons ban because legislative leaders said a pro-gun organization had used rude lobbying tactics.

Senate passes Hathaway Scholarship changes

The state Senate has passed a bill that would add to the requirements for college-bound students applying for the top tiers of the Hathaway Scholarship. House Bill 177 passed on a 23-7 vote Tuesday. The bill heads back to the House for consideration of changes made by senators. The Senate version of the bill would require applicants for the Hathaway honors and performance level scholarships to take either an additional two years of foreign language or two years of either career and vocational education or fine and performing arts courses. The House bill doesn't allow the additional two years of foreign language as an option. Those classes would be in addition to the current requirements for math, science, language arts, social studies and a foreign language.

Wyo., workers would share pension plan increase

Lawmakers have reached a deal to increase retirement contributions by state workers. The state House and Senate gave final approval Monday to a bill that will require employees to increase their contributions by 0.25% and the state to pay 0.75% more a year for three years. After that, the the state and workers would split the 1% increase. The original bill would have required the state to pick up the entire 1% increase. Lawmakers considered the bill dead last week after representatives of both chambers failed to reach a compromise. Republican Sen. Phil Nicholas of Laramie said lawmakers later reconsidered and set out to reach a compromise.

Wyoming House set for vote on eminent domain bill

The Wyoming House is set for what could be a final vote on a bill that would require entities seeking to use the power of eminent domain to condemn private property to pay a landowner's legal fees if the courts find they didn't offer a fair price for the land. The bill already has passed the Senate and is set for its third reading in House on Tuesday. Any differences between the final House and Senate versions would have to be worked out in a conference committee. Although the bill is on the agenda for House action on Tuesday, that list is always subject to change.

Brawl, arrests at Wyo. school basketball tourney

At least two people have been arrested after a brawl in the stands during a regional basketball tournament game at Lander Valley High School. Bryan Brown and Ladeena Bell, both of Riverton, were arrested on suspicion of assault following the brawl Thursday evening during the Class 1-A West regional tournament. Little Snake River defeated St. Stephen's 77-66 to win the game. Lander Police Chief Jim Carey says the fight started when one person pushed another and soon escalated to involve 10 to 15 people. He said after the fight that security cameras caught the brawl on tape and that more arrests could be coming. Brown and Bell have unlisted phone numbers, and they couldn't be reached for comment Monday.

Study Says Fewer Wyoming Students Drinking and Smoking

Reports from a new survey show Wyoming continues to see overall significant declines in junior high and high school students saying they use alcohol and tobacco. Kim Deti says that the survey was Administered for the Wyoming Department of Health by the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center, a University of Wyoming department.






Current (past 30 days) alcohol use in the 8th grade has decreased from 24 percent over 2006-10 to 18 percent in 2012, and for 10th grade from 38 percent in 2006-10 to 32 percent in 2012. Self-reported binge drinking has also declined from 2006-10 averages of 14 percent to 10 percent in 2012 for 8th grade and from 24 percent to 17 percent for 10th grade.






The Wyoming Department of Health uses data from the PNA to monitor changes in important youth substance use trends. Community agencies also use the data to set priorities for their efforts and sometimes to seek out additional funding. While Sweetwater County did participate in 2010, they did not participate in the most recent survey. To review the detailed state- and county-level reports and fact sheets, please visit www.pnasurvey.org.

Tidwell: Next generation large air tankers on way

U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell says he expects to award contracts soon to add several large, jet-powered air tankers to the nation's fleet of firefighting planes. Contracts for a new generation of air tankers were on track to be awarded last year. Protests filed by companies that didn't win contracts have drawn out that process. Tidwell said Friday he expects the Forest Service will award the contracts in about two months. The addition of as many as seven large, jet-powered air tankers would significantly boost the Forest Service's firefighting capability. Right now, the nation's fleet of large air tankers numbers about 11 planes. 9 of those planes are more than 50 years old. Large tankers play a vital role in containing small wildfires before they become big ones.

New law doesn't undo life sentences in Wyo.

Wyoming lawyers for the state and the American Civil Liberties Union say it's possible that some of the half dozen or so inmates already serving life sentences for crimes that happened when they were juveniles may ask the courts to reconsider their cases. Gov. Matt Mead recently signed a bill into law that specifies that juveniles convicted of murder would be eligible for parole after serving 25 years in prison. The new law will go into effect July 1. Deputy Attorney General Dave Delicath says the law isn't retroactive. However, Delicath says it's possible the convicts serving life without parole for crimes committed when they were juveniles may petition the courts to reconsider their sentences in response to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling issued last year.

Sweetwater County Sheriff issues statement on 911 system

Concerns about Sweetwater County's emergency reporting system have prompted the Sheriff's office to issue a statement. Detective Dick Blust, Jr. says the concerns came because many callers do not hear a ringback






Blust says that when a 911 call is placed through one of the carrier companies effected, the caller doesn’t hear a ringback until the connection is made to the phone system at the Communications Center.






In the meantime, Blust says that if you have an emergency and call 911, stay on the line until the Communications Center picks up It should take five to fifteen seconds, depending on the carrier.

White House: Wyo. would lose $1.5M in ed funding

The White House says federal budget cuts set to take effect this week would cost Wyoming about $1.5 million in funding for teachers who work with students with disabilities. As part of a state-by-state look at the cuts issued Monday, the Obama administration said that funding pays for about 20 teachers and other staffers. It also said Wyoming would lose $1.1 million in clean water and air funding and possibly about $800,000 in grants for fish and wildlife protection. As to whether states could move money around to cover shortfalls, the White House said that depends on state budget structures and the specific programs. A spokesman for House speaker John Boehner said the administration needs to spend less time explaining how bad the sequester will be and more time working to stop it.

Wyoming House votes not to concur on lottery bill

The Wyoming House on Monday voted not to concur with the Senate on a bill that would allow a lottery and multi-state games such as Powerball in the state. The House voted 34-25 not to agree with an amendment the Senate made last week in how the proceeds of the lottery would be used. The bill now must head to a conference committee to see if the difference can be resolved. The Senators changed the bill to specify that any proceeds outside of the expenses and prizes will go to support the state school system, which is already among the best funded in the nation. The House version of the bill had specified that proceeds would be distributed among local governments in the state.

UW releases president finalist names

Four current or former provosts of large universities are the finalists for president of the University of Wyoming. The UW Board of Trustees released the names Friday after announcing Thursday it would no longer keep the search secret. A short statement issued by the university said the finalists had agreed to allow their names to be made public. The finalists are: Douglas D. Baker, provost and executive vice president at the University of Idaho; Warwick M. Bayly, provost and executive vice president at Washington State University; Robert Sternberg, provost at Oklahoma State University; and Kim Wilcox, former provost and executive vice president at Michigan State University. The trustees will interview each before choosing a successor to Tom Buchanan, who is retiring. UW received more than 80 applicants for the job.

Senator blames gun group for gun bill's defeat

A leader in the Wyoming State Senate says he killed a bill that sought to exempt the state from any future federal assault weapons ban because of rude pressure tactics from a pro-gun organization. Senate Majority Floor Leader Sen. Phil Nicholas, a Laramie Republican, controls which bills get a hearing. He didn't bring up the assault weapons bill or a companion gun control bill by Friday's deadline. Nicholas says he believes the bills were intentionally poorly drafted. He says lawmakers who opposed them were targeted for personal criticism by the Wyoming Gun Owners Association, which he said tried raise funds from the controversy. Evansville Republican Rep. Kendell Kroeker sponsored the assault weapons bill. He denies he intended it to raise funds and says he believes Wyoming must support gun rights.

Important Horse Event Dates For Sweetwater Events Complex

There are a couple of horse event dates you might want to take note of in the next few weeks. Spring series barrel racing will be kicking off at the Sweetwater Events Complex in just a few weeks. Chad Banks says the 4 D Saddle Series has great awards for the winners.






Also, if you are planning on entering the Red Desert Classic, Banks warns the first payments are due by March 1st.






For more information on both of those events, go to sweetwaterevents.com.

School police officer bill among those that dies

Several education bills have died in the state Senate after failing to meet a legislative deadline. Bills that died Friday included a bill to help school districts hire police officers for schools. House Bill 230 would have earmarked $2.3 million for next school year and provided for a study of school safety statewide. Another bill that died would have increased Hathaway college scholarship awards by 5%. And a bill that would make it clear that Bible study courses could be offered in public schools also didn't make the deadline.

Man pleads guilty to double slaying in Hudson

A 20-year-old man charged in a double slaying in Hudson has pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder. Laziur Stephen Hanway Jr. of Ethete entered his pleas Thursday for the Nov. 15, 2011, stabbing deaths of 42-year-old Eric Clinton Likes and his girlfriend, 20-year-old Elva Charlotte Quiver, at Likes' home. Hanway also was accused of lighting the couple's home on fire two days after the killings. Hanway, who is 1 of 5 people charged with killing the couple as part of a robbery plot, struck a plea deal with prosecutors that calls for two concurrent life terms on each count. His plea agreement is the fourth reached in the case. Hanway is expected to be sentenced within 30 days.

Wyoming testing chronic wasting disease vaccine

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is testing how well a vaccine for chronic wasting disease will work in elk. The vaccine being tested was developed by three Canadian infectious disease centers. The vaccine is being tested on 25 elk calves transported from Game and Fish's South Park feedground to the Thorne-Williams Wildlife Research Unit in Wheatland. State wildlife veterinarian Terry Kreeger says 25 more elk calves taken from the feedground will be left at the facility unvaccinated as a control group. Kreeger says the hope is that the vaccinated elk will live longer. Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease found in elk and deer. It could take years to determine whether the vaccine is effective.

Green River Police Investigate Phone Spoofing Scheme

Green River Police Department Officers investigated a report of Suspicious Circumstances on Pheasant Drive when the victim advised someone is “spoofing” her home phone number to try and defraud people out of money. The victim said she had several people call her number stating she was calling them trying to get them to repay a loan they had never taken out. The victim stated no one from her home is calling anyone about a loan. The victim said she would change her home number.

NPS to release latest Yellowstone winter plan

The National Park Service's latest proposal on the use of snowmachines in Yellowstone National Park is based on limiting their collective noise and pollution and not so much on actual daily numbers. The agency's proposal would allow up to 480 snowmobiles plus 60 multi-passenger snow coaches per day into Yellowstone. Snowmobiles and coaches would both be subject to lower emission and noise standards. The new proposal will be undergo more public review before a final decision is made. If the plan goes through, it will take effect in the 2014-15 winter season. Next winter's season would operate under the current limits of up to 318 snowmobiles and 78 snow coaches. The use of snowmobiles in the park has been the subject of court challenges for more than a decade.

UW to release names of president search finalists

University of Wyoming trustees now say they will tell the public who are the finalists to become the next university president. University spokesman Chad Baldwin said Thursday the UW Board of Trustees could release those names in the next couple of days. A search committee will first have to forward the finalists' names to the trustees. Media organizations sued after trustees decided to keep the search process secret. A judge in Laramie ordered the trustees to disclose the names of the finalists. The Wyoming Legislature then approved a change to Wyoming's open records law allowing such searches to remain secret. Trustees announced after meeting Thursday they will release the finalists' names because the issue faces continued litigation.

Midwest bankers survey suggests economic growth

A survey of rural bankers in 10 Midwest and Plains states suggests slow economic growth is ahead. A report released Thursday on the Rural Mainstreet Index says the overall index rose to 58.2 in February, compared with 55.6 in January. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the report, and he says it is the index's fifth increase in the past six months. He says he expects economic growth for the region "will continue on a slow but positive pace." The index ranges from 0 to 100, with 50 representing growth neutral. Any score below 50 on the index suggests contraction in the months ahead. The index is based on a survey of rural bankers in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

2nd batch of Wyoming Whiskey released Friday

Whiskey lovers are awaiting the release of the second batch of Wyoming Whiskey. The small batch bourbon is set to be in stores today (Friday, Feb. 22). Supplies are limited so some liquor stores say they may only be selling to people who've signed up for bottles or who've won store lotteries. The states liquor commission is only allowing each liquor store to get up to four cases each so there's enough to go around. The bourbon is made in the tiny town of Kirby. The first batch was released in December and so far the distillery is only distributing in Wyoming.

Horse advocates must wait for 1st Amendment ruling

There may or may not be too many horses on federal lands in the West but there's not enough U.S. district judges in Nevada to deal with an appeal over First Amendment rights at wild horse roundups anytime soon. U.S. District Judge Larry Hicks told lawyers for the government and a horse protection group he won't make a ruling until after March on a case sent back to his court last year by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. The lawsuit was brought by Laura Leigh, a photographer and leader of the group Wild Horse Education who says her First Amendment rights were violated in 2010 when she was denied access to mustang roundups in Nevada's eastern Lincoln County near the Utah line.

Wyoming's Big Show named one of the top events in Wyoming

The Sweetwater County Fair, Wyoming's Big Show, has been named one of the top 10 events in Wyoming by AmericaTheBeautiful.com. Chad Banks with the Sweetwater County Events Complex says that out of the hundreds of events that happen each year across Wyoming, AmericaTheBeautiful.com selected Wyoming's Big Show as one of the TOP 10 events that represent Wyoming well.






The Sweetwater County Fair, Wyoming's Big Show, is the largest annual event in Western Wyoming drawing nearly 70,000+ visitors in 2012. It features the largest midway in the area, a Grandstand Stage with top-ranked performing artists, traditional county fair exhibits and food and fun for the whole family.






Additionally, the Sweetwater County Fair was named the NUMBER ONE summer event in Wyoming by Wyoming Lifestyle Magazine. It will be held this year from July 25th through August 4th at the Sweetwater Events Complex.

19 Year Old Green River Female Arrested After High Speed Chase

19 year old Tessa Rae Brangham of Green River was arrested on Wednesday, February 20th at around 4 AM on Uinta Drive for Eluding a Police Officer. An officer attempted to stop the car Brangham was driving when she sped up and headed south on Hwy 530. The officer pursued Brangham’s car and broke off the chase at the Blacks Fork River after reaching speeds in excess of 120 mph. Through subsequent investigation the officer learned the car’s driver and owner was Brangham. Brangham was located coming back into town in her boyfriend’s mother’s vehicle two hours after the chase began. Brangham admitted to the officer she was the driver of the car that lead the officer on the chase. She was taken into custody and transported to jail.

Green River Appoints New City Engineer

The City of Green River has announced that Mr. Mark Westenskow has accepted the position as City Engineer/Utility Manager and will be starting on Monday, March 18, 2013. Marty Black, Green River City Administrator, says that Westenskow Mark a rich variety of public works experience in both the private and public sectors and is a professional engineer licensed in Wyoming and eleven other states. Mark graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brigham Young University with a B.S. in civil engineering and received his Master of Engineering with an emphasis in Public Works Management and Engineering from Texas A and M. Mark and his family will be relocating to Green River from their current home in Montana.

Cheyenne lawyer named Fremont County attorney

A Cheyenne attorney has been appointed to become the next county attorney for Fremont County. The county commission appointed criminal defense lawyer H. Michael Bennett on Tuesday to finish out the term of Brian Varn, who is resigning. Bennett will be sworn in March 1 for a term that runs through 2014. County Republicans had nominated Bennett and Fremont County deputy attorney Patrick Lebrun to replace Varn. Because Varn is a Republican, county Republicans were able to pick nominees to finish his term. Varn himself originally was named county attorney in 2009 after Ed Newell resigned. He then ran unopposed in 2010. Commission chairman Doug Thompson said Bennett and Lebrun were both "very good candidates."

UW names new dean of College of Arts and Sciences

The University of Wyoming has a new dean of its College of Arts and Sciences. Paula Lutz is a scholar in cell biology and neuroscience who has served as a dean at two universities. Most recently, Lutz was dean of Montana State University's College of Letters and Science for five years. She will succeed the retiring B. Oliver Walter, who has been dean of the UW College of Arts and Sciences since 1989. Lutz will begin her new job at UW in July. The College of Arts and Sciences has the largest enrollment of UW's academic units, with bachelor's degree programs in 43 disciplines, 42 master's programs and 11 doctoral programs.

Sweetwater County Renews Warning About Scam

The Sweetwater County Sheriff's office has issued a renewed warning to the community concerning a telephone computer scam making the rounds. Detective Dick Blust, Jr. says there was a wave of such calls in Sweetwater County last month and they now appear to be starting up again.






In addition to providing sensitive identification and financial information to scammers, victims are also charged anywhere from 50 dollars to 500 dollars in bogus repair fees.






Blust says to never follow any instructions received during an unsolicited call such as to click on links, download attachments, provide user names and passwords or agree to subscribe to any security systems stemming from the unsolicited calls. If you get a non-solicited call like this, hang up... even if the caller knows your name and address.

UW asks judge to change decision on UW search

A judge in Laramie is considering a request on whether the University of Wyoming can continue to conduct its search for a new president in secret. UW and its Board of Trustees asked District Judge Jeffrey Donnell on Wednesday to change his Jan. 23 ruling that UW release the names of finalists. The state Legislature this session fast-tracked a new law that changes Wyoming's open records and meetings law so that the selection of UW and state community college presidents can be closed to the public. An attorney for media challenging the secret search argues the Legislature's action violates separation of powers because it would effectively overturn a court ruling. The attorney for UW disagreed, saying the case is pending and not final.

Closed roads, visitor centers, loom at nat'l parks

Large areas of Yellowstone, Yosemite and Glacier national parks could remain closed to summer traffic weeks later than usual, while visitor centers and campgrounds at several other national parks might have to close. That's the scenario a group of National Park Service retirees outlines under steep federal budget cuts set to take place starting March 1. The Park Service isn't denying any of it. Park Service spokesman Jeffrey Olson said Wednesday that visitors to any of the 398 Park Service sites nationwide can indeed expect reduced hours and services if the cuts take effect. The Coalition of National Park Service Retirees warns of specific closures at 11 national park sites. That includes delayed spring snow plowing in Yellowstone, Yosemite and Glacier. Visitor centers could close in at least three parks.

Senate committee recommends amending gun bill

A Wyoming legislative committee says the state should not issue criminal citations to federal officers who attempt to enforce a possible federal assault weapons ban. The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday endorsed an amendment to a bill that already has passed the House. The bill now goes to the Senate floor. The original House bill specified any federal ban on assault weapons or high-capacity ammunition magazines wouldn't be valid in Wyoming. It specified any federal officials who tried to enforce a ban would be guilty of a misdemeanor. Senators expressed concerns about the constitutionality of the House version. They recommended amending it to specify state law enforcement officers generally wouldn't assist in implementing any federal ban. The amendment would call on the state Attorney General to defend citizens' gun rights.

Enzi stops in Powell, Thermopolis on Wyo. tour

Sen. Mike Enzi is continuing a tour of Wyoming to listen to voters. Wyoming's senior senator plans to meet with voters in Powell at The Commons on Wednesday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Then he'll head to Thermopolis for another open house at the Days Inn starting at 5:30 p.m. On Thursday, Enzi will be in Riverton and Rock Springs to meet voters. His weeklong tour will wrap up Friday with stops in Pinedale and Jackson.

Young Artists Encouraged To Enter 8th Annual National Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest

If you know of a young artist, you might encourage them to enter the Eighth Annual National Endangered Species Day Youth Art Contest. Steve Segin with the United States Fish and Wildlife Department says the contest is part of Endangered Species Day which will be celebrated on May 17th.






The International Child Art Foundation (ICAF) will select 40 semifinalists from thousands of entries. This year, the finalists will be judged by a prestigious panel of artists, photographers and conservationists, including Jack Hanna, host of Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild.






Get started on those entries now. They must be postmarked by March 15th. For more information and an entry form, go to endangeredspeciesday.org.

Wyoming continues to study Medicaid expansion

The Wyoming Department of Health plans to continue studying the possibility of expanding the Medicaid program this year despite the state Legislature's rejection of adding to the rolls. The Legislature recently rejected a proposal to add 17,600 low-income adults to the program. Expanding Medicaid is a cornerstone of the federal Affordable Care Act. Tom Forslund is director of the Health Department. He says his agency plans be prepared in case the Legislature decides to reverse itself and expand the Medicaid program next year. Gov. Matt Mead says he believes the federal government has a lot of work to do figuring out its expansion plan. He says the state was wise to wait to see details before it commits to anything.

Mead signs bill allowing hunting with silencers

Gov. Matt Mead has signed a bill into law that will allow the use silencers on firearms for all types of hunting. Mead signed the bill on Monday and the law will go into effect in July. The federal government regulates silencers and 39 states allow civilian ownership of them. Wyoming will join 27 other states that allow their use for hunting. The American Silencer Association has been pushing legislation is several states this year to allow using silencers for hunting. The Wyoming Game Wardens Association had opposed the bill, saying silencers could help poachers and would give hunters an unsporting advantage over game.

Gov. Mead launches inquiry into Ed Dept. issues

Gov. Matt Mead has launched an inquiry into operations at the state Department of Education. The inquiry will look at concerns raised by agency employees about human resources, budget and other issues the agency. The inquiry by a six-member panel will be led by Cathy MacPherson, a longtime Wyoming attorney in Rawlins. Superintendent Cindy Hill was removed as head of the Education Department last month by a law enacted by the Legislature this session. She has been replaced by a temporary director appointed by Mead. Lawmakers took the step after finding that Hill was not being cooperative in implementing education reforms enacted by the Legislature. In addition, Mead and some lawmakers have noted complaints and concerns from agency employees about how the agency was run under Hill.

State replies to Superintendent Hill lawsuit

Lawyers for the State of Wyoming say the Legislature acted within its authority to pass a law removing schools Superintendent Cindy Hill as head of the state Education Department. Hill has filed a lawsuit challenging the law as unconstitutional. Attorneys for the state responded to the lawsuit on Tuesday. District Judge Thomas Campbell will hear arguments in the lawsuit on March 14. Hill is seeking a preliminary injunction, which the state is resisting. The law, which took effect last month, replaced the superintendent as administrator of the education agency with a director appointed by the governor. Lawmakers and Mead said the law was necessary to put Wyoming's education reform efforts back on track and restore order to the Education Department. Hill has defended her administration of the agency.

City of Green River Alerts Residents of Frost Levels

The City of Green River is warning residents that as the frost level drops, the Utility Division begins to monitor the frost levels throughout the City. If you have a shallow water line, keep a small stream of water running to protect your line from freezing. Please watch the frost depths in your area. Frost levels less than 36 inches are considered a safe level throughout the City. You can find a listing of the latest frost levels at the city website at cityofgreenriver.org.

Wind River tribes: Ready to try again on waste

Fremont County and the Wind River Indian Reservation want to find a permanent solution for solid waste disposal on the reservation. Officials are trying to eliminate illegal dumping of waste on the reservation, which is shared by the Northern Arapahoe and Eastern Shoshone tribes. The tribes and the Fremont County Solid Waste Disposal District reached a six-month disposal contract in December. The tribes pay staff to operate their transfer stations and collect fees from users, while the district hauls waste to county landfills at county expense. Ryan Ortiz is with the Wind River Environmental Quality Commission. He wants to move forward with the county district to find a permanent solution for the reservation

Constitutional amendment signed by Gov. Mead

Wyoming voters will decide whether to amend the state constitution to allow nonresidents to serve on the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees. Gov. Matt Mead signed a resolution that the Legislature passed last week. The proposal will be put to a statewide vote in the 2014 general election. Currently, the UW trustees consist of 12 members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. The state constitution requires that all be Wyoming residents. Supporters of the resolution say UW could benefit from the knowledge and experience of successful nonresidents being on the university's governing board.

Green River City Council Preview

The Green River city council meets tonight, Erick Pauley has the story

Senate panel endorses school safety bill

The Senate Education Committee has endorsed a bill that would seek to improve safety in Wyoming's public schools. House Bill 230 was approved unanimously Friday by the panel. The bill likely will go next the Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill comes after the massacre of children in a Connecticut school late last year. The proposal makes $2.3 million available to help school districts put police officers in schools during the next school year. It also creates a governor-appointed task force to develop school safety and security plans that districts could use. Bill sponsor Republican Rep. Nathan Winters, of Thermopolis, says some districts can't afford to pay for so-called school resource officers. Supporters say school resource officers are a valuable tool in stopping and preventing crime and violence in schools.

DNA test to prove innocence a first for Wyoming

In a first for Wyoming, a court has ordered a post-conviction test of DNA in a 23-year-old sexual assault case. District Judge Thomas Campbell issued the order in the case of Andrew Johnson. Johnson was convicted of sexual assault and aggravated burglary in Laramie County in 1989 and was sentenced to life in prison. Johnson maintains his innocence. Seminal fluid collected in the case has not been tested for DNA. Johnson could be exonerated if the sample excludes him. According to the victim, Johnson broke into her apartment and sexually assaulted her.

BLM Rock Springs RMP Mineral Potential Report Available

The Bureau of Land Management Rock Springs Field Office Resource Management Plan Solid Mineral Occurrence and Development Potential Report is now available. Serena Baker explains that the Solid Mineral Occurrence and Development Potential Report assesses solid leasable, locatable and saleable minerals within the Rock Springs planning area and the importance of these resources in future land use decisions. 






Baker says that the Rock Springs RMP revision and associated Environment Impact Statement process began in February 2011.






For more information, contact RMP Project Manager William West at 307-352-0259.

Ranchers sought to help save black-footed ferret

Wildlife officials working to save the endangered black-footed ferret are trying to persuade more ranchers to reintroduce the species on their land. Yet cattlemen are divided on whether a proposal to encourage them to do so should be finalized. For one thing, saving the black-footed ferret means also saving the animal's main diet: prairie dogs, which can compete with livestock for forage. The public has until Feb. 22 to comment on a draft of the proposed safe harbor program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It would assure landowners and tribes who voluntarily agree to have ferrets reintroduced to their land that they wouldn't face future regulatory restrictions for protecting the species. Landowners and their neighbors could keep working on their properties without fear of penalties if a ferret is accidentally killed by farming equipment.

Wind River tribes subsidizing trash disposal fees

The Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes are subsidizing trash disposal fees for tribal members to try to reduce illegal dumping of waste on the Wind River Indian Reservation. The tribes signed a six-month contract with the Fremont County Solid Waste Disposal District in December. Under the deal, the tribes pay for salaries of workers at trash transfer stations and the district takes the waste to the county's landfills at the county's expense. Tribal members don't have to pay any tipping fees. Wind River Environmental Quality Commission solid waste coordinator Ryan Ortiz hopes the district and the tribes will be able reach a more permanent solution.

Fugitive captured in Utah; Sheriff’s Office seeking Rock Springs woman

Another fugitive on the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office Most Wanted list has been captured. Detective Dick Blust, Jr. says that the Fugitive Apprehension Team traced 25 year old Christopher Jerry Rasmussen to Utah where he was arrested on February 12th by authorities in West Jordan. 






Heller is a white female with brown hair and brown eyes, height of 5 feet 5 inches and weighing about 150 pounds.






Christopher Jerry Rasmussen has been charged with Probation Violation and Conspiracy to Commit Larceny and Battery.

Senate approves education reform bil

The state Senate has passed a bill that would develop a system to measure the performance of teachers, superintendents, principals and other educators. House File 72 is part of the state's ongoing education reform effort to better prepare Wyoming students for college and careers. The bill heads back to the state House for consideration of Senate changes, which include dropping the requirement of identifying specific teachers with student performance. Lawmakers involved in the education reform say it's impractical and difficult to identify the so-called teacher of record because of the multiple teachers that may be involved in educating each student. The bill mandates a system of measuring the performance of education leaders, such as superintendents, begin in 2015 and teachers in 2016.

Gov. Mead signs fuel tax increase into law

Gov. Matt Mead has signed a bill into law that will hike the state's fuel tax by a dime a gallon. Mead has been pushing for a new source of funding for the Wyoming Department of Transportation since he took office two years ago. He says the state can no longer afford to subsidize the transportation department from general funds. In remarks at Friday's signing ceremony, Mead says road maintenance will to continue to be a long-term need in the state. He says the state's highway system is vital to economic development. The tax hike will raise about $70 million a year after it takes effect on July 1. The state transportation department will get about two thirds while local governments will get one third.

Buffalo Bill's great-grandsons die in plane crash

Authorities have recovered the bodies of a businessman and two of "Buffalo Bill" Cody's great-grandsons from the wreckage of a small plane that crashed into a central Florida marsh. The Federal Aviation Administration lost contact with the Cessna 310 on Thursday afternoon, and the crash site was discovered Friday about 20 miles west of Vero Beach, Fla. Authorities haven't released the names of the victims, but a family member identified them as Rob Krieger - a Florida businessman - and brothers Kit and Barry Cody. Kit Cody's son-in-law, Bryan Edwards, said the three had been "island hopping" in the Bahamas before the crash. Buffalo Bill, whose real name was William F. Cody, was best known for his Wild West show, which ran from the 1880s to the early 1900s.

Dog recovers after being shot in head in Saratoga

A dog that was shot in the head and left to die on the side of a highway in Saratoga last month has fully recovered. Rawlins animal control officer Rob Fall says a concerned passerby called police after seeing that the injured slate-coated mix was shot near the right ear with a .22-caliber weapon. Katie Flock with the Carbon County Veterinary Hospital says the dog, nicknamed Ghost, would have died if the bullet lodged a few inches to the left, lower or forward. Police have tried to contact Ghost's owner, who reported his dog missing right before moving to New Mexico. The contact number given by the owner is disconnected, and the dog is now at the Rawlins Rochelle Animal Shelter awaiting adoption.

Speer pleads not guilty to sexual assault

A Montana man accused of kidnapping a Cody girl has pleaded not guilty to sexual assaulting her. Forty-year-old Jesse Paul Speer of Belgrade appeared in court Thursday to enter a plea to the latest charges filed against him in the October kidnapping. He only answered "yes" and "no" to questions and his public defender entered the plea on his behalf. Speer earlier pleaded not guilty to kidnapping, aggravated assault and using a gun in the commission of a felony. Court documents indicate police have recovered DNA evidence linking Speer to the girl, who was 10 at the time. She has since turned 11. Last month her mother said she has returned to school and has begun putting her life back together.

BLM High Desert District Congratulates Wild Horse Drawing Winners

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) High Desert District is pleased to announce Delanie Messick, America Santos and Diego Angulo are the first, second, and third place winners of the wild horse drawing contest.
The winners were announced Feb. 13 during an awards ceremony at Desert View Elementary School, Rock Springs, Wyo. where all the winners go to school. The ranking of winners was determined by the number of votes their drawings received.
As first place winner, Delanie Messick receives a $100 Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce gift certificate donated by Daryl Fellbaum, owner of Marty’s Gastrol Pub and Grill in Rock Springs. Messick says her picture is of a wild horse in pretty clothes in its corral at sunset. As second place winner, America Santos receives a $75 Chamber gift certificate. Santos says her picture is of a wild horse one of her family members saw in Mexico. Third place winner, Diego Angulo receives a $50 Chamber gift certificate. Angulo says his horse drawing is surrounded by beautiful mountains.
Sweetwater County School District #1 and #2 fourth graders submitted nearly 120 drawings of their interpretation of a wild horse during the contest. The contest is held in conjunction with the reopening of the Rock Springs Wild Horse Holding Facility which has been rescheduled for March 6-9. Nearly 350 students from Green River, Rock Springs, Eden and Farson, Wyo., will tour the facility. Other reopening activities include a preview day for potential adopters to view available mustangs and an adoption event March 9 from 8 a.m.to noon.

2013 Crystal Classic Winter Fest Kicks Off Friday in Green River

If you are working on a case of cabin fever, the City of Green River has the answer. You are invited to come out and embrace winter at its finest at the 2013 Crystal Classic Winter Festival today and Saturday. Katie Duncan, Recreation Supervisor for the city of Green River says it all starts today with the first round of the ice sculpting contest at 4:30 PM.






Activities this evening include a S'mores Station, the Soup Cook Off, the Ice Bar and, weather permitting, fireworks. The band Nowhere Fast will provide the live entertainment.






Kids games including the Ice Cube Hunt will take place from 1 to 3:30 PM on Saturday. Registration for the Ice Cube Hunt will be from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM.

Skillet To Perform At Wyoming's Big Show - The Sweetwater County Fair

Bone crushing alternative rock group Skillet is set to perform at Wyoming's Big Show, the Sweetwater County Fair on Thursday, August 1 on the main stage.  The Grammy-nominated alternative group scored three top 40 singles on Billboard's Mainstream Rock charts, earned a pair of BMI Songwriting Awards and released its first ever concert CD/DVD combo pack in support of the season called Comatose Comes Alive.  This is the third announcement for the lineup at the Fair for 2013. Florida Georgia Line will open the After Dark Concert Series on Tuesday, July 30 followed by Montgomery Gentry on Wednesday, July 31.  Information on more concert head-liners will be released soon.

Senate removes teacher of record from reform bill

The state Senate has decided that trying to hold specific teachers accountable for student performance is not workable. The chamber on Thursday amended a proposed bill dealing with Wyoming's ongoing education reform effort. Their change removes references in state law to trying to hold specific teachers accountable for student performance. The concept is known as teacher of record. But lawmakers heavily involved in the education reform say it's impractical and difficult to identify a teacher of record because of the multiple teachers that may be involved in educating each student. The issue arose as the Senate considers House Bill 72, which would develop a system to measure the performance of teachers, superintendents, principals and other educators. The bill, which has passed the House, faces one more round of Senate debate.

Synthetic marijuana linked to kidney damage

Health officials say synthetic marijuana has been linked to kidney damage in some teens and young adults. Sixteen people who smoked synthetic marijuana were hospitalized with kidney problems last year in six states including Wyoming. All recovered but five of them needed dialysis. Synthetic marijuana is plant material sprayed with chemicals that can mimic the high from marijuana. It's been tied to such health problems as a rapid heartbeat and seizures. This is the first report of kidney problems. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it's not known exactly what caused the kidney damage. Federal and state laws ban some of the chemicals used for synthetic marijuana. For more information go to cdc.gov/mmwr.

Senate removes teacher of record from reform bill

The state Senate has decided that trying to hold specific teachers accountable for student performance is not workable. The chamber on Thursday amended a proposed bill dealing with Wyoming's ongoing education reform effort. Their change removes references in state law to trying to hold specific teachers accountable for student performance. The concept is known as teacher of record. But lawmakers heavily involved in the education reform say it's impractical and difficult to identify a teacher of record because of the multiple teachers that may be involved in educating each student. The issue arose as the Senate considers House Bill 72, which would develop a system to measure the performance of teachers, superintendents, principals and other educators. The bill, which has passed the House, faces one more round of Senate debate.

Senate rejects removing teacher of record

The state Senate has rejected a move to weaken teacher accountability in Wyoming's ongoing education reform effort. By a 17-12 vote Wednesday, senators denied an amendment to drop the idea of trying to hold specific teachers accountable for student performance. Advocates of linking the so-called teacher of record with student performance say it's an important part of overall education reform. Opponents say it's impractical and difficult to identify a teacher of record because of the multiple teachers that may be involved in educating each student. The issue arose as the Senate considers House Bill 72, which would develop a system to measure the performance of teachers, superintendents, principals and other educators. The bill faces two more rounds of debate in the Senate.

Wyoming budget would rein in UW operations

The trustees of the University of Wyoming may have to report to the Legislature on a range of policies, including installation of permanent art work and the possible razing of historic buildings on campus. UW officials last year sped up the removal of an anti-coal sculpture that had caused a furor on campus. Sen. Phil Nicholas, a Laramie Republican, is sponsoring an amendment in the pending budget bill that would require the UW trustees to report how they handle installation of permanent art work now and require the trustees to recommend a policy for future trustee approval of permanent art work. Nicholas says he has no concerns about paintings or other artwork that's easily removed, but he says the trustees should be involved in any permanent change to the university.

Research shows GT wolves have taste for moose

Research shows wolves in the northern part of Grand Teton National Park have an appetite for moose during the wintertime. Park and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service researchers documented some 55 moose killed by wolves over the past three winters. Moose numbers have been declining in Jackson Hole for years. The moose population is less than one-fifth the number counted 20 years ago and only about one-fourth of the number that wildlife managers would like to see. Grand Teton biologist Sarah Dewey says wolves typically prefer to prey on elk rather than moose. Moose are bigger and she says elk are easier for wolves to take down. Other threats to moose in Grand Teton include parasites, wildfires and getting hit by cars.

Taylor Farms issues E. coli baby spinach recall

A California company is recalling packages of baby spinach that could be contaminated with E. coli. The spinach was sold under five different labels in 36 states, including Colorado and Wyoming. The labels subject to the voluntary recall are Simple Truth Organic, Marketside Organic, Taylor Farms, Central Market Organics and Full Circle. Salinas-based Taylor Farms Retail says no illnesses have been reported.

New Sheriff’s Office fugitive apprehension unit arrests over 30

A special new Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office unit has made 33 arrests since January 22. Detective Dick Blust Jr. says the Fugitive Apprehension Team has a mission o track down and apprehend those for whom arrest warrants have been issued.






24 year old Crystal Carribou, of Rock Springs, is charged with felony-level Obtaining Property by False Pretenses. 31 year old Anthony Christensen and 29-year-old Kathrine Trujillo, both of Green River, face charges of Conspiracy as the result of the same Rock Springs Police Department investigation.






Blust commended the team for its outstanding performance, adding that 33 captures in just three weeks time excellent work.

Courtroom weapons ban gets initial Senate approval

A bill that would ban deadly weapons in Wyoming courtrooms has won initial approval in the state Senate. House Bill 216 passed its first round of Senate floor debate on Tuesday. It faces two more votes in the chamber. The proposal makes having deadly weapons in courtrooms a misdemeanor on first offense. A second offense within five years would be a felony. The ban would not apply to jury rooms or other parts of the courthouse. In addition, the presiding judge in the courtroom could grant exceptions.

Wyoming House keeps ban on silencers for big game

The Wyoming House has maintained its position that silencers shouldn't be allowed for hunting big game in the state. The House on Tuesday defeated a proposal to roll back an amendment it adopted on Monday that specified silencers could be used for hunting predators and small game but not for big-game species such as elk and deer. Rep. Mike Baker, a Rock Springs Republican, proposed rolling back the big-game prohibition and asked for a roll-call vote. House Speaker Tom Lubnau, a Republican from Gillette, said asking for the recorded vote amounted to "commando legislative tactics." Lubnau said such votes only served to create fodder for unethical lobbying organizations that use the results to support fundraising emails. The bill needs one more reading in the House.

Wyo. Senate gives first approval to fuel tax hike

A bill that would raise state fuel taxes by a dime a gallon has received preliminary approval in the Wyoming State Senate. The bill would raise the tax from the existing rate of 14 cents a gallon up to 24 cents. The hike would raise about $70 million a year for the state highway system and local governments. The Senate on Tuesday defeated an amendment sponsored by Sen. Larry Hicks, a Republican from Baggs. He proposed hiking the tax on diesel fuel for big trucks while leaving the rate as it is for gasoline. Hicks said increasing the fuel tax across the board would hurt many people who live in rural areas and have to drive long distances for groceries and doctor visits. The bill already has cleared the House.

Pinedale woman dies after being struck by forklift

Sublette County sheriff's officials say a 91-year-old Pinedale resident has died after being struck by a forklift. Authorities say Martha Nannen was walking to a store from an adjacent senior living facility when she was struck in the store's loading area Monday afternoon. She was taken to a medical clinic, where she was pronounced dead. Stephen Smith of the sheriff's office says he's not sure whether any charges will be filed.

Rock Springs Man Hospitalized with Gunshot Wound

An 18-year-old Rock Springs man was air-transported February 11th to the University of Utah Medical Center following a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Sweetwater County Detective Dick Blust, Jr. says that county deputy sheriffs and Rock Springs police officers were notified that afternoon to be on the lookout for a man armed with a large-caliber handgun who might be suicidal.






The man was spotted sitting on the ground near the top of a ridge.






The name of the man is being withheld pending notification of family members, as the investigation continues.

Man arrested after stabbing at hotel in Riverton

A Fort Washakie man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in the stabbing of a woman at a Riverton hotel. 32-year-old Heto Thayer made an initial appearance in court Monday. He is accused of stabbing a woman at a hotel around 5:30 a.m. Sunday. He was arrested a short time later at gunpoint at a Walmart store across the street. Police say the woman has a punctured lung. It's not clear what led to the stabbing, but police say alcohol appears to have been involved.

School Board Meeting Preview

School District #2 will hold its february meeting tonight, Erick Pauley has a look at the agenda

BLM Annual Planning Meeting Agendas and Wildlife Reports Available

The agenda for the Wildlife Annual Planning meeting for the Pinedale Anticline Project area has been released. Shelley Gregory says the meeting will be held Wednesday, February 20th at the BLM Pinedale Field Office located at 1625 West Pine Street in Pinedale at 8:30 AM.






Wildlife reports for pygmy rabbit, White-tailed Prairie Dog, raptors, Greater Sage-Grouse, Pronghorn antelope and mule deer will be available for public review at blm.gov/jio-papoon Thursday, Feb. 14th.






The meeting is open to the public and will have time for public comment. For more information, call 307-367-5386 or 307-367-5336.

UW seeks president search records lawsuit change

A judge is being asked to alter his previous ruling that the University of Wyoming must disclose the names of finalists in its search for a new president. The attorney for UW and its Board of Trustees filed a motion Monday that, if granted, would allow UW to keep its presidential search secret. Last week, the state Legislature passed a law that changes Wyoming's open records and meetings law so that the selection of UW and state community college presidents can be closed to the public. Several media outlets had filed a lawsuit challenging the decision by the UW trustees to hold a confidential search for a replacement for retiring President Tom Buchanan. District Judge Jeffrey Donnell sided with the media, saying the finalist names should be made public.

Teton County passes wildfire case to feds

Teton County prosecutors say they will leave it to the U.S. Attorney's office to decide whether to file charges stemming from a fire that scorched more than 3,000 acres and threatened homes in the Jackson area. Teton County prosecutor Steve Weichman says that federal prosecutors are "actively pursuing" the case, and the county will not file any charges. The Little Horsethief Fire started Sept. 8, and investigators say it was human-caused. Shortly after the blaze started, a statement by Jay and Jason Anderson said their father, 76-year-old James Anderson, "remains extremely distraught" about the ignition of the fire, adding that the man was working with investigators. As of Friday afternoon, the U.S. Attorney's office had not filed any charges in the case.

Senate panel passes education reform bills

The Senate Education Committee has endorsed two bills that would put Wyoming's ambitious education reform effort back on track. The panel approved House bills 72 and 91 on Monday, sending both measures to the full Senate for debate. The bills deal with the effort to bring more accountability to Wyoming's K-12 education system that lawmakers have been working on for several years now. However, lawmakers say parts of the effort that were supposed to be done by now weren't completed because the Wyoming Department of Education failed to do its job over the last year. The Legislature removed state schools Superintendent Cindy Hill from heading up the agency, and lawmakers say the accountability effort can now resume although some aspects will be delayed.

Wyo. snowpack still down but slowly growing

Wyoming's snowpack is slowly growing. The statewide snowpack was 84% of average on Monday, up from 82% last week and 76% at the start of the month. Lee Hackleman of the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Casper said the weekend storm increased the snowpack in the southern part of Wyoming significantly. The National Weather Service said about 20 inches fell in Sinks Canyon south of Lander over the weekend. Casper Mountain got 14.5 inches of snow. A year ago, Wyoming's median snowpack was 107% of average but on the decline. This week's snowpack figures range from a low of 51% of average in the South Platte basin to a high of 98% in the Yellowstone basin.

Wild-horse advocates split over interior nominee

Wild-horse advocates may be unified in opposition to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, but they're split over President Barack Obama's choice to replace him. Horse defenders have sharply criticized Salazar, saying nearly 40,000 mustangs have been removed from the range across the West during his 4-year tenure, which ends in March. Suzanne Roy of the American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign says her group "responded optimistically" to Obama's nomination of Recreational Equipment Inc. chief Sally Jewell. Roy notes Jewell's background as a conservationist and outdoor enthusiast. But Anne Novak of California-based Protect Mustangs says she's skeptical because of Jewell's background as a Mobil Oil engineer and commercial banker. Madeleine Pickens of Saving America's Mustangs says she "welcomes the change," and is hopeful Jewell's background means she has empathy for mustangs.

House to hear bill to allow silencers for hunting

The Wyoming House of Representatives is set to hear a bill that would allow hunters to use silencers. Sen. Ogden Driskell of Devils Tower introduced the bill in the Senate after an identical bill died earlier this session in a House committee. Wyoming is 1 of the few western states that bar hunters from using silencers. Proponents say using silencers offers can help save hunters' hearing. But some opponents say they have concerns that using silencers is unsporting. The silencer bill is first on the list for discussion on Monday in the House, but the list is always subject to change.

YNP biologists struggle to maintain wolf research

Yellowstone National Park scientists say wolf hunts are proving harmful to their decades-long research after they lost a record number of the predators to this year's hunting season. Yellowstone wolf biologist Doug Smith says that 12% of the park's wolf population was killed by hunters after the predators were stripped of their federal protections in both Wyoming and Montana. Hunters killed several wolves that had been collared, including five key members of the park's packs. Three were wearing expensive GPS collars. The deaths of just a few choice wolves have resulted in the likely loss or collapse of 2 packs and aborted the history and trend data biologists have built.

Hicswa named next Northwest College president

The president of Miles Community College in Montana has been named the next president of Northwest College in Powell. Northwest College said Friday that Stefani Hicswa has signed a 2-year contract with an annual salary of $162,000, plus benefits. She is expected to assume her new duties July 15. She will replace Paul Prestwich, who is resigning effective June 30 after five years in the post. Hicswa was among three finalists for the job. The others were Debra Thatcher, who is chief operating officer, provost and vice president of academic affairs at State University of New York College of Agriculture and Technology, and Jon Connolly, who is vice president of academic affairs with the Northern Wyoming Community College District.

Lab can't tell if skull is missing hiker's

Forensic examiners can't determine whether a partial human skull found in the Wind River Range belonged to a hiker who went missing in 2007. Fremont County Coroner Ed McAuslan says the skull sent to a lab in Salt Lake City was too aged and weathered, and scientists couldn't extract DNA. He had hoped to match it to the remains of 46-year-old Lander resident Clay Rubano, who disappeared five years ago while hiking near the Popo Agie (poh-POH'-jah) River. The skull was found last summer about a mile from where other human remains previously were found and identified as Rubano's. McAuslan says based on that proximity, the skull is most likely Rubano's. Evidence suggests Rubano may have fallen and suffered hypothermia. The skull has been turned over to the man's family.

Elk hazed from Spring Gulch area to refuge

Wildlife officials have hazed a group of elk from northwestern Wyoming's Spring Gulch area to the National Elk Refuge because the animals were getting into feed lines and scuffling with horses on private ranches. Officials with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department nudged the herd - all bulls - with snowmobiles Friday. Game and Fish biologist Doug Brimeyer says about 25 elk were moved. He says that every few years, loitering elk cause damage on private land, triggering the need to push them out of Spring Gulch.

Web-based remote video visitation system installed at Sweetwater County Detention Center

A new state-of-the-art remote video visitation system has been installed at the Sweetwater County Detention Center that will permit people to visit inmates via the Internet without leaving their homes. Detective Dick Blust Jr. says that the web-based visitation system, called Telmate, went online February 4th.






Those who wish to have video visitations with a inmate, such as family members, must set up a visitation account online or at a special kiosk located in the Detention Center lobby.







There are special fees, including convenience fees, associated with use of the lobby kiosk. The fees are assessed and collected by Telmate, and do not go to the county. Blust points out that the remote video visitation resource is a privilege and may be denied to an inmate for disciplinary reasons or due to operational necessity. 

Powell hospital settles with management company

Powell Valley Healthcare has settled its lawsuit against a management company over a former hospital CEO charged with bilking the organization of $848,000. The amount of the settlement with HealthTech Management Services hasn't been disclosed. Then-CEO Paul Cardwell was on the payroll of HealthTech, which managed the hospital. Cardwell is charged with funneling $848,000 in hospital funds to a bogus recruiting firm. Prosecutors say Michael Plake of West Lafayette, Ind., who ran the bogus company, was pocketing 25% of the money and giving the rest to Cardwell. Caldwell and Plake were indicted on charges including fraud and conspiracy. Caldwell disappeared in August and is considered a fugitive. Plake pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and is to be sentenced this month.

Early snowmelt forecast 80% of average

Preliminary forecasts for this year's snowmelt in Wyoming are predicting a runoff of about 80% of normal. Wyoming's winter mountain snowpack melts off from April to September. Hydrologists with the Natural Resources Conservation Service say the predicted runoff into Wyoming's streams and rivers vary from 15% of normal to 99% of average. Generally, river basins in the northwest have the highest snowpack and are expected to see runoff closer to normal, while those in the southeast have the lowest snowpack and the lowest runoff predictions. Reservoir storage varies widely across the state but is at 96% of average for the entire state. Water levels are highest on the Buffalo Bill Reservoir and lowest on the North Plate River reservoirs.

BLM Pinedale Sets Annual Planning Meetings

The Bureau of Land Management will hold a Wildlife Annual Planning Meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 20th followed by a Development APM on Thursday, Feb. 21st. Shelley Gregory says that both meetings will be held at the BLM Pinedale Field Office located at 1625 W. Pine Street in Pinedale, beginning at 8:30 a.m.






The Wildlife APM will be conducted by the Pinedale Anticline Project Office and will include wildlife monitoring results, an update on ROD Matrix species, and an update on the proposed Sublette mule deer habitat project.






The meetings are open to the public with opportunities for public comment. Current wildlife reports and APM information can be found at blm.gov.

ExxonMobil donates $2.5M to UW for energy research

ExxonMobil and Gov. Matt Mead announced Thursday the company will donate $2.5 million to the University of Wyoming to boost research into oil and gas extraction. Part of the money will go toward laboratory modeling to replicate the temperatures and pressures that exist in the deep rock formations that hold oil and gas. The donation will benefit the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources by $5 million because of a state fund that matches private donations to the university. The announcement comes three weeks after Hess Corp. announced a $4.4 million gift to the university for research into oil and gas extraction.

Olympic medalist's Harley up for auction

A Harley-Davidson motorcycle seized from former Olympic wrestler Rulon Gardner is going up for auction. Officials say the Wyoming native used the Harley as collateral for unpaid loans. The 300-pound wrestler is letting it go even as he fights a bankruptcy auction of some of his other valuable belongings. They were seized by Cache County, Utah, sheriff's deputies months ago to satisfy a business debt. The Harley will go up for sale Saturday at the Salt Lake City auction house Erkelens and Olson. The 2001 Road King sports a Sydney Olympic logo. It was autographed by William Godfrey Davidson, grandson of Harley Davidson. Gardner disputes a $3 million bankruptcy debt. He blames it on a business associate's fraudulent real-estate scheme. Bankruptcy trustee David Miller says the case remains under negotiation.

UW rated in top 100 college by national survey

A survey has ranked the University of Wyoming as among the 100 best college values in the nation. The annual survey recently released by U.S. Research and Evaluation Inc. has UW listed as among "America's 100 Best College Buys." The survey was conducted between April 1 and July 31 and looked at more than 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities. The survey indicated UW to have an average cost of $13,362 per in-state student and $22,512 per out-of-state student for the 2012-13 school year. UW spokesman Chad Baldwin says that the survey seems to confirm that UW is a good value.

Full beds forces Wyo. hospital to divert patients

Wyoming Medical Center in Casper has had to turn away patients from outside Natrona County at times this winter because it didn't have enough free beds. It's rare for the hospital to have all its beds full, but officials say it's happened multiple times in the past few months as flu, norovirus and other illnesses circulated through the community. Hospital officials say it's necessary to divert out-of-county patients to ensure local people continue to receive treatment when they fall ill. Hospital President Vickie Diamond says the hospital has been full more times in the past two months than any other time in her eight years with the organization. Wyoming Medical Center is licensed for 192 beds.

BLM Pinedale Sets Annual Planning Meetings

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will hold a Wildlife Annual Planning Meeting (APM) on Wednesday, Feb. 20 followed by a Development APM on Thursday, Feb. 21. Both meetings will be held at the BLM Pinedale Field Office, 1625 W. Pine St., Pinedale, Wyo., beginning at 8:30 a.m.
An APM is required by the 2008 Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision (ROD) for the Pinedale Anticline Project Area. To more fully address topics of community interest and to coincide more closely with available data, the PFO has subdivided the original APM into three annual meetings: one focused on development, one on wildlife and one on air, water and socioeconomics.
The Wildlife APM will be conducted by the Pinedale Anticline Project Office and will include wildlife monitoring results, an update on ROD Matrix species, and an update on the proposed Sublette mule deer habitat project.
Topics for the Development APM will include recent and projected operator activities and a summary of BLM permitting and inspection activities as well as management decisions.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Sweetwater Chapter Banquet Raises Funds To Help Elk Population in Wyoming

Due to the severe drought conditions in many parts of Wyoming, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is warning people that regardless of winter conditions, there may be significant losses to wildlife this year. Recently, National Elk Refuge officials have decided to start providing supplemental feed to the thousands of elk and bison on the refuge. John Curtis with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Sweetwater Chapter says his organization is dedicated to helping the elk population survive.






Curtis says that they will hold their 25th annual fundraising banquet this Saturday at the Sweetwater Events Complex and the price of a ticket includes a year's membership. The majority of the money raised stays right here.






Tickets are 95 dollars per couple and 65 dollars per individual. Tickets can be purchased at the Green River Chamber of Commerce. For more information on the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, go to rmef.org.

Increase in Burbot Bash Participants Meant Increase In Cash Prizes

According to Cindy Keller with Daggett County, the 2013 Burbot Bash went extremely well. There were 1172 participants and over $23,000 was awarded in cash prizes. 4287 total Burbot caught and 10 internal tags were turned in. Two of the external red tags were caught, and Sunday during the finale, the insurance company revealed the numbers. Keller said that, unfortunately, those two numbers were not the winning numbers. Originally, $5975 in total cash prizes was to be awarded, but with the increase in participants, Keller says there were able to increase all of the prizes plus add more places. Originally, $100 was to be given if any tagged fish were turned in, but that amount was increased to $300.

Sinclair refinery issued safety citations

The Sinclair Oil refinery east of Rawlins is facing more safety violation citations and nearly $260,000 a fines. The Wyoming Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued citations to the refinery at Sinclair in January for three incidents occurring last August. Some of the violations were categorized as "serious" along with six repeat violations. A statement released by Sinclair Oil says the company is working urgently to make safety improvement and has hired five additional occupational safety professionals to address safety concerns. Hayley Douglass of the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services says that the citations resulted from a formal complaint made by an individual as well as a follow-up from earlier incidents. The refinery has had numerous problems, including several fires last year.

Northern Arapaho Tribe praises pending eagle bill

A bill that some Wyoming lawmakers are pushing to allow falconers to capture golden eagles also apparently could help the Northern Arapaho Tribe to capture eagles for use in its annual Sun Dance. Sen. Bernadine Craft, a Democrat from Rock Springs, is sponsor of the bill. It would eliminate the current prohibition in state law against taking eagles and instead permit taking them if authorized by federal laws or state game commission rules. Craft says the bill is necessary to allow certified master falconers to capture golden eagles in the wild where it's been determined that the birds are depredating on livestock. The Northern Arapaho Tribe has written to Craft and other lawmakers saying they support the bill because it would allow them to take eagles for religious purposes.