Wyoming Catholic college selects new president

The Wyoming Catholic College in Lander has selected a new president. The college's Board of Directors announced they hired Kevin D. Roberts, of Lafayette, La., for the post. Roberts will become the second president of the college on June 1 upon the retirement of the co-founding president, the Rev. Robert W. Cook. Roberts co-founded and was the first president and headmaster of John Paul the Great Academy, a Catholic liberal arts school in Lafayette. The academy is ranked by the Cardinal Newman Society as one on the top-50 Catholic high schools in the United States and has a distinguished record of vocation discernment.

2 Wyoming mines recognized for reclamation work

Two Wyoming mines are being recognized for their reclamation work. The Interstate Mining Compact Commission has awarded the MI SWACO Bentonite Mine in Big Horn County its Reclamation Award in the Noncoal Category. The strip mining operation has affected more than 5,300 acres of private, federal and state lands since the 1950s The company researched innovative reclamation practices to complete nine related projects in 2012. The commission also awarded the Bridger Coal Mine, near Rock Springs, an Honorable Mention in the Coal Reclamation Category. The Interstate Mining Compact Commission is a multi-state governmental organization that represents the natural resource and related environmental protection interests of its member states.

Wyo. power plant stalls 17 years, faces skepticism

The progress of an $800 million power plant that's been in the works for 17 years has some people in Wyoming skeptical that it ever will be built. The Two Elk Energy Park in Wyoming's Powder River Basin was originally supposed to start generating electricity in 1999. The 300-megawatt plant would burn a mix of low-grade coal and timber killed by beetles. But all that's been built is a storage building and partial foundation. Two Elk's developer, North American Power Group, is seeking a partner for the project. A state panel is meeting Monday on whether to approve the project's seventh permit extension. A company official says the power market and economy can make it difficult to build a power plant. Others say Wyoming should pull the plug.

USFS renews wildfire air tanker contracts

The U.S. Forest Service has renewed contracts to air tanker companies in Montana and Nevada to help fight forest fires this year. The two companies are Minden Air Corp., of Minden, Nev., and Neptune Aviation Services, Inc., of Missoula, Mont. Minden will fly one P2V air tanker for the Forest Service. Neptune will fly six P2Vs and one jet-powered BAe-146 under the contract renewals announced Thursday. The purpose of the planes is to drop fire retardant to slow the spread of wildfires. The propeller-driven P2Vs can drop up to 2,000 gallons of retardant at a time. The BAe-146 is faster can hold up to 3,000 gallons of retardant. The Forest Service plans to award additional contracts for a next generation of jet-powered air tanker planes in the weeks ahead.

New UW president will spend some time fundraising

The incoming president of the University of Wyoming says an important part of his job will be to find other sources of revenue to help make up for cuts in state funding. Robert Sternberg says he will work at fundraising and increasing the university's involvement in developing successful business ventures. The state Legislature this winter cut general fund spending because energy revenues are expected to be flat in the coming years. UW saw its operating budget cut by about $11.7 million as a result. In an interview with The Associated Press, Sternberg also says he plans to travel around the state soon after taking office to meet people and discuss the university's mission. Sternberg takes office on July 1, replacing retiring President Tom Buchanan.

Developer plans subdivision on scenic river

Critics are mobilizing to oppose a planned subdivision that developers are proposing along a scenic river in far western Wyoming. Developer Dan Schwab is proposing a 29-home subdivision on 73 acres along the Greys River. The site is about 25 miles southeast of Alpine, an inholding surrounded by the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Schwab also is proposing to improve an existing air strip, build a store and up to a dozen rental cabins or RV pads at the site. Critics say the plan is fundamentally inconsistent with the landscape. The Lincoln County Commission plans a hearing on the proposal April 24 in Cokeville. Jonathan Teichert is Lincoln County's senior planner. He says the county is accepting public comments on the proposal.

BLM Rawlins Hosting North Platte River Recreation Area Management Plan Meeting

The Bureau of Land Management Rawlins Field Office draft North Platte River Recreation Area Management Plan and Environmental Assessment is now available for public comment. Serena Baker says that as part of the review period, an open house meeting will be held at the Saratoga Library located at 503 West Elm Street in Saratoga on April 8th from 4-6 p.m.  






Considerations for changes to the current SRP moratorium will also be discussed, as well as proposed strategies to monitor resource conditions.  






Written substantive comments should be received by April 12th. For more information, call  307-328-4206 or 307-328-4232.   

Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office Warns Residents About Phone Scam

The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office has issued an advisory concerning a recurrent phone scam circulating in Sweetwater County that targets seniors. Detective Dick Blust, Jr. says the victim receives a telephone call from a man who identifies himself as the person’s grandson and goes on to say that he is in jail after being involved in an accident and needs money for bail, damages, and attorney expenses.






There are variations of this scam. In other instances, the phony grandson will tell his victim that he was fishing (often in Canada) when his boat was searched and drugs were found. But the common denominator is always the same - a grandson in legal trouble who needs money fast. The other common factor is that the caller will insist that the victim wire the money through Western Union or other service or to provide bank account routing numbers.






Residents should be alert for similar calls, and to confirm independently any such information with other relatives before sending off any money.

Wheatland hay producers place at World Ag Expo

Three Wyoming hay producers from Wheatland have placed in the top five in the alfalfa hay division at the 2013 World Ag Expo Forage Challenge this winter. In the alfalfa hay division, first place went to David Hinman of Hardrock Farms in Wheatland; second place went to Daryl Tiltrum of Dipper Tree Sheep in Wheatland; and fifth place went to Kelli Hinman, also from Wheatland. Finalists were chosen from more than 90 entries submitted from the western United States. The competition challenged farmers to see who produced the highest-quality forage in the West. Wyoming producers have consistently won or placed high for the last few years in both the World Ag Expo and the World's Forage Analysis Superbowl in Wisconsin.

Wyoming has record elk harvest in 2012

Elk hunters in Wyoming killed a record number of elk last year. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department reports that favorable hunting conditions, long seasons and a growing elk population all contributed to hunters killing the highest number of elk ever in 2012. According to the game department's recently completed harvest survey, just over 57,000 hunters killed 26,385 elk last year. That amounts to a 46% success rate. Last year's total exceeds the previous high of 25,692 elk killed by hunters in 2010. Wyoming hunters have averaged over 22,000 elk annually with a hunter success rate of greater than 40% over the past 10 years.

BLM High Desert District Plans Prescribed Fires

Serena Baker with the Bureau of Land Management High Desert District tells us they plan to conduct several prescribed fires this spring contingent upon fuel moisture and weather meeting optimal burn conditions.  The planned burns include Iron Mountain which is nearly 800 acres of mountain mahogany, bitterbrush, and sagebrush within the 6,250 acre project area of public and deeded lands approximately 30 miles northwest of Cheyenne.  Morgan Creek which is 350 acres of mixed mountain shrubs, conifers, and understory vegetation beneath ponderosa pine stand along the Seminoe-Alcova back-country byway south of Miracle Mile roughly 30 miles northeast of Rawlins.






It also includes the Red Wash Wetlands, about 370 acres of cattail vegetation in the Red Wash wetland complex 20 miles north of Baggs along Highway 789 and Prospect Mountain which is roughly 350 acres of mixed mountain shrubs and aspen stands in mule deer and elk transitional ranges along the edge of the Medicine Bow National Forest north of the Wyoming/Colorado state line southeast of Riverside.






Partners in the fuel treatments include the private landowners, Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the Wyoming Wild Sheep Foundation, Little Snake River Conservation District, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the U.S. Forest Service.  Hunters and recreationists are advised to avoid these areas during prescribed fire operations. For more information, call  307-328-4250.

Shoshone Avenue in Green River will close on Monday

Shoshone Avenue in Green River will close on Monday. From 7 AM to 7PM Shoshone Avenue will be closed from Mountain View to Hitching Post for a water line crossing. Traffic will be detoured. For questions call Public Works at 872-0528.

Man arrested after woman found dead in Casper

A man has been arrested after a woman was found dead in Casper in a suspected case of domestic violence. Police say the 34-year-old woman was found by officers responding to reports of a woman screaming and gunshots early Wednesday. Thomas Miller is being held on suspicion of first-degree murder and aggravated assault. One neighbor said that she and her boyfriend woke up to the sound of gunfire. When they went outside, she said they heard a woman screaming about her daughter. Police believe alcohol played a role in the slaying.

Road Rash Gives Away Green River Juvenile Driver

A Green River juvenile is now in trouble after road rash burns gave him away. Officers were called to Memorial Hospital in Rock Springs to talk to a juvenile maile who had crashed his motorcycle in Green River. It seems the driver was riding the motorcycle on the Green Belt and lost control of the motorcycle and crashed. He sustained road rash burns on his body. He was cited for operating a motor vehicle off road.

Green River Police Seek Public's Help With Hit and Run

Green River Police Officers are investigating a hit and run crash on Iowa. They are asking the public to be on the look out for a vehicle that has damage on the driver's side. They believe it was possibly a high profile vehicle or an SUV. The hit and run occurred sometime during the evening of March 23 and the morning of March 24. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Green River Police Department.

Wyo. pension officer charged with insider trading

The man in charge of investing Wyoming's pension system funds is on leave after being charged with insider trading. The Security and Exchange Commission charged John Johnson on Tuesday. He's accused of buying shares of technology company Foundry Networks, Inc. in 2008 after a friend tipped him off to the company would be sold for about $3 billion. According to the complaint, Johnson made $136,000 in the deal. Johnson wasn't working for the Wyoming Retirement System at that time. He was hired by Wyoming in 2010 and became the chief investment officer in April 2012. The system's executive director, Thomas Williams, says that Johnson was immediately placed on administrative leave and no longer is directing investments for the pension system. Johnson's secretary didn't return a telephone call seeking comment.

Feds cut $53M in Wyoming mineral payments

The federal government will withhold more than $53 million in mineral payments from the state of Wyoming as part of the automatic federal budget cuts that started this month. Gov. Matt Mead says he received no advance warning before the state received word of the cuts this week. He called the federal government's lack of communication unacceptable. Mead pledged to work with Wyoming's congressional delegation to try to restore the funding. Wyoming, the nation's leading coal-producing state, gets 50% of the revenues from mineral leasing on federal lands in the state. That amounts to roughly $1 billion a year. The federal cuts follow congressional action last year that cut more than $700 million in Abandoned Mine Lands funding that Congress had promised Wyoming over coming years.

Green River Speech and Debate Team Win State Championship

The Green River Speech and Debate Team has clinched the Wyoming State Speech and Debate title consecutively for the last four years, and this year was no different. The State Championship Speech and Debate Tournament took first place March 15-16, 2013 in Rock Springs.

Sheriff’s Office seeks help in death investigation

The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office is seeking help from the public in its investigation into the death of a West Valley City, Utah, police officer. Detective Dick Blust, Jr. says that Michael Valdes left his West Jordan, Utah home for work between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM on Tuesday, March 19th, but never arrived and was reported missing to the West Jordan Police Department.






His body was examined at the hospital by Sweetwater County Coroner Dale Majhanovich, who determined the cause of death to be a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.






Valdes was a black male, 37 years of age, 6'2" in height, weight about 180 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. His vehicle, a black 2006 Infiniti SUV, had Utah license plate number B975SJ. Those with information are asked to call (307) 922-5296.

Cody man to serve life in prison for wife killing

A judge in Cody has sentenced a man to life in prison, with the possibility of parole, for the screwdriver stabbing death of his wife. Under a plea agreement reached with prosecutors, Myron Friday, of Cody, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on Tuesday in exchange for not facing the death penalty. Friday was scheduled to go to trial in May. Friday gave a brief statement in which he apologized for the murder of his wife Julie Friday on Feb. 26, 2012. The crowded courtroom devolved into an ugly scene after the hearing concluded with the two sides of the families yelling expletives at each other. Police kept the two sides separated.

Western environmentalists oppose wolf delisting

Western environmental groups say they're alarmed that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering a plan to end federal protections for gray wolves in areas where the animals no longer exist. The groups say ending federal protections would keep wolves from expanding their range back into states that could support them, including Colorado and California. The federal agency intends to announce this spring whether it will propose a blanket delisting of wolves in the lower 48 states. Wolves in the Northern Rockies and around the Great Lakes, where reintroduced populations are well-established, are already off the Endangered Species List. The prospect of the national delisting has prompted members of Congress on both sides of the issue to lobby the Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe.

Money raised to open Yellowstone's Wyo. entrances

Thanks to successful local community fundraising efforts, Yellowstone National Park will be open on time this spring to visitors coming through the south and east entrances in Wyoming. On Monday, the Jackson Town Council approved paying $71,000 to plow the park's South Entrance beginning April 8. Last week, the Cody Chamber of Commerce announced it had raised $100,000 to plow the East Entrance. Officials say roads passing through those entrances should be clear by the first weekend in May, assuming no major snowstorms set the plowing effort back. The National Park Service had announced that the roads would open two weeks later than usual because of federal budget cuts. The delay could have cost communities that bank on Yellowstone visitors millions of tourist dollars.

Evanston man sentenced in botched Neb. bank heist

A 53-year-old Wyoming man has been given 18 to 36 months in prison for a botched bank robbery in western Nebraska. Tracy Black was sentenced on Monday. He'd pleaded no contest and was convicted of attempted robbery. Authorities say Black was the getaway driver in the attempted robbery of Farmers State Bank in Wallace in August. His accomplice, 20-year-old Drew Steier, went into the bank wearing a ski mask and wielding a BB gun. Steier fled without any money and drove away with Black, who was waiting in a pickup outside. They were arrested near Imperial about an hour later. Steier is scheduled to be sentenced on April 8. Both men are from Evanston.

"Good Morning, Vietnam" host to visit Worland

The Air Force radio broadcaster who inspired the movie "Good Morning, Vietnam" will speak to veterans in Worland on Saturday. Adrian Cronauer's appearance is part of the Wyoming Welcome Home Day celebrations at the Worland Community Center. Cronauer later became a communications lawyer and worked in the Pentagon's POW/MIA office during both Bush administrations. He says that he wants people who didn't serve in Vietnam to understand what service members experienced and what was important to them. Cronauer will speak at around 2 p.m. The event is free.

Annual Free Day

There's a fun weekend learning opportunity for the family coming up this April, Erick Pauley has the story

New Univ. of Wyo. president makes good impression

Robert Sternberg is making a good impression on his first visit to the University of Wyoming campus in Laramie since being named its new president in February. Sternberg toured the campus Monday and met with university leaders, students and faculty, listening to concerns and describing his goals and leadership style. Those who met with him described Sternberg as likable, intelligent and passionate for undergraduate education. The 63-year-old Sternberg is to continue his campus visit Tuesday before returning to Oklahoma State University where he is provost and senior vice president. 1 of his first priorities is to travel around Wyoming to meet with residents, legislators, business leaders and K-12 educators. Sternberg was hired to replace Tom Buchanan, who is retiring this summer. He officially takes office on July 1.

Judge sides with Wyoming in fracking chemical suit

A judge in Casper has sided with the state of Wyoming and ruled against environmentalists who sought to make public the lists of ingredients that go into hydraulic fracturing fluids. Environmental groups had requested the ingredient lists from the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, arguing that the public needs to know what chemicals companies are putting underground. Natrona County District Judge Catherine Wilking has ruled that Wyoming's state oil and gas supervisor was correct to withhold the ingredient lists as protected trade secrets. Specially formulated lubricants are used in fracking, which involves pumping water, sand and fracking fluids underground to split open oil- and gas-bearing rocks. Attorneys for Wyoming and oilfield services company Halliburton argued that public disclosure could allow competing companies to reverse-engineer fracking fluids.

Northern Arapaho tribe, feds delay eagle case

A lawsuit between the Northern Arapaho tribe and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service over the tribe's permit to kill bald eagles for religious purposes is on hold for 60 days while both sides consider implications of a new Wyoming law. Wyoming last month changed its law to allow falconers with proper permits to take eagles. The new law also may allow the Northern Arapaho tribe to capture or kill bald eagles outside the Wind River Indian Reservation for use in its annual Sun Dance. The tribe last year received the nation's first permit allowing it to kill bald eagles for religious purposes. The tribe sued the federal agency because the permit didn't allow killing eagles on the Wind River Indian Reservation, which it shares with the Eastern Shoshone Tribe.

Wednesday is The Big Easter Egg Hunt In Green River

Tomorrow is the big day for the Third Annual Easter Egg Hunt. While the hunt begins at 4:30 PM at Evers Park, Adrienne Lounsbury says you will want to get there early.






Four age groups for kids up to age 12 are available. And Lounsbury says there are lots of candy and great prizes this year including special gold eggs during the hunt that could hold cash.






Sponsors this year include the Radio Network, Smiths, Walmart, Wyoming Trucks, the City of Green River, Pepsi, Fremont Motors, China Garden, Arctic Circle, Allied Glass, Donaldson Medical, Pottery From The Heart, Stand Out Designs, PMS Screen Printing, Krazy Moose, Taco Time and Sweetwater Trophies.

Thrid Annual Easter Egg Hunt To Take Place Wednesday in Green River

Fifteen hundred eggs is a lot to stuff full of candy and prizes. Adrienne Lounsbury says that is exactly what has been taking place at the Radio Network in preparation for the Third Annual Easter Egg Hunt that will be held this Wednesday.






Calling it an Easter Egg Hunt may be a stretch. Lounsbury says it's actually more like an Easter Egg Dash.






The hunt will take place at Evers Park starting at 4:30 PM. There will also be activities at Expedition Island. Following the hunt, there will be giveaways including a bike for each age group. And don't forget to watch for those golden eggs that hold special prizes including cash. The hunt is open to kids up to the age of 12.

Missing West Valley City police officer found dead in I-80 tunnels

A missing West Valley City, Utah, police officer died last Thursday night as the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the I-80 tunnels above Green River. Sweetwater County Detective Dick Blust Jr. says that troopers with the Wyoming Highway Patrol were dispatched at around 9:50 PM to a one-vehicle crash in the westbound lane of the Interstate 80 tunnels.






Valdes, who lived in West Jordan, Utah, was last seen when he left his home for work on March 19 between 8 and 9 PM, but did not arrive. The West Jordan Police Department has been handling Valdes’s case since his disappearance.






Sheriff’s Office detectives are following up leads in the ongoing investigation, which is being coordinated with the West Valley City and West Jordan Police Departments.

Rock Springs Man Arrested For Hit and Run and Stalking

Last Wednesday, a resident at the 1750 Hitching Post apartment complex in Green River reported to Green River Police that there was a man who had just crashed into her vehicle, was suicidal and was trying to break into her apartment. Officers responded and spoke with the victim and the accused male. He was identified as 29 year old Andrew Lee Lovato of Rock Springs. Lovato was arrested. Charges under review include open container, hit and run and stalking.

Gov. to help mark annual veterans welcome home day

Wyoming Veterans Welcome Home Day will be held on April 1 with ceremonies in Sheridan, Riverton, Afton and Rock Springs. Gov. Matt Mead will be among those attending and speaking. The day of welcoming veterans was codified in state law in 2011 by the Legislature. All Wyoming veterans, especially those from the Korean War, Vietnam War, and other veterans who were not properly thanked upon their return home, are invited to attend and receive the welcome and thanks. Mead says it is important to honor those who have served because it shows those who are serving now or in the future that we are indebted to them for their sacrifice.

River flushing aimed at helping trout in N. Platte

Wildlife officials say the North Platte River will rise dramatically over the next 10 days as part of a flushing flow project aimed at helping rainbow trout. Nathan Cook, a fishery biologist with Game and Fish, says the department will flush sediment through the river to help trout getting ready to lay eggs in the waterway next month. He says removing the sediment from the spawning grounds "really causes much higher spawning success for the rainbow trout. And that leads to a lot more fish in the river and a lot more fish that fishermen can catch." The river is expected to rise in some places from ankle-deep to waste-deep.

Wind River kids speak up on bus safety

Motivated by a classmate's death, a group of Fremont County School District 6 students are lobbying the state Legislature to change laws about school bus safety. The children made a presentation to Fremont County Commission recently, and the county board pledged its support. On Dec. 20, 2011, Makayla Marie Strahle was struck and killed by a vehicle after stepping off her school bus. Wind River Middle School principle Jeffrey Verosky says that the incident spurred a group of students to get some school bus safety laws changed. The Wind River High School and Middle School students traveled to Cheyenne during the recent legislative session and spoke with the joint Education Committee. As a result, the committee will study school bus safety this summer and fall.

WVC officer reported missing found dead in Sweetwater County

A West Valley City, Utah police officer who was last seen Tuesday and never showed up to work has been found dead in Wyoming with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. West Jordan Sgt. Dan Roberts says 37-year-old Michael Valdes was found Thursday night when authorities responded to a single-vehicle accident in Sweetwater County. Police say Valdes saw his wife Tuesday evening and told her he was leaving for work. The West Jordan resident wasn't seen by co-workers, friends or family since. Utah officials announced their search for him and a black Infiniti SUV on Thursday. Roberts says there were no obvious signs that Valdes was suicidal before he disappeared.

Game and Fish Commission discusses service cuts

Wyoming Game and Fish Department officials say entire programs may be in jeopardy in 2015 because of a lack of funding. Game and Fish Commissioner Aaron Clark says the state Game and Fish Commission and department officials want to hear public comment when considering those decisions. Department officials had asked the Legislature for fee increases to continue current services, but their request was denied. On Wednesday, the Game and Fish Commission gave preliminary approval to about $7 million worth of cuts to the agency's 2014 budget. Clark says that most of the 2014 cuts are internal and the public shouldn't notice them. The commission will take a final vote on the 2014 budget at its July meeting while it continues working on proposed 2015 cuts.

NEW WYOMING AQUATIC INVASIVE SPECIES REGULATIONS

In an effort to keep Wyoming waters free from harmful aquatic invasive species (AIS) such as zebra and quagga mussels, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department has new regulations to prevent these species from entering the state on watercraft.
New Wyoming regulations require that any watercraft transported into Wyoming from March 1 through November 30 must undergo a mandatory inspection by an authorized inspector prior to launching in any water of the state. Any watercraft that has been in a water infested with zebra or quagga mussels within the past 30 days is required to undergo a mandatory inspection by an authorized inspector prior to launching year-round.
“Beginning April 15th, AIS inspection stations will be operated at ports of entry, border locations, and boat ramps,” said Regina Dickson, Game and Fish AIS crew leader for the Green River Region. “For people wanting to launch watercraft in southwest Wyoming there will be inspection stations on Flaming Gorge Reservoir at Firehole Boat Ramp and Anvil Draw Road near the junction with Hwy 530. There will also be an inspection station at the Interstate 80 Port of Entry in Evanston, Wyo. Information on inspection stations, including location and dates and hours of operation, may be found online at wgfd.wyo.gov/AIS or by calling 1-877-WGFD-AIS.”

The Radio Network Will Host Third Annual Easter Egg Hunt

The Radio Network is hosting the Third Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Wednesday, March 27th. Adrienne Lounsbury says there will be tons of candy and prizes.






A long list of sponsors is making the hunt possible this year.






There will be four age groups, 0 to 3, 4 to 6, 7 to 9 and 10 to 12. There will be one bike given away for each age division and other prizes following the hunt. And be sure to watch for those special golden eggs that will have special prizes including cash.

Bankers say farm income helping rural economy

Bankers in 10 Midwest and Plains states expect the rural economy to continue growing in the months ahead because of the strength of farm income. The overall economic index on the March Rural Mainstreet survey remained at a healthy level of 56.9 even though it was down from February's 58.2. Any score above 50 on the index, which ranges from 0 to 100, suggests growth in the months ahead. Scores below 50 suggest contraction. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the report. He says the survey suggests farmland values will continue to grow and home sales are beginning to grow. The index is based on a survey of rural bankers in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Green River Driver Will Think Twice About Passing a Stopped School Bus

Here is a reminder about passing school buses that one Green River resident won't forget. A bus driver for School District 2 reported a vehicle passed their bus while the stop sign was out and the red lights were flashing. What the driver did not realize is that most school buses are equipped with video cameras which record outside of the bus on the driver's side when the stop sign is extended. After a Green River police officer reviewed the video, a suspect vehicle and driver were identified. The driver, Jonathan Wilson of Green River was cited for passing a school bus while its lights and stop sign were activated.

Two Juveniles In Trouble For Making Purchases on Stolen Credit Cards in Sweetwater County

Two juveniles are now in trouble for making purchases throughout Sweetwater County on stolen credit cards. Back on March 9th, Green River Police officers had taken a report on a stolen wallet. The owner had noticed unauthorized charges on her credit cards throughout the county. Around 30 unauthorized charges were made, totaling about $1400. After an investigator contacted the businesses, enough evidence to identify suspects and to get a search and seizure warrant was collected. A male and a female juvenile admitted to taking the wallet and using the cards to make the purchases. Property purchased with the cards was recovered. The case has been referred to the Sweetwater County Prosecutor's Office for charges.

Buffalo Bill Reservoir will have adequate water

Bureau of Reclamation officials say Buffalo Bill Reservoir may not fill to the brim this spring but it should have enough water to meet irrigation needs in northern Wyoming this spring and summer. During a recent public meeting held by the bureau in Powell, officials say they are expecting 715,800 acre feet of inflow for the October 2012 through September 2013 water year. That is below the average of 847,500 acre feet. But officials say that the reservoir was 66% full this month and the current predictions for inflow from the annual runoff should provide adequate irrigation water.

Fire danger already up in parts of Wyoming

Dry and windy conditions have increased the fire danger across lower elevation areas of Wyoming. Several agricultural burns have gotten out of control in the upper Wind River Basin, damaging some property near Dubois. The National Weather Service is asking farmers and ranchers to check conditions before conducting agricultural burns.

Finger Eleven to Play at the Fair

After five albums and countless tours, Finger Eleven has made their big rock record. It's loud, powerful and fast. It's the album they've waited their entire career to make. Even more, they'll be performing live at the Sweetwater County Fair, Wyoming's Big Show, on Friday, August 2 at 8:30 p.m. The Sweetwater County Fair After Dark Concert Series will open with a performance by Florida Georgia Line on Tuesday, July 30 followed by Montgomery Gentry on Wednesday, July 31 and Skillet on Thursday, August 1. Finger Eleven will continue the concert series on Friday, August 2 while country superstar Phil Vassar will close out the series on Saturday, August 3. All concerts will start at 8:30 p.m. and concert admission is FREE with paid fair admission. The concerts all feature festival style seating. Wyoming's Big Show(r) will be held July 25 through August 4 at the Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs

Rock Springs Wild Horse Holding Facility Temporarily Closed for Cleaning

Serena Baker tells us the Bureau of Land Management Rock Springs Wild Horse Holding Facility is temporarily closed for annual spring cleaning until approximately the first week in April. 






The public viewing kiosk will remain open during the cleaning period.






To schedule an adoption appointment after the first week in April, call  307-352-0292.  To see a full calendar of adoption events and requirements visit blm.gov or google Rock Springs Wild Horse facility.

Hunting groups push to enter wolf lawsuits

The National Rifle Association and Safari Club International are blaming wolves for bringing down the quality of big-game hunting in northwestern Wyoming. The hunting groups are pushing to intervene in lawsuits pending in federal courts in Washington D.C. and Wyoming. The groups want to oppose environmental groups' push to reinstate federal protections for wolves in Wyoming. Scores of wolves have been killed in Wyoming since the federal protections ended last October. Wyoming allows trophy hunting for them in a zone around Yellowstone National Park and classifies wolves as unprotected predators in the rest of the state. While environmental groups say Wyoming's management plan doesn't give wolves adequate protection, hunting groups say that wolf predation on elk and moose is reducing hunting opportunities.

Saturday to be last day of White Pine's ski season

White Pine Resort says Saturday will be the last day of its ski season. Owner Alan Blackburn says the ski area in Pinedale had planned to stay open until the end of the March, but warming temperatures forced resort officials to move up the closing date.

District Attorney: DNA results don't end rape case

The district attorney in Cheyenne says his office will review an old rape case in response claims from lawyers that new DNA testing proves the innocence of a man who has served 23 years in prison. Cheyenne lawyer Aaron J. Lyttle with the Utah-based Rocky Mountain Innocence Center filed a request for a new trial for 63-year-old Andrew J. Johnson on Tuesday. Johnson is serving a life sentence at the state prison in Rawlins on the 1989 conviction. Lyttle and center officials say the DNA testing proves Johnson didn't commit the crime. District Attorney Scott Homar in Cheyenne announced Wednesday that the test results are evidence that favors Johnson. But Homar says his office must still review all the evidence before responding to Johnson's request for a new trial.

Judge denies injunction in superintendent lawsuit

A district judge in Cheyenne has rejected state schools Superintendent Cindy Hill's request to have her powers and duties immediately restored. Judge Thomas Campbell on Wednesday refused to issue a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit Hill has filed challenging the constitutionality of her job changes. Campbell also sent the lawsuit directly to the Wyoming Supreme Court for further action. The Legislature and Gov. Matt Mead approved a law this winter taking away many of the superintendent's powers and duties. It included replacing the superintendent as administrative head of the state Education Department with a director appointed by the governor. The superintendent remains a statewide elected official. Advocates of the law say the change was necessary because Hill was hindering school reform and doing a poor job of running the department.

Northwest College students rescued in Owl Creek Mountains

Fremont County officials rescued four Northwest College students who became stranded in the Owl Creek Mountains. Officials say the male students were returning to school in Powell from a trip in the Jackson and Dubois area on Sunday. They reportedly were relying on a highway navigation device that told them to cross the Owl Creek Mountains via Blondie Pass. They drove about 30 miles before becoming stuck in a large snow drift on top of the pass. One of the students used a cellphone to call law enforcement, and a deputy with two search and rescue volunteers reached the group a little over two hours later. No injuries were reported.

Carbon Co. wind farm project filing pushed back

A company has pushed back by a year its plans to apply for a state permit to build a large wind farm in Carbon County. The Power Company of Wyoming had planned to file for the building permit last January for the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre. But the company decided to wait after a bill was introduced in the state Legislature that dealt with funding for large projects. The bill ultimately failed to pass. Company Vice President Roxane Perruso told the Carbon County Commission on Tuesday that the company now anticipates filing the permit in March or April of 2014. Perruso says that initial construction could begin by fall 2014. The wind farm would consist of 1,000 wind turbines on two sites south of Rawlins.

WYDOT Prepares For Flaming Gorge Road Work, traffic detour on I-80

The Wyoming Department of Transportation will be diverting traffic on Interstate 80, closing a section of US 191 and closing exit 99 on April 3 and 4 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. to continue work on the Flaming Gorge Road Project. Stephanie Harsha with WYDOT says the interruption will be during nighttime hours (10 p.m. to 5 a.m.) to limit traffic disruption.






There will be no access to Interstate 80 from the Foothill Blvd. service road during the closures. Residents will not be able to access Interstate 80 at exit 99. WYDOT recommends all travelers in Rock Springs enter and exit Interstate 80 from exit 102, Dewar Drive, if at all possible.






The Flaming Gorge Road project consists of one bridge replacement and two bridge improvements at the intersection of US 191 South and Interstate 80 near Cruel Jack's. The first bridge off exit 99 that travels over I-80 is the one being replaced.

Ethete man gets life term for Hudson killings

A 20-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison for the killing of 2 people in Hudson. District Judge Norman E. Young sentenced Laziur Stephen Hanway Jr. last week for the stabbing deaths of Eric Likes and Elva Quiver in November 2011. Hanway is 1 of 5 people charged with killing the couple as part of a robbery plot. He had pleaded guilty earlier to two counts of second-degree murder. During his sentencing Hanway apologized for his actions, labeling himself a coward for participating in the incident.

Wyo. jobless rate remains at 4.9% in Jan.

Wyoming's unemployment rate did not change in January, remaining at 4.9%. The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reports the rate is down from a year earlier when it was at 5.7% in January 2012. The state's current rate is significantly lower than the U.S. unemployment rate of 7.9%. Among the state's counties, Lincoln's 8.1% was the highest in the state, followed by Fremont at 7.7% and Johnson at 7.2%. The lowest unemployment rates were found in Converse at 4.3% and Sublette at 4.4%. Both Niobrara and Albany recorded rates of 4.6%.

2 killed in crash on US 20 were from Worland

A man and a woman from Worland are dead following a head-on accident involving a car and a semitrailer in Big Horn County. The Wyoming Highway Patrol reports that a southbound Pontiac driven by 52-year-old Ralph R. Trujillo crossed the centerline on U.S. Highway 20 about 2 miles south of the town of Manderson on Monday afternoon. Trujillo's car collided head-on with a semitrailer. Trujillo and his passenger, identified as 53-year-old Bobbie Jo Leyva were dead at the scene. The truck driver survived. The Highway Patrol reports that toxicology reports are pending.

Green River House Party Leads To An Assault and a Stabbing

A house party over the weekend in Green River got out of hand, with a juvenile female reporting she had been assaulted and a juvenile male being stabbed in the hand. Green River police officers took a report in the early morning hours of St. Patrick's Day, from the juvenile female and her guardians that she had been assaulted at the party on Faith Drive. Later that morning, officers were notified by Hospital staff that a male juvenile was there with a stab wound in the hand. Investigating officers found the injury had occured at the same party. According to a police report, the party was attended by numerous teenagers and adults. According to statements made to Police, alcohol and drug use at the party may have been a contributing factor. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to contact the Green River Police Department.

Wyoming Game and Fish warns grizzlies are out

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is warning that grizzly bears are emerging from their dens this spring. The agency says that bear tracks have been observed in the snow in the Jackson and Cody areas. Brian DeBolt is large carnivore conflict coordinator with the game department. He says male bears emerge from their dens in mid-March and early April while females and young-of-the-year cubs emerge in late April and early May. Antler hunters should be particularly cautious of bears. They search big game winter ranges in the early spring for antlers while bears are searching the same terrain for the carcasses of winter-killed deer and elk.

Staying Safe in Bear, Lion, and Wolf Country Seminar

The annual “Staying Safe in Bear, Lion, and Wolf Country Seminar” will take place on Thursday, April 4, from 6-8 p.m. at the Eden Valley Community Center in Farson. he Farson 4-H Club is sponsoring the event. The purpose of this seminar is to increase awareness and understanding of bears, mountain lions, and wolves by providing participants with current information and tools they can use to prevent conflicts and avoid dangerous encounters. Presentations, including Power Point, video, and lecture will feature bear and mountain lion behavior and biology, bear and lion life history, population status and movements, proper food storage, encounters and what to do in an encounter situation, safety and legal issues, and the most current information on the use of pepper spray. A small portion of the seminar will discuss wolf biology and interactions with pets. Call Lucy Diggins to pre-register (875-3225, extension 1-8607)

Game and Fish to hear hunters on '13 west Wyoming season

The state Game and Fish Department is holding public meetings this week on the 2013 hunting season in western Wyoming. Meetings are set to be held in Afton, Jackson and Pinedale. While elk and antelope hunting shouldn't see many changes from last year's season, biologists are uncertain about moose and deer numbers. Biologist Doug Brimeyer says that Game and Fish has been scaling back the Jackson moose hunt for the past decade but it doesn't seem to be making a difference for the herd. Meanwhile, poor shrub production on winter ranges has biologists worried about deer in the Wyoming Range Herd and the Sublette Herd, which includes the Jackson area. Those seeking to comment on season proposals can do so through April 1.

Wyoming getting $1.1M from feds for worst schools

Wyoming is getting more money from the federal government to improve its lowest-achieving schools. U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced Monday that Wyoming will get $1.1 million in 2013. It's the third year the state has gotten a grant from the department's School Improvement Grant Program. Nine other states, including Colorado, are also getting money. Texas is getting the most at $49.7 million. The department says states will distribute the money to school districts that demonstrate the greatest need for it and show a strong commitment to using it to improve student performance.

Fremont County leads Wyoming beer tax hike effort

An interim legislative committee is planning to study Wyoming's beer and liquor tax this summer. Wyoming's 2-cents-per-gallon tax on malt beverages is the lowest in the nation. It has remained unchanged since it was first passed in 1935, about a year after Prohibition was repealed. The study is among several tax studies assigned to the Joint Interim Revenue Committee this summer and fall. Because of the study, some residents of Fremont County are looking to advocate for a beer tax increase to raise money for substance abuse treatment. Nancy Eckstein, of the Riverton Community Food Bank, says that she has been trying for two years to get the tax raised. However, proposals to do so haven't received much support in the Legislature.

Hill blames changes for education data problems

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Cindy Hill says management changes in the Wyoming Education Department are causing the agency to fall behind on providing some education data. Hill blames the breakup of the department's information management staff, which was largely dismantled and transferred to other agencies. But the interim director of the agency says the problem is a result of employee turnover that occurred under Hill's watch before she was removed as head of the department earlier this year. In a letter to lawmakers last week, interim director Jim Rose says staffing and agency priorities made when Hill ran the department resulted in data not being collected properly. Rose suggested that the data can be corrected but it will be delayed.

High winds cause problems for some Wyoming drivers

Strong winds kept light trailers off Interstate 80 in southeast Wyoming. Wyoming transportation officials said I-80 was closed to light, high-profile vehicles Monday evening between Walcott Junction and Laramie as gusts topped 65 mph. On Sunday, a state trooper said blowing dust led to a "dirt blizzard" in eastern Wyoming that resulted in zero visibility for drivers on U.S. 85 south of Torrington. The gusts prompted state transportation officials to close the highway south of Torrington for about six hours Sunday until winds died down. Troopers said they responded to several crashes and found about 20 stranded drivers who had stopped because they couldn't see or who got stuck because they couldn't see they were veering off the road. No serious injuries were reported.

Atlantic Rim Natural Gas Development Review Team Meeting Scheduled

The Bureau of Land Management Rawlins Field Office will host an Atlantic Rim Natural Gas Development Review team meeting on Thursday, April 4, beginning at 10 a.m. at the field office. Serena Baker says the meeting will give the public an opportunity to hear updates from BLM specialists on wildlife, big game and song birds, as well as mule deer collaring and Greater Sage-Grouse monitoring techniques. Progress reports will be presented by the Muddy Creek monitoring working groups.  






The ARPA final environmental impact statement was issued in 2006, and the record of decision was signed in March 2007. 






The Atlantic Rim Review team is comprised of federal, state, county and private entities which are charged with monitoring project implementation. The group meets approximately every quarter during the year.   

Fremont Lake Campground closed for reconstruction

The U.S. Forest Service plans to close the Fremont Lake Campground and Upper Fremont Lake Boat Launch Site north on the Pinedale Ranger District this summer season to allow for reconstruction. Plans call for construction of improved roads to allow two-way traffic to access the Upper Fremont Boat Site as well as a new boat ramp and dock. The campground will be expanded to allow for larger RV's and a new group campsite. Work is scheduled to be completed by mid-November.

New Green River Emergency Notification System Is More Efficient and Economical

If you live in Green River, you will no longer hear the familiar sirens as a warning system. Fire Chief Mike Kennedy says the new CodeRed emergency notification system will save not only save lives, it will also save money.






According to Kennedy, the old siren system was not as efficient as CodeRed which will send notifications by voice, text and email.






To make sure you will be receiving notifications, you will need to register your information. You can do that by going to cityofgreenriver.org. All of the information you provide will be secure and only used for emergencies.

Wyoming gas prices lowest in country

Gas prices in Wyoming have steadily increased over the past few months but they remain the lowest in the country. AAA spokeswoman Kaelyn Kelly tells says that the average price of a gallon of fuel in Wyoming is $3.38. The national average fuel price is $3.82 per gallon. Wyoming's per-gallon price has increased nearly 60 cents from the year-to-date low of $2.80. Kelly says fuel costs typically increase every spring, but not because of rising crude oil prices. She says fuel costs have increased because many refineries have shut down for annual maintenance.

Gov. Mead signs bison bill into law

Gov. Matt Mead has signed a bill into law that was originally intended to encourage bison hunting but which was expanded to include money to fight possible federal gun control efforts. Mead approved the bill late Thursday. The original bison bill would lift the current restriction that limits hunters to one cow bison license in their lifetime. The Wyoming Senate tacked on an amendment appropriating $250,000 for possible legal action if necessary against federal gun control. Mead says he supports both elements of the bill, but has concerns that it may not be constitutional to join them. If the bill is challenged, Mead says he hopes the state Game and Fish Commission will address the bison issue while he will make sure the state stands ready to protect gun rights.

Wisconsin company buys Riverland Ag facilities

A Wisconsin company known for its specialty malts in the American craft beer industry is acquiring grain storage and seed processing facilities in Ralston and Powell. Briess Malt and Ingredients is buying Riverland Ag Corp.'s Wyoming facilities under a deal in which Briess will own the assets but Riverland will continue to operate the barley program for the next three years. Briess president Gordon Lane says the quality and consistency of the regional barley crop attracted the company to the area. According to its website, Riverland Ag owns and operates 15 grain storage facilities in Minnesota, North Dakota, Wisconsin, Wyoming, New York and Ontario.

Officials at Yellowstone warn grizzlies emerging

Grizzly bears are emerging from their dens at Yellowstone National Park. Park officials say that as grizzlies come out of hibernation, people should stay in groups of 3 of more, make noise on the trail and carry bear spray. Bears look for food as soon as they emerge from their dens. Park officials say bears are attracted to elk and bison that have died during the winter. The bears can react aggressively if they're surprised while feeding on the carcasses. There haven't been any reports of bear sightings or tracks in Grand Teton National Park yet but, historically, half of the male population is usually out by now. Visitors to both parks must stay at least 100 yards from black and grizzly bears.

Rawlins man accused of tampering at Sinclair plant

A Rawlins man is facing criminal charges for allegedly tampering with valves at the Sinclair oil refinery to give workers the day off. 27-year-old Bryant Paul Willingham is a former refinery employee who was working as a contractor there on Oct. 18, 2102. Police say he admitted to turning two valves in the Hydrocracker unit that day, prompting it to fill up with hydrocarbons. According to a police affidavit, Willingham said workers were joking about wanting to go home but no one specifically told him to turn the valves. Operations manager Ray Hanson said that if the unit had overheated and ruptured, deadly hydrogen sulfide could have been released. Willingham is charged with aggravated assault and battery, terroristic threats and reckless endangerment.

Clovis Man Arrested For Child Porn

A television network employee is facing charges of possessing and distributing child pornography. Jeff Jordan was arrested last week after a search warrant was served at his Clovis home. Jordan was an engineer at KFSN-Channel 30 before taking his current job as the director of safety and broadcast compliance for ABC owned television stations. His arrest was the result of an investigation by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

BLM Pinedale Patrols Winter Closures for Wildlife

The Bureau of Land Management Pinedale Field Office will be patrolling over 500,000 acres of BLM-administered winter closure areas through April 30th. Shelley Gregory says the annual winter closures have been in effect since 2008 and help protect elk, moose, pronghorn, and mule deer from disruptive human activities which, during the difficult winter months, can increase the mortality rate for these animals.






The Ryegrass, Bench Corral, Deer Hills, Calpet and Miller Mountain closures include all BLM-administered lands north of Fontenelle Creek, east of the U.S. Forest Service Boundary, west of State Highway 189, and south of Horse Creek. The Mesa winter range closure includes all BLM-administered lands east of County Road 110 (East Green River Road), north of County Road 136 (Paradise Valley Road), west of the New Fork River, and south of State Highway 191.






As a reminder, motorized machines, excluding snow machines, are not allowed off-road on BLM-administered lands at any time.  For more information, please call  307-367-5317.

Intoxicated Woman Arrested At Green River YWCA With IV Still In Her Arm

On March 13, 2013 Green River Police officers were dispatched to the YWCA in reference to an intoxicated female. Summer G Christensen from Rock Springs was contacted by officers. She refused to cooperate and appeared to be intoxicated. Christensen had reportedly recently left Memorial Hospital and still had an IV in her right arm. While trying to convince her to return to the hospital she assaulted one of the officers. She was arrested and booked into the Sweetwater County Detention Center for Public Intoxication and Resisting Arrest.

Memorial Hospital Foundation receives $3.1 million from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust

Recently, the Memorial Hospital Foundation received a grant of $3.1 million from The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust that will go towards the purchase of state-of-the art cancer radiation equipment, which will be located in the Cancer Treatment Center/Medical Office Building currently under construction at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. Al Harris, President of the Memorial Hospital Foundation Board says that the opportunity to acquire such an amazing piece of equipment paves the way for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and full-blown radiation therapy in Sweetwater County. Harris is a cancer survivor and says he understands the impact of the donation and what it means to the community. The equipment will allow the treatment of all but a small minority of patients that will require cancer radiation therapy in the cancer center. This is the second time the Memorial Hospital Foundation has been a Helmsley Charitable Trust recipient. In 2011, the Trust awarded grant funds to purchase the digital mammography system at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County, the most advanced of its kind in the area.

Memorial Hospital is currently building a new 80,000 square foot, 4-level, medical office building and cancer treatment center adjoining the hospital. It will feature the first cancer treatment center in Southwest Wyoming and will also be the potential location for the expansion of services that this recent U of U affiliation agreement will bring to the area. The building has a scheduled opening of Fall 2013.

Wyo. wind tax brought in $2.6M in its 1st year

Wyoming's new wind tax brought in $2.6 million in the first year it was collected. $1 million went to the state and the rest was shared by six counties in central and southeastern Wyoming in 2012. The $1-per-megawatt-hour tax was passed in 2010. The revenue is small in comparison to other money raised by the state and counties. The wind industry has struggled to take hold in Wyoming because of limited transmission lines. However, three transmission projects could begin operating in the next few years. Wind farms less than three years old don't have to pay the tax. 2 of the state's largest projects, Top of the World wind farm and PacifiCorp's Dunlap I, were both exempt from the tax last year.

Judge extends mental evaluation for Wheatland man

Judge John Brooks of Douglas granted a request from the state hospital in Evanston on Wednesday for an additional 90 days to evaluate whether Everett Conant III is competent to stand trial. Conant has pleaded not guilty to charges that he shot and killing his sons: 11-year-old Joseph, 13-year-old Charles and 18-year-old Everett, as well as their 33-year-old uncle Nacuma Roland Conant in July 2011. The defendant is also charged with attempted murder in the wounding of his wife. Conant has been hospitalized repeatedly since his arrest.

Wyo. Highway Patrol warns against drunken driving

The Wyoming Highway Patrol is reminding motorists not to drive if they've been drinking over the St. Patrick's Day weekend. St. Patrick's Day is Sunday. The patrol says statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that more than 700 people were killed nationwide in crashes involving a drunk driver during the St. Patrick's Day holiday from 2006 to 2010. Extra troopers will be patrolling around Wyoming this weekend looking for impaired drivers. In other areas, task forces made up of officers from other state and local departments also will be on the road.

Riverton men missing 2 days found unhurt

Fremont County authorities say two men are unhurt after their truck got stuck in a snowdrift and they were missing in a remote area for two days. Relatives called the Sheriff's Office around 10:30 p.m. Friday to report missing 57-year-old Dale Smith and 58-year-old David Smith. The men had been due back from a day trip in the South Pass area a few hours earlier. Search teams looked for the men Friday night, Saturday and Sunday morning. Four planes and a helicopter took part in the search Sunday. The men called from a rest area between Lander and Jeffrey City half an hour after searchers found their pickup. They said they walked five miles before catching a ride with an oilfield truck driver.

Explosive devices at home in Lusk investigated

Niobrara County officials say they're investigating three explosive devices that detonated at three homes in Lusk. Sheriff Rick Zerbe says 2 of the improvised explosives that went off March 6 were in the yards of a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper and a school principal. A fourth bomb that didn't go off was found near the trooper's home. The Wyoming Office of Homeland Security sent a bomb technician from Casper to disarm the device. Authorities are investigating whether the incidents targeted certain people or were random acts of mischief. They have not disclosed details about the explosives. Lusk police urge people not to approach or handle any plastic bottle they find that has fluid in it, especially if the bottle is expanded or out of shape.

Wyoming Supreme Court upholds life sentence

The Wyoming Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a sentence of life without parole for a Rock Springs man convicted of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl. District Judge Nena James sentenced Kenneth James Huckfeldt last year in Sweetwater County. On appeal, Huckfeldt argued it had been improper for James to allow testimony from the victim in an earlier child sexual assault case in which Huckfeldt also had been convicted. Lawyer Keith Goody represented Huckfeldt on appeal. Goody argued that James' decision allowing the victim in the earlier assault to testify amounted to directing the jury to find Huckfeldt guilty in the second case. The Wyoming Attorney General's Office argued that testimony from Huckfeldt's earlier victim was proper to show his motive and intent in dealing with the second girl.

Wyoming joins states offering lottery

Wyoming residents can start dreaming about hitting the big one. Gov. Matt Mead on Wednesday signed into law a bill allowing the state to create a lottery or join a multi-state lottery, such as Powerball. Mead says he's personally lukewarm about a lottery. But he was persuaded by the prospect of Wyoming benefiting from money that state residents have been spending on lottery tickets in surrounding states. Under the law, the first $6 million in proceeds from the lottery will go to local governments. Any proceeds over that amount would go to a public school foundation fund. Mead will appoint a nine-member board to oversee the quasi-governmental corporation that will run the lottery. It'll take about a year to get the lottery up and running.

Wanted Rock Springs Woman Captured, Reliance Woman Sought

Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office Detective Dick Blust Jr. says that one of Sweetwater County's most wanted has been arrested.






Blust says that Beller remains in custody in lieu of a $75,000 bond.






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

Daniels Fund awards money to Wyoming nonprofits

The Daniels Fund has awarded more than $429,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations serving seniors, youth and the homeless across Wyoming. Among the grant recipients are the Boy Scouts of America, the Boys and Girls Club of Campbell County, Natrona County Meals on Wheels, Sweetwater County Child Development Center, and the Wyoming Association of Public Charter Schools. The Daniels Fund will award a projected $3.3 million in grants to Wyoming nonprofits this year. The Daniels Fund Grants Program regularly awards money to programs in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Wyoming snowpack remains below average

The National Weather Service says precipitation and snowpack remain below normal across Wyoming, which doesn't bode well for the state's water supply. February precipitation in state river basins was 85 to 90% of average, and the mountain snowpack across the state continues to lag at around 80 to 85% of average. Mountain snowpack was highest across northern Wyoming, varying between 85 to 95% of normal. The snowpack was lowest in southern Wyoming at 65 to 80% of normal. Right now, streamflow snowmelt volumes are expected to be below normal across a majority of basins in Wyoming. National Weather Service hydrologist Jim Fahey says runoff into Wyoming reservoirs will be pretty low this year if more snow doesn't pile up in the mountains this spring.

Wyo. Supreme Court hears Riverton killing appeal

A lawyer for a Riverton man serving a life sentence for murder told the Wyoming Supreme Court that his client's conviction was a miscarriage of justice. Gabriel Drennen was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2010 killing of Leroy Hoster. Lawyers say Drennen shot an unarmed Hoster while trying to evict Hoster from a trailer. Lawyer Thomas Jubin represents Drennen. Jubin told the Supreme Court Tuesday that a prosecutor incorrectly told the jury that state law prohibits shooting an unarmed man. Jubin says Drennen feared for his life after Hoster pushed him. Lawyer Jeffrey Pope with the Wyoming Attorney General's Office argued that Drennen got a fair trial. Pope says written jury instructions spelled the law on self-defense correctly. The Wyoming Supreme Court will release a written decision later.

Police seek source of Gillette's mystery blast

Authorities are trying to determine the origin of a blast that shook homes and businesses across northwest Gillette. Sheriff's deputies and police were sent out across the western half of town at about 1 p.m. Tuesday to locate the source of the blast. The thump shook windows in the Westover subdivision and rattled walls along Second Street. Investigators have not determined the source of the blast, or whether or not it was inside city limits.

Teen accidentally shot while cleaning handguns

Authorities say a teenager was shot and seriously injured while he and a friend were cleaning handguns in Clark. Park County Sheriff Scott Steward says 19-year-old Patrick Caines was shot in the lower abdomen Monday night and is recovering in a Billings, Mont., hospital. Caines' friend had been "dry-firing" the weapons after reassembling them and didn't realize one .41-caliber revolver was loaded. Steward believes the shooting was an accident.

Public Comments Sought on Mitigation Project Proposals

Shelley Gregory with the Bureau of Land Management High Desert District tells us that the Pinedale Anticline Project Office is accepting public comments until Friday, March 29 for 15 mitigation projects submitted for potential 2013 funding from the PAPO Monitoring and Mitigation Fund.






The 15 project applications, PAPO project selection criteria and a summary list of the projects, including project applicants and requested funding amounts, are available at wy.blm.gov.






Following the public comment period, PAPO staff will review the comments and make selection recommendations to the PAPO Board which will meet in Pinedale, Wyo., on May 29 to make final project funding decisions. The decisions will be posted on the PAPO website by June 14. For more information, please contact Decker at 307-367-5386.

Game and Fish: Watch for high water on N. Platte

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is urging people to be on the lookout for high water along the North Platte River later this month. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation plans to lower Gray Reef Reservoir on March 18 and 19 to conduct an inspection. River flows will remain at the current rate but the process will wash some fine sediment into the North Platte. After the reservoir is brought back up to its normal operating level, flushing flows will take place to wash sediment out of spawning gravel in the river. The flushing will begin March 22 and take place over 10 days. Each day, flows will increase from 500 cubic feet per second to 4,000 cubic feet per second. Flows will peak between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m.

Hearing delayed for teens accused in Wyo. slayings

A court hearing has been delayed for two teenagers accused in the shooting deaths of a woman and her parents near the Wyoming-Montana border. Both prosecutors and defense attorneys requested the postponement of the preliminary hearing for 19-year-old Stephen Hammer and 18-year-old Tanner Vanpelt. The hearing had been scheduled for Wednesday and will now take place April 10. The teens are accused of stealing 1 of the victim's Audi sport-utility vehicle from the small community of Clark to drive to Denver to sell stolen handguns. Police say they shot and killed Ildiko Freitas and Janos and Hildegard Volgyesi after Freitas argued against giving them her vehicle.

Body found in North Platte River in Casper ID'd

Authorities have released the name of a woman whose body was recovered from the North Platte River in Casper. Police Sgt. Deahn Amend says that firefighters spotted Bobbie Stringham's body about two feet under water at about 3 p.m. Sunday. Authorities say a caller reported someone yelling for help behind homes on North Center Street at about 5 a.m. Jan. 19. When police and firefighters arrived, the woman was in the water clinging to ice. She lost her grip and disappeared under the ice before rescuers could reach her. The Natrona County Coroner's Office will conduct the autopsy.

Man pleads guilty in fatal Riverton shooting

A 24-year-old man has pleaded guilty to shooting a 27-year-old man to death at an apartment complex in Riverton. Dustin Dean Nickelson struck a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter stemming from the Sept. 13, 2012, death of Lucas Myhre. Nickelson originally faced one count of second-degree murder and up to life in prison, but now he faces a term of between six and 12 years. Officers called to the apartment complex found Myhre unresponsive at the scene. They also recovered a handgun thought to have been used in the shooting. Fremont County Attorney H. Michael Bennett says the plea deal was meant to "bring closure in a very difficult case to all parties involved especially the families of the victim and defendant."

1 killed, 3 injured in crash near Thermopolis

Authorities say one person was killed and three others, including a 4-year-old girl, were injured in a head-on crash on U.S. Highway 20 south of Thermopolis. The Wyoming Highway Patrol says a vehicle driven by 29-year-old Leanne Dozier of Denver crossed the center line and smashed into an oncoming vehicle with three people inside at about 7:20 p.m. Sunday. The Patrol says 26-year-old Cody resident Jill M. Riel - a passenger in the second vehicle - died at the hospital. Two other people in the second vehicle - a 40-year-old man and a 4-year-old girl - were injured. Dozier is recovering at a hospital in Billings, Mont.

BLM Rock Springs Signs Bridger Coal Lease Modification Decision

The Bureau of Land Management Rock Springs Field Office has released the environmental assessment, finding of no significant impact, and decision record authorizing Bridger Coal Company to expand their coal lease by 320 acres for underground mining. Serena Baker says the the additional acreage consists of BLM-administered land is in the checkerboard region of mixed public, private and state owned land. 






Bridger Coal Company operates the Jim Bridger Coal Mine complex which includes surface, underground, and highwall mining methods, along with ongoing reclamation, and has been in production since 1974.






For more information, call 307-352-0211.

Lawsuit challenging Wyoming wolf plan draws crowd

The cast of characters is growing in a legal fight in which environmental groups are challenging the federal government's recent decision to end protections for wolves in Wyoming. U.S. District Judge Alan Johnson of Cheyenne has allowed a coalition including Wyoming county governments and sportsmen groups to intervene in the lawsuit. He hasn't acted yet on a request from the National Rifle Association and Safari Club International, a hunting group, to intervene. The groups are siding with the state of Wyoming and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in defending the federal decision to turn wolf management over to the state. Wyoming's plan classifies wolves in most of the state as unprotected predators that can be shot on sight. Two other similar lawsuits have been consolidated in Washington, D.C.

Green River Police Investigate Possible Email FedEx Scam

Green River Police Officers responded to a residence on Homestead about another possible computer scam. The resident reported receiving a suspicious Email from FedEx with information about a package he had been expecting. After contacting FedEx, he was able to determine the Email was not actually from FedEx. The man was encouraged to continue monitoring any suspicious activity on his Email account.

Game and Fish looks at cuts after fee hikes nixed

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is considering a range of cuts after the Legislature decided not to approve license fee increases. The cuts could include not stocking more than a million fish next year. Game and Fish might also postpone habitat projects and cancel an annual hunting and fishing expo. The Game and Fish Commission plans to discuss the possible cuts next week. Most the Game and Fish budget comes from license fees and federal taxes on hunting and fishing equipment. The last license fee increase was in 2008. Game and Fish is looking at a 10% budget cut for 2014. Some legislators who voted against fee increases during the recent legislative session said fee increases are making hunting and fishing too expensive.

Green River Police Respond To Another Report of a Computer Scam

Green River police officers have responded to yet another incident involving a familiar computer scam. A residence on Greasewood reported receiving a call on his computer from a male with a Middle Eastern accent. The caller told the resident he was from Microsoft and instructed the resident on how to run an anti-virus application on his computer. The resident complied and immediately lost control of his computer to the caller. The caller then requested money to fix the problem. The resident contacted the police and was told how to take measures to protect any identifying information that the caller may have obtained during the attempted fraud.

Vendors and Concessions Sought For National Finals Rodeo and Wyoming's Big Show

Two of the biggest events in Sweetwater County are currently looking for vendors and concessions with deadlines rapidly approaching. Chad Banks with the Sweetwater Events Complex encourages anyone that is interested in being at either the 2013 National High School Finals Rodeo or the Sweetwater County Fair, to be sure to get your registrations in early.






Vendors for the National Finals Rodeo have a little more time to get their registrations in.






Wyoming's Big Show is also encouraging vendors to get their applications in early. The National Finals Rodeo will take place this year from July 14th through the 20th. Wyoming's Big Show dates are July 25th through August 4th. For more information, go to sweetwaterevents.com.

4 finalists vying to be Wyo. oil, gas supervisor

Two longtime employees of the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission are among the finalists to become Wyoming's next oil and gas supervisor. The commission plans to interview four finalists Tuesday. They include Jesse Taylor, who is president of Loveland, Colo.-based Remington Technologies. The company specializes in oil and gas spill remediation. The two commission employees in the running are principal petroleum engineer Mark Watson and engineering manager Richard Marvel. The other finalist is former Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission director Grant Black, whose experience includes working as director of governmental affairs for Tulsa, Okla.-based Samson Resources. Bob King has been serving as interim Wyoming oil and gas supervisor since Tom Doll quit in June.

Wyoming Division of Parks asks for public input

Officials with Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails are asking the public for help in developing a statewide concessions master plan. The public will have the opportunity to comment on what they would like to see improved, enhanced, added or removed from state parks and historic sites. Domenic Bravo, an administrator for the division of state parks, says that public input is important in providing popular services. Comments can be made online at http://www.artsparkshistory.com or at a series of public meetings to be held across the state during March.

No BLM top option for Wyo gas field raises concern

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management says it realizes not coming out in favor of a specific plan for a massive gas drilling project in Wyoming is unusual. But, the agency says all the proposals had good ideas in them. The BLM says it will settle on a preferred plan when it releases a final environmental impact analysis for the Continental Divide-Creston project next year. The project could see roughly 9,000 new gas wells in the high desert north and south of Wamsutter. The five development options range from not allowing any new drilling to allowing each new well to be drilled from its own pad. Gov. Matt Mead's office says it has impressed upon the BLM that it doesn't want the indecisiveness to become a trend. The Wyoming Outdoor Council urged the BLM to go about the project in a way that doesn't exacerbate wintertime ozone pollution.

Sweetwater County student wins Wyo. Spelling Bee

A seventh-grader from Lincoln Middle School in Sweetwater County has won the Wyoming State Spelling Bee by correctly spelling the word brilliantine, which refers to a light, lustrous fabric or a preparation for making hair glossy. Victoria Allen defeated 56 spellers from 16 counties Saturday and will represent Wyoming in the Scripps National Spelling Bee beginning May 26 in Washington, D.C. Michael Millan of Natrona County placed second in the state bee, and Jack Van Holland of Teton County placed third.

Referendum on superintendent law gets OK

Opponents of a new state law that changed the duties of the state superintendent of public instruction can begin collecting signatures in their effort to repeal it. The Secretary of State's office announced Friday that it had certified the application for the referendum. Organizers of the referendum have until May 28 to submit 37,606 signatures of registered voters in order to get the issue on the November 2014 general election ballot. Chairwoman Jennifer Young of Torrington has said she believes the law violates the state constitution because it stripped the superintendent of too many duties. The law replaced the superintendent as head of the state Education Department with a governor-appointed director. The last statewide referendum on the ballot was in 1996. It dealt with term limits and failed.

EPA fines Wyoming ethanol plant $49,000

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has imposed a $49,000 fine on an eastern Wyoming ethanol producer for violations of chemical handling procedures. The EPA announced that an inspection last year found officials at the Wyoming Ethanol plant in Torrington failed to maintain a sufficient risk management program for the various toxic and flammable chemicals. The inspection also found the company had failed to report properly to the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory, a mandatory program detailing how chemicals are used. Terry Oldfield is chief executive of Wyoming Ethanol's parent company, Boise, Idaho-based Renova Energy. He says the violations were the result of an unfortunate oversight at the Torrington plant.

BLM trying to hide TransWest line behind "uplift"

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is looking for ways to hide a major transmission line project in southern Wyoming. BLM's manager of the TransWest project, Sharon Knowlton told Carbon County commissioners on Tuesday that the agency is looking at placing the line behind a natural "uplift" in the landscape to keep it out of view. The Rawlins Daily Times reported that Knowlton has gotten 60 letters from people from the area opposing the project. A subsidiary of the Anschutz Corp. has proposed building the 725-mile line through Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and Nevada to deliver wind-generated power to southern California, Arizona and Nevada. The primary source of the power would be the 1,000-turbine Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project near Rawlins.

Expedition Academy Places Second In National Recycling Contest

Expedition Academy in Green River won second place in the national community category of the Recycle-Bowl. Principal John Poole says that each student recycled 422 pounds of miscellaneous recyclable materials from October 15th through November 9th.






The school won $750 for their efforts. This was the first nationwide recycling competition for elementary, middle and high school students that reached 900,000 students across America with schools in all 50 states and the District of Columbia competing.






Poole says the win was great, but the contest did something even greater. He says it motivated the students to believe in something bigger than themselves and hasv promoted an earth conscious mentality

Educators back lawmakers' education reform actions

Educators applaud changes Wyoming lawmakers made to the state's effort to improve K-12 public education. Key changes made during the recently completed legislative session include delaying until the 2013-14 school year the start of measuring how well each school is doing in relation to student performance. In addition, the effort to develop a system to measure the performance of individual teachers, superintendents, principals and other educators will be delayed until the 2015-16 school year. And the concept of trying to link a specific teacher - a so-called teacher of record - to a student's performance has been dropped. Representatives of teachers, school boards and school administrators say that the changes are helpful and that education reform shouldn't be rushed. Lawmakers say more education reform work is still to come.