Report Describes Health Challenges for Minority Groups

Minority racial and ethnic groups in Wyoming experience a number of health-related challenges known as disparities, according to a new Wyoming Department of Health report. Kim Deti with the Wyoming Department of Health says the “Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Wyoming: 2012 Report” is the first comprehensive examination of health disparities in Wyoming and includes more than 30 health and related social indicators. According to the report, health disparities are gaps in issues of health and healthcare services among distinct segments of the population.






In 2010, Wyoming’s total population was 563,626, an increase of 14 percent from 493,782 in 2000. In 2010, more than 10 percent of Wyoming was Hispanic compared to 7.2 percent in 2000. The state’s second largest non-white racial/ethnic group is American Indian. Many common challenges include obesity, smoking and not receiving proper pre-natal medical care.






You can access the report in its entirety by going to health.wyo.gov and searching for mulit-cultural health.

Lander man sentenced in school bus death

A driver who hit and killed an 11-year-old Crowheart girl after she got off a school bus has been sentenced to 300 days in jail. William "Dean" Barnes of Lander was sentenced Thursday for the Dec. 20, 2011, death of MaKayla Marie Strahle. A jury had acquitted Barnes of aggravated vehicular homicide but convicted him of homicide by vehicle, a misdemeanor. Barnes struck MaKayla as she crossed a highway after getting off the bus. His attorneys argued it was foggy at the time and their client did not see the flashing red lights. Barnes, who must pay about $13,000 in restitution, was convicted of traveling too fast for the conditions and of passing a stopped school bus with flashing lights.

Critics skeptical of US 'compassion' for mustangs

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management's new policy emphasizing "compassion and concern" for wild horses on federal lands in the West is getting a chilly response from wild horse advocates. An American Wild Horse Preservation Campaign spokeswoman says the move "will do nothing to change the practices on the ground at the roundups." Federal laws protecting wild horses since the 1970s require the government to treat them humanely when culling overpopulated herds to reduce harm to public rangeland. BLM officials said a series of new internal policy directives announced Friday will better protect free-roaming horses and burros by centralizing oversight and stepping up daily reports at each individual gather across 12 Western states. Acting BLM Director Mike Pool said the changes represent "significant and substantial improvements."

Flaming Gorge welcomes new hovercraft

Flaming Gorge Reservoir is welcoming a long-awaited amphibious hovercraft meant to keep the dam secure and assist in rescue operations. The Daggett County Sheriff's Office says the craft landed Saturday at the Lucerne Valley Marina Complex outside Manila, Utah. The hovercraft uses air to float above water, ice or land. Officials say it will help them access the dam during winter months when normal boats are dry docked or ice blocks access. Deputies say they want to have more ice rescue options especially as burbot fishing becomes more popular. The hovercraft hails from Washington state and was purchased with a Homeland Security grant.

Wyo.'s link to Super Bowl is man behind the scenes

Wyoming's lone connection to the Super Bowl wasn't be out on the field, but behind the scenes keeping the Baltimore Ravens' corporate sponsors happy. University of Wyoming alum Kevin Rochlitz is the vice president of national partnerships and sales for the Ravens. Rochlitz's father, Ken, was a legendary basketball coach at Northwest College in Powell. Kevin Rochlitz said he grew up in a gymnasium and decided early that he wanted to be on the administrative side of things. Rochlitz was one of the youngest assistant athletic directors in the country at Fresno State University. He signed on with the Ravens in 2003.

New BLM policy focus: 'Compassion' for wild horses

The Bureau of Land Management is issuing new policy directives emphasizing "compassion and concern" for wild horses on federal lands in the West, in response to alleged abuse during roundups of thousands of mustangs in recent years. U.S. laws protecting wild horses since the 1970s require the government to treat them humanely when culling overpopulated herds to reduce harm to public rangeland. But BLM officials say a series of new internal policy memos issued Friday will better protect free-roaming horses and burros by centralizing oversight and stepping up daily reports at individual gathers across 12 Western states. Among other things, helicopter contractors will have to take extra care not to separate slower, newborn animals from their mothers during roundup stampedes.

Court rules against term limits for Wyo. officials

The Wyoming Supreme Court has sided with Secretary of State Max Maxfield in ruling that term limits for him and most other statewide elected officials are unconstitutional. Friday's ruling covers the offices of secretary of state, auditor, treasurer and superintendent of public instruction. The court didn't rule on the question of whether term limits for the office of governor are constitutional. The ruling follows a 2004 decision that overturned term limits for state legislators. Voters approved term limits by initiative in 1992. The court says qualifications for state offices are spelled out in the Wyoming Constitution and requirements can only be changed by constitutional amendment, not state statute. Maxfield, who's now in his second term as secretary of state, filed the legal challenge in 2011 in his individual capacity.