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• Slumping natural gas prices force budget cuts in Wyoming

  April 24, 2012 1:02 AM

  CHEYENNE - As natural gas prices nosedive, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead is directing all state agencies to prepare for across the board budget cuts of up to eivght percent for the next 2-year budget period. State agencies were already preparing 4 percent cuts for fiscal year 20-14. But, with... more »

• Wyoming top tax friendly state for business, Montana 8th

  January 27, 2012 11:40 PM

  Wyoming is the most tax friendly state, for the second year in a row. Montana is ranked eighth in the Tax Foundation's recently released Business Tax Climate index. South Dakota ranks second, followed by Nevada, Alaska, and Florida. Wyoming was also number one last year. Montana fell one spot from... more »

• Verizon service working after being down 7-1/2 hours

  January 8, 2012 11:45 AM

  BILLINGS, MT - Verizon cell phone service came back around 8:30 Sunday morning in Montana and Northern Wyoming. Verizon media relations manager Bob Kelley, based in Denver, says engineers ran into an issue with a switch while installing new software, around 1:00 Sunday morning. Kelley says Normally at this time,... more »

• Magazine lists companies from Montana and Wyoming among best

  October 26, 2011 11:41 PM

  Outside Magazine names two Montana businesses and one from Wyoming, on its list of America's best places to work in 20-11. The magazine picked 50 companies, including Mercury CSC in Bozeman at number 16, River Design Group in Whitefish at number 22 and the National Outdoor Leadership School in Lander,... more »

• Ed's Alamanac: Cold and wet winter forecast

  September 19, 2011 10:31 AM

  The official start of autumn is coming up on Friday. So, this seemed like a good time to look ahead to the cold months of the year. The Climate Prediction Center has issued new fall and winter forecasts that include a strong likely-hood of a La Nina influence again this... more »

• Kayaking accident on Big Horn Lake claims two lives

  August 31, 2011 1:19 AM

  BIG HORN LAKE, WY - Strong winds ended in tragedy Monday evening on Big Horn Lake in northern Wyoming. The Powell Tribune reports that two children are dead after extreme waves hit a family that was kayaking on the lake. John and Janice Harder and their six children were... more »

• Heart Mountain officially opens learning center Play Video

  August 20, 2011 9:18 PM

  HEART MOUNTAIN, WY- The Taiko drumming inside the tent at the dedication ceremony of the new Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center closely resembled the rest of the festivities of the day at the site of the old internment camp: lively, heartfelt and resounding. The event was strongly attended, many... more »

• Patriot Tour leaves Billings for Wyoming Play Video

  August 13, 2011 6:36 PM

  BILLINGS - The Nation of Patriots left Beartooth Harley Davidson in Billings to head for Cody, Wyoming on the next leg of the Patriot Tour, Saturday morning The Patriot Tour motorcycle ride honors America's Service men and women. The ride started in Wisconsin on May 28 and came through Missoula,... more »

• Wyoming's Alan Simpson on political gridlock in Washington Play Video

  August 11, 2011 9:45 PM

  CODY, WY - The current state of affairs in the nation's Capitol, even has one of the country's most colorful politicians searching for words. Fortunately in the case of former Wyoming Senator Alan Simpson, that's never been a problem. The man who co-chaired President Obama's Deficit Reduction Commission for... more »

• Fire in Wyoming at nearly 14,000 acrews

  July 31, 2011 12:18 PM

  DUBOIS, WY - A fire in Wyoming has grown to 13,700 acres, in the Shoshone National Forest. The Norton Point fire is about 24 miles north of Dubois, Wyoming. The fire was at 11,000 acres on Saturday. The Incident commander says even with thick cloud cover, the fire is spreading... more »

• House explodes in Powell; natural gas likely source

  June 27, 2011 6:57 PM

  POWELL, WYOMING - A home south of Powell, Wyoming was destroyed Sunday night when it exploded and burned to the ground. Powell Fire Chief Joey Darrah tells Q2 News that no one was injured in the blast, but the force of the explosion damaged another home in the same... more »

• Wyoming first to use Google Apps for Government

  June 23, 2011 12:27 AM

  CHEYNNE, WY - Wyoming's 10,000 state employees will be the first to use Google Apps for Government. Governor Matt Mead made the announcement, along with a Google executive. The Governor says this puts all employees on a single email platform. "The opportunity to bring Google in as a platform was... more »

• Montana's Girls, Wyoming's Boys complete sweeps

  June 12, 2011 12:39 AM

  BILLINGS - It looked like it would be a Montana sweep on the basketball court at the Fortin Center tonight. Instead, it was only Montana's girls who were able to hold on to a lead. The Treasure State girls all-stars never trailed against Wyoming, taking a 45-31 lead into... more »

• Montana girls win, boys lose on night one of All-Star series

  June 11, 2011 12:55 AM

  SHERIDAN, WY. - Montana's girls held up their end of the bargain. The boys however have some work to do back home. The Montana Girls Basketball All-Stars beat Wyoming's best, 94-65, on the opening night of the Montana-Wyoming All Star series, winning their 8th straight game in the series... more »

• Bus drivers charged with DUI in Yellowstone Park

  June 6, 2011 8:35 PM

  MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY. - Two bus drivers taken into custody last Friday in Yellowstone National Park on suspicion of drunk driving made their initial court appearances Monday. Jack Parrent, Jr., 44, and Kevin Leon Stark, 42, both of Bozeman, Montana, appeared Monday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen... more »

• Yellowstone crews struggle to open Park roads

  June 3, 2011 10:19 PM

  YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WY - Spring clearing of the Beartooth Highway will resume next Monday following a week-long cleanup and safety assessment of a rock slide that temporarily closed the road between Mammoth Hot Springs and Tower Junction. That road reopened to traffic on June 1. Because the May... more »

• Beartooth Highway open to Montana / Wyoming state line

  June 1, 2011 11:52 PM

  BILLINGS - The Montana Department of Highways reports that the Beartooth Pass is now open to the Montana/Wyoming state line. The roadway is mostly dry. The Pass is still closed on the Wyoming side so motorists still need to find an alternate route to Cooke City. It is... more »

• Beartooth Highway opening delayed until early June

  May 25, 2011 1:04 AM

  YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WY. - For the first time since 2005, the Beartooth Highway will not open in time for the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Each year, Yellowstone crews plow 31 miles of the famed, scenic highway linking the communities of Cooke City and Red Lodge, Montana. This... more »

• Snow slide closes Yellowstone's Sylvan Pass

  May 11, 2011 8:59 PM

  YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WY. - Yellowstone National Park officials report that a series of snow slides have closed the Sylvan Pass west of Cody. The latest slide that occurred Wednesday, left the parks east entrance road blocked by a snow debris field that is 70 yards wide and 20-30... more »

• Wyoming man biking from Meeteetse to Alaska

  May 8, 2011 6:40 PM

  BILLINGS - After 56 years of ranching, a Meeteese man will take a break for a journey from Wyoming to Alaska, on his bicycle. Fred Thomas said goodbye to his family this morning in Billings, on the second leg of a 2,918 mile trip. He's doing the trip alone because... more »

• New bear spray canister recycling effort unveiled

  May 6, 2011 10:30 PM

  BOZEMAN - It is a recycling machine like none other. Yellowstone area partners unveiled a new bear spray canister recycling effort Friday. "This is the only one on the planet," said Yellowstone National Park Environmental Protection Specialist Jim Evanoff. "This is the first time it's being unveiled for... more »

• Park officials say public input is key to new winter use plan

  May 5, 2011 9:31 PM

  MAMMOTH - Yellowstone National Park spokesman Al Nash says Park leaders will pay close attention to public comments about a proposed new Winter Use Plan before finalizing any new rules. Nash made his comments just minutes before a scheduled conference call to discuss the elements of the draft, or proposed... more »

• Wyoming wildlife officers catch, relocate huge grizzly

  May 4, 2011 12:50 AM

  MEETEETSE, Wyo. - Wyoming state wildlife officers have caught their first grizzly bear of the season. And he was a big one. Wyoming Game and Fish officials caught the bear Tuesday near Meeteetse. The Casper Star-Tribune reports the grizzly weighed 520 pounds, one of the biggest bears wildlife... more »

• Supreme Court sides with Wyoming in water dispute

  May 2, 2011 10:31 AM

  WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court says Wyoming is not taking too much water from a river system it shares with Montana. The high court on Monday turned away Montana's complaint that Wyoming is taking too much water from the Tongue and Powder rivers in violation of a 1950 agreement... more »

• Vacutech delivering on promise to create Wyoming

  May 1, 2011 12:42 AM

  SHERIDAN, WY - Leaders at the vacuum systems company Vacutech say they're delivering on a promise to create jobs in Sheridan, Wyo. Colorado-based Vacutech co-owner John Tucker and his brother said in October that they would relocate their business to Sheridan, create jobs and work with Sheridan College to train... more »

• Wyoming Medical Center emergency department done

  May 1, 2011 12:39 AM

  CASPER, WY - The Wyoming Medical Center has officially completed a remodel of its emergency department. A celebration Friday marked the end of construction. The primary hospital in Casper at times had to treat patients in hallway because the emergency department was so crowded. Television station K2TV in Casper reports... more »

• Riverton city officials support higher beer tax

  April 28, 2011 9:06 PM

  RIVERTON, Wyo. - Riverton city officials are proposing to raise Wyoming's malt beverage tax. Since 1935, the tax on beer in Wyoming has been set at 2 cents per gallon. But Riverton Mayor Ron Warpness has suggested changing the rate to align with the national average of 28... more »

• State seeks tip in slaughter of 6 antelope

  April 28, 2011 6:13 PM

  RIVERTON, Wyo. - Wyoming wildlife officials are asking the public's help in finding whoever shot and killed at least six pronghorn bucks in Fremont County. KTAK radio in Riverton reported Thursday that the animals were left to rot. Wyoming Game and Fish Department Warden Chris Daubin calls it a... more »

• Partner pulls out of Colorado mining project

  April 25, 2011 10:06 PM

  RIVERTON, WY - A Wyoming company that wants to mine molybdenum (ma-LIB'-de-nem) on a mountain in western Colorado says its partner in the project has decided to pull out. Riverton-based U.S. Energy Corp. said Monday that Thompson Creek Metals Co. Inc. has terminated its option agreement to mine the... more »

• Wyoming missing skiers buried in avalanche found dead

  April 24, 2011 8:51 PM

  JACKSON, WY - Two skiers swept up in a massive avalanche while they slept were found dead Sunday after a six-day search, a Grand Teton National Park official said. Rescuers recovered the bodies of 27-year-old Walker Pannell Kuhl and 31-year-old Gregory Seftick after digging into about 15 feet of snow,... more »

• Searchers plan to resume effort in Tetons Saturday

  April 22, 2011 8:58 PM

  CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Search teams plan to resume looking Saturday for two climbers feared buried by an avalanche in Grand Teton National Park. Walker Pannell Kuhl of Salt Lake City and Gregory Seftick, a Minnesota native who's been living in Columbia Falls, Mont., haven't been seen since last Saturday.... more »

• Avalanches still danger in spring snowpack

  April 22, 2011 3:23 PM

  JACKSON, Wyo. - Wyoming ski resorts may be closed, but there's still plenty of snow in the backcountry for skiers to enjoy. But officials warn that avalanches remain a serious danger. Experts warn that dangers will persist well into June at higher elevations. Bob Comey, of the Bridger... more »

• Wyoming lawmakers undecided on juvenile justice issue

  April 21, 2011 8:09 PM

  WORLAND, WY - Wyoming lawmakers want to hear more from both sides before they can decide whether to endorse Gov. Matt Mead's proposal to create a unified juvenile court system. Gary Hartman is Mead's justice policy adviser. Hartman told members of the Legislature's Joint Judiciary Committee in Worland on Thursday... more »

• Snowfall suspends search for missing men in Tetons

  April 21, 2011 6:58 PM

  CHEYENNE - Snowy weather has suspended the search for two men feared buried by an avalanche during a climbing trip in the Tetons last weekend. Twenty-seven-year-old Walker Pannell Kuhl, of Salt Lake City, and 31-year-old Gregory Seftick, a Minnesota native living in Columbia Falls, Mont., haven't been seen since... more »

• Search continues for missing climbers in Wyoming

  April 20, 2011 8:19 PM

  CHEYENNE - A search for two men who set out on skis and planned to climb in the Tetons continued a third day Wednesday without turning up so much as a footprint. Walker Kuhl, 27, of Salt Lake City, and Gregory Seftick, 31, of Columbia Falls, Mont., were last... more »

• Gov. Mead visits Wyoming troops in Cuba

  April 20, 2011 1:10 AM

  CHEYENNE - Gov. Matt Mead has visited some Wyoming troops stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The governor left Wyoming Sunday with top officials from the Wyoming Army National Guard. Security concerns kept Mead's office from announcing where he had gone until he arrived back in the United States on... more »

• Wyoming jobless rate unchanged in March

  April 20, 2011 12:54 AM

  CHEYENNE - Wyoming's unemployment rate remained at 6.2 percent in March. The Wyoming Department of Employment says Sublette County had the state's lowest jobless rate at 3.9 percent. Albany County had the second lowest rate at 4.9 percent, followed by Campbell County at 5 percent. Lincoln County... more »

• Teams search for 2 missing skiers in Tetons

  April 20, 2011 12:49 AM

  CHEYENNE - Rescue teams on skis and in a helicopter searched in deep snow Tuesday for two men who were missing in Grand Teton National Park. Thirty-year-old Walter Kuhl of Salt Lake City and 31-year-old Gregory Seftick of Columbia Falls, Mont., were last seen near the entrance of Garnet... more »

• Encana project could add 3,500 gas wells in Wyoming

  April 16, 2011 12:14 AM

  CHEYENNE, WY - A proposed project would potentially double the number of gas wells that have been drilled to date in western Wyoming's biggest gas fields. Encana Oil & Gas, USA proposes to drill as many as 3,500 gas wells on 220 square miles of as-yet undrilled land in the... more »

• 9-year-old honored for turning in loaded gun

  April 15, 2011 12:16 PM

  SHERIDAN, WY - A Sheridan County boy has received an Outstanding Citizen Award from the local sheriff's department for turning in a loaded pistol he found. The Sheridan Press reports that members of the sheriff's office on Wednesday honored Joshua Thayer, a fourth-grader at Ranchester Elementary. Sheriff Dave Hofmeier says... more »

• Wyoming ozone season ends, 13 days topped EPA limit

  April 14, 2011 11:07 PM

  CHEYENNE, WY - Pinedale mayor Steve Smith says he plans to meet with state regulators in Cheyenne next week to discuss high ozone levels caused by gas fields near his western Wyoming town. Warmer weather and melting snow have ended the ozone problem for the year, but ozone levels exceeded... more »

• Pew Study: Wyoming prison recidivism rate far below national average

  April 14, 2011 1:02 AM

  ATLANTA - A new study says Wyoming's prison recidivism rate is one of the lowest in the country. The study released Wednesday by the Pew Center on the States says Wyoming and Oregon had the lowest overall recidivism rates for offenders released in 2004, with rates hovering below 25 percent.... more »

• Wyoming man killed in crash north of Glendive

  April 13, 2011 11:51 PM

  HELENA - The Montana Highway Patrol says a 27-year-old man was killed in a crash after he apparently fell asleep while driving on Montana Highway 16 about 20 miles north of Glendive. Dawson County Coroner Lance Silha identified the victim as Terry James Bethancourt of Rock Springs, Wyoming. ... more »

• Camp Guernsey safety issues lead to deer harvest

  April 10, 2011 10:22 PM

  GUERNSEY, WY - The Camp Guernsey Joint Training Center has received a special permit from the state to kill 20 mule deer that gather on and near the camp's runway. The Wyoming National Guard says the permit was granted by the state Game and Fish Department. The guard says increased... more »

• Casper man sentenced to life in kidnapping case

  April 10, 2011 10:17 PM

  CASPER, WY - A 25-year-old Casper man has been sentenced to life in prison for his conviction of kidnapping and burglary. The Casper Star-Tribune reported that Christopher Counts received the lengthy sentenced after being deemed a habitual criminal. A jury in December convicted Counts. Counts was arrested after police say... more »

• EPA considers Laramie County for fracking study

  April 10, 2011 10:15 PM

  CHEYENNE, WY - Laramie County may be the site of the Environmental Protection Agency's study on the potential dangers to groundwater of hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking. The process pumps water and chemicals deep underground at high pressure to help extract trapped oil and natural gas. The Wyoming Tribune... more »

• Laramie man sentenced to 40 years for DUI crash

  April 10, 2011 10:10 PM

  LARAMIE, WY - A judge sentenced a Laramie man with an extensive criminal record to up to 40 years in prison for a DUI accident that seriously injured two people last April. The Laramie Daily Boomerang reported Saturday that 36-year-old Gary Allen James received a 32 to 40 year sentence... more »

• Enzi hopes budget passage is real progress in reducing "country-busting deficit"

  April 9, 2011 12:17 PM

  WASHINGTON - Senator Mike Enzi issued a statement after Congress passed the budget. "I'm pleased the Senate, House and White House have come to an agreement to fund the federal government for another week," said Enzi, a member of the Senate Budget Committee. "I hope that the details of... more »

• Barrasso proposes clean coal innovation bill

  April 7, 2011 9:18 PM

  CHEYENNE, Wyo. - U.S. Sen. John Barrasso is making another attempt to encourage innovation and investment in technology to capture and store carbon dioxide. The Wyoming Republican has joined with Democratic Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico in introducing a bill to help inspire new clean air technology. Wyoming... more »

• Businesses outside Yellowstone National Park bracing for possibility of government shutdown

  April 6, 2011 9:34 PM

  GARDINER, Mont. - With the possibility of a government shutdown looming, people who work outside the gates of Yellowstone National Park are growing nervous about how it could impact their businesses. The White House and Republican leaders in Washington reported they have made some progress on averting a partial... more »

• Wyoming senators favor ban on EPA climate rules

  April 6, 2011 7:18 PM

  CHEYENNE - Wyoming Republican Sens. John Barrasso and Mike Enzi voted for a proposal to ban the Environmental Protection Agency from controlling the gases blamed for global warming. However, the GOP supported effort failed on a 50-50 vote in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday. The proposal would have... more »

• Three people rescued in Wyoming from stranded vehicle

  April 5, 2011 6:03 PM

  ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. - A Rock Springs couple and a Wamsutter man are OK after being rescued when their vehicle became stuck in a snowstorm in Sweetwater County. Sweetwater County Sheriff Rich Haskell says the three were rescued Sunday morning near Superior. Haskell says a search began after... more »

• Wyoming town's 4 residents counted after Census snafu

  April 3, 2011 11:46 AM

  LOST SPRINGS, WY - The Wyoming town of Lost Springs can finally count on the Census to get its population correct: Four, not one. The Casper Star-Tribune reports that the Census Bureau somehow missed four other residents of the town when it counted only one person in 2000. The cause... more »

• Coulter brings conservative rebuttal to Wyoming

  April 1, 2011 12:38 AM

  LARAMIE, WY - Ann Coulter brought her edgy brand of conservatism to the University of Wyoming, just a year after controversy erupted there over an appearance by a Vietnam-era radical. Despite an hour-long weather delay, her appearance Thursday night drew about 1,500 people, including about three dozen protesters. A few... more »

• Sheridan Police stop scam worth more than $400,000

  March 31, 2011 10:54 PM

  SHERIDAN, WY - Police in Sheridan stopped an internet scam that saved potential victims hundreds of thousands of dollars. US Customs alerted the police. The two agencies along with the US Postal Service intercepted $433,063.80 in fake money orders. Because of the law enforcement, 468 people avoided becoming victims and... more »

• Winds force I-25 truck closure south of Cheyenne

  March 31, 2011 6:23 PM

  CHEYENNE - High winds have forced the closure of Interstate 25 to lightweight, high-profile vehicles from Cheyenne south to the Colorado border. A truck was blown over on the interstate Thursday afternoon as winds gusted to nearly 60 mph. The Wyoming Department of Transportation says forecasts call for increasing... more »

• Wyoming officials continue wolf talks with feds

  March 29, 2011 8:58 PM

  CHEYENNE - Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead says he believes the state is making some progress toward getting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to accept that wolves should be classified as unprotected predators in most of the state. Mead met last week with Interior Secretary Ken Salazar in Cheyenne... more »

• FDA issues recall for Costco cantaloupes

  March 23, 2011 9:33 PM

  CORAL GABLES, FL -- If you recently bought a cantaloupe from Costco, you may want to return it. The Food and Drug Administration issued a voluntary recall of cantaloupes sold at Costco stores in Montana and through warehouse clubs across the West because they may be contaminated with Salmonella.... more »

• Interior Secretary optimistic on Wyoming wolf talks

  March 22, 2011 5:51 PM

  CHEYENNE - Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says he's optimistic the federal government can come to agreement with the state of Wyoming on how to lift federal protections for wolves in the state. The Obama administration last week announced a settlement with environmental groups that could lift federal wolf protections... more »

• Salazar In Wyoming Tuesday for 'major energy announcement'

  March 21, 2011 9:01 PM

  CHEYENNE - Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is headed to Cheyenne to make what's being billed as a "major energy announcement." Gov. Matt Mead plans to join Salazar for Tuesday's announcement. Interior Department spokeswoman Kendra Barkoff declined to say Monday what the announcement will be about. Mead spokesman Renny... more »

• Will Japan turn to Wyoming for fuel?

  March 18, 2011 9:05 PM

  CASPER, WY - Analysts expect Japan's nuclear power plant troubles will cause that country to turn more to coal, fuel oil and natural gas to meet its energy needs. But it's uncertain what that new demand will mean for Wyoming, a major United States producer of both coal and natural... more »

• Wyoming may allow access to investment records

  March 18, 2011 8:57 PM

  CHEYENNE - Wyoming State Treasurer Joe Meyer says he expects a private equity fund will disclose how it has invested state money following an open records request filed by The Associated Press. Cheyenne Capital Fund is Wyoming's main private equity investment manager. It manages roughly $180 million in state... more »

• Gov. Mead trims administration's payroll

  March 18, 2011 8:48 PM

  CHEYENNE, WY - Gov. Matt Mead has trimmed the payroll in the governor's office by roughly $100,000 a year, state records show. The annual payroll for Mead and 21 people on the governor's staff is just over $1.6 million. Gov. Dave Freudenthal and his equivalent staff were paid just over... more »

• Wyoming fisherman rescued from floating ice

  March 17, 2011 8:26 PM

  RIVERTON, Wyo. - Search and rescue crews have successfully retrieved an elderly fisherman trapped on a floating block of ice on a lake in Fremont County. The incident occurred on Ocean Lake Wednesday afternoon. The Fremont County Sheriff's Office says a 71-year-old man was ice fishing when the... more »

• Greg Phillips sworn in as Wyoming attorney general

  March 14, 2011 9:03 PM

  CHEYENNE - Greg Phillips has been sworn in as Wyoming's 35th attorney general. The 50-year-old Phillips took the oath of office Monday from Wyoming Supreme Court Chief Justice Marilyn Kite at the Supreme Court building in Cheyenne. Gov. Matt Mead nominated Phillips. The Wyoming State Senate confirmed him... more »

• 3 oil tanks burn near Gillette, no one hurt

  March 13, 2011 12:06 PM

  GILLETTE, WY - A cluster of large oil tanks caught fire east of Gillette over the weekend and sent flames a hundred feet into the air. Campbell County Fire Department division chief Dale Izatt says the blaze broke out around 5 p.m. Friday about 20 miles from Gillette near the... more »

• Montana feds negotiating areas for buffalo to roam

  March 10, 2011 12:40 AM

  BILLINGS, MT - Montana and federal officials are negotiating a proposal to open a large area north of Yellowstone National Park to roaming bison during winter - a move aimed at relieving pressure to slaughter the disease-bearing animals when they leave the park. Officials from several agencies told The Associated... more »

• Wyoming Senators seek to expand US beef trade

  March 9, 2011 8:48 PM

  CHEYENNE- Wyoming U.S. Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso are supporting new efforts to get Japan to fully open its market to U.S. beef. The two Republicans joined with 25 of their colleagues in sending a letter to President Barack Obama on the issue. They want Obama to... more »

• Yellowstone's winter season drawing to a close

  March 7, 2011 9:10 AM

  YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WY - The winter season at Yellowstone National Park is drawing to a close. Park officials say all snowmobile and snowcoach travel on park roads is set to end on March 15. Some routes will close earlier. Crews plan to begin plowing the roads to get ready... more »

• Wyoming man dies after falling into Nevada mine shaft

  March 6, 2011 12:12 PM

  RENO, NV - A Wyoming father of five children has died after falling into a Nevada mine shaft so deep and treacherous that rescuers had to abandon efforts to reach him while he was still alive. Twenty-eight-year-old Devin Westenskow of Evanston, Wyo., worked at a geothermal drilling operation in Nevada... more »

• Report: Favors to Wyoming BLM official in land deal

  March 4, 2011 11:40 PM

  CHEYENNE, WY - An inspector general report found that a U.S. Bureau of Land Management official in Wyoming failed to report free dinners and other special treatment from the beneficiary of a public-private land exchange. The report focuses on Casper Field Office Manager James Murkin, who oversaw a land exchange... more »

• Governor Mead says health program should save cash

  March 4, 2011 8:23 PM

  CHEYENNE - Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead says he's hopeful a health care pilot program will show the state how to craft an alternative to the federal Medicaid program. Mead met with reporters Friday in Cheyenne, the day after adjournment of the legislative session that started in January. Up... more »

• Lander toddler hit by car, dies of injuries

  March 3, 2011 10:41 PM

  LANDER, WY- A 3-year-old Lander girl who was struck by a car in the parking lot of the Lander swimming pool has died. Fremont County Coroner Ed McAuslan says the girl may have wandered from her mother and into the path of the car Thursday morning. Police were interviewing witnesses.... more »

• Wyoming Legislature has adjourned

  March 3, 2011 10:36 PM

  CHEYENNE, WY - The Wyoming Legislature adjourned Thursday with legislative leaders and Gov. Matt Mead claiming success in addressing economic issues and providing necessary education reform. Senate President Jim Anderson told reporters that lawmakers "went to great effort" and "made some great strides" in the session that started Jan. 11... more »

• Wyoming census reflects growth in energy boom areas

  March 3, 2011 5:28 PM

  CHEYENNE - U.S. Census data show Wyoming's natural gas industry is responsible for large population gains around the state. Data released Thursday show Gillette's population increased 48 percent between 2000 and 2010 to just over 29,000. Drilling for coal-bed methane caused the population of Gillette and surrounding Campbell County... more »

• Obama's approval rating lowest in Wyoming

  March 3, 2011 11:16 AM

  President Barak Obama's nationwide approval rating in the past year is just shy of 50%. But not in Wyoming. And not in most states in the west. According to the Gallup organization most approving residents hail from Hawaii, where President Obama was born, and the District of Columbia, with approval... more »

• Work continues on Yellowstone Winter Use Plan

  March 3, 2011 10:00 AM

  WEST YELLOWSTONE - The National Park Service continues work on a new Winter Use Plan for Yellowstone National Park. This plan will govern use of snowmobiles and snow coaches within park borders. There's also another option being discussed, an option not receiving as much attention, an idea to plow... more »

• Yellowstone employees celebrate park anniversary with news they still get to work

  March 1, 2011 10:57 PM

  BOZEMAN - Yellowstone National Park employees will be heading back to work Wednesday. This after the U.S. House passes a bill to avert a partial shutdown of the federal government for two more weeks. The bill passed 335 to 91 Tuesday in Washington. It cuts federal spending by $4... more »

• Trimmed-down gay marriage bill heads to Wyoming House

  March 1, 2011 9:06 PM

  CHEYENNE - The Wyoming House of Representatives is set to consider a bare-bones bill that would specify that only marriages between one man and one woman would be valid in the state. A conference committee on Tuesday voted to remove contentious language the state Senate had inserted that would... more »

• Barnes out from Casper economic alliance

  February 27, 2011 11:46 AM

  CASPER, WY - Robert Barnes has resigned as president and CEO of the Casper Area Economic Development Alliance, two weeks after he was suspended with pay. The Casper Star-Tribune reported Saturday that the organization announced his resignation in a news release. Barnes resignation follows criticism over an evaluation process last... more »

• Wyoming Legislature enters final week

  February 27, 2011 11:43 AM

  CHEYENNE, WY - Leaders of the Wyoming Legislature say improved state oversight of public schools should stand as the biggest achievement of the session that's now entering its final week. House Speaker Ed Buchanan and Senate President Jim Anderson say lawmakers came into this session determined to demand more accountability... more »

• Day at the Wyoming Legislature

  February 25, 2011 11:35 PM

  CHEYENNE, WY - Developments on the 33rd day of the 2011 General Session of the Wyoming Legislature, Fri., Feb. 25, 2011: CONCEALED WEAPONS - The House approved a bill that would allow people to carry concealed guns without a permit. It now goes to Gov. Matt Mead for his consideration.... more »

• Wyoming Senate defeats bill on public records access

  February 25, 2011 12:48 AM

  CHEYENNE, WY - The Wyoming State Senate has defeated a bill that would have required state government entities to produce public records within seven days of receiving a request for inspection from the press or the public. The Senate voted 10-19 against the public records bill after several senators said... more »

• Wyoming Livestock Board director submits resignation

  February 25, 2011 12:43 AM

  CHEYENNE, WY - The director of the Wyoming Livestock Board has submitted his resignation amid conflict with board members about how to run the state agency. The agency is in charge of protecting the state's cattle, sheep and other livestock from disease and rustling. Jim Schwartz has been director since... more »

• Wyoming uphill skier arrested for going wrong way up mountain

  February 22, 2011 12:14 PM

  JACKSON, WY. - If you are going to ski in Wyoming, don't try to do it uphill. That's the lesson that retired doctor Roland Fleck learned the hard way after cops handcuffed the 78-year-old and hauled him off the mountain for unsafe skiing. Fleck was arrested the morning... more »

• Ex-officer pleads not guilty to assaulting wife

  February 20, 2011 12:07 PM

  CHEYENNE, WY - A former Cheyenne police officer has pleaded not guilty to charges that he handcuffed his wife, pointed a handgun at her and their infant son and then threatened to kill her and himself. Twenty-five-year-old Scott T. Kritzmire appeared in court Friday on charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault... more »

• In Wyoming, push to mine rare earths in US forest

  February 20, 2011 11:55 AM

  SUNDANCE, WY - A Canadian company hoping to compete with China's near-monopoly of rare earth elements wants to open a strip mine inside a national forest in Wyoming. Rare earth elements are an obscure group of metals critical for manufacturing everything from wind turbines to hybrid cars and a range... more »

• Mead announces new, retained agency heads

  February 18, 2011 11:47 PM

  CHEYENNE, WY - Gov. Matt Mead has made several new appointments including a director of the Department of Family Services and head of the Office of State Lands and Investments. Also Friday, Mead announced a new adjutant general to lead the Wyoming Military Department: Luke Reiner, a colonel in the... more »

• Governor's decision to order wolf kills draws mixed reactions

  February 17, 2011 11:29 PM

  BOZEMAN - Reaction is divided about Gov. Brian Schweitzer's announcement defying the Endangered Species Act and ordering Fish, Wildlife and Parks to kill entire wolf packs that are hunting elk and to stop investigating wolf killings. Montana's News Station reporter Judy Slate spoke with two people today representing two... more »

• Wyoming cattle herd quarantined after positive brucellosis test

  February 17, 2011 9:19 PM

  CHEYENNE - Another cattle herd in Park County has been quarantined because it has been found to possibly have the brucellosis livestock disease. It is the third livestock herd in Park County to be quarantined. Assistant State Veterinarian Bob Meyer says the latest herd is in the vicinity of... more »

• Wyoming bill wouldn't recognize medical pot cards

  February 17, 2011 9:56 AM

  CHEYENNE - A bill specifying that Wyoming won't recognize medical marijuana prescriptions is advancing at the state Capitol. The Senate gave preliminary approval to House Bill 69 on Wednesday. Last month the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that people who legally obtain medical marijuana in other states are not exempt from... more »

• House votes BLM budget cut over wild horse dispute

  February 16, 2011 11:25 PM

  RENO, NV - The U.S. House approved an amendment on a voice vote Wednesday that would cut the Bureau of Land Management's budget by $2 million in protest of the agency's wild horse roundups that some critics say are too costly and others say are inhumane. "It is just a... more »

• Wyoming Senate passes same-sex marriage bill

  February 16, 2011 6:00 PM

  CHEYENNE, WY - The Wyoming Senate has given preliminary approval to a bill that would ban state recognition of same-sex marriages performed elsewhere. The Senate voted 17-12 on Wednesday to approve the bill. Proponents of the bill say they want to defend Wyoming's traditional definition of marriage of... more »

• Wind tower manufacturing firm coming to Wyoming

  February 16, 2011 1:04 AM

  CHEYENNE - A wind tower manufacturing facility plans to set up shop in Cheyenne by early 2012. That word today from Wyoming Governor Matt Mead, who announed that Gestamp Renewables and the Worthington Energy Group, a subsidiary of Worthington Industries, Inc., will build its new facility in Cheyenne, under... more »