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TOP NEWS & FEATURES
Wyoming Hunters Back Deer Tag Cuts for Fall Harvest
NEWS ACROSS WYOMING: Casper Pride More Important this Year Amid Growing Backlash, Organizers Say—Casper Star-Tribune
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NEWS ACROSS WYOMING: Casper Pride More Important this Year Amid Growing Backlash, Organizers Say—Casper Star-Tribune ●
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Is the Outside of Your Car Fair Game for Canine Cops? High Court Says Yes
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National Park Service Seeks Public’s Help in Identifying Wildlife Harassers
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Amid Fed Crackdown, Bankers Question the Point of Wyoming’s Planned Cryptocurrency
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REGIONAL NEWS
(AP Photo/Thom Bridge/Independent Record)
Youth Environmentalists Bring Montana Climate Case to Trial After 12 Years, Seeking to Set Precedent
June 11, 2023
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Whether a constitutional right to a healthy, livable climate is protected by state law is at the center of a lawsuit going to trial Monday in Montana, where 16 young plaintiffs and their attorneys hope to set an important legal…
NATIONAL NEWS
(AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Abstinence Not Required: How a Baltimore Drug Treatment Program Prioritizes Saving Lives
June 11, 2023
BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Kelly trudged through southwest Baltimore, each labored footstep a reminder of the roofing accident that left him with chronic pain and a raging opioid addiction several years after he returned home from serving in the…
WORLD NEWS
(AP Photo)
Ukraine’s Dam Collapse is Both a fast-Moving Disaster and a Slow-Moving Ecological Catastrophe
June 11, 2023
KHERSON, Ukraine (AP) — The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam was a fast-moving disaster that is swiftly evolving into a long-term environmental catastrophe affecting drinking water, food supplies and ecosystems reaching into the Black Sea.
REGIONAL NEWS
(AP Photo/Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office)
Ex-GOP Candidate to Remain Jailed in Connection with Drive-Bys at Lawmakers’ Homes
June 10, 2023
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A judge ruled that a failed political candidate will remain jailed on federal charges that include election interference related to a series of drive-by shootings at the…
NATIONAL NEWS
(AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Elvis Presley’s Cousin Lifts Democrats’ Hopes in Mississippi Governor’s Race
June 11, 2023
GRENADA, Miss. (AP) — Conservative Mississippi is tough territory for Democrats, but the party sees an unusual opportunity this year to unseat first-term Republican Gov. Tate Reeves. They’re pinning hopes in November on a candidate with a…
WORLD NEWS
(AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)
Lawmakers Say UK’s Planned Law to Deport Channel Migrants Breaches Rights Obligations
June 11, 2023
LONDON (AP) — A committee of British lawmakers said Sunday that the U.K. will break its international human rights commitments if it goes through with government plans to detain and deport people…
WYOMING NEWS BRIEF
Portraits in Education
For graduates, each journey is unique as they navigate the hallways of high school and ultimately enter the foyer of adulthood. A portrait of a Jackson graduate is painted with the care and commitment of families, community and educators against the global backdrops of immigration and pandemic, and then framed in a rugged western landscape as only life in the Tetons can define. All the classes of 2023 carry a kind of hope we long for, the kind of enthusiasm we remember, and the fingerprint of a community they will carry with them as they go.
WYOMING NEWS BRIEF
SJHS Awarded New $100,000 Fitness Center
SHERIDAN — The National Foundation for Governors’ Fitness Councils (NFGFC) selected Sheridan Junior High School to receive a new $100,000 fitness center facility.
The award is part of the DON’T QUIT! Campaign, spearheaded by NFGFC Chair and fitness icon Jake Steinfeld. Schools must apply to receive the gift, which is funded by private and public partnerships with companies such as Coca-Cola and Nike. No taxpayer money or state funds are used. Layout design, delivery of equipment, installation and basic training are included in the award, according to the NFGFC website.
WYOMING NEWS BRIEF
Library Board Passes New Collection Development Policy
The Campbell County Public Library Board passed an amended collection development policy Thursday night on a 3-2 vote.
The vote comes after months of work, dozens of public comments and some help from the Florida nonprofit Liberty Counsel.
Board members Charlie Anderson and Darcie Lyon voted against the policy, while board chair Sage Bear and board members Chelsie Collier and Charles Butler voted for it.
Two horses give each other back itches during a foggy morning in Jackson, Wyoming. (Wyoming Truth photo by Matt Stirn)
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Wyoming, GOP Leaders Rush to Defend Trump After Classified Documents Indictment
Former president faces 37 criminal counts over his alleged withholding and sharing of state secrets
WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump was indicted on Thursday on federal criminal charges over his alleged mishandling of classified documents and attempts to obstruct the investigation into the matter, the first such charges against a former president in American history.
The indictment, unsealed Friday, charges Trump with 37 counts of criminal activity: 31 counts of violating the Espionage Act by “willfully” retaining classified information, and six counts pertaining to alleged attempts to obstruct the investigation by directing associates to lie on his behalf and conceal materials from investigators.
FRIDAY FOCUS: The Cheyenne Way at the ‘Daddy of ‘Em All’
John Contos on the volunteers and innovations that make Cheyenne Frontier Days ‘something special’
As a boy, John Contos would sit on his grandfather’s shoeshine stand, located across from the historic Mayflower Cafe, to watch the Cheyenne Frontier Days parades as they passed by, before attending the events with his family. Little did he know he’d one day be in charge of the state’s premier event.
Now in his 40th year with Cheyenne Frontier Days, Contos, who worked his way up the ranks from parade committee volunteer to chairman of the board, will oversee the 10-day event for the second year as general chairman.
WYOMING SCHOOLS AT A CROSSROADS: Rural Teacher Corps Deploys to Fill Gaps in Country Classrooms
University of Wyoming education majors make connections, prepare for careers in small communities
Christian Pellatz grew up 10 miles outside the unincorporated community of Bill, Wyoming. Unofficial population: 11.
He attended Dry Creek Elementary School, a rural two-room school through 8th grade, with one other student in his class through fifth grade; he was the only student in his class in the sixth through eighth grades.
Like his peers from Bill, Pellatz rode a bus about 35 miles each morning to get to Douglas High School in the comparatively large town of Douglas. Population: 6,351.
Last-Minute Motions Filed in Drug Trial
Greybull man accused of dealing fentanyl requests venue change, additional evidence
Attorneys argued a flurry of last-minute motions on Tuesday at the pretrial conference for a Greybull man accused of selling fentanyl-laced opioids that the victim’s mother said led to the death of her son the very same day.
Anthony Michael Fuentes has been charged with four felony counts in Big Horn County of delivering a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, as well as a misdemeanor for possession of a controlled substance.
State Collects $122,000 from Traffic Stops in Southwest Wyoming
Authorities allowed to keep cash that was reportedly tied to drugs
What began as a pair of routine traffic stops in southwest Wyoming last fall and winter has turned into a $122,000 windfall for the state government.
A judge ruled last month that the State of Wyoming can keep $27,000 that troopers seized from a California man in November and $95,000 taken from two Virginia men in January. Uinta County District Court Judge James Kaste found that the money “was knowingly and unlawfully used or intended for use in violation of the Wyoming Controlled Substance Act.”
FRIDAY FOCUS: The Cheyenne Way at the ‘Daddy of ‘Em All’
Shelby Girten faces 20 years in prison
A Cheyenne man has been charged with distributing fentanyl after a dosage he sold earlier this year resulted in a young man’s death.
Shelby T. Girten, 27, was charged in U.S. District Court on Friday with distribution of fentanyl, a felony count that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on Feb. 6, Cheyenne Police Department officers were dispatched to a home where they found the body of a 20-year-old male, identified in court documents as “M.A.” Police discovered that the deceased had purchased fentanyl pills from Girten and used them the night before.
WOMEN TO KNOW IN WYOMING: Jackson Producer Tapped to Launch New Film Festival
From film industry fixer to festival director, Marni Walsh’s expertise brings the movies to the mountains
Last spring, Stuart Suna, founder of the renowned Hamptons International Film Festival in New York, decided to launch a film festival in Jackson Hole in December 2023. A Jackson resident since 2019, Suna wants to contribute to the culture of the community, telling the Wyoming Truth that a film festival is a great way to “bring art and commerce together, to help stimulate local economy and artistic imagination.”
From his experience with the New York festival, Suna knew a key component would be hiring an executive director who knows the ins and outs of the local film world. Enter Marni Walsh, Jackson resident and award-winning film and television producer.
THE FENTANYL FALLOUT: Taking the Fight Against Fentanyl to the Frontlines
After losing son to fentanyl, Greybull mother channels grief into action
Jordan Jackson had big plans. At 25, he was living in Cody and working as a technician at Bear Co. Tire. He’d talked about rejoining his heavy metal band and maybe even moving to Billings to be with his new girlfriend.
Those dreams were cut short, however, when Jackson took a pill laced with fentanyl that he thought was a prescription opioid. Half of a pill was enough to kill him. Jackson died on Jan. 2., and his body was discovered in his apartment the following day by his employer after he failed to report to work.
Jackson’s mother, Brenda Armstrong, 46, is at a loss to describe her grief. In the absence of words, she has channeled her devastation into action: Since losing her son, the Greybull mother has become an outspoken advocate to educate others about the dangers of fentanyl and push for harsher laws to hold drug dealers accountable for the deaths of their buyers.
“I didn’t ask for this,” Armstrong said, “but I want to raise awareness. If people don’t think there is a problem in the state, they are very wrong.”
BREAKING: Escaped Inmate from Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp Remains At Large
Search efforts are underway from multiple agencies
An inmate from the Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp who escaped Monday afternoon while working with the prison’s forestry crew in Weston County is still at large as of early Tuesday afternoon.
Crews searched through the night, utilizing a drone and tracking dogs, but have found no signs of John E. Handy, according to the Weston County Emergency Management. Staff from the Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp (WHCC) also are conducting a grid search of the work area where he was last spotted. Handy could have had “a good lead time” for his escape, the department noted, and multiple agencies are participating in the search.
“Efforts are underway to find this inmate,” Paul Martin, administrator of support services for the Wyoming Department of Corrections, told the Wyoming Truth. “This will be followed by an investigation. So, whatever we learn from that investigation will plot our path forward…. I do want to point out that we run hundreds of inmates through our various pre-release programs every year without incident. This particular gentleman made a decision to escape, and that’s what he’s done.”
On Monday morning, three forestry work details left the state prison. Two of the details each had 10 inmates and a supervisor, while one detail had five inmates and a supervisor working at a site east of the facility. At around 2:30 p.m., a work detail supervisor realized Handy was not at his assigned station and launched an effort to find the inmate but to no avail. The supervisor then reported Handy missing at around 3 p.m.
Casper Author’s Nonfiction Work about Wild Mustangs to be Featured in National Book Festival
Children’s book about the Native story of Devils Tower also chosen to represent Wyoming
This story has been updated to reflect the accurate literary genre of one of the featured books as of June 6, 2023 at 3:51 p.m. MT.
A Casper College professor’s book will be featured in this year’s National Book Festival as one of the representative literary pieces for Wyoming.
The nonfiction work, “In a Land of Awe” by Chad Hanson, describes new approaches of viewing and interacting with the world through the eyes of the wild mustang, exploring perceptions of animals, landscapes, history and humanity, according to the book's synopsis.
THRIVING SMALL BUSINESSES IN WYOMING: Lifestyle Brand Rides the Wave
Staying true to the Western ethos keeps aim of Sheridan business true
Krista Treide knows a thing or two about brands. An impressive career building them, with time spent at global powerhouses like Nike, Reebok, Diesel and Speedo, has given her unique insight into how to connect with customers. But a unique brand that caught her attention is what ultimately led to her taking the reins at Sheridan-based Surf Wyoming.
Born and raised in the Cowboy State, Treide, 53, often traveled back to Sheridan to spend time with her parents and brother while she was working on the West Coast. It was on one of these trips that she discovered Surf Wyoming’s attention-grabbing T-shirts and trucker caps.
Religion Gains Ground in Parts of Wyoming, Census Finds
Survey shows residents’ attitudes are moving in the opposite direction of those nationwide
Bucking a declining trend that is prevalent throughout much of the nation, religious beliefs and practices have gained traction in Wyoming over the past decade, according to a recent comprehensive survey.
The U.S. Religion Census, which is conducted every 10 years, found in 2020 that religious affiliations and adherence grew by over 10% since 2010 in five of the state’s 23 counties, including in Teton, Big Horn, Washakie, Carbon and Crook counties.
The Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, which conducts the census, also found that a majority of residents of several counties – Big Horn, Lincoln, Uinta and Washakie among them – describe themselves as religious adherents. In each county, at least 55% of residents said they practice some form of religion or would consider themselves religious.
Record Amount Is Being Devoted to Control ‘Nuisance Animals’
Wyoming beefs up efforts to eliminate coyote, ravens and other animals to protect livestock and wildlife
Beset by inflation and increases in the populations of predatory animals throughout Wyoming, state officials are boosting funding to combat so-called “nuisance animals,” such as coyotes and ravens, to a record level in the current biennial fiscal period.
The state’s 15-member Animal Damage Management Board (ADMB) voted last month to allocate $4.18 million to protect livestock and wildlife from growing wolf and other animal populations.
Liz Cheney Inches Closer to Presidential Bid: ‘Not Going to Rule it Out’
Speaking at a Michigan policy conference, the former Wyoming congresswoman had harsh words for her home-state leaders
Former Wyoming congresswoman turned anti-Trump crusader Liz Cheney inched closer to announcing a run for president on Thursday, refusing to rule out a third-party bid in 2024 and decrying top GOP candidates — and her political party more broadly — for what she described as promoting revisionist history in their characterization of the Jan. 6 insurrection.
“Right now, we have one party that has embraced insurrection, one party that is essentially trapped in a cult of personality, willingly trapped in a cult of personality,” Cheney said in remarks at the Mackinac Policy Conference in Michigan.
Wyoming Delegation Unified in Opposition to Debt Bill Headed to Biden’s Desk
All three of Wyoming’s representatives in Washington opposed the measure, arguing the need for greater cuts
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers in the U.S. Senate passed a measure late Thursday night to lift the debt ceiling for two years in exchange for narrow spending cuts, as the threat of a looming default drove the typically-sluggish upper chamber into uncharacteristically speedy action.
The 63-36 vote came one day after the House cleared the bill, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden’s desk barely 72 hours before the June 5 “X date,” when the federal government was set to run out of funds. With the legislation soon to be signed into law, financial markets can rest easy that the U.S. will not face a first-ever default on its debt.
FRIDAY FOCUS: Energized Leadership Has Upton on the Upswing
Newly elected mayor Nick Trandahl has big plans for his hometown
Unlike many small Wyoming towns that are struggling to grow their economies, Upton is undergoing an economic revival. Dubbed the “best town on earth,” the northeast Wyoming town of just under 900 people — with one restaurant, one grocery store and two gas stations — is chugging forward with business development.
At the helm is Mayor Nick Trandahl, a 38-year-old Upton native. In 2020, he was elected to the town council as a write-in candidate. This experience prompted him to run for mayor in 2022 – again as a write-in candidate – where he swept into office with 59% of the vote.
House Passes Bill to Avert Default, Despite Hageman’s Objections
The measure now heads to the Senate, though it still faces headwinds to becoming law
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed a measure to cut spending and raise the debt ceiling, sending the bill on to the Senate as the June 5 “X date” — when the federal government will run out of money — looms large.
aThe 314-117 vote represented something of a rarity in Washington: a bipartisan agreement championed by centrist lawmakers, while those further on the right and the left were unified in opposition.
Hageman to Break With McCarthy, Oppose Debt Deal
The Wyoming congresswoman intends to vote against a bipartisan measure to raise the debt ceiling
WASHINGTON — Despite having deftly navigated intra-party tensions throughout her tenure in Washington, Rep. Harriet Hageman (R.-Wyo.) intends to break with House leadership and oppose a bipartisan measure to raise the debt limit during a crucial vote on Wednesday evening, the Wyoming Truth has learned.
Unless Congress acts soon, the United States is poised to default on its debt — something which has never before happened in American history and could spell catastrophe for global financial markets. After months of negotiations, party leaders over the weekend announced a breakthrough agreement to avoid such a fate.
WOMEN YOU SHOULD KNOW IN WYOMING: Riverton Woman Carries on Family Traditions
Bennie Sue Ridgley follows in her family’s footsteps by sharing story of Sand Creek Massacre
Nearly two decades after carrying the Olympic flame through Wyoming, Bennie Sue Ridgley continues to be a torch bearer for her community.
A Northern Arapaho descendent of Sand Creek Massacre survivors on both sides of her family, the two-time Wyoming cross country state champion strives to make sure the massacre is not buried in the pages of history. At the same time, Ridgley, 43, of Riverton, is ensuring the youngest generations of Arapaho know their culture is still alive and strong.
Sexual Misconduct Dropped at University of Wyoming, Survey Found
Numbers comparable to other college campuses even with decline
Sexual assault at the University of Wyoming has declined in the last several years, a new survey found.
UW students who reported experiencing at least one incident of sexual assault on campus dropped by 9% since the last survey was conducted in 2018. The findings, released last week, revealed that 405 of 2,223 respondents (or 18.2%) reported experiencing sexual assault while enrolled at the university.
Searching for Snow Leopards: An Ecosystem Strives for Balance at the Top of the World
The steep granite slope rose in front of us, stretching towards the mountain’s horizon at nearly 16,000 feet. To the right, streams of Buddhist prayer flags fluttered atop the crest of a mountain pass, and to our left, the sound of voices chanting and horns blasting echoed from a village monastery located far in the valley below.
I held a steaming cup of masala tea in one hand and scanned the seemingly endless rocky terrain in front of me, hoping luck would grant me a momentary glimpse of one of the most well-camouflaged and elusive animals in the entire world. As a snow squall began to move towards us and my arm grew weary from holding the binoculars, our guide peered intently into a spotting scope and suddenly yelled, “There! Above the cave!”
THE SEARCH FOR IRENE: Local Team Resumes Search for Missing Gillette Nursing Student
Volunteers hit the ground again, extending efforts into neighboring county
GILLETTE, Wyo.–The makeshift memorial caught Stacy Koester’s eye. She put on the brakes and inched her black Audi sports car backward along the gravel road to get a better look. A small wooden cross, adorned by a pink plastic carnation, was surrounded by a circle of rocks among craggy shrubs and cheat grass on the side of the hill at LAK Reservoir, outside Newcastle in Weston County.
Koester looked at fellow searchers Ashley Means and Heidi Kennedy before jumping out of the car and bounding up the hill to get a closer look.
THRIVING SMALL BUSINESSES IN WYOMING: Lovell Candy Company Creates Big Buzz
Honey, bees and family recipes are Queen Bee Gardens’ secret to nearly 45 years of sweet success
An old grocery store tucked away in the small town of Lovell, Wyoming, might just be one of the sweetest spots in the entire Cowboy State. Inside, candy makers, chocolatiers and confectioners are busy making treats enjoyed worldwide. It’s a virtual beehive of activity, which is only fitting because the old grocery store is now the home of Queen Bee Gardens.
Ben Zeller, 41, part-owner and head beekeeper, spent over a decade learning the ropes of the family business, doing everything from working on the website to packing and shipping products. But it was the bees he found most intriguing.
Testing and Isolating Top Lockdowns in Infectious Disease Fight, UW Researchers Find
Faculty study concludes such strategies also produce economic benefits
Regular testing and self-isolating may produce better health outcomes and generate less economic stress than locking down businesses and schools in the fight against infectious diseases, a new study by University of Wyoming researchers concludes.
The findings by a team of UW Department of Economics faculty, together with other recent analysis, could have profound implications on public policy and how governments handle future public health emergencies like COVID-19.
Moving Heavy Metal at High Altitude in Yellowstone
Road crews hustle to plow mountain roads by Memorial Day weekend
CODY, Wyo. — For several days this spring — after Yellowstone National Park had closed to snowmobiles and snow coaches, but before it had opened to automobile traffic — road maintenance crews there were burning through 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel per day. But they were hauling nothing and not building anything. In fact, they were making no permanent changes to any roads.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Former Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Having Sexual Contact with Inmate
Plea agreement would result in defendant being placed on probation
A former correctional officer has admitted to having sexual contact with an inmate at Wyoming’s women’s prison in the fall of 2021.
Clint Shepherd, 51, pleaded guilty in Niobrara County District Court on Tuesday to a felony count of third-degree sexual assault and a misdemeanor count of sexual battery. If District Court Judge Scott Peasley accepts a plea deal struck between the prosecution and defense, Shepherd will be placed on supervised probation and given an opportunity to have the felony dismissed at a later date.
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OTHER NEWS & FEATURES
In Bid to Speed Up Grizzly Delisting Process, Wyoming Goes to Court
State wants judge to force federal wildlife managers to make a decision
For well over a year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been mulling over a petition from the State of Wyoming that seeks to remove the region’s grizzly bears from the list of threatened species and turn the bears’ management over to the state. Gov. Mark Gordon is now asking a federal judge to expedite the process and order the agency to make a decision.
On Wednesday, the state sued the leaders of the Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior, arguing that federal law required them to make a final determination months ago. The delay amounts to “unlawfully withholding a final agency action,” according to the state’s petition in U.S. District Court.
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CARTOONS
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POLITICS
Supreme Court Curtails EPA’s Ability to Limit Water Pollution
The unanimous decision was heralded by Wyoming’s congressional delegation in Washington
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday moved to limit the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate pollution in American wetlands, finding that the Clean Water Act gives the government less autonomy to control runoff into certain waterways.
The ruling, which came after an Idaho couple’s 15-year legal dispute over whether they could build a house on an empty lot near a large lake, marks a major setback to the Biden administration’s climate policy, and could complicate ongoing legal battles over further efforts to manage water pollution.
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COLORADO NEWS
(File photos/Colorado Sun)
Messaging in Denver Mayoral Race Goes Negative in Final Stretch as Spending Heats Up
June 5, 2023 (The Colorado Sun) - The messaging in Denver’s mayoral runoff turned negative in the final stretch leading up to Tuesday’s election, with both sides taking shots at the other.
Outside groups continued to spend heavily through the week, though mostly on one side. Fundraising and spending by the two candidates remained relatively even.
COLUMNS
FRIDAY FOCUS: Cody Rodeos Span a Lifetime of Culture, Community and Change
Longtime Cody Stampede Board Member Jim Facinelli shares why the small town rodeo is unequaled across the country
Jim Facinelli knows a thing or two about Wyoming. Born and raised in Lander nearly 84 years ago, he moved to Cody in 1964 and has called the area home ever since. And for 53 years, he’s served on the Cody Stampede Board of Directors, helping to put on what the town rightly calls “the longest running and only nightly rodeo in the world.”
Born into a ranching family, Facinelli, a retired vocational agriculture instructor, said it wasn’t just the sport of rodeo, but the whole way of rodeo life that appealed to him—and kept him involved. As the Cody Nite Rodeo gears up to open its 85th season on June 1, the Wyoming Truth spoke with Facinelli about its enduring appeal and long-time success. What follows are excerpts from the interview.
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