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Cowboy State Daily is Wyoming’s largest newspaper with Wyoming’s most experienced journalists. 

<title>You Still Here? Sunday, November 20, 2022 | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Sadly, chili fountains never caught on.

You Still Here? Sunday, November 20, 2022

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's general assignment reporter, Clair McFarland.

Clair McFarland

Government & Politics

Politics

After vocal Green River residents shut down the city’s attempt to secure grant funding for a license plate reader camera project, a police sergeant speaking on his own behalf Tuesday urged the council to reconsider.

Green River Mayor Pete Rust and Councilman Gary Killpack had speculated at a July 7 meeting that the group opposing the cameras drowned out a silent, alternate movement in their favor.

 against the $112,000 federal grant for the project, which had been slated for putting Motorola license plate reader (LPR) surveillance cameras at town entrances.

Green River Police Sgt. Brad Dodson, who said he was speaking for himself and not the department, brought that alternate view to the council’s regular Tuesday meeting.

“While I recognize that decision, I was a little disappointed you didn’t listen to the chief a little bit more and maybe take more time to reevaluate that decision,” Dodson said during the public comment section.

 the grant was characterized as an anti-terrorism effort, but he said the cameras would also be a tool in helping find missing and vulnerable people, as well as answering other real-time investigations.

Dodson told the council the department recently responded to a stolen vehicle incident, and was able to use LPRs from other areas.

In another stolen- vehicle attempt last week, “a license plate reader would have been great to have” to track down the vehicle, he said.

“This is something people ask, something people maybe even expect us to have,” Dodson said.

He urged the council to consider the camera project if it surfaces again, and said he’s happy to offer any information people seek.

“I’m happy to dispel some fear, some concerns, or maybe just give another side of the story,” Dodson said. “Especially from someone who’s on, essentially, the front line trying to solve these crimes for the citizens of this community essentially every day.”

Killpack delivered comments toward the end of the meeting to rebut what he described as an email from a Laramie resident on the topic, calling him dumb and dishonest.

He said he’d take the dumb critique but the “dishonest” claim is slander and “unacceptable.”

The people who opposed LPRs two weeks ago, said Killpack, “they don’t understand what happened.”

Killpack said if any of those people go to Salt Lake City, “they’ve been picked up” by the camera and their plates logged into the system.

Salt Lake City has LPRs. It also paused a plan to expand its system in December over privacy concerns, 

Killpack said the people in the audience two weeks ago also didn’t understand the council’s nay votes killed the grant, though not necessarily some later decision to raise cameras.

Marshall Burt, a former, and first, Libertarian state lawmaker for Wyoming bristled at that in a Wednesday interview with Cowboy State Daily.

[{"type":"text","text":"He said Killpack was “blaming people for being stupid and confused.”"}]

“Now I’m going to have to wait for the next city council meeting, show up and argue again,” said Burt, who rallied people via social media ahead of the July 7 meeting.

Dennis Laughlin, vice-chair of the Libertarian Party and a business owner in Green River, also protested at the July 7 meeting.

“Yeah I would say Killpack doesn’t understand what the people of Green River obviously want,” Laughlin said.

Laughlin said he had a qualm with the federal funding, and it’s wrong for people to believe that’s free money. But most LPR opponents were against the installation of the cameras alone, and lobbied against the grant as a means to prevent that, he said.

“People are seeing this constant encroachment on their liberties. It’s like being pecked to death by a duck, and one peck doesn’t hurt – but eventually you die,” Laughlin said.

[{"type":"text","text":"Laughlin said he’s glad Killpack is not running for council again."}]

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<title>Green River Police Sergeant Urges Reconsideration Of License Plate Cameras | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A police sergeant urged the Green River City Council Tuesday to reconsider license plate reader cameras, two weeks after vocal residents blocked the project. He said they are a valuable tool in helping find missing and vulnerable people.

Green River Police Sergeant Urges Reconsideration Of License Plate Cameras

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's Feature Reporter, Andrew Rossi.

Andrew Rossi

Around Wyoming

Many Wyoming ranchers are struggling with an existential problem that’s completely out of their control. Hay has become harder to find, harder to grow, and more expensive to buy.

With the lack of rain and ongoing drought, it’s harder to grow hay for feeding Wyoming’s cattle, horses and other livestock. Ranchers who have historically harvested their own hay might have to purchase it to keep their animals fed, and prices are constantly creeping upward.

In the short term, it’s enough to make ranching difficult. In the long term, some say, it could hasten the end of many family farms and ranches that can’t afford to feed their animals.

“If it’s not a problem now, it’s going to be,” said Dennis Sun, publisher of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. “Some people are looking to sell cattle because they’re afraid they can't get the hay to feed them.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Not A Hay Day"}]

Meeteetse resident Mitchell Huene works with Cowboys with a Mission, a nonprofit that runs two annual Bible schools teaching kids to ride, brand, lay irrigation pipes, and understand “where their food comes from.”

“Whatever anybody needs us to do, we'll do,” he told Cowboy State Daily. “To facilitate that, we've got 43 horses we need to feed.”

In the past, Cowboys with a Mission got its hay from the Pitchfork Ranch. Huene learned in May that the ranch wouldn’t be able to supply them this summer.

“Because of how bad the winter was, nobody in the area has any grass,” he said. “They're grazing their hay fields at the Pitchfork.”

They found a new supplier near Powell that had enough hay in their price range. However, that deal fell through last week.

“There wasn't as much hay coming off the fields as he thought, and he had other customers to take care of first,” Huene said. “That was a bit of a problem for us, because we had about 10 days’ worth of hay left at that point.”

When Huene first arrived in Meeteetse 12 years ago, he was paying $100 per ton of hay. Last summer, it was $150 per ton.

This summer, finding hay for less than $200 per ton is a bargain, and even that’s a rare find.

“We’re seeing hay going for $300 to $350 per ton on Facebook Marketplace,” Huene said. “There was some hay down in Thermopolis posted for $450 a ton this morning. We're a nonprofit, so we're not exactly rolling in dough, and that’s three times what we were paying last year.”

Huene has heard similar stories from ranchers across Wyoming. They either can't produce enough hay or are worried about affording enough hay.

“One hay producer in the area said he got 250 tons off a field last year,” he said. “He got 100 off of it this year.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"No Hay, No Way"}]

Hay is essential to Wyoming’s agricultural industry. Animals need it, and ranchers need to make sure they’re amply supplied to feed their livestock throughout the year.

[{"type":"text","text":"The year so far has been a struggle for ranchers across the state."}]

“Most ranchers produce their own hay,” Sun said. “When there’s a drought, there’s not much going on.  I'm hearing that ranchers aren’t getting enough water to put up their usual amount of hay.”

By Sun’s estimate, a 1,000-pound cow needs at least 20 pounds of hay every day, assuming it’s grazing and has its diet supplemented with other sources such as grain or corn.

[{"type":"text","text":"A cow that isn’t grazing will need around 25 pounds of hay per day."}]

Many ranchers have reliably produced enough hay to keep their livestock well fed. Anything extra can be sold or stored.

That hasn’t been the case this summer. Sun has heard reports of ranchers who’ve only had a quarter of their usual tonnage.

“They'll either have to start selling livestock or buying hay,” he said. “It’s better when you can buy at $100 or $150 per ton, but you're not going to see any hay like that this summer.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"It Gets Worse"}]

Jason Watts, co-owner of HayWerks in Buffalo, has been crunching the numbers. Overall, they aren’t good.

“Overall assessment for hay in Wyoming is down 60-70% of a normal year over a 10-year period,” he said. “Certain areas in Wyoming are much worse than other areas where snow packs were moderate this spring.”

One of Watts’s largest customers is the HF Bar Ranch near Buffalo. They typically order between 250 to 275 tons of hay per year to feed 200 horses.

[{"type":"text","text":"On July 1, they ordered an additional 300 tons of hay."}]

“They began feeding their horses in late June this year because the pastures were too dry to graze during the summer months,” Watts said. “Now, take this example of one customer and how they are handling the hay situation and multiply this across Wyoming.”

Watts managed to meet the HF Bar Ranch’s order by studying drought maps and finding an area that had enough moisture to grow a surplus of hay. He found growers in North Dakota that could meet the ranch’s needs.

“Delivered prices this year are $125 a ton higher over 2025 prices,” he said. “I arranged transportation and began shipping hay (from Fargo, North Dakota) to the HF Bar Ranch. That’s 625 miles, one way.”

That’s a hefty cost for any ranch, but larger ranches have an easier time footing the bill. That usually isn’t an option for smaller ranches, or even people with small acreages with a handful of horses.

Watts said he works in a “small hay world,” selling only a few thousand tons of hay each year. That’s why he finds the current situation so concerning.

“I cannot imagine, on a state level, how much hay is needed to feed privately owned livestock,” he said. “Customers are scrambling to dig deep into their bank accounts to buy hay and keep the livestock they own.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Grass Isn’t Greener"}]

According to Watts, the HF Bar Ranch needed hay because there was no grass in its pastures. That, too, is a universal problem and growing concern.

“In a lot of places, there's no grass in the hills for the cattle to winter on,” Sun said. “If there’s no grass, you’re going to have to feed them more hay.”

It’s particularly bad for areas recovering from recent wildfires. Sun knows of several ranchers who have little to no hope of seeing any grass this year.

“If they got really affected by the fires last summer, there’s no new grass coming in where the fire was,” he said. “That’s going to make hay even more expensive.”

Even if a rancher can only buy at $450 per ton, they’ll be paying much more. According to Sun, that money covers the hay only.

“That doesn't cover the high cost of trucking it in from some place that does have hay,” he said. “For ranchers in droughty areas, it doesn’t look good at all, and that’s probably over half of Wyoming.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Kitchen Table Decisions"}]

Right now, the hay feeding Wyoming’s livestock is probably from out-of-state. Watts said importing hay from neighboring states “might” be enough to stabilize Wyoming, if only temporarily.

“Folks in Montana and North Dakota ship hay into eastern Wyoming,” he said. “Eastern Idaho has hay that will likely end up in western Wyoming. It’s the central and southeastern area of Wyoming that I cannot predict how they will improve on hay supply.”

Central and southeastern Wyoming are struggling because they’re competing with Colorado, Watts said, adding that Colorado is “pulling a lot of hay from multiple surrounding states” to cover its own crop losses.

While the pressure is certainly being felt now, Watts said he thinks the severity of Wyoming’s hay situation will come to a head this fall.

“When calves are taken to market, the decision to buy hay or sell (livestock) will be the topic at many kitchen tables,” he said.

That will be the reality unless something changes. And something can still change to improve the outlook.

“There's not going to be much improvement unless we get some of these monsoon rains,” he said.

Sun referred to 2025 as an example of a recent turnaround. The rains “stopped” in July and August, and it stayed dry until October.

“I had pastures with six inches of green grass in them in October,” he said. “These things can happen at any time, but they need to happen.”

Monsoonal rains are in Wyoming’s forecast, but favorable weather is never guaranteed. Sun is looking at this week’s forecast with increasing concern.

“If we don't get it here in the next few days, and it goes back to 98 degrees during the day next week, that’ll be a problem,” he said. “You don't want to stop doing your rain dances.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"“It’ll Break Us”"}]

Faced with a growing shortage of hay, Huene turned to Facebook to see if anyone had anything extra that they’d be willing to sell at a reasonable price.

“The worst they can do is say no or ignore you,” he said. “They can't take away your birthday, right?”

Cowboys with a Mission has found a hay supplier in Bozeman, Montana, able to deliver for $310 per ton. Huene said that’s the best they can do for now, but he knows it isn’t sustainable.

“If that's the route we're going to have to go, it’s pretty well going to break us,” he said. “If anyone wants to help a registered nonprofit, we’re still hurting for hay. It’s brutal.”

Hay wyoming 7 22 26

<title>'It's Brutal': Wyoming Can't Grow Hay, So Ranchers Pay Big Bucks Or Sell Livestock | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Wyoming ranchers are struggling with an existential problem out of their control. Hay has become harder to find, harder to grow, and more expensive to buy. Some say this will hasten the end of family farms and ranches that can’t afford to feed their animals.

'It's Brutal': Wyoming Can't Grow Hay, So Ranchers Pay Big Bucks Or Sell Livestock

Kolby fedore

Kolby Fedore

Law Enforcement

A predawn law enforcement operation stretched across western Wyoming and eastern Idaho on Tuesday, as federal, state and local investigators executed coordinated search warrants in what authorities describe as a drug trafficking investigation.

By the time the raids were over, investigators said they had seized large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and other evidence tied to drug distribution.

[{"type":"text","text":"One man now faces five felony drug charges and a child endangering count."}]

But beyond those basics, much of the investigation details have not been released. 

Authorities have declined to answer questions about exactly where the raids took place, how much narcotics were seized, how long the investigation had been underway, or whether more arrests are expected.

[{"type":"text","text":"Three Communities Targeted"}]

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office announced Wednesday that deputies, the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and other federal, state and local agencies carried out simultaneous search warrants Tuesday in Etna, Jackson Hole and Victor, Idaho.

Officials have not identified the addresses where the warrants were served, including the Etna location.

The coordinated nature of the operation — spanning three communities in two states — suggests investigators could've been targeting an interconnected investigation.

The sheriff's office described the seizures only as "large amounts" of methamphetamine and cocaine, "along with other evidence related to drug trafficking."

[{"type":"text","text":"Officials have not released the quantities of drugs recovered."}]

The only person publicly identified so far is 42-year-old Julio Jaimes Angeles.

[{"type":"text","text":"He has been charged in Lincoln County with:"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Tight-Lipped Investigation"}]

Despite the unusually broad operation, investigators are saying little about what led to Tuesday's raids.

Cowboy State Daily sought additional information from both the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office and the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. Neither agency returned a comment beyond the written news release, citing the ongoing investigation.

Lincoln county drug guy 7 22 26

<title>One Man Charged After Sweeping Drug Raids Across Western Wyoming, Eastern Idaho | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A 42-year-old man is facing five felony drug charges and another count of child endangerment after the DEA and DCI launched drug raids in Lincoln County, Teton County and Victor, Idaho. Investigators said they seized large quantities of meth and cocaine.

One Man Charged After Sweeping Drug Raids Across Western Wyoming, Eastern Idaho

Courts

A former Special Olympics Wyoming employee accused of stealing more than $200,000 from the nonprofit has agreed to plead guilty to six felonies, bringing one of Wyoming's most closely watched charity theft cases a major step closer to resolution.

A plea agreement filed in Natrona County District Court shows Christine Rodriguez, 57, of Bar Nunn, will plead guilty to three counts of felony theft and three counts of felony forgery. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to dismiss three additional forgery charges, according to documents made available Monday.

[{"type":"text","text":"The agreement still must be accepted by a judge."}]

Rodriguez's attorney, Ryan Semerad, declined to discuss the specifics of the agreement before sentencing but said his client is accepting responsibility.

"She is very remorseful for her actions and deeply regrets them," Semerad told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday, adding the defense plans to address those issues more fully at sentencing. 

Rodriguez worked for Special Olympics Wyoming for roughly a decade before the alleged thefts came to light.

[{"type":"text","text":"Police Called Alleged Scheme 'Sophisticated'"}]

Casper police arrested Rodriguez in April after a monthslong financial crimes investigation into the missing money.

Investigators alleged Rodriguez embezzled roughly $206,000 over several years by writing unauthorized checks, falsifying financial records, forging signatures and concealing missing cash.

Police described the alleged scheme as "sophisticated," alleging Rodriguez altered audit documentation and misapplied deposits to hide missing cash. Investigators said those actions concealed the missing money from the nonprofit for years.

When Rodriguez first appeared in court in April, she was charged with nine felonies — three counts of theft and six counts of forgery.

The alleged theft reached far beyond a balance sheet. The missing money belonged to a nonprofit that raises funds to provide year-round athletic training and competition for Wyoming athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Lead investigator Officer Jace Carver added that crimes involving charitable organizations ultimately hurt the athletes and families those organizations exist to serve.

[{"type":"text","text":"Three Charges Dismissed"}]

Under the negotiated plea agreement, Rodriguez will plead guilty to the three theft charges and the first three forgery charges.

[{"type":"text","text":"The remaining three forgery counts will be dismissed."}]

The agreement also outlines how the parties will recommend Rodriguez be sentenced.

The three theft convictions would run concurrently, and the three forgery convictions would also run concurrently. Those two groups of convictions, however, could be ordered to run consecutively, leaving Rodriguez with a maximum sentencing exposure of 18 to 20 years in prison.

The plea agreement also states Rodriguez cannot withdraw her guilty pleas if the judge ultimately imposes a sentence different from the prosecution's recommendation.

[{"type":"text","text":"Restitution Still Pending"}]

Rodriguez agreed to pay restitution for all criminal conduct, including losses tied to the three forgery charges to be dismissed.

The final restitution amount has not been determined, though both sides anticipate it will exceed $200,000, the plea agreement says.

Police credited Special Olympics Wyoming with providing extensive financial records and cooperating throughout the investigation.

Because of the scope and complexity of the review, detectives enlisted the Rocky Mountain Information Network — part of the Regional Information Sharing Systems network — to help analyze the records.

Investigators also noted the case carried added significance because of Special Olympics Wyoming's longstanding partnership with law enforcement through programs such as the Law Enforcement Torch Run and Tip-A-Cop fundraisers.

[{"type":"text","text":"Organization Waiting For Sentencing"}]

Special Olympics Wyoming CEO Jen Haines declined to comment on the specifics of the plea agreement, saying the organization does not want to jeopardize the proceedings and plans to speak more openly once the case is resolved.

Haines did confirm one important detail: The organization has not received any restitution while the criminal case remains pending

 She said the restitution amount, along with any prison sentence, is expected to be determined at sentencing. 

In a written statement, the organization said it remains focused on the people it serves.

"Special Olympics Wyoming is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and protecting the interests of all of our athletes, donors, and supporters,” it says. "Special Olympics Wyoming appreciates the past, and continued, much-needed support of SOWY athletes at this time. SOWY has been offering sports training and competition programming since 1972 and looks forward to the continued implementation of our mission to benefit athletes with intellectual disabilities from across Wyoming."

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<title>Woman Accused of Stealing $200K From Special Olympics To Plead Guilty To Six Felonies | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A Bar Nunn woman has agreed to plead guilty to six felonies for embezzling $206,000 from Special Olympics Wyoming. Her attorney told Cowboy State Daily on Wednesday that she is "very remorseful for her actions and deeply regrets them."

Woman Accused of Stealing $200K From Special Olympics To Plead Guilty To Six Felonies

Crime & Courts

A Bar Nunn 18-year-old appeared in Natrona County Circuit Court on Monday to face seven felony charges stemming from what prosecutors describe as a "large-scale shootout" that erupted in downtown Casper last week.

Quincy Eureste is the second person charged in the Wednesday shooting, which investigators say involved multiple juveniles and young adults exchanging gunfire in a parking lot near David Street Station.

Police say dozens of spent shell casings littered the scene after the shooting, and investigators found evidence that multiple bullets struck nearby property. 

Remarkably, authorities say they have found no evidence that anyone was hurt.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Second Defendant"}]

Eureste is charged with five counts of aggravated assault, one count of felony property destruction and one of knowingly possessing a deadly weapon with unlawful intent.

If convicted on all seven felony counts and ordered to serve the sentences consecutively, he could face up to 65 years in prison.

His Friday arrest came two days after 16-year-old Tanas Welch was arrested in connection with the same investigation.

[{"type":"text","text":"Welch is being prosecuted as an adult. "}]

During his initial appearance Friday, prosecutors charged him with five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a deadly weapon with unlawful intent and felony property destruction.

Police have said additional arrests or charges remain possible as detectives continue investigating the shootout.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"$100,000 Bond"}]

During Monday's hearing, prosecutors characterized the case as a "large-scale shootout in a public space."

Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Sweet set Eureste's bond at $100,000 cash or surety, saying the amount was warranted given the severity of the allegations and the use of firearms.

After bond was set, a Natrona County Sheriff's deputy appeared via video from the detention center and told the court authorities had received information suggesting Eureste's family might try to send him out of state if he were released.

The deputy asked Sweet to require Eureste to waive extradition as a condition of release. Sweet granted the request, meaning Eureste could not contest being returned to Wyoming if he left the state while the criminal case is pending.

The prosecutor said Welch's bond was set at the same amount during a Friday hearing.

Court records also show Eureste was charged with misdemeanor simple battery in Natrona County in 2024.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Downtown Casper"}]

The shooting happened shortly after midnight last Wednesday in the parking lot at 250 W. Yellowstone Highway near David Street Station in downtown Casper.

Responding officers found dozens of spent shell casings scattered across the parking lot, along with evidence that multiple bullets had struck nearby property.

Detectives reviewed surveillance video and interviewed witnesses, ultimately determining that a group of juveniles and young adults had gathered when multiple people began exchanging gunfire.

Police say they have since identified everyone seen on surveillance video. Investigators linked Eureste to the shooting through witness statements and surveillance video, according to the Casper Police Department.

Despite the volume of gunfire, investigators say they have found no evidence that anyone was shot.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"'No Place In Casper'"}]

Detective Valerie Meier said the investigation remains active and detectives are continuing to interview those involved.

"This incident involved multiple people, primarily juveniles, exchanging gunfire in a highly populated public area," Meier said in a statement. "The fact that no one was injured is remarkable, but it will not deter us from holding every person involved accountable."

She continued, "We are investigating this incident to the fullest extent possible. This behavior is dangerous, unacceptable, and has no place in Casper."

An affidavit accompanying the charges was not immediately available after the Monday afternoon in initial appearances in Natrona County Circuit Court.

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<title>Bar Nunn 18-Year-Old Charged With 7 Felonies In Downtown Casper Shootout | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A Bar Nunn 18-year-old was in court Monday to face seven felony charges stemming from what prosecutors say was a "large-scale shootout" in downtown Casper last week. While dozens of shell casings were found, “remarkably” nobody was shot, police say.

Bar Nunn 18-Year-Old Charged With 7 Felonies In Downtown Casper Shootout

Outdoors

Two tourists got dangerously and illegally close to Grand Prismatic Spring on Sunday in Yellowstone. Montana resident Tanya Saueressig, who filmed them taking selfies right next to the scalding water, said she "was so furious" she had tears in her eyes.

You Still Here? Sunday, November 20, 2022

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