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

<title>You Still Here? Saturday, December 9, 2023 | Cowboy State Daily</title>

You Still Here? Saturday, December 9, 2023

 If you're looking for a trainer for the holiday season, this guy is having a sale...

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

Clair McFarland

Government & Politics

Politics

wo approaches to using artificial intelligence in K-12 schools clashed mildly this week 

as the Wyoming Joint Education Committee broached 

Some lawmakers and members of the public warned against unleashing the hazards and unknowns of the technology on teachers and students.

Subject-matter leaders in the Wyoming Department of Education reasoned, conversely, that AI is becoming so widespread that it’s wiser to help staffers and students use it responsibly.

The committee ultimately didn’t draft legislation 

, but questioned the department on next steps.

taff Dicky Shanor called the department’s approach “scenario planning.”

Nathan Tedjeske, chief of innovation at the department, said the agency is working from multiple angles to equip school districts, parents, and the department’s own people with guidance.

That includes creating trainings for teachers, school administrators and district staffers on, “What is this, how do you use it,” said Tedjeske.

“We’re on the side of like, be aware. We should have a foundational level of knowledge of how does this work and what does it mean for us in the school systems,” he added.

[{"type":"text","text":"Students Are Using It"}]

Tedjeske cautioned against ignoring the encroachment of AI into students’ lives, theorizing that students have access to it at home and should learn to use it responsibly.

He said 90% of student experience with AI is through less-than-ideal platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram.

Schools should have a “quality vetting process,” he said, because, “The actual level of data security concerns involved with all this is pretty staggering.”

WDE’s digital learning program consultant Steven Priest “has done a great job” addressing student data pitfalls, added Tedjeske.

Concerns have surfaced around academic integrity and hazards of uneducated use, he said.

“When we don’t have the tools in place for the kids to learn how to use it ethically and responsibly … there’s a lot of security concerns,” he said. “So we’re working towards supplying tools to deal with that. We’re not there yet. But hopefully soon.”

On the department side, said Tedjeske, employees have been learning how to use AI as a time-saver, “so we’re spending less time on tedious tasks and more on school districts.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Tedjeske cast the multiplying tech as inevitable."}]

“We had cellphones and we said, ‘That’s not us, we don’t want to touch that.’ And then cellphones were done to us,” he said. “And social media came along, and we said, ‘That’s not us, we don’t want to touch that.’ And then social media was done to us.”

With AI looming, “Let’s be at the front of the conversation,” he said, adding that that means Wyoming would dictate to AI product vendors which needs are right for Wyoming’s kids, rather than established product vendors dictating priorities to a state behind the curve.

Tedjeske said some products can help teachers with seating charts and other logistics and “clerical” tasks.

Jenifer Hopkins, a Casper-area mom and school board member who said she was speaking on her own behalf, said she recognizes that the business sector will want people who can design and work with AI.

But young kids shouldn’t be mired in the tech’s distractions, she said.

“I don’t think they need it in the younger years,” said Hopkins. "I’d like us to start peeling back even from computer use.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Though some kids will go into AI, not all will."}]

“We’re not here to tell them how to think or what they’re supposed to be in life,” she said. “We’re supposed to give them the tools to decide that for themselves.”

“I think the job of a school is to create real intelligence,” said Andrew.

[{"type":"text","text":"This Sounds Important"}]

Sen. Charlie Scott, R-Casper, said the topic sounds “potentially quite important,” and asked the department to confirm its stance that the tech’s entrance into Wyoming’s K-12 system is inevitable.

If that’s the case, he added, “How do we go about reaching the parents?”

Scott also asked how the Legislature could prevent AI hazards that can harm kids.

Priest said the department is focusing initially on school administrators and teachers, but parent resources are available and the department’s goal is to build a course for parents to learn more about AI.

[{"type":"text","text":"“Yes, we’re working on that,” said Priest."}]

Rep. Tom Kelly, R-Sheridan, who is running to become the next state Superintendent of Public Instruction, voiced concerns as an educator.

[{"type":"text","text":"Those concerns include teachers as well as students."}]

“(I’m a) former public-school teacher and now I work at a university. I have grad-level students who appear to be losing the ability to critically think and problem-solve,” said Kelly. “Because they’ve become so adept at  having AI research for them, read for them, summarize, sometimes even read out loud to them.”

In classroom conversations, “a bit of atrophy in their cognitive functions” is noticeable, he added.

If teachers are using AI to deliver curriculum to students, they’re doing “less thinking” and relying on AI more, he said.

Kelly asked what the state Department of Education is doing to research product hazards.

[{"type":"text","text":"Same Level Of Concern"}]

Tedjeske said the department is on the same level of concern and doesn’t want to offload cognitive tasks.

“We’re very much on the side of human-in-the-loop with all this,” he said.

Tedjeske speculated that Kelly’s graduate school students didn’t get training before receiving “unfettered access” to AI, and that students should be trained beforehand.  

Sheridan School District No. 1 developed a guidance document for AI issues, said

 Fred Hollingshead, director for the district's Cowboy State Virtual Academy.

Guidance is more flexible than policy in the fast-paced tech world, he added.

The district has faced concerns with AI research tools being biased, and hallucinating.

Hollingshead said, “We share with students good uses of AI and bad uses of AI,” and discuss prohibited uses like plagiarism and surveillance.

Teachers’ AI detection programs will sometimes “throw out false positives” and wrongly flag a student’s work for AI use, he added.

“I would want this committee to know, your districts are on top of it,” said Hollingshead. “We are paying attention.”

Artificial intelligence 6 3 26

<title>Wyoming Department Of Education Says Prepare For AI — Because It's Coming | Cowboy State Daily</title>

The Wyoming Department of Education warned lawmakers this week that artificial intelligence is coming, so students should receive training outside of Facebook and Instagram. “The job of a school is to create real intelligence,” said Rep. Ocean Andrew.

Wyoming Department Of Education Says Prepare For AI — Because It's Coming

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

Andrew Rossi

Wyoming Life

May historically is one of the wettest and most crucial moisture months of the year for Wyoming. This year 

was a Jekyll-and-Hyde May around the Cowboy state, either exceeding or falling short of expectations.

After the warmest, driest winter on record for areas across Wyoming, experts 

going into May ranging anywhere from “just OK” to “basically horrible."

 in southeast Wyoming during May, the rest of the state didn’t do so well. In fact, it was nearly one of the driest Mays on record for many regions.

“You can see the difference driving across the state,” said Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day. “The Red Desert is beautiful, while it looks like it hasn’t rained for years in Thermopolis. 

“There was a lot of moisture in May, but we wish that wealth would've spread out a little bit more, that's for sure."

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Results May Vary"}]

There were definite winners and losers when it comes to precipitation this May. The clear winners are the communities in southeast Wyoming.

“The southeast and south-central regions did really well,” Day said. “Cheyenne, Laramie, and Rawlins were either at or above average precipitation for the month.”

Southeast Wyoming received more than 2 inches of liquid water from a heavy snowstorm in 

. The region got at least that much, if not more, during 

Day categorized the storms as extremely similar but less widespread than many 

 had hoped. Their impacts were contained to southeast Wyoming and didn’t extend beyond that.

“It's really hard to find any precipitation patterns that get the whole state one way or another, but there was a really steep gradient,” he said. “Spring precipitation does tend to be more widespread, but we got two nearly identical patterns that gave southeast Wyoming most of that moisture.”

[{"type":"text","text":"The further north one goes, the bleaker the numbers get."}]

According to the National Weather Service (NWS) office in Riverton, Buffalo received 0.73 inches of precipitation in May. That’s only 27% of its historical average and the third-driest May on record since 1998.

Rock Springs received 31% of its historical average at just 0.4 inches. Riverton and Greybull didn’t fare much better, with only 32% and 36%, respectively.

Lander and Casper did much better, getting more than 1.5 inches of rain each. That’s over 70% of their historical average precipitation for May, but still significantly below average.

[{"type":"text","text":"For Day, the trend was clear."}]

“For the Powder River, Bighorn, and Wind River basins, which really needed to get some moisture, May was disappointing,” Day said. “Sheridan was good, but Buffalo wasn’t. 

"Gillette and Sundance weren’t great, and we were still below average in the Casper-Wheatland-Torrington area. If you weren’t in southeast Wyoming, May underperformed.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Extent Of The Problem"}]

May is one of the wettest months of Wyoming’s year. That makes it one of the most critical periods, setting a precedent going forward.

May continued a troubling trend of below-average monthly precipitation for another consecutive month. Every month since November 2025 has trended toward below-average precipitation with above-average temperatures.

There’s no denying Wyoming’s in the midst of a drought. 

, most of the state is experiencing either extreme or severe drought.

That’s not to say there hasn’t been some improvement. Parts of southeast Wyoming were experiencing exceptional drought at the end of April.

“There was a slight improvement in those southeast and south-central counties with those two big storms, but we didn’t really gain any ground,” Day said. “We lost a bit of ground in northeast Wyoming, which just hasn’t been able to get much of anything.”

Now that May has come and gone, Day said it’s unlikely the statewide drought situation will improve.

“May is such a critical month,” he said. “When precipitation underperforms in May, it's so hard to catch up in the summer and fall. It’s hard to get to better, more moist patterns like we usually get in April, May, and June.”

There isn’t any relief to start off June. Day said the first half of the month is “trending drier,” especially in western and southwest Wyoming.

"There are hints that the second half of June is when our precipitation and opportunities get better, but the first half of June is going to be a bit of a struggle,” he said. “I would say that the better precipitation in June will be later than sooner.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Monsoon Can’t Come Soon Enough"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"There are encouraging signs on the horizon. "}]

Meteorologist are anticipating the impact of the El Niño developing in the Pacific Ocean, which many are already saying bears the hallmarks of 

Regarding a super El Niño, Day is keeping his expectations and extended forecasts reserved.

“The computer model predictions are for an El Niño to form this summer into fall and maybe linger into early winter,” he said. “While we may feel some impacts of this developing El Niño over the next couple of months, the bigger impacts that happen globally and across the country will happen in the fall, winter, and into spring. 

[{"type":"text","text":"\"That’s when those impacts really manifest themselves.”"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Day sees more encouraging signs in the short-term."}]

“We're seeing a lot of humidity building on the U.S./Mexico border,” he said. “Those are the beginning signs of what we call the North American monsoon wanting to form.”

The North American monsoon could produce high-precipitation thunderstorms, like the storms that reached Wheatland and Torrington earlier this week. However, that moisture depends on wind patterns that haven’t materialized yet.

“You need a specific wind pattern to get that moisture transported north, and I don’t see that happening yet,” Day said. “That’s why I’m leaning on the second half of June being better for moisture.”

Regardless, the simultaneous abundance and deficit of moisture in May have already set a precedent for the rest of 2026. As far as the ongoing, statewide drought is concerned, Day sees a drier summer ahead.

“I am certainly concerned about drought conditions worsening in the areas that didn't do well in May,” he said. “Let's just hope that things will get more moist as we get into the second half of June and July.”

Jekyll and Hyde may 6 3 26

<title>Despite Huge Storms During Jekyll-And-Hyde May, Much Of Wyoming Still In Drought | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Despite huge storms in southern Wyoming, May was Jekyll and Hyde, either exceeding or falling short of moisture expectations — with much of the state still in drought. “It looks like it hasn’t rained for years in Thermopolis,” said meteorologist Don Day.

Despite Huge Storms During Jekyll-And-Hyde May, Much Of Wyoming Still In Drought

Crime & Courts

Courts

The transgender Laramie resident who staged a protest 

last summer of Wyoming’s new cross-sex access ban for public restrooms is now waging a self-defense argument in a felony aggravated assault case.

 for using the women’s bathroom in the Wyoming Capitol when a new state law activated banning the practice. 

The ban doesn’t allow for penalties against a transgender person using the women’s bathroom, but allows females aggrieved by that event to sue the state for letting it happen.

About two months later, Kelver was involved in an altercation with a man outside the Crowbar in Laramie. Court documents say that after a verbal clash — the contents of which are disputed — Kelver approached the man.

The man shoved Kelver, who fell to the ground, and Kelver pulled a firearm and chambered a round before pointing the pistol at the man, the affidavit alleges.

This case is ongoing, with Kelver’s attorney Andrew Holcomb, and Kelver, both promising to pursue a 

Meanwhile, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Byrd cast the case as an instance of biased enforcement, and said it highlights the need to reaffirm universal Second Amendment and due process rights for everyone.

“The Kelver case is bigger than one bartender, one crosswalk, and one night in Laramie,” wrote Byrd, who’s also a former legislator, in a Wednesday Facebook post. “It’s a test of whether the Second Amendment means what it says  for everyone.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Kelver Statement"}]

Kelver responded to that claim with cautious statements in a Wednesday phone interview.

“There is a plethora of opportunity for me to be a victim of bias in this, but there’s a lot of evidence we need to address properly, through the legal channels, and kind of go forward with this in a way that is respectful to the legal process,” said Kelver. 

“So I am not intending to make any accusatory statements about how this was handled on the police department’s side or the judicial side at the moment,” Kelver added.

Laramie Police Department Lt. Craig Lenhardt declined Wednesday to comment on the case on the department’s behalf.

Albany County Attorney Kurt Britzius, who is prosecuting this case, did not return an email and phone message request for comment by publication.

[{"type":"text","text":"Kelver delivered another comment via phone."}]

“I fully respect the legal process and intend to address the facts in court, not necessarily anymore in the media,” Kelver said. “I did not go looking for confrontation. I genuinely believed my safety was threatened and my actions were taken in response to that threat.”

Kelver voiced confidence that, “when all the facts are heard in the proper setting it will be clear that this was a defensive response to a frightening situation. I just ask that 

 not rush to judgment based on incomplete information.”

Kelver faces up to 16 years in prison and up to $12,000 in fines if convicted. 

The charges are aggravated assault (up to 10 years in prison and $10,000 in fines), possession of a deadly weapon with unlawful intent (up to five years in prison and $1,000 in fines), and interference with a peace officer (up to one year in jail and $1,000 in fines).

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"First, Court Documents"}]

Kelver was standing outside the Crowbar at about 10 p.m. on Sept. 13, 2025

 an altercation unfolded after a man shouted something about the bar.

[{"type":"text","text":"Most of the other facts of the case are disputed."}]

Laramie Police Department Officer Hunter Rope wrote in an affidavit filed two days later that he, Rope, was called to respond to 2nd and Ivinson streets on a report of a fight and a person drawing a handgun.

[{"type":"text","text":"Rope spoke with Kelver on scene."}]

“Kelver stated they pulled out a knife during the involvement, but did own a firearm supposedly located in her vehicle,” says the affidavit. “Kelver stated they were a transgender woman and Native American.”

Earlier in the evening, Kelver was near that intersection when a man, later identified as Scott Durham, yelled, “Hey, the Crowbar should be closing, you bunch of fa*s,” the affidavit relates from Kelver’s interview.

The affidavit doesn’t list Durham’s full name, but a December court document recounting the county attorney’s office’s efforts to find out if Durham wanted restitution does. That document says Durham did not ask for restitution.

[{"type":"text","text":"Cowboy State Daily has been unable to contact Durham.  "}]

Kelver grew agitated and confronted Durham, asking, “What the f*** did you just say,” according to Kelver’s account of the incident in the affidavit.

[{"type":"text","text":"Durham reportedly shoved Kelver to the ground."}]

Kelver described to Rope trying to draw a knife, “but dropped it when she hit the ground.”

Officers searched the intersection and didn’t find the knife, the affidavit says.

The teal-colored .308-caliber firearm Kelver had allegedly claimed was in the car was, rather, in Kelver’s side bag — a thick leather satchel — wrote Rope.

Rope handed that to another officer for that officer to clear it, the document says, adding, “a live round was found in the chamber.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The Other Account"}]

In Durham’s account, Durham was walking north on the sidewalk across from the bar and yelled “f*** the Crowbar” because he likes the Buckhorn Bar better.

Kelver demanded to know what Durham had said, he repeated his statement, and Kelver — hand on hip — walked toward Durham and the other people with Durham, the latter alleged in his own account.

Durham reportedly said Kelver’s hand was in a black side bag, and Kelver approached Durham “aggressively.”

Kelver and Holcomb both told Cowboy State Daily in separate Wednesday interviews that this was a “three-on-one” situation, and two other people were with Durham.

Durham and another person, whom the affidavit calls “A.S.,” turned and walked west on the crosswalk toward the Buckhorn Bar, but Kelver “got face to face” with Durham, hand still in the bag, the document says.

Durham pushed Kelver away, causing Kelver to fall. Kelver drew a handgun from the bag in which Kelver’s hand had been nestled during the approach, the affidavit alleges.

[{"type":"text","text":"Durham and A.S. kept walking away."}]

Kelver “racked the gun and pointed it at” Durham’s head, Rope recounted from Durham’s account.

A.S., in his interview, said he believed part of the gun was blue, reportedly.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The Witnesses And Cameras"}]

A witness reportedly said he heard Durham and Kelver yelling back and forth, watched Kelver cross the street with one hand in the side bag, watched Durham push Kelver to the ground, then heard a gun being racked and saw Kelver point the gun at Durham.

Another witness, “E.B.,” whom the affidavit calls a friend of Durham’s, attested that Durham had said “f*** the Crowbar,” reportedly.

E.B.  said he saw Kelver on the ground pointing a gun at Durham’s head as Durham walked away, Rope relates from that interview.

When police reviewed area cameras, they saw Kelver approach Durham in the crosswalk and Durham push Kelver, the affidavit says.

“Kelver appeared to stumble and fell on her back,” wrote Rope. “After falling, Kelver appeared to pull out a firearm, pull back the slide, load the firearm, and point it.”

Informed of the video’s contents, Kelver allegedly “stated she did not recall pulling the firearm during the altercation.”

Kelver described carrying the gun due to having been stalked the previous night, and for personal safety, the document adds.

[{"type":"text","text":"Kelver was arrested."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"A Little Law"}]

Wyoming has a law saying people who act in self-defense “shall” not be prosecuted for it.

Courts have answered that mandate by forming the “John’s hearing,” where a person charged with a violent crime can try to show evidence that makes it apparent, at first glance, that that person acted with self-defense.

Then the prosecutor gets a chance to overcome that by showing by a “preponderance of the evidence” that the defendant didn’t act with self defense.

 to dismiss cases at this stage. Often, they 

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Self Defense Mission"}]

“Oh yeah, absolutely,” said Holcomb regarding whether Kelver will ask for a John’s hearing.

But first, Kelver faces a June 24 arraignment in Albany County District Court.

John’s hearings are challenging because they’re difficult to win without calling one’s client to testify, said Holcomb. And that takes a lot of preparation.

As to Byrd’s claim of bias in this case, Holcomb said, “That’s something that only the investigating officer and to some degree Kurt (Britzius) would be able to answer — why they only charged my client and not this other guy.”

As of Wednesday, no criminal charges for Durham had surfaced in the public-facing court file.

[{"type":"text","text":"This was one of Byrd’s points in support of his bias claim."}]

Holcomb said he feels this is an important case and looks forward to fighting it.

“I think that it’s important we all have the same rights, not only the Second Amendment right to defend yourself, but we all have the right to due process and trial,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to ensuring that Rihanna’s rights are protected throughout the rest of this process.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"The Saga"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"The Albany County Attorney’s Office charged Kelver on Sept. 15."}]

The prosecutor negotiated at length with Kelver’s first attorney, Linda DeVine, the case file indicates.

In November, Britzius knocked the charges down to two misdemeanors instead of two felonies and one misdemeanor. Those two misdemeanors were reckless endangering (up to one year in jail), as well as the interference charge already mentioned.

In December while Kelver faced only misdemeanors, the defendant sent a letter to the misdemeanor-level judge who was expected to handle the case, Judge Robert Sanford, apologizing for using the gun.

“I do not wish to spend any time attempting to garner sympathy nor victimhood,” wrote Kelver, according to the court file. “I wish to offer my sincerest apologies and condolences to your court and to my community.”

Kelver maintained that “the assault” Kelver endured was not right, but “did not give me the right to react the way I did.”

“I am deeply sorry for this,” wrote Kelver. “I know I will do what is right to resolve this.”

[{"type":"text","text":"But then the negotiations appear to have fallen apart."}]

DeVine asked for the court to delay Kelver’s change-of-plea hearing multiple times, and wrote in February that the state and defense were “still working out details on sentencing recommendations.”

The transgender Laramie resident who protested Wyoming’s cross-sex access ban for public bathrooms at the Capitol last summer is now waging a self-defense argument in a felony assault case. “I did not go looking for confrontation,” said Rihanna Kelver.

You Still Here? Saturday, December 9, 2023

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