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[{"type":"text","text":"We should all resolve to do this at least once in 2024"}]

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

<title>You Still Here? Bonus: New Year's Resolution Edition | Cowboy State Daily</title>

We should all resolve to do this at least once in 2024

You Still Here? Bonus: New Year's Resolution Edition

 We should all resolve to do this at least once in 2024

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

Clair McFarland

Government & Politics

Politics

Two Republicans are vying to replace outgoing GOP state Rep. Jacob Wasserburger in a “purple” district of Cheyenne.

They are retired computer support network administrator Paul Wing and Dan McIntosh, an economist and teacher. They face off in the Aug. 18 primary election.

The winner will face Democratic candidate Britney Tennant and Constitution Party nominee Donald van Meter in the Nov. 3 general election.

Wing and McIntosh in Tuesday phone interviews both called data center issues their top priority. 

The Cheyenne area is Wyoming’s most teeming hub of data center development, with at least 10 operational, five under construction and nine more on the horizon, 

Wing, who’s endorsed by the Wyoming Freedom Caucus but not sure if he will join it, said he wants a moratorium on new data centers for at least as long as it takes to build responsible policies around them.

McIntosh said he would like to see the Legislature work together, and quickly, to address some data centers’ massive power demands, water issues and any shortfalls in the state’s siting policies. He said Wyoming has fallen behind in this area. 

[{"type":"text","text":"Wing, 65, and McIntosh, 42, both say they’re pro-life and pro-gun."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Why You Running?"}]

McIntosh said he was born and raised in his district, his family still lives there and those roots have driven his will to run.

“I want to see this area continue to provide opportunities that I got to enjoy when I was a kid,” he said.

McIntosh directs Laramie County Community College’s Center for Business and Economic Analysis, teaches economics law and policy, and helps coach cross country at Cheyenne East High School. He also serves as a space operations officer in the Air Force Reserve.

[{"type":"text","text":"He tried to explain that job with care."}]

“It basically means – I’d never say this among true pilots – but we pilot the satellites that are in orbit,” said McIntosh.

He said he believes his work skills, including having budgeted for a larger-scale department, suit him for the Legislature. But character, decency, and knowing when to build coalitions versus call out wrongs are more important goals and traits for that role, said McIntosh.

“I won’t blow smoke up and qualify myself as, ‘Oh I’m the perfect candidate for all roles,’” he said. “Because no one knows this until they step into the chamber. Ask me a year from now.”

Wing, who was born in Kansas City and “moved all around” until coming to Wyoming from Ohio about 16 years ago, said he’s running to thwart troubling movements he’s seen elsewhere.

“I just want to make sure we can maintain our Wyoming and Cheyenne values – our American values – and not give it over to socialist and un-American forms of government, Sharia law, and socialism.”

Wing said he’s been a conservative for his entire life and can carry rationality, troubleshooting skills, and critical thinking into the Legislature.

He said he’s hosted conservative gatherings at his home, and the outgoing representative, Wasserburger, asked him to run.

After passing a data center moratorium and other policies, Wing said he wants to build policies around license-plate reader cameras. He pointed to instances in which police have abused that technology around the nation.

[{"type":"text","text":"Why Are You A Republican?"}]

McIntosh said he grew up as an automatic Republican in Wyoming, but didn’t think of the state’s political leaders like Republican Sen. Al Simpson or the Democratic Gov. Mike Sullivan in partisan terms.

“People didn’t talk about our politicians that way,” he said. “At least I wasn’t exposed to that.”

But when he got to college he truly realized he’s a Republican, said McIntosh.

“I didn’t share the same beliefs that the Democrats around me did. A lot of this comes down to my economic foundation,” he said. “I believe in smaller government, lower taxes, allowing the free market to do much more than – I think – a lot of Democrats, especially more recently, have (aspired).”

[{"type":"text","text":"He said he aligns with conservative values as well."}]

Wing said he’s a Republican because his beliefs have always generally aligned with the party’s. He believes in a strong national defense and constitutional rights, he said.

[{"type":"text","text":"“Basically, I align with their platform,” said Wing."}]

The Wyoming Republican Party’s 23-plank platform calls for pro-life, pro-gun tenets and for strong private property rights and local elections free from federal interference, among other ideals.

[{"type":"text","text":"Will You Join The Freedom Caucus?"}]

Wing is endorsed by the Wyoming Freedom Caucus as well as some of its members and followers: Cheyenne-based Republican Reps. Ann Lucas, Steve Johnson, and Gary Brown.

The caucus is a controversial group of House Republicans that advocates for new laws on social issues and proposed budget cuts. Its proponents say it’s the true voice of the Wyoming political right. Its opponents say it over-relies on its national network and pushes sloppy legislation.   

[{"type":"text","text":"On whether to join it, said Wing, “I have no idea.”"}]

“I have been supported by them. However I have not made any determination whether I’m going to join the Freedom Caucus or not,” he said. “I’m sure we share a lot of values, but … the big issue is to get elected and do what’s best for the citizens of Wyoming.”

[{"type":"text","text":"McIntosh’s answer was no."}]

“It’s difficult, because I don’t have strong objections to their platform and some of the more conservative ideas that they work on,” he said.

But he doesn’t always agree with their methods, and what he sees as a surge of an “all-or-nothing approach to governance,” he added.  

McIntosh said being able to work with others is especially important in House District 11, which he called “purple.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Just How Purple?"}]

HD 11’s current delegate, Wasserburger, defeated former legislator Sara Burlingame, a Democrat, in his 2024 freshman run by fewer than 300 votes in a 3,260-vote general election.

Now-Sen. Jared Olsen also squeaked out a Republican win in House District 11, when he beat Democratic challenger Marguerite Herman by 132 votes in 2022.

Those are much tighter splits than Cheyenne’s House District 7, for example, where longtime Republican Rep. Bob Nicholas roughly doubled his Democratic opponent’s vote count in 2024.

Mix Collage 11 Aug 2026 01 17 PM 688

<title>The Two Republicans Vying For Cheyenne's 'Purple' House Seat | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Two Republicans, Dan McIntosh and Freedom Caucus-backed Paul Wing, face off next Tuesday for Cheyenne's House District 11. The winner will be one of a few Wyoming Republicans that could have a tough general election battle against a Democrat.

The Two Republicans Vying For Cheyenne's 'Purple' House Seat

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

Andrew Rossi

Around Wyoming

The Shoshone National Forest has reopened Brooks Lake Road near Dubois after a massive mudslide covered the road with mud, trees, and large boulders July 22.

The Wind River Ranger District had been working with a Dubois contractor, Peak Excavation, to make the most of an unexpected problem.

“We got the biggest culvert we could get within a reasonable amount of time to get the road back open,” said Jeff von Kienast, district ranger for the Wind River Ranger District. “We still have a little work to do, but the road’s open.”

That’s good news for Brooks Lake Lodge. The road is the only way to get to the lodge, but the Wind River Ranger District stepped up to ensure it didn’t lose any business.

“People book reservations at Brooks Lake Lodge up to a year ahead of time,” von Kienast said. “We allowed the lodge and a few commercial operators to keep going.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"One Way Only"}]

The Brooks Lake Road turns off U.S. Highway 26, 33 miles northwest of Dubois. It's the only way for vehicles to access Brooks Lake, the Brooks Lake and Pinnacle Campgrounds, and the lodge.

According to von Kienast, the debris flow occurred near a problematic spot known as the Pinnacles. It was caused by intense afternoon thunderstorms that saturated the slopes with moisture.

“The consistency of the material was like wet cement but with big boulders,” he said. “The drainage was 100 feet deep with mud. It plugged the old culvert and flowed over the road, blocking it entirely, and one of the boulders was half the size of the bulldozer we got to remove it.”

On July 23, Peak Excavation was called to clear the road. Coincidentally, they were ready to go on a moment’s notice.

“They happened to have a dozer loaded up on a lowboy, ready to go to another job,” von Kienast said. “When we called them, they headed that way immediately.”

With the dozer and other heavy equipment, Peak Excavation began clearing the road while the Wind River Ranger District started shopping for a new culvert.

Everyone involved understood the urgency. During the peak of the summer season, the last thing anyone wanted was the only road to Brooks Lake being inaccessible.

“There are trailheads and campgrounds back there,” von Kienast said. “People can go hiking, camping, or horseback riding. If there was a medical emergency, we’d need to be able to get to them. That’s why we keep the road closed except to a few groups and outfitters.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Shoshone Shuttle"}]

The staff and guests at Brooks Lake Lodge were concerned at first but were able to continue summer activities with relatively low impact.

“We heard it was washed out that evening,” said Natalie Pargenoni, the assistant manager of Brooks Lake Lodge. “Since it’s the Forest Service’s road, we got in contact with them, and they directed us about next steps.”

All outgoing guests were transported to Dubois by personnel with the ranger district. Then, to accommodate incoming reservations, the district  transported people to the lodge.

“They had 35 people show up in a big group,” von Kienast said. “When they came in a group, and they were all going to be at the lodge, we knew where they’d be in case of an emergency.

Pargenoni said the road-closing mudslide didn’t have any impact on the lodge, thanks to the assistance from the Wind River Ranger District. 

“We've been in constant communication with the Forest Service, so when we had a group come up, they let them pass through,” she said. “Everybody who had a reservation has been able to keep it, which was really nice.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Funding A Long-Term Solution"}]

Aside from some 30-minute delays anticipated this week, Brooks Lake Road is fully open to the public.

Peak Excavation is working on creating a dip in the newly repaired road that will allow future mudslides to flow over the road, making it easier to clear. They’re also placing riprap, heavy, unconsolidated material, that will prevent the road from eroding away.

For von Kienast, it was an excellent and rapid response to a short-term problem. Now, he’s thinking about the future.

“There’s a lot of material at the Pinnacles that’s eroding away,” he said. “To get them to mobilize and come all the way down that drainage takes quite a bit of rain, but who knows what size of material it could send down in the future?”

According to van Kienast, the Shoshone National Forest will probably seek federal funding for “a bigger fix.” That will need to be designed and engineered, which will take more time and resources, but should mitigate the impacts of future mudslides.

That would be more economical than building an entirely new road, but any bigger fix is still several years off.

What matters, in the meantime, is that the only road to Brooks Lake is open. 

“There's really no way to get in and out of there if that road's not open,” von Kienast said. “I’ve got a pretty good crew, and I'm really appreciative of everyone at Peak Excavation. We had to get that road open, and we did it.”

Mudslide brooks lake lodge 8 11 26

<title>After 18 Days, Road To Brooks Lake Lodge Finally Reopened After Massive Mudslide | Cowboy State Daily</title>

The road to Brooks Lake Lodge and campgrounds has reopened after an 18-day closure due to a massive slide that covered the road with 10 feet of mud, trees and boulders. The Wind River Ranger District shuttled guests to the lodge during the closure.

After 18 Days, Road To Brooks Lake Lodge Finally Reopened After Massive Mudslide

Kolby fedore

Kolby Fedore

Crime & Courts

A Colorado man accused of leading a Wyoming state trooper on a 

 that ended with one of his passengers dead has been bound over to district court on aggravated homicide by vehicle and several other charges.

But a second-degree murder allegation — which carries a potential sentence of 20 years to life in prison — did not move forward with the case Monday.

James K. Moore, born in 1999, now faces aggravated homicide by vehicle involving DUI, punishable by up to 20 years in prison, along with property destruction, two aggravated fleeing charges, reckless driving and a taillight violation in connection with the July 23 crash south of Cheyenne.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"It Started With The Taillights"}]

Wyoming Highway Patrol Trooper Brandon Todd spotted a white Hyundai traveling south on Interstate 25 in Laramie County at about 11:12 p.m. the night of the crash.

It had “no active taillights,” Todd wrote in an affidavit of probable cause.

The trooper caught up with the Hyundai and activated his emergency lights near Exit 7. At first, the car appeared as though it was going to pull over.

Instead, it went up the off-ramp, turned onto Clear Creek Parkway and accelerated.

Todd activated his siren and reported the Hyundai reaching speeds of more than 100 mph in a 45-mph zone.

About a minute into the pursuit, Todd saw what he described as a “small explosion” as the Hyundai crashed. He continued south but lost sight of the car.

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

Three minutes later, Todd found the mangled Hyundai in the parking lot of Simon at 6215 Clear Creek Parkway.

Moore was unconscious and unresponsive behind the wheel, still belted into the driver's seat, the affidavit says.

A second man was semi-conscious in the passenger seat with severe bruising on the right side of his face.

As Todd tried to speak with the men, Moore began itching his nose but would not respond to verbal commands. Todd also reported smelling a strong odor of a flavored alcoholic beverage coming from inside the vehicle.

Then the trooper began walking back through the debris field toward his patrol car.

At about 11:24 p.m., he found a third passenger, later identified as Christian Dawsey.

Dawsey was lying face down and had suffered injuries “not compatible with life,” Todd wrote.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Beer Cans, ‘Shooters’ And A Sex Toy"}]

The wreckage scattered across the parking lot offered investigators another look at what may have been happening inside the Hyundai before it crashed.

Todd reported finding empty beer cans and liquor “shooters” throughout the vehicle and debris field. A small red-and-clear alcoholic beverage was also found in the driver's side cup holder.

As investigators went through backpacks scattered in the wreckage, Todd reported finding fake urine and a sex toy.

Four days later, Todd learned Moore was on probation and said he believed the fake urine was intended to defeat urine tests required as part of that probation.

The next day, Todd contacted the Larimer County Probation Office in Colorado and was told Moore was on probation for felony menacing involving a real or simulated weapon. Moore's probation officer also told Todd that Moore was not permitted to be in Wyoming.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Blood Draw"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Emergency crews extricated Moore and the surviving passenger."}]

Because the crash involved a death and serious bodily injury, a blood sample was taken from Moore at about 11:43 p.m., the affidavit says.

[{"type":"text","text":"The court documents do not state the results of that blood test."}]

Moore was later flown by LifeFlight to Colorado for further medical care. The other man, from South Carolina, was taken by ground ambulance to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center.

Investigators estimated the 2025 Hyundai sustained between $13,180 and $18,180 in damage.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Charges Narrowed"}]

When Moore appeared in circuit court Aug. 3, Judge Nathaniel S. Hibbens set his bond at $100,000 cash only and appointed public defender Michael R. Vang to represent him.

At Monday's preliminary hearing, the court found probable cause to send six counts to district court: aggravated homicide by vehicle involving DUI; property destruction of $1,000 or more; two counts of aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude police, one involving bodily injury and another involving more than $10,000 in property damage; reckless driving; and a taillight violation.

If Moore is released, his bond conditions require mandatory drug testing and prohibit him from having contact with Dawsey's family.

Monday's bind-over is not a finding of guilt. It means the court found enough evidence to establish probable cause and send the case to Laramie County District Court, where Moore will be arraigned on those six counts. 

High Speed crash WHP 7 30 26

<title>Colorado Man Faces Aggravated Homicide Charge In Fatal 100-MPH Chase Near Cheyenne | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A Colorado man accused of leading a Wyoming state trooper on a 100-mph chase that ended with one of his passengers dead has been bound over to district court on aggravated homicide by vehicle. Investigators found fake urine and a sex toy in the wreckage.

Colorado Man Faces Aggravated Homicide Charge In Fatal 100-MPH Chase Near Cheyenne

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily reporter, Dale Killingbeck

Dale Killingbeck

A 38-year-old New York woman admitted in Natrona County District Court on Tuesday to traveling to Wyoming and attempting to steal money from banks to pay off her drug debt.

Christine Fitzpatrick made her confession as part of a plea agreement with the Natrona County District Attorney’s Office before Judge Kerri Johnson. Fitzpatrick appeared beside her attorney Dylan Rosalez.

Rosalez told the court that under terms of the plea deal with Assistant District Attorney Amanda Kirby, Fitzpatrick would plead guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit forgery and conspiracy to commit theft.

A third charge of possession of forged writings would be dismissed.

The deal caps any prison sentence at five years, Rosalez said. His client would also have to provide restitution for stolen funds.

Johnson read the charges against Fitzpatrick and asked if she understood the potential penalties as well as the plea agreement.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"}],"text":"“Yes, ma’am,” she said."}]

The judge said she would “defer acceptance of the agreement” until after a pre-sentence investigation.

Fitzpatrick then pleaded guilty to the two charges and Johnson asked her for details about what she had done.

Fitzpatrick said she owed her drug dealer money in New York City.

“He sent me with a driver from New York to take (money by) withdrawal from banks,” she said.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Stolen IDs"}]

Fitzpatrick agreed with the judge that she used stolen identification documents that were altered with her own photo to do the withdrawals.

The judge asked if she obtained funds from a bank in Casper.

“For the one here in Natrona County, I don’t believe so,” Fitzpatrick said.

Rosalez asked the judge to continue his client’s $100,000 cash or surety bond. The judge agreed and ordered the pre-sentence investigation.

A Casper police affidavit states that Fitzpatrick and her two partners were successful in obtaining $12,500 from a Buffalo ANB branch before arriving in Natrona County in the late afternoon of April 3 to try the same scheme.

A Casper ANB Bank branch contacted the Casper Police Department at 4:30 p.m. about a woman trying to obtain an $8,400 line of credit using a military ID of a woman they did not believe was the person standing in front of them.

Police found Fitzpatrick in an alley near the bank and approaching a black Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback that immediately left the scene when the officer initiated her lights, a police affidavit states.

The vehicle was later located by Laramie County Sheriff’s deputies and two suspects were arrested and sent to Natrona County to face charges.

Court cases involving conspiracy to commit forgery and conspiracy to commit theft charges continue in Natrona County District Court against Fitzpatrick’s co-defendants Anthony Reynolds, 21, and John Stallworth, 45.

Casper police reported that Fitzpatrick possessed a fraudulent U.S. Army ID and a fraudulent U.S. passport. Both had the same name on the IDs and displayed Fitzpatrick’s photo.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"textStyle"},{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Line Of Credit Withdrawals"}]

“(Fitzpatrick) stated that during her three days in Wyoming she committed several line-of-credit withdrawals from numerous banks in the state,” the affidavit states. “Two days prior to this incident, she made three successful withdrawals in the amount of $8,400 at unknown banks.”

Fitzpatrick told police she had two unsuccessful attempts at other banks on April 2 but had been able to successfully withdraw $12,500 from the ANB Bank in Buffalo.

The woman also told police she did not know what city she was in but knew she was in Wyoming and that she knew the IDs she possessed were fraudulent.

Fitzpatrick also told police she had been instructed to leave all her identifying information in New York.

A phone seized from Fitzpatrick contained information on the name of the person on the passport and U.S. Army ID. 

The Washakie County Sheriff’s Office contacted Casper Police about an identity theft case involving the name of the woman on the IDs carried by Fitzpatrick, the affidavit states.

The Buffalo Police Department confirmed to a Casper investigator the theft of $12,500 from the Buffalo ANB Bank branch.

Christine fitzpatrick 8 11 26

<title>New York Woman Pleads Guilty To Trying To Defraud Wyoming Banks Over Drug Debt | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A 38-year-old New York woman pleaded guilty Tuesday in Natrona County District Court to traveling to Wyoming and trying to defraud a Casper bank of funds using stolen and altered IDs. She arrived in Casper after defrauding a bank in Buffalo.

New York Woman Pleads Guilty To Trying To Defraud Wyoming Banks Over Drug Debt

Wyoming’s gubernatorial campaign is ratcheting up with attack ads now targeting Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder.

One of her two Republican opponents, Sen. Eric Barlow, has been the target of attack ads for weeks by both TV and mail.

A new political action group (PAC) that registered in Wyoming on Aug. 5 has started airing a commercial against Degenfelder, implying she engaged in “dirty deals” while working for a coal company.

U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman condemned the ad and blamed Barlow for it in a Monday Facebook post.

Degenfelder spokeswoman Charlotte Jones did the same in a Monday email to Cowboy State Daily.

Barlow, conversely, says he did not orchestrate the ad, and he too condemns it. 

[{"type":"text","text":"First, The Narrative"}]

The ad opens on a female voice and an artificial intelligence-rendered avatar of Degenfelder in a sleek black suit.

“For Megan Degenfelder, dirty politics was just business as usual,” the ad alleges. It says Degenfelder was “paid thousands to lobby for loopholes that let her company dodge millions in local taxes.”

[{"type":"text","text":"It then notes that her company went bankrupt."}]

“Degenfelder made money, Wyoming got left holding the bag,” the ad says, showcasing a July 

 reporting that Cloud Peak Energy coal company still owed Campbell County around $30-$40 million in unpaid taxes after it filed for bankruptcy.

[{"type":"text","text":"The ad does not say what “loopholes” allowed that."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Second, The Facts"}]

Before August 2017, when then-Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow hired Degenfelder, the latter 

Cloud Peak Energy in August 2019 found a buyer, Navajo Transitional Energy, which agreed to pay the company’s taxes, 

Wyoming Secretary of State filings say Degenfelder was a registered lobbyist for Southland Royalty Company LLC from 2016 into early 2021. That was an oil and gas company, 

[{"type":"text","text":"Third, The Backlash"}]

Barlow and Degenfelder, now both the targets of political action groups’ high-profile TV attack ads, both deny coordinating those ads.

Team Degenfelder doesn’t believe Barlow, a Monday email from Jones says.

“Wyoming voters know hypocrisy when they see it,” said Jones. “At the same time Eric Barlow decries negative campaigning calling him to task on his record, his out-of-state allies are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on an entirely AI-generated attack ad on Megan Degenfelder’s career fighting for Wyoming’s coal industry and energy jobs.”

Jones calls the ad a misguided attack and even more of an attack on Wyoming’s coal and energy industry and workers.

She also called it “consistent with Eric Barlow’s record of siding with environmental activists over Wyoming coal miners. Wyoming voters should take note, it speaks volumes about whose side Eric Barlow is on and how he would govern.”

Hageman was also unimpressed and redoubled her long-standing support for Degenfelder.

“I have learned first-hand as a legislator that what you say in a campaign defines what you will do when elected, and this ad speaks volumes,” said Hageman. “Campaigning on an anti-coal message shows that this is a concerted effort to stop production of one of our biggest assets.”

A new attack ad surfaced against gubernatorial candidate Megan Degenfelder this weekend, after independent groups attacked her opponent Eric Barlow for weeks. Rep. Harriet Hageman condemned the ad and said Barlow created it, which he denies.

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