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[{"type":"text","text":"It's always a good idea to loosen the ice before shoveling..."}]

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<title>Daily Darwin: Wednesday, April 3, 2024 | Cowboy State Daily</title>

It's always a good idea to loosen the ice before shoveling...

Daily Darwin: Wednesday, April 3, 2024

 It's always a good idea to loosen the ice before shoveling...

Employee kate meadows cropped

Kate Meadows

Government & Politics

Dozens of residents packed the meeting room and hallway at a meeting of the Platte County Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday night, their voices often rising as they shared their concerns about a massive data center project.

a data center and power generation complex was proposed

 for 5,344 acres of ranchland northeast of Wheatland in Platte County near the Goshen County line.

More than 70 people attended, with the majority standing in the hallway because of limited space. It was contentious from the beginning over cell towers, the data center project, and even whether the meeting was legal.

All that came after Commission Chairman Marty Shepard pointed out that the meeting wasn’t open for public comment because it was about a regulatory change.

The Planning and Zoning Commission is considering changes to Platte County’s land-use rules and regulations that would bring data centers under the county’s regulatory framework, potentially requiring developers to obtain a special-use permit.

Board members stressed Tuesday that the discussion was about how to regulate data centers, not whether the county should allow them.

“We are here to make sure the projects come in front of us meet our regulations,” board member Bill Klein said.

Shepard said the county wants to make sure it has the ability to place restrictions on future data center developments rather than giving developers broad authority to proceed without additional county oversight.

“If we rezone to commercial industrial and we give these companies free rein, we’re not in favor of that,” Shepard said. “We’re looking at special-use permit instead of giving them carte blanche.”

Amid wide public pushback, the commission unanimously voted to move forward with proposed changes to rules and regulations that would require a special-use permit for data centers.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Saving Most Contentious For Last"}]

The commission closed the evening with the issue that had drawn most of the crowd: How to incorporate data centers into the county’s land-use regulations.

County planner Laura Bookout told the commission that commissioners “would like to incorporate some form of data centers into our current regulations.”

She said they believe there might be loopholes in existing rules that could be addressed by requiring a special-use permit.

Shepard said updating the regulations would give the county more authority over future projects and allow officials to negotiate protections with developers.

“If we are good negotiators, we negotiate to the developer, this is what we want to protect our county,” he said. “If the developer is OK with paying for it up front, there’s no risk to Platte County. I think that is the gist of this meeting. I don’t think the taxpayers of Platte County (should) front the bill." 

Resident Josh Martinez, who had previously presented the commission with his concerns and proposed regulations, pressed board members for more information about the county’s approach.

“There’s not a lot of data,” Martinez said. “This community wants to know a lot of stuff, and nobody is saying nothing.”

Board member Bonnie Lockhart pointed out the commission has not received an actual data center application.

Martinez accused county commissioners of failing to do their due diligence.

“You’re in this position to look out for us, not the companies and the money,” he said. “Do what the people ask, because it comes from our tax dollars.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Tax Revenue, Exemptions And Water"}]

The debate also turned toward the potential financial benefits and costs of data centers.

Shepard pushed back against what he described as a persistent claim that data centers are tax exempt.

He said a data center could generate as much as $20 million in property tax revenue for Platte County.

Shepard said the exemption applies to equipment installed inside data center buildings rather than the buildings and property.

[{"type":"text","text":"The explanation prompted shouting from the audience."}]

“So are they tax exempt or not?” someone off camera shouted. “You just said they have an exemption on equipment that they put in their building.”

[{"type":"text","text":"“Is it public comment now?” a woman asked."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Shepard leaned back in his chair, visibly frustrated."}]

“I’m not going to argue with you. $20 million is a lot for this county,” he said.

[{"type":"text","text":"He claimed everyone in attendance voted to gut property taxes."}]

“Where is the money going to come from that keeps our county alive?” he asked.

Shepard said he has toured data centers and spoken with people involved in the industry.

[{"type":"text","text":"“Was I skeptical up front? Sure was. I’m not now,” he said."}]

He also challenged what he described as exaggerated claims about the amount of water data centers consume.

[{"type":"text","text":"“A million gallons of water is a thimble. A thimble,” he said."}]

When Shepard was asked to share the information he had gathered during his tour, he said, “I didn’t take any notes. It’s stored right here.”

[{"type":"text","text":"He pointed to his head."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"‘Tell Us How You Want Them To Come’"}]

Klein repeatedly emphasized that the commission was seeking input on regulations rather than a simple rejection of data centers.

“We can’t just say, no, they’re not coming,” he said. “But we can say how we want them to come and what stipulations we want and what help we want in the community.”

He grew frustrated with residents who were using the meeting primarily to argue against data centers.

“Don’t just come in here and read off a whole bunch of stuff telling us how bad they are and how they’re just going to use all of our water and how they’re just going to destroy our community, because that’s bullshit,” Klein said.

“They are not here to destroy Wheatland. But they are here … because there is opportunity here.”

A woman in the audience challenged the commission, asking, “Why can’t we just say we don’t want them in Platte County?”

[{"type":"text","text":"“Why would you say that, ma’am?” Shepard replied."}]

Another man asked why the county has no other commercial manufacturing operations comparable to the proposed data center development.

[{"type":"text","text":"More arguing followed."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Public Comment A Point Of Contention"}]

As the commission attempted to move toward a vote, residents continued to ask when they would be allowed to formally comment on the proposed regulations.

“Do we need a motion to have a meeting on the 16th?” Shepard asked Bookout.

Off camera, someone said, “Didn’t they say they were going to open to public comment?”

[{"type":"text","text":"Then she spoke publicly."}]

“You said you were going to open it up to public comment so if we could start our public comment, that would be great,” she said.

“This meeting is not open,” Shepard replied. “This is not an application. This is a rule change.”

The woman argued that because the county was already discussing changes to its land-use rules, residents should be able to offer ideas, suggestions and questions.

[{"type":"text","text":"“On September 16th,” Shepard responded."}]

The woman pointed out that a Sept. 16 hearing comes after the commission’s upcoming meetings, when many decisions about the regulations might already have been made.

“Are we moving into these meetings with no rezoning and with no regulations and with no anything?” she asked.

Lockhart again noted that the county has not received an application for a data center.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Size Of Crowd Debated"}]

Klein said residents would have an opportunity to voice their opinions at the Aug. 26 rezoning meeting.

The commission then voted unanimously to move ahead with proposed changes to the county’s rules requiring data centers to obtain a special-use permit. Board member Jay Collins made the motion, and Lockhart seconded it.

Shepard said the commission would work on the specific regulations at its Sept. 16 meeting.

[{"type":"text","text":"The announcement prompted another round of shouting."}]

“If we include data centers within our regulations, then we can regulate them better if they come,” Lockhart said over the noise. “If we don’t have them in our regulations, then they’re going to do whatever they want.”

As the arguments continued, Klein reminded the crowd that the commission was hearing from a relatively small portion of the county.

[{"type":"text","text":"“You have to remember, there’s 32 of you here,” he said."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"“There is 75,” a woman corrected him from off camera."}]

Klein responded that Platte County has about 6,000 residents and said three men he spoke with at a grocery store the previous week supported data centers.

One man in the front row warned that the opposition could grow significantly if residents believe the county is moving toward approving a data center without adequate restrictions.

“I think once the word gets out to Platte County and Goshen County about regulations where this is definitely coming in and the permits have been approved, you’re going to have a hellstorm on your hands,” he said.

“We already do,” Lockhart replied. “And we haven’t even got an application yet.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"‘An Illegal Meeting?’"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"The meeting was contentious from the get-go."}]

Less than two minutes in, Rebecca Cohorn of Goshen County questioned whether the commission could proceed.

“I notice there is no period of time in which public comments is an agenda item and I believe that that would make this an illegal meeting,” Cohorn said.

Shepard responded that he did not believe public comment was required for the land-use regulation discussion.

“And that’s a problem. It doesn’t matter,” Cohorn interjected. “There is no public comment on anything.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Cohorn asked that the meeting be rescheduled in a larger room."}]

Shepard pointed out that the meeting was being livestreamed and recorded on YouTube before saying the commission would continue.

“No. We’re going to move forward. But thank you for your consideration,” he said.

As the commission moved into its first agenda item, consideration of a special-use permit for a wireless communication tower on private land, Cohorn continued to object.

[{"type":"text","text":"“It’s an illegal meeting,” she shouted."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"The interruptions continued as the board attempted to proceed."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"“Shut the door,” Shepard said."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Cell Tower Also Contentious"}]

 generally opens meetings to public comment, even when it is not specifically listed on the agenda.

“It may not be on the agenda, but I am always open in every meeting to public comment,” he said.

The tension continued as landowner Mary Meyer addressed the commission about opposition to a proposed cell tower on a neighboring property.

At one point, Shepard left his seat at the front of the room and addressed people gathered in the hallway.

“We are in a public hearing setting right now and it is very disruptive to the person who is trying to get her point across, whether you’re for it or against it,” he said. “You’re disturbing the lady who is trying to present her case. And she’s probably saying something you might want to hear.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Jeers came from the crowd."}]

“All I’m asking for is just a little peace so we can get through our meeting,” Shepard said. “If we can’t have it I’m going to have you removed.”

The crowd eventually quieted, but questions and objections continued as the meeting turned to the data center project.

 A special meeting to consider a major rezone application by the company proposing the data center, Site Layer 4, LLC, is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Aug. 26 at the Agriplex in Wheatland. A public hearing on the proposed land-use regulations is scheduled for Sept. 16 at 1 p.m. at the same location.

Wheatland data center 8 12 26

<title>Platte County Meeting Gets Contentious Over Proposed Data Center | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Dozens of residents packed the meeting room and hallway at a meeting of the Platte County Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday night, their voices often rising as they shared their concerns about a massive data center project.

Platte County Meeting Gets Contentious Over Proposed Data Center

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's managing editor, Greg Johnson.

Greg Johnson

Crime & Courts

Courts

A Tinder date gone horribly wrong ended with a Newcastle man dead with a hollow-point round in his chest and a South Dakota man facing a second-degree murder charge — and vastly different stories from the couple who had just met for a hook-up.

The woman Drake Alexander Ingalls of Belle Fourche, South Dakota, had driven nearly 90 minutes to meet this past weekend told investigators that Ingalls “did not need to shoot that gun at all.”

Ingalls, however, says he shot the other man in defense of his Tinder date after the woman screamed for “help” several times, according to an affidavit of probable cause written by Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Agent Zack Miller.

The shooting happened a little before 5 a.m. Sunday, and Ingalls had his initial court appearance Tuesday, where a Weston County Circuit Court judge gave him a $250,000 cash-only bond and set an Aug. 19 preliminary hearing.

By the time Newcastle police responded to the home of the victim, identified in court documents as Jason Greene, he was lying face-down on the floor and obviously dead, wrote Miller.

An officer “entered the trailer home and located the victim … lying face-down on the floor between the hallway and living room with a large pool of blood underneath his chest,” the affidavit says. “Officers and emergency medical personnel confirmed Greene was deceased.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"What She Said"}]

In separate interviews with the woman and Ingalls, both told investigators how they met on Tinder and had been talking for anywhere from a couple weeks (according to her) to a few months (according to him) before Ingalls drove to Newcastle on Saturday so they could meet up, the affidavit says.

They had a room at a local hotel and had been drinking for hours by the time the woman got a text from Greene calling her a “whore,” Miller wrote.

The woman then allegedly proceeded to claim Greene had mistreated her, but later told investigators that Greene had “never assaulted her and the two were not in any physical altercation,” the affidavit says.

Upset after getting the text, the woman asked Ingalls to take her to Greene’s place “so she could talk to him,” Miller wrote.

The woman “told Ingalls about the text message and that Greene had abused her in the past,” the affidavit says. “(She) told Ingalls that if he heard her yell for help to come and help her.”

Greene didn’t know they were coming to his residence, the document adds. Miller’s affidavit also doesn’t elaborate on how the woman and Greene knew each other.

The woman and Greene were in a “heated verbal argument” with her “yelling loudly,” which Ingalls reportedly heard, the affidavit says. So, he left his car outside the trailer and went to the woman.

The woman also told investigators that she didn’t actually see the shooting, “and adamantly stated Greene never assaulted her and the two were not in any physical altercation,” the affidavit says.

She continued to say that Ingalls “did not need to shoot that gun at all,” Miller wrote about her statement.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"What He Said"}]

That’s not how the confrontation went down, however, Ingalls said in his own interview with investigators, the affidavit says.

“Ingalls claimed he came around a shed and observed Greene struggling with (the woman) near the doorway threshold,” Miller wrote. “Ingalls described the struggle as Greene behind (the woman) and he had his arms hooked under her armpits and another hand on the back of her head or hair, and it appeared he was trying to pull (her) into his trailer.”

Ingalls said he tried to pull the door open, then pointed a handgun at Greene and demanded he let the woman go, according to his statement detailed in the affidavit.

“At which point, Ingalls said he fired his handgun,” Miller wrote. “Ingalls could only see Greene’s chest as (the woman) was in front of him and he believed he shot him right in the middle of the chest.”

That’s when Greene stumbled back into the trailer and fell onto the living room floor.

Ingalls had the gun because he had it in his car and grabbed it when he heard the woman yell for help, the affidavit says.

“Ingalls retrieved his 9 mm Glock 17 handgun from the center console of his car and chambered a hollow-point round into the handgun as he approached the side entrance of the trailer,” Miller wrote.

Ingalls and the woman then got back into his car and drove around the block before returning to the scene and the woman called 911.

If convicted of second-degree murder, Ingalls could get anywhere from 20 years ot life in prison, a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.

Newcastle highway sign Drake Alexander Ingalls 8 12 26

<title>Tinder Date Ends With Newcastle Man Shot Dead, S.D. Man Facing Murder Charge | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Tinder Date Ends With Newcastle Man Shot Dead, S.D. Man Facing Murder Charge

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

Andrew Rossi

Public Safety

This story was updated at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday.

A multi-vehicle accident between Cody and Yellowstone National Park involving multiple motorcycles on Wednesday morning resulted in one confirmed fatality and five serious injuries, the Wyoming Highway Patrol tells Cowboy State Daily.

WHP spokesman Aaron Brown said the multi-vehicle incident at Wapiti involved four motorcycles, a pickup truck, and a Wyoming Department of Transportation vehicle.

“What we know is we had one fatality,” Brown said. “One (victim) was LifeFlighted to a hospital in Billings, Montana, and the other three were taken to Cody Regional Health via ambulance. I don't know who was taken or transferred where, but they all had severe injuries."

Because the investigation into the accident is ongoing, Brown didn’t know what the contributing factors might have been. He could confirm that the driver of the WYDOT truck was not injured.

“The WYDOT vehicle looks to have been struck toward the end of the crash,” he said

WHIP will release the deceased victim’s name once next-of-kin is notified, Brown said.

As of 2:50 p.m., U.S. Highway 14/16/20 was cleared of debris and open to traffic in both directions.

At 9:38 a.m., WYDOT closed all lanes on the highway due to the crash. First responders were rushing to the scene, which an eyewitness says involved multiple people who appeared to be seriously injured.

According to exchanges on the Park County Public Safety-WyoLink radio scanner, first responders had received “a report of two fatalities.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Too Grisly"}]

Wapiti resident Jimmy Rush was heading toward Cody for work when he observed the scene of the incident. It happened sometime between 8 and 8:30 a.m. Wednesday near the Old Faithful RV Park, just outside Wapiti.

“When I passed by, it was still a very early stage of the accident,” he said. “There were no first responders on the scene. There were at least four to five motorcycles and debris everywhere. I counted at least three bodies that I could see lying on the ground, not moving, with more down in ditches."

Rush said the victims were being attended to “by all of the gracious people of Wyoming,” who immediately pulled over and jumped out of vehicles to help.

A Silver Ford pickup truck, either an F-250 or F-350, had been “ejected out into a field,” according to Rush. From what he could see, it appeared to have "impacted something.”

“I immediately called (Park County Dispatch) and said, ‘You guys got to send everybody. There’s multiple bodies and multiple injuries, and one ambulance ain't going to get it done.’”

As Rush continued into Cody, he saw five Park County Sheriff’s deputies, multiple fire trucks, a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper, and two ambulances heading to the scene.

Rush took a photo of a WYDOT truck at the scene, which showed a damaged tailgate.

“It was the only picture I felt comfortable taking,” he said. “It was too grisly.”

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"What Happened?"}]

Rush could only piece together a rough scenario of events based on what he observed.

“From what I can tell, the WYDOT truck was starting to do some type of work,” he said. “There were cones set up, but I don't know if he was setting those cones up for some pending work that was about to happen, or if he had set those cones up because of the accident.

[{"type":"text","text":"“It’s really hard to tell, but it was severe.”"}]

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is available.

Wapiti Crash 308 12 26

<title>UPDATE: Fatality Reported In Crash Involving Four Motorcycles, WYDOT Truck Near Cody | Cowboy State Daily</title>

An accident involving multiple motorcycles and a WYDOT truck has resulted in at least one fatality and serious injuries on U.S. Highway 14-16-20 near Cody. "I counted at least three bodies that I could see lying on the ground, not moving," one witness said.

UPDATE: Fatality Reported In Crash Involving Four Motorcycles, WYDOT Truck Near Cody

Guest Column

Guest Columnists

My friend and erstwhile opponent in the 2018 Primary for Governor approached me a few days before election day and said, “Mark, I might actually beat you.” He had good reason to think that. It had been a hard campaign.

His entrance into the race had been a surprise to the entire field, but he approached it with grace, humor, and enthusiasm grounded in his faith. 

He earned his spurs, so to speak, by traipsing all over Wyoming with the rest of us, walking parades, answering questions at forums and debates. 

Campaigning is tough for anyone but this 79-year-old man, it was clear, had demonstrated he had the stuff it takes to be a strong leader.

I took his comment seriously. By then he had Chuck Norris backing him and Donald Trump Jr. Foster Friess was a fierce competitor eventually gaining President Trump’s endorsement shortly before the primary.

Foster and I agreed to keep the race above board – and I believe we did. Sure, there were some clumsy and ineffective 3

 party shenanigans towards the end, but neither of us ever condoned them.

Foster was always a gentleman, as were Sam Galeotos and Taylor Haynes. All were among the first to offer help to a new Governor with  so much to learn from each. 

I am grateful because I know it isn’t easy to offer a hand after such a hard fought election. It sucks to lose and it really hurts.

This election, similar to the one two years ago, has amplified the sorts of big city, big money, nasty half-truths and flat-out lies or falsehoods that have become all too common in other states. It’s not the Wyoming I know.

Here we respect the Code of the West, and most candidates always worked to discourage that sort of campaigning. They understood it was offensive to Wyoming people, who pretty well know right from wrong. 

Contrast is one thing, but bearing false witness is taboo for a population that appreciates all ten of the Commandments.

Where has that sensibility gone? This election we have been abused by cynical political operatives whose stock-in-trade is to twist facts and foment suspicion with incomplete, dishonest tales and misinformation. 

Especially galling are out-of-state political operatives who get paid big bucks for duping voters.  I hope their vilification is misplaced in the Cowboy State.  Wyoming voters are honest and they care.

I believe voters will see through the baloney that passes for politics elsewhere and will come to rest on those candidates who know what they are talking about, know and care about Wyomingites and know what is important to Wyoming – jobs, family, the economy, and our way of life.

Ask yourself, is this candidate talking mostly about someone else, or, as they should be, are they listening and talking about the things that will keep our core industries vital, our way of life secure, our kids safe, and our communities whole. 

Ask yourself if what they are saying is valuable to your community, to your family, to your grandchildren –  or is it just political blather and mud?

Ask what a candidate has actually done to make the state better and why.  Ask for details.

I say enough with the name calling, the false information, the nasty for nasty sake. Enough with the schlock that uses Wyoming voters as fundraising bait. 

Let’s elect people for who they are and what they will do, not for what some mysterious, never-heard-of-them-before organization ginned up to make voters mad. 

Let’s elect people to represent our interests, not puppets who parrot consultants’ talking points. 

Gov. Mark Gordon writes, "I say enough with the name calling, the false information, the nasty for nasty sake. Enough with the schlock that uses Wyoming voters as fundraising bait."

Daily Darwin: Wednesday, April 3, 2024

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