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Michael P. Ramirez

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

<title>Daily Cartoon 2: Friday, November 29, 2024 | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Daily Cartoon 2: Friday, November 29, 2024

Kolby fedore

Kolby Fedore

Crime & Courts

Courts

A Lincoln County contractor could be facing serious criminal charges after allegedly beating a man, threatening him with a shovel, taking his phone and coercing him into signing over a truck and equipment during a daylong 

Lincoln County Sheriff's Deputy Kale McGee outline the allegations in a 12-page affidavit filed Friday and made available Tuesday, seeking charges of aggravated blackmail and battery against Thomas John Robinson.

mother called 911 from Afton, reporting her son had been held against his will and was covered in blood, wrote McGee. 

The sheriff's deputy arrived to find the man wearing a white shirt stained with dried blood. McGee wrote that he also had dried blood near his nose and fresh bruising on his face.

The man claims Robinson arrived at his Thayne-area home around 10 a.m. demanding repayment from a failed equipment deal.

Robinson money, but said he couldn't immediately pay him, and that Robinson could not simply take vehicles and equipment 

He said he "originally owed Robinson $30,000, but Robinson kept bumping the price up.” 

The alleged victim said that Robinson then grabbed him by his sweatshirt collar, threw him to the ground and climbed on top of him, wrote McGee. 

"He popped me,” the man told investigators, later reported pain in his ribs, face, and mouth.

Next, he said Robinson loaded up a trailer and skid steer onto the man's truck and hauled him to a property on Rock Farm Road outside Etna.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Threats And A Shovel "}]

Once at the property, the man told investigators that the confrontation escalated, according to the affidavit.

He said Robinson began videotaping him and humiliating him while accusing him of fraud.

In a video taken by a witness, Robinson tells the man, "I honestly can't believe there's people like you around in this world,” the affidavit says. "Every one of us as a god — civilization and a community. 

"Every one of us that's a normal mother f***er that goes and works for their money needs to come together and f***ing catch people like you and string you up and flog you daily." 

In the video, Robinson calls the man a "piece of shit" multiple times, wrote McGee. "Like I said, I got him by the balls. I got him right by the balls; he just forfeited his truck and equipment to me and agreed to do so."

The man claimed Robinson threatened to hit him in the back of the head with a shovel and "bury him,” and also told him that he would come after him if he went to the cops. 

Robinson also allegedly threatened to burn down the man's house with his children inside and to "take him out of the community," again referencing striking him with a shovel, according to the affidavit.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Robinson Tells A Different Story"}]

Robinson acknowledged to the sheriff’s office that he confronted the other man over money, but described the encounter very differently.

According to McGee, Robinson told investigators he had been trying for months to recover money he believed was owed to him.

Robinson said he discovered the man had recently acquired a truck, trailer and skid steer despite owing him money.

McGee wrote that Robinson told investigators the man voluntarily drove the equipment to Robinson's property and later agreed to sign over his truck and equipment as collateral 

Robinson denied bloodying the man, telling investigators that he told him he was free to leave and ultimately agreed to work off the debt.

McGee wrote that Robinson produced six invoices totaling $43,589.16 and documents allegedly signed by the man transferring the truck as collateral.

Before investigators arrived at the property to talk to Robinson, they learned that he had an active warrant out to Idaho with full extradition. 

When they told Robinson there was a warrant for his arrest out of Fremont County, Idaho, Robinson began "using vulgar language and became agitated," wrote McGee. "He refused to let me place him in handcuffs behind his back and told me that he had shoulder issues.” 

He was ultimately placed in handcuffs and taken to the Lincoln County Detention Center, but according to the sheriff's department, he is no longer there. 

Court records in Fremont County, Idaho, show Robinson had been facing a felony DUI charge there. 

However, a plea agreement was filed May 28 and the case has been remanded to a lower court, according to a Fremont County District Court clerk. The clerk said the felony charge has been reduced to a misdemeanor and Robinson is expected to enter a plea in the lower court.

[{"type":"text","text":"Robinson is not being held in custody in Idaho."}]

Cowboy State Daily reached out to Fremont County prosecutors about whether Robinson may face any additional charges in Idaho and had not received a response by publication time.

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

Several witnesses interviewed by investigators support portions of the alleged victim's account.

Investigators also reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby Maverik that showed the victim later in the day kneeling on gravel with a cloth pressed against his nose while Robinson spoke on the phone about alleged fraud accusations.

A notary told investigators she notarized paperwork signed by Robinson and the man later that day.

The notary told investigators she sensed tension between the men and had received a text message from the witness who made the video beforehand, one of Robinson's employees, that said, "It's getting intense.”

McGee wrote that he asked the notary if the alleged victim "looked like he was willing to sign these papers," and she said, "Hmm, I mean, he signed.” 

She said he put his driver's license down on the table, and she didn't log anything in her notary book with the state because she "just has to make sure the signature matches the signature on the paper.” 

Lincoln County Attorney Ember Oakley did not return a request by publication time for clarification about Robinson's pending charges in Wyoming.

Lincoln County Sheriffs Office 12 11 25

<title>Lincoln County Man Accused Of Beating, Shaking Down Man Who Owes Him Money | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A Lincoln County man is accused of beating a man to coerce him to sign over a truck and equipment during a daylong shakedown over a debt. “Catch people like you and string you up and flog you daily,” police say the contractor threatens on video.

Lincoln County Man Accused Of Beating, Shaking Down Man Who Owes Him Money

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

Clair McFarland

Government & Politics

Politics

officially declared this week that June is “pride month” in the southwest Wyoming city.

It’s done so for years, but this year’s proclamation 

a surge of backlash, as shown through 543 comments on the city's Facebook post and 43 shares as of Tuesday afternoon.

than the three comments and five shares a similar post 

Mayor Max Mickelson told Cowboy State Daily this year’s heated election cycle — not just municipal, but at all levels — is driving public vitriol.

“There’s just a lot of strong feelings,” said Mickelson in a Tuesday phone interview. “And people are expressing those which again, absolutely (that’s their) protected First Amendment right. But it is the whole purpose of a city to create an environment where people can thrive. That’s it.”

The majority of Rock Springs City Council members who spoke to Cowboy State Daily said the proclamation is about honoring diverse groups within Rock Springs, and the backlash is 

Rick Milonas, a city councilman who is running against Mickelson and another candidate for the mayor’s seat, said he has nothing against gay people, but 

 city government shouldn’t be advancing any sexual agenda.

The city government’s Monday Facebook post proclaiming June as pride month shows Mickelson standing in his suit along with City Councilwoman Jeannie Demas, and a half dozen other people, most holding rainbow pride flags.

The photo backdrop features a banner above the city logo which reads, in gothic calligraphy, “In God We Trust.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Milonas cast that as an irony."}]

“He made the whole month gay pride month and boy oh boy, people are upset,” said Milonas in his own Tuesday interview. “Then he took that picture underneath ‘In God We Trust.’”

The city’s post advertises four events: a pride game night at Pin Up Coffee, “A Magical Night with Michael Carducci” at the city’s Broadway Theater, a Pride Celebration at Bunning Park, and a PrideFest Pub Crawl at Square State Brewing.

[{"type":"text","text":"Mickelson said the city isn’t giving money for any of these events."}]

“Yeah, in terms of city resources — other than the paper (the proclamation) was printed on — zero,” he said.

The city is allowing its theater and park to be used for the events, he added. The First Amendment calls for government forums like those not to censor speakers within them based on viewpoint alone.

“My practice as the mayor has been for any local, state, or nationally-recognized event, if a resident asks for a proclamation, then we do one,” said Mickelson, adding that Rock Springs has proclaimed June as pride month every year he’s been mayor. 

“I’m not going to gate-keep and pick and choose which events matter to the residents,” he said. "That would be inappropriate.”

He said the photograph was shot Friday. The city used to do public occasion proclamations within City Council meetings, he said, but now it issues those proclamations during scheduled times instead.

But the meetings have “become very long and not focused on business,” said Mickelson.

Milonas said this ties back to his fears from around two years ago, that a the city’s Urban Renewal Agency (URA) manager tried to redesign official government messaging to tout the LGBTQ agenda.  

Milonas said a city employee was involved in designing the new, multicolored city logo in an effort to “(promote) his gay agenda.”

Mickelson called that claim false and said he’s growing frustrated with Milonas’ 

[{"type":"text","text":"Conflict in the city government has been ongoing for months at least."}]

Former state Rep. Chad Banks, who now serves as the URA manager, filed an ethics complaint against Milonas earlier this year over Milonas’ claims that Banks redesigned the city logo to advance a “gay agenda.”

“This moves beyond policy disagreement and into personal targeting,” Banks wrote in the complaint, according to 

[{"type":"text","text":"Banks’ complaint was upheld."}]

“They found me guilty as charged. So basically, they took away my freedom of speech,” said Milonas.

In turn, Milonas filed a complaint against the mayor claiming the latter “weaponized the ethics process,” which the council threw out for lack of evidence.

[{"type":"text","text":"Milonas contends he wasn’t given the chance to defend his allegations."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Mickelson said the complaint was simply unfounded."}]

“It’s very difficult to produce evidence of something that did not happen,” said Mickelson 

Mickelson said he formed a committee to look at the city logo. The city hired a marketing consultant but didn’t use his work. And the committee chose the new colors — blue, yellow and green — “because we wanted to update the old logo.”

[{"type":"text","text":"The mayor said Banks had no part in choosing the colors."}]

“I am beyond frustrated that an elected official would continually, despite being shown factual evidence, misrepresent to the voters the process that was followed for his own personal reasons,” said Mickelson. “It is reckless, it is irresponsible and it is frankly a dereliction of what we all took an oath to uphold.”

[{"type":"text","text":"About Pride Month"}]

Pride month, widely observed under the Democratic administration of former President Joe Biden, celebrates people of alternate sexual orientations, as well as transgender and “questioning” people.

The administration of President Donald Trump, who has touted more socially conservative approaches, declared last June that the president didn’t plan to declare June as pride month.

“But I can tell you,” said Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt at the time, “this president is very proud to be a president for all Americans, regardless of race, religion, or creed.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Other City Council Members"}]

Facebook commenters on the city’s proclamation post ventured expressions of delight and approval, as well as consternation and frustration.

Other city council members, besides Milonas, who returned Cowboy State Daily’s calls on Tuesday cast the social media outrage as overblown.

“Any group can come and proclaim a day or month or week,” said Councilman Rob Zotti. “We do it all the time for nonprofits, for cancer awareness, for domestic violence. You name it.”

Regarding whether celebrating certain sexual preferences is the role of government, Zotti said, “I’m kind of at a loss, because it’s just a recognition of people … it’s just a matter of people wanting to be recognized and affirmed as people. And (recognizing) they have the same rights as everybody else.”

Councilman David Thompson said the city tries to include everyone and recognize numerous different awareness drives, “whether we agree with them or not.”

Thompson said that on a volunteer basis, he plans on helping with security for a pride event in the park.

[{"type":"text","text":"“There might be some people overreacting,” said Thompson."}]

Councilman Dan Pedri said that, “we have a lot of people within our community. We’re always recognizing different groups, different people. I don’t personally have a problem with it.”

He called some of the negative comments “disheartening” and harmful to their targets.

He also said that some of the people making derogatory comments on social media are silent on the issue when out in public.

“So, a lot of people can be pretty bold and say the things that they feel they should say — at a distance,” said Pedri.

Cowboy State Daily left voicemails for all city council members. The others did not comment by publication.

The outlet also tried, without success, to reach and interview some of the boldest commenters under the Facebook post.

Rock Springs Pride month 1 6 2 26

<title>City Of Rocks Springs Catches Backlash For ‘Pride Month’ Declaration | Cowboy State Daily</title>

The city of Rock Springs declared June is “pride month” — and is catching backlash. The city "made the whole month gay pride month and boy oh boy, people are upset,” says a councilman. The mayor countered that he wouldn't play gatekeeper on events.

City Of Rocks Springs Catches Backlash For ‘Pride Month’ Declaration

Employee kate meadows cropped

Kate Meadows

Wyoming Life

Sports

A Bozeman, Montana, woman has returned home following a 24-day hospital stay after her hand was ripped off in a terrifying horse accident at the Montana State University rodeo practice arena.

Presley Whitaker, wife of Montana State University Head Rodeo Coach Kyle Whitaker, arrived home from Salt Lake City via a private last Thursday, nearly a month after the May 4 accident.

She came home wearing a neck brace, having also suffered a broken jaw in the altercation, and her right arm tucked into a black sling, without her hand.  

“She’s still in a lot of pain,” Kyle Whitaker told Cowboy State Daily.

The reality of hard days ahead started sinking in for the mother of two when she arrived home and saw her saddles for the first time since the accident, Kyle said.

“She’s really frustrated,” he said, adding, “that’s part of the process.”

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

On May 4, Presley was pen roping a young horse — a horsemanship technique that teaches young horses how to handle cattle and grow accustomed to working with a rope — when the horse she was on threw her and took off.

[{"type":"text","text":"Presley was dragged behind with her right hand wrapped in the rope. "}]

She was thrown into a fence, which broke her jaw and severed her hand, Kyle said.

Kyle was moving some other horses out of the way of where his wife was working when he heard a commotion. 

He said he was a couple hundred yards away and didn’t see what happened, but his assistant coach, Savanna Bolich, saw the whole thing.

[{"type":"text","text":"She called out to Kyle and then called 911."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Kyle ran to his wife."}]

“I was holding Presley and I really thought she was going to die,” he told Cowboy State Daily.

Two members of the MSU rodeo team who were there searched for the missing hand and found it outside the arena.

“The boys, they had to go find her hand — it had gotten thrown out of the arena,” Whitaker said. “It’s big stuff for college kids.”

Presley was taken by ambulance to a local hospital and then flown by helicopter to Salt Lake City.

That was the only way she stood a chance of getting her hand reattached, Kyle recounted.

[{"type":"text","text":"However, the damage proved too severe for surgeons to reattach her hand."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"MSU Family Springs Into Action"}]

Dean Folkvord was getting on a plane to Italy when he heard about the accident.

Folkvord is president of the Chute Boss Club, an organization that supports MSU’s rodeo team by donating and raising money to cover travel, equipment and ways to enhance the college rodeo experience.

Right away, he reached out to members asking how the club could best support the Whitaker family.

The most immediate need: get Presley’s husband and mother to Salt Lake City as fast as possible.

“They were lining up planes and getting that all taken care of,” Kyle said.

Kyle was flown to Salt Lake City in a private plane owned by Brett Walker of Walker Excavation. Walker is a member of the Chute Boss Club.

“He grabbed Kyle and got him down there,” Folkvord told Cowboy State Daily.

The Chute Boss Club rounded up another private plane to pick up Presley’s mother in Minnesota.

“We grabbed her and got her to Salt Lake City,” Folkvord said. “It was a pretty spectacular situation to get them both there. Presley’s situation was unknown at the time.”

Kyle said the fast, respond-at-any-cost support from the Chute Boss Club was amazing.

[{"type":"text","text":"“It just shows how generous people are around here,” he said."}]

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"‘Just Working With A Horse"}]

When Kyle recounted the horrific event to Cowboy State Daily, he spoke as if his wife were performing a routine task.

“She was just working with a horse,” he said. “It was the first day she could get out in the arena and do some stuff.”

The accident happened the first day after the college rodeo season was over in the arena the MSU rodeo team uses to practice. 

The Whitakers live on site at the MSU rodeo practice arena, and Kyle said his wife rides out there almost every day.

“She was just wanting to pen rope on a young horse,” he said. “I just sorted off a couple (of horses) for her to (work with).”

[{"type":"text","text":"What caused the horse to spook and throw her off remains a mystery."}]

“Nobody really knows what happened,” Kyle said. “She just somehow got thrown off. The rope must have half-hitched around her arm. That’s the only thing I can think of.”

According to Kyle, Presley was using only a breakaway rope when the accident occurred. A breakaway rope is a type of lasso used primarily in women’s and youth rodeo events. The rope is tied to the saddle horn.

Presley grew up around horses in southwestern Minnesota. For years, she competed in rodeo events and even climbed atop a bull once at a high school rodeo.

Kyle stayed with his wife for the first week she was in the hospital while friends cared for their two young daughters back in Bozeman. 

[{"type":"text","text":"Presley underwent multiple surgeries on her right arm and her jaw."}]

In a May 25 Facebook post, Whitaker shared an update on Presley’s condition, writing, “I spent the afternoon with Presley yesterday and I’m so impressed with her attitude and determination. Guess I shouldn’t be too surprised from the girl who once rode a bull.”

May 4, the day of the accident, also happened to be the first day of finals week at MSU.

That meant Kyle didn’t get to see most of his 50-plus-member rodeo team before they took off for the summer.

Still, he said, he heard from almost all of them. They signed cards for his family

“That’s pretty neat,” he told Cowboy State Daily. "Everybody says it’s one big family at MSU, and that’s because it is.”

Casey Rae Sellers coaches the Gillette College Rodeo team and knows Kyle through coaching. They have some mutual friends.

[{"type":"text","text":"“The rodeo world is small,” Sellers said."}]

“I know that the Whitakers are great people,” she said. “They’re strong in their faith and strong as a family and if anybody can get through this it’s going to be them.”

Kyle is described as “one of professional rodeo's most decorated athletes with expertise in all event areas” on the Montana State University website.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Bittersweet Homecoming"}]

On May 28, Presley arrived home via another private plane owned by another local businessman and member of the Chute Boss Club.

The private flight home, courtesy of local businessman Mark Bretz of Bretz RV, cut down on travel time, Kyle said.

“I don’t think I ever even met that guy,” Kyle said. “He was just another guy who wanted to help. It’s amazing.”

Getting the pain under control is priority No. 1 for Presley as she adjusts to life back at home, Kyle said.

[{"type":"text","text":"“Seeing her saddles for the first time it really hit her,” he said."}]

Her teeth need a lot of work, but nothing can happen with that until her jaw is healed, he said.

The family is hopeful that her arm will eventually heal enough to be able to support a prosthetic right hand.

[{"type":"text","text":"Presley is right-handed."}]

[{"type":"text","text":"“It’s going to be a long process,” Kyle said."}]

He admitted that life for Presley was easier in the hospital, surrounded by professional support.

“It’s a huge change for all of us,” he said. “But we’ll get by. It’s just going to take time.”

Meanwhile, the Chute Boss Club has raised more than $85,000 for the Whitaker family, with future fundraising events in the works.

“People are resilient,” Folkvord said. “They want to be involved and they want to help other people. In this kind of situation, it’s step up with your checkbook — and they did.”

Sellers told Cowboy State Daily she had never heard of a hand being severed in a horse and roping accident, but she’s heard about plenty of fingers getting ripped off.

[{"type":"text","text":"“I’ve seen some wrecked legs,” she added."}]

“I think it just gives you perspective on how fast how this stuff can happen,” Sellers said. "We make a million runs a year. It’s bound to happen at some point.

[{"type":"text","text":"“We work with animals. Accidents happen fast.”"}]

A day after the accident, Kyle shared on social media a photo of he and his wife before the accident. 

In the photo, she is wearing a sparkling blue floor-length dress. He is dressed in jeans, a dark suit jacket, a white tie, and a cowboy hat.

"Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement," he wrote. "It’s going to be a tough road but with all of you in our corner I know we can adjust and still have a good life."

Presley Whitaker Recovering in Salt Lake City hospital

<title>Montana Woman Loses Hand In Rodeo Accident: 'I Thought She Was Going To Die' | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A Bozeman woman is home following a 24-day hospital stay after her hand was ripped off in a terrifying horse accident at the Montana State University rodeo practice arena. “The boys, they had to go find her hand,” said her husband and MSU rodeo coach.

Montana Woman Loses Hand In Rodeo Accident: 'I Thought She Was Going To Die'

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily reporter, Dale Killingbeck

Dale Killingbeck

A Casper man who tried to burn down his ex-boyfriend’s house last summer — but made sure to save his own pet snake — was sentenced Monday to six to eight years in prison. The man “destroyed everything in my life,” the ex told the judge.

Daily Cartoon 2: Friday, November 29, 2024

Michael P. Ramirez

Cartoonist

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Daily Cartoon 2: Friday, November 29, 2024

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Michael P. Ramirez

Cartoonist

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