It’s time to take a look at what’s happening around Wyoming, for Friday, December 13th. I’m Wendy Corr, bringing you headlines from the Cowboy State Daily newsroom - brought to you by the Cowboy State Daily Morning Show with Jake. From 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., Monday through Friday, Cowboy State Daily’s Jake Nichols takes you deeper into the stories that matter - and keeps up with the news, weather and sports in your part of Wyoming. Just tune into Cowboy State Daily Dot Com and join the conversation.
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The state of Wyoming says it’s sticking up for the future of its coal production in the Cowboy State by filing a lawsuit against the BLM for its Buffalo Field Office Resources Management Plan, which would end all coal leasing in the Powder River Basin by 2041.
Cowboy State Daily’s Leo Wolfson reports that Governor Mark Gordon called the BLM’s plan, quote, “narrow-minded,” saying it ignores the multiple-use mandate, and the economic impacts of this decision, including skyrocketing electricity bills for consumers.
“Although the Wyoming lawsuit is not surprising, as Governor Mark Gordon already said he was going to move forward with it, it is significant in showing that Wyoming is not blustering and it's willing to team up with Montana to really try to stick up for its coal industry. If the plan goes forward as written, all federal coal leases will be basically terminated in the Powder River Basin by 2041.”
In November, the BLM finalized its RMP plan, issuing a final Record of Decision on the matter. Gordon threatened litigation, a vow the governor made good on on WednesdaZ˜/wEX, with the help of Montana, which is also joining in on the lawsuit.
Read the full story HERE.
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A former sheriff’s deputy and police officer in Washakie County is facing two felony sex charges on claims he sexually abused multiple children.
Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation agents began looking into allegations against Myron Chatwin last week, after the Worland Police Department sent DCI an email saying a young child had disclosed several instances of inappropriate sexual contact to a counselor.
“There's this part in the affidavit where one of the children is describing to investigators an alleged tactic the child said chat when used, kind of as a seduction, inappropriate touching thing. And then later… it's alleged that there's this, that there's this alignment between different kids coming forward at, you know, at different times.”
Chatwin could face up to 40 years in prison and $20,000 in fines if convicted on both counts. He was charged Monday in Worland Circuit Court.
Read the full story HERE.
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Wyomingites are shaking their heads at the latest from U.S. Postal Service Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who is giving himself an “A” grade for his Delivering for America plan - which includes moving most of Wyoming’s mail processing out of state.
Cowboy State Daily’s Renee Jean reports that when told by a lawmaker that he does not get an A from the American people on this plan, DeJoy covered his ears.
“In the Oversight Committee, a congressional hearing, he not only ignored critics in Congress, he put his hands over his ears and told the congressman, I'm not listening to you… DeJoy had just is bound and determined to move most of Wyoming's Mail Processing out of state. That's going to put a lot of mail on the road between Denver and Billings. Most people are thinking that's not going to go well, because we know what happens in the winter here.”
Most of Wyoming’s mail delivery is rural, so DeJoy has been in the hot seat in the Cowboy State since the Postal Service revealed plans to move all of Wyoming’s large mail-processing centers out of state.
Read the full story HERE.
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Two parents in Cheyenne are suing the state over its plan to shutter eight elementary schools and divide the city’s students across bigger and more distant schools in the coming years.
Clair McFarland reports that the lawsuit, filed last week, argues that these closures jeopardize students’ constitutional right to an equal and quality education.
“The school facilities commission was looking at most cost effective remedies - so what's the cheapest way we can upgrade some of our crumbling school facilities?... it's alleged that in choosing the remedy that shutters eight neighborhood schools and funnels kids into bigger schools, across broader distances, across interstates. It's alleged that that choice… Didn't give the public enough time to weigh in, and harms parents and kids in other ways… some of the parents were like… we bought our house so we would be close to school walking distance, and they're worried about property values going down once this one particular, really high quality school is closed.”
The parents are asking the Laramie County District Court to declare the administrative action arbitrary, capricious and illegal.
Read the full story HERE.
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Wyomingites may soon be able to gamble from the comfort of their own homes if a state lawmaker gets his way. Rep. Bob Davis plans to reintroduce House Bill 120 this upcoming session, after failing to pass the legislation earlier this year.
Cowboy State Daily’s Greg Johnson reports that the bill would legalize online slots, poker, blackjack and other card or gambling games, and place those games under the scope of the Wyoming Gaming Commission.
“Online gambling, you know, with Poker, Blackjack, these online gambling games,
betting on them, is actually not legal in most states. It's only a handful of states it's legal. But he makes a good point that, you know, people are doing it anyway… and you might as well regulate it with the rest of Wyoming's gaming, it'll mean a lot more in tax revenue.”
Online gambling has the potential to generate nearly $1 billion per year. And illegal gambling operations have been popping up for years, including a ring that was busted earlier this year that was operating out of coffee shops in Casper and Gillette.
Read the full story HERE.
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Many people may not know that the state of Wyoming has a fleet of at least four jets. They also may be surprised to know that the University of Wyoming occasionally flies its high-dollar donors around for free in them.
This free travel is what has the Wyoming Freedom Caucus upset, according to politics reporter Leo Wolfson. They’re drawing attention to a flight of some donors in November, where the school took six people to Texas Tech to watch the UW men’s basketball team play.
“It's another step of the ongoing relationship between the Wyoming Legislature and University of Wyoming that has quickly come under a really significant microscope, the legislature has been much more critical of the spending that's been occurring at UW as of late, and this is also kind of being spearheaded by the Freedom Caucus, which has taken over a majority seats in the Wyoming house.”
Over the past year, the Wyoming Legislature, and specifically the Freedom Caucus, have become increasingly critical of UW policies and fields of study, including stripping the school of its money for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office.
Read the full story HERE.
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The Lander Police Department on Wednesday evening apprehended a 33-year-old Lander man suspected of trying to burn down a well-known local bar two days earlier.
A person tried lighting the Lander Bar at 126 Main St. on fire Sunday in the early morning hours, by splashing accelerant on a back outer wall and igniting it, but the fire sputtered and died. That’s what the bar’s owner told Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland on Tuesday.
“Lander Police Department did not release the man's name. They said they caught a 33 year old man Wednesday evening. I went to court, of course, to try to find if the guy had been officially charged, as of about 3pm Thursday, he had not… so I talked to the bar owner Kyle basilopus again, and he… he definitely didn't want to be a like a victim, like a media darling, nothing like that. He's just like, I just am letting people know. I let people know so that they could catch the guy in case there was any potential for further harm.”
The man is in the Fremont County Detention Center on recommended charges of criminal trespass and third-degree arson. The police department is not yet identifying him by name, saying he hasn’t yet appeared in court.
Read the full story HERE.
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A bronze cannon used by Spanish conquistadors in the 1540s and unearthed by archeologists in Arizona is the oldest firearm ever found in the continental U.S. — and more than 200 years older than the first guns ever in Wyoming.
The 42-inch-long, 40-pound piece survived as long as it did only because it was made of bronze - that’s what a Wyoming historical firearms expert told outdoors reporter Mark Heinz.
“They're positive, you know, certain that it was part of Coronado’s… one of the more prominent conquistadors, that it was part of his expedition. And they narrowed it down to an exact year, around 1541, that's significant, because that would make it the oldest firearm ever discovered in the continental United States… it survived, because bronze is rust resistant. A lot of the firearms, either the small arms or the artillery back then, were made of iron, and anything made of iron that got buried would have been long gone. It would have rusted into nothingness by now.”
The cannon was found at the site of a small Spanish stone-and-adobe settlement, and likely placed there in 1541. It was a “wall gun,” or relatively small artillery piece used to either defend a wall or breach an enemy wall.
Read the full story HERE.
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And that’s today’s news! For a deeper dive into the people and issues that affect Wyoming, check out The Roundup, conversations with the most interesting people in the Cowboy State. A new episode drops tomorrow, when I have a conversation with Pete and Lynne Simpson. You can find the link on our website, on our YouTube channel, and wherever you get your podcasts. And of course, you'll find it in our FREE daily email newsletter!
Thanks for tuning in - I’m Wendy Corr, for Cowboy State Daily.
