It’s time to take a look at what’s happening around Wyoming for Friday, August 22nd. I’m Wendy Corr, bringing you headlines from the Cowboy State Daily newsroom - Brought to you by the Converse County Tourism Promotion Board! Discover Douglas and Glenrock in beautiful Wyoming, where rich history, outdoor adventure, and welcoming communities await. Feel the Energy of Converse County at www.ConverseCountyTourism.com.
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In February of 2024, Cody Roberts ran over a wolf with a snowmobile, brought it muzzled into a bar, then shot it, setting off a firestorm of outrage across the globe. Although Roberts paid $250 last March toward a citation for violating Wyoming Game and Fish regulations against possessing wildlife, nearly 18 months later, a grand jury on Wednesday called for Roberts’ indictment on a charge of felony cruelty to animals.
Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that to secure a conviction in this case, the top prosecutor in Sublette County will have to walk a tightrope of legal provisions and exceptions.
“Really tricky because there's a felony cruelty to animal statute from 2024 that he can use that was in place at the time of the alleged torment, but it has an exception for lawful taking of wildlife. He can't point to Robert's earlier citation for unlawfully possessing wildlife, because that actually doesn't cover wolves… So then he has to look at the four verbs within that exception and see whether what Roberts allegedly did is covered under a verb that's not within the exception.”
Read the full story HERE.
There’s also concern that the case might open the door to animal cruelty allegations being brought against hunters or ranchers protecting their livestock from predators. Cowboy State Daily’s Mark Heinz spoke to experts on both sides of that question.
“There is some concern that applying a felony cruelty to animal charges in a wildlife case could spill over and have some negative effects on hunting or agriculture, like, you know, a rancher goes to shoot a coyote that's killing his sheep and makes, you know, not the best shot and hits a coyote in the leg, is he now going to face cruelty to animal charges? I've heard other people saying, Nah, it applies properly to this case, but there's no real chance that it's going to spill over into other incidents and be misapplied to other cases. But that debate is out there.”
In its 2025 legislative session, the state Legislature passed a law criminalizing cruelty to wildlife. But prior to that, the state did have a felony animal cruelty law on the books, which was routinely charged in cases involving domestic animals.
Read the full story HERE.
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As of Thursday, the Red Canyon Fire, the largest active wildfire in Wyoming, has burned nearly 127,000 acres in the southeastern corner of the Bighorn Basin and is 31% contained.
Ranchers in the path of the huge fire are watching helplessly as their winter forage burns up. Cowboy State Daily’s Jackie Dorothy spoke to several families who are now having to make heartbreaking decisions, like selling off their herds rather than watch them starve.
“There's several issues, not just the grazing… We got the water loss, we got the grazing, and we also have the historic knowledge that these cows have… this is their home. So you have these cows that have calves every year, and they know where to take their calves…the ranchers who have had their range land devastated by this fire don't know quite the extent of the damage. They don't know if some of their pastures are even usable, and they also don't know if the BLM will allow them back on for up to three years.”
To add more complexity to the situation, an incoming cold front is poised to stir up more trouble for firefighters and communities already threatened by wildfires.
“When the cold front arrives, which it started doing on Thursday and will continue throughout the day Friday, it's going to manifest as erratic, gusty winds, which, if you're fighting a fire, or there's the potential to start fires. That's not ideal, because it's going to help spread the flames faster. But once the cold front moves on, there's going to be a change in the atmosphere over Wyoming. It's going to be cooler. It's going to be more moisture in the air, and that moisture could manifest as rain fall in places where it's most needed.”
Fire restrictions have been enacted throughout Wyoming, including Yellowstone National Park, as summer heat and low precipitation continue to dry out the parched landscape.
Read the full story HERE.
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A Laramie County fire chief and his wife pleaded not guilty Thursday in Laramie County District Court to starving and imprisoning their 13-year-old adopted son.
Darrick and Angela Mittlestadt appeared before Laramie County District Court Judge Peter Froelicher on charges of aggravated child abuse and conspiracy to commit aggravated child abuse. Cowboy State Daily’s Dale Killingbeck reports that the charges against the Cheyenne couple stem from an investigation that began on June 22 after their emaciated 13-year-old son was dropped off at the Youth Development Center in Douglas.
“The wife dropped off their 13 year old adopted son at a youth center in Douglas. He gave a false name and address, and then later, the next day, in an interview, you know, it came out who he was. He was extremely emaciated that you could see bones, according to the affidavit and things like that. He had hair loss. And so that led to an investigation that removed the couple's other son that they had adopted, who was six years old, from their home.”
The boy told his interviewer that he had not been out of the house for two years and was not allowed to leave his room, watch TV, play with his brother or go to the fire station with his dad.
Read the full story HERE.
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Last year, New Mexico passed a law making gun buyers wait a week before they can physically possess the guns they purchased.
But making gun buyers weather a “waiting period” before they can possess the guns they’re buying infringes on the Second Amendment. That’s what a federal court circuit that oversees Wyoming ruled Tuesday. Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that the Tuesday ruling will likely put neighboring officials in Colorado under a spotlight.
“Strong wording out of the 10th Circuit. They were basically like, these blanket waiting periods are unconstitutional. And they toed the line with the way the court system works, saying this particular law is likely unconstitutional… And since Colorado's law is based on that same kind of thing, it puts the prosecutors and the officials in a real pickle where they're potentially faced with the reality of having to prosecute something or not that the 10th Circuit has resoundingly called unconstitutional.”
Wyoming does not have a waiting-period law. Such legislation is likely impossible, at present, under the supermajority Republican membership of the state's legislature.
Read the full story HERE.
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A significant train derailment near Bosler in Albany County on Wednesday sparked a fire and left packages littered all over the tracks.
About 20 railcars were off the tracks along Wyoming Highway 30, starting a small fire on some of the damaged railroad ties that was quickly extinguished. Cowboy State Daily’s Andrew Rossi reports that the derailment left a lot of debris alongside Highway 30.
“It wasn't carrying anything hazardous. There's just a bunch of debris on the railroad tracks, and it happened far enough off the highway that there were no traffic impacts. So derailments aren't great. You never want to have them. But this one was pretty uneventful, as far as they go.”
Crews with the Union Pacific are investigating the incident, but the cause has yet to be identified.
Read the full story HERE.
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The age-old tale of predator and prey played out in dramatic fashion Sunday, when a black bear in a full sprint chased down and killed a mule deer doe in full view of one of Yellowstone National Park’s busiest highways.
Cody residents Lauren and Cameron Newton were driving by and watched it happen. They told outdoors reporter Mark Heinz that it was a matter of having the incredible luck of being in just the right place at the right time.
“They were driving by just in time to catch a black bear chasing down and tackling and killing a mule deer doe. They think the doe might have had a previous injury, perhaps from getting clipped by a car there on the Sylvan pass highway. And I did talk to a bear expert in Canada, and she said, Oh yeah, black bears, if they have the opportunity, they have the opening to do something like that, they'll take advantage. They will chase down and kill a deer. So nothing unnatural. But it was just, you know, again, these folks say they visit Yellowstone all the time. They've never seen anything like that, or even close.”
While the park always has something interesting to offer, it might be impossible to top the experience of watching a bear chase down a deer.
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. This week, my guest is former Wyoming legislator and columnist Tom Lubnau. You can find the link to this really interesting conversation 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.
