It’s time to take a look at what’s happening around Wyoming for Thursday, January 22nd. I’m Mac Watson.
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The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday announced it's pausing criminal prosecutions of diesel "delete" procedures under the Clean Air Act. Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that the DOJ’s maneuver follows Trump’s Nov. 7 pardon of Wyoming diesel delete mechanic Troy Lake.
“Trump's Department of Justice is halting its criminal prosecution of tampering with emissions devices under the Clean Air Act so that affects diesel mechanics across the country. You could still face civil penalties. What they're saying is, look, the Clean Air Act doesn't allow for criminal prosecutions in this area…CBS News reported that there are 20 ongoing investigations and multiple ongoing cases.”
The DOJ “is exercising its enforcement discretion to no longer pursue criminal charges under the Clean Air Act based on allegations of tampering with onboard diagnostic devices in motor vehicles,” so says a Wednesday post to social media platform X by the DOJ Environment and Natural Resources Division.
Read the full story HERE.
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A two-judge panel ruled Tuesday that the BLM violated the Clean Air Act in approving a 3,500-well project. Cowboy State Daily’s David Madison reports that this affects Jonah Energy and could impact Wyoming’s bottom line.
“For everyday Wyoming residents, this matters in that the Jonah Field has been a long revenue generator as far as taxes from generating a stream of revenue exporting natural gas, using natural gas to power utilities and all kinds of things. This was the next chapter in continuing what Jonah Field has meant to the economy, or at least the coffers of Wyoming State Government…What could this mean to the state's bottom line? It's that big a deal. We're talking about 3500 wells that are now in question. 140 something 1000 acres of development, really, Jonah kind of a standard bearer of natural gas development in the state.”
Vice President of Jonah Energy, Paul Ulrich, tells Cowboy State Daily that “The impact to Wyoming is severe. Vacating this decision — and thus vacating our ability to develop a 3,500-well project that is the future of natural gas in Wyoming.”
Read the full story HERE.
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Two helicopters slammed into each other Monday while trying to land near Parkman in Sheridan County during a Wyoming Game and Fish operation to capture mule deer.
“On Monday in Sheridan County, there was an incident where near a landing area or an assembly area, assembly area where they were doing a mule deer capture survey, these helicopters collided in the landing process. Luckily, from what I've been able to determine, nobody got hurt in a game and fish confirmed that there were no Game and Fish personnel directly involved with this.”
According to the NTSB, a pair of Robinson R44 Raven II helicopters were both substantially damaged when they collided with each other on landing near Parkman, Wyoming.
Read the full story HERE.
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Park County School District 6 unanimously voted Tuesday to fire teacher and girls’ basketball coach Sam Buck after two Title IX probes found misconduct with students. Cowboy State Daily’s Kate Meadows reports that Buck denies the allegations and calls the process a flawed witch hunt.
“High school basketball coach and special ed teacher Sam Buck was fired from the Park County School District 6 on Tuesday, following a school board meeting. The school board voted in a closed session to terminate Buck's position after alleged misconduct with students…Buck was accused of transporting female students alone in his personal vehicle. He also had students perform personal errands, and he reportedly sexually harassed the student by making inappropriate comments to her about her clothing and appearance and by touching her inappropriately.
Buck tells Cowboy State Daily that he is going to fight the allegations and has denied any wrongdoing from the beginning. He added that he's going to pursue making sure that the truth is uncovered.
Read the full story HERE.
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I’ll be back with more news from Cowboy State Daily right after this.
Cowboy State Daily news continues now…
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A more-than-four-hour standoff between a man and Cody PD ended Wednesday when the man surrendered peacefully. Cowboy State Daily’s Andrew Rossi reports that the standoff included multiple law enforcement agencies.
“A younger man who had an active warrant out of Thermopolis. He was approached by the Cody Police Department on Wednesday morning for that warrant, and he brandished a handgun, so immediately turned into an armed standoff…At one point he stepped out of his vehicle, law enforcement fired non lethal rounds. There were no live rounds fired during the four hour standoff, and it resolved itself when the suspect was coaxed out of his vehicle with his hands up…after four hours, this one resolved in the best way it possibly can. No one was injured, and the suspect was taken into custody.”
Cowboy State Daily observed a number of armed officers with the Cody Police Department, the Park County Sheriff’s Office, and the Wyoming Highway Patrol responding to the scene at 2599 E Ave.
Read the full story HERE.
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Fremont County School District 1 board member Scott Jensen says he must resign because of a new policy barring special agents from elected roles. Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that Jensen, who is a federal police officer, spent six years on the board pushing parental rights and book challenges.
“The FBI has had a policy for special agents against outside work, but you could get an exception, you could serve on certain non partisan boards, and so he did that for his six years, almost seven on the board, but the the policy changed, according to Jensen, the policy changed to preclude elected official service.”
Jensen, who declined to identify the agency he works for by name, was appointed to the board in 2019, elected in 2020 and reelected in 2024.
Read the full story HERE.
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A 40-year-old Casper man on Wednesday admitted biting off the fingertip of a deputy as part of a plea deal with prosecutors. Cowboy State Daily’s Dale Killingbeck reports that originally facing life in prison as a habitual offender, Andrew Beau Barret now could get up to 35 years in prison.
“Instead of the life habitual offender charge, he reduced it to 50 years, between 10 and 50 years, and the district attorney said he was going to ask for 35 so that is what's on the table right now, the potential for 35 years in prison…The district attorney offered the deal, and then Barrett agreed to enter into the plea deal where he pleaded guilty, admitted to biting the deputy's finger off and admitting to have the having the meth inside of his apartment. In exchange for that, two other charges were dropped, interfering with a police officer and another possession of narcotics charge…He did enter into the plea deal today in Natrona County District Court. So the next thing will be he is sentenced, and that will be probably within the next couple months.”
Barrett was initially facing four charges, including aggravated assault and battery as a habitual criminal with a potential life sentence; interference with a police officer; and two counts possession of a controlled substance for a third or subsequent offense.
Read the full story HERE.
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A single Bighorn ewe kept a dozen or more rams busy for hours, butting heads, and trying to mate with her. Outdoors Reporter Mark Heinz reports that biologists say this is real insight into the mating rituals of Bighorn Sheep.
“I talked to the lady, and she said, yeah, the ewe stayed energetic and perky and was fending him off the whole time…basically the reason it dragged on for so long is she was testing them…You know, if you want a chance to mate, you going to have to earn it, and of course, there was some head butting between the rams. So it was just this really cool, real-time glimpse into the world of the mating ritual of these rams.”
The amorous Bighorns are part of a herd of about 100 animals that hang out near Corwin Springs, Montana, just outside of Yellowstone National Park.
Read the full story HERE.
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And that’s today’s news. Get your free digital subscription to Wyoming's only statewide newspaper by hitting the Daily Newsletter button on Cowboy State Daily Dot Com - and you can watch this newscast every day by clicking Subscribe on our YouTube channel, or listen to us on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for watching - I’m Mac Watson, for Cowboy State Daily.
