It’s time to take a look at what’s happening around Wyoming for Wednesday, June 10th. I’m Mac Watson
–
The day after a gunfight that left a deputy shot and the suspect dead in Baggs, many questions still remain, especially the status of the officer. Cowboy State Daily’s Greg Johnson reports that the former mayor says Baggs is still a good town where residents know and help each other.
“They're pretty shocked, but they're also pretty grounded. Yeah, but we still got to go to work. and as the former mayor told me so, she grew up in bags, was a career teacher, was a former mayor back in the 80s, and she said when she was mayor in the 80’s, she said there was a lot of drugs around, and there's a lot of crime that revolved around it. However, she said nothing ever rose to the level of the deputy being shot.”
Inquiries to the Carbon County Sheriff’s and coroner’s offices for more information about Monday’s shooting were not returned by the time this story was published; that includes the condition of the deputy and the identification and cause of death of the suspected shooter.
Read the full story HERE.
–
A Russian-speaking truck driver faces criminal charges after allegedly hitting a disabled car on I-80 and then leaving the scene. Cowboy State Daily’s Kolby Fedore reports that court documents say he failed an English proficiency test and simply nodded when shown the damaged vehicle.
“Anvarjon Ganiyevich Muminov was initially charged on Monday in Sweetwater County Circuit Court for a hit and run, as well as failing an English proficiency test, which is required by the federal government for all commercial truck drivers. The Russian-speaking man was arrested after witnesses said they saw him swerve and hit a vehicle that was parked on the side of the road, this was just outside of Rock Springs on I-80. When investigators picked up Muminov, they tried to ask him questions about what happened. They showed him a picture of the accident, and he simply nodded. That's when they administered the English proficiency test, which he failed. He is currently out on a $1,000 personal recognizance bond.”
What might have been an obscure traffic citation a year ago has become part of a national debate. Wyoming lawmakers, the Wyoming Highway Patrol, and U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyoming, have all spent the past year pushing for stricter enforcement of English-language requirements for commercial truck drivers operating on Wyoming highways.
Read the full story HERE.
–
After a string of 90+ degree days, snow is heading for Yellowstone National Park on Wednesday. Cowboy State Daily’s Andrew Rossi reports that Meteorologist Don Day says all of Wyoming should expect cooler-than-usual weather in the next two weeks.
“The National Weather Service is calling for up to two inches of snow at the highest points of Yellowstone on Wednesday, and there's going to be a cold surge, or cold trough, as meteorologists call it. It's going to be moving across the state this week, so temperatures are going to drop to below average for the month of June.Everyone expects expects it to warm up by the end of the month, but this is kind of unusual, but adds on to the string of unusual months we've had going back to November.”
Over the next two weeks, temperatures could drop between 15 and 20 degrees below average, or even lower. Day called it “an interesting pattern” that’ll put a dent in the sunny start of summer.
Read the full story HERE.
–
I’ll have more news from Cowboy State Daily right after this.
Cowboy State Daily News continues now….
–
A 21-year-old Casper man pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to grabbing and repeatedly pulling on a police officer’s testicles, biting his groin, and biting another officer. Cowboy State Daily’s Dale Killingbeck reports that the three felony charges each carry a potential of 10 years in prison.
“The 21-year old from Casper that is charged with grabbing the testicles of a police officer and biting his groin, as well as biting the shin of a second police officer, was in district court on charges related to police interference. Three of those are felonies, one's a misdemeanor, and he told the judge that he was going to plead not guilty.”
Sylvester Jakeson Seaton appeared before Judge Kerri Johnson for his arraignment with defense attorney Marty Scott. He told the judge that he had dyslexia but had read the affidavit containing the charges against him “only about 20 times.”
Read the full story HERE.
–
It was yet another data-center dominated night for the Cheyenne City Council on Monday, with intense, sometimes emotional public testimony on what would be the largest annexation in Cheyenne history. Cowboy State Daily’s Renee Jean reports that the annexation will support expansion of data centers.
“Councilman Larry Wolf asked that a proposed annexation of 3500 acres come out of the consent agenda, so that they could talk about it. His feeling is it shouldn't be treated as just any other old annexation. It's a very large annexation. Those who were kind of criticizing are their feeling is, it shouldn't be done without a plan already in place. Microsoft has said in public meetings that won't develop that property anytime soon. Councilman Wolf has publicly said, ‘why would we lock out that land for 10 years with no plan attached to it?’”
City staff and Microsoft representatives who were present confirmed the annexation is being advanced to support future expansion of data centers. No annexation vote was taken.
Read the full story HERE.
–
Police say a drunken, shirtless, barefoot Michigan man threatened two women, smashed storefront windows and led authorities on a foot chase in downtown Jackson last week before getting tased. Cowboy State Daily’s Kolby Fedore reports that court documents say he threatened to shoot people and himself.
“24-year-old Kadin Decker was drinking at the million dollar cowboy bar with two women. When they left the bar, eyewitnesses say that he was visibly upset. He was shouting at the women as they walked to their car, yelling profanities. At one point, he said he was going to kill them and then kill himself. One of the women says that she knew there was a gun in the vehicle, so she positioned herself between the car and Decker. When police arrived, Decker took off on foot. He then smashed a glass door at the old-time photo booth. Eventually, police had to tase Decker. They said he continued to put up a fight until he was arrested.”
Kadin James Decker made his initial appearance in Teton County Circuit Court on Monday afternoon after being charged with two counts of property destruction and one count of interference with a peace officer.
Read the full story HERE.
—
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.
