It’s time to take a look at what’s happening around Wyoming for Thursday, August 13th. I’m Mac Watson.
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A Tinder date gone horribly wrong ended with a Newcastle man dead with a hollow-point round in his chest and a South Dakota man facing a second-degree murder charge. Cowboy State Daily’s Greg Johnson reports that authorities say there’s vastly different stories from the couple who had just met for a hook-up.
“According to the investigators, she said she wanted to go back to this guy's place, get some of her stuff. She told him, ‘Hey, look, wait in the car, but listen, if you hear me yell come, come get me.’ The guy from South Dakota said that he heard her yell for help three times. So he grabbed the gun that was in the console of his car, went up to the trailer, and according to his account of it, the man was holding on to the woman. He said that the other man was trying to drag her into the trailer. Then he said he fired once the guy in the chest watched him stumble into the trailer and fall on the floor.”
If convicted of second-degree murder, Drake Alexander Ingalls could get anywhere from 20 years to life in prison, a fine of not more than $10,000, or both.
Read the full story HERE.
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Campaign finance reports filed Tuesday show Eric Barlow out-earned Megan Degenfelder in the gubernatorial primary election with a little over $1.5 million, while Degenfelder posted nearly $1.3 million. Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that the whole gubernatorial race shows a roughly $3 million haul.
“Barlow earned the most money and spent the most money and had the most in donations. Degenfelder was not far behind. I think with a haul of like 1.21, point 3 million. These are historic figures. You know, Gordon, Mead. I think we were looking at half million or less in recent cycles, and so this is shaping up to be a very expensive governor's race. But also a lot of the ads, like the TV ads, and the attack pieces are not from these campaigns. So all this $3 million is not counting these outside packs that are bringing now millions to attack these candidates.”
Gov. Mark Gordon posted $541,577 in contributions in his 2022 primary election report and $155,846 in 2018. Former Gov. Matt Mead posted $100,052 in contributions in the 2014 primary election.
Read the full story HERE.
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An accident involving multiple motorcycles and a WYDOT truck has resulted in one reported fatality and multiple serious injuries on U.S. Highway 14-16-20 near Cody. Cowboy State Daily’s Andrew Rossi reports that one witness said, “I counted at least three bodies that I could see lying on the ground, not moving.”
“One person was pronounced dead at the scene. One was life flighted to a hospital in Billings, and three others were transported to Cody Regional Health via ambulance with severe injuries. The driver of the WYDOT truck was not injured, and based on the initial information that we have, it looks like the truck was just clipped at the very end of the accident. So whatever happened, it was primarily with the four motorcycles and the pickup truck.”
At 9:38 a.m., the Wyoming Department of Transportation closed all lanes on U.S. Highway 14/16/20 near Wapiti due to the crash.
Read the full story HERE.
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If you need gas while traveling on Wyoming Highway 220 near Independence Rock, get ready to pay through the nose for it. Cowboy State Daily’s Kolby Fedore reports that gasoline is selling for $6 a gallon at one station.
“A remote gas station in Muddy Gap is charging $6 a gallon. Now this is significant because it's 40% higher than the statewide average of $4.24 a gallon, but for motorists that live in the area, their option is to pay the price or travel 40 miles in either direction for cheaper gas. Gas station attendant Taviana Lozier says people complain all the time. One motorcyclist that I talked to said he has to stop at Muddy Gap, but he only buys enough fuel to get him to Casper.”
The lonely station sits at a crossroads connecting travelers headed toward Rawlins, Casper, Lander and Riverton.
Read the full story HERE.
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I’ll have more news from Cowboy State Daily right after this.
Cowboy State Daily News continues now….
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A Casper man faces prison time after authorities say he drove a side-by-side while intoxicated and caused a passenger to fall off a cooler in the back. Cowboy State Daily’s Dale Killingbeck reports that the passenger is on life-support after sustaining head injuries in the fall at Alcova Reservoir.
“A 37-year-old Casper man is facing a charge related to what police say was driving while drunk over in Alcoa, Wyoming. He told police that he had had a few a shot and a couple beers, and then he changed that to say that he had a couple shots and more beers and more more drinks after that. The man, along with two men as passengers and two women, took off in his Polaris RZR. And according to one of the women, who apparently, according to the affidavit, spoke to the driver and said, ‘Hey, this guy fell off.’ Then his passenger in the back fell off and apparently injured his head. And when police arrived, he was bleeding, was taken to the hospital, and was placed on life support.”
Michael Ray Watts is charged with DUI causing serious injury, and if convicted, could face up to 10 years in prison.
Read the full story HERE.
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Dozens of residents packed the meeting room and hallway at a meeting of the Platte County Planning and Zoning Commission in Wheatland on Tuesday night. Cowboy State Daily’s Kate Meadows reports voices were raised as citizens shared their concerns about a massive data center project.
“The commission made it clear that you know they're not there to talk about whether we're for or against data centers. They said you know they're coming. They haven't seen an application yet, but there is a proposal for a huge piece of land in Platte County, right near the Goshen County line. Voices got raised multiple times over people wanting to comment publicly, but public comment not really being taken. People grew frustrated because they said by the time the public hearing happens in September. Major decisions will have already been made.”
The meeting came about a month after a data center and power generation complex was proposed for 5,344 acres of ranchland northeast of Wheatland in Platte County near the Goshen County line.
Read the full story HERE.
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A violent storm ripped through southern Campbell County on Wednesday afternoon. Cowboy State Daily’s Kolby Fedore reports officials are still assessing the damage and waiting for confirmation if heavy winds or a tornado was the cause of the destruction.
“Authorities say a possible tornado touched down in southern Campbell County on Wednesday afternoon. Campbell County Fire Marshal Stuart Burnham said that multiple buildings lost roofs, a camper trailer was tipped over, as well as a mobile home. Officials are reviewing footage that people have captured, and then they will send that to the National Weather Service to confirm if it was in fact a tornado.”
The storm struck near Rattlesnake Road and South Highway 59 shortly after noon, leaving pieces of roofs and other debris scattered across the rural landscape.
Read the full story HERE.
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Thanks to lower temperatures and light rain Wednesday, the Weiser Knoll fire near Lander was 30% contained and another blaze at Fort Washakie has been fully contained. Cowboy State Daily’s Mark Heinz reports that the Weiser Knoll Fire remains at 16,500 acres burned.
“Fire officials are saying that rain isn't enough to make the difference with the fire, but the cooler temperatures are certainly helping. It sounds like they've got it 30% contained. I think the latest update was around 16,500 acres, but what the BLM told me this morning, they've kind of got it restricted into its perimeter, so in other words, it's not growing anymore.”
The fire, the largest of the summer so far in Wyoming, prompted an evacuation order for residents in the Twin Creek Drainage area, east of Wyoming Highway 28.
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.
