Sorted by date Results 26 - 42 of 42
RIVERTON — An active shooter engaged for hours in a standoff with police Wednesday was taken into custody after being shot by a Riverton police officer. The man, identified as 56-year-old James Hinman of Riverton, survived the shooting but reportedly was wounded critically. Scanner traffic at 1:02 p.m. Wednesday indicated a hit-and-run suspect in Riverton was upset and had barricaded himself inside his home at 1412 Aspen Drive. The Fremont County Sheriff's Department call log from that incident denoted a person in a blue SUV, later i... Full story
CASPER — Legislative leaders voted unanimously on Thursday to pursue several pieces of emergency legislation, all but guaranteeing the Wyoming Legislature will meet in its first special session since 2004. In a conference call with Management Council on Thursday morning, Gov. Mark Gordon outlined a tentative agenda for state lawmakers in the coming months to begin to immediately stabilize the state’s economy – which is projected to experience revenue declines anywhere between $555 million and $2.8 billion due to COVID-19 and an overseas price w... Full story
WY Democratic Caucus Results Announced Cheyenne--The Wyoming Democratic Party (WDP) has announced its 2020 Caucus results, with former Vice President Joe Biden winning 72.2% of the state’s popular vote. Senator Bernie Sanders was the only other candidate to reach viability, with 27.8%. Vice President Biden has been awarded with 10 national delegates, and Senator Sanders with 4. The WyoDems 2020 caucus set a participation record, with 15,428 ballots cast for a total turnout rate of 38%. On this historic achievement, party chair Joe M. Barbuto s... Full story
State officials working on phased recovery plan to be released next week CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Governor Mark Gordon has thanked the people of Wyoming for their diligence. “You have done what was asked and have helped to flatten the curve,” he said, “We are, and have been open for business.” Wyoming’s existing statewide orders are consistent with “Phase One” of President Trump’s Guidelines for Opening Up America Again, the Governor continued, and will remain in place until April 30. Governor Gordon acknowledged that there remain serious shortages... Full story
CHEYENNE – A large crowd of protesters gathered at the front steps of the Wyoming State Capitol on Monday to demand a full reopening of businesses, schools and other industries that have temporarily closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The rally, one of several that have taken place across the country during the past week, drew more than 100 people. Though a statewide public health order has banned gatherings of 10 or more people, the leaders of the rally obtained an expedited permit from city officials Monday morning to allow them to p... Full story
The Wind River Family and Community Health Center in Arapaho no longer resembles the bustling family clinic it operated as once upon a time before COVID-19. Tents and a trailer have popped up outside, and the bulk of clinic activity now takes place in the parking lot, where physicians and staff in protective suits, masks, visors and gloves greet patients in their cars, assess their health or test them for COVID-19. And test they do. The clinic, which like most facilities in Wyoming was initially hampered by testing supply shortages, has... Full story
CHEYENNE - Nationwide, there's been a decrease in the number of people seeking timely treatment for heart attacks and strokes, and the trend is being seen locally at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. There's about a 40% reduction in stroke and heart attack patients coming to hospitals nationwide, according to a Medscape article. Dr. Jessica Hughes, CRMC Emergency Department medical director, said the ER has seen about a 50% decrease in patients overall, including a 40% reduction in stroke and heart attack patients. The ER is used to seeing... Full story
Do you want to make history? You already are! The Wyoming State Archives and State Museum, the University of Wyoming American Heritage Center (AHC), and Wyoming State Historical Society are working together to encourage you to consider how you would tell future historians about your experiences and memories of this unusual time. Do you keep a journal or a blog? Have you created your own mask for making essential trips outdoors? Are you creating artworks or craft projects to commemorate or pass the time? Are you talking on Facebook or Instagram... Full story
CASPER — Futures prices for oil fell into the negatives for the first time in recorded history Monday, further straining a Wyoming economy already reeling from months of price declines, continuing strife in the coal industry and the shutdown of numerous businesses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. West Texas Intermediate oil contracts for the month of May plunged nearly 300 percent to nearly negative $38 per barrel ahead of Tuesday’s expiration date to purchase May contracts — one of the largest price drops in history. Prices are likely to rebou... Full story
GUERNSEY— A civil lawsuit filed in federal court April 9 alleges retaliation by city officials in the forced ouster early this year of former Guernsey Chief of Police, Terri Van Dam and Guernsey police Sgt. Misty Clevenger. In a January letter written by Van Dam, she stated she felt forced to resign because of an accusation against her for investigation of alleged unethical acts and conduct by town employees and corruption of public officials. The investigation reportedly centered on an alleged drug ring. The alleged unethical acts by town e... Full story
Four Deaths Added to Wyoming’s Coronavirus-Related Count Four Fremont County residents, all previously identified as laboratory-confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases, have died, according to the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH). The newly confirmed deaths include an older man, older woman, adult woman and adult man. Each had been hospitalized. Two of the four had existing conditions that put them at higher risk of serious illness related to the virus. There have been 320 confirmed and 116 probable cases reported so far from a... Full story
LARAMIE – With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to infect people every day, people are still being encouraged to stay at home as much as possible. But there’s one errand that’s still essential: Grocery shopping. Although there is an increased usage of grocery delivery services from various chains and apps like Instacart, most people still will have to make some type of grocery run before Gov. Mark Gordon’s orders to limit gatherings of more than 10 people is expected to be lifted at the end of the month. To help mitigate time spent in the sto... Full story
TORRINGTON — Charges against a woman who gave birth to a baby under the influence of methamphetamine were dropped after her defense attorney successfully argued the charging statute doesn’t consider a fetus a person until birth. Barbara Stewart, of Torrington, is a free woman after her attorney, Charles MacDonald, cited holes in Wyoming statutes that don’t define a fetus as an unborn or pre-born child, and that a person isn’t a mother until a live birth occurs. Stewart gave birth to a child that was born under the influence of methamphetamine i... Full story
SHERIDAN — A recent survey from the University of Wyoming indicates about one-quarter of state residents believe the worst of the pandemic crisis has passed in the U.S., while nearly half say the worst is yet to come. The proportion of those who believe the worst is on its way declined from more than two-thirds in early April. The survey included nearly 500 state residents across all Wyoming counties. A consistent 10% have not altered their daily routines at all since the pandemic struck, compared to more than half who have made significant c... Full story
JACKSON — In an ordinary summer a destination park as famous as Yellowstone brings on some 500 seasonal employees, about tripling its staff, to help handle the crush of 4-million-plus tourists drawn from around the world. In a world changed by the threat of an infectious pandemic, that influx of employees will be whittled down to approximately 200 seasonal employees — a 60% reduction, at least in the early summer. The reason is that those seasonal staffers will each be given their own bedroom and bathroom, a restriction meant to prevent spread... Full story
Wyoming can’t ignore water pollution data submitted by the public or academic institutions when that’s the only information available to determine whether streams, lakes and rivers are polluted, the U.S. EPA has told state officials. That was one federal regulator’s response to the state’s plan to limit data it uses to determine surface water quality. Under a draft plan, the state seeks to use only data that is collected by governmental entities or contractors to support water-quality determinations. Wyoming’s Department of Environme... Full story
As COVID-19-related costs mount for utilities, regulators are considering just how ratepayers will ultimately settle the bill. State orders in response to the pandemic currently authorize electricity and natural-gas suppliers to waive fees and suspend disconnects, but utilities still expect payment in-full at some point in the future. Regulated utilities are also asking the Wyoming Public Service Commission for permission to charge interest on deferred payments. “Those bills will still be due and payable when the moratorium on disconnections is... Full story