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Jury deliberations enter 3rd day in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — Jurors entered a third day of deliberations Wednesday in a trial that centers on a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker disclosed that the jury had asked for sticky notes. He also told lawyers that two jurors saw him outside the courthouse. Their reaction: “Wow, you look so different without your robe,” the judge said.
Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta are charged with a kidnapping conspiracy. Three of them also face additional charges, including conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, namely an explosive.
The trial has covered 18 days since March 8, including 13 days of testimony.
Prosecutors said the conspiracy against Whitmer was fueled by anti-government extremism and anger over her COVID-19 restrictions. The men trained with a crudely built “shoot house” to replicate her vacation home in September 2020, according to testimony.
Fox and Croft, traveled to Elk Rapids, Michigan, that same weekend to see the location of the governor’s lakeside property and a nearby bridge, evidence showed. Harris and Caserta have been described as “soldiers” in the scheme.
Another man, Ty Garbin, who pleaded guilty, said the goal was to get Whitmer before the fall election and create enough chaos to create a civil war and stop Joe Biden from winning the presidency.
Defense lawyers attacked the government’s investigation and the use of a crucial informant, Dan Chappel. They claimed Chappel was the real leader, taking direction from the FBI and keeping the group on edge while recording them for months.
Croft is from Bear, Delaware, while the others are from Michigan.
Whitmer, a Democrat, rarely talks publicly about the plot, though she referred to “surprises” during her term that seemed like “something out of fiction” when she filed for reelection on March 17.
She has blamed former President Donald Trump for fomenting anger over coronavirus restrictions and refusing to condemn right-wing extremists like those charged in the case.
___
Find AP’s full coverage of the Whitmer kidnap plot trial at: https://apnews.com/hub/whitmer-kidnap-plot-trial
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/jury-deliberations-enter-3rd-day-gov-whitmer-kidnap-plot/
| 2022-04-06T13:08:42Z
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A little over three months removed from the University of Wyoming’s Potato Bowl win over Kent State, the Cowboys returned to the field last week, spurring storylines as the 2022 season inches closer.
It’s difficult to read too much into the first week of spring practice, especially when only 20 minutes of each session — containing mostly stretching and special teams segments — are open to the media. However, there have been a few revelations to emerge from the post-practice comments of players and coaches.
Here are three takeaways from the first week of spring ball.
No shortage of competition
With 22 returning starters entering last spring, the Pokes had a fairly accurate assessment of who would play key roles at the end of the annual Brown and Gold game. It doesn’t appear that will be the case this year.
Some starting spots are solidified, such as Titus Swen at running back, Easton Gibbs at Mike linebacker and some returning veterans on the offensive and defensive line. With only five starters back on both sides of the ball, though, much is still up for grabs.
“I doubt whether I’m going to release a depth chart at the end of spring this year,” UW coach Craig Bohl said. “That’s just the makeup of this team.”
Naturally, the quarterback position is a source of intrigue.
Utah State transfer Andrew Peasley has impressed with his ability to grasp the Cowboys’ pro-style offense, while Bohl noted that Snow College product Evan Svoboda “has a ton of ability, but it’s pretty raw right now.” He also indicated that returners Hank Gibbs and Jayden Clemons have shown growth throughout the offseason and start of spring practice.
As the second-most experienced running back on the roster, Dawaiian McNeely seems in line to secure the No. 2 spot. However, he’s currently sidelined with a minor hip issue, creating more opportunities for Jeremy Hollingsworth, D.Q. James, Jordon Vaughn and Joseph Braasch to prove themselves during the next few weeks.
The offensive line has a pair of proven tackles in Frank Crum and Eric Abojei, but the rest of the group will be ironed out in the coming months. Offensive coordinator Tim Polasek hinted the Pokes are open to moving guys around up front, as they look to figure out the eight top candidates to make an impact next season.
On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback transfers Jakorey Hawkins and Deron Harrell have already made a positive impression, while Bohl says the development of Cameron Stone has created “good competition at that spot.” Zaire Jackson is among the players in the mix to see playing time at nickelback.
Getting acclimated
Harrell, a Denver native who comes to UW from Wisconsin, is relatively familiar with Laramie’s climate and elevation. It is a new experience, though, for the Cowboys’ other two Power Five transfers.
Hawkins hails from Montgomery, Alabama, and spent the past four years at Ole Miss. He says working out at 7,200 feet took some getting used to, but he’s acclimated now.
“My first taste was when I worked out,” Hawkins said. “I got so light-headed because I wasn’t used to the altitude, but I’m used to it now.”
Linebacker Cole DeMarzo, a Michigan State transfer, comes from the warm and temperate climate of coastal South Carolina. However, he says he prefers Southeast Wyoming winters over those of Lansing, Michigan.
“Laramie winter is actually nice,” DeMarzo said. “The sun’s out all the time, compared to Michigan, which is cloudy all the time, so it’s been feeling good.”
Early standouts
Like quarterback, receiver is another unknown area, with departures Isaiah Neyor and Ayden Eberhardt accounting for 77.7% of the team’s receiving production at the position last season. Joshua Cobbs, who led all returning wide-outs with 25 catches for 245 yards and a touchdown, has experienced growth from a speed and confidence standpoint. Bohl says the next step for him to become a go-to guy is to continue to improve his confidence, as well as his ability to make contested catches.
Crum is among the most experienced players on Wyoming’s roster, and is set to be an anchor for an offensive line that loses four contributors. Despite having already established himself, the Laramie native has approached the offseason and spring with the tenacity of someone fighting for a starting spot.
“He’s not had a mentally of, ‘I’ve arrived,’” Bohl said. “He has a really sharp edge, and he’s going out there and working really hard.”
In the backfield, Swen has continued to take steps in his growth, both from a physicality and mental perspective, while Polasek suggested that fullback Caleb Driskill might be the most improved player on the offense.
There hasn’t been much said about the defense. Bohl did note that Hawkins and Harrell’s experience in the SEC and Big Ten, respectively, has been apparent. He’s also been impressed with the athleticism of the entire defensive end group, something that is imperative to play in UW’s system.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/early-takeaways-from-uw-spring-practice/article_3d49af90-ed36-58b8-8528-927369e6a328.html
| 2022-04-06T13:29:53Z
|
WEDNESDAY
Assistance for military veterans: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Laramie office of the Department of Veterans Affairs, 3817 Beech St. No. 100.
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson Medical Group women’s health prenatal education: 5:30 p.m., Ivinson Memorial Hospital in the Summit Conference Room. Learn more or register at ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
THURSDAY
Laramie Building Authority meets: 10 a.m., via Zoom.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Diabetes Support Group meets: 5:30-6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Email questions@ivinsosnhospital.org for the link.
Stitching the Past Together creative aging class: 6:30-8 p.m., Albany County Public Library large meeting room. Students will learn memory-based storytelling through beading techniques in this free course. Register at acplwy.org or at the circulation desk.
Lenten Taize worship services: 7 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 Canby St. Every Thursday through Easter.
UW Jazz Studies program presents the Art Lande trio Flex: 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts. This is a free performance.
FRIDAY
Free stress relief clinic: Noon to 1 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW planetarium presents “Aurorae, Dancing Lights”: 7 p.m., UW Planetarium. For millennia our ancestors looked in awe at the “dawn in the north,” or Arora Borealis. What causes this display? Where does it happen? Do other planets have aurorae?
Good in All of Us fundraiser for Laramie Interfaith: 7-9 p.m., Eppson Center for Seniors, 1560 N. 3rd St. Will include a silent auction, mini-games and a trivia contest. Trivia teams of up to five members register for $100 a team at https://bit.ly/3KILsjb.
SATURDAY
Albany County 4-H Spring Bazaar: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Albany County Fairgrounds.
Free cancer screenings: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Ivinson Medical Group. Email questions@ivinsonhospital.org for more information.
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
Bike Olympics sponsored by Laramie BikeNet: 1-5:50 p.m., Lincoln Community Center, 356 W. Grand Ave. Free entry, but BikeNet membership recommended. Visit Laramiebikenet.org for more information.
UW Cello Festival concert: 5 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts. A free performance by participants of the 2022 UW Cello Festival.
UW planetarium presents “Max Goes to the Moon”: 7 p.m., UW Planetarium. Max the dog and a young girl named Tori take the first trip to the moon since the Apollo era.
An evening of Schubert with Kenneth Slowik (and friends): 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets $10 general admission available at uwyo.edu/finearts.
MONDAY
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
TUESDAY
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Laramie Rivers Conservation District meets: 10 a.m., 5015 Stone Road.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
Albany County Republican Party meets: 6 p.m., Albany County Public Library.
April 13
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson Medical Group women’s health prenatal education: 5:30 p.m., Ivinson Memorial Hospital in the Summit Conference Room. Learn more or register at ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
April 14
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Second Story Book Group discusses “Billionaire Wilderness” by Justin Farrell: 6:30-8 p.m., via Zoom. Call 786-877-3912 or email taninel@bellsouth.net for information.
Stitching the Past Together creative aging class: 6:30-8 p.m., Albany County Public Library large meeting room. Students will learn memory-based storytelling through beading techniques in this free course. Register at acplwy.org or at the circulation desk.
Lenten Taize worship services: 7 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 Canby St. Every Thursday through Easter.
April 15
Free stress relief clinic: Noon to 1 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW planetarium presents “Search for Extra-Terrestrial Life”: 7 p.m., UW Planetarium. Are we alone in the universe?
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
April 16
Kiwanis Club of Laramie Easter Egg Hunt: 10 a.m., Kiwanis Park in West Laramie.
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
Ester Extravaganza: 2-4 p.m., Trinity Baptist Church, 1270 N. 9th St.
UW planetarium presents “Distant Worlds — Alien Life?”: 2 p.m., UW Planetarium. For millennia our ancestors watched the stars and questioned the origin and nature of what they saw. Yet, Earth is the only planet we know for sure to be inhabited.
UW planetarium presents “Liquid Sky, Pop”: 7 p.m., UW Planetarium. Enjoy a custom playlist from today’s top artists.
April 17
Walk with a Doc: 1:30-2:30 p.m., UW Fieldhouse. Hear from health care professionals and get your steps in.
April 18
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
April 19
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW planetarium presents “Wyoming Skies”: 7 p.m., UW Planetarium. What’s up in the sky around Wyoming?
Stitching the Past Together creative aging class: 6:30-8 p.m., Albany County Public Library large meeting room. Students will learn memory-based storytelling through beading techniques in this free course. Register at acplwy.org or at the circulation desk.
April 20
Laramie Rivers Conservation District meets: Noon, 5015 Stone Road.
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Award-Winning Author Jesmyn Ward speaks: 5 p.m., UW College of Arts and Sciences auditorium.
Ivinson Medical Group women’s health prenatal education: 5:30 p.m., Ivinson Memorial Hospital in the Summit Conference Room. Learn more or register at ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
April 21
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Ivinson Medical Group women’s health prenatal education: 5:30 p.m., Ivinson Memorial Hospital in the Summit Conference Room. Learn more or register at ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
April 22
Albany County CattleWomen meet: 11:30 a.m., location tbd. Visit wyaccw.com in the week before the meeting for location and more information.
Free stress relief clinic: Noon to 1 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW planetarium presents “Earth Day”: 7 p.m., UW Planetarium. Observe our beautiful planet from the ground, sky and space as we learn about glaciers, atmospheric science, meteorology, extreme weather events and climate history.
Violin virtuoso Augustin Hadelich with UW Chamber Orchestra: 730 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets available at uwyo.edu/finearts.
April 23
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW planetarium presents “From Earth to the Universe”: 2 p.m., UW Planetarium. The night sky, both beautiful and mysterious, has been the subject of campfire stories, ancient myths and awe for as long as there have been people.
April 25
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Wyoming’s energy economy panel discussion: 6 p.m., online at uweconomists.eventbrite.com. Features four University of Wyoming economists.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
America Sewing Guild Laramie Chapter meets: 7 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1215 E. Gibbon St.
April 26
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
April 27
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
April 28
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Stitching the Past Together creative aging class: 6:30-8 p.m., Albany County Public Library large meeting room. Students will learn memory-based storytelling through beading techniques in this free course. Register at acplwy.org or at the circulation desk.
April 29
Free stress relief clinic: Noon to 1 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW planetarium presents “Mars”: 7 p.m., UW Planetarium. The red planet is host to many questions; did it used to be like Earth? Did it once harbor life? Could it still support life?
April 30
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
UW planetarium presents “Mexica Archaeoastronomy”: 2 p.m., UW Planetarium. Illustrates the important role played by astronomical observation for the evolution of pre-Hispanic cultures in central Mexico.
UW planetarium presents “Liquid Sky, Electronica”: 7 p.m., UW Planetarium. Enjoy a custom playlist of music from today’s top artists.
May 2
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
May 3
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 4
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson Medical Group women’s health prenatal education: 5:30 p.m., Ivinson Memorial Hospital in the Summit Conference Room. Learn more or register at ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
May 5
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Diabetes Support Group meets: 5:30-6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Email questions@ivinsosnhospital.org for the link.
Stitching the Past Together creative aging class: 6:30-8 p.m., Albany County Public Library large meeting room. Students will learn memory-based storytelling through beading techniques in this free course. Register at acplwy.org or at the circulation desk.
May 6
Free stress relief clinic: Noon to 1 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 7
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 9
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
May 10
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
Albany County Republican Party meets: 6 p.m., Albany County Public Library.
May 11
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson Medical Group women’s health prenatal education: 5:30 p.m., Ivinson Memorial Hospital in the Summit Conference Room. Learn more or register at ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
May 12
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Stitching the Past Together creative aging class: 6:30-8 p.m., Albany County Public Library large meeting room. Students will learn memory-based storytelling through beading techniques in this free course. Register at acplwy.org or at the circulation desk.
May 13
Free stress relief clinic: Noon to 1 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 14
University of Wyoming graduation ceremony: 8:30 a.m., UW Arena-Auditorium, undergraduate ceremony for the colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Engineering and Applied Science and School of Energy Resources.
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
University of Wyoming graduation ceremony: 10 a.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts, for the College of Law.
University of Wyoming graduation ceremony: 12:15 p.m., UW Arena-Auditorium, for master’s and doctoral students from colleges of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Business, Education, Engineering and Applied Science, Health Sciences and Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources.
University of Wyoming graduation ceremony: 3:30 p.m., UW Arena-Auditorium, for undergraduate ceremony for colleges of Arts and Sciences, Education, Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and Office of Academic Affairs.
May 16
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
May 17
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 18
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson Medical Group women’s health prenatal education: 5:30 p.m., Ivinson Memorial Hospital in the Summit Conference Room. Learn more or register at ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
May 19
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Stitching the Past Together creative aging class: 6:30-8 p.m., Albany County Public Library large meeting room. Students will learn memory-based storytelling through beading techniques in this free course. Register at acplwy.org or at the circulation desk.
May 20
Albany County CattleWomen meet: 11:30 a.m., location tbd. Visit wyaccw.com in the week before the meeting for location and more information.
Free stress relief clinic: Noon to 1 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 21
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 23
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
America Sewing Guild Laramie Chapter meets: 7 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1215 E. Gibbon St.
May 24
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 25
Laramie Tai Chi and tea: Meets at 1:30 p.m. at the north end of the stadium in Laramie Plainsman Park, North 15th and Reynolds. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
May 26
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Stitching the Past Together creative aging class: 6:30-8 p.m., Albany County Public Library large meeting room. Students will learn memory-based storytelling through beading techniques in this free course. Register at acplwy.org or at the circulation desk.
May 27
Free stress relief clinic: Noon to 1 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 28
Free stress relief clinic: 10-11 a.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
May 30
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Women for Sobriety meet: 6:30-8:30 p.m. via Zoom. For meeting details, email 1093@womenforsobriety.org.
May 31
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Free stress relief clinic: 1-2 p.m., Laramie Plains Civic Center Phoenix Ballroom.
Have an event for What’s Happening? Send it to Managing Editor Greg Johnson at gjohnson@laramieboomerang.com.
|
https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/announcements/whats-happening/article_6cea67f1-19df-53b0-be86-dea93a1f2f23.html
| 2022-04-06T13:29:59Z
|
The use of electric vehicles could merge from being somewhat of a novelty to the fast lane in Wyoming over the next five years.
A Wyoming intergovernmental zero emission vehicle working group has drafted a plan to use federal money to install electric vehicle charging stations across the state. The stations are a step toward bolstering the state’s tourism industry and preparing for a future where EVs are much more common, said WYDOT spokesperson Jesse Kirchmeier during a public meeting Tuesday in Casper.
There are now only 460 electric vehicles registered in the state of Wyoming. Even if the number of EV users in Wyoming were to double for the next five years, there would still not be enough local EVs to sustain the cost effectiveness of installing the charging stations, Kirchmeier said.
Instead, the strategy focuses on using stations as a way to attract tourism and jobs to the state.
“We don’t care what the individual wants to drive,” Kirchmeier said. “The point is we’re going to establish the infrastructure to support the individual’s choice to drive what they want to drive.”
The money for the project comes from three sources that are earmarked for EV infrastructure. If Wyoming rejects the project, the money will be used for the same purpose in another state.
“Our goal is that when money is appropriated in Wyoming, we’re going to spend it in Wyoming,” Kirchmeier said.
WYDOT hopes the prevalence of EV charging stations across the state will encourage more owners of electric vehicles to visit who may not now be able to because of a lack of places to recharge. The installation process also could create more job opportunities for residents.
Wyoming will receive $1.2 million as part of a federal settlement with Volkswagen after the company violated the Clean Air Act. The state also will receive a total of $23.96 million over the next five years from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program and additional money from discretionary grants.
The state plans to facilitate funding with private companies, meaning it would help coordinate the project rollout and recommended locations for the charging stations, then connect private companies with money to actually build, own and operate the stations.
“We want to function as a pass-through, one-stop shop to match communities or businesses to access available funding and make sure we’ve got the right team set up to handle everybody’s interest,” said WYDOT Director Luke Reiner.
EV charging stations typically cost between $470,000 and $725,000 to build and need about nine customers a day to cover operational costs, Kirchmeier said.
Fully charged
The costs and usage of the charging stations can vary widely based on what type of charger is installed. Chargers can range from 120 volts, which would take 10-12 hours to charge a vehicle, and 480 volts, which would charge a vehicle in as little as 15 minutes.
The primary corridors of interest for the installations are along Interstates 80, 25, and 90, which are the most heavily trafficked routes in the state. There is a goal to use a percentage of the money to construct the stations in remote and economically disadvantaged areas along these corridors.
To use the NEVI money, the state will have to follow a set of requirements. One is to install a charging station every 50 miles, which is a point of concern for WYDOT officials and members of the public because of the state’s rural nature.
WYDOT plans to ask the federal government to make an exception to this rule for areas of the state where there wouldn’t be enough people using a charging station to cover the costs of its installation and upkeep.
Though the request isn’t confirmed, exceptions could include stretches of I-80 between Laramie and Rawlins, Rawlins and Rock Springs, and Rock Springs and Evanston. The distance between Cheyenne and Wheatland along I-25 could be a point for exemption as well.
Instead, the government would propose that stations be put in more highly trafficked areas that keep in line with the goal of increasing tourism, such as around Yellowstone National Park.
“The assumption is that if you put them near the traffic, they should grow,” Reiner said.
WYDOT is expecting to receive more clear guidance next month from the federal government on how to use the federal money. The group hopes to open the plan for public comment in the beginning of June and submit the final version shortly thereafter. The final deadline to submit an EV plan is Aug. 1.
WYDOT will hold public meetings about the EV strategy online and throughout the state through April 12.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/charging-ahead-wyoming-officials-plan-to-spark-electric-vehicle-use-accessibility/article_99637cde-aca7-5842-9235-54a81f068d76.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:05Z
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CASPER — Rep. Landon Brown had two press releases on his computer: one that announced he was bowing out of the Wyoming Legislature and one that said he was running for reelection. He sent the latter one Friday, but only after weeks of mulling over the pros and cons of what being a state lawmaker in Wyoming entails these days.
Increasing incivility in the statehouse gave Brown second thoughts about running again.
In Brown’s view, that incivility steadily increased after former President Donald Trump took office, but really accelerated with the onset of COVID-19.
Brown, a moderate Cheyenne Republican, has become a target of the far right inside and outside of the Legislature, in part for being outspoken and a Trump critic.
Brown said he received a violent death threat, a Facebook message from an anonymous account suggesting he kill himself and between “10 and 20 vile, hateful” emails during the recently completed four-week budget session. That’s a nasty email roughly every two days.
“It gets to the point where the whole family is affected by it,” Brown said.
After Frank Eathorne, chairman of the Wyoming GOP, said in January 2021 that western states were “paying attention” to secession efforts in Texas, Brown vigorously condemned the comment.
His condemnation spurred a man to repeatedly call the Cheyenne representative late into the night for two nights in a row. On the second night, the man seemed heavily intoxicated. Brown did not pick up that final call, but the man left a voicemail.
“He said he was going to come over to my house and said he was going to rip my face off and feed it to my dogs,” Brown said.
The Brown family called the Cheyenne Police Department.
His wife Rachel Smith, a precinct committeewoman and nurse, said they didn’t sleep that night.
After such an incident, many politicians might consider vacating their seat, a move Brown himself appeared wedded to on the final day of the 2022 budget session. As the last day came to a close, state lawmakers had still not agreed on a reapportioned map following the 2020 census, despite the fact that it was the body’s constitutional duty to approve one by midnight.
“To be honest with you guys, this might be the last thing that I say on these microphones,” Brown said. “Had we been dealing with more of this, had we dealt with this bill first ... we would’ve had more time to work on this issue ... but instead we were busy debating guns, we were busy debating abortion, we were busy debating non-issues in this state instead of our constitutional obligations.”
Brown is one of the most outspoken members of the Wyoming House partly because of Rep. Liz Cheney, who has become the top target of many conservatives due to her repeated condemnations of Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 attack and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
“She’s influenced me to stand on my morals and my values and take the shots as they come and let it almost fuel you even further,” Brown said.
After what appeared to be a final speech on the House floor, Brown changed his mind.
“I think the good outweighs the bad. There is work to still be done,” Brown said. “I feel like I have opportunities to make a difference in the state of Wyoming, and I do care about the state.”
Brown is specifically dedicated to his work on the Joint Education Committee and feels like there’s unfinished business to take care of.
But the online threats have taken a toll. The lawmaker presents himself as having a thick skin against all of it, Smith said, but it’s been tough — for him and for the couple’s marriage.
“He comes (in) at 9 or 10 at night and he just has this heavy weight on his shoulders,” Smith said. “He doesn’t feel like participating in these family things. That is strenuous on a marriage.”
Ultimately, Smith is backing her husband’s decision to run for reelection.
The couple was sitting in a Florida airport on the way back from their spring break vacation Thursday. Brown had officially made up his mind moments before he leaned over and told Smith he was going to run.
“You know, I kind of thought you were,” she said.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/despite-threats-lawmaker-will-run-again/article_e01172f9-ccba-5b2d-b338-c86c39a8dc0c.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:11Z
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CASPER — Gov. Mark Gordon announced his reelection bid Monday, offering an upbeat message after a first term dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic challenges.
“I do believe that Wyoming is the best place on the Earth bar none, and I believe Wyoming’s best days are ahead of it,” said Gordon, a moderate Republican. “And that’s because of you: the people of Wyoming.”
Gordon’s time in office has been challenging, and he’s faced criticism from his party’s right wing.
He angered many Wyomingites with a statewide mask mandate enacted during a COVID spike in December 2020. He lifted it four months later.
Midway through 2021, as COVID was surging in the state, Gordon said Wyoming would not implement another statewide mask order or require vaccines. That promise held true.
Despite criticism from Gordon’s right flank, there is not a well-known, hard-line conservative challenging him. Challenging an incumbent is already tough, but time is starting to run out for a formidable candidate to raise money and spread awareness about his or her candidacy.
“It’s way too late,” said Bill Novotny, a county commissioner and political consultant. The primary is in August.
Scott Madsen, a Buffalo City Council member and Gordon supporter who attended Monday’s announcement, said opinions of Gordon in the northern Wyoming town are “fairly positive.” Politicians often have strong support in their hometowns (Gordon grew up on a ranch near Kaycee), but the measures the governor’s office took to combat COVID-19 angered people across the board.
“He wasn’t very well liked during the state of emergency and the mandates,” Madsen said. “He wasn’t fully responsible. I think he was getting bad advice.”
Most recently, Gordon successfully pushed for pay raises for state workers because state agencies are experiencing difficulty hiring and retaining workers.
Gordon’s 2018 primary race was crowded with candidates, and he came out on top with 33.4% of the vote. He beat out five other Republican candidates including the late GOP megadonor Foster Friess and natural resources lawyer Harriet Hageman.
Hageman is now the Donald Trump-endorsed candidate running against Rep. Liz Cheney for Wyoming’s lone House seat.
Gordon coasted to victory in the general election, defeating Democrat Mary Throne.
The 2018 gubernatorial primary sparked calls for changes in Wyoming’s electoral system. Some on the far right pushed for a runoff system so that candidates would need majority support to win, though that effort was ultimately unsuccessful.
Friess also blamed his loss on what’s called “crossover voting,” the practice of Democrats and independents changing their affiliation on primary day, typically to vote for more moderate Republicans. The data does not back up Friess’ claim, but the issue has remained a concern for some with the upcoming midterms.
While Wyoming is a deeply red state with the most Republican legislature in the nation, three of the last six governors were Democrats.
The state Democratic Party has not yet announced a candidate.
Gordon was appointed to serve as Wyoming’s treasurer in 2012 after the death of then-treasurer Joseph Meyer. Two years later, Gordon was elected to the post. He’s also a small businessman and rancher.
The governor was born in New York City and attended college in Vermont. Since moving to Wyoming early in his life, he has predominantly lived in Johnson County.
Most of the crowd in attendance at Gordon’s campaign announcement were supporters and longtime friends of the Gordon family. The entrance to the event was surrounded by Gordon yard signs that read, “Wyoming Right.”
The slogan can be interpreted a number of ways, but it’s meant to send a positive message about the state.
“It’s just Wyoming gets everything right. We do,” said Tom Wiblemo, Gordon’s campaign coordinator.
The slogan matches the message the incumbent delivered Monday. It was positive, hopeful and complimentary of the state’s residents.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/governor-gordon-says-hell-seek-second-term/article_66e11ca3-537a-5612-8090-04d51e15f726.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:17Z
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A federal judge has ordered that a civil suit seeking damages from four Missouri hunters for allegedly trespassing by corner crossing on the Elk Mountain Ranch be transferred from state to federal district court. The move puts the issue of accessing some 1.6 million acres across the West in a venue where federal laws favoring access to public land may have more import.
Corner crossing is the act of stepping from one piece of public land to another where the public parcels share a four-way corner with two private parcels — all without setting foot on private land. As interpreted widely across the West, corner crossing constitutes trespass because a person must pass through the airspace over private property in the process.
Under that interpretation, 404,000 acres of public and state land across Wyoming and 1.6 million when also considering Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and Utah are off limits to the public. Much of that land is enmeshed in a checkerboard pattern of ownership dating from the era of railroad construction.
Carbon County prosecutors filed criminal trespass charges against the four men in Carbon County Circuit Court and also want three of them convicted of trespassing to hunt. The charges stem from hunting trips the men took to Elk Mountain in 2020 and 2021 where they say they crossed corners to hunt on public land without setting foot on private property.
Elk Mountain Ranch owner Iron Bar Holdings, which lists billionaire Fred Eshelman as its manager, also sued the four in Carbon County District Court seeking civil damages. An attorney for the hunters last month filed a petition to transfer the civil case from state jurisdiction to the U.S. District Court for Wyoming where federal public access laws may hold more sway.
“The clerk of the district court is hereby advised that jurisdiction over the parties and subject matter of the above-entitled action is deemed removed from the district court to the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming…” Chief U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl wrote in an order filed Thursday. The order becomes effective once the hunters’ attorney files documents in state district court, and Iron Bar will have an opportunity to ask Skavdahl to send the case back to the state venue.
Iron Bar “has a right to exclusive control, use, and enjoyment of its Property, which includes the airspace at the corner, above the Property … the surface of the land and the subsurface below it,” the ranch owner states in its civil suit. The hunters, who have asked that the civil and criminal cases be dismissed, say Iron Bar’s interpretation runs afoul of laws passed by Congress, including the Unlawful Inclosures Act that generally prohibits landowners from fencing people out of public property.
“[S]tate legislatures, state executives, and state judiciaries may not grant rights, privileges, or powers to private parties regarding the use of or access to federally owned public lands located within a state that would conflict with federal legislation enacted by Congress pursuant to the Property Clause,” the hunters’ petition to transfer states.
The Legislature’s Joint Judiciary Committee has proposed that trespass be its No. 1 topic for study before lawmakers begin their next session in 2023. The overseeing Management Council will consider the request April 8. The committee wants to investigate the issue “including trespass by drone and a comparison of criminal trespass with trespass for hunting purposes.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/judge-transfers-corner-crossing-trespass-case-to-federal-court/article_03f8c6c3-ebb7-5d48-82ac-b04dfcb234d0.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:24Z
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ROCK SPRINGS — On the last Saturday of March, residents of Sweetwater County marched the streets in support of pro-life views and to raise awareness to local organizations that provide alternative solutions.
March for Life is an annual pro-life event that usually takes place in January.
The movement began throughout the United States in the early 1970s in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protects a pregnant woman’s right to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.
In Sweetwater County, this was the second annual March for Life and about 60 to 70 residents marched the streets of Rock Springs on Saturday, March 26, representing different community organizations and churches.
“I think the March for Life is very much a personal thing. Everybody’s here for a different reason and in a different way. I know people march because they feel the legal end to abortion is a very important thing and that’s obviously a core aspect for a March for Life,” said Eric Urlacher, Grand Knight of Knights of Columbus No. 2441. “For me, personally, I’m really into the fact that this raises awareness to Inside Connection (Southwest Wyoming Pregnancy Resource Center). For me, being pro-life is providing the services, medical and financial, that women need. I think that’s an often overlooked topic in March for Life. I think that’s a practical way to being pro-life, providing services to those who are in need.”
Knights of Columbus No. 2441, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Inside Connection, Rock Springs Evangelical Free Church, Restoration Ministries, Sweetwater County Right to Life and Wyoming Right to Life each had a part in this year’s march.
“For me, the ecumenical aspect is really important. I think in the spirits of the last couple of popes – Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II – a big push in the Catholic church is ecumenicism,” Uracher said.
“It’s not Catholics versus Evangelical versus Mormons. We’re all on the team to support the virtues that we think are the guiding lights to our society,” he said. “The most important thing for me, personally, is that we have multiple faith communities involved.”
Pastor Richard P. Carlson of Rock Springs Evangelical Free Church began the event with an opening prayer at the corner of C Street and Norton Avenue near Imagine Preschool.
Following a police escort, people marched the streets toward the Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral.
They carried signs that read, “Pray to End Abortion,” “Jesus Forgives and Heals,” “Children are the Gift of God,” as well as others.
The march ended at Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral where people enjoyed refreshments and listened to guest speakers from a variety of different organizations.
Guest speakers included Kim Seymour, director of Inside Connections, Gene Emerson, Chariots of Light Wyoming President, Pastor Mechell Williams of Restoration Ministries, Deacon Louis Hernandez of Holy Spirit Catholic Church and Pastor Carlson of Rock Springs Evangelical Free Church.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/residents-show-pro-life-support-in-rock-springs/article_e7fa2fcd-5fb1-5b19-a40e-7317b73b3da0.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:30Z
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GILLETTE — The city of Gillette is considering offering fiber-optic internet as a utility.
Fiber-optic internet, or fiber, is a broadband connection that hits speeds of 1 gigabit per second. The city has been building out a fiber network since the early 2000s.
Most of the city’s buildings are connected, and the fiber network goes all the way out to the Madison water pipeline source. Fiber also has been built out to facilities owned by other local government entities, such as the county, hospital and school district.
“You all have done an amazing job in Gillette in investing in a dark fiber network that is probably the best in the state,” City Administrator Hyun Kim said at a recent city council retreat. “Most cities do not have what we have. What can we do to use that for economic development?”
A dark fiber network is made up of unused fiber optic cables that have no service on them. When cables are carrying data, they have light pulses passing through them, and when they’re not, they’re not lit, hence the name “dark fiber.”
Fiber to the home will happen eventually, Kim said. The question is whether the city wants to help accelerate that by expanding its network to residents.
Big broadband companies are investing in fiber, but they’re focusing on large cities.
“It’ll take them a really long time to look at Gillette,” said Ry Muzzarelli, the city’s development services director.
“If we’ve learned one thing from the pandemic, it’s that connectivity is no longer just a luxury,” Kim said.
Muzzarelli said fiber to the home has been on the city’s radar since 2015. That year, the city hired a firm out of South Dakota to look at the community’s access to high-speed internet.
Back then, a full-scale citywide deployment to provide broadband had a price tag of about $50 million. The firm’s recommendation was that the city partner with an internet service provider to build out the network.
Muzzarelli said the $50 million figure isn’t too far off from how much it would cost today.
If the city picked a neighborhood as a test site for fiber to the home, it would cost $1.6 million to build out fiber to 290 households, and that’s if all 290 homes opted in.
It would cost $150,000 to design the network throughout the entire city, bid out the construction for that one neighborhood and for nine weeks of construction management, Muzzarelli said.
Ammon, Idaho, is a town of more than 17,000 people. In the early 2010s, the city loaned itself money to build the fiber network. Local improvement districts were created, and once 50% to 70% of the people in those districts opted in, it began construction. It bought boring machines and hired crews to run them.
It cost Ammon about $3,600 to build out the network to each household. This is paid back over the course of 20 years, or $23.50 a month. Ammon charged $16.50 for the city utility, and $10 for open access for any internet service provider to sell bandwidth, for a total of $50 per month per household for gig service.
Fort Morgan, Colorado, went with a public-private partnership. It used its reserves to build out a fiber network past every home and business. It partnered with an internet service provider for a 20-year agreement. The ISP handled all of the construction, installation, maintenance and customer service, and it pays a monthly lease fee to pay back the city for the construction.
This model had a lower adoption rate than Ammon with less than 40%, and it costs $92 a month for gig internet, but it was able to get it done more quickly.
“We’re not quite ready to make a recommendation,” Muzzarelli said. “We need to do some more due diligence on the staff side.”
There is a lot of federal funding available for broadband expansion, but Gillette’s been unsuccessful in the past because that money is directed toward communities with less coverage.
Some of the city council members expressed concern that the city would be creating a monopoly, but Muzzarelli said that if the city partnered with an ISP, that wouldn’t push the other ISPs out of the market. That company still needs to convince people to sign up.
“That ISP that you partner with, they can’t just hose the residents, because the residents won’t sign up and then they won’t have the funds to pay the city back,” he said. “They can’t just charge $200 a month, because they won’t get enough market take to make the math pay off.”
Some people won’t ever need gig service, while others aren’t going to want to change their internet service provider.
The fiber internet will be 100% optional, and no one will be forced to change if they don’t want to, Muzzarelli said.
“If you go with the Ammon route, all the risk is on the city, you don’t have a partner,” Muzzarelli said. “If the city doesn’t do a good job of convincing citizens to sign up … then we’re stuck with the entire bill.”
The city council was on board with city staff continuing to look into it.
Councilman Tim Carsrud said this should be less a question of connection for homes and more a question of how this can attract businesses to Gillette.
“The folks in Gillette want us to diversify, bring in business, which brings jobs, which brings us tax money, and to me, yes I’d love to have faster speed at my house, but we want businesses to want to come here because of it,” he said. “The biggest conversation should be that.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/the-5th-utility-gillette-eyes-expanding-fiber-network-to-homes/article_f4df8351-52dd-5adc-a889-de877ac35a60.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:36Z
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Wyoming Open Pool Tournament returns this weekendThe annual Wyoming Open Pool Tournament returns to the Platte Valley Community Center in Saratoga for its 14th year Thursday through Sunday.
This four-day tournament is divided into four divisions of Masters, Expert, Classic and Sportsman to give every skill level a chance to compete. Players younger than 18 will compete with adults in the various brackets appropriate to their skill level. This year about a half dozen kids are signed up.
This event is a regular stop for Billiard Congress of American Hall of Fame members because of the sizable prize money. However, this year’s tournament dates have resulted in scheduling conflicts with both national and international contests. As a result, the only professional pool player available to attend, as of press time, is Rodney “The Rocket” Morris.
This year’s tournament has 150 players registered with an entry fee of $30 per player and up depending on the division level of play. There is a table fee for each contest entered. All officially sanctioned contests will be played at the Community Center and the Recreation Center.
The tournament gathers players from across Wyoming as well as from seven states this year, said director Mark Osborne.
All entry fees plus an additional $13,000 in prize money will be given out this year. This contest charges no administration, table or green fees. Last year’s payout was more than $24,000, said Osborne. The 24 winners each get a plaque and all entrants get a free T-shirt.
There are three contests played on 22 tables over four days. Scotch Doubles, Single Elimination and the eight-ball/Saratoga competition. These contests will begin Thursday evening and end with the finals Sunday.
This Wyoming Open contest will be livestreamed on ontherailtv.com for those who can’t attend.
This event has about 50 sponsors that provide $5,000 of the prize money, along with the Carbon County Visitors Council that provides $4,000 in funding each year. This event is put on in association with the Saratoga Lions Club and local businessman Ed Glode.
For more information, contact Osborne at 307-710-1447 or e-mail wyomingopen@gmail.com.
Wyoming Arts Council seeks musicians for Summer Road Trip
The Wyoming Arts Council is seeking music from Wyoming musicians for the 2022 Summer Road Trip Playlist. This is a statewide call open to independent musicians of all genres.
The Summer Road Trip Playlist is an annual release hosted on Spotify and promoted at high tourism areas across the state, such as at state parks, historic sites and trails; Wyoming visitor centers; museums and festivals. In addition to the promotion of the playlist, artists will receive featured pieces on their music through Wyoming Arts Council media channels.
To apply for consideration, musicians must complete the interest form online by April 27. The form requires some general information about the artist’s music as well as web links to up to two songs already listed on Spotify in order to be considered.
Songs will be juried by Kendall Smith, director or programming at The Arts Campus at Willits in Basalt, Colorado, based on the merit of the song and the quality of the recording. The playlist will then be curated to form a cohesive listening experience. There is no limit to the number of songs selected for the playlist.
The Summer Road Trip Playlist is an annual part of the Arts Council’s Wyoming Independent Music Initiative (WIMI), which is working to build a robust music scene in Wyoming.
For additional information, please contact Taylor Craig, taylor.craig@wyo.gov, or 307-274-6673.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/worth-noting/article_d26806a8-8251-5dfd-bb76-46e281f37ba9.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:42Z
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The good news this week is that our paper in Cheyenne has given the Wyoming Legislature a failing grade for the budget session that ended last month.
And not just a failing grade – a whoppingly failing grade. (Failing grades begin to whop at 50 points or fewer out of 100.)
Our lawmakers didn’t come anywhere close to a passing grade, according to an editorial that reported the body scoring just 35.5 points of a possible 100. As an old publisher I once worked for used to say when the fertilizer hit the fan, “Uh-oh!”
When it came to judging the session, the paper told us how the cow ate the cabbage, as my Oklahoma wife likes to say when someone really gives someone else the dickens.
Our state lawmakers took it in the seat of the pants for their stubborn, continued failure to raise taxes; for their stubborn, continued refusal to cash in on free Medicaid expansion money; for not spending as much American Rescue Plan Act money as humanly possible on all kinds of stuff having little to do with COVID; and for wasting time talking about silly issues like prohibiting guys from competing on girls’ athletic teams and parents butting into what teachers teach.
They also got their knuckles rapped for a general inability to play well with others, and didn’t even get credit for kicking my state senator — the allegedly unrepentant scoundrel Anthony Bouchard — off all his committee assignments.
“But wait, Dave,” you’re thinking, “why is it good news that the Cheyenne paper gave the Legislature a mere 35.5 points out of 100?”
Because, Grasshopper (obscure “Kung Fu” reference), I worked in newsrooms for the best part of four decades, and I can tell you that the last thing Wyoming needs is a Legislature that passes everything editorial writers want.
No, no, no.
I can count the conservative journalists I’ve worked with over 40 years on one hand with a middle finger left over. Editors and reporters are almost always for higher taxes, more regulations, new powers for government, for tough mask and vaccine mandates, for any candidate with a “D” behind his or her name and for cracking down on evil private industry.
At one paper I worked at (not our Cheyenne paper; I never worked there), plans proposed by anyone in private industry were met in the newsroom with deep suspicion. Such plans were no doubt crackpot schemes ginned up by greedy shysters. What jobs they provided were dismissed as low-paid “nickel-95 jobs.”
A woman who went on to write editorials for a major newspaper once told me I was naive for putting money into an individual retirement account because, she explained, any idiot could see that inflation would far outstrip any money you could accumulate in an IRA. (I’m glad I was naive enough to salt money away in my IRA. And I wonder what her retirement looks like, if she took her own advice.)
The editor of a weekly paper once explained to me that President Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua was an inspired leader, a great man, far more intelligent than the amiable dunce (Tip O’Neill’s term) Ronald Reagan.
In one newsroom, they just about fell over laughing when I said labor unions had a lot in common with political action committees. No, Dave. Unions good. PACs evil. Case closed.
For years I wrote columns for a paper in Illinois. I wrote one about investing in shares of Caterpillar stock and cited the impressive growth anyone with a few bucks to invest could have realized. That was such a ridiculous idea that the editor read it aloud in the newsroom so everyone could get a belly laugh at the notion of a journalist investing in stocks.
They thought, “He’s kidding, right?”
An editor in Nebraska liked to introduce me to friends because they considered a conservative journalist such a rarity, a freak of nature, a two-headed calf.
So, let’s not lose sleep over our Legislature’s failing grade on the editorial page.
Far from it. I think our failing grade is a badge of courage, and the editorial is suitable for display on our refrigerator doors.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/contributed_columns/good-news-legislature-gets-an-f/article_bae3fe22-08aa-57c6-9fcf-7df89d859ed8.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:48Z
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In Wyoming, whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over.
Never has that adage been more fitting than now.
Worldwide, the next great crisis will involve water — and Wyoming has an abundance of water.
Our most important unclaimed water resource is the ample Green River, which streams from its headwaters in the Wind River Mountains near Dubois. It flows down the western side of the state, exiting it in the 91-mile long Flaming Gorge Reservoir south of Green River.
Since 2002, the largest threat to Wyoming water stored in huge amounts at Flaming Gorge has been posed by a Fort Collins entrepreneur. Aaron Million lusts after that water and has promoted many plans to get it to the Front Range of Colorado.
For years, he touted a pipeline that would run across southern Wyoming. A tiny amount of the water would have been allocated to Cheyenne and Torrington. Despite that token gesture, the project was fought hard by just about everyone in the Cowboy State. A survey about the project once showed 79 percent of Wyomingites opposed it.
Recently, Million has proposed moving the project to Utah, but officials in that state also have spurned his efforts.
And even more recently, he proposed his project as an energy generation effort similar to hydropower projects across many western states. No takers on that plan yet, either.
The guy dreamed up the project while doing a thesis at the University of Colorado. He deserves credit for his persistence. His well-heeled backers appear to keep paying him with the remote hope that someday the project will work its way through all the regulatory hurdles and divert Wyoming water to Colorado.
Historically, the Colorado River compact was flawed. Seven states, including Wyoming, tried in 1922 to divide up the water that flows down the river. The biggest single tributary flowing into the Colorado is the Green River. It joins the Colorado near Canyonlands National Park in Utah.
When they divvied up the water rights, officials from the states had no way of knowing that they were emerging from some very wet decades and entering dry times.
Especially in recent times, when population growth has been high and precipitation levels low, a crisis has loomed. States like Colorado want the water that was allocated to them. Hence, the efforts to harness water currently flowing in the Green River and stored in Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Other states in the compact were Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California.
Other canal projects come to mind. After almost 50 years of effort, the Central Arizona Project now drains billions of gallons of water away from the Colorado River to keep golf courses in Phoenix green.
Although most of the unallocated water is located in Wyoming, Colorado is the thirstiest place northeast of Las Vegas, which draws its water from the over-allocated Lake Mead. Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States, but its water levels are dropping at an alarming rate. It now contains less water than when it was first filled.
Super-tight water restrictions in Sin City have resulted in a city with few green lawns. Yards everywhere are landscaped desert designs and cacti gardens.
Back in Colorado, some 80% of the people live east of the Continental Divide and 80% of its water is west of the divide. The state was been a model of water creativity, especially with trans-basin movement of water. In some cases, it even involves tunnels through mountains crossing under the divide.
Today, Colorado leaders are aghast because Nebraska is proposing a new canal to draw water from its South Platte River. This 500-mile project would take water away from the already parched Front Range, but the plan is legal based on long-ago regional water compacts.
Nebraska officials are smug about their chances while Colorado officials are apoplectic about the very mention of them losing any more water.
An underground lake?
In Greeley, city leaders are working on a project where they would store water in an aquifer, which is similar to a lake, except it is underground.
Called the Terry Ranch project, it is located under 10,000 acres of land near Carr, Colorado, just south of Cheyenne. It would reportedly hold 1.2 million acre-feet of water. This is almost 50 times more water than what is being used now by Greeley. Now, that is an example of some real creativity.
Meanwhile, this is not the end of water squabbles between states in the region. As temperatures continue to soar and rain and snow totals drop, the only thing guaranteed to happen will be future battles over this limited natural liquid resource.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/contributed_columns/how-do-we-keep-colorado-from-taking-our-water/article_5fb6a055-38de-5e17-8144-1ffb72b2cc88.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:55Z
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...HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MDT THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...West to northwest winds 40 to 50 MPH with gusts up to
70 MPH expected.
* WHERE...Southeast Wyoming along and east of the Laramie Range.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM MDT Wednesday.
* IMPACTS...Mainly to transportation. Strong cross winds may be
hazardous to light weight and high profile vehicles, including
campers and tractor trailers. There will be an extreme risk
for vehicle blow overs! Winds of this magnitude may also lead
to tree, power line, and property damage. Secure loose items.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
People should avoid being outside in forested areas and around
trees and branches. If possible, remain in the lower levels of
your home during the windstorm, and avoid windows. Use caution if
you must drive.
&&
CHEYENNE – The Cheyenne Police Department is partnering with law enforcement agencies across the state on a traffic safety campaign to help put a stop to texting and distracted driving.
For April 4-11, officers, deputies and troopers are working together to increase patrols to stop and cite drivers who are texting and driving, CPD said in a Tuesday news release.
A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study found 3,142 people were killed in 2019 in collisions caused by distracted driving, including 566 individuals who were not occupants of vehicles (pedestrians, bicyclists and others), the CPD news release said.
The study also found texting and driving to be one of the most dangerous forms of distracted driving. At any given moment, about 660,000 drivers are using or manipulating electronic devices while behind the wheel, according to the news release.
Drivers should not text and drive at any time, CPD said, but if you need to text, pull over and do not drive while doing so.
If you are the driver, CPD offers the following safety tips:
If you are expecting a text message or need to send one, pull over and park your car in a safe location. Once you are safely off the road and parked, it is safe to text.
Designate your passenger as your “designated texter.” Allow them access to your phone to respond to calls or messages.
Do not engage in social media scrolling or messaging while driving.
Activate your phone’s “do not disturb” feature, or put your cell phone in the trunk, glove box or backseat of your vehicle until you arrive at your destination.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/cheyenne-police-join-statewide-effort-to-curb-distracted-driving/article_1fad98cf-1448-516b-94b6-97497e46dfd1.html
| 2022-04-06T13:31:01Z
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Recently arrested by the Cheyenne Police Department:
Christopher M. Amerman, 38, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant for theft at 11:30 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of East Lincolnway and Hugur Avenue.
Jason L. Larry, 39, of Reed Avenue on two misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear and a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 11:22 p.m. Sunday at his residence.
Jimmy M. Stevens, 26, of Evans Avenue on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 9:50 p.m. Sunday in the 200 block of East 23rd Street.
Christian M. Keene, 29, unknown address, for misdemeanor driving under the influence (alcohol, first in 10 years) at 6:55 p.m. Sunday in the 2500 block of Dell Range Boulevard.
Bruce D. Tietel, 63, transient, for misdemeanor entering into/on another person’s property and falsely obtaining goods or services at 2:15 p.m. Sunday in the 2300 block of West Lincolnway.
Nathaniel K. Gunn, 20, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 1:42 p.m. Sunday in the 200 block of East Fifth Street.
Anthony L. Romero, 38, of McFarland Avenue on a felony warrant for failure to pay at 11:40 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of East Lincolnway and Hugur Avenue.
Zander Frost, 32, of West Second Street for misdemeanor public intoxication at 2:49 a.m. Sunday in the 1600 block of East 19th Street.
Tracy D. Curbelo, 53, of McFarland Avenue for misdemeanor public intoxication at 7:45 p.m. Saturday in the 200 block of West Fox Farm Road.
Stacy J. Hanson, 52, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant out of Natrona County for failure to appear at 12:10 p.m. Saturday in the 1200 block of West Eighth.
Ashley A. Gomez, 35, of Kay Avenue for misdemeanor DUI (alcohol, first in 10 years) and failure to maintain lane/unsafe lane change at 2:33 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of Nationway and Logan Avenue.
Cianna M. Schofield, 25, of Newton Drive on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 1:57 a.m. Saturday at the intersection of East 20th Street and Duff Avenue.
Richard A. Perez, 45, of Eastland Court on a misdemeanor warrant for joyriding (unauthorized use of motor vehicle) at 10:50 p.m. Friday in the 100 block of West Sixth Street.
Dxuepery Weber, 26, transient, for misdemeanor interfering/obstructing and unlawful entry onto property at 9:55 p.m. Friday in the 200 block of East 23rd Street.
Christophe I. Carabajal III, 31, transient, on a felony probation/parole violator arrest without a warrant at 8:45 p.m. Friday in the 800 block of West Lincolnway.
Kevin R. Grimm, 48, of Ahrens Avenue on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 4:45 p.m. Friday in the 1100 block of West Lincolnway.
Richard D. Munoz Jr., 36, of Sundance Lane on a felony warrant for parole violation, on two misdemeanor warrants for failure to comply, a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear and a misdemeanor warrant for DUI (subsequent conviction) at 4:10 p.m. Friday in the 3300 block of West College Drive.
Justin J. Still, 44, of McCann Avenue on a misdemeanor warrant for domestic battery at 6:31 a.m. Friday at the intersection of East Lincolnway and Morrie Avenue.
Jeffrey A. Hagstrom, 54, of O’Neil Avenue on a felony warrant out of Colorado for failure to appear at 2:05 a.m. Friday at the intersection of Capitol Avenue and West Fifth Street.
Elizabeth A. Bautista, 40, of Williams Street on two misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear at 11:54 p.m. Thursday at the Laramie County jail, 1910 Pioneer Ave; and by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office for two misdemeanor warrants for failure to appear at 11:20 p.m. Thursday in the 400 block of Murray Road.
David A. Schmidt, 28, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to pay at 12:05 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of Thomes Avenue and West Ninth Street.
Recently arrested by the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office:
Richard T. Weaver, 58, of Sunridge Drive on a misdemeanor warrant for probation violation at 8:30 p.m. Sunday at his residence.
Jacob R. Lehr, 35, transient, for misdemeanor criminal trespass (communication) at 4:20 a.m. Sunday in the 1700 block of South Greeley Highway.
Ian C. Stumpf, 35, of East Maria Lane for felony domestic battery (more than two previous convictions in less than 10 years) and misdemeanor strangulation of a household member with minor injury at 7:54 p.m. Friday in the 12500 block of Interstate 80 Service Road.
Amanda R. Anderson, 39, of King Arthur Way on a felony warrant out of Larimer County, Colorado, for failure to appear at 12:44 p.m. Friday in the 50 block of Interstate 25 Service Road.
Shawn G. Rowland, 46, transient, on a misdemeanor warrant for failure to appear at 10:20 a.m. Friday at the Laramie County jail.
Justin M. Edgley, 31, of Fifth Street on a felony warrant for probation violation through Laramie County District Court at 10:43 p.m. Thursday in the 400 block of Murray Road.
Michael A. Weber III, 22, of East Fox Farm Road for misdemeanor domestic battery at 7:45 p.m. Thursday at his residence.
Wayne R. Clark, 49, of Pershing Boulevard on a felony probation/parole violator arrest without a warrant at 2:40 p.m. Thursday at the Cheyenne-Laramie County Probation and Parole office, 1934 Wyott Drive.
Armando Alvarez, 44, of Montebello, California, on a warrant for felony sale/delivery of cocaine/heroin/etc., felony possession of heroin and misdemeanor speeding at 9:50 a.m. Thursday at the Laramie County Governmental Complex, 309 W. 20th St.
Christopher S. Evans, 25, of Fort Pierce, Florida, on a felony U.S. Marshal hold at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at the Laramie County jail.
Sarah K. Harris, 26, of Seymour Avenue on a felony warrant out of Colorado for an unknown offense at 7:32 a.m. Thursday at the Laramie County jail.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/police_blotter/police-blotter-4-6-22/article_aaa2f23f-0420-5017-b666-a29dbbc1888c.html
| 2022-04-06T13:31:07Z
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In Wyoming, whiskey is for drinking, and water is for fighting over.
Never has that old saying been more fitting than today.
Worldwide, the next great shortage crisis will involve water. And Wyoming has an abundance of it.
Our most important unclaimed water resource is the ample Green River, which streams down from its headwaters in the Wind River Mountains near Dubois. It flows down the western side of the state, exiting the state in the 91-mile-long Flaming Gorge Reservoir south of Green River.
Since 2002, the biggest threat to Wyoming water stored in huge amounts at Flaming Gorge has been posed by a Fort Collins entrepreneur. Aaron Million lusts after that water and has promoted plans upon plans to get it to the Front Range of Colorado.
For years, he touted a pipeline that would run across southern Wyoming. A tiny amount of the water would have been allocated to Cheyenne and Torrington. Despite that token gesture, the project was fought hard by just about everyone in Wyoming. A survey on the project once showed 79% of Wyomingites opposed it.
Recently, Million has proposed moving the project to Utah, but officials in that state have also spurned his efforts.
And even more recently, he proposed his project as an energy generation project, similar to hydropower projects across many western states. No takers on that plan yet, either.
The guy dreamed up the project while doing a thesis at the University of Colorado. He deserves credit for his persistence. His well-heeled backers appear to keep paying him with the remote hope that someday the project will work its way through all the regulatory hurdles and divert Wyoming water to Colorado.
Historically, the Colorado River compact was flawed. Seven states, including Wyoming, tried in 1922 to divide up the water that flows down that river. The biggest single tributary flowing into the Colorado is the Green River. It joins the Colorado near Canyonlands National Park in Utah.
When they divvied up the water rights, officials from the states had no way of knowing that they were emerging from some very wet decades and entering dry times.
Especially in recent times, when population growth has been been high and precipitation levels have been low, a crisis has loomed. States like Colorado want the water that was allocated to them. Hence, the efforts to harness water currently flowing in the Green River and stored in Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Other states in the compact were Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California.
Other canal projects come to mind. After almost 50 years of effort, the Central Arizona Project now drains billions of gallons of water away from the Colorado River to keep golf courses in Phoenix green.
Although most of the unallocated water is located in Wyoming, Colorado is the thirstiest place north of Las Vegas, which draws its water from the over-allocated Lake Mead. Lake Mead is the biggest reservoir in the United States, but its water levels are dropping at an alarming rate. It now contains less water than when it was first filled.
Super strict water restrictions in Sin City have resulted in a city with few green lawns. Yards everywhere are landscaped desert designs and cactus gardens.
Back in Colorado, some 80% of the people live east of the Continental Divide, and 80% of its water is west of the divide. The state was been a model of water creativity, especially with trans-basin movement of water. In some cases, it even involves tunnels through mountains crossing under the divide.
Today, Colorado leaders are aghast because Nebraska is proposing a new canal to draw water from its South Platte River. This 500-mile project would take water away from the already parched Front Range, but the plan is legal based on regional water compacts created long ago.
Nebraska officials are smug about their chances, while Colorado officials are apoplectic about the very mention of them losing any more water.
An underground lake? In Greeley, city leaders are working on a project where they would store water in an aquifer, which is similar to a lake – except it is underground.
Called the Terry Ranch project, it is located under 10,000 acres of land near Carr, Colorado, just south of Cheyenne. It would reportedly hold 1.2 million acre-feet of water. This is almost 50 times more water than what is being used now by Greeley. Now, that is an example of some real creativity.
Meanwhile, this is not the end of water squabbles between states in this region. As temperatures continue to soar and rain and snow totals drop, the only thing guaranteed to happen will be future battles over this limited natural liquid resource.
|
https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/sniffin-everybody-wants-wyoming-water-how-do-we-keep-colorado-from-stealing-it/article_e9af7a76-96f7-5b91-a580-28d898eb161e.html
| 2022-04-06T13:31:13Z
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Kasey Garnhart left Sheridan for a few years to be the activities director for Rawlins High School, but the idea of returning to north Wyoming never really left him.
He began working at Sheridan High School in 2013 after graduating from the University of Wyoming. He was assistant activities director in 2016, a position he held until 2019 when he took the activities director position at Rawlins High School.
He knew, though, if Sheridan Activities Director Don Julian decided to retire in the near future, he would apply.
This winter, that is what happened. Julian decided to step away after 15 years in the position at SHS, and Garnhart will succeed him. He was approved by the Sheridan County School District 2 board of trustees and begins July 1.
“It’s just excitement right now,” Garnhart said of his new job. “Once I get my boots on the ground and I get to be present, then I’ll have time to really get to work and figure out what’s next as far as trying to help in a situation that’s already good.
“It’s a great product that Don and his staff and his coaches have created up there. I’m excited to be a part of it and trying to keep things working toward that level of excellence they’ve maintained.”
Garnhart learned Julian was considering retirement in January. When Julian’s decision was finalized and the activities director position opened up, Garnhart submitted his application right away. He interviewed for a committee that included Julian.
“He’s very passionate about activities, very energetic and will bring a whole lot of enthusiasm,” Julian said. “The other thing he brings to the table is he really gets to know the kids. I think that’s very important as an administrator.”
Garnhart, 32, grew up in Ten Sleep and attended Riverside High School, where he was a four-time state champion wrestler. He also wrestled in college before coaching the sport as an assistant under Tyson Shatto at Sheridan. Julian said Garnhart’s coaching background and familiarity with other coaches within SCSD2 was a plus during the hiring process and will continue to help him as activities director.
He also helped Julian manage the non-athletics part of the activities director role, assisting with plays, musicals and more during his first go-round at Sheridan.
“Working alongside Don and all the great staff that’s up there, you learn you can do things the right way, with integrity, and still find great results,” Garnhart said. “The staff we’ve had — Jeff Mowry, Jeff Martini, Taylor Kelting and all of those folks — are finding success, but they’re also doing things the right way, and that’s something I really wanted to take with me when I decided to leave and head south to Rawlins. We’ve been fortunate to find success with some different programs down here as well.”
In Rawlins, Garnhart oversees middle school and high school activities and athletics along with a pool adjacent to the school.
“It just broadened my horizons a bit,” he said of the experience in Rawlins. “I’m definitely better prepared for the position I’ll be stepping into now since I’ve been away from Sheridan rather than staying in that assistant AD role.”
Garnhart will finish the school year in Rawlins. He begins at Sheridan High School on July 1. In the meantime, he will work with Julian to lay foundational plans and fill open volleyball and tennis coaching positions.
Current Assistant Activities Director Brick Cegelski also will remain in that position when Garnhart takes over, Garnhart said. Cegelski grabbed the assistant AD job when Garnhart moved to Rawlins and the two have chatted frequently since, even before Garnhart began vying to replace Julian.
Julian’s last day is June 30.
“We had a nice transition (to Mowry) when I moved out of the head football position (after the 2017 season),” Julian said. “We’ve seen how well that transition went, and I’m optimistic this transition will be much like that.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlins-high-s-kasey-garnhart-agrees-to-be-next-ad-for-sheridan-high-school/article_824209ed-a61d-5e23-8030-e77959d35713.html
| 2022-04-06T13:31:19Z
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/announcements/birth-announcement/article_590b4b76-7a89-5de2-a3b3-de5c220a038b.html
| 2022-04-06T13:31:25Z
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This past session of the Legislature was a mostly productive time for Wyoming’s burgeoning digital money industry.
These organizations use massive amounts of computing power – along with correspondingly large portions of electricity – to rapidly perform calculations in order to virtually mint digital currency. They scored some legislative wins at the state Capitol in this past session, which wrapped up earlier this month.
As detailed in a recent article in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, these virtual miners got some changes to state law that they say will make it even easier for them to register their operations in this state. And legislators also passed Senate File 106, the Wyoming Stable Token Act.
Industry did not get all it wanted, however.
In the wake of the session, Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed the stable coin bill. He said that the state treasurer’s office was busy with other obligations besides potentially dealing with the currency.
During the Legislature’s budget session, efforts fizzled to allow for the creation of deregulated energy zones, if a county commission successfully petitioned the Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners for one on state land. Senate File 71 died in the Senate Minerals Committee, following testimony from many stakeholders over a few days. Utilities generally opposed the bill, as did most others.
The failure of the bill doesn’t mean that the issue is dead, a wide array of stakeholders agreed in recent interviews. Crypto companies still want power, and many would ideally like to locate at least some operations in Wyoming.
The issue remains that digital currency miners contend that they need a lot more electricity to expand their operations in the state to the extent that they would like. On the other side are utilities, which often cannot deliver as much power, as quickly and at as low a cost as the virtual financiers desire.
Frustration over the failure to pass his bill was evident in comments from its backer, Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie. Speaking as the bill was voted down by all other members of the Minerals Committee who took part, he was upset that the issue was being punted to the interim legislative work session later this year.
“We have done a tremendous job over the years of wasting opportunities and not providing an appropriate regulatory framework for anybody to do anything at a large scale in the state” that is new and innovative, such as with the cryptocurrency operations, Rothfuss said last month.
“We can push the pause button. It is what we have done before” on other issues in the committee, he added. “That tends to be the end-game mantra. And a lot of the time, it comes from industry, because we are changing things in a disruptive way.”
This was seemingly acknowledged by the legislative panel’s chairman, Sen. Jim Anderson, R-Casper. In a tense exchange with Rothfuss, Anderson seemed to agree with him that even though the issue of deregulated power zones for crypto companies might come up in the interim session, it might not advance further.
Neither lawmaker responded to numerous recent requests for comment.
On April 8, the Legislature’s Management Council will meet to discuss what topics should be addressed in the interim session. Those on all sides of the issue expect that the panel will at least consider whether something like SF 71 should be a legislative topic. Many expect that the issue of electricity deregulation could come up more generally.
“There could be a larger utility discussion as a whole, and this will be part of it,” said Shawn Taylor, executive director of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association.
Utility officials, speaking in recent days, said they’re interested in entering into contracts with crypto miners. It’s just that there seem to be differences in the expectations of this technology industry in how quickly and at what cost power can be provided, and the reality of needing to carefully connect those operations to the grid in a way that does not create financial shockwaves if these new companies later change plans.
Rural electric cooperatives, which cover most of the state’s geographic territory and serve about a quarter of Wyoming’s electric customers, want to reach commercial agreements with crypto firms. “We recognize the advantage if we can make it work” that virtual currency mining would bring to the electric grid and other customers of these member-owned co-ops, said Taylor.
A change in the law is necessary to get virtual currency miners the power they want, said Sean Murphy, a local digital mining expert. The situation is “something that is not going to change unless the law changes,” said Murphy.
Murphy’s cryptocurrency consulting company has some clients who are interested in potentially moving to Wyoming. It “has been frustrating for companies that want to come to Wyoming and just can’t get the power,” he said. He said that Black Hills Energy stands out for its request for proposals to solicit expressions of interest from such miners.
During the hearing, and in follow-up communications with the WTE, utilities, including Black Hills, noted that they have sought requests, such as through RFPs. Some deals are in the works.
Utilities respond that they want to sell more power, since that is their business. They need to make sure that if they agree to serve a miner, that the customer won’t suddenly change plans and leave the power provider with a stranded investment that might need to be paid for by other customers who had nothing to do with the minting of new virtual tokens.
Speaking at the Feb. 24 hearing, Black Hills lobbyist David Bush said, “We have been working with crypto miners here in Cheyenne.” The company’s Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power subsidiary has more than 43,000 customers in the Cheyenne area. Its RFP sought expressions of interest for at least 10 megawatts for at least two years, with service interruption provisions.
Black Hills officials noted that they got requests to purchase about 1.9 gigawatts of electricity, a staggering seven times the peak power load of all of Cheyenne. The RFP “helps illustrate our due diligence efforts in order to protect our current customers,” a company spokesperson said by email.
During the Feb. 24 hearing, a representative of Rocky Mountain Power noted that it, too, had issued an RFP. The company has been analyzing responses to see what it could viably deliver, said the official. He noted, like others, that Wyoming is a net exporter of electricity to other states, and that all companies’ electric rates in Wyoming are low compared with elsewhere. (A hearing was also held on Feb. 23.)
“Rocky Mountain Power will provide the electrical service requested by residential, business and industrial customers in our service territory, including those in the blockchain technology industry,” a company spokesperson wrote in an email. It is owned by PacifiCorp.
Rocky Mountain Power is an example of a utility that must plan ahead when it comes to power distribution, because it operates in several states and not just Wyoming, said Shannon Anderson, a staff attorney at environmental group Powder River Basin Resource Council. “There is not extra power, per se, because they have built the system for that load” that is already being used, she said.
“Utilities like long-term planning,” she said. “It’s not something that you can just do when someone says, ‘Hey, we need this power tomorrow.’ And it doesn’t work like that anywhere in the country.”
Montana-Dakota Utilities “has received inquiries to serve crypto miners, but does not have any signed agreements,” according to its spokesperson, noting that some would-be power buyers want 100 megawatts. (That is just under half of the power that Cheyenne typically consumes.) “We are interested in serving these types of loads,” the representative wrote in an email. “Once we explain projected costs to secure additional power and upgrade our infrastructure to handle such a load, the interested entities have not pursued further discussions.”
Likewise at Black Hills, its spokesperson noted of the retail tariff rate under which miners could buy power that it “does not provide the desired rate for the miners.”
Some blamed the defeat of SF 71, in part, on the process for drafting the legislation, which may not have fully included all stakeholders.
Before the 2022 budget session, there was discussion of the bill in the Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation Technology, experts noted.
While some got a chance to participate in such discussion of the then-draft legislation, others said they did not. Now, they are looking ahead to the interim session so that they can fully take part in any further process.
“I think the unfortunate part is that neither I nor any commissioner that I am aware of was ever contacted or alerted to the fact that this legislation existed and the fact that commissioners would play a critical role in the process. Had that occurred, we certainly would have brought our concerns (up) earlier,” said Jerimiah Rieman, executive director of the Wyoming County Commissioners Association. (There are 23 counties in the state, and each has several commissioners.)
“Commissioners are not generally involved in blockchain legislation, nor would the title of the bill have given away that commissioners would play such a seminal role,” said Rieman, who acknowledged that he missed it, too. Although the association’s members generally want to see more businesses start up in their counties, the legislation envisioned an unusual role for them in the industrial land zone siting process, he said.
These local officials “were opposed to the way that the specific legislation was structured, which put them in what felt like an untenable situation where commissioners are making decisions for the state relative to these industrial power users without the benefit of much of the information” that would be needed for them to make an educated decision, according to Rieman.
For now, experts predict that more smaller power deals will be worked out, including for operations that can rely on alternative setups that don’t involve connecting to the grid.
“I think there is power out there” at lower amounts, such as several megawatts, instead of dozens or more, said Wyoming lawyer Will Reese. He is also co-founder of Highwire Energy Partners, which mines virtual currency using energy from gas that would otherwise be flared from wells.
If something like SF 71 does eventually pass the Legislature, “I think it could be very good,” Reese said. “In theory, it could allow you to unlock some power that is not being unlocked” as “every megawatt of power burned within the state” is better than getting it from elsewhere, he added. “Any encouragement to utilize power within our borders, I think, is for the best.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/blockchain-scores-some-wins-from-legislature/article_4032ba56-f0ef-5881-85bb-c740a273e6ad.html
| 2022-04-06T13:31:32Z
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Patrick Lawson of Riverton was in the driver’s seat of a Tesla Model S 100D Ludicrous between Rawlins and Laramie on Interstate 80 last week, but it was the car that was doing the driving.
“It’s passing a semi truck right now because [the semi is] going too slow,” Lawson said.
Crosswinds of up to 60 mph were chewing into mileage, Lawson said. But after departing from home in Riverton with a full battery, he topped it off at a “high-speed” EV charging station during a stop in Rawlins. A full charge will propel the Tesla over 300 miles of road, he said.
However, relying on an electric vehicle in Wyoming can be challenging. There are many “dead zones” — especially in the central portion of the state, Lawson said. Also, most all the existing charging stations available to the public are exclusively designed to charge Tesla vehicles.
That will soon change, thanks to a new federal EV infrastructure initiative. Wyoming has access to nearly $24 million in federal dollars to begin “electrifying” its roadways, beginning with the three interstates that run through the state.
The charging station Lawson stopped at in Rawlins is a Tesla Supercharger station set up at the Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott right off I-80. It’s the only EV charging station between Laramie and Rock Springs, and will only accommodate Tesla vehicles equipped for supercharging. While other Tesla charging stations not equipped with superchargers will allow other brand EVs to use them with an adapter, only Teslas can use the superchargers.
Expanding the accessibility for EVs to power up along major travel corridors like I-80 will become more important as electric vehicles make up a greater percentage of the overall market. Interstate commerce especially is moving quickly to convert semitrailers to electric.
“We need more fast-charging stations that are open to all brands,” Lawson said.
There are other considerations besides battery-draining wind when piloting an EV in Wyoming. Driving up mountains, hills and long inclines will reduce mileage — the same for petrol-propelled vehicles, Lawson said. The benefit of an EV, however, is as long as you have enough juice to crest an incline, the vehicle gains mileage on the decline by recharging the battery.
He learned that lesson the hard way during a drive through Utah when his vehicle ran out of power near the top of a climb just outside a town with EV charging stations. He had to call for a tow.
“It was kind of embarrassing,” he said.
Yet for all of the elevation, wind gusts, extreme weather and long distances between charging stations, Wyoming is a good place to be an EV owner, said Lawson, who boasts being part of an “all-EV” family. His wife drives a 2017 Tesla Model X 100D and his son drives a 2012 Nissan Leaf. His mother and sister also drive EVs in Wyoming. The bottom line for Lawson is EVs save money.
It costs around $10 to add 200 miles of range, according to Lawson. That’s less than a third the cost of a gasoline-powered vehicle, at $3 per gallon. His home charging station cost less than $2,000 to install, and he estimates the extra power load nudged up his home electric bill by about $50 per month.
“It’s worth it for me because I drive a lot of miles,” said Lawson, who serves as executive manager for Wind River Internet.
However, Wyoming needs a major buildout to shorten the distance between EV charging stations. Another urgent need is for charging stations to accommodate all brands and models of EVs. There’s an all-brand EV charging station in Jackson. The Harley-Davidson dealership in Cheyenne has a charging station for Harleys. But almost all other existing EV stations in Wyoming are designed exclusively for Tesla vehicles because Tesla paid for them.
That’s one of the mandates of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program that’s driving billions in federal dollars to states. Wyoming already has a federal NEVI allocation of $3.9 million, and will receive another $5 million each year for the next four years. The Wyoming Department of Transportation just released its draft Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy under the NEVI program, and will launch a series of public meetings across the state to fine-tune the strategy that began this week in Cheyenne.
“We want to know, how do we make this plan better?” Wyoming Department of Transportation Director Luke Reiner said.
There’s only 460 EVs currently registered in Wyoming, and about 360 of those are Teslas, according to WYDOT. But tens of thousands of EVs — of all varieties — travel Wyoming roadways, and the numbers are quickly increasing for both commercial and tourism traffic.
“Tourism is our second-largest industry in terms of the state’s economy,” Reiner said. “So it’s really important for us to set the conditions to allow tourists with electric vehicles to visit our great state and to see the sights.”
The federal NEVI program mandates states to first “electrify” main corridors. “In order, that’s [Interstate] 80, I-25 and I-90, that’s how we’re going to tackle that,” Reiner said. Along those routes charging stations must be within 50 miles of each other, must accommodate a minimum of four simultaneously charging vehicles, and must be located within a mile of an interstate exit.
Other federal priorities for Wyoming include main tourism routes to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, which mostly rely on public input to determine. Secondary routes for general connectivity across the state rank third in the list of federal EV infrastructure priorities. WYDOT is going to “stretch” the federal NEVI dollars as far as possible, Reiner said, but there are other funds available to continue the EV infrastructure buildout.
“Discretionary” grants are available via the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Plus, Wyoming has access to more than $8 million from the Volkswagen Clean Air Act Civil Settlement. Those programs include various matching requirements, but communities can already apply for the funds, which is an important option, Reiner said. The NEVI program mostly focuses on the installation of charging stations along corridors and routes, not necessarily within cities and towns.
WYDOT will begin accepting proposals from contractors within the year, Reiner said. The EV infrastructure effort is another example of a federal program that provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs to specialize in a growing industry, and Reiner said he hopes some of those businesses will be located in Wyoming.
Another vital piece of the NEVI program is broadband, Reiner said. Charging stations must be connected to the internet — that’s how customers pay for the electricity.
Given the recent gasoline price shock spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Lawson said he expects EVs will quickly become more socially acceptable in Wyoming. Especially as carmakers produce more trucks and SUVs with towing power, like the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Rivian R1T.
Lawson said his company, Wind River Internet, has been shifting its fleet from petrol to electric vehicles.
“It’s great because we were spending a fortune on gas,” he said. “We drive 100 miles a day and we were spending like $500. Now we’re spending like $50 or $60 on electricity.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/charging-forward-state-moves-ahead-with-plans-to-electrify-corridors/article_e9adc5d3-4c07-5678-9a06-c29194365ecb.html
| 2022-04-06T13:31:38Z
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CASPER — Rep. Landon Brown had two press releases on his computer: one that announced he was bowing out of the Wyoming Legislature and one that said he was running for reelection. He sent the latter one Friday, but only after weeks of mulling over the pros and cons of what being a state lawmaker in Wyoming entails these days.
Increasing incivility in the statehouse gave Brown second thoughts about running again.
In Brown’s view, that incivility steadily increased after former President Donald Trump took office, but really accelerated with the onset of COVID-19.
Brown, a moderate Cheyenne Republican, has become a target of the far right inside and outside of the Legislature, in part for being outspoken and a Trump critic.
Brown said he received a violent death threat, a Facebook message from an anonymous account suggesting he kill himself and between “10 and 20 vile, hateful” emails during the recently completed four-week budget session. That’s a nasty email roughly every two days.
“It gets to the point where the whole family is affected by it,” Brown said.
After Frank Eathorne, chairman of the Wyoming GOP, said in January 2021 that western states were “paying attention” to secession efforts in Texas, Brown vigorously condemned the comment.
His condemnation spurred a man to repeatedly call the Cheyenne representative late into the night for two nights in a row. On the second night, the man seemed heavily intoxicated. Brown did not pick up that final call, but the man left a voicemail.
“He said he was going to come over to my house and said he was going to rip my face off and feed it to my dogs,” Brown said.
The Brown family called the Cheyenne Police Department.
His wife Rachel Smith, a precinct committeewoman and nurse, said they didn’t sleep that night.
After such an incident, many politicians might consider vacating their seat, a move Brown himself appeared wedded to on the final day of the 2022 budget session. As the last day came to a close, state lawmakers had still not agreed on a reapportioned map following the 2020 census, despite the fact that it was the body’s constitutional duty to approve one by midnight.
“To be honest with you guys, this might be the last thing that I say on these microphones,” Brown said. “Had we been dealing with more of this, had we dealt with this bill first ... we would’ve had more time to work on this issue ... but instead we were busy debating guns, we were busy debating abortion, we were busy debating non-issues in this state instead of our constitutional obligations.”
Brown is one of the most outspoken members of the Wyoming House partly because of Rep. Liz Cheney, who has become the top target of many conservatives due to her repeated condemnations of Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 attack and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
“She’s influenced me to stand on my morals and my values and take the shots as they come and let it almost fuel you even further,” Brown said.
After what appeared to be a final speech on the House floor, Brown changed his mind.
“I think the good outweighs the bad. There is work to still be done,” Brown said. “I feel like I have opportunities to make a difference in the state of Wyoming, and I do care about the state.”
Brown is specifically dedicated to his work on the Joint Education Committee and feels like there’s unfinished business to take care of.
But the online threats have taken a toll. The lawmaker presents himself as having a thick skin against all of it, Smith said, but it’s been tough — for him and for the couple’s marriage.
“He comes (in) at 9 or 10 at night and he just has this heavy weight on his shoulders,” Smith said. “He doesn’t feel like participating in these family things. That is strenuous on a marriage.”
Ultimately, Smith is backing her husband’s decision to run for reelection.
The couple was sitting in a Florida airport on the way back from their spring break vacation Thursday. Brown had officially made up his mind moments before he leaned over and told Smith he was going to run.
“You know, I kind of thought you were,” she said.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/despite-threats-lawmaker-will-run/article_ab976893-d2b4-5c0b-90e5-ae87220c659f.html
| 2022-04-06T13:31:44Z
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JACKSON — The Federal Aviation Administration is again investigating complaints of overflights and low-level flights over Grand Teton National Park by Tony Chambers and his Wind River Air scenic helicopter tour company, following additional allegations reported to the federal agency.
An email from Derek Smith, principal operations inspector with the FAA, to the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance dated Feb. 10 states, in part: “This letter is in response to your complaint on February 2, 2022, regarding the low flying helicopter near Grand Tetons [sic] National Park. The matter is being investigated by the office and appropriate action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation.”
Caroline Daley, public lands community organizer for the Conservation Alliance, said the complaint was based on information shared by Flat Creek Ranch owner Joe Albright to the Jackson Hole Airport Board.
Albright has written two letters to the airport board — one in early December and the most recent in early March — that document 19 park overflights and/or low-level flights by Chambers and Wind River Air. Airport Director Jim Elwood has told the News&Guide that the board passes any such complaints on to the FAA, and that once an aircraft leaves the airport, it is under the purview of the FAA, not the airport.
The March 3 letter alleged 11 newly discovered flights violated the terms of “a voluntary agreement with three federal agencies which declared that his helicopter ‘will not overfly Grand Teton National Park, or within a half mile outside the boundary of the Park, except for the purposes of takeoff and landing,’ ” Albright wrote, referring to a November 2020 Voluntary Commercial Air Tour Management Agreement for Public Lands in Teton County, Wyoming, which Chambers signed.
Based on records obtained through the Wyoming Public Records Act, Albright wrote that most or all of the 11 flights were paid scenic air tours, and not “positioning flights” or ferrying flights, as Chambers has said in the past and reiterated in a Tuesday interview.
Most egregious of those, according to Albright’s letter, was a scenic tour that “flew within half a mile of Oxbow Bend, one of the Park’s most iconic sites, at an altitude of 882 feet above the ground.”
In his December letter, Albright, whose dude ranch is in the Gros Ventre Range near helicopter flight paths, stated that Chambers on several occasions has flown at altitudes below “the FAA airspace advisory of 2,000 feet above ground level.” Such low-level flights, Albright wrote, violate a 1983 use agreement negotiated between the airport and national park.
Albright in that letter cited eight specific flights when Chambers’ Robinson R44 helicopter flew below the 2,000-foot floor, the lowest at 616.5 feet above ground nearly four miles away from the airport. He said those flights were just “the tip of the iceberg” of a persistent problem of low-level flights by Wind River Air over noise-sensitive areas of the park, potentially disturbing wildlife.
But Chambers said on Tuesday, as he has said previously, “That 2,000-foot advisory, that is not a law or regulation, that is a request. So there are no violations. ... Basically every one of those flights is completely per the code of regulations. There was nothing wrong with any of those flights.”
However, Teton Park Chief of Staff Jeremy Barnum, while acknowledging the 2,000-foot floor is not a hard-and-fast rule, said, “We would absolutely ask all operators to abide by that 2,000-foot FAA advisory. I think it’s better for residents, it’s better for visitors, and it’s certainly better for the wildlife that draws people from around the world to this ecosystem.”
Barnum added, “Common sense would suggest that something like a helicopter, the closer it is, the more disturbing it is to wildlife and others.”
Smith, the FAA operations inspector, and Luke Collison, principal operations director with the FAA’s Denver office, could not be reached for comment on the status of the FAA’s investigation or potential sanctions that could arise, if any.
Chambers was cleared of wrongdoing after an FAA investigation into claims of park overflights last spring and said Tuesday that he has not been contacted by the FAA regarding an ongoing investigation.
Barnum and Daley noted, too, that Chambers’ Wind River Air isn’t the only operation accused of low-level park overflights. Daley cited “operators that aren’t originating out of the Jackson Hole Airport and are coming in from Montana.”
“This is a much larger issue than just Wind River Air and Tony Chambers,” Daley said.
Albright, the ranch owner and retired journalist, said Tuesday he intends to submit additional data and information about low-level flights over public lands by mid-April directly to the FAA.
Daley said the Conservation Alliance’s goal is pretty clear cut.
“Ultimately, the Alliance would like to see a permanent ban of scenic helicopter tours over Grand Teton National Park,” she said. “And you see movement towards that in a lot of other national parks that are now backtracking and backpedaling a little bit about how they manage scenic helicopter tours, including parks out in Hawaii. And you see this in Glacier [National Park] as well.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/faa-investigating-park-overflights-after-more-complaints/article_9e217ab1-ede2-52b3-9c2c-3e20e3244a61.html
| 2022-04-06T13:31:50Z
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POWELL — Because of inflation, the 2023 Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s budget is in flux. However, despite the rising cost of fuel, vehicles, employee benefits and construction materials, the department is well positioned to absorb the higher costs and continue its wildlife conservation and law enforcement efforts with few changes.
At a meeting in Cody last week, the Game and Fish Commission gave unanimous approval to a preliminary budget that calls for the department to spend about $90.6 million in the coming fiscal year, which starts July 1 and runs through June 30, 2023. The budget is up from roughly $85 million of spending that was authorized in fiscal year 2022.
The department doesn’t receive funding from the state’s general fund but wanted to support Gov. Mark Gordon in the effort to address state funding shortfalls, said deputy director John Kennedy.
“When the governor asked all the agencies to take a hard look at their budget, we did the same thing. And we in fact, made cuts at that time,” Kennedy said in a Monday interview.
Going into the 2023 budget, the Game and Fish wanted to keep its budget flat, with some exceptions.
Officials looked at the programs they thought important to restore — like maintenance of department housing, offices, flights for determining wildlife population status and appropriate harvest levels, and trying to stay competitive with salaries for contract and seasonal employees.
“Salaries for our contract and temporary employees were not competitive at all,” Kennedy said. “We couldn’t recruit for those positions.”
On top of the priorities, department leaders were forced to look at inflationary costs while preparing the preliminary budget for next year. Inflation has cost the department for several years, Kennedy said.
“In past years when we’ve been flat, that’s actually been a budget reduction, because we never factored in inflationary costs,” he said.
But this year is different. The department had no choice but to increase the operating budget in an effort to account for inflation. It factored in a 5% increase for property taxes, a 3% increase for flights, 3% for feed hay and 2% for utilities.
Then there are vehicles and fuel costs. While preparing the budget, the department didn’t foresee just how much transportation costs would go up.
“Obviously, fuel is … more insane than we probably predicted here,” said Millissa Raner, while running through preliminary figures during the commission’s meeting in Cody.
Meanwhile, semiconductor chip shortages and supply chain problems have helped cause prices for both new and used vehicles to skyrocket.
Regardless of price, the department has had a hard time simply finding vehicles to purchase, Kennedy said. Add in fuel costs — which have gone up about 38% — and it’s almost impossible to forecast an operating budget nine months out.
Kennedy sounded certain that the Game and Fish will need to revisit the figures as costs become more clear.
“It’s likely that during this fiscal year we’ll need to go back to our commission and talk to them about increasing the budget,” he said.
The 2022 operations budget was about $81.3 million. But, the preliminary budget for 2023 is about $85.3 million; an increase of slightly more than $3.9 million.
One-time expenses, not included in the operating budget, should come to about $5.2 million in 2023.
Special programs funded by one-time expenditures include mule deer and pronghorn conservation efforts and hatchery improvements and repairs. Add the two together and the total department budget for next year is about $90.6 million.
On a positive note, the projections call for more than $102.4 million in revenue for 2023. Those include sportsperson fees, licenses and tags (65%); federal aid in the form of taxes collected from the Pittman–Robertson Act, which collects taxes from the sale of hunting equipment, and the Dingell-Johnson Act, which collects taxes from the sale of fishing supplies (combined 21%); grants (6%); and interest (3%), plus a few other small sources.
Kennedy has warned in the past that revenue streams are inconsistent because the number of hunting and fishing licenses sold can vary significantly from year to year.
For decades, the number of hunters in the U.S. has steadily dwindled and that’s “led to a loss of conservation funding at state wildlife agencies,” according to a 2021 report from the Pew Research Center.
Wyoming was one of the few states in the nation to see a consistent increase in hunting and fishing license sales over the past decade.
But now, officials in nearly every state are reporting a moderate-to-massive spike in hunting, as people turned to the outdoors to find recreation while still mitigating the effects of COVID-19. The pandemic was a boon for most states and retail stores found it hard to keep outdoor equipment on the shelves.
“Movie theaters, sporting events and other entertainment options shut down. Kayaks and bicycles flew off the shelves. Record numbers of hikers trekked through state parks,” Pew reported.
The thousands of new hunters came as a surprise. It’s not the sort of activity that’s easy to pick up quickly.
But fuel costs were at some of the lowest prices in the decade, and only time will tell how higher prices will affect outdoors enthusiasts.
Any surplus is placed in the commission’s operating budget to be used for emergency projects and other unforeseen costs. If revenue 2023 projections pan out, the surplus would bring the total in the commission’s operations fund to about $20 million, according to Raner.
Kennedy said the one-time operations fund is important for major projects like the new Cody regional office.
“We wouldn’t be able to do that if the commission didn’t have these monies set aside in their operating fund,” he said.
In addition to the fund, the commission holds reserves equivalent to six or seven months of operating expenses in a trust for future use. It created the savings after the Game and Fish stopped receiving allocations from the state’s general fund.
The department previously received $800,000 from the state each year to defer the costs of free and reduced price tags. But the department has been returning the funds to help the state with recent deficits.
The department’s budget will be finalized in July.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/game-and-fish-in-good-position-to-mitigate-increasing-costs/article_c2114ffb-8050-5f38-8679-86449b5537fe.html
| 2022-04-06T13:31:56Z
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TORRINGTON — “I mean this in the best way possible, but I don’t ever want to see you again.”
Drew Aldridge addressed a group of incarcerated people who have just earned their high school equivalency diplomas and are preparing to reenter society.
Aldridge works as the Academic Manager at the Wyoming Medium Correctional Facility in Torrington, the primary intake center for all inmates not sentenced to death, and home to the top education programs for inmates in the state. From welding to braille, incarcerated people there can choose a program and earn their certification in that skill.
Those without high school diplomas are required to earn their equivalency diplomas, and all these education opportunities open new doors once they reenter society. Approximately 96% of incarcerated individuals do reenter society.
“They’re going to be your neighbor,” Aldridge said. “[Through education,] they’re able to kind of change that [harmful] mindset.”
Studies have shown the link between education and recidivism — the likelihood those who have served their time will reoffend. WDOC works with local institutions such as Eastern Wyoming College to provide education opportunities for incarcerated persons in hopes of keeping the local recidivism rate as low as possible.
The partnership between WDOC and EWC began nearly two decades ago.
“Our commitment is to help provide [incarcerated individuals] with educational opportunities,” EWC Vice President of Academic Services Roger Humphrey said.
EWC teaches classes in the prisons within its service area, including WMCI in Torrington and the Wyoming Women’s Center in Lusk.
The Second Chance Pell Grant, which EWC has applied for through the Department of Education, would provide more opportunities for the school to teach new classes and expand its available programs.
“If this is approved, it provides access to qualifying incarcerated people to be able to access funds to be able to take more courses,” Humphrey said. “For example, it could look like us going in and teaching an English class or a math class. [The grant] will allow the incarcerated individuals to be able to potentially access more courses and programs.”
The Department of Education has yet to announce a decision on EWC’s application for the Second Chance Pell Grant.
Reentering society after years spent in prison can be difficult. A gap on a resume labeled “prison” isn’t exactly what many employers are looking for.
Research has shown that formerly incarcerated individuals who exit the system with a certificate or something else proving their expanded skill set tend to have a more positive experience in finding employment.
That employment is key in lowering rates of recidivism. Studies have shown how employment and a solid support system are important factors in formerly incarcerated people’s decisions to change their harmful behaviors.
The Prison Policy Initiative reports that 27% of formerly incarcerated individuals were unemployed in 2008, the latest year data is available.
For reference, the general unemployment rate in America during the Great Depression was 25%. Even with the housing market crash in 2008, the general unemployment rate was only 5.8%, according to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The current rate is about 3.8%.
Even in specific demographics, the rates of unemployment among those who have formerly been incarcerated and those who have not are exponentially different. Education has shown itself to be a significant factor in employability.
Humphrey said attending the graduation ceremonies for incarcerated people and seeing the things they’ve accomplished is both “personally and professionally very rewarding.”
Stephen Hyatt and Robert Pedro have both graduated from programs at WMCI.
Hyatt even tutors other incarcerated individuals in the welding program.
“When I came and they brought me [to WMCI] on the bus, I’d seen welding students out there,” Pedro said about his first experience with the welding program. “I never thought I was going to be a student… So, when I got accepted, I was pretty excited.”
Both Hyatt and Pedro said they have enjoyed their time in the welding program and the other education opportunities they have had while at WMCI.
“It’s like a taste of freedom,” Hyatt said. “You get to use a lot of tools and build things that the average prisoner doesn’t really get to experience.”
The welding program has added another “tool in the tool bag” for Hyatt and Pedro, hopefully opening up a brighter future than what others in their shoes have experienced.
Along with welding, braille and other specialty classes, incarcerated individuals without a high school diploma or the equivalent are required to complete the Adult Basic Education program.
From there, they have the chance to apply for the other classes.
Most jobs and employers require a high school diploma or the equivalent. By completing the ABE program, graduates have numerous doors opened to them.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/inmates-offered-education-opportunities/article_ae5024d4-7a7a-5eea-89c6-0b328205ecc3.html
| 2022-04-06T13:32:03Z
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JACKSON — A Thursday hearing dealt a blow to Dr. Brent Blue’s ability to practice medicine in Teton County, at least for now.
Judge Steven Sharpe presided over a March 31 hearing held in Laramie County in which he decided whether Blue would be allowed to practice medicine in Teton County until a final decision in his lawsuit against St. John’s Health is reached.
Inga Parsons represented Blue at the hearing on behalf of the Pinedale-based firm Greenwood Law.
Blue, who also serves as Teton County’s elected coroner, is suing St. John’s hospital for the right to nullify a non-compete agreement he signed upon selling his private practice, Emerg-A-Care, to St. John’s in September 2020 for $412,500.
One of the clauses of the purchase agreement barred Blue from practicing within county lines for three years after the termination of the agreement.
He is seeking to have the non-compete clause declared void after he tendered his resignation in October 2021 due to what he claimed was a hostile work environment. His last day was Feb. 10.
Nicholas Healy of the Crowley Fleck law firm represented the hospital in the hearing and argued that Blue was a sophisticated businessman who knew what he was getting into when he signed the contract.
“Over 40 years, Dr. Blue built a successful practice,” Healy said. “That practice was sold as a result of competitive bidding practice. Blue played St. John’s off a third party to get a better deal. He has not been taken advantage of. There was no inequality in bargaining position.”
Blue said he ultimately chose St. John’s over the third party, Sterling Medical, an Idaho Falls-based business, because he felt it was “better for the community.”
A key issue Sharpe weighed was whether Teton County residents would suffer as a result of Blue’s inability to practice in the community. Parsons argued that if Blue were forced to operate out of Teton County, Idaho, or in Alpine, that it would irreparably harm his patients.
“Driving over the pass isn’t fair to his patients, many of whom are older,” Parsons said in the hearing.
Blue also testified on the importance of the continuity of care, especially for older patients.
“The trust that’s involved in the patient-physician relationship, many patients rely on that trust, and it’s really critical to have that continuity,” Blue said. “Going to Driggs or Alpine isn’t fair, and it would cause irreparable harm to those patients.”
Parsons argued Blue’s absence would also deprive the community of services of which Blue is one of the only providers. Those services include no-scalpel vasectomies, pregnancy termination and FAA physicals, according to Parsons.
Jim Berrett, the director of physician services at St. John’s, testified that there are other physicians in the community who provide each of those services, including at St. John’s.
Healy said the hospital had been able to facilitate additional services through telemedicine.
Healy and Blue were at odds over Blue’s use of his personal computer during his tenure as an independent contractor for St. John’s.
Blue testified that he was told his position at St. John’s would not interfere with his coroner work, but because the hospital computer was not set up for telehealth, he could not do his coroner work on it.
“I never thought my personal computer would not be available,” Blue said. “Berrett initially said my personal computer took up too much space. Then it changed to liability, then to HEPA concerns. Every time the answer was different.”
Berrett testified to the hospital’s actions, saying it was a “big desktop” computer in a small, shared office that presented concerns over sensitive patient information.
“At the time there were a lot of high-profile cases, like the Gabby Petito case,” Healy said, referring to the 2021 homicide that gained worldwide headlines.
“The CEO instructed me to tell him to remove it because there was concern there was Petito information on the computer, and it was not a secured area. We did not want to take responsibility for a computer we did not own. We were afraid it would be stolen; there were a lot of people calling trying to get information,” he said.
In his Oct. 9 resignation letter, Blue illuminated the ways he used his personal computer to complete hospital work.
Prior to this email, Healy thought Blue was using his personal computer solely for coroner work, he said.
“I did not know he was using his personal computer for these things,” Healy said. “No other physicians use personal computers for St. John’s work. There’s a virtual machine to allow you to log into your personal computer, but using the virtual machine is required. Blue received training on how to use St. John’s computers.”
Both parties acknowledged that despite the non-compete, Blue is practicing in Teton County currently.
“Blue is not waiting; he is currently practicing in Teton County in violation of federal law,” Healy said. “He does not have clean hands and is not entitled to a preliminary injunction.”
Parsons and Blue confirmed that Blue is continuing to see patients in Teton County.
“We are not disputing that he’s practicing,” Parsons said.
Ultimately, Sharpe denied the motion.
“I didn’t expect to make a ruling today,” Sharpe said. “But the knowledge that presently Dr. Blue is practicing medicine in Teton County behooves the court to make that ruling.”
Sharpe said he looked at three factors when making his decision: the purpose of the agreement, the geographic scope and the duration of the contract.
“The geographic scope is a valid restriction. He can still practice in Alpine, Victor or Driggs,” Sharpe said. “He can practice in other counties.”
“The duration is also reasonable, especially in the context of business sale,” Sharpe continued. “It provides that he cannot practice medicine for three years in Teton County. The Wyoming Supreme Court has even upheld a lifetime of restriction before.”
Regarding the impact of non-compete agreements on the public, Sharpe ruled that the public interest is not adversely affected if a physician decides to move from one place to another.
“The community will be served by the services provided by St. John’s,” Sharpe said. “The agreement is valid and will be enforced by this court. I will take under advisement pending motions to dismiss. I hope to have a decision out to you soon.”
Blue said he felt the decision neglected the testimony.
“[The decision] pretty much ignored the testimony; it was based strictly on case law, which was disappointing,” Blue said post-hearing. “It didn’t take into account the effect on my patients.”
“Dr. Blue’s motives have always been for the best of his patients,” Parsons said after the hearing. “Even when it was inconvenient to him. I think that was clear from the hearing.”
Blue plans to continue practicing in nearby areas.
“I’m looking at options, either going to the Victor or Driggs area, or Alpine,” Blue said. “I’m not going to abandon my patients. I’m the only person doing immigration physicals and FAA exams.”
Blue’s suit is still pending, despite the preliminary blow. If his suit is dismissed, he wouldn’t be allowed to practice in Teton County until Feb. 10, 2025.
Blue has been practicing medicine in Teton County for 40 years.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/judge-doctor-can-t-practice-medicine-for-now/article_28274669-7783-5bcb-97ad-4e427ea94e71.html
| 2022-04-06T13:32:09Z
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A federal judge has ordered that a civil suit seeking damages from four Missouri hunters for allegedly trespassing by corner crossing on the Elk Mountain Ranch be transferred from state to federal district court. The move puts the issue of accessing some 1.6 million acres across the West in a venue where federal laws favoring access to public land may have more import.
Corner crossing is the act of stepping from one piece of public land to another where the public parcels share a four-way corner with two private parcels — all without setting foot on private land. As interpreted widely across the West, corner crossing constitutes trespass because a person must pass through the airspace over private property in the process.
Under that interpretation, 404,000 acres of public and state land across Wyoming and 1.6 million when also considering Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and Utah are off limits to the public. Much of that land is enmeshed in a checkerboard pattern of ownership dating from the era of railroad construction.
Carbon County prosecutors filed criminal trespass charges against the four men in Carbon County Circuit Court and also want three of them convicted of trespassing to hunt. The charges stem from hunting trips the men took to Elk Mountain in 2020 and 2021 where they say they crossed corners to hunt on public land without setting foot on private property.
Elk Mountain Ranch owner Iron Bar Holdings, which lists billionaire Fred Eshelman as its manager, also sued the four in Carbon County District Court seeking civil damages. An attorney for the hunters last month filed a petition to transfer the civil case from state jurisdiction to the U.S. District Court for Wyoming where federal public access laws may hold more sway.
“The clerk of the district court is hereby advised that jurisdiction over the parties and subject matter of the above-entitled action is deemed removed from the district court to the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming…” Chief U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl wrote in an order filed Thursday. The order becomes effective once the hunters’ attorney files documents in state district court, and Iron Bar will have an opportunity to ask Skavdahl to send the case back to the state venue.
Iron Bar “has a right to exclusive control, use, and enjoyment of its Property, which includes the airspace at the corner, above the Property … the surface of the land and the subsurface below it,” the ranch owner states in its civil suit. The hunters, who have asked that the civil and criminal cases be dismissed, say Iron Bar’s interpretation runs afoul of laws passed by Congress, including the Unlawful Inclosures Act that generally prohibits landowners from fencing people out of public property.
“[S]tate legislatures, state executives, and state judiciaries may not grant rights, privileges, or powers to private parties regarding the use of or access to federally owned public lands located within a state that would conflict with federal legislation enacted by Congress pursuant to the Property Clause,” the hunters’ petition to transfer states.
The Legislature’s Joint Judiciary Committee has proposed that trespass be its No. 1 topic for study before lawmakers begin their next session in 2023. The overseeing Management Council will consider the request April 8. The committee wants to investigate the issue “including trespass by drone and a comparison of criminal trespass with trespass for hunting purposes.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/judge-transfers-corner-crossing-trespass-case-to-federal-court/article_c951cc74-0447-571c-b5da-47f899bfc2d0.html
| 2022-04-06T13:32:15Z
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ROCK SPRINGS — On the last Saturday of March, residents of Sweetwater County marched the streets in support of pro-life views and to raise awareness to local organizations that provide alternative solutions.
March for Life is an annual pro-life event that usually takes place in January.
The movement began throughout the United States in the early 1970s in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protects a pregnant woman’s right to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.
In Sweetwater County, this was the second annual March for Life and about 60 to 70 residents marched the streets of Rock Springs on Saturday, March 26, representing different community organizations and churches.
“I think the March for Life is very much a personal thing. Everybody’s here for a different reason and in a different way. I know people march because they feel the legal end to abortion is a very important thing and that’s obviously a core aspect for a March for Life,” said Eric Urlacher, Grand Knight of Knights of Columbus No. 2441. “For me, personally, I’m really into the fact that this raises awareness to Inside Connection (Southwest Wyoming Pregnancy Resource Center). For me, being pro-life is providing the services, medical and financial, that women need. I think that’s an often overlooked topic in March for Life. I think that’s a practical way to being pro-life, providing services to those who are in need.”
Knights of Columbus No. 2441, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Inside Connection, Rock Springs Evangelical Free Church, Restoration Ministries, Sweetwater County Right to Life and Wyoming Right to Life each had a part in this year’s march.
“For me, the ecumenical aspect is really important. I think in the spirits of the last couple of popes – Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II – a big push in the Catholic church is ecumenicism,” Uracher said.
“It’s not Catholics versus Evangelical versus Mormons. We’re all on the team to support the virtues that we think are the guiding lights to our society,” he said. “The most important thing for me, personally, is that we have multiple faith communities involved.”
Pastor Richard P. Carlson of Rock Springs Evangelical Free Church began the event with an opening prayer at the corner of C Street and Norton Avenue near Imagine Preschool.
Following a police escort, people marched the streets toward the Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral.
They carried signs that read, “Pray to End Abortion,” “Jesus Forgives and Heals,” “Children are the Gift of God,” as well as others.
The march ended at Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral where people enjoyed refreshments and listened to guest speakers from a variety of different organizations.
Guest speakers included Kim Seymour, director of Inside Connections, Gene Emerson, Chariots of Light Wyoming President, Pastor Mechell Williams of Restoration Ministries, Deacon Louis Hernandez of Holy Spirit Catholic Church and Pastor Carlson of Rock Springs Evangelical Free Church.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/residents-show-pro-life-support-in-rock-springs/article_af62fba7-3b82-5c59-bd91-f48339bcc0c0.html
| 2022-04-06T13:32:21Z
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Gillette News Record
GILLETTE — A district judge has ruled that Campbell County Commissioners exceeded their authority when they passed a resolution last year revoking previous resolutions that approved off-track betting operations.
In April 2021, the commission passed a resolution that gives the live horse racing operator control over off-track betting and simulcasting in the county.
No specific company was named in the resolution, but 307 Horse Racing had signed an exclusive five-year contract with Cam-plex to do live horse racing. When the resolution passed, 307 Horse Racing became the only operator that could provide off-track betting in Campbell County.
It meant Wyoming Horse Racing and Wyoming Downs had to close down its off-track betting locations in Gillette.
The resolution led to three separate lawsuits. In two of them, the county was sued by Wyoming Horse Racing and Wyoming Downs. In the third, Wyoming Horse Racing sued 307 Horse Racing.
In September, 307 Horse Racing opened an off-track betting location in Boot Hill Nightclub.
In November, District Judge F. Scott Peasley of Douglas ruled that the enactment of the commissioners’ resolution should be delayed until the lawsuits were complete. This allowed Wyoming Downs and Wyoming Horse Racing to reopen its Gillette locations.
In late March, Peasley ruled that the commissioners exceeded their authority by passing the resolution, and that the resolution should be “set aside,” or canceled.
Eugene Joyce, manager of Wyoming Horse Racing, said he’s “thankful” for the judge’s ruling, calling it the “right decision.”
The ruling is great not only for Wyoming Downs and Wyoming Horse Racing, Joyce said, but for communities around the state that could face a similar situation down the road.
“This line of thinking” by the commissioners “created a lot of havoc,” Joyce said.
Employees were laid off, the county and city lost out on tax revenue and the horse racing industry didn’t receive money it otherwise would’ve gotten.
“Hopefully it’s behind us now,” Joyce said.
He said the commissioners moved on this issue too quickly and that they should’ve “considered a lot of things” before they passed the resolution.
“I think that the county commissioners got way over their skis on this,” he said. “I don’t fault them for wanting a good outcome, but for some reason, I was made the bad guy in all of this. I just quite didn’t get it.”
The county commission has the ability under state law to authorize off-track betting. The disagreement is about whether the commission can revoke prior approval, which it did when it passed this resolution.
The commissioners argued that they were exercising local control over off-track betting, and that this authority is “expressly and impliedly delegated to the commissioners” in state law.
Additionally, they said that when the state Legislature and Wyoming Gaming Commission granted commissioners the authority to approve off-track betting, it also granted them “the implied power to revoke” that approval.
Peasley disagreed, saying that the authority to revoke lies solely with the Wyoming Gaming Commission.
“There is not specific statutory authority for a county to ‘enforce’ or to regulate those applicants approved by the Gaming Commission,” Peasley wrote.
The county has the authority to issue permits, but it “would be incongruent to find that a County has the additional authority to revoke prior approvals, including those resolutions that approved simulcasting outside live horse race-track premises.”
Wyoming law doesn’t specifically give counties the authority to revoke prior approvals, “nor can the court find that such authority is implied.”
Peasley wrote that “a plain reading” of state law shows that once the county approves a permit by resolution, the terms of the permit “are governed exclusively by the Gaming Commission.”
“The court finds that the Commissioners lacked the implied authority to revoke the prior resolutions, and doing so exceeded the power available to them under these circumstances,” Peasley wrote. “As a result, the court finds that Resolution 2077 must be set aside.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/ruling-commissioners-lacked-authority-for-horse-racing-resolution/article_06907424-aed4-5798-a8fe-e09bd3ba0eb2.html
| 2022-04-06T13:32:27Z
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As COVID-19 cases continue to plummet in Wyoming, the administration of second booster doses here promises to be easier than previous vaccine rollouts.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration this week authorized second booster doses for people 50 years and older and for certain immunocompromised individuals.
The FDA only approved the mRNA Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for these second booster doses. Data suggests that these boosters are more effective at preventing severe illness in those at high risk compared with the Janssen booster shot.
All three vaccines are authorized for the first booster.
Evidence suggests that a second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines is safe and improves protection from severe illness, according to the FDA.
People must wait at least four months after their first booster dose before getting a second one. Some people younger than 50 could qualify for a second booster if they are at least 12 years old and immunocompromised.
The second booster is exactly the same as the first, according to Wyoming State Epidemiologist Alexia Harrist.
Wyoming residents can get a second booster at any location where first boosters are already administered.
Individuals who are immunocompromised have to check with their health care provider to see if they qualify for the second booster. Anyone over the age of 50 can get the second booster, although Harrist said she still recommends consulting with a medical professional before getting the second dose.
The health department doesn’t yet have data on the number of individuals who have gotten a second booster, Harrist said.
The authorization comes amid falling COVID cases in Wyoming. There were 55 confirmed active cases in Wyoming as of the health department’s latest update on Tuesday. That’s down by 206 cases from about a month ago.
The omicron subvariant BA.2 is currently responsible for about 55% of cases in the U.S., according to the CDC. In the region including Wyoming and surrounding states, about 37% of cases are caused by the subvariant. That percentage was around 21% in an update earlier this week.
But numbers overall in Wyoming are still declining even though the subvariant is responsible for a greater percentage of cases.
Harrist said she recommends that everyone who is eligible get at least the first booster shot.
“These vaccines have really shown to be quite effective against severe illness and death,” she said. “Data says the same about the vaccine against (the omicron subvariant) BA.2.”
Those with booster shots were 21 times less likely to die from COVID during the last surge compared to unvaccinated individuals, according to the CDC.
According to the health department’s latest update on Thursday, 112,324 Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna booster shots combined have been administered in the state so far. By comparison, just 1,554 Janssen booster shots have been administered in the state.
The authorization of second booster doses may point toward the transition to routine vaccination against COVID.
Immunity from COVID vaccines generally wanes after several months, according to the CDC. While some say this is reason for regular boosting, experts disagree on whether frequent boosters are really helpful in counteracting declining immunity, according to Kaiser Health News.
Some are also concerned about the potential financial incentives pharma companies have in pushing regular boosting.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/second-covid-19-boosters-authorized/article_ab1aa5d8-0eae-571f-8e51-f03ca86009e9.html
| 2022-04-06T13:32:33Z
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GILLETTE — The city of Gillette is considering offering fiber-optic internet as a utility.
Fiber-optic internet, or fiber, is a broadband connection that hits speeds of 1 gigabit per second. The city has been building out a fiber network since the early 2000s.
Most of the city’s buildings are connected, and the fiber network goes all the way out to the Madison water pipeline source. Fiber also has been built out to facilities owned by other local government entities, such as the county, hospital and school district.
“You all have done an amazing job in Gillette in investing in a dark fiber network that is probably the best in the state,” City Administrator Hyun Kim said at a recent city council retreat. “Most cities do not have what we have. What can we do to use that for economic development?”
A dark fiber network is made up of unused fiber optic cables that have no service on them. When cables are carrying data, they have light pulses passing through them, and when they’re not, they’re not lit, hence the name “dark fiber.”
Fiber to the home will happen eventually, Kim said. The question is whether the city wants to help accelerate that by expanding its network to residents.
Big broadband companies are investing in fiber, but they’re focusing on large cities.
“It’ll take them a really long time to look at Gillette,” said Ry Muzzarelli, the city’s development services director.
“If we’ve learned one thing from the pandemic, it’s that connectivity is no longer just a luxury,” Kim said.
Muzzarelli said fiber to the home has been on the city’s radar since 2015. That year, the city hired a firm out of South Dakota to look at the community’s access to high-speed internet.
Back then, a full-scale citywide deployment to provide broadband had a price tag of about $50 million. The firm’s recommendation was that the city partner with an internet service provider to build out the network.
Muzzarelli said the $50 million figure isn’t too far off from how much it would cost today.
If the city picked a neighborhood as a test site for fiber to the home, it would cost $1.6 million to build out fiber to 290 households, and that’s if all 290 homes opted in.
It would cost $150,000 to design the network throughout the entire city, bid out the construction for that one neighborhood and for nine weeks of construction management, Muzzarelli said.
Ammon, Idaho, is a town of more than 17,000 people. In the early 2010s, the city loaned itself money to build the fiber network. Local improvement districts were created, and once 50% to 70% of the people in those districts opted in, it began construction. It bought boring machines and hired crews to run them.
It cost Ammon about $3,600 to build out the network to each household. This is paid back over the course of 20 years, or $23.50 a month. Ammon charged $16.50 for the city utility, and $10 for open access for any internet service provider to sell bandwidth, for a total of $50 per month per household for gig service.
Fort Morgan, Colorado, went with a public-private partnership. It used its reserves to build out a fiber network past every home and business. It partnered with an internet service provider for a 20-year agreement. The ISP handled all of the construction, installation, maintenance and customer service, and it pays a monthly lease fee to pay back the city for the construction.
This model had a lower adoption rate than Ammon with less than 40%, and it costs $92 a month for gig internet, but it was able to get it done more quickly.
“We’re not quite ready to make a recommendation,” Muzzarelli said. “We need to do some more due diligence on the staff side.”
There is a lot of federal funding available for broadband expansion, but Gillette’s been unsuccessful in the past because that money is directed toward communities with less coverage.
Some of the city council members expressed concern that the city would be creating a monopoly, but Muzzarelli said that if the city partnered with an ISP, that wouldn’t push the other ISPs out of the market. That company still needs to convince people to sign up.
“That ISP that you partner with, they can’t just hose the residents, because the residents won’t sign up and then they won’t have the funds to pay the city back,” he said. “They can’t just charge $200 a month, because they won’t get enough market take to make the math pay off.”
Some people won’t ever need gig service, while others aren’t going to want to change their internet service provider.
The fiber internet will be 100% optional, and no one will be forced to change if they don’t want to, Muzzarelli said.
“If you go with the Ammon route, all the risk is on the city, you don’t have a partner,” Muzzarelli said. “If the city doesn’t do a good job of convincing citizens to sign up … then we’re stuck with the entire bill.”
The city council was on board with city staff continuing to look into it.
Councilman Tim Carsrud said this should be less a question of connection for homes and more a question of how this can attract businesses to Gillette.
“The folks in Gillette want us to diversify, bring in business, which brings jobs, which brings us tax money, and to me, yes I’d love to have faster speed at my house, but we want businesses to want to come here because of it,” he said. “The biggest conversation should be that.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/the-5th-utility-gillette-eyes-expanding-fiber-network-to-homes/article_6e692ccd-7ed2-5df5-a36c-b4e03d4b2312.html
| 2022-04-06T13:32:40Z
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Wyoming Open Pool Tournament returns this weekend
The annual Wyoming Open Pool Tournament returns to the Platte Valley Community Center in Saratoga for its 14th year Thursday through Sunday.
This four-day tournament is divided into four divisions of Masters, Expert, Classic and Sportsman to give every skill level a chance to compete. Players younger than 18 will compete with adults in the various brackets appropriate to their skill level. This year about a half dozen kids are signed up.
This event is a regular stop for Billiard Congress of American Hall of Fame members because of the sizable prize money. However, this year’s tournament dates have resulted in scheduling conflicts with both national and international contests. As a result, the only professional pool player available to attend, as of press time, is Rodney “The Rocket” Morris.
This year’s tournament has 150 players registered with an entry fee of $30 per player and up depending on the division level of play. There is a table fee for each contest entered. All officially sanctioned contests will be played at the Community Center and the Recreation Center.
The tournament gathers players from across Wyoming as well as from seven states this year, said director Mark Osborne.
All entry fees plus an additional $13,000 in prize money will be given out this year. This contest charges no administration, table or green fees. Last year’s payout was more than $24,000, said Osborne. The 24 winners each get a plaque and all entrants get a free T-shirt.
There are three contests played on 22 tables over four days. Scotch Doubles, Single Elimination and the eight-ball/Saratoga competition. These contests will begin Thursday evening and end with the finals Sunday.
This Wyoming Open contest will be livestreamed on ontherailtv.com for those who can’t attend.
This event has about 50 sponsors that provide $5,000 of the prize money, along with the Carbon County Visitors Council that provides $4,000 in funding each year. This event is put on in association with the Saratoga Lions Club and local businessman Ed Glode.
For more information, contact Osborne at 307-710-1447 or e-mail wyomingopen@gmail.com.
Prescribed burns planned for Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests
In the coming weeks, USDA Forest Service fire staff will look for windows of opportunity to conduct prescribed burns in four areas of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests.
Daily decisions to burn will be dependent on fuel and weather condition alignment.
If conditions are favorable, burning could happen at multiple locations this spring. Planned burn operation locations include the Pole Mountain and Divide Peak areas in Wyoming and Slack-Weiss and Steamboat Springs areas in Colorado.
For the most up-to-date information pertaining to exact dates, times and locations, follow official social media pages @FS_MBRTB on Twitter or @FSMBRTB on Facebook.
In general, burn areas will vary in size consisting of anywhere from a couple acres to few hundred acres at a time. Cumulative acres planned to be burned this spring will total about 2,300 across the four operations.
Dispersed recreation in the burn areas may be impacted. Staff will be making personal contact with recreationists regarding any temporary closures. Signs will be placed on adjacent roads notifying the public of the burns as necessary. Fire staff from the Forest Service will continue to monitor the burned areas following the operations.
Staff will primarily use drip torches to carry out the burning. For safety and effectiveness, operations will not be initialized if weather conditions are unfavorable. Necessary smoke permits will be obtained through state entities and adhered to throughout the project.
Prescribed burning is a versatile forest management tool that can mimic historically natural fire disturbances, reduce hazardous fuels buildup, and improve habitat for a variety of wildlife. Minimal and managed smoke from prescribed fires now helps prevent the potential for more unpredictable and hazardous wildfire smoke in the future.
Application period open for elk shed antler hunt
JACKSON (WNE) — An application process has been added for those interested in participating in this year’s antler hunt on the National Elk Refuge.
The application period begins runs through April 15 for people who would like to search for shed antlers at the event beginning May 1.
“As in years past, participants will be placed in sequential order and led, via motorcade, by the JPD to the Elk Refuge Road,” a town of Jackson press release said. “Shed antler collection and the refuge road will remain closed until 6 a.m. on May 1 when the hunt begins.”
Jackson Police Chief Michelle Weber told the Jackson Hole Daily that the new application process is just another layer of organization added to help the antler hunt run smoothly.
For years, Weber pointed out, people would park and camp out along Broadway Avenue in East Jackson for days leading up to the event, “and then you had to worry about people going to the restroom and garbage being left in people’s yards, and ... parking complaints all night long.”
“And so that was kind of how, a couple years ago, that’s what led us to go, ‘OK, let’s consolidate everybody at least in the fairgrounds,’ ” she added.
Having vehicles line up in a queue at the Teton County Fairgrounds the past couple of years has helped, Weber said, but this new system will prevent them from arriving on the grounds days ahead of time, a drain on JPD resources.
Now, they will arrive April 30 and line up according to their assigned numbers — with 1 to 50 in the first group, 51 to 100 in the second, and so on — before being led to the refuge the next morning.
For more information, visit JacksonWY.gov/civicalerts.
Statewide program asks gardeners to ‘grow a little extra’
SHERIDAN (WNE) — First Lady Jennie Gordon’s Wyoming Hunger Initiative will partner with University of Wyoming Extension for a second year to encourage Wyomingites to “grow a little extra” for their neighbors in need of access to fresh produce around the state.
Last year’s campaign yielded over 10,000 pounds of fresh garden produce donated for distribution around the state to local anti-hunger organizations. Fresh produce is difficult and costly for the food pantry system to procure, and this project encourages people from across the state to participate in this Wyoming solution to hunger.
The Grow a Little Extra campaign will target three groups in Wyoming: home gardeners who can “grow a little extra” to share with local food pantries, existing community gardens who can dedicate one or two sections to growing food specifically for local food distribution agencies, and churches or community organizations that want to start a new garden to grow food for the community.
“The Cent$ible Nutrition Program and UW Extension values the partnership with the First Lady’s Wyoming Hunger Initiative to increase access to locally grown fresh produce to people in need,” said Cent$ible Nutrition State Director Mindy Meuli.
Wyoming residents are encouraged to grow an extra row or two and donate the produce to their local extension office, where it will be weighed and distributed to local anti-hunger organizations.
Wyoming Hunger Initiative has also distributed seed packets to all 23 counties and the Wind River Indian Reservation for those interested in picking them up free at their local extension office.
Lastly, infrastructure grants are available from Wyoming Hunger Initiative for organizations wishing to expand an existing community garden or start a new one to grow produce specifically for sharing with families and organizations in need.
Barrasso leads legislation to establish national strategic uranium reserve
U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, has joined three other senators in introducing the National Opportunity to Restore Uranium Supply Services In America (NO RUSSIA) Act of 2022.
Co-sponsors of the NO RUSSIA Act include Sens. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.; Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota.
The legislation would authorize the Department of Energy to establish a national strategic uranium reserve, according to a Thursday news release from Barrasso’s office. It would also increase domestic uranium production, conversion and enrichment to ensure existing U.S. nuclear reactors have sufficient fuel to continue operating.
“Having access to American produced uranium is critical to both our energy and national security,” Barrasso said in the release. “We cannot be reliant on our adversaries for fuel we have here at home. My legislation will jumpstart America’s nuclear fuel supply chain. It will increase demand for Wyoming uranium and ensure America will always have the fuel it needs to power our nuclear reactors.”
Barrasso’s office expects that a House version of this bill could be introduced next week, according to a spokesperson. “This bill was developed with broad industry stakeholder support, including from the Uranium Producers of America,” she wrote in an email to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. Barrasso “looks forward to working with industry and members in both chambers to make this a bipartisan effort.”
The bill number is S-3978. Read the text of the bill online at https://tinyurl.com/uranium-reserve-bill.
This new legislation is connected to Barrasso’s bill, S-3856, according to his spokesperson. That earlier proposal would bar importing to the U.S. uranium from the Russian federation.
Alzheimer’s Association to expand rural outreach
The Alzheimer’s Association of Wyoming has received a $25,000 grant from the Daniels Fund to expand the association’s outreach efforts in rural Wyoming.
The one-year grant will provide the association with resources to reach into underserved communities across the state. Community forums will be one tool to meet with local residents to raise awareness of the programs and services provided at no charge to Wyoming families.
The association also will be looking to increase the involvement of volunteers across the state to deliver educational programs and to expand support groups.
“This grant will enable us to better serve the 10,000 Wyomingites living with Alzheimer’s disease, as well as the more than 16,000 loved ones who provide care and support for them,” said Quique Girones, executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association of Wyoming, in a news release. “We are very grateful to the Daniels Fund for these much-needed resources.”
Established by cable television pioneer Bill Daniels, the Daniels Fund is a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming through its grants program, scholarship program and ethics initiative.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/news/worth-noting/article_27b15201-aff0-5f35-9b5d-d97c47a9bd4b.html
| 2022-04-06T13:32:46Z
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In Wyoming, whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over.
Never has that adage been more fitting than now.
Worldwide, the next great crisis will involve water — and Wyoming has an abundance of water.
Our most important unclaimed water resource is the ample Green River, which streams from its headwaters in the Wind River Mountains near Dubois. It flows down the western side of the state, exiting it in the 91-mile long Flaming Gorge Reservoir south of Green River.
Since 2002, the largest threat to Wyoming water stored in huge amounts at Flaming Gorge has been posed by a Fort Collins entrepreneur. Aaron Million lusts after that water and has promoted many plans to get it to the Front Range of Colorado.
For years, he touted a pipeline that would run across southern Wyoming. A tiny amount of the water would have been allocated to Cheyenne and Torrington. Despite that token gesture, the project was fought hard by just about everyone in the Cowboy State. A survey about the project once showed 79 percent of Wyomingites opposed it.
Recently, Million has proposed moving the project to Utah, but officials in that state also have spurned his efforts.
And even more recently, he proposed his project as an energy generation effort similar to hydropower projects across many western states. No takers on that plan yet, either.
The guy dreamed up the project while doing a thesis at the University of Colorado. He deserves credit for his persistence. His well-heeled backers appear to keep paying him with the remote hope that someday the project will work its way through all the regulatory hurdles and divert Wyoming water to Colorado.
Historically, the Colorado River compact was flawed. Seven states, including Wyoming, tried in 1922 to divide up the water that flows down the river. The biggest single tributary flowing into the Colorado is the Green River. It joins the Colorado near Canyonlands National Park in Utah.
When they divvied up the water rights, officials from the states had no way of knowing that they were emerging from some very wet decades and entering dry times.
Especially in recent times, when population growth has been high and precipitation levels low, a crisis has loomed. States like Colorado want the water that was allocated to them. Hence, the efforts to harness water currently flowing in the Green River and stored in Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Other states in the compact were Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California.
Other canal projects come to mind. After almost 50 years of effort, the Central Arizona Project now drains billions of gallons of water away from the Colorado River to keep golf courses in Phoenix green.
Although most of the unallocated water is located in Wyoming, Colorado is the thirstiest place northeast of Las Vegas, which draws its water from the over-allocated Lake Mead. Lake Mead is the largest reservoir in the United States, but its water levels are dropping at an alarming rate. It now contains less water than when it was first filled.
Super-tight water restrictions in Sin City have resulted in a city with few green lawns. Yards everywhere are landscaped desert designs and cacti gardens.
Back in Colorado, some 80% of the people live east of the Continental Divide and 80% of its water is west of the divide. The state was been a model of water creativity, especially with trans-basin movement of water. In some cases, it even involves tunnels through mountains crossing under the divide.
Today, Colorado leaders are aghast because Nebraska is proposing a new canal to draw water from its South Platte River. This 500-mile project would take water away from the already parched Front Range, but the plan is legal based on long-ago regional water compacts.
Nebraska officials are smug about their chances while Colorado officials are apoplectic about the very mention of them losing any more water.
An underground lake?
In Greeley, city leaders are working on a project where they would store water in an aquifer, which is similar to a lake, except it is underground.
Called the Terry Ranch project, it is located under 10,000 acres of land near Carr, Colorado, just south of Cheyenne. It would reportedly hold 1.2 million acre-feet of water. This is almost 50 times more water than what is being used now by Greeley. Now, that is an example of some real creativity.
Meanwhile, this is not the end of water squabbles between states in the region. As temperatures continue to soar and rain and snow totals drop, the only thing guaranteed to happen will be future battles over this limited natural liquid resource.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/guest_column/how-do-we-keep-colorado-from-taking-our-water/article_c23f2d76-a66b-5535-aece-377fc4c51d9a.html
| 2022-04-06T13:32:52Z
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Twice a year, we go through the same ritual: Grab a ladder, step stool or sturdy chair, schlep from room to room, take the clock down from the wall, and move the minute hand clockwise or counterclockwise a full rotation.
But why? At one point, the switch from standard time to daylight saving time each spring (and the reverse in the fall) made sense. In 1918, about a year after the United States entered World War I, the goal was to save fuel by extending the amount of daylight during waking hours.
According to Michael Downing, author of “Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time,” various locations implemented the “spring forward” change through the years for a variety of reasons. Nationally, it was used again starting in 1942 and throughout WWII for the same reason it was initially implemented.
Downing also says it’s a common misconception that farmers supported the spring time change. A few years ago, he told Time magazine, “In fact, daylight saving time meant they had less time in the morning to get their milk and harvested crops to market. Some warned it was ‘taking us off God’s time.’” Soon after WWI, Congress yielded to the powerful farm lobby, and standard time returned.
It wasn’t until 1966 that Congress passed, and President Lyndon B. Johnson signed, the Uniform Time Act. For the past 56 years, most Americans – except those in Hawaii, most of Arizona and many U.S. territories – have gone through the trouble of adjusting their clocks twice a year.
It started out as six months in each time period. Outside of a short-lived experiment with year-round DST during the oil embargo of 1973-74, the amount of daylight saving time grew to seven months in 1986 and eight months in 2005.
These changes can be more than a minor nuisance. Studies have shown the switch to daylight saving time leads to “an uptick in heart problems, mood disorders and motor vehicle collisions. Furthermore, DST can cause sleep problems if circadian rhythms are not aligned with natural cycles of light and darkness. Some people also experience insomnia symptoms due to spring time changes,” according to the National Sleep Foundation.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine backed that up with a position statement in 2020 that said the country should adopt year-round standard time. According to a recent article in the Washington Post, that position was supported by more than a dozen other groups, including the National Safety Council and the National Parent Teacher Association, which fear for the safety of schoolchildren as they travel to school in the dark.
Others, though, argue that the extra evening sunlight created by making DST permanent reduces robberies; benefits the economy; reduces childhood obesity and increases overall physical fitness, and reduces energy consumption (although the savings has been estimated at 0.5% since 2008).
Which side is right? That’s not really for us to say, although the arguments seem more compelling for maintaining standard time year-round. (That’s especially true for northern states, and states on the western edges of time zones, which would face longer stretches of morning darkness.)
Regardless of whether changing our clocks is more of an annoyance or really is impacting our physical health, most of us agree it’s time to end the practice. According to a November Economist/YouGov poll, 63% of people surveyed wanted to eliminate the practice of gaining or losing an hour; 48% said they wanted permanent daylight saving time, 29% said they wanted permanent standard time and 21% had no preference.
As of this month, 28 states have considered more than 350 pieces of legislation to stop manipulating time. In the past seven years, 18 have passed bills – including Wyoming, where the Legislature voted in 2020 to make DST permanent. Gov. Mark Gordon signed it into law. The only problem: The Energy Policy Act of 2005 allows states to opt out of DST, but doesn’t allow them to adopt year-round daylight saving time.
That may be about to change, though. Just two days after the latest time change, the U.S. Senate adopted the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021, a bill offered by Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio. Maybe they were sleep deprived, but it took most the country by surprise when all 100 senators so quickly voted unanimously to make the change.
Now, the question is in the hands of the 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Several have said they support following the Senate’s lead, including Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., according to a spokesperson. But with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and other more pressing issues at the moment, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., made no promises and gave no timeline for when the House might take up the issue.
When – or if – it does, we encourage representatives to take whatever amount of time is needed to hear from experts and reach a decision that puts safety first. And if federal lawmakers are ready to support DST, what about those states that prefer standard time? Will they be forced to go along? That needs to be considered, too.
How will all of this turn out? Time will tell. But the one thing most of us seem to agree on is it’s time to end the unnecessary trips up and down the ladder.
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
March 27
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rawlinstimes/opinion/staff_editorials/its-time-to-end-the-twice-a-year-ritual/article_da35ce02-25a6-5055-b09c-2b3d85af427d.html
| 2022-04-06T13:32:58Z
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Editor’s note: An exception to the 350-word limit has been made for the following letter.
In a recent letter to the editor of the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, former Councilwoman Annette Williams, in a reference to council members Bryan Cook and Dr. Mark Rinne, stated: “Their behavior was truly unprofessional, disrespectful, rude, bullying and harassing.” At the March 28 City Council meeting, Mrs. Williams said that she had been maliciously harassed by both council members.
At the March 22 Public Services Committee meeting, once the business of the committee had been concluded, Mr. Cook, as the chairperson, adjourned the meeting. At that point, Mrs. Williams asked Chairman Cook if she could address the committee. Mr. Cook pointed out twice that council committees only discuss those items on the agenda, and that while public comment is welcomed on agenda items, there is no provision for unrelated public comment. However, since Mrs. Williams had gone to the trouble to appear at the meeting in person, he would make an exception to the rules and allow her to speak.
Mrs. Williams spoke for approximately 10 minutes. Her comments were in regard to a recent denial by the mayor to display banners in the city right of way, in relation to a project that she had been working on. During her comments, she asked several questions regarding the mayor’s decision that the committee members had no role in and had only limited knowledge of. Once she had concluded her remarks, Chairman Cook reminded her that allowing the public to speak on topics not on a committee agenda has not been the practice of the council in the past.
Other than Chairman Cook’s comments, none of the committee members addressed her or asked her any questions. Chairman Cook at no point said anything harassing, bullying or rude to Mrs. Williams.
Dr. Rinne’s offense, apparently, was the fact that he had turned his Zoom camera off during her comments. The meeting had run long, and Mrs. Williams had made the meeting run even longer. He was at his clinic, and although he listened to the entirety of her remarks, he did not think it appropriate for the public to see into his treatment room.
The meeting was held publicly; there were several witnesses as to what transpired. Since committees are only a recommending body, the meetings are not archived on the city’s web page. However, the public will be provided a link to the video upon request, if they wish to watch the meeting.
Mrs. Williams has demanded a public apology from the two council members. She will not receive one. In fact, Chairman Cook and Dr. Rinne believe that she should be the one to apologize for her inaccurate description and misrepresentation of what occurred.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/townnews/institutes/mrs-williams-should-apologize-for-misrepresenting-committee-meeting/article_161ba130-3d65-59c9-bd89-abab13bc8e53.html
| 2022-04-06T13:33:04Z
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CHEYENNE – When Brogan Allen entered the batter’s box with a chance to drive in a game-winning run against Laramie on Saturday, she was intentionally walked.
The choice from Laramie signifies the damage the Cheyenne Central senior can do at the plate.
As much as she was already able to cause havoc on opposing pitchers, Allen became even more lethal this year after spending the offseason working on hitting pitches she previously struggled with.
“We came in knowing that she wasn’t going to see a ton of fastballs this year,” Central coach Carrie Barker said. “She was going to see more off-speed pitches, so she put in a lot of work in the offseason working on that and working with (assistant coach Chris Polton).”
The work has seemed to pay off.
Allen did plenty of damage over the weekend, batting 8 for 11 with nine RBI, four doubles, a triple and two home runs. She also earned a win in the pitcher’s circle and helped the Lady Indians go 3-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play.
Those efforts earned Allen Prep Athlete of the Week honors from WyoSports’ Cheyenne staff.
“This time last year, I was in such a big slump, so just to come out here and be able to hit any pitch that’s thrown at me feels really good,” Allen said. “I had a lot of at-bats (last weekend) where I was two strikes in, so my approach on those was straight and simple – just keep it through the zone.”
Developing her approach was as much a mental exercise as it was anything, she said. One of the home runs she hit was a changeup that went opposite field. It was the main pitch she struggled to hit.
Now, there isn’t a pitch Allen is fazed by.
“(Working on hitting off-speed pitches) was definitely frustrating at first,” she said. “Especially the changeup; it was one of my worst pitches. But, after working on it, it’s one of the better pitches I can hit now. I know that’s what I’m going to see a lot, too, because teams know that I can hit.”
The extent of Allen’s contributions aren’t limited to just sending runners across the plate. She’s also a key piece in Central’s pitching staff and can play nearly any position on the diamond.
Already familiar with playing third base, short stop and pitching, she was unexpectedly forced to adapt to playing first base growing up.
When Allen was 12 years old, doctors found a tumor on her shin bone that was three inches long and one inch wide. She had surgery and was out for a year. When she returned, her coach decided first base was the safest option as she got back in the swing of things. So, she had a new position for the time being.
It’s an example of Allen’s ability and willingness to play wherever the team needs her most.
“She’s a versatile player. If I need her to pitch, she’ll pitch, if I need her to play first, she can play first,” Barker said. “She has that array of talent where she can play pretty much anywhere.”
Allen is batting .645 on the season with 20 hits, 15 RBI and four home runs. The hits and RBI lead the team, and the home runs are tied for a team-high with Taylor Gebhart. She’s been able to place the ball where she wants to and hit gaps with ease. A lot of it has been based on remaining patient and knowing how to attack a pitch.
“She definitely has a better mentality that she needs to stay inside the ball, and when she sees that changeup, keeping her hands back and driving it to right field,” Barker said. “She’s always been a great hitter, but now she can hit almost anything … she’s ready to hit whatever.”
Allen wasn’t intentionally walked last season, and the intentional walk she drew against Laramie was the second one she saw this year – the first was against Campbell County. With the improvement she’s made and the power behind her swing, it might not be the last time a team will award her a free base.
“She’s such a balanced hitter that it’s hard to pitch to her because she can hit anything,” Barker said. “Last year, she was never intentionally walked, but now, everybody knows Brogan Allen is a threat.”
Others recognized for their efforts include:
n Madisyn Baillie, girls track and field, Central: The junior was first in high jump (5 feet, 3 inches) and third in the 300-meter hurdles (47.59) at the Altitude Invite on Saturday in Fort Collins, Colorado.
n Emma Gonzalez and Rylee Jo Ward, girls track and field, Burns: Gonzalez, a senior, was first in the 1600 (5:38.53) and first in the 3200 (11:45.62) at the Bayard Invitational in Bayard, Nebraska. She was also third in the 400 at the Wheatland Invite on Friday.
Ward, a senior, placed first in the 100 hurdles (17.09), first in pole vault (9-0) and third in the 300 hurdles (51.00). She also won the 100 hurdles and was second in pole vault in Wheatland on Friday.
n Andy Linares, boys soccer, Cheyenne South: The sophomore tallied one goal and an assist in the Bison’s 7-2 loss to Thunder Basin on Saturday.
n Taliah Morris, girls track and field, Cheyenne East: The sophomore won the 100-meter dash and long jump at the Wheatland Invite.
n Richard Prescott, boys track and field, Central: The senior won the triple jump (43-0) and was second in the 110 hurdles (15.64) at the Altitude Invite in Fort Collins, Colorado.
n Carson Rabou and Reed Thompson, boys track and field, Pine Bluffs: Rabou, a senior, finished first in the 110-hurdles (16.54) and second in pole vault (10 feet, 6 inches) to help the Hornets win a team title at the Bayard Invite.
Thompson, a senior, took first in long jump (19-2½) and and second in triple jump (40-3¾) and third in long jump (20-9¾).
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/burns/allen-has-become-a-more-balanced-hitter-for-central/article_fec5642e-ce28-5350-821c-01af3742bd6a.html
| 2022-04-06T13:33:11Z
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There’s a reason a swimmer’s first glance is focused on the clock after touching the timing pad at the end of a race.
A look at the results on the digital board then shifts to where they placed among their competitors.
Swimmers compete against other aquatic athletes, but they mostly compete against themselves using the clock as the ultimate comparison.
The goal for each race? To be better, stronger and faster than the swim before.
Consistently improving times for another lifetime best is the result of an immeasurable commitment of time filled with trials, tribulations, adversity, dedication and countless yards leaving a wake in the water perfecting turns and the finer details of stroke technique. When a faster race is recorded, it’s only because of the journey to get there.
It is also a direct reflection of quality coaching.
Longtime Laramie High swimming coach Tom Hudson was recently recognized by his peers for the highest, most prestigious national award for a high school swimming coach. He is now a member of the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame.
Hudson’s name also will be forever engraved on another NISCA trophy at the International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
“It was an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and just disbelief,” Hudson said. “It was a whole bunch of feelings with your whole life flashing before your eyes — the struggles you’ve gone through in your life, professionally and personally, and the struggles just to have a career. I’m overwhelmed and very humbled.”
Banquet, speeches and more celebration
Members of his family, longtime assistant coach Tamara Bretting and other close peers joined Hudson during NISCA’s weeklong conference in Atlanta, culminating March 26 with an awards banquet.
A gathering for everyone in the Laramie community to celebrate his accomplishment is scheduled for 3:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday in the Laramie High Commons.
Hudson, who has coached 32 boys and 31 girls seasons at Laramie High, chose Bretting to present him at the NISCA awards banquet. Bretting has been with Hudson for 14 years for the Laramie High and Middle School swimming programs and they have also been an influential part of the coaching staff for the Laramie Swim Club throughout.
“The things you don’t see on paper with the wins and losses is how he treats kids, what he does for kids and not letting them quit when they think they want to in the moment,” Bretting said. “He also helps them go through emotional crises, for example the loss of a parent.
“He’s also served as a mentor for coaches all across the state. He’s not just a Laramie coach. A lot of coaches in this state were either his athletes or assistant coaches under him at some point before they became head coaches. It’s really cool to see him have that service in this state, and service in the NISCA organization nationally for the past couple of decades.”
Also seated around Hudson’s table at the banquet in The American Hotel Downtown Atlanta were his 85-year-old father, Ray Hudson; his wife Margaret Hudson; his three sisters, Lisa Jones, Peggy Budai and Marlene Rendon; his sister-in-law Jayne Hellenberg and her husband Marty Hellenberg; and Lander swimming coach Shawna Morgan.
Bretting said her favorite portion of her speech was detailing how much she has learned from Hudson. It included how to train a team, help athletes during crises in life, how to motivate athletes and most of all, “patience, caring and kindness — even in the most frustrating moments.”
During Bretting’s speech, Hudson said he was “sitting at a table with my whole family and trying to keep my head down so I wouldn’t look at anybody to try to keep from crying because I had to give a speech after her. What she said was heartfelt. She said she’s learned a lot from me, but I have learned a lot from her, too.
“It’s been fantastic having Tamara as my assistant coach for all these years. I have said many times she has extended the longevity of my career because she does the things in coaching I don’t like, never really liked and probably wasn’t good at. She’s so organized and so good at communication, ordering the suits and gear and doing all the managerial stuff I never really liked. I did that for a long time and had other great assistant coaches, but Tamara took it to the next level because she is so detailed-oriented, efficient and smart. It helps me to just focus on the kids and the coaching aspects to be better coach with writing workouts, the relationships and the recruiting for building a team.
“She is also a great swim coach. She was a top-level swimmer at (the University of) Wyoming and really knows her stuff. If I ask her to help kids with stroke techniques or training, she’s on it. Her strength for me is helping to keep this program running top-level organizationally.”
The yearly conference coincides with either the NCAA Division I men’s or women’s national championships. The attendees participate in meetings, listen to guest speakers and also have an opportunity to watch the prelims and finals of the collegiate national championships. This year’s conference was at the women’s championships hosted by Georgia Tech at its McAuley Aquatic Center, which also was the venue for the 1996 Olympics.
Hudson said he wrote his speech at about the last possible moment and he thanked a lot of people who helped him along his journey, and the NISCA organization, which was a big part of his development as a coach.
“The part of my speech that meant the most was the journey — starting out as not a very good swimmer in Sheridan,” Hudson said. “I struggled with it, but I liked it and stuck with it. It turned for me when Pat Kirk was my coach in eighth grade, and that’s when I started to become a swimmer. I looked to him as my idol and he’s the guy who taught me so much and made me want to be a swimmer. The reason I became involved in NISCA was because he received an outstanding service award in 2005 and he asked me to introduce him. It was my first NISCA conference.
“Then I explained how I was recruited to swim in college by Frank Vicchy, the University of Wyoming coach at the time. I truly believe if he did not give me a chance to swim (backstroke) in college at Wyoming, I would not be where I am today. Then I had a great coach my junior and senior years, Mike Doane, who taught me a lot about the physiology and training aspects of coaching.
“My big break was being allowed to student teach at Laramie High and coach for Layne Kopischka, and he was a legend I have so much respect for,” Hudson continued. “He then gave me a chance when he retired to become an assistant coach under Gregg Waterman (1989-90). Then I was given the opportunity to be the head coach in 1991.”
Hudson has an overall Laramie High boys and girls dual record of 843-124-5, had 21 teams win state championships, 31 teams win conference titles and coached 30 NISCA All-Americans.
“Layne’s record was 453-18-2, and in my first year we were 3-11 and 10th at state — it was a terrible start,” Hudson said. “Then we were fourth at state the next year, then second after that and have been very relevant since then by being in the top three consistently for the next 30 years.
“Being able to help design and build the new pool is one of the greatest accomplishments I have contributed to Laramie.”
NISCA Hall of Fame requirements
NISCA Hall of Fame recognition is decided by a professional awards committee, which has résumés from thousands of high school coaches across the country. Those files and lengthy research are whittled down to hundreds, and then to five for various yearly awards. Those include outstanding service awards for national coaches of the year, which Hudson was awarded in 2008, and collegiate/scholastic awards for lifetime achievements.
The highest award is induction into the NISCA Hall of Fame, which is only granted after an earlier outstanding service award and/or shown leadership at the national level in interscholastic aquatics and service to the association; served in aquatics for at least 20 years; been a member of NISCA for at least 15 years; and had outstanding success as a competitive aquatics coach.
Hudson easily surpassed those minimum requirements.
“I was a social studies major, struggling through college and decided to be a coach,” Hudson said. “I was in college for eight years to get a degree and some people thought I would never finish. But once I did, I knew this is what I wanted to do.”
Bretting added: “Tom is an incredible person and it’s amazing and well-deserved he received this recognition. Whenever he decides to retire — if he can give me five more years, great, and if he gives zero, OK — he will be sorely missed from this program.”
Hudson is always proud of the accomplishments of his swimmers during the regular season and at conference meets. But it’s no secret those meets are just part of a long journey to prepare for the meet that matters the most at the state championships. His desire is for all his athletes to experience the competition and pageantry at that level.
He will always cheer for individual event wins and state titles, and team state championships.
Hudson also is nearly as excited when a swimmer places 15th, but the time also beats a state meet qualification standard — a lifetime best.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/laramie_high/a-lifetime-best-longtime-coach-tom-hudson-inducted-in-nisca-hall-of-fame/article_4d8b3625-e697-520d-8398-52f7ac8c572d.html
| 2022-04-06T13:33:17Z
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LARAMIE — The Laramie High track and field teams had a large contingent of varsity and junior varsity athletes compete last Friday at the Wheatland Invitational.
The meet at Bulldog Stadium featured many regional teams from large and small schools with the Plainsmen and Lady Plainsmen sweeping the team titles. The Plainsmen had 163.5 points with Torrington runner-up at 104.5. The Lady Plainsmen tallied 122.5 points with Torrington in second place at 92.
LHS junior Meyer Smith won the 800-meter run when he clocked in at 2 minutes, 1.54 seconds to beat senior teammate Cameron Burns, who was runner-up at 2:04.21.
Plainsman sophomore Dominic Eberle paced the field in the 3,200 when he won in 10:32.27, which was just faster than junior teammate Cooper Kaligis, who finished second at 10:41.14. Freshman Brayden McKinney was runner-up in the 400 in 53.69.
LHS junior John Rose won the high jump when he cleared the bar at 6 feet, 2 inches and junior Mahlon Morris won the triple jump at 39-7½.
The Lady Plainsmen also had four event wins, including the 4x400 relay (4:18.84) and sprint medley relay (4:27.61). The names for the relay teams were unavailable.
LHS sophomore Addison Forry won the 200 in 27.08 and was second in the 800 at 2:25.83. Senior Carey Berendsen was runner-up in the 1,600 in 5:39.23.
LHS junior Alex Lewis won the shot put with a toss of 34-6.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/laramie_high/lhs-track-and-field-compete-at-large-wheatland-invite/article_573def9e-4f87-565a-8b6d-619643aa569d.html
| 2022-04-06T13:33:23Z
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That four-letter word, w-i-n-d, continues today. The jet stream above is shooting through the region, with winds gusting very high, especially along and near the Continental Divide. This high wind event brings snow to the high country, but minimal amounts elsewhere.
A brief respite arrives Friday and through midday Sunday. That’s good news for all the events at many ski resorts holding end-of-the-season celebrations. Enjoy the relatively nice weather, since the next bout of cold and snow arrives late Sunday. The forecast remains a little murky, but that storm could bring significant snow. April is always a rollercoaster when it comes to the weather, and this year is no exception.
Ski areas across the area are nearing or are at the end of their season. That’s true for the Snowy Range Ski and Recreation Area. Their last day of the season is this Sunday, but they'll be celebrating through the weekend. There are ski races, costume contests, outdoor barbecues and live music. For the weekend, season pass holders can bring a buddy, who pays half price for a lift ticket for the day. To top it off, it looks like the weather will cooperate with new snow before the weekend and clear skies for the final two days of the season.
Grand Targhee, on the west side of Teton Pass, also closes for the season after this weekend. It will end with a snowy bang, though, with 12 inches of snow in the forecast for the next couple days. The area is at 67% of average for this time of year, a decrease of 4% since last week.
Skiers on the east side of Teton Pass at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort also have their final weekend of skiing, with 8 inches of new snow in time for the weekend.
Ski areas in Colorado are ending or nearing the end of the season, as well. Steamboat should see 6 inches of snow before the weekend, with their closing day on Sunday. Winter Park will also get a decent dump, with 7 inches in the forecast by the weekend. That ski area remains open through April 24, with plenty of snow in the forecast between now and then.
In the Medicine Bow Mountains, snow depths showed both slight increases and decreases; it varied with snow melting and also new snow falling through the week. According to the Open Snow website, the Snowy Range is at 82% of average for this time of year, a 2% decrease from last week.
At Keystone, near Rob Roy Reservoir, as of Tuesday there was a total of 182 inches of snow so far this season, according to Don Day Jr. at www.dayweather.com. This is a 5-inch increase from last week, but lags behind the 233 inches reported by this time last year.
Conditions “up top” in the Snowy Range are likely very hazardous today with the high winds. Forecasts indicate gales Tuesday reached 70 to 75 mph. Today, winds decrease to 35 to 45 mph. All that wind will move the snow, creating significant wind slab formation atop a weak layer buried in the snowpack. As the winds ease and the snow settles, the conditions should be quite nice through the weekend.
Personnel at the Colorado Avalanche Information Center report the risk of avalanches persists for the southern Wyoming and northern Colorado mountains. The warning rating is “considerable” above and near treeline and “moderate” below treeline. To reduce risk of triggering an avalanche, stick to sunny slopes early in the day and move to low-angle, shady terrain as it starts to warm up.
Expect spring conditions at Chimney Park, off of Highway 230 and nine miles west of Woods Landing. That means crusty snow to start the day, turning soft and then slushy as temperatures rise. Expect thinning of the trails, with expansion of bare patches.
Reports are skimpy for the trails off of Highway 130, including the lower-elevation routes at Corner Mountain and Barber Lake. Expect thin to bare sections on the trails, but conditions can change quickly with snow, wind and then sunshine in the forecast.
The higher-elevation trails out of Green Rock are in great shape, with plenty of snow and a user-packed base. The extreme winds Tuesday and today could cause trees to topple; expect some obstacle detours along the route.
Spring conditions exist on the Nordic ski trails at the Happy Jack Recreation Area. Those trails with sufficient snow are still being groomed daily. Grooming has ended for the Summit complex and several lower trails. Conditions remain good for the upper trails, including Upper UW and the complex from Phil’s through Moose Loop. Grooming continues as long as conditions allow.
The multi-use trails are best early in the day, before the snow turns too soft and snowbike tires and snowshoes sink into the surface.
Snow depths went both up and down this past week across the Medicine Bow National Forest. As of Tuesday morning, the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service snow measuring station reports 52 inches at Brooklyn Lake, a 1-inch increase from last week. The report showed 43 inches of snow at Cinnabar Park, a 2-inch decrease from last week. The report at Sand Lake, on the north end of the Medicine Bow Mountains, is 72 inches, a 4-inch increase from last week. The measuring station at Medicine Bow Peak, at an elevation of 10,500 feet, reports 77 inches, a 2-inch increase from last week. At North French Creek, on the western side of the Medicine Bow Mountains, the reported snow depth is 61 inches, a 1-inch decrease from last week. The Crow Creek station on Pole Mountain shows 13 inches of snow, a 3-inch decrease from last week.
Cross-country skiing
Pole Mountain/Happy Jack Recreation Area Nordic ski trails: Conditions are good on the mid- and upper-elevation trails; marginal conditions exist on the lower-elevation trails; daily grooming continues on routes with sufficient snow.
Pole Mountain/Happy Jack Recreation Area Multi-use trails: Conditions are generally good early in the day for snowbiking and snowshoeing.
Chimney Park Nordic ski trails: Expect fair conditions, with narrowing of the snow-packed surface on the trails.
Snowy Range backcountry conditions: Conditions are very good; expect new snow before the weekend. These routes are user-packed.
Snowmobile conditions
Snowy Range: Extreme wind continues today, but eases before the weekend; avalanche danger is considerable to moderate.
Quick Numbers
Wyoming Downhill Areas
Snowy Range Ski Area: 72-inch base; 5 lifts, 33 trails and 100% of terrain open.
Antelope Butte: Closed for the season.
Grand Targhee: 82-inch base; 5 lifts, 95 trails and 85% of terrain open.
Hogadon: Open Wednesday through Sunday; closes April 10.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort: 70-inch base; 11 lifts, 80 trails and 61% of terrain open.
Meadowlark Ski Lodge: Closed for the season.
Sleeping Giant: Closed for the season.
Snow King: Closed for the season.
White Pine: Closed for the season.
Colorado Downhill Areas
Arapahoe Basin: 59-inch base; 9 lifts, 129 trails and 89% of terrain open.
Breckenridge: 63-inch base; 34 lifts, 187 trails and 100% of terrain open.
Copper Mountain: 61-inch base; 23 lifts, 150 trails and 98% of terrain open.
Eldora: 30-inch base; 8 lifts, 64 trails and 98% of terrain open.
Keystone: 50-inch base; 14 lifts, 113 trails and 87% of terrain open.
Loveland: 60-inch base; 7 lifts, 85 trails and 90% of terrain open.
Steamboat: 87-inch base; 15 lifts, 169 trails and 100% of terrain open.
Vail: 59-inch base; 25 lifts, 267 trails and 98% of terrain open.
Winter Park: 71-inch base; 17 lifts, 147 trails and 88% of terrain open.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/other_sports/community/snow-report-for-april-6-2022/article_7205277b-afc9-5aec-94fb-f0c7bec68fce.html
| 2022-04-06T13:33:29Z
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LARAMIE – After starting out in half-shells early last week, the University of Wyoming held its first full-pads practices of the spring on Saturday and Tuesday.
The Cowboys can already see some progress. Now, the next step is to begin full-contact work, something that is set to begin Thursday.
“I think it’s going to be important to find out what guys can really tackle, and as a runner, who can make somebody miss,” UW coach Craig Bohl said. “We’ll (do) some things on Thursday to get some hard work done there.”
While defense, offensive line and running back are typically thought of as the areas impacted most by the transition from half-shells to full-pads, sophomore receiver Joshua Cobbs has also noticed a different level of excitement from his position group, as well as the defensive backs, over the past two practices.
Cobbs, who is a likely candidate to step into the No. 1 receiver role, has placed an emphasis on improving his ability to make contested catches this spring. More contact will lead to more opportunities to hone these skills, he says.
“There’s obviously going to be a big difference between pads and shell or whatever you call it,” Cobbs said. “Being able to get the opportunity to put those pads on and get some actual contact is always exciting. I like to have DBs actually be able to break balls up, and us actually have to make those plays. It’s definitely been a different level of excitement.”
While the Pokes haven’t ramped up to full-contact yet, players and coaches continued to be impressed with the development of starting running back Titus Swen following Tuesday’s practice.
“Titus Swen is really improving his game as a running back,” Bohl said. “Last year, his yards per carry was exceptional – particularly yards after contact – but he’s becoming more of a complete back. Some of the things we’re asking him to do, whether it’s pass protection or things in route running, he’s really taking ownership of that.”
Added quarterback Andrew Peasley: “He is a baller. I definitely already trust him, and some of the other running backs, too. Just give the ball to them, make the right call and we’re going to get positive yards.”
Despite an increased level of contact over the past two practices, things have stayed relatively quiet on the injury front for the Cowboys. Redshirt freshman defensive tackle JJ Uphold has been dealing with a lingering shoulder issue from a car accident. Aside from that, no injuries were reported.
When asked about the status of veteran defensive tackle Ravontae Holt, Bohl was hesitant to indicate what impact he could make next season. Holt – who has suffered three anterior cruciate ligament tears since joining the Cowboys in 2017 – only appeared in the first five games last year, totaling 10 tackles and 2.5 sacks.
“Ravontae and I are going to need to have a pretty good conversation, as far as what his long-term plan is,” Bohl said. “He’s had three ACL tears, and (we’re waiting) to see how his rehab comes along with that. I know he wants to play again.
“It will be interesting because his clock will be running out, (so we need to see) where the rehab cycle goes on that. We have to have a pretty pragmatic conversation about what his outlook is.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/football/pokes-inch-closer-to-full-contact-practices/article_8417fdce-472f-514f-bfde-c755a3acc7fc.html
| 2022-04-06T13:33:35Z
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Diane Bellm Diane Bellm, 71, passed away on March 16th in Klamath Falls Oregon. She was a beloved Wife, mother and friend. She will be missed by those who were uplifted and inspired by her kind heart and her easy going personality. The third out of four children of Willis and Mary Kane, she was born on May 24th 1950 in Eugene OR. Diane and her three brothers were raised in Klamath Falls, OR. That is where she met and married Steve Bosse in 1973. Together they began raising a family with three boys ultimately moving to Orofino Idaho. They divorced in 1987 and Diane went back home to Klamath Falls. She would marry James Bellm in 1995 in Klamath Falls and they lived together until her passing. Diane enjoyed the simple things in life. She was known to stop at a casino or two. That was when she wasn't "junking" as she called it for treasures at any second hand stores. Diane is preceded by her brothers Robert Hastings of Springfield and Donald Kane of Portland. She is survived by her Husband James of Klamath Falls, Brother Charles of Eugene. Her son Tracy and daughter in law Holly of Peck Idaho. Son Brent and Daughter in law Sally of Meridian Idaho. Her son Adam of Lewiston Idaho. She was also grandmother to multiple grandkids. There will be a family celebration of Diane's life later this summer.
The Herald and News also publishes its obituaries and death notices with Legacy.com, a leading online obituary database that partners with more than 1,500 newspapers.
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https://www.heraldandnews.com/obituaries/bellm-diane/article_b1cbf07c-9e9b-595f-837d-cd153cbc3528.html
| 2022-04-06T14:13:45Z
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Schools in Alabama county end prayer over PA system at football games
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) - Prayers will no longer be said over loudspeakers before football games this fall for at least two Alabama high schools.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation says it received complaints last fall about the prayers over the PA system, WBRC reported. The organization sent a letter to Jefferson County schools, saying that prayers before the games, including Gardendale High School and Pinson Valley, are inappropriate and unconstitutional.
The organization says the Supreme Court has struck down school-sponsored prayer in public schools.
Freedom From Religion Foundation said it received word from the school district’s attorney that after the superintendent met with principals, the administration will not allow prayers at school-sponsored events.
A staff attorney for the organization says its purpose it to protect the separation of church and state.
“There are people affected by this. I think some people treat it as, ‘Oh, they just don’t want to hear prayer. They don’t like that Christians exist.’ It has nothing to do with that. It truly is just that public schools are a neutral place. They should be neutral with regard to religion,” said Chris Line with Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Dr. Walter B. Gonsoulin Jr. and the board of education issued a statement that the complaint was resolved at the school level and not as a result of board action or policy.
“That resolution was based on the board’s legal obligations that have been established by binding court precedent,” Gonsoulin stated. “However, the board’s adherence to those rulings should not be understood as a rejection of students’ religious rights and liberties in the school setting. The Jefferson County Board of Education remains firmly committed to respecting and protecting those rights and liberties in every way permitted by the Constitution and laws of the United States.”
Copyright 2022 WBRC via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/schools-alabama-county-end-prayer-over-pa-system-football-games/
| 2022-04-06T14:39:49Z
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Supreme Court reinstates Trump-era water rule for now
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday reinstated for now a Trump-era rule that had curtailed the power of states and Native American tribes to block pipelines and other energy projects that can pollute rivers, streams and other waterways.
The justices agreed to halt a lower court judge’s order throwing out the rule and sending it back to the Environmental Protection Agency. Four justices said they disagreed with the decision.
The Biden administration has said it intends to rewrite the rule. Work on a revision has begun, but the administration has said a final rule is not expected until the spring of 2023. The Trump-era rule will remain in effect in the meantime.
The Biden administration had told the justices in a court filing that it agreed that the U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup lacked the authority to throw out the rule without first determining that it was invalid. But the administration had urged the court not to reinstate the rule, saying that in the months since the Alsup’s ruling, officials have adapted to the change, reverting to regulations in place for decades. Another change would “cause substantial disruption and disserve the public interest,” the administration said.
Alsup was nominated to the bench by President Bill Clinton.
The section of federal law at issue in the case is Section 401 of the Clean Water Act. For decades, it had been the rule that a federal agency could not issue a license or permit to conduct any activity that could result in any discharge into navigable waters unless the affected state or tribe certified that the discharge was complied with the Clean Water Act and state law, or waived certification.
The Trump administration in 2020 curtailed that review power after complaints from Republicans in Congress and the fossil fuel industry that state officials had used the permitting process to stop new energy projects. The Trump administration said its actions would advance then-President Donald Trump’s goal to fast-track energy projects such as oil and natural gas pipelines.
States, Native American Tribes and environmental groups sued. Several mostly Republican-led states, a national trade association representing the oil and gas industry and others have intervened in the case to defend the Trump-era rule. The states involved in the case are: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, West Virginia, Wyoming and Texas.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/supreme-court-reinstates-trump-era-water-rule-now/
| 2022-04-06T14:39:56Z
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https://www.kitv.com/news/north-shore-school-rallies-to-save-music-art-classes/article_45a47684-b586-11ec-94af-5f9c314458c2.html
| 2022-04-06T14:43:17Z
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United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary
People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
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https://www.kitv.com/weather/forecast/wednesday-weather-forecast/article_b7b242b6-b58a-11ec-8bfd-872eac367430.html
| 2022-04-06T14:43:23Z
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Biden nominates first woman to lead Coast Guard
Published: Apr. 6, 2022 at 10:58 AM EDT|Updated: 31 minutes ago
(CNN) - President Joe Biden has picked a woman to be the next leader of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Adm. Linda Fagan was nominated to serve as the next commandant.
If she is confirmed, she would be the first woman to lead the branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Fagan has served on all seven continents and spent 36 years in the Coast Guard service. She is the No. 2 in charge right now.
Her nomination will be under consideration by the Senate committee on commerce, science and transportation, but she’s getting support from both sides of the aisle.
The current commandant is required to retire May 31.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/biden-nominates-first-woman-lead-military-branch/
| 2022-04-06T16:11:05Z
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Gerber is looking for its next ‘spokesbaby’
Published: Apr. 6, 2022 at 10:46 AM EDT|Updated: 1 hour ago
(Gray News) - Gerber is looking for a baby to be the next face of the company.
The company said it is searching for its next “Chief Growing Officer and Spokesbaby.”
The job requirements are simple. Applicants must be between 0-4 years old, have a “playful smile that can light up the room,” and an “irresistible giggle and undeniably loveable personality.”
The winner will also receive $25,000.
To apply, visit Gerber’s website here.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/gerber-is-looking-its-next-spokesbaby/
| 2022-04-06T16:11:12Z
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Missing Indiana couple found in Nevada desert; man dead, wife hospitalized, family says
ESMERALDA COUNTY, Nev. (Gray News) – A couple from Indiana who was reported missing more than a week ago in Nevada has been found, according to the Nye County Sheriff’s Office.
Ronnie and Beverly Barker’s nephew, Travis Peters, posted an update on Facebook Tuesday night saying rescue teams found the couple near Silver Peak, according to KVVU.
He said Ronnie had died and Beverly was being airlifted to a hospital in Reno where she is doing OK.
KOLO reports the couple left Oregon on March 26, and were headed to Tucson, Arizona.
Their daughter, Jennifer Whaley, says all contact with her parents ceased over a week ago – all cell phone pings stopped March 27.
“It is literally like they fell off the face of the earth. Like they just vanished,” Whaley said.
According to a missing persons flyer shared by the Nye County Sheriff’s Office, they were driving a 2015 Forest River Sunseeker RV with a gold stripe and Indiana license plate C128H.
Ronnie and Beverly also were towing a white 2020 Kia Soul with Indiana license plate FL211A.
Family members say the couple’s RV was found stuck in the mud and their car was not at the scene.
AZFamily reports the Esmeralda County Sheriff’s Office said the couple never made it to the campground at Nellis AFB, where they were supposed to spend the night before hitting the road to Tucson again.
“My parents were supposed to meet them in Tucson on Tuesday evening March 29. That’s when they were supposed to be pulling into the campgrounds in Tucson. They didn’t show up,” Whaley said about her parents meeting up with their friends in Tucson who they’ve known for more than three decades.
Peters told KVVU it is unclear to them what happened to the couple as details surrounding Ronnie’s death have not been released.
He said the Mineral County undersheriff provided them with limited information and only said that Beverly was OK.
“Thank God that Beverly is alive, because she will be able to fill in those blanks that we don’t know. Why did they go up the mountain? What happened?” Peters said.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/missing-indiana-couple-found-nevada-desert-man-dead-wife-hospitalized-family-says/
| 2022-04-06T16:11:19Z
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No charges filed in no-knock warrant killing of Amir Locke
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota prosecutors declined to file charges Wednesday against a Minneapolis police SWAT team officer who fatally shot Amir Locke while executing an early morning no-knock search warrant in a downtown apartment in February.
Locke, 22, who was Black, was staying on a couch in the apartment when authorities entered it on Feb. 2 without knocking as part of an investigation into a homicide in neighboring St. Paul.
Locke, who was not named in the warrant, was shot seconds after authorities say he pointed a gun in the direction of officers. Locke’s family has questioned that. Body camera footage shows Locke holding a gun before he was shot.
Attorney General Keith Ellison, whose office reviewed the case, said prosecutors determined Officer Mark Hanneman was justified in firing his weapon.
“After a thorough review of all available evidence, however, there is insufficient admissible evidence to file criminal charges in this case. Specifically, the State would be unable to disprove beyond a reasonable doubt any of the elements of Minnesota’s use-of-deadly-force statute that authorizes the use of force by Officer Hanneman. Nor would the State be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt a criminal charge against any other officer involved in the decision-making that led to the death of Amir Locke,” Ellison and Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman said in a joint statement.
Locke’s death came as three former Minneapolis police officers were on trial in federal court in St. Paul in George Floyd’s killing. It sparked protests and a reexamination of no-knock search warrants. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced an immediate moratorium on such warrants, and in March, he announced a new policy that requires officers to knock and wait before entering a residence. Some lawmakers also have been pushing for a statewide ban on no-knock warrants, except in rare circumstances.
In their applications for search warrants of the Minneapolis apartment and other locations, authorities said a no-knock warrant was necessary to protect the public and officers as they looked for guns, drugs and clothing worn by people suspected in a violent killing. Authorities asked that officers be allowed to conduct the search without knocking, and outside the hours of 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., because the suspects being sought in the Jan. 10 killing of Otis Elder had a history of violence.
Locke was killed seconds after the SWAT team entered the apartment where his family said he was staying. Body camera video shows an officer using a key to unlock the door and enter, followed by at least four officers in uniform and protective vests, time-stamped at about 6:48 a.m. As they enter, they repeatedly shout, “Police, search warrant!” They also shout “Hands!” and “Get on the ground!”
The video shows an officer kicking a sectional sofa, and Locke is seen wrapped in a comforter, holding a pistol. Three shots are heard and the video ends.
Locke’s parents have said it appeared to them that their son was startled awake and his mother, Karen Wells, called his death “an execution.”
Police have said Locke was not named in the search warrant. His 17-year-old cousin, Mekhi Camden Speed, was named and has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in Elder’s killing.
The search warrants were carried out as part of an investigation into Elder’s death. Elder, a 38-year-old father, was found shot and laying in the street in what police believe was an apparent robbery. Drugs and money were found in Elder’s SUV, according to court documents.
The police department hired Hanneman in 2015. City records show there were three complaints made about him and that all were closed without him being disciplined, but they give no details. Data on the website of the citizen group Communities United Against Police Brutality shows a fourth complaint, in 2018, that remains open. No details were given.
___
Associated Press writer Amy Forliti contributed.
___
Find AP’s full coverage of the death of Amir Locke at: https://apnews.com/hub/amir-locke
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/no-charges-filed-no-knock-warrant-killing-amir-locke/
| 2022-04-06T16:11:30Z
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US charges Russian oligarch, dismantles cybercrime operation
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has charged a Russian oligarch with violating U.S. government sanctions and has disrupted a cybercrime operation launched by a Russian military intelligence agency, officials said Wednesday.
The action came as the Justice Department said it was accelerating efforts to track down illicit Russian assets and as U.S. prosecutors helped European counterparts gather evidence on potential war crimes committed by Russia during its war on Ukraine. FBI and Justice Department officials announced the moves as the U.S. separately revealed sanctions against the two adult daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“We have our eyes on every dollar and jet. We have our eyes on every piece of art and real estate, purchased with dirty money and on every bitcoin wallet filled with proceeds of theft, and other crimes,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said. “Together with our partners around the world, our goal is to ensure that sanctioned Russian oligarchs and cyber criminals will not find safe haven.”
The indictment against Konstantin Malofeyev, a Russian media baron and founder of Russian Orthodox news channel, Tsargrad TV, is the first of an oligarch since the Russian invasion in February. The case accuses him of evading Treasury Department sanctions resulting from his financing of Russians promoting separatism in Crimea.
Though sanctions bar U.S. citizens from working for or doing business with him, Malofeyev hired an American television producer to work for him in networks in Russia and Greece and tried to buy a television network in Bulgaria, prosecutors said. Jack Hanick, a former CNBC and Fox News employee, was arrested last month for his work as a television producer for Malofeyev.
The Justice Department also announced that it had taken down a botnet — a network of hijacked computers typically used for malicious activity — that was controlled by the Russian military intelligence agency known as the GRU. The botnet was dismantled before it could cause any damage, said FBI Director Christopher Wray.
Wednesday’s announcements came two days after U.S. officials seized a huge yacht in Spain belonging to a Russian oligarch, Viktor Vekselberg, with close ties to Russian President Putin.
The Justice Department in the past year has taken aim against Russia-based cybercrime, recovering in June most of a multimillion-dollar ransom that Colonial Pipeline paid to hackers after a ransomware attack that halted operations. And the department announced charges last fall against two suspected ransomware operators.
WARNING: The following video contains graphic content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/us-charges-russian-oligarch-dismantles-cybercrime-operation/
| 2022-04-06T16:11:37Z
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US targets Putin’s daughters, Russian banks in new sanctions
BRUSSELS (AP) — The United States on Wednesday announced sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two adult daughters and said it was toughening penalties against Russian banks in retaliation for “war crimes” in Ukraine.
The United Kingdom and the European Union were set to take additional steps, including a ban on new investment in Russian and an EU embargo on coal, after the recent evidence of atrocities that has emerged in the wake of the retreat by Russian forces from areas around Kyiv, including the town of Bucha.
The U.S. acted against two of Russia’s largest banks, Sberbank and Alfa Bank, prohibiting assets from going through the U.S. financial system and barring Americans from doing business with those two institutions.
In addition to sanctions aimed at Putin’s adult daughters, Mariya Putina and Katerina Tikhonova, the U.S. is targeting Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin; the wife and children of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov; and members of Russia’s Security Council, including Dmitry Medvedev, a former president and prime minister.
The penalties cut of all of Putin’s close family members off from the U.S. financial system and freeze any assets they hold in the United States.
WARNING: Videos in this story may contain graphic content.
President Joe Biden called the latest round of sanctions “devastating.”
“I made clear that Russia would pay a severe and immediate price for its atrocities in Bucha,” Biden said in a tweet.
Biden was expected to will sign an an executive order that would ban new investment in Russia by Americans no matter where they are living. The U.S. Treasury Department is preparing more sanctions against major Russian state-owned enterprises, according to the White House.
Videos and images of bodies in the streets of Bucha after it was recaptured from Russian forces have unleashed a wave of indignation among Western allies, who have drawn up new sanctions as a response.
The European Commission’s proposed ban on coal imports would be the first EU sanctions targeting Russia’s lucrative energy industry over its war in Ukraine.
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said energy was key to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war coffers.
“A billion euro is what we pay Putin every day for the energy he provides us since the beginning of the war. We have given him 35 billion euro. Compare that to the one billion that we have given to the Ukraine in arms and weapons,” Borrell said.
After several European countries announced the expulsion of Russian diplomats, the European Commission proposed a fifth package of sanctions including a ban on coal imports that could be adopted as soon as Wednesday once unanimously approved by the 27-nation bloc’s ambassadors.
The United States and Western allies plan to impose a ban on all new investment in Russia. Among the other measures being taken against Russia are greater sanctions on its financial institutions and state-owned enterprises, and sanctions on government officials and their family members, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
Separately, the Treasury Department moved Tuesday to block any Russian government debt payments with U.S. dollars from accounts at U.S. financial institutions, making it harder for Russia to meet its financial obligations.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the coal ban is worth 4 billion euros ($4.4 billion) per year and that the EU has already started working on additional sanctions, including on oil imports.
She didn’t mention natural gas, with consensus among the 27 EU countries on targeting the fuel used to generate electricity and heat homes difficult to secure amid opposition from gas-dependent members like Germany, the bloc’s largest economy.
But European Council President Charles Michel said the bloc should keep up the pressure on the Kremlin, suggesting that an embargo on gas imports should also be required at some point in the future.
“The new package includes a ban on coal imports,” Michel said on Wednesday. “I think that measures on oil, and even gas, will also be needed, sooner or later.”
The new package of measures proposed by the commission also includes sanctions on more individuals and four key Russian banks, among them VTB, the second-largest Russian bank. The bloc also would ban Russian vessels and Russian-operated vessels from EU ports.
Further targeted export bans, worth 10 billion euros, in sectors covering quantum computers, advanced semiconductors, sensitive machinery and transportation equipment also were proposed.
“I appreciate the strengthening of the 5th EU sanctions package: bans on Russian coal, vessels accessing EU ports, and road transport operators,” Ukraine Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter. “But it will take a gas/oil embargo and de-SWIFTing of all Russian banks to stop Putin. Difficult times require difficult decisions.”
Western allies have already cut out several Russian banks of the SWIFT financial messaging system, which daily moves countless billions of dollars around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions around the world.
___
Madhani reporter from Washington.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/us-targets-putins-daughters-russian-banks-new-sanctions/
| 2022-04-06T16:11:45Z
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WATCH: People jump from boat being crushed under drawbridge
JUPITER, Fla. (WPEC) - It was a close call for this group of boaters last week when a drawbridge in Florida began to move, partially crushing their pontoon and sending some jumping over the edge in fear.
Thankfully, no one was hurt.
“I think they were trying to move the boat, but the bridge ended up folding on them so they couldn’t move,” said Gillian Pisciotto, who witnessed the incident.
Pisciotto captured now-viral footage of the terrifying moment.
She said she is relieved that the group all walked away unharmed.
“Well, I started screaming at them to move,” she said. “I thought everyone was not going to make it.”
It’s still not clear what the boaters were doing under the bridge. Instead of passing under the main channel, it appears as if the group stopped under a portion of the bridge close to the intercoastal waterway.
There are signs there clearly marked “unauthorized personnel prohibited” and “danger moving machinery.”
The bridge is operated by Palm Beach County.
The county’s public works department was asked if there are cameras under the bridge that the tender on duty could have checked before raising the bridge.
A spokesperson said there are some cameras in the vicinity but couldn’t say where they’re positioned.
Pisciotto said she believes there should be more surveillance under those bridges.
“Yeah, I think would be best just to make sure that like cops could come and make sure they know what happened, instead of having like people just guess what happened,” she said.
According to a manual for bridgetenders in the county, operators are supposed to check for boats, but it’s not clear if every bridge has the equipment to do so.
Copyright 2022 WPEC via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/watch-people-jump-boat-being-crushed-under-drawbridge/
| 2022-04-06T16:11:53Z
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CHEYENNE – Barnes & Noble plans to stick around in the state’s capital city, a company official said Tuesday, even as its local store will move at least once and probably twice.
Last week, the company that describes itself as the No. 1 book retailer in the U.S. announced that it will close its store at 1851 Dell Range Blvd. around May 15. Janine Flanigan, director of store planning and design for B&N, said Tuesday that the company wasn’t able to reach a new agreement to extend the lease at the current location.
Flanigan said that Barnes & Noble, for a few months, may not have a local store in Cheyenne. That’s because its new, temporary premises at the nearby Frontier Mall may not be ready to host the bookstore for a little while. B&N will occupy (at Suite 93) two storefronts in the mall, which used to be stores called Asian Gifts and Wild West, Flanigan told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
The period of time without a local store is due to the fact that B&N is going through a permitting process to convert the two separate stores into a single location, Flanigan said. She said the B&N store on Dell Range has been in business for 27 years.
“We are hoping to get it open (at around) the end of July or early August,” the real estate official said of the Frontier Mall location. “We have to get some permits to do some work in the new space.”
This interim store will be about 6,500 square feet, versus the current location’s approximately 23,000 square feet, Flanigan noted.
Another move may be entailed, as the retailer wants to find a permanent location locally.
“Our permanent home is looking to be similar (sized) to our old home, with new furniture and fixtures,” Flanigan said by phone. “Our CEO, James Daunt, is committed to the community and is committed to our booksellers.”
Barnes & Noble, under Daunt’s leadership for the last few years, has received some acclaim for sticking with bookselling and giving its local staff leeway to feature books as they see fit, while the company has revamped some retail locations. In August 2019, Barnes & Noble was bought by Elliott Advisors (UK) Ltd. and taken private, meaning its shares ceased actively trading on a stock market.
“We don’t plan on leaving that space until we have a new space,” Flanigan said about the Frontier Mall location. “It is great to be able to stay in the market.” She noted that B&N is in “a lot” of other small markets, not just Cheyenne.
Barnes & Noble has about 600 stores, with at least one in every U.S. state, according to Flanigan and its corporate website. It plans to open some new stores this year, she said.
Flanigan asked members of the public to contact the company if they have an idea for a new location. “Folks can email us at MyBarnesandNoble@bn.com,” Flanigan wrote in an email. She suggested adding “’Cheyenne’ or other areas in the subject line for new B&N locations.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/barnes-noble-plans-to-stick-around-in-cheyenne-will-be-closed-for-a-few-months/article_b518a629-e31c-5b00-bf98-4e6353c48009.html
| 2022-04-06T16:58:55Z
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Dear Barnes & Noble in Cheyenne,
I don’t even know you, yet I am preemptively missing you already.
While I am really glad that you told me Tuesday that you plan to stick around in this city, I am for now taking a trust, but verify approach. I will believe it once I can enter your new – location to be determined – permanent home.
So it was that I found myself being sad, not shocked, when my boss, Brian Martin, showed me your press release the other day. Turns out you are leaving your current Cheyenne location in just over a month to make way for a Natural Grocers.
I will admit to being in some denial when I had read just the day before, in my colleague Jasmine Hall's story, that the natural foods grocery store was going in at the same address where you currently sell books and much more locally. I, at least, had some plausible deniability that perhaps Natural Grocers would locate elsewhere in the mini-shopping center that faces Dell Range Boulevard.
In a few months, you plan to open a smaller, temporary location near your current home and in the Frontier Mall. And longer term, you are hoping to move to a similarly sized home for yourself in Cheyenne, with updated furniture to boot.
Yet I wasn't surprised when I had learned about your plan to move. I never really thought our market was big enough for you. It’s just that in this era of consumer expectations for everything being available online, getting it just in time, and having it delivered anytime and anywhere you want, there are many other ways to sell books.
As they like to say in business – or at least in movies about business – "It’s not personal, it’s just business."
Another reason I wasn’t entirely surprised by your impending move is that I had recently tried to go into your store. I arrived at your bookselling home at about 8:40 p.m. on a weekday evening. I had thought that I had read that you were entertaining visitors until 9 p.m. But when I arrived, your store was dark, and the parking lot was empty. Turns out, you now shut off the lights and go to bed at 8 p.m. on weeknights.
It’s never a good sign when a business, especially a brick-and-mortar retailer such as yourself, shortens its store hours. That usually means the store owner is trying to save money on labor and other operational costs because it isn't worth it to stay open longer.
I tried to find a Wall Street analyst who could speak with me about how you can make a go of selling books here. Turns out, because your stock is no longer actively traded, I was told that there may not be any such analysts. You were taken private a few years ago.
Taking all of this into account, I remain heartened and even slightly optimistic that you say you plan stick around in Cheyenne. Positive things are happening here, people are moving here (if in small numbers), many of them like to read, and you are currently the only game in town when it comes to primarily selling new books.
Barnes & Noble, it isn't just me, but others I know here in Cheyenne who love you. Or at least who have a love-hate relationship with you. (See above about you being the only serious player in town.)
Count me as being skeptical about your staying power, because you have broken my heart in the past.
Barnes & Noble, you had a beautiful, two-story location on a highly trafficked corner of downtown Washington, D.C., near where I lived before moving here. A few years ago, you closed. You never opened another location in the nation's capital.
I realize that it if wasn't worth your while to sell books, music and such from one of the most populated metropolitan areas in the country, it may not be worth your while to try to make a go of it in a much smaller region.
I am holding out hope that you will find an affordable dwelling here in Wyoming's Capital City, where it makes business sense for you to locate, even if it is not very profitable. I am sure that there are a lot of places that would like to host you.
Even though this is a small market for a chain bookstore, it doesn’t mean there cannot be one here for the long haul. But as they say, it’s just business.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/my-side-of-the-story-ode-to-cheyennes-barnes-noble/article_2064a473-d863-5210-a4f4-98a0e78de51e.html
| 2022-04-06T16:59:01Z
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SWEETWATER COUNTY – The Sweetwater County Commissioners voted to approve the submission of a statement of intent to the Fiscal Year 2023 Transportation Alternatives Grant Program for a Scenic Turnout and Overlooks Project during the meeting on Tuesday, April 5.
The executive summary included with the meeting’s agenda states, “Sweetwater County has the opportunity to collaborate with the Sweetwater County Joint Travel and Tourism Board and apply for federal funding under the Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) through the Wyoming Department of Transportation. If approved, the grant award requires a cash match of 9.51%, and must be completed within three years.
“The purpose of TAP funding is to support community-based projects that expand travel choices and enhance the transportation experience by integrating modes and improving the cultural, historic and environmental aspects of our transportation infrastructure. The proposed project consists of developing two scenic turnouts with possible trails along the All-American Road (Flaming Gorge – Green River Scenic Byway).”
The estimated total budget for the 2023 Transportation Alternatives Program is $200,000 - $300,000.
The TAP grant, which would cover 90.49% of the program, would account for $180,980 - $271,470 of the overall budget.
The SWCO cash match, which would cover 9.51% of the program, would account for $19,020 - $28,530 of the overall budget.
Grants manager Krisena Marchal said that the improved infrastructure won’t be owned by Sweetwater County.
“Usually, we like to pay match money for our own improvements. But, very importantly it is consistent with the 2022 Sweetwater County Tourism Master Plan’s vision and strategy of Outdoor Recreation, which specifically identifies, ‘Work on developing and improving the Flaming Gorge experience from the Sweetwater County side of the gorge.’”
Marchal also said that the submission of the statement of intent is not binding and “does not commit and obligation to carry out the project.”
According to Marchal, Sweetwater County would have to be the official sponsor of the grant application and project, as well as oversee all of the contractual obligations and compliance.
“The required match has been reduced from 20% to 9.51%, and I would include that in the FY 2023 grant projects budget. Joint Travel and Tourism funding cannot be used for the TAP match but they would participate significantly with signage and kiosks at the turnouts, and ongoing contractual costs for restrooms or porta potties,” Marchal said.
Sweetwater County Travel and Tourism executive director Jenissa Meredith said that this is being done to build two different turnouts: one on Hwy 191 and one on Hwy 530.
“There’s a sand dune at the edge of the Butte there that has been forming there over the past several years. We’re hoping to build a turnout there and offer some interpretive signage about the sand dunes and the geology of the area; possibly a nature trail walking path and possibly a mountain biking path,” Meredith said.
Meredith said that the turnout for Hwy 530 included in the application is located near Clay Basin
“There’s a lot of opportunities there. As you know, that’s a beautiful overlook,” Meredith said. “We’re hoping to, either with this or another funding stream, provide restroom facilities near Clay Basin. That’s a great stretch of highway without any restroom facilities, so that’s a really opportune location for that.”
According to Meredith, they are also looking at another grant opportunity through the Federal Highway Administration.
Public works director Gene Legerski said that an estimated range for the budget was given due to the exact cost not being known yet. He said that a lot of it will depend on the exact location.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/commissioners-approve-letter-of-intent-for-scenic-turnout-and-overlooks-project/article_9961f3f8-5ba9-5ad3-856c-ff2581e34ef9.html
| 2022-04-06T16:59:07Z
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ROCK SPRIINGS -- The affirmation of the intent to move forward with the construction of an addition on the Rock Springs campus for the health sciences and nursing programs is up for approval at the Western Wyoming Community College Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, April 11, at 6:45 p.m.
“The board is aware that Western’s health sciences program facilities have been a topic of discussion for the past few years. Western commissioned an abbreviated level I study in late 2018 to explore consolidating the nursing program instructional spaces into one facility, and in September of 2020, the board authorized administration to conduct a level II feasibility study for the health sciences/nursing programs.
“The board reviewed the level II study draft during the workshop on Jan. 14, 2021, and approved the study for submission to the Wyoming Community College Commission on Feb. 11, 2021.”
According to the agenda, the study “explored” three options for the facility: construction of an addition on the Rock Springs campus; renovation of the Green River Center; use of the old Memorial Hospital building in Rock Springs.
Also included in the agenda are the results from the level II study that was conducted.
“As explained in the level II study, ‘the professional analysis of the three locations, in concert with the discussions of the executive committee, resulted in the decision to locate the facility on the Rock Springs campus. This option allows those enrolled in the program to take advantage of the adjacencies to existing student programs and amenities on campus, and allows for more convenient access to other educational programs that are required for the health science students.’”
Through the study, the conclusion was made that the renovation of the old hospital building, which has an estimated cost of $8.44 million, “would not be an optimal solution because ‘the existing structural grid is not conducive to the larger skills labs required and a portion of the program would have to be located in the basement, which is not ideal for access or daylighting.’”
It was also found through the study that due to the age of the building, several of the spaces and systems would need to be brought up to current code.
According to the agenda, the estimated cost of an addition on the Rock Springs campus is $7.6 million.
“Administration is asking that the board affirm the intent to move forward with constructing an addition on the Rock Springs campus for the health sciences and nursing programs.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/intent-to-move-forward-with-construction-up-for-approval-from-western-s-board-of-trustees/article_e8764166-d038-59da-8029-53eccd94ea7b.html
| 2022-04-06T16:59:13Z
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ROCK SPRIINGS -- The affirmation of the intent to move forward with the construction of an addition on the Rock Springs campus for the health sciences and nursing programs is up for approval at the Western Wyoming Community College Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, April 11, at 6:45 p.m.
“The board is aware that Western’s health sciences program facilities have been a topic of discussion for the past few years. Western commissioned an abbreviated level I study in late 2018 to explore consolidating the nursing program instructional spaces into one facility, and in September of 2020, the board authorized administration to conduct a level II feasibility study for the health sciences/nursing programs.
“The board reviewed the level II study draft during the workshop on Jan. 14, 2021, and approved the study for submission to the Wyoming Community College Commission on Feb. 11, 2021.”
According to the agenda, the study “explored” three options for the facility: construction of an addition on the Rock Springs campus; renovation of the Green River Center; use of the old Memorial Hospital building in Rock Springs.
Also included in the agenda are the results from the level II study that was conducted.
“As explained in the level II study, ‘the professional analysis of the three locations, in concert with the discussions of the executive committee, resulted in the decision to locate the facility on the Rock Springs campus. This option allows those enrolled in the program to take advantage of the adjacencies to existing student programs and amenities on campus, and allows for more convenient access to other educational programs that are required for the health science students.’”
Through the study, the conclusion was made that the renovation of the old hospital building, which has an estimated cost of $8.44 million, “would not be an optimal solution because ‘the existing structural grid is not conducive to the larger skills labs required and a portion of the program would have to be located in the basement, which is not ideal for access or daylighting.’”
It was also found through the study that due to the age of the building, several of the spaces and systems would need to be brought up to current code.
According to the agenda, the estimated cost of an addition on the Rock Springs campus is $7.6 million.
“Administration is asking that the board affirm the intent to move forward with constructing an addition on the Rock Springs campus for the health sciences and nursing programs.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyomingbusinessreport/industry_news/construction/intent-to-move-forward-with-construction-up-for-approval-from-western-s-board-of-trustees/article_6720d5f2-b5c5-11ec-82f0-2700ae6b38ed.html
| 2022-04-06T16:59:20Z
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The use of electric vehicles could merge from being somewhat of a novelty to the fast lane in Wyoming over the next five years.
A Wyoming intergovernmental zero emission vehicle working group has drafted a plan to use federal money to install electric vehicle charging stations across the state. The stations are a step toward bolstering the state’s tourism industry and preparing for a future where EVs are much more common, said WYDOT spokesperson Jesse Kirchmeier during a public meeting Tuesday in Casper.
There are now only 460 electric vehicles registered in the state of Wyoming. Even if the number of EV users in Wyoming were to double for the next five years, there would still not be enough local EVs to sustain the cost effectiveness of installing the charging stations, Kirchmeier said.
Instead, the strategy focuses on using stations as a way to attract tourism and jobs to the state.
“We don’t care what the individual wants to drive,” Kirchmeier said. “The point is we’re going to establish the infrastructure to support the individual’s choice to drive what they want to drive.”
The money for the project comes from three sources that are earmarked for EV infrastructure. If Wyoming rejects the project, the money will be used for the same purpose in another state.
“Our goal is that when money is appropriated in Wyoming, we’re going to spend it in Wyoming,” Kirchmeier said.
WYDOT hopes the prevalence of EV charging stations across the state will encourage more owners of electric vehicles to visit who may not now be able to because of a lack of places to recharge. The installation process also could create more job opportunities for residents.
Wyoming will receive $1.2 million as part of a federal settlement with Volkswagen after the company violated the Clean Air Act. The state also will receive a total of $23.96 million over the next five years from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program and additional money from discretionary grants.
The state plans to facilitate funding with private companies, meaning it would help coordinate the project rollout and recommended locations for the charging stations, then connect private companies with money to actually build, own and operate the stations.
“We want to function as a pass-through, one-stop shop to match communities or businesses to access available funding and make sure we’ve got the right team set up to handle everybody’s interest,” said WYDOT Director Luke Reiner.
EV charging stations typically cost between $470,000 and $725,000 to build and need about nine customers a day to cover operational costs, Kirchmeier said.
Fully charged
The costs and usage of the charging stations can vary widely based on what type of charger is installed. Chargers can range from 120 volts, which would take 10-12 hours to charge a vehicle, and 480 volts, which would charge a vehicle in as little as 15 minutes.
The primary corridors of interest for the installations are along Interstates 80, 25, and 90, which are the most heavily trafficked routes in the state. There is a goal to use a percentage of the money to construct the stations in remote and economically disadvantaged areas along these corridors.
To use the NEVI money, the state will have to follow a set of requirements. One is to install a charging station every 50 miles, which is a point of concern for WYDOT officials and members of the public because of the state’s rural nature.
WYDOT plans to ask the federal government to make an exception to this rule for areas of the state where there wouldn’t be enough people using a charging station to cover the costs of its installation and upkeep.
Though the request isn’t confirmed, exceptions could include stretches of I-80 between Laramie and Rawlins, Rawlins and Rock Springs, and Rock Springs and Evanston. The distance between Cheyenne and Wheatland along I-25 could be a point for exemption as well.
Instead, the government would propose that stations be put in more highly trafficked areas that keep in line with the goal of increasing tourism, such as around Yellowstone National Park.
“The assumption is that if you put them near the traffic, they should grow,” Reiner said.
WYDOT is expecting to receive more clear guidance next month from the federal government on how to use the federal money. The group hopes to open the plan for public comment in the beginning of June and submit the final version shortly thereafter. The final deadline to submit an EV plan is Aug. 1.
WYDOT will hold public meetings about the EV strategy online and throughout the state through April 12.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyomingbusinessreport/industry_news/economic_development/charging-ahead-wyoming-officials-plan-to-spark-electric-vehicle-use-accessibility/article_57650ba6-b5c5-11ec-a421-2f2da78eb533.html
| 2022-04-06T16:59:26Z
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CHEYENNE – Gov. Mark Gordon said that after he has laid the groundwork for success in his first term, he is ready to seek re-election.
He traveled to Buffalo to make the announcement Monday evening, where he asked friends and family to support his effort. His message to the crowd was “there’s more work to do,” which is a sentiment he reiterated to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle on Tuesday.
“It always seemed to me that any governor who gets the job should anticipate doing it for eight years, for two reasons,” he said on a visit to the WTE’s newsroom. “One, it’s hard to get things done in just four. And then, two, it’s a wonderful state, and I just think that people in Wyoming expect you’re going to do your job as long as you can do it.”
Gordon said he ran for governor in 2018 because he wanted to guarantee Wyoming had strong, conservative leadership. He defeated five other Republicans, including attorney Harriet Hageman, in the gubernatorial primary with 33.4% of the vote. Hageman is currently seeking the U.S. House of Representatives seat held by Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., and earned an endorsement from former President Donald Trump last fall.
After prevailing in the primary, Gordon went on to win the general election. The governor obtained nearly 73% of the votes against Democratic contender Mary Throne.
Before he was elected as the 33rd governor of Wyoming, he worked in the treasurer’s office. He was appointed to serve as treasurer by Gov. Mark Mead in 2012, and elected to a full term two years later. It wasn’t until he ran for to be governor that he left the position in 2019.
Gordon also spent a significant portion of his life in Johnson County, although he was not born in Wyoming. But from local business ownership to ranching, he is known for making the state his home.
“It is a place that really values liberty and freedom, and so we have fewer regulations,” he said. “We have government that’s accessible. You just don’t get that from other places.”
Keeping with those values, Gordon said he felt as though his first term in the governor’s office was a success. The budget remained fiscally conservative, investments were made in expanding energy sources, and the state’s economy survived throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Economic diversification efforts were also a priority, which Gordon said relied on multiple tools.
The administration recognized it’s not only about bringing new businesses into Wyoming, but also investing in established local businesses looking to grow. He explained that education is the cornerstone of this perspective, because investments need to be made into entrepreneurial and workforce programs.
While commitment to education and community are important, Gordon said there is still value in bringing in outside companies to expand the market. One of the major industries bringing in opportunities he spoke of was technology.
“I think we set ourselves up because we passed some really pioneering legislation,” he said. “Our Special Purpose Depository Institution Act is a phenomenal piece of legislation. We are forcing our way through the federal system to get Wyoming recognized, but it has already brought a lot of attention to Wyoming.”
Gordon said he plans to build on those accomplishments if he is re-elected. He also hopes to reinvent the education model in the state, ensure an accessible and affordable health care system, continue to raise state workforce compensation and create a sustainable government that is not tied to commodity cycles for funding.
He said this does not mean abandoning legacy industries, but rather finding ways they can develop better and continuing diversification efforts. He acknowledged this would benefit addressing climate change, as well, which he has been a proponent of in the past.
“If you care about the climate, the way you address it is by letting the free market find the solutions,” he said. “Wyoming can provide those opportunities. And that’s not left or right, that’s just good sense.”
Energy is not just at the forefront of discussions between state political candidates, but rather receiving national attention due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. President Joe Biden banned the import of Russian oil, liquefied natural gas and coal to the U.S. at the beginning of March, which left many wondering how the gap would be filled.
Wyoming lawmakers such as Cheney and GOP Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis advocate the state become the arsenal of energy for the nation. They were not alone, as Gordon shared the same perspective, and he also pointed to the environmental benefits.
He said Biden reached out to Venezuela to help produce more oil in order to stabilize gas prices, but that country’s practices was not up to American standards. In his fight for oil and gas leasing on federal lands, he said the Biden administration was harming itself by not allowing the Western region to continue developing environmentally sensitive, premium energy. Working toward solutions in the industry is yet another objective in his campaign.
“We shoot our own people who care about the environment in the foot,” he said. “It just doesn’t make sense, which is why I said this year, ‘Mr. Biden, tear up your energy plan. Let America power the world.’”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyomingbusinessreport/industry_news/government_and_politics/gov-mark-gordon-seeks-re-election-following-first-term/article_4307c7ca-b5c5-11ec-b871-e71fbf988d84.html
| 2022-04-06T16:59:32Z
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https://www.kitv.com/news/local/wednesday-weather-clouds-linger-trade-winds-build-heavy-afternoon-showers-possible-for-big-island/article_02582cdc-b5b7-11ec-80b8-2b4619087bd8.html
| 2022-04-06T17:24:38Z
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Biden speaks to trade union national conference
Published: Apr. 6, 2022 at 12:07 PM EDT|Updated: 46 minutes ago
WASHINGTON (Gray News) - President Joe Biden made remarks Wednesday to the North America’s Building Trades Unions Legislative Conference.
Biden spoke to “thousands of national, state and local building trades leaders from across the country,” according to a statement.
The NABTU works to create economic security and job opportunities for its construction workers, according to the organization’s website. It represents more than 3 million professionals in the U.S. and Canada.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/biden-speak-trade-union-national-conference/
| 2022-04-06T17:42:21Z
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Cracker Jack adds a new face to its roster
(Gray News) – As one of baseball’s most iconic snacks, Cracker Jack is adding a new face to its roster – Cracker Jill.
“We’ve been so inspired by how girls and women are changing the face of the game, so in this spirit, we introduce Cracker Jill to show girls that they’re represented even in our most iconic snacks,” said Tina Mahal, vice president, marketing at Frito-Lay North America.
Cracker Jill is represented in five different ways on a series of special-edition bags that will be sold in baseball parks across the country.
The intention is for Jill to continue to join Sailor Jack as a member of the team and part of the brand moving forward.
Frito-Lay also collaborated with award-winning artist Normani to put a new spin on the old classic, “Take Me out the Ballgame,” encouraging females in sports.
“As a young girl, I remember being inspired by athletes and artists who looked like me,” said Normani. “They made me believe that I could also achieve greatness as I watched them break barriers for women.”
Cracker Jack is donating $200,000 to the Women’s Sports Foundation and will send a Cracker Jill back to fans who donate at least $5 to the national non-profit, while supplies last.
“Our Foundation is an ally, advocate and catalyst to help unlock the possibilities in every girl and woman through the power of sport,” said Danette Leighton, WSF CEO. “Representation matters - it encourages and inspires the next generation. It’s wonderful to see Cracker Jill come to life, emphasizing the power that representation can have by celebrating women who’ve broken barriers.”
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/cracker-jack-adds-new-face-its-roster/
| 2022-04-06T17:42:35Z
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Democrats accuse oil companies of ‘rip off’ on gas prices
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats on Wednesday accused oil companies of “ripping off the American people” and putting profits before production as Americans suffer from ever-increasing gasoline prices amid the war in Ukraine.
“At a time of record profits, Big Oil is refusing to increase production to provide the American people some much needed relief at the gas pump,” said Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Oil executives, testifying before Congress for the second time in six months, responded that oil is a global market and that oil companies don’t dictate prices.
“We do not control the market price of crude oil or natural gas, nor of refined products like gasoline and diesel fuel, and we have no tolerance for price gouging,” said Chevron CEO Mike Wirth.
The hearing comes as President Joe Biden has ordered the release of 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve for six months, a bid to control energy prices that have spiked after the United States and allies imposed steep sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The national average gas price was $4.16 a gallon for regular on Wednesday, up from $2.87 a year ago, according to AAA.
Biden and other Democrats have blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin and the U.S. oil industry, citing reports that oil companies have made record profits in recent months, as prices have risen following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“This is the Biden price hike,’’ countered Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state, the committee’s top Republican.
She said prices were increasing before Russia invaded Ukraine in late February. “The American people are too smart and have not fallen for this” claim by Biden and other Democrats, McMorris Rodgers said, calling the hearing “purely political.”
ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods told the committee that his company stands with communities around the world “in deploring Russia’s aggression and the devastation it has inflicted on the Ukrainian people.’’ Exxon has halted investments in Russia and is withdrawing from operations there, Woods said.
Exxon is increasing production in the United States, Woods said, including in the oil-rich Permian Basin in New Mexico and Texas. The company also is increasing production outside the U.S., including “a world-class development in Guyana,’’ Woods said.
Biden has called on Congress to impose financial penalties on companies that lease public lands but don’t produce oil, a request that so far has been ignored. Biden also invoked the Defense Production Act to encourage mining of critical minerals for batteries in electric vehicles, part of a broader push to shift to reduce use of fossil fuels and address climate change.
“The bottom line is if we want lower gas prices we need to have more oil supply right now,” Biden said last week in announcing the release of oil from the strategic petroleum reserve. “This is a moment of consequence and peril for the world, and pain at the pump for American families.”
Higher prices have hurt Biden’s approval domestically and added billions of oil-export dollars to the Russian government as it wages war on Ukraine.
The release of oil from the U.S. stockpile could reduce oil prices, although Biden has twice ordered releases from the reserves without causing a meaningful shift in oil markets. Biden said last week he expects gasoline prices could drop “fairly significantly.”
Oil companies have pledged to boost domestic production, but it is growing slowly. Executives point to supply chain and labor constraints, as well as investor demands for returns and have called for more federal permits to allow additional leases.
Under questioning from Pallone, Woods and other CEOs said oil companies have no plans to halt payments of dividends to stockholders or to restrict stock buybacks that have enriched shareholders and company executives. The six companies at the hearing recorded $77 billion in profits last year, they told Pallone.
Besides Exxon and Chevron, other companies represented at the hearing were Shell, BP, Pioneer Natural Resources and Devon Energy.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/democrats-accuse-oil-companies-rip-off-gas-prices/
| 2022-04-06T17:42:41Z
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Disney+ subscribers can save this summer at some resort hotels
(Gray News) – Disney+ subscribers can save at select Disney Resort hotels this summer.
People with the streaming service can save up to 25% on rooms for select Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts for stays most nights, July 8 – Sept. 30, 2022.
Just log in using the email associated with your Disney+ subscription to book online.
According to Disney, the hotels feature the same storytelling, detail and guest service found in the theme parks – including some familiar Disney friends hanging around.
Resort guests are also able to get into the four main parks 30 minutes early.
Valid admission and park reservation are required to enjoy the theme parks and special events and are not included in this offer.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/disney-subscribers-can-save-this-summer-some-resort-hotels/
| 2022-04-06T17:42:48Z
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Friends of Charity Auto Fair announces events
Published: Apr. 6, 2022 at 1:15 PM EDT|Updated: 27 minutes ago
BEAVER, W.Va. (WVVA) - Hospice of Southern West Virginia and Friends of Charity teamed up to announce the events for this year’s auto fair.
The events will include carnival rides, petting zoos, a burnout competition, and a live concert from country music artist Rodney Atkins.
A spokesperson for the event says it’s one of their biggest fundraisers of the year.
For more information on the Friends of Charity Auto Fair, you can visit their website at www.wv.autofair.com
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/friends-charity-auto-fair-announces-events/
| 2022-04-06T17:43:04Z
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Man comes home to find tornado damage after taking wife off life support
WETUMPKA, Ala. (WSFA/Gray News) - A man in Alabama came home to find his house severely damaged by a tornado after taking his wife off life support at the hospital earlier that day.
Frank Senn’s wife fell down the stairs and broke her neck two weeks ago, severing her spinal cord. Eventually, doctors told him there was nothing else they could do for his wife, and the decision was made to take her off life support Tuesday.
Senn said his wife has not yet passed away but will spend her remaining days off life support at a care facility.
“My world is gone,” Senn said.
Senn had been at a hospital in Birmingham for days staying by his wife’s side. Then he came home to find his property in Wetumpka destroyed.
Officials confirmed at least one tornado touched down in Wetumpka on Tuesday with a path of damage 11 miles long. Senn believes that tornado directly hit his property.
The siding of his home has been damaged, and his barn, boat and Camaro were flattened by trees.
“The barn was a two-story barn from 1944, but it looks like a tornado took care of it,” Senn said, pointing to the roof of his barn now missing.
After facing the heartbreak of removing his wife from life support, Senn now faces another battle – cleaning up after the storm.
Senn’s family said it has been a really difficult time, and they are asking for prayers. If you would like to help him financially, you can send money to his Cash App account $rangerfarms.
Copyright 2022 WSFA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/man-comes-home-find-tornado-damage-after-taking-wife-off-life-support/
| 2022-04-06T17:43:10Z
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Man facing charges after neighbor catches him peeping on little girls through window, police say
DRACUT, Mass. (WCVB) – Police in Massachusetts are seeking charges against a man accused of looking into the window of a little girl.
The girl, 5-year-old Aliza, and her 2-year-old sister are fortunately OK, but their mother, Emmarie Albert, said the two of them got quite the scare early Monday morning.
“The dog starts barking at the window, so he’s barking out the window and then she starts screaming that there’s somebody in her window,” Albert said.
As the sisters were in their bedroom, a neighbor letting her dog out around 2:15 a.m. saw the suspect right outside their window.
The neighbor, who wanted to remain anonymous, said the man took off, but his truck was still in the lot until around 4 a.m. when neighbors say they saw him drive off.
“I followed him and called the police and stayed on the phone with them and led them ... to where he was,” the neighbor said.
Police stopped the driver and plan to file charges as the family wonders why he came to their apartment.
“I don’t know why or what he wanted or what his deal was or if he has been watching us or I don’t know,” Albert said. “I think he’s a pervert. I mean, I don’t … there’s no other reason.”
The owner of the complex has a no trespassing order for the suspect.
Copyright 2022 WCVB via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/man-facing-charges-after-neighbor-catches-him-peeping-little-girls-through-window-police-say/
| 2022-04-06T17:43:21Z
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Residents clear trees, assess damage from southern storms
PEMBROKE, Ga. (AP) — Southerners were clearing trees from roads and buildings as weather forecasters planned to survey damage from several possible tornadoes in Georgia and South Carolina, but said that effort could be interrupted by the potential for more storms Wednesday.
Tuesday’s storms killed at least two people — one in Texas and another in Georgia — and left thousands of people without power across the South.
More than 7,000 customers in Texas and more than 5,000 in Georgia remained without power early Wednesday, according to PowerOutage.us, which tracks outages nationwide.
In southeast Georgia, a woman was found dead Tuesday night amid the shredded wreckage of her mobile home in the unincorporated community of Ellabell, said Bryan County Coroner Bill Cox.
“It was just completely ripped to pieces,” Cox said Wednesday. “It’s like it exploded.”
Cox said the dead woman’s husband was taken to a hospital with injuries. He did not give her name, saying relatives were still being notified.
A motorist’s cellphone video taken in Bryan County showed a large funnel cloud crossing Interstate 16 as drivers braked and pulled to the side of the roadway about 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Savannah.
In the county seat of Pembroke, large sections of roof got torn off the courthouse and the entryway to a government building across was demolished. Several people in nearby neighborhoods were injured as their homes were damaged, said Matthew Kent, a Bryan County government spokesperson.
In East Texas, W. M. Soloman, 71, died when storm winds toppled a tree onto his home in Whitehouse, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Dallas, Whitehouse Mayor James Wansley said.
As the storms moved into South Carolina late Tuesday, a debate was delayed for nearly an hour in the South Carolina legislature after the state House chamber was evacuated for a tornado warning for Columbia. The legislation being debated would require athletes to compete with the gender listed on their birth certificates.
About a dozen homes were destroyed or heavily damaged in Allendale County, South Carolina. Tractors and other equipment were flipped and twisted on a number of farms in South Carolina’s least populated county. Other storms caused damage to solar panels near Bowman and flipped vehicles and shopping carts in a Walmart parking lot in Manning.
In Alabama, the weather service said it was sending survey teams to examine potential tornado damage in the Wetumpka area. Lightning struck a flea market in the northern Alabama community of Lacey’s Spring, causing a fire that gutted the building, news outlets reported.
In Mississippi, fallen trees and limbs closed a stretch of highway for hours in Newton County.
Several tornadoes are expected across a large part of the South on Wednesday, the national Storm Prediction Center said.
“The atmosphere will be primed again for more severe storms as we go through Wednesday,” said Jared Guyer, a forecaster at the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.
Parts of Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee will be at greatest risk of severe weather. That area of heightened risk includes several large cities, including Atlanta; Birmingham, Alabama; and Knoxville, Tennessee.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/residents-clear-trees-assess-damage-southern-storms/
| 2022-04-06T17:43:27Z
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Family Marketplace Consignment Sale returns to Beckley
BECKLEY, W.Va. (WVVA) - If you’re having a tough time with inflation right now, you’re not alone. Those interested in getting a little relief on Spring shopping for their family are encouraged to head to Memorial Baptist Church in Beckley this Saturday and Sunday. That’s where the Family Marketplace Consignment Sale will be happening from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
The sale will offer discounted prices on everything from gently-used baby gear to Spring clothes for children of all ages.
On Saturday, all prices will be marked half off from the discounted rates during Friday’s sale.
“It’s our biggest sale yet. And I know a lot of families are noticing the increasing prices of toys and clothes. we have 130 local families who have brought in their best stuff this year,” explained organizer Amanda Arnold.
Arnold said shoppers may reserve a shopping time ahead of time by heading to the organization’s Facebook page ‘Family Marketplace Consignment Sale.’
While shoppers may be asked to pay a small fee to reserve a spot, Arnold said that money will be credited back at the checkout.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/family-marketplace-consignment-sale-returns-beckley/
| 2022-04-06T19:13:36Z
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FDA warns of raw oysters potentially contaminated with norovirus
(Gray News) – The Food and Drug Administration is working with Canadian food and health agencies to investigate a multi-state outbreak of norovirus illnesses linked to raw oysters from British Columbia.
The oysters were distributed to restaurants and retailers in at least 13 states, the FDA confirmed.
These states include:
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- Nevada
- New York
- Oregon
- Texas
- Washington
The FDA says oysters can cause illness if eaten raw, particularly in people with compromised immune systems.
Food contaminated with norovirus may also look, smell and taste normal.
Norovirus can infect people of all ages, and the most common symptoms of infection are diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain. Additional symptoms can include fever, headache and body ache.
These symptoms will usually develop 12 to 48 hours after exposure to the virus. People typically recover from norovirus in one to three days.
To protect yourself from norovirus infection, the FDA urges you to avoid eating raw oysters in any of the locations listed above. If you have any of the products, the agency recommends throwing them away or returning them to the distributor.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. CNN Newsource contributed to this report.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/fda-warns-raw-oysters-potentially-contaminated-with-norovirus/
| 2022-04-06T19:13:42Z
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Fed signals more aggressive steps to fight inflation
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve officials are signaling that they will take a more aggressive approach to fighting high inflation in the coming months — actions that will make borrowing sharply more expensive for consumers and businesses and heighten risks to the economy.
In minutes from their policy meeting three weeks ago released Wednesday, Fed officials said that aggressive half-point rate hikes, rather than traditional quarter-point increases — “could be appropriate” multiple times this year. At last month’s meeting, many of the Fed policymakers favored a half-point increase, the minutes said, but held off because of the uncertainties created by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Instead, the Fed raised its key short-term rate by a quarter-point and signaled that it planned to continue raising rates well into next year.
The minutes said the Fed is also moving closer to rapidly shrinking its huge $9 trillion stockpile of bonds in the coming months, a move that would contribute to higher borrowing costs. The policymakers said they would likely cut their holdings by about $95 billion a month — nearly double the pace they implemented five years ago when they last shrank their balance sheet.
The plan to quickly draw down their bond holdings marks the latest move by Fed officials to accelerate their inflation-fighting efforts. Prices are rising at the fastest pace in four decades, and the officials in recent speeches have expressed increasing concern about getting inflation under control.
Financial markets now expect much steeper hikes this year than Fed officials had signaled as recently as their meeting in mid-March.
Higher rates from the Fed will heighten borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and corporate loans. In doing so, the Fed hopes to cool economic growth and rising wages enough to rein in high inflation, which has caused hardships for millions of households and poses a severe political threat to President Joe Biden.
Many economists have said they worry that the Fed has waited too long to begin raising rates and that the policymakers might end up responding so aggressively as to trigger a recession.
Chair Jerome Powell opened the door two weeks ago to increasing rates by as much as a half-point at upcoming meetings, rather than by a traditional quarter-point. The Fed hasn’t carried out any half-point rate increases since 2000. Lael Brainard, a key member of the Fed’s Board of Governors, and other officials have also made clear that such sharp increases are possible. Most economists now expect the Fed to raise rates by a half-point at both its May and June meetings.
In a speech Tuesday, Brainard underscored the Fed’s increasing aggressiveness by saying that the central bank’s bond holdings will “shrink considerably more rapidly” over “a much shorter period” than the last time the Fed reduced its balance sheet, from 2017-2019. At that time, the balance sheet was about $4.5 trillion. Now, it’s twice as large.
The Fed bought trillions of dollars of Treasurys and mortgage-backed securities after the pandemic hammered the economy, with the goal of lowering longer-term borrowing rates. It also cut its short-term benchmark rate to near zero. Last month, it increased that rate to a range between 0.25% and 0.5%, its first increase in three years.
As a sign of how fast the Fed is reversing its policy, the last time the Fed purchased bonds, there was a three-year gap between when it stopped its purchases, in 2014, and when it began reducing the balance sheet, in 2017. Now that shift is likely to happen in as few as three months, economists say.
Brainard’s remarks caused a sharp rise in the interest rate on the 10-year Treasury note, a key rate that influences mortgage rates, business loans and other borrowing costs. On Wednesday, that rate reached 2.6%, up from 2.3% just a week earlier, a sharp increase for that rate. A month ago, it was just 1.7%.
Shorter-term bond yields have jumped even higher, in some cases to above the 10-year yield, a pattern that has in the past been seen as a sign of an impending recession. Fed officials say, however, that shorter-term bond market yields aren’t flashing the same warning signals.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/fed-signals-more-aggressive-steps-fight-inflation/
| 2022-04-06T19:13:49Z
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AG Garland, Commerce Sec. Raimondo test positive for COVID-19
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland has tested positive for COVID-19 and will quarantine at home for five days, the Justice Department said Wednesday.
Garland is the second Cabinet official to announce a positive test result on Wednesday. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo also tested positive for the virus using an at-home antigen test.
The announcement from the Justice Department comes hours after Garland held a news conference in Washington, standing side-by-side with the deputy attorney general, FBI director and other Justice Department officials.
The Justice Department says Garland asked to be tested “after learning that he may have been exposed to the virus.” Officials say he is not experiencing symptoms, is fully vaccinated and has received a booster.
The Justice Department said Garland would isolate at his home for at least five days and work remotely. The department said it would also conduct contact tracing in line with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Raimondo’s office said she was experiencing “mild symptoms” and was sharing the news “out of an abundance of transparency.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/garland-raimondo-test-positive-covid-19/
| 2022-04-06T19:13:55Z
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Lawmaker advances Upper Big Branch exhibit at Exhibition Coal Mine
BECKLEY, W.Va. (WVVA) - A day after people across Southern W.Va. remembered one of the deadliest mining disasters in U.S. history, a local lawmaker is working to ensure the lessons learned from that day are never forgotten.
Del. Mick Bates, (R) Raleigh County, is working to channel an endowment through the Beckley Area Foundation (BAF) toward an educational exhibit at the Exhibition Coal Mine in Beckley, which was recently named one of the top ten history museums in the U.S. by USA Today.
While remembering lives lost is paramount, he said it is also important for visitors to learn about safety advancements made after the explosion. One of those includes the rescue chambers that became an industry standard after the explosion.
“By doing that, we can link this memorial marker (in Uptown) to the memorial in Whitesville and people will be able to hear the story about what happened on that terrible day and the days that followed. We’re pleased to be able to do that and see the project through,” said Del. Bates.
Del. Bates hopes to have a conceptual plan for what the exhibit will look like in the near future.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/lawmaker-advances-upper-big-branch-educational-exhibit-exhibition-coal-mine/
| 2022-04-06T19:14:02Z
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Louisiana mom accused of sending child to day care with meth, Xanax
OUACHITA PARISH, La. (KNOE) - Louisiana State Police said they arrested a woman accused of accidentally sending her child to day care with various drugs in the child’s lunch bag.
According to an arrest report, it happened Tuesday in Ouachita Parish. Authorities said a state trooper received a call from a day care regarding a child dropped off by Jennifer Wise, 35.
The report states that a search of the bag revealed about one gram of methamphetamine, five and a half clonazepam pills, and half a bar of Xanax.
Wise was located at her home. She reportedly told police that she had misplaced the drugs and had been looking for them.
State police said she also told investigators she had an “eight ball” of meth in her room. Investigators said they searched the room and found about nine grams of meth, and scales and baggies they said are commonly used in the distribution of drugs.
Police said she admitted to buying all of the drugs for $75 the day prior.
She was booked at Ouachita Correctional Center on six different drug charges, four of which are felonies, including possession with intent to distribute.
Copyright 2022 KNOE via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/louisiana-mom-accused-sending-child-day-care-with-meth-xanax/
| 2022-04-06T19:14:09Z
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Judge acquits man of misdemeanors in Capitol riot trial
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday acquitted a New Mexico man of misdemeanor charges that he illegally entered the U.S. Capitol and engaged in disorderly conduct after he walked into the building during last year’s riot.
U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden issued the verdict from the bench after hearing testimony without a jury in the case against Matthew Martin. McFadden, who was nominated by former President Donald Trump, acquitted Martin of all four counts for which he was charged.
Martin did not dispute that he joined hundreds of other people in entering the Capitol building during the riot. He is the third Capitol riot defendant whose case has been resolved by a trial. He is the first of the three to be acquitted of all charges that he faced,
The first two Capitol riot trials ended with convictions, although McFadden acquitted one of those defendants of a disorderly conduct charge after a bench trial last month. A fourth trial is being held this week in Washington, D.C., for a former Virginia police officer charged in the attack.
Martin was among hundreds of people charged with federal crimes arising from the siege on Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters disrupted Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s 2020 electoral victory.
Martin, whose bench trial started Tuesday, testified that a police officer waved him into the building after the riot erupted. A prosecutor dismissed that testimony as “nonsense.”
Martin was charged with four misdemeanor counts: entering and remaining in a restricted building, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and parading, demonstrating or picketing in a Capitol building.
Dozens of Capitol riot defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced, but Martin is the first to testify at a trial. He said he “went with the flow” as he approached the Capitol and testified that he saw a police officer wave him into the building. Martin remained inside the Capitol for about 10 minutes after entering the building through the Rotunda doors, according to prosecutors.
Martin said he “enjoyed the day” of the riot.
“It was a magical day in many ways,” he testified on Tuesday before adding, “I know some bad things happened.”
“You understand that police officers died?” Justice Department prosecutor Michael Romano asked Martin.
At least nine people died in the riot or its aftermath. More than 100 police officers were injured. One officer died after he collapsed hours after being sprayed with bear spray and other officers who tried to quell the riot have died by suicide in the months following the attack.
Prosecutors said Martin, an engineer, worked for a government contractor at the National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, and held a top-secret security clearance on Jan. 6. Martin said he actually worked at a different facility in Los Alamos.
Defense attorney Dan Cron said Martin saw another person shake a police officer’s hand after entering the Capitol. Martin placed his hand on an officer’s shoulder “as a gesture of thanks and of good will,” Cron said.
“It was a very loud scene there. There was a lot going on there to try to process,” Cron told the judge.
Martin isn’t accused of engaging in any violence or destruction.
“The whole time he’s in there he’s just standing there,” Cron said.
Romano, the Justice Department prosecutor, said Martin joined the mob in crowding police officers who were trying to disperse the crowd. The prosecutor said Martin knew that he wasn’t allowed to be in the Capitol.
“The idea that he thought he had permission to do that is nonsense,” Romano said.
Other riot defendants have also claimed police waved them in or said they could enter, but it is unclear how that testimony will be viewed by the courts.
McFadden presided over a bench trial last month for Cuoy Griffin, a county official in New Mexico who helped found a group called Cowboys for Trump. The judge on March 22 convicted Griffin of illegally entering restricted U.S. Capitol grounds but acquitted him of engaging in disorderly conduct.
On March 8, a jury decided the first Capitol riot trial by convicting a Texas man, Guy Reffitt, of storming the Capitol with a holstered handgun. Jurors also convicted Reffitt of obstructing Congress’ joint session to certify the Electoral College vote, interfering with police officers who were guarding the Capitol and threatening his two teenage children if they reported him to law enforcement.
Reffitt and Griffin entered restricted areas outside the Capitol but not the building itself.
Meanwhile, a jury trial started on Tuesday for a former police officer from Virginia who is charged with storming the Capitol with a fellow officer.
A federal prosecutor said former Rocky Mount police officer Thomas Robertson stormed the Capitol because he believed the 2020 presidential election had been stolen from Trump and he wanted to interfere with the certification of the Electoral College vote.
The other former officer, Jacob Fracker, pleaded guilty to a riot-related charge and could be a key witness for prosecutors. Robertson’s trial resumed on Wednesday with testimony from a Metropolitan Police Department officer who supervised other officers during the riot.
More than 770 people have been charged with riot-related federal crimes. Over 240 of them have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors, and over 140 of them have been sentenced.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/man-who-testified-his-capitol-riot-trial-awaits-verdict/
| 2022-04-06T19:14:18Z
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Police identify body found in Tazewell County
Published: Apr. 6, 2022 at 2:53 PM EDT|Updated: 19 minutes ago
TAZEWELL COUNTY, Va. (WVVA) - The Tazewell Police Department have identified the body that was found in Tazewell County on Tuesday.
George David Whitt, 71, of Tazewell County was found in a creek across from the Tazewell Carilion Community Hospital.
Police say that Whitt was at the hospital to receive mental help, but left before being seen by a doctor.
It was also stated that no foul play has been suspected.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/police-identify-body-found-tazewell-county/
| 2022-04-06T19:14:24Z
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Gov. Kate Brown shared the stage with others as they celebrated the plan she hopes will transform Oregon's future economy and workforce.
A ceremonial signing of Senate Bill 1545, which enacts the $200 million plan known as Future Ready Oregon plan, took place Tuesday on Intel's Ronler Acres campus in Hillsboro. Brown signed the actual legislation on March 17.
Brown spoke for only a few minutes. She described the plan as "a game-changing investment for working Oregonians," but left it to others to talk about its creation and execution.
The plan blends $123 million in federal funds, mostly from President Joe Biden's pandemic recovery legislation, with $76 million from the state budget. Some money will go to the existing network of regional workforce development boards, and some money will go to competitive grants to organizations for innovative ways to reach, train and support would-be workers left behind in previous economic recoveries.
"It will give Oregonians the education, the training and the resources they need to get into good-paying careers at places like — let me think — Intel and other key industries across the state," said Pia Wilson-Body, president of the Intel Foundation.
"I would be remiss if I did not point out that these investments prioritize our underserved communities … to ensure a diverse, skilled and equitable workforce."
Among the groups are women, people of color, veterans, low-income and rural residents.
Oregon has regained 82% of the jobs lost two years ago, when the onset of the coronavirus pandemic resulted in a record one-month jump in the statewide unemployment rate from 3.5% to 13.3%. The rate in February, the most recent available, was 4%. State economists say Oregon is on track to a full recovery later this year.
"But I know that the cost of living is on the rise, and we need to do the work so that every Oregonian benefits from it," Brown said. "I know Future Ready Oregon will do just that."
Plan origins
Brown created the Racial Justice Council in 2020 after the racial justice protests stemming from the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. The two leaders of a council work group, both involved in workforce development efforts for many years, said it was time for a new effort that would result in something different.
"COVID-19 did not create these barriers. COVID-19 exposed them," said Patsy Richards, director of LongTerm Care Works for the RISE Partnership in Portland.
"We wanted to send a clear message: There are no invisible people in Oregon. Equitable access through career pathways to sustained wages is the overarching goal of Future Ready Oregon. Senate Bill 1545 shines a needed light on our workforce."
Marin Areolla III came from Silicon Valley years ago and is president of Advanced Economic Solutions in Salem.
"I feel on this one, my time has been well invested," he said. "They have been disengaged from our workforce system. The time is now."
It also won key support from the Oregon Business Council, among the sponsors of the Dec. 6 conference during which Brown unveiled the plan's outlines. Legislative committees heard more details just before the 2022 session got underway on Feb. 1.
PGE, Intel weigh in
Executives from two of Oregon's largest employers also praised the plan.
Anne Mersereau is a vice president at Portland General Electric and chair of the Oregon Workforce Talent Development Board. Portland General Electric and Pacific Power, the two largest private utilities that supply power to about 70% of Oregon's customers, also supported 2021 legislation that sets a goal of carbon-free power by 2040.
"New developments and technological advances mean there are new careers and necessary skill sets that we never even imagined. Many of these jobs will take years to fully realize, given the training involved," Mersereau said.
"We believe the transition to a clean energy future must be equitable and inclusive. We want our workforce to represent the diverse makeup of our customers. This bill will help remove barriers for underrepresented communities looking to enter the workforce and create more access and equitable opportunities for so many."
Jeff Birdsall is an Intel vice president at the Ronler Acres campus, one of four in Hillsboro and Aloha that employ a total of more than 20,000 people — making Intel Oregon's largest private employer.
"In alignment with Intel's RISE 2030 goals, workforce investments help individuals get a foothold in the labor market, increase economic mobility, and build strong communities," he said. "Future Ready Oregon will extend our partnerships and help create the workforce Oregon needs for sustainable growth of its technology and manufacturing sectors."
The plan includes $1.5 million for the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to measure the plan's progress, plus money to coordinate efforts on the three economic sectors that figure prominently in the plan — health care, construction and manufacturing. Technology figures into all of them.
The plan passed 23-3 in the Senate and 48-10 in the House.
Mark Mitsui is the retiring president of Portland Community College, Oregon's largest institution of higher education by student enrollment.
"The Legislature's support for and approval of Future Ready Oregon is another example of Oregon's collective commitment to creating an equal system of opportunity for all Oregonians," he said.
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https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/gov-brown-shares-credit-for-oregon-job-training-plan/article_80e9bc6d-eab5-5ca9-89c4-063b2c8c1607.html
| 2022-04-06T19:17:56Z
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This is Keno Elementary School fourth-grader Abbi Brown's drawing of "Fairness" that won the regional and statewide Character Counts essay and drawing contest.
This is Keno Elementary School fourth-grader Abbi Brown's drawing of "Fairness" that won the regional and statewide Character Counts essay and drawing contest.
Courtesy of the Klamath County School District
Abbi Brown, a fourth-grader from Keno Elementary School
Keno Elementary School fourth-grader Abbi Brown is the regional and statewide winner of the 2022 Character Counts essay and drawing contest.
The Character Counts essay contest, an annual event hosted by the National Association for Family and Community Education (NAFCE), is designed to help students learn about six pillars of character – citizenship, trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, and caring. Each year, NAFCE chooses (via a rotation) one pillar to showcase for the nationwide contest. This year the selected pillar was fairness. Students created a drawing and then wrote an essay that explained their drawing and why the selected pillar is important.
Several students in Shelley Rosser’s Keno Elementary fourth-grade class participated this year. Rosser marketed it to students as an extra-credit assignment. Brown won the statewide contest after submitting her work to local and state judges.
With her victory, Brown will receive two $100 Visa gift cards, one for her first-place finish in the local contest, and one for her finish in the state contest. Her work also will be entered in NAFCE’s national competition. The winner of the national contest wins a $250 Visa gift card.
When asked how she plans on spending her winnings, Brown said that she will “put it in savings for college."
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https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/keno-student-wins-state-character-counts-essay-contest/article_ab43c562-3fa7-5b0f-bfff-4c4fab8a5bda.html
| 2022-04-06T19:18:02Z
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Klamath Film will host a special screening of films highlighting environmental efforts at an Earth Day screening held at the Favell Museum on Thursday, April 21.
April is Earth Month, a celebration of sustainability and learning how citizens can make the world a better place. In preparation for Earth Day on April 22, there is a unique opportunity happening in downtown Klamath Falls to celebrate regional environmental efforts.
Klamath Film, a 501c3 nonprofit that seeks to inspire and support film through programming, education, and outreach, will host a night of environmental documentaries screened at the Favell Museum, on Thursday, April 21, from 7-9 p.m. The program will include three short films covering tribal and water issues, along with a feature-length film by an Oregon water and conservation production group.
The first film will be an award-winning short by Shane Anderson on the impacts on the Klamath River dams on local tribes, "Guardians of the River." The film was prominently featured at the 2021 Klamath Independent Film Festival, where it won the Best Southern Short Film award. The next film, "Bring the Salmon Home," is a sibling project to the first film, highlighting tribal activism and the importance of salmon to indigenous people and their historical significance. Additionally, filmmaker Michelle Alvarado, also a veteran of the Klamath Independent Film Festival, will be screening her film, "Heal the Land, Heal the People." This short film explores the perspective from the Klamath Tribes on the environmental balance in the Klamath Basin, and what is needed to protect and restore it.
Lastly, the evening will culminate with a feature-length film from Freshwaters Illustrated, a world-renowned environmental film production nonprofit based out of Corvallis. "Upriver" is a film detailing the watershed movement in conservation, focusing on people from all walks of life who are coming together to revive the health of the Willamette River system.
Tickets are $10, or $5 for Klamath Film members. Seating is limited, tickets may be purchased in advance at www.klamathfilm.org. Light refreshments will be provided, along with a raffle ticket for each attendee. Raffle prizes have been generously donated from local businesses and organizations, and additional raffle tickets can be purchased for $5 each.
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https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/klamath-film-presents-first-annual-earth-day-film-night/article_ccf97010-1d7f-5384-b562-3edd7d8ba557.html
| 2022-04-06T19:18:09Z
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On April Fool's Day, Nike founder Phil Knight gave $750,000 to a 2022 campaign for governor, but this time the joke is on Republicans and Democrats.
Knight's contributions to the insurgent campaign of former Sen. Betsy Johnson of Scappoose now total $1 million, seven months before the Nov. 7 general election.
It's a clear sign that Knight sees Johnson's unaffiliated campaign as the best shot at ending Democrats' 35-year hold on Oregon's governorship.
It's a switch from 2018, when Knight gave early and often — and very big — to former Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Bend, who lost the general election to incumbent Kate Brown. His $2.5 million in contributions primed the GOP pump to compete with Democrats in a race that cost nearly $40 million for Brown to win.
The Knight money will require responses from contributors to Democrats and Republicans, especially after the May 17 primary.
Thomas Wheatley, a consultant for the governor's campaign of former House Speaker Tina Kotek, D-Portland, said Democrats are taking notice of the rising level of spending in the state and will stay competitive.
"Democrats in Oregon and the national party understand the importance of winning the state," Wheatley said. "Democrats have a strong history of doing what it takes."
Republican consultant and former state lawmaker Bill Post said Johnson is benefiting for the moment from a lack of opponents — the winners of the primary will define the race.
"There is no Republican nominee yet or any media attention yet on Betsy Johnson's extensive record of voting with Tina Kotek," Post said. "Betsy was a Democrat three years ago when she voted yes on the Corporate Activity Tax."
Post said despite a long drought in races for Oregon governor, he believes national Republicans know there is opportunity in Oregon this year. Democratic resources are spread thin trying to defend dozens of political hotspots.
"When it comes to the general election, with a strong Republican candidate who stands up for our values, the funding will turn to that candidate," Post said.
For now, the fundraising gap looks large. Johnson has over $5.1 million in the bank.
Only two candidates among the 34 in the May primary have more than $1 million in the bank from widespread fundraising as of Tuesday: Kotek has $1.15 million, while former House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, R-Canby, has $1.18 million.
Lake Oswego consultant and attorney Bob Tiernan, a Republican, has $1,126,795, which includes $500,000 contributions each from himself and Grants Pass LLC, with which he is affiliated.
Treasurer Tobias Read has raised over $1.3 million in the past two years and has $888,895 on hand.
Johnson will need the money since she won't have the massive pockets of the two national and state parties to depend on. She needs to run a signature campaign to qualify to submit just under 25,000 valid signatures to the secretary of state by the end of August to secure a spot on the general election ballot.
A likely three-way race between the Democratic and Republican primary winners, along with Johnson, could eclipse the 2018 spending record.
In 2022, the winners of the Democratic and Republican primary will get an infusion of national campaign cash, especially Democrats looking to push their winning streak for governor to almost four decades.
But times have changed since four years ago. The Democratic "Blue Wave" has switched to a Republican "Red Tide."
This election, Democrats are on the defense. Along with any current political issues, the Democrats are fighting the course of political history.
The party of new presidents usually loses seats in Congress in the first midterm election, an average of about 25 seats.
Democrats are hanging on to majorities in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House by their fingernails. The House majority is down to 221-209 with five vacancies, well within the average midterm margin of loss to give the chamber back to Republicans.
The U.S. Senate has a 50-50 split between Republicans and Democrats. Just as Republicans actually picked up seats in the otherwise disastrous 2018 midterm, the staggered six-year terms of the 100 senators are harder to forecast.
Democrats will need major fundraising to retain seats in Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada. The Center for Politics at the University of Virginia has moved the re-election of veteran U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, from likely Democratic to leaning Democratic. GOP money has been flocking to the likely Republican nominee, Tiffany Smiley, who reported raising over $900,000 in federal financial disclosure forms covering the last three-months.
Republicans have to defend 20 governorships vs. 16 for Democrats.
That will make demands on political money across the nation. While labor unions for Democrats and business groups for Republicans may rally to the Oregon primary winners, Knight throwing down his wallet as a challenge could curb enthusiasm, depending on who comes out of the May 17 election.
That is in stark contrast to four years ago, when the race was one-on-one between the two major parties.
Democrats were looking to ride the wave of discontent with President Donald Trump, who won the White House in 2016. That led to big wins across the country and in Oregon. An unlikely close race in Oregon for governor spooked Democratic contributors, who let loose with a firehose of funds, trading six- and seven-figure contributions with Republicans right up to election day.
Voter turnout nationwide rose from 83 million in 2014 — the midterm after President Barack Obama won a second term — to 113 million in 2018, two years after Trump's election. Democrats flipped 40 GOP-held districts to take control of the U.S. House with a 235-199 majority. Democrats picked up seven governorships, leaving the GOP with a narrower 27-23 advantage. The outlier was the U.S. Senate. With its staggered six-year terms, Republicans actually picked up two seats, to take a 53-47 majority.
In Oregon, Democrats won supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature. A quartet of initiatives backed by many Republicans were shot down by voters.
Brown won with 50.1% of the vote to 43.7% for Buehler, with the remainder going to other candidates. The governor called it a "slam dunk" on election night, but Brown had just over half the 11% winning margin of Hillary Clinton's win in Oregon over Trump in 2016.
Info box:
Other GOP candidates for governor candidates with over $10,000 in current funds:
• Bend social media and marketing consultant Brandon Merritt has $33,367 in the bank
• Redmond businessman Bill Sizemore has $12,860 in the bank.
• Baker City Mayor Kerry McQuisten: $34,117 in the bank. McQuisten has raised and spent over $100,000.
• Tigard businessman Nicholas Hess has raised and spent over $100,000 but has a negative balance in his account.
• Former school superintendent Marc Thielman, who lives in Cottage Grove, has raised and spent over $140,000, and has $23,070.
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https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/knights-million-is-opening-gambit-in-high-stakes-governors-race/article_5ab6969d-c9e7-5430-b9cc-3f0eaf378ae3.html
| 2022-04-06T19:18:15Z
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The Oregon Tech softball team dropped from No. 1 to No. 2 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) coaches' poll released Wednesday.
Oklahoma City took over the top spot with six first-place votes and 510 ballot points. OIT got five votes for first and 509 total points.
Because of inclement weather, the Owls (33-6 overall, 18-2 Cascade Conference) were forced to play a rare tripleheader Saturday at British Columbia. OIT won the first two games, 2-1 and 6-3, before losing the finale 5-4.
Prep baseball
Henley 11, Etna 8: Matt Douglas went 3 for 4 with two triples and three RBI to lead the host Hornets (8-1) to the nonleague victory Tuesday.
Teammate Hunter Schwenk went 2 for 4 with a double and triple and scored three times. Leo Ahalt, Issac Orndorf and Mark Carpenter added two hits apiece for Henley.
Mazama 6, Crater 5: Drew Raebel hit a three-run homer in the first inning and the visiting Vikings (4-6) held on to win on the road Tuesday.
Brody Hubble went 2 for 4 for Mazama, which built a 6-1 lead through three innings.
Nathan Baker got the victory, allowing two runs on two hits in four innings with six strikeouts.
Prep softball
Bonanza 12-11, Illinois Valley 1-1: The visiting Antlers swept the doubleheader, the second game of which was their 2A/1A Special District 5 opener.
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https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/oregon-tech-softball-team-drops-to-no-2-in-naia-rankings/article_999b43e4-e67d-53c8-8f98-2081310ae581.html
| 2022-04-06T19:18:21Z
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Oregon voters who aren’t registered with any political party reached a significant milestone in March: They now outnumber Democrats.
Nonaffiliated voters have long been the second largest bloc in the state, behind Democrats and ahead of Republicans. Their continued growth, due in part to a 2015 law that automatically registered people getting or renewing driver’s licenses as nonaffiliated voters, could give them more political power.
But they don’t get a say in picking candidates in most primary elections.
When county clerks mail ballots in May, nonaffiliated voters will see one major statewide race for the nonpartisan commissioner of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, some state and local judges and possibly other local races, depending on where they live. They won’t get to vote on nominees for Congress, governor or the Oregon Legislature.
Nonaffiliated voters have until April 26 to change their party registration and become eligible to vote in the Democratic or Republican primary. They can switch their registration back after that.
News that nonaffiliated voters surpassed registered Democrats brought more attention to a pending attempt to change the Oregon Constitution to allow all voters to participate in state-funded primary elections. Ed Doyle, president of Oregon Open Primaries and the chief petitioner for the proposed constitutional amendment, said he’s been a registered voter with both major parties at different points in his life and was always frustrated by how primaries limited his choices.
“I’ve always kind of been bothered by the fact that I was limited,” he said. “I’ve always voted for the person, not the party, and very frequently I was limited on who I could choose.”
Doyle and other petitioners gathered more than 1,000 signatures from Oregon voters, the first step in getting a proposed amendment on the ballot. They’re now reviewing a draft ballot title from the Oregon Justice Department, and once that ballot title is complete, they must collect nearly 150,000 signatures from Oregon voters by July 8 for the measure to appear on the November ballot.
It’s a difficult task for a group that now has about $6,500 in a campaign bank account and will need to pay petition circulators.
“It’s really an uphill battle for us to actually get the signatures in order to get on the ballot,” Doyle said. “It will really depend on funding as we go forward.”
The proposed initiative is simple – just a two-sentence addition to a section of the Constitution. It would require that all voters be able to vote in a state-funded primary for any candidate for Congress, U.S. Senate, the Oregon Legislature and statewide elected offices like governor, regardless of political party.
It wouldn’t apply to presidential primaries or to partisan primaries for local races like county commission.
It also doesn’t prescribe how the state would hold open primary elections, just that all voters must be able to vote for all candidates. That could take the form of the top-two primaries held in Washington and California, or it could resemble a new Alaska election system that will be used for the first time in a special congressional election this summer.
Alaska voters in 2020 established an open primary that sends the top four vote-getters to a general election. Voters then rank their first through fourth choices in the general election, and if no candidate is the first choice of more than 50% of voters, vote tabulators look at the second choices from voters who picked the candidate who came in last place.
In some other Western states, nonaffiliated voters can participate in primaries – but they have to choose a party’s ballot. In Colorado, nonaffiliated voters receive both Democratic and Republican ballots in the mail and choose one to fill out.
In Arizona, nonaffiliated voters who opted to receive ballots by mail have to contact their county clerk ahead of time to request a Republican or Democratic ballot. Otherwise, they can go to a polling place in person and ask for a partisan ballot.
Doyle said a system like that in Colorado or Arizona isn’t the goal, but that the initiative is purposefully vague on what Oregon’s election system should look like. It would force the Legislature to pass laws that would comply with the amended Constitution.
“It may be top two,” he said. “It may be top four. It may be something completely different. Our initiative isn’t defining the solution. It’s opening the door to guarantee the rights for all voters and all candidates.”
Doyle said he anticipates opposition from Democrats and Republicans, who have opposed similar efforts over the past two decades. Oregon voters defeated ballot measures in both 2008 and 2014 that would have created a top-two primary system akin to California and Washington.
State Sen. Dallas Heard, a Roseburg Republican who until recently chaired the state GOP, proposed opening the Republican primary to nonaffiliated voters. Other party leaders rejected the idea.
Carla “K.C.” Hanson, chair of the Democratic Party of Oregon, said party leaders will decide whether to support or oppose the initiative if it moves forward, but they’ve historically opposed the idea of opening primaries to all voters.
“In the past, the Democratic Party has not viewed it as a viable option and neither have the people of Oregon,” she said. “Oregon voters have consistently voted it down every time it comes up, and they’re right.”
The rise in nonaffiliated voters, though, means both parties need to reach voters in the general election who haven’t chosen either party.
Pollster John Horvick said when he first entered the polling industry 15 years ago, nonaffiliated voters tended to respond more like Democrats than Republicans. But as the population of nonaffiliated voters has grown, they’ve become harder to map.
On some issues, like education funding and taxing the wealthy, nonaffiliated voters tend to align with Democrats. When it comes to trust in institutions or government spending, they’re closer to Republicans.
“Big picture about nonaffiliated voters is that they pay less attention to political issues,” he said. “They have idiosyncratic positions on issues. Give them a list of 10 different things and they’d be conservative on some and might be liberal on others.”
Nonaffiliated voters tend to be younger and less engaged in politics than partisan voters. In the general election in 2020, about 91% of registered Democrats and Republicans returned their ballots, compared to just 65% of nonaffiliated voters.
Turnout is typically lower among all groups in midterm elections. In 2018, 82% of Democrats, 81% of Republicans and 48% of nonaffiliated voters cast ballots in the general election. In the primary, 44% of Democrats, 47% of Republicans and 14% of nonaffiliated voters chose to vote.
Nonaffiliated voters would likely still lag partisans in voting even with open primaries, Horvick said, but they might have more of an incentive to participate.
“If you’re a non-affiliated voter in Oregon, you have less incentive to vote in the primary,” he said. “You don’t get to vote in the gubernatorial election, in the presidential election, your legislative election, for secretary of state or any of those other races. And it would make sense that if you don’t get a voice in those elections, that you would vote less because literally your vote doesn’t matter.”
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https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/rise-in-nonaffiliated-voters-spurs-push-to-open-oregon-primaries/article_44c5814e-e5d6-5bbc-b557-cb5b44890112.html
| 2022-04-06T19:18:27Z
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Klamath Community College is seeking volunteers and vendors for the first of what it hopes will be an annual Comic Con, taking place on Friday, May 13, from 3 to 8 p.m.
Held on the KCC campus in Klamath Falls, the event will be free for the public to attend and provide a wide variety of activities, featured guests, vendors, and prizes. Following a family-friendly Friday the 13th horror theme, different buildings on the KCC campus will host various activities for all-ages.
Planned activities include a massive collection of videogame systems dating back from the earliest days of Pong in the 1970s to present day, board games and popular trading card games, guided D&D adventures, a cosplay costume contest and photo booth, a puppetry arts and crafts workshop, vendors, food trucks, and multiple featured speakers throughout the event.
Additionally, it is an opportunity to showcase various programs at KCC. A fire truck and semi-truck will be present from the Fire Science and Certified Drivers License (CDL) programs respectively, and in Building 6 visitors can try full-motion virtual reality trucking and flight simulators courtesy of the CDL and aviation programs. There will also be several additional virtual reality stations available.
Upon checking in, guests will be provided with a campus map and listing of each location’s activity. After completing the activity guests will get a stamp to show they have visited that area; complete every location and they will receive a prize.
Scheduled featured speakers include filmmaker Taylor Morden (The Last Blockbuster, Pick It Up: Ska in the 90s), author and animator Peter Tieryas (LucasArts, Pixar), filmmaker Jesse Blanchard (Frank and Zed), and the screenwriter tandem behind the popular Sonic the Hedgehog films – Patrick Casey and Josh Miller. Blanchard, who operates Puppetcore film studios in Portland, will also lead an arts and crafts workshop teaching people how to make puppets out of everyday objects.
Visitors are encouraged to dress for the occasion, with a cosplay costume contest to be held on the main stage in the evening with prizes for the best cosplay costumes. Costumes will be judged based on best youth costume, best adult costume, and best group cosplay. Weapons will not be permitted as part of a costume.
A variety of vendors representing businesses across Southern Oregon will also be available selling videogames, board games, comics, graphic novels, collectibles, and more.
Events will culminate on Saturday, May 14 at the Oregon Tech Auditorium with a screening of Jesse Blanchard’s feature-length zombie-frankenstein buddy comedy-horror film, “Frank and Zed.” Presented in collaboration with Klamath Film, the film screening will be $10 for the general public, $5 for Klamath Film members, and free for KCC students.
The KCC Comic Con is intended as a way to welcome the community to campus and encourage enrollment for the summer and fall terms. Additional vendors and volunteers are needed for the event, if interested in helping please contact Kurt Liedtke at 541-880-2361 or liedtke@klamathcc.edu. For more information about KCC Comic Con visit www.klamathcc.edu
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https://www.heraldandnews.com/klamath/vendors-volunteers-sought-for-kcc-comic-con/article_88cb87d5-3816-5db1-968e-0857c90e15eb.html
| 2022-04-06T19:18:34Z
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Country
United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary
People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
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https://www.kitv.com/news/coronavirus/3-new-covid-related-deaths-1-194-new-infections-recorded-in-hawaii-doh-reports/article_0fe555a0-b5da-11ec-bae8-8b58045bbaf9.html
| 2022-04-06T19:48:57Z
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Country
United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary
People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
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https://www.kitv.com/news/local/navy-commanding-officer-overseeing-red-hill-facility-relieved-of-duty/article_d4e624ba-b53a-11ec-84cf-2b5b83f5faf7.html
| 2022-04-06T19:49:04Z
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United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary
People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
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https://www.kitv.com/news/local/north-shore-school-rallies-to-save-music-an-art-classes/article_45a47684-b586-11ec-94af-5f9c314458c2.html
| 2022-04-06T19:49:10Z
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ROCK SPRINGS – Rock Springs residents John and Leslie Jo Gatti are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this week.
Leslie Jo, a San Antonio, Texas native and Rock Springs native John Gatti exchanged nuptial vows Saturday, April 8, 1972 at the main post chapel in Ft. Sam Houston, TX.
The Rev. George Mackey of the Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion of Rock Springs officiated. The final blessing was given by Bishop J. Wilson Hunter, former bishop of Wyoming. At the time of their marriage, Bishop Hunter was residing in San Antonio.
The bride, given in marriage by her father, wore a gown of pale ivory silk organza. The bodice was fashioned with a scoop neckline and long Camelot sleeves. Alencon lace motifs re-embroidered with pearls enhanced the bodice and sleeves and accented the flared skirt. Wide border lace marked the hemline which extended to the full chapel train.
Her full-length veil of pale ivory illusion was accented by scattered appliques of Alencon lace and seed pearls and fastened to a seed pearl band. She carried a bouquet of miniature garnet roses, babies’ breath, corn flowers and feathered carnations with ivory streamers.
Chris Weaver, sister of the bride, was maid of honor, and bridal attendants were Rhonda Hillmer and Janie Dullye of San Antonio and Mrs. Ron Miller of Rolla, Mo.
The attendants wore silk jewel tone dresses of garnet, emerald, gold and sapphire, designed like the bride’s gown. Their nosegays and hair-pieces were fashioned of the same flowers that were in the bridal bouquet.
Lt. Joe Dee Gatti of Rock Springs, cousin of the bridegroom, was the best man. Groomsmen were Larry Snider, Terry Humphreys and Wayne Walker. The head usher was Larry Schultz.
For her daughter’s wedding, Mrs. Weaver wore a floor-length gown of pale green silk. Mrs. John Gatti, mother of the bridegroom, chose a floor-length gown of yellow crepe. Mrs. Lester Weaver, grandmother of the bride, wore a gown of pale pink. Mrs. Shore McTee, grandmother of the bridegroom, wore a floor-length gown of pale blue. Both mothers and grandmothers wore corsages of miniature roses.
After the reception, at the Officers Club, the couple went to Las Vegas on their wedding trip.
They made their home in Tooele, Utah where Lt. Gatti was stationed at the Tooele Army Depot.
“We lived all over the world,” said Leslie Jo. “After my two years in the army, I decided to stay home, get involved with local clubs, organizations and take up a few hobbies.”
She likes to read and sow while John likes to hunt and fish.
John spent 24 years in the military. He retired in 1994 and they eventually settled in Rock Springs.
Leslie worked at the Rock Springs Library and continued her education. They’ve contributed to the community as volunteers many times. She has been an active member of the Women’s Club for several years.
They have one daughter, Marianne. She lives in Cheyenne. She plans to take her parents out for a nice 50th wedding anniversary dinner.
According to John, the most important tip to a long happy marriage is to learn how to give and not always take.
“Be tolerant and patient,” he advised.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/golden-anniversary-gattis-celebrate-50-years-of-marriage/article_5ce4b59b-171f-5756-8c9f-14254b7b81b6.html
| 2022-04-06T20:09:53Z
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SWEETWATER COUNTY-– During Tuesday’s Green River city council meeting, Mayor Pete Rust proclaimed April 3-9 as National Library Week.
“I encourage all residents to connect with their library by visiting them online or in person to access resources and services,” said Rust during the proclamation.
Lindsey Travis, director of Sweetwater County Library System, reported that there are nine facilities in the county.
“We’re very busy at the library,” she shared.
Travis explained that more than 1,200 attended youth programs last month. In March, 1,300 kids visited the Children Discovery Center at Rock Springs Library.
“We have more than 30,000 card holders in Sweetwater County,” she revealed. “With a population of 42,000, that’s a majority of people who support the libraries.”
According to Travis, last month, 16,000 physical items and more than 4,000 digital items were checked out. The meeting rooms were used more than 100 times a month.
Travis pointed out that libraries offer more than just books.
For instance, if citizens would like to plant a garden, White Mountain Library has free seeds for patrons.
At the Sweetwater County Library, children may check out American Girl Dolls.
“Those are not accessible to every member of the population because they’re so expensive but kids can come in and check them out to have some fun with them for a week,” she said.
Soon, patrons will be able to check out board games.
As an avid reader, Youth Public Services Librarian Brandy Hardin found her dream job at Rock Springs Library.
“I don’t have to pay for books and I can find anything I want to read,” she beamed.
In September, the staff measured their height for a reading challenge. The challenge continues until May.
Hardin has read over a dozen graphic novels in reaching her goal or as she said, “her height.”
“Libraries are a safe place for kids to hang out after school,” she pointed out.
At first, Hardin was a part-time librarian as a college student. Soon, she became a full-time employee and she can’t imagine doing anything else.
Alan Vaughn, public services manager at Sweetwater County Library in Green River mentioned the importance of libraries in Wyoming towns.
“We’re always here to provide vital services to people,” said Vaughn. “Anyone can come here and not worry about how much they have to pay for services.”
He added, “You can get free books, DVD’s, we do faxes, we have free tax forms and other services.
“I became a librarian to help my community and I get paid for doing it so it’s a win-win.”
According to Vaughn, the libraries in Sweetwater County are very proud to promote Wyoming authors such as CJ Box. Recently, his book, “Shadows Reel” has become very popular.
“We’ve had to order three or four books for each library because there’s such a high demand for CJ Box,” he revealed.
During National Library Week, patrons had the opportunity to participate in the Peeps Diorama Contest. They created their own “Peeps” village for display for a chance to win a prize based on votes.
Public Services Librarian Aaron Thomas Volner started out as a substitute librarian at White Mountain Library.
Volner, who is also a local author, has been working at the library for 10 years.
In regards to National Library Week, Volner said that “it’s important to acknowledge the important roles libraries still play in our communities.”
“Not only is this a place of free expression and ideas but it’s also a place to get free resources,” he pointed out. “We have a business center here to help you start a business, the art gallery, children’s programs that help grow our community and more.
“Libraries help people to become better versions of themselves.”
According to the Wyoming State Library website, tax payers received $4.28 in value for every $1 invested in a Park County library. Natrona County Library returned $5.35 per dollar while Teton County Library provided a return on investment of $6.21 per dollar spent in 2021.
Volner enjoys the environment and people so much that he chose to stay at the library.
“It’s my chance to give to a community that has given so much to me.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/national-library-week-libraries-thrive-in-sweetwater-county/article_b93ac48a-38fc-5ab1-af04-baafae0d58dc.html
| 2022-04-06T20:10:00Z
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Between Green River and Rock Springs, there are over 20 locations passing out teal bracelets in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month including the Green River Chamber of Commerce and Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Green River Mayor Pete Rust proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month during Tuesday's city council meeting.
Rocket Miner Photo by Trina Brittain
Between Green River and Rock Springs, there are over 20 locations passing out teal bracelets in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month including the Green River Chamber of Commerce and Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce.
GREEN RIVER – At Tuesday’s Green River city council meeting, Mayor Pete Rust proclaimed April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Rust urges each citizen “to learn what can be done to combat sexual violence and offer prevention measures, support and services to survivors.”
Rust mentioned that Run with the Badges will take place April 30. The 5K run/walk will begin at the Young at Heart Senior Center by 9 a.m.
“I encourage everyone to participate,” said Rust.
Chelsea Cortez, shelter manager for the YWCA of Sweetwater County, shared some statistics regarding sexual assault.
“Every 68 seconds an American is sexually assaulted,” Cortez revealed. “And every nine minutes, that victim is a child.
“Meanwhile, only 25 out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison.”
In 2021, Cortez said that the YWCA assisted 70 sexual survivors of sexual assault.
“More than half of those victims were children,” she shared. “How can we as a community help survivors of sexual assault?”
She said, “First, we can start by believing.”
According to Cortez, 90-95 percent of survivors are telling the truth.
“False reporting is low,” she pointed out.
The YWCA is inviting citizens to participate in Denim Day, Wednesday, April 27th.
“This campaign began after a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court, where a rape conviction was overturned because the justice felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped the person who raped her to remove them,” Cortez explained.
The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans and solidarity for the victims.
For the past 22 years, the world has joined in protests, the misconceptions that surround sexual violence.
Cortez echoed Rust by inviting the public to attend the 8th annual Run With the Badges on April 30th to bring awareness to all victims of crime. 5K/10K races will start at 9 a.m. Recognition awards for law enforcement will be presented and refreshments will be available for those participating.
According to Taneesa Congdon, program director for YWCA, it’s important to bring awareness because it does happen in the county.
“We serve victims here,” said Congdon. “More importantly, we want to reach out to survivors and let them know that our services exist and if they need help, we are available.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/rocketminer/sexual-assault-awareness-month-victims-are-not-alone/article_2460eeda-5168-507b-90ac-b9080d4f07dc.html
| 2022-04-06T20:10:06Z
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The University of Wyoming track and field team continued a solid start to the outdoor season last Saturday, totaling seven event wins at the Front Range Open in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Wyatt Moore started the day by winning the men’s 100-meter run with a time of 10.82 seconds, while Gabby Drube ran a 12.76 in the 100m to take third for the Cowgirls.
Kiona Gibbs won the women’s 200m in 25.38, with Drube posting a third-place finish. The next Cowboy to win an event was Jaymison Cox, who took the top spot in the 400m in 48.55. Caige McComb finished third in the men’s 110m hurdles in 15.00, while Jaheim Ferguson finished second for the Cowboys in the 400m hurdles with a time of 54.21.
The shot put was the highlight of the day for the Cowboys throwers, with UW sweeping the podium. Nathan Reid had the winning toss at 50-6, followed by Mikey DeRock and Tarique George in second and third, respectively, with throws of 49-4 1/2 and 42-2 3/4. Jordan Christensen was the top finisher for the Cowgirls, taking third with a mark of 42-3/4.
For the second time in as many competitions, Nathan Reid claimed the top spot in the men’s discus, winning the event with a throw of 174-6. Tarique George and Mikey DeRock finished third and fourth, respectively. Cosette Stellern sealed the event sweep for Wyoming on the women’s side, winning the discus with a throw of 160-1. The duo of Addison Henry and Logan DeRock finished in third and fifth, respectively.
Addison Henry added another win in the women’s hammer throw, going 175-11 to earn the top spot. Gulia Lodi took second in the women’s javelin throw with a best throw of 137-5.
Up next for Wyoming is a trip to Boulder, Colorado for the Colorado Invitational, which is set to begin Friday.
Cowgirls fall to Air Force at home
The UW tennis team suffered a home loss to Air Force on Sunday afternoon, dropping the contest 4-2.
The Cowgirls (8-9, 2-2 in Mountain West) fell behind early in the match with a doubles point to the Falcons (14-4, 3-1). Ana Fernandez and Sophie Zehender improved to 6-3 overall and 3-0 in conference play as a duo this spring, as they won 6-3 at No. 2 doubles, but Air Force secured the doubles point after pulling out a 7-6 (7-5) win at the No. 3 position.
In singles play, Wyoming got wins at No. 2 and No. 3 from Zehender and Lucia Malinak, respectively. Zehender moved to 4-0 in Mountain West play and 9-2 in dual action with her 6-4, 6-3 win over Air Force’s Sydney Fitch. Malinak, meanwhile, registered her first conference result of the season in a three-set victory over Alexis Odom. Set scores went 6-4, 4-6 and 6-1, as she improved to 6-4 this spring.
UW will look to rebound this weekend in Las Vegas. The Cowgirls are set to face San Diego State in a neutral-site matchup Saturday at 10:30 a.m., before closing the weekend against UNLV on Sunday at 2 p.m.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/townnews/sport/uw-delivers-strong-showing-at-front-range-open-copy/article_b1edbe82-df26-5329-8a09-0227764113c5.html
| 2022-04-06T20:10:12Z
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21 cats and dogs seized from Port Huron home in alleged neglect and hoarding case
More than a dozen cats and several dogs were seized from a Port Huron home Tuesday in an alleged animal hoarding situation.
St. Clair County Animal Control and the Port Huron Police Department responded to a complaint of alleged animal neglect and hoarding in the 600 block of 15th Street at about 1 p.m., according to an animal control press release.
Animal control seized 13 cats and kittens and eight small-breed dogs. Several of the animals were sick or injured, with two requiring emergency veterinary care. The floor and most of the surfaces in the resident were soiled with animal urine and feces, animal control said.
The case remains under investigation and charges have not yet been determined.
Animal Control Director Melissa Miller said the animals will be adoptable once they are medically cleared and spayed and neutered and once criminal proceedings have concluded.
Animal control is accepting donations of Clorox bleach, Dawn dish soap, unscented scoopable cat litter, Indoor Purina Cat Chow, and Small Breed Purina Dog Chow to help with the animals’ care while they are in recovery.
Donations can be dropped off at animal control's office, 3378 Griswold Road, Port Huron, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Donations can also be made online at stclaircounty.org/offices/animal_control/.
Animal control encourages anyone aware of animal collecting, cruelty or neglect to report conditions to (810) 984-3155 or animalcontrol@stclaircounty.org.
Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or lfitzgeral@gannett.com.
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https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2022/04/06/21-cats-and-dogs-seized-port-huron-home-alleged-hoarding-case/9487501002/
| 2022-04-06T20:33:16Z
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'Our staff is touched': Mercatante gets state-level public health award
St. Clair County’s chief health officer is being recognized by a state-level consortium of groups with an award for health policy.
Dr. Annette Mercatante, the county health department’s medical health officer, was named the recipient of the Jean Chabut Health Policy Champion award for 2022 as part of an annual observance of Public Health Week.
Mercatante couldn’t be reached for comment on the award, an honor for individuals or organizations for contributions toward the health and wellbeing of Michigan residents. Local health officials shared the news in a release earlier this week, citing her work in the health department for more than a decade and during the pandemic as a touching point for the accolade.
“Our staff is very touched that Dr. Mercatante has received this award,” health department spokeswoman Jennifer Michaluk said in a statement. “Dr. Mercatante has worked tirelessly to protect the health and wellbeing of the residents of St. Clair County. We refer to her as our fearless leader because she has devoted 15 years of service to understanding and addressing the needs of this community. Her accomplishments have been plentiful over her time here.
“Over the past two years she navigated the pandemic with grace and professionalism, providing continuous guidance and education to the community. We know that this community is healthier and safer because of her efforts. As she finishes out her time with the health department, we celebrate her and all that she has done to make St. Clair County a better place.”
The honor was initially announced in a letter to Mercatante March 30 from the coordinator of the Michigan Public Health Week Partnership.
Included in the group are the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, health institutions with several public universities, and the Michigan Association for Local Public Health, among others.
Mercatante is slated to be honored next week at an event in Lansing.
The award follows a period that cast the official into the spotlight for her role in issuing two COVID-related public health orders – one last August and another in January – that spurred some pushback from members of the public. Earlier this year, county commissioners had also voted to split and advertise Mercatante’s positions as medical director and public health officer as vacant before her contract expires in June. She has said she didn’t plan to apply for the openings.
Mercatante has also been the focus of another more local honor in being named Blue Water Woman of the Decade by Blue Water Woman magazine, which annually names honorees.
The magazine’s publisher Patti Samar said the new award was to mark the publication’s decade anniversary and that she’d considered Mercatante before her position became the source of controversy.
“I thought about doing that in different ways, like asking the community to nominate women,” she said Wednesday of naming Mercatante. “But I felt, quite frankly, as I watched the pandemic unfold in our community and I wanted Annette guiding the health department, that it was saving lives every day. Whether people knew that or not, or understood, I knew she was saving lives.
"She had already been named a Blue Water Woman of the Year a few years ago, and she was nominated by another physician at that time. … I knew she was highly regarded in the medical community. In light of the unspeakable number of hours that she worked during the pandemic, I decided I didn’t really need to ask the community.”
The Blue Water Woman honors are slated to be celebrated at an event in early May. Samar said she told Mercatante in December.
Samar said the local group of professionals who nominated Mercatante for the state-level position did so prior to the county board's decision about her position, as well.
Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.
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https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2022/04/06/mercatante-gets-state-level-public-health-award/9460233002/
| 2022-04-06T20:33:22Z
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Ohio man accused of threatening to burn down elementary school pleads guilty to several charges
More than a year after he was arrested, an Ohio man pleaded guilty to several charges after he as accused of threatening to burn down a Port Huron elementary school and fighting with police.
Dominik Hricovsky pleaded guilty Wednesday to schools — intentional threat with specific intent, assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer, felon in possession of a firearm, a felony firearms charge and a habitual third offender enhancement. As part of the plea deal, a charge of false report or threat of terrorism will be dismissed at sentencing, according to court records.
John Freeman, Hricovsky's attorney, said his client faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison and a maximum sentence of 20 due to the habitual offender enhancement.
His sentencing hearing is set for 9:30 a.m. June 6 in front of St. Clair County Circuit Court Judge Dan Damman.
Freeman said Hricovksy's plea hearing was in part delayed due to an independent phycological evaluation for his client. He said the case also involved a substantial amount of investigation.
“It was a serious case, there were serious allegations and we needed to take our time to make sure that the right thing happened," he said.
On Feb. 24., 2021, St. Clair County Central Dispatch received several calls from an unknown man threatening to burn down Cleveland Elementary School and shoot police officers, the Port Huron Police Department has said.
The school immediately was put on a soft lockdown and families were informed of the incident that morning, Port Huron Schools spokeswoman Keely Baribeau said at the time.
Police located the address where the calls came from and made contact with Hricovsky in an apartment in the 2700 block of Nern Street.
Police identified Hricovsky using a portable fingerprint scanner provided by Michigan State Police. When he was placed under arrest, he attempted to run from and fight officers who deployed a taser, police have said.
Hricovksy was in Port Huron visiting his girlfriend whom he had met online, police have said.
During the investigation, police learned Hricovsky had fired one round out of the window of the apartment he was calling from.
Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 of lfitzgeral@gannett.com.
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https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/news/2022/04/06/ohio-man-accused-threatening-burn-down-elementary-school-pleads-guilty-several-charges/7268547001/
| 2022-04-06T20:33:28Z
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St. Clair tops Cardinal Mooney in early clash of elite area baseball teams
ST. CLAIR — Nick Black had trouble sleeping the past few weeks. St. Clair's new baseball coach was anxiously awaiting the first game of the season.
Unlike his tenure at the junior-college level, there isn't much of a preseason or training camp in high school. Most of his players were in Florida for spring break and had just returned over the weekend.
"We had a day — yesterday — and then it's a game against the No. 2-ranked team in the state," Black said. "I lost a lot of sleep over it. I think my wife was sick of me getting up in the middle of the night ... but I think what'll help me sleep a little easier tonight is (knowing our players) were doing the right things on spring break."
The Saints opened their season with a 6-3 win over Cardinal Mooney at home on Tuesday. It was an early test for two non-conference opponents with high expectations.
"There was a lot of excitement going in," St. Clair first baseman Eli Lohr said. "I think we did a pretty good job preparing. We were out on spring break. It was tough making adjustments there, but overall it was pretty fun. It's really good to get the first win at home."
If there was any rust from the winter or last week's vacation, it didn't show at the plate. The teams combined for 15 hits despite the temperature staying in the 40s.
"I saw a lot of fight, a lot of camaraderie and a lot to work on," Cardinal Money coach Mike Rice said. "But, again, the camaraderie is here this year ... we've just got to make the basic plays and we're gonna be OK."
The Cardinals made some uncharacteristic mistakes and finished with five errors. While they surrendered six runs, only one was one earned.
It was just the second game of the year for Cardinal Mooney, yet Rice has already seen improvement from players such as Brendan Haisenleder. The right fielder finished with two RBIs, one hit and one walk in two plate appearances.
"I don't know if you noticed, but I tipped my hat to him," Rice said. "I took my hat off in the middle of the game and tipped my cap because he's been a dead pull hitter his whole career. And for the past two weeks he's been working on the middle and right side. His first hit of the game was to the right side. I was proud of him."
The Cardinals were runner-up in Division 4 last year. With the core of their roster back, they're aiming for another run at a state championship. But Rice isn't looking that far ahead. Not yet at least.
"I told them 'Act like you've been there before.' And they're doing it," Rice said. "We're pitching well, we're hitting well and the defense just wasn't there today. Believe it or not, I'm happy with the way we played."
There was lot of respect between the two clubs, as each side knew what the other was capable of.
"It's always good to face bigger schools with a ton of talent," Rice said. "They're talented from top to bottom. Their coach is gonna be something good there. He's good for their program and it's good for us to play against bigger, stronger teams like that."
"They have a really, really good team," Black said. "And the only way you beat really, really good teams is by doing the small stuff right. The biggest area that we've preached since the first day of practice is doing the small stuff right ... I think if we do (that) then we're really able to put a good foot forward."
As Black talked after the game, an assistant coach ran over and emptied a water bottle onto his head. The temperature had dropped several degrees since first pitch. But Black could only smile and shake his head.
"(We're) really excited to get that first win," Lohr said. "Hopefully we can keep that momentum rolling the rest of the season."
Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper.
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https://www.thetimesherald.com/story/sports/2022/04/06/st-clair-tops-cardinal-mooney-clash-top-area-baseball-teams/9477570002/
| 2022-04-06T20:33:34Z
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12-year-old child shot 9 times in Colorado fighting for his life, family says
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV/Gray News) - A 12-year-old boy among four people shot in Colorado on Saturday continues to fight for his life, according to family.
The shooting happened Saturday evening in Colorado Springs. A total of four people, including the 12-year-old, were shot.
“I received a phone call that my brother had been shot,” a family member of the boy told KKTV. “All I could think of was... I just started screaming, ‘No... just please... no.’”
The family members of two brothers who were shot said their lives have been turned upside down in the past few days.
“He is in critical condition,” the family member said. “My 12-year-old brother, he got shot 9 times. [In the] face, the neck, the leg, and everywhere. Just everywhere. He’s in so much pain.”
According to the Colorado Springs Police Department, the suspect fired several shots into a home just after 6 p.m. Saturday.
The suspect has been identified as 18-year-old Estevan Pacheco. Police add that someone in the home returned fire and Pacheco fled the scene.
Police then believe someone who knows the victim at the first shooting followed Pacheco and a few blocks away.
Police learned Pacheco opened fire again, hitting several people in the truck that was following him including the 12-year-old boy and his brother, before Pacheco was run over by the truck.
Family members say hearing about what happened to their loved ones is devastating.
“I just couldn’t imagine it,” the family member said. “It did not seem real to me. It’s unbelievable. I was screaming and yelling and just angry. I remember it was just a nightmare. It’s the worst thing that could ever happen.”
The boy’s family also said they had reached out to police a few weeks before this shooting asking for something to be done about the violence in the area. As of Tuesday night, Pacheco was in the El Paso County Jail on a $50,000 bond facing charges including attempted murder.
Click here to donate to a GoFundMe set up to benefit the family.
Copyright 2022 KKTV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/12-year-old-child-shot-9-times-colorado-fighting-his-life-family-says/
| 2022-04-06T20:44:10Z
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3-year-old receives ‘birthday wish’ for a new heart, undergoes 14-hour surgery
CINCINNATI (WLWT) - A young Cincinnati Bengals superfan got a fantastic present in time for his fourth birthday - a new heart.
Sammy Jones, also known as “Superman Sammy,” recently underwent a 14-hour surgery at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
“That’s what he asked for his birthday. We asked him back in March what he wanted for his birthday, and he said a new heart,” Sammy’s mother, Kortney Sink, said.
Sammy was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, causing the left side of his heart not to work.
“He had his first surgery at a day old, his second surgery at three months old, and then his third surgery at three years old,” Sink said.
Sammy’s parents thought he’d be good after his third surgery. He even started playing soccer, but his heart began to fail last fall.
After months spent in the hospital waiting, Sammy’s birthday wish came early.
“Couldn’t believe it. It’s been six months of waiting,” Sammy’s father, Garland Jones, said.
Sammy’s medical journey has been shared on social media, and several Cincinnati residents have bonded with him through his love of the Bengals.
“Thank you to the Bengals for an awesome season because it gave my son something to look forward to,” Garland Jones said.
Now, “Superman Sammy” has something else to look forward to – a new healthy heart.
“We hope he can do all he wants to do. He wants to play football and basketball. He wants to do all that stuff. And I’m just hoping and praying, he’s able to do all that stuff that he loves to do,” Sink said.
Sammy’s parents said they would have to stay within 40 miles of the hospital for three to six months, and since they live 70 miles away, they’ll be staying at a Ronald McDonald House.
Copyright 2022 WLWT via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/3-year-old-receives-birthday-wish-new-heart-undergoes-14-hour-surgery/
| 2022-04-06T20:44:19Z
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Body cam video shows 18-year-old’s claim of flirting with cop to avoid DUI was a lie
DENVER (KUSA) - An 18-year-old woman claimed she got out of a DUI when a deputy asked her on a date.
The woman’s side of the story went viral on social media, but police body camera footage showed what she claimed isn’t true.
Footage from Jefferson County Deputy Tyler Stahl’s body camera shows what happened last weekend just outside Denver.
The footage shows Stahl introducing himself to the driver and telling her he pulled her over because she was swerving.
“She said she was on her phone. She said that she was upset because her boyfriend broke up with her,” Stahl said. “Throughout my entire interaction, she would start crying and get more choked up the more she was talking about it.”
Stahl ended up letting the 18-year-old off with a warning, saying he didn’t believe she was impaired.
After the woman left the traffic stop, she shared a video on social media that was reposted and got tens of thousands of views (WARNING: Link contains explicit language) claiming she got out of a DUI by lying about getting broken up with. She also said she blew a “3.8″ blood alcohol content on a breathalyzer (0.4 is potentially lethal).
She claimed the officer gave her his phone number and asked her out on a date, and they planned to meet for lunch the next day.
Stahl said he is grateful for the body camera footage because without it, it could have been the 18-year-old’s word against his.
“I believe in transparency, like I said, I love the body cameras,” Stahl said. “It was selfish. I’m just disappointed. I genuinely think that she probably feels bad, and she’s going to have to live with this for a while, and that’s probably consequence enough.”
Copyright 2022 KUSA via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/body-cam-video-shows-18-year-olds-claim-flirting-with-cop-avoid-dui-was-lie/
| 2022-04-06T20:44:30Z
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House debates contempt for Scavino, Navarro in Jan. 6 probe
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House moved Wednesday to hold former Trump advisers Peter Navarro and Dan Scavino in contempt of Congress as a new round of partisan fighting erupted over the House committee’s investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Lawmakers argued over a resolution, that if approved later in the day as expected, would send contempt charges against Navarro and Scavino to the Justice Department for possible prosecution. The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 attack recommended the charges after the two men refused for months to comply with subpoenas.
The debate on the House floor was raw as Republicans stood by former President Donald Trump and charged that Democrats were trying to politicize the attack on the Capitol by his supporters.
House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy accused the Jan. 6 committee of “criminalizing dissent,” defended Scavino as a “good man” and lobbed harsh criticism at members of the committee, some by name. “Let’s be honest, this is a political show trial,” McCarthy said.
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland, among the nine members of the Jan. 6 panel, noted that the committee has two Republicans, including Liz Cheney of Wyoming. “Today the minority leader gave the game away as he boiled over with rage,” Raskin said.
While pursuing contempt charges may not yield any new information for the Jan. 6 committee — any prosecutions could drag for months or years — the vote Wednesday was the latest attempt to show that witnesses will suffer consequences if they don’t cooperate or at least appear for questioning. It’s all part of an effort to claw back legislative authority that eroded during the Trump era, when congressional subpoenas were often flouted and ignored.
Raskin and other Democrats said Scavino and Navarro are among just a handful of individuals who have rebuffed the committee’s requests and subpoenas for information. The panel has interviewed more than 800 witnesses so far.
Scavino has “refused to testify before Congress about what he knows about the most dangerous and sweeping assault on the United States Congress since the War of 1812,” Raskin said.
The committee says Scavino helped promote Trump’s false claims of a stolen election and was with him the day of the attack on the Capitol. As a result, he may have “materials relevant to his videotaping and tweeting” messages that day.
A lawyer for Scavino did not return multiple messages from the AP seeking comment.
Navarro, 72, a former White House trade adviser, was subpoenaed in early February over his promotion of false claims of voter fraud in the 2020 election that the committee believes contributed to the attack.
Navarro cited executive privilege when declining to testify, saying the committee “should negotiate this matter with President Trump.” He added, “If he waived the privilege, I will be happy to comply.”
But the Biden administration has already waived executive privilege for Navarro, Scavino and former national security adviser Michael Flynn, saying it was not justified or in the national interest for them to withhold their testimony.
Executive privilege was developed to protect a president’s ability to obtain candid counsel from his advisers without fear of immediate public disclosure, but it has limits. Courts have traditionally left questions of whether to invoke executive privilege up to the current White House occupant. The Supreme Court earlier this year rejected a bid by Trump to withhold documents from the committee.
The vote Wednesday will be the third time the panel has sent contempt charges to the House floor. The first two referrals, sent late last year, were for former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former Trump ally Steve Bannon.
The contempt referral against Bannon resulted in an indictment, with a trial set to start in July. The Justice Department has been slower to decide whether to prosecute Meadows, much to the frustration of the committee.
“It’s the committee’s hope that they will present it to a grand jury,” Rep. Bennie Thompson, the committee’s chairman, told reporters Tuesday. “Obviously, the Meadows case is still outstanding. We don’t really know where that is, other than we’ve done our work.”
He added, “The firewall goes up from our standpoint, and DOJ uses its systems to take it from there.”
Lawmakers are interviewing dozens of individuals a week as they inch closer to public hearings in late spring. In the last week alone, the committee interviewed Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner. Both were key White House advisers who had substantial access to the former president.
Thompson suggested more witnesses could still be held in contempt in the weeks ahead even as the committee looks to wrap up the investigative portion of their work in the next two months.
A conviction for contempt of Congress carries a fine of up to $100,000 and up to a year in prison.
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Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/house-debates-contempt-scavino-navarro-jan-6-probe/
| 2022-04-06T20:44:39Z
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Police: At least 5 gunmen involved in Sacramento shooting
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The mass killing that left six people dead and 12 wounded outside bars just a block from California’s Capitol last weekend was a gunfight involving at least five shooters from rival gangs, Sacramento police said Wednesday.
Police said they identified at least five gunmen but there may have been more. Only two suspects — both brothers wounded by gunfire — have been arrested in connection with the shooting and, so far, only face firearms charges.
“We’re still working through ... who the actual shooters are in the case,” Sgt. Zach Eaton said.
Until Wednesday’s announcement, police had been silent on the motive for the shooting that erupted early Sunday as bars were letting out. Rapid-fire bursts of over 100 gunshots echoed through the streets as terrified patrons ran for their lives and others were hit by bullets.
Authorities credited witnesses who contributed nearly 200 videos, photos and other tips with helping the investigation.
Police declined to name the two gangs involved or the affiliation of any suspects.
One of the brothers in custody was freed from prison about two months ago and last year was rejected for earlier release after prosecutors argued he “clearly has little regard for human life,” documents show.
Smiley Martin, 27, who was released on probation in February, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of a machine gun. Hours before Sunday’s attack, Martin posted a live Facebook video of himself brandishing a handgun, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.
Police were trying to determine if a stolen handgun found at the crime scene was used in the massacre. It had been converted to a weapon capable of automatic gunfire.
Detectives also were trying to determine whether the gun Martin brandished in the video was used, according to the official, who was briefed on the investigation but was not authorized to publicly discuss details and spoke on condition of anonymity.
Martin and his brother were among those wounded when gunfire erupted about a block from the state Capitol at about 2 a.m. Sunday as bars closed and patrons filled the streets.
Investigators have said previously that they were trying to determine if a street fight outside a nightclub may have sparked the shooting.
The Sacramento County coroner identified the three women killed as Johntaya Alexander, 21; Melinda Davis, 57; and Yamile Martinez-Andrade, 21. The three men killed were Sergio Harris, 38; Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, 32; and De’vazia Turner, 29.
Ten people were wounded in addition to the Martin brothers and at least two remained hospitalized with gunshot wounds.
Smiley Martin was arrested in the hospital and will be booked when his condition improves enough for him to be jailed, police said.
His brother, Dandrae Martin, 26, was arrested Monday as a “related suspect” and appeared briefly Tuesday in Sacramento Superior Court on a charge of being a convict carrying a loaded gun.
Investigators believe both brothers had stolen guns and are trying to determine how they got them, the law enforcement official told the AP.
A 31-year-old man seen carrying a handgun immediately after the shooting was arrested Tuesday on a weapons charge. Police said they don’t believe his gun was used in the shooting.
Smiley Martin has a criminal history dating to 2013. He was released on probation from state prison in February after serving about half of a 10-year sentence for punching a girlfriend, dragging her from her home by her hair and whipping her with a belt, prosecutors said.
Martin might have been released sooner, but a Parole Board rejected his bid for early release in May after prosecutors said the 2017 felony assault along with convictions for possessing an assault weapon and thefts posed “a significant, unreasonable risk of safety to the community.”
Martin “clearly has little regard for human life and the law,” and has displayed a pattern of criminal behavior from the time he was 18, a Sacramento County deputy district attorney wrote in a letter last year to the Board of Parole Hearings.
It wasn’t clear if Smiley Martin had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Dandrae Martin, who was held without bail, was freed from an Arizona prison in 2020 after serving just over 18 months for violating probation in separate cases involving marijuana possession and aggravated assault.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg told reporters Wednesday he had “serious questions” about why the brothers “were out on the streets.”
“And those questions need to be answered and they will be answered over the days ahead,” Steinberg said.
Defense lawyer Linda Parisi said any effort to seek Dandrae Martin’s release on bail will depend on whether prosecutors bring stiffer charges.
“If it turns out that the evidence demonstrates that this was mere presence at a scene that certainly argues more for a release,” Parisi said. “If it shows some more aggressive conduct then it would argue against it. But we don’t know that yet.”
___
This version corrects that Smiley Martin served about half of a 10-year prison sentence, not about two years of the term.
___
Melley reported from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Stefanie Dazio, Christopher Weber in Los Angeles, Don Thompson in Sacramento, Michael Balsamo in Washington, Jacques Billeaud in Phoenix and News Researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York City contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/police-least-5-gunmen-involved-sacramento-shooting/
| 2022-04-06T20:44:45Z
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Woman celebrates 108th birthday, shares her secret to longevity
GLOBE, Ariz. (3TV/CBS 5/Gray News) – Carmen Slough celebrated her 108th birthday this week with friends and family.
She was born in Douglas, Arizona, but has lived in the Globe-Miami area her entire life and is well-known. Slough owned a clothing store in downtown Globe for 49 years.
“We didn’t have paved streets,” Slough told AZFamily, remembering the early days of Globe. “There was still a few people who got around on horseback.”
Slough lived through the Spanish Flu when she was just 4 years old, but she remembers it like it was yesterday.
“I was old enough to know that something was wrong,” she said. “There was a lot of people in the area that did pass away from the flu at that time.”
At the age of 106, another virus — this time COVID-19 — turned her world upside down.
Slough admits it affected her, saying, “The isolation was really, really bad for me because I was used to being a part of the community.”
Slough’s late husband was a WWI veteran, and her siblings fought in WWII.
“I remember the people that we lost and the valor of our local boys that served overseas,” said Slough.
Her 86-year-old son, Bob, relies on his mom’s recollection and calls her “a wonder.”
Slough says staying active is the secret to longevity.
“I don’t believe in just sitting down and giving up, I believe in going out in the sunshine, picking weeds, and working in the garden,” Slough said.
She has a little brother, the only surviving sibling in her family of nine, who’s 98 years old.
Copyright 2022 AZFamily via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/woman-celebrates-108-years-young-shares-her-secret-longevity/
| 2022-04-06T20:44:55Z
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Yellen: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will have ‘enormous economic repercussions’
WASHINGTON (AP) — Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned a House panel Wednesday that Russia’s aggression in Eastern Europe will have “enormous economic repercussions in Ukraine and beyond.” She added that the rising price of energy, metal, wheat and corn that Russia and Ukraine produce “is going to escalate inflationary pressures as well.”
Russia’s invasion “including the atrocities committed against innocent Ukrainians in Bucha, are reprehensible, represent an unacceptable affront to the rules-based global order, and will have enormous economic repercussions for the world,” she told the House Financial Services Committee.
Her remarks were part of her annual testimony on the state of the international financial system.
WARNING: Videos contain graphic content.
Along with touching on the need for food and energy security and debt sustainability globally, Yellen called on Congress to provide support to the International Monetary Fund and World Bank organizations, which have provided grants and humanitarian funds financing to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable.
“Globally,” she said, “spillovers from the crisis are heightening economic vulnerabilities in many countries that are already facing higher debt burdens and limited policy options as they recover from COVID-19.”
“The sanctions we’ve placed on Russia are pushing up the price of energy. It’s a price that’s important to pay to punish Russia for what it’s doing in Ukraine,” she added, drawing on how the conflict is impacting Americans at home.
Inflation has reached 40-year highs as an inflation metric closely monitored by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982.
The United States and Western allies have imposed an avalanche of sanctions against Russia in the first weeks of the war and administration officials in recent days have put more focus on closing loopholes that Russia might try to use to circumvent them.
On Wednesday morning, the U.S. announced more sanctions, this time targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two adult daughters and toughening penalties against Russian banks in retaliation for “war crimes” in Ukraine.
“Treasury is committed to holding Russia accountable for its actions so it cannot benefit from the international financial system,” Yellen said.
Lawmakers also questioned Yellen on China and the threat of an invasion of Taiwan as the U.S. and its allies continue to impose sanctions on Russia. She said the U.S. is prepared to impose sanctions against China if Beijing moves aggressively toward Taiwan, as some fear it might.
“I believe we’ve shown that we can in the case of Russia,” she said. “I think you should not doubt our ability to resolve to do the same in other situations.”
She was also asked about Russia’s involvement in the G20 summit, which is set to take place in Indonesia later this year.
“I’ve made clear to my colleagues in Indonesia that we will not be participating in a number of meetings” at the annual summit where Russia would be involved, Yellen said. The Indonesian government has it would hold the G-20 Summit impartially, resisting calls to exclude Russia.
President Joe Biden has said he would like to kick Russia out of the G20.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.wvva.com/2022/04/06/yellen-russias-invasion-ukraine-will-have-enormous-economic-repercussions/
| 2022-04-06T20:45:02Z
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People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe
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https://www.kitv.com/news/local/four-cases-of-norovirus-in-hawaii-linked-to-raw-oysters-from-canada/article_34ab743c-b5e4-11ec-8d9c-9f919d9a509d.html
| 2022-04-06T22:07:55Z
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