Wyoming News Briefs

Wyoming Life Flight now authorized to carry whole blood on air ambulances

CASPER (WNE) — Casper-based air ambulance service, Wyoming Life Flight, announced on Thursday that it is now authorized to carry and administer whole blood on its air medical transport services.

The organization, which serves the whole state, said in a press release that, “Each unit of whole blood provides red blood cells, platelets, plasma and clotting factors for superior outcomes for patients suffering from trauma or hemorrhagic shock” and that having whole blood will be “particularly valuable in rural areas...”

It’s the only service of its kind that can do this in Wyoming.

“Whole blood is fantastic because it holds all of the blood components such as white blood cells, platelets, plasma and red blood cells. This is beneficial as many patients who need blood also need additional clotting factors, such as platelets, which are not available in plasma or red blood cells,” Stephanie Smith, a flight nurse with Wyoming Life Flight, said in the release. “Patients are able to get what they need not only to replace blood that is lost but also to get the clotting factors they need to stop the bleeding, all in one unit of whole blood.”

“The ability to carry whole blood on board means the people of Wyoming have access to a critical life saving intervention,” Darryl Crown, account executive with Air Methods, the leading air medical service provider in the nation and the parent company of Wyoming Life Flight, also said in the release. “With all of the outdoor activity and rural terrain in the state, whole blood is ideal for the type of injuries we see.”

Abortion questions sent to Wyoming Supreme Court

JACKSON (WNE) — A Teton County judge is passing along the burden of deciding whether two abortion bans passed in 2023 are constitutional.

In an order filed Monday afternoon, Ninth Judicial District Judge Melissa Owens sent 14 questions up to the Wyoming Supreme Court to be answered. The questions include whether the bans violate sections of the Wyoming Constitution granting citizens the right to make their own health care decisions, the right to privacy, equal protection and religious freedom.

Owens also asked whether the bans — one a general ban on abortion and the other a ban on medication abortion — are unconstitutionally vague. Both were halted by Owens from taking effect while the case plays out.

Both sides asked Owens to decide the case now, before a trial. Six plaintiffs — two doctors, two women of childbearing age and two abortion access nonprofits — are challenging the bans in order to keep abortion legal while the state, Gov. Mark Gordon and the Wyoming Attorney General want to see the bans take effect.

In late 2022, the Wyoming Supreme Court declined to answer 12 constitutional questions Owens sent regarding a since-defunct trigger ban, writing that the factual record had not been developed enough. This time, Owens waited until more evidence was introduced.

The Supreme Court will have 30 days to decide whether to agree to answer the questions.

Camporee volunteers deal with shortage of housing options

GILLETTE (WNE) — Volunteers for the International Pathfinder Camporee have had to do some creative thinking to work around high hotel prices.

The Camporee will be in Gillette from Aug. 5-11. While all of the Pathfinders, most of them between ten and 15 years old, will be camping out at Cam-plex, there are hundreds of volunteers coming along, and most of them won’t be staying on-site.

Jessica Seders, executive director of the Campbell County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said that many hotels wouldn’t take reservations more than a year out from the event. So when August came, the reservations started rolling in.

Seders said that in August 2023, the average rate for a room was $103 a night, and as time went on, those room rates began going up. The highest she saw was $750 a night, and it wasn’t uncommon to see a motel room go for a few hundred dollars a night or more.

Pastor Ron Whitehead, the director of the International Pathfinder Camporee, said the thought was that Gillette would have enough hotel rooms to accommodate everyone, but “we didn’t expect this many older people to come to Camporee.”

Many volunteers had planned on stepping away after the last Camporee in 2019, but when they heard it was going to Wyoming in 2024, they changed their minds.

Seders said the visitors center and elected officials have been thinking outside the box to figure out ways to help the Camporee volunteers. She encouraged residents to put their homes on AirBNB and VRBO. They can rent out single rooms, floors or entire houses, and even tents can be rented out.

And the city of Gillette passed a resolution suspending the rules regarding occupancy in campers and RVs within city limits from July 31 to Aug. 13.

Officer cleared in shooting

RIVERTON (WNE) — Federal prosecutors have declined to bring charges against a Wind River Police Department officer who shot and killed a man armed with a BB gun on the Wind River Reservation in August 2022.

Citing a careful review of the investigation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming said there is “insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer violated [the victim’s] civil rights or that the officer did not act in self defense.”

An officer was dispatched to the home of Terrance Skye Posey in Ethete on August 11, 2022, after two people called for help saying Posey had threatened them with a knife and was outside the residence with a BB gun, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

When the officer arrived, the two were inside the residence asking for help, and when the officer knocked on the front door, he observed Posey approach from inside, the release describes.

The statement explains the officer asked Posey to come outside; Posey refused, told the officer to go away and then disappeared into the residence.

That’s when the officer reportedly heard people yelling from inside that they were locked in a bedroom, and Posey returned to the door and pointed a weapon at the officer.

“From the officer’s perspective, the weapon appeared virtually identical to a semiautomatic handgun,” said the release.

When the officer ordered Posey to drop the weapon, Posey allegedly refused, and began tracking the officer as he moved, “and being unable to determine it was not a firearm, the officer shot Mr. Posey through the door,” the statement explained.

The officer attempted to resuscitate Posey but was unsuccessful.

Brosnan gets in hot water for Yellowstone stroll

CASPER (WNE) — As James Bond, he had a license to kill — to go wherever and do whatever he wanted. Real life isn’t quite the same.

Actor Pierce Brosnan has been fined $1540 for walking in a protected thermal area at Yellowstone National Park.

In November, Brosnan uploaded pictures of himself at Mammoth Hot Springs to Instagram. And, while he avoided falling into the springs’ 160-degree water – hot enough to kill most bacteria, quickly cause third-degree burns and perhaps poach an egg — Brosnan didn’t avoid some legal hot water.

Signs in the area warn visitors of the dangers of thermal features and state that visitors must remain on the designated boardwalks and trails, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming which charged Brosnan for his ill-advised stroll.

Citing the photo as evidence of the deed, the United States Attorney’s Office asked the court to sentence Brosnan to two years of probation and the maximum fine of $5000.

Brosnan, of Malibu, California, didn’t dispute the claim and pleaded guilty.

On Thursday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick ordered Brosnan to pay a $500 fine, a $1000 community service payment to the Yellowstone Forever Geological Fund, a $30 court processing fee and a $10 special assessment.

Hambrick dismissed a minor charge for violating closures and use limits.

Brosnan could have faced jail time and been banned from the park.

In a press release announcing the sentence, the National Park Service reminded Yellowstone visitors that the ground in thermal areas is fragile and thin, and scalding water is just below the surface. Therefore, trespassing on thermal features is dangerous and can harm delicate natural resources within the park, said the Park Service which is entrusted with protecting the hydrothermal areas as much as visitors.

Lander woman founds magazine about Western outdoors

LANDER (WNE) — There’s a brand new magazine in town, as Mel Limpus, a fifth-generation Montanan and current Landerite just founded “Adventures in the West Magazine.”

The magazine aims to celebrate stories from the outdoors centered around the Western region of the United States.

Limpus, whose passion for the outdoors led her to Lander, joined her Billings-based family in the magazine business as the first issue of her magazine hit the stands in January.

“Adventures in the West,” a quarterly publication, released its first issue in January.

“We’re aiming to cover all things outdoors from hunting, fishing, snowmobiling – really anything that’s got people excited about being outside,” said Limpus about the content of the magazine. Though she is the owner and publisher, she’s also writing articles for the magazine.

“I love writing and I’ve been blown away by the great support from our community,” she said of the magazine’s early reception. “I’ve had strangers come up to me and say ‘This is your magazine? You did this?’ while pointing at a copy, which has been very gratifying.”

The magazine printed 4000 issues for the first issue run, and Mel hopes to increase that number to 10,000 for the spring issue.

Currently, copies can be found at retailers all around Fremont County, but Limpus aims to push west as she seeks support in the adventure hubs of Pinedale and Jackson.

“My hopes for ‘Adventures in the West’ are high and wide,” said Limpus. “We’ll share the authentic, courageous, and colorful stories of locals that our readers will not only relate to, but may even know personally.”

Other contributors to the magazine include Mel’s husband, Blaine Limpus and local Lander writer Mandy Fabel.

Find out more at http://www.adventuresinthewest.com.

Cheyenne man charged with starting ‘Dusty Fire’

CHEYENNE (WNE) — A 62-year-old Cheyenne resident was arrested Wednesday on charges of starting a 6800-acre grass fire in western Laramie County that damaged roughly 60 properties earlier this month.

Kenneth Burke was arrested in connection with sparking the March 1 fire by detectives from the Laramie County Sheriff ’s Office. An issued warrant for Burke’s arrest charged him with third-degree arson, according to a media post. A person is charged with third-degree arson “if he intentionally starts a fire… recklessly or (with) criminal negligence” under Wyoming statute.

No homes were damaged in the fire, according to Laramie County Fire Authority deputy chief Manny Muzquiz.

“[The damage varied] from just yard ... grass damage, fence damage, tree damage,” Muzquiz told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle earlier this month. “One house had the garage destroyed. I think another house had a deck destroyed that went right up against the house.”

The fire, dubbed “Dusty Fire,” was exacerbated by high winds, with gusts up to 40 miles per hour. First responders were strained, Muzquiz told the WTE, battling both the Dusty Fire and a fire that sparked south of Interstate 80 six days earlier.

Residents in homes between Happy Jack Road and Horse Creek Road were ordered to evacuate at the time of the fire.

“[We did] as best we could with the wind conditions,” Muzquiz told the WTE. “Those are just difficult because, if the wind’s blowing 30, 40 miles an hour, that means the fire’s traveling at least that, if not a little more. You can’t really take these big trucks through the field at that speed, especially in zero visibility, where there’s ravines and different terrain that we have to maneuver through.”

Golfer’s Choice ranks Torrington golf course No. 1 in Wyoming

TORRINGTON (WNE) –– Torrington’s Cottonwood Golf Course received a top rating earlier this month from Golf Pass.

The online golf club posted its Golfer’s Choice 2024 list — including the Top Five Golf Courses in Wyoming — on its website, golfpass.com.

“We compile our annual Golfers’ Choice lists by analyzing the ratings and reviews submitted by members of our community – golfers like you – throughout the previous year,” the site explains. “We use GolfPass’ Ratings Index logic that weights newer reviews and combine it with a course’s subcategory averages. Courses must offer public access and have received at least one review in 2023 to be eligible for this year’s list.”

Cottonwood Golf Course is owned and operated by the City of Torrington and has been in operation for more than 50 years. The 18-hole course with bent grass greens native blue grass rough has numerous Cottonwood trees just north of the North Platte River, which is where the course got its name.

“It started out as sand greens many, many, many years ago and then it then it went to the nine holes and grass greens, and then a bunch of people with the city and the country club got together somewhere in the late 80s and built the back nine,” said David Dent, golf course manager and head golf professional.

The fees at Cottonwood remain affordable, according to Dent.

“Our fee for 18 holes, which is typically how they list it, is $35 for the green fee and $15 for the cart,” he said. “With the cart it’s $50. We do offer multiple passes for golf and driving range, and those you can find on our website.”

Worland man faces felonies over egging vehicles

WORLAND (WNE) — A Worland man, Dylan Casdorph, born in 2006, has been charged in Washakie County District Court with two felony counts of property destruction for egging two vehicles.

An officer was dispatched at 12:39 a.m. on Dec. 28, 2023, and received statements from two victims who had eggs thrown at their vehicles the previous night.

While at the scene of the crime, the officer noticed a McDonald’s wrapper lying on the ground near the two vehicles. He collected the wrapper and noticed an order number on it.

The officer visited McDonald’s on Big Horn Avenue in Worland and watched surveillance footage, which showed a black SUV making the corresponding order. The officer could not positively identify the vehicle’s license plates nor any of the occupants, but the customer’s name was listed on the order receipt and was known by an employee.

When interviewed about the egging, the McDonald’s customer named herself and three others as occupants of the black SUV during the incident.

Later interviews revealed that Casdorph was there, too, and that he was driving, according to the affidavit. It was also stated that Casdorph allegedly did not like one of the victims.

When Casdorph was questioned by law enforcement about his involvement in the egging, he allegedly stated that he was driving the vehicle when the egging took place, but one of the other occupants of the vehicle was responsible for throwing eggs at the vehicles. Affidavits completed by his passengers both disputed Casdorph’s statement, naming him as the one to throw the eggs.

Casdorph was issued two citations for misdemeanor property destruction on Jan. 23, but the charges were elevated to felonies when the costs to repair both vehicles were found to exceed $1,000.

The maximum penalty for each charge is ten years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.

Barrasso, Lummis, other GOP senators introduce Laken Riley Act

CHEYENNE (WNE) — U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, both R-Wyo., on Wednesday joined U.S. Senators Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Ted Budd, R-N.C., in introducing the Laken Riley Act.

This bill would require the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to arrest illegal immigrants who commit theft, burglary, larceny or shoplifting offenses and would mandate they are detained until they are removed from the United States.

“This legislation would ensure states have standing to bring civil actions against federal officials who refuse to enforce immigration law or who violate the law,” according to a Wyoming Senate delegation news release.

Riley, a 22-year-old nursing student at Augusta University, was abducted and killed Feb. 22 while jogging at the University of Georgia campus in Athens, Georgia. A 26-year-old Venezuelan who had entered the U.S. illegally is charged in her death.

“Joe Biden’s border crisis has allowed nine million illegal immigrants to break our laws and pour across our southern border,” Barrasso said in the release. “The murder of innocent Americans, like Laken Riley, is a direct result of the Democrats’ lawless and dangerous open border policies. “

The Laken Riley Act passed the House last week in a bipartisan vote of 251-170.

Whitney museum climbs to the top of Readers’ Choice Awards

CODY (WNE) — The Whitney Western Art Museum of Cody recently landed at the top of Newsweek magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards.

The list of the top ten, which included some major institutions from around the country, was selected by the magazine’s “expert panelists and contributors and voted on by readers as the best of the best,” according to newsweek.com/readerschoice/best-art-museum.

“It was really exciting just to have made it to the short list of those ten institutions,” Whitney curator Susan Barnett said Tuesday. “Just to be listed among those institutions was an honor.”

“It has a small museum feel, yet also has a top-notch collection ranging from old masters to living artists,” she said, adding that the Whitney’s central strength is its special relationship to the other wings of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

Newsweek’s description of the Whitney read, “…The Whitney Western Art Museum offers a unique focus on art of the American West. Its extensive holdings range from 19th-century to contemporary works and include paintings, printings, sketches, watercolors, bronzes and photographs depicting western landscapes, wildlife, and inhabitants.

Following the Whitney were The Art Institute of Chicago, the McNay Art Museum of San Antonio, Museum of Modern Art in New York City, Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle, Denver Art Museum, Art Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christi, The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino, Calif., Milwaukee Art Museum and Seattle Art Museum.