MORE WYOMING WELLS
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NEARLY A CENTURY AFTER OIL WAS DISCOVERED IN PARK COUNTY, COMPANIES ARE STILL WORKING TO FIND NEW RESERVES. THEY'RE ALSO SEARCHING FOR NEW WAYS TO RECOVER UNTAPPED OIL FROM WELLS DRILLED DECADES AGO. MARATHON OIL, IN CODY, IS EXPANDING ITS OPERATIONS AFTER 2 YEARS OF NOT DRILLING. OIL WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN THE AREA IN 1912, AND MOST OF THE EASILY ACCESSIBLE OIL HAS ALREADY BEEN RECOVERED. BUT, MARATHON NOW PLANS TO DRILL 6 NEW WELLS THERE THIS YEAR. THE COMPANY WILL ADD ABOUT A DOZEN NEW WORKERS TO ITS CODY OFFICE, BECAUSE OF THE NEW DRILLING.
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RUNNING FOR 2ND TERM CASPER
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WYOMING'S SECRETARY OF STATE IS RUNNING FOR A SECOND TERM. MAX MAXFIELD MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY IN CASPER. MAXFIELD IS A REPUBLICAN, WHO SERVED 8 YEARS AS STATE AUDITOR, BEFORE BEING ELECTED SECRETARY OF STATE IN 2006. ONE OF HIS BIG PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT 4 YEARS WILL BE TO CONTINUE TO PROTECT WYOMING CONSUMERS. BEFORE TURNING TO POLITICS, MAXFIELD WORKED FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS MANAGING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
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TEXTING AND DRIVING BAN CHEYENNE
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ITS OFFICIAL TEXTING WHILE DRIVING WILL BE ILLEGAL IN WYOMING BEGINNING JULY FIRST. THE TEXTING BAN WAS ONE OF TEN BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW TODAY BY GOVERNOR FREUDENTHAL. THE NEW LAW MAKES TEXTING AND DRIVING PUNISHABLE BY A $75 FINE. TALKING ON A CELL PHONE IS NOT EFFECTED BY THE LAW. THE GOVERNOR ALSO SIGNED A BILL ALLOWING SOME LOW INCOME RESIDENTS OF THE STATE TO GET ACCESS TO HEALTH INSURANCE. WITH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEHIND HIM, THE GOVERNOR IS NOW LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS TRIP TO AUSTRALIA TO TALK ABOUT POLICIES IMPACTING THE COAL INDUSTRY. THE GOVERNOR WILL BE IN AUSTRALIA FOR A WEEK TO MEET WITH BOTH GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES.
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REVENUES FALL SHORT CASPER
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THE CITY OF CASPER HAS FALLEN SHORT OF PROJECTED SALES TAX REVENUES EVERY MONTH OF THIS FISCAL YEAR. THIS HAS LED TO A $4.6 MILLION SHORT FALL FOR SO FAR. SALES TAX IS THE CITY'S MAIN SOURCE OF FUNDS AND THE CITY MANAGER SAYS THE SECOND BIGGEST SOURCE WILL ALSO FALL SIGNIFICANTLY NEXT FISCAL YEAR. STATE FUNDS ARE BEING CUT BY OVER 40% WHICH COULD RESULT IN A SMALLER BUDGET. CITY OFFICIALS SAY THEY WANT TO TRY TO KEEP IMPACT LIMITED TO INTERNAL CUTS, IN TURN PROTECTING PUBLIC SERVICES. THE CITY SAYS IT WILL GO INTO NEXT YEAR WITH LOWER PROJECTIONS. THE CITY ALSO SAYS IT STARTED THIS FISCAL YEAR WITH A $28,000,000 DOLLAR RESERVE, SO MAJOR DROPS IN SERVICE IN THE NEAR FUTURE ARE NOT EXPECTED.
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SAGE GROUSE LAWSUIT WYOMING
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AN ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP IS SUING OVER LAST WEEK'S DECISION NOT TO GIVE THE SAGE GROUSE PROTECTION UNDER THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.
THE GROUP CALLED WESTERN WATER SHEDS DISAGREES WITH THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT FINDING THAT THE BIRD IS A CANDIDATE FOR PROTECTION AT SOME POINT, BUT THAT THERE ARE HIGHER PRIORITIES AT THIS TIME. WESTERN WATER SHEDS DIRECTOR JON MARVEL SAYS ALL SPECIES THAT QUALIFY SHOULD BE PROTECTED. THE SAME GROUP SUED OVER THE 2006 DECISION NOT TO GIVE THE SAGE GROUSE ENDANGERED OR THREATENED SPECIES STATUS.
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CONGRESS PAY CUTS
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REPRESENTATIVE CYNTHIA LUYMMIS IS SUPPORTING A BILL THAT WOULD CUT SALARIES FOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS BY 5% STARTING NEXT JANUARY. IF IT PASSES IT WOULD ALSO BLOCK ANY AUTOMATIC CONGRESSIONAL PAY INCREASE FOR 2012. LUMMIS SUPPORTED CONGRESS' DECISION LAST YEAR TO STOP THE AUTOMATIC PAY RAISES THEY WOULD HAVE RECEIVED THIS YEAR. MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE CURRENTLY MAKE $174,000 PER YEAR.
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PREPARATION FOR JUVENILE ASSESMENTS WYOMING
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LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ARE LOOKING AHEAD TO JULY...WHEN POLICE WILL HAVE A NEW TOOL TO HELP THEM DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH JUVENILES THEY TAKE INTO CUSTODY. THE GOVERNOR SIGNED THE NEW JUVENILE ASSESSMENT SYSTEM INTO LAW LAST WEEK. SUPPORTERS SAY IT WILL PROVIDE A UNIFORM WAY TO MAKE DECISIONS ON WHETHER JUVENILES SHOULD BE JAILED OR RELEASED, AFTER BEING ARRESTED. OFFICIALS SAY THE CRITERIA WILL HELP IDENTIFY THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY A RISK TO THE COMMUNITY. BUT, SOME FEAR IT WON'T BE USEFUL TO SMALLER COUNTIES AND WANT THE STATE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES TO FIX THE JUVENILE SYSTEM.
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ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES LARAMIE COUNTY
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THE OPERATOR OF AN ANIMAL RESCUE FACILITY IN LARAMIE COUNTY NOW FACES 2 COUNTS OF ANIMAL CRUELTY AFTER AUTHORITIES SEIZED MORE THAN 100 CREATURES FROM THEM LAST WEEK. ANIMAL CONTROL WENT TO THE PROPERTY ON FEBRUARY 24TH WITH A SEARCH WARRANT AFTER RECEIVING A COMPLAINT ABOUT UNCLEAN CONDITIONS. THEY FOUND THE PROPERTY OVERRUN BY DOGS. ALTOGETHER, 93-DOGS, 17 CATS AND 10 RABBITS WERE REMOVED FROM THE NONPROFIT CALLED THE "LITTLE BIT OF LOVE ANIMAL RESCUE AND SANCTUARY."
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SPRING BREAK CASPER
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ITS SPRING BREAK FOR NATRONA COUNTY SCHOOLS, AND THE CASPER PLANETARIUM HAS SOME SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT ARE BOTH FUN AND EDUCATIONAL FOR YOUR KIDS. ONE PROGRAM IS BEING PRESENTED EVERYDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. IT STARTS AT TWO O'CLOCK, AND IS CALLED "THE SECRET OF THE CARDBOARD ROCKET". THE ADMISSION PRICE IS JUST $2.00 PER PERSON. THURSDAY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY THERE WILL BE LASER AND MUSIC SHOWS AT VARIOUS TIMES THROUGHOUT THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ADMISSION FOR THOSE SHOWS IS $5.00 PER PERSON.
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