K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For April 13th, 2018 – Morning

NEW MEXICO STATE POLICE SAY A WYOMING MAN HAS DIED IN A CAR CRASH WEST OF HOBBS.

THEY SAY 37-YEAR-OLD MICHAEL TAGGART OF CASPER WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE EARLY WEDNESDAY.

POLICE SAY TAGGART FAILED TO YIELD TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON STATE ROUTE 483 AND TURNED IN FRONT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES.

THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES AT THE SCENE.

POLICE SAY ALCOHOL USE IS NOT BELIEVED TO BE A FACTOR IN THE CRASH, BUT SEAT BELTS DON'T APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN PROPERLY USED.

THEY SAY THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE IS NOT FACING CHARGES.
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TWO LONGTIME WYOMING LEGISLATORS, INCLUDING SENATE PRESIDENT ELI BEBOUT, SAY THEY WILL BE CLOSING OUT THEIR STATEHOUSE CAREERS SOON.

BEBOUT SAYS HE HAS NO PLANS TO SEEK RE-ELECTION IN 2020 WHEN HIS CURRENT TERM EXPIRES. THE RIVERTON REPUBLICAN FIRST STARTED SERVING IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN 1987 AND HAS BEEN IN THE SENATE SINCE 2007.

AFTER MORE THAN THREE DECADES IN THE LEGISLATURE, BEBOUT SAID IT'S TIME TO MAKE WAY FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE IN THE LEGISLATURE.

AND HOUSE REVENUE COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN MIKE MADDEN ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK HE WILL NOT SEEK RE-ELECTION AFTER HIS TERM EXPIRES THIS YEAR. IT WILL BRING THE BUFFALO REPUBLICAN'S 12-YEAR TENURE IN THE LEGISLATURE TO A CLOSE.

MADDEN CITED SEVERAL REASONS, INCLUDING CHANGES IN THE STATE'S ELECTED LEADERS.
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IDAHO OFFICIALS HAVE SCHEDULED TWO PUBLIC MEETINGS AS PART OF A PROCESS TO POTENTIALLY OPEN A GRIZZLY BEAR HUNTING SEASON THIS FALL THAT WOULD ALLOW THE KILLING OF ONE MALE GRIZZLY.

THE FIRST MEETING IS SET FOR TUESDAY AT THE COLLEGE OF EASTERN IDAHO IN IDAHO FALLS, AND THE SECOND ON APRIL 19 AT THE RIVERSIDE HOTEL IN BOISE.

THE IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME IS GATHERING THE COMMENTS TO DRAFT A POSSIBLE GRIZZLY BEAR HUNTING SEASON THAT THE FISH AND GAME COMMISSION WILL CONSIDER IN MAY.

ABOUT 700 GRIZZLIES LIVE IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK AND SURROUNDING AREAS IN WYOMING, MONTANA AND IDAHO. MONTANA DOESN'T PLAN TO HUNT GRIZZLIES THIS YEAR, WHILE A PROPOSAL IN WYOMING WOULD ALLOW THE KILLING OF UP TO 24.
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POLICE IN GREEN RIVER ARE ASKING THE PUBLIC FOR INFORMATION IN AN EFFORT TO FIND A 17-YEAR-OLD GIRL WHO RAN AWAY FROM HOME OVER THE WEEKEND.

MCKAYLA CUTHBERTSON WAS REPORTED AS A RUNAWAY ON SUNDAY. THE GREEN RIVER POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS CUTHBERTSON LEFT HER HOME IN GREEN RIVER WITHOUT PERMISSION AND HAS NOT RETURNED.

CUTHBERTSON IS DESCRIBED AS A WHITE FEMALE STANDING ROUGHLY 5'5" TALL AND WEIGHING 185 POUNDS. SHE HAS BROWN EYES AND LONG, BROWN HAIR WITH PURPLE TIPS.

SHE ALSO HAS A BAR PIERCING IN HER LEFT EAR AND A TATTOO ON HER RIGHT SHOULDER DEPICTING A TREE WITH BIRDS.

ANYONE WITH INFORMATION ON CUTHBERTSON'S WHEREABOUTS IS ASKED TO CALL THE GREEN RIVER POLICE DEPARTMENT OR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.

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JACKSON, WYO. (AP) - OFFICIALS HAVE STARTED TO REMOVE WATER FROM JACKSON LAKE FOR FLOOD CONTROL IN ANTICIPATION OF A LOT OF WATER FLOWING IN FROM THE SNAKE RIVER.

THE JACKSON HOLE NEWS AND GUIDE REPORTS THE EARLY SEASON INCREASE IN JACKSON LAKE RELEASES IS INTENDED TO MAKE SPACE FOR THE PEAK RUNOFF THAT'S STILL LIKELY SIX WEEKS OR SO AWAY.

THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION'S PLAN IS TO DRAW 77-PERCENT-FULL JACKSON LAKE DOWN TO ABOUT 65 PERCENT. BUT BUREAU OPERATIONS STAFFER BRIAN STEVENS SAYS NOTHING'S CERTAIN WITH A WET WEEK FORECAST AHEAD.

STEVENS SAYS "BASE FLOWS" ARE ALREADY HIGHER THAN USUAL. HE SAYS THE LAKE'S RUNOFF VOLUME AT THE FIRST OF THE MONTH WAS 114 PERCENT OF AVERAGE, BUT THE MIDMONTH FORECAST IS MORE IN THE RANGE OF 120 PERCENT.

ACROSS WYOMING'S PORTION OF THE UPPER SNAKE RIVER BASIN, IT WAS 130 PERCENT OF NORMAL AS OF WEDNESDAY.