K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For August 16th, 2018 – Morning

CASPER CITY COUNCIL, WITHOUT MAKING A TENTATIVE DECISION AT A WORK SESSION TUESDAY, SEEMED TO AGREE THAT THE CITY'S POLICY SHOULD STAY PUT REGARDING OPEN CONTAINERS OF ALCOHOL ALLOWED ONLY FOR SPECIAL EVENTS.

THE MOST RARE SPECIAL EVENT OCCURRED A YEAR AGO WHEN THOUSANDS GATHERED DOWNTOWN TO WATCH THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.

THAT WEEKEND, THE CITY BLOCKED EAST SECOND STREET DOWNTOWN AND BARRICADES MARKED THE BOUNDARIES WHERE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT BEER IN ONE BLOCK TO NOT CROSS THE NORTH-SOUTH STREETS.

BUT AFTER A DAY, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT REALIZED ENFORCEMENT WOULD BE A NIGHTMARE, SO IT ANNOUNCED PEOPLE COULD CARRY OPEN CONTAINERS INT HE AREA.

ONLY A FEW PEOPLE WERE CITED FOR PUBLIC INTOXICATION, SO WITH A SUCCESS LIKE THAT, CITY OFFICIALS ASKED POLICE CHIEF KEITH MCPHEETERS ABOUT LOOSENING THE RESTRICTIONS ON OPEN CONTAINERS.

MCPHEETERS SAID HE HAD NO PROBLEM WITH SPECIAL EVENTS WITH OPEN CONTAINERS IN LIMITED AREAS BECAUSE THEY HELP MAKE CASPER AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE.

BUT RELAXING THE OPEN CONTAINER PROHIBITION WOULD LEAD TO "STREET INEBRIATES" MIGRATING TO THE OPEN CONTAINER AREAS AND RUINING THE VIBRANCY AND FUN OF DOWNTOWN EVENTS.
=========================

CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS OFFICIALS JOINED WYOMING GOV. MATT MEAD AND CHEYENNE MAYOR MARIAN ORR TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN ANNOUNCING THE UPCOMING LAUNCH OF SPECTRUM INTERNET GIG.

SENIOR DIRECTOR OF REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS BRET PICCIOLO (PEACH-UH-LOW) SAYS THE ONE GIGABIT PER SECOND CONNECTION WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO CHEYENNE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES THIS FALL.

"EVERY DEVICE YOU HAVE -- WHETHER IT'S YOUR PHONE, A TABLET, A COMPUTER, YOUR TV, YOUR APPLIANCES -- THEY'RE ALL CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET. SO THE DEMANDS ARE GROWING AND AS THE DEMANDS ARE GROWING WE NEED TO GROW TO MEET THOSE DEMANDS. WHAT SPECTRUM INTERNET GIG WILL DO IS ALLOW THOSE CUSTOMERS TO USE THEIR DEVICES THE WAY THEY'RE INTENDED AND THE WAY THEY'RE DEMANDING​."

SPECTRUM INTERNET GIG IS ALREADY IN SEVERAL MARKETS NATIONWIDE.

=========================

A FORMER CITY OF CASPER EMPLOYEE WHO STOLE OVER $19,000 WHILE SHE WORKED IN CITY HALL WAS SENTENCED TO A TERM OF PROBATION WEDNESDAY AND WILL HAVE TO REPAY ALL THE MONEY SHE TOOK.

DISTRICT JUDGE DANIEL FORGEY SENTENCED 39-YEAR-OLD HEATHER MARIE KIRKENDALL TO A SUSPENDED TWO- TO FOUR-YEAR PRISON TERM WITH THREE YEARS OF SUPERVISED PROBATION. HE ALSO ORDERED KIRKENDALL TO PAY $19,403.75 IN RESTITUTION.

KIRKENDALL PLEADED GUILTY IN MAY TO A SINGLE COUNT OF FELONY THEFT. THE CRIME IS PUNISHABLE BY UP TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON UNDER WYOMING LAW.

THE INVESTIGATION BEGAN NOV. 15 AFTER PAYMENT IRREGULARITIES WERE NOTICED WITHIN THE CITY'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIVISION.

INVESTIGATORS EXAMINED RECORDS AND FOUND THAT THE DISCREPANCIES DATED FROM MAY 2016 THROUGH OCTOBER 2017, AND THE AMOUNT IN RECEIPTS ISSUED DID NOT MATCH THE DAILY RECEIPTS WORKSHEET ON A TOTAL OF 187 OCCASIONS.

KIRKENDALL DECLINED TO MAKE A STATEMENT BEFORE FORGEY PRONOUNCED SENTENCE ON WEDNESDAY.
========================
BIOLOGISTS WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE AND A GROUP OF FEDERAL, STATE AND TRIBAL AGENCIES WILL BEGIN CONDUCTING SCIENTIFIC GRIZZLY BEAR AND BLACK BEAR RESEARCH OPERATIONS IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK AND THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE ECOSYSTEM FROM NEXT TUESDAY THROUGH OCTOBER.

THE PARK SAYS THE BIOLOGISTS WILL BAIT AND TRAP BEARS AT SEVERAL REMOTE SITES AND ANESTHETIZE THEM TO ALLOW WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS TO ATTACH RADIO COLLARS AND COLLECT SCIENTIFIC SAMPLES.

THE BIOLOGISTS WILL NOT PLACE ANY OF THE TRAP SITES NEAR ANY ESTABLISHED HIKING TRAILS OR BACKCOUNTRY CAMPSITES, AND ALL TRAP SITES WILL HAVE POSTED WARNINGS FOR THE CLOSURE PERIMETER.

POTENTIAL ACCESS POINTS ALSO WILL BE POSTED WITH WARNING SIGNS FOR THE CLOSURE AREAS.

THE PARK IS WORKING WITH A BEAR STUDY TEAM THAT INCLUDES REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE, THE EASTERN SHOSHONE AND NORTHERN ARAPAHO TRIBAL FISH AND GAME DEPARTMENT, AND THE STATES OF IDAHO, MONTANA AND WYOMING.

THEY MONITOR AND MANAGE BEARS IN THE ECOSYSTEM TO HELP WILDLIFE MANAGERS DEVISE AND IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THE ONGOING CONSERVATION OF YELLOWSTONE’S GRIZZLY BEAR AND BLACK BEAR POPULATIONS.