K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For December 4th, 2017 – Morning

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE KREMLIN SAYS A CONVERSATION BETWEEN MICHAEL FLYNN AND THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES DID NOT INFLUENCE ITS RESPONSE TO U.S. SANCTIONS. U.S. PROSECUTORS SAY THAT IN DECEMBER 2017, THE TOP TRUMP ADVISER ASKED THAT THE AMBASSADOR "NOT ESCALATE THE SITUATION" AFTER THE OUTGOING OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IMPOSED SANCTIONS FOR ELECTION INTERFERENCE. A SPOKESMAN FOR RUSSIA'S PRESIDENT SAYS IT'S "ABSURD" TO SUGGEST THAT THE PHONE CONVERSATION COULD HAVE INFLUENCED THE VLADIMIR PUTIN.
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - NATO'S CHIEF IS WARNING THAT WAR ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA WOULD BE CATASTROPHIC AND SAYS THE MILITARY ALLIANCE HAS THE MEANS TO RESPOND TO MISSILE AND NUCLEAR STRIKES IF THEY ARE LAUNCHED. NORTH KOREA FIRED AN INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE LAST WEEK THAT SOME OBSERVERS SAY WOULD BE ABLE TO STRIKE THE UNITED STATES.
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MILLS POLICE LAST WEEK BEGAN INVESTIGATING AN INCIDENT IN WHICH A FATHER ALLEGEDLY BEAT HIS 15-YEAR-OLD SON AND HELD A KNIFE TO THE BOY'S THROAT.

ACCORDING TO AN AFFIDAVIT FILED IN NATRONA COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT, SCHOOL OFFICIALS NOTICED VISIBLE INJURIES ON THE FACE OF THE VICTIM -- WHO ATTENDS A CASPER MIDDLE SCHOOL -- WHEN THE BOY SHOWED UP FOR SCHOOL ON TUESDAY, NOV. 21.

THE BOY TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT HIS PARENTS BROUGHT HOME A CASE OF BUD LIGHT ON MONDAY EVENING AND PROCEEDED TO GET DRUNK. HIS MOTHER WENT TO BED AT ABOUT 9 P.M. AND, AS THE BOY LAY IN HIS BED, HIS FATHER REPORTEDLY ENTERED HIS ROOM AND STARTED YELLING AT HIM.

THE BOY EXPLAINED THAT HIS FATHER DISAGREES WITH HIS SEXUALITY AND FELT THAT GAY PEOPLE SHOULD NOT EXIST.

THE BOY'S FATHER ALLEGEDLY GOT ON TOP OF HIM, USED HIS KNEES TO PIN THE BOY'S ARMS AND BEGAN TO PHYSICALLY ASSAULT THE BOY.

THEN, THE FATHER ALLEGEDLY PULLED OUT A SMALL BROWN FOLDING KNIFE AND HELD THE TIP OF THE BLADE TO THE BOY'S THROAT, TELLING HIM HE WAS GOING TO CUT HIS THROAT BECAUSE OF THE BOY'S SEXUALITY.

THE MOTHER EVENTUALLY BROKE IT UP. SHE REPORTEDLY SENT HER SON TEXT MESSAGES THE NEXT DAY ASKING WHETHER THE BOY HAD WASHED HIS FACE BEFORE GOING TO SCHOOL. SHE SAID IF HE WENT TO SCHOOL "LIKE THAT," HIS FATHER WOULD GO TO JAIL, AND THEY'D HAVE NOWHERE TO GO.

POLICE NOTED NUMEROUS INJURIES ON THE BOY DURING THE INTERVIEW ON TUESDAY.

AUTHORITIES HAVE NOT CONFIRMED WHETHER AN ARREST HAS BEEN MADE IN THE CASE.

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LARAMIE, WYO. (AP) - THE AVERAGE ACT SCORE OF INCOMING UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING FRESHMEN INCREASED BETWEEN FALL 2016 AND 2017.

THE AVERAGE ACT SCORE FOR INCOMING FRESHMEN ROSE FROM 24.4 IN FALL 2016 TO 24.7 IN 2017, FOR A FIVE-YEAR HIGH. THAT'S EVEN AS THE UNIVERSITY INCREASED ITS FIRST-YEAR CLASS SIZE BY 9.3 PERCENT.

THE AVERAGE ACT SCORE FOR GRADUATING WYOMING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ALSO ROSE BETWEEN 2016 AND 2017, FROM 20 TO 20.2.

THAT SCORE HAS BARELY FLUCTUATED SINCE 2011, WHEN THE STATE BEGAN ADMINISTERING THE ACT TO 100 PERCENT OF ITS STUDENTS.

UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS STATE A FIRST-YEAR STUDENT MUST HAVE A SCORE OF AT LEAST 21 - OR AN SAT SCORE OF 1060 - AS WELL AS A 3.0 GRADE POINT AVERAGE.
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CHEYENNE, WYO. (AP) - A MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED ON A CHARGE OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AFTER A BODY WAS FOUND IN A RESERVOIR IN SOUTHEAST WYOMING.

21-YEAR-OLD ARMANDO RAUL RAMIREZ-SERNA, OF CHEYENNE, WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN KIMBALL, NEBRASKA ON SATURDAY EVENING. HE DECLINED TO SPEAK WITH INVESTIGATORS ABOUT HIS ALLEGED ROLE IN THE DEATH OF 19-YEAR-OLD JUSTIN ROBINSON, WHO WAS FOUND IN THE WATER NOV. 26 AFTER A BURNED SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE WAS DISCOVERED NEARBY.

ROBINSON HAD BEEN SHOT IN THE HEAD.

RAMIREZ-SERNA IS THE FOURTH PERSON TO BE ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEATH.

CAPT. LINDA GESELL WITH THE LARAMIE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT SAYS DETECTIVES BELIEVE RAMIREZ-SERNA AND ROBINSON WERE ACQUAINTANCES AND MAY HAVE BEEN TOGETHER LAST WEEKEND. THEY ALSO BELIEVE THERE WAS FOUL PLAY RELATED TO NARCOTICS.
) - A MAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED ON A CHARGE OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER AFTER A BODY WAS FOUND IN A RESERVOIR IN SOUTHEAST WYOMING.

THE WYOMING TRIBUNE EAGLE REPORTS 21-YEAR-OLD ARMANDO RAUL RAMIREZ-SERNA, OF CHEYENNE, WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN KIMBALL, NEBRASKA ON SATURDAY EVENING. HE DECLINED TO SPEAK WITH INVESTIGATORS ABOUT HIS ALLEGED ROLE IN THE DEATH OF 19-YEAR-OLD JUSTIN ROBINSON, WHO WAS FOUND IN THE WATER NOV. 26 AFTER A BURNED SPORT UTILITY VEHICLE WAS DISCOVERED NEARBY.

ROBINSON HAD BEEN SHOT IN THE HEAD.

RAMIREZ-SERNA IS THE FOURTH PERSON TO BE ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE DEATH.

CAPT. LINDA GESELL WITH THE LARAMIE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT SAYS DETECTIVES BELIEVE RAMIREZ-SERNA AND ROBINSON WERE ACQUAINTANCES AND MAY HAVE BEEN TOGETHER LAST WEEKEND. THEY ALSO BELIEVE THERE WAS FOUL PLAY RELATED TO NARCOTICS.