K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For July 23rd, 2018 – Morning

A RIVERTON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT ACCUSED OF INVOLVEMENT IN AN ATTACK ON A YOUNGER STUDENT DURING A WRESTLING TRIP EARLIER THIS YEAR TOLD A CASPER JUDGE ON FRIDAY THAT HE INTENDS TO PLEAD GUILTY TO AT LEAST ONE CRIMINAL CHARGE FILED IN CONNECTION WITH THE CASE.

18-YEAR-OLD HAYDEN WEMPEN IS CHARGED WITH TWO MISDEMEANOR COUNTS OF UNLAWFUL CONTACT STEMMING FROM WHAT AN INVESTIGATOR DESCRIBED AS "A SERIES OF ASSAULTS" THAT TOOK PLACE ON A SCHOOL BUS WHICH WAS TRAVELING WITHIN NATRONA COUNTY ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 4.

WEMPEN'S ATTORNEY, JEFFREY STANBURY, TOLD NATRONA COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE STEVEN BROWN ON FRIDAY THAT A PLEA AGREEMENT IS IN PLACE WITH THE NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BUT HAS NOT YET BEEN FILED WITH THE COURT. AS SUCH, WEMPEN DID NOT ENTER PLEAS DURING FRIDAY'S COURT HEARING.

BROWN SET WEMPEN'S BOND AT $1,000 PERSONAL RECOGNIZANCE AND SAID A CHANGE-OF-PLEA HEARING WILL BE SET FOR A LATER DATE. EACH OF THE CHARGES CARRIES A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF SIX MONTHS BEHIND BARS AND A FINE OF $750.

STANBURY DID NOT DETAIL THE PLEA AGREEMENT ON FRIDAY.

THREE WRESTLERS FROM THE RIVERTON HIGH SCHOOL TEAM WERE EXPELLED FOR ASSAULTING AND SEXUALLY HARASSING EIGHT TEAMMATES DURING THE JAN. 4 INCIDENT. THE EXPULSIONS WERE FOR ONE YEAR.

WEMPEN WON A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP IN FEBRUARY 2017.
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A PANEL CREATED TO ATTRACT COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICE TO WYOMING HAS COME UP WITH A DRAFT PLAN.

AT A MEETING THURSDAY IN RIVERTON, THE WYOMING AIR SERVICE IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE A DRAFT PLAN FOR LANDING AN AIR CARRIER THAT WOULD PROVIDE UP TO THREE DAILY FLIGHTS TO AND FROM DENVER FROM AIRPORTS THAT JOIN THE AGREEMENT.

THE COUNCIL WAS ESTABLISHED EARLIER THIS YEAR BY THE WYOMING LEGISLATURE.

THROUGH THE PROGRAM, THE STATE WOULD OFFER MINIMUM REVENUE GUARANTEES FOR A CAPACITY PURCHASE AGREEMENT WITH AN AIRLINE.

THE COUNCIL AGREED ON A PROFIT-SHARING FRAMEWORK, WHERE COMMUNITIES THAT OPT IN WOULD SHARE 40 PERCENT OF THE COST AND EVENTUAL PROFIT WITH THE STATE.

THE COUNCIL'S PLAN WILL BE REVIEWED BY GOV. MATT MEAD AND LAWMAKERS.
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DENVER (AP) - THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WANTS TO CHANGE HOW ENDANGERED SPECIES ARE PROTECTED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT...

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ROCK SPRINGS, WYO. (AP) - A WYOMING CITY COUNCILMAN FACING CHARGES OF SEXUALLY ABUSING A MINOR IN TWO COUNTIES WILL HAVE THE CASES COMBINED.

THE ROCKET MINER REPORTS THAT ALLAN DEAN WILSON HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO THE CHARGES FILED AGAINST HIM IN SWEETWATER AND LINCOLN COUNTIES. WILSON IS A MEMBER OF THE GREEN RIVER CITY COUNCIL.

A JUDGE DECIDED LAST WEEK TO COMBINE THE CASES IN SWEETWATER COUNTY, WITH TRIAL SCHEDULED TO BEGIN IN OCTOBER.

WILSON FACES ONE CHARGE OF SECOND-DEGREE SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR IN SWEETWATER COUNTY ALONG WITH CHARGES OF FIRST-DEGREE, SECOND-DEGREE AND THIRD-DEGREE SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR IN LINCOLN COUNTY.
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JACKSON, WYO. (AP) - AN EXTENSIVE EFFORT TO CAPTURE AND KILL NON-NATIVE LAKE TROUT IN YELLOWSTONE LAKE IS SHOWING PROGRESS WITH FEWER OF THE INVASIVE FISH BEING FOUND.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK FISHERIES CHIEF TODD KOEL SAYS SO FAR THIS YEAR ABOUT 155,000 LAKE TROUT HAVE BEEN CAUGHT, WHICH IS DOWN 63,000 FROM THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

KOEL TELLS THE JACKSON HOLE NEWS & GUIDE THAT IT'S A SIGN THAT THE LAKE TROUT POPULATION IS FINALLY CRASHING.

THE EFFORT AGAINST THE LAKE TROUT IS THE CENTERPIECE OF A LONG-TERM FIGHT TO HELP YELLOWSTONE'S NATIVE CUTTHROAT TROUT. LAKE TROUT FEED ON CUTTHROATS, CAUSING THE NATIVE FISH POPULATION TO DECLINE.

YELLOWSTONE'S NETTING PROGRAM COSTS ABOUT $2 MILLION A YEAR.