K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For July 27th, 2018 – Morning

REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE FOSTER FRIESS ON THURSDAY SAID HIS CAMPAIGN HAS CHANGED HIS AGENDA TO THREE GOALS THAT SUPERSEDE HIS INTERESTS IN ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION, IMPROVING EDUCATION AND GETTING THE BUDGET IN LINE.
FRIESS SPOKE TO ABOUT 100 SUPPORTERS AND CAMPAIGN STAFFERS AND VOLUNTEERS AT A SO-CALLED FAITH AND FAMILY RALLY AT THE GOOD WAR BIRDS HANGAR AT THE CASPER-NATRONA COUNTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
BEFORE FRIESS SPOKE, HE GAVE A NOD OF THANKS TO FORMER PENNSYLVANIA GOP U.S. SENATOR AND UNSUCCESSFUL PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RICK SANTORUM.

DURING SANTORUM'S WARMUP TALK, HE SAID FRIESS GAVE CRUCIAL FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO HIM DURING HIS 2012 BID TO BE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY'S NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT.

FRIESS' CONTRIBUTIONS HELPED PROPEL SANTORUM FROM THE SINGLE DIGITS IN THE POLLS LEADING TO THE IOWA CAUCUSES TO VIRTUALLY TYING MITT ROMNEY WHO WAS CHALLENGING DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.

DESPITE HIS BURGEONING POPULARITY, SANTORUM EVENTUALLY ENDED HIS CAMPAIGN AFTER POOR SHOWINGS IN SEVERAL STATES.

FRIESS FACES BILL DAHLIN, HARRIET HAGEMAN, MARK GORDON, SAM GALEOTOS AND TAYLOR HAYNES TO BE THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR GOVERNOR IN THE AUGUST 21 PRIMARY.
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CASPER POLICE ON WEDNESDAY ARRESTED A WOMAN WHO ALLEGEDLY EMBEZZLED FROM THE CASPER WRESTLING CLUB.
WANDA SUE ATKINSON WAS BOOKED INTO JAIL ON A RECOMMENDED CHARGE OF FELONY THEFT.

CHARGING PAPERS SAY TWO REPRESENTATIVES OF THE CLUB REPORTED THE ACCUSATION TO POLICE IN APRIL. THEY HAD GROWN SUSPICIOUS REGARDING THE CLUB'S FINANCES IN RECENT WEEKS, LARGELY BECAUSE THE APPOINTED TREASURER -- ATKINSON -- HAD NOT ALLOWED ANYONE TO REVIEW THE FINANCES.

WHEN QUESTIONED ABOUT A CREDIT CARD PAYMENT AND A DOCTOR'S VISIT PAYMENT ON THE CLUB ACCOUNT, ATKINSON ALLEGEDLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THOSE WERE HER PERSONAL EXPENSES.

SHE TOLD THE DETECTIVE THAT SHE HAD SURGERY AND HAD BEEN HEAVILY MEDICATED WHEN SHE FIRST MADE THE PAYMENTS TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE AND THE CREDIT CARD. ATKINSON SHE HADN'T REIMBURSED THE CLUB, BUT WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO SO AFTER THE ACCOUNT WAS UNFROZEN.

ATKINSON ALSO TOLD THE DETECTIVE THAT SHE WOULD PROVIDE COPIES OF ALL HER DOCUMENTATION.

IN REVIEWING THE CHARGES THAT CLUB REPRESENTATIVES HAD CALLED INTO QUESTION, THE DETECTIVE NOTED THAT ATKINSON PROVIDED "PLAUSIBLE AND REASONABLE" EXPLANATIONS OR RECEIPTS THAT INDICATED THE ITEM RECEIVED DID BENEFIT THE CLUB IN MOST INSTANCES.

ATKINSON TURNED HERSELF IN AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ON WEDNESDAY.

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JACKSON HOLE, WYO. (AP) - THE EMPLOYEE TAPPED TO TAKE OVER THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE'S INTERMOUNTAIN REGIONAL OFFICE IN DENVER HAS QUIT...
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CASPER, WYO. (AP) - A WYOMING MAN HAS PLEADED GUILTY TO STEALING PACKAGES OF PRESCRIPTION PAINKILLERS AND OTHER MEDICATION INTENDED FOR PATIENTS OF THE VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER IN SHERIDAN.

THE CASPER STAR-TRIBUNE REPORTS BRYAN DENNIS OF CASPER PLEADED GUILTY THURSDAY IN NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT COURT TO FIVE FELONY CHARGES, INCLUDING BURGLARY AND POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE.

DENNIS TOLD THE COURT THAT HE TOOK THE MEDICATIONS TO FEED A DRUG HABIT. THE ITEMS WERE TAKEN FROM A UPS FACILITY IN CASPER WHILE HE WAS AN EMPLOYEE.

PROSECUTOR TREVOR SCHENK SAYS DENNIS WAS FOUND IN POSSESSION OF ABOUT 300 PILLS.

UNDER THE PLEA AGREEMENT, PROSECUTORS WILL RECOMMEND AT SENTENCING FOR DENNIS TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM AT THE CASPER RE-ENTRY CENTER AND SERVE THREE YEARS OF PROBATION.

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SPECIALISTS WITH THE FOREST SERVICE BURNED AREA EMERGENCY RESPONSE RECENTLY FINISHED COLLECTING DATA AND VERIFICATION FIELD WORK OF THE BADGER CREEK FIRE BURN AREA AND HAVE COMPILED A SOIL BURN SEVERITY MAP.

ACCORDING TO THE MAP, ABOUT 54 PERCENT OF THE 20,302 ACRES ANALYZED BY THE BAER TEAM IS CONSIDERED UNBURNED, OR HAS LOW SOIL BURN SEVERITY. THIRTY-SIX PERCENT OF THE AREA SUSTAINED A MODERATE SOIL BURN SEVERITY AND 10 PERCENT BURNED AT A HIGH SOIL BURN SEVERITY.

FOREST SERVICE PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST AARON VOOS SAID MOST PEOPLE NEVER GET TO SEE A FIRE BURN AREA FROM THE AIR AND A BURN MAP CAN HELP GIVE PEOPLE A PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT A FIRE REALLY IS AND DOES.

THE BAER TEAM SAID IN THE REPORT THAT EVERYONE NEAR AND DOWNSTREAM FROM THE BURNED AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND STAY UPDATED ON WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT COULD RESULT IN HEAVY RAINS OVER THE BURN SCAR, SAYING THAT FLASH FLOODING MAY OCCUR QUICKLY DURING HEAVY RAIN EVENTS.