K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For July 31st, 2017 – Morning

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS INSISTING THERE IS NO CHAOS IN HIS WHITE HOUSE. TRUMP SAYS ON TWITTER ON MONDAY: "HIGHEST STOCK MARKET EVER, BEST ECONOMIC NUMBERS IN YEARS, UNEMPLOYMENT LOWEST IN 17 YEARS, WAGES RAISING, BORDER SECURE, S.C.: NO WH CHAOS!" TRUMP'S TWEET CAME BEFORE THE SWEARING-IN OF A NEW CHIEF OF STAFF. RET. GEN. JOHN KELLY WILL TAKE OVER FROM REINCE PRIEBUS FOLLOWING A TUMULTUOUS WEEK.

MOSCOW (AP) - U.S. VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE SAYS THAT DESPITE WHAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT DESCRIBED AS "A REGRETTABLE AND UNCALLED-FOR ACT" WHEN THE KREMLIN ORDERED THE U.S. TO CUT EMBASSY AND CONSULATE STAFF IN RUSSIA, AMERICA WANTS TO IMPROVE RELATIONS WITH MOSCOW. PENCE TOLD REPORTERS DURING A VISIT TO ESTONIA THAT "WE HOPE FOR BETTER DAYS, AND BETTER RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA."

BERATZHAUSEN, GERMANY (AP) - A U.S. ARMY SOLDIER WHO EMAILED 200 FELLOW TROOPS TO ANNOUNCE SHE WAS TRANSGENDER SAYS IT WAS DEVASTATING TO SEE PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S TWEET PROCLAIMING TRANSGENDER TROOPS ARE NO LONGER WELCOME IN THE U.S. MILITARY. CAPT. JENNIFER SIMS SAYS SHE FEARS NOT ONLY HER CAREER BUT HER MEDICAL TREATMENT AND LIFE WILL SUFFER A MAJOR SETBACK. PENTAGON OFFICIALS SAY THE POLICY WILL NOT CHANGE WITHOUT OFFICIAL WHITE HOUSE GUIDANCE.

CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AP) - VENEZUELAN AUTHORITIES ARE CLAIMING MORE THAN DOUBLE THE VOTER TURNOUT REPORTED BY OPPONENTS AND OUTSIDE OBSERVERS TO CREATE A CONSTITUTIONAL ASSEMBLY ENDOWING PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO'S RULING SOCIALIST PARTY WITH VIRTUALLY UNLIMITED POWERS. THAT'S PROMPTED OPPONENTS TO CALL FOR PROTESTS MONDAY. MADURO SAID HE WOULD USE THE ASSEMBLY'S POWERS TO BAR OPPOSITION CANDIDATES FROM RUNNING IN GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS IN DECEMBER UNLESS THEY NEGOTIATE AN END TO MONTHS OF PROTEST.

DETROIT (AP) - AN ASSOCIATED PRESS INVESTIGATION ACROSS ALL 50 STATES HAS FOUND THAT THE SUPREME COURT'S BAN ON MANDATORY LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE FOR JUVENILE HOMICIDE OFFENDERS HAS RESULTED IN AN UNEVEN PATCHWORK OF RESPONSES AS OFFICIALS WRESTLE WITH COMPLICATED CASES. THE ODDS OF RELEASE VARY BY STATE AND EVEN COUNTY IN A PATTERN THAT CAN MAKE JUSTICE SEEM ARBITRARY. SOME STATES HAVE RESENTENCED AND RELEASED DOZENS. OTHERS HAVE DELAYED CASE REVIEWS OR FOUGHT TO KEEP INMATES LOCKED UP FOR LIFE.
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CASPER BUSINESSMAN AND PHILANTHROPIST TONY CERCY WAS ARRESTED FRIDAY AFTERNOON ON THREE COUNTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.

AN EYEWITNESS TOLD K2 RADIO THAT CERCY WAS ARRESTED BY A LARGE GROUP OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AT A BUSINESS IN THE OLD YELLOWSTONE DISTRICT.

THE NATRONA COUNTY JAIL'S AUTOMATED VOICE MAIL SYSTEM SAID FRIDAY AFTERNOON HE FACES TWO COUNTS OF SECOND DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT AND ONE COUNT OF THIRD DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT.

SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE SECOND DEGREE IS A FELONY PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT FOR NOT LESS THAN TWO YEARS NOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

AND SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE THIRD DEGREE IS A FELONY PUNISHABLE BY IMPRISONMENT FOR NOT MORE THAN 15 YEARS.

IF CONVICTED ON ALL COUNTS, HE FACES BETWEEN FOUR AND 55 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT.

THE JAIL'S AUTOMATED VOICE MESSAGING SYSTEM ALSO DID NOT GIVE ANY DETAILS ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION.

HOWEVER, THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WAS DISABLED LATER FRIDAY.

CERCY WAS THE HEAD OF THE POWER SERVICE BUSINESS AND SOLD IT LAST YEAR FOR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

HE HAS PURCHASED BUSINESSES IN CASPER AND HOLDS LIQUOR LICENSE FOR SEVERAL OF HIM.

HIS COMPANY IS REMODELING THE FORMER BOTICELLI'S AND THE FORMER POOR BOY'S STEAKHOUSE.

LAST YEAR, CERCY ANNOUNCED HE WAS DONATING $1 MILLION TO THE DOWNTOWN PLAZA KNOWN AS THE DAVID STREET STATION.
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CHEYENNE, WYO. (AP) - A MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR A MURDER HE COMMITTED AS A JUVENILE IS ON TRACK TO GO FREE SOON IN AN EXAMPLE OF A WYOMING CASE AFFECTED BY A LANDMARK SUPREME COURT RULING. THE WYOMING BOARD OF PAROLE GRANTED PAROLE FOR 41-YEAR-OLD JONATHAN RODERICK. HE WAS 15 WHEN HE SHOT AN 84-YEAR-OLD MAN DURING A BURGLARY. IN WYOMING, THE SUPREME COURT RULING AND NEW LAW PASSED IN THE STATE AFFECTED 13 INMATES, INCLUDING ONE FREED IN 2015.

CASPER, WYO. (AP) - TRIBAL OFFICIALS ON WYOMING'S WIND RIVER RESERVATION ARE PREPARING FOR THOUSANDS OF VISITORS LOOKING FOR A PRIME SPOT TO VIEW NEXT MONTH'S SOLAR ECLIPSE. MORE THAN 10,000 PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO COME TO FREMONT COUNTY AND THE RESERVATION, WHOSE CROWHEART COMMUNITY IS ON THE CENTER LINE OF THE AUG. 21 ECLIPSE.

JACKSON, WYO. (AP) - GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK WILL RECEIVE $2 MILLION TO COMPLETE RENOVATIONS AROUND ITS FEATURE ATTRACTION, JENNY LAKE. ABOUT $757,000 OF THAT MONEY IS COMING FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE'S CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE PROGRAM. THE REST, $1.26 MILLION, WILL COME FROM THE GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION.

LARAMIE, WYO. (AP) - AN ALBANY COUNTY LEADER SAYS THE COUNTY SHOULD SPEND $14 MILLION TO BUY MORE THAN 8 SQUARE MILES OF LAND TO PROTECT THE AQUIFER THAT SUPPLIES MORE THAN HALF OF LARAMIE'S DRINKING WATER. COMMISSIONER HEBER RICHARDSON SAYS THE PRICE IS WORTH IT TO PROTECT SURFACE AND GROUND WATER FROM CONTAMINATION.