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KEVIN MILBURN WAS AMONG MORE THAN 100 NATRONA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO WALKED FROM THEIR CLASSES TO THE FOOTBALL STADIUM AT 10 A.M. WEDNESDAY FOR 1,606 SECONDS -- ABOUT 27 MINUTES FOR A COMBINED PROTEST, MEMORIAL SERVICE, CALL TO ACTION, AND SOME INSPIRATION.

THOSE ORGANIZING THE EVENT CALL THEMSELVES CASPER YOUTH FOR CHANGE.

THE PROTEST OCCURRED THREE WEEKS AFTER 17 PEOPLE WERE GUNNED DOWN AT THE MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL IN PARKLAND, FLA., ON FEBRUARY 14TH.

PROTEST ORGANIZER HUNTER BULLARD SAID THE 1,606 SECONDS SYMBOLIZE THE 1,606 MASS SHOOTINGS, THAT IS, INVOLVING FOUR PEOPLE AT THE SAME PLACE AND TIME, SINCE THE SHOOTING AT SANDY HOOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN NEWTOWN, CONN., IN DECEMBER 2012,

AT ONE POINT, BULLARD ASKED THE STUDENTS TO TAKE A MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR THE VICTIMS AT THE MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS HIGH SCHOOL.

SHE ADDED THE EVENT WAS ABOUT SCHOOL SAFETY, AND NOT ABOUT THE GUN CONTROL DEBATE.

BULLARD URGED STUDENTS AND SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS TO ENHANCE SAFETY BY HELPING THOSE WHO ARE BEING BULLIED AND THOSE WHO MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH A MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE; AND MAKING SAFETY THE TOP PRIORITY INCLUDING LOCKING ALL ENTRANCES EXCEPT THOSE TO SCHOOL OFFICES
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A BILL THAT WOULD GIVE WYOMING HUNTERS THE OPTION OF WEARING FLUORESCENT PINK RATHER THAN THE TRADITIONAL HUNTER ORANGE ON SAFETY CLOTHING DESIGNED TO MAKE THEM VISIBLE TO OTHER HUNTERS IS NOW FACING A SECOND READING IN THE WYOMING HOUSE ON THURSDAY. REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE FLITNER OF PARK AND BIG HORN COUNTIES TOLD LAWMAKERS IN FLOOR DEBATE ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON THAT THE BILL WOULD ENHANCE HUNTER SAFETY..

BUT REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE BILL POWNALL OF CAMPBELL COUNTY ISN'T TOO THRILLED WITH THE IDEA OF HUNTERS WEARING PINK IN THE FIELD..

THE BILL HAD BEEN SLATED FOR SECOND READING ON WEDNESDAY, BUT REPUBLICAN REPRESETATIVE TYLER LINDHOLM ASKED FOR IT TO BE LAID BACK FOR A DAY.
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THE SECRETARY OF THE WYOMING REPUBLICAN PARTY ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED THE PARTY'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT A DINNER ATTENDED BY SOME 275 PEOPLE LAST MONTH.

SOURCES WHO SPOKE ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY SAY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KRISTI WALLIN WAS ASSAULTED BY STATE SECRETARY CHARLES CURLEY FEB. 23 AT ROUGHLY 8:30 P.M. DURING THE PARTY'S LINCOLN DAY DINNER AT THE LITTLE AMERICA HOTEL IN CHEYENNE.

STATE GOP CHAIRMAN W. FRANK EATHORNE SAID WEDNESDAY MORNING THAT THE PARTY'S INTERNAL INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT HAS BEEN COMPLETED, AND IT IS NOW "DECISION TIME."

EATHORNE SAID HE COULD NOT CONFIRM WHETHER HE HAS ASKED FOR CURLEY'S RESIGNATION. HE DID SAY THERE IS "NO INDICATION" THAT CURLEY WILL BE RESIGNING, AND THE OUTCOME WOULD LIKELY BE CLEAR WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS.

THE ALLEGED ALTERCATION BEGAN WITH AN ARGUMENT BETWEEN CURLEY AND WALLIN REGARDING HOW THE DINNER WAS BEING RUN. WALLIN REPORTEDLY WALKED AWAY FROM THAT DISAGREEMENT.

BUT AS SHE DID SO, SOURCES SAY, CURLEY PURSUED HER AND HIT HER IN THE BACK. HE THEN ALLEGEDLY GRABBED HER BY ONE ARM AND SPUN HER AROUND TO FACE HIM, PULLING DOWN HER SHIRT TO EXPOSE HER SHOULDER AT ONE POINT.

EATHORNE SAID THE PARTY VALUES PEOPLE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, AND ADDED THAT THE INCIDENT WILL LIKELY RESULT IN SOMETHING THE STATE GOP HAS NEVER NEEDED BEFORE: A ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN.
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A FORMER CASPER POLICE OFFICER WHO IN NOVEMBER ADMITTED TO MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY HER TWO CHILDREN WILL AVOID PRISON TIME AND WILL BE TREATED AS A FIRST-TIME OFFENDER UNDER WYOMING LAW.

DISTRICT JUDGE DANIEL FORGEY ON WEDNESDAY SENTENCED LAURA STARNES-WELLS TO A TERM OF PROBATION AND A SUSPENDED JAIL SENTENCE. STARNES-WELLS HAD PREVIOUSLY PLEADED GUILTY TO ONE FELONY COUNT OF CHILD ABUSE AND ONE MISDEMEANOR COUNT OF CHILD ENDANGERMENT.

STARNES-WELLS RECEIVED FIRST-OFFENDER TREATMENT ON THE FELONY CHARGE AND WAS PLACED ON A TERM OF ONE TO FIVE YEARS OF PROBATION. FOR THE MISDEMEANOR CHARGE, SHE RECEIVED A SUSPENDED JAIL SENTENCE OF ONE YEAR AND A YEAR OF PROBATION. THOSE TERMS OF PROBATION ARE TO BE SERVED CONCURRENTLY.

AN AFFIDAVIT FILED BY AN INVESTIGATOR WITH THE NATRONA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, WHICH HANDLED THE CASE, POINTED TO PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE BY STARNES-WELLS AND HER THEN-HUSBAND, TODD WELLS.

HE WAS INITIALLY CHARGED WITH A MISDEMEANOR COUNT OF CHILD ENDANGERMENT, BUT THAT CHARGE WAS DISMISSED IN MAY.

HE REMAINS EMPLOYED WITH THE CASPER POLICE DEPARTMENT AS A SERGEANT.

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