FIREFIGHTER-PORNOGRAPHY

Ex-Cheyenne firefighter charged in federal court

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A former Cheyenne firefighter accused of possessing and distributing child pornography is now being prosecuted in federal court.

Thirty-one-year-old Joseph Golden had been charged in state district court, where he pleaded not guilty last week. The Wyoming Tribune Eagle (http://bit.ly/rR97wj ) reported Monday that the charges against him have been re-filed in U.S. District Court.

According to court documents, a Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation special agent received information in August regarding a Yahoo! user who had allegedly sent a nude photo of an elementary-aged girl to another person. The sender's screen name was allegedly traced to Golden.

On Oct. 5, several DCI agents served a search warrant on Golden's home. They say they found several images and a video showing children in sexually explicit conduct.

 

JACKSON-VERIZO

Jackson resort lobbies Verizon for cell service

 

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — The Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has organized a letter-writing campaign to lobby Verizon Wireless for better cellphone service in Jackson Hole.

Jackson Hole Airport and areas in Wilson are among the areas where customers get weak signals and calls dropped.

Jackson Hole Resort chief marketing officer Chip Carey asked about a dozen business and community leaders to support the effort to lobby Verizon.

Verizon spokesman Bob Kelley tells the Jackson Hole News & Guide (http://bit.ly/sMPNs3 ) that the company can work out some issues through more minor adjustments, such as repositioning antennas or installing signal amplifiers.

Kelley says he hadn't heard of coverage problems in Jackson until now.

He says having former Vice President Dick Cheney residing in Jackson Hole will add some motivation to improve service.

 

CONCRETE SLOWDOWN

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming's ready-mix concrete production is at its lowest point in a decade — an indicator of the slow economy.

The Casper Star-Tribune reports Sunday (http://goo.gl/3eStF ) that the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association says Wyoming concrete hit a 10-year low last year.

But that was better than the nation overall, which showed its lowest level since 1994.

The president of the Concrete Association of Wyoming told the paper that the state has been buoyed by activity in the energy industries.

He predicted that activity in 2012 would be about the same as this year.

 

HOSPITAL-MALPRACTICE

(Information in the following story is from: Casper Star-Tribune - Casper, http://www.trib.com)

GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) — A $9 million medical malpractice verdict in the case of an oil-field worker with a broken neck is thought to be the largest in Wyoming history.

The Casper Star-Tribune reports Sunday (http://goo.gl/BznQN) that the award against Campbell County Memorial Hospital in Gillette far eclipses the state's previous medical malpractice high of $1.5 million.

The newspaper reports that in 2008, Montana resident Louis Prager was driving a truck for his employer at the time, Conquest Energies Co., when he got into a rollover accident. Prager complained of neck pain and was taken to the hospital.

Prager was discharged the same day. Four days later, Prager returned to the hospital with severe pain, and tests showed he'd broken his neck. He has permanent nerve damage.

 

JACKSON SKI RESORTS

 

(Information in the following story is from: Jackson Hole News And Guide, http://www.jhnewsandguide.com)

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and Snow King have fired up their snowmaking machines in preparation for the upcoming winter season.

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort began snowmaking in late October.

The resort has increased its snowmaking capabilities in each of the past two summers so that it can open more terrain earlier in the season.

The Jackson Hole News & Guide reports (http://bit.ly/sjCzul) that the resort is scheduled to open Nov. 26.

Meanwhile, Snow King in Jackson is snowmaking on the lower half of the mountain during the nighttime and early morning hours. Snow King has no firm opening date right now.

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