Latest Wyoming News Briefs From A.P.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Mitt Romney has won a nonbinding vote of Republican activists who turned out for precinct caucuses across Wyoming during the past two weeks. The former Massachusetts governor was the favorite of 39 percent of the 2,108 caucus goers, while former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum finished second with 32 percent. Texas Rep. Ron Paul had 21 percent, and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich had 8 percent. The caucuses also elected delegates to county conventions.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has rejected the biggest total bid it has received for Wyoming coal reserves in more than seven years. A subsidiary of St. Louis-based Peabody Energy yesterday bid $362 million for more than 400 million tons of Powder River Basin coal reserves. The BLM rejected the bid as below fair market value.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The Wyoming House Education Committee has endorsed a bill that's part of efforts to revamp the state's public schools. The panel made some changes to Senate File 57 but nothing that would jeopardize the overall goal to make sure Wyoming high school graduates are better prepared for college and careers. The measure addresses student testing and teacher and administrator evaluations.

POWELL, Wyo. (AP) — A company hired to provide management services for Powell Valley Healthcare is suing the hospital's former CEO on claims that he embezzled nearly $850,000 over the course of six months. The Powell Tribune reports the lawsuit alleges Paul Cardwell authorized spending almost $850,000 to recruit physicians and other personnel to Powell Valley. According to the lawsuit, the money was sent to a straw company that sent much of the money back to Cardwell.