Wyoming News Briefs

CODY, Wyo. (AP) — A Montana man charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl from Cody, Wyo., is set for arraignment in district court later this month. Jesse P. Speer last month waived a preliminary hearing, sending his case straight to district court. Authorities arrested Speer in Montana in October, almost a week after the girl was abducted.

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A government committee says grizzly bear hunting could help control the animal's population once federal protections are lifted. The Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee said yesterday that hunting could help minimize conflict between bears and humans. Plans already are in place to allow hunting in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho after grizzlies come off the list of threatened species, a process that could begin in 2014.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The University of Wyoming says releasing the names of finalists for UW president could be detrimental to its search. The state's only four-year public university filed a response yesterday to a lawsuit filed by media companies seeking public disclosure of the finalists. It says some candidates might not want to be identified and could withdraw from consideration.

SEATTLE (AP) — Hundreds of supporters and opponents of a plan to ship coal to a northwest Washington terminal gathered yesterday in Seattle for the final public hearing on the proposal. Protesters against the plan to ship coal from Wyoming and Montana through the Northwest to Asia say they worry about its environmental impact. Labor unions say coal shipments will require expanded port facilities, which will boost jobs in the region.