Wyoming News Briefs

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Gov. Matt Mead has signed into law the most drastic changes to the duties and powers of a statewide elected official in decades. The new law replaces the superintendent of public instruction as head of the state Department of Education with a director appointed by the governor. Immediately after the signing, Superintendent Cindy Hill served the governor with a lawsuit challenging the law's constitutionality.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming's House Judiciary Committee has endorsed a bill that would allow Wyoming citizens who hold concealed weapons permits to carry guns on public school and college campuses. Republican Rep. Allen Jaggi of Lyman says the only way to deal with the rash of school violence is through trained, armed protectors.

MOOSE, Wyo. (AP) — Authorities have recovered the bodies of two backcountry skiers who died in avalanches in western Wyoming. Officials in Grand Teton National Park say rangers on Monday recovered the body of 30-year-old Nick Gillespie from a canyon in the north end of Grand Teton. The same day in Sublette County, a search and rescue team recovered the body of 28-year-old Elizabeth "Liza" Gray Benson from the Bondurant area.

DENVER (AP) — Colorado politicians are steaming that $125 million in aid for last year's wildfires was removed from the Superstorm Sandy relief bill. The Republican-controlled House stripped that funding from the Sandy legislation before approving it last week. Republican leadership has pledged to work on getting the funds to Colorado and other western states.