Wyoming News Briefs

RAWLINS, Wyo. (AP) — Firefighters are battling a wildfire in southern Wyoming. The Bureau of Land Management said yesterday that the fire was burning on an estimated 650 acres on BLM and Bureau of Reclamation land about 30 miles northeast of Rawlins. The fire is about one mile north of the Seminoe Dam.

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. (AP) — Rangers who received reports about fallen climber say they've spotted a motionless body in Grand Teton National Park in northwest Wyoming. The U.S. Park Service says rangers flying over the area spotted the climber's body on the north side of the Middle Teton yesterday afternoon. A park spokeswoman tells the Jackson Hole News & Guide that weather prevented rescuers from reaching the climber last night and they will try to reach him this morning.

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Bear biologists are refraining from assigning a single reason for a two-fold increase in the rate of natural grizzly bear deaths in the Yellowstone National Park region. According to data from the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, 10 of the 16 grizzlies that died this summer have died of natural causes. Grizzly Bear Study Team leader Frank van Manen tells the Jackson Hole News & Guide that biologists are seeing an aging of the grizzly population so it wouldn't be surprising to see more bears dying from old age.

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees has approved issuing $39.7 million in bonds to help pay for major renovations and expansions of three campus buildings and to refinance a prior bond issue. UW's Performing Arts Building and Half Acre Gymnasium will see significant improvements and expansions, and White Hall will be upgraded to a modern student residence hall.