K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For April 27th, 2018 – Morning

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE LAUNCHED THE CAMPAIGN TO EDUCATE THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY, OTHER MUNICIPALITIES AND NATRONA COUNTY ABOUT THE OPTIONAL ONE-CENT SALES TAX UP FOR RENEWAL IN THE GENERAL ELECTION IN NOVEMBER.

CITY MANAGER CARTIER NAPIER HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE THURSDAY IN CITY HALL BUILT WITH ONE-CENT REVENUES, REVENUES THAT ALSO HAVE BOUGHT POLICE CARS AND FIRE TRUCKS.
STATE LAW IMPOSES A 4 CENT SALES TAX STATEWIDE, AND ALLOWS COUNTIES TO RAISE THAT BY UP TO 2 MORE CENTS.

IN NATRONA COUNTY, THE REVENUES ARE DISTRIBUTED TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS BY A FORMULA BASED ON THEIR POPULATIONS.

CASPER USES ITS SHARE OF OPTIONAL ONE-CENT SALE TAXES ONLY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS.

SOME SMALLER MUNICIPALITIES USE THE REVENUES FOR OPERATIONS.

NAPIER ESTIMATED REVENUES FROM THE OPTIONAL ONE-CENT SALES TAX NUMBER 16, IF RENEWED, WOULD BE ABOUT $12 MILLION TO $13 MILLION A YEAR, FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT $50 MILLION.

TO EDUCATE VOTERS, THE CITY HAS A WEBSITE AND IT WILL SEND SURVEYS TO RESIDENTS ASKING WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN PROJECTS IF THEY RENEW THE TAX.

NAPIER SAID PUBLIC EMPLOYEES CANNOT CAMPAIGN FOR A POLITICAL ISSUE THAT WILL AFFECT THEM, BUT THEY CAN EDUCATE VOTERS.
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CASPER POLICE ON WEDNESDAY ARRESTED A MAN AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY STRANGLED AND HIT HIS GIRLFRIEND.

29-YEAR-OLD PHILLIP ALLEN HOUSER WAS BOOKED INTO JAIL ON RECOMMENDED CHARGES OF STRANGULATION OF A HOUSEHOLD MEMBER AND DOMESTIC BATTERY.

CHARGING DOCUMENTS SAY POLICE WERE SENT TO A HOME ON SOUTH BEVERLY FOR A REPORT OF A FAMILY FIGHT SHORTLY BEFORE 4:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY. THE VICTIM'S MOTHER HAD CALLED POLICE TO REPORT THE FIGHT BETWEEN HER DAUGHTER AND HOUSER, SAYING THE FIGHT WAS BECOMING PHYSICAL IN NATURE AND THAT HER DAUGHTER HAD A "BUSTED LIP."

THE VICTIM TOLD OFFICERS THAT SHE AND HOUSER HAD BEEN GOING THROUGH A ROUGH TIME AFTER LOSING CUSTODY OF THEIR CHILDREN. IT WAS COMMON FOR THE COUPLE TO ARGUE, AND SHE CLAIMED HOUSER GRABBED HER BY THE NECK AND LIFTED HER TO WHERE BOTH HER FEET WERE OFF OF THE GROUND.

HOUSER LATER ALLEGEDLY USED A FIST TO HIT THE VICTIM IN THE MOUTH.

THE VICTIM'S INJURIES WERE PHOTOGRAPHED AND HOUSER WAS PLACED UNDER ARREST, THOUGH HE DENIED HITTING OR STRANGLING HER.
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THE WYOMING AERONAUTICS COMMISSION HAS UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED GOV. MATT MEAD'S APPOINTMENTS TO A COUNCIL CREATED TO WORK ON FINDING A COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE STATE.

THE WYOMING COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICE IMPROVEMENT COUNCIL WAS CREATED THIS YEAR BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICE IN WYOMING. LAWMAKERS EARMARKED $15 MILLION IN STATE FUNDS FOR THE EFFORT.

THE COUNCIL WILL SOLICIT BIDS FROM AIRLINES AND NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT TO PROVIDE DAILY FLIGHTS TO A MAJOR AIRPORT HUB FROM WYOMING COMMUNITIES THAT JOIN. ITS PLAN WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNOR AND THE JOINT MINERALS, BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND JOINT APPROPRIATIONS INTERIM COMMITTEES.

THE COUNCIL CONSISTS OF NINE VOTING MEMBERS AND FOUR NON-VOTING MEMBERS. IT WILL HOLD ITS FIRST MEETING MAY 8-9 IN SHERIDAN.

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UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING OFFICIALS AND GUN ADVOCATES ARE BOTH LOOKING TO THE COURTS TO RESOLVE A DISPUTE OVER UNIVERSITY POLICY THAT PROHIBITS PEOPLE CARRYING WEAPONS ON CAMPUS.
THE ISSUE CAME TO A HEAD DURING THE STATE REPUBLICAN PARTY CONVENTION LAST WEEK WHEN A GOP DELEGATE WHO DEFIED THE WEAPONS BAN WAS ISSUED A TRESPASSING CITATION.

UW POLICE CHIEF MIKE SAMP ISSUED A TRESPASSING CITATION TO UINTA COUNTY REPUBLICAN DELEGATE LYLE WILLIAMS LAST FRIDAY DURING THE PARTY CONVENTION AT THE UW CONFERENCE CENTER IN LARAMIE AFTER SAMP SAW WILLIAMS OPENLY CARRYING A FIREARM.

WILLIAMS TELLS THE LARAMIE BOOMERANG THAT HE WANTED THE CITATION BECAUSE IT ALLOWS HIM TO CHALLENGE UW'S POLICY IN COURT.

UW PRESIDENT LAURIE NICHOLS TELLS THE WYOMING TRIBUNE EAGLE THAT UW IS COMMITTED TO UPHOLDING ITS WEAPONS POLICY.