K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For August 3rd, 2018 – Morning
A NATRONA COUNTY MAN WAS SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS PROBATION THURSDAY FOR BREAKING INTO A NEIGHBOR'S HOME IN NOVEMBER.
NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT COURT JUDGE CATHERINE WILKING HANDED DOWN THE SENTENCE TO WADE CURTIS MILLER, WHO PLEADED GUILTY IN MAY TO ONE COUNT OF UNLAWFUL ENTRY.
WILKING SAID THE SUPERVISED PROBATION TERM ACCOMPANIES AN UNDERLYING SUSPENDED PRISON SENTENCE OF THREE TO FIVE YEARS.
MILLER TOLD THE COURT HE APOLOGIZED FOR WHAT HE DID ADDING HIS CRIME BROUGHT SHAME TO HIS FAMILY.
HIS DEFENSE ATTORNEY THOMAS SMITH SAID THIS WAS AN UNUSUAL CASE.
COURT RECORDS SAY MILLER, WHO LIVES WEST OF CASPER WAS PRESIDENT OF A HOMEOWNER'S ASSOCIATION AND HAD AN ONGOING BATTLE WITH THE VICTIM REGARDING THE CONDITION OF THE VICTIM'S RENTED PROPERTY.
ON NOVEMBER 26TH, MILLER WENT TO THE VICTIM'S HOUSE AND URINATED IN THE VICTIM'S GENERATOR.
AN ARGUMENT ENSUED, THE VICTIM WENT BACK INSIDE HIS HOUSE, MILLER REPORTEDLY PICKED UP A WOODEN POST, BROKE A GLASS DOOR, ENTERED AND AND HIT THE VICTIM WITH THE POST.
HE INITIALLY WAS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, BUT APPARENTLY THE INJURIES WERE NOT AS SEVERE AS FIRST REPORTED.
THE VICTIM APPARENTLY WASN'T BLAMELESS.
DURING THE CHANGE OF PLEA HEARING, ITZEN SAID THE VICTIM HAD BEEN ON THE RUN BECAUSE HE WAS AN ALLEGED METHAMPHETAMINE DEALER, BUT ITZEN SAID THURSDAY HE RECENTLY WAS ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH SEVERAL FELONIES
============================
THE ISSUE OVER WHETHER REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE TAYLOR HAYNES MEETS STATE RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS HAS ENDED UP IN COURT.
LARAMIE COUNTY DISTRICT JUDGE THOMAS CAMPBELL HEARD ARGUMENTS WEDNESDAY IN THE CASE IN CHEYENNE.
A TRIAL ON THE ISSUE OF HAYNES' ELIGIBILITY IS SET FOR NEXT TUESDAY, AND CAMPBELL WILL LIKELY ISSUE A RULING SOON ABOUT THE LEGAL AUTHORITY OF THE STATE TO BRING THE LAWSUIT.
ATTORNEYS FOR THE STATE ARE ASKING CAMPBELL TO SUSPEND HAYNES' CAMPAIGN AND REMOVE HIM FROM THE AUG. 21 PRIMARY BALLOT. HAYNES CONTENDS HE IS A RESIDENT OF WYOMING.
AT ISSUE IS THE RANCH THAT HAYNES LIVES ON. THE RANCH STRADDLES THE WYOMING-COLORADO BORDER, AND THE STATE SAYS THE HOUSE HAYNES LIVES IN IS ON THE COLORADO SIDE.
=================================
A 48-YEAR-OLD CHEYENNE TRANSIENT ACCUSED OF STABBING A MAN AND SENDING HIM TO THE HOSPITAL HAS BEEN BOUND OVER TO LARAMIE COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.
NOAH SCHULTZ WAS ARRESTED ON JULY 21 AFTER ALLEGEDLY STABBING MARK VANWINKLE AT THE FIREBIRD MOTEL ON E. LINCOLNWAY.
VANWINKLE TOLD POLICE HE'D GONE TO SCHULTZ'S ROOM TO GET HIS FRIEND'S BELONGINGS AFTER SHE AND SCHULTZ, HER BOYFRIEND, GOT INTO A FIGHT AND SCHULTZ HIT HER.
WHEN VANWINKLE ASKED SCHULTZ FOR THE WOMAN'S BELONGINGS, SCHULTZ REPORTEDLY RUSHED VANWINKLE WITH A KNIFE, STABBING HIM IN THE STOMACH AND CHEST.
SCHULTZ IS CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ASSAULT. IF CONVICTED, HE COULD FACE UP TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON.
SCHULTZ IS CURRENTLY JAILED ON A $5,000 AT 10 PERCENT BOND. HIS ARRAIGNMENT DATE HAS YET TO BE SCHEDULED.
======================
SENIOR WYOMING ECONOMIST JIM ROBINSON SAYS A NEW ECONOMIC REPORT IS PRETTY GOOD NEWS FOR WYOMING..
THE WYOMING INSIGHT ECONOMIC REPORT CAME OUT EARLIER THIS WEEK.
==========================
A FEDERAL JUDGE IN MONTANA HAS GIVEN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION UNTIL LATE 2019 TO ANALYZE REDUCTIONS TO MINING IN THE NATION'S MOST PRODUCTIVE COAL FIELDS AS A WAY TO FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE.
THE ORDER FROM U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE BRIAN MORRIS ON TUESDAY APPLIES TO THE POWDER RIVER BASIN OF MONTANA AND WYOMING, WHICH SUPPLIES ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF THE NATION'S COAL.
THE CASE INVOLVES A CHALLENGE BY ENVIRONMENTALISTS OF U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT PLANS ISSUED IN 2015 TO LEASE MORE THAN 10 BILLION TONS OF COAL IN THE REGION.
MORRIS TURNED DOWN A REQUEST FROM ENVIRONMENTALISTS TO HALT NEW ENERGY LEASE SALES UNTIL THE CLIMATE CHANGE REVIEW IS COMPLETED.
HOWEVER, EACH INDIVIDUAL LEASE ISSUED WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH A REVIEW SIMILAR TO THE ONE MORRIS REQUIRED FOR THE REGION AS A WHOLE.
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE WYOMING MINING ASSOCIATION AND MONTANA COAL COUNCIL DID NOT IMMEDIATELY RESPOND TO TELEPHONE MESSAGES SEEKING COMMENT.
THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL SAYS COAL FROM THE POWDER RIVER BASIN AND BURNED IN POWER PLANTS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR 13 PERCENT OF ALL U.S. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
COAL LEASE SALES IN THE REGION SLOWED CONSIDERABLY OVER THE PAST DECADE AS DEMAND FOR THE FUEL DECLINED.
SINCE HIS ELECTION WITH A STRONGLY PRO-FOSSIL FUELS AGENDA, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS SOUGHT TO BOOST THE INDUSTRY.
THAT'S INCLUDED LIFTING A MORATORIUM ON NEW LEASE SALES FROM PUBLIC LANDS IMPOSED DURING THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION OVER CONCERNS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.