K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For August 8th, 2017 – Morning

BEIRUT (AP) - LEBANON'S U.S.-BACKED MILITARY IS LOOKING FOR COOPERATION FROM THE MILITANT GROUP HEZBOLLAH AND THE SYRIAN ARMY IN A CAMPAIGN TO REMOVE HUNDREDS OF ISLAMIC STATE MILITANTS FROM A REMOTE CORNER OF LEBANON, NEAR THE SYRIAN BORDER. IS HAS LONG POSED A THREAT TO TOWNS AND VILLAGES IN THE AREA, AND LEBANON HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO ESCAPE SHELLING AND KIDNAPPINGS OF VILLAGERS FOR RANSOM.

CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AP) - VENEZUELA'S PRO-GOVERNMENT SUPREME COURT HAS ORDERED THE REMOVAL AND IMPRISONMENT OF A CARACAS AREA MAYOR AT THE CENTER OF PROTESTS AGAINST PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO. THE COURT HAS SENTENCED RAMON MUCHACHO TO 15 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR NOT FOLLOWING AN ORDER TO REMOVE BARRICADES SET UP BY ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROSTESTERS IN THE CHACAO DISTRICT OF EASTERN CARACAS.

UNDATED (AP) - SAFETY EXPERTS SAY MILLIONS OF LIVES WILL BE AT RISK NOW THAT U.S. OFFICIALS HAVE DROPPED PLANS TO REQUIRE THAT TRUCK DRIVERS AND TRAIN ENGINEERS BE SCREENED FOR SLEEP APNEA. OFFICIALS SAY TESTING SHOULD BE LEFT UP TO RAILROADS AND TRUCKING COMPANIES. ONE RAILROAD THAT DOES TEST, METRO-NORTH IN THE NEW YORK CITY SUBURBS, FOUND THAT 11.6 PERCENT OF ITS ENGINEERS HAVE SLEEP APNEA.

NAIROBI, KENYA (AP) - KENYA'S COLORFUL MAASAI PEOPLE ARE CASTING BALLOTS IN THE EAST AFRICAN COUNTRY'S HOTLY CONTESTED ELECTION. MANY MAASAI CALL FOR ACCEPTANCE AND PEACE WHEN ELECTION RESULTS ARE ANNOUNCED.
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IMAGINE HOW FRIGHTENING IT IS WHEN YOU GET SEPARATED FROM YOUR KIDS AT THE FAIR.

THE ECLIPSE IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS WILL HAVE THOUSANDS MORE PEOPLE, AND THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES WILL BE THERE TO HELP.

PAUL FRITZLER OF THE CASPER OFFICE OF THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES SAYS HIS AGENCY WILL WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT TO HANDLE THE SIMPLE, BUT SCARY CASES OF FAMILIES THAT GET SEPARATED IN THE CROWDS.

FRITZLER URGES ECLIPSE WATCHER FAMILIES TO HAVE A PLAN, SUCH AS HAVING A WAY TO COMMUNICATE AND IDENTIFYING A PLACE IN THE AREA WHERE YOU WILL BE AND WHERE TO GO SUCH AS A FIRST-AID STATION IF YOU ARE SEPARATED.

ON A MORE SERIOUS LEVEL, THE DFS WILL BE WATCHING FOR SEX TRAFFICKING.

THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES ALSO WILL WATCH FOR CHILDREN WHO MAY BE ABANDONED.
LIKEWISE, HE SAID DFS STAFF WOULD TAKE OVER THE MEDIATION OF A FAMILY DISPUTE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT SO OFFICERS COULD RESPOND TO OTHER CALLS.
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CHEYENNE, WYO. (AP) - PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ADMINISTRATION HAS OPENED THE DOOR TO INDUSTRY-FRIENDLY CHANGES TO A SWEEPING PLAN IMPOSED BY HIS PREDECESSOR TO PROTECT A GROUND-DWELLING BIRD ACROSS VAST AREAS OF THE WEST. WILDLIFE ADVOCATES WARN THAT THE PROPOSED CHANGES WOULD UNDERCUT A HARD-WON STRUGGLE TO PROTECT THE GREATER SAGE GROUSE. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE RANCHING AND ENERGY INDUSTRIES CHEERED THE POLICY SHIFT AS NEEDED TO GIVE STATES FLEXIBILITY. A DOCUMENT OUTLINING THE RECOMMENDED CHANGES WAS RELEASED MONDAY

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT HAS SCRAPPED A RULE AIMED AT ENSURING THAT COAL COMPANIES DON'T SHORTCHANGE TAXPAYERS ON HUGE VOLUMES OF COAL EXTRACTED FROM PUBLIC LANDS, PRIMARILY IN THE WEST. INTERIOR SECRETARY RYAN ZINKE SAYS THE REPEAL OF THE OBAMA-ERA RULE "PROVIDES A CLEAN SLATE TO CREATE WORKABLE REGULATIONS" TO VALUE COAL AND PROVIDE REVENUE TO STATES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND INDIAN TRIBES. THE REPEAL TAKES EFFECT SEPT. 6.

POWELL, WYO. (AP) - A NORTHERN WYOMING MAN APPARENTLY SHOT AND KILLED HIS LONGTIME PARTNER BEFORE TURNING THE GUN ON HIMSELF. INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE 74-YEAR-OLD JOHN BRIGHT KILLED 64-YEAR-OLD MARY ANN BIER AT THE HOME THE COUPLE SHARED WEST OF POWELL ON MONDAY. LANCE MATHESS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE PARK COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, SAYS BRIGHT AND BIER WEREN'T MARRIED BUT WERE IN A LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP. THE RELATIONSHIP HAD RECENTLY SOURED, AND BRIGHT BECAME DESPONDENT WHEN HE FOUND OUT BIER WAS PLANNING TO LEAVE HIM.

LARAMIE, WYO. (AP) - A WYOMING MOTHER IS CHARGED WITH MISDEMEANOR CHILD ENDANGERING FOR THE DEATH OF HER 4-MONTH-OLD BABY, WHO WAS LEFT IN A CAR SEAT FOR ABOUT 10 HOURS WHILE THE MOTHER WORKED. AN INVESTIGATION DETERMINED 38-YEAR-OLD KRISTIE DIXON OF LARAMIE FORGOT TO DROP HER BABY OFF AT DAYCARE BEFORE GOING TO WORK ON JULY 27. AN AUTOPSY FOUND THE BABY DIED DUE TO EXTREME DEHYDRATION AND HEAT STROKE.