K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For December 19th, 2017 – Morning

WASHINGTON (AP) - SEN. JOHN MCCAIN SAYS HE'S FEELING WELL AND IS LOOKING FORWARD TO RETURNING TO WORK IN WASHINGTON AFTER THE HOLIDAYS. THE ARIZONA REPUBLICAN TWEETED LATE MONDAY MORNING HIS "THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUPPORT & WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT!" MCCAIN, THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN, IS BATTLING BRAIN CANCER AND HAS RETURNED TO ARIZONA WHERE HE'LL UNDERGO PHYSICAL THERAPY AND REHABILITATION AT THE MAYO CLINIC.

WASHINGTON (AP) - PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS REMOVED CLIMATE CHANGE FROM A LIST OF PRESSING THREATS TO U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY. TRUMP'S NEW NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY MAKES NO MENTION OF WHAT SCIENTISTS SAY ARE THE DANGERS POSED BY A WARMING CLIMATE, INCLUDING MORE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS THAT COULD SPARK HUMANITARIAN CRISES, MASS MIGRATIONS AND CONFLICT. IT'S A CHANGE IN POSTURE THAT UNDERSCORES THE POTENTIAL DECADESLONG RAMIFICATIONS OF TRUMP'S "AMERICA FIRST" WORLDVIEW.

ATLANTA (AP) - THE NATION'S AIR-TRAVEL SYSTEM IS STRUGGLING TO GET BACK ON SCHEDULE AFTER A WEEKEND FIRE AND BLACKOUT AT THE ATLANTA AIRPORT FORCED THE CANCELLATION OF OVER 1,500 FLIGHTS. DELTA IS THE BIGGEST AIRLINE AT THE ATLANTA AIRPORT. IT SAYS IT SHOULD BE LARGELY OR COMPLETELY BACK TO NORMAL BY TUESDAY.
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FIVE OF SIX DEFENDANTS IN A METHAMPHETAMINE CONSPIRACY THAT OPERATED IN SOUTHWEST WYOMING WERE SENTENCED RECENTLY IN FEDERAL COURT FOR THEIR ROLES IN THE CRIME.

THE INDICTMENT HANDED DOWN THIS SUMMER SAID THE CONSPIRACY OPERATED FROM SEPT 2016 TO JUNE.

IT SAID TWO DEFENDANTS WOULD TRAVEL TO UTAH FROM SOUTHWEST WYOMING TO OBTAIN 500 GRAMS OR MORE OF A MIXTURE CONTAINING METHAMPHETAMINE.

THESE TWO DEFENDANTS WOULD DISTRIBUTE METHAMPHETAMINE TO THREE OTHERS, ONE OF THEM DISTRIBUTED ANOTHER DEFENDENT, AND ALL OF IT FOR CUSTOMERS IN SOUTHWEST WYOMING.

ALL DEFENDANTS PLEADED GUILTY EARLIER THIS YEAR.

U.S. DISTRICT COURT JUDGE SCOTT SKAVDAHL HANDED DOWN THESE SENTENCES FOR THESE FIVE DEFENDANTS:

DARRELL GILSON OF GREEN RIVER RECEIVED FIVE YEARS, SIX MONTHS OF IMPRISONMENT.

ZACHARY BOYCE OF ROCK SPRINGS RECEIVED SIX YEARS, FIVE MONTHS OF IMPRISONMENT.

DARCY AKIN OF GREEN RIVER RECEIVED THREE YEARS, ONE MONTH OF IMPRISONMENT.
JONATHAN MORTIMER OF GREEN RIVER RECEIVED THREE YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT.

AND ZACHARIAH STRANGE OF GREEN RIVER RECEIVED THREE YEARS, FIVE MONTHS OF IMPRISONMENT.

A LEAD DEFENDANT IN THE CASE PROBABLY WILL BE SENTENCED EARLY NEXT YEAR.
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THE WYOMING STOCK GROWERS LAND TRUST HAS ACQUIRED A 15,000-ACRE RANCH IN SUBLETTE COUNTY FOR PRESERVATION.

THE LAND TRUST ACQUIRED THE 23-AND-A-HALF SQUARE MILE NORTH COTTONWOOD RANCH CONSERVATION EASEMENT FROM THE CONSERVATION FUND LAST WEEK.

THE RANCH IS LOCATED SOUTH OF MERNA, WHICH IS WEST OF DANIEL. IT IS NEAR SEVERAL PREVIOUSLY CONSERVED RANCHES WITH EASEMENTS HELD BY THE STOCK GROWERS LAND TRUST.

THE RANCH HAS NEARLY 20 MILES OF STREAMS, 16 RESERVOIRS AND THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WETLANDS.

IT PROVIDES HABITAT AND UNENCUMBERED MIGRATION CORRIDORS FOR WYOMING WILDLIFE. THE EASTERN PART OF THE RANCH IS LOCATED WITHIN THE DANIEL CORE SAGE GROUSE AREA.

STOCK GROWERS LAND TRUST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BO ALLEY SAYS SUBLETTE COUNTY HAS BEEN A SHINING EXAMPLE OF THE COEXISTENCE OF RANCHING, ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND CONSERVATION.
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THE WYOMING GAME AND FISH COMMISSION PLANS TO ASK THE PUBLIC IF THE FORMULA USED TO DETERMINE RESIDENT AND NONRESIDENT ELK HUNTING TAGS SHOULD CHANGE.

THE REQUEST TO CONSIDER A CHANGE COMES FROM OUTFITTERS IN THE STATE WHO MAKE A LIVING GUIDING NONRESIDENT HUNTERS.

WYOMING'S OUTFITTERS SAY ELK NUMBERS HAVE EXPLODED IN THE LAST 30 YEARS AND THEY SHOULD HAVE MORE NONRESIDENT TAGS. BUT RESIDENT HUNTERS SAY THE SYSTEM WORKS, AND THE COMMISSION SHOULD SIMPLY LEAVE IT ALONE.

NO DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE, BUT THE COMMISSION IS LOOKING TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT FROM ALL SIDES.

COMMISSION PRESIDENT KEITH CULVER SAYS HE DOESN'T KNOW IF THE COMMISSION WILL MAKE ANY CHANGES.

MEETINGS WILL LIKELY BE SOMETIME IN LATE SPRING.