K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For December 7th, 2017 – Morning

MINNESOTA SEN. AL FRANKEN SAYS HE'LL RESIGN IN THE COMING WEEKS. HE'S REPEATEDLY APOLOGIZED AS SEVERAL WOMEN ACCUSED HIM OF SEXUALLY INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR, AND AS HIS SUPPORT FROM FELLOW DEMOCRATS EVAPORATED.

THE MINNESOTA LAWMAKER TOOK TO THE SENATE FLOOR TO SAY, "I MAY BE RESIGNING MY SEAT, BUT I AM NOT GIVING UP MY VOICE." HE SAYS HE'LL ADDRESSING ISSUES AS AN ACTIVIST.

FRANKEN SAYS HE CAN'T GO THROUGH A SENATE ETHICS COMMITTEE INVESTIGATION AND EFFECTIVELY REPRESENT HIS STATE AT THE SAME TIME.

IN REMARKS THAT LASTED 11 MINUTES, HE SAID THAT, THANKS TO HIS FAMILY, "I'M GOING TO BE JUST FINE."

HE SAYS SOME CHARGES AGAINST HIM ARE UNTRUE AND THAT HE REMEMBERS OTHER DIFFERENTLY THAN HIS ACCUSERS DO. BUT HE SAYS WOMEN "DESERVE TO BE HEARD AND THEIR EXPERIENCES TAKEN SERIOUSLY."

WASHINGTON (AP) - FBI DIRECTOR CHRIS WRAY IS DEFENDING HIS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AMID PERSISTENT CRITICISM FROM PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. WRAY TESTIFIED THURSDAY THAT "THERE IS NO FINER INSTITUTION THAN THE FBI, AND NO FINER PEOPLE THAN THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO WORK THERE AND ARE ITS VERY BEATING HEART." WRAY SPOKE DURING A HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT HEARING. THE COMMENTS COME DAYS AFTER TRUMP TOOK TO TWITTER TO SLAM THE FBI AS A BIASED INSTITUTION WHOSE REPUTATION IS IN "TATTERS."

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TWO CASPER RESIDENTS WERE ARRESTED TUESDAY AFTER A POSITIVE DRUG TEST ALLEGEDLY LED POLICE TO FIND OVER 30 SYRINGES AND OTHER METH PARAPHERNALIA IN A HOME WHERE TWO CHILDREN WERE STAYING.

53-YEAR-OLD LISA A. ASIRE WAS BOOKED INTO JAIL ON CHARGES OF METH POSSESSION AND TWO COUNTS OF CHILD ENDANGERMENT BY METHAMPHETAMINE, AS WELL AS A PROBATION REVOCATION.

39-YEAR-OLD BESSIE MASHELL SOTELO WAS ARRESTED ON TWO RECOMMENDED CHARGES OF CHILD ENDANGERMENT BY METH.

CHARGING PAPERS SAY A CASPER POLICE OFFICER WAS SENT TO A HOME ON RIVERBEND SHORTLY AFTER 10:45 A.M. TUESDAY IN ORDER TO ASSIST ASIRE'S PROBATION AGENT, AFTER ASIRE ALLEGEDLY TESTED POSITIVE FOR METH.

THE OFFICER ARRIVED AND FOUND TWO CHILDREN, AS WELL AS ASIRE AND SOTELO.

POLICE SAY A SEARCH OF THE HOME REVEALED ROUGHY 30 USED SYRINGES IN TOTAL, WITH MOST OF THEM APPARENTLY CONTAINING SMALL AMOUNTS OF BLOOD. MOST STILL HAD THE NEEDLES ATTACHED AND WERE UNCAPPED.

A DFS AGENT RESPONDED TO THE SCENE AND TOOK PROTECTIVE CUSTODY OF THE TWO CHILDREN. SOTELO SUBMITTED TO A URINE TEST, WHICH REPORTEDLY RETURNED A POSITIVE RESULT FOR METH, THOUGH SOTELO WAS ADAMANT THAT SHE HAD NOT USED.

ASIRE LATER COMPLAINED OF CHEST PAIN, SO SHE WAS TAKEN TO WYOMING MEDICAL CENTER VIA AMBULANCE. SOTELO WAS ARRESTED AND TAKEN TO JAIL.

POLICE SAY ASIRE WAS MEDICALLY CLEARED AT THE HOSPITAL AND WAS BOOKED INTO JAIL.

BOTH ASIRE AND SOTELO HAVE PREVIOUS DRUG CONVICTIONS.

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U.S. OFFICIALS SAY THEY'LL REVIEW THE RECENT LIFTING OF PROTECTIONS FOR YELLOWSTONE-AREA GRIZZLY BEARS IN LIGHT OF A COURT RULING THAT RETAINED PROTECTIONS FOR GRAY WOLVES IN THE GREAT LAKES.

THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE SAID THAT IT IS SEEKING PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE COURT RULING, GIVEN THE POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS, FOR AN ESTIMATED 700 BEARS IN AND AROUND YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.

THOSE BEARS LOST THEIR PROTECTIONS JULY 31, ALLOWING FUTURE TROPHY HUNTS IN WYOMING, MONTANA AND IDAHO.

ON AUGUST 1, A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT IN THE WOLF CASE, SAID WILDLIFE OFFICIALS NEEDED TO GIVE MORE CONSIDERATION TO HOW A SPECIES' LOSS OF HISTORICAL HABITAT AFFECTS ITS RECOVERY.

LIKE WOLVES, GRIZZLY BEARS HAVE RECOVERED WELL IN SOME AREAS, BUT REMAIN ABSENT FROM MUCH OF THEIR HISTORICAL RANGE.

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LARAMIE, WYO. (AP) - A YEAR OF CUTTING BUDGETS AND STAFF HAS LEFT THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING BEING STAFFED BY FEWER PEOPLE WHO ARE ASKED TO DO MORE.

STARTING IN SUMMER 2016 AND CONTINUING UNTIL LAST MAY, THE UNIVERSITY LOST ROUGHLY 370 PEOPLE THROUGH VACANCY ELIMINATIONS, SEPARATION INCENTIVES AND LAYOFFS, INCLUDING ABOUT 300 STAFF MEMBERS. EXACTLY 43 FACULTY MEMBERS TOOK SEPARATION INCENTIVE PACKAGES, THOUGH MORE LEFT AT THE END OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR OR BEFORE THE START OF THE FALL 2017 SEMESTER.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS JOHN DAVIS SAYS IT IS A CHALLENGE WORKING WITH FEWER PEOPLE.

STAFF SENATE PRESIDENT RACHEL STEVENS SAYS MANY REMAINING EMPLOYEES ARE OVERWHELMED BY THE INCREASED WORKLOAD IN DEPARTMENTS WHERE THEY HAVE LOST STAFF.
INCENTIVE PACKAGES, THOUGH MORE LEFT AT THE END OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR OR BEFORE THE START OF THE FALL 2017 SEMESTER.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS JOHN DAVIS SAYS IT IS A CHALLENGE WORKING WITH FEWER PEOPLE.

STAFF SENATE PRESIDENT RACHEL STEVENS SAYS MANY REMAINING EMPLOYEES ARE OVERWHELMED BY THE INCREASED WORKLOAD IN DEPARTMENTS WHERE THEY HAVE LOST STAFF.