K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For July 19th, 2018 – Morning

THE MILLS TOWN COUNCIL ASKED ITS LONGTIME FIRE CHIEF DAN BEALL TO RESIGN EARLIER THIS MONTH.

THE TOWN SAID IN A NEWS RELEASE MONDAY THAT THE COUNCIL DID THIS TO KEEP WITH ITS DESIRE TO HAVE STRONG LEADERSHIP IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOALS AND DIRECTION OF THE TOWN.

THE NEWS RELEASE SAID THE TOWN APPRECIATES HIS SERVICE, BUT IT DID NOT GIVE ANY REASONS WHY HE WAS ASKED TO RESIGN.

THE TOWN DID NOT IDENTIFY BEALL BY NAME, BUT HIS PICTURE STILL WAS ON THE TOWN'S WEBSITE.

IT ADDED THE CHANGES WILL NOT AFFECT THE SERVICES OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
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A MAN RECEIVED CONCURRENT PRISON SENTENCES WEDNESDAY MORNING IN NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SEXUAL ABUSE OF MULTIPLE PEOPLE.

DISTRICT JUDGE DANIEL FORGEY HANDED DOWN PRISON SENTENCES OF EIGHT TO 10 YEARS, EIGHT TO 13 YEARS AND ONE YEAR IN JAIL TO 43-YEAR-OLD MICHEAL ALLEN GRISWOLD. THOSE THREE TERMS OF INCARCERATION WILL RUN CONCURRENTLY.

IN MARCH, GRISWOLD ENTERED ALFORD PLEAS TO CHARGES OF THIRD-DEGREE SEXUAL ABUSE OF A MINOR, THIRD-DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT AND INDECENT LIBERTIES. HE ENTERED THOSE PLEAS AS PART OF AN AGREEMENT WITH ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY KEVIN TAHERI, WHO RECOMMENDED THE EIGHT- TO THIRTEEN-YEAR SENTENCE AND OTHER CONCURRENT SENTENCES IN EXCHANGE.

GRISWOLD RECEIVED THE ONE-YEAR SENTENCE BECAUSE THE CORRESPONDING CRIME WAS A MISDEMEANOR UNDER WYOMING LAW AT THE TIME IT WAS COMMITTED, IN 1992.

BY ENTERING AN ALFORD PLEA, A DEFENDANT DOES NOT ADMIT THAT THEY ARE GUILTY OF THE CRIME CHARGED, BUT THEY CONCEDE THAT THE PROSECUTION WOULD LIKELY BE ABLE TO OBTAIN A CONVICTION AT TRIAL. FOR SENTENCING PURPOSES, AN ALFORD PLEA IS FUNCTIONALLY SIMILAR TO A GUILTY PLEA.

TWO WOMEN GAVE VICTIM IMPACT STATEMENTS BEFORE GRISWOLD WAS SENTENCED ON WEDNESDAY.

FORGEY ALSO ORDERED GRISWOLD TO PAY $672.96 IN RESTITUTION TO WYOMING MEDICAID.

GRISWOLD DECLINED TO MAKE A STATEMENT BEFORE BEING SENTENCED. HE WAS REMANDED TO CUSTODY FOLLOWING THE HEARING.

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THE WYOMING GAME AND FISH DEPARTMENT HAS RECEIVED ABOUT 7,000 APPLICATIONS FOR THE STATE'S FIRST GRIZZLY BEAR HUNTING SEASON IN 44 YEARS.
AGENCY SPOKESMAN RENNY MACKAY SAYS THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BY THIS PAST MONDAY'S DEADLINE, MEANS THAT THE ODDS OF DRAWING ONE OF THE 22 TAGS AVAILABLE ARE LOW.

OPPONENTS OF THE GRIZZLY HUNT WERE AMONG THOSE SUBMITTING APPLICATIONS, THOUGH THEIR TRUE NUMBERS WILL NEVER BE KNOWN WITH CERTAINTY.

A CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE CAMPAIGN WAS ORGANIZED WHEREBY OPPONENTS OF GRIZZLY BEAR HUNTING WERE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY FOR LICENSES WITHOUT ANY INTENT OF ACTUALLY HUNTING THE BEARS.

CAMPAIGN ORGANIZER LISA ROBERTSON SAYS AT LEAST 1,000 AND MAYBE 2,000 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED.

WYOMING PLANS TO COMPLETE ITS GRIZZLY HUNTING DRAW BY AUGUST 2ND.
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DESPITE FALLING OIL PRICES, WE ARE NEAR 43 A GALLON GASOLINE IN WYOMING NOW.

BUT, ENERGY ANALYST PATRICK DEHAAN OF GASBUDDY DOT COM SAYS, THE NATIONAL AVERAGE PRICE IS ACTUALLY LOWER THAN IN WYOMING.

MEANWHILE, OIL DROPPED LIKE A ROCK THIS WEEK, FALLING FROM $74 A BARREL TO $67.
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WYOMING GOV. MATT MEAD HAS TESTIFIED IN WASHINGTON D.C. ON A DRAFT BILL THAT WOULD OVERHAUL THE NATION'S ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.
THE DRAFT BILL IS SPONSORED BY REPUBLICAN WYOMING SEN. JOHN BARRASSO. IT WOULD CHANGE THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT SUBSTANTIALLY, IN WAYS PROPONENTS SAY GIVE STATES A ROLE THEY WERE ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO HAVE, WITHOUT RESTRICTING THE AUTHORITY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES.

MEAD TOLD MEMBERS OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC WORKS ON TUESDAY THAT THE ACT AS NOW WRITTEN INVITES COSTLY LITIGATION AND LACKS THE APPROPRIATE INCENTIVES, AND FUNDING, TO MAKE DIVERSE GROUPS COME TOGETHER SUCCESSFULLY.

THE BILL LARGELY FOUND FAVOR FROM CONSERVATIVE SENATORS ON THE COMMITTEE, BUT NOT ALL THE DEMOCRATS ON THE PANEL.