K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For March 28th, 2018 – Morning

CASPER CITY COUNCIL VOTED TUESDAY TO SIGN A THREE-YEAR LEASE WITH A BUSINESS TO RUN THE 19TH HOLE RESTAURANT AT THE CITY-OWNED MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE, EVEN THOUGH THE BUSINESS'S OWNER HAS IN RECENT YEARS FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY, AND HAS HAD COLLECTIONS ACTIONS TAKEN AGAINST HIM.

COUNCIL WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUES AT THE SPECIAL MEETING TUESDAY.

CITY MANAGER CARTER NAPIER SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW OF THESE ISSUES WITH COWBOY SMOKEHOUSE, LLC, NOR DOES THE CITY RUN BACKGROUND CHECKS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF LIQUOR LICENSES AND SALES TAXES, ON BUSINESSES WITH LEASES OR POTENTIAL LEASES WITH THE CITY.

WHILE COWBOY SMOKEHOUSE OWNER PAT MUNSELL'S PAST BUSINESS PROBLEMS SOUNDED TROUBLING, NAPIER SAID THE STATE DOESN'T GIVE THE CITY THE LATITUDE TO CURTAIL A RELATIONSHIP WITH A LESSEE THAT ISN'T RELATED TO PERFORMANCE.

NAPIER SAID A LOT OF BUSINESSES HAVE RUN INTO HARD TIMES AND HAVE REINVENTED THEMSELVES.

MUNSELL SAID THE DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY HIT HIM HARD.

IN APRIL 2014, HE FILED FOR CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY PROTECTION WITH NEARLY $2 MILLION IN LIABILITIES.

CREDITORS HAVE FILED CIVIL SUITS AGAINST HIM, A DISTRICT COURT JUDGE IN OCTOBER SIGNED A JUDGMENT AGAINST ONE OF HIS BUSINESSES FOR NEARLY $99,000, AND THERE IS AN OUTSTANDING LIEN FROM THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF WORKFORCE SERVICES FOR $8,200 IN THE NATRONA COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE.

MUNSELL SAID HE'S BEEN IN GOOD STANDING WITH THE WYOMING REVENUE DEPARTMENT, MEETS WITH AN OFFICIAL THERE REGULARLY, AND MAKES PAYMENTS EVERY MONTH.

MUNSELL RAN THE OPERATIONS AT THE ALCOVA MARINA LAST YEAR, WHICH IMPRESSED THE CITY THAT HAS HAD HIM OPERATE THE 19TH HOLE SINCE FEBRUARY.
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CASPER POLICE ON MONDAY ARRESTED A MAN ON SUSPICION THAT HE POSSESSED HEROIN AND THAT A YOUNG CHILD MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS THE DRUG.

31-YEAR-OLD DAVID EDWARD SHEETS WAS BOOKED INTO JAIL ON RECOMMENDED CHARGES OF HEROIN POSSESSION AND CHILD ENDANGERMENT.

CHARGING PAPERS SAY AT ABOUT 8:45 P.M. MONDAY, AN OFFICER WAS SENT TO AN APARTMENT AT 3300 PROVENCE COURT TO ASSIST THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES, WHICH HAD RECEIVED A REPORT OF SHEETS USING HEROIN AND METH IN THE BATHROOM.

DURING A SEARCH OF THE HOUSE, THE OFFICER ALLEGEDLY FOUND THREE MARIJUANA PIPES, EIGHT SMALL PLASTIC BAGGIES CONTAINING HEROIN RESIDUE AND A RECTANGULAR PIECE OF TIN FOIL "COMMONLY USED AS A MAKESHIFT PIPE TO SMOKE HEROIN," ACCORDING TO THE AFFIDAVIT.

THE ALLEGED HEROIN PARAPHERNALIA WAS REPORTEDLY FOUND BENEATH THE SINK IN THE DOWNSTAIRS BATHROOM, WITHIN THE CHILD'S REACH.

SHEETS ALLEGEDLY TOLD POLICE THAT ALL OF THE DRUG PARAPHERNALIA BELONGED TO HIM. THE BAGS, HE REPORTEDLY SAID, WERE LEFT OVER FROM HIM BUYING AND SMOKING HEROIN.
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IN THE WAKE OF THE NEWS THAT CHEYENNE-BASED GREAT LAKES AVIATION IS SUSPENDING COMMERCIAL AIR SERVICE, CHEYENNE MAYOR MARIAN ORR IS PLEDGING TO HELP FORMER GREAT LAKES EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS...

THEY MAYOR SAYS DISCUSSIONS HAVE BEEN UNDERWAY WITH A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT AIR CARRIERS ABOUT POSSIBLY SERVING CHEYENNE REGIONAL AIRPORT, ADDING THAT IF ALL GOES WELL, A NEW AIRLINE MAY BEGIN SERVING THE CITY BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

WE HAD SOME GOOD NEWS FOR WYOMING LAST WEEK AS OIL PRICES TOPPED OUT JUST OVER 65-DOLLARS A BARREL.

BUT, AS ANALYST PATRICK DEHAAN OF GASBUDDY DOT COM POINTS OUT, THAT MEANS GAS PRICES WILL GO UP AS WELL.
AND WITH THE SUMMER DRIVING SEASON COMING UP, EXPECT PRICES TO KEEP RISING UNTIL FALL.