K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For March19th, 2018 – Morning

SUNDAY AT APPROXIMATELY 2:25 PM THE CASPER POLICE DEPARTMENT GOT A CALL OF A SHOOTING IN THE 1100 BLOCK OF BURLINGTON. WHEN THEY ARRIVED, OFFICERS LOCATED ONE MALE WHO HAD BEEN SHOT. THE MAN WAS TAKEN TO WYOMING MEDICAL CENTER WHERE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD.

HE WAS 49 YEARS OLD, BUT HIS IDENTITY HAS NOT BEEN REVEALED PENDING NOTIFICATION OF NEXT OF KIN.

THE CASPER POLICE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING THE SHOOTING. AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO THREAT TO THE PUBLIC. POLICE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE AREA AND SEEN OR HEARD ANYTHING TO PLEASE CONTACT THE CASPER POLICE DEPARTMENT.

=============================

FIRE CREWS EXTINGUISHED A FIRE AT A SMALL OIL TANK FARM SOUTHWEST OF WRIGHT ON FRIDAY.

CAMPBELL COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT TRAINING CHIEF RON SMITH SAID FIVE UNITS RESPONDED TO THE REPORT OF THE FIRE AT A STORAGE TANK BATTERY ABOUT 10:15 A.M., PUT IT OUT AND CLEARED THE AREA BY EARLY AFTERNOON.

SMITH SAID THERE WERE NO INJURIES.

THE TANK BATTERY HAD SIX OR SEVEN TANKS THAT CAN HOLD ABOUT 400 BARRELS, AND BARREL IS 42 GALLONS.

SMITH SAID IT WAS UNKNOWN HOW MUCH OIL WAS IN THE TANK OR TANKS AFFECTED BY THE FIRE.

SMITH DID NOT KNOW THE NAME OF THE COMPANY THAT OWNS THE TANKS.

THE LOCATION OF THE FIRE WAS FOUR-AND-A-HALF MILES WEST OF PINETREE JUNCTION, WHERE WYOMING HIGHWAYS 50 AND 387 INTERSECT.

PUTTING OUT A FIRE LIKE THIS CAN BE DONE BY SHUTTING OFF VALVES, CLOSING HATCHES TO SMOTHER THE BLAZE, OR USING A FOAM.

THE FIRE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

HE ALSO CAUTIONED THERE WERE ERRONEOUS REPORTS THAT THE FIRE WAS AN EXPLOSION AT A RIG.
============================
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE OFFICIALS ARRESTED TWO PROTESTERS WHO BLOCKED THE ACCESS ROAD TO THE STEPHENS CREEK BISON QUARANTINE FACILITY EARLY FRIDAY.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK SAID THE THE PROTESTERS ATTACHED THEMSELVES TO BARRELS THEY BROUGHT TO THE FACILITY GATE.

THE PARK SAID OPERATIONS AT THE FACILITY WERE NOT DISRUPTED.

THE PROTESTERS WERE FROM THE WILD BUFFALO DEFENSE ORGANIZATION.

THE GROUP'S FACEBOOK PAGE IDENTIFIED THE PROTESTERS BY THEIR NICKNAMES "WOLF" AND "COYOTE."

THE TWO BLOCKED THE GATE WITH THREE 55-GALLON DRUMS FILLED WITH CONCRETE, LOCKING THEIR ARMS INSIDE THE BARRELS.

WILD BUFFALO DEFENSE SAID THE 1,000-POUND DRUMS PREVENTED LIVESTOCK TRUCKS FROM TAKING THE WILD BUFFALO TO SLAUGHTER.

THE BARRELS WERE PAINTED WITH THE PHRASES, "PROTECT THE SACRED" AND "HONOR THE TREATIES," HIGHLIGHTING HOW BUFFALO ARE SACRED CREATURES TO THE PLAINS INDIANS.

THE ORGANIZATION ALSO TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE THREE PEOPLE WHO WERE ARRESTED TWO WEEKS AGO IN THE SAME AREA.

THEY WERE SENTENCED IN FEDERAL COURT LAST WEEK TO TIME SERVED IN JAIL, FINES, AND A FIVE-YEAR BAN FROM ENTERING THE PARK.
===========================

UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING OFFICIALS ARE CONSIDERING NO TUITION INCREASES FOR THE 2018-2019 ACADEMIC YEAR DESPITE A BOARD OF TRUSTEES POLICY THAT CALLS FOR 4 PERCENT INCREASE EACH YEAR.

INSTEAD, THE UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS ARE LOOKING TO RAISE MANDATORY STUDENT FEES TO COVER COSTS RELATED TO ATHLETICS AND STUDENT SERVICES.

A CAPACITY STUDY SUGGESTED THE UNIVERSITY COULD INCREASE ENROLLMENT BY ATTRACTING OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS BY LOWERING ITS NON-RESIDENT TUITION.

UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATOR DAVID JEWELLS SAYS THE ADMINISTRATION FOUND THAT STUDY WAS "DIRECTIONALLY ACCURATE" AND BELIEVE IT IS MORE BENEFICIAL TO IMPLEMENT ITS SUGGESTIONS SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS WILL PRESENT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE BOARD DURING ITS THURSDAY MEETING.
=======================

LARAMIE, WYO. (AP) - UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING OFFICIALS WILL HAVE TO FIND AN ADDITIONAL $15 MILLION TO BUILD A NEW SCIENCE FACILITY AFTER LAWMAKERS APPROVED $85 MILLION FOR THE PROJECT.

UW PRESIDENT LAURIE NICHOLS SAYS THE SCHOOL WILL GLADLY ACCEPT THE $85 MILLION AND WILL FIGURE OUT HOW TO FILL THE GAP FOR THE $100 MILLION FACILITY.

THE LARAMIE BOOMERANG REPORTS THAT UW'S SCIENCE INITIATIVE'S GOAL IS TO MAKE THE SCHOOL A TOP RESEARCH INSTITUTION.

WYOMING HOUSE LAWMAKERS SUPPORTED FUNDING THE FULL $100 MILLION, BUT THE PROPOSAL FACED OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE.

A COMPROMISE STRUCK ON THE FINAL DAY OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION INCLUDED THE $85 MILLION IN THE FINAL STATE CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION BILL.

THE UW BOARD OF TRUSTEES WILL LIKELY DISCUSS HOW TO PAY THE REMAINING $15 MILLION WHEN IT MEETS THIS WEEK

====================================

WYOMING GOVERNOR MATT MEAD COMPLIMENTED WYOMING HOUSE MEMBERS ON THEIR WORK DURING THE RECENT LEGISLATIVE SESSION ON THURSDAY EVENING..

SINCE WYOMING'S CONSTITUTION TERM LIMITS THE GOVERNOR TO NO MORE THAN EIGHT YEARS IN OFFICE, THE 2018 SESSION WILL BE HIS LAST AS THE STATE'S CHIEF EXECUTIVE.