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

CASPER POLICE ON WEDNESDAY ARRESTED A WOMAN AFTER METHAMPHETAMINE WAS ALLEGEDLY DISCOVERED INSIDE HER HOME WHERE FOUR CHILDREN ALSO LIVED.

22-YEAR-OLD ERICA M. PATTERSON WAS BOOKED INTO JAIL ON RECOMMENDED CHARGES OF METH POSSESSION AND FOUR COUNTS OF CHILD ENDANGERMENT BY METHAMPHETAMINE.

CHARGING PAPERS SAY A CASPER POLICE OFFICER WENT TO AN APARTMENT AT 2650 SOUTH MCKINLEY SHORTLY BEFORE 3 P.M. WEDNESDAY TO ASSIST THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES. DFS AGENTS WERE CONDUCTING A HOME VISIT AND REPORTEDLY FOUND PATTERSON TO BE HIGH ON METHAMPHETAMINE AND IN POSSESSION OF THE DRUG.

FOUR CHILDREN, NONE OF THEM OLDER THAN THREE YEARS OF AGE, WERE PRESENT IN THE HOME.

PATTERSON ALLEGEDLY TOLD AUTHORITIES THAT SHE HAD USED METH WEDNESDAY MORNING.

DFS AGENTS REPORTED THAT PATTERSON STORED THE METHAMPHETAMINE IN THE ROOM WHERE SHE AND TWO OF THE CHILDREN SLEPT.

THE FOUR CHILDREN WERE TAKEN INTO PROTECTIVE CUSTODY AND TURNED OVER TO THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES. PATTERSON WAS ARRESTED AND TAKEN TO JAIL.

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A WYOMING ELECTIONS OFFICIAL SAYS THE STATE LEGISLATURE SHOULD LOOK AT CREATING A TRUST FUND TO MAINTAIN A SECURE VOTING SYSTEM.

STATE ELECTIONS DIRECTOR KAI SCHON OF THE WYOMING SECRETARY OF STATE'S OFFICE SAYS MANY LOCAL ELECTION CUSTODIANS REPORT THAT VOTING EQUIPMENT HAS REACHED THE END OF ITS USEFUL LIFE.

SCHON SAYS HE'S CONFIDENT WYOMING'S ELECTION SYSTEMS ARE SAFE AND SECURE, BUT HE SAYS LAWMAKERS SHOULD LOOK AT MAINTAINING THAT SECURITY.

THE LEGISLATURE'S NEW BUDGET INCLUDED SOME MONEY FOR VOTING SYSTEMS.

BUT SCHON SAID IT IS PRUDENT TO ESTABLISH A FUND THAT WOULD HOPEFULLY MAKE MONEY AVAILABLE FOR SUCH TASKS IF STATE OR FEDERAL MONEY ISN'T AVAILABLE IN THE FUTURE.
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OFFICIALS SAY THEY'RE LOSING THE BATTLE AGAINST A DEVASTATING COMBINATION OF INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES AND WILDFIRES IN THE VAST SAGEBRUSH HABITATS IN THE U.S. WEST THAT SUPPORT CATTLE RANCHING AND RECREATION AND ARE HOME TO AN IMPERILED BIRD.

THE WESTERN ASSOCIATION OF FISH & WILDLIFE AGENCIES IN A 58-PAGE REPORT RELEASED THIS MONTH SAYS INVASIVE PLANTS ON NEARLY 160,000 SQUARE MILES (414,400 SQ. KILOMETERS) OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LANDS HAVE REACHED ENORMOUS LEVELS AND ARE SPREADING.

OFFICIALS SAY THAT COULD MEAN MORE GIANT RANGELAND WILDFIRES THAT IN RECENT DECADES DESTROYED VAST AREAS OF SAGEBRUSH COUNTRY THAT SUPPORT SOME 350 SPECIES OF WILDLIFE, INCLUDING IMPERILED SAGE GROUSE.

THE REPORT SAYS THE TOP PROBLEM IS THE LIMITED ABILITY AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT TO PREVENT INVASIVE PLANTS SUCH AS FIRE-PRONE CHEATGRASS FROM SPREADING.
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TORRINGTON, WYO. (AP) - AUTHORITIES SAY A 32-YEAR-OLD MAN IS DEAD AND ANOTHER IN CUSTODY FOLLOWING A STABBING IN SOUTHEAST WYOMING.

GOSHEN COUNTY UNDERSHERIFF JEREMY WARDELL TELLS KGAB-AM IN CHEYENNE THAT DEPUTIES WERE CALLED TO A REPORTED STABBING IN FT. LARAMIE AROUND 3:11 P.M. THURSDAY.

WARDELL SAYS THE VICTIM, IDENTIFIED AS WADE ERSCHABEK OF GUERNSEY, WAS TAKEN TO COMMUNITY HOSPITAL IN TORRINGTON WHERE HE DIED FROM HIS INJURIES.

DEPUTIES TOOK INTO CUSTODY A 26-YEAR-OLD FT. LARAMIE MAN.

THE INCIDENT REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
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ROCK SPRINGS, WYO. (AP) - BIOLOGISTS HOPE A PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF TROUT ANGLERS CAN CATCH ON WYOMING'S FLAMING GORGE RESERVOIR WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF TROPHY-SIZE FISH IN THE AREA.

THE CASPER STAR TRIBUNE REPORTS THAT THE WYOMING GAME AND FISH COMMISSION PLANS TO VOTE ON CHANGES TO TROUT REGULATIONS IN JULY.

THE PLAN WOULD LET PEOPLE CATCH UP TO 12 FISH EACH DAY INSTEAD OF EIGHT AND POSSESS UP TO 24 FISH AT ONE TIME INSTEAD OF EIGHT. BUT ONLY ONE OF THOSE FISH COULD MEASURE MORE THAN 28 INCHES (71 CENTIMETERS).

BIOLOGISTS SAY FEWER SMALLER TROUT WILL LEAVE MORE FOOD FOR LARGER TROUT. WITHOUT ACTION, EXPERTS WORRY THAT TROPHY SIZE TROUT WILL DIE OF OLD AGE OR BE CAUGHT AND NEVER REPLACED.

PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE PROPOSAL REMAINS OPEN UNTIL JUNE 4.