K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For September 20th, 2018 – Morning

THE CASPER CITY COUNCIL IS CLOSE TO ITS FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALLOCATING REVENUES FROM THE OPTIONAL ONE-CENT SALES TAX UP FOR RENEWAL IN NOVEMBER, BUT THE MOST RECENT RECOMMENDATIONS MEANS REDUCING MONEY INTENDED FOR CHARITIES THAT HELP THE POOR.

AFTER A WORK SESSION TUESDAY, MAYOR RAY PACHECO SAID COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTED TO SUPPORT GOVERNMENT AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES WITH ABOUT $3.3 MILLION OF THE TOTAL $58 MILLION THE FIFTH PENNY TAX IS ESTIMATED TO RAISE OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

THOSE AGENCIES MADE THEIR REQUESTS ON AUGUST 28TH.

A WEEK LATER, COUNCIL DISCUSSED WAYS TO ALLOCATE THE MONEY, AND INSTRUCTED CITY STAFF TO EVALUATE THE PROPOSALS AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS FOLLOWING CERTAIN GUIDELINES.

ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, THE STAFF MADE ITS RECOMMENDATIONS TOTALING $3 MILLION WITH AN EMPHASIS ON AGENCIES THAT SERVED NEEDY RESIDENTS.

BUT COUNCIL, AFTER ASKING CITY STAFF TO DO THAT WORK, WANTED TO VOTE ON THE REQUESTS, AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD BE AVERAGED AND THEN CONSIDERED FOR THE ALLOCATIONS.

COUNCIL MEMBERS VOTED TO FUND GROUPS THEY ORIGINALLY TOLD THE CITY STAFF TO NOT RECOMMEND, AND THAT MEANT CUTTING FUNDING FOR SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES.

CURIOUSLY, A MEMO DISCUSSING WHAT COUNCIL ASKED OF THE CITY STAFF HAS BEEN DELETED FROM THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DEAL BRIEFLY WITH THESE ISSUES AT ITS WORK SESSION NEXT TUESDAY, AND WILL VOTE ON A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FUNDING ON OCTOBER 2ND.
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A GREELEY, COLORADO MAN CHARGED FOR WALKING DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO OLD FAITHFUL GEYSER IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK ON FRIDAY HAS ONCE AGAIN BEEN ARRESTED, THIS TIME IN CHEYENNE.

POLICE SPOKESMAN OFFICER KEVIN MALATESTA SAYS IT ALL STARTED AROUND 1 P.M. WEDNESDAY WHEN POLICE BEGAN RECEIVING REPORTS OF A PERSON, LATER IDENTIFIED AS 27-YEAR-OLD GABRIEL VILLALVA, DRIVING RECKLESSLY AROUND CHEYENNE.

SHORTLY AFTER 2 P.M., OFFICERS SPOTTED VILLALVA DRIVING NEAR LIONS PARK AND A 15-MINUTE CHASE ENSUED.

"DURING THE PURSUIT THE SUSPECT DROVE ONTO THE GOLF COURSE ... I BELIEVE HE STRUCK SOME PROPERTY, PROBABLY A FENCE, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE HE HIT ONE OF OUR PATROL CARS AS WELL."

MALATESTA SAYS OFFICERS WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOY SPIKE STRIPS, BUT VILLALVA CONTINUED DRIVING ON TWO FLAT TIRES. HE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP AT HYNDS BLVD. AND W. 4TH AVENUE AFTER SPARKS FROM THE TIRE RIMS IGNITED HIS SUV.

VILLALVA WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ARRESTED, BUT MALATESTA DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CHARGES MIGHT BE BROUGHT AGAINST HIM.

FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS INJURED DURING THE INCIDENT.
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A WILDFIRE IN WESTERN WYOMING IS SPREADING RAPIDLY AND HAS FORCED THE EVACUATION OF SOME 230 RURAL HOMES.

THE FIRE BURNING IN THE BRIDGER-TETON NATIONAL FOREST SOUTH OF U.S. 189-191 HAS CHARRED ABOUT 39 SQUARE MILES OF MOSTLY TIMBER SINCE IT STARTED LAST WEEKEND. THE HIGHWAY, WHICH CONNECTS TO JACKSON HOLE, REMAINS OPEN.

IT IS BURNING ALONG THE HOBACK RIVER IN NORTHERN SUBLETTE COUNTY. THE RURAL AREA HAS SCATTERED, SMALL SUBDIVISIONS WITH MOSTLY YEAR-ROUND RESIDENTS. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPORTS OF ANY HOMES BEING BURNED.

FIREFIGHTERS HAVE BEEN ARRIVING TO BATTLE THE FIRE AND NOW NUMBER ABOUT 255. THEY'RE BEING SUPPORTED BY AIR TANKERS AND HELICOPTERS.

THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE HASN'T BEEN DETERMINED.

THE FIRE IS AMONG ABOUT A HALF DOZEN BURNING IN THE BRIDGER-TETON FOREST.

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CASPER POLICE ON TUESDAY ARRESTED A MAN AFTER HE ALLEGEDLY USED A KNIFE TO ATTACK A WOMAN'S DOG.
26-YEAR-OLD TAJ DUBRAY EAGLEFEATHERS WAS BOOKED INTO JAIL ON RECOMMENDED CHARGES OF AGGRAVATED CRUELTY TO ANIMALS AND INTERFERENCE.

CHARGING DOCUMENTS SAY POLICE OFFICERS WERE DISPATCHED TO THE 1800 BLOCK OF EAST FIRST STREET IN CASPER FOR A REPORTED WEAPONS OFFENSE SHORTLY BEFORE 4:30 P.M. THE WOMAN WHO CALLED POLICE SAID SOMEONE HAD STABBED HER DOG, AND DESCRIBED A NATIVE AMERICAN MAN WHO HAD LEFT EASTBOUND ON FIRST STREET.

WHEN EAGLEFEATHERS WAS ARRESTED, POLICE FOUND HIS HANDS WERE "COVERED WITH BLOOD." POLICE ALSO FOUND A LARGE KNIFE IN A BROWN LEATHER SHEATH.

THE OWNER OF THE DOG TOLD OFFICERS SHE HAD BEEN WATERING HER LAWN WHEN SHE HEARD HER DOG, SMOKEY, BARKING. SHE TURNED AROUND AND SAW A TALL, THIN NATIVE AMERICAN MAN LEANING OVER HER FENCE AND STABBING AT HER DOG WITH A LARGE KNIFE.

THE WOMAN SAID THAT SHE ASKED THE MAN WHY HE WAS STABBING HER DOG, AND HE REPORTEDLY REPLIED THAT HE WAS A NATIVE, HE OWNED THE LAND, AND THE DOG SHOULDN'T BE BARKING AT HIM.

OFFICERS NOTED A HALF-INCH CUT ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DOG'S NOSE, NEAR ITS RIGHT EYE.

EAGLEFEATHERS WAS BOOKED INTO JAIL, WHERE POLICE SAY HE BECAME COMBATIVE AND STARTED YELLING THAT THE LAND BELONGED TO HIM AND OFFICERS HAD NO RIGHT TO DETAIN HIM.