Morning News Update

2012 WAS A BANNER YEAR FOR TOURISM IN NATRONA COUNTY. Wyoming officials are developing a plan to increase the profile of state parks.

THE CASE INVOLVING THREE MEN ACCUSED OF BEING INVOLVED IN A CASPER LIQUOR STORE ROBBERY IS MOVING FORWARD IN COURT. Federal land managers are going back to the drawing board with their environmental review of a 678-mile natural gas pipeline stretching from Wyoming to Oregon.

THE STATE OF WYOMING WILL CELEBRATE AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRIAL MILESTONE LATER THIS MONTH. An Australian man who says he robbed a bank in Jackson on New Year's Eve so he could give money to the homeless is set to present his defense to a jury in Cheyenne.

A CASPER MAN WILL AVOID PRISON TIME AFTER ADMITTING HIS ROLE IN A GUN INCIDENT. The mother of a gay University of Wyoming student who was robbed and beaten to death in 1998 says she finds it touching that NBA veteran Jason Collins honored her son by wearing jersey No. 98.

AS THE SNOW STARTS TO MELT AWAY FOR THE SEASON, THE ORANGE BARRELS ARE USUALLY GETTING READY TO TAKE OVER THE ROADWAYS. Average retail gasoline prices in Wyoming have risen just a penny in the past week.

A MILLS WOMAN IS ADMITTING THAT SHE CREATED AND SENT PORNOGRAPHIC IMAGES OF CHILDREN.   WYOMING'S HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE FELL TO 78.9 PERCENT IN 2011-12.FIGURES RELEASED FRIDAY BY THE WYOMING DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHOW THE RATE IS DOWN FROM 79.7 PERCENT IN 2010-11 AND 80.4 PERCENT IN 2009-10.IN THE 2011-12 SCHOOL YEAR.

ONE PERSON IS DEAD AFTER A ONE-CAR ROLLOVER SOUTHWEST OF CASPER. THE WYOMING BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVED A FINAL LIST OF TRAITS THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR IN A NEW DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

OFFICIALS WITH NATRONA COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN TO TEST CASPER-BASED EMERGENCY PHONE AND SIREN SYSTEMS ON TODAY. Sheridan County Attorney Matt Redle says he expects two teenagers sentenced to life in prison in the 2009 home invasion slaying of a Sheridan businessman to be resentenced this fall.

CASPER RESIDENTS MAY SOON BE ABLE TO KEEP HONEY BEES AND CHICKENS ON THEIR PROPERTY. A 29-YEAR-OLD COLORADO MAN DIED MONDAY FOLLOWING A ONE-CAR CRASH ON INTERSTATE 25 ABOUT 35 MILES NORTH OF CASPER.

A 36-year old Casper man and a 40-year old Evansville woman have been sentenced to federal prison on drug convictions. Officials have found nearly $8 million in additional funds for a proposed major renovation of the State Capitol in Cheyenne.