Morning News Update

The new UW President says finding funding apart from state funding may be in the cards. A Montana state lawmaker has introduced legislation aimed at the U.S. Bureau of Land Management's plan of relocating to Montana wild horses from other states.

A CASPER MAN COULD FACE THE DEATH PENALTY FOLLOWING THE SHOOTING DEATH OF HIS WIFE. NATIONAL PARK SERVICE CREWS HAVE BEGUN CLEARING THE ROADS IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK IN ORDER TO GET THE PARK OPEN TO VEHICLES THIS SPRING.

CASPER CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSED REVISIONS TO THE CITY’S PUBLIC INDOOR SMOKING ORDINANCE AT ITS REGULAR WORK SESSION TUESDAY NIGHT. The federal government will withhold more than $53 million in mineral payments from the state of Wyoming as part of the automatic federal budget cuts that started this month.

Robert Sternberg the new president at the University of Wyoming made his first visit to the University on Monday. A judge in Casper has sided with the state of Wyoming and ruled against environmentalists who sought to make public the lists of ingredients that go into hydraulic fracturing fluids.

CITY OFFICIALS IN CASPER SAY CASPER CITY COUNCIL WILL NOT GO FORWARD WITH AN AMBITIOUS $50 MILLION DOLLAR PLAN TO BUILD A CONFERENCE CENTER AND HOTEL COMPLEX IN THE CITY’S DOWNTOWN AREA. Authorities say a 52-year-old woman has been arrested for allegedly stealing more than $77,000 as the bookkeeper for a Gillette salon.

A CONFERENCE CENTER AND HOTEL WILL NOT BE BUILT IN DOWNTOWN CASPER ANYTIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE. Dry and windy conditions have increased the fire danger across lower elevation areas of Wyoming.

A  DISTRICT JUDGE IN CHEYENNE HAS REJECTED STATE SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT CINDY HILL'S REQUEST TO HAVE HER POWERS AND DUTIES IMMEDIATELY RESTORED. The district attorney in Cheyenne says his office will review an old rape case in response to claims from lawyers that new DNA testing proves the innocence of a man who has served 23 years in prison.

CASPER CITY COUNCIL APPROVED CHANGES TO THE CITY'S DUI ORDINANCE AT ITS REGULAR MEETING TUESDAY NIGHT. Wyoming's unemployment rate held steady in January at a robust 4.9 percent.

A CASPER MAN IS HEADING TO PRISON AFTER ADMITTING THAT HE TRIED TO HIRE SOMEONE TO SET FIRE TO HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND’S CAR. Underground work will restrict travel on Poplar Street this week. Casper Officials say traffic on Poplar Street from Collins Drive to the bridge will be restricted to one lane in each direction starting at 7:00 a.m this mornng and continuing through 8:00 a.m. on Friday.

CASPER POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR ARMED ROBBERY SUSPECT WHO TOOK MONEY FROM A BANK CUSTOMER.   GRIZZLY BEARS ARE EMERGING FROM HIBERNATION IN THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE AREA, SO HIKERS, SKIERS AND SNOWSHOERS ARE ADVISED TO STAY IN GROUPS OF THREE OF MORE, MAKE NOISE ON THE TRAIL AND CARRY BEAR SPRAY.