State Briefs

Campbell library accused of criminal activity

GILLETTE (WNE) — The Campbell County Public Library has been accused of criminal activity for having books in the teen and children’s section that some deemed inappropriate for teens and children.

At 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Hugh and Susan Bennett went to the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office to report criminal activity going on at the library.

They believed the library board and the library director were committing a crime by “offering for dissemination obscene material,” said Sheriff Scott Matheny.

They brought in several books to support their claim. A report was taken and sent to the Campbell County Attorney’s Office for consideration of charges, Matheny said.

County Attorney Mitch Damsky said he has three lawyers in his office working on this right now. 

“We want to make sure that with regard to these issues, the best legal minds in the office collaborate, because it’s a very tedious issue, with a lot of emotions involved,” Damsky said. 

He said he expects a decision on whether to pursue charges will be made in a day or two. 

For months, the Bennetts, along with others, have spoken out against the library having inappropriate books readily available for children and teens.

At a library board meeting Monday, Hugh Bennett told the library board there are laws in place against sexual assault and sexual intrusion that make what the library and the library board are doing “felony behavior.”

“Be on notice, you’re fighting a losing battle,” he said

Gillette College VP named president of new college district

GILLETTE (WNE) — The Gillette Community College District Board of trustees voted Friday to appoint Janell Oberlander as the interim president of the new district and also approved a preliminary budget for the remainder of this fiscal year.

For now, it is a nominal change. Oberlander, who is the Gillette College vice president, remains employed through the Northern Wyoming Community College District while GCCD works on establishing its required infrastructure as a new district.

“I was not expecting that this morning so I very much appreciate your support and I appreciate your belief in me to work with you as we develop this extraordinary new opportunity, not only for our community but for the state,” Oberlander said Friday’s meeting.

The $1,023,752 preliminary budget approved on Friday covers the new district’s projected expenses through June 2022 and possibly beyond.

“As we know, there are a lot of chicken or the egg issues in this process,” said trustee Alison Ochs Gee. “What I’d like is the board to approve this budget and then we’ll go find the money to support it. We’re not going to spend or commit to any funds until we get that done.”

Trustees have not yet set a mill levy amount and will need to find a source for the money budgeted in its preliminary projections apart from the mill levy.

“We think there will be a delay between the time we start the fiscal year, July 1, and when we actually see the revenue,” Ochs Gee said. “This budget will overlap with the budget we create for the 2022-23 fiscal year.”

Cheyenne censured lawyer appointed part-time judge

CHEYENNE (WNE) – A Cheyenne prosecutor was appointed as a part-time hearing judge to the Cheyenne Municipal Court on Monday, after being recently censured by the Wyoming Supreme Court. 

David Singleton has been an attorney in Cheyenne for almost a decade, and previously served as Laramie County assistant district attorney. 

He was censured this summer after failing to correct false testimony in a dismissed 2020 marijuana case. Based on his conduct, Singleton could have been suspended from practicing law in the state, but was instead ordered to pay an administrative fee of $800. 

The fine and public censure were the only reprimands, due to the fact he had no prior record, was cooperative during censure proceedings and was not proven to intentionally deceive the court.

He has continued to serve as president of the Laramie County Bar Association, and is a consistent guest lecturer at the University of Wyoming College of Law. 

City officials moved forward with the appointment because they said he has learned from his mistakes and was the best candidate. 

Singleton was approved for judgeship by the Cheyenne City Council, with an esteemed recommendation from Mayor Patrick Collins. Collins is responsible for city appointments and said he would never make a decision if there was a sliver of doubt in his mind. 

“I think he’s handled himself with grace and humility,” Collins said. “And I think it’s probably made him a better lawyer, because it made him stop to think about what he’s doing.” 

Collins said he was impressed not only with Singleton’s experience as a prosecutor, but also his work in the court system for the past year. 

Ferrets released at Meeteetse ranch

CODY (WNE) — A total of 20 black-footed ferrets were introduced into the wild last week after a life spent in captivity. The ferrets were released on private land in Meeteetse, where Wyoming Game and Fish has been attempting to nurture a historic ferret recovery site for the last five years with mixed success.

“When we first introduced them, it immediately seemed to be doing well,” Zack Walker, G&F non-game supervisor said. “Then we had the plague and the population went down.”

Since 2016, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and G&F have been releasing the endangered species in Meeteetse, the same location where the believed-to-be extinct animal was discovered 40 years ago. The mammal is one of the most endangered in North America, with only 1,200 existing in 2013. G&F and U.S. Fish and Wildlife have partnerships with the Lazy BV and Pitchfork ranches to release the prairie-dog hunters on their land.

The ferrets were raised at the National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center in Carr, Colo. In order to graduate from the facility into the wild, each ferret has to prove it can kill a prairie dog.

The 10 female and 10 male ferrets will have to overcome some tough odds on their road to reproduction and success during their short, 4-5 year lives. Walker said bubonic plague has decimated the ferret population in Meeteetse, with only one ferret still remaining in 2020 despite 19 being released there the year before. Typically, there are 4-6 ferrets living in this community, much lower than the 35 ferret baseline determined by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

“We’re working on better techniques and getting the plague under control,” Walker said.

Grand Teton warns of grizzly trapping

JACKSON (WNE) — Grand Teton National Park is asking visitors to heed warning signs and avoid areas where bear trapping is going on.

From today through the end of October, biologists with the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team will be baiting and trapping bruins as part of the team’s Endangered Species Act obligations to monitor grizzlies in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

Baiting and trapping follows strict protocols, a press release said. Trapped bears will be sedated so wildlife biologists can collect samples and data for scientific study. The bears are then released on-site.

“When bear trapping activities are being conducted, the area around the site will be posted with bright warning signs to inform the public of the activities occurring,” the release said. “For bear and human safety, the public must respect these signs and stay out of posted areas.”

The study team includes representatives from the National Park Service, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Forest Service, Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribal Fish and Game Department and the states of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.