State Briefs

Bill would give hunters additional chance to donate to access and wildlife projects

POWELL (WNE) — A popular bill would give hunters who are unsuccessful in acquiring a tag in limited quota draws the option of donating application fees back to the Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust and/or to the Game and Fish Department to be used for sportsperson access projects and wildlife crossings. 

Unsuccessful applicants could choose all or portions of the application fee to be donated and where donations would go. 

Application fee refunds are a substantial amount of money, Wyoming Game and Fish Department Director Brian Nesvik said during a Senate Travel, Recreation, Wildlife & Cultural Resources Meeting last week. 

“The three-year average that we refund back [to unsuccessful applicants] is $47 million per year,” he said. 

Nobody expects that all unsuccessful hunters will donate all or portions of their application fees, but “even a small percentage of folks who choose to do this could mean a significant source of revenue” to the agencies, Nesvik said. 

The bill adds one more way for hunters to donate back to the agencies, similar to previous efforts including adding a donation option for access when applying for tags and licenses or buying the Wyoming Conservation license plate, which funds fencing and over- and under-passes to help decrease vehicle collisions with wildlife. 

There are more than 6000 vehicle/wildlife collisions per year in the state. 

“These little ways [to increase donations] have added up to some fairly substantial dollars,” said Rep. Albert Sommers, R-Pinedale. 

The bill previously passed the House with a 47-12 vote — with all Big Horn Basin representatives except Rep. Dan Laursen, R-Powell, in support — and is expected to soon face a third and final vote in the Senate.

Rawlins boil advisory extended into this week

LARAMIE (WNE) — A city of Rawlins advisory to boil water has been extended and is likely to continue through Wednesday. 

Residents in Rawlins and Sinclair started to conserve and boil their water as the city works to repair its water lines, which failed Thursday to the point of cutting off many customers. 

In what city officials have dubbed an emergency situation, the disruption of service happened as work continues to repair leaks in the water supply pipeline. While workers had reduced water pressure, two additional lines broke, causing the city’s tanks to leak. 

There also was a problem with the pump at the water treatment plant that has since been fixed. 

Levels in the city’s water tanks have slowly been rising, but a multi-day testing process must take place to ensure the cleanliness of the water before the advisory can be lifted. 

Rawlins Mayor Terry Weickum said the city’s system was overdue for repairs. The city requested emergency funding to help defray the costs associated with Thursday’s water disruption, but was denied, Weickum said. Instead, the city is using about $1.5 million from its general fund. 

City officials expected to have the water disruption fixed by Saturday. In the meantime, residents were advised to bring water at a rolling boil for at least 3 minutes before using it for drinking, making ice, washing dishes or brushing their teeth, or use bottled water, according to the city website. 

The water issues have resulted in the closures of Rawlins schools, county offices, restaurants and the Boys & Girls Club of Carbon County. Well water and bottled water was available for pickup at the Carbon County Fairgrounds Multiplex all day Friday until the evening.

Plan aims to stop oxygen tank fires

CODY (WNE) — Fire marshals across the state are working to prevent one of the leading causes of deadly house fires in the state.

A new initiative aims to, at no cost to the person, install safety valves on medical oxygen tubes that can stop fires caused by oxygen tanks from spreading.

“This started after a statewide study showing how many fires are caused from home oxygen while people are smoking, that’s what kicked off the initiative,” said Cody’s fire marshal Sam Wilde. “It doesn’t cost anything, we provide the kit, install it for free.

“It’s a win-win situation.”

Wilde said while the initiative was slowed soon after starting by the pandemic and restrictions on going into people’s homes to install the devices, he has already worked with local providers of oxygen to get the devices installed on new tanks before they go out.

Now he wants to get the word out to residents.

It’s the initial drive of the Community Risk Reduction Team to install inline O2 cannula thermal devices in 100% of all identified homes using medical oxygen in Wyoming, in an effort to eliminate all Wyoming fatalities and injuries due to smoking in the presence of home medical oxygen by Jan. 1, 2025.”

To request a device, people can go to the State Fire Marshal website, wsfm.wyo.gov/fire-prevention/307crr.

‘Diners, Drive-ins and Dives’ to feature Laramie restaurants next 2 weeks

LARAMIE (WNE) — Going on 15 years and more than 400 episodes, the Food Network’s juggernaut “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” continues to hit viewers with just the right blend of creativity, funky flavors and a dash of host Guy Fieri’s trademark cheesiness. 

While the unique Laramie food scene isn’t anything new for locals, the rest of what Fieri likes to call his “Triple-D Nation” will get a taste of the new West next week. 

That’s when Episode 4 of Season 35 premiers at 7 p.m. and includes the Gem City in a show titled “From Appetizers to Dessert.” Foodnetwork.com has posted its upcoming “Triple D” lineup, which features Laramie on Friday and again the next week on March 18. 

While which local eatery will be featured Friday hasn’t been announced, the network says Fieri and his crew will showcase “an old-school café [that] is loadin’ up the bomb green-chili burritos and serving stellar scratch-made pie.” 

The next week, Laramie again will be front-and-center in an episode titled “Getting’ Funky in Flavortown.” 

“In Laramie, Wyo., a righteous restaurant-bar is pilin’ up their nachos and putting a special pop in their burgers,” according to Foodnetwork.com. “Plus, a longtime spot is cookin’ up a vegetarian spin on both meatloaf and a banh mi sandwich.”

Man gets up to 71 to 85 years in prison for sex crimes

GILLETTE (WNE) — A Gillette man will spend the rest of his life in prison for sexual assault and sexual abuse.

John Mills, 45, was sentenced to 71 to 85 years in prison Tuesday for three counts of first-degree sexual assault, six counts of third-degree sexual abuse of a minor and one count of sexual battery.

Mills, who was found guilty of these crimes in a November jury trial, maintained his innocence when he was sentenced in District Court. He had been accused of sexually abusing two girls in Gillette over several years.

The girls said they were paid by Mills, usually $200, because he knew they were destitute. Their mother joked with them about it and called having sex with Mills “the bank of John Mills,” according to an affidavit. The mother was acquitted of all charges against her during a jury trial.

Mills was sentenced to 35 to 40 years in prison for the first-degree sexual assaults and a consecutive sentence of 36 to 45 years in prison for the third-degree sexual abuse of a minor.

Deputy County Attorney Nathan Henkes said the crimes Mills was found guilty of are “as grotesque and offensive” as a crime can be. 

Mills’ attorney, Joanne Zook, said Mills was acquitted of 12 of the 22 charges he originally faced; she suggested he may not be guilty of the remaining charges. 

Mills befriended two girls, sending them messages, asking to see them and occasionally buying them presents, according to court documents.

In the summer of 2014, one girl met with him because some bill needed to be paid and he forced her to have sex while his pickup was going through an automatic car wash.

He also was accused of sexually abusing the girls at his home, sometimes forcing them to use drugs.