Wyoming News Briefs

Degenfelder opposes proposed Title IX rule change

CHEYENNE (WNE) — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder released a statement Thursday regarding the Biden administration’s proposed Title IX rule changes.

Title IX is a 1972 law that bans sex discrimination in public schools, colleges and universities that receive federal funding.

Among other changes, proposed new rules that are due to take effect in May would include protections for transgender and nonbinary students for the first time.

Degenfelder said in the statement: “I oppose the recently proposed rule change to Title IX regulations. It is yet another example of the Biden administration’s aggressive federal overreach. This action not only circumvents the federal legislative process, but it overrides the work being done at the state level to best meet the needs of local communities... 

“This is about fairness and safety for biological women in sports — biological men should not be competing in women’s sports.”

Congressional resolution marks end of COVID national emergency

SHERIDAN (WNE) — The national emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic is over.

Earlier this week, President Joe Biden signed a Republican-led resolution that brought an end to the national emergency related to the COVID-19 pandemic; Wyoming’s lone representative in the U.S. House, Harriet Hageman, was a co-sponsor of the resolution.

The signing comes just more than three years after the national emergency was declared.

The administration had previously announced it would allow the national emergency to expire May 11; the resolution merely accelerated the process.

A statewide mask mandate was put into place in December 2020 and was lifted March 16, 2021. Gov. Mark Gordon cited a declining number of COVID-19 cases at the time as the reason for lifting the mask mandate.

Mayor Rich Bridger said Sheridan’s mitigation efforts were sensible.

Bridger said there wasn’t an enforcement policy in place for the mask mandates, rather, the city encouraged residents to wear face masks.

He also said he viewed the pandemic as more of a blip on the radar for Sheridan.

As quickly as Sheridan may have returned to business as usual, Bridger said the pandemic was not without its hardships, especially among those working in the service industry as businesses shut down.

McRae said Sheridan’s tourism industry thrived during the pandemic because the city opened up and lifted COVID-related restrictions earlier than other parts of the nation.

There have been 2256 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Wyoming this year and 144,793 since 2020. There have been 2023 deaths related to COVID-19 since 2020 and 47 this year.

Truck driver who couldn’t figure out how to open door gets arrested for DUI

GILLETTE (WNE) — A 53-year-old Nevada truck driver was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol Thursday evening after struggling with the door of his semi.

Deputies were called out to the parking lot of Hank’s Roadside Bar and Grill at about 5:30 p.m. Thursday to check on the man’s welfare, said Sheriff Scott Matheny.

Bar staff said the man was sitting in the driver’s seat of a semi. They said he was acting strange and they were not comfortable checking on him.

When deputies arrived, the man was still sitting in the semi, which was running. He showed signs of being drunk, and he couldn’t figure out how to open the door of the semi. 

Eventually he handed deputies the keys to the truck through the window so they could unlock the door from the outside, Matheny said.

He admitted to drinking and thought he would be safe to drive in a couple of hours. He was arrested for DUI after performing poorly on sobriety tests. At the jail, his blood alcohol content was 0.24%.

Governor advances phase 2 of workforce enhancement initiative

SHERIDAN (WNE) — Gov. Mark Gordon announced he has advanced the second phase of the Wyoming Innovation Partnership, a workforce enhancement initiative aimed at improving opportunities for Wyoming residents to boost their incomes by receiving training and earning degrees in high-growth fields.

Gordon awarded more than $26 million in total funding, which was appropriated by the Wyoming Legislature to advance the second phase of the WIP.

The projects and programs were selected based on an evaluation of short- and long-term metrics, outcomes and collaboration to support a resilient workforce and economy.

“These funds will help us to expand and continue our efforts to build a well-trained workforce of the future in high-wage and high-growth fields,” Gordon said. 

Funded applications came from all eight of Wyoming’s community colleges, the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services and the Wyoming Department of Education. 

The applications included projects from the six existing programs (consortial infrastructure; digital infrastructure and technology; energy; entrepreneurship; health care; and tourism and hospitality) and three additional component areas in manufacturing, workforce development and agriculture.

Newly funded agriculture proposals included precision agriculture, ranch management and controlled environment agriculture. Additional proposals in advanced manufacturing and internship development for young adults and construction trades were also included in the new component areas.

Gordon launched WIP in 2021 to modernize and focus Wyoming’s efforts to develop a resilient workforce and economy. 

The partnership involves the University of Wyoming, the state’s community colleges, Wyoming Business Council and Department of Workforce Services.

Powell man pleads guilty in death of 4-month-old

CODY (WNE) — “This is an inexcusable tragedy, Mr. Getzfreid,” Park County District Court Judge Bill Simpson said moments before Jason Getzfreid, 29, of Powell pleaded guilty to murdering his four-month-old child during a change of plea hearing April 12.

“A child, only four months old, died in your care,” Simpson said. “A totally innocent person who never even had a chance of life, dead because of your incompetence and willful indifference.”

During the hearing, a plea agreement was reached that amended Getzfreid’s charge from murder in the first degree to murder in the second degree. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to serve between 30 and 35 years in a state prison.

The baby died Aug. 27, 2021 after being transported from Powell Valley Healthcare to a hospital in Salt Lake City. 

After pleading guilty, Getzfreid described the events that led to his baby’s death.

He said the baby had started fussing, and he tried to give her a pacifier and swaddle her but then realized she needed a diaper change.

“Before I picked her up to check her diaper, I asked her what her problem was, and I started shaking her,” he said. “[And] she started crying worse.”

Getzfreid said he then set the baby on the couch, but “when I reached over, she rolled or fell or something and hit the floor. That’s when she went limp and unresponsive.”

“I didn’t mean to cause harm to my daughter,” he said later.

Simpson granted the plea agreement despite his own objections.

“I’m not a party to the plea agreement,” he said. “It’s inexplicable to take a life and not have to pay more in terms of the life of the perpetrator.”

City joins second opioid settlement

GILLETTE (WNE) — Last week, the Gillette City Council voted to join the OneWyo II Opioid Settlement, which means more opioid money should be coming to Gillette.

Five companies have reached settlements regarding potential opioid litigation, including pharmacies Walmart, Walgreens and CVS, as well as pharmaceutical companies Allergan and Teva.

Their settlements include the following:

• Allergan has agreed to a $2.37 billion settlement over seven years

• Teva has agreed to pay $4.25 billion over 13 years

• CVS has agreed to pay $5 billion over 10 years

• Walgreens has agreed to pay $5.7 billion over 15 years

• Walmart has agreed to pay $3.1 billion over six years

At this point it’s not known how much the city will receive from this settlement. This is the second opioid settlement the city is part of.

At the beginning of 2022, Wyoming joined a global class-action suit that led to a $26 billion settlement against pharmaceutical distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen are responsible for $18 billion over the course of 18 years, and Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, will disburse $8 billion over 10 years.

The city received about $114,000 from the OneWyo I Opioid Settlement, but it has not yet figured out how to spend the money, although the city council has discussed it. 

The county has discussed joining this second opioid settlement. It has received nearly $300,000 from the first one.

AARP Wyoming seeks to honor state’s top volunteer over age 50

SHERIDAN (WNE) — AARP is now accepting nominations for its 2023 Wyoming Andrus Award for Community Service, which honors 50+ Wyomingites who are sharing their experience, talent and skills to enrich the lives of their community members.

Nominations for this year’s award will be accepted through July 15 at the AARP Wyoming State Office. Nomination forms are available by contacting Avery Yak at [email protected], or on the web at aarp.org/AndrusAward.

Nominations will be evaluated by the AARP Wyoming State Office based on how the volunteer’s work has improved the community, reflected AARP’s vision and mission, and inspired other volunteers. 

The state office will then pair down the list of nominees to three finalists. The public will then be asked to vote for the state Andrus Award winner by “liking” and “sharing” a video of their favorite nominee posted on AARP Wyoming’s Facebook page. 

AARP Wyoming will make a $500 donation to a non-profit in the name of the person who nominated the Andrus Award winner.

AARP Wyoming Andrus Award for Community Service nominees must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Nominees must be 50 years or older.

• The achievements, accomplishments, or service on which the nomination is based must have been performed on a volunteer basis, without pay. Volunteers receiving small stipends to cover the costs associated with the volunteer activity are eligible.

• The achievements, accomplishments, or service on which the nomination is based must reflect AARP’s vision and purpose.

• The achievements, accomplishments, or service on which the nomination is based must be replicable and provide inspiration for others to volunteer.

• Partisan political achievements, accomplishments or service may not be considered.

• Couples or partners who perform service together are also eligible; however, teams are not eligible.

• This is not a posthumous award.

Wind River Basin snowpack well above the median

LANDER (WNE) — The Natural Resources Conservation Service is reporting increases of from seven to 10 points in the Snow Water Equivalent in the Wind River and Sweetwater River basins this week over last week. 

The Wind River Basin is now showing the snowpack at 124% of the median, while the Sweetwater River Basin is now at a whopping 147% of the 30-year median. 

The Bighorn River Basin grew by three points to 111% of the median.