Daily news roundup, Feb. 13, 2008
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Feb 13, 2008 Posted by Bill Luckett
Two Wyoming newspapers fully cover the Legislature: the Casper Star-Tribune and the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. Unfortunately, the Tribune-Eagle posts three stories a day on its Website, and they’re not always fit for this politics-and-policy news roundup. And worse, today the Casper Star-Tribune’s legislative Website has only one new story posted this morning, and the defeat of the proposed community college tax:
I talked to the Star-Tribune’s editor this morning about this, and he said he will try to get it fixed. So if you’re really hungry for legislative news, and you don’t have a hard copy of the Casper or Cheyenne papers, it might be worth checking back with the Star-Tribune’s legislative Website later today.
So what do we do? Wyoming Public Radio to the rescue! Here are the legislative stories posted by News Director Bob Beck’s crew:
Property tax relief bills killed, then resurrected
Subdivisions bill would allow regulation above 35-acre plots
The Laramie Boomerang gets in on the act with this piece on the defeated bill to give multiple-felons a path to reinstate their voting rights:
Also from the Laramie paper: the Legislature has captured the attention of the Laramie City Council:
Council looks at budget session
Meanwhile, the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle reports on the Smokefree Wyoming’s rally at the Capitol Building in favor of House Bill 47, which would ban smoking in public places statewide:
If Wyoming legislators are willing to put up $20 million, General Electric may match that amount to build a research facility in the state aimed at reducing the cost of turning Wyoming coal into clean-burning gas (this project is a priority of the governor):
Wyo, GE eye world-class facility
A related piece on the coal gasification research facility:
Coal project could open new avenue
A recent teacher’s arrest on drug charges prompted this piece in the Cheyenne paper:
Could teachers be drug tested?
Wyoming's largest electrical utility last week received a state Industrial Siting Council permit for a planned wind farm in Carbon County, but not before the council heard some serious concerns about the impacts of the construction project:
Carbon County wind farm gets permit
U.S. senators on Tuesday grilled controversial judicial nominee Richard Honaker over whether he would rule fairly in abortion cases if confirmed as a federal judge in Wyoming:
Senators grill Wyo court nominee
From the Jackson Hole News & Guide: Valley residents Monday blasted and applauded a South Park development proposal that now offers 250 units of traditional, deed-restricted affordable housing. A five-hour planning commission hearing on the Teton Meadows subdivision proposal drew more than 100 people, filling the seats in county chambers so that people lined the walls, sat on the floor and spilled into the hallway. During the meeting, Teton Meadows developers revealed they’ll make 250 of their proposed 500 homes affordable units and said they don’t know what they’ll charge for the remaining 250 units:
South Park project divides public
Also from the Jackson paper, the Sublette County Commission is backing the proposed dam project about 60 miles southeast of Jackson, a mile upstream of where Highway 191 crosses the Green River:
Sublette County supports Green River dam
The Douglas Budget this week has blanket coverage of growth in Converse County:
City adds staff to handle growth, development
Converse County Memorial Hospital bursts at the seams
Gas development marches forward
The Torrington Telegram tells us that a pieces of Goshen County history – and the only business in Hawk Springs – went up in flames Saturday:
Longbranch Steakhouse and Saloon destroyed in fire
The Gillette News-Record reports that the Pine Haven town attorney has asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit some residents have filed to ask for a recall election of Mayor Robert Sieveke. In December, 101 residents signed a petition calling for a recall election: