Wyoming News Briefs

GOP narrows field to three nominees for secretary of state

CHEYENNE (WNE) — The Wyoming Republican Party has picked three nominees to put forward to the governor to become the interim secretary of state, party and other officials have confirmed to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.

Those successful candidates were approved on the first ballot during the GOP meeting in Pavillion, and they were identified as Karl Allred, Marti Halverson and Bryan Miller.

A Wyoming GOP representative, as well as the spokesperson for Gov. Mark Gordon, later separately confirmed those three people were the party’s formal and final picks. Gordon now has five days to make a pick from these finalists to be secretary of state until the voters’ pick in the general election is sworn in. That person is likely to be Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, who won the GOP primary last month.

The appointment of an interim secretary of state became necessary when Ed Buchanan, who was elected in 2018, left the secretary of state post on Sept. 16 to become a judge.

The three nominees for the position could not immediately be reached.

Gillette man gets 24 years for intent to deliver meth and fentanyl

GILLETTE (WNE) — A second Gillette man has been sentenced to prison after being caught with more than 7,000 fentanyl pills and ten pounds of meth in January.

Joshua Taylor, 26, was sentenced to more than 24 years in prison for possession with intent to deliver meth.

Taylor, Brett Scheeler and Karl Dennis Vonngettrost Jr. were indicted by a grand jury Jan. 8 for possession with intent to deliver meth. Taylor and Scheeler were each indicted on a second count for intent to deliver.

In 2021, law enforcement received information that Taylor was selling and distributing meth and fentanyl in Gillette. In January 2022, he talked to someone in the Campbell County Jail about going to Arizona.

Law enforcement believed Taylor was traveling to Arizona to pick up a shipment of meth and fentanyl, and using Taylor’s cell phone data, they determined he subsequently drove to Phoenix and returned to Gillette.

On Jan. 8, agents conducted surveillance on the route they believed Taylor would use to get back to Gillette. At about 11:45 a.m., they saw a 2011 Chevy Suburban heading north on Highway 50, about 19 miles south of Gillette.

Scheeler was driving, and agents believed Taylor was in the car. Deputies attempted to stop the men, but a high-speed chase ensued until Scheeler turned onto private property. Taylor jumped out and ran across the prairie, according to court documents.

Troopers and deputies witnessed Taylor throwing items from a backpack. These items turned out to be 6.38 pounds of suspected meth and 272 grams of suspected fentanyl in pill form.

Deputies found a black handgun and a syringe on the passenger floorboard right behind the driver’s seat of the car.

Scheeler was arrested, and a search of the Suburban found an additional 4.05 pounds of meth and 569 grams, or 1.25 pounds, of fentanyl, in a black duffel bag.

Fire restrictions lifted in forests

LARAMIE (WNE) — Fire restrictions on all National Forest System lands managed by the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland were removed on Friday.

The restrictions were lifted because of increased fuel moisture and favorable weather forecasts for reduced wildfire potential as per a news release.

The areas include national forest and grassland in Garfield, Grand, Jackson, Moffat, Rio Blanco, and Routt counties in northwest Colorado; Albany, Campbell, Carbon, Converse, Crook, Natrona, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston counties in Wyoming.

Large wildfire activity has been less substantial this year compared to previous recent years; however, late-season fires have become more common in the Rocky Mountain region.

Hunters, campers, and all other forest visitors should exercise caution to reduce wildfire risk. Campfire safety best practices include making sure that campfires are thoroughly extinguished before leaving a fire unattended.

Even relatively small warming fires should be dead out before campers leave the site.

Many areas across the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland remain in drought of varying levels of intensity.

More information also can be found on the website fs.usda.gov/mbr or social media channels: @ FS_MBRTB on Twitter or @FSMBRTB on Facebook.

Also call 307-745-2300 or visit the Forest Supervisor’s Office and Laramie Ranger District at 2468 W. Jackson St. for local site-specific information.

Green River elementary school celebrates national level success

ROCK SPRINGS (WNE) — The students had the opportunity to celebrate during a surprise assembly at Washington Elementary School in Green River on Monday, Sept. 19.

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recognized Washington Elementary as one of the 297 National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2022.

The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. With its 39th cohort, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed approximately 10,000 awards to more than 9,000 schools.

National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as models of effective school practices for state and district educators and other schools throughout the nation.

“This is the most exciting news in all my 17 years of teaching,” Washington Elementary School teacher Breeun Palmer-Bieber said at the assembly. “This is a big deal because not a lot of Wyoming schools have won this.”

“It’s a remarkable achievement,” said Craig Barringer, Sweetwater County School District No. 2 superintendent. “It’s a testament to the work the teachers do and how the parents help them. As you walk in here, you can just feel the positive vibe.”

Principal Anne-Marie Covey said she was overwhelmed with pride.

“I think to be recognized on the national level is something that validates the work we do here,” she said. “I hope when the kids are older, they will look back and say, ‘That was my elementary school and I was a part of that.’”

Up to 420 schools in the U.S. and its provinces may be nominated each year.

The Henry A. Coffeen Elementary School in Sheridan is also a 2022 Blue Ribbon Elementary School.

Meth defendant determined fit to proceed

JACKSON (WNE) — Timothy Ritter, who is facing felony methamphetamine charges, was determined fit to proceed to trial after an evaluation by the Wyoming State Hospital.

Ritter, 43, appeared in Teton County Circuit Court on Thursday. His attorney, Bill Fix, stated that his client agreed with the findings of the evaluation and that he was competent to proceed.

Ritter has charges pending in both Teton County District and Circuit Court. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him.

The two felony charges pending in District Court were originally filed Dec. 15, 2021, for actions alleged to have occurred in October and November. Ritter was arrested Nov. 10, 2021, after a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper found ingredients used to make meth in his car.

The charges are conspiracy to commit a controlled substance offense and possession of a controlled substance precursor. Each offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in jail and a $25,000 fine.

Two additional drug-related charges are related to actions that allegedly occurred during November and December of 2021. These charges carry fines of $15,000 and a potential imprisonment of seven years.

He had been in custody since July 7 after he failed to appear for a court-ordered evaluation of his mental fitness, prompting a warrant for his arrest.

His case had been placed on inactive status until June 22, when officers in Georgia apprehended him during a traffic stop and extradited him back to Teton County. After two and a half months in custody, Ritter posted a $50,000 cash bail and was released Thursday evening.

His release conditions allowed him to return to his home in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Ritter’s trial is now set for Oct. 31.