Wyoming News Briefs

Nine school districts to participate in RIDE pilot

CASPER (WNE) — Some Wyoming school districts will soon see the first fruits of a statewide effort to rethink the public K-12 education system. 

Gov. Mark Gordon’s office announced Wednesday that nine Wyoming school districts will participate in a pilot program beginning later this summer that aims to focus on more competency-based and student-centered learning. 

This initial pilot emerged from recommendations that came out of Gordon’s Reimagining and Innovating the Delivery of Education (RIDE) Advisory Group, which was tasked with making recommendations to improve Wyoming’s K-12 education amid funding concerns and workforce changes. 

The advisory group traveled around the state last year gathering feedback from communities about changes they wanted to see in K-12 education. 

The University of Wyoming’s College of Education, the State Board of Education and the Wyoming Department of Education have also been involved in efforts to move toward competency-based education. 

Seventeen schools applied for the pilot program. 

Wyoming’s Future of Learning — a state coalition made of Gordon’s office, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder, the Wyoming Department of Education, the State Board of Education and the University of Wyoming College of Education — voted unanimously to choose the nine districts. 

Those districts include Albany 1, Converse 1, Laramie 1, Lincoln 1, Park 6, Park 16, Sweetwater 2, Teton 1 and Weston 7, encompassing urban and rural communities and providing statewide representation, the statement says. 

Under the pilot, school districts and students will focus on subject mastery rather than test scores or classroom time. Students will have more ability to customize their learning. Experiences outside of the classroom and demonstrated knowledge and skills will have more emphasis. 

The pilot will have four areas of focus: competency-based learning, flexible pathways, personalized learning and student choice. 

Participating districts will have diverse approaches to these focuses meant to align with their particular communities. 

Two men die in separate Campbell County crashes

GILLETTE (WNE) — Two men died Friday afternoon and evening after they were involved in separate crashes in Campbell County.

At about 1:45 p.m., deputies responded to an automated iPhone call saying the owner of the phone was in a serious crash, Sheriff Scott Matheny said. Deputies went to the crash on Interstate 90 near the Rozet exit where Wyoming Highway Patrol had taken over the investigation.

A 77-year-old man and his wife and son were all taken to Campbell County Memorial Hospital with injuries, Matheny said.

The 77-year-old, Haigui Sun, was pronounced dead at the hospital about an hour after the time of the crash, Campbell County Coroner Paul Wallem said. He said the man died of blunt force trauma.

Wyoming Highway Patrol Lt. Kyle McKay said a Toyota was driving east on the interstate when the 47-year-old man is suspected to have fallen asleep. The Toyota then went off the roadway and through a water-filled ditch, hitting the embankment on the other side. McKay said a 75-year-old woman and the driver also were taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Later that day, deputies went to the area of Shadow Hill Lane and Bozeman Way in Wright after reports of a man being ejected from his side-by-side vehicle at about 8 p.m. The man, Nicholas W. Fyffe, 54, of Wright, died instantly in the crash from head trauma, Wallem said.

Witnesses told deputies they saw Fyffe lose control of the Polaris RZR he was driving while turning. He wasn’t able to gain control of the vehicle and it rolled onto its left side. The man was not wearing a helmet or seat belt, Matheny said, and the main cause for the crash is allegedly the speed Fyffe was traveling.

Officer totals patrol car, damages vehicles in crash

POWELL (WNE) – A Powell police officer totaled his patrol car and damaged three other vehicles in a July 7 crash, authorities say. The officer, Cody Bradley, was not injured. 

The incident took place around 1:30 a.m. on East South Street, when Bradley’s westbound car drifted across the road and collided with a flatbed trailer parked on the opposite side; Bradley later explained to a Park County sheriff’s deputy that he “had fallen asleep while on patrol,” the sheriff’s office said. 

Bradley’s patrol car was determined to be a total loss. 

Meanwhile, the force of the crash pushed the trailer into a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan, which, in turn, hit a 2011 Dodge Ram truck. Each of those vehicles received damage that “easily” topped $1,000, said Monte McClain, spokesman for the sheriff’s office. 

“All vehicle owners were instructed to get quotes to the City of Powell for their [the city’s] insurance to process ASAP,” McClain said. 

Powell police typically investigate crashes that take place in city limits. 

However, because the July 7 incident involved one of the department’s officers, the incident was immediately turned over to the sheriff’s office, said Powell Police Chief Roy Eckerdt. 

The sheriff’s office ultimately found no violations, McClain said; he noted that Bradley was wearing his seat belt. 

The city’s insurer won’t pay for a new patrol car, as it only covers liability on police vehicles, Eckerdt said. However, because the department is currently short-staffed, it had a spare vehicle available for Bradley to use.

Man killed in ATV accident

CODY (WNE) — A 21-year-old Illinois man was killed July 14 on the North Fork after the ATV he was driving crashed, causing him to endure “fatal crush injuries,” according to a Park County Sheriff’s Office press release.

Ian Vilkama of Wheaton, Ill., wrecked in a field at 3461 US 14-16-20 W. He was not wearing a helmet and suffered massive head trauma, which Park County Coroner Cody Gortmaker ruled as the cause of death, according to the release.

Vilkama had been ejected from a side-by-side ATV which subsequently rolled over onto his head and chest, causing “fatal crush injuries,” the press release said.

Bystanders were able to remove the ATV from Vilkama and performed CPR on him, the release said.

On July 14 at around 11 a.m., Park County Dispatch initially received a 911 call reporting an ATV accident that had caused “serious injury,” the release said.

Cody Regional Health EMS and the Cody Fire Department responded to the scene along with the Park County Sheriff’s Office and Wyoming Highway Patrol, the release said.

When they arrived, resuscitation efforts were continued, but Vilkama succumbed to his injuries, the release said.

Man claims he was robbed while trying to buy $5K Rolex from men he met at gas station

GILLETTE (WNE) — A 39-year-old man claimed that he was robbed after he suspected he was being scammed while trying to buy a Rolex watch Sunday afternoon.

The man told police that he was getting gas when he was approached by three Middle Eastern men who asked him if he’d like to buy a Rolex for $5000, said Police Capt. Jason Marcus.

The man agreed and asked the men to follow him back to his home on Oregon Avenue. They did, and he gave them $5000 for the watch. He then felt bad because “it was only $5000,” Marcus said, so he went back into his home and got an additional $2000.

At this point, the man started to feel uncomfortable about the transaction, and he asked if he could get the watch authenticated. He said the three suspects circled him and grabbed $600 of the $2000 from his hands, Marcus said.

The suspects then got into a 2015 Mercedes-Benz and drove off, allegedly getting away with $5600 of the man’s money.

The investigation continues.

Sheridan WYO Rodeo sells out for first time, pays out record prize money

SHERIDAN (WNE) — The 2023 Sheridan WYO Rodeo set records for ticket sales and event payouts.

While the 2022 Sheridan WYO Rodeo came close to selling out each night, this year was the first time it actually happened. The WYO Board of Directors reported a total of 24,807 tickets sold for the four-day event, which is an increase of 2% from last year’s total. Initially, though, ticket sales were down.

“I think the weather probably slowed people down a little bit in buying their tickets, but once rodeo got here everybody caught the fever, then we sold out,” Garstad said. “We were so excited about that.”

The purse was at a record amount this year, as well. Payouts for rodeo events totaled $397,671, an increase of about 11% from last year; the World Champion Indian Relay Race prize money totaled $86,000, an increase of about 19% from last year.

Sheridan WYO Rodeo Executive Director Zane Garstad said the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Cowboy Channel helped increase the prize money this year. The Cowboy Channel now pays rodeos to broadcast the events and the PRCA adds funds to purse sizes. The WYO board also contributed an additional $2,000 for each event this year, increasing the WYO’s contribution to $17,000 for each event.

While in years prior the Sheridan WYO Rodeo hosted junior events, this was the first year youth rodeo-specific events were held. They were a hit. 

“I knew what was going to happen with the crowd,” Garstad said. “Hearing that crowd roar for those kids, and they’re local rodeo athletes, makes it even more special.”

Yellowstone rangers unionize

JACKSON (WNE) — Yellowstone National Park rangers have voted to unionize, according to unionization drive organizers.

The Jackson Hole Daily has yet to confirm the results with the Federal Labor Relations Authority, which oversees the United States’ labor-management relations. But one of the Yellowstone employees organizing the vote, Mark Wolf, said it passed 66-15. About 350 employees were eligible to vote, organizers said.

“We’re thrilled that our colleagues — hard-working public servants — voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionization,” Wolf said in a written statement. “Now we have a seat at the table for our collective voice to be heard in determining our working conditions. The better our working conditions are, the better we can steward this incredible national park.”

The vote establishes Yellowstone’s first chapter of the National Federation of Federal Employees, which represents National Park Service workers elsewhere, as well as U.S. Forest Service employees and the majority of federal wildland firefighters.

Interpretive rangers, park guides, fee collectors, researchers and administrative staff will now have the option to join the union.

Organizers have said a union will allow workers to lobby Congress directly for higher pay and better working conditions.

Yellowstone management has not taken a position on union formation.

Park managers, however, have said they have supported and helped facilitate the process. Organizers said management has been welcoming, and that the Biden administration writ large is supporting employees’ efforts to unionize.

In the past, the National Federation of Federal Employees has secured funding to provide federal firefighters raises and to build federal employee housing.

Max Alonzo, the National Federation of Federal Employees staffer who covers land management agencies across the country, said the union’s next step will be to negotiate a contract for Yellowstone employees.

Climbing death on the Grand Teton follows wet, icy alpine summer

JACKSON (WNE) — Braydan Paul DuRee, 40, of Kuna, Idaho, died in a climbing accident Thursday in Grand Teton National Park.

DuRee’s death occurred on the Owen-Spalding route, the most popular ascent of the Grand Teton. Why, exactly, he fell is unclear. But the accident comes after a particularly snowy year that deposited long-lasting snowfields above some of the regularly climbed formations on the route. As the snow has melted, it has dripped water into the chimneys, making them wet, at times, during the day — and coating them with verglas, or a thin layer of ice, in the early hours of morning.

“There’s still enough snow above the Owen Chimney and a few spots on the O-S that it’s providing water and melting material during the day,” said Exum Mountain Guide Jessica Baker. “It’s freezing at night and it’s verglas in the morning.”

That’s changing, Baker said, and the mountain is trending toward more ice-free summer conditions. But when trail runners have called to ask if the route is snow-free, Baker has said “not fully.” Runners often ascend the exposed route without ropes.

DuRee was ascending the Owen Chimney, one of the hardest parts of the Owen-Spalding route, when he fell around 11:35 a.m. Thursday.

The climber fell between 20 and 50 feet, suffered significant injuries and was pronounced dead when the Jenny Lake Rangers, Grand Teton’s climbing rangers, arrived on scene.

Grand Teton spokesman C.J. Adams said DuRee was wearing a helmet and using a rope.

DuRee was with a private party, and leading the route when he fell. 

Man arrested on felony drug charges after traffic stop

GILLETTE (WNE) — A 61-year-old man was arrested on three felony drug charges, including possession with intent to deliver meth and marijuana, Wednesday afternoon.

Police stopped the man for speeding 40 mph in a 30 mph zone and for running a red light. His passenger, a 59-year-old man, appeared to be high on meth and couldn’t stay still while talking with officers, said Police Sgt. Dan Stroup.

The driver allowed officers to search the vehicle, where they found 7.5 grams of meth, 11 oxycodone pills and 13.8 grams of marijuana. They also found cash, scales and jeweler’s bags, Stroup said.

The 61-year-old, Dayton Kline, was arrested for two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, felony possession of meth and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. The 59-year-old was arrested for use of a controlled substance, Stroup said.