Wyoming News Briefs

Women in stable condition following severe crash

JACKSON (WNE) — Three women are rebounding after their SUV was hit Sunday afternoon by a tanker truck hauling milk near Munger Mountain Elementary School on Highway 89.

State trooper Andy Jackson said the driver of the Suburban, 63-year-old Big Piney resident Patricia Berndt, was life-flighted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center after the 4:17 p.m. crash. The hospital told him that Berndt sustained serious injuries but was in stable condition Monday morning.

The two other women in the car, Berndt’s 73-year-old aunt and 76-year-old mother-in-law, were held overnight at St. John’s Health. Jackson said he believed the two New York residents were being released Monday.

State trooper Todd Baxter responded to the scene Sunday. He said the 26-year-old Idaho driver, identified as Legend Emmons, drifted to sleep at the wheel while driving north and drifted into the oncoming lane. 

“While he was there he commented that he was really sorry, he had just fallen asleep at the wheel,” Baxter said. “The driver said that he had been feeling unwell, that he had some kind of a virus that was draining his energy.”

Baxter said Emmons tested negative for any substance use or impairment.

“All the people involved, from the truck driver to the ladies in the Suburban, had seat belts on, which really avoided this being a much more tragic situation than it turned out to be,” Baxter said.

However, troopers believe Emmons, hauling the approximately 80,000-pound tanker truck, was speeding. Baxter said he was likely traveling around 70 mph in the 55 mph zone based on where his vehicle eventually stopped, 600 feet from the crash site.

Emmons was cited for speeding and for a failure to maintain lane.

Malmberg retires from Cody Enterprise

CODY (WNE) — After 43 years at the Cody Enterprise, John “JT” Malmberg will be retiring at the end of October. 

In 1978, Malmberg began working at the Enterprise as a reporter and ad representative, eventually moving to ad manager. After a two-year departure, he returned to serve as ad manager and later general manager and has been publisher for the last eight years. 

“JT is a lion in our industry,” said Mullen, who has owned the paper since April 2022. “He has been a fixture in my mind since the first time I saw him when I was 12 at a Wyoming Press Convention — a slender giant of a man with a serious expression and a quick wit.”

Malmberg’s formal training started in college where he earned a bachelor’s of science in journalism, although he said experience was the real teacher.

“I learned more the first week on the job than the four years in college,” he said.

He’s been a member of the Wyoming Press Association and served on its board for eight years, including one year as president, and sits on a WPA committee.

Mullen appointed Megan Barton to assume the role of publisher.

Barton’s been with the Enterprise for 11 years, first as an ad rep and then as ad manager; she became general manager early this year and will be publisher after Malmberg leaves.

“She’ll do a great job. She’s very talented,” Malmberg said about his replacement. “She knows a great deal about newspapers.”

Another change at the paper is the addition of Garrett Ammesmaki. 

Ammesmaki immersed himself in the position of editor upon his arrival on Monday, Oct. 2, saying “I’ve just been running and running ever since I got here.” 

“I’m a big fan of community news,” he said.” I look forward to getting to know the community and finding out what the community cares about, what the readers want and what they think is important.”

Wyoming Frontier Prison gears up for 2023 Masquerade Ball

RAWLINS (WNE) — There will be “dancing inside of historic Cell Block A” at the Wyoming Frontier Prison this weekend, according to historic site director Tina Hill. 

“Which, as you can imagine, did not happen very often when we were an active prison,” she said.

The Wyoming Frontier Prison’s Masquerade Ball, slated for Saturday, October 21, will provide a good opportunity to get dressed up and enjoy a night of dancing in the prison’s original cell block, constructed in 1888. 

The Still House Blues will be providing live music for the fundraiser.

During the fundraiser, there will be hors d’oeuvres, beer and wine and soda as well as a 50/50 raffle for guests to participate in. 

“We will be having a costume contest with cash prizes,” Hill said.

Hill said that people attending the masquerade ball must be 21 and over.

Tickets are $40 per person; they can be purchased on the prison’s Facebook page or at the door. 

The ball will take place from 7 to 10 p.m.

“This event is a lot of fun. Doing it in Cell Block A is just a really cool, kind of spooky atmosphere,” Hill said. “We have it decorated; we have lights up. It’s just kind of our prelude to Halloween.”

Second Lincoln Park shooting defendant denied transfer to juvenile court

CHEYENNE (WNE) — A second Lincoln Park shooting defendant was denied a transfer to juvenile court, according to court docket entries made last week.

Julian Espinoza, 16, filed a motion to transfer his case to juvenile court in September. On Oct. 6, the court ruled that his case would remain in Laramie County District Court. The court filing on this matter is confidential.

Espinoza was arrested with 17-year-old Johnny Munoz, who allegedly shot and killed 16-year-old BayLee Carabajal-Clark on April 30. Law enforcement alleges that Espinoza drove Munoz by Lincoln Park at the time of the shooting and conspired with him to commit murder.

Espinoza is charged with conspiracy to commit and aiding and abetting first-degree murder. Munoz faces first-degree murder and conspiracy first-degree murder charges.

Munoz also was denied a transfer to juvenile court for his charges in August. At that time, District Judge Steven Sharpe ruled that Munoz could not be tried as a juvenile because he should be tried in the same court as his co-defendants.

In the filing, Sharpe weighed seven factors, outlined by the Juvenile Justice Act, in which a minor above the age of 14 could be tried as an adult. Sharpe found that only one factor weighed in favor of transferring Munoz’s case to juvenile court.

As of Friday, no such court filing was available for the Espinoza case.

Twin brothers, Jalen and Santana Trujillo, 19, were also allegedly in the vehicle at the time of the incident, reports from the Cheyenne Police Department said. They have both been charged with misdemeanor accessory after the fact to first-degree murder (not a relative). Their case will be heard in Laramie County Circuit Court.

The trial for Espinoza and Munoz was recently rescheduled from Oct. 16 to Nov. 28.

Wyoming Frontier Prison set to host haunted Halloween night tours

RAWLINS (WNE) — Anyone looking for thrills and chills this season can find them at the Wyoming Frontier Prison.

The prison’s haunted Halloween night tours will take place on Oct. 27, 28 and 31, 7 p.m. until midnight, with tours running every half hour.

“It is not a historic tour. Sometimes people get confused,” historic site director Tina Hill said. “It is basically a fun and spooky haunted house.”

During the tour, participants will encounter steep stairs; it isn’t handicap accessible. The tour also features lighting displays and loud noises, as well as “other situations that some individuals may be sensitive to,” according to the event description.

Those who take the tour might also be touched. Anyone who is pregnant, elderly or recovering from any type of injury is encouraged to use “extreme caution,” per the event’s description.

Participants must be over the age of 12. Paid reservations are required, and it is $20 per person. Tickets can be purchased through the website: http://www.wyomingfrontierprison.org. Reservations can’t be made over the phone. The cancellation and refund policy is included in the event information on the historic prison’s Facebook page.

Green River teen receives donation for diabetic alert dog

ROCK SPRINGS (WNE) — Since April, supporters have united to help Elena Barrera, a 2023 Green River High School graduate, get a diabetic alert dog.

Barrera’s black lab, Storm, is currently in training at Duty Dogs in Cody. 

Duty Dogs is a family-owned organization that trains dogs to assist in life-threatening conditions. According to Barrera, her dog will be able to detect low blood sugar levels in the early stages, before the blood sugar levels become too dangerous.

Since Labrador retrievers are known for their intelligence and friendly nature, they are the best choices for a diabetic-alert dog. They’re also easier to train than most breeds. They possess a powerful sense of smell, giving them the ability to detect changes in their handler’s blood sugar levels accurately.

John Krmpotich, service dog committee member for the Grand Chapter of Wyoming Order of the Eastern Star, gave Barrera a $1000 donation at the Masonic Temple, home of the Order of the Eastern Star Mountain Lily Chapter. Proceeds came from the charity’s calendar sales as well as purses and public donations over the past few months.

Barrera not only has Type 1 diabetes; she is also hearing impaired, which makes it difficult to hear an audio device.

A professionally-trained therapy dog is not inexpensive. Barrera said that she has reached her goal in raising $30,000 to get the dog, but the $1000 donation will go to regular needs such as veterinarian appointments, dog food and insurance. 

Krmpotich said that he and the committee were happy to connect with Duty Dogs.

“It’s important that the dog is certified when Elena gets him,” he said. “I’m happy to be on the committee and thrilled to help her out.”

Chronic wasting disease again detected near Jackson

JACKSON (WNE) — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has detected chronic wasting disease in a mule deer in a hunt area that includes Bondurant and stretches north, south and east from the small town.

The location in question is Hunt Area 154, which includes the Dell Creek drainage and Jack Creek Basin north of Highway 191. It also includes Rim Draw to the east and Noble Basin and Coyote Gulch to the south. The hunt area is bordered by three other hunt areas where chronic wasting disease has already been detected: 142, 152 and 155. Hunt Area 155 includes the National Elk Refuge.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department newly detected chronic wasting disease in Hunt Area 155 in 2022, finding it in a hunter-harvested mule deer in the Gros Ventre mountains east of the refuge.

The deer that tested positive in Hunt Area 154 this year was a buck killed by a hunter this September.

Chronic wasting disease is 100% fatal for deer, elk and moose that have been infected. State wildlife officials and federal health experts recommend that hunters test their animals for the disease.

Health experts warn that people shouldn’t eat contaminated meat.

While there has never been a case of chronic wasting disease transferring to humans, the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention don’t want to take the chance. A study has shown the disease can spread to chimps that eat infected meat.

The primary way Game and Fish tracks the progression of CWD in the state is through hunter harvest.

Wyoming Insight report says mining sector revenues improve

CHEYENNE (WNE) —- Wyoming’s mining sector has strengthened, according to the September issue of The Wyoming Insight, an energy index and business indicators report for the state.

“The West Texas Intermediate monthly average price for crude oil was $89.43 per bbl. in September,” said Dylan Bainer, principal economist for the state’s Economic Analysis Division. Average active oil rigs were 18 in September, and the conventional gas rig count was four.

A year ago, there were 20 oil rigs and four conventional gas rigs.

“Natural gas spot prices at the national benchmark (Henry Hub) increased slightly,” Bainer said. “Spot prices at the Opal Hub, which mostly reflect markets in the West (particularly California), fell compared to last month.”

This is the 25th consecutive month mining sector collections have increased year-over-year. Total collections summed to $87.7 million, $2.3 million (+2.7%) more than September last year.

Oil and gas employment is still down compared to pre-pandemic levels but is slowly improving.

“Oil and gas employment in the state numbered 9,200 jobs in August 2023, 300 more than August last year,” said Bainer. 

Before the COVID-19 pandemic started to have a large impact on the economy in April of 2020, oil and gas employment in the state numbered nearly 12,000 jobs.

Mining employment is still down compared to pre-pandemic levels.

“Relative to February 2020 (before the pandemic hit the labor market in March 2020), total employment has surpassed pre-COVID levels, but employment in the mining sector has still not fully recovered,” said Bainer. Compared to February 2020, employment in the mining sector in August 2023 was down 2,600 jobs.

Missing man found safe in North Dakota

JACKSON (WNE) – Family and friends are breathing a sigh of relief now that a missing 56-year-old man is confirmed safe.

Jackson police confirmed that Mike Pursel is now living in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Police Department sounded the alarm that Pursel was missing Oct. 4 after friends and family hadn’t heard from him since late September.

Pursel was working at a downtown hotel and living in Jackson for three months at the time he disappeared. His mother, Linda Goeppinger, who lives in the Mojave Desert in California, said she last heard from him Sept. 17.

Grand Forks law enforcement contacted Jackson police, who then notified Goeppinger on Wednesday morning that her son was safe, although she said she was hesitant to believe the news until she heard her son’s voice Wednesday evening.

“He lost his phone and lost his eyeglasses,” Goeppinger said. “He was walking to his camp and they fell out of his pocket.”

Pursel left Jackson Sept. 28 because the snow was coming and he had no accommodations. Goeppinger confirmed Pursel had been camping in the area and has been unhoused for 20 years. Pursel, an outdoorsman who enjoys traveling, has been coming in and out of Jackson since the 1970s.

In Grand Forks “he was lucky to get housing, so that made him really happy,” Goeppinger said. “I think he’s tired of camping out.”

Pursel also picked up a new phone. Goeppinger didn’t know if Pursel had plans to return to Jackson.

She shared that Pursel was surprised at the response his disappearance received.

“I really didn’t realize that many would miss me,” Goeppinger recalled Pursel saying. “He didn’t realize he had so many friends and people that cared.”