A suspect is at large this afternoon after a shooting incident in the Cottowood Park are of Jackson. The suspect is a male wearing a black hoodie.
If you see the suspect, do not approach as he is armed. Contact Police at 733-2331 if you see the suspect
After nearly three hours of deliberation yesterday, the remaining county commissioners chose Paul Perry of Wilson to succeed Leland Christiansen on the board of county commissioners. Commission Chairman Ben Ellis says all three candidates submitted by the Republican Party were extremely qualified making the decision difficult. Perry grew up on a ranch, he holds a degree in engineering, and was formerly a competitive skier. All of these qualifications contribute well to his background as the commission faces issues like the final adoption of the comprehensive plan. However, Ellis says Perry’s outgoing personality was a real deciding factor. Perry will be sworn in at the Commissions meeting Monday, February 7th.
The Health Care Choice and Protection Act has been stripped of any penalties or enforcement by the Committee of the Whole which passed the bill out to the House as more of what Representative Keith Gingery calls a “pseudo resolution” expressing Wyoming’s displeasure with the national Affordable Care Act. Gingery says the original bill had a provision that if anyone would try to enforce the affordable care act, it would bring a criminal penalty. That provision brought words of concern from a number of constituents including the board of St. John’s Medical Center. The bill is now heading for second reading on the House Floor.
Reports of elk and other large wildlife seen in higher numbers at the Jackson Hole valley floor and an increased number of wildlife vs. vehicle accidents would seem to suggest the winter is harsher for them this year than in recent years. That seems to be supported by this week’s count of elk on feed on the National Elk Refuge where Spokesperson Lori Iverson says about 3000 more animals are on the line than were counted last year. Last year, Iverson says the animals were able to move around more since there wasn’t as much snow.
Senate Western Caucus Chairman John Barrasso and House Western Caucus Chairman Representative Rob Bishop of Utah joined with members of the Joint Congressional Western Caucus to send a letter to Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar expressing outrage over the Department of Interior’s sweeping new wilderness policy that was recently issued without input from Congress or local officials. The Members warn that the new policy, Secretarial Order 3310, has the potential to harm western economies and rural communities by limiting multiple use access to public lands. Specifically, the members called for Salazar to withdraw the order and (quoting now) “work with Congress to devise balanced policies for our public lands.” The letter calls the Secretary’s order an “underhanded attempt by the DOI to circumvent Congress and the federal rulemaking process.”
“Bud” Streeper of British Columbia, averaging 16.5 miles per hour on the 38-mile course from Pinedale to Cora, Wyoming, held onto second place in day three of the International Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race yesterday. Streeper was last year’s champion in the annual race. Anna Bjorklund from Sweden, once again came in second. Following Day Three’s race, teams departed for Big Piney for a Dutch Oven reception. One contender seems like a rather unlikely dogsled racer hailing from Jamaica. Newton Marshall says the idea was pitched to him by his employer as a way to branch out into something different. Marshall, who is currently in 17th place, says there are others from Jamaica involved in dogsled racing in Minnesota. Marshall has been learning the sport while working with Iditarod Champion Lance Mackey in Alaska. Today, the race travels 64 miles on a course in the Big Piney/Marbleton area.
Wyoming’s Representative Cynthia Lummis, along with a bipartisan group of House colleagues have joined together to introduce legislation that removes protections the gray wolf receives under the Endangered Species Act. Lummis explains that she believes Washington has caved to environmentalists determined to prevent the gray wolf’s delisting rather than basing their … Continue Reading
The 16th annual International Stage Stop Sled Dog Race got under way from the Jackson Town Square Friday evening. The race will ultimately pass through nine western Wyoming towns and conclude February fifth in Park City, Utah. Among the big name dog racers this year is four-time Iditarod Champion Lance Mackey who is competing in this race for his first time. Mackey says he decided to come to the Wyoming race simply because it offered something different. At the end of the second leg of the race in Lander, last year’s IPSSSDR Champion “Bud” Streeper is the leader followed by Anna Bjorklund from Sweden. Today the mushers race 38 miles from Pinedale to Cora.
The Teton District Board of Health has announced plans to eliminate term limits of Board Members. That proposed revision to the bylaws has been opened to public comment at a board meeting in April. Interested parties may obtain a copy of the proposed bylaw changes at the office of the Teton County Clerk or may be viewed at the Teton County. A hearing to take testimony on the proposed bylaws change is set for April 26th during the regular meeting of the Teton District Board of Health Meeting at Teton County Public Health Building, Board Room.
Governor Matt Mead says he is content with the level the Legislature’s Joint Appropriations Committee has supported his request for funding for local governments and highway construction. Mead told reporters he knew he was fighting upstream when he requested the level of funding he did, but especially if the funding they do get leads for more than one-time funding, he views it as a good start. The funding that was approved in the Joint Appropriations Committee is one-time funding and is specified for capital projects only. The measure will be considered when the two branches of the legislature consider budget matters simultaneously during the week of February 14th.
