News Minute: Latest Wyoming news, sports, business and entertainment - KOTA Territory News

News Minute: Latest Wyoming news, sports, business and entertainment

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IMPAIRED DRIVING-CAMPAIGN

Gov., First Lady announce anti-DUI campaign

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead and First Lady Carol Mead say they hope a new, hard-hitting media campaign will reduce drunk-driving fatalities and injuries in the state.

Wyoming saw 954 alcohol-related crashes in 2012. Gov. Mead says those crashes resulted in 391 injuries and 41 deaths.

Because Wyoming has such a small population, Mead says it's more likely that citizens know someone who died or lost a family member.

The Governor's Council on Impaired Driving is rolling out advertisements that emphasize how much it costs to get cited for drunken driving, and that people convicted of the crime stand may lose their license.

The campaign also focuses on the eight members of the University of Wyoming track team who were killed by a drunken driver more than 10 years ago.

COLORADO WEATHER

Winter weather forecast for northern Colorado

DENVER (AP) - Memorial Day weekend is approaching, but the snow is still coming.

The Colorado Avalanche Information Center reported a 24-hour snowfall total of 1.5 inches near Gothic in Gunnison County, as of 7 a.m. Monday. The Arapahoe Basin ski area reported seven inches of snow in the last 24 hours as of Monday afternoon.

In southeastern Wyoming, up to 7 inches of snow was possible in Centennial and Albany. The snow has delayed the planned opening of U.S. 14A through the Big Horn Mountains, until at least Tuesday afternoon.

It's also been snowing in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, where crews are hoping to open Trail Ridge Road by Friday.

Independence Pass to Aspen is also scheduled to be open in time for the holiday weekend.

HOMELESS SERVICES

Mead looking at homeless services coordination

(Information in the following story is from: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, http://www.trib.com)

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) - Gov. Matt Mead says Wyoming is close to announcing a plan to coordinate services for homeless people across the state.

Wyoming is 1 of the few states without a designated coordinator of services for the homeless.

Mead tells the Casper Star-Tribune he's looking at having one or two state employees take on that role.

Linda Scherr, executive director of the Council of Community Services in Gillette, says she's thrilled the governor is taking an interest in the issue.

Homelessness is on the rise in Wyoming. Federal figures show the state's homeless population rose from just over 1,000 people in 2011 to more than 1,800 in 2012.

WIND FARM DELAY

Developer of Wyo. wind farm seeks permit extension

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - A Utah company that proposes to build a wind farm south of Douglas is seeking an extension under its state permit.

Salt Lake City-based Wasatch Wind has asked the Wyoming Industrial Siting Commission for 10 more months to meet a condition under its permit that requires the company to prove it can fund the project.

Commission approval would extend the deadline for the meeting that requirement from July until May 2014.

Wasatch Wind President Christine Mikell tells the Casper Star-Tribune the project's long-term health is sound but a legal challenge has slowed the project. A group called the Northern Laramie Range Alliance lost its lawsuit before the Wyoming Supreme Court in December.

If built, the wind farm would have 62 turbines and generate 100 megawatts.

FAMOUS BEAR FAMILY

Grand Teton Grizzly 399 emerges with 3 more cubs

(Information in the following story is from: Jackson Hole (Wyo.) News And Guide, http://www.jhnewsandguide.com)

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) - 1 of the best-known grizzly bears in Grand Teton National Park has emerged from her den with three new cubs.

This is the third year that Grizzly Number 399 has produced a litter of 3 cubs. The Jackson Hole News & Guide reports that 399 gave birth to a single cub one year.

Grizzly 399 and 1 of her offspring, Grizzly Number 610, are well-known in Grand Teton because of the amount of time they spend with their cubs along roadsides in the park.

The behavior makes the bears and their cubs unusually visible to tourists.

The bears often cause traffic jams as tourists stop to watch the animals. Biologists speculate that spending time near roads helps the bears protect themselves and their cubs from aggressive male bears.

YELLOWSTONE-TODAY

"Today" show to broadcast from Old Faithful

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) - The "Today" show will be broadcasting live from Yellowstone National Park as part of a weeklong travel series.

All 5 of the NBC show's anchors will be on the air at Old Faithful starting at 5 a.m. Tuesday.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports that people who want to meet the hosts and be part of the show should arrive at 4 a.m.

The "Great American Adventure" series started in Hawaii on Monday. The show's anchors will also broadcast from Chicago, Orlando and the New Jersey shore.

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