News briefs from around the state of Wyoming

From Wyoming News Exchange newspapers

Shooting complex task force finalizes pre-proposal survey

SHERIDAN (WNE) — The State Shooting Complex Oversight Task Force completed work during its meeting Friday morning that will help it identify communities interested in being home to the complex.

The task force was established by Senate File 169, which Gov. Mark Gordon signed into law March 2.

The task force comprises several legislators and representatives from Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Wyoming State Parks and Cultural Resources, Wyoming Travel and Tourism, firearm and archery manufacturers, shooting sports organizations and hunting or wildlife conservation organizations.

The body is charged with making a recommendation on the nature, size, governance structure, cost and location of the shooting complex to the Wyoming Legislature and Governor’s office. The task force will also establish a request for proposal (RFP) process and criteria to assess proposals.

Members of the task force met via Zoom Friday to finalize a pre-proposal submission outline and process to serve as a precursor to final proposals.

The outline includes several categories for consideration by interested communities, including a detailed description of the land, access to utilities and distance and travel time to highways, airports, lodging and dining options.

“The goal here is to get the communities that are thinking about submitting a proposal to recognize that these are concepts and factors that will be scored eventually,” Co-chair Rep. Art Washut, R-Casper, said.

Wyoming Business Council CEO Josh Dorrell said it’s important a community can manage the future economic benefits of the complex.

Pre-proposal submissions are set to open Nov. 13 with a deadline of March 1, 2024.

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Wyoming Game and Fish: Dry Piney wildlife crossings are ‘impressive’

KEMMERER (WNE) — It was a small but cheerful group of state officials and wildlife lovers, donors and employees that gathered in the sharp wind and chilly rain off Highway 189 on Thursday morning, Oct. 12, for the Dry Piney wildlife-crossing ribbon cutting event.

The $15-million project between Big Piney and LaBarge was completed in just over a year, with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the Wyoming Department of Transportation spearheading the much needed design and construction to protect mainly deer and pronghorn that use the range year-round.

The wide-open landscape is still intact, although with 34 miles of big game fencing on both sides of the highway to funnel wildlife — and the occasional cow — to nine underpasses connecting one side to the other.

The rate of vehicle collisions with wildlife is expected to drop dramatically with the Dry Piney project’s completion, said those in attendance.

Seven underpasses and 8-foot high fencing along a 13.5-mile stretch of Wyoming Highway 30 west of Kemmerer resulted in an 81% reduction in deer-vehicle collisions after three years.

Another project on U.S. Highway 191 near Pinedale with underpasses, fencing and two overpasses eliminated pronghorn collisions after three years, and mule deer collisions dropped by 79%, according to WYDOT.

Wyoming has identified 240 projects statewide to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions.

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Man accused of driving large amounts of meth and fentanyl into Campbell County pleads not guilty

GILLETTE (WNE) — One man accused of driving large amounts of meth and fentanyl to distribute throughout Campbell County has pleaded not guilty and his co-defendant awaits his District Court arraignment this week.

Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation agents suspected Kieran James Cowan, 33, of being a supplier for Gillette and Campbell County after investigating him throughout the summer, according to court documents. That investigation led to his arrest in September when the vehicle he was in was found with large amounts of meth and fentanyl.

He pleaded not guilty at his Oct. 5 arraignment and the driver of that vehicle, Charles Jon Thompson, 41, also has been bound over to District Court.

Cowan was originally charged with conspiracy to deliver fentanyl in pill and powder forms, meth, cocaine, crack cocaine and carisoprodol, which is a muscle relaxer, and also received felony possession charges for each of those drugs, totaling 12 charges.

But a set of the fentanyl and the crack cocaine charges were dismissed, leaving eight active counts against him.

Thompson, the driver, was bound over on six felony counts: a felony count of conspiracy to deliver for each of the same six conspiracy charges Cowan originally faced. His arraignment is Oct. 25.

In the course of investigating Cowan this summer, Wyoming DCI agents covering northeast Wyoming interviewed a number of people who identified Cowan as a supplier for Campbell County, according to an affidavit of probable cause signed by Wade Dupois, DCI special agent.

Cowan was suspected of driving meth and fentanyl from Denver to Campbell County.

Each conspiracy to deliver count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $25,000 fine or both.