Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • A3

In brief FROM STAFF WIRE REPORTS CASPER WYOMING Sunday, August 30, 2015 Reach Managing Editors Joshua Wolfson and Christine Peterson at 307-266-0582 or 307-746-3121, respectively or A3 12 Wyoming school districts form coalition for funding GILLETTE Twelve school districts in Wyoming have joined together to form a coalition as the state looks to adjust school funding. The regional cost adjustment is a combination of two formulas used to determine cost of living changes in Wyoming annually. It is part of the model used to determine funding for school districts. Over the past three years, Campbell County has lost $2.07 million in funding as a result of the adjustment. The coalition has formed to keep districts from losing funding and to protect district interests.

It will hire an economist to develop an index that could compare cost of living fairly across the state. Last year, nine school districts formed a coalition and successfully lobbied legislators to budget for an external cost adjustment. Game and Fish warns Jackson residents about bears, moose JACKSON Wyoming Game and Fish officials are asking Jackson residents to avoid conflicts with moose, bears and other wildlife in residential areas this fall. The Jackson office starts receiving more calls this time of year from citizens concerned about wildlife conflicts. An agency biologist says bull moose commonly get their antlers entangled on things that people leave in their yards.

She encouraged people to remove anything that may pose a problem. Agency officials also are asking residents to avoid conflicts with bears by not leaving out any source of food that would attract them. Weekly US oil and natural gas rig count down by eight to 877 HOUSTON Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. this week declined by eight to 877.

Houston-based Baker Hughes said Friday 675 rigs were seeking oil and 202 explored for natural gas. A year ago, with oil prices nearly double the prices now, 1,914 rigs were active. Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas gained three rigs. Louisiana lost six rigs, New Mexico was down by two and Colorado, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania each decreased by one. Alaska, Arkansas, California, Kansas, North Dakota, Ohio, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming were all unchanged.

The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999. Two su er minor injuries when helicopter lands in Cheyenne A fire official said two people aboard a private helicopter suffered minor injuries when it made a rough landing in Cheyenne. The Wyoming Tribute Eagle reported the landing happened at about 11:15 a.m. Friday.

Laramie County Fire District 1 Chief Darrick Mittlestadt said the helicopter stalled and fell when it was about 15 feet off the ground. The pilot and two passengers were in the helicopter. The two who suffered minor injuries were transported to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. Laura Hancock 307-266-0581, Laura.Hancock@trib.com Most Fremont County lawmakers oppose a hate crimes bill for Wyoming, saying they believe additional penalties would deter crime. Calls for hate crime legislation have risen after the July 18 shooting of two American Indians at a detox center in Riverton.

While no bill has been formally proposed, many Wyoming lawmakers have said they support the legislation. Rep. David Miller, R- Riverton, might be the one exception. He is willing to look at a bill, he said, though he is not interested in sponsoring one. not against hate crime legislation per he said.

the case of a murder, I see how Wyoming is one of only five states without a hate crimes law. Proponents of the laws say people who commit hate crimes are making a statement toward a community. The Fremont County Democratic Party recently called on the delegation to Cheyenne, all Republican, to sponsor a hate crimes bill, and Northern Arapaho tribal leaders requested the U.S. Department of Justice pursue federal hate crimes charges in the case. But Fremont County Reps.

Jim Allen, Rita Campbell and Lloyd Larsen, and Sens. Eli Bebout and Cale Case oppose a hate crimes bill. Shoshoni Rep. Campbell opposes another law because there are already enough, she said. lived here, I know if we have a she said, with crimes based on race.

Some problems could be solved by allowing alcohol sales on the Wind River Indian Reservation, Campbell said. Then the responsibility for treating people who abuse it would be shared by the city and the reservation. the alcohol is le gal, they would stay on the she said. Rep. Allen of Lander said he believes all people are the same.

is one of the Ten Commandments, and against the he said. know if we need enhanced penalties if one race kills another Sen. Eli Bebout of Riverton said he opposed hate crimes legislation brought in the 1990s and he still would today. Despite calls for hate crimes bill, most Fremont County lawmakers oppose it Matt Naber Powell Tribune POWELL Camping is an art, they say, and Powell artist Janet Bedford is transforming a camper trailer into a literal work of art. Bedford is painting the concave interior walls of a vintage 1948 Airstream trailer into a colorful canvas depicting scenes from national parks across the country.

That is a fitting paint job for a trailer intended for a national tour by the owner, former Grand Teton National Park Ranger Doug Leen, that will promote national parks and their rich history. At 19 feet long, just big enough to accommodate a bed, kitchen, shower, toilet and table without having to step outside to reconfigure furniture. are beautifully engineered, but on the inside they are plain and feebly Leen said. frame was good, but the whole trailer is an axle-up The trailer originally have a bathroom or shower, but it does now along with an air condi tioner, flat-screen TV, stereo and new furniture. The furniture was built by Lester Santos, of Santos Furniture in Cody, an old friend of Santos recommended Bedford for the interior painting, Leen said.

Leen provided Santos with the specifics on how to use every square inch of the interior so that it has now-modern amenities while maintaining the character of the Santos said. wanted to keep the look and feel of paintings reminded Santos of the vintage posters Leen was working with, Santos said. had to repaint the interior anyway, and thought do a diorama and blend the furniture in with the art Leen said. really do it up right I liken this to the chapel of Airstreams, and Janet is the Michelangelo of Comparing Bedford to Michelangelo seems appropriate, since her painting goes up and around the ceiling. has all been a Bedford said.

hardest part was painting an eagle in the sky; controlling my hand like that was really hard. I wanted it small, like it was way up in the sky I kept at it, touched it up a Artist paints mural in trailer to promote parks MATT NABER, POWELL TRIBUNE Janet Bedford, of Powell, painted a sunrise scene surrounding the chandelier at the front end of Doug vintage trailer, with a scene of Monument Valley across from a view of Grand Teton. MATT NABER, POWELL TRIBUNE Artist Janet Bedford, of Powell, poses in front of a 1948 Airstream trailer in Powell. Bedford is painting the concave interior walls of a vintage 1948 Airstream trailer into a colorful canvas depicting scenes from national parks across the country. Ben Neary Associated Press CHEYENNE A conservative law firm that has worked to oppose gay marriage initiatives nationwide is representing a Wyoming magistrate under investigation for saying she would refuse to perform same- sex marriages.

Municipal Judge and Circuit Court Magistrate Ruth Neely of Pinedale faces an upcoming hear ing before the Wyoming Commission on Judicial Conduct and Ethics. The commission is probing statements Neely made to the press that she would not perform same-sex marriages because of her religious beliefs. Lawyers with the Alliance Defending Freedom, an Arizona religious advocacy law firm, are representing Neely. Foundation supports Wyoming magistrate on gay marriage stand Nick Balatsos 307-266-0592, Nick.Balatsos@Trib.com Campbell County School District trustees voted unanimously recently to implement a Spanish dual-language immersion program at one of their new schools. The program will begin when the new Stocktrail Elementary School opens in the fall of 2016, according to the district.

The new program will start with two kindergarten classes and two first-grade classes, but will expand to grades two through six in later years. Placement for students in those grades has not been decided. Students will spend half the day learning in Spanish and the other half in English. So far, 50 parents have enrolled their kindergartners and 45 have signed up their first-graders. Keri Shannon, an expert on bilingual education who also speaks fluent Spanish, has been hired to lead the school.

School officials also considered implementing a Mandarin dual-language program, similar to the program at Paradise Valley Elementary in Casper. But after surveying parents district officials discovered an overwhelming desire for a Spanish program. The school joins a handful of others in the state and across the country who have launched dual- language immersion programs. Various studies have suggested long-term benefits for students of dual- language programs. Dual-language Spanish immersion program heads to a Gillette school he Daughter turned 25 recently, and the quarter of a century was aptly celebrated.

The biggest crisis among several smaller ones as preparations were made was the gift. As usual, I waited too long to order what she wanted, and as a result, was terrified that it arrive in time. I want to ruin the surprise by wrapping the order confirmation email, and I afford to buy extra things so that she would have something to open. When I saw the salmon- colored package waiting notice in my post office box the afternoon before her birthday, I was ecstatic. even realize until I got home and was ready to wrap that it her gift but something insignificant I had ordered for the friend and me weeks earlier.

I was devastated for about a half hour, until the doorbell rang as I was in the kitchen cooking for the big night. The big brown truck had delivered the gift and stuck it between the doors. She chose to have me cook a family dinner in her kitchen for her celebration, and after the largest of my grocery store runs was complete, she inquired if two more could be added to the guest list. I agreed. So the six for dinner went to eight, and I prayed that there would be enough loaves, pasta, sauces and salad for the masses.

A quarter is a big deal with Sal Casper Star-Tribune Sally Ann SHURMUR with Sal Please see BILL, A4 Please see MURAL, A4 Please see MARRIAGE, A4 Please see A4 Trevor Brown Wyoming Tribune Eagle CHEYENNE An apparent loophole in a recently passed state law may force lawmakers to reconsider how the state taxes electric cars. The Legislature passed a law earlier this year that made Wyoming one of eight states that places a special fee on the so-called The new tax, which went into effect July 1, requires owners of plug-in electric vehicles to buy a $50 decal. Lawmakers, at the time, said they intended this to be an annual fee. But documents that will be presented to legislators this week show that an attorney general review of the new statute locate any language that requires the decal to be purchased each year. Rep.

Mike Madden, R- Buffalo, is the co-chairman of the Joint Revenue Interim Committee, which sponsored the alternative fuel tax bill during the past session. Law loophole could start debate on electric vehicles Please see VEHICLES, A4.