By Peter O'Dowd

Laramie, WY – Democratic Senator Mike Massie announced his plan to reform health care for children as advocates rallied across the state today. Massie wants to increase access to the state's children's health insurance program.

The bill would offer benefits to families that make 300 percent of the federal poverty level. That's up from the current law which accepts children in families that make 200 percent of poverty line.

By Addie Goss

Casper, WY – Legislators today discussed banning smoking in public places across the state. Wyoming is the only western state without a statewide smoking ban. Katherine Hooper from Powell hopes to change that: "From second hand smoke I ended up with cancer on the voice box. So I have no saliva glands. They burned all the glands."

Hooper spoke before the legislative Labor Committee today.

By AP

Washington – Wyoming Republican U.S. Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso slammed a Washington D.C. federal judge's ruling that scrapped a plan allowing snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park.

Enzi says judges and lawyers seem to forget or discount that national parks are for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.

Barrasso said the ruling was another example of interventionist Washington judges legislating from the bench.

By Bob Beck

Laramie, Wyo. – A statewide rally is hoping to bring attention to children's issues.

Deanna Frye of the Wyoming Children's Action Alliance is especially concerned that political candidates seem to be ignoring issues of poverty among other things.

Frye says a number of children's organizations across the state hope to raise these issues in their communities.

By Elsa Partan

Laramie, Wyo. – A federal judge has thrown out a plan to allow 540 snowmobiles each day in Yellowstone National Park this winter.

U.S District Judge Emmet Sullivan made the decision Monday in Washington, citing environmental concerns. The Greater Yellowstone Coalition was one of six groups that filed a suit against the plan. The coalition's Amy McNamara is celebrating.

Laramie, Wy – The University of Wyoming is starting a new fundraising campaign. The latest set of priorities includes money for community outreach, athletics and the arts. U-W Foundation President Ben Blalock says that he is hopeful that the new goals will continue to generate support.
Blalock says they hope to raise 150 million dollars in the next four years

Laramie, Wy – A University of Wyoming graduate says there has not been torture at the Guantanamo bay prison facility. Military prosecutor Kyndra Rotunda has written a book called Honor Bound: Inside the Guantanamo trials. Rotunda says that those in the prison facility were properly placed there and she denies that they lack rights
90880 Rotunda Rights :22 out: these hearings
In fact, Rotunda argues that detainees get more privileges then many prisoners in the United States.

Gillette, Wy – Campbell County Attorney Jeani Stone says
her office is suffering under a heavy workload.
Stone said the lawyer shortage in her office has caused cases to
pile up. There are currently nine lawyers in the office and two
vacancies.
Stone said some defendants are having to wait several months
between court appearances while some prosecutors routinely log 60
to 80 hours a week.
The Campbell County Commission in late June approved Stone's
request to hire another attorney, but no one has been hired to fill

Cody, Wy – Officials say that hunters will have to use
caution when crossing recently opened areas burned by the Gunbarrel Fire west of Cody.
The fire was started in late July by a lightning strike and has
burned more than 67,000 acres - more than 100 square miles. It's
now classified at about 85 percent contained.
Terry Root is district ranger on the Shoshone National Forest.
Most of the burned area is in the North Absaroka Wilderness Area,
where there many trees had been killed by beetles.

By Peter O'Dowd

Laramie, Wyo. – Sen. John Barrasso says Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is an enemy of the United States, and trains terrorists to fight American troops.

He wrote to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Monday, asking her to deny the Iranian president a visa. He is set to speak in New York at the United Nations Sept. 23.

University of Wyoming International Law Professor Timothy Kearley says barring Ahmadinejad's entrance is essentially illegal.