By AP

Cheyenne, Wyo. – A new study for the Wyoming Department of
Health says more people quit smoking in communities that have enacted strong laws against smoking in public places.

The study by the Survey and Analysis Center at the University of Wyoming comes as Wyoming lawmakers prepare to revisit a possible statewide smoking ban.

By Addie Goss

Laramie, WY – Climate change might be affecting the behavior of big game animals in the Rocky Mountain West. The US Geological Survey is looking for connections between changing snow pack and animal behaviors like feeding and migration.

USGS disease ecologist Paul Cross says climate change is already shaping Wyoming's landscape: "What we've seen in the Jackson Pinedale region is snowpack's almost 50 percent down in January from what it was in 1950."

By AP

Lander, WY – Snow and rain have doused two major wild fires burning in Wyoming.

Both the Gunbarrel Fire west of Cody and the New Fork Fire north of Pinedale were beaten down yesterday. Officials say both fires are now smoldering.

Forest Service officials say both fires should stay calm for at least the next few days.

The Gunbarrel Fire has burned more than 67,000 acres of forest. Forest Service officials say the fire has done a good job of clearing out and rejuvenating the forest.

By AP

Cheyenne, Wyo. – The Wyoming Supreme Court has upheld a Gillette man's convictions for murder and conspiracy in the death of a teenager who was strangled and dumped by the side of an interstate highway in 2005.

The court on Wednesday rejected an appeal from Kent Alan Proffit, Sr. He's serving life in prison without parole in the death of Jeremy Forquer, 19.

The Wyoming Supreme Court last week also upheld Proffit's separate conviction of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of another teenager.

By Elsa Partan

Laramie, Wyo. – The Bureau of Land Management recently published its long-range plan for Pinedale.

It increases the amount of land that cannot be drilled by 150 percent, to nearly 440-thousand acres.

Kathleen Sgamma with the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States says that was a bad idea.

"When you take something off the table, you don't necessarily know how much you're taking off," Sgamma says. "You can't really prove up a resource until you start to drill some wells and do some exploration."

By Peter O'Dowd

Laramie, Wyo. – Governor Dave Freudenthal says he has met and spoken with Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

He says the Alaskan governor seems like a good person. But he says Palin's expertise in energy issues shouldn't be overstated just because she is from a Western energy state.

Freudenthal says he is intrigued by John McCain's argument that a governor brings more experience to the office of president than a sitting senator.

By Sara Sciammacco

St. Paul, MN – It was supposed to be a week full of parties and speeches. Instead it is becoming a week full of prayer and uncertainty. On Monday Wyoming delegates met at a British pub in Minneapolis. The Gulf Coast families were very much on their minds. Randi Craig is a registered nurse from Sheridan: The party and the celebrating will come whenever is okay in the south and gulf states. We want to make sure that is a priority.

By Elsa Partan

Laramie, Wyo. – Four members of the Wyoming Air National Guard are helping people affected by Hurricane Gustav.

They're part of a mobile medical team that moved 700 patients from nursing homes and hospitals in Louisiana over the weekend.

The four did not fly the aircraft, but provided support on the ground.

Lieutenant Colonel Amy Olson is the commander of the squadron. She says the crew is still working hard.

By Peter O'Dowd

Laramie, Wyo. – U-S House candidate Cynthia Lummis will not speak at this week's Republican National Convention.

The events surrounding Hurricane Gustav caused several major changes to the event in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Lummis says she received final word that her speech would not be rescheduled.

"I am a rancher," she said. "I understand how weather changes your life and what you do with your time and so in some ways it seemed very normal to me."

By Elsa Partan

Laramie, Wyo. – This was the best year for reservoirs in Wyoming since 2002.

The Bureau of Reclamation says water levels exceeded expectations at some reservoirs by more than 15 percent, mostly thanks to a big snow pack in the mountains.

The Bureau's John Lawson says even with the high water levels this year, irrigators should continue to conserve.