Cheyenne, Wy – Cheyenne Mayor Jack Spiker says he won't seek re-election after all. The two-term mayor tells the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle newspaper in a copyright story Thursday that he won't seek a third term. Instead, Spiker says he intends to run for a seat on the Cheyenne City Council. Spiker had said last month that he intended to seek a third term. But now the businessman he says that he wants to spend more time with his family and figure out a way to retire. State Sen. Jayne Mockler, a Cheyenne Democrat, announced Tuesday
Cheyenne, Wy – Gary Trauner says little has changed in Washington since he narrowly lost election to the U.S. House two years ago. So Trauner is running again. He announced in a news conference in Cheyenne on Thursday that he's filed his candidacy with the Wyoming Secretary of State. Trauner said people continue to wait for Congress to put aside partisan bickering and provide solutions for things like health care and the war in Iraq. He also said it's time for the nation's leaders to "stand up and show some backbone."
Laramie, Wy – The national weather service says a tornado touched down in Laramie this (Thursday) afternoon causing minor damage and leading to several traffic accidents along interstate 80. Commander Dale Stalder of the Laramie Police Department says the damage occurred in the far eastern part of town. we had houses and an apartment building severely damaged, trees, light poles and lost power for a lot of residents. But we are a lot better off then northern Colorado. Officials say one person was killed during a tornado in Windsor, Colorado.
Laramie, WY – Child advocates say a severe shortage of child care providers in Wyoming means many parents are leaving their kids with illegal providers.
Jan Lawrence directs a child care center in Laramie. She says some child care providers do not get licensed because they have a criminal record, and want to avoid a background check. Or, their license has been revoked.
Lawrence encourages people to report unlicensed providers in their communities.
Baggs, WY – Efforts to build up the banks of the Little Snake River have so far prevented flooding in the town of Baggs. Mayor Linda Corners says the Wyoming National Guard has helped fill 2-thousand sandbags, and state Homeland Security adn the Army Corps of Engineers are also helping out.
Officials say low-lying pasture land in southern Carbon County near Baggs has seen some flooding, but there were no reports of injuries or property damage.
Laramie, WY – Wyoming's natural gas is fetching twice the money at market than it did at the same time last year.
Jim Robinson, the senior economist at the state's Economic Analysis Division says usually when spring weather kicks in, natural gas prices fall quickly. But not this year.
"What we're seeing is that the prices are still in that eight to nine dollar range and here we are in the third week in May," Robinson said.
Baggs, WY – Members of the Wyoming Army National Guard and local volunteers are working to shore up the banks of the Little Snake River near Baggs as high waters continue to threaten the southern Wyoming town.
Mayor Linda Corners says water had not breached any of the diversion dikes and there is no water in the town.
Today's peak river level never exceeded yesterday's peak.
Abundant snowpack in the Sierra Madre mountain range and warm temperatures have made for high levels of runoff in the river basin.
Cheyenne, WY – Williams natural gas company said today that it plans to double the processing capacity and production of natural gas liquid at its Echo Springs plant in southern Wyoming.
The Tulsa, Okla.-based company says it will spend up to 233 million dollars to expand the plant, which processes gas from the Washakie Basin. Williams plans to start construction next year and finish in late 2010, pending necessary permits.
Laramie, WY – Wyoming's unemployment rate has fallen to 2.6 percent, the lowest it's been since the year 1979.
Senior economist with the state Department of Employment, David Bullard, says Wyoming now has the lowest unemployment in the nation, tied with South Dakota. Bullard says that's a good sign.
"There's no question Wyoming's economy is doing well," Bullard said.
Pavillion, WY – Law enforcement officials say that excavations near a Fremont County home haven't turned up any clues to the 1980 disappearance of a mother and her two sons.
Virginia Uden and her sons Reagan and Richard have been missing since 1980. Their car was found nearly a month later in a remote canyon with the interior stained with blood.
Authorities say investigators have been digging Monday and Tuesday near a residence about 15 miles north of Riverton. Police say the residence had been owned by the woman's ex-husband.
