Wyoming

Construction on Wyoming emergency detour nears completion

Published

1 year ago

June 25, 2024

Construction on Wyoming emergency detour nears completion

Paving work on a temporary detour around a collapsed section of Wyoming’s Teton Pass highway is expected to be completed this week, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) said Monday.

Read more: Learn More About Emergency Funds and Where to Keep Them

WYDOT said crews are about halfway done with installing box culverts in the area that will improve drainage, and that paving operations for the detour are tentatively scheduled for Thursday.

The landslide caused significant damage to the highway at Teton Pass. WYDOT expect paving work on the new detour to be completed this week.

WYDOT

Newsweek has contacted the Wyoming Department of Transportation for comment.

The Context

Teton Pass highway, which runs between Wyoming and Idaho, suffered a “major disruption” earlier this month after it was damaged in a landslide following snowmelts in the Teton Range.

Read more: How to Build an Emergency Fund

Images released by WYDOT showed that a large section of the road had completely collapsed.

At the time, WYDOT said crews were working in the area to construct a detour around the initial damage, but the landslide continued to move, leading to further damage. No crews were hurt in the process.

What We Know

The new detour will include a paved roadway with two 12-foot lanes, one in each direction. Concrete barriers will be in place to keep drivers safe from any hazards.

The detour is being constructed inside the curve, away from the unstable slide area. It will introduce a slightly sharper curve and steeper grade. To accommodate for this, WYDOT plans to reduce the speed limit in the area.

A WYDOT statement said that officials hope to have the detour paved and open to traffic by the end of the week.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHA) has provided $6 million in emergency relief funding to offset the cost of repairs in the area.

“The Federal Highway Administration is working closely with the Wyoming Department of Transportation to repair the damage caused by the landslide at Teton Pass,” FHA Administrator Shailen Bhatt said in a news release on Friday.

“The Emergency Relief funding we are providing will help get repairs done as soon as possible and restore temporary access to the area during the busy summer tourist season.”

Views

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg referred to the road damage as “a major disruption for travelers.”

Part of Highway 22 near the WY-ID border has been taken out by a landslide, a major disruption for travelers. Our DOT team is working with WY officials to assist with emergency repairs. In the meantime, plan ahead if your route takes you over Teton Pass. https://t.co/bFqjtQEPtR
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) June 9, 2024

Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon issued an Executive Order declaring an emergency in response to the “catastrophic failure” of the highway.

A press release accompanying the Executive Order directed WYDOT and the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security to “take all appropriate and necessary action, including, but not limited to, coordination of state and federal resources.”

The governor said in a statement: “I recognize the significant impacts this closure has to Teton County residents, regional commuters and the local economy.”

What’s next?

WYDOT have said that more permanent reconstruction plans are underway, and WYDOT engineers are working with geologists, planning and design departments, and environmental services to develop long-term reconstruction strategies.

Do you have a story we should be covering? Do you have any questions about road projects in your state? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com

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Wyoming

Search for fugitive wanted for child-sex crimes leaves Wyoming town on alert

Published

3 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Search for fugitive wanted for child-sex crimes leaves Wyoming town on alert

With a population under 600, Byron, Wyo., is generally a quiet town. In recent weeks, streets have been even quieter as both local and federal law enforcement search for 39-year-old fugitive Anthony Pease, who is wanted for six counts of sexual assault involving a minor.

Authorities have been searching the area for weeks, and a reward for information leading to an arrest now sits at $2,000.

See how the search impacts the town:

Search for fugitive wanted for child sex crimes leaves Wyoming town on alert

Saturday morning, law enforcement shared there was a confirmed sighting of Pease near town and reminded residents to remain vigilant by locking their doors and reporting suspicious activity. According to Wyoming’s Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office, before the weekend sighting, Pease hasn’t been seen since Nov. 1.

The Big Horn County Schools Superintendent, Matt Davidson, told MTN News a school resource officer on staff stays up to date with the latest on search efforts, and some parents say they’ve been keeping their kids indoors when they’re not at school.

As the search continues, the mayor as well as some residents, say they are taking law enforcement’s advice while keeping a watchful eye.

“I never used to lock my house during the day. I didn’t even lock my vehicles at night. In fact, a lot of the time I’d leave the keys in them. I’ve talked to other people and there is quite a few people that are nervous. I would hope that a lot of us are nervous because this is a bad thing,” said Byron Mayor Allan Clark.

In fact, investigators could be seen around Byron knocking on doors and scanning land outside of town.

“There’s just so much area and a low population, so much area for him to hide and seek shelter,” Clark said.

With so many wide-open spaces and abandoned buildings in the area, Clark understands why the search has gone on so long.

According to the US Marshals Service, Pease is 5 feet 11 inches tall and may also be going by the name Abraham. They also ask that anyone nearby who has a collection of silver dollars to ensure they are still there, and if not, to report to authorities.

Marshals say Pease is considered dangerous, and the public is told to not approach him and instead call 9-1-1. As the search has stretched over six weeks, many residents hope a capture will bring life back to normal.

“I hope that they capture him soon, and I hope that us as community members and around the area keep our eyes open and report anything suspicious,” said Clark.

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Wyoming

Five takeaways from the Wyoming Legislature’s budget hearings

Published

15 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Press Room

Five takeaways from the Wyoming Legislature’s budget hearings – County 17

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Wyoming

Shoshoni youth sets new world record with largemouth bass catch

Published

1 day ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Shoshoni youth sets new world record with largemouth bass catch

SHOSHONI, Wyo. — A 12-year-old boy from Shoshoni is now the proud holder of the Junior 4-pound Line Class world record for bass after netting a 2-pound, 4-ounce largemouth in August. The boy, coincidentally with the last name Bass, caught the fish at Lake Cameahwait.

According to a release from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, Tucker Bass and his father were fishing over the lake on a two-person kayak when the young angler reeled in the record fish. He did so on a rod and reel given to him by his grandfather.

Bass is the first Wyoming resident to hold a world record in any category for largemouth. The International Game and Fish Association oversees all world records for fishing and officially approved Bass’s catch in November.

Wyoming’s state record largemouth was caught in 2018 near Sheridan. A comprehensive list of all Wyoming record fish can be found here.

“This is an exceptional accomplishment for a young angler,” WGF Lander Region fisheries supervisor Joe Deromedi said in the release. “Tucker’s record highlights not only his skill and dedication, but also the quality fishing opportunities we have in central Wyoming. It’s always exciting to see youth developing a lifelong passion for fishing.”

Bass, an avid fisherman, also earned Trophy Angler status in the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Master Angler program in August.

For more information on Tucker Bass’s record catch, see the Wyoming Game and Fish website.

Junior Line class 4-pound world record-holder Tucker Bass (WGF Department)

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