West
Wyoming wildfire destroys GOP rep's childhood home: 'Devastating’
A raging wildfire has destroyed the childhood home of U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., as officials say the flames have burned over 28,000 acres of land in eastern Wyoming since last week.
The Haystacks Fire, which was initially contained Monday, reignited a day later and scorched the Haystack Range and the area north of Ft. Laramie, Goshen County Emergency Management said Wednesday.
Hageman told Cowboy State Daily on Saturday that the old family home in the Haystacks, in which she lived until she was age 7, was over 100 years old and “very special” to her family.
“That’s where we were all raised,” Hageman told the outlet. “It burned.”
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County officials said the fire has burned about 28,000 acres in eastern Wyoming since Tuesday. (Wyoming State Forestry Division)
Hageman added: “It’s been pretty devastating.”
Hageman said the home was over 100 years old. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, File)
Hageman’s brother, Hugh Hageman, told Cowboy State Daily there was nothing left of his family’s homestead, where he and his five siblings grew up in the two-bedroom home.
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“It burned to the ground. There’s nothing left,” he said. “It’s kind of sad. It was a place where we all went back to. It was in pretty bad shape before the fire. No one lived there since the early 1970s.”
Helicopters and heavy tankers were deployed against the fires, which had grown to about 47 square miles by Wednesday morning, Gov. Mark Gordon said. Goshen County Emergency Management estimated on Wednesday that 28,000 acres of land were lost.
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On Friday, the fires triggered evacuations in Hartville, with about 65 people, and unincorporated Pleasant Valley as shifting winds changed the direction of the fires.
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Welcome to the NFL, rookies.
The Denver Broncos are set to hold a rookie minicamp from May 8-10, with players expected to report to the team’s facility today (May 7). One of the key players to watch will be running back Jonah Coleman, the club’s fourth-round pick in last month’s NFL draft.
“Ultimately, to be a Bronco is the best thing in the world,” Coleman told the Big Ten Network during a sideline interview at Washington’s spring game last week.
Coleman figures to begin his pro career as a third-string running back behind J.K. Dobbins and RJ Harvey, but he could quickly win playing time as a capable blocker and receiver.
Broncos offseason schedule
- Offseason program started: May 4
- Rookie minicamp: May 8-10
- OTAs: June 2-4; June 9-11
- Mandatory minicamp: June 16-18
With rookies reporting to the facility, we should get jersey number news soon. Denver’s draft class, undrafted free agent signings and several expected tryout players will participate in the rookie minicamp this weekend.
Social: Follow Broncos Wire on Facebook and Twitter/X! Did you know: These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans.
GRAHAM, Wash. – As Washington faces a spring with severely low snowpack, fire districts across the state are ramping up preparations for Wildfire Awareness Month. At Central Pierce Fire and Rescue, some of the most effective team members are focusing on prevention, through meal time.
Station 96, now affectionately nicknamed “The Goat House,” deployed a herd of goats to serve as official “fuel mitigation specialists.” These four-legged lawnmowers are tasked with clearing thick vegetation and maintaining the retention pond area around the station to ensure dry brush doesn’t become fuel for a potential fire.
The ‘G.O.A.T.’ of mitigation
While they may not look like your typical firefighters—and they certainly lack a sense of professional decorum—officials say the herd is setting a regional standard for wildfire prevention.
“They are the GOAT of […] fuel mitigation,” joked Wildfire Coordinator Jake Weigley.
The strategy is as practical as it is adorable. By having the goats graze the land, the department avoids spending crew downtime on weed whackers. This keeps firefighters ready for what they do best: responding to emergencies.
“It does save the taxpayers money, because our crews are able to focus on training and responding to calls,” Weigley said.
The “GoatFundMe’ account
Despite their official titles, these specialists aren’t on the public payroll. Their snacks, veterinary care, and general upkeep are funded internally through a “GoatFundMe” account, which is supported entirely by voluntary contributions from fire department and county employees.
The department hopes these stubborn workers will inspire residents to take notes on their own “defensible space” at home. Much like the goats clearing the field, fire officials recommend homeowners hardscape and remove any fuels that could carry a fire toward buildings.
A heightened season of awareness
The timing is critical. Following a winter with low precipitation, officials are on high alert for the upcoming fire season, though the full severity remains a question mark until the summer heat truly hits.
“We’re in a heightened level of awareness based on our snowpack and precipitation over the winter,” Weigley said. “But until fire season really gets started, we won’t know how severe it will be.”
Residents interested in meeting the herd can monitor the Central Pierce Fire and Rescue Facebook page for upcoming station events and community open houses. They ask to protect the goat’s health, you do not feed them.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting from FOX 13 Seattle reporter Taylor Winkel.
SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Arts leaders packed City Hall Wednesday, urging city leaders to reconsider proposed cuts that would eliminate nearly $11.8 million in arts and culture funding from San Diego’s budget.
Representatives from some of San Diego’s most well-known cultural institutions, including the Mingei International Museum, the La Jolla Playhouse, and the Fleet Science Center, voiced their concerns at a budget review committee meeting.
Debby Buchholz, managing director of the La Jolla Playhouse, said: “The idea that America’s finest city would spend no money on arts and culture is reprehensible, frankly.”
Advocates argued the cut represents a fraction of the city’s overall spending.
“$11.5 million dollars in a $6.5 billion budget is not even a drop; it’s less than a quarter of 1% of the total budget,” Buchholz added.
Arts advocates warned the impact would be immediate, with potential layoffs, program cuts, and even closures.
Jessica Hanson York, executive director of the Mingei International Museum, said, “We are huge employers of people who are making a living as creatives in this community and we want our artists and creative contributors to be able to stay here, and it doesn’t help when we don’t have the support to keep them employed.”
During the meeting, Council President Pro Tem Kent Lee questioned the mayor’s office about whether an economic impact analysis had been completed.
Kent Lee asked “Was an economic impact analysis completed in regards to arts and culture?”
The mayor’s office responded that no such analysis had been conducted.
Lee also pressed the mayor’s office on whether and when arts and culture funding might be restored.
The mayor’s office responded saying, “That’s a difficult question to answer I think there is a lot of desire to bring these funds back we are going to work hard to bring these funds back we recognize the impacts. I don’t have a specific plan for you today.”
Arts advocates say they want to see no cuts made to their funding. The full City Council will have the final say on the budget in the coming weeks.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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