Wyoming
Obituaries: Cheney; Kenny; Lott; Snell
Patricia Ann “Pat” Cheney: 1939 – 2025
Patricia Ann “Pat” Cheney, 86, of Casper, Wyoming, passed away peacefully at Banner Medical Center Friday May 23, 2025. Viewing and visitation will be held Bustard & Jacoby, 600 CY Avenue, Casper, Wyoming 82601, on May 28, 2025, from 5 to 7 p.m. On May 29, 2025, a rosary service will be held at 11:30 a.,m. and followed by funeral services at 12 p.m. with Father Clark of Our Lady of Fatima officiating at Bustard & Jacoby. Interment will follow at Freeland Cemetery. After interment a celebration of life will be held at the Cheney Ranch.
Pat was born on April 5, 1939, to Joseph Kasper and Martha Lucinda (Congelton) Kasper in Casper, Wyoming. She grew up in Casper, attending St. Anthony’s Tri-Parish Catholic School and graduating from Natrona County High School. Baptized into the Catholic faith, she was a devoted member of St. Anthony’s Catholic Church and Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church. She was a member of the Natrona County Cow-Bellesand a volunteer at the Casper Elks Lodge and other Casper area Christian faith-based organizations. On January 25, 1958, Pat married William (Bill) Cheney, in Casper, Wyoming. Together, they shared an agrarian and aviation-focused lifestyle. Pat served as a mother and was a diligent ranch wife until selling the ranch to son Bob in 1987. Her and Bill moved to Paradise Valley in 1998 and continued to operate Cheney Flying Service for over 30 years until retiring. Pat was a dedicated walker and put in at least two miles a day enjoying her walks by the Platte River. Later in life Pat learned to play guitar and enjoyed jam sessions playing and singing with close family friends Erle and Charlee Barto.
She is survived by brother, John F. Kasper; son, Daniel Albert (Dan) Cheney; and granddaughter, Peggy Jean Cheney. Pat was preceded in death by her husband, William (Bill) Cheney; son, Robert Gene (Bob) Cheney; parents, Joseph and Martha Kasper; five sisters and six brothers.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Natrona County Cow-Belles. Pat’s life was a testament to faith, family, and hard work, and she will be deeply missed. Online condolences for Pat’s family may be made at www.bustardcares.com.

Mary Verdonna Kenny: 1932 – 2025
Mary “Donna” Verdonna Kenny, age 92, of Casper, Wyoming passed away November 2, 2024. She was born August 12, 1932, in Toledo, Ohio to Rollin and Mary (McGinley) Brunner.
She moved her family to Casper in the early 1960s. She worked at Wyoming Stationery and Wyoming Medical Center. She retired from the hospital in 1992.
She loved cooking for her grandson, Paul and his wife, Amber.
For the past several years she wintered in Lake Havasu City, Arizona with her daughter and son-in-law. She loved sitting on the porch watching the neighbors come and go. She enjoyed playing Bingo but loved gambling in Laughlin and going to the swap meet on Sundays. She would get up early to accompany her daughter to the pickle ball courts. She made lots of friends in the neighborhood that truly treated her like their second mom.
She is survived by her daughter, Carol Smith (Fred); daughter-in-law, Karen Didion (Jerry); as well as her grandchildren: Paul Smith (Amber), Andrew Didion, Adam Didion; great-grandchildren: Brittany Smith, Kade Henry, Shyla Hoffman, Orion Smith, and Preslee Cagle; as well as her great-great grandchildren: Damien Houser, Ariyan Agena, and Koen Cagle; sister, Judith Glass; brother, Carl Brunner; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was also preceded in death by her husband, Bob Kenny; son, Jerry C. Didion; grandson, Kris M. Smith; her parents; and eight siblings.
A celebration of life will be held at her daughter’s home on June 16, 2025 from 3 to 6. For location contact Carol 307-277-2277.

Janice Rae Lott: 1941 – 2025
Janice Rae Lott, born in Riverton, Wyoming, passed away on May 26, 2025, at the age of 83. Known for her resilience, sharp wit, and quiet strength, Janice built a life rooted in simple joys—gardening, bowling, camping, square dancing, playing cards, and spending time with her beloved dog, Jack.
She raised four children in Washington before moving to Casper, Wyoming in the late 1990s, where she lived alongside her son, Robert. She was a proud mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who found comfort in the everyday and joy in her family.
Janice is survived by her sister, Judy Johnson; her children: Robert Lott, Jo Peavler, James Lott, and Tami McKnight (Troy Marker); eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Robert and Jean Ewing; and her sister, Roberta Harrington.
Please make donations to Casper Humane Society or Central Wyoming Hospice.

Roger (Rog) Lee Snell: 1944 – 2025
Roger (Rog) Lee Snell, 81, of Casper, Wyoming, passed away peacefully at his home on May 22, 2025, surrounded by family.
Born on March 2, 1944, in Hanna, Wyoming, Roger was the son of Bernard (Barney) and Violet Snell. He grew up alongside his brothers and sister and graduated from Natrona County High School in 1963. Shortly after, he enlisted in the United States Navy, proudly serving from 1963 to 1967 during the Vietnam era aboard the USS Alamo LSD-33. During his service, he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
In 1968, Roger married Sandra Ames, and together they raised two children, William and Dianna. A skilled electrician, Roger earned his Master Electrician License and went on to establish First Light Electric in 1975.
Roger had a deep love for the outdoors and spent many joyful days fishing, archery, hunting, golfing, and exploring on motorcycles and four-wheelers. He especially cherished time with friends and family at the Cream Can Feeds and in the Shirley Mountains. He was also a proud and active member of the VFW, American Legion, Elks Lodge, and the IBEW.
Roger is survived by his former wife, Sandra Trantham; his brother, Charles Snell; his children, William (Kari) and Dianna; his grandchildren: Justin, Taylor (Sierra), Gabrielle, Karissa, Zachary, Falon, Makayla, and Faith; and great-grandchildren: Atikus, Fenix, and Scarlett.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 28, at 2:30 p.m. at Oregon Trail Veterans Cemetery, with burial to follow. Bustards Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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Wyoming
Rivalries and Playoff Positioning Highlight Week 11 Wyoming Girls Basketball Slate
It’s Week 11 in the 2026 Wyoming prep girls’ basketball season. That means it’s the end of the regular season. 3A and 4A schools have their final game or games to determine seeding before the regional tournament, or if a team is locked into a position, one last chance to fine-tune before the postseason. Games are spread across four days.
WYOPREPS WEEK 11 GIRLS BASKETBALL SCHEDULE 2026
Every game on the slate is a conference matchup. Several rivalry contests are part of this week’s schedule, such as East against Central, Cody at Powell, Lyman hosting Mountain View, and Rock Springs at Green River, just to name a few. Here is the Week 11 schedule of varsity games WyoPreps has. All schedules are subject to change. If you see a game missing, please email david@wyopreps.com.
CLASS 4A
Final Score: Laramie 68 Cheyenne South 27 (conference game)
CLASS 3A
Final Score: Lyman 40 Mountain View 26 (conference game)
CLASS 4A
Final Score: Evanston 41 Riverton 39 (conference game)
Final Score: Natrona County 42 Kelly Walsh 38 (conference game) – Peach Basket Classic
Final Score: #4 Thunder Basin 64 Campbell County 32 (conference game)
CLASS 3A
Final Score: #1 Cody 77 Worland 33 (conference game) – 5 different Fillies with a 3, and Hays led the way with 34 points.
Final Score: #2 Lander 49 Lyman 34 (conference game)
Final Score: #4 Wheatland 51 Douglas 40 (conference game)
Final Score: #5 Powell 48 Lovell 42 (conference game)
Final Score: Burns 56 Torrington 43 (conference game)
Final Score: Glenrock 78 Newcastle 30 (conference game)
Read More Girls Basketball News from WyoPreps
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WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 9 Scores 2026
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Nominate A Basketball Player for the WyoPreps Athlete of the Week Honor
WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Polls 1-21-26
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WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 4 Scores 2025-26
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WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Rankings 12-24-25
WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 2 Scores 2025-26
WyoPreps Coaches and Media Basketball Rankings 12-17-25
WyoPreps Girls Basketball Week 1 Scores 2025-26
CLASS 4A
Rock Springs at #2 Green River, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
#4 Thunder Basin at #5 Sheridan, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
#1 Cheyenne East at #3 Cheyenne Central, 6 p.m. (conference game)
Jackson at Star Valley, 6 p.m. (conference game)
CLASS 3A
#3 Pinedale at Mountain View, 4 p.m. (conference game)
#1 Cody at #5 Powell, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Buffalo at Glenrock, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
CLASS 3A
Newcastle at Buffalo, 12:30 p.m. (conference game)
Glenrock at Rawlins, 3 p.m. (conference game)
Torrington at #4 Wheatland, 5:30 p.m. (conference game)
Wyoming Boys 4A Swimming & Diving State Championships 2026
4A Boys State Swim Meet for 2026 in Cheyenne
Gallery Credit: David Settle, WyoPreps.com
Wyoming
Political storm in Wyoming as far-right activist caught handing checks to lawmakers
Controversy has engulfed Wyoming’s state legislature after a conservative activist was photographed handing checks to Republican lawmakers on the state house floor, in an incident that has highlighted intra-conservative divisions and the role of money in the Cowboy state’s politics.
The political storm started on 9 February, when Karlee Provenza, a Democratic lawmaker, took a photo showing Rebecca Bextel, a conservative activist and committeewoman for the Teton county Republican party, handing a check to Darin McCann, a Republican representative, on the legislative floor. Marlene Brady, another Republican representative, stands in the photo’s background, a similar piece of paper pinched between her fingers.
“You have a person from the richest county in the country coming down to Cheyenne to hand out checks on the house floor,” Provenza said. “I have never seen something so egregious.”
Questions around the checks were soon swirling, and answers weren’t forthcoming. When asked what Bextel gave to her, Brady told a reporter for local outlet WyoFile: “I can’t remember.”
Then Bextel herself addressed the incident. “I raised $400,000 in the last election cycle for conservative candidates, and I will be doubling that amount this year,” Bextel wrote on Facebook on 11 February. “There’s nothing wrong with delivering lawful campaign checks from Teton county donors when I am in Cheyenne.”
Since then, it has emerged that the checks came from Don Grasso, a wealthy Teton county donor, who told the Jackson Hole News and Guide that he wrote the checks for Bextel to deliver to 10 Freedom caucus-aligned politicians. Grasso said the checks were intended as campaign contributions, and were not tied to specific legislation. It is unclear how many checks were ultimately delivered, but two of four confirmed recipients include the speaker of the house, Chip Neiman, and John Bear, the former head of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus.
The Wyoming house has formed a legislative investigative committee, and the Laramie county sheriff’s office said they’d open a criminal investigation.
Bextel declined to answer questions from the Guardian. Brady, McCann and Bear did not respond to requests for comment.
Neiman said he considered the criticism a “wraparound smear campaign”. He said: “It never once crossed my mind that this was bribery.
“These legislators, myself included, are now guilty until we can prove that we’re innocent. How is that right in this country? Isn’t that a little bit backwards?”
The scandal has highlighted long-standing divisions in Wyoming’s Republican party, which in recent years has seen a growing divide between old school, more moderate conservatives and a harder-right Freedom Caucus.
Several former Republican lawmakers forcefully condemned their colleagues for accepting the checks, and a local Republican party branch called for the lawmakers’ resignations.
Ogden Driskill, a Wyoming Republican senator, told the Guardian he does not consider Bextel’s actions to be illegal, but that “just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should”.
Bextel has spent years pushing against housing mitigation fees in Wyoming, and Driskill noted that she distributed the house floor checks just days before a bill she had publicly supported was set to be heard. Bextel was registered as a member of the press, not as a lobbyist when she delivered the checks.
“Ethically and morally, it’s bankrupt to a massive degree,” Driskill said.
Neiman said that he and other legislators who received checks have supported similar bills in the past: “Bribery is paying somebody to do something they would not otherwise do.”
Nationally, the 2024 election cycle saw record-spending from the mega-wealthy, as well as dark money groups. Wyoming followed the trend, in a tense red-on-red primary season.
For those gearing up to campaign this year, Teton county, the richest in the US, and Bextel’s picturesque home turf, is an essential stop. Its extreme wealth gives it a foothold on the national level as well. Palantir chief executive Alex Karp and Donald Trump attended an annual Republican leadership fundraiser at Jackson Hole in 2024, and JD Vance attended the same one in 2025.
Bextel pulls dollars from Teton county into the Freedom Caucus side of Wyoming’s conservative split. She hosted no-press-allowed meet and greets earlier this year benefitting leading candidates for Wyoming’s governor and open US House seat.
In an interview with the Open Range Record, a media network she co-founded, Bextel said controversy around the checks was solely because she was making “even playing field” in Wyoming against the state’s more moderate Republicans, who she calls “George Soros” candidates. She said that she will be sure to keep raising money – just away from the legislative floor.
“I guess I’m gonna ask all the gentlemen and gentleladies to step outside the Capitol while I hand them a check,” Bextel said. “Let me be clear: I’m doubling down.”
But it’s not just wealthy local donors putting their weight behind the factions. Last election cycle, out of state groups spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on anonymous and often inaccurate mailers.
“These actors, especially from the far right, they like to push the bounds of the norms,” said Rosa Reyna Pugh, an organizing and advocacy consultant at Western States Center, an Oregon-based non-profit focused on democracy in the western United States. “They like to see what policies they can kind of push, and see where they can play a piece,” Reyna Pugh said.
While Neiman and Driskill fight politically, they do agree on one thing: summer will bring an expensive and brutal campaign season.
“You’re going to see more dark money than you’ve ever seen. We’ve done absolutely nothing to enforce it. Our secretary of state has not even made a slight attempt to deal with it,” Driskill said. “You’re going to see lots and lots of outside money and I think you’re seeing it on both sides.”
As national questions swirl around pay-to-play politics and profiteering in the Trump administration, Provenza wants better for the Cowboy State.
“We should not be aligning ourselves with how the federal government is conducting itself or how federal elections conduct themselves,” Provenza said. “We owe something far better and more honest to the people of Wyoming than that.”
Wyoming
Wyoming man reaches plea deal to avoid jail time in wolf-abuse case
A Sublette County man who captured and brought an injured wolf into a bar in February 2024 has struck a deal with prosecutors that could keep him out of jail, reports WyoFile.
A signed plea agreement filed with the Sublette County District Court and acquired by WyoFile on Wednesday afternoon means that Cody Roberts, 44, would likely no longer face trial. It had been set to begin March 9.
Under the deal, Roberts withdraws his earlier not guilty plea and changes that plea to guilty or no contest for felony cruelty to animals.
The deal calls for a prison sentence of 18 months to two years that would be suspended in favor of 18 months of supervised probation and a $1,000 fine. Additionally, agreed-upon conditions of his probation include: no hunting or fishing; no alcohol, presence at bars or liquor stores; and a requirement that Roberts follow recommended addiction treatment.
As part of the deal, the parties are asking that a “pre-sentence investigation report” be ordered by the court.
Roberts allegedly acquired a wolf by striking it with a snowmobile, leaving it “barely conscious” on Feb. 29, 2024. Photos and video from that night showed him posing for pictures with the animal and even kissing it. The wolf’s behavior suggests that it was gravely injured, according to biologists who’ve reviewed video of the muzzled animal while it was prone and barely moving on the floor of the Green River Bar.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department initially handled the incident, issuing Roberts a $250 fine for possession of warm-blooded wildlife. The state agency declined to seek stiffer penalties or jail time, and Game and Fish officials maintained that predatory animals, including wolves, were exempted from felony animal cruelty laws.
Sublette County law enforcement officials disagreed. In August, prosecutor Clayton Melinkovich convened a grand jury that indicted Roberts for felony animal cruelty. That crime could have put Roberts in jail for up to two years, though his plea agreement averts mandatory time behind bars as long as he successfully completes probation.
WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy.
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