Wyoming Whiskey has announced the launch of Queen of the Tetons, a limited edition bourbon dedicated to the legendary Grizzly 399, the bear who was tragically killed in a car accident near Grand Teton National Park on October 22, 2024.

An icon of the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, Grizzly 399 attracted countless tourists and photographers eager to catch a glimpse of the 7-foot, 400-pound matriarch. At 28 years old, she was the region’s oldest known reproducing female grizzly, spending much of her life near the Snake River and raising 18 known cubs.

In conjunction with the launch of Wyoming Whiskey’s Queen of the Tetons, the brand will be donating $20,000 to the Grand Teton National Park Foundation to protect and preserve the wild habitats that bears like Grizzly 399 call home. The funds will support grizzly bear education, conservation, and research programs in Grand Teton National Park.

Wyoming Whiskey Queen of the Tetons is bottled at 49.5% ABV (99 proof) and is described as having aromas of “honey and ripe field berries, layered with a gentle dusting of cinnamon spice.” The palate reveals flavors of “white chocolate mocha, with notes of red fruit and rich brown sugar.” The finish exhibits “lingering hints of candied ginger and soft vanilla.”

Queen of the Tetons – which features an image of Grizzly 399 shot by renowned nature photographer Thomas Mangelsen – is limited to fewer than 720 bottles. It’s available exclusively at Wyoming Whiskey’s Jackson Barrel House in Jackson, WY, the Wyoming Whiskey Shop in Kirby, WY, and select retailers across the state of Wyoming for a suggested retail price of $84.99.

To continue to support the Grand Teton National Park Foundation, and in memory of Grizzly 399, the 399th bottle of this limited release will be auctioned off to benefit the foundation. To stay up to date on the auction, sign up for the newsletter on the Wyoming Whiskey website.

Source: Wyoming Whiskey.

CASPER, Wyo. —  Nineteen years after becoming a lifeguard, the City of Casper’s Aquatics Supervisor Edwin Luers was awarded the Wyoming Recreational Professional of the Year through the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Association. Luers was recognized for the statewide award at the Casper City Council meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 5.  

“The person chosen for this award exemplifies what it means to be a dedicated professional focused on the betterment of the community through the power of recreation,” said Recreation Manager Nicholas Whipps

City administrative assistant Chrissy Batt told the council that Luers is now in charge of the 85 employees who operate 12 pools at five city facilities. She said he’s taught thousands of people through swimming lessons and lifeguard training. She said he updated the lifeguard training manual and also volunteers to help other departments with their events.

“His professional conduct is a shining example to all of us,” Batt said.

Parks, Recreation, and Facilities Manager Zulima Lopez said Luers’s management responsibilities are complex and that he’s adapted to staff shortages, facility overhauls, and mechanical breakdowns with “creativity and agility.”

“He’s a walking, talking, and smiling example of Casper’s core values of communication, accountability, stewardship, professionalism, efficiency, and responsiveness,” Lopez said.

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After a tense three-hour meeting, the state of Wyoming’s top five elected officials narrowly moved forward with a purchase agreement to sell a prized 640-acre tract known as the Kelly Parcel to the federal government for addition into Grand Teton National Park.

There’s no closing date, but the contract for the $100 million land sale states that the conveyance shall be completed “at the earliest possible date.” 

Efforts to convey the section of school trust land have been ongoing for nearly 15 years. Some $62.4 million — the land’s appraised value — has been secured by the U.S. Department of the Interior, and the balance, $37.6 million, has been pledged by the Grand Teton National Park Foundation. 

The decision to move forward midday Thursday fell to the State Board of Land Commissioners: Gov. Mark Gordon, Secretary of State Chuck Gray, Treasurer Curt Meier, Auditor Kristi Racines and Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder.

Degenfelder opposed the sale, favoring a land exchange that would send 100,000-plus acres of developable federal Powder River Basin land to the state.

Gray also opposed the sale. He’s often aligned with far-right members of the Wyoming Legislature who fought the sale, which was initially authorized by lawmakers as part of the budget bill during the body’s 2024 session. 

Gordon, Meier and Racines agreed to move forward with the high-profile sale. The transaction’s completion is dependent on the governor’s approval of the record of decision for the Bureau of Land Management’s Rock Springs Resource Management Plan. 

This breaking news story will be updated.

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