Wyoming
US Attorney’s Office forms Project Safe Neighborhoods leadership committee in Wyoming
CASPER, Wyo. — In October 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office formed a Project Safe Neighborhoods Leadership Committee in Wyoming. Throughout the last year, the PSN Leadership Committee reviewed and analyzed various factors and statistics to determine how to best use PSN resources, as well as to develop and implement enforcement strategies to prevent and reduce crime and to provide oversight and evaluation of the PSN’s progress.
That’s according to a release from the U.S. Attorney General’s Office, which states that the Leadership Committee has decided to concentrate PSN resources on Laramie County.
The release also offered the following areas of concern, which the resources will primarily focus on:
- Violent offenders who victimize children
- Armed offenders, including individuals federally prohibited from possessing firearms
- Violent crime recidivists
- Intimate Partner Violence, o IPV, offenders who commit a violent offense stemming from
IPV and/or who use firearms during an IPV crime - Violent offenders who possess firearms while distributing controlled substances
- Violent offenders involved in human trafficking
According to the release, “Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them by implementing the four PSN design elements: 1) Community Engagement, 2) Prevention and Intervention, 3) Focused and Strategic Enforcement, and 4) Accountability.”
Following these guidelines, in early 2024 the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office and the Cheyenne Police Department were approved to apply for and receive grant funding from Project Safe Neighborhoods in an effort to reduce and prevent violent crimes in Laramie County.
“The goal of bringing this committee together is to make Wyoming safer by supporting local and state law enforcement and prosecutors, and by prosecuting appropriate violent offenders in federal court where they will receive long prison sentences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann.
In addition to the funding, officers from both law enforcement agencies joined the PSN Leadership Committee in order to “provide important insight regarding the needs and concerns of Laramie County and participate in the development of programs and strategies that emphasize the core elements of PSN.”
Individuals from the Laramie County District Attorney’s Office have joined the leadership committee as well.
According to the release, the following agencies are also participating in the PSN program and are represented on the leadership committee:
- Cheyenne Police Department
- Laramie County District Attorney’s Office
- Laramie County Sheriff’s Office
- Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police
- Wyoming Department of Corrections
- Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Homeland Security Investigations
- United States Attorney’s Office
- United States Marshals Service
The release states that the Project Safe Neighborhoods program was designed to help combat violent crime problems in different cities and states. It was created with the goal of enhancing both coordination and cooperation among public service and safety partners in order to ensure that tactics, resources and intelligence services are integrated to identify and target violent offenders and criminal organizations.
“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a vital partnership between all levels of law enforcement,” said Cheyenne Police Chief Mark Francisco. “By combining our resources and expertise, we can effectively identify offenders, enhance prevention efforts, and strengthen our communities.”
Laramie County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Brian Kozak said that he will use the resources offered by PSN to “provide exceptional service to other criminal justice agencies in Laramie County and to help domestic violence victims. The Sheriff will host an advanced homicide investigation course for local detectives, and he plans to purchase state-of-the-art cameras to capture a victim’s bruising following a domestic assault.”
The program is also describes as a collaborative effort designed to protect victims and potential victims.
“The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation is honored to be partnered with our state, local, and federal partners on the PSN initiative,” said Ronnie Jones, director of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. “I am thankful for the cooperation, commitment and work the United States Attorney’s office has provided to this program to help make our state a safer place to live and work. We look forward to seeing how all the stakeholders work together to implement new ideas and strategies to address local violent crime.”
For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit www.justice.gov/psn.
Related
CASPER, Wyo. — There was magic, or something like it, in the air on Saturday as the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds presented the 2026 Casper Holistic Expo, Casper’s longest running holistic expo and a hallmark of the beginning of spring in Natrona County.
Countless vendors from Casper and beyond gathered with their goodies to present them to eager customers searching for something a little different.
The holistic expo featured crystal and metaphysical shops, tattoo and body piercing studios, henna and glitter tattoo studios, holistic shops, tarot readings, fortune tellers, magic and so much more. There was truly something for everyone, and Christina Kuhn, the lead organizer, said that nobody who came to the expo would leave disappointed.
“This actually started over 20 years ago,” Kuhn said. “I’ve been doing it for years. My mom did it for seven years before me. And Judy Ick, who actually does our photography, she did it before that. So it’s been a very long, very longstanding and growing event.”
Kuhn said that the Holistic Expo has grown exponentially over the years.
“When Judy passed it down to mom, there were 38 booths,” she said. “After mom passed it down to me, there were 78. Now I think we’re up to, like, 98.”
The booths are as eclectic as the people who run them. There’s magic, mysticism and moonlight; storytellers and palm readers; conversationalists and creators. There are CBD products, organic teas, energy testing, and even fudge.
“Some of this is kind of a special niche,” Kuhn shared, “but some of it is not. We’ve got a chiropractor. We’ve got people that are working with healing modalities. Some of it’s spiritual stuff. We’ve got crafts, too.”
There’s a wide variety of vendors and customers as the Holistic Expo, and Kuhn said she wouldn’t want it any other way. The most important thing they do, Kuhn said, is donate to local nonprofits.
“People can either pay the $5 door fee — anybody that’s 13 or over — or they can donate five nonperishable goods,” Kuhn said. “We started donating that to poverty resistance, and then we did City Park Church. This year we’re donating to the Wyoming Food for Thought Project.”
Kuhn said this was just a simple way to give back to the community, a community she and her business have been a part of for years. Kuhn owns a store in downtown Casper called A Place for Passion, and the Holistic Expo also allows her to bring some merch from her store and put in on display with a variety of other items. It’s a fun way to spend a weekend, she said, and she’s proud to be a part of it.
“Good lord, I’ve been doing this for a long time,” she said. “I helped my mom with it for ages and she wanted somebody that would carry on and keep expanding and doing well with it. Before I was helping run the show and managing it, I was a booth. I started sharing a booth with my mom because I only had a few things and I wasn’t sure how well they’d sell. But then it just expanded and took off, and now here I am.”
Kuhn said it means a lot that she’s able to continue the Holistic Expo for her mother.
“It’s nice to keep expanding something, especially something that contributes so much to the community,” she said. “There are so many people that come out and enjoy everything that they get here. And it’s a big opportunity for them to connect with others, to connect with people that have stuff they want to offer them.”
That, Kuhn said, is her favorite part of the Holistic Expo — meeting people.
“It’s just nice connecting with people and helping them out in any way that you can,” she said. “Everybody’s got their own knowledge, gifts, products that they’re putting out — services, whatever it is. So being able to share that with others is awesome. You’ve got to come check it out. It’s an awesome experience. There’s a little something for everyone.”
The Casper Holistic Expo is happening Saturday until 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Industrial Building at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds.
Photos from the Holistic Expo can be seen below:
Related
A 6-inch megalodon shark tooth was found by a Wyoming teen during a dive trip off Manasota Key, Florida earlier this week.
Sixteen-year-old Aiden Andrews and his father Brian were on a guided dive with Fossil Junkies, a local fossil-hunting tour company.
Captain John Kreatsoulas told FOX 13 Tampa Bay reporter Kimberly Kuizon that while finding small megalodon teeth isn’t uncommon, finding one that size is quite rare.
Video captured the moments when Aiden and his father celebrated underwater after making the remarkable discovery.
Popularized by Hollywood monster movies, the Carcharocles megalodon was the largest shark to have ever lived, according to the Smithsonian Institution.
Scientists believe the largest megalodon reached up to 60 feet in length and weighed up to 50 tons.
And as Andrews can attest — they possessed teeth the size of a human hand.
According to the Smithsonian, megalodon lived between 23 and 3.6 million years ago across all of Earth’s oceans.
Wyoming
Outdoor Fun Awaits At Local Parks With Izaak Walton League’s Hiking Series From April To September
Hiking can be an activity that you enjoy doing on your own, but sometimes you need a little extra inspiration, and a group hike is exactly what you need. If you’re looking for a group to explore the outdoors with, the Charles E. Piersall chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America hiking group may be what you’re looking for.
The mission of the IWLA:
To engage the community in the conservation, restoration, and promotion of environmental protection, we focus on the sustainable use and enjoyment of our natural resources, including soil, air, woods, waters, and wildlife. This commitment is essential for a sustainable future, and activities like hiking help foster a connection with nature
The group is open to all ages, and even your pup can join in on the fun if they’re on a leash. There is a series of hikes planned beginning on April 1. Nope, this isn’t a prank; it is a real chance to meet other outdoor lovers and take in some of the area’s best hiking trails. The hikes are scheduled on the odd Wednesdays from April to September, weather permitting.
Join us to connect with others who appreciate the beauty of outdoor hiking and environmental advocacy hiking. Remember to bring drinking water, snacks, good walking shoes or boots, and a jacket. A walking stick or hiking poles can also be helpful.
Here are the hikes they have planned for this summer.
April 2026
- Wednesday, April 1, 6 pm, Morad Park to Paradise Valley:
- Wednesday, April 15, 6 pm, Edness K. Wilkins State Park:
- Wednesday, April 29, 6 pm, Tate Pumphouse, Golf Course loop:
May 2026
June 2026
July 2026
- Wednesday, July 1, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, North Face:
- Wednesday, July 15, 6 pm, Muddy Mountain, Beaver Ponds:
- Wednesday, July 29, 6 pm, Casper Mountain, Biathlon:
August 2026
September 2026
16 Types Of Hikes Explained
7 Trails To Hike In Central Wyoming
There’s no doubt about it, the entire state of Wyoming is covered in amazing hiking trails. If you’re visiting central Wyoming here are 7 trails that you should check out. I’ve organized them from easier to harder, ending with Laramie Peak.
Zelenskyy offers cutting-edge drone defense to Gulf allies as Ukraine seeks missile support
JD Vance says he was ‘obsessed’ with UFOs, believes aliens are actually ‘demons’
Hormone therapy boosts weight loss drug results by 35% in women, study finds
Illinois knocks off Iowa to reach Final Four after buzzer malfunction delay
Why that $4 charge on your statement could be fraud
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
JD Vance says he was ‘obsessed’ with UFOs, believes aliens are actually ‘demons’
The EU's recipe for trade deals : easy on beef, tough on wine
Photos: ‘No Kings’ protests across the country
Jeffries declines to break with indicted Democrat after ethics panel’s guilty verdict
Hundreds of thousands march through London in stand against the far right
-
Sports1 week agoIOC addresses execution of 19-year-old Iranian wrestler Saleh Mohammadi
-
New Mexico6 days agoClovis shooting leaves one dead, four injured
-
Tennessee5 days agoTennessee Police Investigating Alleged Assault Involving ‘Reacher’ Star Alan Ritchson
-
Technology7 days agoYouTube job scam text: How to spot it fast
-
Minneapolis, MN3 days agoBoy who shielded classmate during school shooting receives Medal of Honor
-
Texas1 week agoHow to buy Houston vs. Texas A&M 2026 March Madness tickets
-
Science1 week agoRecord Heat Meets a Major Snow Drought Across the West
-
Politics1 week agoTrump gives Iran 48-hour ultimatum to reopen Strait of Hormuz or face strikes on power plants