Wyoming

Wyoming lawmakers punt on protecting electric utilities from wildfire liability – WyoFile

Published

1 year ago

December 3, 2024

Wyoming lawmakers punt on protecting electric utilities from wildfire liability – WyoFile

A panel of lawmakers punted Monday on an effort to address the rising cost of electricity in the wake of utility sparked wildfires, which industry officials describe as an existential threat. The multipronged legislation, which sought to incentivize power companies to make wildfire mitigation upgrades in exchange for limits on damage claims, was too mired in complex amendments to secure the votes needed to move forward.

The Minerals, Business and Economic Development interim committee tabled the draft Public utilities-wildfire protection plans and liability measure, which means it will not be introduced as a committee-sponsored bill in the upcoming legislative session that begins in January. A group of stakeholders that crafted the bill, however, will likely seek individual sponsors, according to one member.

Climate-driven wildfire and utilities

Wildfires, driven by human-caused climate change, have become much more frequent and intense, particularly in the West. The region’s vast network of electric power lines and other energized facilities is aging and it simply wasn’t built to safely operate in an ever warmer and drier climate, according to industry experts.

Utilities have sparked devastating fires in California, Hawaii and Texas in recent years, prompting hundreds of lawsuits seeking enormous payouts. PacifiCorp, which operates as Rocky Mountain Power in Wyoming, faces tens of billions of dollars in claims for its role in wildfires that raged in Oregon in 2020.

The lightning-caused Elk Fire rages in Big Goose Canyon near Sheridan (the blaze to the right) while a smaller containment fire burns across a hillside. (Daniel Kenah/WyoFile)

Some industry leaders in Wyoming say it’s only a matter of time before a similar situation plays out here. “We’re just one wildfire away from bankruptcy if we don’t have liability relief,” Wyoming Rural Electric Association Executive Director Shawn Taylor told WyoFile earlier this year.

Meantime, utilities face another potentially crushing financial strain in the form of soaring insurance costs. Wyoming’s largest electric utility, Rocky Mountain Power, cites skyrocketing wildfire liability in its current bid to increase rates by 14.7%, claiming insurance premiums for its Wyoming operations have risen 1,888% over the past five years.

“What has happened over the last few years is that wildfire has become a real existential threat, not just for the investor-owned utility, but all utilities,” Rocky Mountain Power Vice President of Government Affairs Thom Carter told the committee.

Legislative remedies

The basic legislative concept being considered in Wyoming, which is borrowed from similar measures in other western states, would restrict what wildfire victims can claim damages for when an electric utility sparks a blaze. To qualify for the protection, a utility would be required to invest in and maintain more stringent wildfire mitigation strategies. While the cost of those upgrades would be passed on to customers, they’re intended to stem rising insurance rates, according to proponents.

“This is not intended to be a dollar-for-dollar cost reduction,” Wyoming Office of Consumer Advocate Administrator Anthony Ornelas said in support of the bill. “To us, the real benefit here that we’re trying to do is to put some legal protections around … liability exposure.”

A power substation near Highway 372 north of Green River, Sept. 27, 2022. (Dustin Bleizeffer/WyoFile)

Though many committee members agreed the Legislature should provide some protection for utilities from what could be costly damage claims, the bill draft was marked up with too many complicated amendments to move forward, some lawmakers said. Others worried the ultimate goal of the bill — to protect utilities from expensive litigation and to stem rising insurance costs — remains speculative.

“The economics are not aligning in my mind,” Sen. Chris Rothfuss (D-Laramie) said. “I see where it’s really good for the utilities. I’m struggling to see how it’s really good or even marginally good for our ratepayers.”

Though Utah passed a similar bill in 2020, it’s difficult to calculate the net benefit of avoided damage claims and insurance costs versus ongoing investments in wildfire prevention, Carter of Rocky Mountain Power told the committee.

The Wyoming Trial Lawyers Association also warned that the bill may go too far in removing legal remedies for wildfire victims.

Casper residents and businesses rely on Rocky Mountain Power for electricity. (Dustin Bleizeffer/WyoFile)

For example, a person or entity would not be able to sue a utility that is determined by the Wyoming Public Service Commission to have “reasonably” implemented and maintained a wildfire mitigation plan. But that determination is more suited to be determined by a court or jury, not the public service commission, according to Sarah Kellogg, who serves as the association’s board of directors president.

“This legislation is essentially taking the question of reasonableness away from a jury, after the fact, and giving it to a governmental administrative body to decide reasonableness through a process that has not been laid out at all,” Kellogg told the committee.

“Wyoming juries are conservative people, they’re reasonable people,” Kellogg continued. “So taking this question away from Wyoming people and Wyoming juries — and in an adversarial setting — is not going to be good for Wyomingites.”

In addition to limiting utilities’ liability, several western states have acknowledged rising insurance costs and the need for major spending to prevent utility sparked wildfires. California authorized three utilities there to tap ratepayers for some $27 billion and has created an industrywide fund for such costs.

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Wyoming

Meyer’s Late Score Lifts Wyoming past Air Force – SweetwaterNOW

Published

4 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Meyer’s Late Score Lifts Wyoming past Air Force – SweetwaterNOW

Naz Meyer. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-UW Media-Athletics

LARAMIE — Nasir Meyer converted a three-point play with 35 seconds remaining to give Wyoming Cowboys men’s basketball the lead for good, and Wyoming held Air Force Falcons men’s basketball scoreless over the final two minutes to secure a 66-62 victory Saturday night.

The win marked the 13th home victory of the season for Wyoming, which improved to 16-13 overall and 7-11 in conference play.

“Air Force deserves all the credit and let’s talk about a team that has every reason not to fight, but thats why they are Air Force and the cadets and I have a lot of respect for them,” Wyoming coach Sundance Wicks said. “They were not going to quit, and I didn’t drive that message home enough and hats off to Air Force because they deserved to win. We snuck away with a win. Adam Harakow showed when we need him and he was massive for us. Simm-Marten was made big plays and Naz was clutch for us late.”

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Wyoming shot 35% from the field and went 7 of 28 from 3-point range, making just two from beyond the arc in the second half. Air Force shot 49% overall and 44% from 3, hitting eight shots from long distance. The Cowboys made 13 of 16 free throws (81%) and scored 22 points off 15 Air Force turnovers while holding a 39-36 edge in rebounding.

Damarion Dennis led Wyoming with 16 points and three assists, going 7 of 8 from the free-throw line. Meyer finished with 14 points and tied a career best with eight rebounds. Adam Harakow added 14 points off the bench on 5-of-6 shooting, his first double-figure scoring game since the first meeting with Air Force. Simm-Marten Saadi had nine points in 13 minutes, and Kiani Saxon grabbed seven rebounds.

Air Force opened with back-to-back 3-pointers to take a 6-0 lead. Meyer scored Wyoming’s first basket, and Leland Walker added a 3-pointer to make it 8-5 with 16 minutes left in the first half.

Wyoming responded with a 9-0 run over nearly four minutes, with Saadi and Harakow each connecting from beyond the arc to give the Cowboys an 11-8 lead with under 14 minutes remaining. Air Force regained a 12-11 advantage as Wyoming went scoreless for more than two minutes.

Harakow’s second 3-pointer pushed the lead to 22-16 with nine minutes left in the half, and Wyoming used a 6-0 run while holding the Falcons without a field goal for more than four minutes to build a 28-18 lead with six minutes remaining. The Cowboys closed the half on a defensive stand, keeping Air Force scoreless for the final two minutes to take a 35-25 lead into the break. Wyoming scored 15 first-half points off turnovers.

The teams traded 3-pointers early in the second half, and Air Force cut the deficit to 40-31 with under 17 minutes left before trimming it to seven 90 seconds later. Walker answered with a 3-pointer to make it 43-33 with 15 minutes to go.

Air Force used a 9-0 run during a stretch in which Wyoming went more than 3 1/2 minutes without a point to pull within one with nine minutes left. The Falcons later tied the game at 51-51 with 5:30 remaining after forcing six straight missed shots.

A pair of free throws by Meyer and a basket from Saadi gave Wyoming a 57-53 lead with under four minutes to play. Air Force answered with three consecutive 3-pointers from Kam Sanders to take a 62-59 lead with two minutes left.

Meyer scored with 90 seconds remaining to cut the deficit to one. On the next trip, he converted an and-one to give Wyoming a 64-62 lead with 35 seconds left. The Cowboys added late free throws to close out the 66-62 win.

Sanders led Air Force with 16 points and nine rebounds, going 4 of 5 from 3-point range. Eli Robinson added 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting.

Wyoming closes its home schedule Tuesday against Nevada Wolf Pack men’s basketball at 8 p.m. as part of a doubleheader with the Cowgirls.

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Wyoming

Wyoming High School Basketball 2A State Tournament 2026

Published

16 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming High School Basketball 2A State Tournament 2026

The 2-time defending champ Tongue River girls, along with both teams from Big Horn will represent Sheridan County in the small school version of March Madness.

Click here to see results from the regional tournaments.

2A Boys:

First Round:

Thursday, March 5th: (All games played at Casper College)

(#2E) Big Horn vs. (#3W) Shoshoni – Noon

(#1W) Thermopolis vs. (#4E) Sundance – 1:30pm

(#2W) Wyoming Indian vs. (#3E) Wright – 6:30pm

(#1E) Pine Bluffs vs. (#4W) Rocky Mountain – 8pm

Friday, March 6th: (All games played at Ford Wyoming Center)

Consolation Round:

Big Horn/Shoshoni loser vs. Thermopolis/Sundance loser – Noon LOSER OUT!

Wyoming Indian/Wright loser vs. Pine Bluffs/Rocky Mountain loser – 1:30pm LOSER OUT!

Semi-Finals:

Big Horn/Shoshoni winner vs. Thermopolis/Sundance winner – 6:30pm

Wyoming Indian/Wright winner vs. Pine Bluffs/Rocky Mountain winner – 8pm

Saturday, March 7th:

Friday Noon winner vs. Friday 1:30pm – Noon at Ford Wyoming Center Consolation Championship

Friday 6:30pm loser vs. Friday 8pm loser – 3pm at Natrona County High School 3rd Place

Friday 6:30pm winner vs. Friday 8pm winner – 7pm at Ford Wyoming Center Championship

2A Girls:

First Round:

Thursday, March 5th: (All games played at Casper College)

(#2W) Wyoming Indian vs. (#3E) Big Horn – 9am

(#1E) Sundance vs. (#4W) Shoshoni – 10:30am

(#2E) Tongue River vs. (#3W) Greybull – 3:30pm

(#1W) Thermopolis vs. (#4E) Pine Bluffs – 5pm

Friday, March 6th: (All games played at Ford Wyoming Center)

Consolation Round:

Wyoming Indian/Big Horn loser vs. Sundance/Shoshoni loser – 9am LOSER OUT!

Tongue River/Greybull loser vs. Thermopolis/Pine Bluffs loser – 10:30am LOSER OUT!

Semi-Finals:

Wyoming Indian/Big Horn winner vs. Sundance/Shoshoni winner – 3:30pm

Tongue River/Greybull loser vs. Thermopolis/Pine Bluffs loser – 5pm

Saturday, March 7th:

Friday 9am winner vs. Friday 10:30am winner – 9am at Ford Wyoming Center Consolation Championship

Friday 3:30pm loser vs. Friday 5pm loser – 10:30am at Ford Wyoming Center 3rd Place

Friday 3:30pm winner vs. Friday 5pm winner – 5:30pm at Ford Wyoming Center Championship

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Wyoming Crow Hunters Can Blast All They Want, But Nobody Eats The Birds

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming Crow Hunters Can Blast All They Want, But Nobody Eats The Birds

Mention of bird hunting might conjure up images of hunters and their dogs huddling in freezing duck blinds or pounding the brush in hopes of kicking up pheasants. But crow hunting is a thing in Wyoming too.

“It’s about the sport of it,” Dan Kinneman of Riverton told Cowboy State Daily.

He started crow hunting when he was 14 and is about to turn 85. He’s never tried cooking and eating crows or known anybody who has.

Instead, shooting crows is essentially nuisance bird control, as they’re known to wreak havoc on agricultural crops.

“All the ranchers will let you hunt crows. I’ve never been refused access to hunt crows. They all hate them,” he said.

In Wyoming, crow hunting season runs from Nov. 1 to Feb. 28. No license is required, and there’s no bag limit. Hunters can shoot all the crows they want to.

It’s a ball for hunting dogs too, Kinneman said.

“My yellow Labrador retriever, he doesn’t care whether it’s a crow or duck. In fact, he likes crow hunting more than duck hunting, because there’s more action,” he said.

Crow hunting requires skill, patience and a good set of decoys, an experienced Wyoming hunter said. The upside is, there’s no bag limit, hunters can blast all the crows they want. No one eats them, though.

Don’t Expect It To Be Easy

Kinneman said that in the days of his youth, crow hunting was as simple as driving around and “shooting them out of trees with rifles.”

However, as the number of people and buildings potentially in the paths of bullets grew, such practices fell out of favor. Crow hunting became more regulated.

And it evolved to resemble hunting other birds, such as waterfowl.

Meaning, hunters started setting out decoys, hiding in blinds and using calls to tempt crows to within shotgun range.

Kinneman is no stranger to hunting of all types. He’s taken numerous species of big game in Wyoming and elsewhere. And in July 2005, he shot a prairie dog near Rock Springs from well over a mile away.

He hit the prairie dog from 2,157 yards away. A mile is 1,760 yards.

But bird hunting has always been his favorite.

“It’s my life,” he said.

He has a huge collection of duck, goose and dove decoys. And two tubs full of crow decoys.

The uninitiated might think that going out and blasting crows would be a slam dunk.

That isn’t so, Kinneman said. He likes crow hunting for the challenge of it.

“Hunting crows is hard. They are a lot smarter than ducks and geese,” he said.

Pick Up After Yourself

Even though he doesn’t eat crows, Kinneman said he never just left them littering the ground where he shot them.

“I never let them lay out there. I always picked them up and disposed of the carcasses,” he said.

That’s good ethics and it shows respect for the ranchers, he said.

“Leaving them (dead crows) out there would be no different than just leaving all of your empty shotgun shells out there,” he said.

“You have to pick up after yourself, or the ranchers won’t let you back onto their land,” he added.

Slow Year

At his age, Kinneman isn’t sure how much longer he’ll be able to get out crow hunting. And this year has been a total bust.

“I love doing it. But this year there are no crows,” he said.

The Riverton area is along major crow migration routes.

Picking a good hunting spot is a matter of “finding a flyway” that the crows are on and then setting up a spread of decoys and a blind along the route.

But with an unusually warm winter, the crow flyways have been practically empty, he said.