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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NEW RICHMOND, W.Va. (WVVA) – The Wyoming East Lady Warriors and Liberty Lady Raiders clashed in the Class AA R3 co-championship Wednesday night.

The Lady Raiders would be the ones to pounce early in both the first and second sets, but the Lady Warriors would rally in both of them to come back and take a 2-0 lead.

In the third, it was all smoothing sailing for Wyoming East winning 25-12, winning the regional and heading to the state tournament for the first time in program history.

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