Laramie, WY – The Interior Department says it's doing all it can to account for billions of dollars, owed to American Indian landholders.

That's what a department official told a federal court today in Washington, DC, in legal arguments over the Indians' 11-year-old lawsuit against the government.

The suit claims the government has mismanaged more than 100 billion dollaras in oil, gas, timber and other royalties, held in trust from their lands dating back to 1887.

By Rebecca Huntington

Jackson Hole, WY – Business leaders and policymakers say squabbling over which type of energy is best to combat climate change only delays action. At the climate summit in Jackson, experts say all available technologies will be needed to balance the world's increasing demand for energy against the risks of climate change. The President of GE Gasification, John Lavelle, says the wisest bet right now is to invest in as many different options as possible.

By Rebecca Huntington

Jackson Hole, WY – Business leaders predict dealing with climate change could mean big business for Wyoming. Attorney Kipp Coddington represents companies interested in carbon sequestration, that is, pumping carbon dioxide from burning coal underground, instead of venting it into the atmosphere. He says Wyoming has not only the right geology but also the right attitude to take advantage of the budding technology. Coddington spoke at the University of Wyoming's climate summit in Jackson.

Laramie, Wy – The lawyer for a University of Wyoming
student accused of violating school policy in a drinking incident
last month says UW officials are violating the student's
due-process rights.
UW officials last week announced that they were temporarily
suspending all activities at the Sigma Nu fraternity following
reports that students were dangerously intoxicated at an event
there.
Sara Axelson is vice president for student affairs at UW. She
said last week that the dean of students office there was holding

By Bob Beck

Laramie, WY – The Rock Springs City Council is considering drafting an ordinance that would ban smoking in public places. The idea is being supported by Wyoming's health care community. Loretta Wolf of the Wyoming Chapter of the American Cancer Society says such bans are gaining in popularity.

The Rock Springs City Council took public comment on the proposal and will consider such a ban next week. Laramie, Evanston and Cheyenne have already enacted similar bans on smoking.

By Peter O'Dowd

Laramie, WY – The Eastern Shoshone Tribe hopes it can save up to $1 million a year by restructuring the way it uses attorneys on the reservation.

Business Council Chairman Ivan Posey says the tribe has traditionally relied on outside firms to provide legal advice. Now he says the tribe is trying to form an attorney general's office, and eight qualified candidates have already come forward.

Laramie, WY – A section of Yellowstone National Park
west of Gardiner, Montana, has been temporarily closed following a
grizzly bear attack on a hunter over the weekend.

The bear attacked 21-year-old Roman Morris on Saturday. It bit and clawed him, severing his left hamstring, puncturing his shoulder and chomping at his head.

By Rebecca Huntington

Jackson Hole, WY – Climate scientists and other experts called for immediate action on global warming at a conference in Jackson Tuesday.

They spoke at a three-day conference sponsored by the University of Wyoming. Stanford University climate scientist Stephen Schneider says the US government has already delayed too long in taking action.

The longer we wait to try to solve the problem, the more expensive it will be in terms of the risk of climate change," he said.

Rock Springs, Wy – The Rock Springs City Council is
looking into a proposed ban on smoking.
If the ban is adopted, Rock Springs would join Cheyenne, Laramie
and Evanston as Wyoming cities that prohibit smoking in public
places.
The Rock Springs proposal hasn't been introduced in the city
council yet.
Supporters of the ban say that it would prevent children and
others from being exposed to harmful secondhand smoke.
But others say that the ban could hurt business.

Laramie, Wy – The administrator of Wyoming's version of the state children's health insurance program or S-Chip says the state has enough money in its program if federal funding is stalled. President Bush vetoed the bill funding S-Chip and some worry that kids might lose their insurance. Wyoming Kid Care Administrator Patti Guzman, says the Wyoming program works differently then the federal version. She notes that it's a partnership between the state and private insurance companies.