By Peter O'Dowd

By AP

By Kristin Espeland

By Peter O'Dowd

Cheyenne, Wy –

By Peter O'Dowd

Laramie, WY – Senator John Barrasso says he's worried Wyoming will not receive the 550-million dollars the federal government owes the state in Abandoned Mine Land funds.
Barrasso voted against the nomination this week of a man named Brent Whalquist, who is being considered to head the federal government's surface mining reclamation program. Barrasso says Whalquist avoided direct questions when the senator asked him about the half billion dollars the government owes Wyoming.

By Ben Tabor

By Elsa Heidorn

By Kristin Espeland

Laramie, WY – A lightning strike cut power to nearly 4 thousand 6 hundred Laramie customers this afternoon. Heavy rain and hail had been pounding the region for much of the afternoon when the outage occurred. Rocky Mountain power spokesman Jeff Hymas says the lightning caused no lasting harm to the system. Hymas says the power was back on for all Laramie customers by 4 pm today. He says the company recommends customers be prepared for weather-related outages by keeping a flashlight on hand.

Greeley, Colorado – The attorney for a former University of
Northern Colorado punter accused of stabbing the starter says his
client is nervous and concerned as trial nears.
Mitch Cozad is due for trial July 30th on charges of with
attempted first-degree murder and second-degree assault in an
attack last fall on Rafael Mendoza.
Police have said they believe Cozad, of Wheatland, Wyoming,
stabbed Mendoza in an attempt to get the starting job.
Cozad has pleaded NOT guilty, and remains free on
500-thousand-dollars' bond.