By AP

By Kristin Espeland

Wheatland, Wy – The Platte County Commission voted
unanimously today (Tuesday) to hire an outside attorney to look
into the situation with the current county attorney.
Yesterday (Monday), all four employees in the county attorney's
office submitted their resignations. Deputy County Attorney Tillie
Routh has left the office and three legal assistants have given two
weeks notice.
County Attorney Mary Eikenberry would NOT comment on the staff
resignations.
Eikenberry was elected last year and took office in January. The

Pinedale, Wy – Three energy producers are offering to
contribute 36 (m) million dollars to improve wildlife habitat and
preserve wildlife migration routes in the Pinedale Anticline in
western Wyoming.
The companies offered the money as the U-S Bureau of Land
Management crafts a plan based on their proposal to allow
year-round drilling on parts of the anticline. Currently gas
development is restricted by seasonal closures to protect wildlife
that spend the winter in the area and sage grouse that nest in the
spring.

Washington D-C – A high-ranking Interior Department official accused of pressuring government scientists to make their research
fit her policy goals has resigned.
Julie MacDonald was deputy assistant secretary for fish,
wildlife and parks.
Her resignation comes a week before a House congressional
oversight committee was to hold a hearing on accusations that she
violated the Endangered Species Act, censored science and
mistreated Fish and Wildlife Service staff.
MacDonald was recently rebuked by the department's inspector

Grand Teton National Park – Two climbers apparently fell to their deaths on Grand Teton mountain in western Wyoming.
Grand Teton National Park rangers flew to the scene by
helicopter today (Tuesday) and saw the climbers' bodies. Park
officials say the bodies were NOT recovered because of unsafe
conditions due to falling rocks and unstable snow.
An attempt to retrieve the bodies is planned tomorrow
(Wednesday).
The climbers were reported overdue yesterday (Monday) morning.

Lander, Wyoming – Fremont county officials are baffled as to the cause of a huge increase in suicides in the county. Murders have also increased and only Laramie County rivals the actual numbers in Wyoming. Coroner Ed McAuslan told the Fremont County Commissioners thatit is busting his budget as his office investigates the deaths. He says it does not seem to be a trend.
McAuslan says the county is wealthy and things are generally good, so he says if it is a social issue, it is not easy to spot. The suicide and murder rates are 4 times the national average.

By AP

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