Gillette, Wy – A proposed settlement of a lawsuit that
pits Wyoming against Montana in a dispute over coal-bed methane
water quality rules calls for sharp restrictions on industry along
the Tongue River, but would set lower standards for other
southeastern Montana waterways.
Several energy companies used Montana claiming that the state's
water quality rules would dampen coal-bed methane development in
the Powder River Basin. Wyoming later joined the suit on the side
of the companies.

Cheyene, Wy – High staff turnover at U.S. Bureau of Land
Management offices in northeastern Wyoming is contributing to
delays in acting on permit applications to drill for coal-bed
methane in the Powder River Basin.
Chris Hanson is manager of the BLM's office in Buffalo. He says
staff in his office has seen a 17-percent turnover this year.
Hanson says the BLM is having a hard time keeping up with
salaries offered by private industry for petroleum engineers and
other jobs. He also notes that housing prices in Buffalo and other

By Elsa Partan

Laramie, WY – Wyoming has moved up in the rankings done by a national health organization. The United Health Foundation says Wyoming is now 19th out of the fifty states when it comes to various health standards. That means it moved up four spots compared to last year.

By AP

Cheyenne, WY – The state Department of Education has told school officials in Cheyenne to change their special education procedures.

That's after the parents of a sixth-grader complained that their son was held face-down for 20 minutes.

Kim and Clarence Styvar filed a complaint in May, alleging abuse by staff at the district's Therapeutic Learning Center at Pioneer Park Elementary School.

By Elsa Partan

Gillette, WY – It's getting easier to find a house to buy in Gillette. Real estate agents say prices are starting to come down and more houses are for sale now.

Broker Kevin Beck owns Coldwell Banker Razor City Realty. Eighteen months ago, he says, they had 100 to 120 properties on the market. Today, they have over 400.

By AP

Helena, MT – States are joining to protect fish and
wildlife from poachers.

The Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact was formed in the early 1990s by three states.

Each state has a representative on the compact's board, which elects a chairman.

The current board chairman is North Dakota's chief game warden, Bob Timian.

He says people are more mobile than ever, and the interstate pact stops violators in one state from hunting illegally in other states.

By AP

By Elsa Partan

Laramie, WY – The joint Labor, Health and Social Services Committee said it will not sponsor the bill, so the only way for it to move forward now is for an individual legislator to take it up. Jan Drury of the American Heart Association says she hoped the bill would make it farther.

December would have been the next time the bill would come up for discussion, but now Drury says it will be harder to get the idea considered in the next legislative session.

Wyoming – A legislative committee is trying to develop an easier and permanent way to fund counties, cities and towns with the state's mineral wealth. But the process has gotten off to a rocky start as some mayors accuse their own lobbyist of not representing them well. Peter O'Dowd reports.

By Bob Beck