Laramie, Wy – Three Wyoming school districts have received funds from the federal government. The money is compensation for teaching students who were displaced by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
The districts got a total of 79-thousand, 500 dollars.
The Wyoming Department of Education says schools statewide accommodated about 13 displaced students at any given time last school year.
The federal government has distributed 878 million dollars to school districts nationwide through the program.

Laramie, Wy – The amount of water now stored in Wyoming reservoirs is dismal, except for Buffalo Bill Reservoir west of Cody.
Buffalo Bill Reservoir was two-thirds full heading into November and contained 105 percent of the 30-year average for water.
Meanwhile Boysen Reservoir is at 77 percent of average and Bull Lake Reservoir is at 75 percent.
Along the North Platte River system, the situation is even more critical with Seminoe and Pathfinder both at 43 percent of average capacity.

Wyoming – The effects of climate change are being studied not only by scientists, but by financial and energy analysts, too.

By Elsa Heidorn

Laramie, WY – The head of a statewide organization says Wyoming can look to other states for ideas on how to boost tourism. Bill Schilling is the president of the Wyoming Business Alliance. HE points to the state of Iowa, which has been awarding grants of $10M and up so that towns can spruce up their shopping districts. Schilling says the state could also boost tourism by maintaining and expanding highways. His organization is holding forums about tourism Thursday and Friday in Casper.

By Renny MacKay

By Kristin Espeland

Laramie, Wy – A spokesman for the University of Wyoming says the brother of a U-W basketball player has died in Laramie.
Redshirt freshman Travis Nelson's brother died yesterday (Wednesday). The spokesman said he didn't have the brother's name because the victim was not a U-W student.

Laramie, Wy – Some Laramie County officials say poor
communications hampered their response to a pipeline fire that killed a bulldozer operator on Saturday southwest of Cheyenne.
Sheriff Danny Glick says the situation was tough because different organizations were trying to get information about what was happening, and because there was a lot of emotion on the scene.

Laramie, Wy – The new head of the National Park Service made her first official trip outside of Washington D-C. And her destination was Wyoming. Mary Bomar came for a conference on tourism in Casper.
On the subject of snowmobiling she says she is pleased with the process right now and thinks Park Supervisor Suzanne Lewis is doing a good job, but she does not feel it is appropriate to give her opinion because the Service is reviewing its policy right now.

Laramie, Wy – Gary Trauner has decided NOT to seek a
recount in his narrow loss to Republican Representative Barbara Cubin.
Trauner is a Democrat from Wilson. He said in a statement released through his campaign today (Thursday) that it's -- quote -- "time to put this election to rest."
Trauner says since Wyoming law does not allow for hand counting of ballots, he didn't think there would be any change in the outcome by simply having a recount by machine. He says the state should look at its recounting methods.