By Elsa Heidorn

Laramie, Wy – Some Wyoming veterans say they're NOT
happy about recent sparring in the gubernatorial race over veterans' issues.
Last week, Republican gubernatorial candidate Ray Hunkins said he wanted to add new offices and staff around the state to better serve veterans' needs. He also wants to separate the Wyoming
Veterans Commission from the state Military Department, and says he'll oppose a bill that makes the director of the veterans commission an at-will employee who could be hired or fired at the discretion of the governor.

Laramie, Wy – Western Wyoming Community College's trustees are questioning whether to allow the expansion of a campus art exhibit because two of the new pieces contain nudity.
The exhibit in the archaeology hallway already houses five paintings, each showing images of famous cave art. Painter Darryl Newton would like to add seven more.

Laramie, Wy – The hot spot for West Nile Virus in the state this year is Fremont County. And Wyoming's top West Nile watcher says the spike in West Nile infections in Fremont County might have something to do with the county's sparse spraying program.
Terry Creekmore is Wyoming's West Nile virus coordinator. He says outside of Riverton and Lander, there isn't much spraying in Fremont County.
That, combined with the hottest summer in a hundred years in the county, might explain why West Nile cases have spiked in Fremont County.

Laramie, Wy – Idaho big game officials say a number of the farm-raised elk that escaped last month near Yellowstone National Park may never be recovered and probably have already mated with wild elk.
A special emergency depredation hunt starts tomorrow along the Idaho-Wyoming border.
To protect the wild elk gene pool, Idaho Governor Jim Risch has authorized licensed hunters with valid elk tags to shoot as many of the domesticated elk as they can find.

Laramie, Wy – Concern over the safety of raw spinach has reached the University of Wyoming salad bar.
UW officials announced Monday that they are removing spinach and mixed green salads from the salad bar at the campus dining hall. This will continue until questions about spinach safety and E. coli bacteria are resolved.
Wyoming is one of 20 states that has been linked to the national E. coli outbreak, which has killed one person and sickened more than 100 others.

Cheyenne, Wy – Wyoming landowners are seeking changes in
the law governing the seizure of private property for public
projects.
Lining up against any drastic changes to the eminent domain law
are oil and gas companies, utilities and municipalities.
On Monday, the Legislature's Joint Agriculture, Public Lands and
Water Resources Interim Committee will hear public comment and
discuss possible changes to the state's eminent domain law in
Cheyenne. The panel will look over draft legislation that proposes

Laramie, Wy – The state of Wyoming is pressing a gun
rights lawsuit against the federal government that some say could serve as a national test case.
The case centers on a state law that allows people convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence to petition in court to expunge their records so they can regain their right to own guns.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
this year threatened to take action against Wyoming unless it took steps to repeal the law.

Laramie, Wy – Governor Dave Freudenthal is hosting the governor of West Virginia this weekend. That state is Wyoming's closest competitor in coal production. The two leaders say they want to improve the relationship between the states. Governor Joe Manchin says they could work together on national environmental regulation related to coal and money for abandoned mine land reclamation. He says if they team up they could break through barriers on these issues in Washington DC.

Laramie, WY – Bob Beck previews the U-W symphony season with Symphony Director Michael Griffith.