Latest Wyoming news, sports, business and entertainment at 9:20 p.m. MDT

BROADBAND EXPANSION

Federal agency to give $12M for Wyoming broadband expansion

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — The Federal Communications Commission is expected to provide $12.1 million to expand broadband coverage to rural parts of Wyoming over the next decade.

The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reported three companies are expected to receive funds to extend service to more than 4,700 Wyoming homes and businesses lacking high-speed internet access.

The FCC says Inventive Wireless of Nebraska, Tri County Telephone and Union Telephone will receive funding.

Officials say service will be expanded in seven counties including Albany, Big Horn, Niobrara, Park, Platte, Sublette, and Uinta.

A Wyoming State Broadband Program survey of more than 2,400 residents found 26.9% of respondents lacked reliable broadband.

The FCC last year announced plans to distribute nearly $1.5 billion nationwide to provide broadband to more than 700,000 rural homes and small businesses over 10 years.

WIND FARM IMPACTS

Wind developer to pay $3.1M to local Wyoming governments

(Information from: Laramie Boomerang, http://www.laramieboomerang.com)

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming regulators have ordered a wind developer to contribute $3.1 million to the governments of Rock River, Laramie and Albany County to offset the impact on public services created by a $1 billion wind project on the border of Albany and Carbon counties.

The Laramie Boomerang reports that the Department of Environmental Quality's Industrial Siting Council ordered the payments this past week, while also setting a number of conditions the project's parent company, BluEarth Renewables, will need to meet to be issued permits.

Rock River will receive $1.6 million, Laramie will receive $662,883 and Albany County will receive $885,600. Monthly payments are scheduled to begin April 2021 and be completed in July 2023.

The project is expected to employ 400 workers during 2022 to construct up to 277 wind turbines.

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MONTANA GRIZZLY BEARS

6 grizzly bears killed in single week in northwest Montana

(Information from: Missoulian, http://www.missoulian.com)

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — Early snowstorms in northwest Montana have contributed to the deaths of five grizzly bears in one week on the Rocky Mountain Front.

The Missoulian reports that a sixth grizzly was put down east of Rogers Pass for killing cattle, pushing the one-week death toll to six and the unofficial annual mortality count to 38 in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem.

Last year, a record 46 grizzly bears died in the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem, which includes Glacier National Park, the Bob Marshall Wilderness complex and surrounding areas.

Grizzly bear specialist Mike Madel of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks says five grizzly deaths last week all involved bears that were feeding on cattle killed by snowstorms.

Two bears were hit by a train and three were hit on a nearby highway.

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WILDLIFE CROSSINGS-BILLS

Wyoming lawmakers advance 3 bills to fund wildlife crossings

(Information from: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, http://www.trib.com)

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming lawmakers have advanced legislation that would help expand a network of highway crossings for wildlife.

Caper Star-Tribune reported Friday that the state Legislative committee unanimously approved three bills Friday creating a special wildlife conservation account to help fund additional crossings, signage and game fences in sensitive wildlife habitats.

Lawmakers say the committee is expected to sponsor the bills in the 2020 legislative session.

Officials say the fund could increase federal dollars appropriated under an infrastructure bill containing $250 million for wildlife crossings at key migration chokepoints.

Lawmakers say migration corridors were a means of preserving wildlife and striking a balance between energy development and conservation interests.

Lawmakers say a task force released recommendations last month advocating state-led management and language promoting more wildlife crossings on state highways.

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WYOMING-SAN DIEGO STATE

Agnew's late TD pass helps San Diego St. beat Wyoming 26-22

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Ryan Agnew threw two touchdown passes, including a 12-yarder to Daniel Bellinger with 2:09 to play, and San Diego State beat Wyoming 26-22 on Saturday night.

Agnew completed 21 of 32 passes for 209 yards. Juwan Washington had 83 yards rushing and a score on 21 carries and added a 15-yard TD reception for San Diego State (5-1, 2-1 Mountain West).

Trailing 22-19, Agnew led the Aztecs — who had just 98 total yards in the first half — on a nine-play, 76-yard drive. On third-and-6, he hit Bellinger for a 28-yard gain to the 26 and then converted a third-and-1 with a 3-yard run to the 14. Two plays later, Agnew eluded a would-be tackler as he was flushed from the pocket, rolled to his left and, as he was hit, found Bellinger in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. Bellinger, a sophomore tight end, went into that drive with four career receptions — none on Saturday.

Wyoming (4-2, 1-1) then moved to near midfield before Sean Chambers took a deep shot that was intercepted by Luq Barcoo with 1:20 remaining. Barcoo has five interceptions this season, including three — on consecutive defensive snaps — against Colorado State last Saturday.

Chambers was 5-of-14 passing for 109 yards with a touchdown and interception and added 13 carries for 49 yards and two TDs for the Cowboys.

PONY EXPRESS TRAIL-BICYCLIST

Bicyclist completes solo ride of entire Pony Express Trail

(Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal, http://www.rgj.com)

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Jan Bennett learned a lot of lessons on her solo bicycle ride across the entire 2,220-mile (3,572-kilometer) Pony Express Trail from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California.

She already had endured food poisoning, hail and near misses with tornado weather by the time she made it to a remote stretch of northern Nevada as part of her effort to map out a bike-packing route the historic trail.

But she told the Reno Gazette Journal recently it was a "little bit of a gut check" when she had to walk her bike up a canyon road where the water was scarce.

She remembered a piece of advice she had received about endurance riding: "If you have to cry, cry while you are moving."

Eleven days later, she pedaled into Sacramento.

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