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UNIVERSITY-SUPERMAN COLLECTION
University may lose Superman papers over Liz Cheney comments
(Information from: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, http://www.trib.com)
CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — The University of Wyoming could lose the papers of a longtime "Superman" comic book editor after his son took offense to comments by Congresswoman Liz Cheney.
The Casper Star-Tribune reports Hank Weisinger contacted the university's American Heritage Center Tuesday demanding the return of the collected papers of Mort Weisinger.
The elder Weisinger spent three decades as the story editor of the "Superman" series published by DC Comics Inc.
Hank Weisinger says his action was prompted by comments the Wyoming Republican representative made Monday placing blame for Turkey's Oct. 9 invasion of Syria on presidential impeachment proceedings by Democrats.
Weisinger says he does not want his father's papers at a university represented by a member of Congress he perceives as opposing Superman's values of "truth, justice and the American way."
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BASEMENT BODY
Sheriff: Still unknown how Wyoming teen knew her killer
RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota sheriff overseeing the investigation into the killing of a Wyoming teen says detectives are still trying to find out how she met the 17-year-old charged with shooting her in his basement.
Meade County Sheriff Ron Merwin said Tuesday that 16-year-old Shayna Ritthaler was shot once in the head by the defendant, who is charged as an adult with second-degree murder but whose lawyer is trying to get the case moved to juvenile court.
Merwin says the defendant isn't cooperating with investigators, but that they believe he drove to Ritthaler's hometown of Moorcroft, Wyoming, to pick her up. Moorcroft is about 70 miles (113 kilometers) west of Sturgis, which is near the boy's house.
He says among other things, the victim's and defendant's cellphones are being examined for possible clues.
Authorities say Ritthaler's body was found Oct. 7 in the basement of the defendant's home, where he lived with his mother. Prosecutors say the defendant shot Ritthaler during an argument.
TRIBE HUNTING OFF RESERVATION
Wyoming tribe to begin hunting outside of reservation land
(Information from: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, http://www.trib.com)
FORT WASHAKIE, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming tribe has announced plans to allow its citizens to hunt outside of its reservation after a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in May affirming another tribe's treaty right to do so.
The Star-Tribune reported Monday that Eastern Shoshone Tribe leaders told the state Legislature that the tribe began drafting rules to hunt outside of the Wind River Reservation.
Tribal leaders say they told the state committee about the decision with hopes to work with state wildlife officials on hunting responsibly and in areas that can support hunting.
Leaders say regulations are still being drafted and could determine a set season, bag limits and a prohibition on traps, shining or using poison.
Some state officials say it could complicate wildlife management if more tribal members started off-reservation hunting in Wyoming.
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ELECTED WOMEN-WYOMING
Women make up only 16% of Wyoming Legislature
(Information from: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, http://www.trib.com)
CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A recent analysis by the Washington, D.C. nonprofit RepresentWomen ranks Wyoming 26th in the nation for gender parity in elected office.
The Casper Star-Tribune reports that in a state known as the Equality State for being the first to give women the right to vote, women currently hold just 16% of the available seats in the state Legislature. Also, just 20% of all positions on the county commissions of the state's five most populous counties.
The state has made additional strides in recent years, including the election of the first female mayors in the history of two of its largest cities.
However, Jen Simon of the Wyoming Women's Action Network noted a relative dearth and recent decline of women in elected office at the state levels.
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ENERGY GRID-COAL POWER
Regulators ask for expedited power grid reliability study
(Information from: The Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com)
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Utility regulators from three states used nearly identical language in letters urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to speed up its study on the effects of upcoming coal-fired power plant closures on the U.S. power grid.
The Billings Gazette reports the language appeared to originate from the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, a coal lobbying group.
FERC is studying whether the U.S. energy grid would remain reliable with the closures and whether the government should subsidize some energy sources.
The letters asking FERC to expedite the study were signed by Montana Public Service Commission Chairman Brad Johnson, Wyoming PSC Chairwoman Kara B. Fornstrom and two members of Alabama's PSC.
Johnson told the Gazette the letter was given to him to sign by the Montana PSC communications director, but he agrees with its content.
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INMATE DEATH
Sweetwater County jail inmate death under investigation
ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. (AP) — The Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office says a 28-year-old man in its custody has died after experiencing a medical emergency in his jail cell.
The man was identified Monday as Zachary Colton Griffiths, of Green River.
A statement from the Sheriff's Office says Griffiths was pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County on Sunday after deputies discovered him unresponsive in his cell at about 2 a.m.
The Sheriff's Office says Griffiths was booked into the Sweetwater County Detention Center about 3 p.m. Saturday on a warrant for a probation violation.
The cause of Griffiths' death is under investigation by the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.
No other details were immediately released.
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