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YELLOWSTONE-WORKER HOUSING

Yellowstone plans upgrades to decades-old employee housing

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — Yellowstone National Park plans to replace dozens of decades-old trailers used by park worker. It's part of a major initiative by the park to upgrade employee housing. About half of the Yellowstone's 800 employees live in park housing. Park spokeswoman Morgan Warthin described the quality of the accommodations as “fair to poor.” Costs for the work will run into the tens of millions of dollars.

AP-US-GRAND-TETON-GOATS

Helicopter sharpshooters to kill Grand Teton nonnative goats

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Grand Teton National Park officials planned to begin having contractors shoot nonnative mountain goats from a helicopter as part of a disputed effort to help native bighorn sheep. Park officials closed off a large portion of the Teton Range to the public for the eradication effort Friday. The operation was going ahead despite opposition from Wyoming officials who oppose shooting the goats from a helicopter because the animals' meat would go to waste. The 100 or so goats are descendants of animals introduced near Grand Teton decades ago. The goats compete with and risk spreading pneumonia to a herd of about 100 native bighorn sheep.

SEXUAL ASSAULT-PLEA

Utah man pleads guilty to 17 felonies including sex assault

FARMINGTON, Utah (AP) — An Ogden man accused of several rapes in Utah and Wyoming has pleaded guilty to all 17 charges levied against him, including aggravated sex assault, kidnapping and burglary. The Standard-Examiner reported that 69-year-old Mark Douglas Burns pleaded guilty Thursday. Burns was arrested in September after authorities linked him to multiple cases in Utah and Wyoming through familial DNA. Burns, who was dubbed the “Clearfield Rapist,” is being held in the Davis County Jail. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 6.

TEACHER-SEX ABUSE

Ex-Wyoming teacher pleads not guilty to abuse allegations

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A former substitute middle school teacher has pleaded not guilty to multiple felonies after authorities say he sexually abused a then 14-year-old girl he met while teaching. The Casper Star-Tribune reported 36-year-old Jason Waugaman entered the pleas Thursday to two counts of second-degree sexual abuse and one count of third-degree sexual abuse of a minor. Prosecutors say the teenage girl told police earlier this year that she and Waugaman communicated through Snapchat for years where he is accused of making sexual comments and requesting nude photos. Natrona County School District officials fired Waugaman from Dean Morgan Junior High in Casper following his January arrest.

WYOMING-AIR FORCE

Milton's career-high 28 points sends Wyoming past Air Force

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) — Greg Milton III came off the bench and more than doubled his previous career high with 28 points to help carry Wyoming past Air Force 78-72. Milton, a 6-foot-3 sophomore, posted his prior career high of 12 points on Feb. 1 against San Jose State. Against the Falcons he had 18 by halftime. He finished 9-of-14 shooting, including 4 of 7 from 3-point range, and made 6 of 8 foul shots. He grabbed four rebounds, distributed three assists and committed just one turnover. Lavelle Scottie's three-point play with 2:11 left gave the Falcons a 72-66 lead and they never scored again. Scottie scored 17.

FOUR-YEAR DEGREES

Four-year degree planning approved for 2 Wyoming colleges

GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) — The Wyoming Community College Commission has given a college district permission to begin planning to offer four-year degree programs. The recent approval applies to Gillette College and Sheridan College in the Northern Wyoming Community College District. The Gillette News-Record reports it's an essential step toward four-year applied science baccalaureate degrees in management and leadership at the two schools. Four other Wyoming community colleges also are pursuing four-year degrees after Gov. Mark Gordon signed a law allowing them to do so in 2019. Two-year colleges in Wyoming also are seeking Higher Learning Commission approval to offer four-year degrees.