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First grizzly of the year spotted in Yellowstone National Park
Jackson Hole Daily
Yellowstone National Park biologists spotted the park’s first grizzly bear of 2026 on Monday. Scientists observed the bear feeding on a bison carcass in the northern part of the park. Bears can be aggressive towards people when feeding on carcasses. The first sighting of the year comes at a typical time, the Jackson Hole Daily reports. Read the full story.
Cheyenne delays farm annexation vote to November after lengthy discussion
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
The Cheyenne City Council chamber was nearly full with more than 60 supporters clad in green in support of WY Fresh Farm and Farmstand and its effort to delay annexation into the city limits. More than four hours later, their efforts proved successful, as council members voted to postpone annexation of the property and another urban farm until this fall. WY Fresh Farm and Farmstand is among the last group of county pockets to be annexed into the city since the council began systematically annexing areas 75-100% surrounded by city land in 2022, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports. Read the full story.
Powell police officer resigns after driving with alcohol in system
Powell Tribune
A Powell police officer agreed to leave the department after he was found to have driven his patrol vehicle with alcohol in his system. The officer’s departure followed an incident in the early morning hours of Jan. 21, when he agreed to come into work and transport a woman from the police station to the Park County Detention Center. However, alcohol was reportedly smelled on his breath before he left the station. Although breath tests showed he was below the legal limit, having alcohol in his system violated police department policies, the Powell Tribune reports. Read the full story.
Local governments can expect more sales tax revenue with new law
Wyoming Public Radio
Gov. Mark Gordon signed a bill into law that codifies a system of distributing a portion of sales and use tax revenue to local governments. The new law also raises the amount of sales tax revenue those communities, some of which are struggling due to property tax cuts passed by the state Legislature, will receive. The practice of giving towns, cities and counties part of the sales tax revenue generated across the state has been in place since the early 2000s, said Ashley Harpstreith, the executive director of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities. She spoke to Wyoming Public Radio shortly before the bill was signed. Read the full story.
Fremont County Library Board clashes over minors access to materials
Lander Journal
The Fremont County Library System Board set a deadline for installing internet filtering on children’s computers while postponing action on a proposed overhaul of the system’s materials acquisition policy after an extended debate over sexually explicit content in the library collection.
The board met for nearly three hours, discussing policy updates and ongoing disputes over how the library should handle materials accessible to minors, the Lander Journal reports. Read the full story.