Free Republic

A booming energy industry has helped Wyoming's average income double over the past decade. In 1996, the average Wyomingite earned $21,875 a year and the state ranked 33rd for average income. Last year, Wyoming's average income was $43,226 and the state ranked sixth... No other state's personal income increased as much over the same period. Wyoming is an anomaly in the region. The top five states for personal income in 2007 -- Connecticut, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York and Maryland -- are on the East Coast. Colorado, at 10th, is the only other Rocky Mountain state in the top 10....

"I just read in an Indian depredation claim I copied from the National Archives last summer that Black Kettle was understood by everyone in 1868 as being a spy for the raiding Indians. He would profess peace and all the time he was gathering information he would later share with the Dog Soldiers to assist them in their raids, etc." Dr. Jeff Broome, author of the very important book "Dog Soldier Justice", the most accurate depiction of the Indian massacres of 1868 "Some of the raiders came from Black Kettle's camp. As was the case on numerous previous occasions, his...

Wyoming Congresswoman Barbara Cubin will face more competition to keep her job next year. Retired naval officer Bill Winney of Sublette County says he plans to seek the Republican Party nomination for Cubin's seat. Cubin last year received 60 percent of the primary vote to beat Winney in the Republican Party primary. Other Republicans ...

Governor Darrell Flyingman of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma put things in realistic perspective when he arose to speak. He talked about the thousands of acres of land either ceded or stolen by hook and crook from the people of his nation over the years (in Oklahoma). He said, "I consider this to be a site of a massacre (Washita battlefield, OH) and not a battlefield as it is named and I will do everything within my power to see that the site is renamed as the Washita Massacre rather than Battlefield. Gov. Flyingman said that he felt...

The Cheyenne had Contraries: people who would do the exact opposite of what was the norm.They were tolerated because others could learn from their absurdities. Centuries later, we have Alex Jones and his devoted band of 9/11 "Truthers": people whose worldview is 180 degrees from the norm. This raises a question !

Hunkins proposes 7 debates across state The Republican candidate said debates would carry his vision and the governor's to the people. By Kevin Wingert rep3@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Republican gubernatorial candidate Ray Hunkins wants to relive a pivotal piece of U.S. history by engaging in seven debates throughout Wyoming with Democrat incumbent Gov. Dave Freudenthal. "We can raise the level of debate and make this truly a campaign about the issues," Hunkins wrote in a letter to Freudenthal, referencing the historic debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas in 1858. "To do it, we should engage...

Still in the dark waiting Republicans' request for records unfulfilled By Kevin Wingert rep3@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - After seven weeks of waiting, the chairman of the Wyoming Republican Party says he has not received a response from all of the state government's departments to his public records request. "I just feel like I'm being strung along here," said Drake Hill, the Republican Party chairman. "The roadblocks that we are encountering are really within the governor's office, itself." On June 9, Hill filed a request at several state agencies, including the office of the governor. It covered...

'High-roller' gets prison for Y theft Susan Miller's charges from embezzling $20,000 from the YMCA is prefaced by a 17-year criminal history that brought her more than $300,000 in financial gain. By Juliette Rule rep9@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Because she didn't learn her lesson the first time, the woman convicted of stealing money from the Cheyenne Family YMCA to support her high-roller gambler status will spend six to nine years in prison. Susan J. Miller, 42, heard those words from Laramie County District Judge Nicholas Kalokathis at her Tuesday morning sentencing hearing. In a fairly complicated...

Locking up the church Since nothing's too sacred for vandal Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle s, some doors are bolted - yet one pastor welcomed the man who stole his church's musical instruments. By Juliette Rule rep9@wyomingnews.com CHEYENNE - Area churches hit by vandals and burglars are doing what they can to their protect property, and that often means locking up their open-door policies. Since his church was burglarized last July, Miracle Valley Assembly of God's pastor, Ed Fugate, has installed alarms and cameras at the Walnut Drive church. Shortly after his church was hit by the same vandals, the...

Wyo. Dems rally for a victorious November election By Jennifer Frazer rep8@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Wyoming Democrats seem to be an endangered species at times, so it was with a palpable sense of excitement that they gathered for the Wyoming Democratic Convention at the IKON Center Saturday. But there was more than just a feeling of solidarity. There was the scent of opportunity - or blood - in the air. Whatever it was, the 259 delegates and seven alternates were in a jubilant mood, singing democratic songs, cheering their candidates and greeting old friends. "I believe...

Wyoming is thriving, but who will fill jobs? By Jessica Lowell rep5@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - The state's economy is doing well, and with more energy development projects on the horizon, it could do even better. And as Wyoming's capital city, Cheyenne is poised for more economic success as well. That's the message that came from Friday's Economic Reports Luncheon, the final scheduled event for the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce's 2006 Small Business Week. The biggest threat to continuing economic growth in the county and the state, however, is lack of people to fill jobs. Both...

The Denver Post reports that the U.S. Defense Department is studying whether to close the real-world facility where Stargate SG-1 is set, because N.O.R.A.D.'s Cheyenne Mountain command post may duplicate the efforts of the newer centers. The war on terror is reshaping the military's response and the facilities necessary. N.O.R.A.D. (North American Aerospace Defense Command), the U.S.-Canadian partnership that runs it, has a diminished role because of the new facility in downtown Colorado Springs called the U.S. Northern Command, set up in 2002. Creating even more duplication of effort is Canada's own Canada Command. While the two groups work together,...

Report from the Cheyenne, Wyoming rally this morning during the bus tour stop at the state Capitol. === I started my drive from Boulder to Cheyenne at 5:00am arriving at about 6:30am. === Capitol building at dawn upon arriving in townThe only person who had arrived before me was Don Edmonds, the father of a fallen Army Ranger. === Proud father Don Edmunds holding a picture of his son and American hero, fallen Army Ranger Jonn Edmunds, in action 10/19/01, Afghanistan.While talking to Mr. Edmunds I discovered that he had arrived much earlier than I to raise the flag of...

WASHINGTON -- Retired 1st Sgt. Mark Matthews, 111, one of the last of the nation's legendary Buffalo Soldiers, died of pneumonia Sept. 6 at Fox Chase Nursing Home in Washington. ---snip--- Fort Huachuca, Ariz., where he was first stationed, was still using local Indians as guides.

Sixteen inducted to CFD Hall of Fame The group included volunteers and contestants who changed the 'Daddy of 'em All' By Michelle Dynes rep2@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Jim Tescher first got into rodeo at the age of 16. During his career, he won the Cheyenne Frontier Days Saddle Bronc Riding Championship in 1957 and 1965. He also won the All-Around Championship in 1957 and 1966. Tescher was just one of the 16 members of the class of 2005 inducted into the Cheyenne Frontier Days Hall of Fame at the CFD Old West Museum on Friday. His...

Angry driver hits man - police By Jennifer Frazer rep8@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - In an apparent act of road rage, a man drove his Chevrolet Blazer into another man in the parking lot of Kmart on Dell Range Boulevard at 7:16 Sunday night. Carl Olsen, 32, was driving a tan 1985 Chevrolet Blazer westbound near Sam's Club on Dell Range when a blue 2005 Honda Civic approached. Though many acts of road rage start with one driver getting cut off or with some other aggressive traffic maneuver, Olsen and his passenger, Chad Hamby, 29, told police...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. .................................................................. .................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should...

Finding a wrangler's heaven By Michelle Dynes rep2@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Cowboy Church opened with a foot-stomping, hand-clapping rendition of "Amazing Grace" at Frontier Park on Sunday morning. "How many (people) applaud at church," asked Marty LaVor of Alexandria, Va. The six-time Cheyenne Frontier Days visitor said he didn't know why he hadn't attended Cowboy Church before. "It's the atmosphere," he said. "It's Frontier Days right at the arena. But it's much more personal than what you get in a normal church." LaVor said the experience allowed him to see the friendliness of the West up...

City could be liable with CFD - lawyer A civil rights trial lawyer said the absence of women on the Cheyenne Frontier Days General Committee could be proof in court of discrimination. By Kelly Milner rep7@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - In a court of law, the absence of a woman on the Cheyenne Frontier Days General Committee could be used as evidence of sexual discrimination. That's according to Trish Bangert, a Denver University law professor and trial lawyer who specializes in civil rights. Bangert spoke to the City Council at the end of Monday's meeting about the...

Airman dies after motorcycle collides with van By Juliette Rule rep9@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - She stopped and looked both ways, but she didn't see the motorcyclist. He couldn't stop in time to avoid crashing his new Yamaha motorcycle into the van. The crash happened about 5 p.m. Monday at the intersection of Powderhouse and Four Mile roads. Airman Justin R. Souza died at the scene. The van's driver, Donna Martin, wasn't hurt, according to the Wyoming Highway Patrol. Martin hasn't been cited in connection with the crash, but that could be pending. The intersection is controlled...

Minister suspended after women complain The Rev. Wes Kendell is no longer serving as senior pastor of First United Methodist. By Jessica Lowell rep5@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - A local Methodist minister has been suspended for inappropriate behavior with several female members of his congregation. The Rev. Wes Kendall is no longer serving as senior pastor of First United Methodist in Cheyenne. He was suspended May 19 and can no longer take part in any ministerial function. The Rev. Chuck Cooper, a district superintendent for this area, said Kendall will retire July 1. Reached at his home...

Historic Governors' Mansion opens today By Becky Orr rep6@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - People celebrated the 100th birthday of the Wyoming Historic Governors' Mansion in style Friday night at the centennial banquet. The evening recognized Wyoming governors, first ladies and first families. The gala paid tribute to those first family members whose efforts played a significant role in restoring the mansion at 300 E. 21st St. The Historic Governors' Mansion Foundation raised $1.5 million to restore the former home of Wyoming's top elected officials and their families. Money came from several sources, including the Legislature, donations, grants...

life's work in bronze A bronze calf was unveiled to honor Clifford Hansen By Ilene Olson rep3@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - A bronze calf dedicated Thursday to Clifford Hansen, former Wyoming senator and governor, recognizes his contributions to the state and to agriculture. "I think it's very appropriate," Hansen said after the unveiling on the Capitol lawn. Hansen, who served as governor from 1963-67 and as U.S. senator from 1967-78, owned and operated a cattle ranch in Teton County. Prior to his political career, he was a member and president of the University of Wyoming Board of...

Group debates Cowboy State's 'identity crisis' By Ilene Olson rep3@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Wyoming's competing identities result in both challenges and opportunities for the state and its communities, participants in a local conversation said Thursday. Milward Simpson, manager of the Wyoming Arts Council, said his work with the committee that will choose the design for Wyoming's quarter has highlighted many residents' perceptions of their state. The bucking horse and rider was the image most often cited, he said. "That icon is becoming intensely powerful in our sense of who we are," he said. Simpson was one...

Man guilty in fatal crash By Juliette Rule rep9@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - There always was the hope jurors would have doubts, that they would acquit her father, Mandy Holland said Thursday. But the Weld County, Colo., woman's father, Ron Holland, now faces as many as 30 years in prison for the death of Janna Klussmann and the serious injuries suffered by her husband, Andrew Klussmann, a former Colorado State University volleyball coach. It took jurors fewer than three hours to find Holland, 45, guilty of being a reckless, drunken driver on Father's Day 2004 as he...

Drunken driving death trial begins By Juliette Rule rep9@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Decisions to drive drunk, speed and race through red lights had fatal consequences, a prosecutor told jurors Tuesday on the first day of an aggravated vehicular homicide trial here. Ron Holland, 45, of Greeley, Colo., is accused of being the drunken driver who rammed into a mini-van on Father's Day, killing one person. Investigators calculated his speed at 55-62 mph, well over the posted limit of 45 mph. And one witness told police Holland ran two red lights before causing the fatal accident. From...

Indecent liberties case brings sentence By Juliette Rule rep9@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - A man accused of taking indecent liberties with his children will serve six years of probation, a Laramie County District Court judge ruled Thursday. Daniel Fresquez, 37, was accused in August of showing his children, ages 10 and 11, pornographic films. He also was accused of fondling the girl and making the boy touch his mother inappropriately while she lay in bed. Fresquez's wife, Valerie Fresquez, also was charged with those crimes. Those charges were dismissed in December. Fresquez pleaded guilty to two charges...

'No one just comes here to die' By Michelle Dynes rep2@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNNE - Diane Lang says she likes to spend her days sewing, playing bingo and making clocks. Occasionally the 53-year-old baby-sits puppies, taking the animals to visit her neighbors for a tummy rub or a pat on the head. She does all of this from her home at the Life Care Center of Wyoming, 1330 Prairie Ave. Lang has lived at the center for two years, saying there's plenty to keep her on her toes. "I don't think you can get bored here," she...

Wal-Mart coupon scam targets local resident By Jessica Lowell rep5@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - When Bobbie Faler answered her phone Tuesday morning, she heard an offer that seemed too good to be true. The caller said that for Wal-Mart's 25th anniversary, he was giving away $200 worth of coupons, in $10 and $20 denominations that could be redeemed for cash. All Faler had to do was give him her checking account number. "I told him I didn't think anyone who made less than $40,000 a year should have a checking account," Faler said, adding that she doesn't...

Tortoise mystery solved By Michelle Dynes rep2@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - While offers rolled in Tuesday to give a found giant tortoise a good home, the animal turned out to be dead. Meanwhile, the mystery of how the turtle ended up in the Capital City was solved. Terri Smith discovered the tortoise Sunday morning while walking her dog behind Sapp Bros. Big C Truck Stop on Interstate 80 Service Road. On Tuesday, Max McCartney said he bought the tortoise in Dallas three years ago before moving to Denver and then to Cheyenne. The tortoise, named Le Pew,...

It's not easy being green Many questions arise about a giant tortoise found in Cheyenne: Is it OK, and exactly how did it get here? By Michelle Dynes rep2@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Terri Smith said she was walking her dog behind Sapp Bros. Big C Truck Stop on the Interstate 80 Service Road when she made her discovery Sunday morning. At first she thought it was a big rock or a pile of dirt that her dog, Bud, was sniffing. After a closer look, though, she realized it was a giant tortoise. She said the tortoise...

From golden sunrise to the West By Kelly Milner rep7@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Frankie Jones hoped a speaker Saturday helped put Tarzan to rest. "The only concept most people have of Africa is a white man swinging on a tree to save the black people," Jones said. "Every time I see it, it makes me fighting mad." Jones is a member of the Love and Charity Club Inc. that sponsored a Black History Month event Saturday called "Looking Back and Moving Forward." The Rev. Clinton Lewis was the speaker for the service, which was held at...

East High forms Gay/Straight Alliance club By Becky Orr rep6@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - A new Gay/Straight Alliance established at Cheyenne's East High met for the first time Friday at the school. The organization is the first of its kind in Laramie County School District 1. Thirty-three people attended the organizational meeting - 30 of them students and the rest employees - said Donna Lucas, a group faculty sponsor. She is a student assistance counselor at East High who works through the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program. Phil Newland, the other sponsor, was out of town on...

Group rallies for higher teacher salaries By Becky Orr rep6@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Freya Butterfield says she would like to teach in Wyoming when she graduates this spring from the University of Wyoming. But she won't, because she can't, she said. "I'm not going to get paid enough," Butterfield said to a crowd of hundreds gathered Monday on the steps of the state Capitol. The group came in support of the Legislature providing more money for salaries for support staff and teachers. Many at the rally told emotional stories about low teacher salaries. They urged people...

Westerners are frank with their faith By Cara Eastwood rep4@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Christians in western states share their faith more than those in any other region of the United States, a recent study shows. The study, conducted by the California-based Christian research organization The Barna Group, found that 65 percent of born-again Christians in the West actively shared their faith with non-Christians in the past year. This compares with 58 percent of born-again Christians in the Northeast and 59 percent of southern Christians. The group defines born-again Christians as those who said they had made...

Hospice loses loyal friend By Becky Orr rep6@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Many people in Cheyenne lost a good friend on Jan. 26 when Rollie died. Rollie loved without any strings attached. He could lift the spirits of terminally ill people just by being around them. Rollie was a therapy dog at United Medical Center Hospice. He died of lymphoma at the home he shared with Dave and Judy Stratton and their family. The dog often accompanied Stratton, hospice children's program coordinator, as Stratton visited terminally ill patients at their homes. The two were best friends. Stratton...

Lawmakers address low pay in education By Jessica Lowell rep5@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - The employment picture for K-12 teachers and school staff across the state is equally dismal. In Natrona County, teachers are being aggressively recruited by out-of-state districts with the promise of dramatically higher salaries. In Laramie County, school bus drivers with 30 years of experience make less than $15 an hour; some have filed for bankruptcy protection because they can't make ends meet. In Teton County, teachers routinely work second jobs to earn enough money to pay their bills. In Weston County, teachers have...

Residents honor King By Kelly Milner rep7@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - For Jerome Hairston, Martin Luther King Jr. Day means everything. A sixth-grader at Pioneer Park Elementary, Hairston said his mother is white, and his father is black. "If it weren't for Dr. King and what he did, I wouldn't be here right now," he said. "My mom is cool, and my dad is cool; it would be a shame if they couldn't be together." Hairston was a speaker Monday at the 23rd annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day March here. Around 800 people marched from the...

Downtown fire could lessen Western experience By Jessica Lowell rep5@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Although Cheyenne is not necessarily a tourism destination, its history and architecture mark it as a city of the West. When tourists stop in Cheyenne, that's what they are looking for, tourism experts say. The fire that damaged a portion of a historic downtown block last week has dealt a blow to that experience, but it will be hard to tell how much. "It's speculative," Wyoming Travel and Tourism Director Diane Shober said. "There's no exact science to measure it, but it would...

HUD cutbacks make holidays not-so-happy By Kevin Wingert news@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - It's a bitter Christmas this year for some low-income families in Cheyenne, and the chill has nothing to do with the weather. Tisha Dean, a waitress and single mother, expected to move into a subsidized rental unit on Jan. 10 with the help of the Cheyenne Housing Authority. She already had told her 3½-year-old son, Don, he would be moving into a new bedroom. Don's Christmas wish list revolved around presents he wanted for his new bedroom. On Thursday, Dean got a letter from...

Patrol nabs Ketcham for DUI By Juliette Rule rep9@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Laramie County Commissioner Jeff Ketcham's breath smelled of alcohol, his eyes were bloodshot and his speech was slurred, a trooper said after arresting him for DUI earlier this month. That Oct. 9 arrest marks the 53-year-old Ketcham's second DUI arrest after a conviction in Nevada two years ago. He refused a test of his blood alcohol content during the most recent arrest, according to a jail booking sheet. Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper Dave Chatfield arrested Ketcham after a call to dispatch reported what appeared...

Ladd's uphill run Candidate hopes to be the first Wyoming Democrat since 1978 By Jessica Lowell rep5@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Sticking closely to a schedule that has been worked out days in advance, Ted Ladd arrives at VFW Post 1881 here at about 11 a.m. The wood-paneled function hall on the main floor stands mostly empty, but men and women fill the seats at the bar off to the right, watching TV and talking among themselves. They're not paying attention to the lunch that is being laid out on tables in the back of the hall,...

YMCA employee accused of embezzling Susan J. Miller charged with stealing $20,000 By Juliette Rule rep9@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Padding a bank account was as simple as getting on the Internet or swiping a debit card, investigators say. Those were the methods police say Susan J. Miller used to funnel $20,000 from YMCA coffers into her personal account at Cheyenne First Bank between June 2003 and March of this year. She was charged last week by Laramie County District Attorney Jon Forwood with seven counts of felony embezzlement, court records show. The Cheyenne woman was the...

Church has role beyond 'I do' - speaker By Cara Eastwood rep4@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - According to the leaders of the Forum on the State of Marriage in Wyoming, healthy marriages are good for everyone - children, adults and the state of Wyoming. On Thursday, the conference brought church and community leaders together to discuss the threatened existence of marriage in the state and to talk about potential solutions. The divorce rate in Wyoming is the third worst in the nation, behind Nevada and Arkansas, said Michael McManus as he spoke to the group of about...

Michael McManus hopes to bring the Marriage Savers to Wyoming By Cara Eastwood rep4@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Marriage in the United States is in trouble, and Michael McManus thinks he knows how to fix it. The nationally-syndicated religion columnist has developed a program, called the Marriage Savers, that he says has helped drastically reduce divorce rates in more than 150 cities. If a September meeting with local religious leaders goes well, Cheyenne might be the next city to join in the effort to help build stronger marriages. The Rev. Kurt Borgaard of First Christian Church joined...

Branquinho brothers cheer each other By Dave Shelles spt4@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - It's not a situation where the Branquinho brothers are always within an arm's reach of the other. If Luke Branquinho is wrestling steers in Cheyenne, it's possible his older brother, Casey, is roping calves in Ogden, Utah. Or vice versa. But if either brother experiences success, expect the other to swell with pride, along with numerous other family members and friends back home in Los Alamos, Calif. "Any time anything goes well in our family, we have 100 people at home cheering us on,"...

Woman sentenced for bilking 89-year-old By Juliette Rule rep9@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - She was a trusted accountant controlling the assets of an elderly Laramie woman who considered her family. But over six years, more than money was stolen by 56-year-old Donna Christine Curran, who goes by Chris. Curran was sentenced in U.S. District Court on Friday to serve two years in a federal prison and pay $232,000 in restitution. Dixie Ward, 89, might now be able to afford the travel Curran told her she couldn't afford, but a broken ankle and hip injury make travel difficult,...

Wisconsin natives stand out By Jeremiah Johnke spt3@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Ask anyone what states they think of when it comes to rodeo, and odds are they'll rattle off a short list that includes Texas, Colorado, Montana, Oklahoma, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. So it's of very little surprise that many people's reaction when bull riders B.J. Schumacher and Fred Boettcher's home state appears on the scoreboard is often accompanied by an inquisitive tone. Wisconsin? "When I first started going to (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) rodeos 10 years ago, there were all of these cowboys from...

Stories to tell She just doesn't talk - she collects By Jessica Lowell rep5@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - Eldrena Douma welcomes you with a smile and an open face. She wants to know you: what your name is, what it means, where you are from and what your stories are. It's an occupational hazard. Douma is a storyteller. Everywhere she goes, she collects stories from others and works on her own to tell. During Cheyenne Frontier Days, Douma - which means Singing as You Go - is telling her stories twice a day in the Indian Village....

Yes, free flapjacks at depot 'You can bet your bippy I'll be there' By Ty Stockton Outdoors@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle The early bird may get the worm, but the early human gets the flapjacks. Today is the first pancake breakfast of the 2004 Cheyenne Frontier Days, and you can bet your bippy I'll be there. Few things motivate me more than food, but free food is certainly one of those things. From 7 to 9 a.m. today, Wednesday and Friday, the Cheyenne Kiwanis club dishes up flapjacks, ham and coffee at an average of 10,000 people each day....