CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) – Three environmental groups say they intend to sue the Interior Department for not protecting sage grouse as an endangered or threatened species.      The Center for Biological Diversity, Desert Survivors and Western Watersheds Project said Monday the department violated the Endangered Species Act by deciding to classify sage grouse as merely a candidate for federal protection.      An Interior spokeswoman declined to comment, citing policy for matters in litigation.      The department on March 5 announced a warranted-but-precluded finding for sage grouse in 11 states. That means federal protection is considered warranted but isn’t a sufficiently high priority to pursue for the time being.      Sage grouse are found in California, Colorado, the Dakotas, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and Canada. … Read entire article »

GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) – Campbell County Sheriff Bill Pownall says he will seek a third term.      The 54-year-old Republican announced his decision Friday. He says he would continue the war on drugs and crack down on illegal immigration.      Gillette College criminal justice instructor Buckey Walters and former Campbell County sheriff’s deputy Dave Lauck also have launched campaigns. Both are Republicans. They say the sheriff’s office needs to be more proactive in preventing crime. Pownall insists his agency isn’t reactive.      An annual report compiled by the Wyoming Department of Audit shows Campbell County outspent every sheriff’s department in the state last year by nearly $2 million. Pownall says he has told his commanders he wants to cut back on spending.      —      Information from: The Gillette News Record – Gillette, http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com … Read entire article »

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) – Wyoming labor officials say the state’s unemployment rate has fallen for the first time since February 2008, but only slightly.      The Wyoming Department of Employment said Tuesday that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 7.5 percent in February, down from 7.6 percent in January. The rate was 4.8 percent in February 2009.      The rate had been rising since reaching 2.7 percent in February 2008.      The number of nonagricultural wage and salary jobs in Wyoming has fallen by about 12,800 nonagricultural wage over the last year, a drop of about 4.5 percent.      The losses include about 3,200 natural resources and mining jobs, about 3,000 jobs in construction, and about 1,600 in leisure and hospitality. … Read entire article »

GILLETTE, Wyo. (AP) – The Department of Defense is confirming that a Marine from Gillette has died while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan.      Military officials said Monday that 19-year-old Lance Cpl. Jacob A. Ross died Wednesday while supporting combat operations in Helmand province. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C.      His uncle Steve Sundermeyer told the Gillette News-Record that Ross’ deployment was supposed to end in May. Sundermeyer says Ross’ survivors include his wife, sister and brother.      —      Information from: The Gillette News Record – Gillette, http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com … Read entire article »

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) – Yellowstone National Park is planning to step up efforts to help native fish species by weeding out invasive competitors.      The park will take initial public comments on possible new measures through April 30.      As it is, the park nets and kills some 100,000 invasive lake trout out of Yellowstone Lake every year. The large trout eat native cutthroat trout and compete with native trout for food.      Yellowstone fisheries biologist Todd Koel (COOL) says initial plans call for using a different style of net to catch lake trout and to hire private contractors who are knowledgeable about working those nets.      Koel says park officials also want to restore populations of cutthroat trout and arctic grayling in western and northern Yellowstone.      (Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.) … Read entire article »

DUBOIS, Wyo. (AP) – The U.S. Forest Service has decided against using a rule to speed approval of an exploratory oil well in the Shoshone National Forest.      The agency announced Monday that it will prepare an environmental assessment to analyze the project. It had initially proposed using a so-called “categorical exclusion” for the project.      Categorical exclusions are used to speed along projects because they allow bypassing time-consuming environmental reviews for oil and gas permits.      The predecisional environmental assessment will be published sometime in July and will be subject to a 30-day public comment period.      Casper-based Hudson Group is seeking to drill the well about 10 miles northwest of Dubois. … Read entire article »

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) – The ski season nearing the end in Wyoming.      A lack of snow early hurt ski resorts around the state, but large amounts of snow since late January brought skiers out for a strong finish.      Many resorts close after this weekend.      Last year, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort recorded about 438,000 skier days. This year’s total is expected to be down some.      Grand Targhee Resort received only about 60 percent of its annual snowfall but it reports the number of skier days is ahead of last year’s pace.      White Pine Ski Area and Resort near Pinedale reports an off year, due mostly to a lack of snow and the economy.      Hogadon Ski Area near Casper says ticket sales are exceeding last year by about 15 percent.      —      Information from: Star-Tribune, http://www.casperstartribune.net … Read entire article »