CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) – An Iowa man accused of persuading a Wyoming teenager to send him sexually explicit images of herself over the Internet has asked to be released from custody pending trial.      Twenty-nine-year-old Gabriel Simmons of Onawa, Iowa, has asked U.S. District Judge Alan B. Johnson to release him on bond. Federal prosecutors oppose Simmons’ request.      Simmons pleaded not guilty in November to felony charges, including production of child pornography and online enticement of a child. He’s scheduled to stand trial in January.      Prosecutors allege Simmons got the girl to send photos by pretending to be an employee of a modeling agency. Prosecutors allege Simmons then threatened to send the photos to the girl’s relatives if she refused to send more. … Read entire article »

CODY, Wyo. (AP) – A Cody woman whose daughter was an organ donor after her 2008 death will be riding in this year’s Rose Parade to promote organ donation.      Patricia Thomas is riding on the Donate Life float in honor of her 31-year-old daughter Kathleen. Kathleen Thomas died after an illness and donated her heart valves, both corneas, bone and skin grafts.      The family got a letter of thanks from an 85-year-old woman in Nagasaki, Japan, who received one Kathleen Thomas’ corneas.      Patricia Thomas tells the Powell Tribune that she hopes the parade float in Pasadena, Calif., encourages more people to consider organ and tissue donation.      —      Online:      http://www.wyomingdonorregistry.org      —      Information from: Powell Tribune – Powell, http://www.powelltribune.com   … Read entire article »

WORLAND — Farmers Insurance, the official supporter of the Rose Parade bands, salutes the Wyoming All State Marching Band for achieving the honor of receiving a spot in the Tournament of Roses Parade. The Wyoming band will be among 20 bands that march on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, Calif., for the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day. The bands come from 10 states across the U.S., and one is coming from Mexico. Farmers gave each band $500 to help pay for travel expenses and company agents and employees held fundraisers nationwide, including car washes and rides in the Farmers hot air balloon in exchange for donations to the bands. BandFest shows will be broadcast on a webcast for the fans at home to see and support their local bands.   Information on the BandFest webcast … Read entire article »

SEATTLE (AP) – Representatives from Indian tribes, federal agencies and other groups plan to meet next week in Las Vegas to discuss what to do about too many wild horses in the West.      Wyoming legislator Sue Wallis is a member of United Horsemen, a nonprofit group organizing the meeting. She tells The Seattle Times that she favors developing a plant where horses can be slaughtered for human consumption. She says that’s a humane solution to the problem of thousands of wild horses overgrazing and destroying rangeland.      That idea, however, faces strong opposition. The U.S. horse slaughter industry was shut down in 2007 by animal-rights activists. Since then, tribes and range managers say, the number of horses has grown to thousands more than the land can support.      —      Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.com … Read entire article »

     BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) – Grizzly bear deaths approached record levels for the region around Yellowstone National Park in 2010, with an estimated 75 of the protected animals killed or removed from the wild.      That equals one dead grizzly for every eight counted in the sparsely populated Yellowstone region of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.      But government biologists say the population of just over 600 bears is healthy enough to withstand the heavy losses, blamed in part on bears pushing into inhabited areas as their numbers grow.      Most of the bears were killed by wildlife agents or hunters after attacking livestock, acting aggressively toward humans or damaging property.      An estimated 79 Yellowstone-area grizzlies died in 2008 – the most since they were listed as a threatened species in 1975. … Read entire article »

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) – A 37-acre parcel of land along the Snake River that includes habitat for elk, trout and toads has been conserved.      The Jackson Hole Land Trust announced this week that it accepted the conservation easement from John and Bobbie Nau. Elk use the parcel for rutting, calving and migration routes between Grand Teton National Park and the National Elk Refuge.      The Jackson Hole News and Guide reports that the trust is also working on a a partnership with the town of Jackson to conserve approximately 40 acres along Flat Creek and recreational trails on the northwest slope of Snow King Mountain.      In total, the trust says it conserved more than 1,000 acres in 2010.      The Nau easement was part of a planned residential development.      —      Information from: Jackson Hole News And Guide, http://www.jhnewsandguide.com … Read entire article »

(CASPER)  A judge Thursday ruled enough evidence exists for a father and son to stand trial after police said they were connected to a recent string of armed robberies and burglaries in the Casper area. Natrona County Circuit Judge Steven Brown made his ruling after hearing roughly two hours worth of evidence against 45-year-old Robert Blackbonnet and his son, Anthony Blackbonnet, 19. Authorities allege the men were involved in three armed robberies and four burglaries dating back to September. Combined, they face roughly 30 robbery- and burglary-related felonies in connection with the alleged crimes. Brown’s ruling Thursday, the result of a joint preliminary hearing, sends the men’s cases to District Court. The Blackbonnets will now be scheduled for arraignments, where they will formally answer to the charges against them. Another man involved in the … Read entire article »