CHEYENNE,Wyo.(AP) – Firefighters inLaramieCountysay strong winds helped fan a grass fire into a three-mile wide blaze.      A downed power line sparked the fire started Thursday afternoon in the Pine Bluffs area. It spread to somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 acres before firefighters were able to put it out about three hours later.      Fire District 2 spokesman Lew Simpson told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle (http://bit.ly/uj9O1L ) that it would have been a routine, small grass fire if not for the winds. He said corn cobs caught fire and then were blown across roads, spreading the fire.      Road crews helped firefighters get the upper hand by cutting fire breaks with road graders. … Read entire article »

CHEYENNE,Wyo.(AP) – The executive director of theWyoming Association of Churches says she will continue to advocate for a nursery for children of inmates at theWyomingwomen’s prison.      Chesie Lee says the idea is long overdue. A nursery at the Wyoming Women’s Center in Lusk also has the support of the prison warden, Phil Myer, and Wyoming Department of Corrections Director Bob Lampert.      The Casper Star-Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/vE8HJw ) studies show reduced recidivism among female inmates allowed to be with their newborns.      Gov. Matt Mead denied a budget recommendation by the Corrections Department and State Building Commission to set up a prison nursery. A similar proposal failed in the Legislature’s Joint Appropriations Committee last year.      Lee says she hopes the committee will endorse a nursery ahead of the upcoming legislative session. … Read entire article »

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) – More strong winds are in store forWyoming and another round of snow is also expected in the western half of the state on Friday.      Over the last two days, winds have knocked over tractor-trailers onWyominghighways and uprooted trees. A high-rise McDonald’s sign was blown over inCasperon Thursday morning.      The National Weather Service says there was a gust of 134 mph on MountCoffinin theWyomingRangeon Thursday. In southeastern Wyoming, the strong gust recorded was 90 mph near Horse Creek.      Wind gusts up to 70 mph are possible through Saturday afternoon in the southeast. … Read entire article »

FORT COLLINS,Colo.(AP) – The driver of a minivan that rolled off Interstate 25 in northernColorado, injuring five children inside, was allegedly putting on makeup while another passenger steered.      The driver, 30-year-old Jennifer Lamblin ofCheyenne,Wyo.as well as the passenger, 23-year-old Trevor Johnson, have both been charged with reckless vehicular assault. The Coloradoan (http://noconow.co/sB6cJ4) reported that they both appeared in court inFort CollinsThursday but declined comment.      According to an arrest affidavit, Lamblin told troopers that Johnson was steering as she put on makeup on their way to church in Denver. She said the vehicle drifted to the right and she thought he was falling asleep so she went to take the steering wheel back and then lost control.      The children injured in the crash ranged in age from 2 to 8. … Read entire article »

GLENROCK,Wyo.(AP) – People in Glenrock are honoring their former mayor who died just two days after resigning his post earlier this month.      A memorial service is planned for Michael McQueary on Friday afternoon at the Glenrock Middle School Auditorium.      McQueary resigned on Dec. 8, explaining that he was suffering from skin cancer that had proved to be very aggressive. He died two days later inDenver. He was 63.      In his resignation letter, McQueary expressed disappointment that he wasn’t able to finish his term. He said he had hoped to develop a strong, viable infrastructure in theConverseCounty town. … Read entire article »

LARAMIE,Wyo.(AP) – Authorities are looking for a man who robbed a bank near theUniversityofWyominginLaramie.      Police say the man, who was armed with a gun, robbed a First National Bank branch onGrand Avenueat about 5 p.m. Wednesday.      The robber is described as white, between 30 and 40 years old and between 5-foot-10 and 6 feet tall and was last seen wearing a black cowboy-style hat, a black waist-length Carhartt-style jacket, dark pants and gloves.      Police say the robber may be driving a dark PT Cruiser with dark tinted windows. No one was injured during the robbery. … Read entire article »

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) – A judge has sentenced a Pine Bluffs man to four to six years in prison for a crash that killed a woman in Cheyennelast year.      Prosecutors say 19-year-old Kerry Lamb had a blood-alcohol level of 0.12 percent and was driving on the wrong side of the road at the time of the crash. The legal limit for driving is 0.08.      Lamb’s car collided with a pickup truck. The crash killed 25-year-old Heather Morrow.      The Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports District Judge Peter Arnold sentenced Lamb on Wednesday.Arnoldrecommended placement at the minimum-security Wyoming Honor Farm.      Lamb apologized to Morrow’s family in a statement read by his attorney.      Lamb pleaded guilty in September to aggravated vehicular homicide, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. … Read entire article »