Episode Details

It's time to take a look at what's happening around Wyoming! I'm Wendy Corr, bringing you headlines from the Cowboy State Daily newsroom, for Wednesday, May 15th.

Political activist Riley Gaines was among a defiant and determined group that rallied for Wyoming Kappa Kappa Gamma members Tuesday, saying the sorority let down its UW chapter by giving the sisters, quote, "the brother they never wanted."

Tuesday's gathering on the steps of the Byron White U.S. Courthouse in downtown Denver was a celebration of women and the rights of six University of Wyoming Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority members suing to keep their organization for women only, according to Cowboy State Daily's Greg Johnson.

"But the real theme of the day, not only was to support the sorority sisters in their appeal of their lawsuit. There's a real theme that what they are doing is feminism. And that … they're pro woman. But they're not anti anything else. And there was a lot of frustration with the legal process."

A panel of three judges is considering whether the sorority could have acted in bad faith, and whether the six women who sued over the move appealed their case too early.

Cowboy State Daily's Clair McFarland reports that oral arguments took place Tuesday in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver – which encompasses Wyoming – in the case of Westenbroek v. Kappa Kappa Gamma.

"This was the only day of oral argument. It was really short. It was 40 minutes, and ended with one of the judges saying, Judge McCue saying, we're gonna take this under advisement. And so with these 10th circuit appeals, I've seen them take months under advisement, so I certainly don't promise a result anytime soon."

A Chinese-owned cryptocurrency mine that set up a mile away from F.E. Warren Air Force Base is a national security risk and must shut down and sell out.

That's according to an executive order signed by President Joe Biden on Monday afternoon, which requires offshore cryptocurrency company MineOne Partners Limited, as well as any related MineOne entities, to immediately cease operation, remove all equipment and improvements, and transfer ownership of their facility to an approved buyer, according to Cowboy State Daily's Renee Jean.

"The information about this facility was generated from a tip that came from the general public. It's not known who that was, the tip was sent anonymously. But the company was required to report to this agency called SIFIUS. They are the agency that kind of tracks these kinds of threats to domestic military bases. And so the company was required to notify them that it was located near the military base, but it did not. And the agency decided that a mitigation plan in this case was not going to be sufficient. So that is why they're going to have to sell out and shut down."

The order gives the company 120 calendar days to complete the transfer of its real estate, and to certify that transfer in writing to the Committee on Foreign Investment.

Casper police are investigating the shooting death of a high-school age student in a southwest neighborhood early Tuesday morning.

Cowboy State Daily's Dale Killingbeck reports that "involved parties" are in custody and witnesses are being interviewed.

"That follows the death and fatal stabbing of 14 year old Bobby Maher on April 7, at the city's mall. So this is just continuing to be a story about young people and violence, and a culture where people in the city are calling for change."

A Casper youth pastor has scheduled a meeting of the new Blue Heart Collaborative with area youth agencies and nonprofits Friday from 5 - 7 p.m. to address the culture of youth violence in the city.