It's time to take a look at what's happening around Wyoming for Friday, August 15th. I'm Wendy Corr, bringing you headlines from the Cowboy State Daily newsroom - Brought to you by the Converse County Tourism Promotion Board! Discover Douglas and Glenrock in beautiful Wyoming, where rich history, outdoor adventure, and welcoming communities await. Feel the Energy of Converse County at www.ConverseCountyTourism.com.
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One of the most famous trial attorneys of the 20th century and a proud son of Wyoming, Gerry Spence died Wednesday in his Montecito, California, home at the age of 96.
Spence was a legend among the trial bar, especially for his civil practice and criminal defense work. Cowboy State Daily's Clair McFarland was notified of Spence's passing by his family.
"Spence's stepson, Chris Hawks, texted me at midnight saying that he had passed, and I stayed up half the night reading his autobiography... And then first thing in the morning, I talked to his law partner of 25 years, Bob Schuster, Jim Fitzgerald, whom he mentored, former Governor Mike Sullivan, who was a friend and a law colleague and a little daunted at times by Jerry Spence during his law career. And you know, really, the prevailing theme was that Spence was successful because he faced his fears and he told powerful stories."
Spence rose to national prominence through a series of landmark cases, including a $10.5 million verdict for the family of nuclear whistleblower Karen Silkwood; and the successful defense of former Philippine first lady Imelda Marcos.
Read the full story HERE.
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The Cheyenne-born restaurant chain that brought the world Taco Tuesday and Potato Olés is quietly saying adios to Wyoming, and fully relocating its corporate headquarters to Minnesota, after 56 years in business.
A former Taco John's Vice President of Marketing told Cowboy State Daily's David Madison that the move was kept deliberately under wraps, given the strong emotional ties many maintain with the restaurant chain that started as a taco stand outside the entrance to Cheyenne Frontier Days - and now includes around 380 stores.
"Just as the soft taco shell binds to the hard taco shell in the Taco Bravo, the people of Cheyenne have an undeniable bond with this chain… You know, when you have a 56 year old restaurant, automatically there's going to be nostalgia. Nothing is more nostalgic than smells and tastes and tradition… Taco Bell is the real kind of gorilla in the room that really took over the world of fast food tacos. But you had these regional success stories… In Wyoming, parts of Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, all the way to Minneapolis, you had Taco John's. And in fact, there's 200