Episode Details

It's time to take a look at what's happening around Wyoming for Thursday, February 26th. I'm Mac Watson.

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Accused of torturing a wolf two years ago in a case that received global condemnation, Cody Roberts has agreed to plead guilty or no contest to one count of felony animal cruelty. But Cowboy State Daily's Clair McFarland reports that Roberts could still face prison time.

"It's 18 months probation, strict requirements like no hunting, no fishing, no shed hunting, even so, like, you will not interact with the wild animals at all. And if he fails probation, then he could spend 18 months to two years in prison and pay another 4000 in fine. So he's supposed to pay 1000 and fines right out of the gate, and could pay another 4000 if he fails probation."

The 44-year-old Roberts was indicted last August by a grand jury. Felony animal cruelty carries a penalty of up to two years in prison and up to $5,000 in fines.

Read the full story HERE.

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There's been hardly any winter in Wyoming so far this year, but highway fatalities are up nearly double compared to the last two years. Cowboy State Daily's Greg Johnson reports that the Wyoming Highway Patrol says that speed, not weather, has the most impact on highway fatalities.

"As a driver, the Highway Patrol explained, you can control how you drive in those conditions, and it's usually speed and driver inattentiveness is usually listed as suspected causes in most of these cases. They do see more and more evidence of people, you know, using devices and their smartphones and stuff while they're driving. Not only is it not a good idea, it's illegal."

On Tuesday, a 19-year-old woman from Powell became the 20th person to die on Wyoming roads so far this year. That's well ahead of the 13 fatalities recorded by this time last year, so says the Wyoming Highway Patrol.

Read the full story HERE.

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Wyoming lawmakers on Wednesday advanced a bill expanding homeschoolers' access to public school activities from grades 6-12 to all K-12 students. Cowboy State Daily's David Madison reports that the move mirrors "Tim Tebow Laws" in other states allowing equal participation for homeschooled athletes.

"Senate Education Committee moved a bill, approved a bill, and moved it forward that would allow homeschool kids to have official access to all kinds of activities, K through 12. That was the main discussion this morning was, should it be sixth grade through 12th or K through 12? They landed on an amendment that made it K through 12 and so it's looking like this bill is probably going to pass, and Wyoming is going to have its own Tim Tebow law where home school kids can participate."

The Senate Education Committee voted 4-0 to advance House Bill 23, which requires school districts to allow students not enrolled in a district to participate in cocurricular and extracurricular activities.

Read the full story HERE.

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A Laramie County rancher shot a roughly 2-year-old male wolf near Carpenter, Wyoming, where wolves are almost never seen. Outdoors reporter Mark Heinz reports that this may be the first recorded legal wolf killing in the county.

"A rancher, it was a father and son. Ranchers were doing something they do anyway. They're out hunting coyotes on their land. And there happened to be a wolf in the area, and in th