Episode Details

It's time to take a look at what's happening around Wyoming for Wednesday, August 12th. I'm Mac Watson.

This newscast is brought to you by the Wyoming State Fair. Wrap up your summer at the Wyoming State Fair, August 11th through the 15th in Douglas!

Rodeo, Demolition Derby, live music, entertainment and fair food await. Learn more at W-Y State Fair dot com. See you at the fair! This ad was paid for by Converse County Tourism.

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U.S. House candidate Reid Rasner on Tuesday called for the defeat of "Freedom Caucus losers." Cowboy State Daily's Clair McFarland reports that Rep. John Bear, a prominent member of the group, had a harsh rebuke, saying Rasner is a "failed career candidate who has brought division, dysfunction and political games to our state."

"Reid Rasner came out strong on Tuesday, basically calling for Wyomingites to defeat the Freedom Caucus at the upcoming August 18th election, and in response, Representative John Bear had strong words back for him, and when I was doing research on this, and I wondered how the other House candidates, U.S. House candidates, feel about the state-level Freedom Caucus, and I found pretty much widespread disapproval. Secretary Gray, who is endorsed by the caucus, did not comment by publication. The other candidates I interviewed all voiced disapproval."

The Wyoming Freedom Caucus is a controversial group of Republicans in the state House of Representatives. Proponents praise the caucus for proposing bold reductions to the state budget and efforts to pass socially conservative policies into law. Opponents accuse it of over-relying on its national network and advancing sloppy or generic legislation.

Read the full story HERE.

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The Weiser Knoll fire near Lander has exploded to be Wyoming's largest wildfire with 0% containment on Tuesday. Cowboy State Daily's Mark Heinz reports that the fire started by an overheated wheel bearing on Highway 28 on Sunday.

"It's up to over 16,500 acres. Still 0% contained, about 200 personnel involved, and I talked to some townspeople in Lander, then a couple of ranchers told me they've seen slurry bombers and helicopters out there and the BLM confirms that they have been dropping water and fire retardant on it as well as having crews fight it on the ground, so it's kind of all hands on deck response at this point."

According to state and federal fire agency reports, the fire was sparked at about 2:15 p.m. Sunday on Highway 28 about 13 miles southeast of Lander. The overheated bearing caused three initial fires to spring up alongside the road at a spot known as Johnnie Lee's Corner, according to reports.

Read the full story HERE.

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The Big Horn County Coroner's Office is reopening the cold case of a man found floating in the Greybull River near Basin in 1973. Cowboy State Daily's Kolby Fedore reports that investigators still don't know the man's name or how he died, but have released photos of what are thought to be his belongings.

"The coroner's office did not reveal why they are choosing to reopen this case now, but they are saying the circumstances of John Doe's death are suspicious and could have been a homicide. Authorities are saying that the man had brown hair, brown eyes, and a reddish mustache. He was around five feet six inches tall, and an estimated 150 to 160 pounds. The coroner's office said they are considering DNA testing as a last option, but the items that were found have been handled so much in t