BOARD MEMBER CORONAVIRUS COMMENTS

Wyoming board member sorry for ‘stupid’ coronavirus comments

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A school board member has apologized for his “stupid” comments about people from Wyoming who have died from the coronavirus pandemic. The Casper Star-Tribune reported that, at a meeting with health officials last week, board member Kevin Christopherson said that the majority of the 21 Wyomingites who have died from the coronavirus “were going to die. They just died sooner.” Christopherson made the comments as the board walked through its plan to reopen schools, which call for face coverings to be worn whenever students and staff can’t stay six feet away from each other.

KANYE WEST-WYOMING

Kanye West seeking to use Wyoming warehouse for Yeezy

CODY, Wyo. (AP) — Kanye West plans to use a former drug-manufacturing warehouse in Wyoming to create his Yeezy brand clothing and shoes. The Cody planning and zoning board is scheduled to review the proposal Tuesday. West is a 43-year-old Grammy-winning rapper, record producer and fashion designer who owns a ranch near Cody. West announced in November he was moving Yeezy headquarters to the ranch from Calabasas, California. West has since announced business partnerships with Adidas and Gap. He seeks to remodel a Cody warehouse as an Adidas Yeezy sample lab. The building was part of a different company’s now-defunct plan to make generic drugs in Cody.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-WYOMING

Wyoming extends COVID-19 public health orders through July

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming will again extend public health orders to contain the coronavirus amid a resurgence of the illness. Gov. Mark Gordon announced Monday the latest orders set to expire Wednesday will now be in effect through the end of July. Gordon says he’s disappointed to see case numbers rise in Wyoming. The statewide orders prohibit more than 50 people at a time from gathering in confined spaces without restrictions. A range of exceptions include grocery stories and people traveling in groups to work. Up to 500 participants and audience members may attend events with adequate social-distancing and sanitizing measures.

WYOMING-DEATH PENALTY

Wyoming governor: Death-penalty moratorium could save money

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming may implement a moratorium on the death penalty to save money as the state faces a budget crisis. Gov. Mark Gordon told a legislative committee Monday having the death penalty is a “luxury … that we will no longer be able to afford.” The state faces an up to $1.5 billion deficit due to economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic and downturns in the energy industry. The Casper Star-Tribune reports Gordon is seeking a 20% reduction in state spending in the months ahead. Wyoming currently has no prisoners on death row. Wyoming’s last execution was in 1992.

WYOMING SHOOTING

Sheriff’s officials: No eyewitnesses to Wyoming shooting

ALCOVA, Wyo. (AP) — Sheriff’s officials in Wyoming continue to investigate a fatal shooting but say they aren’t aware of any eyewitnesses. The shooting happened late Friday at a trailer home in Alcova, a community near Alcova Reservoir about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southwest of Casper. The Casper Star-Tribune reports the man shot owned the home. Natrona County sheriff’s Sgt. Taylor Courtney said Monday deputies who’d heard about a fight arrived to find people trying to help the wounded man. Medics pronounced him dead at the scene. Officials haven’t released the victim’s name but say the shooter was cooperative.

UNIVERSITY ENROLLMENT-DECREASE

University of Wyoming expects 19% decrease in enrollment

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — The University of Wyoming says it expects about 1,900 fewer students to enroll in the upcoming semester than were enrolled at the university in fall 2019. The Laramie Boomerang reported that 6,212 undergraduates enrolled in fall 2019. Preliminary figures indicate that next semester there will be a decrease of nearly 19%. The university says 1,170 graduate and professional students are expected to enroll, a 39% decline from the previous year. The school says the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic and a depressed energy sector in Wyoming are the overwhelming factors for students choosing not to return.