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Friday, March 26, 2021 • 10 pages • Volume 115, No. 19 50 cents

YOMING IGEST er TW hD e Rang Rota resigns from Riverton City Council q A vacancy in the Ward 1 Rota said as he announced his resigna - me to make their decisions and reflect tion during the March regular Riverton their opinions.” STATE SUES FEDS OVER LEASING council seat will be declared City Council meeting. “I’ve truly got to know some really GILLETTE (WNE) — is tak - during the next regular “I just want to thank everybody for great people, and I appreciate all of you ing its objection to President Joe Biden’s the tremendous amount of experience immensely,” he said. moratorium on issuing oil and gas leases on meeting April 7. that I’ve gained. … You’ve all been so Riverton city administrator Tony federal lands to the courts. helpful.” Gov. Mark Gordon has announced the By Katie Roenigk Tolstedt said the council, according to Staff Writer Rota was appointed to the Ward 1 policy, will be asked to accept Rota’s res - state filed a lawsuit Wednesday challenging council seat to fill a vacancy in 2019. the move ordered by Biden in his first days ignation officially and declare a vacancy Riverton City Councilman Cory Rota in office and implemented by U.S. Secretary He ran for election unopposed last in the Ward 1 council seat during the is leaving his post and moving to of the Interior Deb Haaland. year. next regular meeting scheduled for . In a Wednesday morning press release Rota also expressed appreciation for Wednesday, April 7. “We’re very excited for our new announcing the lawsuit, Gordon said the his Riverton Ward 1 constituents and The procedure for filling the vacancy adventure, (but) it’s very bittersweet,” lawsuit assets that implementing the mora - Cory Rota “the trust and faith that they’ve put in will be outlined then. torium violates federal law. “Following a careful review of not only the president’s executive order, but tis practi - cal effect, it is necessary for Wyoming to protect its citizens and challenge the secre - Power lift K-12 bill adds tary’s actions,” Gordon says in the announcement. “Not only is this federal action overreaching, it was implemented consolidation; without public input as required under fed - eral law.” The moratorium was among the first raft 500-student of executive orders Biden made after his Jan. 20 inauguration. minimum siz e JOHNSON ATTORNEY SEEKS HEALTH LAWSUIT DISMISSAL By Katie Roenigk BUFFALO — Last week, Johnson Staff Writer County Attorney Tucker Ruby filed a motion to dismiss the class action lawsuit The ’s K-12 school filed against County Health Officer Dr. funding bill now includes an amendment Mark Schueler, county health officers from to consolidate school districts in the state. all 23 counties and state health officials, The change would allow for two dis - including Dr. Alexia Harrist and Gov. Mark tricts per county, plus two for the Wind Gordon, seeking the elimination of all River Indian Reservation. COVID-19-related health orders. It also would prohibit districts with The five-page dismissal motion, filed on fewer than 500 students. Friday in the Fourth Judicial District Court, argues the plaintiff's case lacks merit on a Local control variety of procedural issues and fails to com - Debate on the amendment focused on ply with the Wyoming Rules for Civil the fate of small schools post-consolida - Procedures. tion. The brief argues the class action lawsuit is Multiple legislators moot because Schueler's health orders not claimed small schools even - only had statutory authority, but were tually would close as a "superseded by orders issued by the State result of the amendment, Health Officer, effective Dec. 9, 2020." but others, including Ruby also argues that petitioners lack Wyoming Rep. Lloyd standing in the case because there is no Larsen, R-Lander, dis - direct connection between the health orders agreed. and any alleged injuries. Instead, Larsen said, consolidation would allow 2021 LEGIS LATURE YELLOWSTONE FISHING COST RISES for efficiencies in the areas JACKSON (WNE) — The cost of a day of administration, informa - of fishing in Yellowstone National Park is tion technology and special education. more than doubling this year, partly to “You can certainly consolidate (on) a lot direct needed funds toward removing non- of things that we seem to build silos in native lake trout and controlling the spread now,” Larsen said. of aquatic invasive species. “I understand the argument, but think Boat permit fees are on the up, too. For it can be done reasonably, and it doesn’t the past decade, three-day, seven-day and mean you have to abandon a school and season-long Yellowstone fishing licenses ran dry up a town.” $18, $25 and $40, but the respective rates in 2021 will jump to $40, $55 and $75. Legacy Molding took delivery of a new molding machine Thursday at its Riverton shop. Legacy presi - School-closure worries Boating permit costs — stagnant since dent Rob Wright said it’s the second of three new machines arriving early this year. A Bornhoft Wyoming Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R- the early 1990s — are going up relatively Cheyenne, who proposed the amendment, Construction crane handled the lifting. Photo by Steve Peck more. A weeklong non-motorized decal to also acknowledged his colleagues’ concerns slap on a canoe or kayak used to cost $5 and about the potential for small-school clo - a season-long permit $10. Those rates are sures, which he said weren’t “completely now $20 (one week) and $30 (season). unfounded.” Vaccines offered to anyone 16 and older But he argued that the real issue at hand NWC LAUNCHES ESPORTS TEAM was “the fear (of) loss of control by your CODY (WNE) — Joining legions of col - local boards of trustees, who seem to think leges and universities around the nation, in two sessions at Wind River Casino they still control education.” “In some ways they do, but mostly the Northwest College is gearing up to launch By Katie Roenigk Public Health nurse Becky Parkins cine,” Parkins said. “They can jump its own esports team. Guided by the college’s legislature (has) taken over education Staff Writer said Friday. ahead (and) make their own priority funding,” Zwonitzer said. athletic department, gamers will have the Other vaccine brands are available list.” opportunity to compete with their fellow “We need (to) force a reorganization.” A free COVID-19 vaccination to people over age 18, she added. The availability of vaccines His amendment was approved Tuesday joystick warriors from the comfort of a clinic takes place from 6-8 p.m. “We’ve opened it up to pretty through tribal sources drew interest brand-new facility. on third reading of House Bill 173 in the Friday and again from 6-8 p.m. much anybody,” Parkins said. from residents of neighboring coun - Wyoming House of Representatives. “We’re hoping by April we can have it up Saturday at the Wind River Hotel “Anybody who would want the vac - ties, some of whom have traveled to and running for current students,” said ath - The bill now goes to the Wyoming and Casino south of Riverton. cine could get it.” the Wind River Indian Reservation Senate for consideration. letic director Brian Erickson, who will also The event represents a collabora - The wider availability became pos - to be vaccinated, Parkins said. coach the esports team. tion among Fremont County Public sible last week for her agency, but Those individuals should plan to ‘Turning into a monster’ Northwest is joining a long list of higher Health, Wind River Family and Parkins acknowledged that tribal return to Fremont County if their education institutions to offer esports. Inter- Fremont County School District 25 Community Health Care, and officials had begun distributing vac - vaccination regimens requires a sec - superintendent JoAnne Andre-Flanagan collegiate esports competition has been Eastern Shoshone Tribal Health. cines to the general public earlier. ond shot. around since at least 2016. talked about local control Tuesday evening All of those agencies now are “We’re under the state (jurisdic - Otherwise, Parkins said, their when she described another “troubling” offering Pfizer vaccines to anyone age tion), but they are sovereign, so they 16 and older, Fremont County can decide what to do with their vac - q Please see “Vaccine,” page 5 q Please see “K-12,” page 5

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