TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2018 108TH YEAR/ISSUE 33 KIDNAPPING SUSPECT ARRESTED IN POWELL with him for about eight days in ex- became nervous and did not answer Alleged to have tried murdering woman outside Thermopolis change for a couple hundred dollars. her,” Patrick wrote. However, the woman said Luna In the early morning hours of BY CJ BAKER ping. Luna, of Peoria, Arizona, is of Thermopolis. She had cuts to began cutting her off from the rest April 13, the woman says Luna Tribune Editor alleged to have strangled a woman her face and neck, along with of the world — stealing her money stopped in a pullout along Wyo. he’d picked up in Glendale, Arizona, ligature marks and hemorrhaging and cell phone and making her go to Highway 120, allowing her to go to uthorities allege that a truck and left her in a ditch along Wyo. in one of her eyes — indicating she’d the bathroom along the side of the the bathroom. However, when she driver arrested in Powell ear- Highway 120. been strangled, Wyoming Division road instead of stopping at public got back inside the truck, the woman Alier this month kidnapped and Luna remained in jail in Ther- of Criminal Investigation Special places like rest areas or gas stations, says Luna wrapped something tried murdering a female passenger mopolis on Monday, with bail set Agent Brady Patrick wrote in an af- Patrick wrote of her account. around her throat and strangled her outside Thermopolis. at $500,000 cash while he awaits a fidavit submitted in support of the “[The woman] further stated that until she passed out, Patrick wrote Hugo A. Luna Aguero, 45, is fac- preliminary hearing. charges. she observed a substantial amount of her account. ing felony charges in Hot Springs A passerby found the injured The woman reportedly told the of blood on the mattress in the sleep- She says she woke up in a ditch County of attempted first-degree woman on the morning of Friday, agent she’d known Luna for roughly er portion of Luna’s tractor trailer, HUGO LUNA (premeditated) murder and kidnap- April 13 about 15 miles north a month and had agreed to travel and when she questioned Luna, he See Suspect, Page 2 R.J. Kost running for state Senate WILL CHALLENGE SEN. PETERSON BY CJ BAKER Tribune Editor .J. Kost will soon retire from the Powell school Rdistrict, but he won’t be taking it easy: The longtime edu- cator recently announced he’s running for the state Senate. Kost wants to change the tone in the Legislature’s upper cham- ber, which he says has developed at least a perception of being too confronta- tional and critical. “I’m not saying that they’re R.J. KOST right or wrong in what they’re thinking, but what I Jim Allison, supervisor of collections at the Wyoming State Museum, works to excavate a portion of a Columbian mammoth at Buffalo Bill State Park on Saturday, joined by (from am saying is you don’t have to at- left) State Archaeologist Greg Pierce, Draper Natural History Museum Curatorial Assistant Bonnie Smith and University of Wyoming graduate student Adam Guinard of Powell. tack and be harsh about it,” Kost Tribune photo by Mark Davis said of the Senate. “There’s ways of approaching these things in SCIENTISTS WORK FAST TO a more diplomatic way so that everybody is on the same side.” RECOVER PARK COUNTY MAMMOTH The Powell Republican said he can bring a new perspective IN EMERGENCY SALVAGE EFFORT — and that he wants to help the MAMMOTH SAVED state move into the changing BY MARK DAVIS “We’re going to be collecting the with mammoth sites — as they raced to 21st century. Mammoth affectionately Tribune Staff Writer remains so they don’t get ruined in any the site from Laramie and across the Kost sees a need for Wyoming way or [have] anything bad happen to region to plan and execute the salvage to become more adaptable in a known as ‘Uncle George’ he discovery last week of Park them so they are preserved,” Carlie effort. globalized economy and less de- County’s first mammoth remains Ronca, manager of the Wyoming Area A storm predicted for Monday pres- pendent on the volatile minerals BY MARK DAVIS Tsent federal, state and local offi- Office of the Bureau of Reclamation, sured the group to move quickly in a industry; that could include find- Tribune Staff Writer cials scrambling. explained at a Thursday meeting in task that involved hundreds of speci- ing ways to boost tourism, bring The thousands of years-old speci- Powell, adding, “It’s big news for us and mens — a number which grew as heavy in business or take advantage of ot a lot is known about the Co- men, uncovered on in this community.” winds exposed more bone each day. the internet, he said. lumbian mammoth found outside Bureau of Reclamation The remains of the Volunteers are often invited to help with “Do I have the answer? No. NCody. But as a team of research- land within the Buffalo ‘Education is an Columbian mammoth sites, but due to the speed needed in the But I would love to talk to ers did the painstaking work of extract- Bill State Park west of were found within the emergency situation, Pierce opted to people, learn more and see what ing as much of the specimen’s remains Cody, was first secured important way to Buffalo Bill Reservoir, only use experienced individuals. How- people have as ideas,” Kost said. as they could, they gave it a nickname: by federal law enforce- help protect the site.’ which has been drawn ever, some spectators wound up aiding “I think it’s important to listen “Uncle George.” ment agents and state down in anticipation of the effort. to your constituents and take all However, it’s so early in the process park officials a week Marieka Arksey spring runoff from the For instance, 7-year-old Toby Zier- that in and weigh it and make that even the sex of the mammoth is not ago. Then, at the re- UW collections manager Absaroka Range. The lein, a Cody elementary school student the best decision that you think yet known. quest of the bureau, bones were spread out with an interest in paleontology and is going to assist growth in Big “For all we know, it could be Wyoming state archaeologist and Uni- in an 80- to 100-meter area of lake bed wildlife, alerted Bonnie Smith to an un- Horn County and Park County.” Georgette,” said Marieka Arksey, state versity of Wyoming adjunct professor that will soon be covered by about 30 marked bone. Kost, 65, said empty archaeological collections manager. Greg Pierce was asked to assemble a feet of water. Smith, curatorial assistant at the team to salvage the exposed, extremely Pierce’s team led experts and gradu- See Kost, Page 3 See Name, Page 8 fragile pieces of bone. ate students — several with experience See Mammoth, Page 8 Man alleged to have burned down motorhome Saturday BY CJ BAKER set Melnar’s bond at $50,000 cash dur- Tribune Editor ing a Monday afternoon hearing in Cody. Saturday morning fire that Deputy Park County Prosecuting claimed a Powell man’s mo- Attorney Leda Pojman requested that Atorhome was no accident, au- amount, calling Melnar a danger “to thorities say. Park County and its citizens as well as Garland M. Melnar, 50, has been law enforcement.” Pojman also said charged with a felony count of third- Melnar had past criminal convictions, degree arson, as Park County pros- including burglary, receiving stolen ecutors allege he burned down the property and assault with injury. motorhome just north of Powell city “It’s just bad news, your honor,” Poj- limits. man said in making her argument for “The fire was apparently retribution the $50,000 figure. for a perceived drug deal gone bad,” Melnar, who described himself in said Lance Mathess, a spokesman court documents as being transient, for the Park County Sheriff’s Office. declined to argue for a lower bond. Charging documents indicate the case “I don’t think it would make any is largely based on the account of one difference, your honor, but thanks for of Melnar’s acquaintances, who told asking,” he told Waters. authorities that Melnar admitted to Powell firefighters were called Members of the Powell Volunteer Fire Department extinguish a motorhome fire on Lane 8H Saturday morning. Authorities say starting the fire. it was an act of arson. Tribune photo by CJ Baker Circuit Court Judge Bruce Waters See Motorhome, Page 3 LAST WEEK’S LOTTA NUMBER BELONGED TO LOTTA NUMBER - 337 05/07/2018 TERRY CRONIN OF POWELL WHO MISSED $20. PAGE 2 • POWELL TRIBUNE TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2018 ARTWORK ON DISPLAY AT EXTRAVAGANZA Information on military academies presented in Cody in May A Service Academy Informa- Representatives from the U.S. about how they can assist stu- tion Day will be held in Cody Air Force Academy in Colorado dents gain a nomination to a Ser- next month. Springs, the U.S. Military Acad- vice Academy — a process that The event will provide an emy at West Point, New York, is complex and can start as early opportunity for parents and the U.S. Naval Academy in An- as the junior year of high school. students to learn about military napolis, Maryland, and the U.S. The Military Service Acad- academies, including the appli- Merchant Marine Academy in emies are federally funded cation process, and about serv- Kings Point, New York, will be institutions.