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SMALL TOWN PAPERS, INC
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December 17, 2015
Newcastle, Wyoming
Year 129 Week 51
Todd Bennington
NLJ Reporter
Michael Davis, who is suspected in the June 2011
killing of Katherine Coffee, made an initial appear-
ance in Sixth Judicial District Circuit Court Friday
morning, where he was advised of the two felony
charges pending against him. Bail for Davis was set
at $100,000 cash.
Davis, who gave the court an Osage address
as his current place of residence, was told by the
presiding judge, Hon. Matthew Castano, that he
is facing one count each of second-degree murder
and "compounding," a charge related to the alleged
withholding or concealing of evidence. The murder
charge carries a potential penalty of 20 years to life
in prison, while the obstruction charge could mean
up to three years in prison and a fine of not more
than $3,000.
The bail amount was set by Judge Castano upon
the recommendation of the prosecution, with the
ready agreement of Davis' defense counsel. A pre-
liminary hearing on the matter is set for the morning
of Friday, Dec. 18.
A Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation
agent's affidavit provided by the court indicates
Davis was first interviewed by law enforcement
on June 13, 2011, ten days after Coffee's body
was found in her home by a co-worker. Davis is
described as having stated at that initial interview
that he met Katherine Coffee socially on two occa-
sions at community gatherings and that he had also
seen her when she came to exchange moldy hay for
hay from his ranch.
-- See Coffee, Page 3
Michael Davis is escorted into court on Friday morning. The Osage resident is facing two felony charges in connection with the death of
Katherine Coffee. The 35-year-old Coffee was found dead in her home by a coworker the morning of June 3, 2011. (Todd Bennington/NLJ)
Todd Benningtou
NLJ Reporter
A plan put forward by Newcastle
High School Soccer Coaches Bryce
Hoffman and Josh Peterson to expand
WCSD #1's soccer program to the
seventh and eighth grades passed on
its third reading last Wednesday, Dec.
9, in a close 5 to 4 vote.
Superintendent Brad LaCroix
maintained his opposition to the
plan, agreeing with Board Chair Bob
Bonnar that though the proposal was
well thought out he doesn't believe it
is right for the district to adopt at this
time. LaCroix has repeatedly cited
fiscal concerns about the expansion of
the soccer program at past meetings.
Treasurer Tom Wright made the
motion to expand the program to the
middle school with the provision that
15 students will be necessary for both
boys and girls in order for a team to
be fielded.
"I Would encourage you to support
thiS," he said "... It's an opportunity
to provide some continuity. We have
a coaching staff that's said they think
this is something they think would be
beneficial."
Vice Chair Tina Chick seconded
the motion, saying she believes it
expands opportunities for students
whose parents can't afford to put them
in the Newcastle Soccer League. She
observed that numbers tend to ebb
and flow for sports, citing the boys
high school swim team, which has
now been reestablished with a sizable
turnout after a two-year absence.
"What's the harm in trying? If the
numbers aren't there, then there isn't a
-- See Soccer, Page 7
The Newcastle Hand Bell Choir performs at Crouch Auditorium on Sunday afternoon prior
to the Community Cantata Choir performance. Melissa Clark, foreground, is among the
choir members who shone in both performances. (Bob Bonnar/NLJ)
,q
Todd Bennington
NLJ Reporter
Linda Tokarczyk, manager of community
relations for Rare Element Resources, reported
to the Upton Town Council on Dec. 8 that,
due to delays in the National Environmental
Policy Act permitting process for the proposed
Bear Lodge Mining Project, the company is
converting its employees within the state to
a contract basis and taking other cost-saving
Alexis Shultz
NLJ Reporter
In 2008, the Wyoming Legislature created
the Public Library Endowment Challenge,
which created a goal for each library to meet for
fund-raising by providing a matching amount
that would be given for each dollar raised in
a specific community. Weston County Library
officials proudly announced this month that
measures.
"Predominately because of the continued
uncertainty surrounding the timing of the per-
mitting for the project, RER has made the deci-
sion to convert the majority of our Wyoming
employees to a contract basis right now," she
said, adding that she is already now working on
such a basis herself.
Among the other scale-back measurers RER
is taking, she said, are reduced hours for
-- See RER, Page lO
they have finally reached the goal established
for them by collecting $232,608.
"The goal was increased from what they
(Wyoming Legislature) initially set it at in
2008," declared Weston County Library
Director Brenda Ayers. She explained that the
legislature set a goal for each of the 23 counties
in Wyoming based on their population.
-- See Goal, Page lO.,
Todd Bennington
NLJ Reporter
The NLJ spoke last week with Rep.
Tyler Lindholm (House District 01)
and Rep. Hans Hunt (House District
02), who provided updates on their
respective interim committee work and
predictions for the Legislative Budget
Session that begins in February.
Lindholm reported that while not
a lot of work was done on the Ag
Committee on which he sits, a resolu-
tion did pass in favor of waiting for
federal legislation to address the issue
of genetically modified foods.
"A lot of states have been passing
GMO ... laws," Lindholm explained.
"Some of them are pretty far reaching
to the point that they would hurt
industry in the state of Wyoming, such
as our sugar beet industry."
The genetically modified sugar
beets grown within Wyoming for the
production of sugar result in a product
that is chemically indistinguishable
from non-GMO-beet-derived sugar,
according to Lindholm.
"I agree with the sentiment behind
[the resolution]," Lindholm continued.
"[However], I did vote against the
resolution. It did pass. And the reason I
voted against it [is] you're going to be
hard pressed to ever find me endorsing
federal legislation, because I don't
think you're actually going to get what
you ask for at the end of day."
Lindholm said that while he under-
stands that there is an evolving concern
about GMO products, he believes it
is an issue for informed consumers
to decide rather than government.
Lindholm suggested buying locally for
those interested in avoiding GMOs.
A champion of the rights of small
food producers, Lindholm reported
that he has worked closely with health
and agricultural agencies in monitoring
the results of the Food Freedom Act he
sponsored into law last year, which
deregulated the direct-to-consumer
sale of certain food items. There have
so far been no reports of foodbome
illness that can be directly attributed
to the act, he stated, and legislators in
several states have contacted him with
the goal of using the act as a model for
similar legislation in their states.
As for his work on the Corporations
Committee, Lindholm said that though
he believes the new funding distribu-
tion formula proposed by Rep. Mike
Madden (House District 40) is a step
in the right direction, it doesn't go
far enough in providing funds for
small counties and municipalities with
minimal sources of revenue.
Turning to the budget, Lindholm
said he looks upon the significant cuts
that may be necessary as a positive.
"That's a great sign of a responsible
government ... We've had a decade of
a surplus of money, and we've spent
like we've had a surplus of money
over that decade," he explained of his
view.
In regard to the Rainy Day Fund,
Lindholm said he is against its use
for the time being, though he believes
that some of the two billion dollars
it contains, which is conservatively
invested in bonds, might be moved
to other accounts and invested more
-- See Updates, Page 9
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