Posted: Thursday, August 10, 2006 12:00 am
Trial begins in witness killing
GILLETTE - The first trial stemming from the deaths of two teens last year in what police say were plots to cover up other crimes got under way this week.
Christopher R. Hicks, 19, is charged with murder in the strangling death of 19-year-old Jeremy Forquer. Jury selection began Monday.
Hicks and Jacob P. Martinez were accused of strangling Forquer on the orders of Kent Alan Proffit last October. Police have said Proffit feared that Forquer would inform on him, Hicks and Martinez about an unknown crime.
The three men are also accused of plotting to kill 16-year-old Bryce Chavers last November to keep him from testifying at a third-degree sexual assault trial against Proffit.
Separate trials are being held for Hicks for each death. Martinez pleaded guilty as part of an agreement that allowed him to avoid the death penalty.
Proffit, 42, faces trial later this year.
Utility sees quarterly profits drop
RAPID CITY, S.D. - Power plant maintenance and outages combined with lower coal sales led to a 21 percent drop in profits for Black Hills Corp. during the past quarter, the company reported Wednesday.
The Rapid City-based utility reported net income of $11.8 million, or 35 cents per share, compared with profits of $14.9 million, or 45 cents per share during the same period in 2005.
Revenue climbed 8 percent to $153.8 million, compared with $142.4 million last year.
Strong earnings in the company's energy marketing division helped offset the results, David Emery, chairman and chief executive officer, said in a release.
Shares of Black Hills Corp. were down 8 cents to $35.84 in afternoon trading on the New York Stock Exchange.
Black Hills Corp. produces electricity and natural gas and is involved in oil and coal mining. Subsidiary Black Hills Power provides electricity to 63,500 customers in western South Dakota, southeastern Montana and northeastern Wyoming, and its Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power serves 38,700 electric customers and 32,500 gas customers in Cheyenne and other parts of Laramie County.
Arkansas plant will use Wyo coal
TEXARKANA, Ark. - Wyoming coal has found another customer in the deep South.
Southwestern Electric Power Co. said Wednesday it would build a new coal-fueled, 600-megawatt power plant north of Fulton in Hempstead County, Ark.
The $1.3 billion plant is part of a plan that includes gas-powered plants at Tontitown and at Shreveport, La. The plant near Fulton would run on coal mined in Wyoming's Powder River Basin. Plant costs are to be spread among SWEPCO customers in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.
The plant is expected to begin producing power in 2011.
"SWEPCO believes a coal-fueled plant is the best choice … to fuel the future growth of the economies in our region, allow us to remain a low-cost provider, and prevent over-reliance on natural gas for electricity generation," said Nick Akins, SWEPCO's president and chief operating officer.