Former coach waives hearing

TORRINGTON - Former Lingle-Fort Laramie High School girls basketball coach Buddy Patterson waived his preliminary hearing in Circuit Court on Wednesday.

He's now scheduled to appear in District Court at 1 p.m. Sept. 1 on four counts of second-degree sexual assault and a count of indecent liberties with a minor.

Patterson, 45, who had coached in Lingle for 12 years, had coached his girls' team to the 1-A state championship this year. He resigned July 5, shortly before charges were filed.

Court documents allege that Patterson used his authority to "inflict sexual intrusion" on a minor four times between June 20, 2002, and March 31, 2003. He's also accused of taking indecent liberties with a minor on March 30, 2002, and on Sept, 17, 2003, according to court records.

The June 20 assault took place at Fort Laramie Middle School; the rest occurred at the high school, the documents say.

Man will stand trial in killing

SALT LAKE CITY - A man accused in the shooting death of another man at a party earlier this year will stand trial on murder charges, a judge has ruled.

Tyson Yellowbear, 21, of Riverton was ordered to stand trial on charges of murder in the March 25 death of Danny Brown Tapuaialupe, 23, after a preliminary hearing Wednesday before 3rd District Judge Stephen Henroid.

Yellowbear is also charged with attempted murder in the wounding of Pesio Vaeluaga.

Yellowbear is accused of wounding Vaeluaga first, with a shot to the back of the head. Tapuaialupe was fatally shot in the chest as he tried to wrestle the gun from Yellowbear, prosecutors said.

Siaos Vehikite testified Wednesday he also wrestled with Yellowbear, whom Vehikite accused of trying to shoot him. Yellowbear is scheduled for arraignment on Aug. 21.

Great Lakes continues service

CHEYENNE - Great Lakes Aviation announced Thursday it will continue air service to Riverton and Rock Springs despite losing a federal subsidy to those destinations.

Cheyenne-based Great Lakes has been the sole airline carrier in both communities since 1998. It had received Essential Air Service subsidies to serve Rock Springs since 1998 and subsidies to serve Riverton since 2003.

"In today's cost environment there are few success stories," Great Lakes CEO Chuck Howell said. "With the tremendous growth within both of these communities and record levels of enplanements, we are able to operate subsidy-free going forward."

Great Lakes provides scheduled passenger service at 40 airports in 10 states.

"Our Wyoming-owned airline, Great Lakes Airlines, is continuing to show commitment to our state by providing subsidy-free service to Wyoming airports," Shelly Reams, state aeronautics administrator, said in a statement released through the airline.