Posted: Monday, May 15, 2006 12:00 am
Carbon County assessed value expected to rise 25 percent
RAWLINS - A Wyoming County Commissioners Association report says Carbon County's assessed valuation is expected to increase 25 percent this year, from $667.9 million to $835.7 million.
The report is based on the value of mineral production, along with residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural property in the county.
Carbon County assesses 12 mills against that property base, so based on the report's predication, the county would get $10 million in property taxes next year, $2 million more than this year.
"I'm very glad we're going to have additional funds because it's very apparent we're going to need extra funds," said Carbon County Commissioner Terry Weickum.
The report estimates the state's total assessed value should increase by 19 percent, from $16.44 billion this year to $19.64 billion next year.
Sublette County's valuation is expected to have the largest increase of any county, with a more than 29 percent jump to $3.72 billion.
Bond set for pair accused of murder
CHEYENNE - Bond has been set at $200,000 apiece for two people who are accused of killing a man nearly eight years ago and made their first court appearance Friday.
Irene LaRiviere, 54, and her former husband Steven LaRiviere, 47, are accused of the August 1998 death of Danny Lee Burch, 46, whose bones were discovered in the Vedauwoo recreation area between Cheyenne and Laramie in November 2002.
Steven LaRiviere is accused of shooting Burch in the head with a crossbow and then beating him in the head with a blunt object after Irene LaRiviere said Burch had scammed her of money.
Both were appointed public defenders by Circuit Judge Denise Nau on Friday. Irene LaRiviere is charge with conspiring to kill Burch. Steven LaRiviere is charge with both conspiracy and murder.
Both could face life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.
Wright students sentenced in poachings sprees
GILLETTE - Four high school students and a college student from Wright have been sentenced in two separate poaching sprees.
The arrests resulted from an anonymous phone call to the Stop Poaching Hotline on Feb. 6, South Gillette Game Warden Aaron Kerr said in a news release.
The caller said several deer and antelope were left to rot the day before. The caller also provided information about a buck mule deer killed illegally in November, Kerr said.
An investigation led to the conviction of Travis Belt and Kyle Huseth, both 18, and a 17-year-old juvenile in the death of the buck and removal of its antlers.
On Feb. 5, Belt, Dane Reid, 19, and two juveniles shot and killed several doe deer and antelope from their vehicles while driving on county roads east of Wright, Kerr said.
"We aren't sure how many animals were actually killed because they were shooting into herds as they saw them," Kerr said.
Belt was fined $1,090, sentenced to 45 days in jail with all but two days suspended and lost his hunting privileges for six years. Huseth and Reid each were fined $560, sentenced to 30-day suspended jail sentences, placed on probation for six months and lost hunting privileges for three years.