Students protest principal's departure

ROCK SPRINGS - More than 200 students at East Junior High School staged walkouts to show support for their principal whose contract was not renewed for next year.

The students first walked out of school Wednesday morning for a sit-down protest on the school's front lawn. But they stopped when Principal Lu Sweet told them to return to class.

However, some students later walked out of the school in the early afternoon. Some of the students said that they thought it is more important to their education that Sweet remain principal than for them to sit in class.

Superintendent Paul Grube has said he could not discuss why he recommended that Sweet's contract not be renewed, because it is a personnel issue.

UW taps speakers for graduation

CHEYENNE - U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and former Wyoming Gov. Mike Sullivan will speak at graduation ceremonies for University of Wyoming students next month.

Most of the ceremonies for individual colleges will be held on May 10.

Barrasso will speak at the College of Health Sciences graduation. Sullivan, who also was a former U.S. ambassador to Ireland, will speak at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences commencement ceremony.

The University of Wyoming will graduate more than 1,450 students next month.

Elk foundation distributes grants

CODY - The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation has awarded $215,000 in conservation grants to 16 Wyoming projects so far this year.

Steve Decker of the foundation says grant money was awarded to projects in Albany, Carbon, Converse, Fremont, Lincoln, Natrona, Park, Sheridan, Sublette, Sweetwater and Weston counties.

Decker says another $103,000 will be available for allocation in July.

Since 1984, the elk foundation has partnered with federal and state agencies and others to complete more than 340 conservation projects in Wyoming with a value of nearly $27 million.

Utility, hospital enter agreement

BISMARCK, N.D. - Basin Electric Power Cooperative says it has signed an agreement with a hospital to provide medical services at a coal-fired power plant under construction in Wyoming.

The North Dakota-based company says it has signed a four-year agreement with Campbell County Memorial Hospital in Gillette for the medical services.

Basin began construction this month on $1.3 billion Dry Fork Station in November. The planned power plant near Gillette is slated to come on line in 2011, producing 385 megawatts of power.

Paper seeks veterans, families

The Casper Star-Tribune is seeking military men and women who served in Iraq and Afghanistan to share their stories about returning home.

We're also looking for military family members who can talk about how the return of their loved ones is affecting them and their families.

Please contact capital bureau reporter Jared Miller at (307) 632-1244 or jared.miller@trib.com.