Agency probes plane slide-off

JACKSON - The National Transportation Safety Board has sent two investigators to Jackson Hole to find out why a commercial plane from Denver slid off the runway after landing.

The federal agency also said Wednesday that it had sent the plane's cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder to its offices in Washington, D.C., for analysis.

The United Airlines flight slid off the runway at the Jackson Hole airport about 9:15 p.m. Monday. The plane was carrying 119 passengers and six crew members.

The Airbus A-320 ended up in three feet of snow and at about a 90-degree angle from the runway. No one was seriously hurt, although one passenger sprained a wrist while trying to open an emergency exit.

Passengers slid out of the exits on inflatable slides. One of the six slides failed to inflate, something the NTSB also was planning to investigate.

Peter Knudson, an NTSB spokesman in Washington, said investigators didn't yet know whether the runway was icy at the time. However, airport officials said four planes had slid off the runway since December.

Burglars steal 20 laptops, meds

CHEYENNE - Burglars at Burns Junior-Senior High School stole more than 20 laptop computers and medication from the school nurse's office.

The break-in happened sometime early Sunday. The computer equipment stolen was valued at between $20,000 and $30,000, according to Laramie County sheriff's spokesman Gerry Luce.

The burglars also damaged windows, doors, electronic equipment, computers and desks - damage that was discovered by a coach on Sunday.

School continued as usual on Monday, although the library was closed while staff put books back on the shelves.

Luce said surveillance video indicated that at least one of the burglars was a juvenile.

Biologists capture, collar bighorns

JACKSON - Wildlife biologists have captured 20 female bighorn sheep in the Teton Range and fitted the animals with radio collars.

The sheep were netted by helicopter earlier this month. The operation involved Grand Teton National Park, the U.S. Forest Service and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

Officials with the three agencies say biologists hope to learn more about the sheep herd, which at no more than 125 sheep is one of the smallest in Wyoming. Biologists have long been concerned about how to ensure the herd's survival.

The herd lives year-round at high elevations because of habitat loss at lower elevations.

Sheridan votes on administrator

SHERIDAN - Voters in Sheridan will decide today whether the city should have a city administrator.

Currently the mayor acts as city administrator in Sheridan.

A city administrator handles a city's technical and day-to-day operations. That helps free up the mayor to handle policy issues.

Sheridan Mayor Dave Kinskey says he favors hiring a city administrator.

City Clerk Art Elkins says the city has printed out 8,000 ballots, but he'd be surprised if 3,000 people turned out for the election.