Swine flu hits Natrona County

Casper-Natrona County Health Department investigated its first confirmed case of swine flu Wednesday, health officials announced late Wednesday afternoon.

A 35-year-old woman was diagnosed at Wyoming Medical Center, but health department officials said there was no cause for alarm.

The latest case brought Wyoming's count to 14 confirmed swine flu cases. Twelve were in Laramie County and one was in Uinta County.

Most new flu cases in Wyoming by now are probably swine flu and not seasonal flu, Wyoming Department of Health officials said.

Most confirmed flu cases tested recently at the state health department have come back positive as swine flu, said Clay Van Houten, the department's emerging diseases section chief.

Other recent flu cases include 12 at the Cheyenne Children's Clinic. Health officials assume those are swine flu as well.

Health officials are not concerned about finding out which schools the children attended and warning parents. They said the youngsters probably already spread the virus through after-school activities and visits to stores and restaurants.

Police give 'good tickets'

Casper area police officers will reward young people who make good decisions with free ticket vouchers for Casper Ghosts baseball games.

The Good Ticket Program offers police a chance to interact with kids and acknowledge young people for making good decisions, like wearing a helmet while bike riding, according to Mike Burnett, coordinator of the Central Casper Weed and Seed Program. The vouchers, which will be carried by officers on patrol, can be redeemed for two free tickets.

The program, now in its third year, is a partnership between the baseball team and area law enforcement agencies. Casper, Mills and Evansville police, along with the Natrona County Sheriff's Office, are participating in the program.

"It's basically rewarding folks for doing the right thing," said team spokesman Chris Maxwell.

Man pleads guilty to sexual abuse

A Glenrock man pleaded guilty Wednesday to third-degree sexual abuse of a minor.

Steven Tyler Spicer, 24, entered the plea in Natrona County District Court as part of a deal with prosecutors, who agreed to dismiss another sexual abuse charge.

A 16-year-old girl had told police she had sex with Spicer multiple times last fall, court documents show.

A sentencing date for Spicer hasn't been set.

Man pleads not guilty to box cutter assault

A Casper man pleaded not guilty Wednesday to threatening his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend with a box cutter.

Brian F. Cook, 35, faces charges of aggravated assault and property destruction. A Natrona County sheriff's deputy arrested him in April following an incident at a Mills home.

Another man accused Cook of putting a box cutter up to his throat and cutting his left cheek when Cook came to pick up his children, according to a police affidavit. The other man told police he managed to get the box cutter away from Cook.

The man also alleged that Cook threw a propane bottle through his bedroom window.

In an interview with an officer, Cook asserted that the other man had pulled the box cutter on him and called him a derogatory name, the affidavit states.

Man faces five sex crimes

A prison inmate pleaded not guilty by reason of mental illness to five sex crimes against a pre-teen girl.

Markus Morrison Sheets, 44, faces charges of second- and third-degree sexual assault, sexual exploitation of a child, incest and possession of child pornography.

With his plea, Sheets asserted he was mentally ill at the time of the alleged offense. He is not claiming that his competency to stand trial is at issue.