Coal truck damages bridge

A bridge on State Highway 450 near Wright is out of service following a haul truck accident Tuesday at the Black Thunder coal mine.

The truck struck the girders on the underside of the bridge, causing extensive damage, the Wyoming Department of Transportation said. The agency will inspect the damage and is expected to make a decision about repairs by this afternoon.

"I think the bridge will be coming down pretty soon," Arch Coal Inc. spokesman Greg Schaefer told the Star-Tribune on Tuesday.

Not only is the bridge closed to highway traffic, but it's also closed to coal traffic at Black Thunder mine. Much of Black Thunder's coal production comes from the north side of Highway 450, and the only way to ship that coal is to drive it under the bridge to coal load-out facilities on the south side of the highway.

"We'll just operate from one side of the mine," Schaefer said.

Traffic is being detoured off of Highway 450 onto county roads between Highlight Road and School Creek Road. State officials said to watch for digital message signs and arrow boards directing traffic along the detour.

Yellowstone road section collapses

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK - A section of Yellowstone National Park's Grand Loop Road south of Canyon Junction has been temporarily closed after the road collapsed.

Park officials say no one was traveling on that section of the road when it slumped Monday.

The break is about a mile south of Canyon Junction, between the road to the Canyon Corrals and south end of the North Rim Drive.

When the roadbed subsided Monday afternoon, it caused a break in the underlying water main which serves the Canyon area. The rushing water further undercut the roadbed.

Park maintenance crews were assessing the damage Tuesday in preparation for emergency repairs to the water line and the road. Officials say they hope to have the road reopened to travel Thursday morning.

Wyo businessman rings NASDAQ bell

Keith Larsen, chairman and CEO of Riverton-based U.S. Energy Corp., was scheduled to ring the opening bell of the NASDAQ stock market today.

Larsen was to be joined in the ceremony by president Mark Larsen and other company executives.

U.S. Energy Corp. is listed on the NASDAQ exchange. It is a natural resources exploration and development company with interests in molybdenum, uranium, oil and gas, gold and real estate.

College offers program for kids

TORRINGTON - Eastern Wyoming College will host the "Adelante Ninos - Onward…Upward…to Higher Education" conference today in conjunction with the Goshen County School District.

The program seeks to familiarize elementary-aged children with college life and to encourage students to think about attending college.

Parents are also encouraged to attend the conference, which has a number of presentations just for adults.

The conference begins at 9 a.m. and lasts until just after 1 p.m. The first general session is in the EWC Fine Arts Auditorium.