Swine flu still tests negative

CHEYENNE - Wyoming is the only state in the region that hasn't detected swine flu within its borders.

Spokeswoman Kim Deti said Monday that the Wyoming Department of Health has not found swine flu in 115 tests of possible flu samples from around the state.

Meanwhile, health officials in Montana and North Dakota both identified probable swine flu cases in their states in recent days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there are confirmed cases in 44 states, including Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska and South Dakota.

Deti said the state health lab is still fielding a steady stream of requests for swine flu testing from local health care providers. She said there's no testing backlog.

Historic train steams along

LARAMIE - The last steam engine built for Union Pacific is chugging across southern Wyoming on its way to Cheyenne.

The UP 844 locomotive ws scheduled to stop in Evanston, Green River and Rock Springs on Monday. Today, stops are planned in Rawlins, Laramie and Cheyenne.

Early Monday, UP 844 was in Ogden, Utah, to mark the 141st anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

The locomotive was delivered for Union Pacific in 1944. The engine pulled passenger trains at first but in the 1950s was switched to freight duty in Nebraska.

UP 844 is now used for excursion runs on special occasions.

UW hires two deans

LARAMIE - The University of Wyoming has hired deans for the College of Health Sciences and the College of Law.

The dean of the Idaho State University College of Pharmacy has been named dean of the College of Health Sciences.

Joseph Steiner's appointment begins July 1, subject to approval by UW trustees.

Steiner was professor and director of pharmacy practice for four years at the UW before accepting the job at Idaho State in 2001, according to UW.

He previously was a professor and clinical pharmacy director at the UW Family Practice Residency Program in Casper.

Meanwhile, Stephen Easton was appointed dean of the College of Law.

Most recently he was a law professor at the University of Missouri.

His appointment also will be effective July 1, subject to approval by the trustees.

Easton has been at Missouri since 1998 and has won several university and national teaching and writing awards. He received his law degree from Stanford University.

Easton replaces Jerry Parkinson. UW spokeswoman Jessica Lowell said Parkinson will continue to teach at the law school.

NWS issues flood watch

BAGGS - The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for communities along the Little Snake River in south-central Wyoming.

The affected communities include Savery and Baggs.

The Weather Service says people living along the river should be prepared for minor flooding Wednesday and Thursday. Warm weather is causing heavy snowmelt and runoff from the nearby Sierra Madre Mountains.