Group seeks to protect gopher

CHEYENNE - Conservationists complain that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is dragging its feet on their efforts to seek federal protections for the Wyoming pocket gopher, but an agency official says it is making progress on the case although behind schedule.

The Wyoming pocket gopher is known to inhabit just an area along the Carbon and Sweetwater county lines. It spends most of its time underground and tends to live on ridge tops.

"We are certainly concerned about this species being listed, being examined and from our perspective listed as soon as possible," Duane Short, wild species program director for Laramie-based Biodiversity Conservation Alliance, said.

Although there are no official estimates of its population, Short said one survey counted just 13 of the reclusive mammals.

Their status also is threatened by oil and gas development projects in their habitat, he said.

Biodiversity petitioned the Fish and Wildlife Service in August 2007 to protect the gopher under the Endangered Species Act. The agency was supposed to issue an initial finding within 90 days of the petition's filing.

However, no such finding has occurred, prompting Biodiversity to file a complaint with the agency earlier this month.

Website makes top 10 list

CHEYENNE - A recent Pew Foundation study ranks Wyoming's elections Web site in the top 10 nationally.

The site is maintained by the Wyoming Secretary of State's Office.

The Pew Foundation examined election Web sites in all 50 states. It looked at whether citizens could find the official information they needed to register to vote, check their registration status and locate their polling places.

Elk refuge to release more hunting permits

JACKSON - The National Elk Refuge will release additional elk permits for both the north and south units through the end of the refuge elk hunting season on Dec. 5.

Refuge manager Steve Kallin made the decision to issue the extra alternate permits because many elk have avoided the refuge so far this hunting season resulting in decreased harvest.

About 855 elk were counted on the refuge early last week, compared to 1,653 elk during the same week in 2007.

Officials say elk have access to more forage on surrounding summer ranges this year than years past.

Vets seek VA clinic in Rawlins

RAWLINS - A group of veterans is seeking to establish a part-time Veterans Affairs satellite clinic at the Memorial Hospital of Carbon County's outpatient clinic.

Linda Wagner, spokeswoman for the Carbon County Task Force for Veterans, said the idea was first raised in October because some vets had a hard time getting to the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Cheyenne.

"It's a hardship to get to Cheyenne sometimes, and [area veterans] suggested a satellite clinic in Carbon County," Wagner said.

Wagner is a task force member and Hanna town councilwoman. Her father is World War II veteran.

The group approached Memorial Hospital in Rawlins recently, and Wagner said Chief Operating Officer Bill Buck said the hospital outpatient clinic probably could host such a clinic if the VA approves.