Wyoming News Briefs, Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Riverton school superintendent faces DUI charge

RIVERTON (WNE) — Riverton school district superintendent JoAnne Andre-Flanagan was arrested Saturday evening for driving under the influence.

No one was injured in the incident, according to reports, and school officials said Andre-Flanagan was back at work this week, attending meetings and speaking at public events.

The school board will hold an executive session Tuesday evening regarding personnel, but Fremont County School District 25 board of trustees chair Carl Manning could not say whether the meeting was related to Andre-Flanagan's arrest.

Andre-Flanagan was arrested at about 11:45 p.m. Saturday in the 100 block of South Fifth Street West in Riverton. Police reports indicate her blood-alcohol content was .14 at the time.

Andre-Flanagan initially was pulled over because she had made an improper turn in her Dodge Charger, Riverton Police Department spokesman Wes Romero said Tuesday.

He noted that the vehicle was not speeding or swerving, and Andre-Flanagan pulled over without incident when police attempted to contact her.

After she was arrested, Andre-Flanagan was brought to the RPD holding cell, where she remained until she was "sober," Romero said. She was then sent home with a citation and a court date.

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DCI employee sentenced for disturbance of the peace

CHEYENNE (WNE) – Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation employee Tina Trimble has pleaded guilty in Cheyenne Municipal Court to disturbance of the peace.

In a stipulated plea agreement filed April 20, Trimble pleaded guilty to disturbance of the peace (rude behavior), a violation of city code. She was originally charged with disturbance of the peace (fighting).

Trimble was fined $500, and she must complete an ethics in law enforcement course within 90 days from the entry of judgement, according to court documents.

She was also ordered by the court to write an apology letter to the victim in the case, a Cheyenne business owner, within 15 days.

DCI front desk staff confirmed Trimble is currently employed with the agency, but they would not confirm her current title or position. DCI Interim Director Forrest Williams declined to comment on the charges. Gay Woodhouse, Trimble’s attorney, did not respond to a request for comment.

On Oct. 10, 2020, Trimble was walking near CrossFit Cheyenne, 514 W. 19th St., and intentionally threw a receipt that landed inside the business, according to court documents.

When owner Christi King asked Trimble to pick up the receipt, she refused, becoming “hostile and argumentative.”

Trimble began verbally fighting with King and got close to her, according to court documents. King’s arms were full at the time, but she was able to push Trimble back and told Trimble, “You need to back up.”

Trimble moved toward King again, and King “used a front leg kick to gain distance from Trimble.”

Trimble and King were then physically fighting, with King receiving scrapes on her elbow and an injury to her head. Trimble admitted to grabbing King’s hair during the incident, according to court documents.

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Local teacher featured in national promotion honoring front-line workers

LARAMIE (WNE) — A Laramie teacher is featured on the wrapper of a bar made by Boulder, Colorado-based company Bobo’s Baked Goods as part of a national promotion to honor teachers and healthcare workers.

Annette Falcon teaches Spanish at the University of Wyoming Lab School, and her masked visage appears on the front of Bobo’s limited-edition “Hero” chocolate chip oat bars. The back of the bar shows a drawing of Falcon without a mask and instead wearing her trademark red lipstick.

Like all teachers in Laramie, Falcon has had to adjust her teaching since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic to accommodate online learning last spring as well as masks and social distancing in the classroom this year.

Falcon has taught Spanish for more than 25 years. She moved to Wyoming from California four years ago to be closer to family, and this is her second year in Laramie. At the Lab School, she teaches grades K-8, which was a big change after teaching at the high school level for most of her career.

Falcon said her students gave their input during the process of designing the wrapper. “The kids were really concerned about my lipstick,” she joked.

T.J. McIntyre, CEO of Bobo’s, said the “Hero” bar was created to honor everyday heroes making an impact in their communities during the pandemic.

Bobo’s is donating profits from sales of the “Hero” bars to two non-profit organizations working in healthcare and education: AdoptAClassroom.org and Project HOPE.

“Hero” bars will be available for purchase online through the end of 2021 at eatbobos.com. Bobo’s Baked Goods has been operating since 2003, started by a mother-daughter duo making homemade oat bars for their family.

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