NEWS BRIEFS for Wednesday, June 19

From Wyoming News Exchange newspapers

Wyoming startup businesses get help

CASPER (WNE) — Five Wyoming companies have been selected to participate in Microsoft’s “gBEta” business accelerator program, which helps startup companies ramp up promising concepts quickly with access to coaches, mentors and investors.

In a nod to the popular television series Shark Tank, startup founders will pitch their companies to investors and the public during a showcase event from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 2 at Frontier Brewing.

The gBETA program is funded by Microsoft’s through national venture capital firm gener8tor.

“In rural America, especially in Wyoming, Microsoft sees potential for entrepreneurialism, technology and innovation,” said Microsoft’s program manager, Dennis Ellis. “We are investing in America’s best and brightest through …BETA programs, and we’re confident that investment will impact Wyoming in meaningful ways.”

The companies were chosen from a pool of 35 applicants based on their growth potential and investor readiness, Ellis explained.

Those companies are Agricultural Innovations, MayPall, ReviablEnergy, Inflatrix, and SLP.tools.

This story was published on June 19, 2024.

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Fremont County shot down on shooting complex

LANDER (WNE) — Fremont County has lost its bid to be the site of a multi-million-dollar shooting complex, after the legislative task force charged with determining the best spot culled the list of contenders.

Now, Casper, Cheyenne, Cody and Gillette will each vie to be host for what state leaders are hoping will be both a world-class facility and world-wide draw for shooters.

The task force is expected to meet on Monday and hear presentations from the narrowed list of potential hosts.

“This was not a surprise,” explained Shoshoni Mayor Joel Highsmith, who helped lead efforts for Fremont County’s bid for the shooting complex.

One of the things that set Fremont County’s application apart was the size of the two proposed sites – both near Shoshoni, one at 12,200 acres and the other up to 40,000.

While state leaders estimated far fewer acres would be needed, Fremont County’s team believed that to truly be a world-class facility, the shooting complex would need more land, and more room to grow.

But the land is likely at the heart of the reason the county’s bid was rejected.

Both proposed sites included federal land, one owned entirely by the Bureau of Reclamation, the other in part by the Bureau of Land Management.

“I know the reason was too much federal land,” Highsmith noted. “There is a path forward to gain ownership of federal land for something like this, but the task force didn’t seem willing to take that time.”

With a tight timeline – lawmakers are expected to consider releasing $10 million during the next legislative session in support of the new shooting complex – the idea of wrestling with the federal government to even get started was unappealing.

This story was published on June 19, 2024.

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Evanston man killed in motorcycle crash

EVANSTON (WNE) — A local 21-year-old man is dead after a June 15 motorcycle accident.

Zachery Worthing, of Evanston, was riding east on an I-80 service road, north of the highway near milepost 2.4, according to Wyoming Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Arron Healy.

Shortly before 5 p.m., Worthing was attempting to negotiate a left curve at a high rate of speed and was unable to remain in his lane.

The crash caused Worthing to be thrown from his motorcycle, and he was pronounced deceased at Evanston Regional Hospital shortly thereafter.

The incident is currently under investigation, though speed has been initially cited as a possible contributing factor.

“We send our condolences to the family and friends of Zachery,” Healy said on behalf of the Wyoming Highway Patrol.

This story was published on June 19, 2024.

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