JACKSON PATHWAYS

Teton Co. could get bridge over Snake River soon

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Teton County could soon close a hole in its growing pathways system.

Government staffers for Jackson and the county are recommending that lawmakers approve building a bridge across the Snake River north of Highway 22.

Building a bridge north of the highway is cheaper than building one to the south and would help avoid conflicts with plans by the Wyoming Department of Transportation. The northern option would cost between $2.8 and $4.2 million and would also be wider and have viewing decks.

Voters in Jackson Hole passed a $6 million excise tax to raise money for pathways linking both sides of the valley.

CHEYENNE-OFFICE SPACE

New Wyo. office building could hike vacancy rate

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — There’s some concern in Cheyenne that a proposed state office building would increase the amount of empty office space in the city.

Several residents have raised the issue during public meetings on the proposal. An economist and president of the Wyoming Center for Business and Economic Analysis, Richard O’Gara, said the office building vacancy rate is already high — 19.4 percent — and a new state building would make things worse.

If the building is built, O’Gara said property owners would need to lower rents and earn less money.

The state’s construction management administrator, Rich Cathcart, says the state has a responsibility to spend taxpayers’ money wisely.

Gov. Matt Mead doesn’t want to move ahead with the building right now but many lawmakers support it.

FISHING REGULATIONS

New Wyo. fishing rules in effect this year

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Anglers might want to make sure they are aware of changes to Wyoming fishing limits this year.

The long-time restriction of only keeping one trout over 20 inches on lakes and reservoirs has been dropped. Anglers can now keep six fish over 20 inches.

Anglers on streams and rivers now have the limit of three fish per day and only one can exceed 16 inches. A few drainages in western Wyoming also have the stipulation that no more than one of those fish can be a cutthroat over 12 inches.

Brook trout now have a simple 16 fish daily limit with no size restrictions although there are some exceptions.

And whitefish limits will be reduced to six per day.

There are also changes involving live baitfish or minnows.

WYOMING-NONCONFERENCE

Pokes host Idaho St for final nonconference game

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming has one more game before entering Mountain West Conference play.

The Cowboys host Idaho State on Monday night at 7 p.m. in the Arena-Auditorium.

The Cowboys (13-2) start Mountain West play on Saturday against New Mexico.

Wyoming is playing Idaho State (3-11) for the second time in less than a month. UW claimed an 80-56 win over the Bengals on Dec. 22.

A Wyoming win against Idaho State would give the Pokes their best start since the 1950-51 campaign and be the program’s most wins ever before the start of the conference season.