NEW MEXICO

Fears of wolves prompt emergency

ALBUQUERQUE — Commissioners in a rural New Mexico county say pets are being snatched from front yards and livestock are being maimed and killed by endangered Mexican gray wolves that seem to have no fear of humans, prompting them to declare a state of emergency.

In the latest flash point over efforts to reintroduce wolves into the western U.S., Catron County commissioners heard testimony on April 3 from frustrated ranchers and concerned rural residents — some of whom traveled from Arizona to attend the packed meeting. Dozens more joined online, including environmentalists and state and federal officials.

County commissioners issued a warning to residents to be aware of their surroundings when outdoors and maintain constant supervision of children and pets.

Ranchers in New Mexico and Arizona have been at odds with the reintroduction of Mexican gray wolves since the first release in the late 1990s, saying wolves pose a threat to their way of life, which is already challenged by prolonged drought and rising prices.

Environmentalists argue that Mexican wolves should have a place in the Southwest, often criticizing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for not releasing more captive wolves to ensure genetic diversity among the wild population. They contend there’s no incident in recorded history of a Mexican wolf attacking or injuring a person.

There are at least 286 Mexican wolves in Arizona and New Mexico, but federal officials acknowledged that they don’t know how many actually are on the landscape. They also say livestock kills are decreasing, with 100 confirmed in 2024.

In the resolution, Catron County states the culture and customs of residents have been compromised by the reintroduction of Mexican wolves. It requests emergency financial aid from the state and asks the governor to order the New Mexico National Guard into service to support county authorities as needed.

WYOMING

Abortions resume at state’s clinic

CHEYENNE — Wyoming’s only abortion clinic is resuming abortions after a judge on April 21 suspended two state laws.

One suspended law would require clinics providing surgical abortions to be licensed as outpatient surgical centers. The other would require women to get an ultrasound before a medication abortion.

Wyoming Health Access in Casper had stopped providing abortions Feb. 28, the day after Republican Gov. Mark Gordon signed the licensing requirement into effect.

Now, women will once again be able to get abortions in central Wyoming while the two laws continue to be contested in court, Wellspring Health Access founder and president Julie Burkhart said.

Ross Schriftman, president of Natrona County Right to Life, an abortion opponent, questioned the need to contest the laws if the clinic was safe.

Abortion has remained legal in Wyoming despite bans passed since 2022. The bans include the nation’s first explicit ban on abortion pills.

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A judge in Jackson blocked the bans then struck them down in November on the grounds that abortion is allowed by a 2012 state constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right of competent adults to make their own health care decisions.

The Wyoming Supreme Court heard arguments in that case on April 16.

Despite the new restrictions, Wellspring Health Access has remained open to consult with patients and provide hormone replacement therapy for transgender patients. The clinic opened in 2023, almost a year late after heavy damage from an arson attack.

State’s first Black legislator honored in bronze

CHEYENNE — For family and friends, the downtown bronze statue dedication for Harriet Elizabeth “Liz” Byrd is something “long overdue.”

In a short, yet impactful ceremony on a breezy morning on April 19, artist John D. Baker and one of Liz’s children, Jim Byrd, stood in front of a dozen or so community members to say a few words.

Liz Byrd was born in Cheyenne on April 20, 1926, almost 99 years to the day before her legacy would be solidified in bronze. Although she was a member of the Wyoming Senate from 1989 to January 1993, a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1981 to 1989 and on the Marshall Scholarship Board, she was a teacher above all.

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After getting her Bachelor of Arts in Education, she was rejected to teach in what is now Laramie County School District 1 due to the color of her skin. She taught at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base for around 10 years and in 1959 reapplied to be a teacher in the local K-12 district and taught elementary school for 27 years, becoming the first fully certified, full-time Black public school teacher in Wyoming.

Like his mother, James “Jim” Byrd was a member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, from 2009 to 2019. He talked about who Liz was as both a teacher and a headstrong individual, calling her “your quintessential perfectionist.”

Liz had her hand in pieces of legislation like the car seat law and having the bison on the state flag. But she is probably best known for being the driving force behind recognition of the federal holiday Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a state holiday, even though the compromise she had to settle for was to call it “Wyoming Equality Day.”

UTAH

Lawsuit dismissed over Mormon donations

A federal judge on April 17 dismissed a lawsuit alleging that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints arm misused hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations by investing it instead of using it for charitable purposes.

U.S. District Judge Robert Shelby said a three-year statute of limitations on fraud claims in Utah passed before the lawsuit was filed in October 2023. The judge also said the plaintiffs failed to adequately show how any fraud had occurred.

The legal action from a group of donors to the church brought renewed scrutiny over how the faith known widely as the Mormon church handles its vast financial holdings. Those holdings are bolstered by so-called “tithing” from church members who contribute 10% of their income.

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The lawsuit was directed at business and investment entities under the church, which doesn’t publicly disclose details about its finances. Attorneys for the plaintiffs wanted an independent entity to oversee donated funds. They also sought class-action certification that could have brought millions of church members into the case.

Church spokesperson Sam Penrod said tithing donations are an “expression of faith” that allow it to fulfill its mission.

Plaintiffs’ attorney Christopher Seeger said the dismissal would make it harder for church members to understand how donations are used.

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