Cowboy State Daily Video News: Monday, August 31, 2026

It's time to take a look at what's happening around Wyoming for Monday, August 31st.  I'm Mac Watson.

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A barrel lifted from Wyoming's deepest lake Saturday night may finally solve at least part of a 46-year-old triple murder. Cowboy State Daily's Jen Kocher reports that authorities believe it may contain the body of Virginia Uden who, along with her two boys, was killed by her ex-husband in 1980.

"It was rain all day Friday. So they were battling waves. They go out Saturday. Same situation. Saturday night they got some still calmness, and after they decided also to try to keep the weights, the boat still. They got 1,200-pound cement blocks to keep one of the boats still. That proved to be the key. They were able to pull, put the claw over the barrel around 9p.m.-ish, and bring it up to the surface. It was just a monumental effort. They're out there in thunder and lightning. These were some committed people. In fact, they said on Saturday, 'We are not coming back until we have that barrel.' They were going to spend the night out there. They were 100% in."

Virginia and her sons — Richard, 11, and Reagan, 10 — of Rawlins were killed in September 1980 by her ex-husband Gerald Uden, who confessed to the murders in 2013.

Read the full story HERE.

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At least five Wyoming senators walked out of a joint legislative meeting Friday claiming it was a waste of taxpayers' money and time. Cowboy State Daily's Clair McFarland reports that Sen. Tara Nethercott and Rep. John Bear sparred over whether the meeting was appropriate.

"The management council had tasked the appropriations committee, our budget planning committee, with devising the funding mechanisms for some economic development legislation. The minerals committee went ahead and adopted legislation that it wanted to work with in this session. and so then they meet jointly that Friday after the Minerals Committee basically finishes homework early, or on time, depending whom you ask. And Appropriations Committee was gathering with them. Senator Tara Nethercott, a member of the Minerals Committee, asked, 'Why am I here? We've done our part. This is a waste of taxpayers' time.' Basically, she called it an absurd process. Representative John Bear, who chairs the House side of the Appropriations Committee, said this is a good conversation. We'd still like your input as we go forward with this legislation."

Nethercott walked out after a brief rebuke of what she called a wasteful meeting. The spat stems from efforts to reform Wyoming's economic development laws.

Read the full story HERE.

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