Donations to UW reach high

LARAMIE -- Private donations to the University of Wyoming exceeded $43 million in the fiscal year that ended June 30, an all-time record, according to a UW statement.

In addition, UW announced that another $19.8 million in state money was committed to the university through the state's facility and endowment matching funds as a result of the private donations.

The total of the gifts and pledges UW received in the past year brings UW's five-year average for private donations to more than $30 million a year.

According to a release from UW, the past year's total includes $1 million from Marian Rochelle and April Brimmer Kunz to the UW College of Law; $1 million from the Ellbogen Foundation to the College of Education; $1 million from Marathon Oil Corporation to support energy and education research programs; $3 million from the Daniels Fund to the College of Business; $5 million from BP America to support UW's energy programs and $5 million from Mick and Susie McMurry through the McMurry Foundation for the College of Business.

The UW athletics department reached its goal of raising $16 million during the year, the university announced. Combined with state matching funds, UW athletics will have $32 million for facility enhancements.

Gov appoints Colson to wildlife trust

CHEYENNE -- Gov. Dave Freudenthal has appointed Peggy Colson of Rawlins to serve on Wyoming's Wildlife and Natural Resources Trust Board.

Colson replaces Deborah Smith of Laramie on the board. The board distributes funding for wildlife habitat and natural resource restoration projects around the state.

Freudenthal says that Colson, a lifelong resident of Carbon County, is active in the outdoors and in her community. Colson has served on the Rawlins Main Street Design Committee and has volunteered in local schools. She operates a day care out of her home.

Woman's body found in reservoir

BILLINGS, Mont. -- A search continues in the Tongue River Reservoir near Decker for a man who fell from a boat dock during a storm Wednesday.

However, Big Horn County Coroner Terry Bullis said the reservoir was very muddy Saturday because of runoff, and visibility was poor.

The man was standing on a dock when the storm hit around 6 p.m. Wednesday. Authorities say he was holding a rope tied to a boat and was pulled into the water when the wind picked up.

A woman who had been in a small boat by herself was reported missing Wednesday night. Searchers found her body in the reservoir Thursday morning.

On Friday, Bullis identified the woman as 47-year-old Debra McCaffrey of Sheridan.

WWCC installs mustang statue

ROCK SPRINGS -- The board of trustees at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs have agreed to erect a life-size, bronze statue of a mustang at the entrance to the college.

The trustees recently voted to accept a design by Green River sculptor Rudy Gunter. Plans call for the mustang statute to be erected by the start of the 2009-2010 school year. The mustang is the school's mascot.

This statue will mark next year's 50th anniversary celebration of the opening of the college in 1959. The college plans to sell bronze models of the statue to help cover the cost.