Snowmobile limit will remain same

Yellowstone National Park will let in 720 snowmobiles a day – the same as the past three winters – while officials try to form a long-term access plan amid challenges from recreational users and conservationists.

Park spokesman Al Nash said administrators decided to revert to the old temporary plan so they could dive immediately into developing a long-term solution.

The decision marked the latest turn in a decades-long struggle between snowmobile advocates, who want more recreational access, and conservation groups that say too many of the machines degrade the park’s natural beauty.

The winter season begins Dec. 15.

Las Vegas

Man gets prison for possessing ricin

A man who made enough ricin to kill hundreds of people – and kept it with him for a decade as he moved to various Western states – was sentenced Monday to 3 1/2 years in federal prison for possessing the deadly toxin.

Roger Bergendorff said at his sentencing in Las Vegas that he never intended to hurt anyone.

“I know it sounds crazy. I made it just to have – and that’s why I kept it,” he said.

Authorities have characterized the 57-year-old Bergendorff as a troubled man, but no terrorist. Their concern had been heightened in February, when the ricin was found in the unemployed graphic designer’s Las Vegas motel room while he lay unconscious in a hospital bed.

Reno, nev.

Decision delayed on killing horses

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management will round up fewer wild horses and try to shuffle funds within the agency to hold off for now on killing large numbers of the animals in an effort to control herds and spiraling costs, an official said Monday.

Deputy Director Henri Bisson said maintaining the wild horse and burro program for another year will give horse advocates, the BLM, Congress, ranchers and wildlife advocates time to explore possible solutions and let “cooler heads prevail.”

“Let’s focus on doing something positive before we have to look at last resort tools,” Bisson said. “We’re not making any decisions today. We’re not making any decisions next week.”