Wyoming News

UW trustees approve new BS ranch, ag leader degree

“UW Ag leadership has put together a thoughtful program with inputs from across the state,” says UW Trustee Macey Moore. “Students who graduate with this degree will find themselves prepared with the ability to navigate a diversity of roles in agriculture for their entire careers.”... more

BLM lease sale nets $3.4 million

In total, 18 parcels covering 21,494.95 acres sold for $3.405,179.... more

Public meetings for BLM RMP overviews this week

Public meetings will be held in Rock Springs on Nov. 17 and Green River and Farson on Nov. 18. Organizers will provide an overview of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the RMP process and how to submit comments to the BLM. This will be followed by an interactive public workshop for the public to share their perspectives with a task force to be appointed by the governor.... more

Changes for horn hunters, baits, fur dealers

Game and Fish is currently taking comments through Dec. 4 on that proposed rule and two more proposed for black bear baiting and fur dealer licenses, according to John Lund of the Pinedale Regional Office.... more

Wyoming Supreme Court seeks justice

The completed form must be received in the office of Chief Justice Fox no later than 5 p.m., on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. Please do not submit letters of recommendation, as the commission will not consider them, but will instead only review documents specifically required by the expression of interest. Gov. Mark Gordon will appoint the Wyoming Supreme Court Justice from a list of three names submitted to him by the Judicial Nominating Commission. Serving on the Judicial Nominating Commission are Chief Justice Fox (chairman), three lawyers elected by the Wyoming State Bar: Katherine Strike of Lander, Devon O’Connell of Laramie and Mandy Good of Cheyenne; and three non-lawyers appointed by the governor: Paul Scherbel of Afton, Dan Kirkbride of Chugwater, and Lisa Anderson of Shell. ... more

Gov. Gordon plans RMP stakeholder workshops

Gov. Mark Gordon appreciates that the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has extended the current comment period on the Rock Springs Resource Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for an additional 60 days, ending on Jan. 17, 2024. Even more so, he welcomes the news – following lengthy and frank discussions – that the BLM is committing to roll up its sleeves to work with Wyoming people.... more

BLM extends draft RMP comments to Jan. 17

The comment period now closes on Jan. 17, 2024.... more

Gordon to host Western governors, U.S. cabinets, Nov. 6-8

Gordon’s initiative is “Decarbonizing the West,” to examine decarbonization strategies including carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies; direct air capture and natural sequestration “to position western states at the forefront of innovation and reduce the effects of carbon emissions on the environment,” according to WGA.... more

BLM extends public comment period for draft Rock Springs RMP and draft EIS

At the request of the state of Wyoming and other stakeholders, the Bureau of Land Management is extending the comment period on the Draft Rock Springs Resource Management Plan, Draft Environmental Impact Statement and proposed Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. The comment period now closes on January 17, 2024.... more

BLM seeks public comment for oil and gas lease sale in Wyoming

The comment period ends Nov. 15, 2023.... more

FEMA and FCC plan nationwide alert test on Oct. 4

The purpose of the Oct. 4 test is to ensure that the systems continue to be an effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level. In case the Oct. 4 test is postponed due to widespread severe weather or other significant events, the back-up testing date is Oct. 11. ... more

Gov. calls for complete withdrawal of BLM’s Rock Springs RMP Draft

“Wyoming and local cooperators have worked long and hard to lead, build, and maintain partnerships for effective and responsible land management policies,” Governor Gordon stated. “Over a decade’s worth of contributions from local stakeholders, cooperators, counties, and state agencies are either falling on deaf ears or disingenuously being thrown by the wayside with this decision.” ... more

BLM announces oil and gas lease sale in Wyoming

A 30-day public protest period to receive additional public input is now open and will close Oct. 19.... more

PAW urges continued oil and natural gas permitting during government shutdown

This appeal comes on behalf of the thousands employed within the industry in Wyoming, the hundreds of thousands of Wyoming residents who depend on its vitality and the millions of Americans concerned about escalating fuel prices.... more

Rocky Mountain Power blasted over 29-percent rate hike request

There’s still time to provide feedback to the Wyoming Public Services Commission on RMP’s rate hike request. One more public meetings is being held to gather comments, planned for Thursday, Oct. 12, in Casper at the Thyra Thomson State Office Building, 444 W. Collins Drive, Roundhouse conference room # 3024, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The meeting may also be attended by Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/9933449233, or by telephone by dialing 1-669-900-9128 or 1-253-215-8782 (Meeting ID: 993 344 9233). Comments may also be submitted via email at [email protected] or mailed to 2515 Warren Avenue, Suite 300, Cheyenne, WY 82002.... more

High school seniors encouraged to apply for Daniels Scholarship

The Daniels Fund is excited to announce the opening of the application for the Daniels Scholarship Program, providing a life-changing opportunity for students looking to pursue their higher education dreams. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming high school seniors are encouraged to apply to become 2024 Daniels Scholars at DanielsFund.org/Scholarships by 4 p.m., on Oct. 15, to be considered for the scholarship.... more

Wyo. SOS office admits providing incorrect directives to petitioners

In an email sent to organizers of the medical cannabis and decriminalization initiatives, the Wyoming Secretary of State’s office has tacitly admitted that information given to initiative organizers was incorrect and that they only needed 29,730 signatures instead of the over 40,000 initially directed. ... more

Cowboy Hall of Fame Exhibit opens at Wyoming Veterans Memorial Museum

The WCHF is dedicated to the traditions, legends, development and history of Wyoming Cowboys. The exhibit highlights the mission of the WCHF to preserve, perpetuate and celebrate Wyoming’s working cowboy legacy and heritage.... more

Public comment extended for Sage-Grouse Map modifications

The revised map is available online at https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Habitat/Sage-Grouse-Management/Sage-Grouse-Implementation-Team. Written comments will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Sept. 19 through a Google form, email to [email protected] or letters addressed to Bob Budd, Hathaway Building, Suite 161, 2300 Capitol Avenue, Cheyenne, WY 82002. ... more

BLM releases Rock Springs’ draft EIS for comment

The planning area includes portions of Lincoln, Sweetwater, Uinta, Sublette and Fremont counties in Wyoming – encompassing everything from sand dunes to sagebrush ecosystems, badlands and wrinkled mountains. At more than 1,000 pages, the draft document is broken into two volumes, including appendices. The draft presents four alternatives and addresses everything from mineral development to renewable energy, outdoor recreation, wild horses and special designations. ... more

Winney arguments in historic WSC Chamber

The public is welcome to attend and to listen to the Wyoming Supreme Court’s live audio broadcast. This day includes a Sublette County resident’s 9th District Court civil appeal. Oral arguments set for the morning are Chesapeake Operating v. Wyoming Department of Revenue at 9 a.m., City of Laramie v. University of Wyoming and UW Board of Trustees at 10 a.m. and J. William Winney Jr. v. Michael Troy Jerup, both of Bondurant, at 11 a.m.... more

NPS releases bison management draft EIS for comment

The draft EIS will also consider the bison management actions likely to occur on lands outside the park in Montana, while acknowledging the NPS does not have jurisdiction or control over actions such as hunting or tolerance for bison beyond the park boundary.... more

Game and Fish tackles elk feedground changes

On July 26, at the public meeting about the plan at the Pinedale Library, a half-dozen Jackson and Pinedale regional biologists and state wildlife experts, as part of a Game and Fish working-group, explained how the draft plan was designed.... more

Teton fire danger increases to 'high'

Teton Interagency Fire managers have elevated the fire danger rating to "high" for Grand Teton National Park, the Bridger-Teton National Forest and the National Elk Refuge. A high fire danger rating means fires can start easily and spread quickly.... more

Southwest Counseling Service offering free trauma retreats

Whatever the cause, trauma can have major negative effects on an individual, and addressing the trauma behind those effects can be life-changing. That is why Southwest Counseling Service is inviting those affected by trauma to experience the healing power of group therapy by attending retreats in Rock Springs, free of charge. “We are providing these opportunities because we understand the devastating effects trauma has on our society generation after generation,” says Swan-Smith, who played a key role in organizing the retreats. “With these retreats, we want to be a part of the solution. Come join us.”... more

Pedigree Stage Stop announces 2024 sled dog race

Stage Two starts in Lander on Jan. 28, followed by the Pinedale Stage Three Stop on Jan. 29. The sled dog race continues with Stage Four in Big Piney and Marbleton on Jan. 30, before moving to Kemmerer for Stage Five on Jan. 31.... more

Unclaimed property payments increase

The largest claim paid in Sublette County between July 1, 2022 and June 30, 2023 was $54,964. The largest remaining unclaimed property in Sublette County amounts to $30,169, according to a July 5 press release from the State Treasurer’s Office.... more

Family office-led consortium buys PureWest

Following the closing of the transaction, PureWest’s existing management and employees will remain in place, a new board of directors will be formed composed of representatives from PW Consortium and the entity will remain branded as PureWest Energy, LLC.... more

Public comment period extended for SGIT maps

The Governor’s Office and SGIT will hold additional informational meetings to talk to landowners and stakeholders before the public comment period closes on July 28. After the SGIT presents its final map, the governor will make a final decision. Information on the SGIT process can be found online at https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Habitat/Sage-Grouse-Management/Sage-Grouse-Implementation-Team. ... more

Handy still escaped from inmate work crew

“On the morning of June 5, 2023, three Forestry Work Details left the Wyoming Honor Conservation Camp (WHCC), two details had 10 inmates and a supervisor each and one detail had five inmates and a supervisor to work a forestry work site east of the facility,” the DOC announced.... more

Simple steps to stop the spread of invasive species

“Invasive insects, noxious weeds and plant diseases cost the U.S. an estimated $40 billion annually in damages to our lakes, forests, and farms. They can threaten our state’s economy, food supply, environment and in some cases, even public health,” Darnell said.... more

Public gleans little of PAPO budget, annual planning

“In lieu of an in-person meeting, the BLM Pinedale Field Office has made Pinedale Anticline Project Area planning updates available online. Documents typically presented during a meeting, including wildlife, air, water, operator and agency reports, are available at https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/77515/510.”... more

2023 spring bicycling between Yellowstone National Park’s West Entrance and Mammoth Hot Springs begins April 7

Beginning Friday, April 7, bicyclists willing to brave the unpredictable weather of spring in Yellowstone National Park can ride 49 miles between the West Entrance in West Yellowstone, Montana, and Mammoth Hot Springs. ... more

Gov challenges EPA’s ‘arbitrary’ deferral of state ozone plan

“Wyoming is not a significant contributor to ozone pollution in our neighboring states. Data support the work that went into our state plan,” Gov. Gordon stated. “This is yet another example of this Administration picking and choosing examples which are intended to punish fossil energy-producing states.”... more

 

Committee cuts $60.1 million from recommended education cost adjustment

The Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Appropriations Committee voted Monday to reduce the recommended external cost adjustment for K-12 education by $60.1 million.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 25

News from across Wyoming.... more

‘Good medicine:’ Buffalo delivered to home on the reservation

On a clear October morning on the Wind River Indian Reservation, Eastern Shoshone tribal member Jason Baldes stood in front of a semi trailer parked on an expanse of patchy dirt surrounded by agricultural lands, snow-crusted outcroppings and pale blue sky. ... more

 

Dems, GOP in pitched battle over special COVID legislative session

Wyoming lawmakers are deeply divided along party lines over the need for, and structure of, a forthcoming special legislative session called to fight proposed federal COVID-19 vaccination and/or testing rules.... more

 

As closure nears, miners grapple with next steps

With four weeks left before Wyoming’s last underground coal mine shutters, the employee transition is well underway. ... more

 

Out-of-state contributions boost Cheney campaign

An unprecedented amount of out-of-state money is pouring into Rep. Liz Cheney’s reelection effort, as she campaigns in one of the nation’s highest-profile congressional races. ... more

 

Critical race theory won’t be taught in Carbon County

The Carbon County School District No. 2 Board of Education has passed a resolution that prevents the critical race theory concept from being taught in the district’s seven schools. ... more

 

Businesses to state lawmakers: No more mandates

“No more regulations or mandates on Cheyenne businesses” was the clear message from the Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce on Friday as state legislators gear up for a special session this week to discuss ways to fight federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 22

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyoming sugar beet harvest strong despite delays

Despite losing about 300 acres of sugar beets in the spring, Wyoming Sugar’s 2021 crop should push 32 tons per acre and finish above 19 percent in sugar content. ... more

 

Ongoing testing program tracks UW COVID-19 spread

University of Wyoming students and faculty may experience a new kind of pop quiz this fall semester. A random 3-percent sample of on-campus UW students and employees is being tested each week for COVID-19 as part of the university’s COVID-19 response.... more

 

COVID-19 hospitalizations hit all-time high

Wyoming hospitals treated 249 COVID-19 patients on Thursday — the most at any point during the pandemic. At the height of last year’s surge in November, 247 people were hospitalized with the virus, while active cases neared 12,000 — roughly 2 percent of the state. ... more

Commitment to conservation leads volunteers to extreme locations in effort to save trout

An effort that’s saved hundreds of thousands of fish from local canals began with a fisherman with a big heart accompanying a ditch rider on the Cody Canal. ... more

 

Sholly grapples with record Yellowstone visitation

Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly has every square foot of pavement mapped out in the 2.2 million acre Park. He’s scrutinizing the 1,750 acres of pavement in the hope of finding answers to the rising traffic congestion.... more

 

Ambushed hunter kept his composure after grizzly mauling

Jeremy Dickson is known for his calm demeanor. Wife Carmen says he’s even analytical in his thought processes. Even after being mauled by a grizzly bear.... more

 

Former Air Force pilot becomes oldest to paraglide

Fred Miles doesn’t speak much, but he can hum his way around a melody, and the one coming out of his mouth this past summer as he looked down from the top of the Bridger Gondola at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort was “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” by John Denver.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 21

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Simpson remembers Powell as patriot

Former U.S. Sen. Al Simpson has many fond memories of the late U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, but none more prominent than the way he heard Democrat Robert Byrd, a 51-year senator from West Virginia, speak of Powell after he heard him give a speech.... more

 

Residents angry over end of public comments at commission meetings

The Campbell County Commission has suspended public comment at their meetings until further notice, but that didn’t keep people from speaking up and speaking out against the commissioners Tuesday.... more

 

Wyoming still most hesitant state for vaccination

Wyoming remains the most vaccine hesitant state in the nation, according to the latest numbers from U.S. Census Bureau polling. Wyoming children ages 12 to 17 now fall into that category as well.... more

 

Wyoming aims to expand sports betting by end of year

The first month of legalized sports betting in Wyoming wrapped up only a few weeks ago, but the state’s gaming commission is already anticipating expansion in the near future.... more

Scientists optimistic about Mullen Fire recovery

Late in the summer of 2020, as hunting seasons ramped up and the world reeled from the COVID pandemic, a fire ignited in southeast Wyoming’s Snowy Range. ... more

Oil and gas industry continues to show signs of recovery in Wyoming

Wyoming’s oil and gas industry continues to show signs of recovery from the 2020 pandemic shockwave that drove the price of oil below $0 per barrel, spurred layoffs and stalled production.... more

 

Land swap would create 38,000-acre public block in SE Wyo

An Albany County land exchange proposed by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management would consolidate a 38,000-acre block of public land around the Mule Creek Ranch 50 miles southeast of Casper.... more

Cheney v. Trump: House race raising, spending at record clip

Hailed as the marquee event of the 2022 midterm elections, the campaign of incumbent U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, versus a field of challengers is already on track to be by far the most expensive in state history.... more

 

Evanston school district asks parents’ help to end TikTok pranks

Uinta County School District No. 1 has asked for parental help in putting a stop to students attempting to pull off school pranks modeled after challenges circulating on the social media app TikTok. ... more

 

Oil prices may increase as Converse County rig count jumps to 10

Is $80-plus a barrel the new normal for oil prices in the country right now? How about $100 per barrel by mid-2022? ... more

 

Poll: Medicaid expansion popular

A new poll commissioned by four nonprofits shows significant support for Medicaid Expansion in Wyoming, a government health insurance assistance program for those who can’t afford insurance and aren’t offered it by their employer. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 19

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Campbell County Commission not allowing public comment on library issues

The Campbell County Commission will no longer be taking public comment relating to the Campbell County Public Library.... more

 

COVID spikes in state prisons

Cases of COVID-19 at Wyoming prison facilities have spiked to their highest total since the start of the pandemic.... more

 

Tribes shorted on federal funds due to joint-powers structure

The Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes have missed out on multiple federal funding opportunities because of the cooperative government structure imposed upon them by the federal government, state and tribal officials said this month. ... more

 

Teton areas eyed as off-limits to help bighorn sheep population

An interagency collective of biologists is recommending that 21,233 acres of high-quality winter habitat in the Teton Range be made off limits to humans to help an imperiled, declining herd of bighorn sheep stage a comeback.... more

 

Barrasso: ‘I’m pro-vaccine and anti-mandate’

While some Wyomingites and Republican officials have been hesitant to endorse the COVID-19 vaccines, U.S. Sen. John Barrasso has no such qualms.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 18

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyoming gambling overgrown, says tribal leader

Wyoming’s gambling is overgrown, according to Northern Arapaho Business Council Chairman Jordan Dresser. ... more

 

Man who killed friend sentenced to prison

A Gillette man who shot and killed his friend in 2020 will serve three to 10 years in prison.... more

 

Legislature to hold special session on mandate

The Wyoming State Legislature has voted to hold a special session to combat federal vaccine mandates, but another obstacle remains. ... more

 

Changes in state economy affect education system

As the economic landscape of Wyoming changes, so does one of the most equitable education systems in the country.... more

Laramie woman sets up Free Little Pet Pantry

Angel seemed excited as she sniffed at the now-familiar converted kitchen hutch filled with pet food, treat, toys and other items.... more

 

County jails are unintended fallback for people with mental illness

Dennis Gross is sitting in the Teton County Jail, where nearly everyone involved in his case agrees he shouldn’t be.... more

 

Facebook group offers place to recollect and share Casper’s history

When Roy Barnes left Casper at age 16, he didn’t look back. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 15

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Lawmakers advance $25M cost-of-living hike for teachers

Wyoming teachers and staff may see an annual cost-of-living adjustment as lawmakers advanced a $25 million hike that would start in 2022. But it’s unclear how far that might go toward bringing salaries in line with a national average that has outpaced the state in recent years.... more

 

EPA backs Bighorn Forest’s plan for aerial herbicide spraying

Aerial spraying of chemicals — including one banned in Europe — to kill sagebrush and invasive plants appears to be “the most-reasonable option” for the Bighorn National Forest to meet range and habitat goals, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says.... more

 

Groups seek to elevate young voices on Wyoming’s future

Several groups are encouraging young Wyoming residents to get more involved in local and state civic matters, and endeavoring to involve more youth in shaping the state’s future.... more

 

Federal jury convicts three in NuTech securities fraud

A federal jury in Cheyenne returned guilty verdicts against three men related to a stock fraud involving NuTech Energy Resources Inc., a company that claimed to operate coalbed-methane wells in Wyoming.... more

 

UW unveils latest restructuring recommendations

University of Wyoming administrators have published the latest recommendations for restructuring the state’s sole public four-year university, amended with input from faculty and college deans.... more

 

Senators introduce new gun legislation

A group of Republican senators introduced a bill earlier this week that would allow individuals to carry firearms on lands managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including Wyoming’s two delegates.... more

 

UW provost recommends reconfiguring with cuts

A reconfiguration of University of Wyoming academic programs, including elimination of some degree programs, has been submitted to the school’s board of directors.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 14

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Crook County treasurer resigns

A civil trial that was to consider the removal of Mary Kuhl from her position as Crook County Treasurer will no longer be necessary because her letter of resignation was accepted by the county commissioners on Friday, Oct. 8.... more

 

Grizzly encounters increase

Grizzly bear country is growing.... more

 

Committee approves bill giving tribes access to grants

Lawmakers advanced a bill draft Friday that would make Wyoming Business Council grants as accessible to local tribes as they are to other governments.... more

 

Health officials encourage flu vaccination

Following an unusually quiet 2020-21 flu season, a Wyoming Department of Health official says the need for flu shots remains important to help protect Wyoming residents from influenza as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.... more

 

Legislators prepare bills fighting vaccine mandate

Some Wyoming lawmakers are already working on bills for the impending special session aimed at fighting the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for all companies with over 100 employees.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 13

News from across Wyoming.... more

‘Defiant Five’ win temporary freedom in wild horse roundup

Their manes and tails flying in the air, the wild horses trot, canter and gallop ahead of the buzzing, weaving helicopter.... more

 

Petito strangled weeks before body was found, officials say

Hundreds of thousands of people watched live and millions reacted as Teton County Coroner Dr. Brent Blue announced in a video press conference Tuesday that Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, 22, died by strangulation.... more

 

Lawsuit alleges abuse of grade school student on bus

Facing claims that its bus driver and superintendent did not react properly to sexual abuse on a school bus, Fremont County School District 14 is being sued in federal court. ... more

 

Wyoming hospitals report critical staffing shortages

Four Wyoming hospitals have recently utilized crisis standards of care, and more than half a dozen have sought information on those standards from the state health department, though no hospital was actively in crisis care as of Tuesday afternoon, health department spokesperson Kim Deti said via email.... more

 

Legislators recommend $72 million adjustment to schools

The Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Education Interim Committee voted Monday to recommend adding an external cost adjustment worth more than $72 million to the state’s next K-12 education budget.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 12

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

West puts ‘West Ranch’ up for sale

Kanye West’s ranch is now for sale, symbolizing the likely final page in the hip-hop and fashion mogul’s saga in Cody.... more

 

Park County GOP declines to discipline member over email

Leaders of the Park County Republican Party have decided not to take action against a precinct committeeman for a vulgar email he sent to a state lawmaker last month.... more

 

Trooper chief says shooting is evidence of challenges for officers

The fatal exchange of gunfire between a Lander man and a state trooper on Sinks Canyon Road in June is just one among many signs of increasingly challenging times for law enforcement, according to a state police leader.... more

 

Cheney campaign sees second-highest fundraising quarter

Rep. Liz Cheney’s House reelection campaign enjoyed its second-biggest fundraising quarter ever this summer, a Cheney aide told the Star-Tribune. The donations came on the heels of Cheney’s all-time fundraising record, which occurred one quarter earlier.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 11

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

College districts to start separation talks

At least Pax the Pronghorn is safe.... more

 

Congress considers new fees on hardrock mining

The federal reconciliation debate is plodding backward, and hardrock mining royalties are back on the bargaining table.... more

 

Man sues Cheyenne police over DUI testing

A Cheyenne man is suing three Cheyenne police officers in federal court for allegedly violating his civil rights, after a municipal court judge ruled that one of the officers lied to a judge about the man’s refusal to take a blood alcohol level test.... more

12-year-old Powell farmer is youngest crop insurance holder

It’s been a busy year for Tag Thompson. He bought his first tractor, using money he earned from selling his steers. He farmed his first field, signing a contract with Briess Malt & Ingredients for his 10 acres of barley. He also paid off a loan that had helped finance the purchase of his first two cows while continuing to raise cattle through his own company.... more

Independent film very much alive in Cheyenne

It may not seem like there’s an independent film scene in Cheyenne, but there is – you just have to look for it.... more

 

Sheridan boy gets time on ‘jumbotron’

Kasen Kaeding is a typical 7-year-old boy with an abiding love of golf, football, hibachi steakhouses and “SpongeBob SquarePants.”... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 8

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

More information needed on missing, murdered Indigenous people, leaders say

Recent data suggests Indigenous people continue to make up a disproportionate amount of Wyoming’s homicides and missing persons cases, but tribal members say even the best numbers are not telling the full story.... more

 

Standoff over mask requirement forces lockdown of school

Laramie High School was locked down for about 90 minutes Thursday morning during a showdown of wills between school administration and a 16-year-old junior who was arrested and removed from the school in handcuffs.... more

 

Vaccine mandate spurs hospital staffing worries

Crook County Medical Services District is starting to see difficulties with staffing on the horizon. CEO Micki Lyons last week shared her concerns over the impending federal vaccine mandate with the board of trustees.... more

Vehicular homicide trial vacated as of now

Jay E. Van Wagoner, of Casper, is scheduled to go to trial in 9th District Court next month based on four felony cocaine charges.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 7

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Sheridan school board rejects call for resignations over masks

The Sheridan County School District 2 Board of Trustees responded to calls for board members to either voluntarily resign or be recalled, with board members unanimously approving a motion at their regular meeting Monday to reject petitions filed by a concerned group of citizens.... more

Commissioners continue to field library comments

For the past three months, Campbell County commissioners have gotten used to fielding public comments at their meetings regarding the Campbell County Public Library.... more

 

Mine reclamation at risk with coal fee lapse

Entangled in the congressional infrastructure debate, Wyoming’s biggest source of mine cleanup funding expired last week, raising questions about the future of reclamation.... more

 

DCI makes missing persons site easier to use

The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation now has an easier-to-find list of the state's missing persons.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 6

News from across Wyoming.... more

State to help coal communities compete for economic diversification funds

The Wyoming Energy Authority and Wyoming Business Council have joined forces to help coal communities compete for federal stimulus dollars aimed at diversifying their economies. ... more

 

Wild horse advocates cry foul on enormous roundup, removal

Federal contract wranglers plan to round up 4,300 wild horses in southwest Wyoming — permanently removing about 70 percent of them — starting Thursday in an undertaking that culminates years of conflicts among land and wildlife managers, ranchers and horse advocates.... more

 

Wyoming may seek grizzly delisting on its own

The state of Wyoming is prepared to petition for the authority to manage grizzly bears on its own, without support from neighboring states in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.... more

 

School board rejects contract for company with ties to superintendent

A contract to hire an education consulting company connected to then Cody superintendent Peg Monteith was pulled from a Cody School Board agenda in early June after board members received information revealing the personal relationship.... more

 

Committee examines possible business tax

Trying to make Wyoming less reliant on mineral wealth, legislators are considering a new tax for businesses in the state.... more

 

Special prosecutor picked to look into library allegations

A special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate whether criminal charges should be brought against the Campbell County Public Library for allegedly spreading obscene materials.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 5

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Man charged in Cheyenne woman’s murder ruled unfit for trial

Another delay has occurred in the prosecution of a former Cody man accused of first degree murder as he was recently determined still mentally unfit to stand trial.... more

No regrets for teacher fired over mask requirement

Amanda Smith probably won’t be returning to her classroom at Henry A. Coffeen Elementary School, not after Sheridan County School District 2 terminated her for refusing to comply with the district’s mask requirement.... more

 

Uncertainty surrounds first lease sale since December

Scoping is over for the first oil and gas lease sale since December.... more

 

Gold, copper mine could mean millions for state

A plan for a potential gold and copper mine near Cheyenne is steadily progressing, with a company putting forth vast community outreach efforts in recent months for a project that could bring hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars to Wyoming.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 4

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Tribes, enviros pan Wyo wolf kill policy in ESA petitions

Several conservation organizations and numerous Native American tribes are citing Wyoming’s wolf predator zone — the roughly 85 percent of the state where wolves can be killed at any time by any means — as evidence of the need for renewed federal protection of the gray wolf.... more

 

Gillette library reviews book challenges during ‘Banned Book Week’

During a week designed to focus on books being challenged for being inappropriate, the staff at the Campbell County Public Library were spending some of their time responding to more than a dozen forms challenging books in the library’s collection.... more

 

Tourism boom fuels increase in taxable sales

After declines in five consecutive quarters, total taxable sales in the state expanded 12.1 percent in the second quarter of 2021 compared with 2020, largely due to the record-breaking boom in tourism at Wyoming’s national parks, according to a year-by-year comparison recently released by the Wyoming Department of Revenue.... more

 

Game and Fish tracking deer, pronghorn disease

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department announced earlier this month that it’s tracking outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease in white-tailed deer and pronghorn in eastern Wyoming. ... more

Since 2013, Summer of Hope program has resulted in 21 adoptions in Gillette

If you ask Allison Carsrud when, back in 2013, she knew her family would adopt a 7-year-old boy from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, she’ll tell you it was instantaneous.... more

Laramie man leaves house, everything in it to local hospice

Jerry Bucher led a fascinating life. ... more

Rodeo queen wants to bring attention to missing and murdered Indigenous people

Shayla Conner was only a teenager when her cousin Hanna Harris went missing. Nine days later, authorities found Harris’ body on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation rodeo grounds in Montana.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for October 1

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Rude comments led to end of Jackson mask complaint site

At first, submissions to the Teton County Health Department’s COVID-19 complaint form were helpful. On Sept. 1, for example, an anonymous tipster wrote that Cultivate Cafe didn’t have public signage announcing the county’s mask mandate, according to records obtained by the Jackson Hole Daily.... more

 

State says tribes not eligible for Business Council money

Wyoming’s Attorney General says local tribal entities are not eligible for grants and loans through the Wyoming Business Council Business Ready Community Program, WBC staff told the Wyoming Legislature’s Select Committee on Tribal Relations last month. ... more

 

Campbell school vaccine incentive program criticized

Members of the public, including some teachers, came to tell the Campbell County School District’s board of trustees that they were not happy with the decision to offer district employees a $300 incentive for getting the COVID-19 vaccination.... more

 

Committee rejects proposed energy tax structure

Sen. Cale Case on Thursday proposed a new energy tax structure that would be shared across all electricity producers. But a motion to have a bill drafted for the plan failed by a vote of 4–9 in the Joint Revenue Committee.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 30

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Missing and murdered Indigenous people issue continues to plague Wyoming

With all the national coverage of her disappearance and the discovery of her body in Wyoming, the name of Gabby Petito is familiar to most.... more

 

Crook County Treasurer objects to new charges

County Treasurer Mary Kuhl has objected to new charges filed against her in the civil case that seeks her removal from office, complaining in a response filed with District Court that it’s unfair to add new information so close to the date of her trial.... more

 

Determining the need for affordable housing in Saratoga

Is there a need for affordable housing in Saratoga?... more

 

Interest in parasitic medicine for cattle on the rise; health officials urge caution

In one year, the number of calls to the regional poison control center doubled from the five previous years on complications related to ivermectin. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 29

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Rep. Sommers: Game and Fish won’t let 400 Dell Creek elk starve

A Sublette County legislator is confident Game and Fish Department personnel “will work their butt[s] off” to ensure some 400 elk that depend on the Dell Creek Feedground don’t starve this winter. Rep. Albert Sommers (R-Pinedale) made his comments after U.S. District Judge Nancy Freudenthal ruled the wildlife agency has no permit to operate the feedground.... more

Ranchers face difficult choices after brutally hot, dry summer

Prolonged drought conditions, intensified by record-breaking heat, have prompted Wyoming cattle ranchers to either buy supplemental feed at higher-than-normal prices or cull their herds.... more

Wyoming loggers fear extinction as federal forest policy evolves

The Pearson family is as much of a fixture in this corner of Crook County as Devils Tower.... more

 

‘Nightmare’ elk hunt turns heads on the levee

If Bob Geringer had another shot, he says he wouldn’t have pulled the trigger.... more

 

Campbell County Commissioner says county should stop funding the library

A Campbell County Commissioner said he does not believe the Campbell County Public Library should receive funding from the county.... more

 

Converse County hospital battles nursing, employee shortages and surge in COVID-19 cases

A longtime Memorial Hospital of Converse County nurse known for not ever complaining looked wearily at CEO Matt Dammeyer as he checked in with her Friday. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 28

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Park County GOP official apologizes for letter, won’t resign

A Park County Republican Party official who sent an obscene message to a state lawmaker about vaccine mandates has apologized for language he used. However, the Powell resident says he will not resign his position within the party — pushing back against calls from the state’s legislative leaders to step down — and has doubled down on his criticism of state Sen. Tara Nethercott.... more

 

Gillette hospital sends mandate protest to Biden

In addition to airing out the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming federal vaccine mandates expected to affect Campbell County Health employees next month, hospital trustees decided to send a formal response to the man in charge himself.... more

 

BLM to round up half of Wyoming’s wild horses

The Bureau of Land Management will round up most wild horses in five herd management areas in southwestern Wyoming, beginning as soon as Oct. 7, the agency said Friday.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 27

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

After dry summer, ag producers likely need extra feed for winter

After a second hot, dry summer in a row, Wyoming’s cattle producers are concerned about heading into winter without enough feed. ... more

 

More Wyoming residents eligible for boosters

A wider swath of Wyomingites is now eligible for Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the additional inoculations.... more

 

Prosecutors express concern about State Bar charge against D.A. Manlove

A group composed of the state’s county and district attorneys has raised concerns about the Wyoming State Bar’s formal charge against Laramie County District Attorney Leigh Anne Manlove.... more

 

To vaccinate or staff? Gillette hospital board fields public concerns over vaccine mandates

People came out in droves this week to lament the impending federal vaccine mandates that are expected to affect Campbell County Health employees next month and may lead to a significant loss of staff.... more

COVID survivor asks community to vaccinate

The symptoms for Kristi and Andy Gabriel came on at the same time. From the beginning, Kristi had it worse.... more

 

Problems persist with illegal killing of Greater Yellowstone wolves

The way Lane Bunner tells it, the wolf was chasing his Jack Russell terrier, had closed to within 40 yards or so, and he had to make a split-second decision.... more

Federal court issues arrest warrant for Laundrie

The U.S. District Court of Wyoming issued a federal arrest warrant Wednesday for Brian Christopher Laundrie, the boyfriend of Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, whose body was found this past weekend near Grand Teton National Park, according to the FBI.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 24

News from across Wyoming.... more

Wyoming’s crypto sector’s fate up to federal regulators

After years of laying groundwork, the future of Wyoming’s cryptocurrency banking industry now lies in the hands of federal regulators, officials with Wyoming U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis’ office told lawmakers Tuesday.... more

 

Low enrollment sinks UW’s projected revenue by $2.3 million

Small freshman classes the past two years, and a wait-and-see approach to attendance during the pandemic, have pushed enrollment at the University of Wyoming down 6.3 percent from the fall of 2019.... more

 

Legislative committee considering bill to limit non-compete agreements in Wyoming

Legislators have voted to delay until their next meeting a bill that, if passed, would void all future non-compete clauses in the Wyoming marketplace.... more

 

First rulings issued in Wyoming Gun Owners suit

A court issued two rulings in the case of a prominent gun rights group versus some of Wyoming’s top elected officials.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 23

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Protesters urge noncompliance with COVID vaccine mandates

Dozens of residents gathered in Cody on Saturday to rally against the mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations proposed by President Joe Biden’s administration.... more

 

Governor suspends Crook County treasurer

Governor Mark Gordon has suspended Mary Kuhl from her position as Crook County Treasurer in an order filed with the county on Thursday. ... more

 

On anniversary of Antelope’s death, community expresses mixed opinions of groups using him as figurehead

Two of the late Anderson Antelope’s immediate family members have opposed using him as a social justice figurehead.... more

 

Legislative leaders ask Bray to step down

Tory Bray, a precinct committeeman for the Park County GOP has resigned his position as secretary for the Park County Republican Men’s club after he was asked to, but still remains a committeeman.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 22

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Strong, expensive Sam Adams brew can be sold in Wyoming

Good news for Wyoming beer drinkers.... more

 

Plan would use poison to restore Yellowstone cutthroat trout

Wyoming has launched a long-range plan to restore Yellowstone cutthroat trout to the Bighorn Basin and make parts of five watersheds the sensitive species’ exclusive domain.... more

Anti-vaxxers commandeer committee meeting to protest mandates

A group of activists that included healthcare workers commandeered a meeting of the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Committee on Labor, Health and Social Services Thursday to demand legislative action against COVID-19 vaccination requirements at medical facilities around the state.... more

 

Petito’s death ruled homicide

The search for Brian Laundrie continues three days after his partner Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito was found dead near the Grand Teton National Park boundary at the Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area.... more

 

Layoffs from Bridger mine closure not surprise

When the Bridger Underground Coal Mine shuts down in November, 92 workers will lose their current jobs, down from the 94 reported by the mine’s owner earlier this month.... more

 

National Guard deployed to help hospitals with surge

Amid a surge in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 across the state, Gov. Mark Gordon announced Tuesday that he had activated members of the Wyoming National Guard to assist with mostly non-medical tasks at hospitals in the state.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 21

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Trial delayed in fatal abuse case

A trial has been delayed for a Cody man and woman who stand accused of fatally abusing a 2-year-old child earlier this year. ... more

 

State works to address unemployment insurance increase

When it comes to recent changes in unemployment insurance taxes, the numbers are staggering and, for many small businesses, unsustainable.... more

 

Park County GOP official lashes out at legislator in email

A Republican official in Park County told Sen. Tara Nethercott in an email that if he was as “despicable a person as you, I would kill myself.”... more

 

Investigators focus on cause of Petito death

An autopsy was scheduled Tuesday for the remains found Sunday in a dispersed camping area bordering Grand Teton National Park that match the description of Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito — a 5-foot-5-inch, blond-haired, blue-eyed adventure blogger who hadn’t been seen or heard from since late August.... more

Neighbors, history buffs want to save Swinging Bridge

At first Jason Dewey said that “more than half” of the reason he bought a property and built a home along a four-lane highway — five, if you count the turn lane in the middle of Highway 89 — was the view of Swinging Bridge just to the east.... more

Man survives and recovers after rescue from truck fire

The last thing Shane Fortner remembers is driving by the last big hill before entering Gillette.... more

Laramie businessman sees new potential in antiques

It’s the larger-than-life wide eyes and goofy grin that first get your attention.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 20

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

UW readies to comply with Biden mandates despite Gordon’s opposition

Just minutes before Gov. Mark Gordon on Wednesday unveiled a “two-pronged plan” to combat a federal mandate for large employers to either vaccinate or regularly test all workers for COVID-19, University of Wyoming trustees directed administrators to budget for compliance with the directive. ... more

 

Trooper acted properly in shooting, report says

A Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper who was shot by and returned fire on a Lander man on Sinks Canyon Road in June acted within the law, according to a Friday statement by Fremont County Attorney Patrick LeBrun.... more

 

Bill to allow ‘tourism improvement districts’ moves ahead

During a Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee meeting in Sheridan earlier this month, legislators agreed to forward a piece of legislation authorizing the creation of tourism improvement districts.... more

 

Vaccine mandates questioned

Twelve Wyoming hospitals reported a critical staffing shortage to the federal government Friday, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, though COVID-19 infections are largely driving those shortages, according to officials at hospitals across the state.... more

 

School nurse resigns over quarantine rules

Kay Dersham says she no longer wants to put her nursing license or her ethics on the line after the recent decision made by the Laramie County School District 2 Board of Trustees.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 17

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Balow cites student’s notes in backing anti-critical race theory bill

Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow is backing proposed legislation to deter public schools from teaching aspects of critical race theory, citing one student’s notes as evidence of the threat to the state’s education.... more

 

Remains of kayaker missing since 1995 recovered

The bones of a 24-year-old Pennsylvania man who drowned while kayaking the Hoback River 26 years ago have been found in Palisades Reservoir and confirmed to be those of the missing man.... more

 

Balow, Racines among first women to participate in One-Shot Hunt

Seven women — two of whom have strong Fremont County ties — have made history as the first women selected to compete in the One-Shot Antelope Hunt, which began Wednesday and runs through Saturday. ... more

 

Pneumonic plague case found in Wyoming

A rare case of the potentially deadly pneumonic plague was recently detected in a northern Fremont County resident.... more

 

Wyoming to ask for delisting of grizzlies

Wyoming will petition the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to remove federal protections from grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, Gov. Mark Gordon said Thursday.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 16

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Lawmakers mull adding judges to alleviate court backlog ‘crisis’

Wyoming may expand its district court system to address case backlogs and staffing shortages in several counties around the state. ... more

 

Crook County Treasurer responds to charges

Crook County Treasurer Mary Kuhl has responded to the verified petition filed against her by Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill, which seeks to suspend her from office.... more

 

Feds consider relisting wolf as endangered species

Responding to concerns from environmental groups, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Wednesday that it will study whether gray wolves in Wyoming and elsewhere in the West should be relisted as a threatened or endangered species.... more

 

Campbell County School District to offer $300 incentive for staff to get COVID-19 vaccine

The Campbell County School District will offer a one-time $300 incentive for district employees who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.... more

 

State plots 2-front vaccine mandate fight; Gordon plans legal action, possible special session

Gov. Mark Gordon is planning to combat President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate through legal action from the state attorney general and a special legislative session, he announced Wednesday.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 15

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Researchers look for clues as toxic blooms plague Wyo waters

It can look like green paint spilled on the surface of a lake. Or like cottage cheese. Or grass clippings.... more

 

Game and Fish now requires CWD sampling from some hunters

For the first time ever, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is requiring some hunters to collect samples from deer they kill to help monitor the spread of fatal, incurable chronic wasting disease.... more

 

Bucking statewide trend, Teton County GOP still accepts Liz Cheney as a Republican

Teton County’s GOP will continue to recognize U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney as a Republican.... more

 

Sheridan school board approves termination of staffer for not wearing mask

At least one Sheridan County School District 2 staff member has been officially terminated for not wearing a mask to work.... more

 

WEA president responds to new transparency bill aimed at critical race theory

Grady Hutcherson, president of the Wyoming Education Association, has mixed feelings on the Civics Transparency Act, a bill recently introduced by state Sens. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, and Dan Dockstader, R-Afton, to address concerns about critical race theory being taught in Wyoming K-12 classrooms.... more

 

Tourism bounces back as nation looks to travel

CASPER —Sales and use tax collections for Wyoming’s hospitality and leisure sectors experienced significant growth this summer compared to last year, state reports show.... more

 

Hate crime draft bills voted down

Two draft bills addressing bias motivated crimes, or hate crimes, failed to be sponsored Tuesday by the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Judiciary Interim Committee.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 14

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Pro Pot Push: Petitions for medical marijuana and decriminalization initiatives now circulating

A small group of people gathered at Dalbey Memorial Park Saturday evening in what may be the start of a more large-scale movement toward less restrictive marijuana laws throughout Wyoming.... more

 

Judge: No choice but to release suspect in eye-gouging

New insight has emerged regarding the June release of an accused eye-gouger from the Wyoming State Hospital. The elderly victim of the suspect’s attack on Thanksgiving Day died two weeks later. ... more

 

Gordon, lawmakers talk about fighting vaccine mandate

Gov. Mark Gordon is working with Wyoming legislative leaders and the state’s attorney general to explore what options are available to fight back against President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for companies that employ over 100 workers, a Gordon spokesman said Monday.... more

 

Balow leads fight against critical race theory in Wyoming

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow showed her full support Friday morning for legislation designed to fight back against critical race theory in state schools.... more

Hundreds turn out for homecoming of Marine McCollum

The remains of Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, the Jackson native and U.S. Marine who was killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 26 in a terrorist attack, touched down at Jackson Hole Airport at 4:07 p.m. Friday.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 13

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Pressure builds for candidates to drop from House race

Pressure is building for challengers of U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, to drop out of the race following former President Donald Trump’s Thursday endorsement of new entrant and former Republican National Committee member Harriet Hageman.... more

 

Bouchard meme suggests Fauci execution

Wyoming Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, posted a meme on his congressional campaign’s Facebook page accusing White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci of lying and suggesting that Fauci should be executed.... more

 

Flood of complaints prompts removal of Teton Co. mask violation page

An online form that people could use to report possible violations of Teton County’s mask order was taken down this week after people trolled the form.... more

 

Fremont County central to redistricting talks

State lawmakers are considering several proposals to alter the makeup of the Wyoming Legislature, with Fremont County central to the discussion.... more

 

Wildfires burning higher, study says

Western wildfires are spreading farther. They’re burning hotter. And now they’re climbing higher.... more

 

Laramie students protest Albany Co. mask mandate

Cheering back as a chorus of honking horns sounded support, about two dozen Laramie High School students protested Friday afternoon at the southwest corner of Boulder Drive and Grand Avenue.... more

 

Cheney calls Hageman entry into race ‘tragic opportunism’

U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., called former Republican ally Harriet Hageman’s challenge for her seat “tragic opportunism” in a Friday morning call with Wyoming media.... more

Company woos WyoTech students with jaunt on private jet

Those weren’t rock stars or major social media influencers you may have seen boarding a private jet at the Laramie Regional Airport on the morning of Sept. 1.... more

Stolen truck recovered, but not returned

Earl and Elizabeth Elliott were fast asleep when the police called.... more

 

Police officers looking for supportive communities moving to Casper

After the nation erupted in months of protests following George Floyd’s death last year, Andrew Lincowski knew he wanted to go back into law enforcement.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 10

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Lawmakers advance runoff election legislation

Wyoming lawmakers advanced a proposal Thursday to shift the state’s elections to a runoff system. Conservative activists favor runoffs as a way to avoid the type of vote-splitting they believe has helped elevate more moderate candidates in Republican primaries.... more

 

Illegal political robocalls rankle Wyoming voters

In the wee hours of Aug. 30, phones across Wyoming began ringing.... more

 

Wyo sage grouse counts fall again, marking a 5-year trend

Wyoming’s 2021 count of male greater sage grouse declined 13 percent compared to 2020, extending the downward trend of the troubled bird’s key population indicator to five years.... more

 

Gordon says state ready to challenge vaccine mandate

Wyoming is prepared to challenge a federal vaccine mandate in court, Gov. Mark Gordon declared in a statement Thursday.... more

 

Laramie school trustees adopt mask mandate after heated meeting

Another week, another school board meeting, another extension of the mask mandate in local schools.... more

Trump endorsement in hand, Hageman announces House bid

Cheyenne attorney Harriet Hageman announced her candidacy Thursday for Wyoming’s lone seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, launching her bid to oust current Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo.... more

 

Central Wyoming College mask mandate reinstated

A mask mandate was reinstated Wednesday at Central Wyoming College to guard against the spread of COVID-19.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 9

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Sources say Trump will endorse Hageman against Cheney

Former President Donald Trump is preparing to endorse Harriet Hageman in a bid against Rep. Liz Cheney in the 2022 House race, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the matter.... more

 

Marine’s body to be returned to Jackson Friday

The body of Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, the local U.S. Marine who was killed in Afghanistan on Aug. 26, is scheduled to return to Jackson on Friday around 4 p.m.... more

 

Laramie school mask debate boils over

An unruly and disruptive group of local residents nearly derailed Wednesday’s Albany County School District Board of Education meeting minutes into it.... more

 

Cheyenne school trustees adopt mask mandate

Mask use will be required effective immediately. Thursday morning, students and faculty who are not outdoors on district property must wear a mask.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 8

News from across Wyoming.... more

Fraud case rocks Lander, Catholic College

Many were impressed with his fresh ideas and unbridled enthusiasm about the future of the ambitious young college, as well as his vision of the business potential of his new hometown.... more

 

Bighorn Forest plan for weeds, sagebrush sparks battle

Conservationists are criticizing a plan by the Bighorn National Forest to use aerial spraying to kill mountain big sagebrush and larkspur, native plants the critics say shouldn’t be destroyed to improve grazing for domestic stock.... more

 

The ‘Cowboy Catholics’ and federal funds

In 2015, tiny Wyoming Catholic College made a big splash on the national education front by refusing to participate in federal student-aid programs, claiming that accepting federal money would impinge on the school’s academic and religious freedoms.... more

 

Tourists change the way they use of Grand Teton Park

Zach Kariya and Cailey Baker were quite certain of the number of hikers they’d passed since the last checkpoint on their way down from an eight-hour hike to Amphitheater Lake and Garnet Canyon.... more

 

New community college trustees gather info

Less than a month into the Gillette Community College District’s existence, trustees are still in the “information gathering” phase, in regard to forming a budget, appointing a district president/CEO and beginning the accreditation process.... more

 

More Wyoming residents seek vaccination

Nearly 8,800 people in Wyoming received a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine within the last two weeks. That’s the highest amount statewide since this spring, when the shots first became available to the general public.... more

 

Mask mandate approved for Torrington schools

The Goshen County School District approved a motion for K-12 mask mandates during a special meeting. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 7

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Protest and passion mount around via ferrata proposal

Protest and passion continue to mount around a proposal to build a via ferrata in Sinks Canyon State Park, dividing the central Wyoming outdoor recreation community.... more

 

No plans for inquest into 2019 shooting, coroner says

Fremont County’s new coroner says he has no plans to initiate an inquest into the fatal 2019 shooting of Anderson Antelope by a Riverton police officer.... more

 

Sheridan residents rally against mask requirements

More than 120 people packed the council chambers and adjacent hallway last week at Sheridan City Hall to organize and oppose mask requirements being adopted by local school districts.... more

 

Woman works to establish missing persons database

In 2019, Desirée Tinoco started a Facebook group after hearing about two men missing in Wyoming, whose cases weren’t getting much coverage.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 6

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

COVID-19 infections, controversy disrupt first days of school

Less than two weeks after opening their doors, school officials around Wyoming are finding that hygiene protocols and mask and vaccine recommendations may not be enough to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks and keep students in classrooms.... more

 

Afghanistan becomes flashpoint in race to oust Cheney

U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, has an extensive foreign policy record.... more

 

Dayton mayor relieved of duties

In a special meeting Thursday, the Dayton Town Council voted 4-1 to relieve Mayor Norm Anderson of many responsibilities, essentially reducing him to figurehead status.... more

 

Legal sports betting goes live in Wyoming

Gambling sports fans in Wyoming are no longer required to bet through sketchy offshore websites to win, or lose, a quick buck.... more

 

Attempts to remove Cheney from conference continue

Far-right House members continue to push to oust Rep. Liz Cheney from the Republican Conference following her appointment Thursday as vice chairwoman of the Jan. 6 Select Committee.... more

 

Health officials fight ‘two pandemics’ amid COVID misinformation

When COVID-19 began to take over public consciousness in the U.S. around March 2020, public health departments set to work, tasked with providing the best information, resources and preventative care possible at the time to their communities.... more

Gillette teens interview authors for Library of Congress

What did two Gillette teenage girls share in common with Washington, D.C., man, born in 1983, who happens to be a best-selling author of young adult books and has sold more than 6 million copies since 2014?... more

COVID patient raises money for CNA’s shoes

Bob Vines went to the emergency room at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center on July 17 with COVID-19.... more

Group works to save heritage of primitive weapons

For most of his life, Ned Dunn has been shooting black powder muzzleloader weapons. The Powell resident loves everything about the guns first developed in the 16th century, from pouring his own musket balls to the smell of the powder burning. Dunn is trying to preserve the traditions of the Wyoming mountain man, but, as he puts it, he’s running out of time.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 3

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Water board votes against big wells in troubled Ogallala Aquifer

The state engineer should not authorize eight high-capacity groundwater wells in the diminishing High Plains Aquifer east of Cheyenne, a Laramie County board recommended with a 4-1 vote Tuesday.... more

 

Teton commissioners extend mask mandate to Dec. 31

The Teton County Board of County Commissioners voted 3-2 Thursday morning to extend Teton District Health Officer Dr. Travis Riddell’s mask mandate through the end of 2021.... more

 

Officials say oil rebounding, but work with feds needed

A year after its prices dropped below zero, oil seems to be on the rebound, but a lot of work remains to be done under the Biden administration.... more

 

Nearly one-third of WMC patients in for COVID

Nearly 30 percent of patients at Wyoming’s largest hospital are being treated for COVID-19. The majority of them are under 65 years old.... more

 

Bill changing absentee ballot counting rules gets committee nod

At least one bill related to elections will be introduced by committee during Wyoming’s 2022 legislative session, while the fate of two other proposed bills is murky. ... more

SCSD9 prepares to accept lawsuit

The federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Jane Doe and parents against Big Piney School District officials is undergoing amendments that will see it served, one way or another, on of before Sept. 14.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 2

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Hundreds of Laramie County School District No. 1 students quarantined

Less than two weeks after the start of the new school year in Laramie County School District No.1, there have been 466 quarantines mandated on students and faculty.... more

 

In Sheridan: Families withdraw students, teachers suspended following school district vote to require masks

The decision by Sheridan County School District No. 2 to require masks not only has some residents upset but withdrawing their children from district schools and has reportedly led to the suspension of at least two teachers who chose to defy the policy change.... more

 

Moorcroft woman arrested for child abuse, aggravated assault

A Moorcroft woman has been arrested on 16 separate counts of child abuse as well as one of aggravated assault and battery. ... more

 

Albany County school board gets an earful on mask mandates

Wednesday’s special meeting of the Albany County School District 1 Board of Education to listen to public input on a potential extended mask mandate for students and employees soon found a rhythm reminiscent of a State of the Union address.... more

 

Governor: No mask mandate ahead

Gov. Mark Gordon stressed Wednesday that he will not be issuing a statewide or K-12 mask mandate like he did last year, even as schools opened and COVID cases surged across Wyoming. ... more

Rylee McCollum: A Jackson kid, a lifelong Marine

Rylee McCollum, born Feb. 26, 2001, loved to wrestle.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for September 1

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Pine Bluffs school board member: ‘I think they’re prepared to have sick kids’

In response to nearly 10 percent of students in Laramie County School District 2 being quarantined after the first week of school, as well as nine staff members, the district's Board of Trustees held a special meeting Monday night that lasted more than three hours.... more

 

Shrinking communities brace for budget impacts

It’s not so quiet in Mills anymore.... more

 

PacifiCorp holds course to exit Wyoming coal

Wyoming’s largest utility, Rocky Mountain Power, will decommission its entire coal-fired power fleet in the state by 2039 while continuing to add wind, solar and battery storage to its six-state operating system, according to preliminary details of its 2021 Integrated Resource Plan.... more

 

Wiggins Construction customers complain of shoddy and incomplete work

In the spring, Wiggins Construction LLC began aggressively pushing a new promotion, offering a free AR-15 rifle with the purchase of a new roof. The campaign generated a lot of praise and controversy on social media and elsewhere, and it received local and national media coverage.... more

 

Former Jackson police lieutenant claims wrongful termination, sues town for $1 million

A former Jackson Police Department lieutenant who was at the center of a controversy last year because of what many viewed as an offensive Facebook post is suing the town of Jackson for $1 million, claiming he was “wrongfully and forcefully” terminated by the town without being afforded constitutional due process.... more

 

Group marches in Sheridan, reminds citizens to stay abreast of election law changes

In light of continued allegations of voter fraud during the 2020 election, the Wyoming Legislature, like many state governments, is rethinking some of its election statutes.... more

 

Oil and gas lease sales set to resume next year

The Biden administration on Tuesday set an end date for its pause on federal oil and gas leasing. The first onshore lease sale since December will be held by early 2022.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 31

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

'In a blink:' Gillette reflects on 20 years in Afghanistan erased

When Jonathan Decker first stepped foot in Afghanistan in 2013, the status of the War on Terror was in a malaise between the purpose it began with and the debacle it is in now.... more

 

COVID hospitalizations continue to rise

The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Wyoming rose to 195 on Monday — the most since Dec. 10. ... more

 

Cheyenne man pleads not guilty to first-degree murder, child abuse charges

In his first appearance in Laramie County District Court, a man accused of killing a local 2-year-old and putting his body in a dumpster pleaded not guilty to 11 felonies Monday afternoon.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 30

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Oversight panel debates harm of sage grouse hunting

Wyoming should adopt a species-specific permit system for sage grouse hunting to better account for the fall take, a university professor recently told a state panel.... more

 

‘Mock inquest’ held to review man’s 2019 death

A mock theater inquest into the 2019 killing of Anderson Antelope by a Riverton police officer took place without incident this month despite concerns about safety expressed beforehand by members of the community.... more

 

Former Jackson student among Marines killed in Afghanistan

A former Jackson student was one of the 170 people and 13 U.S. Marines killed in Afghanistan after a suicide bomber attacked Hamid Karzai International Airport Aug. 26.... more

 

Barrasso criticizes Biden on economy, immigration, Afghanistan

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., had a late start to the August Congressional recess, but is making up for lost time by crisscrossing Wyoming and listening to the public’s concerns about the economy, immigration and Afghanistan.... more

 

Cheyenne COVID cases spike after first week of school

As of Friday afternoon, just five days into the new school year, there were more than 170 active coronavirus cases and exposures in Laramie County School District 1 schools.... more

Artist leads students in painting huge mural

Standing two steps up on an 8-foot ladder, face-to-face with white paint strokes beginning to form the head of a buffalo, Hannah Mooney stood where she stood for the better part of the summer, focused and facing the wall turned canvas turned mural on the front of the AVA Community Art Center.... more

Rafting guides rescue dog from hole near Shoshone River

When Cody resident Nick Hummel went down to the bank of the Shoshone River on Aug. 17, he saw a scrappy, 10-pound dog he never expected to see again.... more

 

Swift fox populations growing in Wyoming

Wyoming swift foxes also seem to even be expanding beyond their historic range into higher-elevation areas like Big Piney and Pinedale.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 27

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Teton County puts mask mandate back in place

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, all Teton County residents, workers, and visitors are required to wear face coverings in public indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status.... more

 

Judge reduces fines for those who get vaccinated

A Natrona County judge is offering a unique form of community service to help people pay off court fines — getting a COVID-19 vaccination.... more

 

Supreme Court refuses to limit scope of Manlove charge

The petition, filed by Attorney General Bridget Hill on July 29, said complaints related to an alleged violation by Manlove of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as accusations that the district attorney created and fostered a toxic work environment within her office, fell outside the jurisdiction of the State Bar’s Board of Professional Responsibility.... more

 

Officials face growing pressure to audit Wyoming elections

Wyoming officials are facing mounting pressure to audit the 2020 election from pro-Trump activists asserting, without evidence, that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from the former president through widespread voter fraud.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 26

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Man accused of gouging out woman’s eye freed

The man accused of gouging out a woman’s eye on Thanksgiving Day at Lander SageWest Health Care has been released from the Wyoming State Hospital, back into the community under the care of his wife.... more

 

State seeks removal of Crook County treasurer

On the instruction of Governor Mark Gordon, the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office has filed a civil case with District Court that could see County Treasurer Mary Kuhl removed from office.... more

 

Campbell County LGBTQ complaints shift to school board

School trustees were the latest of local public boards to hear complaints about LGBTQ issues Tuesday night.... more

 

Unvaccinated staff in Wyoming prisons leads to rise in cases

According to an official update released Friday, the most recent round of testing found 24 positive results across three facilities. Of those, 15 were staff and the rest were inmates.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 25

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyo preps for less water as drought creeps up Colorado River

As federal water managers declared the first-ever official Colorado River water shortage last week, a top official said he’s confident Wyoming will responsibly implement its plans to store and divert even more flows from the troubled waterway.... more

 

A tale of two taxes

Voters in Campbell and Johnson Counties weighed in last week on an issue that has long divided voters in Wyoming: whether to tax themselves for government services.... more

School official: Some kids ‘absolutely’ will contract COVID-19

Gov. Mark Gordon’s office, elected school boards and an apparent majority of the Wyoming public have decided that’s an acceptable risk.... more

 

Teton County ready to implement mask mandate

Teton District Health Officer Dr. Travis Riddell is planning to issue a countywide mask mandate effective Thursday.... more

 

No single reason for hospitality employee shortage

By Labor Day and the official end of the summer tourism season, the Best Western Sheridan Center may be fully staffed.... more

 

Rocky Mountain Power completes wind power initiative

Rocky Mountain Power has officially completed its Energy Vision 2020 initiative.... more

 

Standardized test results normal through pandemic

Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow described the 2020-21 state assessment results as “overwhelmingly normal” Tuesday, despite a school year that was anything but.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 24

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Former Jackson resident recovers $6M in ‘unclaimed propery’

A former Jackson resident has recovered the largest sum of unclaimed property ever possessed by the Wyoming State Treasurer’s Office.... more

 

Judge rules against stalking claim

Two outspoken local residents sparred head-to-head in Park County Circuit Court on Monday over alleged stalking activity.... more

 

Campbell Co. officials bemoan lack of state guidance

Campbell County officials are disappointed that there seems to be no guidance from the state level as far as what’s next for Wyoming.... more

 

Laramie schools adopt mask mandate

The mandate will run through at least Sept. 3.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 23

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Invasive weed continues to spread

Tom Durst noticed the weed years ago in a place called Walleye Bay in Pathfinder Reservoir. It was green and leafy and made it hard for him to fish for the walleye the bay was named after.... more

 

Legislators begin redistricting process

To protect the honored “one person, one vote” rule, the number of people within each voting district in any given state should generally be the same as in any other.... more

 

Gillette residents: move — don’t remove — controversial library books

Campbell county commissioners listened to another round of public comment on the library controversy at their meeting Tuesday. There were a few new faces, as well as some familiar ones.... more

 

State vaccination rates rising

More Wyomingites received a first COVID-19 vaccine dose in the last two weeks than in any two-week period since mid-May, state figures show.... more

 

Forest Service cabins provide rural getaway

The Sheep Mountain Fire Outlook has one set of bunk beds and one vault toilet. There is no running water, indoor plumbing or electricity.... more

With 50 years behind them, Lewis and Clark Expeditions is still paddling

James Peck and Karen Youngblood had fantasies of a celebratory summer paying homage to the 50th anniversary of Lewis & Clark River Expeditions, a business the married couple has jointly run for the past 28 years.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 20

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Cheyenne city attorney asks AG office to prosecute abuse case

Cheyenne’s city attorney has filed a petition asking the Laramie County District Court to request that the Wyoming Attorney General’s office investigate, and potentially prosecute, a case declined by Laramie County District Attorney Leigh Anne Manlove.... more

 

State hospitals feel staffing strain; 5 Wyoming facilities report critical shortage over the last 4 days

By the time Wyoming hit its COVID-19 hospitalization peak last November, nearly 250 people were being treated for the virus statewide. The physicians who were caring for them were largely working without days off, filling in for colleagues who had either tested positive or been exposed to the virus themselves.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 19

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Crook County treasurer returns to work

Despite deciding that the charges against Crook County Treasurer Mary Kuhl merit binding her case over to District Court, Judge Wendy Bartlett of the Circuit Court of the 6th Judicial District determined on Thursday that Kuhl should be allowed to return to the office.... more

 

Grizzly bear deaths on the rise in 2021

It’s been a tough year for grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.... more

 

Cheyenne man pleads no contest to voluntary manslaughter, other felonies

A man accused of shooting two people, killing one of them, pleaded no contest Wednesday to voluntary manslaughter and several other felony charges in Laramie County District Court. ... more

 

'I can't wait': Supporters react to college district passing

On Tuesday night, the long-awaited fate of Gillette College was decided.... more

 

Vaccine incentive programs to launch

Albany County and the city of Laramie are partnering with other local organizations to boost the area’s COVID-19 vaccination rate, and they’ve put their money where their mouths are.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 18

News from across Wyoming.... more

In Yellowstone, Haaland recognizes threats to park, ecosystem

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland has a responsibility to work with Yellowstone National Park’s ecosystem neighbors to resolve vexing cross-boundary conservation problems like climate change, wildfire, crushing visitation and wildlife that “don’t see borders,” she said Friday.... more

Aging dam above Douglas called ‘catastrophic’ threat

A pair of engineering firms contracted by the state warn that cracks in the 112-year-old concrete LaPrele dam, along with deterioration in its geologic foundation, could result in catastrophic failure. ... more

 

Multi-billion dollar Natrium nuclear project inches forward

A progress report to members of the Joint Committee on Minerals, Business & Economic Development in Laramie Thursday offered mostly good news to proponents of building a first-of-its-kind nuclear reactor in Wyoming.... more

Sacrifices, scars and service

Military veterans carry a lot of scars, said Scott Ratliff, a member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe who served in Vietnam, and there’s no magical balm to fix them. ... more

 

Wyo. board tours state-owned land in Jackson Hole, hears from its guardians

Wyoming State Treasurer Curt Meier stood in the sagebrush near the east edge of Grand Teton National Park overlooking the Tetons, his feet planted on some of the most valuable land possessed by his state.... more

 

COVID boosters advised for vulnerable

The Wyoming Department of Health is following guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in promoting an additional COVID-19 booster shot to certain populations at an increased risk amid the rise of the more contagious and likely more dangerous delta variant. ... more

 

Gillette college district passes in special election with 70% of vote

Gillette College will become its own community college district.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 17

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Interior secretary pledges support for national parks

While some dignitaries drop into Yellowstone National Park by helicopter, new Secretary of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland wound up being escorted by bison on her drive in, experiencing the park in the same way as most tourists.... more

 

Lawmaker looks to layer on AIS penalties

A Cheyenne lawmaker is drawing up new penalties to safeguard in-state waters from record-breaking numbers of watercraft easing down Wyoming boat ramps.... more

 

Cheyenne man gets life in prison for killing 2, injuring 2 others

A man accused of killing two people, injuring two teenage boys and shooting at another man was sentenced to life in prison Monday afternoon in Laramie County District Court.... more

 

Gordon: No COVID mandates

Gov. Mark Gordon made clear Monday afternoon that his office would not be enacting any sweeping virus mitigation policies, deferring instead to the federal government and local officials. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 16

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Crypto industry laments failure of Lummis-backed amendment

Wyoming’s cryptocurrency sector is concerned for its future after a Sen. Cynthia Lummis-backed amendment to new tax reporting requirements failed to be attached to a sweeping $1 trillion infrastructure package the Senate passed earlier this week.... more

 

More than 1 million visit Yellowstone in July

For the first time in its 149-year history, Yellowstone National Park has surpassed the threshold of a million visitors in a month.... more

 

Interior secretary visits Fremont Co., tribes

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited Fremont County on Thursday to meet tribal and state leaders. ... more

 

Campbell library board tells people to follow procedure

If people have a problem with certain books in the Campbell County Public Library, they need to go through the proper channels to challenge those books.... more

 

Energy Authority unveils strategy

Wyoming plans to chart its path to net-zero emissions with an all-of-the-above approach. ... more

 

Rancher survives after being struck by lightning

Jack Corson was moving heifers when the lightning struck. ... more

 

Laramie crossword builder’s work appears across country

The New York Times’ crossword puzzle is a cultural fixture and a daily habit for millions of Americans, with completion of the week’s hardest edition, published on Saturdays, a sign of crossword puzzle mastery.... more

Man builds giant guitar for public display

Laid out across the large floor space inside of the Area 59 workshop — and taking up a lot of it — was about 22 feet of giant guitar.... more

 

Clearmont school board to vote on CRT

Members of the Sheridan County School District 3 Board of Trustees took another step forward in voicing their opposition to Critical Race Theory, or CRT, being taught in local classrooms.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 13

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyo drilling rig count triples during Biden leasing pause

The number of rotary rigs drilling for oil and gas in Wyoming tripled since President Joe Biden announced a pause on leasing federal minerals for development more than five months ago.... more

 

Delegation unanimously opposes infrastructure bills

Wyoming’s congressional delegation is unanimously opposed to both infrastructure bills advancing through Congress, citing costs and the inclusion of what they deemed “far-left” policies in the two packages that total over $4.5 trillion if passed.... more

 

Census shows Wyo population up 2.3%

America’s least populated state is growing, though much slower than most of the nation.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 12

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

UW to require face masks until Sept. 20

Face masks will be required indoors until at least Sept. 20 at the University of Wyoming.... more

 

Wyoming revenue outlook improves, state leaders still cautious

Wyoming’s current revenue is well ahead of where economists predicted it would be earlier this year, but that positive development could be temporary.... more

 

State Bar opposes limit to Manlove review

The Wyoming State Bar’s Board of Professional Responsibility has rejected the claim by the Wyoming Attorney General’s office that allegations involving personnel in its formal charge against Laramie County District Attorney Leigh Anne Manlove fall outside the board’s jurisdiction.... more

 

Climate change, wildfires cause bird die-offs

Only time will tell the full effects of severe droughts and large wildfires plaguing 2020 and 2021. But the impact for one species has been immediate.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 11

News from across Wyoming.... more

Masks will be optional for most Wyo students as schools reopen

School districts across the state are taking a wait-and-see approach to updating COVID-19 safety guidelines and protocols as students and staff prepare to return to classrooms amid a surge in infections of the Delta variant in Wyoming.... more

 

Wyo’s economic recovery lags behind nation

Wyoming’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic has been slower than most other states, according to state and federal data, with numerous indicators hinting the state’s economy may not reach its pre-pandemic strength by the time the Legislature meets this winter.... more

Near Togwotee Pass, Continental Divide Trail gets a reroute

Some 550 miles of the Continental Divide Trail — the iconic thru-hiking route that rides the spine of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico — unfurl across Wyoming. The trail passes through Yellowstone National Park, skips over wind-scoured ridges of the Wind River Range and traverses sagebrush seas in the southern reaches of the state. ... more

 

Game and Fish asks public to help solve elk, CWD, feed ground puzzle

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department last week wrapped up a six-town tour aimed at launching stakeholder groups to generate “new ideas for management” of Wyoming’s 22 elk feedgrounds, where chronic wasting disease threatens some 14,000 elk.... more

 

Grizzy 399, cubs move south again

As five grizzly bears swam, wrestled and bounded across her manicured lawn along the Snake River, Brooke Combs shrieked and literally jumped with joy.... more

 

Fremont GOP joins in rescinding Cheney recognition

The Fremont County Republican Party Central Committee voted Monday in support of the move, which is emblematic of the far right’s sustained frustration with the congresswoman’s criticism of former President Donald Trump and her vote to impeach him.... more

 

Judge rules for Cheyenne officer in lawsuit

A U.S. District Court judge has dismissed a lawsuit against a Cheyenne Police officer that alleged unlawful seizure and excessive force.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 10

News from across Wyoming.... more

COVID outdoor visits keep game wardens busy

On the lakes, rivers, in the woods, parks and the desert, business has been brisk. People are rediscovering the great outdoors, one of the positive developments from health officials’ recommendations to be socially distant amid the COVID-19 pandemic. ... more

 

Two county GOP parties rescind recognition of Cheney as rep

Republicans in two Wyoming counties have voted to rescind recognition of Rep. Liz Cheney as a member of their party.... more

 

Fire season, pandemic travel contribute to fuel shortage

For 18 months, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted global supply chains, affecting everything from toilet paper to gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 9

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyo Dems retool strategy for 2022

The 2020 elections weren’t fruitful for Wyoming Democrats.... more

 

Committee looks to solve absentee, truancy woes

“Disconnects” among the school absenteeism and truancy laws in the state are being addressed in a bill being drafted by Wyoming’s Joint Education Committee. ... more

 

Enzi’s funeral celebration of faith, family, friends, fishing

It never ceases to amaze just how quiet a large group of people can be. More impressive still is when they stop talking suddenly, as if a switch got flipped and turned them off.... more

 

Letter details frustration with Laramie Co. DA

A five-page letter sent by the Cheyenne Police Department’s Detective Bureau commander to Laramie County District Attorney Leigh Anne Manlove details his frustration with Manlove’s office after she reportedly declined to charge a suspect in a sexual abuse of a minor case.... more

 

Impact of Wyoming abortion brief unclear

Gov. Mark Gordon announced last month that Wyoming joined more than 20 other states in filing an amicus brief before the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that states should be left to regulate elective abortions.... more

Young pianist’s skill takes him to state performance

Becky Smylie can’t remember which company’s commercial it was. She racks her brain, pillaging through the blurred memories of the past 13 years to no avail. ... more

Jackson renters booted from homes in boom market

It’s a seller’s market, and property owners are cashing out of Jackson Hole at unprecedented rates. For renters, that rapid turnover often means a terminated lease and uncertain future in a state where tenants have limited rights and few options for legal recourse.... more

 

Solar arrays not as popular as wind farms in Wyoming

Wind farms have been popping up all over Wyoming. Solar arrays, for the most part, haven’t. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 6

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Officials reexamine guidelines, decline mandates as Delta variant spreads

Circumstances have changed with the COVID-19 Delta variant’s incursion into Wyoming, health experts say, prompting officials to issue new recommendations and many to ask whether more needs to be done to increase the state’s vaccination rate and slow the virus’ spread. ... more

 

Election audit bill fails

Wyoming lawmakers rejected a proposal Wednesday by State Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, to give the Wyoming Legislature the power to audit elections.... more

 

Wyoming’s fish are in hot water; anglers can help

In the last 60 days, temperatures in portions of northern and southwestern Wyoming have run up to 8 degrees above normal. And that isn’t just highs.... more

 

Wyoming unprepared to grab federal coal community lifeline, experts say

Wyoming stands to receive millions in federal stimulus dollars aimed at helping coal- and energy-reliant communities survive industry downturns and diversify their economies. The state, however, is currently unprepared to capitalize on the opportunity, stakeholders say.... more

 

Report says oil and gas moratorium effect minimal

The Biden administration’s pause on federal drilling leases alarmed the oil and gas industry. But a new report argues that its economic impacts will be negligible — even for Wyoming.... more

 

Jackson Republican fundraiser prompts protest

At 73, Jorge Colon had never been to a protest.... more

 

Grizzly 399 back in the southern valley, this time in peak summer

A beloved 25-year-old grizzly bear raising four cubs is once again outside her usual Grand Teton National Park home range and has been on the go through subdivisions and ranchland.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 5

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyoming's congressional delegation, Sen. Mitch McConnell to attend Enzi's funeral

Wyoming’s congressional delegation of U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis and U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, as well as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, are expected to attend former senator and Gillette mayor Michael B. Enzi’s funeral services, which begin at 1 p.m. Friday.... more

 

Supreme Court upholds Wapiti man’s murder conviction

Citing the “overwhelming” evidence against him, the Wyoming Supreme Court has upheld a Wapiti man’s years-old murder conviction.... more

 

Wyoming’s COVID hospitalizations continue to climb as Delta variant takes hold

Wyoming hospitals are treating as many COVID-19 patients now as they were in early January, which experts say is a concerning trend as a more contagious and likely more dangerous variant of the virus circulates through the state. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 4

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Greene, other Trump supporters to fundraise in Jackson

Some of former President Trump’s most ardent allies — U.S. House Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jim Jordan and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows — will be in Jackson Hole to fundraise Thursday for some of the House GOP’s most conservative politicians.... more

 

Pronghorn population, hunting tags down due to habitat, climate woes

Fewer archers and shooters will pursue pronghorn in the forthcoming hunting season after snowstorms and drought prompted Wyoming Game and Fish Department to significantly reduce the number of licenses it issued this year.... more

 

Stumbles, stakeholder displeasure led to revenue chief’s ouster

A series of high-profile stumbles and the resulting displeasure of key interest groups led to the forced resignation last month of long-serving Wyoming Department of Revenue Director Dan Noble.... more

 

UW eyes federal relief funds to ease reorganization

In the wake of drastic budget cuts and significant restructuring plans, the University of Wyoming’s trustees hope American Recovery Plan Act funds can provide a lifeline for certain programs.... more

 

PAC backing Cheney challenger Gray funded solely by his father

State Rep. Chuck Gray’s father is the sole funder of a secretive political action committee that is boosting Gray’s bid to oust U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney in next year’s Republican primary.... more

 

Sheridan council says proposed tobacco ordinance not ready

An ordinance requested by Sheridan County School District 2 that would have significantly increased the fines for underage tobacco use in the city of Sheridan, died on first reading in a 4-3 vote Monday night.... more

 

State’s renewable energy capacity grows

Last year, renewable energy development broke records in Wyoming — and nationwide.... more

 

School board meeting over COVID stopped after disruption

The Laramie County School District 1 Board of Trustees shut down public comment early Monday night after a resident began yelling at trustees and refused to give up the mic when his allotted public comment period was over. ... more

 

Constitutionality of new sobriety law questioned

A new program intended to promote public safety and reduce incarceration rates is coming under fire for potentially violating the constitutional rights of people ordered to participate in it.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 3

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

It takes a village to combat Crater Ridge Fire

Thirty miles northeast of Lovell off U.S Highway 14, a makeshift town of trailers and yurts appears out of nowhere.... more

 

Experts split on whether state has hate crime law

Wyoming is widely regarded as one of the last states without a hate crime law, but that assertion is not as straightforward as one might think. ... more

2021 finally brings short uptick for thermal coal

Given the choice of what to hear first, good news or bad news, Powder River Basin coal producers and the thousands of people who work the mines are used to asking for the good news —only to be told there is none.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for August 2

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

We’ve been here before: Wyoming nuclear project echoes of past

When state officials unveiled in June that a nuclear demonstration project is slated for Wyoming, they touted it as an advanced technology. But critics of the Natrium project say we’ve been here before — with the same technology and the same assurances made — only to see hopes dashed and massive public investments go to waste.... more

 

Testimony to JAC: In-state meat industry growing but has more to do

Wyoming’s meat processing industry is growing, a development Central Wyoming College is watching closely. ... more

 

AG filing seeks to limit scope of Manlove charge

A Thursday court filing by the Wyoming Attorney General’s office seeks to prohibit the Wyoming State Bar’s Board of Professional Responsibility from considering or adjudicating certain allegations set out in its recent formal charge against Laramie County District Attorney Leigh Anne Manlove.... more

 

Wyoming leads on variant testing

As COVID-19 variants emerge globally, Wyoming is by a wide margin leading the nation in work to identify those mutations. ... more

Gillette team offers band of pack goats for wilderness adventures

Who in the world wants to go on a mountain excursion with a bunch of pack goats? Chances are you do, but you just might not know it yet. The father-and-son team of Shawn and Zach Dorr want to change that.... more

 

Six years after coin shop murders, police and family hope for closure

No suspects have ever been arrested or publicly identified by law enforcement, and the investigation remains open. ... more

Supaman to the rescue

By the time hip hop artist Christian Takes Gun Parrish, a.k.a. Supaman, took the stage Friday, he had already danced his way into the hearts of visitors at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West while sharing his messages of hope. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 30

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Guides allege mismanagement of Snake River

Snake River Angler owner Will Dornan says there’s never been anything like the current level of interest in hiring a fly-fishing guide to take a day’s float in Jackson Hole.... more

 

No charges to be filed in election fraud allegations

The special prosecutor appointed to investigate whether or not criminal charges should be filed in the case of alleged illegal voting at the Uinta County Republican Party leadership elections in March has declined to prosecute. ... more

 

Health officer recommends mask use inside

State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist is recommending vaccinated residents in areas with moderate to high COVID-19 transmission wear face masks in indoor public settings, she told the Star-Tribune on Thursday.... more

 

Wyo charge against ‘Dating Game Killer’ dismissed

A first-degree murder charge filed against Rodney Alcala, a man known as the Dating Game Killer, will be dropped in Sweetwater County following his death. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 29

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

A perfect storm: contractors struggle to adapt to a host of issues

Local contractors are facing an unheard of set of circumstances: volatile prices, increased transportation costs, material shortages and a rapid rise in new construction.... more

 

Deer Creek 2 wildfire grows to 3,000 acres

A 3,000-acre wildfire is burning across three Wyoming counties with little containment as of Wednesday afternoon. ... more

 

Crook County treasurer arrested

Crook County Treasurer Mary Kuhl was arrested on Friday on criminal charges related to her conduct as an elected official.... more

 

Campbell County library board receives both support and calls for resignation

The latest chapter in the Campbell County Public Library controversy may have been the most heated one yet.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 28

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Education committee prefers ‘incremental’ steps to K-12 funding crisis

Lawmakers last week, bolstered by an improving revenue forecast, said they continue to favor spending cuts and tapping Wyoming’s “rainy day fund” to temporarily address an estimated $270 million education-funding deficit. Forecasters had previously predicted a $300 million deficit.... more

 

Wyo looks to store, divert more water as Lake Powell dries up

As Lake Powell dropped to its lowest-ever level Friday — a decline that has forced dam tenders to unexpectedly release 125,000 acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir — Wyoming stood behind five projects that could divert tens of thousands more acre-feet from waterways in the troubled Colorado River Basin.... more

 

Proposed ordinance would raise fee for underage vaping on school grounds

Next week, Sheridan City Council will proceed with the first reading of an ordinance increasing the financial penalty for juveniles vaping tobacco on school grounds.... more

 

Microbes in Yellowstone pools add new branch to the tree of life

It’s not often that scientists get to discover a new form of life, but a team of researchers from the University of Texas at Austin have recently found not just one new species, but a whole group of novel organisms, some of which can be found in Jackson Hole’s backyard.... more

 

Public notice exemptions spark legal challenge

A judge will decide whether recent ordinances passed in Bar Nunn and Mills exempting the municipalities from publishing certain public notices in the newspaper are valid, after a petition was filed in Natrona County District Court this week.... more

 

Colleagues remember Mike Enzi as passionate leader, family man

Former U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., sent his longtime colleague Max D’Onofrio an email last month that got lost in a folder somewhere. By the time D’Onofrio discovered it, he realized he’d never get to respond.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 27

News from across Wyoming.... more

Enzi dies after bicycle accident

Former U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi died late Monday after being seriously injured in a bicycle accident in Gillette on Friday.... more

 

Rancher’s request rejected by G&F

A Crandall rancher had his more than $120,000 request in reimbursement for cattle losses caused by grizzly bears and wolves in 2020 mostly rejected by the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission on July 15.... more

 

Jackson’s water use spikes as drought deepens

Teton County is falling further into a severe drought, but the tourism-charged community is simultaneously using more water than ever.... more

 

Hydrogen projects get funding

All three hydrogen projects chosen as grant finalists by the Wyoming Energy Authority two weeks ago have been awarded full funding, the agency said Friday.... more

Enzi hospitalized after bicycle accident

Former U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi is hospitalized after a Friday bicycle accident.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 26

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

State focusing remaining CARES dollars on business tax relief

Wyoming’s plans for more than $1 billion in federal recovery funds related to the COVID-19 pandemic took on more definition Monday with an emphasis on tax relief for businesses.... more

 

Company proposes state’s largest solar farm near Riverton

A Wyoming-based public company plans to build a 640-acre solar farm east of Riverton.... more

 

Delta variant now dominant COVID strain in Wyoming

The highly contagious Delta variant of the novel coronavirus is now the dominant strain in Wyoming, according to the state health department. ... more

 

Half of Wyoming inmates vaccinated

Last week, when three positive COVID-19 cases were detected at the Wyoming Honor Farm near Riverton, Justin Albertson started getting worried.... more

Bridger-Teton Forest becomes home for hundreds

A soupy mix of beans, rice and quinoa down the hatch, Erica Robertson prepared to get cozy last Thursday evening at one of her favorite places to call home: Curtis Canyon.... more

Couple turning school bus into home

With the whir of power tools bouncing off the neighboring peaks, a Wapiti couple is transforming a school bus from transportation for kids into the recreational vehicle of their dreams.... more

Gillette residents share passion through YouTube

Magic can happen on a lake. If that weren’t true, not nearly as many people would try their luck casting lines and hooks about trying to catch elusive fish that would prefer not to be caught.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 23

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Bill to mandate ‘equality’ curriculum, thwart critical race theory, fails

Wyoming should clarify and impose its own instruction standards regarding “equality and equal rights” rather than anticipate federal mandates to teach critical race theory, according to Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper.... more

 

Family of woman attacked in hospital files lawsuit

The daughters of a woman who died about two weeks after her eye was gouged out last year, reportedly by another patient at SageWest Health Care in Lander, have sued the hospital. ... more

 

After wearing bracelet for 30 years, Sheridan woman attends Krogman services

For Sheridan resident Donna Roberts, it’s a simple story. It’s also one that has impacted her life and that she’s literally worn on her wrist, on and off, for 30 years.... more

 

Man faces life in prison after Green River shootout

A man the Green River Police Department alleges started a shootout with officers July 6 is facing nine felony charges that could lead to a lifetime in prison.... more

 

Jackson nonprofit looks for place to put free house

Land is hard to come by in Jackson, but if you’ve got some, Esther Judge Lennox will drop a free house on your lot.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 22

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Delta variant poses threat to businesses navigating already tricky summer

Last summer, businesses across Jackson sporadically put up signs: “Closed due to COVID-19 exposure.” Even if staff members weren’t sick, they were quarantined because of their proximity to the coronavirus.... more

 

Community debate over library performer continues

Sue Knesel, who worked at the library for 33 years, most of it in youth services, said Gillette has a problem that has bubbled to the surface in recent years. She said that for decades, she promoted her community as a good place to live and raise a family.... more

 

Gordon issues rule to increase fuel supply

Record-breaking travel and tourism coupled with efforts to combat an early fire season are straining the state’s fuel reserves. But a shortage of available drivers has prevented the state from increasing its access to fuel.... more

 

Laramie County DA Manlove denies misconduct in response

Manlove also rejected the suggestion that one of three investigations undertaken by the State Bar was prompted by an “unprecedented” letter signed by all of Laramie County’s district and circuit court judges.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 21

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Hula hoop dispute elicits Sheridan City Council, law enforcement attention

Sheridan City Council and local law enforcement are looking into an instance in which a longtime Sheridan resident was denied access to a free public event last week.... more

 

Falcons, a via ferrata and the clash of recreation v. conservation

It’s not yet 9 a.m., but the sun shines hot on a July morning near the mouth of Sinks Canyon State Park in central Wyoming. With a spotting scope trained on the cliff across the canyon, Bob Oakleaf sits on a grassy knoll amid whining grasshoppers.... more

 

Grizzlies on treadmills: Research illuminates bear, human run-ins

Years ago, after lugging a heavy backpack about a dozen miles over Ishawooa Pass in northwest Wyoming, I dropped into a place called the Thorofare.... more

 

Laramie County COVID hospitalizations reach “concerning” level before CFD

With the city’s largest event right around the corner, Laramie County still accounts for the vast majority of delta variant COVID19 cases in Wyoming – accounting for 74 percent of the state’s delta cases last week, Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Director Kathy Emmons said during Tuesday’s Board of Health meeting.... more

 

Trump to meet with House candidates; former president will make endorsement ‘in the next few months’

Former president Donald Trump signaled Tuesday that he is making significant moves in his effort to unseat Rep. Liz Cheney.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 20

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Ranchers demand more money for grizzly-killed stock, again

Wyoming Game and Fish commissioners backed agency staff last week and approved compensation for trophy game damage to stock that amounted to $388,696 less than two ranchers claimed.... more

 

Man caught with very large amount of meth near Cody

A recent transplant to the Cody area is facing multiple felony charges after he was allegedly caught with some $20,000 worth of methamphetamine last week, plus heroin and marijuana. ... more

 

Church of pastor critical of magic show vandalized

The graffiti cost about $200 to clean up.... more

 

Virtual education grows by 300%

Before the coronavirus pandemic reached Wyoming in March 2020, just over 1,000 students statewide were enrolled in a virtual education program.... more

 

Jackson sees more than 50,000 visitors a day

It’s midsummer in Jackson Hole and bumper-to-bumper traffic on Broadway, Snow King Avenue and Highway 22 has felt worse than ever before.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 19

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Gillette grapples with anti-LGBTQ bigotry

It was just supposed to be a magic show.... more

 

Wyoming elementary students well below nationwide PE averages

Most elementary-aged students in Wyoming receive less physical education than kids in other states — roughly two times per week, well below the national average of 2.5 times per week — according to the first-ever statewide survey of its kind.... more

 

Wyoming expected to stay dangerously dry

Wyoming’s dry spell is sticking around. ... more

 

Gordon responds to drought conditions

Gov. Mark Gordon is convening a Colorado River Working Group that will meet regularly to discuss important Colorado River matters and monitor potential impacts to Wyoming, according to a news release from his office Friday.... more

 

Changes in Hathaway Scholarship open for comment

The state-sponsored Hathaway Scholarship for college-bound high school students received another update this legislative session, but the public will get to weigh in on how the new rules are written.... more

 

How national parks use social media to track down miscreants

Sandwiched between staff promotion and visitation tips, Yellowstone National Park’s Instagram page has a screenshot from a video taken by park visitor Darcie Addington.... more

Sheridan’s Little Free Libraries: Service about more than sharing books

Little Free Libraries are popping up all around Sheridan and here, just like around the world, the phenomenon is about more than sharing books.... more

Riverton woman key voice for missing and murdered Indigenous persons

At all hours of the day, Nicole Wagon gets calls, texts, emails and Facebook messages.... more

Spare a pair? Couple paying for adoption with shoes

Mikelle Schmit stared at the pile of transparent plastic bags that has only grown taller and wider since May. She inhaled the humid garage air and exhaled relief that she still has more than a month to meet her goal.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 16

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Grand Teton experiments with ‘augmented reality’

Moose don’t predictably appear in the height of summer along the most bustling trails in all of Grand Teton National Park.... more

 

Wyoming near bottom in ranking of child health

Although Wyoming ranks fourth in the nation for economic well-being, the state ranks 17th in the nation for child well-being and overall health.... more

 

Wyoming coal production falls by 21% in 2020

Coal production in Wyoming plummeted 21 percent in 2020 as the U.S. saw its lowest yield since 1965, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported Wednesday.... more

 

Magician, others react to threats, canceled show in Campbell County libraries

Magician and comedienne Mikayla Oz and library staff were threatened and harassed to the point where the performances were called off as a safety concern.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 15

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Hydrogen project finalists chosen

Three proposed hydrogen pilot projects have been chosen as finalists for grant funding by the Wyoming Energy Authority, pending approval from the state Energy Resources Council. ... more

 

Groups impress value of vaccinating employees

As COVID-19 case numbers rise in Laramie County and across the state, bolstered by a variant that made up more than half of cases last week, the Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department is offering to send staff to local businesses to vaccinate employees. ... more

 

Healthcare center struggles to hire primary care physicians

Health care facilities nationwide are experiencing a shortage of primary care physicians, and Johnson County Healthcare Center is no exception.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 14

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Lack of standards invites politics into Wyo civics classes, critics say

One afternoon this spring, educators around Wyoming logged onto Zoom for a voluntary lesson on 20th Century U.S. history featuring a “live presentation from an esteemed scholar expert.”... more

 

Fewer ‘recapture’ districts spell trouble for school funding

For the first time in decades, Campbell County will not send excess revenue to the state’s School Foundation Program, the primary statewide school fund.... more

 

Commissioners reject coroner nominees, candidate says vetting process ‘disgrace’

After receiving a list of three candidates for the Fremont County Coroner mid-term replacement, the Fremont County Commission chose Tuesday not to select a new coroner from the nominees submitted.... more

 

Albany commissioners approve wind project

The Albany County Board of Commissioners voted 3-0 Tuesday night to approve ConnectGen’s application for a wind energy conversion systems permit for the Rail Tie Wind Project.... more

 

UW proposes 75 layoffs, program changes

The University of Wyoming on Tuesday proposed sweeping changes at the institution, including budget cuts that would lay off 75 positions — some tenured, a reorganization of a slew of academic departments, and the formation of a school of computing — among other additions.... more

 

Judge orders author to ‘write’ wrong after Yellowstone misbehavior

You might call it making the punishment fit the crime. A federal judge has sentenced a former Yellowstone National Park safari guide, blogger and author to put his respect for national parks in writing.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 13

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Yellowstone National Park attendance increases over holiday

Fewer people entered Yellowstone National Park through the East Gate over the Independence Day holiday, but local leaders say it continues to be a strong year for tourism in Park County.... more

 

Gore slams spying allegations

Susan Gore, a wealthy conservative donor and founder of the Wyoming Liberty Group, broke her silence Monday regarding accusations she funded a political spying operation, stating the allegations amounted to “disinformation.” ... more

 

Take Back Our Republic launches new Wyoming chapter

Take Back Our Republic officially launched its Wyoming chapter on July 1 with a kickoff party at Powder River Art Gallery.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 12

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Jackson Lake poised for steep drawdown

When longtime Signal Mountain Marina manager Bill Wood returned to his administrative cabin overlooking Jackson Lake after taking last weekend off, he could immediately tell the water had changed noticeably in just 48 hours.... more

 

Biden administration slated to pick new Wyoming judge

Nancy Freudenthal, U.S. District Judge for the District of Wyoming, announced in June she will be assuming senior status, a phase of semi-retirement that will likely bring the judge to the final chapter of a lengthy and distinguished career in Wyoming.... more

 

First-of-its-kind approach to coal reclamation bonding in the works

Wyoming lawmakers are considering a new option for coal mine reclamation bonding that could reduce risk for the state in the event of insolvency. Both environmental and industry advocates have identified advantages to the proposal, which could also help the financially troubled industry.... more

 

Campbell library under fire for ‘Rainbow Book Month’ posting

The Campbell County Public Library is under fire after a post on the library’s Facebook page promoting its LGBTQ collection, and among the suggestions of dealing with it is censoring books.... more

 

Former coroner alleges Health Department changed death certificates

Former Fremont County Coroner Mark Stratmoen has alleged that the Wyoming Department of Health has changed and issued inaccurate death certificates in the last several months.... more

 

CLIMB celebrates 35 years of helping single moms

Over the last 35 years, thousands of single moms gained skills to improve their own lives and the lives of their children with the help of Climb Wyoming.... more

Cheyenne youth wins national poetry championship

Jayden Roccaforte has been asked too many times in his life “What are you?” to actually keep count.... more

Fisheries experts urge caution as temperatures rise

The Green River is usually between 2,000 and 10,000 cfs this time of year. Right now it’s around 700 cfs. The Green River as it flows through its namesake town had been hitting up to 75 degrees during the day and dropping back down into the high 60s at night in mid-June.... more

Woman plans surprise wedding for fiance

For four months, Clarice Grekoff kept an important secret from her fiancé.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 9

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Idaho officials ask Teton County to pay for impact study

Elected officials trying to guard against runaway growth in Teton Valley would like to see their Jackson Hole counterparts pay more attention to the effects of proposals to expand terrain and build out the base area at Grand Targhee Resort.... more

 

Rancher found after being pinned under ATV for nearly two days

Frank Reynolds considers himself fortunate because not all search and rescue efforts have happy endings.... more

 

Former college CFO accused in $15 million fraud

A lawsuit filed in federal court in late June alleges that Paul McCown, the former chief financial officer at Wyoming Catholic College, defrauded an investment firm out of $15 million.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 8

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

New task force dives into hunting controversies

Wyoming legislators, government leaders and citizens from across the state were picked for the panel among many applicants, being chosen jointly by the governor and legislative and Game and Fish leaders. ... more

 

Hay prices causing issues for stockgrowers

The high hay prices, which started in the county during last summer's drought, have continued this year, according to Jason Watts, owner of local hay brokerage HayWerks.... more

 

COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations up in Laramie County

What’s more troubling is these numbers are paired with a significant presence of the Delta variant, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says spreads faster and is less treatable.... more

 

Taxable sales fall in first quarter

Despite skyrocketing fuel demand driving oil and gas prices to highs not seen since 2014, Wyoming’s energy sector continues to chart a slow recovery from its pandemic lows.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 7

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Grizzly conflicts central to new Upper Green River grazing debate

Bridger-Teton National Forest is weighing 3,256 comment letters, many of which oppose a plan to allow cattle to graze new areas in grizzly country near the Upper Green River.... more

 

Psychedelics dealer shelters in Burning Man-style tent, awaits Wyoming Supreme Court appeal

On a grassy field south of Victor, semifamous LSD chemist Casey Hardison is camped out under a makeshift birch tree tent with his partner, Victoria Clemente.... more

 

Effort on at all levels to transform Powder River Basin into nation's Carbon Valley

Going carb-free may be the diet du jour for people looking to drop a few pounds, but when it comes to re-imagining the Powder River Basin’s coal-dependent economy, many believe in carbon-loading.... more

 

Officials: Pandemic isn’t over

Wyoming has all the tools it needs to put the pandemic in the rearview mirror, health officials say. But residents here aren’t taking advantage of those resources.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 6

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Campaign data illustrates Gore’s growing influence in Wyo politics

When Susan Gore arrived in Wyoming more than two decades ago, the heir to the Gore-Tex fortune was a minor player in the state’s politics.... more

 

Residents of Glenrock hope it’s chosen as nuclear reactor site

Some communities would balk at the idea of a company building an experimental power source on the edge of town. Glenrock is not one of them. ... more

 

Mussel-infected boat intercepted in Yellowstone

For Sue Mills, it was simultaneously concerning and reassuring for her staff to find a quagga mussel attached to a boat that was about to hit the water in Yellowstone National Park.... more

 

Visits swell at national parks; tourism increases as pandemic subsides

If you visited one of Wyoming’s national parks recently, you’re hardly alone. ... more

 

Lawsuit with Clark teen centers continues

A class-action lawsuit filed by about 25 class action members and four listed plaintiffs against Clark troubled teen centers Trinity Teen Solutions and Triangle Cross Ranch has received pushback from these entities in federal court.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 5

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyoming GOP official asked congressmen for help ousting Cheney

Breaking with the longstanding norm of intraparty candidate neutrality, a Wyoming Republican Party official asked members of Congress for help vetting potential challengers to U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney in next year’s Republican primary.... more

 

Sweeping redesign of state’s mental health services policy underway

House Bill 38-Community behavioral health-priority populations passed during the 2021 legislative session, requires the Wyoming Department of Health to reconsider the state-funded mental health and substance abuse system. ... more

 

Documentary details repatriation of Northern Arapaho boys

What does it mean for a Native American tribe to bring home ancestral remains that have been buried in a faraway cemetery for more than a century?... more

 

State could have more flexibility with COVID funds

The reduction in revenue Wyoming has experienced over the past year may allow the state to use federal COVID-19 relief money more freely. ... more

 

Tribal leaders eye mascot ban, tuition discount

Maine became the first state to ban Native American mascots in 2019. Colorado has followed suit and six other states are considering similar legislation.... more

 

Archaeology dig near Tie Siding yields extensive artifacts

The southern Laramie Valley has served as a travel corridor for as long as humans have been crossing the plains, from Native American routes to the Cherokee Trail, Overland Stage Route, Union Pacific Railroad, Lincoln Highway and Interstate 80.... more

 

Teton County ranked 13th healthiest in nation

There are 3,143 counties and county equivalents (parishes, independent cities and the like) in the United States.... more

Inspired by media teacher, three friends headed to film school

Four years ago, Garrett Deary had no idea what kind of career he wanted to pursue. As a freshman at South High School, Deary decided to take a TV/Media class because he’d heard it could be an easy A. ... more

 

Wedding season rebounds in 2021 after COVID-19 upended ceremonies in 2020

The big day was originally supposed to be in May 2020. Tiffany Schatz and Luke Ely got engaged in August 2019, and nine months seemed more than enough time to plan a wedding.... more

Years-long restoration launches to keep 'Pink House' from fading into Grand Teton National Park history

When Kate Birmingham looks at the cracked stucco, fading pink exterior walls of one of Mormon Row’s trademark relic residences, it’s easy for her to imagine the home’s history.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 2

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Is LGBTQ Pride political? Schools struggle with the answer

The final days of the 2020-21 academic year for most Wyoming schools landed in June when, in addition to graduation and other end-of-year celebrations, many Wyoming students celebrated Pride Month.... more

 

Snake River at historic low levels

Although the substantial flows in view from the Highway 22 bridge suggest otherwise, the Snake River’s water year is looking increasingly, exceedingly grim.... more

 

Group works to redesign behavioral health system

A bill approved this spring created a “seismic shift” in the way the state’s behavioral health system functions, according to Wyoming Department of Health Chief Data Analyst Franz Fuchs.... more

 

Pelosi picks Cheney to serve on Jan. 6 committee

Rep. Liz Cheney will serve on the select committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced in a Thursday press conference.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for July 1

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Sublette County’s long, bumpy road to build its first hospital

Ten days after delivering a baby girl by cesarean section in April 2019, Sublette County resident Ashli Tatro was home nursing her newborn around midnight when she suddenly knew something was wrong.... more

 

Group says BLM whistleblower enduring ‘torture of the damned’

Public Employees for Environmental Ethics calls Walter Loewen a whistleblower who is being unfairly sacked after he sought to protect nesting raptors during the approval of the Delaware-sized Converse County Oil and Gas project.... more

 

Mule deer study raises red flags

There are still six months remaining in the three-year study to better understand why the population of the Upper Powder River mule deer herd is in decline, but already biologists have identified concerning trends.... more

 

Power company confident it can meet demand

Rocky Mountain Power is confident it can handle the heat.... more

 

Pharmacies worried for future without change in rules

Craig Jones, the owner of Basin Pharmacy and part-owner of Greybull Drug, and his daughter, Camilla Hancock, a doctor of pharmacy at Basin Pharmacy, have spent the last several months warning residents of the threat posed by PBMs, as they are known.... more

 

Douglas looks to change controversial document fees

The Douglas City Council last week informally instructed its attorney, Mike Armstrong, to start crafting changes to its controversial public records policy, which currently mandates that the public and press be charged for printed or emailed copies of city documents.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 30

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Will Wyoming voters override politicians to legalize marijuana?

Thirty years ago, Kemmerer native Madonna Long’s life changed forever.... more

Cheyenne man charged with murder in toddler’s death

Wyatt Dean Lamb, a suspect in the death of 2-year-old Athian Rivera, has been charged with the toddler’s murder, the Laramie County District Attorney’s office announced late Monday afternoon. ... more

 

Uinta County treasurer explains problematic issues with new mineral tax legislation

Enrolled Act 9, which originated as Senate File 60, deals with ad valorem taxation of mineral production in the state.... more

 

Converse County valuation plummets $620 million

Converse County’s assessed valuation took a major hit this year, and while local officials are concerned, they remain hopeful things will start to turn around. ... more

 

Officials to NRA: Move to Wyoming; group yet to respond to letter from Gordon, secretary of state

Gov. Mark Gordon and Secretary of State Ed Buchanan have invited the National Rifle Association to relocate from Virginia to Wyoming, they said in a joint letter released Tuesday. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 29

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Conservation effort protects cutthroat trout in Soldier Creek

Surrounded by a tall steel jack fence, laborers planted more than 1,100 cut and pre-rooted willows on the banks of Soldier Creek in the Bighorn Mountains last week.... more

 

Riverton man sentenced to 20-25 years for killing his friend last year

Mario Mills was sentenced on Wednesday to 20-25 years in prison for second-degree murder.... more

 

State scores highly for children’s well-being

The economic and family well-being of Wyoming’s children are among the best in the nation, according to a new report. But while the state excels in some categories, our youth are among the least healthy in the U.S.... more

 

Supreme Court won't hear coal port lawsuit

Gov. Mark Gordon calls a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to not take up a lawsuit challenging Washington state's denial of a coal export terminal "extremely frustrating."... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 28

News from across Wyoming.... more

Man killed, trooper wounded in shootout near Lander

An exchange of gunfire Friday afternoon during a traffic stop left the driver of the stopped vehicle mortally shot and a Highway Patrol trooper wounded.... more

 

Legislators say they were targeted by infiltration operation

Two Wyoming lawmakers and a former state representative say they were targeted as part of an undercover operation performed by conservative operatives to infiltrate political campaigns and progressive groups during the 2020 election cycle. ... more

 

Stun and dismay follow political espionage revelations

Wealthy conservative donor Susan Gore was a key financier of a years-long effort to spy on Wyoming Democrats and Republicans, an article published Friday by the New York Times revealed, shining a light on the lengths to which the Gore-Tex heiress and Wyoming Liberty Group founder has gone to influence the state’s politics.... more

 

Secretive PAC with Trump ties backing Gray in 2022 primaries

A secretive political action committee with distant ties to former President Donald Trump appears to be supporting state Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, in the race to defeat U.S. Congresswoman Liz Cheney in next year’s Republican primary.... more

 

Former Pavillion clerk charged again with stealing from town

Originally charged with stealing more than $34,000 from the Town of Pavillion, the municipality’s former clerk was charged again last week, after more unexplained expenditures were discovered. ... more

 

Drought forces ranchers into tough, desperate decisions

A cloud of dust kicked up as Cass Hurley shuffled down a small hill in the middle of the 320-acre ranch she and her husband operate off North Heptner Road in Rozet. It’s not far beyond where the county stops maintaining the road.... more

 

Tribes take ownership of reservation oil field

After decades of leasing Circle Ridge Field, the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho have taken full ownership of the oil and gas field on the Wind River Reservation.... more

 

Towns exempt selves from public notice rules

Two Natrona County municipalities passed ordinances in recent months exempting themselves from publishing public notices in newspapers, council filings show.... more

 

Sale of Jackson Hole Twin Cinema marks 'end of an era’

It was December 1996, just before Christmas, and projectionist Doug Hagen had just started playing “The Preacher’s Wife” at the Jackson Hole Twin Cinema.... more

In sickness and in health: woman remarries dying ex-husband

Patty Edwards had spent her morning like most days that month: thinking longingly about her ex-husband. But this January day, something was different.... more

Rock Band Camp wows crowd after just a week of practice together

Hayden Young’s first performance in a rock band was Friday night.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 25

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Researchers hunt for clues behind decline of Wyo’s largest turtle

Up close, the spiny softshell turtle looks a little like a leather pancake, but few people get that kind of glimpse.... more

 

Who is the Florida man trying to defeat Liz Cheney?

A Florida resident who has become an odd player in the campaign to replace Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney says controversial statements he made in the past, like those related to the QAnon conspiracy theory, were part of an effort to discredit a liberal media that was poised against him.... more

 

Feds to stock cows in lieu of sheep

The Bridger-Teton National Forest is making moves to allow cattle to graze four eastern Gros Ventre Range allotments that were cleared of domestic sheep because of the threat they posed to wild bighorn sheep.... more

 

Rig count slowly recovering

The average monthly rig count varies widely by year: 54 in 2015, 27 in 2016, 11 in 2017, 22 in 2018, 33 in 2019 — and eight in 2020.... more

 

Recent Wyoming data illustrates vaccine success

According to the Wyoming Department of Health, data gathered from Wyoming residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent months illustrates the success of the safe, free and effective vaccines authorized to fight the virus.... more

 

Wildlife Task Force holds its 1st meeting

Nearly a dozen Wyomingites from different backgrounds gathered in Lander last week for the first ever meeting of the Wildlife Task Force.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 24

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Campfire restrictions coming in northwest Wyo

Discussions are ramping up about prohibiting campfires outside campgrounds as the wildfire danger continues to climb in northwest Wyoming.... more

 

Montana man arrested, accused of starting Robertson Draw Fire

A Bridger, Montana, man was arrested Wednesday on allegations that he started the 28,600-acre Robertson Draw Fire while off-trail on his motorcycle. ... more

 

Thousands descend on Sheridan for motorcycle convention

As more than 3,000 members of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association descend on Sheridan this week, it’s still something of a shock for Rachel Webb.... more

 

Highly contagious COVID variant found in Wyoming

The highly contagious delta variant of the novel coronavirus has been identified in Wyoming, according to state data.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 23

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

UW faculty stretched thin after latest budget cuts

The University of Wyoming will enter the 2022 fiscal year with a wide array of new financial constraints after the school’s board of trustees finalized roughly $16.5 million in reduced spending on June 16.... more

 

Problem grizzly or problem people? A Togwotee Pass standoff

A two-week effort to haze a popular mother grizzly bear and her cubs away from Highway 26/287 over Togwotee Pass where they have been attracting hundreds of gawkers is showing results, a top federal wildlife official said Monday.... more

 

Reviving the Red Desert’s ancient stories

Sitting in the verdant shade of an aspen grove on Steamboat Mountain — which rises out of the Red Desert in southern Wyoming — Jason Baldes talks about buffalo.... more

 

Experts: Wyo juvenile justice lacks adequate data, consistency

Reform advocates last week pushed the Wyoming Legislature to reduce the county-by-county inconsistencies, and fill the outcome-tracking holes that have long plagued the state’s juvenile justice system.... more

 

Low statewide vaccination raise concerns of future COVID-19 spikes

Despite the best efforts of public health officials, Wyoming still ranks 48th among states for the percentage of adults who have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine and 47th for those who are fully vaccinated.... more

 

Budget cuts to impact community mental health centers, hospital

Despite a record-high need for mental health and substance abuse services, the Wyoming Department of Health, which provides support for community mental health centers across the state, faces a $7.5 million budget reduction, effective July 1. ... more

 

Cercy accuser files lawsuit

The woman who accused former Casper businessman Tony Cercy of sexually assaulting her in 2017 filed a federal lawsuit against him Tuesday alleging assault and battery.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 22

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Robertson Draw Fire slows after nearing 30K acres

The Robertson Draw Fire north of Clark expanded to 29,474 acres as of Sunday night with 45-percent containment reported. Sunday morning marked the first time since the fire started that any containment had been reported.... more

 

Weaver murder trial date still uncertain

It's still up in the air whether the trial of a man accused of fatally shooting two adults and injuring two children will go forward in August.... more

 

State officials share job cut details

Almost a year ago, Gov. Mark Gordon announced that hundreds of state jobs would be eliminated as part of sweeping budget cuts. Only a fraction of the cuts resulted in layoffs — most of the positions were vacant. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 21

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Redistricting ramps up. Here’s what to expect

Wyoming lawmakers have begun the lengthy and involved process of redrawing legislative district maps for the next decade.... more

 

Legislators study early count of absentee votes

State legislators plan to consider allowing county clerks in Wyoming to process absentee ballots before election day. ... more

 

Campbell Co. valuation down by one-fifth in one year

Campbell County’s assessed valuation has dropped to a level not seen since the mid-2000s.... more

 

Legislators struggle with lack of juvenile justice data

Lawmakers received some of the first available data on juvenile justice in Wyoming during a joint judiciary meeting last week, but large blind spots still remain.... more

 

Report says transition for coal workers possible

As jobs in the coal industry dwindle, the central question persists: Where will its workers go?... more

 

Permitting work for new wind project to begin

The permitting process for the proposed Rock Creek Wind Project is set to begin this summer, and if all goes according to plan, construction on the 590-megawatt project could start as soon as 2023.... more

54 years MIA, Worland veteran’s remains coming home

It has been over 50 years since Worland native and Vietnam veteran Alva R. Krogman, better known as Ray, disappeared over Laos, and in about a month, he will return to Worland for his final resting place.... more

Jackson businesses turn to unconventional means to tackle housing, staff shortages

When May hit, Hannah Pollat started to throw in the towel.... more

Toy library offers new toys bi-weekly for young children

So many good things rose from the devastation of the COVID pandemic: fiscal resilience, societal reflection and several new businesses, including the used-toys lending service The Nest Toy Library. ... more

Mission to hug cops in all 50 states brings 11-year-old to Cheyenne

There were more hugs than usual June 11 at the Wyoming State Capitol.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 18

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Judge prevents drilling-site work, citing threats to sage grouse

A federal judge has prevented drilling and construction on 449 oil and gas leases covering 334,762 acres in Wyoming, saying the federal government didn’t examine potential effects to imperiled greater sage grouse when it leased those lands in 2017.... more

 

Working group formed to look into fire pension plan

Time is of the essence for the plan, which serves 266 pensioners and their beneficiaries, including 25 Sheridan residents. If nothing changes, the fund will be exhausted sometime in 2026.... more

 

Six new wind farms planned for Wyoming

If built, the 19 wind, solar, battery storage and transmission proposals that made PacifiCorp’s shortlist would span four states with a collective capacity of 3,200 megawatts.... more

 

Big gatherings, low vaccination blamed for Laramie Co. COVID spike

A recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Laramie County can be traced back to a few large gatherings and still-too-low vaccination rates, said Kathy Emmons, executive director of the Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 17

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

UW Board of Trustees consider a $260 million bond for campus construction

The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees met early Wednesday morning to discuss a resolution that authorizes the issuance of $260 million in bonds for the construction of new housing and parking facilities on campus.... more

Active fires challenge area agencies

Amid high winds and triple-digit temperatures, wildland fires have exploded in northern Wyoming and southern Montana.... more

 

Judge’s ruling spurs optimism

Wyoming’s energy industry reacted with cautious optimism Wednesday to a court ruling blocking the Biden administration’s freeze on new oil and gas leasing on federal lands.... more

 

State bar charge filed against Laramie County DA

A formal charge against Laramie County District Attorney Leigh Anne Manlove was filed Friday with the Wyoming State Bar’s Board of Personal Responsibility, detailing what it called “incompetence and lack of professionalism.”... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 16

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Laramie County ranching families fear loss of springs, creeks, way of life

Tim Rutledge says he’s already seen the damage large water wells can do to the Donahue Spring, a sweetwater fount that bubbles to the surface a short stroll from the front door of his ranch home.... more

 

School districts’ uses of federal relief funds worry lawmakers

Some lawmakers are worried that school districts are using federal pandemic-relief and recovery funds to add new positions and purchase equipment that might add to ongoing costs for the state.... more

 

Supreme Court: Lying officer’s name stays in hemp-case record

The Wyoming Supreme Court last week rejected a motion by the Attorney General’s Office to remove from the record the identity of a law enforcement officer whom the court found lied during testimony against Albin hemp farmers.... more

 

Barrasso critique of BLM nominee said to politicize bureaucratic post

Wyoming’s senior U.S. Sen. John Barrasso offered harsh criticism of President Joe Biden’s nominee to run the Bureau of Land Management last week, underscoring what experts describe as an increasing politicization of the typically bureaucratic role.... more

 

Campbell County commissioner suggests dissolving cemetery district to help fund college

Campbell County voters will decide Aug. 17 whether they want Gillette College to become its own community college district.... more

 

Gordon strategizes use of ARP funds

Gov. Mark Gordon and the Wyoming Legislature are playing the long game when it comes to American Rescue Plan relief funding, mapping out a three-pronged plan that is centered around serving future generations of Wyomingites. ... more

 

Hate crime bills draw support; state lawmakers vote to draft legislation after emotional testimony

State lawmakers voted Tuesday to pursue expanded hate crimes protections in Wyoming, after hearing impassioned testimony from residents and state leaders who say tougher measures are needed to safeguard vulnerable groups.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 15

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

UW event to explore anti-racist education

The University of Wyoming Black Studies Center will hold a virtual symposium July 2 called “What to the Slave’s Children is the Fourth of July?” focused on anti-racist education and the national debate around teaching critical race theory in American schools. ... more

 

Liz Cheney: ‘I don’ t feel any real downside ’ to losing chair position

If there’s one thing Liz Cheney never expected, it was to be called a RINO.... more

 

Legislature revives tourism improvement district discussions

The Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions committee may provide an additional source of funding for the state’s tourism industry.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 14

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Lawmakers mull major election changes

Wyoming lawmakers are weighing a significant overhaul of the state’s elections.... more

 

Expert: Reactor will be safe; Nuclear proposal incorporates molten sodium technology

After the recent announcement that Wyoming would be getting a nuclear power plant, many Wyomingites had a similar question. Is it safe? ... more

 

Creating a more resilient landscape; Officials outline objectives of fire management plan

Officials from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department and the city of Cheyenne spoke favorably Wednesday about a 15-year forest management plan that covers much of southeastern Wyoming. ... more

 

CDC awards state $38M; Money is to be used to bridge pandemic health disparities

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded Wyoming $38.3 million to address health disparities in the state’s pandemic response.... more

 

Pot advocates introduce ballot initiatives

A number of cannabis advocates and members of the Libertarian Party made history Friday as they submitted two marijuana-related ballot initiatives, kicking off a campaign that will last until next November. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 11

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Improved conditions may not replenish hay supply

While last summer's drought conditions created difficulty for many Johnson County hay producers — cutting the crop for some to as little as one-third of the normal yield — hay conditions are so far improved.... more

 

Bill would limit vaccine mandates

A bill that forbids employers from requiring staff to show proof of vaccination in most cases gained near-unanimous support from a Wyoming legislative committee Thursday.... more

 

Officials predict “fairly significant” fire season

For the second half of July and all of August, an above-normal fire season is expected.... more

 

Gillette residents help reunite lost dog with Nebraska owner

Losing a pet can leave a hopeless feeling. It brings about a surge of adrenaline in those first few moments of searching, which turns to a dull ache as the hours stretch into days. ... more

Group encourages use of lead-free ammo, tackle

A new Wyoming hunting group wants to prove the value of switching ammo and tackle to local sportsmen and women. They know success won’t come easy, but the journey will be worth it if they can keep poison off your plate.... more

 

Documentary focuses on runner following deer migration route

A documentary combining outdoor adventure and mule deer migration is now available for viewing online.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 10

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Legislators clash over election bill pledge

An interim meeting of the Joint Corporations, Elections & Political Subdivisions Committee became the unexpected venue for a discussion of ethics on Monday.... more

 

Mental evaluation ordered for Torrington murder suspect

A case against a former Park County resident accused of murdering a Torrington woman has been put on hold, after questions were raised about his competency.... more

 

Confession rejected as evidence in murder trial

A woman’s murder confession will not be allowed in evidence because she was not granted an attorney during her police interview after requesting one.... more

 

Groups pursue pot initiatives for election

The state and national Libertarian Party as well as Wyoming community leaders will deliver two marijuana ballot initiatives to the Wyoming secretary of state Friday.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 9

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Budget casualties: Mental health and substance abuse services

After 15 years serving adults living with severe mental illness and homelessness, a supervised group home in Campbell County has closed its doors because of state-level budget reductions.... more

 

Barrasso bill would protect 14% of study areas as wilderness

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso’s proposed legislation to protect 20,381 acres of wilderness in four Wyoming counties disappoints conservationists who say its official designation of about 14 percent of eligible areas it addresses is flawed.... more

 

Autonomous buses debut in Yellowstone

Even in the twilight years of life, Walt McMahon isn’t one to eschew a technological innovation when he sees one.... more

 

Converse Co. officials weigh possibility of nuke plant

Will Bill Gates’ Natrium modular nuclear reactor find a home in PacifiCorps’ soon-to-be-retired Dave Johnston coal-fired power plant? ... more

 

Wyoming youth vaccination rate trails nation

Wyoming youth have at least one thing in common with their parents; they are among the least vaccinated groups in the nation.... more

 

Supreme Court allows tribal law enforcement to search non-tribal members

The United States Supreme Court has ruled that tribal law enforcement officers can search non-tribal offenders on public roadways that pass through Indian reservations.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 8

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

JBS Foods cyber attack highlights need for more local processing capacity

JBS controls 25 percent of the meat processing in the U.S. so a prolonged shutdown can have far-reaching impacts on producers. ... more

 

Strengthening stockgrowers: Lummis speaks at WSGA conference in Sheridan

Farming has long played a key role in Wyoming’s history, and it remains one of the driving forces of the state’s economy and culture. ... more

 

Voting changes gain support

A state legislative committee voted Monday to pursue two bills that would significantly change the way Wyoming’s statewide elections are run as soon as next year. ... more

 

Nuclear announcement expands state's reputation as energy capitol of the nation

A prototype nuclear facility promises to bolster Wyoming’s status as the nation’s leader in energy production even as the state’s once-dominant thermal coal mines continue a prolonged meltdown.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 7

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Grassroots and global players: The crowded campaign to oust Cheney

In a Cheyenne strip-mall banquet hall, Scott Presler — a nationally recognized conservative activist and Donald Trump loyalist best known for organizing post-protest community cleanups in liberal cities — whipped up the crowd.... more

 

Inside the campaign-finance ‘end run’ that earned GOP an FEC fine

The Wyoming Republican Party secretly supported a 2016 Trump campaign “end run” around donation limitations without securing requisite authorization, according to a former official involved in the matter.... more

 

Life sentence issued in boy’s murder

Christopher James Nielsen has been sentenced to life in prison without parole on first-degree murder charges for the death of a 5-year-old boy in his care.... more

 

Schools begin planning to spend COVID relief money

Wyoming school districts have begun receiving much-needed federal pandemic relief dollars, and are planning how to spend promised dollars not yet received.... more

 

Special legislative session plans canceled

In an unexpected turn, there will not be a special legislative session in mid-July, Gov. Mark Gordon and statehouse leaders announced in a joint statement Friday. ... more

 

Laramie rancher sues over COVID recovery program

Leisl Carpenter, a sixth-generation rancher and owner of the Flying Heart Ranch in the Big Laramie Valley, has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration, claiming the $4 billion American Rescue Plan Section 1005, which targets “socially disadvantaged” farmers and ranchers, violates equal protection laws under the U.S. Constitution and blatantly discriminates against white farmers and ranchers.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 4

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Upper Wind River tributaries proposed for instream flow rights

Wyoming fisheries managers are taking steps to ensure that water remains in a handful of Wind River tributaries that provide crucial habitat for the watershed’s struggling native Yellowstone cutthroat trout.... more

 

Gillette officials excited about nuclear power plant

Gillette's potential as a site for a new nuclear power plant excites local officials.... more

 

Gun rights group sues state officials

Wyoming Gun Owners filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday against Wyoming Secretary of State Ed Buchanan and Attorney General Bridget Hill claiming that Wyoming’s electioneering communications law is unconstitutionally vague under the First Amendment. ... more

 

Albany County sheriff’s officer resigns

A short, straight-forward news release from the Albany County Sheriff ’s Office early Thursday morning came as a welcome sigh of relief for many members of the Laramie community.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 3

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Treasurer seeks delay in monthly ad valorem payments

Newly passed legislation appears to be causing headaches for county treasurers throughout Wyoming before it has even taken effect.... more

 

Hotels, motels short of workers

For owner Brenda O’Shea, a good summer at A Western Rose Motel requires a certain factor no matter how many customers she gets: employees.... more

 

Wyoming towns eager to host nuclear plant

Four Wyoming communities are in the running to play host to a new nuclear reactor coming to the state.... more

 

Albany commissioners take up wind project

After five hours of sometimes heated testimony regarding the proposed Rail Tie Wind Project, the Albany County Board of Commissioners closed the public hearing Tuesday night without making a decision.... more

 

Demo nuclear plant to be built in Wyoming

Wyoming will become the site of a novel nuclear energy plant in a move announced Wednesday by Gov. Mark Gordon that could diversify the state’s economy and put the nation on a path toward a carbon-free electricity grid by 2035.... more

Wyoming’s own Tyrannosaurus: Lee Rex may be the first specimen of its kind to stay in state

Next to the Tate Geological Museum at Casper College, there’s an unassuming garage.... more

Artist turns recycled pallets into a whimsical sculpture in Jackson Hole

Where once there were pebbles, now sits an enormous troll.... more

Graduating senior reconnects with police officer present at her birth after almost 18 years

Rachel Rasse and Dan Stroup had met once before, but don’t know each other. Not really.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 2

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyoming holding course despite lagging vaccination rate

Wyoming’s Covid-19 vaccination rate remains among the lowest in the nation, yet the state has declined to set quantifiable goals, offer incentives or otherwise modify its approach to address the underperformance.... more

 

Barrasso bill aims to resolve in-limbo wilderness study areas

A statewide effort to reach a consensus about what to do with Wyoming’s wilderness study areas is being revived legislatively more than two years after it ended with an outcome that left many conservationists disgruntled.... more

 

Casper police shooting facts still in dispute

The city of Casper is trying to end a years-long lawsuit over a police shooting that killed a man walking down 15th Street in 2018.... more

 

Laramie County School District sued over public meetings access

A group of Laramie County residents, including a state lawmaker from Cheyenne, is suing Laramie County School District 1, its Board of Trustees, the superintendent and assistant superintendent for allegedly holding school board meetings that were not compliant with state public meetings law.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for June 1

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyoming’s infrastructure wishlist

Wyoming, like the rest of the country, has an infrastructure problem.... more

 

No zebra mussels detected in Wyoming waters

Although a highly invasive and harmful mussel was unexpectedly found in aquarium decorations at Wyoming pet stores earlier this year, wildlife officials say they have not yet detected the zebra mussels in state waters.... more

 

State board considers name change for the ‘Squaw Teats’

Although Park County commissioners want a pair of local buttes to continue to be known as “Squaw Teats,” a state board may not.... more

 

Influencers get a legislative hand on federal lands filming

New legislation spearheaded by U.S. Sen. John Barrasso proposes to do away with permit fees for small film crews and social media influencers shooting video on most federal land.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 31

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Judge sides with Game and Fish, limits grizzly-killed livestock award

A judge decided Monday to reduce by $205,483 an arbitration panel’s award to a Hot Springs County rancher for cattle lost to grizzly bears.... more

 

Outdoor onslaught: Officials brace for huge summer crowds

Campsites, trailhead parking spots and outdoor reservations in Wyoming will likely be harder than ever to snag this summer as public land managers expect an even larger flood of visitation than 2020’s. ... more

 

Man accused in eye gouging moved to State Hospital

Lander Circuit Court Judge Robert Denhardt prepared and released the file on Patrick Rose, born 1967.... more

 

Unemployment rate rises slightly

Wyoming’s unemployment rate rose slightly from 5.3 percent to 5.4 percent in April, according to new numbers by the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. ... more

 

Construction companies deal with low material supply

Excalibur Construction used to order its building materials on a per-house basis. This year, they’re ordering per semi-truck.... more

 

Jackson startup brings wearable technology to beef industry

In Melissa Brandao’s vision, every cow in Wyoming will soon sport a new high-tech earring, transferring real-time data via Bluetooth on the animal’s location and biometrics.... more

 

Cam-Plex prepares for international ‘Camporee’

Of all the multi-million dollar facilities at Cam-plex, ones costing about $600 have generated the most interest recently.... more

Man saves friend who had COVID-19

Ray Maple found his friend John Treese lying naked on the floor nearly unresponsive.... more

Powell company makes history with sage grouse hatching

Locked away in a small, isolated room in the back of a shop at Diamond Wings Upland Game Birds, a sleep-deprived Karl Bear watched history being made. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 28

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Jackson fireworks become flashpoint in ongoing funding debate

Town Councilor Jonathan Schechter caused a stir in the last week after he sent a snappy email to the Teton Board of Realtors, saying he wouldn’t support giving it $12,000 in town and county funds.... more

 

Committee revives controversial gun bill in surprise vote

The Joint Agriculture Committee Tuesday revived a controversial gun rights bill on a split-second, unannounced vote moments before the committee adjourned in a move lambasted by critics for its lack of transparency.... more

 

UW athletes learn about brand building

With name, image and likeness legislation becoming more prevalent around the country, the University of Wyoming has teamed up with one of its own to start preparing its student-athletes accordingly.... more

 

Woman avoids prison in $400K embezzlement

Moments after pleading guilty to nearly half a million dollars in thefts, Laura Burleson was sentenced Wednesday morning to probation, with a suspended prison term of five and-a-half to seven years.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 27

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyoming just got $500M from Biden’s rescue plan. Now what?

Wyoming received the first $500 million installment of its billion-dollar share of American Rescue Plan funds last week, setting the stage for a July special legislative session dedicated to appropriating the money.... more

 

Video bloggers involved in some commercial ventures now able to film in national parks without prior approval

A federal judge recently found the permit and fee requirements for filming video on National Park Service properties are unconstitutional. ... more

 

Feds weigh in against coal port

In her brief, U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar argued that because the Millennium Bulk Terminal project is dead, there is no legal controversy for the nation’s highest court to consider. ... more

 

"Gotcha" exercise creates internet stir

Two self-proclaimed “First Amendment auditors” came to Sundance last week on a mission to “prove” that local law enforcement goes beyond its remit and encroaches upon citizens’ right to freedom of speech.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 26

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyo Business Council recruit pays $5.6M federal fraud settlement

Wyoming Business Council recruit Tungsten Heavy Powder — a California defense contractor with Laramie-based manufacturing — has agreed to pay the federal government $5.6 million to settle fraud allegations from the Department of Justice.... more

 

Officials struggle with drone harassment of bears

Policing places where wildlife and humans overlap has always been a challenge, and documents show drones adding to the increasingly tense situation on Togwotee Pass. Now law enforcement is cracking down on crowds.... more

 

Stores, shooters still dealing with ammo shortage

Despite reports that gun and ammunition manufacturers are back to running at or near full capacity, shelves at local sporting goods stores often remain bare.... more

 

UW plans return to full capacity for football games

If everything goes according to plan, Wyoming will play its home football games inside a full War Memorial Stadium this fall.... more

 

COVID hospitalizations highest since January

In Laramie County and across Wyoming, hospitalizations connected to COVID-19 have reached their highest levels since late January, though this week’s numbers remain well below the peaks seen in November and December last year.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 25

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Suit against new tribal counsel adds allegations

Keith Harper began serving the tribe as an attorney in 2019, through Atlanta-based law firm Kilpatrick, Townsend and Stockton. ... more

 

Judge rules in favor of commissioners, denies motion to delay enactment of horse racing resolution

On Friday, a district judge denied a motion for a preliminary injunction against a recently passed county resolution that essentially gave 307 Horse Racing control over off-track betting within 100 miles of Gillette.... more

 

Bouchard will remain in U.S. House race

It’s unclear whether Bouchard will face repercussions in the Wyoming Legislature, but one member of legislative leadership left open the possibility. ... more

 

Group complains about gifts to Game and Fish

A cease and desist letter was sent Friday by one of the former commissioners in the group’s sights.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 24

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Jail drug smuggling operation involved deoderant, greeting cards

A drug-smuggling conspiracy involving deodorant and greeting cards was discovered last month, when jail staff found opiates glued in the stacked back paper of a card.... more

 

Committee examines fuel tax again

A fuel tax increase is again being considered by the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee to address the Wyoming Department of Transportation’s structural funding deficit.... more

 

Statewide public health orders reach expected final phase

The Wyoming Department of Health on Friday announced the likely final phase for statewide public health orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the immediate removal of one of the two remaining orders.... more

 

Bouchard announces he impregnated, married girl as teen

U.S. House candidate Anthony Bouchard had a relationship with and impregnated a 14-year-old girl when he was 18, he told the Casper Star-Tribune late Thursday, hours after he disclosed the relationship in a Facebook Live video to his supporters.... more

Craftsmanship shines for first graduates of gunsmithing class

Douglas Macdonald, 66, took great pride in showing off the craftsmanship of his rifles to the people who visited his table. One of them was a rifle he designed using a dark, smooth slab of English walnut wood. ... more

Eastern Wyoming College student survives horrific accident

On Saturday, March 6, Samantha Hill was headed to her parents’ house in Colorado for the weekend. However, instead of seeing her family in Colorado, they would be coming to see her in Nebraska after a life-changing accident. ... more

Rental car shortage grinds gears in Teton County

At the R Lazy S Ranch, the dude ranch sitting just below the quieter, southern entrance to Grand Teton National Park, people pay an all-inclusive weekly rate for food, lodging, horseback riding and on-ranch fishing: about $2,000 per person, on the lower end.... more

Gillette man officially becomes U.S. citizen after long delay due to COVID-19

Just after 4 p.m. May 7, 2021, Valerie Bahige realized a dream.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 21

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

What does Bitcoin’s bust mean for Wyo’s cryptocurrency sector?

Cryptocurrency values plunged over the past week, with Bitcoin — the most prominent digital currency — losing roughly one-third of its value in a single month.... more

 

Saratoga housing shortage prompts affordable housing discussion

As houses seemingly fly off the market and rentals are non-existent in the Platte Valley, the topic of affordable housing appears to be ever more prevalent. ... more

 

Woman argues she was too drunk to confess to killing husband

Strock had a .144 BAC at 2 a.m. on Christmas day – hours after her husband was found dead in their home. ... more

 

Medicaid expansion would create almost 2,000 jobs, study says

The report predicts major economic gains for states that leverage a temporary federal incentive to expand Medicaid to cover more low-income residents.... more

 

Barrasso, Lummis criticize Jan. 6 commission

Cheney, who lost her GOP leadership position last week due to her ongoing criticisms of former President Donald Trump’s rhetoric, was among those who backed the commission.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 20

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Getting clean: Addiction medicine program sees success in Sheridan County

He tried everything to get clean. Chris Evans attended in-patient substance abuse treatment 11 times.... more

 

Man pleads not guilty to 31 counts of aggravated child abuse

The maximum penalties for each count of aggravated child abuse is 25 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.... more

 

Report: 25 percent of state residents skeptical of COVID

A new national survey aims to answer not just whether people will accept a COVID-19 vaccine, but why they might not. ... more

 

Wyoming high court censures Cheyenne lawyer, former assistant DA

The case, which charged four people with multiple felonies related to allegedly growing marijuana on their hemp farm, was later dismissed.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 19

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Report: Coal’s decline hits Powder River Basin mines differently

Powder River Basin mines that supply lower-heating-value coals — including several operated by newcomers Eagle Specialty Materials and Navajo Transitional Energy Co. — might be at greater risk of closing sooner, according to a new report.... more

 

Forest Service moves to weaken bighorn protections in Wyo Range

The Bridger-Teton National Forest is proposing to allow domestic sheep “restocking” by amending its management plan. It is seeking input by June 7 on issues it should address.... more

 

Wyoming GOP resoundingly re-elects leadership

The Wyoming Republican Party on Saturday resoundingly re-elected Chairman Frank Eathorne to an additional term, solidifying populist conservatives’ hold on party leadership in the lead-up to what is expected to be a contentious 2022 primary season.... more

 

Parks could see busiest summer ever

Grand Teton National Park’s new superintendent felt the inflection point come the last week of April.... more

 

Companies plan 63 new wells in Converse County

Three major players in the oil industry have confirmed they are planning to drill 63 wells (cumulatively) in Converse County in 2021.... more

 

Gillette College campaign heats up

As summer begins and the August special election nears to decide the future of Gillette College, the campaigns for and against the vote to form an independent community college district in Campbell County are gathering steam.... more

 

Sheridan businesswoman to challenge Cheney

Belinskey has her own business organizing people’s homes in Sheridan, where she has lived with her four kids for roughly 30 years. ... more

 

Lawmakers discuss funding fix for emergency communications system

With money expected to run out by next summer for the state’s emergency communications system, known as WyoLink, lawmakers discussed potential ways to fund the radio system during a committee meeting Tuesday.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 18

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

County ambulance prospects keep an eye on Medicaid expansion in state

Prospective ambulance contractors for Fremont County might be waiting to see if Wyoming adopts Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. Expansion could make ambulance service attractive financially for an ambulance provider. ... more

 

After six months, Cheyenne Police Department civilian review board members have gained insight, seek improvements

According to law enforcement officials, it was the first agency in Wyoming to include citizens on a use-of-force review board.... more

 

Wrongful arrest case may head to jury

The case of a man who says he was wrongfully arrested when Casper police came to his work looking for another man may be heading to a jury, recent court filings suggest. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 17

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Medicaid expansion revived despite flood of misinformation

If adopted by the full Legislature, the bill would take advantage of $120 million in new funding over the next two years from the Biden Administration to establish the program, and provide insurance to an estimated 24,000 individuals in Wyoming who lack it.... more

 

Restoring the ancients; native Wyo fish reclaim some waters

Wyoming’s Powder, Bighorn and North Platte rivers serve as headwaters of the Missouri River. ... more

 

Cheney’s ouster mirrors battles within Wyoming’s GOP

Many of those in Wyoming loyal to Trump, including her opponents in the 2022 election, reveled in her removal and touted their ongoing support of the former president, who is now considered by many to be the de facto leader of the Republican Party. ... more

 

Campbell commissioners sued over horse racing

The lawsuit accuses the commissioners of playing favorites.... more

 

Wind River tribes look at legalizing marijuana

Meanwhile the Northern Arapaho Tribe voted last weekend in favor of decriminalizing marijuana.... more

 

Barrasso encouraged after infrastructure bill meeting

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., was among a handful of GOP senators who met at the White House on Thursday to discuss President Joe Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure proposal, and he was encouraged that the president could be willing to scale down his spending package.... more

 

Students excel on Mars and at sea; Gilman’s art classes are far beyond art

This year, the Powell High School senior art class did some double duty because, after COVID-19 closed school after spring break last year, there was still a project to complete. ... more

 

Scientists strive to map global migrations before they’re gone

Matt Kauffman was at an Italian conference and talking over coffee with fellow ecologists when he got to thinking that the challenges facing Wyoming’s migratory deer, elk and pronghorn are shared by wildlife around the world.... more

Stimulation technology helps Overman fight Parkinson's

While he has both good and bad days, the treatment has allowed him to live a little more normally again. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 14

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

State GOP backs local party as Williams and others deny they voted illegally

A response has been filed in the civil suit claiming the March leadership elections of the Uinta County Republican Party were conducted illegally. ... more

 

Supreme Court: Traffic stop unlawful

William Mahaffy and his wife were pulled over in December 2019 after he dropped a lit cigarette out of a car window.... more

 

Proposed land exchange raises questions of access, value, process

The Columbus Peak Ranch, LLC land exchange proposes trading 628.35 acres of privately-owned land located east of Dayton for 560 acres of state trust land located northwest of Dayton.... more

 

Cheney will continue to 'fight for the truth,' says GOP can be fixed

About 24 hours removed from being voted out as the GOP conference chair, the No. 3 leadership position in the U.S. House, the Wyoming Republican said she remains a believer in her party and that a deep divide caused by Trump can be fixed.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 13

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

LCCC study: Wyo residents can afford more taxes

That study found Wyoming could generate more than $800 million in new revenues per year without hurting the state’s competitiveness with states, all of which have seen substantially higher population growth over the last decade.... more

 

Big Horn commissioners collect input on Second Amendment proclamation

More than 120 county residents packed the Weed & Pest building outside of Greybull to voice concerns about federal government overreach. ... more

 

Tolerance key to grizzly conservation, state says

Education is the top priority in Wyoming’s $55 million, decades-long battle to recover and conserve grizzly bears. ... more

 

Campbell schools won’t ‘recapture’ for first time in decades

Both Sublette school districts were among those recaptured.... more

 

Tribunal recommends disbarment for former prosecutor

Hinckley was charged with failing to seek court-ordered records, disobeying a direct order from a judge, lying in court about the status of those records, sharing a letter from the defendant with local media and making inappropriate comments during the trial.... more

 

Cheney supporters, critics offer reaction to ouster

Cheney, who has served as Wyoming’s sole House representative since 2017, voted to impeach Trump in mid-January for his role in inciting the Jan. 6 insurrection on the U.S. Capitol, stating at the time that there has “never been a greater betrayal” by a U.S. president than the actions taken by the former president.... more

 

Lawsuit over health orders dismissed

Judge Edelman ruled that petitioners lacked standing in the case because there is no direct connection between the health orders and any alleged injuries plaintiffs may have suffered, among other reasons.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 12

News from across Wyoming... more

 

Legislature to guarantee remote meeting access through 2021

The policy, which only impacts the 2021 interim, also allows lawmakers to participate in meetings remotely without being docked pay.... more

 

Groups want federal budget to allow sage grouse assessment

Any rider “blocks FWS from carrying out its basic responsibilities under the ESA,” the groups wrote in a two-page letter dated May 4.... more

 

FEC fines Wyoming GOP $52,000

The Federal Elections Commission fined the Wyoming Republican Party $52,000 for a campaign finance violation stemming from former President Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.... more

 

Wolf numbers about flat in Wyoming range

State legislatures in Montana and Idaho have recently earned headlines for going over wildlife managers’ heads and adopting policies that require wolf populations be cut by as much as 90 percent.... more

 

Camping area closed by dam concerns

LaPrele Irrigation District President Colt Rodeman is highly concerned about people camping at Ayres Natural Bridge Park overnight while spring snowmelt runoff is quickly filling the crack-ridden LaPrele Dam that sits a mere 10 minutes upstream. ... more

 

Ramoco mine could be open by fall, CEO says

After years of permitting review and promised timelines that have come and gone, Ramaco Carbon CEO Randall Atkins said Wyoming's first new coal mine in more than four decades could be operational as early as this fall.... more

 

Committee revives Medicaid expansion

When the legislation does make it on to lawmakers’ session agenda, it will be a familiar discussion. The bill the committee has sponsored is the same that died less than two months ago.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 11

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Former Buffalo Bill Center employee sues museum

A former employee of the Buffalo Bill Center of the West has filed suit against the museum in U.S. Federal Court.... more

 

Couple pleads not guilty to murder in child’s death

At a court appearance last week, a Cody man and woman formally denied allegations that they fatally abused a 2-year-old child. ... more

 

Former Gillette resident returns to challenge Cheney

Denton Knapp, who now lives in California but is moving back to Gillette, said he’s wanted to go into public service since high school and that “now is a good time to do it.”... more

 

Former prosecutor admits negligence

The Wyoming Supreme Court, in a 2017 decision reversing Black’s case, also said there was “no question” that there was prosecutorial misconduct during Black’s trial.... more

 

Lawmakers review tax structure again

Of course, the topic is not a new one.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 10

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Federal grants add momentum to Wyo carbon capture movement

The United States Department of Energy last Friday announced $99 million in grants to study technology that removes carbon from industrial exhaust and uses it for other purposes, like manufacturing.... more

 

Sage grouse hunters shot about 7,600 birds in 2019

Hunters shot an estimated 7,615 greater sage grouse in 2019, a biologist told Wyoming’s grouse team Wednesday as a key stakeholder challenged the state’s notion that regulated hunting does not harm the population.... more

 

National group eyeing Buchanan as Cheney replacement

State Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, has also mounted a primary challenge against Cheney. It is unclear if Club for Growth contacted him.... more

 

Legislature’s remote meeting option will continue into interim

The pre-approved locations are limited to more populous areas of the state, however, and fail to cover some more rural areas of Wyoming. ... more

 

Young grizzly cast off, finds trouble, hauled north

It’s well known that grizzly bears that grow up roadside in Grand Teton National Park tend to habituate to being around people.... more

 

Darin Smith announces run against Liz Cheney for U.S. House seat

Standing in front of the Wyoming Capitol, Smith said he’s “sick and tired of politics as usual.”... more

 

Gordon prohibits vaccine passports

Gov. Mark Gordon signed a directive Friday prohibiting state entities from requiring “vaccine passports.”... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 7

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Closed rest stops to reopen

Nine Wyoming rest stops that were closed last year due to budget cuts will reopen later this month, Gov. Mark Gordon’s office announced Thursday. ... more

 

Construction resumes on wind project that has generated national attention

Construction on the Chokecherry and Sierra Madre Wind Energy Project in Carbon County started again for the season on April 12, and the project has generated its fair share of national attention in recent months.... more

 

Gillette students modify books for students in Guatemala

Heidi DeStefano, now an educational author after more than a decade as a kindergarten and first grade reading recovery specialist with the Campbell County School District, took a vacation with her husband to Guatemala.... more

Former St. Jude CEO turns private collection of military vehicles into sprawling museum in Dubois

In 2010, Dan Starks got a patriotic idea.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 6

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

B-T Forest eyes revision to allow domestic sheep to graze

Jonathan Ratner wasn’t pleased to read a public notice that the Bridger-Teton National Forest is looking to change how it protects wild bighorn sheep from catastrophic diseases spread by domestic sheep.... more

 

Park Co. declared ’Second Amendment Preservation County’

The elected officials said they were passing the resolution “to defend the rights and liberties of the citizens of Park County.”... more

 

National PAC sought challengers to Cheney

Club For Growth’s presence in the state is a signal that the race may not be limited to the current candidates facing Cheney, state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, and state Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper.... more

 

Physicians ask Cheyene schools to keep mask mandate

A group of local health care providers is asking Wyoming’s largest school district to keep its mask mandate in place through the end of the year.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 5

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Federal policy could undermine Wyo cattle ID legislation

The policy may erode a recent victory by Wyoming’s ranching industry that earned them more autonomy over tracking their animals, and industry groups are watching developments closely. ... more

 

Jackson, Teton County agree to spend money on housing

The final go-ahead will come when town and county budgets are approved in June.... more

 

Anti-semitic, threatening email sent to UW staffer

The identity of the sender cannot yet be confirmed, as it is still under investigation by UW police; however, it was revealed that the sender, “Miley Lucas” was in no way affiliated with the university.... more

 

Lawsuit filed over death of DOT employee

Shirley Samuelson died in August when a street sweeper she had just parked on Highway 22 in Teton County rolled downhill and ran her over. She was 62.... more

 

After hunters kill 874 sage grouse hens, Wyo’s hunt questioned

In the Southwest Wyoming region, for example, hunters dropped 294 yearling or adult female greater sage grouse wings in area barrels last year.... more

 

Drought monitor: 95% of state abnormally dry or worse

Only parts of Sheridan, Johnson, Big Horn and Park counties are at or above normal moisture levels.... more

 

Balow rejects ‘critical race theory’ teaching

Last month, the U.S. Department of Education published its proposed priorities for American history and civics education, which include “projects that incorporate racially, ethnically, culturally and linguistically diverse perspectives into teaching and learning.”... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 4

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Housing director wants to spend $13 million on housing 'crisis'

April Norton, director of the Jackson/Teton County Housing Department, wants to spend $13 million to build homes and expand housing programs in the upcoming fiscal year.... more

 

Cheney, Trump at odds again

Monday saw three public exchanges between Cheney and the former president.... more

 

ITC in Gillette chosen for $52M CO2 capture project

Gov. Mark Gordon announced Friday afternoon that the ITC, attached to the Dry Fork Station coal-fired power plant about 10 miles north of Gillette, will host one of two large U.S. Department of Energy CO2 capture research projects.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for May 3

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Analysis: Four Wyoming takeaways from new census numbers

As the Mountain West experienced a population boom over the last decade, Wyoming’s growth lagged, according to U.S. Census numbers released this week, with the Equality State among the slowest-growing states in the country. ... more

 

Management Council weighs change that could limit public access

The Wyoming Legislature’s Management Council, which sets priorities for the body, is weighing a policy change that would give committee chairs the authority to decide whether the public can participate in their meetings remotely. ... more

 

‘Love it and leave:’ The choices facing Wyoming’s youth

In their communities, where aging populations held power and resisted change, they felt there was an unspoken expectation for kids to “love it and leave it.”... more

 

Portraits of Wyo youth: Six visions of a future in the state

Wyoming stands at the crossroads of a permanently shrinking coal industry and a historic budget crisis as its dominant conservative politics move further to the right on several issues.... more

 

Q&A: Locked up kids and government transparency in Wyoming

From now until the 2022 legislative session, the Joint Judiciary Committee will study the state’s handling of kids who run into legal trouble with an eye toward improving Wyoming’s juvenile justice system. ... more

 

Former legislator arrested in trafficking sting, pleads not guilty

A former Wyoming legislator from Green River entered not guilty pleas to misdemeanor charges of solicitation of prostitution and interference with a peace officer Friday afternoon.... more

 

Man convicted in mother-in-law’s death murder

A jury on Friday convicted a Casper man of murdering his mother-in-law in 2019.... more

 

Gordon plans to avoid cuts in next state budget

Gov. Mark Gordon’s office will develop the bulk of the next state budget without cuts thanks to improved revenue projections released last week, an official said Friday.... more

 

Democratic leaders say session lacked vision

Senate Minority Leader Chris Rothfuss and House Minority Leader Cathy Connolly, both D-Laramie, held a Facebook Live forum Thursday night to discuss the general session, which concluded in early April. ... more

 

Wyoming, Idaho among bottom five for first COVID shots

Wyoming and Idaho boast two of the lowest rates of residents who have received their first shots of a COVID-19 vaccine.... more

Tabletop games, like Dungeons and Dragons, foster a sense of community

On a Friday afternoon in February, just after classes had dismissed for the weekend at Campbell County High School, there was a party in the classroom of social studies teacher Matt Woodard.... more

Not your grandma’s meatballs: An inside look at jail food in Teton County

From behind a glass partition in the visiting room at the Teton County Jail, inmate Zach Ladnier describes one of the best meals he’s ever had.... more

After 15 years, Project Prom is still making "Cinderella" moments happen

Marie Town didn’t quite know what to expect when she arrived at Jean Richardson’s house earlier this month.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 30

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Housing, staffing both a struggle for social service providers

Jackson Hole’s cost of living is putting up a roadblock for Teton County nonprofits that provide senior care, shelter for teens in crisis and subsidized mental health care, among other services.... more

 

Peabody loses $77 million in Q1; PRB mines 'extremely strong' in quarter

Despite losing more than $77 million in the first quarter of 2021 and a prolonged COVID-19 hangover affecting U.S. thermal coal, Peabody Energy Corp.’s Powder River Basin mines were a bright spot for the company.... more

 

Lummis: Democrats aiming to “fundamentally change the American social structure”

Just over 100 days into her six-year term in Washington, D.C., the senator criticized the Biden administration’s spending policies, the Democrats’ infrastructure proposal and the overall climate in the Capitol.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 29

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Game and Fish commissioners embrace wildlife tourism

Gay Lynn Byrd couldn’t quite recall the last time she’d laid eyes on the Tetons, but her best guess was that it had been nearly 30 years.... more

 

Big Horn commissioners study Second Amendment sanctuary status

Rep. John Winter, Sheriff Ken Blackburn and Deputy County Attorney Jennifer Kirk participated in the discussion on April 20 that led to the commissioners agreeing to schedule the listening session.... more

 

Torrington murder suspect is former Cody resident

Sean L. Pettus, 32, has also been formally charged with crimes alleging that he set his Torrington business ablaze and stole a vehicle on the morning of April 20. ... more

 

Former judge sentenced to jail, probation in sex assault cases

Disbarred attorney and former municipal judge Gregory Lee Knudsen has been ordered to report to the Goshen County Detention Center in Torrington on June 1 at 5 p.m. after he chose to enter into a plea agreement with the prosecution on April 27.... more

 

Cheney critical of Biden administration 100 days in

A few hours before President Joe Biden’s first address to a joint session of Congress, U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., gave a strong rebuke to the president’s policies and approach in his first 100 days in office, stating he had laid out the most liberal agenda of any commander-in-chief since Lyndon B. Johnson.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 28

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Climbing conflicts: Forest Service intervenes in Tensleep Canyon

Tensleep Canyon, a breathtaking landscape of cliffs and sky near the base of the Bighorn Mountains, was once a little-known diamond in the rough.... more

 

Wyo Dems re-elect leaders despite lackluster 2020 results

The vote came in the wake of lackluster results in the 2020 elections.... more

 

Ozone pollution earns Sublette an F from American Lung Association

The American Lung Association gave Sublette County an F for ozone pollution, underscoring a persistent health danger believed to be caused by gas-field emissions, snow cover, little wind, winter sunshine and other factors.... more

 

Climate study predicts life-altering changes for Greater Yellowstone

The changes threaten to upset traditional land uses and commerce for a region that has seen its population more than double in the past 50 years.... more

 

Drinking stayed high but shifted from bars to liquor stores amid pandemic

Despite a long career working in the retail liquor industry, Dave Erickson has never witnessed anything like what happened during the COVID-19 pandemic.... more

 

WEA to mobilize in search of K-12 funding solutions

Although state lawmakers adjourned earlier this month without addressing Wyoming’s dire K-12 funding outlook, the Wyoming Education Association is determined to keep a solutions-oriented conversation alive.... more

 

Health Department data breach exposed info of 164K Wyomingites

A data breach at the Wyoming Department of Health publicly exposed COVID-19, influenza and blood alcohol test data from more than a quarter of Wyomingites and some out of state residents, the department announced Tuesday.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 27

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

State establishes mussel ‘strike team’

After years of diligently manning aquatic invasive species checkpoints with trained inspectors, testing water systems and preparing for the worst, invasive zebra mussels were delivered to Wyoming via first class mail. ... more

 

Airport manager predicts return of airport district bill

By the time Senate File 4 passed the Wyoming Senate on third reading March 8, Sheridan County Airport Manager John Stopka was convinced of its value.... more

 

Casper parents, students protest school mask requirement

More than 100 parents and students protested the Natrona County School District’s mask requirement Monday night, despite the board of trustees’ announcement Saturday it would request an exemption to the K-12 mandate. ... more

 

Wyoming population up by 2.3% from 2010

Despite losing many people to out-of-state opportunities, Wyoming’s population grew by roughly 2.3 percent from 2010 to 2020, marking the slowest growth rate in the state since the 1980s, according to preliminary data released Monday by the U.S. Census Bureau.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 26

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

The other mussels; Wyo’s native species play vital roles

Resting on the bottom of the Bear River in southwestern Wyoming is a palm-sized mussel pushing 100 years old. ... more

 

Wyo Game and Fish issues 2K new elk tags as herds exceed goals

Elk populations in Wyoming’s major herds are nearly 30 percent over objective Wyoming Game and Fish Department personnel revealed as their governing commission approved hunting seasons and nearly 2,000 additional licenses Wednesday.... more

 

Charter school bill becomes law

A bill that allows applications to create charter schools in Wyoming to circumvent school districts has passed into law without Gov. Mark Gordon’s signature. ... more

 

Trio launches project to help soil, climate

Leave it to a former children’s TV producer, a rodeo clown and a former vice president of the Petroleum Association of Wyoming to come up with a solution to reduce carbon dioxide in the air, improve soil health and increase climate awareness.... more

 

Wyoming businesses asked to return millions in COVID-19 relief funding

Nearly a year after the COVID-19 pandemic began in Wyoming, thousands of businesses statewide have received a boost through funding that arrived via last year’s federal CARES Act.... more

 

Man pleads ‘no contest’ in child’s murder

Christopher James Nielsen pleaded no contest April 22 to first-degree murder charges for the death of a 5-year-old boy in his care. ... more

Gillette family burns COVID in effigy

A 23-foot body made of chicken wire and cloth hung outside the Daly Ranch Saturday night.... more

Jackson man dances daily for a year on Town Square

It began simply. The town of Jackson was going into a COVID-19 lockdown. And Tim McLaurin was bummed about not being able to see people and work.... more

Student draws on humor to expand vocational, life skills

In early 2016, Trevor Deming, then a freshman at Douglas High School, had a meeting with Temple Grandin, the prominent American scientist and activist. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 23

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Lawsuit filed in Uinta County GOP dispute

The conflict within the Uinta County Republican Party concerning whether leadership elections held earlier this year were conducted legally has made its way to the courts, with a lawsuit filed in Third District Court on Monday, April 19, petitioning for those elections to be declared null and void.... more

 

State joins lawsuit over greenhouse gas ‘social cost’

Wyoming joined a 10-state lawsuit Thursday against the Biden administration over an executive action seeking to cut greenhouse gases, arguing that one of the president’s recommended metrics for gauging environmental damages constituted “job-killing executive overreach.” ... more

 

Delegation opposes DC statehood

The three federal delegates from Wyoming, a state often mentioned in discussions of whether to grant statehood to Washington, D.C., have come out strongly opposed to a bill the House of Representatives passed Thursday that would make the U.S. capital the nation’s 51st state.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 22

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

State passes on internal GOP election fraud allegation

The Wyoming Secretary of State’s office will not pursue allegations of election fraud filed by a Uinta County man against the Wyoming Republican Party, arguing the alleged fraud is a local, not state, issue.... more

 

Drought leads to game rule changes, fire preparation

Drought is affecting most western U.S. states, including Wyoming. The National Drought Mitigation Center says that’s resulting in multiple responses — from changes in regulations to preparations for an early and long fire season. ... more

 

Helicopter service gets permit despite criticism

Jackson Hole Airport Board President John Eastman showed Tony Chambers a map of where he said he’d fly his helicopter alongside overlain lines that displayed where he actually flew.... more

 

Wyoming has highest rate of in-person learning in nation

Wyoming had the highest percentage of students enrolled in fully in-person learning of any state this past February.... more

 

Weston commissioners blame saw mill closure on forest mismanagement

Weston County Commissioner Tony Barton expressed concerns on April 6 over the recently announced closure of the Hill City Saw Mill, saying the U.S. Forest Service is “drastically reducing timber sales” in the Black Hills. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 21

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Proposed project would trap, move, track lamb-hunting eagles

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is backing a plan to trap 16 sheep-hunting golden eagles and move them up to 400 miles away, including out of Wyoming.... more

 

Legislators to study Medicaid expansion in 2021 interim

Wyoming lawmakers will give Medicaid expansion a hard look in the 2021 interim after two attempts to pass the measure failed in the Wyoming Senate in the recent session.... more

 

The historic revenue crisis facing Wyoming’s state, county and municipal governments is threatening to claim yet another casualty: universally available ambulance service

The historic revenue crisis facing Wyoming’s state, county and municipal governments is threatening to claim yet another casualty: universally available ambulance service.... more

 

Oil and gas industry waiting for boom

The price of oil and natural gas and their long-term stability will be the single biggest factor in whether Converse County and other spots in Wyoming will see another boom this year. ... more

 

Tax expert: Latest federal stimulus package brings temporary “reprieve” to Wyoming

The federal stimulus money headed to Wyoming later this year will buy some additional time for lawmakers to sort through the state’s structural revenue challenges, and that period of respite should be used to determine precisely what kind of stable tax structure would best suit the state.... more

 

Wyoming activists react to Chauvin verdict, say there’s more work to do

All eyes were on a Minneapolis courtroom Tuesday, where a jury delivered guilty verdicts on all counts against former police Officer Derek Chauvin, convicting him of the murder of George Floyd. In Wyoming, local activists say there’s still a long way to go until justice is really served. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 20

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Company’s rifle promotion generates controversy

A Powell contractor’s promotion has generated some controversy. From now until the end of the year, Wiggins Construction is offering a free AR-15 rifle with every new home or commercial roof. ... more

 

State firefighter pension plan faces depletion in five years

A Wyoming Retirement System plan currently serving 273 retirees and their beneficiaries, including 25 from Sheridan, will likely be exhausted sometime in 2026, according to the Wyoming Retirement System.... more

 

Wyoming unemployment rates remain on the mend

A little more than a year into the pandemic, Wyoming’s unemployment numbers remain better than the national average, according to a March report released on Monday by the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Research & Planning Section.... more

 

Parents at state’s largest school district debate mask mandate

More than two dozen parents offered dramatic commentary Monday night about the perceived negative effects of the mask mandate Wyoming’s largest school district has in place.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 19

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Shed season, winter closure ending align in ‘21

Federal and state agencies have sorted out discombobulation that led to an awfully confusing 2020 onset to the popular antler gathering season in western Wyoming.... more

 

Woman accused of killing husband wants confession stricken from evidence

A woman accused of killing her husband with a knife in their Pavillion home on Christmas Eve has asked to have her confession removed from trial evidence. ... more

 

Seidel envisions UW’s connection to DEI

Since the racist Zoom attack in February, the University of Wyoming has been buzzing with conversation about how to improve current methods of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) on campus and curtail racism.... more

 

Carbon XPrize winners announced

A pair of projects that promise to revolutionize the construction industry while helping solve the world's carbon dioxide emissions problem has won the top awards in the NRG COSIA Carbon XPrize.... more

COVID changes large carnivore education methods

The past 12 months have been tough for Dusty Lasseter. The COVID-19 pandemic shut down much of his efforts at a critical time in the grizzly bear education business.... more

ITC could lead CO2 research breakthroughs

What may have seemed more like science fiction less than a decade ago could soon become science fact.... more

UW launches online training for outdoor guides

A new online course created by the University of Wyoming offers training and enrichment for outdoor guides. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 16

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Cheney rails against plans to withdraw troops from Afghanistan

Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney on Tuesday criticized plans by the Biden administration to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan before this year’s 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.... more

 

Sheridan County Medicaid advocates continue fight after death of expansion bills

Sheridan advocates for Medicaid expansion in Wyoming are used to disappointment.... more

 

Judge says Rodriguez’s wife can testify

A Casper man accused of murdering his wife’s mother cannot block his wife from testifying in his trial, a Natrona County District Court judge decided Thursday. ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 15

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Fish population, migration examination in second year

The further west the caravan of state-green trucks traveled Tuesday, the harder the snow fell.... more

 

School funding bill death shows House, Senate differences

The demise of House Bill 173, which would have changed the way the state funds its school districts, served as a reminder of the deep philosophical differences between the two chambers in the state legislature, according to Rep. Jamie Flitner of Shell.... more

 

Wyoming counties top list of most vaccine-hesitant in nation

Wyoming is home to the 11 most vaccine-hesitant counties in the nation, according to statistical modeling conducted by an arm of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. ... more

 

Wyoming elected leaders largely opposed to Biden infrastructure plan

Wyoming’s federal delegates have largely come out in opposition to President Joe Biden’s roughly $2 trillion infrastructure plan, even as a few details of how the plan could impact the state were released by the White House earlier this week.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 14

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyo emerges from session with no long-term budget, ed solutions

The Wyoming Legislature entered the 2021 legislative session with a lofty agenda to cut education spending, stall revenue declines and guide a Wyoming economy battered by COVID-19 to a sustainable future.... more

 

Groups appeal plan to pump oilfield waste into aquifer

Conservation groups are challenging Wyoming’s approval of an energy company’s plan to inject oilfield waste into an underground aquifer, telling federal regulators the state plan fails to meet Safe Drinking Water Act requirements.... more

 

Killer of three sentenced to 45 years to life

In emotional statements given before Judge John Fenn in 4th Judicial District Court Tuesday, family members of victims killed in a triple homicide March 29, 2020, asked for a sentence “as severe and as permanent as the crime.”... more

 

Wyoming keeps two health orders in place

Wyoming’s two remaining statewide public health orders will remain in place for at least two more weeks, the Wyoming Department of Health announced Tuesday.... more

 

Hunting group challenges charity hunting licenses

A lawsuit has been filed in Teton County District Court challenging whether the Wyoming Outfitters and Guides Association is eligible to receive complementary, open-slated hunting licenses to auction off for fundraising.... more

 

Cheyenne sees opportunity in Amtrak partnership

It could take many years before a passenger rail stop comes back to Cheyenne, but the city is looking ahead at ways to make it happen eventually.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 13

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Drought conditions persist despite record-setting snowstorm

Close to a month after a record-breaking snowstorm pummeled Wyoming and dropped more than two feet of snow in several areas throughout the state, drought conditions are back to severe, extreme or abnormally dry throughout the state.... more

 

Future of pandemic free lunch program unknown

In a year when many faced hunger for the first time, school employees stepped up, serving meals to more children than ever under unprecedented circumstances. ... more

 

Cody couple charged with murder in girl’s death

Following the death of a 2-year-old Cody girl, the child’s caregivers are each facing a charge of first-degree murder.... more

 

Barrasso outlines concerns over Biden administration actions

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso spoke at the Cody Rotary Club on April 8, discussing his concerns with President Joe Biden’s plans for infrastructure, management of the border wall, the national debt, election security and coronavirus relief.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 12

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Campbell County has lowest percentage to get vaccine

Months into Wyoming’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Campbell County lags behind all other counties in the state with its percentage of population fully vaccinated, according to the Wyoming Department of Health.... more

 

State leaders criticize Biden gun restrictions

President Joe Biden responded to a wave of gun violence throughout the country by announcing executive actions Thursday to curb the growth of homemade “ghost guns” and 3D-printed firearms without serial numbers, and require stabilizing braces to be subject to the requirements of the National Firearms Act. ... more

 

Public defender cuts put agency on edge of crisis

With the signing of the state’s supplemental budget bill on April 1, Gov. Mark Gordon finalized nearly $3 million in budget cuts to the Wyoming Public Defender’s office.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 9

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Lawmakers weighing study of public lands transfer in 2021

On the final Friday of the 2021 Legislative Session, members of the Joint Agriculture Committee met to map out goals for the coming months. ... more

 

West Wyo a grouse stronghold in grim report of decline

Western Wyoming emerged as a stronghold for greater sage grouse in a grim federal report that estimates an 81-percent decline in the species over the last 53 years.... more

 

Yellowstone grizzly population jumps with count revision

Federal scientists who track grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem are revising a key criterion that underlies how they count bears, with the effect being a 34 percent to 43 percent jump in the population estimate.... more

 

Laramie council creates police working group

In a special session on April 7, Laramie City Council voted to adopt Resolution 2021-18, which establishes an ad hoc working group for police and community. ... more

 

Gordon disappointed by K-12 funding impasse

Gov. Mark Gordon addressed a range of issues, primarily K-12 education funding and the state’s long-term fiscal outlook, during a media briefing Thursday afternoon, a day after the Wyoming Legislature adjourned from its 2021 general session.... more

Cheyenne graduate finds power of music in Irish heritage

Ciara Thompson’s life has been filled with music and serendipity.... more

 

Laramie company manufactures workwear for women

In 2005, back when she worked on a wildland fire crew on the Bridger-Teton National Forest, Emily Parsons remembers spending her downtime one day staring at the sky and pondering the unisex pants issued to crew members.... more

 

Harvesting road kill will be legal in July

Thousands of times a year, motorists inadvertently smash into Wyoming wildlife like mule deer, elk and pronghorn antelope, littering highway right-of-ways with carcasses that sometimes include dozens or hundreds of pounds of fresh, lean, edible meat.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 8

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Game and Fish Department unveils mapping project

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department quietly unveiled a new online mapping project last month, identifying and explaining every priority habitat issue in the state.... more

 

Vaccine may help relieve long-haul COVID-19 symptoms

Health-care providers in Crook County are seeing an increase in patients who appear to be suffering from long-haul symptoms of COVID-19, according to Sundance physician Dr. Heith Waddell.... more

 

School funding measure collapses

A bill that would have found slight cuts to Wyoming’s $300 million education funding shortfall died Wednesday after Senate leadership declined to continue negotiating with the House of Representatives. ... more

 

State lawmakers reach compromise on public health order bill, send it to governor

The Wyoming Legislature gave its final approval Wednesday to a bill that would slightly alter the state’s public health order process, after the House and the Senate reached a compromise to not involve lawmakers in the process.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 7

News across Wyoming.... more

 

As police reform hits national stage, Wyo lawmakers kill two measures

As a restless nation took to the streets for police reform in 2020, then-statehouse-candidate Karlee Provenza — a Laramie Democrat — traveled the streets of Wyoming’s third-largest city on a campaign of her own.... more

Sheridan students, parents march for end to mask mandate

Sheridan County School District 2 officials will be seeking a variance to the state’s mask order for schools possibly as early as this week.... more

 

New COVID variants detected in Wyoming

Two “California” COVID-19 variants have been identified in Sublette County, according to health officials there.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs April 6

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

In the 2021 Legislature, major fights have mostly fizzled out

Early in the 2021 Legislative Session, Wyoming seemed positioned for a pivotal year in its state history.... more

 

Feds recommend grizzlies stay on endangered list

In a five-year status review, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recommended that grizzly bears in the lower 48 states remain protected under the Endangered Species Act — drawing immediate complaints from officials in Wyoming and western states. ... more

 

Bill creating airport districts dies

A bill that would have let county commissioners set up tax districts to fund local airports has died in a tie vote in the Wyoming House of Representatives. ... more

 

Balow warns K-12 funding could still collapse

During the final days of the 2021 legislative session, Wyoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow expressed both praise for an imminent K-12 school funding deal and concern for the long-term future of the state’s school funding model.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 5

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Cheney, Arkansas Rep. promise to keep fighting for fossil fuels

Fossil fuels have been targeted by environmental groups and political policy for years, and things could get worse as President Joe Biden’s administration works through its priorities. That’s why it’s important that lawmakers, the state of Wyoming and fossil fuel industries work together and push back.... more

 

Wyoming takes second shot at rent assistance

In 2020, the Wyoming Community Development Authority got $15 million of federal CARES Act money to help renters and mortgage holders pay off debts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. By the end of December, just $1.7 million of that had been distributed. The rest went back to the state. ... more

 

Amended K-12 education funding bill passes the Senate, awaits House concurrence vote

After adopting amendments to change some key aspects of the bill, the Wyoming Senate gave its final approval Friday to legislation outlining the state’s K-12 education funding model with the inclusion of an estimated $45 million in cuts.... more

 

Lawmakers have succeeded in advancing three bills aimed at defending Wyoming’s coal industry

A bill intended to slow the closure of Wyoming coal-fired power plants appears poised to clear the Legislature, after securing two votes in the Senate last week. ... more

 

Amended public health order bill approved by the Wyoming Senate

The Wyoming Senate gave its final approval Friday to a bill that would alter how public health orders are issued in the state, after adopting an amendment to give state lawmakers some oversight in the process.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 2

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

How the Wyoming Senate killed Medicaid expansion, again

The Wyoming Senate Committee on Labor, Health and Social Services voted Wednesday to kill a House-sponsored effort at Medicaid expansion.... more

 

Barrasso calls immigration situation ‘overwhelming’

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo, visited Laramie Wednesday to offer praise and encouragement to the students and faculty of Slade Elementary for their Blue Ribbon achievement — a program that recognizes public and private K-12 schools and their academic excellence.... more

 

Legislature approves voter ID bill

A bill requiring Wyoming citizens to present specific forms of photo identification when casting their ballots in elections sailed through the Senate on Thursday and will now head to the governor’s desk for review.... more

 

Gordon signs supplemental budget bill

After the Wyoming Legislature gave its final approval earlier this week to a supplemental budget that includes roughly $430 million in cuts, Gov. Mark Gordon signed the budget bill into law Thursday evening, largely commending state lawmakers for their work on it.... more

 

College board discusses future

A lot of things still have to happen before Gillette College can become its own college district, but the Gillette College Advisory Board has started thinking about what’s next for the institution.... more

Gillette fifth grader among 155 selected nationwide for recognition by NASA

“Imagine you’re in NASA’s spacecraft for three days straight, with nothing to do but think about traveling to the moon.”... more

 

Women on a mission: Sheridan-made quilts spread needed message around the world

You hear the quilters of Trinity Lutheran Church before you see them, before you’ve descended the stairs to the church basement. You hear pieces of conversation, favorite old stories and lots of laughter. Laughter most of all. ... more

Back Country horsemen train next generation

While Cole Rutherford guided his white mule through a maze of obstacles set out for training purposes, his mom, Megan, was beaming with pride as she watched from the shadows of the Silver Spur Arena. At 8, her youngest of three boys was confident in his commands.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for April 1

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Yellowstone proposes installing fiber optic cable

Yellowstone National Park’s telecommunications system currently consists of an array of outdated antennas and dishes scattered across the park’s backcountry and developed areas.... more

 

Bill for new college district wins final House OK

A bill proposing the formation of the Gillette Community College District in Campbell County passed its third reading in the state House of Representatives on Wednesday.... more

 

Seat belt legislation dies

A missed procedural deadline last week marked the end for a bill that would have allowed law enforcement to pull over drivers solely for not wearing a seat belt.... more

 

All over 16 now eligible for COVID vaccine

Any Wyomingite age 16 or older is now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, Gov. Mark Gordon’s office announced Wednesday.... more

 

Senate committee kills Medicaid expansion

After clearing the House in a historic vote last week, a bill authorizing the expansion of Medicaid coverage to an estimated 24,000 residents in Wyoming was defeated by a Senate committee Wednesday morning.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 31

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Lawmakers tackle ed funding, Medicaid, net metering and more

The Wyoming House and Senate are close to a final deal on the supplemental budget, leaving just two major issues for lawmakers to resolve before the session adjourns April 7 — capital construction and the state’s education budget.... more

 

Legislature strips Game and Fish of elk feedground closure power

The Wyoming Legislature on Monday passed a bill that strips the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission of the authority to close any of Wyoming’s 22 winter elk feedgrounds and gives that power to the governor.... more

 

Republicans accuse Wyoming GOP of election fraud

Jon Conrad was done with sitting on the sidelines.... more

 

Workplace death blamed on carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide poisoning likely killed a man who worked at Chiller Ice and Matt’s Custom Meats, according to investigators.... more

 

Legislature strikes budget deal

Wyoming’s 66th Legislature began its final full week of the 2021 general session by agreeing on a supplemental budget.... more

 

I-80 tolling bill tabled by House committee

A bill that would have authorized a long-term plan to set up an Interstate 80 tolling program was tabled by a legislative committee Tuesday, meaning the proposal will not be considered on the House floor during the remainder of the Legislature’s general session.... more

 

Wyoming’s economic recovery slowed by mining decline

Wyoming’s economy is rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic better than previously anticipated, but much of the economic recovery has been slowed by a significant decline in the mining industry, according to Wyoming Economic Analysis Division Chief Economist Wenlin Liu.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 30

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Elk feeding on refuge ends two weeks early

The National Elk Refuge’s big rigs spewed out alfalfa pellets for the last time in 2021 on Monday, marking the end of a feeding season that has been abridged by about two weeks to meet management goals.... more

 

Pandemic adds to stress for college students

Already dealing with a barrage of stressors – moving somewhere new, away from friends and families, paying for school, often navigating what it’s like to be on their own for the first time – college students are struggling more with anxiety and depression, and the pandemic has only made it worse.... more

 

Bill creating legal defense fund for coal passes first Senate hurdle

A proposal to set aside over a million dollars in funding for Wyoming to sue other states divesting from coal cleared an initial vote in the Senate on Monday afternoon.... more

 

Sales tax increase removed from school funding bill

A proposal to address a $300 million shortfall to Wyoming’s K-12 education funding model is headed to the Senate floor, but a sales tax hike won’t be a part of the possible solution.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 29

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Lawmakers leave dozens of bills to wither on the vine

Dead bills are a fact of life in the Wyoming Legislature.... more

 

Gun bills playing outsized role in already gun-friendly Wyo politics

Sen. John Kolb, a freshman Republican from Rock Springs, had something to say.... more

 

Wilderness film reviews Palisades debate, seeks resolution

A wilderness advocacy group seeks to resolve the fate of a quarter million acres of untrammeled National Forest land on the Wyoming-Idaho border, using a film to restart a stalled conversation.... more

 

Alcohol sales in Wyoming increased in 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has stretched on for more than a year now, greatly disrupting lives everywhere.... more

 

UW announces fall semester will be ‘traditional’

The University of Wyoming has decided to return to on-campus learning and activities this fall semester. ... more

 

Wyoming deaths spiked in 2020

Wyoming recorded significantly more deaths in 2020 than in the prior year, new figures from the Wyoming Department of Health show.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 26

News from across Wyoming.... more

Mother and daughter face breast cancer together

The call from the doctor didn’t shock Brenda Holden.... more

 

Yellowstone fishing license cost doubles

The cost of a day of fishing in Yellowstone National Park is more than doubling this year, partly to direct needed funds toward removing non-native lake trout and controlling the spread of aquatic invasive species.... more

Program mentors aspiring hunters

It’s doubtful that Brice Peters will ever forget harvesting his first pheasant.... more

Wyomingites restore sheep wagons

Somewhere between the lonely sheep herder and the tourist who books an Airbnb on a whim lies the mystery of the sheep wagon.... more

 

High school students dream up restaurant menu items

When you eat at your favorite fast-food restaurant, you might think of the menu items you’d create if given the opportunity to get in the restaurant’s kitchen.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 25

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Johnson County attorney seeks dismissal of health order lawsuit

Last week, Johnson County Attorney Tucker Ruby filed a motion to dismiss the class action lawsuit filed against County Health Officer Dr. Mark Schueler, county health officers from all 23 counties and state health officials, including Dr. Alexia Harrist and Gov. Mark Gordon, seeking the elimination of all COVID-19-related health orders.... more

 

State sues over Biden leasing moratorium

Wyoming is taking its objection to President Joe Biden’s moratorium on issuing oil and gas leases on federal lands to the courts.... more

 

Education funding bill clears House

After debating for much of the afternoon, the Wyoming House of Representatives passed a bill to fund K-12 education Tuesday. ... more

 

Bill protecting gun rights from federal rules passes Senate

A bill intended to exempt Wyomingites from future federal restrictions on gun rights passed the Senate floor Wednesday with a 24-6 vote.... more

 

House approves health order bill

The Wyoming House of Representatives gave its final approval Wednesday to a bill that would slightly alter the process through which public health orders are issued in the state, sending the proposal along to the Senate for possible consideration in the coming days.... more

 

Medicaid expansion bill wins final House approval

In an unprecedented vote, the Wyoming House of Representatives gave its final support Wednesday to a bill authorizing the expansion of Medicaid coverage to an estimated 24,000 low-income residents in the state, marking a level of support among lawmakers that has not been seen since the program was first offered to the state nearly a decade ago.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 24

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Grant advances stalled plans for 280-foot-high dam

Wyoming’s efforts to build a 280-foot-high dam above the Little Snake River near the border of Colorado are “picking … back up,” after backers received a $1.2 million federal grant, the director of the Wyoming Water Development Commission said last week.... more

 

Legislature eyes special session to allocate federal relief funds

What can cash-strapped Wyoming do with $1.3 billion from the federal government?... more

 

Judge tosses lawsuit over biking in Bridger-Teton

A federal judge has dismissed a legal challenge to the Bridger-Teton National Forest that took aim at mountain biking in the Palisades Wilderness Study Area.... more

 

UW, Laramie at odds over water bill

The City of Laramie and University of Wyoming leadership are currently engaged in a conflict regarding a piece of legislation introduced to the Wyoming House of Representatives earlier this month.... more

 

Marijuana, fuel tax, seat belt bills die in Legislature

With about a week and a half left in the Wyoming Legislature’s general session, a slew of bills addressing everything from marijuana to seat belt use failed due to them not being considered by Monday night, their swift deaths brought about by a procedural deadline.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 23

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

House kills bill for sale of ‘pure gold’ inholding

“Pure gold” is how Natrona County Rep. Steve Harshman described state lands in Teton County while explaining a proposal that doomed a potential sale of 640 acres near Kelly to the National Park Service.... more

Cody billboard leads to heated debate

A new billboard on the north side of US 14-16-20 East has exposed political and ideological tension among Cody residents and those taking an interest in the city.... more

 

Angler discovers rare winter algae bloom

Paul Langevin first noticed the unusual substance beneath the ice on Keyhole Reservoir in December.... more

 

Bills to slow coal plant closures clear House

An effort by lawmakers to defend Wyoming’s leading industry gained ground Monday after a pair of bills aimed at slowing coal plant closures cleared the House.... more

 

Medicaid expansion clears first House hurdle

A House bill to expand Medicaid in Wyoming and give an estimated 25,000 additional residents health insurance passed an initial vote Monday after lawmakers in the Senate killed a similar proposal a few hours earlier.... more

 

Historic blizzard moves needle on drought conditions

During a monthly weather briefing last week, Cheyenne National Weather Service Meteorologist Jared Allen talked about the “welcome moisture” last weekend’s record-breaking snowstorm had on Wyoming’s drought.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 22

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Legislature takes aim at foundation of Wyoming abortion law

Reproductive rights advocates worry two bills among a slate of abortion-related measures working their way through the Legislature could erode the foundation of state law regulating the practice.... more

 

Lummis touts blockchain during legislative appearance

U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., addressed the Wyoming House and Senate on Friday morning, using the platform to advocate for the role the state could play in technological innovation.... more

 

Senate approves I80 toll bill

Wyoming’s Senate approved a bill on Friday morning that would allow the state to charge drivers a toll when trekking across Interstate 80. ... more

 

Gordon calls for federal carbon capture support

Wyoming’s governor urged members of Congress on Friday to back federal legislation that could help speed up carbon capture infrastructure development across the country.... more

 

Shield law proposal rejected by Senate committee

A bill to protect journalists from having to disclose their anonymous sources during lawsuits was defeated by a Senate committee Friday morning, meaning Wyoming will remain one of two states without some version of a shield law in place.... more

 

House, Senate offer competing school funding proposals

With roughly two weeks left in the Legislature’s general session, lawmakers in the state Senate and House of Representatives have been working on proposals to address a structural funding shortfall in Wyoming’s K-12 education system, with substantial differences between the chambers’ approaches.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 19

News from across Wyoming.... more

Wyoming school funding model threatened

Annie Good and her co-teacher have made their fifth grade classroom a homey space for their 33 students.... more

 

Lawmaker suggests there were two sides to story of slavery

A freshman Wyoming legislator suggested Wednesday that there are two sides to the history of American slavery, and that Black Americans are “stuck” in a mentality he called “worse than slavery itself.”... more

 

Wyoming’s longest-serving elk feeder pitches for wildlife

There’s a simple formula to the day’s start for John Fandek, the longest-serving feeder on Wyoming Game and Fish’s 22 winter elk feedgrounds.... more

 

Death penalty repeal bill killed in Senate

Lawmakers voted to defeat a bill to repeal Wyoming’s death penalty on Thursday evening, following a passionate debate on the Senate floor.... more

 

Medical marijuana report bill moves out of committee

A second Wyoming bill related to marijuana advanced out of the House Judiciary on Thursday after a 6-3 vote.... more

 

Medicaid expansion bill approved in House committee

A bill to authorize Medicaid expansion to low-income residents in Wyoming gained approval from a House committee Thursday evening, as some lawmakers push for the state to take the federal government up on its offer of new incentives to the 12 states that have declined to extend coverage over the past decade.... more

Culwell pleads not guilty to marijuana sale

A Pinedale woman charged with possessing and delivering marijuana pleaded not guilty to both at her 9th District Court arraignment on March 18.... more

Wyomingites turn to an app and their own kitchens for pandemic relief

When the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic first began to impact Wyoming last spring, Kasi Hartsoch took them in stride.... more

Community bands together to find rides for snowed-in hospital staff

Two hours after DeAnna Rose, a certified nursing assistant at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center, finished her shift Saturday, she got a call that completely changed the course of the next 24 hours.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 18

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Feds unjustly firing Converse oilfield whistleblower, group contends

A watchdog group challenged the proposed firing of a federal environmental analyst Tuesday after he criticized plans to allow the Converse County Oil and Gas Project to degrade raptor nesting sites.... more

 

Rescuers take advantage of mental health services during tragic year

The call came in just before sunset. Lincoln County Search and Rescue needed help retrieving the body of a snowmobiler who had died in an avalanche.... more

 

Gun rights bill approved by committee

A bill intended to protect Wyoming gun owners from potential federal restrictions will be discussed on the Senate floor after passing unanimously out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.... more

 

Man leads authorities on chase through two states

A man who led deputies on a lengthy chase through Park County was apprehended in southern Montana on Tuesday morning after officers disabled his vehicle and he crashed into a tree.... more

 

I-80 tolling bill gains initial support from Senate

A bill that would set in motion a long-term plan to set up a tolling program for Interstate 80 gained initial approval from the Wyoming Senate on Wednesday afternoon, as lawmakers search for ways to remedy a funding deficit for the state’s roads and bridges.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 17

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Trustees receiving vaccinations with teachers raises eyebrows

At a Feb. 20 teacher mass vaccination clinic a few attendees spurred consternation among some.... more

 

Douglas charges $25 minimum for public records

The City of Douglas last week charged the Douglas Budget $37.60 for a copy of City Administrator Jonathan Teichert’s contract, a public document.... more

 

Storm delays vaccine shipments

Vaccines headed for Wyoming will be delayed as residents emerge from a record-setting winter storm that dumped more than two feet of snow on parts of the state this weekend. ... more

Budget proposals finalized in House, Senate

After two days without meeting due to the historic winter storm that hit southeast Wyoming last weekend, state lawmakers will return to the Capitol Wednesday with a divide between the House and Senate budget proposals that the bodies will attempt to resolve in the coming weeks.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs March 16

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Sales tax expansion, real estate transfer tax bills fail in committee

The House Revenue Committee was again disinterested in new taxes last week as it voted down a real estate transfer tax and an expansion of the sales tax from goods to services.... more

 

Tropical moisture fueled storm

What caused this weekend’s massive storm?... more

 

Considering the cost: Study examines trade-offs in energy development

A study conducted by the University of Wyoming found that Wyomingites are open to renewable energy and diversifying the economy.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 15

News from across Wyoming.... more

Wyoming at standstill after historic storm

Southeastern Wyoming was at a standstill Monday in the aftermath of a record-breaking storm that left 30 inches of snow on Cheyenne.... more

 

Teton goats down to 29

Aggressive efforts to hunt the Teton Range’s nonnative mountain goat population out of existence are having the desired effect: As few as 29 animals remain.... more

 

Legislature wants to use $1.2 million to help coal

A proposed bill to set aside $1.2 million for Wyoming to sue other states divesting from coal received a warm welcome from lawmakers at a committee meeting on Friday morning.... more

 

Marijuana legalization bill gains committee approval

Wyoming is one of six states where marijuana remains fully illegal without any sort of decriminalization.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 12

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Runoff bill would take effect later

A bill to transition Wyoming to a runoff election system received initial approval from a legislative committee Thursday.... more

Global conservation, COVID response defined Wallace’s Interior stint with Trump administration

Rob Wallace’s first official move in the inner circle of decision-making at the U.S. Department of the Interior was to help Mongolia protect a critically endangered species of antelope called a saiga.... more

 

After lengthy discussion, lawmakers likely to weigh hate crime legislation over the next year

After lengthy discussion of the proposal, state lawmakers decided Thursday to delay a bill aiming to combat bias-motivated crimes in Wyoming, moving to take up hate crime legislation as an interim topic later this year.... more

Special exhibitions gallery helps students engage in unique ways

It’s difficult for college instructors to break the mold (or Zoom window, rather) in the era of COVID-19, but teachers at the University of Wyoming are using a medium that wouldn’t typically be in every syllabus: art. ... more

Sleeping Giant turns a profit for first time in years

The parking lot at Sleeping Giant Ski Area has been overflowing and folks have been streaming to the mountain outside of Yellowstone National Park; they’re unloading the families anywhere they can find a spot, including out on the highway.... more

Teen turns passion for fashion into profit

In his parents’ basement on a frigid Friday afternoon, Buffalo High School senior Kollen Milmine sorted through a cardboard box he described as his college fund.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 11

News from around Wyoming.... more

 

Powell to launch virtual school

Park County School District 1 is getting ahead of the curve when it comes to virtual schools.... more

 

Bill creating new college district clears Senate

The bill proposing an independent community college district in Campbell County centered around Gillette College is headed to the House after passing the Senate.... more

 

Bill to keep fossil fuel plants open approved by committee

A bill to prevent Wyoming fossil fuel plant closures cleared a legislative committee on Wednesday, despite opposition from the public, consumer advocates and several utility companies.... more

Bill giving lawmakers health order oversight clears Senate

The Wyoming Senate gave its final approval Wednesday to a bill that would give lawmakers and locally elected bodies more authority over public health orders issued in the state, moving the proposal to the House of Representatives for further consideration.... more

 

Task force recommends more review of Jackson police interactions

A law enforcement committee made up of government officials, nonprofit leaders and residents told county commissioners on Monday that Teton County should support a continued effort to look at interactions between police, human services and people in crisis.... more

 

Police won’t cite residents for obscene anti-Biden signs

The Town of Greybull will not be directing its police officers to cite residents who fly flags or post signs with obscene language, citing as the reason the protection of free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment.... more

 

Lawmakers to debate marijuana legalization

Supporters of a sweeping bill to legalize and regulate marijuana anticipate a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on Friday, where they hope to dispel myths and stereotypes held by resistant lawmakers.... more

 

As researchers clone ferrets, Wyoming scientists emphasize habitat

In late February, the San Diego Zoo announced news that took the endangered species world by storm: Researchers successfully cloned the first black-footed ferret.... more

 

Homeowner told to stop feeding wildlife

A longtime resident of the Solitude subdivision has been officially warned that her backyard moose feeding operation violates Teton County zoning regulations and that an enforcement case may unfold if she doesn’t stop.... more

 

Trial begins in case of man charged with killing friend

With a sworn jury and a team of attorneys, Mario Mills has begun his trial for first degree murder.... more

 

Budget to dominate legislative discussions

Learning how to balance a budget for a family can be tricky. Imagine attempting to build a budget for the entire state.... more

 

Bill limiting health orders moves to House floor

Wyoming lawmakers advanced a bill Monday that would require additional approval for certain public health orders to last longer than 10 days, as the search for appropriate legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic continues in the state Capitol.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 9

News from around Wyoming... more

 

Public notice bill dies on third Senate reading

On third reading Friday, the Wyoming House defeated a bill some legislators said would limit government transparency by moving public notices out of newspapers.... more

 

Legislators offer bills to save coal

State lawmakers have unveiled more than a half dozen bills to help Wyoming’s coal sector stay afloat.... more

 

Medicaid expansion bill approved by committee

With new federal incentives being offered to the 12 states that have declined Medicaid expansion over the last decade, a bill to expand coverage in Wyoming to the state's low-income residents was advanced by a legislative committee Monday morning.... more

 

State to end mask mandate March 16

Starting next week, Wyomingites will no longer be required to wear masks in most public places and — for the first time in nearly a year — bars, restaurants and theaters will be allowed to return to normal operations.... more

 

Teton County to seek own mask requirement

Wyoming’s mask mandate and many other coronavirus restrictions will be eliminated next week, but Teton County health officials will try to put a local mask order back in effect.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 8

News from around Wyoming.... more

 

Bill to repeal death penalty in Wyoming advanced by legislative committee

A bill to repeal the death penalty in Wyoming was advanced by a Senate committee Thursday evening, setting the proposal up for debate in the chamber where it was defeated two years ago.... more

 

Western-sponsored bill looks to increase hunting access

If you’ve ever walked an extra 10 miles just to access a piece of public land while hunting, Rep. Cyrus Western, R-Big Horn, feels your pain.... more

 

Supreme Court rules search of Gillette man's home was unconstitutional

The Wyoming Supreme Court has reversed a decision against a Gillette man and remanded the case back to District Court because a search of his home violated his constitutional rights.... more

 

Zebra mussels found in Wyoming pet stores

An invasive mussel that wildlife officials have been trying to keep out of Wyoming waters has been found in four pet stores across the state, a Wyoming Game and Fish Department official said Friday. ... more

 

Suspect in toddler death held without bond in Laramie County jail

Wyatt Dean Lamb, a suspect in the death of 2-year-old Athian Rivera, appeared Thursday morning in Laramie County District Court in relation to a domestic violence incident from February 2020.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 5

News from around Wyoming.... more

 

Reluctant ranchers: Tax benefits keep landowners herding cattle, haying

Upon hearing Laura Meadows utter their names, Norman and Handy pushed off toward the Linn family’s small pasture pulling a sleigh full of hay.... more

 

Medicaid expansion is on Legislature's docket, again, but with $120M incentive

Medicaid expansion is again before the Wyoming Legislature, but this time it comes with an incentive of $120 million.... more

 

Lawmaker revives suicide prevention training bill

Freshman Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, is reviving a bill that requires school districts to provide suicide prevention training to students after a previous bill was defeated in February’s brief virtual session.... more

Roberts joins G&F Commission

It all started with a call from the governor.... more

Meeteetse school ‘just one big family’

If you were to walk down the halls of the Meeteetse School with a clipboard bearing the names of all 140 or so enrolled students (though only about 100 are seated within the bricks and mortar) and compared it to the names of the teachers outside each door, you would find more than a few matches.... more

Gaming pays off for communities as Legislature eyes expansion

Jodie Warlow sat in Wyoming Downs on Wednesday afternoon, watching as various symbols spun across the screen. She hoped to win big.... more

 

Film to tell story of Shoshoni actress

A star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame honors Isabel Jewell, an actress and Shoshoni native with dozens of film credits for classics including “Gone with the Wind,” “A Tale of Two Cities” and “Northwest Passage.” ... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 4

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Commission: Grizzly bears have ‘more than recovered’

Wyoming’s Congressional delegation is again pushing to remove federal protections from the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem’s grizzly bear population.... more

 

Lawsuit seeks to halt health orders

A lawsuit against Park County’s public health officer and the governor seeks to immediately stop all current state COVID-19 health order restrictions.... more

 

Voter ID measure clears House

Wyoming voters may need to show a photo ID before casting their ballots in future elections.... more

 

Committee advances bill giving Legislature some authority in health order process

A proposal to give the Wyoming Legislature more oversight in the process through which statewide public health orders are issued was advanced by a legislative committee Wednesday morning.... more

 

Lawmakers push constitutional convention

It’s been 234 years since the Constitutional Convention, and some Wyoming lawmakers think that’s long enough.... more

 

Sheriffs in stand-off over Second Amendment bill

All 23 of Wyoming’s sheriffs have registered alarm at the damage a bill under consideration by the Legislature could do to policing in this state. ... more

 

Sanford's receives warning from Health Department over orders

Less than a month after publicly refusing to follow the state’s public health orders issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanford’s Grub and Pub has been issued a warning letter from the Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 3

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Game and Fish eyes backups should courts shut elk feedgrounds

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is making contingency plans to replace winter elk feedgrounds that might be shut by a court order, the agency’s director told a legislative committee last week.... more

 

A virus hangs over the Capitol

In normal years, the first day of the legislative session in the Wyoming Capitol has certain hallmarks.... more

 

Wyoming Legislature considers repealing gun-free zones

Wyoming lawmakers will consider a new law allowing people with concealed carry permits to take guns into areas where firearms were previously prohibited, such as schools and legislative meetings.... more

 

Bill would allow removal of racist language in real estate deeds

Many real estate contracts across the country still have racial covenants, or discriminatory text barring people of color from owning or occupying houses. ... more

 

Gordon emphasizes post-COVID economic recovery, education funding in State of the State address

Gov. Mark Gordon emphasized better days lie ahead as Wyoming recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, while encouraging lawmakers, in his State of the State address Tuesday, to pursue ways to enhance the state’s economic recovery instead of producing “politically oriented legislation.” ... more

Gordon outlines tough decisions in State of the State

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon reflected on a turbulent year and outlined priorities in his 2021 State of the State address Tuesday.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 2

News from across Wyoming... more

 

Man faces felonies after three alleged car thefts

Three stolen vehicles, two near-miss collisions, a deployed spike strip, and one black eye later, Garret Bailey is now in custody at the Park County Detention Center.... more

 

COVID concerns delay Medicaid fraud trial

Citing the threat posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a federal judge has delayed the trial of three local men who are accused of defrauding Medicaid out of millions of dollars.... more

 

Voter ID bill wins initial House approval

A bill requiring citizens to present specific forms of photo identification when casting their ballots in elections passed its first vote in the Wyoming House of Representatives on Monday.... more

 

Committee adds sales tax increase to school funding bill

Funding for the state’s K-12 education system took center stage Monday as the House Education Committee continued to work on a school funding recalibration bill and agreed to add a conditional sales tax increase to the proposal.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for March 1

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Ramirez’s mother seeks to make grand jury proceedings public

Attorneys for the mother of a Laramie man slain by an Albany County Sheriff’s deputy opened a new front in their legal battle this week, asking a judge to release records from a grand jury investigation of the shooting.... more

 

Bill would regulate power grid for reliability

A new piece of legislation could give coal-fired power plants a lifeline.... more

 

UW president promises change in wake of ‘Zoom bombing’

Tulsa, Oklahoma’s Greenwood District was home to more Black millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the U.S. in the early 1900s. It was a neighborhood of concentrated, generational wealth for Black communities. And in 1921, it was bombed and burned to the ground by a mob of white Tulsans in an event known today as the Tulsa race massacre.... more

 

Legislature to face tough budget, education decisions

When state lawmakers gavel in at the state Capitol for their month-long session starting today, they will have a lot on their plates.... more

 

UW collaborators help transcribe early modern manuscript

If you would like to learn what food recipes and medicine were like in early modern life, now you can.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for Feb. 25

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Court cans low-impact film permits in Grand Teton, Yellowstone parks

The National Park Service has changed its permitting requirements so that commercial filmmakers no longer have to pay fees or gain clearance as long as shoots are small and not in the wilderness.... more

 

Foes claim Wyoming death penalty expensive and ineffective

As the state faces major expenditure cuts, abolishing capital punishment has resurfaced as a feasible means to cut costs. ... more

 

Cowboy State to re-examine online sports betting

People in the Cowboy State could legally place bets on a sporting event if a proposed bill gets through the Legislature.... more

 

Wyoming’s senators vote against Biden energy pick

Sen. John Barrasso cast a vote against President Joe Biden’s pick for energy secretary Thursday over concerns former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s leadership would “crush” Wyoming’s economy built on fossil fuels.... more

Disney family Jackson Hole property subject of legal battle

Trustees for two grandchildren of Walt Disney have taken the first steps leading to development on Fall Creek Road property that is the object of a legal battle.... more

Black-footed ferret kit first cloned endangered species

An endangered species has been cloned for the first time, using cells from a black-footed ferret found in Park County more than three decades ago.... more

 

Industry likely to play role in COVID vaccination

Few workers at the bentonite mine in Casper have been vaccinated against COVID-19. But Larry Madsen has. ... more

Gov. Gordon dials back more restrictive health orders

Restrictions on personal-care services completely removed.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for Feb. 25

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Gros Ventre sage grouse rescue rejected

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has again turned down local biologists’ proposal to add birds to a tiny, isolated sage grouse population that dwells up the Gros Ventre River basin in order to avert its total collapse.... more

 

Company eyes abandoning bankruptcy owing county $20 million

As a creditor called for greater oversight and the judge set hard deadlines, the lawyer for coalbed methane company US Realm Powder River wrote in a filing in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Wyoming, that it would be best to just call off the company's now-15-month bankruptcy altogether.... more

 

Permitting process slows rural broadband effort

Wyoming awarded TCT more than $10 million in federal CARES Act money last year for a number of projects to expand broadband access to rural areas of the Big Horn Basin.... more

 

Committee approves voter ID bill

A state legislative committee advanced a bill Wednesday to impose a requirement for voters to show photo identification at the polls, all but guaranteeing it will pass when it goes to the floor next month.... more

 

Panelists ponder future of state finances

With the decline in the coal, oil and natural gas industries, and Wyoming’s reliance on those industries, state lawmakers and residents will have a choice to make in the near future.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for Feb. 24

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

2020 grizzly count slips; humans involved in most deaths

The Yellowstone Ecosystem grizzly bear population fell by 10 bears from 2019 to 2020 and now numbers 727, according to new estimates from an interagency team of scientists.... more

 

Spate of deaths point to backcountry danger

Several snowboarders and snowmobilers have gone into the backcountry in western Wyoming in recent days and not come home.... more

 

Women make up growing share of prison inmates

Compared with 14 years ago, a lot more women are in prison.... more

 

NWCCD president opposes bill for new college district

As a bill that would push the creation of a new community college district in Campbell County to a public vote sits with the Legislature, previous expressions of support from the Northern Wyoming Community College District are waning.... more

 

Cheyenne police identify suspect in toddler death

Cheyenne Police have a suspect in the death of Athian Rivera, a 2-year-old found dead Friday in a dumpster in the 400 block of Desmet Drive.... more

 

Distribution of federal rent assistance begins

For months, Ruth Rubeling didn’t know she’d had COVID-19.... more

 

Teton commissioners declare county a ‘hate free zone’

Teton County has passed a resolution affirming the “values of diversity, equity and inclusion” and declaring the county as a whole a “hate free zone.”... more

 

Report says indigenous people make up 21% of murder victims

Over the last two decades, Indigenous people have made up 21 percent of homicides in Wyoming, despite accounting for only about 2.7 percent of the state’s population, according to a new report discussed this week.... more

 

Panel speakers say voter fraud very rare

Voter fraud is exceedingly rare in the United States.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for Feb. 22

News from across Wyoming.... more

 

Wyoming news briefs for Feb. 23

Briefs from across Wyoming.... more

 

Racist UW incident tied to Maryland internet provider

An investigation into racist interruptions during a virtual Black History Month event last week at the University of Wyoming has found that one of the perpetrators was using a Maryland internet provider, a university official said Monday. ... more

 

Owner of Powell group home charged after teen suffers frostbite

The owner of a Powell area group home for troubled teenage boys is facing a criminal charge of child endangering, after one of the teens in his care reportedly suffered severe frostbite last fall. ... more

 

Cheyenne chamber CEO pushes back against state senator's claims over gun group case

Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce CEO Dale Steenbergen pushed back against claims made last week by state Sen. Anthony Bouchard, R-Cheyenne, that the chamber is seeking a list of Wyoming gun owners in an ongoing case being weighed by the Wyoming Attorney General’s office.... more

 

Employment, production losses continue to chase PRB coal

As Powder River Basin coal continues to take a pounding with production down about 22 percent last year over 2019, the local industry quietly passed a milestone that represents the importance of thermal coal to the region.... more