Wyoming News & Current Events | Public News Service

Despite a looming 2030 deadline to dramatically reduce fossil fuel emissions in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, PacifiCorp has ditched plans to invest big in wind and solar. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

Pacificorp throws a lifeline to Wyoming coal and natural gas industry

PacifiCorp's updated energy roadmap throws a lifeline to Wyoming's coal industry but critics said the new Integrated Resource Plan is a major setback …

The 1922 Colorado River Compact gives priority to Lower Basin states - Arizona, California, and Nevada - for rights to Colorado River Water. (Adobe Stock)

Report: 90% of CO River irrigation water used to feed cattle

As Wyoming and other states grapple with shrinking Colorado River water levels - new research pinpoints how much water is being diverted to feed cattl…

Most of the USDA produce samples tested in this year's Dirty Dozen list from the Environmental Working Group were within the legal allowance for chemical pesticide residue. (Adobe Stock)

2024 Dirty Dozen lists produce packed with chemical pesticides

Nonorganic fruits and vegetables are loaded with chemical pesticides, including fungicides which can harm male reproductive systems, according to the …

Wyoming voters who participated in the presidential election of 2020 but not the general election in 2022 have likely been purged from the state's voter rolls and need to re-register with their county clerk before being allowed to vote in 2024. (Adobe Stock)

WY purged 86,000 voters, must re-register for presidential election

More than 86,000 Wyoming voters have been purged from voter rolls, thanks to a state law requiring county clerks to remove people who did not vote in …

The Food Bank of Wyoming operates 19 mobile food pantries and recently launched the Fresh Express Route, which distributes nutrient-rich produce to 50 hunger relief partners by semi-truck. (Adobe Stock)

WY Food Bank distributed 10.8 million pounds of food in 2023

Working with more than 150 hunger relief partners across the state, Food Bank of Wyoming was able to distribute nearly 11 million pounds of food in 20…

Women have worked at the historic Wyoming State Hospital as doctors, nurses, administrators, secretaries, security guards, and in departments such as the post office, purchasing, and scheduling. Some families have several generations of women who have worked at the facility. <br />(Courtesy of Save the Old WSH)<br />

Wyoming women’s history rooted in hospital campus set for demolition

The state has plans to demolish 26 Wyoming State Hospital buildings in Evanston, but some local residents believe the site, which dates back to 1886…

One in four Wyoming kids lives in single-parent families, according to Wyoming Community Foundation data. Such children are more likely to live in poverty compared with their peers in married-parent families. (Adobe Stock)

Training, mental health recovery called key for single moms to escape poverty

A Wyoming nonprofit is helping single mothers climb out of poverty by connecting them with the training and support they need to step into and succeed…

In 1972, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that durational residency requirements violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment in Dunn v. Blumstein. (Adobe Stock)

Bill for 30-day waiting period to trigger ballot access stalls

Voting is a fundamental right in American democracy, but some Wyoming lawmakers want to restrict that right to people who can prove they have been …

In 2020, the arts and culture sector contributed $1 billion to Wyoming's economy, supporting over 10,000 jobs. (Adobe Stock)

New series aims to fuel Wyoming artists, arts-related businesses

Wyoming artists of all varieties will be able to access tools needed to survive as a viable business through artsWORK, a new series aiming to …

Initial cost estimates for adding controversial carbon capture technology to existing power plants range from $500 million to $1 billion per single coal-burning unit. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming’s coal use mandate raising ratepayer utility bills

Starting this month, 145,000 Wyoming ratepayers will make a down payment on what's projected to add up to billions of dollars in additional costs…

In the late 1800s, at the dawn of the automobile age, many people across the globe believed bicycles were the key to modern mobility. (University of Wyoming)

Historic Iron Riders GPS tour rounding the corner for Sheridan launch

Historians are heading into the final stretch as they work to launch a GPS-activated audio tour commemorating a 1,900-mile trek undertaken in 1897 by …

Eighty-six percent of rural parents cited lack of child care as the main reason they or their partner were not able to work. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Lack of child care in Wyoming threatens viability of rural communities

Child care is an essential component of strong communities throughout the U.S. - but finding a provider is significantly more difficult in rural …

Nearly half of older adults surveyed said they prefer to vote at their polling place, in-person.<br />(Adobe Stock)

Older Wyomingites could decide 2024 elections

People in Wyoming aged 50 and over had the highest voter turnout in the 2022 midterm elections compared with other age demographics, according to new …

Elk numbers in northwestern Wyoming are projected to drop from roughly 16,000 elk to 8,300 animals over the next two decades, largely due to rampant chronic wasting disease, if winter feed grounds persist. (Adobe Stock)

Game and Fish reports spread of chronic wasting disease to new hunt area

Chronic wasting disease has spread into new territory - Elk Hunt Area 28 near Lander, according to Wyoming Game and Fish. The discovery comes on …

Scientists have spent the last year and a half feeding bobcats chronic wasting disease prions as part of their research. (Adobe/Stock)

Bobcat scat shows promise for containing chronic wasting disease

Bobcats and other carnivores can remove over 95% of chronic wasting disease - or CWD - prions from infected meat, according to early findings by …

The average cost of vehicle collisions with big game, including property damage and injury, is nearly $12,000. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming's success wins federal funds for new wildlife crossings

Wyoming won the largest grant in the nation, $24 million, in a federal pilot program aiming to reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and protect …

The Bureau of Land Management's Rock Springs plan leaves 99.8% of the area under consideration available for livestock grazing. (Adobe Stock)

BLM's Rock Springs proposal draws ire from some lawmakers

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management's draft plan to manage lands owned by all Americans in southwestern Wyoming has come under fire from some …

The EPA's final methane rule allows third-parties to identify

Governor at odds with methane rule built on WY air pollution protections

Gov. Mark Gordon has blasted the Biden administration's final methane rule, claiming it will lead to higher fuel prices and put additional burdens on …

The town of Rock Springs is offering free carriage rides as part of its annual winter holiday festivities. (Rocket Miner)

Finding old-time holiday cheer in Wyoming’s historic downtowns

With the annual winter shopping season now in full swing, Wyoming's old town centers are seeing an uptick in visitors drawn to colorful light …

The Food Bank of Wyoming is asking for help from the public to meet rising food needs during the holiday season. (Food Bank of Wyoming)

Food banks, pantries address rising food insecurity during winter holidays

The number of people in Wyoming who don't know where their next meal will come from is on the rise, according to new U.S. Department of Agriculture …

Many of the companies lobbying for tax breaks have paid very little in taxes. Netflix, for example, has paid federal corporate income taxes equal to less than 1% of its reported profits over four years. (Adobe Stock)

Congress urged to consider business tax cuts, child tax credit

Lawmakers in Congress are facing mounting pressure from corporate lobbyists to pass business tax breaks before the end of the year but new analysis su…

Mapping is important part of conserving wildlife corridors. (iploydoy/Adobe Stock)

More support from Congress urged to protect wildlife corridors

Wildlife corridor conservation is in the spotlight in Congress. Last week, the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries…

Business leaders have reported workers with disabilities bring a strong sense of positivity and ownership of their work. (Adobe Stock)

Diversifying the workforce can change companies for the better

By Ramona Schindelheim for WorkingNation.Broadcast version by Eric Galatas for Wyoming News Service reporting for the WorkingNation-Public News Servic…

The Sublette Pronghorn herd boast some of the longest distance migrating pronghorns on record, and travel the 'Path of the Pronghorn,' the first federally-designated migration corridor. (Adobe Stock)

Removing barriers along iconic Sublette Pronghorn migration corridor

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department is moving forward with the Sublette Pronghorn migration corridor designation process. Josh Metten, Wyoming …

Wyoming has gained some ground in food-insecurity rates over the past decade. In 2012, nearly 14% of families were food insecure, compared with 11.4% in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

One in three single-parent households experienced hunger last year

The number of families in Wyoming and across the nation struggling to put food on the table rose dramatically last year, according to a new report …

Wolverines could get federal protections in November

Wyoming's elusive population of wolverines, whose contributions include keeping in check squirrel and other small mammal populations living at high …

Scams via telephone produced the largest median per-person loss, at $1,400. Bank transfers accounted for $901 million dollars lost in the first half of 2023. (Adobe Stock)

How to spot a scam this holiday season

With the holiday shopping season on the horizon, consumer advocates and federal agencies are warning the public to be on the lookout for tell-tale …

Military veterans report that the biggest barrier returning to college is feeling that they won't be welcomed. (Adobe Stock)

America’s culture wars advancing on college campuses

High school graduates are considering state and university positions on a number of hot-button issues - including abortion, gun, and anti-LGBTQ laws -…

A push from the community in South Cheyenne saw some success in this redistricting cycle, where more of the community was held together in fewer legislative districts instead of splitting the more predominantly Latino community among many districts. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming gets C-minus grade on voter map redistricting

Wyoming got a C-minus grade in Common Cause's new report card on gerrymandering for voter district maps drawn after the 2020 Census. Jenn Lowe - …

Rocky Mountain Power has asked the Public Service Commission to increase its maximum profit to 10.3%, and make customers responsible for 100% of fuel cost overruns, instead of the current 80%. (Adobe Stock)

Rocky Mountain Power 30% rate hike hearing in Casper Thursday

The Wyoming Public Service Commission, the agency that regulates utility companies, is holding a public hearing this Thursday in Casper seeking …

The south slope of Crevice Mountain is one of the few designated places outside Yellowstone National Park where Yellowstone bison can roam. (Adobe Stock)

Activists buy out gold mine claim at Yellowstone National Park

When Crevice Mining Group made moves in 2021 to establish a gold mine on lands directly upslope from the Yellowstone River and in plain view from Yell…

Proponents of banning medical debt from credit reports makes the system more fair, since low-income people and people of color are disproportionately burdened by medical bills. (Adobe Stock)

Medical debt could be banned from credit reports

In response to a growing medical debt crisis in Wyoming and across the nation, the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed banning …

Grand Teton National Park's 2.8 million visitors last year added $597 million to gateway communities, according to a new National Park Service report. (Adobe Stock)

Wanted: Visions for the future of Grand Teton National Park

Imagine reaching your favorite Grand Teton National Park trail in half the time because of new pull-outs that clear traffic on arterial roads…

Arborglyphs, or tree carvings, created by Hispanic sheep herders in the Medicine Bow National Forest date back to the early 1900s. (Amanda Casta�eda)

Uncovering Wyoming's Hispanic heritage along Manito Trail

While many Wyomingites of Hispanic descent came from Mexico, there is a lesser-known population from the old Spanish settlements of northern New …

Thousands of miles of fencing in Wyoming and across the Western U.S., which act as barriers to wildlife seeking winter and summer ranges, was installed over 100 years ago. (Adobe Stock)

Hunters, Anglers Get $2.5 Million to Restore Migration Corridors

A new partnership between the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the group Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BHA) aims to improve migration corridors …

In 2020, almost half of Wyoming students owed an average of $23,510 in student loan debt. (Adobe Stock)

Over 5,000 Wyoming Residents in New Student Loan Repayment Plan

More than 4 million student loan borrowers, including 5,100 in Wyoming, are now enrolled in the Biden-Harris Administration's new Saving on A …

As of Aug. 15, 2023, the federal government lists 75 disasters in the U.S. and its territories, compared with 55 in the same period last year. (Adobe Stock)

Most Older Adults Lack Emergency Plan for Natural Disasters

Most older adults are not as prepared as they should be to respond quickly in the event of natural disasters which can strike with little notice…

Recent modeling shows that the increase in Chronic Wasting Disease prevalence due to feedgrounds will lead to a greater elk population decline within a 20 year time period. (Adobe Stock)

Winter Feeding Plan Too Slow for Chronic Wasting Disease

What began as an emergency measure - to help Wyoming elk herds hit by a series of extremely harsh winters in 1909 - has become a major source of conte…

Outdoor recreation hit an all-time high last year nationally, according to an Outdoor Industry Association report. (Adobe Stock)

Narrowing the Impact of Outdoor Recreation on Wildlife

Wyoming has seen a rapid increase in outdoor recreation in recent years, and biologists are uncovering new details about how people are impacting …

Wyoming has been a leader nationally on protecting wildlife migration corridors, including vast tracts of grasslands key for wildlife connectivity. (Adobe Stock)

Grasslands Protectors Chart Restoration Course in Cheyenne

More than 300 ranchers, tribal members, conservationists, researchers, federal and state agency officials gathered in Cheyenne last week to find ways …

The world's leading scientists have warned that fossil fuel emissions must be cut by 45% by 2030, and phased out entirely by 2050, to avert catastrophic impacts of a changing climate. (Adobe Stock)

BLM Proposal Continues New Oil and Gas Leasing on Public Lands

July was the hottest month in recorded history, but critics of the Bureau of Land Management's new oil and gas rules warned the proposal ignores the …

Scholarship recipients are required to register with the Wyoming Department of Workforce, which will help connect students to job opportunities. (Adobe Stock)

College Scholarships Help Fill WY High-Demand Worker Pipeline

Fall semester is just weeks away, and many adults age 24 and older are tapping up to $72-hundred in scholarships to start or finish a college degree …

The historic stone barn at the Stephen George Homestead is made of limestone with visible seashell and other fossils. (Sheridan Community Land Trust Staff).

Tour Opens Up Historic Wyoming Agricultural Sites to Public

The Alliance for Historic Wyoming is hosting its next "Unbarred" tour on Aug. 5, featuring historic agricultural buildings in Sheridan County…

If commissioners approve Rocky Mountain Power's request, the utility is expected to bring in an<br />additional $140 million per year from ratepayers. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Ratepayers Could Be on Hook for Volatile Natural Gas Prices

The Wyoming Public Service Commission is holding its first public comment hearing today in Rock Springs on Rocky Mountain Power's proposal to increase…

Wyoming is one of 31 States where utilities can shut off electricity for nonpayment amid heat waves. (Adobe Stock)

Older Wyomingites Mobilize Over Utility Rate Increase

Wyoming's largest advocacy group for people age 50 and older is mobilizing its 80,000 members to let the state's Public Service Commission know what t…

Until the Inflation Reduction Act raised oil and gas leasing rates on lands owned by all Americans, the industry paid as little as $1.50 per acre to install wells, compared to tens of thousands per acre charged to wind and solar operators. (Adobe Stock)

BLM to Cut Solar, Wind Leasing Fees by 80 Percent

The Bureau of Land Management wants to cut leasing rates by 80% for wind and solar projects on public lands, and streamline the application process…

Blacklegged ticks or deer ticks are widely known to transmit Lyme disease, and new research shows they can carry enough prions to infect deer with Chronic Wasting Disease. (Adobe Stock)

Ticks Can Carry Infectious Levels of Chronic Wasting Disease

Scientists are gaining ground in the race to understand what is causing the spread of chronic wasting disease, or CWD, in deer and elk. Stuart …

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is investing $10 million to restore the LaBarge Restoration Landscape Area, which includes sections of the Red Desert to Hoback mule deer migration corridor. (Adobe Stock)

BLM to Invest $20 Million in Wyoming Public Lands Restoration

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management is investing $161 million dollars to restore public lands in Wyoming and 10 other western states. Joshua Metten…

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