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Nearly seven in ten suicides in Wyoming were carried out with firearms between 2018 and 2022. (Adobe Stock)

Suicide rate prompts WY lawmakers to invest in mental-health services

Wyoming's suicide rate ranks first in the nation, according to the most recent data, and state lawmakers are taking steps to improve access to mental …

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…

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…

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 …

Wyoming ranks in the bottom five states alongside South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi, in children's health. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Wyoming Children Near Bottom Nationally for Health

Wyoming dropped from 14th to 27th nationally in this year's Kids Count Data Book published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, which ranks states for …

More than 60% of rural counties lack a psychiatrist, and almost half do not have a psychologist, compared with 27% and 19% of urban counties, respectively. (Adobe Stock)

Addressing Challenges to Behavioral Health Care in Rural Wyoming

A new report spotlights some of the challenges to accessing behavioral health care for the one in seven Americans who live in rural areas. Kendall …

A new Annie E. Casey Foundation report found a 35% increase in the number of kids in Wyoming entering foster care due to abuse. (Adobe Stock)

Helping Wyoming Foster Youths Succeed as Adults

The number of Wyoming children in foster care between the ages of 14 and 21 has dropped by 54% over the past two decades, according to a new Annie E…

In 2011, coal produced 44% of all electricity in the United States. In 2022, it produced just 20% and is projected to drop to 10% or less by 2030. (Creativenature.nl/Adobe Stock)

Report: Half of Nation’s Coal Power Units to Retire by 2026

The U.S. is projected to retire half of its coal-fired power units by 2026, just 15 years after coal use for electricity reached its peak in 2011…

Grace Raymond Hebard's second home, known as the Doctor's Inn at 318 S. 10th St. in Laramie, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the University Neighborhood Historic District. (Andrea Graham/Alliance for Historic Wyoming)

Project Highlights Women Who Forged, Documented Wyoming's History

Wyoming became the first U.S. territory to give women the right to vote in 1869, half a century before the nation finally followed the Cowboy State's …

Last March, Wyoming lawmakers passed a law that would ban abortions in most cases if the U.S. Supreme Court decided to overturn Roe v. Wade, which the high court did in June. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming Supreme Court Sends Suit Over Abortion Ban Back to District

The Wyoming Supreme Court has decided it will not weigh in on a lawsuit that has temporarily halted a ban on abortions in the state. Citing a state …

According to the Federal Trade Commission, financial fraud totaled $5.9 billion in 2021, although experts like Stokes believe the real cost is much higher because many victims are too ashamed to come forward. (Adobe Stock)

Study Calls for Ending Financial-Fraud Victim Blaming

A new report suggested changing how we talk about victims of financial fraud could lead to a shift in how Wyoming and the nation respond to this growi…

Wyoming-based Chelsea's Fund provides financial support for women seeking an abortion, and also is accepting donations. (Adobe Stock)

Post-Roe Resources Available for Wyoming Women

Abortion is on course to be illegal in Wyoming after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade Friday. Justices ruled the 50-year …

On April 22, AARP Wyoming will hold paper-shredding events in Sheridan, Rock Springs and Cheyenne, where folks can bring their personal documents to be safely discarded. (Adobe Stock)

Breaking the Silence on Elder Abuse

Elder abuse is experienced by at least one in 10 people aged 60 and older who live at home, and AARP Wyoming is working to ensure people have the …

Even though Wyoming officials have tried to prioritize mental-health care for youths, many facilities are having difficulties keeping their doors open due to budget cuts. (Adobe Stock)

Holiday Poses Challenges for Foster Youths Aging Out of System

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Young people in Wyoming who have not been adopted officially age out of the foster-care system when they turn 18, joining 24,000 …

Raising women's hourly wages to match those of Wyoming men would add $153 million in labor income in a single year, a report says. (Adobe Stock)

Report Cites Economic Power of Wyoming Women

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Women left the workforce during the pandemic at higher rates than men, and a new report suggests full economic recovery won't be …

Yellowstone National Park has a new mobile app with live updates to the status of lodges, campgrounds, roads and geyser predictions when in cell service. (Adobe Stock)

Tips for Yellowstone During a Crowded Summer

CANYON VILLAGE, Wyo. - Yellowstone National Park is experiencing record numbers of visitors this summer, and park officials are offering tips to help …

A majority of women are breadwinners in their families. (Pixabay)

Survey: Moms Want More Than Breakfast in Bed This Mother’s Day

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Mother's Day draws near, a new survey conducted by the Institute for Women's Policy Research offers a clearer picture of what …

Every dollar paid out to retirees in Wyoming creates an estimated $1.12 in economic activity. (Pixabay)

Closing Wage Gap Would Boost Retirement Security for WY Women

LARAMIE, Wyo. - Women in Wyoming earn just 70 cents for every dollar a man makes, and that wage gap plays a deciding role in how and when women can …

Wyoming ranks second nationally behind Texas for its rate of uninsured children at 10.6%. (World Bank/Flickr)

Report: Lower Rates of Uninsured Kids Linked to Medicaid Expansion

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Wyoming lawmakers consider a proposal to expand Medicaid coverage, a new Georgetown University Center for Children and Families …

AARP's most recent survey found that 90% of adults age 65 and older want to stay in their<br />homes and communities as they age. (A Place for Mom)

Senior Home-Care Cuts Could Expand State Budget Shortfalls

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- When Wyoming lawmakers reconvene in early March, advocates for people age fifty and older are hoping to convince them to preserve a …

One in six Wyoming residents currently does not know where his or her next meal will come from. (Wyoming Food Bank of the Rockies)

Food Bank "Leans In" to Meet Growing Demand Across WY

EVANSVILLE, Wyo. -- Food banks in Wyoming and across the nation are seeing unprecedented demand in the wake of economic fallout from the coronavirus …

A 2011 AARP survey shows 90% of adults age 65 and older want to stay in their homes and communities as they age. (Marzena P/Pixabay)

Weighing the Costs of Cutting Home-Care Services

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Wyoming lawmakers wrestle with a staggering $750 million budget deficit, the state's largest advocacy organization for people …

Wyoming's decision to not expand Medicaid coverage has cost the state nearly $1 billion in federal tax dollars since 2013. (U.S. Army Reserve)

Pressure Mounts to Expand Medicaid During Coronavirus Emergency

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- As more Wyoming workers lose their job-related health insurance because of downturns in the coal, oil and gas industries during the …

Some 32,000 Wyoming kids live in homes where parents lack secure employment, and 10,000 don't have health insurance coverage. (USAF)

Wyoming Struggles to Catch Up in Children's Health

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- A new report ranks Wyoming 16th among states for the overall well-being of its children, down from last year when the Cowboy State …

Key elements for phasing out fossil fuels in a managed way include social protection for fossil fuel workers, sound investments in low-emission sectors, and local economic diversification. (Pixabay)

Report: Protecting Workers Key to Phasing Out Fossil-Fuel Dependence

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Wyoming's oil and gas sector continues to struggle during the coronavirus pandemic, a new report in the journal Climate Policy …

Women across the United States, already stretched thin as both breadwinners and primary caregivers, now are also charged with teaching kids. (Pixabay)

Women's Monthly Job Losses Five Times Losses in Great Recession

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Since the coronavirus sent the U.S. economy into a medically induced coma, more than 21 million jobs have been lost. And research …

Oil and gas operations on public lands can degrade and fragment big-game habitat, disrupting historic migration routes and mating and birthing sites. (Wikimedia Commons)

BLM's Blanket Oil-Gas Leasing Puts WY Hunting at Risk

ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. -- The U.S. Bureau of Land Management's emphasis on opening public lands for oil and gas development has put hunting and other …

Wyoming residents are helping neighbors most at risk for COVID-10 by delivering groceries and shoveling springtime snow. (Oddharmonic/Flickr)

Wyoming Communities Step Up Support Efforts in Pandemic

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Wyoming residents are responding to life under the COVID-19 pandemic by stepping up to help neighbors, small businesses and …

School food service staff members in Wyoming are shifting gears as classrooms close, and finding creative ways to make sure children don't go hungry during the COVID-19 crisis. (Wyoming Department of Education)

WY School Districts Offer Healthy Meals for Kids at Home

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As Wyoming joins the national effort to protect public health in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis by closing classrooms, school …

Migration routes allow mule deer and other species to move between winter habitat and areas with enough cover and food to give birth in spring. (Pixabay)

Hunters Hail Gordon's Move to Protect Game Migration Corridors

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- Hunting groups are praising Gov. Mark Gordon for his work to protect the state's iconic migration corridors for mule deer and …

In 2019, the state Legislature increased funding for Wyoming Senior Centers by $225,000. (Knox County Gov/Flickr)

Wyoming Family Caregivers Provide $980 Million in Unpaid Care

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Some 74,000 unpaid caregivers in Wyoming provide an estimated 62 million hours of care each year, valued at $980 million…

Currently, only 8% of Wyoming families can afford infant care, according to federal affordability standards. (Pixnio)

Infant Care Not Affordable for Vast Majority of Wyoming Families

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – A new Economic Policy Institute report shows how hard it is for Wyoming families to pay for early child care and education for …

Immigrants, even those under deportation orders, do not have to allow ICE to enter the home without a warrant signed by a judge. The U.S. Constitution's 4th Amendment protects anyone in the country, regardless of immigration status, against illegal searches and seizures. (Pixabay)

Immigrant-Rights Supporters Call for Volunteers to Monitor ICE Activity

CASPER, Wyo. – Arrests and deportations of immigrants by ICE agents are on the rise, and the Wyoming Rapid Response Network is looking for more …

If a federal court repeals the Affordable Care Act, veterans would lose coverage in part because Veterans Administration hospitals couldn't meet demand. (Pixabay)

Veterans to Lose Health Coverage if ACA Repealed by Court

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – If federal judges overturn the Affordable Care Act, more military veterans would lose their health insurance than the total …

Just 663 Wyoming children live in high-poverty areas, and teen births have dropped by 55% since 1990. (Pixabay)

Wyoming Ranks Near Last in Children's Health

LARAMIE, Wyo. — Wyoming ranks 49th nationally for child health, and an estimated 14,000 Wyoming kids do not have health insurance. That's …

In 2016, an estimated 4,429 grandparents in Wyoming had the primary responsibility for raising their grandchildren. (Matti/Wikimedia Commons)

Wyoming Foster Care System Makes Progress

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Foster care is improving in Wyoming and across the nation, according to a new Annie E. Casey Foundation report. More kids …

Just 29 percent of parents in Wyoming read to their babies every day, compared with the national average of 38.2 percent. (Pixabay)

Wyoming Ranks Low Nationally on Support for Babies, Toddlers

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Wyoming ranks toward the bottom nationally for early-childhood health and development, according to a new report measuring 60 …

Wyoming currently spends $138 million per year for long-term care costs, according to the Wyoming Department of Health. (Pixabay)

AARP Makes Case for Investments to Save Long-Term Care Costs

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — As Wyoming lawmakers work to create a state budget with smaller revenues from oil and gas production, advocates for people 50 …

Researchers cite congressional attacks on affordable health coverage in 2017 as one possible reason for an increase in uninsured children. (ShanePeter/Wikimedia Commons)

Number of Uninsured Kids On the Rise in WY

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – For the first time in a decade, the number of uninsured children in the United States has gone up. According to a new …

Compared with their peers, youths in foster care are more likely to experience early pregnancy, homelessness and incarceration. (Beth Rankin/Wikimedia Commons)

Wyoming Foster Youths Face Challenges in Transitioning to Adulthood

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Young people in foster care are falling behind their peers and are on track to face higher levels of joblessness and …

Federal scientists use radio-telemetry collars, such as the one on this elk, to monitor characteristics of healthy herds. (National Park Service)

Northwest Wyoming Elk Returning to Healthier Winter Range

JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. – As snow returns to Wyoming's mountain regions, elk are beginning their annual migration toward winter ranges. But some …

A new report finds that, at 15 percent, Wyoming is above the national average (10 percent) of youth ages 18 to 24 who are also young parents. (Pixnio)

Report Exposes Challenges Facing Wyoming's Young Parents

LARAMIE, Wyo. – Parenting can be a challenge for Wyoming's most financially secure residents, but hardships can be even greater for young …

The 2018 Wyoming Conference on Aging will outline strategies, including exercise, for managing chronic health conditions. (USAF)

Experts Gather in Laramie to Address Wyoming's Aging Population

LARAMIE, Wyo. – The Wyoming Conference on Aging, a three-day event set to kick off Oct. 2 in Laramie, aims to be a one stop shop for the latest …

A recent Johns Hopkins survey found that nearly two-thirds of Americans oppose cuts to SNAP, the program formerly known as food stamps. (Pxhere)

Report: Work Requirements for SNAP Won't Expand Workforce

CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- As the U.S. House and Senate try to hammer out a final version of the Farm Bill, a new report shows that increasing work …

Just 5 percent of Wyoming children live in families where the household lacks a high school diploma, and 1 percent of children live in high-poverty areas. (National Park Service)

Thousands of Wyoming Kids May Go Uncounted by Census

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Wyoming ranks 18th in child well being, according to The Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2018 KIDS COUNT Data Book that ranks all …

Residents of Evanston say the proposal to build a private immigrant detention center in town has cast a dark cloud over the community. (Ken Lund)

Proposed Evanston Detention Center Brings Racial Tensions to Surface

EVANSTON, Wyo. — As Uinta County officials push for a new private immigrant detention center based in Evanston, residents have become …

The average student debt load in 2017 was more than $39,000. Nearly 44 million Americans currently owe nearly $1.5 trillion in student loans. (Pixabay)

High School Students Not Prepared to Manage Cost of College, Says Survey

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – As another school year draws to a close, a new survey shows a majority of high school juniors and nearly 40 percent of seniors …

The city of Jackson is working on becoming an

New Online Tool Measures Community Livability

CASPER, Wyo. – A new online tool launched by AARP allows anyone to see how their community stacks up against others in Wyoming and across the …

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WY: Family/Father Issues