Wyoming News & Current Events | Public News Service

According to 2022 data, there were roughly 2,800 wolves distributed across at least 286 packs in seven western states, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Adobe Stock)

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Conservationists reframe the 'big, bad wolf' narrative

From Little Red Riding Hood to the Halloween thriller "Wolf Man," stories often paint wolves as scary creatures but conservationists argued it is the …

Ambulances near Pinedale, Wyoming drove 94,000 miles last year to compensate for a lack of local medical services, according to the Sublette County Hospital District. (Wikimedia Commons)

Pinedale, WY bucks trend, builds new rural hospital

By Sarah Jane Tribble for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Wyoming News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News…

Throughout the Wyoming Frontier Prison's 80 years serving as the state's penitentiary, it contained a factory producing, at different times, brooms, shirts, wool blankets and license plates. (Kit Leong/Adobe Stock)

WY historic sites capitalize on Halloween

Halloween is a busy time of year for some of Wyoming's historical sites, where staff throw thematic events to help fund programming for the rest of …

A recent report gave Wyoming low marks for its efforts to reduce exposure to lead in K-12 schools. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Feds set deadline to replace lead water pipes; schools excluded

Groups that advocate for clean water are applauding the Environmental Protection Agency's new rule on replacing lead pipes - but they warn that the dr…

According to a report for the state, wages for Wyoming teachers in May 2023 were about 81% of those in comparable occupations including management, health care, computers, legal professions and more. (Henryk Sadura/Adobe Stock)

WY lawmakers urge returning public school funding to constitutional minimum

A Wyoming committee has recommended a temporary bump in funding for public schools, while educators await a judge's decision on the state's broader …

To date, the Bureau of Land Management has permitted clean-energy projects on public lands adding 29 gigawatts of electricity, or enough to power more than 12 million homes, according to the agency. (Adobe Stock)

BLM’s proposed Western Solar Plan leaves room for wildlife

A new federal proposal details which public lands across the West would be open to solar development. Wildlife advocates are glad to see that some - …

The U.S. Postal Service's Delivering for America plan is not expected to cause layoffs, but Ricci Roberts, the branch president of mail handlers in Cheyenne, said keeping a job under the changes may require relocating. (Adobe Stock)

As WY mail to be routed out of state, many say concerns unheard

As the U.S. Postal Service continues to implement a long-term reform plan, rural customers in places such as Wyoming may pay the price. Following …

National parks in Wyoming supported about $479 million in labor income in 2023, according to a National Park Service report. (Adobe Stock)

Grand Teton National Park sees high visitor spending, seeks input

Visitor spending in and near national parks contributed to the U.S. economy at a record high level last year. Grand Teton is one park looking at how …

In the past two decades, suicide rates in rural states, including Wyoming, have been about double those in urban areas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Adobe Stock)

WY suicide rates high, despite federal prevention efforts

By Cheryl Platzman Weinstock for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Wyoming News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Publ…

The odds of an active shooting are about three times higher where guns are allowed than in a gun-free zone, according to research published this month in The Lancet. (Adobe Stock)

WY lawmakers consider concealed weapons in public schools, state facilities

Wyoming lawmakers are discussing gun legislation, after Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed a bill which would have repealed "gun free zones" this spring…

Some 899 of 936 public comments on the plan for the proposed West Fork Dam, or 96%, opposed the West Fork Battle Creek Dam project, according to a tally by Wyofile. (Adobe Stock)

Feds ask WY to recalculate cost of proposed West Fork Dam

A federal agency is requiring Wyoming to update cost estimates for a large proposed dam in Carbon County, which has been under feasibility studies …

Including the $236 million in federal funding for wildland fire management recently announced for 2025, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has invested a total of $1 billion to the cause, according to the Department of the Interior. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Wildfire management funding should include community response

This month, the federal government announced funding for next year's wildfire management, totaling $236 million and experts hope threatened …

Federal lawmakers respond to WY wolf abuse, state's response

Following the torture of a wolf by a Wyoming man, a state panel is seeking a bill to protect the killing of predators with vehicles, but Federal …

In response to the House Draw Fire, the Wyoming Game and Fish Department invited reports of injured wildlife to a hotline typically used to report poaching. (Adobe Stock)

WY communities pitch in on wildfire recovery efforts

Recent extreme wildfires in Wyoming burned nearly 500,000 acres and among those recovering are ranchers and their surviving livestock. Wildfires …

The last operational one-room schoolhouse in Sheridan County, Wyoming, the Slack School, was built in the 1880s, burned down in the 1920s and rebuilt in the 1930s. (Ashlee Gorham, Slack School)

School year begins in WY’s few remaining one-room schoolhouses

It is back-to-school season and for 11 students in Sheridan County, Wyoming, it means returning to a one-room schoolhouse. The Slack School was …

80% of Wyoming adults say that EMS should be considered an essential service, according to a 2024 AARP survey. (Kirill Gorlov/Adobe Stock)

Survey: Wyomingites support increased EMS funding

Some emergency medical services, or EMS, are consolidating or closing across Wyoming, while the need for services is increasing. In 2021, Wyoming EMS …

The U.S. Supreme Court's overturning of Chevron could affect how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages animals on the Endangered Species List, like the wolverine, which was added to the list in 2023. (Erik Mandre/Adobe Stock)

Supreme Court decision could impact wildlife and public lands

A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision could affect public lands and wildlife in places like Wyoming. In June, the nation's highest court overturned a …

The BLM's Rock Springs planning area in southwest Wyoming is one of the largest in the lower 48 states and is part of the world's longest recorded mule deer migration. (Adobe Stock)

BLM's Rock Springs management plan has some wins for conservation

The Bureau of Land Management proposed a new plan for public lands in southwest Wyoming, that makes some headway for conservation. The BLM's new …

The suicide rate among 15- to-19-year-olds in Wyoming was more than double the U.S. rate in 2019, according to data from the Wyoming Department of Health. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Schools play important role in K-12 mental health

As the school year begins, experts are advising schools on how to preserve students' mental health but politics in states such as Wyoming limit …

The Sage Creek Community Club could soon be on the National Register of Historic Places. (Alliance for Historic Wyoming)

Bighorn Basin community halls tour to promote preservation efforts

The Sage Creek Community Club is 100 years old this year and is one stop on a tour this weekend of similar buildings in the region. The small…

TerraPower's Natrium plant, slated for construction in Kemmerer, will use liquid sodium to cool its reactor, instead of the industry standard of water, according to the company's website. (Adobe Stock)

Federal funds to help fuel ‘next-gen’ WY nuclear plant

Recent investments in clean energy from the Biden administration are hitting the ground in Wyoming. Engineering company TerraPower, founded by Bill …

Research about daily routines shows that each ritual�including family dinners and reading and storytelling�was linked to a 47% increase in children�s good social-emotional health, according to Reuters. (Adobe Stock)

Experts: Routines help kids settle into school year

It is time for families to prep kids for the school year and Wyoming experts said sleep and social media hygiene are key. Children's health experts …

According to the National Park Service, there were 136 grizzly bears in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in 1975 when the species was listed under the federal Endangered Species Act. In 2022, the estimated population was 965. (Adobe Stock)

Feds delay decision on ‘endangered’ status of Yellowstone grizzlies

A federal decision on the endangered status of grizzly bears has been delayed. Wildlife managers in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho have petitioned the U.…

Research shows the neurodevelopmental capacities of people ages 18-21, or late adolescence, is more similar to juveniles ages 13-17 than adults, according to a 2022 paper in the Annual Review of Criminology. (Jan H. Andersen/Adobe Stock)

WY case questions life-without-parole sentencing for adolescents

A new case filed in a Wyoming district court argues that a man's sentence of life in prison without parole was unconstitutional because of his age…

Although abortion access is currently legal in Wyoming, there is only one clinic performing procedural abortions and one providing medication abortions. (Adobe Stock)

WY judge expected to make decision on abortion case

A Wyoming district judge is expected to decide a case over a state law which would ban abortions with few exceptions. The "Life is a Human Right …

Chronic Wasting Disease was detected in 30.3% of hunter-harvested adult, male white-tailed deer in 2023-up from 25.9% in 2022, according to a Wyoming Game and Fish Department report. (Jacob W. Frank/NPS)

Wyoming Game and Fish names new leader

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department will soon have a new director, and she's taking stock of the challenges ahead. More than half of Wyoming's …

More than half of single parents in Wyoming earn less than $17 per hour, according to an Oxfam America report. (Adobe Stock)

More than 1 in 4 WY workers would benefit from higher minimum wage

More than 80,000 Wyoming workers would benefit from an increased minimum wage, according to a new report. Wyoming is one of 16 states where …

Wyoming ranks 47th in the nation for coverage, access and affordability of women's health and reproductive care, according to a new Commonwealth Fund scorecard. (Adobe Stock)

Report: WY ranks low on women’s access to health and reproductive care

Wyoming ranks 42nd in the U.S. for women's health and reproductive care, according to a new report - and some are urging lawmakers to make changes…

Tenth Circuit Court expected to decide on public lands access

A court is soon expected to decide a Wyoming case between hunters and landowners which could affect public land access. When a group from Missouri …

Wyoming's Bighorn Basin is located between mountain ranges that block the flow of moisture-laden air from both the east and west, making it one of the driest places in the state, according to the Water Resources Data System and State Climate Office. (BLM Wyoming)

Projected costs loom over benefits of proposed Bighorn Basin dam

Wyoming's irrigation infrastructure is aging and the state gets regular requests to update it but in some cases, project benefits may not outweigh …

The Wind River Canyon corridor is part of U.S. Route 20, the longest highway in the country, which spans 2,542 miles from Boston, Massachusetts to Newport, Oregon, according to the Federal Highway Administration. (Rita Robinson/Adobe Stock)

WYDOT gets grant for Wind River Canyon corridor study

Wyoming's Wind River Canyon corridor turns 100 years old this year, and federal grant money will soon support a study on potential improvements…

The Pilot Butte Wild Horse scenic loop runs between Rock Springs and Green River and through the White Mountain Herd Management Area, which encompasses over 390,000 acres. (Gates Frontiers Fund Wyoming Collection/Carol M. Highsmith Archive/Library of Congress)

BLM announces WY wild horse roundup to start in August

The Bureau of Land Management says it will start a wild horse roundup in Wyoming's White Mountain area, but wildlife advocates say the plan exceeds …

Wyomingites aged 70-79 had the highest voter turnout rates in every general election from 2008 to 2022, according to data from the Secretary of State. (Adobe Stock)

WY candidates address older voters in online videos

Data show older voters are an influential demographic in Wyoming elections and a new series of videos asks candidates questions specific to the group…

There were 165 wildlife-vehicle collisions in Teton County between May 2020 and April 2021, according to the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation, the lowest number since data collection started in 2011. (Adobe Stock)

Park visitors cautioned to respect wildlife

July is one of the busiest months for national parks and wildlife advocates have tips for reducing conflicts with animals. Grand Teton and …

Between 2011 and 2021, suicide rates increased more than 26% in rural areas-more than double the 12% increase in metro areas, according to KFF data. (Adobe Stock)

Wyoming localizes mental health crisis response

Wyoming ranked highest in the nation for suicide rates four consecutive years through 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and …

Of the 17 states that have enacted music therapy legislation, 11 have placed the law in its own statute chapter, and others have grouped it with other forms of therapy. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Group aims to get music therapy licensure in Wyoming

Advocates in Wyoming trying to get music therapy licensure recognized in the state are hitting roadblocks. Members of the Wyoming Music Therapy …

Around 67% of LGBTQ+ people reported needing a mental health service over the past two years, compared with 39% of non-LGBTQ+ people, according to KFF. (Chris Allan/Adobe Stock)

WY theater company talks health care on stage

As Pride Month winds down, health advocates want members of the LGBTQ+ community to know about health care options, despite any challenges to …

Sage grouse have been petitioned for addition to the federal endangered species list nine times over the last 25 years, according to a U.S. Geological Survey report. (Western Watersheds Project)

Feds updating management plans for threatened sage grouse ecosystem

After nearly a decade of delays, a federal agency is working on a new resource management plan that will affect an iconic Western bird species…

Participating in the arts may improve older adults' health, well-being and independence, according to the National Institute on Aging. (Adobe Stock)

WY grant supports creative aging through arts

Teaching artists can now apply for grant funding centered on programs for older Wyomingites. The Creative Aging Project Grant, from the Wyoming Arts …

About 1.3 million public school educators and 100,000 college and university professors have been affected by educational gag orders from 2021 through 2023, according to a new report from the American Association of University Professors. (Adobe Stock)

University of Wyoming dealing with state’s cuts to diversity office

The University of Wyoming is scrambling to address a major funding cut state legislators passed in a footnote to the state budget. During this …

Wyoming ranked eleventh in the nation for the economic well-being of the state's children, according to the latest Kids Count Data Book. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Increased children’s health coverage in WY, education needs boost

The number of Wyoming children with health insurance increased last year - but the state still ranked low in the nation for children's health overall…

About 60% of coal energy generation and 79% of all non-hydro clean energy were produced in rural America, according to a Rural Climate Partnership report. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Rural communities deal with emissions from industries that benefit cities

Nearly 70% of Wyomingites live in non metro areas, and a new report finds that a large portion of the state's greenhouse-gas emissions originate …

The Food Bank of Wyoming distributed nearly 10 million pounds of food to patrons last year. (Adobe Stock)

Grant helps WY pantries source food locally

As summer begins, people who rely on Food Bank of Wyoming will start seeing more local options, thanks to a new grant. The U.S. Department of …

Of the Environmental Protection Agency's Region 8 states, Wyoming produces the most nitrogen oxides annually, at nearly 38,000 tons. (Adobe Stock)

WY awaits EPA decision on updated haze plan

Wyoming is one of several states currently updating its plan to address regional haze, but local environmental groups say its plan isn't enough…

Coal production in the Powder River Basin was 50% lower in the first quarter of 2024 than the first quarter of 2014, by about 49 million tons. (Robert Coy/Adobe Stock)

Changes in WY coal production may call for changes in tax structure

A new policy could affect the future of coal mining in the Powder River Basin and in turn, Wyoming's tax structure. The Powder River Basin produced …

As of 2023, one in five lawfully present immigrant adults says they're uninsured, compared with fewer than one in ten naturalized and U.S.-born citizen adults, according to KFF. (Adobe Stock)

DACA recipients soon to have access to health coverage

The Biden administration has finalized a rule that will expand health care coverage to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients, who will …

A partir de 2023, uno de cada cinco adultos inmigrantes legalmente presentes dice que no tiene seguro, en comparaci�n con menos de uno de cada diez adultos ciudadanos naturalizados y nacidos en los EE. UU., seg�n KFF. (Adobe Stock)

Beneficiarios de DACA pronto tendrán acceso a cobertura médica

La administración Biden finalizó una norma que ampliará la cobertura de atención médica a los beneficiarios de la Acción…

Despite recent increases, Wyomingites pay some of the lowest property taxes in the country. (Christopher Boswell/Adobe Stock)

WY governor to talk property tax shifts at 'TeleTown Hall'

Gov. Mark Gordon will address Wyomingites this week to detail new avenues for property tax relief. Following the pandemic, property values in …

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