wyoming economy

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By Coy Knobel, Cowboy State Daily

If you travel Wyoming’s “miles and miles of miles and miles” you need an automobile, but if your current one isn’t quite cutting it, don’t expect the car buying experience to be anything like it was way back in 2020.

Vehicle shortages and supply chain disruptions have completely changed the landscape of the automobile business in the last two years, experts told Cowboy State Daily.

“Everything changed in February or March of 2020,” said Scott Cargill, general manager for White’s Frontier Motors in Gillette and past president of the Wyoming Automobile Dealers Association. 

That’s when COVID-19 shut down auto production for months and Cargill said auto makers still haven’t caught up.

“On my lot as far as new vehicles at the end 2019, I had 110. On my lot now for new vehicles, as of today I have nine,” he said. “For three months we got nothing.  Then when we started back up there were shortages of all kinds of different parts.”

“Ridiculously More Expensive”

Jessica Caldwell, works for Edmunds, a company that exists to advise people on car buying.  She said the challenges facing Wyoming car buyers are many.

“It’s pretty daunting out there for consumers,” Caldwell, executive director of insights for Edmunds, told Cowboy State Daily.  “Everything is ridiculously more expensive.”

She said the global shortage of semiconductor microchips, the components needed to make the electronics work in everything from new vehicles to video game consoles, is only the most common problem. 

It’s a global supply chain issue, she said.

One dealer may not be able to get wheels. Another can get wheels, but not something else. China, a primary provider of automobile components, continues to see disruptions in its ability to provide goods with each new resurgence of COVID-19.

When Will It End?

The car market for consumers is unlikely to improve anytime soon, according to Cargill and Caldwell.  

“When we get vehicles from the factory, our allocations, they have continued to be smaller for the last two years than they were pre-COVID,” Cargill said.

He received word from a car maker the day he spoke with Cowboy State Daily that the car maker was shutting down a truck factory for a week because of the chip shortage.

“The factory has been telling us it’s going to get better as 2022 goes on, but I don’t see that,” Cargill said.  “I haven’t seen any signs that it is getting better.”

“At end of 2021, forecasting felt like there was more optimism, that things were going to get better.  We were on the way to recovery, but now as we start the second half of this year, it doesn’t appear to be that way,” Caldwell said.  “It doesn’t feel like anyone has a good handle on when we recover from the chip shortage. It’s hard to get a grip on.” 

Changing Expectations

Because of the severe shortage in supply, the car market experts said factors like high gas prices and high interest rates for car loans are not yet affecting the market like they once would have.

“If we could ever get stock to go up, then it could affect that,” Cargill said. “It just doesn’t matter now when there are no cars to sell.”

“The last couple months, interest rates have gone up.  The gas price spikes continue,” Caldwell said.  There is probably some softening of consumer demand, people who maybe don’t need one right now.  They may wait until they absolutely need one… but dealers are selling whatever they have.” 

She said in the past when faced with high gas prices, consumers might have opted for more fuel-efficient vehicles.  They may have a preference for a certain type of car.  They might always go to the same dealer. 

These things are changing. Car buyers are purchasing what is available wherever they can get it.

The key to car buying today is changing expectations, Cargill and Caldwell said.

“We are still doing business. People are still buying cars,” Cargill said, but being “patient and flexible are what people need to be.”

In Wyoming if you see a truck or a large SUV on a car lot there is a good chance that it is already sold, he said.

“We are selling vehicles to people all over the country,” Cargill said. 

Supply And Demand

“Be flexible.  The more flexible you are, the more likely you find something to suit your needs,” he said.  “If you are coming on my lot now looking for vehicle, I have nine choices.”

Post-2020, a lot of Cargill’s customers have come in to order vehicles. Being patient and flexible helps in this process too.

“Before when you ordered a vehicle, you would tell me what you want. I would put in the sold order and 6 to 8 weeks later the vehicle would show up,” Cargill said.

Now when a customer gives him an order they have to wait until he “earns” inventory from the factory before the customer’s order gets put on the build list.  

Dealers earn inventory or allocation spots based on a national daily supply average.  If they have less than the daily supply average, they earn spots.  If they are at the average or more they don’t earn spots.

“There’s only so much to earn in the pot.  It’s a national pot,” Cargill said.  “It could take up to six months to get a vehicle.  Once the order gets placed the timeline is quicker, but they could wait to get the order placed.”

Caldwell said Wyoming car buyers are not at a buying disadvantage compared to people in higher population areas or who live near ports.  The supply shortage is everywhere.  There are no hidden pools of vehicles waiting for customers to find.

“There isn’t any excess,” she said.  People are searching for cars nationwide, or at least much further away than they would have pre-COVID.  ‘Ho-hum’ makes and model cars are being snapped up just about as fast as popular or “hot” models.

“Supply is low.  It has been, not just for a few months, but for more than a year and it’s significantly lower,” she continued.  “If you see something you like and in the realm of what you can pay, act fast.”

Caldwell heard stories of salespeople at dealerships selling cars while customers of another salesperson were on the way to pick up that same car.

Used Car Market ‘Insane’

In the past buying a used car was an option for people who could not afford a new car.  These days, the used car market is “something we’ve never seen before,” according to Kort Kinney in Riverton. 

He’s seen a lot.  Kinney worked in the car business for decades, starting as a salesman then business manager and eventually general manager for a dealership in Fremont County.  After a brief stint at retirement he opened his own business where he sells used cars and cars on consignment. 

“Since COVID we have seen the market increase exponentially,” Kinney said of the used car market. “I have been in the business 40 years.  I’ve seen prices inflate, but nothing to this magnitude, not even close.” 

He said with the lack of new cars, dealers are buying up used car inventory and that demand has driven used car prices “through the roof”. 

“Two- to three-year-old vehicles are selling for more than their sticker price was brand new,” he said.

That is what the dealer is paying and he said some “sleazy” dealers mark those prices up much higher than they reasonably should.

“Certain vehicles are going for $20,000 to $30,000 above MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price).  It’s total insanity,” Kinney said.  

But he predicts it won’t stay that way.

“When you have lived a long time, I’ve lived for 64 years, you see a lot of things happen and it seems to repeat itself,” Kinney said. “People who are younger say it will never end, but it always does.”

Hold Off

In the meantime, Kinney is advising people who don’t absolutely have to buy a car now not to.

“Eventually things are going to come back to roost,” he said. “The shortage will eventually be over.  Inflation will be over.  When that happens, people who have bought a car paying an inflated price will be upside down.”

Caldwell said used car buyers especially should “look at the full finance picture instead of just the asking price.”  

Used car buyers often finance and are generally charged a higher interest rate than for new cars.

“Look at what you are paying for finance,” she said.  “If a used vehicle costs less, but has a higher annual percentage interest rate over the course of years,” it may not be as good a deal as it appears.

Caldwell encouraged people trading in or selling their cars to research how much their car might be worth before they sell it because of the stark changes in the market in the last couple of years.

“The days of not getting very much for a trade-in are over,” she said.  “If it is a relatively new vehicle, you are getting near what you paid, with some exceptions.”

Kinney hoped for changes soon that would make car buying less daunting than it is right now.

“I feel for the people.  I really do,” Kinney said.

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By Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily
clair@cowboystatedaily.com

High fuel prices are forcing an increase in the cost of all other goods in the West, which could lead to a decline in consumer demands for products, Wyoming truckers warned this week.  

The national average diesel price on Monday hit nearly $5.72 per gallon – an increase of more than two dollars from last June, when the national average was $3.29.  

The increase has a ripple effect with nearly every other tangible product, said Kim Barr, part-owner of Rolling Hills Trucking in Worland, adding that despite 30 years of working in transport, he’s never seen fuel costs climb by this magnitude.  

“It’s kind of getting ridiculous,” he said.  

Trucking companies’ survivalist responses to the fuel hike are nearly universal, said Barr: they’re adding or increasing fuel surcharges. 

But many of the companies also have increased their per-mile rate to cover the cost of truck parts, some of which have doubled since fuel prices skyrocketed in recent months.  

A semi-truck tire that once cost $200 sells for $400 now. 

Before last year, mileage rates were increased annually.  

“Lately, they go up weekly,” said Barr.  

So far, the surcharges haven’t diminished Barr’s consumer base, he said, adding that he knows consumers are feeling the pinch nevertheless.  

“People still use us, because they’re going to pay anyway – it sounds like the majority of trucks out there are doing the same thing. And if not, they’re not going to be around very long,” said Barr. “No one’s getting rich… But everyone’s kind of breaking even, if they’re doing it right.”  

Running 11 trucks, Rolling Hills hauls mostly Sheetrock plus lumber and other building products.  

There are some pockets in Wyoming where distribution centers have shut down intermittently, said Barr, due to complications stemming from rising freight costs.  

In more essential markets like the grocery store, “whatever costs you there has gone up because it’s costing them in fuel to get it there,” said Barr.  

Budgets Tighten 

Kelly Eckhardt of Kelly Eckhardt Transport in Lander, hauls everything from hay to livestock and magnesium chloride for dust control on dirt roads and work sites.  

Running eight trucks through several Western states, Eckhardt’s fuel costs have an impact on governmental road maintenance budgets, the agricultural community, the energy sector and the grocery industry.  

Although his consumer base diminished slightly this year as some ranchers have changed the way they transport livestock to counter rising prices, Eckhardt said he’s still “extremely busy.”  

That could change next year, as county and other governments may adjust their budgets to use less magnesium chloride in light of the freight costs.  

“Right now we can kind of sustain (the prices) but if it goes much higher, I just don’t know how people can still afford to pay us to do this,” said Eckhardt. “It’s increased the cost of everything.” 

To fill a truck recently at $5.44 a gallon in Utah cost Eckhardt nearly $1400, he said.  

Where Are The Workers? 

As they struggle with the continuing increases in fuel costs, Eckhardt and Barr are also facing a second industry challenge that they couldn’t explain fully: the worker shortage.  

Barr hasn’t pulled any trucks off the road due to fuel costs but has parked two of them due to a driver shortage, the cause of which he called “the million dollar question.”  

“People either don’t want to drive truck or don’t want to work, or a lot of them don’t like the new regulations with (electric logging devices),” he said. 

The federal government had mandated that by 2019, commercial trucks must install the ELD devices, which rigorously track movement and location data, replacing paper logs now kept by drivers.

ELD data is accessible by law enforcement and department of transportation officials.  

“I can’t find drivers like I used to,” said Eckhardt, who suspected a cultural decline in work ethic.  

“‘Nobody wants to work anymore,’ is kind of our saying now. They’ve lost the enthusiasm to work and try to get ahead,” said Eckhardt, who has parked three trucks due to the driver shortage.  

He noted that he’s increased wage offerings to combat the problem.  

“We try to keep (wages) as high as we can, but I don’t think it’s going to be sustainable,” he said, citing the difficulty of maintaining profit margins with the high fuel costs.  

People will always need material goods, said Eckhardt. But amid prolonged high fuel prices, he added, the country could see a collapse in demand with resulting negative impacts on the economy.

“If the recession hits I think a lot of this (product delivery) is going to come to a screeching halt.”  

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By Jimmy Orr, Cowboy State Daily

Many believe fighting is an essential part of the game in hockey.

Some fans abhor it, but others get pumped when the gloves are thrown down and the ballet of two grown men on skates pummeling each other begins.

But violence in hockey is down. Twenty years ago, 42% of NHL hockey games had at least one fight in them. Today, it’s less than 15%.

To some, that’s a tragedy. After all, part of the beauty of hockey is the barbarity of it all.

So for those who enjoy that part of the game, why not eliminate the hockey part and just have the fighting?

That’s the brainchild of a former hockey player turned general manager of a minor-league hockey team in the early 2000s.

A.J. Galante’s team was known as the Trashers and they quickly became known for fighting on the ice. His story was featured on a Netflix series called “Untold: Crime and Penalties.”

Ice Wars International

Although the Trashers are gone, Galante’s influence remains.

Galante created something called Ice Wars International and the idea is to just feature fighting in hockey. No more hockey. Just the fighting.

Eliminate the middle man.

The first contest was held this past Saturday in Edmonton, Alberta. According to a combat sports site, the event featured an 8-man tournament and two “grudge match” bouts, all using MMA gloves and full hockey gear (minus sticks)—with each tournament fight consisting of two 1-minute rounds.

And it was all regulated by the Wyoming Combat Sports Commission.

Fans loved it. Outkick’s Joe Kinsey said the game is brilliant because it gives the consumer what they want.

“Professional hockey has pretty much legislated goons right out of the sport, so in steps Galante to give fans what they used to see at a hockey rink — minus the actual game,” Kinsey said.

“It’s absolutely genius and makes me think there are other possibilities out there like running backs vs. linebackers. We live in a TikTok society that wants 20-second content bursts to satisfy their brains,” he said.

Enter Wyoming

In order to give this new league some credibility though, it needed a commission to oversee it. That way it would have a semblance of order, some rules, and structure.

Enter Cheyenne’s Bryan Pedersen, an investment advisor, former legislator and MMA fighter.

Pedersen created the Wyoming Combat Sports Commission.  His commission sanctioned the first legal American bareknuckle fighting event since the 1800s. The live event held in 2019 at the Ice and Events Center in Cheyenne was viewed by more than 100 million people across the world.

In November, Pedersen hosted the world Lethwei title fight at the Ice and Events Center. Lethwei, the national sport of Myanmar, is a combat sport that allows the use of fists, knees, elbows, feet, clinches, and headbutts.

The match drew over 3.1 million streams.

Economic Development

Ice Wars International reached out to Pedersen because of the success he’s had in the combat sports world.

“They contacted us and we have a rule that says if we can do it safely and there is some precedent for regulating the sport, we can do it, so we worked with them for the promulgation of rules,” he said.

The larger picture is the financial opportunity, Pedersen said. Pay-per-view streams mean money and economic development for Wyoming.

“When you hear ‘Live from Wyoming,’ we don’t have enough money in the state tourism board to be in front of 3.1 million people in a two-hour time period,” Pedersen said.

“People are going to think about going to see Cheyenne Frontier Days, Thermopolis, Yellowstone, Cody or whatever,” he said. “It’s a great way to get our name out.”

Wyoming Home

Now, he wants Ice Wars International to call Wyoming home.

The group is interested, he said, because of what his commission was able to do two years ago.

During the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020, Cheyenne was epicenter of combat sports.

While most other venues across the country were shut down, Pedersen held 13 combat sports events in Cheyenne. They all followed the state’s health rules and no COVID cases were recorded.

“We’ve proven that we’re a venue that can attracts crowds and they can make a lot of money from Pay-Per-View,” he said. 

“We’re saying, ‘Yeah, you can make your money off of pay-per-view, but let’s produce it out of Wyoming,’” he said.

Mobile Arena

And not just in Cheyenne, he said. Because Ice Wars has a mobile arena — an ice platform that can be transported from city to city, Pedersen believes it can travel throughout the state.

“Indoor, outdoor, whatever,” he said. “We can move it all over Wyoming.”

The advantage, he said, to moving the company here is the regulatory framework in the Cowboy State.

“We’re regulation-friendly,” he said. “We’re open to industry coming to us. We’ve proven we can do it.”

In the immediate future, Pedersen foresees five or six weight classes with 20 to 30 regular fighters. Ice Wars International will eventually expand, he said, and work on branding some household names.

He said he hopes to find a Wyoming hockey player to sign-up to give up some hometown support.

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By Clair McFarland, Cowboy State Daily

Loved by some and hated by others, electric scooters are entering their second year in some Wyoming cities.  

Cheyenne, Casper, and Laramie last summer all changed their ordinances to allow for shared electric scooters on downtown streets. The solar-powered machines zip along roadways at about 15 miles per hour. They charge users’ credit cards per minute via a phone application that activates the scooter upon scanning a QR code on its body.  

The rental ends when the rider, who must be 18 or older, uses the app to take a photograph of the scooter where it was left.  

The scooters’ manufacturer, California-based Bird, touts the machines as an emissions-free and readily available transport system for urban areas.  

When it welcomed the company’s services last August, the City of Laramie likewise promoted the scooters as a way to help reduce carbon emissions and traffic congestion, as well as a way to encourage social distancing.

Cheyenne had already changed its ordinance to allow for scooters on downtown streets just in time for last year’s Cheyenne Frontier Days in July. Casper signed on by the end of August.  

And how the complaints have started rolling in.  

No Sad Faces 

Though he was instrumental in bringing shared bicycles to Cheyenne in 2016, Cheyenne City Councilman Richard Johnson was a “No” vote on the scooters last July. 

Johnson told Cowboy State Daily that primarily, he disagreed with the way the vote on the scooter ordinance was rushed to get the scooters on the streets ahead of Cheyenne Frontier Days.  

People riding them look happy though, said Johnson.  

“I see tons of people riding them, especially young people,” he said. “And I don’t see sad faces when I see people riding them all over town.” But as a city councilman, all Johnson hears are complaints, mostly that riders tend to abandon the scooters on sidewalks.  

Johnson estimated there are now hundreds of scooters in Cheyenne. The Cheyenne City Attorney’s office did not have an exact figure on Thursday afternoon.  

Bird did not return an email requesting comment.  

Kyle Gamroth, Casper City Councilman, also has been hearing some complaints, but as a scooter proponent, he believes the city can work around them.  

“We got the same anecdotes (as elsewhere),” said Gamroth. 

He cited issues such as riders not obeying traffic laws, not parking the scooters in the right places, not yielding space for wheelchairs and so on.  

Gamroth said he’s been visiting with business owners from Casper’s downtown area about potential solutions, such as creating mandatory docking areas for the scooters.  

That solution is not without its issues, though, said Gamroth.  

“The primary selling point is that it’s a flexible motor transportation to get from point A to point B, and if you have very specific areas around town (in which you must leave them), I guess it reduces that flexibility to get around.”  

The Casper City Clerk’s office estimated there are about 80 Bird scooters in the city.  

Gamroth said that, unlike Johnson, he has heard from many people who “really enjoy” the scooters.  

“I have a Facebook friend that just asked their buddies for this weekend to do a pub crawl” with the scooters, said Gamroth.  

Harsh, Icy, Windy 

Laramie Mayor Paul Weaver had not returned a voicemail requesting comment by Thursday afternoon. 

In the city’s announcement of its new scooter-friendly ordinance last August, Weaver said the city was “happy” to welcome the scooters.  

Jackson does not have e-scooters, but Councilman Arne Jorgensen told Cowboy State Daily that some community members have embraced a seasonal bike-sharing system, which seems to generate fewer parking problems than those reported with scooters.  

“I think there’s a different mindset with these scooters,” said Jorgensen. “They don’t feel as substantive, so people don’t think about them as much, maybe.”  

Jorgensen noted that he’s traveled to several U.S. cities and seen the scooters in action – and dormant.  

“I’m not sure if the benefit of that additional transportation system is outweighing the negative of having these items kind of scattered about the public realm,” he said. 

Gillette doesn’t have e-scooters either.  

Angela Williams, assistant communications director for the city, said the idea has been floated, but hasn’t taken off in the past, probably due to Gillette’s “harsh, icy, windy winters.”  

Johnson had noted that in Cheyenne, the scooters stayed out until about October or November of last year, then, he recalled, Bird subcontracted with a local person or entity to store them. 

But Williams noted that Gillette’s foul-weather phase can last as long as eight months. 

Sheridan, Riverton, and Cody likewise do not have shared e-scooters.  

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By Wendy Corr, Cowboy State Daily

If there’s one thing that unites most Wyomingites, it’s belief in the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

In Cody, one manufacturing company embodies that belief.

“Ground zero for firearms manufacturing,” is how Governor Mark Gordon described Gunwerks, a Cody company that is making its mark in the international gun trade.

The governor was in Cody Monday to celebrate the grand opening of the manufacturing company’s new 43,396-square-foot facility.

The building was completed in 2021, but the celebration of its opening had to be put on hold during the pandemic.

“We finally said, ‘Well, we better polish everything up and invite the whole world in,’” said Garrett Wall, director of customer experience for Gunwerks.

The open house is a days-long event, according to Wall, beginning Monday with remarks from the governor, Cody Mayor Matt Hall and the company’s president and founder, Aaron Davidson.

“Tuesday, we’ll have some of our customers and outfitters who we work with,” Wall told Cowboy State Daily. “They’ll be here doing some seminars. We’ll have dealers on Wednesday, and the media and writers from our industry will come in on Thursday.”

Gunwerks is a rising star in the highly competitive firearms manufacturing industry, specializing in weapons used for long-range shooting. 

“Entrepreneurial Spirit”

In his remarks, Gordon praised the company for its commitment to innovation, to the entrepreneurial spirit and to Wyoming.

“You not only said, ‘OK, I think we can make a rifle, but we can make the very best rifle that can shoot the straightest and longest anywhere in the world,’” he said. “You built an entire industry out of that – you had a TV show (“Long Range Pursuit”) to get people talking about this all over the world. And then you started making these guns here in Cody. 

“Not only has he made a better rifle,” Gordon continued, “but now he’s got fantastic optics to go with that rifle. And now he’s got another vision, and another vision, and that’s what Wyoming is all about.” 

Davidson, who started his company in a series of buildings in Burlington in rural Big Horn County, explained that in 2016, he and his team chose Cody as the home to their expanded operation.

“A couple of years ago we looked really, really hard at Wyoming as the place to be, and tried to gauge, can Gunwerks be successful and grow in scale here in this community,” he said. “We have some ties to Utah, we looked really hard at Bozeman (Montana) … and it wasn’t even close to Cody and the ties that we have to Cody. 

And our people that we have here anchored us here, and we’re committed to being here and growing our business here and making awesome jobs for the people that come into our business,” he added.

“Wyoming Made A Good Bet”

In 2018, the company was approved for a $3 million loan and $3 million grant package from the Wyoming Business Council to create a state-of-the-art facility that would allow Gunwerks to manufacture rifles, optics and ammunition geared to the long-range firearms market. 

“I am proud to say that Wyoming, I think, made a couple of really good bets here,” said Gordon. “You know, we were able to help with doing some of the things that small businesses need just to get that next notch higher.”

For their part of the loan agreement, Gunwerks promised to bring 75 full-time jobs to Cody’s economy – a goal that has been met, according to Davidson.

“We have 75 employees,” he said. “And we have a good portion of those employees working in the manufacturing facility. Nineteen of those people we have relocated to Cody from other places across the state, and other states across the country. So we do build a very diverse team, and we have built this community, with some new faces and some new people.”

“Nobody quite understands how much we’re doing back there,” Wall said. “You know, the operations they’re doing, you know, the machining that we’re doing. We are trying to bring every operation we can in-house… We get to engineer a system the way we want from the ground up, all the way through that end experience the customer gets in the field.”

The road has not been completely smooth, however. The company sued the construction company and design firm for its new building along with the economic development organization Forward Cody. The lawsuit alleged the companies and the organization failed to follow the building specifications outlined by Gunwerks. 

That litigation is ongoing, although the firearms company’s attorney, Michael Labazzo, said that Gunwerks has no plans to move operations out of the completed building.

Continued Growth

In anticipation of continued growth, Gunwerks recently purchased a 74,754 square-foot facility that had been vacated in 2019 by Cody Labs, a pharmaceutical company that ended operations and laid off all its employees after being in business for over 15 years. 

Labazzo noted that the layout of the Cody Labs building would fit Gunwerks’ needs in a couple of areas.

“Our ammunition manufacturing division is limited in space here,” he said. “That (the Cody Labs building) would be an easy move, because of the way that building lays out. They have explosion-proof rooms, and so for fire safety, it would work over there. 

“The other one is our optics division,” Labazzo continued, “because if you notice in the back of (this) building on the northwest side, we have clean space in there – we have special flooring, with a different air system, and that is limited in size also. And as our optics division grows, we’re running out of space. And because (Cody Labs) was a pharmaceutical manufacturing business, they have lots of clean space over there. They have hospital-grade air, they have their own water filtration system, so it’s not even city water.”  

Local and state leaders who were in attendance at the open house Monday expressed confidence in the future of Gunwerks as a leader in the fireworks and optics industries.

“The beautiful building that they’ve built here, it’s really kind of built out this side of the town,” said Cody Mayor Matt Hall. “We’re just really grateful that they’re here, that they’ve set up shop here, that they’re local guys. And the entrepreneurial spirit that they’ve had to get to this point has been great, and so we’re hoping that they’re a good long term success for our community.”

“This is a really, really exciting time for not only this family, that has fulfilled the American dream, but they’ve done it in their own community, which is very rare,” said state Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody. “They’ve built a product, but they’ve also expanded a business like no other, and so as a legislator, I am super proud that they chose our county to do this and didn’t take their business anywhere else.”

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By Jennifer Kocher and Leo Wolfson, Cowboy State Daily

A 0.5% interest rate increase approved by the Federal Reserve probably won’t be felt by Wyoming’s consumers for three to six months, according to a financial advisor.

Bryan Pedersen, senior vice president and financial advisor for RBC Wealth Management in Cheyenne, said while the rate hike designed to slow inflation is probably a good idea, it will have an impact on consumers.

Pedersen cited as an example a person trying to buy a house. The interest rate increase will translate to either a higher monthly mortgage payment or down payment.

This in turn may affect that trip to Disneyland that the family was planning to take, which has a ripple effect on the profitability of the company and consumer spending.  

“Either way, you have less money to spend,” he said.  

The interest rate increase was adopted as a way to slow inflation, which is at its highest rate since 1981. It is the biggest rate hike adopted since 2000.

The boost will raise interest rates to 0.75% to 1%, still relatively low compared to 1.5% immediately before the pandemic and around 5% in the 1990s.

Inflation has also had an impact on the housing supply nationally, with record low numbers of homes reported available.

While the interest rate increase will not help ease shortages in the national housing supply, it may help slow increases in housing prices seen over the past few years, said Scott Richard, a Cody real estate agent.

“It’s estimated that $8.1 trillion in home equity have been gained across the country during the past two years,” Richard said.

Richard said the current housing market has not been a boon for real estate agents because homeowners are uneasy about selling their homes given the difficulties in buying new property. 

“People are afraid to sell their homes because they don’t think they will be able to buy or find another house, which is adding to the problem,” Richard said.

The rental market is no different, he said, with the housing shortage pushing more people into that market. He said the current scenario was created by a “perfect storm” of the war in Ukraine, COVID-19 pandemic and corresponding supply chain shortages.

Like homeowners trying to make their mortgage payments, corporations will also feel the pinch. The higher rates will impact how much money businesses can borrow to grow their assets and will likely slow down growth as money becomes tighter, Pedersen said.  

 “When you take money out of the system, it slows purchasing power for both families and businesses,” he said.  

All in all, raising the interest rate was a good idea, said Pedersen, because it should help the country avoid the “stagflation” of the 1970s, when inflation continued for five years. 

“In the short run it is painful for portfolios and the stock market,” he said. “In the long term, addressing inflation is better for the overall long-term health of the economy.” 

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By Jim Angell, Cowboy State Daily

Led by a 22% increase in the cost of transportation, Wyoming’s cost of living in the fourth quarter of 2021 grew at the fastest annual rate seen in 40 years.

The state’s semi-annual cost of living report produced by its Economic Analysis Division showed the state’s annual rate of inflation in the last quarter of 2021 was 9.3%, the highest level seen since the third quarter of 1981, when inflation was 11.8%.

Not only was the inflation rate the highest seen since 1981, it was also higher than the national average of 7%, the report said.

The report is prepared by comparing the price for a standard “basket of goods” from year to year. The “basket” includes food, housing, apparel, transportation, medical care, recreation and personal care.

In the last quarter of 2021, which runs from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, transportation costs increased by 22.1% over the previous year, more than double the inflation rate for any other category.

Food costs followed in second place with an 8.3% increase and housing costs grew by 7.4%.

The highest rate of inflation was found in northeast Wyoming, which includes Sheridan, Johnson, Campbell, Crook and Weston counties, at 10.4%. The rate in southeast Wyoming — Laramie, Albany, Carbon, Platte, Goshen and Niobrara counties — was 10.2%.

Central Wyoming, made up of Converse, Natrona and Fremont counties, saw the lowest rate of inflation at 7.4%, still ahead of the national average of 7%.

Teton County had the highest cost of living in the state in the last quarter of 2021, with the costs for all of the items in its “basket of goods” running 68% ahead of the state average.

Northern Lincoln County followed in second place with an average cost of living 8% higher than the state average.

Goshen County, with costs 85% of the state average, had the lowest cost of living in the state in the last quarter of the year.

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By Wendy Corr, Cowboy State Daily

With the price of beef skyrocketing, Wyoming’s cattle producers are facing increasing production costs and a customer base that is reluctant to shell out more dollars for their product.

“As this spring comes closer and closer, we’re looking at from 30% to 70% increases in operating costs,” said Justin Lucht, who owns Valley Raised Beef in Lovell. 

The price of uncooked beef roasts and uncooked beef steaks for retail consumers have risen over 24% in the last one and one-half years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The cost of ground beef, meanwhile, has increased by almost 21% in the past year.

Reasons for the increase include rising fuel costs, a drought that affected hay production and supply chain issues that hampered availability of machine parts and equipment.

But prices are also rising for the producers, who are facing the same pressures in raising their stock as the beef processors are in getting it to the end market.

“Fertilizer is up, like, three to four times what it was last year,” Lucht said. “And our feed costs – hay in 2020 was $150 a ton, and this year, it’s $300 to $350 a ton, depending on where you’re looking, some places can’t even get hay. Plus equipment costs and maintenance, all the parts and pieces that go into keeping things running have increased.”

Jim Magagna, Executive Vice President of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, adds to that list of obstacles the COVID-related staff issues at meat production plants, as well as the lack of USDA meat packing facilities here in Wyoming.

“Most of our beef is processed in half a dozen major processing facilities, and they experienced some significant outbreaks of COVID in those facilities with their very large workforces that were working very much close together,” Magagna said. “So that shut down some of the processing for a while, and that certainly led to an increase in prices for beef.”

Additionally, Magagna pointed out that fewer cattle went to market in the last year, so the supply and demand balance was thrown off.

For small operators like Valley Raised Beef, which each year produces between 40 and 70 grass-raised, grain-finished beef cattle on 120 acres, the rising cost of beef hits businesses like theirs particularly hard.

“These big packers in the commodity beef market, they out compete us, I mean, tenfold,” Lucht said. “Their cost to process an animal maybe is 36 to 40 cents (per pound), maybe a little bit more than – but even if it’s 50 cents, it costs me 94 cents to $1 to process an animal.”

And while consumers may feel the pain in the pocketbook when they purchase beef these days, Lucht urged them to consider the farmers when making their buying decisions.

“Unfortunately, the last person to get paid on the farm is usually the farmer,” said Lucht. “He’s got his expenses covered, I mean, he’s able to buy shoes for his kids and stuff, but they’re not notorious for going on vacations and you know, having a savings account. Most farmers, when they retire, they sell the farm because that’s been their savings account their whole lives.”

Lucht said the business model for Valley Raised Beef was set up differently, so his company can charge a little more for its product product in order to keep the business afloat. 

That means its customer base is slightly different from the folks who pick up beef roasts in the grocery store aisles.

“A lower income household, maybe can’t afford our product,” Lucht said. “And so what we have to do is, unfortunately, find somebody who can. We still give away tons of beef and we find low income or struggling families and we give as much as we can to them, because that’s important to us, but our base customer is maybe different this year than it was two years ago.”

And buying locally produced beef has more benefits than just supporting local farmers, Lucht pointed out.

“You see JBS or these other companies that every year have recalls on spoiled meat or unfit product, and I’ve been selling beef for seven years and never had a recall,” Lucht said. “We are small enough that we can take care of everything so much better than what they can. We can watch everything so much closer.”

“Consumers have become much more conscious of where their food comes from, and have much more of a desire to buy locally when they can,” Magagna said. 

He added things are looking up for smaller growers in the state.

“Our biggest challenge in Wyoming has been a lack of processing facilities, and partly as a result of COVID and a result of some Federal Cares Act funds that are available, we have seen a significant increase in small processing facilities,” said Magagna. “I believe we’ve had six new ones come on board in the past two years. So I think our industry is making an adjustment that, over time, is going to make that opportunity far more available to our consumers.”

But for now, growers like Lucht will continue their small operations, despite the rising costs. Because, as Lucht pointed out, being a farmer is about more than just a business – it’s a way of life.

“I’ve got to go,” Lucht told Cowboy State Daily at the end of the interview, as he strapped his one-year-old daughter into a carrier on his back. “I’ve got a cow that I’ve been watching for an hour and a half, and it looks like she needs help, so I’ve got to go pull a calf.”

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By Jennifer Kocher, Cowboy State Daily

As the price of gas soars in Wyoming, some residents are harder hit than others, depending on where they live.

On Friday, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded in Wyoming was $4, an increase of almost 35 cents from one week ago.

The cheapest gasoline price in the state was $3.50 a gallon in Buffalo, followed by $3.56 per gallon in Lingle, according to GasBuddy.com, a company that tracks gasoline prices nationally.

The lowest cost for a gallon of diesel in the state was in Gillette at $3.79 per gallon, followed by $3.99 per gallon in Cheyenne and Newcastle.

According to AAA, the highest gas prices in the state are Uinta County $4.25 gallon, followed by Platte County at $4.23 and Lincoln County at $4.15.

The rising prices are beginning to hit Wyoming residents in their wallets, especially when combined with other inflationary pressures.

In Gillette, the prices have seemed to cause both sticker shock and some grumbling.

Mike Summers, a veteran, college student, substitute teacher and single father of twin teenage girls, said the increases have hit his wallet hard.

“It definitely sucks,” he said. 

It used to cost him $30 to fill up his tank if he was close to empty and now it costs nearly double that at just under $58.

“It’s not breaking my bank account, but it is pretty inconvenient,” he said. “And I see it going up more and more every day.”

The burden is greater for those living in smaller, more remote communities who are forced to drive to larger cities for work or necessary appointments.

Wright resident Crystal O’Bryan said higher fuel costs have already taken a toll on her family. 

Wright is 40 miles from Gillette and 75 miles from Douglas. The O’Bryans have long commutes both to work and to medical appointments for their 12-year-old autistic son.

The rising cost of gas is forcing the family to make hard choices, O’Bryan said.

Because of the higher gas prices, her husband is now carpooling to the mine where he works to save costs.

Meanwhile, son Scot takes part in occupational therapy in Gillette every week and sees specialists in Douglas.

“It’s really hit us hard,” O’Bryan said. “Our medical expenses have skyrocketed just from the price of gas alone. I was going to Casper every other month to go to Sam’s club, but not sure if the savings are worth it anymore.”

Stephanie Hutt of Story, between Buffalo and Sheridan, also must drive long distances for her daughter’s medical care. She and her family are weathering the increased gas expense, but she worries about the impact the soaring fuel costs will have on the health of people who might not be able to afford to travel.

“I think for people who are struggling financially it is a huge impact,” she said. “People will quit traveling for appointments and follow-up appointments, causing risk to their health due to the high prices.”

Soaring Gas Prices Hit Gig Workers

Delivery drivers like Randy Mortensen, a full-time Door Dash driver in Gillette, has had to cut back on the number of days he works each week and turn down deliveries if they’re too far away.

While he typically takes only one or maybe two days off a week, this week he’s taking three days off because gas prices are just getting too steep to make the deliveries profitable, he said. 

He’s hoping that the corporation will take steps to increase rates for drivers, but so far, no adjustments for inflation or higher gas prices have been made, he said.

Typically, Mortensen makes anywhere from $150 to $200 a day while working between nine and 10 hours. For now, he’s cutting back and will try to make up the extra money by maximizing deliveries on the days he’s working.

“It (gasoline) just keeps going up, and I’ve decided that it’s probably better to just cut back a little bit and not have to drive so much,” he said.

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By Jim Angell, Cowboy State Daily

Wyoming does not need to diversify its economy, but instead should change its spending habits to more closely match spending to available income, according to a noted economist.

Art Laffer, speaking in Cheyenne on Thursday, said he sees no need for the state to use its resources to move away from its dependence on the mineral industry.

“Specialization is a wonderful thing to do,” he said. “You just need to learn how to balance your spending out with your revenue swings.”

Laffer, who served as a member of former President Ronald Reagan’s Economic Policy Board, is the creator of the “Laffer Curve,” an illustration of the idea that excessive taxes actually reduce the amount of money they generate.

Speaking during a legislative reception hosted by “Freedom Path 307,” Laffer was asked whether the state needs to work harder to separate its economy from oil, gas, coal and other minerals because of the associated swings in the economy that occur with variations in prices paid for the commodities.

The state has a good source of income from its minerals, it just needs to allocate its resources better to adjust its spending to its income, said Laffer, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by former President Donald Trump.

“You have this huge volatile income,” he said. “But you know, a lot of states don’t have any income from their severance taxes. What you just need to do is learn how to use it and stretch it out and not go for the gold every time the the dollar comes in. And that’s something that requires wisdom and good leadership and good governments.”

While a diversified economy is not a bad thing to have, it is not worth using state resources to achieve, Laffer said.

“It’s not something you would subsidize or spend resources trying to get,” he said.

The state should also avoid the temptation of providing incentives in an attempt to lure new companies, Laffer said.

“You don’t want to bring in industries here just to be diverse,” he said. “With zero taxes here, corporate and personal, you’re going to get industries coming in here. You shouldn’t … pay people to move in. They get a great deal to move here to Wyoming, they don’t need any tax breaks in addition to that.”

Laffer also warned state officials against adopting an income tax, noting his studies have shown 11 states that have adopted income taxes since 1961 have actually seen declines in tax revenues and the quality of public services.

“You have some advantages here in the state that are incredible,” he said. “No income tax, no corporate (tax). Don’t do it.”

“There is no upside to introducing these kinds of anti-growth policies,” he added.

Laffer also said that while he is not impressed with the economic policies of the administration of President Joe Biden, he is optimistic for the future because generally, presidents who support higher taxes are followed by presidents who do not.

“We have a period that is very depressing,” he said. “Don’t believe that it’s over. We’re just in a transformation, a metamorphosis.”

Laffer also commented on Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine this week, saying it was the result of “very weak and indecisive” national leadership.

However, the situation may lead the country’s citizens to recognize the threats facing the United States, he said.

“I think for the first time … in a long time, the U.S. is waking up to what the problem is,” he said. 

According to its website, Freedom Path 307 is a group advocating for conservative fiscal solutions to the state’s economic challenges and conservative fiscal policies. Its board members include several former legislators and business leaders such as Wayne Hughes Jr., the owner of Cowboy State Daily.

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By Jim Angell, Cowboy State Daily

A desire to be closer to family was the main reason people moved to Wyoming in 2021 — the same reason a high number of people questioned by United Van Lines gave for moving out of the state.

United, in its annual “National Movers Study,” said of the people it questioned who used its equipment to move in or out of Wyoming, 30.7% said they were moving to the state to be closer to family, mirroring a national trend.

“This year’s survey results indicated 31.8% of Americans who moved did so in order to be closer to family — a new trend coming out of the pandemic as priorities and lifestyle choices shift,” the report said.

As for those leaving the state, almost 26.1% said they were doing so to be closer to family. That left family tied with “lifestyle” as the second-most popular choice for leaving Wyoming. 

The most popular reason given for leaving Wyoming was retirement at 30.4%. In contrast, 28.2% of those moving into the state gave “retirement” as the reason.

The company’s report said almost the same number of people left Wyoming via United as became new residents.

United said it handled 626 shipments in Wyoming in 2021 — 314 for people moving into the state and 312 for people leaving the state.

“Several states saw nearly the same number of residents moving inbound as outbound,” the report said. “Kentucky and Wyoming are among these ‘balanced states.’”

The highest percentage of those moving into Wyoming, 40%, were age 65 or older, the study said. That same age group made up the biggest percentage of people leaving the state — 58.8%.

The people moving into Wyoming generally make more money than those moving out, the study showed.

Of those moving in, more than half, 56.3%, reported an annual income of $150,000 or more, while only 16.7% of those moving out had a similar income.

Most of those leaving the state, 41.7%, had an income of $100,000 to $149,000.

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By Wendy Corr, Cowboy State Daily

High prices and material delays blamed on the coronavirus pandemic continue to plague the construction industry even as the illness loosens its grip on the nation.

Just this week, lumber companies in Montana reported further delays due to flooding in the Pacific Northwest, which has pushed back shipments of wood to retailers and contractors. 

But the same conditions that caused concerns for the construction industry at the height of the pandemic are still in play — primarily labor shortages and transportation delays.

“Trucking is slowing things down,” said Rod Schutzman with Builders First Source in Cody. “You know, supply and demand, things are so busy. Winter hasn’t hit, and housing starts across the U.S. are still at a good record pace, it’s just taking more time because of trucking.”

Schutzman said prices had dropped off recently, but they are beginning to tick up again.

“I got another report today and it’s on the rise again,” he said. “So I don’t know after the New Year what’s going to happen. It could be a lot like what we’ve seen this summer, June, July and August.”

Ken Gould at Knecht Home Center in Sheridan said it’s not just lumber deliveries that have been delayed.

“Fiberglass, rebar — we’re gonna have that come in maybe Monday or Tuesday of next week, and that’s been on order for over two months,” he said. “There are no subfloor adhesives available, everything’s out. Spray foam insulation in a can is pretty much non-existent at this moment. They keep pushing everything back into January and into February.”

Gould said that transportation issues and labor shortages in the factories that produce construction materials have played major factors in the shortages, in addition situations like the natural disasters that have affected the lumber market in the northwest.

“I heard about the flooding, and that could be an explanation as well,” said Gould. “The prices are going up – everything’s going up.”

Schutzman pointed out that despite delays, the materials are still available.

“It just takes longer to get it, but there’s still wood out there.”

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By Kimberly James, The Center Square for Cowboy State Daily

A declining unemployment rate is one of several indicators offering hope that Wyoming’s economy is on the road to pre-pandemic strength.

The recent Wyoming Economic Indicator report, released by the Wyoming Economic Analysis Division, showed that 38% of the 26,000 jobs lost during the worst of the pandemic have been recovered as of September 2021.

Even though the jobless rate is falling, the state is still facing a labor shortage, as is much of the country. The shortage is leaving employers scrambling for ways to attract new workers, including increasing wages.

“With a 4.1% unemployment rate in Wyoming, upward pressure on wages for those employers still attempting to fill available jobs is present,” Tony Gagliardi, Wyoming state director for the National Federation of Independent Business, told The Center Square. 

“This upward trend on wages will not only continue but become exacerbated as we get further into the holiday season.”

Gagliardi reported that unemployment rates dropped the most in Sweetwater (5.8% to 4.7%), Niobrara (4% to 2.9%), Converse (4.9% to 3.9%) and Hot Springs (4% to 2.9%) counties, according to Workforce Services.

“The jobless rate continues to fall in Wyoming, this could likely be caused by those who have dropped out of the labor market,” Gagliardi said. 

“Economists call the phenomenon slowing the job-market recovery ‘mismatch,’ a disconnect between the jobs open and the people looking for work. Again, likely caused by those leaving the labor force.”

The future looks uncertain as the gap grows between the unemployed seeking work and the unfilled jobs, and Gagliardi said it is difficult to predict what will happen. 

“Some national economists state the current situation is harming lower-wage workers the most,” Gagliardi said.

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By Jimmy Orr, Cowboy State Daily

Last week the tiny town of Buford, Wyoming, was a buzzing topic on a Cheyenne Facebook news group.

Cheap gas was what the members of the page were talking about and many claimed that the four-pump gas station in the middle of a windswept prairie on Interstate 80 had the cheapest gas in Wyoming.

This was a change. Almost a decade ago, when the gas station and the town of Buford made international news for being purchased for $900,000 by a Vietnamese businessman, the gas sold there was among the most expensive — if not the most expensive — in the state.

Now, according to GasBuddy, an internet site that tracks gas prices in the country, Buford stands alone as the cheapest place in the Cowboy State to buy gas — at least it was on Monday.

At $2.84 a gallon for regular, it was more than $1 less than some stations in Cheyenne. The story was the same for premium gasoline.

Why, when an owner could get away with charging through the nose because of its remote location, is gas so inexpensive in Buford?

It’s the business strategy of Mintu Pandher, the owner of Akal Energy who also owns a truck stop 20 miles west of Laramie in Queally Dome, the Tumbleweed gas station in Laramie and a few other gas stations in Colorado and New Mexico.

Pandher, who will not sell cigarettes, alcohol, or lottery tickets in any of his locations, said it’s an ethical decision for him to keep the prices low because people need to buy gasoline.

“It’s not like a Louis Vuitton purse where they have a choice. People have no choice, they have to buy fuel,” Pandher told Cowboy State Daily.

He compared fuel to utilities such as electricity or natural gas.

“There’s a cap on how much they can sell it. But for fuel, there is no cap,” he said. “Anyone can charge anything.”

Pandher, who lives in Laramie, said he is against government overreach but felt like there should be some limit on gas prices because it is a necessity.

He said he feels for the consumer who purchases gasoline for $3.89 a gallon in one location and then fives miles down the road sees a place where they could have bought it for $2.79.

“That’s $9 that you could have used for lunch or your kids’ lunch,” he said. “And someone took that away.”

Gas station owners are still making money even at the lower price, he said

“You’re not taking his cake away,” he said. “But you did take $9 away from someone’s pocket and that’s what bothers me.”

Pandher, who has been in the fuel transport business since 1999, isn’t waiting around for government to step in. He’s using what he calls the greed of others, to build his own competitive advantage. 

He can sell gas cheaper because he buys it cheaper. In fact, he “chases it.”

Pandher watches where fuel is being sold at the cheapest amount and sends his fleet of trucks to that location to fill up.

He said he has 19 fuel trucks in his fleet and they were dispatched two weeks ago to El Paso where he could buy cheap fuel and bring it up to his gas stations.

Does it pay off?  Absolutely, he said. High volume is the key.

“Look at the Tumbleweed in Laramie. It’s a little dinky gas station but it stays busy day and night,” he said.

Back to the Facebook page, many people from Cheyenne make the 40-mile round trip trek to Buford, they say, to save money.

“I buy my gas there. Best price in Wyoming and way less than Cheyenne,” said Rodger McDaniel, a former Wyoming legislator who now serves as a pastor in Cheyenne.

“I stop there several times a week,” Claude Womble wrote. “I work in Laramie but live in Cheyenne. This is my fuel stop, I try and give them all the business I can.

“Sorry Cheyenne unless you can compete with their fuel prices my business goes to them!!” Womble added.

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By Dan Swinhoe, Data Center Dynamics

Microsoft has launched two new data centers in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The company announced the new facilities – one in the Cheyenne Business Parkway and another in Bison Business Park — to support its West Central US Azure region.

“Expanding Microsoft’s digital capabilities in Wyoming will allow us to meet the demand for new and existing customers in the region, and we’re excited to continue supporting the growth of diverse businesses in the state and look forward to working with state and local leaders on initiatives that can foster job creation and economic opportunity,” said Sergio Loureiro, Microsoft’s VP of core operations for data centers.

The company said sustainability was important and it was making “significant efforts” in water conservation and preserving Cheyenne’s water resources through adiabatic cooling and donations to local organizations working on preserving the region’s watershed.

“In addition to building data centers, Microsoft is investing in new water, sewer, and road infrastructure to create easier access to Bison Business Park, which will also support the growth of new businesses in Wyoming,” added Loureiro.

Microsoft has had a data center presence in Wyoming since 2012 and expanded its footprint there in 2014. The West Central Azure region opened in 2016; the site currently only has one Availability Zone so the new facilities should see that upped to the standard three.

Cheyenne is also the site of Microsoft’s ‘Data Plant’ concept to create an off-grid data center powered by methane that opened in 2014.

“The growth of the data center industry in Wyoming has been led by Microsoft and it is coming to represent a significant sign of the continued diversification of our economy. I appreciate Microsoft’s commitment to Wyoming and thank them for the benefits they have brought to multiple sectors of our economy,” said Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon.

“Governor Mead was the inspiration for bringing the first Microsoft Data Center to the state in 2012. The incentives that set this train in motion are working. This is a sector of our growing economy that continues to pick up steam,” he said.

“Additional data centers are a great win for Cheyenne and all of Laramie County,” added Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins. “With it comes more high tech opportunities, a skilled workforce, and expands upon Microsoft’s existing economic impact to our community.”

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By Jimmy Orr, Cowboy State Daily

President Joe Biden’s decision to release 50 million barrels of crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an effort to lower gas prices is a “short-sighted Hail Mary,” according to U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis.

The White House on Tuesday announced the U.S. — along with five other countries, including China — will all dip into their national reserves in an effort to assuage the soaring prices.

Lummis said the increase in gas prices — up over $1 per gallon from a year ago — is of Biden’s own doing.

“One of President Biden’s first executive orders stopped new energy leases on federal land,” Lummis said. 

“He has continued to push policies that harm Wyoming energy workers and families & raised prices on anyone who relies on fossil fuels to heat their homes or power their vehicles — basically everyone,” she said.

“Turning to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a short-sighted Hail Mary to try and fix the problem he’s actively exacerbating without actually taking responsibility for it,” she added.

It’s particularly hard here in the Cowboy State because of the number of miles Wyomingites drive, per capita — averaging more than 18,000 per year, the highest mileage in the nation.

No other state comes close to that. Alabama is a distant second with drivers averaging 14,500 miles per year.

Gas prices in the U.S. are the highest since President Obama was in office with the national average for a gallon of gas at $3.40 on Monday — up from $2.11 a year ago.

Many analysts believe Tuesday’s action won’t make a difference to consumers.

“For drivers wondering if gasoline prices will get lower…the reality is that this may not happen at all, or only with a significant lag time,” Bjornar Tonhaugen, head of oil-market research at consulting firm Rystad Energy, told the Wall Street Journal.

Lummis sent a letter to the president on Monday explaining that domestic energy producers have increased prices because of “depressed investment in our production due to regulatory uncertainty.”

“Business leaders are reluctant to make complex, long-term investments in expensive new wells, pipelines, and other infrastructure critical to increasing production and keeping American energy prices low if these projects will be delayed or overly burdened by new, expansive regulations or taxes,” she wrote.

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By Wendy Corr, Cowboy State Daily

Transportation issues, labor shortages and global politics are having the same impact on locally owned retail stores as they are on their larger colleagues.

Retailers in Wyoming are reporting they are having troubles meeting the demands of their hometown customers due to the same supply chain “breakdown” seen across the country.

Sarah Growney, owner of The Thistle gift shop in Cody, said many of the items she would normally carry around this time of year just haven’t arrived yet.

“I ordered everything for Christmas in January,” she said. “It was the absolute earliest I was able to order. But a lot of the Christmas decor items, things like that – they’re still sitting in freight containers on the ocean. I haven’t received a single Christmas tree, including for my own shop, so we’re like the shop without a Christmas tree. It’s a little sad.”

Such delays are costly for a store like The Thistle, especially at this time of year.

“It’s not going to do me much good if I get it Dec. 15,” Growney said. “In fact, that’ll hose me. So that’s the other game we’re playing. It’s checking in with our vendors constantly because you don’t want to get a big Christmas decor display Dec. 5.” 

Growney said even the production of locally made products if being delayed because of shortages of supplies made in other parts of the country.

“This is an American made candle, it’s out of Sheridan, Wyoming,” she said. “But even though it’s American made, they’re still delayed because they can’t get their glass. So even if the product is made in the U.S., they might rely on something coming from overseas, and that’s causing them delay.”

The supply issues are having negative effects on all businesses, from retail stores to the auto industry. 

Bert Miller, general manager the Denny Menolt auto dealership in Cody, said the dealership’s ability to sell vehicles has been hampered by circumstances halfway around the world.

“We’ve got a lot of cars that are built, but they’re waiting for their microprocessors, which has slowed things up dramatically,” Miller said. “When we have countries like Malaysia that went down with COVID, and shut down the microchip processor plants, that’s why you see our lot is short about 100 new vehicles.”

And although they are selling some vehicles, Miller noted that delivery for many customers is being delayed significantly.

“You know, normal sold orders will take maybe 60 days,” he said. “And now we’re looking at about four months with the shipping and everything impacting it, and the micro-processors are a tremendous problem.”

But auto sales operations like Denny Menholt don’t just sell cars – the company services them as well. And parts have been hard to come by.

“We’re just doing the best for our customers,” Miller said. “We might have to loan them a vehicle. Sometimes we can get things done within a week, if those parts are really on backorder, but we rely on the GM chain and we do everything we can to get their vehicle fixed.”

Both Miller and Growney cite transportation issues as a weak link in the supply chain.

“The trains really hamper us because the rail cars have to go where the vehicles are ready,” Miller said. “So they’ll move the rail cars around, and then about the time the plant’s got some vehicles going out, they have to get the rail cars back in. And of course, they can’t roll things without them being full. So when they do reach the trucking facility, then we’re waiting to get full loads to roll those trucks. So there’s a tremendous delay.”

“It’s real, what you’re watching on the news,” said Growney. “They’re like, ‘Well, we have five containers on the ocean, we might get one in tomorrow.’ I’ve never had to deal with this.”

Growney added there are businesses between the suppliers and the store owners that are also affected.

“My concern is for the vendors,” she said. “Like, if I don’t get my product, they’re not getting paid.” 

But businesses are trying to stay positive, despite the obstacles.

“Fortunately, we carry a little bit of something for everyone, so the shop is plentiful,” Growney said. “But I know what we’re missing. We’re going to have a great Christmas, but it’s frustrating.”

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By Mark Davis, Powell Tribune

There was a flurry of activity on an otherwise typically tranquil early Sunday morning on Bent Street. Massive machine parts were squeezed through the double doors at WYOld West Brewing Company and carefully reassembled into what little room was available between the business’s numerous towering conical tanks.

It barely fit, but somehow they made it work and by 9 a.m the company was making history: filling their first cans of craft beer for distribution. It’s the company’s first toe dipped in the marketing pool outside their popular brewery and restaurant. 

WYOld West’s first move was to produce 400 cases of beer. Soon it will be hitting shelves across Wyoming, including local stores and a limited supply at the Powell restaurants. 

Before the first green can of Kilted Cowboy Scottish Ale made its way down the production line, the project was already a success, said head brewer Steve Samuelson: Almost the entire run of 1,200 gallons of beer have already sold.

It took months, if not years of planning, he said. Still, there were exposed nerves as the production line was tweaked and the crew slowly began assembling pallets of two brews, which also included Bronc Buster Blonde Ale. 

The process has taxed the brew crew. They had to make enough beer to both fill the cans and ensure they wouldn’t run out in their locations in Powell and Cody. The recipe also had to be altered. Originally the beers were unfiltered, but that had to change to accommodate the canning process.

If the test run is successful, WYOld will start the process over and do a second round of canning in about six weeks. “We’ve had the goal of canning our beer for years now,” said head chef and investor Ryan Gutierrez. “This is an exciting opportunity for a company.”

Getting beer out to fans across the state is the first step in a much more ambitious plan.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” said co-owner Jessica Laughlin.

If all goes well, the company will build a new location to accommodate a permanent canning facility, coupled with a larger brewing set-up, she said. They also hope to add more of their 13 flavors to the distribution list. But first they had to fill orders by Teton Distributing and Quality Brands of Cheyenne.

Laughlin credited Samuelson for improving the brews and speeding up the distribution plan. Samuelson has been in the business for decades, moving to Powell from Seattle for his current position.

“They brought me in to improve recipes and make beer to can,” he said. “I love it here. The pace is better — really good for me and my wife.”

Tyler Evans, sous chef for the restaurant, patiently fielded jokes coming from his co-workers as the cans rolled off the production line in six-packs. 

Evans is the new face of Kilted Cowboy, the brewery’s best selling beer. When he modeled for the label he was told nobody would recognize him. Yet he couldn’t be more recognizable in the picture. But it’s not his face, or even his “ZZ Top” whiskers that were the butt of jokes; it’s his attire. Evans is pictured in a kilt, cowboy boots and hat tipping back a beer. He sported a big grin when he first saw the cans.

Cody Regional Health

“I bet your wife will never want to see you in those boots again,” one of the crew members quipped. 

The jokes rolled off of him like water on a duck.

“It’s pretty cool. I’m pretty excited about it,” Evans said. “It turned out really good and I ended up on a beer that I really enjoy.”

The photograph of Evans and the designs were created by Kelly Laughlin — owner of Design | Print | Market with Kelly, a brewery employee and Jessica’s mom. For the Bronc Buster Blonde Ale label, Mariah Joy was photographed by Northwest College professor Morgan Tyree at the Trapper rodeo arena.

Like everything in the process, WYOld West tries to make sure every move it makes, from the grains used to produce the beer to business decisions, is done locally. Every can carries their motto: “Grown here, brewed here.”

The production line was brought in by Montana Canning. They travel around the region subcontracting for breweries, using a Wild Goose filling station with a proprietary six-pack assembler to save the time of piecing together the packs by hand.

“We stay pretty busy,” said Naomi Gerheim, one half of the canning crew along with husband Tim. “We’re going to be in Livingston [Montana] for a couple days right after this.”

While bottles continue to dominate beer packaging, that dominance is slipping to cans, according to the Brewers Association, a national organization for small and independent craft brewers.

“Bottles still clearly outsell cans, but the can percentage continues to rise,” economist Bart Watson said in a recent article. “Note that the percentage rise isn’t because of a decline in bottle sales (which have continued to climb), but simply because the increase in can sales has been faster than the increase in bottle sales.”

Naomi Gerheim said cans are more convenient.

“You can you can take it anywhere. If you want to go hunting or if you want to go on the river or hiking, it’s a lot easier to carry,” she said, comparing them to bottles or growlers. They are also easier to recycle, she said. 

Social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic was a double whammy on the craft beer industry. Not only was business driven out of pubs and restaurants, but shipping and production of canning materials was adversely affected while many micro breweries attempted to begin canning their brews to get beer into customers’ hands.

At least until WYOld West can build a new facility, Montana Canning will be making trips to Wyoming, getting Powell brews ready to ship.

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By Robert Davis, The Center Square

Wyoming earned an “A” grade for its fiscal health, according to a new report by fiscal watchdog group Truth in Accounting (TIA).

The state has a tax surplus of more than $19,500 per resident, TIA found, which ranks as the third-highest surplus in the country behind Alaska and North Dakota, respectively. Only 11 states have enough money to pay all their fiscal obligations, according to the report.

“The majority of states were financially unprepared for any crisis,” TIA CEO Sheila Weinberg said in a statement. “When states can’t pay their bills, taxpayers are on the hook.”

Wyoming, however, “had more than enough resources available,” according to the report, which noted the state’s $3.8 billion surplus is due in part to revenue it collects from the energy industry.

The average tax burden across the country was more than $9,300 last year, representing a more than 20% climb from 2019, according to the report.

TIA calculated state tax burdens by dividing the funds each state needs to pay its bills by the estimated number of state taxpayers. Similarly, tax surpluses were calculated by dividing the total amount of money left over after all a state’s bills were paid by the number of taxpayers.

The report said a majority of state debt comes from retirement plans such as pensions and retiree health care benefits. States set aside an average of $0.64 to fund pension promises and $0.08 to fund retiree health care last year, according to TIA.

Once the pandemic hit, funding for these obligations was shattered, leaving most states with far less money to pay out its growing obligations.

Wyoming’s retirement system netted a more than 27% return with more than $9.6 billion in assets and just $375 million in private debt, according to Wyoming’s retirement system financial outlook report.

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By Jim Angell, Cowboy State Daily

Wyoming’s sluggish population growth shows that they state still isn’t creating the volume of or types of jobs needed to keep its economy strong, according to a pioneer in Wyoming’s economic development efforts.

Bill Schilling, one of the founders of the Wyoming Heritage Foundation, which later became the Wyoming Business Alliance, told Cowboy State Daily the state’s 2.3% population growth over the last 10 years shows the state still has not developed a sustainable economy.

“We graduate more students, either high school or college, than we create new jobs,” he said. “We are not creating enough jobs to sustain our economy in the long-term. And Wyoming has not been doing that for a long time.”

Figures from the 2020 census show Wyoming’s population growth in the last decade ranks 45th in the nation out of all the states and Washington, D.C. The state gained 13,225 residents since 2010.

Schilling, who was also involved with the creation of the Wyoming Business Council, said the creators of the business council had hoped for better growth when the council was created in 1998.

“It falls well short of the original foundational work and goals when we created the Wyoming Business Council,” he said.

Although a number of economic development programs have been launched over the years, such as programs to add value to the state’s coal or enhance internet accessibility, not all have been successful in changing the nature of the state’s economy, Schilling said.

“There have been some wonderful initiatives,” he said. “There were certain pockets of great success, then there were pockets of disappointment.”

Schilling, who now lives in Hawaii, said while the state may have a good retail trade base, it needs to focus on industries that produce goods.

“We need jobs that are value-added, goods-producing vs. service-providing,” he said. “Wyoming’s foundational tax structure is at risk.”

The state has seen improvements over the years with its economic development efforts, such as the creation of economic development organizations at the local level, Schilling said. 

He added to some extent, Wyoming’s economic growth is now tied to entrepreneurs who are either already in the state or are drawn here by its quality of life.

However, he added he is not sure the skills of entrepreneurship can be taught at schools such as the University of Wyoming’s new entrepreneurship program.

Schilling said he spoke about such programs with a former member of the Business Council, a successful businessman.

“I asked him … can you train someone in entrepreneurship academically or is it something a person develops on their own by the school of hard knocks,” he said. “He observed that it was the latter. You really can’t teach entrepreneurship.”

However, the state’s workforce continues to be the envy of other states, Schilling said, with out-of-state employers always happy to interview job applicants from Wyoming.

“Wyoming has a good workforce,” he said. “They’re hard-working, reasonably honest and pretty good neighbors. Those are the ingredients of a good workforce.”

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By Jim Angell, Cowboy State Daily

Income from the state’s leisure and hospitality industry almost doubled in July over what was seen the previous year, according to a state report.

The state Economic Analysis Division’s monthly publication “Wyoming Insights” said sales tax income from the leisure and hospitality sector grew by $5 million in July, an 86.6% increase from July 2020.

The publication said the increase points to a continuing strong post-pandemic growth.

Total sales tax collections in July in the state grew by 13.7%, $8.5 million, in July compared to July 2020, the report said.

Increases in retail trade of $3.8 million and in financial activities of $1.1 million contributed to the total increase.

However, gains in those areas were offset by a reduction of almost $1.9 million in the transportation and utilities sector and $946,000 in the wholesale trade sector.

Strength in the state’s leisure and hospitality sector was also reflected in employment, with the industry providing 5,800 more jobs in June — the latest month for which numbers are available — than in June 2020, a 20.4% increase.

Professional and business services added 1,200 jobs in June compared to 2020 and state and local government added 1,100.

Mining employment was the same in June as in 2021, while the construction industry lost 1,400 jobs.

The report said most of the state’s counties saw gains in their sales tax collections in July from one year ago, led by Teton County, where tax income increased by almost 94%, $4.5 million, over 2020 figures.

Six counties posted declines in sales tax income, led by Natrona County, which saw its income go down by almost $1.5 million compared to 2020.

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By Wendy Corr, Cowboy State Daily

The signs are everywhere in restaurants and hotels — “Help Wanted.”

Despite the fact people are not turning out to fill these empty hospitality industry spots, people seem busy and are still spending money.

The shift away from the industry is a bit of a mystery for many labor force experts around the state.

“This is not an inexpensive place to live, in my opinion — so how are they paying their bills?” asked Donna Lester with the Wyoming Workforce Services office in Cody. “And buying groceries and buying gas and feeding their animals and all that?”

Lester and her colleagues across the state are puzzled by the lack of active searches for employment.

“If someone does come in, and says ‘I’m looking for a job,’ we tell them, you can go to Wendy’s and make $15 bucks an hour right now; you can go to Walmart and make $18.50,” she said. “We have a list of places that are desperate for help.”

But the workers aren’t showing up to fill the spots.

Last month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released new data which illustrates how the workforce has already started to shift. Nationally, the number of workers quitting their jobs reached an all-time high of 2.7%, while layoffs and “discharges” reached an all-time low of 1%. 

But the gap between the number of job openings and the number of unemployed workers is narrowing, according to the report. Currently, there are only 562,000 more unemployed workers than open jobs.

Ty Stockton, with the Workforce Service Office in Cheyenne, said there isn’t really a way to find out why people are not going back to work, since his office only sees people who are actively looking for employment.

“We have had folks say they want to get back to work, but they’re having trouble with childcare or they’re taking care of somebody who has pre-existing conditions, so there’s a little more danger with what’s going around,” Stockton said. 

He added, however, that there are some clues that the mindset of people who have traditionally worked in the hospitality industry have shifted.

“We have had quite a few people enroll in CDL training,” he said. “Truck drivers are in huge demand right now. We’ve seen the signs around that some of those places are offering really good salaries for folks just straight out of truck driving school.”

Stockton also pointed out there has been an increase in the number of people enrolling in classes to become certified nursing assistants or for other jobs in the medical field.

“There are a lot of short term certificates that somebody can finish in just a few months, then they can get right to work,” he said. “Other people are opting to go for degrees, which might take a little longer, but they’ll have more options when they get out.”

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By Jim Angell, Cowboy State Daily

Wyoming’s unemployment rate fell slightly in May as seasonal employment continued to boost job numbers, according to the state Department of Workforce Services.

Unemployment in May was set at 5.4%, a slight drop from the 5.7% seen in April, the department said, thanks largely to the gains seen in seasonal jobs.

“From April to May, unemployment rates followed their normal seasonal pattern and decreased in most counties,” the department said in its monthly unemployment report. “Unemployment rates often decline in May as warmer weather brings seasonal jobs in leisure and hospitality, construction, professional and business services and government.”

The state’s unemployment rate for May was slightly below the national average of 5.5%.

Crook County had the lowest unemployment rate for May at 3.9%, while Natrona County had the highest at 6.9%

Reflecting the influence of tourism, Teton County had the largest decline in the unemployment rate, falling from 7.1% in April to 5.9% in May.

May’s unemployment figure was far below the rate of 8.7% set in May of 2020 at the height of business closures forced by the coronavirus pandemic.

“From May 2020 to May 2021, unemployment rates fell in every county,” the department said. “Jobless rates were especially high in May 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the decreases in 2021 reflect a return toward more normal levels.”

The state’s “seasonally adjusted” unemployment rate — a rate derived by accounting for the impacts of normally recurring events such as storms, warmer weather and major holidays — stood at 5.4% in May, the same as in April.

Again, the seasonally adjusted rate was well below the rate of 8.5% seen in May 2020 and slightly below the national average of 5.8%.

The number of jobs in the state also grew slightly in May from the previous year, the report said, with a gain of about 10,000. The department said the increase was due to low job numbers caused by COVID-19 last year. 

“Nonfarm employment was unusually low in May 2020 because of widespread economic disruptions related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the report said.

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By Wendy Corr, Cowboy State Daily

Travelers often take for granted that once they fly somewhere, they can just rent a car and cruise around their destination.

Not this year.

“People are flying (to Jackson) and driving down to Salt Lake City to get rental cars, changing their plans,” said Justin Walters at the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce. “Some people are canceling altogether.”

It’s a “carpocalypse”, according to some in the industry. Car rental companies had to sell their inventory to cut costs during the pandemic. Additionally, a shortage of critical components has hampered the manufacture of new vehicles. So now that Americans are traveling again, the demand far outpaces the supply.

In addition to the shortage of inventory, the price of a rental car has gone through the roof. 

Michelle Walters from Cheapcarrental.net says that rental car rates across the U.S. are, on average, about 30% higher than average rental car rates from the same time two years ago. 

Closer to home, though, that percentage increase is actually quite conservative. The current rate for a rental car in Jackson is 10 times higher than the national average.

Ten times.

Say, for example, you wanted to rent a Toyota Corrolla for a week, beginning Friday, June 17. To pick that vehicle up from the Jackson Airport, the cost would be $5,201 (according to the website KAYAK).

Of course, Jackson is known for its high-end visitors and high-dollar real estate. Cody, on the other side of Yellowstone National Park, has lodging rates and food prices that are more reasonable.

So to rent a car in Cody should be much more affordable than in Jackson, right? Of course it is! That same Toyota Corrolla would rent in Cody, at the same time, for just… $1,678.

It seems the closer you get to a major tourist destination like Yellowstone National Park, the higher the car rental rates are. 

To rent a similar vehicle in Cheyenne for the same time period, a person would pay just $660 – a fraction of the cost in either Cody OR Jackson. And Rock Springs is even less expensive – a Kia Rio rented for that same week in June would cost just $218.

Options for travelers in high-demand destinations in the state are limited. There are some taxi services – a quick Google search shows over a dozen such operations in the Jackson area – but Uber and Lyft aren’t as prevalent in Wyoming as they are in more urban areas. 

And perhaps some budding entrepreneurs might start renting out their cars, like many rent out their homes. 

An AirBnB-type business called Turo allows people to offer their personal vehicles for rent – but that option hasn’t yet caught on in rural areas like Wyoming.

So until a solution presents itself, travelers will have to prepare for some hefty sticker shock if they are hoping to rent a vehicle while traveling this summer.

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By Wendy Corr, Cowboy State Daily

“Now Hiring” signs are everywhere in Cody. And while businesses in tourist towns seem to go through the same struggle every year to find workers, this year is especially difficult, according to employers.

Tracey Locke, the manager of Cody’s Boot Barn, said working with insufficient staff is a regular problem right now.

“We’re open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, so we have a lot of business coming in and out,” she said. “Yesterday was busier than we expected, and we were short staffed for the day.”

Locke said it has been difficult just to get people to turn in applications, let alone accept a job offer.

“I mean, if we can get them in the door and talk about the commissions and stuff, we might get them,” she said. “But I’ve had people schedule interviews, and then not even show up for interviews.”

Brenda O’Shea and her husband own and operate A Western Rose Motel, just a block from downtown Cody. She said the extra unemployment benefits that are currently being offered by the federal government are a big hinderance to getting local workers to apply.

“I’ve had two girls apply (who have asked), ‘Are you going to pay me under the table?’ ‘Why would I do that?’ ‘Because it’s going to affect my benefits if I make too much money.’”

The labor shortage is putting a strain on many local businesses, which in turn is affecting consumers.

“Dairy Queen has closed their lobby, Wendy’s is closing their lobby,” O’Shea said.

In an effort to entice workers, employers are offering unique benefits.

Some are advertising starting wages at $15 per hour or more. Some are offering signing bonuses. For small businesses like A Western Rose Motel, though, that kind of compensation isn’t realistic – so they offer other benefits.

“I provide free housing,” O’Shea said. “I have a two-bedroom home, no rent, (and I pay) $500 a week each.”

For Boot Barn, it’s the employee discount that can give help lure workers, according to Locke.

“We can’t compete with the $15 an hour, but our employee discount program that we have in here is top notch,” she said. “Like, we get 40% to 50% of our products off the retail cost. So that seems to be a huge benefit if you wear western clothing.”

But it’s not just the lack of local workers that’s affecting local businesses — it’s also the inability to hire workers from other countries.

O’Shea said their hotel has relied on foreign exchange students from China in years past, but not this year.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s Cody, Wyoming, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Jersey Shore – it doesn’t matter,” she said. “Very few people are getting foreign exchange students.”

With those potential workers unable to travel to the U.S. this year because of coronavirus restrictions, O’Shea and two other employees are doing the work that eight or nine people have done in the past.

“I no longer live in my house, I live in a motel room,” she said, “because obviously my co-workers need days off, and when you own your own business you get to work all the time, and everyone’s experiencing that right now.”

Locke is in the same situation at the retail store. She said she is working extra hours just to keep the doors open.

“This week alone I hit 40 hours yesterday morning,” she said. “So, I worked a 12-hour day yesterday, and then I’m going to work a 12-hour day today.”

Locke is optimistic, though, that as the summer continues and employment benefits return to pre-pandemic rules, more people will be going back to work.

“I think we’re all crossing our fingers and hoping, like, mid-June, last part of June, when that unemployment changes, that we’ll see an uptick in applications, hopefully.”

“I mean, we’re just at the beginning of the tunnel, it hasn’t even really begun yet,” O’Shea said. “And we know that we have a short amount of time to make a year’s worth of income, so we’re trying our best. We’ll get through it.”

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By Wendy Corr, Cowboy State Daily

There are some things we definitely take for granted in our society – for example, construction projects. Many of us just assume we can go to the lumber yard, get the supplies we need, and build whatever we have in mind.

But what happens when those supplies just aren’t available?

Right now, lumber is hard to come by. And when it can be found, it isn’t cheap.

“Our (plywood) with all of our sheet goods have gone exponentially higher – like eight times higher, and our dimensional lumber has over doubled in price,” said Matt Scott, a contractor in Cody. “But it’s also availability of goods.”

Ken Gould, a sales associate at Knecht Home Center in Sheridan, said the price for standard plywood — also known as oriented strand board or OSB (standard plywood) — is over five times what it cost just six months ago.

“Your cost of OSB right now is, $66.78 for 7/16 OSB sheeting,” Gould said. “Six months ago it was around $13 or $14.”

And the reason behind the price hike? Simple supply and demand, he said.

“The supply is not there,” Gould said. 

Right now, the OSB is coming from places like Michigan, or other suppliers back east, Gould said. But that’s not where the lumber came from before the coronavirus hit.

“Most of your OSB would come out of Canada, but Canada is closed,” he said. 

But it’s not just about border issues. Labor plays a big part, according to Gould.

“I was told this morning that there’s lots of lumber out there to be grabbed and brought in, but they can’t get trucks,” he said. 

For Scott, the shortage affects his bottom line as well – and his schedule.

“With the price being so high, no lumberyard wants to stock a whole lot of lumber right now, because they’re not wanting to put a whole lot of money into inventory,” he said. “So that slows our turnover down, and there’s a lot more time lagging with the supply chain. We’ve run into a lot of issues with our windows and door manufacturers just because they went to half staff during this whole deal.”

Scott put most of the blame for the shortages in lumber and other construction goods on the pandemic and other natural disasters in recent months.

“Our drywall has doubled in price because they’re shipping a lot of it down to Texas to repair all the damage that was done this spring,” he said, referring to the cold snap that caused pipes to freeze and burst. “And our PVC pipe is in short demand.”

The supply issues have caused Scott to change the way he schedules upcoming jobs.

“I’m at a point where I’m so tired of trying to play this catch up game,” he said. “We just had to kind of tell people we can’t take any more work at this time, partially because it’s right now it’s too hard to schedule that far out.”

Gould said from his perspective, a large part of the issue is political. He said he feels that the labor shortage is tied to higher unemployment benefits, which discourage potential employees from going back to work.

“I ordered one man an earth auger, to drill holes in the ground,” he said. “And (the seller) told me it was backordered until October. She told me that they don’t have enough workers in the factory to produce what people are purchasing. And why would they want to work? When they can make $1,600 on unemployment?”

‘It’s frustrating,” Scott said. “It adds a whole other level of stress that isn’t normally there. But we’ve got to figure out how to work through this and deal with it.”

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By Jim Angell, Cowboy State Daily

Wyoming lost more than 16,000 jobs in 2020, according to state figures.

A report from the state Department of Workforce Services showed that between the fourth quarter of 2019 and 2020, the number of people employed in the state fell by 6%, from 276,508 to 259,937.

The figures are included in a preliminary employment report prepared by the DWS Research and Planning Division.

Employment in the last quarter of 2020 was an improvement over the second quarter of the year, when the number of people with jobs stood at 252,329.

By comparison, as of March, the DWS estimated state employment at 277,417.

The combined impact of coal mine closures and business closures related to the coronavirus pandemic was felt significantly in employment.

The report said most of the jobs lost, 5,900, were seen in the mining sector, while the leisure and hospitality industry lost 3,300 jobs over the one-year period. Construction jobs also fell by 2,750 from the last quarter of 2019.

However, the retail trade sector added 700 jobs from the final quarter of 2019.

The report also said that during the final quarter of the year, the state’s total payroll dropped by 1.7% from the fourth quarter of 2019 to total almost $3.6 billion. However, the payroll seen in the last quarter of the year was higher than what was seen in the second quarter, when the total fell to $3.1 billion.

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