Government & Politics
News
Revenues ahead of estimates, though structural problems remain
Sales taxes, investment income, oil severance taxes and federal mineral royalties are proving to be the saving grace for state coffers, according to a recent report, but the overall revenue picture for Wyoming remains bleak.
August 15, 2019
Transposition error makes it appear substitute teacher makes $216K
In case you mightve heard otherwise, please rest assured that a substitute teacher does not, in fact, hold the top-paying job in Fremont County School District 25 in Riverton. Theyre not paying a custodian $120,000 a year, either.
August 10, 2019
More than 100 million prescription painkillers ended up in Wyoming in six years
Drug makers distributed nearly 126.7 million painkillers in Wyoming between 2006 to 2012, according to a federal prescription database recently made public.
August 09, 2019
USDA helps veterans turn from swords to plowshares
Young people are losing interest in the agriculture industry, but the United States Department of Agriculture is hoping low-interest loans could attract a different demographic veterans. The USDAs loan program has been around in one form or another since the 1930s, said Rob Weppner, a USDA Farm Service Agency farm loan manager based in northeastern Wyoming.
July 25, 2019
New approval poll shows high approval of Gordon, Barrasso and Enzi
Gov. Mark Gordon has the fifth-highest approval rating of U.S. governors, according to new polling by Morning Consult, a Washington, D.C.-based media and technology company.
July 24, 2019
Public health officials continue to eye Wyoming’s immunization rates
Looking at data for four common vaccines tracked by the National Immunization Survey, Wyomings rates increase and decrease by more percentage points than the national average.
July 17, 2019
Former U.S. Rep. Lummis to seek Senate
Cynthia Lummis, who served as Wyomings lone U.S. representative and state treasurer, will run for the U.S. Senate in 2020, she announced Thursday.
July 12, 2019
Thousands tour reopened Capitol
Thousands of people got their first glimpse of the new interior of the state Capitol on Wednesday as the building was opened to the public for the first time since the extensive refurbishment of the Capitol Complex began more than four years ago.
July 11, 2019
2020 Census prep begins in Wyoming – What it means to you
Gov. Mark Gordon signed a proclamation June 25 that sets in motion the states preparations for the 2020 U.S. Census including a soon-to-be-live website and committees strategizing participation in hard-to-reach communities.
July 03, 2019
Wyoming’s minimal exposure in movies could soon dissipate
As the last of the funding is drained from the Wyoming Office of Tourisms Film Incentives Program, the state could see even less time on the silver screen. Filming in Wyoming can be a hard sell for out-of-state companies such as Netflix and Thunder Road Films, which produced Wind River in 2017.
June 29, 2019
Gordon says true biennium budget will lead to better planning
Gov. Mark Gordons efforts to create a true two-year budget for state government should encourage state agencies to plan better for the future, he said Thursday.
June 28, 2019
To vet Wyoming vanity plates, WYDOT consults Urban Dictionary
The average English-speaking American adult has a 42,000 -word vocabulary. But the state employees who vet submissions for vanity Wyoming license plates have been exposed to thousands more.
June 26, 2019
As Capitol nears completion, lawmakers say the project is on time, on budget
The nearly $300 million Wyoming Capitol Square Project is wrapping up and government agencies are making their way into their new digs after years in temporary office space around Cheyenne.
June 20, 2019
University of Wyoming’s Historic Cooper House Evades Demolition
An outside consultant's recommendation to tear down the historic Cooper House on the University of Wyoming campus caused quite a kerfuffle around the state.
June 19, 2019
Analysis: Who Uses the Wyoming State Plane the Most?
The states two twin-engine passenger jets nicknamed Wyomings Air Force spend most of their time ferrying state officials around Wyoming, but about 10 percent of the flights leave the state, according to state records.
June 07, 2019
Doctor Shortage in Wyoming; “Almost Impossible to Recruit”
Wyo Hospital Assoc. President: Federal changes makes it almost impossible for us to be competitive and for us to recruit especially family practice physicians in these rural areas where theyre needed the most.
June 06, 2019
Triumph High School grads overcome adversity on the road to a diploma
At Triumph High School, students overcome challenges outside the classroom in addition to the academic rigors of earning a high school diploma.
May 31, 2019
VA to implement Mission Act, cutting wait times, enhancing healthcare programs
By Ike Fredregill, Cowboy State Daily A congressional act going into effect June 6 could make it easier for Wyoming veterans to access the health care providers of their choice. The Mission Act will replace the Choice Act of 2014, which was adopted as the congressional response to extreme wait times experienced by veterans seeking medical…
May 29, 2019
“And they were proud to do so”: A moving Memorial Day tribute to the fallen
Watch this moving report from Monday's Memorial Day service in Cheyenne. The ceremony offered a moving tribute to those who gave all in service to our country and a great reminder to share with our children and grandchildren of the blessing of being born in the land of the free and the home of the brave.
May 28, 2019
Wyoming’s highest cost schools score lowest on ACT
Poverty, a widely diverse student population and cultural differences all contribute to the low college preparedness exam scores posted by Fremont County schools, according to educators.
May 27, 2019
War is Hell: A Memorial Day remembrance
As we reflect this weekend on the sacrifice of those who have given of themselves in our armed services, our Robert Geha visits with his Uncle Eddie "Goose" Gazel, a World War II veteran, about the battle of Tarawa in the Japanese archipelago.
May 26, 2019
Legislator to proceed with effort to ban ‘sanctuary cities.’
A Casper legislator said he intends to continue his efforts to ban sanctuary cities in the state as momentum behind the issue continues to build amid the crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border.
May 25, 2019
WYDOT increases safety message funding as highway fatalities skyrocket
The Wyoming Department of Transportation spends millions to inform the public about safe driving practices, but the death toll continues to rise on Wyomings highways.
May 17, 2019
Wyoming’s jets cost state $1 million in 2018
With 99 municipalities spread far and wide across Wyomings approximately 98,000 square miles, transportation can be time consuming for state employees and elected officials.
May 15, 2019