Government & Politics
News

Wyoming Bristles At Surgeon General’s Claim Guns A Public Health Crisis
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy declared this week that gun violence is a public health crisis and called for an assault weapons ban. Wyoming gun owners bristled at the notion and said he doesn’t know what he’s talking about it.
Mark HeinzJune 28, 2024

Hageman Says Jill Biden Guilty Of ‘Elder Abuse’ For Letting Joe Debate
Reacting to Thursday’s first 2024 presidential debate, Harriet Hageman said President Joe Biden’s performance was so bad that first lady Jill Biden is guilty of “elder abuse” for “rolling President Biden out on stage to engage in a battle of wits while unarmed.”
Leo WolfsonJune 28, 2024

Wyoming Has Fastest Growing Elderly Population In Nation
A new state demographic report released Thursday shows Wyoming has the fastest growing population of elderly people, age 65 and older, in the nation. The state’s oldest county is Hot Springs County followed by Johnson, Platte, and Niobrara counties.
Leo WolfsonJune 28, 2024

Judge: Natrona County Can’t Stop Landowner From Blocking Off Road
A judge ruled Thursday that Natrona County cannot stop a local ranch family from closing off parts of County Road 505. The judge said the county doesn’t own the road and they cannot block the landowners from gating it.
Dale KillingbeckJune 27, 2024

PETA Wants Wyoming To Use Dinosaur Instead Of Bucking Bronco On License Plate
Wyomingites weren't impressed with a demand from PETA on Thursday to replace the bucking bronco on the state license plate to a dinosaur head. PETA says rodeos are cruel. In response, one man in Cheyenne said PETA can "kiss my ass."
Leo WolfsonJune 27, 2024

Déjà Vu: Heiner, Crank Face Off For Wyoming House Seat For 4th Time in 8 Years
The ballot in southwest Wyoming will look familiar for the Republican primary for House District 18 with current and former legislators Scott Heiner and Tom Crank facing off for the fourth time in eight years.
Leo WolfsonJune 27, 2024

Freedom Caucus Says Gordon Suing Over Coal Rule A Win For Them
Freedom Caucus member Jeremy Haroldson says Mark Gordon’s announcement that he has hired a top law firm to fight a federal coal rule is a win for the Freedom Caucus because they wanted a special session to push the governor to sue.
Leo WolfsonJune 26, 2024
Oops! Natrona County Maintained Rural Road For Years, But Never Owned It
After years of maintaining County Road 505, Natrona County officials sued local landowners when they threatened to block off the road. Turns out, the county doesn't even own the road -- the landowners do. Both sides were in front of a judge Wednesday.
Dale KillingbeckJune 26, 2024

Will Freedom Caucus Primary Wins In Idaho & South Dakota Spill Over To Wyoming?
Although the Freedom Caucus picked up victories in both Idaho and South Dakota, political pundits in Wyoming disagree over the significance. Some believe it's an inevitable trend while others aren't so sure.
Leo WolfsonJune 26, 2024

Gordon Vows To Fight Coal Mandates As Wyoming Hires Pedigree Law Firm
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon vowed during a Gillette town hall Tuesday to wage a legal fight with the federal government to rollback on federal mandates on coal and other Wyoming energy industries, and the state has hired a pedigree law firm to do it.
Pat MaioJune 26, 2024

Amazingly, ‘Catastrophic’ Teton Pass Failure Fixed In 3 Weeks, To Open Friday
Just three weeks after part of the highway on Teton Pass fell off the mountain, Wyoming transportation officials announced it will reopen on Friday. Considered the lifeline between Jackson and Idaho, the detour will have significantly slower speed limits but no weight limitations.
Jake NicholsJune 25, 2024

Where Does Wyoming Gambling Go Next? $2 Billion Industry At A Crossroads
Gambling in Wyoming has rocketed over the past decade to become a $2 billion a year industry. Does Wyoming go full throttle and follow Montana or will the state take a more moderate approach?
Leo WolfsonJune 25, 2024

Federal Committee Recommends Renaming Devils Tower To Bear Lodge
A federal committee has recommended that the Sec. of Interior change the name of Devils Tower to Bear Lodge. She can't, however, because Wyoming is the only state exempt from the Antiquities Act. Only an act of Congress could do so.
Andrew RossiJune 24, 2024

Fate Of Wyoming’s Trans Treatments For Kids Law Hinges On U.S. Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it will hear a case determining the constitutionality of Tennessee's ban on transgender surgeries for kids, which will likely determine the future of a new and very similar Wyoming law.
Leo WolfsonJune 24, 2024

Big Horn Basin Parents Push For Wyoming’s First Online Charter School
A Big Horn Basin group is pushing to have a charter school approved this summer. It would become the first charter school in the northwestern part of Wyoming and the state’s first online-only charter school.
Leo WolfsonJune 22, 2024

If Charlie Scott Wins Re-Election, He Will Be One Of The Longest Serving Legislators In U.S.
Casper Republican Charlie Scott, the longest serving member of the Wyoming Legislature, is running for reelection for his 14th term in the state Senate. If he wins, he’ll be among the longest serving legislators in the U.S.
Leo WolfsonJune 21, 2024

Overhaul Of I-25/I-80 Interchange In Cheyenne Will Cost $500 Million
The cloverleaf interchange where Interstates 80 and 25 intersect in Cheyenne will get a $500 million overhaul with huge flyover bridges to keep thousands of semitrucks moving freight across the West. It could take up to a decade to complete.
Pat MaioJune 21, 2024

Wyoming Only State Without Immunity For Drug Overdoses, But Bill Would Change That
Wyoming is the only state without a “good Samaritan” law that grants immunity from prosecution for illegal drug users who report drug overdoses. That could change under a bill advanced Thursday by a legislative committee.
Leo WolfsonJune 20, 2024

Who Knew? The Bald Eagle, Symbol Of Freedom, Isn’t The Official National Bird
You may not know that while the bald eagle has been adopted as America’s symbol of liberty and freedom since the 1780s, it’s not the official national bird. Cynthia Lummis introduced a bill Thursday to finally make it official.
Leo WolfsonJune 20, 2024

Mark Gordon And Chuck Gray Spar Again, This Time Over Wheatland's Failing Water Tank
Gov. Mark Gordon and Secretary of State Chuck Gray had another verbal altercation Thursday. This time, the two exchanged words over Gordon’s track record on giving money to Wheatland for its failing water tower.
Leo WolfsonJune 20, 2024

Rock Springs Republican Candidates Battle Over Who's More Conservative
State Sen. John Kolb, R-Rock Springs, has a Republican primary opponent who said he’s the true conservative in their Republican primary race. But Kolb says, "My background isn’t a guy who fell off the hay wagon yesterday."
Leo WolfsonJune 20, 2024

Natrona Commissioners Pull $600K For Air Guarantee, Likely To Lose SLC Flight
After convincing the city of Casper in April to pony up $400,000 to guarantee air service to Salt Lake City, the Natrona County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday pulled it’s $600,000 contribution.
Dale KillingbeckJune 20, 2024

Wyoming, Utah First To Sue BLM For Putting Conservation Over Mining
Wyoming and Utah have become the first states to sue the BLM over an obscure rule that weighs conservation over mining interests in how 245 million acres of public lands are managed.
Pat MaioJune 19, 2024

Wyoming Still Fights Stigma Of Suicide 70 Years After US Sen. Lester Hunt’s Death
Lander state senator Cale Case used the 70th anniversary of the death of former U.S. Sen. Lester Hunt, who killed himself in 1954 amid pressure from McCarthyism, to highlight how Wyoming is still fighting the stigma of suicide.
Leo WolfsonJune 19, 2024
