Government & Politics
News
Foreign Ownership Of Ag Land A Struggle For Lawmakers In Wyoming And DC
Brett Moline, of the Wyoming Farm Bureau, said his organization supports restricting foreign ownership of U.S. agriculture land. Even though the percentage of overall farmland owned by foreign investors is small, it’s a situation that could quickly get out of hand if left unchecked.
November 12, 2023
Rocky Mountain Power Claims Astonishing 30% Rate Increase Not Due To Renewables
Rocky Mountain Power’s controversial request for a gigantic 30% rate hike isn’t driven by costs of renewables, company officials say. It’s mostly from peak demand for power. They also claim extreme weather events are to blame.
Renée JeanNovember 12, 2023
‘Fire Of Significant Size’ Closes Rawlins City Landfill
What city officials report is a “fire of significant size” in the construction and demolition section of the Rawlins Landfill closed the facility hours early Saturday afternoon.
Greg JohnsonNovember 12, 2023
Dam Engineer Worried About LaPrele Dam, Which Is More Than 60 Years Past Its Prime
At 114 years old, the LaPrele Dam is the nation’s oldest open-front dam. Built in 1909, its service life was only 50 years, which worries dam engineer Nathan Graves. Until it can be replaced, the water has been lowered significantly.
Mark HeinzNovember 12, 2023
Wyomingites Say They Can’t Afford Rocky Mountain Power’s 30% Rate Hike
Affordability was a recurring theme during the Wyoming Public Service Commission’s marathon hearing about Rocky Mountain Power’s proposed 30% electricity rate hike.
Renée JeanNovember 11, 2023
Mark Gordon Accepts Challenge From Wyoming Lawmaker For Climate Change Debate
State Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Lingle, and nearly 30 other lawmakers, have challenged Gov. Mark Gordon to debate climate change and the merits of his “carbon negative” policy. The governor said he’ll do it.
Leo WolfsonNovember 11, 2023
GOP Firebrand Joey Correnti Nominated For Carbon County Commission
Well-known Wyoming politico Joey Correnti has been nominated to fill a vacant Carbon County Commission seat, but he must first beat out two other nominees to get the job.
Leo WolfsonNovember 10, 2023
Wyoming Lawmakers Resolve To Stand With Israel, Condemn Hamas
More than a third of the Wyoming Legislature signed a resolution Thursday supporting Israel in its war with Hamas terrorists.
Leo WolfsonNovember 10, 2023
Replacing Crumbling 114-Year-Old LaPrele Dam An Urgent Priority
The clock continues to tick on the 114-year-old LaPrele Dam in Converse County, which was supposed to have a 50-year lifespan and is starting to crumble. The design phase of a years-long project to replace the dam is almost 30% finished.
Mark HeinzNovember 09, 2023
Wyoming Loves Trump: November Poll Shows 70% Still Support Former President
A recent mail-in poll by the Wyoming Republican Party finds that GOP support for former President Donald Trump hasn’t waned, with 70% backing him as the party’s 2024 nominee.
Leo WolfsonNovember 09, 2023
Hageman Fights Law That Mandates Government-Controlled 'Kill Switch' In All Cars
Calling a mandate that will install government-controlled “kill switches” in every car after 2026 a “massive invasion of privacy,” Rep. Hageman tried on Tuesday to defund that law but lost by a 229-201 vote.
Clair McFarlandNovember 08, 2023
Biden’s Education Chief Supports Trans Athletes, Local Control For Sex Books
In Wyoming this week, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona told Cowboy State Daily he supports Biden’s stance on allowing trans female athletes and Wyoming’s stance that sexually explicit books in school libraries is a local issue.
Leo WolfsonNovember 08, 2023
Hageman's Had Enough: Votes To Censure Tlaib For Supporting ‘Terrorist Organization’
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman on Tuesday night reached her limit with Democratic congresswoman Rashida Tlaib by voting to censure her for supporting a “terrorist organization.”
Leo WolfsonNovember 08, 2023
Exploding Visitation Numbers Has Yellowstone, Grand Teton Parks Near Critical Mass
The superintendents of Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks on Tuesday said drastic plans and investment are needed to handle explosive growth in visitation to the parks.
Leo WolfsonNovember 08, 2023
Riverton’s Day Drinkers Agree With Wyoming Lawmaker: They’re Not Homeless
As a Wyoming legislative committee discusses $500,000 to build a homeless shelter in Riverton, a state lawmaker said the town's wanderers aren't homeless, they've come to town to drink. The wanderers generally agree.
Clair McFarlandNovember 07, 2023
Secretary Of Ag Defends Biden's War On Cow Burps, Wants To Save Small Farmers
At the Western Governors’ Association meeting in Jackson on Tuesday, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack defended the Biden administration's push to reduce the methane output from U.S. cattle and the importance of saving America's small farmers.
Leo WolfsonNovember 07, 2023
Safe Havens Would Have To Ask If Abandoned Babies Are Indian Under Proposed Law
Wyoming lawmakers are contemplating whether “Safe Haven” public agencies that take in abandoned babies should be required to find out if those babies are American Indian.
Clair McFarlandNovember 07, 2023
Gordon Doubles Down On Climate Change And Wyoming’s ‘Carbon Negative’ Goal
Despite a vote of no confidence from the state Republican Party, Gov. Mark Gordon doubled down at Monday’s Western Governors’ Association meeting in Jackson on his goal for Wyoming to become “carbon negative.”
Leo WolfsonNovember 07, 2023
Wyoming Library Association Blasts Degenfelder's Opt-In Guidance For Sex Books
The Wyoming Library Association on Monday said it has a problem with Megan Degenfelder’s guidance that could make kids get parental permission to have access to sexually-graphic books in schools.
Clair McFarlandNovember 06, 2023
Wyoming GOP Passes No Confidence Vote Against Gov. Gordon
Meeting in Newcastle on Saturday, the Wyoming Republican Party Central Committee passed a “no confidence” vote against Gov. Mark Gordon, saying he “boldly turned” his back on the party for his climate change comments at Harvard University.
Leo WolfsonNovember 05, 2023
Wyoming Republicans Stand With Hageman On Tlaib Free Speech Stance
Republicans at Saturday’s Wyoming GOP meeting in Newcastle mostly expressed support for Rep. Harriet Hageman’s vote to not censure Democrat Rashida Tlaib for making antisemitic remarks.
Leo WolfsonNovember 04, 2023
Wyoming Lawmakers Kill Fuel Taxes Despite $400 Million WYDOT Deficit
A pair of proposals for higher fuel taxes in Wyoming were shot down during a Joint Transportation Committee meeting on Friday despite the Wyoming Department of Transportation's $400 million deficit.
Leo WolfsonNovember 03, 2023
Daylight Saving Time: Nearly Everyone Hates Changing Their Clocks But It's Still Here
Wyoming and 18 other states have passed legislation calling for making daylight saving time permanent — but only if federal law allows it. Federal regulations prevent states from adopting permanent daylight saving time on their own.
Leo WolfsonNovember 03, 2023
Report Reveals Sexual Assaults Reports In The Wyoming Military Department Down 30% In 2023
At a legislative committee meeting on Thursday, it was revealed there were 11 incidents of sexual assault reported within the Wyoming Military Department in 2023 down from 16 in 2022.
Leo WolfsonNovember 03, 2023