Government & Politics

Wyoming Business Council CEO Josh Dorrell, from left, Gov. Mark Gordon, and state Rep. Ken Pendergraft, R-Sheridan.

Legislators Grill Wyoming Business Council, Say It ‘Picks Winners And Losers’

The Wyoming Business Council was grilled by legislators this week over its $111.8 million budget request, while Gov. Mark Gordon recommends it receive about half that. At least one legislator wants to eliminate the agency.

Clair McFarlandDecember 05, 2025

Allie Coghan was one of the original seven plaintiffs who sued the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority in 2023, saying it broke faith with its members by admitting a transgender member amid special treatment during the election process the previous autumn. She's pictured here at the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver in May 2024.

UW Graduate In Transgender Sorority Member Lawsuit Speaks At White House

A former University of Wyoming student who sued her sorority for admitting a transgender member spoke Wednesday at a White House education event. She joined a discussion on political bias in U.S. universities.

Clair McFarlandDecember 05, 2025

Former Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Judy Catchpole and her husband Glenn

Former Wyoming Schools Chief Judy Catchpole Dies, Remembered For Humor, High Energy

Wyoming’s leaders, past and present, are mourning the loss of former Superintendent of Public Instruction Judy Catchpole, who died on Thursday at the age of 81. Catchpole is remembered for her boundless energy, sense of humor and advocacy for children.

Jimmy OrrDecember 04, 2025

Locals Say Controversial Rock Springs Land Plan Must Allow Energy, Public Access

Rock Springs residents turned out Tuesday to support promised changes to a controversial plan to manage 3.6 million acres of southwest Wyoming. The plan is being amended to comply with Trump’s order to peel away roadblocks to U.S. energy development.

Tracie SullivanDecember 04, 2025

The Cheyenne East High School clay target team practices at a local range in this file photo.

Trump Administration Gives UW $1M To Create Second Amendment Program For Schools

With a $1 million grant from President Donald Trump’s Department of Education, the University of Wyoming’s Firearms Research Center is tasked with creating nonpartisan public school courses on the Second Amendment.

Mark HeinzDecember 03, 2025

Gov. Mark Gordon fielded questions on data centers Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, when pitching his $11.3 billion budget to lawmakers. Secretary of State Chuck Gray weathered questions over a clash with the governor one lawmaker called playing "political football."

Lawmakers Question Gordon On Data Centers, Gray On Clash With Gordon

Gov. Mark Gordon fielded questions on data centers Monday when pitching his $11.3 billion budget to lawmakers. Secretary of State Chuck Gray weathered questions over a clash with the governor one lawmaker called playing "political football."

Clair McFarlandDecember 02, 2025

Hageman Probes Drug Cartels Exploiting Native American Tribes

Wyoming U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman co-signed a letter Monday to the FBI seeking statistics on crimes in Indian Country. She says the Biden administration’s immigration policies led to Native Americans being exploited and victimized by drug cartels.

Sean BarryDecember 01, 2025

It may be a little later than normal, but snowy weather caused havoc on Interstate 80 with a string of accidents that shut down the highway for hours over the weekend, sending some motorists to the hospital and stranding others for hours.

Winter Is Back: Series Of Crashes Shut Down Interstate 80 For Hours

Snowy weather caused havoc on I-80 over the weekend as semi-trucks and other vehicles were involved in a series of collisions in western Wyoming. Six people were taken to the Evanston hospital for injuries while hundreds of motorists were stuck on the highway for hours.

Andrew RossiDecember 01, 2025

Jackson artist Ben Roth is collecting 300 pounds of tumbleweed to create a 70-foot-long "tumblewhale" for the new Central Wyoming College camopus being built in Jackson. The finished sculpture will hang over the heads of students and visitors, who will be able to move it "like a giant marionette."

Jackson Artist Commissioned To Create Giant 70-Foot Whale Out Of Tumbleweeds

A Jackson artist is collecting 300 pounds of tumbleweed to create a 70-foot-long tumbleweed whale for the new Central Wyoming College campus being built in Jackson. The finished sculpture's goal is to look like it's swimming in the air.

Andrew RossiNovember 30, 2025

Casper Turning Point USA Teen Founder's Story Inspires Florida Filmmaker

The story of a Casper high school senior’s effort to start a Turning Point USA Club America chapter has inspired a young Florida filmmaker. He says her turbulent story of the opposition she encountered needs to be told.

Dale KillingbeckNovember 30, 2025

Drea Hineman, a senior from Gillette majoring in plant production and protection in the UW Department of Plant Sciences, inset, recently earned regional recognition at a Spacepoint symposium, dubbed Interplanetary Life, in Boise, Idaho, for her innovative space-farming research supported by NASA. Here, she tends to plants undergoing a salinity trial at the Laramie Research and Extension Center greenhouse.

How A University Of Wyoming Student Is Helping NASA Pioneer Space Farming

The novel agricultural research of a University of Wyoming senior could help NASA pioneer the future of space farming. Growing food in space is a critical component of prolonged exploration of the solar system and beyond.

Andrew RossiNovember 30, 2025

Wyoming’s shortage of nursers could get worse now that the federal government has taken nurses off of its list of “professional” degrees. That would slash federal student loan assistance and has the University of Wyoming exploring financial workarounds. Above, nursing students work on a patient simulator.

Shortage Of Nurses Could Get Worse If Feds Take Them Off ‘Professionals’ List

Wyoming’s shortage of nurses could get worse if the federal government takes nurses off of its list of “professional” degrees. That would slash federal student loan assistance and could put the nurse practitioner program out of reach for students.

Renée JeanNovember 29, 2025

Survey Sparks Division In Evanston Over Four-Day School Week

A survey has sparked division in Evanston over whether the local school district should adopt a four-day school week. Some district leaders and parents don't like the idea, while supporters says it's not the job of public schools to babysit kids.

Kate MeadowsNovember 28, 2025

Lynne Cheney looks on as U.S. military body bearers carry the casket containing the remains of her husband, former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, at his funeral service at the National Cathedral on Nov. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

Dick Cheney Remembered As ‘True Man Of The West’ At D.C. Funeral

While his funeral was happening 1,770 miles from his hometown of Casper, Wyoming, there was a palpable Cowboy State feel to Dick Cheney’s funeral service Thursday in Washington, D.C. Former President George W. Bush remembered him a “true man of the West.”

Greg Johnson & Sean BarryNovember 21, 2025

Wyoming lawmakers advanced plans to eliminate residential property taxes and replace lost funds by raising the sales tax from 4% to 6%.

Wyoming Legislators Advance Plan To Kill All Residential Property Taxes

Wyoming lawmakers advanced five property tax reform plans Wednesday. One of the measures, if passed by the Legislature and the people of Wyoming, would change the state Constitution to eliminate residential property tax altogether.

Clair McFarlandNovember 20, 2025

Elk Hunter Chris Holden found these aircraft parts Wednesday afternoon near Laramie Peak in Converse County. It’s thought that they might have blown off a plane in mid-flight.

Wyoming Hunter Finds Aircraft Parts That Blew Off Cessna Jet In 2019

A Wyoming hunter found aircraft parts Wednesday scattered near Laramie Peak. The Converse County Sheriff's Office confirmed late Thursday the parts came from a Cessna Citation jet that took off in 2019 from Casper and landed safely in Scottsbluff.

Mark HeinzNovember 20, 2025

House Passes Bill That Repeals Spying Reparations Provision For Lummis, Others

Rep. Harriet Hageman voted Wednesday to repeal the recently enacted provision of law that allows eight GOP senators, including Wyoming’s Cynthia Lummis, to sue the government for at least $500,000 each over the FBI’s spying on them.

Sean BarryNovember 20, 2025

Wyoming Senate President Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, left, and Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette.

Sparks Fly At Management Council Over Honor Wyoming 'Blocked' Email Claims

Sparks flew Wednesday as the Legislature’s highest-ranking members rejected a controversial bill to keep a list of emails people send to legislators. Conservative political group Honor Wyoming says the list is needed because its emails have been “blocked.”

Clair McFarlandNovember 20, 2025

U.S. Senate Republican leaders, including Wyoming’s John Barrasso, inset, allowed legislation on the Epstein files to pass Wednesday with no debate or amendments. They ingnored U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s insistence on changes.

Barrasso, Senate GOP Ignore House Leader And Pass Bill To Release Epstein Files

U.S. Senate Republican leaders, including Wyoming’s John Barrasso, allowed legislation on the Epstein files to pass Wednesday with no debate or amendments. They ignored U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s insistence on changes.

Sean BarryNovember 19, 2025

A preliminary NTSB report released recently details how a ruptured Kinder Morgan pipeline near Cheyenne in September caused a massive fireball and damaged a Union Pacific train carrying hazardous cargo.

NTSB Probe Details Wyoming Pipeline Blast That Triggered Fiery Train Escape

A National Transportation Safety Board report paints a chaotic picture on the night when a ruptured pipeline near Cheyenne in September caused a massive fireball and damaged a Union Pacific train carrying hazardous cargo.

Scott SchwebkeNovember 19, 2025

Shayne Patrick Burke, a 35-year-old military veteran from Massachusetts, says he's lucky to survive an attack by an angry momma grizzly in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park. In an Instagram post detailing the attack, he says it was the most violent experience of his life and he has no ill feelings toward the bear.

Wyoming Wants A Health Plan For Bear Attacks And Other ‘Catastrophic’ Events

The odds of getting hit by a bus or attacked by an angry grizzly bear are astronomically low, but they do happen. Wyoming health officials want to create what they call “BearCare,” a health plan for those and other “catastrophic” events.

Kate MeadowsNovember 19, 2025

Wyoming lawmakers advanced five bills Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2025, to tighten control over slot-style gaming, citing its explosive growth. Industry leaders defended the machines as vital to funding live horse racing and rural economic activity.

Wyoming Lawmakers Advance Four Bills To Rein In Slot-Machine-Like Gaming

Wyoming lawmakers advanced four bills Tuesday to tighten control over slot-machine-like gaming, citing its explosive growth. Industry leaders defended the machines as vital to funding live horse racing and rural economic activity.

Clair McFarlandNovember 19, 2025

Secretary of State Chuck Gray, from left, Gov. Mark Gordon, and State Treasurer Curt Meier.

Gray 'Alarmed' Gordon Doesn't Back His Request For Extra Money

Secretary of State Chuck Gray claims Gov. Mark Gordon isn't including money to advertise a property tax ballot initiative in his biennial budget. Gordon says Gray managed to fulfill his publication requirements before without extra money.