Joan Barron
Latest from Joan Barron
Joan Barron: Hands Off Wyoming's Exclusive Miners' Fund
Columnist Joan Barron writes, "Miners are in a special class when it comes to budgets. They have their very own program, with a healthy pot of money. But, like all healthcare programs, it is faced with increasing costs. Today it totals $99,275,233."
Joan BarronDecember 13, 2025
Joan Barron: No Fix Yet For Wyoming's Bumpy Highways
Columnist Joan Barron writes, “The need to do something about a $600 million deficit in the highway funding budget of the Wyoming Department of Transportation” may have to “wait until after the next election.”
Joan BarronDecember 07, 2025
Joan Barron: Cheyenne's New Children's Museum Is A Gem
Columnist Joan Barron writes, "While Cheyenne residents continue to debate whether the influx of gambling outlets is good or evil, no one is questioning the positive nature of another new project. It is a special gem — the Children’s Museum of the Capital City."
Joan BarronNovember 29, 2025
Joan Barron: UW Tax Exemptions Have Laramie Steamed
Columnist Joan Barron writes, “The amount of property tax income lost to the City of Laramie and to Albany County from the University of Wyoming exemption totals about $4 million to more than $5 million a year. And the citizens would prefer the payments be in cash."
Joan BarronNovember 22, 2025
Joan Barron: Will We Let Wyoming's Small Towns Die?
Columnist Joan Barron writes, "Could we, in good conscience, let Lost Springs die? Or Manderson? Or Hyattville? I think as long as Wyoming has money in the bank, they will get state help. Whether that is wise or not is debatable."
Joan BarronNovember 15, 2025
Joan Barron: The Dick Cheney I Remember
Columnist Joan Barron writes, "During the spring of 1978 he was the cute guy who entered the press room of the Capitol Building in Cheyenne. Dick Cheney had a wicked sense of humor, could talk freely and at length on policy issues, yet was far from being a social chatterbox."
Joan BarronNovember 08, 2025
Joan Barron: Smile When You Subpoena Me, Pardner!
Columnist Joan Barron writes, "The use of its subpoena power by a minor committee may ultimately damage the Legislature’s relationship with local government officials."
Joan BarronNovember 01, 2025
Joan Barron: Kathy Karpan – A Lifetime In Wyoming Politics
Columnist Joan Barron writes, ''Kathy Karpan, who died Friday in Cheyenne at the age of 83, was a competitor in the arena of Wyoming politics for most of her adult life.''
Joan BarronOctober 27, 2025
Joan Barron: Will Members Of The Wyoming Freedom Caucus Please Stand Up?
Columnist Joan Barron writes, “There is not a complete list of Freedom Caucus members available to the public. The group’s online site lists a number of them, but says others do not want to be identified.”
Joan BarronOctober 25, 2025
Joan Barron: Lessons Learned Covering Politics, Wyoming Style
Columnist Joan Barron writes, “I was content to be the reporter who transmitted to voters news of their government and what it was doing, and in some cases, not doing at all, and why.”
Joan BarronOctober 18, 2025
Joan Barron: Chuck Gray vs. Mark Gordon – Wyoming's Cage Match
Columnist Joan Barron writes, "The most recent squabble was a recurrence of the chronic rub between elected officials on the State Building Commission. It involved a rematch between Gov. Mark Gordon and Secretary of State Chuck Gray with some input from State Treasurer Curt Meier."
Joan BarronOctober 11, 2025
Joan Barron: Laramie County Community College Is A Fine College, Whatever The Name
Columnist Joan Barron writes, “I really don’t care what name the Cheyenne two-year college picks for its new moniker. My opinion of Laramie County Community College as a type-A college will persist.”
Joan BarronOctober 04, 2025