News

Waterborne illnesses on the rise in Wyoming

Willow Belden — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:13:41 +0000

The Wyoming Department of Health is warning people to take precautions against diseases like giardia and “crypto” when swimming in pools or other bodies of water.

Health Department Spokesperson Kim Deti says those diseases are spread when fecal matter gets into the water and can cause nausea and other stomach problems. She says last year, there were 35 cases of crypto in Wyoming.

“And we’ve been seeing an increase in our rate here since 2006,” Deti said. “National rates have gone up too, but our rate is quite a bit higher than the national rate.”

Despite moisture officials still worry about fires

Bob Beck — Fri, 24 May 2013 23:09:29 +0000

Wyoming fire officials say the wet spring this year has been helpful, but they’re still unsure what it will mean for the fire season this year.

Inmates lodge medical complaints against Wyoming jails and prisons

Willow Belden — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:52:52 +0000

The Wyoming chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union says it’s been getting more complaints than in the past about medical and mental health care in the state’s jails and prisons.

The ACLU’s Jennifer Horvath says a common complaint is that when doctors outside the prison recommend that an inmate see a specialist, the prison refuses.

LCCC to launch 18-month associate degree program

Rebecca Martinez — Thu, 23 May 2013 22:48:07 +0000

Starting this fall, Laramie County Community College will begin offering a fast-track degree program.

Northern Arapaho Tribe sanctioned for bad audits

Irina Zhorov — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:42:25 +0000

The Northern Arapaho Tribe is currently being sanctioned for not submitting their audits for the last couple of years, and the audits that were submitted, up to 2010, received poor marks. The audits found that everything from timely drawdowns to proper tracking of tribal and federal funds to a suitable Human Resources system that hired qualified workers and paid them appropriate wages were missing or lacking. The tribe put together a corrective action plan after the 2009 audit.

Sheridan’s Small wins fourth Native American Music Award

Rebecca Martinez — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:57:12 +0000

The national Nammy Awards ceremony took place in Niagara Falls this month. Gary Small and the Coyote Brothers won an award for Best World Music for their percussive, Reggae-inspired album “Hostiles and Renegades.”

Gary Small is a Northern Cheyenne Indian. Previously, he has won for songwriter of the year, best rock recording, and best male artist. Previous albums had a range of musical styles, from surf rock to rockabilly.

Lots of interest in Wyoming Education Director post

Bob Beck — Wed, 22 May 2013 22:54:53 +0000

A search firm says there is a lot of interest in Wyoming’s opening for a new Director of Education. The position was created by the State Legislature to take over day to day operations of the State Department of Education.

Groups want Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to address development issues.

Irina Zhorov — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:12:40 +0000

A coalition of Wyoming groups has filed a rulemaking petition to the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to address oil and gas development in the state.

The petition focuses on three main issues: increasing the setback of drilling rigs from homes, schools and businesses, adequate enforcement in the case of accidents and spills…and reducing the practice of flaring. Powder River Basin Resource Council’s Jill Morrison says flaring has been a recognized problem for some time.

Unemployment dropped slightly in April

Rebecca Martinez — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:24:25 +0000

Wyoming’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell slightly from March to April of this year.

The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported that the unemployment rate shrank in almost every county last month. The biggest decrease happened in Sheridan County, where unemployment dropped from 6.8 percent to 5.7 percent.

Converse County has the lowest unemployment rate in the state, where it dropped half a percent to 3.5.

Federal Emergency Unemployment Benefits will be reduced

Bob Beck — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:43:04 +0000

Emergency unemployment compensation program benefits will be reduced under the federal government’s budget sequester.

Wyoming Workforce Services Director Joan Evans that the program provides unemployed individuals who have exhausted regular unemployment insurance benefits. Evans says the reduction will likely be noticeable.

The Wind River Casino is doing well, but some tribal members expect more

Irina Zhorov — Tue, 21 May 2013 18:41:02 +0000

The Northern Arapaho Tribe opened the doors to its full-scale casino in 2005.

Arapahoe School District names new superintendent

Rebecca Martinez — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:36:23 +0000

Fremont County School District 38 in Arapahoe has a new acting superintendent.

Former assistant superintendent Chantell Denson stepped in last week when former Superintendent Jonathan Braack left to take over the Niobrara County School District.

During the 16 months Braack was superintendent, the once struggling Arapahoe Schoo met No Child Left Behind’s requirements for Annual Yearly Progress for the first time under the Safe Harbor program.

Power station fire burns three

Associated Press — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:33:00 +0000

Three workers were burned in the second fire in a week to break out at the same power plant near Wheatland.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative says the fire broke out early Sunday at the Laramie River Station.

The Bismarck, N.D.-based utility said in a release Monday the fire started in the plant's coal unloading area.

Three workers were taken to Platte County Memorial Hospital. One worker was flown to a burn center in Greeley, Colo., and remains there for treatment.

New media campaign aims at reducing drunk driving

Bob Beck — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:05:13 +0000

Governor Matt Mead and First Lady Carol Mead say they hope a hard hitting media campaign will reduce the number of alcohol related crashes and deaths in the state.

The Governor’s Council on Impaired Driving is rolling out advertisements that emphasize how much it costs to get cited for drunken driving, and that people convicted of the crime stand may lose their license. It will also focus on the eight members of the U-W track team that were killed by a drunk driver.

Fremont County waiting on SLIB decision to replace unsafe courthouse

Rebecca Martinez — Mon, 20 May 2013 22:39:10 +0000

The Fremont County Board of Commissioners is hoping the State Loan and Investments Board will approve its application for a $2.6 million dollar grant to build a Riverton justice center.

It would cover half the cost of a new building to house offices for the sheriff and county attorneys, as well as a circuit court.

Riverton Circuit Court Judge Wesley Roberts says the small pre-fab building they’re currently using has long been insufficient.

Who or what do you think of on Memorial Day?

Anna Rader — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:58:39 +0000

Who or what do you think of on Memorial Day?

WPM/NPR Community Discussion Rules

Wyoming teen pregnancy rates decline

Bob Beck — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:04:37 +0000

Wyoming’s teen birthrate dropped by nearly 15 percent between 2007 and 2012, but the reason why is not clear. Ashley Busacker is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wyoming Assignee. She says it could be because of strong pregnancy prevention messages or increased use of birth control. Her office will study the issue in coming months.

Scheduled Outage

Shane Toven — Mon, 20 May 2013 19:29:38 +0000

Wyoming Public Media will be off the air from approximately 2 PM until 3 PM while we replace our primary Uninterruptible Power Supply.

Efforts to grant tribes more authority are met with resistance from non-tribal lawmakers

Irina Zhorov — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:31:57 +0000

The extent of sovereignty for Native American tribes has long been like a tug-of-war between tribal and non-tribal governments in the United States. Wyoming Public Radio’s Irina Zhorov reports that the issue of sovereignty trickles down to everything, even the issuance of traffic tickets, and lawmakers are moving nowhere fast to fix problems caused by disagreements over self-government for tribes.

New Northern Arapaho Business Council resolves to fix tribe’s poor financial management

Bob Beck and Irina Zhorov — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:27:11 +0000

The Northern Arapaho Tribe is a mess, financially. They’re behind on their audits, past audits have not been flattering, and change has been slow to come.

UW’s Native American graduates are important to the Wind River Reservation

Bob Beck — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:20:04 +0000

In the mid 1990’s the University of Wyoming made a conscious effort to attract more Native American students to the University. Over the years recruitment and retention of students from the Wind River Reservation has been challenging. New efforts could change things and many believe that will be important for the long term health of the Reservation.

Arapahoe School Superintendent leaves after pivotal school year

Rebecca Martinez — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:16:04 +0000

The once-faltering Fremont School District 38 in Arapahoe turned a complete 180 since Superintendent Jonathan Braack took the helm in January 2012.

Peer mentoring program aims to prevent substance abuse and keep kids in touch with tribal heritage

Rebecca Martinez — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:13:23 +0000

Substance abuse is a concern for most school districts across the country, but on the Wind River Indian Reservation, it’s a red flag for especially high crime and suicide rates. Tribes have been trying – with mixed success – to keep kids from abusing alcohol and tobacco… But a new program from the Eastern Shoshone Department of Juvenile Services is working to train a league of student mentors to help their peers avoid risky behaviors. Wyoming Public Radio’s Rebecca Martinez filed this report.

Lander native reflects on his family history and relationship with the Eastern Shoshone tribe

Kit Freedman — Sat, 18 May 2013 00:02:38 +0000

Kit Freedman is a graduate of University of Wyoming, who did his thesis research on the Wind River Indian Reservation. In this essay he reflects on his family’s multi-generational history in Lander.

Jackson Boy Scouts to auction off elk antlers

Rebecca Martinez — Fri, 17 May 2013 23:21:29 +0000

Jackson District Boy Scouts will host their annual Elk Antler Auction during Elkfest in the Jackson Town Square this weekend.
Each year, the Boy Scouts receive a special-use permit to collect shed antlers on the National Elk Refuge. They then tie the antlers into large bundles for customers to bid on by weight.
One-quarter of the proceeds benefit the Boy Scouts, and the rest will go to the Elk Refuge to fund elk habitat projects.
Elk Refuge spokeswoman Lori Iverson says many of the auction customers are artists.

Champion athletes ask President Obama to save winters

Sara Hossaini — Fri, 17 May 2013 22:35:31 +0000

Last month, a non-profit group comprising athletes who make a living through winter sports sent a letter to President Obama asking him to take action on climate change.
Two-time world freestyle ski champion and Jackson resident, Kit DesLauriers is part of the group, called Protect Our Winters. She says she has been skiing for over 30 years, including down the highest peaks of every continent, and that the changes she has seen are alarming.

Proposed federal fracking rules released

Irina Zhorov — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:13:47 +0000

The U-S Department of Interior released an updated draft proposal of fracking rules for federal and tribal lands on Thursday. The rule-making process started in 2010, and the latest draft incorporates feedback from more than 177-thousand public comments submitted.

BLM seeks public input on aerial and motorized wild horse round-up

Sara Hossaini — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:41:52 +0000

The Bureau of Land Management will hear public feedback about the use of helicopters and motorized vehicles to round up wild horses at a meeting next month.
Wild Horse Specialist Ben Smith says the agency plans to remove nearly 600 feral horses in south-central Wyoming this year, leaving more than eleven-hundred on range land.

UW Nursing School is working to meet needs of changing medical industry

Rebecca Martinez — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:25:55 +0000

New programs at the University of Wyoming’s Fay W. Whitney School of nursing are gathering momentum as the school works to better prepare students to meet the changing needs of the healthcare industry.

Many organizations are demanding that nursing job candidates have a Bachelor of Science degree, which was only available at the University in Laramie, until recently.

National Parks Service Petitioned to Prohibit Wolf Hunting on its Wyoming lands

Sara Hossaini — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:33:21 +0000

It’s been eight months since gray wolves were removed from the endangered species list, but some are concerned that the Park Service has not taken necessary action to close a perceived loophole in legal protections for the animals within national park lands.
Specifically, they mean the potential hunting of gray wolves along the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Memorial Parkway, which connects Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks.