As the supply chain strains under the restrictions of Covid, a truck driver shortage adds to the pressure we’re seeing. As of 2018, the truck driver shortage nationwide was almost 61 thousand, and if the current trend holds, the shortage will be over 160 thousand drivers in 2028.
Booster doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are now recommended and available for older residents and other adults at high risk of severe disease or exposure to the virus, according to the Wyoming Department of Health.
With the Puppies Assisting Wounded Service-Members, or PAWS Act, there has been increased national attention on service dogs. The Sheridan Veteran Affairs Medical Center is working to educate veterans, staff, and community members on the purpose of dogs in Veteran’s lives.
Natrona County School District is committed to ensuring parents and guardians receive timely communication, especially during events that might occur during normal school hours.
The Department of Workforce Services (D.W.F.S.) held a virtual town hall meeting Wednesday.They shared information on development grants for pre-hires, apprentices, interns, and up-skill training for new workers and employees. The business training grants cover tuition, registration, class materials, fees, and some travel expenses for classes.
As federal grant funding ends, state efforts aimed at preventing overdoses and deaths tied to prescription drugs and opioids are changing but continuing, according to the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH). The WDH Substance Abuse Prevention Program (SAPP) first received the Grant to Prevent Prescription Drug/Opioid Overdose-Related Deaths from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2016. The grant ended August 31; Wyoming was not selected to receive another round of funding.
Governor Mark Gordon has appointed Jefferson Coombs to be a Circuit Court Judge for the Ninth Judicial District serving Fremont County, Wyoming. Coombs’ appointment fills the vacancy left by the retirement of Honorable Robert B. Denhardt .
Folks might be seeing some changes in the next few weeks as they drive through the west side of Cheyenne. The re-development of the hitching post project has been ten years in the making, deemed a blighted property by the City of Cheyenne.
North Casper Elementary School is about to open the doors again, but this time, not for class. Wyoming Food for Thought has purchased the building to provide a bigger and better space for the community.
Nine year old James Rasmussen is full of life and an unforgettable happiness. The Casper resident was diagnosed with partial agenesis of the Corpus Callosum at just a year old.
Each week Blue Federal Credit Union and Wyoming News Now are teaming up to salute our community helpers with our Do Gooder award. This week’s recipient is Erin LeBlanc.
“We need to prepare Wyoming students for future careers, just living in society, and if we do it right, this could be an advantage for Wyoming students. If we don’t address it, it becomes a big gap for our best resources - our students,” said Bryan Shader, UW Mathematics Professor and Assistant to the University President’s Strategic Initiative.
UW Athletics and Cowboy Football will again be hosting Military Appreciation Day on Saturday, October 16 as the Cowboys face the Fresno State Bulldogs at War Memorial Stadium.
Wednesday afternoon, the Meridian Bank kicked off its Flags for Heroes event followed by Honk for Heroes. Each flag has a tag of a hero that someone from the community chose to honor.
The housing and urban development program will soon be sending help for people who are experiencing homelessness.“We won’t make progress, unless we decide we’re going to make hay while the sun is shining, right? Unless we decide we are going to take some of those covid era funds and make permanent solutions,” said Brenda Birkle, executive director of my front door.
The Evansville Police Department and Natrona County School District are working to promote safety and positive relationships at Evansville Elementary. Officers are returning to the school once again for daily visits.
Today is the first day of fall and Wyomingites can expect to see temperatures dropping. Dr. Andy Dunn, the Chief of Staff at Banner Wyoming Medical Center, said the cold temperatures bring in respiratory syncytial Virus Infection or RSV.
It’s no surprise that Hurricane Ida’s impact was felt all across the country. From flooding, to higher gas prices, to complete destruction in the southeast, it took a toll on many. One Casper College student is trying to make a difference.
Governor Mark Gordon has signed an executive order to allow motor carriers hauling hay in Wyoming to operate outside of regular operating hours and carry larger loads. Oversize loads of baled livestock feed qualifying for a permit may now operate two hours before sunrise and two hours after sunset with a valid permit. The permit also authorizes oversize baled livestock feed loads up to 12 feet in width or 15 feet in height.
The five-year grant will provide the UW Wellness Center with $125,000 per year to support mental health first aid (MHFA) training at UW and in the Laramie community. The focus of the $625,000 grant is to provide mental health awareness and de-escalation training and establish connections with mental health organizations for referrals for appropriate services.
U.S.Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in support of her bill to name the Cheyenne federal building after women’s rights pioneer Louisa Swain. The bill was unanimously approved by the committee today and will next be considered on the Senate floor. S. 2126 would rededicate the federal building located at 308 W 21st Street in Cheyenne, Wyoming in honor of Louisa Swain’s historic vote.
This is not a scary, haunted house kind of experience. During the tours, the Paranormal Seekers will demonstrate how they use detecting equipment to find evidence of paranormal activity in several of the fort buildings. Only ten spaces are available for each hour-long tour.
At 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 25, join Nate Bressler and Stan Brewer at the National Historic Trails Interpretive Center for their presentation of “Sage to Saddle: Harnessing Horsemanship to Support Native Youth.” Bressler and Brewer will share stories about their lives, photography, and work on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
The Archaeology Fair, which has grown in popularity, will be held September 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site in Laramie.
The Laramie County Juvenile Services Center cut the ribbon on a new project this week. “We wanted to do something for the youth in the community that come to the crisis centers. Our kids, a lot of them have a difficult time talking but if you get them out doing something they’ll start to open up,” said Jamie Eaton, Crisis Care Coordinator.
Laramie County Community College ranch horse team members finished in the top-10 at their first fall contest on Sept. 18 at the Adams County Fairgrounds in Brighton, Colorado. Team members competed against riders of all ages and levels and left with many individual awards, said Morgan Moreno, LCCC ranch horse team coach.
During its September 16 business meeting, the Wyoming Transportation Commission awarded over $24 million in contracts for seven Wyoming Department of Transportation construction projects.
The Bureau of Land Management Rawlins Field Office, in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Conservation Fund, is inviting the public to participate in a virtual public meeting for a proposed Southeast Wyoming Land Exchange. The meeting is to inform the public about the possibility of creating a 38,000-acre block of state and BLM administered lands that would be open for outdoor recreation opportunities.
Fees will be waived on National Public Lands Day, Saturday, September 25th. Fees will also be waived in honor of Veterans Day, Thursday, November 11th.
Governor Gordon has called approximately 95 Soldiers and Airmen to State Active Duty orders, assigned to hospital locations at 24 different sites within 17 Wyoming cities.
The 12-24 Club and Casper Family Connections are working together to support the Kids Like Us Program. The program started off as a simple idea in a meeting, but quickly grew to be more.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., Cole Elementary went into lockdown after a community member reported that they saw an individual in the vicinity with a firearm. They immediately called the Cheyenne Police Department.
Blockchain technology is Wyoming’s future in data security. The committee on Blockchain Financial Technology and Digital Innovation Technology had a meeting in Laramie Tuesday. “We need to bring it to the states, so that we can bring it into Wyoming. Not only be on the front line but be able to benefit from what that brings to us, “said R.J. Kost, Senator for District 19.
Mercer Family Resource Center partnered with the Natrona County Suicide Prevention coalition task force for their 18th annual walk. Suicide is a problem in Wyoming communities and officials want people to normalize talking about mental health.
Britney Tennant, founder and executive director of the Black Dog Animal Rescue, has been appointed the Cheyenne Animal Shelter’s new CEO. Tennant will be replacing Sue Castaneda and will officially take over the role October 18.
Since the City of Cheyenne took over animal control duties September 1st, the Compliance Department has been able to hire animal control officers and get the program up and running without missing a day of service.
"The American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds are one-time infusions that can help build a stronger, more resilient Wyoming, and they should be treated as such. We have an opportunity to use these dollars to shape the future of our state, and it’s important to maximize the opportunity before us. I have outlined an approach to help Wyoming survive the initial impacts of COVID and identify what can be done to better drive to a future where all of Wyoming can thrive – this is my Survive, Drive, Thrive plan."
As it starts to get cooler at night and plants begin changing color and dying off, farmers are already starting to prepare for the end of the growing season. Right now, we’re still early enough in the season that frost in the Cheyenne region doesn’t pose much of a threat.
Critical Race Theory has come under fire as a touchstone for racial equality in recent months. Although it’s not taught in most schools, some historical race issues are taught in some schools. Raising the question of whether the history and civics taught in most schools are diverse or inclusive enough?
The number of first-time students from Wyoming attending the University of Wyoming has grown by 11.5 percent this fall, driving an overall 3.7 percent increase in UW’s first-time headcount.
