Wyoming

Last clinic providing abortions in Wyoming faces uncertainty as Gov. Gordon ponders new restrictions

Published

2 years ago

March 15, 2024

Last clinic providing abortions in Wyoming faces uncertainty as Gov. Gordon ponders new restrictions

Around two weeks ago, the clinic administrator at Wellspring Health Access, Brittany Brown, got a text message from a number she didn’t recognize.

She was in bed, at home.

“This one gentleman chose to text me and let me know that if he were to ever catch any of our doctors, he would physically assault them,” said Brown.

For Brown and the rest of the staff, the threat was another in a long list of threats and setbacks Wellspring has experienced since it opened.

Wellspring Health Access in Casper has faced arson, a local backlash and near-constant protests.

“When I got hired here, I knew,” Brown said. “I know violence is a possibility, I know legally shutting us down is a possibility. I know that there’s a good chance that I may not have this job (much longer).”

That uncertainty continues with the passage of House Bill 148, which made it through the Wyoming Legislature this month. It would require the clinic to become a licensed ambulatory surgical center.

Supporters of the bill have said it’s meant to keep women safe when receiving procedural abortions in the state.

Critics believe it’s an attempt to keep abortion inaccessible in Wyoming if a pending legal challenge to a near-total abortion ban ends up succeeding.

They’ve said the bill is intended to force the closure of just one business: Wellspring.

That business looks like any other health clinic.

“This is (the) lobby, obviously, where patients and their support people wait and hang out for us, (we) try to make it as comfortable and cozy as possible,” Brown said, walking through the clinic.

Chris Clements

Wyoming Public Media

Brittany Brown and Leslie Kee are two Wellspring employees. Brown is the clinic administrator, and Kee works at the front desk in the clinic lobby.

Outside, great gray storm clouds rippled across the horizon. A gang of wild turkeys ambled down the sidewalk.

“We want people to kind of just relax a little bit once they get here because, of course, getting here can be quite the ordeal,” Brown said.

Next, Brown walked down a hallway leading to the exam rooms. Paintings of flowers hung on many of the walls. A framed sign reads, “Keep your laws off my body.”

“This is our recovery room,” Brown said. “After procedures, our patients come in here. The chairs recline, we give them a cozy blanket, a heating pad, snacks and drinks.”

Wellspring provides a range of women’s health services, including pelvic exams, cancer screenings and procedural abortions for patients in Wyoming and in states nearby that have passed abortion bans, like South Dakota, North Dakota and Idaho.

Brown said roughly half the patients the clinic sees are traveling from across the state and the country.

“Anybody who’s familiar with Wyoming knows that for a lot of specialty care, you better be planning on getting in a car and driving for several hours,” she said.

The farthest distance a patient has traveled to receive care at Wellspring? Louisiana.

Once they show up at the clinic, protestors from crisis pregnancy centers in the area are often already waiting for patients at the edge of the property.

Debra Cheatham is a volunteer at Wellspring and a Casper resident.

Every week, she and other volunteers escort patients from their cars to the door, often as protestors are loudly praying, or shouting things like: “‘You don’t have to do this, your mother didn’t choose this. Shame on you for doing this.’”

A small billboard on the side of a highway reads "God doesn't make mistakes. Choose life." and shows a sleeping baby. — A sign next to the road outside of Casper.

Holly Thompson is another volunteer.

“They will shout out, ‘Well, don’t do that, don’t go in there, because you’re going to commit suicide later in life,’” said Thompson.

It’s personal for Thompson. She had an abortion when she was 21, years before Roe v. Wade went into effect and became the law of the land.

“The reason I had it was because I was a first-year teacher, a brand new teacher in Rock Springs, Wyoming,” Thompson said. “And women could be fired for being pregnant and not married before Roe v. Wade. And so that’s why I had, when I promised myself back then that if there’s anything I could do to help women in the future, I would do that.”

The other volunteer, Debra Cheatham, said her father practiced as an OB-GYN in Casper for years, and that his conviction about women’s health inspired her to volunteer.

Cheatham said he went down that path after a woman who was sick with sepsis sought help from him.

After she died, Cheatham’s father asked her husband – now a widower – how she got sick.

“And he said, ‘Well, she went to Mexico for an abortion,’” she said. “And my dad asked him, ‘Why?’ And the guy broke into tears and said, ‘We already have six kids. We couldn’t afford another one.’”

Most abortions performed at clinics like Wellspring aren’t generally considered complex enough to be surgeries.

But House Bill 148 requires clinics that provide procedural abortions in Wyoming to be licensed and equipped to do surgeries anyway.

Rep. Martha Lawley (R-Worland) is the sponsor of HB 148.

“We have a duty to regulate abortion for the health and safety of women in Wyoming who would choose an abortion,” she said.

Lawley’s view is that as long as procedural abortions remain legal in Wyoming, bills like hers are necessary to ensure patient safety.

“In the event of a botched abortion, it’s important that there be a kind of continuity of care between the doctor who performed that abortion and the facility where that woman would be taken to for further care,” she said.

But Wellspring’s founder, Julie Burkhart, said abortion is one of the safest medical procedures with a complication rate of less than 2 percent. She disagrees with the notion that women need the new regulation.

“For Wellspring, we just did our statistics for 2023. And we are right there, right on target,” said Burkhart.

If HB 148 were to pass into law, Burkhart said she’s concerned Wellspring might need to shut down some or all of its services, at least temporarily.

During that time, the clinic could make physical renovations to hallways and doors, and likely install a new H-VAC system to bring it up to code.

If Wellspring doesn’t meet the requirements, it could be fined as much as $1,000 for each violation as part of a misdemeanor offense.

Gov. Mark Gordon has until March 23 to veto HB 148, sign it, or let it become law without his signature.

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Wyoming

6 Colorado, Wyoming hot springs worth the drive this winter

Published

7 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Press Room

6 Colorado, Wyoming hot springs worth the drive this winter

Colorado and Wyoming offer numerous natural hot springs resorts for a winter getaway.
Locations range from a two-hour drive from Fort Collins to over 300 miles away.
Amenities vary by resort, including tropical atriums, geothermal caves and cold river plunges.

Weary of winter already?

Kick back in one of the many natural hot tubs our area has to offer.

Colorado and Wyoming are sprinkled with natural hot springs, with various resorts each offering something different — think untouched natural scenery, tropical plant-laden atriums and cold riverside plunge pools.

Virtually dip your toes in with this list and see if any stick out to you for a future winter getaway.

Hot springs to visit in Colorado, Wyoming

Strawberry Park Hot Springs

Where: 44200 County Road 36, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Need to relax? Head to Strawberry Park Hot Springs where you’ll find thermal mineral water pools surrounded by Steamboat Springs’ natural beauty.

The pools are open to both its day visitors — admission costs $20 per person for a two-hour reservation — and overnight lodgers. It also offers up massage options and aqua therapy in private pools.

Located about 165 miles from Fort Collins, Strawberry Park Hot Springs is a roughly 3.5-hour drive away. From Nov. 1 through May 1, four-wheel drive with snow tires or chains are required to get to the hot springs. To avoid tough road conditions, Strawberry Park encourages contacting its shuttle partners to schedule drop off and pick up.

Pets, outside food, glass, alcohol and smoking are prohibited.

Minors are not permitted after dark, and clothing is optional after dark.

Hot Sulphur Springs

Where: 5609 Spring Road, Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado

Soak your worries away at Hot Sulphur Springs Resort & Spa. The resort — once used as a winter campground for Native Americans — is now home to 20 manmade pools supplied by a handful of natural hot springs that flow through the resort and into the Colorado River, according to its website. Located about 130 miles away, the springs are a roughly 3-hour drive from Fort Collins.

Its pools — which run from 98 to 112 degrees — are open yearround and welcome walk-ins. Adult day passes cost $30, senior day passes cost $23 and children’s passes (ages 4-11) cost $16. Towels and robes are also available for rent.

Pets (except trained service animals), outside food, glass containers, alcohol, smoking and vaping are prohibited.

Indian Hot Springs

Where: 302 Soda Creek Road, Idaho Springs, Colorado

Located the closest to Fort Collins on this list, Indian Hot Springs is a quick two-hour jaunt down Interstates 25 and 70. Once there, you’ll find a large indoor mineral water swimming pool and tropical plant-strewn atrium as well as private baths, outdoor tubs and geothermal caves.

Regular admission to the indoor swimming pool costs $30 per person Monday through Thursday and $35 per person Friday through Sunday. Caves are open to visitors 18 years old and older and can be accessed for $35 per person Monday through Thursday and $40 per person Friday through Sunday. Prices are different when “summit pricing” is in effect. Check the calendar on the Indian Hot Springs website for those dates.

Private baths and outdoor tubs can be reserved for varying rates. For more information, or to make a reservation, visit the Indian Hot Springs website.

Glenwood Hot Springs Resort

Where: 415 E. 6th St., Glenwood Springs, Colorado

At more than 200 miles away, Glenwood Springs is a bit of a hike — but that hike comes with beautiful scenery and, of course, hot springs. Try its Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, a fixture since 1888 that offers up a collection of hot springs pools, including its historic Grand Pool, an athletic club and other amenities.

Day passes range from $38 to $55 for adults and teenagers and $27 to $34 for children, with pricing varying based on off-peak and peak times. Reservations are not required. For more information, visit the resort website.

The Springs Resort

Where: 323 Hot Springs Blvd., Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Located more than 300 miles away in Pagosa Springs, The Springs Resort is a worthy weekend trip contender instead of a day drive. But despite its distance, it has plenty to offer — more than 50 hot springs pools, cold river plunges, a waterfall, steam grotto and more.

You can either stay at its resort or reserve a day pass to visit its pools, with general admission passes costing $69 for adults and $37 for children ages 3-12. For more information, or to make a reservation, visit the resort website.

Hot Springs State Park

Where: 51 US Highway 20 North, Thermopolis, Wyoming

Colorado can’t have all the fun. While located quite a ways away — 350 miles from Fort Collins — Wyoming has some impressive natural hot springs of its own in Thermopolis’ Hot Springs State Park. There are three soaking pools and a free and open-to-the-public Wyoming State Bath House. The bath house is open 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12-5:30 p.m. Sundays in the winter. For more information, call 307-864-2176.

Want more Fort Collins development news? Subscribe to The Buzz, the Coloradoan’s weekly dive into local business, development, real estate and restaurant news.

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Wyoming

Cowgirls play at Minnesota on Sunday

Published

19 hours ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

LARAMIE, Wyo. — The Wyoming Cowgirls will return to action Sunday with their final non-conference game of the season when they travel to face Big Ten foe Minnesota on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.

Wyoming is coming off a 58-46 loss at Colorado on Dec. 7. Malene Pedersen and Henna Sandvik led the Cowgirls with 11 points each in the loss, while Kelly Walsh High School grad Logann Alvar also finished in double figures, with 10 points.

Madi Symons had a solid all-around game, grabbing a team-high five rebounds while also leading the way with four assists and blocking a pair of shots.

The Cowgirls recorded 12 assists on 18 made baskets against the Buffs and have assisted on better than 65% of their made field goals this season. Wyoming is averaging 14 assists per game in 2025-26, good for fourth in the Mountain West.

Defensively, UW has been solid all season long. The Cowgirls enter Sunday ranking third in the league in opponent scoring, surrendering 57 points per game. Wyoming also allows just 38.6-percent shooting from the field overall and 24.8-percent from 3-point range. Both marks rank third-best in the conference.

Although she missed her first free throw of the season in the loss, Pedersen is still shooting 94% at the line. She is also shooting just under 55% from 3-point range this season, a mark that ranks third in the country.

Entering the week, Pedersen was the only Division 1 player in out of 466 qualified athletes who was shooting 90% or better from the free throw line and better than 50% from 3-point range. On the season, Pedersen is second in the MW with 17.1 points per game and shooting 52.5-percent from the floor. Her 2.13 3-pointers made per game are sixth in the league.

Through eight games this season, Alvar and Sandvik average 8.3 and 8.0 points per game, respectively.

Payton Muma leads the team with 23 assists and 13 steals. Symons, meanwhile, leads Wyoming averaging 4.5 rebounds per game while Lana Beslic’s 4.4 boards per game and 19 assists are both second on the squad.

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Wyoming

Opinion | Gratitude and hope for Wyoming

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Press Room

Opinion | Gratitude and hope for Wyoming

This month, between Thanksgiving and Christmas, is a fitting time for reflection. Our focus turns toward family and community, and the changing weather causes us to slow down. It is a good time to take stock of the society around us. The Thanksgiving holiday naturally turns our minds to what we are grateful for — what already exists that we cherish. Christmas is a holiday of hope, focused on the promise of what is yet to come. With these holidays in mind, let us reflect on what parts of our state we are thankful for and hopeful about.

Perhaps the thing Wyomingites hold most dear is our heritage. Culturally, we are descended from pioneers and settlers — or from those who came before — and we take that frontier heritage to heart. We value independence, community and overcoming challenges. We are willing to endure hardship to build a life that we want, and we are closely attuned to the natural world and the benefits that it provides. Above all else, we know that our perch in this place is still precarious. These are perspectives that are hard to find elsewhere. They set us apart. By embracing these values, we create a society that fits our circumstances. These ideas would not fit in other places, but they fit here, and for that I am grateful.

I am also thankful for the good stewardship of our forefathers. Wyoming is a harsh place and it’s challenging to thrive here. Most of our land is arid and inhospitable, our physical conditions are difficult, and we are remote from most modern conveniences and luxuries. With poor planning or shortsighted leadership, this place could easily fall into decline.

Fortunately, we have been blessed with the opposite. The state’s early settlers understood the importance of building the infrastructure that would allow for growth. When it became clear that natural resources would power our economy, our leaders decided to set aside large portions of the state’s mineral revenue to support us in perpetuity. The easy decision — the short-sighted decision — would have been to spend those dollars on the needs of the day. They certainly could have built some nice things, and those projects would have been popular. They also would have been fleeting. Because of wise leadership and decisions that focused on the long-term, we all benefit from our state’s bounty.

Just as we are grateful for the good decisions of the past, we should be hopeful for the future. Despite our state’s challenges, there are many good reasons to have hope. First, our state is full of opportunity. We have space, natural resources, and the ability to be nimble when it comes to building regulatory structures that can support new industries. Our people are hard-working and determined. We have existing expertise in manufacturing and mining that is missing in many other parts of the country. Our climate and location give Wyoming an advantage in attracting computing facilities to locate here. If we take advantage of the opportunities in front of us, Wyoming is poised to thrive, and that gives me hope.

I am also hopeful because there appears to be a growing consensus on the issues we face, which allows us to better meet these challenges. In surveys and conversations about Wyoming’s future, the challenges of economic diversification and talent retention quickly rise to the top. We recognize where our weaknesses are, which is a significant part of the battle. Once we agree on the problem, we can work to find solutions.

Finding a fix is often an easier undertaking than identifying the problem itself. Already, drilling into these challenges has helped us recognize the underlying problems connected to affordable housing, livable spaces, health care access and education. Understanding how these fit together and how improvements in one area can lead to improvements in others puts us on a much more manageable path. It will still not be easy to overcome our hurdles, but the fact that we must wrestle with difficult problems is not unusual or unique. We have answered big questions before. Now that we have a growing consensus on what those problems are, I am far more hopeful about our ability to move forward.

In this holiday season, we should take the time to contemplate the world around us. Self-reflection is important. We should look both behind us and ahead of us, toward the past and gratitude and the future and hope. Our state gives us plenty to consider on both accounts.

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