Wyoming

US Attorney’s Office forms Project Safe Neighborhoods leadership committee in Wyoming

Published

1 year ago

December 3, 2024

US Attorney’s Office forms Project Safe Neighborhoods leadership committee in Wyoming

CASPER, Wyo. — In October 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office formed a Project Safe Neighborhoods Leadership Committee in Wyoming. Throughout the last year, the PSN Leadership Committee reviewed and analyzed various factors and statistics to determine how to best use PSN resources, as well as to develop and implement enforcement strategies to prevent and reduce crime and to provide oversight and evaluation of the PSN’s progress.

That’s according to a release from the U.S. Attorney General’s Office, which states that the Leadership Committee has decided to concentrate PSN resources on Laramie County.

The release also offered the following areas of concern, which the resources will primarily focus on:

Violent offenders who victimize children
Armed offenders, including individuals federally prohibited from possessing firearms
Violent crime recidivists
Intimate Partner Violence, o IPV, offenders who commit a violent offense stemming from
IPV and/or who use firearms during an IPV crime
Violent offenders who possess firearms while distributing controlled substances
Violent offenders involved in human trafficking

According to the release, “Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them by implementing the four PSN design elements: 1) Community Engagement, 2) Prevention and Intervention, 3) Focused and Strategic Enforcement, and 4) Accountability.”

Following these guidelines, in early 2024 the Laramie County Sheriff’s Office and the Cheyenne Police Department were approved to apply for and receive grant funding from Project Safe Neighborhoods in an effort to reduce and prevent violent crimes in Laramie County.

“The goal of bringing this committee together is to make Wyoming safer by supporting local and state law enforcement and prosecutors, and by prosecuting appropriate violent offenders in federal court where they will receive long prison sentences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Eric Heimann.

In addition to the funding, officers from both law enforcement agencies joined the PSN Leadership Committee in order to “provide important insight regarding the needs and concerns of Laramie County and participate in the development of programs and strategies that emphasize the core elements of PSN.”

Individuals from the Laramie County District Attorney’s Office have joined the leadership committee as well.

According to the release, the following agencies are also participating in the PSN program and are represented on the leadership committee:

Cheyenne Police Department
Laramie County District Attorney’s Office
Laramie County Sheriff’s Office
Wyoming Association of Sheriffs and Chiefs of Police
Wyoming Department of Corrections
Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Drug Enforcement Administration
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Homeland Security Investigations
United States Attorney’s Office
United States Marshals Service

The release states that the Project Safe Neighborhoods program was designed to help combat violent crime problems in different cities and states. It was created with the goal of enhancing both coordination and cooperation among public service and safety partners in order to ensure that tactics, resources and intelligence services are integrated to identify and target violent offenders and criminal organizations.

“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a vital partnership between all levels of law enforcement,” said Cheyenne Police Chief Mark Francisco. “By combining our resources and expertise, we can effectively identify offenders, enhance prevention efforts, and strengthen our communities.”

Laramie County Sheriff’s Office Sheriff Brian Kozak said that he will use the resources offered by PSN to “provide exceptional service to other criminal justice agencies in Laramie County and to help domestic violence victims. The Sheriff will host an advanced homicide investigation course for local detectives, and he plans to purchase state-of-the-art cameras to capture a victim’s bruising following a domestic assault.”

The program is also describes as a collaborative effort designed to protect victims and potential victims.

“The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation is honored to be partnered with our state, local, and federal partners on the PSN initiative,” said Ronnie Jones, director of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation. “I am thankful for the cooperation, commitment and work the United States Attorney’s office has provided to this program to help make our state a safer place to live and work. We look forward to seeing how all the stakeholders work together to implement new ideas and strategies to address local violent crime.”

For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, visit www.justice.gov/psn.

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Wyoming

Wyoming’s Title X Family Planning network remains a critical part of the state’s health care system

Published

4 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Press Room

Wyoming’s Title X Family Planning network remains a critical part of the state’s health care system

When a clinic closes in Wyoming, it doesn’t just close a door; it can cut off access to care for entire communities.

For many residents, getting to a health care provider already means traveling long distances across multiple counties, and local clinics are often the only nearby option for basic health care. With one Title X Family Planning clinic in western Wyoming now closed, the challenge is becoming even more real for many people.

Reproductive and sexual health care is a key part of overall health, but it’s often one of the first services people lose access to when clinics close. Title X Family Planning is a federal program that helps people get essential preventive care, no matter their income. These clinics offer services like birth control, cancer screenings, STI and HIV testing, and care before pregnancy. They help people stay healthy, catch problems early, and plan for their futures.

The need is real. Wyoming’s Title X Family Planning network remains a critical part of the state’s health care system, helping bridge gaps in both access and affordability. With 9 clinics currently serving communities across the state, these providers cared for nearly 12,000 patients through more than 28,000 visits between 2022 and 2025. For many, these clinics are their only source of care: 49% of patients were uninsured, and nearly half were living at or below the federal poverty level.

In a state where distance and cost can both be barriers, affordable care is essential. About 14.6% of Wyoming women ages 19–44 are uninsured, higher than the national average. Title X clinics help meet this need by offering low- or no-cost care, while also connecting patients to referrals and additional health services when needed, ensuring more individuals can get the care they deserve.

These clinics are also on the front lines of prevention. In recent years, they delivered more than 3,100 cervical cancer screenings and about 20,000 STI and HIV tests. Services like these support early detection and treatment, helping reduce the need for more serious and costly care down the line.

In rural states like Wyoming, once a clinic closes, it is very hard to bring it back. These clinics are more than buildings; they are part of the local health care system that keeps communities healthy.

The good news is that Title X Family Planning clinics are still open, working every day to serve their communities. The Wyoming Health Council supports this network of clinics and works to ensure that people across the state can access the care they need. Through partnerships, education, and community-based programs, the organization helps connect Wyoming residents to reproductive and sexual health services, no matter where they live.

In a state where distance, cost, and provider shortages all play a role, these clinics, and the work supporting them, are more than just a convenience. They are a lifeline.

To help sustain this work and protect access to care across Wyoming, consider making a donation to the Wyoming Health Council.

Donation Link: givebutter.com/WYTitleX

Required Federal Funding statement:
This project is supported by the Office of Populations Affairs (OPA) and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award 1 FPHPA 006541-0-00 totaling $978,380 with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by OPA/OASH/HHS or the U.S. Government.

PAID FOR BY WYOMING HEALTH COUNCIL
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Wyoming

Casper approves Wyoming Boulevard property rezoning

Published

17 hours ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Casper approves Wyoming Boulevard property rezoning

CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper City Council voted Tuesday to approve on first reading a zoning change for a vacant 2.4-acre parcel located at 1530 SE Wyoming Boulevard, transitioning the property from residential to commercial use.

The ordinance reclassifies Lot 4 of the Methodist Church Addition from Residential Estate to General Business. Located between East 15th and East 18th streets, the irregular-shaped property has remained undeveloped since it was first platted in 1984.

While original plans for the subdivision envisioned a church and an associated preschool, Community Development Director Liz Becher reported those projects never materialized.

According to Becher, the applicant sought the rezoning to facilitate the potential installation of a cell tower or an off-premises sign. Under the new C-2 designation, a cell tower up to 130 feet in height is considered a permitted use by right, though any off-premises sign would still require a conditional use permit from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The applicant also owns the adjacent lot to the north, which the city rezoned to general business in 2021.

Becher said the change aligns with the “Employment Mixed Use” classification in the Generation Casper comprehensive land use plan. This designation typically supports civic, institutional and employment spaces.

Despite the new zoning, the property remains subject to a subdivision agreement that limits traffic access. Entry and exit are restricted to right turns onto or from East 15th Street, and no access is permitted from East 18th Street.

The council will vote on two more readings of the ordinance before it is officially ratified.

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Wyoming

Two men detained in Wyoming in connection with deadly shooting at downtown Salt Lake hotel

Published

1 day ago

April 21, 2026

Press Room

Two men detained in Wyoming in connection with deadly shooting at downtown Salt Lake hotel

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Two men were detained in Wyoming in connection with a fatal shooting at a downtown Salt Lake hotel that killed one man.

Carlos Chee, 23, and Chino Aguilar, 21, were both wanted for first-degree felony murder after the victim, identified as Christian Lee, 32, was found dead in a room at the Springhill Suites near 600 South and 300 West.

According to warrants issued for their arrest, Chee and Aguilar met with Lee and another woman at the hotel to sell marijuana. During the alleged drug deal, Aguilar allegedly shot and killed Lee after he tried to grab at his gun.

MORE | Shootings

Investigators said they found Lee dead in the room upon arrival, as well as a single shell casing on the floor and a small amount of marijuana on the television stand.

The woman told investigators she had met Chee on a dating app and that he agreed to come to the hotel to sell her marijuana. She had been hanging out with him in the room, which Lee rented for her to use, when Lee asked them to leave. Lee was then shot and killed following a brief confrontation.

Chee and Aguilar allegedly fled the scene in a 2013 Toyota Camry with a Texas license plate that was later found outside of Rock Springs, Wyoming just a few hours later.

The two men were taken into custody and detained at the Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office.

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