Wyoming

Cowboy State Daily Video News: Monday, April 15, 2024

Published

2 years ago

April 15, 2024

It’s time to take a look at what’s happening around Wyoming! I’m Wendy Corr, bringing you headlines from the Cowboy State Daily newsroom, for Monday, April 15th.

A Boston-area woman who came to Wyoming to work on a ranch last May was kidnapped the day she got to the state.

But despite that traumatic experience, Janelle Gibson told Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland that she chose to build a life here anyway.

“this guy approached her and basically threatened her and said horrible things would happen if she didn’t go with him for the day and said, you will live. I’ll let you go at the end of the day. She managed to get away by only unlocking – she hit her key fob once, and she only unlocked the driver’s side of her car and hopped in and sped away. … But what’s remarkable, I think about this story is that she went and talked to police, and then she went on and got her job and worked on a ranch outside of Buffalo like her plan was all along. So she didn’t let this horrible first brush with the West poison her taste for it.”

Gibson is mostly recovered from the incident now, though she doesn’t go places alone if she can help it. Her kidnapper pleaded guilty to felony charges on March 21st.

Wyoming bees help pollinate massive almond groves in California, but while there, they’re at risk of being stolen by bee rustlers.

Like the cattle rustlers of the Old West, modern day bee rustlers are organized, determined and crafty. But Cowboy State Daily’s Mark Heinz reports that it would be more difficult for those bad actors to get away with a crime like that in Wyoming.

“if we put our hives out on private land, we do politely ask the ranchers and farmers to please keep an eye on them. Let them know if they see any strangers snooping around them. He said it’s probably a big problem in California because they have huge almond groves there and people will contract their bees out to pollinate the almond groves. And that’s when these thieves swoop in and steal the bees.”

The demand for bees in California has become so intense that some farmers will hire bee rustlers to go swipe hives off others’ land.

Wyoming coal supplies power for millions of Americans, provides thousands of high-paying jobs and … could be the secret to achieving silky smooth and healthy skin.

That’s what a group of investors willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars money is betting on. Energy Reporter Pat Maio says Sandy, Utah-based TriSight has bought 136 acres of land near the Naughton coal-fired power plant in Kemmerer and is digging up the landscape to make way for a new line of skincare cosmetics made from coal.

“ it wants to take that coal and use proprietary processes to turn it into a serum that they want to call it ‘Heros’. That would be a skincare, and they’d market it anywhere in the country basically.”

TriSight is juggling many projects to turn coal into something “green,” rather than burning it for power generation.

Google Maps has a bad habit of sending travelers down closed roads in Wyoming. It’s led to 28 search and rescues in Sweetwater County alone, leaving motorists stranded in below-freezing weather with 22-foot high snowdrifts.

But Cowboy State Daily’s Renee Jean says WYDOT is trying to fix that particular problem.

“As we all know, Google Maps is not the best at directing motorists. … So WYDOT has just announced that it has succeeded in opening up improving third party access to this data about road closures and road maintenance, to hopefully help curtail that in the future.”

Wyoming’s 511 app is updated in real time and includes information about road closures, strong winds, significant ice or snow and other situations where motorists need real-time data.

And the 1980 Miracle on Ice U.S. Olympic hockey team made history when a ragtag collection of the best college hockey players became a perfect team at the perfect time.

That same magic was captured by this season’s Team Wyoming 18U hockey team, which put 20 of the state’s best youth hockey players together to win the state’s first national USA Hockey championship on April 7 in Pennsylvania.

Cowboy State Daily’s Dale Killingbeck said the young men overcame crazy odds to win.

“They had little time to practice. They played games basically one weekend a month, and then they all came together to go play five games in a row and win every game – putting 17 pucks in the net over those five games. So great job to Team Wyoming.”

The team’s coach said the character of the team reflected the “blue-collar” attitude of Wyoming kids, who arrived with support from their families and were ready to work.

In short, they did things the Cowboy Way.

And that’s today’s news. Get your free digital subscription to Wyoming’s only statewide newspaper by hitting the subscribe button on CowboyStateDaily.com

I’m Wendy Corr, for Cowboy State Daily.

The following radio stations are airing Cowboy State Daily Radio on weekday mornings, afternoons and evenings. More radio stations will be added soon.

KYDT 103.1 FM – Sundance

KBFS 1450 AM — Sundance

KYCN 1340 AM / 92.7 FM — Wheatland

KZEW 101.7 FM — Wheatland

KANT 104.1 FM — Guernsey

KZQL 105.5 FM — Casper

KMXW 92.5 FM — Casper

KBDY 102.1 FM — Saratoga

KTGA 99.3 FM — Saratoga

KJAX 93.5 FM — Jackson

KZWY 106.3 FM — Sheridan

KROE 930 AM / 103.9 FM — Sheridan

KWYO 1410 AM / 106.9 FM — Sheridan

KYOY 92.3 FM Hillsdale-Cheyenne / 106.9 FM Cheyenne

KRAE 1480 AM — Cheyenne

KDLY 97.5 FM — Lander

KOVE 1330 AM — Lander

KZMQ 100.3/102.3 FM — Cody, Powell, Medicine Wheel, Greybull, Basin, Meeteetse

KKLX 96.1 FM — Worland, Thermopolis, Ten Sleep, Greybull

KCGL 104.1 FM — Cody, Powell, Basin, Lovell, Clark, Red Lodge, MT

KTAG 97.9 FM — Cody, Powell, Basin

KCWB 92.1 FM — Cody, Powell,

Source link

Wyoming

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

Published

10 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
This article is a promoted post. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the organization that paid for the article, and do not necessarily reflect the views, thoughts or opinions of Oil City News, its employees or its publisher. Please fill out this form if you would like to speak to our sales department about advertising opportunities on Oil City News.

Source link

Wyoming

Casper approves Wyoming Boulevard property rezoning

Published

22 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.

Source link

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.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION (2)

_____

Source link