The Wyoming Department of Health recently issued a warning about lead exposure, which “especially for young children, can sometimes lead to lasting, serious health damages.”

“We may not all realize how toxic lead can be, especially for young children,” said Forrest Sharp, Blood Lead Prevention Program manager and epidemiologist with WDH. “If a young child breathes in or swallows lead, it can cause delayed growth and development, lower IQ and learning issues. Lead can damage the brain and nervous system, which may result in hearing, speech and behavior problems.”

“The harms children can experience from lead exposure may not have obvious signs or symptoms,” Sharp said. “Young children are more likely to experience lead’s negative effects because their bodies are still developing and they absorb more lead per body size. We recommended testing children for lead at 12 and 24 months.”

Sharp said 8.2 percent of Wyoming children under six were tested for lead in 2023. “The percentage is increasing, but we would like to see it much higher,” he said.

There are various causes of lead poisoning. Children and adults most often get lead into their body by ingesting or inhaling lead dust or from eating paint chips or soil with lead.

Sharp noted the most common source for Wyoming cases is lead-based paint used in older homes built before 1978. For homes built before 1978, Sharp said it can be a good idea to hire a certified inspector or risk assessor to check for lead hazards.

Other recommended actions to help prevent lead exposure at home include:

• Fixing peeling or chipping lead-based paint
• Regularly cleaning surfaces using wet methods
• Washing children’s hands, pacifiers and toys
• Removing shoes before entering the house
• Washing clothes and showering immediately after lead-related work or hobbies
• Another potential source of lead exposure can be hunting and firearm use due to certain types of ammunition.

“Eating game meat harvested with lead bullets obviously increases the risk of lead poisoning as lead bullets can easily break into fragments when they strike an animal or object,” Sharp said. “Using lead-free ammunition is a recommended option in addition to ensuring good ventilation within indoor shooting ranges.”

Wyoming, fabled for its rich Western heritage and diverse topography spotlighting the jaw-dropping Rockies, wide river valleys, massive basins, large swathes of high-elevation prairie grasslands, and rolling hills, is an attractive landlocked state in the Mountain West subregion of the American West. On top of that, the Equality State has vast areas of federally owned lands, including national parks, national forests, historic sites, wildlife refuges, national recreation areas, fish hatcheries, and national monuments, all of which are most favored vacation paradises alluring vacationers from all over the globe. Peppered all over the Cowboy State’s rugged terrain are numberless idyllic hamlets that will certainly provide memorable experiences during your mini weekend trips in the remaining months of 2024.

Dubois

Labeled in honor of Idaho senator Fred Thomas Dubois by Governor Joseph Maull Carey, Dubois is a tiny Fremont County town situated by the side of the upper Wind River at the opening of the Wyoming Centennial Scenic Byway. Featuring some marvelous untouched terrains, including the imposing Absaroka Range, this 911-resident town offers warm-weather activities like camping, hiking, big game hunting, mountain biking, and fishing, besides ice climbing, skiing, snowmobiling, and dog sledding during the cool winters. With that said, one of the best possible ways to experience this Wild West town is by traversing the guest ranches such as the Rams Horn Guest Ranch, Bitterroot Ranch, Crooked Creek Guest Ranch, and Triangle C Ranch. Likewise, drop in at the Dubois Museum, the National Bighorn Sheep Interpretive Center, the National Museum of Military Vehicles, and more than 800,000 acres of the unspoiled Shoshone National Forest. Take part in upcoming seasonal celebrations like ‘Halloween at the Museum’ on October 26, 2024, at The Dubois Museum, and stay overnight at Super 8 by Wyndham Dubois.

Pinedale

An indispensable hunting outfitting town, Pinedale is placed at 7,175 ft above sea level on a high alpine valley in Sublette County fringed by the Wind River Range, Gros Ventre Mountains, and the Wyoming Range. As a significant entranceway to the Jackson Hole Area, adventurists visiting this 2,005-inhabitant community can easily reach the Continental Divide Trail, Titcomb Basin, and Cirque of the Towers from here. When in Pinedale, do survey the adjoining Bridger-Teton National Forest by horseback and ATVs, head to Fremont Lake – the state’s second-largest natural lake after renting a fishing rod and a kayak, turn up at the Annual Halloween Candy Scavenger Hunt on October 26, 2024, at the Museum of the Mountain Man, and make yourself at home at the Hampton Inn & Suites Pinedale.

Cody

This Park County seat, called after the legendary showman Colonel William Frederick Cody, is situated on the Bighorn Basin’s western periphery in northwest Wyoming. Crammed with art galleries like Timmer Gallery and Cody Country Art League, shopping spaces, premier restaurants like Cody Steakhouse, and hotels like Buffalo Bill’s Irma Hotel, downtown Cody emanates a strong Old West charm. Travelers must not miss touring the Western US’ oldest and all-inclusive museum complex – the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in addition to the Old Trail Town just off the Yellowstone Highway and the Heart Mountain Relocation Center – approx. 17 miles east of the town. Also, the town’s closeness to the Shoshone National Forest and Yellowstone National Park’s eastern entrance has made it a significant outdoor recreation mecca where a multitude of recreational activities are offered. Show up at the town’s annual celebrations like ‘Halloween Putt-Putt’ on October 18 and VFW Oktoberfest on October 19, 2024.

Buffalo

The administrative center of Johnson County, Buffalo, is set at the base of the Bighorn Mountains in north-central Wyoming, halfway betwixt Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Yellowstone National Park. Come and discover Buffalo’s rough-hewn Wild West origins by taking note of the various artifacts from this tumultuous era, such as military weapons, ranching gear, medicine bags, household items, etc., displayed at the Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum. Stop by the other notable sites at the heart of the town’s downtown, including the Occidental House Museum, Fetterman’s Massacre Site, ‘Hole in the Wall’ – the ill-famed hideaway of the ‘Wild Bunch Gang,’ and Fort Phil Kearney. Set out for a drive along the Cloud Peak Scenic Byway, which crisscrosses through the southern part of Big Horn National Forest, providing arresting spectacles of the Big Horn Mountains, Cloud Peak Wilderness, and Big Horn National Forest. Moreover, partake in assorted leisure pursuits in the town’s conterminous landscape, de-stress at the Buffalo Inn, and attend the Buffalo Chamber of Commerce’s annual Monster March in the Main Street Historic District on October 31, 2024.

Lander

Lander, baptized as a tribute to General Frederick William Lander, is the seat of government of Central Wyoming’s Fremont County, located by the side of the Middle Fork Popo Agie River just south of the Wind River Indian Reservation. Having a considerable number of guest ranches, Lander is a perfect place for those who wish to know about Wyoming ranch life. While touring the town, the Lander Downtown Historic District, Lander Children’s Museum, Evans Dahl Memorial Museum, Fremont County Pioneer Museum, Jackson Park Town Site, Lander Art Center, and the neighboring Sinks Canyon State Park are must-stops. Unwind after an exhausting day at The Inn at Lander – Travelodge by Wyndham, and spare time to be there at annual events like “Halloween Night at the Museum” on October 18 and 19, 2024, at the Pioneer Museum.

Jackson

A bewitching resort destination in northwest Wyoming’s Teton County, Jackson is the dominant settlement of the Jackson Micropolitan Statistical Area, occupying the southern tip of Jackson Hole Valley and fringed by the Teton and Gros Ventre Mountain ranges. Apart from being a crucial halfway stop for millions of adventure seekers heading to the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks yearly, and located in the vicinity of three first-class resorts: Grand Targhee Resort, Snow King Mountain Resort, and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, the town has been a cherished vacation spot. Sightseers must peruse the numerous one-of-a-kind boutiques, the National Museum of Wildlife Art, the Center for the Arts, restaurants like The Kitchen, accommodations like Hotel Jackson, and take part in horse-drawn sleigh rides in addition to watching the biggest elk herds of the country at the fringing National Elk Wildlife Refuge and Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Sundance

Sundance, named after the ‘Sun Dance’ ceremony performed by Indigenous tribes, is the Crook County seat set on the Black Hills’ western extremity in the valley of Bearlodge Mountains in the extreme northeastern corner of Wyoming. The streets of this alluring 1,032-inhabitant community bring to everyone’s mind images of infamous cowboys and the place where Harry Longbaugh earned his byname ‘Sundance Kid’ after his internment here. Heritage enthusiasts must not miss the Crook County Museum at the downtown’s ancient ‘Old Stoney’ building and the adjoining Devils Tower National Monument – where a high laccolith (named Devils Tower) rises spectacularly above the circumambient terrain in the Black Hills’ Bear Lodge Ranger District. Have a pleasant stay at the Bear Lodge Motel and participate in many upcoming events like the 2^nd Annual The Great Pumpkin Hunt 2024 on 21 October 2024, the Fall Vendor Fair on 26 October 2024, the Ladies Night Block Party on 30 November 2024 (the Saturday after Thanksgiving), the Festival of Lights Parade on 6 December 2024, and the CCMSD Monster March 5K on 10 December 2024.

Sheridan

Christened in honor of General Philip Sheridan, this administrative center of Sheridan County and Sheridan Micropolitan Statistical Area’s principal community is set at the meeting of Big and Little Goose creeks on the Bighorn Mountains’ eastern flanks, close to the state border with Montana. Originally established as a railroad distribution point, Sheridan slowly transformed over the years into a financial center of a larger area spread over three counties in Wyoming’s north-central and Montana’s southern portions. As ‘Wyoming’s Jewel,’ this settlement is the most sought-after travel stop where excursionists can partake in myriad outdoor recreations at the Bighorn National Forest. Stop by the Sheridan County Courthouse, Fort Mackenzie, Brinton Museum, King Saddlery Museum, Trail End State Historic Site, and Sheridan County Museum to learn more about the town’s bygone days; rest for the night at the revitalized Sheridan Inn, and turn up every Saturday at Local Foods Market at Landon’s Greenhouse and Christmas with the Kendricks at the Trail End State Historic Site on 22December 2024.

Thermopolis

Thermopolis, the most populous community and seat of government of Hot Springs County, housing innumerable natural hot springs, is located close to the northern limit of the Wedding of the Waters’ and the Wind River Canyon in north-central Wyoming. Fringed by awe-inspiring mountain ranges, the most noteworthy attraction of this southernmost municipality of Bighorn Basin is the Hot Springs State Park, which comprises ‘The Big Spring’ – the most expansive mineral hot spring in the world along with several water slides, boat docks, a swing-bridge over Big Horn River, travertine terraces, a State Bath House, commercial hotels like Best Western Plus Plaza Hotel, and a managed American bison herd. Travelers must not miss Thermopolis’ other prominent sites, including the Hot Springs County Museum & Cultural Center, Downtown Thermopolis Historic District, Wind River Canyon Whitewater Rafting, and the nearby Wyoming Dinosaur Center, while merrymakers should try to attend the Hot Springs County Museum Pioneer Days on 18 and 19 October 2024, and “Vintage Christmas” Silent Auction to benefit the People for People Backpack Program on November 16, 2024.

From the enrapturing alpestrine panoramas of Jackson to the stupefying natural hot springs of Thermopolis, the gorgeous settlements in the nation’s 10^th largest and least populous state are infallible for any kind of getaways. Regardless of the time of the year you are visiting, these teeny Cowboy State towns promise a seamless mix-up of adventure and relaxation besides being perpetually ready to welcome everyone with their unique sites of interest, out-of-this-world natural sceneries, infinite open-air activities, and vibrant local cultures.

Wyoming’s Finley Bartlett shares D-II state golf titleWyoming senior Finley Bartlett shared the Division II state individual title after a two-day total of 140 at the Division II state golf tournament on Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, at Firestone Country Club’s North Course in Akron.