Wyoming
Opinion | Why would Wyoming allow concealed guns at the Capitol, but restrict cameras?
Wyoming’s elected officials are trying to simultaneously get more guns and fewer cameras in the State Capitol.
I know that the pen is mightier than the sword, but can we please discard this absurd notion that photojournalists’ Nikons are dangerous, but election deniers’ Glocks are perfectly safe in the halls of government?
Let’s start with the controversial gun possession issue. Far-right lawmakers opposing any gun restrictions, including gun-free zones, have long tried to allow weapons inside the Capitol.
But this new proposal was advanced by the Capitol Building Commission, i.e. the governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer and state superintendent of public instruction.
The commission voted unanimously in favor of a plan to allow concealed firearms in many areas of the Capitol and attached facilities, including the extension that connects to the Herschler Building. There will be a 45-day public comment period and other requirements before any rules and regulations actually change.
What concerns me, however, is how blithely the state’s top five elected officials ignored the public feedback they’ve already received. Eighty-seven percent of the 130 respondents to a State Construction Department online survey opposed changing the existing gun-free policy.
One state employee expressed feeling “uncomfortable and fearful of coworkers, public visitors and anyone other than security personnel carrying firearms at my place of work.”
Other respondents believed firearms shouldn’t be allowed where heated debate takes place. That’s a great description of the Legislature, where cooler heads often do not prevail.
At least 23 states allow some form of legal firearms possession at statehouses, though the rules vary greatly. My chief objection to Wyoming joining that list is the likelihood of guns being used — deliberately or not — to intimidate others and silence voices.
The Legislature makes its own rules for how business is conducted in its areas of the Capitol during the session. Lawmakers will have plenty more to say about concealed weapons after the commission finalizes its own plan. In the meantime, they’re busying themselves with new rules concerning media access.
Last month, the Select Committee on Legislative Facilities, Technology and Process advanced a proposal to keep photo and video journalists from using the hallways adjacent to the Senate and House floors.
What are legislators who support this policy — which will be decided by the Legislative Management Council on Nov. 11 — afraid of? And would the public lose if it’s implemented?
The answer to both questions is transparency. Some lawmakers think it’s better to do their work out of the spotlight than to allow media representatives to show the public how legislators work and interact.
There’s no question that restricting photographers to the third-floor gallery above the action in the House and Senate will result in far less interesting and informative images of what’s happening on the floor. Because older white males dominate both chambers, still photos and video images will typically show a sea of pale bald heads.
As the possessor of such a head, I guarantee you that’s a sight no one really needs or wants to see.
The much higher quality of images that can be obtained by taking photos at eye-level isn’t a sufficient reason alone to allow professionals to show their readers/viewers how legislators conduct themselves in the “People’s House.”
But the old adage about a picture being worth a thousand words is often true. My days as a Wyoming Tribune Eagle photographer at the Capitol were long ago, and I enjoyed the chance to depict what was going on behind the scenes in ways I couldn’t always capture with my pen.
The best result I ever had was a series of photos during an emotionally exhausting late-night session when the Legislature killed a bill to create a medical school at the University of Wyoming. It stretched past midnight, and my final photo was of a legislator looking at his sleepy young daughter valiantly trying to stay awake on a couch off the House floor.
That image was only captured because of the access the media had in the chamber’s corridors. It captured the human element of the legislative process on a stressful, historic day.
The excuses being used to restrict press access are lame. Legislative Services Office Director Matt Obrecht told the committee “with the amount of traffic in those hallways … it’s just not a place for photographers.” In reality, the hallways are relatively quiet, with photographers respecting both the work spaces of each other and lawmakers.
Rep. Dan Zwonitzer (R-Cheyene), part of the 4-2 majority that sent the plan to the Management Council, claimed because everything being said at the microphones are captured by audio and video, “You don’t need that same [hallway] access because it is much more transparent.”
Yes, video and audio technology improved. But everything the public sees and hears is controlled by the Legislature, not independent observers. That’s a lot of power given to the government to decide how what’s happening is presented to voters.
I share the concerns of Darcie Hoffland, executive director of the Wyoming Press Association. “It has been the role of the fourth estate to report on the work being done for the people of Wyoming by their legislators,” she wrote in an email to WyoFile. “To limit or revoke access sets a dangerous precedent not only for the Wyoming Legislature itself, but for local government agencies to follow suit.”
Times have indeed changed, to the detriment of legislative transparency. Until 2013, credentialed Wyoming journalists could work at tables on the Senate and House floors. They received memos and proposed amendments at the same time lawmakers did, so they could track bills as they were debated. If reporters had questions, they had easy access to legislative leaders’ offices off the hallways. It improved the quality, accuracy and comprehensiveness of news outlets’ coverage.
Legislative leaders justified removing the press tables 11 years ago by claiming more space was needed for staff. I don’t disagree that quarters were tight, but I don’t think the only viable solution was to boot the working press to the gallery.
During the Capitol’s renovation, officials closed the third floor media office shared by newspapers, radio, TV, WyoFile and wire service reporters. One of the things that made it a great working environment was that every legislator and lobbyist knew where to go to deliver their take on the daily grind of the session. The media plays a vital role in watching what transpires at the Capitol and informing the public.
Now the press room is in the basement, in the corridor between the Capitol and Herschler Building. After more than 40 years covering the Legislature, I know there are always lawmakers who would be overjoyed to boot the media right out the door.
But the Capitol isn’t just home to legislators, or people who want to pack heat while roaming the halls. The Management Council should reject the proposal to keep photojournalists from the space where they have the best opportunity to document what our lawmakers are doing.
CASPER, Wyo. — Saturday is here once again, and with it comes a slew of events and activities happening all throughout town! It’s a busy day in Casper, with a variety of things happening for people of all ages. From Independent Bookstore Day to Boots and Bling, this is everything happening Saturday in the Oil City.
The Oil City Daily Event Guide is sponsored by Central Wyoming Fair & Rodeo.
Aerial Yoga Conditioning
Theraexpressions Meditation is hosting an aerial yoga conditioning class on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The price is $25 per person.
“There is a version of you that rises on effort instead of hesitation,” the event page states. “That welcomes challenge and climbs towards strength. That turns strain into power. Our high-intensity Aerial Conditioning Yoga is not about looking graceful. It is about feeling empowered within your whole self. Having a fierce rhythm of breath as you lift, stabilize, invert, repeat. Muscles awakening. Mind sharpening. Limits expanding. You meet yourself beyond the edge you thought was final. Where endurance is physical and presence is practiced with every hold. As effort builds, you will feel: total-body strength, igniting endurance rising in waves, grip and shoulder stability, deepening coordination under challenge, mental resilience under load. Not because it’s easy but because you stayed. You kept showing up and trying again even when it got hard. You did this for YOU!! Aerial conditioning teaches a rare truth. You can hold yourself through intensity. You can stabilize inside effort. You can rise again while shaking, sweating, striving and discover you ARE stronger than your doubt. Between earth and air, discipline becomes freedom. Effort becomes empowerment. Resilience becomes identity. All levels of yogis welcomed. Come ready. Leave powerful. Return stronger.”
Happening at 11 a.m.
Wind City Books is celebrating Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, and bibliophiles of all ages are welcome to participate. It’s happening at Wind City Books from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and it’s free and open to the public.
“Join us at Wind City Books Saturday, April 25 to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day 2026!” the event page states. “There will be all kinds of fun beginning as soon as doors open at 10 a.m. with the Libro.fm Golden Ticket Hunt (one lucky person will receive 12 free audio book credits), free book with purchase while supplies last, exclusive independent bookstore day merchandise available for purchase, giveaways, and a book signing featuring local authors India Hayford and Summer Smith Melin.”
Happening at 10 a.m.
The Good, the Bad and the Bugly: Insects and Gardens
The Natrona County Library is hosting a closer look at the tiny creatures that shape the health of the environment, with “The Good, the Bad, and the Bugly: Insects and Gardens” on Saturday from 10 to 11 a.m.
“Inspired by ‘Lab Girl’ and the NEA Big Read theme Our Nature, this program invites participants to examine the often-overlooked relationships between plants and insects,” the event page states. “Alex Hutchinson of Wyoming State Parks will guide participants through the difference between beneficial insects and common garden pests, and share practical tips for identifying who’s helping, who’s harming, and how to respond thoughtfully. From pollinators and soil-builders to leaf-chewers and larvae, we’ll explore how even the smallest organisms play a role in larger ecosystems. In ‘Lab Girl,’ Hope Jahren reminds us that understanding begins with observation. This program encourages gardeners and nature enthusiasts alike to look more closely at the life buzzing, crawling, and fluttering around them — and to see gardens not just as cultivated spaces, but as living communities. This event will take place in the Crawford Room and is open to adults. No registration is required.
Happening at 10 a.m.
The Wyoming Symphony Orchestra is hosting its latest concert, “United Through Music: Pursuit of Happiness,” on Saturday beginning at 3 p.m.
“Join us on April 25 for the final concert of our 2025–26 season!” the event page states. “The season finale features a celebration of American voices and symphonic grandeur. Valerie Coleman’s ‘Seven O’Clock Shout,’ written in honor of frontline workers during the pandemic, leads into Peter Boyer’s patriotic ‘Rhapsody in Red, White, and Blue,’ performed by guest pianist Jeffrey Biegel. Howard Hanson’s choral-orchestral ‘Song of Democracy’ and Respighi’s sweeping ‘Pines of Rome’ bring the season to a majestic close.”
Happening at 3 p.m.
The Barn by the Five Deuces is hosting Boots and Bling on Saturday beginning at 5:30 p.m., with proceeds benefitting the Wyoming Foundation for Cancer Care.
“Dust off your boots and bring a little shine,” the event page states. “Boots & Bling is Wyoming Foundation for Cancer Care’s signature spring fundraiser, and it’s shaping up to be a night you won’t want to miss. Tickets are limited so don’t wait to snag yours! Enjoy dinner by Heirloom and Native, drinks by Occasions by Cory, music, one-of-a-kind items for raffles, and a western-glam atmosphere built around community and connection. We’ll kick things up a notch with a quick, easy line dance lesson, then open up the dance floor for anyone ready to jump in or just cheer from the sidelines. Two left feet welcome… This is a judgment-free dance floor! Every ticket helps ease the burden for Wyoming cancer patients by covering everyday essentials like travel, lodging, groceries, housing, and utilities, giving them one less thing to worry about while they focus on healing.
Happening at 5:30 p.m.
Don’t see an event on the calendar? Add it! Click here, add your details and submit to let Casper know all about it.
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The Smithsonian Institution’s carousel is back open for business Friday after being closed for nearly three years for restoration and refurbishments.
Brightly painted ponies have been going round and round, delighting children, for centuries. But the joys they bring haven’t always been accessible to everyone.
The ribbon-cutting at the Smithsonian National Carousel nodded to this fact.
William A. Smith / AP
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AP
The first to ride the reopened carousel was a group of African American adults who arrived from Baltimore. In the 1960s, when many of them were kids, they were among the first to desegregate the carousel when it was located at Gwynn Oak Amusement Park outside of Baltimore.
“My family, we used to go there all the time once they let us in,” said Janice Chance, who was 13 when she first rode the carousel in 1966. Chance’s son was a Marine who died in Afghanistan in 2008. She said to have the carousel back on the National Mall means a lot to her and the many others who fought for “the freedoms of this country.”
“We are together, we’re having fun, but we remember the struggle and how we got here,” said Chance.
Desegregating Gwynn Oak Amusement Park took several years of protests by Black and white activists: It was finally integrated on Aug. 28, 1963, the same day that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr gave his “I Have A Dream” speech on the National Mall.
“So while that was occurring in D.C., quiet activism with little people was occurring on the same date,” said Sharon Langley, who was the first Black child to ride the carousel that day. She was just 11 months old. Years later, Langley co-wrote a children’s book about it. This week, she rode again, on a horse called Freedom Rider — after the desegregating riders. She believes it’s fitting the carousel should be “with all the monuments of freedom… This is a monument for children to come and enjoy, ride and experience the pursuit of happiness.”
After Hurricane Agnes devastated Gwynn Oak’s rides and buildings, the park closed in 1973 and the carousel went into storage. Shortly after, then Smithsonian Secretary S. Dillon Ripley decided it was time to replace the aging carousel on the National Mall. “As Ripley’s original carousel began to show its age, the Smithsonian began looking for a suitably grand replacement,” Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III wrote in Smithsonian Magazine. “Gwynn Oak’s hand-carved beauty, an emblem of the struggle for civil rights, fit the bill.”
With 54 horses, a sea monster, a pig and two chariots, the restored Gwynn Oak carousel stands again in front of the Smithsonian’s Arts and Industries Building.
Its Civil Rights history might’ve been lost on the kids rushing onto the platform to mount their favorite horses at the ribbon-cutting this week. Seven-year-old Lucas Platt from Virginia gives the carousel high marks. “It’s actually one of the fastest carousels I’ve really been on,” he said. “Usually they’re much slower than this. It’s great. I really like it. Nothing bad about it.”
Copyright 2026 NPR
WYOMING, Mich. — Starting May 1, the city of Wyoming is implementing odd-even outdoor water restrictions for homes and businesses to minimize the burden on its water treatment plant during upcoming water main construction.
The restrictions impacts the following neighborhoods:
- City of Wyoming
- Olive Township
- Blendon Township
- Holland Township
- Georgetown Township
- Jamestown Township
- Gaines Township
- Byron Township
- City of Hudsonville
- City of Grandville
- Western portion of the City of Kentwood
Under the upcoming restriction, residents and businesses with an odd-numbered address can water outdoors on odd days of the month. Those with an even-numbered address can water on even days.
The mandate limits activities like watering lawns, landscaping or filling pools. It does not impact water used for drinking or bathing.
“Municipal leaders ask for the community’s support of the outdoor water use restriction during construction which will increase capacity and reliability,” a statement from the city reads. “In this interim, compliance with the restriction will help avoid an outright ban for everyone on outdoor irrigation.”
The restrictions will remain in effect through June 15.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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