Wyoming
Rod Miller: From Beavers to Coal, Five Wyoming… | Cowboy State Daily
When fur trappers of the 1830s stood hip-deep in the numbing waters of Wyoming’s far west side, they began our first industry. International demand for beaver fur for fashionable headwear created wealth where none existed before.
That was also the dawn of Wyoming’s symbiotic relationship with corporate America in the form of the powerful fur companies.
This heyday lasted until silkworms from China produced a product that proved more desirable for making hats for European nobility, and the beaver fur industry declined.
Some of those early entrepreneurs in the Big Empty, struggling with the demise of beaver trapping, poked around South Pass and discovered gold in 1842. A decade or so later, a frenzied gold rush resulted in South Pass City becoming the densest concentration of white folks in the territory.
Again, wealth was created out of thin air, sweat and capital until the lode petered out. But, before it did, money was made and the economic life of what would become Wyoming strode forward.
For those keeping count, that was economic boom number two.
When the gold boom died, the railroad was built through Wyoming, connecting us with markets on both coasts. Some smart folks saw an opportunity to convert the hardy grasses of our plains into meat and wool, and ship it to cold, hungry folks up and down the line.
Bingo! The range livestock industry was born. Magnificent old Queen Anne mansions were built by cattle and sheep barons with the profits, and they still line the streets of our towns.
The livestock industry dominated Wyoming’s economic profile for nearly a century, providing the imagery on our license plates and the name for our football team. No other industry has branded us as deeply.
In the mid-1950s, recreation and tourism supplanted livestock as the major contributor to Wyoming’s GDP. Hunters, fisherpeople, and casual tourists flocked to Yellowstone, borne by a burgeoning system of paved highways and runways, and spread out from there to the entire state.
We chuckle at these folks’ antics during the summer, but still pockets wads of cash that they tote across our border.
Oil and gas has, for a long time, been an important sub-component of our Gross Domestic Product, but never enough to knock cows or tourons off the top rung.
But, in 1970, the federal Clean Air Act was passed and almost immediately vaulted hydrocarbons to the top of our economic heap. This in the form of Wyoming’s low-sulfur coal which, because of new environmental regulations, became the preferred fuel for producing electricity nationwide.
Couple the Powder River Basin coal boom with the discovery of elephant gas fields near the greater Marbleton metroplex, and we have economic boom number five, still funneling money into our coffers by the wagonload.
But that industry is nearing the end of its shelf life.
Hence, if you characterize Wyoming’s economic life as a series of booms and busts, you are right on the money. This is the chart of our progress, albeit spasmodic, into the future where we find ourselves now.
At each turn on that bumpy road, the champions of the old industry fought tooth and claw against the new industry that they viewed as a threat. Our growth has been anything but smooth because of that fact.
But, in every case, that new industry created wealth in the Cowboy State that wasn’t there before. I think the term “progress” would apply. And I read somewhere that economic progress is what capitalism is all about.
So, instead of griping and whining about progress, and pushing back against it to protect the old way, I’ll just tip my Stetson to it. A Stetson, by the way, made of beaver fur.
Rod Miller can be reached at: rodsmillerwyo@yahoo.com
CASPER, Wyo. — High school athletics in Wyoming could see some drastic changes in the coming years following legislative changes to the state’s education budget, the Wyoming High School Activities Association recently announced in a statement.
According to the WHSAA, Wyoming school districts are facing a projected $3.9 million shortfall in activities funding, forcing officials to consider significant cuts to high school sports and extracurricular programs.
The WHSAA shared details regarding a new “silo” funding model implemented by the Legislature, stating that the recalibrated block grant model reduced funding for student activities and extra-duty responsibilities from $46.3 million to $42.4 million, an approximately 8.4% decrease statewide.
WHSAA Commissioner Trevor Wilson said the restructuring also restricts district access to an additional $76.2 million in previously flexible funding.
“A significant portion of the [April 28 WHSAA Board of Directors] meeting was dedicated to discussing the projected funding shortfall,” Wilson wrote.
The WHSAA is weighing several strategies to address rising costs with fewer resources. Proposed changes include eliminating regional tournaments and reducing the number of teams qualifying for state events from eight to four; limiting wrestling to two classes and restricting track and field state participants to the top 16 marks; making cuts to soccer, indoor track and field, Nordic and Alpine skiing, swimming and diving, spring golf and tennis; and reducing in-person speech and debate events by half and centrally locating All-State Music events to minimize travel. The board also recommended increasing gate admission or implementing student participation fees to offset costs.
While the WHSAA release states that no plans have been finalized and the various changes are currently just possibilities, Natrona County School District 1 Board of Trustees member Mary Schmidt criticized the WHSAA’s handling of the news at Monday’s board meeting.
“I take some issues with this, [including] the sheer fact that we as Board of Trustees members have not talked about that at all,” Schmidt said. “It is not our intent and it has not been brought to us to cut our athletics or activities budget for the upcoming school year. … I take issue with them picking sports and getting the community upset and ginning them up to be upset that this is all going to be cut when that hasn’t been discussed.”
Later in the meeting, Superintendent Angela Hensley clarified that Natrona County School District 1’s athletics and activities budget saw a reduction of roughly $550,000 in the coming year’s budget, but said the local school district does not plan to cut any sports.
“Thank you, Trustee Schmidt, for saying this, because I think people are wondering — we are not planning to cut athletics and activities for next year,” Hensley said. “We do have to take a look at our entire budget as we have talked about, as we learn more about these new rules that come in.”
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Republished with permission from Wyoming News Now, a TV news outlet covering the Cheyenne and Casper areas.
Cheyenne City Council has introduced a temporary moratorium, or pause, on new data center construction.
“The end goal is to actually have regulations in place, to have really heavy public involvement with this with data centers,” said Councilman Mark Moody.
The proposed ordinance is not a permanent ban on data centers and would not affect data centers currently under construction.
Councilman Moody says this is a bipartisan issue.
“I just want to make this clear, I’m not against data centers. We do need them from a national security perspective,” he said.
He said there needs to be more public input and regulations regarding data centers in Cheyenne.
The ordinance would require city staff to study data center impacts such as electricity usage, electricity tariffs, closed-loop cooling systems, groundwater impacts, agricultural impacts, and land value.
Cheyenne LEADS, the economic development corporation for Cheyenne and Laramie County, reported in November 2025 that there are 12 operational data centers in Wyoming, five under construction and plans for 43 data centers announced across the state.
“There needs to be more public input with this, and also to see how many we can sustain here in this community, cause there are talks of 43, and then another day 70. How many can we sustain here?” said Councilman Moody.
The proposed moratorium will now go to the Public Services Committee on Monday, May 18 at noon in the Municipal Building.
Sheridan will play in the North Regional Tournament at Gillette, while the South Regional Tournament will be played at Rock Springs.
North Regional Tournament at Gillette:
Checking record vs. highest team in the quadrant not involved in the tie, Thunder Basin gets the #1 Northeast seed over Campbell County, because the Lady Bolts went 3-1 vs. Sheridan, whereas the Lady Camels went 2-2.
Friday, May 15th:
(#1 NE) Thunder Basin vs. (#4 NW) Jackson – 11am
(#2 NW) Natrona County vs. (#3 NE) Sheridan – 11am
(#2 NE) Campbell County vs. (#3 NW) Kelly Walsh – 1pm
(#1 NW) Cody vs. (#4 NE) Worland – 1pm
Semi-Finals:
Thunder Basin/Jackson winner vs. Natrona County/Sheridan winner – 3pm Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
Campbell County/Kelly Walsh winner vs. Cody/Worland winner – 5pm Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
Consolation Round:
Thunder Basin/Jackson loser vs. Natrona County/Sheridan loser – 3pm LOSER OUT!
Campbell County/Kelly Walsh loser vs. Cody/Worland loser – 5pm LOSER OUT!
Saturday, May 16th:
TBA vs. TBA – 10am LOSER OUT! Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
TBA vs. TBA – 10am LOSER OUT! Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
2 10am winners vs. each other – 1pm 3rd Place
TBA vs. TBA – 1pm 1st Place
South Regional Tournament at Rock Springs:
Friday, May 15th:
(#1 SW) Laramie vs. (#4 SE) Torrington – 11am
(#2 SE) Cheyenne East vs. (#3 SW) Green River – 11am
(#2 SW) Rock Springs vs. (#3 SE) Wheatland – 1pm
(#1 SE) Cheyenne Central vs. (#4 SW) Cheyenne South – 1pm
Semi-Finals:
Laramie/Torrington winner vs. Cheyenne East/Green River winner – 3pm Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
Rock Springs/Wheatland winner vs. Cheyenne Central/Cheyenne South winner – 5pm Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
Consolation Round:
Laramie/Torrington loser vs. Cheyenne East/Green River loser – 3pm LOSER OUT!
Rock Springs/Wheatland loser vs. Cheyenne Central/Cheyenne South loser – 5pm LOSER OUT!
Saturday, May 16th:
TBA vs. TBA – 10am LOSER OUT! Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
TBA vs. TBA – 10am LOSER OUT! Winner qualifies for the state tournament.
2 10am winners vs. each other – 1pm 3rd Place
TBA vs. TBA – 1pm 1st Place
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