Open Spaces show rundown for December 3rd, 2021

The Ucross Foundation is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Over the years, Ucross has welcomed a few thousand artists, playwrights, musicians, as well as others in the art world to southeast Sheridan County. Wyoming Public Radio's Hugh Cook has more.

A historic gold mine near Cheyenne is potentially going to be reopened. This would be the first metal mine in Wyoming in nearly 40 years. Wyoming Public Radio's Ivy Engel has more.

Yellowstone National Park has already surpassed its previous record of visitors with about 4.8 million so far this year. The park dealt with this increase of visitors while still feeling the impact of the pandemic, specifically a smaller employee pool. But Superintendent Cam Sholly said while it was a stressful season, it was successful. Sholly told Wyoming Public Radio's Kamila Kudelska the impacts that visitation has on the park presently and in the future.

As passenger numbers continue to increase, improvements to security, ticketing, rental car, and baggage systems are planned as part of the upgrades.

Wyoming is moving forward in its effort to return grizzly bear management back to the states. This comes after Governor Gordon announced his commitment to put the bears back under state control.The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission has approved a new management plan and is now awaiting Montana and Idaho to approve it.

A Wyoming Business Council initiative is trying to map out which parts of the state have reliable high-speed internet access, and which do not.

The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is conducting a state health improvement plan for the first time. They're asking the public to help them narrow down specific solutions for the three areas the department has prioritized: behavioral health, access to care and unintentional injuries.

Nurses are receiving a pay raise to make salaries more competitive with other health care providers.

The Joint Transportation, Highways and Military Affairs Committee of the Wyoming Legislature is drafting three bills intended to address sexual harassment and assault reporting concerns in the Wyoming Military Department.

With hospitals in the Mountain West overrun with COVID-19 patients, states are increasingly utilizing monoclonal antibody treatment to ease a seemingly endless public health crisis — one that could worsen with the emergence of the highly contagious omicron variant.

There’s a false narrative that Native Americans are genetically predisposed to becoming addicted to alcohol. New research shows that simply believing it can be harmful.

The Biden administration wants Congress to increase drilling companies' royalty rates, which have stayed at 12.5% for 100 years.

The infrastructure bill President Biden signed last week contains potentially big boosts in pay for wildland firefighters as well as expanded mental health services and more opportunities for permanent, year-round work.

Gov. Steve Sisolak apologized on behalf of his state and promised to cooperate with an investigation of the federal government's past policies and oversight of Native American boarding schools.

More than 400 people who died of COVID were secretly interred in a mass grave on the outskirts of the city of Iquitos. Families are demanding a proper burial for their loved ones.

People of the former Soviet bloc rejoiced when the Iron Curtain fell and embraced membership in the European Union. Hungary is an example of a growing culture clash in the conservative East.

Fans from across the country and the world came to see the Korean boy band perform in Los Angeles for their first live concert in two years. Photographer Hannah Yoon documented fans before the show.