Open Spaces show rundown for August 5th, 2022

You've probably heard a number of political candidates complain about the Federal COVID-19 spending. But it turns out that many of those candidates and party officials accepted over $3.5 million in federal relief subsidies. WyoFile reporter Maggie Mullen authored a story looking into the matter.

On July 30, the Union Pacific Railroad's Museum Special rode between the Denver Union Station and Cheyenne, pulled by Big Boy locomotive 4014, marking the first time in four years that the train has carried passengers between the two cities.

Yellowstone National Park received historic flooding earlier this summer. There have been a lot of effects on things like roads, tourism and infrastructure, causing the landscape to change dramatically. But what about other things - like earthquakes and eruptions? Yellowstone is one of the most seismically active areas in the country. Wyoming Public Radio's Caitlin Tan spoke with Mike Poland, the scientist-in-charge for the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, to find out.

State Senator Tara Nethercott is one of the candidates trying to succeed Ed Buchanan as Wyoming’s Secretary of State. Nethercott is an attorney from Cheyenne and is the Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Wyoming Public Radio’s Bob Beck begins the conversation by discussing Limited Liability companies in the state that some say are a tax haven for bad actors. Nethercott has looked into the issue and isn’t concerned.

The Marshall Fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes in Colorado, and left a smoky taste and smell in the water for months after it was extinguished. That meant an expensive fix as the town of Superior tries to improve water quality.

A summer deadline approaches for state leaders to agree on how to cut their water use from the Colorado River.

Yellowstone National Park rebounded quickly after historic flooding in June, reopening all of its gates except two just a couple of weeks after. Now the park has opening dates for the Gardiner and Cooke City entrances.

There are around 40 aquatic snail species in Wyoming, and during the snail survey the researchers found 18 species in the three areas they searched. The research was supported by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.

Officials in Vincent, Ala., have fired the police chief and assistant chief. The Shelby County Sheriff's Office said it will provide emergency law enforcement in the meantime.

Evacuation 200 is a special volunteer unit that scours the country for the bodies of soldiers left on battlefields. "My job is to accompany these heroes on their last trip home," one volunteer says.

An Israeli offensive launched Friday followed what the government called concrete threats of an imminent attack. Militants have fired hundreds of rockets at Israel in response.

Colombia's first leftist president will be sworn into office Sunday, promising to fight inequality and heralding a turning point in the history of the country.