Open Spaces

Last summer, state officials cautioned school districts across the state to prepare for budget cuts. But in a turn of events, lawmakers failed to agree on the specifics of a bill that would have cut $135 million from schools over three years. Wyoming Public Radio's Catherine Wheeler looked into how districts chose to handle the dilemma—to move ahead with cuts or stay where they are.

Wool that's produced in Wyoming is often sent out of state where it enters a worldwide market. Much of it is sent overseas for production. But one local business is trying to change that. Wyoming Public Radio's Ivy Engel has more.

This week Corporal Derek Colling from the Albany County Sheriff's office resigned. Colling shot and killed Laramie resident Robbie Ramirez during a traffic stop in 2018. Ramirez was unarmed. Colling was hired after having been fired from the Las Vegas police department following an altercation with a photographer. He had also killed two people while working for that department and many objected when former Sheriff Dave O'Malley hired him.

Open Spaces show rundown for June 4th, 2021.

Wyoming's climate is known to produce fine wool, perfect for spinning into yarn and creating high-quality products. And the University of Wyoming's Department of Agriculture has its own herd of sheep to study that wool. This year, they're trying something new.

During the first week of June 2021, Albany County commissioners held a meeting for public comment on the Rail Tie Wind Project south of Laramie. Over the last couple of years, it's been a controversial subject that’s divided the community and led to hurtful attacks on social media.As part of our series "I Respectfully Disagree," Melodie Edwards sat down with folks on each side of the issue for a civil conversation. Kelly Schroeder with Better Wyoming is for the project and Peter Bishop with the Albany County Conservancy is against it. They came together in our conference room and started things off by sharing a meal.

Farmers in parts of the West are experiencing some of the worst drought conditions in nearly two decades. The dryness presents challenges in keeping a farm or ranch viable, and in how farmers deal with mental health concerns.

Wyoming-based mother and son duo published their first fiction novel, titled A Divided Mind, together back in 2019. The book largely centers around topics and impacts of mental health. Now, Mary Billiter and Kyle Thomas are back with a sequel and shared how they got started as well as why this was important to them.

"It feels exciting because a year ago today, we didn't even have a vaccine. And now, I'm just getting closer to the second dose day by day and I won't have to live in constant fear of catching the virus or spreading it to my family."

It's well documented that Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney was voted out as the third-ranking Republican in the U.S. House over her differences with…