Bob Beck

20 years ago this weekend, Matthew Shepard encountered Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson at the Fireside bar in Laramie. McKinney told police that he noticed that Shepard had money and decided to rob him. He admitted that he thought Shepard would be an easy target because he was small in stature and appeared to be gay. 

From the time they learned about the Shepard attack, it was a busy time for Laramie law enforcement and the legal community as they dealt with the two people accused of murdering Matthew Shepard. The case had intense media scrutiny and international interest that overwhelmed residents of Laramie. Wyoming Public Radio's Bob Beck caught up with three people who were very closely involved in the case. A police investigator, a judge and a defense attorney who discuss their memories and what they think happened.

Next week is the 20 year anniversary of the murder of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard, an event that sparked national media coverage and fierce controversy. One of the people who covered the case from the start was Wyoming Public Radio news director Bob Beck. He joined Morning Edition host Caroline Ballard to discuss his memories, how the event impacted people and Wyoming, and what LGBTQ issues still remain.

Rock Springs Veterinarian Rex Rammell is running for governor as a member of the Constitution Party. Rammell, who is not a fan of Republican Candidate Mark Gordon, decided to enter the race as a third party candidate to give conservative voters another option. Rammell had considered running as a Republican, but initially decided to stay out of the race. He speaks with Bob Beck.

Wyoming's prisons are overcrowded to the point that the Department of Corrections has had to ship some inmates out of state. An analysis of the Wyoming prison system shows that over 50 percent of those behind bars are there due to probation or parole violations. Lawmakers were told that they could save millions if they found a way to keep those people from returning to prison.

Democrat Mary Throne is hoping to become Wyoming's next governor. Throne was born and raised in Campbell County, growing up on a ranch on Wild Horse Creek. She's currently a Cheyenne attorney and for many years worked with the Department of Environmental Quality.

Throne is a former State Representative and Minority floor leader. She is facing Republican opponent Mark Gordon and others in the general election.

On Tuesday the current host of the long-running PBS Program an Open Mind will give a keynote talk on the topic of civil discourse. Alexander Heffner is bringing his traveling discussion called “Civil Discourse in an Uncivil Age: The Quest for a Post-Partisan Citizenship” to the University of Wyoming. The event, which is free and open to the public, will start at 5:30 p.m. in the College of Arts and Sciences auditorium on campus. He tells Bob Beck what his discussion will be about.

State Treasurer Mark Gordon won the Wyoming Republican Primary Election by seven percent of the vote. Some in the GOP who favored other candidates want to blame that on the possibility that Gordon attracted some Democrats who switched party affiliation the day of the primary. The other theory was that a large number of more conservative candidates split votes, which allowed Gordon to win. However, there's also the chance that Gordon, who came in as the favorite, was the preferred candidate.

If you have seen the Steven Spielberg movie Catch Me If You Can, you are no doubt familiar with the name Frank Abagnale. The former teen con artist is now one of the world's most respected authorities on forgery, embezzlement and secure documents. He is now a Fraud Watch Ambassador for AARP and spoke to Bob Beck this week in Casper.

In the August 21 primary election, Wyoming voters chose Mark Gordon as the Republican nominee for governor, Mary Throne as the Democratic nominee for governor, and congressional incumbents John Barrasso and Liz Cheney, among other races. Wyoming Public Radio news director Bob Beck joined Morning Edition Host Caroline Ballard to discuss the results and possible implications.

Longtime political candidate Charlie Hardy is taking another run at public office. Hardy, who’s run as an independent and a Democrat is now running against Senator John Barrasso as a Republican. Hardy is someone who says he doesn’t believe in political parties, but he always considered himself an Eisenhower Republican and that’s why he says he’s suited for this race. He speaks with Wyoming Public Radio’s Bob Beck. 

The primary election takes place August 21 and candidates are hitting the home stretch of campaigning. If you’re a Republican, you are probably aware of the election due to the countless mailers you’ve been getting. Wyoming Public Radio’s Bob Beck has been following the campaign for governor and joins Caroline Ballard for an overview of the primary race.

Two years ago Wyoming’s defense struggled and last season it was one of the best in the nation. The Cowboys ranked number one in the nation in takeaways, 9th in scoring defense, and 23rd overall. This season many publications say Wyoming will have one of the ten best defenses in the country. 

Democrat Greg Hunter is a geologist who’s based in Laramie and he’s running for the U.S. House of Representatives. Hunter has worked in the energy industry and as a consultant for the federal government on a range of environmental issues and he’s very concerned about Wyoming’s natural resources. He joins Wyoming Public Radio’s Bob Beck.