Today on the show, a little lake north of Pinedale has long been treasured by locals for fishing. But this fall, something happened... it turned red. There’s going to be an influx of new faces at the Wyoming Capitol this month after a slate of newcomers beat out incumbents in recent elections. And we have the story of how a group of Green River High School students wrote a proclamation to make January 5th Nellie Tayloe Ross Day. Those stories and more.Editor's note: This audio has been updated to correct a misstatement.

Welcome to our year-in-review of Open Spaces. Today we have a batch of stories our reporters picked as their top news items of last year. We’ll hear how wildfire managers anticipated a busy summer after a flurry of spring burns got the season started early. We’ll revisit the early days of a program that aims to work with Native families to address grief and intergenerational trauma. And we’ll dive back into the mysterious illness that left dozens of cows nearly unrecognizable. Those stories and more.

Today on the show, we’ll hear from county firefighters reflecting this past year’s massive wildfires, and about some food sovereignty projects on the Wind River Reservation. We’ll tag along with a long time Sublette county local for a very unique kind of Christmas tree hunt…Those stories and more on Open Spaces.

Today on the show, tourism in the Cody area hasn’t kept up with other Yellowstone gateway towns. We’ll hear how the town is changing up its marketing strategy to reflect that. Employers in the Cowboy State are getting creative with how they house workers. And for some, that means trucking in homes from factories. And, Miss Wyoming talks about the importance of sports and more open conversations about mental health. Those stories and more.

Today on the show, more than a decade ago, Wyoming Republicans backed a change to the state constitution, which gave people the right to make their own healthcare decisions. It was meant to signal disapproval of the Affordable Care Act. That amendment was just used to strike down two near-total abortion bans in the state. Climate change, the energy transition, and affording everyday life are all big topics on our minds. How that all might be affected in Wyoming with Donald Trump as our next president. And we hear about bringing the more-than-a-hundred-year-old remains of an Eastern Shoshone boy back to the Wind River Reservation from an East Coast boarding school. Those stories and more.

Today on the show, the results of the election are in and The Wyoming Freedom Caucus now has a majority of seats in the House. One legislator says it’s going to be interesting. A Lakota historian reflects on how the railroad impacted bison habitat. In football, the Cowboys' running back, Sam Scott, flipped to the other side of the ball and is contributing in big ways this season. Plus, a rare disease popped up in Carbon County - how the handling of it has upset locals. Those stories and more.

Today on the show, as we gear up for the general election, we dive into how ballots get counted and how elections get certified. In an effort to lower their carbon footprints, people in our region are building homes out of straw bales. Students took a trip to a creek outside of Cheyenne with ties to a 19th Century treaty. Plus, we hear about how Grizzly 399 was managed differently than other bears. Those stories and more.

Today on the show, all of your questions about voting in the upcoming election answered. Plus a look at contested Wyoming House races in the General Election. On the Wind River Reservation, one tribal member is leading a program to help people coming back from prison stay out. And, a photographer talks about what motivates him to go to the front lines of some of the largest fires. Those stories and more.

Today on Open Spaces, we're bringing back some of the biggest storylines of the summer to thank you, our listeners, for keeping us on the air and making this kind of place-based, informative storytelling possible. Gillette welcomed over 55 thousand people for a week-long event. And we’ll bring you behind the scenes of one of the biggest fires in Wyoming this summer. Those stories and more.

Today on Open Spaces, it’s been a busy wildfire season. We’ll hear how fire departments are coping with fewer volunteers. A non-profit that fills in the gaps for the largest national forest in Wyoming, is preparing to play a bigger role going forward. Last winter, the corporation that owns the Pinedale Roundup laid off all its employees except one. Then, major news hit. And the Road to Cheyenne series is back to prepare Wyomingites for the general election. Those stories and more.