A Chapter Ends As Wyoming Grants Its First Coal Mine Permit In Decades
Wyoming has approved its first coal mine permit in decades. The Kentucky-based coal company Ramaco now has the go-ahead to start mining near Sheridan in northeastern Wyoming. The process to get to this point was anything but simple. Wyoming Public Radio's Cooper McKim reports.
"No Road Map, No Tour Guide" - The Path To Law Enforcement Accountability
Now, we turn to the issue of police reform. Thousands have taken to the streets across the country -- and right here in Wyoming -- calling for an end to unchecked police misconduct. An investigation by Wyoming Public Radio and the Casper Star-Tribune found that in Wyoming law enforcement accountability can be a long, uncharted and demanding process. Naina Rao spoke with reporters Tennessee Watson and Shane Sanderson about what they found.
Wyoming's Delegation Suspicious Of House Democrat's Infrastructure Bill
Congress is now in recess for two weeks, but before the House gaveled out Democrats passed a 1.5 trillion-dollar infrastructure bill. That bill is dead on arrival if Wyoming Republicans get their way, as correspondent Matt Laslo reports from Washington.
Millions Gained Access To Telehealth During The Pandemic, But Can They Keep It?
The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the nation to figure out something it's tried to do for years: increase access to telehealth. But as emergency orders end, will that access remain? The Mountain West News Bureau's Madelyn Beck reports.
How Local Businesses Are Adapting To 'New Normal'
Anyway you look at it, bar and restaurant workers are on the front lines of the pandemic. Since Governor Mark Gordon eased restrictions these businesses can now offer indoor service as long as staff wearing face coverings. But some business owners aren't so sure they're comfortable with making decisions about how to keep the public safe. Wyoming Public Radio's Naina Rao reports.
Pilot Hill Project Is Nearly Ready To Open To The Public
The state's businesses are struggling right now. But in Laramie, there's one glimmer of hope. With its vast spaces and nearly 98,000 square miles of public land, outdoor recreation is a big deal in Wyoming. One group in Laramie plans to make that even larger and their efforts are starting to come to fruition. Wyoming Public Radio's Ivy Engel has more.
New Book Envisions Solutions For Rural Economies
Even before the pandemic struck, rural American communities were suffering… and the blow from this new downturn could hurt even more. But a new book is optimistic that small towns CAN thrive…if they learn to embrace the innovations of the future. I spoke with Don Albrecht, author of Building a Resilient Twenty First Century Economy for Rural America. Albrecht is the director of the Western Rural Development Center at Utah State University.
RV Business Booms As The 'Pandemic Demographic' Hits The Road
U.S. air travel is down, and hotel occupancy remains low. However, one part of the tourism economy is attracting new customers even amidst a pandemic. As Wyoming Public Radio's Maggie Mullen reports, more Americans are looking to RVs and trailers to get away from home.
Pandemic Hits Professional Cowboys Pocketbooks
As we just heard, the effects of the pandemic are so widespread and unpredictable. For instance, Fourth of July week is usually when professional cowboys make a lot of their income… also known as "cowboy christmas". But most major rodeos in Wyoming, except the Cody Stampede, were canceled thanks to the pandemic this year. Wyoming Public Radio's Kamila Kudelska explains what cowboys have been doing to make ends meet.