How The Alpha Bankruptcy Could Lead To Change In The Law
A nearly million dollar legal battle over taxes is now settled, but the underlying issues are not. The dispute between the recently bankrupt Alpha Natural Resources and Campbell County highlighted how certain taxes aren’t prioritized in state law. And that means less money to counties which contribute to the state school system. Wyoming Public Radio’s Cooper McKim reports some people are fed up and are looking to the legislature for change.
Wind Power Controversy In Wyoming
Strong winds blowing through a gap in the rocky mountains could generate electricity in Wyoming. And customers in California want to buy it. But wind power's a hard sell in Wyoming, where coal is still king. A state with an economy built on coal - has a chance to develop a green resource. As part of The World's "50 States" project, reporter Jason Margolis has more.
Rod Miller Hopes To Upset Liz Cheney In The GOP Primary
Rod Miller has worked as a Cowboy and on the staffs of Governor Ed Herschler and Mike Sullivan, was a small businessman and became a ranch manager. Now he wants to become a member of Congress and is challenging Liz Cheney in the Republican primary. Miller is a colorful candidate, but is very serious about this election. He joins me in the studio where we begin our conversation talking about what to do about immigration.
Shortage Of Seasonal Workers In Cody Due To Changes To H-2B Visa Program
The travel and hospitality industry is the second largest industry in Wyoming. As tourists flood to the state in summer, the industry relies on seasonal workers to keep things running smoothly. But more and more, seasonal workers have been harder to come by in the local workforce so businesses depend on visa programs that bring in foreign guest workers. The two most commonly used are the J1 visa, which sponsors students, and the H-2B visa, which brings in workers to fill in temporary, non-agricultural positions.
The visa process is complicated. And it's causing problems for Wyoming’s tourism communities that depend heavily on legal immigrants for their summer workforce. For Cody - it’s just getting the workers in the first place. Wyoming Public Radio’s Kamila Kudelska has more.
Housing In Jackson Main Barrier To Maintaining A Stable Workforce
In Jackson, foreign workers are very important to the tourism industry. But business leaders in the community say the difficulty in maintaining a stable workforce doesn’t lie specifically in the visa process, but it’s still important. Wyoming Public Radio’s Caroline Ballard reports.
Don't Look For A Congressional Guest Worker Solution Anytime Soon
This month babies being ripped away from their parents dominated the immigration debate in Washington, but Wyoming lawmakers are hoping the conversation can turn to the state’s need for guest workers. Correspondent Matt Laslo has the story from Washington.
Wyoming Food Activists Working Together To Create Food Policy Council
Wyomingites once grew food in gardens or hunted it in the mountains. These days, though, more rural people are driving distances to reach a grocery or mini-mart for their food. It’s led to nearly 75-thousand people in Wyoming struggling with hunger and access to healthy fresh foods. But as Wyoming Public Radio’s Melodie Edwards reports, now farmers markets and nutrition groups in the state are collaborating to start a council to address the state’s food security issues.
Wolves And Grizzly Bears Star In Yellowstone's 'Soap Opera'
This summer we’re taking you on a tour of some of our favorite public lands.
Nowhere in our region is more public than our country’s oldest iconic National Park - Yellowstone. Every summer, millions of people flock there from around the world to take in the beauty, the geysers, and, as Nate Hegyi reports on the wildlife.
