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July 15th, 2016

University of Wyoming

Listen to the full show here.

UW President Has Been Thrust Into Budget Cutting Mode

Wyoming President Laurie Nichols started her job on a Monday, the Monday after the Friday when Governor Matt Mead told the UW trustees that they must whack an additional $35 million from the University budget. The state’s fiscal downturn has led to a $41 million cut from the UW budget.

Needless to say it’s been a stressful time. They’ve decided not to fund several positions, they convinced some people to retire early, and they are battling with professors in an effort to get them to teach more which would free up even more money. Nichols tells Wyoming Public Radio’s Bob Beck that they still have $15 million to cut and now the cuts could come from programs and personnel, which will be very difficult. 

Clean Or Contaminated? Residents Fear Tainted Water Post Fracking

There’s growing evidence that activities related to hydraulic fracturing can contaminate water supplies. A controversial draft report last year from the Environmental Protection Agency said the contamination was not widespread or systemic --- yet for a number of households whose water has been tainted, and for many more who fear it is tainted, the struggle for clean water can sap energy and take years. Maryam Jameel from the Center for Public Integrity tells us about families in Pennsylvania desperate for answers.

Demand Charges Mean Big Changes For Electricity Bills

Across the country, power companies are rushing to keep pace with a changing energy landscape. Many operate on outdated business models that never accounted for people producing their own electricity or clean energy mandates. That’s prompted Arizona’s largest utility to pursue a new way of charging its customers -- one that no other utility has done before. Will Stone of KJZZ in Phoenix reports for Inside Energy.

Wyoming's New Poet Laureate, Eugene Gagliano

On Tuesday, Governor Matt Mead named Eugene Gagliano the 8th poet laureate of Wyoming. Gagliano is a retired elementary school teacher and is known for his collaborative and entertaining presentations for schools and libraries across the state. Wyoming Public Radio’s Maggie Mullen spoke with him about the honor.

Using Horse Traditions To Reduce Teen Suicide On Wind River Reservation

In recent years, the rates of teen suicide on many Indian reservations has skyrocketed, making it the second leading cause of death among Native youths. But as Wyoming Public Radio’s Melodie Edwards reports, a new program on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming is taking a novel approach to preventing teen suicide ...they’re putting kids on horseback.

Researchers Study The Success Of The Snowy Range Moose Herd

Most moose herds in Wyoming are in decline, but the Snowy Range Moose herd appears to be an exception. After a moose re-introduction in northern Colorado, they started showing up in the Snowy Range Mountains west of Laramie in the 1980s.

They’re commonly spotted throughout southeast Wyoming, but there is little data concerning their exact numbers. Now a joint research project by the University of Wyoming and Wyoming Game and Fish is trying to change that.   

Jackson Start-Up Provides Comfort To Cancer Patients, Jobs To Wyoming Women

When someone gets really sick, it can be difficult to know what to do for them - should you bring flowers? Food? A card? Jackson resident Kathleen Neiley is providing an answer with a new business: Full Circle Quilts creates custom, group funded t-shirt quilts for cancer patients. She told Wyoming Public Radio’s Caroline Ballard the idea came from her own experiences.

Do You Think Your Vote Matters?

The question comes up every election year, does my vote count? The answer sometimes depends on what race or issue you are voting on. Wyoming is a very Republican state, so if you are not part of the GOP it’s possible that your vote might mean very little, especially in the Presidential race. But even if you are Republican, Wyoming has a mere three electoral votes. Wyoming Public Radio intern Liam Niemeyer met up with Wyoming voters in Laramie recently and asked…does your vote count?

Bob Beck retired from Wyoming Public Media after serving as News Director of Wyoming Public Radio for 34 years. During his time as News Director WPR has won over 100 national, regional and state news awards.
Liam Niemeyer is a rising junior studying journalism at Ohio University, and is quite far away from his home in Athens, Ohio. With it being only his second time in Wyoming, he is excited to learn more about the state and its culture. An admitted podcast fanatic and audiophile, he also produces and hosts his own radio show back at OU. In his free time, you might find him playing a mean tenor saxophone or sporting a new bow tie.
Maggie Mullen is Wyoming Public Radio's regional reporter with the Mountain West News Bureau. Her work has aired on NPR, Marketplace, Science Friday, and Here and Now. She was awarded a 2019 regional Edward R. Murrow Award for her story on the Black 14.
Melodie Edwards is the host and producer of WPM's award-winning podcast The Modern West. Her Ghost Town(ing) series looks at rural despair and resilience through the lens of her hometown of Walden, Colorado. She has been a radio reporter at WPM since 2013, covering topics from wildlife to Native American issues to agriculture.
Will Stone is a former reporter at KUNR Public Radio.