"A Watershed Year": Companies Begin To Adapt As Powder River Basin Restructures
Coal operations in the Powder River Basin are in the midst of a restructuring. Production has been racing downward since 2009 and this year, the brewing trends hit the region hard, with a series of dramatic bankruptcies and a merger. Wyoming Public Radio’s Cooper McKim reports a new normal is setting in.
Wyoming Lawmakers Offer Explanations For Low Revenues And High Debt
Experts say federal revenues are down and lawmakers in Washington are scrambling to find a suitable compromise to avert the nation’s first ever default on its debt. Wyoming’s senators say it’s all because the nation spends too much, and not because the GOP tax cut isn’t living up to its promises. Correspondent Matt Laslo has this story from Washington exploring what happened.
Last Resorts: How Tourism In Western Towns Is Driving An Affordable Housing Crisis
Summer’s in full-swing, and that means vacation time. More visitors than ever are flocking to resort towns throughout our region. But that’s adding pressure on a housing crunch that already has local residents scrambling. KUER’s Claire Jones reports on what this looks like in the desert destination of Moab.
Last Resorts: A Millionaire's Playground Battles To Keep Its Middle Class
In Jackson Hole, some visitors describe the surrounding landscape as “God’s country.” If you ask residents, you might hear them call it “poverty with a view.” Either way, Jackson Hole is the most economically unequal place in the country. With summer tourists pouring into the region, Robyn Vincent tells us how residents in paradise are tackling their housing crisis.
"We Kind Of Live In The Middle"
Though they have felt like outsiders at times, Allen Pino and Catalina Pedroza—who are both pursuing careers as educators—feel a strong sense of loyalty to Wyoming. For WPR's "Belonging" series, they sat down to discuss racial identity and how Wyoming stereotypes can be at odds with a vision of a state full of potential.
Wyoming Girls Amongst First To Earn Boy Scout Badges
Wyoming is known as the Equality State. So it’s fitting that earlier this year one of its Boy Scout Troops was amongst the first in the country to induct girls. The national organization changed its policy in February to be more inclusive. Since then, Troop 221 in Cheyenne has already seen its female scout numbers double. Wyoming Public Radio’s Maggie Mullen caught up with some of those scouts at their recent badge ceremony.
A Divided Mind: A Mother And Son Find Healing Through A Psychological Thriller
In her newest book, Wyoming author Mary Billiter takes the life-altering mental health issues faced by her actual son and turns the experience into a work of fiction. A Divided Mind is a story told through the eyes of Tara and her son Branson as they confront the voices and hallucinations taking over his mind. Billiter consulted her son Kyle Thomas throughout the writing process. Wyoming Public Radio’s Tennessee Watson sat down with them to learn more.
Meet Lori: Wyoming's Newest Dino-Celebrity
A newly identified species has taken up residence at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis. Paleontologists say that the three-foot-tall creature is the smallest dinosaur ever discovered in the state. And as Wyoming Public Radio’s Savannah Maher reports, it could hold the key to understanding how today’s birds evolved to fly.
Indian Relay Race Is A Tradition For More Than Just The Rodeo
For 89 years, the Sheridan WYO Rodeo has drawn big crowds to the city’s fairgrounds. But one exciting event, in particular, is known to keep them coming back every year. Wyoming Public Radio’s Catherine Wheeler reports on what many say is North America’s most extreme sport.
