June 4th, 2021

On this episode, this week the Albany County Sheriff's Officer who killed an unarmed man in 2018 has resigned. The sheriff says the incident has led to changes. The University of Wyoming sheep program is transforming their wool into a new product, and they're using blockchain. A major wind project has been proposed for Albany County and it's the subject of our latest "I Respectfully Disagree" series. Those stories and more.

This week Corporal Derek Colling from the Albany County Sheriff's office resigned. Colling shot and killed Laramie resident Robbie Ramirez during a traffic stop in 2018. Ramirez was unarmed. Colling was hired after having been fired from the Las Vegas police department following an altercation with a photographer. He had also killed two people while working for that department and many objected when former Sheriff Dave O'Malley hired him.

Wyoming's climate is known to produce fine wool, perfect for spinning into yarn and creating high-quality products. And the University of Wyoming's Department of Agriculture has its own herd of sheep to study that wool. This year, they're trying something new.

Farmers in parts of the West are experiencing some of the worst drought conditions in nearly two decades. The dryness presents challenges in keeping a farm or ranch viable, and in how farmers deal with mental health concerns.

During the first week of June 2021, Albany County commissioners held a meeting for public comment on the Rail Tie Wind Project south of Laramie. Over the last couple of years, it's been a controversial subject that’s divided the community and led to hurtful attacks on social media.As part of our series "I Respectfully Disagree," Melodie Edwards sat down with folks on each side of the issue for a civil conversation. Kelly Schroeder with Better Wyoming is for the project and Peter Bishop with the Albany County Conservancy is against it. They came together in our conference room and started things off by sharing a meal.

"It feels exciting because a year ago today, we didn't even have a vaccine. And now, I'm just getting closer to the second dose day by day and I won't have to live in constant fear of catching the virus or spreading it to my family."

Wyoming-based mother and son duo published their first fiction novel, titled A Divided Mind, together back in 2019. The book largely centers around topics and impacts of mental health. Now, Mary Billiter and Kyle Thomas are back with a sequel and shared how they got started as well as why this was important to them.