December 17th, 2021

Rental regulations in Laramie could address substandard living conditions. A board game is helping teachers educate students about Native American history. The price of real estate in our region's ski towns is pushing long-term residents out. That's certainly the case in Jackson. Those stories and a look at how climate is impacting stockgrowers.

In Laramie, the city council is exploring rental regulations. The idea has floated around for years in a town where at least half the population rents their home. Wyoming Public Radio's Jeff Victor reports the idea has more support than ever before.

Real estate prices have reached new heights in many of our region's ski towns. In Jackson Hole, Wyoming, buyers spent a record $2 billion in the first nine months of 2021. Meanwhile, the number of homes on the market is at an all-time low. That's pricing out many long-time residents. The Mountain West News Bureau's Maggie Mullen reports.

For years, Central Wyoming College in Riverton has been studying the effects of climate change on Wyoming's glaciers. Now they have an even more ambitious project up their sleeve. Wyoming Public Radio's Melodie Edwards talked with Alpine Science Institute Director Jacki Klanchar about Climate Capture, an international effort to collect climate data with the help of locals. Partway through the conversation, they were lucky enough to be joined by NOLS instructor James Kagambi, who will be part of the first all-black team to ascend Mount Everest later next year as part of the Full Circle Everest Expedition.

The pandemic threw many industries into a tumultuous and uncertain time. This wasn't any different for Wyoming's stock growers industry. But then Wyoming entered a pretty severe drought. Wyoming Public Radio's Kamila Kudelska sat down with the executive director of the Wyoming Stock Growers Association, Jim Magagna, to understand how these outside factors have and will impact the industry.

The Indian Education for All Act was passed in 2017 and the state gave school districts three years to implement changes to the curriculum. Taylar Stagner with Wyoming Public Radio reports on how different school districts are learning about treaty rights.

This year legislative committees have dealt with key issues surrounding revenue, redistricting, and how to finally address juvenile justice concerns. Jackson Representative Mike Yin finds himself on all three of those committees. He spoke with Wyoming Public Radio's Bob Beck.