Lander

The first-ever Wyoming Reproductive Freedom Summit took place last weekend at the Lander Convention Center on June 22. More than 150 people gathered to talk about the state of abortion care in the state. The summit was hosted by Chelsea’s Fund, a non-profit abortion advocacy organization.

Wind River Pride is hosting a series of events in Lander and Riverton this month to celebrate Pride. Their most recent meetup was a Queers with Quills creative writing night.

The National Outdoor Leadership School is a wilderness-focused school that leads immersive expeditions in Wyoming and around the world. Earlier in March, NOLS President Sandy Colhoun shared that the school will be making significant changes to address its financial challenges in a letter posted on the organization’s website.

Wyoming Department of Education (DOE) Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder spoke at a town hall on March 11th at the Lander Community and Convention Center. Degenfelder said Wyoming is doing better than most other states when it comes to student performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

On a Friday afternoon in Lander, the sky was heavy and overcast. But inside Meadowlark Market & Kitchen, the space was bright and bustling as folks came in and grabbed cartons of eggs, Mason jars full of yogurt, and tubs of leafy greens. March 1st was the official opening day at the new store, which is aiming to provide a consistent, brick-and-mortar spot to buy and sell local food year-round.

Lander resident Taylor Pajunen is an activist with a passion for community – and a passion for connecting those local issues to international politics. In January, Pajunen went to Honduras as part of the Honduras Solidarity Network’s joint American-Canadian delegation. The group went to better understand how U.S.-based fruit, palm oil and cheap labor companies affect local communities, and to raise awareness about the complex relationship between the Central American country and the U.S.

The Lander City Council recently adopted a resolution aimed at lowering greenhouse gas emissions in the hopes of increasing energy efficiency and saving more money for the town. Resolution 1317 was passed on December 12th and outlines goals to reduce emissions by 20 percent by 2030, 50 percent by 2040, and 80 percent by 2050.

Fremont County for Ceasefire Now (FCCN) was created shortly after Oct. 7. It wants to make sure conversations about the Israel-Hamas conflict don’t fade away in the area. The group is made up of community members from the county and the Wind River Reservation.

A dazzling night sky filled with bright stars has long been a source of wonder and inspiration – and Sinks Canyon State Park wants to do its part to keep Wyoming’s dark skies dark. After a three-year application process, the park outside of Lander became the state’s first International Dark Sky Park through DarkSky International, an organization that raises awareness about light pollution. The designation recognizes the work the park has done to protect this often overlooked resource.

The Lander Community Resource Center officially opened its doors last month. The space is focused on creating a welcoming space for veterans and first responders to process, connect, and access resources.