Open Spaces

December, 18th 2009 Listen to the whole show    Ambassador Tom Stroock discusses his career. This week Tom Stroock died, a long time Wyoming legislator and public servant and later Ambassador to Guatemala died. In later years, Stroock became very active in issues surrounding the balance of energy and conservation. In 1989, Stroock was at the height of his political power and discussed his career with Wyoming Public Radio's Bob Beck.

A listing of today's stories

Ambassador Tom Stroock discusses his career. This week Tom Stroock died, a long time Wyoming legislator and public servant and later Ambassador to Guatemala died. In later years, Stroock became very active in issues surrounding the balance of energy and conservation. In 1989, Stroock was at the height of his political power and discussed his career with Wyoming Public Radio's Bob Beck. Wyoming National Guard puts an emphasis on Mental Health. This year, the Wyoming National Guard mobilized the largest deployment in its history. Wyoming Public Radio's Addie Goss profiles authors of a book being used to help Guard commanders with their training. Wyoming tries to reduce conflicts between Grizzlies and people. Wyoming game and fish department who said the bear was thriving, growing at a rate of four to seven percent a year. But the human population in bear country is also increasing. And more conflicts between Grizzlies and Humans are occurring. This summer Bob Beck went to Cody to see how Game and Fish is working to minimize these conflicts, so that people can learn how to better live, work and recreate in Grizzly Country. The Wyoming Toad makes a comeback. The Laramie Basin, in Albany County is the only place in the world you will find the Wyoming Toad. Its population dropped in the 1980s, due to habitat loss and other factors. By 1995, it was thought to be extinct in the wild. Now, the toad is showing researchers that there might be hope for amphibian species worldwide threatened by a deadly fungus. Wyoming Public Radio's Molly Messick reports. Dogs find missing pets. Centennial, Wyoming is home to a unique small business It's called Cold Nosed Investigators. The employees are golden retrievers and they specialize in finding missing people, cadavers and pets. Wyoming Public Radio's Renny MacKay reports on their heartwarming tail A unique Wyoming institution is for sale. The Darwin Ranch sits deep in the Gros Ventre River valley. Its physical beauty - untouched forests, snowy vistas, mountains on all sides - is the kind that often draws outsiders to Wyoming. This ranch has been collecting outsiders for decades - and in many cases, capturing those people and completely re-orienting their lives. Addie Goss has this portrait of a community drawing to a close. Remembering the town of Carbon. The town of Carbon only existed for about 30 years - from 1868 until just after the turn of the century. It was in southeast Wyoming, between Medicine Bow and Hanna. It was a vital place, with coalmines, trains moving through, and more than a thousand people living along the tracks. Now, it's a ghost of a ghost town - a remote and vacant spot, overgrown with sagebrush. Wyoming Public Radio's Molly Messick has this story. Cell phones are a challenge for schools. Earlier this year we reported on the challenge school districts face in creating policies for cell phone use. We heard that most schools allow them but they are supposed to be off during class time. But that is not always what happens. Wyoming Public Radio's Renny MacKay spoke to teachers and students about what it's really like in the classroom.