Open Spaces

January 29th, 2010 Listen to the whole show   The closing of the Hanna Food Mart leaves residents without a place to buy groceries When the Hanna Food Mart closed its doors last week, Hanna residents were left with no place to buy even the most basic groceries. It's a blow to a town where jobs are scarce, and where a snowstorm can close roads for days at a time. Wyoming Public Radio's Molly Messick has this story.

A listing of today's stories

2010 census Counting for the 2010 census is about to begin and in Wyoming, those working on the census are trying everything to get a more accurate count. Census day is April first, but people can expect their census forms in March. It's a shorter form this year and the hope is that will encourage more people to fill them out. Rural areas, transient populations and minorities have been hardest to count in Wyoming. This year those in charge of the state portion of the census are trying to make improvements. Wyoming Public Radio's Bob Beck reports. Promoting public safety in Indian Country Since Kip Crofts began his term as Wyoming's new U.S. Attorney, the U.S. Attorney General announced a new emphasis on promoting public safety in Indian Country. The Attorney General directed U.S. Attorneys' Offices to bolster communication with tribes. The Justice Department has also made funding available for more Assistant U.S. Attorneys and FBI victim specialists. Crofts says he doesn't know yet if Wyoming will receive any of those new resources... but he tells Addie Goss that this effort is a good idea. New documentary on Wyoming's former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson In March, Wyoming PBS will air a new, two-part documentary about Wyoming's former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson. Producer and writer Geoff O'Gara explains how Simpson's story unfolds in the film. President Barack Obama's first State of the Union address In his first State of the Union address President Barack Obama touched on a lot of issues that will have a big impact on Wyoming. The state's all Republican Congressional delegation says they heard some glimmers of bi-partisan hope, but only glimmers. Matt Laslo reports from Washington. The Wyoming legislative session The Wyoming legislative session kicks off February 8th and since it is a budget session money will be the focus. Governor Dave Freudenthal joins Bob Beck to discuss what could be his last session as Governor. Banning text messaging while driving This session, the Wyoming legislature may join other states and local governments in banning text messaging while driving. This week, interns Kelly Herbinson and Uli Wiehr asked people in Laramie: do they think texting while driving should be banned? And would a ban be effective? Ghosts of Wyoming Laramie Author Alyson Hagy discusses her new book Ghosts of Wyoming with Bob Beck. The closing of the Hanna Food Mart leaves residents without a place to buy groceries When the Hanna Food Mart closed its doors last week, Hanna residents were left with no place to buy even the most basic groceries. It's a blow to a town where jobs are scarce, and where a snowstorm can close roads for days at a time. Wyoming Public Radio's Molly Messick has this story.