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A new project on the Wind River Indian Reservation seeks to reduce diabetes rates by helping tribal families grow their own vegetables. More than 11% of the people on the reservation have diabetes.

The project is a collaboration between community health groups on the reservation, and the University of Wyoming.

Virginia Sutter with Blue Mountain Associates is one of the leaders of the project. She says diabetes rates are high because tribal members have very different diets than they have historically.

May 7th is Teacher Appreciation Day.

Kathy Vetter, President of the Wyoming Education Association, taught elementary through high school students in Wheatland during her 30 years in the classroom. She says that teachers’ responsibilities have changed as students’ own roles have changed. “When I started teaching,” says Vetter, “going to school was the student’s job. Now, that’s only one of many jobs students have, that they have to divide their time amongst—and so there’s more pressure on the teachers and the students.”

The Laramie Area Chamber of Commerce and the Laramie Economic Development Corporation are merging aspects of their operations. They have picked Laramie-native Dan Furphy as the new president and CEO of the two organizations. Furphy is a banker who has served as board member for both groups in the past. He says he wants to attract data centers to Laramie to create jobs and he plans to continue to work with the University of Wyoming.    

A group connected with a pro-wolf organization, projectwolf.org, erected three graphic signs along entrance routes to Yellowstone National Park.

The billboards are located in Idaho, Montana and, up until today, Wyoming. They have a banner of blood dripping down over four wolves that have been shot and killed with wording that states, “This is what’s happening to your Yellowstone Wolves. Do you care?”

When you set out to tackle spring cleaning in your home or barn, the Wyoming Department of Health wants you to pay special attention to where mice might hide.

Wyoming is scheduled to lose 53 million dollars in federal mineral royalties this summer along with other federal dollars due to the sequester. 

Governor Matt Mead says higher than expected gas prices and other earnings will allow the state to overcome that loss of revenue.  But during a news conference with reporters, Mead said that he will be worried if these federal cuts continue.

An ice climber from Powell, Wyoming is lucky to be alive after spending the night in the rugged South Fork Drainage several miles east of Cody. The Drainage is world renowned for its climbing opportunities and that is what drew second year climber, 54-year old Kenneth Richmond to the area Wednesday.

Wildlife interest groups and agencies in Wyoming and Idaho are working to increase the populations of trumpeter swans in the region. Loss of habitat has limited numbers within the species. The Teton Regional Land Trust is working with the Wyoming Wetland Society, local offices of US Fish and Wildlife Services, and the Idaho Fish and Game departments to build a nesting colony in Teton valley.

An environmental group in Pinedale is trying to help residents understand water quality issues, by creating an online map of gas wells, water wells, and other hydrologic data.

Linda Baker with the Upper Green River Alliance says she got the idea for the project when water wells in the Pinedale Anticline gas field started showing traces of benzene and other pollutants several years ago.

Pinedale singer-songwriter Jared Rogerson has been influenced as a musician from 17 years of bronc’ riding in rodeos. He’s also explored thousands of miles in the remote Wyoming backcountry as a brucellosis biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. His new album, Dirt, was released April 17.

A report by the U.S. Geological Survey documents how much human disturbance sage grouse can tolerate, and report co-author Steve Knick says the amount is very low.

He says most active leks, or breeding grounds, are in areas where less than three-percent of the land is developed.

Knick says the study shows that Wyoming is on the right track with its core area policy.

St. John's Medical Center CEO Lou Hochheiser is presenting a series of public forums to help Teton County residents understand health care reform.

A fund has been established to help former University of Wyoming wrestler Michael Martinez cover medical costs.

Martinez was helping on his family’s ranch in Colorado when a gas leak caught fire in his field camper. He drove himself several miles to reach help and was airlifted to an Albuquerque hospital, where he was treated for burns to over 80 percent of his body.

University of Wyoming student Meg Lanker-Simons is denying charges that a controversial Facebook post targeting her…was written by her. 

The post threatened sexual violence and led to protests in support of Lanker- Simons.  U-W Police have cited her with interference for lying about the post on the now defunct U-W crushes page. 

U-W spokesman Chad Baldwin says they suspected Lanker-Simons was the author after launching an investigation.

Three protesters were arrested yesterday at the Peabody Energy shareholders meeting in Gillette. United Mine Workers of America representatives were demonstrating against pension cuts to retired miners that came about when Peabody unloaded some of its pension responsibilities on a company that has since declared bankruptcy. Other demonstrators were there to protest Peabody projects and conduct. An organizer from Missouri, Arielle Klagsbrun, said the meeting was held at Gillette College and the arrests happened in the parking lot… 

A University of Wyoming student has been cited for interference with a police investigation in connection with a post on a non-university-affiliated Facebook page that included a reference to sexual violence.

Meghan Lanker-Simons received the citation as a result of false statements she made to the UW Police Department. The UWPD investigation concluded that she was responsible for the post on the now-dismantled “UW Crushes” Facebook site in which she ostensibly was targeted as a potential victim of sexual violence.

An advocacy group is warning that fracking could cause air pollution and other problems in national parks.

Sharon Mader with the National Parks Conservation Association says they’re concerned that ozone from gas development in Sublette County could spread to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. She says that hasn’t happened yet, but they’re worried about the future.

Voters in Albany County School District One will have the chance to vote on May 7th about funding for a new Laramie High School. The state has already allocated nearly $63 million for the school, and the county wants to raise an additional $25 million for enhancements like a pool, tennis courts, and a theater expansion. The money would come from increased property taxes, about three additional dollars per month for every $100,000 of property.

The Wyoming Comprehensive Cancer Control Consortium will be starting the first statewide “Stupid Cancer” chapter to support young adult cancer survivors. 

Jessica Perez, an outreach coordinator with the Wyoming Department of Health, says that “Stupid Cancer” events focus on having fun and networking with other survivors between ages 15-39.

Wyoming Public Media apologizes for the recent poor audio quality on Jazz Wyoming.  NPR's move to a new location in Washington DC has temporarily affected program delivery.  We hope to have the equipment issue resolved as soon as possible.  Thank you for your patience.

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As it addressed issues concerning substance abuse, one thing the state never had were Wyoming specific numbers on the financial impact of substance abuse.  Wyoming Public Radio’s Bob Beck reports that a recent study has found that the cost of alcohol, tobacco and drug abuse is staggering.

BOB BECK:  This is the Wyoming Survey and Analysis Center or WYSAC  today people in the state are being asked about their tobacco use.

“And how old were you when you first smoked at least one cigarette every day for 30 days in a row?  16? All right…”

For years, Wyoming has been timid when it comes to gambling. But things might be changing. With a casino on the Wind River reservation, an increase in poker clubs and the recent passage of a lottery bill, many are now wondering how far this issue will go. Wyoming Public Radio’s Sara Hossaini has more.

Pete Gosar of Laramie is the new chairman of the Wyoming Democratic Party. He says he’s optimistic that the party will be able to gain a better footing in the state in the future.

National Republican leaders are doing some soul searching after suffering losses in November. Matt Laslo reports from Washington on what Wyoming Republican lawmakers think of the new effort.  

MATT LASLO: The Republican National Committee says the GOP has a problem with women and minority voters. In assessing the parties lackluster showing in 20-12, party leaders introduced a 219 point proposal to help soften the party’s image, including doing better outreach in communities that are traditionally Democratic strongholds.

The new chairman of the Wyoming Democratic Party says he hopes that one day the state legislature will be controlled by Democrats.

Pete Gosar says the party has an image problem in Wyoming, and he wants to change that. Gosar says if people better understand liberal ideals, more Democrats will be elected.

After decades of a boom and bust economy…officials in a town in Southwestern Wyoming believe they may have harnessed the erratic cycle into more sustainable economic growth. Wyoming Public Radio’s Amanda LeClaire has more.

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Wyoming’s Interim Education Director is expressing concerns about the state’s declining graduation rate.  Jim Rose notes that Wyoming’s high school graduation rate has fallen below 80 percent for the second straight year.

The most recent numbers show that 78-point-nine percent of public high school students graduated in the 2011-2012 school year. Rose says this is an indicator that the state has some work to do to get the graduation numbers higher.

A study by the U.S. Geological Survey looks at the ecological conditions that sage grouse need in order to survive, and the amount of human disturbance they can tolerate. We’re joined now by Steve Knick, one of the report’s authors. He says the goal was to determine the basic requirements that sage grouse have.

Click here to view the full report.

Oil and gas development in Wyoming has burgeoned in the last decade. The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality…the Bureau of Land Management…the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission…and sometimes other agencies are all responsible for inspecting the sites. Wyoming Public Radio’s Irina Zhorov reports that some stakeholders say they’re not doing a good enough job monitoring operators. But agencies say it’s not that simple.