Wyoming – The first of two reports on how farmers and ranchers deal with rising health insurance costs.

Wyoming – How a new report on highway safety compares to state plans for expanding two-lane roads.

By AP

By Kristin Espeland

Gillette, Wy – Campbell County plans to ask the state for
250-thousand dollars to design an addition to the overcrowded
county jail.
The jail was built for 128 inmates. But it has set several
crowding records recently, including 170 people over the weekend.
Sheriff Bill Pownall says he expects the jail population to
increase by about 20 percent per year as the population of
northeast Wyoming continues to grow.
In the meantime, the jail has had to rely on temporary beds and
by putting inmates in the infirmary.

Washington D-C – Senator Craig Thomas is criticizing the Bush administration for proposing cuts to coal research and technology
programs.
Thomas shared his concerns with Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman
at a congressional hearing today (Thursday). Thomas said the
economy can't afford to -- in his words -- "kick out fossil fuels
overnight."
President Bush emphasized the use of more renewable fuels in his
State of the Union speech last week.
But Thomas said he is concerned that the budget puts too much

Afton, Wy –

Afton, Wy –

Laramie, Wy – Governor Dave Freudenthal says the budget proposed by President Bush would mean Wyoming could have to spend more. Freudenthal says in particular the budget would impact programs in the Department of Health and Family Services. He says what the administration did with rural health care is absurd.
Freudenthal says he is glad that Senator Craig Thomas is going to fight efforts to cut the rural health care program.

Laramie, Wy – Natural gas development is starting to move into Carbon County. That and the proximity of the other gas fields mean lots of job opportunities. The Recruiting Manager for the Department of Corrections, Brenda Reedy, says the prison in Rawlins has lost staff to higher paying jobs in the energy industry. This has left 70 positions open.