Bob Beck

This month a movie will debut featuring an iconic bar in Jackson Hole.  It’s called The Stagecoach Bar: An American Crossroads.  To many in the valley it is more than a bar.  For years it has featured live music on Sunday nights and has been the host to Cowboys and millionaires.  It’s been there for more than 70 years.  The premier will be June 27th at the Center for the Arts in Jackson.  Jennifer Tennican is the filmmaker and she joins Bob Beck.

One of the newer traditions in Jackson Hole is an event called the Jackson Hole Fire Festival.  It runs June 14th-20th.  It came from the idea developed by Candra Day of Vistas 360 degrees in Jackson.  She joins Bob Beck to explain the event and her organization…

A new study from the group Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development says that rural communities depend on adjacent land for their economic health.  That can either be land for energy development or the outdoors.  The report finds that ten percent of the jobs in Cody are connected to spending on fishing, hunting and wildlife.  But impact from nearby energy development land can also help the local economy.  But Trout Unlimited’ s Brad Powell says there should be a balance between the two.

Albany County District Judge Jeffrey Donnell has dealt a blow to Laramie’s ordinance that mandates jail time for anyone who refuses chemical testing if they are suspected of driving under the influence. 

Laramie approved the law in an effort to stop people from refusing chemical testing.  But Laramie Attorney Michael Vang challenged the ordinance in a case surrounding his client Raymond Sandoval. 

Snow King Ski resort in Jackson has high hopes for a number of proposed changes that they say could keep the ski area from closing.  Snow King Manager Manuel Lopez said that they want to install ziplines, an Alpine coaster, and a bike park among other things.

“I want to maintain the tradition of skiing and I believe the best way to do that is to increase the revenue through other sources.  And convert the hill into a year round profitable venture with lots of activities.”

Lopez said if they don’t make the transition the ski area is likely to close. 

Nationally and in Wyoming, more children are being cared for by Grandparents or other family members.

Children end up being cared for by relatives or close family friends because of military deployments, the death of a parent, substance abuse or mental illness, or child abuse and neglect.  The Annie E. Casey Foundation says some four thousand Wyoming children are being cared for by a family member.  Wyoming Kids Count Director Marc Homer says these can be excellent guardians for children, but he notes that state policies can be challenging for these caregivers.

The Wyoming Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union says that most complaints surrounding state prisons and jails involves improper medical of mental health care.  Much of that has to do with inmates not getting their necessary medication.  

Wyoming strives to curb ozone levels to meet federal mandate

The Wyoming Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has studied those who are in jail or in prison in Wyoming for a number of years.  Wyoming is a state that likes to put people behind bars.  The U.S. Justice Department notes that in 2010 Wyoming’s crime rate was 17-percent lower than the national average… but Wyoming’s incarceration rate is only four percent lower.  Meaning that if you commit a crime, you will probably get some time.  Director Linda Burt of Wyoming’s ACLU tells Bob Beck about how those inmates are being treated.

The Cheyenne Regional Medical center and the Wyoming Medical Center in Casper are considering a partnership that they believe may be necessary to remain financially strong in the future.  They are looking at ways to share things from medical providers to joining together to enhance health care across the state.   Wyoming Public Radio’s Bob Beck reports that neither hospital CEO is positive the partnership will work, but they both believe they need to give it a shot in order to remain financially viable.

(Sound of hospital)    

This week, the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson Hole is celebrating its 25th anniversary.  It kicks off a number of events that will be part of the celebration.  The museum was a dream that’s come a long ways from its humble beginnings.  Co-founder Bill Kerr tells Bob Beck that the idea was to feature art that may have been overlooked.

Despite opposition, the Wyoming Department of Health announced today that it will go ahead with its new plan to have one management organization handle and distribute substance abuse and suicide prevention money across the state. 

Currently, 52 different agencies distribute the prevention money, and State Health Officer
Dr. Wendy Braund said that leads to administrative costs of between eight- to 11-percent at each agency.  She says that is a problem, as fewer prevention dollars are available to states.

The Casper City Council will be taking public comments on a proposed ordinance that would ban smoking in all indoor places. 

The group Smoke Free Natrona County says the public and employees need to be protected from second hand smoke.   It would ban smoking within ten feet of a building, although it exempts clubs and smoke shops. 

Former Mayor Mike Reid, who owns a smoke free bar, says the city council is going too far.

For years, Eastern Wyoming has struggled with poverty and it appears things have not changed. 

 The Center for Rural Affairs says that 2010 census numbers confirm that poverty in Eastern Wyoming is at a rate that is actually higher than many urban areas, especially for children.  Report Author Jon Bailey says that part of the problem is that federal subsidies for large farms is harmful to rural development. 

Election year politics are derailing efforts to improve Wyoming’s economy.
President Obama is chiding Congress for not acting on his slimmed down plan to spur economic growth in Wyoming and elsewhere. Matt Laslo reports from Washington that election year politicking is expected to derail this latest effort to get the economy moving.

Earlier this year the Wyoming legislature set aside some 30 million dollars in matching money to help pay for a major upgrade in U-W’s College of Engineering.  With an anticipated cost of nearly 100 million dollars, it would be U-W’s most expensive building project.  The last major addition to the College occurred in 1980.  Right now labs are too small, classrooms are crowded and the front portion of the building has a distinct 1920’s flavor.  As Wyoming Public Radio’s Bob Beck reports…at a time when other building projects were occurring on campus…the chairman of the Senate Appropriations

The city of Casper is considering a ban on smoking in all public places.   It’s an issue that supporters have been pushing for a number of years and next week there will be a public hearing on the issue.  In the past, supporters of the ordinance have been on board with the program, but not everybody is in love with it.   So today we will hear from an opponent.  Former Mayor Mike Reid is the co-owner of Poplar Wine and Spirits in Casper that includes an adjoining smoke free bar.  Reid tells Bob Beck the smoke free approach has worked well.

Bob Beck recently spoke with Gov. Matt Mead in his office about a number of topics including proposed state budget cuts.

The 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress or NAEP  shows that Wyoming eighth graders continue to outperform the national average test score in science. 

The Wyoming Department of Education says that Wyoming students also increased their science scores from those reported in 2009.

A five year effort in Teton County has come to an end.  County commissioners and the Jackson Town Council have voted to adopt a new comprehensive plan that will guide future development in the county. 

Under the plan most new development will occur in existing neighborhoods and communities.  Jackson Mayor Mark Barron says that will protect open space.

Some in the wind energy industry have expressed concern that the wind production tax credit might expire at the end of the year. 

U.S. Senator John Barrasso says he shares that concern and blames the on-again, off-again nature of such tax credits on the lack of a federal energy policy. 

A State Senator wants Wyoming to look into why important state data is being stored in Data Centers outside the Cowboy State.   Republican John Schiffer says that while the state is heavily invested in recruiting and creating data centers, he wonders why important Wyoming data is not stored locally. 

He says two highly-regarded data centers are already located in the state.

U-S Senator from Wyoming John Barrasso has been very critical of the Obama administration because of its position on such things as new air standards as it applies to the coal industry… and a number of other EPA-led provisions that, he says, will just kill jobs.  Senator Barrasso joins Bob Beck from the cloak room just outside of the U-S Senate.

The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services has been hosting a number of job fairs across the state presumably because there are jobs to be had.  Joan Evans is the Department Director, she tells Bob Beck there are jobs for just about every type of worker, but it might require job training or relocation.

Wyoming has long been thought of as a state that focuses on energy, tourism and in some circles ranching.  But the state has been trying to also make itself a player in technology.  It started in earnest a few years back that the National Center for Atmospheric Research or NCAR was coming to Wyoming.  The latest push has centered around Data Centers.  Wyoming is offering sales tax incentives and grant money to try and attract them to the state.  Wyoming Public Radio’s Bob Beck reports that many believe they could be an important piece in diversifying the economy.

Wyoming Governor Matt Mead says he wants state agencies to look at program reductions but not job cuts when they come up with plans to reduce the state budget. 

Because of declining natural gas prices, the governor is asking all state agencies to be prepared to reduce their budgetseight percent by July first of 2013.  Mead said during a news conference that many of the reductions can be done without layoffs.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Commission has approved the state’s wolf management plan.  It allows wolves to be shot on site in most of the state, with hunting seasons scheduled for an area in northwest Wyoming.

Governor Matt Mead says they are awaiting another peer review by scientists, but they have made some adjustments to hunting regulations that he hopes will make the plan more palatable to critics. Mead remains hopeful that Wyoming’s congressional delegation will keep the management plan from being delayed by the courts.  But he believes the plan will stand up to any scrutiny.

The American Legislative Exchange Council or ALEC has given Wyoming high marks for its economic policies.  The state was ranked number one for its economic performance over the last ten years,and ALEC ranks Wyoming as having the forth best economic outlook.  

The group’s Jonathon Williams says some of the reason for this is obviously due to Wyoming’s energy industry.  But he credits the state for having the initiative to utilize itsresourceseffectively.

Wyoming Governor Matt Mead says all state agencies should be prepared to cut budgets by eight percent next year.  Falling natural gas prices are to blame.  Wyoming House Appropriations Chairman Rosie Berger said it’s due to Wyoming having a minerals based economy.  When natural gas prices drop, the state loses millions.  Berger said the good news is that agency heads have awhile to prepare.