Welcome to the Laramie Reporter’s “In Other News” segment, a biweekly rundown of the top news stories from Laramie and Albany County as reported by local, state and national media. Subscribe to our newsletter to get this rundown in your inbox every other week.
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Efforts to address Laramie’s housing crisis continue and multiply. The Laramie Reporter dug into various efforts – government, private and popular – to increase the quantity of housing in Laramie and improve its quality. The city government will soon consider a financial instrument known as tax increment financing to invest in new housing developments. Meanwhile, Laramie Main Street Alliance would like to assist the renovation and construction of new apartments and lofts in the downtown area. The alliance is seeking to quadruple the number of rentals there. And a nascent tenants association is growing in size and prominence. It hopes to champion the rights of tenants and bargain for better living conditions.
Reading status: Open access
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Members of the public are encouraged to comment on the latest proposed revisions to the Casper Aquifer Protection Plan. City and county officials are gearing up to increase protections for the land above Laramie’s main source of drinking water. The latest recommendations for those protections are now out for public comment.
Reading status: Open access
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As war rages in Ukraine, the ripples are felt in far-distant Wyoming. Wyoming Public Radio interviewed Ukrainians in Laramie, who are watching the war from afar. UW Professor Sasha Skiba and UW student Anastasiia Pereverten are doing what they can to support Ukraine’s defense from here – raising money, sending aid, hosting informational events and even improving the historical and artistic offerings in American museums and libraries.
Reading/Listening status: Open access
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Senator Chris Rothfuss faces a general election challenger in his bid to keep the Senate District 9 seat. Rothfuss and his challenger, Republican Diana Seabeck, answered a series of questions about housing, climate change, abortion, income tax and Medicaid expansion.
Reading status: Open access
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In the primary election for House District 45, Rep. Karlee Provenza won the Democratic nomination; her husband won the Republican primary. Provenza ran unopposed in the primary election, gliding to victory with more than 99% of her party’s votes. No one filed to run in the Republican primary for HD-45, leaving the field wide open for write-in candidates. Provenza’s husband, Nate Martin, won with 32 write-in votes. He is turning down the nomination to run for school board instead.
Reading status: Open access
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A pair of University of Wyoming researchers won a $1 million grant to study pandemic responses. Wyoming Public Radio reports the grant will fund research on the ways people respond to the reality of a pandemic and to the policies aimed at curbing it. The research could better prepare policymakers for the next pandemic.
Reading/Listening status: Open access
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Laramie Police Chief Dale Stalder is retiring. The Laramie Boomerang reports Stalder worked in local law enforcement for more than four decades, serving as police chief for 13 years. Under Stalder’s leadership, LPD was one of the first agencies in Wyoming to implement body-worn cameras. In recent debates about the need and feasibility for a civilian oversight board, Stalder took a stand against the creation of such a board, arguing it’s unnecessary.
Reading status: Laramie Boomerang paywall
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And it’s hot in Laramie this week. The Laramie Boomerang reports the city could set heat records today and tomorrow if forecasts are correct. There’s also smoke in the skies above Laramie, blowing in from wildfires in Idaho. Climate change makes both record-breaking hot days and wildfires more frequent.
Reading status: Laramie Boomerang paywall