In Other News ...
The top news stories from Laramie and Albany County as of October 6, 2021.
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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Vaccinations are slowly picking up in Albany County, but unvaccinated individuals continue to get sick, overwhelm hospitals and die of COVID-19. This is true across the Mountain West, including in Albany County where the vaccination rate is higher than the state average. The average number of occupied beds in Ivinson Memorial Hospital’s intensive care unit is triple what it was before the pandemic. That means less space, resources and ability to perform elective procedures.
Reading status: Open access
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LCCC’s Albany County campus could be revamped or closed, as leadership at the college decides what to do about declining enrollment and state appropriations. Enrollment at the satellite campus has dropped 35 percent in the past half-decade, bringing down the number of staff and faculty as well. LCCC leadership is starting to discuss the future of the campus, which could mean cutting down course offerings, restructuring to make it the headquarters for LCCC’s virtual education programs, or closing the campus altogether.
Reading status: Open access
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Laramie residents rallied in support of reproductive rights Saturday. The rally came in response to a new state law in Texas that bans almost all abortions after six weeks. The new law is the most restrictive abortion law the U.S. has seen in decades, and encourages private individuals to essentially become bounty hunters, identifying and suing those who assist in an abortion in pursuit of a $10,000 cash prize. Wyoming legislators warned Saturday that similar attacks on abortion rights would be coming to the Equality State.
Reading status: Open access
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An airborne geophysical study conducted on Laramie’s main source of drinking water, the Casper Aquifer, is not vulnerable to contamination from Interstate-80, as previously feared. The Laramie Boomerang reports that researchers from the University of Wyoming presented their findings to the Laramie City Council and Albany County Commission during a joint work session last week. While Laramie’s main well, Soldier Springs, is safe from I-80 runoff, smaller, private wells in the vicinity might still be at risk.
Reading status: Laramie Boomerang paywall
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University of Wyoming enrollment has dropped significantly since 2019, driven by older students dropping out amid the pandemic. WyoFile reports the 6.3 percent drop in enrollment (from Fall 2019) will result in a $2.3 million hit to the university’s revenue. That means there’s less funding to maintain the dorms and offer dining services. The vacant employee positions in those departments will likely remain vacant. It also means students in Washakie Dining Center will be eating cheaper ingredients, and less beef.
Reading status: Open access
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A house fire in Laramie left four people homeless and one dead. The Laramie Boomerang reports firefighters arrived on scene shortly after 1 a.m. It took five hours to get the blaze under control. The Laramie Fire Department and the Wyoming State Fire Marshal's Office are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Reading status: Laramie Boomerang paywall