In Other News ...
The top news stories from Laramie and Albany County as of July 13, 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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The University of Wyoming could eliminate 75 positions, some of them tenured employees, as part of sweeping changes to the structure of the institution.The Casper Star-Tribune reports the university would also be reorganize several departments and establish a new school of computing if the administration’s proposal is approved by the UW Board of Trustees. The trustees meet this week in Torrington. If the board approves the changes, it will start a mandatory 120-day formal, public review.
Reading status:Casper Star-Tribune paywall
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Laramie City Councilor Jessica Stalder has resigned, citing the demands and pressures of her role as Hospice of Laramie director. Stalder has repeatedly come under fire throughout the past year. In June 2020, activists argued and persuaded Stalder to recuse herself from a vote related to police oversight. Stalder’s father is the city police chief, but the councilor argues neither she nor her family members stand to gain financially from many of the decisions related to police oversight. Additionally, Stalder’s personal and business connections to the local landlord Maximus Bossarei came to light this winter. While Stalder initially denied her close connection to Bossarei, subsequent reporting highlighted the testimony of former tenants and documents signed by Stalder demonstrating her important role in Bossarei’s company, MBRE Management.
Reading status: Open access
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Mosquito season is underway in Laramie, and the city is hard at work controlling both nuisance and vector species. Integrated Pest Management involves spraying for larval mosquitoes in the 70,000-100,000 acres of flood-irrigated hay meadows in the Laramie Valley, and subsequent spraying in town. Spraying within the city is done with trucks that draw in adult mosquitoes with light before spraying them with CO2.
Reading status: Open access
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Laramie celebrated Jubilee Days for the 80th time since the event’s first iteration in 1940.Wyoming Public Media reports the week-long statehood celebration featured all of the usual traditions — from rodeo events to street dances, a parade and Laramie Brewfest.
Reading status: Open access
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UW is kicking off the Grand Challenges Initiative with five chosen projects.Wyoming Public Media reports funding was provided to stand up these projects, but the projects themselves will seek to eventually become self-funded. “The Grand Challenges program promotes transdisciplinary, cross-college, Wyoming-wide collaborations addressing five themes,” a UW press release states. “Biodiversity and Earth system change; energy transition and economic diversification; rural health issues; public trust in research and information; and quality of democracy and equality.”
Reading status: Open access
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An archeological dig outside of Tie Siding turned up a treasure trove of artifacts.Wyoming Public Media reports the Willow Creek site sits along the historical Overland and Cherokee Trails and was likely used by migrating people and animals for hundreds of years before Westerners arrived. State Archeologist Spencer Pelton was on-site during the last week of June, invited there by the landowner. Once the artifacts have been catalogued and studied at the University of Wyoming, they will be returned to the landowner.
Reading status: Open access
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