In Other News ...
The top news stories from Laramie and Albany County as of May 4, 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 regional media. Subscribe to my newsletter to get this list in your inbox every other Tuesday.
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Albany County and Prosecuting Attorney Peggy Trent is resigning about one-and-a-half years before the scheduled end of her second term, accepting a new position in Johnson County, Kansas. Since her first election in 2014, Trent focused on criminal justice reform, and especially juvenile justice. She also saw to the creation of a Special Victims Unit dedicated to prosecuting sexual assault and domestic violence, as well as the creation of a Mental health Board. In 2019, Trent convened a grand jury, which met behind closed doors, to determine if charges should be brought against Albany County Sheriff’s Deputy Derek Colling after the shooting death of Robbie Ramirez. No charges were brought, but a recently filed civil suit by the victim’s mother seeks to make those grand jury proceedings public.
Reading status: Open access
https://laramiereporter.substack.com/p/albany-county-prosecuting-attorney
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The Laramie Reporter asked artist Sarah Deppe about her new installation Exhaling Dissolution. The sculpture is part of the Snowy Range Rotating Sculpture Program and will be in place for three years.
Reading status: Open access
https://laramiereporter.substack.com/p/exhaling-dissolution-an-interview
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Senate Minority Leader Chris Rothfuss and House Minority Leader Cathy Connolly discussed the failures of this year’s Legislative Session, the Wyoming Tribune Eagle reports. The two leading Democrats lamented how the state once again rejected Medicaid expansion (turning down $34 million to provide coverage for 24,000 poor residents), and the failure of legislators to seriously address the “unsustainable funding model” for K-12 education. “With this session, I had hopes going into this year that we would be able to put some solutions on the table,” Rothfuss said during a Facebook Live forum. “Honestly, even if we didn’t pass those solutions, just talk about solutions in serious adult voices, and we didn’t even have an opportunity to do that.”
Reading status:Laramie Boomerang paywall
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Research out of the University of Wyoming showed that farmers market coupon programs can improve fruit and vegetable consumption, Wyoming Public Radio reports. The research was conducted at farmers markets in Casper. The study showed that both general use coupons and fruit- and vegetable-specific coupons served to increase consumption of healthy foods. "It makes more sense to give people coupons to buy the groceries they need and not have it just be fruits and vegetables," UW researcher Christin Porter said. "With this, at least preliminary results suggest that you can give people grocery coupons and they will increase their fruit and vegetable consumption, even though they could also have used it to buy desserts."
Reading status: Open access
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The proposed Rail Tie Wind Project would have “significant impacts to visual resources” but would leave wildlife, vegetation, cultural and other resources undisturbed, the Laramie Boomerang reports. Because the 26,000-acre wind farm would constitute a “major federal action,” it requires a National Environmental Policy Act analysis — otherwise known as an environmental impact statement (EIS). That draft EIS looks at the effect a project would have on local wildlife, cultural resources, health and safety, and 12 other categories. The Rail Tie’s impact statement shows that the wind farm would affect “aesthetics and visual resources,” but little else to any significant degree. A public comment period is ongoing.
Reading status:Laramie Boomerang paywall
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The University of Wyoming discussed further territorial expansion, though it did so during a closed-doors executive session, the Laramie Boomerang reports. Last year, the university purchased Mountain View Medical Park (including its two-story building and its five acres of land). Mountain View still hosts commercial offices, but land bought by UW and used strictly for university purposes becomes tax exempt, and decreases the county or city’s tax base. UW Spokesman Chad Baldwin acknowledged the “relatively small” tax loss, but added that the community reaps other benefits from expanding university programs. “University campuses that are flourishing tend to grow,” he said.
Reading status:Laramie Boomerang paywall
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The American Heritage Center reshared a video of the first Jubilee Days Celebration in 1940. The five-minute compilation offers a glimpse into the annual celebration as it was hosted more than 80 years ago. Video clips show large crowds, dancing, performances and a horseback parade up Grand Avenue (with several riders dressed in full cowboy regalia, or as Indian stereotypes with red face and body paint).
Viewing status: Open access
https://www.facebook.com/136669186376589/videos/2393788380833228
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