Open Spaces

It’s an election year! Do you know who you’re voting for in Wyoming's August 18th primaries? Wyoming Public Media is teaming up with WyoFile and the League of Women Voters for a series of candidate forums to help you get to know who’s running. This week: U.S. Senate. Two Democrats and five Republicans are trying to replace Cynthia Lummis, who’s retiring from office. Hear what they have to say. Lov...

Today on the show, we learn more about how Wyoming has become a top state to register businesses. We talk to the author of a book that traces the histories of seven overlooked and misunderstood Westerners. Plus, America’s 250th is coming up. Celebrations are happening statewide, including Cheyenne. Those stories and more. Love WPR's reporting? Sign up for our newsletters to get our stories deliver...

Today on the show, we hear how more businesses are registering in the Cowboy State. A new business court could help bring more. Wyoming is ranking better every year on child and family wellbeing. But more can be done. And, how one Kinnear resident is supporting change for people involved in the justice system. Those stories and more.

Today on the show, we hear from a woman who grew up in Wyoming but decided to self-deport. Weston County has a new clerk after two years of investigations into the former county clerk’s election mistakes. And we tag along on one of the hottest outdoor recreation pastimes of the moment: bird watching. Those stories and more.

Today on the show, the Laramie County Sheriff’s office recently had the highest number of immigration arrests of any enforcement agency in the U.S. They’re promoting it on Facebook. Wyoming’s plan to use more than $200 million to transform rural healthcare just got the green light. We hear what’s in it. And we hear from a baroque violinist – who’s also an alfalfa farmer outside Pavilion. Those sto...

Today on the show, we check in with the Wyoming State Engineer’s office to hear about restrictions on water this dry summer. After a year of funding uncertainty, Shoshoni’s senior center is back in the black and taking on more projects than ever. A new program can help you protect your home from wildfires. And our former news director, Bob Beck, is receiving an honorary doctoral degree from the Un...

Today on the show, Bill Gates’ nuclear power project in Kemmerer is officially under construction. We talk to a reporter who was at Terra Power’s groundbreaking last week. We hear from a landslide specialist about what can happen when it rains over a wildfire burn scar. And we head to the gym with a 68-year–old powerlifter. Turns out, heavy weights are good for your bones, brain and social life. T...

Today on the show, we’re checking in with our state government reporter, Jordan Uplinger, about the interim Legislative session topics. Some dance halls are having a resurgence around the state. And, the Brinton Museum is commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Little Bighorn with a multigenerational exhibit of Indigenous art. Those stories and more.

Today on the show, the man who brought an injured wolf into a bar was sentenced this week for a felony charge of animal cruelty. We hear from a reporter who was in the courtroom. A Wyoming newspaper was selected for a national program to help redesign its business model. That’s after the paper was almost shuttered last summer. And we hear how one law in the 80's paved the way for ski resorts to ex...

Today on the show, the University of Wyoming faced steep cuts during this year’s state budget talks. But the cuts never came. We hear from UW’s president what happened. Veterinarians, especially large animal vets, are increasingly in short supply in the state. And the United Kingdom’s consul general has been visiting Wyoming. Those stories and more.

Today on the show, it’s beginning to look a lot like tick season…. But in March? The creepy crawly critters can carry diseases. What to look for and how to stay safe. A new set of vending machines on the Wind River Reservation aim to help with drug abuse and mental health. And abortion is now illegal in Wyoming in most cases. Providers say women with unexpected pregnancies won't have many options....

Today on the show, on this season’s last episode of Cheyenne Roundup, Maggie and Jordan recap new laws, the governor's vetoes and how the Freedom Caucus’s priorities fared. The pages of Cheyenne’s daily newspaper no longer include a police blotter. We hear from a reporter on what other changes they’re making to covering crime and public safety. And a photographer originally from Powell set out to...

Today on the show, in the Cheyenne Roundup, Chris and Maggie outline the likely sticking points of budget negotiations. Plus, an update on Checkgate. We learn about what lawmakers are doing about energy, climate issues, and healthcare. And A UW exhibit brings a mysterious desert workshop back to life. Those stories and more.

On today’s show, we tune into this week’s Cheyenne Roundup, where Chris and Maggie catch us up on where the state budget’s at. We meet a goat named Porsche Lane, who was at the center of a lawsuit over constitutional rights. And we hear from a Wind River artist featured in a new Ucross exhibit. Those stories and more.

Today on the show, our weekly legislative recap series, called Cheyenne Roundup, a partnership with WyoFile, is back. Today, we break down how the state budget gets made. We hear from two dementia awareness advocates. And with Minneapolis hitting a breaking point over immigration enforcement, we hear what's happening here in Wyoming. Also, why is a bar in Lithuania watching Jackson’s Town Square w...

Today on the show, our reporters tuned into forums around the state with lawmakers. People are gearing up in a big way for the upcoming budget session. Lawmakers are deciding how to fund public education. The current proposal would boost teacher pay and class sizes, but also cut hundreds of teachers. And we learn about a new Olympic sport – ski mountaineering – from a Wyomingite making her debut....

Today on the show, lawmakers took their first crack at marking up the state budget this week. Our state government reporters have updates. Wyoming’s Hunger Relief Program helped fill in the gap when SNAP benefits went on pause during the government shutdown. It helped feed 20,000 Wyomingites. And, there have been two avalanche fatalities in Wyoming so far this winter season. An avalanche forecaste...

Today on the show, abortion will remain legal in Wyoming for now. We dig into the crux of the arguments from the Wyoming Supreme Court, including a look back at the passing of one key constitutional right. The property tax bill for your home might be going away, maybe forever. That’s if some state lawmakers get their way. We’ll also hear how, despite a federal boost, coal still struggled in 2025....

Today on the show, Wyoming Public Radio’s reporters share their favorite stories from 2025 and why. With each one, we’ll hear from the reporters themselves on what made them pick the stories they did.

Today on the show, Wyoming lawmakers heard from agency heads about their budget requests this month. There’s been a little friction. The top market for coal is burning it for electricity. But researchers are trying to find alternative uses, like farming. What does it take to rebrand a word like "coal"? And, in a time when the United States government is not celebrating diversity, one town in Wyomi...

Today on the show, how food is distributed to tribal members, using trades education to battle climate change, a tribute to a late rising country music star, and news on the Rocks Springs Resource Management Plan. Those stories and more.

Today on the show, finding Wyoming stories otherwise left untold, how technology is helping to protect cattle from grizzly bears, and what happens when wolves leave Yellowstone. Those stories and more.

Today on the show, a woman’s experience after ICE detained her husband. Wyoming has submitted some novel ideas to try to get a slice of 50 billion in federal dollars to transform healthcare. We hear more details. And what happened during the arraignment of the man who brought a wolf into a bar. Those stories and more.

Today’s show is all about data centers. We’re airing a series of stories from our partners at the Mountain West News Bureau, focused on this topic. We’ll dive into concerns about future water supplies and why one company thinks a remote cattle ranch near Evanston is an ideal spot for a data center. Then we’ll zoom out and hear from our reporters. The Trump administration is looking to coal to meet...

Today on the show, our state government reporter dove into election complaints to see voters’ concerns. We also hear from this year’s state park artists in residence. And we get a sneak peek at the new season of our podcast, The Modern West. It’s about the quirky and sometimes extreme workarounds Westerners are finding for affordable housing. Those stories and more.