Wyoming Watch

This week, Ivy Secrest, our crime and public safety reporter, interviewed our state government reporter, Noah Zahn, about the Wyoming Legislature's upcoming Budget Session, which will begin on Monday.   Some of the bills going through the Legislature this month revolve around the state's budget, property taxes, election reform and the Rural Health Transformation Program.   Stick around until the e...

In recent weeks, local privacy advocates have begun a petition opposing the use of Flock Cameras in Cheyenne. Local law enforcement say the company's automated license plate recognition systems are a useful tool for developing leads and solving crime, but those opposed to the cameras say they violate privacy rights.    This week, WTE crime and public safety reporter Ivy Secrest sat down with Laram...

On Wednesday, U.S. Sen. John Barrasso and U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins were in Cheyenne to meet with Wyoming veterans and hear some of their thoughts and concerns.    Our crime and public safety reporter, Ivy Secrest,   was at that meeting to hear what people had to say. This week on Wyoming Watch,  we're sharing some of those voices. Stick around until the end for a roundup of...

Last week on Wyoming Watch, we heard pro-choice advocate Dr. Rene Hinkle react to the Wyoming Supreme Court ruling that abortion will remain legal. This week, we hear the other side. WTE reporter Ivy Secrest speaks with Fred Harrison, the trial lawyer involved with Wyoming Right to Life who assisted in drafting the "Life is a Human Right Act" and who sees the ruling as an "abomination of free spee...

Earlier this week, the Wyoming Supreme Court ruled that abortion will remain legal in the state,  deeming two attempted bans unconstitutional. This week on Wyoming Watch, WTE reporter Ivy Secrest speaks with Dr. Rene Hinkle, an OB-GYN at Cheyenne Women's Clinic. Hinkle is one of the medical providers who is a plaintiff in this case that has been unfolding over since 2023. Stick around until the en...

This week, WTE reporter Noah Zahn speaks with WTE Managing Editor Brian Martin about the newsroom's top 10 news stories of 2025, from Laramie County Sheriff's Office's partnership with ICE to the potential abolishment of state property taxes. Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming events in the area and a recap of the top stories from the WTE newsroom over the past week.   New episod...

On Monday, WTE crime and public safety reporter Ivy Secrest and staff photographer Milo Gladstein witnessed several people detained for deportation during a ride-along with the Laramie County Sheriff's Office, following its new partnership with ICE. This week on Wyoming Watch, Ivy and Milo dive into what that experience was like. Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming events in the a...

On Wednesday night, a grass fire sparked south of Cheyenne .  With wind gusts reaching between 70 and 80 miles per hour, the flames spread quickly and burned a total of 56 5   acres  over just a few hours and led to the evacuation of nearby residents to South High School.   This week on the podcast, WTE local government reporter Alyssa Tolman speaks with Aaron Veldheer, who is the  chief deputy wi...

On Wednesday, the Cheyenne City Council met to discuss its top priorities for publicly funded sixth-penny sales tax projects, which would maintain an existing 1% sales tax to fund specific projects approved by voters. This week, WTE reporter Alyssa Tolman spoke with Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins about that meeting and the city's priorities. Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming eve...

Earlier this week, Cheyenne Frontier Days announced its 2026 musical acts lineup. WTE reporter Taylor Staples was at the lineup announcement event to speak with CFD officials about how it all came together. The lineup includes Treaty Oak Revival, Jessie Murph, Alex Warren, Red Clay Strays, Wyatt Flores, Riley Green, Trace Adkins, Blake Shelton, Hardy, Cameron Whitcomb, Zach Top and Jo Dee Messina....

This week  on Wyoming Watch , our crime and public safety reporter Ivy  Secrest  spoke with Christie Campbell,  the   executive director and acting coordinator of the Wyoming Coalition for the Homeless in Cheyenne, which operates The Welcome Mat, one of only  two  day   shelters in town.   She recently transitioned into her new leadership role and spoke with Ivy this week about how things are look...

As we approach Thanksgiving and the holiday season ,  pressures for struggling families can be higher as expenses increase.   This week on Wyoming Watch, our crime and public safety reporter Ivy Secrest spoke with Kristen-Erin Balderaz, the executive director of Needs Inc., about how her organization is trying to help this year. Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming events in the ar...

After the Laramie County Board of County Commissioners denied a permit for a new wind farm when the community opposed it, the company is now asking a judge to review the legality of the decision. This week, WTE reporter Alyssa Tolman brings the latest on the issue. Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming events in the area and a recap of the top stories from the WTE newsroom over the...

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds are currently being withheld across the country amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. This week, WTE state government reporter Noah Zahn speaks with Kelly Douglas, public information officer for the Wyoming Department of Family Services, about what this means for Wyoming. Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming events in t...

This week we're talking about the Reed Avenue Rail Corridor as part of the West Edge revitalization efforts.  Currently, city officials are seeking approximately $15 million on the 2026 sixth-penny sales tax ballot to help fun.  WTE reporter Alyssa Tolman speaks with city council members Michelle Aldrich and Pete Laybourn about this. Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming events in t...

On Saturday, the University of Wyoming and Colorado State University football teams are facing off for the final time in the Mountian West Conference. Though the rivalry isn't going anywhere anytime soon, WyoSports UW beat writer Alex Taylor talks what this means for the two schools going forward, covering the history of the rivalry and the ongoing lawsuit as CSU joins the PAC-12. Stick around unt...

On Monday, the Wyoming Legislature's Joint Judiciary Committee met to discuss controversial potential legislation concerning book policy. Some have called it a full out book ban; others have said it will grant more authority to Wyoming parents.  This week, WTE's Noah Zahn spoke with library staff from Laramie and Goshen counties. They said they don't really see this issue in their community, and c...

This week, we're sharing part two of a two-part episode, offering a different perspective on the implementation of the changes to immigration law enforcement in Cheyenne.  Last Thursday, our crime and public safety reporter Ivy Secrest spoke with Antonio Serrano, who is the advocacy director for the ACLU of Wyoming. Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming events in the area and a reca...

After completing a 40-hour training, 25 Laramie County Sheriff's Office deputies were officially certified to enforce federal immigration laws and assist Immigration and Customs Enforcement. On Wednesday, Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak hosted a news conference on the change, which made Laramie County one of the first in the state to do so. This week on Wyoming Watch, we are airing Kozak's spee...

If you live in Cheyenne, you may have noticed the progress of a mural on one of the two water towers north of the airport throughout the summer. It depicts horses and birds flowing through Wyoming's plains.  This week on Wyoming Watch, we're sharing a conversation WTE reporter Taylor Staples had with CHP Paint Company founder Eric McDonald, who helped create the mural. Stick around until the end f...

Earlier this week, the Cheyenne YMCA announced it will close indefinitely on September 26. This week on Wyoming Watch, Wyoming Tribune Eagle reporter Noah Zahn speaks with its president and CEO Chris Coker about why it closed. Also, he spoke with Cheyenne YMCA member Jacob Camargo, who hopes he can find a way to save the local Y. Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming events in the a...

This week, WTE local government reporter Alyssa Tolman took the microphone to the Mary Godfrey Playhouse to meet with the cast of "Newsies," the latest musical production by the Cheyenne Little Theatre Players. She spoke with two cast members, Jeremiah O'Bryan and Rachel Strysik , and the musical's director, Jessie Klein, about the most rewarding and challenges parts of the musical, which begins p...

Last week, Wyoming Tribune Eagle reporter Alyssa Tolman went on a ride-along with Cheyenne Sanitation Division's recycling services to follow the path of the city's recycling. On Wyoming Watch, she shares what she learned. Alyssa also discusses other ongoing city issues like potential new muffler requirements and restrictions for oversized vehicles parked on public streets that will go into effect...

As the high school fall sports season kicks off, WyoSports Editor Jeremiah Johnke brings a preview of the top things to look forward to in the coming months. This includes a potential change in Cheyenne's South High School football, which has the state's longest losing streak, and a conversation about whether Cheyenne's Central High School girls can repeat as cross-country champions this year. Sti...

On the unforgiving plains of southeastern Wyoming sits the Jessen Wheat Company. Eleven miles north of Pine Bluffs, the farm survives in a dry, windy and oftentimes harsh and unpredictable climate, making farming difficult even by conventional standards. The Jessens farm somewhat differently than the majority of farmers in Laramie County, since being certified organic, regenerative and reduced til...