Wyoming Watch

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...

In 2015, a double homicide was committed at The Coin Shop in Cheyenne. Nobody was arrested for nine years. This week, the man who made the initial 911 call reporting the incident, Douglas Smith, was sentenced despite continuing to defend his innocence. WTE's Ivy Secrest breaks down the crime and the week-long trial that played out in Laramie County District Court. Stick around until the end for a...

Jason Sanchez is the head of the city of Cheyenne's Community Recreation and Events department. He joined WTE reporter Noah Zahn on Wyoming Watch this week to chat about what some of his divisions are working on. The conversation included discussions about a new veterans memorial in town, ongoing safety updates at the downtown Spiker Parking Structure and sixth-penny sales tax priorities. Stick ar...

This week, we're sharing a conversation Noah Zahn had with our staff photographer Milo Gladstein. He told shared what it's like working behind the scenes at Cheyenne Frontier Days, something most of the hundreds of thousands of attendees who come back every year never get to see.  Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming events in the area and a recap of the top stories from the WTE ne...

Native Americans have been a key aspect of CFD since its inception in the late 1800s. This year is the final year of the Native American Indian Village as CFD constructs the new, larger Morning Star Indian Village, set to open next year. This week on Wyoming Watch, WTE's Ivy Secrest brought the mic to Frontier Park to speak with vendors and dancers as they reflect on their past and discuss the fut...

The Cheyenne Gunslingers have been performing Old West-style melodramas in Cheyenne since 1983. They are now kicking off their 2025 season as Cheyenne Frontier Days begins this year.  At the same time, the city of Cheyenne is considering relocating them once again to make way for the 15th Street Railcar Experience. The group of volunteers opposes this move, but feel they have little leverage as th...

Throughout the summer, the Wyoming Arts Council has helped organize "Tunes on the Trail," a program bringing loc al musicians to perform unplugged sets in Wyoming's natural and historic areas.   Next Friday, it'll be coming to Laramie County at Curt Gowdy State Park.   This week on Wyoming Watch, arts and entertainment reporter Taylor Staples spoke with Bonamo, the Cheyenne-based band who will be...

Over the past several weeks, the Cheyenne City Council has been discussing whether to maintain, restore or sell the Historic Pumphouse building.    This week on Wyoming Watch (formerly The Perch), WTE's Noah Zahn took the microphone inside the building and chatted with local stakeholders and elected officials about the future of the pumphouse.   Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming...

This week on The Perch, we're sharing a conversation our local government reporter had with the new chief of Cheyenne Fire Rescue, Andrew Dykshorn. Additionally, we'll be sharing the farewell words from the current chief, John Kopper, that he shared at a change of command ceremony Thursday afternoon. Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming events in the area and a recap of the top sto...