Episode Details

It's time to take a look at what's happening around Wyoming, for Friday, June 28th. I'm Wendy Corr, bringing you headlines from the Cowboy State Daily newsroom - Presented by Cheyenne Frontier Days - starting July 19th, from sun-up to sun-down - there's something for everyone! Check it out at C-F-D RODEO DOT COM!

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The debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump had plenty of political and personal fireworks - and even a mention of former Wyoming congresswoman Liz Cheney. But for Wyoming's congressional delegation, there's no debate about who clearly won the night. Politics reporter Leo Wolfson spoke to the three delegates.

"After the debate on Thursday night between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, Wyoming Congresswoman Harriet Hagaman came to the conclusion that first lady Jill Biden is guilty of elder abuse for letting President Biden debate Trump. Almost universally, pundits lauded the performance as a complete failure for Biden."

U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis told Cowboy State Daily the difference between Biden and Trump is clear after the debate, adding that she is quote, "gravely concerned" for what another Biden presidency would mean for Wyoming.

Read the full story HERE.

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To conform with state law, Wyoming's largest school district has adopted a policy requiring teachers to notify parents of changes in a student's character or wellbeing.

The Cheyenne-based school district took its policy a step further than state law, and specified that this includes students' requests to change their names, according to Cowboy State Daily's Clair McFarland.

"The bulk of the change they had to make, because the Wyoming Legislature passed the Parental Rights In Education Act this past winter… Like, we're gonna let parents know if we're teaching about sexual orientation, we're going to notify parents of serious changes in a kid's character or well being. The law did not go so far as to specify, we will tell parents if the kid changes his or her name, or asks us to call him a different name. But the Laramie County school district policy did, it did add that criterion."

The new wording could go into effect as a permanent policy around the start of the new school year.

Read the full story HERE.

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The state of Wyoming is financing rare earths mining projects that could eventually become the largest in the United States, with a goal to loosen China's grip on the market.

Cowboy State Daily's Pat Maio reports that on Thursday, one of the leading rare earths mining projects in Wyoming received $7.1 million in financial backing from two state energy-related agencies, to advance further exploration of the strategic minerals.

"This would be going to American Rare Earths. It's a big deal, because it's the second such rare earths company that the state has awarded money to. Two years ago it awarded money –a little bit over 4 million to a company up in Upton that's doing a novel demonstration plant. That plant should be opening up here shortly in the next month or so. And so this will be the second second plant."

The grant will help advance further exploration, drilling and sampling on state mineral leases, build a pilot processing plant, and study local economic impacts of its operation when it ramps up in a few years.

Read the full story

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