Episode Details

It's time to take a look at what's happening around Wyoming, for Tuesday, June 17th. I'm Wendy Corr, bringing you headlines from the Cowboy State Daily newsroom - Brought to you by the Wyoming Community Foundation, who asks you to give back to the place you call home. "5 to thrive" is YOUR opportunity to leave a legacy for generations to come. Support the community nonprofits you care about with a gift through the Wyoming Community Foundation. Visit wycf.org to learn more.

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Two of Wyoming's top three industries — agriculture and hospitality — have long had national reputations for relying on undocumented workers.

Just how many undocumented workers are in Wyoming's agriculture and tourism/hospitality industries isn't something the state has been tracking, according to Cowboy State Daily's Renee Jean. But she says Wyoming's chief economist estimates the number could be as high as 4,800.

"I talked with Chris Brown with the travel and hospitality coalition. He says they're not waiting for executive orders from President Trump. They are taking a proactive stance now, making sure that businesses know how to access those programs that allow them to bring migrants here legally… Jim Magagna with the Wyoming stock growers, he doesn't think this is more of a Wyoming issue probably more of a California issue… I think the agriculture associations by and large, have really worked with their members to teach them how to use those h2 a visa programs to bring in people legally. But again, you know, if half of agriculture workers are foreign migrant workers who are undocumented, then we could still have a pretty significant contingent here in Wyoming."

Across the United States, half of 2 million agriculture laborers are estimated to be undocumented. For hospitality, the national figure is 7.1%.

Read the full story HERE.

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The central Wyoming town of Bar Nunn, and some state legislators, are divided about a plan for Radiant Nuclear to build its micronuclear plants here. That's because the plan includes accepting and storing spent nuclear fuel from the company's reactors.

Radiant officials got an earful about that Saturday during a public input meeting, and Cowboy State Daily's David Madison reports that the company is going to do a poll to gauge local support for its proposed facility.

"There were some opponents that showed up at this meeting and were pretty vocal. There's also a lot of support for this among legislators. However, the legislator that actually represents Bar Nunn believes that the community is steadfastly against this… Radiant announced that it's going to do a formal opinion poll to really, in their words, truly gauge the amount of public support or lack thereof. And so we'll see. It's just one little chapter, actually, in a really big unfolding story about nuclear in Wyoming."

Despite the opposition, Radiant continues to view Wyoming as its preferred location for manufacturing a new generation of microreactors.

Read the full story HERE.

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A 22-year-old man shot by an 85-year-old homeowner, after Riverton police said he broke into a home last August, pleaded no contest Thursday to unlawful entry.

Jeremy Merta of Riverton made the plea Thursday in Fremont County District Court. Cowboy State Daily's Clair McFarland reports that Merta was too intoxicated that night to remember enough to give an in-court confession required when pleading guilty.

"Remember in August when there was a older man in Ri