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Tuesday, February 18, 2025

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White House says Elon Musk isn't in charge at DOGE, but 'advising' the president; CA schools brace for harmful cuts to Medi-Cal; Report says AR students still struggle with COVID-19 learning loss; and UT enacts controversial labor union law.

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The SAVE Act, requiring proof of citizenship to vote, is moving in the U.S. House. Environmental groups want the U.S. Senate to kill a bill they say falsely claims to slow climate change, and the agriculture industry is concerned about mass migrant deportations.

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Rural America struggles with opioids and homelessness in unexpected ways, Colorado's Lariat Ditch could help spur local recreation, and book deliveries revive rural communities hit by Hurricane Helene.

Wyoming

More than 48% of Wyoming is public land, owned and managed by the federal government on behalf of U.S. residents. Several state bills this session were written to try to decrease the percentage. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, February 17, 2025

WY bills seek to limit federal ownership of state's public lands

Wyoming is one of several Western states where some lawmakers arguing states should have more control of the federally managed public lands within the…

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According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, between 1992 and 2021, 64% of public pension revenues came from investment earnings and 25% from employer contributions. Employee contributions accounted for about 11%. (Adobe Stock)
Poll: Most Americans want pension-driven retirement plans

Whether it's pressure from inflation or health-care costs eating away at savings, a reliable "nest-egg" is still hard to reach for many Americans…

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Family caregivers on average are spending 26% of their income on caregiving activities, according to a 2021 AARP survey. (Adobe Stock)
WY AARP hosts tele-townhall on expected caregivers tax credit

Advocates for family caregivers are expecting federal lawmakers to propose a tax credit for the group, after President Donald Trump said on the …

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The Tax Foundation estimates that the standing tariff on China, and the proposed tariffs on Canada and Mexico, would shrink economic output by 0.4% and increase taxes by $1.1 trillion between 2025 and 2034. (Adobe Stock)
Experts have consumer tips on navigating tariff scenarios

States such as Wyoming could see unique effects under President Donald Trump's approach to tariffs. Uncertainty lies ahead, but one expert says …

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Among Wyoming Republican voters surveyed, 86% believe state funding should be provided to public school systems to prevent cuts in services to existing students and to prevent tax increases to local taxpayers, according to a poll from the Wyoming Education Association. (Adobe Stock)
Poll: 68% of Wyoming Republicans oppose universal school vouchers

A Wyoming bill to expand a school voucher program passed the House last week, despite a new survey showing most Republican voters in the state oppose …

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A historic greenhouse sits at the High Plains Arboretum outside Cheyenne, Wyoming, where varieties of crops were engineered between 1928 and 1974 to survive the harsh high plains environment. (Alliance for Historic Wyoming)
A big future for WY historic arboretum hinges on state legislature

Lawmakers could salvage plans to restore a historic Wyoming arboretum after the legislature cut initial funding from the supplemental state budget…

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President Donald Trump's proposed $79 billion in higher tariffs would result in an average annual tax increase of $625 for the average U.S. household, according to estimates from a Tax Foundation report. (Adobe Stock)
Report: Trump’s proposed tariffs could cost Wyomingites, Americans

New research details the major impacts for Americans if President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs take effect. A Tax Foundation report finds tariffs …

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Chronic Wasting Disease was first detected in Wyoming in 1985. According to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, as of 2023, the disease had been identified in 92% of the state's mule deer herds and 49% of its elk herds. (Adobe Stock)
After Wyoming's new feedground management plan, CWD elk death 'hits home'

A dead elk found east of Pinedale tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease earlier this month, marking the first such death inside a Wyoming …

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Wyoming's House Bill 62 would amend the crimes of prostitution and solicitation to include acts of sexual contact. The state remains one of few in the country to approve criminalizing child survivors of trafficking, according to Shared Hope International. (Adobe Stock)
WY energy industry has opportunity to track down human traffickers

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and educators are training workers in key industries to recognize and report the crime…

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Wyoming ranked 43rd in the nation for youth mental health in 2022. Lawmakers are struggling to agree on the role schools should play. (Adobe Stock)
Wyoming lawmakers debate school’s role in youth mental health

In Wyoming, lawmakers are split on the role schools should play in improving children's mental health, although experts said they are pivotal…

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The Yellowstone cutthroat trout and the Westslope cutthroat trout are both threatened species. Projects along Wyoming's Hoback River could help. (Neal Herbert/NPS)
Federal funding to help restore WY's Hoback River native fish habitat

Wyoming agencies will receive about $1.25 million in federal funding to help reconnect native fish migration routes on the Hoback River. The money …

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Wyoming lawmakers in 2024 passed several bills for property tax relief, including for homeowners, veterans and senior citizens. (Adobe Stock)
Big tax talk expected in WY general session

One topic expected to make a big splash during Wyoming's general legislative session is property taxes at many levels. First on the agenda for the …

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