Valeria Fugate
MMJ/State Reporter
Cheyenne, Wyoming
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Valeria was born and raised in Canada, exposed to different cultures and languages early on, spurring her love of people, travel, and stories. People are amazing! As a Multimedia Journalist, she loves all things culture, politics, and music. Valeria has written for a global magazine and was on a multi-cultural video platform. Her hobbies include photography, writing, videography, rollerblading. She also loves traveling, scuba diving, spending time with her family, being near or in the ocean, music, and dance.
To contact Valeria, please email valeria.fugate@wyomingnewsnow.tv
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The Wyoming Air National Guard upgraded its 30-year-old, C-130s on Tuesday.The 153rd Airlift Wing helped outfit C-130s with new engines, propellers and glass cockpits, all in preparation for fire season. Mechanical teams from Texas and Aircraft from Nevada came to get their 30-year-old engines replaced with new modified engines that provide more power, quicker climb and better fuel efficiency.
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The Adopt an Airman is meant to bridge Airmen into their new communities. But sometimes, this program does more than that. It brings together our shared humanity. The Adopt an Airman program helps Air Force Members anchor into their new communities.
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Wyoming is known to circle the wagons when someone needs help, and that’s exactly what a local mom did when she heard about the baby formula shortage. Local Mom Kathy Scigliano started a baby-formula Facebook group on Friday, after seeing a social media post about the formula shortage.”I was watching tik-tok and saw someone who said they were going to start a Facebook group and um just to basically to get information into their community on where baby formula was and so I thought I can do that,” said Scigliano.
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Water woes for a Wyoming city continue due to leaks in its 100-year-old water system. The City of Rawlins remains under a water irrigation restriction. According to city officials who say they are working to fix the issues. The City council has re-allocated some ARPA and general reserve funds for immediate repairs costing about $2M.But Rawlins City Spokesperson Mira Miller says the city needs about 15 to 20 million dollars in water infrastructure repairs.
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When preparing for deployment, Wyoming Air National Guard Civil Engineers train to be ready at a moment’s notice. “Our missions are generally base maintenance and base set up. So when we deploy, this is what we do in a deployed environment. We will actually build a base from nothing. Using all these tents and various systems,” said Master Sgt. Bradly Kechter, Structures NCOIC.Training begins in the classroom, but these guardsmen and women were out at F.E Warren Air Force Base practicing for emergency situations on Friday.
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A new Wyoming company is popping up in Pine Bluffs. This Crypto Mining host named Crypto Knight’s held its groundbreaking event on Friday.Crypto Knight is the 1st Wyoming family-led crypto business to set up its facility in Wyoming. Wyoming’s Crypto-forward business practices and laws have helped it become one of the 1st states to pioneer legislation providing depository institutions, chancery court laws, and custody digital assets.
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As construction season starts, WYDOT is opening one of their bridges ahead of schedule.“It is completed. They are still I believe still taking down some of the shoring some of the barriers and opening up some of the lanes to traffic. But umm as of right now the column has been fully repaired and it is operational for live traffic,” said Andrea Staley, Senior Public Relations Specialists- WYDOT.In January, the Grand Ave., I-80 interchange bridge in Laramie was damaged when it was hit during a snow event. The eastbound off-ramp was closed at exit 316.
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A military working dog named Eby was retired today. After almost 7 years of service, the 90th Security Forces Squadron honored her service to the military.“She was my very first dog. She taught me what its like to be a handler. She really eased me into things. In the K-9 world, there’s a kind of dog that we say they are push-button. Eby was definitely a push button dog,” said Senior Airman Nathan Yates F.E. Warren AFB.
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As technology expands, so does the need for greater emergency response. On Wednesday, WYDOT held its regular quarterly meeting. But they also held their first Public Safety Communications Commission meeting.
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Water is used in everything we do, but what happens if there’s not enough? As we continue to hear about drought seasons, the importance of water conservation increases. As a head water state, Wyoming decides to do with its water, and its laws matter. The select water committee had a meeting Wednesday.
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If you’ve ever noticed how puppies melt away stress and seem to make everything better, so has the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center.They kicked off their special program that brings in puppies to help soothe whatever ails you.“It’s been a really difficult last 2 years with the pandemic so this gives them an opportunity to escape everything that they are doing and get some love and de-stress,” said JJ Barley-Dunning, medical imaging representative- CRMC.
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Wyoming U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis has made her stance on abortion clear. She is sponsoring pro-life legislation in Congress and now she is speaking up about the supreme court leak. Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis said Tuesday she supports the leaked Supreme Court draft decision indicating its intent to overturn Roe vs. Wade.
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Twenty percent of state-wide Wyoming crashes in 2020 were wildlife crashes. The Wyoming Department of Transportation and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department is breaking ground on Tuesday’s Dry Piney Wildlife Crossing. “This is the first major construction project since we launched the wildlife crossings initiative. And this is the first time those license plate funds from the conservation license plates are going on the ground. To make a difference for wildlife and drivers,” said Sara DiRienzo, Public Information Officer of the Wyoming Game & Fish Department.
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With Memorial Day and the summer months approaching, NFPA offers safe grilling tips and recommendations to help reduce fires and injury May 9, 2022 – Often considered the unofficial kick-off to summer, Memorial Day weekend typically includes lots of celebrations and cookouts, often with grilling as a focal point. As the holiday, and summer months, grow closer, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reminds everyone of basic safety tips to grill and celebrate safely.
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With the Supreme Court opinion leak, many people are wondering how this will affect them and Wyoming. Thirteen states now have trigger bills that will go into effect if Roe versus Wade is overturned. The action would revert access to abortions back to each state.
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If you are a film lover and have an artistic itch, there are 2 upcoming events you’ll want to mark on your calendar. The Wyoming International Film Festival is coming to Cheyenne, starting July 7 through the 10th. The festival will show feature films, shorts, narratives, documentaries, music videos and web series.
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Laramie County Community College has received the “Cyber Skills for All” grant. The push is to educate the next generation on Cyber Security, provide flexible education infrastructure and give access to scholarships for students. “Cyber Security is a rapidly growing field as we’ve all seen post-Covid. The need for security, and ransomware, breaches those things. Yet the field is not expanding at the rate of personnel, the rate it needs to meet the overall demands of industries,” said Troy Amick, Program Director, Information Technology, LCCC.
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The Salvation Army will be handing out their mobile food pantry in Cheyenne starting May 11th. From what they are seeing, the need for food is going up. “I’m not too sure about exactly what the programs are that are changing, but we definitely have seen an increase in individuals and families coming in for food,” said Audrey Apodaca, Social Services Director, Salvation Army of Cheyenne.
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The Wyoming Air National Guard is getting an upgrade. Their security forces are getting a new police station and training facility to serve Wyoming and the nation. After 20 years of anticipation, the Wyoming Air Guard has broken ground on their new state-of-the-art police station. Two long-awaited buildings are starting the first construction phase inside the Wyoming Air National Guard site. The Air National Guard security forces will have one dedicated building. Currently, the team is operating out of 3 different locations.
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The Wyoming Business Council will be holding a couple of events this month. On May the 4th, the Wyoming Business Council will hold a venture capital first workshop.“Over the course of this year, we’re working hard to do a lot of outreach and make sure that the public, the leaders in a community, the legislature fully understand how economic development impacts them at the local level,” said Josh Dorrell, CEO of Wyoming Business Council.
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A Wyoming court case sees a small victory for hunters, but the case itself is far from over. We are returning tonight to the Wyoming Corner Crossing case involving 4 Missouri hunters.If you are a hunter or just a lover of the outdoors, you may have been following this case closely. The core of this case lies in gaining access to public lands.
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If you love an early morning run in the warm weather, the 13th annual Spring into Green Run-Walk is set to start on Saturday, June 11th, at 8 a.m.
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If you love chamber music, classical or acapella, Laramie County Community College has a night out for you.“They’ve actually been here before. They performed here 8 years ago to a sold-out house and a lot of the people that saw them then are coming back they enjoyed it so much,” said Amber Holen, Event Coordinator- Laramie County Community College Foundation.
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Cheyenne kids are throwing down and laying the “groundwork” to better themselves. A local Cheyenne father does “good” by helping some kids gain confidence to achieve big dreams. What started as a Wyoming Father helping out his Stepson turned out to help 3 local boys compete on the international stage.
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The Cheyenne Regional Cancer Center has re-opened its Cancer risk and genetic assessment resource. Referrals for genetic counseling are based on a patient’s personal history of cancer or other family health history.“If they have multiple in their family, especially on one side. If an individual in their family has had more than two types of cancer. If theres a rare cancer in the family like pancreatic or ovarian cancer as well if there’s a known genetic risk,” said Greta Skagen, Nurse Practitioner and Genetic Cancer Risk Assessment Counselor.
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If you love Ted Talks, then you’ll love Talon Talks. The Laramie County Community College is holding its second annual student speech competition on Wednesday. Even though Talon Talks is a relatively new platform for LCCC, it allows students to explore public speaking and speak on topics they are passionate about.
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If you’ve ever had a bad experience at the DMV, you are not alone, but WYDOT is taking steps to ensure folks walk away from their offices with a pleasant experience. These classes help improve customer services, employee skill sets, and office communications. “A lot of it is going to be like a town hall, so that the folks up in Jackson will have an opportunity to sit and have a face-to-face conversation with me even though it is virtual,” said Misty Dobson, Program Manager Driver Services- WYDOT.
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As the upsurge in opioid use grows, Wyoming health care providers are looking for better ways to treat pain for incoming patients. The Cheyenne Regional Medical Center has set itself apart in pioneering a new class that helps first responders deal with pain management and addiction. During the pandemic, opioid use and addictions jumped.
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If you know a Veteran who has faced food insecurity or is hesitant to go out food shopping. Veterans affair was doing their Monday bread giveaway this morning. From 9 to 11 am every Monday, the v-a gives baked and canned goods away to vets and their families.
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Oil and Gas leas sales are finally returning to Wyoming but with a catch. The Bureau of Land Management is opening up Oil and Gas sales after a year’s “moratorium.”According to officials, the Department of the Interior (DOI) only paused new lease sales to analyze the environmental and social community impact of any new sales.
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Fire weather warnings are lighting up southeastern Wyoming and that very weather may have actually started the fire. Multiple agencies are busy tonight with a dangerous fire west of Cheyenne. The fire started around Polo Ranch Road and had a large source of fuel to pull from. A downed power line sparked into one of several piles of wood chips, rail ties and cut logs, igniting a fire that started around 2 o’clock.
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The 153rd Airlift Wing had a busy morning, loading C-130s to ensure we are ready for this year’s fire season. Once again, the Wyoming Air National Guard is gearing up to fight another busy forest fire season. On Wednesday, the Wyoming Air National Guard and the U.S. Forest Services work together to move MAFs or the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System units.
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If you are a parent whose little ones started school at the beginning of the pandemic, or if you are concerned that your child may have fallen behind with online learning from home. LCSD1 and the state of Wyoming have something for you.
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The Cheyenne Regional Medical Center is adjusting its visitor allowances, but they still hold on to some. CRMC has recently changed its visitor protocol. Visitor access is relaxing and moving away from high-pandemic-level precautions.
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On Tuesday evening, the LCCC is presenting “Let’s Dance.” The concert is made up of dance music throughout the ages and across cultures. Starting from classical waltzes and polkas to more contemporary jitterbugs and the Charleston.
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The Laramie County Community College held a free panel discussion on Ukraine and talked about how it could affect Wyomingites. The LCCC held a free discussion panel on Tuesday to talk about the political situation in Ukraine. Guest speakers included political science faculty, and a first-generation Ukraine-native, Iryna Wiggam, to weigh in on the current political turmoil.
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The Laramie County School District 1 released its new 5-year strategic plan. The plan is based on public and partners’ feedback about what they need from students and LCSD1. Three themes emerged, focusing on student readiness, community engagement, and healthy environments. The aim is to create measurable school goals and prepare students for tomorrow’s workforce.
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Research conducted by a University of Wyoming scientist has gained new international attention regarding the mitigation of climate change by capturing and storing carbon. Four research papers by Haibo Zhai, the Roy and Caryl Cline Chair of Engineering, Environment and Natural Resources and an associate professor in UW’s Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management, are referenced in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report.
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It has been an honor and privilege to serve the people of Wyoming. Four years ago, new to the office, I set goals for us to achieve in terms of our business division and our elections division. My team has met those challenges, as we saw year-to-year revenue increases of over 9% each year out of our business division, helping us to remain a tax-friendly state.
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If you’ve ever had an idea or thought about writing something and didn’t know where to start. Laramie County Community College is hosting a discussion with a new york-based playwright on how to get going. “Just a lot of hitting the ground running and discovering things along the way. So hopefully to be able to bring that to people who might have an interest in writing or think it’s scary and just need permission,” said Matt McLachlan, Playwright. Dinneen writer’s series and one-act plays are presenting Playwright Matt McLachlan.
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A Girl Scout helps out School Nurses with a final project that makes everyone comfortable and happy. Jonnina Edmunds, an East High School Senior, created the “School Nurse’s Closet.” It was her final girl scout project to fulfill the requisites for their gold award.
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The Wyoming Department of Education’s Child Nutrition Programs has requested the USDA Food and Nutrition service extend the current community eligibility provision or CEP. The deadlines will be extended from April 1st to June 30th.
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East High School celebrated the opening of its new pool with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday. “We’re finally here today, and brought the pool in within the budget we started with. It’s going to be a great facility for the community.” said Andy Knapp, Director and Facilities and Planning- LCSD1.The new pool was a long time in the making.
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As the city of Cheyenne grows, so does the need for development and renewal. A city authority is looking to expand its range to help beautify the city, one area at a time. The Urban Renewal Authority is looking to extend its blight area along Bent Avenue and West 15th Street.
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This is National Work Zone Awareness Week. As construction season starts to kick off in Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) wants everyone to pay attention to how they are driving. “The ultimate goal is that all the well the traveling public makes it through our project site safely and we also want to keep the construction crews and WYDOT persons safe as well,” said Wayne Shenefelt, Resident Engineer, Dist. 1 -WYDOT
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The drive to create education that meets workforce needs is also growing to meet Wyoming’s future needs. Two new program directors at the University of Wyoming are helping to shape the students and employees of tomorrow. The University of Wyoming is getting two new programs up and running, thanks to efforts to diversify the course of Wyoming’s economic future.
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If you are looking for something to do, the Old West Museum has some upcoming events to keep you having fun.“We’re really excited. It’s something that we haven’t really done before. It’s been really fun getting to know the rules and also see the amount of people who are really excited for Bunco night,” said Hannah Lewis, Marketing Coordinator, for the Old West Museum. On April 28th, the Old West Museum is holding its Bunco night fund-raiser. Doors open at 6 pm and tickets are $15 for 3 games.
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If you are looking for new ways to keep your family and loved ones safe, the United Way of Laramie County is holding a new webinar and campaign you may be interested in. United Way is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, April 13, at 1 pm. to help increase community awareness about Human Trafficking. This is part of a global campaign to highlight this issue and educate the public on how to stay safe.
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If you’ve experienced a color run, you’ll love the new family activity at the Children’s Village this weekend.“It’s really fun to introduce the community to new cultural celebrations from different parts of the world. And holy is just one of a family of programs that we offer to the public free to give everybody new experiences,” said Aaron Sommers, Manager, Paul Smith Children’s Village.
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The Kiwanis Club of Cheyenne has a legacy of not only investing in our community but in guiding kids to shine. For the local kids of Cheyenne, this could be a stepping stone for all of their hopes and dreams, and it makes for a great, entertaining evening for the whole community. The Stars of Tomorrow is an annual tradition for the Cheyenne Kiwanis Club. This is their 68th year of showcasing local talented kids from Kindergarten to Seniors in High School.