Wyoming Watch

Wyoming lawmakers voted Tuesday to draft a bill that abolishes the state's property tax system.

During a meeting of the Legislature's Joint Revenue Committee in Gillette, the proposal was introduced by Sen. Bob Ide, R-Casper, who said it's time for lawmakers to start over from scratch. Taxpayers are "paying unrealized gains" on inflation, he said, and it's time for the state to "shift to a new system."

Furthermore, recent property tax reform passed in the last two years has created complexity in assessment for both the taxpayers and county assessors, he said.

This week, WTE reporter Hannah Shields breaks down these meetings and the conversations surrounding it.

Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming events in the area and a recap of the top stores from the WTE newsroom over the past week.

New episodes published every Friday. Provide feedback or suggestions to [email protected].

Several doctors have left Cheyenne Regional Medical Center over administrative accountability and staffing concerns over the past year. In December, a group of hospital providers cast a vote of no confidence in CRMC President and CEO Tim Thornell.

Following an an investigation from the CRMC Board of Trustees, the board unanimously voted to have "full confidence" in Thornell.

This week, WTE reporter Noah Zahn shares what he has heard from several doctors on their decision to leave the hospital and the response from hospital administration.

Stick around until the end for a roundup of upcoming events in the area and a recap of the top stores from the WTE newsroom over the past week.

New episodes published every Friday. Provide feedback or suggestions to [email protected].

Wyoming author Craig Johnson is publishing his newest Wyoming mystery book this week, set in the Rock Springs area. This week, he spoke with the WTE's Taylor Staples on The Perch.

The new book, called "Return to Sender" is the 28th story in the series featuring stories of Sheriff Walt Longmire in the fictional Absaroka County in Wyoming.

In the interview, Johnson shared how he develops his stories by immersing himself in Wyoming history and culture and never falls out of love with continuing to get to know and develop his characters.

New episodes published every Friday. Provide feedback or suggestions to [email protected].

Wyoming is leading the country as the first to create a state agency-administered stable token, and state lawmakers are considering ways to integrate and promote digital assets in its finance system.

The state is expected to produce its first stable tokens in early July.

This week on The Perch, WTE reporter Hannah Shields explains what stable tokens are and how they are expected to benefit Wyoming.

Stick around to hear a recap of local headlines and a preview of upcoming local events. New episodes published every Friday. Provide feedback or suggestions to [email protected].

Wyoming Hospital Association Vice President Josh Hannes dives into how a potential $880 billion cut to Medicaid program spending would impact hospitals, nursing homes and health insurance for Wyomingites. U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told reporter Hannah Shields earlier this week that "Medicaid reforms are unlikely to negatively impact" Wyoming. Other news outlets recently reported House Speaker Mike Johnson is ruling out major slashes to the $900 billion Medicaid program. This week on The Perch, Hannes spoke with the WTE's Hannah Shields about what to expect.

Stick around to hear a recap of local headlines and a preview of upcoming local events. New episodes published every Friday. Provide feedback or suggestions to [email protected].

Vietnam-era U.S. Navy veteran Billy Fiorelli is making his way to Washington, D.C., next week with his husband, Paul, for the first time in their lives. The trip is completely paid for by Wish of a Lifetime, a charitable affiliate of AARP, as part of AARP's Voyage of Valor, which takes American veterans on trips to the nation's capital. Billy Fiorelli said it was important for him to make this trip now, because when he gets home, he'll begin chemotherapy treatments to combat stage 3 cancer after doctors found tumors on his aorta and lymph nodes. He has previously beaten cancer three times. This week on The Perch, he spoke with the WTE's Taylor Staples about the upcoming trip.

Stick around to hear a recap of local headlines and a preview of upcoming local events. New episodes published every Friday. Provide feedback or suggestions to [email protected].

Petrina Peart is a local chef and the executive chef at the Wyoming Governor's Residence. She recently competed in the first season of the new NBC show "Yes, Chef!" as one 12 chefs selected to compete in the cooking show. The show is hosted by chefs Martha Stewart and José Andrés. Peart was born and raised in Jamaica, and didn't get into cooking until she joined the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne.

This week on The Perch, she spoke with the WTE's Taylor Staples about her culinary journey and her experience on the show.

Stick around to hear a recap of local headlines and a preview of upcoming local events. New episodes published every Friday. Provide feedback or suggestions to [email protected].

Kacee Lillie began selling shirts and earrings she designed when she was 14. Now 18 years old, she has opened a boutique in Frontier Mall in Cheyenne.

This week on The Perch, Kacee shared how she got in the business, her concerns about tariffs from the Trump administration, and how she navigated her life as a high schooler starting and running a business.

Stick around to hear a recap of local headlines and a preview of upcoming local events. New episodes published every Friday. Provide feedback or suggestions to [email protected].

Cheyenne City Council members Michelle Aldrich and Dr. Mark Rinne discuss the proposed 15th Street Railcar Experience. Aldrich is strongly opposed to the project, saying it is unrealistic and a waste of money. Rinne says it will be a net benefit for the community and is very attainable. The two visited the WTE this week to have a conversation with reporter Noah Zahn about why they support or oppose the project that the city has been working on for several years. Stick around to hear a recap of local headlines and a preview of upcoming local events. New episodes published every Friday. Provide feedback or suggestions to [email protected].

After Wyoming's U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman's town halls grew chaotic across the state – particularly one in Laramie – she transitioned from in-person to tele-town hall events. Following the announcement, the Wyoming Democratic Party and the Laramie County Democratic Party moved to host their own in-person town hall at the same time to allow people to voice their concerns and submit their findings to Hageman. Residents had the option to sign up to attend the tele-town hall online, but some never received the link after signing up, claiming they were intentionally excluded from the list.

Stick around to hear a recap of local headlines and a preview of upcoming local events. New episodes published every Friday. Provide feedback or suggestions to [email protected].