AGP Executive Report

Maternal Care: Wyoming still doesn’t cover doula services through Medicaid, leaving some new parents without access to hands-on support during childbirth. Outdoor Wyoming: A new UW survey found 96% of residents oppose selling public lands, while most also oppose more large AI data centers. The State Trails Advisory Council meets Nov. 13 in Afton to consider recreation grant applications and trail priorities. Women’s History: Laramie’s Wyoming Women’s History House marked its 25th anniversary with a courtyard rededication and new gardens honoring women who helped shape the state. Indigenous Stories: A new feature revisits Sacajawea’s journey through the eyes of Lemhi Shoshone people, whose ancestors she encountered near Lemhi Pass. Consumer Alert: A recalled lot of Whole Foods ashwagandha capsules, sold in Wyoming and online, may be contaminated with salmonella; check the lot number before taking them.

Halloween Weekend: Wyoming has a packed spooky-season lineup, from a free haunted house and carnival at the state Supreme Court in Cheyenne to a youth-run haunted house, Halloween fun run and masquerade ball around the state. Arts & Books: LCCC’s Cheyenne gallery will show Jarred Elrod’s “Hellfighter” Nov. 4–Dec. 11, with a public opening and artist talk. In Cheyenne, a new Little Free Library at 2514 Windmill Road offers young adult and adult titles, including BookTok favorites. Wyoming Heritage: The Wyoming Women’s History House marked 25 years with a courtyard and garden rededication. The Wyoming Military Museum has also broken ground on an expansion. Tourism: Piper Singer Cunningham, a longtime Wyoming Office of Tourism staffer, will lead its brand strategy as the state continues promoting its people and places.

Western Heritage: Cheyenne Frontier Days CEO Tom Hirsig will step down after the 2027 celebration, closing a tenure the board says strengthened the rodeo’s role as a showcase for Western culture. Tribal Identity: A rejected Crow Tribe bill has renewed debate over how Native nations define citizenship, including the use of blood quantum and its effects on rights and services. Community Giving: Jackson’s Old Bill’s Fun Run raised more than $28.5 million for local nonprofits this year, bringing its 30-year total to $334.7 million. Arts & Recreation: Thayne has added six lighted pickleball courts, a volleyball court and new murals, with more town improvements ahead. Women’s History: Wyoming Women’s History House marked its 25th anniversary with a courtyard and garden rededication.

Women’s History: The Wyoming Women’s History House in Laramie marked its 25th anniversary with a rededicated courtyard, new gardens and a mural honoring women’s suffrage pioneers Louisa Swain and Nellie Tayloe Ross. Military History: The National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois is expanding, with new galleries planned to cover the Cold War through the Global War on Terror. Arts: The UW Symphony Orchestra performs Thursday night in Laramie, pairing Wagner and Schubert with Florence Price’s “Ethiopia’s Shadow in America.” Outdoor Life: Wyoming State Parks’ first comprehensive rules update in decades takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, with revisions aimed at clarifying regulations and supporting safe recreation. Local Heritage: The Vore Buffalo Jump Foundation invites the public to view a new display honoring archaeologist Charles Reher before its Nov. 7 annual meeting near Beulah. Halloween: Green River’s Sweetwater County Library and Cheyenne’s Laramie County Library both lean into local ghost lore with seasonal events and tours.

Parks & Heritage: Wyoming State Parks will put updated rules into effect Jan. 1, 2027, modernizing guidance for parks, historic sites and recreation areas after public input. Halloween Around Fremont County: Events run Oct. 29–31, from Riverton and Lander trick-or-treats to a Native American Masquerade at Central Wyoming College and Riverton’s Pumpkin Run. State Cross Country: Wyoming Indian’s boys reclaimed the 2A title in Cheyenne, leading a strong showing by seven Fremont County teams. Jackson Music: Garage-rock trio Church Bats are bringing loud, homegrown punk to a valley better known for country and bluegrass. Women’s History: Laramie is spotlighting Wyoming’s suffrage legacy with a rededication of its historic women’s courtyard.

Women’s History: Laramie rededicated the courtyard at the Wyoming Women’s History House, honoring suffrage pioneer Louisa Swain with a new mural and refreshed gardens. Western Heritage: Cheyenne’s planned $70 million PRCA headquarters and ProRodeo Hall of Fame now has completed exterior designs, while University of Wyoming women’s rodeo leads the national standings. Education: Wyoming schools are back to or above pre-pandemic performance levels, with 75% of students in grades 3–8 meeting or exceeding achievement standards. Community: Cheyenne’s Coyote Ridge Elementary earned national recognition for inclusive sports and activities. Faith: Church leaders dedicated the new Cody Wyoming Temple, celebrating the faith and perseverance of the region’s pioneer settlers.

UW Rodeo: Wyoming’s Cowgirls lead the national team standings, while Gillette freshman Shayda Lesmeister and tie-down roper Tate Talkington top their individual events. School Choices: Applications are open through Oct. 29 for 89 remaining spots in Wyoming’s Education Savings Account program; eligible students can receive $7,000 a year for approved education costs. The state also won federal Ed-Flex authority, giving it more flexibility over some school funding rules starting in 2027-28. Yellowstone: A new $105 million fund will support park improvements, visitor access and education, with a new Norris Geyser Basin visitor center among the projects under consideration. Faith and Community: The Cody Wyoming Temple was dedicated Sunday, becoming the state’s third Latter-day Saints temple. In Cheyenne, a community health fair provided vaccinations and microchips to 274 pets, while a Rock Springs Eagle Scout project added a garden to help fight local food insecurity.

Wyoming’s Hunter’s Moon: The October moon carries different names across Indigenous communities, including the Shoshone “naa-mea’,” meaning rutting, and the Cheyenne “freeze begins on stream’s edge moon.” Faith & Community: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dedicated its new Cody temple, Wyoming’s third, on Sunday. The site was donated by local residents and gives members in the Big Horn Basin a closer place to worship and serve. Rural Health: Wyoming’s $205 million federal health award will support emergency care, workforce training, technology and prevention. Carbon County’s hospital says $5.8 million will strengthen ambulance services and dialysis care. Campus Climate: UW says it stands by graduate students after racist remarks surfaced online following the arrest of a student accused of poisoning a peer. Student Opportunity: Gillette’s Samantha Hill was named Chadron State College’s first behavioral health scholar, earning a two-year award that includes $5,000 annually, mentorship and professional development.

Faith & Community: The Cody Wyoming Temple was dedicated Sunday, becoming the state’s third operating temple and a new place for local members to worship and serve. Rural Health: Wyoming’s $205 million federal award will support emergency care, rural hospitals, workforce training and preventive services. Youth & Education: Gillette’s Peyton Henderson earned FFA’s American Degree, and Wyoming students ranked second nationally in ACT scores among states testing all students. Community Voices: UW researchers will study Teton County Sheriff’s Office immigration practices after sustained local advocacy. Native Culture: Lakota traditions took center stage at the High Plains Western Heritage Center.

Theater: Western Wyoming College opens its season Oct. 29 with She Kills Monsters, a dark comedy about grief, identity and a sister’s Dungeons & Dragons world. A late Halloween performance will benefit the college’s free student storehouse. Local History: Sweetwater County Historical Museum offers free school tours and classroom kits, with new artifacts showing how Native Americans used buffalo. Indigenous Culture: Lakota educator and musician J.J. Kent shared traditional stories, flute music and a tipi demonstration in Spearfish, drawing on his upbringing near Wyoming’s Wind River Reservation. Yellowstone: The park received a record $105 million donation for the National Park Service, its largest-ever gift. On the Course: Sheridan boys and Big Horn girls defended their state cross-country titles, while Big Horn’s Lyla Marney claimed her third straight individual championship. Community Builders: Rawlins honored band teacher and volunteer firefighter Stephanie Trimble for her service to the community.

Community Life: Rawlins honored Stephanie Trimble as its October Community Builder for her work as a middle school band teacher, music academy leader and volunteer with the fire department and Wyoming LAST Team. Wyoming Sports: Laramie’s girls won the Class 4A cross-country team title in Cheyenne, while Central’s Adalyn Racines set a course record to claim the individual crown. Yellowstone: The park received a record $105 million private gift, including $35 million for a Norris Geyser Basin visitor center and funding for student education programs across Wyoming and neighboring states. Arts & Heritage: PBS’s new Pati Jinich series, premiering Oct. 26, explores Indigenous communities, traditions and food across Wyoming and four other Western states. Faith & Place: A Cody family’s donation of land made way for the new Wyoming temple, after the property sat unused for decades. Local History: A look back at Wyoming’s jackrabbit hunts recalls a time when the animals were so plentiful they threatened homesteaders’ crops.

State Cross Country: Cheyenne’s 2026 championships crowned Central’s Adalyn Racines, who set a girls’ course record, and Laramie’s 4A girls, who took the team title. Yellowstone: The park received a record $105 million private gift, including $35 million for a Norris Geyser Basin visitor center and funding for student education programs across Wyoming and neighboring states. Indigenous Stories: PBS marks Native American Heritage Month with programming on Indigenous history and contemporary life, including a new Pati Jinich series exploring communities and food traditions across Wyoming and the West. Community Support: A Gillette family found an affordable way to get a custom wheelchair for toddler Colton, whose health conditions limit his mobility, with help from a local family and a nonprofit’s 3D-printing program. Local History: Sweetwater County Historical Museum tours and free classroom kits are helping students explore regional history, including Native American life and the Oregon Trail.

Community Care: A Gillette family found local help for a custom 3D-printed wheelchair for toddler Colton, whose rare conditions limit his mobility. Schools & Students: Natrona County’s planning committee voted against closing Midwest School, though Pineview Elementary remains at risk. The University of Wyoming also reaffirmed support for graduate students facing racist remarks after a poisoning accusation. Local History: Sweetwater County Historical Museum tours and classroom kits are bringing regional history to students, while a grant will help Cheyenne Depot Museum update exhibits. Wyoming Sports: Cheyenne Central swimmers repeated as Class 4A East Conference champions, led by sophomore Addy DeLay’s three event wins. Culture & Heritage: A library received a $25,000 Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund grant, and the 12th annual Buffalo Treaty gathering in the Black Hills brought Indigenous nations together to advance bison restoration and food sovereignty.

Property Tax Debate: Wyoming voters weighing Proposition 1 face a choice between homeowner relief and public services: the proposed 50% primary-residence exemption could reduce revenue by an estimated $125 million a year. Casper College warns it could lose up to $2 million, putting programs, facilities and jobs at risk. Schools & Opportunity: Cheyenne Schools Foundation awarded nearly $23,000 in grants for projects ranging from physics equipment to French-language reading materials. At SteelDays, 44 students from three states competed for $45,000 in welding scholarships. Wyoming Music: Jackson’s Cowgirls at the Cowboy festival opened with a documentary celebrating pioneering women and three Nashville songwriters. Wyoming country artist Chancey Williams also released his new album, “Thirsty and Blue.” Parks & Conservation: Wyoming State Parks held 70 programs and eight volunteer weed pulls to help visitors identify and remove invasive plants. Yellowstone, meanwhile, received a record $105 million gift for conservation, infrastructure and visitor access.

Arts & Music: Jackson’s Cowgirls at the Cowboy festival opened with a songwriter night and a documentary tracing the roots of its all-women country music celebration. Parks & Outdoors: Wyoming State Parks says its War on Weeds program brought visitors into invasive-plant education and removal, with 70 interpretive events and eight volunteer weed pulls this year. Yellowstone: A new $105 million fund will support park conservation, infrastructure and visitor access—the largest private gift in National Park Service history. Community Life: Laramie adopted a 10-to-15-year downtown plan focused on public spaces, historic preservation, events and better connections. Education: Wyoming students’ ACT scores ranked second among states where all students take the test.

Arts & Heritage: World Ballet Company brings “Swan Lake” to Cheyenne Civic Center on Oct. 28, adding a live orchestra to its touring production. Cheyenne Depot Museum also won an $8,000 grant to refresh exhibits on Big Boy 4014 and local railroad workers. Outdoors: New trails, wetlands, bird blinds and educational signs are nearing completion at Cheyenne’s Kiwanis Park, with work aimed at improving wildlife access and stormwater quality. Yellowstone National Park will benefit from a record $105 million gift for conservation, infrastructure and visitor access. Education: Wyoming students posted an average ACT score of 18.9, ranking second among states where all students take the test. The state also gained authority to let districts seek more flexibility with some federal education funds beginning in 2027-28.