AGP Executive Report

Cheyenne Frontier Days: The 130th Cheyenne Frontier Days is kicking off with a new Morning Star American Indian Village, a multi-million-dollar addition built to spotlight Indigenous art, history, and performances, with daily dance shows and curated vendor space. Wildlife & federal policy: The Interior Department moved to cancel automatic Endangered Species Act protections for imperiled animals, shifting toward individualized plans and drawing sharp criticism from conservation groups. Wyoming outdoors: WyoFile reports Yellowstone’s oldest wolf pack, Mollie’s Pack, has left the park, raising concerns about what comes next for the long-running reintroduction story. Community & culture: Eastern Wyoming College students shared how a HIST 2460 field experience took them to major Southwest Indigenous and archaeological sites, turning classroom learning into firsthand discovery. Sports: Cheyenne’s Sixers advanced in Legion bracket play, while Alex Morales helped Yakima Valley sweep a rivalry doubleheader. Local human-interest: A 7-year-old Cody girl’s birthday party was saved after a frantic mom’s Facebook plea brought dozens of strangers with gifts.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Indigenous Village: Cheyenne Frontier Days opens its new Morning Star American Indian Village, a major investment built to spotlight Indigenous art, history and daily performances, with curated artists and a six-show-per-day dance arbor. Local Sports: Wyoming’s high school rodeo standouts are headed to the National High School Finals Rodeo in Lincoln, Neb., including Green River’s Teague Goodman (steer wrestling) and other qualifiers from across the Cowboy State. Public Safety & Events: Cheyenne Frontier Days enforces a strict no-drone zone, with federal restrictions in place around the event area. Weather & Health: Central and western New York were issued an air quality health advisory for fine particle smoke impacts, while the broader Rockies region continues to deal with heat and wildfire haze. Wildlife Policy: The Interior Department canceled key Endangered Species Act protections for threatened species, shifting to individualized plans—sparking criticism from opponents. Community & Culture: Quilt Wyoming and local groups highlight a growing quilting boom, while Laramie’s library and UW Art Museum partner on hands-on summer learning for kids.

Cheyenne Frontier Days: The 130th CFD keeps rolling with a packed Saturday schedule, including the Western Art Show and the new Morning Star American Indian Village featuring dance and cultural sharing. Local Elections: In Gillette’s City Council races, candidates took a sharper tone in a Campbell County GOP-hosted debate, with two mayoral/ward candidates absent. Wyoming Politics & Money: Wyoming’s GOP U.S. House primary is seeing record self-funding, with candidates loaning their campaigns nearly $6 million total. Statewide Health: A Natrona Collective Health Trust survey finds healthcare cost is Wyoming voters’ top concern, with 81% calling it extremely or very serious. Wildlife & Federal Policy: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service finalized downlisting the razorback sucker, while Interior moves to shift grizzly bear management back to states and reopens public comment. Safety & Travel: WYDOT urges pedestrians to use crosswalks as summer foot traffic rises, and Cheyenne police/FBI announce a temporary no-drone zone for CFD.

Cheyenne Frontier Days: The new Morning Star American Indian Village opened Friday just south of the CFD Old West Museum, replacing the former site with a redesigned, culture-forward space featuring a timber dance arbor, vendor areas, and education signage. Local Events: Fort D.A. Russell Days kicked off at F.E. Warren Air Force Base with hands-on reenactments and historic vehicle displays for families. Frontier Days Vendors: Trader Barb’s marked 50 straight years as a long-running CFD jewelry vendor, turning the annual trip into a family tradition. Wyoming Elections: Laramie County Clerk Debra Lee says absentee and early voting for the Aug. 18 primary begins July 21 in the county building atrium, with a longer ballot this year. Wildlife & Policy: Wyoming Game and Fish Director Angi Bruce criticized a Grand Targhee expansion approval that could affect Teton bighorn sheep habitat. Public Safety: Cheyenne Frontier Days will enforce a temporary no-drone zone around Frontier Park for 10 days. Weather: A heat wave just broke records across Wyoming, with weekend storms possible but not all-day washouts.

Cheyenne Frontier Days: Volunteers and organizers are keeping the “Daddy of ’em All” traditions running, from the Grand Parades’ year-round volunteer work to the Frontier Nights and Sidewinder Saloon music lineup. Rodeo & youth sports: Pine Bluffs saddle bronc rider Ty Scarborough is set for his third National High School Finals Rodeo trip, while Laramie’s Wade Asay (reined cow horse) and Taylor Kimzey (light rifle) are also headed to Lincoln, Nebraska. Wyoming politics: Wyoming’s GOP U.S. House primary is seeing candidates self-fund heavily, with nearly $6 million reported so far. AI & privacy debate: A Wyoming lawmaker-focused opinion argues the state should protect privacy rights as AI data centers expand. Local culture: Cheyenne artist Bria Hammock’s “Of Here” exhibit pairs cowboy poems with paintings on barrel heads. Wildlife & safety: Wyoming Game and Fish safely relocated a mountain lion spotted in Casper’s Paradise Valley area. Community updates: Kiwanis Community Park in Cheyenne is getting wetlands, trails, and wildlife habitat upgrades.

Property Taxes: Wyoming’s State Board of Equalization agreed to certify adjusted property values “for now” under a 4% cap while a court fight over the legality of that cap plays out, easing uncertainty for homeowners and county budgets. Drought & Water: Farmers in Big Horn County are leaving fields unplanted as drought tightens water supplies, with some comparing this year’s conditions to the early 2000s. Community Giving: WyoGives 2026 set new records, raising about $6.5 million from 10,095 donors for 515 Wyoming nonprofits. Heat & Safety: A historic heat wave pushed record highs in Buffalo and Sheridan, prompting extreme heat warnings and driving residents to pools and reservoirs for relief. Wildlife Management: Wyoming Game and Fish is testing geofencing to send bear-safety texts in grizzly-conflict areas, aiming to reduce risky encounters. Cheyenne Frontier Days: Cheyenne’s Frontier Days runs on volunteer power, with more than 2,700 volunteers keeping the “Daddy of ’em All” running. Local Library: Laramie County Library System unveiled a “book bike” to bring books and activities to community events without needing library cards. Sports: UW junior wrestler Austin Collins earned All-American honors at the Junior Nationals in Fargo.

Local Politics: The League of Women Voters of Laramie hosted a House District forum at the Albany County Public Library, putting candidates on the spot about issues like keeping younger people in the county and what state lawmakers should do next. Education & Health: UW Extension and the Wyoming Department of Health are teaming up on a free, three-month “Ready, Set, Thrive” wellness program that encourages families to get outdoors, build healthy habits, and track preventive screenings. Cheyenne Sports: Anna McQueeney’s switch to virtual school helped her focus on rodeo, and she locked in a strong path toward the National High School Finals Rodeo with top finishes at the state cutting season. Wyoming Outdoors: Barnyards and Backyards is hosting a Native Plant Walk and nature journaling event in the mountains, with UW Extension and other partners guiding participants to spot and learn local plants. Community Calendar: Laramie County Library and Cheyenne Frontier Days events fill the weekend, including a Western art reception and family-friendly reading and craft programs. Statewide Policy: Wyoming’s attorney general says cannabis will not be rescheduled in the state, keeping marijuana on Schedule I.

Measles Watch: Eastern Idaho Public Health confirmed a vaccinated adult case in Teton County and flagged possible exposure at Broulim’s Grocery in Driggs (July 6, 5:15–6 p.m.), as Wyoming’s own Teton outbreak continues with five confirmed cases and a local emergency. Vaccination Push: Teton County Health Department is holding a walk-in MMR clinic Friday for kids 6 months to 4 years old, with guidance to start earlier during the outbreak. Heat & Health: A weeklong Wyoming heat wave brought record highs in parts of the state, with Worland and Sheridan topping records and Casper seeing multiple triple-digit days. Local Healthcare Access: Healthy Wyoming’s Cost of Care Summer Roadshow made stops including Cheyenne, urging Medicaid expansion and sharing affordability stories with lawmakers. Grizzly Bear Management: Interior proposed shifting grizzly bear management to Western states, a move that could reshape protections and spark hunting and conservation debate. Cheyenne Frontier Days: The 130th CFD “Daddy of ’Em All” kicks off Friday, with committees spotlighting Indigenous-focused programming and community events. Sports: Laramie Rangers swept Gering behind Damian Gomez’s complete-game pitching effort.

Grizzly Bear Management: Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, with Govs. Mark Gordon, Greg Gianforte and Brad Little, announced a proposal to shift grizzly-bear management from federal hands to states under the Endangered Species Act’s 4(d) rule—while keeping grizzlies listed as threatened and saying it won’t authorize hunting seasons. Local Government & Public Safety: Green River residents pushed back on surveillance cameras, and the city council reversed course on accepting state grant money for the program; the debate also raised questions about where similar cameras are already installed across Wyoming. Schools & Budgets: Sweetwater County School District No. 2 approved a 2026-27 budget that cuts indoor track, spring tennis and spring golf to close a more than $1.2 million gap tied to enrollment and Wyoming funding changes. Wyoming Culture: Laramie Jubilee Days welcomed barrelman J.W. Winklepleck, a former UW bareback rider now returning to entertain after years in the pro rodeo clown role. Community Support: Food Bank of Wyoming is expanding volunteer options statewide, aiming to help more families facing food insecurity.

Cheyenne City Government: Cheyenne City Council approved Microsoft’s annexation of nearly 3,460 acres for a future data center expansion after hours of public debate, with residents raising concerns about water use, environmental impacts, and long-term effects on nearby neighborhoods. Public Health: Wyoming health officials reported measles reaching “community spread” in Teton County, including a fourth case in an adult and possible exposure at a Jackson Target; officials urged vaccination and isolation/quarantine guidance. Federal Wildlife Policy: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is moving to return threatened grizzly bear management to states without delisting, a shift Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon says reflects recovery and practical on-the-ground decisions. Conservation & Land Use: Trump again shrank two Utah national monuments—Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante—prompting conservation groups to prepare legal fights over “illegal reductions.” Local Events & Community: WyoGives is set for July 15, with the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault among participating nonprofits; Cheyenne Frontier Days also announced F-16 flyovers and new Frontier Park changes, including a rebuilt Chute 9 and the Morning Star Indian Village.

U.S. Senate race in Wyoming: Jimmy Skovgard, a Greybull-area newcomer, is pitching a Constitution-first, “guardrails” agenda as he takes on a crowded field for the open seat. Cheyenne local projects: Construction is set to begin Thursday on the Kiwanis Park Trail and Wetlands Project, adding gravel paths, bird blinds, and educational signage, with completion expected by December. Public safety: Wyoming Highway Patrol says two juvenile suspects are in custody after a high-speed chase that began in Nebraska and ended in Cheyenne, involving a stolen Jeep and a K9-assisted arrest. Health watch: Wyoming health officials have confirmed at least three cyclosporiasis cases as states track a growing foodborne illness outbreak. Wildlife risk: A Yellowstone visitor was injured after a bull bison charged and tossed him about eight feet, underscoring how dangerous rut-season encounters can be. Energy & jobs: Frontier Nuclear launched a major 2026 drill program at its Pine Ridge uranium project in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. Arts & community: Broadway Theater announced a new rotating art wall exhibit featuring Wyoming artist Angela Rivers, with a public reception Wednesday.

Measles Alert in Teton County: Wyoming’s Department of Health confirmed a third measles case in Teton County, tied to the same chain of transmission, and warned visitors who may have been exposed in Jackson and Grand Teton National Park to monitor for symptoms for three weeks. Heat and Safety Watch: A dangerous heat dome has been pushing record-level temperatures across the region, with officials warning Wyoming residents to prepare for oppressive conditions and possible storms later in the week. Cheyenne Frontier Days Prep: Cheyenne businesses are gearing up for the Frontier Days rush starting Friday, stocking extra inventory and staffing up for the 10-day surge. WyoGives Fundraiser: The 7th annual WyoGives runs this Wednesday, July 15, with Cheyenne Botanic Gardens among local nonprofits raising money for its new EAT garden project. Education Spotlight: Gov. Mark Gordon shared Wyoming’s education innovation model at a Washington, D.C., forum, pitching real-world learning and community-tailored approaches. Local Law Enforcement on Drugs: U.S. Attorney Darin Smith, DEA and Wyoming partners held a Cheyenne briefing on efforts to disrupt fentanyl trafficking and reduce overdose deaths. Gas Prices Tick Up: Wyoming average gasoline prices rose slightly over the past week, now averaging $3.82 per gallon. Yellowstone Bison Incident: Another Yellowstone bison attack made headlines, sending a tourist to a Montana hospital after being struck during the rutting season.

Yellowstone Safety: A bull bison charged at a tourist at Bridge Bay Campground near Yellowstone Lake, tossing him about 8 feet and leaving him seriously injured, with officials still reviewing what happened. State Sports: Cheyenne Extreme’s under-18 softball team finished third at the Wyoming USSSA state tournament, while Laramie Lightning placed second after a winner-take-all championship game. Wyoming Golf: Patrick Stolpe won the Wyoming State Open at Airport Golf Course, carding a 6-under 64 to finish 14-under and take the $10,000 prize. Wyoming Weather: Extreme heat hit parts of the region, with record highs reported across Montana and Wyoming and continued heat and wind alerts. Local Culture: Brinton Museum hosted a Comanche artist talk on how a horse helped bring identity and belonging “home.” Community/Ag: Michele Bowering was recognized for goat dairy leadership during the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

National Politics: U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a longtime Trump ally and foreign-policy hawk, died at 71 after a “brief and sudden illness.” His office says a preliminary medical examiner finding points to an aortic dissection tied to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with final details pending testing. Weather & Safety: Another round of dangerous heat is building across the West and northern Plains, with more sweltering conditions and flash-flood threats in parts of the Midwest and South. Wyoming Sports: Rawlins Senior All-Stars won the Wyoming Senior Little League State Championship, beating Bridger Valley 6-4 in the title game. Community & Culture: Cheyenne is set for a Benjamin Tod and The Inline Six concert July 14 at The Lincoln. Wildlife: A Yellowstone visitor was seriously injured after a bull bison chased and tossed him several feet at Bridge Bay Campground. Local Government: Sweetwater County commissioners candidates debated the county budget and priorities ahead of the primary.

Yellowstone Safety: A bull bison attack at Bridge Bay Campground sent a tourist about eight feet into the air, seriously injuring him, as the animal charged after earlier agitation near families. Power Outage Accountability: Wyoming regulators want Rocky Mountain Power to explain what went wrong in a massive outage last fall that left about 250,000 customers without electricity for hours. Native Education Gains: Federally funded Native American graduation improvements are being credited to school-by-school innovations and better data and support systems. AI Data Center Fight: A new push against AI data centers is gaining momentum, with communities challenging impacts and asking what comes next. Wyoming Giving: WyoGives returns Tuesday, July 15, as a statewide 24-hour fundraiser supporting hundreds of Wyoming nonprofits, including local United Way programs. Heat Watch: Forecasters warn a dangerous heat wave could bring record highs across much of the U.S., including parts of Wyoming and the northern Plains. Cheyenne Education: Gov. Mark Gordon highlighted Wyoming’s education initiatives in Washington, D.C., as part of a broader national education discussion.

Public Safety: Cheyenne police are investigating an overnight south Cheyenne shooting that left one teen dead and another juvenile in custody. Local Governance: Green River residents pushed back against automated license plate readers, arguing the tech threatens privacy even as police say it would be used reactively for serious alerts. State & Federal Policy: Wyoming Attorney General Anne Lopez joined a multistate push urging the FCC to tighten rules that block scammers from using legitimate phone numbers. Health & Community: The Rural Health Transformation Program opened funding applications, with Teton County health officials preparing proposals aimed at technology and better care coordination for rural patients. Weather: Meteorologists warn a dangerous heat dome could bring record-breaking, oppressive temperatures across the West and Plains, including hot nights. Sports: Laramie Lightning’s under-18 softball team went 3-0 in pool play at the state tournament, and Wyoming’s top high school golfers are competing at the PGA National Invitational.