The Open Range Record article archive — page 3
Complete archive of news articles, investigations and columns published by The Open Range Record, Wyoming's Independent News Source.
- Lange: Children Deserve Stronger Marriage Laws
Such “no-fault divorce” laws first appeared in 1917 when Communist ideologues imposed them on Russian citizens to “break down the traditional structure of the ‘bourgeois’ family.” Soon, the America Bar Association campaigned to bring them to America. - Cole: Republicans’ Inability to Navigate around the Senate Filibuster Rule
Leaving aside the silly, vacuous Democrat objections to this bill, Majority Leader Thune attributes the Republicans’ failure to move this legislation to his inability to obtain a majority of GOP senators to support proceeding with various measures, and thus hi... - Robinson: Wyoming Can Show America How to Reform Higher Education
Enrollment at UW has fallen from 13,717 in 2015 to 10,800 in 2024, a decrease of 21 percent. Without concomitant reductions in administrative staff, the University of Wyoming’s per-student spending has increased significantly. This administrative bloat, endemi... - Government Doesn't Become Neutral When Christians Walk Away
The people who say Christians should stay out of politics rarely apply that standard to themselves. They have no problem bringing their secular worldview into the classroom, the courtroom, the legislature, the bureaucracy, and the media. - Vetter: Who are You?
And if someone balks at telling you what they believe in, your radar should go up. Don’t let them deflect, misdirect, obfuscate or create chaos. Dig in harder and keep asking them, “Who are you?” - HD18 Candidate Ken Roberts Attacks Freedom Caucus Instead of Introducing Own Campaign
Rather than focusing on energy policy prescriptions made by Heiner in his remarks, Roberts opted to make dubious claims about the Freedom Caucus. - Zeta Anderson Brings Community Service Background to House District 1 Race
Her record shows a consistent pattern of service in the kinds of local roles that rarely make headlines, yet help hold small communities together. Anderson said she decided to run after being asked to consider the seat and after adjusting her existing commitme... - Mossburg: Trump Administration is Right to Enforce Hospital Price Transparency Rule
With medical debt –often incurred without a patient knowing the price of services -- one of the leading causes of bankruptcy in the United States, everyone should cheer a reform that allows patients to choose the most affordable service for their needs. - Men of Valor: 5 Sheridan Veterans Honored with Quilts
As each quilt was presented, the ceremony highlighted the military service and personal sacrifices of the recipients. The colorful quilts, stitched by volunteers who donate countless hours to the effort, serve as lasting symbols of gratitude from a thankful na... - Utah Raised the Bar on Data Centers. Wyoming Did Not. The Legislature Must Act.
At what point does a project that consumes large amounts of water, power, land, and public infrastructure, while providing relatively few permanent jobs, cease to be economic development and become extraction? - Two Appointed Democrats Act as Supreme Court to Strike Down Property Tax Cap
Two politically active members of the Wyoming tax board have refused to execute the state's new property tax cap, creating an immediate constitutional crisis over regulatory overreach. - Roland: Sheridan Showdown, Protecting Privacy Without Piercing the Corporate Veil
Combined with Wyoming’s existing digital asset and blockchain legislation — already advanced by the same Select Committee — the state is well-positioned to strengthen personal data privacy, enable secure proof of control for deed and title transfers, fully emb... - The Barn Part 2: Barlow's Statement and His Record, Do They Match?
If he wants voters to believe the break was rooted in principle, then principle ought to come with specifics. Which priorities changed? Which alliances crossed the line? Which lawsuits or ideologies made him walk away? His statement does not say. - WDE Final Report Finds Systemic Violations in Sweetwater School District 1
This is not the first time Sweetwater County School District #1 has been subject to state-directed corrective actions, the latest findings are likely to receive heightened public scrutiny. Parents, educators, taxpayers, and school board members will now be wat... - Windsor: The Purity Test That Isn't
As to the people complaining about the Bylaws changes, well, they are either misinformed or have an ulterior motive. The current system favors elected incumbents and people who claim to be “republicans” but are not. Those folks don’t like the changes, for good... - Lange: Let's Give Children What They Way Want
Once we remember that the deepest need of every child is for his or her parents to be living under the same roof in a loving and stable relationship, we will want laws to support such families. - Christine Temple Announces Run for Sheridan County Clerk
Together, we can build a government that serves the people rather than itself, and ensure Sheridan County remains a place we’re proud to pass on to our children and grandchildren. - 2024 Flashback: Politics in the Speaker Pro-Tempore's Office
During the 2024 Budget Session, the Wyoming Caucus’s paid political consultant, lobbyist and PAC treasurer Rebekah Fitzgerald and another registered lobbyist walked in and out of legislative offices at will, numerous times for a solid week. - Weston County Clerk Saga Finally Comes to an End: Michael Tooman Selected
Tooman was the party's top choice among the three nominees submitted to fill the vacancy. Party leaders celebrated the decision, noting Tooman's extensive experience administering elections. - Steinmetz Calls for Legislative Poll on Special Session to Address Data Centers
Among the issues Steinmetz suggested lawmakers could examine during a special session are protections for Wyoming's water resources, groundwater supplies, and static water levels; electric reliability and ratepayer protections; responsibility for generation, t... - Campaign Activity at Casper State Building Raises Questions for Superintendent Candidate Steve Harshman
Following the committee meeting, Harshman, who is currently seeking election as Wyoming's Superintendent of Public Instruction, was photographed standing outside the building near a vehicle that contained campaign signs. - Can Wyoming Leftists and RINOs Lie Their Way Back into Dominance?
It's worth remembering that Democrats do not have a monopoly on such lurid episodes. There are also RINO Liz Cheney's destroyed J6 videos and other evidence proving her own criminality as she collaborated with the likes of Adam Schiff and Nancy Pelosi on the i... - Why I'm Running for Governor of Wyoming & Why the President Endorsed Me
We’ve seen it before. Republicans running for office who aren’t conservative but claim to be. People who campaign one way and then govern another. If someone has been in office for years (or even decades) and hasn’t done the things they are campaigning on now,... - Lucas: The AFL-CIO Is Spending Big in Wyoming. Here’s Why I’m Not Backing Down.
Government employees don’t bargain against a corporation’s shareholders. They bargain against the taxpayer, and the taxpayer isn’t at the table. The officials sitting across from the union at the bargaining table are often the same politicians that union helpe... - You Decide: Congressional Candidate Poll for Seats at the Debate
Holding a fair debate between 10 people is impossible—5 will be a challenge. For the month of June, we will be running a poll to determine which 5 candidates Wyoming voters want to hear from on the debate stage. Results of the poll will be released June 30. - The Republicans' Inability (or Refusal) to Navigate the Filibuster
That the Republican-led Senate can’t find some novel way to get around the filibuster such as the Democrats have now done twice just this century defies credulity! - Lange: Courage Made America’s Noble Ideals Reality
Cowardice, not intellectual misunderstanding, is our greatest enemy. Courage to stand and act when you are most unpopular is the only way that America’s founding is truly honored. - Mark Jones Announces Candidacy for Wyoming House District 40
“I want to hear directly from the people of District 40,” Jones said. “This campaign is about representing our communities honestly, protecting our freedoms, and ensuring Wyoming remains strong for future generations.” - Guggenmos: Why I Didn't File to Run for Re-Election
A Letter to my constituents explaining why I didn't file to run in the 2026 election: - Devils Tower Land Swap: How Ogden Driskill Acquired State Land at the Base of the Tower.
Wyoming State Trust Land belongs to the people of Wyoming, and when politically connected insiders benefit from deals involving that land, scrutiny is not optional; it is the job of the public. Especially in the shadow of Devil's Tower. - The Open Range Record Announces the High Plains 2026 Republican Primary Debates
Gubernatorial and U.S. Representative debates will be held July 16, 2026 at the Rialto Theater in Casper. - Pollak Announces Bid for Sheridan City Council
Sheridan is growing, and with that growth comes both opportunity and challenge. I believe we can manage that growth responsibly while keeping our community affordable, welcoming, and strong. - The 24-Hour Worker: Humanoid Robots Challenge the 2026 Labor Market
The robot is performing tasks that an entry-level worker would find monotonous and repetitive. A human employee might process fifteen hundred packages during a standard six-hour shift. In contrast; this robot has processed twenty-six thousand packages in twent... - Lucas: Election Integrity is Not a Waste of Time
Preventing problems before they spread is not a waste of time. It is responsible governance. Wyoming has a long tradition of leading on voting rights and election law. We did not wait for Congress or national consensus when we gave women the right to vote. - Letter: Slander Against Christians in the Public Square
How sad it is that when people of faith choose to express their beliefs and values in today’s public square they are mocked and subjected to ad hominem attacks claiming that they are somehow acting in contravention of the very Constitution which guarantees the... - Lange: You Can't Certify and Uncertainty
State-issued certificates are about pre-existing truths that the state has an interest in protecting. Marriage is protected by the state. For that reason, the state needs to know who is married to whom. Likewise, states have a duty to protect your life. And st... - Protect Wyoming: Exclusive Audio Reveals Group's Agenda
When a public-lands PAC complains about “rich a**holes from Teton County,” attacks conservative lawmakers as threats to Wyoming, and then uses the same kind of conservation-access language favored by wealthy political operators, voters should notice the contra... - Sweetwater County School District: "A Really Angry Place Right Now"
Trustee Josh Sorenson described the district as “a really angry place right now,” and warned that the community was experiencing “a massive divide.” “I think we’re doing a disservice to our kids,” he said. “And we’re all responsible for that.” - Mark the Calendar: Lander’s First Annual Family Fun Fest
The event will provide families a place to go, kids with something to look forward to, and create the kind of moments that stick longer than the day itself. People in a community who saw a need decided to be a part of a solution. They took action and are worki... - Senate Leadership Violated Agreement Nethercott Signed, Refuses to Investigate
If no rule was violated during the pizza incident, an investigation would clear the air. If a rule was violated, an investigation should have exposed it, but refusing to vote does neither. - The Heavy Hand of Wyoming Bureaucracy is Threatening Food Freedom
Food freedom isn’t a slogan. It’s a huge piece of the puzzle to solve our food desert crisis and the chronic health epidemic in Wyoming. - Wyoming Supreme Court Lifts Injunction on Steamboat Legacy Scholarship
One of the Court’s most significant findings centered on the fact that the parents involved in the lawsuit admitted they had no intention of using the ESA program themselves. The opinion noted the plaintiffs voluntarily keep their children in public schools an... - Bob Bonnar: Do Weston Commissioners Have Something to Hide?
When leaders reject transparency, resist outside review and insist on maintaining control of an office under investigation, the natural and unavoidable question is not whether they intend to raise suspicion, but why they appear so willing to invite it. - Bill Allemand Announces Re-Election Campaign for House District 58
Since taking office in 2023, Allemand has built a conservative legislative record focused on lowering property taxes, defending constitutional rights, protecting children and families, supporting Wyoming energy and agriculture, expanding educational freedom, a... - Bextel Seeks Constitution Party Nomination As Conservatives Look For A Stronger November Strategy
Former Teton County GOP committeewoman says she is not running against Brent Bien or Megan Degenfelder, while the Constitution Party of Wyoming frames her campaign as a serious conservative alternative in the general election. - Gordon: Hunger Doesn’t Take Vacations
SUN Bucks gives income-qualified families the flexibility to buy groceries close to home when distance, fuel costs, work schedules, weather, or lack of transportation make daily trips to meal sites unrealistic. It complements — not replaces — traditional summe... - WHSAA Funding Warning Sparks Larger Debate Over Taxpayer Accountability
As Wyoming’s recalibration debate continues, the central question may no longer be whether the state values education. The deeper question may be whether Wyoming’s education system is prepared to embrace the same level of accountability taxpayers are increasin... - Earl Collier Announces Candidacy for Wyoming House of Representatives, District 3
“I believe our representatives should be everyday working people — not career politicians,” Collier said. “If sent to Cheyenne, I will fight every day for the values and opportunities that make Wyoming the best state in America.” - Lange: Assassination And Abortion Are Morally Equal
If we teach that abortion is no more consequential than pulling a tooth, we should not be surprised when a perfectly sane and well-educated teacher of our children takes a train to Washington to execute multiple elected officials. It’s just another day at the... - Wyoming Patriots: Building Strength, Purpose, and the Next Generation
In a state shaped by wind, distance, and long winters, self-reliance isn’t a trend, it’s part of the culture. But Wyoming Patriots isn’t about stockpiling gear or worst-case scenarios. “We use Outdoor Education as a forge,” Paulson explained.