The Open Range Record article archive — page 6
Complete archive of news articles, investigations and columns published by The Open Range Record, Wyoming's Independent News Source.
- Letter: Much Ado About Nothing or Ignore What Democrats Do
"These liberals are using the same tactics that they used against Trump! Make accusations, trigger investigations, let the press run wild with it, pontificate, disrupt, ignore the rules, generally do anything and everything to stop the effectiveness of the con... - Wyoming’s Nuclear Future Was Planned In Paris
The world’s most influential clean-energy investor freeing himself from corporate governance and stepping down from his own company — all on the same day — marked the beginning of the transformation now unfolding in Wyoming. - Equality in Name Only: The Permit Burlingame Didn't Have
"The youth and adult crowd that gathered on the 13th of February, seemed to have something in common, Anti-Ice signs and Angry voices. There was no indication if there was in fact a “Equality/Valentine” rally taking place." - Legislating in the Budget: Who Does It and Why It's Bad
There are countless other examples where policies were created by a small budget amendment without any public testimony or discussion in a committee. Critics of this practice claim that this eliminates public participation. - The HUGE .0001 Affordable Housing Scam
The Natrona County Assessor’s Office shows “Casper Housing Authority CARES” as the owner of the Liberty Square Apartments, but documents obtained by Eyes on Wyoming reveal Boston Financial as the 99.98% owner. The Casper Housing Authority merely manages the bu... - Gordon's Exec Order: Election Hypocrisy or Within His Power?
"Public capitol grounds are public forums and are constitutionally protected. A blanket prohibition on campaign check exchanges, particularly if selectively enforced, could invite constitutional scrutiny." - BREAKING NEWS 12PM Feb 17
The Open Range Record will go live at 12:00 PM with a Breaking News report concerning the events of the last 4 days in the Wyoming Legislature. - Week 1 in Review: Viral Votes, Procedural Gates and an Ethics Storm
The legislative week goes by quickly. Here's a quick review of some of the bigger happenings in Cheyenne. - Watch: The Roundup Episode 4, Feb 12, 2026
Join David as he breaks down the day's events. Guests: Rebecca Bextel and gubernatorial candidate Joseph Kibler - 34 Legislators Vote to Spend Your Money on Lobbyists
"The central question is should taxpayers pay for lobbying organizations that often advocate in favor of government and not on behalf of citizens. 34 members of the House think you should." - The Uncomfortable Reality of Child Sexual Abuse in Wyoming
Legislation in 2026, showcased a growing problem in our state. Bills usually arise when there is a need to correct or protect a certain situation. These pieces of legislation unveiled an unpalatable truth, there is a massive growing problem in our state. - "Is It Live or Is It Memorex?" How AI is Changing the Wyoming Legislature
"With younger legislators moving into the building, technology is beginning to change with the times. New programs and spread sheets, and different ways of doing research have evolved. No longer do the legislators pore over statute books in the library or carr... - Tick Tock Went the Senate Clock, Or Did It?
Throughout the session, leadership in the Senate claimed they didn't have enough time to discuss numerous House bills. But, they repeatedly left well before the House had finished debating. Even when Senators questioned what Senate leadership was doing, Nether... - County17 News Deceptively Edits Rep Pendergraft Quotation, Completely Changes Meaning
In a March 4 article, County17 news deceptively edited a quotation from Sheridan Rep Ken Pendergraft completely changing the meaning of what he said. It's not the first time he has been taken out of context but it is the most blatant by a news organization. - WATCH: The Roundup March 5
Join David as he runs down the day's events in the 2026 Budget Session. Rep Gary Brown joins the program - Empty Seats: Several Lawmakers Marked Absent After SF123 Debate
Legislative sessions are long, and lawmakers often balance official duties with other commitments during the Legislature’s 20-day budget session. But the departures came on a night when legislative deadlines were approaching, and several bills still awaited ac... - Taxing Without a Vote: Senate Kills HB0127
The school board not only voted to create the recreation district and impose the tax, but they also decided that the necessary rec board should be made up of only current school board trustees. - HB178 Fills Senate Gallery with Union Members
"HB0178 would prohibit public employers from collecting union dues or political contributions through government payroll systems. Under current systems, some public employees authorize automatic deductions from their paychecks that are routed to labor organiza... - Biteman Allows Lobbyist Access to Senate Chamber
On several occasions throughout the legislative session Pazell has been seen physically present within the Senate chambers during session, and in the office of Senate President Bo Biteman. - Two Speeds at the Capitol: As Senate Slow-Walks House Bills to Death, House Finishes Work
Several lawmakers say the Senate has been moving House bills slowly through first reading, a procedural step that can effectively prevent them from advancing before the cutoff. - HB69 Update: Sen Case Re-inserts Conflicted 90 Acre Transfer
The House had amended the bill to remove the 90.87-acre housing parcel. The Senate has now restored it, bringing the bill back to nearly its original footprint. HB0069 is now positioned on second reading in the Senate. - From “Complaint” to Headline: A Ten-Minute Incident and a Two-Day Media Surge
"Despite the level of internal awareness established the night before, there were no headlines, no public statements, and no visible reporting. The story did not appear in the press. From the public’s perspective, nothing had happened." - Hendrix: How to Fix Education
"When school boards or administrators choose to increase the size of administration in their districts instead of spending the money in the classroom or in hiring new teachers or support staff, they are robbing our children and are guilty of misuse of funds, a... - Who is Gail Symons, Really?
"You cannot accuse others of ideological rigidity while consistently advancing one side of every ideological fight. You cannot call reform “dangerous” while dismissing skepticism as “bogeyman politics." - Who Controls the Pipeline? HB 178 and the Reshaping of Union Funding
"As amended, HB178 prohibits public employers from deducting union dues or political contributions from employee paychecks. The restriction applies broadly to unions, political action committees, and political organizations." - A Morning With the Speaker
"Good hearts exist on both sides of the aisle. And sometimes, in the middle of the loudest storms, it’s the quiet gestures that steady you." - WATCH: The Open Range Roundup Feb 27
Join The Open Range Staff as we give you a quick run-down of the last few days - Three Democrat Claims and the People Who Helped Them
"The connection between what happened on the House floor Feb. 9, and any piece of legislation was entirely contrived. That became clear in the investigatory committee. But the narrative was extended and escalated beyond legislators into the Republican Party ap... - Testimony Links LSO to Check Controversy Coordination
This alleged refusal to provide drafting services to a sitting Republican member, while simultaneously assisting the opposition, has fueled concerns that the LSO is selectively exercising its power to shape legislative outcomes. - Due Process or Public Spectacle? What the February 26 Investigation Revealed
"After more than three hours of testimony from witnesses, representatives, and individuals directly involved, a clearer picture emerged. The narrative initially presented in media reports — that something covert or improper had occurred — did not withstand scr... - WATCH: Cowboy State Politics--The Democrats' Failed Investigation with Rebecca Bextel 8AM
Democrats Karlee Provenza, Mike Yin, Liz Storer with the help of Matt Obrecht orchestrated the check controversy from the very beginning and yesterday's Special Investigative Committee proved it. - Lawyers, "Affordable Housing," and Scams: Natrona County Town Hall Held
Rebecca Bextel detailed Wyoming's "ravenous group of middlemen", like BlueLine Development, who arguably gain more value from these projects than the intended recipients, according to the CATO Institute’s recent investigation and testimony to Congress. - Campaign Cash: Data Uncovers Wyoming's "Alignment Gap"
The comprehensive report, which analyzed $2,778,437.36 in total funding across 5,723 donations, uncovers a striking "Inverse Relationship" between a lawmaker’s adherence to the official Republican Party platform and their fundraising prowess. - Senate File 9 Advances Unanimously, Strengthening Penalties for Fentanyl Distribution to Minors
Under the proposed language, any person 18 years of age or older who unlawfully distributes fentanyl to a person under 18 would face enhanced penalties, up to twice the otherwise authorized fine, imprisonment, or both. - HB 10: Discernment Over Deception
"The question is narrower and more practical: Should graphic depictions of sexual acts be available to minors in a K-12 school library? And should taxpayers pay for it." - Very Interesting: New Tech Tool Links Voting Records with Campaign Financing
The tool now provides a direct link between the Wyoming Secretary of State’s campaign finance data and individual legislator profiles. While this financial information has long been public, it was previously siloed within the state’s reporting systems. - Senate Recalibration Bill Passes Senate, Currently in House Education
As with the house version, SF0081 increases school funding by approximately $127 million over the next two years. - Amateurism in High School Athletics Sailing Through Legislature
"SF0053 prohibits student athletes from receiving compensation tied directly to participation in sports sanctioned by the Wyoming High School Activities Association" - Idaho Supreme Court victory for educational choice bodes well for Wyoming scholarship supporters
"The Wyoming Constitution, in particular in Article 1, Section 23, asks the state Legislature to go above and beyond funding an appropriate education and to “encourage means and agencies calculated to advance the sciences and the liberal arts.” - Parental Rights Bill Passes House, Moves to Senate
Under this bill, if passed into law, parents can ask the court to declare that their rights have been violated and order the government entity guilty of the violation to stop the infringing action. - Who Decides and When: Two Transparency Bills Fail
"The debate is not about whether Wyoming should pursue advanced nuclear energy. It is about when the public is brought into decisions that carry long-term consequences." - Steinmetz: Water is one of Wyoming’s most Precious Resources
"The recalibration bill initially failed in the House, but has been reintroduced in the Senate, and the work continues. Legislators are listening carefully to concerns from school boards, superintendents, educators, and parents across Wyoming." - Wylie Posts to Image of HB0001 with Caption, "...Burnin' Down the House"
"While debate stretched on — and while the introduction clock ticked down — the image circulating online paired the state budget with “Burning Down the House.” - War of Attrition, Parental Rights in Wyoming: A Right That Cannot Be Enforced Is Not a Right - It’s a Slogan
Lawsuits are expensive. Injunctions are slow. Judges are reluctant. And school districts know it. They don’t need to win outright. They just need parents to give up. - Why All the Vote Switching?
An analysis of the voting records identifies 12 distinct bills brought to a vote with a total of 137 individual vote changes recorded. These are not random shifts; they are calculated responses to the real-time math happening on every representative's desk - We Could Have More Non-Partisan Elections
Under the bill, candidates for these offices would no longer run as Republicans or Democrats on the ballot. Instead, they would be nominated through nonpartisan primary elections. - Opening Day Rhetoric Meets Procedural Reality at the Capitol
Several high-profile bills failed to meet that threshold, killing them outright without hearings, debate, or public testimony. - Letter: The Case for “Club No”
"Outside of being pouty, however, the Governor’s label for the conservative majority isn’t entirely wrong. “Club No” is against things – primarily, Club No is against an ever-expanding government." - Why Megan Degenfelder is Leaving Education
"She said that she is frustrated by the constraints placed on her as superintendent and the inability to make real change in education – in the curriculum." - WATCH: The Roundup Feb 24, 2026
Rep Ken Pendergraft from Sheridan joins the show to talk about Appropriations and what's been happening on the floor. Particularly, Sheridan College, what's going on with the Senate Budget bill, maybe guns and more!