Wyoming News Briefs

Gas prices edge slightly higher in Wyoming in the past week

CHEYENNE (WNE) — Average gasoline prices in Wyoming have risen 0.9 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.29 per gallon Monday, according to GasBuddy.com’s survey of 494 stations in Wyoming.

Prices in Wyoming are 4.1 cents per gallon lower than a month ago, and stand 62.6 cents per gallon lower than a year ago.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the lowest price in the state Sunday was $2.79, while the highest was $4.29, a difference of $1.50 per gallon.

The national average price of gasoline has fallen 7.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.22 on Monday. The national average is down 22.5 cents per gallon from a month ago, and stands 58.8 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.

Devils Tower had more than 333K visitors this summer

GILLETTE (WNE) — Devils Tower has cooled off from its record-setting pace in the first five months of the year, but it still is putting up strong numbers, which is good for the surrounding communities.

According to a report released by the National Parks Service, in 2023, visitors to Devils Tower spent about $37.6 million in the neighboring communities and generated 492 jobs, creating $14.9 million in labor income and $48.9 million in economic output and adding $26.3 million in value.

In June, July and August, 333,031 people visited Devils Tower:

June: 108,892

July: 118,635

August: 105,504

Despite both the International Pathfinder Camporee and the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally both taking place last month, the number of visitors actually dropped 1.2% compared to August 2023. Those 105,504 visitors spent 262,713 hours at the national monument.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Devils Tower had never gone three straight months with more than 100,000 visitors. But starting in 2021, it’s accomplished this feat for four straight summers now.

For the year, 416,821 people have come through the gates, close to 3% ahead of 2023.

Rodriguez-Williams to chair Wyoming Freedom Caucus

POWELL (WNE) — Coming off a dominant victory in last month’s primary election, state Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, has been tabbed as the next leader of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus.

The caucus, which has sought to move the Wyoming Legislature further to the right, announced Monday that Rodriguez-Williams had been unanimously chosen as its chairman for the next two years.

She takes over from Rep. John Bear, R-Gillette.

“Our members will continue to work hard to restore hope for Wyoming in the People's House and be strong voices for the issues that are most important to the people of Wyoming,” Rodriguez-Williams said.

She is moving into the chairman’s seat just as the caucus is poised to take on a much bigger role in the state House of Representatives.

In the past couple of legislative sessions, the Freedom Caucus and its allies generally lacked the votes to override more moderate Republicans and Democrats.

But in last month’s Republican primary, 32 of the 46 legislative candidates endorsed by the group won their races, and most, like Rodriguez-Williams, have no opponent for the general election. What the caucus called an “overwhelming electoral success” could clear the way for the group to control the House during the 68th Legislature.

In an interview immediately after the election, Rodriguez-Williams said Wyomingites will see a more conservative body.

“And I think that the people of Wyoming have spoken very loudly that that's what they want,” she said. “They don't want to be pushed around by the federal government. They don't want special interest groups being a larger voice or a louder voice than themselves. And they want results.”

Free flowing traffic returns to Togwotee as Fish Creek Fire burns to the south

JACKSON (WNE) — Free flowing traffic has returned to Highway 26/287 over Togwotee Pass where the Fish Creek Fire continues to put up smoke columns visible from Jackson.

While a pilot car system has ended, fire officials are asking the public to drive cautiously since numerous firefighters and fire vehicles continue to work along the road.

“We’d ask that people please slow down a bit,” said Cecile Stelter, a public information officer with the Northern Rockies Team 2. “Please do not stop and take pictures. Realize that there’s fire very close to the road.”

As smoke impacts people well beyond the fire’s footprint, now at 22,107 acres, Stelter recommends the public visit AirNow.gov for air quality alerts and predictions, plus tips on how to reduce health impacts from the smoke.

Although the lightning-caused fire is putting up hard-to-miss smoke columns in the afternoon, Stelter said Sunday evening that most of the heavy burning activity is in the Cottonwood Creek area along the fire’s southern edge.

“We want to assure people that fire activity is occurring well within the confinement lines that have been established,” she said. “What is happening down there is the fire is burning into some very receptive fuels, which is some beetle-killed, standing dead snags.”