Around the 307
News, commentary, and other items of interest from the greater Wyoming landscape.
[Want to modify the number of weekly emails you receive? Find out how at the end of this post.]
Here are a few news items of interest from the week of April 27th, 2025:
On Wednesday, April 30th, The Rocket Miner published an article about a new report from the Wyoming State Geological Survey (WSGS) which examines landslide probabilities in Teton County. “Teton County is one of the most landslide-prone parts of the state,” said WSGS geologist James Mauch who was the lead author of the report titled Susceptibility to Deep-Seated Landslides in Central and Southern Teton County. The recent Big Fill landslide along with the Gros Ventre slide of 1925 and Budge Drive slide in 2014 are just a few examples that have caused large infrastructure damage and economic loss. Read the full story here.
And today, Saturday, May 3rd, it’s back to bear-jam season on Togwotee Pass. With grass greening up along the sides of state highways, grizzly moms and cubs are often drawn to these areas in search of food. Along Togwotee with its steep grades, blind corners, and the likelihood of high speeds when you add a few roadside grizzlies to the mix it spells trouble. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Forest Service are already pleading with people this season to please follow “ethical wildlife viewing and photography practices” on Togwotee Pass. These agencies have also jointly stepped up patrols to minimize traffic jams and ensure safety for both humans and bears. Read more about this story in this article from WyoFile. We all love seeing our Wyoming wildlife, but let’s be safe out there!
Also today, the Star Valley Independent published this sobering story via the Wyoming News Exchange letting us know that unfortunately the Cowboy State ranks 3rd in the nation when it comes to losses per capita to scammers. In 2024, scammers stole more than $43 million dollars from Wyomingites according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. Most of those thefts took the form of phishing/spoofing, extortion, personal data breaches, and investment fraud (the latter particularly involving cryptocurrency). Folks, please be careful out there especially if you receive unexpected or unknown contact from someone on the Internet, by telephone, or in person. Always be cautious and verify information with legitimate sources. Never click on suspicious links or attachments, and resist pressure to act quickly. Report any suspected scam activity to the relevant authorities. Remember the old adage, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Lastly—as it’s the last week of the month, here are a few Wyoming historical events (some well known, others obscure) that occurred during the month of April.
April 15th, 1868—Atlantic City Wyoming founded by Col. Charles W. Tozer, Charles Collins and H.A. Thompson.
April 24th, 1903—President Theodore Roosevelt dedicates a new stone archway at the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
April 11th, 1964—University of Wyoming dedicated copper-plated dinosaur designed by Dr. Sam Knight.
That’s all for today folks! Thanks for reading and have a great week!
Want to customize your Close to Home 307 subscription and the number of emails you receive each week? Please click this About page link and scroll midway down the page to learn how to update your settings.