Local Lookout: Teachers get raises | Student programs face cuts | Historic Cheyenne building burns 

Albany County school officials warn of budget uncertainty under state’s new model
Laramie Boomerang
As Wyoming’s sweeping school funding overhaul begins taking shape, Albany County School District 1 officials have warned that the changes could force difficult decisions about staffing, operations and long-term budgeting while creating significant uncertainty for districts across the state. Earlier this year, the Wyoming Legislature passed the recalibration bill, which restructures how state funds flow to public schools and places new restrictions on how the money can be spent, the Laramie Boomerang reports. “This is a major reconstructing of how Wyoming funds its school districts,” the district’s Chief Financial Officer Trystin Green said. Read the full story.

Gillette teachers receive raises amid uncertainty over insurance, activities funding
Gillette News Record
Teachers in the Campbell County School District will get a pay bump next school year, but this may come at a price for the district due to the state’s funding model that passed earlier this year. The school board approved a $6,500 pay raise to teachers’ base salary schedules and a 9% raise to educational support professionals and certified staff base pay. The board also approved a 5% raise to the base salary for administrators. Students’ recreation programs won’t be cut this year because the district is using reserves to cover those. But after next school year, the future for regional sports tournaments and other student activities across Wyoming could be cut, the Gillette News Record reports. Read the full story.

Rock Springs debate student protests Legislature’s cuts to extracurricular programs
Rocket Miner
When Rock Springs High School junior Jeremiah Bear accepted a recognition certificate at the Sweetwater County School District No. 1 board meeting, he did more than shake hands. Bear opened his blazer and revealed a message scrawled in black across his white shirt: “Protect WY Activities.” The silent protest from the state champion in humorous interpretation was aimed at the 2026 Legislative Recalibration Bill. The legislation has sparked statewide concern over an $8.4 million funding gap that threatens to gut extracurricular programs, including Bear’s own Speech and Debate team. Rep. Scott Heiner, R-Green River, called the funding shortfall an “unintended consequence” that the Legislature intends to fix, the Rocket Miner reports. Read the full story.

Historic Pumphouse in downtown Cheyenne burns, roof appears to be total loss
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Cheyenne Fire Rescue responded to a structure fire Saturday night at the Historic Pumphouse. The blaze comes just three months after the Cheyenne City Council voted to move forward with a design contract for a plan to renovate the building to house the city’s Clean and Safe Team’s office and equipment storage. When asked whether the city’s project would be able to continue, Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle in a text message: “It does look like the roof is a total loss. The walls look mostly intact, so I have some hope we will be able to save the structure and complete our planned renovation restoration.” Read the full story.

Sixth-penny tax measure advances in Weston County
News Letter Journal
Weston County commissioners have voted to place a proposed sixth-penny specific-purpose tax on the general election ballot after weeks of discussion about scope and feasibility. The decision follows earlier concerns from commissioners that an initial, wide-ranging list of projects could result in a tax lasting decades. Since then, Newcastle worked to refine the proposal, focusing on a more targeted set of priority projects. If approved, the tax would fund a mix of infrastructure, equipment and community projects ranging from street repairs to an ambulance to public swimming pools in Newcastle and Upton, the News Letter Journal reports. Read the full story.