Unemployment in Wyoming increased slightly to 3.7% in December
CHEYENNE — The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services reported on Jan. 25 that the state’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased slightly from 3.6 percent in November to 3.7 percent in December.
Wyoming’s unemployment rate was below its December 2021 level of 4.0 percent, but slightly higher than the current U.S. unemployment rate of 3.5 percent, the department said in a news release.
Unemployment rates often rise in December as wintry weather causes seasonal job losses in construction and other industries. The largest increases in unemployment occurred in Big Horn (3.2% to 3.8%), Sweetwater (3.6% to 4.2%), Crook (2.4% to 2.9% ) and Hot Springs (2.4% to 2.9%). %) counties.
Teton County’s unemployment rate fell from 3.8% in November to 2.4% in December as the start of the ski season boosted employment.
Sweetwater County had its highest unemployment rate at 4.2% in December. It was followed by Sublette County at 4.1%, Natrona County at 3.9%, Big Horn County at 3.8%, and Carbon County at 3.8%. The lowest unemployment rates were found in Weston and Teton counties, each at 2.4%.
Wyoming contests investment rule change
CASPER – Wyoming has joined a lawsuit filed by 25 states against the US Department of Labor over a new rule that will allow 401(k) managers to direct people’s retirement savings into environmental and social investments, the governor announced Mark Gordon.
The 2022 Investment Duties Rule makes changes that authorize trustees to consider and promote “non-pecuniary benefits,” or non-cash benefits, when making investment decisions; tackling climate change could be considered a boon even if it could cost a person financial gain.
The rule was to go into effect on January 30.
“Allowing political agendas to drive the managers who invest Americans’ retirement accounts is both unacceptable and short-sighted,” Gordon said in a Jan. 26 statement. “Their sole responsibility must be the best financial interests of the beneficiaries.”
A “declared desire to address climate change” by the Biden administration could put retirement savings at unnecessary risk, Gordon said.
The states involved in the lawsuit argue that the rule is contrary to long-standing laws outlined in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.
Federal law ensures that trustees do not misuse workers’ retirement savings.
About two-thirds of the adult population will be affected. There are 152 million workers with retirement savings totaling $12 trillion in assets.
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and now Wyoming, they’re all part of the cause.
Bill for $5.25 million to strengthen the Border Crossing Committee
JACKSON – Some lawmakers want to send millions out of state to help build a border wall and transport migrants from Southwestern states to sanctuary cities.
Titled “Border Wall and Urban Transportation Sanctuary,” the bill proposes that the governor enter into contracts with the state of Texas, giving the state $3 million to help build a border wall, $250,000 of which could be used for transporting non-US citizens to sanctuary cities in other states.
The bill, passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee 3-2 this week, proposes sending $2 million to Arizona for the same purpose and $250,000 to Florida to transport migrants.
A sanctuary city is not a legal term, but refers to communities that have a written or unwritten practice of restricting enforcement, without violating, federal immigration law.
Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, recently introduced an amendment to gut the all funding bill.
Instead of sending $5.25 million out of the state for three projects, Gierau’s amendment proposed sending $1 to each instead.
The bill passed the Appropriations Committee 3-2 and will later be taken up again in the Senate.
Barrasso, Lummis joins bill to stop student debt relief
CHEYENNE — U.S. Senators John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, both of Wyoming, have joined U.S. Senator Rick Scott, of Florida, in reintroducing the Debt Cancellation Accountability Act.
A press release from Barrasso’s office said, “This legislation would prevent the Biden administration from enforcing an excessive and irresponsible sweeping cancellation of student loans. Requires the U.S. Department of Education to obtain an explicit appropriation from Congress to pay any federal student loan debts that the Department proposes to waive, settle, or otherwise reduce whenever they are made to two or more borrowers for an amount greater than $1,000,000, rather than on a case-by-case basis.”
Barrasso said in the statement, “President Biden’s attempt to cancel millions of dollars in student loans undermines hard-working Americans who are responsibly paying down their debt. … Our bill will hold the administration accountable and ensure that no taxpayer in Wyoming or across the country is stuck paying off someone else’s student loans.”
The release quotes Lummis as saying, “It is madness that the Biden administration believes that people in Wyoming should fund its student loan bailout. It’s unconstitutional and it’s unfair.”
Wyoming Supreme Court reinstates Cody’s attorney
POWELL — After more than six years of disbarment, Cody’s attorney and former state legislator Sam Krone has been reinstated to the Wyoming State Bar.
Krone’s law license was suspended in 2016, after it was discovered he had stolen more than $9,600 from the Park County Bar Association.
Krone was fired from the county attorney’s office in February 2016 after he sent a series of expletive-laden and demeaning messages to a woman accused of drunk driving, including taunting her about the pending charge. Krone knew the woman personally and was not personally pursuing the case, but his boss, County Attorney Bryan Skoric, called the messages “absolutely despicable” and inappropriate.
Several months later, the lawyers’ group reported thousands of dollars missing, and an investigation concluded that Krone, the group’s treasurer, had stolen $9,633.71. Eventually he pleaded guilty to the crime.
However, the state’s Board of Professional Responsibility found this month that Krone had made a “compelling case” for reinstatement, saying he had demonstrated that he overcame the issues that led to his disbarment.
In a January 25 order, the Wyoming Supreme Court unanimously adopted the counsel’s recommendation and reinstated Krone’s ability to practice law.
He will begin solo practice in the coming months and started working as an assistant public defender on January 30.
After spending the past few years assisting families with behavioral health issues and working with teens struggling with drug and alcohol abuse, Krone told the bar she wants to focus her practice on young people and those who are indigent and underrepresented. .
Under a deferred charge settlement, the felony charge was dismissed in November 2020, after Krone successfully completed his probation.
In a January 17 report by the Board of Professional Responsibility recommending his reinstatement, a three-member panel found “with clear and compelling evidence, that [Krone] has been rehabilitated.”
School investigates students with ‘white privilege cards’
CHEYENNE — Carey Junior High School has completed an investigation into an incident last week in which students were found with store-bought “white privilege cards,” according to the school principal.
“Last April, Laramie County School District 1 issued a letter of call to action in response to bullying and racism in the community,” Carey Junior High principal Derek Nissen said in an email to parents on the morning of January 27th. “At that time, we promised consistent and transparent communications for the future.”
“We have just completed an investigation into an incident that occurred earlier this week at Carey Junior High. That day, students at the school were distributed a set of store-bought ‘white privilege cards’,” Nissen said.
She went on to say that, as a school and a district, “this type of behavior is not aligned with our focus on kindness and compassion.”
Staff are working with a ‘Sources of Strength’ team to provide recovery opportunities for those students who have been affected by the distribution of these cards.
“Since last spring, we’ve been working on programs that promote kindness and develop language and support systems for students, staff, and communities,” Nissen continued. “Some of these programs include Sources of Strength, Olweus Bullying Prevention and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support. However, an incident like this reminds us that there is still work to be done.”
From the Wyoming News Exchange
