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Articles written by Morgan Hughes


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  • Wyoming leads on variant testing

    Morgan Hughes, Casper Star-Tribune Via Wyoming News Exchange|Aug 5, 2021

    CASPER – As COVID-19 variants emerge globally, Wyoming is by a wide margin leading the nation in work to identify those mutations. Nearly 19% of COVID-19 tests in Wyoming are being genetically sequenced, meaning the department is analyzing the genetic base pairs that make up the virus’ DNA to identify mutations. Washington state places second, with fewer than 8% of tests sequenced, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of states are analyzing fewer than 3% of virus tests. As more virus mutations have eme...

  • Charter school bill becomes law

    Morgan Hughes, Casper Star-Tribune Via Wyoming News Exchange|Apr 29, 2021

    CASPER — A bill that allows applications to create charter schools in Wyoming to circumvent school districts has passed into law without Gov. Mark Gordon’s signature. The legislation allows the State Loan and Investment Board to approve a charter school. Typically, local school districts have approved charter schools in the state. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, sailed through both chambers of the Legislature with just a handful of amendments. But Gordon left his signature off the legislation — not vetoing it but n...

  • Insurance enrollment underway with state help

    Morgan Hughes, Casper Star-Tribune Via Wyoming News Exchange|Dec 3, 2020

    CASPER — It is again the time when Wyomingites can apply for health care through the federal marketplace established by the Obama-era Affordable Care Act. The state has put new resources toward helping residents apply, and those looking for coverage will have a new option this year. Gov. Mark Gordon in October allocated $600,000 of federal coronavirus relief money toward promoting the open enrollment period. “Wyoming is facing increased numbers of uninsured residents as a result of the pandemic,” Gordon said in a release announcing the fundi...

  • Crowd shouts down commission meeting

    Morgan Hughes, Casper Star-Tribune Via Wyoming News Exchange|Nov 5, 2020

    CASPER – A meeting intended to discuss the surge of coronavirus cases in Natrona County and a possible mask order ended abruptly Monday after a hostile crowd repeatedly interrupted and heckled doctors and politicians who were trying to speak. Natrona County commissioners called the meeting to discuss the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, how it’s affecting local health resources and what can be done to stem the spread of the virus. Scheduled to speak was a list of local officials: Casper-Natrona County Health Department director Anna Kinder, cou...