Latest news with #Cheyenne
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Wyoming rededicates its Liberty Bell replica as part of celebration
CHEYENNE — Gov. Mark Gordon reminisced on the sounds that rang from the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia in July 1776 as he rang Wyoming's Liberty Bell replica after it underwent restoration and was placed in a new frame and location. Wyoming's replica bell sat on the southwest corner in front of the Wyoming State Capitol for many years, slowly falling into disrepair. When the Capitol began undergoing comprehensive renovation and restoration, the bell was removed as part of the Capitol Square Project. Since around 2018, visitors wishing to see the bell would have to call to schedule a visit to an off-site storage area. Gordon said the bell was not in good shape. 'If you walked by the western edge of the Capitol Complex some time ago, before we redid the Capitol, and looked at this bell, you can understand why people were saying, 'Good Lord, we've got to do something about putting that in storage. Because it's old, it's tacky, it's not looking good,'' he said. Kevin Ramler, director of the Wyoming State Museum, said the yoke at the top of the bell had completely collapsed because it couldn't support its own weight, so it was placed on wooden beams. To address this, the bell was shipped to Shoshoni on a semitruck for repair. A few months ago, it was installed in a new frame and mostly restored in a display in front of the Wyoming State Museum. On Thursday, it was officially rededicated by Gordon. Ramler said preservation of the bell will be ongoing, and it will remain in front of the museum for the foreseeable future. At the rededication ceremony, Nick Neylon, deputy director for Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails, spoke about the symbolic importance of having the bell on display for the public. He said the bell is a wonderful metaphor for the American experiment — deeply flawed and imperfect. 'Our nation was born out of imperfection, and we have reimagined and reformed our nation many times and many ways over the generations,' he said. 'Like the bell, we persevered through our imperfections and emerged a stronger nation each and every time.' Dave Glenn, director of Wyoming State Parks, Historic Sites and Trails, said it was a large task, as the bell weighs around a ton-and-a-half, but it was relatively inexpensive and worth the cost, as it weighs even more heavily on the cultural and historic integrity of the community. Ramler spoke a little bit about the history of Wyoming's Liberty Bell replica, as one of many across the nation that were distributed to each state across the union in 1950. He said the original intent of the replica bells was for the U.S. government to sell saving bonds. When it was given to Wyoming around 75 years ago, as in other states, it was driven across the Cowboy State to display in various towns. Those who purchased bonds and were a U.S. citizen were given the opportunity to ring the bell. Now on display for the public again, Gordon said he is reminded of the words Benjamin Franklin reportedly spoke after the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. 'A woman came up to him and said, 'What kind of government do we have?' And he said, 'A republic, if you can keep it,'' Gordon said. The rededication of the bell was part of a daylong series of events in downtown Cheyenne on the 135th anniversary of Wyoming's statehood, originally on July 10, 1890. Other portions of the celebration included a tour of the Wyoming Capitol, showcasing new displays throughout the building to allow visitors the opportunity to learn more about the state and its history. Some of these displays are more recent, while others have been in place for a few years, since the Capitol renovations began. This includes a hallway honoring women's suffrage and a hallway honoring the building's architecture and history, which features a video of Nellie Tayloe Ross, the nation's first female governor, signing her oath of office. In addition to celebrating Wyoming's statehood, the events Thursday were also part of a kickoff to a celebration of America's 250th anniversary. This celebration will include events throughout the year leading up to the anniversary on July 4, 2026. On Thursday, other festivities included a presentation on Wyoming's suffrage story, a performance by the University of Wyoming Brass Quintet, food trucks around the Capitol and a military vehicle display.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Wyoming Supreme Court maintains that convicted thief must pay thousands in restitution
CHEYENNE — The Wyoming Supreme Court has upheld the sentence of a Cheyenne man who was charged with one count of theft over $1,000 and one count of aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon in 2023. Timothy Duke was one of five co-defendants arrested in connection with an investigation of the burglary of three Cheyenne homes in December of that year. Under a plea agreement, Duke pleaded guilty to the aggravated burglary charge and prosecutors dismissed the theft charge, according to court documents. The parties recommended a sentence of not less than five years and not more than eight years of imprisonment, and Duke agreed to pay restitution, jointly and individually, with his co-defendants. The homes that were burglarized — owned by Joseph Walsh — housed rare coins, police memorabilia and firearms. They were primarily used for storage. Walsh was the only witness called to the stand at Duke's restitution hearing. He described his properties, saying one house he had inherited from his late mother. He stored her coins, guns, collectibles and a 'substantial amount of cash' at the property. The second home held the entire unsold inventory from a coin shop Walsh had previously owned, according to court documents. The third home Walsh inherited from his father. He considered it a secondary residence. That property held cash, collectibles and personal effects. When Walsh arrived to pick up mail from one of his properties in December of 2023, he found the front door had been left ajar, and the place had been 'ransacked.' Household items were missing and piles of stuff had been left around the house, according to court documents. He later visited another property to find it in the same condition. He then called the Cheyenne Police Department to report the stolen items, including missing cash, collectible coins, silver dollars, more than 70 firearms, various trade tokens and antique Wyoming police badges, according to court documents. The entire restitution claim equaled $507,000. Walsh did not request restitution for the missing coin shop inventory, and prosecutors were only seeking restitution for 'calculable' items that had not been returned. In court, prosecutors presented a large binder containing 880 pages of receipts to demonstrate how much work Walsh had put into organizing the mess and assessing the loss. Walsh and his wife, Denise Parrish, had not kept a complete inventory of the items in storage and had to sort through their remaining belongings to determine what was stolen. Following the restitution hearing, the district court received an amended pre-sentence investigation report and victim impact statement from Parrish, which confirmed that only a small amount of the stolen property was recovered. The court ultimately ordered Duke to serve five to eight years in prison and pay the more than half-a-million dollars in restitution, along with his co-defendants, according to court documents. Duke appealed the District Court's ruling based on claims that 'Walsh never fully articulated what had been retrieved by police and what was still missing,' and that Walsh was only able to provide estimated values for the items stolen. Since Walsh adjusted his restitution claim to account for the returned items and had personal expertise regarding the remaining missing items, the Wyoming Supreme Court found that 'there was sufficient evidence to sustain the district court's findings with respect to restitution.' Additionally, the state Supreme Court ruled that the district court had not abused its discretion, which was the basis of Duke's appeal.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Wyoming schools may lose $24.5M after Trump administration withholds federal funds
CHEYENNE — Wyoming officials say the Cowboy State stands to lose more than $24.5 million after the Trump administration withheld more than $6 billion in funds supporting various education programs earlier this week. Kim Amen, president of the Wyoming Education Association, said she was blindsided by the decision, and now Wyoming K-12 public school districts, as well as her organization, are in a 'scramble' to determine budgets before school begins across the state in just a few weeks. Nationally and in Wyoming, the funds withheld support professional development for teachers, support for English learners, offer student support and academic enrichment grants, and support after-school and summer enrichment programs. 'This all comes back to our students, and they're the ones that are going to suffer,' Amen said. '... Everything we do in our schools is to support our students.' She said Wyoming's public school districts will now face tough decisions about where to put their money. There is potential for teachers or paraprofessionals to lose their jobs, or other services may be cut for some school districts to continue after-school programs or professional development, if they choose to do so, Amen said. This scramble may be more pronounced in rural areas of Wyoming, as many may not have access to other services for after-school care like a YMCA and typically rely more heavily on the type of federal funds withheld by the Trump administration in this move, Amen said. The Wyoming Department of Education is encouraging school districts to not obligate any funds beyond existing carryover funds for Title II-A, Title III and 21st Century Community Learning Centers, a federal program under Title IV. Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder commented on the decision in a written statement to the WTE. 'We are constantly in contact with our partners at the federal level, and while we do not yet know the details of this review of funds, President Trump's education priorities are Wyoming's priorities, and I continue to support his leadership,' she wrote. The WDE provided the following figures that will not be allocated to the state if the funds are not distributed: • Title II-A, professional development for teachers — $10,835,611 • Title III, support for English learners — $500,000 • Title IV-A, student support and academic enrichment grants — $6,659,535 (the state was actually given allocation figures for this grant in May, but they rescinded that while they review) • Title IV-B (21st Century Community Learning Centers), after-school and summer enrichment programs — $6,515,398 • Total: $24,510,544 For Amen, she said she could see the burden falling on the state, and Wyoming taxpayers, to continue to fund services provided by Wyoming's public schools. 'We were told by some people in leadership in this state that the gutting of the (U.S.) Department of Education was actually a good thing for the state of Wyoming because it would mean that all the money would come back to the states and that we would get to decide how that money was spent. And we are seeing that that is not the case,' she said.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
55-Year-Old With $400,000 In The Bank Earning 1% Tells Dave Ramsey She's Terrified Of Investing In Stocks — He Tells Her To Buy A Rental Property
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Most people call into "The Ramsey Show" buried in debt, desperate for a plan. But Cheyenne, a 55-year-old widow from Arizona, had a different problem: she was debt-free with $400,000 saved — and was paralyzed with fear about investing it. "My money is just sitting in the bank," she admitted on an episode titled "I Have $400,000 and I'm Afraid to Invest Any of It." Dave Ramsey didn't even ask the rate — he assumed it was the typical 1%. "You can't leave $400,000 sitting at 1%," he said. "That's why you called." Don't Miss: Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — Invest early in CancerVax's breakthrough tech aiming to disrupt a $231B market. . Cheyenne explained she'd talked to two financial professionals and done her research, but kept hitting moral roadblocks. "I just didn't want to invest in a McDonald's or a Pepsi or some kind of chemical farming," she said. "I want to put my money where my heart is." But her biggest fear wasn't just ethics — it was losing it all. She told Ramsey about a friend who lost $80,000 in one month. "That just feels so out of control for me to put it somewhere where I have no control." Ramsey didn't hold back: "Your friend was investing in some kind of high-risk something to lose $80,000 in one month. Or she has two million dollars invested — one of the two." Trending: GoSun's Breakthrough Rooftop EV Charger Already Has 2,000+ Units Reserved — He explained that the "market" could mean anything — from wild speculation to slow, steady growth. "You don't have the stomach for it," he told her. "You've attempted to gain enough knowledge to get some peace and it hasn't worked." So he suggested real estate. "If you had a $400,000 property that someone rented for $3,000 or $4,000 a month, you'd be making a whole lot more than the bank." But Cheyenne had tried that. She owned two properties during the pandemic and didn't enjoy it. "I didn't lose, but it certainly wasn't worth it." So if real estate wasn't the answer and traditional stocks felt morally off-limits, what was left?Ramsey recommended she look into the Timothy Plan — a faith-based mutual fund that avoids companies engaged in tobacco, alcohol, or practices they consider un-Christian. "They've done very well," he said, noting a long-term track record. "I don't have money with them, but they've got a fund that's beating the market." He made one more point: "That bank is paying you 1%. I guarantee you they're engaged in things you don't like." Cheyenne's story isn't about greed — it's about fear, values, and wanting to do the right thing without sacrificing financial stability. And for anyone who relates, Ramsey didn't offer a formula — just a push: try something manageable. Start small. Understand what you can tolerate. Because eventually, doing nothing becomes its own kind of risk. Read Next: With Point, you can Image: Shutterstock This article 55-Year-Old With $400,000 In The Bank Earning 1% Tells Dave Ramsey She's Terrified Of Investing In Stocks — He Tells Her To Buy A Rental Property originally appeared on
Japan Times
04-07-2025
- General
- Japan Times
A furry ball of sunshine
Being around Cheyenne is like turning your face toward the early morning sun. Just the presence of this gentle, patient girl soothes and heals — you can feel it in your bones. Cheyenne is quite the golden girl herself, in both personality and years. She was born in late 2011 and had to be given up when her owner went into care. And though Cheyenne may be 13 years old, she's sprightly, simply delightful and comes with a clean bill of health. Cheyenne has a clean bill of health and is currently being fostered in the Tokyo area while waiting to find a permanent home. | Yukari Yamaguchi She's an avid walker, but won't tug on the leash. Cheyenne is happy around people, most dogs and even cats. If you're looking for a perky but calm canine companion, Cheyenne is perfect for you. She's in foster care in the Tokyo area now and looking for a permanent home. If you are interested in adopting, email ARK at Tokyoark@ or call 050-1557-2763 (English or Japanese) Monday to Saturday (bilingual) for more information. Animal Refuge Kansai (with offices in Kansai and Tokyo) is an NPO founded by U.K. native Elizabeth Oliver. It is dedicated to rescuing and rehoming abandoned animals. All animals are vaccinated, neutered and microchipped. Prospective owners are required to undergo a screening process. Web:
