Committee begins examining new health pilot project

By Tom Lacock, Cowboy State Free Press Correspondent

DOUGLAS–The head of the Wyoming Health Information Network (WHIN) said today he believes a new state health pilot program may help bring stability to the population of Wyomingites living without health insurance.

Dr. Hank Gardner was present when representatives of the Governor’s Office, AARP, the state legislature and others began to write the rules for a Health Insurance Reform Demonstration project today in Douglas. The program came out of this year’s legislative session and the committee charged with carrying it out is studying how preventative care of chronic diseases can impact health care costs in the state.

The program has four stated goals including trying to expand the definition of preventative care, designing a co-pay system to drive the insured to primary care and consultation; seting up a Health Savings Account program and putting together a preventative team for the insured. The preventative team could consist of a pharmacist, a nurse practitioner to help prevent chronic problems from becoming severe while helping the patient navigate through the system.

Gardner was at Friday’s meeting to offer data and a cost model for current uninsured and underinsured adults in the state who are not eligible for Medicaid and may not be covered by employer-sponsored health care. WHIN estimates insurance coverage for an individual, as well as a $1,000 annual Health Savings Account contribution made by the state, would cost between $3,200-3,500 per person.

He went on to say health insurance is key to keeping stability in cost controls for the state in workers comp as well as unemployment insurance costs.

“When people get a job, they move off of Medicaid, but their benefits are gone,” Gardner said. “They have a job, so they can file for workers comp and then they can claim unemployment benefits as well.”

“A lot of these people (of those physically and mentally capable of work) are unstable economically and socioeconomically,” Gardner continued. “In many cases, the root of that is absence of health insurance. When health insurance is lost, so is your medications and then it is a cascade.”

The new law would help Wyomingites who are under 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level and are working at least 20 hours-a-week to be eligible for chronic screenings like heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancers – dependent on an individual’s risk factors. The second part of the three-step process will be mitigation of the disease such as dietary or medication aid.

The program’s third phase would involve setting up a health spending account, which the individual and the state would contribute to and would follow the participant if and when they received private insurance. The Health Savings Account could be used for everything from doctor’s visits to prescriptions.

The first 500 people who meet the eligibility requirements and are referred to the program through a Health and Human Service agency in Wyoming will be allowed in the program. Among those getting priority for the program will be those who have completed workforce development or training programs, are no longer eligible to receive Medicaid, but exceed limitations and parents of children enrolled in the KidCare – the state’s health insurance program for children.

Wendy Curran of the Governor’s office pointed out that there are four chronic diseases – heart disease, asthma, stroke and diabetis – that cause 60 percent of the health care needs in the country.

“There is no silver bullet,” Rick Schum of Blue Cross told the group. “If we can stand back and look down from 35 thousand feet we can figure out what we are trying to do.”

Top Wyo education official pushed for Ayers cancellation

by Molly Messick, Wyoming Public Radio

LARAMIE–Documents released last week through a public records request show that the state’s top elected education official called for the cancellation of William Ayers’ visit to the University of Wyoming based on the potential for lost donations.

Ayers is the former militant activist turned education professor who was originally scheduled to speak at U-W in early April.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jim McBride said in three separate emails that Ayers’ visit could cost the university “millions.”

Reached this week, McBride described his thinking this way. “If you were the Board of Trustees of Coca-Cola, and someone inside Coca-Cola was going to damage your brand name and maybe make it more difficult for you to make money, would it be wise to call the CEO of Coca-Cola, call it to his attention and ask him to do something about it?”

Whether Ayers’ initial visit was cancelled in part due to threats of lost donations has been a question since the decision was made. Many have voiced concern that the university might have weighed academic freedom and free speech against the potential financial cost of upsetting prominent university donors.

Read more at;

http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wpr/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1646684

Colorado businessman proposes 560-mile water pipeline from Wyoming

from matternetwork.com

A proposed pipeline carrying water 560 miles from Wyoming to Colorado would likely take the pressure off farmers and municipalities on the growing front range… but at what price?

Colorado’s population is expected to double by 2050, when 10 million people will call the state home. According to some estimates, that growth will likely require an additional one million acre-feet of water per year.

The problem, in terms of long-term water planning, is that roughly ninety percent of Coloradoans live east of the Continental Divide, while about 75 percent of water falls on the Western Slope. But relatively little of that Western Slope water is unspoken for, and making any more claims on it would put enormous pressure on upstream riparian habitats and downstream agricultural producers alike. It’s a different story to the north in Wyoming, however, where unappropriated water still runs fast and strong in the Green River.

And that’s where Aaron Million comes in. The Colorado rancher-turned-entrepreneur has proposed a plan to export up to 250,000 acre feet of water per year from the Green River, 560 miles to the south, to the growing cities along Colorado’s front range. Million hatched the plan in 2003, right around the time he and I took a graduate seminar in environmental politics together. I saw Aaron on and off for the next few years on the campus at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, and I knew he had a plan for some water project, but for some reason I didn’t think he was that serious about it. I was wrong.

An avid fly-fisherman, and a bit of a free market environmentalist, the Boulder-raised Million is not your run-of-the-mill rancher. Nor is his, a run-of-the-mill plan.

Million developed the idea of the project while working on his PhD in Resource Economics at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. But when he spoke of the plan then, it seemed, to me at least, little more than a pipe dream. Today, however, the Army Corps of Engineers is preparing an Environmental Impact Study of the proposal, a proposal that could take the pinch off Colorado farmers and municipalities alike.

Below the Flaming Gorge Reservoir, the Green River hooks out of Utah then loops briefly through Colorado before swinging back into Utah. Million wants to take advantage of Colorado’s remaining entitlement under the 1922 Colorado River Compact, saying about his 2003 epiphany, “I knew the Green River was a legal tributary of the Colorado River mainstream that would allow for a legal filing and appropriation of the water for the state.”

The Colorado Water Conservation Board estimates the state has 440,000-1.4 million acre-feet of water to develop under the compact.

The pipeline would carry unclaimed Green River water from near Wyoming’s southwestern border with Utah, eastward, alongside the Interstate 80 corridor and across the Continental Divide, which is only about 7,000 feet at that crossing. From there, the pipeline would head down into Laramie and turn southward, pointing toward several reservoirs on the Colorado Front Range

Sixteen pumping stations powered by locally abundant natural gas would be situated along the 560 mile route.

The Flaming Gorge project one of several plans to bring water to Colorado’s front range currently being considered. A 2003 study conducted by Colorado officials found 15 potential big straw possibilities , ranging in cost from $3.7 billion to $15 billion.

Million estimates his project would cost in the vicinity of $3 billion to $6 billion, but keeps his lips pretty sealed about his own personal investment in the water project, “More than a case of Fat Tire, and less than a Gulf Stream V,” he says.

Opponents of the Flaming Gorge project claim that Million is just a water speculator who hasn’t shown all his cards yet. And the Army Corps of Engineers agrees. In July, Corps officials sent a letter (pdf) to Million asking who exactly the project’s consumers would be. Million has said in the past that buyers of the water would be a mix of agricultural and municipal.

In Wyoming, residents see the pipeline as a good old fashioned water grab and residents remain mostly united in opposition. Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal recently weighed-in during the Army Corps of Engineers public comment period on the plan.

“I’m not sure they have adequate definition of the need for the project to even do the analysis,” said Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal, adding, “I think this is just a rich guy who just wants to move water.”

Read more at http://www.matternetwork.com/2010/5/colorado-businessman-proposes-560-mile.cfm

Wyo Dems say Enzi protecting status quo

CASPER – Sen. Enzi cosponsored and defended an amendment yesterday that would have undercut critical consumer protections in the Wall Street reform legislation moving through Congress. Wyoming Democratic Party Communications Director Brianna Jones released the following statement:

“Central to reforming Wall Street is ensuring that consumers are protected from unfair and abusive lending policies and requiring banks and credit card companies to provide clear and complete information about their products.

“Senator Enzi is supporting proposals that masquerade under the banner of consumer protection, but would actually protect the status quo. Consumers need reliable regulation that they can count on; they don’t want a sham agency that actually continues protecting the very people engaged in practices that harm them.

“The amendment brought yesterday failed because a majority of Senators recognize the critical need curb the practices that helped lead us into the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression. The American people want real Wall Street reform and Sen. Enzi needs to stop serving as an obstructionist and begin offering genuinely constructive amendments on behalf of the consumer.”

UW Trustees okay bonds after receiving strong ratings

LARAMIE — The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees today approved the university’s 2010 bond series, totaling $44.9 million, including $39 million in revenue bonds to construct a new Visual Arts Facility and renovate Downey Hall.

The board also approved $5.4 million for refunding of the 2001 bond series.

The board’s action follows strong ratings from Moody’s (Aa3) and Standard & Poor’s (AA-), two of the nation’s preeminent credit rating agencies. UW’s rankings signify a stable financial outlook and enable the university to borrow money at favorable interest rates now and into the future, says Douglas H. Vinzant, UW’s vice president for administration.

“The strong ratings from Moody’s and S&P’s enable the university to borrow money at very low rates, reducing the interest costs we have to pay on the debt,” Vinzant says. “A major factor in our ratings has been the strong operating and capital budget support provided by the state of Wyoming.”

The $33 million Visual Arts Facility, to be located on university-owned property east of the Centennial Complex that houses the American Heritage Center and UW Art Museum, will expand existing art programs and add new ones. Construction is expected to begin this summer and be completed in 18 months.

The $6 million renovation of Downey Hall, an eight-story, 203-room residence hall, will provide improved life, safety and infrastructure support. Renovations are expected to be complete by fall 2011.

UW Trustees Approve Maximum Price for Visual Arts Facility

LARAMIE — The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees today approved a guaranteed maximum price for construction of a Visual Arts Facility.

Trustees approved a GMP of $26.674 million, as proposed by GE Johnson Construction Inc., the project’s construction manager-at-risk. A GMP ensures the costs of the project will not exceed the agreed-upon price.

The trustees’ approval will allow construction of the facility to begin in August, with completion scheduled 18 months after construction begins. The Visual Arts Facility will be located east of the Centennial Complex building that houses the UW Art Museum and American Heritage Center. It will replace overcrowded and out-of-date facilities for visual arts and will include studios for ceramics, drawing, painting, printmaking, graphic design, art history and sculpture.

The Wyoming State Legislature approved issuing revenue bonds for the project not to exceed $33 million, to be paid for by UW’s share of federal mineral royalties, which are restricted by law to use for capital facilities purposes.

Gov elevates Circuit Court judge to District Court bench

CHEYENNE–-Gov. Dave Freudenthal appointed Circuit Court Judge Timothy C. Day to replace retiring District Court Judge Nancy Guthrie in the Ninth Judicial District, which includes Fremont, Sublette and Teton counties.

“The Judicial Nominating Commission gave me three incredibly well-qualified individuals,” Gov. Freudenthal said. “It was a difficult choice. Judge Day’s judicial experience weighed heavily in my decision. I know that Judge Day will be a great jurist on the district court bench,” Freudenthal said.

“It is humbling to be selected for this position from the company of so many qualified candidates and truly great people,” Judge Day said. “I have loved working in the Circuit Court with a wonderful team to serve our community and try to do justice. I am excited and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue that work in the District Court.”

In a letter supporting his expression of interest, Wyoming Supreme Court Justice Marilyn Kite wrote that, “[h]e has pioneered in his work with his drug court, strived tirelessly to address the problems of legal services for the poor, and continued to participate fully in the community.”

Day, who has been a circuit court judge for seven years, was formerly in private practice and also served as a prosecutor in Teton county. Day is a member and former president of the Wyoming State Bar. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota college of law and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin.

Day’s wife, Jean, is an attorney in Jackson and their daughter, Anna, is a sophomore at Grinnell College in Iowa.

Gov Freudenthal names Judge Nancy Guthrie to Legal Counsel position

CHEYENNE–-Governor Dave Freudenthal announced that retiring state district court Judge Nancy Guthrie will succeed Kelly Rankin as the governor’s legal counsel.

“Judge Guthrie will do a great job,” Freduenthal said. “She has the temperament and the intellect to do one of the toughest jobs in the office, and I’m delighted she’ll be joining us,” he said.

Guthrie, who announced her retirement last month, will take up the post July 6. Rankin, who joined the staff in January, is returning to the U.S. Attorney’s office to head its criminal division.

“Kelly did an outstanding job and we’re all going to miss him,” Freudenthal said. “We wish him well as he joins the federal family and we thank him for his service to the office and the people of the state,” he said

The position of governor’s legal counsel encompasses: constituent interaction, the review and approval of rules for state agencies and boards, direct interaction with the tribes of the Wind River Indian Reservation and the provision of legal advice to the state’s top elected official.

Kid’s diet, physical activity tied to school achievement, Wyo health conference told

by Mary Angell, Cowboy State Free Press Reporter

CHEYENNE–Children whose schools provide them nutritious food choices and opportunities for physical activity perform better academically.

Even small measures like teachers initiating a rousing game of rock, paper, scissors to give kids a physical break from their schoolwork make a difference, according to Mike Miller, healthy schools coordinator for the Campbell County School District.

Miller spoke on physical activity and nutrition in schools at the Wyoming Chronic Disease Conference, held Wednesday and Thursday at Little America in Cheyenne. The conference, hosted by the Wyoming Department of Health, was designed to increase awareness among health care professionals of chronic disease risk factors in Wyoming.

Data collected on the level of fitness of Campbell County children show they are not in good cardio vascular health, Miller said, and contrary to other media reports, approximately 43 percent of seventh to ninth grade girls in that school district are overweight.

“One year we collected fitness assessment data and tied it to PAWS reading and math scores,” he said. “Kids scored higher in reading and math if their fitness assessments was better.”

In addition to promoting the retainment of physical education classes and recesses, Miller advocates other initiatives in schools to improve students’ fitness and encourage them to choose healthy lifestyles.

In addition to adding fruit and vegetable bars to the school lunch options, the Campbell County School District took soda machines out of its secondary schools and replaced some of them with juice, milk and water dispensers.

“Who were the people who complained the most about the pop machines? The teachers and other adults,” said Miller, who added the average teenage male consumes between four and six 20-ounce sodas a day.

Teachers need to be role models of healthy lifestyles, he said. One Gillette school installed cardio vascular equipment on its stage in the gymnasium, and some teachers work out during their breaks alongside students. At the end of P.E. class, students report to their teachers their average and peak heart rates during the workout.

In addition to educating kids about healthy food choices, elementary schools can also hire an extra person to coordinate additional physical activity opportunities for students. Within his district, four schools were using a coordinator four years ago; now nine of the 12 schools have one on staff.

Kids’ fitness level should be as important to administrators as their Annual Yearly Progress, Miller said. In Campbell County, report cards include the children’s fitness assessment and Body Mass Index.

Miller is also the co-chair of Wyoming Action for Healthy Kids, a national organization that promotes making changes in schools to reduce the number of overweight and sedentary children.

Emails from Wyo gov candidate flood UW inboxes

By Tom Lacock, Cowboy State Free Press Correspondent

CASPER — Emails from the campaign of Wyoming Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron Micheli inundated the inboxes of students and staff at the University of Wyoming last week.

According to the campaign, they have not used the UW system to send out a blast email, while a university official said UW does not sell names or addresses it has in its system.

University of Wyoming spokeswoman Jessica Lowell said there is no way of knowing how many in the UW system received the emails, but it was a subject of conversation last week among students and staff who weren’t sure why they received the email. Lowell said the incident has led the university to revisit its policy on using university property for political purposes.

“We think they have aggregated the addresses,” said Lowell. “We have not sold addresses and do not give them out to groups. We have already had a policy about using university property for political campaigns.

“I don’t know if all campaigns are doing this or not, but I know there were questions about the Micheli campaign,” she said.

Micheli campaign manager Bill Cubin said the campaign gets email addresses from the public in two different ways — a sign-up on its website or suggestions from supporters of others who may be interested. Media members also receive Micheli campaign emails.

“We’ve asked supporters to give us emails of people who might be interested in our campaign,” he said. “I won’t sit here and tell you that someone didn’t type in 30 emails of people who don’t really want our emails. I would hope someone would use their time better than that, but I don’t know. Sometimes when we get a list of emails from our supporters, we just pull them right in.”

Cubin noted that an email sent out has a button allowing the recipient to unsubscribe, and the campaign isn’t interested in sending email to those who don’t wish to receive it. He added that email marketing to supporters and other voters is an inexpensive way to get around small-run printing jobs and postage for fliers or newsletters.

It is just another way to keep people informed,” he said. “That is how we send out all of our news releases anymore. I remember the days when you would sit at the fax machine and run those through and it would take two hours to just send out a news release.”

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