2012 budget session started Monday

With natural gas prices dropping beyond last fall’s predictions, many lawmakers are preparing to tighten the state’s budgetary belt during the Wyoming Legislature’s 2012 budget session.

The session started Monday in Cheyenne.

Program aims at helping people take responsibility for preventive health care

A state-funded program designed to help provide preventive care for low-income adults who can’t get insurance could end before it’s fully begun.

The “Healthy Frontiers” program is the result of a bill passed by the 2010 Legislature, which initially set aside $750,000 from the state’s tobacco settlement trust fund to establish personal health savings accounts for as many as 500 participants.

Children’s radio show on KNWT delights adults as well

On Saturday mornings, just as many children are heading to the television to watch cartoons, local kids have the choice of turning on the radio instead.

Debbie Mueller sits at a computer Tuesday afternoon, editing a video section of a news story for the college television station, NWC-TV.

A Northwest College faculty member has asked the college to consider offering health insurance benefits to same-sex partners.

Rachel Hanan, an assistant professor of English at Northwest, made the request during a meeting of the President’s Advisory Council last week. She noted that the University of Wyoming now provides benefits to same-sex and domestic partners, and she provided a copy of the UW policy.

Students enrolled in qualifying classes in Big Horn Basin high schools now are earning high school and college credits simultaneously.

A new chief executive officer will take the helm at Powell Valley Healthcare on Feb. 27.

William Patten Jr. accepted the position late last week.

Patten is employed by HealthTech Management Services Inc., which provides management services for Powell Valley Healthcare.

A report shows several goals set in the 2008-11 strategic plan for Northwest College were achieved — some many times over — while others still need work.

NWC President Paul Prestwich outlined the final report on the three-year strategic plan during the December meeting of the NWC Board of Trustees.

The year 2011 began on a hopeful note for Powell Valley Healthcare when Paul Cardwell interviewed a second time to fill the vacant chief executive officer position and, also for a second time, was offered the job.

Cardwell initially accepted the position in fall 2010, then in November 2010 he said he wouldn’t be coming after all.

After a year and a half of research, deliberation and delay, the Powell Valley Healthcare board on Wednesday unanimously approved the purchase of a new electronic medical records system.