Reporter's Notes

Leases withdrawn

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) withdrew two parcels originally offered for sale in its Dec. 5 lease auction after protests from the Wyoming Game and Fish Department raised concerns about impacts to big game migration and sage grouse.

The BLM kept the other protested parcels in the sale offering but “tagged” them with a requirement that if the BLM state director grants the protest, the affected parcels will be pulled and received monies returned to the high bidder.

On Nov. 28, the BLM mailed a letter to the groups and individuals who had protested the lease sale informing them that two of the parcels in question, located northwest of Daniel near Merna, had been withdrawn to “give the BLM time to address new information submitted by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department.” These contiguous parcels total 4,240 acres.

Azar resigns

Lara Azar, who has served as Gov. Dave Freudenthal’s press secretary since he took office, announced Friday that she is resigning her post.

Azar recently accepted a position in the California governor’s office. Her last day with the Freudenthal administration will be Dec. 22. From that point until a replacement is selected, Rob Black, the governor’s chief constituent correspondent, will serve as interim press secretary.

“It’s been a tremendous honor to represent the governor to the press and the press to the governor over the last few years,” said Azar, 28. “An administration like Dave Freudenthal’s doesn’t come along very often, and I will always be proud to have been a part of it.”

Azar earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Wyoming, while writing periodically for the Casper Star-Tribune and the Associated Press. She then reported for two newspapers in California and the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle in Cheyenne before joining Freudenthal’s transition office staff in December 2002. Since then, she has spoken for the governor on issues ranging from energy development and endangered species to economic development and healthcare.

Healthcare

Citing a need to use the best information possible when making policy decisions related to healthcare, the Wyoming Healthcare Commission Monday released a statistical handbook on Wyoming healthcare professionals and facilities.

The handbook provides examples of the information contained in a newly developed database on physicians, physician assistants, advance practice nurses, dentists, pharmacists, pharmacies and hospitals. The handbook covers a wide range of topics such as education backgrounds, ages, practice locations, specialties, services and retirement timeframes.

“All too often, we are influenced by insufficient information and rumor when making healthcare policy decisions,” Freudenthal said. “Whether it is pinpointing the training programs we need, or examining our ability to deliver services in our most rural areas, this information can be a critical piece to better decision-making.”

The handbook was developed in cooperation with the Health Professions Tracking Center at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Over the past year, HPTC conducted a series of surveys to build the database and will continue collecting information to maintain its accuracy. In addition to its work in Wyoming, HPTC manages information on the healthcare professions and facilities of Nebraska and western Iowa.

Copies of the handbook may be obtained by contacting the Wyoming Healthcare Commission at (307) 235-3221. It may also be viewed at county libraries across the state.

Wolves

The Defenders of Wildlife has a website (www.savewolves.org) aimed at getting environmentalists to take action to save America’s wolves.

Readers can click to send letters to “Stop Wyoming’s war on wolves,” “Protect Idaho’s wolves,” or “Help stop aerial gunning in Alaska.” The website notes that more than 46,000 e-mail comment letters have been sent to Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal and Attorney General Pat Crank telling them to “withdraw their lawsuit and get serious about promoting sustainable wolf management in the Northern Rockies.”