Author: Jodi Hartley

The Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Committee is hosting Candidate Forums July 22 in Sheridan and July 29 in Dayton.

The forums provide an opportunity for those running in contested races for elected office in the Aug. 18 primary election to share information about themselves and their platforms. Each candidate will give a brief introduction, followed by a Q&A period.

The July 22 Sheridan forum will host candidates for state, county and city races. This forum will be held at the WYO Theater, with a limited audience of 50, and will be livestreamed on the Chamber’s YouTube Channel. It begins at 6:30 p.m. Registration is required by 5 p.m. Monday, July 20, for in-person attendance. Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis, and registrants will be assigned seats upon arrival at the WYO Theater. Due to the WYO Theater’s COVID-19 requirements, the Chamber cannot accommodate those who do not register in advance. The use of face masks is encouraged and may be removed once seated. To register, click here. The livestream will be recorded and available following the forum on the Chamber’s YouTube Channel, website and Facebook page.

The July 29 Tongue River Valley forum will host candidates for State Representative 51, County Commissioners and Dayton Town Council races. It will be held as an in-person event only at the Tongue River Valley Community Center in Dayton at 6:30 p.m. Registration is not required for this forum.

For more information, contact the Chamber at (307) 672-2485.

The Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce encourages event attendees to maintain social distancing of at least six feet whenever possible and to wear a face covering when social distancing is not possible. We ask that anyone not feeling well, showing COVID-19 symptoms or having tested positive for COVID-19 or who has had contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 to please stay home.

Governor Mark Gordon will hold a media briefing at 3 p.m., Wednesday, July 8, in the Governor’s Ceremonial Conference room in the State Capitol Building. The Governor will be joined by State Public Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist to provide an update on the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss the State Land and Investment Board bid on the Occidental land purchase. 

The briefing will be streamed live on Wyoming PBS television, the Wyoming PBS’ Facebook page and Wyoming PBS YouTube channel.

Wyoming’s current public health orders will be extended through July 15 as the number of cases of COVID-19 in the state continues to steadily increase, Governor Mark Gordon announced today.

Twenty-five percent of Wyoming’s total number of lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the past two weeks, with 288 new cases confirmed since the current orders went into effect on June 15. New cases of the virus have been reported in 15 counties and reflects increased transmission within Wyoming communities. The Governor continues to stress the importance of personal responsibility and emphasized that a cooperative effort by business owners and patrons is required to prevent businesses from being forced to close.

“It is clear from the recent increase in cases statewide that the dual threat of COVID-19 to both the health of our citizens and the health of our economy is not going away,” Governor Gordon said. “No one wants to see the progress we have made vanish, but that requires each of us to make a concerted effort to slow the spread of the virus. It is really simple and depends on everyone practicing good hygiene, social distancing and doing their best to wear a mask in public where social distancing isn’t possible. It’s the way you and our economy will both stay healthy.”

The Wyoming Department of Health and the Governor continue to recommend the use of face coverings in public settings where it is not possible or reasonable to stay physically apart. On Wyoming’s COVID-19 dashboard the number of new cases continues to be rated, “Concerning.”

The continuing orders allow gatherings up to 50 persons in a confined space to occur without restrictions and permit events of up to 250 persons with social distancing and increased sanitization measures in place. Faith-based gatherings such as church services and funeral homes will continue to be permitted to operate without restrictions, with appropriate social distancing encouraged. All public health restrictions that apply to restaurants, bars, gyms and performance spaces will remain in place.  

As of June 29, Wyoming has recorded 1144 lab-confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, 299 probable cases and 20 deaths. The current health orders will remain in place until July 15.

The continuing orders are attached and can be found on the state’s COVID-19 website. 

Governor Mark Gordon will hold a media briefing at 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, in the Governor’s Ceremonial Conference room in the State Capitol Building. The Governor will be joined by State Public Health Officer Alexia Harrist to provide an update on the COVID-19 pandemic.

The briefing will be streamed live on Wyoming PBS television, the Wyoming PBS Facebook page and Wyoming PBS YouTube channel.

To further meet the needs of U.S. small businesses and non-profits, the U.S. Small Business Administration reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and EIDL Advance program portal to all eligible applicants experiencing economic impacts due to COVID-19 today.

“The SBA is strongly committed to working around the clock, providing dedicated emergency assistance to the small businesses and non-profits that are facing economic disruption due to the COVID-19 impact.  With the reopening of the EIDL assistance and EIDL Advance application portal to all new applicants, additional small businesses and non-profits will be able to receive these long-term, low interest loans and emergency grants – reducing the economic impacts for their businesses, employees and communities they support,” said SBA Administrator Jovita Carranza.  “Since EIDL assistance due to the pandemic first became available to small businesses located in every state and territory, SBA has worked to provide the greatest amount of emergency economic relief possible.  To meet the unprecedented need, the SBA has made numerous improvements to the application and loan closing process, including deploying new technology and automated tools.”

Learn more.

Updated public health orders that take effect June 15 will continue to ease restrictions on public gatherings in Wyoming, Governor Mark Gordon announced today. The updated orders allow indoor gatherings of up to 250 people with restrictions, permit parades to occur (with appropriate social distancing) and allow K-12 schools, community colleges, the University, and other educational institutions to reopen facilities and resume in-person instruction for all students.

The new orders are in effect through June 30 and allow gatherings up to 50 persons in a confined space to occur without restrictions and permit indoor events of up to 250 persons with social distancing and increased sanitization measures in place. Faith-based gatherings such as church services and funeral homes are exempted from the new orders and allowed to operate without restrictions, with appropriate social distancing encouraged.  

“Wyoming has made outstanding progress to date,” Governor Gordon said. “Folks need to remember that it is important to remain vigilant, but because we have been so successful, I am confident we can continue lifting the very few remaining public health restrictions.”

Wyoming’s COVID-19 dashboard has been updated to reflect the improvement in the statewide metrics used to ease restrictions. The number of new cases has changed from “concerning” to “stabilizing” and the percent of all tests that are positive is now rated as “improving.”  

Updates to Public Health Order No. 1 allow childcare facilities to resume normal operations without restrictions on class sizes and expands the permitted size of group fitness classes to 50 participants. Public Health Order No. 3 no longer requires personal care services to operate by appointment only. 

K-12 schools, colleges, the University and trade schools may resume in-person instruction for all students in groups of up to 50 persons with spacing guidelines. Governor Gordon has continued to urge educational institutions to prepare fully developed reopening plans for the fall that incorporate public safety precautions and ensure smooth transitions to remote learning should new outbreaks occur. 

As of June 10, Wyoming has recorded 768 lab-confirmed positive cases of COVID-19, 212 probable cases and 18 deaths. The COVID-19 dashboard and updated Public Health Orders are attached and can be found on Wyoming’s COVID-19 website.