New Program Focuses On Current Events

October 29, 2009 — Wyoming residents and journalists will discuss current events in a new program offered by the Wyoming Humanities Council and the University of Wyoming Outreach School.

"What's New: Wyoming Connects" will have three sessions from 7-9 p.m. Fridays Oct. 30, Nov. 6 and Nov. 13 via Wyoming's two videoconferencing networks. All sessions include refreshments and are free and open to the public.

"We want people to arrive with newspapers and magazines in hand, ready to talk with reporters about the news," says Marcia Wolter Britton, executive director of the Wyoming Humanities Council. "No special preparation is necessary to participate in this program."

The Oct. 30 session locations are: Room 113 of the UW Outreach Building, 951 N. Poplar in Casper; Room 231 of the Laramie County Community College Education Enrichment Center in Cheyenne; Room 171N of the UW Gillette Campus in Gillette; and Meeteetse High School.

Facilitators for this session are Nimi McConigley and Chuck Denny. McConigley was news director at KGWC-TV in Casper and served in the Wyoming State Legislature from 1994-96. Denny directs the writing center at Gillette College, where he teaches English composition, Western American literature and Native American literature.

The Nov. 6 session locations are: WEN Room at Greybull High School; Room C of the Fremont County Library in Lander; Room 304 of Wyo Hall at UW; and the school district administration building in Lusk.

Facilitators for this session are Jordan Dresser and Gracie Lawson-Borders. Dresser works for the Wind River Tribal College and the marketing department of the Wind River Casino, and has reported for newspapers such as the Denver Post and the Salt Lake Tribune. Lawson-Borders is an associate dean in the UW College of Arts and Sciences, and has been a reporter and editor at the Akron Beacon-Journal, the Oakland Press and the Chicago Tribune.

The Nov. 13 session locations are: Room 105 of the Civic Center in Afton; the LSRV Education Center in Baggs; Room 126 of the Uinta County Education Center in Evanston; and Room 312 of Wyo Hall at UW.

Facilitators for this session are Renny MacKay and Katie Beppler. MacKay reports for Wyoming Public Radio. Beppler recently retired from teaching French at Evanston High School, and now teaches part-time for Western Wyoming College.

For more information, visit the Wyoming Humanities Council Web site at www.uwyo.edu/humanities, e-mail Jenny Ingram at jingram@uwyo.edu or call her at (307) 721-9247.

Posted on Thursday, October 29, 2009