A new chapter for the Lincoln? 

When it was announced earlier this month that Cheyenne’s historic Lincoln Theater would no longer be showing second-run movies, the immediate reaction was disappointment. That feeling quickly changed to excitement when it was revealed that the theater had been purchased by Jon and Renee Jelinek, owners of the Majestic and Paramount buildings in downtown Cheyenne. The new owners said their goal is to refurbish the theater into a medium-sized music venue. The possibility of a new nightlife spot in downtown Cheyenne was greeted warmly, both by live music fans as well as downtown advocates who welcome another attraction to increase visitation to the area after traditional business hours.

The new owners have indicated through social media that they are planning a Kickstarter Campaign to help fund the remodel. When the project is complete, they plan to use the space to reignite The Alternative Arts Project, a program designed to provide teenagers access to nontraditional arts instruction such as guitar and drum lessons.

Pole Mountain to get some attention. 

The Pole Mountain Unit of the Medicine Bow National Forest is one of Southeast Wyoming’s most popular locations for hiking, biking and camping. The area’s popularity has also led to resource degradation, but Pole Mountain was recently selected as a priority area for implementation of the 2016 National Trails Stewardship Act. The goal of the act is to double the number of volunteer hours dedicated to trail maintenance, which will help address a growing maintenance backlog.

Employment Law Update- New Wyoming Legislation

On May 15, Frontier Human Resources Association provided human resources professionals an Employment Law Update. Attorney and State Sen. Tara Nethercott gave the keynote presentation, which included a review of several bills passed during the 2018 Wyoming legislative session of interest to human resources professionals. that may impact private businesses and human resources impact of several bills passed by the legislature. Among the bills enacted:

• Senate File 119 – Workforce Development – Priority Economic Sector Programs creates a grant program for worker training for employers providing new jobs. The $5 million allocation is administered by the Department of Workforce Services and offers matching funds for employers providing new jobs. According to state Sen. Michael Von Flatern, a member of the ENDOW executive council, the bill will provide a sustainable source of workforce training funds to target long-term economic diversification success.
• Senate File 116 created the Retirement Income Security Task Force, which will study retirement preparedness and retirement investments in Wyoming. The task force will look at the number of employees in the state not participating in a retirement program and make recommendations on options for private-sector employees to participate in one.
• Senate File 42 – Professional Licensing- Applicant Criminal Records amends statute so that a person’s criminal record does not automatically disqualify them from being licensed or certified. It specifies that disqualifying offenses shall relate to the profession or application.
• House Bill 10, Worker’s Compensation – Territorial Reciprocity requires recognition of Wyoming’s worker compensation coverage in a nonresident employer’s home state before Wyoming will recognize that nonresident employer’s home state worker’s compensation coverage in Wyoming.If your organization requires HR advising, please contact us. Align offers HR consulting and we specialize in assisting smaller nonprofits and businesses that may not have in-house HR expertise.