WYOMING

Restored Capitol gets new landmark status

CHEYENNE — In 1987, the Wyoming State Capitol Building and Grounds was recognized as a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of Interior, making it one of 35 state Capitols to receive this recognition.

In a Jan. 6 news release, the Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office announced that the Capitol's updated designation, which was approved on Sept. 2, "affirms the site's exceptional value to Wyoming residents and all Americans."

Every National Historic Landmark is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which makes it eligible for federal safeguards and benefits under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, according to the state's Historic Preservation Office.

Wyoming led the nation as the first state to grant women the right to vote in 1869 and was also the first state to elect a female governor in 1924. In the underground corridor connecting the state Capitol and Herschler Building is a bronze statue of Esther Hobart Morris, the nation's first female justice of the peace, who helped lead the fight for women's suffrage in the Equality State.

The state Capitol is more than 130 years old and underwent a major, $317 million renovation construction project from 2016 to 2019. The project aimed to "replace outdated building systems, add critical safety infrastructure and address public space needs," as well as restore historic building features, according to the Wyoming Capitol Square Project website.

"The restoration of the 'People's House' ensured Wyoming's future generations are exposed to the rich history contained in the Capitol," Gov. Mark Gordon said in the news release.

With major restoration projects out of the way, the Wyoming legislature has committed to continue making small improvements within the three-story building and its underground corridor, formally known as the Capitol Extension, which connects it to the Herschler Building.

50% property tax exemption makes ballot

CHEYENNE — A citizen-led initiative to slash property taxes for qualified Wyoming homeowners by 50% was certified on Jan. 3 by Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray to appear on the 2026 general election ballot.

The "People's Initiative to Limit Property Tax in Wyoming through a Homeowner's Property Exemption," spearheaded by former gubernatorial candidate Brent Bien, would exempt half of the assessed value of an owner's primary property from property taxation, as long as the property owner has lived in Wyoming for at least a year.

Bien campaigned to put the initiative on the 2024 general election ballot but failed to get the required 29,730 signatures —15% of voters from at least 16 of Wyoming's 23 counties — by the deadline.

Gray announced on Jan. 3, however, that the ballot initiative gathered the necessary signatures to put the initiative before Wyoming voters in November 2026.

It’s the first time in 30 years that state voters will see a citizen-led initiative on the ballot.

Revenue Department Director Brenda Henson told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle that the proposed ballot initiative, which currently doesn't require a backfill from the state, is something lawmakers may consider as they file their own property tax relief bills for the 2025 general session.

Based on current census data, Henson estimated that 173,000 residential properties could qualify for this tax exemption, but it's not clear how much tax revenue would be lost, should it pass in 2026.

Several lawmakers have criticized this ballot initiative in the past, arguing it could result in severe revenue loss for local county and city services.

Property taxes are a primary source of funding for local services, law enforcement and public school funding. The state lost about $13 million in education funding this year after a 4% property tax increase cap on residential property went into effect.

UTAH

Authorities seek petroglyph vandals

JENSEN — Authorities in Utah are asking the public to help it determine who damaged a petroglyph panel with illegally installed climbing bolts.

The bolts were found east of Jensen in Uintah County on what's called the Pregnant Sheep panel, KSL-TV reported.

A Bureau of Land Management photo posted on Facebook shows them embedded in rock below a petroglyph of a human figure and an animal.

The damage was first reported to the agency Nov. 10, and the the bureau and the Uintah County Sheriff's Office asked for the public's help after officers exhausted leads. Anyone with information is asked to call bureau law enforcement.

It's not clear how old the petroglyph is, but Utah has many prehistoric rock carvings that are protected by state and federal laws including the Archeological Resource Protection Act.

The Pregnant Sheep panel is located in northeastern Utah near the Musket Shot Springs Overlook.

In 2021, climbing bolts were found on ancient rock art near Moab, in eastern Utah. They were removed, but archaeologists say the petroglyph was forever damaged.

NEW MEXICO

'Breaking Bad' house for sale

ALBUQUERQUE — The house made famous by the "Breaking Bad" TV series is up for sale, and the owners of the otherwise unassuming home in one of Albuquerque's older neighborhoods are hoping the property's role in the long-running series will help them fetch a pretty penny.

Centered on mythical methamphetamine cookers Walter White and Jesse Pinkman, the series wrapped up more than a decade ago, but its legacy continues to draw looky-loos to the home and other associated filming spots around town.

New Mexico's governor also recently tapped the Walter White character, played by Bryan Cranston, to star in a campaign against littering in New Mexico.

Fans often flock to the home, sometimes with hundreds of cars driving by in a single day, Joanne Quintana told Albuquerque television station KOB-TV.

Quintana said her parents purchased the home in the 1970s and that she and her siblings grew up there. As her parents got older and the show's popularity skyrocketed, it became harder to protect them.

Now that her parents are gone, it's time to sell, she said.

Some online real estate calculators put the estimated market value of the four-bedroom ranch-style home at just over $340,000. But with the star power of "Breaking Bad" behind it, the global luxury realty service that is listing the home for Quintana and her family has it priced at just under $4 million.