Historic Casper church gets new paint thanks to generous giftsOil City NewsThe view inside St. Anthony’s Catholic Church is stunning as one climbs up 45 feet into the air on scaffolding. For those more adverse to heights, it’s also terrifying. High in the air, one can appreciate in close proxi mity the old-world artistry of St. Anthony’s original stained glass windows and subtle hand-carved details on its arches. Oil City News documents the extensive repainting of the historic sanctuary — its first in some 35 years. See photos. Take a crafty break and crochet a beaver with pattern from NPSBuckrailLooking for a creative outlet this winter? The National Park Service is sharing four crochet patterns, highlighting four different animal species found in various national parks and park service sites across the country. The National Institutes of Health says there is some evidence that arts and crafts can have short-term benefits for mental health, including improvements in anxiety, stress, self-esteem and self-efficacy, Buckrail reports. Read the full story. Former Powell lawmaker ready to run for Senate to ‘bring back some normalcy’Powell TribuneAfter four years away from the Wyoming Legislature, R.J. Kost is hoping that voters will return him to the body. “How can we bring back some normalcy to the Legislature and our governance?” Kost said, announcing his candidacy for Senate District 19, covering Powell, Garland, Byron, Deaver, Frannie, Lovell, Greybull and Shell. The 73-year-old Powell resident served the district from 2019 to 2022, when he was defeated by now-Sen. Dan Laursen, R-Powell, the Powell Tribune reports. Read the full story. UW creates housing option for returning studentsWyoming News NowTo better serve the needs of returning students, the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees has authorized UW’s Housing and Dining Services to create Upperclassman Hall at Orr. Double rooms will be offered as single rooms at a double room rate of $3,225 per semester, Wyoming News Now reports. “With this Upperclassman Hall, we will be able to offer increased privacy, flexibility and independence, all while maintaining the kind of residential life support our students are accustomed to with our Residence Life staff,” UW’s Eric Webb said. Read the full story. Costumed jumpers take frigid plunge for Special Olympics, raise $10,000Douglas BudgetOn a very cold February morning, 45 brave and most likely very cold Converse County residents flocked to Douglas High School for the 17th annual Jackalope Jump. The event, which raises money for both the local and statewide chapter of Special Olympics Wyoming, brought participants to a makeshift pool behind the high school. This year was an anomaly as the water, at 38.7 degrees, was more than 20 degrees warmer than the frigid temperatures of the Wyoming winter air, the Douglas Budget reports. Read the full story. The post Local Lookout: Church restoration | Crafty wildlife | Legislative challenger  appeared first on WyoFile . ...read more read less