Tom Kocal joined Townsquare Media as the LaramieLive.com Multimedia Reporter in February 2019 after a 40-year career in the newspaper business. After selling the Lanark, Carroll County, Illinois newspaper business in 2013, Tom was one of the founders of Carroll County’s only online news source. “Change is the one constant” is a mantra that motivated Tom to set out on a new adventure after his wife of 45 years passed away in early 2018. After a road trip in the summer of 2018, the lure of the west called, and Tom moved to Laramie in September 2018. “I’ve seen the newspaper and printing industries change tremendously in 40 years,” Tom said. “We started out with Ben Franklin-era hand-set type, Linotypes, and lead type printed on a hand-fed printing press, to producing news and photos for online readers that can be posted from my smart phone in my truck. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks!” Tom has two older children and 2 grandchildren. His interests include his fiancé, Julie, and her grandchildren; gardening, preserving, cooking and eating the vegetables they grow; and bicycling while enjoying the scenery and to stay in shape. Tom enjoys being an active member of the Laramie community, reporting for LaramieLive.com on the events that Laramie has to offer and meeting more unique personalities that make this community a very special place.
Thomas Kocal
Pole Mountain Trail Project Wins Annual Trails Achievement Award
The Pole Mountain Trail Project outside Laramie won a national award for its outstanding use of Recreational Trails Program funds.
National Guard Readiness Center Ready to Roll at New Facility
The new home for the Wyoming Army National Guard in Laramie hosted a ribbon cutting and open house Friday, June 14, at the new facility next to the Laramie Regional Airport.
West Nile Virus Detected in Laramie Mosquito Sample
West Nile virus has been documented in a mosquito sample collected this week in Laramie.
Laramie Teacher Selected for 2019 National STEM Scholar Program
Allison Baas, a seventh-grade life science teacher at Laramie Middle School, was selected to participate in the 2019 National STEM Scholar Program in Bowling Green, Kentucky
Bond’s Brewing to Offer Quality Craft Beer, Food and Atmosphere
Bond’s Brewing Co., in the old Sears Building at 411 S. 2nd St., will be a downtown Laramie gathering place, with food, and coming soon, a rooftop patio.
Laramie Street Repairs in Full Swing – Be Cautious
With the Wyoming Spring monsoon season finally drying out a bit, city and state work crews are hitting the streets. That means construction zones, possible delays, and detours. But it’s all worth it in the end.
1st Mustang ‘Eco-sanctuary’ in Wyoming Hosts BLM Auction and Tour
Deerwood Ranch, a Wyoming wild horse eco-sanctuary, is holding a Bureau of Land Management horse auction and ranch tour Friday and Saturday, June 7 and 8
The Cowboy State to Receive Over $17 Million for Outdoor Projects
Wyoming will receive more than $17 million to support critical state conservation and outdoor recreation projects this year, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Laramie Plans Aerial Mosquito Control Application Saturday
City of Laramie Mosquito Control has scheduled the aerial application of Bacillus thuringensis israelensis (Bti) for Saturday, June 1.
NY VFW Commander Trek Across Wyoming and America for Veterans
On Day 43 of his 131-day, 2,860-mile walking journey across America, Thomas “Tommy” Zurhellen was experiencing a typical Wyoming spring day.
Workforce Programs Ready to Assist Wyoming Veterans
The Laramie Chamber Business Alliance wants to share some of the workforce programs in Laramie and the State of Wyoming that are offered to Veterans.
WY Transportation Commission Awards Construction Projects
The Wyoming Transportation Commission has awarded a bridge rehabilitation project in Laramie, cattle-guard work, slide repairs, and several other contracts during its recent meeting.