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
Laramie’s Holli Austin-Belaski Honored at WID Conference
The City of Laramie congratulates Prosecuting Attorney Holli Austin-Belaski for being recognized at the Wyoming Impaired Driving Conference as one of the 2018 Outstanding Impaired Driving Prosecutors.
Gov. Gordon Commends Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan
Governor Mark Gordon applauded an historic water shortage sharing agreement Monday as Wyoming joined six other Western States in the signing of the Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan.
The Laramie HS Orchestra in Tune for Ireland
The Laramie High School Orchestra, directed by Sarah McCoy, will be heading to Ireland to perform and represent Laramie and Wyoming on June 3 and will return June 11.
The Rising Café Has a Community-Oriented Vision
The Rising Café held a ribbon-cutting Monday, May 20, attended by coffee-lovers from the Laramie Plains Civic Center, and family and friends.
Become a Tough Guy for a Day
From now until June 15, people in Laramie can nominate a fellow resident to receive a complete landscaping makeover done by the experts at Tough Guys Lawn Care.
Laramie Depot Hosts Over 6,000 Visitors to the Debut of ‘Big Boy’
One of the world's biggest and most powerful steam locomotives is chugging back to Laramie after five years of restoration work.
Manufacturing-Works Removes Director, Asst. Director – Investigation Pending
David Bell, and Jim Lee, the Director and Assistant Director of Manufacturing-Works, based at the University of Wyoming, were removed from their positions on and around April 24th as a result of a unanimous decision reached by the University of Wyoming Research and Economic Development at UW.
Wyonics Poised to Change the Face of the Wyoming Coal Industry
The Laramie-based company has developed a method of extracting Rare Earth Elements from coal in an energy and environmentally sustainable process
Laramie Parks & Recreation Offers a Ton of Fun this Summer
It’s an old adage, but applicable to the City of Laramie Parks and Recreation services and programs set for this summer: There is something for everyone.
Update: Welcome a Classic Steam Engine to the Laramie Railroad Depot
The 4000-Class Wasatch Big Boy No. 4014 will pull into the historic Laramie Railroad Depot at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 4
Accident Causes Laramie Power Outage, Affects 500
LARAMIE -- Rocky Mountain Power reported an isolated power outage due to an accident at around 9 a.m. Tuesday morning.
‘Love One Another’ Theme of National Day of Prayer Thursday
In Laramie, a National Day of Prayer Event is set for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Alice Hardie Stevens Center, at 603 East Ivinson. The keynote speaker will be Debbie Fisher, the assistant superintendent of schools for Albany County School District #1.