Lawmakers mull college system

A legislative committee will discuss a proposal to establish a statewide community college system at the UW Outreach Building, 951 N. Poplar St., at 8:30 a.m. today and Friday, according to the Legislative Service Office.

"The plan both differentiates individual colleges through their signature programs and integrates them by proposing common admission and standard course work," according to the committee's strategic plan.

The plan calls for eliminating duplicate programs among the seven colleges.

It is recommending incentives to develop new programs that serve the state's interests in an educated citizenry, diversified economy, work force development, more efficiencies among the colleges, and accountability.

The Community College Planning Task Force will meet with the Wyoming Community College Commission, and representatives of the Joint Appropriations Committee, the Joint Education Committee and Gov. Dave Freudenthal.

WMC names chief nursing officer

The nonprofit Wyoming Medical Center Inc. in June named Julie Cann-Taylor as its Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President of Patient Care, according to a news release from the hospital.

Cann-Taylor has been interim CNO since 2007.

She started her career at the hospital shortly after she graduated from high school 37 years ago, and has earned associate's and bachelor's degrees in nursing. She will complete her masters in nursing leadership in 2010.

Cann-Taylor has directed the intensive care unit and critical care in neurosurgery and acute dialysis.

"My commitment is to WMC and the Casper community," she said in the news release. "My passion is to create a culture of quality and safety at Wyoming Medical Center to promote the delivery of excellent, cost effective care for our community."

Casper Fire needs life jackets back

The City of Casper Fire-EMS Department is asking any people who have borrowed life jackets from the life jacket loaner program to return the life jackets when they are finished using them, according to a media release.

Currently, all of the life jackets at all stations are loaned out.