Cowboy State Daily - Wyoming News
News
Headlines
View all
Casper Company Turns Military-Grade ATVs Into Consumer Vehicles To Battle Snow
Tracked Outdoors in Casper is the largest supplier of refurbished prized Hagglund all-terrain vehicles in America. They're expensive but they're military-grade and designed for long distance travel through treacherous winter conditions.
Leo WolfsonAugust 30, 2026

Rural Wyoming Woman Takes Out The Trash With A 12-Gauge
After living 20 years in remote corners of Alaska, Melissa Cook is back home in rural Wyoming, where adventure means Jeeping the backcountry — and taking out the trash with a 12-gauge when a watermelon goes bad.
Kolby FedoreAugust 30, 2026

Watch Where You Walk In Sinks Canyon, Which Is Loaded With Prairie Rattlesnakes
Though visitors might not realize it, Sinks Canyon State Park near Lander is prairie rattlesnake central. That's because it’s an ideal habitat with plenty of nooks and crannies for them to get below the frostline when they go dormant during the winter.
Mark HeinzAugust 30, 2026

What The Heck ... Is A 48-Foot, 8,100-Pound Eagle Doing In Mills, Wyoming?
A 48-foot, 8,100-pound steel eagle in Mills was the biggest of 95 giant birds created by Montana artist Todd Berget. When a Casper businessman saw it while on a bus going to Glacier National Park, he decided to bring it to Wyoming.
Kolby FedoreAugust 30, 2026

Wyoming’s First 1-Mile Horse Track Sprinting Toward October Opening In Cheyenne
Crews are working around-the-clock to meet a Tuesday deadline that will determine whether Wyoming’s first 1-mile oval track will be up and running for an October debut at Cheyenne Park. The 16-day horse racing season could have $100,000 purses per day.
Renée JeanAugust 30, 2026

How 50,000 Glass Photo Negatives Of Cheyenne's Early History Landed In The Dump
As many as 50,000 glass negatives that captured Cheyenne's early history landed in the city dump in 1935 when nobody was willing to pay $10,000 for the massive collection of photos. About 60 years of Cheyenne history chronicled in those images were lost.
Kerry DrakeAugust 29, 2026

Worland Man Has 205 John Deere Tractors On His Property, Causes Tour Buses To Stop
A Worland man’s John Deere obsession has grown into a collection of 205 tractors stretching across his property. His collection is so impressive that tour buses along U.S. Highway 20 make regular stops.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 29, 2026

Dubois Hunter Goes All-Out 70s With Macho Disco 'Stache In Grandfather’s Honor
Taught to hunt by his grandfather, Dubois hunter Cade Cole went after elk in a vintage “Wyoming uniform” — flannel, denim and down vest — to honor him. He also and grew a macho 1970s mustache and left modern tech behind.
Mark HeinzAugust 29, 2026

Wyoming's Only '307' Mile Marker Was Stolen So Often On I-80 It Is Now '306.99'
The iconic “307” mile marker on Interstate 80 west of Laramie was the only one in the state — and stolen so often the Wyoming Department of Transportation changed it to "306.99." The sign is one of more than 80,000 signs WYDOT maintains statewide.
Kerry DrakeAugust 29, 2026
Why Dense Islands Of Fir Trees Form In Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains
A sharp-eyed observer might notice small, dense clusters of trees in the middle of open fields in the Bighorn Mountains. These islands of subalpine firs are called "atols" and grow together to create their own ideal microclimates in a harsh landscape.
Andrew RossiAugust 30, 2026

Cheyenne Man Makes Extra Cash Cleaning Maggots, Mold And Poop From Garbage Bins
It's a dirty job, but somebody's gotta do it. A Cheyenne man makes extra cash cleaning dumpsters and garbage bins of maggots, spoiled meat juice and even dog poop. “When you're in the middle of it, you kind of second-guess your whole life," he said.
Kolby FedoreAugust 29, 2026

Mom, 8 Kids Nearly Caught In Wyoming Wildfire On 2,700-Mile Great Divide Bike Ride
A Virginia mom and eight of her 15 kids nearly got caught in a wildfire near Lander and a hit-and-run in Montana while on an epic ride of the 2,700-mile Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. She's doing it to help heal from the effects of domestic violence.
Jackie DorothyAugust 29, 2026

Wyoming History: Whose Bones Are Buried In Pinckney Sublette’s Grave Near Daniel?
In 1935, bones alleged to be Pinckney Sublette's were reburied overlooking the rendezvous grounds of mountain men near Daniel, Wyoming, after sitting in a Missouri courthouse closet. Whether those bones are actually his remains a mystery.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 29, 2026

Three Small Wyoming High Schools Don’t Have Enough Players To Field Football Teams
Three smaller communities in the state won't be fielding varsity high school football teams this season. Though coaches are hopeful of a turnaround, Wyoming's rural population decline is impacting school enrollment — and a Wyoming Friday night tradition.
Leo WolfsonAugust 29, 2026

At Least Five Lawmakers Walk Out Of ‘Absurd’ Joint Committee Meeting
At least five Wyoming senators walked out of a joint legislative meeting Friday claiming it was a waste of taxpayers’ money and time. Sen. Tara Nethercott and Rep. John Bear sparred over whether the meeting was appropriate.
Clair McFarlandAugust 28, 2026

Woman Flips Off Weston County Deputy At 112 MPH, Then Tells Cops To ‘Shoot Me’
A South Dakota woman who gave a Weston County deputy on a traffic stop the finger while blowing by him at 112 mph faces the potential of more than 50 years in prison. She’s also accused of telling cops to “shoot me” after getting caught.
Greg JohnsonAugust 28, 2026

Wombat Snatcher Gets Probation For Hunting In Wyoming Wilderness Without Guide
The former Pinedale-area woman who set off a firestorm in Australia for snatching a baby wombat from its mother has received probation for hunting in a Wyoming wilderness without a guide. Samantha Strable was sentenced Thursday in Sublette County Circuit Court
Mark HeinzAugust 28, 2026

Trump Moves To Allow Ranchers And Farmers To Process Their Own Food
President Trump announced Friday he is authorizing the preparation of legal documents that would allow farmers and ranchers to process their own food, saying he wants to take on a “nasty monopoly” in the nation’s food-processing industry.
Kate MeadowsAugust 28, 2026

A Stargazer’s Retreat With Two Geodesic Domes Lists Near Hartville For $3.5 Million
Cedar Lights Retreat is a three-story, five-bedroom, four-bath almost-mansion tucked into 446 private acres bordering Guernsey State Park. The property, which comes with three of Wyoming’s top-rated Airbnbs (including two geodesic domes), is on the market for $3.499 million.
Renée JeanAugust 28, 2026

Holy Cow: Man Clocked At 92 MPH Through Town Of Shoshoni
Shoshoni has the reputation as the worst place to speed in Wyoming. A Wisconsin man apparently didn't know that and was clocked at driving 92 MPH in a 30 MPH zone Thursday. He could have been arrested, police say, but they gave him a $556 ticket instead.
Clair McFarlandAugust 28, 2026

Yellowstone Black Bear Beats Grizzlies By Scaling Whitebark Pine For Nuts
Grizzlies usually have first dibs on food sources but every once in a while, a black bear has an advantage as they are much better climbers. On Thursday, a black bear scaled to the top of a whitebark pine tree and gorged on its cones. Grizzlies have to wait.
Mark HeinzAugust 28, 2026

From Baggs To Canada: Wyoming 6-Man Champs Fly To Saskatchewan For Season Opener
The Little Snake River Valley Rattlers raised thousands of dollars in the Baggs community to send its 6-Man football team to Canada for a preseason matchup Friday. It's only the second time a Wyoming high school team will play north of the border.
Renée JeanAugust 28, 2026

Giant Geyser, Yellowstone's Second Largest & Often Dormant, Explodes To Life
Giant Geyser, one of the two largest and most powerful geysers in Yellowstone, has erupted twice in two months. That's a big deal because it can go for decades without erupting. The most recent eruption was estimated at 200 feet tall for over an hour.
Andrew RossiAugust 28, 2026

Wyoming's Pumpkin Kings See Potential For Three 2,000-Pound Behemoths At Weigh-Off
State-record-holder Andy Corbin of Cheyenne has three pumpkins he says could each weigh a ton by the Wyoming State Champion Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off and Pumpkin Drop next month. Corbin is aiming to surpass his record 2,085-pounder from 2025.
Andrew RossiAugust 28, 2026

Three Wyoming Horses Test Positive For West Nile Virus, Two In Fremont County
Three cases of West Nile Virus have been reported in Wyoming horses so far this year, two in Fremont County and one in Uinta. Though cases are down this year, Wyoming's state veterinarian recommends vaccination against the potentially fatal disease.
Kate MeadowsAugust 28, 2026

Hunter In Helicopter Whose Elk Head Was Stolen By Rancher Busted For Trespassing
An elk hunter who helicoptered into a section of public land surrounded by private land in Johnson County, and later accused the rancher of trying to swipe an elk head from his party, was cited for trespassing after shooting a bull elk on private land.
Mark HeinzAugust 27, 2026

Gordon 'Shocked' At Federal Agents Monitoring Wyoming Election, Sends Concern To AG
Gov. Mark Gordon said reports of "aggressive" behavior by federal election monitors at polling places in Cheyenne last Tuesday have left him "shocked." He alerted the Wyoming Attorney General, but said it's too early to know if litigation is in order.
Clair McFarlandAugust 27, 2026

Hiker Thanks Rescuers For Saving Life After Lost For Five Days On Wyoming Peak
Hiker Shaun Mackelprang thanked rescuers from his hospital room in Pinedale on Thursday for saving his life. The Missouri deputy attorney general had summited Wyoming's highest mountain peak but then became lost for five days. He was rescued Wednesday.
Kolby FedoreAugust 27, 2026

Cowboy State Daily Video Newscast: Friday, August 28, 2026
Friday's headlines include: * Helicopter Hunter Busted * Relentless Diarrhea Cases Triple * Hiker Thanks Rescuers For Saving Life
Mac WatsonAugust 28, 2026

'Explosive Diarrhea' Cases In Wyoming Triple In A Month And Hospitalized Three
Cases of the parasite known for causing weeks of relentless diarrhea have more than tripled to 19 in Wyoming since July, with three people hospitalized. Investigators say some have picked up the parasite inside Wyoming but they don't know where.
Kolby FedoreAugust 27, 2026

400 Southwest Wyoming Trona Mining Jobs On Hold As China Floods Soda Ash Market
About 400 jobs are on hold as Pacific Soda seeks to push back the start of its proposed $6 billion Dry Creek Trona Project in southwest Wyoming a year. The company is blaming China's flooding of the soda ash market and permit delays.
Renée JeanAugust 27, 2026

Wyoming Woman Pleads Guilty To Killing Infant Son In New Mexico, To Get 30 Years
A Wyoming woman who killed her 11-month-old boy during a brief standoff with law enforcement last December after allegedly kidnapping him and fleeing to New Mexico has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. In New Mexico, life in prison is 30 years.
Greg JohnsonAugust 27, 2026

Douglas Man Who Skipped Out On Child Porn Charges Fights Not To Lose $250K Bond
A Douglas man facing dozens of child exploitation and porn charges who was caught twice allegedly trying to flee Wyoming is fighting not to lose the $250,000 in cash someone posted for his bond. The cash was put up by an elderly woman from Colorado.
Greg JohnsonAugust 27, 2026

Casper Woman Pleads Guilty To Driving Getaway Car, Disposing Of Weapons In Fatal Shootout
A Casper woman pleaded guilty to driving a getaway car and helping dispose of weapons involved in a shooting that left one man dead and another injured in May 2025. She faces up to five years in prison.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 27, 2026

Judge Dismisses ACLU Immigration Case Against Sheriff Kozak
A judge on Tuesday dismissed the ACLU's lawsuit against Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak, saying the plaintiffs' complaints didn't match the laws in the case. One plaintiff, a barbershop, noted that deputies had worked with ICE to deport its employee to Nicaragua.
Clair McFarlandAugust 27, 2026

Platte County Recommends Rezoning Private Ranchland For Proposed Data Center
A proposal that could bring a utility-scale data center to more than 5,300 acres of private ranchland near the Platte and Goshen county line cleared another hurdle Wednesday, with a unanimous vote to recommend rezoning the property for industrial use.
Kate MeadowsAugust 27, 2026

Cheyenne Police Recover Numerous Stolen Firearms After Teens Went 'Car Hopping'
A stolen Bronco, “car hopping” and missing guns snowballed into five simultaneous search warrants across Cheyenne. Four juveniles were taken into custody. When police asked one 16-year-old about a stolen firearm, he had to think about it. "Which one?" he said.
Kolby FedoreAugust 27, 2026

Trans Protestor Has Self-Defense Hearing Over Drawing Gun In Laramie Street
Rihanna Kelver, an outspoken transgender activist, asked a court Wednesday to drop the aggravated assault charge Kelver faces for pointing a gun at a man who’d shoved the activist to the ground outside of a Laramie bar.
Clair McFarlandAugust 27, 2026

How To Best Experience And Photograph Wyoming's 96% Lunar Eclipse On Thursday
A 96.2% full lunar eclipse will be visible over Wyoming on Thursday night, and most people will get to see the best of the blood-red spectacle before bedtime. Here's a full rundown of what to expect, where to see it, and how to photograph it.
Andrew RossiAugust 26, 2026

Missing Missouri Hiker Found Disoriented But Alive After Summiting Gannett Peak
Missing Missouri hiker Shaun Mackelprang was found dehydrated and disoriented Wednesday, five days after summiting Gannett Peak and three days after he was reported missing. The signed registry atop Wyoming's tallest peak helped searchers find him.
Kolby FedoreAugust 26, 2026

High Rates And $265 Fill-Ups: What Wyoming Businesses Want New Fed Chair To Know
As central bank bigwigs gather beneath the Tetons for their annual economy summit, Wyoming business owners want the new Fed chair to understand the economic tug-of-war they're facing amid $265 fill-ups for food trucks and inflated housing costs.
Renée JeanAugust 26, 2026

Hooray! After Massive 5-Day Search, Wyoming Family Finds Missing 120-Pound Dog Tango
After five agonizing days searching the Wyoming prairie for their missing 120-pound white livestock guard dog Tango, Kendra Green's family finally found him Wednesday morning in the BB Ranch area. He was skinny, scraped up and hungry — but alive.
Kolby FedoreAugust 26, 2026

11-Year-Old Idaho Girl Pinned Under RV On Teton Pass Remains Critical In Utah
Neeka Korn, 11, is on a ventilator and dialysis in a Salt Lake City hospital after she was pinned under her grandparents' RV on Teton Pass on Aug. 17. A family friend says she is in critical condition and faces a long recovery but is responsive.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 26, 2026

Rock Springs Dollar Tree Cashier Charged With Pepper-Spraying Customer
A Rock Springs Dollar Tree cashier faces a battery charge for pepper-spraying a customer, who happens to be her father's girlfriend, in the face. The girlfriend allegedly threatened to drag the cashier over the counter during a profanity-laced tirade.
Kolby FedoreAugust 26, 2026

After Election Loss, Reid Rasner Sues A Sixth Person For Defamation
Reid Rasner, who placed fifth in last Tuesday’s Republican primary election for Wyoming’s lone U.S. House seat, is suing a sixth person for defamation. This one, against a Missouri-based civil rights attorney, was filed in federal court on Monday.
Clair McFarlandAugust 27, 2026

Grizzly 399 Descendants Get Reprieve As Orphaned Cubs Go To Colorado Zoo
Two descendants of Grand Teton's famed Grizzly 399 were sent to a zoo in Colorado Springs after their mother was killed in Montana for cattle predation. Cubs typically are euthanized if no zoo has availability because they won't survive alone in the wild.
Mark HeinzAugust 26, 2026

Glenrock Residents Still Frustrated After Town Meeting On Flock Cameras
Glenrock residents still aren't satisfied about why there are Flock cameras in the community, how they got there and what's done with the information collected. There was a standing-room only meeting Tuesday night but participants left frustrated.
Kate MeadowsAugust 26, 2026

Twins Rescued From Remote Teton Wilderness Were 'In Way Over Their Heads'
Twin brothers in their 30s were rescued Tuesday after wandering into a remote Teton Wilderness camp dehydrated, disoriented and possibly encountering a bear. Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr described the two North Dakota men as "woefully unprepared."
Kate MeadowsAugust 26, 2026
Daily Features
View all
Today's Wyoming sunrise was captured by Michael Busking. Michael writes, "First sunrise at elk camp in Marshall, Wyoming."
Today's question to Don Day
In regard to your thunderstorm season article, can you reassess the data on a per-capita basis, especially when considering population of the states? It could affect me as I own a hill on my property which I plan a communications tower and likely will have a lightning rod installed when it goes in.
FEMA has a good lightning database that takes into account lightning risk, potential property loss, etc. based on population and lightning frequency. Data is available on a county by county basis. Lots and lots of lightning data available here which may help in quest for more lightning information. https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/lightning
Opinion
Gail Symons: Friday Was A Preview Of What To Expect From The Defeated Freedom Caucus.
Opinion by Gail Symons
Bill Sniffin: Old Gal Didn’t Disappoint – On My 57th Annual Trip To Yellowstone
Opinion by Bill Sniffin
Joan Barron: Scrappy Freedom Caucus Members Soldier On
Opinion by Joan Barron
Ray Hunkins: The Godfather Of Wyoming’s Golden Football Era
Opinion by Ray Hunkins
Dennis Sun: Celebrating the Sheep Industry, Concern Over Beef
Opinion by Dennis Sun
Sponsored
View all
The Prometheus Hyperscale Falls Ranch Project: Why This Matters for Natrona County
A data center project in Natrona County could create thousands of jobs and $80–115M in annual tax revenue. More importantly, it means opportunity for young people to stay and build their futures here. A local weighs in.
August 27, 2026

Bibles for Venezuela: Hope in the Midst of Devastation
Vision Beyond Borders has helped bring God’s Word to people throughout Venezuela. Following two devastating earthquakes, the need for both Bibles and humanitarian assistance has become even greater.
August 20, 2026

Wyoming’s Real Election Is Tuesday
Wyoming chooses its next governor in the August primary, not in November. Here is the arithmetic, and why a third of the vote can be enough to decide it.
August 14, 2026
Opinion
View all
Bill Sniffin: Political Crunch Time Brings Out Desperation And A Few Funny Lines
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “This is a desperate time for politicians. Just how negative can they go? Here in Wyoming, we discovered it is pretty darned deep.”
Bill SniffinAugust 08, 2026

Rod Miller: Changes Around The Ol’ Campfire
Columnist Rod Miller writes, "It was a hot, sultry night in the Red Desert, without a breath of cooling breeze. All that could be heard was the grumbling of the exhausted cowboys and rattlesnakes copulating in the sagebrush."
Rod MillerAugust 07, 2026

Tom Lubnau: Why You Should Consider Steve Friess For U.S. House
Columnist Tom Lubnau writes, "Chuck Gray's approach to politics is akin to a yapping Chihuahua, making lots of noise and getting headlines, but getting little done. Most concerning is Gray dumping all of Wyoming voters’ election data to an agency of the federal government whose use is unrestricted."
Tom LubnauAugust 05, 2026
Wyoming Life
View all
Pennsylvania Couple Starts Tradition With First Brand At Wyoming Ranch Wedding
Andrew RossiAugust 23, 2026
Wyoming History: 30 Years Ago Clinton Plane Crashed Into Jackson Mountain
Jake NicholsAugust 23, 2026
Wyoming History: Wagon, Whitewater Only Way To ‘Doc’ Barry’s Bighorn Dude Ranch
Jackie DorothyAugust 23, 2026
How An Injured Football Player Became UW’s First Male Cheerleader 61 Years Ago
Jackie DorothyAugust 22, 2026
First Responders Send Hundreds Of ‘Hero Patches’ To 4-Year-Old Rock Springs Girl
Andrew RossiAugust 22, 2026
Outdoors
View all
Wild Weekend: 4 More Calls Add To Big Horn County Search & Rescue's Record Pace
Kate MeadowsAugust 25, 2026
55-Year-Old Hiker Missing Five Days After Setting Out For Wyoming’s Highest Peak
Kolby FedoreAugust 25, 2026
At Monday Press Conference, Game And Fish Refuses To Discuss Director's Departure
Mark HeinzAugust 25, 2026
Bob Richard Grew Up In Wilderness Before Becoming Famed Yellowstone Historian
Leo WolfsonAugust 22, 2026
After Director Quits, People Asking What’s Up With Wyoming Game And Fish?
Mark HeinzAugust 21, 2026
Crime & Courts
View all
Cheyenne Woman Admits To Forcing Son To Drink Gallon Of Water, Nearly Killing Him
Dale KillingbeckAugust 25, 2026
Shots Fired: Nevada Sues Over Water Cuts, Could Drag Wyoming Into Court
Clair McFarlandAugust 24, 2026
Evanston Woman Accused Of Cooking ‘Bath Salts,’ Burning Batch Too ‘Dangerous’ To Sell
Kolby FedoreAugust 24, 2026
Sheridan Man Shot By Police Now Accused Of Trying To Murder Three Officers
Kolby FedoreAugust 24, 2026
Wyoming Police Departments Testing AI To Generate Reports, Look At Evidence
Kolby FedoreAugust 23, 2026


