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[{"type":"text","text":"Our type of birthday celebration..."}]

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Cowboy State Daily is Wyoming’s largest newspaper with Wyoming’s most experienced journalists. 

<title>You Still Here? Thursday, July 27, 2023 | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Our type of birthday celebration...

You Still Here? Thursday, July 27, 2023

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's general assignment reporter, Clair McFarland.

Clair McFarland

Government & Politics

Politics

Around 18 months before he won the Republican nomination to a seat in the Wyoming House of Representatives in 2022, Daniel Singh told a podcaster friend that he was pro-choice, progressive, and believed hard drugs should be legal.  

The Cheyenne man, who is now eyeing a contested state Senate seat, said he wanted to build a network of progressives in Cheyenne, according to the podcast recording Cowboy State Daily first accessed Friday.

Singh first won the GOP nomination for House District 61 on Aug. 16, 2022, over two other candidates. He went on to win the general election and was sworn into office in early 2023.  

 of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus during his freshman term.

The caucus is a bloc of House Republicans whose website says they “plan together, work together, and pray together in pursuit of policies that promote truth by protecting life, private property rights, and Judeo-Christian family values.”

 but still aligns with it generally — in about January of this year.

[{"type":"text","text":"‘Far-Right Fascist Figure'"}]

About two years before entering office, Singh had described himself as a pro-choice progressive willing to legalize hard drugs. 

He specifically denied being a conservative. That’s according to the podcast by Singh’s longtime, and former, friend Toby Thompson, who is also from Cheyenne but now lives in Georgia.

Upon request, Thompson sent Cowboy State Daily a screenshot of the recording’s data that indicates it was recorded Feb. 28, 2021.

“I have a good one for you today,” begins Thompson’s voiceover introduction to the podcast interview, which he did not publish until Sept. 20, 2024 — after Singh’s second primary election win.

“What you’re about to hear is an interview I conducted with Wyoming House District 61 Representative Daniel Singh,” said Thompson. “This was actually supposed to be the first episode of (podcast) 'Nobody Talks Religion and Politics,' but Daniel asked me to shelve it at the time because he believed it would make it harder to manipulate Republican voters into electing him.”

Thompson said that as Singh’s friend, he complied with that request.

“But after watching him devolve from a progressive leader I could believe in into a far-right fascist figure, I feel my responsibility as a writer and proud Wyomingite outweighs Daniel’s request as my friend,” said Thompson. 

He said he wasn’t publishing the podcast to sabotage Singh and didn’t believe he had enough listeners to influence what was then the upcoming general election.

Thompson said he was publishing it, rather, so Singh would listen to it “and be reminded of the man he was at the start of his political journey.”

[{"type":"text","text":"In a Friday phone interview, Thompson doubled down."}]

“I think Daniel Singh is excellent at political maneuvering and like, reading the writing on the wall,” said Thompson, adding that he believes Singh aligned with the Freedom Caucus to ride “the rise of MAGA politics,” and that he will “ride whatever political wave will keep him in power.”

[{"type":"text","text":"‘I’m Definitely Committed To The Republican Party'"}]

Singh countered in a Friday phone interview, noting that he doesn’t now associate with Thompson, and insisted that he does not hold the views captured in that interview.

“I’m definitely committed to the Republican Party,” said Singh, adding that being pro-life and other party planks aren’t just stances, they’re “timeless truths.”

Singh said he recorded that podcast before getting involved with the Republican Party, and he’s changed his views over time as he’s learned what matters to his community.

“Ronald Reagan started out as a Democrat, and became one of the most influential conservatives of our time,” said Singh. “And people change their minds.”

Singh registered to vote as a Republican in Laramie County in 2016 and has not changed his party affiliation, the Laramie County Clerk’s office confirmed Monday.

[{"type":"text","text":"Singh is 29. He was 24 during the interview with Thompson."}]

 Singh is now running for state Senate in a primary election contest against Republican incumbent Sen. Evie Brennan. The election is Aug. 18. 

Singh’s 2022 and 2024 GOP campaign opponent Matt Malcom told Cowboy State Daily he believes Singh doesn’t believe the Freedom Caucus’ positions.

“I think he’s putting on a show in order to galvanize more support around the issues he cares about,” said Malcom.

Malcom said he campaigned on more moderate positions than Singh in their races.

Rep. Karlee Provenza, D-Laramie, cast Singh’s Freedom Caucus alignment as a political opportunity.

“It’s really disheartening to see someone throw their personal political beliefs away because they saw an opportunity to join the Freedom Caucus,” said Provenza. “This out-of-state machine that will help them get elected — assuming that’s what Daniel’s beliefs are, or were.”

Provenza added, “It just begs the question of if this system works at all? It’s just sad.”

The Freedom Caucus amassed significant momentum in 2024, telling the public it had gained control of the House. It is part of a larger national network of Freedom Caucus chapters.

House Appropriations Chair and former Freedom Caucus leader John Bear, R-Gillette, ventured a cautious guess on the contrast between Singh’s interview and his generally conservative voting record.

“I would guess he wasn’t masquerading (as a conservative in the Legislature) because he hasn’t changed his voting significantly from when he was more aligned … with the Freedom Caucus,” said Bear.

Singh also made comments during Thompson’s podcast about being an atheist and a stoic. Bear voiced confusion over that, saying his view of Singh’s personal life has indicated Christian missionary activities.

[{"type":"text","text":"“That doesn’t make sense,” said Bear."}]

Singh told Cowboy State Daily on Friday that he is a Christian now, having “had to humble myself and learn firsthand not only what it is I believe, and my personal relationship with God. But how does that apply to my political theory.”

Thompson asked early during the podcast interview what issues matter most to Singh.

“I find myself talking a lot about women having access to abortion, gun laws ... “ began Singh.

[{"type":"text","text":"Thompson interrupted, telling Singh to talk about abortion."}]

“Women have to have access to the medical procedure of an abortion,” said Singh. 

He said that pro-lifers have good intentions, but women denied legal access to abortions will get them illegally and reap worse medical consequences.

“It’s a medical practice and women’s lives are on the line, and this is a decision an individual needs to be able to make,” he said.

During his first legislative session in 2023, Singh cosponsored the Life Is a Human Right Act — a near-total ban on abortion into which the Senate added exemptions for rape and incest — along with a similar ban on abortion pills. 

The Wyoming Supreme Court declared both bans unconstitutional on Jan. 6 of this year, citing the Wyoming Constitution’s promise of health care autonomy.

Singh told Cowboy State Daily on Friday, “I’m definitely pro-life, 100% pro-life. I feel like my voting record reflects that.”

He has voted in favor of pro-life legislation every year since his election.

During his interview with Thompson, Singh voiced passion for gun rights, saying people should be able to have whatever weapons they can afford, and that if everyone is armed, then people may be safer altogether.

While different Republicans vary, the party tends to favor gun rights and gun access.

Singh had told Thompson, according to the podcast recording, that former President Richard Nixon’s war on drugs was a “waste of resources obviously” and an embarrassment.

“Why should the government have a problem if someone smokes some weed on their couch, or does some mushrooms on their weekend in the forest, or even like, smokes some crack in their garage?” Singh had told Thompson. “If they’re not hurting — not doing something that’s actually a crime other than like the drug itself — why are we treating them like animals?”

Society should treat drug addiction like a health problem instead, he said.

In his interview Friday, Singh said he wants the state to reform its drug classifications and “we need to at least get to where President Trump has moved cannabis.”

The president has reclassified many marijuana products as schedule III, meaning they’re recognized as having a medical purpose. Wyoming has chosen against following suit, keeping the drug in the schedule I, non-medical class.

Singh said there are people in Wyoming who use marijuana and aren’t a danger to society, and that, “I don’t think we should treat them like criminals.”

That matches his legislative record. He’s repeatedly tried to run legislation to allow and regulate “consumable hemp” products.

[{"type":"text","text":"Singh differed Friday from his 2021 stance on “crack,” or cocaine."}]

“Crack is a problem. We don’t want crack,” Singh said with a laugh. “Crack actually destroys communities.”

He added, “But using the war on drugs to infringe upon civil liberties is something I disagree with.”

[{"type":"text","text":"On Party Politics"}]

Singh told Thompson in 2021 that he’d like to see the establishment of an explicitly progressive party in Cheyenne. He criticized the national mainstream Democratic establishment.

He also said “a bunch of, like, 60-year-old ranch hands that have a very, like, particular view of how the world works” have had the power to dictate what it means to be from Wyoming.

“But the people who don’t agree with … the Judeo-Christian, white nationalistic view of what America is but would rather see America be different,” said Singh, “our voices are pretty much suppressed.”

Wyoming’s political binary isn’t between Republican and Democrat, but between Republicans and “progressives with the support of the Democratic party,” said Singh. 

He said progressives can often explain their stances to conservatives “if you frame your arguments right.”

“If we want political change we need energy, we need bravery, we need boldness, we need charisma; like, we need to fight as if we’re fighting for real political power and we have a chance to win it,” said Singh. “Because we do have a chance to win it.”

Singh voiced support for nuclear energy, a nationwide high-speed rail system, and automating farming. He said he’s not opposed to the government owning land, “if it’s for, like, state parks. Stuff like that.”

Singh in recent months has voiced a strong Christian faith on his political Facebook page. He told Cowboy State Daily on Friday that is sincere.

In 2021, he told Thompson he identified as a stoic, meaning: “living according to virtue, and according to nature.” 

He described the value of focusing on one’s actions rather than his plight.

He denied the existence of God and the human soul. He said a human’s life is a gift one shouldn’t waste.  

“I think I wrestled with (faith) for a long time when I was young,” said Singh in his Friday interview. “I think a lot of young people wrestle with that. 

"And as life has gone on, it’s just been so absolutely crystal clear to me that there’s a God out there, and Jesus specifically died on the cross for my sins.

[{"type":"text","text":"‘Nazi Shit’"}]

In Thompson’s 2024 voiceover on the podcast, he addressed Singh, called Singh’s 2021 statements “beautiful,” and said, “It’s never too late to stop doing Nazi shit.”

Thompson elaborated in a Friday email to Cowboy State Daily, defining “Nazi shit” in part as: “targeting/scapegoating of racial and gender minorities,” “targeting public library and education systems in what amounts to the contemporary equivalent of book burning.” 

Thompson added, “hyper-nationalism and blind allegiance to a single executive figurehead that has been unconstitutionally centralizing power in his own hands could also fit the fascist bill.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Thompson did not point to any legislation specifically.  "}]

Singh was the lead sponsor on the 2024 House Bill 193, which sought to ban local Wyoming governments from implementing immigration sanctuary-city policies. He voted in favor this year of the failed House Bill 10, which sought to regulate sexually graphic books in school and public libraries.

The bill did not call for book burning or bans, but would have given disgruntled community members an avenue to sue if librarians refuse to move sexually explicit books to the adult section or, in the case of school libraries, out of the library.

Thompson said the friends parted ways after a rift that was both personal and political.

Singh said in a Monday phone interview, “Toby’s free to have his opinions.”

He referenced the old political aphorism, “If you’re not a socialist at 20, you have no heart; if you are a socialist at 40, you have no head.”

“That really resonated with me,” added Singh. “I think it’s good people are able to grow and learn.”

Daniel Singh 7 20 26

<title>GOP Rep Says He's Changed Since He Identified As Progressive, Pro-Choice, Atheist | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Rep. Daniel Singh, an incumbent Republican from Cheyenne who was once a member of the Freedom Caucus, says he's changed since identifying as a pro-choice, progressive atheist in a recently surfaced 2021 podcast interview. "People change their minds," he said.

GOP Rep Says He's Changed Since He Identified As Progressive, Pro-Choice, Atheist

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's Feature Reporter, Andrew Rossi.

Andrew Rossi

Outdoors

Two tourists were seen getting dangerously and illegally close to Grand Prismatic Spring on Sunday in Yellowstone National Park, enraging hundreds of spectators and millions of internet onlookers.

Tanya Saueressig of Livingston, Montana, was visiting Yellowstone with a friend when she witnessed the incident. She was standing on the Grand Prismatic boardwalk around 7 p.m. during what was otherwise a pleasant evening.

“It was a really nice crowd,” she told Cowboy State Daily. “People on the boardwalk were being lovely, giving each other space, and being quiet. It was a really nice experience.”

Saueressig was getting her final look of the evening when she saw something moving across the expansive microbial mats toward Grand Prismatic.

“I stopped in my tracks and was like, ‘Is that people? That can't be people. Nobody's that dumb,’” she said. 

[{"type":"text","text":"After all, temperatures in the spring run from 145 - 188 degrees. Deadly."}]

But, it was people. Two women, who appeared to be approaching the massive hot spring from the Fairy Falls Trail, which runs along the western edge of Grand Prismatic.

Saueressig's lovely evening quickly soured, as she was immediately overwhelmed by a wave of different emotions.

“I started getting scared because I thought they were going to fall in and get really, really hurt,” she said. “I worried people at the overlook were going to watch someone die that day. They were out there where nobody could help them.”

Concern quickly turned to anger. As she watched the women nonchalantly walk along the edge of Grand Prismatic, within 50 feet of its scalding-hot water, she got “so furious that I literally had tears in my eyes.”

“You could tell they were just strolling along, taking their selfies, without a care in the world,” she said. “They were totally oblivious to what was right under their feet. You're causing so much damage with every step you take, and you don't care.”

Someone else filmed the dark-haired duo 

. That video has been viewed millions of times in less than 24 hours. 

There’s no word on whether the individuals in the videos were identified or reported to Yellowstone's law enforcement rangers.

“I was so angry,” Saueressig said. “It was so mind-boggling to me that they would be out there in the first place.”

Walking on the fragile microbial mats around Grand Prismatic Spring and Yellowstone's many thermal features is a crime, punishable by fines, incarceration, and a multi-year ban from Yellowstone.

 in the park. That hasn’t stopped others from 

Greg Jackson, a former deputy chief for the National Park Service’s Division of Law Enforcement, Security and Emergency Services in Washington, D.C., called this type of tourist “the 0.1%.”

“Some people see the world differently than the mainstream,” he said. “You build an infrastructure that's dedicated to the 99.9% of people that don’t do this, and then you get people who don’t see that infrastructure or decide it doesn’t apply to them.”

Many people plead ignorance when charged with thermal trespass, saying they weren’t aware they were violating any rules or that they saw no signs in the immediate area where they were caught.

In Jackson’s opinion, it doesn’t matter how much the National Park Service does to prevent this kind of behavior. Nothing stops the 0.1%.

“I’ve seen people climb over guardrails to keep them from falling off a cliff for a better picture,” he said. “You can create as much of a deterrent as you can, but some people aren’t deterred by what would deter most people. Those outliers walk among us.”

[{"type":"text","text":"“Helpless”"}]

Saueressig wanted to immediately report the Sunday evening incident to a Yellowstone ranger. Unfortunately, she couldn’t find one.

“There weren't any rangers on the boardwalk, which there rarely are,” she said. “I think they only show up if an incident is called in, because they have so many other places to be and there's so few of them.”

That left Saueressig even more despondent in the moment. She felt “helpless” to do anything about the egregious act she was witnessing.

“You can help them or stop them because it’s already happening,” she said. “I didn’t have cell reception, so I couldn't call anybody. There wasn't anybody I could run up to and notify. I didn’t know what to do.”

With no other options, Saueressig did the best thing she could by filming and sharing the video on social media. While not a guarantee, it could lead to the identification of the perpetrators.

[{"type":"text","text":"Still, it did little to comfort her in the moment."}]

“The anger I was feeling was awful, and feeling helpless made it worse,” she said.

[{"type":"text","text":"How Vs. Why Not?"}]

Can anything be done to stop “the 0.1%”? Jackson doesn’t see a viable solution that hasn’t already been tried.

“If I could find a way of fixing that, I certainly would,” he said. “It creates a problem for everyone.”

In Jackson’s view, the National Park Service has made “reasonable and good efforts” to curtail the brazen behavior of the small number of tourists who choose to do these things. After all, the vast majority of Yellowstone’s visitors enjoy the park without incident.

[{"type":"text","text":"Would more signage, boardwalks, and barricades help?"}]

[{"type":"text","text":"Yes, but in Jackson’s experience, only to a point."}]

“I think they’ve done everything they can, but somebody's always going to think in a way you hadn't thought of before,” he said. “If you build a barricade, people will jump over it. If you build a wall, someone will hang-glide or parachute in.”

Having a ranger in the vicinity, visibly keeping an eye out for miscreants, might help stop this behavior. However, Jackson still didn’t think that would be enough.

“I’ve seen people do things right in front of me that you wouldn't think they would do, and they don’t have a clue,” he said. “A ranger might deter some people, but some people aren't deterred by the things that would deter most people.”

Most people, including Jackson, don’t think like this. That’s why trying to prevent this behavior is often futile.

“We can't see how, and they can't see why not,” he said. “That’s what makes people different. It’s a strange world we live in.”

When Saueressig started filming the two tourists, there was more on her mind than justice.

She recalled the incident at Grand Prismatic in June 2025, when 

 and was scalded to death by the 160-degree thermal water. One wrong step or a small crack in the thin crust could quickly prove fatal.

 to the microbial mats surrounding Grand Prismatic. These delicate living masses of thermophilic bacteria are what give the pool its vibrant colors.

“If they didn’t die, they were leaving permanent scars on the microbial mats,” she said. “They were causing so much damage with every step they took, and they literally didn’t care at all.”

People charged with thermal trespass can, and often do, plead ignorance. That usually isn’t enough to get them off the hook for fines, although it can be enough to avoid a few days at the Yellowstone Detention Center at Mammoth Hot Springs.

Ultimately, the damage is already done. No amount of money or jail time can remove the footprints and other scars left behind by people walking on Yellowstone’s thermal features.

“Ignorance may be a reason, but it’s no excuse,” Jackson said. “The resource doesn't care whether it's been damaged by people who are unaware or malicious. It’s still damage.”

Even the worst sentences can be seen as lucky breaks. Several people have been seriously injured or killed after getting too close to Yellowstone’s thermal features.

One would think a high risk of death might be enough to dissuade tourists from tempting their luck. That mentality’s been proven, time and time again, to not be enough to stop “the 0.1%”

“People still die whether they’re aware they’re intentionally violating the law or not,” Jackson said. “Sometimes, life's a little harder if you're clueless or decide the danger doesn’t apply to you.”

Tourists grand prismatic spring 7 20 26

<title>Tourists Again Illegally Walk On Dangerous Grand Prismatic Spring In Yellowstone | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Two tourists got dangerously and illegally close to Grand Prismatic Spring on Sunday in Yellowstone. Montana resident Tanya Saueressig, who filmed them taking selfies right next to the scalding water, said she "was so furious" she had tears in her eyes.

Tourists Again Illegally Walk On Dangerous Grand Prismatic Spring In Yellowstone

Wyoming Life

A semi-truck caused extensive damage to a bridge over Interstate 80 near Rawlins on Monday morning.

According to the Wyoming Highway Patrol, the semi-truck was headed westbound when it drifted off the pavement, into the median, and struck a cable barrier and a guardrail before hitting the concrete supports on the underside of the bridge at exit 214.

The impact was so intense that the tractor-trailer bounced up, damaging one of the bridge’s arches, and embedded into the three supports. The semi-truck broke free and continued careening along the guardrail.

Two people, the driver and co-driver of the semi-truck, escaped with non-life-threatening injuries. There was no mention of what caused the crash or whether any citations were issued.

The westbound lanes of I-80 near the bridge were closed, and traffic was diverted onto the exit ramps.

Doug McGee, public affairs officer for the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT), told Cowboy State Daily that bridge engineers from Cheyenne were en route to the location. 

An assessment of the bridge’s condition “could take some time due to the extensive damage.”

The Wyoming Highway Patrol could not be reached for additional information at the time of publication.

[{"type":"text","text":"Abnormal And Inconvenient"}]

Mira Miller, the public information officer for the city of Rawlins, said this was the first time that anyone has hit the bridge at exit 214. That presented a straightforward solution for traffic control.

“This is a very unique incident in that we don’t have any stuck traffic,” she said. “Instead of going under the bridge, you just go onto the ramps and then back off again.”

The greatest burden will be borne by Rawlins residents. The bridge, which is part of Rawlins’s Higley Boulevard, was completely closed after the incident.

Until WYDOT’s engineers have fully evaluated the bridge, it’s likely to remain closed. If the damage was serious enough, it might be closed for a while longer.

“The Wyoming State Penitentiary, TA Travel Center and Truck Service, and a hotel are on the south side of that exit,” Miller said. “People traveling to any of these locations through Rawlins will have to go to the 211 exit, on the west side of town, and drive to the 214 exit to get there.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Miller described the incident as “abnormal.”"}]

“I've never heard of this bridge being closed for something like this,” she said. “I know WYDOT is working very quickly to figure out what to do and to keep everybody safe while they're in that process.”

[{"type":"text","text":"Who’s Responsible?"}]

Bridge and underpass crashes are rare in Wyoming, but they can cause tremendous disruption to traffic, especially on a highway as busy as I-80. 

It also costs millions of dollars to repair the bridges after these incidents, adding further traffic disruption. 

Usually, incidents are caused when a truck’s load exceeds the clearance height underneath the bridge, damaging the overhead structure. In that case, the blame usually goes to the driver.

, a low-boy truck and trailer carrying the mast of a forklift exceeded the posted clearance height of 15 feet 11 inches of the overpass at Beulah along I-90, damaging several girders and braces.

A preliminary inspection by WYDOT’s bridge engineers revealed that the damage compromised the integrity of the bridge, but it reopened shortly afterward, and traffic resumed without incident.

“It is a driver’s responsibility to make sure there is clearance for their truck and load,” McGee said in October 2025. “When a bridge strike happens, it can affect traffic flow for people and cost transportation companies a great deal of money (for repairs).”

McGee added that many strikes happen due to driver inattention. Many drivers ignore the signage listing height restrictions, leading to these incidents.

Earlier that year, WYDOT finished repairing damage to the same bridge from a similar incident in 2023. It cost $1.9 million.

“Regarding bridge strikes, there are more than anyone wishes,” said former WYDOT executive director Luke Reiner. "It is a responsibility of those who use the road to know the dimensions of their loads, understand the potential friction points, and plan their route accordingly.”

I 80 Semi crash into overpass at Rawlins 751720272 903109525558157 4564473789186149128 n 7 20 26 png

<title>Semitrailer Plows Into Bridge Over I-80 In Rawlins, Causes Extensive Damage | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A semitrailer caused extensive damage to a bridge over I-80 near Rawlins on Monday morning when it drifted off the pavement, into the median, and took out a concrete support. Westbound lanes of I-80 near the bridge are closed and traffic is being diverted.

Semitrailer Plows Into Bridge Over I-80 In Rawlins, Causes Extensive Damage

Employee kate meadows cropped

Kate Meadows

As Wyoming legislators continue debating whether ambulance service should be considered an essential government function, some rural communities aren't waiting for their answer.

Across the state, local officials are experimenting with various solutions to keep ambulances on the road as volunteer numbers shrink, operating costs climb while revenues shrink, and the demands of serving huge rural areas with sparse populations.

Crook County is moving toward creating a countywide EMS district funded by a local tax, while Lincoln County recently rejected a similar approach. In Fremont County, the town of Shoshoni has taken a different path altogether, staffing its ambulance with police officers trained as emergency medical technicians.

Together, the efforts illustrate a growing reality across Wyoming that without EMS designated as an essential service, communities are increasingly being forced to solve the problem on their own.

[{"type":"text","marks":[{"type":"bold"}],"text":"Crook County’s Approach"}]

In May, Crook County commissioners passed a resolution to officially form an EMS district. Forming a district is a necessary step in asking county voters to pay for EMS services through a mill levy tax.

The district was made possible by legislation passed in 2023 that allows counties to create taxing districts specifically for EMS, a response to the growing statewide funding shortfall facing rural ambulance providers.

As Wyoming legislators continue debating whether ambulance service is an essential government function, some communities aren't waiting. With shrinking budgets and volunteer pools, some are asking for local taxes while others have police pull double duty.

You Still Here? Thursday, July 27, 2023

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