It’s time to take a look at what’s happening around Wyoming for Monday, January 26th. I’m Mac Watson.
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A Rock Springs High School teacher accidentally projected a personal nude photo during a special ed class lesson, shocking some students and upsetting parents. Cowboy State Daily’s Zak Sonntag reports that parents are criticizing what they say was a delayed response by the school.
“They understand mistakes happen. People have personal lives. They're just upset that it wasn't handled a little bit differently. And as for technology in the classroom, Wyoming does have a digital learning plan, but it does not state in this plan any specific mandate about the rules regarding the use of personal devices in the classroom. And some education advocates say we need to champion clear protocols for separating personal devices and content in the classroom. And Wyoming does not have a statewide policy on that yet, but it's something that people are now talking about.”
The incident began as a discussion on what kids did for winter break.
When it was the teacher’s turn to share, she connected her cellphone to a laptop projector and that’s when the nude image was displayed on the screen.
Read the full story HERE.
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The mother of a 22-year-old Cheyenne man who shot himself while handcuffed in the back of a police car is asking how that could happen. Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that Dani Hall has many unanswered questions.
“When I interviewed Dani Hall, there was this combination of devastation and curiosity, and she was like, ‘How do they miss a handgun but find a pocket knife. How long were they away? How long before this happened? Did he say anything right before he did it?’ And so even though she was absolutely devastated, she was just teeming with questions about what happened…as part of my inquiry to Cheyenne Police Department, I asked if they were willing to confirm Dani Hall's account, and I also asked if anyone was on leave or in counseling in because of this situation, they declined to comment, in addition to their statement saying the investigation
is ongoing.”
22-year-old Aiden Hall was being detained on suspicion of DUI when he allegedly shot himself in the back of a squad car.
Read the full story HERE.
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There's a dark underbelly in Yellowstone and two retired rangers are telling all. Cowboy State Daily’s Jen Kocher reports that Tara Ross and Nancy Martinz are telling stories like the one called the “Yellowstone River and the Hippie Cannibal" story about a social worker from Montana, who had the misfortune of picking up a couple hitchhikers high on LSD.
“These stories never get out of the behind the scenes…For example, when two Rangers were responding to a bear mauling…they ran into a bison, and they thought they gave it a wide enough birth. So they're trying to circumvent this bison on the trail to get to a bear mauling. And the bison then sees them, takes run right toward them, is storming toward them, and one of the Rangers sprays it with bear spray, and it diverts within five to 10 feet of knocking them over and killing them…Sadly, they were too late. They would have been too late anyway, because they were responding to screens at that point, but that's just an example of what these rangers are dealing with.”
Tara Ross and Nancy Martinz co-host the "Crime Off the Grid" podcast, which was started in 2023 when Ross retired.
Read the full story HERE.
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The giant flags over Camping World in Cheyenne are hand-made and cost $130,000 each. Cowboy State Daily’s Kate Meadows reports that the basketball court-sized flags are hand-crafted with a specific intention.
“This was a decision made back in 2014 the first four flags were put out at four camping worlds across the country, Cheyenne was not one of them. Cheyennes didn't come until 2021 but they are just a support for veterans. Camping World is a huge supporter of veterans, and a lot of their customers are veterans…Every flag is handmade. Every flight costs $130,000. The general manager at the Cheyenne Camping World told me that one flag lasts up to about two months in good weather.”
The massive flag at Cheyenne’s Camping World location on the north side of Interstate 80 is specifically engineered to withstand up to 100 mph winds.
Read the full story HERE.
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I’ll be back with more news from Cowboy State Daily right after this.
Cowboy State Daily news continues now…
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From Afghanistan to Africa to Wyoming, Kim Greene is a leading trainer of world-class protection dogs that she sells for $175,000 each. Cowboy State Daily’s David Madison reports that Kim sells about 20 dogs a year and her security business made nearly $3 million in 2024.
“It's inspiring to see this entrepreneur, Kim Green. She started just down the road from Jackson, on the highway there in an old Polaris dealership, and she's built up this reputation and a product. This incredible protection dog. It's a combination of three shepherds that can sell for as much as $175,000. Now, what do you get for that? Well, she says that in the time that she's been in business, there's really only been one documented incident where the dog had to use its biting talents. Only once during an attempted carjacking in Nairobi, Kenya is there this documented case of the dog actually biting. Mostly it's a preventative measure. People see that dog and probably know better than to attempt anything with the owner. They're also just amazing companion animals, according to Green and her clients.”
Greene, founder of Svalinn, got her start in Kenya before moving operations to Teton County, Wyoming. She’s now based outside of Livingston, Montana.
Read the full story HERE.
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Cheyenne-based Big Boy 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, will make its first ever coast-to-coast tour this year to honor America's 250th birthday. Cowboy State Daily’s Renee Jean reports that according to Union Pacific officials the tour would be historic.
“Big Boy was created in 1941, rolled off the line in 1941 at the plant in Schenectady, New York, and has never been back to the East Coast since he came to Wyoming. They stationed it at Green River, eventually went to a museum in California, then it was brought back to Cheyenne to restore. And it's toured all over the West, but it's never been back to the East Coast since it rolled off the line in 1941 so this would be a first for Big Boy
to make this tour.”
Officials from Union Pacific tell Cowboy State Daily that Big Boy’s tour has more details that need to be ironed out, but could begin near the end of March.
Read the full story HERE.
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A Cheyenne state legislator unveiled a bill Thursday that seeks to sell between 30,000 and 200,000 acres of non-trust state lands in 10-acre parcels to individual families — at $1 an acre. Cowboy State Daily’s Clair McFarland reports that State Rep. Jacob Wasserburger says it will help ease Wyoming’s housing shortage.
“It's the Wyoming Homestead Opportunity Program unveiled Thursday. What it wants to do is to sell off several 1000 acres of Wyoming State non trust lands at $1 an acre in clusters like these 3000 acre neighborhoods, and then each family or buyer gets like, a 10 acre lot, and it has a lot of stipulations. Like, you have to promise to live on the land within 20 years. You have to do this and this, and if not, your land reverts back to the state. The preamble to this bill says it's to solve our housing shortage. A public lands expert that I spoke with, David Wilms, said, ‘Yeah, but I'm not seeing any neighborhoods or clusters. Acreage is that big a state non-trust land near any of the areas where we have housing shortages.’”
State parks, school parcels, historical sites, recreational grounds, landmarks, archaeological sites, wildlife refuges, wilderness areas, school and institutional lands, and lands reserved for public use would not be eligible for sale under the act.
Read the full story HERE.
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In 1891, a well-known Casper doctor and drunk was thrown in the local jail after a fight with another doctor. Cowboy State Daily’s Dale Killingbeck reports that the doctor then yelled that the jail was on fire, but nobody paid attention.
“This happened in October 1891. They rushed to the jail. It's a blaze. They tried to, he tried to this neighbor, tried to break the lock, broke the lock, but he couldn't open the door. So then he goes to get the marshal. The Marshal gives him the key. Can't open the lock. They go to cut a hole in the side of the jail, and by the time they do that, they find that the doctor is just a pile of ashes, and they pull him out with a rake.”
The hometown Natrona County Tribune on Oct. 14 got to the point: “Burned to Death, Dr. Joseph Benson Meets a Death of Agony.” That same story also reported that he was, "Nothing But A Charred Mass of Humanity."
Read the full story HERE.
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And that’s today’s news. Get your free digital subscription to Wyoming's only statewide newspaper by hitting the Daily Newsletter button on Cowboy State Daily Dot Com - and you can watch this newscast every day by clicking Subscribe on our YouTube channel, or listen to us on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for watching - I’m Mac Watson, for Cowboy State Daily.
