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Features Reporter

Andrew Rossi

Andrew Rossi is a features reporter for Cowboy State Daily based in northwest Wyoming. He covers everything from horrible weather and giant pumpkins to dinosaurs, astronomy, and the eccentricities of Yellowstone National Park.

 Previously, Rossi was the News Director for Big Horn Basin Media in Cody. He earned several awards from the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters, including multiple awards for Best News Reporter and Best News Talk Show.

 A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Rossi previously worked at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis. He has collaborated with Disney/Pixar, the BBC, The Washington Post, the Wyoming Office of Tourism, and several other national and international media outlets. He is also a cofounder of The Cody Theatre Company in Cody.

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Latest from Andrew Rossi

When the warm air of spring mixes with the cold air of winter, it can create intense winter thunderstorms across Wyoming that cause snow to fall faster than it can melt, which can quickly make driving dangerous.

Wyoming's Spring Could Be Full Of Fast, Furious Winter Thunderstorms

When the warm air of spring mixes with the cold air of winter, it can create intense winter thunderstorms across Wyoming that causes snow to fall faster than it can melt, which can quickly make driving dangerous.

Andrew RossiApril 18, 2025

Squatters staying in a vacant hotel in Evanston, Wyoming, are suspected of starting a fire Tuesday in the vacant Hillcrest Motel. Police report the owner of the motel has been trying to renovate it, but has been having problems evicting squatters.

Squatters Suspected Of Starting Fire In Vacant Evanston Motel

Squatters staying in a vacant hotel in Evanston, Wyoming, are suspected of starting a fire Tuesday in the vacant Hillcrest Motel. Police report the owner of the motel has been trying to renovate it, but has been having problems evicting squatters.

Andrew RossiApril 15, 2025

The eruption of Yellowstone’s Steamboat Geyser on Monday suggests to scientists that the world's tallest active geyser may be getting more regular. Sometimes going years between eruptions, it seems to be spouting off more consistently, as seen in this file photo.

Steamboat Geyser — World’s Tallest — Blasts Off For Second Time In 2025

The eruption of Yellowstone’s Steamboat Geyser on Monday is its second of 2025 and suggests that the world's tallest active geyser may be getting more regular. Sometimes going years between eruptions, it seems to be spouting off more consistently.

Andrew RossiApril 15, 2025

A slow-moving cold front is heading for Wyoming, which will drop temperatures by as much as 50 degrees for much of the state. It’ll also bring up to 4 inches of wet snow and black ice to some of the most hazardous roads and highways.

50-Degree Temperature Plunge, Snow On The Way For Much Of Wyoming

A slow-moving cold front is heading for Wyoming, which will drop temperatures by as much as 50 degrees for most of the state. It’ll also bring up to 4 inches of wet snow and black ice to some of the most hazardous roads and highways.

Andrew RossiApril 15, 2025

Cowboy State Daily’s Wendy Corr shared a stage with Reba McEntire, Graham Greene, and Brooks & Dunn in Oklahoma City on Saturday for the Western Heritage Awards. Her podcast won the 2025 Wrangler Award for Outstanding Western Lifestyle Program.

Cowboy State Daily’s Wendy Corr Wins National Award For Podcast

Cowboy State Daily’s Wendy Corr shared a stage with Reba McEntire, Graham Greene, and Brooks & Dunn in Oklahoma City on Saturday for the Western Heritage Awards. Her podcast won the 2025 Wrangler Award for Outstanding Western Lifestyle Program.

Andrew RossiApril 13, 2025

April's full moon is known as the Pink Moon, but it's also a micromoon, the smallest moon of the year and the one the Catholic Church uses to tell us when to celebrate Easter. It’s visible now, but really not that pink.

Rare Full Pink Micromoon Is Smaller Than A Normal Moon, And Really Not That Pink

April's full moon is known as the Pink Moon, but it's also a micromoon, the smallest moon of the year and the one the Catholic Church uses to tell us when to celebrate Easter. It’s visible now, but really not that pink.

Andrew RossiApril 13, 2025

William Kay, 8, is reunited with Dog after it was lost at a rest stop along Interstate 80, then found by a Carbon County Sheriff's Office deputy and returned to him in St. Louis, Missouri.

Wyoming Sheriff Returns Stuffed Dog To 8-Year-old Lost Along Interstate 80

William Kay, 8, couldn’t sleep without his well-worn stuffed dog named Dog, which blew out of the family car at a rest stop along Interstate 80 in Wyoming. The Carbon County Sheriff’s Office found Dog and returned it.

Andrew RossiApril 13, 2025

Water hemlock is considered the deadliest plant in North America, and these poison parsnips have caused at least two fatalities in Yellowstone National Park. The highly toxic roots can be mistaken for parsley or carrots.

Yellowstone's Poison Parsnips Can Fool Foragers — And Are Frequently Fatal

Water hemlock is considered the deadliest plant in North America, and these poison parsnips have caused at least two fatalities in Yellowstone National Park. The highly toxic roots can be mistaken for parsnips or carrots.

Andrew RossiApril 12, 2025

Paleontologists uncovered a bonebed containing more than 19 giant amphibian skeletons from the Popo Agie Formation near Dubois, Wyoming. The bonebed is a smorgasbord of skeletons, dense with dismembered heads, chests, hips and tails.

Mass Grave Of Prehistoric Amphibians With Toilet Lid-Shaped Heads Found Near Dubois

Paleontologists are uncovering a bonebed containing more than 19 giant amphibian skeletons from the Popo Agie Formation near Dubois, Wyoming. They may have been victims of “boiling frog syndrome.”

Andrew RossiApril 12, 2025

Astrophotographer Dan Bartlett got this image of the newly discovered Comet 2025 F2 (SWAN) as seen on earthsky.org.

Newly Discovered Comet Can Be Seen From Wyoming If You Wake Up Early Enough

It's been less than two weeks since Comet 2025 F2 (SWAN) was discovered, but it can already be seen from Wyoming with binoculars. If you wake up early enough, you can see it, and it could be brighter than Uranus if it survives rounding the sun May 1.

Andrew RossiApril 11, 2025

Number crunching shows that March was one of the windiest on record overall in the U.S. and record-setting for many states. But Wyoming is always windy, which means even with a normal year, it blows away the record-breaking March for other states.

Wyoming’s Normal Winds Blow Away Record-Breaking March For Other States

Number crunching shows that March was one of the windiest on record overall in the U.S. and record-setting for many states. But Wyoming is always windy, which means even with a normal year, it blows away a record-breaking March for other states.

Andrew RossiApril 10, 2025

A U-Haul truck that jumped the curb and got wedged under the Highway 150 overpass in Evanston, Wyoming, on Tuesday. Many passersby couldn’t help a second look and occasionally yelling some helpful advice as they drove by: “You can’t park there!”

‘You Can’t Park There’: U-Haul Jumps Curb, Gets Wedged Under Evanston Overpass

A U-Haul truck that jumped the curb and got wedged under the Highway 150 overpass in Evanston, Wyoming, on Tuesday. Many passersby couldn’t help a second look and occasionally yelling some helpful advice as they drove by: “You can’t park there!”

Andrew RossiApril 09, 2025

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Yellowstone National Park's bison are mostly contained to the park, but West Yellowstone, Montana, is one place where they roam freely. At wildlife photographer Trent Sizemore’s house, these backyard bison graze on the lawn and lounge in the driveway.

West Yellowstone Residents Share Their Homes With Herds Of Backyard Bison

Yellowstone National Park's bison are mostly contained to the park, but West Yellowstone, Montana, is one place where they roam freely. At wildlife photographer Trent Sizemore’s house, these backyard bison spar on the lawn and lounge in the driveway.

Andrew RossiApril 09, 2025

Romulus and Remus, the two dire wolf pups created by Colossal Biosciences, are recorded giving their first howls.

Dire Wolves Resurrected From Prehistoric DNA As ‘World’s First De-Extinct Animals’

A company revealed Monday it’s created the “world’s first de-extinct animals,” two wolf pups genetically modified to resemble extinct dire wolves. The same company has said it also may soon "resurrect" woolly mammoths.

Andrew RossiApril 08, 2025

A skeleton of Brontosaurus parvus at the University of Wyoming's Geological Museum. This specimen had been classified as an Apatosaurus until 2015, when new research showed that Brontosaurus and Apatosaurus were different dinosaurs, rather than different species of the same dinosaur.

How Wyoming's Brontosaurus Became The World's Most Famous Dinosaur — Twice

Brontosaurus lived 150 million years ago, was discovered in Wyoming 146 years ago, was erased 112 years ago, and was resurrected as a valid genus 10 years ago. It's all part of an ongoing sauropod saga.

Andrew RossiApril 05, 2025

“X” really does mark a spot in Sybille Canyon along Wyoming Highway 34, but it doesn’t mark the site of buried treasure. It’s a unique geologic formation that might point to mineral wealth.

What The Heck … Is That Giant Rock "X" In Sybille Canyon Near Wheatland?

“X” really does mark a spot in Sybille Canyon along Wyoming Highway 34, but it doesn’t mark the site of buried treasure. It’s a unique geologic formation that might point to mineral wealth.

Andrew RossiApril 05, 2025

The 1938 short "Good Scouts" has Donald Duck and his three nephews making a ruckus in "Yellowstone Nat'l Park." If he was a real tourist, Donald would be facing severe fines — or asking Mickey to bail him out.

That Time Donald Duck And His Nephews Committed Crimes In Yellowstone

The 1938 short "Good Scouts" has Donald Duck and his three nephews making a ruckus in "Yellowstone Nat'l Park." If he were a real tourist, Donald would be facing severe fines — or asking Mickey to bail him out of jail.

Andrew RossiApril 05, 2025

Yellowstone's first bison calf of 2025 was spotted in the Lamar Valley on Sunday, making it an early addition to the park's bison herds.

Yellowstone's First ‘Red Dog’ Bison Calf Of 2025 Comes Early

Yellowstone's first bison calf of 2025 was spotted in the Lamar Valley on Sunday, making it an early addition to the park's bison herds. A Wyoming photographer got photos of the first “red dog” of the season.

Andrew RossiApril 04, 2025

It’s not spring in Wyoming until the cheerful yellow barrel named Bob in the middle of Fremont Lake breaks through the ice. Guessing when stuff breaks through the ice is a Pinedale tradition that goes back at least 85 years.

It’s Not Spring In Wyoming Until Bob The Barrel Breaks Through Fremont Lake Ice

It’s not spring in Wyoming until the cheerful yellow barrel named Bob in the middle of Fremont Lake breaks through the ice. Guessing when stuff breaks through the ice is a Pinedale tradition that goes back at least 85 years.

Andrew RossiApril 03, 2025

Specialty license plates 4 1 25

Wyoming's Specialty License Plates Are Few, Similar And On Probation

There will be 21 specialty license plates available to Wyoming residents in 2025, even if most of them look similar. Compared to other states, Wyoming is next-to-last in number of available specialty plates.

Andrew RossiApril 01, 2025

Yellowstone grizzlies may be at the top of the food chain, but even the apex predator has to think twice about tangling with a herd of ornery bison. The Old Faithful webcam Monday caught the herd sending a grizzly running for cover.

Grizzly Chased From Old Faithful By Ornery Yellowstone Bison Herd

Yellowstone grizzlies may be at the top of the food chain, but even the apex predator has to think twice about tangling with a herd of ornery bison. The Old Faithful webcam Monday caught the herd sending a grizzly running for cover.

Andrew RossiMarch 31, 2025

Volunteers excavating at the "substation excavation" in St. George, Utah. Over 200 volunteers, paleontologists, and construction companies are donating time, tools and talents to excavate as many fossils as possible from this acre of 200-million-year-old red rock from the Early Jurassic Period.

Reserve Of Prehistoric Dinosaur Fossils Discovered Next To Utah Subdivision

While preparing to build a power substation next to a Utah residential subdivision, a prehistoric field of dinosaur and other fossils was discovered. Now hundreds of volunteers are helping excavate the site.

Andrew RossiMarch 30, 2025

Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Denver is world-famous for hosting the biggest bands on the planet. Its unique near-perfect acoustics are provided by its red sandstone, which recently got its first deep cleaning in 119 years.

Red Rocks Gets First Deep Clean in 119 Years From Group That Scrubbed Mount Rushmore

Red Rocks near Denver is famous for hosting the biggest bands on the planet. Its near-perfect acoustics are provided by its red sandstone, which got its first deep cleaning in 119 years this month from the same group that scrubbed Mount Rushmore.

Andrew RossiMarch 30, 2025

For generations, American farmers have lived and died by almanacs going back to 1792, but with current technology, are they still trusted? Scientific or not, getting a Farmer’s Almanac or Old Farmer’s Almanac is a treasured tradition.

Are Farmer’s Almanacs Still The First And Last Word For Farmers And Ranchers?

For generations, American farmers have lived and died by almanacs going back to 1792, but with current technology, are they still trusted? Scientific or not, getting a Farmer’s Almanac or Old Farmer’s Almanac is a treasured tradition.

Andrew RossiMarch 29, 2025

The GeyserTimes Dashboard of webcams has become a wildly popular way for people to visit Yellowstone National Park year-round from anywhere on the planet. Fans also name their favorite features, like "The Sitting Sasquatch Tree" in the Upper Geyser Basin.

People Love Spotting ‘Sitting Sasquatch Tree’ On Yellowstone Webcams

GeyserTimes is more than a real-time view of Yellowstone National Park, it's a venue for park fans to share data and banter about their favorite spot on the planet. Wildlife, geysers and even the “Sitting Sasquatch Tree” are favorites on its webcams.

Andrew RossiMarch 29, 2025

Cody's Bighorn Basin Towing wants to get a Ford F-250 down off the rocky cliff it got stuck on after a windstorm blew it over the edge, and hopes that "Ole Blue" can be resurrected from the wreck.

Cody Towing Co. Parks Truck, Returns To Find It Rolled Off A Cliff

A Cody towing company is facing its most difficult recovery job ever — and it’s for its own Ford F-250 truck. It was left with the parking brake on, but not in gear, and rolled down a rocky cliff overnight last weekend.

Andrew RossiMarch 27, 2025

It was a "humbling experience" when WYDOT heavy equipment operator Shaun Emmett got his snowplow stuck on the Chief Joseph Highway on Monday, the first time he’s been totally stuck in 22 years of plowing Wyoming highways.

After 22 Years, A First For WYDOT Snowplow Driver — He Gets Stuck In A Drift

In what he calls a "humbling experience,” a veteran WYDOT snowplow driver got his plow stuck for the first time in 22 years Monday. He was trying to get through a 4-foot-deep drift blocking both lanes.

Andrew RossiMarch 25, 2025

Images from a video taken by the Steve and Vlada March family shows a violent eruption of Black Diamond Pool in Yellowstone National Park on July 23, 2024.

Yellowstone Pool That Exploded Last Summer Is Still Closed — And Still Exploding

Black Diamond Pool in Yellowstone National Park has been closed since it violently exploded last July. As the park prepares for the summer tourism season, it remains closed — and is still exploding.

Andrew RossiMarch 25, 2025

After an anonymous complaint about its bingo night, the Wyoming Gaming Commission ended the game at three Cody bars, including Brewgards.

State Shuts Down Bingo Nights At Cody Bars After ‘Illegal Gambling’ Complaint

Popular bingo nights at three Cody bars have been shut down by the Wyoming Gaming Commission after an anonymous complaint of “illegal gambling.” The agency says it’s following the law, while the bars call the move “absolutely ridiculous.”

Andrew RossiMarch 24, 2025

Mount Coffin in the mountains of Lincoln County, Wyoming, is one of the windiest places in the state, which could be why it appears flat, hence it's comparison to a coffin.

Another Wild Windy Wyoming Weekend: 116 MPH Winds On Mount Coffin

It was another windy weekend in Wyoming, with winds hitting more than 100 mph in western parts of the state. Mount Coffin experienced the highest wind gust hitting 116 mph.

Andrew RossiMarch 24, 2025

Even when new thermal features appear in Yellowstone National Park, they are unlikely to get named. Getting a new name in Yellowstone is a lengthy process that hasn't happened in two decades — and might never happen again. But that doesn't mean there aren't uniquely named features, like Grand Prismatic Spring, named for the vibrant rainbow of colors its hot mineral waters produce.

There Hasn't Been A New Name In Yellowstone In 25 Years (And May Never Happen Again)

Even when new thermal features appear in Yellowstone National Park, they are unlikely to get named. Getting a new name in Yellowstone is a lengthy process that hasn't happened in two decades — and might never happen again.

Andrew RossiMarch 23, 2025

Media hype that Mount Adams, a Washington volcano, is about to blast off after 1,000 years is “a bunch of garbage,” says a Wyoming expert. Because Yellowstone sits on a huge, active supervolcano, someone’s always watching for what might trigger it.

Yellowstone Volcanologist Says Claims Of 1,000-Year Volcano Eruption "A Bunch Of Garbage"

Media hype that a volcano in Washington is about to blow up after 1,000 years is “garbage,” says Mike Poland, scientist-in-charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory. Because Yellowstone sits on an active supervolcano, scientists monitor what might trigger it, and he says this isn't it.

Andrew RossiMarch 23, 2025

Neon is a big part of the culture at Frontier Auto Museum in Gillette, Wyoming, and it's building a new Neon Park to celebrate the art of neon signage. The museum has been rescuing iconic signs from around the state that would otherwise have been trashed.

Gillette Museum Rescues Iconic Signs From Around Wyoming For New Neon Park

Frontier Auto Museum in Gillette is building a Neon Park to house neon signs it’s rescuing from around Wyoming. They already have the Holiday Lodge sign from Lander, the Cheyenne Motel sign, Fox Theater sign in Casper, and the Moorcroft Motel sign. More will be added when restored.

Andrew RossiMarch 22, 2025

The violence of bighorn sheep smashing their heads together, focusing 2,000 pounds of pressure delivered at 30 mph can make one wonder how their heads don’t explode. The basic answer is their thick horns and skulls are basically crash helmets.

Why Bighorn Sheep Heads Don’t Explode When They Violently Smash Into Each Other

The violence of bighorn sheep smashing their heads together, focusing 2,000 pounds of pressure delivered at 30 mph, can make one wonder how their heads don’t explode. The basic answer is their thick horns and skulls are basically crash helmets.

Andrew RossiMarch 22, 2025

A weather balloon is launched in this file photo.

Wyoming Meteorologist Says Cutting Weather Balloon Launches "Dumb And Unacceptable"

Wyoming meteorologist Don Day said the federal government's decision to cut balloon launches across the country - including Rapid City and Riverton - is "dumb and unacceptable." He said the launches are a critical facet meteorologists use every day to make forecasts.

Andrew RossiMarch 21, 2025

The first Yellowstone International Film Festival in Cody, Wyoming, begins Friday screening 78 films over eight days. Its eclectic lineup includes premieres of “When Santa Was a Communist” and “Nobody Wants to Shoot a Woman.”

First Yellowstone Film Fest Features Eclectic Lineup, Including Communist Santa

The first Yellowstone International Film Festival in Cody, Wyoming, begins Friday screening 78 films over eight days. Its eclectic lineup includes premieres of “When Santa Was a Communist” and “Nobody Wants to Shoot a Woman.”

Andrew RossiMarch 20, 2025

The stop sign on Togwotee Pass has another 12-16 inches to go to be fully buried, and the snow to finish the job could fall this weekend. Those in the 2025 Stop Sign Snow Challenge have only days left until the contest’s end-of-March deadline.

Wyoming Stop Sign ‘As Close As Ever’ To Being Buried With Days Left In Contest

The stop sign on Togwotee Pass has another 12-16 inches to go to be fully buried, and the snow to finish the job could fall this weekend. Those in the 2025 Stop Sign Snow Challenge have only days left until the contest’s end-of-March deadline.

Andrew RossiMarch 19, 2025

The windows of Jill Siggins' home in Cody are covered in mud after a windy rainstorm.

Muddy Rainstorm Blows Through Cody, Leaves Town Covered In Crud

Wind and rain worked together to plaster dirt all over Cody on Monday, covering windows and cars in a layer of hard-to-clean crud. It’s just a precursor to a storm that could drop up to 10 inches of snow in spots around Wyoming on Tuesday.

Andrew RossiMarch 17, 2025

The Flash asks immortal caveman Vandal Savage why he delivered a heart to his Brooklyn apartment in 1987’s The Flash (Volume 2) #2: “Savage Showdown!” In the previous comic, Flash ran from NYC to Seattle to deliver a human heart to a hospital, and saw Savage kill the heart's owner while he zoomed through Wyoming.

Why Did An Immortal Caveman Kill A Thermopolis Detective In A 1987 Flash Comic?

Thermopolis turns up in odd places. In a 1982 film, Daffy Duck fought Bugs Bunny for the right to sell books there and in 1987, one of the biggest villains in the DC Universe traveled to Thermopolis to tear someone's heart out.

Andrew RossiMarch 16, 2025

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