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

Can 95-Year-Old Wort Cabin Survive Jackson’s Skyrocketing Real Estate Market?

The tiny Wort Cabin in downtown Jackson started in 1929 as a bakery, and has remained an active commercial space since. Now the local historic preservation board hopes it can survive the skyrocketing real estate valuations of the Jackson market.

Andrew RossiDecember 22, 2024

A dusting of snow covers Jackson Town Square in Wyoming as it's lit up during the holidays.

There's A Chance For White Christmas Across Wyoming But Don't Count On It

There's a change coming that could start soon enough to carry a taste of winter weather across Wyoming on Christmas Day. But don’t hold your breath waiting for a Norman Rockwell white Christmas, Don Days says.

Andrew RossiDecember 22, 2024

Neo is a 4-month-old Highland bull calf that's available after a buyer backed out of a sale.

Need A Last-Minute Gift? How About A Shaggy Hippie-Cow?

Highlands are the cute, shaggy hippies of cattle, and it seems everyone wants one or two. One Wyoming ranching family says they’re also cleaner, love people and taste great.

Andrew RossiDecember 21, 2024

Saturday Is The Darkest Day Of The Year -- Especially If You Live Up North

Saturday is the shortest day of the year, but that’s relative to where you are in Wyoming. Folks in the northern reaches, like Sheridan, will have more than 30 minutes less sunlight than those in Cheyenne, Rock Springs or Pine Bluffs.

Andrew RossiDecember 20, 2024

A historic water tower along the Union Pacific line near the Wyoming-Colorado state line at Harriman, Wyoming, was a local landmark for about 80 years. Now it’s gone, torn down Dec. 17, 2024, without notice or discussion, leaving locals and railroad buffs livid. In this photo, hundreds of people gather by the tower to watch Big Boy 4014 pass through.

Locals Shellshocked After Historic Wyoming Union Pacific Water Tower Torn Down

A historic water tower along the Union Pacific line near the Wyoming-Colorado state line was a local landmark for about 80 years. Now it’s gone, torn down Tuesday without notice or discussion, leaving locals and railroad buffs shellshocked.

Andrew RossiDecember 19, 2024

Report That Wyoming Lost Winter Days To Climate Change Is Misleading, Says Don Day

A non-profit environmental group's claim that Wyoming has lost two days of winter because of climate change is misleading and incorrect, says Wyoming meteorologist Don Day. “I almost laughed when I saw that,” Day told Cowboy State Daily.

Andrew RossiDecember 18, 2024

A new tiny siesmograph called a Raspberry Shake has been placed in southern Wyoming. Along with earth movements surrounding it, the device also can detect earthquakes around the world. That includces Yellowstone National Park, which was hit by a 6.3 magnitude quake in 1959.

Tiny Box In Southern Wyoming Can Detect Earthquakes Around The World

A new seismograph technology has positioned a tiny box in southern Wyoming capable of monitoring earthquakes around the world. It's expected to reveal answers to mysterious smaller quakes in the region.

Andrew RossiDecember 15, 2024

Dan Downs creates his "frost art" in a storefront in Douglas, Wyoming.

Douglas “Frost Artist” Creates Intricate Snowscapes On Wyoming Storefronts

Moving to Wyoming has inspired Douglas resident Dan Downs to return to doing his “frost art.” Now he creates intricate snowscapes and winter scenes on storefronts.

Andrew RossiDecember 15, 2024

This Stegasaurus, left, and a large and small Allosaurus were sold at action recently, going for more than $15 million in total.

Wyoming Dinosaurs Sold For $15 Million In Europe, But How Legitimate Are They?

Collectors might want to beware when bidding on dinosaurs at auction houses. A recent trio of Wyoming dinosaurs sold for more than $15 million at an auction in London, but how much of the dinosaur skeletons are legitimate vs 3D printed material?

Andrew RossiDecember 14, 2024

Collin Townsend with a portion of his Weston County license plate run. He has a car and truck license plate from nearly every year between 1914 and 2024. Inset, a rare 1945 plate in his collection with its original wrapper.

Wyoming License Plate Collector Makes “Holy Grail” Find

Collin Townsend has spent 12 years collecting a complete run of license plates from Weston County. His latest acquisition is a “Holy Grail” find — a rare 1945 plate with its original wartime wrapper.

Andrew RossiDecember 14, 2024

A winter storm is expected to dump 1-2 feet of snow — or more — on Wyoming's western mountains this weekend. That could make travel "difficult to impossible," the National Weather Service reports.

Storm To Dump On Western Wyoming Mountains, Could Make Travel “Impossible”

A winter storm will dump 1-2 feet of snow, or more, on Wyoming’s western mountains this weekend. That could make travel “difficult to impossible,” the National Weather Service warns.

Andrew RossiDecember 13, 2024

Cassie's, a Cody staple since 1933, is closed as a new owner evaluates the potential of the historic restaurant.

After 91 Years, Cassie’s Restaurant In Cody Is Closed, And May Not Reopen

Cassie's Supper Club, a Cody staple since 1933, is closed as a new owner evaluates the potential of the historic restaurant. The recent demolition of other historic restaurants has the community concerned about its future.

Andrew RossiDecember 11, 2024

Other Authors

Storm To Bring Up To 9 Inches Of Snow, 50 MPH Winds Across Parts Of Wyoming

A winter storm is expected to bring up to 9 inches of snow and 50 mph winds across northeast Wyoming through Wednesday morning. Cold continues to settle in across the rest of the state, with snow flying in the higher elevations.

Andrew RossiDecember 09, 2024

It's still much warmer than normal in Cheyenne, prompting walkers to take the path around Sloan Lake.

Wyoming Starts December Warmer Than Normal, But Expect Snow By Christmas

Temperatures will be between 10 and 15 degrees above average this first week of December in Wyoming. But that doesn’t mean a white Christmas isn’t on the way. Don Day says there’s a good chance for snow then.

Andrew RossiDecember 02, 2024

Matt Borths, a paleontologist and curator of fossils at the Duke Lemur Center’s Museum of Natural History, shows the skeleton of Metacheiromys, a relative of modern pangolins that lived in southwest Wyoming during the Eocene Period.

Why Duke University's Lemur Center Travels To Wyoming Every Summer

Scientists from the Duke Lemur Center at Duke University come out to Wyoming every summer to find fossils from the earliest ancestors of modern-day lemurs and primates. They say the Bridger Basin is the Madagascar of the Eocene Period.

Andrew RossiDecember 01, 2024

Archaeologists isolating and excavaing an articulated series of vertebrae from a mammoth found at the Buffalo Bill Reservoir near Cody in April 2018.

Cody's Prehistoric Mammoth Was A Big Discovery — And A Federal Crime Scene

The discovery of a mammoth at Buffalo Bill Reservoir in April 2018 was a big deal for Cody. It also became the focus of a federal investigation when it was discovered the mammoth was found on federal land — after it was already dug up.

Andrew RossiNovember 30, 2024

Ryder Tillard and Allen Woodard play Fortnite as elite players for the esports team at Eastern Wyoming College. They'll play for the national college championship Dec. 9, 2024.

Eastern Wyoming College One Of 8 Teams In National Fortnite Tournament

Within a year, Eastern Wyoming College’s esports team has become one of the best in the nation, earning a top seed at next month’s national Fortnite championiship. Teammate Ryder Tillard is among the best Fortnite players in the world.

Andrew RossiNovember 30, 2024

The black cat perched atop the power pole along Diamond Basin Road south of Cody.

Yes, Wyoming Power Linemen Still Rescue Cats From Power Poles

Wyoming power linemen still rescue cats and other critters that get themselves stuck on power poles. That's lucky for one black cat near Cody that spent hours atop a pole before Rocky Mountain Power lineman Jeff Matthews rescued it.

Andrew RossiNovember 30, 2024

After losing his "rat guy," Sean Conner started raising his own to feed his reptiles. Now he's become northwest Wyoming's go-to "rat guy."

How Sean Cooper Came To Be Northwest Wyoming's "Rat Guy"

Everyone has those “go-to” people in their lives — their mechanic, butcher, or hair stylist. They’re dependable, honest and never let you down. When it comes to rats in northwest Wyoming, there's no one better than Sean Cooper.

Andrew RossiNovember 29, 2024

Carbon County Man Found Dead In Remote Area South Of Rawlins

Bruce Baugh was supposed to be back home in Rawlins by 11 a.m. Wednesday after an early-morning elk. Carbon County Search and Rescue volunteers found his body on Thursday afternoon, over a mile away from his vehicle, which had become stuck.

Andrew RossiNovember 29, 2024

Barrasso Spends Thanksgiving With Wyoming Troops In The Middle East

Sen. John Barrasso visited Wyoming service members deployed in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates on Thanksgiving Day. There are over 360 Wyomingites in the battalion, representing over 40 different hometowns in the Cowboy State.

Andrew RossiNovember 28, 2024

Wyoming All-State Marching Band Leads The Way In Philadelphia's Thanksgiving Parade

The first band in the 124th annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia was the Wyoming All-State Marching Band, made up of 160 high school students from the Cowboy State. They played Ghost Riders in the Sky as they marched past the iconic Rocky Steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Andrew RossiNovember 28, 2024

New Study Says Time Is Now For Thorough Probe Of Uranus

Most of humanity’s knowledge about Uranus came from a 1986 Voyager 2 flyby on “a particularly windy day.” A new study says the time for a new, more accurate probe of Uranus is necessary.

Andrew RossiNovember 28, 2024

Just In Time For Thanksgiving, Storm Icing Over I-80, Dumps On Colorado And Utah

A winter storm is hitting just in time to gum up travel plans, icing over parts of the I-80 corridor in Wyoming. It’s also dumping on Colorado and Utah, prompting meteorologist Don Day to advise people not to drive in those states if they can avoid it.

Andrew RossiNovember 26, 2024

After finding a turkey that washed up on shore at the Great Salt Lake in Utah, officials there are warning people to not try and brine their Thanskgiving birds in the lake.

Utah Officials Tell People To Stop Brining Turkeys In The Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake State Park in Utah has issued a Thanksgiving week message telling people to stop brining turkeys in the Great Salt Lake. Monday’s warning was prompted by finding a wayward bird on a beach that may have been brining in the lake.

Andrew RossiNovember 26, 2024

Travelers can expect more of the same backups, closures and slow-downs along Interstate 80 over Thanksgiving week as has happened the past few weeks. This backup on eastbound I-80 near Sinclair was Nov. 13, 2024.

Thanksgiving Week Travelers Can Expect Snowy, Icy Highways Around Wyoming

Mother Nature won’t make the busiest travel week of the year any easier for people across Wyoming leading up to Thanksgiving. Don Day says to expect snowy, icy highways around Wyoming, especially Interstate 80.

Andrew RossiNovember 24, 2024

Earth Has A Second Moon For A Few More Days

A 36-foot-wide asteroid pulled into Earth’s orbit has become a second "mini-moon" for almost two months. But this multibillion-year-old chunk of space debris will soon be pulled out by the sun.

Andrew RossiNovember 22, 2024

Artist Maurizio Cattelan's "Comedian" — a banana duct-taped to a wall — sold for more than $6 million at a Sotheby's auction Wednesday. As part of the deal, the artist will eat the banana in front of the buyer.

Man Tapes Banana To Wall, Sells It For $6.2 Million; Wyoming Artists Baffled

A banana duct-taped to a wall sold for $6.2 million Wednesday, leaving some in Wyoming’s art community baffled and bewildered. Sculptor Chris Navarro called it “a head-scratcher” and said it looks like it took the artist “10 minutes” to create.

Andrew RossiNovember 21, 2024

MrBeast, the biggest YouTuber with more than 331 million subscribers, had help from Wyoming meteorologist Don Day to lift a T-Mobile store off the ground with helium balloons.

Wyoming Meteorologist Don Day Helps YouTube's Mr Beast Float A Store With Balloons

There is no one bigger on YouTube than Mr Beast who has more than 330 million subscribers. He recently used 550 balloons to lift a T-Mobile store off the ground. To do it, he teamed up with Wyoming meteorologist Don Day who is a world expert in balloon weather.

Andrew RossiNovember 19, 2024

Crews have been working 24/7 on a permanent fix for Teton Pass, which had a catastrophic failure this past summer.

WYDOT Working 24/7 To Rebuild Mountain Under Teton Pass

The new Teton Pass will look just like the old one before it collapsed this past summer. WYDOT is working 24/7 to rebuild the mountain underneath Highway 22, this time with steel reinforcements set in bedrock and several drain systems.

Andrew RossiNovember 18, 2024

Powell resident Dave Varkony got this photo of a “ridiculously cool” rope could hovering over Heart Mountain on Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024.

“Ridiculously Cool” Rope Cloud Spotted Hovering Over Heart Mountain

When Powell resident Dave Varkony stepped outside at sunrise Sunday, he saw a "rope cloud" hovering over Heart Mountain. Meteorologist Don Day says these clouds are usually much wider and are a well-known source of turbulence.

Andrew RossiNovember 18, 2024

Jessica Lippincott grew up as an only child in Wyoming and didn't know she was "donor-conceived" until she did a DNA test in 2017. Now, she's one of 50 half-siblings who have embraced each other as an extended family.

Thermopolis Woman Grew Up As Only Child, Now She’s One Of 50 Siblings

Jessica Lippincott grew up as an only child in Wyoming and didn't know she was "donor-conceived" until she did a DNA test in 2017. Last week, she told an audience for the first time that she is one of 50 half-siblings who have embraced each other as an extended family.

Andrew RossiNovember 17, 2024

Wyoming Whiskey Celebrating Life Of Grizzly 399 With New Limited Edition Bourbon

To commemorate the life of Grizzly 399, Wyoming Whiskey is creating a new limited edition bourbon. They say the dominant flavor is white chocolate mocha, with notes of red fruit and rich brown sugar while the finish has lingering hints of candied ginger and soft vanilla. Less than 720 bottles will be made.

Andrew RossiNovember 17, 2024

The annual Stop Sign Snow Challenge is on again. Over the coming months, participants will watch as snow creeps up this stop sign on Togwotee Pass. Left, the sign as of Friday. Right, late in the season during a past contest.

When Will Remote Stop Sign On Togwotee Pass Get Buried By Snow?

Guessing if and when snow will bury a remote Wyoming stop sign on Togwotee Pass has become an annual winter spectator sport. The contest is on again, and people have until midnight Sunday to submit their guesses.

Andrew RossiNovember 16, 2024

Mark and Mary Nelson with their grandchildren and daughters, Maggie Haron and Sadie Howard. Hippie Cow Creamery has become a full-time family business selling raw, unpasteurized milk to families in Cody and northwest Wyoming.

Cody's Hippie Cow Creamery Started With 1 Cow And Off-The-Wall Attitude

Hippie Cow Creamery in Cody started with one Jersey cow and an off-the-wall attitude. Their raw, unpasteurized milk business is exploding, and the family is as quirky as ever -- singing to their cows, dancing with their cows, and making farm-inspired music videos.

Andrew RossiNovember 16, 2024

A woman in Salt Lake City climbed onto a high-voltage transformer, prompting power to be shut off to more than 800 homes.

Utah Woman Climbs On High-Voltage Substation, Causes Power Outage

800 homes in Salt Lake City lost power on Thursday when a woman bypassed security fencing and climbed onto the high-voltage bushings of a substation transformer. A similar incident happened in Cody, Wyoming, except it was caused by raccoons.

Andrew RossiNovember 15, 2024

The new Swinging Bridge over the Snake River near Jackson, Wyoming, is open to traffic nine months early.

Jackson's New Swinging Bridge Open 9 Months Early, Still Doesn’t Really Swing

A new replacement of the historic Swinging Bridge crossing the Snake River south of Jackson, Wyoming, is finished nine months early. And like the original, the bridge doesn’t actually swing.

Andrew RossiNovember 13, 2024

A supermoon hovers low to the horizon with Devils Tower in the foreground in this file photo.

Last Of Rare 4 Straight Supermoons In 2024 To Hover Over Wyoming

Friday night's beaver moon will be the last of four consecutive supermoons to loom over Wyoming in 2024. There won't be another for nearly a year, so see it while it's still bigger and brighter.

Andrew RossiNovember 13, 2024

No More Funky, Worn-Out Mattresses Allowed In The Rock Springs Landfill

The trashman in Rock Springs, Wyoming, won’t pick up old, worn-out and funkified mattresses anymore, and the local landfill won’t take them. People now have to drop them off for recycling.

Andrew RossiNovember 13, 2024

By the time he died in 1917, Col. William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody was actually a general.

By The Time He Died, Col. Buffalo Bill Cody Was Actually A General

Wyoming Gov. John Kendrick promoted Col. William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody to the rank of general in 1915. One of the world’s most famous self-promoters, he never hyped up his promotion before he died in 1917.

Andrew RossiNovember 11, 2024

A model of a saber-toothed cat attacking a giant ground sloth the George C. Page Museum. Both of these Ice Age mammals lived in areas with leafy trees and bushes, which didn't grow in the arid climate that existed in northern Wyoming 30,000 years ago.

Ground Sloths And Saber-Toothed Cats Didn't Like Wyoming 30,000 Years Ago

Natural Trap Cave near Lovell is one of the best Ice Age fossil sites in the world, but its lack of saber-toothed cats and giant ground sloths tells paleontologists that those Californians never relocated to Wyoming.

Andrew RossiNovember 10, 2024

"The Green Machine" prototype Cody, Wyoming, native Thomas E. Osborne invented in 1964. It became known as the world's first personal computer and led to a line of breakthroughs in bringing computing power to the masses, getting smaller and more powerful with each generation of machines.

World's First "Personal Computer" Was Built By A Cody High School Grad

Hewlett-Packard's 9100A, the world's first personal computer, was based on a prototype built by Tom Osborne of Cody. Called “The Green Machine,” it became fully functional on Christmas Eve, 1964. His prototype revolutionized the industry.

Andrew RossiNovember 10, 2024

Even more than a decade after coming across a creepy abandoned complex in the middle of nowhere in Wyoming's Red Desert, Kenneth Driese says he's still creeped out by the almost horror movie-like vibes it exudes.

Creepy Abandoned Complex In Wyoming’s Red Desert Could Be Out Of A Horror Movie

Wyoming photographer Ken Driese has come across a lot of abandoned places in his treks across the Red Desert. But one place left him spooked. He stayed just long enough to get photos and then "got the hell out of there."

Andrew RossiNovember 09, 2024

About a month before it was close, Wyoming photographer Tim Doolan hiked to the deck of the Black Mountain Lookout, at 9,400 feet elevation one of the highest points in the Bighorn Range. He captured stunning drone video and photos of the panoramic view. The lookout itself, however, has been shuttered for decades, and now the deck also is closed for repairs.

Black Mountain Lookout: The Best View In The Bighorns Has Seen Better Days

The 84-year-old Black Mountain Fire Lookout sits at an elevation of 9,400 feet and offers a spectacular panoramic view of Wyoming’s northern Bighorns. Although it's been boarded up for decades, the Forest Service is hoping it can be fixed and opened to the public.

Andrew RossiNovember 09, 2024

The marquee on the historic Cody Theatre would fall off the face of the building if it weren't wired on. It needs some serious repair, but needs clearance from the city and state to do it.

Marquee On Historic 87-Year-Old Cody Theatre Is Slowly Falling Off

The historic 87-year-old Cody Theatre’s slumping marquee is slowly falling off and is being held in place with wires. To fix it permanently, the building’s owner needs permits from the city of Cody and state of Wyoming.

Andrew RossiNovember 06, 2024

House District 29: Incumbent Pendergraft Has Big Lead In Sheridan County

Republican Ken Pendergraft was on his way to winning another term representing House District 29 in Sheridan County late Tuesday. He had 72% of the vote with more than a third of the votes counted.

Andrew RossiNovember 06, 2024

House District 4: Haroldson Easily Reelected, Gets 76% Of Platte County Vote

Republican Jeremy Haroldson was easily reelected to the Wyoming House District 4 seat, getting 76% of the vote in Platte County on Tuesday.

Andrew RossiNovember 06, 2024

The Orionid meteor shower is one of four that will be visible over Wyoming throughout November.

Wyoming's Night Skies Will Be "Bombarded" With Four November Meteor Showers

Four meteor showers are all active or reaching their peaks during the month of November. That means Wyoming’s night skies will be “bombarded” with meteors and fireballs for the entire month.

Andrew RossiNovember 05, 2024