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David Madison

David Madison is an award-winning journalist and documentary producer based in Bozeman, Montana. He’s also reported for Wyoming PBS. He studied journalism at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and has worked at news outlets throughout Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and Montana.

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Latest from David Madison

It’s estimated 25% to 35% of Wyoming’s forests are now dominated by “ghost forests” — standing dead timber from beetle epidemics and disease. Researchers say it's time to start paying attention to limber pine before it follows the whitebark into crisis.

Up To 35% Of Wyoming's High Country Is Dead 'Ghost Forest’ — And It's Spreading

It’s estimated 25% to 35% of Wyoming’s forests are now dominated by “ghost forests” — standing dead timber from beetle epidemics and disease. Researchers say it's time to start paying attention to limber pine before it follows the whitebark into crisis.

David MadisonJanuary 01, 2026

One person is dead after a pickup hit a train Nov. 28, 2025, on County Road 154 north of Interstate 80 east of Cheyenne. A local resident who captured video at the scene describes it as “a pretty bad deal.”

Wyoming Plans Future Of Rail As Five-Year Streak Without Train V. Car Death Ends

The Wyoming Department of Transportation is updating its Statewide Rail Plan as a five-year streak of no train vs. vehicle deaths ended last month. Along with safety at crossings, the agency is considering the potential for a return of passenger rail.

David MadisonDecember 29, 2025

Cloud Nine on-mountain restaurant at Aspen

Forget Burgers And Pizza, High-End Ski Resorts Get Big Bucks For Wagyu And Caviar

Lift ticket prices have increased 3,600% since 1972, and now caviar, Wagyu beef, and $18 Budweisers are showing up on high-end ski lodge menus. But at Wyoming’s smaller resorts, skiers can still get $10 cheeseburgers.

David MadisonDecember 28, 2025

The County Road 104 bridge over the Salt River traces its design roots to World War II.

Crumbling Bridge Near Alpine Replaced In Days With WWII ‘Erector Set’ Tech

When a crumbling bridge over the Salt River near Alpine was failing, engineers turned to an “Erector Set” concept invented during WW II. It comes together in days, and could be used more across Wyoming with nearly half the state’s bridges past their prime.

David MadisonDecember 27, 2025

As the University of Wyoming struggles in the emerging name, image, likeness (NIL) age to fund its players, some wonder if dropping out of Division I makes sense. Meanwhile, UW boosters look for ways to fund NIL as lower FCS schools outspend them.

Can UW Sports Compete In Division I As Lower Divisions Offer More NIL Money?

Montana and Montana State, who compete in a tier below Wyoming, each spend $2.2 million on NIL, while Wyoming spends $1.4 million. "That's embarrassing," one Wyoming booster said. "Schools that don't sit on the wealth of money we do are outspending us."

David MadisonDecember 27, 2025

The U.S. House passed a bill co-sponsored by Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman that will delist gray wolves from federal protection. It passed last week largely on party lines, with critics blasting the bill for prohibiting lower courts reversing the rule.

House Passes Bill To Delist Wolves Co-Sponsored By Hageman

The U.S. House passed a bill co-sponsored by Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman that will delist gray wolves from federal protection. It passed last week largely on party lines, with critics blasting the bill for prohibiting lower courts reversing the rule.

David MadisonDecember 26, 2025

From expanding coal lease sales across the Powder River Basin to a new energy secretary with fracking credentials, Wyoming's oil and gas industry found the Trump administration a friendlier federal partner in 2025. 

How Trump's Energy Agenda Is Reshaping Wyoming's Oil And Gas Industry

From expanding coal lease sales across the Powder River Basin to a new energy secretary with fracking credentials, Wyoming's oil and gas industry found the Trump administration a friendlier federal partner in 2025. 

David MadisonDecember 26, 2025

Madison stanko 12 24 25

David Madison: The Wyoming Guy Who Killed The Unlimited Speed Limit In Montana

"Rudy Butch Stanko was a complicated character with traits ranging from heroic to pioneering to puzzling. He was a bare-knuckle fighter in life and in the courtroom. "When he got out of prison, he was clocked driving over 121 mph in Montana, which had no speed limit at the time. "And he ended up putting an end to the Montanabahn — that glorious era of no-speed-limit travel under the big sky."

David MadisonDecember 24, 2025

The Lightning Dock Geothermal project near Lordsburg, New Mexico.

Wyoming Could Be On The Edge Of Massive Western Geothermal Energy Push

Revamping federal lease sales, policy changes and legislation is positioning geothermal as America's next energy boom. Wyoming is on the edge of a massive push for Western geothermal energy as oil and gas expertise could transfer to the industry. 

David MadisonDecember 24, 2025

Wyoming oil and gas operators are cheering the BLM’s announcement last week to delay a Biden-era 1,400% hike on bonding costs. The huge increase threatened to shutter small oil and gas producers across the state.

Wyoming Oil And Gas Operators Cheer Delay Of Biden-Era 1,400% Bond Rate Hike

Wyoming oil and gas operators are cheering a BLM announcement last week to delay a Biden-era 1,400% hike on bonding costs. The huge increase threatened to shutter small oil and gas producers across the state.

David MadisonDecember 23, 2025

The radioactive waste disposal site in Clive, Utah.

Utah Company Wants Nuclear Waste From Canada; Could It Come Through Wyoming?

A Utah company is leading a charge to take and store radioactive waste from Canada. Opponents say it’s a bad idea, and that it could mean nuclear waste coming through Wyoming.

David MadisonDecember 22, 2025

Cooke City was “a magnet” for snowmobilers like Will Stroud, who travelled from Alberta, Canada, to experience the area’s legendary snowmobile terrain.

Lack Of Snow Cancels Yellowstone Snowmobile Tours, But Cooke City’s Been Dumped On

Snowmobile tours into Old Faithful were canceled for lack of snow, but Cooke City has been dumped on — and half the town lost power Friday. Through it all, one local turned his apartment into a makeshift restaurant to feed stranded riders.

David MadisonDecember 22, 2025

Other Authors

The goal for Aaron King and Michael Armagost who created Arcade Laradise is to offer a social and competitive pinball space on par with Pinball Jones in Fort Collins.

New Laramie Arcade Aims To Put Wyoming On National Competitive Pinball Map

Earlier this year, Wyoming was the only state not to send someone to the North American Pinball Championship. Arcade Laradise, a newly-opened arcade in Laramie hopes to change that by hosting tournaments that could qualify players for national championships.

David MadisonDecember 22, 2025

Tristan “Teton” Brown recently released his third self-produced ski film. He stands out as a longtime Jackson skier who goes to great lengths to ski for a living and live in one of the most expensive ski towns.

How "Teton" Brown Holds On In Jackson Hole, Making Films And Skiing On His Own Terms

"Teton" Brown is a 36-year-old professional skier who has worked in at least 10 restaurants, once lived on a porch, and scraped together every dollar to stay in Jackson. In his spare time, he's a filmmaker and just debuted his third film "Clean Slate."

David MadisonDecember 21, 2025

The Wyoming Department of Transportation wants to use federal money to support an EV charger building spree.

Wyoming Aims To Turn EV Charging Into A New Post-Pump Marketplace

Wyoming recently won federal approval to expand its EV charging network beyond the interstates, and the state plans to kick-start development of a new post-pump marketplace for EV charging.

David MadisonDecember 20, 2025

As NIL money reshapes college athletics, the state's only Division I program turns to analytics — and a Gillette native's vision — to compete against schools with deeper pockets. It’s a new pay-to-play landscape for the University of Wyoming. Men's basektball coach Sundance Wicks uses a "Moneyball" approach to identify under-the-radar talent he can use his NIL money for.

Pay To Play: University Of Wyoming's Battle To Remain Division I In An NIL World

The new reality facing the University of Wyoming is to maintain its major Division I athletic programs, it needs to generate revenue that is paid to players. Will Wyoming keep up as its rivals like Colorado State and BYU build war chests to pay for top players?

David MadisonDecember 20, 2025

Wyoming Attorney General Keith Kautz and wind farm

Wyoming AG Appeals Wind Lease Ruling As Gordon, Gray Clash Over Decision

Wyoming Attorney General Keith Kautz told Cowboy State Daily on Thursday he's appealing a ruling that voided a wind lease on state lands. He said the appeal is bigger than the wind issue, as widespread interpretations of state laws also hinge upon it.

Clair McFarland & David MadisonDecember 19, 2025

Ford announced Monday it is discontinuing the all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup after just three-and-a-half years in production, taking a $19.5 billion write-down as part of a major strategic pivot away from large battery-electric vehicles.

Rocky Mountain Auto Dealers Not Surprised Ford Discontinues Electric Pickup

Auto dealers in the Rocky Mountain region said they weren't surprised with Ford's announcement that the company was discontinuing its all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup. "I saw this coming. So we greatly scaled-back our ordering," one dealer said.

David MadisonDecember 17, 2025

Josh Allen, left, called Jaxon Sweep’s number and challenged him to start a giant beer snake at War Memorial Stadium.

When Josh Allen Asked A Superfan To Build A Beer Snake, A Legend Was Born

Jaxon Sweep doesn't even drink beer. But when Josh Allen personally tapped him to build "the biggest beer snake f***ing possible," the lifelong Cowboys superfan delivered. The slithering tower of cups caught the attention of ESPN and the Kelce brothers.

David MadisonDecember 16, 2025

President Donald Trump says he’ll cut environmental rules he says make tractors too costly and hard to fix. He backs new EPA changes that give farmers more time before diesel equipment is slowed or shut down. Here, a combine works a wheat field near Carpenter, Wyoming, in a file photo.

Trump Targets Tractor Regulations, Promising Relief For Wyoming Farmers

President Donald Trump says he’ll cut environmental rules he says make tractors too costly and hard to fix. He backs new EPA changes that give farmers more time before diesel equipment is slowed or shut down.

David MadisonDecember 15, 2025

Flock Safety cameras are positioned around Jackson, and after two years surveilling passing cars, Mayor Arne Jorgensen and the Jackson Town Council recently asked city staff to review how the cameras and data gathered by them is managed and protected.

Privacy Advocates Worry About “Robot Army” Of Surveillance Cameras In Jackson

Critics of the 28 license plate-reading cameras in Jackson say they are the equivalent of robo-cops writing down your license plate number every time you drive by. They say the cameras amount to a surveillance state and citizens should be alarmed.

David MadisonDecember 14, 2025

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