Business & Tourism | Cowboy State Daily

Fugitive Linked To $220 Million Cattle Fraud Case Arrested In Los Angeles

A Missouri man who was listed as a most-wanted FBI fugitive for more than a month was arrested in Los Angeles for his alleged part in a $220 million cattle fraud scheme. One cattle rancher told Cowboy State Daily he lost $3.5 million in the scheme.

Kate MeadowsMarch 16, 2026

At Jackson Hole camp Wilderness Adventures, kids surrender their cellphones for weeks, trading TikTok for the Tetons and Yellowstone. It’s intimidating, but also life-changing for kids who have never known a life without smartphones.

Welcome To The Wyoming Adventure Camp Where Cellphones Disappear For Weeks

All the young people know that the minute they arrive at camp, they'll give up their smartphones and live without them for the duration, whether two weeks or six. No texting or Instagram. No TikTok, no news, no email, and no midnight YouTube.

Renée JeanMarch 15, 2026

It was once the “second front page,” the thing people talked about at coffee shops and backyard barbecues. Now some Wyoming papers say the laughs and entertainment offered by local police blotters aren’t worth the potential downsides.

Wyoming Newspapers Weigh The Cost Of Publishing Police Blotter Laughs

The police blotter was once the “second front page,” the thing people talked about at coffee shops and backyard barbecues. Now some Wyoming papers say the laughs and entertainment offered by local police blotters aren’t worth the potential downsides.

David MadisonMarch 15, 2026

Mike and Kat Tipton enjoyed running their food truck, Tip's Kitchen, before a hole took out their food trailer and retirement hobby business.

Giant Pothole On I-80 Puts Popular Rock Springs Food Truck Out Of Business

A giant pothole on I-80 and a stingy insurance company has taken out Tip’s Kitchen for good. It began as a hobby for the Rock Springs couple but turned in to a popular food truck. "There’s probably not going to be another one,” the owners said.

Tracie SullivanMarch 15, 2026

Cowboy Engineers Build Self-Driving Rodeo Robot For Steer Roping Practice

To streamline steer roping practice, people started pulling dummy cows with ATVs. Then a pair of cowboy engineers took it a step further and built the "Rope Hog," where a dummy cow is pulled along by an ATV controlled with an ordinary vehicle key fob.

Mark HeinzMarch 14, 2026

The Pitchfork Ranch is piloting technology that lets ranchers draw fence on a smartphone with a fingertip. The virtual fence reacts with collars the cattle wear. It’s working so well, fencing might disappear, bringing back Wyoming’s Wild West open range.

Virtual Fences And Smart Collars Could Revive Wyoming’s Wild West Era Open Range

The Pitchfork Ranch is piloting technology that lets ranchers draw fence on a smartphone. The virtual fence reacts with collars the cattle wear. It’s working so well they say, fencing could disappear and bring back Wyoming’s Wild West era open range.

Renée JeanMarch 14, 2026

The big 21-foot Tumble Inn Cowboy is all painted and ready for his lights. Owner John Huff says a firm date for his installation in Casper is hard to determine.

Famous 21-Foot Tumble Inn Cowboy Has New Paint, Is Polished And Waiting For Neon

Wyoming's famous 21-foot Tumble Inn Cowboy sign, which was falling apart and rescued from remote Powder River, has been re-painted, polished and the neon glass tubes are being restored. Once completed, it will be publicly displayed in its full neon glory.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 14, 2026

Buy A Cow: A Wyoming Guide To Filling Your Freezer For $5.40 A Pound

Grocery store beef prices jumped 15% last year, and the USDA says they're not done climbing. Across Wyoming, families are cutting out the middleman and buying whole, half or quarter cows straight from local ranchers -- and saving a lot of money.

David MadisonMarch 14, 2026

Cheyenne City Council voted Monday to delay a final decision on forcibly annexing a farm that sells sells fresh, local produce for eight months after hours of testimony from concerned residents.

Cheyenne City Council Postpones Final Vote On Annexation Of Farm For 8 Months

Cheyenne City Council voted Monday to delay a final decision on forcibly annexing a farm that sells fresh, local produce for eight months after hours of testimony from concerned residents.

Kate MeadowsMarch 10, 2026

Wildfire Insurance Rates Soar For Wyoming Rural And Vacation Properties

Insurance rates have soared for rural and vacation properties across Wyoming due to wildfire risk designations. “My insurance tripled from one year to the next just because they had changed the fire rating,” Taft Love told Cowboy State Daily.

David MadisonMarch 09, 2026

Two adjacent 40-acre lots in Jackson Hole’s elite Spring Gulch area are headed to auction for $21.4 million. They're marketed mainly for their rare views and wildlife neighbors rather than the homes already on them.

Two Rare Jackson Hole Properties With Moose For Neighbors Head To Auction

Two adjacent 40-acre lots in Jackson Hole’s elite Spring Gulch area are headed to auction for $21.4 million. The view is rare and land is much-sought after as there are only 10 vacant land listings in Teton County over 35 acres.

Renée JeanMarch 08, 2026

Joe and Alice Kordonowy bought the Elkhorn in Meeteetse 30 years ago, a rough-and-tumble Wyoming bar. Fights over games of pool and open at 8 a.m., they won over the locals when they realized the new owners “were just down-to-earth oil field trash."

Keeping It In The Family: Meeteetse's Elkhorn Bar Has Rough-And-Tumble Roots

When Joe and Alice Kordonowy bought Meeteetse's Elkhorn Bar & Grill in 1994, Joe had to knock a few heads to prove he was just as tough as the cowboys and oil field workers. It's tamed some over the years but still remains a staple of the community.

Jackie DorothyMarch 08, 2026

Data Centers, Business Parks, And Hotels Fuel Cheyenne Building Boom

With huge data centers, business parks, and hotels moving forward at what seems lightning-like speed, Cheyenne is being reshaped by a building boom. “Cheyenne has never grown like this,” City Councilman Pete Laybourn said. “It’s incredible."

Renée JeanMarch 08, 2026

Sheridan native Ian Munsick is teaming up with The Landmark Hotel and Casino in Deadwood, S.D., to open a Munsick-themed restaurant that will feature live performances in a cowboy bar. (Munsick portrait by Ben Christensen; The Landmark Hotel and Casino courtesy photo in Cowboy State Daily illustration)

Wyoming Country Music Star Ian Munsick Is Opening A Cowboy Bar In Deadwood

Sheridan native Ian Munsick is teaming up with The Landmark Hotel and Casino in Deadwood to open a Munsick-themed restaurant that will feature live performances. "Every time we play Deadwood, there’s always just a huge turnout from Wyoming,” he said.

Renée JeanMarch 07, 2026

Austin Wiggins, Tristin Wiggins, Trent Longtin and Jenny Longtin are the owners of the Meeteetse Meat Co. (not pictured, Dan and Syd Manderfeld). Their goal is to preserve the tradition of butchers in Wyoming and bring back local meat from the big processing plants and from overseas.

Family Revives Small-Town Butcher Tradition In Meeteetse

A Wyoming family is bringing an old-school meat market back to Meeteetse. Trent Longtin said it's about protecting a Wyoming tradition and keeping the meat local. "What we are trying to do is get away from the big plants and overseas meat," he said.

Jackie DorothyMarch 07, 2026

Jeff Garnett started as a customer looking to erase tattoos and replace them with new ones. Then he co-founded Inkless and continues to clear his personal skin slate, making room for new, better tattoos.

People Are Getting Tattoos Removed — Just To Replace Them With New Tattoos

For many people, erasing a tattoo isn't about giving up on body art — it's about clearing space for something better. A national tattoo removal brand opened its first Wyoming location in Casper, bringing cutting-edge laser technology to the state.

David MadisonMarch 07, 2026

How do you sell a one-of-a-kind property in Wyoming's windiest town? Realtor Alexander Lexington says buyers see potential paradise, not peril, in a 20-acre Clark, Wyoming, property with three homes. It is drawing interest despite winds of up to 128 mph.

How To Sell A Home in Wyoming's Windiest Place (Where Gusts Have Reached 128 mph)

How do you sell a one-of-a-kind property in Wyoming's windiest town, where gusts have hit 128 mph? One realtor says buyers see the upside to living in the 20-acre property in Clark, Wyoming. The three home property is drawing interest, he says.

Andrew RossiMarch 06, 2026

Wells Fargo Bank Chooses The Wyoming Reserve In Casper To Store Precious Metals

Wells Fargo has chosen The Wyoming Reserve in Casper to store its precious metals. A University of Wyoming finance professor says that's a big deal for the state. "It signals that Wyoming is no longer just an energy or agriculture story."

Renée JeanMarch 03, 2026

Powell Man Banned From McDonald's After Driving Horses Through Drive-Thru

Powell Farmer Says McDonald's Has Apologized, Will Allow Horses & Wagon In Drive-Thru

After a Powell McDonald's made international headlines last week for banning a farmer who used a drive-thru with a team of horses, the man said the franchise apologized and reversed its ban. “The support across the state has been staggering,” he said.

Andrew RossiMarch 02, 2026

A looming wave of huge Wyoming data centers, a nuclear plant and military upgrades is colliding with an already severe plumber shortage, driving wages sky-high. The crunch comes with new “earn while you learn” jobs.

Wyoming’s Plumber Shortage Collides With Massive Data Center Boom

Wyoming's plumber shortage is about to get worse. Already short on plumbers and pipefitters, creating delays for homeowners and businesses, a huge wave of data centers and mega-projects are sweeping into the state, which will require thousands more.

Renée JeanFebruary 28, 2026

Teton County has again been named the richest in the nation with the No.1 per capita income. That’s a huge turnaround for a county that once was listed as one of the nation’s neediest.

Teton County Continues As The Nation's Richest (And It's Not Even Close)

Teton County has again been named the richest county in the nation with a per capita income of $532,903. Not only is it six times greater than the national average of $73,204 but beats the second-highest county by more than $250,000.

Renée JeanFebruary 28, 2026

The Thunder Plains mile-long horse racing track will be located 10 miles east of Cheyenne.

Bally’s Corp. Eyes Regional Circuit With Thunder Plains, Wyoming’s First 1-Mile Track

International Bally’s Corporation is taking a majority ownership of Wyoming’s new 1-mile track, Thunder Plains, and aims to open this fall near Cheyenne with a $1.6 million racing purse. Long-term, their vision includes a regional horse-racing circuit.

Renée JeanFebruary 27, 2026

Dozens of whistle stops have been revealed for the western leg of Big Boy’s historic coast-to-coast tour. In Wyoming, that includes: Laramie, Medicine Bow, Wamsutter, Rock Springs, and Green River.

Dozens Of Wyoming Stops Announced For New Big Boy Train Western Tour

Dozens of whistle stops have been announced for the western leg of Big Boy’s historic coast-to-coast tour in 2026. In Wyoming, that includes: Laramie, Medicine Bow, Wamsutter, Rock Springs, and Green River.

Renée JeanFebruary 26, 2026

Debbie Pommel speaks with Gov. Mark Gordon after winning the BigWYO award.

From Hawaii Ranch To Wyoming Range: Casper’s Debbie Pummel Is Tourism Award Winner

Hawaii native Debbie Pummel, a Casper resident for 33 years, won Wyoming’s 2026 BigWYO tourism award for her three decades of leadership in the state’s hospitality industry and her dedication to mentoring future tourism professionals.

Renée JeanFebruary 25, 2026