Wyoming Life
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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
Wyoming People: Award-Winning Horseback Storyteller Cathy Ringler
Cathy Ringler is a Wyoming cowgirl who told stories to her daughters while they rode horseback in Park County. Those stories have become a series of award-winning books based on Ringler’s own experiences riding horses on the range and teaching school in a two-room schoolhouse.
Jackie DorothyNovember 24, 2024
43-Game Win Streak And 31 Wyoming Football Titles, Nobody Beats The Sheridan Broncs
The Sheridan High School football team just won its fourth straight Wyoming state championship, the program’s 31st overall. Also riding a state record 43-game winning streak, the program is proving nobody busts these Broncs.
Leo WolfsonNovember 23, 2024
“Yellowstone” Fans Claim Shameless Product Placement Is Ruining Last Episodes
Fans of “Yellowstone,” the wildly popular Western television drama based in Montana, are complaining about heavy-handed product placement in the series’ final episodes. That includes long shots of showrunner Taylor Sheridan’s vodka brand.
Justin GeorgeNovember 23, 2024
Meet The Baby Boomer Wyoming Grandma Who Breaks The Mold Of A Cybertruck Owner
The typical Tesla owner is an upper-middle-class man in his 50s. 75-year-old Karen Meister-Emerich, a grandma from Cheyenne, doesn't fit that demographic but loves her Cybertruck, which she bought because she missed out on buying a DeLorean.
Renée JeanNovember 23, 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
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
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
Superflag At Border War Game Needed More Than 200 Volunteers To Carry
Colorado State University unfurled a huge superflag for its annual big salute to the military Friday at the Border War football game against the University of Wyoming. It needed more than 200 people to hold and carry it.
Dale KillingbeckNovember 18, 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
Wyoming Bareback Rider Roedy Farrell Closes In On Pro Rodeo Dream
Thermopolis cowboy Roedy Farrell was born to be a rodeo star. The son of a National Finals Rodeo bull rider, Roedy competed in Cheyenne Frontier Days for the first time last summer. Now 19, bareback riding is his sport of choice and he's decided to go pro.
Jackie DorothyNovember 17, 2024
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
The Boy Never Found Still Haunts Wyoming Searcher 61 Years Later
When a 16-year-old boy went missing in the Wyoming Wilderness in 1963, a desperate search was launched. More than 200 looked for Edward Eskridge, including the National Guard, but he was never found — and it still haunts one of those searchers, 90-year-old George Liska.
Jackie DorothyNovember 17, 2024
Cowboy State Daily's Wendy Corr Takes Her Newscast On The Road
As a traveling musician, Cowboy State Daily’s Wendy Corr isn’t always broadcasting from home. It takes organization, planning and coordination to put together her daily video newscast on the road.
Wendy CorrNovember 17, 2024
The Dangerous Job Of Driving Stage In Wyoming: Robberies, Run-Away Horses And Rock Slides
Coal miner John Hulse discovered that driving a stagecoach in Wyoming was more dangerous than working in the mines. He survived hold-ups, run-away horses and rockslides before returning to the Gebo coal mines.
Jackie DorothyNovember 17, 2024
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
What To Do After A Truck Plows Into Your House
A Cheyenne couple is finding out how to rebuild their home after a truck crashed into it during a freak accident. For the first week after the accident, parts of the house kept caving in. Now that it's stabilized, rebuilding has begun.
Leo WolfsonNovember 16, 2024
University of Wyoming, CSU Museums Wager Art On Border War Football Game
The art museums at University of Wyoming and Colorado State University are betting on the outcome of Friday’s Border War football game. The winner gets to display artwork from the loser’s museum through the end of the school year.
Justin GeorgeNovember 15, 2024
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
Casper House That Kept Getting Hit By Cars Is Gone
A Casper, Wyoming, house at a T-intersection that kept getting hit by vehicles is gone. Now errant drivers will have to drive through the lot and into the back yard when they misjudge the road.
Dale KillingbeckNovember 13, 2024
Wyoming Walk-On Scores On Pick-Six For No. 8-Ranked Notre Dame Football
A former Wyoming high school standout football player made national highlight reels Saturday. Cody’s Luke Talich, a walk-on for No. 8-ranked Notre Dame, returned an interception for a touchdown.
Leo WolfsonNovember 12, 2024
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
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
Wyoming History: Gen. “Black Jack” Pershing And The Wyoming Girl He Loved
Gen. John “Black Jack” Pershing was one of only two men ever to be named “general of the Armies of the United States” — George Washington was the other. Although he didn't spend much time in Cheyenne, his wife was a native, and his memory is still very much a part of the community.
Dale KillingbeckNovember 10, 2024
The No-Longer-Forgotten Veterans Buried In Gillette’s Mount Pisgah Cemetery
There are more than 1,000 veterans buried in Mount Pisgah Cemetery in Gillette dating back to the Civil and Spanish American wars. But many of them have become forgotten. Two local historians are unearthing and sharing their stories.
Jackie DorothyNovember 10, 2024
Wyoming Man Donated Black Hawk Chopper, Staff To Help With Hurricane Helene Disaster
Wheatland resident Charles Hoskinson donated his Black Hawk helicopter and four pilots to provide relief and resources to people in North Carolina devastated by Hurricane Helene. He said they met no other volunteer crew that had traveled as far away as Wyoming to help.
Leo WolfsonNovember 10, 2024
Wyoming’s Critter Lady Loves All Those Creepy-Crawlies Others Hate
If it creeps, crawls or grosses you out, chances are Kathy Sorensen — aka Wyoming's critter lady — loves it. She's a self-proclaimed advocate for all the things other people hate, and does photo shoots with them.
Jackie DorothyNovember 10, 2024
He Cowboyed With Outlaws Before Chasing Them As Bighorn Basin’s First Sheriff
Virgil Rice tracked horse thieves and had epic shootouts with notorious outlaws as the Bighorn Basin’s first sheriff. Before that, though, he cowboyed with future members of the Hole in the Wall Gang.
Jackie DorothyNovember 09, 2024
Gene Lam: The Wyoming Doctor Who Trained Troops How To Survive POW Camps
Gene Lam was born in Douglas and grew up in Glenrock before being drafted in the U.S. Army and becoming a doctor in the Korean War. He spent three years in a Chinese POW camp, then for 15 years trained troops how to survive capture by the enemy.
Dale KillingbeckNovember 09, 2024
Jim Hicks — And His Alter-Ego Sagebrush Sven — Have Made Wyoming Laugh For 60 Years
After 60 years as a Wyoming newspaperman, Jim Hicks is still writing his weekly humor column for the Buffalo Bulletin. He and his alter-ego Sagebrush Sven continue lampooning Buffalo, the Cowboy State and himself.
Jackie DorothyNovember 09, 2024
Wyoming History: In 1868, Benton Was So Violent Murder Was An Everyday Occurence
As the Union Pacific built its railroad across the West, one of its track-end towns became infamous for being a violent, lawless outpost. That was Benton, Wyoming, located in present-day Carbon County. Back in 1868, murder was part of daily life.
Dale KillingbeckNovember 09, 2024
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
“Yellowstone” Fatigue Sets In For Montanans Living With Filming For Spinoffs
With the final episodes of the huge TV hit series “Yellowstone” beginning Sunday, expansion of the modern Western series is already underway. Filming has begun in Ennis, Mont., on new spinoff “The Madison,” but locals are getting “Yellowstone” fatigue.
David MadisonNovember 09, 2024
Why People Are So Saddened By The Death Of Ben, Kirk Herbstreit's Golden Retriever
Cheyenne Animal Shelter CEO Britney Tennant says the nation's collective sadness over the death of Ben, the beloved Golden retriever of ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit, stems from the shared closeness people have with their dogs.
Justin GeorgeNovember 07, 2024
Wyoming Has The Country’s Only Known Animal Shelter Gas Chambers
After Missouri shut its only animal shelter gas chamber to euthanize unwanted pets, Wyoming is the only state left that uses it. It has two, in Green River and Evanston.
Mark HeinzNovember 06, 2024
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
After Storm Tears Off Chunk Of 100-Year-Old Tree, Casper Neighbors Rally To Help
Last week’s storm not only dumped 5-6 inches of wet, heavy snow across Casper, it tore a huge chuck off a 100-year-old cottonwood that fell into the street. That’s when neighbors rallied to help each other.
Dale KillingbeckNovember 05, 2024
Cloud Of Cold To Envelop Wyoming, Plunge Temperatures Into Single Digits
A winter weather system enveloping Wyoming won't cover the Cowboy State with a lot of snow. But overnight temperatures could plunge into the single digits overnight Tuesday and Wednesday.
Andrew RossiNovember 05, 2024
Wyoming History: How Doc Middleton Became A Notorious Outlaw Celebrity
Park Cemetery in Douglas contains the remains of Doc Middleton, a true notorious Western outlaw. Although he stole horses, rustled cattle and killed men, he became an outlaw celebrity.
Dale KillingbeckNovember 03, 2024
Cody Women Make It To The Top Of 19,341-Foot Mount Kilimanjaro
Cathy Blanchard and Deb White of Cody, Wyoming, have returned from a successful a nine-day trek to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro. “You learn a lot about yourself,” Blanchard said about making it to the 19,341-foot peak of Africa’s tallest mountain.
Amber SteinmetzNovember 03, 2024
'Can't Even Imagine Life Without Her': Lander Baby Survives 27 Surgeries
A doctor urged Tasha Anderson to get an abortion when she was pregnant with Jamesyn, whose heart is on the wrong side of her body. Now 18 months and 27 surgeries later, Anderson and her husband Sam say they "can't even imagine life without her."
Clair McFarlandNovember 03, 2024
Find The Sheriff In Niobrara County -- A ‘Where’s Waldo’ Activity To Connect With Residents
In Niobrara County, locals are invited to guess where local deputies are every Friday. The department posts a photo of a Sheriff’s Office vehicle somewhere in the rural county and people somehow figure out where the deputy is.
Jackie DorothyNovember 03, 2024
Sundance Wicks Is First Wyoming-Born UW Men’s Basketball Coach In 50 Years
Gillette native Sundance Wicks is the first Wyoming native to be the head coach of the University of Wyoming men's basketball team in 50 years. The Wicks era officially begins Monday when the Cowboys host Concordia University-St. Paul at 7:30 p.m.
Leo WolfsonNovember 02, 2024
Remembering Bud Daley, Yankees World Series Champ Who Called Wyoming Home For 49 Years
Bud Daley, a Fremont County resident for 49 years, overcame a withered arm disability and went on to pitch the final game of the Yankees' 1961 World Series win. A steady family man, Daley, 92, died last month in Riverton.
Clair McFarlandNovember 02, 2024
Deal To Move Dodgers From Brooklyn To LA Was Signed During Wyoming Antelope Hunt
The Los Angeles Dodgers are riding high off its World Series win over the Yankees this week. But the storied franchise has a secret Wyoming connection. The deal to move the Dodgers from Brooklyn to L.A. was signed during a Wyoming antelope hunt.
Renée JeanNovember 02, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: Gillette Avenue May Be The Most Haunted Street In Wyoming
There are those who insist the ghosts come out after dark in downtown Gillette. From First to Second streets, “The entire first block of Gillette Avenue is haunted."
Jackie DorothyOctober 30, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: Even Skeptics Admit Strange Things Happen At CFD Museum
Flying hats, explosive glass and dolls that just won’t leave the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum in Cheyenne. These are just a few of the strange things even skeptics admit they can’t quite explain.
Renée JeanOctober 30, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: Kane’s Blue Lady Searches Cemetery For The Children She Murdered
The town of Kane, Wyoming, has been abandoned since the 1960s, but it still has at least one restless spirit. Local folklore says the ghost of Matilda Waters haunts the cemetery, appearing as a blue lady looking for the children she murdered.
Wendy CorrOctober 30, 2024
Wyoming Storm Dumps Wet, Heavy Snow, Sets Moisture Records
A winter weather system that moved across Wyoming through Wednesday dumped a lot of wet, heavy snow across much of Wyoming. In Wright, 13 inches fell, while Casper and Worland set moisture records.
Andrew RossiOctober 30, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: Ghost Of China Mary Haunts Evanston Road Named For Her
The ghost of China Mary still haunts the road named after her in Evanston, Wyoming. But talking about her has been a taboo subject, and not many people know the real history behind Ah Yuen, who became known as China Mary.
Renée JeanOctober 30, 2024
Like A True Woming Cowboy, 10-Year-Old Plans To Trick-Or-Treat On Horseback
When 10-year-old Levi Logan chose his Halloween costume, he wanted one that included his best friend — his horse, Snip. So Levi and Snip will trick-or-treat around Thermopolis, Wyoming, as the Headless Horseman.
Jackie DorothyOctober 30, 2024
Wyoming Weather: Expect Halloween To Be Bone-Chilling And Breezy
The forecast for Halloween isn't too scary, although temperatures after sunset will be in the 20s and 30s once trick-or-treating starts. There also will be mild breezes and a low chance of witch-melting precipitation.
Andrew RossiOctober 29, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: Laramie Plains Civic Center Is Old, Huge And Haunted (Maybe)
Built in the 1870s, the Laramie Plains Civic Center is one of Wyoming’s oldest buildings, and it exudes energy. Whether the huge 167,000-square-foot former school is haunted is a matter of belief. Some say definitely yes, others aren’t convinced.
Mark Heinz & Reilly StrandOctober 29, 2024
Powell Man Buys Model Submarine Used In The Hunt For Red October
A Powell man got into a bidding war in an online auction but was ultimately successful in purchasing the 11-foot model of the Red October used in the 1990 blockbuster movie “The Hunt For Red October." He also purchased a model of the Soviet submarine and another prop used in the movie.
Andrew RossiOctober 28, 2024
Blast Of Winter Will Dump Several Inches Of Snow Across Parts Of Wyoming This Week
The latest weather system will diagonally slice from southwest to northeast Wyoming beginning Monday night. The blast of winter weather will dump several inches of snow across parts of the state this week.
Andrew RossiOctober 28, 2024
UW Football Coach Sawvel Reprimanded For Calling Referees Horsesh*t
University of Wyoming football coach Jay Sawvel was reprimanded Sunday after calling the referees officiating UW games this season horsesh*t. He also called his coaching horsesh*t in describing his 1 - 7 start.
Leo WolfsonOctober 28, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: Sweetwater County Library Built On Pioneer Graves And Were Not Moved
If it sounds like the movie Poltergeist, there are similarities. The Sweetwater County Library was built on an old cemetery and the graves were supposed to have been moved. But not all of them were.
Jackie DorothyOctober 27, 2024
Wyoming Rewind: Ten Sleep Hill Climb Was 100 MPH Of 2-Lane Road With No Guardrails
For 20 years, the Ten Sleep Hill Climb drew thousands of people to watch driver race up old Highway 16. It was a steep, dangerous race at more than 100 mph on a winding, two-lane road with no guardrails.
Jackie DorothyOctober 27, 2024
Famous Yankee Lady B-17 Bomber Makes Final Flight Over Wyoming
The Yankee Lady, a World War II B-17 Flying Fortress, made her final flight across the West and Wyoming this past week. It was emotional for fans of the famous bomber, which was featured in the movie “Tora! Tora! Tora!”
Jackie DorothyOctober 27, 2024
Cody Couple Selling Historic Cabin Thought To Be Part Of "Wyoming Atlantis"
The couple was told the small, historic cabin on their Cody property came from Marquette, aka "Wyoming Atlantis,” a town submerged under Buffalo Bill Reservoir. The couple will only sell it to someone who respects the cabin’s history.
Andrew RossiOctober 27, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: White Devil, The Spectral Horse That Protects Wild Mustangs
The White Devil was a ghostly white stallion in the 1800s who protected his herds of wild mustangs against the cowboys who attempted to rope them. It's said that this spectral horse still roams the Rattlesnake Range above Casper, Wyoming.
Jackie DorothyOctober 27, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: Soldier Was Ambushed And Buried In 1866, Then He Returned To Fort
Known as “Dead Duck,” a Wyoming Territory soldier was killed in an ambush by Indians during the Fetterman Fight in 1866, and buried. At least that's what he was told when he returned to the fort.
Jackie DorothyOctober 26, 2024
Wyoming History: Beloved Sheriff Gunned Down By Hole In The Wall Gang In 1899
Converse County Sheriff Josiah Hazen became a notch on the belt for a member of the notorious Hole in the Wall Gang in 1899. He was gunned down after tracking them following a train robbery.
Dale KillingbeckOctober 26, 2024
No State Income Tax, Low Cost Of Living Vault Casper Into Top 10 Retirement Cities
A national financial study ranks Casper in the top 10 best communities for retirement. They cite a low cost of living, access to health care and no state income tax.
Dale KillingbeckOctober 26, 2024
74-Foot-Long Wyoming Dino Burned In A Fire Revealed As A New Species
The newest Wyoming dinosaur, an Ardetosaurus viator which was discovered near Shell, had to cross an ocean and go through a fire before being recognized as a new species. Luckily, after 147 million years, its time has come.
Andrew RossiOctober 26, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: Ghosts Still Have Prohibition Liquor Parties At Greybull Hotel
The historic Greybull Hotel was owned by a rum runner during Prohibition who had a hidden speakeasy in the basement where he served up illegal scotch. Seems the good times never stopped for the ghosts that still hold Prohibition liquor parties there.
Jackie DorothyOctober 26, 2024
Cattle Mutilations Across Wyoming And The West In 1970s Still A Mystery
Cattle mutilations made headlines around Wyoming and the West in the mid-1970s. One former law officer recalls the ridicule investigators took while seeking answers for the gruesome discoveries, which are still a mystery.
Dale KillingbeckOctober 26, 2024
Wyoming Coffee Klatch: Riverton’s Chandelle Group Talks, And Argues, Politics
Cowboy State Daily is visiting coffee klatches around the state to hear their top concerns before the election. Riverton's Chandelle Group has been meeting for years. They allow women to join, but tame the jokes when one does.
Clair McFarlandOctober 26, 2024
How Rock Springs Almost Collapsed Into Abandoned Coal Mines Underneath It
Rock Springs, Wyoming, was built on top of dozens of coal mine tunnels that fueled Union Pacific’s Westward rail expansion. For decades after the mines closed, the town almost collapsed into the abandoned mines it was built on.
Reilly StrandOctober 26, 2024
Nevada Rancher Totals Wild Turkey With Toyota Near Devils Tower
There's another month until Thanksgiving, but a Nevada rancher is giving thanks after totaling a wild Wyoming turkey near Devils Tower. His truck didn’t suffer any serious damage. The same can't be said for the turkey.
Andrew RossiOctober 25, 2024
Park County Saddened By Deaths Of Well-Known Pastor, “Living Legend” Taxidermist
The deaths of two well-known Park County residents has saddened the communities of Cody and Powell. Cody Bible Church Pastor Jeff McKearney and Steven Werbelow of Powell, a “living legend” in the taxidermy industry, were found dead Wednesday in an RV.
Leo WolfsonOctober 25, 2024
Wyoming Coffee Klatch: Lander’s Fox News All-Stars Lean Right — But Not All The Time
Cowboy State Daily is visiting coffee klatches across Wyoming before the election to see what topics are being discussed. The Fox News All-Stars, in Lander, is one of the state's oldest groups. Politics dominates the conversation, mostly leaning right — but not all the time.
Bill SniffinOctober 24, 2024
Wyoming-Made Pedestal Holds Up Mammoth 11.50-Ton Quarter Pounder
A mammoth 11.5-ton Quarter Pounder outside a South Dakota McDonald’s was made by a Utah sculptor and is a selfie magnet. It’s held up by a huge Wyoming-made granite pedestal, and both artists say it’s the weirdest project they’ve ever done.
Andrew RossiOctober 23, 2024
Man Stuck Under Crashed Motorcycle Near Encampment Saved By Hunters
Two hunters saved a man's life last week near Encampment when they spotted the tip of a cowboy boot being waved from a culvert. It was a motorcyclist who had crashed and was trapped under his bike. "I’m alive to talk about it today because they stopped," he said.
Andrew RossiOctober 22, 2024
Astrophotographers, Climatologists Say 2024 Best Year Ever For Auroras And Best Is Yet To Come
Although it's been a bumper year for aurora activity, astrophotographers and climatologists aren't bored with the activity. Anything but. They still get thrilled by the northern lights and say the best is yet to come.
Andrew RossiOctober 22, 2024
Don Day Says Expect A “Roller Coaster” Of Weather, And A Chilly Halloween
Meteorologist Don Day says that after last week's blast of winter weather, Wyoming can expect a “roller coaster rebound” of weather for the rest of October. And a cold Halloween will likely mean kids will have to bundle up for trick-or-treating.
Andrew RossiOctober 21, 2024
Parkman Bar Holds ‘Let It Rain’ Concert To Say 'Thank You' To Firefighters
Around 500 people showed up for the Parkman Bar and Grill’s “Let it Rain” concert Saturday to say thank you from the community to the firefighters battling the Elk Fire. Cars lined the highway for a couple of miles before and after the bar but attendees said it was worth the walk.
Renée JeanOctober 21, 2024
Spirit Cave Went From National Attraction To An Abandoned Hole In A Mountain
Buffalo Bill Cody wanted Spirit Mountain Cave to be a huge draw for Wyoming, and President Taft made it a national monument. But the labyrinth of caverns never reached its potential and now is just an abandoned hole in a mountain.
Andrew RossiOctober 20, 2024
Scientists Learn A Lot Watching A Pack Rat Rot In Wyoming’s Natural Trap Cave
When paleontologists uncovering Ice Age fossils in Wyoming’s Natural Trap Cave found the remains of a modern pack rat, they didn’t throw it away. Instead, they gave it a name "Packy Le Pew,” and studied it as it decomposed.
Andrew RossiOctober 20, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: Kirwin Is A Ghost Town Haunted By Real Spirits
A fortune was spent building the mining boom town of Kirwin, Wyoming, only for the people living there to abandon it, terrified by ghostly voices. They didn’t even bother to pack their tools and other belongings, they just left.
Jackie DorothyOctober 20, 2024
Lander Vietnam Vet On Mission To Uncover Dad’s Heroic WWII Past
Lander Vietnam veteran Andy Gramlich knew his dad as an angry man who drank. It wasn’t until decades after the fact he found out about his heroic past as a World War II glider pilot. The revelation was an “emotional game-changer," he says.
Dale KillingbeckOctober 20, 2024
Wyoming Coffee Klatch: Casper Old Guys Solve World’s Problems Over Coffee, And A Little Liquor
Cowboy State Daily is visiting coffee klatches across Wyoming to see what issues are front and center before the election. In Casper, the "Old Guy's Club" meets on Tuesdays at 10am. Coffee is the main drink, although some spice it up a bit with booze.
Dale KillingbeckOctober 20, 2024
Thank you Texas! Texas Ranchers Hauling Hay To Wyoming
When wildfires devastated ranches in Texas in 2022, Wyomingites were quick to haul trucks of hay for livestock there. Now ranchers there are returning the favor after fires have burned more than 810,000 acres across Wyoming.
Renée JeanOctober 20, 2024
Hall-Of-Fame: It Takes Special Kind Of Tough To Be Wyoming Cowboy
Wyoming’s cowboys have endured the worst the state can throw at them — weather, horse wrecks and lost cattle. It takes a special kind of tough, and Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame inductees say there’s nothing they’d rather do
Jackie DorothyOctober 20, 2024
Perfectly Preserved Wyoming Allosaur Snout Excites Dinosaur Researchers
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis is all smiles after recovering an Allosaurus snout from the Jurassic Mile near Lovell, Wyoming. What has them most excited is its 150-million-year-old perfectly preserved teeth.
Andrew RossiOctober 19, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: Lost Hunter Saved By Ghost Boy In Bighorn Mountains
A 17-year-old hunter lost on Trapper Creek in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains in 1951 found his way thanks to a boy in a red flannel shirt. Locals say he was saved by the ghost of another 17-year-old who died on his own hunting trip 19 years before.
Jackie DorothyOctober 19, 2024
Cincinnati Museum Searching For Dinosaurs In Little-Known Almond Formation In SW Wyoming
The Cincinnati Museum Center has spent several summers combing through the Almond Formation in southwest Wyoming. Tiny pieces of dinosaurs are being found in an overlooked and untapped formation from 71 million years ago.
Andrew RossiOctober 19, 2024
Wapiti Tortoise Escapes, Makes It A Mile Uphill Before Jailbreak Is Discovered
Sheldon, a 10-year-old sulcata tortoise, escaped his outdoor habitat in Wapiti, Wyoming. He trudged a mile uphill into the mountains before his jailbreak was discovered and he was brought home.
Andrew RossiOctober 19, 2024
Wyoming Babies In The Running To Be Baby Of The Year, Featured In Good Housekeeping
Little Aaila Gurtler is 5 months old, has five siblings and loves to make gurgling monster noises. She’s also in the running to represent Wyoming as the next Baby of the Year to be featured in Good Housekeeping.
Jackie DorothyOctober 18, 2024
New “Welcome to Wyoming” Signs Going Up; Old Signs Will Be Sold At Auction
A new “Welcome to Wyoming” sign is being installed along highways around the state. The old signs will be sold at an upcoming auction and, in the past, have sold for as high as $10,000 per sign.
Andrew RossiOctober 17, 2024
Winter Storm Expected To Bring Snow To Most Of Wyoming By The Weekend
A winter storm moving across Wyoming is already dropping snow on the massive Pack Trail and Elk fires in northern Wyoming. By the time it’s done, most of Wyoming is expected to see some snow.
Andrew RossiOctober 17, 2024
Winter Finally Coming, With Desperately Needed Snow For Huge Wyoming Wildfires
A wave of winter weather will finally hit Wyoming to close out the week. It will bring some desperately needed snow to help the 1,500 firefighters battling the huge Elk and Pack Trail fires.
Andrew RossiOctober 14, 2024
Trying Not To Get Lost In An Elaborate Corn Maze A Wyoming Fall Rite Of Passage
Those who operate Wyoming’s elaborate corn mazes say their goal isn’t to get people lost, but it’s inevitable. It’s a fall rite of passage that celebrates Wyoming harvest with food, fun and pummeling Trump and Kamala with apples.
Dale KillingbeckOctober 14, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: The Ghost Ship Of The North Platte
One of the more intriguing ghost stories in Wyoming is a ghost ship that appeared infrequently on the North Platte River in in 1862, 1887 and 1903. Each time it was spotted, it brought death with it for the people who saw it.
Jackie DorothyOctober 13, 2024
Wyoming History: The Daring 1920s Flyers From Lusk Who Became Famous Alaska Bush Pilots
Two men working as mechanics in Lusk in the 1920s went to Alaska in search of adventure. Their exploits as Alaska Bush pilots brought them fame and, unfortunately, lots of crashes. Natives who had never seen planes before called them "flying ghosts."
Dale KillingbeckOctober 13, 2024
Wyoming Vietnam Vets Get Emotional Welcome Home “55 Years Late In Coming”
A group of 13 Wyoming Vietnam-era veterans had an emotional homecoming during an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. It was the opposite of what some got when they returned from the war. It was deeply felt, even “55 years late in coming.”
Dale KillingbeckOctober 13, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: Chugwater Restaurant Serves People Decades After Burning Down
Caught in a blizzard, three people sought shelter at a restaurant off the interstate in Chugwater, Wyoming. They ate steak waiting out the storm, only to learn later the restaurant burned down decades ago — and their waitresses died in the fire.
Jackie DorothyOctober 13, 2024
Wyoming History: President Ford Came From Wyoming Roots He Never Really Knew
Before he was the 38th president of the United States, Gerald Ford was the grandson of a Wyoming business tycoon. But he never really knew him, or his father, who was spoiled and abusive.
Dale KillingbeckOctober 13, 2024
Inside Shoshoni's Haunted House: It Takes A Year To Build And Is Straight-Up Scary
The folks in Shoshoni, Wyoming, take Halloween seriously. Any doubt of that will be erased by a visit to its annual haunted house, which takes a year to build and is housed in an abandoned bowling alley which was closed nearly 40 years ago.
Jackie DorothyOctober 12, 2024
How Wyoming Ranchers Rescued A 1,500-Year-Old Petroglyph Vandals Chiseled Out Of Cliff Wall
The Great Turtle Shield, a priceless 1,500-year-old rock carving was chiseled away from Wyoming's Castle Garden Petroglyph Site in 1940. Furious ranchers let it be known if it wasn't found, "legs would be broken." Shortly thereafter, it was anonymously recovered.
Andrew RossiOctober 12, 2024
Bill Sniffin Visits Yellowstone For 54th Year In A Row
Cowboy State Daily columnist Bill Sniffin could be Yellowstone National Park's biggest fan. He made his first trip there in October, 1970, and has visited the Park at least once every year for the past 54 years.
Dale KillingbeckOctober 12, 2024
Hit A Deer, Car Disabled, No Cell Service, Middle Of Nowhere: What Do You Do?
A Laramie woman hit a deer at night on a remote section of Wyoming highway without cellphone service. She was fortunate a good Samaritan happened along, but local officials say you can be prepared.
Dale KillingbeckOctober 12, 2024
Fall Means Cowboys Are Out Rounding Up Cattle In Western Wyoming
The Hoback Basin Cattle Roundup is a month-long push to gather up 3,000 head of cattle that have been grazing all summer on public lands, separate them by brands and ranch and get them ready for sale. It’s a tradition spanning generations of Wyoming cowboys on horseback.
Joy UffordOctober 12, 2024
Once-In-Humanity Comet Will Look Brighter Than Venus And Mercury On Saturday
Comet Tsuchinshan – ATLAS, aka "the green comet," will make its closest approach to Earth 30 minutes after sunset Saturday. It’ll be brighter than Venus and Mercury over Wyoming, and it could be a once-in-humanity chance to see it.
Andrew RossiOctober 10, 2024
Cooler Temps Ahead As Autumn Weather Will Finally Arrive On Oct. 18
Cowboy State Daily metereologist Don Day says Oct. 18 is the day when the jet stream will get un-stuck and bring Wyoming much cooler temperatures and maybe even some precipitation.
Andrew RossiOctober 10, 2024
Gap Pucci, Wyoming’s Spaghetti Western Cowboy, Dead At 89
Gap Pucci, a unique spaghetti Western cowboy and hunting guide, lived the Wyoming lifestyle he loved. He died Monday at age 89. He told Cowboy State Daily earlier this year he imagined Heaven as a place “with all the good horses I ever rode.”
Jake NicholsOctober 10, 2024
No More “Wind Chill” In Wyoming’s Winter Weather Warnings, It’s “Extreme Cold”
The National Weather Service is getting rid of “wind chill” in its winter weather warnings, which sounds like good news for windy Wyoming. But it’s not going away, it’s just renaming the index as “extreme cold.”
Andrew RossiOctober 08, 2024
80,000 Miles And Thousands Of Photos, She Explores Wyoming For Those Who Can’t
Lesleigh Ann Shaefer of Thermopolis has traveled more than 80,000 miles and taken thousands of photos as she drives around the Cowboy State. She says she explores Wyoming for those who can’t.
Jackie DorothyOctober 06, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: The Headless Bride Of Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Inn
A teen bride murdered and decapitated at Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Inn in 1914 is said to still haunt the historic hotel. People tell of seeing her ghostly apparition walking to the crow’s nest — carrying her own head in her arms.
Jackie DorothyOctober 06, 2024
What Happens When A 20-Pound Turkey Flies Into A Car Going 70MPH
Clara Maslak and her family were driving from Powell to Cody when a 20-pound turkey flew across the highway and smashed into their Suburban. A windshield repairman said he's never seen that level of devastation caused by a turkey. RIP bird.
Andrew RossiOctober 06, 2024
For Decades, Visitors Could Swim In Old Faithful Waters For 50 Cents
From 1914 through 1951, the Old Faithful bathhouse and swimming pool was a huge attraction. Visitors could swim in the same geothermal waters erupting from Yellowstone geysers for 50 cents.
Andrew RossiOctober 06, 2024
1,285-Pound Pumpkin Explodes Into Bazillion Pieces After Being Dropped From Crane
Chad Kurtenbach of Lovell won the 2024 Wyoming State Pumpkin Weigh-Off on Saturday with his 1,254-pound pumpkin named Annie Oakley. Then, an even larger pumpkin was dropped from 175 feet and obliterated an 8-foot Wile E. Coyote.
Reilly StrandOctober 06, 2024
Casper Paranormal Investigator Owns Ghostbusters Franchise In Wyoming
There are 165 Ghostbusters franchises in the U.S. including one in Wyoming. Pete McDaniels, a paranormal investigator, owns the Casper franchise and a ghost-busting car he calls "Ecto Interceptor." When he's not investigating ghosts, he does birthday parties and raises funds for the Make-A-Wish foundation.
Dale KillingbeckOctober 05, 2024
With Israel, Iran At Brink Of War, More Than 400 Wyoming Troops In Middle East
As missile strikes between Israel and Iran continue to make global headlines, more than 400 Wyoming National Guard soldiers and airmen continue their missions serving in the volatile region.
Dale KillingbeckOctober 05, 2024
Haunted Wyoming: The Wailing Skeleton Of Badwater Creek
In October 1940, the Lichty family discovered a skeleton on their property near the Badwater Creek in Fremont County. Their troubles were only beginning…
Jackie DorothyOctober 05, 2024
Yellowstone Highway At 100: Wyoming’s $1 Million Gamble That Paid Off Big
It’s been 100 years since the Yellowstone Highway was blasted through a rugged, unforgiving Wind River Canyon. At $1 million, it was the most expensive stretch of road ever built in the U.S., and a gamble that paid off big for Wyoming.
Jackie DorothyOctober 05, 2024
$50 Grizzly Bear Painting Found At Barn Sale Could Sell For $150K Or More
A painting of a wooden grizzly bear atop a totem pole recently bought at a New York barn sale for $50 is now expected to sell for $150,000 or more at auction. Turns out the 1912 painting was created by famous Canadian artist Emily Carr.
Leo WolfsonOctober 05, 2024
September Was Hottest, Driest In Decades, But Wyoming Can Still Expect A Cold Winter
September was the hottest, driest in decades across much of Wyoming. But Don Day says to still expect a colder, snowier than average winter.
Andrew RossiOctober 02, 2024
Shoshoni High Choir Sings Backup For ’80s Rockers Foreigner In Casper Concert
The newly formed Shoshoni High School choir had an epic gig for its first public performance. The group was on stage Tuesday in Casper, Wyoming, singing backup for 1980s rock band Foreigner on its smash power ballad “I Want to Know What Love Is.”
Dale KillingbeckOctober 02, 2024
Utah Couple Grow Record-Breaking 2,289-Pound Pumpkin From A Wyoming Seed
Ralph and Juana Laub set a new Utah record over the weekend with a giant 2,289-pound pumpkin. The humongous squash was grown from a Wyoming seed provided by Cheyenne’s Andy and Amy Corbin.
Andrew RossiSeptember 30, 2024
When Truck Catches Fire Off I-25, Wyomingites Stop To Help
When a DoorDash driver’s truck caught fire just off Interstate 25 just east of Casper on Sunday, he had all kinds of help. Truckers and other motorists were quick to stop to help, even before emergency responders could arrive.
Renée JeanSeptember 30, 2024
Note From The Editor: Cowboy State Daily To Launch Morning Talk Show
Based on the success of Cowboy State Daily’s morning video newscast with Wendy Corr, we are expanding our multimedia offerings to include a morning radio/video talk show which launches Tuesday.
Jimmy OrrSeptember 30, 2024
Owner of Buffalo’s Occidental Hotel Wins 2024 Gospel Song Of The Year
Dave Stewart owns and operates the historic Occidental Hotel in Buffalo, Wyoming, with wife Jackie. He’s also a singer/songwriter, co-writing “God Already Has,” which won Gospel Song of the Year at Friday’s International Bluegrass Music Awards.
Renée JeanSeptember 30, 2024
Butch Cassidy In Wyoming: Notorious Outlaw Meets Owen Wister Before Either Were Famous
Locals in Dubois, Wyoming, still tell how Butch Cassidy rode into town the winter after his infamous Telluride bank robbery. That’s when the notorious outlaw is said to run into author Owen Wister before either were famous.
Renée JeanSeptember 29, 2024
Wingsuit Flyers Get Adrenaline Overdose Hitting 120 MPH Jumping From 13,000 Feet
Wingsuit flyers and BASE jumpers get an adrenaline overdose hitting 120 mph jumping off of mountaintops and cliffs. In Wyoming, Squaretop Mountain in Sublette County is the top spot for these daredevils.
Dale KillingbeckSeptember 29, 2024
Is The Wyoming Flag Bison Facing The Wrong Way? Creator’s Granddaughter Says Yes
Verna Keays Keyes designed Wyoming's unique state flag, but is the bison facing the wrong way? Her granddaughter says yes, that Keyes originally made it looking away from the pole.
Renée JeanSeptember 29, 2024
Wyoming Caver Has Spent 50 Years Exploring World’s Deepest, Darkest Places
It takes a certain kind of person to not only tolerate being in caves, but love it. Juan Laden of Lander is one, having spent 50 years exploring the world’s deepest, darkest places from Antarctica to Ukraine to New Zealand.
Jackie DorothySeptember 29, 2024
Wyoming Weather Guru Don Day Helps Team USA At Europe’s Oldest Aviation Race
Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day was part of Team USA in the oldest gas balloon race in the world. His job was to read and predict the weather so the balloonists could catch the best wind currents.
Andrew RossiSeptember 29, 2024
The Kindest Doctor In Wyoming: Remembering Rock Springs' Dr. George Harrison
Dr. George Harrison never turned down anyone, for any reason. Even 35 years after his death, people tear-up remembering his kindness -- mentioning his house calls at any hour, $3 office visits and refusing payment when people couldn't afford it.
Jen KocherSeptember 29, 2024
It’s Been 35 Years Since Casper Man Set 3 World Hang Gliding Distance Records
Casper’s Kevin Christopherson set three world records in 1989 for soaring hang gliders nearly 300 miles from Wyoming to South Dakota. At 63, he still enjoys taking off from Casper Mountain and landing at home.
Dale KillingbeckSeptember 28, 2024
Jae Bob Bing’s Legacy: Hope Through Free Cowboy Boots For High School Seniors
High school students in Natrona County and some others around the state are getting free cowboy boots and a conversation about hope from the Jae Foundation. The foundation wants the boots to trigger suicide prevention talks that otherwise may not happen.
Dale KillingbeckSeptember 28, 2024