Wyoming Life
News
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
Rising Wyoming Country Star Ian Munsick To Be On ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show'
Wyoming’s Ian Munsick is a rising country music star who’s about to find a huge audience. On Tuesday, he’ll perform his latest song, “God Bless the West,” on national television on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.”
Renée JeanApril 15, 2025
Park County Animal Shelter Director Resigns Over Cat Abortions Policy
Cody resident Jona Harris recently resigned her position as executive director of the Park County Animal Shelter over the shelter’s policy to perform spay abortions on pregnant cats.
Leo WolfsonApril 14, 2025
Casper Artist Saves Vintage Wyoming Neon Landmarks One Sign At A Time
Casper artist Connie Morgan has a passion for intense heat, bending glass and neon gas. She’s saving Wyoming’s vintage neon landmarks one sign at a time, like the giant Tumble Inn Cowboy.
Dale KillingbeckApril 13, 2025
That Time Robbers Only Got Away With $40 From Richest Bank In The Bighorn Basin
The First National Bank of Meeteetse, Wyoming, was never hit by the infamous Wild Bunch. It was the richest bank in the Bighorn Basin and a tempting target in 1958 when robbers used a crowbar to break into the vault. They only get away with $40.
Jackie DorothyApril 13, 2025
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
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
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
Wyoming’s Queen Of Moguls Skiing Sweeps World Cup Championships
Olympic silver medalist Jaelin Kauf of Alta, Wyoming, made history in March when she swept all three World Cup events in mogul skiing. She also won gold in dual moguls at the World Championships.
Amber SteinmetzApril 13, 2025
Robot Horses Are Coming — Would A Real Wyoming Cowboy Ride One?
It’s not science fiction anymore — Kawasaki has unveiled it’s developing a futuristic, hydrogen-powered, fully-functional and rideable robot horse. Would Wyoming cowboys ever replace their real horses with robots?
Zakary SonntagApril 13, 2025
Wyoming’s ‘Hoosiers’: How Tiny Reliance Beat The Unbeatable To Make Run At 1949 Title
Forget Hollywood, Wyoming had its own real “Hoosiers” Cinderella story in 1949. That’s when the high school basketball team from the tiny coal town of Reliance beat the unbeatable, defending state champion Cheyenne High School, to make the title game.
Leo WolfsonApril 12, 2025
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
Montana’s Historic Frontier Town Bar Made From A Single Giant 50-Foot Log
A California couple bought Frontier Town, the inspiration for Disney’s Frontierland. It’s also home to one of the largest bars ever made from a single giant 50-foot, and the new owners hope to reopen it.
David MadisonApril 12, 2025
He Thought He Was Going To Die, Then He Killed Osama bin Laden
The man credited with killing the world’s most wanted terrorist tells Cowboy State Daily the May 2, 2011, mission to kill Osama bin Laden “went to hell” from the start. He thought he was going to die, then put three bullets into bin Laden’s head.
Zakary SonntagApril 12, 2025
Wyoming Humanities Shell-Shocked By Federal Cut, Loses 80% Of Its Budget
Wyoming Humanities has been shell-shocked by the federal government cutting a National Endowment for the Humanities grant. That money makes up 80% of its operating budget.
Jackie DorothyApril 11, 2025
19-Year-Old Wyoming Wind Technician Dies In Fall From Turbine
Liam Cobb, 19, a wind turbine technician from Douglas, died Wednesday from a fall while working on a turbine in Carbon County. His family says he’ll be remembered for his kindness and intense curiosity about the world.
Leo WolfsonApril 11, 2025
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
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
Wyomingites Say Washington, D.C., Is OK, But The Ranch Is Better And Friendlier
A group of young Wyoming ranchers and farmers toured Washington, D.C., last week, experiencing the history and culture shock of the nation’s capital. They also say that while it’s OK, life on the ranch is better — and friendlier.
Sean BarryApril 09, 2025
Mischievous Rancher Behind Those Mysterious Lights In Rural Hot Springs County
The mysterious red, blue and green lights that flash in the middle of nowhere around Hot Springs County aren’t UFOs. They belong to Eddie Shumway, a mischievous rancher who likes giving people something to talk about.
Jackie DorothyApril 06, 2025
Archeologists Have Only Begun Digging Up Wyoming’s Secrets Of The Past
Archaeologist Colin Ferriman travels around Wyoming and the region searching for historic artifacts at project sites for developing energy development. The Cowboy State has only begun giving up its secrets of the past.
Jackie DorothyApril 06, 2025
Meet LoRayne Day, The Casper Beauty Who Became A Hollywood Star
Before she gained fame in the 1950s as a Hollywood and Western star, LoRayne Day was a student at Natrona Count High School in Casper. A beauty, she got the lead in a Western, had a hit record and even had a doll made of her.
Dale KillingbeckApril 06, 2025
Instantly More Collectible: No One Wants Pennies, Until They're Gone
President Donald Trump’s order in February to stop minting new pennies has many people saying good riddance. It’s also creating a buzz because pennies are now instantly more collectible.
Zakary SonntagApril 06, 2025
Wyoming Man Flies Around On Motorized Paraglider Dropping Toys To Kids
Adam Roadcap lives in Burns, Wyoming, and flies a motorized paraglider. Sometimes he drops parachute toys to surprised children below.
Renée JeanApril 06, 2025
You’ll Need A Crane, A Truck And $20K To Buy 2 Wyoming Boulders Listed On eBay
Dave Freitag has been selling Wyoming rocks on eBay for more than a decade and has been trying to off-load two giant nephrite jade boulders for the past five years. You’ll need a crane, a truck and $20,000 to get them.
Anna-Louise JacksonApril 06, 2025
She’s Why Drivers Love Stopping At The Independence Rock Rest Area
Amanda Wilson goes way above and beyond her contract to keep the bathrooms clean and trash emptied at the Independence Rock Rest Area. Her homey touches are why drivers love stopping there.
Dale KillingbeckApril 06, 2025
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
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
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
Allyson Fertig A Division I All-Star, Rewrote UW Women’s Hoops Record Book
Allyson Fertig was a Wyoming high school basketball star before becoming one of the best Division I players in the nation at UW. She rewrote the record book, and on Saturday plays in front of pro scouts.
Leo WolfsonApril 05, 2025
It’s No Accident Kemmerer Eighth Grader Is Wyoming’s Two-Time Best Speller
It’s not an accident that Kemmerer eighth grader Eli Jernigan is Wyoming’s two-time state spelling bee champion. He studies the 4,000-word list constantly, and doesn’t care if he’s an underdog at next month’s nationals.
Renée JeanApril 05, 2025
Meet Kaleb Yager — Sheridan’s Ambassador Of Easter And Good Vibes
Kaleb Yager is an autistic Sheridan man who creates over-the-top outdoor scenes for Easter and other holidays. It began when a little boy kept crying when he went to the school across the street, so Kaleb gave him something to look forward to.
Amber SteinmetzApril 04, 2025
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
Laramie Firefighter Crushed In House Fire Determined To Make A Full Recovery
Laramie firefighter Dylan Schilt was left temporarily paralyzed when a massive stone chimney chase collapsed on him and a colleague on Feb. 28. He said Thursday he plans to make a full recovery.
Mark HeinzApril 03, 2025
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
As Construction Moves Fast, Divide Over 101-Foot Cody LDS Temple Remains Wide
As a controversial 101-foot-tall LDS temple is taking shape in Cody, locals remain strongly divided over it. There’s still plenty of open opposition to the temple, including protest signs.
Leo WolfsonApril 01, 2025
Family Remembers 18-Year-Old Good Samaritan As Hero Who Died Helping Another
Family and friends of Riggin Schaffer say they’re remembering the 18-year-old as a hero who died helping another. Schaffer was assisting a crash victim on a Wyoming highway March 23 when another car struck them.
David MadisonMarch 31, 2025
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
More Than A Century Of Ranching Along Hat Six Road Near Casper
Casper’s ranching history goes back more than a century, and a lot of that has happened along Hat Six Road. For generations, these legacy ranches have built Natrona County’s future while preserving its past.
Dale KillingbeckMarch 30, 2025
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
Cody Woman Was Going Blind When Transplant Gave Her A Second Chance At Sight
Cody native Kelly Tamblyn had looked out at Sunlight Basin many times, but during a trip in 2023 she realized how much she’d been missing. An eye condition was causing her to go blind. She got another chance at sight with a partial cornea transplant.
Amber SteinmetzMarch 30, 2025
How Much Does It Cost To Die In Wyoming? It Can Be Nothing Or Tens Of Thousands
Dying in Wyoming can be expensive for those left behind, but how expensive depends on a wide range of choices. It could cost nothing, as it’s legal to bury someone in your backyard, or it could cost $7,000 to $12,000 — or more — through a funeral home.
Zakary SonntagMarch 30, 2025
Race On To Save Mountain Man Jim Baker’s Rotting 152-Year-Old Wyoming Cabin
Mountain man Jim Baker’s 152-year-old cabin in Savery, Wyoming, is rotting and giving in to the ravages of time. But a cavalry of sorts is on the way, as a national preservation group races to save the historic cabin of the West’s last true mountain man.
Renée JeanMarch 30, 2025
How A Landlocked Wyoming Native Became A Sailor In The Virgin Islands
After a childhood of camping in the backcountry around Buffalo, Wyoming, Jack O’Rourke finds himself most at home living on a sailboat thousands of miles away. He says people ask all the time “how a boy from Wyoming ended up in the Virgin Islands.”
Jackie DorothyMarch 30, 2025
Suicide Of Young Gillette Man ‘A Whole Different Level Of Grief, Pain’ For Family
Less than six weeks since her 20-year-old nephew took his own life, his Gillette aunt says she’s still wrapped up in “a whole different level of grief, pain, confusion.” She’s now trying to use his devastating decision to save others.
Jen KocherMarch 30, 2025
Wyoming History: Wild Bunch Outlaw Tom O’Day Traded His Colt To Pay A Debt
The Fort Caspar Museum has a Colt single-action Army pistol said to have belonged to Wild Bunch outlaw Tom O’Day. He gave it to his attorney as payment for defending him in a 1904 trial.
Dale KillingbeckMarch 29, 2025
Long-Lost Little America Penguin Sign Rescued From Remote Wyoming Junk Pile
A historic metal Little America penguin sign was nearly rusted away, forgotten in a remote Wyoming junk pile, when rancher Eddie Shumway discovered it on his property in Hot Springs County. He has restored the iconic sign along an isolated highway.
Jackie DorothyMarch 29, 2025
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