Wyoming Life | Cowboy State Daily

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

The intersection of 13th Street and McKinley now has one less house for drivers to hit. Now there's a vacant lot to the right where a house had been that was hit several times with vehicles.

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

Luke Talich of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish returns an interception for a touchdown against the Florida State Seminoles during the second half at Notre Dame Stadium on Nov. 9, 2024, in South Bend, Indiana.

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 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

Gen. John Black Jack Pershing was the commander of the U.S. forces in World War I, and loved a Wyoming girl.

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

"1st Battalion" is a sculpture at Mt. Pisgah Cemetery in Gillette, Wyoming, where hundreds of military veterans are buried.

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

Pilots Sam Sutton, from left, Cory May, Alton Lusk and Mark Jay provided hurricane relief for 12 straight days in western North Carolina last month.

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

Kathy Sorensen is a self-proclaimed advocate for all the things people hate. She nearly always has her camera ready to catch the bugs, reptiles and pests in action and will adopt the ones in need.

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

Tom Skinner's Hole in the Wall Saloon in Thermopolis in 1908. The infamous outlaw gang wouldhang out there.

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

Glenrock’s Deer Creek Museum offers a small display on the Dr. Gene Lam who was a Glenrock native and POW during the Korean War.

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, 89, has been in the Wyoming newspaper business for 60 years. He continues to write satire as “Sagebrush Sven” in the Buffalo Bulletin, the newspaper he once owned and now published by his son, a third-generation Wyoming newspaperman. Sagebrush Sven began as a non-humor column… until it was taken over by Jim Hicks who used the opportunity to share humorous observations from around his small town of Buffal. His wife, Mary Hicks, illustrated many of his columns.

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

Benton was mostly a tent city that proved to live up to is rowdy and reckless reputation.

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

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

A camera crew captures scenes for the “Yellowstone” spinoff series “The Madison” in downtown Ennis, Montana, on Oct. 22. The one-man Ennis Police Department reported, “While some people were excited, others were less enthusiastic about the disruption. Paramount Networks applied for and obtained all the necessary permits for filming, including permission for road closures.”

“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

ESPN sportscaster Kirk Herbstreit and his dog Ben look on before the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Sept. 28, 2024 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

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

A woman displays a sign calling for the gas chamber at the Green River Animal Shelter be shut down during a rally against animal cruelty, left. At right is the gas chamber used by the animal shelter in Evanston, Wyoming. The gas chambers in Green River and Evanston represent the last gas chambers still used in the United States to euthanize animals.

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

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

The late October snowstorm in Casper created mayhem with tree branches in the city. The cottonwood outside the Belcher’s house in central Casper lost a huge branch along with other branches.

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

Doc Middleton with one of his horse before the start of a 1,000-mile race from Chadron, Nebraska, to Chicago sponsored by Buffalo Bill Cody in 1893.

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

Cathy Blanchard, left, and Deb White of Cody, Wyoming, hold the Wyoming flag at the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa on Oct. 16, 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

Tasha and Sam Anderson with their baby daughter Jamesyn.

'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

Deputy Clark said they posted this photo of Williams Road to highlight the fall colors.

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 Wick grew up in Gillette and played basketball for Campbell County High School. Now he has his "dream job" as the first Wyoming-born head men's basketball coach for the University of Wyoming in 50 years.

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

Bud Daley was a Major League pitcher who played for three teams from 1955-1964. His last three years was as a pitcher for the New York Yankees, winning two World Series Championships.

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

The first block of Gillette Avenue is haunted, some say — every building.

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

Marty Perez had an unsettling experience the first year he did a paranormal investigation of this hallway at the CFD Museum of the West. The hallway was quiet this time.

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

The wet snow that fell overnight Tuesday and into Wednesday was too much for some tree branches around Gillette.

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

Lukis Hill points out on Google Maps the location where he and his dad tried to pick up a Chinese woman who looked like she needed help. She screamed at them instead, and disappeared before their eyes.

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

Young cowboy Levi Logan wanted his horse, Snip, to join him for Halloween trick or treating so the duo will be galloping from house to house as the Headless Horseman.

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

These giant skeletons in front of a house on 9th Street don't seem to mind the snow falling in Casper on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 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

The Laramie Plains Civic Center is seen from an aerial perspective in October 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

Daniel Cantone is a super fan of the blockbuster movie "The Hunt for Red October." He now owns the Red October, the title Soviet attack submarine featured in the movie — at least an 11-foot model used to make the film. He's pictured here with his son, Thomas.

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

Traffic drives through a Wyoming snowstorm on Interstate 80.

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

First-year University of Wyoming head football coach Jay Sawvel.

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

The Sweetwater County Library in Wyoming was built in 1979 on the site of a former cemetery. It was discovered during construction that not all the graves were reinterred up the hill at the new cemetery. Many of the library staff and patrons have witnessed unexplained occurrences that they believe are related to the disturbed graves of Green River’s former residents.

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

Ten Sleep Hill Climb cu David Francis mustang 10 27 24

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

The final flight of the Yankee Lady over her home airport before the B-17's final cross-country flight, including over Wyoming.

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

Greg and Tammy Poley of Cody are selling this historic cabin on their property that may have once been part of Marquette, aka "Wyoming Atlantis," which now is submerged under Buffalo Bill Reservoir.

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

Fort Fetterman State Historic Site composite getty 10 26 24

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

The Hole in the Wall Gang used dynamite to crack open a safe during a brazen train robbery, destroying the rail car it was in as well. In chasing down the robbers, Converse County Sheriff Josiah Hazen was shot and killed.

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

Retired Natrona County High School chemistry teacher Frank Stofflet, 88, has resided in Casper since 1964. He enjoys what the city has to offer in his retirement, including community classes at Casper College, bike trails and the Wyoming Symphony.

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

After it was dug up near Shell, Wyoming, in the early 1990s, Ardetosaurus viator, a 74-foot-long dinosaur, survived a fire at a German museum before finally being revealed as a new species.

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

The Historic Greybull Hotel is in downtown Greybull, Wyoming. It was built in 1916 during the town’s oil boom and is a reminder of the past.

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

After cattler were found dead and mysteriously mutilated on a ranch near St. Louis, Missouri, this illustrated panel was drawn to depict the discovery.

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

The coffee group that meets weekly at the Chandelle Events Center west of Riverton isn’t all bluster. They’ve welcomed TV crews, politicians, and even women.

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

There's another month until Thanksgiving, but a Nevada rancher is giving thanks after totaling a wild Wyoming turkey near Devils Tower. That’s because the bird that got stuck in his grill didn’t cause any serious damage.

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

Jeff McKearney, left, was a senior pastor at Cody Bible Church. Steven Werbelow, right, was a well-known taxidermist in hunter from Powell.

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

A long-running coffee group in Lander is known as the Fox News All-Stars. Around the table from front clockwise they are: Joe Kenney, Stan Cannon, Del McOmie, Bill Sniffin, Tony McRae, Tom Cox, Dean McKee and Charlie Krebs.

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

This huge Quarter Pounder was installed at a McDonald's in Rapid City, South Dakota, in February 2020. It was created by Utah artist Raymond Gibby.

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

Father and son hunters Jason and Ben Koperski, right, saved Phil Bollinger after he became stuck under his motorcycle in a culvert.

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

The auroras over Wyoming this year have been stunning and plentiful. And Pinedale photographer Dave Bell loves it. He said there's not aurora overload for him.

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

After a cold front moved through much of Wyoming near the end of last week, meteorologist Don Day says to expect "roller coaster" weather for the rest of October, and a chilly Halloween. It was near 70 in Cheyenne on Monday, and people were out enjoying the sun at Sloan Lake.

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

Extra tables had to be pulled from storage to expand the eating area at the Let it Rain Concert in Parkman, even as smoke from the nearby Elk Fire continues to linger in the air.

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

A dead pack rat dubbed Packy Le Pew found in Wyoming's Natural Trap Cave in 2015, a year after the rodent corpse was discovered.

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

The ghost town of Kirwin, Wyoming, is about 40 miles southwest of Meeteetse.

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 pilot and Vietnam veteran Andy Gramlich spent the past few years uncovering a revelation about his late father, a World War II glider pilot. He characterizes it as an “emotional game changer.”

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

Conversation at the Tuesday coffee confab in Casper can range from oil and gas news, the latest headlines, to observations and experiences in the community from the past week.

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

The Texas Fire Relief effort has helped Wyoming ranchers impacted by a number of huge and devastating wildfires this season.

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

Kevin Campbell speaks during the “Coffee with the Cowboys”. The 2024 Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame inductees shared stories of the cowboy life and answered questions from the moderator, Jim Nelson.

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

Paleontologists examine the Allosaurus snout in the fossil preparation lab at the Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

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

It was more than 70 years ago that a young hunter who was lost on Trapper Creek in Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains was met out of a fog by a teen in a red flannel shirt, who pointed him to safety. The hunter later learned a teen had died in the area 19 years before and others had similar stories of being led to safety by a boy in a red flannel shirt.

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

Glenn Storrs stands in front of a Triceratops skull in the fossil prep lab at the Cincinnati Museum Center. Fossils of unknown horned dinosaurs have been found by his students doing fieldwork in the Almond Formation in southwest Wyoming and could potentially belong to new species.

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

Veterinarian Ray Acker with Sheldon, a 10-year-old sulcata tortoise, after he rescued the fugitive tortoise and drove him a mile back to his home in Wapiti.

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

Aaila Gertler, 5 months, is one of a handful of Wyoming babies left in the Good Housekeeping Baby of the Year contest.

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

A new “Welcome to Wyoming” sign is being installed along highways around the state. The new signs are bold, colorful and designed to look like a post card — perfect for photos and selfies.

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