Wyoming Life | Cowboy State Daily

Wyoming "Blue" Christmas Services Happening For People In Holiday Misery

Some Wyoming churches are hosting “Blue” Christmas services for people dealing with grief and sadness. Sometimes pretending to exude joy in December is almost as heavy as the weight of grief itself, one reverend explained.

Clair McFarlandDecember 10, 2024

A very Charlie Brown-esque Christmas tree at the U.S. Forest Service Office in Greybull, Wyoming.

Wyoming Forest Rangers And Hotshots Spread Cheer With “Charlie Brown” Trees

U.S. Forest Service Rangers and Hotshot firefighters in Greybull, Wyoming, cut Christmas trees to donate around Big Horn County this past weekend. The “Charlie Brown” trees are lighting up homes and offices for the season.

Jackie DorothyDecember 09, 2024

Storm To Bring Up To 9 Inches Of Snow, 50 MPH Winds Across Parts Of Wyoming

A winter storm is expected to bring up to 9 inches of snow and 50 mph winds across northeast Wyoming through Wednesday morning. Cold continues to settle in across the rest of the state, with snow flying in the higher elevations.

Andrew RossiDecember 09, 2024

Patrick Stafford is also a country musician whose first album was named "Full Tilt," in part to recognize his love of pinball machines.

Casper Fireman Is Wyoming’s Pinball Wizard Who Has Spent 20 Years Restoring Vintage Games

Patrick Stafford of Casper is Wyoming’s Pinball Wizard. He’s spent 20 years repairing and restoring pinball machines and other vintage arcade games in his garage. He says his wife is the "most understanding woman of all-time."

Amber SteinmetzDecember 08, 2024

A field of snow rollers about 18 inches tall or more.

What The Heck … Are Those Giant Snowballs That Seem To Roll Themselves?

Those giant snowballs that seem to roll themselves are a rare weather phenomenon called snow rollers, meteorologist Don Day says. Basically, wind and gravity roll them up the same way you would when making a snowman.

Greg JohnsonDecember 07, 2024

Tiny bone needles, about 1-3 mm wide, have been found at the La Prele Mammoth site near Douglas, Wyoming.

Tiny Bone Needles From Wyoming’s La Prele Site A Prehistoric Breakthrough

Archaeologists say Wyoming’s La Prele Mammoth site near Douglas has given up another big prehistoric find. They say the discovery of early 13,000-year-old tiny bone needles could help rewrite the history of early man.

Renée JeanDecember 07, 2024

Jason Vanporppal, right, and Gregorio “Orio” Ramirez skate through Pittsfield, Illinois, as part of their cross-country trip from California to New York. The duo hopes to raise enough money on the trip to buy 1,000 skateboards for low-income kids.

LA To NY: Buddies On A Mission To Skateboard 3,000 Miles Across America

What started as a spur-of-the-moment trip for two friends to skateboard across the U.S. has turned into an effort to raise money to buy 1,000 skateboards for low-income children. They say skateboarding kept them out of trouble so they want to pass it forward.

Sydnee ChapmanDecember 07, 2024

Left, King Coal in the Mineral Palace in Pueblo, Colorado. Right, The Silver Queen in the Mineral Palace.

Minerals Mystery: It’s Been 70 Years Since King Coal And The Silver Queen Vanished

In the late 1800s, Colorado mining magnates built a temple to the coal and silver that made them rich — the Mineral Palace. Inside was home to a 16-foot King Coal statue and an 18-foot Silver Queen statue. They vanished 70 years ago and haven't been seen since.

Justin GeorgeDecember 07, 2024

Rawlins Boot-Waving Motorcycle Crash Survivor Marvels At Second Chance

With a motorcycle on top of him and trapped in a culvert, Phil Bollinger could only wave his boot into the air for help. Hours later someone finally spotted him, and although a severed artery nearly killed him, his survival has given him a positive outlook on life -- even when he got his car stolen in Denver last week.

Clair McFarlandDecember 07, 2024

Nobody can drive around on Wyoming roads with their cars and trucks decked out in Christmas lights, the Wyoming Highway Patrol says — not even Santa.

Why It's Against The Law To Decorate Your Vehicle With Christmas Lights

Although you may be tempted to string thousands of Christmas lights on your car to show off your holiday glee, it's against the law. The Wyoming Highway Patrol says it would even ticket Santa.

Renée JeanDecember 07, 2024

Yippie-Ki-Yay! Cody Gun Range Offers Holiday “Die Hard” Experience

For those who think “Die Hard” is a Christmas movie, a gun range in Cody will let you shoot the weapons Bruce Willis uses in the classic action film. Yippie-Ki-Yay!

Mark HeinzDecember 07, 2024

One More Rodeo: Unheard Chris LeDoux Song Released As Duet With Son

Wyoming country music star Chris LeDoux recorded a song before his 2005 death that had gone unheard for two decades. On Wednesday, "One Hand in the Riggin'" was released as a duet with LeDoux's son, Ned.

Clair McFarlandDecember 04, 2024

The hit Western "Longmire," based on the novels of Wyoming author Craig Johnson, is coming to the end of a long run on Netflix this month.

"Longmire's" Long Run On Netflix To End, Craig Johnson Wants A Network Revival

Netflix will stop its long run of the hit Western "Longmire" at the end of the month. Although it's alread been picked up by Paramount+, Wyoming author Craig Johnson hopes for a network TV revival of the series.

Renée JeanDecember 04, 2024

A clue on a recent episode of the nationally syndicated quiz show "Jeopardy!" featured a direct reference to retired University of Wyoming archeology professor Robert Kelly.

Retired Wyoming Professor Completely Surprised He Was A "Jeopardy!" Answer

Retired University of Wyoming archeology professor Robert Kelly doesn't watch TV, but his siblings do. He said he was completely surprised on Thanksgiving when he started getting texts telling him he was an answer on "Jeopardy!"

Mark HeinzDecember 03, 2024

Dana Dimel when he coached at the University of Texas-El Paso. His first head coaching gig as in 1997-99 for the University of Wyoming. He died Dec. 3, 2024, at the age of 62.

“Larger Than Life”: Former UW Football Coach Dana Dimel Dies At 62

Former University of Wyoming football coach Dana Dimel was a popular figure while coaching the Pokes from 1997-1999. He died Tuesday at the age of 62.

Leo WolfsonDecember 03, 2024

It's still much warmer than normal in Cheyenne, prompting walkers to take the path around Sloan Lake.

Wyoming Starts December Warmer Than Normal, But Expect Snow By Christmas

Temperatures will be between 10 and 15 degrees above average this first week of December in Wyoming. But that doesn’t mean a white Christmas isn’t on the way. Don Day says there’s a good chance for snow then.

Andrew RossiDecember 02, 2024

E.C. Waters fleeced rich Yellowstone visitors by price-gouging them for trips across Yellowstone Lake on one of his ships.

Yellowstone Outlaw E.C. Waters Ripped Off Rich Visitors, Ran A Zoo Of Horrors

One of Wyoming’s most notorious and ruthless outlaws was E.C. Waters, who fleeced rich Yellowstone visitors and abused animals. At one point, the animals in his Dot Island “zoo” were so hungry they were eating each other.

Greg JohnsonDecember 01, 2024

Montana bareback rider Azreal "Bad Azz" Lara, 16, won the Junior World Finals Barback Riding Championships in 2023 and is back in Las Vegas this week to defend his title.

16-Year-Old Montana Bareback Champ Azreal Lara To Defend Title At Junior World Finals

Azreal “Bad Azz” Lara is ready to defend his 2023 Junior World Finals Bareback Championship this coming week in Las Vegas. The Montana 16-year-old has a simple secret to great 8-second rides: “I don’t like getting bucked off.”

Anna-Louise Jackson for Cowboy State DailyDecember 01, 2024

Slim Coats and Oscar Taylor race in the whitewater race through the Wind River Canyon.

That Time Boaters Famously Rode The Dangerous Wind River Rapids In Rowboats

From 1948 to 1951, the Wind River Canyon White Water race was the most dangerous — and famous — river race in America. The Wyoming Memorial Day event featured racers navigating the rapids and rocks in rowboats.

Jackie DorothyDecember 01, 2024

Pictured on the right is Jim Harrower, his daughter Jean, and son Jim Jr. Not pictured is his wife Alice and his youngest son, Bob, with the only real outside contact being the few ranches that existed in the area. A great kinship developed between the Harrower family and the surrounding ranch families as they relied on each other for such things as medical care and companionship.

Legacy Of 1920s Wyoming Park Rancher: Mountain Peaks, Red Desert Elk Herds, Mountain Man Museum

With his intimate knowledge of Wyoming trails, Jim Harrower lobbied to protect the Oregon Trail, immigrant graves and South Pass City. He helped found the Rendezvous pageant and the Museum of the Mountain Man, both in Pinedale.

Jackie DorothyDecember 01, 2024

The Barney Sweeney Ranch in Sweetwater County, 22 miles from Rock Springs.

Man Spends 30 Years Photographing Wyoming’s Disappearing Ranches

Larry Friedman began taking photos of the Sweetwater County homesteads he was visiting as a Wyoming veterinarian in 1977. For the next 30 years, he recorded a disappearing era, including the Sweeney family ranch in southwest Wyoming.

Jackie DorothyDecember 01, 2024

Matt Borths, a paleontologist and curator of fossils at the Duke Lemur Center’s Museum of Natural History, shows the skeleton of Metacheiromys, a relative of modern pangolins that lived in southwest Wyoming during the Eocene Period.

Why Duke University's Lemur Center Travels To Wyoming Every Summer

Scientists from the Duke Lemur Center at Duke University come out to Wyoming every summer to find fossils from the earliest ancestors of modern-day lemurs and primates. They say the Bridger Basin is the Madagascar of the Eocene Period.

Andrew RossiDecember 01, 2024

The Angel Studios movie on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor who became a spy and was arrested by the Nazis is in theaters nationally this past week. One of the producers of the film is Pinedale’s John Scanlon.

Pinedale Man A Producer For New Nazi Spy Movie “Bonhoeffer”

Pinedale resident John Scanlon's 12-year project as a producer in the new movie “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin." was released this past weekend and enjoys a soaring 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The historical thriller tells the story of a pastor who stood up to the Nazis during the Third Reich.

Dale KillingbeckDecember 01, 2024

Wyoming Cowboys Take Down Cougars With Late Score, 15-14

The Wyoming Cowboys used a 14-play 90-yard drive for the go-ahead touchdown with 24 seconds left to defeat Washington State inside Martin Stadium in Pullman, Wash, on Saturday evening in the season finale for the Cowboys.

Nick Seeman & University of WyomingDecember 01, 2024

Archaeologists isolating and excavaing an articulated series of vertebrae from a mammoth found at the Buffalo Bill Reservoir near Cody in April 2018.

Cody's Prehistoric Mammoth Was A Big Discovery — And A Federal Crime Scene

The discovery of a mammoth at Buffalo Bill Reservoir in April 2018 was a big deal for Cody. It also became the focus of a federal investigation when it was discovered the mammoth was found on federal land — after it was already dug up.

Andrew RossiNovember 30, 2024

Climbing on cliffs over the ocean in Italy.

Car Crash Derails Wyoming Athlete’s Quest To Sail 7 Seas And Climb 7 Summits

Sara Hastreiter had set a goal to become the only female, and only the second human ever, to sail all seven seas and to climb all seven summits. She was more than halfway there when a serious car crash derailed her efforts.

Jackie DorothyNovember 30, 2024

Ryder Tillard and Allen Woodard play Fortnite as elite players for the esports team at Eastern Wyoming College. They'll play for the national college championship Dec. 9, 2024.

Eastern Wyoming College One Of 8 Teams In National Fortnite Tournament

Within a year, Eastern Wyoming College’s esports team has become one of the best in the nation, earning a top seed at next month’s national Fortnite championiship. Teammate Ryder Tillard is among the best Fortnite players in the world.

Andrew RossiNovember 30, 2024

Josh Allen Announces Engagement To Actress Hailee Steinfeld

Former University of Wyoming and current NFL superstar Josh Allen has proposed to actress and pop singer Hailee Steinfeld. He announced their engagement Friday in an Instagram post of the proposal.

Greg JohnsonNovember 30, 2024

The black cat perched atop the power pole along Diamond Basin Road south of Cody.

Yes, Wyoming Power Linemen Still Rescue Cats From Power Poles

Wyoming power linemen still rescue cats and other critters that get themselves stuck on power poles. That's lucky for one black cat near Cody that spent hours atop a pole before Rocky Mountain Power lineman Jeff Matthews rescued it.

Andrew RossiNovember 30, 2024

Devil's Slide is a unique limestone rock formation just off I-84 in Utah about 45 minutes west of Evanston, Wyoming.

What The Heck … Is That Bizarre Rock Formation West Of Evanston?

For more than a century, Devil’s Slide off I-84 in Utah has been turning heads and sparking myths and legends. The unique and bizarre-looking rock formation is about 45 minutes west of Evanston, Wyoming.

Tracie SullivanNovember 29, 2024

Ranch A was once owned by a the Annenberg family and only the elite of the Black Hills were allowed on the property. Today, it is owned by the state of Wyoming and is available for rent for weddings and events.

Once The Playground Of The Rich, Wyoming’s Ranch A Makes A Comeback

Ranch A, located just south of Beulah, was founded by media mogul Moses Annenberg and became the center for the rich and elite. Years of opulence were followed by shady politics, eventually resulting in the once luxurious lodge falling into disrepair. But it's made a big comeback.

Jackie DorothyNovember 29, 2024

Austin Olson talks about the resurgence of mustache culture.

Beards Are Still Tops For Wyoming Men, But Mustaches Making A Comeback

Although beards are still most popular for Wyoming men, mustaches are making a comeback. Mostly millennials, these mustachioed men say they're drawn to the variety of 'staches they can grow and scratching an itch to try something new.

Zakary Sonntag for Cowboy State DailyNovember 29, 2024

Brian Hunter spent more than two months in 2013 running across Mongolia in an effort to raise funds for street kids and orphans in the nation’s capital.

Wyoming Pastor’s Epic 1,500-Mile Run Across Mongolia Could Become A Movie

Teton County Pastor Brian Hunter ran 1,500 miles across Mongolia to spotlight the nation’s abandoned and forgotten orphans. Now that epic quest could become a documentary movie.

Dale KillingbeckNovember 29, 2024

The Wyoming Pioneer Museum carries a small presentation on George Pike and has the cutoff revolver that he once carried.

Wyoming History: George Pike Was A Horse Thief, Con Man And A Heck Of A Nice Guy

George Pike was an eastern Wyoming pioneer who also was an underhanded horse thief and con man. And by many accounts, Pike also was a heck of a nice guy.

Dale KillingbeckNovember 28, 2024

Janelle Jones stands in front of the new HAWK crossing at McCormick Junior High in Cheyenne installed in memory of her son, Mak. Janelle and her charity forMak helped get the new crossing built where her son Makaili “Mak” Evans, was hit by a car and killed in 2021.

Cheyenne Mom Has Turned Tragedy Into A Crusade For Safer Streets

Janelle Jones lost her son Mak when a distracted driver hit him in a Cheyenne crosswalk. Janelle has since been on a crusade for safer streets and stricter penalties for distracted drivers.

Renée JeanNovember 28, 2024

Not long ago, Ayden Skillman of Greybull, Wyoming, was in the hospital recovering from a heart transplant. Now he's finally home.

Wyoming Boy Born Without Complete Heart Finally Home After Successful Transplant

Ayden Skillman of Greybull was born without a complete heart and has spent much of his young life in hospitals. Now the 18-year-old is back home after a successful heart transplant and doctors say he's doing extremely well.

Renée JeanNovember 28, 2024

Barrasso Spends Thanksgiving With Wyoming Troops In The Middle East

Sen. John Barrasso visited Wyoming service members deployed in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates on Thanksgiving Day. There are over 360 Wyomingites in the battalion, representing over 40 different hometowns in the Cowboy State.

Andrew RossiNovember 28, 2024

Wyoming All-State Marching Band Leads The Way In Philadelphia's Thanksgiving Parade

The first band in the 124th annual Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia was the Wyoming All-State Marching Band, made up of 160 high school students from the Cowboy State. They played Ghost Riders in the Sky as they marched past the iconic Rocky Steps in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Andrew RossiNovember 28, 2024

The historic train depot in Green River, Wyoming.

Saving, Restoring 114-Year-Old Green River Depot Could Cost $20 Million

More than a century ago when trains were the lifeblood of the American West, the Green River Depot buzzed with life as the heart of a growing southwestern Wyoming town. Now Green River wants to bring it back to life.

Tracie SullivanNovember 28, 2024

New Study Says Time Is Now For Thorough Probe Of Uranus

Most of humanity’s knowledge about Uranus came from a 1986 Voyager 2 flyby on “a particularly windy day.” A new study says the time for a new, more accurate probe of Uranus is necessary.

Andrew RossiNovember 28, 2024

Boise State University beat Utah State on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, to advance to the Mountain West Conference volleyball tournament's semifinals. Then Boise State announced it will boycott that match and not play against San Jose State, which has a transgender player in its lineup.

Boise State University Pulls Out Of MWC Volleyball Tourney Over Trans Player

The Boise State University women’s volleyball team pulled out of the Mountain West Volleyball tournament Wednesday night over a transgender player on the San Jose State team. Boise State also twice forfeited matches to SJSU during the regular season.

Clair McFarlandNovember 28, 2024

Basketball coaches for Cheyenne’s East, South and Central schools had their players work together on a Thanksgiving food drive, bringing a dozen truckloads of food to ther Comea House and Resource Center.

Rival Cheyenne Basketball Teams Donate 12 Truckloads Of Food To Local Shelter

The basketball coaches and players for Cheyenne East, South and Central high schools are rivals on the court. Off it, they teamed up to collect enough Thanksgiving food for a local shelter to fill 12 trucks.

Renée JeanNovember 27, 2024

Just In Time For Thanksgiving, Storm Icing Over I-80, Dumps On Colorado And Utah

A winter storm is hitting just in time to gum up travel plans, icing over parts of the I-80 corridor in Wyoming. It’s also dumping on Colorado and Utah, prompting meteorologist Don Day to advise people not to drive in those states if they can avoid it.

Andrew RossiNovember 26, 2024

After finding a turkey that washed up on shore at the Great Salt Lake in Utah, officials there are warning people to not try and brine their Thanskgiving birds in the lake.

Utah Officials Tell People To Stop Brining Turkeys In The Great Salt Lake

Great Salt Lake State Park in Utah has issued a Thanksgiving week message telling people to stop brining turkeys in the Great Salt Lake. Monday’s warning was prompted by finding a wayward bird on a beach that may have been brining in the lake.

Andrew RossiNovember 26, 2024

For the 15th year, German Segura, second from left, has decorated a lone tree in the median of Interstate 90 between Sheridan and Billings, Montana.

For 15th Year, Trucker Returns To Decorate Lonely Tree In The Middle Of Nowhere

For 15 years and counting, a Texas long-haul trucker has decorated a lonely tree in the middle of nowhere north of Sheridan, Wyoming. The locals on the Crow Reservation say the tree holds his soul.

Greg JohnsonNovember 25, 2024

On Nov. 10, 2024, the University of Wyoming Symphonic Band performed “Beyond Her Years,” a musical interpretation of Adelaide Bomberger’s story of dealing with cancer.

Cheyenne Teen’s Fight For Life Against Brain Cancer Inspires A Symphony

Adelaide Bomberger’s battle for life against a rare form of brain cancer has inspired a symphony by an L.A. composer and University of Wyoming band director. The 18-year-old from Cheyenne got to hear her story performed for the first time this month.

Jackie DorothyNovember 25, 2024

Locomotives involved in the crash are shown at the Arminto wreck.

Casper Train Engineer May Have Had Premonition Of Fatal 2001 Wreck, Son Says

Outside the Casper Depot is a memorial stone for 48-year-old engineer Mike Hoover, killed in a train crash in 2001. Hoover was “nervous about something” before going to work that day, says his son, and may have had “a premonition” of the crash.

Dale KillingbeckNovember 25, 2024

Boxing Arena Training Institute in ring 11 24 24 11 24 24

Boxing Still Going The Rounds In Wyoming Despite Rise Of MMA

Although MMA has grown significantly, boxing is still alive in Wyoming. In fact, in many Wyoming communities, boxing is seeing a resurgence of interest.

Dale KillingbeckNovember 24, 2024

Travelers can expect more of the same backups, closures and slow-downs along Interstate 80 over Thanksgiving week as has happened the past few weeks. This backup on eastbound I-80 near Sinclair was Nov. 13, 2024.

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

Cathy Ringler and her horse Zigzag have had many adventures over the years. Zigzag was originally supposed to be a barrel horse; however, he did not enjoy performing and much preferred being out on the trail.

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

The Sheridan Broncs walk out on War Memorial Field before their 4A championship game Nov. 16, 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

Fans of the hit Paramount+ series "Yellowstone" are complaining about blatant product placement in the latest season, including close-up shots of 6666 Four Sixes Vodka, owned by the show's creator, Taylor Sheridan.

“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

Cheyenne resident Dr. Karen Meister-Emerich loves her new Cybertruck because it reminds her of a Delorean and it's packed with technology. The 75-year-old grandma breaks the mold of the typical Tesla owner.

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

Artist Maurizio Cattelan's "Comedian" — a banana duct-taped to a wall — sold for more than $6 million at a Sotheby's auction Wednesday. As part of the deal, the artist will eat the banana in front of the buyer.

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

MrBeast, the biggest YouTuber with more than 331 million subscribers, had help from Wyoming meteorologist Don Day to lift a T-Mobile store off the ground with helium balloons.

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

This superflag, a huge 160-foot by 300-foot American flag unfurled at the Border War football game Friday took 200 people to carry.

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

Powell resident Dave Varkony got this photo of a “ridiculously cool” rope could hovering over Heart Mountain on Sunday, Nov. 17, 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

Roedy Farrell at the Texas Tech College Rodeo in Lubbock a couple of weeks ago.

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

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. Now, she's one of 50 half-siblings who have embraced each other as an extended family.

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

White Mountain and Pilot Butte near Rock Springs, Wyoming, viewed from a distance. The search for a missing 16-year-old boy in 1963 led to the formation of Sweetwater County Search and Rescue. But the boy, Edward Eskridge, was never found. That still haunts a now 90-year-old George Liska, who helped with the search for the teen.

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

When on the road playing and singing in Dan Miller's Cowboy Music Review, Cowboy State Daily's video news director Wendy Corr has to improvise to get the daily newscasts out.

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

A painting of Big Nose George Parrott, a man who murder came naturally to, holding up the Deadwood stage, by Charles M. Russell.

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

The annual Stop Sign Snow Challenge is on again. Over the coming months, participants will watch as snow creeps up this stop sign on Togwotee Pass. Left, the sign as of Friday. Right, late in the season during a past contest.

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

A truck plowed into the side of this brick house on Central Avenue on Oct. 11. The homeowners have now spent more than a month dealing with a huge hole in their house and at least $30,000 in damages.

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

These two art pieces from the University of Wyoming Art Museum and Colorado State University’s Gregory Allicar Museum of Art (GAMA) are part of a friendly Border War rivalry between the two schools in the form of an art loan. Left is Roxanne Swentzell’s “Mask Maker” from GAMA, and right is Beth Van Hoesen’s “Pale Horse” at the UW Art Museum.

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

A supermoon hovers low to the horizon with Devils Tower in the foreground in this file photo.

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

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

Snow is falling on the Pack Trail Fire and Togwotee Pass on Highway 26 west of Dubois in the Bridger-Teton National Forest.

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

A crew of firefighters working the Pack Trail Fire in northwest Wyoming.

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

The maze entrance at the Green Acres Corn Maze in Casper. Fertilizer and lots of water from the Casper Alcova Irrigation District are needed to get the corn to the desired height each year.

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

Fate magazine in 1948 published a story about the Wyoming Death Ship that was seen at least three times on the North Platte River in Wyoming as far back as 1862.

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

Pilots from all over, including Wyoming, would test their skills and nerves as Alaska Bush pilots in the early part of the 20th century.

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

Rocky Mountain Honor Flight veterans received a sendoff from Medal of Honor recipient Drew Dix at Denver International Airport.

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

Left, Leslie Lynch King, Gerald Ford’s father, in about 1900. Charles Henry King, right, was a pioneer businessman and entrepreneur in Wyoming in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He also was the grandfather of Gerald R. Ford.

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

The clown room is often cited as one of the scariest rooms to survive at the Shoshoni Haunted House, especially when a ghoul peeks around the corner, or is it “just” the Book Witch?

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

The Great Turtle Shield petroglyph that was carved out of the rock face at the Castle Gardens Petroglyph Site in Fremont County in 1940. It was surprisingly and mysteriously donated to the Wyoming State Museum a year later.

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 and Nancy Sniffin made a 12-hour, 493-mile trip to get their Yellowstone National Park visit in this year.

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

Kassidy Thomas hit a deer on Highway 287 while returning to Laramie as a University of Wyoming student. She was stranded in the dark with a smashed car and no cellphone service.

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

4. A cowboy overlooks several head of cattle earlier this month during the Hoback Basin cattle roundup in western Wyoming.

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

Sun coming up over Skyline Drive in Rock Springs, Wyoming.

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

A glitch in the software of this electronic sign at Alpine Animal Hospital in Laramie, Wyoming, shows it's minus 196 degrees there in January 2024. If true, it would by far be the coldest place ever recorded on the planet.

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

Lesleigh Ann Schaefer has highlighted the roads she has traveled during her 80,000-mile road trip around Wyoming.

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

The Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone National Park.

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

The windshield of this Chevy Suburban caved in but otherwise withstood the impact of a 20-pound turkey at 70 mph.

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

Old Faithful swimming pool and bath house as it appeared from 1914 through 1933.

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

Derrick Lacey, Olivia McDaniels and Peter McDaniels show off their hardware in a theater.

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

Wyoming National Guard Maj. Jeremy Anderson returns from a yearlong Middle East deployment.

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

In 1940, a family digging a root cellar near Badwater Creek in Fremont County, Wyoming, discovered a human skeleton and awakened something that wailed at them from beneath the earth.

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

The tunnels in the Wind River Canyon's scenic byway.

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

This 1921 painting “Masset, Q.C.I.,” by renowned Canadian artist Emily Carr is seen in an undated handout reproduction. It’s headed to auction after being recovered from a barn in New York state for $50.

$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

October has started like September ended across most of Wyoming — hotter and drier than it's been in decades on average. Wednesday it still felt like summer for people enjoying the sunshine in Cody.

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

Ralph and Juana Laub celebrate their Utah record 2,289-pound pumpkin.

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

A host of people stopped to help Nathan Frederick when his truck caught on fire off I-25 near Casper on Sunday, Spet. 29, 2024. (Video by Renee Jean, Cowboy State Daily)

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

Dave Stewart owns and operates the historic Occidental Hotel in Buffalo, Wyoming, with wife Jackie. He’s also a musician, writing “God Already Has,” which won Gospel Song of the Year at Friday’s IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards. Here he's posing with the award.

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

Locals in Dubois, Wyoming, still tell how Butch Cassidy, left, 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.

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

Nikko Mamallo and a friend perform a maneuver high in the sky in their wingsuits.

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

Left, the designer of the Wyoming State Flag, Verna Keays Keys, maintained the bison on the flag should face away from the pole. But prominent sufferagist, UW professor and head of the DAR at the time, Grace Raymond Hebard, right, insisted it face the pole, which became the preferred way to make the flag.

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

Juan Laden of Lander, Wyoming, surveying a cave with a team in Mexico.

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

Balloons get ready to launch for the 2024 Gordon Bennett Cup in Munster, Germany.

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

Dr. George Harrison, pictured inset standing near the first tee at Rolling Green Country Club in Green River, was for decades the quintessential hometown doctor for Rock Springs and Sweetwater County. He was known for making house calls and refusing payment.

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

Kevin Christopherson in his younger days was among the world’s best hang glider pilots for distance.

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

Kayden, Janet and Jansen Curry all look for their Jae Boots at the Casper Boot Barn. Kayden is the Kelly Walsh senior class secretary and Jansen Curry said all three are supporters of the McMurry Foundation and the Jae Foundation and came to hear the Jae Foundation presentation. “We didn’t know we were getting boots,” Janen Curry said. “It’s kind of cool.”

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

The restored "Nifty Niner" diner on a private ranch near Cody. The diner sits among several pieces of automotive history collected and restored by Ken Quintiliani, a vintage vehicle enthusiast who spends his days repairing and restoring cars and collecting vintage signs.

Classic Cody Diner Had Become A Chicken Coop, Now Restored To Its 1950s Glory

A classic Cody, Wyoming, stainless steel diner spent decades feeding people under many owners and names. Now it’s been restored to its 1950s glory after it was rescued from being someone’s chicken coop.

Andrew RossiSeptember 28, 2024

The annual Wyoming Pumpkin Drop is Oct. 5, and this year's target isn't a vehicle. It's a giant 8-foot Wile E. Coyote.

This Year’s Wyoming Giant Pumpkin Drop To Obliterate 8-Foot Wile E. Coyote

The highlight of the annual Wyoming State Champion Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off is dropping 1,000-pound pumpkins from 200-feet up and watching them explode -- and destroy things like cars, RVs and pianos. At this year’s event on Oct. 5, an 8-foot Wile E. Coyote will be obliterated.

Andrew RossiSeptember 28, 2024

Abandoned tunnel in the Boysen State Park that the railroad refused to build higher. This resulted in decades of court battles against Asmus Boysen to demolish his dam in the Wind River Canyon. It's now crumbling.

Boysen State Park’s Abandoned Tunnel Is Last Reminder Of Fierce Railroad Fight

A crumbling abandoned tunnel in Boysen State Park is all that’s left of one man's fierce fight with the railroad in the early 1900s. It’s the last reminder a failed gold rush and a showdown with the railroad for ownership of Wyoming’s Wind River Canyon.

Jackie DorothySeptember 28, 2024

Cody Museum Gets One-Of-A-Kind Andy Warhol Custer Portrait

The museum in the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody has acquired a one-of-a-kind portrait of Gen. George Armstrong Custer created by pop artist Andy Warhol. The colorful portrait is a huge get for the Whitney Western Art Museum.

Andrew RossiSeptember 26, 2024

UPS driver Cary Lambert found this suitcase along I-80 near Buford, Wyoming. He took it home and tracked down who lost it, a Colorado kid who got some of his prized possessions back.

UPS Driver Tracks Down Colorado Kid Who Lost Suitcase Along I-80 In Wyoming

When UPS driver Cary Lambert saw a suitcase along I-80 near Buford, Wyoming, on his daily route, he stopped to pick it up. When he saw it was full of a child's belongings including a shirt from an elementary school in Colorado, he was able to get in touch with the child's family and get it back to them.

Andrew RossiSeptember 26, 2024

The McDaniel family from Casper was told they're the first Wyoming family to be on "Family Feud."

The McDaniels From Casper A Rare Wyoming Family On “Family Feud”

The McDaniels from Casper is one of the rare Wyoming families to appear on the popular TV game show “Family Feud” on Wednesday. That they were from central Wyoming seemed to fascinate, and confuse, host Steve Harvey.

Dale KillingbeckSeptember 25, 2024

Along the Bighorn River, four miles north of Thermopolis.

Wyoming Simmering In September With Temps 20 Degrees Above Average

Most of Wyoming is flirting with record high temperatures in the 80s and 90s, as much as 20 degrees above average. Meteorologist Don Day says this weekend will be the "peak opportunity" to view fall foliage.

Andrew RossiSeptember 25, 2024

With Utah State also bolting for the Pac-12 Conference, Wyoming is left in the Mountian West with six other schools, which has the conference offering to pay the remaining seven schools to not leave.

Utah State Ditches Mountain West, Leaving UW Athletics In Limbo

The future of University of Wyoming athletics became more uncertain Monday when Utah State University left the Mountain West Conference. Meanwhile, UW has few options.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 24, 2024

The Buffalo on Cedar Mountain overlooking Cody in honor of Buffalo Bill Cody has been shot up and vandalized over the years.

Cody Group To Repair And Restore Beat Up Statue Honoring Buffalo Bill

A buffalo that stands on Cedar Mountain overlooking Cody, Wyoming, honors the town’s famous founder, Buffalo Bill Cody. It’s also in bad shape, having been shot up and vandalized over the years, but a local group is going to restore it.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 24, 2024

Auctioneer Troy Black goads a patron into taking another look (and making another bid) at "The Things We've Handed Down" by David Dibble. The painting sold for $18,000. Angela M. "Gigi" Hawks holding painting.

Here’s The Top-Selling Art From The $1.25 Million Buffalo Bill Art Show And Sale

After two days of live and silent auctions, this past weekend’s Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale brought in at least $1.25 million. Here are the top-dollar pieces that sold for the most.

Andrew RossiSeptember 23, 2024

In 2019, Al Hubbard, right, was still dreaming of pursuing his artwork full-time and it wasn’t until 2023 that a personal tragedy propelled him to concentrate on his art career.

Wyoming’s Al Hubbard Defining New Past-Modern American Indian Art Movement

Wyoming’s Al Hubbard is an Arapaho and Navajo artist who’s defining a new past-modern art movement. His blend of tradition with contemporary life captures the soul of his culture while inspiring Native American youth.

Jackie DorothySeptember 22, 2024

University of Wyoming graduate student Rene Lile examines the wing of a bat during her research into white-nosed syndrome.

Scientists Vaccinating Bats Against Deadly Disease In Fort Laramie & Devils Tower

Scientists are vaccinating bats in Fort Laramie and Devils Tower against diseases which have significantly decreased their numbers in Wyoming. They're working on a vaccine "goo" to put on cave walls so bats will, in effect, vaccinate themselves.

Dale KillingbeckSeptember 22, 2024

Sheridan mountaineer Darren Rogers, right, with a sherpa while on an expedition to summit K2 in late July 2024.

Sheridan Mountaineer Trains 2 Years For “Pretty Intense” 30 Minutes Atop K2

Sheridan, Wyoming, mountaineer Darren Rogers planned and trained for more than two years to climb to the top of K2. Once there, he spent a “pretty intense” 30 minutes atop the mountain considered the most dangerous to climb in the world.

Jackie DorothySeptember 22, 2024

Rod Eckhardt retired to Bonneville and drilled a new well because the other well water could light up with a match.

Where In Wyoming? Unincorporated Bonneville Is Peaceful & Quiet, But It Wasn't Always That Way

If you ask the residents of the unincorporated town of Bonneville, Wyoming, why they live there, they'll tell you it's the peace and quiet. The remote community, northeast of Shoshoni, has a rip-roaring wild past but has calmed down over the years.

Dale KillingbeckSeptember 22, 2024

Wood Week on Craig Johnson's ranch is a lot of hard work, but it's also fun and lubricated with lots of Rainier Beer (and maybe a touch of something stronger).

“Wood Week” On Author Craig Johnson's Ranch — Hard Work And Lots Of Rainier Beer

Longmire author Craig Johnson makes a celebration of putting up a dozen cords of wood on his Wyoming ranch each fall. It’s called “Wood Week,” and it’s full of hard work and lots of Rainier Beer.

Jackie DorothySeptember 22, 2024

Mental Health Experts Say Stop Saying People “Commit Suicide” — They “Kill Themselves”

Two Natrona County commissioners said they agree with a Wyoming psychologist and other mental health experts who say people should stop saying the phrase “commit suicide.” Instead, they need to be open about it and simply say “kill themselves."

Dale KillingbeckSeptember 22, 2024

A bid comes in for "Red Cliffs" by Blake Neubert. The painting sold for $9,000.

Cody's Buffalo Bill Art Show Sale Hits $1 Million In One Night

The Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale in Cody, Wyoming, hit $1 million in sales on Friday night, a first for the 43rd annual event. During Friday’s auction, the two highest-selling pieces each sold for $42,500.

Andrew RossiSeptember 22, 2024

The Crossings assisting living resident Marklyn Lynn turned 100 this past spring, so as a late birthday presnent the facility arranged for her to check off her last bucket list item — to go ziplining.

100-Year-Old Woman Celebrates Birthday By Ziplining In Montana Mountains

Douglas resident Chris Lynn went to Red Lodge, Montana, to celebrate his mother’s 100th birthday in April. Last weekend, he received a video showing his mother's belated birthday present: ziplining high above the forest floor outside of Gardiner.

Andrew RossiSeptember 22, 2024

A 405-pound monster dead lift, a personal record for Porshia Birdsley at the Official Strongman Games Southwest Regional.

Meet Porshia Birdsley, The Wyoming “Girlie Girl” Who Deadlifts Over 400 Pounds

Porshia Birdsley describes herself as a “girlie girl” who just qualified to compete in the Official World Strongman Competition in December. She carries a fire hydrant around Thermopolis, Wyoming, to train and deadlifts over 400 pounds.

Jackie DorothySeptember 22, 2024

Plane lands on Interstate 25 on September 21, 2024

Pilot Makes Emergency Landing On I-25, Fixes Plane, Then Takes Off Again

A pilot flying from Scottsbluff, Nebraska, to Oregon on Saturday morning had a mechanical issue and had to land his plane on Interstate 25 about 23 miles north of Cheyenne. The pilot, also a mechanic, was able to fix the plane and then took off again from the Interstate.

Jimmy OrrSeptember 21, 2024

Wyoming History: Tubb Town, The Rowdiest Town In Wyoming Territory

A few miles east of Newcastle along the banks of the Salt Creek was once a roaring Wild West frontier settlement known as Tubb Town. Here, saloons, dance halls and brothels far outnumbered all other types of businesses. The town had a rough reputation, even by Wild West standards.

Jackie DorothySeptember 21, 2024

George Hopkins shown after his rescue on Oct. 6, 1941. The skydiver was in good spirits and good shape after the six-day ordeal.

Wyoming History: A Parachuter Once Got Stuck Five Days On Top Of Devils Tower To Win $50 Bet

A skydiver parachuted onto the top of Devils Tower in October 1941 to win a $50 bet. But he got more than he bargained for when he got stuck for five days and became the focus of a nationally publicized rescue effort.

Dale KillingbeckSeptember 21, 2024

David Belus looks out over scorched land. Fire burnt up nearly 50,000 acres of his ranch, leaving nothing but dirt and dust devils as far as the eye can see.

“This Was A Monster Fire”: 50,000-Acre Wyoming Ranch Now A Giant Black Dustbowl

Johnson County resident David Belus is one of dozens of Wyoming ranchers devastated by wildfires that have burned more than 500,000 acres. Now he’s left to rebuild 50,000 acres that have become a giant black dustbowl.

Renée JeanSeptember 21, 2024

California House Cat Lost In Yellowstone Makes It Home 800 Miles Away

Only Rayne Beau, a house cat from Salinas, California, knows how he survived 60 days on his own and traveled 800 miles from Yellowstone National Park to a shelter in Roseville, California, about 200 miles from home.

Andrew RossiSeptember 20, 2024

Winter hit the Beartooth Highway in northwest Wyoming full-force overnight Wednesday, with 4-5 inches of snow that drived to 4 feet in spots. The highway had been closed in anticipation of the storm.

Wacky Wyoming Weather: 4-Foot Snowdrifts On Beartooth Highway, 80 In Cheyenne

Snowplows cleared 4-foot snowdrifts off the Beartooth Highway on Thursday morning after a storm dropped 5 inches in Wyoming’s high country. Meanwhile, the forecast calls for sun and a high of 80 in Cheyenne.

Andrew RossiSeptember 19, 2024

Wyoming’s Beartooth Highway Is A Great September Drive — When It’s Open

The Beartooth Highway that snakes through northwest Wyoming and southern Montana is a spectacular drive during September — when it’s open. Weather makes it the best, and worst, month for people searching for stunning scenic views.

Andrew RossiSeptember 18, 2024

Comedian and famous gearhead Jay Leno was on the Big Boy 4014 locomotive Monday, which will be featured on his Sept. 23 episode of "Jay Leno's Garage."

Jay Leno Climbs Aboard Cheyenne’s Big Boy Locomotive For His TV Show

Big Boy No. 4014 will be featured on “Jay Leno’s Garage” show on September 23. The former “The Tonight Show” host climbed aboard Big Boy on Monday somewhere in the Missouri Valley to help drive the locomotive to Iowa.

Renée JeanSeptember 17, 2024

A supermoon shines bright over the shoulder of the Wyoming Capitol in Cheyenne on Tuesday night, Sept. 17, 2024.

Huge Supermoon Peaks Over Wyoming, Still Time To See It

Tuesday night's huge supermoon peaked over Wyoming with a partial lunar eclipse to boot. But it's not over. There's still time to see it over the next couple of nights.

Andrew RossiSeptember 17, 2024

George Clark talks about the ideas he's putting into an accessible sheep wagon that can be used by someone in a wheelchair.

Wheelchair Doesn’t Limit Buffalo Man In Making His Wyoming Sheep Wagons

George Clark is Scotch-Irish stubborn. When his dad told him he couldn’t build a sheepwagon because he was in a wheelchair, his response was watch me. Now he’s got a popular business crafting custom sheep wagons in the Bighorn Mountains.

Renée JeanSeptember 15, 2024

Andrew Rossi chiseling and isolating a jacket of dinosaur fossils at the Nail Quarry near Medicine Bow.

Reporter’s Notebook: The Good, Bad And Ugly Of Digging Wyoming's Dinosaurs

When people ask reporter Andrew Rossi how he ended up in Wyoming, his answer is simple — dinosaurs. From his first discovery in 2012 — what he calls “the ugliest, least exciting piece of dinosaur possible” — he’s been hooked.

Andrew RossiSeptember 15, 2024

Teacher Erin Beck and the first class of students at Homestead Learning microschool in Campbell County, Wyoming.

Gillette Mothers Create Their Own Little Schoolhouse On The Wyoming Prairie

They call it a “microschool,” but in many ways, a pair of Gillette mothers have brought the one-room schoolhouse concept back. Starting with eight students, what they’ve built is literally their own little schoolhouse on the Wyoming prairie.

Jen KocherSeptember 15, 2024

Earl Durand is infamous for his last 11 days, when he was arrested for poaching, escaped jail, killed four people, tried to rob a bank the finally shot himself. He even left a last note, listing the undertaker's office as a forwarding address.

There’s More To “Wild Man” Earl Durand Than His Murderous Final 11 Days

Wyoming's “Wild Man” Earl Durand killed four people after escaping a Cody jail and trying to rob a bank in Powell during an 11-day rampage back in 1939. Before that, he also “was a good neighbor,” says an author and scholar on Durand’s life.

Andrew RossiSeptember 14, 2024

The Casper Tribune-Herald reports on the tragic loss of life near Cheyenne after a United Airlines passenger flight crashes.

Wyoming History: 23 Died In 5 Crashes In 1935, A Terrible Year For Aviation

A six-month span in 1935 was terrible for plane crashes in Wyoming. Overall, 23 people died in crashes that made national headlines, including two lost United Airlines planes.

Dale KillingbeckSeptember 14, 2024

Believe it or not, Falling Rock in Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains is a giant 75-foot square boulder that is all natural. No human or alien influences shaped this huge cube.

How The Heck … Can That 75-Foot Square Boulder In The Bighorns Be Natural?

A huge 75-foot-tall square boulder deep in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains has been baffling people since it was discovered. Called Falling Block, it’s all natural even if it looks like it was cut from a quarry.

Andrew RossiSeptember 14, 2024

Wyoming's is one of the newsest, and most remote, of America's Backcountry Discovery Routes.

Wyoming’s Backcountry Discovery Route: 1,900 Miles In 12 Days On Motorcycles

The Wyoming Backcountry Discovery Route is one of the most remote — and breathtaking — endurance motorcycle rides anywhere. It’s 1,900 miles in 12 days on mostly two-track paths from the Colorado to Montana border.

Jackie DorothySeptember 14, 2024

The falll colors on Wyoming's famous Aspen Alley in September 2020.

Wyoming’s Famous Aspen Alley Ain't What It Used To Be

Wyoming’s famous Aspen Alley in the Sierra Madre Range near Encampment is still stunning, but not what it used to be. Horticulturists say the grove of aspens is merely slowing down in its senior years, but there's a lot of new growth which should bring the autumn spectacle back.

Andrew RossiSeptember 14, 2024

Wyoming photographer Dave Bell got caught in a blizzard on the Beartooth Highway on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. It left a distinct wintery scene all around the Wyoming high country.

Right On Schedule, Blizzard On Beartooth Highway With A Week Left In Summer

There may still be a week left in Summer going by the calendar, but that didn’t mean anything for those caught in a blizzard on Wyoming’s Beartooth Highway on Thursday. The storm was right on schedule, typical for this time of year.

Andrew RossiSeptember 13, 2024

The University of Wyoming isn't one of four Mountain West schools jumping over to the Pac-12. But UW's fiercest rival Colorado State University is.

University Of Wyoming Not Among Four Mountain West Schools Joining Pac-12

A Thursday announcement reveals four Mountain West schools are jumping to the Pac-12, but University of Wyoming isn’t one of them. UW’s fiercest rival CSU is, however, along with Boise State, Fresno State and San Diego State.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 12, 2024

Richard Tygret, 58, showed up at the Cheyenne National Cemetery on Monday to randomly place an American flag on the burial site of a military officer who he doesn’t know. The deceased person, Robert M. Samuel Jr., served in the Navy, and was buried in the cemetery last July. He was driving back from a camping weekend at the Vedauwoo recreation area when he felt moved to stop at the cemetery to recognize someone he didn’t know.

Botched Memorial Day Ceremony At Cheyenne National Cemetery Was “Miscommunication”

When family members showed up at the Cheyenne National Cemetery on Memorial Day for a service to honor fallen heroes and loved ones, the VA never showed up to host the service. On Wednesday, VA officials told Cowboy State Daily it was a "miscommunication" and would never happen again.

Pat MaioSeptember 11, 2024

A brief, but intense, thunderstorm produced damaging winds and sparked wildfires in and around Thermopolis on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024.

Thermopolis Thunderstorm Generates Damaging Wind, Sparks Fires

An intense, but brief, thunderstorm blew through Thermopolis, Wyoming, on Monday afternoon. Strong winds peeled away parts of buildings and lightning sparked fires near town.

Andrew RossiSeptember 09, 2024

A long line of cars and commercial trucks were stuck for more than eight hours on I-80 east on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024.

Hundreds Learn The Hard Way If They’re Prepared To Be Stuck On I-80 For 8 Hours

Saturday’s fatal semitrailer crash on I-80 closed the eastbound lanes for more than eight hours. The hundreds of drivers stuck there learned the hard way if they’re prepared for one of Wyoming’s more frustrating highway hazards — the closure.

Andrew RossiSeptember 09, 2024

Alex and Sarah Aragon (left) lent the tires off their Corvette so Don Herzler, right, could continue on the Corvette Caravan.

Cheyenne Man Gives Fellow Corvette Owner The Tires Off His Own Wheels

When a California Corvette owner had a blowout and thought he’d be stranded in Cheyenne for days awaiting new tires, a local man gave him the tires off his own Vette. It was just one of 500 Corvettes motoring through Wyoming's capital city on a cross-country drive.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 08, 2024

Cheryl Gowdy sits between two stuffed elephants, one named Curtis after her father and the other named Ophelia, representing her mother, Jerre.

Cheryl Gowdy Says 'Little House' Project Just The Beginning For Curt Gowdy State Park

Little House has had a successful two years of operation at Curt Gowdy State Park, spreading thousands of kindness wishes around. But that’s not the end of ideas Cheryl Gowdy has for her father’s namesake park.

Renée JeanSeptember 08, 2024

J.P. Cavigelli with the Tate Geological Museum in Casper teaches the jacketing process at the Nail Quarry. Strips of burlap are soaked in "pancake batter consistency" plaster and put over the top, around the edge, and underneath islands of rock containing Late Jurassic dinosaur fossils.

Why Dinosaur Diggers Get Plastered All Day Long Near Medicine Bow

The Nail Quarry is one of the only active dinosaur sites on the famous Como Bluff near Medicine Bow. Every summer, the last trips are spent encasing fossils in huge blobs of rock and plaster and safely transporting them to the Tate Geological Museum in Casper.

Andrew RossiSeptember 08, 2024

Despite his reputation and prolific outlaw career, Butch Casside was only incarcerated once, from 1894-1896 in the Wyoming Territorial Prison in Laramie. He had been pinched for grand larceny for horse-stealing.

Butch Cassidy in Wyoming: How The Outlaw Got His Name Remains A Mystery

There are a few tales surrounding how Butch Cassidy ultimately got his outlaw name. One claims that he worked in Rock Springs as a butcher. Another that it was the result of a prank with a needle gun named Butch.

Renée JeanSeptember 08, 2024

A 1960 Chevy Impala without door posts between windows is one of the treasures owned by Steven Murphy.

Wyoming Man’s Field Of Vintage Rust A Car Restorer’s Disneyland

On a few acres in central Wyoming, a car restoration enthusiast has a large collection of wrecks and rusted vintage autos. He hopes to turn the space into a ‘Disneyland’ for car enthusiasts who want to get their hands dirty.

Dale KillingbeckSeptember 08, 2024

Oxbow Bend in the shadow of Mount Moran in Grand Teton National Park is one of Wyoming's famous spots for spectacular fall colors.

When And Where To Find Wyoming’s Fall Colors At Their Peak

It's not too soon to start thinking about where to see Wyoming's fall foliage. Autumn moves fast in the Rocky Mountain West and by Sept. 23, the colors of fall should be visible across the entire state. If you're a leaf-peeper, it's time to set your strategy.

Andrew RossiSeptember 08, 2024

The Sunrise "S" seen from a distance. The area where cars are parked used to be a football field for the abandoned mining town's school.

Sunrise May Be A Ghost Town, But The Giant “S” On The Hill Remains

Now abandoned, the former Wyoming mining town of Sunrise hasn’t been forgotten. Although high school football hasn't been played in the town for decades, alums -- some in their 90s -- still keep the giant “S” on the hill overlooking the field painted bright white.

Renée JeanSeptember 08, 2024

Don Day Forecasts A Colder, Snowier Winter Ahead For Wyoming

Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day has released his long-range outlook for Winter 2024-2025. The short version is it'll be colder and snowier. "The signs strongly suggest that Wyoming has a real winter on the way," Day says.

Andrew RossiSeptember 08, 2024

The courthouse in Basin, Wyoming, where two prisoners in the Big Horn County jail had been tried a found guilty of murder.

The Angry Mob That Got Away With Killing 2 Murderers In Basin Jail

An angry mob wasn’t willing to wait for the state to hang two murderers in the Basin, Wyoming, jail in 1903. They shot them both in their jail cells — and killed a deputy — and got away with it because nobody would testify against them.

Dale KillingbeckSeptember 07, 2024

Sam Hampton has spent a lifetime on horses, and will be inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame next month.

Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame: Sam Hampton Spent A Lifetime On Horses

Sam Hampton is a legacy Wyoming rancher who lives by his own cowboy Golden Rule, which says, “To have good neighbors, first you have to be one.” This Washakie County pioneer will be inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame in October.

Candy MoultonSeptember 07, 2024

Pinedale photographer Dave Bell set up three cameras to get images of an intense lightning storm south of the town, which he calls the most spectacular he's ever seen.

Spectacular Lightning Storm Over Pinedale Might Be Best (And Last) Of Summer

Wyoming photographer Dave Bell was about to go to bed, but the thunderstorm wouldn’t let him sleep. Instead, he set up three cameras earlier this week and captured the most spectacular lightning storm he’s ever seen.

Andrew RossiSeptember 07, 2024

Along with the roadside sign, the Moorcroft Motel's parking lot sign also is unique and retro.

Gillette Auto Museum Rescuing, Restoring Vintage Signs For Retro “Neon Park”

The old neon Moorcourt Motel sign is the latest in the growing collection of vintage roadside signs for Gillette’s Frontier Auto Museum in Gillette. The vision is to create a colorful retro “neon park.”

Andrew RossiSeptember 07, 2024

The Beutler and Son Rodeo Co. in Elk City, Oklahoma, has been raising bucking rodeo horses for 95 years. This past week, nearly 80 of the ranch's horses were killed by poisoned feed.

Nearly 80 Bucking Horses Killed By Tainted Feed Devastates Rodeo Community

A batch of tainted feed killed nearly 80 premier bucking horses on the Beutler Ranch in Oklahoma last week and has devastated the greater rodeo community. The only surviving horse of that lineage was recently ridden to victory by Roedy Farrell of Thermopolis.

Jackie DorothySeptember 07, 2024

Chris Mickey was able to take the photo of the World View Enterprise balloon as it hovered over Cheyenne on Thursday night, Sept. 5, 2024.

Mysterious Object Flying Over Cheyenne Was Not A Chinese Spy Balloon

A mysterious balloon spotting floating high over Cheyenne on Thursday wasn’t a Chinese spy balloon. Turns out, it’s carrying data-gathering equipment to improve flight safety for a private company’s partnership with NASA.

Jackie DorothySeptember 06, 2024

Dave Ratzlaff, owner of a 1969 Chevrolet Camero, talks about his car with WyoTech student David Solis at the Goodguys Rod & Custom Association car show on the WyoTech campus in Laramie on Thursday.

Custom Car Nuts Show WyoTech Students Hot-Rodding Isn’t Just An ‘Old Man Hobby’

WyoTech students got to ogle custom-built rides during an exclusive car show Thursday. It was an effective pitch that building hotrods isn’t just an “old man hobby.”

Mark HeinzSeptember 05, 2024

Myron Cook, a retired geologist, has got millions of views on his YouTube videos describing unique and interesting geologic formations around Wyoming and the region.

Wyoming Geologist Gets Millions Of Views As YouTube Rock Star

Myron Cook, a retired petroleum geologist, is amassing millions of views on YouTube for talking about geology in Wyoming. The Burlington man wasn't expecting his page would go anywhere. “I did it just for the joy of geology," he said.

Leo WolfsonSeptember 02, 2024

This 8-foot bronze casting of Leonardo da Vinci's famous Horse, appropriately dubbed The Wyoming Horse, stands in Sheridan.

Sheridan’s 8-Foot “Wyoming Horse” Is Actually Leonardo da Vinci’s

Sheridan is one of the few places in the world with a bronze casting of Leonardo da Vinci’s horse. Kim Love, who spearheaded the effort to bring da Vinci’s horse to Wyoming, said “I thought it would grab people’s attention."

Andrew RossiSeptember 02, 2024

Brian Beauvais uses Thomas Jaggar's original photograph to find the right angle to reshoot the Hoodoos.

Park County Archivist Recreates Photos Of Wyoming 125 Years Later

Park County archivist Brian Beauvais has been rephotographing images originally shot by geologist Thomas Jaggar in the late 1800s. Some spots require more than a day hike to get there.

Amber SteinmetzSeptember 02, 2024

Cowboy Poet Jack Schmidt cooking in the Bridger-Teton Wilderness.

In Riverton, Jack Schmidt Continues Western Tradition Of The Cowboy Poet

The oral history of the cowboy is preserved forever in rhyme by cow wranglers and campfire tales. For the past 50 years, Riverton's Jack Schmidt has kept the cowboy poet alive in Wyoming.

Jackie DorothySeptember 02, 2024

"Nate Champion's Last Run," a bronze sculpture by D. Michael Thomas, in Buffalo. Champion was surrounded in a cabin and held up the progress of the "invaders" before getting shot 28 times on April 9, 1892.

Johnson County War Remains The Brutal Showdown That Changed Wyoming Forever

The Johnson County War is one of the most brutal, vicious and pivotal chapters in Wyoming's history, when the state’s powerful cattle barons used terror and murder to drive off homesteaders. What they didn’t expect was how determined and tough those homesteaders would be.

Andrew RossiSeptember 01, 2024

This Is Hyattville, Wyoming: Population 79, “Probably Counting Some Dogs”

Founded in 1887, Hyattville, Wyoming, was an important crossroads for commerce. Now it’s a tiny town of 79, which one local says is “probably counting some dogs.”

Jackie DorothySeptember 01, 2024

Lusk's Carnegie Library is the only one in the state with a corner entrance.

Carnegie Library In Lusk, Wyoming, Is Worth The Visit

There were 16 Carnegie libraries built in Wyoming and only 10 remain. Just five of them still operate as libraries. Andrea Graham, the Alliance for Historic Wyoming’s Board president, says the one in Lusk is the most charming. "The detailing is just beautiful," she says.

Renée JeanSeptember 01, 2024

This old caboose was a beloved landmark and poplar meeting spot at the Lake Owen trailhead in the Snowy Range Mountains. It was gutted during the Mullen Fire in 2020, and finally demolished last week.

After 25 Years, Iconic Caboose At Lake Owen In Snowy Range Is Gone

For 25 years, a near-mint condition caboose was a familiar landmark at the Owen Lake trailhead east of Laramie, Wyoming. But the Mullen Fire gutted it and the body was too warped to save. It was demolished last week.

Mark HeinzSeptember 01, 2024

he officiating team comes together to confer during a timeout.

Wyoming High School Football Officials Aren’t Just Gluttons For Punishment

They get insults, threats and jokes, so what’s not to love about being a Wyoming high school football official? They’re not just gluttons for punishment, and the zebras are up for another season on the prep gridiron.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 31, 2024

People around Powell, Wyoming, know Charles Orville Moore even if they don't know him. He's the guy who's been spraying crops forever.

80-Year-Old Pilot Has Been Spraying Crops Since 1976, And Has No Plans To Stop

Charles Orville Moore of Powell, Wyoming, says he loves flying his biplane and has been spraying crops for 48 years. And the 80-year-old has no plans yet to stop. "If my body holds up, I don't see any reason to quit," he says.

Andrew RossiAugust 31, 2024

Santa hears Christmas wishes from tourists in flip flops during the annual Christmas in August in Yellowstone National Park.

Why Yellowstone National Park Celebrates Christmas In August

Late August in Yellowstone means bison and elk are beginning their rut. Trout swim lazily in rivers with restrictions in effect due to elevated water temperatures. Fire danger is at its highest. And carols are sung around the many Christmas trees.

Jake NicholsAugust 31, 2024

Natrona County Deputy Sheriff Bill Romer escorts Caril Fugate into the Converse County Sheriff’s Office. He carries weapons confiscated from Charles Starkweather.

The Notorious 1958 Murder Spree That Ended Near Douglas

When 19-year-old mass murderer Charles Starkweather saw a car by the road west of Douglas, Wyoming, in January 1958, he saw an opportunity. He was on the run after already killing 10 people. What followed ended one of America’s more notorious crime sprees.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 31, 2024

Welcome To The Happiest Town In Wyoming: Byron

If a statue of its town founder is any indication, then Byron, Wyoming, is the happiest town in the state. Locals say the man considered the founder of the town pitched his tent while doing some surveying work near where his statue is now placed.

Jake NicholsAugust 31, 2024

A satellite image showing no clouds over any part of Wyoming.

Not A Cloud Anywhere Over Wyoming In “Unusual” Satellite Photo

The National Weather Service office in Riverton noticed something “unusual” Tuesday — there wasn’t a cloud anywhere over Wyoming all day Tuesday. A satellite photo shows an unusually clear view of Wyoming, including scars left by large wildfires.

Andrew RossiAugust 28, 2024

Former Universtiy of Wyoming standout Frank Crum, a 6-foot-7, 315-pound rookie, has made the 2024 Denver Broncos roster. He's seen here during a preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts.

Former UW Standout Frank Crum Makes Denver Broncos Roster

Former University of Wyoming standout offensive lineman Frank Crum made the Denver Broncos initial 53-man roster Tuesday. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound rookie could still be waived or put on the practice squad.

Leo WolfsonAugust 28, 2024

County music superstar Lainey Wilson shot scenes for the music video for her new song “Whirlwind” on the Oxford Ranch south of Laramie in July.

Country Superstar Lainey Wilson’s New Video Features Wyoming Ranch, Deputies

Country music superstar Lainey Wilson shot the music video for her new single "Whirlwind" on a ranch in Albany County. It also features locations around Laramie and three local deputies.

Mark HeinzAugust 26, 2024

The temple is 97 eet tall, just 4 feet shorter than a controversial temple being built in Cody, but with much less resistance.

Wyoming’s Second LDS Temple Opens In Casper, With Third On The Way

Monday’s opening of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Casper Wyoming Temple is the second LDS temple complete in Wyoming. A third isn’t far behind as work is planned on a controversial temple in Cody.

Leo WolfsonAugust 26, 2024

A screenshot from a Wyoming Department of Transportation highway camera shows snow falling on Togwotee Pass on U.S. Highway 26/287 near Wind River Lake on Monday morning.

Seasons Greetings: Wyoming Gets First Snow Of The Season

As many areas of Wyoming battle huge wildfires, the first snow of the season fell over Togwotee Pass on Monday morning. Meteorologist Don Day said this doesn't mean summer is over, but summer is on the way out.

Andrew RossiAugust 26, 2024

After a record year for growing humongous pumpkins in Wyoming last year, this summer has been “very, very difficult," said Jay Richard.

Wyoming's 'Pumpkin King' Having Difficult Year Growing Gigantic Pumpkins

Jay Richards, better known as Wyoming's "Pumpkin King," says it's been a difficult year for growing humongous pumpkins. He was hoping to break the 2,000-pound mark this year but said he made too many mistakes.

Andrew RossiAugust 26, 2024

Ham operator Casey Freund makes a handshake, slang for making a quick contact, to another park across the nation.

Ham Radio Still Alive And Kicking In Wyoming

Casey Freund of Thermopolis, Wyoming, goes by the call sign KC7E, but that’s not his TikTok handle. He’s one of the few who don’t need Wi-Fi or smartphones to keep in touch with civilization. He’s a ham radio operator.

Jackie DorothyAugust 25, 2024

Matt Warner's is one of the names carved into the Buckhorn Panel near the San Rafael River in Utah. He began his outlaw life early and was a friend of the notorious Butch Cassidy in Wyoming.

Butch Cassidy In Wyoming: Outlaw Buddy Matt Warner Started A Criminal Life Early

Butch Cassidy’s best friend Matt Warner started his life as a Western outlaw. At the age of 14, he thought he killed a man. That sent him running to Brown’s Hole, where he pulled off his first robbery before he’d turned 19.

Renée JeanAugust 25, 2024

Paula Volker has been teaching history and government in Natrona County schools since 1994. She was recently named Wyoming’s History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

Casper Woman Named Wyoming History Teacher Of The Year

Kelly Walsh High School history teacher Paula Volker has been named Wyoming's History Teacher of the Year by a prestigious national history organization. They gave her the award because she believes using primary sources such as original documents is the best way to present history.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 25, 2024

West View of the log blacksmith shop is believed to have been built as early as the 1860s on the Hart Ranch. The Albany County Historical Society is looking into the best way to preserve the structure.

Laramie Bought Hart Ranch For Its Water, Now It Wants To Save The Rest Of It

The city of Laramie bought the historic Hart Ranch for its 1860s water rights. Now, the city is working out how to save the rest of the historic Wyoming ranch for future generations.

Jackie DorothyAugust 24, 2024

Family of Cheyenne Boy Who Saved Sister From Attacking Dog Writes Book For Kids

Bridger Walker was hailed as a hero when he saved his little sister Brielle from an attacking dog in 2020. Now he and Brielle are characters in their family’s new children’s book, “You Can Be a Hero.”

Amber SteinmetzAugust 24, 2024

In this image from the early 1920s, a group of Ku Klux Klansmen gather in an unknown location. Like much of America in the early 1920s, Wyoming seemed an opportunity for expansion for the Ku Klux Klan. Newspaper headlines proclaimed new chapters and the Klan openly advertised its growing numbers, but opposition and scandal would eventually bring the group down.

The Ku Klux Klan Pushed Into Wyoming In The Early 1920s, Then Wyoming Pushed Back

Like much of America in the early 1920s, Wyoming seemed an opportunity for expansion for the Ku Klux Klan. Newspaper headlines proclaimed new chapters and the Klan openly advertised its growing numbers, but opposition and scandal would eventually bring the group down.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 24, 2024

Butch Cassidy In Wyoming: A Perfect Hideout After His First Bank Robbery

Fresh off his first bank robbery in Telluride, Colorado Butch Cassidy finds the perfect hideout in Wyoming. His Brown’s Hole hideout remains one of the most remote places in the region.

Renée JeanAugust 24, 2024

Bones would get the better of JB Mauney this time at the 2010 World Finals.

Bones, One Of The Baddest Rodeo Bucking Bulls Ever, Was Only Ridden 5 Times

The legendary Bones was one bad bull and the GOAT. The two-time Professional Bull Riders world champion bucking bull was only ever ridden five times. He died peacefully in retirement Aug. 15 at age 21.

Jake NicholsAugust 24, 2024

Vic Goni, a sheep rancher, near the area where his sheep normally graze. On Thursday, firefighters arrived on the plains behind him to extinguish the House Draw Fire off Buffalo Sussex Cutoff Road.

Wyoming Sheep Ranchers Scramble To Save Flocks From 175,000-Acre House Draw Fire

Wyoming’s rural sheep industry was nearly destroyed when the House Draw Fire exploded to 175,000 acres, killing some sheep. Ranchers scrambled to save what they could. Now they have to find winter feed for those that survived.

Pat MaioAugust 24, 2024

Vies of the Remington Fire courtesy of the Rosebud County Sheriff's Office in Montana.

More Than 350,000 Acres Have Burned As Wyoming Fire Blows Up Into Montana

The Remington Fire that started in northern Wyoming blew up to nearly 130,000 acres and into Montana overnight Friday, with about 30,000 of that blaze in Wyoming. Including other major wildfires in the area, Wyoming's fires have burned more than 350,000 acres (some in Montana) so far.

August 24, 2024

Although the fall is fast approaching, it still feels like summer across Wyoming. At Holiday Park in Cheyenne on Thursday, the walking path around the lake was busy.

As Wildfires Burn Across State, Wyoming Can Expect “Fall-Like Weather”

Heat and wind are helping fan a number of wildfires across Wyoming, but there could be some relief on the way. A cold front is expected to bring “fall-like” and cooler weather to Wyoming this weekend.

Andrew RossiAugust 22, 2024

This GMC Yukon that sits crashed and abandoned in rugged terrain off Highway 14-16-20 in northwest Wyoming sparked a lot of speculation. Truth is, a suspected drunk driver left it there.

She Claimed Carjackers Got Her SUV Stuck, And It’s Been There For 2 Months

More than two months after an allegedly drunk woman claimed carjackers got her SUV stuck off Highway 14/16/20, it’s about to be recovered. But it’s going to be a bear of a job, requiring two wreckers and a crew of at least five.

Andrew RossiAugust 21, 2024

An intense hailstorm broke windshilds, toppled trees and caused extensive damage to the KOA campground at Devils Tower on Monday, Aug. 19, 2024.

Devils Tower Closes After Baseball-Sized Hail Shatters Windows, Knocks Down Trees

Devils Tower National Monument in northeast Wyoming is closed Tuesday after baseball-sized hail pummeled the area. Windows were shatterd, trees knocked down and the KOA campground severely damaged.

Andrew RossiAugust 20, 2024

Patrons at the opening reception of the 43rd Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody.

Buffalo Bill Art Show Opening Puts Cody In National Spotlight

The 43rd Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale is one of the most important Western art showcases in the nation. Cody is in the national art spotlight with the show’s opening Friday.

Andrew RossiAugust 19, 2024

When Maggie Harrop stepped outside after a summer thunderstorm Saturday evening, she saw something spectacular over Laramie, Wyoming. An incredible burst of color seemed to be exploding from the cloud-filled sky.

Timing Perfect For “God-Moment” Storm Cloud Explosion Over Laramie

A Laramie woman captured “God-moment” photos of a sunset reflecting off a thunderstorm in a color explosion Saturday. The clouds are typical, said meteorologist Don Day, but her timing was perfect and images “amazing.”

Andrew RossiAugust 19, 2024

Wyoming inventions include the cartridge belt for soldiers, an electric garage door opener and a brutal execution method. Wyomingites hold more than 4,000 individual patents.

Wyoming Inventions: Cartridge Belt, Garage Door Opener, Innovative Execution Method

Wyoming citizens have come up with some interesting inventions. From a cartridge belt adopted by the Army which is still in use today to an automatic garage door opener to an innovative execution method that basically forced people to hang themselves.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 18, 2024

Creed Day from Evanston washes his steers named Carlos and Pickles at the Wyoming State Fair on August 16, 2024, in Douglas, Wyoming.

Scenes From The 2024 Wyoming State Fair

Cowboy State Daily photographer took these images at the 2024 Wyoming State Fair in Douglas. Enjoy!

August 18, 2024

From an ability to learn and shows recognition of flash cards to opening gates and doors, horses are pretty smart. A new study says they may be smarter than most previously thought.

New Research Says Horses' Intelligence Is Under-Estimated, Capable Of Strategic Thinking

A team of researchers in the UK has published research that says horses have higher levels of intelligence than previously thought and are capable of strategic thinking. Wyoming outfitter Sy Gilliland says "they are definitely smarter than we give them credit."

Andrew RossiAugust 18, 2024

The GC initials on this hill are still kept whitewashed in Grass Creek.

Wyoming Oil Fields Gave Rise To A New Western Outlaw — The Claim-Jumper

The discovery of oil in remote Wyoming sparked a flood of fortune-seekers to the Cowboy State. It also gave rise to a new kind of Western outlaw — the claim-jumper.

Jackie DorothyAugust 18, 2024

The 17,000-square-foot Valley Community Center in Baggs is the place to be in this tiny community of fewer than 500 people in southern Wyoming.

They Told Baggs It Was Too Tiny For A Community Center, So They Built A Huge One

The town of Baggs, in south-central Wyoming, has fewer than 500 people, but that didn’t stop the town from building a 17,000 square-foot community center. It even has an indoor walking track and draws people from around the region.

Renée JeanAugust 18, 2024

Inga Arvad was romantically involved with a young John F. Kennedy, was pursued by Adolf Hitler and ended up married to a Western movie star from Wyoming.

How Hitler’s “Nordic Beauty” And JFK's Love Became The Wife Of A Wyoming Movie Star

Inga Arvad had been adored by Adolf Hitler, loved by President John F. Kennedy and pursued by the FBI. She ended up marrying a Western movie star from Wyoming.

Jackie DorothyAugust 18, 2024

Blacksmith David Osmundsen gives a presentation about blacksmithing at the Wyoming Discovery Days.

Wyoming Blacksmith An Artist With A 3,500-Degree Forge And Hammer

Buffalo's David Osmundsen is an artist with a hammer and a 3,500-degree forge. The Wyoming blacksmith attracts students from all over the world to his Arrowhead Forge School of Blacksmithing where he teaches the ancient practice.

Jackie DorothyAugust 18, 2024

It was quite the scandal in 1895 when Casper Mayor Joel J. Hurt was put on trial for killing his wife's alleged lover. He was acquitted by a jury in 5 minutes.

Wyoming History: Casper Mayor Gunned Down Wife’s Lover, Then Acquitted In 5 Minutes

In 1895, Joel J. Hurt was Casper’s mayor and state senator when he gunned down a man alleged to be his wife’s lover on a downtown street. He was tried for murder, and acquitted by a jury in five minutes.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 18, 2024

From left, Tim McCoy, Joan Crawford and Rex Lease in "The Law of the Range," directed by William Nigh for MGM in 1927.

Before John Wayne, Wyoming's Tim McCoy Was America’s Favorite Western Star

Everyone in Wyoming knows John Wayne, the prototypical Western movie star. But before The Duke became The Duke, Wyoming's Tim McCoy was Hollywood’s favorite Western lead actor, even getting top billing over Wayne.

Jackie DorothyAugust 17, 2024

Realizing his vision of capturing this image finally happened when Larry Rogers layered three images taked from the same spot. The result is this stunning shot of Castle Geyser in Yellowstone erupting at night, lit up from behind, with the Milky Way as a backdrop.

That’s Not Luck: Stunning Photo Of Yellowstone Geyser Took Months Of Planning

Photographer Larry Rogers loves shooting in Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks, and once spent 20 years waiting to get a perfect photo. He said it took him months of planning to build a composite image of Castle Geyser lit up at night.

Jackie DorothyAugust 17, 2024

Left: Silvio Pedri of Rock Springs was captured during World War II and spent more than five months as a prisoner of war. Right: Mark Pedri and Carrie McCarthy hold two of the three Emmys Burning Torch Productions won in July at the Heartland Emmys for Dear Sirs.

Documentary About Wyoming World War II POW Wins Three Emmys

“Dear Sirs,” a documentary about Silvio Pedri, a Wyoming man who was a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II, won three Emmy Awards last month. The film was produced by Silvio's grandson Mark of Rock Springs.

Amber SteinmetzAugust 17, 2024

Mac Sabbath, the parody heavy metal tribute band of English heavy metal group Black Sabbath, played at the Lincoln in Cheyenne on Wednesday, August 14, 2024

Mac Sabbath Brings Its Weird Tribute To Black Sabbath & McDonald’s To Cheyenne

Mac Sabbath is a weird Black Sabbath cover band that melds heavy metal with McDonald’s food. Fronted by Ronald Osbourne with Slayer MacCheeze on guitar, Grimalice on bass, and Catburglar on drums, the tour stopped in Cheyenne this week and was hilariously good.

Mark HeinzAugust 17, 2024

Rare Super Blue Moon Will Look Huge Over Wyoming On Monday

The calendar has conspired to make Monday’s full moon pretty rare. It also will be a supermoon, which means it will look huge, and also is a blue moon and something called a sturgeon moon, like the fish.

Andrew RossiAugust 17, 2024

A line backs up all the way from the White Hall dormitory to the Washakie Dining Center on the University of Wyoming campus during Move-In Day on Friday.

Broken Dorm Elevators, Road Work Add To Move-In Day Nightmare At UW

Move-in day for University of Wyoming freshmen and their parents is usually barely controlled chaos. Add broken elevators, long lines and road construction all around the main campus and Friday’s move-in day was a nightmare for some.

Mark HeinzAugust 16, 2024

"September Tempers," a bronze by T.D. Kelsey in the gallery of the 43rd Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody.

Cody Show To Debut One-Of-A-Kind Chris Navarro Bronze That Survived Foundry Fire

The Buffalo Bill Art Show and Sale is among the preeminent Western art events in the world. This year’s show starts Saturday and will feature the debut of a one-of-a-kind bronze by Wyoming’s Chris Navarro that survived a Cody foundry fire.

Andrew RossiAugust 15, 2024

Meet Gus, The Super-Friendly 1,200-Pound Horse Who Comes Running For Cody Kids

Gus is a 20-year-old quarter horse that lives near Cody Middle School and loves people, especially kids. He’s super-friendly and comes running to meet kids every morning and afternoon.

Mark HeinzAugust 15, 2024

The Pony Express collection of Joe Nardone has an estimated $1.5 million worth of artifacts, some of which he wanted the Fort Caspar Museum to have as the northernmost outpost on the Pony Express route.

National Casper Pony Express Museum Begins With Donation Of $1.5M Collection

Casper City Council accepted the donation of a $1.5 million Pony Express collection Tuesday. It's the first step in bringing a national Pony Express museum to Wyoming.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 14, 2024

Hazel Baumberger is 108 and South Dakota's oldest person. She also attended the first Sturgis Motorcycle Ralley in 1938. Not able to attend this year, some Sturgis rallygoers brought the party to her with a drive-by Rally to Hazel on Monday.

Sturgis Bikers Give 108-Year-Old South Dakota Woman Her Own Private Rally

After Sturgis, some of the motorcycle rallygoers held another small rally at Hazel Baumberger’s senior living center Monday. The 108-year-old woman is South Dakota’s oldest person and attended the first Sturgis rally in 1938.

Justin GeorgeAugust 13, 2024

Breanna Klamm Whitlock of Buffalo, Wyoming, was shooting photos of the aurora when a bright Persieds meteor also streaked across the sky.

Epic Year For Auroras Over Wyoming May Have Just Gone Legendary

What’s already been an epic year for colorful auroras over Wyoming may have just gone legendary early Monday. Another spectacular celestial lights show likely peaked, but expect more through the rest of the year.

Andrew RossiAugust 12, 2024

The Presieds Meteor Shower reaches its peak over Wyoming this week, with the best time to see them early Tuesday morning. This composite photo fo 23 images shows the Persieds over the Snowy Range during the 2012 showr.

Perseids Meteor Shower Peaks Over Wyoming Early Tuesday

The prolific Perseids Meteor Shower hits its peak early Tuesday morning over Wyoming. From a dark spot, people could see as many as 100 meteors per hour streak across the sky.

Andrew RossiAugust 12, 2024

Curtis Weigold’s mugshot taken following his booking into the Natrona County Jail in 1934.

Wyoming History: The ‘Tough Luck’ Teen Gangster Who Ran Into A Tougher Sheriff

A wild South Dakota 16-year-old “tough luck” gangster in a stolen car killed a Douglas man in a crash and shot the sheriff three times in 1934. But he ran into a tougher Wyoming sheriff, who kept getting shot but survived every time.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 11, 2024

Eastern Wyoming College’s Ryder Tillard of Douglas competes in Fortnite during the National Junior College Athletic Association Esports Summer Series. Tillard recently earned the ‘Unreal” ranking in the game, which is held by 0.007% of the 500 million players worldwide.

Wyoming Teen Ranked Among The Best Fortnite Players On The Planet

Ryder Tillard of Douglas recently achieved the highest rank in the online video game Fortnite. That puts the 19-year-old among the top 0.2% of the more than 3.8 million ranked players worldwide.

Amber SteinmetzAugust 11, 2024

Brandi Kelly was one of the original Ham and Jam girls. She said the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Ralley event in Hulett used to be more wild and raunchy, but has evolved into a great party.

Original Hulett Ham And Jam Girl Remembers A More Wild, Raucous Party

Brandi Kelly was one of the first Ham and Jam girls for the annual party that brings 30,000 people to tiny Hulett, Wyoming, during the Sturgis rally. She says it was wilder then, but it’s still magic because it brings people together.

Renée JeanAugust 11, 2024

Laramie resident Gerry Meyer ran the 50-meter dash 3 seconds faster than he did in last year's Wyoming Senior Olympics. The 105-year-old is not just still kicking, he's winning gold medals.

Wyoming Senior Olympian Still Winning Gold Medals At 105

Laramie resident Gerry Meyer is 105 years old and still winning gold medals at the Wyoming Senior Olympics. At this year’s games, he won the 50- and 100-meter dashes, beating his 2023 50-meter mark by 3 seconds.

Renée JeanAugust 11, 2024

Jimbo the supersaurus, the long-necked behemoth at top left, is the largest dinosaur ever found in Wyoming. It's on display at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis.

Wyoming Supersaurus Was The Shaq Of The Jurassic: Super-Sized, But Not Super-Old

New research on the age of Wyoming's largest dinosaur determined the 108-foot-long, 50-ton giant from Douglas was definitely an adult when it died, but probably wasn't as old as its bones might suggest.

Andrew RossiAugust 11, 2024

A ramp was built for the Burnout to place the riders up higher so the crowd could better see them.

How One Rowdy Bar Customer Sparked 50 Years Of Sturgis-Week Burnouts In Sundance

The annual Burnout Wednesday during Sturgis rally week in Sundance, Wyoming, has been a must-do for bikers for nearly 50 years. It began with one rowdy customer who threatened to burnout inside the Dime Horseshoe Bar.

Renée JeanAugust 11, 2024

Timber Elkins, 9, leads her steer, Sir Chrome-a-lot around the ring in the beef show at the Campbell County Fair.

Fair Week Is Super Bowl For Wyoming’s 4-H Champions

Fair week is like the Super Bowl for hundreds of 4-H kids across Wyoming. Like Timber and Morgan Elkins, who spent an exhausting — and exhilarating — week with their champion cows at the Campbell County Fair.

Jen KocherAugust 10, 2024

The male skater with the star on his helmet, the jammer, tries to break through his opponents during a “jam” at Summer Bash 5-on-5 Tournament in Mills.

Wyoming Roller Derby Players Share A Common Passion — Hitting People

Almost to the last player, women who make up Wyoming’s roller derby scene say there’s one thing they love about their sport — hitting people. But there’s actually a method to the mayhem these divas on roller skates commit.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 10, 2024

C.J. Box poses for a selfie with some fans in Saratoga, Wyoming.

Want To Be A Character In A C.J. Box Book? Once A Year, You Get A Chance

Being a character in a “Joe Pickett” novel would be a dream come true for many fans of Wyoming author C.J. Box. So, he offers it up as an auction item to benefit his hometown Saratoga Museum.

Renée JeanAugust 10, 2024

George Thorogood of George Thorogood and the Destroyers performs during their 50 Years of Rock tour at the Paramount Theatre on May 14, 2024, in Denver.

Cowboy State Daily Interview: 50 Years Of George Thorogood Is Awesome To The Bone

Ahead of his Aug. 14 date at the Wyoming Ford Center in Casper, Cowboy State Daily’s Jake Nichols caught up with blues-rock legend George Thorogood. He still loves touring and never tires of playing his signature “Bad to the Bone.”

Jake NicholsAugust 10, 2024

Mark Jenkins jots his thoughts down in a notebook. He said his writing process on expeditions often involved writing while others slept.

From Top Of Everest To Biking Across Russia, Wyoming Adventure Writer Gets Around

Laramie’s Mark Jenkins still travels the world seeking adventure. The longtime National Geographic writer who has climbed Mount Everest, covered the war in Afghanistan, cycled through Russia, and kayaked inside glaciers plans to get back on his bike for a trek across Europe.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 10, 2024

Right, Teddy reunited late Friday in Toronto with his owner Alaina Tripp, after thousands of dollars were donated to drive and fly him home from Riverton, Wyoming. Left, Teddy at the Rawlins Police Department after being found.

Teddy, Stolen Poodle Found During Wyoming Police Stop, Finally Back Home

A miniature poodle named Teddy is back with his owner nearly a year after a man allegedly stole him and smuggled him into Riverton, Wyoming. After about three weeks and more than 3,500 miles, Teddy arrived home Friday night.

Clair McFarlandAugust 10, 2024

Bob Coronato's painting hiatus has been broken. He's just completed a new poster series, and it was all the rage with Sturgis rallygoers at this year's Hulett Ham and Jam.

Wyoming Artist Bob Coronato’s “Trump Train” Painting Catches Fire With MAGA Nation

Hulett, Wyoming, artist Bob Coronato already has a painting in the Smithsonian. The artist, best known for painting historical figures, has painted six Trump campaign posters, and is planning to show them to the former president at a fundraiser this weekend in Jackson.

Renée JeanAugust 10, 2024

A sea of bikes in Hulett for Ham and Jam 2024.

The Party Next Door: Hulett's Ham And Jam On Wednesday Of Sturgis Week

Although the topless rodeo is no longer allowed, Hulett's annual Ham and Jam still gets wild. Some 30,000 bikers head to the town on Wednesday of Sturgis week for free pork sandwiches, music, insanity, and surprisingly, very few arrests.

Renée JeanAugust 10, 2024

The Atlantic Union is one of many conferences within the world-wide Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Severe Wyoming Weather, And Threat Of More, Cuts Short Gillette Camporee

The International Pathfinder Camporee brought 60,000 people to Gillette, Wyoming. But after a week of severe Wyoming weather, and threat of more, has cut short the huge gathering of Seventh-day Adventists.

Jen KocherAugust 09, 2024

A former Civil War soldier reenactor, Robert Szabo changed his clothes in 1997 to that of an intinerant Civil War-era photographer.

Photographer At Fort Caspar Uses Civil War Techniques To Make New History

This prominent Civil War-era reenactor isn’t a soldier for either side, he’s the photographer. At Fort Caspar, he makes his own vintage images using the same techniques — and in some cases same equipment — as during the Civil War.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 09, 2024

Big D Sanitation workers service on-site porta-potties at the International Pathfinder Camporee in Gillette, Wyoming.

Camporee Brought 60,000 People To Gillette, But Not Enough Porta-Potties

The International Pathfinder Camporee brought 60,000 people to Gillette this week but not enough porta-potties. One youth leader says the foul situation ruined it for his group, while the sanitation contractor says they needed 1,000 more.

Jim LuksicAugust 09, 2024

Ernie Blackford, left, and Hank Laurenz salute the unfurled flag held by Lt. Commander Tyler Shang.

“They Are Brothers”: Wyoming Honor Guard Never Lets A Soldier Be Buried Alone

The members of the Natrona County United Veterans Honor Guard have attended thousands of Wyoming military funerals over the years. No matter when they served, they say veterans deserve an honor guard because “they are brothers.”

Dale KillingbeckAugust 08, 2024

Covered in soot from the Clearwater Fire, a U.S. Forest Service drone operator leads it up with "dragon eggs," small explosive charges used to remotely create and guide firelines.

Fire Crews Use High-Tech Drones To Keep Clearwater From Yellowstone Entrance

High-tech drones dropping incendiary “dragon eggs” are among the tools wildland firefighters are using to keep the Clearwater Fire in northwest Wyoming from closing the East Entrance to Yellowstone.

Jackie DorothyAugust 08, 2024

Gen. George A. "Sandy" Forsyth was a major when he was part of a company led by Gen. Philip Sheridan to the scene of Custer's battle at Little Big Horn a year after. He described the journey in an eloquent diary that's now in possession of the Hot Springs County Museum.

How An Important 1877 Soldier’s Diary Wound Up In A Wyoming Bank Vault

Maj. George “Sandy” Forsyth’s 1877 diary was on its way to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., in 1960. But its owner decided it belongs in Wyoming where it was written, and it’s been in a Thermopolis bank vault for nearly 65 years.

Jackie DorothyAugust 08, 2024

Dede Anders of Powell, Wyoming, lives to ride. She had been preparing for the race of a lifetime next year in the famous Mongol Derby, a 620-mile race dubbed the longest and toughest on the planet.

Sick Wyoming Woman Pulls Out Of World’s Toughest Horse Race, Then Is Abandoned In Mongolia

Dede Anders knew she was too sick to ride 620 miles across Mongolia, then was abandoned halfway around the world Wednesday. The Wyoming woman was there to compete in the Mongol Derby, but race organizers left her in a hotel room without medical care.

Andrew RossiAugust 07, 2024

Here Comes The Cold! Canadian Front Will Drop Wyoming’s Temps 30 Degrees

Cold air from Alaska will break the sweltering summer heat across Wyoming on Thursday and Friday and bringing plenty of rain with it. The high temperature in Cheyenne on Thursday will only be 58 degrees.

Andrew RossiAugust 07, 2024

Deirdre Griffith of Jackson, Wyoming, in the 2022 Mongol Derby, which she won.

Meet Deirdre Griffith, First Wyoming Woman To Win World's Longest Horse Race

Deirdre Griffith of Jackson, Wyoming, became the first Wyoming woman to win the grueling Mongol Derby, a 620-mile horse race across Mongolia. Although she won in 2022, Griffith said the money she raised then is still helping people.

Andrew RossiAugust 07, 2024

Don Day Says Don't Trust Winter Forecasts That Come Out In Middle Of Summer

Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day says he understands why people are interested in long-range forecasts but the idea that you can predict winter weather in the middle of summer is ridiculous and the results are "outrageously bad."

Andrew RossiAugust 06, 2024

A sign has been posted at the entrance to Hartville that thanks the hundreds of firefighters who saved their town from destruction by the Pleasant Valley Fire.

Recovery Begins At Hartville, The Historic Mining Town That Nearly Went Up In Flames

The historic mining town of Hartville, Wyoming, came within inches of going up in flames this past week. Folks are shell-shocked as they recover from a wildfire that turned much of the land around them into an apocalyptic nightmare.

Pat MaioAugust 06, 2024

Horacio Vela stands near his Harley-Davidson after Catholic Mass on Sunday. Vela carries a rosary with him as he rides.

Sundays Are For The Spiritual, Even Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Hellraisers

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally may be a time for bikers to raise a little hell, but that doesn’t mean they miss church. After mass, Horatio Vela of south Texas told Cowboy State Daily, “Right now, I’m riding alone, but I know Christ Savior is always with me.”

Justin GeorgeAugust 04, 2024

Two of the three specimens of Hibernophis breithaupti, the 38-million-year-old snake from the White River Formation near Douglas. These snakes are members of the boid family, which includes modern-day anacondas and Wyoming's rubber boas.

Why Scientists Are Going Bonkers Over Four 38-Million-Year-Old Wyoming Snakes

A den of 38-million-year-old snakes were found in the White River Formation near Douglas, Wyoming, have paleontologists super excited. They're among the most important complete fossils of snakes ever found.

Andrew RossiAugust 04, 2024

Wyoming History: That One Time Grasshoppers Ate A Man And Horse In 1870s

One Wyoming entomologist isn't quite sure the 1877 newspaper account of a grasshopper swarm devouring a man and his horse is believable but he's seen them eat some "pretty outrageous things."

Dale KillingbeckAugust 04, 2024

Natrona County High School football coach Steve Harshman prepares for this 34th season at the helm. “It is really a vocation versus an occupation. I’m truly blessed,” he said.

Coach Harshman Ready To Tackle 34th Season Leading Natrona County Football

Heading into his 34th season as head football coach at Natrona County, Steve Harshman says NFL player Logan Wilson still repeating the Mustangs’ team motto is a “cool outcome” for a high school coach. Harshman is the winningest active coach in Wyoming.

Dale KillingbeckAugust 04, 2024

Warren Borton digs crocks from a saloon pit in Newcastle, Wyoming.

The Dirty Job Of Digging Up Wyoming History In Outhouses

Warren Borton has spent decades digging up old Wyoming outhouse pits. What he finds are sometimes rare and significant pieces of history. And bottles. Lots and lots of old glass bottles.

Jackie DorothyAugust 04, 2024

Ayden Skillman of Greybull, Wyoming, gives a thumbs up in the hospital for a heart transplant.

Greybull Cheers Local Teen Who Finally Gets A New Heart

Ayden Skillman has lived much of his life without a complete heart because of a congenital heart defect. Now his hometown of Greybull, Wyoming, is cheering the local 18-year-old who’s always shown tons of heart who finally has a new one.

Renée JeanAugust 04, 2024

Cassey Weinhold, 28, stands at the bar she minds for the One-Eyed Jack Saloon in Sturgis. Weinhold came from Kansas to work the rally. The earnings help her throughout the year.

Bar Workers From Across The U.S. Flock To Sturgis To Make Big Money

Bartenders and waiters from across the country flock to Sturgis for the annual motorcycle rally where the population swells from 7,200 people to about 500,000. They say they can earn up to a fourth of their annual income during the 10-day rally.

Justin GeorgeAugust 03, 2024

A trio of 50-year-old creepy child mannequins named Muffy, Michael and Sonya were listed for sale on a Casper Facebook page. People freaked out, clammouring to buy them.

Casper Freaks Out When Trio Of 50-Year-Old Creepy Kid Mannequins Listed For Sale

When a trio of 50-year-old child mannequins turned up for sale earlier this week in Casper, dozens of people tried to buy them. They say their dead, emotionless faces, real human hair, and vacant eyes left them fabulously freaked out.

Andrew RossiAugust 03, 2024

U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman, R-Wyoming, grew up in an old homestead house near McGinnis Pass, located about 8 miles north of Guernsey, Wyoming. The century old home burned down in the Pleasant Valley Fire.

Wildfire Burns Harriet Hageman’s Family Homestead, More Evacuations Ordered

A 25,000-acre wildfire raging through the Haystack Hills of eastern Wyoming burned Harriet Hageman’s family homestead. She fought back tears talking about the “devastating” fire. Meanwhile, more evacuations were ordered late Friday.

Pat MaioAugust 03, 2024

It may not look it by the crowds of bikes lining the main drag in Sturgis, South Dakota, but locals say the first day of the 84th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was a little slow.

Sturgis Rally Has Just Begun, But Bartenders Asking — Where Are The Drinkers?

From scheduling events later in the day to IV stations, Sturgis knows many come to its famous motorcycle rally to tie one on. But with a largely older population, a question bartenders were asking on the first day — where are the drinkers?

Justin GeorgeAugust 03, 2024

Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame – Steven C. James: Chasing Cattle for over 65 years

Steve James of Daniel has been riding and checking cattle in the Hoback Basin since he was seven years old – a span of 65 years, even though he’s been riding for almost all his 73 years. In October he will be inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Candy MoultonAugust 02, 2024

At 108, Hazel Baumberger is the oldest living person in South Dakota. She also remembers attending the first Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, then just a race with nine bikes, in 1938.

South Dakota’s Oldest Woman Is 108, And Was At The First Sturgis Rally In 1938

Hazel Baumberger is 108 years old and attended the first Sturgis motorcycle rally in 1938 — and several others in decades since. Unable to attend anymore, bikers have decided to take the rally to her.

Justin GeorgeAugust 02, 2024

Sturgis Rally Is 'Super Bowl' For Wyoming Harley-Davidson Stores

Deluxe Harley-Davidson in Gillette, Wyoming, is open 14 straight days to cater to Sturgis Motorcycle Rally attendees. Just off Interstate 90 on the way to Sturgis, the rally represents the “Super Bowl” for the motorcycle shop.

Justin GeorgeAugust 02, 2024

Huge plumes of smoke can be seen for miles.

No Rain Relief For Wyoming Wildfires Until Next Week

As wildfires across Wyoming continue to pop up and grow, firefighters shouldn’t expect any help from Mother Nature anytime soon. There won’t be any rain relief for the fires until next week, meteorologist Don Day says.

Andrew RossiJuly 31, 2024

Former Wyoming college wrestlers Kendell Cummings, from left, Orrin Jackson, August Harrison and Brady Lowry got a free trip to Alaska to film a documentary on the 2022 grizzly attack they survived.

Wyoming Wrestlers Who Fought Grizzly Featured In New Documentary

A group of wrestlers from northwest Wyoming who successfully fought off an angry grizzly bear in 2022 were in Alaska this summer to face bears — and their fears — again. They’re part of a documentary about their story, which could start streaming in 2025.

Leo WolfsonJuly 29, 2024

Many of the graves in the Gebo cemetery hold children.

Dedication Will Remember Gebo’s Children, Forever Home In Wyoming Ghost Town Cemetery

A society that specializes in the absurd will get serious Saturday when it dedicates the Wyoming ghost town of Gebo. The former mining boom town is also the final resting place for many of Gebo’s children, who died during epidemics.

Jackie DorothyJuly 29, 2024

Jacob Wang from Laramie, Wyoming wrestles his steer in 7.2 seconds to place 4th in the Championship round at Cheyenne Frontier Days on July 28, 2024.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Photo Gallery: Monday, July 29, 2024

Cowboy State Daily photographer Matt Idler is at Cheyenne Frontier Days all 10 days of the event and will be producing photo galleries daily. Enjoy!

July 29, 2024

Denise’s Diner is for sale and the Teapot Motor Lodge is closed in Edgerton.

Edgerton: The Wyoming Oil Field Town That Refuses To Die

Like many areas around Wyoming, tiny Edgerton sprang up as an energy town and endured many booms and busts. It never died with the last bust, and the 120 or so people who still live here are working on a revival.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 28, 2024

John Prentice, a Union soldier in the Civil War from 1861-1865, kept a diary of his experience, which was recently discovered by his great-grandson, Doyl Fritz of Sheridan, Wyoming.

Sheridan Man’s Family Civil War Diaries Is A Glimpse Into America’s Deadliest Conflict

Doyl Fritz of Sheridan, Wyoming, spent a year transcribing the diaries of his great-grandfather John Prentice, who fought for the Union Army during the Civil War. The lessons gleaned from the account of America’s deadliest conflict are priceless, he says.

Amber SteinmetzJuly 28, 2024

Noah Yenny, 3, pets the shell of Sweet Pea, a 12-year-old sulcata tortoise. Sweet Pea escaped the yard of his owner, Sabrina Hanson, and wandered a block away before being discovered grazing on a neighbor's lawn.

Sweet Pea, The Rescued Pet Tortoise In Cody, Keeps Escaping

Sweet Pea is a 12-year-old tortoise in Cody who keeps escaping his yard to graze on the front lawn of neighbors. And if there's something in his yard that doesn't like, he'll move it. His siblings, two giant mastiffs, know he runs things, so they stay out of his way.

Andrew RossiJuly 28, 2024

Street paster Nick Schindler is passing through Wyoming on his journey to Washington, D.C. He said he carries his cross “the length and the breadth” of every town and city he comes to, inviting people to converse with him.

Cross-Carrying Street Preacher Walks Across Wyoming On Way To D.C.

Nick Schindler has made his walk with Christ an arduously physical thing, and he’s bearing his cross — a literal 75-pound solid-wood cross — through Wyoming on his way across America.

Mark HeinzJuly 28, 2024

Lynn McColl has been volunteering for Cheyenne Frontier Days for 55 years with the parades committee. He's a member of the mounted marshals.

55-Year Cheyenne Frontier Days Volunteer Recalls When It Was Wilder

With more than 2,500 volunteers, Cheyenne Frontier Days has more helpers than many Wyoming towns. Lynn McColl, who has been a volunteers for 55 years, says it was wilder when he started. “I drank my first beer in Cheyenne riding down the street at 13 on a horse,” he said.

Renée JeanJuly 28, 2024

Director Christoffer Knuth and paleontologist Brock Sisson putting on the head of the Camarasaurus.

Massive Wyoming Dinosaur Shipped To Denmark Museum Got Lost In The Mail

An exceptionally well-preserved skeleton of a massive Camarasaurus has been unveiled at the Museum of Evolution in Denmark. But its 150 million-year journey from Ten Sleep, Wyoming, to Copenhagen included a week lost in the mail somewhere in Europe.

Andrew RossiJuly 28, 2024

Guapo is a huge 3,000-pound steer Lynn Jamerson rescued about eight years ago. The gentle giant has been featured in a couple of popular children's books, but now will retire to Wyoming from California.

Guapo, A Giant 3,000-Pound Celebrity Holstein Steer, Retiring To Wyoming Ranch

Guapo, a giant 3,000-pound Holstein steer, is one of the largest and most famous bovines in the world. The steer, which stands 6 feet, 2 inches tall at the shoulder and stars in a series of children's books, is retiring to a ranch in Rozet, Wyoming.

Andrew RossiJuly 28, 2024

Terri Smith went from being chief judge on the Wind River Tribal Court to serving time in federal prison for marketing pills. But then she got clean, came home to her children, and now she’s desperate to get her story out to others who struggle with addiction, to convince them there’s hope.

Former Wyoming Judge Busted For Drugs Now Spreads Recovery Story And Hope

Terri Smith was a respected Wyoming tribal judge before she was busted for dealing cocaine and helping to sell prescription drugs. Now she's working to help other addicts recover and find redemption through accountability and gratitude.

Clair McFarlandJuly 28, 2024

Artist Dan Toro makes progress on the mural of Casper Mountain a few days into his project.

Laramie Artist Creates Huge 60-Foot Mural In Downtown Casper

A Laramie artist is busy creating a huge 60-foot mural on the 42 Degrees North building in downtown Casper. It’s a wintery scene of Hogadon Basin Ski Area on Casper Mountain.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 28, 2024

The Hotel Labonte in Douglas was the site of a confrontation between the Converse County sheriff and a murderer in 1924.

Wyoming History: Casper Double-Murderer Shot Down By Sheriff In Douglas In 1924

It was 1924 when a double-dealing Casper businessman about to be caught embezzling snapped, killing his wife and son, then fled to Douglas. But he couldn’t outrun the law, gunned down in a shootout at the Hotel LaBonte with the local sheriff.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 28, 2024

Chancey Williams sings and plays guitar at the Sidewinder Saloon in Old Frontier Town at Cheyenne Frontier Days during the Teton Ridge Rodeo Roadtrip Show on July 26, 2024.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Photo Gallery: Sunday, July 28, 2024

Cowboy State Daily photographer Matt Idler is at Cheyenne Frontier Days all 10 days of the event and will be producing photo galleries daily. Enjoy!

July 28, 2024

The Navy Leap Frog parachute team always gets a huge crowd pop when it drops in from thousands of feet in the air with a huge American flag.

Meet The Elite Navy SEALs Who Drop 6,000 Feet At Cheyenne Frontier Days

It’s become a Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo tradition — the elite Navy SEAL Leap Frog team parachuting from 6,000 feet into the stadium. The SEALS say Frontier Days is a must event for them because it's a military town coupled with a cowboy culture.

Renée JeanJuly 28, 2024

A crowd gathered despite the rain for Big Boy's hourlong appearance in Cheyenne.

Big Boy 4014 Gets Huge Welcome As It Chugs Home To Cheyenne Depot

Big Boy 4014 was welcomed home in Cheyenne on Friday after a month-long summer tour in Utah, Nevada, California, Idaho, and Wyoming. An estimated 200,000 people came out on the tour to the see the world's largest working steam engine.

Renée JeanJuly 27, 2024

Veteran newspaperman Bill Sniffin with a signed miner's helmet, which he calls the greatest award he's ever received. It was a thank you from Lander-area miners after stories he published resulted in national legislation to help families of uranium miners.

Longtime Wyoming Newsman Bill Sniffin Wins National Lifetime Achievement Award

Bill Sniffin, who’s spent more than 50 years producing Wyoming newspapers, has been honored by the National Newspaper Association with its lifetime achievement award. Sniffin is also a columnist for Cowboy State Daily.

Jackie DorothyJuly 27, 2024

Wherever he's been, J.B. Zielke is always at home with a good horse.

No Matter Where He Roams, Wyoming Is Always Home For Lost Cowboy J.B. Zielke

Saratoga cowboy J.B. Zielke has cowboyed on six of the seven continents around the globe. But no matter how far he roams, the man known as The Lost Cowboy always comes home to Wyoming.

Renée JeanJuly 27, 2024

The American West: John C. Fremont - The Pathfinder Fights Indians, Encounters Grizzly Bear In Carbon County

John C. Fremont first came into Carbon County in August of 1843, traveling west and camping on the principal fork of the Medicine Bow River near “an isolated mountain called the Medicine Butte.” This of course, was Elk Mountain.

Candy MoultonJuly 27, 2024

In a viral video posted to TikTok and YouTube, creator TimtheTank demonstrates how people have been pouring their beer wrong. Tilting the glass for the pour is wrong, he says. Instead, pour into an upright glass and allow for a big head that will recede. But Wyoming brew experts say the perfect way to pour is determined by the type of beer.

Drinking Wyoming: A Perfect Beer Depends On A Perfect Pour

Despite what you may see on social media, there's no secret best way to pour beer. A top Wyoming brewer and owner of two breweries says the right method depends on the type of beer. And head retention, or foam, is critical.

Jake NicholsJuly 27, 2024

The American West: Bicycles and Buffalo Soldiers

To folks not familiar with the village of Missoula, Montana, or of the United States army post aptly named Fort Missoula located about four miles southwest of town, the sight which presented itself during the early morning of June 14, 1897, might have seemed strange indeed.

James A. CrutchfieldJuly 27, 2024

The Cheyenne Frontier Days Grand Parade in downtown Cheyenne on July 25, 2024.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Photo Gallery: Saturday, July 27, 2024

Cowboy State Daily photographer Matt Idler is at Cheyenne Frontier Days all 10 days of the event and will be producing photo galleries daily. Enjoy!

July 27, 2024

Yellowstone TV actor Moses Brings Plenty at the Chris Ledoux exhibit at Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum.

“Yellowstone” Star Among A-Listers Who Can’t Miss Cheyenne Frontier Days

“Yellowstone” star Moses Brings Plenty is among the A-list celebrities who love Cheyenne Frontier Days. This week, he spent time at the Princess Blue Water exhibit and Indian Village.

Renée JeanJuly 26, 2024

Thermal explosion and baby mammoth 7 26 24

No, A Preserved Baby Mammoth Wasn't Unearthed By Yellowstone Thermal Explosion

Not everyone got the joke Wednesday when a Wyoming satire outlet posted a fake story that a baby mammoth was unearthed when a Yellowstone thermal pool violently erupted. It’s not the first time people have been fooled by the Casper Planet.

Andrew RossiJuly 26, 2024

Kashton Ford from Sturgis, South Dakota rides his bareback horse at Cheyenne Frontier Days on July 24, 2024

Cheyenne Frontier Days Photo Gallery: Friday, July 26, 2024

Cowboy State Daily photographer Matt Idler is at Cheyenne Frontier Days all 10 days of the event and will be producing photo galleries daily. Enjoy!

July 25, 2024

The Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade has about 160 historic wagons in it, the largest collection of operational Old West wagons in the world.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Parade Features World’s Largest Collection Of Wagons

Sam Gill and Mike Stein have both driven teams of horses for the famous “Yellowstone” prequel television series “1883,” but they would not miss the Cheyenne Frontier Days parade which feature 160-some historic horse-drawn wagons -- the world’s largest collection of operable old-time wagons.

Renée JeanJuly 25, 2024

Rain or shine, the show must go on. In this file photo, Kaycee Thomas from Cheyenne volunteers on the CFD Contestant Committee chasing steers out of the arena during a downpour July 26, 2023.

Nothing Stops Cheyenne Frontier Days, Including Monsoons

It will take more than drenching rain expected with severe thunderstorms this weekend to do much to impact Cheyenne Frontier Days. Nothing stops the rodeo, not even the monsoon weather the area gets at this time of year.

Andrew RossiJuly 25, 2024

Cheyenne Frontier Days Photo Gallery: Thursday, July 25, 2024

Cowboy State Daily photographer Matt Idler is at Cheyenne Frontier Days all 10 days of the event and will be producing photo galleries daily. Enjoy!

July 25, 2024

World champion Zeke Thurston from Big Valley, Alberta, rides his horse for a score of 90 points to win the Saddlebronc Riding at Cheyenne Frontier Days on July 22, 2024.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Photo Gallery: Wednesday, July 24, 2024

Cowboy State Daily photographer Matt Idler is at Cheyenne Frontier Days all 10 days of the event and will be producing photo galleries daily. Enjoy!

July 23, 2024

The statue of Lane Frost perpetually riding a bull at Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum is a favorite spot for tourist selfies and snapshots.

Lane Frost Documentary Premieres In Cheyenne Days Before 35th Anniversary Of His Death

A new documentary about legendary rodeo bull rider Lane Frost premiered in Cheyenne on Saturday. “Lane: Life, Legend, Legacy” was shown days before the 35th anniversary of Lane’s death at Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Renée JeanJuly 23, 2024

A group of U.S. Army Rangers were special guests at Cheyenne Frontier Days for Military Monday on July 22, 2024. Between them, the 22 Rangers have 560 years of service, including 60 years of combat.

Army Rangers Get VIP Treatment On Military Monday At Cheyenne Frontier Days

Twenty two members of the Army Rangers received a standing ovation at Cheyenne Frontier Days on Monday. The elite fighting squad known as the 75th Ranger Regiment, have 560 years of combined military service, including 60 years of intense combat experience.

Renée JeanJuly 23, 2024

An impromptu call for people to drive by the home of a Rock Springs boy on his 10th birthday rallied more than 100 cars and motorcycles Sunday, July 21, 2024.

Rock Springs Rallies With Surprise Birthday Drive-By For 10-Year-Old

When Breezy Turner asked if a few people with cool cars could drive past her house to celebrate her son's 10th birthday, more than 150 people got in their cars and on their motorcycles for an unforgettable celebration.

Andrew RossiJuly 23, 2024

Will Lowe from Amarillo, TX in the bareback riding at Cheyenne Frontier Days on July 20, 2024.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Photo Gallery: Sunday, July 21, 2024

Cowboy State Daily photographer Matt Idler will be at Cheyenne Frontier Days all 10 days of the event and will be producing photo galleries daily. Here is his first photo gallery from the first weekend. Enjoy!

July 22, 2024

A photo of the DC-3 that crashed into Elk Mountain on Jan. 31, 1946.

Wyoming History: 21 Killed In 1946 When Flight 14 Slammed Into Elk Mountain

The air corridor across southern Wyoming in 1946 required planes to get over Elk Mountain before making a turn south. In January 1946, United Airlines Flight 14 couldn’t and 21 people died.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 21, 2024

Shell-carrying pack mules had to be led through mud and all kinds of terrain during World War I.

With A World War Brewing, Wyoming Was Captivated By A Rogue Army Mule Named Gabriel

While nations built up their forces leading up to World War I, the exploits of an ornery mule named Gabriel captured Wyoming’s attention. A reporter with Gen. John. J. Pershing in Mexico spun and entertaining tale of how a stubborn mule brought the U.S. Army to a halt.

Jackie DorothyJuly 21, 2024

Folk singer and educator Hank Cramer loves to spend time talking about historic events as well as singing songs that are related to those events – such as songs that would have been sung on the California Trail.

Retired Wyoming Army Officer Keeps Historic Overland Trails Music Alive

Retired U.S. Army officer Hank Cramer spends much of his summers traveling around Wyoming sharing the folk music and stories of its historic overland trails. For many pioneers, their music was key to keeping spirits up and motivated.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 21, 2024

Western AF, a Wyoming-based YouTube channel with nearly 235,000 subscribers, features up-and-coming country music artists, like Nick Shoulders.

Wyoming-Based Western AF Is Shaking Up The Country Music Landscape

Two Laramie, Wyoming-based videographers are shaking up the country music landscape with their YouTube channel, Western AF. It spotlights some of the emerging country artists, giving them a platform to gain exposure.

Renée JeanJuly 21, 2024

Smokey Bear is flown from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to his new home at the Washington National Zoo in a Piper J-3 Cub by New Mexico Assistant State Game Warden Homer C. Pickens in 1950. The little bear was rescued from a forest fire and named Smokey after the fire prevention symbol of the U.S. Forest Service.

The American West: Smokey Bear, America’s Most Iconic Forest Ranger

How a scared little 5-pound bear cub who survived a devastating wildfire in 1950 became a national icon. Smokey Bear remains America’s most iconic and recognizable forest ranger.

James A. CrutchfieldJuly 21, 2024

On the outside, the Conoco station at Point of Rocks, Wyoming, looks like any other place to fill up. Inside, it's also a repository of the area's history.

In Tiny Point Of Rocks, Wyoming, There's A Museum Inside The Conoco Station

The Conoco Station in Point of Rocks, Wyoming, is a little oasis in a spot with no other services for miles. It also has a tiny museum filled with artifacts from an area that used to be on the Overland Stage Route.

Renée JeanJuly 21, 2024

The silhouette of riders against fiery letters, Legend of Rawhide.

Around Wyoming: Lusk’s Legend Of Rawhide An Immersive Wild West Experience

Legend of Rawhide is a Lusk tradition -- held on the second weekend of every July -- that reenacts the culture clash between pioneers and Native American tribes. It’s an immersive experience with gunshots and hillside fire.

Renée JeanJuly 21, 2024

John Wayne during a scene of the movie "Hellfighters."

Casper Still Excited For John Wayne Visit 56 Years After He Filmed ‘Hellfighters’

It’s been 56 years since Hollywood legend John Wayne visited Casper to film “Hellfighters,” but locals are still excited about it. The movie featured an elite hotshot crew of oil rig firefighters and filmed some of its most spectacular scenes in Wyoming.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 20, 2024

Guy Holt rides the legendary rodeo bronc Steamboat in 1903.

The American West: Steamboat Embodies Wyoming’s Cowboy Legacy

Wyoming’s most enduring symbol is our cowboy license plate. It's an old argument across Wyoming as to the rider depicted on the license plate. In Pinedale, old timers may tell you it’s Guy Holt. In Lander, sentiment leans toward Stub Farlow. In Laramie, the name most often mentioned is Jake Maring.

Candy MoultonJuly 20, 2024

A typical Wyoming sheep herd and wagon in 1909.

At The Height Of Wyoming’s Sheep Wars, Raiders Clubbed, Shot And Blew Up Sheep

Upping the ante in their war against sheep men, Wyoming cattle ranchers clubbed, shot and blew sheep up with dynamite. While the Spring Creek Raid of 1909 is the most famous clash, it really began along Badwater Creek in 1904.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 20, 2024

Wyoming Woman To Ride 620-Mile Mongolian Derby, World’s Toughest Horse Race

Dede Anders of Powell is confident her medical and equestrian experience will help her win the grueling 620-mile Mongol Derby. Anders will embark on a 9-day ride, spending 11 hours a day in the saddle across 620 miles of Mongolia's vast, isolated wilderness.

Andrew RossiJuly 20, 2024

Matilda "Tillie" Bock Sewell earned a reputation as being cowboy tough and a true Wyoming cowboy around Weston County.

Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame: Matilda ‘Tillie’ Bock Sewell Spent Years In The Saddle

In Wyoming ranch country, gender is irrelevant. Anyone who can do the job is a cowboy. Tillie Bock Sewell grew up riding horses in Weston County, and was one of the toughest cowboys in the region. She'll be inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame in October.

Candy MoultonJuly 20, 2024

A rock drilling contest on Shoshoni's main street in 1908.

Wyoming History: In Early 1900s, Streets Of Shoshoni Were Paved With Gold

When a prospector accidentally spilled gold dust in the streets of Shoshoni in 1906, it sparked rumors the streets were paved with gold. Pandemonium erupted as people ran out on the dusty roads with picks and shovels in a mad dash to scoop up the precious metal.

Renée JeanJuly 20, 2024

Apex, a 75% complete Stegosaurus fossil, is on display at Sotheby’s in New York City prior to its auction. It fetched a record $44.6 million.

Record $45 Million For Stegosaurus Could Prompt Finders To Sell Rather Than Donate

Apex, a 75% complete Stegosaurus skeleton, sold for a record $44.6 million at a Sotheby's auction this week. The huge price tag could influence Wyoming ranch owners to cash-in at private auctions over donating their prehistoric finds.

Andrew RossiJuly 20, 2024

The Park County Animal Shelter is the only facility of its kind in northwest Wyoming, serving communities within a 100-mile radius. But it's on a path to close before the end of the year if it doesn't get more donations.

Without Cash, Northwest Wyoming's Only Animal Shelter Could Close In Months

The cash-strapped Park County Animal Shelter, the only one in northwest Wyoming, could only have a few months left if donations don’t pick up. While costs have increased, donations have fallen off for the shelter that serves the Bighorn Basin.

Andrew RossiJuly 19, 2024

Sheridan 4-Year-Old Defies Medical Odds, Awakes From Coma And Is Recovering

Doctors said 4-year-old Serafina Blue Day might not be able to talk or hear after she suffered brain damage in a two-story fall last month. But then she woke from 10-day coma and by Sunday, she'd regained her spunky personality.

Clair McFarlandJuly 16, 2024

Carmeron Wagner flies his balloon, left, in the early morning above central Casper.

Let's Go Hot Air Ballooning Over Casper

Cowboy State Daily reporter Dale Killingbeck on Friday hopped into a wicker basket, and let a pilot launch him into the air over Casper by blasting flames into a nylon balloon.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 14, 2024

Walter and Sharon Merschat have restored the exterior of the home that includes gingerbread-style siding at the top. Original windows had to be replaced because the mountain winds blew them out during the buildings first winter.

Casper Couple Transforms Former Drug House Into Wyoming Mountain Retreat

When Walter and Sharon Merschat heard that a 'drug house' was getting demolished by the City of Casper, they stopped inside to take a look. They saw the woodwork and told the city "you can't do this." The city gave them one month to move the house.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 14, 2024

The American West: The Battle of Granby -- 2004

Marvin Heemeyer climbed into his improvised tank-bulldozer, cranked up the engine, and proceeded to drive through the wall of his rented building onto the parking lot of business neighbor Cody Docheff’s newly constructed concrete plant.

James A. CrutchfieldJuly 14, 2024

The American West: Fort Laramie Attacked

Though one of the most important military forts in the West, Fort Laramie lacked fortifications. It was an open assemblage of buildings that one might usually expect to find within protective walls of any U.S. Army fort in the Nineteenth Century.

Terry A. Del BeneJuly 14, 2024

Are We Dating The Same Guy? Wyoming Women Use Facebook To Avoid Dating Disasters

A Wyoming woman created “Are We Dating The Same Guy 307” Facebook page in 2023 as a forum for women to share information about the statewide dating scene and to help expose cheaters. In less than 18 months, it has become a very active page with more than 10,000 members.

Jen KocherJuly 14, 2024

A grid is laid out at the Willow Springs archaeological site. The site is in the Laramie Valley and once may have served as a stagecoach stop on the Overland Trail.

Forgotten 1860s Wyoming Stagecoach Stop Reveals Artifacts Thousands Of Years Old

A recent dig on a long-forgotten archaeological site at a private Laramie Valley ranch has uncovered more than 10,000 artifacts that date back to prehistoric times, the Plains Indian Wars and an apparent mercantile in the 1870s.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 14, 2024

Chapel Of The Transfiguration: 100 Years Of Worship In Grand Teton National Park

The Chapel of the Transfiguration was built in Grand Teton National Park 100 years ago when early settlers got fed up with a 25-mile ride to church on Sundays. Now it's a must-see tourist destination, popular wedding chapel, and still-functioning Episcopal church.

Jake NicholsJuly 14, 2024

Two-time Rodeo Photographer of the year Christopher "Click" Thompson breaks out his camera to take a few photos, front, while Carrie Mazelin does the same, back, at the Cody Stampede Rodeo's slack event.

Cody Stampede Launched Click Thompson's Career As Top Rodeo Photographer

The Cody Stampede launched two-time Rodeo Photographer of the Year Christopher "Click" Thompson’s career. He was back last week to shoot the Stampede and host a master class for aspiring rodeo shutterbugs.

Renée JeanJuly 14, 2024

Wyoming Bartenders: Wrong Orders, Bad Tips, Getting Hit-On, Here's What Bugs 'Em

As a public service to our readers, Cowboy State Daily visited many Wyoming bars and asked the bartenders about their jobs. They like most everything about their profession but there are a few things that drive them crazy.

Jake NicholsJuly 14, 2024

Paul Terry takes in Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park, one of the park's most popular and colorful attractions.

Decades After Visiting As A Kid, Cheyenne Man Gets Wish For Yellowstone Return

Paul Terry visited Yellowstone National Park as a kid and always longed to return, but never did. That is until this week, when the 78-year-old Cheyenne man had his wish granted by AARP.

Leo WolfsonJuly 14, 2024

Cody’s First Church Was Built With Money Won In High-Stakes Poker Game

The “Poker Church,” as it’s affectionately known, was the first church built in Cody. It was partially built with winnings from a lively poker game in 1900 that included Buffalo Bill Cody.

Amber SteinmetzJuly 13, 2024

Stockton Buck, left, and Rachel Lear are two of four Wyoming students awarded in the latest round of mikeroweWORKS Foundation scholarships.

Four Wyoming Students Win Mike Rowe's Work Ethic Scholarships

Four Wyoming students are among the latest round of Mike Rowe Work Ethic Scholarship winners which were announced on Thursday night. The popular “Dirty Jobs” TV host says he’s fighting a shift in society that doesn’t value hard work.

Andrew RossiJuly 13, 2024

With temperatures nearing 95 in Cheyenne on Friday, the Dairy Queen on Pershing Boulvard was a popular place. The drive-thru line stretched around the building a little afte 3 p.m.

Heat Records Fall Across Wyoming, And More Could Follow

The heat wave that’s been baking much of the U.S. West is making its way into Wyoming. Several towns in the western part of the state set record highs Thursday, and more will follow as the heat moves across the Cowboy State.

Andrew RossiJuly 12, 2024

Record-Setting Death Valley Heat Wave On The Way To Wyoming

A heat wave that saw Death Valley hit a record high of 128 degrees Sunday is coming to Wyoming. While the heat won’t be that extreme here, some spots in eastern Wyoming could have a record-setting string of highs in triple digits.

Greg JohnsonJuly 08, 2024

The "castle" at Guernsey State Park in Wyoming.

Guernsey State Park’s Castle Could Be Most Over-The-Top Picnic Shelter In U.S.

It’s not every day one goes to a state park just for its architecture, but Guernsey State Park is a little bit different. It’s a very large and complex picnic shelter that looks so much like a castle, that’s what everyone calls it.

Renée JeanJuly 07, 2024

Wyoming’s Bucking Horse Logo Dates Back To WWI — And It’s Not Steamboat

There are few things that say “Wyoming” more than its bucking horse and rider logo. What’s not as well-known is its origin. It was drawn during World War I by a Wyoming artist fighting in the war. And it wasn't based on Steamboat.

Leo WolfsonJuly 07, 2024

Logan Wilson at this weekend's golf tournament for the foundation started in memory of little Brooks Anderson. Inset, Jamie Anderson gets her son Brooks to laugh. She said her journey of loss has caused her to go deep into the study of grief. She started a blog that has helped other women.

NFL's Logan Wilson Back In Casper Supporting Coach Who Lost Baby To SIDS

Casper's Logan Wilson was back in town this weekend participating in the Brooks Joshua Memorial Golf Tournament to raise awareness for SIDS. The NFL star's high school coach lost his baby to SIDS eight years ago.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 07, 2024

The American West: How Calamity Jane Earned Her Stripes As An Army Scout

Sporting buckskin and a rifle, Calamity Jane looked every bit the part of a Western frontierswoman. She didn’t take kindly to the word “no" and quickly proved herself as an invaluable Army scout for troops in the Black Hills region.

Candy MoultonJuly 07, 2024

Cody Theatre owner Ryan Fernandez stands next to the swamp cooler in the historic Cody Theatre. Despite its age, the nearly 90-year-old unit still works with only a few minor improvements needed.

Nearly 90 Years Old, Wyoming's First Air Conditioner Still Works

When the Cody Theatre opened on the historic Western town’s main street in 1937, one of its main attractions was being the first air-conditioned building in Wyoming. Nearly 90 years later, it's still working and is a great example of if it ain't broke, don’t fix it.

Andrew RossiJuly 07, 2024

Wyoming History: Gebo Was Built By A Mining Boom, Now It’s A Ghost Town

As a booming coal mining community, Gebo exploded into the biggest town in the Bighorn Basin. It saw people from 16 nations settle there, but Gebo couldn’t survive the bust that came after its boom. Now it’s a ghost town.

Renée JeanJuly 07, 2024

The Fort Laramie Bridge across the North Platte River intially served Wyoming Territory and then the state of Wyoming through county ownership until 1958.

Wyoming History: Fort Laramie Bridge Connected West To Indian Wars And Gold Boom

The 149-year-old, 400-foot Fort Laramie bridge is a remarkable feat of 19th century engineering. It spanned the North Platte, connecting the Army to the Great Sioux War and fortune-seekers to a gold boom.

Dale KillingbeckJuly 07, 2024

In the early days of Cheyenne, Rollins House was a destination as a proper hotel in what was mostly a tent city.

Before The Hitching Post, The Rollins House Was Wyoming's Unofficial 2nd Capitol

Before the Hitching Post became Cheyenne’s unofficial second state capitol — where most legislators would hobnob over drinks and dinner, sometimes working out their differences at all hours — there was the Rollins House on present-day 16th Street.

Renée JeanJuly 06, 2024

St. Alban's Chapel in the scenic Snowy Range Mountains in southern Wyoming is a favorite spot for spring and early summer weddings.

Tiny St. Alban’s Chapel In The Middle Of Nowhere A Favorite Wyoming Wedding Spot

Nestled in the Snowy Range Mountains sits a quiet mountain chapel. With stunning views of the Centennial Valley , St. Alban’s Chapel near Little Brooklyn Lake draws outdoor enthusiasts, engaged couples and parishioners of St. Matthew’s Cathedral to the site year after year.

Amber SteinmetzJuly 06, 2024

Dave Stamey performs at the Colorado Cowboy Gathering in 2022.

Legendary Cowboy Crooner Dave Stamey Won Over Wyoming One Show At A Time

Cowboy singer-songwriter Dave Stamey is one of the most celebrated Western entertainers alive today. Eight-time Entertainer of the Year, seven-time Male Performer of the Year and five-time Songwriter of the Year by the Western Music Association.

Jake NicholsJuly 06, 2024

The Golden Spike ceremony on completion of the first transcontinental railroad, as trains of the Central Pacific and Union Pacific rail met at Promontory, Utah, on May 10 1869. The image is one half of a stereoscopic image.

The American West: Transcontinental Railroad Challenge No. 1 — Where To Put It

Before the first transcontinental railroad could open the untamed West to the rest of the nation, a crucial decision had to be made — where to put it.

James A. CrutchfieldJuly 06, 2024

The mounted skeleton of Diplodocus carnegii, "the Star-Spangled Dinosaur," in the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This 87-foot-long Jurassic giant from Albany County, Wyoming, was one of the first complete skeletons of a large dinosaur ever found and mounted.

125 Years Ago, The Largest Dinosaur Of The Time Was Unearthed In Albany County

On July 3, 1899, one of the most significant paleontological discoveries occurred when a massive 87-foot skeleton of a Diplodocus was unearthed in Albany County. It was the largest dinosaur ever found at the time and sent shockwaves through the paleontological world.

Andrew RossiJuly 06, 2024

Anchor Dam is having a good flow this year. But the water will soon disappear. The dam is just barely visible in the far left corner.

Anchor Dam: After A Decade And Millions Spent, It Literally Never Held Water

When it was conceived in the 1950s, Anchor Dam in Wyoming’s Bighorn Basin was going to be an oasis. But a decade of building and millions of dollars later, the project was plagued with so many flaws it was abandoned. Also, it literally never held water.

Renée JeanJuly 06, 2024

Courtesy: Climbers light up Devils Tower on Thursday, July 4, 2024.

Climbing Devils Tower At Night Is Dark, Dangerous — And "Otherworldly"

Anyone looking toward Devils Tower after sunset on the Fourth of July might have noticed balls of light slowly ascending its sheer sides. Those were climbers wearing lights and they say, the experience at night is "otherworldly."

Andrew RossiJuly 05, 2024

The iconic "Buffalo Bill — The Scout" sculpture at the end of Sheridan Avenue in Cody, Wyoming, depicts the town's founding father, Buffalo Bill Cody. It was rededicated Thursday, the 100th anniversary of its unveiling.

Cody's Buffalo Bill Statue Rededicated On 100th Anniversary

The iconic Buffalo Bill statue named "The Scout" was rededicated on Thursday, the 100th anniversary of its placement. Historians say the statue for the town of Cody is what the bucking horse and rider is to Wyoming or what the bald eagle is to the U.S.

Andrew RossiJuly 05, 2024

Military vehicles of all kinds — 30 different ones in all — are the star of the Dubois Fourth of July parade, drawing people from all over.

With 30 Tanks And Military Vehicles, Dubois 4th Of July Is An American Classic

Dubois is one of the only towns in America that can field 30 military tanks and vehicles in its Fourth of July Parade. That's because Dubois is home to the world's largest private collection of fully restored military vehicles.

Renée JeanJuly 05, 2024

The Central Wyoming Fair and Rodeo in Casper.

Weekend In Wyoming: Central Wyoming Fair, Gold Rush Days, And More

The Central Wyoming Fair is back with its outrageous poultry costume contest, carnival and monster truck rides. Or pan for gold at Gold Rush Days in South Pass City. Or celebrate all things western at Laramie Jubilee Days....

Renée JeanJuly 04, 2024

M57, or the Ring Nebula, is a planetary nebula, the glowing remains of a sun-like star. The tiny white dot in the center of the nebula is the star’s hot core, called a white dwarf.

Ring Nebula Is The Grand Prismatic Spring Of Wyoming's Summer Skies

The Ring Nebula, also known as Messier 57, is the Grand Prismatic Spring of the cosmos. Located in the constellation Lyra, it's one of the most colorful celestial sights in the night skies over Wyoming this summer.

Andrew RossiJuly 04, 2024

The famous Budweiser Clydesdales lead off the third annual Rock Springs Liberty Parade on Thursday, July 4, 2024.

World-Famous Budweiser Clydesdales Wow Rock Springs Fourth Of July Paradegoers

Hundreds of people waited for hours Thursday to watch the word-famous Budweiser Clydesdales lead off the Rock Springs Liberty Parade. And the gentle giants didn’t disappoint.

Greg JohnsonJuly 04, 2024

Wyoming Paramedics Advise Not Shooting Fireworks From Your Orifices Or At People

To stay injury-free this Fourth of July, paramedics in Wyoming advise not to shoot fireworks from any of your orifices or at people. Cutting down on alcohol is a good strategy too, they say.

Andrew RossiJuly 04, 2024

The Cody Stampede Parade on July 3, 2024, featured plenty of horses — as usual.

Wyoming's Fourth of July Starts Early With Cody Stampede Parade

Fourth of July in Wyoming got its traditional early start Wednesday with the first of two Cody Stampede Parades. Thousands of people packed Sheridan Avenue for Grand Marshal Larry the Cable Guy and horses — lots of horses.

Andrew RossiJuly 03, 2024

Cowboy State Daily outdoors writer Mark Heinz plays "The Star Spangled Banner" on his Stihl MS 261 chainsaw.

Reporter’s Notebook: ‘Star Spangled Banner’ On A Chainsaw A CSD Tradition

What started out as a way for outdoors writer to annoy his neighbors has become a patriotic Cowboy State Daily tradition. Mark Heinz comes in with his 2024 chainsaw rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Mark HeinzJuly 03, 2024

Happy Fourth Of July: Where To Watch Fireworks Across Wyoming

Dozens of Wyoming communities will celebrate Independence Day on Thursday with parades, barbecues, concerts and firework shows. Here is a list of many of the celebrations. If we missed any, let us know!

Andrew RossiJuly 02, 2024

Sky Element Drone Shows uses computer choreographed drones to create patriotic Fourth of July shows.

Wyoming Won't Be Ditching Traditional Fireworks For Drones On July 4

More cities -- such as Boulder, Colorado -- are ditching their traditional Fourth of July fireworks blowouts for elaborate, computer-choreographed drone light shows. Not in Wyoming though. We still like to watch stuff explode.

Mark HeinzJuly 02, 2024

The Cody Stampede Parade on July 4, 2023. Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day said daytime temperatures will be in the high 60s and low 70s this year, and there's a chance parade routes in northern Wyoming could look much like they did last year, with overnight and early morning showers and thunderstorms.

Expect A Wet Wyoming Fourth Of July Up To 15 Degrees Cooler Than Average

Wyoming residents can expect Mother Nature to rain on their parades, barbecues and campouts for this week’s Fourth of July celebrations. It will also be as much as 15 degrees cooler than average.

Andrew RossiJuly 01, 2024

This scare, starving and dehydrated pooch that's been nammed Libby had been stuck in this deep concrete water tank for day when Worland city workers noticed her. Woorland firefighters then rescued Libby, who is recovering.

Dog Almost Dies In Abandoned Water Tank Before Worland Firefighters Rescue Her

A dog was found at the bottom of an abandoned water treatment holding tank in Worland. With sheer concrete walls and no ramps or ladders, there was no way for the unfortunate pooch to escape. Thanks to Worland firefighters, she survived and is recovering.

Andrew RossiJuly 01, 2024

Origin Of Famous Baby-Switching Prank In ‘The Virginian’ May Be Unraveled — Again

Many Wyoming communities have claimed they inspired the baby-switching prank pulled by The Virginian in Owen Wister’s famous novel of the same name. A historian, however, says the location really is Thermopolis.

Renée JeanJune 30, 2024

An example of an earthflow near a roadway in this file photo.

It's Earthflow Season, And They're Wreaking Havoc On Wyoming Roads

An earthflow is actively destroying a road in Meeteetse and there's nothing anyone can do about it until the area dries out. It can happen anywhere in Wyoming, and does. Although with summer, the "earthflow season" is coming to an end.

Andrew RossiJune 30, 2024

Copman's Tomb is a distinctive feature in the Bighorn Basin

Wyoming History: Copman’s Tomb Named For Man Who Wanted To Fly Off It In 1880s

Copman’s Tomb, in Wyoming's Bighorn Basin, is named for a German trapper, farmer and inventor who in the 1880s invented a flying machine -- which reportedly worked -- and planned on flying it off the mountain top.

Dale KillingbeckJune 30, 2024

Erik Kvale uses a poster to explain the paleoecology of the Red Gulch Dinosaur Tracksite. Kvale was one of the Greybull residents who discovered the limestone exposure in 1997, which preserves over 800 dinosaur footprints from the Middle Jurassic Sundance Formation.

Red Gulch Dinosaur Trackway One Of The Most Important Fossil Deposits In The World

The Red Gulch Dinosaur Trackway is a unique record of a time when Greybull, Wyoming, was beachfront property and when dinosaurs roamed the shores of an ancient sea about 160 million years ago during the Jurassic Period.

Andrew RossiJune 30, 2024

Big Boy 4014 makes the first stop on its 2024 summer tour in Laramie, Wyoming, on Sunday morning, June 30, 2024. Hundreds of curious people and serious train buffs waited for more than two hours to get a good viewing spot.,

Big Boy 4014 Gets Big Welcome At First Whistlestop In Laramie

In the world of steam engines, Big Boy 4014 is a rock star, and it got a rock star welcome on Sunday. Hundreds of people lined up in downtown Laramie for the first whistlestop on its 2024 summer tour.

Greg JohnsonJune 30, 2024

The two-story outhouse at the Grand Encampment Museum may seem odd, but actually makes sense. The second story isn't for volume use, its to use when the snow's so deep the bottom level is blocked. Also, the holes have luxurious beaver pelt covers.

Believe It Or Not, Rural Wyoming 2-Story Outhouse Makes Sense

One of the more bizarre and interesting attractions at the Grand Encampment Museum in southern Wyoming is a historic 2-story outhouse, and believe it or not, it actually makes sense.

Amber SteinmetzJune 30, 2024

This painting depicts Fr. Pierr-Jean De Smet, who traveled extensively throughout the early West spreading the gospel and establishing Catholic missions.

The American West: Fr. Pierre De Smet, The Jesuit Priest Who Baptized The West

Jesuit priest Fr. Pierre-Jean De Smet was born in Belgium, but found his life’s calling establishing Catholic missions throughout the early settlement of the West, including holding the first Catholic mass in Wyoming.

Candy MoultonJune 30, 2024

Graves of the victims of the 1864 attack on the Kelly-Larimer wagon train. William Larimer, the Rev. Andrew Sharp, Noah Taylor and Franklin Sullivan are buried in a single grave on the left; Little Mary Kelly, as she was known in contemporary accounts, is buried in the right-hand grave.

The American West: The 1864 Attack On The Kelly-Larimer Wagon Train

All that’s left today of the July 12, 1864, attack on the Kelly-Larimer Wagon Train in what would later become Wyoming Territory are the harrowing accounts of women taken captive and a small graveyard.

Terry A. Del BeneJune 29, 2024

Ranch hand and rodeo cowboy Herschel Clay "Tricky" Riggle was sentenced to death for killing his fiancée and a local ranch hand at a Wheatland café in 1953.

The Wyoming Rodeo Clown Who Gunned Down 2 People In 1953

It was a notorious crime in Wheatland 71 years ago that seems to have been lost to history. Rodeo clown Tricky Riggle gunned down his fiancée and her companion, escaped the gas chamber and continued his act even while in prison.

Jake NicholsJune 29, 2024

When People Disappear In Yellowstone National Park, Some Are Never Found

Despite huge acreage and treacherous terrain, most missing persons at Yellowstone National Park are found. But a small number of disappearances have never been solved. The reasons why are as vast as the park.

Jen KocherJune 29, 2024

We Tried The Huitlacoche (Corn Smut) And It Was Fantastic

Many readers were repulsed when we introduced them to Huitlacoche, aka “corn smut,” two weeks ago. So we asked Wyoming celebrity chef Petrina Peart to prepare it and she proved looks can be deceiving. It was fantastic.

Renée JeanJune 29, 2024

"How 'Bout Them Cowgirls" by Buffalo artist D. Michael Thomas.

Stroke Of Luck Saves Cheyenne Frontier Days Cowgirl Sculpture From Devastating Fire

A new sculpture honoring cowgirls called “How ’Bout Them Cowgirls,” at Cheyenne Frontier Days was dedicated Friday at Frontier Park, but it almost didn’t happen. A stroke of luck saved it from a devastating fire.

Renée JeanJune 29, 2024

Big Boy 4014 will roll into Laramie at 10:45 a.m. Sunday morning.

This Weekend In Wyoming: Big Boy On The Rails Again And Cody Stampede

Summer really gets rolling this weekend with some premiere Wyoming events: The Cody Stampede, a huge rodeo that leads up to July 4, and Big Boy No. 4014 hitting the rails for its big summer tour.

Renée JeanJune 28, 2024

A red giant star is orbited by a white dwarf in this illustration of how a nova like the T Coronae Borealis could happen.

Once-In-A-Lifetime Nova Should Appear In Wyoming Skies This Summer

Like clockwork, a nova from the star T Coronea Borealis has been seen every 80 years for centuries. Astronomers expect the explosion to appear in the skies a couple years early this time which means it should be visible above Wyoming before the end of the summer.

Andrew RossiJune 27, 2024

Mitch Godwin takes on the yoke device with 950-pounds attached to walk 100 feet across the gym.

Sheridan Native Wins 2024 U.S. Strongman Nationals

Sheridan native Mitch Godwin calls himself a regular “working-class guy” with his day job at the local wastewater treatment plant. Outside of that, he’s a beast in the gym, winning the U.S. Strongman Nationals earlier this month.

Dale KillingbeckJune 25, 2024

Carole Trusheim Waters brought a special gift for the Hot Springs County Museum. It's a play station her dad built for Waters and her sister Billy Jean when they were kids growing up in Gebo. He used old shipping crates to make it, and painted it a cheery yellow. It was a way to make do, Waters said, and making do was a way of life for the people who once lived in the coal mining town.

Growing Up In Gebo: Resident Recalls Ghost Town From Nearly 90 Years Ago

Carol Trusheim Waters came back for the 70th annual History Trek at the ghost town of Gebo, Wyoming, over the weekend. She recalled going to first grade there nearly 90 years ago and being told she had to learn English in three months (which she did).

Renée JeanJune 24, 2024

Clay Gibbons talks to a tour group he's taking to the Hole in the Wall.

The Wyoming Historian Who Unraveled The Mysteries Of 115-Year-Old Spring Creek Raid

Finding the exact locations of the Spring Creek Raid near Ten Sleep and filling out the rest of the story took a lifetime of detective work by Wyoming historian Clay Gibbons, as well as a little bit of what he believes was divine intervention.

Renée JeanJune 23, 2024

Jonny Kulow, left, and Adam Chaney of the United States react after a swim-off during the Men's 50-meter freestyle semifinal on Day Six of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium on June 20, 2024, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Lander Swimmer Jonny Kulow Part Of Rare Double Swim-Off At Olympic Trials

Jonny Kulow was one of the most decorated athletes in Wyoming prep swimming history in Lander. On Thursday, the five-time Pac-12 Conference champion was part of a rare double swim-off at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis.

Amber SteinmetzJune 23, 2024

An illustration depicting Fetterman's Massacre that was printed in Harper's Weekly on March 23, 1867. The battle was Dec. 21, 1866.

The American West: Fetterman’s Massacre Was High Drama On The High Plains

The bloody and ill-advised skirmish with Indian warriors at Fort Phil Kearny in 1866 that became known as Fetterman's Massacre didn’t have to happen. Capt. William J. Fetterman disregarded orders and got his troops wiped out.

James A. CrutchfieldJune 23, 2024

Wyoming's own Ian Munsick sold out Red Rocks for a June 6 performance, checking off a bucket-list item for the Sheridan Country-Western star.

After Playing Red Rocks, Ian Munsick Says Ultimate Dream Is Cheyenne Frontier Days

After selling out Red Rocks earlier this month, rising Wyoming country music star Ian Munsick says his ultimate dream is to headline Cheyenne Frontier Days. "That's where my heart will always be," he said.

Renée JeanJune 23, 2024

Kim Merchant built his covered wagon in 2001 and then joined wagon train reenactment from Fort Laramie, Wyoming to Virginia City, Montana. He said he learned patience on the trip.

Casper Man Who Built His Own Covered Wagon Likes To Live Like It’s 1869

Casper 77-year-old Kim Merchant likes to live like it’s 1869, including building his own covered wagon and teaching others how hardy and self-sufficient Wyoming’s first pioneers had to be.

Dale KillingbeckJune 22, 2024

Esterbrook Community Church was officially recognized by the Episcopal Church at a dedication ceremony in 1946. The building was constructed in 1943.

Esterbrook Church, Where Couples Go For A Perfect Wyoming Western Wedding

The call from overseas did not surprise the pastor. Just another couple who wanted to get married at the base of Laramie Peak in the little log church building with the bell in Esterbrook, Wyoming.

Dale KillingbeckJune 22, 2024

Historic Fort Laramie was an important military and exploratory outpost along the trails that brought pioneers to the West.

Wyoming History: Fort Laramie Was Where The West Was Won — And Lost

Wyoming’s historic Fort Laramie has been called the most important fort not only in Wyoming, but in the entire West. It was viewed as a lifeline for emigrants, housed troops, and offered a strategic meeting place for whites and natives to resolve their differences and trade.

Dale KillingbeckJune 22, 2024

William Stocks, front, holds mountain man Jim Baker's sword up, demonstrating where it might be placed at the Little Snake River Museum, while LSR Museum board member Jim Roberts and LSR Museum Director Lela Emmons look on. Stocks has donated the sword to the museum, where it will join other Baker items on display.

Famous Wyoming Mountain Man Jim Baker’s Sword Found, Donated To Museum

William Stocks of Dixon inherited mountain man Jim Baker’s sword from his father, whose grandmother was given it by Baker himself. Last Monday, Stocks donated it to the Little Snake River Museum and now everyone can see it.

Renée JeanJune 22, 2024

Patrick Stafford, center, and his band Full Tilt play Stafford’s tunes at Chris LeDoux Days in Kayee, Wyoming.

Meet Casper’s Singing Firefighter, Who Burned Up The Stage At Chris Ledoux Days

Patrick Stafford is a firefighter in Casper who is also an aspiring musician. The country guitarist and songwriter was well-received during his set at Chris LeDoux Days in Kaycee last weekend.

Dale KillingbeckJune 22, 2024

Bareback rider Logan Patterson rides during the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo on July 23, 2017, in this file photo.

Rodeo For Dummies: Wyoming’s Favorite Sport Explained For The City Slicker

Summer in Wyoming is rodeo season. Hundreds of thousands of fans attend regular community rodeos, county fair rodeos and, of course, the largest outdoor rodeo in the world. Don't know much about it? Here's a primer.

Jake NicholsJune 22, 2024

When Rudyard Kipling visited Yellowstone National Park, he wasn't impressed, writing that, "Today I am in the Yellowstone Park, and I wish I were dead."

The American West: That Time Rudyard Kipling Came To Yellowstone And Wasn’t Impressed

Rudyard Kipling was in a foul and despicable mood when his editor sent him to visit America. He was not impressed with the American West. "Today I am in the Yellowstone Park, and I wish I were dead," he wrote.

Terry A. Del BeneJune 22, 2024

Wyoming Photographer Snaps Nearly Perfect Image Of State Logo

Wyoming photographer Michael Magill spent years chasing a perfect photo that shows off the spirit of Wyoming. He captured a nearly identical image of the state logo last weekend at a rodeo in Chugwater.

Renée JeanJune 22, 2024

Clay Gibbons watches a music video by Kiesza at his ranch between Worland and Thermopolis. The video includes a poem he wrote in college for a classroom assignment. He was 23 when he wrote the poem.

Pop Star Kiesza Came To Wyoming To Dig Fossils And Discovered A Cowboy Poet

“The Mysterious Disappearance of Etta Place,” a new single from Canadian pop star Kiesza, is not only about Wyoming, its music video was filmed here and features a poem by Worland's cowboy historian Clay Gibbons.

Renée JeanJune 22, 2024

A rider between Glenrock and Casper covers her 2 miles of ground as part of the National Pony Express Association’s 2024 re-ride.

Pony Express Riding Through Wyoming In Annual Re-Ride This Weekend

The annual National Pony Express Association’s re-ride was kicking up dust through central Wyoming on Friday, and will be blazing a trail through the Cowboy State until early Sunday.

Dale KillingbeckJune 21, 2024

Alan and Ann Simpson were married in June, 1954, five months after baseball player Joe DiMaggio and movie star Marilyn Monroe were wed.

Wyoming People: Sen. Al And Ann Simpson Celebrate 70th Anniversary

Al Simpson and his wife Ann celebrate their 70th anniversary Friday. The former U.S. senator from Wyoming has long joked his wife tells him their marriage "is a religious experience. She says it's a living hell."

Ruffin PrevostJune 21, 2024

Don’t Panic! Several ‘Yellowstone’ Spinoffs In The Works For When Series Ends

Kevin Costner made it official on Thursday, he will not appear in the second half of "Yellowstone's" fifth and final season. But rabid fans of the franchise don’t have to panic — there are several additional spinoffs in the works.

Andrew RossiJune 21, 2024

Supercell thunderstorm produced a tornado which touched down near Yoder, Wyoming on June 20, 2024..

Supercell In Southeast Wyoming Produces Tornado, Softball-Sized Hail

Huge hail, 60 mph winds and at least one tornado touched down in southeast Wyoming on Thursday afternoon as a supercell thunderstorm passed through the area. The tornado touched down near the town of Yoder.

Andrew RossiJune 20, 2024

Look For Huge Full Moon Friday During Once-A-Generation Lunar Standstill

The full moon will look huge Friday as it hits a once-in-a-generation phase called “lunistice,” or lunar standstill. The phenomenon, which happens every 18 1/2 years, will make the moon will appear gigantic and especially bright.

Andrew RossiJune 19, 2024

A horse and buggy brings guests in to the Esterbrook Church. Cars are parked a distance away, to leave room for those arriving the old fashioned way.

Once A Year, It’s Bring-Your-Horse-To Church Sunday In Esterbrook, Wyoming

This past Sunday, the townspeople of Esterbrook, Wyoming, celebrated the 20th anniversary of the "bring-your horse-to-church" event to celebrate Father's Day. They call it "Buckboard Sunday" and it has become quite the community affair.

Renée JeanJune 17, 2024

Here Comes The Snow! Up To 4 Inches Of Snow Expected For Parts Of Wyoming

As the calendar turns from spring to summer this week, the weather around Wyoming hasn't heard the news. Up to 4 inches of snow expected in Wyoming's higher elevations and the Beartooth Highway.

Andrew RossiJune 17, 2024

Sit down among the goats and you quickly become part of their idea of goat yoga, as Kristi Walk finds out.

Cheyenne Kids Go Wild Getting Their Own Urban Goats To Play With

Javier Garcia was riding his bike near Sun Valley Park in Cheyenne when he happened to see something unusual going on. Someone was unloading a bunch of goats and they were being handed off to random people.

Renée JeanJune 16, 2024

Wyoming climatologist Jan Curtis watching the aurora borealis at Glendo State Park

Think Wyoming Weather Is Volatile? It’s Nothing Compared To Space Weather

Longtime Wyoming climatologist Jan Curtis spends much of his time studying space weather. So does meteorologist Don Day. And the fantastic aurora borealis display we witnessed last month is just the tip of the iceberg.

Andrew RossiJune 16, 2024

Left, A portrait based off of a historic sketch by Paul Kane that might be of Narcissa Whitman. Right, Eliza Spalding.

The American West: First Missionary Women At Rendezvous Were True Trailblazers

Eliza Spalding and Narcissa Whitman were the first white women to come west in 1836. Although riding in a wagon across the Kansas and Nebraska was not a smooth journey, they found it to be a great mode of transportation.

Candy MoultonJune 16, 2024

A lighting strike during a thunderstorm on June 17, 1921, set Midwest Refinery oil storage tanks on fire. It would take a huge effort to prevent further disaster.

Wyoming History: June 17, 1921, The Day Lightning Set 7 Huge Oil Tanks Ablaze

A thunderstorm over Casper on June 17, 1921, left disaster in its wake when it struck a huge oil storage tank ablaze, which spread to six others, burning for days and consuming 350,000 barrels of oil.

Dale KillingbeckJune 16, 2024

The Crystal Castle 23 miles west of Cheyenne near Crystal Lake was built in the 1960s by a man named Harry Widholm, who used 30,000 glass embalming fluid bottles to create a lake cabin — his castle away from home.

Wyoming’s ‘Crystal Castle’ Is Made From 30,000 Glass Embalming Fluid Bottles

Wyoming’s “Crystal Castle” is 23 miles west of Cheyenne and about 2 miles from Crystal Lake Reservoir in Curt Gowdy State Park. The vacation cabin was made from 30,000 embalming fluid bottles in the 1960s.

Renée JeanJune 16, 2024

After 115 years, Wyoming's only remaining steel truss bridge, Monarch Bridge near Sheridan, has officially been retired.

115-Year-Old Last Remaining Wyoming Steel Truss Bridge Put Out To Pasture

The historic 115-year-old Monarch Bridge, the last steel truss bridge in the Wyoming, was officially retired last week and put out to pasture. It once provided thousands of miners and tons of coal a passageway across the Tongue River northeast of Sheridan.

Dale KillingbeckJune 16, 2024

This wood engraving depicting Sioux warriors charging at the Battle of the Rosebud was printed in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper on Aug. 12, 1876.

Wyoming History: Battle Of The Rosebud Started Great Sioux Wars Of 1876

Battle of the Rosebud was the opening shot of the Great Sioux Wars of 1876, bolstering Sitting Bull and his allies to a historic victory at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

Dale KillingbeckJune 16, 2024

Not all bulls get along. These three do. College National Finals Rodeo contractor Kirsten Vold said part of her efforts are aimed at keeping things peaceful in the bull pens.

Keeping Bulls From Being Bullied Just Part Of The Gig For CNFR Stock Manager

For 25 years, Kirsten Vold has conducted a symphony of controlled chaos managing the bulls and broncs from 10 College National Finals Rodeo stock contractors. That includes keeping bulls from being bullied.

Dale KillingbeckJune 15, 2024

For nearly 200 years, the rendezvous has been a truly American invention that not only promoted westward expansion and exploration, it was — and still is — one hell of a party.

American West: The Rendezvous Was — And Still Is — One Hell Of A Party

In 1825, Gen. William Ashley introduced a system known as the rendezvous, a methodology that revolutionized, but also simplified, the entire concept of trading with the American Indians. A total of 15 annual rendezvous were held between 1825 and 1840 and 11 of them were in Wyoming.

James A. CrutchfieldJune 15, 2024

A lineup of $4 million Pagani supercars navigating construction in Jackson, Wyoming.

Wowzers! 50 Rare $4 Million Pagani Supercars Converge On Jackson, Wyoming

Spotting a rare $4 million Pagani, an Italian-made supercar, isn’t unusual in Jackson, Wyoming, during the summer. But 50 of them were spotted in Jackson earlier this week.

Jake NicholsJune 15, 2024

Ashlea Roberts uses a tool to keep her distance while wrangling a rattlesnake.

Meet Ashlea Roberts: The Rattlesnake Wrangler Of Rawlins, Wyoming

Rattlesnakes populate about two-thirds of Carbon County in southern Wyoming. When people there encounter the pit vipers, they call Ashlea Roberts, the rattlesnake wrangler of Rawlins.

Clair McFarlandJune 14, 2024

It’s The Middle Of June, But There’s A Winter Storm Watch Out For Yellowstone

It may be the middle of June, but Yellowstone tourists may be in for a cold dose of Wyoming weather Monday and Tuesday with a Winter Storm Watch out for the national park and Beartooth Pass.

Andrew RossiJune 14, 2024

Gillette College’s Haiden Thompson flies into the arena on a horse named Turbo during barrel racing competition on Wednesday night.

Wyoming’s Haiden Thompson Eyes Pro Card, But Won’t Repeat As CNFR All-Around Cowgirl

2023 College National Finals Rodeo All-Around Cowgirl Haiden Thompson won’t repeat, but that hasn’t stopped the Gillette College rider from planning to get her PRCA card.

Dale KillingbeckJune 14, 2024

The northern "secret route" through the Tetons from Idaho to Jackson is still snowbound, but even when clear Reclamation Road is no shortcut and not recommended.

Park Service: Don’t Try That ‘Secret Route’ To Jackson, You’ll Get Stuck In Snow

The National Park Service on Thursday advised travelers not to try the "secret route" Cowboy State Daily wrote about on Wednesday. Reclamation Road, between Idaho and Jackson, will be snowbound at least through Monday. Even then, it’s not a great road to take.

Mark HeinzJune 13, 2024

Passengers board Jackson’s Start bus in Diggs, Idaho, for a two-and-a-half hour trip to their jobs in Wyoming.

Commuters Between Idaho And Jackson Are Giving Up The Drive And Taking The Bus

With their commute time now quadrupled because of the closure of Teton Pass, more and more workers who live in Idaho and work in Jackson are taking the bus rather than making the drive. “I feel more productive on the bus," one worker said.

Pat MaioJune 13, 2024

A pair of hikers enjoy a summer hike at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in this file photo.

Weather Is Transitioning From El Niño To La Niña Which Means Hotter, Drier Conditions

Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day says weather patterns have transitioned from an El Niño to a La Niña which means Wyoming can expect a hotter, drier summer.

Andrew RossiJune 13, 2024

Reclamation Road is a secret route that goes over the Teton mountains, passes by the Grassy Lake Dam in Wyoming by the southern boundary of Yellowstone National Park, before dumping onto Wyoming State Route 191 just north of Jackson. Above, near the beginning of Reclamation Road near Squirrel, Idaho.

There’s A Secret Road From Idaho To Jackson, But You’ll Probably Need A Jeep

There’s a secret route that people living in Idaho’s Potato Belt all know about to travel over to the wealthy enclave of Jackson to do their blue-collar work. It’s called Reclamation Road, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

Pat MaioJune 13, 2024

Inside The Bill Gates Poker Game In Kemmerer

Kemmerer citizens who played Texas hold 'em with Bill Gates on Monday at the Wyoming Fossils store said the billionaire is shrewd card player who called the "bullsh*t" on one of the player's bluffs.

Pat MaioJune 11, 2024

Thayne Elshere begins his exit off the bull during competition at the College National Finals Rodeo.

Brothers Ride For Different Wyoming Teams, But Share Family Legacy Of Rodeo

Thayne and Talon Elshere are both bronc riders who currently occupy first and second place in the College National Finals Rodeo being held in Casper this week. The brothers, from a deep rodeo family, are riding for different Wyoming teams.

Dale KillingbeckJune 10, 2024

Members of the Platte Bridge Company enjoy bringing to life the history of the state from the 1820s to the 1880s.

Casper-Based Reenactor Group Brings The 1820s - 1860s To Life

The Casper-based Platte Bridge Company boasts nearly 60 reenactors intent on bringing the 1820s through 1880s off history pages and into reality for the public. They plan on traveling to several Wyoming events this summer.

Dale KillingbeckJune 09, 2024

This huge chunk of banded iron rock is a one-of-a-kind Wyoming discovery by Laramie resident Patrick Corcoran and his daughter, Cora. It's now on display at the University of Wyoming Geological Museum.

Wyoming Rock Hounds Going Nuts Over One-Of-A-Kind 2.5 Billion-Year-Old Boulder

Wyoming rock hounds are going nuts over a one-of-a-kind 2.5 billion-year-old banded iron boulder discovered by a father-daughter duo from Laramie who donated to the University of Wyoming Geological Museum.

Andrew RossiJune 09, 2024

Steam flies at a busy Kemo Sabe store in Jackson, where workers are putting the right shape on hats for waiting customers.

Cowboy Fashion Is Hip Again And People Will Spend Big Money To Look The Part

TV shows like Yellowstone and Longmire and stars like Beyonce have helped to make cowboy fashion popular again. That's good for Wyoming stores as tourists are spending big money on hats, art and all things western.

Renée JeanJune 09, 2024

The entrance to Jellystone National Park as it appears Hanna-Barbera's 1958 cartoon "Yogi Bear's Big Break." This episode was the first appearance of Yogi, Boo-Boo and Jellystone.

Yellowstone A Huge Inspiration For Yogi Bear And Boo-Boo In Jellystone

The original Yogi Bear cartoons by Hanna-Barbera shows Jellystone Park as a funhouse mirror version of Yellowstone, which was a key to its incredible success. An animation historian says Yogi and Boo-Boo were the original "tourons."

Andrew RossiJune 09, 2024

Actor Robert Redford played the lead role in the hit movie "Jeremiah Johnson" and was the lead pallbearer for the remains of the real John "Liver-Eating" Johnson whose life loosely inspired the movie.

How Mountain Man ‘Liver-Eating’ Johnson Was Buried In Wyoming Decades After His Death

Saturday marks the 50th anniversary of the reburial of legendary mountain man John “Liver-Eating” Johnson in Cody, Wyoming. But how that happened is a tale almost as unbelievable as Johnson’s legend.

Andrew RossiJune 08, 2024

A horse is loaded into an equine transport cargo box in this file photo.

For The Right Price, Horses Can Fly First Class, But Usually Trailered To Wyoming

Like their wealthy owners, high-priced horses travel in style, flying first-class as they’re moved between estates and to compete. At the Sheridan polo grounds, the ponies come from as far away as South America, but the last legs are usually by trailer.

Dale KillingbeckJune 08, 2024

The Kirby Jail and Town Hall building in Kirby, Wyoming, is the sole link to the community’s beginnings.

Wyoming History: Kirby Jail Is The Remaining Link To Town’s Rowdy Past

The historic Western jail in Kirby, Wyoming, is listed on the National Historic Registry and links the little community to its storied, and sometimes rowdy, past with coal miners, gamblers and prostitutes.

Dale KillingbeckJune 08, 2024

Aladdin Coal Tipple Is One Of Last Of Its Kind And Could Collapse At Any Time

Built between 1888 and 1895, the Aladdin Coal Tipple in northeast Wyoming is one of the remaining wooden coal tipples still standing in the Western United States, but it's in bad shape and could collapse at any time.

Andrew RossiJune 08, 2024

Wyoming Has Two Of The Three Remaining Animal Shelter Gas Chambers In US

Two of the three gas chambers in the United States still used for euthanasia at animal shelters are in Wyoming, one in Green River and the other in Evanston. And those who say it’s a cruel and inhumane way to dispose of animals want the gas chambers shut down.

Mark HeinzJune 08, 2024

A “catastrophic failure” of Wyoming Highway 22 over Teton Pass on June 8, 2024, saw a huge section wash down the mountain. A long closure of the “lifeline” between Jackson and Victor, Idaho, is expected.

'Catastrophic Failure' On Teton Pass; Road Closed After Highway Falls Off Mountain

A “catastrophic failure” of Wyoming Highway 22 over Teton Pass overnight Friday saw a huge section wash down the mountain. The "lifeline" between Jackson and Victor, Idaho, is expected to be closed for weeks, according to WYDOT.

Andrew RossiJune 08, 2024

Peter Landsman visiting one of the world's oldest operating chairlifts in Cordova, Alaska.

Jackson Man Spent 25 Years Riding Every Chairlift At Every Resort In North America

By day, Peter Landsman is a lift supervisor at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. On the side, the “Guru Of Gondolas” spent 25 years riding every chairlift at every resort in North America — more than 6,000.

Jake NicholsJune 07, 2024

A mudslide at about 4:20 a.m. Thursday morning has shut down Wyoming Highway 22 over Teton Pass at milepost 15. The closure comes less than 24 after a large two-lane crack in the pavement of the highway closed the pass for a few hours.

Teton Pass Closed Down Again -- This Time For Giant Mudslide

A mudslide shut down Wyoming Highway 22 over Teton Pass in the early morning hours of Friday less than a day after a humongous two-lane crack closed it.

Andrew RossiJune 07, 2024

Large cracks appeared on Wyoming Highway 22 over Teton Pass on Thursday, prompting it to close for several hours.

Forced Closure Of Teton Pass Due To Large Cracks Stretching Across Entire Road

Large cracks that stretched across the entire highway creating an 8-inch shelf in the road on Teton Pass forced its closure for a few hours on Thursday. Although it's reopened, WYDOT is assessing the damage and potential danger created by it.

Andrew RossiJune 06, 2024

Waltman Rest Area is one of Wyoming's busiest, but it will be closed for several weeks for rennovations. This is what the rest area looked like in September in photos taken by visitor Julissa Buddell and shared on Google.

WYDOT Flooded With Calls Over Closing Popular Rest Area For Renovations

The Waltman Rest Area in the middle of nowhere between Casper and Shoshoni is closed for three to four weeks for renovations. But that’s way too long for many fans of the stop, who have flooded WYDOT with calls about it.

Andrew RossiJune 05, 2024

A Mills mobile home that housed an extended family of five suffered extensive damage in a Monday morning fire. The family lost much of their possessions and are trying to figure out next steps.

Wyoming Family Of Five Shellshocked After Devastating House Fire

An extended Mills family of five lost their home to a fire Monday. On Tuesday, the family was trying to figure out next steps and how to replace possessions that were lost.

Dale KillingbeckJune 04, 2024

The massive 1-meter telescope seems immovable. Until, like an alien robot, it suddenly moves.

Bill Nye, Hundreds Of Others Starstruck Over Jackson’s Giant New $8M Planetarium

Bill Nye the Science Guy was among the attendees on Saturday to see Snow King Mountain Resort’s new $8 million planetarium. The giant 1-meter telescope is the second largest in Wyoming.

Renée JeanJune 03, 2024

When a rare alighment of six planets appear in the early morning pre-dawn skies over Wyoming on Tuesday, most in the state won't be able to see this Parade of Plaents because of cloud cover.

With Cloudy Wyoming Skies Expected, Good Luck Seeing Rare Parade Of Planets

When six of the solar system’s eight planets, and a crescent moon, align in Tuesday's early morning pre-dawn sky, Wyomingites will likely see nothing but clouds moving in from the Pacific Northwest.

Andrew RossiJune 03, 2024

Patricia Wyer gives treats to rescued racoons at the Broken Bandit Wildlife Center east of Cheyenne.

Why Wyoming Is One Of Only Two States Without A Zoo

Besides being the two least populated states, Wyoming and Vermont have something else in common — the only states without a zoo. While you could put one in the Cowboy State, it would be a permitting nightmare.

Andrew RossiJune 02, 2024

Jim Shipley demonstrates his sharp edge on a piece of leather-like material.

Throwback Wyoming Mountain Man Makes His Own Razor-Sharp Rock Knives

Making razor-sharp knives, arrowheads and other tools by flint knapping rock was life-or-death for prehistoric humans and early Wyoming mountain men. Casper’s “Flint Knapper Jim” has been perfecting the art for 20 years.

Dale KillingbeckJune 02, 2024

Dale Leatham holds some 50-caliber machine gun shells he found on airport property – the site of a World War II Army Air Corps base.

Reporter’s Notebook: Remembering Wyoming’s Only Customs Agent Who Died Last Month

John “Dale” Leatham was Wyoming’s only U.S. Customs agent. For 48 years, he made himself available 24/7 at the Natrona County International Airport. The stories he had and the guests he befriended were truly one of a kind. Wyoming lost a true ambassador.

Dale KillingbeckJune 02, 2024

Steve Bang finishes the swim part of the triathlon in the Adriatic Sea.

Riverton Swim Coach Finishes One Of The World’s Most Extreme Triathlons

Riverton's Steve Bang, the high school swim coach and retired surgeon, just finished one of the world's most difficult races, the X-Out Extreme Triathlon in Montenegro, Spain. The race had an actual "executioner" who eliminated the slowest participants.

Renée JeanJune 02, 2024

This license plate would be coveted in Hot Springs County because it's the lowest one can get — 1. But as county No. 15, as shown at the left side of the plate, it only shows that the county was had the 15th highest assessed valuation in 1930.

The Numbering System Behind Wyoming's License Plates

If county numbers on Wyoming license plates were assigned by the same criteria as they were in 1930, there would be a lot of changes. Campbell County would be #1 instead of Natrona County. Converse County would be #2 instead of Laramie County. Here's why:

Andrew RossiJune 02, 2024

At Brahma Mama's Bucking Bulls Ranch in Worland, people can learn to ride a bull like a real Wyoming cowboy.

Want To Ride A Bull Like A Real Wyoming Cowboy? There's A School For That

Bull riding has been called the most dangerous 8 seconds in any sport. If you want to learn how, it helps to have a good teacher. Last weekend, Professional Bull Riders Champion Mike Lee taught people how to do it at Brahma Mama’s Bucking Bulls Ranch in Worland.

Renée JeanJune 02, 2024

Wyoming Veterans Memoiral Museum Director John Woodward holds a painting by Ted Gostas that is in the museum’s collection.

Wyoming Vietnam War POW Used Art As A Medicine, And Means to Help Others

U.S. Army Capt. Ted Gostas of Cheyenne was captured during the Tet Offensive in Vietnam in 1968. He endured five years of torture as a POW. For years following, his heartbreaking art has also been powerfully healing.

Dale KillingbeckJune 02, 2024

A specimen of Paleoamphiuma from Fossil Butte National Monument in southwest Wyoming. The Green River Formation has produced legions of fossils of plants, fish, reptiles, mammals, and other prehistoric organisms, but amphibians are "extremely uncommon." The new specimen found near Kemmerer is the third fossil of this rare salamander and the only one with soft tissue preservation.

Fossil Geeks Excited Over 52 Million-Year-Old Salamander Discovered Near Kemmerer

The 52 million-year-old foot-long fossil salamander from a fossil quarry near Kemmerer is only the third specimen of its kind ever found. Plus, it's the first Paleoamphiuma ever found with soft tissue preserved in it.

Andrew RossiJune 01, 2024

Green River, Wyoming, has been an important Wyoming rail hub for more than 150 years.

Wyoming’s Oldest, And Still Active, Railroad Union Predates Statehood By 21 Years

The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Division 103, Wyoming’s oldest and still active union, has been taking trains from Cheyenne to Rawlins and Green River for 155 years. And it's still going strong.

Dale KillingbeckJune 01, 2024

Brother and sister, Jim Baker and Elizabeth Jennings stand next to the commemorative headstone honoring their great-great-grandfather Francis’ brother, Adam Culp. Frances also served at Platte Bridge Station.

Wyoming History: Fort Caspar’s 1860s ‘Forgotten 9’ Finally Get Headstones

It may have taken 160 years, but nine members of the 11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, aka Fort Caspar’s 1860s Forgotten 9, finally got headstones on Saturday. It's part of a project to identify and recognize soldiers who died at the fort and in the region.

Dale KillingbeckJune 01, 2024

For 21 years, Andy and Jim Nelson of Pinedale, Wyoming, have been doing their radio show and podcast the only way they know how — the cowboy way.

Wyoming People: Pinedale’s Nelson Brothers Keeping Cowboy Culture Alive For 21 Years

Andy and Jim Nelson are as famous as a couple of horseshoers get in rural Sublette County. The brothers’ western-themed radio show and podcast "Clear Out West" has aired weekly for 21 years.

Jake NicholsJune 01, 2024

Kolya Sidloski, a Wyoming Catholic College student, in a contemplative mood at Sinks Coffee in Lander. Like all other WCC students, Sidloski gives up his cellphone for four years while attending.

Wyoming Catholic College Students Surrender Their Cellphones For Four Years

Wyoming Catholic College students put their phones in a locked cupboard for four years at the school in Lander. Some are surprised how disconnecting from their devices opens their minds.

Clair McFarlandJune 01, 2024

Crews in Yellowstone National Park work Thursday to clear parts of the Beartooth Highway, which still has up to 6 feet of wet, heavy snow on it.

Beartooth Highway Will Finally Be Fully Open After Snowstorm, Repair Delays

After a monster snowstorm and corresponding avalanches, the entire 69 miles of the Beartooth Highway should finally be open Saturday morning — and hopefully stay open for the summer season.

Andrew RossiMay 31, 2024

A bronze statue of Wyoming State Senator Hank Coe stands amid the charred remains of the Calceo Foundry. The cause of the overnight fire that destroyed everything inside is under investigation.

Millions Lost In Overnight Fire At Cody Bronze Art Foundry, 100% Loss Says Owner

Millions of dollars of art and equipment were destroyed in an overnight fire at the Caleco Foundry in Cody. The establishment, one of only two bronze foundaries in Wyoming was totally gutted. One artist says he lost over $5 million worth of art.

Andrew RossiMay 30, 2024

The May 10 aurora seen from Eagle Pass South between Cody and Greybull. The aurora was created by the convergence of five chronal mass ejections from a massive sunspot, which will be turned toward Earth again in early June.

Wyoming May Be In For Another Spectacular Aurora Show

The same group of sunspots that delivered mid-May's amazing aurora displays across Wyoming and the rest of the United States is turning toward Earth this week, meaning another spectacular show may be on the way.

Andrew RossiMay 29, 2024

Nick Fadial of Laramie catches some air while enjoying midseason backcountry skiing conditions in Wyomng's Snowy Range over the Memorial Day weekend.

Skiing On Memorial Day Weekend in Wyoming? Absolutely.

While most people were planning Memorial Day barbecues, Wyoming’s hardcore skiers and snowboarders were still getting some turns in with about a half-foot of fresh high-elevation snow, proving there’s no offseason for those who really want it.

Leo WolfsonMay 29, 2024

On left, Carol Anne Hopkins and Dale Hopkins, drove four hours from Riverton, Wyoming, to see the burial site of her parents and participate in the observation of fallen military heroes.

Families Snubbed At Cheyenne National Cemetery On Memorial Day

As many as 100 showed up at Cheyenne National Cemetery on Monday morning for an advertised Memorial Day service in honor of fallen heroes and loved ones. But the VA never showed up to host the service.

Pat MaioMay 27, 2024

Springtime is also known as "rockfall season" through Wind River Canyon in central Wyoming. So far this year, rockfall season has been pretty quiet.

Gigantic Boulders Not Crashing Down On Highway In Wind River Canyon Is Good Sign

It's a good year so far in Wind River Canyon as there's been a decrease in rocks and boulders crashing down on the highway. The Wyoming Dept of Transportation believes it could be a sign that rockfall mitigation projects are working.

Andrew RossiMay 27, 2024

A scene from the 2017 National Championship Air Races in Reno, Nevada.

No National Air Race Championship For Casper But Town Could Get Other Races

Casper won’t be the new home for National Championship Air Races, but the racing association plans to expand with other racing events, and says Casper is on the short list for one of those.

Renée JeanMay 27, 2024

Scott and Rodney Fujita at the Heart Mountain Interpretive Center near Cody during the production of the NFL documentary "9066: Fear, Football, and the Theft of Freedom."

NFL Network Puts Wyoming In Spotlight With Documentary On Heart Mountain Eagles

The NFL Network will premiere a half-hour documentary Monday on the Heart Mountain Eagles, the high school football team for the Wyoming Japanese-American internment camp during World War II that went undefeated in 1942.

Andrew RossiMay 27, 2024

The cast consists of 26 school-age youth who had three weeks to rehearse and stage a 90-minute original work.

Champions Of The Outdoors Featured In Original Jackson Musical

Just about everyone in Jackson who has ever hiked, biked or paddled in the backcountry knows of famed conservationists Olaus and Mardy Murie. Celebrated Jackson playwright Andrew Munz has made a musical celebrating them.

Jake NicholsMay 27, 2024

Dale Gregory of Casper enjoys reenacting the life of a mountain man at an annual rendezvous.

Casper Man Committed To Keeping Mountain Man History Alive

Dale Gregory of Casper never quite grew out of his childhood dream of being a Wyoming mountain man. Now he lives the lifestyle and shares it with others at the Fort Caspar Museum because he says it's important to keep the history of the West alive.

Dale KillingbeckMay 27, 2024

The finished C.B. Irwin Barn, which now houses the offices of Cowboy State Daily and a loft apartment above.

Cheyenne’s Historic C.B. Irwin Barn Once Stabled Steamboat

Cheyenne’s historic C.B. Irwin Barn, about a block from the Wyoming Capitol and now home to Cowboy State Daily, once stabled the legendary Steamboat.

Renée JeanMay 27, 2024

April Lange, here on a trail run with son Isaiah near the home in Evanston, Wyoming, last week.

Wyoming Mother Of Nine Gets Personal Best In Triathlon Despite Breaking A Rib

Evanston's April Lange, a mother of nine, set a personal best by 10 minutes in a 70-mile triathlon earlier this month in St. George, Utah. Even more impressive, she did it with a broken rib that she suffered five minutes into the race.

Clair McFarlandMay 27, 2024

Big Boy at the Union Pacific Steam Shop in Cheyenne.

Getting Wyoming’s Iconic 1 Million Pound Big Boy Locomotive Ready For Summer Tour

The race is on to get Wyoming’s iconic Big Boy locomotive ready for its summer 2024 tour. It takes a lot of work for the largest operating steam engine on the planet at more than 1 million pounds.

Renée JeanMay 27, 2024

The lone remaining original trolley from those that served Sheridan, Wyoming, more than a century ago sits on the private property on the north side of the city.

Wyoming History: No. 115 In Sheridan Is State’s Last Original Streetcar

For a time in the early 1900s, Sheridan was a modern municipal wonder with electric trolleys and inter-urban cars ferrying people to mines, shopping and the old fort. Now car No. 115 is Wyoming’s last original streetcar.

Dale KillingbeckMay 26, 2024

A screenshot from the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show shows the competition’s judge hold the ribbon with Natasha Wilson and Rowan celebrating the win.

Wyoming Dog Dazzles At Westminster Show, Wins Best Of Breed

Rowan, a Bracco Italiano dog who lives in Douglas, won Best of Breed at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. He received a giant medallion for the win and bragging rights that the best Bracco Italiano dog in the world lives in Wyoming.

Dale KillingbeckMay 26, 2024

The Yellowstone Highway, left, runs along the Wind River through Wind River Canyon with the railroad on the opposite side. The highway is marking its 100th anniversary in 2024.

100 Years Of Driving Through Spectacular Wind River Canyon

At $1 million, building the Yellowstone Highway through Wind River Canyon in 1924 was the most expensive American road project ever. What’s followed has been a century of breathtaking views and nearly unbelievable stories.

Renée JeanMay 26, 2024

Paul Dey, official and certified beer judge, enjoying a Jeremiah Johnson Brewing Co. beer at The Safari Club restaurant in Thermopolis.

Wyoming Man Says Becoming A Certified Beer Judge Harder Than Masters In Biology

Paul Dey of Cheyenne has an enviable hobby — he’s a certified beer judge. And he said earning that certification was harder than getting his Master of Biology degree.

Renée JeanMay 26, 2024

Bob Bing works a hat at the Cowboy Shop in Pinedale.

Cowboy Hat 101: What Your Western Topper Says About You

From cut to color to cost, a cowboy hat tells a story. Buying a new cowboy hat when visiting out West is fun and flirty, but wearing one for real Wyoming cowboys and cowgirls is serious business.

Jake NicholsMay 26, 2024

President Franklin Roosevelt visits the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone during a tour of the Western states in 1937.

Wyoming History: FDR Escaped A Political Pressure-Cooker At Yellowstone

It was September 1937 and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was politically exhausted from unsuccessfully trying to stack the Supreme Court, so he escaped the pressure cooker of Washington, D.C., politics in Yellowstone.

Dale KillingbeckMay 25, 2024

The relative spots in the early morning sky to see the moon and six of the solar system's planets in alignment.

Wyoming Has A Front-Row Seat For Rare Parade Of Planets Lineup

People in Wyoming have a front-row seat to view a rare “parade of planets” lineup of six planets and a crescent moon that will be visible in a line June 4. It's the first time such an alignment has been visible in at least 30 years.

Andrew RossiMay 25, 2024

The folks at Colorado State University are excited for its corpse flower to bloom for the first time over the Memorial Day weekend. Here, Tammy Brenner, CSU's plant growth facility manager, measures the flower, which grows several inches a day leading up to its infrequent blooms, generally years apart.

Gigantic Corpse Flower Set To Bloom Over Memorial Day Weekend

Cosmo, a rare 7-year-old corpse flower at Colorado State University, is preparing to bloom for the first time over Memorial Day Weekend. The gigantic flower, which can grow up 12 feet tall, is known for the overwhelming stench of death it produces when it blooms

Andrew RossiMay 25, 2024

A ladder is used to climb up to the top of 4420 during restoration efforts.

Engine 4420 Helped Save Evanston 100 Years Ago, Now Evanston Saving Engine 4420

Engine 4420 is a workhorse of a switch steam locomotive that helped saved Evanston in the 1920s. Now it’s 4420’s turn to be restored to its former glory.

Renée JeanMay 25, 2024

Heavy snows and poor road conditions have prompted the closure of the Beartooth Highway in Wyoming and Montana just ahead of Memorial Day and the first big tourist weekend of the season for Yellowstone National Park.

Massive Snowstorm Keeps Beartooth Highway Closed, Other Yellowstone Routes Shut Down

It's still winter in some parts of the Rocky Mountain West. Two feet of snow on Thursday stopped the Beartooth Highway from opening. Many other Yellowstone routes were closed down too as winter refuses to give up.

Andrew RossiMay 23, 2024

Left: After a can of bear spray exploded in the cab of this truck. Right: That can of bear spray was sitting in this nook in the front window dash of the truck when it exploded. The windshield has since been replaced, but the detailer cleaning it out says it'll never be the same inside the truck.

Wyoming Detailer Who Cleaned Bear Sprayed Truck Says It’ll Never Be The Same

The Cody detailer who cleaned out the cab of a truck owned by a Yellowstone worker that was bear sprayed when a can of the noxious stuff exploded inside says it’ll never be the same, and will probably always itch.

Andrew RossiMay 22, 2024

Sticking a plastic googly eye on a taxidermy wolf on display at Green River High School was the crowning achievement of the 2024 senior class prank.

Green River High Seniors Put Googly Eyes On Everything In School, Including Urinals

It's that time of year where high school seniors everywhere pull a class prank. In Green River, students have put googly eyes on everything. When the principal was told there was a miniature video cam on a urinal, he was relieved to see it was just a googly eye.

Mark HeinzMay 21, 2024

Wyoming Native ‘Bee Guy’ — Hero Of MLB Game — Gets His Own Bobblehead

Matt Hilton, the pest control technician who grew up in Wyoming and saved an Arizona Diamondbacks game from a swarm of killer bees last month, has been rewarded with a sold-out Topps baseball card and a collector’s edition bobblehead.

Jake NicholsMay 21, 2024

Even vising Yellowstone National Park's thermal features over Memorial Day weekend will require some bundling up with cold, wet and possibly snowy conditions expected.

Memorial Day Weekend In Yellowstone Will Look More Like Winter Than Summer

Waves of wet weather from the Pacific Northwest will mean ice-covered roads and below freezing temperatures in Yellowstone through Memorial Day -- just in time for one of the biggest weekends of the year for the national park.

Andrew RossiMay 21, 2024

Taken a year after Nathan Kissack was put on maintenance chemo. Kissack told Cowboy State Daily he just made up a competition for himself, to see what kind of dramatic physical change he could make happen with his body after being told by doctors not to work out.

So Far, So Good: Gillette Native Battling Cancer For A Third Time (And Winning)

Gillette native Nathan Kissack likes to joke that he’s done fentanyl 25 times, and he’s even done fentanyl and heroin together. The drugs were all legal, however, part of what is now a third — and so far successful — fight with cancer.

Renée JeanMay 19, 2024

Rock Springs resident Dawson Lorenz rescues Pepper the house cat from the spot where she'd been stuck for two days. Lorenz volunteered to help after the cat's owner, Angie Chrisman, asked for help on social media.

Rock Springs Duo Risk Lives Climbing Cliff To Rescue Cat

An indoor cat named Pepper spent two days outdoors stuck halfway up a cliff in Rock Springs, ignoring every attempt to coax, cajole and coerce her down. So, a local man and teen climbed the cliff to rescue her.

Andrew RossiMay 19, 2024

A simple marker in the middle of nowhere between Pinedale and South Pass City, Wyoming, tells of the death of Ralph Faler on April 5, 1921. He was caught in a blizzard delivering the U.S. mail.

Wyoming History: Pinedale Mailman Paid Ultimate Price In 1921 Blizzard

Delivering the mail across Wyoming’s vast empty spaces wasn’t for the faint of heart more than a century ago -- especially Pinedale and South Pass City. Mail carrier Ralph Faler got caught in a blizzard and never made it out.

Dale KillingbeckMay 19, 2024

After suffering numerous serious injures in a side-by-side rollover crash in Park County this month, Skyler Peterson faces a long road to recovery.

Wyoming Man Vows To Dance At His Wedding Despite Serious Injuries From ATV Crash

Although he's hospitalized and still unable to move his arms, Cody's Skylar Peterson is vowing to dance with his future wife Sydnie at their wedding on August 10. Peterson was severely injured in an ATV crash earlier this month.

Mark HeinzMay 19, 2024

Elmer Lovejoy hauls a load of Crescent bicycles with his Locomobile Steamer in 1897. A year later he would become the first person to drive an automobile in Wyoming, one of his own making.

Laramie Inventor Elmer Lovejoy Built And Drove Wyoming’s First Car

No one in Wyoming had yet seen an automobile in 1898. That all changed when Elmer Lovejoy took a little drive in the car -- that he built -- in downtown Laramie on May 7, 1898. He was going an unthinkable 8 miles per hour.

Jake NicholsMay 19, 2024

Rose Williams' Roadhouse and Brothel at Old Trail Town in Cody. There are 28 structures in the 6-acre outdoor museum, including several known to have been visited by Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and other legendary Western figures.

134-Year-Old Historic Wyoming Brothel Back In Business At Cody’s Old Trail Town

Rose Williams' Roadhouse and Brothel in Meeteetse was patronized by Butch Cassidy and has plenty of sordid stories from its past. It's now fully restored and open for business again — sort of — at Cody's Old Trail Town.

Andrew RossiMay 19, 2024

During his visit, Uno and Kindness Ranch Executive John Ramer visit Florida Republican Congressman Brian Mast, who has been an outspoken advocate against animal testing.

Wyoming Rescue Dog From The Kindness Ranch Unites Politicians On Capitol Hill

Uno, one of 4,000 beagles rescued from an animal research facility, united Capitol Hill with his message of treating animals humanely. Uno lives at Wyoming's Kindness Ranch, the only facility in the nation to take in only former research animals.

Jen KocherMay 18, 2024

Charnick checks out the northern lights while taking a break from skiing on Friday night.

Wyoming Weather Scientist Goes Night-Skiing During Aurora Borealis Event

Michael Charnick is a weather scientist based in Cheyenne who captured stunning images while night-skiing at more than 11,000-feet elevation during last weekend’s vivid aurora borealis. He was on the slopes from 9:30pm to after 3am.

Leo WolfsonMay 18, 2024

A Cub Scout carries a matched set of antlers to the auction stage at a past ElkFest. Workers who prepare the antlers for auction try to match sets whenever possible as they bring in more money per pound.

Huge Wyoming Elk Racks Sell For Big Money At World’s Largest Antler Auction

The 57th annual ElkFest auction -- the world's largest antler sale -- is being held this weekend in Jackson. Last month, more than 100 scouts gathered 8,162 pounds of antlers at the National Elk Refuge. Proceeds are split between the scouts and the National Elk Refuge.

Jake NicholsMay 18, 2024

Just When Wyoming Seems To Be Firmly In Spring, Snow Expected

Warm and windy weather is in store for most of Wyoming this weekend, but meteorologist Don Day says to expect a wet and cold start to the work week on Monday with high-country snow.

Andrew RossiMay 17, 2024

The iconic Hitching Post Inn sign on Lincolnway in Cheyenne is dismantled Thursday, May 9, 2024.

Good News: Hitching Post Sign Saved. Also, Man Found Living In Sign!

When construction workers were digging up the concrete foundation for the gigantic Hitching Post sign in west Cheyenne, they saw a foot sticking out. Turns out someone was living in the sign. Also, the sign will be saved.

Renée JeanMay 15, 2024

The back of The Pearl sheep wagon at Gillette's third annual Sheepherding Festival. Some sheep wagons have a chuckwagon-type cook station in the back, others have an area to store staples like beans and flour.

Gillette Celebrates Sheep Wagons — Wyoming’s Original Tiny Homes

The town of Gillette spent Saturday celebrating sheep wagons, a uniquely Wyoming invention that were ingenious for their time. The 12-foot-long tiny homes on wheels were practical long before they became trendy.

Renée JeanMay 13, 2024

The Green Front Building was first built in 1896 on Sheridan Avenue in Cody. It's seen here housing the Shoshone Land and Irrigation Co. and next to the Cody Hotel.

First Building Built In Cody 128 Years Ago Is Still Open For Business

The first building built in Cody 128 years ago has been a post office, a poker club, a church, radiator shop and a medical office. It's moved three times but it's still standing and open for business.

Andrew RossiMay 12, 2024

After decades away, "Shoshone Canyon" hangs again at Cody's iconic Irma Hotel. The large painting was cleaed with human spit to remove decades of grime and restore it to its historic glory.

Cody Museum Uses Spit To Clean Historic Paintings To Hang In Irma Hotel

Preserving Wyoming’s Western history is something the Buffalo Bill Center of the West takes seriously. So when they gave three oil paintings back to their original home at the iconic Irma Hotel, they got a good spit-cleaning first.

Andrew RossiMay 12, 2024

Johnson County sheep rancher Mike Miller trails about 150 eyes and lambs down Echeta Road into Gillette on Saturday.

Gillette Sheep Drive Stops Traffic, Revives Ranching Tradition

Mike Miller drove about 150 ewes and lambs through Gillette on Saturday, marking the first time in decades the area’s ranching tradition was revived with a sheep trail, stopping traffic and delighting locals.

Jen KocherMay 12, 2024

Wyoming History: It’s Been A Century Since 100-Year Floods Devastated Central Wyoming

Dozens were killed when torrential rains in July and again in September 1923 brought a double dose of 100-year floods that put Thermopolis and other towns under water and caused the worst train wreck in Wyoming history.

Dale KillingbeckMay 12, 2024

Nebraska High School Picks O.J. Simpson For Inspirational Quote

Although some were certain it had so be a senior prank, a high school east of Lusk, Wyoming, chose a statement by O.J. Simpson as the inspirational quote in its commencement announcement. Turns out, it was approved at the highest levels.

Jimmy OrrMay 11, 2024

The RMS Titanic carried two passengers that were headed for Wyoming on the night of April 14, 1912, when it struck an iceberg. They were Johan Julian Sundman, left, and Hugh Wooner, right.

Wyoming History: Wyoming-Bound Passengers Among Survivors Of Titanic Disaster

Two people aboard the RMS Titanic when it sunk in 1912 were headed for Wyoming. Both would live to tell their harrowing stories — and one made it to his Casper destination.

Dale KillingbeckMay 11, 2024

The grave of Riccardo Severini in Hartville, Wyoming. The fence was made by a family member who had been a blacksmith in Italy.

Man Finds Answers 114 Years After Great-Grandfather Killed In Wyoming Mining Town

Riccardo Severini was shot and killed on Easter Sunday while playing a game of poker in the mining town of Sunrise, Wyoming, back in 1910. His great-grandson is digging into the tragedy and uncovering pieces of untold Wyoming history.

Renée JeanMay 11, 2024

Images from a viral video showing lightning striking an erupting volcano in Guatemala.

The Science Behind The Lightning Storm Over The Erupting Guatemalan Volcano

Mike Poland, scientist-in-charge of the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, said the spectacular lightning storm above the erupting Guatemalan volcano this week, was the result of static electricity generated by the collision of ash particles in the plume of the erupting volcano.

Andrew RossiMay 11, 2024

Angel Maldonado is a Cheyenne barber and pioneer in the city’s exploding hip-hop scene. A 2015 collaboration he did with Jelly Roll, “Sinnerman,” has just been released ahead of Jelly Roll’s appearance at Cheyenne Frontier Days this summer.

Cheyenne Barber Angel Maldonado Releases Song Featuring Jelly Roll

Angel Maldonado is a Cheyenne barber and a musician. A collaboration he did with rapper turned country music star Jelly Roll has just been released ahead of Jelly Roll’s upcoming appearance at Cheyenne Frontier Days this summer.

Renée JeanMay 11, 2024

Bryce Meredith rocks a UW sweatshirt at an MMA weigh-in.

Former All-American UW Wrestler Bryce Meredith Now An Undefeated MMA Fighter

Cheyenne's Bryce Meredith was one of the toughest, most successful athletes in the history of University of Wyoming wrestling. But he always wanted to punch someone, and that doesn’t go over too well on the mat. So he turned to MMA and he's undefeated.

Jake NicholsMay 11, 2024

One in a series of images Wyoming photographer Dave Bell created of an aurora borealis visible in Wyoming.

Severe Space Storm Could Mean Spectacular Auroras, Blackouts For Wyoming

NASA has issued a Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Saturday. Meteorologist Don Day says for Wyomingites that means brilliant auroras in the night sky are possible Friday and Saturday. But it could also cause disruptions on your electronic devices.

Andrew RossiMay 10, 2024

The iconic Hitching Post Inn sign on Lincolnway in Cheyenne is dismantled Thursday, May 9, 2024, perhaps comign down for good.

End Of An Era: Cheyenne’s Iconic Hitching Post Inn Sign Comes Down

The iconic Hitching Post sign in Cheyenne was torn down on Thursday. It was the last remnant of the place once known as the “Second Capitol of Wyoming" as that's where legislators stayed during the session and got most of their work done.

Renée JeanMay 09, 2024

Cheyenne country music artist Shawn Hess has one of his songs, "World Away," featured in the hit movie "LaRoy, Texas."

Cheyenne Songwriter’s Music Featured In Hit Movie ‘LaRoy, Texas’

The critically acclaimed new movie 'LaRoy, Texas' has a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes and features a song by Cheyenne singer-songwriter Shawn Hess. The writer and director of the movie was a fan of Shawn's and thought his music was perfect for the film.

Andrew RossiMay 09, 2024

Wyoming Mixed On Boy Scouts Changing Name After 114 Years

After 114 years, the Boy Scouts of America will change the name of the organization early next year to Scouting America, a move that’s getting mixed reviews from people in Wyoming.

Clair McFarlandMay 08, 2024

Portion of Interstate 25 in southern Wyoming closed due to high winds on May 6, 2024

Holy Cow, Is It Windy! Extreme Winds, Blow-Overs Close I-25 Near Colorado Border

Extreme winds and gusts closed a section of I-25 between Cheyenne and the Colorado border on Monday, causing truckers to line up and wait. It was even worse in Colorado with near 100mph winds reported.

Leo WolfsonMay 06, 2024

Interstate 80 eastbound in southwest Wyoming west of Rawlins on Monday morning was goomy, cold, wet and snowy.

Cold, Wet, Windy And Snow — Welcome To Springtime In Wyoming

Get ready for cold, wet, windy and even snowy weather in parts of the state, says Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day. In other words, typical springtime in Wyoming.

Andrew RossiMay 06, 2024

An overview of the Guernsey Dam, which feeds agriculture and ranching operations downriver.

Irrigating Wyoming – It’s Complicated, Involves Lots of Dams And Careful Monitoring

In central and southern Wyoming, a system of dams, canals and irrigation that allows agriculture to thrive today goes back to the vision of the first U.S. president to ever live west of the Mississippi River -- Teddy Roosevelt.

Dale KillingbeckMay 05, 2024

Visitors enjoy the immersive elements of the Medicine Lodge Cultural Experience at Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site.

Wyoming’s New Medicine Lodge Immersive Exhibit Unlike Anything Else In The US

Medicine Lodge State Archaeological Site's newest, first-of-its-kind educational experience is open, and it’s a mind-blowing integration of technology and culture that immerses visitors in thousands of years of indigenous history through seasons, sights and sound.

Andrew RossiMay 05, 2024

Bull rider Clayton Savage was followed for 14 months for the documentary "Savage, the Relentless Pursuit of a Dream." The film shows the triumphs and challenges pro rodeo competitors face during the grueling season.

Wyoming Bull Rider’s Relentless 10-Year Comeback Featured In New Documentary

At 37-years-old, Yoder bull rider Clayton Savage isn't done. Although 60 injuries have taken its toll on the NFR-qualifying cowboy, he's back in top form and the focus of a new documentary: "Savage, the Relentless Pursuit of a Dream."

Amber SteinmetzMay 05, 2024

Split Rock was an important landmark along the Oregon, Mormon and California trails with its distinctive "split" that resembles a gunsight.

Split Rock, Wyoming’s Natural Gunsight, An Important Landmark On Historic Trails

For hundreds of years, or perhaps longer, a peculiar gunsight-like rock formation called Split Rock has provided direction for travelers in central Wyoming’s Sweetwater River Valley, including the historic Oregon, Mormon and California trails.

Dale KillingbeckMay 05, 2024

Park County Archivist Robyn Cutter studies an issue of the Old Faithful Times. She found the largest known collection of issues in the attic of her father-in-law Joe Cutter, the man who created and published the weekly newspaper in the 1970s.

Wyoming History: The Old Faithful Times, Yellowstone's First And Only Newspaper

It only had a short, five-year run from 1978 and 1982, but Yellowstone National Park once had its own weekly newspaper, the Old Faithful Times. And it wasn't just a flyer either. Each issue was 64 pages long packed with stories about Yellowstone.

Andrew RossiMay 05, 2024

Shelby Shank said her 6-year-old dog will go into semi-retirement next year after a long string of dog show successes.

Champion Wyoming Aussie Shepherd Off To Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

Sansa, a champion Australian shepherd from Casper, will join a Douglas pooch representing Wyoming at the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, the Super Bowl of dog shows, in New York on May 11.

Dale KillingbeckMay 05, 2024

A photo of Gehrett with all the stripes of a chief gunner’s mate at the display in the Wyoming Veterans Memorial.

Wyoming History: Casper Sailor Crossed Equator With Herbert Hoover 100 Years Ago

A globe-trotting Casper sailor who enlisted in the U.S. Navy after a scrape with the law in 1925 crossed the equator with Herbert Hoover and took plenty of photos. His photos are on display at the Wyoming Veterans Memorial Museum in Casper.

Dale KillingbeckMay 04, 2024

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with retired U.S. Army Maj. Drew Dix during a Congressional Medal of Honor Society reception at the East Room of the White House on Sept. 12, 2018, in Washington, DC. The president hosted a reception to honor Medal of Honor recipients.

Medal Of Honor Recipient Maj. Drew Dix In Wyoming Promoting U.S. Patriotism

Fifty-five years after President Johnson awarded Maj. Drew Dix the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroism in the Vietnam War, Dix was in Pinedale to promote patriotism. “It starts with family, then schools. Families can’t be looking to the government to raise their kids.”

Jake NicholsMay 04, 2024

Periodic Spring runs hard once it is flowing 5 4 24

Periodic Spring In Star Valley Is World’s Largest On-Again, Off-Again Stream

Periodic Spring in Swift Creek Canyon outside Afton turns itself on, then off, then back on. There's only a few of these in the world and Wyoming's is the world's largest. Scientists have no idea why it happens.

Jake NicholsMay 04, 2024

Wyoming Cowboy Hall Of Fame Announces Class of 2024 Inductees

The men and women who will be inducted into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame as members of the Class of 2024 have worked the open range, remote grazing allotments, and they have herded thousands of head of livestock.

Candy MoultonMay 03, 2024

Casper mountaineer Dr. Joe McGinley will not get this seventh summit of the tallest peak on ever continent this May. A virus has stopped his quest to conquer Mount Everest.

Virus Ends Wyoming Mountaineer's Second Attempt To Climb Mount Everest

Casper mountaineer Dr. Joe McGinley’s second attempt to summit Mount Everest in a year has been stopped by a cold virus that is affecting his heart. Everest remains his last of climbing tallest peaks on all seven continents.

Dale KillingbeckMay 03, 2024

This two-wheel-drive Ford Explorer was stuck for about 10 hours on a snowpacked Highway 212 near Yellowstone overnight Wednesday. The road is still closed for the season, but the driver of the vehicle — visitors to the area — said Google sent them there.

Tourists Stuck 10 Hours In Snow On Closed Road Near Yellowstone — Again

Six people became stuck on Highway 212 near Cooke City for 10 hours when Google sent their two-wheel-drive vehicle on a closed, snowpacked road. The tourists somehow missed the 'road closed' sign and the massive amount of snow.

Andrew RossiMay 02, 2024

Beekeeper Matt Hilton removes a colony of bees that formed on the net behind home plate during a delay to the MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on April 30, 2024, in Phoenix, Arizona.

Former Wyoming Man Is Hero Beekeeper From Dodgers Game

Matt Hilton, who grew up in Buffalo, Wyoming, is the hero beekeeper who saved Tuesday’s Diamondbacks-Dodgers game from 20,000 Africanized bees. After completing the task to a standing ovation, he was invited to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Jake NicholsMay 02, 2024

Wyoming’s Whiplash Winter Returns With Weeks Of May Snow And Rain

The first day of May will be cloudy and colder across Wyoming with rain, thunderstorms and snow showers overnight — typical for Wyoming spring, says Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day.

Andrew RossiApril 30, 2024

Jenny Hunter said when her son J.R. died in 2015, the pain of loss was unbearable. But God gave her a way to cope and the idea that led to J.R.’s Hunt for Life.

Casper Woman Survives Son’s Suicide By Keeping Others From Theirs

A Casper mother said her son was depressed and openly talked about suicide. When he took his life, Jenny said her own sense of despair was overwhelming. Now she keeps going by trying to help others from making the same choice her son did.

Dale KillingbeckApril 28, 2024

Kayla Clark carefully places a sheet of porous handmade paper on top of the laser-cut stencil she's inked.

Wyoming Woman Preserves Art Of Printing With 125-Year-Old, 250-Pound Press

Kayla Clark teaches graphic design at University of Wyoming, but her true passion is in the centuries-old art of printing, which she preserves and teaches with Poco, her 125-year-old, 250-pound “portable” press.

Renée JeanApril 28, 2024

Mark Milliken of Casper holds a practice bomb that was on the B-24 when it crashed. It was found along the plane’s skid path.

Casper Man Pieces Together Decades-Old WWII Wyoming Training Flight Crashes

On New Year’s Day 1945, the Liberator bomber from Casper Army Air Base slammed into Shirley Basin during a winter storm. Pieces of that crash and 90 others from 1942-1945 are still out there. A retired Casper geologist is piecing them together.

Dale KillingbeckApril 28, 2024

Barbara Schaffner talks about the details in one of the five historical paintings she painted for interpretive signs at the Lingle turnout.

Historical Artist Recreates Images Of Wild West Wyoming In Exact Detail

A historical artist has recreated images of some of the most important Wild West events in eastern Wyoming history. Goshen County has so much history because it is located at a popular spot along the Oregon Trail.

Renée JeanApril 28, 2024

A group uses paranormal detection technology to tour various areas around historic Fort Caspar.

Ghost Hunting at Wyoming's Fort Caspar

Twice a year, in October and April, Wyoming's Fort Casper allows ghost hunters to investigate paranormal happenings at the 162-year-old fort.

Dale KillingbeckApril 28, 2024

Casper YMCA Sports Director DC Martinez has a finger on the pulse of Casper’s youth. He is launching the “Blue Heart Collaborative” in honor of 14-year-old Bobby Maher as a means to change the culture surrounding social media and violence and provide positive solutions to help Casper’s youth.

Youth Leader Says Casper Has To Stop Finger-Pointing After Bobby Maher Stabbing

YMCA youth leader DC Martinez says finger-pointing must stop and everyone needs to work together to end violent youth “fight culture.” Martinez grew up in Las Vegas and said he understands gang culture and the pressures facing the city’s youth.

Dale KillingbeckApril 28, 2024

A cowboy tries to stay on his mount in a scene created by Bill Evans.

Wyoming Cowboy Carver Whittled To Pass Time And Created Timeless Western Art

A Wyoming-raised rancher spent decades keeping his hands busy by whittling tiny Western figurines. His great-grandson owns the collection now and calls them timeless and soulful cowboy art that reflects the Code of the West.

Dale KillingbeckApril 28, 2024

Yeah, they ride reindeer in Mongolia, J.B. Zielke learned.

Globetrotting Wyoming Wrangler J.B. Zielke Has Cowboyed On Six Continents

Saratoga cowboy J.B. Zielke has travelled all around the globe, taking ranch jobs and learning how the world does Western. In Mongolia, he rode reindeer. In Sweden, he coaxed cows into a trailer because roping is illegal.

Jake NicholsApril 28, 2024

Ryan Pasborg, right, receives the Carnegie Medal from Gov. Mark Gordon on April 27, 2024, at the Governor's Mansion in Cheyenne. The medal is the nation's highest civilian honor for heroism. He saved a mother and her young son from a burning trailer on his way to work the morning of Feb. 1, 2022.

Wyoming Man Who Saved Family From Burning House Awarded Nation's Highest Heroism Award

Ryan Pasborg’s life has changed dramatically since he rescued a Green River mother and son from their burning home. Now with a new job, he was presented the Carnegie Medal on Saturday, the nation’s highest civilian honor for heroism.

Leo WolfsonApril 28, 2024

Headlines in Casper newspapers in the early 1930s were filled with reports about bank robberies.

‘The Casper Vigilantes’: A Secret Group Of Wyoming Prohibition-Era Crime Fighters

Bob David, a World War I veteran and businessman, got fed up with crime and corruption within law enforcement during Prohibition in Casper so he formed a secret group that called themselves "The Vigilantes." They took on an "epidemic" of bank robberies in the area.

Dale KillingbeckApril 27, 2024

Wyatt Morgan on his first day of first grade at Carpenter Elementary School, left, and in his hospital bed in Colorado.

Wyoming 8-Year-Old Shows Plenty Of Fight While Heart ‘Slowly Giving Up’

Wyatt Morgan, an 8-year-old first grader from Carpenter, Wyoming, remains hospitalized after battling a progressively worse ailment that was filling his lungs with fluid and had his heart “slowly giving up.”

Leo WolfsonApril 27, 2024

A man known as Lee The Horselogger was in Wyoming this week on a cross-country journey by horse-drawn wagon with an ultimate destination of Boston. He explained to Cowboy State Daily that he likes huge draft horses better than “little horses.”

Man Who’s Spent 18 Years In A Horse-Drawn Wagon Is Rolling Across Wyoming Again

A man calling himself Lee The Horselogger has lived on the road in a horse-drawn wagon for 18 years. He's making his way across Wyoming again on his fifth trip across America. Cowboy State Daily caught up with him near Hanna.

Mark HeinzApril 27, 2024

A train crosses the Dale Creek Bridge, the longest and highest bridge the Union Pacific Railroad constructed as part of the transcontinental railroad.

Wyoming History: The Incredible, And ‘Terrifying,’ Dale Creek Bridge

In 1868, the Union Pacific Railroad’s Dale Creek Bridge southeast of Laramie was an incredible engineering marvel that was 650 feet long and 150 feet high. Train engineers said it was so “terrifying to cross” that few would agree to do it.

Dale KillingbeckApril 27, 2024

This illustration generated by PhotoShop's artificial intelligence generator shows what it could look like if prehistoric wooly mammoths were introduced into Yellowstone National Park.

Woolly Mammoths In Yellowstone? Biotech Company Says It Has The Technology

Biotech company Colossal Biosciences has announced plans to bring back the extinct woolly mammoth by 2028. They think Yellowstone could be a good place for reintroduction as the environment is pristine and isolated enough for them to thrive.

Andrew RossiApril 27, 2024

Bullfighter Dusty Tuckness fights off a bull named Hangover as he tries to protect Brennon Eldred after he was thrown during the bull riding competition during the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo at NRG Stadium on March 13, 2015, in Houston.

Wyoming’s Dusty Tuckness Is The Best Rodeo Bullfighter In The History Of The Sport

Rodeo bullfighter Dusty Tuckness, from Meeteetse, has been fighting bulls for 25 years. With an unequaled 15 trips to the National Finals Rodeo and 10 times voted PRCA Bullfighter of the Year, his cowboy kin call him “Tuck,” and say there's none better.

Jake NicholsApril 26, 2024

This 1-ton hollowed out petrified log has been in Travis Smith's family for generations, but now it's for sale for $20,000.

Wyoming Man Selling Massive 1-Ton Petrified Hollow Log For $20,000

A massive 1-ton hollow petrified log found near Glenrock has been a Smith family heirloom for generations, but now it’s just in the way. It can be yours for $20,000.

Andrew RossiApril 24, 2024

Since 1980, people in and around Pinedale have been guessing when Bob, a bright yellow steel barrel, will finally fall through the ice in Fremont Lake and float to shore. Whoever has the closest guess wins $500.

Pinedale Waits On Bob, A Barrel In The Middle Of Fremont Lake, To Announce Spring

For 44 years, Pinedale residents have relied on Bob, a bright yellow steel barrel on the ice in the middle of Fremont Lake, to announce that spring has arrived. Whoever guesses when Bob breaks through the ice and floats to shore wins $500.

Andrew RossiApril 22, 2024

The Heart Mountain Institute is now as museum and interpretive center preserving the history of the Heart Mountain Relocation Center near Cody, Wyoming, during World War II.

Heart Mountain Chosen For Prestigious Smithsonian Partnership

Heart Mountain Relocation Center unjustly held more than 14,000 Japanese-Americans during World War II, and its legacy won’t be lost as its foundation is chosen for a prestigious Smithsonian partnership.

Andrew RossiApril 22, 2024

The story of a local man running a wolf down with a snowmobile, then taping its mouth shut and displaying it in a local bar before killing it has stirred global outrage and has put the small rural Wyoming town of Daniel in the crosshairs of a storm of anger and indignation.

Can Town Of Daniel Ever Regain Old Image Of Fishing And Hunters' Paradise?

Before the wolf abuse headline flashed across the world this winter, Daniel, Wyoming, was a sleepy place to get a hot dog and beer in the local bar. Now it is dealing with international outrage.

Pat MaioApril 22, 2024

Major Artists Make Creative Breakthroughs At Remote Ucross, Wyoming, Retreat

Filmmaker Damien Chazelle’s residency in Ucross led to the script for the 2016 film “La La Land," which won six Oscars, including Best Director. Much of the script and music for the 2017 film “The Greatest Showman” were also developed during a Ucross residency.

Andrew RossiApril 21, 2024

Spielberg-Hanks TV Series "Masters Of The Air" Based On Casper World War II Pilot

Maj. Gale “Buck” Cleven of Casper is the main character of a true-life Apple TV series, which debuted earlier this year, titled "Masters of the Air" produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks that also features another Casper pilot.

Dale KillingbeckApril 21, 2024

Wyoming History: ‘Wildcat Sam’ Never Let The Truth Ruin A Good Story

Buffalo Bill Cody may be Wyoming’s best-known showman, but the storytelling of “Wildcat Sam” Abernathy was legendary — so much so he never had to buy his own beer in saloons. He went out with a bang too, getting struck by lightning near Meeteetse when he was 89.

Dale KillingbeckApril 21, 2024

Travis Halverson recovers after surviving an avalanche Jan. 12, 2024. He suffered 10 broken bones, but counts himself lucky.

Teton County Man Says Luck Saved Him When Caught In Avalanche

Although he has no memories of the avalanche Jan. 12, 2024, Travis Halverson was flung for about 600 vertical feet down a slope through snow and trees like a ball in a Plinko board. He managed to get out despite breaking 10 bones in his spine, ribs, sternum and jaw, as well as a concussion.

Leo WolfsonApril 21, 2024

File photo: Officer posts eviction notice

Casper Woman's Property Overtaken By Six Squatters Who Trashed The Place

Wyoming isn’t immune to a property owner’s worst nightmare — squatters. Just ask a Casper woman who learned the hard way when her ousted tenant illegally leased out her home to six unwanted tenants, who trashed the property.

Clair McFarlandApril 20, 2024

A horse takes a practice dive at Atlantic City's Steel Pier Park in 1978.

For 100 Years, Horse Diving Was A Thing, And Was Every Bit Crazy As It Sounds

For about a century, the novelty of horse diving from great heights into a tiny tank of water was all the rage in America. And was every bit crazy as it sounds.

Jake NicholsApril 20, 2024

Bobby Maher’s pallbearers, who included his brothers and friends, all word blue hooded sweatshirts with his name and baseball jersey number, “41.”

Hundreds Turn Out For Funeral Of 14-Year-Old Casper Boy Bobby Maher

More than 200 people filled a Casper church Saturday to say a final goodbye and mourn Bobby Maher, a local 14-year-old boy who was killed by an “act of evil” while defending his girlfriend April 7.

Dale KillingbeckApril 20, 2024

It was Sept. 7, 1995, when a ragtag underdog group of climbers from Wyoming pioneered the now-famous Cowboy Direct route up Trango Towers in the Himalaya. They are, in no particular order, Todd Skinner, Mike Lilygren, Bobby Model and Jeff Bechtel.

How An Underdog Wyoming Team Was First To Climb Notorious Himalaya Route

On Sept. 7, 1995, a group of 4 rock climbers from Wyoming free-climbed their way to the summit of the Trango Towers in the southern region of the Himalaya. Just about anyone who knew of their expedition believed they had no business being there, let alone gave them any chance of success.

Mandy FabelApril 20, 2024

A memorial for Bobby Maher, the Casper 14-year-old who died after being stabbed outside Eastridge Mall on April 7, grows near the spot of the altercation. Maher's favorite color was blue.

In Wake Of Teen’s Stabbing Death, Casper Works To End ‘Culture Of Violence’

More than two weeks removed from the shocking stabbing death of a 14-year-old middle school student, the tragedy continues to tear at this central Wyoming city as it works to end a “culture of violence” with its youth.

Dale KillingbeckApril 17, 2024

The beginning of spring is typically the snowiest time for Wyoming.

Northwest Wyoming Can Expect Up To A Foot Of Wet, Heavy Spring Snow

A spring snowstorm will bring up to a foot of wet, heavy spring snow to northwest Wyoming with another month of typical whiplash winter to go.

Andrew RossiApril 16, 2024

Casper mountaineer Dr. Joe McGinley stands on top of Mount Vinson, in Antarctica, his sixth of seven summits of the tallest peaks on seven continents.

Wyoming Climber To Take On Everest’s North Face To Hit 7 Peaks On 7 Continents

Casper mountaineer Dr. Joe McGinley leaves Sunday to take on the north face of Mount Everest and achieve a bucket-list goal he’s been chasing for years — summitting the tallest peak on each of the seven continents on Earth.

Dale KillingbeckApril 16, 2024

Dino, a small brontosaurus sculpture, was stolen from a Cheyenne family's yard last week.

Where’s Dino? Someone Swipes One-Of-A-Kind Sculpture From Cheyenne Yard

A Cheyenne family is asking the community to be on the lookout for Dino, a one-of-a-kind brontosaurus sculpture stolen last week from their fenced-in yard.

April 15, 2024

Stewart Petersen as Billy in the movie 1974 movie “Where The Red Fern Grows.”

Former Teen Actor Gave Up Hollywood Hills For Wyoming Mountains

Stewart Petersen grew up in Cokeville but found fame as a teen actor in major movies like “Where the Red Fern Grows.” But he gave up acting, preferring Wyoming to Hollywood and has had successful roles as husband, father, building contractor and outfitter.

Dale KillingbeckApril 14, 2024

A photo of flight crews outside a hangar at Casper Army Air Base.

Wyoming History: Casper Air Base Was Last Stop For WWII Bomber Crews Heading To War

Built quickly in 1942, the Casper Army Air Base, was the last training stop for thousands of heavy bomber crews during World War II. In fact, it became the training ground for a dominant part of America’s fight for freedom from the air.

Dale KillingbeckApril 14, 2024

Kenneth Goehring hopes to find the other two steam whistles that were at the Amoco refinery in Casper and make them all sound again.

Man Wants Amoco Refinery Steam Whistles To Sound Off Across Casper Again

A Wyoming man has one of three loud steam whistles from the old Amoco refinery that used to ring out across Casper. He’s searching for the other two in hopes to sound them off again.

Dale KillingbeckApril 14, 2024

A raid on a bootleg liquor operation shows how bootleggers in Natrona County practiced their craft.

Wyoming History: One Of Casper’s Most Upstanding Citizens Also A Huge Bootlegger

Dave Davidson was a true Casper renaissance man as a sheep rancher, oilman, real estate investor, saloon owner and baseball team manager. He was also one of Wyoming’s largest Prohibition bootleggers.

Dale KillingbeckApril 13, 2024

Wyoming’s Own Ian Munsick Returns Home With ‘Real West’ Country Music

Sheridan’s Ian Munsick says he will be back performing in Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain Region, where he got his start in the country-western scene. “This will definitely be a homecoming for me,” Munsick told Cowboy State Daily.

Renée JeanApril 13, 2024

Team Wyoming’s 18U AA team became the first national champions at their age level for the state.

Blue-Collar Work Ethic Propels Wyoming Kids To National Hockey Championship

The 16- to 18-year-old members of Team Wyoming live hours apart and all across the state, but came together last week to sweep five games in five days to claim the USA Hockey National Championship. They credit their gritty blue-collar work ethic for the wins.

Dale KillingbeckApril 13, 2024

Janelle Gibson didn't let getting kidnapped her first day in Wyoming stop her from building a life here.

Boston Woman Got Kidnapped Her First Day In Wyoming, But Built A Life Here Anyway

A Massachusetts woman who moved to Wyoming last May was kidnapped her first day in the state. She escaped her attacker, reported the incident to police, got a job on a ranch and fell in love with Wyoming anyway.

Clair McFarlandApril 13, 2024

Micro Wrestling Building A Huge Following In Wyoming And Beyond

With superstars like Syko, Pinky Shortcake and Andrew the Giant, the Micro Wrestling Federation is building a huge following in Wyoming and across the U.S. Their live shows are a combination of wrestling bouts and Jerry Springer shows gone wrong. It’s the WWE for “South Park” fans.

Jake NicholsApril 13, 2024

The Big Boy 4014, the world's largest operating steam locomotive, will go on a tour of the western states this summer.

Wyoming’s Famed Big Boy 4014 — Largest Steam Locomotive Ever — To Tour Again

Union Pacific Railroad's famed Big Boy 4014, the largest steam locomotive ever built, will hit the rails for a 2024 summer tour, pulling out of Cheyenne June 30 on a monthlong run West to California and back.

April 12, 2024

Thousands Fill Downtown Casper To Honor Hero Teen Killed Defending Girlfriend

An estimated 4,000 people gathered in downtown Casper on Thursday night to honor Bobby Maher, the 14-year-old hero who was stabbed to death defending his girlfriend at Eastridge Mall on Sunday.

Dale KillingbeckApril 12, 2024

Calvin Blackman, Kindergartner at Arp Elementary views the eclipse in Cheyenne, Wyoming on April 8, 2024.

Total Eclipse A Huge Event, Even In Wyoming Where It Was Only About 60%

Although Wyoming wasn't on the path of totality for Monday's total eclipse like it was in 2017, plenty of people were looking to the sky around midday to see the eclipse, which was about 50% to 60% across the state.

Leo Wolfson, Coy Knobel & Andrew RossiApril 08, 2024

A tree described as "the biggest pine tree in Cheyenne" was felled onto a house over the weekend due to the early April wind storm.

91 MPH Winds Blast Cheyenne, Blizzard Hits Niobrara, Campbell Counties

A powerful spring storm pounded Wyoming in different ways over the weekend, with winds gusting up to 91 mph uprooting trees in Cheyenne to dumping more than a foot of snow on Niobrara and Campbell counties.

April 08, 2024

The B-29 bomber flown on bombing raids over Japan was named “Big Stick” and carried original art drawn by Walt Disney himself.

Casper WWII Pilot Flew B-29 Bomber With Nose Art Drawn By Walt Disney

Casper’s E.A. “Bill” Sikes flew dozens of bomber missions in Europe and the Pacific during World War II, including a B-29 nicknamed “Big Stick” that has nose art draw on it personally by Walt Disney.

Dale KillingbeckApril 07, 2024

Anne Bina holds a photo of the 16-year-old boy, Ryan, who donated his kidney to her, allowing her many more years of life.

Casper Woman Has Been Living On Borrowed Time For 25 Years With Teen’s Kidney

A horrific crash in Wisconsin 25 years ago took the life of a 16-year-old boy, who then saved and extended the life of a Casper woman with his donated kidney. How she got her borrowed time from the boy still brings tears to her eyes.

Dale KillingbeckApril 07, 2024

Dave Stephens has many photographs, but the one he likes best is the life-sized Marlboro Man portrait of his friend, Darrell Winfield.

Sublette County Auctioneer’s 41-Year Collection Fills Up House And Two Garages

After 41 years of auctioneering, Dave Stephens of Sublette County has amassed an eclectic collection of curiosities and historic Wyoming artifacts that cuts a wide swath of Cowboy State history.

Renée JeanApril 07, 2024

Lugging 35-pound backpacks over the course of a full marathon, UW ROTC cadets Justin Stiles, from left, Louis Torres, Ryan Engle and Jack Harrington finished in 16th place at the Bataan Memorial Death March competition.

Wyoming Cadets Among Nation’s Elite At Grueling Death March Race

ROTC cadets from the University of Wyoming finished at or near the top of more than 5,000 competitors in the grueling annual Bataan Memorial Death March competition in New Mexico.

Jen KocherApril 07, 2024

Archaeologists from South America work in the deep test unit at the Powers II site in Wyoming where two artifacts dating 14,000 years old were found.

Ghost Town Of Sunrise, Wyoming, Poised To Become International Tourist Draw

The discovery of 14,000-year-old artifacts near the historic former mining town of Sunrise, Wyoming, has the area poised to become an archaeology tourism destination with a new field school to study them.

Renée JeanApril 06, 2024

In a secret Cheyenne warehouse dubbed "Area 51," thousands of Wyoming's new license plates are being made.

Wyoming’s New License Plates Made In A Secret Warehouse Called ‘Area 51’

In a plain-Jane secret warehouse in Cheyenne dubbed “Area 51,” Wyoming’s new dark, solid-colored license plates are coming off the press by the thousands. WYDOT insists the color of the plates is dark blue, not black.

Renée JeanApril 06, 2024

Newspapers in the Cheyenne region and in following days across the state and into Nebraska carried stories of Bertha Rhinehart’s heroism in saving her students from a prairie fire.

Wyoming History: The Heroic Teacher Who Died Saving Her Students From A Wildfire

Nov. 19, 1914, began as a normal day for Bertha Rhinehart, a teacher at a school 30 miles northwest of Cheyenne. Before the morning was over, the 28-year-old had saved her students from a wind-driven wildfire — but had been badly burned and died the next day.

Dale KillingbeckApril 06, 2024

John Huff checks to ensure a piece of neon glass that is part of the Tumble Inn sign fits in the right place.

Restoration Of Iconic 21-Foot Tumble Inn Cowboy On Pace To Be Finished This Year

An effort almost as tall as the iconic 21-foot-tall Tumble Inn cowboy to restore the neon giant to its former glory is progressing quickly and could be finished by the end of the year.

Dale KillingbeckApril 06, 2024

The Holliday House mansion, just west of Laramie, is for sale for $525,000.

Why Hasn't One Of Wyoming’s Oldest — And Largest — Mansions Sold?

Laramie’s Holliday House, originally built downtown in 1878 and moved out of town in 1978, features 13 bedrooms, seven baths and 7,000 square feet of space. Most recently it was the home of a socialist LGBTQ commune. The listing price has decreased by nearly $300K but it still hasn't found an owner.

Mark HeinzApril 05, 2024

Wyoming Department of Transportation workers, from left, Craig Brown, Fred Sherburne, Catarino Zapata and Logan Whipple were recently recognized for their heroic actions saving a man from a suicide attempt in January.

Wyoming Highway Workers Honored For Saving Life Of Driver After Suicide Attempt

Four Wyoming Department of Transportation maintenance workers from Basin have been honored for saving the life of a motorist who had attempted suicide in his car.

April 05, 2024

Comedian Larry the Cable Guy has been named the 2024 Cody Stampede Parade grand marshal.

No Joke: Larry the Cable Guy Named Grand Marshal For Cody Stampede Parade

The Cody Stampede Parade Committee announced Monday that Larry the Cable Guy will be the grand marshal the famous Stampede Parades on July 3-4.

Andrew RossiApril 01, 2024

Wyoming History: First Female State Senator Anti-Prohibition, Pro Veteran's Hospital

Wyoming’s first female state senator Dora McGrath had a colorful life. She helped lead the fight against prohibition, was nearly gunned down in a street fight, and is the legislator primarily responsible for the veteran's hospital in Cheyenne.

Leo WolfsonMarch 31, 2024

A pair of technicians lower a body into a cryonics vessel.

Science Behind Frozen Dead Guys Advancing Beyond Sci-Fi

The Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale has 227 cryopreserved patients including the brain of Boston Red Sox icon Ted Williams. You can be frozen for $220,000 for whole-body preservation or $90,000 for just your brain.

Renée JeanMarch 31, 2024

Nicholas Resch with a finished 3D print of the Bighorn Mountains in the Map and Skulls studio. It's the largest project Resch has printed so far, printed in multiple blocks, glued together, and painted to match the actual landscape.

Cody 3D Printing Artist Shows How Technology Is Revolutionizing Modeling Industries

Technology is revolutionizing the souvenir, modeling and collectibles industries as 3D printing takes off. Cody artist Nicholas Resch was able to print his own 3D replica of Devils Tower which is much more realistic than anything the Park Service can provide.

Andrew RossiMarch 31, 2024

University of Wyoming geology student Andrew Wright tries to toss a pinecone into the mouth of “Rexy,” a life-sized Tyrannosaurus rex statue on campus.

Tossing Pinecones Into Mouth Of Giant T. Rex A 60-Year UW Tradition

Trying to toss pinecones into the mouth of a life-sized Tyrannosaurus rex sculpture on the University of Wyoming campus has been going on for 60 years and is nearly impossible. The rumor is those who can are guaranteed to get good grades.

Mark HeinzMarch 31, 2024

The Haunting Of Cheyenne's Knights Of Pythias Building

Back in the 1990s, a caretaker found a skeleton in a coffin hidden under a stage. Authorities determined it was a 15-year-old girl and was there for more than 50 years. Although her skeleton has been removed, people say her spirit is still there.

Renée JeanMarch 31, 2024

A new prehistoric avian dinosaur, similar to this one, has been discovered. A Wyoming paleontologist helped verify it.

Wyoming Researcher Helps Discover Giant Prehistoric 170-Pound Chicken From Hell

Jade Simon, a professor at Laramie County Community College, was a critical part of a paleontologist team that discovered a new species of meat-eating dinosaur that’s best described as a giant 170-pound chicken from hell.

Andrew RossiMarch 31, 2024

Phil Pulanco continues to contemplate next steps following a fire that claimed all his and his wife’s possessions on March 9. The Vietnam veteran’s Purple Heart was among the family treasures that were destroyed.

Casper Veteran Loses Home, Daughter’s Ashes And Purple Heart In House Fire

As a war veteran, Phil Pulanco understands hard times. In Vietnam, the former Marine stepped on a booby trap. Now the retiree and his wife are trying to pick up the pieces after losing their home and everything they owned in a fire.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 30, 2024

Visitors look at the solar eclipse at South Mike Sedar Park on Aug. 21, 2017, in Casper, Wyoming.

No Total Eclipse For Wyoming, But Still Plenty To See At 65%

Wyoming is not in the path of totality this time around for the April 8 eclipse, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to see. Our partial eclipse will be up to 65%, which is still pretty cool to view.

Renée JeanMarch 30, 2024

Capt. Chuck Yeager standing next to the Air Force's Bell X-1 supersonic research aircraft at Muroc Army Air Force Base, California, October 1947. Yeager named it the Glamorous Glennis after his wife. He became the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound Oct. 14, 1947.

That Time Chuck Yeager Hunted Wyoming Antelope From a Fighter Plane

When Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, was stationed in Casper back in 1943, he wasn’t above raising some hell. That included strapping a machine gun on a fighter plane and hunting several antelope from the air. "Wyoming was great hunting," he said.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 30, 2024

This giant head in West Laramie, Wyoming, has been looking out over Snowy Range Road since 2021. It's titled "Exhaling Dissolution" and is part of a rotating public art display.

Laramie Not Sad To See Giant "Joe Biden" Head Go

A giant 13.5-foot-tall human head sculpture commonly called the “Joe Biden head” near a busy intersection in Laramie will be removed in May. And locals say it won’t be missed.

Mark HeinzMarch 30, 2024

Bison graze in a field just below some of the mountain ranges that frame the sky at Joe Ricketts' ranch in Sublette County.

Locals In Bondurant, Wyoming, Angered By Push To Make It ‘Little Jackson Hole’

TD Ameritrade founder and Chicago Cubs owner Joe Ricketts’s push to rename Bondurant, Wyoming to Little Jackson Hole and build a swanky 230,000-square-foot resort is stirring fears in both Hoback Valley and Sublette County.

Renée JeanMarch 30, 2024

Kendall Cummings wrestles for Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming.

There’s More To Kendell Cummings Than Being The Guy Who Wrestled A Grizzly

Since October 2022, the world has known Kendell Cummings as the guy who jumped on a grizzly bear to save a buddy. But there’s more to the Evanston, Wyoming, native.

Leo WolfsonMarch 26, 2024

Kendell Cummings, left, as been awarded North America's highest civilian award for heroism, the Carnegie Medal, for saving his friend, Brady Lowry, right, from a grizzly bear attack.

Highest Heroism Award For Wyoming Wrestler Who Saved Teammate From Grizzly

A Powell, Wyoming, college wrestler who saved a teammate from a grizzly bear attack in 2022 — and himself was badly mauled — has been awarded the Carnegie Medal, North America’s highest award for heroism.

Leo WolfsonMarch 25, 2024

The Campbell County Fire Department responds to an early season grass fire last week.

Northeast Wyoming Already Blowing Up As Wildfire Hot-Spot

Wyoming’s premier national forests might be safe from a nasty fire season, but in the northeast corner of the state, it’s already blowing up — and expected to get worse.

Mark HeinzMarch 25, 2024

This illustration created by the Goddard Space Flight Center show's an artist's concept of the Hercules nova.

Once-In-A-Lifetime Nova Explosion Will Lighten Up Wyoming's Skies This Year

Scientists are predicting a once-in-a-lifetime nova explosion before September. The light from the nova explosion, which happened 3,000 years ago, will reach Earth and be visible to the naked eye. Wyoming will be a great spot to view it.

Andrew RossiMarch 24, 2024

Three members of the University of Wyoming college student rescue team that served at Medicine Bow Peak in 1955 included Robert Harrower, left, Courtney Skinner and Diggs Lewis.

Wyoming History: Cleaning Up Scene Of 1955 Plane Crash Was What ‘Hell Looks Like’

Robert Harrower, now 87, was 18 when he was tasked with helping clean up human remains from a 1955 plane crash on Wyoming’s Medicine Bow Peak that killed 66. He still vividly remembers the scene as what he envisions “hell looks like.”

Dale KillingbeckMarch 24, 2024

Wyoming History: Two Men ‘Blown To Bits’ In 1921 When Truck Hauling Nitro Exploded

The driver of a truck hauling nitroglycerine and the unlucky hitchhiker he picked up, were “literally blown to bits” in 1921 when it exploded in Bonneville, Wyoming, leaving a hole 16 feet deep. Nearly all 75 buildings in the small community were damaged by the blast.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 24, 2024

Volunteers from animal rescues all over the country worked with the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (SPCA) International to find homes for the 70 rescued dogs.

Wyoming’s Kindness Ranch Rescues 10 West Bank War Refugee Dogs

A few days ago, these 10 dogs were refugees in war-torn West Bank, shellshocked and some missing limbs. They were rescued last week by the Wyoming-based Kindness Ranch, a 1,000-acre animal sanctuary near Hartville.

Jen KocherMarch 24, 2024

A pro-class competitor races up Snow King Mountain during the 2023 World Championship Hill Climb.

Jackson Hill Climb A High-Octane Snowmobile Sprint Up North America’s Steepest Ski Run

The World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb in Jackson this weekend is NASCAR for sledheads, an annual highmarking event that’s high-octane, adrenaline-fueled mayhem straight up the steepest ski run in North America on a snowmobile.

Jake NicholsMarch 24, 2024

After winning this year's NASA TechRise Student Challenge, a group of Evanston eighth graders are now working with scientists and engineers with the space agency to test their thermal moon mapping technology.

Evanston 8th Graders Build Cutting Edge Moon Mapping Tech For NASA

For the second year in a row, a group of Evanston eighth graders has won the NASA TechRise Student Challenge for their thermal moon mapping technology, which they’re developing with the space agency.

March 24, 2024

Noted Wyoming photographer Dave Bell of Pinedale says the beginning of spring is the prime time to view and photograph the Milky Way Galaxy.

Beginning Of Spring Is The Start Of Milky Way Season & Wyoming Is Prime Viewing

Astrophotographer Dave Bell says Wyoming is one of the best places in the country for Milky Way season, which just started. His favorite photo, which took him two years to get, has the Milky Way rising out of Square Top in Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Andrew RossiMarch 23, 2024

A 221-year happening will see two broods of cicadas emerge at the same time in the Eastern United States.

Rare 221-Year Cicada Apocalypse In Eastern US Will Bury Wyoming’s Cricket Swarms

Last year, swarming hordes of crickets covered entire towns in Wyoming like Edgerton which was buried by millions of them but that's nothing compared to the rare 221-year cicada apocalypse expected in the East next month. The last time this happened, Thomas Jefferson was president.

Andrew RossiMarch 23, 2024

The ‘Wyoming Way’ Of Knowing For Sure When Spring Has Sprung

Spring officially arrived this week, but next week’s forecast calls for snow every day in some parts of the state. Therein lies the difficulty of pronouncing the change of seasons in the Cowboy State. Those who live here use the "Wyoming way."

Jake NicholsMarch 23, 2024

Frozen Dead Guy Days' Blue Ball is held at the famous Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado.

Frozen Dead Guy Days -- Still A Great Party And Now In Estes Park

Frozen Dead Guy Days all started because the townspeope of Nederland, Colorado, wanted to celebrate the frozen body of Bredo, who was put on ice in a backyard shed. This year, Bredo was moved to the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, and the party came with him.

Renée JeanMarch 23, 2024

15-year-old Jillian Nordberg is taking Cody by storm.

The Next Taylor Swift? Discovering Cody's Teen Sensation Jillian Nordberg

Jillian Nordberg says she would not mind being the next Taylor Swift. The teen singer out of Park County could be on that type of trajectory with an estimated thousand gigs already under her belt buckle.

Jake NicholsMarch 22, 2024

Randy Wagner was shooting that day in 1989 at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo when Lane Frost made what would be his last bull ride.

Lane Frost Documentary To Be Screened At Cheyenne Frontier Days This Summer

A documentary focusing on rodeo legend Lane Frost, who died after a bull ride at Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1989, will be screened in Cheyenne during CFD this summer. The film features interviews with Frost’s parents, his widow Kellie, and fellow rodeo star Tuff Hedeman along with footage shot from Wyoming videographer Mike McCrimmon.

March 21, 2024

12P/Pons-Brooks, aka the devil comet, as it streaks through the night sky.

Wyoming A Great Place To View The Two-Horned ‘Devil Comet’

The latest visitor to the night skies of Wyoming is an out-of-this-world dirty snowman with two tails — aka the devil comet — returning for its first visit to Earth in 70 years.

Andrew RossiMarch 20, 2024

Edge Fest, which has grown to Wyoming's largest outdoor music festival, will come to a close after its 10th anniversary event in August.

This Year’s Edge Fest Will Be Last For Wyoming’s Largest Free Music Event

Edge Fest in Cheyenne has grown to be Wyoming’s largest free music event over the last decade. This year’s event marks it’s 10th — and also last, as organizers announce Edge Fest won’t return.

March 19, 2024

A Jekyll-and-Hyde El Niño system that's gripped Wyoming this winter is turning unseasonably warm again. But Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day says to not be fooled. There's still another six weeks of winter left.

First Day Of Spring Is Wyoming's Groundhog Day — Still 6 More Weeks Of Winter

Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day says Tuesday might be the first day of spring but for Wyoming it might as well be Groundhog Day because there’s still six more weeks of winter left.

Andrew RossiMarch 18, 2024

Casper high school senior Ella Catchpole recently took home a $21,000 VFW scholarship as the second-place winner nationally in the VFW's Voice of Democracy essay contest.

Casper 17-Year-Old Places 2nd In Nation In VFW Voice Of Democracy Essay Contest

Casper’s Ella Catchpole took second place nationally in the VFW Voice of Democracy essay contest and pocketed $21,000 for college. She credits being the daughter of a U.S. Marine in better understanding government and its impact on people.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 17, 2024

Man Who Killed Natrona County Sheriff In 1902 Couldn’t Escape Vigilante Justice

Natrona County Sheriff Wilson Ricker was shot and killed by an escaped prisoner Jan. 2, 1902. His death was more merciful than the one an angry mob gave the killer, who broke into the jail and lynched him hours before the scheduled execution.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 17, 2024

Owner Mark Horning said he closed the Bill Store when the pandemic hit and he couldn’t find help. The store buildings and the house on the property are for sale.

Bill, Wyoming: The Micro-Town That Refuses To Die

Bill, Wyoming, is far removed from its boomtown days when it boasted a population of 5. But even with its iconic post office and store closed up -- and now its town sign has disappeared -- Bill refuses to die.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 17, 2024

Left, a promotion poster for “The Fighting Shepherdess,” a silent movie inspired by Wyoming’s Sheep Queen. Lucy Morrison Moore the “sheep queen” of Wyoming left a legacy of success behind in her 75 years of life.

Wyoming’s Pioneering ‘Sheep Queen’ Faced Down Cattlemen And Mountain Lions

Lucy Morrison, Wyoming’s “Sheep Queen,” was a force to be reckoned with. The tough-as nails rancher, who moved to South Pass City in 1881, faced down cattlemen, mountain lions, and anything else that got in her way -- and always won.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 17, 2024

Part of the tail assembly from United Airlines Flight 409 that crashed on Medicine Bow Peak on Oct. 5, 1955.

Wyoming History: That Day In 1955 When A Plane Slammed Into Medicine Bow Peak

Back in 1955, when United Airlines Flight 409 slammed into Medicine Bow Peak, exploding on impact and killing all 66 onboard, it was the worst air disaster in U.S. history. To this day, climbers still find pieces of that aircraft in the area.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 16, 2024

Bilko, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois was a rock star K-9 officer for the Gillette Police Department before his recent retirement.

Gillette Police Retire Biko, The ‘Michael Jordan’ Of Wyoming K-9 Officers

It's never easy for a K-9 police dog to retire. Biko, who Gillette police call the 'Michael Jordan' of crime dogs, is adjusting to being a family dog but his handler says Biko's whining tugs on his heartstrings as he heads out the door to work.

Jen KocherMarch 16, 2024

Bettie Marie Daniels enjoys the celebration honoring her lifetime commitment to Girl Scouts. Daniels was recognized for 75 years of dedicated service to the organization recently at the Etoquinnow Girl Scout House in Cody.

Wyoming’s Bettie Daniels, 90, An Active Girl Scout 75 Years And Counting

Bettie Marie Daniels of Cody, Wyoming, first became a Girl Scout in 1939, and the 90-year-old has spent most of her adult life actively involved in the organization — 75 years and counting.

Amber SteinmetzMarch 16, 2024

Mountain View High School's Dome, Home of the Buffalos.

‘The Dome’: Tiny Mountain View, Wyoming’s Cathedral To Basketball

Like a lot of Wyoming small towns, Mountain View lives and dies by its basketball team during the long, cold winters. The gym-dandy place they call “The Dome” is where the Buffalos roam, and it’s unlike any other arena in Wyoming.

Jake NicholsMarch 16, 2024

From the Central Wyoming College production of the musical "Peter Pan."

Central Wyoming College Swaps ‘Uggawugg’ Lyrics For Arapaho In ‘Peter Pan’

Central Wyoming College theater director Joey West got his colleague Ron Howard to rewrite the tribal “Uggawugg” song in the “Peter Pan” musical with real Arapaho lyrics and purge the 1954 play’s other Native American stereotypes.

Clair McFarlandMarch 15, 2024

Wyoming author J.B. Zielke has won two 2024 Spur Awards for his Western novel "The Lost Cowboy."

Actually, There’s 1 More Spur Award Winner From Wyoming (And He Won 2 Of Them)

Saratoga's J.B. Zielke has rolled his experiences cowboying on six continents into his acclaimed novel "The Lost Cowboy," which won two 2024 Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America. He joins four other Wyoming writers to be honored.

Andrew RossiMarch 15, 2024

The charred remains of the Watts family home in Hudson, Wyoming, the day after it burned.

Town Of Hudson Rallies Around Family Who Lost Everything In Fire

It took nine fire trucks, four fire crews and nearly 50 firefighters to stop the blaze that took everything from the Watts family in Hudson, Wyoming. But the fire did not take their friends -- and strangers -- who have rallied to help them after the loss.

Clair McFarlandMarch 15, 2024

Eating Wyoming: The Bunkhouse Bar & Grill, A Wagon Wheel-Free Sanctuary

Columnist Rod Miller writes, "Their prime rib sandwich is as good a reason I can think of for a cow to die. If you leave the Bunkhouse still hungry, it's your own damn fault."

Rod MillerMarch 13, 2024

Goose Exploding On Power Line Prompts Gunshot Calls In Thermopolis

Several Thermopolis residents called the police on Tuesday reporting loud gun shots near Hot Springs State Park. Turns out it was a large goose which flew into a power line and exploded. No one was injured (except the blown-up goose).

Andrew RossiMarch 13, 2024

Wyoming 2024 Spur Award winners Craig Johnson, from left, Candy Moulton and W. Michael Gear.

Three Wyoming Authors Awarded Western Writing's Highest Honor

Wyoming authors Craig Johnson, Candy Moulton, and W. Michael Gear are winners of the Western Writers of America's 2024 Spur Awards. The Spur Award is considered one of the most prestigious awards in American literature.

Andrew RossiMarch 12, 2024

SpaceX's Dragon Endurance Soaring Over Wyoming Early Tuesday Morning

The SpaceX spacecraft carrying four astronauts will be visible in the Wyoming skies between 2:30 and 3:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. The crew is heading home after six months aboard the International Space Station.

March 12, 2024

Weather Patterns Likely To Collide Over Wyoming This Week, Bringing Snow

When a cold front from Canada collides with Pacific moisture over Wyoming this week, there is growing confidence it will produce heavy snowfall for parts of the state on Wednesday and Thursday. But it all depends on the timing.

Andrew RossiMarch 11, 2024

City Attorney For Rock Springs Captures Video Of "UFO" Near Green River

The Rock Springs city attorney and part-time UFO investigator captured 40 minutes of video early Sunday morning of an unidentified flying object near Green River. He's reaching out to local airports now and radar stations to see what they picked up.

Greg Johnson & Andrew RossiMarch 11, 2024

Built to be the height of modern luxury at the time in 1907, the Emery Hotel in Thermopolis was to be the centerpiece of a tourism destination that would make the town bigger than Denver — at least that was the vision.

The Emery Hotel Was Built To Make Thermopolis Bigger Than Denver, Then It Was Torn Down

The luxurious three-story Emery Hotel opened in 1907 in Thermopolis as the most modern in the West with visions of making the town bigger than Denver. It was demolished in 1965, something that was bitterly opposed by most of the town's residents.

Andrew RossiMarch 10, 2024

Teri and Randy Rowland of Sheridan are happy to have Teri’s wedding ring back. The couple have been married for 25 years, and she lost hers last Sunday at an exit along I-25. Against all odds, she got it back.

Against All Odds, Wyoming Woman Who Lost Wedding Ring Along I-25 Gets It Back

A Sheridan woman traveling along I-25 last weekend lost her wedding ring while stopped at an exit. She posted about it on Facebook, and against all odds she got it back, thanks to a good Samaritan.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 10, 2024

A south-facing roof made of polycarbonates like those used for greenhouses seals the walipini from the outdoors.

Year-Round Produce: Wyoming Gardener Outsmarts Winter With Underground Greenhouse

Sara Ross loves gardening but lives in Daniel, Wyoming, where there are only 57 growing days a year. So she's outsmarted Wyoming’s brutal winters by building an underground Bolivian greenhouse called a walipini.

Renée JeanMarch 10, 2024

Growing up with his crop-duster father taught Dallas a few things about airplane mechanics. As an aeronautical engineer graduate, he learned a lot more. He still enjoys working on his airplane.

Casper Pilot Has Been Navigating Wyoming’s Wild Weather For 70 Years

Casper's Dallas Chopping, who's been navigating Wyoming's wild weather for 70 years, isn't slowing down. He helps the Civil Air Patrol, search and rescue missions, and teaches ranchers how to fly in and out of their ranches.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 10, 2024

For more than 50 years, the unique angular 90-foot-tall First United Methodist Church in Laramie has been a landmark, nicknamed the "Boat Church."

Iconic Laramie 90-Foot-Tall ‘Boat Church’ To Be Demolished

Laramie’s “Boat Church," which opened in 1968, towers 90 feet tall. But acoustically, it's always been terrible. When it first opened it had a 7-second echo. Plus, it's falling apart. So, it's scheduled to be demolished next week.

Mark HeinzMarch 09, 2024

Harold and Ruth Shelden would be married only a short time. After Harold was killed in the Netherlands, his Purple Heart was sent to Ruth, who had already remarried. (Note: The War Department misspelled his name on the decoration)

After More Than 80 Years, Wyoming Paratrooper’s WWII Purple Heart Comes Home

Last week, relatives of a Douglas native who died in World War II’s Operation Market Garden received the Purple Heart that the paratrooper earned more than 80 years ago.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 09, 2024

Summer is a draft horse up for adoption through the Broken Bandit Wildlife Center near Cheyenne.

Wyoming Animal Rescue Adopts Massive 2,500-Pound Draft Horses

Patricia Wyer of Cheyenne has rescued many small animals through her Broken Bandit Wildlife Center. Recently, she started also fostering massive 2,500-pound draft horses.

Mark HeinzMarch 09, 2024

Ranger chases grizzly bears that get too close to Brooks Lake Lodge, earning him the nickname "Ranger Danger."

Meet Ranger, The Wyoming Cowdog That Chases Grizzlies At Brooks Lake Lodge

Guides at Brooks Lake Lodge affectionately call this black-and-white pooch “Ranger Danger” — and with good reason. Ranger has proven himself time and again by fearlessly chasing off grizzly bears. It’s not what Hangin’ Tree dogs were bred for, but with him, it’s instinct.

Renée JeanMarch 09, 2024

Daylight Saving Time: Wyoming Passed A Law To Kill Changing Of Clocks But It's Still Here

Wyoming is one of nearly 20 states that want to just make daylight saving time permanent and get rid of the twice-a-year clock changing, but can’t because federal regulations won’t allow it.

Andrew RossiMarch 08, 2024

Cheyenne Frontier Days Announces 2024 Night Show Concert Lineups

Cheyenne Frontier Days on Thursday announced its 2024 night show concert lineups including Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett, Lainey Wilson, Jelly Roll, Machine Gun Kelly, T-Pain, and Ludacris.

March 08, 2024

University of Wyoming student athletes are emotional during Wednesday's memorial for three swim team members who were killed in a car crash Feb. 22, 2024.

UW Swimmers Killed In Crash Remembered As Dedicated, Loving Teammates

Three University of Wyoming swim team members killed in a Feb. 22 car crash were remembered Wednesday as dedicated, fun-loving and caring teammates.

Clair McFarlandMarch 07, 2024

Don Day Says Women In Viral Video Lucky They Weren’t Fried By Lightning

Two women laughing and smiling in a viral video with hair standing straight up from static electricity were likely in the path of an imminent lightning strike and are lucky they weren’t fried, Don Day says.

Andrew RossiMarch 06, 2024

Snow Moves 3 Feet Up Wyoming Stop Sign In A Week, Boosting Odds It Gets Buried

A week ago, the outlook was bleak that a lonely stop sign on Togwotee Pass in the middle of nowhere in Wyoming would be buried in snow. But by Wednesday morning, the snow had moved 3 feet up the sign, upping the odds it gets buried by April 1.

Andrew RossiMarch 06, 2024

Jake Nichols: Locals Reeling Over Ski Death Of Kelly Krause, Restaurateur And Soul Of Old Jackson

Jake Nichols writes, "Krause died Friday while skiing at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. He fell into a tree well on the North Woods run between Rendezvous Trail and The Hobacks. It was the second such incident in the area in less than two weeks."

Jake NicholsMarch 05, 2024

Power lines were down and roads nonexistent over the weekend when as much as 10 feet of snow fell in parts of California's central mountains.

With 70 Inches Of Snow, Jackson Gets Leftovers From Historic California Storm

California was buried over the weekend with a massive snowstorm that had enough punch left to cover the Jackson Hole Ski Area with 70 inches of snow over the weekend. Meteorologist Don Day says more snow is on the way.

Andrew RossiMarch 04, 2024

This gun reported to have belonged to notorious outlaw "Big Nose" George Parrott was recently discovered after spending decades in storage at the Sweetwater County Historical Museum.

Lost For Decades, ‘Big Nose’ George’s Gun Found In Wyoming Museum Archives

“Big Nose” George Parrott’s reign of terror as a Wyoming highwayman, cattle rustler and cop killer came to an abrupt halt at the end of a rope. His gun, lost for decades, was recently found in the archives of a Green River museum.

Andrew RossiMarch 03, 2024

Casper historian Johanna Wickman discovered a rare photo of James Greer, an 11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry officer, while searching through an online auction.

Wyoming Historian Uncovers Only Known Photo Of 1865 Cavalry Captain

A Wyoming historian has uncovered the only known photo of U.S. Cavalry officer Capt. James Ellbridge Greer who was the commander at the 1865 Battle of Platte Bridge Station near present-day Casper.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 03, 2024

A Triceratops skeleton in the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology in Alberta, Canada. This is a replica of the Triceratops skeleton in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The skull was found in Niobrara County in 1909.

Digging Wyoming: Triceratops, The State Dinosaur, Are ‘Like A Dime A Dozen’

There's a reason the Triceratops is the Wyoming State Dinosaur -- they're everywhere across the state. Not only that, it was the first dinosaur ever excavated in Wyoming. Back in 1872, a headless Triceratops was found in Sweetwater County.

Andrew RossiMarch 03, 2024

Bruce Tippets grew up in Riverton and now makes sports dreams come true for people with serious health challenges with his nonprofit, Dreams in Motion.

Former Riverton Man Nearly Died, Now Makes Sports Dreams Come True For Others

Bruce Tippets grew up in Riverton and nearly died before getting a kidney transplant. Now to help others dealing with serious health challenges, he provides first-class sports experiences so "for a little while, they don't have to worry about anything."

Amber SteinmetzMarch 02, 2024

Albert J. Bothwell, front left, with family and friends.

Wyoming History: The Wyoming Rancher Who Kept Wolves And Hung His Neighbors

Albert J. Bothwell was an early Wyoming rancher and businessman who kept wolves, lynched his neighbors from a tree, put a fence up on the Oregon Trail, and helped start the infamous Johnson County War.

Dale KillingbeckMarch 02, 2024

Brooke Sawyer, left, and Garth Dowling in a close-up shot during the auditorium scene in the blockbuster movie "Oppenheimer." Dowling spent four decades as a photojournalist in Jackson before moving and becoming an extra in the movie.

Longtime Wyoming Photographer Gets Some Screen Time In Oscar-Nominated ‘Oppenheimer’

Garth Dowling spent four decades as a photojournalist in Jackson, Wyoming, but got some time in front of the camera in the 13-time Oscar-nominated film “Oppenheimer.” He played the role of 'Scientist A31' and can be seen many times in the movie.

Jake NicholsMarch 02, 2024

Grass fire in Cheyenne on Friday, March 1, 2024

More Grass Fires Break Out Near Cheyenne; Tornado-Like Fire Skips Along Prairie

Homes were evacuated and roads were closed as more grass fires broke out north and west of Cheyenne on Friday. One fire looked like a tornado skipping along the prairie north of Cheyenne.

Andrew RossiMarch 01, 2024

Laramie County Sheriff's Office Deputy Peter Hurdle will pay taps for Sheridan police Sgt. Nevada Krinkee.

Cheyenne Deputy To Play Taps In Solemn Last Call For Sheridan Sgt. Nevada Krinkee

Peter Hurdle, a Laramie County Sheriff’s Office Deputy who plays trumpet in the Wyoming Army National Guard band, said it will be “a huge honor” to play taps graveside Friday for fallen Sheridan Police Sgt. Nevada Krinkee.

Pat MaioMarch 01, 2024

With A Month To Go, Remote Wyoming Stop Sign Way Off Pace To Get Buried In Snow

There's a contest every year to see who can predict what day a stop sign on Togwotee Pass gets buried by snow. More than 500 people this year have entered and can check a WYDOT webcam every day for progress. So far it's not even close.

Andrew RossiFebruary 28, 2024

What The Heck … Are Snow Squalls, And Where Do They Come From?

There were two Snow Squall Warnings issued in southern Wyoming on Monday. Although squall has long been a term to describe short, intense, wind-driven storms at sea, it's use with a snowstorm is relatively new.

Andrew RossiFebruary 27, 2024

Nobody was hurt when this single-engine Cessna 172N was caught by a wind gust and flipped at the Casper/Natrona County International Airport.

Wind Gust Flips Single-Engine Cessna At Casper Airport

Wyoming’s famous winds make it challenging for pilots flying any size aircraft around the Cowboy State, as the pilot of a Cessna 172 found out Monday when it was flipped at the Casper airport.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 27, 2024

Not even the weatherman is exempt from the effects of Wyoming weather. This past weekend's wind storms dropped a large chunk of a giant cottonwood on his truck.

Roaring 80 MPH Wyoming Wind Topples 100-Year-Old Tree Onto Don Day’s Truck

Meteorologist Don Day says people blame him for the bad weather anyway so maybe it's 'poetic justice' that part of a 100-year-old tree crashed down on his truck on Saturday as winds in Wyoming gusted to over 80 mph.

Andrew RossiFebruary 26, 2024

Wyoming Model Railroaders Live In Their Own Tiny Worlds

It’s almost an out-of-body experience walking through the doors at the local model railroad club. Like gods in their own little universes, these model railroaders are building worlds, including an impressively detailed recreation of Casper.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 25, 2024

This Princess Blue Water sculpture will find a permanent home at Cheyenne Frontier Days. As part of her amazing life, she had a long and legendary relationship with CFD.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Legend Princess Blue Water Bowed To Nobody, Not Even The Queen

Cheyenne Frontier Days legend Princess Blue Water performed with Buffalo Bill Cody, was invited to Kennedy’s inauguration and refused to bow for England’s Queen Victoria, saying the Oglala Sioux bow to no one.

Renée JeanFebruary 25, 2024

Casper artist Travis Glasgow is building a following for his hybrid art combining wildlife and the landscapes the inhabit.

Casper Artist's Unique Wildlife - Landscape Fusions Gain International Audience

Casper native and artist Travis Glasgow creates stunning, portraits of Wyoming wildlife by fusing them with the landscapes they live in. His unique approach is gaining an international audience.

Renée JeanFebruary 25, 2024

The tiny skeleton of an embryonic Psittacosaurus. This fossil was excavated in Mongolia or China, but its exact origin is unknown. It will now be part of the permanent fossil collection at the Tate Geological Museum in Casper.

Rare Dinosaur Fossil Abandoned By Mongolia Adopted By Wyoming Museum

The Tate Geological Museum in Casper, Wyoming, has adopted a rare Mongolian dinosaur fossil -- a hatchling Psittacosaurus -- that was returned to and then abandoned by that country as part of an international investigation.

Andrew RossiFebruary 25, 2024

Rock Springs Spanish teacher Chris Clifton shows a Black Butte High School flag at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Rock Springs Teacher Climbs Kilimanjaro, Africa’s Tallest And Most Mysterious Peak

Rock Springs teacher Chris Clifton checked off a bucket list item the day after Christmas when he reached the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in Africa. As the temperatures plummeted and the weather worsened the higher he got, Clifton thought, "The brutal winter we had in Wyoming last year was worse.”

February 25, 2024

The La Peele bone bead, left, has polished ends (above) and a side view with notches in it. Its overall length is 7 millimeters. At right, archaeologists excavate at the site in Converse County.

Why Discovery Of A Small 13,000-Year-Old Bead In Wyoming Is A Big Deal

At 13,000 years old, a tiny 7-millimeter-long bead discovered in Wyoming’s famous La Prele Mammoth archaeological site is the oldest bead in the Americas and it provides a glimpse into the hunter-gatherer culture from the end of the Ice Age.

Andrew RossiFebruary 25, 2024

Counties Explore Tourism Potential Of Wyoming’s Historic Trails

Natrona and Carbon counties could have the first National Heritage Area in Wyoming if they apply for a federal designation capitalizing on tourism potential of historic trails. But some are wary it could lead to federal encroachment on private and state lands.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 24, 2024

Jenn Green of Gillette has had her northeast Wyoming hometown behind her through three heart transplant surgeries.

After Third Heart Transplant, Wyoming Woman Says Every Day Is A Gift From God

Jenn Green of Gillette, who is recovering from her third heart transplant, says she wants to be an inspiration to others, give them hope and make them believe they should never give up. "Most of all trust in the Lord. I believe that is my purpose," she says.

Amber SteinmetzFebruary 24, 2024

Jan Curtis talks about how he uses a $45 GoPro to capture stunning night sky photography.

Digital Technology Has Democratized The Night Sky, Making It Accessible To All

Cheyenne photographer and retired meteorologist Jan Curtis uses digital technology to take photos of the nightsky while the world is asleep. His photos have been featured in National Geographic and NASA publications, and some of his digital cameras are quite inexpensive.

Renée JeanFebruary 24, 2024

Visitors exploring an M46 Patton, one of the parade vehicles in the collection of the National Museum of Military Vehicles. This tank and 18 other military vehicles roll through Dubois during the annual Fourth of July Parade.

At Wyoming Military Museum, Tanks Aren’t Just For Show — They Drive Them

In most museums, the exhibits sit stoically. It’s look but don’t touch. At the National Museum of Military Vehicles, vintage U.S. tanks proudly parade and spin in the snow for spectators. Last week, visitors got to see a 40-ton Kampfpanzer Leopard 1 in action.

Andrew RossiFebruary 24, 2024

Wyoming Dealers Say Gila Monsters Not Good Pets After Bite Kills Colorado Man

A Colorado man died after being bitten by his pet Gila monster -- which have been known to deliver a fatal amount of venom. That's why Wyoming exotic pet dealers say that Gila monsters are usually best left in the wild.

Mark HeinzFebruary 23, 2024

Joe Arnold, the longtime custodian for the Hot Springs School District 1 administration building, was surprised by an assembly in his honor Wednesday. He's pictured here with Superintendent Dustin Hunt, behind.

Thermopolis Custodian Joe Arnold Gets Surprise Celebration For 60-Year Career

On Wednesday, every student in Hot Springs County School District 1, and U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, gathered to honor the 60-year career of custodian Joe Arnold. The celebration was held in the administration building which has been named after him.

Andrew RossiFebruary 21, 2024

Jay Richard and "Marion," his 1,700-pound pumpkin in his P2K greenhouse in Worland. This is the first year Richard has used the custom-built greenhouse, where he can control the humidity and temperature needed to grow the biggest pumpkins possible. He won't reach 2,000 pounds this year, but he learned enough to get there in the future.

Who Mows Their Lawn In February In Wyoming? Jay Richard, The Pumpkin King

Growing massive pumpkins is a year-round project for Jay Richard of Worland, the Pumpkin King of Wyoming. On Monday, Jay was in his 85-degree greenhouse mowing his lawn.

Andrew RossiFebruary 19, 2024

The Medicine Wheel and Medicine Mountain National Historic Landmark in 2011. The rock circle is about 80 feet in diameter, with 28 '"spokes" radiating from a central cairn, five cairns around the rim and a sixth slightly outside the perimeter.

Bighorn Medicine Wheel In Wyoming Draws Thousands Of Visitors Every Year

Some believe the Medicine Wheel in the Bighorn National Forest is a vision quest site. Others believe it is a representation of a sun dance circle or an astronomical observatory and calendar. To many Native Americans it is “the place where the eagle lands.”

Amber SteinmetzFebruary 19, 2024

The Pony Express collection of Joe Nardone has an estimated $1.5 million worth of artifacts, which he wanted the Fort Caspar Museum to have as the northernmost outpost on the Pony Express route.

Pony Express Historian Wants Fort Caspar Museum To Get Piece Of $1.5M Collection

A noted Pony Express historian and collector died in 2021 with a wish to give much of his $1.5 million collection to the Fort Caspar Museum, but the museum would have to expand to accommodate it.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 18, 2024

Laramie native Shelby Means plays bass in Molly Tuttle's Golden Highway Band, which just won a Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album.

Wyoming’s Shelby Means Wins Grammy Award For Best Bluegrass Album

Growing up, Shelby Means' dad would wake her up by playing the banjo. But now, the Laramie woman is waking up the world with her bass fiddle. Means is part of Molly Tuttle’s Golden Highway Band which just won a Grammy for best bluegrass album.

Renée JeanFebruary 18, 2024

A pair of buildings more than 100 years old have been demolished in downtown Cody. They're adjacent lots at 1236 and 1244 Sheridan Ave.

Town Of Cody Demolishing Two More 100-Year-Old Buildings

Cody is a town that loves its Western and Wyoming legacy, but it is about to lose two more of its 100-plus-year-old buildings within its historic district. The mayor says concerns about retaining the historic character are legitimate, but it's got to be balanced with the rights of property owners.

Renée JeanFebruary 18, 2024

The Casper Tribune-Herald front page reports the tragic plane crash wreckage has been discovered on March 1, 1954.

Wyoming History: 70 Years Ago This Month, Doomed Flight 34 Crashed During Winter Storm

Feb. 26, 1954, was a Friday nearly 70 years ago when the matriarch at the Keeline Ranch east of Wright, Wyoming, heard a low flying plane. The days that followed dominated headlines as would-be rescuers fought blizzard-like conditions in a desperate search for Western Air Lines Flight 34.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 18, 2024

How A Tenderfoot Wyoming Dentist Once Outdrank Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch To Survive

Sheridan dentist William Frackleton had no intention of ever meeting Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch gang in person. No sirree. But when he did and it started going downhill, he devised a plan to survive — outdrink them.

Renée JeanFebruary 18, 2024

Casper Fire Department Rescues Stranded Dog In North Platte River

The Casper Fire Department rescued a dog stranded on an icy island in the Whitewater Park area on the North Platte River in Casper on Saturday. The dog is safe and sound, according to fire department officials.

February 17, 2024

Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame: Joseph Rex Wardell Ran Cattle For 53 Years

Joseph Rex Wardell was the seventh of nine children and earned his first saddle working as a horse wrangler at age 9. He spent 53 in the saddle for the Upper Green River Cattle Association.

Candy MoultonFebruary 17, 2024

A crash last May left Gavan Bethel in a coma in ICUs in Casper and then Englewood, Colorado for nearly 10 days. He was originally given a 3% chance to live.

Casper Man Who Had 3% Chance To Live Makes ‘Miracle’ Recovery After Crash

Casper’s Gavan Bethel was given a 3% chance to live after he was thrown from the cab of a truck that ran off the road last May. Still partially blind and deaf, Gavan continues to make giant steps toward recovery.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 17, 2024

An abandoned house in Powell, Wyoming, was covered in nearly 13,000 pounds of pepper jack cheese by artist Cosimo Cavallero in October 2001.

That Time A Wyoming House Was Covered In 6 Tons Of Pepper Jack Cheese

For a brief few weeks in October 2001, Powell, Wyoming, became a national curiosity when an international artist covered an abandoned house there — every inch outside and in — with more than 6 tons of government surplus pepper jack cheese.

Andrew RossiFebruary 17, 2024

Northern Wyoming Snowpack Finally In For A Winter Snowstorm

Heavy snow and colder temperatures will descend on northern Wyoming this week, which should give the region's faltering snowpack and much-needed boost.

Andrew RossiFebruary 13, 2024

Amie Holt Care Center resident Beverly Landrey joked that she was “born” on a horse. The horse lover enjoyed getting some one-on-one time with Chip on Monday.

Wyoming Seniors Say Pair Of Mini Horses Make The Best Valentines

Chip and Tootsie Roll are a pair of miniature horses that have been cheering up folks at Wyoming senior care centers. On Monday, they were valentines for nearly 30 residents at Amie Holt Care Center in Buffalo.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 13, 2024

George Radden with other members of the Casper Police Department.

99 Years Later, George Radden Still The Only Casper Police Officer To Die In The Line Of Duty

Casper Police Department Motorcycle Officer George Radden died in 1925 responding to a fire and remains the only member of the Casper Police Department to give his life in the line of duty.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 12, 2024

Saratoga Town Councilman, Father Of 3 Killed In Wyoming Backcountry Avalanche

Saratoga Town Councilman Jacob Fluty, 34, died Friday when he was caught in an avalanche while snowmobiling in an area of the Medicine Bow National Forest known as “Avalanche Alley.”

Andrew Rossi & Greg JohnsonFebruary 11, 2024

Rowan was named Best in Show at the Evergreen Colorado Kennel Club during a competition in September.

Douglas, Wyoming Dog -- Ranked #3 In Nation -- To Compete In Westminster Dog Show

Rowan, a Bracco Italiano dog from Douglas, Wyoming, will compete at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in May. He's got a good chance. Not only is he ranked #3 in the nation for his breed, at the AKC National Championships in December, he beat the number one dog three out of four days.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 11, 2024

The Blizzard of 1949 didn't see snow pile up in inches, it was measured in feet.

75 Years Ago, The Blizzard of 1949 Crippled Wyoming

It’s been 75 years since the Blizzard of 1949, a relentless two-month storm that crippled Wyoming. Accumulation measured in feet. Winds clocked 65-80 mph. Double-digit subzero temperatures for weeks on end.

Jake NicholsFebruary 11, 2024

Ian Munsick’s Latest Album Comes With A Documentary Celebrating Wyoming

When Sheridan's Ian Munsick moved to Nashville 10 years ago and became immersed in a city with some of the world’s best songwriters, he made himself a promise. He was not going to forget his Wyoming roots.

Renée JeanFebruary 11, 2024

The Pony Express has become part of the Hartville Valentine's Day tradition, bringing valentines to the tiny Wyoming post office for its annual commemorative stamp.

How Volunteers And Valentine’s Day Saved Hartville, Wyoming's Post Office

To save its post office, the tiny town of Hartville created a commemorative Valentine's Day stamp in 1996. The stamp has become so popular, collectors from around the world seek it out. The Pony Express joins in too with a Valentine's Day-themed ride to the town.

Renée JeanFebruary 11, 2024

One of a pair of giant 9-ton Moai statues on the campus of Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs. They were built in 1987 but, like the Easter Island heads they resemble, why they're there is a mystery.

Why Are There Two 9-Ton Easter Island Heads In Rock Springs, Wyoming?

An archaeologist who was a professor at Western Wyoming Community College in Rock Springs once lived on Easter Island and had a theory on how its statues were moved on the island. Nearly 40 years ago, he had two 9-ton stone Moai statues replicated at the college to test his theory.

February 11, 2024

Team Korthoff at the Rolex 24 last weekend.

Wyoming’s Only Pro Racing Team In Lead To Defend Endurance Cup Title

In only its third season, Wyoming’s only professional auto racing team has won one IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup and is in the lead for another. It all started 20 years ago when Herb Korthoff bought a $600,000 car to get things started.

Renée JeanFebruary 10, 2024

Justin Rushing and wife Tonya are preparing and hoping for a rare double heart-lung transplant for Justin.

Gillette Diesel Mechanic Hoping To Get On List For Rare Heart-Lung Transplant

Gillette's Justin Rushing doesn’t look like a guy who needs a heart and lung transplant. The 36-year-old, who loves hunting and his family, spends his days working as a diesel mechanic. But he's running out of time and working to get on the list.

Jen KocherFebruary 10, 2024

This 1994 Subaru, "Ron Suburgundy," is epically undersold by its owner in Cody, Wyoming.

Cody Man Figures Out How To Sell A Beat-Up 30-Year-Old Subaru With 219,000 Miles On It

"Too many speeding tickets? Trust me, you won’t be speeding in this." That's how a Cody man is describing his beat-up 30-year-old Subaru Loyale with 219,000 miles on it. The self-deprecating ad has attracted buyers in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.

Andrew RossiFebruary 10, 2024

Wyoming's Joe McGinley Going After Mt. Everest Again In Quest To Hit 7 Peaks On 7 Continents

Six down, one to go. Casper's Dr. Joe McGinley will be making his second attempt to conquer Mt. Everest to hit his goal of climbing the highest peak in every continent. Last month, he climbed Antarctica’s tallest peak. His Everest climb is scheduled for May.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 10, 2024

Wyoming History: Casper Man Killed Wife, Shot Top Of His Own Head Off, Then Stood Trial

Casper's Hugh Climer became the talk of Wyoming in 1925 when he killed his wife, then shot himself. But he lived, and testified in his own trial “with the entire top of his skull and part of his brain removed,” as reported in newspapers of the time.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 10, 2024

The TA Moulton Barn on Mormon Row in Grand Teton National Park widely considered the most photographed barn on the planet.

The T.A. Moulton Barn -- The Most Photographed Outbuilding In The World

A Chinese tourist was asked what he knew about the T.A. Moulton barn as he busily snapped away on a picture-perfect July morning. An interpreter relayed the question. He smiled as wide as a Wyoming sky. “Ah, cowboy,” he said with excitement, and went back to clicking.

Jake NicholsFebruary 10, 2024

Ever Hear Of Solar Spring? Wyoming Just Started Four Months Of It

Spring is here! Well, kind of. On Sunday, Wyoming entered "solar spring." That's the time of year when daylight increases at its fastest rate. In February, almost everyone in Wyoming will see an increase of an hour and 10 minutes of daylight.

Andrew RossiFebruary 08, 2024

The markings of this old 1950s-era nonfunctional AIR-2 Genie rocket are still visible.

Could An Old Nuclear Rocket Turn Up In Wyoming? It Happened in Washington.

A military-grade, nuclear-capable rocket was found in a garage in Bellevue, Washington, last week. Former military officials and weapons collectors say it could easily happen in Wyoming too.

Mark HeinzFebruary 07, 2024

Country music stars Chancey Williams, left, and Toby Keith perform Keith's smash hit "Should've Been a Cowboy" at Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Wyoming Mourns Country Superstar Toby Keith, A Cheyenne Frontier Days Favorite

Wyomingites are remembering country music superstar Toby Keith, who died Monday. Country music star and Moorcroft native Chancey Williams said he'll never forget the time he got to sing “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” with Keith at Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Renée JeanFebruary 06, 2024

A Jekyll-and-Hyde El Niño system that's gripped Wyoming this winter is turning unseasonably warm again, with temperatures about 45 Thursday afternoon quickly melting the snow at Holiday Park in Cheyenne.

Wyoming's Extreme ‘Whiplash Winter’ About To Start Settling Down

Wyoming residents can expect a return to winter this week after months of what meteorologist Don Day calls “whiplash winter," with record cold followed by spring-like days with highs in the 60s.

Andrew RossiFebruary 05, 2024

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For Sale: Ranch With Complete Old West Town, Only $3.7 million

If you have a spare $3.7 million and have always wanted to live in the Old West, then consider a property in rural southern Colorado. The buyer gets a ranch and a whole town -- complete with saloon, general store, church, and hotel.

Andrew RossiFebruary 05, 2024

Two members of the extensive "Our Gang" family of children featured in short comedy films in the 1920s and 1930s were born in Wyoming. "Mickey" Daniels, left, was born in Rock Springs and "Bobby" Mallon was born in Greybull.

Wyoming History: Two Wyoming-Born Kids Starred In The ‘Our Gang’ Comedies

Mickey Daniels and Bobby Mallon were both born in Wyoming (Rock Springs and Greybull), and both had childhood roles in the wildly popular Hal Roach “Our Gang” comedy short films popular in the 1920s and 1930s.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 04, 2024

Natrona County High School drama instructor Zachary Schneider leads International Thespian Troupe No. 1 and carries on a tradition that began in 1929 with an NCHS teacher who helped form the society, which in its nearly 100 years has launched many Hollywood careers.

How A Wyoming Teacher Started Group That’s Launched Acting Careers For 100 Years

A Natrona County High School drama teacher played a key role in forming an international honor society for actors nearly 100 years ago that’s launched the careers of many Hollywood stars.

Dale KillingbeckFebruary 04, 2024

Rita Watson has worked for the state of Wyoming for 54 years, and at age 82, says she has no plans to retire.

Rita Watson Has Worked For The State Of Wyoming For 54 Years, And Has No Plans To Retire

Rita Watson has worked for the state of Wyoming for 54 years, mostly with the Department Of Education, where she’s worked for 11 superintendents of public education. She's 82, works 12 hours a day, and has no plans to retire.

Leo WolfsonFebruary 04, 2024

This beautiful, large Old Faithful Geyser Expected Eruption sign used to be prominently displayed in Old Faithful Lodge. In a pre-digital age, it gave all the information visitors needed to not only see the next eruption, but learn more about the world's most famous geyser.

Iconic Pre-Digital Old Faithful Sign Has Announced Eruptions For 50 Years

50 years ago, visitors relied on this iconic analog sign at Old Faithful Lodge for the geyser’s next eruption — and anything else about it. Although Yellowstone has gone digital and they've moved the sign, it's still in working order and always updated.

Andrew RossiFebruary 03, 2024

Wyomingites celebrate all things Viking at the Fire and Ice Festival in Buffalo

From the Pillage People to Viking Festivals, Viking Culture Overtaking Wyoming

From the "Pillage People" Viking band in Gillette to a Viking musical in Jackson to a Viking-themed Fire and Ice Festival in Buffalo, you can't get away from Vikings in Wyoming. Vikings are everywhere.

Renée JeanFebruary 03, 2024

Tim Coleman with one of his Piper Super Cubs, circa 1990. For 50 years, Coleman was a mainstay in Wyoming aviation and was inducted into the Wyoming Aviation Hall of Fame in 2023.

Wyoming People: Tim Coleman, Legendary Riverton Pilot Put In Aviation Hall Of Fame

Wyoming's Tim Coleman was once airdropped a propeller for his downed plane on a mountain in a raging snowstorm. He put it on and flew home safely. One of the many stories in a 50-year career that put Coleman in the Aviation Hall of Fame.

Jake NicholsFebruary 03, 2024

Roque "Rocky" Najera disappeared from Rawlins in 1985, and for nearly 40 years his family had no clue whether he was alive or dead. They learned recently he likely died in a 1987 fire in Seattle, Washington.

Nearly 40 Years After Wyoming Man Went Missing, Family Copes With Proof Of His Death

A Canadian genealogist found a key puzzle piece in the decades-old search for a missing Rawlins man, who disappeared in 1985 and apparently died two years later in a Seattle building fire. His elderly parents received the news last weekend.

Jen KocherFebruary 03, 2024

Cheyenne art dealer Harvey Deselms, right, with Cuban artist Dorian Aguero-Anaya, who creates unique cow-head portraits that are featured on the walls at Cheyenne Regional Airport — and for sale.

At Last! Cheyenne Airport A Showcase For Giant Cow Head Paintings

Good news for giant cow head aficionados. The walls of Cheyenne Regional Airport are the hottest new spaces to showcase a Cuban immigrant's paintings which place giant cow heads on human bodies.

Andrew RossiFebruary 02, 2024

Cowboy State Daily reporter Clair McFarland and columnist Bill Sniffin with Lander Lil early Friday morning to witness of Wyoming's most famous prairie dog would see her shadow. She didn't.

We Don't Care About Punxsutawney Phil, Wyoming Relies On Lander Lil

Lander Lil, Wyoming’s most famous prairie dog and the only rodent we don't shoot at, did not see her shadow at sunrise on Groundhog Day, which means that in some hallucination of a legend, winter is over.

Clair McFarlandFebruary 02, 2024

Landyn Medina gives Phylicia Peterson a hug Tuesday morning in front of a dumpster that's quickly filling up with waterlogged insulation and drywall, as well as her now nonfunctional washing machine. Peterson's home has sustained $80,000 in damages after a city water main busted and inundated several homes in the area of Cahill Park.

Nightmares Still Vivid In Cheyenne Neighborhood Destroyed By Broken Water Main

Cheyenne children and parents flooded out by a broken water main on Darnell Place say they continue to suffer vivid nightmares even as they struggle with the real-life nightmare of how to save their waterlogged homes.

Renée JeanFebruary 01, 2024

Campbell County Fire Department responders work with chainsaws and other equipment to free a pair of horses that fell into an icy pond Jan. 30, 2024. The horses eventually made their way out and survived.

Campbell County Firefighters Rescue Horses Trapped In Icy Pond

It took six Campbell County firefighters and two chainsaws to save a pair of horses that had broken through an icy pond Tuesday.

Andrew RossiJanuary 31, 2024

Landyn Medina makes a note after visiting one of the households in a neighborhood that was inundated with floodwaters after a 12-inch water main busted in Cheyenne.

Cheyenne Rallies For Flooded-Out Families Left With Destroyed Homes

A Cheyenne man who calls himself a "middle class working stiff" has stepped up to lead the charge raising money for families whose homes were destroyed when a 12-inch city water main shattered last week and flooded them out.

Renée JeanJanuary 31, 2024

Cheyenne Families Have No Homes, Or Answers, After Catastrophic Water Main Break

Homeowners have been told their insurance won't cover damage from a catastrophic water main break that ruined several homes in Cheyenne last week because it's from a city water main. But they're getting few answers from the city.

Renée JeanJanuary 29, 2024

Wyoming Snowpack Way Down And Spring Temperatures All This Week

The snowpack in Wyoming is really low in most places so far this year and springlike temperatures are forecast for the week. But meteorologist Don Day says it's El Niño in action and not to worry -- the cold, snowy weather is coming back.

Andrew RossiJanuary 29, 2024

Shot in Grand Teton National Park, the end scene of the 1953 Western classic "Shane" is considered by many the greatest end of all time and the movie the greatest Western ever made.

Of The Greatest Westerns Ever Made, Wyoming Is Tops — Even If They Aren't Filmed Here

On the American Film Institute's top 10 Westerns list, four — “Cat Ballou,” “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “Unforgiven” and “Shane” — are set in Wyoming. Problem is, only one of them was filmed here.

Andrew RossiJanuary 28, 2024

Bryson Quinney, who received a heart transplant in 2020, is pictured with the new Donate Life license plate, which became available in Wyoming on Jan. 1. He was born with half a heart and had several surgeries early in life, including a heart transplant.

Wyoming Teen Born With Half A Heart Champions New ‘Donate Life’ License Plate

Lyman's Bryson Quinney was born with half a heart and was saved by a heart transplant in 2020, now he and his father are champions for organ donation, including pushing for Wyoming’s new “Donate Life” license plates.

Amber SteinmetzJanuary 28, 2024

Minerva Terrace at Yellowstone National Park became the iconic landscape of Vulcan in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture." Leonard Nimoy, aka Mr. Spock of Vulcan, filmed his first scenes as his beloved character there since the original Star Trek TV series was canceled a decade earlier.

Why Yellowstone Was Chosen To Be Planet Vulcan In First Star Trek Movie

Wanting to make a big splash with the first Star Trek movie, there was only one location otherworldly and alien enough to become Vulcan, the home planet of Mr. Spock — Minerva Terrace in Yellowstone National Park.

Andrew RossiJanuary 28, 2024

Robert Clark with the Department of Biological Resources at Marshall University in West Virginia poses with the skull of Unktaheela, the newest type of prehistoric marine reptile identified from the Late Cretaceous rocks of Wyoming. It's unique because of its small size and big eyes.

Wyoming's Loch Ness Monster Was A Short, Stumpy Sea Lizard From Niobrara County

Dinosaur researchers have “rediscovered” the newest fossils of an 80 million-year-old short, stumpy sea lizard found in Niobrara County, Wyoming, back in 1975. They say it was "little and cute, with big puppy dog eyes."

Andrew RossiJanuary 28, 2024

A blow up photo of William “Missou” Hines dominates one the rooms at the Salt Creek Museum in Midwest, Wyoming. He worked for the Midwest Oil Co. as “head teamster” and allegedly as an oil claim enforcer.

Wyoming History: Casper Cowboy, Prankster Inspired Baby Switch In ‘The Virginian’

A Wyoming character named William “Missou” Hines, had a colorful career as a cowboy and once pulled a baby-switching prank that inspired Owen Wister to include it in his famous novel of Wyoming, “The Virginian.”

Dale KillingbeckJanuary 27, 2024

Carbon County 16-year-old Madi Dunning won the junior division of the National Make It With Wool competition with her stunning green coat.

Forget Tik Tok, This Wyoming Girl Is Influencing With A Sewing Machine

When other teens spend most of their time on their smartphones and other devices, 16-year-old Madi Dunning from Encampment, Wyoming, has become a national champion with her sewing machine.

January 27, 2024

How Thermopolis, Wyoming, Got Its Name Is As Legendary As The Name Itself

History doesn’t record the exact conversation that led to the naming of Thermopolis but it does involve whiskey, outlaws, and a cowboy with a thick Irish brogue who convinced the townspeople it was the perfect name.

Renée JeanJanuary 27, 2024

Jess Moore runs the Canadian Open in Fort Nelson, British Columbia, last April. Now the Jackson rookie will run in one of the most prestigious sled dog races in North America.

Jackson Rookie Steps In For Mentor To Run Pedigree Stage Stop Sled Dog Race

“Promise me someone is going to run those dogs.” Those were Alix Crittenden’s last words before she went under the knife for a brain tumor less than two weeks before the start of the 2024 Pedigree Stage Stop Race. Her understudy is stepping in.

Jake NicholsJanuary 27, 2024

Wyoming bestselling author Craig Johnson is releasing the latest story in his Walt Longmire saga, "First Frost," in May.

Craig Johnson’s New Longmire Novel Takes Sheriff Walt Back To Summer 1964

Wyoming author Craig Johnson will release his 20th novel in May, “First Frost." Only this time, it’s 1964, and Walt Longmire is in his early 20s and has just been drafted into the Vietnam War.

Amber SteinmetzJanuary 27, 2024

Tai McBride is undefeated wrestling for Jackson Hole High School so far this season.

Jackson High Phenom Tai McBride Wrestles Like A Girl — And Can’t Be Beat

16-year-old Tai McBride is pretty much like any other Wyoming teenage girl, until the whistle blows. Then she becomes 120 pounds of, 'f*** around and find out.'

Jake NicholsJanuary 27, 2024

Since 2012, the Garvin family and Yellow Iron Excavating and Waste Removal in Jackson has built this humongous snowman near Teton Village.

Not Enough Snow This Season To Build Gigantic 25-Foot Wyoming Snowman

It was not a Christmas miracle for the Garvin Family in Jackson this year. Due to a lack of snow, they couldn't build their 25-foot snowman as they've done every year since 2012. Weather permitting, they vow it will return next year.

Andrew RossiJanuary 26, 2024

Austin Broderson, a Casper College rodeo rider and native of Canada, was released from a Denver hospital Thursday less than two weeks after being involved in a horrific wreck on a bareback ride at the National Western Stock Show.

Casper College Bareback Rider In Horrific Rodeo Wreck Out Of Hospital

Austin Broderson, the 19-year-old Casper College cowboy who survived being dragged and trampled by a horse Jan. 15 at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo in Denver, is out of the hospital and on his way back home.

Renée JeanJanuary 26, 2024

Wyoming’s Jekyll-And-Hyde Winter Swings 100 Degrees, From -50 To 50

Wyoming’s Jekyll-and-Hyde El Niño winter has seen 100-degree temperature swings in a matter of weeks, from minus 50 polar vortex wind chills to over 50 above to finish January.

Andrew RossiJanuary 25, 2024

Dustin Cox is the mayor of tiny Alton Utah, which – true to its ranching roots – has “Whoa” signs instead of stop signs.

Utah Town’s ‘WHOA’ Signs Show Cowboy Spirit, But Can't Happen In Wyoming

Alton, an ag/ranching community in Utah, has a lot of similarities to a Wyoming town, except for the stop signs. They have "WHOA" signs instead. It's a good idea but not allowed in Wyoming

Mark HeinzJanuary 23, 2024

Left, Austin Broderson, a 19-year-old Casper College student, comes out of the chute on Jack Dupp during a ride in the National Western Stock Show Rodeo in Denver on Jan. 15, 2023. After finishing his 8-second ride, Broderson's rigging slipped and he was drug and trampled by the horse. He survived and is recovering in a Denver hospital. Right, Broderson gives a thumbs up from a hospital bed in Denver

Casper College Bareback Rider Recovering, Still Can't Use Arm After Wreck

The family of Austin Broderson, the 19-year-old Casper College bareback rider trampled during a horrific wreck at the National Western Stock Show rodeo last week says he’s doing better every day, but still has no use of his left arm.

Renée JeanJanuary 22, 2024

Aftermath of the Sept. 27, 1923, Cole Creek train wreck that killed dozens of people traveling between Casper and Glenrock.

New Look At Wyoming’s Deadliest Train Wreck Reveals Potential Murder Plot

A Casper historian's investigation into Wyoming’s deadliest train wreck where a train plunged into a roaring creek bed between Casper and Glenrock in 1923, has unearthed many new details -- including a potential murder plot.

Dale KillingbeckJanuary 21, 2024

The legs of an Allosaurus found in Wyoming's Jurassic Mile are on display at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

Dinosaur World Thrilled Over Allosaurus Found In Wyoming’s Jurassic Mile

A rare discovery of an Allosaurus found in Wyoming’s famous Jurassic Mile has the dinosaur world excited over the bones which are mostly intact with evidence of injuries and even skin.

Andrew RossiJanuary 21, 2024

Peter Burgess is a fourth-generation Wyoming rancher who gives people a glimpse of his family's Western lifestyle through his YouTube channel, The Wyoming Way.

Sheridan Rancher Passes On The Wyoming Way One Subscriber At A Time

Peter Burgess, a fourth-generation rancher near Sheridan, showcases Wyoming values and the toil and fun of working a cattle ranch, one subscriber at a time through his YouTube channel "The Wyoming Way."

Clair McFarlandJanuary 20, 2024

Trey Warren stands on top of a mountain bike he bolted to the roof of the 75-foot-tall Lander Elevator.

Why Is There A Bike On Top Of The Historic Lander Grain Elevator?

Trey Warren is an unusual and outgoing person who, in his own eclectic way, saved the historic 75-foot-tall Lander grain elevator. He also bolted a mountain bike on top of it, and has even saddled up to ride it like a bull.

Renée JeanJanuary 20, 2024

Spaghetti Westerner Gap Pucci, 88, Is The Last Wyoming Mountain Man Of His Time

Spaghetti Westerner and modern-day Wyoming mountain man Gap Pucci is the last of his kind. The 88-year-old legendary outfitter still lives like he always has — straight-up cowboy. No phone, no internet, no modern amenities.

Jake NicholsJanuary 20, 2024

Casper College bareback rider Austin Broderson gives a thumbs up from a hospital bed in Denver after suffering a horrific crash riding in the National Western Stock Show Rodeo on Jan. 15, 2023.

Casper College Bareback Rider Survives Horrific Wreck At National Western Stock Show

Austin Broderson, a 19-year-old bareback rider and sophomore at Casper College, is recovering after enduring what many rodeo insiders are calling the worst wreck they’ve ever seen at the National Western Stock Show in Denver on Monday.

Renée JeanJanuary 19, 2024

Some of the homeless who sought shelter at True Vine Community Church this past weekend showed up with various levels of frostbite. The severe cases were taken for medical attention.

With Homeless Shelter At Capacity, Cheyenne Church Opened Doors During Severe Cold Snap

When temperatures plunged well below zero last weekend and the COMEA Shelter was overflowing, a Cheyenne church opened its doors to more than 30 homeless people, some of them with ashen frostbite already bubbling on their hands.

Clair McFarlandJanuary 17, 2024

West Yellowstone, Montana, resident Vanessa Lynn-Byerly caught images of “diamond dust," or tiny frozen crystals drifting through the air, at the Upper Falls in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.

Yellowstone Visitor Captures Video Of Rare Arctic Air ‘Diamond Dust’

“Diamond Dust” – or glittering, frozen precipitation lingering in the air – is a rare phenomenon that occurs under extremely cold conditions when water vapor in the air freezes and very small water crystals are the result.

Mark HeinzJanuary 17, 2024

The crystal-clear ice of Boysen Reservoir is covered with unique, large frost flowers.

Frosty Flowers Cover Boysen Reservoir Like A Sea Of ‘Sagebrush’

On an ice fishing trip to Wyoming’s Boysen Reservoir, Ed and Deanna Reish, along with grandson McCrae Puckett, stumbled on to a beautiful phenomenon -- the lake was covered with a field of large hoarfrost crystals that looked like a sea of frosty “sagebrush.”

Andrew RossiJanuary 17, 2024

Overview of the McMurry Mansion and surrounding property, including a pond and island in back.

Formerly Listed At $24.5 Million, Casper Mansion Back On Market At $7.9 Million

The McMurry Mansion in Casper is one of Wyoming’s largest homes at nearly 23,000 square feet. It boasts nine bedrooms, 13 full baths, commercial kitchen and banquet hall. The mansion once listed for $24.5 million and is now on the market for $7.9 million.

Renée JeanJanuary 16, 2024

Katelyn and Austin Clymer, and their two young children, are new to Wyoming and were surprised by the response from their neighbors during a recent weather emergency.

When Cold Strands Ranching Family At Home, Wyoming Troopers Deliver Milk For Kids

When this weekend’s polar freeze forced a Converse County couple to reach out for help when their vehicles wouldn’t start, a pair of Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers delivered some much-needed milk for their young kids.

Renée JeanJanuary 15, 2024

Back From Reaching Tallest Peak In Antarctica, Climber Says Wyoming Feels Just As Cold

Fresh off reaching the peak of the tallest mountain in Antarctica, Casper’s Dr. Joe McGinley said he returned to Wyoming to find his home state feels just as cold as the South Pole.

Dale KillingbeckJanuary 15, 2024

Wyoming Temps Are Cold Enough To Freeze Bulls' Balls Off, Rancher Warns

A Sheridan rancher warned that temperatures in Wyoming are so cold that ranchers should lay out straw for their bulls to lie on so the bulls don't freeze their testicles and lose their stud potential.

Clair McFarlandJanuary 15, 2024

People in Wyoming woke up to frigid temperatures Monday, like minus 20 in Cody.

Arctic Deep Freeze Sees Record -36 In Worland, Windchills Of -60 Around Wyoming

Monday brought the coldest of a four-day Arctic deep freeze across Wyoming, with Worland smashing its previous record low by 7 degrees with a 36 below zero, while Buffalo and Gillette saw windchills hit -60.

Andrew RossiJanuary 15, 2024

Left, EMT Duane Barker and Paramedic Lisa Gunyan were awarded the Stork Award after a recent field delivery in Gillette. Center and right, Campbell County Fire Department Engineer Matthew Gray, from left, Capt. Rob Dickey and firefighter Sam Newton. All were recently awarded STORK Awards after assisting in the field delivery of a newborn child.

When Midwife Couldn’t Be There, Gillette EMS Was There For Home Birth

When Esther Nielsen went into labor and her midwife was held up because of bad weather, a handful of Campbell County firefighters and EMS crew responded to her home outside the city and were there for her home birth.

Amber SteinmetzJanuary 15, 2024

The special car of the Union Pacific Railroad for the mounted rangers organized by UP Special Agent Timothy Keliher to stop the Wild Bunch Gang led by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Buffalo Bill Avenged Cody Bank Heist By Stopping a Fake Train Robbery

While Buffalo Bill Cody vowed loudly to the press how he’d bring the Hole in the Wall Gang to justice for robbing the First National Bank in Cody, in 1904, truth is they didn’t do it. Instead, he staged a fake train robbery in his Wild West Show.

Andrew RossiJanuary 14, 2024

Wyoming Historian Works To Reveal Inspiration For Owen Wister’s Mysterious ‘Virginian’

A study of oral histories in Thermopolis has uncovered new stories that shed new light on the real people who helped inspire the mysterious “Virginian” in Owen Wister’s famous novel.

Renée JeanJanuary 14, 2024

Fossils At Bottom Of Wyoming’s Natural Trap Cave Give Up 20,000-Year-Old DNA

Wyoming’s Natural Trap Cave is one of few sites in the world where preservation conditions are so good, the fossils at the bottom are giving up 20,000-year-old DNA and world-class insights on Earth’s prehistory.

Renée JeanJanuary 14, 2024

On horseback next to the First National Bank in Cody, Wyoming, in 1907 three years after a brazen bank robbery led to a shootout in the streets of Cody. Chief Iron Tail, left, was an Oglala Lakota chief who performed in Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show. He's pictured here next to Cody. An unknown person is next to Buffalo Bill, and next to him is Chief Plenty Coups of the Crow Nation.

The Wild Bunch Didn’t Rob That Cody, Wyoming, Bank In A Daring Daylight Shootout

It made for sensational headlines: Butch Cassidy’s Hole in the Wall Gang brazenly robbed Cody’s First National Bank in a daring daylight shootout, and Buffalo Bill Cody vowed to avenge his namesake town. Problem is, the infamous outlaws didn’t do it.

Andrew RossiJanuary 13, 2024

Chimney Rock along the Wind River Scenic Byway in winter.

It’s Been A Spectacular 100 Years For Wyoming’s Wind River Scenic Byway

The 20-mile section of U.S. Highway 20 known as the Wind River Canyon Scenic Byway turns 100 this year. With a $1 million price tag back in 1924, it was the most expensive stretch of highway in America at the time.

Renée JeanJanuary 13, 2024

This old, unfinished sandstone building looks like it's been in the shadow of Devils Tower for a century. It's the historic old Toomey's Flour Mill from Newcastle, which was built in 1905 and torn down in 2012. Ogden Driskill bought it and had it rebuilt on his ranch.

Historic 119-Year-Old Sandstone Mill Saved And Rebuilt In Shadow Of Devils Tower

When the 119-year-old Toomey’s Flour Mill in Newcastle was torn down to build a gas station, Ogden Driskill bought the remains to save it. A stonemason has spent the last decade rebuilding the structure on Driskill's ranch in the shadow of Devils Tower.

Andrew RossiJanuary 13, 2024

Cheyenne Frontier Days Won’t Have Live Horse-Racing After All

Cheyenne Frontier Days has decided it won’t pursue a proposal to bring 16 days of live horse racing to Frontier Park after all, even though it could have been a revenue stream to help pay for looming maintenance needs.

Renée JeanJanuary 12, 2024

Dangerous Winter Blast Hits Wyoming With Subzero Temps, Snow, -50 Wind Chills

The most significant winter storm of the 2023-2024 winter season has plunged Wyoming into a deep freeze with dangerous double-digit subzero temperatures and wind chills as low as minus 50. Every corner of Wyoming is feeling the brunt of the polar vortex.

Andrew RossiJanuary 12, 2024

Dave Bell's granddaughter Rory looks through a perfectly clear, clean piece of Fremont Lake ice.

Winter Winds Turn Fremont Lake Into A Symphony Of Pops, Cracks And Echoes

A perfectly clear ice sheet on Fremont Lake makes its own music, a veritable symphony of pops, cracks and echoes as Wyoming’s famous winter winds roared in to break it up.

Andrew RossiJanuary 11, 2024

Don’t Believe The Sign: It’s Really Not -196 Degrees In Laramie

Although it's been a lot colder recently, the temperature did not reach 196 degrees below zero in Laramie on Tuesday. The owner of the Alpine Animal Hospital said he believes there may be a malfunction with his sign.

Andrew RossiJanuary 09, 2024

Dr. Joe McGinley on top of Mt. Vinson in Antarctica on Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Casper Mountaineer Makes It To Top Of Antarctica's Tallest Peak

Casper mountaineer Dr. Joe McGinley got to the top of Mount Vinson, Antarctica's tallest peak, on Monday, marking off his sixth of the tallest mountains on each of the seven continents on the planet.

Dale KillingbeckJanuary 09, 2024

Riverton City Worker Says He Found Woman Frozen To Dumpster

A Riverton City worker posted a series of videos over the weekend saying he found a woman frozen to the bottom of a dumpster in City Park. The woman went missing, and her father found her and is getting her treatment.

Clair McFarlandJanuary 09, 2024

Dr. Joe McGinley, left, and the rest of the Crazy Horse climbing team upon arrival in Antarctica.

Casper Climber To Attempt To Summit Antarctica’s Tallest Peak On Monday

Casper mountaineer and sports medicine specialist Dr. Joe McGinley and his “Crazy Horse” climbing team are closing in on the Antarctic peak that will give him six of the seven tallest peaks on seven continents.

Dale KillingbeckJanuary 08, 2024

Let's hope temperatures don't drop as low as the sign at Alpine Animal Hospital in Laramie, Wyoming, predicts.

Winter To Slam Wyoming By End Of Week With Temps Of -20 Or Below

Cold and snowy weather is headed for Wyoming this week. And the worst of it will come late in the week and over the weekend with temperatures in some parts of the state dipping down to 25 degrees below zero.

Andrew RossiJanuary 08, 2024

James Clare rocks out on his huge soundstage in the barn on his Rock and Roll Ranch at Lake De Smet in Johnson County, where he's converted his 3,200-square-foot barn into a powerhouse 25,000-watt soundstage.

Wyoming Barn Converted Into 25,000-Watt Karaoke Retreat On Rock And Roll Ranch

When James Clare moved to Buffalo, he didn’t have any furniture, but brought all of his sound equipment. So, he built a 25,000-watt karaoke retreat in a barn on his land near Lake De Smet he calls Rock and Roll Ranch.

Renée JeanJanuary 08, 2024

Giant Geyser in Yellowstone National Park.

Yellowstone's Seismic Activity In 2023: 1,600 Earthquakes, World's Largest Geyser Slowing Down

Looking back at Yellowstone's seismic activity in 2023, it was an average year for earthquakes with about 1,600 recorded. As for geysers, Steamboat, the world's largest active geyser, only erupted nine times. Giant Geyser surprised everyone by erupting for the first time in four years and could be entering an active period.

Andrew RossiJanuary 07, 2024

Midwest’s Gene and Eunice Dickerson have lived in Midwest, Wyoming for the past 14 years and made their property into U.S. Navy museum.

Retired Wyoming Sailor Turns His Midwest Home Into Navy Museum

A U.S. Navy retiree has converted his home in Midwest, Wyoming, into an artifact-filled museum of gun casings, uniforms, personal military mementos and intricate model ships.

Dale KillingbeckJanuary 07, 2024

That Famous Quote About Wyoming Teddy Roosevelt Never Said

Teddy Roosevelt is famously quoted as saying the route between Cody and the East Entrance of Yellowstone National Park is "the most scenic 50 miles in America." But he never said it, and had never been there.

Andrew RossiJanuary 07, 2024

“Jane” was discovered in 2001 and is debated in paleontology circles about whether it’s a young Tyrannosaurus rex or an example of Nanotyrannus, a hotly debated new species of pygmy tyrannosaur. It’s at the Burpee Museum on Natural History in Illinois.

Research Resurrects Dinosaur Debate Over ‘Baby T. Rex’ That Roamed Wyoming

Dinosaur enthusiasts are sparring over the identity crisis of the "Baby T. rex." The debate is over whether mid-sized specimens of tyrannosaur from the Hell Creek Formation of the American West represent juveniles of Tyrannosaurus rex, or a separate dinosaur called Nanotyrannus lancensis.

Andrew RossiJanuary 07, 2024

Wyndy and Jack are a pair of the older horses at the Davissa Ranch near Cheyenne.

Out To Pasture: Cheyenne Couple Turns Ranch Into Haven For Older Horses

David and Melissa Wilson of Cheyenne didn’t mean to start a horse refuge, but the Davissa Ranch has evolved into a haven where Wyoming’s grittiest older horses don’t have to be put out to pasture.

Renée JeanJanuary 07, 2024

Midwest, Wyoming, was once the center of activity in the 9-mile-long by five-mile-wide Salt Creek Oil Field.

Once Wyoming’s Premier Oil Patch, Midwest Has Nation’s Richest 80 Acres

Midwest, Wyoming, and the Salt Creek Oil Field’s booming past includes what one local historian says has produced more wealth than any other 80 acres in the nation.

Dale KillingbeckJanuary 06, 2024

Tiffany and Scott Sink take a selfie before hiking to Laramie Peak in southcentral Wyoming.

Why Wait? Wyoming Couple Hits All 50 States During Their ‘Pretirement’

A Cheyenne couple decided not to wait for retirement to enjoy their golden years, so they’ve been traveling all over Wyoming and all 50 United States during what they call their “pretirement.”

Renée JeanJanuary 06, 2024

Yellowstone National Park is usually a geologically active place, and the first week of 2024 has seen a pair of 3.1-magnitude earthquakes already.

Yellowstone Shakes Things Up With Two Earthquakes In First Week Of 2024

Yellowstone National Park has been active the first week of 2024 with a pair of earthquakes, the first 3.1-magnitude quake on New Year's Day and a second of similar intensity Wednesday evening.

Andrew RossiJanuary 06, 2024

Here Comes The Sun: Wyoming To Gain Nearly An Hour Of Sunlight In January

Although it may not feel like it in the moment, the days are getting longer. The progression is slow, with roughly one minute of extra daylight at either sunrise or sunset every day. By the end of the month, most communities will see between 40 - 50 minutes of more sun.

Andrew RossiJanuary 05, 2024

When Lake De Smet hasn't frozen over by New Year's Day, like this year, everyone runs into Lake De Smet at once for the annual polar plunge.

Dozens Endure A Frigid Lake De Smet For Annual New Year’s Day Polar Plunge

What started as a double-dog dare nearly 40 years ago to jump into the frigid waters of Lake De Smet near Buffalo, Wyoming, has become an informal New Year’s Day tradition. On Monday, there was no ice, but dozens endured the icy water.

Renée JeanJanuary 02, 2024

A recent group of local volunteers built a fence around Teddy Bear Corner and replaced its post, preserving the spot for another century.

What The Heck … Is That Pile Of Teddy Bears In The Middle Of Nowhere Near Kemmerer?

For more than a century, the origins of Teddy Bear Corner near Kemmerer has been a mystery. But it’s become a local landmark with deep connections for locals and visitors.

January 01, 2024

Glenrock's Sarah Chappelow competes in grip competitions. At left, she's lifting in the 2022 Arnold Sports Festival while at right was earlier this month at the 2023 Grip Wars in Sweden, where she placed third overall.

How Glenrock’s Sarah Chappelow Became One Of The World’s Strongest Women

Ten years ago, Sarah Chappelow of Glenrock, was recovering from a pulmonary embolism and was told she would need a double-knee replacement. Now she's one of the world's strongest women including world titles in armlifting in 2022 and 2023 and the armlifting champion in Arnold Schwarzenegger's annual sports festival.

Dale KillingbeckJanuary 01, 2024

Riders travel the final 3 miles of the 2022 race when the temperature was about minus 20.

Highest Elevation Winter Ultra-Marathon Race In the US Is Wyoming's Grueling "Drift 100"

The Drift 100, an ultramarathon held in Wyoming’s Wind River Mountains in early March, is the highest winter ultramarathon in the United States. It begins at the north end of Kendall Valley in Sublette County and gains 9,000 feet in elevation.

January 01, 2024

Wyoming Places: Bar Nunn Was Built On An Airport Where John Wayne Once Filmed

Bar Nunn, a city of 3,000 north of Casper, carries the legacy of a storied World War I pilot, a Casper businessman named Romie Nunn, and was featured in a John Wayne movie.

Dale KillingbeckDecember 31, 2023

Tyler seems content after spending a day traveling to Denver on his way home to Decatur, Illinois. He was staying at a kitty B&B with Linda Goldman.

Trucker Loses Cat In Nevada, Cat Rescued In Rock Springs, Now Cat Heading To Illinois

After a long-haul trucker lost his cat named Tyler in Nevada, it somehow found its way to Rock Springs, Wyoming. A microchip means he’ll complete an 1,800-mile journey home in Illinois.

December 31, 2023

Nathanial Trelease, left, with a statue of Tom Horn, and Harvey Deselms with a statue of Princess Blue Water, right, at Deselms’ studio in Cheyenne. The two statues are the next bronzes that will be installed as part of Cheyenne's bronze project, which has 62 statues in it and counting.

62 Bronze Sculptures All Around Wyoming Capitol Began As A Dream 15 Years Ago

Cheyenne’s 62 bronze statues — with more on the way — immortalize Wyoming history and culture all around the neighborhood of the Wyoming State Capitol, the realization of a dream Cheyenne art dealer Harvey Deselms had 15 years ago.

Renée JeanDecember 31, 2023

An effort is on to create a new world-class dinosaur museum in Greybull that could bring some of Wyoming's important prehistoric fossils home.

Greybull Building World-Class Museum To Bring Dinosaur Fossils Back To Wyoming

Greybull has an international reputation for producing important dinosaur fossils, but too often they find homes elsewhere. So now there is an effort to build a world-class museum to bring Greybull’s dinosaur artifacts home.

Andrew RossiDecember 31, 2023

Wyoming Photographer Dave Bell Features Otherworldly Images In New Art Show

Noted Pinedale photographer Dave Bell will showcase many otherworldly images he took of Wyoming “astro-events” next month at a new art show. Bell's works include: light pillars, thunderstorms, astro-photography and more.

Andrew RossiDecember 31, 2023

Trails pioneer cemetery douglas 12 22 23

Just Passing Through: America Has Lived — And Died — On Wyoming's Historic Trails

The legacy of the historic California, Oregon and Mormon trails — and others — blazed through Wyoming is carved into the Cowboys State by the wagon ruts of pioneer pilgrims who passed through by the thousands, and died by the thousands.

Dale KillingbeckDecember 30, 2023

Halley's Comet passes through space as seen from the Ford Observatory in 1986.

Halley’s Comet Is Hurtling Toward The Earth Again: What If It Actually Hits Us?

Halley's Comet reached its farthest point from Earth earlier this month, which means it’s hurtling back toward Earth. So what if it smashes into Wyoming? We examine the potential impact...

Andrew RossiDecember 30, 2023

Cheyenne's Jeff Gillotti drives a Zamboni over the ice surface at the Cheyenne Ice and Events Center.

How Long Would It Take To Zamboni Wyoming’s Fremont Lake?

We're all about answering the most important questions on the minds of Wyomingites. After learning that it would take 693 years to resurface Lake Superior with a Zamboni, we asked two local Zamboni drivers how long it would take to resurface Wyoming's Fremont Lake. Good news -- not nearly as long.

Jake NicholsDecember 30, 2023

The First Interstate Bank sign on Del Range Road in Cheyenne shows Friday is practically balmy for December.

Worried About No Snow And 50-Degree Days In December? Don Day Says Chill Out

While below-average snowpack across Wyoming so far could be concerning to some, Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day says it's too early to draw any conclusions. “We're in the second quarter of a four-quarter game,” he said.

Andrew RossiDecember 29, 2023

Josh Allen’s Christmas Gift To Brokenhearted Young Bills Fan

Former Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen didn't see a young fan's homemade sign asking him to sign his jersey. But Josh did see the video later. So he found out who the little boy was and made it right...

Jimmy OrrDecember 28, 2023

Comedian Brad Williams Brings His ‘Fun Size’ Act To Cheyenne In 2024

Comedian Brad Williams, who incorporates his being a little person into his “Fun Size” act, will perform at the Cheyenne Civic Theater in 2024. His one hour stand-up routine is the highest rated special on Showtime.

Dale KillingbeckDecember 27, 2023

Wyoming Through The Lens: A Decade Of Dazzling Cowboy State Imagery

"Wyoming through the Lens" started 10 years ago as a small circle of like-minded friends on Facebook who shared their favorite photos of the Cowboy State. It has since grown to nearly 400,000 members who post dozens of Wyoming photos every day.

Andrew RossiDecember 27, 2023

The annual candlelight service at Mammoth Hot Springs Chapel on Christmas Eve.

Packed House At Christmas Eve Candlelight Service In Yellowstone National Park

The 110-year-old Mammoth Hot Springs Chapel in Yellowstone National Park was packed for its annual Christmas Eve candlelight service Sunday, this year drawing inspiration from the classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Andrew RossiDecember 27, 2023

New C.J. Box “Joe Pickett” Novel About Rogue Grizzly Bear Comes Out In Early 2024

Good news for Joe Pickett fans. C.J. Box's 24th novel about the Wyoming game warden will be released in February 2024, and will be centered around a rogue grizzly bear going around Wyoming killing people.

Jimmy OrrDecember 26, 2023

Talyn Reimer, 10, of Rawlins rests in a Denver hospital after being diagnosed with a large tumor in his head.

Rawlins 10-Year-Old Got His Christmas Wish — He Didn’t Die

Rawlins 10-year-old Talyn Reimer’s Christmas wish list was simple — he wanted to not die before the end of the year. He got his wish, and the large tumor in his head has all but disappeared.

Greg JohnsonDecember 26, 2023