Wyoming Life | Cowboy State Daily

Monument Health Takes Over Gillette’s Hoskinson Clinic, Which Was Losing Millions

After a rocky, two-year run for Gillette’s $200 million state-of-the-art Hoskinson Health & Wellness Clinic, Monument Health has struck a deal to keep the facility open and plugging it into the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Hoskinson was losing millions every month.

Renée JeanJuly 01, 2026

Lake Powell Water Critically Low; Wyoming Expects More Demand On Flaming Gorge

Already at critically low levels, Lake Powell is close to being "dead pool," which means water won't flow downriver anymore. That has Wyoming cities and industries worried that will mean more demand for water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir.

Mark HeinzJuly 01, 2026

The Cody Fourth of July Parade is one of the largest in Wyoming.

Wyoming’s Over-The-Top 250th Celebration Comes With Tanks, Flyovers, History

From C-130 flyovers and tank parades to new monuments and a new state trail, Wyoming’s America 250 celebration isn’t a one-day bash. “We still have a lot to be thankful for in this country,” said one organizer about what's planned across the Cowboy State.

Renée JeanJuly 01, 2026

Abe Yoder moved his Amish family to Iowa after he says Crook County officials threatened him with stiff fines and removing his children over outhouse permits. County officials deny those claims and say they only sought wastewater compliance.

Amish Man Confirms Crook County Fight Over Outhouse Drove Family Out Of Wyoming

Abe Yoder moved his Amish family from Wyoming to Iowa after he says Crook County officials threatened him with stiff fines and removing his children over outhouse permits. County officials deny those claims and say they only sought wastewater compliance.

Kate MeadowsJune 29, 2026

Eighth-grader Chaney Akin of Cody didn’t just dominate the National Junior High Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma on June 21-27; she won the pole bending aggregate by almost a full second on a teeny-tiny horse to rake in nearly $6,000 on the week.

Cody Girl Wins Two World Rodeo Titles On Famous Horse At National Junior High Rodeo

Chaney Akin of Cody didn’t just dominate the National Junior High Finals Rodeo last week on her diminutive – but nationally famous – horse in Oklahoma, she took home two world rodeo titles. Her famous horse has earned more than $300,000 running barrels.

Julie MankinJune 29, 2026

Snowing in Red Lodge, Montana, on Monday, June 29, 2026

Ho, Ho, Ho! Rare June Snow Closes Beartooth Highway, Parts Of Yellowstone

Winter is back in Wyoming as a late June snowstorm closed the Beartooth Highway and Yellowstone's Dunraven Pass. At 9,400 feet, the Top of the World store recorded three inches of snow. “We got our boots out and just kept working," said Libby Lane.

Andrew RossiJune 29, 2026

Casper artist Ella Bishop-Heil, publisher of Strange on the Range, says Wyoming's comic creators are "real Wyomingites" who enjoy hiking, hunting and fishing as much as drawing superheroes.

Nerdvana: Fans Take Wyoming’s Growing Comic Con Scene Seriously

Over the weekend, thousands of cosplayers and fans crowded into the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper for Wyoming's Comic Con. "You don't think people would keep showing up like this for a more niche event, but they keep coming," said a Casper fan about people who spend thousands on such events.

Kolby FedoreJune 28, 2026

Stuart Pierson works his video production station at the PRCA Columbia River Circuit Finals in Redmond, Oregon.

Wyoming People: From Alaska To Vegas To Frontier Days, Stuart Pierson Is Mr. Rodeo

Wyoming's Stuart Pierson has created a interesting career for himself. Known as "Mr. Rodeo," the Centennial man travels across the country producing rodeos. On the road for 200+ days per year, Pierson says Cheyenne Frontier Days is still his favorite.

Kerry DrakeJune 28, 2026

Flames creep across the landscape behind Yoder Volunteer Fire Department trucks. The tiny Goshen County department has become an outsized force in Wyoming's wildfire response efforts.

In Tiny Yoder, Wyoming — Population 134 — Firefighting Is In Their Blood

Unlike volunteer fire departments across the nation which are struggling to recruit younger members, the town of Yoder is on a different track. Not only does it have a robust and growing team, but they are routinely sent out across the country to battle blazes.

Kolby FedoreJune 28, 2026

Wild West Dino Den board members Erik Kvale and Nolan Oneal attached the skull of Big Al to the rest of its skeleton.

After 35 Years, 152-Million-Year-Old Dinosaur 'Big Al' Returns Home To Wyoming

“Big Al,” a world-famous 152-million-year-old dinosaur found near Shell in 1991, is back home in Shell, Wyoming. Big Al’s skeleton is 95% complete, making it one of the most complete dinosaur specimens ever found.

Andrew RossiJune 28, 2026

Lusk's Redwood Water Tower, One Of 6 Left In US, Still Standing After 140 Years

The redwood water tower in Lusk was built in 1886 to keep steam engines running between Wyoming and South Dakota. While the engines are gone, the tower endures 140 years after it was built and is one of six such relics still standing in the United States.

Andrew RossiJune 28, 2026

Clay Gibbons tells the story of this sagging log barn in the Hole in the Wall country. It belonged to Alex Ghent, who raised fast horses for the denizens of the Hole in the Wall country

A Day At Wyoming’s Notorious Hole In The Wall Outlaw Hideout

In a modern West where history is increasingly paved over, Wyoming’s notorious Hole in the Wall outlaw hideout remains just as wild as it was more than a century ago. Here, a towering red rock wall rises 400 feet and stretches for 35 miles.

Renée JeanJune 28, 2026

A Day At Wyoming’s Notorious Hole In The Wall Outlaw Hideout

Renée JeanJune 28, 2026

After surviving war and cancer three times, Wyoming’s oldest polo player Robert "Bullet Bob" Brotherton has hung up his mallet. "I've ridden horses since I was basically 3 years old,” said the 79-year-old Sheridan legend about why he loves the game.

Wyoming’s Oldest Polo Player ‘Bullet’ Bob Brotherton Hanging Up His Mallet

Wyoming’s oldest polo player Robert "Bullet Bob" Brotherton is hanging up his mallet at the Big Horn Polo Club, one of the oldest active polo clubs in the U.S. Historians have described the club where "local cowboys play the game with sons of lords."

Kolby FedoreJune 28, 2026

George "Bear" McClellan was one of Wyoming's most colorful characters in the early 1900s. Standing at six-foot-six, McClellan had earned his nickname as "The Bear" for hunting the beasts in the Big Horn Mountains beginning in 1885. He shared wild tales of riding bears and roping them.

Wyoming History: State Sen. George ‘Bear’ McClellan Claimed He Rode Grizzlies

Wyoming state Sen. George B. McClellan, who served in the Legislature from 1904-1934, was a source of "non-stop entertainment" according to media reports. He said the "B" in his middle name stood for bear because he trained grizzlies and rode them like a horse.

Jackie DorothyJune 27, 2026

Brynn Wooten, "the Hell Pig Person," at an exhibit displaying a skull and an artist's reconstruction of Archaeotherium at the University of Nebraska State Museum in Lincoln.

Wyoming's Prehistoric Hell Pigs Looked Like Pigs But Were More Like Whales And Hippos

The first fossils of the prehistoric mammal known as the "North American Hell Pig" were found near Fort Laramie, Wyoming in 1850. Scientists say although they look similar to pigs, they are more closely related to whales and hippos.

Andrew RossiJune 27, 2026

The Fry family losing their 14-year-old corgi Lola in the Gillette area May 16 kicked off a desperate search. A month later, Lola turned up on a Facebook ad in Wisconsin. “After a month of hell, it’s very surreal to have her back,” Kimberly Fry says.

Hooray! Desperate Search For 14-Year-Old Gillette Dog Has Happy Ending In Wisconsin

When Gillette's Kimberly Fry got a phone call at 8:15 a.m. that someone had found their 14-year-old corgi in Wisconsin, she started crying. An hour later, her family was on the road and drove more than 1,000 miles straight to get their rescued dog.

Andrew RossiJune 27, 2026

Thunderstorm over Cheyenne on June 20, 2026

In Wyoming's 'Hail Alley,' Giant Ice Balls Falling From The Sky Are Normal

For much of the week, the southeast corner of Wyoming had a series of tornado watches and warnings. While tornadoes grab the headlines, residents know the real menace is monster hail. "We're where the storms like to start," said meteorologist Colby Goatley.

Kolby FedoreJune 26, 2026

Cody’s Paul Andrew Hutton has landed one of Western literature’s top honors, the coveted Owen Wister Award. That elevates the New York Times bestselling author of “The Undiscovered Country” into the top ranks of Western writers.

Cody Author Paul Hutton Wins Lifetime Achievement Honor For Western Literature

Cody’s Paul Andrew Hutton has landed one of Western literature’s top honors, the coveted Owen Wister Award for lifetime achievement. That elevates the New York Times bestselling author of “The Undiscovered Country” into the ranks of top Western writers.

Renée JeanJune 25, 2026

The biggest creator of fake news in Wyoming has decided to sell what he calls “my baby,” Casper Planet, the satirical Facebook page that has sparked reactions from hysterical to hopping mad all over the world.

Not Fake News: Creator Of Satirical ‘Casper Planet’ Says It’s Time To Sell

Justin Hathaway is selling his satirical Planet Casper Facebook page. He wants someone in Wyoming who will build on a legacy that includes telling 106,000 followers about king cobras spilling onto I-25 and a Yellowstone tourist bus sinking in magma.

Kerry DrakeJune 24, 2026

Rancher Claims Outhouse Dispute The Reason Amish Community Leaving Hulett

A Sheridan rancher says an "asinine, stupid" outhouse crackdown is pushing Amish families out of the Hulett area. He said landowners were threatened with fines of up to $30,000 per day if they failed to comply with outhouse regulations.

Kate MeadowsJune 24, 2026

Left Hand (left) was 22 years old when he snuck away from the agency at Fort Robinson and ended up fighting with the Sioux and Cheyenne in the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

The Arapaho Five: Unsuspecting Braves Who Fought Custer 150 Years Ago This Week

Five young Arapaho braves snuck off from Fort Robinson 150 years ago this week and fought the 7th Cavalry at Little Bighorn, where General Custer met his demise. They later told their story to actor and adopted member of the Arapaho tribe, Tim McCoy.

Jackie DorothyJune 24, 2026

Boomers Rejoice: McDonald's Iconic Fried Apple Pie Returns To Wyoming For 250th

My assignment was to write a story about the reintroduction of McDonald’s iconic dessert, the fried apple pie, which hasn’t been available under the golden arches since 1992. The pie went on sale a week early in Wyoming, not Tuesday as was nationally advertised.

Kerry DrakeJune 24, 2026

"Sunrise coming up over Skyline Drive to College Ave in Rock Springs by the hospital."

Now That It's Summer, Wyoming Is Losing Daylight Every Day

Parts of Wyoming saw more than 15 hours of daylight on June 21, the summer solstice. Now the days are getting shorter. “It’s not that noticeable now, but we’ll be losing two minutes per day by the end of July," said UW planetarium's Max Gilbraith.

Andrew RossiJune 23, 2026