Wyoming Life
News

Eastern Wyoming Faces Hurricane Winds And Freezing Temps; Power Shutoff Possible
A massive Canadian cold front, bringing gusts up to 75 mph and single-digit wind chills, will clip eastern Wyoming on Friday. Black Hills Energy declared an Emergency Public Safety Power Shutoff Watch in some areas due to “high fire-risk conditions.”
Andrew RossiJanuary 15, 2026

Gillette Coach Fired After Profanity-Laced Outburst At Player Cleared By State Board
The former Campbell County High football coach fired in November for a profanity-laced outburst aimed at a player has been cleared by the state board that licenses teachers and coaches. Orah Garst says he’s grateful and wants to coach again.
Greg JohnsonJanuary 14, 2026

Big Piney Teen To Donate Bone Marrow To Save Toddler Brother From Leukemia
Following up on a story we did last month, the medical verdict came in and 13-year-old Dayton of Big Piney is the perfect match to donate bone marrow to his 2-year-old brother Traxton, who is battling a rare form of leukemia.
Mark HeinzJanuary 11, 2026

Laramie County Dogs Are Helping Senior Citizens Pay For Pet Vaccinations In 15 States
To help senior citizens pay for pet vaccinations, a UPS driver who delivers in Laramie County put together a dog calendar. Proceeds will help senior citizens pay for pet vaccinations in 15 states.
Renée JeanJanuary 11, 2026

Wyoming Man Donates Llama Ranch As Sanctuary For Veterans, First Responders
Right before Christmas, Navy veteran Al Ellis donated his 207-acre llama ranch in Sublette County as a sanctuary for veterans and first responders. “We want other people to enjoy this — people who deserve it, people who we owe something to,” Ellis said.
Kate MeadowsJanuary 11, 2026

Wyoming People: Gene Baldwin Was The ‘Voice Of The Dogies’ For Newcastle Football
For decades, Gene Baldwin was known around Weston County as the “Voice of the Dogies” at Newcastle High School football games. He also was a rancher, teacher and cowboy poet. He died in December at age 99.
Jackie DorothyJanuary 11, 2026

Wyoming History: Ernest Hemingway Loved Wyoming
Author Ernest Hemingway, for about a decade in the late 1920s, enjoyed Wyoming as his summer retreat, where he found inspiration to write and recreate. In 1940, Wyoming was where he married his third wife at the Cheyenne Depot.
Dale KillingbeckJanuary 11, 2026

Wyoming History: Meet Thornburgh, The Hero Dog Of Fort Bridger
Thornburgh, an orphaned pup from a 1879 Ute battle, became Fort Bridger’s hero dog by stopping thieves, saving soldiers from knives, and alerting soldiers to Indian raids. Thornburgh was so well-loved he was buried in a fenced grave with a headstone.
Jackie DorothyJanuary 11, 2026
Nothing Better For Casper Man Than Taking Hospice Patients For Rides In Corvettes
Larry Kloster of Casper uses his museum-quality collection of Corvettes to connect with people. “I take hospice patients for rides, which is the coolest part,” he said. Kloster has been on the board of directors of Central Wyoming Hospice for 7 years.
Jackie DorothyJanuary 11, 2026

Torrington Couple’s 17-Year Cancer Fight Nears End With Terminal Diagnosis
A Torrington family sees “blessings” in their nearly 17-year attempt to outrun a cancer diagnosis. The husband received a kidney from his wife, the community rallied to help, and he withstood chemo to survive. His latest diagnosis, however, is terminal.
Dale KillingbeckJanuary 10, 2026

Netflix Deal To Buy Warner Bros. Could Open Door To More “Longmire" Episodes
Netflix has a bid on the table to buy Warner Bros., which would give the company the rights to Longmire, which it tried to buy 10 years ago. Wyoming author Craig Johnson, creator of the series, is hopeful a Netflix purchase would mean a revival of the show.
Renée JeanJanuary 10, 2026
'Just A Survivor': Laramie WWII Vet Was Blown Off Tank During Battle Of The Bulge
Laramie WWII vet Bob Willis earned a Purple Heart after being blown off a tank in the Battle of the Bulge. The veteran, who also protected Holocaust survivors, celebrated his 101st birthday on Saturday. "I'm just a survivor. I’m no kind of hero," he said.
Dale KillingbeckJanuary 10, 2026

Broncos Playoff Mania Drives Tickets To More Than $17,000
Broncos playoff tickets hit more than $17,000 on StubHub for a potential AFC Championship. A Cheyenne season ticket holder said even the promise of a payday won’t entice him to sell his seats.
Justin GeorgeJanuary 08, 2026

Hawaii Gets 10 Inches Of Snow While Most Of Wyoming Stays Brown And Dry
More than 10 inches of snow and wind chills in the 20s were recorded at the summits of the Big Island in Hawaii on Monday. Most of Wyoming, by contrast, has remained brown and dry. Meteorologist Don Day says, however, that’s about to change.
Andrew RossiJanuary 06, 2026

Former Sheridan Star Makes Play Of The Game In Montana State’s FCS Title Win
Former Sheridan football star Dane Steel's leaping touchdown was the highlight of the night in Montana State University winning its first national title in 41 years Monday night. The spectacular play earned the No. 1 spot on SportsCenter's Top 10.
David MadisonJanuary 06, 2026

Inside The Loft That Inspires Wyoming Author Craig Johnson’s Award-Winning Career
It was a great year for Wyoming author Craig Johnson who received four lifetime achievement awards from prestigious writing and Western organizations. He created his popular “Longmire” mystery series in a tiny UCross cabin he built himself.
Renée JeanJanuary 05, 2026

Even After Sudden Death, Cheyenne Is Keeping Mom's Kindness Alive
After Cheyenne mom Kristy Van Der Hoeven’s sudden death, friends and families created a nonprofit to carry on her tradition of committing random acts of kindness like dropping quarters in gum ball machines or leaving dollars in toy aisles.
Renée JeanJanuary 04, 2026

Wyoming’s Surprise Olympian Started Training As An 8-Year-Old For Uphill Skiing
Anna Gibson was 8 when she started begging her parents to let her break Jackson Hole resort rules and ski uphill. Eighteen years later, she’s headed to Italy as America’s surprise Olympic hopeful in a sport she’s been training for most of her life.
David MadisonJanuary 04, 2026

The Man Who Chauffeured Spock Around Yellowstone For 'Star Trek' Movie Shoot
When Leonard Nimoy flew to Yellowstone in August 1978 to shoot a scene for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture, " Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel worker Eric Ostensen got the job of being Mr. Spock's chauffeur. He recalls it being a "weird" and surreal experience.
Andrew RossiJanuary 04, 2026

Story's Wagon Box Inn Lands Celebrity Chef Vincent Fiore
Celebrity Chef Vincent Fiore didn’t have Story, Wyoming, on the itinerary for his new "Cookin' With Cowboys" episodes, which stream on YouTube. But the Wise Guy Kitchen chef is always up for a new adventure - like taking over as chef at Wagon Box Inn.
Renée JeanJanuary 04, 2026

Wyoming History: All-Brothers Baseball Team Was A National Sensation In 1929
Nine brothers from Hawk Springs made headlines across the country in 1929 fielding a full baseball team. The patriarch of the Marlatt family would start teaching them the game as “soon as each had emerged from the cradle.”
Dale KillingbeckJanuary 04, 2026

Faced With Her Own Terminal Diagnosis, Thermopolis Mom Helps Others With Cancer
When Thermopolis mom Connie Hoffman was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she was overwhelmed by expenses and relied on fundraising to travel to specialists. In the time she has left, she is spending her time raising money for others who have cancer.
Jackie DorothyJanuary 04, 2026

What University Of Idaho’s Division I Downgrade Could Teach The Wyoming Cowboys
The University of Idaho’s drop from the top tier of Division I college football could serve a warning to the University of Wyoming about the challenges small markets have in the era of NIL and revenue sharing. Insiders urge realism as financial gaps widen.
David MadisonJanuary 03, 2026

Wyoming History: Dick Nelson, The Pioneering Railroad Man With Ice In His Veins
Dick Nelson was 12 when he came to Wyoming Territory in 1887 and spent 45 years watching shootouts as a railroad man. He also earned a reputation early as having ice in his veins, not even flinching when Texas cowhands shot at him.
Jackie DorothyDecember 30, 2025
