Bill Sniffin
Bill Sniffin has been a publisher and author in Wyoming for 53 years. He formerly owned all or part interest in 20 different newspapers, magazines, print shops, ad agencies, and internet companies.
He is one of Wyoming's best-known columnists, having written a statewide column for more than 22 years and a local column for 38 years prior to that.
Sniffin has published six books including three Wyoming-themed coffee table books, called the Wyoming Trilogy. He lives in Lander with his wife Nancy.
Latest from Bill Sniffin
Bill Sniffin: With 18,000 Vehicles A Day, Horrible Crashes Will Occur On Interstate 80
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “It is inevitable that horrible accidents will happen in the winter with 18,000 vehicles fighting snow, ice, and wind conditions on Interstate 80.”
Bill SniffinFebruary 22, 2025
Bill Sniffin: The Dawn Of Snowmobile Tourism In Wyoming – I Was There – Here Is What Happened
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “We all knew that snowmobile tourism could be gigantic in Wyoming but nobody knew how to get this new industry off the ground. We needed to call in an expert.”
Bill SniffinFebruary 16, 2025
Bill Sniffin: Wyoming Folks Recall Times When They Were Happiest – How About You?
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “I asked people to share with us when they were most happy in their lives? What they shared made a big impression.”
Bill SniffinFebruary 08, 2025
Bill Sniffin: When Were You The Happiest?
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "My wife was diagnosed with MS 40 years ago. As a result, we decided to travel the world at a younger age and pay for it with credit cards. Those were happy times. It worked out well.”
Bill SniffinFebruary 01, 2025
Bill Sniffin: Yes, Wyoming Needs A Big New Monument . . . For The Historic Oregon Trail
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “The Oregon Trail has significant sites and sights all across Wyoming that are still in place which deserve recognition.”
Bill SniffinJanuary 25, 2025
Bill Sniffin: America’s Return To Common Sense A 21st Century “Sputnik Moment”
Bill Sniffin writes: “Sputnik moments are those critical moments in time when a society reacts to immense changes and takes a different direction.”
Bill SniffinJanuary 18, 2025
Bill Sniffin: Wyoming Fans Love Josh Allen – Bills Play Broncos In Playoffs Sunday
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Can you believe Josh Allen has been gone from UW for seven years? I never saw a player like him. He was super-human. He was our superman.”
Bill SniffinJanuary 11, 2025
Bill Sniffin: Predicting 2025: Return To Normal In DC And Tilt To The Right Here At Home
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "With Donald Trump taking office, the country will become sane again. After four years of mind-bending craziness and goofy wokeness by the Biden - Harris Regime, orchestrated by puppeteer Barack Obama, the country has a chance to literally return to normal."
Bill SniffinJanuary 04, 2025
Bill Sniffin: Trump Win? Torturing A Wolf? Death Of A Famous Bear? What Were Top News Stories of 2024?
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “So, by consensus, were the top five stories: Wolf torture, cop killing, wildfires, girl scout cookie fine, and Trump’s big win? What were the other big stories?”
Bill SniffinDecember 29, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Curse The Darkness! Celebrate The Days Getting Longer – Yippee!
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, “Alas, here in Wyoming, this weekend marks the first official day of winter, too. We still might have four and half more months of wintry weather.”
Bill SniffinDecember 21, 2024
Bill Sniffin: For Christmas, Lots Of Wonderful Gifts To Buy Right Here In Wyoming
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Let’s just give a plug to all the locally-owned stores in your city or town. They range big-to-small. Spending your money there not only helps them, but that money spreads itself around your community.”
Bill SniffinDecember 14, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Yogi, Smokey, And Old 399 Have Been Wyoming’s ‘Three Bears’
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “The most famous bear in the world was ‘Old 399,’ a much beloved grizzly sow that liked to hang around the highways south of Yellowstone and in the Jackson Hole and Togwotee Pass areas. She was an amazing breeder.”
Bill SniffinDecember 07, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Here’s Why Trump Will Be Successful – He Will Apply Business Principles
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "Can you run government like a business? If you could, should you? I think Donald Trump is about to find out the answers to those questions and the people of America will benefit from it."
Bill SniffinNovember 30, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Over My Career, My Favorite Award Was An Old Battered Miner’s Helmet
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "Exposing the stories about the horrible deaths of Fremont County uranium miners in the 1980s ended up being one of the most fulfilling events of my 60-year journalism career."
Bill SniffinNovember 23, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Trying To Explain To Folks In ‘A Democrat Bubble’ Why They Lost – It Did Not Go Well
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “I spent my five minutes wondering aloud how the Democrats could believe all this ‘woke’ stuff about open borders, forgiving student loans, over-emphasis on race and transgender, etc.”
Bill SniffinNovember 16, 2024
Bill Sniffin: American People ‘Woke’ Up Last Tuesday! Wyoming Celebrates Trump Landslide
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “The Biden-Harris administration was a cultural experiment that used programs that appeared to work in California so why not thrust these ideas on the entire people of the country? But much of the rest of the country was opposed being californicated.”
Bill SniffinNovember 09, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Who Is The Best Political Expert In Wyoming? Take The CSD Political Quiz
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “I have issued this challenge to the staff of the Cowboy State Daily and also to all our readers. Who is the smartest political observer of them all?”
Bill SniffinNovember 02, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Wyoming Politics – The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “In a recent story, Cheney tried to explain how a person who is pro-life, such as herself, can support Harris. It was pretty convoluted. I always was a big supporter of Liz Cheney and her family. Alas, no more."
Bill SniffinOctober 26, 2024
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
Bill Sniffin: Wyoming’s Is Famous For Broken Windshields – Here's Why
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Wyoming is the windiest state in America and that requires some special kind of heavier rocks on our roads in bad weather – which can come just about any time of year.”
Bill SniffinOctober 19, 2024
Bill Sniffin: We Love Our Pets – Three Good Ones Left Us This Year
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "What a sad year – so far in 2024, we have had to say good-bye to three of our grand-puppies. These are dogs that lived to be 12, 14, 14 years. They had become parts of our lives and were big personalities in the families of three of our children."
Bill SniffinOctober 13, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Modern Flying Can Be Nerve-Wracking – Or Perfect
Bill Sniffin: “We old-timers can recall the amazing service the old Frontier Airlines provided last century with those ponderous Convair 580s, but this 2024 version of commercial aviation ended up being excellent, too.”
Bill SniffinOctober 05, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Over 717,000 People Viewed Our ‘Robo Bear’ Video On Instagram – Wow!
Bill Sniffin writes: “Mark did well against the 'robo bear.' My attempt was pathetic. Despite my failure, the video of the encounter was a huge hit. This video has been viewed 717,000 times on Instagram.”
Bill SniffinSeptember 28, 2024
Wyoming Winter Woes Include Black Holes, Yellow Highway Stripes, and No Interstate Traffic
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “I spend way too much time cautioning my family and friends about the perils of Wyoming driving during this season of long nights and short days - plus bitter temperatures, heavy snowfalls, and, yes, those doggone Wyoming winds.”
Bill SniffinSeptember 22, 2024
Bill Sniffin: 50 Years Ago, World’s Space Race Focused On Sagebrush Hills Of Wyoming
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "In 1974, a three-man crew of astronauts from the USA and a two-man crew of cosmonauts from the USSR were picked to participate in this pioneering program. But first, they were going to participate in the One Shot Antelope Hunt in Lander."
Bill SniffinSeptember 14, 2024
Bill Sniffin: "The Dog Ate My Homework" And More On The Old Farts Clubs
Bill Sniffin writes, “No matter how legitimate, excuses just sound like ‘the dog ate my homework’ to some people.”
Bill SniffinSeptember 07, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Does Each Wyoming Town Have Its ‘9 Old Men’ Who Think They Run It?
Bill Sniffin writes: “In my travels, I am always looking for these coffee groups. They can be a true fountain of information and misinformation. This is where all the good news stories bubble up from."
Bill SniffinAugust 31, 2024
Bill Sniffin: So Many Big Little Stories Came Out Of 2024 Primary
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Our 2024 Republican primary campaign was a barn-burner and full of meanness and hate. Yes, folks, politics in Wyoming, once again, is not political, it is personal.”
Bill SniffinAugust 24, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Two Years Ago, Wyoming Was Center Of The Political Universe
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Two years ago, because of the feud between Liz Cheney and former President Donald Trump, the whole world descended on the Cowboy State to see how her reelection race would turn out.”
Bill SniffinAugust 17, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Here Is A True Saying: ‘In Wyoming, Politics Is Not Political. It Is Personal’
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Elections can be difficult times because of personal relationships. You can find yourself being friends with both candidates. Especially when the races turn nasty, it is truly unpleasant."
Bill SniffinAugust 10, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Wyoming Politics Featuring Flyers, Candy Bars, And The One And Done Club
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “We gave away 10,000 candy bars. I was the only candidate in history who gained weight during his campaign!”
Bill SniffinAugust 03, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Brace Yourself For The Nuttiest 100-Day Election Campaign In American History
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “And despite all the confidence expressed by the Republicans, I believe the Dems still have a real chance to pull this off. The 12 million illegal aliens that arrived in the USA over the past three years could be the difference-makers.”
Bill SniffinJuly 27, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Seriously, Are We Oldsters Still In Middle Age, Really? – Nah
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, “The years between 65 and 75 were probably the best years of our lives. We were free of major responsibilities, had a little money saved up, could travel, were relatively healthy, and overall, life was pretty doggone carefree.”
Bill SniffinJuly 20, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Summer Is Half Over – How Is Your Bucket List Coming Along?
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "“And if our days are numbered, what are we going to do with those limited days? That is why the old idea of putting together a bucket list has always been so important to me.”
Bill SniffinJuly 13, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Our Big Fat Glorious Wyoming Wedding – During Monsoon Season!
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “We had been relegated to the roles of Uncle Lewis and Aunt Bethany from ‘Christmas Vacation.’ According to that movie, my job was to keep from setting my toupee on fire with my cigar and Nancy’s was to not recite the Pledge of Allegiance when saying grace.”
Bill SniffinJuly 05, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Water, Water Everywhere – And You Better Drink A Whole Bunch Of It!
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "Dave Love, Gap Pucci, and Finis Mitchell have spent more time in the wilds of arid Wyoming than just about anyone. I doubt they ever carried one of those quart-size Nalgene plastic bottles of water with them. They probably never even heard of Nalgene.”
Bill SniffinJune 29, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Here Are A Few Of My Favorite Wyoming Political Stories
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Dick Cheney told the woman, as he was heading out the door: ‘I am Al Simpson and I am running for U. S. Senate. I sure would appreciate your vote.’”
Bill SniffinJune 22, 2024
Bill Sniffin: I Am The Pater Familias – But How Did I Get Here?
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Family legend has it that my grandpa rode into town on his motorcycle and swept Allie off her feet. They defied old Irish family traditions, drove off, and got married. That event was critical to me ultimately being here.”
Bill SniffinJune 15, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Wyoming’s Most Fantastic Mountain Man Was Finis Mitchell
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “He was the Johnny Appleseed of the future trout paradise that these mountain lakes became. Today, it is common for hikers to catch trout in the 18-24 inch range. Each fish should have a label: ‘Courtesy of Finis Mitchell.’”
Bill SniffinJune 09, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Wyoming Is A Summer Bucket List Dream – What’s On Yours?
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, “As a lover of the Red Desert, it still baffles me that I have not visited Adobe Town east of Rock Springs. This amazing wonder might be the most spectacular spot in the entire desert area.”
Bill SniffinJune 01, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Lord, Please Give Wyoming One More Boom
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “It is important to note that usually all our recent booms were short-lived, like 5-10 years. One bust that I lived through was 20 years, 1982-2002. That was a long dry spell.”
Bill SniffinMay 25, 2024
Bill Sniffin: 2024 Graduates Ask ‘What Is Going To Happen To Me?’
Bill Sniffin writes: “To 2024 graduates, your future is coming at you at a terrific speed and there is very little you can do to get ready for it, except get an education and use your education.”
Bill SniffinMay 18, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Grit And Gumption — How Two Hardy Wyoming Women Lived To 108
Bill Sniffin writes: “From 1915 to 2024, these two pioneer Wyoming women saw incredible changes. They lived through world wars, a depression, outlasted 16 presidents, saw the first televisions, computers, the internet and social media.”
Bill SniffinMay 11, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Folks In Beautiful Sublette County Got Their Share Of News In April
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Calls to boycott Wyoming tourism have echoed from all corners of the world. Some observers say this could be as bad to the state’s reputation as the murder of Matthew Shepard way back in 1998."
Bill SniffinMay 04, 2024
Bill Sniffin: I Own 2 Million Acres Here In Wyoming — And You Do, Too
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “About 90 minutes north of us is the 2,221,766-acre Yellowstone National Park. That is one helluva piece of spectacular real estate. We share that with 4 million other owners each summer.”
Bill SniffinApril 27, 2024
Bill Sniffin: It Took A Miracle To Prevent Killings At Wyoming School 38 Years Ago
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "The perpetrator was the town’s former lawman named David Young. He entered the town’s elementary school with a grocery cart full of guns and gasoline bombs.”
Bill SniffinApril 20, 2024
Bill Sniffin: RIP Dave Kellogg, Tall In The Saddle For Good Works In Wyoming
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Dave Kellogg was sitting in his favorite chair looking out the window at those wonderful mountains. When Carol found him, he had a scotch poured but untouched on the table beside him. The only thing missing was 'a damned good cigar.'"
Bill SniffinApril 13, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Quality Medical Care Is Essential, Especially When Sickness Strikes
Bill Sniffin writes: “After initial consults and my wife Nancy being wired with a portable harness (that sent medical signals somewhere) she was placed on a bed in a hallway of the hospital and I was issued a chair next to her. We stayed there for the next 22 hours!"
Bill SniffinApril 06, 2024
Bill Sniffin: A 47-Year Debt Repaid (To Me) In A Welsh Mountain Town
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “This small Welsh town was made famous in 1903 when Wyoming’s Buffalo Bill performed several shows in the area. Some giant redwood trees were planted there in his memory.”
Bill SniffinMarch 30, 2024
Bill Sniffin: A Birthday Brings Thoughts About Death, Memories, And Best Decisions
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "“When us oldsters scan the obits, we will often say ‘old enough’ or ‘too young,’ which usually compares the decedents to our own age. Young people have no idea what I am talking about here.”
Bill SniffinMarch 23, 2024
Bill Sniffin: When Did You Fall In Love With Wyoming -- And Its Mountains, Canyons, Rivers, Deserts?
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, “I was thinking about how I came to love Wyoming. That is a long, complicated story involving a whole bunch of wonderful people.”
Bill SniffinMarch 16, 2024
Bill Sniffin: ‘Stinkers And Clinkers’ Define A Lifetime In Business – A Game Of Survival
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "Nancy and I were involved in the ownership of 20 different newspapers, magazines, print shops, ad agencies, internet companies, and other operations over 50 years. We even founded three Wyoming newspapers."
Bill SniffinMarch 09, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Wyoming Doomed To Have No Large Cities — Why?
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Biggest reason for the lack of major growth was the 20-year bust that Wyoming endured from 1982 to 2002. Wyoming languished during this bleak period with a ‘make do, get by’ attitude.”
Bill SniffinMarch 02, 2024
Bill Sniffin: A Good Tax? Shootouts. My Favorite Deer. Fun Tourism Conference.
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, “A revolutionary tax program has been proposed that would get rid of property taxes for 97 percent of the home-owners in Wyoming. It is a fantastic idea.”
Bill SniffinFebruary 24, 2024
Bill Sniffin: I Like Big Buttes And I Cannot Lie!
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "Between Wyoming’s soaring mountains and spectacular valleys are a series of bumps, called buttes, all over the state – and I love them all."
Bill SniffinFebruary 17, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Longest Highway In America Enters Wyoming At Lusk, Exits At Yellowstone
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, “All the major historic roads from the Lincoln Highway to the Union Pacific Railroad to the Pony Express to the first telegraph line. All passed through Wyoming territory.”
Bill SniffinFebruary 10, 2024
Bill Sniffin: Wyoming’s Far-Flung Population - How Do We Knit Everyone Together?
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “The University is a huge magnet for bringing Wyoming folks together. The Brown and Gold logos also mark the Cowboy State, itself.”
Bill SniffinFebruary 03, 2024