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Explore a chronological display of Cowboy State Daily’s articles.
News
Mischievous Rancher Behind Those Mysterious Lights In Rural Hot Springs County
The mysterious red, blue and green lights that flash in the middle of nowhere around Hot Springs County aren’t UFOs. They belong to Eddie Shumway, a mischievous rancher who likes giving people something to talk about.
Jackie DorothyApril 06, 2025
Archeologists Have Only Begun Digging Up Wyoming’s Secrets Of The Past
Archaeologist Colin Ferriman travels around Wyoming and the region searching for historic artifacts at project sites for developing energy development. The Cowboy State has only begun giving up its secrets of the past.
Jackie DorothyApril 06, 2025
Helicopter Plucks Trees From Colorado State Parks Like An Arcade Claw Game
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is using a contraption slung under a helicopter to pluck dead trees out of a state park, not unlike “claw machine” arcade games.
Mark HeinzApril 06, 2025
Meet LoRayne Day, The Casper Beauty Who Became A Hollywood Star
Before she gained fame in the 1950s as a Hollywood and Western star, LoRayne Day was a student at Natrona Count High School in Casper. A beauty, she got the lead in a Western, had a hit record and even had a doll made of her.
Dale KillingbeckApril 06, 2025
Cassie Craven: It's Time For Elementary School Counselors In Wyoming
Columnist Cassie Craven writes, “Stories of elementary-school sexual assault in Cody, bullying in Natrona County, and the fifth-grade student in Carpenter, Wyoming who died by suicide haunt our recent history. Now that we have commonsense leadership in office, it’s time for Wyoming lawmakers to solve this problem.”
Cassie CravenApril 06, 2025
Guest Column: Even In Wyoming, No Man Is An Island
Guest Columnist Gail Symons writes: " At its core, community is about the voluntary connections we build through shared interests and benefits. It is a recognition that that we cannot thrive on our own, that our lives are made richer by changing our focus from ourselves to others."
Gail SymonsApril 06, 2025
Instantly More Collectible: No One Wants Pennies, Until They're Gone
President Donald Trump’s order in February to stop minting new pennies has many people saying good riddance. It’s also creating a buzz because pennies are now instantly more collectible.
Zakary SonntagApril 06, 2025
Wyoming Man Flies Around On Motorized Paraglider Dropping Toys To Kids
Adam Roadcap lives in Burns, Wyoming, and flies a motorized paraglider. Sometimes he drops parachute toys to surprised children below.
Renée JeanApril 06, 2025
Letter To The Editor: Wyoming's Senators Lack 'Backbone' To Stand Up To Trump
Dear editor: Our Wyoming senators have abdicated their responsibilities to bend the knee to "King Donald" with disastrous early results to our democratic institutions and economy.
April 06, 2025
From Ohio To Wyoming, Nearly 50 Years Of Working In And Around U.S. Coal
Paul Hughes started work in coal-burning industry as a teenager in Ohio in the late 1970s. That eventually brought him to Wyoming, which has turned into nearly 50 years working in and around the coal industry in the East and West.
Renée JeanApril 06, 2025
The American West: Colorado Cowpoke Sets Off the Greatest Gold Rush in History
On a cool, crisp autumn day in 1890, there was no doubt in Bob Womack’s mind that he had uncovered a rich vein of gold. After spending considerable time examining the half-inch discolorized vein in the rock surface, Bob decided to use dynamite in an effort to break loose the ore.
Linda WommackApril 06, 2025
Drinking Wyoming: Drinking Like Butch Cassidy, From Rock Springs To Sheridan
When he wasn’t breaking the law, Butch Cassidy was always up for a drink, and was even cited for public drunkenness in Sheridan. Despite that, not many places have laid claim to a rather obvious marketing ploy: Butch Cassidy drank here.
Renée JeanApril 06, 2025
You’ll Need A Crane, A Truck And $20K To Buy 2 Wyoming Boulders Listed On eBay
Dave Freitag has been selling Wyoming rocks on eBay for more than a decade and has been trying to off-load two giant nephrite jade boulders for the past five years. You’ll need a crane, a truck and $20,000 to get them.
Anna-Louise JacksonApril 06, 2025
She’s Why Drivers Love Stopping At The Independence Rock Rest Area
Amanda Wilson goes way above and beyond her contract to keep the bathrooms clean and trash emptied at the Independence Rock Rest Area. Her homey touches are why drivers love stopping there.
Dale KillingbeckApril 06, 2025
Who Killed JonBenét? Friend Of Pedophile Who Confessed Says Look At Him Again
Who killed JonBenét Ramsey? The childhood friend of a convicted pedophile and person of interest told Cowboy State Daily he has prison letters from that man confessing to killing her, and says police need to look at him again.
Jen KocherApril 06, 2025
How Wyoming's Brontosaurus Became The World's Most Famous Dinosaur — Twice
Brontosaurus lived 150 million years ago, was discovered in Wyoming 146 years ago, was erased 112 years ago, and was resurrected as a valid genus 10 years ago. It's all part of an ongoing sauropod saga.
Andrew RossiApril 05, 2025
Beautiful But Deadly, Larkspur Kills Wyoming Cattle And Frustrates Ranchers
As spring approaches, ranchers in Wyoming are on the alert for the green shoots of larkspur. This beautiful purple wildflower is deadly to cattle and frustrating for ranchers.
Jackie DorothyApril 05, 2025
When Hunting Black Bears In Wyoming, Don’t Get Mauled By A Hangry Grizzly
After a relatively mild winter, Wyoming hunters are looking forward to spring black bear season. But lots of hangry and irritated grizzlies are out there, too.
Mark HeinzApril 05, 2025
Wyoming Trade Schools Packed With Gen Z Students, AKA The Toolbelt Generation
Generation Z has grown up digital, and many aren’t choosing traditional colleges. They’re packing Wyoming’s trade schools, lured by shorter, cheaper programs and better job prospects. It’s earned these Gen Z’ers the nickname The Toolbelt Generation.
Renée JeanApril 05, 2025
What The Heck … Is That Giant Rock "X" In Sybille Canyon Near Wheatland?
“X” really does mark a spot in Sybille Canyon along Wyoming Highway 34, but it doesn’t mark the site of buried treasure. It’s a unique geologic formation that might point to mineral wealth.
Andrew RossiApril 05, 2025
Bill Sniffin: This Year’s Bucket List Is For Seeing Charcoal Kilns, Petroglyphs
Bill Sniffin writes: “After wandering up, down, back and forth across Wyoming for 55 years, I can call myself an expert on what to do and where to go in this state. Folks, I have concluded that damn, there is a lot to see here in the 'Big Empty.'"
Bill SniffinApril 05, 2025
Joan Barron: It's Time For State Lawmakers To Sit Down And Learn Stuff
Columnist Joan Barron writes: "The Legislature’s interim studies are a great way for lawmakers to get educated on the basics of established programs. This is of particular value for the high number of new legislators elected in 2024, who showed their need for more education in the recent session."
Joan BarronApril 05, 2025
That Time Donald Duck And His Nephews Committed Crimes In Yellowstone
The 1938 short "Good Scouts" has Donald Duck and his three nephews making a ruckus in "Yellowstone Nat'l Park." If he were a real tourist, Donald would be facing severe fines — or asking Mickey to bail him out of jail.
Andrew RossiApril 05, 2025
Letter To The Editor: Approval Of Wind Farms 'A Horrible Decision'
Dear editor: I warned years ago and again recently, these things will eventually contaminate our public lands and the state board just green-lit the pollution of the great white lollypops.
April 05, 2025