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Explore a chronological display of Cowboy State Daily’s articles.
News

When A Career In Filmmaking Didn’t Pan Out, He Became A Wyoming Oil Fracker
When a 1995 Sundance Film Festival appearance didn’t deliver a film career, Dan Doyle switched gears in a big way — he became an oil fracker. That took him to the Wyoming oil fields and nearly got him knifed in an Oklahoma trailer.
David MadisonApril 12, 2026

Wyoming Vet Returned From Vietnam War To Become A CEO, But Still Haunted
Sheridan resident Cliff Root returned from the Vietnam War to become a successful CEO of multiple companies. After more than 50 years, he’s still haunted by seeing things nobody should ever see, then coming home to be called a “baby killer."
Dale KillingbeckApril 12, 2026

New Lease On Life: Cheyenne’s Historic 130-Year-Old Sturgis House Has New Owners
It’s one of the oldest mansions still standing in Wyoming and now it's turning a page. Cheyenne’s historic 130-year-old Sturgis House, once the home of cattle baron William Sturgis, has new owners. They've turned it into craft retreat and it's 90% booked.
Renée JeanApril 12, 2026

Sublette County Doesn't Have A Stoplight — And They Like It That Way
Sublette County is larger than Delaware and Rhode Island combined and has more than 1,500 miles of roads. It doesn't have a stoplight and people like it that way. “A stoplight would mean Pinedale is Californicated," one resident said.
Kate MeadowsApril 12, 2026

Triangle X Ranch At 100: Fourth Generation Leads Legendary Wyoming Dude Ranch
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the legendary Triangle X Ranch in Grand Teton National Park, now led by a fourth generation of the Turner family. John Turner grew up there in a cabin with no electricity. “If it was 20 below outside, it was 20 below in here.” Now the family is entering a moment they just never get used to: renegotiating the lease with the Park Service.
Zakary SonntagApril 12, 2026

Cheyenne High School Parents Find Workaround To State Ban On NIL Deals
After Wyoming lawmakers banned NIL deals for high school athletes this year, a group of Cheyenne boosters has found a workaround by pooling resources. Their first project is providing cleats for every player on the Cheyenne South High football team.
David MadisonApril 12, 2026

Flaming Gorge Could Be Tapped To Make Up For ‘Horrible’ Colorado River Levels
Flaming Gorge is preparing to be drained by up to a third to make up for the “horrible” Colorado River levels. Wyoming and other Upper Basin states could be left dry in response to desperate downriver water shortages.
Mark HeinzApril 11, 2026

Dirty Soda Craze Hits Wyoming, Has Customers Lining Up Around The Block
Dirty soda shops are beginning to appear all over Wyoming and customers are lining up around the block to get them. Jazzed up by adding flavored syrups, cream and add-ins, dirty soda is a "prime market” for new small business owners.
Dale KillingbeckApril 11, 2026

'Something Is Very Wrong’: Cody Man With Mental Health Issues Disappears
Those who know Shawn Ezekiel Hughes say they can't believe the 36-year-old Cody man with undiagnosed medical issues, including seizures, would just walk away. "Something is very wrong," says his girlfriend.
Jen KocherApril 11, 2026

DNA Breakthrough Identifies New Ted Bundy Victim In Utah; Could Solve Wyoming Cases
More than 50 years after a Utah teenager was killed, advanced DNA tech has confirmed she’s another victim of infamous serial killer Ted Bundy. It’s a breakthrough that could solve other cold cases, including in Wyoming.
Jen KocherApril 11, 2026

Thermopolis Safari Club’s Big Game Trophy Collection To Hit Auction Block
After more than 40 years on display, the big-game taxidermy collection at the Safari Club restaurant in Thermopolis will be shipped to auction next week. A potential value hasn’t been put on the hundreds of mounts, some of which can’t be sold in the U.S.
Jackie DorothyApril 11, 2026

Casper Native Restoring Hell’s Half Acre Sign To Display In Wyoming Valley, Pa.
It took Casper native Casey Gillum a long time to get the Hell's Half Acre restaurant sign but once he had the opportunity, he grabbed it. He's now restoring the sign and will display it where he lives -- in Pennsylvania's Wyoming Valley.
Renée JeanApril 11, 2026

Bill Sniffin: What Is That Special Spirit That Holds Far-Flung Wyoming Together?
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “Just what is that special secret ingredient that defines people here in the Cowboy State? Just what holds us together while so many forces are trying to tear us apart?”
Bill SniffinApril 11, 2026

Joan Barron: They're Lining Up For Hageman's Seat
Columnist Joan Barron writes, "Nine candidates for a statewide office is not a record. We have had more crowded Republican races for the GOP nomination for governor. The largest was 14 in the 1980s when Democratic Gov. Ed Herschler retired after serving three terms."
Joan BarronApril 11, 2026

Wyoming’s Lonesome Lake Not So Lonesome; Hikers Say It’s Turning Into Mob Scene
The 9-mile hike into Lonesome Lake in the Wind River Range mountains takes hikers to the stunning Cirque of Towers. Some veteran hikers say social media has turned it into a mob scene and it's getting "loved to death."
Mark HeinzApril 11, 2026

Chugwater Butcher Turns School Bus Into Mobile Meat Wagon To Serve Small Towns
A butcher in Chugwater has turned an old school bus into a mobile meat shop to bring Wyoming beef to small towns. It’s a creative solution to get local meat to rural customers in a state with a whole lot of nowhere between towns.
Renée JeanApril 11, 2026
DNA Stunner: Lander Veteran Finds New Life With Daughter He Never Knew He Had
Lander’s Jim Stewart has led a life full of surprises that include service on a Navy submarine, a heart attack, and discovering a daughter he never knew existed. That DNA miracle has given Stewart a new life after he thought he’d already lived his.
Dale KillingbeckApril 11, 2026

Famed Mountaineer's Hidden Notes Still Being Found In Wyoming Wind River Range
Decades after “Lord of The Winds” mountaineer Finis Mitchell roamed the Wind River Range, hikers still find his handwritten notes in small plastic tubes. Star Valley photographer Ammon Jeffs found a Mitchell note while hiking on Sheep's Mountain.
Renée JeanApril 11, 2026

Remembering Little America: Fans Of Original Hotel Call Demolition ‘Heartbreaking’
Fans of the Little America hotel near Green River say its demolition is “heartbreaking.” Its cheap ice cream cones, penguin mascot and endless roadside billboards are legendary. It’s also been a lifesaving haven from Wyoming’s notorious blizzards.
Renée JeanApril 11, 2026

Woman Who Hit Two Elk While Speeding, Killing Friend In Car, Acquitted Of Felony
A 19-year-old Casper woman did not commit a felony when she hit two elk while speeding on a highway, killing a friend in her car, a jury ruled Thursday. She was instead convicted of misdemeanor negligent homicide by vehicle, reckless driving, and speeding.
Clair McFarlandApril 10, 2026

The Winter That Wasn't In Yellowstone National Park: 'It Was Off-The-Charts Warm'
Jeff Henry, who has worked at Yellowstone for more than 48 years, said temperatures this winter were frequently 30 degrees above normal, which meant rain instead of snow at Old Faithful on Christmas. "It was off-the-charts warm," he said.
Andrew RossiApril 10, 2026

Right To Repair: John Deere Settlement Could Mean Payouts For Wyoming Farmers
Accused of monopolizing the tractor repair market, John Deere agreed this week to settle a long-running right-to-repair lawsuit. Farmers are skeptical, saying the company’s promises come across as, “Trust us, we really mean it this time.”
Kate MeadowsApril 10, 2026

Sheridan Golfer Jim Benepe Is Wyoming's Only Direct Link To The Masters
Only one Wyoming native has ever teed it up at The Masters, and his name is Jim Benepe. Nearly four decades after the Sheridan product shocked the PGA Tour by winning his debut event, Wyoming golfers still make the April pilgrimage to Augusta, Georgia.
David MadisonApril 10, 2026

Jonathan Lange: Let's Not Cherry-Pick The Constitution
Columnist Jonathan Lange writes, “Last week 110 lawyers ganged up on Wyoming attorney Frederick Harrison. Harrison represented Wyoming Right to Life. Rather than offer point-by-point answers to his reasoning, they launched a statewide broadside against him."
Jonathan LangeApril 10, 2026
