Headlines

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

Elk Montain Hotel sits at the base of Elk Mountain near Medicine Bow river.

How Wyoming’s Elk Mountain Hotel Went From Money Pit To Historic Showplace

Built 120 years ago when an Overland Trail stage stop burned down, many warned its previous owner it would be a money pit to restore. He did it anyway, and now the Elk Mountain Hotel has become a showplace on the National Register of Historic Places.

Renée JeanAugust 15, 2026

George "Big Nose" Parrott’s skin was sent to a tannery in Denver with instructions to fashion a pair of shoes with the dead man’s nipples on each to prove they were footwear made from a human being.

Yes, Skin From Wyoming Wild West Outlaw "Big Nose George" Was Used To Make Shoes

This is the macabre story of a once-common practice of binding books with human skin — and how Wyoming did that one better by skinning notorious Wild West outlaw "Big Nose George" and making him into a pair of shoes. His skull was made into an ashtray.

Jake NicholsAugust 15, 2026

Sheridan’s Josh Gardner, left, and Jared Stiver said the Landmand Golf Club course in northeast Nebraska was unlike any they’d ever played.

Sheridan Golfers Finally Get To Play Toughest Place To Book A Tee Time In The U.S.

Two golfers from Sheridan won the lottery on New Year's Eve when they were selected to play at the toughest place to book a tee time in the U.S. All 11,000 tee times were booked in one hour and they played last week. "It's all awesome," Jared Stiver said.

Jeff WelschAugust 15, 2026

Bar industry veteran Mike Moser calls DT's a "rarity." A locally owned neighborhood bar and liquor store that has survived long enough to become part of a community's identity.

Drinking Wyoming: No, You’re Not Drunk — That’s Just DT's Dancing Pink Elephant

Back in 1975, a hitchhiker woke up beneath Cheyenne’s giant pink elephant and wondered if he was hallucinating. He wasn’t. The booze-loving pachyderm has been bobbing over DT’s for decades. "We make sure that we keep that icon moving," says DT's owner.

Kolby FedoreAugust 15, 2026

Clifford "Russ" Haux, then 42, disappeared in the Red Desert in November 2003 where he'd been working on an oil rig. He and a co-worker had gone out to retrieve a stuck work vehicle and became separated, and Haux was never seen again.

Daughters Haunted By Dad’s Disappearance In Red Desert Near Wamsutter 23 Years Ago

Nearly 23 years after Clifford “Russ” Haux vanished in the Red Desert near Wamsutter, his daughters are still haunted. The 42-year-old husband and father of three had gone out with a co-worker to free a stuck vehicle and never returned.

Jen KocherAugust 15, 2026

Cowboy State Daily Show with Jeff - Saturday, August 15, 2026

Jeff in the 307. Saturday mornings 6-10 a.m.

Jake NicholsAugust 15, 2026

Debra Laramore-Fenton, mother of Buck Laramore, who was killed in a shootout with a Thermopolis police officer, holds a sign memorializing her son at a protest.

Family Of Thermopolis Man Shot By Cop Gets $400K In Settlement

The family of a man shot to death in a shootout with a former Thermopolis police sergeant will receive $400,000 in a settlement agreement. A special prosecutor determined the sergeant entered the man's home illegally.

Clair McFarlandAugust 15, 2026

Outdoorsman Ryan Lutes had a predatory encounter with a female brown bear in Sitka, Alaska, during the first week of June.

When A Bear Wants To Eat You: Outdoorsman Has Terrifying Predatory Encounter

Outdoorsman Ryan Lutes had a predatory encounter with a female brown bear earlier this summer. He told Cowboy State Daily that he credits confidence and bold action for coming out alive. "I knew I had to plant my ass, stand firm and not appear weak," he said.

Mark HeinzAugust 15, 2026

Dennis Sun: Beef Is Changing A Little Bit

Columnist Dennis Sun writes, "In the second week of August, calf and yearling prices recovered due to some hot video sales in the region. This is good for livestock producers, as profits from raising cattle have declined some."

Dennis SunAugust 15, 2026

Jonathan Lange: Our Primary Laws Undermine The Constitution

Columnist Jonathan Lange writes, “The Wyoming Legislature has enacted laws that have rendered the constitutionally-mandated election day moot. Meanwhile, those same laws have given power to the state to control August’s non-constitutional election in a way that hamstrings one party while giving free rein to another.”

Jonathan LangeAugust 15, 2026

Guest Column: Why I'm Supporting Eric Barlow To Be Wyoming’s Governor

Former Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer writes, "Eric Barlow doesn't show up with a stump speech and a stopwatch. He shows up with questions. He wants to know what's working, what's broken, and what people need to succeed."

Guest ColumnAugust 15, 2026

South Dakota Grandfather Identified As Man Killed In Multi-Vehicle Wreck Near Yellowstone

Terry Zaske, a grandfather from South Dakota, has been identified as the motorcyclist killed in a multi-vehicle wreck near Wapiti on Wednesday. The Wyoming Highway Patrol says the driver of a pickup truck caused the six-vehicle accident.

Andrew RossiAugust 14, 2026

U.S. House candidates Steve Friess, Kevin Christensen, and Chuck Gray.

False, Exaggerated, And Cherry-Picked Attack Ads Fly In Wyoming

Political groups spending millions of dollars on Wyoming's primary election are attacking U.S. House and gubernatorial candidates with fliers and commercials. Some of their claims are exaggerated; some are downright false.

Clair McFarlandAugust 14, 2026

Casper Woman Gets 12½ Years After Feds Tie Her To 11 Pounds Of Meth

Eight years after Casper police said Alysha Dahl faked a kidnapping and told officers she'd used meth since age 11, federal investigators tied her to more than 11 pounds of meth. She was sentenced to 12 1/2 years in prison.

Kolby FedoreAugust 14, 2026

Hundreds of people gathered at the Christ Episcopal Church in Cody on Friday to mourn and celebrate Ann Simpson, who died on July 31.

'Grace Personified': Hundreds Celebrate 'Idyllic Life' Of Ann Simpson In Cody

Ann Simpson was remembered by family members Friday as a "grace giver" who lived a "an idyllic life" in the Bighorn Basin. Hundreds gathered at the Christ Episcopal Church in Cody to celebrate Simpson, wife of the late Sen. Al Simpson for 72 years.

Andrew RossiAugust 14, 2026

Spike In Roadkill: Drought Has Wildlife Searching For Food And Water Near Roads

Wyoming’s persistent hot, dry weather could be to blame for a spike in roadkill as wildlife is being drawn to greenery and water alongside highways. One Teton County resident says she’s seen many bears not far from where Grizzly 399 was struck and killed.

Mark HeinzAugust 14, 2026

Kevin Perry, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Utah, examines a dust mitigation test site on the exposed lakebed of Farmington Bay in Utah's Great Salt Lake on July 9, 2025. As water levels drop in Utah's Great Salt Lake, scientists are urgently working to understand the dust coming off the exposed lakebed and its potential health risks to the communities nearby.

Could 'Toxic Soup' From Great Salt Lake Lakebed Dust Impact Southwest Wyoming?

Researchers warn that a "toxic soup" of dust from a shrinking Great Salt Lake could be reaching Wyoming, which is not specifically monitoring lake particles. “We’re causing the problem, but it could impact you,” a University of Utah scientist says.

Kate MeadowsAugust 14, 2026

Lander loaf jug with police cruiser 8 14 26

Driver In Wild Lander Crime Spree That Ended In Triple Stabbing Takes Plea Deal

A woman accused of driving during a Lander burglary spree that ended with a Loaf N’ Jug clerk getting stabbed three times pleaded guilty to a felony. She faces up to 10 years, while the man accused of the stabbing is headed to trial for attempted murder.

Kolby FedoreAugust 14, 2026

asper bartenders Sam Husted and Sam Rollins, pose together during their fifth year in working at Sturgis.

Moneymaker: Casper Bartenders Work Sturgis Every Year And Can Make $1,500 Per Night

This is the fifth year Sam Husted and Sam Rollins have gone to Sturgis to work at The Buffalo Chip. The Casper bartenders are known as 'The Sams' and they can make $1,500 per night. August is harvest season. And money is growing everywhere.

Kolby FedoreAugust 14, 2026

Cowboy State Daily Show with Jake - Friday, August 14, 2026

Jake in the 307. Weekday mornings 6-10 a.m.

Jake NicholsAugust 14, 2026

Three GOP Gubernatorial Candidates Face Off In Final Debate Before Primary Election

Three Wyoming gubernatorial candidates for the Republican nomination took the debate stage Thursday, for the last time before the primary election. Eric Barlow focused on his experience, Megan Degenfelder on her vision and Brent Bien on righting the government's structure.

Clair McFarlandAugust 14, 2026

Wyoming cast 148,405 more ballots in the 2024 general election than in that year’s primary. Turnout figures from the Wyoming Secretary of State.

Wyoming’s Real Election Is Tuesday

Wyoming chooses its next governor in the August primary, not in November. Here is the arithmetic, and why a third of the vote can be enough to decide it.

August 14, 2026

The Powder River at Arvada in Sheridan County was extremely low, at 17.4 cubic feet per second (cfs), when this photo was taken on June 16. It’s since dropped to 0 cfs.

Under Severe Drought Conditions, Wyoming’s Powder River Has Completely Stopped Flowing

The Powder River in Sheridan County has completely stopped flowing for nearly a month due to severe drought conditions and irrigation. During a typical year, the Powder at Arvada is flowing at 135 cubic feet per second, now it's at zero cubic feet per second.

Mark HeinzAugust 14, 2026

Cowboy State Daily Video Newscast: Friday, August 14, 2026

Friday's headlines include: * Anti-Barlow PAC top spender * More Idiots In Yellowstone Emerge * BLM Wants To Round Up 1,800 Wild Horses

Mac WatsonAugust 14, 2026

Page 9