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Wyoming Woman Pleads Guilty To Killing Infant Son In New Mexico, To Get 30 Years
A Wyoming woman who killed her 11-month-old boy during a brief standoff with law enforcement last December after allegedly kidnapping him and fleeing to New Mexico has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. In New Mexico, life in prison is 30 years.
Greg JohnsonAugust 27, 2026

Douglas Man Who Skipped Out On Child Porn Charges Fights Not To Lose $250K Bond
A Douglas man facing dozens of child exploitation and porn charges who was caught twice allegedly trying to flee Wyoming is fighting not to lose the $250,000 in cash someone posted for his bond. The cash was put up by an elderly woman from Colorado.
Greg JohnsonAugust 27, 2026

Casper Woman Pleads Guilty To Driving Getaway Car, Disposing Of Weapons In Fatal Shootout
A Casper woman pleaded guilty to driving a getaway car and helping dispose of weapons involved in a shooting that left one man dead and another injured in May 2025. She faces up to five years in prison.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 27, 2026

Judge Dismisses ACLU Immigration Case Against Sheriff Kozak
A judge on Tuesday dismissed the ACLU's lawsuit against Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak, saying the plaintiffs' complaints didn't match the laws in the case. One plaintiff, a barbershop, noted that deputies had worked with ICE to deport its employee to Nicaragua.
Clair McFarlandAugust 27, 2026

Platte County Recommends Rezoning Private Ranchland For Proposed Data Center
A proposal that could bring a utility-scale data center to more than 5,300 acres of private ranchland near the Platte and Goshen county line cleared another hurdle Wednesday, with a unanimous vote to recommend rezoning the property for industrial use.
Kate MeadowsAugust 27, 2026

Cheyenne Police Recover Numerous Stolen Firearms After Teens Went 'Car Hopping'
A stolen Bronco, “car hopping” and missing guns snowballed into five simultaneous search warrants across Cheyenne. Four juveniles were taken into custody. When police asked one 16-year-old about a stolen firearm, he had to think about it. "Which one?" he said.
Kolby FedoreAugust 27, 2026

Trans Protestor Has Self-Defense Hearing Over Drawing Gun In Laramie Street
Rihanna Kelver, an outspoken transgender activist, asked a court Wednesday to drop the aggravated assault charge Kelver faces for pointing a gun at a man who’d shoved the activist to the ground outside of a Laramie bar.
Clair McFarlandAugust 27, 2026

How To Best Experience And Photograph Wyoming's 96% Lunar Eclipse On Thursday
A 96.2% full lunar eclipse will be visible over Wyoming on Thursday night, and most people will get to see the best of the blood-red spectacle before bedtime. Here's a full rundown of what to expect, where to see it, and how to photograph it.
Andrew RossiAugust 26, 2026

Missing Missouri Hiker Found Disoriented But Alive After Summiting Gannett Peak
Missing Missouri hiker Shaun Mackelprang was found dehydrated and disoriented Wednesday, five days after summiting Gannett Peak and three days after he was reported missing. The signed registry atop Wyoming's tallest peak helped searchers find him.
Kolby FedoreAugust 26, 2026

High Rates And $265 Fill-Ups: What Wyoming Businesses Want New Fed Chair To Know
As central bank bigwigs gather beneath the Tetons for their annual economy summit, Wyoming business owners want the new Fed chair to understand the economic tug-of-war they're facing amid $265 fill-ups for food trucks and inflated housing costs.
Renée JeanAugust 26, 2026

Hooray! After Massive 5-Day Search, Wyoming Family Finds Missing 120-Pound Dog Tango
After five agonizing days searching the Wyoming prairie for their missing 120-pound white livestock guard dog Tango, Kendra Green's family finally found him Wednesday morning in the BB Ranch area. He was skinny, scraped up and hungry — but alive.
Kolby FedoreAugust 26, 2026

11-Year-Old Idaho Girl Pinned Under RV On Teton Pass Remains Critical In Utah
Neeka Korn, 11, is on a ventilator and dialysis in a Salt Lake City hospital after she was pinned under her grandparents' RV on Teton Pass on Aug. 17. A family friend says she is in critical condition and faces a long recovery but is responsive.
Dale KillingbeckAugust 26, 2026

Rock Springs Dollar Tree Cashier Charged With Pepper-Spraying Customer
A Rock Springs Dollar Tree cashier faces a battery charge for pepper-spraying a customer, who happens to be her father's girlfriend, in the face. The girlfriend allegedly threatened to drag the cashier over the counter during a profanity-laced tirade.
Kolby FedoreAugust 26, 2026

After Election Loss, Reid Rasner Sues A Sixth Person For Defamation
Reid Rasner, who placed fifth in last Tuesday’s Republican primary election for Wyoming’s lone U.S. House seat, is suing a sixth person for defamation. This one, against a Missouri-based civil rights attorney, was filed in federal court on Monday.
Clair McFarlandAugust 27, 2026

Grizzly 399 Descendants Get Reprieve As Orphaned Cubs Go To Colorado Zoo
Two descendants of Grand Teton's famed Grizzly 399 were sent to a zoo in Colorado Springs after their mother was killed in Montana for cattle predation. Cubs typically are euthanized if no zoo has availability because they won't survive alone in the wild.
Mark HeinzAugust 26, 2026

Glenrock Residents Still Frustrated After Town Meeting On Flock Cameras
Glenrock residents still aren't satisfied about why there are Flock cameras in the community, how they got there and what's done with the information collected. There was a standing-room only meeting Tuesday night but participants left frustrated.
Kate MeadowsAugust 26, 2026

Twins Rescued From Remote Teton Wilderness Were 'In Way Over Their Heads'
Twin brothers in their 30s were rescued Tuesday after wandering into a remote Teton Wilderness camp dehydrated, disoriented and possibly encountering a bear. Teton County Sheriff Matt Carr described the two North Dakota men as "woefully unprepared."
Kate MeadowsAugust 26, 2026

Enough! Evanston Man Says He's Leaving The State Over Property Rights Fight
An Evanston man is so frustrated over a property rights fight with the town, he's moving to Utah. The man said the town demanded he remove a steel container from his private lot but aren't doing anything about the "trashy trailers" throughout the town.
Kate MeadowsAugust 25, 2026

"It's Like His Dog!": Wolf Keeps Following Tourist Even After Two Bear Spray Blasts
A tourist from Texas said he was spooked when a wolf trailed him for more than 10 minutes in Yellowstone even after he blasted it with bear spray two times. "It's like it's his dog! Dude, he's got to be scared," said another tourist who filmed the event.
Mark HeinzAugust 25, 2026

Wyoming's Musical Smith Twins First Met Dolly Parton At Cheyenne Frontier Days
Twin sisters Annie and Amy Smith met Dolly Parton at Cheyenne Frontier Days when they were 14 and dreaming of being country music singer-songwriters. Their career paths would cross several times. "I'm devastated that she's gone," Annie Smith said.
Kerry DrakeAugust 26, 2026

A Stretch Of U.S. 287 From Laramie To Fort Collins Is Going To Bottom Of A Lake
Colorado is moving a part of U.S. 287 to make room for a massive reservoir, meaning some of the existing route will be under about 200 feet of water. "The old highway will be basically at the bottom of the reservoir," said the developer.
Kolby FedoreAugust 25, 2026
Chevron Plans To Blow Up Wind Turbines With Explosives This Week Near Casper
Residents could notice a brief loud noise and temporary vibration when Chevron uses explosives later this week to remove 11 defunct wind turbines outside of Casper. The fire department says portions of the base will be blown up to bring down the towers.
Clair McFarlandAugust 26, 2026

"He Can Swim!": Three-Legged Bison Amazes Fans By Swimming Yellowstone River
"Tiny Tim," a bison that's survived two winters hobbling on three legs, swam the Yellowstone River on Saturday during a 10-mile journey. “He only had one leg to pull himself out of the water, but he did it. It was phenomenal," said one photographer.
Andrew RossiAugust 25, 2026

Wyoming State Agencies Spend Millions On Commercials, Lawmakers Split On Appropriateness
Wyoming state agencies spend millions annually on commercials - some for required notices, some to influence driver behavior and some to promote vaccines. Legislators vary on where they draw the line with funding government ads.
Clair McFarlandAugust 26, 2026

Wild Weekend: 4 More Calls Add To Big Horn County Search & Rescue's Record Pace
Big Horn County Search & Rescue responded to four calls over another wild weekend and is on a record pace in 2026, second only to Teton County. The calls keep coming, regardless of whether they have enough money — which they don't, said the coordinator.
Kate MeadowsAugust 25, 2026

Ho, Ho, Ho! They're Celebrating Christmas In Yellowstone National Park
It's August 25, and that means folks in Yellowstone are celebrating Christmas. Seasonal staff at Old Faithful Inn have been setting up trees, dressing as elves, and welcoming Santa in a 1936 Yellowstone bus for more than six decades.
Andrew RossiAugust 25, 2026

Prometheus Pushes Ahead On $32B Wyoming Data Centers As Legal Challenge Fades
Prometheus Hyperscale is pressing ahead with a massive data center near Evanston after a judge tossed opponents’ bid for an administrative review. Company officials say the $32 billion investment could boost county tax revenues by about 70%.
Renée JeanAugust 25, 2026

Extraordinary All-Out Search Launched North Of Casper For Runaway Livestock Guard Dog
An extraordinary search for a 120-pound white livestock guard dog has been launched after he ran away on Friday. Personnel from Wyoming Game and Fish, law enforcement, someone with a plane and even the previous owners have all joined in on the search.
Kolby FedoreAugust 24, 2026

Shots Fired: Nevada Sues Over Water Cuts, Could Drag Wyoming Into Court
Nevada sued the federal government Monday to dispute a water usage plan that it calls unfair to the economy of Las Vegas and surrounding areas. The act could drag Wyoming and other states into litigation, after they spent years negotiating outside court.
Clair McFarlandAugust 24, 2026

Polls: Wyoming Has Highest Approval Rating Of President Trump In The Nation
President Trump’s approval rating may be dropping nationally but remains the highest in Wyoming. Two national polls say Wyoming has the highest approval rating for the president. Wyoming gives Trump a 14% net approval in The Economist poll and 22% in Newsweek.
Clair McFarlandAugust 24, 2026

At Monday Press Conference, Game And Fish Refuses To Discuss Director's Departure
Wyoming Game and Fish’s interim leadership team declined to address former director Angi Bruce's abrupt Aug. 6 departure during a press conference Monday. "I will not be addressing the transition that occurred a few weeks ago," the interim director said.
Mark HeinzAugust 25, 2026

Governor's Race: Write-In Effort For Brent Bien Emerges, But He's Not Behind It
A groundswell of Brent Bien supporters are vowing to write him in for Wyoming's gubernatorial race in the general election. Bien told Cowboy State Daily he's flattered, but not pushing a write-in campaign. “I’ve got plenty to do, personal stuff," he said.
Clair McFarlandAugust 24, 2026

Cowboy State Daily Video Newscast: Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Tuesday's headlines include: * Colorado River Lawsuit * Extraordinary Search For Dog * Game & Fish Won’t Discuss Departure
Mac WatsonAugust 25, 2026

Sheridan Man Shot By Police Now Accused Of Trying To Murder Three Officers
A Sheridan man appeared in court Monday to face three attempted murder charges after allegedly opening fire on police officers who then shot him in his driveway. He allegedly fired shotgun blasts out of a window screaming "Just let me die!"
Kolby FedoreAugust 24, 2026

Coloradans Call For Bear Baiting And Hounds To Deal With Unprecedented Bear Conflicts
Some Colorado residents want the state to allow using bait and hounds again to hunt black bears due to a substantial rise in conflicts. Colorado's sightings and conflicts have doubled to more than 6,000 this year, including six attacks on humans.
Mark HeinzAugust 24, 2026

What A Mountain Of Free Potatoes Says About The Economy
A 42,700-pound pile of free Idaho potatoes outside a Cheyenne food pantry drew retirees, union workers, young families and Good Samaritans. It offered a snapshot of how inflation is squeezing almost everyone.
Renée JeanAugust 24, 2026

Cody LDS Temple Opens For Tours Monday So Public Can 'Feel The Spirit That's Here'
The controversial new Cody Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple opened up for public tours on Monday. The 9,950-square-foot structure will be dedicated Oct. 25, after which only LDS members in good standing will be allowed inside.
Andrew RossiAugust 24, 2026

Evanston Woman Accused Of Cooking ‘Bath Salts,’ Burning Batch Too ‘Dangerous’ To Sell
An Evanston woman admits she was cooking the synthetic drug known as “bath salts”, including a burned batch she deemed too "dangerous" to sell. She is charged with having an unlawful clandestine drug lab operation and faces up to 30 years in prison.
Kolby FedoreAugust 24, 2026

Bears’ Fall Feeding Frenzies Can Get Them Into The Strangest Places — And Trouble
When bears go into a fall feeding frenzy to fatten up for winter, they can end up in odd places. One died in a car in Colorado Springs, Game and Fish once baited a grizzly with M&M’s candy, and a black bear roamed the halls of a Montana high school.
Mark HeinzAugust 24, 2026

More Evidence Found During Intense Search For Gillette Man Missing Since June
An intense search in rugged territory in northern Campbell County this past week has found more evidence of 43-year-old Derek Schaff of Gillette, who has been missing more than two months. It brings officials closer to “the answers our family so desperately needs,” said his sister-in-law.
Jen KocherAugust 23, 2026

Wyoming History: 30 Years Ago Clinton Plane Crashed Into Jackson Mountain
It was a pitch-black night 30 years ago this week when a President Clinton support C-130 ignored takeoff protocol and slammed into Sheep Mountain above Jackson at 200 mph, killing all nine onboard. The impact created a fireball that could be seen for miles.
Jake NicholsAugust 23, 2026

Feral Cats Of Casper Turn Remodel Of Trashed House Into Contractor’s Nightmare
A Casper contractor has spent weeks trying to make a trashed house livable again, tearing out urine-soaked flooring, ripping down drywall and digging moldy cat food from clogged drains. There’s just one problem. The cats refuse to move out.
Kolby FedoreAugust 23, 2026

Wyoming Police Departments Testing AI To Generate Reports, Look At Evidence
Wyoming police are testing artificial intelligence to write reports and analyze evidence, but the rules of how that happens haven’t caught up. A former Wyoming attorney general has mixed reactions on it and said her concern is AI's ability to "hallucinate."
Kolby FedoreAugust 23, 2026

Wyoming Historian Uncovers Only Known Photo of Hole-in-the-Wall Outlaw Harve Ray
Wyoming historian Michael Bell has officially verified a photo of the notorious Hole-in-the-Wall outlaw Harve Ray who ran with Butch Cassidy in the late 1800s. The 1897 photo, the only known photo of the outlaw, shows him at a branding on Kirby Creek.
Jackie DorothyAugust 23, 2026

Golfer Sets New World Record For Longest Drive At Rawlins Golf Course
Kyle Berkshire sent a golf ball screaming above a windswept Rawlins golf course for 588.1 yards on Wednesday, breaking his own world record for distance. It took the 29-year-old long-drive specialist from Maryland more than 200 swings to do it.
Kolby FedoreAugust 22, 2026

Developers Now Targeting Public Lands To Build Huge AI Data Centers
Wyoming is courting massive AI data center projects, but so far none have been proposed for the state's 30 million acres of public lands. But a fight in Nevada is raising questions about building data centers on public lands.
Kate MeadowsAugust 24, 2026

Jackson's Astoria Hot Springs Offers Soak And Million-Dollar Views For Under $30
The collective charms of Astoria Hot Springs Park include milky turquoise water, wildlife sightings, and million-dollar mountain views along the Snake River. And because it's run by a nonprofit, the fee is less than $30, a bargain for Jackson Hole.
Renée JeanAugust 23, 2026
Daily Features
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Today's Wyoming sunrise was captured by Sharon Barber. Sharon writes, "Sunrise in the Centennial Valley after a nice rain during the night."
Today's question to Don Day
In regard to your thunderstorm season article, can you reassess the data on a per-capita basis, especially when considering population of the states? It could affect me as I own a hill on my property which I plan a communications tower and likely will have a lightning rod installed when it goes in.
FEMA has a good lightning database that takes into account lightning risk, potential property loss, etc. based on population and lightning frequency. Data is available on a county by county basis. Lots and lots of lightning data available here which may help in quest for more lightning information. https://hazards.fema.gov/nri/lightning
Opinion
Rod Miller: ABC, Fringe Parties, Write-Ins And Wyoming’s General Election
Opinion by Rod Miller
Ken Buck: The $40 Trillion Alarm Bell — Record National Debt Can't Be Ignored
Opinion by Ken Buck
Tom Lubnau: UW President Shane Reeves Could Have Gone Anywhere. He Chose Wyoming.
Opinion by Tom Lubnau
Fred Harrison: Cultural Suicide — How Feminism Failed Women and Left Wyoming Empty
Opinion by Fred Harrison
Rod Miller: Checkgate Becky And The Wyoming Governor’s Office
Opinion by Rod Miller
Sponsored
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The Prometheus Hyperscale Falls Ranch Project: Why This Matters for Natrona County
A data center project in Natrona County could create thousands of jobs and $80–115M in annual tax revenue. More importantly, it means opportunity for young people to stay and build their futures here. A local weighs in.
August 27, 2026

Bibles for Venezuela: Hope in the Midst of Devastation
Vision Beyond Borders has helped bring God’s Word to people throughout Venezuela. Following two devastating earthquakes, the need for both Bibles and humanitarian assistance has become even greater.
August 20, 2026

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
Opinion
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Bill Sniffin: Political Crunch Time Brings Out Desperation And A Few Funny Lines
Columnist Bill Sniffin writes: “This is a desperate time for politicians. Just how negative can they go? Here in Wyoming, we discovered it is pretty darned deep.”
Bill SniffinAugust 08, 2026

Rod Miller: Changes Around The Ol’ Campfire
Columnist Rod Miller writes, "It was a hot, sultry night in the Red Desert, without a breath of cooling breeze. All that could be heard was the grumbling of the exhausted cowboys and rattlesnakes copulating in the sagebrush."
Rod MillerAugust 07, 2026

Tom Lubnau: Why You Should Consider Steve Friess For U.S. House
Columnist Tom Lubnau writes, "Chuck Gray's approach to politics is akin to a yapping Chihuahua, making lots of noise and getting headlines, but getting little done. Most concerning is Gray dumping all of Wyoming voters’ election data to an agency of the federal government whose use is unrestricted."
Tom LubnauAugust 05, 2026
Wyoming Life
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Pennsylvania Couple Starts Tradition With First Brand At Wyoming Ranch Wedding
Andrew RossiAugust 23, 2026
Wyoming History: Wagon, Whitewater Only Way To ‘Doc’ Barry’s Bighorn Dude Ranch
Jackie DorothyAugust 23, 2026
How An Injured Football Player Became UW’s First Male Cheerleader 61 Years Ago
Jackie DorothyAugust 22, 2026
First Responders Send Hundreds Of ‘Hero Patches’ To 4-Year-Old Rock Springs Girl
Andrew RossiAugust 22, 2026
Beloved Pinedale Teacher Says His Final Goodbye In A Poem
Kate MeadowsAugust 22, 2026
Outdoors
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55-Year-Old Hiker Missing Five Days After Setting Out For Wyoming’s Highest Peak
Kolby FedoreAugust 25, 2026
Bob Richard Grew Up In Wilderness Before Becoming Famed Yellowstone Historian
Leo WolfsonAugust 22, 2026
After Director Quits, People Asking What’s Up With Wyoming Game And Fish?
Mark HeinzAugust 21, 2026
Wyoming Police Push To Name Mountain Peak After Fallen Officer Sgt. Krinkee
Kolby FedoreAugust 21, 2026
Polarizing Billionaire Joe Ricketts Says He’s Focused On 'Saving Yellowstone'
Mark HeinzAugust 19, 2026
Crime & Courts
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Cheyenne Woman Admits To Forcing Son To Drink Gallon Of Water, Nearly Killing Him
Dale KillingbeckAugust 25, 2026
Cheyenne-Area Squatters Tell Homeowner He Can’t Touch Them — Then Get Arrested
Greg JohnsonAugust 21, 2026
Mexican National Accused Of Snake River Canyon Rampage Wasn't Drunk, Prosecutors Say
Clair McFarlandAugust 21, 2026
Douglas Man Wanted On 72 Child Sex-Related Charges Is Back In Wyoming Jail
Greg JohnsonAugust 20, 2026
South Dakota Man Charged With Murder In Wyoming Says He Was Defending Tinder Date
Greg JohnsonAugust 20, 2026


