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A fire tore through an under-construction apartment in north Cheyenne on Tuesday, burning so hot and intense it was “a total loss” in minutes, a witness said. “You could feel the heat like you were standing in front of a campfire,” he said.

"Total Loss": Witness Says Fire Ripped Through Cheyenne Apartment Building In Minutes

A fire tore through an under-construction apartment in north Cheyenne on Tuesday, burning so hot and intense it was “a total loss” in minutes, a witness said. “You could feel the heat like you were standing in front of a campfire,” he said.

Greg JohnsonMay 26, 2026

Miracle, a 2.5-year-old female grizzly, passed through the Colter Bay area in Grand Teton National Park on Sunday almost a year to the day since appearing in the same spot in May 2025.

Hooray! Miracle The Young Grizzly Survives Winter, Shows Up At Colter Bay

After losing both of her siblings to a male grizzly’s attack last spring and then splitting from her mother at an unusually tender age, the young grizzly named Miracle survived winter on her own and showed up at Colter Bay on Sunday.

Mark HeinzMay 26, 2026

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Hikers Rescued From Death Canyon Shelf In Grand Teton National Park

Two hikers on a multi-day excursion were helicoptered to safety by Teton County Search and Rescue after becoming ill on Monday. “It sounded like they weren't prepared to hit as much snow as they did in the high country," one rescuer told Cowboy State Daily.

Andrew RossiMay 26, 2026

State Rep. Mike Yin, D-Jackson, left, and Secretary of State Chuck Gray.

Mike Yin Bristles At Chuck Gray Plan To Ban Political Party Changes After Jan. 1

State Rep. Mike Yin argued against a proposal by Chuck Gray to ban political party changes after Jan. 1 in election years. “Why are you interested in making it harder for people?” Yin asked. “I view it as an election integrity issue,” Gray answered.

Clair McFarlandMay 26, 2026

This wolverine was spotted earlier this month near the Lower Green River Lakeside Trail in the Wind River Mountains.

Wolverine That Wyoming Hiker Saw In Wind Rivers Was Tracked Over 200 Square Miles

Wyoming biologists say a wolverine that had a rare close-range encounter with a hiker in the Wind River Range mountains is the same animal they’ve been tracking for more than a year. And it has a huge range, being tracked over 200 square miles.

Mark HeinzMay 26, 2026

Hours were spent around the campfire, cooking, writing, and talking during the day

'Tonight The Horses Sleep Standing Up': Lessons From Five Nights In The Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness

Suddenly, I was fully awake. The horses got out! Deep in the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, dozens of miles from the nearest road, two days into a five-day trip, the horses and mules were our only way to pack out our camp.

Leah VeressMay 26, 2026

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Meteorologist Don Day Skeptical About Forecast For Wetter-Than-Normal Summer

Wyoming meteorologist Don Day is skeptical about a popular weather forecasting website’s prediction of a wetter-than-normal summer. “Beware the green blob,” he says about the forecast map and a hopeful, giant green shape covering Wyoming.

Andrew RossiMay 26, 2026

Casey Ott

Cheyenne Man Living Under Park Bridge Fights Cops, Threatens To Kill K-9

A Cheyenne man reportedly experiencing some kind of “psychosis” and living under a park bridge fought with four cops and threatened to kill a K-9. He also said he’d been living under the bridge since before the Civil War.

Kolby FedoreMay 26, 2026

Dallas Smith, 46, who admitted being a serial arsonist and starting numerous fires around Casper, got 6-12 years in prison Tuesday. He said he’s mentally ill and was trying to “burn the pain,” but the judge shut that down: “There is no excuse for the defendant’s actions."

Casper Serial Arsonist Who Says He Tries To ‘Burn The Pain’ Gets 6-12 Years

A Casper man who admitted being a serial arsonist and starting numerous fires got 6-12 years in prison Tuesday. He said he’s mentally ill and was trying to “burn the pain,” but the judge shut that down: “There is no excuse for the defendant’s actions."

Dale KillingbeckMay 26, 2026

Tabatha Richardson

Casper Woman Accused Of Hitting Herself With Hammer To Fake Abuse Pleads Not Guilty

A Casper woman told police she hit herself with a sledgehammer to treat a medical condition, not to fake abuse from her husband. She pleaded not guilty Tuesday to allegations she stabbed him in the neck with a knife.

Dale KillingbeckMay 26, 2026

Meteorologist Don Day says reports of a Super El Niño brewing in the Pacific Ocean are ludicrous. An El Niño is coming and that will likely be beneficial for Wyoming. But anything stronger is too far out to predict and, at this point, just clickbait.

Meteorologist Don Day Says Don’t Lose Your Mind Over Possible Super El Niño

Meteorologist Don Day says reports of a Super El Niño brewing in the Pacific Ocean are ludicrous. An El Niño is coming and that will likely be beneficial for Wyoming, but anything stronger is too far out to predict and, at this point, just clickbait.

Andrew RossiMay 25, 2026

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Sitting Bull Contract With Buffalo Bill Museum Returns To Wyoming After $136,000 Sale

Longtime museum supporter Naoma Tate paid $136K to secure Buffalo Bill Cody’s contract with Sitting Bull for the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, keeping a rare piece of Wyoming history in the Cowboy State. “It’s just wonderful this is coming back,” she said.

Renée JeanMay 25, 2026

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"We Need People Working": Wyoming Waits On BLM Reinforcements As Permits Back Up

As new BLM Director Steve Pearce begins work, energy leaders say staffing shortages are top priority. “We need people working on permits,” Wyoming mining honcho Travis Deti said. Without renewed leases, coal companies can lose access to federally leased reserves.

Kate MeadowsMay 25, 2026

For 45 years, Monsieur Philip Krass smoked cigars, fished the Big Horn Basin and would drive more than 100 miles for a game of bridge. “If you needed him for an emergency, you had to figure out who was hosting that night’s bridge game,” said Dee Arps, 108. Here, he's pictured with Iris Cavalli of Thermopolis, 90, who was the secretary and execultor of Krauss' estate and knew him well.

Wyoming History: Monsignor Philip Krass Loved Smoking Cigars And Playing Bridge

For 45 years, Monsignor Philip Krass smoked cigars, fished the Big Horn Basin and would drive more than 100 miles for a game of bridge. “If you needed him for an emergency, you had to figure out who was hosting that night’s bridge game,” said Dee Arps, 108.

Jackie DorothyMay 25, 2026

People expecting to spend Memorial Day weekend boating on Bighorn Lake were surprised to find no fuel available. It’s “a big deal,” say local operators in a sprawling canyon where some waters stretch 14 miles from the dock and cell service can be spotty.

‘A Big Deal’: No Fuel In Bighorn Recreation Area For Memorial Weekend Boaters

People expecting to spend Memorial Day weekend boating in Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area were surprised to find no fuel available. It’s “a big deal,” say local operators in a sprawling canyon where cell service can be spotty.

Kolby FedoreMay 25, 2026

Heavy smoke hung over the Teton Pines golf course when Forrest Sandberg arrived for work Monday morning. "People lost memories and irreplaceable things," said the facilities manager about watching fire rip through the office building.

Fire Rips Through Office Building Near Teton Pines Clubhouse In Wilson

Heavy smoke hung over the Teton Pines golf course when Forrest Sandberg arrived for work Monday morning. "People lost memories and irreplaceable things," said the facilities manager about watching fire rip through a nearby office building.

Kolby FedoreMay 25, 2026

Mark Potter of the Wind River Canyon left the chaos of city life in Denver for a quieter life in Thermopolis. Potter was not expecting the isolation from the conveniences of modern life such as fast food and home improvement stores but has discovered that he loves being away from the busy social life he once led. He said that he has discovered the simple joys of mowing his lawn and taking care of his mom’s 15-year-old Chihuahuas he had inherited.

Wyoming People: Mark Potter Gives Up Big City Chaos To Live In Wind River Canyon

Mark Potter gave up a chaotic life in Denver to live in isolation in Wyoming’s Wind River Canyon with a pair of yappy dogs. He likely saved his neighbors May 16 when he called 911 to report a wildfire near the railroad tracks in the canyon.

Jackie DorothyMay 25, 2026

Beaten and turned out to turn tricks, Kelley Marshall was on track for a violent death when eagle-eyed cops recognized she and her toddler were being trafficked. “People seem to think that it doesn’t happen in rural states like Wyoming, but it does,” says an expert.

‘I Was Dead’: How Eagle-Eyed Cops Saved Woman And Toddler From A Human Trafficker

Beaten and turned out to turn tricks, she was on track for a violent death when eagle-eyed cops recognized she was being trafficked. “People think it doesn’t happen in rural states like Wyoming, but it does,” trafficking experts say.

Jen KocherMay 24, 2026

Wyoming’s looser liquor laws — and higher elevations — make for memorable nights and steady business in Evanston on the state line with Utah. It’s Utah’s “Sin City,” where people go for booze, to place bets and buy fireworks.

Evanston Is Utah’s ‘Sin City,’ Where They Can Get Booze, Gamble, And Buy Fireworks

Wyoming’s looser liquor laws — and higher elevations — make for memorable nights and steady business in Evanston on the state line with Utah. It’s Utah’s “Sin City,” where people go for booze, to place bets and buy fireworks.

Renée JeanMay 25, 2026

After rejected by mom and tossed aside by a jealous bull, a newborn bison named Koa found an unlikely family at a Wyoming ranch, where rescuers work around the clock to keep the tiny bison alive. “Koa has a very strong spirit,” said one of her rescuers. Above, Jannette Hienert hugs a baby bison figthing for life away from her herd.

Rejected By Herd, Newborn Bison Named Koa Rescued By Family At Wyoming Ranch

After rejected by mom and tossed aside by a jealous bull, a newborn bison named Koa found an unlikely family at a Wyoming ranch, where rescuers work around the clock to keep the tiny bison alive. “Koa has a very strong spirit,” said one of her rescuers.

Kate MeadowsMay 24, 2026

Judge Andre Rudolph grew up in Cheyenne, played running back for UW and once ran down a defendant to earn the nickname “Batman.” Before his sudden death this month, he also changed the lives of lawbreakers willing to take his help and accountability.

Judge Andre Rudolph Grew Up In Cheyenne To Become A Superhero From The Bench

Judge Andre Rudolph grew up in Cheyenne, played running back for UW and once ran down a defendant to earn the nickname “Batman.” Before his sudden death last week, he also changed the lives of lawbreakers willing to take his help and accountability.

Zakary SonntagMay 24, 2026

Jerry Montoya was a Green Beret chopper pilot when he took seven bullets and had his eye shot out while in the air, but it didn’t stop him from completing his mission. “I flew for another 14 years as a one-eyed pilot,” said Montoya, now 85.

Cheyenne Green Beret Chopper Pilot Had Eye Shot Out — And Completed His Mission

Jerry Montoya was a Green Beret chopper pilot when he took seven bullets and had his eye shot out while in the air, but it didn’t stop him from completing his mission. “I flew for another 14 years as a one-eyed pilot,” said Montoya, now 85.

Dale KillingbeckMay 24, 2026

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Watch, Wait, Worry: When You’re Stuck On I-80 During A Blizzard In Wyoming

Hundreds of people spent more than 15 hours on I-80 during a blizzard in south central Wyoming last week. All they could do was watch, wait and worry while rationing food and watching the fuel gauge. “That’s never happened to me before,” said a veteran trucker.

Andrew RossiMay 24, 2026

Opponents of a smartphone app that pings the location of animals in Yellowstone say it will ratchet up the intensity of wildlife mobs. “Yellowstone’s not a zoo,” says a photographer. "We don’t want to know that you can ‘drive 1.5 miles down the road, take a left and see an elk.’"

Critics Say App That Shows Where Yellowstone Wildlife Is Makes Mob Scenes Worse

Critics of a smartphone app that tells users where animals are in Yellowstone say it will make wildlife mob scenes worse. “It will cause a whole bunch of people to drive to the same place at the same time. What could possibly go wrong?” one photographer said.

Mark HeinzMay 24, 2026

A male grizzly called Quill and a female, Snow, delighted crowds by cuddling during their courtship ritual in Yellowstone National Park.

Caught Up In Courtship, Mating Grizzlies In Yellowstone Cause Massive Traffic Jams

It’s grizzly mating season in Yellowstone, and a pair of popular bears were too caught up in courtship to notice gawking crowds. The amorous scene near Yellowstone Lake caused bear jams for at least a quarter mile in each direction for days this week.

Mark HeinzMay 24, 2026

There were no documented eruptions of Old Faithful in Yellowstone for a day last week, when it normally blows every 94 minutes. That has people freaking out online assuming that means the world’s most famous geyser isn’t that faithful anymore.

Yellowstone's Old Faithful Is Not Broken, Despite No Documented Eruptions For Full Day

Although there were no documented eruptions of Old Faithful in Yellowstone for a full day last week, scientists are not concerned. Turns out the Old Faithful webcam was temporarily offline so that prevented people from documenting eruptions remotely.

Andrew RossiMay 25, 2026

The Soldier’s House of Fremont County in Riverton is dedicated to serving those who served in the military.

Riverton’s Soldier’s House A Headquarters Of Help For Veterans

A renovated farmhouse at a Riverton intersection began with a desire to serve those who served their country. The Soldier’s House of Fremont County has grown into a headquarters of help for veterans, serving those who served their country.

Dale KillingbeckMay 25, 2026

Daily Features

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PinYour Wyoming Sunrise: Wednesday, May 27, 2026

Today's Wyoming sunrise was captured by Brian Peel. Brian writes, "Spectacular sunrise above timberline in the Snowy Range. There’s nothing quite like being the only person for miles watching a spectacular sunrise at nearly 11,000 feet."

Photo by Brian Peel

Today's question to Don Day

Mark James Mullins of Douglas
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.
Don Day
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
DD

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Opinion

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Fred Harrison: A Tale of Two Courts — The Battle For Wyoming’s Constitution

Columnist Fred Harrison writes, "On May 14, the Wyoming Supreme Court handed down a monumental victory for families and separation of powers. The court put down its red pen, picked up a dictionary, and read the Constitution as it was actually written."

Fred HarrisonMay 27, 2026

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Dave Simpson: I'm Voting For The Skunk At The Garden Party

Columnist Dave Simpson writes, "Serving in office, Chuck Gray was often the skunk at the status quo garden party. He had repeated run-ins with Gov Gordon, and two episodes when Gordon reportedly suggested they go outside and settle their differences."

Dave SimpsonMay 25, 2026

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Bill Sniffin: Wyoming’s False Spring — 90 Degree Temps & Wet Snow In Same Week.

Columnist Bill Sniffin writes, "Wyoming’s remarkable ability to dish out Jekyll-and-Hyde weather was on full display. In Lander, we hit the 90s on May 13 and then got blasted with wet snow on May 17."

Bill SniffinMay 23, 2026

Wyoming Life

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Outdoors

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Crime & Courts

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