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Bill Sniffin: If You Live In Wyoming, You MUST Love Seasons

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Bill Sniffin: If You Live In Wyoming, You MUST Love Seasons


If you love Wyoming, you better love different seasons. Sometimes you can enjoy all four seasons in one day. Especially during this time of year.

By the way, was that not just about the nicest September-October fall in Wyoming’s history?  Wow.

Here in mid-November, it is still usual to wake up to chilly weather, suddenly feel the sun come out or a Chinook-type wind warm up the place, then a big cloudbank appears, and by nightfall, a wet snow is falling.

This is common in all corners of Wyoming from Newcastle to Evanston and from Cheyenne to Powell. And everywhere in-between — including Worland, Greybull, Rawlins, Rock Springs, Kemmerer, and Riverton. 

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This is the kind of fall when you might run your furnace and your air conditioner on the same day. 

Veteran Wyomingites wear layers – you start out in jeans and sweaters and by mid-afternoon, you are down to a short-sleeved shirt . . . sometimes even shorts.

I know two guys, my son-in-law Jerry Johnson, a PE teacher,  and Methodist Preacher Mark Calhoun, who try to wear shorts year-around. And they almost always pull it off.

Convertible Weather?

Guys like me who love our old convertibles just keep trying to get one more day of top-down weather before giving up. My late friend Dave Kellogg drove his VW top down while wearing a parka and big hat for years as he tried to stretch out the sunny season. And it worked.

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My wife Nancy gets frustrated when we run errands because I insist on putting the top down on our ancient 2002 convertible.  She thinks it’s cold and it messes her hair. My excuse: “This might be my last chance to drive with the top down. Sit back and enjoy!”

The above story reminds me of when I was attending a Greater Yellowstone Coalition event in Cody and managed to get loose from the activities early.  I had always wanted to drive through Yellowstone Park in a convertible with the top down. So off I went.

I wrote about this trip in a recent column. I liked the ending: “It appeared that I had experienced all of Wyoming’s seasons during this trip.  It was sunny when I left Cody. It was cold and windy throughout the park with rain spitting.  As I left the National Park area and headed over Togwotee Pass, it even snowed a bit.

Must Love Seasons

Back in the mid-1980s, Wyoming suffered a terrible bust and Lander was hit the hardest of any town in the state. We lost 2,500 good-paying iron and uranium mining jobs. It was awful. 

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As president of the local economic development group, The Leader Corporation, I dreamt up the idea of recruiting retirees to our town. 

We had 600 homes in foreclosure, a wonderful climate (least windy place in the Rockies), and wonderful medical care.

In our nation-wide promotion, I wrote up a brochure selling the benefits of Lander. But I said we were looking for “vigorous” retirees. This was not for the Sun City crowd. The ads also said “Must Love Seasons.”

By the end of the first year, we had 99 of those homes sold and we were on our way.

IBM and the military were both laying off large numbers of workers and we focused on these folks plus anyone else we could attract. The idea was that it was impossible for us to lure a $6 million business to town, but if we could recruit 200 people, each with an annual retirement of $30,000, it would mean the same.

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An added bonus was that most of these folks had the time, talent, and inclination to get involved in the community. They contributed greatly. 

Weather Will Get Colder 

Despite this wonderful fall weather, we all know that it is going to end soon. Thanksgiving can often be brutal, especially for folks trying to home for the holidays. 

It is good news that the national government just reopened, which will make flying more practical to a lot of people.

My tips for people this time of year consists of three things:

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1.   Wear layers and throw in a stocking cap. Wear dry shoes or boots.

2.   Always carry an emergency kit in your car – a big blanket, some bottled water, some trail mix or cookies or other snacks. Make sure you have a good scraper and a functioning flashlight.

3.   When you take a trip, always leave early. If possible, watch the weather and try to travel in nice weather and despite the short days, drive as little as possible at night. And watch for our poor deer on the road.

Bill Sniffin can be reached at: Bill@CowboyStateDaily.com



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Montana teen now safe after Wyoming Highway Patrol rescue

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Montana teen now safe after Wyoming Highway Patrol rescue


BILLINGS — A 15-year old girl from Montana has returned home safely after Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers found her on November 22 with two men, traveling across state lines.

The WHP said in a news release that the FBI was tracking cell phone pings after a pair of men from Oklahoma picked up a the girl in Montana.

Pings indicated they were traveling with her through Wyoming back to Oklahoma.

Troopers were alerted to the situation via a BOLO alert, and were informed the suspected vehicle was southbound on I-25 and last pinged at mile marker 135.

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A nearby trooper immediately spotted the suspected vehicle and, with assistance from Converse County Sheriff’s Office, initiated a traffic stop.

The trooper spotted the missing girl in the vehicle and, after taking charge of the investigation, arrested the two suspects.

The girl was cared for by the Wyoming Department of Family Services before being returned home to her parents in Montana.

No other details have been released at this point.





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Leland Walker scores 18 off bench to help Wyoming beat Dartmouth 93-80

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Leland Walker scores 18 off bench to help Wyoming beat Dartmouth 93-80


LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — Leland Walker scored 18 points off the bench to lead Wyoming over Dartmouth 93-80 on Saturday.

Walker went 8 of 12 from the field for the Cowboys (7-2). Adam Harakow scored 16 points, going 6 of 9 from the floor, including 3 for 6 from 3-point range. Nasir Meyer added 14 points and eight rebounds.

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Kareem Thomas led the way for the Big Green (3-4) with 27 points. Connor Amundsen added 18 points and Jayden Williams scored 14.

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Simm-Marten Saadi scored eight points in the first half and Wyoming went into the break trailing 40-39. Harakow scored 15 points in the second half to rally the Cowboys.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The Associated Press



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Beck Haswell Of Sheridan HS Named 2025 Gatorade Wyoming Football Player Of The Year

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Beck Haswell Of Sheridan HS Named 2025 Gatorade Wyoming Football Player Of The Year


In its 41st year celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade announced Beck Haswell of Sheridan High School is the 2025-26 Gatorade Wyoming Football Player of the Year.

Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community.

The award recognizes Haswell as Wyoming’s best high school football player, and he joins an elite legacy that spans professional athletes and coaches to CEOs, such as Peyton Manning (1993-94, Isidore Newman School, LA), Nick Singleton (2021-22, Governor Mifflin High School, PA) and Keelon Russell (2024-25, Duncanville High School, TX).

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound senior tight end and defensive end led the Broncs (13-0) to a fifth straight Class 4A state title this past season, extending the program’s winning streak to 55 games.

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Employed as a “Swiss Army knife” by Sheridan’s coaching staff, Haswell compiled 583 rushing, receiving and passing yards and scored eight touchdowns.

The state’s No. 1 recruit as rated by 247 Sports, a two-time Super 25 Team selection and the 2025 4A Lineman of the Year, he recorded 41 tackles on defense including six sacks and 10 tackles for a loss.

Haswell has volunteered locally on behalf of Bronc youth football and soccer programs, the annual Gold Buckle Club WYO Rodeo and the Sheridan Hoop Jam Tournament.

He has also donated his time as a educational peer helper and the Out of the Darkness Suicide Walk in addition to serving as a member of the school photo club.

“Beck brings relentless hustle to the ball and he’s one of the most talented players I’ve coached in 29 years,” said Wendell Smith, Sheridan High School Assistant Coach. “Opponents consistently ran away from his side of the field and repeatedly tried to double-team him in their pass-protection schemes. He’s an incredible blocker and dynamic receiver, and his versatility on offense made him a threat to score every time he touched the ball. As our Wildcat QB, he struck fear into the hearts of opposing defenses and, throughout his career, he played an important role on our special teams’ units.”

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Haswell has maintained a 3.98 weighted GPA in the classroom.

He has made a verbal commitment to receive athletic aid to play football at the University of Wyoming next fall.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls track & field.

In total, 610 high school athletes are honored each year.

From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports.

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The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the winners in each sport.

As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner.

To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $6.4 million in grants to winners across more than 2,200 organizations.




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