Features Reporter

Andrew Rossi

Andrew Rossi is a features reporter for Cowboy State Daily based in northwest Wyoming. He covers everything from horrible weather and giant pumpkins to dinosaurs, astronomy, and the eccentricities of Yellowstone National Park.

Previously, Rossi was the News Director for Big Horn Basin Media in Cody. He earned several awards from the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters, including multiple awards for Best News Reporter and Best News Talk Show.

A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Rossi previously worked at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in Thermopolis. He has collaborated with Disney/Pixar, the BBC, The Washington Post, the Wyoming Office of Tourism, and several other national and international media outlets. He is also a cofounder of The Cody Theatre Company in Cody.

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Latest from Andrew Rossi

Full Lunar Eclipse Directly Over Wyoming Will Make Moon Look Blood-Red

A total lunar eclipse just after midnight March 14 will be positioned directly over Wyoming, which means Wyomingites will have an excellent view of the all-night event. It’ll be hard to miss — the moon will look blood-red.

Andrew RossiMarch 05, 2025

A South Pass slowdown during a winter storm in early February. South Pass and other high elevation areas could get over 20 inches of wet, heavy snow between Wednesday night and Friday morning.

Winter Surge Could Dump 20 Inches Of Snow On Parts Of Wyoming

Nearly all of Wyoming will see snow sometimes between Wednesday night through Friday from an incoming wet winter storm. The surge could dump as much as 20 inches on Casper Mountain and South Pass, and a foot in central and northwest Wyoming.

Andrew RossiMarch 05, 2025

Dubois Double-Amputee Wrestler Wins State Championship

Sammie Cyrus, a senior double-amputee wrestler from Dubois High School, capped his career as a state champion. Cyrus won the Class 2A 106-pound division during this past weekend at the Wyoming state tournament in Casper.

Andrew RossiMarch 04, 2025

Record-breaking snowstorm in Cheyenne on March 14, 2021

Southeast Wyoming To Get Blasted By Heavy Snow And 55MPH Winds On Monday

A fast-moving low-pressure system centering on southeast Wyoming could dump several inches of snow in Cheyenne and Laramie late Monday. Winds could top 55 mph during the snowstorm. A Winter Storm Watch has been issued.

Andrew RossiMarch 02, 2025

When they roamed the earth, Tyrannosaurs and Triceratops would’ve been mortal enemies. But millions of years later at an international museum in Canada, they’re working out their differences over their own larger-than-life tea party.

It's A Real Job: “Dinosaur Erection Specialist” Positions Dino Skeletons At Museum

Ry Williams is a self-described “dinosaur erection specialist” who’s a lot like a window dresser at a department store, except instead of arranging mannequins he poses and positions delicate, huge and ancient dinosaur skeletons -- many of which are from Wyoming.

Andrew RossiMarch 02, 2025

Opening day at the East Entrance at Yellowstone National Park on May 3, 2024. The National Park Service will install two new webcams at the East Entrance by May 2, 2025, when the summer season begins.

Yellowstone Hack: You Can Save A Lot Of Time By Using The East Entrance

In planning your next trip to Yellowstone, you may want to consider the East Entrance. It could be a time-saver. For example, in 2024, 773,144 vehicles passed through Yellowstone’s West Entrance while only 36,948 vehicles passed through the East Entrance.

Andrew RossiMarch 02, 2025

At 84 inches by 84 inches, the Wyoming king bed is more than the size of two queen-sized mattresses combined. Few people have heard of the Wyoming king, but that's changing.

So What Exactly Is A Wyoming King Bed And How Big Is It?

Everyone knows about California King beds, but there’s a relatively new item in oversized mattresses. The Wyoming King is in the middle of the oversized mattress variants. It's bigger than a Texas King but smaller than an Alaskan or Alberta King.

Andrew RossiMarch 01, 2025

White Mountain Handprints Near Rock Springs Unlike Any Other Petroglyphs

While there are hundreds of inscribed petroglyphs at the White Mountain Petroglyph Site north of Rock Springs, the deep handprints gouged into a sandstone pillar are unlike anything else. Scientists are struggling to understand them.

Andrew RossiMarch 01, 2025

In this screenshot from video, a Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office Detention Center employee reacts after his can of soda slides on the desk without being touched.

Boooo! Soda Can Moving On Its Own Captured On Video At Sweetwater County Jail

A soda can moving on its own was caught on video earlier this week at the Sweetwater County Detention Center in Rock Springs. Workers there say it's the latest evidence that the facility is haunted.

Andrew RossiMarch 01, 2025

Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars will all be visible in the night skies of Wyoming after sunset Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, an alignment that only occurs once every 144 years.

Rare 144-Year Seven-Planet Parade Lines Up Over Wyoming This Week

Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, Venus, Uranus, Jupiter and Mars will all be visible in the night skies over Wyoming after sunset Friday, an alignment that only happens once every 144 years.

Andrew RossiFebruary 25, 2025

Parts of northern Wyoming that broke records for cold on Thursday were pushing 60s on Sunday. That’s a huge 83-degree swing in just four days.

Northern Wyoming Swings 85 Degrees — From Minus 27 To 58 — In Four Days

Parts of northern Wyoming that broke records for cold on Thursday hit 58 on Sunday. That’s a huge 85-degree swing in just four days.

Andrew RossiFebruary 25, 2025

Sculptor Jocelyn Russell and a rendering of how a larger-than-life bronze memorial to Grizzly 399 could look. It features the famous mother bear with her brood of four cubs huddled underneath her.

New Sculpture Of 399 And 4 Cubs Planned To Memorialize World’s Most Famous Bear

Wyoming’s Grizzly 399 was the world’s most famous bear and is about to be memorialized in larger-than-life bronze. A huge sculpture of the bear with her famous brood of four cubs is planned to be up in the Jackson area by spring 2026.

Andrew RossiFebruary 23, 2025

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It took a team effort to move this Boeing KC-97 tanker to the grounds of the Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting, the Wyoming museum's largest aircraft. They had to wait for a cold snap so the ground would be frozen enough for the huge tanker to roll without sinking into the ground.

Huge 153,000-Pound Tanker Becomes Biggest Addition To Wyoming Flight Museum

Tanker 97, a Boeing KC-97 Stratofreighter, a new addition to the Museum of Flight and Aerial Firefighting in Greybull, has immediately become the crown jewel of the museum's collection. The aircraft has a 141-foot wingspan and weighs 153,000 pounds.

Andrew RossiFebruary 23, 2025

Yellowstone National Park employees Rick Hutchinson, right, and Jim Peaco guide the specially designed Little Dipper boat into the boiling waters of Grand Prismatic Spring to collect measurements of the temperature and structure of the feature in 1996.

Little Dipper Allowed Scientists To Float On Scalding Grand Prismatic Spring

Between 1992 and 1996, the Little Dipper was the first and only watercraft in Yellowstone National Park that could safely study Grand Prismatic Spring from the surface of its scalding water. The boat disappeared sometime after 1997, and its fate remains uncertain.

Andrew RossiFebruary 22, 2025

A pair of skiers stop to gawk at a bison near Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park.

Doesn’t Matter The Season, Tourists Still Get Way Too Close To Bison

It really doesn't matter the season, tourists continue to get way too close to wildlife in Yellowstone. Like Thursday morning, when Daryl Adams in Louisiana pulled up the Old Faithful webcam and witnessed dimwitted tourists just feet away from bison.

Andrew RossiFebruary 20, 2025

Brooks Lake Lodge reports some of the best snow in years.

Sheridan, Gillette, Newcastle Set Record Lows; 80+ Inches Of Snow In Southern Wyoming

Fans of winter, rejoice! Sheridan, Gillette, and Newcastle all set record low temperatures on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile, more than 80 inches of snow has fallen in the Snowies and Sierra Madres. Meteorologist Don Day says there's plenty more to come too.

Andrew RossiFebruary 19, 2025

A multi-agency rescue effort was launched Saturday and continued Sunday to recover an ATV with two people inside that had broken through the ice of Glendo Reservoir.

Two Die After Side-By-Side Breaks Through Ice On Glendo Reservoir

Two men died on Saturday after their UTV broke through the icy waters in Glendo Reservoir. A brother of one of the victims told Cowboy State Daily that the first responders were heroes. “Thank you for your service in the bitter cold," he said.

Andrew RossiFebruary 17, 2025

Thomas Lindgren stands next to the articulated hips of a Barosaurus skeleton found in the famous Bone Cabin Quarry near Medicine Bow. Lindgren believes this is the largest articulated dinosaur ever found and will become the largest dinosaur ever mounted once it's freed from the 150-million-year-old sandstone encasing it.

Investors Purchase 40,000 Shares Of Wyoming Stegosaurus Skeleton In Just 18 Minutes

A Stegosaurus skeleton being excavated in the famous Bone Cabin Quarry near Medicine Bow is expected to sell for millions. In December, investors could purchase a share of the dinosaur for $68.75. 40,000 shares sold in 18 minutes.

Andrew RossiFebruary 16, 2025

Two 70 Series Land Cruisers spotted on I-80 near Laramie. Jeremiah Proffitt, owner of Proffitt’s Resurrection Land Cruisers, believes these were acquired from Saudi Arabia, and were likely headed to a military contractor to be "dissected" for defense research.

Rare (And Illegal) In The U.S. Toyota Land Cruisers Turn Heads On Wyoming’s I-80

Two rare 79 Series Toyota Land Cruisers spotted near Laramie on I-80 turned heads of auto enthusiasts. These vehicles aren't legal in the U.S. and are often seen in the Middle East equipped with rocket launchers, machine guns, and other weaponry.

Andrew RossiFebruary 16, 2025

Dell Simancas was taking video of his son kayaking in the ocean off Chili when a whale scooped him up in his mouth. The whale quickly spat his son out.

Kayaking Can Be Dangerous, Just Ask The Guy Who Was Swallowed By Whale

Kayaking isn't a risk-free activity, but the man who was in the mouth of a humpback whale while paddling on the Pacific Ocean was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. A Wyoming kayaker says he was “pretty amazed” by the encounter.

Andrew RossiFebruary 16, 2025

Liberty Cap at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park.

The Gumper, Lactose Spring And Puff 'N Stuff Geyser — Yellowstone’s More Obscure Places

For every Old Faithful and Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, there's a host of other obscure places like The Gumper, Lactose Spring and Puff 'n Stuff Geyser. A former ranger, turned historian, extensively researched every notable name in Yellowstone.

Andrew RossiFebruary 15, 2025

An investigation is underway at the Green River Tunnel along Interstate 80 after a fatal multi-vehicle crash sparked explosions and an intense fire inside Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.

Fire, Weakened Structure Keeps Responders Out Of Tunnel For Hours; Motorists Run For Safety

Fire and rescue crews at an explosive tunnel collision outside Green River could not enter the tunnel for hours Friday after the initial crash. The fire inside was too intense, and the tunnel’s structure had been weakened. Motorists inside the tunnel had to run for safety.

Clair McFarland, Jimmy Orr & Andrew RossiFebruary 14, 2025

Smoke pouring out of Green River tunnels on I-80 on Friday, February 14, 2025

Response Shifts To Recovery After “Huge Explosions,” Multiple Fatalities In Crash In Green River Tunnel

Heavy, black smoke billowed out of both ends of the Green River Tunnel along Interstate 80 after a fatal multivehicle pileup and fire inside Friday afternoon. Witnesses report feeling and hearing “huge explosions.” By late Friday night, the response had shifted from rescue to recovery.

Andrew Rossi, Clair McFarland & Jimmy OrrFebruary 14, 2025

A host of help responded fast to save a horse named Frisky that had fallen into a collapsed septic tank in southern Colorado on Saturday. The local sheriff’s office reports the horse was scared, cold and smelly, but is fine now.

Fast Action Helps Save Horse Named Frisky From Collapsed Septic Tank

A host of agencies responded fast to save a horse named Frisky that had fallen into a collapsed septic tank in southern Colorado on Saturday. The local sheriff’s office reports the horse was scared and cold, but is fine now.

Andrew RossiFebruary 13, 2025

A pilot walked away from making an emergency landing on Wyoming Highway 789 on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, near Rawlins. One longtime pilot calls it the “best-case scenario” for a forced landing in freezing temperatures.

Pilot Makes Emergency Landing On Wyoming Highway Near Rawlins

A pilot walked away from making an emergency landing on Wyoming Highway 789 on Wednesday near Rawlins. One longtime pilot calls it the “best-case scenario” for a forced landing in freezing temperatures.

Andrew RossiFebruary 12, 2025

Rolls-Royces In Snow Tires: Sheridan Winter Rodeo Attracts Different Kind Of Cowboy

Four Rolls-Royce Cullinans and a Spectre were turning heads around Sheridan, Wyoming, this past weekend. Not everyone is a fan of the different kind of high-society cowboy attracted by the town’s annual WYO Winter Rodeo.

Andrew RossiFebruary 11, 2025

Some Daytime High Temperatures In Wyoming This Week Will Be Well Below Zero

Some of the coldest temperatures of the 2024 - 2025 season are heading to Wyoming this week. Some areas of the state will see daytime high temperatures of 20 below zero while overnight low temps could hit negative 30.

Andrew RossiFebruary 10, 2025

Scientists Are Taking Possibility Of Asteroid Slamming Into Earth Seriously

The newly-discovered Asteroid 2024 YR is being taken seriously by scientists at NASA who say it's got a legit shot at slamming into the Earth. Right now, the odds are 1 in 43. UW planetarium guru says El Salvador is much more likely of a hit than Wyoming.

Andrew RossiFebruary 09, 2025

Sammie Cyrus, a senior at Dubois High School, with wrestling coach Brock Baker.

Dubois Double-Amputee Wrestler Has Made The Most Of His Disadvantages

Sammie Cyrus, a senior at Dubois High School, has won over 100 matches and become an exceptional wrestler despite losing the lower halves of both his legs as a child. With the right mentality and attitude, anything can be overcome, he says.

Andrew RossiFebruary 09, 2025

Amelia Rothleutner with a freezer full of breast milk she donated to Cody Regional Health's milk depot. Rothleutner is the first donor for Cody's milk depot, giving over 500 ounces, roughly four gallons, of excess breast milk.

Cody Woman Donates 4 Gallons Of Breast Milk To New Wyoming Milk Bank

Cody Regional Health has become a milk depot for Mother's Milk Bank, an agency that pasteurizes and distributes donated breast milk to infant ICUs across the nation. A local woman has already donated 4 gallons to the new milk bank.

Andrew RossiFebruary 09, 2025

Several fossils and minerals on display in the Geoworld showroom during the 2025 Tucson Gem and Mineral Show.

Wyoming's Everywhere At The World-Renowned Tucson Gem and Mineral Show

Hundreds of vendors from dozens of countries converged in Tucson, Arizona, for the annual Gem and Mineral Show, where the best and most impressive gems, minerals, and fossils turn the past into profit. And everywhere you looked, Wyoming was represented.

Andrew RossiFebruary 08, 2025

University Of Wyoming Spends $2 Million For Super Bowl Ad Celebrating Josh Allen

The University of Wyoming has expended $2 million for a 30-second ad during the Super Bowl celebrating Buffalo Bills' quarterback Josh Allen and his connection to the University of Wyoming. The spot will air in cities across the country and will be seen in Wyoming too.

Andrew RossiFebruary 07, 2025

USGS Using A Helicopter Hula Hoop To See What's Buried Under Southeast Wyoming

The United States Geological Survey has started flying helicopters between 100 to 200 feet above the ground with a giant electromagnetic sensor to identify water, minerals and metals buried up to 1,500 feet underground in southeast Wyoming.

Andrew RossiFebruary 07, 2025

Cody Residents Celebrate Snow Day By Slapping On Skis And Attaching Themselves To Moving Cars

Although it's frowned on by the police, some Cody residents celebrated their snow-day on Monday by slapping on some skis and attaching themselves to vehicles with a rope. One Cody resident posted photos of the amateur skijoring but blacked out incriminating evidence to protect the guilty.

Andrew RossiFebruary 05, 2025

Strong wind gusts blow clouds of snow of this mountain peak in a file photo.

120 MPH Wind Gust On Mount Coffin One Of Strongest Ever In Wyoming

A 120 mph wind gust recorded on Mount Coffin in western Wyoming last week is among the strongest wind gusts ever recorded in the Cowboy State. Winds that strong can easily be fatal, throwing people and objects around.

Andrew RossiFebruary 04, 2025

While northwest Wyoming was getting pummeled by a snowstorm, folks in the oposite corner of the state in Cheyenne were enjoying spring-like weather near 60 degrees Monday, Feb. 3, 2025.

Snowstorm Shuts Down Cody, While It’s Near 60 And Spring-Like In Cheyenne

While southeast Wyoming enjoyed sunny skies spring-like temperatures near 60 degrees Monday, it was another story in the northwest corner of the state. Subzero temperatures and up to 36 inches of snow shut down Cody.

Andrew RossiFebruary 03, 2025

Jeff Vanuga of Dubois, Wyoming, captured a remarkable sequence of a wolf pack taking down and devouring a bison, then the bison's herd getting upset and charging people on a nearby road.

Angry Bison Charges Into Crowd Watching Wolf Pack In Yellowstone

As people gathered on a road in Yellowstone to watch a pack of wolves devour a bison, the buffalo’s herd charged into them last week. The stampede sent bundled-up tourists running off the road and behind vehicles for safety.

Andrew RossiFebruary 03, 2025

Does Size Matter? Every County In Wyoming Is Bigger Than Rhode Island

Each of Wyoming's 23 counties is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island. Sweetwater County is 7 times larger. Rhode Islanders don't care, however. They say their small size is an advantage.

Andrew RossiFebruary 02, 2025

Shelby Forbes was thrilled to get her grandmother's wedding ring back after fearing it could be lost for good. Dave Hays and Fred Harvey, avid metal detecting hobbyists, were called in found it quickly. It was a rare instance of being able to return a treasure to the person who lost it.

Metal-Detecting Duo Find Wedding Ring Gillette Woman Feared Lost Forever

Shelby Forbes of Gillette was “crying my eyes out” when she lost her grandmother’s wedding ring while throwing hay to her horses. Fearing it could be lost forever, a pair of metal-detecting pals found it, and Forbes burst into tears again.

Andrew RossiFebruary 01, 2025