Features Reporter

David Madison

David Madison is an award-winning journalist and documentary producer based in Bozeman, Montana. He’s also reported for Wyoming PBS. He studied journalism at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and has worked at news outlets throughout Wyoming, Utah, Idaho and Montana.

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Latest from David Madison

An areia view of some of the area of the 572,000-acre Morrill Fire in Nebraska.

As Wildfires Burn More Than 750,000 Acres In Nebraska, Wyoming Is Just As Dry

With out-of-control wildfires having burned more than 750,000 acres across his state, Nebraska’s governor has declared a state of emergency. Wyoming agencies are sending help, even as conditions at home are just as dry and windy.

David MadisonMarch 17, 2026

Will New Wyoming Law End Poker Games Like The One At Yo’s Poker Palace?

A new law aimed at shutting down illegal gambling halls in Wyoming bars rewrites the rules for every friendly poker game in the state. In Alpine, Yo’s Poker Palace continues to insist it's running a friendly — and legal — game.

David MadisonMarch 16, 2026

It was once the “second front page,” the thing people talked about at coffee shops and backyard barbecues. Now some Wyoming papers say the laughs and entertainment offered by local police blotters aren’t worth the potential downsides.

Wyoming Newspapers Weigh The Cost Of Publishing Police Blotter Laughs

The police blotter was once the “second front page,” the thing people talked about at coffee shops and backyard barbecues. Now some Wyoming papers say the laughs and entertainment offered by local police blotters aren’t worth the potential downsides.

David MadisonMarch 15, 2026

Two golf buddies from Sheridan, Wyoming, couldn’t score a tee time at the hottest public golf course in America — in rural Nebraska. Then a lottery selection for a new tournament became their golden ticket.

Toughest Place To Book A Tee Time In The U.S. Is Golf Course In Rural Nebraska 

The Landmand Golf Course in Nebraska is called the toughest place to get a tee time in the U.S., booking all 11,000 of its tee times in 45 minutes. Two Sheridan golfers were locked out but were selected in a lottery to represent Wyoming in an August tournament.

David MadisonMarch 15, 2026

A fourth crock — a near twin to a crock that sold in January for $32,000, will be auctioned off in April by Ken Bramer, pictured here with his wife Sherry and their pooch Abby.

After News Of 91-Year-Old Getting $32,000 For Crock, Man Finds He Has Identical One

After a 91-year-old Nebraska grandma received $32,000 for a crock that she thought was worth $20, a man in South Dakota discovered he has an identical crock. Much like the grandma, he's putting his crock up for auction at the same Nebraska auction house.

David MadisonMarch 14, 2026

Buy A Cow: A Wyoming Guide To Filling Your Freezer For $5.40 A Pound

Grocery store beef prices jumped 15% last year, and the USDA says they're not done climbing. Across Wyoming, families are cutting out the middleman and buying whole, half or quarter cows straight from local ranchers -- and saving a lot of money.

David MadisonMarch 14, 2026

Self-taught storm chaser Dan Fitts has spent three decades pursuing supercells across the High Plains, armed with a storm-scarred F-150 and a hail-proof NASCAR windshield. This week, he walked into 98-mile-an-hour winds near Chugwater.

Wyoming’s Leading Storm Chaser Is A Nebraska Farmer Known As “The Ice Man”

Thursday was a big day for storm chaser Dan Fitts , who clocked winds of 98.4 mph near Chugwater. Fitts has spent three decades pursuing supercells across the High Plains, armed with a storm-scarred F-150 and a hail-proof NASCAR windshield.

David MadisonMarch 13, 2026

A pumpjack works an oil well in Converse County, Wyoming.

Huge Wyoming 5,000-Well Oil Project Loses In Court, But Drilling Continues 

A federal judge threw out approval for Wyoming’s massive 5,000-well Converse County Oil and Gas Project over environmental flaws. But drilling continues under a different plan as conservationists and industry battle over wildlife and revenue.

David MadisonMarch 10, 2026

Full Speed Ahead: TerraPower Can Officially Move Forward With Nuclear Plant

TerraPower officially received a construction permit Monday for its first-of-a-kind Natrium reactor in Kemmerer. “This demonstrates advanced nuclear technology is moving from concept to commercialization," the CEO said of the Bill Gates-backed project.

David MadisonMarch 09, 2026

Wildfire Insurance Rates Soar For Wyoming Rural And Vacation Properties

Insurance rates have soared for rural and vacation properties across Wyoming due to wildfire risk designations. “My insurance tripled from one year to the next just because they had changed the fire rating,” Taft Love told Cowboy State Daily.

David MadisonMarch 09, 2026

A Wyoming legislator who loves Olympic curling wants to take on "those guys in skirts" in Scotland and Wales and end their monopoly on making curling stones. Sen. Cale Case says Wyoming granite could make the world’s best stones. Some of Wyoming's most recognizable granite formations are in the Vedauwoo Recreation Area between Cheyenne and Laramie.

Did You Know? Wyoming Granite Could Be Perfect For Making Olympic Curling Stones.

Wyoming may have the geology to produce Olympic-grade curling stones, a state geologist says. State. Sen. Cale Case, who loves curling, wants to take on "those guys in skirts" in Scotland and Wales and end their monopoly on the making of curling stones.

David MadisonMarch 08, 2026

Jeff Garnett started as a customer looking to erase tattoos and replace them with new ones. Then he co-founded Inkless and continues to clear his personal skin slate, making room for new, better tattoos.

People Are Getting Tattoos Removed — Just To Replace Them With New Tattoos

For many people, erasing a tattoo isn't about giving up on body art — it's about clearing space for something better. A national tattoo removal brand opened its first Wyoming location in Casper, bringing cutting-edge laser technology to the state.

David MadisonMarch 07, 2026

Other Authors

"Hands On Everything": Clerk Warns Of Tampering Risk As Voting Machine Bill Passes

Fremont County Clerk Julie Freese warned lawmakers of tampering risks after observers mishandled records during a past voting machine test. The bill, clarifying public access to election equipment checks, was subsequently advanced.

David MadisonMarch 05, 2026

WYDOT Auditing Wyoming Highway Patrol After Overtime Spending Surges 226%

The Wyoming Highway Patrol is being audited after the agency blew past its annual overtime budget by more than $2.4 million last year. "We used more than 50,000 hours of overtime, which was a cost of over $4 million," patrol chief Col. Tim Cameron said.

David MadisonMarch 05, 2026

Gov. Mark Godon, left, and state Sen. Gary Crum, R-Laramie.

Gordon Signs Bill To Keep NIL Money Out Of Wyoming High School Sports

A Wyoming bill to keep name, image, and likeness payouts out of high school sports is now law after Gov. Mark Gordon signed it Tuesday. Gordon said it's a commonsense measure after what's happened to college sports.

Clair McFarland & David MadisonMarch 04, 2026

State Sens. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Torrington, and Chris Rothfull, D-Laramie, sparred Tuesday, March 3, 2026, over a bill that increasses the pentalties for ignoring a legislative subpoena.

"Authoritarian" Bill Making Defiance Of Legislative Subpoena A Felony Heads To Gov.

A bill elevating the penalty for dodging a legislative subpoena from a misdemeanor to a felony carrying up to one year in prison passed both chambers this week. It drew sharp criticism from senators who said they handed themselves "authoritarian power"

David MadisonMarch 03, 2026

"We need $6 billion for housing in the next 15 years, and that doesn't include your infrastructure," Wyoming State Treasurer Curt Meier told Republicans.

Meier: Wyoming Needs $6 Billion For Housing And That Doesn't Count Infrastructure

State Treasurer Curt Meier said Wyoming needs $6 billion for housing in the next 15 years and that doesn't count infrastructure. Legislators considered housing legislation this year, but nothing passed. One noteworthy bill died due to "CheckGate."

David MadisonMarch 03, 2026

Attempt To Repeal Carbon Capture Mandate Fails As Wyoming Lawmakers Run Out Of Time

Rep. Chris Knapp’s effort to repeal Wyoming's carbon capture mandate failed on Monday as it was the final day for bills to advance out of committee. The bill’s death extends the debate over whether carbon capture helps or hurts Wyoming’s coal industry.

David MadisonMarch 02, 2026

In Wake Of Weston Election Scandal, Bill Advanced Criminalizing False Election Audits

Wyoming lawmakers advanced a bill Monday that criminalizes filing false election audits, despite such actions already being illegal. “I still think just to make it even clearer — why would we not do this?” Secretary of State Chuck Gray said.

David MadisonMarch 02, 2026

The Teton County Republican Party Chair Kat Rueckert and Rebecca Bextel at the Wyoming Republican Party's quarterly Central Committee meeting Saturday at Little America in Cheyenne. At one point during the meeting, Rueckert turned to the media and suggested they cover Wyoming’s connection to the Epstein files instead of CheckGate.

No CheckGate Reckoning At Wyoming GOP Meeting As Leaders Blast Media, Gordon

There was no dealing with the so-called “CheckGate” controversy at Saturday’s state GOP Central Committee meeting. Instead, party leaders blamed the media for its coverage and redirected attention on Gov. Mark Gordon’s campaign spending.

David MadisonFebruary 28, 2026

Legislator’s Bill Would Push Wyoming Hydrogen Past California To World Markets

A Glenrock legislator pitched California on using Wyoming natural gas to make virtually CO2-free hydrogen, but was shot down. So, he’s pushing a bill that would allow the state to go past California to world markets.

David MadisonFebruary 27, 2026