CASPER, Wyo. — When Zayvier Yates set up his lemonade stand recently, anyone who has met the boy would’ve guessed that he’d be a pretty good salesman. “He’s a pretty busy boy, and he’s very helpful and engaged with people,” said his primary caregiver and grandma, Cheryl Yates. That’s putting it mildly. Energetic, outgoing, friendly […]
Dan Cepeda
Features Editor
Posted inBusiness
Casper Children’s Museum to offer immersive, creative playtime opportunities
CASPER, Wyo. — It’s a question that every Wyoming parent with stir-crazy kids has asked countless times: What the heck do we do when the weather is lousy? Soon, there will be a new indoor play option for young kids, which is designed to allow them safe, imaginative playtime all year round. “My idea is […]
Posted inGalleries
(PHOTOS) Summer Traditions: Midweek scenes at the 2025 CWFR in Casper
CASPER, Wyo. — The Central Wyoming Fairgrounds was alive once again with the sights and sounds of the annual fair and rodeo. Temperatures approaching 100 degrees on Wednesday afternoon didn’t keep hundreds of fans from filling seats at the PRCA rodeo, nor hundreds more from enjoying fair food and carnival rides. The 2025 Central Wyoming […]
Posted inGalleries
(PHOTOS) Casper gathers for 2025 Central Wyoming Fair & Rodeo Parade
CASPER, Wyo. — Hundreds gathered in downtown Casper for the 2025 Central Wyoming Fair & Rodeo Parade on Tuesday morning. The parade traditionally marks the start of the PRCA rodeo during the annual fair, which itself kicked off over the weekend. “I take parade day off every year,” said longtime local Lori Eskew, who attended […]
Posted inWeather
Hot, sunny conditions expected for Casper on Parade Day
CASPER, Wyo. — Central Wyoming will be treated to a couple of days of high heat before an expected cooldown. According to the National Weather Service in Riverton, Tuesday will be sunny with a high of 94 degrees. Winds will be relatively mild, gusting at up to 23 mph in the afternoon. Wednesday will see […]
Posted inGalleries
(PHOTOS) Fairgrounds springs to life as 2025 fair and rodeo week ramps up
CASPER, Wyo. — The Arena building was filled with action and noise on Monday as the Central Wyoming Fair & Rodeo week ramped up for the 2025 session. Area 4-H and FFA members were busy with their animals and presentations on Monday. The annual CWFR downtown parade is set to kick off in downtown Casper […]
Posted inGalleries
(PHOTOS) Irish musician Hozier thrills crowd at Ford Wyoming Center on Monday in Casper
CASPER, Wyo. — Irish singer-songwriter Hozier finally took the Ford Wyoming Center stage on Monday, June 30, nearly a year after being forced to cancel a previously scheduled show due to vocal cord issues. A near-capacity crowd rapturously cheered and sang during the explosive set. Hozier is known for creating an almost spiritual experience at concerts, […]
Posted inCommunity
(PHOTOS) Ghosts of swank WWII-era club unearthed in historic downtown Casper renovation
CASPER, Wyo. — It’s rather unlikely that anyone who enjoyed cocktails inside the nifty 114 Club decades ago would be around to talk about the experience. Fortunately, the walls hidden inside this century-old downtown building are able to tell a bit of that story. Casper property owner Ben Steiner purchased the building at 114 W. […]
Posted inHealth
Natrona County Meals on Wheels, Senior Services brace for possible reduction of federal grants
CASPER, Wyo. — Agencies that assist Natrona County seniors in health and wellness are looking at the possibility of losing millions in federal funding. Both the Natrona County Meals on Wheels and Central Wyoming Senior Services — which operates Senior Centers in Casper, Mills and Evansville — rely on federal assistance from grants administered through […]
Posted inArts
After sudden grant loss, Casper pianist becomes Opera Wyoming’s ‘orchestra’ for ‘Carmen’
CASPER, Wyo. — Preparations for Opera Wyoming’s new production of Georges Bizet’s “Carmen” were well underway when Emily and Daniel Quintana received some unfortunate news. “We received an email from the NEA saying that the recommendation had been withdrawn because it didn’t meet the new administration’s priorities,” said Emily Quintana. That recommendation was for a […]
Posted inEducation
(PHOTOS) Wyoming Classical Academy’s new facility in Mills takes shape
CASPER, Wyo. — Casper-area media were given a guided tour of Wyoming Classical Academy’s new facility on Poison Spider Lane in Mills on Wednesday, June 18. The deadline is ambitious, with the goal of hosting a grand opening ceremony inside the gym on Tuesday, Aug. 19, according to headmaster Matt Teterud. Wyoming Classical Academy is […]
Posted inBusiness
Copper Cup Coffee launches second location inside Casper’s new WYO Sports Ranch
CASPER, Wyo. — Coffee aficionados use the term “bloom” to describe the delightful expansion of freshly ground beans as they’re hit by hot water during the first few seconds of the pour-over brewing process. You could say that business for Casper’s gourmet coffee shop is also blooming, but in more ways than one. Ariel and […]
Posted inCity
Community Development Department employees help beautify Casper on Wednesday
CASPER, Wyo. — Some 14 office workers from the City of Casper’s Community Development Department put in extra sweat equity on Wednesday for an effort to help tidy up some areas for Cowboy National Finals Rodeo week. “We want our downtown and our gateway entrances to Casper to be really show-stopping,” said CDD Director Liz […]
Posted inGalleries
(PHOTOS) 2025 Tuesday CNFR performance brings thrills to Casper
CASPER, Wyo. — The first full performance of the 2025 College National Finals Rodeo kicked off on Tuesday night at the Ford Wyoming Center. The annual event traditionally brings hundreds of people into the Casper area for the week. Performances start at 7 p.m. each night, culminating in the championship show on Saturday. Full updated […]
Posted inCommunity
3,000 pounds of heritage grain donated to Food Bank of Wyoming
CASPER, Wyo. — The Food Bank of Wyoming announced that it has received a donation of some 3,000 pounds of heritage Wyoming-grown grain. According to a release, the donation comes from a joint partnership with University of Wyoming’s Neolithic Brand Wyoming First Grains initiative and Cent$ible Nutrition Program. The Food Bank was gifted 3,000 pounds of […]
Posted inBusiness
First-ever ‘The Mercantile’ trade show launches at WYO Sports Ranch for 2025 CNFR on Tuesday
CASPER, Wyo. — Dozens of unique vendors were busy unpacking and making the final touches on their booths on Monday ahead of opening day of the first-ever The Mercantile at the WYO Sports Ranch. The Mercantile converts the new sports complex’s ample floor space into a large trade show that coincides with this year’s College […]
Posted inPolitics
(PHOTOS) Hundreds gather for ‘No Kings’ protest in Casper’s Healing Park on Saturday
CASPER, Wyo. — Hundreds of people gathered at Casper’s Healing Park on Saturday morning to voice their opposition to the Trump administration. The event was part of the “No Kings” protests, which organized demonstrations in all 50 states and was expected to be among the largest since the start of Trump’s second term. The events […]
Posted inAgriculture
Leaf Me Alone! Creepy caterpillars consume Casper ash trees
CASPER, Wyo. — Casper residents have likely noticed some unfamiliar and unwelcome critters around area ash trees lately. “I happened to drive under one of the ash trees here the other day, and one of the caterpillars landed on the windshield,” said Donna Hoffman, Horticulture Extension Educator at the University of Wyoming Extension Office. The […]
Posted inBusiness
Downtown Casper horror-themed bookstore to open on Friday the 13th
CASPER, Wyo. — Trinity Beck had spent months planning to open a themed bookstore in downtown Casper. She had planned around summertime, but a longer look at a calendar made one day stand out. “When I actually sat down and looked, I thought, ‘Well, I have to do it that day,’” she said. The Dreadful […]
Posted inSports
(PHOTOS) North, South Teams practice ahead of 2025 Shrine Bowl
CASPER, Wyo. — Scores of high school football players from around Wyoming are taking to Casper high school fields this week in preparation for the 51st Annual Shrine Bowl. On a hot and sunny Wednesday, the North Team ran through plays at Natrona County High School’s Dick Cheney Alumni Field, while South took to Kelly […]
Posted inEvents
New look teased for 2025 CNFR as preparation kicks off in Casper
CASPER, Wyo. — The look of the College National Finals Rodeo is getting a major refresh for the first time in nearly 20 years. “I’m hoping people will be pleasantly surprised by our new look,” said Jim Dewey Brown, commissioner for the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, or NIRA. “I’d like everybody to come in there […]
Posted inArts
(PHOTOS) Casper youth shine during first-ever Creative Art and Music Festival
CASPER, Wyo. — Casper’s young talent was given a sunny spotlight during the first-ever Creative Art and Music Festival on Saturday, June 7 in downtown Casper. The festival, which was sponsored by Casper College, allows young creatives in Casper to show their skills at booths and on stage, according to David Street Station’s executive director, […]
Posted inCommunity
(PHOTOS) Whitehawk Dancers amaze crowd at NIC Fest on Saturday
CASPER, Wyo. — The Whitehawk Dancers from the Wind River Reservation gave a gorgeous presentation featuring dance and stories of Wyoming’s Indigenous people. Dressed in colorful traditional handmade regalia, the dancers from different tribes performed numerous traditional dances for a large crowd gathered on the lawn at the Nicolaysen Art Museum for the 2025 NIC […]