NORTHEAST, Wyo.—Multiple state and federal law enforcement agencies are sounding the alarm as illicit opioids and other drugs laced with lethal fentanyl continue to pour into Wyoming communities as overdose deaths soar.

NORTHEAST, Wyo.– It smelled like death.

That was his first thought when he realized someone had laced his methamphetamine with illicit fentanyl. The former drug dealer had been smoking it with a friend when he had the heart-stopping realization that he’d just ingested fentanyl. It immediately made him vomit, and it was the first time anyone had tampered with his drugs.

Black ice. Wind gusts. Reduced visibility. Car crashes.

Transportation alerts and safety warnings for Wyoming roadways have been rising lately as winter approaches. In fact, Wyoming recently ranked as one of the most dangerous places for drivers in the nation, a new study claims.

A state senator vowed to do whatever he can to persuade his colleagues in a Wyoming legislature committee to approve more funding for public education as the state faces accusations of underfunding education in an ongoing court case.

In 2021, Danette Lucarini Reeves, 37, and her husband Kyle Reeves, 41, left Colorado in search of a more rural and affordable lifestyle in Wyoming. Rent on their apartment in Parker, Colo., outside Denver, was about to increase from $1,800 to $2,200 per month—more than they could afford on their income from Kyle’s trucking company and Danette’s part-time photography business.

FRESNO, Calif.—After a heartbreaking loss against Boise State last week, the Cowboys were shutout by the Fresno State Bulldogs, 30-0, Friday night. It was the second straight year that the Pokes failed to score a point against Fresno, as last season saw a 17-0 loss in Laramie. Wyoming fell to 7-5 and 5-3 in the Mountain West Conference (MWC).

GILLETTE, Wyo. – Tina Stout is poised for a pared down Thanksgiving dinner today. Amid record-high inflation and skyrocketing food prices, her $50 budget is stretched thin. Where typically she’d prepare a full spread for the holiday meal, this year the 58-year-old retail clerk is sticking to a few basics—yams, potatoes and a turkey—for herself and her two siblings.

LARAMIE, Wyo.—A recent Wyoming Truth survey of University of Wyoming juniors and seniors revealed that the majority of respondents intend to leave the state following graduation, a sign that “brain drain” is an ongoing issue plaguing the Cowboy State.

Two proposed education bills that recently passed a state legislative committee would specify that Wyoming school districts’ policies prohibit bullying beyond just students and guarantee that all districts forbid corporal discipline, says a state employee. However, some education stakeholders question the necessity of the bills given that prevention policies already exist in school districts statewide.

LARAMIE, Wyo.—With Boise State leading University of Wyoming 20-17 and only 1:48 left in regulation, the game looked to be over Saturday following a UW interception. However, while trying to run out the clock, Boise running back George Holani had the ball stripped and picked up by Wyoming defensive lineman DeVonne Harris who returned the fumble to Boise’s 21-yard line. Now in field goal range, and with 45 seconds remaining and a timeout, the game appeared to be headed to overtime.

LARAMIE, Wyo.—In a season filled with surprises, the 2021-22 University of Wyoming men’s basketball team competed in the NCAA tournament—a feat not many expected the Cowboys to achieve. Now, the team is hoping for a repeat with the addition of three transfers from California.

As a college student in Wyoming, Riley Talamantes pictured herself living in the Cowboy State after completing her studies because of the community she built and the sense of self she developed while living in Laramie. Yet, in the end, she left Wyoming for work opportunities in the Pacific Northwest.

Low pay and difficult work are making it hard for school districts statewide to fill open education support professional (ESP) positions for paraeducators, bus drivers, custodians, food service staff and others.

At the beginning of the year, Katie Overstreet, 25, could not wait to get her bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado.

FORT COLLINS, Colo.—The Bronze Boot will make the trek back across the Wyoming-Colorado border. The Cowboys generated late-game heroics, conjuring some magic, to beat the Colorado State Rams, 14-13. Without their starting quarterback, the Pokes rallied after trailing by 10 late in the first half.

More than 60 years after John Wayne dominated the box office in a variety of Westerns, the legend of the American cowboy continues to capture the public’s attention through “Yellowstone.”

Tribal leaders in Wyoming and the ACLU are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a longstanding law that keeps Native American children with Native American families when they come up for adoption or foster care.

When Cheyenne schools rolled out Wit and Wisdom as their K-6 curriculum last fall, some parents protested at school board meetings, citing concerns that the books were not age appropriate or taught critical race theory. Around the same time, conservative Moms for Liberty groups challenged the literacy program at school board meetings nationwide.

CHEYENNE, Wyo.—Sean Wilde holds down five jobs to make ends meet. At Cheyenne Central High School, he is the head coach of the cross country and track teams, as well as assistant coach of the indoor track team. He also works as a junior stylist at Sierra Trading Post and as a massage therapist.

LARAMIE, Wyo.—For the sixth time in seven years, the Wyoming Cowboys are bowl eligible with six wins and one of the top teams in the Mountain West (MW) Conference. Sitting at 6-3 on the season and 4-1 in conference play, the Pokes control their own destiny.