Amber Steinmetz, Cowboy State Daily Journalist Profile

Articles

Woman’s Move To Cody Bridges Japanese Heritage And Wyoming Truck Culture

6 days ago | cowboystatedaily.com | Amber Steinmetz

When Haruka Takaku arrived in Wyoming last August to begin her new position as Japan Outreach Initiative Coordinator for the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation, one of the first things she noticed was the weather. “Summer in Japan is very hot and humid, so my first surprise was the dryness of the climate itself,” she said. That was followed closely by the realization that a car would be needed to get around in such a remote area.
How A Wyoming Soldier Incarcerated At Heart Mountain Rescued A Holocaust Survivor

1 week ago | cowboystatedaily.com | Amber Steinmetz

In the final days of World War II, thousands of prisoners from the Dachau concentration camp in southern Germany and its subcamps were evacuated in the Dachau death march. On May 2, 1945, after days of marching, prisoner Solly Ganor of Lithuania woke to discover there were no German SS guards watching him. He saw a dead horse and overturned cart on a rise near a field and made his way toward it.
Rural Wyoming Reservation Kids Ride Waves Surfing In The Pacific Ocean

3 weeks ago | cowboystatedaily.com | Amber Steinmetz

For Kai Quiroz, the waves of the Pacific Ocean are a constant reminder of how amazing the world is. “If you ever get the chance to go under a wave, there's this sense of stillness,” he said. “It's so quiet, it's almost like nothing else in the world exists. It just reminds me so much of who God is.
Bikepackers Explore Wyoming’s Famous Red Desert In New Documentary

4 weeks ago | cowboystatedaily.com | Amber Steinmetz

Many people driving on the WYO 28 outside of Lander have been awed by the views of Red Canyon, but few have likely taken the time to explore the Red Desert region it is a part of. Four bikepackers from Lander decided to do just that last spring and their journey can be seen in “Headwinds: Bikepacking the Red Desert,” a new documentary now on Wyoming PBS.
Broncos Star Linebacker Catches Hail Mary Invite By Gillette Special Olympians

1 month ago | cowboystatedaily.com | Amber Steinmetz

When Jami Howe saw a video of Denver Broncos standout linebacker Alex Singleton as part of his nomination for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award late last year, an idea started to form. Howe, the Gillette schools coordinator for the Wyoming Special Olympics, thought it would be fun to invite the linebacker to speak at the Wyoming Special Olympics State Summer Games.
Cody Couple Grows Tropical Fruits Year-Round In Unique Geothermal Greenhouse

1 month ago | cowboystatedaily.com | Amber Steinmetz

It was a recent chilly Wyoming spring day with the wind whipping outside, but inside Lynn Lampe’s greenhouse in northeast Cody, you wouldn’t know it, as the temperature was a balmy 85 degrees. “It's just wonderful being in this greenhouse when it's so nasty and the wind's blowing Mach 3 outside,” she said. “You can't even tell because you're down in the ground. It aerodynamically suits itself very well to the wind issues we have here in Wyoming.
As AI Threats Grow, Wyoming Gets A Certified Cyber Defense Training Center

1 month ago | cowboystatedaily.com | Amber Steinmetz

After spending several years as a truck driver, Josh Stephenson’s wife had finally had enough of his long stretches away from home. “So, she told me I was going to school,” he said. “I've always been interested in computers and cybersecurity was also an interest of mine, so I decided that’s what I was going to do.”Stephenson, who lives in Cheyenne, enrolled in Laramie County Community College’s cybersecurity program.
Wyoming’s Queen Of Moguls Skiing Sweeps World Cup Championships

1 month ago | cowboystatedaily.com | Amber Steinmetz

Long known as the queen of speed in freestyle moguls skiing, the implementation of higher intensity tricks in recent years has made Jaelin Kauf a nearly unstoppable force. The 28-year-old, who calls Alta, Wyoming, home ended the 2024-25 season in late March by winning not only a World Championship, but also capturing a hat-trick in the World Cup Series with the most points in women’s singles, duals and overall moguls for the first time in U.S. history.
Meet Kaleb Yager - Sheridan’s Ambassador Of Easter And Good Vibes

2 months ago | cowboystatedaily.com | Amber Steinmetz

On the 300 block of East Works Street in Sheridan, it’s hard to miss the small house that looks like the pastels section of the Home Depot paint department exploded on it. The chaotic and joyful Easter display is the work of Kaleb Yager, 24, the mastermind behind the decorations with the help of his mom Angel. Their over-the-top holiday displays all started about eight years ago.
Wyoming Man’s Ultimate Wrestling App Tracks Every State Placer In History | Cowboy State Daily

Jan 26, 2025 | cowboystatedaily.com | Amber Steinmetz

Spencer Condie is a former wrestling coach and official who took his hobby of tracking Wyoming’s high school champions to the next level. The result of…