Business and Tourism Reporter

Renée Jean

Renée Jean is the business and tourism reporter for Cowboy State Daily and is based in Cheyenne. Previously, Renée spent seven years covering energy and agriculture in North Dakota and Montana. She has won many writing awards over a 30-year career, and has written magazine articles for Guideposts.

Follow Renée Jean

Latest from Renée Jean

Meier, Gray Believe Land Purchase In Washington Could Open Way For Coal Exports

In an effort to export Wyoming coal to the Pacific Rim, Treasurer Curt Meier and Secretary of State Chuck Gray believe purchasing land in Washington state could give Wyoming the legal standing to make it happen.

Renée JeanMarch 05, 2025

President Donald Trump said Monday, March 3, 2025, there’s no more delaying 25% tariffs that will go into effect on Canada and Mexico on Tuesday. That’s expected to impact Wyoming, which does more business with Canada than any other foreign country.

Wyoming Businesses Wait To See Impact Of Tariffs, Going Into Effect Tuesday

President Trump on Monday said there’s no more delaying 25% tariffs that will go into effect on Canada and Mexico on Tuesday. That’s expected to impact Wyoming, which does more business with Canada than any other foreign country.

Renée JeanMarch 04, 2025

Two Wyoming Trona Mines Bought For $1.4B To Create World’s Largest Producer

London-based WE Soda has bought Genesis Alkali’s two trona mines in southwest Wyoming for $1.4 billion. It makes WE Soda the No. 1 producer of natural trona in the world.

Renée JeanMarch 03, 2025

At sunset, this boot by Catherine Johnson Morris starts to look a lot like a giant boot made of real leather, even though it's really made of sand.

The Woman Behind The Gigantic Sand Sculptures At Glendo

A Casper woman’s addiction to building intricate sand sculptures takes her all over America. But she practices in her home state at Glendo, where she built a 6-foot-tall cowboy boot (which is still standing). She says Wyoming sand is the best.

Renée JeanMarch 02, 2025

Drinking Wyoming: Frosty’s, A True Casper Dive Bar Proudly Serving Horrible Liquor

Frosty’s in Casper, is a typical dive bar in many ways — and proud to serve one of the most terrible tasting liquors. It’s one of the few places outside Chicago with Jeppson’s Malort, a rite-of-passage drink people say tastes like old socks.

Renée JeanMarch 01, 2025

Angelcyn Heall during the summer in Happy Valley near Cheyenne. It's built as a historic English mead hall.

Cheyenne Man Builds His Dream House: Throwback Medieval English Mead Hall

Cyning Meadowcroft built his dream home in Happy Valley near Cheyenne using a near-extinct construction method called a "cruck" to build it. The former Brit built the medieval English mead hall home by himself and trucked two old-growth oak trees 2,000 miles round-trip to begin the project.

Renée JeanMarch 01, 2025

A Cyclone Drilling crew working Rig 38 hit 6,000 feet in 24 hours, a new record at the time in July 2017.

Why Wyoming’s Oil And Gas Industry Isn’t Yet “Drill Baby Drilling”

Optimism is high in Wyoming’s oil and gas sector with President Donald Trump's promise to "drill, baby, drill." But there’s also uncertainty about how more drilling will impact prices.

Renée JeanMarch 01, 2025

Wyoming’s lumber industry isn’t huge, but is heartened to hear Trump say America doesn’t need lumber from Canada. But the industry needs more than tariffs to save it — like changes to forest management. Here, logging trucks collect usable timber harvested while fighting the Elk Fire in the Bighorn National Forest in fall 2024.

Trump Says US Doesn’t Need Canada’s Timber, And Wyoming’s Lumber Industry Agrees

Wyoming’s lumber industry isn’t huge, but was heartened to hear President Trump say America doesn’t need timber from Canada. The industry says it needs more than tariffs to save it — like changes to forest management.

Renée JeanFebruary 28, 2025

Trump Says US Needs To Double Or Triple ‘Electrical Capacity,’ Wyoming Says It’s Ready

President Donald Trump held his first cabinet meeting Wednesday and suggested the country must double or triple its “electrical capacity.” Wyoming energy officials say they are ready to help make that happen.

Renée JeanFebruary 27, 2025

Wyoming Grows Lead In Race For Rare Earths Thanks To Bigger Haul From Huge Deposit

Wyoming Rare (USA) Inc. is reporting even better returns at its Halleck Creek rare earth mining site. That helps grow Wyoming’s lead in the race for domestic production — and processing — of critical rare earth minerals.

Renée JeanFebruary 26, 2025

The Aladdin General Store in Aladdin, Wyoming, is the state's oldest operating general store. It's also had a U.S. Post Office for the past 127 years, until recently.

Wyoming’s Oldest General Store In Aladdin Loses Its 127-Year-Old Post Office

The tiny outpost of Aladdin in northeast Wyoming is home to the state’s oldest general store, which has also served as a local post office since 1898. But no more. The Postal Service has discontinued its contract with the Aladdin General Store.

Renée JeanFebruary 25, 2025

U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman says she doesn’t trust the U.S. Postal Service’s latest promise to back off its controversial Delivering for America plan and not take away as much mail processing from the Cheyenne and Casper post offices.

Hageman Doesn’t Trust USPS, Wants More Protection For Rural Post Offices

U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman doesn’t trust the U.S. Postal Service’s latest promise to not take away as much mail processing from the Cheyenne and Casper post offices. She’s filed a bill that would protect rural post offices.

Renée JeanFebruary 25, 2025

Other Authors

Dones have been reported flying over the Jim Bridger Power Plant, usually at about 2 or 3 a.m.

Bill That Attempts To Stop Mystery Drones From Flying Over Sensitive Areas Moves Forward

A bill that would attempt to stop mystery drones from flying over sensitive areas around Wyoming is nearing the finish line. Meanwhile, a state House committee heard Monday that giant SUV-sized drones are still being spotted.

Renée JeanFebruary 24, 2025

The crew at Industrial Screen and Maintenance, a fabrication shop in Casper, were having fun with a Texas red chili made from brisket. Owner Lindsey Robinson was among those helping serve the chili, at far right.

Texas Red Chili Wins Popular Casper Chili Cook-Off For Fifth Time

A Texas red chili was voted No. 1 at the popular API Chili Cook-Off in Casper on Saturday. It’s the fifth time Norman Jackson’s secret recipe has won, as thousands of people packed the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper for the 32nd annual event.

Renée JeanFebruary 24, 2025

Rooftop systems are less prone to breaking than ground-based systems, according to Creative Energies out of Lander a company thats been in Wyoming since 2001.

Not All Solar Panel Systems Are Nightmares For Their Owners

Several Cowboy State Daily readers wrote in to talk about their experiences with solar panels after a Happy Valley family living near Cheyenne shared their nightmare experience. They also shared tips on how to select the right system.

Renée JeanFebruary 23, 2025

Six Degrees And Snowing At 7:30 p.m. And Nate Ditto Is Cutting Down A 50-Foot Tree

Arborist Nate Ditto was trying to beat the clock by cutting down a 50-foot tree before a snowstorm hit Cheyenne last week. To make things more interesting, it was six-degrees and snowing at 7:30 p.m. and he was still at it. He says he likes the adrenaline he gets from his job.

Renée JeanFebruary 23, 2025

Where The Heck In Wyoming Is This One-Of-A-Kind Western Iron Art Fence?

Lela Emmons of tiny Savery, Wyoming, stumbled on an unusual artistic fence in the 1990s and took photos of it. But she forgot where it was and hasn’t been able to find it again in about 30 years. She hopes someone in Wyoming can solve the mystery.

Renée JeanFebruary 23, 2025

All of the drinks - Starting from left, the Rusty Nail (scotch and Drambuie), Where there's Willow There's a Way ( willowbank tea and brandy), Gin and Tonic with lime, and Revival Root (sarsaparilla tea, Makers Mark, and cream).

Drinking Wyoming: Whiskey Was The Go-To Medicinal Remedy Of The Wild West

Survival in Wild West Wyoming depended on treating illnesses without the help of modern medicine. Whiskey figured in a lot of treatments for all sorts of medical problems — some good and some quite insane.

Renée JeanFebruary 22, 2025

A line of people wait at the Cheyenne Post Office while other customers access their P.O. boxes in the background.

USPS Does About-Face, Now Won’t Move Mail Processing Out Of Cheyenne, Casper

The U.S. Post Office did an about-face Friday on its controversial plan to move local mail processing out of Wyoming’s main hubs. Cheyenne and Casper now won’t ship local mail to other states.

Renée JeanFebruary 21, 2025

Why Cheyenne Had To Give Up Putting Windshield Barnacles On Cars

With tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid parking tickets, Cheyenne started using the high-tech windshield Barnacle device on cars. Less than three years later, that’s been abandoned because too many Wyoming windshields are chipped or cracked.

Renée JeanFebruary 21, 2025

Clock Ticking Again For Small Businesses To Report Ownership

Small business owners now have until March 21 to file forms disclosing their ownership. But even the federal agency in charge isn’t firm on that deadline with legislation and a court case pending.

Renée JeanFebruary 20, 2025

Wyoming Native Reid Rasner Puts Together $47.45 Billion Offer To Buy TikTok

Casper native Reid Rasner has put together a $47.45 billion bid to bring the popular social media app TikTok to Wyoming, which he said would keep the app away from China and boost the state’s economy.

Renée JeanFebruary 20, 2025

Virginia Company Scouting Wyoming For Spot To Build Uranium Fuel Plant

Virginia-based BWX Technologies is not just looking to deploy small micro nuclear reactors in Wyoming. It’s scouting the state for possible sites to build a uranium fuel plant.

Renée JeanFebruary 19, 2025

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy gave himself an “A” for the controversial Delivery For America plan that gutted rural delivery. Now he says he’s quitting, sparking hope from many in Wyoming that the plan goes with him.

Postmaster General, Who Gave Himself An “A” For Gutting Rural Mail Delivery, Is Quitting

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, who gave himself an “A” for the controversial Delivery For America plan that gutted rural delivery, announced on Monday he is quitting. Wyoming leaders are thrilled.

Renée JeanFebruary 18, 2025

The Wyoming Highway Patrol Association voted last week to buy bitcoin, which has exploded by 400% over the last five years. The association is the first law enforcement group in the United States to invest in bitcoin.

WHP Association May Be First Law Enforcement Group In Nation To Buy Into Bitcoin

The Wyoming Highway Patrol Association voted last week to buy bitcoin, which has exploded by 400% over the last five years. The association says it may be the first law enforcement group in the United States to invest in bitcoin.

Renée JeanFebruary 18, 2025

Why Are These Three Turkeys Endlessly Circling A Gravestone?

If you walk into a graveyard and see three turkeys endlessly circling one headstone, it could be offsetting -- even spooky. That was the scene at a cemetery in North Dakota last week. Although it may seem bizarre, turkey growers say it's no big deal.

Renée JeanFebruary 17, 2025

Casper has had a Cupid of sorts for the past 10 years in Joe Eason, a former heavy metal drummer who does singing telegrams as a side gig. Valentine’s Day especially he delivers up to 35 of the most embarrassing singing telegrams he can muster.

Former Metal Drummer Turned Singing Cupid Delivers Love — And Embarrassment

Casper has had a Cupid of sorts for the past 10 years in Joe Eason, a former heavy metal drummer who does singing telegrams as a side gig. On Valentine’s Day, he delivers up to 35 of the most embarrassing singing telegrams he can muster.

Renée JeanFebruary 16, 2025

Earthsky.org editor Marcy Curran is celebrating 40 years as founder of the Cheyenne Astronomy Society. She's always loved bringing the stars down to earth for others.

Cheyenne Stargazers Love Space So Much They Built Their Own Observatory

Cheyenne’s Marcy Curran, the cofounder of the Cheyenne Astronomy Society and an editor of a major astronomy publication, has spent 40 years studying the sky. She and her husband recently built their own observatory.

Renée JeanFebruary 16, 2025

Yellowstone Has An Active Ancient Undersea Wasteland 7,300 Feet Above Sea Level

Monument Geyser Basin is one of the most unique areas of Yellowstone National Park. Its ancient undersea wasteland at 7,300 feet above sea level features formerly underwater cones that are still active.

Renée JeanFebruary 16, 2025

Wyoming’s first human case of bird flu was caused by an infected poultry flock in Platte Valley. The person is hospitalized in another state, and is the nation’s third hospitalization.

Wyoming Confirms First Human Case Of Bird Flu, 3rd Hospitalization In U.S.

Wyoming’s first human case of bird flu was caused by an infected poultry flock in Platte County. The person is hospitalized in another state, and is the nation’s third hospitalization.

Renée JeanFebruary 16, 2025