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.

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Latest from Renée Jean

Brandon Erdmann pours glasses of wine for a tasting flight at Blue Stem Wine House. The glasses will go into the spiral holder, along with a notecard that labels each wine in order.

Drinking Wyoming: Cheyenne’s Newest Wine House Is Fun And Flirty

The Cheyenne couple were sharing their hobby wines with friends. To acclaim. Their friends loved their wines, and told the couple they ought to open a wine house. The Blue Stem Wine House was born.

Renée JeanSeptember 01, 2024

Lusk's Carnegie Library is the only one in the state with a corner entrance.

Carnegie Library In Lusk, Wyoming, Is Worth The Visit

There were 16 Carnegie libraries built in Wyoming and only 10 remain. Just five of them still operate as libraries. Andrea Graham, the Alliance for Historic Wyoming’s Board president, says the one in Lusk is the most charming. "The detailing is just beautiful," she says.

Renée JeanSeptember 01, 2024

The Grant Hotel, built in 1915 in downtown Chugwater, Wyoming, is for sale.

Can Chugwater’s Historic 109-Year-Old Grant Hotel Be Saved?

The town of Chugwater is undergoing a revival and the owner of the 109-year-old Grant Hotel is hoping a buyer will revive this historic building. Built in same timeframe as the Occidental in Buffalo and the Virginian in Medicine Bow, "it's very stout," the owner says. "Simplistic but strong."

Renée JeanSeptember 01, 2024

As the sign says, if the horse is lopen, the 3 Sisters Truck Stop in Manville, Wyoming, is open.

"If He's Lopen, We're Open": Manville’s 3 Sisters Truck Stop Is True Wyoming

Singer songwriter Rachel Baiman noticed the eye-catching sign at 3 Sisters Truck Stop and had to check it out. Then she wrote a song about it. For those who’ve been to Manville in Niobrara County, they know 3 Sisters is as Wyoming as it gets.

Renée JeanAugust 31, 2024

Starfall is a $28.5 million dream home of a Jackson, Wyoming, tycoon that boasts killer views and oozes custom luxury amenities.

Tycoon’s Jackson Dream Home Is Loaded, And For Sale For $28.5 Million

Starfall is the name of a six-bedroom, 4.5-bath custom-built dream home for a Jackson tycoon. The 9,300-square-foot home, listed for $28.5 million, is right by an elk migration corridor and has views of the Tetons all around. "This is not some cookie-cutter subdivision," one broker said.

Renée JeanAugust 31, 2024

The Albertsons store on Pershing Boulevard in Cheyenne is one of five slated to sell if the $25 billion mega merger with Kroger goes through.

Wyoming Union Rep Says I Told You So After Kroger Admits Price Gouging

Prices for milk and eggs exceeded inflation costs, a Kroger executive admitted this week during the FTC’s lawsuit challenging its proposed $25 billion merger with Albertsons. That had Local UFCW President Kim Cordova saying I told you so.

Renée JeanAugust 30, 2024

Dozens of firefighting crews are on site at the Brooks Lake Lodge to protect the historic site as well as train for fighting the Fish Creek Fire in August 2024 if or when it advances close to residential areas.

Dozens Of Firefighting Crews On Site To Protect Iconic Brooks Lake Lodge

A spiderweb of waterlines are positioned around the historic structures at Brooks Lake Lodge and dozens of crews from an overall incident management team of 500 firefighters have been brought to the scene to cross-train for protecting the historic Wyoming lodge.

Renée JeanAugust 29, 2024

The U.S. Postal Service is studying whether some mail services should be moved from the Casper Post Office to Montana.

Faced With Slower Rural Mail Service, Wyomingites Have One Chance To Comment

The U.S. Postal Service is pushing another cost-cutting move that would mean slower mail delivery to rural areas, like much of Wyoming. Cowboy State residents will have one chance to comment on the plan.

Renée JeanAugust 27, 2024

Firefighters work to protect the 102-year-old historic Brooks Lake Lodge from the Fish Creek Fire burning in northwest Wyoming.

Elite Firefighting Team Moves In To Defend Historic Brooks Lake Lodge

One of 44 elite firefighting teams in the U.S. is on scene in Wyoming on Monday to help defend the historic Brooks Lake Lodge from wildfire. It’s also helping to keep the flames away from other homes and infrastructure in the Dubois area.

Renée JeanAugust 26, 2024

Matt Warner's is one of the names carved into the Buckhorn Panel near the San Rafael River in Utah. He began his outlaw life early and was a friend of the notorious Butch Cassidy in Wyoming.

Butch Cassidy In Wyoming: Outlaw Buddy Matt Warner Started A Criminal Life Early

Butch Cassidy’s best friend Matt Warner started his life as a Western outlaw. At the age of 14, he thought he killed a man. That sent him running to Brown’s Hole, where he pulled off his first robbery before he’d turned 19.

Renée JeanAugust 25, 2024

In the same family since 1895, the Antlers Ranch has huge swaths of pristine Wyoming woodland with trophy fishing streams and lots of room to roam.

Wyoming Ranchers And Farmers Leaving Agriculture Are “Tired Of Just Surviving”

The Antlers Ranch near Meeteetse has been in the same family since 1895, but now is for sale. The legacy ranch is an example of Wyoming ranchers and farmers leaving agriculture because they’re “tired of just surviving.”

Renée JeanAugust 25, 2024

Sued To Stop $25B Mega Grocery Merger With Albertsons, Kroger Sues Back

Grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons face lawsuits from multiple fronts challenging its planned $25 billion merger. Now Kroger is fighting back with a lawsuit of its own against the FTC.

Renée JeanAugust 25, 2024

Other Authors

All-Out, Around-The-Clock Effort To Save Historic Brooks Lake Lodge From Fire

There’s an all-out, around-the-clock effort on to save the historic Brooks Lake Lodge from the Fish Creek Fire. Ultimately, the lodge’s survival is up to the wind and weather.

Renée JeanAugust 24, 2024

Butch Cassidy In Wyoming: A Perfect Hideout After His First Bank Robbery

Fresh off his first bank robbery in Telluride, Colorado Butch Cassidy finds the perfect hideout in Wyoming. His Brown’s Hole hideout remains one of the most remote places in the region.

Renée JeanAugust 24, 2024

People line up Friday at the U.S. Postal Service annex on Converse Avenue in Cheyenne on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024.

Rural Wyoming Can Expect Even Slower Mail Delivery Under New USPS Proposal

A new proposal from the U.S. Postal Service would cut $3 billion in costs by prioritizing mail closest to large processing centers. That could mean even slower delivery for mail in mostly rural Wyoming.

Renée JeanAugust 23, 2024

Wyoming Gears Up To Be First State To Issue Its Own Cryptocurrency

Gov. Mark Gordon said Wednesday that Wyoming is on track to be the first state to issue its own cryptocurrency. But the state’s banking sector isn’t thrilled about it.

Renée JeanAugust 23, 2024

Voting at Lusk North and Lusk South precincts Tuesday for the 2024 Niborara County Primary. In the county's highlight race, JD Williams won in a primary rematch with Allen Slagle.

JD Williams Scores Rematch Victory Over Allen Slagle In House District 2 Seat

After losing by 12 votes to Allen Slagle in the 2022 Republican primary, former House member JD Williams won Tuesday’s rematch. This time it wasn’t as close.

Renée JeanAugust 21, 2024

Charlie Scott won another primary on Tuesday, setting up for a 14th term in the Wyoming Legislature if he wins in November. Without a Democratic opponent, that seems likely.

Charlie Scott Beats Rob Hendry In Bid For 14th Term In Legislature

Charlie Scott, R-Casper, easily beat former Natrona County Commissioner Robert Hendry in Tuesday’s Republican primary. If he wins in November, it’ll be his 14th term in the Wyoming Legislature.

Renée JeanAugust 21, 2024

Scott Smith won his Republican primary on Tuesday. In the background, poll workers bring ballots in to the Niobrara County Courthouse Tuesday night after the polls close.

Goshen County GOP Gives Incumbent Smith Strong Support For House District 5

Incumbent Rep. Scott Smith won a second term representing House District 5 in Tuesday’s Republican primary. A member of the Wyoming Freedom Caucus, Smith beat out Jackie Van Mark.

Renée JeanAugust 21, 2024

WyColo Lodge, a fixuture in the Snowy Range near the Wyoming-Colorado border for decades, has suddenly closed.

WyColo Lodge, Popular With Snowy Range Travelers, Has Suddenly Closed

The WyColo Lodge, a popular stop for visitors playing in Wyoming’s Snowy Range, has “officially closed till further notice.” A man answering the phone at the lodge said staff was “getting killed” by the workload before hanging up.

Renée JeanAugust 20, 2024

Despite Reports He Sold It, Kanye West May Still Own His Wyoming Ranch

National media have been reporting since June that Kanye West has sold his Wyoming ranch near Cody. But records with the Park County Assessor’s Office show he still owns the properties.

Renée JeanAugust 20, 2024

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