Greg Johnson
Greg Johnson is managing editor for Cowboy State Daily at the headquarters in Cheyenne.
A veteran journalist of more than 31 years covering Western issues and politics, Greg spent stints in Wyoming as managing editor for the Gillette News Record and Laramie Boomerang. Greg's produced award-winning journalism, and has built a national reputation for his extensive coverage of Wyoming energy -- especially coal.
He previously spent seven years editing and reporting in Alaska, and was managing editor for Sarah Palin's hometown paper when she was tapped as John McCain's running mate in 2008. Greg studied music and English at the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Outside the office, Greg likes photography, reading and all things sports.
Latest from Greg Johnson
Wyoming Officials Say World Depends On America Winning AI Race With China
America’s arms race over artificial intelligence with China is about more than technology and gaining economic advantage, say Wyoming lawmakers and an industry watchdog. It’s about which nation's values will guide the rest of the world.
Greg JohnsonDecember 31, 2025
Gordon Says Revoke National Adoption Award For Casper Man Who Abused Kids
Years of sexual and physical abuse of multiple adopted children in Casper should be enough for a federal agency to rescind a Wyoming couple’s National Adoption Excellence Award, Gov. Mark Gordon said Monday.
Greg JohnsonDecember 29, 2025
Mom Says She Doesn’t Know Why She Shot 11-Month-Old, Was Too Slow To Kill Herself
A woman who fled Wyoming with her baby boy more than a month ago told authorities she doesn’t know why she shot and killed him Tuesday. She also said she “wasn’t fast enough” to kill herself before officers got to her.
Greg JohnsonDecember 26, 2025
Greg Johnson: Shutdown Of Lexington Beef Processing Plant Similar To Coal Mine Shutdown In Gillette
Greg Johnson writes, "Just like when the Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr coal mines were shut down abruptly in Gillette, the same thing happened in Lexington, Nebraska. "Less than a week before Thanksgiving, Tyson Foods showed up and informed the 3,200 workers there that as of Jan. 20, they’re out of jobs. The company is closing the huge beef processing plant."
Greg JohnsonDecember 24, 2025
Nebraska Hospital CEO: Tyson’s “Spreadsheet Decision” Will Devastate Health Care
In a scathing letter to Tyson CEO Donnie King, Lexington hospital CEO Jason Douglas said the company’s decision to leave will devastate health care in the area. “You made a spreadsheet decision … and 3,200 families became nothing more than a line item.”
Greg JohnsonDecember 21, 2025
‘A Gut Punch’: Nebraska Town Shell-Shocked By Tyson Closing Huge Beef Plant
About 3,200 of Lexington, Nebraska’s 11,000 residents work at a huge Tyson Foods beef processing plant — for another month. News that the plant will close next month was an unexpected “gut punch” many fear will devastate this rural cow town.
Greg JohnsonDecember 20, 2025
Delegation Says Lifting Biden-Era Plan That Would Kill Coal Is Huge For Wyoming
Wyoming’s congressional delegation says President Trump took the state’s coal industry out from under an economic guillotine Thursday by killing rules that would have ended coal after 2041. They say the Biden-era plan was “asinine” and lifting it is huge for the state.
Greg JohnsonDecember 12, 2025
Man Dead, 8-Year-Old Girl Shot At Rural Lincoln County Home
A domestic violence incident at a home in rural western Wyoming on Tuesday left a man dead and an 8-year-old child with a gunshot wound, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office reported Thursday.
Greg JohnsonDecember 11, 2025
Why Does Gas Cost 70-80 Cents A Gallon Less In Denver Than Cheyenne?
An aggressive gas price war in the Denver metro area has prices there as low as $1.67 a gallon, while in Cheyenne the average is $2.45. Industry experts say there are several reason why motorists there are paying so much less.
Scott Schwebke & Greg JohnsonDecember 05, 2025
Popular Cheyenne Honky-Tonk Outlaw Saloon To Close, Owes Bank $1.7 Million
Cheyenne’s Outlaw Saloon is part dive bar, part honky-tonk and known for hosting music, boxing and even little people wrestling. That ends this weekend when the Outlaw closes after the bank foreclosed on it to recover $1.7 million owed.
Greg JohnsonDecember 04, 2025
Cheyenne Man Hits Deputy With Car During Wild Traffic Stop
A 64-year-old Cheyenne man faces an attempted aggravated vehicular homicide charge, accused of striking and injuring a Laramie County Sheriff’s Office deputy with his vehicle during a wild Monday evening traffic stop.
Scott Schwebke & Greg JohnsonDecember 02, 2025
Dick Cheney Remembered As ‘True Man Of The West’ At D.C. Funeral
While his funeral was happening 1,770 miles from his hometown of Casper, Wyoming, there was a palpable Cowboy State feel to Dick Cheney’s funeral service Thursday in Washington, D.C. Former President George W. Bush remembered him a “true man of the West.”
Greg Johnson & Sean BarryNovember 21, 2025
Wyoming Sheriff To Criminals: Don’t Sell Drugs To Make Bond On Drug Charges
Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak on Friday offered some helpful advice for criminals — don’t talk on a jail telephone about selling stolen stuff and drugs to raise money to get out of jail on drug charges.
Greg JohnsonNovember 14, 2025
Two Tripped Power Lines Leave Nearly 100,000 Customers In The Dark Across Wyoming
A massive power outage caused by two tripped 500-kilovolt power lines near Medicine Bow left most of northeast Wyoming in the dark Thursday, along with areas in Montana and South Dakota. Nearly 100,000 customers were without power at one point.
Clair McFarland, Greg Johnson & Kate MeadowsNovember 13, 2025
More Than 300 Pack Into Cheyenne American Legion To Celebrate Veterans
Military service has been Mark Pfenning’s life since the day he was born in an Army hospital in France. Along with 300 others packed into the American Legion Post 6 meeting hall in Cheyenne on Tuesday, Pfenning said he felt like celebrating.
Greg JohnsonNovember 11, 2025
Campbell County Head Football Coach Fired For Profanity-Laced Outburst
The head coach of the Campbell County High School football program in Gillette has been terminated for a profanity-laced outburst aimed at a player. Former coach Orah Garst says he’s remorseful and that, “I deserve the consequences.”
Greg JohnsonNovember 07, 2025
Wyoming’s Dick Cheney: ‘War Hawk,’ ‘Darth Vader’ And A Heck Of A Funny Guy
The nation is remembering Dick Cheney as the serious, steely-eyed, no-nonsense former secretary of defense and vice president who some dubbed a “war hawk” and others “Darth Vader.” In his home state of Wyoming, they also say he was a heck of a funny guy.
Greg JohnsonNovember 04, 2025
DCI Releases Photos Of Two Wanted For ‘Questioning’ In Capitol Explosive Case
The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation on Friday released a photo of two people wanted for “questioning” in their probe of who left an explosive in front of the state Capitol on Tuesday.
Greg Johnson & Jackson WalkerOctober 24, 2025
Wyoming Delegation Defends Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Ballroom’ From Critics
Wyoming’s congressional delegation is defending President Donald Trump while he draws pointed criticism from Democrats as heavy equipment demolished the East Wing of the White House to make way for a $250 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom.
Greg JohnsonOctober 23, 2025
Wyoming Capitol Evacuated, Locked Down After Report Of Suspected Explosive Device
The Wyoming Capitol has been evacuated and put on lockdown Tuesday after a report of a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) in the building, the Wyoming Highway Patrol reports.
Jackson Walker & Greg JohnsonOctober 21, 2025
Townspeople In Reddest County Of Reddest State Laugh At "No Kings" Rally
Although residents of Lusk, Wyoming -- located in the reddest county of the reddest state in the nation -- laughed at the so-called "No Kings" protests scheduled across the country on Saturday, residents in bluer Albany County said they were supporting it.
Greg Johnson & Jackson WalkerOctober 17, 2025