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
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
‘Two Worlds Collide’: CJ Box Says Cassie Dewell To Show Up In Joe Pickett Novel
As fans of CJ Box’s mystery-solving game warden Joe Pickett count down the days until the release of his 26th adventure, the Wyoming author dropped a bombshell Wednesday: Cassie Dewell and Pickett are going to cross paths.
Greg JohnsonSeptember 24, 2025
Gas Line Rupture Causes Fire Near Train With Hazardous Materials West Of Cheyenne, Fireball Seen 60 Miles Away
Laramie County fire crews have cleared the scene of a fire near a train carrying hazardous materials west of Cheyenne early Sunday that authorities called “significant and dangerous." The fireball was seen 60 miles away in Colorado.
Greg Johnson & Jimmy OrrSeptember 21, 2025
Squaretop’s Famous View Will ‘Never Be The Same’ After Fire, But Not A ‘Hellscape’
Pinedale photographer David Bell got a look at what the Dollar Lake Fire has done to the famous view of Squaretop and said there’s a “mosaic” of black. He said it’ll “never be the same,” but firefighters have saved it from becoming a “hellscape.”
Greg JohnsonSeptember 19, 2025
Hageman Says Vote To Censure Ilhan Omar Was To Hold Her Accountable For What She Said
Rep. Harriet Hageman said her vote to censure Minnesota Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar for her "horrific" remarks about Charlie Kirk was all about holding people accountable for how they act and what they say.
Greg JohnsonSeptember 19, 2025
At Least One Dead, Another Life-Flighted From Semi Crash That Closed I-80
A devastating collision destroyed a pair of semitrailers on eastbound Interstate 80 on Thursday, leaving at least one person dead and another airlifted from the scene. It also has closed I-80 eastbound between Laramie and Rawlins for hours.
Greg JohnsonSeptember 18, 2025
That Soul-Penetrating Thunder From F/A-18s Taking Off In Casper? Get Used To It
Aviation groupies who love to ooh and ahh at anything cool with wings, there’s nothing like the bone-shaking rumble of a fighter jet taking off. A pair of F/A-18 Hornets hot refueling and taking off Tuesday wasn’t just loud, it was “an experience.”
Greg JohnsonSeptember 11, 2025