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RJ
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

Helen LaRose poses with a newborn baby and its happy family just after the baby was born.

Lander Midwife Has Delivered More Than 3,000 Babies Over 20 Years

Helen LaRose delivered more than 3,000 babies over a 20-year career as a certified nurse midwife and a self-proclaimed “baby catcher.” Something she learned is babies come when they want, even that time “I delivered that baby shoeless with one glove on."

Renée JeanApril 12, 2026

Wyoming travelers say they prefer smaller airports. The lines are shorter and parking a lot cheaper, and in some cases free. At the Cheyenne Regional Airport, the terminal is easy to navigate.

Short Lines, Free Parking: Why Wyoming Travelers Say They Prefer Smaller Airports

Small airports have huge fans in Wyoming travelers, who say they prefer them to big-city hubs and will avoid the drive to a large airport to depart from home. Small airports have big advantages: shorter lines, fewer crowds, and in many cases free parking.

Renée JeanApril 12, 2026

The Sturgis Mansion has a new owner, a Colorado couple who have renovated the interior in keeping with its historical nature for a one-of-a-kind craft retreat.

New Lease On Life: Cheyenne’s Historic 130-Year-Old Sturgis House Has New Owners

It’s one of the oldest mansions still standing in Wyoming and now it's turning a page. Cheyenne’s historic 130-year-old Sturgis House, once the home of cattle baron William Sturgis, has new owners. They've turned it into craft retreat and it's 90% booked.

Renée JeanApril 12, 2026

The Hell's Half Acre restaurant sign as it once appeared before the rsetaurant closed.

Casper Native Restoring Hell’s Half Acre Sign To Display In Wyoming Valley, Pa.

It took Casper native Casey Gillum a long time to get the Hell's Half Acre restaurant sign but once he had the opportunity, he grabbed it. He's now restoring the sign and will display it where he lives -- in Pennsylvania's Wyoming Valley.

Renée JeanApril 11, 2026

Chugwater butcher Alex Springs has turned an old school bus into a mobile meat shop to bring Wyoming beef to small towns. It’s a creative solution to get local meat to rural customers in a state with a whole lot of nowhere between towns.

Chugwater Butcher Turns School Bus Into Mobile Meat Wagon To Serve Small Towns

A butcher in Chugwater has turned an old school bus into a mobile meat shop to bring Wyoming beef to small towns. It’s a creative solution to get local meat to rural customers in a state with a whole lot of nowhere between towns.

Renée JeanApril 11, 2026

Decades after “Lord of the Winds” mountaineer Finis Mitchell roamed the Wind River Range, hikers still stumble on his handwritten notes. Star Valley photographer Ammon Jeffs is one of those lucky hikers, finding a Mitchell note while hiking on Sheep's Mountain.

Famed Mountaineer's Hidden Notes Still Being Found In Wyoming Wind River Range

Decades after “Lord of The Winds” mountaineer Finis Mitchell roamed the Wind River Range, hikers still find his handwritten notes in small plastic tubes. Star Valley photographer Ammon Jeffs found a Mitchell note while hiking on Sheep's Mountain.

Renée JeanApril 11, 2026

Fans of the Little America hotel near Green River say its demolition is “heartbreaking.” Its cheap ice cream cones, penguin mascot and endless roadside billboards are legendary. It’s also been a lifesaving haven from Wyoming’s notorious blizzards.

Remembering Little America: Fans Of Original Hotel Call Demolition ‘Heartbreaking’

Fans of the Little America hotel near Green River say its demolition is “heartbreaking.” Its cheap ice cream cones, penguin mascot and endless roadside billboards are legendary. It’s also been a lifesaving haven from Wyoming’s notorious blizzards.

Renée JeanApril 11, 2026

Tyler Lindholm authored Wyoming’s 2015 Food Freedom Act and has come out swinging after the state seized USDA-inspected beef from a farm stand in Cheyenne and banned it from selling meat. 

Wyoming Food Freedom Act's Author Says State Is Wrong For Banning Meat Sales

Crook County rancher Tyler Lindholm, who authored Wyoming’s Food Freedom Act, is not happy after the state seized USDA-inspected beef from a farm stand in Cheyenne and banned it from selling meat. "Legislative intent is a thing and I know my intent," he said.

Renée JeanApril 10, 2026

Jackson is the hottest U.S. destination for early summer bookings, according to data from AirDNA which tracks AirBnb, VRBO, and other short-term rentals. The trend mirrors a Gen Z pivot from beach vacations to mountain escapes.

Jackson Hole Is Hottest U.S. Destination For Early Summer Bookings

The Jackson Hole area is the hottest U.S. destination for early summer bookings, according to data from AirDNA which tracks AirBnb, VRBO and other short-term rentals. The area has a 57% occupancy rate on the books for June, a 20% increase over last year.

Renée JeanApril 10, 2026

The Star Plunge hot springs in Hot Springs State Park have been temporarily closed because management let its insurance lapsed.

$3 Million State Buyout Of Star Plunge, Hotel Could End Decades Of Disputes

Wyoming lawmakers have set aside $3 million to buy the Star Plunge and Hot Springs Hotel. That could end decades of disputes, as well as an ongoing lawsuit, clearing the way for the Star Plunge to reopen after closing abruptly more than a year ago.

Renée JeanApril 06, 2026

Inside the greenhouse where Wyoming's Drea Hineman simulates zero gravity for lettuces that shes growing. Her work will help astronauts grow their own food someday on the moon.

Space Farming: Wyoming Research Is Changing How We Farm The Arid West And The Moon

In a greenhouse perched a mile above sea level, a Wyoming researcher is helping lay the groundwork for a future where astronauts don’t just visit distant worlds but farm them. Her experiments in space-based agriculture earned her a top NASA rating.

Renée JeanApril 05, 2026

At the Chinook Winds Lodge in Dubois, guests share the motel with a flock of free-range chickens that produce eggs for the guests. “If you’ve eaten farm-fresh eggs, you know they have that beautiful yolk, and they’re very nutritious," says the owner.

Traveling Wyoming: At Dubois Lodge, Guests Share Motel With Free-Range Chickens

At the Chinook Winds Lodge in Dubois, guests share the motel with a flock of free-range chickens that produce eggs for the guests. “If you’ve eaten farm-fresh eggs, you know they have that beautiful yolk, and they’re very nutritious," says the owner.

Renée JeanApril 05, 2026

Other Authors

Chase Fisher installs a riser for new electrical service.

Data Centers Behind Huge Pay For Electricians, As High As $260,000 In Some Parts

An explosion of data centers across the U.S. has created an explosion in the need for electricians — and their pay can reach as much as $260,000 a year in some parts. In Wyoming, big six figure salaries are available too but it comes with tradeoffs.

Renée JeanApril 05, 2026

At Wellborn Farms in Sheridan, fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi make up about 70% of its business. Above, co-owner Allen Wellborn selling sauerkraut and other items at a farmers market.

Once Fringe, Fermented Foods Are Becoming Mainstream Across Wyoming

Fermented foods aren’t on the fringe of the culinary scene anymore, exploding into a $63.3 billion industry across the U.S. In Wyoming, more people are making and eating sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha, and just about anything else they can ferment.

Renée JeanApril 05, 2026

Gillette-based L&H Industrial built some of the massive hardware that helped the Artemis II rocket blast off Wednesday taking astronauts to the moon for the first time in 50 years. It’s not the first time the company has built components for NASA.

Wyoming Company Helping US Astronauts Reach The Moon For First Time In 50 Years

Gillette-based L&H Industrial built some of the massive hardware that helped the Artemis II rocket blast off Wednesday taking astronauts to the moon for the first time in 50 years. It’s not the first time the company has built components for NASA.

Renée JeanApril 02, 2026

American Rare Earths is weighing building a processing facility for hard-to-find heavy rare earth metals at its Halleck Creek mine near Wheatland. It’s a move that could boost Wyoming jobs as it helps cut U.S. dependence on China for critical minerals.

Wheatland Rare Earth Project Could Include Processing Hard-To-Find Heavy Metals

American Rare Earths is weighing building a processing facility for hard-to-find heavy rare earth metals at its Halleck Creek mine near Wheatland. It’s a move that could boost Wyoming jobs as it helps cut U.S. dependence on China for critical minerals.

Renée JeanApril 02, 2026

Former BP chief Bernard Looney has been named CEO of Wyoming startup Prometheus Hyperscale, which plans two AI data centers totaling $30 billion. Looney says Wyoming’s energy edge makes it the right place for the buildout.

Former BP CEO To Lead Prometheus Hyperscale’s $30B Wyoming Data Center Buildout

Former BP chief Bernard Looney has been named CEO of Wyoming startup Prometheus Hyperscale, which plans two AI data centers totaling $30 billion. Looney says Wyoming’s energy edge makes it the right place for the buildout.

Renée JeanApril 01, 2026

Little America Wyoming presents a classic American facade that sets a tone for more than a hotel, it's a small city of its own, complete with a ZIP code.

End Of An Era: Little America Hotel Near Green River Being Torn Down

After decades as a popular oasis on I-80 in southwest Wyoming, the Little America hotel near Green River is being torn down. It needed "so many repairs that it’s not cost-effective," the general manager said. The business is shifting to an RV Park.

Renée JeanMarch 31, 2026

Big Boy arrives in Medicine Bow after leaving Cheyenne on Sunday, March 29, 2026.

Big Boy 4014 Thunders Out Of Cheyenne To Start Historic Coast-To-Coast Tour

Union Pacific’s legendary steam locomotive Big Boy 4014 began its first coast-to-coast tour on Sunday. The huge steam locomotive is celebrating America’s 250th birthday with stops from Wyoming to both coasts.

Renée JeanMarch 31, 2026

Richard C0y0te Parks Sr. is Senior State Ride Captain for the Patriot Guard Riders. He brought seven other veterans with him from Casper for Wyoming's Welcome Home Day held at the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois.

Decades Late, Vietnam Veterans Finally Get A Wyoming Welcome Home

Decades after being shunned and spat upon, Vietnam veterans packed the National Museum of Military Vehicles for Wyoming Welcome Home Day on Sunday. “We have a chance to help veterans heal and give them the honor and recognition they didn’t get,” the Dubois museum owner said.

Renée JeanMarch 30, 2026

A Glenrock couple out rockhounding last month found a mysterious Cheyenne Frontier Days coin along the bank of the North Platte River. It’s a rare “Frontier Buck," once used like currency at the Daddy of 'Em All rodeo and events.

Glenrock Couple Unearths Mystery Cheyenne Frontier Days Coin Along Riverbank

A Glenrock couple out rockhounding last month found a mysterious Cheyenne Frontier Days coin along the bank of the North Platte River. It’s a rare “Frontier Buck," once used like currency at the Daddy of 'Em All rodeo and events.

Renée JeanMarch 29, 2026

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