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.
Latest from Renée Jean
Why Are People Paying $25 For Chocolate Bars In Wyoming Gas Stations?
Dubai chocolate bars are all the rage, selling for $25 to $40 at stores at Wyoming gas stations and retail stores. Are they worth it? Fans say those convenience store knockoffs aren’t, but the real deal from Dubai is.
Renée JeanNovember 02, 2025
Wyoming Falconer Has 40 Birds That Can Nosedive 240 MPH, As Fast As A Ferrari
A Wyoming falconer says supercar drivers can have their Ferraris, he’ll take his 40 falcons. They’re faster, too, dive-bombing more than 240 mph. He also consults with author C.J. Box to give authenticity to Joe Pickett sidekick and falconer Nate Romanowski.
Renée JeanNovember 02, 2025
Touring The Belvoir Ranch Near Cheyenne, Now With 12 Miles Of New Public Trails
Last week, Cowboy State Daily toured the Belvoir Ranch, which offers the public 12 miles of new public trails and other outdoor rec opportunities in Laramie County. Opening next spring, the land is shared with wind turbines but they're pretty well hidden.
Renée JeanNovember 02, 2025
Cheyenne’s Historic Downtown Bell Building Was Boarded Up, Now It’s Becoming A Showpiece
For decades, the historic Bell Building in Downtown Cheyenne was boarded up and had little hope for a future. Now, against all odds, the 1911 building has a new facade and is on its way to again being a capital city showpiece.
Renée JeanNovember 01, 2025
C.J. Box Looking At Afton For Possible Next Joe Pickett Wyoming Mystery
Author C.J. Box told Cowboy State Daily that Afton is one of few places left in Wyoming where Joe Pickett hasn’t yet appeared in one of his novels. So Box will be traveling there in the near future with both an “open mind and an open notebook” to do some “poking around.”
Renée JeanNovember 01, 2025
No, Zelenskyy Isn’t Buying 916,000-Acre Pathfinder Ranches — But Someone Is
A rumor that Ukrainian President Zelensky is buying the 916,000-acre Pathfinder Ranch in Wyoming spread like wildfire Monday. But, it’s not true. However, an offer is pending on the $79.5 million ranch.
Renée JeanOctober 28, 2025
Wyoming Halloween Superfans Turn Neighborhoods Into Over-The-Top Scare-Fests
Go big at home seems to be the motto of Wyoming’s Halloween superfans, who turn neighborhoods into over-the-top scare-fest. From giant skeletons to immersive animatronic displays, they’re making Halloween great again.
Renée JeanOctober 28, 2025
Big Boy 4014 May Make Its First Coast-To-Coast Run For America’s 250th
Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena says he wants the world’s heaviest operational steam locomotive — Big Boy 4014 — to make its first coast-to-coast tour for America’s 250th anniversary next year. Big Boy has never been to the East Coast since rolling off the assembly line in 1941.
Renée JeanOctober 27, 2025
Real Joe Picketts: Wyoming Game Wardens See Themselves In C.J. Box Novels
Real-life game wardens say author C.J. Box has elevated their profession across America, while also educating people on all the real-world issues they face. "I appreciate what he's done for the profession," says retired Wyoming Chief Game Warden Rick King.
Renée JeanOctober 25, 2025
Big Hair, Suede Shoes, A Bravo Beginning — Shober’s Last Show Is Unforgettable
Everyone had a story to tell for Wyoming Office of Tourism Director Diane Shober’s last official show, including Shober herself. But she also took time to boost her successor, Visit Cheyenne’s President Domenic Bravo.
Renée JeanOctober 25, 2025
Wyoming Ranchers Join National Outcry Against Trump’s Argentina Beef Plan
Wyoming ranchers are protesting President Trump’s plan to import more beef from Argentina, arguing it threatens U.S. producers. They say fixing high prices should start with cutting domestic regulations, not boosting imports.
Renée JeanOctober 23, 2025
Police Believe Tip In Amy Wroe Bechtel’s Disappearance Worth Looking Into
A Wyoming woman who once housed killer Dale Wayne Eaton believes her family’s Natrona County property may hold clues to the 28-year-old case of missing runner Amy Wroe Bechtel. She hopes police will bring cadaver dogs to search an old cabin there.
Renée JeanOctober 22, 2025
Rural Cheyenne Residents Fed Up With Drivers Taking Out Their Mailboxes
When drivers kept taking out her mailbox and leaving without so much as an “I’m sorry” note, a rural Cheyenne woman took her complaint public. Turns out others in her neighborhood are also fed up with drivers plowing into their mailboxes.
Renée JeanOctober 21, 2025
Historian Says She's Traced Wyatt Earp’s First Gunfight To Orin, Wyoming
A Wild West historian says she uncovered evidence in a family diary suggesting Wyatt Earp’s first gunfight happened near Orin, Wyoming, not Illinois. That could reshape Earp's early legend and add a new chapter to Wyoming’s Wild West legacy.
Renée JeanOctober 21, 2025
Unique Whiskey Made From Ancient Grain Grown In Wyoming Called Emmer Debuts
A new whiskey debuted on Saturday made from emmer wheat grown in Powell, Wyoming. Nels Wroe, who grew up in Douglas and is the owner of Dry Land Distillers, said they're the only company making a true 100% emmer whiskey. "It's the only one like it in the world," he said.
Renée JeanOctober 19, 2025
Cheyenne Clinic Uses Wearable Tech To Protect Moms And Babies
A Cheyenne clinic has just added a remote blood-pressure monitoring program for high-risk pregnancies. It’s just the latest example of wearable health technology entering the medical field in Wyoming.
Renée JeanOctober 19, 2025
Drinking Wyoming: The Drinks At Lander Bar Come With A Taste Of Western History
The historic Lander Bar was a saloon when it first opened in 1907, and has also been a brothel and hotel before operating as a popular hangout for years. In the 1990s, a ski patrolman stopped in for a beer, and with two buddies decided to buy and restore the place.
Renée JeanOctober 19, 2025
Part-Time Doctors Have Full-Time Impact For Rural Wyoming Patients
Health care clinics in rural America have long struggled to recruit specialists to serve low-population, wide-open regions. A new model called fractional medicine lets them recruit part-time doctors and surgeons for hard-to-fill jobs.
Renée JeanOctober 18, 2025
Wright At 50: A Half-Century For The Wyoming Town That Coal Built
As one of Wyoming's youngest towns, Wright is celebrating its 50th year in existence this year. It may have started as a camp for workers at nearby coal mines, but Wright has grown into its own.
Renée JeanOctober 18, 2025
Luxurious Hideout Ranch In Shell, Wyoming, Lists For $14.95 Million
The Hideout Ranch in Shell, Wyoming, famed for its mustang horses and luxury guest experience, has hit the market for $14.95 million. Its owners are selling after two decades of global acclaim.
Renée JeanOctober 18, 2025
Flitner Family Buys Bighorn Mountain Ranch Back From Kanye West
Members of the Flitner family have bought their family’s ranch near Greybull, Wyoming, back from Kanye West. All the historic buildings, including Baldridge Cabin, are intact.
Renée JeanOctober 18, 2025