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
Uranium Energy Corp. Produces Its First Batch Of Wyoming Yellowcake Uranium
Uranium Energy Corp. has hit a milestone, producing its first batch of Wyoming yellowcake uranium. It’s a huge step for the company as it ramps up to 8.1 million pounds of production capacity in the Cowboy State.
Renée JeanMarch 08, 2025
Wyoming Author C.J. Box’s New Novel Is No. 1 On New York Times Bestsellers List
“Battle Mountain,” the latest novel in Wyoming author C.J. Box’s popular Joe Pickett series, debuts as No. 1 on The New York Times bestsellers list.
Renée JeanMarch 07, 2025
Night Show Lineup: Wyoming’s Ian Munsick To Headline At Cheyenne Frontier Days
Sheridan’s Ian Munsick will be the first Wyoming native to headline a night show at Cheyenne Frontier Days, it was announced Thursday. Chancey Williams also returns, along with country stars Luke Bryan, Brooks & Dunn and Travis Tritt.
Renée JeanMarch 07, 2025
Longmire Author Craig Johnson Wins Wister Award, Highest Western Writing Honor
Wyoming's Craig Johnson, author of the "Longmire" series, is the 2025 winner of the Owen Wister Award. It's the highest honor given by Western Writers of America in recognition of lifetime contributions to the genre.
Renée JeanMarch 06, 2025
Meier, Gray Believe Land Purchase In Washington Could Open Way For Coal Exports
In an effort to export Wyoming coal to the Pacific Rim, Treasurer Curt Meier and Secretary of State Chuck Gray believe purchasing land in Washington state could give Wyoming the legal standing to make it happen.
Renée JeanMarch 05, 2025
Wyoming Businesses Wait To See Impact Of Tariffs, Going Into Effect Tuesday
President Trump on Monday said there’s no more delaying 25% tariffs that will go into effect on Canada and Mexico on Tuesday. That’s expected to impact Wyoming, which does more business with Canada than any other foreign country.
Renée JeanMarch 04, 2025
Two Wyoming Trona Mines Bought For $1.4B To Create World’s Largest Producer
London-based WE Soda has bought Genesis Alkali’s two trona mines in southwest Wyoming for $1.4 billion. It makes WE Soda the No. 1 producer of natural trona in the world.
Renée JeanMarch 03, 2025
The Woman Behind The Gigantic Sand Sculptures At Glendo
A Casper woman’s addiction to building intricate sand sculptures takes her all over America. But she practices in her home state at Glendo, where she built a 6-foot-tall cowboy boot (which is still standing). She says Wyoming sand is the best.
Renée JeanMarch 02, 2025
Drinking Wyoming: Frosty’s, A True Casper Dive Bar Proudly Serving Horrible Liquor
Frosty’s in Casper, is a typical dive bar in many ways — and proud to serve one of the most terrible tasting liquors. It’s one of the few places outside Chicago with Jeppson’s Malort, a rite-of-passage drink people say tastes like old socks.
Renée JeanMarch 01, 2025
Cheyenne Man Builds His Dream House: Throwback Medieval English Mead Hall
Cyning Meadowcroft built his dream home in Happy Valley near Cheyenne using a near-extinct construction method called a "cruck" to build it. The former Brit built the medieval English mead hall home by himself and trucked two old-growth oak trees 2,000 miles round-trip to begin the project.
Renée JeanMarch 01, 2025
Why Wyoming’s Oil And Gas Industry Isn’t Yet “Drill Baby Drilling”
Optimism is high in Wyoming’s oil and gas sector with President Donald Trump's promise to "drill, baby, drill." But there’s also uncertainty about how more drilling will impact prices.
Renée JeanMarch 01, 2025
Trump Says US Doesn’t Need Canada’s Timber, And Wyoming’s Lumber Industry Agrees
Wyoming’s lumber industry isn’t huge, but was heartened to hear President Trump say America doesn’t need timber from Canada. The industry says it needs more than tariffs to save it — like changes to forest management.
Renée JeanFebruary 28, 2025
Trump Says US Needs To Double Or Triple ‘Electrical Capacity,’ Wyoming Says It’s Ready
President Donald Trump held his first cabinet meeting Wednesday and suggested the country must double or triple its “electrical capacity.” Wyoming energy officials say they are ready to help make that happen.
Renée JeanFebruary 27, 2025
Wyoming Grows Lead In Race For Rare Earths Thanks To Bigger Haul From Huge Deposit
Wyoming Rare (USA) Inc. is reporting even better returns at its Halleck Creek rare earth mining site. That helps grow Wyoming’s lead in the race for domestic production — and processing — of critical rare earth minerals.
Renée JeanFebruary 26, 2025
Wyoming’s Oldest General Store In Aladdin Loses Its 127-Year-Old Post Office
The tiny outpost of Aladdin in northeast Wyoming is home to the state’s oldest general store, which has also served as a local post office since 1898. But no more. The Postal Service has discontinued its contract with the Aladdin General Store.
Renée JeanFebruary 25, 2025
Hageman Doesn’t Trust USPS, Wants More Protection For Rural Post Offices
U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman doesn’t trust the U.S. Postal Service’s latest promise to not take away as much mail processing from the Cheyenne and Casper post offices. She’s filed a bill that would protect rural post offices.
Renée JeanFebruary 25, 2025
Bill That Attempts To Stop Mystery Drones From Flying Over Sensitive Areas Moves Forward
A bill that would attempt to stop mystery drones from flying over sensitive areas around Wyoming is nearing the finish line. Meanwhile, a state House committee heard Monday that giant SUV-sized drones are still being spotted.
Renée JeanFebruary 24, 2025
Texas Red Chili Wins Popular Casper Chili Cook-Off For Fifth Time
A Texas red chili was voted No. 1 at the popular API Chili Cook-Off in Casper on Saturday. It’s the fifth time Norman Jackson’s secret recipe has won, as thousands of people packed the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper for the 32nd annual event.
Renée JeanFebruary 24, 2025
Not All Solar Panel Systems Are Nightmares For Their Owners
Several Cowboy State Daily readers wrote in to talk about their experiences with solar panels after a Happy Valley family living near Cheyenne shared their nightmare experience. They also shared tips on how to select the right system.
Renée JeanFebruary 23, 2025
Six Degrees And Snowing At 7:30 p.m. And Nate Ditto Is Cutting Down A 50-Foot Tree
Arborist Nate Ditto was trying to beat the clock by cutting down a 50-foot tree before a snowstorm hit Cheyenne last week. To make things more interesting, it was six-degrees and snowing at 7:30 p.m. and he was still at it. He says he likes the adrenaline he gets from his job.
Renée JeanFebruary 23, 2025
Where The Heck In Wyoming Is This One-Of-A-Kind Western Iron Art Fence?
Lela Emmons of tiny Savery, Wyoming, stumbled on an unusual artistic fence in the 1990s and took photos of it. But she forgot where it was and hasn’t been able to find it again in about 30 years. She hopes someone in Wyoming can solve the mystery.
Renée JeanFebruary 23, 2025