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

The Inntrigue house in Laramie, Wyoming, appears as a regular home from the outside. Inside, it's filled with puzzles and challenges.

Get Your Brain Busted At The Inntrigue In Laramie, Wyoming’s Only Puzzle House

A Laramie Airbnb called the Inntrigue is unlike any other in Wyoming. A stay at this house at 1214 Sheridan St. is a brain-busting house-wide puzzle chase.

Renée JeanOctober 06, 2024

The Alibi Wood Fire Pizzeria on 4th Street in downtown Laramie, Wyoming.

Drinking Wyoming: Guy Fieri Loves Food At The Alibi, But Cocktails Are Great Too

Guy Fieri made Alibi Wood Fire Pizzaria famous for its “legit” Cowboy Brisket Pizza and its “rye-tchous” Ruben. But Alibi started life as a bar, and its craft cocktails are just as great as its food.

Renée JeanOctober 06, 2024

The small, rural Wyoming town of Dayton can only watch and pray as the Elk Fire burns across the mountain face of the Bighorns above.

Ian Munsick Starts GoFundMe to Help His Hometown Communities With The Elk Fire

Although country superstar Ian Munsick is performing at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper on Saturday, his mind is on the Elk Fire -- which is threatening the communities in northern Wyoming where he grew up. Munsick's GoFundMe has already topped the $50,000 goal and is growing.

Renée JeanOctober 05, 2024

The Open Range has been open for business at the Sheridan Inn for about a year.

Eating Wyoming: Fine Dining With Ghosts At The Open Range At Sheridan Inn

Sheridan Inn’s Open Range has been open for about a year now. The meals are delicious, but sometimes they might come with an unexpected spice — a little side dish of ghosts.

Renée JeanOctober 05, 2024

Mary Grace and her dog, Marley, walk around the Biltmore Village in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina. According to reports, more than 60 people have been killed across the South due to the storm, and millions have been left without power. North Carolina has been approved for a Federal Major Disaster Declaration.

In Brief: Rocky Mountain Power Sending Wyoming Workers To Help With Hurricane Relief

Rocky Mountain Power will send 23 employees from Wyoming, Idaho and Utah to help reconnect the power grid after Hurricane Helene.

Renée JeanOctober 04, 2024

View of the Fish Creek and Pack Trail fire area from the Gros Ventre.

Wyoming’s Pack Trail, Elk Fires Are Top Wildfire Priorities In Region

The Pack Trail Fire has burned nearly 20,000 acres in the Shoshoni National Forest and is expecting high winds to continue throughout the weekend. It and the Elk Fire in Sheridan County are the No. 1 wildfire priorities in the region.

Renée JeanOctober 04, 2024

The fast-growing Pack Trail Fire just southeast of the Fish Creek Fire has grown rapidly, with firefighting crews now treating the two fires as a single Fish Creek/Pack Trail complex. Both are burning in the Shoshone National Forest and threatening Highway 26 and nearby residential areas.

At 18,000 Acres And No Containment, Reinforcements Called In For Pack Trail Fire

After blowing up to 18,000 acres with 0% containment, the Pack Trail Fire has prompted evacuations and closures. Reinforcements are on the way, with a complex incident management team on the way.

Renée JeanOctober 01, 2024

Folks at the Parkman Bar and Grill are busy making hundreds of breakfast burritos a day and other meals and treat bags for firefighters working the Elk Fire and their families.

Water, Gatorade And Breakfast Burritos — Locals Rally For Wyoming Firefighters

With their neighbors evacuated or watching for that call, dozens of others are busy donating water, Gatorade and making hundreds of breakfast burritos for crews fighting the Elk Fire. It’s burned 25,000 acres so far in northern Wyoming.

Renée JeanOctober 01, 2024

It may seem like deja vu for folks at the Brooks Lake Lodge and surroundings areas as a huge plume of smoke rises from the nearby Pack Trail Fire, which blew up to nearly 20,000 acres overnight Sunday.

Wildfire Rages To 18,000 Acres In Bridger-Teton Forest, Pulling Crews Off Nearby Fire

A lightning strike deep in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest blew up overnight Sunday to nearly 18,000 acres. It also prompted new evacuation orders for Brooks Lake and Lava Mountain Lodges, as well as ranches and the KOA campground.

Renée JeanSeptember 30, 2024

The Elk Fire burning in northern Wyoming has prompted evacuations and concern from people who live near the fire's path, particularly the communties of Dayton and Parkman.

More Evacuations Ordered For People In Path Of 25,000-Acre Elk Fire

Some people were evacuated over the weekend and more Monday as the 25,000-acre Elk Fire near Dayton in northern Wyoming continues to burn. The growth of the fire slowed Monday, but it's still uncontrolled and a threat to homes in its path.

Renée JeanSeptember 30, 2024

A host of people stopped to help Nathan Frederick when his truck caught on fire off I-25 near Casper on Sunday, Spet. 29, 2024. (Video by Renee Jean, Cowboy State Daily)

When Truck Catches Fire Off I-25, Wyomingites Stop To Help

When a DoorDash driver’s truck caught fire just off Interstate 25 just east of Casper on Sunday, he had all kinds of help. Truckers and other motorists were quick to stop to help, even before emergency responders could arrive.

Renée JeanSeptember 30, 2024

Dave Stewart owns and operates the historic Occidental Hotel in Buffalo, Wyoming, with wife Jackie. He’s also a musician, writing “God Already Has,” which won Gospel Song of the Year at Friday’s IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards. Here he's posing with the award.

Owner of Buffalo’s Occidental Hotel Wins 2024 Gospel Song Of The Year

Dave Stewart owns and operates the historic Occidental Hotel in Buffalo, Wyoming, with wife Jackie. He’s also a singer/songwriter, co-writing “God Already Has,” which won Gospel Song of the Year at Friday’s International Bluegrass Music Awards.

Renée JeanSeptember 30, 2024

Other Authors

Locals in Dubois, Wyoming, still tell how Butch Cassidy, left, rode into town the winter after his infamous Telluride bank robbery. That’s when the notorious outlaw is said to run into author Owen Wister before either were famous.

Butch Cassidy In Wyoming: Notorious Outlaw Meets Owen Wister Before Either Were Famous

Locals in Dubois, Wyoming, still tell how Butch Cassidy rode into town the winter after his infamous Telluride bank robbery. That’s when the notorious outlaw is said to run into author Owen Wister before either were famous.

Renée JeanSeptember 29, 2024

Left, the designer of the Wyoming State Flag, Verna Keays Keys, maintained the bison on the flag should face away from the pole. But prominent sufferagist, UW professor and head of the DAR at the time, Grace Raymond Hebard, right, insisted it face the pole, which became the preferred way to make the flag.

Is The Wyoming Flag Bison Facing The Wrong Way? Creator’s Granddaughter Says Yes

Verna Keays Keyes designed Wyoming's unique state flag, but is the bison facing the wrong way? Her granddaughter says yes, that Keyes originally made it looking away from the pole.

Renée JeanSeptember 29, 2024

Electronic Con Artists Learned The Hard Way Not To Mess Around With "The Goat Ladies"

Electronic scams are everywhere whether it be email, social media or text messages. Con artists don't just target big business they go after the little guys too, like the Goat Ladies of Rock River. But the Goat Ladies were too smart to get conned.

Renée JeanSeptember 29, 2024

The iconic white wedding dress Geena Davis wore in her role as Barbara Maitland in the 1988 cult movie classic "Beetlejuice" is on display this weekend at the Hyart Theatre in Lovell, Wyoming. It's showing the long-awaited premired of the sequel, "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice."

Lovell Theater Has Wedding Gown From Original “Beetlejuice” On Display

Geena Davis might not be in the sequel to “Beetlejuice,” but her spirit is there for moviegoers in Lovell. The historic Hyart Theatre is screening “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” this weekend, and is displaying the famous white gown Davis wore in the original campy-creepy movie.

Renée JeanSeptember 28, 2024

Wyoming Rare (USA)'s Halleck Creek Project in southeast Wyoming.

Huge Wyoming Rare Earth Project Gets $450 Million Loan From Feds

Wyoming Rare (USA) will get more than $450 million in financing for its huge Halleck Creek Project in southeast Wyoming from a federal bank. It’s a loud message that America is serious about rare earth minerals and Wyoming’s potential to supply them.

Renée JeanSeptember 27, 2024

A pronghorn with a trio of drilling rigs in the background.

Wyoming’s Tiny 80-Acre Oil And Gas Lease Sale A Bust Waiting To Happen

A miniscule 80 acres sold in Wednesday’s federal oil and gas lease sale in Wyoming. The throttling of oil and gas production has state industry officials worry it’s a bust waiting to happen.

Renée JeanSeptember 27, 2024

The JBS meat processing plant in Greeley, Colorado.

Union Says Huge Greeley JBS Meat Plant Trafficked 500 Immigrant Workers

Local UFCW 7 claims a huge JBS meat plant in Greeley, Colorado, trafficked 500 or more immigrant workers. The stunning allegations include packing them into rooms with putrid living conditions and charging extra “fees” for company services.

Renée JeanSeptember 25, 2024

Sleeping giant Nic Oatridge via Flckr 9 24 24

Sleeping Giant Ski Resort Near Cody Won’t Open This Winter Either

The Sleeping Giant Ski Resort in the Shoshone National Forest near Yellowstone National Park won’t open for the winter ski season. It’s the second straight winter the resort has been closed.

Renée JeanSeptember 25, 2024

A satellite plat at Uranium Energy Corp's Christensen Ranch site in Wyoming. TerraPower's new nuclear plant planned for Kemmerer could run on Wyoming uranium.

Texas-Based Uranium Energy Buys Wyoming Processing Plant For $175 Million

Texas-based Uranium Energy Corp. is making yet another acquisition in Wyoming, snapping up the state’s only conventional uranium mill for $175 million. The move sets it up to be the largest domestic producer of uranium.

Renée JeanSeptember 24, 2024

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