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
Good News: Hitching Post Sign Saved. Also, Man Found Living In Sign!
When construction workers were digging up the concrete foundation for the gigantic Hitching Post sign in west Cheyenne, they saw a foot sticking out. Turns out someone was living in the sign. Also, the sign will be saved.
Renée JeanMay 15, 2024
Postal Service Will Temporarily Halt Plans To Move Mail Processing Out Of Wyoming
A plan that would move essentially move all mail processing in Wyoming to other states and significantly slow mail delivery times has been temporarily halted. The Postmaster General said he would pause the plan until January 1, 2025.
Renée JeanMay 14, 2024
Biden Orders Chinese-Owned Cryptocurrency Mine Near F. E. Warren To Shut Down
Tucker Fagan, former commander of F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, said the decision to shut down the Chinese-owned cryptocurrency mine near the base was the right call. “We live in a very dangerous world and it's not getting safer” he said.
Renée JeanMay 14, 2024
Thermopolis Locals Fear New Hot Springs State Park Operators Will Price Them Out
Dozens of Thermopolis-area residents peppered a Wyoming State Parks official Monday about their worries that a new operator will price out locals who enjoy Wyoming’s most popular state park.
Renée JeanMay 14, 2024
Gillette Celebrates Sheep Wagons — Wyoming’s Original Tiny Homes
The town of Gillette spent Saturday celebrating sheep wagons, a uniquely Wyoming invention that were ingenious for their time. The 12-foot-long tiny homes on wheels were practical long before they became trendy.
Renée JeanMay 13, 2024
One Eyed Buffalo Is So Popular In Thermopolis, There Are 3 Locations In Town Of Less Than 3,000
One Eyed Buffalo in Thermopolis — a town of fewer than 3,000 people — is so popular, there are three different locations. And they're all doing well.
Renée JeanMay 12, 2024
Company Tries To Hide Jackson’s Controversial ‘White Pimple’ Glamping Tents
The controversial glamping tents near Jackson Hole Mountain Resort’s entrance that Gov. Mark Gordon dubbed “white pimples” are being camouflaged. Teton County officials say that doesn’t begin to cover up the many problems with them.
Renée JeanMay 12, 2024
No More Overnight: UPS Cuts Deliveries To Southeast Wyoming To Three Days A Week
If you live in a rural southeast Wyoming, don't expect overnight delivery anymore from UPS. They've discontinued the service in favor of three days a week. Those who rely on overnight delivery of medications are scrambling for other options.
Renée JeanMay 12, 2024
The Horse Realtor: Wyoming Real Estate Agent Focuses On Properties For Horse Owners
Sheridan's Clay Schafer has shod horses all over the world. He also owns Premier Horse Property, a real estate agency that caters to horse owners. It’s a niche Schafer believes isn’t being well-covered by the industry anywhere.
Renée JeanMay 12, 2024
Man Finds Answers 114 Years After Great-Grandfather Killed In Wyoming Mining Town
Riccardo Severini was shot and killed on Easter Sunday while playing a game of poker in the mining town of Sunrise, Wyoming, back in 1910. His great-grandson is digging into the tragedy and uncovering pieces of untold Wyoming history.
Renée JeanMay 11, 2024
Cheyenne Barber Angel Maldonado Releases Song Featuring Jelly Roll
Angel Maldonado is a Cheyenne barber and a musician. A collaboration he did with rapper turned country music star Jelly Roll has just been released ahead of Jelly Roll’s upcoming appearance at Cheyenne Frontier Days this summer.
Renée JeanMay 11, 2024
End Of An Era: Cheyenne’s Iconic Hitching Post Inn Sign Comes Down
The iconic Hitching Post sign in Cheyenne was torn down on Thursday. It was the last remnant of the place once known as the “Second Capitol of Wyoming" as that's where legislators stayed during the session and got most of their work done.
Renée JeanMay 09, 2024
Laramie County Investigates 'Threatening' Emails Over Denied Fireworks Permits
Two fireworks businesses on the Wyoming - Colorado border are the subject of a criminal investigation after Laramie County Commissioners received what they said are "threatening" emails after denying the businesses permits to operate.
Renée JeanMay 08, 2024
47-Ton Cheyenne Supercomputer Sold To Mystery Buyer For $480,000
A 47-ton supercomputer in Cheyenne than can do 5.3 quadrillion calculations per second and was once one of the top 20 most powerful computers in the world has been sold to a mystery buyer for $480,000. It was mostly used for atmospheric research.
Renée JeanMay 07, 2024
Custodia Bank Hires High-Profile Lawyers To Appeal Federal Reserve Denial
Wyoming's Custodia Bank is fighting the court decision which shut it out of the Federal Reserve with two high-profile attorneys including the solicitor general for the Obama administration and the former solicitor general of Virginia.
Renée JeanMay 07, 2024
Despite Setback, Cheyenne Arboretum Still Works For Historic Designation
Cheyenne's High Plains Arboretum, the vast 877-acre site northwest of Cheyenne, didn’t get its state historic designation during this year’s Wyoming legislative session, but the project is still moving forward with a master plan.
Renée JeanMay 06, 2024
Wyoming Doctor Says Food Is The Secret To Preventing Alzheimer’s
Dr. Annie Fenn travels the world to where there are unusually large number of centenarians and a lower prevalence of Alzheimer's. The Jackson doctor says data shows eating a certain way will prevent Alzheimer’s.
Renée JeanMay 05, 2024
Wyoming Meat Processors Say Erratic State Inspections Crippling Them
Todd Koehler used to own a custom meat shop in Gillette. He told Cowboy State Daily the state’s inspection process was so inconsistent he finally gave up on it. Other meat processors agree, saying the problem is crippling their industry.
Renée JeanMay 05, 2024
Eating Wyoming: Former Frackelton’s Owner Is Resurrecting Popular Sheridan Spot
Kim Love first opened Frackelton’s — one of Sheridan's favorite spots — about 10 years ago, but sold it about six years later. When it suddenly closed six months ago, he decided to resurrect the fine-dining restaurant.
Renée JeanMay 04, 2024
Did You Know? Thermopolis Gift Shop Has Largest Selection Of Hot Sauces In U.S.
The Discover Thermopolis store in Thermopolis, Wyoming, is a print shop, souvenir and gift outlet and has more than 2,000 hot sauces -- the largest selection in the United States.
Renée JeanMay 04, 2024
Torrington’s Bread Doctor Has Delivered Hundreds Of Babies — And Baked Goods
Dr. Edzan Fluckiger — Torrington, Wyoming’s Bread Doctor — has delivered at least 800 babies. And for the last 11 years has delivered thousands of baked goods -- at a very popular bakery he started for his special needs daughter.
Renée JeanMay 04, 2024
Wyoming-Based Company Makes High-Tech Robots To Go Where Humans Don’t Want To
Laramie-based UplinkRobotics started as an engineer making an inspection drone for his dad, and now it’s a groundbreaking international company 3D printing high-tech robots to inspect under houses and other places humans don’t want to go.
Renée JeanMay 04, 2024
50-Year Owner Of Wyoming’s Famous Star Plunge Is Out, Huge Upgrades Planned
Thermopolis locals are mixed about turning over operations of Wyoming’s famous Star Plunge -- after nearly 50 years of ownership by the same family -- while huge upgrades are planned.
Renée JeanMay 04, 2024
Kaboom! Average Jackson Home Price Hits New Record At $7 Million
The outdoor recreation boom continues to influence the Jackson and Teton County housing market with the average single-family home price hitting an astonishing $7.02 million.
Renée JeanApril 29, 2024
Wyoming Woman Preserves Art Of Printing With 125-Year-Old, 250-Pound Press
Kayla Clark teaches graphic design at University of Wyoming, but her true passion is in the centuries-old art of printing, which she preserves and teaches with Poco, her 125-year-old, 250-pound “portable” press.
Renée JeanApril 28, 2024
Historical Artist Recreates Images Of Wild West Wyoming In Exact Detail
A historical artist has recreated images of some of the most important Wild West events in eastern Wyoming history. Goshen County has so much history because it is located at a popular spot along the Oregon Trail.
Renée JeanApril 28, 2024
Bucking Horse Makes Wyoming License Plates More Collectible Than Others
International tourists love Wyoming license plates -- like the Laramie County plate spotted outside a mountainside restaurant in the Swiss Alps. Collectors say the bucking horse makes the Wyoming plate, in particular, more popular than most.
Renée JeanApril 28, 2024
Drinking Wyoming: Sweet Melissa, The Secret Cocktail At Miners and Stockmen’s
Wyoming’s famous Miners and Stockmen’s Steakhouse -- the oldest bar in Wyoming -- always gets rave reviews for its high-end steaks. Now it’s got the Sweet Melissa, a cocktail on its secret menu that’s named after their beloved late colleague.
Renée JeanApril 27, 2024
100-Foot-Tall, 40-Room Castle For Sale In Bedford, Wyoming, For $14 Million
Many children grow up dreaming of one day living in a castle, but Deon Heiner of Bedford, Wyoming, actually did it. The 40 room, 100-foot-tall Heiner Castle -- which took 8 years to build -- is listed for $14 million.
Renée JeanApril 27, 2024
Wyoming-Based On The Hook Fish And Chips Empire To Expand, Sell Franchises
Wyoming-based On the Hook Fish and Chips has food trucks in 17 states, and now for the first time will expand beyond by franchising its proven concept.
Renée JeanApril 25, 2024
Insurance Rates Skyrocket For Wyoming Homeowners, Some Get Dropped Completely
Wyoming homeowners are reporting skyrocketing insurance premiums that have doubled or tripled in the last year. Other homeowners are getting dropped by companies altogether.
Renée JeanApril 23, 2024
International Markets Worth Big Money For Wyoming Tourism
Italy's Christian Josso has been working to set up whiskey tours for all the “pure whiskey lovers” of Europe. Josso thought these tours should start in Kentucky or Tennessee, states with long histories in whiskey. But now he's thinking of starting in Wyoming.
Renée JeanApril 22, 2024
Bringing In Billions, Outdoor Recreation Now A Wyoming Revenue Juggernaut
With stunning vistas and outdoor recreation opportunities within driving distance of every community in Wyoming, the Cowboy State is the fourth-fastest growing outdoor economy in the nation, with over $2 billion generated in 2023.
Renée JeanApril 21, 2024
Chugwater, Wyoming, Could Get Smaller With Landowners Trying To De-Annex Themselves
The tiny town of Chugwater might soon get a lot smaller with three landowners filing a petition to de-annex from the city and take 172 acres with them. They say they don't use any city services, so they want out.
Renée JeanApril 21, 2024
New Life For 110-Year-Old Stringer Hotel, Dubois’ Oldest - And Tallest - Building
When Jason Kintzler learned someone was going to buy the 110-year-old Stringer Hotel in Dubois and tear it down, he bought the building himself to save it. Now it's one of Dubois’ oldest and tallest, and has a new lease on life.
Renée JeanApril 21, 2024
Eating Wyoming: Although A "Blip On The Map," There's Great Food In Hawk Springs
Hawk Springs may just be a blip on the map in eastern Wyoming with a population of 45 but The Emporium is a top-notch steakhouse with prime rib, steaks, burgers and more, as well as Papa’s special buttermilk pie.
Renée JeanApril 21, 2024
Wyoming Office Of Tourism Stops Wildlife Ads In Wake Of Wolf Abuse Scandal
Wyoming’s wildlife is a big tourism draw, but the state Office of Tourism has paused all of its wildlife tourism advertising in the wake of the wolf torture case that has sparked worldwide outrage.
Renée JeanApril 19, 2024
Bill Would Block Postal Service Plan to Downsize Wyoming Mail Centers
Wyoming’s congressional delegaton has united around a bipartisan bill that would block the U.S. Postal Service’s plans to eliminate major mail centers in Wyoming and other states.
Renée JeanApril 18, 2024
Casper Post Office Downsized, Leaving Wyoming Without A Major Mail Center
The U.S. Postal Service announced Tuesday it will downsize the Casper Post Office, which comes about a month after doing the same to Cheyenne’s, leaving Wyoming without a major mail processing center.
Renée JeanApril 17, 2024
Old Chicago In Cheyenne Closes Without Warning — Even To Employees
The doors to Old Chicago in Cheyenne suddenly closed Sunday without warning or explanation, employees say. They say they showed up to work, were told not to clock-in, and to go home. Other locations in the state remained open.
Renée JeanApril 15, 2024
Small Wyoming Pharmacies Pushed Out Of Business, Say Industry Is Like Mafia
Casper pharmacist Eric Saul says small independent pharmacies are getting squeezed out by super-large companies that squeeze the little guy with mafia-like tactics.
Renée JeanApril 14, 2024
City Work Busts Sewer Line, Nearly Puts Cheyenne Shop Out Of Business
Bohemian Metals, with its eclectic mix of ancient and unique artifacts in downtown Cheyenne, is the dream for owner Brian Snyder that turned into a nightmare when city work on 17th Street nearly put him out of business.
Renée JeanApril 14, 2024
WYDOT Trying To Stop Google Maps Stranding Motorists In Frozen Nowhere, Wyoming
Google Maps has a bad habit of sending travelers down closed roads in Wyoming. It's led to 28 search and rescues in Sweetwater County alone, leaving motorists stranded in below-freezing weather with 22-foot high snowdrifts. WYDOT is trying to fix that.
Renée JeanApril 14, 2024
At $75 A Pound, Wyoming Morel Hunters Could Cash In On Shroom Boom
Foragers who will soon be hunting for those tasty morel mushrooms hiding under cottonwood trees or alongside lady slipper orchids in Wyoming could be in for a pleasant surprise this year. At $75 a pound in some places, the shroom boom is on.
Renée JeanApril 14, 2024
Pinedale’s Oldest Building Built Up Through Great Depression Generosity
Small towns are not just made of hardy stuff. They’re built on generosity, too. There is perhaps no better example than the Chambers Bed and Breakfast, a top-quality historic stay and the oldest building in Pinedale.
Renée JeanApril 13, 2024
Wyoming’s Own Ian Munsick Returns Home With ‘Real West’ Country Music
Sheridan’s Ian Munsick says he will be back performing in Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain Region, where he got his start in the country-western scene. “This will definitely be a homecoming for me,” Munsick told Cowboy State Daily.
Renée JeanApril 13, 2024
The Rock Shop Inn: A Spectacular Spot In the Heart Of Nowhere, Wyoming
The Rock Shop Inn in the heart of nowhere, Wyoming, is a pristine 5-acre gateway to a bouldering hotspot and hundreds of miles of Shoshone National Forest trails. The cabins re-opened in 2019 and the refurbished saloon will be open this summer.
Renée JeanApril 13, 2024
Hawk Springs Farmer Works To Scale Up State’s Hemp Industry
A farmer in Hawk Springs thinks Wyoming can be a hemp industry leader in research and production. When he saw how expensive machines to process hemp were, he worked with an engineer to design his own at a fraction of the cost
Renée JeanApril 07, 2024