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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

Bradley Hudson II, 19, was sentenced Monday to up to 24 years in prison for molesting three young girls. He confessed to the sexual abuse during a polygraph test when applying for a job at the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office.

Gillette Man Who Admitted To Child Sex Crimes While Applying For Job As Jailer Gets 24 Years

A Gillette 19-year-old was sentenced Monday to up to 24 years in prison for molesting three young girls. He confessed to the sexual abuse during a polygraph test when applying for a job at the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office.

Renée JeanSeptember 30, 2025

Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon with U.S. Sen. John Barrasso and Interrior Secretary Doug Bergum during Monday's announcement of the Trump administration's $625 million investment in coal-fired power plants and production.

Wyoming Cheers As Trump Injects $625M Into U.S. Coal, Opens 13M Acres For Leasing

Wyoming’s coal industry is cheering Monday’s announcement that President Trump’s Department of Energy is injecting $625 million into coal-fired plants and mining. Department of Interior is also opening 13.1 million acres of federal land for coal leases.

Renée JeanSeptember 29, 2025

Many of the insects Aaron Clark finds on his ranch with the help of Allie Hazen are very small. The vial Clark is holding up contains a dozen or so specimens.

Wyoming’s Insect Cowboy Has Discovered New Bugs That Are In The Smithsonian

Aaron Clark has a small cow-calf operation on a ranch near Wheatland. But what he likes to lasso most are insects, and he's discovered several new ones in Wyoming — and some are now in the Smithsonian.

Renée JeanSeptember 28, 2025

The 101-year-old Spotted Horse Bar and Grill is an off-the-beaten dive bar on Highway 14-16 between Gillette and Sheridan. It's famous for its ranch burgers and famous spotted horse statue out front, which was rescued from a Montana brothel.

Drinking Wyoming: The Spotted Horse’s Famous Spotted Horse Rescued From A Brothel

The 101-year-old Spotted Horse Bar and Grill is an off-the-beaten dive bar on Highway 14-16 between Gillette and Sheridan. It's famous for its ranch burgers and spotted horse statue out front, which was rescued from a Montana brothel.

Renée JeanSeptember 28, 2025

Members of the Centennial Antique Tractor & Engine Club enjoy making their tractors look good. Then they take them for little adventures, like the recent tour of the Burnette Enterpises mega dairy near Carpenter.

They Think Their Tractors Are Sexy — And So Do Parade Crowds

The Centennial Antique Engine & Tractor Club is a group of people in southeastern Wyoming and northern Colorado who have one thing in common — they love vintage farm equipment. Especially tractors, which they think are pretty sexy.

Renée JeanSeptember 27, 2025

Crayton smiles at all the photographs and memories, hangin got the walls at the Sheridan Foster Care Exchange.

She Was A Foster Kid, Now Sheridan Woman Is On A Mission To Make The System Better

After her own difficulties as a foster kid, Carla Crayton has vowed to make sure other children don't have the same experiences. The Sheridan woman has built a nonprofit dedicated to her mission of making the system better for kids and foster parents.

Renée JeanSeptember 27, 2025

Laramie County Community College is considering a name change. A name change would be costly, in the six figure range, but would better represent what the college offers, including bachelor's degrees, a residence hall, and cultural activities like community orchestra and theater.

Laramie County Community College In Cheyenne Is Getting Renamed

Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne says it’s time for a rebrand, which will include a new name that won’t have “community” in it. With a new name, perhaps the unofficial nickname "Last Chance Cowboy College" will be no more.

Renée JeanSeptember 25, 2025

Former legislator and retired railroad worker Stan Blake says continuing rail layoffs, like the ones last week in Green River, coupled with more automation will mean more train accidents in Wyoming.

Green River Railroad Layoffs And More Automation Raise Train Safety Questions

Former legislator and retired railroad worker Stan Blake says continuing rail layoffs, like the ones last week in Green River, coupled with more automation will mean more train accidents in Wyoming.

Renée JeanSeptember 24, 2025

The Triangle C Ranch near Dubois has been a working dude ranch for nearly a century. Now the Wyoming property surrounded by the Shoshone National Forest is on the market, listing for $4.95 million.

Nearly 100-Year-Old Triangle C Ranch Near Dubois Lists For $4.95 million

The Triangle C Ranch near Dubois has been a working dude ranch for nearly a century. Now the Wyoming property surrounded by the Shoshone National Forest is on the market, listing for $4.95 million.

Renée JeanSeptember 23, 2025

Prometheus hyperscale trenton pointing7217

Water-Efficient Data Center Model That Started In Wyoming Is Expanding To Texas

A low-water-use data center being developed in Evanston, Wyoming, by Prometheus Hyperscale is expanding to Texas. The data center in Evanston is still moving ahead as planned and will remain the company’s flagship.

Renée JeanSeptember 22, 2025

Clay Gibbons talks about the gangs that inhabited the Hole in the Wall during a 2024 tour. Wyoming’s infamous Wild West outlaw culture has inspired a documentary filmmaker to feature the Hole in the Wall hideout. He uses Wyoming voices to tell the story of the infamous outlaw outpost.

Hole In The Wall Film Uses Wyoming Voices To Tell Story Of Infamous Outlaw Hideout

Wyoming’s infamous Wild West outlaw culture has inspired a documentary filmmaker to feature the Hole in the Wall hideout. He uses Wyoming voices to tell the story of the infamous outlaw outpost.

Renée JeanSeptember 21, 2025

Shelby Means performs at the annual RockyGrass Festival in Colordo. She returned to her hometown of Laramie, Wyoming, this weekend to headline a local music festival.

Grammy Winner Shelby Means Headlines Laramie Music Fest In Homecoming

Laramie native Shelby Means is a Grammy winning bluegrass star who is playing stages around the world. This weekend, she returned to her hometown to headline the inaugural Snow Train Festival.

Renée JeanSeptember 21, 2025

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The 116 miles of historic Lincoln Highway between Laramie and Sinclair, Wyoming, is as important as it way when it was built in 1913. Then, it was part of the first cross-country highway, and now packed with Wyoming and transportation history.

Driving From Laramie To Sinclair On Wyoming's Forgotten Lincoln Highway

The 116 miles of the historic Lincoln Highway between Laramie and Sinclair may be somewhat forgotten now but it's still important. Built in 1913, it was part of the first cross-country highway, and now it's packed with Wyoming and transportation history.

Renée JeanSeptember 20, 2025

The theater’s latest high-tech accessory is a move towared the future of theater in which most of the audience can easily cancel out their popcorn crunching, joke-telling and chatty neighbors.

Historic WYO Theater Is First In Wyoming With High-Tech Audio Filtering System

Tired of annoying people who talk through movies and performances? Then check out the historic WYO Theater in Sheridan. It's the first theater in Wyoming to install the custom Auri Bluetooth audio system.

Renée JeanSeptember 20, 2025

Tom Laycock with AARP Wyoming is calling for more regulations around Bitcoin ATMs and other cryptocurrency kiosks, saying that they are portals to fraud. In Cheyenne alone, people have dumped more than $645,000 into the machines, wrecking retirements.

Crypto Kiosks Have Become Portals To Fraud Across Wyoming

In Cheyenne alone, the police department said it has identified 50 instances of fraud involving Bitcoin ATMS, totaling more than $645,000 in cash that wasn’t rescued. AARP Wyoming says the fraud is destroying retirement accounts of vulnerable senior citizens.

Renée JeanSeptember 20, 2025

Jerry Ragsdale of Casper is on a roll. He got his first elk in four years, won $10,000 off a gaming machine, and then bagged a $2 million lottery ticket. He told Cowboy State Daily this was just the second time he played Powerball.

Casper Man Bags An Elk, A $10K Jackpot And $2 Million Lottery Ticket

Jerry Ragsdale of Casper is on a roll. He got his first elk in four years, won $10,000 off a gaming machine, and then bagged a $2 million lottery ticket. He told Cowboy State Daily this was just the second time he played Powerball.

Renée JeanSeptember 19, 2025

Matt Korda, a watchdog who tracks global nuclear weapons trends, was at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne on Tuesday to highlight Wyoming’s lead role in the $141 billion replacement of aging Minuteman III missiles.

Nuclear Watchdog Visits Wyoming As State Prepares For Sentinel Missiles

A watchdog who tracks global nuclear weapons trends was in Wyoming on Tuesday to highlight Wyoming’s lead role in the $141 billion replacement of aging Minuteman III missiles at F.E. Warren Air Force Base.

Renée JeanSeptember 16, 2025

The Cheyenne YMCA has been serving people in Wyoming's capital city for nearly 70 years, but needs $8 million in repairs and is 800 members short of breaking even. Now the facility is in its last two weeks and will close its doors permanently Sept. 26.

After Nearly 70 Years, Cheyenne YMCA Will Close For Good Sept. 26

The Cheyenne YMCA has been serving people in Wyoming's capital city for nearly 70 years, but needs $8 million in repairs and is 800 members short of breaking even. Now the facility is in its last two weeks and will close its doors permanently Sept. 26.

Renée JeanSeptember 16, 2025

Researchers have confirmed the presence of "kissing bugs" that carry the Chagas disease in Wyoming. The CDC says the parasitic disease is often fatal if not treated, and can linger in a body for years.

Deadly Kissing Bug Spotted In Wheatland: What To Know About Chagas Disease

Researchers have confirmed the presence of "kissing bugs" that carry the Chagas disease in Wyoming. The CDC says the parasitic disease is often fatal if not treated, and can linger in a body for years.

Renée JeanSeptember 15, 2025

A worker connects each cow to milk tubes. In one turn around the carousel, each cow will give an average 3.5 gallons of milk.

Wyoming Ranch Family Builds A 6,200-Cow Mega-Dairy On Eastern Plains

The Burnett family has built a 6,200-cow mega dairy in Carpenter on Wyoming’s eastern plains that helps supply Pizza Hut’s cheese maker. The dairy says it’s pioneering innovations that could change the industry.

Renée JeanSeptember 14, 2025

Train enthusiast and vintage railcar expert Michael Pannell has rescued a 113-year-old boxcar from oblivion in Cheyenne. Inside, the car has signatures of workers, something Pannell intends to preserve.

Cheyenne Man Restoring 113-Year-Old Union Pacific Boxcar

Cheyenne train enthusiast Michael Pannell is restoring a 113-year-old Union Pacific boxcar. Although passersby may think the train car is ready for the junk heap, to Pannell, it can be a museum -- complete with signatures and dates from railroad workers.

Renée JeanSeptember 14, 2025

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