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

Wyoming Postal Rep Filing Grievance Over Mail Going To Colorado Instead Of Cheyenne

A Wyoming postal rep is filing a grievance because magazines, catalogs, and large envelopes that were supposed to be processed in Cheyenne are now going to Denver, adding at least a day to some Wyoming deliveries. “That is ridiculous,” he said.

Renée JeanOctober 20, 2026

A debate over whether it's unprofessional to bring a coffee drink to a job interview is heating up. In Wyoming, employers are mixed, with some saying they wouldn't like it to others who say they wouldn't be bothered at all.

Is Bringing A Latte To A Job Interview Unprofessional? Wyoming Employers Split

Wyoming has become part of a growing debate over whether it’s unprofessional for Gen Z job applicants to bring coffee drinks to interviews. Some employers told Cowboy Sate Daily it's not impressive, while others say it's no big deal.

Renée JeanOctober 18, 2026

Melody Rupple, in Lander, has already started an adaptive equipment lending library called TrekAbility, helping people with mobility challenges get outside without first buying thousands of dollars worth of specialized gear.

How A Jackson Quadriplegic And Lander Mom Are Opening Outdoors To The Disabled

Wyoming’s rugged terrain is difficult for people in top physical shape to navigate, and nearly impossible for those with disabilities. A Jackson quadriplegic and mom from Lander are changing that, making adaptive devices available when insurance won’t.

Renée JeanOctober 18, 2026

Wyoming Hereford Ranch is the nation’s oldest continuously registered livestock operation, but was once almost decimated by bad genetics. The Cheyenne ranch’s rise, fall, and resurrection includes John Wayne attending sales and a pair of historic bulls.

Inside The Wyoming Hereford Ranch, Oldest Registered Livestock Operations In U.S.

Wyoming Hereford Ranch is the nation’s oldest continuously registered livestock operation. John Wayne had a favorite seat at its sale barn and two of its legendary bulls are a through line for much of the nation’s Hereford cattle today.

Renée JeanOctober 18, 2026

A crowd gathers for the dedication for the Waiomina boot in Waimea, Hawaii. Waiomina is how Hawaiians pronounce "Wyoming."

How An 8-Foot-Tall Cheyenne Cowboy Boot Wound Up In Hawaii

One of Cheyenne’s giant hand-painted 8-foot-tall cowboy boots — that are located all over Wyoming's capital city — is located 3,300 miles away in Waimea, Hawaii. The boot honors a Hawaiian cowboy’s 1908 steer-roping win at Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Renée JeanOctober 18, 2026

When a Pennsylvania couple saw photos of a big Bat-Signal lighting up a hillside over Afton, Wyoming, Emily and Justin Sweitzer drove 2,000 miles to see it. It was a tribute to their 7-year-old son Issac, a huge Batman fan, who died seven years ago in a car crash.

Grieving Parents Drive 2,000 Miles To See Afton Man's Bat-Signal On Hillside

When a Pennsylvania couple saw photos of a big Bat-Signal lighting up a hillside over Afton, Wyoming, they drove 2,000 miles to see it. It was a tribute to their 7-year-old son, a huge Batman fan, who died seven years ago in a car crash.

Renée JeanOctober 18, 2026

Members of the Alliance for Historic Wyoming Lincoln Highway "Unbarred" tour visited the Fossil Cabin Museum, 5 miles from Medicine Bow.

Wyoming’s Famous Fossil Cabin Off Limits To Public Because It Can’t Get Insured

Wyoming’s famous Fossil Cabin, billed as the “world’s oldest cabin,” has been moved to Medicine Bow. But it hasn’t reopened to the public because until the town’s insurance company will cover it. “There’s no way to put a price on it,” the mayor said.

Renée JeanOctober 18, 2026

Cowboy State Daily meteorologist Don Day says southern Wyoming ski resorts are likely to get more snow this winter than those in the north part of the state.

This Year's El Niño Means Ski Resorts In Southern Wyoming Likely To Get More Snow

While the first snow is encouraging, Meteorologist Don Day expects this winter’s El Niño pattern to divide Wyoming’s ski outlook, with better snow conditions in the south than in the north. “It’s really hard to get any worse than what we had last year."

Renée JeanOctober 18, 2026

Harvey Deselms inspects one of the statues at the PRCA that will be moving to Wyoming.

Behind The Scenes Of The Massive Effort To Move PRCA Headquarters To Cheyenne

Moving huge bronze sculptures is just one piece of the massive effort underway to move the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association headquarters from Colorado Springs to Cheyenne. Behind the scenes, a small army is working to get the move finished by December 2028.

Renée JeanOctober 17, 2026

The Bates family spent five years rebuilding its meat plant near Byron after a devastating fire, despite no insurance and repeated setbacks.

Five Years After Fire — And With No Insurance — Byron Family Rebuilds Meat Plant

Rebekah and Martin Bates spent five years rebuilding its meat plant near Byron after a devastating fire, despite no insurance and repeated setbacks. “It was a hard comeback,” Rebekah said. “But we’re back, and we are cutting meat again.”

Renée JeanOctober 17, 2026

Billionaire Ricketts Not Giving Up On Resort Near Bondurant After Rejection

Joe Ricketts’ team says the billionaire still wants to build a resort near Bondurant despite Sublette County commissioners shutting it down earlier this month. “We maintain that private property rights are a cornerstone of our state,” said a Ricketts spokesperson.

Renée JeanOctober 17, 2026

An outdoor camera shows a postal carrier using a flashlight after 1:30 a.m. to deliver mail in a Cheyenne neighborhood.

You’ve Got Mail — At 1:39 A.M.: Cheyenne Postal Deliveries Stretch Past Midnight

A Cheyenne woman’s camera caught mail arriving at 1:39 a.m. one day last week, raising safety concerns for the carrier. The Postal Service says heavy volume and absences prompted management to help deliver, and some didn't finish up until 4:30 a.m.

Renée JeanOctober 13, 2026

Other Authors

The Gates at Stonegate sits on 35 acres near Saratoga.

35-Acre Wyoming Ranch Near 5-Star Ultra-Luxury Brush Creek Ranch Lists For $8.5M

A 35-acre ranch in the neighborhood of some of the most prominent ranches in Wyoming has hit the market for $8.5 million. The Gates at Stonegate is right down the road from the 5-star Brush Creek Ranch and has sweeping views of the Sierra Madre and Snowy ranges.

Renée JeanOctober 12, 2026

Linnea Dix talks to a customer in the Wyoming BrickWorks store. The man came from Torrington to find pieces for a haunted house project.

LEGO On The Plains: Why A Family In LaGrange, Wyoming (Pop. 372) Started A LEGO Store

A family in LaGrange turned a former bar into a LEGO store called Wyoming Brickworks. Now it draws LEGO lovers from hundreds of miles away to the town of 372 people. The owners say it also serves as a hands-on classroom for their homeschooled children.

Renée JeanOctober 11, 2026

Don’t Let The 15 People Who Live In Jay Em, Wyoming, Hear You Call It A Ghost Town

Turkeys outnumber people on Main Street in Jay Em, but don’t let the 15 residents hear you call it a ghost town. Founder Lake Harris’ descendants keep the town — which has been dry for 110 years and never had a saloon or bar — from fading away.

Renée JeanOctober 11, 2026

Cowboy cook Kent Rollins shows how to country fry just about anything in cast iron. He'll feature a stop at the Auzqui Ranch in Clearmont, Wyoming, on his "Cast Iron Cowboy" TV show on Monday.

TV’s ‘Cast Iron Cowboy’ Set Up His Western Chuckwagon On Clearmont Ranch

Millions of fans follow chuckwagon cook Kent Rollins online and on his TV show, “Cast Iron Cowboy,” which debuts its visit to the Auzqui Ranch near Clearmont on Monday. The menu includes loins of lamb and smoky mac and cheese with bacon and green chili.

Renée JeanOctober 10, 2026

Aladdin General Store Ethel Davies via Alamy 10 10 26

A Phantom Voice Made A Believer Of Aladdin General Store’s Once Skeptical Owner

Trent Tope wasn’t a big believer in the supernatural when he bought the Aladdin General Store. He could explain weird things away in the creaky and groany 130-year-old store. But a woman’s voice captured on a security recording forever changed his mind.

Renée JeanOctober 10, 2026

Fifth-generation Jackson native Danny Shervin paints with gunpowder and fire.

Playing With Fire — How A Jackson Native Turned Gunpowder Into A Global Career

Fifth-generation Jackson resident Danny Shervin left the finance world behind after an impulsive kitchen-table experiment in college sparked a viral art business. His art has been seen on ESPN, Mission Impossible, and in galleries around the world.

Renée JeanOctober 10, 2026

Encampment Is Latest Wyoming Town To Wrestle With Airbnbs And Housing Shortage

Encampment is looking to a Jackson town ordinance as a model to regulate short-term rentals as it wrestles with a shortage of affordable homes. Critics question whether restrictions will create more housing for workers or leave vacation homes empty.

Renée JeanOctober 07, 2026

Riva Ridge Reserve, an 18,000-square-foot luxury estate on 117 acres on East Gros Ventre Butte in Jackson Hole, recently sold for close to $39.5 million.

117-Acre Jackson Hole Compound That Couldn’t Be Built Today Sells For $39.5M

A compound too large to build under today’s rules in Teton County has sold for $39.5 million. Spanning 117 acres, 70% of the land is protected by conservation easements. “Luxury at this level is increasingly about irreplaceability,” the broker said.

Renée JeanOctober 06, 2026

The Bearlodge Forest Products crew in 2024 to mark the Hulett sawmill's 45th anniversary.

‘Absolute Blow’: After Nearly 50 Years, Hulett Family Sawmill To Shut Down

After nearly 50 years of operating in Hulett, Bearlodge Forest Products has announced it will shut down after Oct. 31. “This is an absolute blow” to a community with deep ties to Wyoming’s timber industry, says Sen. Ogden Driskill.

Renée JeanOctober 05, 2026