Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's business and tourism reporter, Renée Jean

Renée Jean

Wyoming Life

Around Wyoming

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Cowboy State Daily is Wyoming’s largest newspaper with Wyoming’s most experienced journalists. 

<title>Jerre Gowdy, Wife Of Sportscaster Curt Gowdy And Philanthropist, Dies At 101 | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Known for her charity work and devotion to Wyoming’s Curt Gowdy State Park, Jerre Gowdy, the wife of the late Hall of Fame sportscaster, died last week at age 101. She leaves a legacy of kindness and philanthropy. 

Jerre Gowdy, Wife Of Sportscaster Curt Gowdy And Philanthropist, Dies At 101

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's Feature Reporter, Andrew Rossi.

Andrew Rossi

Crime & Courts

Public Safety

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<title>Utah Man Dies In Wrong-Way Head-On Crash On I-80 Near Evanston | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A Utah man driving the wrong way on Interstate 80 died over the weekend after colliding head-on with a semitrailer near Evanston. Witnesses said a pickup was driving eastbound in the westbound lane Saturday when the collision happened. 

Utah Man Dies In Wrong-Way Head-On Crash On I-80 Near Evanston

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's managing editor, Greg Johnson.

Greg Johnson

Law Enforcement

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<title>Laramie County Sheriff Says Photos Of ‘Terrorism In Action’ Just A Stolen Car | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Laramie County Sheriff Brian Kozak is calling out a social media post and photos incorrectly tagged “terrorism in action” by his department’s immigration task force. The photos were of a stolen car recovery and had nothing to do with ICE, he said.

Laramie County Sheriff Says Photos Of ‘Terrorism In Action’ Just A Stolen Car

Government & Politics

Transportation

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<title>Robots Could Be Answer To Wyoming’s $600 Million Road Repair Shortfall | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Wyoming faces shortfall between $400 million and $600 million for road repair for the next two-year budget cycle. Repair robots could be the answer to paving and repairing roads for far less money in the long run.

Robots Could Be Answer To Wyoming’s $600 Million Road Repair Shortfall

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's general assignment reporter, Clair McFarland.

Clair McFarland

Courts

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<title>Riverton Man Accused Of Shooting And Killing Man In Moving Car  | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Jose Benito Ocon, 34, faces federal first-degree murder charges for shooting a man in the head in a moving car on Wyoming’s Wind River Reservation after asking if his girlfriend loved him. Witnesses said he also threatened two women with the gun.

Riverton Man Accused Of Shooting And Killing Man In Moving Car 

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily reporter, Jackie Dorothy.

Jackie Dorothy

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<title>Looking Back At Weird Depression Era Foods From Tomato Soup Cake To Water Pie | Cowboy State Daily</title>

During World War I and the Great Depression, regular staple pantry ingredients were scarce, so folks had to get creative. They came up with odd recipes such as tomato soup cake and water pie to stretch budgets and keep from starving.

Looking Back At Weird Depression Era Foods From Tomato Soup Cake To Water Pie

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's founder Jimmy Orr

 is co-founder and executive editor of Cowboy State Daily.

Orr is a longtime journalist who was on the masthead at the Los Angeles Times and the Christian Science Monitor as the Managing Editor, Digital.

In the political arena, Orr served as a spokesman for the White House and directed digital strategy for President George W. Bush and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Prior to these positions, Orr worked for Wyoming Governor Jim Geringer and U.S. Senators Malcolm Wallop and Al Simpson.

He was also a co-founder of The Sports Show with ESPN's Woody Paige and was the executive producer of Clay Travis' Outkick the Show.

<title>Jimmy Orr | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Jimmy Orr

Johnson greg

 is managing editor for Cowboy State Daily at the headquarters in Cheyenne.

A veteran journalist of more than 31 years covering Western issues and politics, Greg spent stints in Wyoming as managing editor for the Gillette News Record and Laramie Boomerang. Greg's produced award-winning journalism, and has built a national reputation for his extensive coverage of Wyoming energy -- especially coal.

He previously spent seven years editing and reporting in Alaska, and was managing editor for Sarah Palin's hometown paper when she was tapped as John McCain's running mate in 2008. Greg studied music and English at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Outside the office, Greg likes photography, reading and all things sports.

<title>Greg Johnson | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily editor Justin George

Justin George is a journalist and editor who has worked for eight news organizations across four states & Washington, D.C., including the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun & Tampa Bay Times. Over nearly 25 years, he has covered public safety, transportation, education, the Department of Justice and local government. In 2015, George embedded with the Baltimore Police Department during the internal investigation of the death of Freddie Gray. His coverage contributed to the Baltimore Sun being named a 2016 Pulitzer Prize finalist. 

<title>Justin George | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Justin George

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 is a general assignment reporter for Cowboy State Daily and is based in Riverton, Wyoming. She specializes in crime and court reporting and social issues coverage. Clair also writes a twice-monthly column on motherhood and country living.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Previously, Clair wrote for The Ranger, the Lander Journal and the Wind River News. She is an award-winning journalist, columnist and poet, who joined Cowboy State Daily on Valentines Day, 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<title>Clair McFarland | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily's outdoor and wildlife reporter, Mark Heinz.

[{"type":"text","text":"Mark Heinz covers the outdoors and wildlife for Cowboy State Daily."}]

He previously worked or freelanced for numerous newspapers and magazines across Wyoming, Idaho and Montana  covering all manner of news and feature stories. He has a strong background in topics related to wildlife, hunting, and wildlands conservation. Hes written extensively since the 1990s about the controversies surrounding wolves, grizzly bears and mustangs.

He also enjoys people-centric stories with quirky edge of humor and has written several such pieces for Cowboy State Daily.&nbsp;

Mark lives in Laramie with his wife, Kendy, and the youngest of their five children.

<title>Mark Heinz | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Mark Heinz

 is the business and tourism reporter for Cowboy State Daily and is based in Cheyenne. Previously, Ren&eacute;e 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.

<title>Renée Jean | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily reporter, Dale Killingbeck

Killingbeck is glad to be back in journalism after working for 18 years in corporate communications with a health system in northern Michigan. He spent the previous 16 years working for newspapers in western Michigan in various roles.

<title>Dale Killingbeck | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Dale Killingbeck

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily reporter, Jen Kocher.

[{"type":"text","text":"Jen Kocher is Cowboy State Daily's reporter in Gillette, Wyoming."}]

Hard-hitting, thorough, and relentless, Kocher is a bulldog who prides herself in finding the stories that are challenging, meaningful, and difficult for others to attempt.

Originally from Pittsburgh, Jennifer has lived all over the West and moved to Wyoming just under a decade ago where shes written for dozens of magazines and publications throughout the state.

With masters degrees in creative writing and nonfiction and several awards under her belt, she loves writing features and long-form stories as well.

Outside of work, Jennifer loves anything to do with birds, wine, hiking or traveling.

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