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

Latest from Renée Jean

As the state’s data center industry booms, Wyomingites want to know where the water is coming from. The  Select Water Committee dove into that Thursday, as critics clashed over property rights, supply, and impacts for one of the nation’s driest states. Above, work continues Friday, May 8, 2026, at the site of a Meta data center being built in south Cheyenne.

As Data Centers Boom, Wyomingites Want To Know Where The Water’s Coming From

As the state’s data center industry booms, Wyomingites want to know where the water is coming from. The  Select Water Committee dove into that Thursday, as critics clashed over property rights, supply, and impacts for one of the nation’s driest states.

Renée JeanMay 08, 2026

Tourism spending overall is up in Thermopolis, but short-term rental owners say the Star Plunge closure has gutted their bookings for a second summer. "We know it’s closed, so we’re just not going up there,” a potential visitor told a local Airbnb owner.

For Second Summer, Star Plunge Closure Kills Short-Term Bookings In Thermopolis

Tourism spending overall is up in Thermopolis, but short-term rental owners say the Star Plunge closure has gutted their bookings for a second summer. "We know it’s closed, so we’re just not going up there,” a potential visitor told a local Airbnb owner.

Renée JeanMay 07, 2026

Gas pipeline construction Jim Parkin via Alamy 5 6 26

Bridger Oil Pipeline Filling Fast, Has Commitments To Move 400,000 Barrels A Day

Bridger Pipeline says it already has commitments for around 400,000 barrels per day of crude oil. That’s roughly 89% of the volume the company has said it needs to green-light construction of the 650-mile pipeline which would terminate in Guernsey.

Renée JeanMay 07, 2026

James Morey, Jr. and Diana Gunderson hold up an identical battery pack (left) to the one that blew up and caught fire (upper right and lower right).

"It Just Blew Up": Wyoming Couple Jolted Awake When Lithium-Ion Battery Catches Fire

A lithium-ion battery caught fire at a Daniel couple’s home as they were waking up on Tuesday. “The flames, my God, I couldn’t believe it,” Jack Morey said. “It just blew up and shot flames I’d say about a foot up.” 

Renée JeanMay 06, 2026

BWXT has lined up a buyer as its first customer for the $500 million TRISO nuclear fuel plant it’s building in Gillette. “Once you have a licensed nuclear facility, it’s a very powerful asset,” a company official said about potential for more customers.

BWXT Has First Customer, Partner For Its $500 Million Nuclear Fuel Plant In Gillette

BWXT has lined up its first customer for the $500 million TRISO nuclear fuel plant it’s building in Gillette. “Once you have a licensed nuclear facility, it’s a very powerful asset,” a company official said about the potential for more customers.

Renée JeanMay 06, 2026

A formerly Chinese-owned cryptocurrency mining operation that was built about a mile from F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne. In May 2024, President Joe Biden by executive order forced the Chinese-owned company to sell it.

Some Claim Foreign 'Dark Money' Is Funding Anti-Data Center Sentiment Across U.S.

A new study traces $39 million in foreign funding behind anti-data center campaigns across the U.S. Betsey Hale, the CEO of Cheyenne Leads, is concerned about it. "No one has complained about data centers until about the last month and a half,” she said.

Renée JeanMay 05, 2026

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