Headshot of Cowboy State Daily reporter, Jackie Dorothy.

Jackie Dorothy

Wyoming Life

Calamity Janes sister 5 inset and school today on the museum grounds 3 29 26

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

<title>Wyoming History: Calamity Jane’s Turbulent Visits To Her Sister’s Homestead | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Calamity Jane frequently visited her sister’s family at her Borner’s Garden homestead near Lander, despite clashes with Lena’s husband, John. After Lena’s early death, John moved the children to Greybull, leaving Borner’s Garden a ghost of frontier life.

Wyoming History: Calamity Jane’s Turbulent Visits To Her Sister’s Homestead

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

Renée Jean

Business & Tourism

Business

Chinook chicken 4 6 26

<title>Traveling Wyoming: At Dubois Lodge, Guests Share Motel With Free-Range Chickens | Cowboy State Daily</title>

At the Chinook Winds Lodge in Dubois, guests share the motel with a flock of free-range chickens that produce eggs for the guests. “If you’ve eaten farm-fresh eggs, you know they have that beautiful yolk, and they’re very nutritious," says the owner.

Traveling Wyoming: At Dubois Lodge, Guests Share Motel With Free-Range Chickens

David Madison

Government & Politics

Lake Mead and inset Leeds Fotografica via Alamy 4 5 26

<title>Engineers Say Colorado River Crisis Could Use Wyoming’s ‘Godfather Of Water’ About Now | Cowboy State Daily</title>

Elwood Mead was known as Wyoming’s “godfather of measuring water." As head of the Bureau of Reclamation, he oversaw the building of Hoover Dam that created Lake Mead, which was named after him. Engineers say today’s Colorado River crisis could use his insight.

Engineers Say Colorado River Crisis Could Use Wyoming’s ‘Godfather Of Water’ About Now

Headshot of Cowboy State Daily reporter, Dale Killingbeck

Dale Killingbeck

Around Wyoming

Almy Mine Disaster Aftermath of the 5 Mine explosion 1895 4 5 26

<title>‘Voice’ Told 13-Year-Old Coal Miner To Get Out, Then 62 Other Miners Killed | Cowboy State Daily</title>

In March 1895, a 13-year-old coal miner in Almy, Wyoming, was almost finished with his shift when he heard a “voice” tell him to “go home.” He did, then an explosion killed 62 of his coworkers.

‘Voice’ Told 13-Year-Old Coal Miner To Get Out, Then 62 Other Miners Killed

Electrician Chase Fisher top Jeremy Royer left and Jake Smith install a riser for new service Courtesy photo 4 5 26

<title>Data Centers Behind Huge Pay For Electricians, As High As $260,000 In Some Parts | Cowboy State Daily</title>

An explosion of data centers across the U.S. has created an explosion in the need for electricians — and their pay can reach as much as $260,000 a year in some parts. In Wyoming, big six figure salaries are available too but it comes with tradeoffs.

Data Centers Behind Huge Pay For Electricians, As High As $260,000 In Some Parts

Military museum inset 4 4 26

<title>Veteran Starts Program To Give Vets Free Overnight Trips to Military Vehicle Museum | Cowboy State Daily</title>

A Casper veteran is launching Wyoming’s version of Honor Flights — trips to the National Museum of Military Vehicles in Dubois. The goal is for vets to help each other while bonding over the largest private collection of military vehicles in the world.

Veteran Starts Program To Give Vets Free Overnight Trips to Military Vehicle Museum

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>

Greg Johnson

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

Clair headshot 2 11 22 23

 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>

Clair McFarland

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>

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>

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.

Tom Lubnau

Latest from Tom Lubnau

Tom Lubnau: The Price of Voting. No Privacy.

Tom Lubnau: The Court Drew a Map. The Legislature Drove Into the Ditch.

Tom Lubnau: Campaign Season – When Propaganda Puts on a Cowboy Hat

Tom Lubnau: From Forbidden Soviet Rock to Sold-Out American Shows

Tom Lubnau: Wyoming’s Soul. Still For Sale?

Tom Lubnau: Checkgate Stinks. An Investigation Won’t Clear the Air.

Team